It All Fell Down | A Marauder's Story

The End: Marlene McKinnon

"No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear." - C.S. Lewis

     "Marlene! Daniel! Dinner!"

     The curly headed, blonde came barreling down the stairs with loud stomps, her older brother hot on her heals. Even though they were both in their twenties now, their competitive sibling nature had yet to disappear. And, they doubted it ever would. 

      Marlene was older now. Her twenty-first birthday was just a few days away as they approached August of 1981, and Hogwarts was only a memory now. She didn't look too different than she had as a teenager; her hair was a little longer maybe and her face a little slimmer, but she was still Marlene McKinnon. The main differences were the constant purple circles under her eyes and the tenseness in her muscles, like an animal coiled and ready to spring at any minute. Almost four years of fighting a war would was bound to take its toll on a human body.     

      Even in the midst of all of this chaos, the McKinnon family still got together once a week for dinner. They typically did it on Sunday nights, but Marlene had a mission this passed Sunday, so they waited until Monday instead. There was an Order meeting tonight, but she was exhausted from her mission, and Charlie had promised to fill her in on anything that she missed and insisted she spend time with her family. Marlene could never argue about family time when it came to Charlie.  

     "How did your assignment go, Marls?" Her father asked as he heaped mashed potatoes onto his plate. 

     The blonde shrugged with a small smile. "Good," she answered, reaching for the bread. "Me and Remus make a pretty damned good team if I'm being honest."

      "How are he and Charlie?" Her mum asked with a grin. 

      Marlene snorted. "Good, as always." 

      "When do you suppose they are going to get married?"

      The blonde rolled her eyes. "I dunno, Mum. I don't think Charlie wants to get married in the middle of a war, you know?" 

      Her mother sighed, giving her a suggestive look. "And, you and Sirius..."

      "Mum," Marlene complained, containing another eye roll. "I told you, we are in no rush to settle down. Not everyone is James and Lily. We are perfectly happy with where we are at."

      "Whatever you say, Dear," her mother chided. 

     "May I remind you that I am only twenty, Mum," Marlene prompted as she took her place at the table. "Maybe goad your twenty-six year old child into marriage before you start on me."

     "Yeah," her father snorted in between bites of roast beef. "Like he has any prospects."  

      "Hey!" Daniel protested with a mouthful of potatoes.

      Marlene and her father fell into a fit of giggles. Their family dinner continued into nothing too special. They discussed their week and plans for the upcoming days. They ate the home cooked meal, and Marlene and Daniel felt like small children again– safe and warm in the comfort of their childhood home, eating their mother's cooking. 

     But, nothing is ever perfect. 

     A bang! was heard as the front door exploded, sending splinters of wood and particles of dust flying everywhere. Marlene was on her feet, wand drawn from her clothing with impressive speed. Her family followed suit, ready to defend themselves. 

      A feeling of dread filled Marlene's abdomen as she realized they were severely outnumbered. Nonetheless she aimed a carefully crafted curse into the midst of the death eaters and lunged forward ready to fight another battle.