A/n: Thank you all for amazingly positive feedback and favourites and alerts and what not. You're all brilliant, especially those of you that take the time to review, reviews mean everything to me. I've decided to make this a multi-chapter-fic, obviously and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2
screaming in complete silence

The freezing cold inside the flat—the fault of an open window in the living room—suggested to Marlene that she wasn't the only one that had been avoiding the dimly lit flat in the heart of London.

Walking around the flat that she shared with her best friend, Marlene did her best to clean up their mess from about five days ago. She closed the window with a movement of her wand before sending empty bottles of various alcoholic beverages flying in a shaky line towards the waste bin in the corner of the kitchen. She brushed over the coffee table with her flat palm lightly, grabbing the various parts of The Daily Prophet that lay on top of it, under it and around it and dropping the wrinkled and ripped pieces in a pile on the floor next to the frontdoor as a reminder to get rid of it later.

With hands on her hips, she looked around the flat. Four months ago, when they'd just graduated and were itching to get out from under their parent's watchful eyes, getting a flat just the two of them had sounded heavenly. It was going to be their place, their hideout. Their little haven.

But with each new morning and each new copy of The Daily Prophet that fell through the small box-like gap in the door, the harsh reality of real life became more and more obvious.

Their little flat of heaven grew more dark and lonely as constant news of death and torture came with every person visiting and every letter dropped off.

One ordinary Thursday evening when Marlene had stood out on the balcony, a cigarette between her lips (a habit she blamed completely and definitely on him) and thin fingers drumming a beat of a song playing faintly from the kitchen through the radio, she had witnessed it. Just a couple of young blokes, pulling between them a young-looking girl. She looked about Marlene's age, short and brunette, but Marlene's age and struggling.

Marlene hadn't had her wand on her, so she had simply shouted. The two boys had both looked up and straight at her, then back down at the girl and sprinted away. Leaving the girl to crumble down on the pavement, broken from their assault.

Marlene had meant to go check on her, it was the right thing to do after all. But once she'd recovered her coat from underneath the couch and spent a good minute trying to find her shoes (without any luck), the girl wasn't there anymore. She'd probably collected herself without anyone's help and been off.

Since that night Marlene hadn't returned to the flat. She had told Mary she was going to Gideon's and not returned to their little haven since then. Five days. 120 hours.

She couldn't explain what she felt. Maybe it was the striking fact that the incident with the young girl had been completely unmagical. Mundane. Humane. Just a couple of idiotic muggle boys and a muggle girl. Maybe it was the striking fact that while the magical world crumbled around her, so did her faith in the muggleworld. Were both worlds collapsing together?

She had angrily teared up the pages from the Prophet. The headline 'Thirty dead; six still in critical condition.' staring at her as she turned the whole place upside down looking for her shoes, Mary leaning against the kitchen's doorframe, hazel eyes watching her the entire time, never saying anything before she bid her farewells as Marlene exited through their front door.

But staying with Gideon didn't make facing the truth any easier. As much as she tried to ignore the tragic events happening around her, which was bloody impossible with her having joined the Order, they always caught up with her. And her personal life didn't go any easier when she spent every moment with Gideon. Five days. 120 hours.

It drove her mad.

So after the Order meeting, after her meeting with him, she had told Gideon it was time to go back to the flat for a while. He had understood, per bloody always, and kissed her goodbye. She had almost not kissed him back.

She opened the door to Mary's room, sighing as she looked inside. Mary's bed was unmade, pieces of clothing lying around the floor, her desk chair yanked into the middle of the room and the closet in the corner stood open widely. It didn't look as she'd left for good, which Marlene was grateful about.

She turned to her own room, which was admittedly in a similar state, climbing over scattered shoes and clothing until she got to her bed, falling on it and wincing as she landed on top of a few books. Digging them from under her back, she threw them on the floor, not caring how they landed.

"It was great," Alice said, smoothing down the apron that she had fastened over her long skirt. "We never even had a moment to worry about anything else than ourselves," she bit her lip, passing Lily a cup of tea. "It's sort of good to be back though."

"How is it good?" Lily's eyebrows were elevated up high on her forehead, pale freckled fingers twirling the spoon in her tea circle after circle.

"It was like we weren't really living. Everything was so easily blocked out, we never even looked at a Prophet."

Marlene winced at the word, during these past months The Daily Prophet had become her number one enemy, someone she sought to ignore even more than she did to ignore Sirius Black.

"It's a point," Lily supposed, bringing her cup to her lips and blowing at the liquid just before she took a sip.

"Wasn't it good though?" Marlene raised her own eyebrows as she reached for one of the, undoubtedly homemade, scones on the table.

Alice shrugged, playing with her fingers. "It felt selfish."

"But we all need a break from it sometimes," Lily pointed out. "I can't stand to listen to the WWN and forcing myself to attend Order meetings is rather hard sometimes. Are you two still going to the protest?"

Marlene's eyes snapped towards the giant grandfather clock standing in the corner of the sitting room. Frank's parents had bought him and Alice this house as a wedding gift along with everything in it. They'd gotten hitched only three months out of school, Marlene supposed it was the rush of war.

"Frank isn't fond of it," Alice replied softly.

"I'm going," Marlene said, finishing off her scone and reaching for another.

"I suppose I am too," Lily replied. "I'm not fond of the idea of a bloodshed, obviously, but… We cannot just sit and do nothing, can we? That's the whole point of the Order, isn't it?"

Alice nodded her head in agreement and Marlene continued to stare at the clock. Two hours before the protest took place.

"Frank's just worried," Alice shrugged again. "He's going to be there himself, working at the Ministry and all. How does James feel about it?"

"James is studying to become an auror, of course he'll be there—"

"I think she meant about you being there." Marlene cut her off. "The men in your lives are so possessive."

"Says you," Lily said, feeling offended. "Hasn't Gideon got an opinion?"

"It's invalid," replied Marlene with a frown at her best friend.

"So is James's." Lily said, puffing out her chest. "He knows that."

Marlene snorted. "Like his focus is going to be on anything else than you."

"What are you trying to say? You're suggesting I should not attend?" Lily raised an eyebrow again, fingers tapping on the table in a manner of annoyance.

Marlene shrugged. "I'm just saying even if you're both there you're going to be there for each other and your main focus will be on that, so it's sort of like having neither one of you."

"Marlene!" Alice reprimanded. "No need to be so rude. If Gideon's there, won't you be worrying about him?

Marlene bit back her honest answer. "He's not going to be there."

The other two went silent. "Really?" Alice spoke first.

Marlene shrugged. "He's a great duelist, but he reckons if he won't go that'll make me see I don't need to. What a bloke."

"But you're still going? Surely he might show up."

"I don't know. I just know I wont be focusing on him."

"I won't be focusing on James." Lily said, her tone final.

"And I won't be focused on Frank." Alice said, though her voice shaky. "Though I swear to Merlin if something happens to any one of our boys…"

"They're good with a wand," Lily said, sympathetic reaching out for Alice's hand.

"How dirty, Lily." Marlene snorted, holding her hands up in surrender at the evil glares from the redhead.

"You're unbelievable!"

Alice broke out in laughter. "Well, that's another subject we might want to approach…"

The air in the Ministry was thick, several people had hoisted up cardboard signs with various words written on them, including 'Open your eyes', 'Wake Up!', 'We are equal'. The Atrium was already flooded with people, admittedly not all of them supported the protests and some of them were only curious bystanders.

Caradoc Dearborn stood up highest, on top of the fountain, holding his own sign up high in the air. 'Protect us all!'it read in bold red letters. "We are here today, my magical brethren—" he addressed the flock of people, using the words 'magical brethren' to purposefully link himself with the fountain he was standing on top of. "—To protest the work of the Ministry!"

People replied with cheers and screams, shouting out their own thoughts, though not as loudly as Caradoc's magicked voice that boomed over the crowd.

"We are all equal!" he shouted over the top of them. "Purebloods! Halfbloods! Muggleborn! We all have magic inside of us! Who is anyone to tell us whether we're less than anyone else?"

"He's doing good," whispered Alice into Marlene's ear. The two girls stood in the middle of the swarm of protestors, Alice holding her sign that read 'We study the same, we know the same spells, we are the same' close to her chest.

Marlene nodded in agreement. "There are a lot of people here though, some of them don't look as thrilled."

"So far it's been peaceful though," Alice pointed out at the same time as Caradoc boomed over the group "EQUALITY!"

The people roared, repeating his words in a chant. Equality. Equality. Equality. It was like something out of a book, Marlene felt shivers on her arms and legs as she took part, shouting the words over and over again until it left her breathless.

An hour and a half passed in peacefulness, Caradoc continued speaking through out the most of it, Benjy Fenwick stood beside him and spoke out his own thoughts along with him. Sturgis Podmore and Dorcas Meadowes led a chant they'd come up with themselves, undoubtedly when drunk.

We are wizards

We are men ("Women!" had Dorcas shouted over the crowd with a grin)

We have our own rights

We are not afraid to fight!

"We are not worthless!" Caradoc continued, captivating the swarm of people again. "We are here to tell the world that we do stick up for each other, no matter the purity of our blood! The Ministry may think covering up the deaths of muggles by the hand of our kin is the best thing to do. But it is not! We should protect muggles as we protect each other! Just before our eyes our own brethren are being slaughtered! Muggleborns are being slaughtered for simply not being magical enough, does that sound right? Halfbloods, purebloods—those who are supposedly safe—are being slaughtered for not agreeing! But we won't back down! This fight is our—" he fell backwards, a huge splash and water spraying over those closest as his back made contact with the water and he went under.

Terror sprung through the crowd, people panicked, screaming as they rushed and fumbled for their wands as random curses flew at them from every direction.

"Take cover!" Sturgis yelled over the top of the crowd, his protest board on the ground and wand in his hand. "Take cover!" he repeated, shouting charms towards the crowd of people as the curses rained down on them.

"Marlene!" Alice grabbed her hand. "What do we do?"

"I don't know! DUCK!" she shouted and Alice did, ducking down to reveal a cloaked figure behind her.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Marlene, her wand pointed towards him, but he waved her spell away with a flick of his own wand.

"Incarcerous!" Alice shot at him, but again he dismissed the curse.

"Gelio!" he pointed his wand at them, Marlene threw herself on the ground and Alice jumped out of the way.

"Incarcerous!" she tried again,

"Flagrate!" Alice staggered back in pain as the Death Eater's curse hit her, burns and slashes forming on her skin.

"Impedimenta!" Marlene snapped at his legs. He jumped, but not fast enough.

"Incarcerous!" Alice bellowed for the third time, the Death Eater staggered back, Marlene's curse making it hard for him to move, causing Alice's charm to hit him in the stomach.

"Nice one, Alice." Marlene breathed out, clambering to her feet and waving her wand at her friend. "Episkey! That should help for a—"

"Protego!" Sirius's charm hit them before the Death Eater's could and both Alice and Marlene staggered forwards, twirling around to face another set of Death Eaters and Sirius Black.

"Eyes everywhere!" he reminded them, shooting another curse at the Death Eater he was battling, while the second one raised his wand on Alice and Marlene.

"Incarcerous!" Alice shouted once more and Marlene wondered if that was the only spell she could think of.

"Gelio!" Marlene mimicked the earlier spell from the Death Eater, hitting hers square in the chest.

"Crucio!" Sirius barely dodged the unforgivable his Death Eater sent at him.

"Incarcerous!" both Marlene and Alice snapped at the same time, sending the Death Eater to the ground, bound.

"Nice," Sirius bowed his head with a grin. "Come on, we need to move."

Grabbing Alice's arm and running after Sirius, Marlene looked around as they did so. The entire Atrium had broken out in a fight. Cloaked figures were everywhere, battling people—some Order members, and other not—brutally.

"Jaculo!" Sirius shouted, hurling a single chair from the corner at a person behind them. Marlene's head snapped to check; another Death Eater.

They really were everywhere.

"We need to get people out!" Alice shouted, clinging onto Marlene's arm. "Reducto!" she cried as table came hurling towards them.

"What the hell is this!" Marlene snapped. "The battle of the furnitures?!"

"Meadowes and Dumbledore are on it," Sirius said in reply to Alice, using his elbow to knock back a Death Eater currently shooting hexes at a woman who looked too old to even walk on her own.

"I was handling that!" the woman snapped, but Sirius paid her no attention as he continued to break his way through the crowd, Marlene and Alice following him.

"Expulso!" Marlene pointed her wand at the ground below a pair of Death Eaters whose wands were pointed towards Sturigs and, to her surprise, Gideon.

"Marlene!" both shouted, causing Marlene to stop in her steps.

"We have no time, McKinnon!" snapped Sirius, noticing her hesitation. "Podmore, Prewett, come a-fucking-long!"

The five of them threaded their way through the crowd, dodging spells and shooting their own when needed. Marlene's heart hammered in her chest the entire time.

"Sirius!" James's familiar voice cried out as he broke out of the crowd, stumbling towards Sirius and grabbing a hold of his shoulder.

"What happened?"

"Just a broken leg," James waved him off. "Where's Lily?" he looked directly at Alice and Marlene.

"Wasn't she with you?"

"We broke apart," James staggered, but Sirius kept him upright. "There was an explosion on our side, people hurled everywhere. I lost track of everything for moment, until there was a Death Eater standing over me. Tried to blast my fucking leg off. By the time I managed to fight him off Lily and Padfoot were both gone."

"Bellatrix is here," Sirius muttered under his breath, probably only meaning for James to hear but Marlene caught it.

"We need to remind people that they can leave. Dumbledore said we should be able to apparate out, they've taken the guards down, the fireplaces are clogged."

"Do we split up?" Sturgis asked, worried eyes running over the crowd.

"Expulso!" snapped Gideon next to Marlene, sending a Death Eater flying backwards. "We can't just stand here for much longer!"

"We'll split up, but in pairs. Keep your eyes everywhere." Sirius instructed. "Tell people to apparate out."

Marlene turned around, Gideon's hands locked around one of her arms and James around the other.

"Find Lily," James told her, before following Sirius back into the mob of people.

"We'll fight together," Gideon told her, his fingers running down her arms and intertwining with hers. "Or not at all."

Marlene swallowed, nodding her head and her fingers gripping his.

"Apparate now!" Marlene shouted commands at people, some of them refusing to listen to her and continuing to battle, others taking the opportunity given and apparating off. Leaving Marlene and Gideon to face off with their Death Eaters.

"We can leave too—" Gideon kicked out with his feet, hitting a Death eater in the gut as Marlene pointed her wand at him, binding him as she had done many times before that day. "—You know."

"We can't." Marlene disagreed, twirling around to shout protego towards a random man in what looked a highly expensive suit, now covered with blood. "You know we can't."

"Apparate!" Gideon barked at the man. "Some people just don't listen—"

"We need to stay and help though, Gideon, you know—"

"Marlene—!" the familiarity of the voice caused Marlene to freeze up, only to be yanked out of the way by Gideon, who then knocked a Death Eater to the ground.

"Lily!" Marlene screamed, as her voice came back to her, turning around and spotting her ginger friend staggering towards her, green eyes wide open and blood on her face.

"Marlene," she croaked out, swaying dizzily.

"Lily are you okay?" Marlene managed out, hands reaching out for her friend. "

"They—" a giant sob ripped through Lily as she fell forwards straight into Gideon's arms who had acted quickly enough to grab her, Marlene knelt on the floor beside them as Gideon struggled to keep her upright. "They're say—saying they've ble—ble—blo—blown Benjy Fenwick into pieces."

A/N: I'm thinking about changing the rating to M instead of T, would you guys not want to read the story of it had sexual content? Cos it doesn't need to have and I'm content with not writing lemons if you guys don't want to read them. If you, however, want/need lemons don't be afraid to tell me. I'm going to have made my decision by the next upload and I've already written about one fourth of the next chapter so hopefully the update will be soon.

Thanks a lot for reading, extra thanks if you review.