notes ∣ at the end of the chapter

iv. desire comes in many forms

Desire watches the boy stare at the envelope in front of him.

It has been a long time since Desire has intervened so directly in the mortal world without a reason that somehow relates to its siblings – mortals are interesting to play with, no doubt, but they come into Desire's embrace easily enough without being prompted.

Desire is not like Delirium, or even Despair. Apart from the eldest of the Endless, who rule near-constantly over all beings, Desire's realm is perhaps the largest, even larger than Destruction's.

After all, every living being knows desire at some point in their lives.

But this one – this one is interesting. For some reason, this one's family reminds Desire of its own. Seven siblings, just like the Endless – it is not something that is truly common anymore. There are always less or more, but hardly ever exactly seven.

Perhaps Desire should have chosen one of the twins. It is to them that it feels the most similarity, after all. But this boy – the responsible one – is the one that calls to Desire.

The boy has spent his life ignoring its siren call, and that is not something that Desire can ignore easily. Losing Norton had been bad enough, and that had only transpired because Dream had intervened – if Desire loses this one, without the actions of another of the Endless affecting him, it will not be able to live it down for the next couple of billion years.

And, as always, the mortal gives Desire the perfect opportunity to strike.

The letter lies open in front of him, staring at him almost as though it is mocking him.

Junior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic – people strive in the Ministry for years to even be eligible for the position, let alone be offered it. Percy's only been a member of the Ministry for a year, and it wasn't exactly a good one for him, considering everything that had happened with Mr Crouch.

And yet, the letter's saying that Minister Fudge is offering him the newly empty position.

The smart part of him, the one that knows that everything has a price, warns him to be careful and think everything through. But that's only a small part.

Larger – much larger – is the other voice. The voice that whispers that Percy should take, that it's what he deserves. He's so much smarter than everyone else, after all – so much better suited for the job.

Besides, it's what he's desired for so long, to be close enough to the Minister that he can learn everything he needs to for the time when he's the one at the top of the Ministry.

It's suspicious, that's for certain – but it's also everything Percy's ever desired and hoped for, and he's not about to let it go so easily.

As Desire makes its way back to its realm, it allows itself a smile.

Really, mortals are just so easy once the right pressure is applied. Not even the Weasley boy could withstand him for any significant amount of time.

Dream might like to believe that it is mortals who shape the Endless and not the other way around, but Desire knows better. If Dream was right, its task would not have been so easy.

But then, Desire is always right.

an: sandman stuff for my hp readers:
1) desire: desire's usually shown to rule the sexual aspects of desire, but it encapsules desire as a whole, not only sexual desire. which, in the end, is the reason behind my interpretation of desire here.
2) desire and gender: desire is simultaneously a male, a female, both and neither. it is referred to as 'it,' and dream of the endless (along with presumably others of the endless too) call it 'sister-brother.'

i hope you guys liked it! as always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)