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"My brothers. My sisters. My friends. The great gift of your applause is not for me. No! It is for yourselves. You came here today because of a craving, and a knowledge that the old ways serve us no longer. You came because you crave something new. Something different. It is said that I hate le Non-magiques. The Muggle. The No-Maj. The Can't-Spells. I do not hate them; I do not. For I do not fight out of hatred. I believe that the Muggles are not lesser, but other. Not worthless, but of other value. Not disposable, but of different disposition. 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 humanity, we who live for truth, for freedom... and for love."
Gellert Grindelwald delivers a speech in the Lestrange Mausoleum[src]

Gellert Grindelwald's Paris rally was a short but fateful skirmish during Grindelwald's campaign of violence across Europe.[1]

History[]

"Join the Alliance! Rally to strengthen our forces!"
— Alliance propoganda advertising the rally[src]
Grindelwald calling his followers COG

Grindelwald calling his followers

Arriving in Paris three months after his escape, Grindelwald gathered like-minded wizards to a rally in the Lestrange Mausoleum in the Père Lachaise Cemetery. Laying a trail of breadcrumbs for wizards to follow, he drew Leta Lestrange, Newt Scamander, Tina and Queenie Goldstein, and Yusuf Kama to his rally. However, the most important of Grindelwald's 'guests' was the Obscurial Credence Barebone, a wizard who had been abused by his adoptive mother for his magic and whose power was great enough to allow him to survive the attack of MACUSA's Aurors in New York. Most of all, Grindelwald hoped to convert Credence to his cause, as he needed his power to defeat the only wizard who represented a threat to his cause: Albus Dumbledore, his old friend.[1]

Visions of the future[]

"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?"
— Gellert Grindelwald on the destructiveness of Non-magic people[src]

In the Mausoleum, Grindelwald was welcomed with incredible enthusiasm. Grindelwald addressed his followers about his vision for the future. Despite the presence of countless pure-bloods, he did not reciprocate their belief that the Muggles were 'vermin', but that they would have their own place in the new world he intends to build. But that, for the greater good of the world at large, wizards needed to rise up and take over the world before the future happens.[1]

World War Two vision

Gellert Grindelwald's vision of the future

Using a mysterious skull artefact, he shared the vision of the future that he had had: another world war, far more destructive than the previous one had been. The gathered wizards witnessed the imprisonment of millions of people into concentration camps, the destruction of Muggle cities by destructive weapons such as war planes and tanks, and the use of the first atomic bomb. Once the vision had dissipated, Grindelwald identified the enemy they were facing not as the Muggles themselves but as the barbarity and lust for power that motivated them to wage against one another with ever greater means of destruction. And he questioned how long it would be before wizards themselves would be threatened by the destructiveness of those weapons, stoking the very fears that had plagued the wizarding world since the end of the First World War.[1]

Arrival of the Aurors[]

"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."
— Grindelwald about the murder of one of his listeners by an Auror[src]

As his speech was concluding and the vision had dissipated, a group of Aurors from the French and British Ministries of Magic arrived to arrest Grindelwald and his followers. Openly recognising the battalion of Aurors, Grindelwald invited them into the circle. Noticing a young witch staring contemptuously at an Auror, he describes how the Aurors have fought him so mercilessly, killing his followers simply for believing. When the girl went for her wand, the Auror killed her in response.[1]

Red Hair Witch 3

The girl who was killed at the rally

Grindelwald martyred the girl, instructing her friends to return her to her family and spread the word that, in spite of the Ministries' claims, he and his allies were not the ones to spread the violence. The wizards who had attended the rally Disapparated, leaving Grindelwald and his acolytes alone in the Mausoleum with the Aurors.[1]

Choosing sides[]

"He's the answer. He wants what we want."
Queenie Goldstein to Jacob Kowalski about Grindelwald's intentions[src]
Vinda joining Grindelwald

Vinda Rosier joining Grindelwald

On Theseus Scamander's orders, the Aurors prepared to arrest Grindelwald but the Dark wizard conjured a circle of protective fire: those who entered with complete fidelity and belief in his cause would survive; those who did not, would be engulfed and perish. Vinda Rosier, who had been standing by his side during the rally and who still held the skull artefact, was the first to join him, followed quickly. Only Krall, an acolyte who had been challenging his plans recently, was consumed by the flames. As his acolytes Disapparated, leaving only himself and Rosier in the circle of black flames, Grindelwald invited the Aurors to join him in his quest for wizarding dominance and freedom. Those who would not would die. Several Aurors made to flee but Grindelwald unleashed the flames of his spell and the fleeing Aurors were consumed instantly.[1]

Credence Barebone, who had attended Grindelwald's speech with his Maledictus companion Nagini, decided to join him to find out the truth about his identity, despite Nagini's protests. He crossed the circle of flames into Grindelwald's open arms, who whispered that everything he had done had been for Credence's sake.[1]

Queenie-Grindelwald

Seduced by the idea of a world where she would be free to marry Jacob Kowalski, Queenie Goldstein joining Grindelwald, despite her lover's pleading.

At the same time, Queenie Goldstein, who had been conflicted about her loyalties due to her desire to marry the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski and the stigma it carried in the wizarding world, had come to believe Grindelwald's cause was the only way to get what they wanted. She tearfully asked Jacob to join her but he refused, knowing Grindelwald's cause was not what it appeared to be. Heartbroken, Queenie turned her back on him and, despite his protests, crossed the circle. Although she screamed as she crossed and it appeared that she would be consumed, she made it through safely, joining Grindelwald and Disapparating to join his other followers.

As more Aurors fell to Grindelwald's flames, unable to even leave the Mausoleum by Disapparating, several Aurors who had followed Theseus Scamander to Père-Lachaise joined Grindelwald.[1]

GrindelPower

Grindelwald casting the black flames towards the Aurors

The Dark wizard then turned his wrath on the Scamander brothers, questioning Newt whether Dumbledore would mourn for him when he was killed. As the brothers focused their combined power into a double spell to deflect the attacking black flames and protect those behind them, Leta Lestrange, who had remained hidden until this moment appeared and ordered Grindelwald to cease his attack on her fiancé and her childhood friend. He complied, recognising Leta for who she was; the unloved and hated child of a despised family. He complimented her on her bravery despite the adversity she had faced in her entire life. He invited her to join him and she seemed to accept, taking his outstretched hand and appearing ready to follow him. As Grindelwald returned to the circle, she turned to the Scamander brothers and sadly professed her love for them both, one last time, before attacking the Dark wizard.[1]

Grindelwald kills Leta

Grindelwald kills Leta

With a point of her wand, Leta made the skull explode which blasted Rosier backwards. The substances contained within the skull seemed to react to the enchanted flames, causing them to threaten the entire Mausoleum. As Theseus fought against the flames to reach his fiancée, Leta was engulfed by Grindelwald's flames, killing her. The flames started to spread the whole Mausoleum, threatening everyone inside with death. Grindelwald and Rosier Disapparated, allowing the out of control spell to grow until it would be powerful enough to destroy the whole city. Newt pulled a struggling Theseus out of the Mausoleum, while Tina Goldstein saved Jacob and Yusuf Kama helped Nagini out.[1]

Saving Paris[]

"Together in a circle. Your wands into the earth. Or all Paris will be destroyed."
Nicolas Flamel gives instructions to the surviving wizards[src]
Finite

Newt and Theseus stop Grindelwald's black flames

Outside the Mausoleum, Newt, Theseus, Tina, Yusuf, Nagini and Jacob try to stop the spell but their counter-curses are ineffective against the unstable magic, which starts taking the form of dragon-like, black-flamed creatures. As the spell starts to grow large enough to engulf the entire Mausoleum, Nicolas Flamel arrived and instructed the wizards to form a circle around the spell and plant their wands into the earth. Flamel, the Scamander brothers, Tina and Yusuf conjured a counter-spell of such power that bright orange flames appeared and slowly engulfed the conjured fire creature, destroying Grindelwald's spell and saving Paris from destruction.[1]

Aftermath[]

"I've chosen my side."
Newt Scamander to his brother Theseus[src]
Credence and Grindelwald

Grindelwald gives Cardence the name Aurelius Dumbledore

The Paris rally was a massive victory for Grindelwald. Not only had he gained the loyalty of several new followers, including Queenie Goldstein and several Aurors, he had also publicly demonstrated the brutality of the governments of the magical world in their efforts to stop him. But, most importantly, he had finally gained the support of the Obscurial Credence Barebone, a vital part of his plans to defeat Albus Dumbledore. At his base Nurmengard Castle in Austria, Grindelwald presented Credence with a wand of his own and finally revealed to Credence his supposed true identity: Aurelius Dumbledore.[1]

Albus newt Niffler walking on viaduct

Newt and Dumbledore at Hogwarts after Newt tells Dumbledore the blood pact

However, the Paris rally would also cost Grindelwald the vial that held his Blood Pact with Dumbledore, stolen by Teddy. With the tragic loss of Leta Lestrange, Newt was finally compelled to openly join the fight against the most dangerous Dark Wizard of his age and when he travelled to Hogwarts Castle along with the rest of the group, to meet with Dumbledore, where Scamander gave Dumbledore the aforementioned vial, surmising that its blood pact was the reason that Dumbledore could not face Grindelwald himself.[1]

Blood pact breaking 2

Blood pact breaking

In 1932, during Grindelwald's attempt to become Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, the Blood Pact would finally be broken when Albus and Aberforth Dumbledore blocked Grindelwald's attempt to kill Credence, restoring Dumbledore's ability to fight Grindelwald directly. At the same time, Grindelwald would be abandoned by a remorseful Queenie and Credence turned on him as well after Dumbledore realised that Credence was actually Aberforth's long-lost son from a relationship that he had the same summer that Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald.[2]

The recovery and ultimate destruction of the vial would allow Dumbledore to best Grindelwald in the so-called greatest battle of magic ever recorded and bring about the end of Grindelwald's revolution, making the Paris rally ultimately a forthcoming to the doom of Grindelwald.[1]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

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