How to survive a magical courtship (and adopt dozens of fantastic beast in the process)

Seraphina should have expected it.

It didn't matter how much the President said that he had failed in his role as Director of Magical Security on this subject.

She should have expected it.

After all, she was the one who had always insisted on including the blessed duel between entities.

"It is an exercise of union and affection among our mutual staff at our annual meeting, Director."

Yes, surely the people of Theseus Scamander were going to take a fight as an exercise in bonding and affection with the Americans.

The aurors saw the duel for what it was: a contest in which they would seize the opportunity to wave wands and spells to then have fun at the expense of the losing team.

Primitive. Obviously. But normal.

Anyone would see in an activity of these characteristics the opportunity to demonstrate their worth and ability, achieving recognition from peers who weren’t usually present on the field.

And that's why Percival didn't participate in those experiences.

Because until that moment he hadn’t needed recognition from anyone or had had any interest or need to prove his worth, but it seemed that not even he could be saved from the fact that, at some point in his life, like the peacock in the gardens of the No- Maj, a reason arises to make him want to show his best plumage.

“Alright, this meeting is only to remind you that five aurors of the Ministry of Magic are gonna come here today. And please since I don't want any international conflicts I beg you all not to do anything stupid while they're here”

"Fabulous, Sera" thought the Director of Magical Security, shaking his head at the dramatic accent that the woman had given to the whole thing "Now, surely, they are going to try to do something stupid to generate an international incident"

“But can we still do the competition?”

Kenneth asked, clearing his throat, and Percival had to resist laughing at the President's defeated expression.

“Fine. Although I'm sure I don't need to remind you this is just a FRIENDLY competition, okay?”

“What competition?”

Newt asked looking into his eyes and Graves tried to explain what was happening, putting an effort in not to make it sound to his partner like a wild and unnecessary activity, product of a group of thugs.

“It's just a duel” he explained "Between five of our aurors and five of theirs. The teams battle against each other at the same time”

However, the British's reaction managed to baffle him.

Not only he didn’t scowl, as Percival thought he would, but Newt seemed downright excited about the prospect of a duel between MACUSA and the Ministry of Magic.

“That sounds great!” added the magizoologist, looking into his eyes again “I used to watch my brother duel, it was amazing, he's very skilled and experienced so his opponents usually didn't last much. He's not coming this time though, otherwise he would've told me, but I believe some of the aurors have been trained by him. I can't wait to watch you fight. I bet you can defeat them all easily, even without wandless magic”

Um…

With all due respect to Theseus Scamander and without intending to sound arrogant, the Brit and his staff had no chance if Percival faced them in a duel.

He had an excellent record of victories, only being defeated by Gellert Grindelwald, which, far from taking away his popularity, actually increased his rating since the dark magician would be a sick bastard, but most believed that he was also one of the most skilled and dangerous that existed.

“No, Newt. The boss never participates in these duels” Abernathy clarified to his boyfriend with a feigned sigh of defeat “He has never accepted our invitation to join the team”

“Well played, Abernathy. Well played"

Graves thought, smirking.

The auror had said that on purpose. Not as it seemed to explain something to Newt, but to provoke sadness and achieve that the same boss that this Brit had eating out of his hand have no choice but to get involved in the damned fight.

Surely the bets were quite high and MACUSA must have been at a disadvantage since they had lost the previous year. Abernathy thus ensured by that move that he would win a large sum at the cost of making Percival sweat.

“Oh… I see”

Newt muttered, sounding just as disappointed as the auror had intended him to sound, as the others present, including the President, were picking up on the tactic and, like Tina Goldstein, turning pale at the prospect of the upcoming duel.

Mercy Lewis.

Where was a camera when it was needed?

That moment deserved to be immortalized.

Newt asking him if he was serious, while with total self-confidence he let Percival hold his hand, at the same time that the Director’s aurors were in different states of holding back their laughter at the President's face when they heard what was going to happen.

“It's a FRIENDLY competition," Sera stressed once she had recovered from the shock "Are we clear, Graves? No matter how much you want to impress... Just go easy on them okay?”

The Director of Magical Security smiled mischievously as he winked at his own boss, making her growl holding the bridge of her nose.

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Victims one, two, three, four and five, showed up at the Woolworth Building early the next day.

As was natural, the President and he received them at the entrance.

Percival took the opportunity to visually scan his future opponents.

First difference between the British team and his: the tea drinkers only had men among them, while MACUSA had two women. Evidently the Ministry of Magic preferred stamina and muscle to agility and marksmanship.

Second difference: they were too young. The Americans, by contrast, were almost veteran aurors. Tested time and time again on the streets.

Third difference: no superior was going to be on the team, as Graves was going to do with his.

Fourth and final difference: MACUSA was playing as local, and that meant a large public on the duel that wasn’t going to support the British.

The Director of Magical Security, after receiving the confidential reports that the Ministry of Magic sent him about those cases in which they had mutual interests and delivering his to the visiting aurors, excused himself from the meeting claiming that he had a commitment, letting the President discuss politics, while his aurors guaranteed the safety of those present and listened to tell him everything discussed in his absence.

Percival then had the opportunity to return to his office to freshen up and focus on the upcoming duel.

“Miss Goldstein” he told Queenie as he entered the premises “Clear my schedule from now on and, please, I ask you to keep everyone away until it's time for the duel”

“Yes, Sir” the girl replied approaching him with an open palm “No one will bother you, but Newt asked me to give you this”

Graves raised his eyebrows in astonishment as he saw what appeared to be a gently moving green cocoon on it.

“Is... that's what I think it is?”

He asked the woman, taking the cocoon by one of its extremities, which was elongated and resembled a tail.

“Newt says that it’s the offspring of one of the creatures he has in his suitcase and that since it was born a couple of weeks ago it has been accustomed to the smell of the offices and of you so that it can participate in MACUSA activities”

The Director's eyes widened upon hearing the explanation and observing how the cocoon pulsed and revealed two eyes black as night through the slits in its blue and green exterior.

A Swooping Evil.

Newt Scamander had been breeding them a Swooping Evil so that MACUSA, and especially Percival, could use it on their missions.

“Anything else I should know?”

He asked the blond without taking his eyes off the gift that was hanging from his hands.

“Newt says that everything you need to know is in the book” she explained, handing him a small package “and that… don't get it too close to the heads of the aurors from the Ministry of Magic, because otherwise his brother was going to give him trouble”

The head of the MACUSA aurors chuckled upon hearing the recommendations and nodded, entering his office, to have, seconds later, his edition of "Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them" open at the letter S.

“Ah, here you are”

He commented upon reaching the end of the letter and finding an added page, which indicated that the creature in question either was in danger of extinction, was too dangerous and would attract stupid people to look for it or was it American and Seraphina had managed to get the magizoologist to exclude it so as not to promote tourism of idiots in search of magical creatures.

Okay.

It was a four X rated creature, which meant it could be manipulated by skilled witches and wizards, but it was still extremely dangerous. Of possibly anchored origin in Magic or Dark Arts, it was widespread in the mountainous and dense vegetation of Africa and Asia. It fell into the category of encephalophages, so its favorite food was human brains, but his partner added in his own handwriting that these could be replaced by the brains of other animals if this creature was raised outside of nature.

Percival took out his wand and pointing to the package that Queenie had given him and that he had left on the side of the desk, he opened it, revealing a container with a pair of cow's brains.

Instantly the cocoon that was hanging opened and spreading its wings the young Swooping Evil pounced on its food devouring it in an instant.

MACUSA's Director of Magical Security surveyed the scene, analysing the creature.

It wasn’t a very attractive beast, but certainly intimidating.

With its outstretched wings, its skull-like head and its particular taste for food, any criminal or enemy would be terrified to see it in action.

Naturally, not all Aurors would be capable of or able to raise or handle one of those creatures. Only a few would do it. But he agreed with Newt that they could be excellent additions to his troops and that, because the boy's intention wasn’t lost on him, through the participation of these creatures in official missions, MACUSA itself would be obliged to establish exceptions and new regulations to its anti-magical creatures’ laws.

The Swooping Evil, once fed, went back to its cocoon form, returning to rest on the desk, while Percival smiled and took the book in his hands again to read that, among other applications apart from scaring and eating brains that the creature had, was a poison that could enhance memory spells and the ability to act as shackles and as a spell deflecting shields.

The last one was a clearly important advantage. Since, although Newt had asked him not to let the Swooping Evil eat the brains of any of his former English colleagues, he had given the cocoon to the Director of Magical Security anyway, so that the American would use it as a shield in the duel he would have that same afternoon.

Knowing that, if he did so, it was very likely that the visiting aurors, being his brother's direct staff at the Ministry, would tell him about Percival being sponsored by the youngest of the Scamanders to such an extent that he was allowed to work alongside his magical creatures.

The Director of Magical Security inhaled and exhaled deeply at that moment, for even though he had previously thought of Theseus Scamander, he hadn’t stopped, amid the novelty of the relationship, to reason about the implications that same relationship might have on the power structure of both organizations, since neither of them was unknown and there had always been a certain rivalry between the English and the Americans, long before the No-Maj of the colonies decided to start the War of Independence that had also included their fellow magical citizens and that had separated the latter from the power of the English Ministry, as the former from the power of the King of England.

“I'm going to need more than flowers…”

Graves muttered, getting up to go to the hidden closet behind the door that held some of his special changes of clothing.

That afternoon he was going to really have to show off and being dressed to the occasion.

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Percival ended up settling on a different version of the suit he wore to work. One of a uniform color since like Grindelwald used his usual clothes, he didn’t like to think of himself dressed in a similar way, at least in the color tone that the Director had preferred until then. And he knew that his subordinates also approved of the change, just as Queenie had assured him, since they had ended up just as frustrated as Graves with not having recognized that their own boss had been impersonated for three long months.

All in black, with a coat that reached almost Percival shoes, he marched to meet Abernathy, Weiss, Fontaine, and Roberts.

His aurors greeted him smiling sideways. No doubt, led by Abernathy, they had come to the conclusion that in order for their boss could impress, like the Director, had arrived impeccably dressed.

“Who’s at the top of the betting board?”

He questioned the main auror as he put on one of his leather gloves.

“The British” explained Abernathy “They still are the favourites, since they have won the last two duels. An also because many don’t believe that you are going to participate”

“If we win today” Graves told them, putting on the second glove “You are going to have two weekly duelling lessons, after work hours”

A grunt of complaint escaped the other three while Abernathy keep an intelligent silence.

What did they expect?

That his participation was for free?

From the noise coming from the duelling room, it was obvious that half of MACUSA was inside the place and that the tea drinkers had no idea that the cards on the table had changed.

The fact that he was going to sweep the floor with the aurors of the British Ministry of Magic mean that the following year, his staff could obtain the triumph, this time, without his participation.

And that required practice time, which he believed was going to be well payed anyway, since he doubted the other four hadn't gambled their entire salary on the adventure, while Percival hadn't lifted a finger to join the betting pool, specifically so that the bookie had doubts and allowed the British to remain favourites.

“Let’s go inside?”

Weiss asked and Percival nodded saying.

“Go ahead, order the duelling couples with the President, I have something to do first”

None of his aurors said anything at this.

Naturally, they had expected him to want to see Newt before getting into the fight, so Percival, taking advantage of the enthusiasm the MACUSA team aroused by walking through the front door, cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, in order to find his lover by mixing among the attendees without attracting attention.

Just as the noise had announced, the place was bursting with people.

From Red, the building's concierge, to the last administrator, surely wanting to check if the rumors that Graves would participate in the event were accurate almost all MACUSA had been present on the site and, from what he could see, noticing how a group of witches and wizards made wands movements on the sides of the room, the amount of public had forced the President, who was on the stage observing the scene, to magically expand the space to make it safe for the attendees and the duellists.

Percival suppressed the urge to laugh again at the woman's expression, and as he left her talking to both teams, focusing his eyes on finding Newt.

“Ah, there you are”

He whispered in amusement as he saw the magizoologist straining to see the stage in the crowd, accompanied by the Goldstein sisters.

The American advanced stealthily, until he was behind the British who, by all accounts, was looking for him among the future competitors and couldn't help but shake his head thinking that, even if Graves had decided to be smooth and discreet with their relationship, the boy was so obvious that several of the people around him, including his friends, exchanged knowing looks, funny expressions and giggles.

Apparently, Graves wasn't the only one acting like a teenager in all of this.

Well then.

That they talked all what they want.

At a certain point, it was to his advantage that they did.

Not only humanize Percival in front of MACUSA, making him less distant, but he was also sure that it was going to be a rumour that his people were going to see to it that it would reach the British team. And from there, he had no doubt that it would reach Newt's brother.

At least in that sense, he didn't think the members of the Scamander family would assume he wasn't totally charmed by the boy, if Percival had been able to expose himself in such a way in front of the President herself just because the youngest of that same family had wanted to see him in friendly combat.

And, since he could, Graves decided to surprise back the brown-haired man in order to even the score regarding what had happened in the hut of the others suitcase. Therefore, while he used his magic to vanish the enchantment that had kept him hidden, he touched Newt’s shoulder to hold the magizoologist's waist without any impudence when this turned around, to bring him closer joining his forehead with Percival’s.

Several gasps and expressions of surprise around him indicated to the Director that he had achieved his goal.

“Wish me luck”

He whispered causing the tempting specialist in magical creatures to blush significantly.

“Good luck”

Newt also answered him in a whisper, after which, Percival winked at the boy releasing him to go to the centre of the room, where the duel scenario awaited the aurors chief.

“Oh, Director Graves” Seraphina said sarcastically as she saw him approaching “How kind of you to join us”

“My apologies” he said, bowing his head to greet the aurors and the President “I needed… to see someone before”

While the leader of the Magical Congress of the United States of America rolled her eyes at the reference to his subordinate lover, Percival positioned himself among his aurors, taking out his wand like them, to ritually saluting with it, and then carrying it, in his case, behind his back as MACUSA members assume the combat position.

“Are you ready?”

The President asked the British team, who looked at each other wondering how to position themselves. It was more than obvious that they had ordered their members to fight the American aurors according to their individual characteristics, which they knew since they had faced a similar duel the previous year. The appearance of the Director of Magical Security hadn’t been into their plans and now not only did they not know what to do, but it was totally evident that none of them wanted to be Graves' direct opponent.

“Gentlemen” Seraphina said when she saw that the Ministry aurors were still hesitating “Would you mind if I suggested a formation according to your seniority? Just in the hope that we can start, since we have other diplomatic activities planned besides the duel and your portkey, being international, doesn’t accept delays”

The men blushed, but the oldest of them, named Mason, nodded and the woman ordered them so that this same auror was designated as his duelling opponent.

Poor guy.

He was still a child for Percival.

And, evidently, the auror knew of his story, because if he wasn’t mistaken, had seen a slight tremor on the young man when he had drawn his wand again for the ritual salute.

The Director of Magical Security clicked his tongue softly and his own aurors tensed waiting for the red light that, a few seconds later, coming out of the President's wand, began the duel.

As he had predicted, after the first few spells, the British had put their muscle to work. The intensity of their movements was admirable. You could tell they spent a lot of time practicing or exercising on the field.

"And against effective threats," Graves thought as he analysed the fight, deflecting the spells his opponent was trying so hard to cast that he looked tired after only a few minutes "These youngsters must have been up against dangerous people like Grindelwald's supporters."

Percival, by contrast, observed the reactions of the Americans out of the corner of his eye and breathed a sigh of relief to see that his troops looked at each other and measured their steps, in a very close combat, but one from which he was sure they would emerge victorious.

None the less… they needed to make a sacrifice to force an opening.

So, his second-in-command, Abernathy, reading Graves’s intentions when he pulled something out of his pocket, simply let his guard down getting hit by his opponent who disarmed him without doing any major damage, but giving his boss time to quickly release the Swooping Evil, causing Mason to scream in fright, distracting the English auror enough for the American to throw a stupefy powerful enough to make Percival’s opponent to fall meters away losing his wand, while the Director retracted the creature to its cocoon form.

As Graves turned to help his other aurors, he hoped that Newt, as well as the people standing very close to the stage, could have seen that his creature had been in on the action. But, since it had all happened in seconds and his partner wasn't really that close to the duel zone, he couldn't be sure. Although the others had been and, he had no doubts that, the participation of the Swooping Evil was going to be one of the highlights of the confrontation.

The second British auror was much easier than his leader.

Two or three shots and a shield from Percival’s wand brought the guy to a halt, drawing a whoop from the crowd.

By that time, the adrenaline had seized the Director and the need to be seen had given way to the need for his staff to get hurt as little as possible and for the combat to end as soon as possible as well.

Weiss had managed to disarm her opponent, Fontaine was still fighting with his, and Roberts had ended up petrified by another. Which meant that, in no time at all, Graves found himself fighting two aurors at the same time: his second opponent and a third who, having also freed himself from one of the Americans, had come to help his companion against the Director.

Okay.

This was turning to be really annoying.

Percival thought, dodging a bloody crucio.

How did dare they to use an unforgivable in the middle of a duelling room?

The Director's eyes met the President's then and the woman sighed in agreement. The British had opened the door at breaking the rules.

After which, Graves, switched his wand turning his attack into a powerful whip that electrocuted his two opponents, making them jump into the air.

If they wanted a dirty fight, they were going to have one.

The men once fallen, seeing him raise his wand again, dropped theirs surrendering.

“Boss!”

Weiss's scream was heard and as the Director turned, the body of the last of the British aurors fell unconscious in front of him, revealing an agitated, but triumphant female on the floor.

Percival bowed his head and waved his wand at his subordinate, as Seraphina announced that the Americans had won, causing the audience to roar with cheers, many of them surrounding the combatants, cheering and congratulating the winners while helping the losers.

The Director of Magical Security quickly found himself shaking hands and receiving greetings from all sides.

However, the person he cared about receiving one from the most, wasn’t by his side.

For a brief moment, the magizoologist's absence after the duel had seemed strange and somewhat painful because he had expected Newt to be the most enthusiastic.

Until a hand on his shoulder caught his attention. Abernathy, who had recovered, though still limping a bit, laughing low, pointed among the crowd, commenting.

“It seems to me that... you really make the impression that you wanted, Chief”

Graves looked up then and met the gaze of a very astonished Newt Scamander whom the Goldstein sisters were seeking to bring out of his frozen state, surely trying to make the Brit to go and congratulate the team.

The American shook his head laughing low as well.

That boy was the biggest cliché he knew.

But that didn't take away one iota of charm from his partner.

On the contrary, it intensified it.

“Excuse me, but” he told to those who still wanted to greet him “I need to see someone”

The people made way for him then, naturally murmuring about his destination.

“Newt?”

He told the magizoologist, stifling his laughter when saw how the boy blinked, as if returning to reality from a dream.

“Yes? I mean- You were amazing! I-I am very happy for you”

The British murmured excitedly and blushed, and Percival smiled broadly to see how he also looked to the sides, while clasping his hands nervously.

It was more than obvious that among so many people, Newt had refrained from doing something like hugging him, probably thinking that he was committing some kind of indiscretion by making that move, so the American widened his smile and approached his lover saying.

“I came here for my reward. I think I deserve it”

Which, basically, was delivering the magizoologist carte blanche to do whatever he wanted, not giving a damn about social convenience.

“Reward?” Newt asked and his mouth opened and closed a few times before he said hurriedly and quite loudly " What about dinner?”

Damn...

If Newt wanted to confirm to all of MACUSA that he was interested in their Director of Magical Security, he definitely hadn't left anyone in the doubt, asking him out in that raised tone of voice, completely flushed red and looking totally adorable in his nervousness.

Percival, in fact, blinked in amazement at the turn that the situation had taken, after which he asked.

“Do you want to take me out to dinner?”

To which Newt answered even more nervously, diverting his gaze to the sides, surely catching that, from afar, his brother's aurors were probably following the scene like the closest public.

“Well... Yes? If you want to, it's okay if you don't I-”

Mercy Lewis.

Graves's heart swelled in his chest at seeing how the boy was still the braver of both in the sentimental field, feeling enormously special to be the recipient of so much affection.

Therefore, so that the sceptics will finish clearing their doubts, he went ahead and gently held Newt's face to tenderly kiss his forehead.

“I'd love to” he assured the magizoologist, enjoying his expression of relief and his smile “Wait here I have to tell something to Seraphina before we go”

The young man nodded and Percival looked at the Goldstein sisters, who nodded knowing that the Director had entrusted them to make sure that no one bothered his partner while he finished his activities.

The American turned then, crossing the audience again, until he reached the duelling platform, where he was received by his own aurors, the visiting aurors and the President.

The combatants greeted each other, as the duel formally ended.

“Your people have improved” Mason acknowledged when they shook hands “But we definitely would have beaten them if they didn't count with your presence”

“We’ll see next year” Percival laughed “I promise not to be involved in the next duel, but I also promise to better prepare my people”

“Don't take it the wrong way, but...” the man questioned him once the laughter had passed, pointing to the pocket in which the Swooping Evil rested “Am I wrong if in combat you made use of... certain help that we at the Ministry know well?”

Graves smirked at the guy's audacity and reached into his pocket to pull out the cocoon and display it in his palm briefly before putting it back.

The eyes of the rest of the British aurors widened, before turning a couple of them, without any shame towards the place where Newt was waiting for him.

“Do you have a problem with it?”

Abernathy asked them, causing the visitors to look away, blushing at their own attitude.

“None” Mason commented “If you are the ones who decide to take such risks”

Percival's eyes narrowed as he perceived a certain not very pleasant tone on the part of the British towards his partner and his subordinates stood by the Director’s side with very similar expressions.

Newt Scamander was already considered part of his team and his aurors were very protective of the team they worked with.

However, before things got truly serious, Seraphina's voice interrupted their exchange.

“Director Graves, have you finished your greetings to our guests?”

“Yes, ma'am” he answered mumbling “I think the aurors of the Ministry are more than ready to return to their country”

“Perfect” sentenced the President with a tone that assured that she had heard every word and every implication said and done “I will accompany them to their destination, Director. My bodyguards will be enough as escorts. You and your people are dismissed”

Graves nodded and the woman withdrew with the visitors following her.

“I don't know why I feel that we are going to have to open an investigation regarding the life of our favorite magizoologist in his country of origin”

Fontaine commented and Percival nodded before leaving his team to go meet said specialist for dinner.