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.
We saw a vision of thousands marching, booted feet, explosions, men running with guns. A nuclear blast rocks the amphitheatre. I looked around and everyone seemed to be afraid, some even screamed frightened.The vision slowly faded revealing Gellert onstage.
"That is what we are fighting! That is the enemy - their arrogance, their power lust, their barbarity. How long will it take before they turn their weapons on us? Do nothing when I speak of this. You must remain calm and contain your emotions" A small daring grin appeared on my brothers face,
"There are Aurors here among us"The crowd gasped, everyone heads turned. I spotted Theseus and his colleagues watching us all from the shadows. They had been discovered.I turned towards Tina,
"This is not good," I told the woman. She nodded, her face filled with worry. I dropped her hand and both of us grabbed our wands making sure we were ready if something happened.
"Come closer, brother wizards! Join us." Gellert called out towards the Aurors. They couldn't do anything except for slowly walking forward and revealing themselves.
"They have killed many of my followers, it is true. They caught and tortured me in New York. They had struck down their fellow witches and wizards for the simple crime of seeking the truth, for wanting freedom. You anger - your desire for revenge - it is natural"
Suddenly a flew is seen, I turned my head to a few meters next to me, a witch was laying on the ground, dead. An Auror had killed her. I felt chills going down my body, please let this not end into a fight.
"No!" Gellert yelled out, he quickly ran into the crowd towards the fallen witch, the crowd parted for him giving him space. He kneeled and pulled the limp body into his. I couldn't watch, I looked at the ground.I knew my brother was putting up an act and that act had just claimed its first kill.
I hated it.
"Take this young warrior back to her family. Disapparate. Leave. Go forth from this place and spread the word: it is not we who are violent" With that being said, most of the crowd disapparated leaving only the Aurors, Credence and his friend and my friends over.
The Aurors started to descend down the steps of the amphitheater, they were all advancing to my brother who had returned to the stage.
"Protego Diabolica" My brother called out, he spun and drew a protective circle of black fire around himself. All the exits closed.Immediately a bunch of Gellert's followers who had been left over walk through the flames joining my brother.
One of the men got consumed by the first, I froze when I realized what it was.You could only walk through it if you truly were on Gellert's side. I feared for my own life, would I be eaten by the fire?
"Aurors, join me in this circle, pledge to me your eternal allegiance, or die. Only here shall you know freedom, only here shall you know yourself" Gellert Grindelwald explained. Immediately a few Aurors tried to escape by disapparated, a wall of fire followed them into the air,
"Play by the rules! No cheating, children" He warned everyone.
"Credence!" Newt suddenly called out, my eyes flew to Credence who was walking towards the fire. Newt desperately tried fighting the fire but it became monstrous and started lashing out with eel-like spurs.
Tina wanted to run towards him but I quickly stopped her.
"He has made his choice, don't let it kill you" I spoke calmly, she looked like she was about to have a panic attack but thankfully still holding herself up.
My eyes fell onto Queenie and Jacob, Jacob was desperately holding onto Queenie, his eyes were filled with tears and he looked to be in shock. Queenie was slowly walking towards the fire as well.
My heart sunk, no, not Queenie.I quickly made a choice and let my walls inside my head sink.
'Queenie DON'T' I screamed to her in my mind, she looked at me in surprise as normally she couldn't read my mind. She just sent Tina and me a heartbreaking smile before entering the fire.
She screamed, Jacob covered his face terrified but thankfully Queenie passed through the fire unharmed.
"Queenie!" Tina yelled out desperately, tears now gathering in her eyes too. Queenie sent her one last look before disapparating.Tina retaliated, she threw a curse at my brother but the circle of fire lashed out in even more violent spears.
Then Gellert turned to me and I knew exactly what he was going to do.
"Drew" He called out with a knowing grin. I froze, I felt chills going down my body. Everyone in the room looked at me, afraid, worried, concerned perhaps.
"My dear sister" he smirked,
"Care to join me?"
Tina turned to me, absolutely broken by what had just happened with her sister. There were tears gathering in her eyes.
I hated what I was doing, I hated my brother for it and I hated myself even more for allowing myself to be in this situation.
But... to protect Tina, I had to do this.
"Tina" I said, my voice soft and filled with emotions.She looked at me, her eyes pleading me not to join him.
"I'm sorry. I promise you, I'll protect Queenie" I promised, I slowly started to walk towards the fire. Hoping, begging it wouldn't kill me.
"No, Drew don't" Tina pleaded behind me.
"Drew!" Newt called out as well, I looked at him. He looked extremely worried and was shaking his head no.Behind him stood Theseus and Leta, Theseus' face was unreadable but Leta.
She knew, she didn't even look surprised. She knew I would choose this.
I looked back at my brother who was welcoming me with open arms. I took a deep breath and entered the fire.
I felt the warmth from it against my body, but it did not hurt me. A few seconds later I stepped out of it at the other side, unharmed.
I heard Tina scream behind me and lash out, Newt joined her and they were trying to fight the fire but failing.
"Thank you" my brother whispered when I joined him. I just sent him a nod. I wanted to disapparate not wanting to see anymore but he stopped me.
"Please wait, I want you to be here," He asked, I just sent another nod, my face unreadable. He smiled before turning back towards the leftover people.With his wand, he started conducting the flames as though leading an orchestra. The forks of fire struck at Aurors attempting to Disapparate or flee. Immediately half a dozen Aurors ran to the fire to my brother and me.
Grindelwald smirked satisfied,
"Mr. Scamander. Do you think Dumbledore will mourn you?" He questioned the brothers before he threw a large burst of black fire at them both.I felt my heart drop, I did not want Newt nor Theseus to die.
I might not like the Auror but that doesn't mean he should be dead.Thankfully Newt and Theseus managed to defend themselves.
"Grindelwald! Stop!" Leta suddenly called out, my eyes widened. Please don't let her do something stupid.
"This one I believe I know" My brother moved towards her through the flames. I noticed Theseus desperately trying to fight the fire and come closer but failing.
"Leta Lestrange.. despised entirely amongst wizards... unloved, mistreated.. yet so brave. So very brave. I can see why my sister loved you" He stretched out his hand towards her, she seemed conflicted.
"Leta don't do it" I suddenly yelled out surprising everyone, Leta looked at me concerned. I shook my head no.
"Now don't listen to my sister" He narrowed his eyes towards Leta. She looked at Theseus and Newt who were watching her, stunned.
"I love you"with that she pointed her wand at the skull in the woman's hand which exploded.
"Noo!" I yelled out running towards her.
"GO! GO!" Leta yelled towards the others, just when I was nearly there she turned to me just as the fire engulfed her. She was dead.I froze standing so close to the fire, my eyes teared up. I could hear Theseus scream in agony.
I turned around and looked at Newt.
He was watching me with tears in his eyes as well. I nodded towards his brother indicating that he should get Theseus out of here. Newt nodded and grabbed a hold on Theseus before they disapparated.
My eyes fell onto Tina who was running to Jacob, just as fire was about to engulf them too she grabbed onto the Muggle and disapparated out the building. They were safe.
"I hate Paris" My brother groaned before he grabbed my arm and we both disapparated.