A Storm Abrewing (Jake+Mari)

Marilyn had added Jake Newbury to the list of people allowed to apparate into her apartment without being zapped by her countless protections. The list consisted of herself, Azalea and Jake. That was pretty much it and that was good. The fewer the better.

Marilyn paced up and down her apartment anxiously, she couldn't wait any longer and had sent a patronous to Jake reading "Come over. Need to talk." After the attack on the schools and even more students missing she had grown increasingly frustrated with the sheer lack of...everything. She was an Auror in Training. But it wasn't ENOUGH. She felt like tearing at her hair in frustration. This couldn't be all the wizarding community had to offer. She knew it wasn't. And she had an idea.  But she needed help with this one...

Then she heard the telltale pop and whirled around to face him. She knew she looked...better than the last time they'd been face to face. She looked physically healthier, though still heavily scarred.
"Jake!"

The hug was a surprise. To put it lightly. Marilyn was still not used to physical affection. Well, any affection. But it was definitly better than it had been. So while she initially stiffened slightly, eyes a bit wider than usual, she did relax into the hug a bit and even patted him on the back in what could be interpreted as fondness.


"Jake, it's good to see you, I'm glad you came I need to discuss something with you. Sit down." She offered him a seat on the couch and sat on the armchair opposite it, leaning forward, elbows on knees, her expression serious as usual.


"I need your help. Don't worry, I'm fine. Well. Anyway. I just- There have been more and more attacks. We can't just sit idle by. I thought that starting Auror training would help and while it does help there is only one student beside myself in training! She is the only one besides me to pass the first lesson! It's just- who is supposed to save those kids that were taken? Who is going to stop the Black Widows?" her voice rose in frustration, her voice scratching in the process, and she worried her lip a bit before continuing in a more hushed tone, "We need to do something. I know in times like these there needs to be an organized group. We all read about them in school, The DA, the Order of the Phoenix. We need that now. And I need your help to make that happen. What do you say?"

Marilyn shook her head, "That's just it Jake. The Aurors aren't doing it. If a bunch of students could fight Voldemort and his army and win why can't we fight the Black Widows? Don't forget History, Jake, there could be Widows in the Ministry. In all probability, there probably are! We can't rely on some higher power to step in. They're not coming. They're not.

"Have you known me to be anything but serious? I know you're not trained to be an Auror, but bloody hell, you're not incompetant. And you're not incapable of learning some new things so don't give me that. I know it's a lot to ask, but look at the world we're in. The Widows grow bolder and stronger everyday and two Aurors that just graduated aren't going to cut it. If the Order could do it, if the DA could...why can't we? I'm not saying it won't be dangerous." her voice became more somber at this.
"I'm not saying it's without risk, but nothing is. Not even the schools are safe anymore!" She stood as she spoke, pacing slightly, gesturing to underline points.
Finally she stood still, looking out the window,
"I'm not asking permission, Jake, I'm asking for help." she turned to sit on the table that had been between them,
"We could make a difference. There's no waiting anymore. The longer we wait the worse it gets. I know people want to act. They just have nowhere to go. Things are changing, we need to act. Find people who want to help, train what needs to be trained. The Widows have spies, we need spies, too. We need people to plan, people to gather intel, people to act. There are people in higher positions that may need protecting. Escorting. We can do that."

She paused to let him respond, gathering her thoughts.

"That's why we should organize. Train together. And don't act like Azalea wouldn't consider it.  Because I'm pretty sure she would.  This isn't about revenge or bloodlust, jeez you don't even have to fight. You could help with organizing. Or intell." She bit her lip and shook her head, "You were lucky? No, there is no luck in a fight. You were good enough so you survived. Since when have you been Just Jake? I bet Aza wouldn't be happy to hear you demean yourself like that. Newbury, what is keeping you from this? This is a great chance to do something that could help, we could make a stand. Jake I need your help. This is gonna be pretty hard to do on my own." She ran her fingers through her hair, the motion showing her heavily scarred neck, "I'll do it myself if I have to. You know I will."

Marilyn bit her lip but nodded, "I know. I'll sort out my own affairs, I'll make more plans and you tell me as soon as you know." She sat back down in front of him, "I know you want to help. I knew you would. I'm not saying rush into it. But these are not the moments to take your time, you understand." The Auror in Training looked around her sparse apartment, the only thing that stood out were the masses of books on defense against the dark arts, hexes and curses and the like. Not to mention a mildly scorched area at the ceiling from a rogue hex.
"Do you want some tea?" she asked finally.

"I know you're not, I know. I understand" They both knew she didn't understand. But she did respect Jake. And to an extent, a larger extent by far than anyone else aside from her Grandmother, she trusted him to do the right thing.

"Right." She stood and waved her wand, summoning two cups and a kettle from where she'd had some tea keeping warm. Marilyn walked back and set his cup in a saucer before him with another wandflick. 

"So how has everything else been?"

"Well. I'm still, what did they say, oh yes, 'rough around the edges'. " she scoffed into her teacup, "still have nightmares. Still think every bloke with a hood up is a Widow. Don't like going out much. I went to a pub once. The Hogs Head, you know it? Can't see the appeal anymore. It's so...mundane. Everything is. Can't imagine going about like everyone else. So I stick to the University as much as possible, training and practicing pretty much all of the time. The Professor for Stealth is..." Perceptive. Spot on. Sees way too much. "...surprising. But he's no-nonsense. I like that."

"How are you? And Azalea?"

"You can always come over, Mari, if you don't want to be with other people, we can hang out."


"I know. Us hanging out like this is the only thing that doesn't feel like I'm just wasting time, you know?" The Auror in training answered, sitting in her usual tensed way, ready to move in a split second.
"Stealth is good. Like I said we're only two so we've already been assigned our partner. Woman called Waters. She's very competant, a good partner to have in a battle. From what I heard the men in the class were dimmer than an old streetlight. They all failed first lesson. You should drop by, I think you'll have to speak with Professor Clement first, but he's a good man. I respect him highly, knows what he's doing, that man." Marilyn nodded soundly, taking another sip of her tea.

"Okay." Marilyn nodded, dropping the subject of Azalea without resistence. She couldn't really be of assistence there anyway, she wasn't exactly the type to know much or anything about romance. Once, perhaps, long ago.. But those days were dead and gone, all locked up in a box of her things from her Academy Trunk, her old journal from days when she'd passed the time talking to Gavin about anything and everything, dancing with Mary...And now she hadn't seen them in so long. They wouldn't recognize her if she did. It felt like a lifetime ago.
At first she didn't even notice that she'd gone a bit stiff, staring into nothing, until she shook herself into reality, "Sorry." she brushed it off quickly, "Anyway. Auror Training. Very good. I think we have good chances of graduating, Waters and I."

"Oh! How's Victoria?"

"Well from what I heard they were supposed to paint each others faces with camoflauge. And Somehow, don't ask me how, those two idiots decided to paint portraits of each other while Waters tried to actually do the assignment. I mean canvas and posing and all apparently... Professor Clement was livid. As I would have been, too." She shook her head, a part of her had hoped it hadn't been so horrible a mistake but she seemed to have heard correctly.  What was this world coming to?
"And you'll graduate, you always do what you want to."
She nodded, "Damn straight." the smallest hint of a smile on her face for just a second.
At the sheer amount of love and affection in Jakes expression and voice a he spoke of his sister Marilyn stiffened slightly, a little overwhelmed from bing confronted with the feelings she could no longer express. She was however pleased to hear about Victoria walking, last time she'd seen her...Well, she preferred not to think about that time much, her life before didn't feel it belonged to her.
"Well, that certainly is..eventful. I'm glad she's walking again, I'm sure she's excited about her O.W.L.s, why early?"

"Seriously?" Jake asked between laughs, shaking his head at the idea. "Well, at least they were failed, don't want morons trying to look after us now, do we?" Jake asked, still laughing to himself.
"No indeed. How they were even accepted I don't know." The witch shook her head. Shameful really, a mistake like that.


"I'm sure she will. Especially with a big brother like you to back her up. She's a strong girl. She'll do great." Marilyn nodded, also finishing her tea and looking back up when he announced that he should be going.
She stood, setting down her cup as well. "We'll talk soon. And I don't do stupid things."
Taking a deep breath she moved forward and gave him a hug, it was awkward and she was still not very comfortable with it, but she was trying. "Take care, Jake."