Chapter 76
The trashed and unusable materials were disposed of systematically, leaving his workspace spotless. Gray admired the efficiency of his wand's enchantments and the sense of control it gave him. With everything now in order, he sat back for a moment, marveling at how far he had come in his craft. The hours spent experimenting and refining his techniques had been worth it. Holding the wand in his hand, Gray contemplated its potential and the power it provided.
With the Arcane Stone embedded in the wand, casting spells consumed far less energy than performing them wandlessly. As he cast a spell, the future unfolded clearly before him. However, someone attempted to interfere with his vision. Yet, with the new wand in hand, their resistance proved futile. Armed with the knowledge of what lay ahead, Gray paused, pondering his next course of action. He found himself torn between continuing his research on the Sorcerer's Stone or delving into the mysteries of his world's past.
His decision became easier when he noticed a group of people approaching. "Why would I ever go there in the first place?" he muttered, questioning the paths his visions presented. As he observed where the future would lead, Gray weighed his options carefully. After some deliberation, he resolved to act upon the opportunity that lay before him.
"If the ingredient I need to complete that recipe is in that rift i am about to cause by killing grindelwald, then so be it," he decided with determination. The glimpse of the future had clarified his path. There was no turning back now; his resolve had been set.
-scene change-
The narrow staircase gave way to an enormous underground amphitheater, where Jacob found himself surrounded by a tumultuous sea of witches and wizards. Some looked nervous, others excited, and many bore expressions of grim determination. Masked acolytes moved through the throng, maintaining order in the edgy atmosphere. Among the crowd, Jacob caught sight of Credence and Nagini being swept into the depths of the gathering, Nagini clutching Credence's arm. "They're purebloods. They kill the likes of us for sport!" she whispered urgently, but Credence pressed on, undeterred. Nagini hesitated, fear flickering across her face, before reluctantly following.
Jacob's heart skipped as his gaze landed on a familiar blond figure. Queenie was being escorted to the front row by an acolyte, and he pushed his way forward, desperate to reach her. "Queenie," he whispered, his voice drowned in the rising noise of the crowd. When she turned and saw him, her face lit up with pure delight. "Jacob! Honey, you're here! Hi!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she murmured, "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry, I never should have done it, I love you so much—" "And you know that I love you, right?" Jacob interrupted, urgency lacing his voice. "Yeah," Queenie replied, her tone soft. "Good, now let's get the hell out of here," Jacob said, trying to lead her away. But Queenie pulled him back. "Oh, wait. Wait a second. I just thought maybe we could hear him first. You know, just listen, that's all."
Confusion etched across Jacob's face. "What are you talking about?" he asked as Queenie tugged him into a seat beside her in the front row. She clutched his hand tightly, while Jacob scanned the crowd nervously, his unease growing. Meanwhile, Tina and Newt moved through the throng, searching for their allies. Tina's sharp instincts quickly pieced the situation together. "It's a trap," she muttered, her voice low. "Yeah. Queenie—the family tree—it's all been bait," Newt replied, his expression darkening. The entrances were slowly being covered by acolytes. "We have to find a way out of here, right now," Tina urged. "You go find the others," Newt said. "What are you gonna do?" she asked. "I'll think of something," he replied, setting off.
The lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Grindelwald took the stage, commanding their hysteria like a rock star, his presence magnetic. Amid the chaos, Tina spotted Queenie and, not far off, Credence. Torn, she moved toward Credence but was blocked by an acolyte. Their eyes met, and Tina, realizing she was outnumbered, sank onto a bench. The crowd rippled with emotions: Queenie enraptured, Jacob sinking low in his seat with fear, Kama skeptical, Credence transfixed, Nagini wary, and Leta thoughtful. Grindelwald raised his hands, gesturing for silence. "My brothers, my sisters, my friends: the great gift of your applause is not for me. No. It is for yourselves," he declared, his voice a hypnotic lure. Leta, though not clapping, felt the pull of his words as he continued. "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." His gaze swept over the crowd, and his words resonated deeply, leaving many spellbound, while the few who resisted grappled with their doubts in the shadows.
Credence stood in the crowd, listening intently as Grindelwald's voice filled the amphitheater. "It is said that I hate Les Non-Magiques. The Muggles. The No-Maj. The Can't-Spells," he declared, eliciting jeers and hisses from the audience. Jacob, visibly uncomfortable, sank deeper into his seat, while Queenie, sitting close by, grasped his hand anxiously. "No, wait, listen," she whispered, her voice filled with urgency. Grindelwald continued, "I do not hate them. I do not." His voice softened, and silence fell over the crowd as his words began to weave their spell.
That is when someone walked in, his steps were loud, so everyone heard come in, as grindelwald stopped his speech to turn towards the new comer, who was of course gray, he purposefully made him steps louder, of course grindelwald regonise gray immediately as he walked down the stairs and just in front of the platform, he had no emotion visible on his face, no anger, no amusement, it was just blank like he had something to do and he had something to do as grindelwald chuckled for a second before continuing with his speech, this time he was looking at gray.
"For I do not fight out of hatred. I say the Muggles are not lesser, but other. Not worthless, but of other value. Not disposable, but of a different disposition," Grindelwald explained, his tone measured and persuasive. The crowd hung on his every word as he proclaimed, "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." His gaze locked with Queenie's, and in that moment, she seemed utterly captivated, her heart now aligned with his vision.
Outside the amphitheater, in the shadowy Père Lachaise Cemetery, fifty Aurors moved silently among the mausoleums Theseus Scamander was among them, his voice calm yet firm as he issued his orders. "It isn't illegal to listen to him! Use minimum of force on the crowd. We mustn't be what he says we are!" But as he spoke, some of his comrades betrayed their inner turmoil—fear and even a thirst for vengeance flickered on their faces, belying the precariousness of the situation they were about to face.
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A/N sorry about the late update, i have been had by a common cold, anyways, here it is, you guys were mad that he didn't want to look into the future(which in my opinion killa the suspense and excitement in an adventure) so enjoy it while he can cause it ain't going to last long.
PS: i might make my next fanfic a romance fanfic, including action of course and you have ITS OK NOT TO BE OK to thank for.