Summary: A chance encounter leads Dumbledore to finally make the decision to confront his demons. Or more specifically the one demon who started it all - Gellert Grindelwald.

~ The Last Straw ~

The latch slid to the side, and she peered through, her eyes furtive and wary. An elderly gentleman stood outside in a purple suit, unperturbed by the cold winds that assailed the trees outside. He waited expectantly.

"Der Phönix fliegt hoch." The Phoenix flies high.

"Guten Abend. Und seine Flammen brennen hell." He answered, in flawless German. Good evening. And its flames burn bright.

His response was correct. Greeting first, then reply code. Had it been an impostor, they would have given the latter first, at which point she would activate the emergency portkey and flee.

"You were not followed here?"

"I daresay I wasn't," the man replied. "There was a particularly clingy fellow a few blocks back, but it turned out he was only after some money. Hard times."

"You are sure of this?" Her voice was wary.

"Quite."

The latch closed. For a few seconds there was the sound of bolts being unlocked and a curious hum that accompanied numerous charms being undone, then the door creaked open. She ushered him in quickly, her eyes frantic as they darted around, then she slammed the door shut.

She pulled out her wand. The gentleman waited with an air of infinite patience as she reapplied the charms she had undone before, giving an appreciative nod at her work. Despite the situation, she felt a strange sense of pride at his approval. She reached out an arm and took his coat.

"Thank you."

He ventured into the small room. A fireplace burned with a hearty blaze, giving the room a pleasant yellow glow. In the middle, a rickety table sat, covered with a sparse and faded tablecloth, and surrounded by two low wooden chairs. He pulled one back, ignoring the ominous creak it gave, and sat down.

"Sorry about this place," she said. "It's all I could afford with such little time to prepare."

He chuckled. "It's not a problem."

She bustled around for a few seconds, her nervous energy apparent as she grabbed a boiling kettle from the fire and two mugs, and levitated them over to the table with a swish of her wand.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please."

She poured him a cup carefully, and then one for herself. He took a sip and yelped, pulling the cup from his lips with a grimace.

"A bit too hot for my tastes."

"I'm very sorry, so sorry -"

He smiled at her kindly, and waved away her excuses. "Not to worry, no harm done."

He drew out his wand, tapping the steaming mug gently. The vapor that had been wafting from the tea disappeared as it cooled, and he nodded to himself, content.

For a few minutes they sat in silence - he sipping his tea while she wrung her hands in silent frustration.

"That was excellent tea." He set the half-full mug down. "I apologise, my mind does tend to wander a little bit. Now, what was it you so urgently wanted to tell me?"

"Can you help?" She blurted out the question, and smacked herself mentally. He's probably the most powerful wizard in the world, aside from Herr Grindelwald himself. What am I doing?

He gave her a fond smile. "That would depend, my dear, on the magnitude of the problem. If you wouldn't mind appraising me of the facts, I'm sure I could reach a suitable conclusion on the matter."

Stupid, so stupid! Many people are depending on the outcome of this meeting, and this is the best I can do? She schooled her features into an apologetic look. Calm down, I've done this before.

"The Zaubereiführer, he's planning an attack against the Polish Ministry in eight days."

He stroked his beard, murmuring and nodding in agreement as she told him the details of the attack. He clasped his hands in front of him, and stared at her when she was done, curiosity shining in his twinkling blue eyes.

"Tell me, how did you come by the knowledge of these plans. Grindelwald guards his secrets very well."

She hesitated a little bit before answering. "From one of the men on the team that will lead the assault."

"Indeed," he murmured. "This man, you are his...?"

"Healer and secret lover." Her reply was stiff and abrupt, but it was not a lie. It just wasn't the full truth either.

"Ah, I see."

He peered at her intently over his half-moon glasses. She felt the thin, soft tendril of his mind probing against hers, and steeled her own thoughts against the slight intrusion. He suspects I'm lying, but he mustn't know the truth.

He withdrew, slight surprise on his face.

"Please don't do that again," she said, her tone rigid and stern.

"I am sorry." He held up a hand in apology. "Some old habits die hard, you know?" He sipped some more of the tea, while she watched him, careful not to let any of her own turbulent thoughts show on her face.

"So, can you help?" This time, she couldn't help the note of impatience that seeped into the question.

He took his time before answering. "That depends," he said, setting the now empty mug down with a dull thud. "Tell me, since when did the Silver Spears start hiring out assassins?"

He knows! She was so surprised by the question that she stiffened, only for a moment, before her instincts kicked in. Der Kanzler's words rang in her ears, as clear as when he had whispered them to her himself. Kill him at all costs.

She darted to the side, flinging out small blades coated with a lethal poison that would kill a man within seconds. The knives thudded against a shimmering blue shield, and the man was pelted a shower of small potatoes instead. He just sat there, an infuriating half-smile on his face, entirely unperturbed about the attempt on his life.

I didn't even see him move!

She didn't stop moving. Undaunted by casual defense, she whipped out her wand, lightning-quick and a vicious incantation burst from her lips - an evisceration curse, designed to rip through most magical shield with ease.

Except instead of the dark purple light she had been expecting, there was - nothing.

Horror gripped her as she looked down at her wand. In place of her own silver-handled, ivory-white wand with dragon heartstring core, all she held was a slender black twig. She dropped it, startled.

"I daresay you are looking for these." He rose to his feet, holding out her very own wand with his long fingers. "Aspen wood. It's what alerted me to your true purpose in the first place." He chuckled, tilting his head towards her feet, where she wore polished dragonhide boots. "Besides, no one would be able to afford those on a healer's salary."

She broke through the fear that had gripped her, and her hands plunged towards her pockets, where her emergency portkey, and the pair of Garroting Gas bombs that were concealed there. The Führer will be disappointed by my failure, but he'll understand.

"Enough excitement for the night, I think." He flicked his wand, so fast that the movement was just a blur even to her enhanced eyesight. There was no defence as her hands snapped to her sides and she froze, still as board. He flicked his wand again, and she was stopped from toppling to the hard floor.

A spike of terror flared in her chest as he strode towards her with measured steps, exuding an aura of power she had only ever felt from another - Der Kanzler Grindelwald himself.

Even under the effects of the petrification spell, she couldn't help the shudder that ran through her. His blue eyes were twinkling, and there was a pleasant smile on his face, but neither held any warmth to them.

At least he drank the tea, she thought vindictively. Not even he can do anything against the poison now racing through his veins.

"You must be wondering about the poison you laced my tea with." He cocked his head to the side. "Judging from the slight salty smell, the Lover's Heartache, designed to induce a powerful heart shock and deliver a quick but most painful death."

His smile faltered as her eyes bulged with shock. "I transfigured the tea into brown, harmless water. You will be displeased to learn I won't be dying from that."

He continued talking, and his voice was sad as his thin, gnarly fingers caressed her cheek "Why you, my dear child? Why must he toy with the lives of others so?"

She shivered at the surprisingly tender gesture. He pulled away with a sigh, and she thought there was a hint of faint tears glistening in his muted blue eyes. "Gellert always did take what he wanted, uncaring of the consequences. He's using you, as he has others before you, and others after you."

The face that had been so soft moments ago hardened into something else. "Unfortunately, we are at war and the luxury of mercy is one I cannot afford to an enemy as dangerous as you."

The implication was clear. She choked at the deluge of emotions that flooded her head - hatred at her victorious enemy, disappointment that she had failed in her cause and fear that she was about to die and her mission, her cause would remain unfulfilled. She closed her eyes in defeat, awaiting the cold rush of death.

It did not come.

"And yet, I cannot bring myself to kill you. Even knowing what you have done, what you will likely do, if I set you free." His voice took on a sad, wistful tone. "You remind me too much of her, of Ariana. I shall not rob you of your life like I did hers."

Her optimism began to rise as she felt the spell binding her in place slowly weaken. A little more, yes, let him keep talking. Already, she could feel the thin bulge of her hidden, second wand against her thigh. Just a little bit longer.

An almost imperceptible rush of magic washed over her.

"Fly to Gellert, my little canary, and deliver this message. Tell him to prepare, that I will hide from him no longer. Tell him to meet me at the place where we first met, in a week from now. He will understand. If he wins... well let's just say I shall no longer be a nuisance to his goals."

There was no pop to signify his sudden disapparition, and she stumbled forward, unprepared as the spell binding her fell.

Fly to him? Why would I fly -

A sharp jolt of pain tore her from her musing, and she screamed as she saw her reflection in a small mirror on the wall. Yellow feathers, complete with scaly talons, beady black eyes and a small brown beak.

Suddenly the message made much more sense.

She screamed.