Albus sighed as the couple that should have been disappeared into the kitchen.
"I guess its time." He whispered. 

The streets of Germany bustled, Credence watched, waiting to strike. 

"Do you know what its like? To have no one? To always be alone?" He asked Albus. "I'm a Dumbledore, you abandoned me. The same blood that runs my veins, runs in yours." 
A phoenix flew over head, its wings frail and its body ashen. 
"Oh no, please no." Albus pleaded to himself. 
"He's not here for you, he's here for me." Credence stood tall and it was then Albus knew, the boy was dying. Credence struck and Albus blocked his spell. "Credence." 
"My name is Aurelius." He said as his magic faltered. 
"What he's told you isn't true, but we do share the same blood." 

The phoenix flapped its wings against the obscurial, eventually though it returned to its host.
"I'm sorry for your pain, we didn't know, I promise." Albus helped him back to his feet and left. 

****************************************

Back at Hogwarts, Newt, Theseus, Lally, and Jacob had returned.
"You are alive and you are well." Albus smiled at the assembled group, "Bunty is in the village and my brother has prepared rooms for you all." 
"Is the Qilin..? Newt trailed off.
"Everyone in the the case is safe, come." Said Albus as he led them to the village. 

"Aberforth, where is Ria?" 
"Upstairs." Replied the younger.
"Good, tuck in everyone." Albus nodded to the group. "I need to talk to you both." 
Together, they headed for the stairs, Ria was overseeing an array of cleaning supplies. 
"It's filthy, haven't you ever heard of a broom?" 
Aberforth winced at the remark, "Sorry Ria." 
"Can the broom wait a moment, I would like to speak with you both." Albus asked. Ria waved her hands and the broom began to sweep on its own. 

"I saw Credence. He is your son and he is dying." Albus placed the ashen phoenix feather upon the table and Ria reached for it, "Aurelius." She breathed. 
There was a knock on the door and it opened slightly to reveal Newt.
"Aberforth." Ria rushed after him as he left the room. 
"Oh my." Newt said quietly. 
"Have a seat." Albus said. The broom stopped and crashed to the floor. 
"I know you know Credence can't be saved but he may yet save us." 
"Even if we make mistakes, the terrible things, we can try to make things right. And that's what matters: trying." Newt told Albus as they discussed all that had transpired leading them to now. 

*******************************

"Aberforth!" Ria raced after him, hot on his heels. "Woah." Ria stepped out on to a balcony that over looked the village. "Aberforth." She said as he turned to her, tears laces his eyes. 

"My sister, my son, you. How many more people do I have to lose because of my brother and Grindelwald?" Aberforth sobbed Ria pulled him into a hug. 

"We will fix this. I am staying right here." Ria vowed. "I should have come looking for you sooner."

"You were angry and lost." Aberforth said. "What ever happened to your Aunt?"
"The boat sank, she didn't make it. Unbeknownst  to me, Aurelius did." 

"He is strong, like his mother." There was hair obscuring Ria's face and Aberforth pushed it back behind her ear. "Thank you." She studied his dark eyes and wiped the tears from his face. "We are going to be okay won't we?" 

"We will." Aberforth kissed her forehead, "We have to find our son."
"I only hope we're not too late."