Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and no profit is being made off this fanfiction.
A NEW CHALLENGER HAS APPEARED: Stalin's Pipe Organs
Line: "Murder— After all we've done, all we've hurt and destroyed, it seems like such a little step, doesn't it?"
Length: 2k words
Love and Power
A tall man with sleek platinum hair dressed in a large open black robe over an expensive muggle suit, walked with confidence down a hallway as various aides scrambled to and forth carrying papers and dodging message carrying paper airplanes.
"You there!" the man pointed at an aide leaning against the wall to the side room. "Get me a cup of coffee."
The aide, a small scrawny kid straight out of Hogwarts, nodded and stood forward. "Yes Mr. Malfoy"
The kid began walking to the coffee machine before Malfoy put his hand on his shoulder and stopped him.
"Tell me, is Potter in yet?"
"I don't know sir" said the aide.
"Well why don't you go to the front door and check" Malfoy's face showed clear agitation.
"I don't know the way there sir. Your manor is very big and I am new here-"
"Just get the hell out of my sight" interrupted Malfoy.
He watched the aide scamper off as he muttered to himself. "It's like he wants to lose his god damn election"
Malfoy went over and sat in one of the chairs close by, took out a green apple and bit into it while taping his foot to the floor in apparent irritation.
Several minutes passed before another aide came to him. "Sir, Mr. Potter has arrived."
Malfoy stood and walked away without replying. Arriving at his foyer, he spotted Potter hanging his robe.
"Hey Potter, where the hell were you" said Malfoy rather loudly.
"I was busy, my daughter was sick and I couldn't leave the house. Don't worry. Your still getting paid" Potter rolled his eyes.
Malfoy walked over and dropped the morning Prophet into Potter's hands. "Read."
Minister of Magic Election Only Three Days Away
Below a smaller headline stated:
Latest Prophet Poll Shows Potter Still Trailing Macmillan by 10%
"That's impossible! My speech at the Hogwarts memorial should have at least changed these numbers." Harry quickly scanned the rest of the article. "What the hell are we going to do now?"
"We Potter? Your going to listen to me if you want to win this election." said Malfoy.
Malfoy signaled Potter to follow. They went up the stairs to the relatively empty second floor and into one of the spare rooms. Inside were two chairs and a mahogany desk with lots of papers strewn over it, some appearing to have fallen to the floor.
Malfoy shut the door and pulled out his wand, whispering a silencing charm as he ran it over on the outsides of the door. After finishing Malfoy went to the desk and sat on the chair beside it, spinning around to face Potter.
"Look Potter, the explosion we arranged beside your podium last week did cause some speculation." Potter frowned, looking down. "Although the Macmillan campaign did deny its involvement in the attack, there was speculation in the prophet that they were the ones behind it. But now it appears that it still didn't change your figures"
"Malfoy this is why what you decided to do-"
"I didn't decide to do anything. You had agreed" said Malfoy.
Potter turned to the wall and gazed out the window, a solemn expression on his face. It was an unusually cloudy day.
"Listen. What we've done... and what your planning to do, it isn't helping. We need to stop and it is illegal and-"
"Are you saying that you regret our underhanded negotiations with the Goblins." Malfoy leaned forward on his chair. "Without that the Macmillan campaign wouldn't have been choked of funds and we would have never even been able to make it into the running" Malfoy sneered.
Potter's face looked pained. "No Malfoy this has to stop. If the public found out about this, you would be thrown into Azkaban. Think about your family, what would they-"
"No, I am tired of hearing these excuses from you!" snapped Malfoy. "Do you want to win this election or not? If you had listened to me from the start, we would never have been in this problem which we're in now!"
"Then what the hell do you propose we do!"
"Well" A thoughtful expression took Malfoy's face as he visibly calmed down. "How is your pretty wife doing these days" The corners of Malfoy's mouth twitched upwards.
"What does she have to do with this?" said Potter.
Malfoy stood up. "Well Potter, your wife is a fairly popular reporter in the Daily Prophet. If something were to happen to her..."
Potter snarled, fingering his white wand which was half hanging out of his pocket. "Get out."
"C'mon Harry" Malfoy's smile got wider. "Murder— After all we've done, all we've hurt and destroyed, it seems like such a little step, doesn't it?"
"GET OUT"
"It's my house, you can't kick me out." said Malfoy looking amused.
Potter threw the door open with a bang and stormed out of the room. Malfoy stood still for a second, muttering under his breath, before going out the door to follow Potter.
Harry Potter arrived at his Godric's Hallow home that night looking worn out. Hanging his robe on a coat hanger near the door, Harry walked into his kitchen. Almost 15 years he had been living here, yet still it felt strange being in the same house where his parents had died. He saw his daughter Lily sitting at the kitchen table drawing feverishly on a piece of paper.
Lily looked up. "Hi!" she yelled before running into his arms.
Harry ruffled her hair affectionately. "Where is your mother, not asleep already is she?"
"Mommy is still at work." His ten year old daughter frowned, looking down.
"Hmmm shouldn't you be in bed? It is past your bedtime" said Harry lightly.
"Dad" murmured Lily.
"Yeah"
"Can I ask you something?" said Lily.
"Shoot"
"Can you be here more? I miss you daddy. So does mommy. I saw her crying in her room yesterday. Please dad" said Lily with tears beginning to form in her eyes.
Harry hugged his oddly perceptive daughter closer. "Remember I told you about daddy's job?"
"About how you needed to be minister of magic?" Lily looked up at him.
"Yes Lily." Harry checked his wristwatch. "You should go to bed."
His daughter nodded and left the room but not before taking one last look at her father. He was crying.
Wife of Candidate Harry Potter Found Dead
By
Andy Smudgley
Ginny Potter née Weasley wife of Minister of Magic candidate Harry Potter was pronounced dead at St Mungo's Hospital at 1:15 A.M. An unnamed Ministry source reports that the death was caused by a heart attack and that at this moment no foul play is being suspected.
Married to the famous Harry Potter who is known to us both as The Boy Who Lived and Slayer of the Dark Lord Voldemort, Ginny Potter was well known not only in Quidditch circles, but as a talented reporter of our very own Daily Prophet.
More on our dedication to Ginny Potter on page 6...
Meanwhile our political correspondent David Bodin comments that this unfortunate event will change the very nature of this election. "Yes well considering the accusations of corruption that marred Potter's tenure as Head of the Auror Office, this might just generate a sympathy vote which may...
The newspaper fell to the desk as Harry Potter dropped his face to his hands weeping.
A/N: I welcome all types of reviews!