So, I wrote another chapter...
Is it good? Too drama?
Please review if you like it :) or have suggestion on how to improve it (I actually find those to be even more fun!).
Thanks to my lil' sis and my BFF for betaing and pointing out I am a abuser of pronouns.
The few days leading up to Friday were not enough for the Minister of Magical Security and Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to ease up towards the thought of taking care of the young obscurial. Still, he had followed Picquery's advice about preparing his apartment for the boy's arrival.
Though there hadn't been much preparing needed to be made. He hadn't lived in it for very long and, honesty, was still settling in himself.
During the Minister's stay in captivity Grindelwald had apparently taken the liberty to use Grave's apartment. When Graves returned he hadn't stayed for any longer than it took for him to gather his possessions. Even if several wizards and witches had cleansed it from any trace of Grindelwald's magic he hadn't felt comfortable enough to stay there. It was like a bad mold infestation. It lingered in the wallpaper. And he could live without having that constant reminder every time he returned home.
The new apartment was larger than his previous one, much to the fact that he needed some kind of outlet for the raise he had been given (even if he had tried to decline it) upon his return. It laid on the third floor in a wizard occupied complex, so he didn't have to worry about appearating and disappearating to and fro the stairwell. His neighbors all fell into the upper class category, considering that the apartments were rather expensive, and he had yet to find any issue with them.
But back to the preparations.
Groceries had been purchased, the stock of household items had been renewed and the guest room had been tidied up and emptied from his own possessions; since he had used it as a storage for his formal gowns and books and other nicknacks he didn't need in his office. The objects had been moved into the living room, and the more dangerous ones were put away in his office out of reach of the child. The gowns had easily fitted into his ordinary closet.
Before his involuntary misadventures with Grindelwald he had been in the possession of quite the exquisite collection of suits and robes. But as he had realized that the dark wizard had supplied himself with not just his apartment, but also his wardrobe, he had thrown out, burned, generously donated (whatever you want to call it) most of them to MACUSA. He had visited the tailor shortly after getting back, but hadn't really felt the need to replace every suit. Even if the inside of his closet looked very sad.
Luckily Grindelwald hadn't touched his formal robes. A magic scan had assured that. He didn't know what he would have done to the European if that had been the case.
Which reminded him: Considering that it was doubtful that the boy would have a full wardrobe when he arrived they would have to pay the tailor a visit very soon. He had to remember to call in for an appointment.
But back to the boy's room.
Graves hadn't needed to get a new bed. As it was meant to function as a guest room when, per say, his mother would visit him there had already been one. It was an old piece of furniture, handed down from his great grandmother, with a beautiful scene of a forest clearing carved into the wood of the head board; with a matching bedside table. He had really liked it as a child and hopefully Credence would find some enjoyment in watching the carved does and squirrels roam about the scene.
This was one of the few hopes he had concerning the child moving in with him.
And now his wait was up. And since he hadn't 'come up with a better solution ' as Picquery had suggested he had no choice but to let them club through the decision.
The vote had, unsurprisingly, gone through on the Friday meeting. He had been given coffee afterwards. It had done little to steady the tension building in his temples. Though he didn't let this act out on his behavior. He had duties to perform, duties that now included taking care of the obscurial. And even though he was unwilling he wasn't going to let that make him do a bad job.
As he begrudgingly returned to his office - where he was going to try finish up as much as possible before he finished for the evening. He wouldn't be able to take any extra work home, which he often did, because he would be busy making sure the boy got at home - he heard someone call his name behind him.
Knowing who it was before he turned around he immediately found himself in a better mood.
"Goldstein", he greeted as she came up to him.
He wouldn't be exaggerating if he said that he owed her his life. Her and the Englishman. Scamander . Sadly the Englishman had left before Graves had had the opportunity to thank him.
"I heard about the vote", she said. Her breath was in a light pant from catching up to him.
"Ah, yes...", he said, pretending that she had reminded him.
"I'm picking him up after I finish today", he told her.
"Then I'm staying at home with the boy until Monday, to try and settle some; all that", he continued.
"I still need to notify my parents though...", he added as an afterthought.
He was planning on sending a letter explaining he was going to be in charge of a young orphan boy with great magical powers. That it was because of his work. That he, borrowing a page from Picquery, was the most suitable with his own skill in magic.
He was going to leave out that Credence had been the obscurial that had crashed through several buildings in downtown New York just a few weeks prior.
He didn't see why it would be necessary to share that detail.
"Mhmm", the auror hummed in agreement; that yes, that sounded like a good idea.
Though there was something fake about the optimism.
He had a hunch about what it was about. He had seen her sceptic face during the vote, which she had attended from the spectators booth. He hadn't seen much of her after she returned to her auror post, but he had read plenty of her reports to know that she kept herself busy; which in itself was proof enough that she cared about the outcome of the vote.
He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Goldstein, I know you wanted...", he started in apology, but she interrupted him by shaking her head.
"No no no!", she said, waving her hands.
"I mean...", she bit her lip. She took a pause to gather her thoughts. He waited.
"You are the better choice", she said.
"Tina..."
"No, really! ", she assured him.
He felt his brow deepen, but let her speak. He lowered his arm.
"After the battle, after he turned into a little boy, I've visited him every day...", she told him.
He wasn't surprised to hear that. He had still been around for her commenced investigation of the Second Salemers.
By the time she had lashed out on the no-maj Grindelwald had already taken over his life.
A No-maj who had been, as stated in the report, abusing the obscurial. Of course, they hadn't known he was an obscurial by then.
A No-maj that was now dead.
He had read the reports on how Tina had managed to calm the boy down in the subway. How the boy had trusted her. Understandable, since she must have been one of the few people to show him kindness.
But the solemn look she wore gave him a sneaking suspicion it hadn't lasted for very long.
"...but… he won't say a word to me...", she said.
She aimed her brown eyes at him.
"That's why I think you're the better choice. He talked to you! And he apparently doesn't want anything to do with me..." Her voice broke in a quiver at the end.
"I'm sure that's not true, Tina", he interrupted her.
Then he replaced the hand on her shoulder. Now in a more encouraging manner. He couldn't stand seeing her push down her self esteem like that.
"You're an amazing auror and one of the most caring witches I know", he told her.
"I'm sure he's just in shock right now. He'll come around eventually", he said, not actually sure what he was talking about.
"Still, I'm honored by the trust you're putting in me."
She lightened up a little at that, but didn't verbally agree with him.
He accepted that that was probably as comforted he could get her.
"You said you're heading there after work, right?", she suddenly asked.
He nodded.
"Is it alright if I come with you?", she asked.
So, she still couldn't stay away, he mused.
"I would actually appreciate that, thank you", he said.
He didn't actually know what Credence thought about the whole ordeal. Credence hadn't been at the vote, and the Minister hadn't visited him once during the last few days.
Graves wasn't sure himself what he feared most.
Excitement , meaning there was room for disappointment; or reluctants , which would be more awkward but with no expectations to be meet.
Even if the boy apparently refused to speak to her the Minister would feel more at ease with her present. It wasn't everyday you took a child home. Or rather, it wasn't everyday you were taken home by a man looking like the one who had tried using you for his own gain; as it was from Credence's perspective.
Surely it would feel better if someone he trusted was nearby.
The two decided to meet up shortly after six pm.
He worked for a steady few hours; reading reports, sending orders and directions for certain cases, and attending a Magical Law Enforcement meeting. The things he usually did on a Friday. He was just about to return to his office to read up on a case when he remembered the plans for the evening.
He stopped in the door, and with a wordless spell his pocket watch levitated out of his pocket to display the time. It was four to six.
He clicked his tongue, branded his wand, and with a few waves the things on his desk he had left returned to their designated places on his shelves.
Seeing that done he grabbed his coat and scarf, and left.
"I'm finishing for the tonight now, miss Tocker", he said as he walked towards her desk.
"Ah, alright sir", she said as she looked up from her work. Then she remembered something.
"The form you asked for arrived."
"So soon?", he wondered. He had asked her to get one for him just before he went to the meeting.
She nodded and with a flick of her wand the piece of paper levitated over to the Minister's awaiting hand.
"You won't be able to send it in until Monday, though. The office is only opened on weekdays...", she said as Graves looked it over.
"Well, there is no rush", he soothed her. Next to him his briefcase opened itself and the form slipped itself inside.
"Anything else?", he wondered.
"No, sir", she said, shaking her head.
"Well, then we won't see each other until Monday", he remarked.
"I hope you'll have a nice week-end, miss Tocker."
"You too, Mr Graves, sir", she replied, smiling.
"You and the boy."
He returned the smile, even if he couldn't deny that he still felt uncertain about the whole ordeal. Then he bid her farewell and left for the elevator to go to the office for Underage Magic Use.
"Are you nervous?", she asked him as soon as they fell into a walking pace next to each other.
"You sound like I'm about to get married, Goldstein", he replied, letting a hint of sarcasm leak into his tone.
She huffed in a chuckle, unsubtly rolling her eyes.
"But, between you and me, I am. Nervous that is", he admitted.
"It's strange", he said frowning a little.
Throughout his years as an auror he had approved and gone through much more crucial decisions. Decision between life and death. Sometimes after being considered for months, and other times in the moment when there wasn't any time to weigh the pros and cons. Decisions that would affect many, many more lives than this.
His train of thought was broken by Tina smiling up (as she was slightly shorter) at him.
"I'm sure the Minister will be fine", she said.
He hoped she was right.
The office for Underage use of magic wasn't anything in particular. He wasn't sure what he had expected. Perhaps something more… different.
It had the standard front desk and chairs lined up against one wall for families and likewise to wait by until their case was brought up. The only thing telling you that this office worked with underaged wizards and witches were the children's books and family magazines spread across the coffee table.
The witch from the other day - when Credence had gotten into his office - was sitting behind the desk when they came in. She looked up and smiled.
"Good evening Mr Graves, sir", she said politely.
"And miss Goldstein", she said, not seeming surprised over the auror's presence.
"Good evening", Graves greeted back.
"Hi Patricia", Tina said, obviously more familiar with the witch.
"You're right on time", Patricia said as she rose from the desk.
"Credence is right through here", she told them and nodded towards the door leading further into the office. She walked up to it, peeked her head in and called gently for the boy. That:
"Credence dear, Mr Graves is here."
They didn't have to wait long for the boy to come.
"Here he is!", the witch announced.
He hadn't changed much since the first time Graves had seen him. Not that it had been very long. He wore the same type of button down shirt with the addition of a little jacket; that was obviously a hand me down from some previous owner. His expression hadn't changed either. Timid with big eyes. Not sure what he was supposed to do.
"Hi Credence!", Tina said gently as he tentatively walked up to stand next to them.
As Tina had mentioned the child did not respond, and instead looked at the rug.
"His things are all prepared. We're sending with the necessities, but it's up to you to supply him with a more thorough wardrobe. You'll be compensated with the expenses of course", Patricia told the Minister as she levitated in a small suitcase from the other room.
"I'll make sure to bring in the receipts", he said with a slight hint of sarcasm. In actuality he had plenty of money to go around with. As mentioned earlier most of his paycheck went to pay for his new apartment, but he would by no means run low from the additional costs of keeping Credence well fed and clothed.
"Are you excited to move in with Percival?", Tina asked Credence as she squatted down to get on his eye level. She gently brushed his arm with her hand.
Graves was a little surprised at the casual name, not that he had anything against it. But then he realized that it was probably for the best to make some sort of distinction between him and Grindelwald, figuring Grindelwald had been, and probably still was, Mr Graves to the boy.
The boy shyly looked at Graves.
Graves took it as his que to speak, as he was the one who was going to take the child home that evening.
"Hello Credence", he said.
The boy returned his gaze to the floor and the Minister didn't push him for further conversation.
"Is there anything else we need before we leave?", Graves asked the witch still standing by the door.
"Ah, yes", she nodded.
"You just need to sign a few things. Technicalities for overtaking custody. But then you're free to go", she told him and with a wave of her wand summoned a file holder that had been resting on her desk, and with another for it to open itself to reveal the documents.
"Great", Graves said, and with a flick of his hand a dip pen flew into his hand, followed shortly by a bottle of ink gently positioning itself next to the file holder; its lid unscrewing itself.
He perused the different paragraphs for a minute. Even if he trusted that MACUSA wasn't going to sneak anything onto him through the fine print he wasn't, and would hopefully never be, the type of wizard who put his signature on something he hadn't even looked at.
"Alright then...", he said and dipped the golden tip onto the pitch black liquid, waited a moment to let the excess drip off, then placed the nib against the paper.
Right then something whimpered behind him, startling him enough for him to retract the pen from the paper. He turned his head and saw Credence looking at him.
Or, no.
He was looking at the pen . As if it was a knife about to stab a puppy.
"Credence?", Graves asked, bewildered.
"What's the matter, little guy?"
"I'm sorry!", the boy said.
Next to him Tina gasped lightly. Graves on the other hand felt his eyebrows lift a tad.
"'Sorry'… ?", he echoed.
"Sorry for what? You haven't done anything have you?" He glanced at Tina and Patricia for some sort affirmation, but they only had eyes for Credence.
Credence looked even more distressed at his words.
"This isn't what what supposed to happen!", he said.
"If I hadn't gone to Mr Graves' office none of this would have happened…!" His little voice broke at that, and before Graves could do anything small tears were rolling down Credence's cheeks. Not that he was sure of what he would have done if he had reacted quickly enough.
"Oh Credence...", Tina started and held her arms out to comfort him, but was interrupted by Credence mumbling:
"I didn't mean to be a bother to you! I just wanted to… to see the real Mr Graves..."
Then he hiccuped.
And then it was like someone opened a floodgate.
Maybe it was because Graves was still considered to be a bachelor, or maybe that his only contact with children was through his nieces, but he felt more than handfallen at the scene before him.
Tina was trying to calm Credence down, even if he kept shrugging her hands away, while Patricia remained by the door, hand warily resting above her wand.
Graves understood her worry. To have an obscurial crying his heart out in such close proximity, knowing the extent of his powers, anyone in their right mind did right in being alert.
But she didn't actually contribute in easing the situation by just standing there, did she?
He let the pen put itself back on the desk, then joined Tina kneeling on the floor by Credence. He wanted to help. He just didn't know how.
"Hey", he said gently as he tried catching the child's attention. It didn't work.
"Hey now", he repeated, this time more firmly as he placed his palm on the boy's head. The response was immediate. Credence hiccuped in surprise and looked up at the man. His startled blinks scattering a few tears from his clumped together eyelashes.
Graves kept his palm firmly planted on the tatch of black hair as he asked:
"Who said you were a bother?"
Credence hiccuped again, not seeming to understand the question. He just stared.
"Did I?", Graves asked, pretending to be bewildered, and looked at Goldstien for confirmation.
She, being an intelligent woman, understood what he was getting at, and shook her head.
"Not that I can remember, sir", she replied.
"Good. That's what I thought", he nodded. Then he returned his gaze to Credence. New tears were quietly making their way down his already drenched cheeks. He sniffed, but didn't resume the loud crying.
With a wordless spell Graves summoned a folded up handkerchief from his pocket.
"I don't know where you got that idea from Credence...", Graves said as the white piece of cloth gently unfolded itself in his hand,"...What I do know is that even if neither of us expected this I'm sure we can make it work if we work together…", he said and used the napkin to gently dry away the tears; which Credence let him do.
"But you're not being a bother, Credence...", he said.
"Actually I'm sure it will do us both some good with a little company. You see, my apartment gets very lonely at times."
Credence found his voice at that.
"But you shouldn't have to do it…!"
"I know how time consuming it is to take care of children. I don't want to ruin your job just because no one else wants me...", Credence said.
From the corner of his eye he could see Tina clench and unclench her hands. But she didn't say anything. Once again he wondered why she was so stubborn about not taking on the boy herself; then again, she was certain he was the better choice. And he would try not to let her down.
Which is why Graves took his time thinking of a reply. He couldn't deny that he had been thinking the same things just this morning; just an hour ago.
"We don't know that", he finally said.
"And if it does, if this doesn't work out at all…! ", he said, bringing some stress on the words just to be dramatic,"...it's not the end of the world. Nothing in the documents says this is going to be permanent", he said, and he actually saw something resembling compliance in the boy's eyes.
"If we can't get things together, or you don't like living with me, we'll find another solution", he told the boy.
"We don't even know if you'll stay like this forever", he added, referring to the obscurial's deaged state.
"But before then: Let's try. Alright?"
Credence sniffled again. And to the Minister's surprise he nodded. But he didn't say anything.
Graves didn't worry about it too much though. Instead he dried away the remaining tears on Credence's face. When the child lifted his hand to dry his nose with the back of his hand Graves was quick to give it a gently pinch to rid of any snot from the crying. Remembering his mother doing the same. Credence whined at that, but it was more from surprised than protest. When Credence was dry Graves nodded and stood up again, the handkerchief folding itself up and returning to his pocket. He would wash it later.
"Good", he said. He looked at the two witches who had witnessed the whole ordeal. Patricia looked relieved and Tina was smiling at him encouragingly.
"Where were we?", he asked.
This time Credence did not protest as Graves neatly signed the different documents. Instead he stood closely pushed against Graves' leg, a hand timidly holding onto the black fabric of his slacks. His brown eyes following the pen as Graves carefully put his signatures on the required lines and paragraphs, even though the child couldn't actually see the papers from his short height. Though he seemed content enough.
When all the papers were signed and the appropriate copies were tucked away in his briefcase Graves tapped his briefcase using his wand, then waved it at the suitcase waiting by the door. Both cases lifted into the air, floating gently at waist height, ready to leave.
"Credence?", he said gently.
The boy tore his eyes from the animated cases and looked at him.
"Are you ready to go?", he asked.
The boy didn't answer with as much as a nod, but he did take the hand Graves held out for him, so the Minister assumed that he was indeed ready to leave.
"Have a nice evening, miss", Graves told Patricia.
"You too, sir", she said.
"And you too, Credence", she added and waved for the child.
Credence averted his eyes and didn't say anything. He had, once more, returned to his muted state.
Seeing that they had no further business there the Minister of Magical Security left the Office for Underaged Magic Use with the obscurial in tow, their cases levitating behind them. Goldstein followed them to the door, but had to bid them goodbye since she was going to wait for her sister.
And then the two walked to Graves' apartment.