Marlene felt nothing but anger as she stood directly across from the Dark Lord. There was a translucent blue bubble around Voldemort, and he was smiling that deadly smile. The body levitating in front of him was completely limp, dark hair obscuring the face. Marlene didn't move closer, like all the other women in front of her had. She stayed in place, hands balled into fists, staring at the man who had just killed the love of her life.
"You're absolutely fucking disgusting," Marlene hissed after a while, when it had become clear that Voldemort wasn't going to move. Voldemort smiled wider.
"Am I, now?" He sounded as though he were talking to a toddler. Which was what Marlene felt like, right then. Voldemort brought his wand up higher, making the body, Sirius's body, go up with it. And then, as though something above him had exploded, the body crashed to the ground, the sound it made when hitting the gravel beneath them almost deafening. It made Marlene cry out, flashing both of her middle fingers at the man controlling the body.
"You had no right to, to ruin the lives of so many people, and take away the lives of even more. You deserve to rot in hell," Marlene spat, and she heard the women behind her telling her to be quiet, to stand down, and even one telling her that she was just dreaming, that she was having a nightmare. She didn't listen to them. "You're a monster."
"I'm sure dear Sirius would agree with you. You see, for years he-"
"I know what he fucking did, and I couldn't be more proud of him! You're a worthless piece of trash, and I'm quite positive any single person out of that - that pile behind you is more of a wizard than you will ever be." Marlene was shouting now, her throat going raw. She could still hear a voice behind her, telling her that it wasn't real and everything was fine, but she continued to ignore it.
"More of a wizard, you say? It looks like I defeated all of them, though. And with a single wave of my wand, you could be next," Voldemort drawled, now twirling his wand between his long fingers, Sirius's body still lying in front of him. Marlene gaped at him for a moment before making up her mind.
"Fucking do it, then!" She practically screeched, her arms out, accepting it. She watched again as Voldemort continued to play with his wand as though he was examining it, and then with a wave of it, the body in front of him had disintegrated. Marlene screamed again, pulling on her hair, her eyes not leaving the monster who was now walking toward her. He raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Marlene!" Sirius was shaking her, Sirius was alive. Marlene shot up with a gasp, placing her hand over her heart, trying to get air into her lungs but it wouldn't come. After a few moments she dropped her head into her hands, her gasps turning into sobs. Sirius pulled her into his chest and she gripped the back of his hoodie desperately.
"Sh, calm down, love," Sirius soothed, running his fingers through Marlene's hair and down her spine. She shuddered slightly at the touch, her tears not slowing down. "It was just a dream, alright? I'm right here." Sirius rested his chin on her head, only moving it to press the occasional kiss to her temple.
"I'm so scared, Sirius," Marlene sobbed quietly into his chest, and Sirius held her tighter. "They already took my family, I can't -" Marlene cut off, raising her head and laying a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "I can't let them take you too."
"Marley, they aren't going to, okay? You'll have me forever, and I'll have you. It's going to be okay," Sirius whispered, gently tucking Marlene's head back into his chest.
"I hate it. He's taking everyone away. First G-Gideon and Fabian, then Dorcas, then my entire family. I want it to stop," Marlene choked out, her hands gripping the back of Sirius's hoodie as though her life depended on it. Sirius bit his lip.
"I do too, Marley. We all do… and it will stop," Sirius declared at a whisper, absently braiding Marlene's soft, blonde hair. He liked the feeling of it brushing against his fingers. It felt comforting, almost, when comfort was what he needed most.
Marlene sniffled. She could feel Sirius's hands in her hair, separating it into three sections before crossing the parts, under, over, under, over. She felt his fingers, warm and rough, multiple times when they brushed her neck. "They can't take you away," Marlene mumbled into Sirius's shoulder. Sirius dragged his finger through the center of the loose braid, quickly undoing it and starting the process again.
"They won't take me, or you, or any of us, Marlene," Sirius reassured again, feeling like he was repeating himself over and over. He didn't mind, though. He'd say it a million times if it meant his perfect girl would fall back asleep, knowing everything was okay.
"They're after all of us, Padfoot," Marlene repeated, and Sirius held her tighter, pausing in the action of braiding her hair to press little kisses to her neck. He closed his eyes, carefully stroking through the bottom portion of her hair, which still hung loose.
"You know, after I ran away and couldn't sleep for weeks, Mrs. Potter would say this to me," Sirius started, choking up at the mention of the woman who adopted him just a few years ago. "When dark comes crashing through, and it seems like you're alone, there's always someone there. Always." Sirius paused again, blinking back tears of his own. "You will be found."
This started a fresh round of tears from Marlene, and she looked up at Sirius, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I love you, Sirius Black."
Sirius smiled back at her. "I love you more." And then suddenly their lips were pressed together in a soft, slow kiss, and Sirius could taste the salty tears that were still falling down Marlene's face, and the rest of the world fell away.
"We are invincible."