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When Lucius Malfoy keeps stopping by his department at the Ministry, Percy assumes that the man is there to visit someone at a much higher level than himself, though he has yet to figure out who it could be. He’s embarrassed by how long it takes for him to realize that the elder Malfoy is there to see him, which he chalks up to the unlikeliness of the situation due to the antagonism between their two families. The eventual invitation to lunch doesn’t surprise Percy so much as its location at an upscale muggle restaurant.
“The Ministry is full of gossips, so I felt it best to have this discussion somewhere we won’t be recognized,” Lucius explains. “I may have a different opinion of Muggles than your father, but I do appreciate their cuisine.”
“While I’m flattered by the invite, I have to admit that I’m not sure why you’ve taken an interest,” Percy responds. He knows he’s taking a gamble by bringing the topic up so early, but it’s hard for him to keep his curiosity at bay.
“I admire those with ambition, which you have in spades,” Lucius responds. “Do you know what I do at the Ministry?”
“I can’t say that I do,” Percy admits. “I hope that’s not an issue.”
“It’s actually the point,” Lucius says with a smirk. “Very few people actually know what I do, which is very much intentional.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Percy asks.
“Because we need each other,” Mister Weasley,” Lucius responds. “Politics is a dirty game. Your family name will hold you back no matter how hard you work, unless you ally yourself with someone that is connected to the right people. And I need someone without an alliance to Slytherin to acknowledge the missteps being made at Hogwarts because then people might actually listen.”
“What makes you think I agree with you about Hogwarts?” Percy asks, deflecting. The other man isn’t wrong, but Percy wants to hear more before acknowledging that fact.
“Do I need to remind you what happened to your sister two years ago?” Lucius asks. “Or to young Ronald the year before that?”
“We were warned to stay away from that corridor, so that is partially on Ron,” Percy responds. “As for Ginny, if I recall correctly, you actually bear some responsibility for that.”
“I didn’t intend for things to turn out the way they did, nor for the diary to end up in the hands of your sister,” Lucius replies chastened. “There’s plenty of smaller things as well. Disregarding rules when they benefit a particular house. Allowing misinformation to spread about another.”
“Statistically, identified Death Eaters did come from Slytherin far more than any other house,” Percy points out. “Though I agree it isn’t fair to paint the current students with the same brush.”
“And there’s whatever Dumbledore is trying to pull with the TriWizard tournament,” Lucius scoffs. “Potter’s not a good enough student to bypass the charms that were in place, which means that an adult entered his name. The headmaster is the obvious choice. Stack the odds towards Hogwarts and make sure his house is represented.”
“I hadn’t considered that, but the accusation isn’t without its merits,” Percy responds. “Most of the school assumes that Harry is just trying to gain attention for himself, but that’s the last thing he wants.”
“My son has said as much as well. At least privately,” Lucius responds. “I’m well aware of the public antagonism.”
Percy is pretty sure that Lucius encourages the way that Draco acts towards Harry and his friends, but he’s not about to press the issue. “What would this mutually beneficial arrangement look like?” Percy asks, getting back on topic.
“Your boss is involved with the TriWizard tournament. Start asking the right questions. Who benefits from the rules being broken, because it’s not a fourteen year old boy,” Lucius responds. “Once that’s complete, I’ll make sure you’re transferred somewhere where your boss knows your name and has better opportunities for advancement.”
“You have a deal,” Percy responds. He won’t be asking things that he wasn’t wondering anyway, and he is painfully aware that Mister Crouch won’t recommend him for a promotion when he can’t even get his name correct. If Malfoy doesn’t follow through on his end, it will be disappointing, but shouldn’t negatively impact his career.
When Percy starts asking questions, Mister Crouch insists that Percy has an overactive imagination, but he does start behaving oddly. Shortly after, Percy is reassigned to be the assistant to someone in Minister Fudge’s inner circle, which he knows is the work of Lucius Malfoy. He exercises great caution in sending an owl of thanks, but somehow word still gets around that Lucius Malfoy has taken a Weasley under his wing. Naturally, this does not go over well with his mother, and given that there is no diplomatic way to say that being Arthur Weasley’s son is a liability for career advancement, Percy is soon looking for a new place to live.
Given that the secret is out, Percy and Lucius often dine together and with the other man’s council, Percy is soon known as a rising star within the Ministry. He also doesn’t stop asking questions, which leads to exposing the escape of Bartemis Crouch, Junior and preventing the TriWizard Tournament from being further tampered with.
Once the plot is out in the open, Percy starts wondering about Lucius’s true motivations, given that despite his previous claims of curses, it’s common knowledge that the Malfoy family were supporters of the Dark Lord. Percy presses him on the fact and Lucius acknowledges that while his personal beliefs have largely not changed, he prefers a more subtle approach to getting the necessary reforms in place.
Percy is well aware that Lucius intends to use him as a vessel to get his agenda through, especially as he continues to advance through the Ministry at a rapid pace. Some people would say that he made a deal with the devil, but Lucius Malfoy is more complex than people give him credit for, and if Percy had to do it all over again, he’d make the same decisions.