Strings Attached

Chapter 10

"Are you threatening me?" Madam president asked, narrowing her eyes at Celeste. Celeste leaned back in her chair, a sly smirk on her face.

"Think of it like that. It works any way. So, either let me be on the team, or the words go out. No one will hear you out." Celeste said, lacing her fingers and propping her elbows on the arms of the chair.

"Alright. I don't know why you think that Mr. Scamander is innocent. But have it your way." Seraphina said, sighing. "Well that wasn't hard, was it?" Celeste asked, her smirk widening.

"Just go." Madam president said, dismissing Graves and her. Celeste stood up from her seat and walked out with Graves.

"That was hell of a negotiation." Graves said, a small smile on his face. "Comes with the profession." Celeste said, her expression faltering a little.

Celeste was sitting on the chair beside Graves as Newt and the Goldstein woman were brought into the room. Celeste removed her gaze from the man and tapped her fingers on the desk, a heavy feeling settling in her chest.

Newt was made to sit on the chair in front of them. "Newton Artemis Fido Scamander. Expelled from Hogwarts in the year six. And if I am reading the name right, your creature attacked Celeste." Graves began speaking, and Celeste cleared her throat.

"It wasn't him. And it would be better if you focus on real charges Mr. Graves." Celeste said, not looking up from the desk at all.

"I am getting on that. One particular student and teacher strongly disapproved of your expulsion. What makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you?" Graves asked, an intrigued expression settled on his face.

"I don't know." Newt answered, not making eye contact. "Maybe because he was wrongly accused of something that someone else was responsible for. Mr. Graves, that one student was me. Now can we focus on the real issue?" Celeste said, giving a sharp look to the elder auror.

"So setting off the creatures in New York was a mere mistake?" Graves asked, tilting his head towards Newt and ignored Celeste, much to her chagrin.

"Do you think I did that deliberately? And can I know why you would think that?" Newt asked, looking directly in Graves's eyes.

"To provoke a war between non magical and magical worlds. To expose our world." Graves said as though it was obvious. "Mass slaughter for the greater good you mean?" Newt said, and Celeste could hear disbelief in his tone.

"Precisely." Graves said, lacing his fingers and placing them on the desk. "I am not one of Grindelwald's fanatic, as you suggest Mr. Graves." Newt said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"So what would you say about this?" Graves asked as he magically brought something out of the case. Celeste's eyes widen a fraction.

"That's an obscurus, but it's not dangerous. And it's not what you think." Newt said, looking at Celeste for some help. "Explain." Graves said, looking at Celeste following Newt's gaze.

"I met this girl in Sudan. I wanted to save her. Ms. Fischer was with me. She was ordered to accompany me to Sudan. I tried to save her, but the girl didn't survive. But I took the obscurus with me, to study her. And Ms. Fischer has special permission to study the obscurus to come up with the theory to save the children of small age from obscurus. But it cannot survive outside of the box." Newt said, looking down at his feets.

"So it's useless?" Graves said, but he realized his mistake soon. Celeste looked at Graves with wide eyes. "Useless? Useless?!" Both Newt and Celeste exclaimed at the same time.

"That girl died because of it and you say it's useless?!" Celeste exclaimed, her hand slamming on the desk and the chair's leg screeched on the floor as she stood up.

"That's a magical force that practically killed a child! What on earth would you use it for?!" Newt exclaimed, looking revolted and disgusted.

"You fool nobody Mr. Scamander." Graves said, standing up. Celeste tried to protest but he just raised his hand. "You brought that obscurus into New York City in hopes of causing mass disruption, breaking the Statute of Secrecy and exposing our world." Graves said, and Celeste finally managed to speak up.

"You can't do that! You know that, that obscurus can't hurt anyone! You are punishing the wrong person!" Celeste exclaimed, trying to make a point. But Graves just raised his hand.

"Therefore you are guilty of treasonous betrayal of your fellow wizards and you are sentenced to death." Graves said, and Celeste gaped at the man.

"Mr. Graves, you can't punish someone who works under me. He will go through trial in London. You have no jurisdiction over him." Celeste said, glaring at the man. Something is off about him. The thought kept playing like a broken radio in her head.

"As a matter of fact I do Ms. Fischer. Now please do not disrupt my trial." Mr. Graves said and looked at the Goldstien woman.

"Tina Goldstien, who has abided with Mr. Scamander, receives the same sentence." Graves said, and now Celeste was pissed off.

"Do it quickly. I will inform Madam President." Graves said, and without a word, Newt and Tina were being dragged out of the room. Celeste looked at Graves and then Newt in horror.

Newt and Celeste both looked at each other in misery before Newt and Tina were dragged out. Graves gave a pity look to Celeste and walked out, leaving Celeste alone in the room.

Celeste wrecked her mind to think anything, before squaring up her shoulder and rushed out of the room. She would do anything to save Newt, anything.