MACUSA, 1925
Office of Magical Security
- Graves! I hope you have a good reason to stop my meeting with the representatives of the Magic Amazon Congress?
- Mrs. President ... We got the news that Gellert Grindelwald managed to escape from Great Britain. The Ministry of Magic has sent howler.
- Great Isolto ... - Madame Picquery dropped to one of the chairs and looked around at the group of gathered Aurors. Will they be able to fight such a sorcerer as Grindelwald? The specter of the war, which just ended, followed them every step of the way.
- Is it a threat to our community?
- We can't rule it out Mrs. President. We will increase security and number of patrols at the border and at all used crossing points. And control of portkeys.
- Sir, there is also the case of the Second Salemians.
- Not right now, Goldstein. There are more important things than lunatics like Mary Lou Barebone. As far as I know, we agreed that her fanaticism does not go beyond distributing leaflets and organizing rallies?
- Yes but…
Both superiors ignored Tina. Seraphina Picquery looked seriously at the Director of Security.
- Try to keep it as far as possible from the New York Ghost. I want to be informed on a regular basis.
Percival Graves nodded and turned to his subordinates as soon as the President left. He began issuing further instructions by selecting patrol groups from the list.
- Porpentina, I want you to be available in the quarters, in case Grindelwald gets through, along with Apricot, Smith, Solice, Sweets, Anders. You'll be in the Investigation Department. And no chasing after the Non-Majes. Understood?
- Yes, Mr. Graves.
- Dissmissed.
The Auror commander sat on a chair and took a deep breath, rubbing his unshaven cheek. The floor near him creaked.
- What else Goldstein?
- Recently gas explodes quite often around the Barebone church. I'm not talking about incidental accidents. Those are regular outbursts.
- Are you saying that someone does it on purpose? Really, Tina, a little more and I will start to think that you are not suited to serious work because of your obsession.
Tina straightened up when she heard the veiled threat. Maybe Graves was right. Maybe she was really obsessed. Even though she was not allowed to sympathize or interact with the Non-Majes, she couldn't bear Mary Lou and her horrible habit of mistreating the children around her. Not only children. Among her pupils there was also a young man, about twenty years old, but his behavior among people gave the impression of being a hollow, small child in the depths of his soul.
Tina raised her head, placing her hand on the doorknob. Graves didn't move, lost in thoughts. Was that Gellert Grindelwald, so distant yet so close, in his mind? The woman shuddered at the memory of the photo of the man. His face expressed complete peace. As if he was sure that none of them would ever has a chance againts him. As if they were already dead to him.
Later that day, Goldstein's apartment…
- How could he ?! In front of everyone?
- Queenie. He was right. I shouldn't bring it up. And in front of Mrs. President.
- Honey, you can't let tchem treat you like that. You are as good as they are.
Tina looked at her sister from the report she was filling. She wrote the last sentence with a pen and put everything in her briefcase. Despite the official attitude of her commander, she knew that he treated her in a more confidential way than others. Everyone who started under his wings and persevered, climbed up and gained not only others but his respect as well. It was sometimes difficult to remember that she was his subordinate. Her thoughts were interrupted by Queenie's quiet voice.
- I think Percival is bitter since his lover left him.
- How do you know that?
Queenie stopped preparing the strudel, lowering her wand. Listening to the thoughts of the Head of the Department of Compliance with the Law of Wizards was not something she wanted to boast about. Especially before her sister, who was his subordinate.
- I think he forgot himself. I usually do not hear anything when it comes to him. But that day ... Oh Mother, how many thoughts at once! I guess he was very much in exhilaration. I stayed after hours, because we fought with the bathrooms on the third floor. The Aztec delegation, feathers and gold flakes were everywhere! Really ... I know Teenie, I'm straying from the subject. Anyway ... He was walking down the hall, barely. We were at the height of his office. I said "Good evening, Mr. Graves," and he looked at me like that ... And then I heard him in my head "Her eyes were so green ... why did she left me? She is smiling ... I was too gloomy. I worked too long. Porpentina's sister ... I have to go straight. " This man is so official that even in his mind he calls you full name.
- I admire you, Queenie. It was almost four months ago! I even remember that I came for you because it was late.
- Well ... I made some coffee for this poor thing. But I didn't hear anything anymore. He guards himself perfectly. I'm not doing it especially, Teenie.
- I think we should leave it. It's not our business. It smells wonderful. I'm so hungry!
The younger of the sisters put on the plates potatoes and roasts. With a wave of her wrist she finished the strudel and sat down with her sister for supper.
It was already dark. Percival walked, lost in thoughts, passing single people without a word. The door to the church was slightly ajar. From inside came the murmur of prayer and pathetic singing. The man paused, absorbing the gentle warmth sipping from inside. A hunched figure of a boy appeared in the doorway. His frightened gaze slipped over the brushed back hair, the emerald scorpions resting on the snow-white collar and the long black coat with the white lining. He hasn't seen here such an elegant man yet.
- W - would you like to come in? - a small voice surprised the man. Torn out of his reverie, he looked at the boy and shook his head.
- I was just walking by.
The door closed immediately.
The light of street lamps lit the foggy November air. Graves moved along Pike Street, studying the No-Majes's buildings. He counted five that had visible damage, but they were still standing and inhabited. The sixth tenement house had a worn attic. Auror opened the front door and silently climbed the stairs. Being at the attic door, he felt the presence of magic.
- Homenum revelio.
Nothing. Apart from the Non-Majes on the lower floors, no one was here anymore. Graves felt frustration with himself. No wonder Agatha left. Instead of returning home like others, he wandered around sleepy streets of the city, chasing an unknown force that was probably just an exploding gas.
The house was empty. And quiet. Earlier, when he came back he heard Agatha's favorite evening radio show. She stood leaning against the top of the kitchen table, so that he could see the edge of her white stockings. Ever since she married him, she always wore just that, because he said she looked beautiful in them. What a fool of him. How could he just let her go. Maybe because she dropped something about someone she's really interesting for, and she's not compelled to for the last five years. They were married from 10. They were. Key word.
The man hung a coat and a scarf. He waved his hand, thinking only of the fiery whiskey and bed. After a while, the bottle and a glass filled with ice churning followed him. On the first floor he opened the bedroom door and looked around the crumpled bedding. He drank the liquor and put down the glass, over which the cut glass bottle bent down.
He pulled cuff links and indispensable emerald scorpions, a wedding gift from Agatha. He threw them carelessly into the box and placed his wand next to it. In fact, for a few years he wore it as a rule. It was an extension of his hand, though he didn't need it. Old habit.
A full glass flew to his hand. He dried it, sitting on a stool in front of the mirror. He rubbed his face covered with a stubble that had already been visible. On days like this he had the impression that he wasn't looking at a forty-year-old but old man. The hair cut to the skin on the sides and on the back of the head gleamed with silver. Because of lack of sleep for several days in a row or a drunken sleep, it depends on how to look at it, the bags under his eyes were even more blue and visible. Auror began to laugh under his breath.
Gellert Grindelwald ... the most powerful, living wizard, is preoccupied with Europe, probably soon he will unleash the hell here. And he, Percival Graves, Madame's Picquery right hand gets drunk in front of the mirror, lingering over old age.
Somewhere on the other side of the city, Agatha Graves was putting on a satin nightgown, staring into the mirror. The bed behind her was empty and cold, like the whole apartment and her life. Sister gave her a corner to sleep, just because she honestly hated her husband. She also hoped that presenting her to the deputy head of the American Branch of Gringott's Bank would divert her thoughts from returning to Percival which were haunting her pretty much from first month of her leave.
„You're 10 years younger than him, you still have a chance to start a proper family". Myra's words echoed in her mind. But she could no longer tolerate Percy's indifference and that they were moving away from each other every year farther. For him, she even moved to the Department of Magical Transport, though the work behind the desk was boring as tripe with oil. All of this so that his career wouldn't be hurt, and that no one would undermine his relation to his subordinate. However, she had to admit that he didn't persuade her to do so. It was her idea. He always counted on her opinion and treated her equally with other colleagues. She never felt worse with him. During second month of her „exile" she realised that she was behaving like hurt teenager. The truth was that she didn't want to tell him about her feelings mainly because she would feel so weak in his eyes.
She shuddered. It felt like a cold, november wind was flying through the room. Instinctively, she grabbed her wand from the dressing table, but she couldn't use it. Her eyes reflected white light and darkness fell on her.