“You know, something happened when I was in the shop I landed in. Borgin and Burkes…” Megan said as they made their way along the street.

“The Dark Magic shop?” Arthur said. “That’s full of dangerous objects, it’s lucky you weren’t harmed… What happened?”

“I saw the Malfoys.”

The others stared at her.

“Really?”

“What were they doing down there?” Hermione asked with a frown.

“Nothing good, you can be sure,” George said. “Nothing the Malfoys do is ever good for us decent folk.”

“Did Lucius see you?” Arthur asked.

“No. I hid.” she answered. “His son was there, and I had no desire for him to see me in that situation. He’d never have let it go.”

“Draco was there?” Harry said. “Weird…”

“Not really. If they were shopping for Hogwarts for Draco, his father probably didn’t want to leave him wandering alone. He’s only twelve, don’t forget,” Fred said.

It was funny to think of the Malfoys with any ounce of affection, even for each other.

“Did they buy anything?” Mr Weasley asked, looking at Megan.

Megan shook her head.

“No, he was selling. He seemed like he was trying to sell something dangerous or secret. He said he had some objects at his house that he didn’t want found.”

“So he's scared...” he said in a mutter. “The ministry raids have been getting tighter and tighter, and the ministry employees are under even more pressure. Oh, I'd love to get him for something...”

“I'd be careful, Dad. The Malfoys are gits but they won't hesitate to pull you down if you do them,” Fred said.

“Aah, he's right, Arthur. Them Malfoys ain’t worth botherin' about. Yeh gotta keep yer job. Got a family to feed, don't yeh?”

Just then, they reached the book store. Megan could barely see the door, it was so crowded. Eventually they saw a large sign with a tall, young wizard with wavy blond hair and a huge grin. There was a sign that said:

“World Famous Gilderoy Lockhart signing his work today only!”

“So that’s the Lockhart guy who’s written most of the books on our list…?”’ Megan asked, raising a slightly sceptical eyebrow. There was a picture of him under the text. She supposed he was meant to be good looking, and judging by the way several witches were pointing at his picture excitedly ('Did you see that?! He winked at me! At me!') But he immediately struck her as very pompous. More interested in his fame that anything else. Hagrid had other business to tend to and bid his goodbyes.

“See you at school, Hagrid!” Megan called as he left.

And then they headed into the shop.

Molly was indeed thoroughly relieved to see Megan was all right.

“Oh, Megan, thank heavens!” Mrs Weasley said, immediately brushing off the soot on her cloak. ”We hoped you hadn't gone too far! You're not hurt, are you?”

“No, I'm fine, thanks, Mrs Weasley,” she assured her, though deeply touched that she had been worried.

“She ended up in Knockturn Alley!” George said.

“Knocturn Alley?! Oh, Good Heavens…!”

“I’m fine, I was only there a few minutes,” Megan said, casting a glare at George. “Hagrid found me and walked me back.”

Just then, a voice called for attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Gilderoy Lockhart!”

There was loud clapping, even, to Megan's surprise, from Ginny and Mrs Weasley. And the tall man Megan had seen on the sign stepped onto the platform, the exact same enormous grin as the sign outside glued to his face.

“Yes, hello, hello, everyone! It is wonderful to see you all!”

He even sounded full of himself. Just then, he saw Megan, who cringed and wondered whether to hide behind Ron. She hoped Lockhart wouldn't-

“It can't be Megan Potter?!”

-bring her to the centre of attention... He caught her arm and yanked her forwards before she could say or do anything. And immediately, flashes of the Daily Prophet reporter burst in front of them. His arm locked itself around her shoulder.

“Nice big smile, Megan, you and I are worth the front page!” he muttered to her.

Megan resisted the desire to shove him off. It would be over in a minute...

“Ladies and gentlemen! This is a truly extraordinary moment! When Megan here came into Flourish and Blotts' to purchase my latest book, “Magical Me”, she had no idea that she would in fact be leaving with my entire work free of charge!”

He produced a large pile of books and dumped into Megan’s arms. It was all she could do not to buckle and drop it all. There was an excited tremor in the crowd. Megan didn't feel excited at all. This reeked of publicity.

“And she will also have the joy of learning more about my prowesses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where I shall be taking on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher this September!”

There was another excited tremor in the audience. Megan took the chance to leave the stage and headed back towards the Weasleys.

“Here, Ginny,” she said, slipping the set of books in her cauldron. “You have these. I'll buy them.”

“You looked like you were having fun,” said a teasing voice behind her.

She turned around and jumped.

“Cedric, it's great to see you!”

Tall and handsome as ever (had he grown taller?), he smiled at her and they hugged each other.

“Nice to see you.” He said.

“And for the record, that was not fun,” she smiled.

Cedric laughed. Then, he noticed the smudge of soot on her face.

“What happened to you?” he asked.

Megan sighed and wiped it away.

“We came by Floo Powder…”

“Ah.” He said with a sympathetic smile. “Say no more. Not the most comfortable way to travel, is it?”

“Not really. Especially when you end up in the wrong place. I landed in Knocturn Alley.”

“Really? How did you get back here, then?”

“It’s thanks to Hagrid. Good thing he was there.”

“So how did you convinced your aunt and uncle to let you go to the Weasleys?”

“Well... I didn't...”

“What?”

Megan explained all about Dobby, the escape. He sighed.

“Leave it up to those knuckle heads to do something crazy like that.”

“Yeah, I know...” Megan said. “But their intentions were good.”

“I know. Well, that explains why you never answered my letters.”

“You wrote to me?”

“Of course,” he said. “I said I would, didn't I?”

“Yes.” Megan agreed.

She shuffled her feet slightly.

“So... what did you say in your letters? I never got them back.”

“I said that I was glad to have met you... that I hoped you weren't having too miserable a summer...”

“It was to begin with,” she admitted.

“And now?”

“It's not so bad.”

They looked at each other. Just then, Ron came over carrying a pile of large vividly colored books. Cedric raised an eyebrow.

“D'you have to buy Lockhart's books as well?” he asked.

“Yeah. Looks like a joke, to me, though.” Megan said.

“Oh, he's not!” Ginny said.

But before they could discuss it further, they were interrupted.

“Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?” Said a disgusted voice behind her.

They turned around. His blond hair was recognisable anywhere. Draco Malfoy stormed down the stairs.

“All the attention for you, how great was that! Famous Megan Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page!”

“Leave her alone, Malfoy,” Cedric interjected icily.

He looked at him. Then, a sneer appeared on his face:

“Ooh, look Potter, you got yourself a boyfriend! Never thought that would happen.”

Megan blushed but kept her face steady. She and Cedric were friends, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t have stronger feelings for him. Oh, it was just a crush, and she was hoping it would blow over as she grew older, but for now, she just had to make do with it.

“Now, now, Draco” said a cool voice. “Play nicely.”

Megan recognised Mr. Malfoy, Draco's father. Their eyes met. His were cold and piercing. They reminded her slightly of Snape's. She took him in fully now. He and his son looked very much alike, as she had first noticed. Same pallor, same cold, haughty faces, and mean grey eyes. The main difference, aside from age of course, was that Lucius's hair was down to his elbows while Malfoys was kept just below the ears.

“The one who escaped the Dark Lord... may I?”

Megan didn't have time to ask what he was asking permission for when he yanked her arm forward, drawing her closer, and lifted her fringe, his long gloved finger running along her scar.

“What are you doing?” Cedric asked, a hand lowering to his wand.

“It's okay...” she said, mainly because she knew Cedric was no match against a fully accomplished wizard in a duel, and didn't want him to get hurt on her behalf.

“Your scar is legend. As is of course the wizard who gave it to you.”

This was more than Megan could take. She yanked herself firmly from Mr Malefoy's grip and looked at him coldly.

“Voldemort killed my parents, and countless people before them.” she said. “He is no more than a cold-blooded, power-hungry, soulless murderer.”

She stepped calmly back, standing beside Cedric.

“You must be quite brave to speak his name so calmly. Or quite foolish.”

“Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself.” Hermione interjected.

Malfoy's dark cold eyes turned to Hermione. Megan resisted the desire to step in front of her. She wouldn't give Draco or Malfoy the satisfaction.

“You must be Miss Granger?” Mr Malfoy said, glancing at Draco who nodded grumpily. He stepped forwards. “Yes... Draco told me all about you... and your parents... Muggles, I believe?”

Everyone turned to the Grangers, who were talking with Mr Weasley. Hermione glared coldly at Lucius. Megan darted between them.

“That's enough, Mr Malfoy. She and her parents have done nothing to you. Leave them out of this!” she shot at him.

They eyed each other and he turned away.

“Let's see... red hair... tatty clothing and books... you must be the Weasleys.”

Arthur came up behind them, the Grangers close behind.

“Come on, everyone, it's mad in here, let's go outside.”

“Well, well, well, Weasley Senior.”

He looked up.

“Lucius,” he said stiffly.

“I hear you're having quite the difficult time at the office, lately. I hope they're paying you your overtime? Although, judging by the state of... this,” Lucius said, plucking a tattered Transfiguration book from Ginny's cauldron, “I should say not...”

Arthur said nothing, but his face was a bright red. Megan balled her fists in anger. How dare he insult him like that! Money didn't give you every right!

“Why disgrace the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?”

Megan caught hold of Ron to stop him from jumping on Mr. Malfoy.

“Don't, Ron, he's not worth getting into trouble for,” she said in a low voice. “I know it stinks, but he wants to wind you up.”

Arthur and Lucius had hardly noticed what had been going on.

“We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy,” Mr Weasley said stiffly.

“Clearly,” Mr Malfoy agreed curtly. “Associating with Muggles...”

He tutted, then dropped the book back in Ginny's cauldron.

“I thought you could sink no lower... Come, Draco. We are leaving.”

Draco glared at them all, and left with a:

“See you at school.”

And they marched out. The Weasleys and the others watched them leave with relief. Megan didn't think that she could have tolerated any more. Cedric turned to look at her and put a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes.

“Are you okay? He didn't do anything, when he grabbed you, did he?”

“He touched you?” Mr Weasley jumped sharply. “What did he do?”

“He just wanted to look at my scar...” Megan said, but she had been more disturbed by the experience than she let on. “And no, I'm fine, thank you.” she added to Cedric.

“Come on, let's go.” Ron said, leading them outside.

They left the shop. Megan was glad to feel the sun through her skin. Hermione touched her shoulder.

“Thanks for standing up for me...”

“Hey, what are friends for?” Megan smiled.

They hugged each other and said their goodbyes.

“See you on the express!” she called, following her parents.

Megan smiled.

“Well, I better get going too,” said Cedric. “It was nice to see you, everyone.”

“Yeah, see you at Hogwarts, Cedric,” Harry said, shaking his hand.

He said goodbye to everyone, keeping Megan for last.

“You watch yourself, okay? Those Malfoys are trouble.”

“Oh, don't worry, I'll be careful,” Megan smiled.

He caught her by surprise by kissing her on the cheek before walking off. Megan stayed frozen a few seconds, her cheeks red. They finished their shopping before heading to the Leaky Cauldron where Megan was supposed to end up. Once back at the Burrow, they spent the afternoon packing up their trunks, then enjoyed a peaceful evening punctuated by hearty jokes from Fred and George, that made even Molly laugh, and songs from Megan, after a lot of insisting from Ginny ('Come on, you have a great voice! I heard you singing in the dormitory last year!'), who proved to sing very well indeed and enthralled the others into singing too.

“You never told us about that!”

“Well... I guess I never got the chance to...”

Then, quite late, warm and tired, they went to bed.

“You and Cedric seem to get along well,” Ginny said when they were in the privacy of her room.

“Oh, well... he's a good friend. He's very easy to like.” Megan said, casually, but glad the dark kept her cheeks hidden from Ginny.

******************************

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