The Macdonalds
When it came to growing up in a large family, one thing that everyone talked about was the love. How everyone seemed to simply click and how all external gossip became internal. How everyone became ruthlessly defensive of each other. How protected and safe you could feel, like a tiny baby bird in a warm, cosy nest.
Calling the Macdonalds a large family would be quite an understatement. With Grandad and Nan who lived in the big, summer house that every family vacation was at and the three daughters they had who lived within thirty minutes of each other, each never once missing their Saturday letters to their sisters, and all of the kids and husbands (and said husbands’ parents) — the family was huge! The husbands, not at all distant, organised the monthly hangout and the annual camping trip. And of course, all the kids had been best friends since practically birth.
They were their own tight knit community. They needed something, after all. With all the exclusion they were subject to in the outside world, they needed some form of inclusion in their lives.
So little Mary Macdonald grew up in a hub filled with chaos, warmth and acceptance.
Every Sunday trip to church was a family affair, the cars pumping the radio tunes as the families sang loudly along. There’d be a picnic after, whenever they could. When Mary was old enough, she was allowed to give everyone their empty plate. Her mother certainly didn’t trust her little klutz to not spill anything if she let her help with more. Mary certainly didn’t mind, taking pride in her small role.
Her big sisters, Melody and Miriam would get to do more, of course. They weren’t half as clumsy; their food would not be at risk with those two. Melody was overjoyed to be tasked with cutting the tea cake and handing it out. Miriam would dramatically bow as she handed out the tea. Their cousins would each snatch another role. Evangeline would hand out sandwiches and Marcus handed out napkins (he was more of a klutz than dear Mary). Of course Wilhemina would get the joy of spreading out the picnic blanket, which she made sure to remind all of the chuckling adults about. Margot would always find the perfect spot for their picnic before helping her sister with the picnic blanket. And Charlotte would open the packets of biscuits, offering them to everyone.
Mel, Miri, Eva, Minnie, Lottie and Marge would squeal and chat about all the boys that had crushes on them (or vice versa) together while Mary and Marcus mimed puking. Their parents would never hesitate to gush about what lovely people they were growing into, though Nan always reminded them character was what mattered, not their looks.
Nevertheless, after hearing her sisters and cousins talk, Mary started school with certain… expectations. Her elder sisters and cousins instantly took her under their wing, giving her people to fall back on, just in case she didn’t make friends immediately. She couldn’t have been more grateful to them if she tried, but they needn’t have worried. Mary thrived in school.
They called the it the ‘Macdonald gift’. Boys would turn to stare as the group walked past. Marcus may have hated dating, but even he was no short on interested suitors. Girls who’d giggle about him that he grumbled about to his sisters and cousins. All of whom who’d tease him before comforting him about it, seeing the real issue.
Mary herself was admired. Girls wanted to befriend her, merely on her aura. Boys who stammered in conversations with her. Even the racist pricks who’d hated ‘her kind’ wouldn’t dare say it to her face.
She thought she just didn’t like the guys at her school. Sure, they were cool, but wasn’t she a bit young for a boyfriend?
And then she met her.
The smartest girl in their year, and easily (in Mary’s opinion) the prettiest. A white girl, sure, but a lovely one. She’d giggled at Mary’s jokes, her laughter like the bells of a wind-chime. She always wore her hair neatly plaited into two, with pretty pink bows on the end.
Safe to say, Mary was smitten.
But what would she do? What would her family say? What would they do?
Mary had never been a good liar; she’d never needed to be. Her sisters caught her staring one day and realised immediately. All she could think afterwards, was how could she have been so stupid? So stupid to think her family wouldn’t love her, despite anything?
Marcus was relieved that he wouldn’t be alone in being teased about girls, Mary was consistently teased for being hopeless at charming any girl, even if she’d really never had to put any thought into it at all.
And Nan and Grandad had a good long talk with her about treating a woman right (what? They couldn’t have only given the talk to Marcus!).
She was the odd one out, but it never really felt that way. She liked girls, but the grass was still green and she was still on plate-handing-out duty. Of course, she could never do things in half, could she?
“Watch out, Mare!”
She should have tripped. She should’ve tripped and fallen into the tea cake but instead, the tea cake was neatly pushed away by an external force and Mary stumbled upright. When she finally met the eyes of everyone else, she’d realised the blood had drained from their faces.
“You’ve been possessed!” Auntie Dinah was certain. She’d wanted to do an exorcism immediately.
“Mary’s not evil, so she can’t be a witch.” Aunt Ada had agreed. Mary’s parents were just as adamant that she had been cursed. Her cousins (obviously) thought it was cool. Her sisters wanted her to try and see if she could do it again.
Mary had just frowned, her eyes filling up with tears as she explained she hadn’t known how she had done it. Aunt Ada had pulled her into a hug while Auntie Dinah and mum had bickered over what to do. Later that day, her cousins had decided to play Go Fish with the cards instead of Cheats and her elder sisters let her crawl into bed with them, just for the night.
It happened again at Nan’s. They were gathered around for dinner and Minnie was sighing over her latest relentless persuer to her family. She’d been describing the onslaught of yellow roses he’d gotten her, complaining that “yellow roses mean friendship, why did he get me those if he wants to woo me!”
Mary had sneezed and promptly turned the tablecloth a lovely shade of yellow. And effectively stunned everyone into silence.
Nan had almost fainted but when they sat down for dinner, all of them expressed their fears at whatever devil was inside their precious, darling Mary. It was hardly the last time she ever felt so cared for.
They were relieved when she got her Hogwarts letter the next day — overjoyed even! But Mary doubted they’d much like to know about the Wizarding World once she’d poured over her magic textbooks and learnt about the hatred against Muggleborns like her and Muggles like her family.
Another thing that people never talk about in large families is how lonely it could be.
With love pouring in from every side of her family and inside her little bubble of protection, she was safe. But if she wanted to keep them safe, she had to pop it. She had to stand on her own, learn all she can and become as powerful as she could. Do everything she possibly could, so that her family would not suffer the consequences of her failure.
Grandad hadn’t exactly been wrong at the thought of a devil upon seeing witch craft. There were many ‘devils’. All whom wanted her family dead. But she wouldn’t let that happen.
Mary Macdonald, one of the most powerful magic wielders to ever exist, would carve her own legacy. She’d protect her family, those of blood and an entire clan of those who’d welcomed her into their fold.
She wouldn’t carry her struggles alone, would learn to lean on others for help, for protection. She’d never have to worry about her family’s safety. And they’d love every single person in her lovely, exclusive group.
A sweet little girl, blessed by Aphrodite with her looks. charisma and personality. The brave, resilient guardian, loyal forever.
A family girl, at her core, and a family girl till the end. Mary Macdonald, a saviour of the Wizarding World. A war hero. Her family’s hero.
Such is the tale, of one Mary Macdonald.
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