March 16th, 1979: Marlene & Barty (Chocolates and Roses)
Marlene leaned against the cold stone wall of the entranceway, bored during her patrol. She was assigned to the Jones' residence, ordered to keep a watchful eye on the guests that were milling about, paying their respects to Hestia's family due to Prosecutor Jones' passing. She sighed when she heard the sniffling, deep sighs, and whispered mantras of "I'm sorry for you loss". The scenario was too familiar, reminding her Max's wake last year. Enough. She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to think back to that time. She had a purpose being here, and she wasn't about to muck it up with grief. Her task at the Jones' residence was the safekeeping of the vault. She wasn't entirely sure what its contents were, but she had been warned that there was a risk of Death Eaters infiltrating the home in order to gain access to the information. Not on my watch.
The hours ticked by and the number of guests began to dwindle. By evening, Marlene felt confident that no more people would show up. She made a circle of the hallway, smiling at the stragglers, but keeping a tight grip on her wand for precaution. She had failed once - it wouldn't happen again. Her shift was almost over, and another Order member would be coming to replace her for the evening. She was thankful she hadn't gotten the evening shift. If the darkening bags under her eyes were any indication, she was overcome by exhaustion. Moreover, a night shift was far more intimidating, and there was a greater risk of a break in. She hoped that at least two guards would be set up overnight.
Hearing a knock at the door, she looked around and confirmed that she was the only one able to answer it, seeing as the remainder of the family was busy saying goodbyes. Who could be showing up so late? Frowning slightly, she made her way towards the door, making sure to look through the peephole before reaching for the handle. What was that little prat doing here? She froze, wondering if she should even bother addressing him. Was he friends with Hestia? Not likely. Nonetheless, it wasn't under her jurisdiction to decide who she could let in, other than the few known Death Eaters. And Bellatrix. Suppressing a growl, she pulled the handle back and opened the door slightly, just enough to stick her head through.
"What are you doing here?" she asked menacingly, glaring at the boy. Her eyes flicked downwards, noticing that he was carrying gifts. Really?
"Make it quick, Barty."