Percival dropped out of the office and dashed through the corridor. He hit someone by knocking him over. He turned his head to see Abernathy, head of Wand Permit Office scrambling out from the floor.
- I'm very sorry! - he called, but he kept going, to which others gave way to him. Hardly his feet touched the sidewalk, he disapparated.
The gate was destroyed, bent inward. The entrance door ceased to exist. He ran home, calling his wife. He knew she was going to take time off, moving things from her sister's apartment. The floor burst just above the living room. There was rubble in the middle of the room, and a bloody hand stuck out beneath it. Legs buckled under Graves, but before he could think, he turned on his heel, blocking the attack with his shield. Wizard who attacked him struck with more spells until Percival took a step back. Driven by fury, he pushed the shield at the opponent and attacked. He struck spells at the intruder, sending pieces of furniture to him. The man quickly retreated to the garden. Graves ran after him, feeling hex whisper around his ear. Another hit him on the shoulder and then in the back. Behind them were pieces of the wall, metal rods and wood. He cast a protective spell, but lack of focus caused him to be too slow. The blow knocked him off his feet. A bloody trail was left on a piece of stone span. He felt the blood flood his ear and neck. He did not feel pain. The only thing he wanted at the moment was to avenge his wife. He shot the runner, disarming him. He laid out like a long one.
He dodged another hex, disarming another attacker. At the same moment he screamed Protego, but he did not manage to turn in time and the spell hit him on the shoulder, knocking the bone.
- Try to shoot someone in the back again!
Agatha fell out from behind the screen on the terrace, throwing counterspells, holding a shield in front of her. She petrificated the other attacker, wiping blood that flooded her eye with shirt. She turned to her husband, not understanding his terrified eyes. At the last moment he moved his hand, causing the third assailant to hit the fence, hitting it with a clatter. Without thinking, the woman caught Auror's arm and disapparated. They appeared in the middle of a busy city with the sun setting behind their backs. People were in a hurry, pouring in and out of the subway. Agatha tugged at the exhausted man and led him to the underground. In her mind, she summoned the tickets from the booth, promising herself that she would throw Non-Majs's money into the cash register. They stood on the platform, watched by passers-by. They were both dirty and dusty. Blood flew from her eyebrow and Percival had a nasty cut on the side of his shaved head. Besides, he barely stayed on his feet. Finally the train pulled up. They squeezed in. Agatha put her husband on the bench and crouched beside him.
She did not care about the attention they focused on. She saw Percival fighting with himself to stay conscious. With a trembling hand he ran over her face, whispering: Episkey. The woman embraced his hand, glancing to one side. But no one paid any attention to it. A few people gave them furtive glances, but nothing more than that.
- Did they ... they wanted to hunt you down? Was it… Grindelwald?
Auror nodded, trying to find a position that would not be torture. His murmur and pain visible on his face made Agatha put her hands under his coat, fingers touching the twisted piece of rod, pushed just above his hip. She quickly wiped the bloody fingers in her black skirt. She pulled the end of the wand from the sleeve, but the man grabbed her hand tightly and shook his head. They reached the last station. As he left, Auror extended his fingers, whispering Tergeo to the bench, soaked in his blood. Before they got out, there was no sign of it.
Agatha led them along the side streets, between the buildings. At last they came out onto a narrow street with tenement houses. They entered one of them, hidden in a dark corridor.
- We have to go up the stairs. Third floor.
The man nodded and straightened up as much as he could. He had to pull himself together. The stairs were high and the wood slipped from years of use. His wife walking at his side, holding her hand outstretched in back, constantly repeating the cleaning spell in her mind. When they reached the apartment, they both barely stood on their feet. Agatha closed behind them and dropped all possible protective spells. She hoped she remembered everything. She threw off her coat and moved down the corridor behind the bloody traces of a hand on the wall.
Graves sat in the kitchen at the table and waited for her. Carefully she pulled off his coat, paying attention to the dislocated shoulder. She watched a piece of metal that protruded from the back. Fortunately. She called the dressmaker's scissors and carefully cut the shirt.
- You have to cut it and pull it out. Diffindo is enough.
- I can hurt you. My hands are shaking.
- Just do it.
The woman pulled out her wand and put it on the rod. She took a deep breath and whispered a spell under her breath. The metal glowed and after a while she could hear a metallic impact on the floor. The second part was still in the back of the wounded.
- Pull out the rest.
- You are as pale as death. You've lost too much blood. How do I get it out ... I'll call for help.
- No! Pull.
Agatha has learned over the years that Percival's cry was as rare as a smile, so despite the fear, she pointed her wand at him and whispered Accio rod. She threw away the bloodied object and knelt before her husband.
- Ferula – her voicewas shaking even more than her hands.
When the bandages wrapped his torso tight, he made something like a moan mixed with a sigh of relief. His face was even paler. He rest his healthy arm on a table as a support to not fall over.
- My shoulder.
She stood behind him and, with her scuffed hands pressed to his back and arm, set the bones.
Percival sat with his eyes closed for a moment, giving up to her hands and spells without a word. She closed the wound on his head and washed it, pulling off his damaged shirt.
- I need to go to the assembly point.
- You're crazy. You won't even be able to Apparate.
- You'll help me.
- No Percival. I won't let you be killed.
- I'm the Chief of Security. It's my duty. Just ... give me a shirt. Please.
Agatha knew she wouln't be able to persuade him to stay. Not now when he didn't know if his men were safe. She stared at his bruised body and dark circles under his eyes. Nevertheless, he was determined.
- They're my people, Agatha. I am their commander. Morale are low anyway. Everyone is nervous and doesn't know what the next day will bring. Everyone is waiting for Grindelwald's move. For death... They think they can hide it. But I can see it in their eyes.
The woman gave up and called in her mind one of her brother-in-law's shirts. It was a bit too narrow, but could be fastened. Percival put on his waistcoat and examined his coat. Agatha brushed it a bit, but he impatiently took it and headed for the exit. When they were downstairs, he stretched out his hand to her.
- Go straight back here. We'll meet in the evening. If I'm not coming back for a long time, I will send someone to you. Please, don't move from here. And I will disapparate us, you only keep the course.
The assembly point was located in an abandoned building after the Non-Majs's printing house. Graves walked among the groups that began to form with returning Aurors. He talked to exhausted people listening to them carefully. He thanked everyone, making sure that everyone received help if necessary. At last he stood, leaning against the desk, trying to focus his hazy, double seeing eyes.
- Who is behind the attacks? - he looked (he hoped) for his deputy.
- Everyone claimed to be the Acolytes of Grindelwald.
- All of them were caught? Smith, did you get those from Groove Garden?
- Two sir, the third one could not be seen. We found the fourth body under the rubble. Well-known trader of forbidden objects.
- The trader? – it sounded like decoy.
- None of the captured was trained in black magic. Actually, the only thing they did was try to get the most attention.
- Has any of Non-Majs suffered?
- There are a dozen or so, battered, but everyone is alive and will recover quickly.
- Where are Rogers and Allen?
There was silence among the Aurors. The couple who disappeared was the most recent acquisition of the office. It was only a year that they were granted permissions to work in the field.
- Why did they go together?
A few people exchanged meaningful glances. Percival swore under his breath. The kids who came out of Ilvermorny were getting more stupid. They entertained themselves with bravado and were afraid of nothing. And while relationships were not banned among the Aurors, it was known that they were dangerous to them. Love make fools from lovers. And he clearly expressed himself in this matter and so far everyone respected it. They had to find them. As soon as possible.
- Get back to the office. Write down the reports and help the Obliviators. Then ... then go home. Rest.
- Smith, Johnson, Hackley! We're looking for Rogers and Allen. Wait for me outside.
- Yes, sir!
The men went outside, talking quietly to each other. The hall was slowly emptying.
- Miss Goldstein!
Tina stopped in mid-step, giving Annie a sign to go without her. She improved her hair to hide the bleeding slash on her head. But that was the first thing Graves noticed. He gently put a hand over a cut.
- Episkey.
- Thank you, sir.
- Listen ... your sister ...
- Queenie.
- Yes. She works in Permits?
- Yes. Did she ... did she do something? - Tina's thoughts began a crazy pageant. He found out about her gift? About the fact that she overheard him? That they know he have someone? Mercy Lewis ...
- No. None of these things. I need her help.
- Help, Mr. Graves?
Tina looked with surprise at the distracted gaze of her superior. He shivered slightly, as if he could not stand on his feet after an overnight drink.
- Is everything alright, sir? You look really pale. Maybe I'll send for Medi…
- No!
He closed his eyes and shook his head. He felt that he could not keep this facade for a long time. He pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and scrawled the address on it with the Non-Maj's fountain pen.
- Tell her to go under this address. But tell here to apparate few blocks before. My wife is there. Please, ask her to keep her company until we're done. I don't want her to be alone. She can stay overnight, we have guest rooms.
- Your ... wife?
- Yes, Tina. I have a wife. But I would like ... that you and your sister... That you keep it to yourself. For her safety. And your too.
- Mr. Graves ...? – so that woman wasn't just his lover but wife…
- Please.
Tina nodded and left quickly. Percival put his hand under his coat, sensing soaked bandages. He clenched his teeth and moved to join the search team.