Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald by J. K. Rowling Read Free Book Online Page A

is still sitting at her old desk in the present-day classroom. DUMBLEDORE enters.
    DUMBLEDORE
    This is a surprise.
    LETA
    (cold)
    Finding me in a classroom? Was I such a bad student?
    DUMBLEDORE
    On the contrary, you were one of my cleverest.
    LETA
    I said bad, not stupid. Don’t bother answering. I know you never liked me.
    DUMBLEDORE
    Well, you’re wrong. I never thought you bad.
    LETA
    You were alone, then. Everybody else did.
    (very quietly)
    And they were right. I was wicked.
    A beat as he considers her.
    DUMBLEDORE
    Leta, I know how painful the rumors about your brother Corvus must be for you.
    LETA
    No, you don’t. Not unless you had a brother who died too.
    DUMBLEDORE
    In my case, it was my sister.
    She stares at him, both hostile and curious.
    LETA
    Did you love her?
    DUMBLEDORE
    Not as well as I should have done.
    He steps toward LETA.
    DUMBLEDORE
    It’s never too late to free yourself. Confession is a relief, I’m told. A great weight lifted.
    She stares at him. What does he know—or suspect?
    DUMBLEDORE
    (sotto voce)
    Regret is my constant companion. Do not let it become yours.

    SCENE 72
    INT. GRINDELWALD’S HIDEOUT, DRAWING ROOM—END OF DAY
    QUEENIE is on the sofa, beside a table of tea and cakes. She sets down her empty teacup. We feel her slight awkwardness as it is instantly refilled by ROSIER.
    QUEENIE
    Oh, no, thank you. You’ve been real kind, but my sister Tina’s probably worried sick about me, you know. Banging on all the doors and things, so I think I’d
better be going.
    ROSIER
    But you haven’t met your host.
    QUEENIE
    (a little wistfully)
    Oh, are you married?
    ROSIER
    (smiling)
    Let’s say . . . deeply committed.
    QUEENIE
    (innocent)
    You see, I can’t tell if you’re making a joke or if you’re just . . . French.
    ROSIER laughs and leaves. QUEENIE is confused. An enchanted teapot hovering in midair nudges her, intent on refilling her cup.
    QUEENIE
    (to the teapot)
    Hey, knock it off.
    The door opens. GRINDELWALD enters. QUEENIE stands and the teapot and cups smash to the ground. She draws her wand and aims it at GRINDELWALD.
    QUEENIE
    You stay right there. I know what you are.
    He walks slowly toward her.
    GRINDELWALD
    Queenie, we are not here to hurt you. We only want to help you. You’re so very, very far from home. Far away from everything you love. Everything that was comfortable.
    QUEENIE stares, keeping her wand raised.
    GRINDELWALD
    I would never see you harmed, ever. It is not your fault that your sister is an Auror. I wish you were working with me now towards a world where we wizards are free to live
openly, and to love freely.
    GRINDELWALD’S hand touches her wand-tip and lowers it.
    GRINDELWALD
    You are an innocent. So go now. Leave this place.



SCENE 73
    INT. HOGWARTS, ROOM OF REQUIREMENT—NIGHT
    A spartan room. A large object stands against the wall, covered in black velvet. DUMBLEDORE stands thinking for a moment, then approaches the covered object and pulls the
curtain down.
    The Mirror of Erised is revealed. He has not looked into it for many years. Bracing himself, he now does so.
    We see TEENAGE DUMBLEDORE and TEENAGE GRINDELWALD facing each other in a barn. Both score their palms with their wands. Now bleeding, they interlace their
hands . . .
    DUMBLEDORE turns his head away, fighting the impulse to cover the glass again.
    Bracing himself, he looks up.
    From their bloody palms rise two glowing drops of blood, which mingle and merge to create one. A metal shape begins to form around the droplet, becoming more defined and
intricate. It is GRINDELWALD’S vial.
    The vision fades and the present-day GRINDELWALD stands smiling out of the mirror, surrounded by blackness.



SCENE 74
    EXT. PARIS, RUE DE MONTMORENCY—AFTERNOON
    Establishing shot of NICOLAS FLAMEL’S house.

    SCENE 75
    INT. FLAMEL HOUSE—AFTERNOON
    A creepy medieval drawing room. The tapestries sport moving figures and odd runes. A large crystal ball in a corner shows dark clouds.