Grindelwald

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Gellert Grindelwald / Grindelwald (格林德沃) 109 110
Alias(es)	Dark Wizard Grindelwald; Lord Grindelwald; Percival Graves disguise 84 100 190
Species/Race	Wizard 102
Gender	Male 102
Affiliation	Leader of an anti-Secrecy Law, anti-Muggle wizard movement; commands Dark Wizard followers 103 190
Occupation/Role	Dark Wizard; revolutionary faction leader; international wanted criminal 84 103 105
Status	Subdued during Li Chuan’s later establishment of the Wizard Empire 386
First Appearance	Mentioned in a London Ministry newspaper after escaping an international joint capture operation 84; directly encountered while disguised as Percival Graves 100 102

Background / History

Grindelwald once met Albus Dumbledore in Godric’s Hollow while searching for the Deathly Hallows. The two formed a blood pact preventing them from harming each other and planned a major magical reform together 187.

Their partnership fractured after Aberforth Dumbledore objected to Albus leaving Ariana behind. Grindelwald cast the Cruciatus Curse on Aberforth, Albus intervened, and the conflict became a three-way brawl 187.

By the New York events, Grindelwald is forty-three and has only recently begun openly building his movement. He already has supporters but has not yet formed stable rule in Europe, so he seeks Credence’s Obscurus as a large-scale destructive weapon 95.

Appearance

Grindelwald’s true form is exposed at the American Ministry of Magic when the Revealing Charm breaks his disguise 102. Later, he appears at a Paris villa as a white-haired man leading more than a dozen Dark Wizards 190.

• White-haired in his Paris stronghold appearance 190
• Capable of passing as Percival Graves, Head of Magical Law Enforcement 100 102
• Maintains a calm, controlled demeanor even when surrounded by Aurors 102 105

Personality

Grindelwald is charismatic, ideological, and highly pragmatic. He knows his followers are motivated by different things—belief, admiration, profit, or authority—and accepts them as long as they are useful 110.

He is ruthless toward Muggles, regarding them as filthy and inferior even to house-elves. At his Paris stronghold, the original Muggle owners of the villa are said to have been killed on his orders, including infants 190.

He is more restrained with wizards. During his MACUSA escape attempt, he avoids killing ordinary Ministry staff because a wizard massacre would damage his image and turn him from “revolutionary” into “butcher” 104 105.

Grindelwald also shows personal jealousy around Dumbledore. When facing Newt Scamander, he asks why Dumbledore favors him and immediately casts the Killing Curse after Newt cannot answer 104.

Goals & Ideology

• Opposes the International Secrecy Law, arguing that it forces wizards to hide “like rats” to protect Muggles 102.
• Wants wizards to stand openly above Muggles rather than remain bound by Ministry restrictions 102 199.
• Uses visions of future Muggle wars and weapons to convince wizards that Muggles are dangerous and should be ruled first 198.
• Plans war against Muggles and “corrupt wizards,” including the destruction of Paris as a symbolic opening move 190 201.
• Gains support from wizards frustrated by the Secrecy Law, including those affected by bans on wizard-Muggle relationships 103.

Abilities & Skills

Magical Dueling

Grindelwald is treated as one of the strongest wizards alive, with Dumbledore repeatedly identified as the only wizard capable of contending with him 187 198.

• Deflects simultaneous attacks from more than twenty Aurors by himself 103.
• Subdues elite Aurors by lifting them, forcing them down, binding their hands, and knocking away their wands 103.
• Casts faster than Li Chuan, Newt, and Tina combined even while using one hand to counter Li Chuan’s spear barrage 104.
• Possesses a Shield Charm strong enough that Li Chuan believes ordinary attacks cannot break it without the Killing Curse 201.
• Can still be stalled by coordinated opponents; Li Chuan, Newt, and Tina prevent him from leaving MACUSA long enough for reinforcements to arrive 104 105.

Dark Magic

Grindelwald freely uses high-level Dark Magic when it serves his goals.

• Casts Avada Kedavra at Newt Scamander 104.
• Casts the Cruciatus Curse on Aberforth Dumbledore in the past 187.
• Orders Muggles killed with the Killing Curse at his Paris villa stronghold 190.
• Teaches or withholds powerful hidden magic from Li Chuan as part of their alliance 190 202.

Fiendfyre Curse

Grindelwald’s Fiendfyre is one of his most dangerous spells and is described as powerful enough to threaten an entire city.

• Possesses an improved Fiendfyre Curse that he intends to display at the Paris gathering 193.
• Summons Fiendfyre Dragons and a sea of blue fire around Père Lachaise Cemetery 201 202.
• Threatens to burn all remaining Aurors and all of Paris with Fiendfyre 201.
• The spell is contained only through Li Chuan’s Patronus, Nicolas Flamel’s guidance, and a coordinated Spell-Stopping Charm by Aurors 202.

Apparition

Grindelwald’s Apparition is refined enough to function as a major combat tool.

• Uses maximum-speed Apparition to dodge Li Chuan’s sudden high-speed attack during their duel 200.
• Is considered extremely difficult to stop once outside a secured building, since he can escape by Apparition at any time 103.
• Orders loyal followers to Apparate away from the Paris rally to spread his ideals before unleashing Fiendfyre 201.

Time Magic

Grindelwald can use Time Magic in combat.

• Slows Li Chuan’s speed to disrupt the Morning Peacock technique 201.
• Drops the Time Magic when he chooses to escalate directly into Fiendfyre 201.

Disguise and Identity Manipulation

Grindelwald is associated with extremely advanced appearance alteration.

• The narration states that only Grindelwald is known to have reached a Transfiguration level high enough to alter his appearance by spell, possibly beyond even Dumbledore 99.
• In the American Ministry incident, the Revealing Charm causes his Percival Graves disguise to fail, exposing his true form 102.
• Uses the Graves identity to infiltrate MACUSA as Head of Magical Law Enforcement 100 102.
• Reveals that the real Percival Graves is already dead 102.

Legilimency and Occlumency

Grindelwald is one of the era’s known masters of Legilimency.

• Li Chuan avoids eye contact with him to prevent possible mind-reading 110.
• Provides Li Chuan with the Occlumency spell after their prison-break alliance 110.
• Legilimency is described as extremely difficult, with Grindelwald and Dumbledore among the known masters 110.

Propaganda and Leadership

Grindelwald’s rhetoric is considered as dangerous as his magic.

• Ministries fear him largely because his speeches can convert neutral wizards into followers 103.
• Uses prophetic visions of World War II, tanks, planes, missiles, and nuclear bombs to inflame anti-Muggle sentiment 198.
• Successfully sways ordinary wizards and even some Aurors at the Paris gathering 198.
• Commands enough loyalty that followers celebrate his escape and gather internationally for his rally 84 198.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wand — Used for dueling, Dark Magic, Apparition-assisted combat, Fiendfyre, and binding spells; knocked away during his MACUSA capture and summoned by Tina Goldstein 103 105 201.
• Elder Wand — Historically associated with Grindelwald, though Li Chuan questions whether Grindelwald still possesses it; Li Chuan later notes the wand taken from Grindelwald is not the Elder Wand from his own mission space 88 105.
• Blood pact with Dumbledore — Prevents Grindelwald and Dumbledore from directly harming each other 187.

Relationships

• Albus Dumbledore — Former close partner, blood-pact counterpart, and greatest rival; Dumbledore is considered the only wizard able to contend with him 187 198.
• Li Chuan / Tom Frie / Chuan / the Mysterious Man — Public enemy and hidden ally; Li Chuan helps capture him, later breaks him out, negotiates conditions, and learns magic from him 102 105 108 110 202.
• Newt Scamander — Opponent and Dumbledore’s favored student; Grindelwald tries to kill him during the MACUSA confrontation 104.
• Tina Goldstein — Auror opponent; helps fight and capture him, then takes his wand with the Summoning Charm 104 105.
• Seraphina Picquery — MACUSA President; confronts, imprisons, and attempts to contain him after his identity is exposed 84 102 105.
• Percival Graves — Murdered and impersonated by Grindelwald as part of his MACUSA infiltration 101 102.
• Credence Barebone — Target in New York; Grindelwald manipulates him while searching for the Obscurus 95.
• Aberforth Dumbledore — Attacked by Grindelwald with the Cruciatus Curse during the conflict over Ariana 187.
• Dark Wizard followers — His loyal movement; they respect power, shelter him in Paris, and gather for his anti-Muggle rally 189 190 198.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Escape and Notoriety

Grindelwald is first mentioned in a newspaper at the London Ministry of Magic after escaping an international joint capture operation. His followers celebrate the escape, while Seraphina Picquery blames the failure on a Swiss representative of the International Confederation of Wizards 84.

MACUSA Infiltration

Grindelwald infiltrates the American Ministry of Magic under Percival Graves’s identity. When Li Chuan also appears in disguise, the two impostors accuse each other, confusing the Aurors and forcing a Revealing Charm test 100 101.

The test exposes Grindelwald, and he attempts to recruit Li Chuan by criticizing the Secrecy Law and promising a future where wizards stand openly in the world 102.

Capture at the American Ministry

After his reveal, Grindelwald overwhelms Aurors and attempts to leave the Ministry building. Li Chuan, Newt, and Tina stall him until reinforcements arrive, then capture him using smoke, Newt’s Occamy, and Tina’s Summoning Charm 103 104 105.

Prison Break and Alliance

Li Chuan returns under a new hidden identity, breaks Grindelwald out of MACUSA custody, and negotiates a partnership rather than subordination. Grindelwald accepts Li Chuan’s conditions and gives him an address in France, along with the Occlumency spell 108 109 110.

Paris Gathering

In Paris, Grindelwald prepares a mass rally to begin war against Muggles and corrupt wizards. He plans to send the Mysterious Man against Dumbledore and later use his improved Fiendfyre Curse at the gathering 190 193.

At Père Lachaise Cemetery, he uses prophecy and anti-Muggle rhetoric to sway thousands of wizards. Li Chuan, in his public identity, challenges him and forces a duel that damages Grindelwald’s aura of invincibility 198 199 200.

Fiendfyre Crisis

Grindelwald escalates the duel by releasing Fiendfyre over the graveyard and threatening Paris. He and his followers Apparate away, leaving Li Chuan, Aurors, and Nicolas Flamel to contain the curse 201 202.

Later Defeat Under the Wizard Empire

Much later, Li Chuan returns with overwhelming power, subdues Grindelwald, Dumbledore, corrupt wizarding officials, and the wider Wizarding World as part of establishing a global Wizard Empire 386.

Notable Quotes

“You are quite good. Have you considered joining me? In the future, we can stand openly in this world side by side, instead of hiding in the sewers like rats as we are now.” 102

“Do you truly believe that the so-called Secrecy Law protects us? It forces us to hide our true selves, to protect those lowly Muggles who are like garbage!” 102

“You think you can keep me trapped?” 105

“All my family members who are willing to join my great cause, you can Apparate away from here to spread our ideals. Next, I will use Fiendfyre to burn all the Aurors who remain here and all of Paris!” 201

Trivia

• Grindelwald is forty-three during the New York events and has not yet established stable rule in Europe 95.
• The Mysterious Man’s global threat level and bounty are stated to be second only to Grindelwald’s 110.
• Grindelwald avoids causing major trouble in Britain because Dumbledore is there 102.
• His followers in Paris respect Li Chuan because he single-handedly stormed MACUSA and rescued Grindelwald from its deepest prison 189.
• Dumbledore and Grindelwald later both teach Li Chuan hidden magic, indirectly competing through Li Chuan’s two identities 202.