Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz) and her family are introduced in the second Fantastic Beasts film, The Crimes of Grindelwald. Since Bellatrix Lestrange married into the Lestrange family, many Harry Potter fans are already familiar with the Lestrange ancestry. Leta’s fate is unknown at the end of The Crimes of Grindelwald, but something happens.
As soon as Leta’s name is mentioned in The Secrets of Dumbledore, her absence is immediately felt. Leta had been Theseus’s wife and Newt’s best friend before this film, so the absence of Zoe from the third film was noticeable. ” In other words, what happened to Leta Lestrange prior to Fantastic Beasts 3?
Leta Lestrange’s past in ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.’
We learn more about Credence’s past in The Crimes of Grindelwald. Only Leta Lestrange knows for sure that he is her long-lost brother, Corvus, and she keeps it a secret for as long as she can. Yusuf Kama, an important character in The Secrets of Dumbledore, is linked to Leta’s family history in the final chapter of the novel (William Nadylam).
Leta’s father, Corvus Lestrange IV, kidnapped and raped Laurena Kama, Leta’s mother. The loss of Laurena caused the Kama family to swear an Unbreakable Vow of vengeance against Corvus IV. Laurena died shortly after Leta was born. She was so fed up with Corvus V’s crying that she secretly swapped him with another infant when she and her half-brother arrived in the United States.
Credence, or Aurelius Dumbledore, was the baby who was swapped. The ship sank, killing Corvus V. Because of what he found out, Yusuf was no longer motivated to attack Credence in The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Leta Lestrange sacrificed herself against the dark arts
Leta’s early years were always filled with complications. Leta was a trove of secrets, from the death of her half-brother to being bullied and sorted into Slytherin, she was a woman of many layers. This unlikely friendship mirrors Severus Snape and Lily Potter’s with Newt Scamander as a child.
She married Theseus, Newt’s brother, despite the fact that Leta was clearly in love with Leta when she was a child. To save Theseus, Newt, Tina, Jacob, Yusuf, and Nigini from Grindelwald’s clutches, Leta distracts him at the end of The Crimes of Grindelwald. Grindelwald’s dark magic consumes her as she attempts to flee. Even as she dies, she mouths “I love you” to the Scamander brothers, a final act of selflessness motivated by her deep affection for them.
However, it’s also an act of redemption for her past transgressions. As a result of her role in the death of Corvus V, Leta has spent her entire life trying to make amends. She absolves herself of all of her sin and self-righteousness by laying down her life for the greater good.
Leta is barely mentioned in Dumbledore’s Secrets. Normally, one would expect Theseus and Newt to be mourning their lost friend a little more, but it appears that Theseus has set his sights on defeating Grindelwald above all else. When it comes to defeating Grindelwald, Newt is finally ready to take the reins and lead the charge. Yusuf Kama shares this sentiment.
Leta’s death isn’t really felt in The Secrets of Dumbledore, but it easily explains the motives of many of the film’s characters. Leta’s death is tragic, but it was necessary, according to the third film.
