1st of July, 1981
“Alright sweetness, we’re gonna go visit the Potters and baby Harry, ok?” Marlene is saying, gathering all her younger siblings’ coats off the rack to pass to them as they leave.
The nearly nine-year-old rolls large blue eyes. “I know Marlene, you don’t have to tell just me, I’m not a baby anymore,” She sighs, missing teeth only helping void her point. Marlene’s heart pangs softly even as she snorts at her baby sister’s younger reaction.
“You’re still a baby Prudence,” Marlene says. She pauses before admitting, “It’s nice that you’re giving baby Harry Mr. Hops though.” Prue had become enamoured with little Harry immediately upon meeting him. As the baby of the McKinnon family, she had never been around too many babies, so she had adopted Harry as her little brother instantly. Marlene knew James and Lily found this hilarious and the couple regularly invited the young girl over to visit them all. It wasn't as though Prue was old enough to go to Hogwarts yet anyway, so she wasn't often very busy.
Prudence grins happily, appeased by Marlene's words. “Like I said Marls. I’m not a baby. I don’t need him anymore. Plus, baby Harry will definitely like him. Last time he visited, he kept stealing him off of me.” Prue giggles at that and Marlene smiles softly. She throws her baby sister’s coat at her face and Prudence shrugs it on quickly.
The toss catches the light of her ring and Marlene finds herself admiring it again. She does that quite often nowadays. Especially as the wedding is in 12 days. Swiftly counting down. There hadn’t been any big losses on their side in months, so Dorcas and Marlene had taken it as an omen that the universe was finally looking up. So, they stopped procrastinating and booked the venue.
Marlene is so giddy she can barely sleep. That’s why she was taking her family to visit the Potters. The McKinnons and Potters had been close since forever (and the Pettigrews but Peter had said he sadly couldn’t join them tonight) and she knew her family would appreciate the last adventure Marlene might be able to take them on in a while. Life as a married woman would likely be different. Wife. Marlene was going to be a wife and have a wife.
She couldn’t wait.
“Guys, we’re about to leave!” She hollers down the hallway as her parents turn the corner, amused smiles on their faces.
“Merlin’s beard, we’re coming Marlene!!” Jameson shouts back from his room down the hall, the twins yelling their agreements from their own.
Dolly dances out, curly hair in two ponytails with gold ribbons. She’s only 13 but Marlene thinks she might be one of the prettiest girls she’s ever seen. Hufflepuff has been lucky to gain a McKinnon Marlene thinks proudly, passing her sister her jacket when she makes it to the front door.
“If you don’t hurry up then we’re leaving without you!” She warns her brothers, raising an eyebrow in humour at Dolly and Prue who snicker when the boys start complaining about being rushed.
Their Mama laughs, twining her fingers affectionately with their Papa. “Give them a minute sugarcane. Boys take longer to get ready then girls.”
“Untrue!” Andrew whines as he stalks out of his room and towards them. Wilbur is trailing behind him, also looking sour.
“We always have to wait for Dolly and the girls!” Wilbur challenges and Dolly immediately makes a noise of protest.
“I wasn’t even part of this! And that is so untrue, you’re always making us late.”
Marlene’s Mama makes eye contact with her over the heads of Marlene’s bickering siblings and winks at her about boys coming out to rise to the bait, just like she knew she would. She quickly breaks up the argument though and Marlene hands the twins their jackets.
She tries not to fidget. Her family was all supposed to have left already.
Marlene is going to follow behind them, after she has gotten the package that’s been hidden under her old childhood bed for the last month. In it lies wedding gifts for her whole family. They are the most sentimental things Marlene has ever created and she cried a little while making them.
She hopes, not maliciously, that they cry reading them. Even her frustrating brothers.
“Ok, I’m ready,” Jamie relents, stepping out of his room. Marlene can’t help the small yelp that escapes her when she sees the 20-year-old. The twins and Dolly don’t even try to hide their wide eyes and when Prue turns around to see why they’ve suddenly frozen, she gasps.
“What did you do to your hair?!” Prudence blurts and the words crack whatever spell has fallen over the others, everyone immediately doubling over with laughter. Marlene feels genuine tears in her eyes. Jameson folds his arms and glowers at them, but he doesn’t say anything. He can’t.
Because her little brother’s hair is bright pink and floating.
“Potions accident,” He scowls impatiently, wrenching his coat from Marlene’s grip. “I tried to get rid of it. Didn’t work. Yes, it’s all very funny. We can leave now.”
Marlene cackles, pointing at his head. “It looks like fairy floss Jamie!” She wheezes which sends her family into another bout of laughter, and she swears Jameson’s lips twitch too.
“Argh whatever. You’re the one who wanted to leave Marls, so hurry up yourself,” And with that he opens upon the door, so they can go to the grass and apparate where it will be easier for the large family. They don’t get that far.
Peter stands at the door with a surprised look on his face, fist raised as though he was about to knock. Marlene pushes past her brother, flinging her arms around her friend who takes it stiffly, not returning it.
Odd, Marlene thinks but pushes it aside. “Oh, you changed your mind, Pete?! That’s so good we can leave now.” She goes to step forward. but he doesn’t move. Doesn’t smile. And that’s when Marlene notices the other people behind him.
Silver masks glint in the moonlight
She frowns.
“Peter? Peter, what is this?” Fear begins to rise in her voice as knowledge dawns on her, and she shoves Prue behind her. “Peter, what are you doing? Pete?”
He stays silent.
“Peter, tell me what is happening!”
Her final shout seems to dislodge something, and he looks at her, liquid pain in his honey eyes. “I’m so sorry Mickey. I thought-It was meant to be only you home now.”
“What do you mean Peter?”
“I-“ Peter’s voice fails and it’s Jameson who says it, voice as hard and cold as a chip of ice.
“He’s a traitor, Marls.”
Marlene’s parents try then. They try so hard. Casting spells to put up shields around their children and themselves.
In the end, it’s her parents that die first.
Chaos ensues immediately, Marlene and Jamie trying frantically to protect their younger siblings.
Dolly dies next, gold ribbons turning black as she falls.
Then Jameson, violently defending his siblings and managing to take four Death Eater's down with him.
Andrew and Wilbur are next, together even in the end.
Prudence, only eight years old, joins the rest not long after, still hiding behind Marlene with Mr Hops. clutched tightly in her hands.
And as Marlene lifts her chin defiantly, her heart dead and tears streaming down her face, her thumb finds her ring to stroke the warm metal.
I’m so sorry Dorcas.
If Marlene McKinnon was asked to describe the end of her life in one word, she would probably say… empty.