Welp, not like I got any other work to upload or something, but Newt stole my heart last sunday and I had sudden inspiration.

I have a few ideas for this work, but I don't know yet where this is exactly going. As I said in the tags, might end in a relationship or not, might be polyamory or not, might be gen or not... At this point, no one knows. I'm just trying to find an excuse to write and explore a possible relationship, romantic or not, between Newt and Percival. (I'm speculating a lot about Percival's personnality too...) It also won't be canon compliant with the following movies, but I think that's a given.

Another thing, English is not my first language, I apologize for any mistakes or awkward phrasing, I'm still trying to improve my skills~

Full summary:

Graves has troubles dealing with the pity he could notice in his coworkers' eyes, the theft of his identity and Grindelwald's shadow still hovering above his mind. As for Tina, the Auror daily routine felt tasteless in her throat. Both of them couldn't stand the hypocrisy of their world anymore and the wizard who feared humans more than he feared his creatures might just be the answer.

Or, Tina manages to persuade Graves into following the awkward yet incredibly touching British boy Newt on his journey to write about and protect the beasts of the wizarding world. Even though said British boy insists that he isn't of the age to be called that way anymore and he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself.

Also, Graves might not be aware he is getting involved in what might possibly be the strangest road trip he has ever heard of.

Before:

"Sir, the no-maj has been obliviated, there is nothing more we can learn from him."

"Report to the President once you're done."

"Yes, sir!"

Graves did not give the wizard going back to his coworkers a glance, staring at the gaping hole left in the pavement of New York City's streets. He was watching without seeing; he had been the first to arrive hours ago, he was sure he could practically draw the entire thing from memories alone.

Stones had fallen from the buildings, so close to each other in this narrow alley, and they had broken upon falling on the ground, leaving something that looked like the aftermath of an explosion, at least to the No-Majs' eyes. It certainly seemed so, as long lashes which looked like burn marks covered the cracked walls, smoke hovered in the air and the pavement was left open, allowing anyone to see the underground level of the city. "At least it won't be too hard to hide the truth from the No-Majs," was Graves' only comforting thought.

"You think this is Grindelwald?"

Percival slightly turned but barely, already recognizing the voice of his superior. He did not need eyes to notice Seraphina Picquery's presence, as her aura was enough to draw attention and silence around her. He simply nodded, mumbling a "Madam" under his breath.

"I do not think, I know."

"It could be a simple duel between two wizards gone wrong."

"You know as well as I do that this is him. Everything fits and it's only what he's looking for, creating a goddamn mess and panic in our ranks."

"I was simply asking. I know very well this couldn't be anyone else."

Graves shivered from the cold of New York's winter nights, his scarf and coat not nearly enough to warm him. Adding the dismal atmosphere to it didn't help.

There was nothing more he could do here. Yet, he didn't feel like leaving for now. The past few weeks had been hard on him, and on everyone else in the Macusa. Grindelwald left no traces behind him, but he sure hit quickly everywhere in the entire world, always slipping past their fingers. Percival was growing more and more frustrated as the days passed and scenes like this one happened once a week, then twice, then a bit more each passing week. He just didn't get it. Was the dark mage simply having fun, tormenting them, tormenting him? The Auror started to wonder if everything seeming so hazardous wasn't just a part of a much bigger scheme.

Well, this wasn't the time to get paranoid… Or maybe it was. He couldn't afford to lose focus, especially when he knew the damn rat was certainly closer to them than he had been before.

He looked away from the hole as a wizard team from the Minister started to close it. He glanced behind him; another one was trying to disperse the forming crowd at the entrance of the alley. Probably wizards, as No-Majs were kept at bay with a few charms for the time being, even their own police forces. No-Majs couldn't be trusted with anything magical, not even the higher-graded ones. As for his own team of Aurors, they had been the fastest to arrive, but each left on their own, following their own instincts and trails. This was going to be a long night.

"I want every Auror available that we have on this, Mister Graves. We are not letting him escape the city once again, he must be close."

"I know, Madam. They're already on it," he answered, frowning even more, sensing a headache coming. They both walked towards the main street, Macusa agents deciding not to bother them for now. When they stopped, Picquery gracefully faced him, staring with intense eyes that did not leave room for anything else but respect.

"I am fully leaving it in your hands. There is no one else I would trust for something of such importance."

"I know. You don't need to say it," he said. Though strictly professional, they had known each other for so many years now, words so solemn weren't needed anymore.

The President nodded, with a smile so small that he almost didn't see it. She sighed, greeted a working agent walking past her with a nod. She made a move to walk away, then she stopped again.

"Also, Graves?"

"What is it, Madam the President?"

"Please be careful. You're the best agent that we have, we can not allow to lose you now in such a critical time."

"I'll make sure to be."

In less than a second, the air distorted around her and she was gone. Graves let out yet another sigh.

This was going to be a very long night.

The moment he moved, every Macusa agent was on him, asking for orders and reporting everything they knew. A few Aurors were among them, the less experimented ones. The other ones had already left after all and they could be trusted to be careful with their own safety.

Orders were given without another thought, as if it was a second nature to him. No one questioned him, they obeyed without discussing, admiration in their eyes, trying to bring honor to the man who had stopped so many mages of wicked intentions. Each of them had their tasks: preventing No-Majs' from getting closer until everything was clear, taking contact with the No-Majs' authorities aware of wizards' existence, spreading investigation teams all over the city, letting another one behind to make sure any trace of magic was gone. They needed eyes and ears everywhere.

Now:

He used to think of his office as his second home. A place where he would spend most of his time, if not more than his actual home. There wasn't much in his life except his Auror duties, but he didn't dwell too much on it.

After Grindelwald, he didn't feel comfortable in there anymore.

Percival remembered well the moment he finally woke up from his living nightmare, only to learn that everything had already been over. Worse, everything he had tried to achieve had either been crushed or someone else had accomplished it. Goldstein had had the time reintegrate the Macusa during the entire time he was absent – if absent was the right word for it, he couldn't think of anything else. Even worse, that poor kid, Credence, a poor lost soul who needed support that a 'family' couldn't give him, was dead. The implications were heavy on his shoulders, already hunched by too much weight and memories.

He had tried so much to do what he could for this child. He truly did, as an actual favor for Goldstein. She was too sensitive and hot-headed, but her intentions were pure enough for him and he valued each of his subordinates. If the protocol wanted her to be fired, he wasn't heartless nonetheless, and did what she couldn't do for the kid. He just didn't have enough time to take him away from his 'mother'.

Now that he thought of it, it probably would have been for the best if he didn't approach him. Credence wouldn't have given everything he owned up to his own soul to Grindelwald if Percival hadn't tried so hard to get him to trust him.

The simple thought of Grindelwald being held down there, somewhere in the Macusa Headquarters before being sent to either the American wizard prison or the terribly famous British one was almost unbearable for him. To sit in his office, knowing that the dark mage was only a few feet from him... He could feel his anger building up in his throat and chest, threatening to burst out.

Fortunately or not, the President had forbidden him to get closer.

He had read the reports, of course, as soon as he had awoken. It was the way he learned that the capture of Grindelwald, the goal he had been working for so many weeks and months, was the work of a mere civilian. A highly dangerous one if he believed what he read in the reports. Valuable for his expertise on largely unknown beasts and creatures, but dangerous nonetheless, as he suspected that said reports sounded evasive for a reason.

As he walked inside the Macusa main hall, he ignored the murmurs following his path and the glances he received.

It wasn't different from before. Obtaining such a high seat in the ministry gave birth to rumors and a mix of fear and respect among the ranks, especially because he wasn't known to be tender in either his methods or with his subordinates.

Yet, if whispers were an usual spectacle, their nature had changed. He could not read minds like Miss Goldstein's sister could, yet he did not need to in order to understand the gist of it. Doubts. Loss of respect. Compassion. Pity. Mockery for some of them.

His lost battle, abduction and steal of identity had left its traces and it was already too late for him to get back the status and respect he used to receive. It was alright. He could deal with it. He never paid much attention to what people thought of him. As long as they were competent enough with their duties, he couldn't care less about them. Loneliness was an old friend of his.

"Mister Graves! Mister Graves, wait!"

An Auror ran down the corridor towards him, however, it did not stop his fast walking. He glanced at him; a tall one, much taller than him, skinny and fancy clothes, and quite an unpleasant tone in his voice. With a nod, he urged him to talk at once.

"I thought you were still on permission, did the President allowed you to go back to work?"

"I don't see how this is any of your business, I feel fine enough to do so."

"Well, it's… Everyone in the Aurors' office has been doing a great job and working real hard during your absence, so we thought that if you wanted to take even more rest, we would manage, and…"

"And?" Graved added as he stopped to face his subordinate. Said man bit his lips, looked elsewhere.

"And… We all know what happened to you, so we will fully understand if you don't want to get back at the head of the office for now, I mean, it's your right, and-"

"I know very well what happened as well," Percival interrupted him. The man averted his eyes. "Like I said, none of this is your business, I would like it very much if you all could focus on your work instead of me. Thank you for your concern."

Silence settled around them as the Auror office was left stunned by his sudden assertion. A single firm glance made them all look back down at their desks and conversations resumed, although quieter. The Auror who had stopped him nodded and excused himself. Percival took another look at the wizards and witches under his orders before entering his office and closing the door behind him in such a manner that no one would dare knock. He threw his coat on the seat usually destined for guests and made his way towards his own.

"Damn," he growled under his breath, a hand supporting his forehead.

He closed his eyes, frowning. Everything felt so frustrating. The look in people's eyes, they all talked to him as if he was made of a really thin glass ready to crack and break at anything. Hadn't he proved himself enough during all those years? Some others wore pesky smirks and lifted eyebrows on their face, delighted at the sight of the Director of Magical Security being brought down this way. People were either hungry to steal his position and power or frightened of what he could do. Or maybe Grindelwald was still in their mind. But all believed he was nothing more than the shell of the man he used to be.

(He tried not to think too much about whether this was true or not.)

Percival Graves was used to loneliness, yet he never felt so isolated.

Suddenly, the so familiar corridors and his office didn't bring him the usual comforting sensation any longer. He didn't mind paperwork, yet the piles of white sheets waiting for his signature appeared to be more than they should have been. The air was cold, and shadows danced with glee in the Foe-Glass stuck between two bookshelves in a corner of the room.

He sighed, and with a swift of his wand, the wooden door of his office opened bluntly.

"Miss Goldstein, are you planning on standing behind that door all day?"

Porpentina Goldstein appeared to be speechless, as she always was when confronted with him. She licked her lips in hesitation, holding her heavy coat with her hands crossed in front of her, a few locks of her short hair look curled, still slightly wet from the rainy weather. Her eyes went everywhere, but at him, as he kept staring at her face. He was used to it, but sometimes her fumbling attitude had a certain talent to get on his nerves. Especially right now.

"Well?"

A/N: (Work's alternative title is Newtiepie the cutie pie but somehow I needed something a bit more serious.)

I took inspiration for the Before/Now format directly from 'A Comforting Presence' by ao3 user You_Light_The_Sky, I thank them for allowing me to use it!

I'll try to update as soon as I can, but you know how it is, real life matters and such, and other works to update... I'll try my best though! I might also repost it if Fantastic Beasts gets a category on its own.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! You can visit me at my tumblr (a-ngyie) if you want~