Megan felt very cold. Voldemort. Dumbledore had said he might come back. But to witness it, to truly see it happen... was more terrifying than anything Megan could ever had imagined. She wanted to scream, but her voice was stuck in her throat. He barely seemed to notice her as he held out a hand and said in a cold, low whisper:

"My wand, Wormtail."

Wormtail fumbled through his own robes and pulled out a long, thin wand. Voldemort didn't take his eyes off Megan and burst out laughing. It was a cold, mirthless laugh that sent chills through all of Megan's body. She fought to keep the terror off her face. At least the pain in her scar was less strong, now...

"Megan... Potter. We meet again."

Megan said nothing, hesitating whether to hold his gaze or look away. She decided for the prior, as unpleasant as the idea was. If she was about to die, she would do it showing him she wasn't scared of him. Even if that wasn't exactly the truth.

"Hold out your arm." He said to Wormtail.

Wormtail looked like he could weep of gratitude.

"Oh, thank you, master... thank you..."He whimpered, holding out his bloody stump.

"The other arm, Wormtail." Voldemort snapped impatiently.

He had a tall, thin body, covered with the black robes. Wormtail held out his uninjured hand, and Voldemort pulled the sleeve up, revealing yet another Dark Mark. He lifted his wand and pressed it against the skin. A searing pain shot through Megan's scar again, but stuck against the statue, she couldn't do anything.

"You stand on the remains of my father, Megan," Voldemort said, his cold, dark eyes staring into her green ones. "A Muggle fool, like your mother. But your mother died to save you, which has, in a way, made our final confrontation all the more interesting, as it has brought us here. And my father, whom I killed, proved very useful, as you can see. We were abandoned when my father learned my mother was a witch, and she died when I was born. But look, my true family arrives."

And seconds after, wisps of black smoke soared around them and formed a circle, revealing people dressed in black cloaks and masks. Death Eaters.

"Welcome," he said, circling around, looking at the Death Eaters. "Thirteen years have passed, and yet you join me as if we had met yesterday... however..."

Megan felt a shiver at his expression. It was true evil.

"You are all here, your powers intact, and I ask myself... why did none of you ever come to my aid?"

He strode among them.

"Crabbe!" he barked. "McNair! Goyle, Avery! None of you tried to find me. Not even you, Lucius Malfoy..."

He stopped before one of the masked men.

"I assure you that at the first sign... I promise I have never renounced the old ways."

"There were signs, Lucius." Voldemort shot back."You claimed innocence, bewitchment, and I wonder; how did you never believe I would return? You who knew of the measures I had taken before my fall... and I confess my deep disappointment."

"... I was there..." Wormtail wheezed behind them.

Voldemort swept around him.

"Out of fear! Not loyalty. But you have proved yourself helpful..."

He waved his wand and a gleaming silver hand appeared where Voldemort's real one had been. Wormtail whimpered gratefully.

"The Lestranges were faithful," Voldemort said. "They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me. When Azkaban is broken open, we will honour them. The Dementors will be our allies. As will the giants. An army of creatures all will fear."

He marched around.

"We are missing six of our number. Three died in my service, one fled, another is too cowardly to return... both will be killed. But one remains. He has already returned. He is at Hogwarts, and it is thanks to his efforts that we have our young guest here."

He gestured to Megan.

"Yes, my friends, we are kindly joined tonight, by Megan Potter. She is my guest of honour, as she played a key part in my rebirth..."

"But master... how?" Lucius asked. "How did you achieve such a miracle?"

"Ah, Lucius, it is quite a story." Voldemort said. "A tale that begins, and ends, for that matter, with my young friend here."

He turned to Megan.

"You all know they say this child is the reason I met my downfall." He said. "As the night I fell from power, I tried to kill her."

There was a murmur of consent.

"And then, when I met her again, after a semblance of strength had returned to me, I was defeated again. I could not stand the touch of her! And that caused the death of one of my servants, Quirrell. Yes, my friends, once again, I was thwarted by a child. And I was left just as weak as before, powerless, without a body... And befuddled. How had this happened? And then, I understood."

They waited in silence for him to continue.

"When sweet Lily Potter cast herself between us in an effort to save her baby girl, she then offered her child a powerful magic. A magic that protected her from me. My magic rebounded and struck me. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost... but still, I was alive. Yet the pain... pain beyond any pain, my friends. What I became, I don't know. But I was weak and powerless. The magic had reduced me to nothing. I should have known, of course..."

He swooped forwards and stood inches from Megan.

"But I can... touch you, now...!"

And he pressed his long finger against her scar, which hurt so much she screamed, while Voldemort screamed too, but with laughter.

After an agonisingly long moment, Voldemort stepped away. Megan gasped for breath, her head hurting so much she was certain it would explode any second. Voldemort, however, seemed perfectly com

"I knew that I needed the blood of she who evaded me for so long, so that the magical protection would reside in me also. Astonishing what just a few drops of your blood will do, isn't it, Megan?"

The idea that Voldemort and she shared the same blood made Megan want to barf. But she said nothing.

"But how to get to her? For she is protected in ways even she, I think, has no knowledge of. Yes, Albus Dumbledore invoked a powerful magic to ensure her safety as long as she remains in relations' care. Then, there was the Quidditch World Cup, where I thought the protection would be weakened, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt taking her. And then, she would return to Hogwarts near Dumbledore. So, you ask, what to do?"

He paused a moment.

"Wormtail brought to me the news of the Triwizard Tournament, and then, I sent my faithful servant to ensure her name was entered, then that she won the Tournament and would be first to reach the Triwizard Cup, priorly turned into a Portkey, and be brought here, away from Dumbledore's protection... and here she is. The one who all believed to have brought about my downfall..."

He then strode forwards and yanked the stone bars holding Megan away. She stumbled forwards and fell to the ground.

"Take your wand, Potter! You were taught to duel, I believe? First, we must bow."

Megan had two options: bow, or he would make her. She preferred the last. She would never bow to him.

"Now, now, the niceties must be observed. I said bow!" he ordered furiously.

Megan felt a powerful force push her shoulders forwards. She fought and managed to keep almost upright.

"And now, we duel." Voldemort said. "Crucio!"

It was pain beyond possible imagination. And yet, as Megan shook on the ground, she fought with all her might not to scream. She wouldn't give Voldemort the satisfaction. And that proved less difficult than she had expected. Because she felt it was nothing next to the pain she felt over losing Cedric. And then, just when she was sure she would die of the pain, it stopped. Voldemort and his followers laughed. Megan panted, unable to move.

"Yes, that was probably quite painful, wasn't it, Megan?"

Megan held his gaze but said nothing.

"You don't want me to do it again." He said in a dangerously soft tone.

"You can use that spell on me all you want, I'll rot in Inferno before I give in to you." Megan said in a shaky voice.

Voldemort laughed.

"If you beg me, I might consider not repeating your excruciating experience."

"Go to Hell." Megan said with all the hate she could muster.

Voldemort's face turned hard.

"Imperio!" he snarled.

Megan recognised the airy, carefree feeling that came over her.

Beg me... said Voldemort's voice in her ear. Beg me for mercy...

Despite the haze, Megan fought to keep her mind clear.

No. I won't. You won't make me. You can just kill me now.

Beg me... I told you to beg me! Beg me or die!

"NEVER!" Megan yelled.

Megan felt the veil lift, and with it, her numbness. Voldemort glared down at her, a flicker of surprise in his cold eyes.

"Obedience is something I must teach you, Megan," he said softly. "Perhaps, with another dose of pain..."

He raised his wand but Megan rolled aside just in time, thanks to her Quidditch training.

"Your parents would be proud," Voldemort said as she got to her feet. "Especially your filthy Mudblood mother-"

"Expelliarmus!" Megan shouted.

He deflected it and it hit Megan in the chest, sending her rolling on the ground. She lay still, gasping for breath, silent tears of despair rolling down her grubby cheeks. Voldemort stood above her, a towering shadow.

"I am going to kill you, Megan Potter. And after tonight, no one will ever question my power again. Never. As for you... you will be merely remembered for having begged me to kill you, and I, being merciful, obliged."

Megan was about to say she would never beg him, so he could just kill her now, when he held out his hand and she felt herself being pulled upwards until she was on her feet. Voldemort released her, before turning round. Megan didn't hesitate and darted behind the statue, though she knew it would only take seconds for him to notice.

"DON'T YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON ME! LOOK AT ME, MEGAN POTTER!" Voldemort said. "I WANT TO SEE THE LIGHT LEAVE YOUR EYES!"

A spell shot through the air and vanished into the distance. Megan slid down to the floor, panting as quietly as she could. She knew it would be only a matter of moments before he came round the statue.

"This is not a game, Megan," she heard Voldemort say. "You cannot hide from me."

Megan let her head fall against the stone. She didn't have a chance against him. It was over. She could fight a while, but he was too strong and intent on killing her... Then, she spotted Cedric, lying on the ground. She couldn't see his face. It was probably best. She didn't think she could take seeing his wide, blank eyes. But then, something stirred in her. He had died trying to protect her. He hadn't hesitated. So she wouldn't dishonour his death by giving up. She got up resolutely and strode into the open, wand in hand. If she died, she would die fighting as hard as she could.

"Have it your way."