"Hey!" Newt yelped, struggling furiously against the grip of the attackers. Glancing around, he was relieved to see that his suitcase was tightly locked up and Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

Hopefully he was somewhere safe.

"What are you doing?!"

"Silencio!"

Newt's mouth flopped open uselessly, as a familiar figure strode over to him, a smirk on the rat-like face.

"I'm afraid you've worn out your welcome, Mister Scamander…" Abernathy leaned forwards, "… make sure he's never found."

There was a sharp pain on the back of his head, and then there was nothing.

….….

When he next woke up, he found that he couldn't move an inch, thrown from the docks and into the freezing water that lined the coastline.

His mouth was still gagged, his lungs starting to burn at the lack of oxygen.

It was then that he saw his case sinking down beside him.

It hadn't even been chained shut.

'Dougal' He begged mentally, vision going black, 'Dougal, please.'

He saw the lid peek open slightly, before he blacked out completely.

…..

"I was gone for less than an hour!" Dumbledore grimaced, desperately trying to get Newt breathing again as the young man's creatures gathered all around them, all looking worried, "Newton… come on, don't do this to me!"

Silence.

"COME ON!"

Thankfully, as Dumbledore hit the young man in the chest, Newt shot up with a gasp, water spurting out of his mouth. Coughing weakly, he rolled onto his side, the paralysis spell disappearing with one click of Dumbledore's fingers.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" Dumbledore patted him on the back to help clear the water, "I think I'm going grey!"

"S-s-sorry!" Newt sucked in a desperate breath, "T-thank you!"

Dumbledore smiled fondly at him, before helping him to his feet. "Come on, let's get you dry and warm, and these creatures back into their enclosures."

…..

"Forgive me for saying so Sir, but you seem very happy."

Percival shrugged, humming slightly under his breath as he stared up at the ceiling, tapping his pen on the desk.

"Are you… going to marry Theseus?"

"Hmmm."

Suddenly, the door opened up to reveal the President standing in the doorway.

"Madame President!" Percival seemed a little surprised by her sudden visit, "You'll be happy to hear that I am… seriously considering accepting Mister Scamander's proposal for marriage. You don't need to worry about that anymore."

"That isn't necessary." The President's voice sounded monotone and lifeless, "I already have the perfect choice for you."

Percival frowned, "Oh?" He slowly pushed himself to his feet, "Dare I ask?"

"You will marry…. Abernathy."

She stepped to one side, to reveal the smug-looking aide.

"Merlin's beard." Tina hissed under her breath, "Is this some sort of joke?"

Abernathy stepped into the room, "I see you're speechless Director Graves. I was too when they- "

"- I'm not marrying you." Percival stated bluntly, cutting Abernathy off, before turning to the President, "What has gotten into you?"

The door opened up again, as Theseus Scamander burst into the room, hair a mess and a flush on his cheeks, dramatically pointing at Abernathy, supported by his elderly aide. "He tried to kill me!"

"What?!" Percival frowned, rushing over and helping Newt/Theseus to a chair, watching as the man clutched at a damp suitcase desperately.

"Tell them!" Theseus glared at Abernathy, "You tried to have me killed."

Abernathy rolled his eyes and moved over to the President, "Such ridiculous nonsense… he's obviously lying."

"Obviously."

Percival narrowed his eyes at the President…. He knew his friend, and this wasn't her. "Incarcerous." He muttered, watching as his friend suddenly fell to the ground, struggling against the conjured restraints.

"Let's wait until the Imperius curse wears off, shall we?" He perched on the edge of his desk, glancing over at Abernathy, who was looking a little nervous.

…

They must have sat there for what felt like hours, before the vacant look disappeared from the Presidents' eyes, as she shook her head, as if trying to get rid of something.

"Seraphina." Percival went to kneel in front of her, removing the bindings, "How are you feeling?"

"I- " Her eyes shot over to Abernathy and within seconds, she was on her feet, her wand stretched out at him, "- Revelio."

Abernathy tried to hide, but it was too late.

His dark hair grew lighter, his face visibly aged and before they knew it, Gellert Grindelward was crouched in front of them.

"GRINDELWARD!" All the aurors yelled, getting out their wands.

Grindelward just smirked, glancing over at Theseus, "This isn't over… Scamander."

And with that, he was gone.

"FIND HIM!" The President ordered, "SEARCH EVERYWHERE!"

As she continued to rant and rave, Percival turned to 'Theseus'. "Are you alright?"

"And to think!" Seraphina's voice rose high above whatever the reply from Theseus was about to me, "I trusted him! And he was Grindelward, plotting against us the entire time!" She then spun around and glanced at Percival and Theseus, seeing how close they were, "Percival? Are you- "She cleared her throat, "- please tell me this means what I think it means?"

"Yes." Percival chuckled at the look on her face, "Ne- Theseus and I plan to marry."

Newt resisted the urge to frown.

He wasn't Theseus.

And the real Theseus probably wasn't going to appreciate this.

…..

Grindelward leaned against a nearby wall, unable to stop himself from laughing.

They'd all cried out 'Grindelward' at the sight of him… except for that old man Scamander had brought with him.

He'd cried out Gellert.

"Oh Albus." His hissed, realising what had happened, "You really thought you could hide from me."

…

"How can I even tell them?" Newt groaned, "Hello, I've been impersonating a well-known, respected Auror for days, snuck into your Ministry just to get close to Director Graves?" He shook his head and continued to feed the Mooncalves, "They'd kill me!"

"You are being awfully pessimistic my boy."

Turning, Newt saw Dumbledore standing behind him, Dougal in his arms.

"With the polyjuice potion, surely there are no issues?"

"I can't use it forever!" Newt sighed, "Eventually, the actual Theseus is going to come looking for me, and then what? I'll be found out and be even more trouble for misleading them for so long." He sighed, "Nobody cares about me, when they could have Theseus."

"… Percival Graves doesn't think like that."

Silence.

Albus gave him a sympathetic smile, "Just… think about it, Newton."

With a puff of smoke, he was back in his lamp.

Newt stared at the lamp for a moment, before carrying it back into the small hut and placing it on the desk.

Dumbledore was right.

People needed to know the truth.

"Newt? Newt? Can you come out here please?"

There was a rapping noise on the lid of his suitcase as Percival's voice came through.

"Just a moment!" Newt clambered up the stairs and poked his head out.

No-one was there.

Percival must have been in a rush to get somewhere…. Which probably meant that he needed to be in a rush.

Swigging down some Polyjuice, he locked his case quickly and rushed out of the room.

"Percival? Percival?!"

He didn't see the person entering the room after he'd left.