May 27th, 1977
Voldemort was sitting in his ancestral home with his inner circle. Ever since their failed attack on Hogsmeade, they had been planning another attack. A more devastating attack, one that would destroy the morale of everyone who supported the old fool. An attack that would make everyone realise how powerful Voldemort and his army was. And to show how futile resisting him would be.
The idea of attacking Hogsmeade when the students would be leaving was Lucius's idea. Attacking the students and the village at the same time, not giving the aurors or the professors a chance to protect both. The plan was to show that even Hogwarts was not safe. Voldemort had thought that the plan had merit. He ordered Lucius to plan the attack and execute it. But he had been clear about one thing, no students were to be killed. If any student other than the seventh years was killed or if the attack failed, Lucius and the other death eaters would be punished heavily.
Severus had helped Lucius by telling him when the students will leave and by relaying the news of attack to some of the Slytherins. These Slytherins were members of families that supported the dark lord and thus will not fight during the attack. Instead, they will hide. Lucius told Severus that his help would be rewarded by the dark lord.
James, Lily, Sirius, Marlene, Remus, Peter, Alice and Dorcas were all feeling melancholy. Their journey of 7 years at Hogwarts had come to an end. They were leaving Hogwarts for the last time. They had graduated and were adult wizards and witches now. But along with the melancholy was an appreciation for the time they had spent in Hogwarts. The memories of Hogwarts ere something they all will remember for a long time. They all were in the last carriage that was leaving the castle for the Hogsmeade station.
Harry and Ginny meanwhile were on their toes, waiting for the attack from the death eaters. They were at the Hogsmeade station, seeing the students all get in the train and leave safely. Nothing was looking out of ordinary till then and both Harry and Ginny were hoping that things would stay like that till the train left the station. Suddenly, they heard the sound of apparition as death eaters suddenly apparated near the station and in the village and began attacking. The attack had begun.
Harry and Ginny quickly began attacking the death eaters. The seventh years joined them while the sixth years got all the students inside the train. The protective spells on the train would protect the for some time. Seeing everyone except the seventh years in the train, Harry and Ginny told the seventh years to go in the train and to start it. Some of the seventh years nodded and did as they were told. However, James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alice, Dorcas and Marlene along with some other students stayed. They all wanted to help them and were going to stay. Harry and Ginny tried to make them go, but they were resolute. Not willing to waste any more time and risk the lives of other students, Harry quickly told the train driver to quickly head to Kings Cross. The driver nodded and the train quickly left the Hogsmeade station. Seeing the train leave, the death eaters apparated away to Hogsmeade. While the attack had been as brutal as they had wanted, they had only gravely injured the students but hadn't killed them, just like the dark lord had ordered them.
Harry and Ginny Looked at the remaining students. There were nearly 15 of them. Harry said, "Battle is still not over. The death eaters are going to Hogsmeade. We need to protect the villagers and stop the death eaters. Are you all willing to fight? The fight will be tough. It will be brutal. You may even die. Are you willing to risk your lives? You can go back to the castle if you want." The seventh years collectively said they wanted to fight. James said, "This is what we have been training for this entire year professors. We will do as you order." Harry and Ginny looked proudly at the students. Ginny said, "Ok. This is what you will do. Just like when dementors attacked. You all are going to help the villagers. Protect them. Don't fight the death eaters directly. Use protective spells and protect others. Now let's go."
When they all reached Hogsmeade, the death eaters had already started their attack. Some villagers were fighting, some were hiding. The professors and the aurors had already come and were fighting. Harry, Ginny and the remaining students joined the fight. Harry and Ginny began attacking the death eaters who had been attacking the villagers. The students meanwhile began helping the villagers hide in their shops. Soon, more death eaters and werewolves joined the fight.
Sirius and Marlene had been helping the owners of Honeydukes hide when they heard a familiar voice behind them. "Isn't it the traitor and his bitch?" They looked back and saw Rodolphus Lestrange along with some death eaters. Lestrange said, "You are a disgrace to the pureblood Black. Oh wait, you are no longer a black. Weren't you disowned? What are you now, a Potter? Did Dorea and Charles adopt you?" Sirius said, "I would much rather be a Potter than Black, Rodolphus. At least I am not Voldemort's bitch. Oh wait, you are not Voldie's bitch. That's your wife Bellatrix, isn't she?" Rodolphus said, "You will pay for that Sirius." He and the death eaters then began attacking Sirius and Marlene.
James and Lily saw Sirius and Marlene fighting Lestrange and ran towards them. Remus also joined them as they began attacking the Lestrange and his death eaters. More death eaters came as well and they began using lethal dark curses. Things were turning overwhelming and too much for them. Lestrange suddenly fired a killing curse at Lily. Lily dodged it barely. More and more curses flew there way, making them spread apart.
Harry and Ginny saw the kids fighting the death eaters. They quickly ran that way. To Harry's horror, he saw a death eater use the killing curse on Lily as she was fighting other death eater. Harry quickly used Accio on her, pulling her to him just in time for the curse to miss her. He and Ginny began attacking the death eaters, joined quickly by Aurors.
Rodolphus knew that they had to retreat. Few death eaters had been captured and some even dead from their own curses. He quickly told the death eaters to escape. But there was one thing he had to do. Sirius had to realise that he had made the wrong choice. That he had betrayed the cause of the true and proud purebloods. He casted the killing curse on Sirius and apparated away, not caring about what happened afterwards.
The killing curse however hadn't struck Sirius. It hadn't because Marlene had seen it and jumped at him, pushing him away. The curse instead struck her. But she happily took it, knowing she had saved Sirius. She died happy with that knowledge.
No one had a chance to do anything. Nothing could have been done to prevent it. Nothing could have stopped that curse from hitting Marlene. She died as soon as the curse hit her. Her lifeless body fell on the ground. Sirius shouted her name repeatedly, not believing she was dead. He didn't want to believe she was dead. Tears were flowing down his eyes as he held her head in his hands, looking at her eyes, which were so expressive, look empty. He didn't want to believe that Marlene was dead. It should have been him. It was him the curse should have hit, not her. She gave up her life to protect him.