After magically packing the tents, the group left as quickly as possible. Megan would have liked a chance to check on Cedric and Harry but they didn't see them. Ron assured her they would be all right, that both their dads were perfectly capable wizards. Megan agreed, but it would have been nice to know for sure. They reached the Portkey area to find it cluttered with people eager to leave. After a long while, they were able to get an old tyre back to Stonestead Hill. They made their way down the hill and back to the Burrow.

"At last!" called a voice.

Mrs Weasley came rushing from the front yard towards them and pulled them into fierce hugs, one after the other.

"I was so worried... thank heavens none of you –"

She saw the patch on Megan's forehead.

"You're hurt!" she gasped.

"I'm fine, it's nothing, Mrs Weasley, honestly. I just fell over like an idiot."

She held back on saying Bill had had worse than her.

"We're all fine, Molly... come on, let's get you inside..."

She had dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet and let Arthur lead her inside. Bill swooped down and picked it up.

"Dad'll want to know what it says." He said.

They went inside and sat around the long table. Charlie made Molly some strong tea while Arthur looked at the paper.

"Ha... I knew it... blunders... lax security... national disgrace... pff. Ah. Of course, it's signed Rita Skeeter."

"But weren't there members of the Ministry guarding the camp site and stadium?" Hermione asked.

"Loads. That's why it's worrying them so much," Ron said. "It happened right under their noses."

"Who's Rita Skeeter?" Megan asked, glancing at the picture of the Dark Mark.

"A reporter who writes all sorts of rubbish." Arthur said. "Listen to this: If the terrified witches and wizards were expecting reassurance from the Ministry, they were sadly disappointed. It has been stated that no one was hurt, but no further information was given. Whether that will be enough to silence the rumours of several bodies being removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen... Oh, really, what rubbish... No one was hurt!" he said in exasperation, throwing the paper on the table. "What else would I say? Bodies being removed from the woods... there definitely will be rumours now she's printed that..."

He sighed and turned to his wife.

"I'm sorry, Molly, I'll have to go in... this will take some smoothing over..."

"I'll come with you. Mr Crouch will need me." Percy said pompously.

He had indeed begun work at the Ministry as Mr Crouch's assistant.

"But you're supposed to be on holiday..." Molly said.

"I know, dear, but we need to appease the public mind." He said.

So he and Percy went to change.

"Mrs Weasley... Hedwig hasn't been round, has she?" Megan asked.

"Hedwig, dear? ... uh, no, I'm afraid."

"I'll go dump my stuff upstairs," she said, glancing at the others.

They followed her up to Ginny's room.

"It's your scar, it's hurting again, isn't it?" Hermione asked the minute they had closed the door.

"What?" Ron asked. "Your scar hurt?"

She told them. Their reactions were practically the ones she had imagined.

"As soon as we get to school, you've got to go to Dumbledore!" Hermione said. "I'll head to the library."

"... But... he wasn't there, was he?" Ron asked. "I mean, last time, he was at Hogwarts..."

"I know he wasn't in Privet Drive. I dreamed about him... and Wormtail. They were planning on killing someone."

"You just had a dream... it maybe just felt like it hurt because of who you were dreaming about..." Hermione said.

"I'm not so sure," Megan said. "I mean, I dream about You-Know-Who and just hours after, his symbol appears and Death Eaters wreak havoc? That's no coincidence, Hermione. And... I never told you..."

She told them about the prediction Trelawney had made during her Divination exam.

"Oh, good grief, you're not going to put any faith in what that old bat says?" Hermione scoffed.

"You weren't there, Hermione, she wasn't herself." Megan objected. "She said the Dark Lord would return and that same night, Wormtail escaped. And he helped Vo-You-Know-Who before..."

"... You know Sirius will want to hear about that." Hermione said in a lower voice. "The cup, your scar, and the dream."

"I already sent him a letter about it, but Hedwig hasn't come back yet."

"Well, we don't know where Sirius is," Hermione said reasonably. "If he's somewhere like Africa or something, Hedwig will take a little while to reach him."

"I know..." Megan said with a sigh as she glanced out the window.

"Hey, how's a game of Quidditch, Megan?" Ron suggested. "You promised Charlie, and anyway, there's not much more we can do about You-Know-Who."

"... No, you're right. I'll grab my Firebolt."

They played in the orchard. Charlie was indeed a good player, and Bill was pretty good himself. Megan was careful not to push her broom too hard as it was faster than the others', but it was fun anyway. The game did help Megan get her mind off things for a while.

"Well, I'm glad I left Gryffindor in good hands," Charlie grinned as they returned to the house, ruffling Megan's hair.

"Thanks, Charlie." She smiled.

"Ah, she's a killer, our Megan," Fred said, putting his arm around her shoulders.

Percy and Arthur were there very little that week. The day after the return from the cup, an owl she recognised as Cedric's arrived. It had a note.

Dear Megan.

Hope you and the others are okay, sorry I didn't catch you after the World Cup. All well here, Harry too. Getting ready for school, can't wait to see you there. Write back fast.

Yours, Cedric.

Megan quickly wrote a letter telling him all was well.

Dear Cedric.

Glad you're okay. We're all fine, wanted to see you as well, but too much chaos. I'm just relieved there weren't any casualties. I can't wait to see you at school, either.

Yours, Megan.

Percy went on about his work all the time, right until the Sunday before they were meant to get the train.

"It's been havoc," he said. "Been putting Howlers out all week."

"Why are people sending Howlers?" Ginny asked.

"Because of the World Cup incident, they want compensation. Mundungus Fletcher's claiming for a tent of twelve rooms and a Jacuzzi but I know beyond doubt he was under a cloak on sticks, so I've got his number."

Megan saw Mrs Weasley glance up at the clock.

"Your father's working far too much..." she sighed. "He hasn't had to go in on weekends since the time of You-Know-Who..."

"Well, if father hadn't been so unwise as to speak without the approval of the Ministry–" Percy began.

"Don't you blame your father for what that rotten women wrote!" Mrs Weasley snapped. "No, don't you dare."

"Skeeter never makes anyone look good," said Bill, playing chess with Ron. "She called me a "long haired pillock" once."

"It is a bit long, dear," Mrs Weasley said. "If you just let me–"

"No, Mum."

Hermione was looking through her school books, which Mrs Weasley had gotten them from Diagon Alley. Megan was polishing her Firebolt, watched by Ginny, Fred and George, and Charlie was mending a fireproof dragon hide glove.

"Oh, your father's coming," Mrs Weasley said.

Sure enough, he came inside a few moments later and sat heavily in a chair while Mrs Weasley brought him his dinner.

"Thanks, dear. Well, that'll relax people up..." he sighed. "Rita Skeeter's been snooping all over the Ministry, looking for more mess-ups to report... "

"Well, there's not a lot we can do against that..." Bill sighed.

"I think you should all go check you're all packed up ready for tomorrow," Mrs Weasley said. "Come on, now..."

Megan picked up her broom and headed upstairs with the others.

Chudley was hooting happily in his cage when the boys reached their room. Megan could hear him from across the hall. She glanced at Hedwig's empty perch.

"You don't think Sirius was caught, do you?" Megan asked nervously. "It's been over a week..."

"No," Hermione said. "If he had, it would have been all over the Prophet, the Ministry would want to show they've caught someone, wouldn't they? Especially after the World Cup fiasco. And after the amount of warning they did about Sirius after his escape, they'd love nothing better than to get him."

"I guess so..."

Megan sighed. Whoever had planned the attack had done a good job. It had been done without any possible forewarning and not one suspect captured. She turned to the pile of parcels on her camp bed. Mrs Weasley had also gotten a bit of gold out for her and washed her socks. She was piling her things in her trunk when Ron let out a groan of disgust.

"What is it?"

Hermione and Megan peered into the boys' room. Ron was holding something that looked like a maroon dress.

"What's that?" Megan asked.

Mrs Weasley came up, carrying a load of clean robes.

"Here you are..., and here are yours, girls."

"Thanks, Mrs Weasley."

"Mum, you gave me a dress of Ginny's," Ron said.

"No I didn't, it's for you. The list says you needed dress robes for special events. I'll make you girls some myself, if that's all right with you?"

"Oh, uh..."

"That's very kind, Mrs Weasley, but it'll put you so out of your way..."

"Oh, not at all, dears."

"Dress what...?" Ron said in disbelief.

"Yes, Harry has some too, show him, Harry."

Indeed, Harry had some fairly simple black dress robes.

"Well they're okay! Why couldn't I have some of those?"

"Well... I had to get yours second hand and there wasn't much choice... I've got to give the twins their robes. I'll come take your measurements later, girls."

She marched out, flushing. Megan bit her lip, uneasy. She would gladly split her fortune with the Weasleys, but she knew they wouldn't take it. So she was always a little uncomfortable when they talked about money, because as rich as they were of generosity and love, they had very little money. But Megan wondered what the dress robes would be for... they had never needed them in the past...

"What d'you reckon they're for?" Harry asked, looking at his dress robes.

"Whatever it is, I'll die before I go anywhere in public with these," Ron grumbled, glaring at his own.