"With all due respect, Madame President, I really don't see the need to have an outsider consult on my case," Percival Graves said as he paced around President Picquery's office.
"You have no leads, Director Graves," Picquery said. "We need an expert on magical creatures to look at your case and discover what we're missing. These traffickers aren't buying and selling the usual creatures we find when dealing with a trafficking ring. I want to know what's so special about these particular creatures."
"I contacted the Creatures professor at Ilvermorny," he said defiantly.
"He had very little information for us," she said. "I read the report; he made a few vague suggestions, but he had no idea why these creatures were being trafficked. He told us we needed an expert. The only known magizoologist is Newt Scamander. He literally wrote the book about magical creatures. We need him."
Percival sulked as he realized Picquery wasn't going to change her mind. She was going to ask a foreigner to consult on his case. He was sure he didn't need a hotshot British author to solve his case. He had researched Scamander after the professor had recommended him. Scamander was a thirty-year-old alpha and self-titled magizoologist. His book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, had unexpectedly become a bestseller. There were numerous articles about him in international newspapers. He had been asked to hold conferences about his book and magical creatures, plus wizarding schools had asked him to give guest lectures. Scamander had become famous and popular. Percival was sure he was a typical alpha: arrogant, domineering, and egotistical.
He conveniently forgot the way his heart started beating faster as he saw Scamander's picture in the newspapers. He certainly didn't look like an alpha with his red-gold curls, bright green eyes, and freckles scattered over his beautiful face. Percival cursed his omega nature as he imagined touching his hair to see if it was as soft as it looked or counting every cute freckle with his lips. He had never reacted so strongly to an alpha before and his reaction was from a single photograph. He knew he'd be in trouble if he came into contact with the alpha, but he definitely couldn't tell Picquery the real reason he didn't want to involve the magizoologist.
"Fine. I just hope he knows what he's talking about and helps us solve this case," he said.
Picquery nodded. She didn't need Grave's permission to bring in a consultant, but she would like his cooperation. Graves wasn't like a typical omega; he was aggressive, intimidating, and stubborn.
She rose gracefully from her chair and walked over to the fireplace. She knelt down and called, "British Ministry of Magic, Minister Faust's office."
A few moments later, the head of a middle-aged balding man appeared in the flames. "Madame President, what a pleasant surprise! How are you?"
"I'm well, Minister Faust, how are you?"
"I'm also well. So, what can I do for you?"
"We have a difficult trafficking case here. We would like to ask Mr. Newt Scamander to consult with us. Could you put him into contact with us?" she asked politely although she hated to ask another government for help.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Scamander isn't in England at the moment. The Egyptian minister has requested his help with a runespoor. If your case is urgent, I'd suggest asking Minister Salib to contact Mr. Scamander."
"I see. Thank you for your help, Minister."
"You're welcome, Madame President."
Picquery rose from the fireplace and looked at her office clock. She checked the time. "We should be able to catch the Egyptian Minister in his office before he leaves."
She quickly firecalled Minister Salib and arranged for Mr. Scamander to contact MACUSA as soon as possible. She pressed the urgency of the situation to Salib, so he promised he would have Scamander come into his office in the morning to talk to her.
The next morning, Picquery called Percival into her office to wait for Scamander to firecall. At precisely nine o'clock, Newt Scamander's head appeared in the fireplace.
"Good afternoon, Madame President. I am Newt Scamander; I heard you wanted to talk to me about a trafficking case."
"Hello, Mr. Scamander, thank you for contacting us so promptly. We'd appreciate any help you can give us."
"I'll do my best. Can you tell me what creatures are being trafficked?"
"Director Graves will fill you in on the details. This is his case," she said.
Percival knelt down in front of the fireplace after Picquery moved out the way. His first impression of Newt was that he looked tired but eager to help. He found his British accent to be quite charming. He mentally scolded his omega nature and forced himself to be professional.
"Good morning, Mr. Scamander. We have discovered a major trafficking ring here in New York. Besides, the usual creatures like bowtruckles and demiguises; we have found mackled malaclaws, mokes, fire crabs, lobalugs, and streelers."
"Hmm, that is an odd mixture of creatures. Most of them have venom and can be used in deadly potions. Fire crabs have been captured and used as cauldrons. Mokes can shrink, which leads to wizards and witches skinning them to make purses and money bags. Are the creatures alive?"
"No, they are not," Percival said.
Newt's eyes narrowed in anger. "Did you kill them? They're innocent creatures; they do not mean to cause harm unless provoked."
For the first time, Percival caught a glimpse of Newt's alpha nature. He found himself wanting to soothe him. "We did not kill those creatures. I believe they were killed for their skins or used for potion ingredients. The bowtruckles were completely missing, so I assume they were sold in the black market. They are quite useful at picking locks, so most criminals would love to own one."
Newt closed his eyes in dismay. He hated knowing that creatures had died needlessly. There were more humane ways to gather potion ingredients, but it was easier to just kill a creature. So, that's what most witches and wizards did; they didn't think of creatures of having feelings and families.
"I should be finished here soon. Fortunately, I was already planning on travelling to America. I shall stop in New York first and offer my assistance in locating these traffickers and rescuing the creatures."
Percival was torn about Newt's plans. He could use the magizoologist's expertise, but he didn't want to meet the alpha in person. Already, he could feel tiny shudders running through his body just by talking to the man. He knew what his body was trying to tell him, but he was in denial. He didn't want a mate.
"Why are you coming to America?" he asked, trying to distract himself from his body's reactions to the alpha.
"I have a thunderbird in my case," Newt said smiling. "I rescued Frank from traffickers a few days ago while I was looking for the runespoor. As soon as Frank is healed, I'm going to take him to Arizona and release him."
"You can't bring a thunderbird to New York," Percival said. "There is a ban on magical creatures."
"I have permits for all of my creatures," Newt replied with a trace of steel in his voice. "The ICW granted me special permission to travel with my creatures since I rescue them from poachers and traffickers, nurture them back to health, and return them to their native habitats. So, you see I can bring Frank to New York and then take him home to Arizona."
Percival glared at him. He hated rule-breakers; he just knew Scamander was going to be trouble. He cursed his increased heart rate and the tiny shudders running through his body as he locked eyes with the alpha. He hoped he could solve the case before Scamander came to New York. He did not want to meet the man in person.
"Fine, Mr. Scamander. As long as you have the permits and you keep the creatures contained to your case, then you may bring them to New York," Percival said through gritted teeth.
"Thank you, Director Graves. I will contact you when I know when I'll be arriving in New York."
Scamander's head disappeared from the flames, and Percival sighed in relief. He had a bad feeling about Scamander's trip to New York. He resolved to have little contact with the alpha. He would assign Auror Goldstein to work with Scamander.
