If Graves was an animagus, what do you think he'd be? (And how much did the Scamander bros coo over whatever he ended up being)
t’s all theDog’s fault, of course.
The Cat maybe a Cat - so moody, solitary, fashionably lazy, and a lover of fine thingslike comfy couches and damask wallpaper to hone his nails on - but he’s also aprofessional. Even in this form, when sometimes human thoughts get muddy andpointless, he knows he has a job to do, and he knows damn well how to do it.
Back at thecamp, the General told him they needed intelligence. He wasn’t surprised. They’vealready done it. The plan is simple: getting a Cat - especially a well-groomed,soft-furred black cat like himself - into the enemy’s camp is a lot easier thansneaking in humans, magical or not, and his admittedly exceptional ability tokeep his human wits about him even when prowling the world on four paws makesit sure he could get in, overhear a couple of conversations as Generals andtouch-starved Colonels pets the hell out of him, and gets back to his superiorofficers to report. Pure genius. Easy as pie.
Not thattrudging through the desolate expanse of war-ravaged French country is aparticularly pleasant experience. His thick fur is keeping him warm enough, butthe feeling of winter-hard mud under his soft paws sends chills all the way tohis spine every time he takes a step. He’s traveled most of the way via trees,jumping nimbly from one crooked branch to the next, but now that he’sapproaching the enemy he needs to get in character.
Playing themeek, starved kitty cat is tricky business when you look like a perfectlyhealthy wild-cat: so bigger than any house cat, with nails able to scrap aman’s face raw with ease, and eyes glowing bright yellow and way too sentient.When you look at the Cat out of the corner of the eye, many reliable peoplehave told him, you can wholeheartedly understand why Irish people told tales ofbig cats prowling the fairy hills, jumping traveler to charm them or devourthem, as vain and powerful as demons and demigods.
The storieswere true. They sing in his Irish blood.
On theother hand, his purring is absolutely fantastic. People tend to oversee lots ofthings when you’re purring at full force against their legs.
The Catpaddles his way to the camp, as tent-scattered and flimsy-looking as his own.He’s made sure to curl his tail around his hind legs, the very image of thequivering little stray. He’s considering throwing in a little shivering too,when he hears it.
A barking.Playful and loud - and coming closer.
The Cateyes the branch of a tree, high above him, but has no time to react. The Dogsprings out of the bushes at his left, stumbling on his path - and fasteninghis eyes on him.
There’ssomething disturbing about the Dog’s eyes. There’s something disturbing aboutthe Dog, period. Too big, for one -although the damn things come in all shapes and sizes, as messy and confused intheir own look as with everything else. Bulging, sleek muscles twitch under theDog’s auburn fur - mottled with all the hues of Autumn leaves, from ruddy redto dark gray to dirty gold. The ears are large, floppy, but the rows of teethflashing under his red, panting tongue are predator’s fangs.
And theeyes… the Dog’s eyes are green. Notlime green, but the speckled, gray-green of certain late Fall mornings.
And theylook amused. The Dog looks amused.
The Cat isdefinitively not.
He startshissing, arching his back, puffing out fur, the message practically gleaming inbold letters over his head. Get out of myway. Get the Hell out of my way, you yappy fool.
As thingsgo with dogs, the Dog doesn’t get the hint. He comes closer, yaps at him.
Inresponse, the Cat slashes his nails across the Dog’s big black nose.
The Doghowls in pain - sounding actually hurt,both in the flesh and in his feelings. The Cat lets out a rumbling meow edgingon the roar, just to drive the point at home.
The Dog growls, baring teeth. He startsbarking, loud and cocky, and something extremely Cat-like snaps on in the Cat’smind.
The Humanpart knows he should ignore the stupid thing, and get down to business.
The Catpart is screaming for revenge, and it wins.
The Catslunges again - scrapes nails against the Dog’s muzzle. It howls, and snapsteeth. The Cat meows in satisfaction, peering out between slit eyelids with hislarge yellow eyes.
The Doggrowls, lower now, and pounces closer. There’s a hint of pissed maliciousnessin his green eyes.
The Catdecides it’s the perfect moment for an elegant retreat.
He spins onhimself, jumping towards the tree he’s glimpsed earlier - in the exact momenthe feels the Dog’s jaws snap closed around the tip of his tail.
WhenPercival comes back to his camp with not a scrap of intelligence and rubbingthe sore spot on his ass sporting the neat marks of canines, he’s completelypuzzled to find out his superiors already knows the mission has turned into afucking disaster. He’s even more puzzled when he discovers the one informingthem is a tall, ruddy-haired, frekled-faced Brit guy sitting miserably outsideof the command tent - and pressing a clean towel against the bloody gashes onhis nose.
And that’show Lieutenant Percival Graves meets Lieutenant Theseus Scamander.