Dumbledore's hand paused slightly as he lifted his teacup. A flicker of doubt crossed his bright blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Gellert," he said gently, "whatever it is, I think you can say it in front of me. Will is my student too. I can't imagine why I'd need to leave."
"Of course. Will is also one of the few people in this era you can trust with what comes next." An unreadable light glinted in Grindelwald's mismatched eyes. "But Al, don't look at me as if I'm an old adversary you need to guard against. We're in the same boat now."
"Then you have even less reason to do this, don't you?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Shutting me out while you two share your little secrets."
"All right, Albus, I promise you." Grindelwald leaned forward slightly and met Dumbledore's eyes. "I won't do anything reckless. There are simply some things I need to discuss with Will.
"That abyss isn't something a young man should probe alone. I have experience with it, and I can't sit by and watch Will go astray.
"Sometimes, elders meddling too much only hinders a child's growth. Don't forget what we discussed: Will has his own future."
Dumbledore fell silent for a moment. The logs in the fireplace crackled softly.
Will said nothing. He looked at Dumbledore and saw the firelight casting shifting shadows across the deep lines of his face. Only then did Will realize how many wrinkles Dumbledore had.
"All right." Dumbledore finally relented. He set down his teacup and stood. "Fifteen minutes."
Once Dumbledore's footsteps faded down the stairs, Grindelwald turned to Will, his expression serious. "Will, you've already formed some suspicions about the power of the mind, haven't you?"
"Yes." Will didn't deny it. There was no reason to hide