The latch on Newt's case pops open and he discreetly reached down to push it shut as he watched Tina explain everything that happened so far to (Y/n), who nodded along as she took in every detail that Tina explained. On the other hand, Jacob, so looked a bit better for having eaten, and Queenie were hitting it off. "The job ain't that glamorous. I mean, I spend most days making coffee, unjinxing the john... Tina and (Y/n) are the career girls." She reads his mind, "Nah. We're orphans. Ma and Pa died of dragon pox when we were kids. Aw..." She reads his mind again and smiles, "You're sweet. But we got each other!"
"Could you stop reading my mind for a second? Don't get me wrong-- I love it." He said with a smile as Queenie giggled, delighted and captivated by Jacob. "This meal--it's insanely good! This is what I do--I'm a cook and this is, like, the greatest meal I have ever had in my life." Queenie laughs in delight.
"Oh you slay me! I ain't never really talked to a No-Maj before."
"Really?" The two gaze into each other's eyes that (Y/n) found really cute since she knew that gaze all too well because that was how she and Percival used to look at each other all the time before his trip to Europe. It made her a bit sad since he doesn't look at her the way Jacob looks at Queenie anymore, but she could only hope for the best after they get married. Despite (Y/n) aweing at Jacob and Queenie, Newt and Tina sat opposite of each other, uncomfortably silent in the presence is such affectionate behavior.
"I am not flirting!" Queenie said to Tina, who became a bit embarrassed.
"I'm just saying--don't go getting attached, he's going to be Obliviated! Right, (Y/n)?" Tina said while looking at the Auror, who nodded, before looking at Jacob, "It's nothing personal." The man became suddenly very pale and sweaty again but still tried to look good for Queenie.
"Oh, hey, you okay, honey?" Queenie asked worriedly as she looked at a Jacob. Newt quickly got up from the table and awkwardly stood behind his chair.
"Miss Goldstein, I think Mr. Kowalski could do with an early night. And besides, you and I will need to be up early tomorrow morning to find my Niffler, so--"
"What's a Niffler?" Queenie asked Tina.
"Dont ask." She said as she moved towards a back room, "You guys can bunk here." Tina looked at (Y/n) as she syood from the table, "Are you staying for the night too?"
"Nah, I can't. I gotta get home before Percival gets worried." She said as ushered her overcoat and scarf over, the coat and scarf levitating across the room as she slipped her arms in the coat. The coat buttoned up itself and the scarf wrapped around her neck itself too and Jacob watched with fascination. "Not that he cares where I am anyway now these days." She huffed.
"Don't say that." Queenie said as (Y/n) walked over to the door, "I'm sure he worries a bunch, you're his future wife anyway."
(Y/n) sighs, "Right. Anyway, I'll catch up with you guys tomorrow and I'll see if I can figure anything out to help you guys. Have a goodnight, everyone." She said as the door opened and closed when she left. (Y/n) got outside and quickly disapparated after checking if there was any No-Majs around.
~+~
Credence walked home towards the church, he looked happier after his meeting with Percival had comforted him. He slowly entered the church and shut the double doors quietly. His older sister, Chastity, was in the kitchen area drying crockery. Mary Lou sat in semidarkness on the stairs in which Credence sensed her and paused, his face showing great fear. "Credence--where have you been?" His mother asked with a stern tone.
"I was... Looking for a place for tomorrow's meeting. There's a corner on Thirty-Second that could--" Credence moved around to the bottom of the stairs, falling silent at the severe expression on Mary Lou's face making him grimace and look down, "I-I'm sorry, Ma. I didn't realize it was so late." He said quietly but there was nothing said because there wasn't a word to be said. As if on autopilot, Credence removed his belt. Mary Lou stood up and extended her hand, taking the belt. In silence, she turned and walked up the stairs with Credence obediently following with his head down. Modesty moved to the bottom of the stairs, watching them go, with a look of fear and upset on her face.
~+~
City Hall was packed with hundreds of glamorously dressed people who sat at round tables in a large ornately decorated hall, covered in patriotic emblems. They all look towards the stage at the far end and over it hung a large poster of Senator Shaw with a slogan that said AMERICA'S FUTURE. An announcer stood behind the microphone as he spoke to the audience, "... now, tonight's keynote speaker needs no introduction from me. He's been mentioned as a future president--and if you don't believe me, just read his daddy's newspapers--" The crowd laughed along with Shaw Sr., but his youngest son, Langdon, doesn't laugh along with them as he drank from his glass. "--ladies and gentlemen, I give you the senator for New York, Henry Shaw!" The audience applauded as Senator Shaw got on stage, he acknowledged the cheers, pointing and winking at others in the crowd.
Outside the hall, something streaked through the streets, too large and fast for a human. Strange, labored breathing and snarling was heard and it was inhuman, beast-like. Tina was hurrying down the streets while clutching Newt's case. Streetlights started going out around her and she stops, feeling something pass her in the darkness and causing a chill down her spin, for the first time ever, she felt truly scared.
"...and it's true we have made some progress, but there is no reward for idleness. So just as the odious saloons have been banished..." The senator paused when a strange and haunting noise came from the organ pipes at the back of the room, making everyone turn to look before he continued, "...so now the pool halls, and these private parlors..." He paused again when the noise got louder making guests turn again and mutter to each other as the senator started to get anxious. Suddenly something exploded forth from underneath the organ. Something huge and bestial, although invisible, soared down the hall making tables fly, throwing people, smashing lights, and people scream as it carves a line toward the stage. Senator Shaw gets thrown backwards against his own poster, raised up high, suspended for a moment in midair, before being brought down with a violent crash-dead. The "beast" rips at his poster-frenzied slashing with harsh, noisy breathing-before swarming back out where it came from. As the guests are filled with anguish and panic, Shaw Sr. fought his way through the debris towards his eldest son's torn and bleeding body. Senator Shaw's face was brutally scarred as his father crouched beside his body in devastation. The only person who wasn't in a state of panic was Langdon as he shot up from his seat, drunk, determined, and triumphant.
"WITCHES!"
~+~
When (Y/n) had gotten home, she expected Percival to be home before her. But yet he wasn't to her confusion. She took off her coat and scarf while sitting on the sofa, she heaved a heavy sigh as she leaned her head back. A soft "meow" and "bark" is heard as her Kneazle and Crup, Annabel and Harkaway, jumped up onto the sofa with (Y/n) and cuddling her. She smiled softly as Bludger got up as well and cuddled her, (Y/n) pet all of them soothingly and she feels more at ease. "I feel like you three are the only ones who have shown me more love than my own fiancé." She said soft as Annabel purred and leaned into her owner's hand, "Sometimes he doesn't act like the Percival Graves that I once knew. It's like a totally different person came back from that trip to Europe. What do you three think?" Annabel meowed, Harkaway barked, and Bludger hummed in response as if they were agreeing with her. The door is heard opening and then closing, Harkaway growled as Percival walked in with a sigh. "Where were you?" (Y/n) asked as she scratched behind the Crup's ear.
"Work." Percival answered bluntly as she scoffed, making him look at her with a frown, "What?"
"Are you seeing other people?" She asked as she turned to look at him, "Because you always seem to have work and when I'm at work you're not there or when I'm at home you're not here."
"Don't be ridiculous-"
"Oh, I'm not being ridiculous, Percival. You know what's ridiculous? Instead of helping me plan our wedding, you go and do whatever the hell you want while I have to deal with work, which by the way you make me do overtime for, and plan a wedding. I had to make at least 200 invitations and send them out to our family and friends by myself. I had to find caterers and florists for the wedding by myself. I had to go and find places for the venue, ceremony, and reception by myself! I have to juggle with work, the investigation, and the wedding all at the same time and never once have you offered to help."
"And what do you want me to do about that?" Percival snapped, "Because you never seem to be satisfied!
"I want you to help Percival! I want you to keep me on my feet. I want-"
"It's all about what you want! You want this. You want that. You're never satisfied and appreciate what I give you. Because it's all about you!"
"Oh you want to talk about what I always want but never satisfied?" She snapped angrily as she glared at the man hard, "You want to talk about never appreciating what you give me? I have been giving you space, keeping my mouth shut, cooking you three meals a day, cleaning the apartment, doing your dumbass work that you assign! I have been doing everything I can to satisfy you but you never are! You don't acknowledge me or appreciate me for caring about you. I don't ask a lot from you but your help? But where was that help for almost two months? No where! Because you. Never. Stepped. Up!" (Y/n) said while jabbing her finger at his chest with each word.
"I don't know why I ever proposed to you!" He shouted, "Because you're such a needy little whore." This earned him a swift slap across his face, making him scowl and slap her across the face more harshly that her face jerked to the side at the impact.
"And I don't even know why I ever said yes to such a selfish dick!" She spat as tears were falling and her cheek stung, her comeback earned her another harsh slap across her other cheek.
"You need to learn who you're talking to and your place." He snarled as she glared up at him with tears streamimg down her stinging cheeks, a red blotch was forming on her cheeks in the form of his hand.
"Fuck you, try me." (Y/n) spat as Percival snapped and gripped her throat with one hand in a bruising grip. She choked out and tried to pull his hand away, trying to gasp for air. Harkaway bit his leg in attempt to save his owner, Percival hissed in pain and kicked the Crup to the side with a yelp, his grip getting tighter. Just before (Y/n) could black out, a knock on the door is heard making Percival loosen his grip and everyone go silent.
"Mr. Graves! Miss (L/n)! You both are needed at MACUSA immediately. It's an emergency!" An Auror called out.
"Coming! Just give us a moment!" Percival called out as the Auror is heard disapparating away and he put his glare back at (Y/n), "This isn't over." He hissed before tossing her to the floor carelessly and going to get himself fixed up since his hair was out of place. (Y/n) gasped and coughed violently as soft and broken sobs came out, Harkaway limped over to her with whimpers and nuzzled her along with Annabel and Bludger. Her body laid on the floor as it shook and all that was heard in the living room was choked and pained sobs.
A/n: I managed to post three chapters in one day because I don't have a life. And wow, I didn't mean to make this chapter so long. It's like around 2100 words. Damn. Anyhoo, hopefully you guys liked this angsty chapter and hopefully I have a update burst like today sometime later. Vote and comment if you'd like and I'll see you in the next chapter!