
Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/9794147.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      Fantastic_Beasts_and_Where_to_Find_Them_(Movies)
  Relationship:
      Tina_Goldstein/Percival_Graves
  Additional Tags:
      Guest_Speaker, Ilvermorny, Teenage_Tina, Age_Difference, First_Time,
      Relationship_-_Build_Up, Auror_Parents_-_Canon_Divergence
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-02-17 Updated: 2017-06-11 Chapters: 2/? Words: 6259
****** I'm Watching You Watch Her ******
by mellababy101
Summary
     Tina Goldstein is only sixteen but she knows what she wants to do
     with her life; she wants to be an auror and work for MACUSA like her
     parents did before her.
     Percival Graves just wants to talk to these kids about what it is he
     does without making an ass of himself and then leave. Neither of them
     are ready for the hero worship complex that Tina acquires towards him
     and he's reluctant to walk away from this kid - this orphan that just
     wants to live up to her family name that might look at him like he's
     someone who can teach her how to get there.
***** Meeting *****
To say that Tina was excited for the guest speaker in their Defense against the
Dark Arts class was an understatement; it was an auror coming by to speak to
them and she could hardly contain that joy. She had asked Professor Imwell what
aurors were like a million times but her teacher had only been able to tell her
what they did, not what they were like. Tina lost her parents at twelve years
old to supporters of the dark days and she could only remember what they were
like as her parents, the sweetness of a beautiful mother and the sternness of
her father as he taught her to be headstrong and confident, but she never had
the chance to see them in action. Her parents warranted respect and radiated
authority wherever they went with reputations that preceded them, until they
were tortured and killed by traitors within MACUSA.
So it was with the knowledge that Tina was going to meet an actual auror that
she sat in her seat, crossing her ankles and interlacing her fingers in her lap
so that they wouldn't tap incessantly on the desk before her or betray her
impatience. She had made sure to be a little early to catch a good seat but now
she was a little mad at herself; she didn't have anything to occupy her brain
other than the eagerness that almost incapacitated her. She sighed as she
waited and figured she'd just wait -
Someone walked in and she felt her lips turn up in a smile that she'd have
someone to talk to while she waited. However, upon her first glance, she
realized that the newcomer wasn't someone she knew. He looked to be a little
older than herself and that was the first clue that informed her that he wasn't
a student. The next hint of unfamiliarity came with his outfit - he wasn't
dressed in a uniform and she'd never seen a professor dressed to the nines just
to lecture either so this had to be their guest speaker. She was thrilled to
say the least.
He was a lot younger than she'd been expecting. He couldn't have been out of
Ilvermorny for too long, a decade, if that, she figured. He was wearing all
black, save for the dark green shirt he had under his waistcoat and jacket.
Their eyes met across the door threshold and he seemed to match her surprise
before he quickly schooled his features into a hesitant smile. He walked
further into the room and decided to stand before her, perching on the desk.
"Hi, there. I'm Percival Graves, I thought I'd get in a little early to get my
feel of the room. Talking in front of people has never been my strong suit, I
guess." He admitted.
Tina found herself smiling at him in response.
"Tina Goldstein." She introduced herself, hoping she wasn't being too
presumptuous by offering her hand for a shake. She felt her smile deepen when
he didn't hesitate to grasp it and give her a firm handshake.
"Are you usually this early for class, Miss Goldstein?" He asked her, politely
making conversation while they waited.
It was Tina's turn to hesitate. Now that she had this auror in front of her
holding all of his attention, she didn't want to admit that she was very
excited to meet him. Thrilled. Ecstatic.
"Ah, no. I guess I wanted to get a good seat." She told him, ducking her gaze
and lacing her fingers together again in her lap to downplay the overload of
emotion she'd been holding in.
He surprised her by laughing.
"Ah, man. I'm sorry -" He struggled to stop laughing but Tina didn't feel
offended, she figured that he was laughing because he hadn't been expecting to
be welcomed or expected quite so thoroughly. She kept a small rueful smile on
her lips just to tease him, though. "I'm guessing you're interested in Defense
Against the Dark Arts, right?"
"That's a very astute observation, Mr. Graves." She answered, but she was very
excited that he had come to that conclusion.
"So, what is it that you already know about aurors, Tina?" He asked her. He was
serious and while he had been paying attention to her before, he was observing
her very closely now, as if her answer really mattered. Tina figured that he'd
like to know this so he could have some leverage in the lecture he was shortly
about to give and thought about his question.
She instantly wanted to tell him that her parents had been aurors but she had
long ago decided that she would never use her family name to grant he favor
with MACUSA. MACUSA had failed her family by not catching the spy infiltrators
before they'd killed her parents and she wanted her career to be all of her own
with no interference from anyone that knew her family and pitied her situation.
So she told him what aurors went through to receive their qualifications.
"After graduation, Auror candidates go through three additional years of
training where upon completion they are tested on Concealment and Disguise,
Stealth, and Tracking. If they pass their tests they are brought before the
President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America, and the
Director of Magical Law Enforcement to be tested on their loyalty to the
country. Only aurors know what these tests consist of since they are very
personal." She finished, hoping she'd added the gist of everything.
Graves nodded at her and brought a hand to his chin, thumbing over it while he
looked at her thoughtfully. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what he thought of
her response at all and wondered if that were merely a side effect of his
profession.
"Well, you're right. And that's an awful lot more than I'd been expecting you
to know. Tell me, are you interested in being an Auror yourself?" He asked her,
seeming to know the answer already but asking her anyway.
"Yes, Sir." She answered readily, eagerly, helplessly.
His smile at her response was immediate but short lived, since other students
had begun to pile into the classroom one by one. Her friend Aurielle sat next
to her at the front and while the auror had already looked away, she couldn't
help but steal little glances at him every once in a while while he waited for
the rest of the class to come in, standing in front of the chalkboard and
looking a lot more comfortable than he'd told her he was. She felt giggly at
the thought that she was keeping his secret and while he wasn't actively
staring at her, he did smirk when he saw that she was observing him before
schooling that look of patience back on.
"Ooooh, he's dreamy, don't you think Tina?" Aurielle whispered to her. Tina
felt her cheeks turn a bright red suddenly and resisted looking up to see if he
had heard her. She didn't dare cast a charm that would cover her rogue cheeks
for fear that Auri would tease her, but didn't want to answer that question
honestly either. She did think he was dreamy, more than that she'd even call
him handsome. Percival Graves was a very good-looking man and all of that fine
wear he wore certainly aided in his looks department. Tina had been avoiding
thinking about the attraction she felt for him because it would distract her so
thoroughly from the task in hand.
"Auri." She complained instead. Aurielle was constantly asking her opinion on
the boys around them and dated a fair amount of them herself. She was bemused
by the way that Tina hadn't gone out with a single one of them even though
she'd had a couple of guys ask her out. She figured that her response was
familiar enough that Aurielle wouldn't pursue her question and she was right.
After a conspiring wink, she left her alone.
Tina dared glance up and found that he had been looking at her but quickly
looked to the entrance to find Professor Imwell. Professor Imwell had been the
teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts for at least half a century and she
was well respected in the wizarding community. Naturally, that meant the
congress consulted with her on a frequent basis when dark magic was afoot so it
didn't surprise Tina that she knew Percival Graves.
He smiled at her approach and took her hands in his own, bringing one to his
lips.
"Oh, Percival. You're as charming and dashing as you always are, my boy." She
told him fondly. Her dress was a pretty maroon color that complimented her
green eyes and the way she smiled, always so cheerful despite the taskful job
she had made Tina indulgent to this old witch. Graves was obviously under the
same rapture and gave her an indulging smile.
"It's good to see you, Alma." He agreed as he released his hold.
They had the whole room's attention, Tina noted. While Professor Imwell was a
kind witch, she was also well known for being stern and hard to impress. The
fact that Percival Graves had her favor made him all the more remarkable in her
eyes if not everyone else's, too. She couldn't wait for him to commence and he
didn't disappoint her.
"Class," She called, though she needn't since no one wasn't already paying
attention, "this is Percival Graves. He is to be our guest speaker today, since
he has ten years of experience working for MACUSA as an auror. I expect you to
give him all of your attention, and I would like a page of notes detailing the
responsibilities of an auror by the end of the class."
Formally introduced, Percival cleared his throat only once before addressing
them. "Thank you, Alma."
The old professor took a seat at the corner of the classroom so she could
listen in.
"Hello, everyone. Like your professor has said, my name is Percival Graves. I
graduated from Ilvermorny in 1916 and I have worked as an auror ever since.
Being an Auror is not for the fainthearted. You will be tested in almost every
single way you've never expected and you will have to learn to think on your
feet at all times. It is a job that requires cognitive skill; that demands
time; and insists on dedication."
"We as aurors protect the wizarding community at large. As you know, before the
National Statue of Secrecy was procured, wizards and no-majs alike were in a
constant state of war. The no-majs feared our abilities and hunted us, burning
us at stakes and having no mercy. We retaliated, but even with magic on our
side we were still losing many of our numbers. The great predecessors of our
government installed the Secrecy program to protect both of our peoples. We
have lived in harmony ever since, but there are still great families that
believe that the Statue of Secrecy was a mistake. These wizards believe in the
extinction of no-majs, convinced that mass slaughter is for the greater good."
Tina was listening carefully and writing her notes word for word, but
completely entranced by the auror's words. He was repeating information that
they already knew from their history classes, but his new voice made every
difference in the world. It was almost as if he had been there. It was his
firsthand experience fighting these dark wizards that made her lean in as close
to her seat as she could get.
"I, and many others before me, have made a career out of catching these dark
wizards. The magical community has a symbiotic relationship with the non-
magical community. It is redundant of me to say that one cannot live without
the other, but it is a point that some do not agree with. Mostly, wizards that
hold this belief are of old money and old power, people who once lived in a
time where having magic meant being royalty - so there are less now than there
were before but they are still at large.
"I've seen the terrible things that dark wizards do to no-majs." His brows
furrowed with emotion. "I've seen children killed because of their race and
vowed to protect them as much as I would our own children. Being an auror isn't
an easy feat."
When he said this, he looked at Tina. She held his gaze in return but felt like
her heart skipped a beat. She'd never felt such an intense connection to
someone before, and the newness of it made her shiver. Before she could
consider him for longer, his eyes were moving again, looking at all of them.
"So let me tell you what you're up against, if you decide you'd like to join
our force. After graduation, you are required to undergo an additional three
years of study at MACUSA itself. The courses taught there are Concealment and
Disguise, Stealth, and Tracking. You will be taught how to read other people -
how to anticipate every move they make and trust your instincts to lead you to
the right decision. You will be taught to prepare yourself with the most likely
scenarios, and you will be taught how to defend yourself. That last part is the
most important, I'd say, from personal experience. Being an auror means
constant vigilance; it means having a back up plan when going to the grocery
store even if it seems like the last place you'll be attacked and having a
focus more dedicated than life itself."
"After the three years, the governing board will test you on the courses you've
taken, in the same way you are tested for your O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.S, with
written and practical tests. With the adequate scores, you will then be brought
before the President and the Director of Magical Law Enforcement. You appeal to
them why it is you deserve a spot on the team and they test you in whatever way
they think will calculate your loyalty to the wizarding community; it is a
personal test that is sacred and never the same with another person." He
concluded.
"If there are any questions, feel free to ask." Graves added, his smile a tight
one that implied for the first time that he wasn't as confident speaking to a
crowd as he'd been leaving them to believe.
Tina wasn't sure if she had any questions, she was too busy processing
everything he'd said. She knew what aurors did and why they did it and how they
got to be aurors in the first place. Percival had made her want all of the
things he'd described, but now she was wondering if she had it in her to be an
auror. She was always doubting her abilities though she was at the top of her
class in almost every course and her uncertainty made her nervous. It sounded
like a job that required confidence. It sounded like a pipe dream that she
desperately wanted.
"Yes?" Percival's voice pulled her out of her inward thoughts and Tina glanced
at the boy Graves was looking at, who undoubtedly had his hand up. Kyle Fisher.
"What happens if you don't pass the course testings?" He asked nervously. Tina
was glad he asked this question; she wanted to know what the results would be
if the tests proved to be beyond her capabilities.
"The Auror trainee would be sent back to retake the courses and then be tested
again, on all of the materials taught. However, those who fail the tests often
don't wish to continue. Three years is a long time and while we are not a
gossiping bunch to go around bullying others for their failures, there is talk
and most wizards don't want to face the humiliation." He answered
professionally. Tina blew out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. If
she were to fail even one course she'd have to go back and retake all of them.
That'd be six years wasted to finally be at the level she wanted to be.
"Thank you, Mr. Graves." Kyle answered. Percival gave a nod and then gestured
at another student to ask her question.
Riley Higgins: She was a very pretty witch but she didn't like Defense Against
the Dark Arts much and was pretty lousy at it. Tina wondered what her question
was but didn't have to wait long to find out.
"I don't mean to be rude," She clarified, "but it is a career so I'm just
wondering how much it pays?" She finished, looking a little embarrassed though
she had prefaced by excusing herself. Tina liked that, it was a very diplomatic
way to ask her question.
Percival grinned and through the corner of her eye, Tina could see that
Professor Imwell was rolling her eyes, again with a fond smile on her face.
"It pays very well." Graves answered with fake modesty. Tina could tell he
hadn't wanted to brag but his wardrobe spoke for itself, and she nodded to
herself. She'd already known that being an auror paid well, it was why she had
an inheritance at her disposal as soon as she was out of Ilvermorny. She didn't
even have to find a job, if she didn't want to. With the sum that her parents
left her and her sister, they could easily live in their house and do whatever
they wanted for the rest of their lives and not have to worry about anything.
But Tina wasn't in it for the money, she was interested because protecting
seemed like a calling to her.
She and Queenie had only had each other left and they looked out for each other
very well. In a way, Tina had become so much older than she was when she lost
her mom and dad. She'd been twelve at the time, a second year at Ilvermorny,
but Queenie had only been ten. Losing her parents meant that Tina was
overprotective of her little sister and never let anything hurt her. She wanted
to make the world a better place for Queenie to live in and she wanted to make
her parents proud.
"Anyone else? Our time is almost out." He added almost like an afterthought
which he backed up by looking at the clock on the wall. He was right, but Tina
hadn't been able to come up with any questions yet. She didn't know what she
wanted to know about aurors, she just knew what she wanted to know about HIM.
Why had he decided to go into the field? Did he like his job? Was it personally
taxing? What was it like, working with other aurors? Was he the best one? Why
had he been sent to talk to them, and not another seasoned auror?
It wasn't her imagination that his eyes flickered over to her and she
desperately wanted to raise her hand, but she wasn't sure what to say and she
figured she'd rather not make a fool of herself. Graves waited patiently, and
Tina finally found an adequate question to ask, spurred by the attention he was
giving her.
She raised her hand in front of her and he nodded, giving her an encouraging
smile.
"What classes would you recommend for someone who wants to be an auror?" She
asked him. Now that he was looking at her, it was like when nobody else was in
the room and it had just been them. His shoulders relaxed a little, though they
hadn't been too tight with nerves to begin with.
"That's an excellent question." He told her. She was instantly prideful at his
remark and beamed at him to show it.
He cleared his throat and looked at all of them before he answered, reluctant
to smile so openly right back at her. Tina didn't know this, but Percival was
having a very unusual reaction to her: he felt attracted to her, though he
wasn't sure if it were because of her looks or her eagerness and he was very
hopeful that it would go away. He was ten years her senior and if she were to
make into the elite auror force, he'd have to work with her.
"I would recommend taking advanced potions, transfiguration, and charms. In the
field you never know when you'll need an antidote, transfiguration can come in
handy in the most imaginative ways, and charms are useful when you're in a
tricky situation that doesn't require heavy force behind it. I'll also add that
O.W.L and N.E.W.T scores have a heavy influence in the recruitment part of the
application. Recommendation letters are encouraged as are extracurricular
activities that are relevant to the job." He gave her a nod and a smile and
Tina returned the sentiment before jotting down the classes he'd recommended.
She would be taking her O.W.L.S the very next year and she was already studying
all the time. She'd even given up her spot on the Thunderbird quidditch team as
a chaser to devote more time to her learning. She missed it, but she had her
eye on the bigger picture. It was why she hadn't gone on any dates with the
boys who'd asked, though they were allowed to go to Salem, a complete wizarding
city in Massachusetts and do whatever they wanted. She had never wanted to and
she didn't think that anything could change to dissuade her from her studies.
She was so close to being who she'd always wanted to be.
"The bell is going to ring any moment now, so I'll say my goodbyes. It was very
nice meeting you and if you have any additional questions, feel free to owl me
at MACUSA headquarters. It was very nice talking to you all." He dismissed,
handing over the reins to Professor Imwell.
He walked over to help her stand though she didn't need the assistance at all.
If Tina had to guess, she was just indulging Graves in his manners. Now that
she had time to be distracted, she could agree with Auri's appt description of
being dreamy. Not only was he nice to look at, he was a gentleman and it made
Tina want to swoon.
"Leave your notes on my desk and you are dismissed." She told the class. As
Tina got up, she brushed off her skirt and then shouldered her messenger bag,
making sure that she didn't leave anything behind her.
"A moment, Miss Goldstein." Professor Imwell told her kindly when she reached
the desk. Tina was only a little surprised - she'd told her professor how
excited she was for this lecture a couple of times. Tina figured that Madame
Imwell was at least a little fond of her because she'd known her parents,
taught them even. After she'd been orphaned, Professor Imwell had hugged her
and been as comforting as she could. The favoritism went a long way with her
despite being completely unnecessary.
When everyone filed out of the room it was just the three of them.
"Percy, this is Tina Goldstein. She's top in the class and I believe you might
have known her parents. They were aurors Geneve and Charles Goldstein; Tina
would like to follow her parents in their career choice." Madame Imwell
introduced, ignorant of the fact that they had already been introduced. Tina
hadn't been expecting to hear her parents names, though. She kept that
information to herself and tried to guard it with everything she had, and here
was her Professor, ruining it. While she appreciated what Imwell had been
trying to do, the effect wasn't quite what she wanted.
Percival looked surprised at the revelation and Tina felt something, something
like an infinite pain that was raw, claw at her stomach. When people found out
who her parents were, there usually wasn't surprise - there was pity. The fact
that Graves was showing her a different reaction made her feel small, like it'd
just happened instead of the four years that had passed.
"I'm sorry about your loss, Tina. I worked with your parents before they ..."
He swallowed, his sharp features morphing with ill concealed anger.
The anger made Tina's eyes tear up and she pointed her wand at her face,
muttering a spell that would cause the tears in her eyes to go away. She hadn't
meant to betray weakness at all, she wanted this man to think she was
headstrong and confident like her daddy taught her, but his anger had brought
tears instead. That he could be so indignant on behalf of her parents meant a
lot. The thought that he knew her parents, that he'd worked with them, made her
envious and hollow.
"It was a long time ago, Mr. Graves. I'd just like to make them proud." She
admitted. She lifted her chin as she looked at him and he nodded approvingly,
albeit a little sadly.
At the intensity of the moment, Professor Imwell wrapped a protective arm
around her shoulders and kissed her head. It was condescending to Tina, she
didn't need to be coddled, but she was respectful of this woman and didn't
protest.
"That's what I wanted to tell you, Percival. Tina is my brightest witch; she
was able to conjure a patronus at the age of 14 and I'd like her to start her
career as an auror as soon as possible. She'll be taking her O.W.L.S next year
and I am on a campaign to have her tested for her N.E.W.T exams in the same
year, as well. After that I'd like for her to graduate early and be admitted
for auror training. I would consider it a personal favor if you pulled some
strings for me." The witch told him.
Tina stared at her professor and felt her mouth part. Any thought of the woman
being condescending gave way when she revealed her plans, plans that Tina
herself hadn't been aware of.
"Madame Imwell." She started, but she didn't know what to say. She was
grateful, incredibly so, but she was also stunned. O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.S? In
one year? That had to be unheard of. An early graduation was allowed only to
witches and wizards that showed extraordinary abilities and while Imwell
thought that a patronus at the age of fourteen was impressive, she herself
didn't think it would be enough to convince the headmaster.
"Tina, when Percival was speaking, did everything he say not sound like
everything you want?" She asked her, her sharp eyes focused entirely on her.
"Yes, but-" She tried.
"But what? You have the abilities, the skill set, the devotion. I taught
Percival Graves and had this conversation with him as well, when he started
feeling doubtful of following in his family's footsteps. Do not let your
hesitation take away an opportunity, Tina. I want the best for you. I want it
to be you, coming in ten years, to tell the kids of your job. All you have to
do is want it enough." She admonished her. The words didn't sound like a
scolding, they sounded firm and strong and surprisingly convincing from the old
witch. She'd nailed every insecurity on the head but Tina was still shy of
saying yes.
She turned to look at Graves, to gauge his reaction. He was watching her too
and they looked at each other for a very long, long moment. The air between
them seemed charged with electric potential, as if just the right spark could
cause lightning to strike. He seemed to be studying her, hard. It wasn't a
small favor Madame Imwell was asking for, and it could reflect badly on Graves
himself if Tina were to fail, so his regard to her made sense.
"I'm willing to do this for you, Miss Goldstein." He told her, after Tina had
remained quiet. "Pass your exams and I will see to it myself." He added.
Graves gave Madame Imwell one more kiss, this time on her cheek, before he
strode away. He donned his coat and Tina watched it billow behind him as he
disappeared.
"I've always been fond of that one." Professor Imwell remarked.
Tina could understand the sentiment. She was still staring at the spot where
he'd walked away, hardly believing that this is how her future had been
decided. She had to study for two of the hardest examinations she'd ever had to
take and only had half the time to do it, as well.
She couldn't wait to start.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Chapter Notes
     I know I'm awful about updates. Sorry about that guys, I'm not done
     with this chapter but I had a moment of inspiration and I don't know
     when I'll be stricken to write again, so here you go! :p
"You have to do better than that, Miss Goldstein." Mr. Graves insisted as he
helped Tina to her feet. The teenager before him frowned as she dusted her
knees. They'd been working on resisting the Imperius Curse; something that
wasn't necessarily legal to be practicing but that Percival thought important
to teach. Since Tina was the youngest Auror they'd ever accepted within their
ranks, he figured it was okay that they weren't playing by the rules the whole
way. Additionally, if it saved her life and made her a better witch, did all of
the politics really even matter?
"You do know they made this curse with the purpose of controlling a person,
don't you?" Tina retorted, lifting her wand once more in a standard defensive
position and continuing to frown at him. This time he'd made her crawl all
around the training room while meowing like a cat. Percival could understand
her frustration - Tina was clearly an overachiever that wasn't often told she
was wrong - but he needed her to be able to protect herself.
When she'd started studying for her O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.S, she'd asked Percival
to keep in touch if he had the chance to practice for her practical tests.
Graves considered all of the paperwork he had on his desk, all of the rumors
about a dark wizard that was causing horrible deaths in Europe, and decided
that yes, he'd rather be helping a teenager pass her exams than deal with any
of it. Seraphina needed some of the limelight. It was about time he gave her
the chance to prove herself to MACUSA. It was she, after all, who wanted the
throne, not he.
"Let's try something different, hmm?" He asked, instead of answering her snark.
On top of overachieving, Tina had a smart wit that cracked like a whip against
whoever she intended. He would never get into an argument with her solely
because of the chance of losing, so he tried to handle her sarcasm in different
ways.
Tina watched him set his wand down with suspicious eyes. She raised her wand
higher, knowing well that Mr. Graves didn't actually need his wand to perform
magic, and waited for him to act. He approached her and observed the way her
hand tightened over her wand, the small, almost unnoticeable way her breath
hitched in her chest.
"Try it on me, Tina." He instructed, showing her that he meant what he said by
nonchalantly putting his hands in his pockets and leaning his hip against an
obliging desk.
Instead of doing as he asked, Tina dropped her guard which was possibly the
worst reaction imaginable to Graves. To teach her a lesson, Percival used the
hand in his pocket as well as a nonverbal spell to cast a bat-boogey hex on
her. After he'd done that and reversed the hex, he had an angry Tina to deal
with; restraining himself from losing his patience wasn't easy.
"What the hell was that for!" She exclaimed at him, wiping her face with the
handkerchief he'd offered.
"For dropping your guard. Even if you know me, even if you don't, you don't
drop your wand until you've assessed that you're not in danger. You want to be
an auror, yes? Do you think aurors second guess their leaders in the line of
fire? If I tell you to use the Imperius Curse on me, it's because I'm trying to
teach you something. Now do it." He growled.
Tina's eyes watered at his harsh tone. Percival would have felt bad but he knew
that he couldn't coddle such a vulnerable person; this was about her safety so
even if she hated him for it, there was nothing to be done about it.
"Now, Goldstein!" He barked, when a curse wasn't forthcoming.
The yelling helped because a moment later, Percival had to resist the voice
telling him to lay on the floor and cry like a baby. He zoned in on the brown
hue of Tina's eyes, noticing the soft cream colored skin surrounding them to
focus his attention. He stayed very still, even when Tina intensified the
movement of her wand. He was heavily compelled to do as she intended him to but
this was exactly the lesson he was trying to teach so he made sure he didn't
move an inch. After a couple of intense minutes, the spell ceased.
Even though he'd proven his instructions possible, Graves still felt bad for
the way her shoulders drooped with failure.
"Let's take a break, Tina." Graves murmured, looking away. He didn't think he'd
be susceptible to such sad puppy eyes, but he'd never had to deal with them
before, either.
"I don't need a break." Tina growled, defiantly. Percival was very tempted to
fight with her; there was fire in her eyes now and a rising temper in the way
she was holding herself, but Percival knew better. He walked towards her, wary
of the way she lifted her wand at his approach and slightly proud of her too,
to place his arm around her shoulders.
Tina tensed under his hold but when nothing magically induced happened, she
relaxed and let him lead her to a waiting bench. He sat with her, his arm still
around her shoulders and watched her, searching her face for answers while he
waited for the residual anger to leave her. See, bodily reactions left
impressions and emotions were the same way. Graves knew there were things she
needed to let out and he planned to be the shoulder she could lean on, even if
it meant dealing with waterworks because of the incredible potential he could
feel withering under her youthful exterior.
"I'm sorry." Tina said eventually.
"Never be sorry if you wouldn't do the same thing twice, just learn from your
mistakes." Graves answered, giving her what he hoped was a comforting squeeze.
Tina took a moment to process his words, then surprised him by saying, "So,
that thing you did, by looking at my eyes, was that how you focused on not
doing what I asked?"
"That's exactly how I did it. Good observation, kid." He grinned. The smile he
received in return was worth the frustration of teaching a teenager. She was a
brilliant witch and he was astounded by how much he wanted her to succeed.
There were going to be bumps along this road, maybe big bumps that left both of
them wanting to reach for their wands, but if it meant that Tina could finally
get the closure she needed by being accepted in the elitist group of MACUSA, he
was willing to take as much defiance and wit as Tina was willing to dish out.
"Imperio." He whispered.
When Tina felt the magic trickle into her head, she focused on the bright color
of Graves' scarf. It was an intense maroon color that made a stark contrast to
his black clothing and light colored skin. She'd seen him in that color once
before and still thought it looked good on him, not that everything else didn't
look just as good, and just as she continued to ramble in her thoughts, there
was another stab of pressure, this time to do three cartwheels across the
training room. The impulse was stronger this time, so much stronger than a few
seconds ago.
She gripped her own thigh and squeezed, reminding herself that if she succeeded
today, she'd have bigger and better chances tomorrow and everyday after. It
worked and after trying a little harder to push her limits, Percival ceased the
spell.
"That's what I'm talking about!" He thrilled when they separated. He was
surprised by the way she threw her arms around him, but it was a joyous moment
and after just one tiny moment of consideration, he hugged her back.
"Great job, Miss Goldstein." Graves congratulated. Tina beamed at him with
happiness and looked so stunning that Percival had to rub his brain cells
together for a long long second before he remembered that his protege really
was younger than her ambitions and he wasn't allowed to think of her as
stunning. It was creepy, for one thing, and entirely inappropriate, for
another. Not to mention the fact that if Imwell ever found out he'd thought
about her that way she'd castrate him. Probably with a dull hair brush. "Now
that we've done that, we can start on other projects the next time we see each
other."
"You're leaving?" She asked, the disappointment barely contained on her face.
It thrilled him and made his stomach drop to the floor, all in the same move.
"Dark wizards to catch, Miss Goldstein." He said, tipping his hat at her and
then disapparating.
That day was the first of very many frustrating practical training days.
________
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