Chapter Text
Chapter 7
Marlene
Marlene’s and Dorcas’ Flat
August 17th, 1978 6:30 am
Your eyes are sparklin with teenage fire
I'll satisfy your mad desire
I love playin' with fire
I don't wanna get burned
I love playin' with fire
Don't think I'll ever learn, no!
I Love Playin’ with Fire The Runaways 1977
“Marlene!” A hand smacks the side of her face, waking her from her deep sleep, “If you do not get out of this goddamn bed and shut your fucking owl up right fucking now, I’ll transfigure him into a barrel again!”
Marlene just giggles, opting to roll over Dorcas’s body and off the bed instead of sliding straight out of her own side. Dorcas, eyes still closed, huffs loudly, but Marlene can see her hiding a smile. She makes her way to where Zeppelin pecks repetitively at the window demanding access into the flat. She lets the bird in who greets Marlene with an excited shriek and Dorcas groans.
“Don’t mind her she’s not so lovely in the mornings, more like a bear,” She peers to where Dorcas’ head is peeking out the blankets, she’s narrowing her eyes at Marlene in annoyance. And oh how adorable, Marlene simply loves driving this woman mad. She looks back to her grey bird, “Yeah, exactly like a bear. A grumpy old morning bear!”
Dorcas only huffs louder than the last and throws the blanket completely over her head as a response.
“See she even sounds like one, don’t you think?”
Dorcas bursts out of the blankets, “That’s it!” She snatches her wand off the nightstand and casts a spell at two nearby vases. The ceramics quickly turn into real brown bears. Big scary looking bears, right there in the flat.
Oh my Merlin, this beautiful woman is completely mad.
The bears run toward Marlene at full pace, Zeppelin drops the letter and flies out the window faster than Marlene can even react. She stares at the two on coming bears in fear, but honestly mostly awe. Marlene notices that as they get closer they begin to shrink in size, until eventually two very eager bear cubs crash into her. They take her to the ground, licking her face and nipping at her two braids in excitement.
Marlene giggles, this could be worse she imagines.
“Okay, okay! That's enough, Dorcas,” she breaks out between giggles.
Dorcas, who had wrapped herself up in blankets once more and watched the show with laughter, returns the bears to vases and levitates them to their correct spots.
“Now, I think we have established I’m nothing like a ‘morning bear’ as you say,” Dorcas smirks charmingly.
And oh man this girl hands it to her on a silver platter it’s too easy, “Yes it appears I was wrong. Bears are much more friendly and lively. I’d pick the bear any day,” Marlene smirks even wider.
Dorcas laughs, “You shit,” she lays back down still bundled in blankets, “So, who’s the letter from? Who thought it was so important to wake us up so damn early?”
Marlene wasn’t joking earlier, Dorcas truly isn’t a morning person. She grabs the discarded letter off the ground and reads the fancy cursive displaying a familiar name: Albus Dumbledore.
“No shit,” Marlene breathes out softly.
Dorcas instantly rises from her pillow, “What is it?” she asks panicked.
“Woah, hey! Nothing bad, just a letter from Dumbledore. James and Sirius gave me a heads up that he was interested in contacting me but I’m not sure what about, I can’t believe he knows my name” She looks up from the letter to see Dorcas still staring at it, but instead as if it’s a bomb, “Hey, is everything okay?”
She rises from bed and walks closer to her, “I don’t trust him, Marley,” It’s so soft but panicked, careful but hateful all at once.
“James and Sirius do, and Lily and Mary! Remus and Peter as well. The entirety of the Order trusts him, and if he’s the only hope against the Dark Lord, shouldn’t we trust him as well?”
“Is he?” Dorcas questions back, Marlene can tell from her voice she’s holding back tears.
She stares at her curiously, “Isn’t he?”
Dorcas hesitates.
“Cassie,” Marlene says, softening her tone.
A singular tear drops down Dorcas's face.
“Cas, what’s-“
“Just fucking do it already, Reg!” Dorcas shouts then breaks down into tears on the floor.
“Reg?” Marlene turns to see who Dorcas could possibly be speaking to. There’s only one Reg they know and he’s gone. Before she can turn around she’s promptly hit with a spell that knocks her out.
“Fucking hell,” Marlenes head is fucking pounding she tries to massage her temples but quickly realizes her wrists are bound to the chair she sitting in, “What the shit?”
The bright morning sun shining through the window does nothing to help with the killer headache corrupting her brain. It takes Marlene a second before she can properly take in her surroundings. She squints her eyes open to see a young man sitting in the seat opposite of her, he has black curly hair and fair skin, sharp features and grey eyes, “Sirius?” She questions.
The man scoffs. It's familiar, Marlene has heard it before she trains her eyes to focus on his face and she gasps.
“Did I die?”
“Well I won't lie, that's the first, Mckinnon,” He chuckles.
“Cut the shit Regulus. You're dead. I'm dead.” Marlene deducts.
“What the fu— I was under the impression you were smart enough to be brought into this,” he says agitated.
“Brought into what? What the fuck is this? What have you done to Dorcas, where is she? You're here for him aren’t you! The Dark Lord,” she accuses.
“You're really exhausting me and it's only seven am, Mckinnon. You know how hard that is?”
“Apparently not too hard, the eye bags make it quite apparent you're exhausted,”
He smiles, “Dorcas is my friend. She's okay and I would never hurt her… ergo I wouldn't hurt you. That much you can trust me on,” Marlene begins to speak, but he cuts her off, “and yes I know it's not a lot to work with, but Dorcas trusts me and I know we both trust her.” Their eyes meet and Marlene feels almost like a deal is being made, like they’re forming the start of a companionship, “However, before I let you in, before you commit I want you to hear him out,” he says, gesturing to Albus Dumbledore's letter.
“Why would you want that?”
“I’m trying to invite you in on a mission to discover how to take down Voldemort, but I know Dumbledore intends to do the same. Listen to what he has to say and decide what path you believe is best for wizardkind. I need to know you trust me and are committed to what we're trying to accomplish. I need to know you chose it over the familiarity and safety of your friends in The Order.” He states logically. And then, “I need to know you're smart enough to be brought into this,” he echoes from earlier.
Marlene thinks about what he’s offering her. Meet with Dumbledore and choose a side, simple enough. Unless, she thinks about Dorcas. How scared she was when she saw that letter.
“Deal,” Regulus instantly unbinds her then seems to unlock the bathroom door because it swings open.
“Regulus Black, You better wish you were dead because what I’m gonna do to you is so much worse,” Dorcas yells running from the bathroom, wand extended till it meets Regulus throat. Dorcas's face is tearstained, but rage is overwhelming her features now. Merlin, was she pissed.
“Dorcas Meadowes we have just gotten him back, you cannot kill him!” Pandora exclaims following her right out of the bathroom. Since when was Pandora here?
“Off with his head!” Barty squeals running out of the bathroom, Evan quickly following behind rolling his eyes. Okay who the hell else is in this flat?
Evan walks behind Dorcas and helps her slowly drop her wand to her side.
“Dorcas! What the fuck have you been up to? Why were you in the bathroom? All of you– when did you even—”
“Marley” Dorcas begins, she's already holding back tears, “I wanted this to happen differently. I was under the impression it would, but Regulus changed the plan, locking us all in the bathroom and recruiting you on his own.”
They all look at Regulus, who sighs, “Look can you blame me? This isn’t some game, this is about the safety and wellbeing of millions lives, wizards and muggles. I had to know I could trust her. Besides, she still doesn’t know anything, all she knows is similar to what Albus offered her; an outlet to help create a better future. I'm giving her the choice on who to trust,” he says sincerely then he looks directly to Marlene, “I hope you know that if you pick that old bag I will obliviate you. And if you tell him anything about this I will cut your tongue out and you won't be telling anyone anything,” He adds smiling brightly.
Marlene laughs out loud, but Dorcas jumps in, “Maybe don’t threaten my girlfriend please?”
“Regulus not threatening someone?” Barty questions.
All of the Slytherins plus Pandora break out into laughs now too.
Marlene
Order Headquarters
August 17th, 1978 2:30 pm
“You want me to join The Order?”
She sits in a small room, chair faced towards Albus Dumbledore who sits on the other side of the desk. He’s casually eating lemon drops as if discussing war and a life altering commitment may be the run of the mill emotionless conversation, and for him it truly might be. Marlene on the other hand, has been leg bouncing rapidly and hasn’t stopped twisting Dorcas’ ring around her thumb for the past five minutes.
“Well, why else would I be asking, Miss Mckinnon,” he says, with that signature Albus everything’s jolly Dumbledore grin.
“I’m 18, I’ve only just left school,” She reminds him.
“Yes, around the same age as everybody else joining this noble cause,” He says with true pride gleaming in his eyes.
And oh the nerve of him to think war is something to nonchalantly bring children into. Something you can take pride in, something that can involve that sinisterly happy shine in Dumbledore's eyes.
“Really? I’m truly only a child,” she points out, because it’s true. Her life has barely started, joining this cause could very well cut it short. She gives a light sigh, “Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, all of us, all your students, we’re all only children. And this is a war, this is life or death, fear and pain. It’s a real war.” She's silent for a moment, observing Dumbledore to see if these words have any effect on him. They don’t, so she doubles down, “War, and your soldiers are children. The same children that were supposed to be safe under your care. Don’t you think that really says something about you and your cause?” she bites.
“Why, Miss Mckinnon, are you insinuating the other cause is more noble for recruiting men and women of elder age?” Marlene is frankly pissed that that’s what he’s taking away, “May I remind you The Order has fighters from all ages, and the Death Eaters even stooped as low as marking a 16 year ol-“
“-So you knew and did nothing?”
“I’m sorry?”
“You knew Regulus Black, presumably was tortured into becoming Death Eater, yet you didn’t see fit to intervene?” Anger has overwhelmed her, and she intends to make it known. Fuck Albus fucking Dumbledore. Fuck his hypocrisy and stereotypes. And fuck his abuse of power and authority.
She bites back a grin when the look on the old man’s face tells her she’s already won whatever argument is taking place here, but she holds strong and lets her features display the disgust she holds for this man to do something to a child. An innocent child caught up in a war he had no voice in.
“He’s a Slytherin,” he says, sounding exhausted.
“I’m sorry is that supposed to mean someth–”
“--Miss McKinnon, if I may direct us back on topic-“
“-You may,” she cuts in.
He narrows his eyes at her, slightly lifting his chin. He wasn’t asking permission, she knows that, she gives him a darling smile.
He grins back forcefully, that twinkle back in his eye.
“Your talent for curse breaking really shined at Hogwarts and so, Miss McKinnon, I’m asking you to join our ranks. You may also fight on top of curse breaking duties, if you please, but I’d never force a child to fight. I only do what I do for the greater good. I care about all of the young men and women I bring into this cause-“
Marlene interrupts with a disbelieving huff big enough to make her bangs fly. “You ‘care’ about all of us? Do you realize in seven years you had never talked to me once? Not even recognized me for my curse breaking skills, yet now you talk to me and recognize my talents?”
He looks almost stumped for a second before, “I care about all my recruits, Miss Mckinnion. I couldn’t show it because I couldn’t possibly lead anyone to believe I was interested in recruiting you if-“
“Bullshit!” She says rising from her chair and slamming her hands on the desk, the old man’s eyes widen with shock, “You don’t care about me, and you never have. You probably didn’t even care enough to learn anything about me. You saw me for only my curse breaking.”
“Why, that is simply untrue,”
“What’s my middle name?” she demands.
For the first time since she’d entered the office, the smile slipped from Albus Dumbledore’s face. She officially silenced the man, which is officially making her work overtime to hide that grin now.
Silence settled between them.
His eyes searched hers as though the answer might simply appear if he looked long enough.
“…Grace,” she admitted quietly.
“I did know.”
She frowned.
“I read every file on every student I believed might one day stand against Voldemort.”
She let out a dry laugh, “That’s somehow worse.”
Another silence.
“I know you think poorly of me,” Dumbledore said, folding his hands together. “Perhaps history will as well. But every decision I have made has been for one purpose.”
“The greater good,” Marlene finished flatly.
“The survival of our world.”
“Our world shouldn’t have to be saved by children.”
His shoulders sagged, if only slightly, “No.” The honesty surprised her, “It shouldn’t, but here we are.”
She hated that answer.
Not because it was wrong, but because it just wasn’t enough.
She turned to leave.
“Marlene,” he said more softly than before, “can I count on you to help build a better tomorrow?”
She turned to stare back at the old wizard.
Could she count on him?
Could Sirius?
James?
Lily?
Regulus?
The sixteen-year-old boy who’d been branded while the adults looked the other way. The answer settled in her chest long before she spoke.
She smiles at him.
“Always,” she says as if it’s a simple fact.
Hope flickered across Dumbledore’s face and he smiled, but she’s not finished.
“But,” she continued, “you’ve shown me that I can’t trust you to build it.”
The hope vanished.
She reached for the doorknob.
“If you truly care about children,” she said without looking back, “then stop asking them to die for your mistakes.”
The office remained silent.
No witty response.
No lemon drop.
No twinkle in his eye.
Just silence.
Marlene opened the door and left her old headmaster with what she hoped was a better perspective on this war.
As she exited her old school, she felt mournful for the man she once looked up to. He wasn’t what she thought he was. He is prejudiced and truly shellfish.
She Apparated home and paused outside the flat, listening to the muffled sound of laughter spilling through the door. A smile tugged at her lips despite herself.
The moment she stepped inside, the laughter died. Five pairs of eyes turned on her. Marlene took one measured breath before striding straight across the room toward Regulus. Without a word, she punched him square in the upper arm. The force sent him sprawling sideways off the couch with a heavy thud.
Silence.
Every jaw in the room dropped.
“... Kinda deserved honestly,” Barty states under his breath.
“Thats for restraining me,” She offers him a hand. Regulus takes it and she pulls him up, “and this is for trusting me.”
“Yeah well Meadowes said I had to,”
“Oh whatever, she told me you need me to break a curse on some objects!”
“Dorcas!” Regulus shouts.
“What? You do!” Dorcas exclaims.
“It’s true you haven’t a clue what you're doing,” Evan informs.
Barty laughs, “Yeah no shit last night he tried throwing the journal in the fire.”
“Oh, honey.” Marlene says condescendingly, “You couldn't have thought that would break a curse?”
“Okay, okay, pick on Regulus time is over now. Recruitment time is over, we lost valuable time. We need to catch back up. Tomorrow Barty and Evan are going undercover at the Deatheaters meeting. You girls can meet me at Barty's flat, while we wait for their return we can discuss more about cursebreaking. Deal?”
Dorcas and Marlene nod. Pandora just smiles, but Barty and Evan salute him. “Sir, yes sir,” they chant together.