AN:
-Based on my boyfriend asking me why in Gods name Graves always looks so sad and being annoyed abt it and I thought, Grindelwald probably would be too
-I'm finally getting more into this whole writing Fanfiction business
Gellert Grindelwald wasn't the most picky person when it came to the faces he had to take to get where he wanted, as long as it did the trick, it was fine. He'd been old men; young men that had barely stopped being children and the most beautiful women.
When it came to achieving his goals there was nothing that he wasn't ready to do.
He'd known right away, upon seeing Percival Graves for the first time, that he was the man whose face he had to wear to find that Obscurus that had caused all this tumult in New York.
And like all those times before, his instincts hadn't come to fail him and his plan had worked perfectly and without any suspicion so far.
There was just one thing that became more and more of a bother, he'd thought he might be able to ignore it, but really, no matter how hard he tried, this had become a serious problem.
It was just that there was this odd look of sadness ever present on Graves face that Gellert couldn't seem to get away.
It was quite annoying really.
People went on and on asking him if he was alright and he was getting tired of telling them that this was, sadly, just how this face was.
Well possibly it wasn't, maybe something had happened in Graves past that had burned those worry lines into his skin.
But who was he to care; he had more important things to do, like getting that orphanage boy wrapped around his finger.
He was halfway through with turning him into a submissive follower that was ready to do anything he'd ask, and in time, and with more touches, that the boy was so embarrassingly desperate for; he'd get the boy to lead him to the Child.
And admittedly, it had just been this easy thanks to Graves great work before he'd captured him to steal his identity.
The boy, Credence, was almost like a puppy already, eager to please and curl into him for warmth and protection, when he first met him.
He didn't quite give much thought into it as to why exactly the boy was so receptive to anything he, as Graves, asked him for, and how did they say, don't questions things that are to your favour.
Really, even if the man and Credence had some sort of sick sexual activities going beforehand, that would only go perfectly with his plan too.
People in love were even easier to use, Albus Dumbledore himself had taught him this.
It put Gellert at ease; all this would lead to the whole thing being done with quicker than expected.
However good he was in the art of manipulation, it came to be quite draining from time to time.
All that pretending to care, spilling lies that the people were so desperate to hear, it went against everything that was essentially Grindelwald.
But it was far more useful than raw force.
And a lot more delicate.
Left a lot less stains.
And god, were people easy to bend into the right form.
Percival Graves had been as well.
All it needed was words and touches and of course a pretty facade, to turn him around.
And a little violence at the end.
No one liked to be forced into captivity after all.
Graves hadn't looked sad then, more angry and betrayed, so the look on his face, that no spell could reduce, didn't come from that.
It must go way past, building up when he was younger.
All Gellert knew was that Graves was someone that liked to hold all the threads together, loved to be in control a little too much even.
The tall man in the weirdly exquisite fashion walked around with that cold look, wearing it like a shield. But it hadn't been strong enough to keep out Grindelwalds words.
He'd almost been desperate for affection in the end, just like that squib boy from the second salemers.
Funny that they'd turn out this similar.
He'd have laughed out loud if that wouldn't have gone against Graves usual behavior.
Having observed him a few days beforehand to be able to copy him as accurate as possible he'd learned so much.
Keeping the people in the shadows about who he really was, making them believe that everything was just how it should be, was essential to his plan after all.
So he'd keep this annoyingly sad face for as long as was needed.
Until he finally would have the power of the obscurial in his hands.
Gellert could be a quite patient man, after all not everyone would've spent days in the hiding to find the best fitting person, observe them to know well enough who they were and then spend an entire week pretending, spending his time in the American ministry of all places.
But really, he hoped this would reach its fair end soon.
However much he wanted that Child, he couldn't wait to be back in his own, familiar body, and above all, walk the streets free without keeping his eyes out for Aurors ready to stuff him into some prison.
Because as tiring it was to go around with someone elses face, it was a lot more annoying to find a way to get out of custody, he could think of a million better ways to spend his valuable time.
And besides this face, that was both a curse, the sad eyebrows, he'd never get over them, and a blessing, good looks got you further than any intelligence sometimes, this whole Newt Scamander business just made a new risk.
The man had appeared out of nowhere with this woman, Tina Goldstein, an unnecessarily nosy person, tied to his arm and had made nothing but trouble ever since.
For a short moment, only a second, he'd felt a spark of hope, as the Aurors dragged a bubbled up black mist out of the suitcase filled with beasts.
Gellert had identified it easily as an Obscurus and it prickled under his fingertips to find out where in all heavens Mr. Scamander had that from, especially without its host.
Though by the end of their interrogation his hope in the form of a possibly loyal new follower had turned into a surprisingly fierce lanky wizard that, if that hadn't been enough, also told him that the Obscurus was useless without its host.
He had to admit, he had lost his control a tad at that, and yes, the fact that Tina Goldstein had just a spark of doubt in her eyes might have been his fault in the end.
But where exactly should he have known from that they were close enough for her to pay attention to something like this, that she'd suddenly find it odd that he'd called a Child useless.
Of course, back then he didn't care about his slip up too much, thought it would all be solved now anyway, with sentencing them to death, but again, he had made his plans without thinking too much of Newt Scamander, really, the man became more and more of a nuisance by the second.
Now Gellert had to blame himself for not being careful enough, and he hated blaming himself more than anything else.
He thought very highly of himself after all.
Possibly choosing Graves hadn't been his best idea, but his connection to the second salemer, whose mother he'd seen in his vision, had been too good to waste.
By Merlins Beard, maybe the woman, Tina, would've been a good choice too, looking back at it, but she by far hadn't the rank and influence that Graves had.
And there was no use in pondering this too much, he'd made his choices and had to live with them now.
As long as he would get to the child in the end, every problem could be overlooked.
They could do with Graves what they wanted when he was done, there would be no use for this disguise then, if they'd ever find him, and be it that he would be still alive then.
If he was, then he could go back living with his weird face again, if the ministry wouldn't just put him into prison, believing he helped him.
Who knew if a proud man like Graves would like to admit that he'd been so easy to use by the most dangerous man in the wizarding world.
Of course if Veritaserum would be used, he'd have no choice but blabber out all of those things Gellert had told him, what exact words worked best on him, what Graves let the wizard do to him all too happily.
And it'd just be another testimony of Grindelwald talents, a warning even, that he could twist and turn even the most headstrong of them.
Maybe this would just increase the sad look on Graves features but by then he'd be rid of this face and from his position, Graves might also just die with that sad look on himself.
He couldn't care less, the man had fulfilled his purpose long ago.
No matter what he promised him.
Gellert was sure Grave had figured by now that every word out of his mouth had been just lies to manipulate him, that Grindelwald really wasn't the person to keep promises to anyone but himself.
Credence however hadn't yet, and it was good this way, the boy was of far better use when kept in the believe that he, as Graves, would help him, teach him magic, save him from his brutal mother.
Soon he would see too, that you better shouldn't trust anyone on this world, but by then, he would probably be dead too.
Gellert Grindelwald cared less about who had to die for his goal.
He adjusted the collar of Graves coat and stepped into the shadows, furrowing his brows to cast the sad look away a tad as he approached the boy that was standing in that bend position.
The symbol of the deadly hollows almost burning against his hip in the vest pocket he kept it in.
No wizard with a case full of beasts, nor his nosy companions and most certainly not an annoying face could keep Grindelwald off his plans.