A/N: I know, I've been gone. I'm studying abroad in Ireland, life's been pretty wild, but I also really haven't been writing as much of anything as I want to be for another reason, and what I have been writing hasn't been turning out so hot. This chapter was only supposed to be a short set-up sentence or so before i got into the story with Dirk Cresswell (which I have about 10 versions of right now) but it got too unwieldy, so voila. 1st chapter dealt with why only one Bones seemed to be in the Order, this time I get into the McKinnons. Next chapter, Marlene's supposed to recruit Dirk Cresswell; then I have planned short Mary MacDonald and Andromeda Ted pieces probably one involving Fabian the Weasleys. Maybe John Dawlish, maybe not, but this fic should end around there. If, you know, I actually ever write them. Especial thanks to anyone who reviewed one of my fics in the past couple days/weeks, I got quite a few that made a nice surprise and reminded me, oh, right, fanfiction, I write that! ;D This chapter's more just playing around- the next chapter's the one I really, really want to turn out, and have had in mind for AGES- but anyway, here's one to hopefully pique your interest till then. Enjoy!
Marlene McKinnon didn't even need to be asked to join the Order of the Phoenix. Alastor Moody showed up to the McKinnon household late in the summer of '76, the question lurking behind his twisted lips, and as Marlene was newly of age, her uncle persuaded her mother she could stay while they heard the man out.
She was thrilled. Someone famous in her house and she got to stay and sit with her brother Michael instead of upstairs with the little kids being watched by Gran. It was a fight not to squirm in her seat with excitement.
"It's war now," said Moody bluntly, leaning intently forward and dismissing her aunt's offer of tea with a tap of his flask. "Damned press might pretty it down and push it to the back of the sheets, but there are those who're looking at it plain, thinking out what'll come of letting these trumped-up fiends run amuck with only those elected bumblers in their way, and we can see what's coming- and that's nothing short of the end of our world."
Marlene's brother let out a low, flippant whistle.
"Heavy," said Michael, better known as the Mick outside the McKinnon household. He'd graduated three years back and was married with kids already, which wasn't really going so well for him as the girl in question was Muggle, quite religious, and not exactly rushing to embrace magic.
Marlene had thought it was stupid, so, so stupid of him to marry so young, and so typical, not just of her brother but everyone these days- in a emrush rush rush /emto fall in love and get together and live as much of life as they could cram in before something terrible happened (because a lot of terrible things were happening, these days). And dragging Muggles into it without any warning they'd just become targets, keeping them in the dark not only about the troubles but the whole wizarding world like so many were doing these days... it was bad business all around. Her cousin Nan McMillan, too, was refusing to come out of the broom closet with the Muggle bloke she was seeing, even though it was getting serious. It was a mad time for romancing, as far as Marlene was concerned- and things on the verge of breaking off with Gideon Prewett since he'd graduated had absolutely no relevance to that opinion.
Marlene's mother widened her tired eyes at Michael, a look that warned him to keep his mouth from running amuck as usual. "Isn't that a touch drastic, Alastor?" said Maura McKinnon. She looked even more worn through than usual, which fiercely worried Marlene.
"Drastic!" said Moody, spittle flying out of his mouth with the word. "Drastic's precisely what we're lacking! We're up against zealots, McKinnon, all the worse for being young and dumb, and maybe they aren't airing their true colors out in daylight yet - but there's no call for letting a dragon grow up full-size to see if it thinks you look tasty or not when you can stamp it out before it can get itself off the ground! I'm not running some fool's errand, I'm here for Albus Dumbledore-"
'Same difference,' Michael mouthed at Marlene, and she let out a short laugh, which ended abruptly when Moody fixed his glower on her.
"You know the McKinnons'll stand with your man Dumbledore," her uncle Sean said, which luckily snared Moody's attention. "On anything. Just say the word."
"Consider it said," growled Moody. "Albus' brought in Edgar Bones and me and some of them from up at his school- and his coot of a brother too, though I haven't seen hide or tail of him- on a citizen's watch sort of outfit. A front line of defense."
"Ministry sanctioned?" asked Marlene's aunt Francis, who looked even less enthusiastic than her husband or Marlene's mother.
"Not as such," said Moody. "It'd be more the very best breed of vigilantes."
"Vigilantes. It was a spine-searing word. Something straight out ofem The Adventures of Martin Miggs the Mad Muggle or Wily Warlock comics she used to swipe out of Michael's room when he wasn't looking. Might for right, running towards dangers and death, living in mystery from minute to minute... the possibilities made Marlene's ribs feel tight. She wanted in on this.
Francis pointedly eyed her husband's big belly, while her sister-in-law's sagging face, basset hound sadness in her eyes, spoke for itself. "We might not be up to snuff for that sort of nighttime running about, Alastor Moody. And we've little ones yet to look after."
Sean moved to protest, but Moody was nodding in agreement. "Lady's got a point. Don't look so disgruntled, Sean McKinnon, what I hear doesn't have you as much of the duelist anyhow. Good to know you're on my side, but I'd rather you weren't fighting 'longside it. Our Order of the Phoenix- and don't go looking at me, wasn't me that came up with that- will have other needs for you. There's the politics of it, for one, and sure it'll help to say you stand with us if it comes to it- but what we're looking for now's some young blood, and you McKinnons have plenty of it." Moody's false eye swiveled towards Michael. "Hear this one of yours was quite the athlete. You take after the old man in your dueling too, boy?"
He flushed bright red. So did Marlene. "Michael's nothing like our father," she said hotly, ignoring her mother's immediate 'Marlene!' "He's better, with everything, yeah?"
Michael, for all his purported maturity, proceeded to kick Marlene from under the table. "I'm not the one you're looking for," he said to Moody. "Can't, sir. I've got... family, I'm somebody's Da, and I won't be one of the ones who lets down their babies. I can't be going all in either." He paused and exchanged a look with his Uncle Sean. "Mairghread might be your girl, she's Sean and Fran's oldest, she's nearly my age. When she gets back from Spain you might want to try her-"
"I'm loads better than her," said Marlene in a rush, and Moody, for the first time, gave her a gauging look.
"And which one're you?" he asked, while her mother shot her looks.
"I'm Marlene McKinnon. I'm of age," she said, "and I'll go all in for your Phoenix thing, if you'll have me."
His eye swept over her, which left her with an uncomfortable feeling, as if Moody was seeing through her down to her hidden nooks and crannies of embarrassments and unhappinesses. "We'll have to see," he started, when her mother interrupted, her anger lighting her eyes with the most life Marlene had seen in them for years.
Marlene is still in school and has further training to pursue besides. And if your business is done here and you won't take that cup of tea, I think, Alastor, that you should perhaps be leaving."
"Maybe so," said the Auror, bowing his grizzled head but keeping his strange eye on Marlene, who'd caught her interest now. "We have an understanding, then, Sean?"
"You tell us what you need, and the McKinnons'll answer. Won't we?"
His wife and sister-in-law assented, though Maura's gaze was still fixed on Marlene.
"Show Mr Moody out, will you, Marlene?" said her uncle quietly. She jumped up, gesturing towards the exit through the kitchen. She could hear the adults muttering among themselves as she left the room, which especially made her want to hustle out of there. She knew what they'd be whispering, her auntie especially. Impulsive. Thoughtless. Self-indulgent. Mess. All adding up to the worst sting off all, so much like Mike. They didn't mean her brother, who never went by Mike. Big Mike was their father.
Moody clomped behind her to the front door, and to her disappointment seemed to be content to leave in silence until he stopped in the threshold. "Bold girl. You looking to be an Auror?"
"Nah," said Marlene, conscious enough of who she was talking to not to laugh at the prospect, "not my cuppa. If I wrack enough NEWTS up I reckon I might take a crack at Healing. Mam'd like it, and I want to help." She looked at him pointedly. "If you're wanting a McKinnon, I'm your girl."
"We'll see," he repeated. "If Dumbledore reckons you're turning out a good witch- then maybe we could use that help of yours in our Order, missy."
Whether or not the Order actually wanted her, nothing and no one was going to keep her out of this. It was shaping up to be the story of the decade, if not the century, the wizarding war to end all wars. And Marlene McKinnon was going to ensure she played a part in it, however great or small.
"You bet," she said, and watched him go, teeming with thrills.
The Order came to the McKinnons, but Marlene signed herself up.