When Talbott received a single simple note with a one liner, he recognized Talia's hand writing and was finally able to let out a sigh of relief knowing that she was safe. At least for the time being that was since everyone was gearing up for battle. It would be swift, abrupt and not much time to alert others of what was going on.

Thankfully, he was part of the Order of Phoenix and lately they have been standing close by in order to aid Harry and move in quickly. And when the time came and May 2nd hit, they took over Hogwarts and braced themselves for the battle to come. He barely had time to send a few messages himself, hopping they would not be intercepted and that they would reach their destinations in time.

But at the same time he hoped that would not happen.

He wanted the note for Talia to not reach her, for her to have decided not to actually fight, that she was not able to endure it and would just sit one out, at least this once.

And when she did not assemble with the rest of the members, he was happy in a sense, but at the same worried out of his mind since he did not know where she actually was. Because if she tried to enter the castle through any other means they would see her, they would catch her. They would torture her, or kill her or worse, make her fight against her friends, against the people she loved.

And if it was something Talbott did not want to witness was Talia's rage up front.

When they launched spells into the air in order to create a barrier around the school, Talbott transformed in his eagle form once the barrier was completed and did a round as quickly as he could of the courtyard. He saw familiar faces and new alike. Former school mates joined the battle, a few nodding his way, as he flew around. They were there, people he knew were there to fight against Voldemort's army.

Transforming back near McGonagall, both looked at each other with worry "They're out there and there's so many of them." She just nodded, fear but also determination clear in her eyes "Have you seen Talia by any chance? She's not in the courtyard."

She shook her head "No, sorry, I haven't seen the girl. Maybe she's in the castle."

Maybe, he thought as he went inside to take his position on higher grounds. Going up the stairs a familiar voice caught his attention, Andre waving at him. Running up the flight of stairs, they disconnected just as Talbott jumped in front of his friends, hugging both Andre and Penny.

"Chiara is also here, we'll need a healer, as many as we can." Penny informed him, Talbott also nodding as they all continued walking in order to reach their point inside the castle.

"This won't hold forever." Talbott mentioned as he looked up "The majority are concentrated at the entrance of the castle from what I could tell, but I can see more of them around right now."

Penny and Andre peered in the darkness, just taking his word for it as Talbott continued to keep watch.

"Umm, mate, one question?" Andre looked up at Talbott "When the proverbial shit hits the fan, how will we know who is good and who is bad, I don't know half the people here."

"Trust me, you'll know by the murderous look in their eyes. You won't be able to miss it."

A gasp tumbled from between Penny's lips as multiple lights flew across the dark night sky, spells hitting the barrier repeatedly. The air rumbled, ground beneath their feet shaking on impact, the sky above them lighting up like fireworks. From the castle entrance, the most powerful spell was launched, splitting through the darkness, hitting the barrier, all their efforts crumbling before their very eyes as if setting fire to a piece of paper.

The dark sky could be seen as the barrier came undone, a new light shinning above the school, fire being directed from a single point up in the sky directly towards Voldemort. It continued to expand, flames taking a life of their own, surrounding the terrain. Smoke filled the air, however even from that distance Talbott knew who it was.

"What is that?" Andre asked, somewhere in between having grabbed Talbott's hand.

"Help. Get inside, it's about to get ugly fast. She won't be able to hold it for long."

Penny and Andre did as they were told, however Talbott continued to watch the sky. He could hear her, above the ragging fire, above the commotion in the castle and outside, he focused on her. Spells hurled at Talia, her dodging as many as she could before one inevitably hit her, body tumbling towards the ground at rapid speed. A few spells were directed her way, catching her fall, Talbott letting out a sigh before he focused his brain on the matter at hand.

At the army of Death Eaters making their way towards them as soon as Talia's fire died out. He shook his head, smirking, before glaring in the distance, several other people joining him where he stood. He knew they had a disadvantage, at the end of the day they all used forbidden spells but that did not mean they were weak and did not hold any tricks up their sleeves.

The sounds were deafening against his sensitive ears. It was all happening so fast. One moment he had an advantage, the next someone was plunged against the wall distracting him. His body ached, from fighting, from casting defensive and attack spells one after the other. He lost count of how many times he hit the ground and still found the strength to get up and fight again. He could taste blood in his mouth, at one point he was certain he hit his head and was bleeding but did not dare check the wound for fear of losing any advantage he managed to gain.

He was pushed back inside the castle, almost taking a dive down the stairs if not for a helping hand steadying him and he did not even know the face of that person. There was no time for words, for offering a thank you, he just was just fighting, not backing down, he could not afford it.

His muscles were tense, strain in his body evident by how he breathed, how his chest expanded rapidly and for some unknown reason he wanted a drink then, a sip of water, he would give everything for it. It felt as if his mind disconnected from reality, he was still fighting, body on autopilot, however it felt as if he was somewhere else. Somewhere away from the pain, where nothing hurt.

Where there was no fear, or anger, no loud sounds. Where the lights did not hurt his eyes and his clothes weren't sticking to him from the sweat mixing with blood and dust. Where walls around him did not collapse and he had to dodge every single thing in sight while also making sure he had to watch his back.

He could hear his labored breathing and it was grinding against his ears, Talbott not being able to discern that it was him actually producing the sound. But he wondered when he stopped hearing his erratic heartbeat. It bugged him, like a question going forever unanswered. When did he stop focusing on the sounds his heart produced? He could have sworn his chest hurt at one point by the sheer amount of heartbeats.

What was he even doing?

He was just a spectator of his own life and at that very moment he realized he was fighting for his own life and loosing. A Crucio spell was flung his way, barely missing him as a body interacted with his own, both hitting the floor.

He saw the face, it was a former school mate, but at that moment he could not conjure the name in his head.

The sounds around him suddenly became loud again as if a new hit of adrenaline rushed through his veins. Everything moved normally again and not in slow motion as he feared it was. He was pulled back onto his feet, a question directed his way "Are you alright?" Talbott swallowing thickly before just nodding, the man before him running to help someone else.

Looking down at his hands, he finally registered how he was trembling, how scared he actually was.

Screams of terror, pain and much more surrounded him, Talbott looking around desperately trying to find a familiar face, someone, something.

Getting his legs to work proved harder than initially intended, however he managed to run down the stairs and down the corridors in order to reach the courtyard.

The cool air hit his body all at once, Talbott inhaling deeply as he took in the sight. Bodies and rubble painted the ground, a few still out there fighting. His eyes found Talia immediately, fire still blazing, eyes illuminating her features as she continued to fight by any means necessary. Her body bent and wielded itself to avoid attacks, as if made for it, as if she had finally found her balance. And all that blood painting her skin as she continued to attack while constantly being backed up by others, spells defending her, a mix of blue and red illuminating the darkness, a painting of terror brough to life.

She spun around, a knife being plunged into her attacker, a man just nodding his head at Talia slightly, her going after another.

He had never seen her in full action, not like that. It was as if witnessing a dance of death going on repeat, again and again, happening before his very eyes, yet he could not look away. At how she concentrated and yet did not, as if it flowed, as if her body knew what needed to be done.

A round kick brought Talbott in her eye sight, Talia's voice reaching him "Move!"

He exhaled, Talia launching a spell, enough to send him away from her line of attack. The Death Eater pointed his wand at Talbott, green emanating from it as he began uttering the forbidden curse. Talia ran, mouth uttering a single word, face forced in sheer concentration as she closed her open fist "Obliterate" was all that he heard, the next second blood splattering on him, the walls, the ground.

Talia's eyes came in view, Talbott initially pulling away from her "Sit still, you're in shock. Alright?" she uttered, cupping his cheeks, her nodding and him alongside her without knowing why he was doing it in the first place.

He felt warmth and the taste of metal, Talbott seeing fire engulfing both of them as her healing powers crept up his system, rapidly spreading, him taking a few seconds to realize that Talia was kissing him.

His senses appeared to come back to him one by one and he actually wondered how hard did he hit his head? When she parted from him, he pulled her back in again, giving her a small peck, whispering against her lisp "I love you."

Talia pulled away shortly, checking her surroundings before looking back at him "Save it for when and if we survive this. I need you focused today alright?"

"Yes mam." He smiled, both breaking away from each other to continue fighting.