Part Five

A loud, unnatural crack rang out through the countryside. On the lawn of an old, ivy covered manor was the blackened figure of a young man gliding towards the front entrance.

Marden's heart was racing, he felt like his knees would give out on him at any moment, yet his feet kept going. He had to get home.

Once inside the large entrance hall, he made every effort to close the enormous door behind him as quietly as possible. He felt absolutely drunk. The floor was shifting like it was made out of water, the walls spun around him. He slowly made his way up the large staircase when a voice rang out from an adjacent room.

"Marden?" A woman's voice echoed. He let out a very aggravated sigh. He made his way towards the room where a woman sat in an elegant chair in front a fire place that was way too big for the room. She was equally as elegant looking, in a silkened robe that fell to the floor.

"Where have you been, Marden?" The woman asked, her eyes the same color blue as his. She was reading a book that she now closed and sat down on a table, next to a glass of wine.

"I had a couple of drinks with the boys after work. It was... a really long day for all of us."

Marden's mother was not too keen on his explanation. "I sent you an owl? Didn't you get it?"

"Yeah, yeah I did. It made me realize the time." He rubbed one of his eyes with the bottom of his palm. "It's late, Mother."

Marden didn't move until his mother was to dismiss him. She sighed, her eyes searching his face. "You're an adult now, Marden, but I cannot help but worry about you...You're not hanging around that Muggle place, are you?" She asked.

Euphemia was not the kind to rat out on her brother. They have quite the list of secrets that they keep for one another. It was the Howler that came for Marden from the Ministry that gave away what had happened. He was then forced to tell the truth. Though, he didn't go into detail of just how acquainted he was with the Muggle woman he saved.

When Marden didn't answer right away, Verana spoke up. "It's not prudent for you to get involved in Muggle affairs. That's why they have their own Auror department, or whatever it is they call themselves."

"I know, Mother. I know. It was just one night, I wanted a cup of coffee and it just happened. I wasn't going to sit by and watch. Besides, it's over, I was doing the right thing and it got me cleared."

Verana McKinnon then stood, her velvety night robes gliding around her. "You're lucky. You're lucky you have the name McKinnon. That is what saved you. With any other name and you'd be in serious trouble." His mother said with such calm, making sure to speak slowly so that her son understood her completely. She slowly stepped closer until she stood in front of her son. "There's a reason why we are separate from them. They are...rather dangerous. They cause such destruction with their warfare, and they are not of the same...breed as us." She explained to Marden. "I thought we've taught you this before, but clearly it's not gotten through to you."

"Don't let me find you mingling with Muggles." She threatened to him, before walking by him. "Goodnight, son."

Marden stood in the darkness for a while. Anger boiled deep within him, what his mother said directly attacked Ailene. This woman was not a different breed than him. She was beautiful and smart and vivacious and...perfect. Absolutely perfect. He slowly trudged himself up to his room, angered enough to slam the door behind him.

He plopped down onto his bed, his mind wasting no time to think about Ailene. For the past few months, she had grown on him, and fast. He never thought that she would be so interested in him. He was never that popular with girls in school, and never had any girlfriends that lasted past six months.

But this was risky. He was right in explaining to Ailene that his parents were strict and conservative. Obviously, interacting with Muggles was a big no-no to them. They certainly didn't believe that they should all perish, like some of their other Pureblood counterparts, but they also didn't want to mix with them and be friendly with them. The destructive war that left most the United Kingdom, and much of Europe, in pieces certainly didn't help the Muggles look any better in the eyes of Wizarding kind.

Marden, on the other hand, while angry, didn't really care, and even more so with Ailene on his mind, and now his heart.

Her scent still danced on his nose, and he was sure his lips were tinged with lipstick. Thankfully his mother hadn't noticed.

Another thing that Marden failed to mention to Ailene is that his parents don't want him to move out until he had found a reputable witch to call his wife. His parents are nice enough to allow love to play a factor in the coupling, as his sister was able to find in Fleamont Potter, despite Marden's dislike for his future brother-in-law. However, some traditions still held solid in their family, that marriage, while can be enjoyable, was to keep bloodlines strong and the family name stronger. Hence such a strict push for Marden to find a wife. Marden was the key to keeping the McKinnon name alive.

But what's the underlying issue? A Muggle would have Marden completely cut off from the family. He wouldn't inherit this giant manor he grew up in, nor would he have any of the family fortune. And that fortune was quite massive, gold glistened in the McKinnon family vault at Gringott's.

Marden turned onto his side. That thought scared him, of course he wanted to be comfortable in life. His mother was right, having the McKinnon name was something he was lucky to have, and everything else that came with that very name. He was also successful in becoming an Auror, passing all of his tests and training. But then the image of Ailene came to his mind, and all of that inheritance shit seemed to melt away. Marden's feelings were developing way too fast for him to even begin to comprehend. He felt sick to his stomach every waking moment that Ailene was not next to him, and even sicker when he realized that she had no idea how he felt about her.

He had to make a decision. A decision he's definitely not going to make anytime soon.

Ailene sat slumped in her sofa for a very long time. She stared out at the window where the owl had landed. She thought Marden was strange, but now she was starting to think things were getting just a little too strange.

And they were not a coincidence.

The strange, golden coins.

A horrifically drunken man being lifted and thrown from some invisible force.

His sister magically appearing out of no where.

Marden disappearing into thin air.

It was all way too strange.

Owls. Bloody owls.

The next morning, Ailene called out of work. She had stayed up most of the night thinking about Marden. She took the time to clean her flat, never changing out of her pajamas and barely brushing her hair.

At seven o'clock on the dot, Marden entered Rosa's café to see the last booth empty, depleted of Ailene.

He immediately left and walked to her building, going up to her floor and her door. He stood outside for a few minutes, waiting. Was this a good idea? Should he really be seeing her like this?

The door opened, Ailene stood there in her pajamas, her hair a wild mess. She gasped the moment she saw him, dropping the bag of garbage that was in her hand.

"Hi." Marden said, his eyes just as wide as hers.

"Hi..." She replied, scratching her head. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I saw that you weren't at the coffee shop...so-so I came here..."

"Oh...I didn't go into work today, I'm uh...not feeling too well."

Marden nodded and looked down, picking up the garbage bag. "I'm sorry to hear that..." They stood in silence after that.

"W-would you like to come inside?" She offered, and Marden nodded, slipping inside of her flat. "I cleaned today, figured I'd get some of that done...I'm guessing you want coffee...since you don't drink tea." She smiled somewhat.

"Yeah...actually I would." He took off his cloak and hung it up before sitting down on the sofa. Once the coffee was on, Ailene joined him, sitting with a small gap between them. They sat in silence for a while, the radio at a low volume with the evening news on.

Then Marden spoke. "I uh...I had a really nice time last night..." He looked over at her, his eyes meeting hers.

"Yeah, me too. It's been a while since I kissed anyone like that." She said softly, nodding.

There was more silence, the room filling with the smell of coffee.

"Would you like to again?" Marden then asked, his eyes half-lidded.

Ailene nodded slowly, her brown eyes glancing at his lips. They moved fast, instantly locking their lips deep in a passionate kiss. Marden's arms snaked around Ailene, pulling her close to him and keeping her there. Ailene wrapped her arms around his neck. They both were locked into each others grasp once again, and they kissed like this for several minutes, enthralled with one another. Ailene's hands moved from around his neck and down the front of his body, gripping at his clothing, wanting them removed. She tried to fondle with his buttons, but her hands were shaking. Marden wasn't so sure what she was doing, his mind racing with a thousand things going on at once.

With no success at his shirt, Ailene then moved one of her hands lower to his belt, tugging at it before rubbing her hand and what lie beneath.

This caused Marden to gasp slightly, breaking their kiss. He looked at her, slightly shocked at her bold move. She leaned in again and kissed at his neck, tugging at the collar of his shirt, hoping it would free him.

"Ailene..." He hummed softly. She continued until she trailed back to his lips, silencing him. Somehow, Marden was now lying on his back, Ailene leaning over him.

He gently grabbed Ailene's shoulders and pushed her up. "Ai...We...I can't do this..." He whispered softly. He sat up slowly, she moved off of him. "I'm sorry, but we shouldn't go so far."

Tucking her hair behind her ears, Ailene sat silently for a few moments. "I don't know what came over me..." She whispered softly, ringing at her hands and looking at him.

He shook his head. "It's okay, trust me...I want to. But, I don't think it'd be a good idea..."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No! Not at all... I just..." Marden sighed and stood up. "You wouldn't believe me; you wouldn't understand..."

Ailene watched him hesitantly. "What wouldn't I understand?" Ailene stood up after him, standing behind him with his back to her.

He stood in silence for so long that Ailene took as step closer and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"I can't..." He shook his head. "I just can't, not right now."

Ailene watched Marden for a few minutes, he was looking down at the floor. Ailene then walked around so he was facing her, and she took his face in her hands.

"What are we, Marden? Clearly there is...something between us. Something that we both cannot deny for much longer."

Marden stayed silent, glancing at her eyes before looking down at her lips. He slowly leaned in, stopping just before their lips brushed together before resting his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry..."

"If you can't...then, can you please stay with me tonight?" She asked him. "Just stay with me..." Her voice gave out on her before she could finish speaking.