#talbott series

Chapter 7 - Endurance

Pairing: Talbott Winger x Fem!reader (as adults)

Timeline: after Hogwarts, different universe

WARNINGS!!!! This chapter contains self-blame and descriptions of psychological and emotional pain (also mention of death). If you've been through this and it can trigger anything in you, please skip the I donť know, 4th, 5th and the 6th paragraphs. This chapter also includes descriptions of committing violence against another person (not that he doesn't deserve it) so my dear readers, I highly recommend to not take anything personally. Its just an imaginary character I made up for this story, but still. Afterwards it will get better, I promise.

Summary: Is a secret 🤫

Wordcount: o.O 6558 Like wut????

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Trailer, chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 4.5, chapter 5, chapter 6, epilogue?

Most days, Talbott felt like people were far worse than animals - he thought that people are selfish, arrogant, cynical, conceited and often rude to other beings. Today was no different. Today, he was once again convinced of human cruelty. Today, he reaffirmed his conviction that he wanted nothing to do with people, that it was more pleasant for him to be alone. There was nothing else he could do, since the only person whose presence was not only pleasant but necessary for him was no longer here...

Talbott was enjoying his day with you; he was so happy to see you again, to spend time with you, to hug you, but above all to see you happy again - to see your smile. He didn't need anything else for a happy life, just you.

It wasn't so long ago that he finally realized what that pleasant feeling in his chest meant - he had probably suspected it from the very beginning, but only now, in your presence again, did he admit that his heart was beating with immeasurable love for you. He felt like he was in seventh heaven when his whole dream collapsed like a house of cards. 

Originally, he didn't realize how fleeting his current life was, he thought you'd be together forever... That nothing bad can happen to you, that nothing can separate the two of you. Oh, how horribly wrong he was... If he knew he could lose you in the blink of an eye, he would have protected you more, been more careful combing the forest before he landed. If only he had known how fragile human life is, he would have been more careful and taken his wand with him, which has been lying in the dust for years in one of the drawers of his wardrobe. If, only IF!

He mentally berated himself for how incompetent he was. Because if he was any good, this wouldn't have happened right? Because if he was any good, he wouldn't be sitting here on the cold cobblestones, tearing his hair out in frustration over whether you're okay or truly dead. He grunted silently in pain as he hit his head with his injured hand harder than he intended, yet he did it again, again and again, welcoming the physical pain over the emotional. The physical pain goes away, you get used to it, while the mental pain persists, still haunting you like your personal ghost. It never goes away... You can temporarily distract yourself but it keeps coming back at you in waves that persistently crash into you. Like its funny. Like its welcoming, as if you wanted it... And maybe he does want it. Maybe if he feels like shit for the rest of his life, you would forgive him for not protecting you. For not dying with you. 

His injured hand throbed painfully, but all he cared about was you. He blamed himself for not reacting sooner...

.

Talbott was absolutely sure of his feelings for you, but before he confessed to you he wanted to be sure that you shared at least some of the same feelings for him that he had for you. Yes, he trusted you, and he was sure you wouldn't knowingly do anything to hurt him. But he didn't know if your concern for his health and your contagious smile were just signs of your generosity and kindness. He didn't want to falsely hope for something he could never have.

That's why he decided to ask you what you've been hiding from him for so long. He originally didn't want to force you to tell him because he could tell this was a topic you didn't want to discuss. But now, now that his life was moving into a completely different phase, he wanted to know the answers to his questions before he allowed himself to fall over the edge and free-fall into the unknown. Based on your answer, he knew he would either fall alone or with you by his side.

“I work for the Ministry as a special Auror. And what I do is basically eliminating any threat the Ministry deems dangerous.” The words that came out of your mouth were the first blow to his heart. He watched the woman he had fallen head over heels in love with, change before his eyes into someone he didn't know. Into someone who is a danger to those around him, someone who is not afraid to take others life if ordered to do so.

Talbott's brain spun at a furious speed as he began to consider what your profession really meant. You wouldn't be here... Unless The Ministry of Magic recognized that something or someone in this area is so dangerous that it needs to be eliminated immediately. Although there were many dangerous creatures in the Forbidden Forest, none of them were deadly to the students on the school grounds. The realization hit him with lightning speed. The only big unknown was him.

"Was I deemed to be a threat?" He asked through the forming lump in his throat, dreading your answer. His fears were realized when you confirmed them with an affirmative nod. The second sharp blow was expected, but it hurt even more than the first.

He didn't need nor want to confirm his assumption, yet he heard his own mouth form the last and final question: "Your job is to kill me?"

He could hear his beating heart stop and crumble into dust when he heard you say that cruel word beginning with the letter y.

He should never have trusted you to begin with. He knew people were manipulative liars, and yet he put all his trust in your hands. You crushed it with a sweet smile on your face. He tought you were different then the rest... He made the biggest mistake of his life and realized it too late. You're nothing more than a lying bitch waiting for the right opportunity to snuff out his life.

But... If that was really the case, why didn't you do it a long time ago? He is sure you had plenty of opportunities, not to mention countless ways to take his life, and yet here he was now, standing before you, alive. Was there some reason why you haven't done so yet? He wanted to believe that the reason could be him and the fact that you cared about him, yet he strictly forbade himself to hope for anything. He did it once, and to what end? For what? For the broken heart and the threat of death radiating over his head threatening to fall any second?

No.

He certainly did not hope for such an outcome and was not willing to risk all that was dear to him and brought peace to his soul for... This.

"Then..." Talbott summoned all his remaining courage, refusing to perish without explanation, "why didn't you kill me? Do you need time to get more information from me?"

You looked as if all your emotions decided to explode at the same moment, and yet as you approached his body with slow steps, a single emotion dominated your eyes.

Fear.

Was it fear for him, for yourself, for your profession? He wasn't sure.

"I do need more time, but not for what you think." Your soft voice in the silence of the trees kindled a fading flame.

He saw your hand rise to his clenched fist, and in those few seconds he was deciding whether to reject or welcome your touch. He has always welcomed your touch, and in recent days he has craved it more than anything else in his entire life, and yet when he felt your warm touch on his fingers, he unknowingly flinched before he could prevent it. He felt some rough material hit his wrist as he pulled away sharply, and when he lowered his gaze, he saw the bracelet you gave him. With bitterness in his heart, it reminded him of the day you gave it to him - it was the day hope was reawakened in him, the day he decided to go out into the world and open his dark mind full of self-blame to someone else. It was the moment he fell for you.

And with a dull ache that settled in his lower abdomen, he let you embrace his hand in yours with the ease of a mother's love. It was so much smaller than his, and once again his feelings for you sparked in him the way a faint flame on a candle tries to give as much warmth as possible. If this was the end, he wanted to remember all the good and walk away with a smile on his face, not with anger consuming his mind.

"I tried to find a way to save you, Talbott." There was a determination in your voice that he never felt in himself. You squeezed his palm with an urgency he'd never experienced before and he was sure you had something more to say, but you never had the chance to say it.

“I knew we shouldn't have trusted you.“ A venomous voice cut through the silence of the early evening forest like a knife through fresh butter. You whipped your head to the intruder instantly once your ears registered his words. Talbott watched as your frail body came between him and the stranger, wand outstretched. His little heart leapt at the image desplaied before him - you were protecting him with your own body acting as a shield. His mind couldn't process it. Why would you do this?

“Prepare for disciplinary action. I'm taking over your mission from now on.“ Said the cloaked man, and another piece of the puzzle fell into place for Talbott. He was a colleague of yours, probably a supervisor. You snorted ridiculously, your laugh full of contempt. "If you think it's going to be that easy, you're sorely mistaken."

"I suggest you give up while I give you a chance. Maybe then you won't get Dementor's kiss. Though I can't promise anything." Did he really just threaten you with a fate worse than death? You couldn't help laughing at his threat. You knew that as far as abilities go, his are several times better than yours, not just in terms of experience. He was not afraid to use any means at his disposal to get his way. You, on the other hand... You were raised with certain moral principles, and one of them was not to hurt or kill others. That's why you hated your current job so much.

"Well, unlike you, I can promise you something." You declare in a firm voice, your gaze still fixed on your colleague yet you direct your next words to the man behind you. "You'll never get Talbott. I'll take care of that personally."

"Ha! HAHAHA-"

The maniacal roar penetrated to the core of your bones when the man before you started bend with laughter. You were nothing but a giant joke to him. So be it. As long as he underestimates you, maybe you'll have a chance against him.

"Aqua Carcerem!" You take advantage of the moment when he's laughing and not paying any attention to you to get a little extra time. A giant water bubble surrounds your enemy's body, trapping him for half a minute. You don't waste a second of your precious time and immediately congure your patronus.

"Go get them." As your shining protector fled among the nearby thickets, you turned to Talbott. "You need to get as far away from here as possible. Don't worry about anything but your own safety."

Talbott watched you with complete disbelieve. You can't be serious right? You, of all people, want him to fled the scene like he sis so many years ago when his mother told him to do so? To save only himself and then have to watch the funeral of his loved ones from afar? He vowed that day he would never again in his life stand idly by and watch someone take his loved ones from him.

"No."

Your eyebrows drew together in disbelieving arches at his dismissive reply. "What?"

"I said no. I won't make the same mistake again." Although he didn't intend it that way, his last sentence was a clue for you. A clue that led you in your memories to that beautiful, sunny space in the middle of the forest where he had opened himself to you for the first and last time without hesitation. You knew you couldn't force him to relive his greatest trauma. And yet, you couldn't suppress the burning urge to protect him at all costs. Even if you had to double-cross him by making him run away leaving you behind, you were ready to risk it all. As long as he's safe, nothing else matters...

“Okay, fine. But as soon as I deem it too dangerous, you'll listen to me.” You command him in a determined but gentle voice. You wanted to let him know that you were going to grant his wish, but not at the cost of his own life.

“Not unless your escape plan includes you.” Before you could even take a breath to protest, the water prison burst with a loud plop. Your time have run out. Just as the water broke free, the dark wizard sent the first of his curses towards you. You successfully deflected his spell and sent it off into the distance behind you. There was a loud thud as the spell hit the tree trunk. You didn't have time to look back, but you were sure that there was now a dark hole in the wood.

“Isn't this quite a sight?” Your opponent chuckled. “Two orphans. One because her parents lost interest in her, the other because his parents were killed.” It was clear to you that he was trying to get under your skin, so you paid no attention to his words. The same could not be said of Tabott, however.

“How do you know that?” Talbott's throat constricted in horror. His whole body shivered slightly with cold as the man in front of him pulled back his hood and, for the first time in over a decade, looked into the red eyes that haunted him at night. He has never been able to forget the cruel look on the face of the man who killed both his parents with the brutality of the greatest evil.

The rawness engulfed Talbott's mind with an impenetrable blackness that echoed in regular blows from his temples to his entire body. He couldn't perceive his surroundings anymore, couldn't hear your desperate voice calling to him. All he could perceive was the man in front of him - that's all he could see. Just him and his hatred for the killer of his parents.

Talbott was consumed by a dark self he had never saw before and took over all control. He shot forward at brutal speed with an intent on avenging the death of his parents. With intent to harm, to kill. He was only dimly aware of sinking his claws into human body and tearing the soft flesh to shreds. 

A cry of pain cut through the air, warm liquid enveloping Talbott's claws as he dug them into the man's calf. Talbott pulled his prey sharply under his strong body. The painful screams of his father as he was tortured with cruciatus played in his ears. He wanted them to stop so he wouldn't have to continue to hear his dad suffer... Something - he had to drown out his screams with something.

Sharp fingers caught the greasy strands of hair in their hands and with a powerful blow sent the head to the ground in a succession of several quick blows. 

Thud.  Thud.  Thud.

Thud. 

Crack - 

Red. There was red everywhere. Just like in his memories when a bloody hand reached towards him with the wors “run”! As the nightmare played over and over in his mind, Talbott stood still as a statue. 

A moment's hesitation was all he needed to get rid of Talbott. With a quick casting of the binding spell, Talbott couldn't move anymore thus couldn't attack or defence. A perfect outcome of what should have happaned from the very beggining. The few casualties were dealth with a quick Vulnera Sanentur and bandaged with the help of bandaging spell. 

Now that the mad beast was immobilized, he focused his attention in your direction. Your pupils were dilated with shock, looking at the spot where only moments before Talbott had been attacking your colleague. You never dreamed that his fragile soul could harbor such aggression, rage, hatred. And it was only when you felt a gripping force in your lower abdomen that jolted you forward that you snapped out of your shock. You went flying straight into his outstrached arms, his fingers tightly squeezing around your neck. Air was forcibly denied from you and replaced by searing pain every time you tried in vain to breathe.

“I changed my mind.” He said as his gaze watched your struggling form. “I don't feel like keeping you alive until your disciplinary court anymore.” Your vision began to blur and all you could register was the pain and his fingers gripping your neck.

“No... Please don’t -” A quiet sob redirected his attention back to the now disheveled, broken beast in restrains. “Don’t hurt her, not her.” He begged, eyes flooded with bitter tears.

“Pche. Why shouldn’t I?” He looked at Talbott mockingly, but when he saw his ruined form, a new plan began to form in his twisted mind. How best to control others? By using what they hold dear. “Tell me, what are you willing to sacrifice to save her?“

“Whatever. Anything.“ 

When his ears registered the answer he hoped to hear, a rotten smile settled on his scarred face. “Good.” But he only let you go when he heard Talbott's sobbing pleas for your release. He released his fingers from his tight grip and watched as you hit the floor, trying to get your breath back. Your throat burned sharply with each breath, and you coughed brokenly, which only made the pain worse. You touched with your hand gingerly to your bruises and looked glassy-eyed at Talbott, whose expression reflected his burning guilt. You tried to call his name with your lost voice and tell him it wasn't his fault, but all that came out was a jumble of strange clawing sounds more akin to the sobbing of a wounded animal than human speech. 

That's why you decided to go up to him and hug him, but you should have known that your release from the choke-hold was not an act of mercy, but a way of how to hurt more.

Talbott squatted helplessly on his knees and watched helplessly as you flew back a few metres and crashed backwards into a tree. The bastard sent one depulso after another at you and didn't give a damn what happened to you. But Talbott did. The first time the terror paralyzed him, the second time it forced him to act, and the third time it was he who took the blow, not you.

“Sorry, I should have cut the rope sooner.” He apologized and pulled you closer in his arms. Your legs were broken, and given your irregular breathing, he feared that your ribs had suffered a nasty injury as well. You were too weak and felt like your whole body was run over by a train, but you lived. And that was all that mattered to him now. Your survival.

“Mm. I should have thought you could cut ropes with your claws.” The Nameless One was wailing as if reflecting on his mistake, so that he would learn for the next time. Like he didn't give a damn about you. 

“You promised you'd let her go if I did anything you said! You promised you wouldn't hurt her!” Talbott shouted urgently at him. But he only smiled wickedly, the same way he smiled at Talbott's dying mother when she told him they weren't gonna tell him anything about the order. 

That's when Talbott realized that the man in front of him was pure evil. A sadist who thrives in others suffering. A psychopath who enjoys killing. There was no point in trying to beg him for mercy since he doesn't know the meaning of the word.

Talbott let out a heart-wrenching scream of pain as he felt your body disappear from his reach, being lifted high and then free-falling back to the ground.

You’d been hit with stupefy and he houplessly watched you fall down, bumbing your head onto a huge rock. Talbott knew instantly that you had a concussion from the way you’d laid stunned on the ground. He wanted to run to you and help you however he could but that stupid prick stopped him with another charm. Thick, red blood began to cover the ground beneath you. One stray tear set off a torrent of tumbling waterfalls as you looked at him with a final gasp. Your eyes closed at the sobs calling your name. You didn't answer.

Talbott was forcefully dragged away from your still body. Although Talbott tried to break free from his grasp while constantly calling out to you and begging your forgiveness, the indomitable strength of his captor didn't even give him a chance to say goodbye as he took Talbott with perverse pleasure to the underground dungeons.

The cold, stone corridor echoed with the clacking of soles accompanied by hiccupping cries. Talbott's knees buckled as the man in front of him roughly dragged him into one of the cells. He used some sort of spell that Talbott didn't notice and gave him a rough shove to make him fall in. It was during a sharp impact on the cold floor when he injured his right wrist.

“Don't worry, I'll come for you soon. When I'm done with you, you'll meet her again.” They were the last words Talbott heard before the pervasive silence engulfed him. In the distance, the sound of water droplets hitting the tiles could be heard in a regular rhythm. But apart from that he heard nothing else. Nothing but his turbulent thoughts going back to the moment he lost you.

“If I'd said something different, he might have let you live. If I hadn't gotten carried away with my revenge, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. If I had gotten out of that stupid rope sooner, I would have prevented your fractures! If... If I'd never known you, you'd be still alive.”

Tallbot talked to you as if you were lying there with him on the cold floor of the cell. But you weren't. You were somewhere in the middle of the woods, slowly bleeding to death. And it was all his fault and his fault alone. A closet full of memories of you burst open and flooded his mind with warm fuzzies. One of his most cherished memories was of you cooking together one day. It was after he broke down in front of you and you stayed with him. You took him in with all his broken self and tried to cheer him up. At that moment, for the first time in his life, he felt whole. He felt that you had become his safe place and he saw you as his future, his home.

And then he lost everything. Death would be a release for him because he didn't want to keep living in a world where you're not. He found in you everything he ever needed and wanted in his life...

.

Several hours might have passed since his self-pity when he rose to his feet with new determination. Only he knows what happened to you and where you are. If anyone can help you, it can only be him. He needs to get out of here as soon as possible and fly to you. He doesn't care if someone sees him on the way. Keeping his existence a secret is no longer his priority.

Talbott first tried to unlock the lock with his long claw - in vain, it was protected by a spell. He even tried to cut through the iron bars, but all he did was break his animal nails. In desperation he banged his shoulder not only against the door but also against the walls. The only result was a sore shoulder and an exhausted animagus.

When he discovered after several more attempts that he had no chance of getting away, he crawled into one of the moldy corners and gave himself up to weeping over your loss. He gave in to depression and self-criticism. Talbott had no way of knowing, but exhaustion took its toll on him the next morning. He fell into the arms of sleepless wandering until he was cruelly torn from his blissful unconsciousness.

At first, his subconscious registered only a faint murmur of voices somewhere in the distance. He didn't pay any attention, he didn't care what happened. But then the prison was illuminated by a bright, shining light. The light grew sharper and sharper behind his closed eyelids until it made him growl in irritation. He sat up abruptly and peered through the bars at... Your patron.

He only saw him once, when you summoned him and sent him away. If his imagination wasn't playing tricks on him, that would mean you're still alive... Right? According to your long conversations, you had no one in your life who cared enough about you to take the form of your patron. So...

His cerebral convolutions began to work at full speed, one idea dying out before he let it fully develop only to begin to pursue another. And yet, his turbulent mind stopped at a single word.

“Talbott?”

His heart stopped completely and then began to race so quickly it was a continuous whir in his ears. There, on the edge of his cell, you stood in your full glory. The white light illuminating your face gave you the appearance of angelic creature, your hair flowing loosely around your face, and all he could think about at that moment was how ethereally beautiful you seemed to him.

“Are you alright?” Your ghost asked, and Talbott clumsily crawled to the bars in an attempt to get closer to you. His hand reached for you but was stopped by an invisible barrier. You were so close and yet out of his reach...

“I don't want to interrupt your sweet reunion, but we have no time to waste.” Suddenly a man's scratchy voice spoke. A wrinkled man emerged from the depths of the shadows, one artificial eye looking in all directions and a crazed expression on his face. Talbott immediately got to his feet, trying to get his attention and distract him from you.

“Easy, boy.” A pair of uneven eyes gazed at him in amusement, and he felt at that moment as if they could see to his very core.

“We're here to save you.” Your sweet voice spoke to him again and his heart broke at the tenderness in your gaze. His breath caught in his throat and he couldn't help but stare at you, unmoving. You came to save him. He stared back at you like a deer caught in the headlights of an approaching car. He struggled to understand why you’d gone to all the trouble just for him. "Why..?" A single word slipped past his lips. 

As Talbott watched your face contort into a pained grimace, your companion moved to the door, pulled out his wand and began muttering a series of incantations. You gave him a weak smile when you answered him: “Because I care about you.” He stayed stunned for another long moment, blinking back at you, still as stone. You care about him. You care about him enough to risk everything in your life just so save him. You've chosen him. But if anyone sees you here, you'll get hurt again. And for who? Him. He can't risk your life again.

“I'm not sure you'll be able to open it.” He turned his attention to the older man, “I've tried, but it's no use.” He tried to shoo you both away but neither of you seemed to heed his words.

“Moody helped design this prison. He knows how to break the protective spells that keep you inside.” You boasted proudly as if it were your own creation and not someone else's and as if on cue, right after you finished speaking, the lock on the gate released with a soft click. You didn't hesitate for a second and jumped in after Talbott, trapping him in a tight embrace. 

“I'm so sorry about what happened.” You whispered in his ear and curled even tighter around his body. He was much colder to the touch than you remembered, but you guessed that his body temperature had just dropped to normal human temperature. You were more worried about his inexpressiveness, his ragged appearance, and especially his ubiquitous minor injuries that looked like they were self-inflicted. 

After a long period of silence when he hadn't moved an inch, Talbott gently stroked your hair: "What about your injury? Are you okay?" When you confirmed that you were and that Moody had healed all your injuries, he was incredibly relieved. He cupped your face in his hands and started looking at you from every angle. “You are alive...” It was only when he heard your typical quiet giggle reality hit him - you are alive. You're alive and well. He felt his eyes fill with tears, but he let them flow freely and let himself be carried away by the fact that he could hold you in his arms again. He didn't lose you.

“Yes, I’m. We both are.” You emphasized, letting your lips rest on his forehead.

"But you won't be much longer if we don't get moving. And fast." Moody growled behind you, turning his back on you to give you a sense of privacy. You couldn't help but agree with him and quickly got to your feet. You offered Talbott your hand and helped him to his feet. But even after he stood up he wouldn't let you go, and all the way you ran for the exit he held you as if he never wanted to let you go again in his life.

You had climbed up to one of the last floors, which no one unauthorised had any idea were on the Ministry premises, when Moody turned to you sharply. "He already knows about us. I'll hold him off until you get up to the fireplaces. Don't worry about me and get to the meeting place as soon as you can." You didn't like the idea of splitting up, but you knew that if there was anyone who could stand up to your fellow executioner colegue, it would be your former superior auror. After all, he's the one who taught you everything you know, and it's only because of his help that you've gotten so high in your career.

“Be careful.” You squeezed his shoulder tightly and without another word, you turned and headed for the exit. You didn't have much time and you weren't going to risk any second.

“Are you sure about leaving him alone?” Talbott looked towards the man who had - almost - set him free. His wand was slumbering in his hand and he had a crazy look in his eyes. From behind one of the many columns supporting the ceiling above their heads, a flurry of magic burst forth, and Talbott knew the source. He was already here. 

“You don't have to worry about him, he's the best in his field. Besides, we've been planning this long before this happened, he knows what he can and can't expect.” At this his black pupils delayed in astonishmed. What do you mean by planning? You couldn't have possibly predict this happening, could you? To his surprise, however, you disabused him of his mistake and began to explain your grandiose plan to save him.

“I knew that sooner or later he would find out that my reports were just a bunch of bullshit and start investigating on his own. I originally wanted to solve everything in secret on my own, but during my investigation into your existence - this was before we met - I discovered some inconsistencies in my... Field.“ You paused while you pressed one of the many buttons in the elevator, and only after you had gone upstairs did you resume your story. 

“Fudge is not the worst Minister we have had, but he has recently become very paranoid and is hasty in dealing with serious situations and does not wait for evidence. When he learned from one wizard that a group of his opponents were secretly forming to oust him from the ministry, he instructed the wizard in question to take care of it quietly. And that's how my field came about. Basically, it's just to remove anything and everyone that can damage Fudge in any way. He doesn't care how or why, his only demand is that it be done quietly and quickly, without leaving any evidence. That's also why it's just the two of us in this business and we never have backup.” The elevator stopped with an announcement that sounded unnaturally loud in the abandoned building, and you made your way towards a row of fireplaces from which you could move to any other location.

“And the wizard in question is your superior who attacked us? Who killed my - ”

“Yes.” You interrupted him so he wouldn't have to finish his thought and stopped in front of the first fireplace. “I left for so many days back then, because I was looking for a way to save you with my long-time friend, and preparing my colleague's downfall with Moody.” You took a handful of floo powder and stepped in with Talbott close behind as he formed his next question: “You got anything on him?” That's when he first saw the sly, triumphant grin on your face.

“We found evidence that he's one of the dark wizards working with you-know-who.” Then, without a single warning, you moved to an unfamiliar place where a red-haired man with a smile on his face was waiting for you. He greeted you with an old, nearly disintegrated shoe in his hand and a crazy story about a Horntail dragon he sent out for a little ride tonight as a distraction. It was highly unlikely that your friend would get a hold of one of the most vicious and aggressive breeds of dragon  and it was more than suspicious that he had been hurriedly sent to the other side of the world just as one of the prisoners escaped. 

You thanked him with a relieved smile on your face and a long hug, and though Talbott's stomach tightened with jealousy at your proximity, he passed on his thanks, knowing that had it not been for him, they would not have gained this precious extra time for their escape. He looked incredulously at the shoe you called -  if he remember correctly, a Portkey, and hesitantly touched it. Almost immediately, he felt an uncomfortable pressure at the site of his navel, and immediately afterwards the world began to spin around him until it blurred into a jumble of blotches. By the time he hit the dewy grass with a thud, his stomach was rocking back and forth and he was incredibly sick.

“I'll never use this again in my life, and there's no way you're gonna make me.” He complained as he clumsily picked himself back up. All his further protests froze on his tongue when he found out that they were in the garden of a family house. “Where are we?”

“We're on the property of Mrs. Laviska, a successful writer in the muggle world.” With one wave of your wand, you let the Portkey evaporate, and the next second, you've secured the house against unauthorized transfer of outsiders. The house was already prepared in advance and secured with all known protection spells, all you had to do was to close off the property to Portkeys. Now that it was done, you breathed a sigh of relief for the first time in weeks. You're safe.

“Are you sure it's okay to hide in some random woman's house?” Talbott looked at you doubtfully, and then at the house behind you. There were no lights on in any of the windows but that didn't mean you were safe. You laughed at his obvious discomfort.

“Mrs. Laviska is my pseudonym.” Talbott stared at you with obvious shock, his lips slightly parted in an unspoken question, one of his eyebrows drawn up in a perfect arch. “I like writing stories and some muggle money always comes handy. Plus no one from the wizarding world knows about this house.” You shrugged with a shy smile playing on your lips. “Even if they looked for us here, the property is owned by Annie Laviska, a succesful middle aged writer who gradueted from the local University. In the muggle world, she even has all the necessary documents and loving parents and two younger siblings.” 

Talbott couldn't stop marveling at your ingenuity and wit. Who would have thought you'd create a fake identity for them with a bulletproof backround. “And does this Mrs. Laviska have a husband?” He walked up to you until he was standing right next to you and with a feather touch, he stroked your soft, reddening cheek. You shook your head no. “No, but there's someone she's very interested in.” You whispered in response while your hands found a place on his waist.

“Oh really?” A wide smile, the likes of which you've never seen before, settled on his face. Your heart beat incredibly fast when his fingers ran over your bottom lip. You felt your brain melt as his gaze lowered to your lips and his right hand pulled your body to his. Your breath got stuck in your throat when his eyes got glazed with lust. “Y-yes, but I don't know if he feels the same way.” You stammered and tilted your head to his parted lips.

“And how can he prove to you that he wants the same thing as you?” Talbott's breath was warm and fresh on your face. His proximity made your head spin, and before you could stop your next words, they were out. “By kissing me.”

Talbott laughed briefly at the good fortune that smiled upon him in the form of the beautiful girl in his arms, now waiting for a kiss from him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes almost closed in anticipation of what would happen next. Now that he knew the answer to his question he couldn't help but feel confident. Before he locked his lips with yours in a sweet kiss of passion and repressed love, he didn't forgive himself for teasing you a little:

“If you can beat me at chess, I’ll do more than that... Future hubby.”

The end

First of all please allow me to thank from the bottom of my heart to one of my followers, the one and only: @whatwouldvalerydo because she is my sunshine. You always put a smile on my face when I read your encouraging comments you make with every new chapter. I've always wanted to answer you so badly, but I haven't figured out how. Hehe...

You have been leaving comment on your reblogs of this story and I don't know how to answer you, but i truly want you to know i appreciate it from the bottom of my heart! A simple thank you cannot describe how much I appreciate it. Still, I don't know what else to write other than THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!

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Chapter 6 - Shadow

Pairing: Talbott Winger x Fem!reader (as adults)

Timeline: after Hogwarts, different universe

Summary: You and Talbott are finally reunited after a long time. You take this opportunity to spend the whole day in each other's presence, but not everything goes according to plan...

Wordcount: 3047

My masterlist

YOURS•AND•ONLY masterlist

Trailer, chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 4.5, chapter 5, chapter 7, epilogue?

It has been four days since he last saw you. He watched with painful awareness as the day spanned into the night and you still didn't come. She’ll definitely come tomorrow. He repeated his mantra for the fourth night in a row and rose in silence into the night sky.

Every morning, just after waking up, he transformed into his animal form and settled still at dawn in front of the inn where you were staying. He watched passers-by there all day, hoping to see you among them, and only when the moon rose in the sky did he rise with disappointment and fly back to his home. He was beginning to lose hope and patience, but he forbade himself to think negatively. You promised to come back to him. You never gave him a reason why he shouldn't trust you. You never lied to him or did you?

The unpleasant thought of the moments when you evasively answered his questions about your work came to his mind. It's true you're hiding something from him. Don't you trust him enough to tell him everything without fear? Or do you have secrets because if he found out, he wouldn't believe you anymore? Would he never want to see you again in his life? 

He scolded himself abruptly for doubting you. He never once asked you to keep his identity a secret, and yet no one came for him in the last few days you've known each other. You showed him nothing but tenderness and understanding, you offered him a supportive hand when he needed it most, but above all you became an indispensable friend to him. He knew you had become a part of his life, and although he couldn't say it out loud, he couldn't imagine his day without you. Maybe that's why the previous days were such suffering for him. Your laughter and tactful answers cheered his world up.

It was late forenoon on the fifth day when his eyes saw your figure in the distance. He flew enthusiastically towards you as fast as he could, and although the other passers-by hid from the eagle's raid, you just raised your tired eyes and, with understanding, stretched your arm forward. He rested his claws carefully on your arm, taking great care not to injure you. Your exhausted but sincere smile greeted him.

“Hi Talbott. I missed you.” Your other hand gently stroked his feathers. Every time you showed him even a small piece of love while he was in his animal form, he was incredibly happy. He knew that regardless of his appearance, you liked him for what he was. The thought that you like him just because how he is and how he looks gave him courage.

“Hello, Madam Rosmert.” You greeted the innkeeper behind his back and Talbott looked at her curiously. When he realized she posed no threat, he looked at you again. It's been so long since he last saw you up close and he wanted to remember every detail of your being just in case he didn't see you again.

“Hello my dear! And who is this?” The blond woman asks and look at Talbott, who felt more than uncomfortable under her scrutiny, with interest. “Your new companion?” You laugh lightly and turn your arm so Madam Rosmert can get a better look at Talbott. “This is my new friend Talbott,” you introduce him and watch Talbott swell with pride. He liked that you weren't ashamed of him.

"Oh, is that so? Nice to meet you Talbott, you look very good." She greeted him but then frowned at you - you saw the expression of a worried mother in her gaze. “On the other hand, you look absolutely awful.” She commented on your disheveled look. It's true that in the last few days you didn't pay as much attention to your appearance as you normally did, but you didn't think it was that bad.

You laughed forcibly and ran your hand through your hair. "I'm a bit tired." You vaqualy answered. It wasn't the first time she had seen you extremely exhausted, but she had never seen you in such a state and it worried her. She looked at you understandingly and nodded to herself. "I'll cook you lunch and you go take a shower in the meantime."

"Could you make an extra portion straight?" You asked and watched as she smiled amused at you: "Already want a second helping?" She hushed you upstairs and you gratefully ascended the stairs leading to your room. As the door closed behind you with a silent thump, Talbott rose up into the air and was bathed in golden light. The next moment you were looking at his frowning face.

“Are you okay?” He asked with concern, gently stroking your cheek with his hand. Ah, how he longed to see you again... A smile of tenderness appeared on his face as you leaned more into his palm and cupped it in your own. “Now that I'm finally with you, yes.” You answer truthfully and look into his eyes. Today, her orbs shine more than usual... Talbott felt himself drowning in your gaze and didn't even realize he was leaning towards your lips. “I missed you so much.“ It comes out of his mouth in a soft whisper and you can feel your own suppressed emotions in his voice.

“I’m back.” There was so much you wanted to say to him, but the moment he finally stood in front of you all your words got stuck in your throat. You were so looking forward to having long conversations with him like before, but now all that mattered was that you were together. On the fact that he is close to you again and you close to him. “I'm going to take a shower. Will you wait here for me?“ 

“Of course.“

You headed into the modest bathroom next door, leaving Talbott alone in the room. He felt his heart race curiously as he looked around your room. This is the first time he's been here and he's had a chance to learn a bit more about you. Curiously and with the utmost caution, he began to walk around the room, looking at the present furniture, at the flowers placed on the window sill, at the pieces of your clothes thrown on the chair. He walked over to the open shelf where you had a few books lined up. He ran his finger along the spains of the books and read their titles: “The most mysterious mythical creature, The birth of new species, Encyclopedia of all known creatures, Curses and their successful breaking, Annihilation of XXXXX class monsters, Forbidden curses, Deceiving one's mind...” 

To say he was confused would not nearly capture the extent of his conflicting thoughts and feelings. At first he thought you were trying to find a way to help him, but if that was true, why would there be books on forbidden magic in your private library? What does it mean? Does it have anything to do with you not wanting to tell him about your work? About the reason why you came into the Forbidden forest in the first place?

However, before he could find out anything more or let his mind vander to dark places, two female voices outside the front door alerted him to Rosmerta's presence. He quickly transformed back and sat gracefully on the back of a wooden chair. The two women exchanged a few pleasant words before the older one left and you joined him with two plates in your hands. 

“Are you hungry?“ You smiled at him sweetly oblivious to the quickening hammering in his chest. Talbott felt like a small child caught on a roguery for which any grown-up would scold him. However, he was most consumed by the feeling of guilt for doubting you - again. Trying to make up for his misstep, he quickly rushed over to you and grabbed both filled plates in his hands and placed them on the table. He silently pushed the chair aside and wordlessly gesture for you to sit down. A joyous giggle escaped your lips at his action and he couldnť help himself but to stare at you wishing to se your smile more often.

Watching you was his new serotonin booster. He still couldn’t fully comprehend why every time he was thinking about you his throat went dry or why he felt sort of jittery every time his gaze catched your smile. Any of his logical explanation also couldn’t explain the funny little dance his heart seems to be doing in his chest every time your fingertips slightly brush his body. 

"Such a Gentleman," you thank him and as you sit down your freshly washed sweet scent invades his nostrils. He couldn't resist and leaned down to your head and kissed you lightly, skillfully masking how he was shamelessly inhaling your scent in an effort to memorize it perfectly. Oh God, what have you done to him? 

***

“Where would you like to go first?“ You asked him as soon as you walked into the autumn breeze together. Winter was approaching at breakneck speed and you hoped you still had some time left to spend with Talbott. He sat as before on your forearm and you walked with grace in your step through the crowded streets. The sound of your voice sinks into every cell in his body, making him feel hot all over. Have you always done this to him? He doesn’t know. The only thing he knows now is that he's happy to be in his eagle form  and you can't see how much he's blushing.

When he berugtently points in a vague direction in a desperate attempt to discract his mind from constantly thinking about you and his confused feelings, you sing in a happy tone:” Off we go!” 

You ended up going into every store and without a second thought bought every item he showed even the slightest interest in. Talbott didn't approve of your actions but whenever he angrily flapped his wings to prevent you from placing more galleons on the counter, you just laughed and ignored his protests. “Please let me do it. I want to make you happy and leave you with some material memories of our first trip together.“ Your smile is so bright he can’t seem to figure out how his lungs normally get air in and out of his body. After hearing your kind words, he allowed himself to be pampered by you for a while, but as soon as you bought him another pile of books, he decided that too much of everything was harmful, and with the determination to prevent you from buying anything else, he soared to the heights in front of the crowded bookstore. 

He glided on the wind in circular motions, waiting for you to notice him. It didn't take long for you to understand and with a slight nod you indicated to him that he can lead the way. Walking was still quite a bit slower than his leisurely pace of flight, so he circled the sky like a predator looking for food. Before he could circle the circumference of the large circle he had drawn himself in his mind, you caught up with him. And so it was repeated until he landed in a small clearing not far from the forest path.

Before transforming back into his normal form, he circled the meeting for nearly a kilometer in all directions to make sure there were no unwanted eyes nearby. It was unlikely that anyone would be walking in the woods near the Shrieking Shack at this late hour, but he wanted to be sure. Once he was, he lowered himself to your feet, watching the shimmering glow of his transformation reflect in your glassy eyes.

Your name came out of his mouth in an urgent whisper. Although you didn't know what it was about, you quickly found out in his intense gaze that something was bothering him. "What is it that ails your mind?" 

“I want to trust you,” he mutters. His own voice sounds unfamilier to him. His body was tense yet he tried to speak steadily. “I really want to, but still I catch myself doubting you.“ You could see how much it was bothering him and even though his words hit you right in the heart with a dull pain, you couldn't blame him for doubting you. 

“You are the first person I decided to open up to and I don't want lies and secrets between us. I hate that. I really do.” Were his next words and you couldn't look into his eyes anymore. You were afraid of what you might see in them. Malice? Contempt? Anger or disappointment? Would he be willing to listen to you if you decided to confide in him? He confided in you his most painful experience, his worst memory, and it brought you closer than you could have ever hoped for. 

But this was something else entirely.

You were send to kill him. 

Once he learns this, he will never want to see you again in his life let alone listen to your reasons - you were sure of that.

“You can be honest with me,” he says and watch your eyes go wide. Regret cut into your chest and left a deep scar. You chew on your lip contemplating about whether this is a good time to tell him or not. You did want to tell him the truth, to tell him to be careful and assure him all you want to do is to save him. To give him a safe place. A home. 

You switch your gaze towards his red eyes that were glimmering from the golden sunset light. They look like embers of fire. Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself against his wrath that was sure to come.

“Alright, you’ve caught me. I didn't lie to you, but I didn't tell you the whole truth either.“ The expression that takes hold of his features confuses you - he doesn’t look angry, sad nor surprised. In fact, his stoic face looks like as if he already knew. His next words will confirm your judgment. “I already figured that much. Would you like to elaborate...?“

And so you took a deep breath.

“Before I tell you more, I want you to know that the time I spent with you was very special to me. I've never felt so happy as when I'm with you-”

He cut you off, your name hard on his tongue. “This sounds a lot like a goodbye.” His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, his jaw tense. This is not how he envisioned this conversation to go. You looked straight into his eyes and he saw something on your face that he never expected to see - a sad, forced smile. “I feel that you will never want to talk to me again in your life after I tell you everything. I'm afraid you won't even listen to me.” 

“Is this how you feel about me?” You didn't expected to hear these words as a response to your statement nor did you expect the empty look in his gaze. “No. But I know how you feel about me will change...” His eyes gazed into yours from so close, you could almost feel his breath on your cheek. Your face became red before your mind had time to process anything.

“Let’s not make such harsh conclusions just yet.”

“I apologize. Please forgive me for my rash words.” As you stared down at your feet, you heard a chukle. “Don’t feel so pressured, it’s okay. I just can’t imagine giving up on you just because of something you are going to tell me.” And you believed him. He wasn’t someone to judge you so easily. 

You remembered all the tender moments you shared with him - the time when you woke up in the middle of the night because of a bad dream and he caressed your hair until you fell asleep again. Or when you gave him the bracelet and you saw his expression full of happiness and devotion for the first time.

“I work for the Ministry as a special Auror. And what I do is basically eliminating any threat the Ministry deems dangerous.” You never wavered in your speech and you were glad for it - your trained soldier came to the surface and took over. You couldn't let your emotions take over now. Because then you wouldn’t be able to stop crying.

A realization appeared in his eyes. “Was I deemed to be a threat?” 

“Yes.”

“Your job is to kill me?”

“Yes.”

His form seemingly defleated and he stepped away from you. You didn't try to stop him or defend yourself. You knew what he needed right now was time to process everything on his own peace. The only thing you could do now was hope. 

His pupils searched for you again. “Then... Why didn’t you kill me? Do you need time to get more information from me?” His voice was void of any emotions and that hurted you more than the accusation he just made. 

“I do need more time,” you agreed but quickly continued on, “but not for what you think.” Misunderstanding. That's the only thing you got from him and only now you walked up to him and gently touched his wrist with your fingers. He flinched at your touch but didn't pull away. At least something.

“I tried to find a way to save you Talbott.” You whispered, trying to put all the determination you felt inside of you into your words. Please believe me. Talbott opened his mouth blankly only to close it again.

“I knew we shouldn't trust you.“ The hoarse voice full of hatred, you never wished to hear again, spoke behind you. You quickly turned to face him, your wand dozing in your hands in a defensive position. 

“Prepare for disciplinary action. I'm taking over your mission from now on.“ And with that he attacked you and Talbott without any break until you fell unconscious to the ground and Talbott was in his clutches.