Chapter 9:

Percival Graves was ashamed. He was a despicable man, there was no other way about it. To call his own sister such horrible things, even in anger. He was no better than Grindelwald. The whole situation worried him, though. Gwen, his sweet, understanding, kind, and loving sister, had never kept anything from him before. Never. She trusted him implicitly, and he trusted her. Or at least, he believed he did. But it was hard. Percival could trust nothing and no one right now. An urgent owl message had been enough to get him away from MACUSA and out to a secluded old warehouse down by the river. It had been all too easy for Grindelwald to hit him from behind. He hadn't brought back-up.

And then he'd stayed, imprisoned in a trunk with only Grindelwald's visits. He was kept in the dark, except for when Grindelwald came to take hair or fingernails, anything he wanted for his Polyjuice Potion. The sudden light blinded him when the Aurors had at last found him, still in the same warehouse by the river. He'd lost all track of time and hadn't realized it'd been so long since Grindelwald had last come.

Nobody had noticed the duplicity. Nobody except his sweet, understanding, kind, and loving sister. She'd exposed the imposter, and even the thought of Gwen facing Grindelwald had his heart racing and his hand reaching for his wand. A wand he still didn't have, as they were still holding it for evidence, despite his demands of its return.

Cooped up in the house, weak from his deprivation and wandless, Percival Graves had never felt more vulnerable. Every creak of the house, every shout of the children outside, set his frayed nerves on edge. And sleep was elusive. All he could see was Grindelwald's sneering face with his ghostly skin and the strange mismatched eyes. His chilling gaze, never showing an ounce of regret or remorse, zealous with his cause.

He couldn't let that man hurt him, or Gwen, ever again, and even though the dark wizard was in MACUSA's most heightened secured cell, Percival wasn't safe. His colleagues couldn't recognize an imposter, how could they hope to detain the world's most dangerous dark wizard?

That Gwen disappeared for hours and refused to tell him why only broke his frayed control. He couldn't handle it, couldn't keep her safe if she wasn't home. And who was the man Mrs. McCarthy had gossiped about during their coffee. What's to say he wasn't a compatriot of Grindelwald? A loyal follower eager to hurt the witch who'd exposed his leader? When Percival had asked Gwen to travel with someone, he'd meant Tina or Queenie, or even one of his Aurors like Hernandez. Not a stranger.

He'd blown up and the days of anxiety and sleeplessness had burst forth in the foulest way possible. And Percival Graves was ashamed. As the first light of the new day dawned, he resolved to fix it. He didn't have a wand, but Gwen had likely gone to the Goldstein sister's apartment and he knew they were connected to the Floo network. He'd go and apologize, bed her forgiveness and swear on his magic he'd never say anything like that to her ever again. Then, perhaps, his sister might forgive him.

So Percival dressed in one of his remaining suits and took a pinch of Floo powder, throwing it into the dying embers of the fire.

"The Goldstein's Apartment," he declared and the Floo Network spun him away to dump him in the Goldstein's fireplace. To his shock, he found his sister, sleeping in the arms of a man, and suddenly Mrs. McCarthy's words boomed in his head.

"What the hell is this?" he thundered.

Gwen and the strange man jumped up, startled awake. A half second later, Tina and Queenie burst into the living room, wands at the ready.

"Mr. Graves," Tina said and then realized she was wearing nothing but her nightgown and dashed back into the bedroom to grab robes for her and her sister.

"Percy, what are you doing here?" Gwen stammered. Her secret paramour seemed to be frozen in shock as he looked at Percival with fear, as well he should.

"Is this why you've been sneaking off?"

"This isn't what it looks like."

"Mr. Graves, I promise we can explain—"

"Not a word, Goldstein. You've heading for a desk job as it is," he snapped and the Auror clamped her mouth shut. He turned on the strange man.

"Have you been sleeping with my sister?"

But the boy couldn't do anything but stare and gape.

"Credence, why don't you go see if Newt needs help?" Gwen suggested, nudging the boy towards the battered suitcase that sat in the middle of the floor. That seemed to snap him out of it as he scurried down into the suitcase and Percival's hand itched for his wand as it clapped shut.

"I wasn't finished with him!"

Gwen huffed. "There's nothing you need to say to him in this state, and Credence has been through enough. Now, would you stop jumping to wild conclusions and let me explain?"

"You were sleeping in his arms, Guinevere, I think that's all the explanation I need."

"No, it's not. Credence took care of me last night when I arrived drunk. He didn't do any of what you think he did, and even if he had, it's really none of your business."

"It most certainly is!"

"No, it's not. Now sit down and stop your shouting. My head is pounding. Tina, do you have any headache potion? Maybe a Pepper-up?

"I'll just get that," Tina replied, dashing back into her room. She was back a moment later and Gwen downed the potion, grateful for its quick effects.

"Now, Credence has been here, recuperating. Like you, he is a victim of Grindelwald."

"Grindelwald? How do you know he's not a follower?"

"Because Credence didn't know he was a wizard until I found him and told him. Grindelwald, as you, tried to use him."

Percival was even more confused. A grown man who didn't know he was a wizard? And what could Grindelwald possibly want with him?

"Queenie, I could use a cup of coffee," he said at last. "One for Gwen too."

"I don't like—"

"Trust me. Nothing is better after a night of drinking, and I have a feeling we're going to be here a while. Start from the beginning and don't leave anything out this time."

When the whole fantastic story was out, Percival almost couldn't believe that so much could have gone wrong to the point they found themselves in the place they were. Percival knew of the New Salem Philanthropic Society. It had been on his watch list before he'd been abducted. He, like everyone else, had never expected they had a wizard in their midst, and it was unfortunate what had happened to the boy. But by the end of the story, two things were clear. Credence Barebone was a lethal Obscurial that needed to be dealt with immediately. But Gwen, his little sister, would do everything in her power to keep that from happening. "Nothing illegal," his ass!

When Gwen finally finished, she sat back in her chair, searching his expression for some hint of what he was thinking.

"Would you please call Credence back up here?" he asked her calmly.

"Are you going to kill him?"

"No, but he does need to be removed to a warded facility, for the safety of everyone."

"He's not dangerous," Gwen insisted. "He can control it."

"The truth of the matter is that Credence doesn't have control over his Obscurus, based on what you've told me, and he can't, no matter how powerful he is. But you said Mr. Scamander believes he can separate the Obscurus?"

"He's done it before. That's why we've been teaching Credence, to try to give him more control."

"It was foolish of all of you to think you could handle this on your own. And what's more, you swore a magically binding oath you can't possibly keep. I'm disappointed that I seem to have taught you so poorly."

Gwen hung her head as he stood up, handing his empty mug to the so far quiet Queenie.

"With all due respect, Mr. Graves," she said softly, "Gwen is really good with Credence. She saved me and helped him get control again. I think this is the best place for him."

"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement will be the judge of that, Ms. Goldstein. Call him up."

Queenie inclined her head before crossing to the suitcase and rapped it lightly. A few moment later, both Newt and Credence emerged, Newt purposefully placing himself between Credence and Percival. Credence, for his part, seemed to have lost any confidence and wouldn't meet Percival's eye.

"Mr. Barebone, I understand you may have a skewed opinion of me, but I am not Gellert Grindelwald and it is unfortunate that your introduction to the magical world came through one of our greatest terrorists. I understand you would likely prefer to stay with my sister and Mr. Scamander, however for the safety of both the magical and non-magical communities, I must ask that you surrender yourself to MACUSA custody to be placed in a secure facility until the arrangements can be made to attempt an Obscurus separation."

"Are you going to k-kill me?"

"Not if you cooperate. Gwen was right, typically Obscurials are handled with extreme prejudice. But I trust my sister, and I would not have her come to any harm either from her foolish oath. If she believes Mr. Scamander can help you, then I am willing, as Director of Magical Security, to suspend sentencing. But you must cooperate."

Credence looked up at last, but it wasn't at Percival. His eyes found Gwen's and in that moment Percival saw something pass between them he didn't understand. He'd never seen that look on his sister's face and it concerned him.

"Alright. I'll go with you," Credence said at last. "But I want to ask you not to punish Gwen or Newt or Queenie and Tina. They were only doing what they thought was right, sir." For the first time, Credence met him eye-to-eye.

"You have my word," Percival promised. "Goldstein!"

Tina rushed back into the room, having dressed for the day. "Sir?"

"Escort Mr. Barebone to MACUSA. On my order he is to be placed in one of the containment rooms and not disturbed until I arrive."

"But sir, you aren't due back for a few more days."

"I will be arriving shortly. Damn the healer's orders, we have an Obscurus in the city. And Goldstein, I expect you will stand by him until I arrive. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

She took Credence by the elbow, firmly but not roughly, and in a flash of green flame, the two of them were off to the Woolworth building.

"Gwen, I think it's best we return home. And Mr. Scamander?"

"Yes, Director Graves?"

"I will need a full write-up of what you will be doing as you separate the Obscurus. The sooner you can get it to me, the better if I am going to convince President Picquery not to have Mr. Barebone executed immediately."

"It is very detailed magic, but I will have my notes to you by this afternoon."

"Thank you, Mr. Scamander. Gwen?"

The two of them Flooed home and Gwen was silent until they arrived. Then she only spoke three words.

"Thank you, Percy."

She climbed upstairs to bathe and dress before Percival could respond. This was far from over. If he couldn't convince President Picquery, she could overturn his suspension and push the sentencing through. If Credence was sentenced today, it would be an immediate execution. He had to stall to give Mr. Scamander enough time, and he had to do it for his sister's sake. Magically bound by oath meant she would not be able to stand by while Credence was executed. She would have to fight tooth and nail and with every drop of her magic. Either she would become a criminal for aiding in his escape from custody, or she would die. Neither was acceptable.