"Expecto patronum!" Talia's voice roared as loud as the waves crashing against the sharp shores, the tip of her wand lighting up as an eagle soared through the air, protecting her from the incoming Dementors. They backed away with an ear piercing shriek as her lips curved in a sinister smirk, eyes following the graceful flap of her patronus's wings "There's no soul in this body for you to steal. I though you already knew that."
Strong winds blew through her wild hair, the rain turning it dark crimson as it stuck to her face, Talia running towards the large metal door, long fingers making magic slither from her finger tips as she worked on unlocking it, the majestic eagle still flying above her. She took a moment to allow a fleeing thought to run wild. How much longer could she allow the memory of her and Talbott to fuel her? At one point she was certain it would be impossible to even remember it, let alone shape her magic.
Calling it back, soft steps echoed through the stone hallways of Azkaban, Talia's eyes checking all the names on the cells, a list in mind as she infiltrated them, obliviating prisoners. Guards were put down easily, her choosing to incapacitate rather than hurt them. Personal matters were left to those who have caused her harm, not for people with names she cared little for or did not know at all.
The prisoners however…
Kicking one of them in the face, her boot collided with his nose, a loud crack echoing in his skull as he fell back, a violent curse directed her way "Why are you even complaining you pathetic thing? I am doing nothing more than what had been done onto me." Pulling on his chains, she brought him closer to her face "And I still have two more ribs to break."
From different cells as she continued to work, screams could be heard, invading the halls, bouncing off the walls as she delivered her revenge, erasing memories of the ritual in her wake. Kicking the door to Constantine's cells, he rose his eyes to look at her, a cold smile shaping his lips "You, familiar eyes such as mine. You, with a heart as cold as ice. You, daughter of mine, there is no doubt that you are a Crane."
"I am a Crane, yes, but you are wrong on one count." Pulling out a blade, the slash on his cheek made him hiss in pain "I am not your daughter, you killed her a long time ago." With a twist of her wrist, the chains keeping him in place came undone, Constantine lunging at her the very next second. Blocking his attack, Talia stabbed him in three short successions, her father falling back, gasping.
Her eyes lit up, fire burning his flesh, one hand keeping count of his pulse, Constantine punching her square in the jaw, however due to the pain inflicted, it barely packed any power, Talia just slapping him across the face as if telling him to keep it together.
Healing him a moment later, he was back on his feet, another fight breaking out.
He soon understood she was there to only torture him, Constantine refusing to retaliate anymore, Talia scoffing his way "Never expected you to quit so early, even I fought more as you and your men tortured me." Circling him, her blade created another slash against his skin, then another "But then again you were never as strong as me." Kicking him down, she watched the blood painting his skin, eyes as emotionless as his taking in the entire sight.
Calling upon the chains to keep him in place just as she had been tied down during the ritual, Talia ripped open his shirt, revealing bare skin. No matter how much he screamed or struggled against the restrains, she continued to carve out an exact replica of her scars "If I ever see you again, I am going to kill you, remember that Constantine." Whispering in his face, her eyes lit up "And I will enjoy seeing the life slowly leave your body."
Chuckling, he barely raised his eyes to look at her "I am so proud of you."
Every bit a monster staring back at her. Every fibre of his being set to destroy anything he touched just to achieve his goal. Talia smirked, flicking the blade, blood splattering on his face "I'm also proud of myself."
Walking outside of his cell, the next target was her mother. As Talia bent from the middle to look at the mad woman before her, she shook her head upon hearing her muttering to the wall "What a sad pathetic thing you are." The woman paid her no mind, being lost inside her own world, asking if Constantine had found the girl.
Josephine barely held any resemblance of the woman Talia remembered, everything about her wilted away, destroyed after so many years of being inside the prison. As she tilted her face to look at her better, her eyes widened upon seeing those turquoise jewels casting a chilling light, a surge of sanity jolting her awake, making her cower in a corner. Tilting her head to the side, fiery hair swung slightly, heavy strands sticking together from the water weighing it down "He did find me and I found him so tell me woman, what should I do to you?"
A shaky hand extended, dirt filled nails outstretched to point at Talia's chest "My heart."
A slash, blood pooling on the floor, Josephine crying out. As Talia yanked her by the hair, spreading her on the cold stones underneath her feet, she got on top, fists hammering against her mother's chest with all the force possessing her limbs, one after the other after the other "You should have saved me! You should have been a mother!"
No cries stopped her, no wails of pain and pleads could reach her, Josephine ending up a bruised mess under the torrent that was her daughter.
Breathing heavily, she gritted her teeth as she closed her eyes relaxing her body before finally getting up, one last cell remaining on her list. As she scouted the halls, she stopped in front of a worn out door that squeaked when she pushed it open.
Dark, beady eyes looked over at Talia as she stepped in, hands reaching out to retrieve a cigarette from her pocket, lighting it up as she looked at Jasper "Long time no see Munday."
Smirking, he nodded slowly "Indeed, it's been a while since we last spoke face to face."
Circling the room with her eyes, she huffed, smoke leaving her mouth "Yet it would appear we still intersect, despite not being face to face." Taking another cigarette, she placed between his lips, lighting it for him "You helped him."
"I helped you. Remember, I care little for mister Winger." The tip of his cigarette burned brighter as he took a drag, exhaling through his nose "Although I expect it to count for nothing, especially given what I heard happening here today."
Walking around, Talia looked outside the window, nothing but darkness appearing before her "The thing with you is that I never really understood what is your end game. You play on too many sides and you are bound to lose the fight this way."
A snicker left his mouth "Care for yourself Talia, not for Azkaban prisoners." Turning his head to look at her, Jasper added "Because at the end of the day, no one will care about you if we are on the outside."
However she already knew that, all his words did was to reaffirm all the lessons she knew off "Well then, I guess you are waiting to get back."
Shaking his head to let the ashes from the cigarette fall, he noticed her sliding down on the wall, just looking at him without any particular interest. Jasper smirked, taking another drag, speech a tad muffled by the cigarette "Not at all. If I am to be set free, I will end up with the rest of the Death Eaters. I like it here much more."
Waving her hand nonchalantly at the dirty prison cell, Talia chuckled "I can see why, it's exquisite. Really cosy." Resting her head against the stone tiles, she added nothing more, Jasper raising a brow at her.
"Contemplating on how to torture me?"
"I don't need to lose sleep over that, I know several ways I can inflict pain on you." She stopped to inhale softly as he shook his head once more, ash falling on his chest "But no, I won't hurt you." Surprise washed over his features, burning cigarette falling from between his thin lips as she got up, strapping the blade to her thigh, walking over to stomp the bud, placing the pack of cigarettes under his jacket "Sorry, don't have a lighter."
"I will make due." As she turned to leave, Jasper called out to her "Talia" her looking over her shoulder "You are both a sturdy base and a pillar but do be careful how much pressure you put on your shoulders. There is only a thin line and you are walking on the razor's edge."
Nodding her head, she closed her eyes. The first time Jasper Munday sat before her speaking about teams and tight duos, she had never expected for life to take her down such a complicated path.
Talia never expected her life to be sunshine and rainbows, far from it, however as she stood next to Talbott in that Auror training camp, she believed with every fibre in her body that she would manage to be on the good side for once. Now, she had only herself to rely on. The system once again failed to protect those who needed it.
The Ministry refusing to acknowledge Voldemort's return further reminded her that power is based on corruption. She had a good mind of burning it to the ground just to be done with it, however discarded that thought, as there were more innocent souls who did not deserve such a fate. On the other hand, killing them off could have been considered an act of mercy, as if sparing them the horrors of the war.
But it was not her call.
Arriving back in London, despite the unkind weather, it felt warmer than Azkaban. Concealing her face under a heavy hood, she placed her hands inside her pockets, arms close to her body as she stared at a clock indicating a bit over five in the morning. Suppressing a yawn, she moved around the empty streets, fog concealing building tops, her mind working on the next target.
She had been keeping score on the Death Eaters movements, coming too close for comfort once as she went head on against several of them in an attempt of saving a few halfblooded families. The commotion was enough to gather attention left and right, in the end Talia coming face to face with several Ministry Aurors who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. For at least it felt like that, them proving to be more of a hindrance.
They did not take time to understand that she was there to help, they did not think twice in raising their wands and pointing them at her, treating her like a common criminal, similar to those dark cloaks causing chaos and killing innocent people.
No, while she was out there, all alone, acting like a vigilante, they would not stop to question her. And while many still did not believe the shift in power that was happening right under their noses, she had people who knew about her, knew her.
Such as Tonks, who Talia still kept an eye on, something different shinning in her friend's eyes as she looked at a man she did not recognise.
Such a Mirunna Finnemore who always wanted more, to keep the light in her soul alive and not darken her further, however that was not something her former trainer could handle well.
Moody could barely even be seen these days, however she knew he was busy pulling his weight for the Order.
And then there was Talbott, who was always alone, always on alert, not even a bird could fly above him in the sky without him noticing it. However he was another pawn in the grand scheme of Dumbledore's plan. And while he was a formidable Auror, Talia believed he was kept around to actually keep her in check.
Joke's on them though, she thought as she turned a corner, Talbott Winger barely means anything to her anymore.