HP: Fairborn Adventures

January 2nd, 1978

VILENESS AT A WEDDING

Mass Slaughter Shocks Global Wizarding Community

By Rita Skeeter

A scheme that can hardly be surpassed in evilness was ordered shortly after Lord Abraxas Malfoy and Esmeralda Borgia tied the knot during what guests described as the most extravagant wedding ceremony Magical Britain has seen in decades.

However, tragedy then struck the couple on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives:

As later verified by the Auror Department, the Malfoy estate was attacked by Death Eaters under the leadership of You-Know-Who, who personally participated in the unthinkable act himself. The catastrophe claimed the lives of over four dozen witches and wizards, among them some of the last descendants of the very families that helped build society as we know it.

For a full list of the deceased, skip to the attached In Memoriam...

A small glint sparkled in the middle of the paper; steam rose up from the inked letters. The glimmer burned its way outward, consuming every sentence in its path. It created an ever-growing void until the entire article was a crumbling pile of ash.

Four dozen witches and wizards.' He stiffened a flare of heat that bubbled up from his stomach while stepping outside, trying to catch some fresh air. 'And all of them are dead now.'

A small red rose slowly spun around, hovering in mid-air. It radiated a faint magical glow, pulsing with life. One by one, its bright blossoms crumbled into white ash that rained down on the flight of stairs she was sitting on.

"Marlene, are you- " Harry remained in the doorway of the manor's main entrance for a few seconds and merely watched as she repeated the process, conjuring and destroying the flower in a seemingly endless loop.

He stepped around her: "Everyone is ready to leave now, love. They're waiting in front of the fireplace."

"Very well." The latest flower went up in a sizzling flame: "I'm coming."

She tucked her wand into the holster on her waist. Unlike ever since he had gifted it to her, no small smile crept up her pink lips when the smooth material became fully transparent.

'I don't think she has smiled at all in the last few days.' He followed Marlene back inside and into the drawing room.

The Potters, Lily, and Sirius were already inside, each of them was dressed in deep black robes.

Without sparing them a single glimpse, Marlene strode past, head held high in pride. She ignored the pitying looks she received from everyone and even sidestepped Dorea's attempt at a hug. Instead, she went straight into the fireplace and threw down a handful of floo powder.

"McKinnon Manor." She vanished in a bright green flame.

"Please, don't take it personally, Dorea." Harry released a deep breath.

"We know. She will heal eventually." Charlus stepped behind him and squeezed his shoulder: "All you can do now, is to be there for her during this difficult time."

'But she stopped mourning their deaths yesterday already.' Harry grimaced but didn't bother correcting his grandfather: 'It's not sorrow that consumes her now. It's something very different'

"Perhaps I should talk to her?" Lily suggested as the elder Potter couple stepped into the fireplace and followed the blonde. She bit her bottom lip, looking at Harry for confirmation: "I might relate to her situation the most?"

"I know you mean well, but I think this is something she has to overcome on her own." Harry shot her an apologetic smile.

"She's strong; stronger than any other young witch I know." Lily returned his smile with a sad one of her own. She gently tugged on James' hand and moved towards the fireplace: "But even the strongest of us need equals, Harry..."

'She already has an equal in me.' Harry frowned, pondering over his mother's words: 'And I reacted quite similarly anytime someone has been taken away from me.'

He was the last to leave the Manor and arrived in an almost empty drawing room, with the exemption of his blonde fiancé. She leaned against the opposite wall, tightening the collar of the long black coat she was wearing around her shoulders, before she fixed her hat.

"Let's go then." He slipped his fingers into her cold palm and gave her a reassuring squeeze as they walked out of the Manor into the gardens. The couple strolled through the thick snow all the way to the back of the estate, where members of Marlene's family had been buried for centuries.

A layer of white wrapped itself over the old mausoleums and tombstones. Two freshly dug graves and a pile of dirt marked the spot everyone else was surrounding. 'Two graves for two missing corpses.'

He let his eyes roam over the other guests. Only a very small delegation had been allowed to come and pay their respects; most condolences came via owl anyways. 'Not surprising with how many people were slaughtered at public events recently.'

The Potters had already joined the Blacks and a few of the high-ranking Ministry officials or important figures from the Wizengamot who were attending. Harry also spotted a group of elderly witches and wizards in expansive dark robes a bit offside, keeping firmly to themselves despite Matthew's attempt at inviting them closer.

"That's Mother's side of the family from Germany." Marlene's eyes hardened particularly when they fell on a tall witch whose long blonde hair had the first streaks of light gray: "Even grandmother Konstanze came. I would've thought she'd never set foot in this country again with how much of a disgrace her own granddaughter turned out to be..."

"Stop that," Harry murmured, giving her hand a gentle squeeze: "It doesn't matter what they think about you; or what they think about us. We are perfect for each; that's all that counts."

With the ceremony starting soon, Harry and Marlene took position among the small crowd.

"Good thing I didn't accept that invitation to the wedding, I suppose," Marlene murmured. Her blue eyes remained cold and she didn't allow a single expression to betray what she was feeling while she watched her brother levitate the two coffins and gently lower them into the freezing ground: "I wasn't keen for a repeat encounter with him just yet."

"Neither was I." Harry swallowed

"They got her whole family." Marlene's fingernails dug into his flesh: "That's what he told you back then, didn't he? Alastor Moody told you that..."

"You shouldn't- "

"No one ever lived after he decided to kill them, and he'd killed some of the best witches and wizards of the age..." She quoted and shook her head: "Fate is just playing a cruel little game with me now, isn't she? First, she sends me you; my personal guardian angel who has completely changed my destiny, but then things just reverse back and she takes one McKinnon after the other. Almost like it was always meant to be this way..."

"Don't ever say something like that." Harry frowned down at her, gently tugging on her hand. He took a few steps back out of anyone's ears' reach: "I have altered events already to a degree that is irreversible. I have proven that fate isn't fixed, that it is flexible and can be fought against!"

"Have you actually?"

"What- " He stuttered perplexed: "Of course I have- I- "

"You've changed a great many things, but it's still too early to say if for the better or the worse." Marlene finally looked up at him, regarding him curiously through cold blue eyes: "Some people have been protected, others were robbed of their entire existence just by your interference..."

'Neville Longbottom.' He flinched back when a sharp pang of guilt twisted through his body. Images of the foremost shy, chubby boy, who later became the leader of the DA and even openly opposed Voldemort, killing one of his Horcruxes, danced through his vision.

'Neville will never be born.'

'And it's partly my vault.'

"Dozens of other young couples have been robbed of their futures last time around; this time it struck the Longbottoms, as unfortunate as it is." Harry grit his teeth: "I knew the moment I came back that it's impossible to save everyone. I won't even begin to waste my energy and resources on saving everyone; but as long as there's breath in me, I will see my family survive this war and give them the future they deserve."

"Forget whatever future Moody and Hagrid got to know; forget what they shared about the McKinnons." Harry took a deep breath to calm himself: "Your family's name will not die out in this war! I will not allow it; no matter what obstacle there's in my path, be it Dumbledore, Voldemort, or even bloody Fate herself!"

Marlene regarded him with a long, penetrating look, staring deep into his very soul. A sad, little smile twisted the corner of her lips, the first smile Harry had seen in days: "The McKinnons won't survive this war, Harry, not with my brother in the Auror force."

Anger flared within him: "I just said that- "

She silenced him with a single, cold finger to his lips: "But I won't be a McKinnon for much longer, my fiancé; I will soon be your wife, a Peverell. And I will always be with you when you take on this fight against fate. I will be with you all the way, no matter what happens, until we reach our little sunset..."

"I love you." He squashed the overwhelming urge to hoist her up in his arms and crush his lips on hers, merely leaning down to peck her forehead instead.

"So do I, my love." Marlene seemed content with it and returned to the circle of guests.

They continued to mostly keep to themselves throughout the rest of the ceremony and simply followed along when each of the guests took a handful of dirt and threw it into the pit the two empty coffins had been levitated into minutes before.

Following wizarding traditions as old as magic itself, Marlene soon joined her brother next to the grave and allowed each of the guests to offer their final condolences before they departed. Harry remained firmly at her side.

"And zere iz my granddaughter..." The heavily accented voice of Konstanze von Stolzenberg, Marlene's maternal grandmother, drifted over the them when she was next in line.

"Thank you for coming, Großmutter." Marlene greeted her politely with a small courtesy.

The woman who according to his fiancé considered herself as something like German magical royalty approached the couple, her blue eyes firmly trained on Harry: "And you muzt be zat boy she ran off wizz. Pauwell, wazn't zat your name?"

"Tatsächlich heißt es 'Peverell', verehrte Dame." Harry's confident reply in her native language brought a small shock to her aristocratic face and startled many of the more distant relatives she arrived with.

"You might look like one of us, Junge." The woman gave his robes an unimpressed once over: "You might talk like one of us, but you will never- "

"If you have nothing to say about my parents then it's best if you leave, Großmutter." Marlene said decisively: "Harry is family now, my family." She flashed the band of gold on her finger with pride: "Thank you for coming and have a safe trip back."

"Such a pity..." The older witch grumbled, shaking her head at her granddaughter in disappointment: "And I had such high hopes for zis one."

After one final glare at Harry she turned and headed back to the Manor.

"Don't worry too much about her, sister." Matthew stepped next to them: "This was likely the last time we will even see her. Cousin Romulus told me she's not in good health right now and that her healers had even advised her against making the trip here."

"Then she probably only came to reproach me." Marlene snorted: "I bet she didn't have any complaints about your company." She shot a short nod at the busty redhead standing next to her brother: "Bones..."

"Uhm, yes- I mean- I think I've introduced you all before." Matthew swallowed and brought the witch at this side closer. "But- yes, this is indeed Amelia, she's been invaluable over these last few days. I'm really lucky to have her..."

'I wonder how close they had been where I'm from.'

"Ms. Bones." Harry greeted the witch who looked remarkably similar to her future niece Susan. 'I probably shouldn't stare at her bust though; Marlene didn't appreciate me doing so last time and she's in a far fouler mood now.'

At this age she looked nothing like the stern, monocle-wearing Head of the DMLE he had gotten to know in his fifth year. 'Perhaps she had lost even more than just her brother in the war.'

"There are a few more things I need to discuss with my sister, and Harry by extension," Matthew said when it was only the Potters and Lily who were still present.

All together they walked back into the Manor and bid them farewell at the fireplace. Then Matthew led them into a room Harry had never found himself in, as it appeared to be Lord McKinnon's office.

Matthew and Amelia each took a seat behind the large desk that was still littered with letters of condolences and other correspondence.

"I'd first like to know how you're holding up, Marlene? I know this hasn't been easy for you. It's quite terrifying for me as well." Matthew's voice was full of concern: "You haven't reached out or answered any of my calls ever since I told you what happened. Truth be told, I wasn't even sure if you'd show up tonight."

"Of course I'd show up, brother. No matter what happened between our parents and me, they were still my family. I will not have us represented inadequately in society by disrespecting their memory." Marlene took off her head and tossed her hair over her shoulder: "And I'm holding up just fine, thank you."

"Good; that's good I suppose." Matthew nodded solemnly: "Well then, I needed to discuss this with you." He opened a drawer and pulled out a small, leather-inbound book: "It's Mother and Father's will. Gringotts has a copy as well and the reading will be next week on the 8th. I know you'll be back at Hogwarts by then, but I can always owl your Head of House and- "

"I neither need nor want to be present at the reading." Marlene interrupted him: "You are the new Lord of this House, Matthew, and I trust that you will manage the family affairs well. Father has prepared you for this moment extensively, even if it occurred much sooner than he would've liked. Whatever our parents bequeathed directly to me may be stored in my trust vault at Gringotts."

"Very well." Matthew sighed: "I'm heading there anyway this afternoon. Since- " He caught his voice and paused until Amelia gently seized his fingers and squeezed them: " -Since Father's House ring has been burned with him. I need the Goblins to manufacture a new one."

"I see." Marlene nodded her understanding: "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss? Why did you even insist on Harry coming along?"

"It's about the Fidelius, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Matthew nodded, ignoring how the redhead beside him stiffened in surprise: "The moment Father died, anyone he shared the location with became the new secret keeper, including any of the business associates he invited over."

"And now every one of them can keep sharing it to who knows who." Harry grimaced: "It's almost surprising that today has gone so smoothly."

"I don't wish to stretch our luck any further." The blonde explained: "Is there a way for you to recast it and exclude them again?"

'Reality is flexible and can be bent again as long as my intent is strong enough. It should be possible.'

"I can do it." He said confidently: "But I have a price for it."

Matthew gulped heavily: "You never struck me as the wizard who needed gold."

"I seek something much more valuable than gold." Harry smiled coldly: "I'd like you to share a memory of the day of the attack with us. Preferably from one of the surviving Aurors, although any witness is fine really."

"Matthew, you cannot possibly agree- "

He shut Bones up with a raise of his hand, fixing Harry with a long hard look: "Do you really believe it's wise that my sister sees that memory?"

"I think she deserves it." Harry replied: "And I know it will be of great value to us."

"Fine." Matthew sighed: "I could very well lose my job for this, Peverell, but I will get you a copy."

"Splendid!" Harry jumped from his seat: "Shall we head out and cast the charm right away then?"

"I would appreciate that greatly." Matthew thanked him and led the way.

"This isn't some joke, is it Matt? Did I understand correctly that a NEWT student placed this entire Manor under the Fidelius?" Amelia eyed him warily while the foursome stepped outside into the gardens and crossed the distance to the large snow-covered gates.

"You've seen him duel Lucius Malfoy and that was almost two years ago, Amy." Matthew chuckled drily: "Do you really doubt that he'd be able to do it?"

"Well, yes- I was there, but still, he's a NEWT student..." Amelia frowned: "I know professional curse breakers and enchanters who can't cast the spell."

"None of them are Harry." Marlene rejoined the conversation after having remained silent since they left the office. She shot the older witch a challenging look: "If you decide to stick around my brother for a while longer you might learn even more about him, Bones."

"That is my intention." The redhead declared somewhat defensively.

"I'm assuming you'd like to be the secret keeper this time?" Harry asked Matthew when they reached the front gates of the estate.

"Yes, I suppose that makes the most sense." Matthew nodded.

"Very well." The Elder Wand slid into his palm: "Let's do it."

"You should put away your wand then, love." A small hand applied gentle pressure on his wand and lowered it: "Because I will perform the charm today."

'Is she serious?' He blinked at Marlene in surprise. A pair of very determined, sparkling blue eyes met his gaze, leaving no doubt. 'Yep, I think she is...'

'But perhaps it's better this way. A little thrill after performing an impressive feat of magic might brighten her mood.'

"Alright." Knowing that there was no point in arguing with her, Harry flicked the Elder Wand back into the holster within his sleeve. "I believe you can do it."

'A show of faith will do.'

"Marlene, are you sure you can do this?" Unlike him it was obvious that Matthew and Amelia still had their doubts.

Harry cringed: 'She won't like hearing whatever follows.'

Her brother placed a hand on Marlene's shoulder and regarded the blonde critically: "You can just let Harry handle it. We know he's done it before and I don't want to see you exhaust yourself or worse today."

"I'm not a baby that needs to be pampered, Matthew." Marlene snapped at him heatedly. "You have no idea how powerful I've become, more powerful than you infact." She seized his hand and lowered it from her shoulder: "This was my childhood home for over sixteen years. I will be the one to protect it."

'Please don't argue with her.' Harry gave her brother a quick shake of his head and stepped away from the gate to let his fiancé go ahead.

"Thank you." She tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder. Ignoring Matthew's concerned looks, she strolled past them and pointed her wand at the great gates. Then she took a few deep breaths before drawing herself up to full height:

"Secretum Absconditum In Anima!"

A bright white light erupted from the tip of her hawthorn wand and seared his vision. The tiny spirals of granian hair around the shaft glowed in a faint shimmer of magic.

He watched as her hand started trembling while she forced her intent through the wood. Her fingers twitched when she eventually turned around to face them, clenching her jaw in deep concentration.

Marlene aimed the still glowing tip at her brother's chest, which heaved and lowered rapidly as he watched the scene in awe.

"Fidelius!"

Her eyes widened in shock when what Harry recognized as a wave of heat rushed from her chest to her arm. Small ripples of magic burst from her wand. And then it was all over.

'Got you!' He launched forward and caught her around the waist, steadying her against his body.

"It does take quite the toll, doesn't it?" Harry chuckled while she gasped for breath, barely having the strength to cling to his shoulders: "Slowly..." He gently patted her back: "Deep breaths, that's better..."

"Did- did it work?" Marlene whizzed, grimacing in discomfort: "Did I do it?"

Harry glanced over her golden hair at a wide empty field and snow-covered hills that rose in the horizon. 'The Manor is gone.'

"You did it, love." He pressed a kiss to her forehead: "I'm so proud of you."

"Wow..." Amelia gasped beside them. "This is unbelievable:"

She stared at the couple in awe: "Where do you even learn magic like this?"

"You pick it up here and there." He exchanged a small knowing smile with the blonde in his arms. "But certainly not in Auror school."

January 7th, 1978

She noticed how Dumbledore got to his feet at the staff table. The talk and nervous whisper around the Hall died away almost instantly.

"The very best of evenings to you!" He said, smiling broadly, his arms opened wide as though to embrace the whole room, yet his smile didn't quite reach his eyes: "It would be naive not to begin a speech on this note, so please bear with me for now. Similar to the rest of the Wizarding World, the atrocities that transpired over the Yule Break have left me in shock and grieving for the countless innocents who lost their lives."

"I attempt to greet you all so warmly, despite knowing that the circumstances within these walls are now different from any I have experienced in the many decades I have taught at this school." Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Please, do not mistake my attempt as disrespect or even a mockery of the victims. I merely try to provide some comfort and familiarity in the life of young wizards and witches who are rightfully frightened."

The Headmaster waited a few seconds to ensure that the silence was absolute before continuing. "Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are at large and gaining in strength by the day, as his inhuman display of needless brutality has demonstrated. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is."

The silence seemed to tauten and strain as Dumbledore spoke. Marlene glanced over at the Slytherin table. Many of them weren't even looking at Dumbledore, but whispering behind shielding hands, exchanging small smirks or grimacing at their peers from other tables.

"However, just as I have promised, the Castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the break; we are now protected in new and more powerful ways and by that, I don't just mean the inspection with security sensors before you pass the threshold of the wards." The headmaster explained: "Hogwarts will now go into lockdown from 10:00 pm until 6.00 am each day during the week; the intervals are a bit more lenient on weekends, to grant students of legal age the opportunity to leave the grounds. Exiting the Castle, no matter how creatively, during said lockdown will now not only be impossible, but it will immediately notify a member of staff.

"Be warned." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled: "The consequences of such attempts will be harsh and stretch from temporary suspension to notifying the Auror Department if any reason to worry for the safety of other students exists."

'There's a different way to ensure the safety of students.' Marlene stiffened a stab of anger: 'A much more effective one…'

"I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them — in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours." Dumbledore continued: "I also implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."

Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more. "But now, your beds await, as warm and as comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say good night. Pip pip!"

With the usual deafening scraping noise, the benches were moved back and the hundreds of students began to file out of the Great Hall toward their dormitories.

"What do you think?" She asked Harry, edging closer to him.

The young man glanced around cautiously. She caught the tip of his wand poking out from underneath his sleeve and a small shiver of magic tingled her skin.

'A privacy ward.'

'Good thinking.'

"I think that I'd rather not trigger an alarm anytime we sneak back from the seventh floor to our dormitories." His grin vanished as his eyes fell on a group of Slytherins waiting to exit the Great Hall: "I also can't help but feel disappointed that all the hard work I put in my spell is now all but worthless."

"Yes, I seriously doubt any of them will continue sneaking out on raids anytime soon." She agreed with a grimace: "But then again, it was rather unlikely that Voldemort would continue with his current strategy and risk the lives of any more recruits."

'He knows someone is hunting them.'

"Unlikely indeed." Harry nodded.

"Ugh, what's going on over there?" The flow of students paused and came to a halt. She stepped on her tiptoes and glanced over the heads of her peers: "Who's blocking the exit?"

"Did you hear her?" A dirty blonde girl with green and silver highlights on her robes glanced over her shoulder.

Marlene recognized Merinda Ropes, who shot her a look of disgust over the tip of her nose. "I did. Plain and clear."

Her friend Elana Rosier turned around as well and offered an ugly sneer: "Looks like now that her parents died, the little princess who spreads her legs for everyone expects us to treat her like a queen."

'What did you just say?'

Marlene didn't notice how it immediately went dead silent all around her and how everyone moved out of the way to make space. She didn't even notice Harry's hand that had come down on her shoulder.

All she felt was the heat and hatred bubbling up from her stomach and that her wand was suddenly in her hand, humming with raging power and edging to be unleashed.

The ugly sneer was wiped off Rosier's face when Marlene's spell struck her and launched her off the tiles. The Slytherin smashed into the sturdy frame of the giant oak doors with a sickening crunch, spitting a mouthful of blood all over her robes.

Marlene held her up for a few seconds, letting her dangle and twitch on invisible ropes before she slipped to the floor. Rosier screamed in pain when her leg snapped upon the harsh impact with the unforgiving stone tiles, her left arm lay at a funny angle as well.

With the initial shock over, dozens of wands were drawn in retaliation and trained right at her heart when Marlene glimpsed at the Rosier's housemates. Their mouths opened in slow motion. She adjusted her stance, almost seeing the bright volley of spells racing her way when Harry suddenly stepped in front of her.

"Do it." His voice was a threatening whisper that traveled on a cold, deadly breeze. A hostile frostiness radiated off of him in small ripples, making her shudder. The pale length of the Elder Wand was already in his hand: "Give me one good reason... I beg you..."

The Slytherins edged back, eyes trained warily on the tip of Harry's and her wands, each glowing a faint green.

"What's going on over here?!" The high squeaking noises of her Head of House shook Marlene out of her trance, yet she kept her wand trained at the green-robed mob.

Flitwick stepped into the space between the opposing forces and hurried over to the sobbing form of Rosier to kneel beside her and study her injured arm and leg.

"Who did this?!" He turned around, looking more like an angry goblin than a human now: "Who cast that spell?"

With all eyes shifting to Marlene, it didn't take long for him to find her, especially since Rosier's friends started screaming accusingly: "She attacked Elana unprovoked, Professor! Call the Aurors on her immediately and get her arrested!"

"Surely not, Ms. McKinnon?" He gaped at her in utter surprise: "What - why- ?"

"It wasn't unprovoked, Professor! Rosier insulted her parents!" Florence, who must have been right behind her, fought her way through the mob.

"That may very well be, but it is not a reason to retaliate in such a manner." A tiny shadow of understanding flickered in the half-goblin's eyes before he shook his head in disappointment: "I understand that the current climate is volatile to say the least but I'm very ashamed that someone from my own House, let alone a Prefect, resorted to violence to solve a confl- "

Metal scraped over the stone tiles of the Great Hall as Marlene ripped the badge from her uniform and tossed it in front of the diminutive professor: "I hope you feel a bit less ashamed now, sir."

"Fifty points from Ravenclaw!" Flitwick squeaked, face wrinkled in a deep frown that indicated how much pain it caused him to take this step: "You will be serving detention with me tomorrow night where we will discuss your behavior, Ms. McKinnon. The Headmaster will be informed of this incident."

Marlene tossed her hair over one shoulder, fixing the other girl who was carefully levitated on a conjured stretcher with a cold triumphant stare: "I don't think I care very much, Professor."