Tina and the hopeful grump
Percival Graves rarely gets angry. How can he be when he is indifferent towards most things? At least that was what Tina thought of her boss, the Director of Magical Security of MECUSA. Right now though, the expression on his face could only be described as livid and absolute hatred. The said man is currently furiously turning pages after pages of the report from Tina on the incident with the Obscurus and what it had done to the city, his face turned from livid to downright horror.
“Where is he?”
“Where is who, sir?”
“Credence, of course! Who else would I meant?”
“He is believed to be dead, sir. The search for the boy have turned out fruitless, absolutely no traces of him anywhere. The obscurus was destroyed, sir. No one think he survived the attack.”
“You mean no one think twice about killing a child who just need some helping hands and calm him down? What the hell were you guys thinking?”
“Sir, the order came from the President herself. There is nothing else that could be done about it. Credence lost all control and the obscurus was running rampant on the street. They all did what they thought was best for the city, for us.”
“You are surprisingly calm about this, Miss Goldstein.”
A moment of silence passed, then she answered with an almost detached tone that she had done her best to protect him. Her and the english magizoologist both. Almost, but not quite successful. She didn’t correct him on him using Miss instead of Auror though. She is hiding something, after all. Thank goodness for a sister who is a Legilimens or she won’t have to learn Occlumency. Your sister knowing your thoughts is one thing, her knowing about the things you imagine when you saw a particularly handsome boy or a cute girl is another thing. Tina shuddered at the thought.
A long suffering sigh follows. Tina took a look at her boss and noticed that although physically he look pretty much the same after some pepper up potions and a two week house rest though a bit gaunt looking and thinner, he look like someone had just poke a hole in his body, took all the insides out along with the bones and put it all back in after jumbling it all about. He look like despair clad in a human form. Perhaps something could change that. But she need to confirm something first, after all it’s not only her restored position as an Auror that are being at a stake here.
“Why are you asking about that boy sir, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“How long have you known him, Auror Goldstein?”
Ah, so he noticed her reaction. Good at Occlumency she might have been, she really need to train in schooling her expressions.
“Two weeks of observations, met him twice, first when I stop that disgrace of a human that he called mother and second when the incident happened, sir. Why?”
“I only known him for a week. But a week is more than enough for me to see that he does not deserves all the things that had happened to him. You know that he still wishes for that wretched woman’s happiness when that said bitch had gave him 24 lashes on his back just the night before? For helping a stranger who asked for directions at that?”
Oh, she wasn’t sure about that anymore. If anything, the boy in question now think nothing about said woman. In fact, she is sure that blasted bitch is the last thing that would be in his thought right now. He is busy adjusting with his new life, which with the Obscurus is now dormant, is going to fill with him learning magic to prevent anything like that ever happen again. And living as a wizard, if not in this country then maybe someplace else. Oh, Director Graves is still talking.
“... nothing but adding to his misery. I failed him.”
Err,what? Is this the same Percival ‘ you-average-people-cannot-fathom-my-magnificence ‘ Graves, Director of Magical Security of MACUSA? What the bloody hell had happened during the week of his acquaintances with Credence and his capture for a month? Ooppss, she really should cut her time with Newt. If she started saying ‘bloody hell’ in her head, surely it’s only a matter of time before she really said it with her mouth. Damn that englishman and his soft voice. No don’t go there, Tina.
“You didn’t failed him, sir. He was tricked by that bastard Grindelwald. We all were.”
Add that to another thing that Tina wish had never happened. How can no one noticed the man was replaced? With a dark wizard, at that. Not that Percival Graves was a ray of sunshine. That man wear that black suits of gorgeousness so good that Tina was worried some of the people who saw him were stupefied. So good at looking dark and brooding that no one think of suspecting his already suspicious actions, like demoting her for example. She is still bitter about that even though it wasn’t his fault. No matter, that bastard is now in custody. She can torment him later in his cell. Maybe she can bribe the aurors guarding him to scratch a plate with a fork. Maybe two plates and forks. The thought amused her so much that she almost missed Director Graves’s reply.
“... don’t understand. I told him maybe I could help. But I needed some time so we should wait until I returned from Europe. I didn’t even told him who I am. If I had just took him with me then, this would have never happened.”
“You are not one to break rules, sir. Despite your capability of breaking bones with your bare hands, you can never break a rule. And saying things like that doesn’t really make a difference now, does it? What happened had happened. And it wasn’t your fault to begin with. It was the rules that makes us incapable of helping him and other people. Wizards and No-Maj alike.”
“Then why does it feels like it is? Why am I feeling guilty? I had nightmares about him every night and every time I asked about him, all of you refused to answer. And after two weeks, only now you’re telling me? If this is how you care Goldstein, I’m afraid to see how you love.”
Now that was uncalled for. Still, she can’t say anything about that. The guilt she’s feeling about not noticing anything wrong with the imposter is still quite strong after all. And the man is angry and sad, understandably so. Right, time to test the water.
“Well if he is still alive, what can you do? Nothing, Director Graves. He is still considered as a threat and if he showed up anywhere in America, they will happily drag him to prison. Without thinking twice, if I might add.”
“Is he?”
“Is he what, sir?”
“Is he still considered a threat?”
“Yes, I didn’t see anything changed about his status.”
The man opened his mouth, seemingly about to say something. But seconds later he’s back to read the report as furiously as he did before, if not even more. Tina wasn’t sure if she is dismissed or not so she remained seated until after a few minutes later, when her boss told her so. Not one to be left without an answer, she asked the man what will he do.
“I’m going to take care about his status. Give me a week or so and he will be safe to return here, not that he is alive to do so isn’t he, Auror Goldstein?”
His words might be taken as he said it by someone naive enough to believe it, but his eyes has a look that is just this close to a desperate hope. He thinks Tina knows something about the boy or even might be hiding the boy in her house and he is desperately hoping that is the case. Sighing internally, she hopes she’s not putting anyone in danger for this.
“I’m sure if he is, he will if he wishes to. Not that he is alive though, but this is the least we can do to do right by him. Let him to be known as a wizard rather than a kid harboring a dangerous creature that will wreak havoc at any chances.”
And with that, she stands up to leave. But she was stopped with a soft voice calling her.
“Tina..”
Wait, is there anyone else in this room? Nope, no one but her and the director. Did he just called her by her nickname? Heavens above, will it start to rain Baby Ruth tomorrow?
“Yes, sir?”
“...”
“Sir?”
“Just.. Keep him safe, will you? You and the english magizoologist and you sister as well. If anything happens, contact me. I will help in any way I can. Don’t talk to anyone else in this building about it except me, though. I don’t think I can trust anyone now.”
“Talk about what, sir?”
She winked and open the door and again, was stopped by her boss this time calling her formally.
“And please, don’t use ‘bloody hell’ in a conversation. It’s enough that I will lose one of my brightest Auror sooner or later, but hearing you talking like an english woman will make me wondering where did I go wrong in life.”
Darn it! He really love to have the last word, don’t he?
“Understood sir.”
And with that, she left the office and went straight to her cubicle. She can’t wait for lunch, she have a great news after all. Credence has been asking for Director Graves almost everyday that she almost feels guilty about telling him to wait. She is sure this news will make his day. But first, she really need to finish reorganizing her files. Whoever replaced her during the time she was demoted really did a great job at ruining her filing system. When she finds out who it was, she’s going to send Queenie their way.