Descendant | James Sirius | Next Gen

Chapter 52 - Mary MacDonald

Marlene

Marlene was on her way back to the Burrow from the small, muggle village which sat near it. Where Tom lived.

Things had been better in their relationship since New Years, despite the horrifics of that night. Marlene didn't have to hid the biggest part of herself anymore.

Another bonus was that since then, Malia had trusted Tom. It gave Marlene the reassurance she shouldn't have needed. But knowing that her best friend (finally) liked her boyfriend was an immense comfort.

She had been with Tom for a year now, and while they had spent most of that time apart due to Marlene being at Hogwarts, the time they were together was still as magical as the castle grounds. A very different sort of magic, Marlene wasn't sure which she preferred.

She had known about the wizarding world her entire life, despite both of her parents being muggles. Well, squibs, she supposed. Her grandmother, Mary, was the only family member she had who was also magical. But she had retreated back into the muggle world so much after the first war it didn't really make a difference.

Mary had never shared all that much with Marlene about her life as a witch during her childhood, she supposed it brought her too much pain. She was better at sharing once Marlene started Hogwarts herself, and brought back her own stories. But once she had heard about Malia's grandmother, Elsies, sickness, it was as if the final spark of magic went out in Marys eyes. She had lost her final friend, her final attachment to Hogwarts, to her happy teenage years.

Marlene didn't speak to her grandmother about magic, anymore.

But in the past three months, she had been able to talk about it with someone completely new to the wizarding world. After the initial shock had passed, Tom had been more than happy to listen and learn all about it, he was fascinated.

Marlene smiled to herself as she walked up the garden path to the door of the Burrow. The normal, muggle-ish afternoon she had just spent with Tom was easily the most magical day of her life.

She had often thought of teenage love, or just love in general, as a thing of fiction. Not meant for the likes of her. She loved to read about it, to watch it in movies, but to actually experience it... Well, Marlene didn't think she was capable. Or rather, that anyone was capable of loving her the way people loved in fiction.

Funny how things work out.

A soft hoot of an owl brought Marlene back to reality. She looked up and saw a tawny owl perched on the windowsill, a letter tied to its leg. Honestly, when were wizards going to discover modern technology.

She smiled at the owl as she untied the letter. It was from Riley, and Marlene tried to hold back a sigh. She felt a little bad for him, to be honest. Marlene had always thought of Riley as a perfectly nice boy, but as a friend. Whereas Malia had informed her some weeks earlier, that was not how Riley viewed Marlene herself.

So, yes, she felt bad for him. After all, the one thing you can't control in life is your feelings.

The letter was standard enough, just a general check in about his own Easter holidays. Riley had elected to stay at Hogwarts for the duration, to get some extra revision in before NEWTs. Marlene really ought to have done the same, but she couldn't have missed out on two whole weeks where she was free to see Tom.

She tucked the letter into her pocket as she entered the kitchen, planning to ink out a reply when she had the chance.

The Burrow stood unusually quiet, before Malias voice travelled through from the living room. "Marls? Is that you?"