...
Picquery and healers entered the office only a few minutes later. Newt looked at her, a question in his eyes. Slowly she nodded her agreement. Using the ties within his magic began to pick apart the wards.
It took a few minutes of delicate picking but the wards did fall. The tin popped open with a quiet thunk and a small figure was in it. Newt frowned as he pulled out the figure and placed it on the ground. Teddy moved over sniffing at the figure and looking at him with wide dark eyes. So he was right this was the real Percival Graves.
"Is that?" Questioned Picquery breathlessly.
Silently he nodded. He began to undo the spells keeping Graves in the state. First to become undone was the reduction spell. Graves returned to his regular size and Newt was horrified to see how still he was. Was he dead? Was he too late?
Then the man gasped a pained sound coming from him. Newt quickly pulled the rest of the wards apart. The once stiff muscles relaxed and Graves's breathing became easier. Dark eyes flicked open when the spells stopped.
"Where?" He croaked as he tried to sit up.
Picquery ordered her hand pushed on his chest to keep him down, "Stay down Percival. We need to check you for injuries."
"Sera?" he questioned painfully, "How did you find me? Grindelwald..."
Newt answered for her as he finished breaking the wards, "Is in the cells, Mr. Graves."
Graves gasped and his body jackknifed up. The scent of blood filled the air. Wounds that they couldn't see must have reopened. Healers pushed Newt away and began to work on Graves.
After a few moments of watching a hand touched his elbow. Turning he saw that it was Tina her eyes were pleading with him to come with her. A little reluctant Newt did so. They retreated from the office to wait for Picquery.
...
It took three days before Graves was out of critical condition. Newt stayed with Tina and Queenie in their apartment. Jacob briefly returned home for half a day before returning to them. During that time Newt had retrieved his remaining creatures. The look on Tina's face when she came into his case made him laugh. No matter how long one had lived around magic his case seemed to surprise and fascinate people.
Jacob and Newt explored his connection to magic. It was weak from years of disuse. By pureblood standards Jacob was a squib. From what he knew of Low Magicks he could tell the man was strong in them. What specifically Newt couldn't tell. He gave the man his notes on Low Magick.
For his part Jacob was actually excited to learn about the Magicks he had seen. He read through all of Newt's notes in two days. Questions were fired off slowly bringing Newt out of his shell. Newt would quietly answer any questions he could.
On the third day Jacob baked for them and they enjoyed the pastries. Jacob was talking about the finer arts of baking when the floo flared green. Jacob jumped up with a surprised shout. The rest of them stared impassively as Picquery came through the floo.
To Newt she said, "Mr. Scamander we owe you a great debt. Mr. Graves while still in serious condition is out of danger now. With time he will make a full recovery."
"That is good to hear, Madame Picquery," he replied neutrally, "When are you wanting me to begin with the Ministry?"
Picquery paused before turning her dark eyes to Jacob as she said, "In two weeks, Mr. Scamander if that works for you. However there is another issue that must be discussed. Mr. Kowalski here is a muggle and must be obliviated."
"No," refused Newt meeting her dark eyes, "Jacob is not in fact a muggle."
"Mr. Scamander..." She tried to reason but he pushed through her protests.
He explained, "He is a squib by Wizarding Standards I will admit that. However he has a Low Magick connection. It is weakened by lack of use."
Picquery turned her full attention to Jacob her dark eyes scrutinized him. She decided not to press the issue, "If you say so, Mr. Scamander. I'll send you an owl about the start date and time."
With that she went back through the floo. Jacob gaped like a fish his eyes blown wide.
He asked shocked, "What in the world? Did she just walk through the fire?"
Newt laughed an airy light laugh that made the others stare in surprise. In the time that they had known him they hadn't heard him laugh like that. If he was honest with himself he hadn't laughed much around humans. There wasn't a reason to. Maybe that would change.