So because of this fanart, me and @mercurial-tenacity are co-writing another Grindelgraves story featuring vamp Grindelwald and, later on, vampire Graves.
See.
He knows it. As surely as he knows the familiar feeling creeping up his spine, the ghost of fingers touching the base of his neck and softly stroking the skin.
“What do you want?” he murmurs as he lays in bed. The fingers retreat, and Grindelwald’s face flickers to life in front of him – a shift so subtle and fast, followed by words said so quietly Graves might believe he’s dreaming.
“I’m trying not to give in,” Grindelwald says, thumb touching Graves’ lower lip. “You’re an interesting man.”
“The same could be said about you.” Alone, Graves can admit that much. “What do you mean by giving in?”
Grindelwald smiles, eyes wrinkling at the corners. “Sleep well, Mr. Graves.”
–
He’s gone.
Graves shivers. He wraps the blanket tighter around himself, curls up in his bed and holds onto the wand hidden under his pillow. For the remainder of the night he tries to find sleep which alludes him, jumping out of his reach as if Graves were the predator and slumber the prey.
He falls over the edge of exhaustion around three am, and the next day he’s late for work for the first time in years.
That morning Mr. Scamander gives a conference about vampires, which only serves to make them all learn that there are no real means of defeating them.
“When you meet one,” Scamander says, restlessly walking across the stage, “The safest thing to do is willingly offer them your blood and hope they’ll leave you alive. It calms them and works most of the time.”
“What about the other times?” Someone asks in the crowd, and Scamander grimaces.
“Then you try to fight them the best you can with what you’ve learned. But as they are superior to us in every way, there are very little chances that you’d win no matter how powerful you think you are.”
“So there’s no hope?” Goldstein asks.
“I did not say that.” Scamander catches Graves’ eyes and holds it. “One vampire against an army of Aurors is weak and outnumbered, no matter how strong he is. Learn to fight them and know them. Work together rather than alone. None of Grindelwald’s followers are, to our knowledge, vampires. We have a chance.”
“Why is that, Mr. Scamander?” Graves asks. “Why wouldn’t he put all chances on his side and build an army?”
“I don’t know him as well as you do, Mr. Graves. I’m a magizoologist, not an Auror.”
“Still,” Graves insists. “You must have an opinion.”
“Well – if I were to give it, I’d say that a man like him – proud and powerful – would probably consider vampirism a gift rather than a curse. And thus, if he chooses to turn someone, the person has to deserve it. He wouldn’t pick anyone out of a crowd. He’d take his time. Someone has to hold his interest. His followers are few and scattered across Europe and America – there have been, so far, no sightings of Grindelwald accompanied by one man or two or even three anywhere he goes. He doesn’t seem to have a second in command, or any close followers. Which doesn’t surprise me, as vampires are solitary creatures. Does that answer your question?”
“It does,” Graves inclines his head, fingers tightening around the scarf he holds in his lap. “Thank you.”
I am so into this one, I can’t wait for us to have written it XD
Mercurial Tenacity 