Sold

By theanonymouslibrians

Note: I do not own Fantastic Beasts or Harry Potter. So this fic is going to be kind of a dump for Fantastic Beasts fics. Some connected, some not, some more like fragments. This particular chapter is born out of a desire for Game of Thrones crossovers with Fantastic Beasts to flood the fandom. Sadly, I cannot make others write them, so I'm writing one myself in hopes others will follow my lead.

Lord Percival Graves of Woolworth was fuming as he swung himself up on his horse. This was humiliating. Beyond that…it was degrading. And a betrayal. He'd never betrayed Seraphina even once. The two had grown up together, more like siblings than friends. When her father had died, Percival had stood by her side as a loyal bannerman of the House of Picquery, fighting against those who thought a woman couldn't rule. And when Gellert Grindelwald had trapped Graves in his own dungeon and stole Percival's face, Graves had fought as hard as he could, making Grindelwald get any information he needed by prying it from Graves' mind.

"I hope you have a safe journey." Seraphina said.

Percival just stared at her, standing next to him, surrounded by her guards. He wasn't going to pretend to be fine with this. Only a week ago he would have been wary of treating her with disrespect. But that was before-

"You'll have to forgive Lord Graves, Lady Picquery." Graves tensed as his new liege lord rode up next to him. "I'm afraid last time he was in my care I wasn't always the kindest. No doubt he's nervous."

Seraphina switched her gaze to Grindelwald. "And you'll uphold you're end of the treaty?"

"My men are clearing out of Ilvermorny as we speak."

"Good." She switched her gaze back to Percival, her eyes holding a softer look. "Percival-"

"Actually," Grindelwald interrupted, "I'm afraid we're rather pressed for time. Percival, I need you up at the front with me. Come along." The dark wizard gestures towards the front of the army and urges his horse in that direction.

Normally, Graves would have told the wizard exactly what he could do with that order, but Percival couldn't stand to look at Seraphina any longer. He heard her call out to him but ignored her. She wasn't his liege lady anymore; she gave up the right to any respect when she signed Percival (and consequently his lands) over to Grindelwald for peace.

Gellert Grindelwald was silent until they reached the very front. "That's better. I was rather annoyed that she showed up today at all. Weren't you?"

Actually, Graves was. Woolworth was still his (even if his liege lord had changed) and Seraphina now had no claim to any of his lands. How dare she show up after trading him to the man who had kept him prisoner for over a year? And without so much as sending word ahead. But Percival just shrugged, unwilling to let Grindelwald see how hurt and angry Percival is.

"Well, don't worry. You won't need to see her for quite a while."

Graves glanced up at his castle as the army started to move. Woolworth had been his home for his entire life and now he's being forced to leave it. Grindelwald had said he wanted his new bannerman at Nurmengard. He hadn't said how long, let alone for what. Graves could always refuse to go. But he had no idea how Grindelwald would react and wasn't anxious to test the man just yet.

"Oh, don't worry. I wouldn't dream of keeping you from your home forever. We'll be back soon enough. I just want you in Nurmengard for now."

Well, that was good at least (although Percival didn't like the "we"). "How far away is it?"

No one quite knew were Nurmengard was. No one besides Grindelwald, his soldiers, and those who had chosen to live under Grindelwald's rule. Point-me spells led the casters into dangerous, often deadly, areas. Spies had been sent to follow Grindelwald's army on several occasions, but few returned. The ones who did always went stark raving mad.

About a week." Grindelwald smirked at Graves' surprised glance. Percival knew the surrounding areas like the back of his hand and no castle was anywhere near that close. Of course, they could be planning to apparate, but with the sheer amount of luggage and livestock they had to transport, that would be imprudent. "You'll understand in time. Distance simply isn't a problem we face."

Graves knew it was useless trying to extract more from the man. Grindelwald had been his only companion for over a year. Sometimes his visits had only been to gather information; the man had rifled through his mind, tearing down any walls Graves had tried to use to block him and leaving Percival a sobbing mess on his dungeon floor. Other times, though, Grindelwald had just stopped down to chat or share his meals with Graves. Percival knew that if Grindelwald wanted Graves to know more, he'd tell him and, until then, no amount of questions would reveal anything meaningful.

Percival waited for Grindelwald to say something, anything, but after they've ridden about a quarter mile in silence, Percival decided to break it, "You said you needed me?"

"I merely wanted the pleasure of your company. It's so rare to have a wizard of your caliber to talk to."

Okay." Graves wasn't going to openly rebel against his new liege lord just yet. He knew he might have to; if Grindelwald ordered him to attack his allies or, God forbid, muggles, Percival would have no choice but to fight against the dark wizard. But Graves wasn't going to simper and preen under Grindelwald's compliments and pretend he was happy with the deal. "So, do you want to talk about what you're doing?" Grindelwald glanced at him, eyebrow raised. "Why did you ask for Woolworth?"

The corners of Grindelwald's mouth twitched. "I missed your cook's omelettes. And you."

"And?"

"And it's useful to have a castle so close to Macusa, especially one that's nearly impregnable."

"Only you promised peace in exchange for my lands."

Grindelwald barked a laugh. "Is that what your dear Lady Picquery told you? No, darling. I promised I'd withdraw every last one of my followers from Ilvermorny and her lands in exchange for you as my bannerman. And I have. I never said I'd take my men out of my own lands (and let's agree, since you're mine, they're mine as well)." He paused, a grin spreading over his face as he looked at Percival, who could feel the blood draining from his own. "And withdrawing my army doesn't mean never returning."

Suddenly, Graves' mouth went dry and his stomach felt queasy. Surely Seraphina couldn't have overlooked...she had to have some kind of contingency plan, in case Grindelwald broke the treaty…this wasn't…she couldn't…

"Oh, and you should know that there are wards on you to prevent you from contacting anyone. And, of course, every single person in this camp knows to send for me if they see you trying to wander off."

Graves had figured as much, but that didn't make having it confirmed any easier. "It doesn't matter." His voice sounded shaky even to him. "They'll be expecting some type of double-cross."

"Probably." Grindelwald agreed. "But Lady Picquery's strongest bannerman is now mine."

"I won't attack-"

"Of course you wouldn't. But then I don't need you to. I just need you unable to be of any help."

"The other lords and-"

"Are already wavering in their support after she sold you to me." Grindelwald reached out and patted Graves on the shoulder. "I'm not the only one who's fond of you. The Goldsteins, the Abernathys, the Scamanders…none of them is very pleased with Lady Picquery. The things they think I did to you… that I'm doing to you…" He gave a mock shudder. "Well, I admit I encouraged the rumors, but you should count yourself lucky that rumors are all they are. Now, I doubt they'd-"

"Stop." Graves interrupted. "Please, just stop." He couldn't deal with this. It was all too much. First he had been betrayed by his oldest friend, sold to a man who had kept him prisoner, and now the same man was going to use Percival's home as a way to conquer the wizarding kingdoms of Westeros…

"Of course." Grindelwald nodded, almost sympathetically. "I forget you've been discussing nothing but politics for several days. Let's talk about something more cheerful. You've never been to Nurmengard before, have you? I think you'll like your quarters. They're much…"

Graves barely heard him as he prattled on about things Percival couldn't care less about. When had he lost complete control over his life? Probably, he reflected, the moment he met Gellert Grindelwald.