"Megan, no!" Hermione shouted.

Megan didn't look at her. She raised her hand high. She had meant to distract them to help her friends. Her plan worked. Bellatrix, Lucius and several other Death Eaters bounded towards her. But far from letting them take it, she threw it to the floor as hard as she could. It smashed to pieces and a wisp of smoke surrounded her. It was like time itself had stopped. The smoke took the form of a person, who spoke in a soft voice.

Light and Dark will collide

When in July is born a child

Whose parents escaped death thrice,

But to find light the child will pay the price

Dark will in his path for evil

Mark Light as his equal

A year from birth, forget this not

But the child has powers the Dark Lord knows not

However, none can live while the other survives

As Light with Dark eternally collides

She wasn't sure what it all meant, but she wasn't given the time to think about it. Everything went as if in fast forwards. Cedric threw himself onto Megan to avoid the spells headed her way. Bellatrix eyed her with insane fury.

"YOU! I SHALL KILL YOU!"

She fired a spell as Cedric and Megan got to their feet. She pushed Cedric aside and braced herself for the hit, but Sirius darted forwards, knocking her out of the way. She fell to the ground, and Sirius was struck in the chest. He was thrown back and fell into the gaping ring of void.

"SIRIUS!" Megan yelled.

She scrambled to her feet and ran forwards. Just then, she was thrown to the floor by a Death Eater. She fought to free herself but he was stronger and was above her, giving him more weight. He then pulled out a knife. Suddenly, he was yanked backwards as Cedric rammed into him. The Death Eater flew backwards and fell to the floor. The second she was free, she rolled over, scrambled to her feet and rushed towards where Sirius had vanished. Cedric made to follow but was forced to fend off more Death Eaters.

"SIRIUS!" Megan cried.

Something was pressing down on her chest as she ran. No. Not Sirius. Not him. Not like this, not because of her and her idiocy.

"SIRIUS!"

There was no answer. As she reached the edge, Megan dropped to the floor, sliding to her knees until she stopped inches from the void and looked down, though she had no idea what she might do. All of a sudden, a hand appeared at the edge of the hole. Sirius had somehow managed to cling to the asperities of the rock. Gasping, Megan reached out to pull him up. She heaved him for all she was worth. But he was just too heavy.

"Hold on, Sirius! I'll get you out, don't worry!"

His shoulders were already over the edge, but she wasn't sure she could do much more without help. Still, she knew she had to try. Just then, he looked behind her.

"Megan, look out!"

Looking around, Megan saw Lucius striding towards them, wand raised. His pale eyes were wide with hatred as they trained on her, much like they had been when she'd tricked him into releasing Dobby.

"REPULSO!"

Megan bent down to avoid the spell. But it wasn't Lucius who had cast it. It was Lupin. He rushed to Megan's side.

"Leaving so soon, Padfoot?" he teased as they pulled him up.

The moment Sirius was safe, Megan threw her arms around him. He hugged her back. Then they got to their feet.

"Megan, take the others and go."

"I'm not leaving you."

"We'll be fine, we've got it, here. Go!"

Just then, a high, crazed laugh echoed as Bellatrix ran across the room and left the chamber. Megan stared after her, a red hot rage boiling inside her. She could no longer see anything else. Bellatrix had almost taken her only family away. That was inexcusable. And she had taken Neville's childhood away just like Voldemort had hers.

"Megan... Megan, don't!"

But she didn't hear Lupin call her. She ran after Bellatrix, following her easily thanks to the sound of her heels and cackling.

After a long chase, they ended up in the hall where the employees came in. And Megan finally saw her.

"Impedimenta!" she shouted.

Bellatrix's chilling laugh was cut short as she was thrown off her balance and fell to the floor. Megan stood over her, anger pulsing through her veins in every furious heartbeat. She pointed her wand at Bellatrix, breathing heavily.

Go on... go ahead, Megan, said a low voice in her ear. She deserves it... She almost killed him... and hurt your friends... you know the spell...

Megan and Bellatrix watched each other in silence for a long moment. Megan knew the spell. She knew it only too well.

"Go on... make her pay..."

Megan could feel Voldemort's cold, stale breath on her face. Part of her wanted to get away, but the blind rage still burning in her was too strong. The fact was that Bellatrix had made Neville's life miserable, and almost torn away her only chance at happiness by nearly killing Sirius. She was a monster who had to be stopped.

Megan, sweetheart.

This sent a jolt through Megan's very heart. She knew that voice. It belonged to her mother.

Megan, you're better than this. Don't let Voldemort ruin your life.

The memory of herself stopping Neville from striking Bellatrix came to Megan's mind. The fury faded. She turned to Bellatrix once more. She was eyeing Voldemort in confusion. Then, Megan lowered her wand and stepped away from Voldemort. She looked resolutely into his black eyes.

"I'm not like you," she said calmly. "I don't believe in vengeance."

"Yet you constantly defy me," he hissed, his eyes narrowing at her. "You do not see that as vengeance? Or justice?"

"No, I don't. I consider it protecting the ones I love from harm, and fighting for what I believe in."

His eyes were so narrowed they were almost invisible.

"You must realise it was nothing but sheer luck that has kept you safe from me all these years?"

They stood facing each other.

"Maybe it is." she conceded. "I don't know. But I think it's more because I have something more powerful than you could ever understand."

Voldemort cackled.

"Really? And what might that be?"

"Something that deserves to be fought for."

"Believe what you wish. You will die tonight." Voldemort said.

He raised his long, bone white hand and his wand. Megan slowly raised her own. Her heart was pounding in her chest and it was taking all her willpower to keep her hand from shaking, but she didn't move. She had held her ground against him before. She had to believe she could again until the others were safe. Cedric was likely to go after Voldemort himself if she died, and she couldn't bear the thought of him dying for her. She didn't take her eyes off Voldemort as their wands pointed at each other. Just then, a bright green light to their left made them look round, neither lowering their wands. Out the flames came Albus Dumbledore.