And let March pass for she never cared for it much anyway. It felt heavy as if a weight was pressing down on her, threatening to destroy her entirely. She was in the middle of a war that had nothing to do with her and she was still trying to gather the pieces after the meeting with Jasper and Felix, still trying to understand exactly what she was doing. Or better yet what was expected of her in this situation.

She lamented over each decision she took, over each step, wishing at one point to actually have the ability to stop, to reach out for some guidance. But who to turn to?

Snape was caught in the middle worse than she was, he did not require another child to look after, he had done enough for her. He warned her, kept her safe, trained, making her mind sharp and prepared her as much as he could for the darkness ahead of her. He had done his duty.

Dumbledore she could not trust, would not trust. He used her as a weapon and while she did not see it before, she began connecting the dots, realising that almost everyone he had close, allowed close was there to serve a purpose. And she hated it, how his influence spread, how she was basically a thing, an object even and not a living, breathing human being.

Scoffing, she put out the cigarette, realising she had filled the ashtray by the time the first ray of sun shine decided to show itself caressing the sleepy city.

She was not human anymore, had not been for some time. While she still bled and hurt, she was not normal. She could die and come back, her touch could burn, she could destroy everything if she wanted to. It was just a matter of time until all that anger searing inside of her would burst out and the flames would engulf everything.

Catching her reflection in the window, fire lit eyes stared back at a tired face, Talia sighing before she willed herself to calm down.

Moody and Finnemore were also out of the equation for her. She had never truly trusted them to that extent so she felt she was missing out lately when it came to their presence. They were their mentors when it came to training to become an Auror and nothing more. Now that was just a fleeting memory at best.

This time she let out a dry chuckle, lighting up a fresh cigarette.

Even that part of her life turned out to be a joke, but she had no one to blame but herself. Sure she could blame it on Talbott, but it was not he physically removed her from the country and put a ban on her from ever returning or becoming an Auror as she initially intended.

Her thoughts turned to Bill, however as much as she saw him like an older brother and knew he would come in a heartbeat and listen to her, he had other things he needed to focus on. She was the last thing he needed on his plate. Him or any other of the Weasley's. Turning her gaze towards her bag, she wondered for a moment if she should write a letter to Charlie. Nothing major, something small, a hello, a how are you, but she considered even that to be dangerous.

Exhaling the toxic fumes, she closed her eyes listening to the sounds of the house. That dreaded house elf was up somewhere around the house. She heard him welcoming Sirius when he descended to go to the kitchens. She could have joined him for coffee, but once more that was a thought she decided against.

He was worried enough about Harry and everyone in the house, if she stayed out of his sight, it was good enough. Fine by her, despite knowing he would also lend an ear. He had done so in the past, actually being of help, but as she opened her eyes hearing a soft knock on her door, the last loud thought evaporated from her brain. She was too far gone to be helped.

"Come in." putting out the cigarette, her eyes went wide for a moment when Talbott walked inside.

"Good morning." Approaching her, he extended a cup of hot coffee, Talia giving him a puzzled look.

"Thank you, but I didn't hear you going downstairs."

Lifting his brows, he took a sip from his own cup before replying "Who said I ever went upstairs to sleep?"

Nodding her head, she gave him that one "Fair point, but you actually need sleep in order to function."

Scoffing, he gave her a grave look "Speak for yourself Talia. Also since my room is above yours it's either I sleep with a room filled with the smell of cigarettes or with Moody snoring and swearing in his sleep since we share the room." That got her to chuckle, Talia shaking her head as she lit up another cigarette, Talbott noticing the multitude of buds in the ashtray "I thought you only smoked sometimes."

Exhaling, she drank from her cup, closing her eyes as she let the bitter taste consume her for a few seconds "Not like smoking can kill me."

"Really funny." He smirked, but there was some bitterness behind his action, one Talia saw through as he looked around the room, trying to find something else to capture his attention apart from her.

Deciding on sparing him the awkwardness and herself from being in the same space with him for too long, she decided to ask the question "What are you doing here so early?"

Looking back at her, he tried his hardest to not stare at the bandages that were showing from under her clothes or her healing bruises that still refused to totally subside even after a few days since the incident "I know you will more than likely go out soon looking for trouble."

"What gave me away?"

Blinking a few times, he decided to ignore her playful tone and her question "I know it goes without saying but please be careful. We have no way of knowing if the meeting wasn't actually someone else's idea or if they came back and were interrogated. You could be in grave danger."

Exhaling harshly through her nose, she lifted her eyes to give him a proper look "Stop fussing over me. Harry is the only one that matters, I thought that's the reason why you're here with the Order of the Phoenix."

Her tone was not harsh or anything, but she was still trying to get herself away from the conversation. However Talbott was having none of it. Sitting down on her bed, he placed the cup down on the floor, resting his forearms on his legs "Still funny that the actual one who could be considered a Phoenix doesn't want to be a part of this."

"What can I say, I'm a fucking delight today, cracking jokes left and right."

Now it was clear she wanted him to drop all subjects, but he still pushed "I'm being serious, you need to be more careful. You've been very reckless lately."

Lifting her index finger, she shook it "No, no, I can actually hold my own. Thank you for worrying, but I got this."

"Right" he replied dryly "that's why you came back in the state you did. That's why you were captured, because you can hold your own."

That glare she game him was dangerous, Talia pushing a not yet extinguished cigarette bud with force inside the ashtray, causing a few other buds to fall from it "Fine then, let me say it another way." Talbott sat back a bit, crossing his hands over his chest, ready to take her tirade "I don't need you worrying about me. Your concern is actually wasted on me."

Lifting his chin a bit, he did not back down "Maybe, but I can't help it. I do worry about you. Plus being this unhinged is dangerous for all of us."

Getting up, she inhaled sharply "You haven't seen unhinged." She tried to fight it, to back down from what he was trying to bring out of her, but he just rubbed her the wrong way "Unhinged would be me taking this damn cup and smashing it against your stupid head."

Also getting up, he towered above her "Really, that's how you want to act?"

Giving him a one over, she laughed appalled by his behaviour "Like seriously, where was this concern when I was in Romania in that fucking sanctuary huh?" Getting up in his face, she bared her teeth as if ready to snarl at him "Where were you then?"

Backing away since he was not too keep on answering her, she just ran her fingers through her hair knowing she already said too much. Talbott remained silent, retreating inside his own shell like he always did. Letting a few moments pass, he decided he had said all that he had to say. If she was going to act that way then there was no reason to waste his breath on her.

Before he decided to turn around and leave, Talia rummaged through her bag, Talbott stopping in his tracks as she held out for him his necklace "Take it. I did my part, I kept it safe."

He hesitated. In a sense he wished to reach out and touch it, fell the soft feather against his fingertips, allow his mind to take him back to better times, simpler, safer. But on the other side of his beloved necklace stood fury herself, dark eyes looking directly at him, anger making her hand shake as she continued to keep the item in front of him.

Shaking his head, he took a step back "I still need you to hold onto that for me." She blinked in surprise, looking at the necklace then back at him, her face as if asking him what he actually expected her to do with it "Just keep it."

Her brows knitted, Talia placing it back on top of her bag "Keep it? It's yours, it belongs to you. I move around more than you. I…" she let out an exasperated sigh "If I lose it you will hold it against me forever."

"No, I wouldn't. I just feel that it should stay with you, at least for the time being." He could tell she was above exasperated so he decided it was best to leave then, when she was a bit calmer and in a state of mild confusion. Leaning to pick up his coffee cup, Talia let out a gasp. Looking at her immediately it did not take him too long to figure out where she was looking at.

Cursing inside his mind, he instinctively hid with his hand the Phoenix pin from her eyes as if that alone could erase the fact that she had already seen it. Her understanding that he still cared about her was one thing, but seeing the memento he kept with himself at all times was something else entirely. With a defeated look in his eyes, he spoke "I can give it back if you want." Talia immediately shaking her head.

"No, no. It's yours now." Retreating back to the window sill, she sat down, thumb running across her lips as she forced herself not to bite down on them and expose her nervous tick to him.

Talbott spared no more second glances as he retreated from her room and back to the kitchen, Sirius smiling his way "Everything alright my friend?"

Placing the cup in the sink, he sighed, closing his eyes "No, nothing is alright."

"An over reaction I'm certain." Topping both his own coffee and his, Sirius passed him placing a reassuring hand on Talbott's shoulder "Perhaps it's best to discuss matter of the heart when both of you aren't so tired."

Leaving him with those words, Sirius retreated leaving him alone with his own thoughts "What matters of the heart?" he whispered, running a hand across his face.

From across the table, the elf hissed through his teeth startling Talbott "What matters is you all going away."

Shaking his head, he let out a bitter chuckle "Great, even an elf thinks it can tell me off. What a great start for today."