"Constant vigilance."

Thursday had come. They had headed up to their first class with Professor Moody from Potions, leaving an even more unpleasant Snape than usual. It was common knowledge he wanted the Dark Arts job and hadn't succeeded so far.

"No, you can put your books away for now," Moody said gruffly. "We won't need them."

He eyed them all in silence as they obeyed, curious but too intimidated to ask questions.

"Now, Lupin kept me up to date with what you've been doing last year. Seems he gave you thorough background about Dark Creatures. Red Caps, Werewolves, Hinkypunks, Grindylows... but you didn't get to learn much about actual curses, which is what I'm going to do this year. And I'll be damned if I teach you nothing in one year."

"You're not staying?" Ron asked.

Moody's large eye turned to him, followed by his human one.

"Ah, you'd be a Weasley kid, eh?"

He nodded.

"No, I'm not staying. Special favour to Dumbledore, then it's back to my quiet retirement."

He looked at them then said:

"So. Curses."

He turned around and wrote it on the board.

"They are variable in shape, strength, and effects, of course." Moody said, keeping his eyes on all of them. "Now, the Ministry wants me to keep to counter-curses. You're not supposed to see the actual curses till you're in sixth year. But Dumbledore thinks you're stronger than that. And I say the sooner you learn, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself or anyone else against something you've never seen? If someone's going to curse you, they won't tell you nice and polite, will they? And you will please put your chewing-gum in a bin instead of under your desk, Mr Finnigan."

He wasn't looking in his direction, but Moody's eye had showed him all.

"Now. Does anyone know which are the worst curses anyone can use?"

Hermione's hand rose, as well as a few others, to Megan's surprise.

"Miss Granger?"

"They are known as the Unforgivable curses."

"How many are they?"

"Three, sir."

"And they are so named?" Moody asked, writing that on the board.

"Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them will –"

"Earn you one-way trip to Azkaban. Correct." He said briskly. "Now, what are these three curses? You! Stand!"

He was pointing to Ron, who had also raised his hand.

"Uh... my... my dad told me about one once. The... Imperius Curse...?"

"Correct! Yes, he'd know all about that one. Gave the Ministry quite some grief, a few years ago. Here, watch, I will demonstrate the spell to you."

He pulled out a spider from a jar on the desk. Ron trembled. He hated spiders.

"Imperio."

The spider walked around the desk, then hopped onto its hind legs. Then, it began doing flips... most of the class was laughing but Megan found it creepy.

"Think it's funny, do you?" Moody snarled, looking at them all, silencing them at once. "Many a witch and wizard claimed they only helped You-Know-Who because they were under the influence of the Imperius Curse. But there's a rub. Who here knows what it is?"

Megan raised her hand.

"Yes?" Moody asked, pointing at her.

"... Well... how do you know who's lying and who really was bewitched?"

"Correct! Now, next? Longbottom?"

Neville got up. He looked nervous.

"The... there's the... Cruciatius Curse."

"Yes, that's a nasty one when you master it. Watch this."

He pointed his wand to the spider again and said:

"Crucio."

The spider didn't utter a sound, but coiled over, wriggling and obviously in pain. But Megan was more worried about Neville, who had gone pale and was looking away, trembling like a leaf.

"Stop it!" Megan yelled. "Stop it, that's enough!"

He did. Neville stood panting.

"Back to your seet, Longbottom."

Neville sat back down without a word. Moody strode over to Megan and stood in front of her, both eyes on her.

"Perhaps you can give us the final curse, Miss Potter?"

Megan looked up at his mutilated face.

"The Killing Curse," she said.

"Yes... and it works like so..."

He spun around, aimed his wand at the spider and said:

"Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light shot out and hit the spider. It fell limp, dead. Megan closed her eyes, fighting not to let the memory of her parents overwhelm her. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again as Moody continued.

"The last and worst. There is no countering it. Only one is known to have survived it. And she is in this very room."

He looked at her, then pulled out a flask and drank from it. Megan wasn't sure what could be in it, but it was probably not pumpkin juice.

"Fred and George were right, that bloke is brilliant!" Ron said as they climbed down the stairs. "I mean, he's totally mental, and it's scary being near him but it's clear he knows his stuff."

"Honestly, I'm not so sure." Hermione said crossly. "There's a reason those curses are unforgivable! Performing them in a classroom! I mean, N-"

Megan nudged her into silence her because Neville was nearby. He was standing near the window looking out. He looked upset and lost in thought. Hermione bit her lip and seemed about to say something when someone else cut across her.

"Longbottom?"

Moody was calling to him. He strode down the stairs.

"You okay, son?"

He nodded, still shaky.

"C'mon, let's go to my office, talk."

He followed in silence. Megan squeezed his shoulder as he passed, unsure whether she liked the idea of him with Moody.

"What about you, Megan?"

"Huh? What?"

"What d'you think of Moody?" Ron asked.

"... Well... He clearly knows his Dark Arts... but his methods are definitely unorthodox... in fact I'd say borderline inappropriate..."

"Exactly!"

"But Dumbledore hired him, he can't be so bad," Ron pointed out.

"He may not have had a choice," Hermione said. "I mean, it's not like there are millions of wizards applying for the job..."

"No," Megan agreed, "But Ron's got a point... I don't think Dumbledore would have hired him if he didn't trust him."

The rain meant no class with Hagrid that afternoon, so Megan and the others went into the Entrance Hall emptied for the occasion, were the Cup sat in the centre of the platform the staff table usually was, glowing brightly. Megan was sitting beside Hermione, studying. She then looked up, having heard laughter. She watched as Cedric was pulled in, soaking wet, a great smile on his painfully handsome face and shoved towards the Cup.

"Okay, okay, no need to get brutal!" he grinned.

He pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and put it in the fire. There were claps as his name went up in the flames. He then stepped out of the line of light around the Cup and Megan was just about to get up to talk to him, when she saw a girl hurry up to him and throw her arms around him. She recognised Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw girl she had beaten the year before in a Quidditch match. Megan used all the strength she had to not fall to pieces at the sight of them laughing and joking together. Cedric touched Cho's shoulder, and seemed so natural, so close to her... It reminded her of herself around him, but Cho was so much more suitable. A year older, smart, pretty, normal life... of course he'd be with her... just then, he saw Megan.

"Hey, Megan!"

He said something to Cho Megan didn't hear and they came over. Megan put on her most convincing smile as they approached.

"Hey, guys."

"Hey. I'm not sure you formally met Cho?"

"No, just on the pitch. You were very good, by the way," she added, shaking her hand.

"Oh, nowhere near as good as you," Cho disagreed.

"I didn't know you guys were friends," Megan said.

Cho looked at Cedric:

"Cedric Diggory, where are your manners?"

"It never really came up naturally," he defended himself.

"What d'you mean?" Megan asked Cho.

"I'm sorry, he's terrible. He told me all about you, how you guys were good friends." She glanced reprovingly at Cedric. "Clearly he told you nothing about me."

"Uh..."

"Sorry," he said.

He looked almost embarrassed. Why?

"It's fine. I mean, like you said, it never came up. Being friends with me is pretty chaotic," she said.

"But it's definitely worth it." Cedric said.

Megan tried to not show how confused she was. But then, Dumbledore's words about entering being irrevocable came back to her. She glanced at the Cup.

".. Are you sure? I mean... it could be dangerous..."

"I know. But I'll be fine. You're my good luck charm."

He kissed her cheek. Megan flushed.

"Well, sorry, I promised Cho I'd help her with her Astronomy, I'll see you later."

"Sure..."

"It was nice meeting you," Cho smiled.

"You too," Megan smiled back.

And as pained as she was, she meant it. Cho seemed like a nice person. She fought back her tears.

"Eternal glory... wouldn't that be great?" Ron said.

Megan wiped her eyes quickly and looked round.

"Better you than me," she said. "I've got all the glory I can handle..."

Just then, the twins came in, grinning broadly.

"We did it, it's hot out of the cauldron," Fred said.

"It won't work, you know," Hermione said.

"Why is that, Granger?"

"Dumbledore drew the age line himself, he won't be fooled by a pathetic trick like an Ageing Potion."

"That's why it will work," George said. "Because it's so simple!"

They drank their vials and jumped into the age line. They were fine so far. They then tossed their names into the fire... for a few seconds, it looked like it had worked. But the line then threw the twins back, sporting long white beards... They rushed out of the room, arguing. Just then, Krum entered, followed by some other Durmstrangs. He passed Hermione and they exchanged a glance. Without his grumpy look, Megan had to admit he wasn't so bad.

"Is everything okay, Megan? You've been rather quiet since we came back from the Great Hall," Hermione said a little later.

Megan had been sitting by the window, staring outside.

"... It's because you saw Cho and Cedric, isn't it?" she asked quietly. "You were trying to hide it, but I could tell you were upset."

She came forwards and sat on the window seat with her.

"It's not like I didn't expect something like this..." she said. "She's older, prettier..."

"You're very pretty," Hermione said.

"Not enough, it seems..." Megan said.

"That's not what matters to him."

"I know..." Megan agreed with a sigh. "But she's the safer choice. He won't risk his life every minute with her... I can't compete with that."

"Megan, look at me. First, we have no actual proof that they were together."

"We both saw them, Hermione..."

"Did you see them kiss? Because I didn't."

"... That doesn't mean they're not together..."

"Would you hug your boyfriend but not kiss him?" Hermione asked.

Megan had never even had a suitor, so she couldn't really know. But she supposed Hermione had a point. It began to rain outside.

"Well, he clearly doesn't feel the same way or he'd have said something." she said.

"Oh, Megan, boys don't think like we do! They have to appear all tough and never let their feelings show, but that doesn't mean they don't feel."

"Of course not, but..."

"And anyway, they are terrible at deciphering us. They rarely know we have feelings for them until we tell them!"

Megan sighed.

"Can we please change the subject?" she asked.

Hermione paused, then said:

"I saw him put his name in the goblet... d'you think he has a shot?"

"Of course, he's talented, kind hearted... I just hope he'll be okay if he's chosen." Megan said.

She looked out the window into the rain.