Some say that seeing is believing and that was also the case with Cornelius Fudge who finally admitted to the world that Voldemort had indeed returned. If only the Ministry did not refuse to believe what those who have been fighting were desperately trying to show and tell them. And with the very admission came chaos and panic spread throughout England like a disease within the first hours of the cursed announcement.
Back at the Ministry, things were not looking any better either, interviews being conducted left and right for the Death Eaters that have been captured, everything on repeat. Entering her office, Finnemore placed a glass of water in front of Talia who had been there ever since they found her inside the Ministry "Sorry for taking so long, we're trying to get everyone to talk but as you can expect it's rotten work."
"When can I leave?"
"Soon." She uttered, going to her desk in order to write a few lines on a piece of parchment "I already wrote the report on your testimony. Talbott is almost done and he'll come and get you." Talia only providing a small hum in response as she continued to stare at nothing in particular with an empty look.
"I'm sorry about your mother." Finnemore offered her condolences.
Her former student lifted her eyes slowly to look up at her, a cold stare being directed her way "That woman has never been my mother. All she had ever done was give birth to me, nothing more."
"Still" pushing her chair further a bit from the desk and not so close to Talia she continued to speak "despite what you are showing right now, the feeling will sink in eventually."
Shaking her head slightly, she refused the idea entirely. She had gotten used to it ever since she was a child. Taking the glass in her hand, she drank a bit of water before placing it back down "I need to see Felix."
Sighing, Finnemore leaned forward "No can do, he's being interrogated and following that he will go directly to prison. End of story. How are your wounds?"
Looking down at the blood still covering her, Talia took a while to properly come up with an answer "Healed. It's what happens when I…it doesn't actually matter." Rubbing her forehead, she frowned at the state of her hands, the smell of blood as if stinging her nose, making her sick to her stomach "Look, Felix and Jasper were helping. Or were trying to at least, I was the one not particularly keen on listening to their reasons."
"Munday helping? Have you completely lost your mind? He was the reason Constantine captured you in the first place. He helped him."
Lifting her eyes slightly, she watched her tapping long nails on the desk's surface, not really understanding where the animosity suddenly came from "And the reason why he was captured. I know it doesn't sound alright, they have to pay for their crimes correct? But if that's the case then I too need be punished as well."
Slamming her palm against the desk, Talia's eyes shot to her face "Unless you plan on giving a full confession I suggest you get your head in the game. We are at war and we need you." A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, Talbott walking inside, eyes immediately going to Talia before looking back at his colleague when she asked "How's Harry?"
"Devastated naturally. He suffered a great loss, we all did." Getting up, Talia searched his face not understanding what him and Finnemore were talking about. She had been kept in the office after Talbott went to discuss with Felix, the latter a sobbing mess once in the interrogation room, apologising over and over for not being able to save her "May we have a moment alone?" he asked her, Finnemore nodding as she got up and left the pair to discuss. As soon as she was out of the office and within a reasonable distance as to not listen in, Talbott focused his attention back on the woman in front of him still searching his face for answers "What did you do Talia?" extending a hand out to check what used to be a deep wound, he found untouched skin as he pushed back the blood soaked material.
"I gambled. They didn't know, maybe assumed, but didn't know."
His jaw tensed as he just nodded trying to remain grounded. Sighing Talbott ran a hand through his hair "Well let's be thankful no one was there to witness the aftermath." She raised her hand looking at the cuts on her fingers, Talbott's eyes widening in realisation "Who?"
"It doesn't matter. Now" she looked back at him, determination set in her eyes "What happened? Who did we lose?"
She could tell it hurt him too, his voice quivering as he spoke once more, the name falling from his lips "Sirius."
Some say that the loss of a loved one is one of the greatest pains known to mankind, but Talia still did not want to acknowledge it. Slowly she backed away, sitting back down on the chair, her entire body as if just giving up. Her head hung low, slow breaths being taken to try and prevent the feelings inside her heart from exploding.
But there was no time for pain, no proper time for grieving.
"Some escaped, Jasper and Constantine included and unfortunately due to that the majority of the Order members have been exposed. Except for one." Talia scoffed as she sniffed her nose "Who did you go after? What could have been so important that you had to go running off?"
"Josephine Crane, pronounced dead. What I would actually like to know is who killed her because unfortunately it wasn't me." there was so much confusion swimming in her eyes, Talbott actually refraining from providing her that information, saving it for another time when she would actually think more clearly.
"Who saw you Talia? Were you able to identify them?"
"Yes, though this is hardly the time to talk about who saw me come back to life."
Her words rang inside his mind, however Talbott refused the acknowledge the rash judgement she tried to impose on him, or rather the stupidity of her words altogether. He knew her to be smart, careful. Not at all as unhinged as she had been.
Taking a step forward, he leaned over her "It's the perfect bloody time, because your father is looking on information on you, something to jog his memory, I don't know what exactly, but it's the reason why Voldermort is keeping him alive, so yes, you being seen coming back to life is a problem. What were you even thinking using an Unforgivable Curse?"
"What?" she snapped back at him, staring him dead in the eye "Are you going to arrest me?" her brows shot up as she waited for him to answer that "On what grounds? Committing suicide? I would like to see you mention to the world what I am."
"Who saw you?" he insisted leaning in closer still.
"He said his name is Akira Crane." the family name making Talbott's eyes widen.
"I believe I can help with that." They turned around stunned, both too focused on their argument in order to notice the office door being opened. Walking inside, Dumbledore offered them both a small smile.
Straightening, Talbott kept a hand on her shoulder to calm her down and at least hear him out "What do you mean?"
Dumbledore kept his eyes trained on her only, pausing for a moment "Let's just say if rumors are true, which in this case they appear to be, him and Talia are similar in many aspects."
She hated it, this cryptic way of speaking, the double meaning of everything "Fuck that, I don't care about a man with a borrowed name. I can handle him on my own." She tried to get up, only then realising Talbott's grip was indeed strong against her shoulder, but ignored it for the moment as she redirected her anger towards Dumbledore "If you want to do something for me, then save Felix. Do that. I don't even care about you anymore. Everyone around you is being used for some purpose."
"Everyone has a purpose my child."
"Don't call me that." Lifting her hand to push Talbott off of her, she felt him gently using his thumb to stroke her skin, calm and gentle despite the tension in the room, hesitation clear in her gestures "I am not your child, never was. You did not save me, you let the worst possible scenario happen in order to fulfil a fantasy. I did not get to choose, to carve my own path, no, I was carved out, you let him kill me. And something tells me there will be others, or there were others. Is this why you're now protecting Harry?"
Dumbledore watched as fire spread over the colour of her eyes, flames erupting above the surface of her palms, however that display did not hinder him in the slightest and furthermore it did not hurt Talbott "Apologies would be wasted, futile even, however everything happens for a reason Talia and it might not make sense when it happens, but it will later, I promise." Looking over at Talbott, he offered a few words to him as well "You both need to be far more careful from here on out. They have seen you, know you and you my boy will be one of their first targets. You need to take care of each other."
Thoughts clouded his mind, all swimming inside his brain, each problem bigger than the next one, however his eyes held a certainty and determination that appeared to be in total contrast with his feelings. Lifting his hand, he gently caressed Talia's face despite still looking at Dumbledore "You don't need to worry about me and her. You never have to again."
Nodding, Dumbledore turned around in order to leave, Talia stopping him. Finally getting up from her chair, she wrote down an address, walking in front of the headmaster "Save him, send him there. All that follows if you don't is on you. I will end your life and there won't be a damn thing you will be able to do about it."
Exiting the office with Talbott by her side, the buzzing sound of countless voices inside the Ministry felt like pins and needles against her ear drums, everything too loud. It felt erratic, the buzzing energy getting to her. Despite the steady arm around her shoulder that guided her, she felt as if she could not breathe properly.
They were at war.
They had known for the longest time, however it felt as if with the announcement, with the very acknowledgement of their small world being in danger once more, everything sank a little too deep "Who killed Josephine Talbott?" she asked, glossy eyes looking up at him "Who killed Sirius?"
She could feel the tension in his body as she held onto him as if her entire balance depended on him "Not now. It doesn't matter right now. We need to get out of here, regroup, come up with a plan."
She did not want it, no, she wanted to run. She wanted out. She did not want the blood on her skin and clothes, she did not want the tears streaming down her face, the fear inside her chest crushing her. She did not want to lose any more people she cared about.
She wanted to be nameless, free and oddly enough, happy.