Les Étoiles
Marlene McKinnon
Dedicated to Safari, who does not hate this pairing.
Not one little bit.
Cast of Characters
(in order of appearance)
Marlene McKinnon - Éponine Thénardier
Albus Dumbledore - Jean Valjean
Lily Evans - Cosette
Mr. McKinnon - M. Thénardier
Mrs. McKinnon - Mme. Thénardier
James Potter - Marius Pontmercy
Sirius Black - Enjolras
Frank Longbottom - Courfeyrac
Remus Lupin - Combeferre
Peter Pettigrew - Javert
Act 1, Scene I.
The Leaky Cauldron Inn
Marlene McKinnon was hiding beneath the stairs when the old man came to take Lily away.
"No more words," Albus Dumbledore said calmly, pulling a large sack from within his robes. It jingled when it hit the table, and Marlene's eyes widened. Money. "Here's your price. Fifteen hundred galleons for your sacrifice."
Fifteen hundred galleons. It was more money than they'd ever had. Marlene saw her parents glance back and forth between the money, Dumbledore, and each other.
"Come, Lily," the old man said, putting a hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Say goodbye. Let us seek out some . . . friendlier sky."
Lily wouldn't look at the McKinnons as Dumbledore ushered her out the door.
"Can you believe it?" Marlene's father scooped his wife up and waltzed her around the inn's dining room. "Fifteen hundred galleons! For the brat!"
"I say you should have asked for more," Marlene's mother said, and the two dissolved into conversation as Marlene stole up to bed.
Act 1, Scene II.
The Streets of Hogsmeade; eight years later.
"Oi! McKinnon!"
Marlene looked up and immediately felt her face go red. "James," she said, sweeping her dark hair over her shoulder - and she knew it was greasy, knew her face was covered in dirt and sweat, but maybe he wouldn't notice.
He grinned and tucked his textbook under his arm. For a moment Marlene didn't know which she wanted more: the book, or the boy holding it. "What's up today?" he asked. "I haven't seen you much about."
She shrugged and smiled - keeping her lips closed, so he wouldn't see the state of her teeth. "Oh, you know. Around. Here you can always catch me in." She threw her arms wide and gestured to the streets that had become her home.
Because her father wasn't good with money, and the inn wasn't popular anymore, and in the past few years they'd lost everything.
(And she wished so desperately that James Potter would take her away from it all.)
"Mind the aurors don't catch you out," he said with a wink.
He started to turn away, and she seized the opportunity to snatch the book from under his arm. "Say, what d'you do with all these books?" she asked, flipping through it.
"We learn. You know, magic."
"I could've been a student, too," she said, but her heart panged, because no, she couldn't have.
"But you aren't - I mean, you don't have - "
"Don't judge a girl on how she looks," Marlene snapped, shoving the book back into his arms. "I know a lot of things."
"I know you do. But Marlene, the things you know, you wouldn't find in books like these."
A scream came from around the corner, and Marlene snapped her head around to see a group of Snatchers - led by her father, no doubt - marching into the square. "Stay out of this," she warned James as he reached into his pocket for his wand.
"But, Marlene - "
"You'll be in trouble," she insisted, shoving her way through the crowd. "It's not your concern!"
"Oi! Marlen - "
But then he was tumbling, he'd tripped over something - someone - someone beautiful.
"I didn't see you there," he said to the lovely redhead with the bright green eyes, bending to help her up. His eyes were wider than she'd ever seen them. "Forgive me."
And Marlene watched it all with horror in her heart.
Act 1, Scene III.
The Three Broomsticks
She pushed into the Three Broomsticks and flung herself into a seat, scowling. "Whiskey," she said shortly, and the bartender passed her a glass of her favorite form of escaping reality.
"What's got you so upset?" asked a voice over her shoulder, and she turned in her chair to see Sirius Black, James' best friend.
"Nothing." She took a sip.
Sirius took a seat beside her. "I'm meant to be leading a meeting here in fifteen - ah, no, thank you, this isn't the time for a drink," he added when the bartender offered him a glass. " - in fifteen minutes. It's for students only, McKinnon. You'll have to leave."
"I don't have to do anything."
"You have to pay for your drink," Sirius pointed out. "And I'm willing to bet you don't have enough money to do that without my help."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out two galleons. "Wrong."
"Where'd you get those, then? Stealing?"
"James."
"Why's James giving you money?"
"I have some information."
Sirius nudged her. "Go on, then. What kind of information?"
"About a woman."
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "A woman?"
Marlene nodded. "She goes by the name of Lily Evans. We were children together."
"And James is interested in her?"
A short nod.
"And you - how do you feel about all this?"
Marlene shrugged.
"Liar. You're obsessed with him, Marley. We all know it."
"Doesn't matter. He'll never want me." She looked down at the rags that made up her clothes. "I'm not like you."
"James Potter has never cared about money," Sirius said. "He's not quite that shallow."
"Not money." She bit her lip. "I'm not . . . magic."
"Oh. That."
"Yes. That."
Sirius was suddenly very focused on the counter beneath his hands. "And this Lily girl, she is?"
"Yes."
"You know - " He licked his lips and took a deep breath. "Marley, you know there are other boys. People who will love you no matter what you are."
She laughed bitterly. "Send them my way, won't you?"
"I - "
Frank Longbottom and Remus Lupin came into the bar, and Sirius looked up at their voices. "The meeting's starting," he said. "You - "
"I know, I know." She set one galleon on the counter and stood up. "I'll get out of your way."
"No." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I was going to say - you can stay, if you want to."
She shook her head. "Thank you for the offer. But I - I'd rather not."
When she was outside, she leaned against a building, tilted her head back, and began to count the stars.
Act 2, Scene I.
Hogwarts Castle
She ended up at the castle the next night anyway, hair tucked up under her cap, building a barricade to hold back the garrison of Death Eaters with the rest of the students.
"I can find out the truth!" a new recruit called Peter Pettigrew was yelling. "I know their ways!"
"What's this I see?" said a voice at Marlene's ear, and she whirled around to see James Potter. "Merlin, Marlene, the things you do!" He seized her arms. "Get out before the trouble starts!"
"But - "
"Get out, Marley, you might be killed."
"I would rather stay with you! Let me help!"
"You want to help? Here." He shoved a scrap of parchment into her hands. "Take this letter to Lily. And pray to Merlin she's still there."
"Lily?" Marlene repeated. "Lily? You met her one day ago."
"Just go, McKinnon."
And she did, singing softly to herself (and to the stars) as she went.
Act 2, Scene II.
The Streets of Hogsmeade
She was on her way back from Lily's when she heard the fight begin.
"James," she whispered, breaking into a run.
Explosions of light burst over the barricade, like fireworks, like shooting stars, and Marlene was focused so hard at the castle that she didn't even notice when one of them hit her.
Act 2, Scene III.
The Three Broomsticks
When she woke, she was clean.
"James?" she murmured, turning over on her side. "James?"
"He's not here, Marley," Sirius Black whispered.
She sat straight up. "He died?"
"No." He offered her his hand. She took it, let him pull her up. "He's alive. He's fine."
"Then where - "
"You died, Marlene."
"But - "
"Look around you."
She did.
She was in the Three Broomsticks, but it looked different - brighter, somehow, and cleaner. The other students were there, all chatting and laughing with glasses of alcohol in their hands, and they looked more relaxed than she'd ever seen them.
"This is Heaven, then?" she asked. "The Three bloody Broomsticks with you lot is my Heaven?"
Sirius gently touched her cheek. "There's more. Look at your hands, Marley."
And when she raised them to eye level, she realized that one of them was holding a wand.
"Whose is this?" she whispered.
"Yours."
"I have - I have a wand?"
He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and gently guided her hand. "Lumos," he prompted, and she repeated after him.
A bright light appeared at the tip of her wand.
"It looks like a star," she whispered in wonder, and Sirius dropped her wrist so he could tangle his fingers up in her free hand.
"A star of your very own," he murmured.
Fin.
[Tien Len Competition: Three of Hearts - Marlene McKinnon, favorite, "This isn't the time for a drink!", "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."- Oscar Wilde]
[Disney Character Competition: Ray - write about someone who admires someone in a higher social class. Prompt: Garrison]
[Star Challenge: Canopus - write about someone who is only second-best to someone.]
[Oh The Thinks You Can Think: Horton 2.0 - write about someone selfless.]
[Collect A Collection: Marlene McKinnon (Marauder's Era). Prompt: Wand]
[Fiddler on the Roof Character Challenge: Fyedka - write about a misfit in magical society.]
[100 Prompts: "You don't have to leave." "Yes, I do."]
[Het-Pairings Boot Camp: student]
[Relationship Bingo Board Challenge: B2 - Love Triangle]
