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Would Newt, Tina, Queenie or Jacob be your best friend?

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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and Where to Find Them

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## If you prefer animals to people… you’d be best friends with Newt 
If you have infinite patience with animals but less with people, would choose to hang out with your pet rather than your friends, finds the presence of animals soothing and are thoroughly fascinated by them – then you’d be BFFs with Newt Scamander.

Newt was an introvert who could be awkward around his fellow humans. Though, that’s not to say he didn’t like people, you only need to look at his adorable friendship with Jacob to see that, he was just more at ease when he was with his magical creatures. From the moment he stepped into his case and was among his Nifflers, Mooncalves and all his other wonderful beasties – he was in his element. We reckon that if Newt were to be your best friend, the pair of you would enjoy comparing Muggle and magical creatures, would be totally comfortable hanging out in silence doing your own thing and of course, you would always be surrounded by lots of fantastic animals.

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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

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The Crimes of Grindelwald

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## If you’re career driven… you’d be best friends with Tina
Are you someone that never gets that Sunday afternoon dread? Do you enjoy what you do and want to be the best at it? Do most of your goals revolve around how you’re doing at work? Do you find it difficult to understand why people would stay in a job they only tolerate? Then you and Tina Goldstein would be best friends.

Tina was absolutely dedicated to being an Auror and seemed to get real satisfaction from her role. When she made the difficult decision to stand up to Credence’s mother and lost it – we know she would have been devastated and would have done anything to be reinstated. In fact, she was so single-minded about it, that she kept handing Newt over to MACUSA to try and get back in with President Seraphina Picquery, Percival Graves and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. If you were best friends with Tina, not only do we think that you would empathise with her determination to get her job back, but we can actually see the pair of you plotting exactly how to do that – and you’d maybe try and wangle a promotion too...

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Tina walking along the street while wearing a long black coat with her hands in her pockets

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## If you take things in your stride… you’d be best friends with Jacob
Jacob Kowalski was living a simple life as a canning factory employee and aspiring baker – he certainly had no knowledge that magic existed. Yet, after one chance encounter with Newt (and his Niffler), he found himself thrown into a completely new world. A world with witches and wizards, where people could read minds, where creatures you could only dream of existed and a world where a Dark wizard threatened their very existence. All of that would be a lot for anyone. But did Jacob let it phase him? No. Jacob took it all in his stride, accepted his new reality and did it all with good humour and good grace. 

If you’re someone who isn’t easily phased, has been known to be able to adapt to change and can work with whatever scenario that they have been given, we reckon you would get along famously with Jacob. And if you need more convincing, just imagine all the free baked goods you would get as his bestie…

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## If you’re a romantic dreamer… you’d be best friends with Queenie
Queenie Goldstein was a dreamer – and that was never more obvious than when it came to her relationship with Jacob. Despite the fact their being together was illegal, she didn’t allow it to get in the way – no matter the cost. Realising her dream was so important, that she even found herself joining Grindelwald’s cause, after falling for his promise that she would be free to love whoever she wanted. So, if you’re someone who can understand Queenie’s motivations, we think you would be best friends.

If you find yourself gravitating towards Queenie, we reckon that you’re the type of person who believes in fairy-tale endings. You often find yourself caught up in daydreams. All your favourite films and books are those of the romantic variety. You can sometimes be a little naïve – but you would much rather be a trusting romantic than closed off and closedminded. We figure Queenie would feel the same, and you two would make quite the pair.

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The importance of Dumbledore’s many armies 

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In the upcoming [third Fantastic Beasts instalment](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore), we can see from the trailers and teasers that a new alliance is coming together with Albus Dumbledore, as Grindelwald’s influence begins to take hold across the wizarding world. A blood oath currently means that Dumbledore is blocked from moving against Grindelwald himself, and it is up to his former student, Newt Scamander, to fight for what is right. But, as you have seen from our first glimpses of the new film, he certainly isn’t alone. In fact, the band of witches, wizards (and one Muggle!) is being dubbed “Dumbledore’s first army.”

It is comforting to see that Dumbledore has always had groups form around him in times of unrest: a testament to his stature as a truly great wizard. As he once said himself, in *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*: “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”

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Dumbledore congratulating Cedric Diggory being chosen as Hogwarts champion

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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and the Goblet of Fire

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Indeed, years and years beyond the events of Fantastic Beasts, we already know that Dumbledore would have future armies banding together, when a different Dark wizard overtook the wizarding world. Because, although Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards we know of, he has always known the strength of having allies around him. After all, the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts. 

## The Order of the Phoenix 

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Members of the Order of the Phoenix standing outside Grimmauld Place.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

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and the Order of the Phoenix 

Decades after the events of Fantastic Beasts, Lord Voldemort reigned supreme, casting darkness across the wizarding world, with a dangerous group of Death Eaters in his wake. With Voldemort following a similar trajectory to Gellert Grindelwald, gaining more followers as he became more powerful, Albus Dumbledore knew that he would have to do the same to counter him. Now we know this was not the first time Albus banded together an army against a Dark wizard. In fact, Grindelwald and Voldemort’s stories follow similar themes. 

The Order of the Phoenix was formed twice, once for Voldemort’s original ascent, and rebuilt once Lord Voldemort found a way to return, years later. 

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Dumbledore taking a baby Harry to Privet Drive.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 

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and the Philosopher's Stone 

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The first version of the Order of the Phoenix featured a collection of friends, family, confidants, colleagues and talented Aurors – many of whom Dumbledore would’ve taught at Hogwarts or worked with. And some would return for the Order’s revival many years later. But, of course, many members were lost during the first wizarding war against Voldemort, most notably [the Longbottoms](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-of-harry-potter-stories-frank-and-alice-longbottom), who were tortured to insanity, and James and Lily Potter, who famously gave their lives protecting their son, Harry. Other lesser-known members who were killed included Molly Weasley’s brothers, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, witches Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows and Emmeline Vance, and many more. Hagrid even mentions some of these families in the first Harry Potter book, explaining Lord Voldemort’s impact to a very young Harry.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

‘No one ever lived after he decided ter kill ’em, no one except you, an’ he’d killed some o’ the best witches an’ wizards of the age – the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts – an’ you was only a baby, an’ you lived.’

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Then, in Harry’s fifth year, we learnt more about the first Order through Mad-Eye Moody (who served in both iterations) who would go through an old photograph of the first Order with Harry, explaining just how many people were lost in grim detail. 


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‘That’s Edgar Bones … brother of Amelia Bones, they got him and his family, too, he was a great wizard … Sturgis Podmore, blimey, he looks young … Caradoc Dearborn, vanished six months after this, we never found his body … Hagrid, of course, looks exactly the same as ever … Elphias Doge, you’ve met him, I’d forgotten he used to wear that stupid hat … Gideon Prewett, it took five Death Eaters to kill him and his brother Fabian, they fought like heroes … budge along, budge along …’

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## Switching allegiances 

We also saw examples of members switching allegiances. Peter Pettigrew, having grown up with Sirius Black, James Potter and Remus Lupin, of course joined the Order alongside the others. But his devastating betrayal of the Potters’ whereabouts not only led to their death – but also the demise of his future master in a strange twist of fate. 

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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Now we know that Dumbledore would have seen this sort of defection before, with Queenie moving over to Grindelwald’s side, for example. In the Harry Potter books, we see the Hogwarts version of Dumbledore’s Army betrayed by Marietta Edgecombe, a student who divulges the secret location of their society with unfortunate consequences (in the accompanying film, it was Cho who betrayed them). Unbeknownst to Marietta, however, Hermione had cast a hex on anyone who might deceive Dumbledore’s Army, causing the words “sneak” to appear across their face. After all, in any group, without trust, it all falls apart. 

## The second formation of the Order of the Phoenix 

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Tonks appearing to help fight the Battle of the Department of Mysteries

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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After losing so many members of the Order, it would come down to a rebounding Killing Curse that would eventually ‘finish’ Lord Voldemort, after it failed to kill Harry. A period of peace time followed, but Lord Voldemort kept finding ways to return – and finish what he’d started. Soon after the events of *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, where Lord Voldemort finally pulls the ultimate trick to regain his body, Albus Dumbledore immediately starts taking steps to get the band back together. The survivors of the first generation returned immediately, with some new, younger additions added to their ranks, including Aurors Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, and members of the Weasley family who were of age.

## Dumbledore’s Army (or the D.A) 


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The members of Dumbledore's Army standing together in the Room of Requirement

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Unbeknownst to Dumbledore, though, another army was secretly forming in his honour. After the frustration of being too young to join the Order, Harry, Ron and Hermione (although, almost all of the credit must go to Hermione...) formed their own version. Created to move against Dolores Umbridge, who was rapidly taking over Hogwarts with her ‘educational decrees’, the students decided to teach themselves Defence Against the Dark Arts, (seeing as Umbridge was stifling their tuition in this area too...) to be ready for the oncoming storm of Voldemort’s return. 

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The values of this secret society mirrored that of the Order, with different Hogwarts houses coming together (including certain students who weren’t huge fans of others) and putting aside their differences. We saw similar attitudes take place in the Order, such as the Marauders and Snape reluctantly joining forces, all through their mutual trust of Dumbledore. Again – that concept of trust was a power all of its own. Dumbledore’s legacy was so strong, conflicts of interests were being thrown to one side. Even Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley (Harry’s ex-girlfriend and future-girlfriend, respectively) worked together to come up with the name of the group. 

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‘The Defence Association?’ said Cho. ‘The DA for short, so nobody knows what we’re talking about?’
‘Yeah, the DA’s good,’ said Ginny. ‘Only let’s make it stand for Dumbledore’s Army, because that’s the Ministry’s worst fear, isn’t it?’

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Eventually, in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, Neville, whose parents met such a tragic end during their work in the first Order, carried on Dumbledore’s Army, who proved crucial during the Battle of Hogwarts. Sometimes, Dumbledore didn’t need to bring people together at all – the memory of his influence and character was enough to unite others in his name, to fight for what is right.

## The magic of community  

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Neville is celebrated by friends during Dumbledore's Army training at Hogwarts.

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But it wasn’t just about Dumbledore. These organisations were doing so much more than just defending themselves against Dark forces – they were forming bonds. Look at Jacob, a down-on-his-luck Muggle baker struggling to open his own business after the war, who in any normal circumstances shouldn’t even know witches or wizards, let alone be teaming up – or indeed - falling in love with one of them.

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Jacob and Queenie standing at the bar of The Blind Pig looking at each other and smiling. Jacob is holding a glass of Gigglewater.

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Particularly in the American wizarding community of the 1920s, where [fraternising in such ways was strictly disallowed under law](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/rappaports-law-en). Jacob’s inclusion into this group feels like a shining beacon of hope – especially when you remember Grindelwald is actively trying to disparage the non-magical community. Then think of another character who felt like an outcast, Luna Lovegood, who was bullied frequently before she joined the Hogwarts-era of Dumbledore’s Army, which she described as “like having friends”. 

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Harry and Luna standing in a corridor, looking at each other and holding hands.

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Think of Hagrid, an expelled student, sometimes ridiculed for being a half-giant, who was not just given a home by Dumbledore at Hogwarts, but a core role in the Order of the Phoenix, as well as becoming one of the most important figures in the life of Harry Potter’s – the character who would one day end Lord Voldemort for good. 

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Without these communities, inspired by Dumbledore, characters in the wizarding world would be totally different people. Dumbledore wasn’t a perfect character by any means, but the loving energy he radiated as a leader was contagious, permeating everyone he met. Though Dumbledore wished he’d made better choices in his youth, he always tried to teach others to be the version of himself he put out into the world, creating whole unions embodying his spirit. In *Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore*, we are about to see that magic in action once again.

Grindelwald and Dumbledore's chequered history: A deep dive

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Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald have a long and complicated history. Join us as we revisit their past and think about its future implications.

Dumbledore & Grindelwald's Complex History | Wizarding World

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## Albus and Gellert's first meeting
Albus Dumbledore first met Gellert Grindelwald at a rather difficult time in his life, when he was seventeen years old. He had just finished his studies at Hogwarts, where he had excelled at everything, been Head Boy and won prize after prize – including the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting. This exciting stage of his life had been set to continue, as he was supposed to go on a tour of the world with his friend Elphias Doge. However, tragedy struck on the eve of their trip. His mother, Kendra, was killed in an accident and Albus had to return to Godric’s Hollow to take care of his brother, Aberforth and sister, [Ariana](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-mysterious-life-and-death-of-ariana-dumbledore). This was no easy task, as after being brutally attacked by a group of Muggle boys, his sister had turned her magic inwards, was unstable, sometimes dangerous and needed constant care. 

It just so happened that during that summer another wizard was preparing to spend some time in that particular village, Gellert Grindelwald. He had come to stay with his great aunt Bathilda Bagshot. Like Albus, Gellert was another gifted young wizard. However, according to Rita Skeeter (who isn’t known for being an especially reliable source), rather than channelling his abilities into winning prizes and achievements, Grindelwald had taken a different path and had been expelled from the [Durmstrang Institute](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/durmstrang-institute) as a result. 

Yet, as two highly intelligent wizards of the same age who were stuck in a small village, it is easy to understand why these two were drawn to one another. Dumbledore and Grindelwald soon struck up a friendship, bouncing ideas off one another, obsessing over the Deathly Hallows and coming up with their plan of how the wizarding world could look if Muggles were subservient to wizards. 

Their conversations served as an escape for Dumbledore, who had felt trapped after the death of his mother and allowed him to imagine a future where he was free to do as he pleased. Dumbledore believed that if he and Grindelwald were successful at finding all the Hallows, not only would they become immensely powerful and the masters of death, but he could use the Resurrection Stone to bring his parents back and lift all the responsibility he had from his shoulders.

Yet, reality soon came calling for Dumbledore, in the form of his siblings…

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Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander standing on the rooftop of St. Paul's Cathedral in London

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## A fracture in their relationship
During that summer, Dumbledore had neglected both his brother and his sister and Aberforth soon let him know about it. Aberforth was set to return to Hogwarts and was fed up with Dumbledore’s plotting with Grindelwald – in addition to being concerned about Ariana’s care. He bluntly reminded Albus that he could not go searching for the Deathly Hallows with his fragile sister in tow. Albus and Gellert were not happy to have their dreams crushed and made their feelings clear. 

According to [Aberforth](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-of-harry-potter-stories-aberforth-dumbledore), this involved Grindelwald becoming angry and calling him a stupid little boy. He told Aberforth that Ariana would no longer have to be hidden if he and Albus were successful and that he shouldn’t stand in their way. 

Unfortunately, this argument soon took a turn for the worse and escalated into a fight. Aberforth drew his wand and so did Gellert. He used the Cruciatus Curse on Aberforth, which prompted Albus to try and stop him. Soon, all three wizards were duelling. The loud noises and flashing lights caused immeasurable distress to Ariana, who then tried to become involved. Aberforth always maintained that she wanted to help but didn’t know how. Amidst all the chaos, she ended up dead. Though nobody knows who was the one to cast the curse that killed her, Grindelwald fled and that marked the end of his and Dumbledore’s friendship.

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Albus Dumbledore is sat down on the steps in his office at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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and the Half-Blood Prince

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## Their complicated ties in *Fantastic Beasts*
By the time we came across Dumbledore and Grindelwald in *[Fantastic Beasts](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/fantastic-beasts-collection)*, decades had passed since their summer together as teenagers. Grindelwald was still determined to enact his vision for the wizarding world. He had also managed to steal the Elder Wand from the wandmaker Gregorovitch – so was now in possession of one of the Deathly Hallows.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore had taken a different path entirely. Distancing himself from Grindelwald, he had become a respected teacher at Hogwarts. He had also built up a reputation as a talented and powerful wizard – even if he did find himself at odds with the Ministry of Magic on occasion. In the ensuing years, he saw that his former friend was becoming even more dangerous (especially after Grindelwald’s escape from MACUSA custody at the beginning of *Crimes of Grindelwald*) but mysteriously refused to move against him – although many believed that he was the only wizard capable of stopping Grindelwald.

We soon learnt that Dumbledore’s refusal was due to the fact he was unable to oppose him, rather than unwilling. In the chaos caused by Grindelwald’s deadly rally in Paris, Teddy the Niffler stole a jewelled vial from the Dark wizard. It turned out to be a blood troth between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, which meant that they were prohibited from moving against each other. It also offered and added insight into their relationship as teenagers. They must have been extremely close to be willing to form such a pact.

Yet, as Newt presented the troth to Dumbledore at the end of *Crimes of Grindelwald*, we can’t help but wonder what that now means for the pair. Will Dumbledore be able to destroy it? Will he even want to? And though we know they supposedly don’t come face-to-face until their duel in 1945, does this now mean Dumbledore can move against the Dark wizard?

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Albus Dumbledore and young Newt Scamander in a lesson. Newt has his wand raised as Dumbledore watches.

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## Their story in their later years
While Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald many years before Harry Potter’s story took place, we still think that part of their history is worth mentioning – especially as Grindelwald’s name cropped up.

In fact, Grindelwald was mentioned as far back as *Philosopher’s Stone*. When Harry unwrapped his first-ever Chocolate Frog, he got the Dumbledore card which read, ‘Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945’ – though that’s the last we heard about that particular Dark wizard until the *Deathly Hallows*. It was in this book that we learnt about the pair’s turbulent past and how they knew each other so well. Yet it was also this book that showed us the end of Grindelwald’s story, when he was murdered in his cell at Nurmengard by Lord Voldemort – who was in pursuit of the Elder Wand. 

What made things interesting was that Grindelwald had refused to tell Voldemort where the Elder Wand was. He knew that Dumbledore was the current owner and he probably worked out that it remained with Dumbledore in his tomb. You might think that as Dumbledore was the reason that he was locked up, he would be more than happy to share the information with Voldemort, but he didn’t. It was his unspoken motivation behind that decision that was fascinating. 

Some say that in his fifty years in Nurmengard, Grindelwald had begun to show remorse for his actions. So, this could have been an attempt to try and make some small amends by stopping Voldemort from getting his hands on the Hallow. But it was Harry who raised another interesting and valid point. Harry said he may have withheld the information to stop Voldemort from desecrating Dumbledore’s tomb. If that had been the case, it could have meant that, despite everything that went on between them, Grindelwald still had a lingering affection or respect for his former friend…

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Albus Dumbledore stands in a dream version of King's Cross station which is empty, hazy and white.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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## What does this all mean for *The Secrets of Dumbledore*
While we know the start and the end of this pair’s story, what happened in the middle is still rather a mystery. Though, if the trailers for *[The Secrets of Dumbledore](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore)* are anything to go by, we might be about to learn a little more about that period of time. At the very least, we think we are going to get a deeper insight into their relationship.

We wonder whether this film will reveal more about the aforementioned blood troth and what Dumbledore decides to do with it. While it was arguably his relationship with Grindelwald that caused the death of his sister, the fractured bond with his brother and his own decision to never pursue power in the same way again, how easy would it really be for Dumbledore to move against someone with whom he had such a complex and long history?  

On another note, we can’t help but be curious about the glimpses we’ve seen of the pair together. They famously never came back into contact until their climactic duel in 1945… but was that really the case? Or is there more to their intricate history than we ever knew? What seems sure is that these two wizards appear to be bound to one another, and we’re excited to see where their story takes us next.

Why Newt Scamander and Harry Potter were different kinds of Chosen One

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Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) stands in the rubble of City Hall subway station 

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Newt Scamander has his arm around Tina Goldstein, both with wands at the ready

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Newt Scamander puts his arm around Tina Goldstein as they shelter anxiously with their wands at the ready

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To be the Chosen One, it seems that there are certain qualities you must possess. You must be courageous, honest and true. You must take on any and all responsibilities thrust upon you and thrive. Oh, and of course you have to save the world, preferably on your own, and try not to get too annoyed about it. 

While Harry Potter and Newt Scamander, both the ‘Chosen One’ in their own right, have these qualities, they really couldn’t have been more different kinds of heroes. Here’s why... 

## Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor 

The best way to sum up the fundamental differences between Harry and Newt is by looking at which Hogwarts house they belonged to. 

Harry was in Gryffindor, which took students for qualities including bravery and daring. Gryffindors typically also had some less admirable traits, including recklessness and short tempers (any enraged Gryffindors reading this will only prove our point!). These were traits that, [love him for it or not](/features/adorable-problems-harry-had-to-suffer-through-in-philosophers-stone), Harry possessed in bundles: he was heroic and brave, yes, but let’s not forget his year of angst in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*.

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As a result, Harry’s reaction to being the Chosen One was somewhat mixed. Although he accepted his fate and rose to the occasion from his very first year at Hogwarts, he also tried to fight against it – particularly following the death of his godfather, Sirius Black, in which his own recklessness contributed to Sirius coming to his rescue at the Ministry, where he was killed.

> ‘I DON’T CARE!’ Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. ‘I’VE HAD ENOUGH, I’VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON’T CARE ANY MORE –’
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

Meanwhile, Newt was a Hufflepuff, who are known to be hard workers, loyal and dedicated. He rarely grew angry in *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, but instead accepted his fate when he was arrested by Tina, and remained cool-headed after being given the death penalty (and fought his way out, of course). In fact, the only time we really saw Newt upset was when his suitcase was confiscated at MACUSA, putting the creatures he was so dedicated to caring for at risk.

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Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) tries to escape from MACUSA in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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Newt Scamander tries to escape the Death Cell at MACUSA

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While Harry spent plenty of time in his own head and at odds with his fate, particularly when he found out he would have to kill Voldemort, it appeared that Newt would always do the Hufflepuff thing, and do whatever was right for those he cared about the most. Yep, a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff indeed. 

> ‘No – no – don’t hurt those creatures – please, you don't understand – nothing in there is dangerous, nothing!’
> *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay*

## Fate vs Choice 

Harry was prophesied to be the wizard that Voldemort would mark as his equal, and so his fate as the Chosen One was selected for him. Of course, he rose to the occasion and dealt with his destiny like a trooper, but the fact remains that if he hadn’t needed to do it, chances are that Harry would have spent his years at Hogwarts chilling with Ron and Hermione, training at Quidditch and barely getting by on his lessons (kind of like he did anyway, but without the permanent threat of death). In short, Harry didn’t choose his fate, it chose him – with a little help from Dumbledore, of course.

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Voldemort grabbing Harry's face in the Deathly Hallows part 2

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On the other hand, Newt chose to be a protector and defender of [the magical creatures he took care of](/features/why-the-niffler-deserves-his-own-spin-off-series). No one asked it of him; he did it willingly because of his passion for animals and his compassionate nature, and even risked his life several times by placing their needs above his own.

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WB FB Newt looks at the Niffler jewellery store Hufflepuff scarf

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## Friendships 

Newt always considered himself to be a loner, and it is made evident in the first film that his one close friendship at Hogwarts with Leta Lestrange ended due to rocky circumstances, though we have yet to find out exactly what happened. Apart from Leta, and before meeting Tina, Queenie and Jacob, it was clear that Newt struggled to build friendships with… well, anything that didn’t live in his suitcase.

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Leta Lestrange in the trailer for Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald

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> QUEENIE: That was a real close friendship you had at school. 
> NEWT: Yes, well, neither of us really fitted in at school, so we — 
> QUEENIE: — became real close. For years.
> ... She was a taker. You need a giver.
> *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay*

As for Harry, he was a loner before Hogwarts thanks to his bullying relatives, the Dursleys, and immediately made [lifelong friends upon starting at the school](/features/why-ron-weasley-is-our-chosen-one). Since he was treated poorly all of his childhood by his family, it would have been easy for Harry to distance himself from others. Instead, he was a natural born leader who proved popular with his peers and always relied upon his friends, whether he knew it or not. Newt, however, always felt he had to do it alone (before travelling to NYC, of course).

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Harry and McGonagall in Dumbledore's Office 

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## They are not entirely unalike... 

While Newt and Harry might have been very different people, we think they would have got along quite nicely if they were around at the same point. For starters, Harry and Newt both protected the underdog no matter what. For Newt, it was his magical creatures and at times Jacob, while Harry was Hagrid’s fiercest supporter whenever he got a little too ‘Hagrid’ about any of his creatures.

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WB FB Newt Bowtruckle Jacob inside case 

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The pair also had [the support of Dumbledore](/features/biggest-questions-we-still-have-about-albus-dumbledore), who was clearly an excellent judge of character to trust them both, despite the level of mischief they each got up to at Hogwarts. Although we’re not sure why Newt was expelled (yet), it’s clear that both he and Harry barely toed the line during their time at Hogwarts. We're actually still pretty surprised that Harry was never given the boot, to be honest!

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

Ranked: The best feel-good moments from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts 

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Harry is facing Buckbeak and reaching towards him during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

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**SPOILER WARNING** 

*Contains spoilers for Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts films.*

## ‘Salamander Eyes’ – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 

Newt Scamander has a tendency to be a little awkward at times (which is exactly why we love him) and the scene of him flirting (?) with Tina Goldstein was definitely that. But in a very sweet way. It’s not every day a girl gets her eyes compared to a salamander’s – but our favourite Magizoologist did always have a very unique outlook on the world. 

## Meeting Buckbeak – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

We meet so many amazing fantastical creatures in the wizarding world, from the majestic to... well, Flobberworms. In *Prisoner of Azkaban*, Hagrid introduced his class to Hippogriffs, a magical creature who will only engage with you once you have both bowed. Fair enough. This is a level of respect we can get on board with. In the film, we get to see Harry fly with Buckbeak during an exhilarating scene with an epic score. We want to be friends with a Hippogriff, basically.

![HP-F3-hagrid-buckbeak-web-header](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/6XY4bzkXIQzg9XNYyNiN0f/cf57d3753b082bd98510d93cd629a721/hagrid-header.jpg)

## Luna’s friendship mural – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

Harry, Ron and Hermione get to visit Luna’s house in Deathly Hallows, and it was no surprise to learn that the house perfectly corresponded to the Lovegoods’ quirky tastes. What did surprise us, in a very lovely way, was discovering that Luna had created a mural, dedicated to her Hogwarts friends, proudly on display in her bedroom. Harry was notably touched by the dedication – and so were we. 

## The Niffler has babies – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

What’s cuter than a Niffler? Lots of multicoloured mini-Nifflers, that’s what. We were delighted to learn that Newt’s snouty friend had had children in the second Fantastic Beasts film, with the babies already causing all manner of mischief. The champagne cork slow-mo moment, for instance. 

![baby-nifflers-square](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/15TXwSGMtfhPRhuLsFAymy/3d8d400fbc1cfeb3ad03fc81a5b4770e/baby-nifflers-square.jpg)

## Dobby is a free elf – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

When we first meet Dobby, he is wearing a mangy pillowcase and has a habit of hitting his head on walls to stop him giving away secrets – all symptoms of being the Malfoy family’s house-elf. However, thanks to some sly sock sneaking from Harry, Dobby is finally granted his freedom, as his ‘master’ had given him clothes. Who knew a smelly sock would make us so happy?  

## A cosy Hogwarts Christmas dinner – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

This bemusing scene from the third Harry Potter book found a very small collective of Hogwarts staff and students jammed together at Christmas time. Not surprisingly, very few students had stuck around that year, due to the threat of Sirius Black on the castle, not to mention the not-very-Christmassy Dementors hanging around Hogwarts. This resulted in a very strange concoction of people enjoying the festive feast with all the tables pushed together. Our favourite moments from it? Dumbledore offering a terrified young first-year called Derek some chipolatas, certainly. And a catty comment from McGonagall to Trelawney that still makes us smirk. Tripe, Sybill?  

## Everything is okay at the end – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

Another moment from *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* now – and one of the most cathartic. After a year of horrors for Hogwarts, including Basilisk attacks on unsuspecting students and poor Hagrid sentenced to Azkaban, everything resolved itself at the end-of-term feast, with the Chamber of Secrets closed, the affected students ready to be cured and Hagrid’s triumphant return. This sequence of victories lead to a domino effect of emotions for us dear readers, and the film-version of events is even more emotional, with a huge rapturous round of applause at the end! Our tears! 

## Queenie visits Jacob’s bakery – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 

Back to Fantastic Beasts now, and this reunion scene at the end of the film was a special one for all the Queenie and Jacob fans out there. After being forced to have his memory erased as part of the mass memory cleansing of New York, Jacob seemingly forgets about his adventures with Newt and his romance with the talented Legilimens, Queenie. Or does he? Working in his dream bakery, (where he has started subconsciously baking goods in the shapes of fantastic beasts) Queenie pops in to visit, stopping Jacob in his tracks as they both smile at each other. After a tear-jerking goodbye kiss left us wondering if Jacob would ever know Queenie again – this spark of recognition gave us hope. 

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## Molly and Harry’s hug – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

This particular moment from Harry Potter is perhaps more bittersweet than feelgood, but a paragraph from the books we will truly never forget. After witnessing the return of Lord Voldemort, Harry is forced to relay the chain of events to Professor Dumbledore, before being sent to the hospital wing for some much-needed sleep, with Mrs Weasley, (who had come to cheer Harry on in the Triwzard Tournament) Sirius and his friends. Although Harry tries to be strong in front of them, Mrs Weasley tells Harry that nothing that happened was his fault – before giving him a hug that is described ‘as if by a mother’. Sob.  

## Harry learns how to cast a Patronus – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

In the third book, Harry learns of a complicated charm that only works if you summon happy memories – the only way to combat the Dementors of Azkaban. After some frustrating beginnings (with the patient and wise Professor Lupin as his teacher) it is only towards the end of the story that Harry sees his Patronus for the first time – revealed to be a stag, the same as his father’s. As Dumbledore tells Harry, ‘your father is alive in you’.  

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## Luna comforts Harry – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

After losing Sirius at the end of *Order of the Phoenix*, Harry is beside himself with inconsolable grief. But it is not Hermione or Ron who finally get through to him, but Luna, a newer friend. After revealing that she lost her mother at a young age (‘it was quite horrible’ she says in a typically Luna-esque matter of fact way) Harry suddenly feels like he has someone who understands him a little better. And Luna promising Harry that the dead ‘never really leave us’ seemed to give him the comfort he so dearly needed. 

## Harry and Ginny kiss – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 

While Ginny fancied Harry first, it took until the sixth book for Harry to realise he fancied her too. Hurray! But what would Ron think? After a triumphant Quidditch win (spearheaded by Ginny, taking over from Harry while he was banned) the jubilant moment took over Harry, and the pair finally shared their first kiss in a very public fashion. Thankfully, Ron didn’t give Harry much of a hard time about it. 

## Harry learns that he is a wizard – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 

After eleven years as the neglected nephew of the Dursleys, Harry learns that this life is not meant to be, and he is actually a wizard with a whole other world ready to welcome him in. The first few chapters of *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* paint a sad childhood for Harry, confined to a cupboard under the stairs and constant coldness from his Aunt and Uncle – often a mystery to Harry. When a half-giant called Hagrid tells him the strange news over a campfire of sausages, Harry may not understand at first, but realises that he was never destined to be stuck with the Dursleys forever. 

## Ron and Hermione finally kiss – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

After seven books – seven books! – we were beginning to think Ron and Hermione would never bite the bullet and get together, despite years of will-they, won’t-they moments, kisses on the cheeks, jealousy over other partners, and so much bickering you thought they were an old, married couple. For a moment, in *Half-Blood Prince*, we thought they might get together then, with Hermione asking Ron to be her date to Slughorn’s party. But as you know, that didn’t quite work out, not pointing the blame at anyone (Ron) and then Lord Voldemort and Horcrux hunting got in the way of things in Deathly Hallows. So what were the pair to do? Have their first kiss slap-bang in the middle of the battle of Hogwarts. ‘Is this the moment?’ Harry had to ask wearily. But still, we all turned the page with a sigh of relief. 

*What’s your favourite feel-good moment of the Wizarding World?*

Why Hermione Granger and Newt Scamander are a similar sort of hero

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Hermione during a Dumbledore's Army meeting 

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Who had serious smarts, magical luggage and borderline reckless loyalty? If you answered ‘Hermione Granger’, you’re correct. However, if you answered ‘Newt Scamander’, you’re also correct. You see, Newt and Hermione were cut from the same heroic cloth. Or at very least, they shared a clandestine playbook with secret methods to befuddle enemies and undo evil.

Hermione has earned a reputation as the not-so-secret key to Harry and Ron’s survival throughout their years at Hogwarts, and presumably, beyond. For his part, we’ve seen Newt Scamander use his unique abilities to thwart one of the most notorious Dark wizards in all of history and keep a promise to a winged pal along the way. But though decades separate their respective adventures, we can draw many clear lines between the ways and means each of them employs to survive and thrive.

## En route introductions

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Eddie Redmayne playing Newt Scamander as he passes through New York customs 

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Newt Scamander's case is checked whilst passing through NY no-maj customs 

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When we first met Hermione on the Hogwarts Express in *Philosopher’s Stone*, she was fresh out of the Muggle world but in full Hogwarts regalia and already capable of mending broken glasses. She was on the threshold of an unfamiliar world and in search of Neville’s lost toad. 

We met Newt under similar circumstances: he was just off the boat from England and making his way through New York customs. He was in Muggle-worthy clothes, complete with a briefcase that looked so non-magical that it got mixed up with one owned by a No-Maj. He was determined to look as though he belonged. Talk about your overachievers.

## Extraordinary luggage

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And speaking of Newt’s leather case, we simply cannot discuss the parallels between these two if we don’t take a serious look at their superior packing game. Hermione’s little, beaded bag was legendary for both its space (she had a mini-library, a tent, the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black, stores of potions, clothes, rations and all manner of other goodies) and portability. Now, managing to carry all of that in a bag that tucks easily into a sock or other bit of clothing is pretty impressive. 

However, Newt’s leather case must be considered the gold standard in magical bags – it doubled as an entire sanctuary, complete with any number of habitats suited to beasts of every variety. Pretty cool.

## Wit and intelligence before brawn

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the third instalment of the Fantastic Beasts series! Read the latest news, and discover characters, beasts, quizzes, and more.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore | Wizarding World

Welcome to the Fantastic Beasts collection page, where we celebrate Newt Scamander's adventures across the films. Enjoy this curated selection of articles, puzzles, quizzes and features and all manner of creature comforts celebrating the series so far.

Fantastic Beasts

Welcome to the Fantastic Beasts collection page, where we celebrate Newt Scamander's adventures across the films. Enjoy this curated selection of articles, puzzles, quizzes and features and all manner of creature comforts celebrating the series so far.

The Characters in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

All about the beasts

Watch our guide on how to draw a Niffler

Nine of the scariest creatures we meet in Fantastic Beasts

Which magical creature would you take care of in Fantastic Beasts?

The weirdest facts about magical creatures

The cutest creatures of the wizarding world

Beasts Behaving Badly: a look at the most mischievous magical creatures