An introduction....
NAME Marlene Arlais McKinnon
NICKNAME Marls
AGE 24
HOME Wales by way of Ireland
ACCENT Swansea Welsh with County Carlow especially in exciting moments
OCCUPATION Auror, formerly
BOGGART Being alone and no one can see her
WAND Mahogany with Dragon Heartstring, 11 inches
PATRONUS Unicorn
BIRTHDAY July 19
LOOKS LIKE
Perfectly messy dirty blonde hair, thick boots, large sweaters and overalls, blue eyes that glint like crystals, freckles that just deepen in the summer, a permanently messy room covered with picture frames, scraped knees, a wand that sparks in tandem with feelings, thus a slightly singed right sleeve, candy hidden in corners, loving hugs at anytime, quick feet running silently down a dark hall, dark vignetting closing in over a last sunlit glimmer
Sounds Like:
Storms; Fleetwood Mac, Fire and Rain; Birdy, Trouble’s Lament; Tori Amos, 32 Flavors; Ani DiFranco, Daughter; Pearl Jam, Volcano Girls; Veruca Salt, Crazy on You; Heart…
about
you see here hanging upside down on a tree, she insults you with laughing crystalline eyes, and you fall in love with her a little bit…
The hyper little gryffindor was born to parents working within the ministry, the youngest child at that. In all of her family’s successes, it was always assumed Marlene would just follow - be a model student, a prefect, probably head girl, and then settle into a similar role within the ministry’s administration.
Growing up at this time was strange - the threats posed by the inner and outer circles in a war she barely understood. As the youngest child, she just could not process and understand such terrible things. However, Marlene just wanted someone to explain to her how such awful things could happen. Yet, no one had an answer. It seemed the rest of the McKinnons took in stride the way of the world, they had their words and emotions in check.
There she was, freckle faced with her ear pressed up against the door hearing the adults speak in hushed tones. She watched as older siblings were included, she saw the gravity in their expressions. For some reason, it seemed she was made to play along, but Marlene could not do it. She couldn’t hide her nervousness, her angst, her energy, she was too much at once it seemed. It lead to a series of mishaps, but sometimes that was the only way to get anyone’s attention.
And then came time to start Hogwarts. Now being the outlier as always, Marlene was rather readily sorted into Gryffindor. She let out one heck of a shriek while she ran to the table, nearly crashing into the fellow students beside her. She gave quite a fright to one Ravenclaw sister that evening.
She proved to be quite a daredevil, craving the attention and positive reactions her stunts received. By second year, she knew she was just itching to break the rules a little bit - giving professors, prefects, and Filch a run for their money. The detention was practically a reward for a job well done. And such as, she became very assertive and quite attention seeking. Don’t have an argument with her, she’s not good at arguing but will insist she is correct.
When it came to her friends and loved ones, especially those who she saw things dangerously changing for; she became both defensive and offensive when provoked. She can often find herself in a fight without ever intending to start one, often times from her own lack of ability to communicate well.
Despite her constant search for adventure and thrills, she was deeply worried by the world around her. But with so few outlets, her actions often came at the consequence of good emotional expression on the back burner. It was often easier to lash out and hurt others. Maturity was best served in small plates with Marlene. Her insights were shared within her closest circle of friends and her emotions always were her last concern. For her the best way to process is to first act and think later. That didn’t always lead to the best of things.
At some point, she new her choice would be to pursue an Auror-track. McGonngall and nearly every other professor was against that. Surely, her skills were strong, there was a brain under there, but the focus, the dedication, the willingness to listen was lacking. Her strength, was quite literally her strength. She had a penchant for destruction, and sometimes that attracted the wrong crowd.
There were growing “movements” among her peers, and with her chaotic being, knack for ruin, and unawareness of herself, those who thought she’d be easy manipulated started sticking thoughts into her head about who it was Marlene was meant to be. And sometimes when you’re just a kid, you just want to be accepted somewhere. That wasn’t easy in family of Ministry officials and prefects with perfect grades who had a habit of harsher words towards their youngest.
Yet, in Seventh year, Marlene did the best she could to turn it all around. By the skin of her teeth, she made it through the year with no more than a few connections she was trying leave behind. But those shadows and darker elements cropped up every now and then. She needed the steadiness of her true friends to stop her from falling too far down one path.
It had only been a short while that Marlene had finished Hogwarts and began auror training that the war took a drastic turn. Training was difficult, her aim and strength are now only part of the game, not the saving grace to make it out with an outstanding exam mark. She felt anger, uncertainty in her role in this world. She felt the disappointment of her siblings and parents settling on her like cement and stone.
It was nearing the summer of 1981, the nearing of her own twenty first birthday that her sisters role in the Wizengamot was a make or break in the last few strongholds the government seemed to have. The Order of the Pheonix had taken the fledgling Marlene, who kept her involvement quiet from her family for their own safety. The less they knew, the less danger they were in. But that did not change for Marlene’s oldest sister who’s important role put a price on the McKinnon name.
Marlene did the best she could to move her sister from one safe location to the next, begging for once that she be understood and trusted. It was done brilliantly, quickly, and swiftly. Marlene had managed to keep her sister safe for weeks, but it was reliant on telling no one. Not one auror, not one Order member knew what Marlene was doing all those nights.
In the end it was not enough, a tab on their movements was finally trackable. It went down guerilla style. Marlene taking out whoever she could with rage broiling in her magic. Power uncontrolled had consequences and one wrong move lead to another misstep. It was soon that the newest and most influential McKinnon member of the Wizengamot was gone all too soon.
Word spread that the young Auror was to blame. Protection of the McKinnon family was not her duty professionally or through the Order. If by her doing that her whole family was not yet dead, she was dead to them.
Still brave, vivacious, fully coming to herself as an adult in those moments and the weeks she’d spent saving her sister’s life were ripped away. She took a leave of absence from work, too afraid to show her face after the loss.
Since when was Marlene Arlais McKinnon afraid of anything?
It was too often really. Emotions ran her decisions, and self-hate already ran deep from her mishaps in the past. This was the edge and it was only by the Order not expelling her that she’d find her way back some how.
She gave expertise where she could, went on missions made available to her. It was better maybe, better than being an Auror. There was less restriction, more freedom to let her wild magic and senses latch on to what they did best.
Unfortunately, as things crumbled so did her hopes. But the only way back to anything – forgiveness from her family, friends, and other was by going back to life. She’d taken up residence in Hogsmeade, close to somewhere safe where she could continue training. Afterall, she was a rather young auror when the war took a turn.
Marlene, ragged and unsure of her own strengths, overly confident in her abilities, beautifully guilt-ridden and seeking something was determined to find her way back – despite all temptations and vices.
Facts and some quick vignettes
marlene was known for rather “aggressive” language when it comes to quidditch. she’d join the team herself, but there’s that whole discipline and sportsmanship thing…better off in the stands really
speaking of quidditch, the little demon that sat on her shoulder seems to have been with her longer than most. One of her earliest ventures was challenging everyone to fly to the top of the castle and see who could hang upside down from the spires for the longest - of course you win when there aren’t many challengers
girl can drink, it’s wee bit scary.
telling her to do something will often provoke her to do the opposite or attempt to challenge you in many different ways. this can manifest in something like her fighting over quidditch or in more cerebral senses when she feels she is being attacked personally.
she says more or less what’s she’s thinking when she’s thinking it. she doesn’t often leave room for other’s thoughts and usually neglects to consider her own or anyone’s feelings in a particular situation. she has no filter.
Marlene’s greatest claim to fame is getting each and every one of her older, prefect siblings to give her detention at some point. It was really the only way she’d get a letter from her parents anyway.
her heart is absolutely on her sleeve and she doesn’t even know it. she’s terrible at expressing emotions and is so easily hurt but will never admit it. Just as bad is her ability to explain those feelings. It’s all actions first and regrets later.
she wanted to become an auror from about fourth year on. it felt like the perfect opposite to what family had done before her. and somewhere along the way, that became her genuine interest.
her vices and daringness lead her astray many times between her last year at Hogwarts and auror training. A certain level of self-hate can drive you to where you think you’ll find acceptance. A few soon-to-be death eater characters absolutely found that she may be a great “in” to something larger as someone easily manipulated by her own feelings and inability to communicate
She’s been estranged from her family since the loss of her sister. As someone who pretty much always dealt with a “why am i like this” self-loathing complex - it drags her down quite far to where her old partying vices emerge
At this time in 1984, Marlene isn’t necessarily an Auror anymore. She identifies strongly with that part of her history, but is essentially trying to work for the Order and keep afloat. Thematically, this is her second attempt at adulthood. (It’s not going well)
her wand is an extension of her feelings. It very often ‘sparks off’ and singes her sleeve when she’s beginning to get upset or angry
She had probably flirted with you, and you probably liked it
