hollow // credence barebone

01. winter's approach

...

december fell over the new york city, bringing about early darkening skies and bitterly cold whiffs of air.

the man's footsteps chimed loudly on the cobblestone streets. he maneuvred between people cloaked in thick dark coats not sparing them a single glance. all around him, the city lived despite the cold morning breeze. passerbys rushed through the dull morning, black cars honking at each other in a cacophony of new york's traffic. percival graves ignored it all as he kept moving deliberately, with face ridden of any emotion. it was his proffesional stance untainted by any disturbance. it was what he was known for the best.

his face was adorned with sharp edges and watchful dark eyes. he might have been around 40 years old, but the greyness at the base of his hair didn't seem to substract from his overall appeal. as an auror and a director of magical security, he had more important things to worry about.

december fell over the new york city, bringing more than just the early darkening skies and bitterly cold whiffs of air; it brought peril.

it didn't take him long to arrive at his destination. even from behind the corner, he could hear the agitated sounds of two muggle men shouting over each other. as he stepped into the sight, he eyed up the scene with nothing more but a little furrow to his eyebrows. for there in between the wall of tall grey houses there was a seeping hole of debris. tainted red bricks littered the pavement, revealing a skeleton of what once used to be just another building. right now, three of the four walls laid crumbled.

percival graves didn't stop moving as the man's voice rang loudly, "i'm telling you what i saw! it was a black cloud and it suddenly just... ripped this place into pieces."

"a black cloud?" the other man asked sceptically.

"a black... mass! and i saw bright white eyes-"

"a black cloud with white eyes?"

"it was exactly what i said! do you think me insane?"

"well, to be frank with you, albert-"

both men continued their talk despite graves bumping in between them. he set his foot on the debris and climbed onto the leftover left wall. he narrowed his eyes as he took in the picture below him. the building was ruined beyond any legitamate explanation. if it was anything like an earthquake, there might have been some reason, but not if it affected only a singular house in the entire broad street. an unlucky lightning strike wouldn't dare to cause this much damage either. percival graves' mind tried to come up with any other muggle explanation, but he gave up almost instantly. it was not done by nature, nor was it done by a human.

the traces of magic still lingered in the air; thick and heavy but untouchable. they left invisible blood stains all over the bricks and dust. the bloodstains that were still very much fresh and alive.

he send the two arguing men a brief look, before the answer to all their questions appeared bright and clear right in front of his eyes. no, it was not done by a human. it was done by something much more excellent.

something he needed desperately, for it was the final missing element to the greatest project he issued in his entire life.

"it's just what it is, davis! it's them freaks and their witch tricks, i'm telling you!" the other man's yell echoed at the back of percival graves' mind.

but all of a sudden, his increasing excitement died down as the two other men stopped mid-word. it started with a sound of something sharp and pointy cutting over the bricks. then came the puff of dark magic so clear it was nearly palpable. and then, a breakage began forming over the last wall standing, carving a long lightning-like shape before it exploded. the shrieking sound still echoed in the air as an invisible force turned the wall into dust and dove beneath the earth's surface. the loud blow deafened the sound of morning traffic as the invisible force darted across the cobblestone, setting the brick flying as it carve its escape. cars crashed into one another as people jumped away in screams and shrieks. the glass of the subway entrance shattered, but just as fast as it arrived, the monstrosity disappeared. nothing but dust and aftershock remained as percival graves followed onto the freshly sculpted riff in the middle of the street. he remained standing there and breathing fast, once more deaf to the muggle panic and first snowflakes that fell from the clouds.