"Professor, no!" Megan shouted. "It wasn't him, I did it! It was me! He had nothing to do with any of it!"

He was taking the blame for them. But he had done nothing at all! She couldn't let this happen! They needed Dumbledore far more than they could ever need her.

"It is very noble of you to try and defend me, Megan," he said gently. "But the parchment clearly says Dumbledore's Army. Not Potter's."

"But, Professor!"

"Fine. Then, you will be escorted to the Ministry and then sent to Azkaban."

"NO!" Megan yelled. "You'll sentence us all to death if you do that!"

This was the worst possible turn of events. But what seemed almost worse than the thought of Dumbledore going to Azkaban, especially now, was his attitude. He looked completely unconcerned. But that didn't make sense!

"Ah, yes... yes, I'd thought this issue might come up. You see, you're working on the assumption that I will... what was the phrase? Ah, yes... come quietly." Dumbledore said softly. "But I have no intention of coming quietly."

Just then, a hand pushed Megan and Marietta downwards as a dazzling light filled the room and Megan heard the sound of something heavy falling several times. Megan then saw McGonagall on her right. She had pulled her and Marietta out of danger. She got to her feet as Dumbledore stepped towards them.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"We're fine." she said. "What now, Dumbledore?"

"Oh, I can think of a host of things I can do." He said. "None of which will be possible from Azkaban. Hence this unfortunate but necessary turn of events... Thank Kingsley for me, would you? It was really brilliant of him, managing to modify Miss Edgecombe's memory like that."

Megan looked at him, her stomach twisting with guilt.

"Professor..."

"Megan, listen to me." he said. "You must study Occlumency hard. As hard as you can, d'you hear? You will understand soon enough, but you must promise me..."

He caught her wrist. As he did the anger and will to bite struck Megan again. She fought it, this time, though.

"It is really important. You'll understand." he said.

He let go, and clapped his hands above his head as Fawkes came on top of him. There was a bright light and he was gone. Megan stood thunderstruck and confused. Fudge stirred beside them. Megan, Marietta and McGonagall quickly slid back to the floor and waited for the others to get to their feet.

"Where is he? Where?!" Fudge asked, mad with anger. "Shacklebolt! Dawlish!"

"I don't know," Kingsley said, looking around. "He must have gotten away."

"The stairs!" Dawlish shouted, springing forwards with Umbridge.

"I think that this is the end of your little friend Dumbledore", Fudge said, eyeing McGonagall darkly. "We'll get him, you'll see."

"Oh, you think so, do you?" she asked scornfully.

He marched out without answering, leaving Megan, Marietta and McGonagall alone. They stood in silence a moment.

"What now, professor?"

"We stand strong. Come along, you two. Off to bed." McGonagall said, shunting them forwards.

Megan found Hermione in the common room with Harry and Ron.

"Oh, thank goodness, are you okay?" Hermione said, hugging her.

"Yeah... I'm fine."

She sat down.

"We're so sorry... it was our idea..."

"And it was a brilliant idea. We just didn't expect to be ratted out after all this time." Megan said soothingly. "Don't worry. You learned a lot. Is everyone else okay?"

"Yes. We've been checking. No one was caught, thank heavens..." Hermione said. "Cedric must be wanting to know you're okay."

"Yeah..."

"What happened?"

It was extremely difficult to find her voice for a few seconds.

"Dumbledore's gone. He took the bullet for us." Megan said, looking down. "He used the name of Dumbledore's Army to shield us. They wanted to take him to Azkaban..."

"No!" Hermione gasped.

"Don't worry. He got away. Fudge was furious."

"That stupid baboon..." Harry said angrily. "If he cared more for the people he's supposed to be defending than his power, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"So what's the plan?" Ron asked, looking worried.

"... We grit our teeth." Megan said darkly. "Because you can bet Umbridge will be declaring an outright war on the DA members and anyone else who goes against her... she had the list."