"... With Dumbledore gone, it'll be Hell on earth..." Ron said.

"That's an understatement... it was bad enough with Dumbledore to keep her at bay but Fudge is bound to give her all the authority she wants, now..."

They exchanged unhappy looks. Their immediate future wasn't looking very promising, at the moment.

"What d'you think she could do?"

"With Fudge backing her up, Merlin only knows..." Megan said bitterly.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Harry said. "There's no point staying up all night..."

Ron followed. Hermione went to bed too, while Megan pulled out her coin.

Cedric?

He had probably been waiting with the coin in his hand or pocket because he answered immediately.

Megan?! Are you okay? What happened?

I'm fine, she answered. As for what happened... it's bad, Cedric, really bad...

She told him about the recent events.

... Gone?! But... what does he expect us to do? McGonagall will be able to hold the fort for a while, but with that rotten Umbridge woman pushing her around with her Ministerial power...! She won't last for long...

I know... Megan sighed. I feel awful, he took the blame for us... for me...

He's more than capable of fending for himself, Megan, Cedric said reasonably. And it's Fudge's fault you had to go as far as to create the DA in the first place. He's the one who's so convinced Dumbledore wants to overthrow him.

Megan sighed heavily, thinking about what Dumbledore had said.

And he's going to think it even more now... Megan thought bitterly. Dumbledore told him he was working to do just that.

There was a pause.

Megan, listen, Cho and I are really sorry about Marietta... we've known her for ages, we never thought...

It's okay. It's my fault, I wasn't careful enough...

It had been months, Megan, we all thought no one would want to rat us out...

She let her head fall against the back of the armchair.

I don't know what to do... she told Cedric. How are we supposed to stand up to Umbridge when she throws detention, expulsion, firing our parents and Educational Decrees at us every minute?

She couldn't see them doing anything with Umbridge breathing down their necks.

I know, and that's exactly what Fudge wants, Cedric said. But if he keeps on like this, I wouldn't be surprised if people took their kids out of Hogwarts at this rate...

Megan would have thought so too a few months before.

I doubt it, it's too close to the end of the year... She said unhappily. And even if my article convinced some people, there are still loads of undecided or pro-Ministry left. And people are going to be more convinced by the less scary options. I mean, who would want to believe a bloodthirsty, powerhungry wizard's back, supposedly from the dead?

Fair point, he conceded.

Megan sighed.

It's not your fault, Cedric commented quietly.

She knew he wasn't just talking about Dumbledore. This entire situation had been because of her blood being in the potion that had brought Voldemort back to power.

If it hadn't been your blood, he would have used another's. Cedric said.

No, he wouldn't have. His sights were too set on mine. Megan argued.

Maybe, Cedric conceded. but you know that he would have found a way to come back anyway. He's not worth your guilt.

... I jut feel so helpless... It's horrible.

Cedric paused a minute before answering.

Well, with Umbridge around, we're stuck anyway, he pointed out. But don't worry. The Order's working hard at finding him.

I know, and that's probably the worst. It's my fault he's back, I want to help find him, fight him!

How many times will it take for you to understand it's not your fault? Cedric chided. He's the one who chose the path he took, the decisions he made. You are the victim. He almost killed you several times, Megan!

I know. Megan said. He almost killed you, too...But... That's what makes it so hard for me to stay put. I don't want him to do it to anyone else... No one deserves to have their parents torn away from them like that...

No, you're right. But the worst thing we can do is rush into this, Megan. That's why we're not in the Order. Most of us are too easily influenced by our feelings.

Or someone else's... she thought bitterly.

... Have you been having more nightmares? He asked.

She told him about her latest one, and that day in the bathroom at Grimmauld Place. It felt good to finally let it out.

I thought you'd been looking preoccupied...

There was a pause.

Megan, I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong. Remember what I told you? He asked.

About the fact that I feel, and it makes me different? Megan asked. Yeah. But it's a lot harder to be convinced from where I'm standing...

Then I'll keep telling you, because you are a good person. And I will tell you as many times as it takes for you to believe it. I love you too much to let you believe you are anything like that monster.

Megan loved him immensely for trying so hard... but she wasn't sure it would work. She didn't say that. She refused to let Voldemort be the reason for a fight between them.

I love you too. And keeping that in mind helps me stay sane, if that's any consolation.

It'll do, he said. For now. Well, we better get some rest if we're to go to war, tomorrow.

Megan's lips lifted in a sad, tired half smile. War was probably an understatement.

Yeah. I almost wish you were joking... Night, Cedric. I love you.

Love you too.

She put her coin away, sighed and went up to bed.

The next morning, new large signs had been put all over the common rooms and corridors. And it was probably the worst they had seen so far.

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has officially been named Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the place of Albus Dumbledore, in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty Eight.

Signed Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic.

"No...! No, not that!" Harry gasped when they read the notice in the common room.

"What did you expect? Fudge knows full well McGonagall's extremely loyal to Dumbledore..." Megan sighed bitterly. "Of course he wouldn't let her be Head for long..."

The signs had flown up overnight, but somehow, everyone in school seemed to know about Dumbledore's escape, and most of the details, too, like the two Aurors and Fudge being unable to stop him.

"Have you seen the sign?" Cedric asked them as they reached the Great Hall.

He was waiting by the entrance. Megan would have given anything to be able to have Cedric's arms around her, but she didn't want to risk Umbridge catching them. So she settled with him discreetly holding her hand in his.

"Hard to miss, to be honest," Ron said.

"And that's not all... look."

They peered inside the Great Hall. Umbridge even had the nerve to sit in Dumbledore's chair! And she was smiling! Megan felt her fists clench.

"Looks like her invasion finally succeeded, eh?" Harry asked darkly.

Megan swallowed to keep from being sick.

"Seems that way," Cedric agreed. "You know, Fudge may be her superior, but from where I'm standing, it's more like she was pulling the strings to suit her plans."

"After she went over McGonagall and Dumbledore, I don't think there's any questioning that..." Megan replied, frowning anxiously.

"No, there isn't," Ron agreed.

"That foul, evil..." Hermione hissed angrily.

"Save your energy for keeping your sanity, Hermione." Megan said. "The way things are going, we'll all need it."

She used the cover of the door to give Cedric a quick kiss.

"I can't believe we can't even hold hands in public..." she grumbled.

"Well," Cedric said quietly so the others couldn't hear, "it does add a little... spice to it, don't you think?"

Her cheeks grew hot, but she laughed and nudged him playfully.

"You would say that, wouldn't you?"

The others exchanged slightly perplexed glances but said nothing.

"Well, anyway, we'd better move or we'll have no time for breakfast," Ron said.

Megan's stomach agreed, the delicious smell of sausages and eggs wafting in through the open doors. So, they went to their tables. When Megan glanced at Umbridge, she was still smiling smugly.