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The loud creaking of the elevator door opening made Ariadne grumble. Blinking a few times, she wiped the sleep from her eyes. For a moment, her world was sideways. Finally regaining control of her senses, she drowsily glanced around the room. Wooden desks and the smell of paper infiltrated her senses. As she tried to ignore the sharp pain in her back, small footsteps approached her.
"Are you alright, Miss?" A small house elf stared up at her while Ariadne stared back down at her, confused.
"What time is it?" she wondered aloud, the office still empty as the small elf brought a cleaning cart along with her. Water splashed onto the wooden floor as the mops danced around the room.
"About five in the morning, Miss."
"Oh."
"Shouldn't you be at home, Miss?" The house elf's large eyes worriedly peered into Ariadne's.
"Yes," Aridne stammered, quickly getting up. Papers floated down to the floor as she hurried to clean up her mess. "Yes. Thank you," she scurried out of the office, almost crashing into the cleaning cart.
Ariadne needed sleep, that was clear, but once she passed a certain corridor, Ariadne slowed. Two aurors stood at the entrance of a hallway. They glared back at her, watching to see if she would do anything. They didn't trust her just as much as she was starting to lose trust in the Congress. Maybe Madam Picquery had told them specifically to look out for her, Merlin knows that they weren't on any good terms right now.
Finally registering their bitter frowns, Ariadne walked away. She needed to go back to the house they were lending to her. Most importantly, she needed to freshen up.
☆
"What did you find in Scamander's case?" Ariadne demanded, intersecting Graves as he left his office.
"He has an obscurus," he answered grimly, "He is responsible for the attacks." That didn't make sense. Newt and Tina set off to retrieve Newt's animals, not set them loose into the world, causing chaos and destruction. Newt was distraught as his case was taken away, pleading that they leave his creatures alone. What kind of person would do that and then destroy the barrier between muggles and magic?
"Was the obscurus extracted from the host? They say that if the parasite doesn't have a host it is harmless. Maybe-" Graves held a hand up, interrupting her rambling. His stern stare was enough to make Ariadne silent. Her shoulders dropped, "And what of Miss Goldstein?'
"If found guilty, she will receive the same punishment as Mr Scamander."
"For what? Following the law, actually doing a better job than half the aurors here, or maybe it's-"
"Miss Nott," he snapped and for a second, Ariadne could see a different man in front of her, hear a different man and she froze like she was a child in front of her father. Graves' agitation was quickly replaced with surprise as Ariadne's eyes widened. He cleared his throat and Ariadne trained her eyes on the floor. "You know I don't want this anymore than you do but if Tina helped Scamander unleash his creatures then you know full well the consequence that needs to be followed."
Her voice was small, "Of course." They stopped outside the interrogation room. Two aurors stood outside while Graves nodded towards them. Ariadne wasn't allowed in, she knew that, but part of her ached when Graves shut the door on her. She could do nothing but wait, hoping that any evidence could not be twisted against them. With every minute ticking by, she was losing hope. The quietness of the hallway was eerie and the loneliness taunted Ariadne.
She couldn't help but pace, back and forth. Her mind moved faster than the speed of her legs. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she couldn't help but glance at the door every so often. She needed her friends back. She wanted them alive. She owed it to Tina. She owed it to Theseus.
What felt like hours later, Graves walked out, exasperation evident on his face. Horror dawned as Graves shook his head. His fast pace made Ariadne scramble up to catch up to him.
"But-"
"Let it go, Ariadne."
Silently, she obeyed. She had no power here. She couldn't do anything. These past days were suffocating. The air started to thin out as Ariadne tried to control her breaths. She walked beside Graves, let me not break down right here. This was a mistake. An inhumane punishment that didn't serve justice to a country that upheld that value like it was a deity.
Ariadne couldn't help but jump as alarms blared. She winced as the sound repeated and echoed through the small hallway. And for the first time, Ariadne could detect a hint of panic in Graves' features. Immediately he turned around, rushing back to the cell as blasts could be heard. Ariadne was right behind him, her wand out as she pointed it towards the stupefied bodies.
Heavily exhaling, Ariadne watched as Graves slowly approached the cell, the door open wide. She couldn't help it as a smile graced her lips. A rush of footsteps drew closer as more aurors arrived. They were too late. Graves stepped out, anger apparent on his face.
"Find them."
[880 words]