Book I - The Drew Grindelwald Series

12. Who's Side Are You On?

"Oh no" I realized, Jacob and Queenie should definitely NOT be here. I ran after Jacob hoping to convince him to leave this area. Once I am downstairs I can't find Jacob anywhere, I looked in awe at the underground amphitheater filled with thousands of witches and wizards.I knew I needed to be here but I really did not want my friends to be here too, it was way too dangerous for them.Newt and Tina joined me, both looking around with wide eyes as well.

"It's a trap" Is the first thing Tina said. Newt agreed, "Yeah. Queenie - the family tree - it's all been bait"

"You guys need to go!" I pleaded, I wanted to show them out but Acolytes had covered the entrances and thus trapping us.

"You two, go find the others," Newt told Tina and me.

"What are you gonna do?" Tina asked concerned. Newt just shrugged, "I'll think of something" with that he rushed off leaving me with Tina.

I turned to the woman, "We need to find Queenie and Jacob" I told her. She hastily nodded,

"I'm so concerned for Queenie, what if something happens to her?" Tina asked me worriedly.
I grabbed her hand, together we started to push our way through the thick crowd.
We found an empty place to stand within the crowd, I turned towards Tina. I was still holding on to her hand,

"If anything happens, I promise you I won't let them hurt Queenie" I promised staring Tina right into her eyes. She took a nervous breath and nodded.

"Thank you" She sent me a nervous smile, I gave her a smile back. The light suddenly dimmed, the entire crowd started to cheer loudly.
I felt Tina tighten her hand around mine.The audience absolutely exploded when my brother walked onto the stage. There he was, Gellert Grindelwald.
Both Tina and I were watching though, our eyes scanned the crowd looking for Queenie, Jacob, and even Credence.

"Over there, Queenie and Credence" Tina whispered, she nodded into a direction. My eyes gazed and indeed saw them. We wanted to move but an Acolyte blocked our way, it looked very threatening.

We quickly decided to just stay where we were and try to blend into the crowd.I suddenly heard my brother talking, his voice so very soothing,

"My brothers, my sisters, my friends: the great gift of your applause is not for me. No, it is for yourselves" He started.

"You came today because of a craving and a knowledge that the old ways serve us no longer... You come today because you crave something new, something different" He continued. Everyone in the crowd seemed to love him, of course they did. Gellert had always been very charismatic.

"It is said that I hate Les Non-Magiques. The Muggles. The No-Maj. The Can't Spells. I do not hate them. I do not. For I do not fight out of hatred. I saw the Muggles are not lesser, but other. Not worthless, but of other value. Not disposable, but of a different disposition." My brother said seriously, I looked around and noticed most wizards were watching totally transfixed by him. I shared a concerned look with Tina.

"Magic blooms only in rare souls. It is granted to those who live for higher things. Oh, and what a world we could make, for all of humanity. We who live for freedom, for truth, and for love" Gellert told everyone. I took a deep breath, I hated that he was kind of making sense.

"The moment has come to share my vision of the future that awaits if we do not rise up and take our rightful place in the world".A woman walked onstage carrying a skull-hookah. She handed it to my brother who inhaled deeply through the tube. His eyes rolled up into his head and he exhaled.
A gigantic Technicolor cloak seemed to unfurl from his lips across the high stone ceiling, bearing moving images. The crowd gasped.