Aldous Crouch had never had any difficulty promoting the needs—even simply the wants—of Britain on the international stage. For himself, though, he had only ever actively asked three things:

• Helga's hand in marriage (successful)
  
• For the voting populace to place their faith in him (unsuccessful)
  
• For Reuben to be useful and stop inviting chaos to the various Crouch doorsteps (TBD)
  

Selfishness, for lack of a better term, had simply never come naturally to the wizard. That was not to say he was without ambition: one could not rise as far as he had without it, and some decades ago, the Sorting Hat had placed him in Slytherin. Aldous was not, however, the most assertive sort. While he knew what he wanted, seeking it out... well, that was another matter.

The Dempseys had, not for the first time, been invited to dinner, the Malfoys present as well to keep the evening from being considered too intimate. Aside from one of Mrs. Dempsey's work-related stories, the dinner had gone quite without a hitch; the ladies had since adjourned to the sitting room, leaving the gentlemen to their brandy and smoking. With Gaius having excused himself to the necessary, Aldous knew he would not have a better opportunity this evening.

"You must be pleased, Dempsey, to see your elections bill bearing fruit." The matter had been passed by the Wizengamot in the autumn, but its natural conclusion—the compilation of an updated list of votors— was to take place early in the new year.