Marlene Mckinnon

Laughter left Mary’s lips as she sipped her drink, eyes roaming the festivities around her. Her thumb mindlessly playing with the ring now on her finger, the smile wide on her features. Ever since they’d decided to get married, the smile had never left Mary’s lips and she was the happiest she’d been.

She’d been watching her husband as he talked to someone, smiling fondly. It was only until she vaguely heard someone say something that she turned to see someone standing besides her. “Oh, sorry, I— yeah I have no excuse, I was too busy staring at Sirius.” She admitted with a grin.

“Don’t make me beg you, it’s part of my duty to make sure everybody’s in high spirits.” The redhead smirked as she pushed the champagne glass into the other’s hand. “Drink up, we’re celebrating.”

Addison didn’t entirely enjoy being home. Pretending they were a happy family when they clearly weren’t was tiring, she didn’t want to have to pretend. It was why she spent most of her time at home cooped up in her room, head buried in a book.

Hearing footsteps, a small groan left her lips as she didn’t bother to look up from her book. “Whatever it is, can it not wait like, five minutes?”

“No, no – don’t blame yourself, the only person to blame is the one who killed him. It’s not your fault.” She didn’t know if she was making a difference at all but she wasn’t going to let him blame himself. She’d say this over and over a thousand times till it stuck in his head that he wasn’t the one to blame. She ran her fingers through his hair as he thanked her, feeling her heart break on hearing his sobbing but there wasn’t much to do for her except to just be there. “You’ll be okay.” she murmured, unwilling to let him go.

“I should have saved him,” He murmured hoarsely, hands trembling. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close to him as he cried. His tears soaked her shoulder, his body trembling. “I’m so sorry,” He whispered.

“She is trying to cope! Would it kill you to be a little more considerate of your own sister’s feelings?” she snapped at him. “It looks like you have gotten to the point where you’ve decided to say ‘fuck everyone else’ just because you are in pain and honestly, there’s absolutely no reason to be this fucking selfish no matter how fucked up your life is.”

“We’re all trying to cope! I am trying to spare her fucking feelings, it won’t do her any good to worry about me. I’m not fucking worth it,” He spat out, shaking his head. “Fuck you, Marlene, you don’t get to call me selfish.”

“I did not trick you.” she insisted. “It’s vodka, try another sip and you’ll know.”

“Do you think me for a fool?” She sighed at the other. “I know how vodka tastes.”

“I need to up my techniques then.” A chuckle left her lips as they entered the party. “All I see is people, where is the booze?”

“You really do.” Nieves confirmed, her eyes following the same route as Marlene’s. “No idea. Though if these greedy Ravenclaws already drank everything, we’re bailing.”

“I can, and I will.” she said flatly before a sigh left her lips. “I just want him to be okay.” He shook her head before she decided to change the topic. “Are you are Sirius broken up for real?”

“Mhm, sure,” Mary rolled her eyes, before smiling weakly at her friend. However, as the other changed the topic, she sighed. “I have no fucking clue. We’re on a break right now. It sucks. I love him with all my heart, Marls, I don’t want to even think what will happen if he wants to make the break permanent.”

“I love this song!” She said, voice approaching something close to rapture. “Come dance with me!”

Marlene was appalled at the way he was treating his little sister, especially seeing her run away with tears in her eyes. She approached him with a stern look on her features. “Cain, she is your sister. She lost a brother too, just like you, and she is hurting. Why are you being like this?” Her eyes took in the state of him, how he had gradually slipped back into a different person that he used to be years ago. “Cain.” she said softly, stepping closer to him. “What are you doing?”

“Because I don’t need to be mothered, mine is dead,” Cain snapped, before rolling his eyes. “What do you mean, what am I doing? I’m trying to have fun when my life is a shithole, what does it look like I’m doing?”

“Oh Cain.” she said softly once the other admitted that Caden was blaming him for Emrys’ death. “This isn’t your fault, you know that right? It doesn’t matter what Caden said. He was grieving. He probably didn’t even mean it.” It hurt her to see him break right before her eyes and she simply hugged him tightly hoping to hold him together because she didn’t know what else to do. “Yeah, I know.” she said, attempting a teasing tone when he said she was good to him, but she was too worried about him and her joke fell flat. “You’ll get through this, okay? I’ll help you get through this.” 

“It was, Marls. I was supposed to protect him, Winnie and Bryn. Now he’s gone, and I wasn’t there to stop it. It-” Cain swallowed, shaking his head. He wouldn’t admit to her that it should have been him. He didn’t want to speak, instead choosing to bury his head in the crook of her neck. “Thank you,” He murmured weakly against her skin, a muffled sob escaping his lips.

She had arrived a little late to the party with Nieves, and once she came across Lily it seemed like she was already way past her drinking. “Okay, last one.” she said and handed her a glass of water. If she was lucky, perhaps she was so drunk that she wouldn’t even notice the difference. 

“Cheers.” She grinned before taking a swing, frowning when she didn’t feel the expected burn her drink should have had. “Marlene…” She whined as the corners of her lips turned downwards. “You tricked me. That’s a dick move.”

“And here I thought I was being all sneaky and sly.” she said with a laugh leaving her lips. 

“You were. I’m just clever enough to figure you out.”