fire eye'd boy, give them all the slip

[im_head_boy]

WHO im_head_boy and OPEN
WHAT IMPROVING THE CITY. and being really hungry, oh god.
WHERE All over: the Magistrate's Tower, Furor's, Casa de Marauder, throughout the city.
WHEN All week, starting 5/31 - 6/4
NOTES Just note when/where you're running into him.
WARNINGS None yet!

Comments

[alphaophiuchi]

The time that had passed between Draco's first post and that day, roughly a week later, had been spent almost entirely trying to figure out how things worked around him; they were nothing like back home, though he couldn't say he missed much just yet. Particularly the disdainful glances he'd managed to escape, as far as most people were concerned.

He hadn't intended to pause when he'd heard Percy harassing - yes, that was effectively what Weasley was up to - but the opportunity was perhaps too good to pass up. But it had been a long while since he'd been able to freely do any harassing of his own, and nothing was coming to him just yet; instead, Draco was content with standing idly by, smirking amusedly at the attempts to get proper answers out of passers-by. It was probably a safe position - what were the chances he'd be asked?

[im_head_boy]

After yet another person had told him that the best way to improve the city would be "get some fucking food," Percy stopped on the sidewalk, frowning, tapping his fingers against his hips. He had tried to explain to everyone that they were working on it, he promised, and in the meantime there were ... well, all right, have a nice day then ... but people weren't really listening. Obviously.

But! Now wasn't the time to give up. He knew this wasn't a useless venture; he had to find answers. Glancing up, he spotted a form standing still and took two steps over towards it before he realized who it was.

"Mr. Malfoy," he greeted, pulling a cool politeness over his initial shock.

[alphaophiuchi]

"Mr Weasley," Draco replied dryly, managing quite well to hide his amusement at the lack of helpful replies Percy was getting. It showed that his ventures outside the hostel weren't wasted, for not only was he learning minor things, but he was also getting cheap amusements for simply being in the right place at the right time. Providing, of course, Percy didn't decide to ask him anything. "Or Magistrate, as you seem to be introducing yourself. Whatever that means.

"Don't mind me; I'm just enjoying your suffering." He made a little shooing gesture, pointing off towards another small group of people who were more than likely just going to either tell him to sod off or get more food, "There's another lot you can ask, though."

[im_head_boy]

"The Magistrate is the leader of the city," Percy informed Malfoy coolly. "Similar in scope to the Minister for Magic. It's my job to run the city, and my job to improve it as much as I can." At least until the actual hereditary Magistrate was found - but that wasn't important right now. He turned his gaze on the younger man, examined him for a moment. "And since you're a new arrival - what do you feel could be improved?"

Who knew, it might actually be useful to speak to a new arrival - and it wasn't like anything Malfoy could suggest would be worse than the legislation Percy himself had enacted, though he'd managed to eradicate it.

[alphaophiuchi]

His eyebrows merely rose at the idea of a Weasley in any position of power, but he bit his tongue for the time being, waiting for Percy to leave. When he didn't, Draco's mouth pursed in a sure sign of his disapproval at being asked anything, let alone how the city could be improved.

Of course, one thing did come to mind: "How about the fact that, almost the moment I arrived, I was very nearly mugged and killed?" More than likely an exaggeration, but when it came to Draco's life, very little wasn't. "Not a pleasant welcome, I have to say."

[im_head_boy]

"I can imagine." Percy had heard of similar, and worse, stories on arrival, though he did remember Draco's penchant for exaggeration, so it had to be tempered slightly. Likely someone had simply bumped against him on the sidewalk, and somehow that had become a horrible bloodthirsty attack. "Then how do you feel that could be improved? Increased police presence on the streets? Some sort of - " a pause to remember the word, oh, god, it was right on the tip of his tongue - "sur - surveillance! system? Some sort of self-defense classes?"

[alphaophiuchi]

"Well, I can't imagine self-defence classes would help people who've just arrived," Draco replied blandly, staring Percy down as if that would fully convey the weight of his continued disapproval. "But having-" Police? Those are those Muggle lot with the hats, aren't they? "-people wandering round to help out if necessary would likely come in handy, and prevent an onslaught of network calls screaming for help." A pause, while Draco only half-resisted the urge to sniff indignantly, "Surveillance, if you prefer to call it that."

[im_head_boy]

As Draco spoke, Percy did something likely rather unexpected: he listened. Then he pulled a small notebook and pen from the inside of his suit jacket (not as elegant or as comfortable as a quill and parchment, but loads more portable) and made several quick notes in his small, neat handwriting.

"You seem to have another suggestion," he remarked blandly, clicking the pen closed. "May I inquire?"

[alphaophiuchi]

At some point - likely the moment Draco noticed the notebook - he paused somewhat, peering at it; he could only fathom why exactly he was getting recorded, effectively, but it probably had something to do with the job - there was no other reason a Weasley would ever actually listen to him, beyond the obvious gestures that made it seem so. Draco pressed on regardless, dismissing it with a roll of his eyes.

"Whatever would do to keep the streets safer than they are. Admittedly, haven't had a problem since then, but I've been watching my back." Doubtless there were others as paranoid as the blond. Somewhere. "And possibly a way for people to figure out where they are and what they're doing without having to ask."

[im_head_boy]

"Mmm. Unfortunately, the city never drops people in the same place as they arrive - it's very scattered." Still, he continued scribbling down the suggestions, glad to have something to work with besides "get out of my face, asshole." "But still, a sort of centralized location for people to learn about the city." A better suggestion than expected, especially from a Malfoy.

[alphaophiuchi]

"If nothing else, it would allow people to simply say 'go read that', rather than an extended explanation of things that may or may not make sense," Draco elaborated dryly, still watching Percy jot down notes as if worried the other man was about to take what he said out of context and throw it up somewhere to defame the blond even further.

[im_head_boy]

Percy looked up from his notebook and noted the direction of the other man's gaze, and raised an eyebrow. "Something interesting?" he asked dryly, clicking the pen closed again.

[alphaophiuchi]

"You can't find parchment round here? Or is this simply a matter of convenience?" He asked by way of reply, finally glancing back up to Percy. It wasn't that Draco disliked Muggle inventions, it was just that they were so incredibly inferior to anything he could do that they never came into play. At least in his mind.

[im_head_boy]

"A combination of both," Percy replied, stowing both notebook and pen in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. "As you can imagine, quality writing supplies are a rare commodity, and the effect of the city means that even simple Transfiguration can be quite draining."

A dangerous thing to admit, perhaps, but perhaps Malfoy had had the same revelation - and besides, he'd heard about what had happened at the Battle, seen some of its aftereffects himself. Insofar as the Malfoy family could be considered to be on a 'side' besides their own, they were mostly on the same side now. Besides, his offensive magic wasn't affected as much, thankfully.

[alphaophiuchi]

"Tragic," he muttered, filing the note away for the next time Transfiguration struck him as a good idea. Or anything, for that matter; certainly, Draco had noticed that little effect, but put it aside as merely the moment. There was still quite a bit he hadn't tested or explored yet, and just adjusting was a chore.

If nothing else, Draco's words hadn't yet been curbed, and he fought far more battles with them than anything else. Perhaps it would change without Crabbe or Goyle around, or perhaps he would simply learn a lesson in interpersonal dealings. Thus far, he'd been able to speak with Weasley with few issues; maybe there was something to be said for civility. Or at least live and let live.

"So what is here in any abundance?"

[im_head_boy]

Percy glanced around. "Sin," he replied dryly. "Normally we have an abundance of food and liquor so people are able to more thoroughly indulge, but until we get this food situation sorted out I suppose the sin comes more from, ah - covetousness than gluttony. There's a fair amount of crime, but we've been working with the police force to clamp down on that. There's a preponderance of people here from other worlds, and most of them are seeking a way out."