The new year came and went by just as fast, a second was all it took, one that meant nothing for Talia in the current state. After all, there was no cause for celebration or a need for one, it was another second added to the timeline of the war. The year 1997 meant little to her.

However she did make a resolution for herself and it involved her going out more, hiding in libraries, reading from dusk till dawn. Talbott got his hands on some Healing books that Talia devoured and since ingredients for potions became hard to acquire, she resorted to modern Muggle medicine and started learning about it.

Granted her efforts were met with a lot of skepticism when she could not produce a potion for a common cold and instead offered other substances. Instead of a dreamless potion, she got her hands on sleeping pills. And it went on and on, questions addressed by the dozen, her trying to answer each and everyone of them to the best of her abilities.

Thankfully for all the dislikes and aversion she encountered, especially in the older wizards and witches, Talbott made up for it. He supported her decision, encouraged her journey and helped as much as he could.

In truth he wanted to just be there for her as long as she allowed it. On the surface she looked calm, however he knew there was more to it than met the eye, that had always been the case with her. But even so, since she was far more in touch with everything she was doing, Talbott took it as a positive note and decided not to hinder her in the slightest.

Days trickled into weeks, and those weeks became months, the cold still as if unbearable despite it being February. They could not remember the last time they had such low temperatures, as if even nature itself was against them. Sitting on the floor with a couple of books in front of her, Talia scribbled some words in a notebook, highlighting a few of them in red, eyes reading everything once more as she whispered to herself, lips moving slowly.

Talbott sat on the couch reading a book of his own in order to pass the time, sometimes stealing glances at Talia, smiling to himself when she wrinkled her nose, frowning from time to time as she studied the words on paper. Lifting his eyes to look at the clock on the wall, it was barely past ten, however he felt tired "I think I will go to bed."

Talia nodded, the words registering but not fully, however she did lift her hand to wave at him, Talbott shaking his head urging her not to stay up too late, but he knew that even if she did, she would still be the first one up.

Stretching, he took the blanket from the armchair and draped it over Talia's shoulders. Lifting her eyes to finally look at him, she smiled "Thank you but I wasn't cold."

"Doesn't matter, sitting like that on the floor isn't good for you."

Shrugging her shoulders, she told him to go to bed since he was breaking her concentration and she was too invested to stop for the night. His steps up the stairs made a small creaking sound, Talia rubbing her forehead as she read a paragraph for the second time, closing her eyes as she repeated it, trying to remember as much as she could.

A loud crack made her jump as it echoed through the night, her seeing Talbott coming back down the stairs, wand drawn, his index fingers lifting to his lips, Talia nodding as she slowly got up. Footsteps were heard outside of their door moments later, them listening in, Talia mouthing a name, however Talbott did not wish to take any chances.

A sequence of knocks were heard, both residence in the house letting out an exhale. Opening the door, Talia rushed Moody inside "What happened?"

The very next second his hand was on her arm, a serious look on his face "You're coming with me to Saint Mungo's this very moment." He barely tugged at her, Talbott placing a firm hand on Moody's arm.

"Explain." Was all he said, his wand still at his side, grasp firm, dangerous eyes looking at his superior without even faltering. Moody did not lose anymore time. No answers were provided as he Apparated them to the desired location, Talbott almost losing his cool as he found himself within close proximity to the hospital.

"I don't have time to explain, we're late as it is." Talia knew it was serious, with how usually guarded the Auror was he would have not risked being exposed if it was not important to him or the cause.

"Is it Harry?" she asked following in his footsteps, placing her hand over Talbott's in order to persuade him to back down, however her question was answered with a violent headshake, Talia only being left with bracing herself.

"She's not a porcelain doll you know." He barked at Talbott, not looking at him but instead turning his anger and frustration towards the younger Auror.

"If you have a problem with me I suggest we take this somewhere else." He retorted quickly, despite still following Moody to a certain salon.

There doctors tried their best to stop the bleeding from several wounds, blood painting their skin as well as hers. Talia approached slowly to look at Finnemore's pale face, drawing in a breath before she pulled up her sleeves, rushing to her side. She shouted for the healers to leave, them eventually being forced back by Talbott and Moody despite the protest leaving their mouths.

However, when the crowd dissipated, a single figure remained, Talia only lifting her eyes to address a single line towards him "I'll deal with you after."

Placing her hands on her former instructor's body, she slowly exhaled as fire lit up her eyes before she closed them, Talia pouring her healing magic into her. She soon felt the very cuts underneath her palms closing up one by one, damage slowly being undone as the room glowed from the aura surrounding the two women, the rest being left to only witness what was happening.

Once she knew she performed every action humanly possible, Talia gently caressed Finnemore's cheek "She needs rest for now, but she'll be fine." It was then when she heard Moody releasing a sigh of relief, her turning to him "Did you doubt me?"

"I doubted you could make it in time. I don't know what's going on with you, but you'd better pull it together."

She blinked rapidly, a defiant smirk playing on her lips "I don't remember agreeing to anything." Turning away from him she went near the man that had not said a single word during the entire ordeal however Talbott still held his wand up to his face. Talia gently lowered his hand, a punch interacting with his face, Jasper only groaning before he let out a small laugh.

"Are you going to kiss me like you did with Felix last time we met or is that only reserved for him?"

Talia felt Talbott tensing under her touch upon hearing those words, however she did not look at him, instead only smirked herself "You'd need to earn it first." Punching him again she heard the satisfying crack of his nose breaking upon impact, blood painting his skin, his eyes watering as he looked at her.

But that look in his eyes did not falter as he continued to stare at her "I guess I deserved that." Spitting to the side, Talia caught that single moment when his eyes travelled to Finnemore, his expression changing slightly.

"What did you do?"

Jasper locked eyes with her the very next second him leaning in closer to her face, Talbott's wand pressing against sensitive skin causing him to glance over at him "Aren't you a good pillar of support?"

"Why are you here?" Talbott inquired, his voice dangerous, as if rumbling through his chest.

Jasper only raised his brows a fraction before turning back to look at Talia, her face softening as she sighed. Extending her hands, she pushed away the dark robes, reveling the blood on his shirt "You brought her here. You saved her." She witnessed Talbott's wand fall slightly, but he did not lower it completely. Her hands rose, grasping Jasper's face, his eyes widening as she insisted "Say it."

"You're a fool Talia."

She kicked his leg, making him lose his balance, Jasper falling to his knees as she forced him to kneel, her nails digging into his skin "Say it." She forced his head in the same position, not letting him break eye contact, Jasper cursing her out, blasphemies dying out when fire took over, Talia leaning in "Say it Munday, just say it and I will spare you."

His lips clasped shut despite the strain in his jaw, Talia's lips spreading into a devious smile.

"Then let me show you the difference." She suddenly grabbed Talbott's arm, fire warming his skin however it did not cause damage. However where Jasper was concerned, that was a different story.

"Stop it Talia." Talbott uttered, her glaring at him through the corner of her eye, the temperature on his arm increasing as well "I mean it." He did not falter, turning the wand on her instead.

"I saved her." Jasper uttered, Talia letting him go, coming face to face with Talbott, tip of his wand pressing against her skin. Pushing his arm against her neck her eyes challenged him, Jasper continuing to speak "Mirunna decided to follow up on a lead."

Moving away from her, Talbott stormed out of the room, Talia focusing her attention back on Jasper "Did anyone see you?"

"Yes. It was either I betrayed the Death Eaters or watch her die."

Hearing Moody approach, Talia turned to him, the man addressing her directly "You decide what you want to do. I leave this choice to you."

It was not so much the choice that weight down on her, but the very idea that her own list of informants within the dark side was wearing thin. With Felix and Jasper out of the organization, it was now a matter of protecting them or they would be at the receiving end of the death curse the next time they would be standing face to face with Voldemort's men.

Felix was an easy decision, she did not even bat an eye, however when she watched Jasper getting back up on his feet, the conflict inside her heart was yet to be resolved and a decision made. She had every reason to hate him, to hurt him like he hurt her and Talbott. But at the same time she was standing there because he helped her. He understood a part of her few did or wished to.

"We take Mirunna, hide her, she can't be out there right now. We move her tonight." Turning back from looking at the bed, she addressed Jasper "I need your help Munday, help me get her up." Coming close to her, he placed a hand on Talia's shoulder, gently pushing her aside as he bent to pick up Mirunna himself "One chance, it's all you get."

"I understand." There was a hint of hesitation tugging at Talia's heart as he nodded his head, securing the woman in his arms closer to him.

Exiting the hospital room with Munday and Moody behind her, Talbott stopped pacing the hallway. She did not look at him as she spoke, his steps falling in line with hers "We're taking them to a safe house. I trust Felix will tell me if something feels off."

"Are you sure you should be trusting Jasper?"

"No and I don't. But at the end of the day he did save her so right now it's either the Death Eaters kill him or I do if he dares to betray me."

As they reached their destination Mirunna finally woke up, her words telling the same story Jasper had. Talia took it as a good sign, however she still pulled Felix aside to instruct him on what to do. From across the room, Talbott watched. He noticed how her face softened when she looked at the man before her, everything so natural. He offered her his undivided attention, feeding off the words her lips released and he knew they have seen each other during those days when he knew not of her location, or where her mind wondered. Worst of it all, where her heart belonged.

Once they settled and everyone left to their respective houses, Talia and Talbott reached their home around sunrise, both tired, not speaking a word to one another. As they went up the stairs, both heading to their own rooms, Talia turned around on her heels "It's true what Munday said. Me and Felix did kiss."

He did not turn around to look at her, only nodding once before he entered his room, closing the door behind him. She stood there waiting on something to happen, a sigh leaving her lips a few minutes later.

Talbott remained silent with his back pressed against the door until he finally heard her closing her own door. He knew he should not even lose any thoughts on the matter, but it hurt. Knowing she was so close to Felix hurt. And he could not blame them because at the end of the day he was the sole reason they were that close.