Marlene McKinnon

## Marlene Bones (née McKinnon)

**Marlene Victoria Eugenie Bones** (née **McKinnon**)(10 September, 1959 - 18 July, 1981), also known as **Lady** **Marlene Victoria Eugenie McKinnon** in the Wizarding World, was a half-blood witch, and the firstborn daughter of The Rt. Hon. Ivor Francis McKinnon, 16th Duke of Oxford, and Princess Eugenia of Greece and Denmark. She was the granddaughter of Prince Frederick, son of Louise, Princess Royal, and the second great-granddaughter of Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark.

She had an older brother, Francis, Lord McKinnon, and a younger sister, Lady Laurel McKinnon. In the wizarding world, she was a member of the original Order of the Phoenix, an organisation designed to combat Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the First Wizarding War. She married Edgar Bones, and had one child with him, Leopold, in 1980.

Marlene and her whole family were murdered by Death Eaters in July 1981, as a result of her affiliation with the Order and because Ivor was a well-known Auror there. Her husband and son also died in the attack.

## Biography

### Early life

Marlene was born on 10 September, 1959, as the youngest child of Ivor Francis McKinnon, 16th Duke of Oxford, and his wife, Eugenia Mountbatten, Duchess of Oxford, previously known as Princess Eugenia of Greece and Denmark. Marlene was nineteenth in line for the throne of Great Britain at her birth.

In the Wizarding World, her father, Ivor, was a well-known Auror that had taken down countless of dark wizards during the Global Wizarding War.

Her mother, Eugenia, was muggle-born, but was the daughter of two well-known Greek and Danish Royals, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, and Princess Alice of Battenberg.

At the time of her birth, Marlene had an older brother, Francis (born 1957). In 1961, her younger sister, Laurel, was born.

Her maternal uncle was Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, but at that time he was known as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and prince consort to the Queen of the United Kingdom. She was the niece by marriage to the sovereign, Elizabeth II.

Her mother, Eugenia, had come to Britain in her youth to attend school, as her own mother was indisposed in her own childhood, which was how Eugenia was able to attend Hogwarts. Marlene's grandfather, Prince Andrew, reportedly wanted nothing to do with Philip nor Eugenia, as the youngest children, and had them sent off to separate schools in Britain.

Marlene had four other aunts, all of whom married German princes, and all of who had been somewhat involved with the muggle Nazi Party in the 1930s and 1940s. Marlene's mother, Eugenia, being the youngest, had been sent to school, though she returned to Germany briefly for the funeral of her sister, Cecilie, in 1937. After that, Marlene's mother did not return to Germany.

Marlene herself grew up on two estates, the first of which being the McKinnon's traditional estate in Oxfordshire, and her mother's own property in Windsor, Berkshire. She was able to practice Quidditch in Oxfordshire, but never in Windsor because it was where the family stayed when they would visit their mother's muggle relatives.

On Marlene's father's side, she had an uncle, Reuben, who was an Unspeakable for the Department of Mysteries, who she seldom saw.

#### Hogwarts years

Marlene received her Hogwarts letter in the summer of 1971. Sometime before attending, she purchased a wand made of vine and dragon heartstring from Ollivander's Wand Shop in Diagon Alley, London. She boarded the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross Station on 1 September, 1971. That night, she was sorted into Gryffindor House, unlike her older brother, Francis, who was a Hufflepuff.

She shared a dormitory with Mary Macdonald, Lily Evans, Alice Fortescue, and Dorcas Meadowes. She closest friends with Alice and Dorcas. On 1 September, 1972, her younger sister, Laurel, shocked her siblings when she was sorted into Slytherin.

Marlene was a talented student in school despite many key events in her life. Her mother became ill in her fourth year of school. Her sister, Laurel, was thirteen, and her brother, Francis, was in his seventh year. Her mother's disease began to progress rapidly, leaving Ivor to take care of the children, manage their estates (his father having passed away in 1973), and work as an Auror. Marlene's paternal grandmother, Guinevere, formerly Duchess of Oxford, came to live with them during this time. Her mother passed away the November of her fifth year, Francis having graduated the previous June. Marlene found support in the other fifth year Gryffindors. She left Laurel to her own devices.

#### First Wizarding War

Across the country, attacks on muggles were ramping up as well as sightings of a green skull and snake cross in the skies. The older students had many debates, which resulted in not only Marlene's sister, Laurel, engaging in them, with other Slytherins, but pushing her friends away, and by extension, her sister, Marlene. By late 1975, in the beginning of Marlene's sixth year, Laurel was dating Regulus Black, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Regulus's friend, Evan Rosier, had a form of contact with Lucius Malfoy, who met Regulus and Laurel along with those from Marlene's year (including Wulfric Mulciber and Severus Snape) at Hogsmeade in secret.

By early 1976, Marlene was at odds with her younger sister, then a fifth year, and she confronted Laurel about the meetings in Hogsmeade with her boyfriend, the older year Slytherins, and the rest of her dorm-mates. Marlene feared they were playing a sort of trick on Laurel, and warned her to stay away. Laurel did not. She was too enamoured with the idea of friendship and a real sense of inclusion; Selina Nott and Violetta Parkinson were being kind to her, and taking her under their wing, of sorts. Marlene's sister was even invited to the Parkinson's Society Ball by Regulus Black that Easter. Marlene attempted to alert Ivor of his daughter's stray, but it was in vain.

Francis was working a curse-breaking job on the continent, but often found times to write his younger sister and by extension, Regulus Black as well. Marlene, being older, yearned less for her brother's attention than Laurel had, and when she attempted to alert Francis to Laurel's actions, Francis scoffed in his reply, "*You think Laurel's going dark? Are we even talking about the same girl? Marlene, you worry too much."*

Marlene grew more and more frustrated with her little sister, who, as the summer went on, disappeared more and more often, whether it be to Selina Nott's for tea, or to Violetta Parkinson's for a book club. Regulus Black was often found in their Windsor sitting room that summer.

When the time came, Christmas Day of 1976, Regulus became a Death Eater. Marlene was not aware of this, but likely only because Laurel did not become a fully-fledged Death Eater herself. The company Laurel kept suggested that she did, in fact, buy into the whole idea of a perfect pureblood world. Marlene felt irritated that she could do nothing about it, and sympathized with fellow classmate, Sirius Black, over the matter, at the beginning of her seventh year.

**Sirius**: "*My brother's fault? Marlene, you see the kinds of things Slytherins intentionally expose themselves to- my so my brother's dating your sister, I admit, I didn't see this coming, but you're blowing this out of proportion-*"
**Marlene**: "*Then why was your brother at my house all summer? You don't know Laurel like I do, Sirius. She's a completely different person. Getting into our genealogy is one thing, but these books she's started reading- it's like she actually believes*—"
— Marlene and her classmate Sirius discussing the Laurel's immersion into the Dark Arts
#### Order of the Phoenix

Marlene joined the Order of the Phoenix just after leaving school. The Order was designed to combat Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the First Wizarding War. On 12 March, 1979, she married Edgar Bones, another member of the same organisation. They had a son together, named Leopold, born on 18 July, 1980.

She fought in several battles of the First Wizarding War, risking her life, following the birth of her son. She defended St. Oswald's Home for Old Witches and Wizards on 30 January, 1981, where 5 pensioners were killed, including famous magical theoretician Adalbert Waffling. She participated in a skirmish in Hogsmeade on 14 February, 1981, which resulted in the deaths of three Death Eaters and one sixth-year student.

The Order began to suffer heavy casualties as the war dragged on: Fabian and Gideon Prewett were taken down in Rattlesden, Suffolk, by no less than five Death Eaters, including Antonin Dolohov.

On 10 June, 1981, Marlene's good friend, Benjy Fenwick, was found dead and dismembered in Diagon Alley. On 23 June, she participated in a battle on the Western Coast of Wales, where several Death Eaters attacked and burned many muggle buildings in Anglesey. Seven days after that, Marlene's father, Ivor, along with the rest of the Auror Department, arrested Death Eaters Dolohov and Staffeld, as well as two others. Alastor Moody killed two more.

On 13 July, 1981, Voldemort attacked London, but was prevented by the Auror Department and lost several unskilled members of his force.

#### Battle at McKinnon House at Windsor and death

Death Eaters broke through the wards of the McKinnon Estate at exactly 9:20 A.M. on 18 July, 1981. Tav Travers, Dirk Gibbon, Cuthburt Selwyn, Thorfinn Rowle, Piers Jugson, Corban Yaxley, and Wulfric Mulciber were sent to the estate while other supporters were sent to Diagon Alley to wreak havoc, effectively creating a diversion.

The McKinnons and the Boneses were out on the garden at the time of the attack, celebrating Marlene's son's first birthday. Laurel McKinnon, as well as Marlene's two sisters-in-law, Amelia Bones and Elizabeth Bones (née Edgecombe), got Marlene's son and Elizabeth's two young children into the house, while Marlene stayed out on the lawn to fight with her brother, Francis, as well as her husband, Edgar Bones, along with her brother-in-law, Cadmus, her father, Ivor, and her paternal uncle, Reuben McKinnon.

At 9:50 A.M., Marlene's brother, Francis McKinnon, aged 23, was the first to fall. He was struck by a bludgeoning curse sent by Wulfric Mulciber.

At precisely 10:03 A.M., Albus Dumbledore and the rest of the Order received the first word of the attack via a fox Patronus sent by Laurel, who learned the skill from either Marlene or Francis, despite not being a member herself. "*McKinnon House under attack in Windsor- Francis has fallen. Ten Death Eaters. Do what you can for the children. Please."*

Just seven minutes later, Marlene's husband, Edgar, was killed by a stray killing curse.

At 10:13 A.M., three minutes after Edgar was killed, Voldemort arrived, and killed Cadmus Bones, Susan Bones's father, directly. Laurel reportedly sent another plea for help. By 10:17 A.M., Ivor and Reuben were taking on Voldemort by themselves while Marlene fought seven Death Eaters by herself. Three of them were already dead in the garden, taken down by Marlene, Edgar, and Cadmus.

Marlene was hit by a combination of curses, and was suspected to have been tortured with the Cruciatus Curse before her death, around 10:20 A.M.

#### Post-Mortem

At 10:19 A.M., Reuben McKinnon, aged 51, was taken down. Help then arrived in the form of Senior Aurors Otto Cattermole, Alastor Moody, and Frank Longbottom, and two Cadets. Moody and Cattermole took over half the Death Eaters from Marlene, and Ivor continued to battle Voldemort, Frank Longbottom joining the fight.

At 10:22 A.M., two Order members, Remus Lupin and Elphias Dodge, arrived just in time to see Ivor McKinnon defeated and murdered by Voldemort. Two Cadet Aurors also were also already dead on the ground. It was then taht Voldemort made his way inside the house.

Inside the McKinnon Estate, Amelia Bones, Elizabeth Bones (née Edgecombe), and Laurel McKinnon constructed a magical barricade in an effort to protect Leopold Bones, whose parents were killed, and Elizabeth's children, Edwin and Susan, whose father, Cadmus, had been killed.

At 10:25 A.M., the rest of the Order arrived. Dedalus Diggle, Emmaline Vance, Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew arrived after dispelling the Death Eaters in Diagon Alley.

Inside the house, Voldemort had broken down the barrier with a surge of raw magical power, blasting the wall apart. His blast killed Laurel McKinnon, who covered her one year old nephew, Leopold, in an effort to protect him. Amelia Bones was knocked out, but then regained consciousness. Elizabeth Bones had hidden her daughter, Susan, inside a cabinet, and was holding her son, Edwin, who was heard crying.

No sooner than two minutes later, when all of the Death Eaters had been dealt with on the lawn, Order members stormed through the house and attacked Voldemort, who was standing over the bodies of Laurel and two-year-old Edwin Bones, who had been murdered by a killing curse. Marlene's son, Leopold, had been knocked out by the blast, and lay underneath Laurel's body. Amelia Bones, who had also been knocked out, regained consciousness and began to quickly duel Voldemort with Elizabeth, whose son had been killed, and her daughter, Susan, hidden inside a cupboard on the far side of the nursery.

The Order members arrived as Marlene's son, Leopold Bones, succumbed to his injuries. Amelia and her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Bones née Edgecombe, along with her daughter, Susan, became the only survivors of the Battle.

## Etymology

"Marlene" is a name of Germanic origin, and is a blend of the names "Maria" and "Magdaline"; which mean "star of the sea" and "of Magdala" respectively. The name "McKinnon" is Scottish, an Anglicised version of the Gaelic name "Mac Fhionghuin", meaning "fair born" or "fair son." It is also translated as "love."