Love is greater than our cause

Chapter 17: Yes, Madam President

1926

Gellert POV:

This was risky. I knew I had to be extremely careful to not be detected. Fortunately, my transfiguration was more than exceptional. I looked at myself in the mirror before me, then at the identical man on the floor. Dead. Percival Graves...a man chosen purely on name. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. It was going to be hard to infiltrate the ministry, but I was prepared. I had managed to acquire his voice so my accent thankfully wouldn't be a problem. I straightened my coat and smoothed down my now black hair. Walking though the streets, towards the bank I had to remember to do it differently, I wasn't me, I was Percival Graves. The doorman recognised me as I got closer because he opened the door to reveal the Ministry. Great security. I went in and was faced with the extravagant decor and strange clock. It was currently on high alert. Can't be causing too much damage then. I had reasons for being here, I could gain information, information I some day will need and be able to hold against them. The other, I had a vision, a vision of an obscurial, one that helps me defeat the opposition. Albus. I needed the obscurial to do this, that way, I would hopefully be able to avoid any contact with him.
'Graves, I need you upstairs in the office.' I turned around to see a short man, his hair slicked to the side with gell, wearing a brown suit. Ministry worker.
'Yes, I was just heading up there.' I nodded, getting in the elevator.
'Office.' The man said the the house elf running it. We rose above all the other ministry workers I could see, I watched as they became tiny specks and disappeared behind the slab of wall we past. The ministry worker held his hand out, letting me get off first.
'Thankyou,' I said, strolling down the corridor and opening the door that said 'Office' in big fancy letters. When I came in, several others were already sat at a table and turned to see who it was.
'Graves.' Picquery said, looking at me sternly.
'Madam President.' I bowed my head in respect, taking a seat next to the ministry worker that brought me here.
'Abernathy, did you bring the papers?' She asked, looking at the ministry worker.
'Yes madam president.' He nodded, sliding a bunch of paper towards her. I watched carefully as she spread them out.
'I have gathered you here because we have a crisis on our hands. There has been...disturbances in New York recently, unexplainable disturbances. I fear if nothing is done about it, it could turn into an emergency.' She urged, she knows how to give a speech.
'What types of disturbances?' Asked Abernathy.
'Reports of strange, strange things such as buildings being crushed and cars being mysteriously knocked over with no cause, it is our job to find the cause.' She pointed towards the paper, 'Graves, you are to go with two other to the place of one of these incidents, explore the debris and question the witnesses.'
'Yes madman president.' I stood up, letting the two other ministry workers follow me.
'And don't let Goldstein follow you, she still likes to engage in the cases more than she should.' She said hatefully.
'I won't madam president.' I said, ready to find the obscurial. That's what is causing the incidents, I knew already, before she opened her mouth. There's no other explanation, invisible to muggles, powerful, very powerful, explosions? There was no doubt in my mind. I knew what Ariana was capable of, this was the same. Ariana...not a day goes by without thinking of the day it happened. Albus doesn't even know, neither does Aberforth. I know who did it. I know which spell hit her. But I could never tell Albus, I could never tell either of them. I stood before a knocked down building, bricks scattered across the closed road. 'What did you see?' I asked, still needing confirmation.
'It was...it was like a, a black mass!' He waves his hands and walked up the pile of bricks.
'There is no black mass.' I said, lying. I was right. It was an obscurial.
'There was! It was right-'
There was a scream as the huge pile of bricks swarmed together before bursting. I watched as the mass tore through the rode, I paced after it, watching in curiosity and disbelief. It disappeared. That was it, I had seen it. I looked over at the man and nodded.
'My apologies, I will report this at once.' I decided it would be impossible to convince him he hasn't seen that. I was going to try and keep the nature of this being a secret but I suppose that was foolish of me to think I could do so. Still, no one will expect an obscurial...as long as I stop them from telling Picquery.
I went to the mail room, I had been sent there by Picquery herself, to deliver something. I was instructed not to read it or let anyone else...of course I didn't oblige. Nothing of importance, shame. A women came towards me, her skin tight pink dress draped in a blue shawl, she gripped a tray of tea and biscuits and with each step her heels clicked.
'Oh hey Mr Graves.' She smiled warmly, running up to me.
'Hey there.' I said, not interested at all, but I bet all the men in here favour her because of her looks.
'Would you like a tea? I'll make it extra sweet, just how you like it.' She said seductively, biting her lip.
'No Thankyou, where's Goldstein?' I ignored her flirtation as it aggravated me, Albus was the only person aloud to ever speak to me in that manor.
'You mean my sister?' Her eyes widened, putting down the tray on the nearest desk, 'Tina ain't causing no harm Mr Graves, she's staying well away I promise, I've been watching her and-'
'I'm here to deliver a letter.' I stopped her desperate attempt to get her sister out of trouble.
'Oh! Well, silly me.' She giggled, shaking her tight, blonde curls, 'just this way.' I followed her. She said hi to many who passed us, as I suspected the men were drawn in by her attractive appearance and floral perfume. I sighed to myself, I just want to get back to finding the obscurial.
'Tina!' The women said, stopping at a desk. Tina looked up, as soon as she heard her name, 'hey Queenie.' She replied, she noticed me and immediately adjusted her posture. 'Mr Graves.'
I nodded, 'Picquery wanted this delivered,' Tina wasn't like her sister, her outfit was dignified, she was clearly a proper ministry worker. I hadn't seen a female worker before...interesting. I do not oppose it, it is only fair. Her hair was shoulder length and her brown eyes seemed to be unforgiving, she clearly didn't like me.
'I'll certainly do that.' She said slightly sarcastically, taking the letter.
'Do not let anyone read it, it's confidential.' I glared at her.
'Understood Mr Graves.' Her voice held reservation, she wasn't saying what she wanted to. I used my legilimency..........so I was one of the people who argued she should be sacked, she used to be an auror...that explains why Picquery didn't want her interfering. I turned to leave, walking towards the stairs.
'Did you take care of it?' Picquery asked, pacing.
'It was a creature who destroyed that building.' I informed her, walking forwards.
'And you're sure?'
'Certain, saw it with my own eyes.' I nodded slowly.
'I thought it was another of Grindelwald's attacks...but then he has nothing to do with it.' She furrowed her brows.
'I don't see how it could.' I replied, subtly trying to steer her away from the idea I was involved.
'Take this to the papers, I want this made clear to the world, Macusa is doing it's best to find and destroy the beast that caused these disturbances.' She ordered.
'Yes madam president.'