As soon as they reached their house and they informed everyone there what had happened, Talia retreated to the kitchen, turning around drawers and cabinets in search for some cigarettes, mind racing, her regretting several choices made up until that moment.

With the Ministry falling the implications were far greater than before, the Death Eaters gaining more control in the span of a few hours. They could access portkeys, transport, they could raid places without anyone or anything questioning, they had their grubby, murderous hands on everything. The Wizarding world was under their boot and the Muggle world was no longer safe either.

"Munday!" she yelled before storming out of the kitchen, him getting up from his seat on the couch to stare her down "Where the fuck are my cigarettes?"

"That's your concern?" he actually flinched slightly when she raised her hand to either slap him or worse, Talia exhaling slowly in order to calm her nerves "You need to think of the next move."

Taking a step back, she shook her head "Me? You fucking cretin, I have already thought of the next move. I have been doing so despite what you think." Glancing around at everyone, she yelled "Despite what you all think."

Approaching her, Felix placed a hand on her arm, drawing her attention to him "We could use Jasper." Searching his pockets, he pulled out a crumpled cigarette "Here." Glancing at Jasper, Felix spoke again as Talia lit up her cigarette "I trust him."

Talbott crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against a wall as he watched the exchange "Mind explaining yourselves? Because it's clear we're all out of the loop at this point."

"Jealous Winger?" Felix snapped, Talia immediately glaring at him despite the man not paying attention anymore "You may get the girl, but that does not mean a thing, believe me."

Slowly moving his piercing gaze between them, Talbott started connecting the events "There's more to leaving for Romania isn't there? This isn't just about saving me and Felix, though that might have been your initial thought." Pushing himself away from the wall, he walked in the middle of the living room, eyes searching Talia's "You spoke with Charlie and let me guess, he wasn't too fond about the possibility of me joining, but he agreed for your sake. You need people outside of England to help. What for?"

"Look at you, spoken like a true Auror." She huffed the smoke through her nose, passing the half smoked cigarette to Felix "Yes, I need people outside of England to help. We are alone Talbott, completely alone and stuck in this country." And it was dauting to say the least. Her words reverberated through the small group, echoing inside their core to the point they could feel the empty pits of they stomach.

Turning to look at Jasper, Talbott glared "Do you still have connections on the outside?"

"I think I can conjure a few. Would you like to join me mister Winger?"

Sighing, Talia stepped between the two "I swear, there's so much testosterone in this house it makes me want to puke. If Felix says I can trust you, I will. But I can't do this alone."

Mirunna stepped next to Jasper "I'll help him, report back to you. Felix will go to Romania if he can. Talbott" she stated looking directly at him "will remain by your side." Glancing at the remaining members inside the house, she added "We will also need to move them to one of the other safe houses. This place might go up in flames fast, at least it will take just us with it. We lost enough as it is."

"Agreed. I'll help with their transfer." Leaning closer to Talia's ear, Talbott whispered "I took and hid your cigarettes. They're in our room, in a shoe box under the bed." Her eyes widening at his audacity.

A couple of days later as the Weasley family finished being interrogated by the Death Eaters, Charlie was allowed to return back to work. Inside a small train station Talia and Felix said their goodbyes as she handed him a ticket alongside instructions as to where to get off and get the portkey in order to head to Romania alongside Charlie.

As the house was finally empty with Mirunna and Jasper heading to their location without giving too many details, the sigh of relief Talbott breathed out was short-lived as Remus knocked on their door.

"Is Talia here?" nodding, he led him inside the living room, Remus sitting across from her in an armchair "I need your help."

She listened carefully to his story. To how Molly suspected that Harry, Ron and Hermione were up to something and that was the reason why she gave them separate tasks during the wedding. To how she tried to convince them to mention what they were actually up to. To how Remus tried to coax Harry into joining them and not going on his own.

"He won't join you, no matter what you say Remus." Talia mentioned sitting back on the sofa. From the look in his eyes it was clearly not what he wanted to hear, especially not from her "I know why you came to me, but I have no power over the boy. He will especially not listen to me once he learns my relationship with Snape, if he doesn't know by now."

"But Talia he's just a boy."

"He is." She nodded her head understanding his words fully "But that doesn't mean he will do what you tell him to do. You need to take in consideration that said boy has been through more than others combined. You can't make him do anything once he sets his mind to it. He has been alone, whatever the reason, he was still abandoned. Then he was thrust into this new world that he knew nothing about and even worse he has mental case wishing to end his life."

Remus became serious "Sound familiar no?"

Smiling as to not even consider the true intention of his words, Talia remained rooted in her spot "No." her face fell "Me and Harry aren't similar. You need to understand that he will do what needs to be done because he doesn't wish to endanger other people. That's why he won't stay with you and Tonks, why he won't be with the Weasleys." pursing her lips, she sighed "Be thankful he's not alone. His friends will be there with him. I know it's hard to think it like that since they are yes, children as you call them, but in their minds, they aren't."

Stepping in, Talbott also agreed with Talia "What we can do is monitor him, send help when needed, but at the end of the day, that's all we can do. We all have our own paths to walk on. I suggest you focus more and keeping yourself and Tonks safe. Be on the lookout for anything, we will all try to communicate as much as we can in order to ensure we all have the same level of information."

To say Remus looked dejected was an understatement at best and Talia understood why. He expected that she and Harry could bond over some common ground and she would be able to convince him despite people that he trusted failing to do so.

"I know it's maybe not my place to say this, but offering him help now won't do much good. His trust in people is minimum at best. His emotional capacity is also extremely limited, he doesn't understand half the things he's dealing with. He's scared Remus."

"We all are."

Witnessing her lean in slightly, his eyes widened "Good." Talbott glanced over at her, mind working fast as he processed her words "Fear is a good response, it means we're still feeling what we need to. You should be afraid when that response is no longer, because when a creature is afraid, instincts kick in. Now, how about some tea? I'm certain Talbott can help you with that." Getting up, she went outside on the terrace, leaving the two men alone.

Looking over at Remus, Talbott also got up, inviting him in the kitchen "Apologies, she doesn't mean any harm."

"But you think she's right don't you?"

He kept silent as he went on to prepare the tea for Remus, deciding last minute he might as well just have a cup himself "Don't get me wrong, her methods can be extreme at times. But she's also right most of the times, even when I don't actually want to admit it."

"She's very different from you." Remus uttered softly, but Talbott still caught his words.

Turning around, Talbott glanced at him "Yes, she is and it's good. If she wasn't, if she were to be like me, then something tells me the outcome would have been very different and more than likely at least one of us wouldn't have been here."

"Apologies, I didn't mean any harm."

Shaking his head, Talbott's face softened "I know, don't worry. I saw how people looked at us at the wedding. They take what they see first, the scars. Then if they learn her true name, which in all honesty she isn't even hiding anymore, it gets worse. Because of her parents, she will always be viewed as this cruel creature."

Remus lowered his head "But she isn't like that. She has good to offer as well."

"Yes." Talbott added "Very much so, you have no idea. Just like Tonks. So don't do it."

Remus's eyes shot up, a startled stare taking Talbott in "Do what?"

Talbott's jaw tense slightly before he spoke again, turning back around to prepare the tea "Push her away. I hear things, things you don't think I do because of the distance, but my hearing is about as good as my eyesight. Also I recognized the signs, been there so whatever you are thinking don't. because if you love her you are going to regret it."

While Talbott did not think the discussion did too much good, Remus at least left somewhat more peaceful than he came which was a good sign. He after all from the looks of it had a lot to think about.

Joining Talia on the terrace, she was just sitting in a chair, watching the clouds go by, not bothering with too much apart from that "Galleon for your thoughts?"

"Too many for you to afford." Glancing at him, she placed her hand on his forearm "No offence."

Before she managed to take her hand away, he placed his over it "None taken really. The Ministry pay is shite." A chuckle danced between both of them, Talbott pulling gently on her hand, urging her to get up and come near him.

Standing up, Talia looked down at him, his hand still holding her. Pulling further, she relented as Talbott sat her down on his lap, his arms wrapping around her waist, him pressing his head against her chest "What are you doing?"

"Finding a moment of peace, something steady."

"I don't think I'm what you're searching for Talbott."

Lifting his head, he looked in her eyes. So many stories, so much pain, he knew where it began but did not know where it all ended inside of her. Those orbs that fascinated him, wide and sincere, unable to conceal all that she wanted to hide. Despite her mask, it cracked when she looked into his eyes, a glimpse of her surfacing for him to see.

Pulling her closer, she could feel his breath on her face, lips so close, she could almost taste him. He wanted her, he needed her to just lean in and close the space between them, but did not dare venture further than he had already "Tell me what you want." She told him, demanding, yet soft as she spoke.

"Everything I can't have." Her eyes widened slightly, surprise shinning in them "I want you like this and more Talia. I want us to make it. I want you to want it just as much as me."