Catch Me If I Fall

The Speech- Chapter 8

Chapter 7 – The Speech

This is the final chapter! I'll be going back and editing periodically, but I hope you like it! Send in requests for oneshots in this cannon or for deleted scenes!

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"Queenie!"

Queenie gasps in excited shock. "Jacob! Honey you're here, hi!" She kisses him several times on the cheek. "Oh honey I'm so sorry I never should have done it, I love you so much."

"And you know I love you too right?"

"Yea."

"Then lets get the hell out of here. I need to tell Trunk Girl something very important," he says grabbing her hand to lead her out of the arena. To his surprise she stops him.

"Oh no wait a second, I- I just thought maybe we could hear him first. You know... just listen that's all," she reasons.

Concern grows on his face for Queenie. Does she really want to listen to the bad guy? "What are you talking about?"

"Remember, it isn't illegal to listen to him. Use no force, we mustn't be what he says we are," Theseus instructs the Aurours grimly. Hearing those words gives Linda a sense of hope. Maybe when she tells Theseus about how she's met with Grindelwald he won't be as mad as she thought.

The group cautiously makes their way into the stadium, made of ornate stones and stands all in a circle around a centre platform that Grindelwald is standing on. Above them flashes the images that Linda had seen earlier. The war. The people being marched to their deaths. The explosions.

Theseus seems to put the pieces together in his mind, figuring out what these images are. He tries to tell himself that it cannot be real, but he's not so sure about that. Images begin to flash in front of him from his own mind from the last war he was in. He instinctively grabs for Linda's hand to comfort him.

Everyone in the arena seems to take notice of the Aurours presence, including Grindelwald. "Do nothing when I speak of this. You must remain calm," instructs Grindelwald to his followers. "And contain you're emotions... There are Aurours here among us." Several people in the crowd audibly gasp. Suddenly a tense mood fills the atmosphere, everyone gripping there wands tightly. "Come closer brother wizards, join us," welcomes Grindelwald menacingly.

"Do nothing. No force," orders Theseus. They all begin to walk cautiously down the stairs, all eyes on them.

"They have killed many of my followers it is true. They confined me, and tortured me in New York. They struck down fellow witches and wizards for the simple crime of seeking the truth." Linda swears she feels Grindelwald staring into her soul when he speaks about the truth. Even at one of his own rally's Grindelwald seems bent on warning the people about the impending war just like how he told her the truth, however harsh it was, about the cure. Nothing more. Frankly she's not exactly sure why she's there. Grindelwald is right. The only crime that these people have committed is listening to a man speak. Surely that isn't a crime?

"... I spoke with one of them not long ago." Linda still feels his eyes on her and adverts her gaze. Theseus begins to take notice of the fact that Grindelwald seems very trained on Linda. A fact that is tying his stomach in knots and causing his mind to try and figure out what he could want. Many people begin to whisper again at the fact that Grindelwald spoke with his enemies. "I know it is shocking. But if even they are willing to speak with me and join our cause, abandon the witch hunt after me, then how are we the ones in the wrong?"

"I swear, when I find who that was I'm gonna kill 'em," whispers one of the Aurors standing behind Linda to Theseus. She clenches her jaw, trying to hide the distress from her face.