Chapter Text
July 10th, 1975
She is fifteen years old and riding her bike for the first time with no hands. The country road stretched out in front of her and the setting sun behind. Her arms seem to float in the wind resistance above her head. The dashed white lines speed past beneath her tires but she cannot see them. Her hair chases the wind itself, its waist length, just like her mom likes. Somewhere to her right Mary is beside her and they are infinite. She closes his eyes and tilts his head back and the world cannot find her here. The chill of the late summer air stings and keeps her alive. Far from magic, purity, and religion there is this.
Her mother does not know that she is here, in Dorset. Right now, the good daughter, Marlene Mckinnon, is staying at her wealthy best friend's house in Bristol. She is fostering powerful relations and bringing good fortune to the Mckinnon family. She is making them proud.
However, Mary’s father was pulled away at the last minute on a business trip. Leaving the two young witches with O’s in transfiguration and brooms capable of travelling kilos in only minutes an infinite number of choices. They settled for Mary’s cool cousin in the sleepy town.
The inexplicable normalcy of country folk seems to bring her alive. Where there are kiddie pools in front yards and ratty neighbourhood cats and moms who sit in lawn chairs smoking cigarettes. There are unkempt yards next to pristine ones, mailboxes with wildflowers planted around them and hands painted on the sides of them. Dandelions sprout in driveways filled with cars and in near barren ones. These are disgusting, low class, muggles that Marlene should never, ever fraternise with. She raises his head and opens his eyes to count the utility poles. She gets to 21 when she sees his first star. Sirius would know what it is she thinks absentmindedly. Her hands drift back to the handlebars when it’s time for them to turn.
They kick their bikes down in the yard of a brick house with a white garage and pink rose bushes. Well, Mary kicks off his in the yard, Marlene neatly lays hers against the garage. Marlene is first under the porch. She swings open the glass screen door and bangs on the olive-green wooden door. August’s home had only one lock on the door, and it could be open with a simple piece of metal. That is six less than her mother’s house and entirely less complicated. Mary bangs on the door more fervently.
Mary’s cousins own 30 acres of land and about 10 dairy cows.
“I'm coming!” They hear from inside the house and the door suddenly swings open to Augustus Adeji. She has a pimple on his temple and one on her chin, long curly black hair and dark skin. She’s wearing a light green striped tank top and blue jean shorts. This is the fourth time Marlene has seen her all summer. “Well stop gawking and come in you bloody tosser” August says, her mouth dipped into a loopy smile. August is Mary’s favourite cousin. Mary brushes past her, immediately takes off her flats and Marlene does the same, placing his black chucks next to August’s red ones.
“I wasn't gawking…” Marlene started to protest, “Just trying not to fall asleep waiting on you to open the damn door”.
Augustus was also Marlene's favourite of Mary’s cousins.
August has two younger brothers, and it was obvious from the moment you walked through the door. Action figures of various levels of distress littered the floor, seemingly random Legos could be found in the couches and their dog, Casey, was never found without some form of a sled tied to his waist. Somewhere in the house he could faintly hear giggling and screaming.
Marlene met Mary and August in the sitting room where Mary had already torn through August’s record collection to play something. “Let's go skating today,” Marlene said as she flopped down on the striped, orange couch as a Star Trek rerun started to play.
August gasped “Oh! That sounds like fun!” she said. “Spacey’s doesn't get fun until six though so let's go later”.
“Wait no, I didn't wear a cute outfit today”.
They both looked at Mary incredulously.
“Girl, you look fine,” August insisted.
“No, this shirt is long sleeves so I’ll get all hot and gross and I’m not wearing match socks today so people will see when I put on my skates and I don't like my makeup and these earrings are just-”
“Okay!” Marlene cut her off, she didn't get how Mary constantly found problems within herself when she was the prettiest girl in their year. Maybe that was why she was the prettiest. Because she cared so much about her appearance “You left your travel makeup bag over here last time so that should be enough and August has a shirt you can borrow and you can wear my earrings if you really want too, or you could just pick your hair out so big so that no one will even see your ear lobes. “Now,” she snatched the copy of Tiger Beat out of Mary's hands, “what is David Cassidy up too”.
“I will never not be impressed by my cousin's best friend”.
++++
“How on earth are you three even capable of staying sane with all this ruckus?” Mrs. Adeji said, taking off her coat. The music was still playing, Mary had put on some Blondie album. And the television was on courtesy of Marlene, she had wanted to catch some reruns of Starsky and Hutch . August had now cycled the magazine into her hands and was flipping through it as Marlene painted her other hand. The boys were also still yelling somewhere in the back of the house.
“Sheer teenage will, Auntie” Mary said not looking up from the very intricate star design on her middle finger.
“Well, you can take the teenage will of yours and get out of mah damn house” she said smiling. “Teenagers should not be stuck inside all day. Augustus have you done ya chores?”
“Yes mum” Augustus answered dutifully and then nudged Mary with a pointed look on her face.
After a bout of confusion, Mary understood. “Auntie, can we go to the skating rink later?” she asked with the sweetest smile.
“Of course, love,” Ms. Adeiji answered and they all shared a grin. “Get something to eat too while you’re at it. I can handle the boys.”
“Thank you, Auntie”
“Speaking of which,” Marlene said, glancing at the clock, “if we're leaving at 6, we should start getting ready about now”.
They bid Ms. Adeji goodbye and then bustled back to August’s room. Mary went straight to her closet and August sat at her vanity. “I think pink would make your eyes pop,” she said, holding her blush mischievously.
“You think everything makes my eyes pop”.
“Maybe I just like doing your make-up, baby” she said, already pulling Marlene to sit in front of her on the thick duvet.
That shut her up and she sat with her eyes closed as Augustus started to spread something glittery on her eyelids. Marlene could feel her soft puffs of breath as her face was so close. It made the hair on her neck stand on end and blood rush to her cheeks. She wished August would hurry on to the blush so she could hide her embarrassment. Suddenly August stopped and leaned back. Maybe she saw the red of Marlene's cheeks or maybe she could feel the rabbits thumping in her stomach or maybe-
“I tell you, never in a million years would mum ever let me out late and get dinner out” August complained.
“You’re welcome!” Mary replied from inside the closet.
“I dont think a million- ” Marlene started.
“You’re right, a gazillion and maybe she would think about it”
Marlene settled for a small chuckle and relaxed, (or tried too) back into Augusts’ machinations.
“You need to come over more often cuz,” she demanded. “And you too” she added, pitching Marlene's cheek for good measure. At least now she had a reason for the colour.
“Keep your eyes shut,” she ordered, “I’m not done, just changing colours.”
She hears August pick up clips of various colours, snap them open and closed before throwing them back in a bag and shuffling around. This repeated a couple of times before she felt the soft pad of a brush back on her eye.
“I heard that Chris’ working tonight,” August said, smiling with her voice.
“Oh? I bet Marls is happy.” Mary said from inside the closet.
“I am not.” she defended.
“I can see through the door you're blushing already”.
“She is I'm watching right now”.
“Both of you suck”.
Marlene met Christopher Cruz the first time they all went to Spacey’s (the first time she went skating, ever) and she fell flat on her arse. He skated over to her and helped her up and ever since the girls have been relentless about them. He goes to school with August and apparently, he's a terrible ladies man but has yet to date anyone.
Star-crossed lovers they are, the girls think.
“You’re such a baby, if it was me, I’d have kissed him by now” Mary said.
“And since when have you kissed anyone, cuz?”
“Last year I snogged Sirius Black, tell her Marls”.
“She did, I saw it,”she replied bordley. Six people did. They were playing truth or dare in the common room. August finally moved on to the blush using upward strokes across her cheek bones.
“See!”
“And why am I just now hearing this? Your dear cousin left in the dark about your thrilling boarding school escapades”.
“Well, you’re hearing it now” the closet door opened. “How’s this?”
August stopped applying her blush, so Marlene took the chance to look over.
She had on pattern flare trousers, a solid orange tube top, and rose-coloured glasses. She looked like a sunset. “That’s cute”
“You think so?” she asked, grabbing at her new afro puffs.
“It is,” August agreed. “Where’d you even find those glasses”.
“Far back on your shelf” Mary dismissed easily. Marlene wondered if she would catch on to the fact that Mary’s eye makeup had gone from purple to orange with no actual makeup in the closet. “Well, I’m done now, why are you guys taking so long?” Mary said.
August threw a plush from her vanity at her.
++++
They got to the rink around 6:30. The lights were already low, and the music was beating against the walls. Mary and August brought their personal skates, so Marlene alone was forced to go by herself to rent a pair while the others found a place to drop their stuff.
“Hey Chris” she said, placing her left shoe and ticket on the counter. He has tight brown curls, short shorts that rile her own and a white tank that says “STREAKER” in bright bold letters.
“Hey baby girl” he said walking back to the rows of shoes.
“Do not call me that” she fumed thinking what the girls would say.
“Okay Pop”
“What the fuck is that?”
“You popped your arse the first time I saw you” he said, placing her skates on the counter.
“You are such a knob-head”.
“Well, everything has its purpose doesn’t it?” he said, licking his upper lip and looking at her up and down.
She was stunned, totally at loss for what to do. She grabbed her skated and settled on mumbling “ Fucking toerag ” under her breath as she walked away. Lily Evans would be proud.
Skating for the first time of the night is always tough. She either forgets to not lock her legs or can't relax properly or can’t balance her weight correctly, it’s always something. That said, Mary and August had chosen to sit all the way on the other side of the rink, on the skinny strip of elevated bench that's curved around the entire left side of the rink. So, Marlene has the choice to hobble skate basically around the entire rink, or go against the flow and try not to piss anyone off as she makes her way to their seats.
She goes against the flow.
“Oi Pop” the wanker behind her yelled, “I know you're pretty ditzy but that’s not the right way luv”.
She shot him a bird stayed close to the wall as she made her way across the rink. It would have been perfectly fine had she not tripped stepping up the ledge.
“That was mad fucking embarrassing babe” Augustus said grabbing her arm to steady her before she hit the floor.
“Why did you guys even sit all the way over here?” Marlene grumbled.
“Because it's the best seat” Mary chimed, fluffing her afro puffs.
“You always say that and yet I have yet to see why”.
“Okay,” Mary said, snapping her pocket mirror closed, “Let's get out there”.
Mary took off first, going fast and quickly finding her rhythm. Boogie Oogie Oogie was playing so it was no surprise. August was next, starting swiftly and then spinning around to skate backwards. Marlene always admired the way she did this. So unbearably enchanting, if she didn't know better, she would think it be magic.
That left her standing alone on the bench. She put one foot out and waited as a group of rowdy boys sped past and then shakily skated as close as she could to the middle without running into the gaggle of small children. Then she started to move.
Left.
Right.
Keep your weight on the ground.
Don't look at your feet.
Stay loose.
Left.
Right.
Push forward.
Relax.
Breathe.
Left.
Right.
Go.
The first time they went skating, August spent the entire time helping her get these few steps. Then, Marlene had apologised for her basically being a babysitter. Now, Marlene almost wishes she was awful again so that she could have someone to talk to.
Nevertheless, she makes her rounds, and slowly finds her rhythm. After ten laps she's in the zone and finally starts to enjoy herself. The music shifts from disco to electro to rock and the air soaks with rhythm and bass. Skating is inherently free and the music channels that, allowing her to float through the sound waves. Multi-coloured disco balls spin light dazzling over the skaters and two spotlights collide in figure eights. At either end of the rink, where the turn is, there is a single moment. The moment in which she is just a girl, spinning in a world she has no control over. She is everything she ever was and everything she ever will be. Nothing has changed and yet everything is changing all the time and there is nothing she can do to stop it. God, she loves being alive.
And then Augustus collides into her arm, linking them together.
“Want to learn something new?”
No, not if it was something Marlene has in mind. She would surely fall and bring August down with her. Absolutely not.
“Yes” her treacherous tongue spilled. And just in time for Blame It On the Boogie to start.
“Okay so first we start like this, finding each other's pace and copying it. We move at the same time. Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right” . They went around for an entire lap, just like that. Moving together.
By God, Marlene Mckinnon was not going to combust.
“Alright, now” her left hand slowly travelled down to cup Marlene’s left hand, and her right did the opposite “I’m going to grab your hands like this” She laced their fingers together and brought them both down in opposite directions. “And then we skate”
Left. Right. Left. Right.
It's as easy as breathing, and simple as the sea. Her hands are soft and warm. Marlene looks at her and she looks back and they giggle and then look forward. August has deep brown eyes that remind her of drinking tea on rainy afternoons.
Marlene skates past them a few times, spinning and dancing and doing other tricks. Until she finally caves and comes up right behind them. “I wanna join!!”
Knowing this was oncoming, Marlene and August laugh and they all readjust themselves so that everyone is holding everyone’s hand. With Marlene in the middle. “Just know if I go down, I’m taking you both with me”
“Bold of you to assume you could ever take me down”
“I would gladly fall for your honour, Lady Marlene”
“See Mary? That’s what respect is”
“Oh piss off,” she giggled. “Let’s go faster”
Left. Right. Left, right, left right. Leftrightleftright .
They weave in and out of the other skaters. Speeding up with the music and drifting to the outer circle. They almost barrel over a mum and flatten her kid. The adrenaline must make Marlene stupid because she does not freak out when Mary and August use the turn to spin around and skate backwards.
Being sandwiched in the middle as she is, she just allows them to pull her forward and do most of the work. Not even looking back to dodge living obstacles she laughs with each sharp manoeuvre around pre- teens, grade schoolers, and old people. Before she knows it, the music is slowing down and they are going forward again. They break apart near their stuff, slightly sweaty and stiff but smiling all the same.
“Wanna get slushies?”
“Oh my god yes”
They go with the flow but get off at the exit closest to the rental booth (too many kiddies at the other one). By the grace of god Marlene does not trip stepping back up the ledge onto the blue astro-themed carpet. She considers it a win to replace earlier. (Whether or not Chris was watching means nothing).
Luckily there is no line and they all get their slushies easily. Mary gets blue raspberry, August; strawberry and Marlene gets white cherry. They sit at the tall bar table that makes up for the wall on this side of the rink and slurp ravenously as Close to You by the Carpenters plays.
The lights are a deep purple and the couples seem to laze around. Tied up in each other, the rhythm and rink. Marlene looks at them, and does not know what she is supposed to be thinking.
+++++
Four hours, two falls, and one failed attempt at skating backwards later Marlene was ready to collapse. Pushing off had started to strain her right knee, and while her flat stomach looked cute with the crop she was begging to fear starvation. The rink still thrummed with the infectious energy of teenagers but after this long even Mary has started to slow down.
She skated over to her, cutting through the middle. “I’m hungry,” she yelled, falling into step. “ Wanna ditch and go to Stevie’s?”
“You read my mind, we just have to find-”
“You lot ready to head out?” August said from the other side of Mary startling Marlene so bad she almost tripped.
“Perfect timing, let’s go”
They grabbed their bags and shoes and skates for the exit. Only to be stopped by Chris and two of his friends. “ You’re already leaving?” he asked, sounding almost genuine in his disappointment.
“I don’t know, are we still wearing skates?” August mocked.
“You don't have to be a smartass, Auggie.” Auggie? “I was just saying me ‘nd the lads are hittin’ up Stevie’s if you lot want to come.”
“Great! We were heading there anyways”
“Since when?”
They rode their bikes over to the cyan and maroon diner and all crammed into a large U-shaped booth. There were approximately only two waiters on staff and the incoming of six teenagers seemed to overwhelm them. Nevertheless when Marlene ordered a burger and two large chips it came out in fifteen minutes flat. They sat against the glass wall overlooking the parking lot and next to the wall of polaroids. Pictures of every famous muggle that had ever eaten in the establishment, from local radio hosts to even Jimi Hendrix. The juke box near the entryway was playing some folk song when they walked in and Chris had the courtesy of putting on the beatles.
Their waitress had beach blonde hair and a skirt two inches shorter than the other waitresses. She had on thick make up that did nothing to hide her small moustache and large hoop earrings that were hidden in her loose curls. She had no name tag and did not introduce herself and she spoke with a strange accent.
“Gods, I fucking love Stevie’s burgers” August moaned after taking her first bite.
“They have nothing like this at Hogwarts,” Marlene agreed, shoving her face with the greasy chips. They had nothing like this anywhere , she thought.
“So what school do you two go to anyways? Never heard of a ‘hogwash’ or whatever it was you said” Chris asked, just as Marlene shoved her face with a bite of burger. She almost choked.
“Oh just some school in Scotland, filled with werewolves and half-giants” Mary answered, sharing a snide smile with Marlene.
“You know if you're such a smartass all the time boys won't like you” he retorted.
“I think boys like me well enough, don’t they, Ollie” she said, batting her eyes across the table to one of Chris’ friends. Ollie turned scarlet in response and murmured an agreement. Bad choice , she wanted to tell him, you just marked yourself as a target . Out of the corner of her eye she could see Mary’s eyes sparkle.
The rest of the meal seemed to pass like this. Mary flirting with Ollie. Ollie getting flustered. August and Christopher bickering. Augusts moaning about the food. Marlene, staring at August as she becomes more and more in love with the food. Mary and Christopher bickering. Occasionally Christopher would try to chat up Marlene but under the scrutiny of her bestfriends, she stuck to shutting him down each time.
Towards the end of the night however, it became harder.
Between the skating slushies and her more than filling meal, she had completely run out of muggle money. So while everyone was ordering their milkshakes, some with ridiculous specificity (namely Christophers other friend whose name she had yet to learn) she sat quietly. Not that anyone noticed, until they were actually getting the shakes themselves. Augustus was the first to notice.
“Marlene, where's your drink?” she asked, her own chocolate shake in hand.
“Oh I didn't get one” she tried playing it off.
“Nonsense, you love cherry milkshakes” she argued.
“Chris didn't get anything either” They were the only ones. At least she wouldn't be-
“Actually-” he started, and then Lacey came back out with a jumbo Cherry Pie Milkshake and placed it right in front of him. Three shiny maraschino cherries placed right on top. Marlene was instantly jealous.
“Here ya go, lovebug, sorry that took a minute” Strangest thing about Lacey is that in the town where everybody knew everybody, absolutely nobody knew her.
“You like cherry?” Christopher asked.
Now Marlene has two choices. She could sit her, slightly pouting because her favourite milkshake was sitting right in front of her or she could-
“Aww you guys should share one! That would be so cute” Mary gushed, choosing for her. At that moment Marlene could pop her best friend's head like a pimple.
In no time Lacy had procured another straw for her and she was taking a sip of Chris’ shake. It was delicious, Mary almost forgot to be upset at the cost. The syrupy sweet cherry extract mixed with cool vanilla bean ice cream and graham cracker chucks just hit so good . And the hand whipped cream dollop on top! Not to mention Christopher was gentlemanly enough to give her all the cherries. Surely these were life's silverlinings.
She took careful measures not to lean for a sip while Christopher was but was only successful part of the time. Mary just about blew her lid the first time.
“I just love love!” she sighed into her orange cream shake. To her left, Augustus was pouting. The chocolate milkshake did not look appetising.
“This is not love”
“This is not love”
They said at the same time, shocking themselves. Their heads whipped to each other, twin looks of shock.
“Im lovable”
“You think you couldn't love me?”
“I have so much love”
“You think you couldn't love a boy?”
“You think you couldn't love a girl?”
What in the absolute fuck-nugget was she saying? How had this escalated so badly? Why was she sweating at his words?
“Aww look at them!” Mary said, her eyes lighting up as she watched Marlene progressively flounder more and more.
“Bet you I could get you to fall in love with me”
“Bet you I could get you to fall in love with me ”
Oh God.
Could she just shut up? Like, actually?
They settled for both aggressively slurping the milkshake. While delicious, it did nothing to help.
“Oh you two lovebugs are just so cute, lemme get a picture.” A flash of light and Lacy was shaking a flap of polyvinyl.
What.
Lacy flounced back around the corner, the developing polaroid in her hand.
++++
They slept over August’s house that night. The girls got back sometime circa 11:30pm and sunk back in through August’s window. Mary and Marlene both borrowed some pyjamas and all three crashed on August’s bed, thank god for the queen size. Mary was a terrible cuddlier, her arms latched around her like a vice. Augustus was no better however, just her presence giving Marlene goosebumps. By a stroke of bad luck, she ended up in the middle, aggressively hugged on one side and brought to her wits end on the other. Somewhere in the night, August’s hand had reached for hers. A delusional part of her reached back.
Marlene rose with the sun the next morning. Sweating head to toe and still holding August’s hand. She carefully picked herself out of the mess that was them, avoiding Mary as she reached for everything in arms length.
She wandered out of the room and after a quick trip to the loo, settled in the kitchen. The dining room adjacent showcased a massive floor to ceiling glass sliding door, outlooking the backyard. The still-rising filtered through, turning the orange room sepia toned. Just outside she could see a brown and white cow and her calf, munching on a patch of grass.
She stays there for a while, watching the cows roam until the first of four wake up.
“You're still here?” comes a small voice from the hallway. It's Rudy, August's five-year old brother. He's wearing spiderman pyjamas and his curly hair is a rat's nest on his head.
“Yes” she says, her embarrassment breaking into a laugh. “Is that alright with you”
“It's alright” he says but turns his nose up and goes to the fridge.
Very quickly after that the rest of the house quickly wakes up. Ms. Adeji is the last one to wake, stating that she missed her alarm but still manages to cook them all a nice breakfast. Mary and August on the other hand, arise like zombies and can barely manage to find their plates.
Marlene uses her fork to slice her tatale before putting a piece in her mouth. Sometimes she wished she could love sleep as much as they did.
“My brother was the same way,” Ms. Adeji says, smiling at the girls fondly. Then a muggle contraption rings on her waist and she is jumping out of her seat. “ I have to go,” she mutters to herself. “Augustus do not forget your chores and take care of your brothers” and with that she is out of the house.
It is but a moment before August is grumbling.
“Stupid fucking chores” she says, stabbing her tatale.
“I’ll help if-”
The doorbell scares all three of them, knocking the two sleepy heads out of their haze and Marlene off her seat. Assuming it was Ms. Adeiji forgetting something, Marlene stood up and opened the door easily, only to slam it back immediately. Both girls at the table looked at her as if she had two heads.
“Why on Earth is Christopher Cruz on your door stop?” she seethed, her hands like ice on the handle.
“What?”
“ No ”
They ran over, crowding around the peephole while Marlene silently freaked out.
“He saw me in butterfly pyjamas .”
“I can believe he actually did it”
“ Merlin , he saw me in pyjamas ”
“What in the world is he wearing?”
“Who's here?”
“And my hair oh my god”
“Are you going to let me in?” he called.
“Ack!” Marlene screeched and ran across the room going to sit by the boys. “ What did you do Mary ?” she growled.
She may have, sort of, ‘quite possibly’ dared Christopher and his manhood to take Marlene on a date.
And it seems Christopher agreed.
She was going to murder her best friend.