They faced each other for a few seconds, eyes locked together. It was all Megan could do to keep her hand from trembling or her eyes from searching for Cedrci. She knew that if she was distracted for even a second, she would die. And she refused to let Voldemort beat her that easily.

The tension was practically tangible. Just then...

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted.

"Expelliarmus!" yelled Megan.

They had shouted their spells at the exact same moment. The green light struck the red, and they pushed against one another. Megan gripped her wand with both hands. And then, a bright light shone from the two wands' magic and moved upwards, forming a bright light than spread above them like a dome. Megan had all the trouble in the world holding her wand up. It was shaking like crazy, as was Voldemort's, Megan noticed.

"Don't you dare interfere!" he hissed when some of the Death Eaters tried to intervene. "I will handle this!"

Then a beautiful, incredibly soothing sound filled the air, coming from the light surrounding them. Megan had only heard it once, but knew it was the song of a phoenix. Hope burned in Megan as she heard those simple, powerful notes. She felt like it was inside her. And then, very softly, a voice spoke in her ear.

Don't break the connection.

She had thought as much. The problem was that it was getting harder to do with each passing second. The light became brighter, and she held on tighter, her feet standing firmly in the ground. And then, out of the orb of light between the wands, wisps of pearly grey smoke appeared and moved around Megan. Presently they stopped and took the form of human beings. First, a young woman with long hair. Lily Potter. Beside her, a hand on her shoulder, was Megan's father, James Potter... Despite the pang of emotion that filled her at the sight of them, she kept her mind on holding her wand. A little way behind her parents, she saw an elderly man which she recognised from her dreams. Frank Bryce.

"Hold on, Megan." Said Lily's voice.

Megan glanced at Voldemort, who seemed as astounded as her.

'You fight him, kid." Said Frank Bryce.

"Don't let go, Megan! Don't let go!" called her father.

Megan then realised that someone was missing. Someone she both wanted and dreaded to see. She thought just speaking his name would rip her heart out all over again. But she couldn't not know.

"...Cedric...?" she asked breathlessly.

"... He's not here, darling..." Lily said. "He must have gone on."

Megan closed her eyes. As painful as this news was, she was glad. He was at peace despite his brutal death...

"Megan, listen to me." James said.

Megan opened her eyes and found them with their hand on her shoulders.

"When you break the connection, we will be able to spare you a little time to run to the Portkey and get back to Hogwarts. But we can only give you a few moments, d'you understand?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now, on our signal..."

"Are you ready, darling?"

She nodded again, unable to speak.

"NOW!"

Tears streaming down her face, she let out a yell as she yanked her wand upwards and spun around, darting to the first thing she saw. Cedric. She fell to her knees beside him, forcing the tears out of her eyes, her hand clutching his shirt. He was inert, his eyes closed. Megan bit her lip then looked up. She couldn't afford to break down now. Not with her parents helping her again. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and tried to clear her head.

She spotted the Cup, glinting in the moon as it lay forgotten on the grass. It was too far away for her to reach from where she crouched. She could maybe run for it and make it before the Death Eaters found her. But she would never be able to lift Cedric to it, and she couldn't just abandon him...

Just then, without really knowing why, she saw herself in the stone arena during the first task of the Tournament, looking up and yelling "Accio Firebolt!". For the first time since she'd set foot in this dreadful place, her mind was crystal clear. She knew just what to do. She peered down at Cedric, who almost looked like he was sleeping. She took a deep breath and gripped his shirt more tightly.

Glancing behind her, she saw a thick layer of smoke around the Death Eaters and Voldemort who were thrashing around in it angrily. She had seconds, at best. She quickly turned back towards the cup and raised her wand.

"Accio!" she shouted.

The Cup flew across the space and Megan caught it in her hand. Just as it began glowing, she turned back to the smoke, where she could just make out her parents' faces as they began to fade.

"Thank you..." she whispered. "I love you."

There was a whirl of colour again, and Megan disappeared just in time to hear Voldemort scream.