Yes, Grindelwald is mentioned in the Harry Potter series. Grindelwald was a powerful Dark wizard who rose to prominence in the wizarding world in the early 20th century. He was the main antagonist of the Fantastic Beasts film series, which takes place before the events of the Harry Potter series, but his presence is also felt in the latter series. Here is a breakdown of Grindelwald’s mentions in the Harry Potter books:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Grindelwald is not mentioned in the first book of the series.
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Grindelwald is not mentioned in the second book of the series.
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Grindelwald is mentioned briefly in the third book when Hermione Granger is researching Animagi. She reads about how Albus Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald in 1945, which is an important piece of information that becomes relevant later in the series.
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Grindelwald is not mentioned in the fourth book of the series.
- Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix: Grindelwald is mentioned in the fifth book when Harry Potter is in the Department of Mysteries. There is a room in the department called the Hall of Prophecy, which contains glass orbs that hold predictions about the future. Harry and his friends accidentally break some of the orbs, which attracts the attention of Death Eaters who are after the prophecy that foretells the outcome of the conflict between Harry and Voldemort. In the chaos that ensues, one of the Death Eaters recognizes Dumbledore’s name and asks if he is the one who “got Grindelwald.” This is a reference to Dumbledore’s defeat of Grindelwald in 1945.
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Grindelwald is mentioned several times in the sixth book of the series, which delves deeper into Dumbledore’s backstory. It is revealed that Dumbledore and Grindelwald were close friends when they were young, and they shared a vision of the wizarding world in which wizards ruled over Muggles. However, their friendship ended when they disagreed on how to achieve this vision. Grindelwald became more ruthless and violent in his pursuit of power, leading to his defeat by Dumbledore in a legendary duel. Dumbledore’s memories of his relationship with Grindelwald and their final confrontation play an important role in the plot of the book.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Grindelwald is mentioned several times in the seventh and final book of the series. His backstory with Dumbledore is explored further, and it is revealed that he possessed the Elder Wand, one of the three Deathly Hallows, before Dumbledore. Voldemort seeks the Elder Wand as part of his plan to defeat Harry Potter, and he tracks down Grindelwald in his prison to learn its whereabouts. Grindelwald provides Voldemort with some information, but he is ultimately killed by Voldemort for withholding the full truth. The events surrounding Grindelwald and the Elder Wand are a major plot point in the final book.
In summary, while Grindelwald is not a major presence in the Harry Potter series, he is an important part of Dumbledore’s backstory and the wizarding world’s history. His defeat by Dumbledore is a significant event that shaped the course of wizarding history and laid the groundwork for the conflict between Harry Potter and Voldemort. The Fantastic Beasts film series expands on Grindelwald’s story and provides more context for his actions and motivations.