Welcome to Central! (closed)

[rattus_rattus]

WHO Peter Pettigrew and Lucius Malfoy (Closed)
WHAT Peter is settling into his new position and making friends
WHEN October 2, 1980
WHERE Central Department, Ministry of Magic
WARNING None, except Peter taking steps towards the dark side
STATUS In Progress



The Central Department isn't the most glamorous of the departments in the Ministry of Magic. The department seems to only exist as a middleman, shunting interoffice memos from one area of the Ministry to the next. All decisions that need to be communicated throughout the Ministry come through Central to be sorted, triplicated, cataloged, and filed away before the originals are sent on to their destination. Most others would be bored with the position but Peter isn't like most people. Central is a welcome change from his position in Transport. He can focus on a single, rudimentary job without having to deal with people from the public. Most days he's left completely on his own and he loves the feeling of being trusted to work without constant supervision. Plus, the bump in pay has been enough to have him searching for his own flat. He never thought he'd be able to say he was moving up the ladder at the Ministry, but here he was, an assistant to the Department Head. It's more than Peter had ever hoped to achieve.

Peter is carrying a stack of interdepartmental memos that need approval from the Head, Lucius Malfoy. He purposefully talked his way into being the one to deliver the paperwork. Not because he was interested in brown-nosing, but he had a rapport with Lucius. Lucius was the only reason Peter had this job, not to mention they've had lunch a few times since he arrived in Central. Peter was beginning to think that perhaps he could consider themselves on friendly terms - which was a novel idea considering Peter didn't have any other friends besides James, Sirius, and Remus. All of these new experiences made Peter feel special and wanted, more so than he had over the past two years.

He knocks on Lucius' door before he slowly enters, peeking his head into the office. "I've those papers that need your signature," he says. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

Comments

[malificence]

There was that, and the trace, of course. Someone would know every time Peter changed - the whole reason he ever even registered, Lucius expects. Still, he keeps those thoughts filed away, and he continues to look sympathetic. This is leading exactly where he wants it to, after all.

"Some people want to start fresh after school, I suppose. There are a few friends I rarely see myself, these days." Well, Elektra Burke had definitively taken the other side when he and Petia had broken up - and that was expected. Most of his other school friends had either been a little older or a little younger. "If you don't mind me offering some advice, Peter - it might be time to make some new friends. I found doing that is what kept me from feeling like an extra wheel with my old ones." He looks down at the quill he's still holding and dips it back in the inkpot.

"A few friends and I are are going to Ireland for a few days after Halloween. Maybe you'd like to come along?"

[rattus_rattus]

Peter didn't mind the advice at all. Making new friends was a difficult task for Peter. He didn't have the patience to get involved with new people. Still, Lucius had a point. The Marauders might be his brothers, but he felt more alone now than he ever had at Hogwarts. New people might chase some of the dark thoughts that crept up on him when he was alone.

He didn't expect Lucius to invite him to Ireland, however. Peter stares at Lucius, feeling shocked. "M-me?" he says. "You'd like... are you sure? I mean, sure, that sounds brilliant but do your friends know you're inviting..."

He gestured to himself, letting his own appearance fill in the blank.

[malificence]

A look of genuine amusement slips onto Lucius' face, warming his gray eyes, and he lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "There's no reason they wouldn't like the opportunity to meet you, Peter," he says. Which is very much the case, he thinks. Recruitment was a task they were all to focus on, and it did them little good to only recruit people just like themselves. Peter was friends with the type of wizards most likely to protest Tom Riddle's regime.

"I like you, why wouldn't they?" He asked. "You really must come. We all need a few days before the Minister starts us in on some new project, and he always gets itchy with some new idea in the last quarter of the year."

[rattus_rattus]

It was strange to hear the words "I like you" coming out of Lucius Malfoy's mouth. For the majority of his life Peter only had three people he assumed well and truly 'liked' him, and even that was up for debate. He never envisioned finding another person who professed to enjoy his company that wasn't lying to his face. There was still a chance that Lucius was doing just that, but, Peter doubted that was true. The more time Peter worked with Lucius, the more he realized just how little patience the man had for others. If Lucius said he liked him, then some part of that statement must have been true. Which meant the invitation was genuine.

Peter considered his options. He wanted to go, he'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't interested. It was new, different, and a touch dangerous. He hadn't felt like that since the last time he, James, Sirius, and Remus used the Marauders Map. But his friends wouldn't be thrilled that Peter was choosing to spend time with Malfoy, not to mention his associates. In some way, irritating his friends had its own excitement.

In the end, it was an easy decision to make. "Yeah, all right," Peter nodded. "Sounds like it could be fun."

[malificence]

Peter wasn't wrong; Lucius could be immensely patient, but he didn't tend to waste it on people who weren't worth. In some circumstances, he wouldn't bother with Peter, either, but as projects went - he was far more amusing than keeping an eye of his recent roommates, that was for certain.

His lips curve into a smile. "Good," he says. "It'll be fun." And he doesn't often describe things as fun, not outside of a very small group of people. Of which Peter may just become a member.