"Professor...!"

Voldemort's face hardened with barely contained anger as Dumbledore stepped forwards, Fawkes on his shoulder.

"Stand back, please, Megan."

Dumbledore stepped briskly between them as Megan slowly stood back, lowering her wand, confused.

"Step aside, old man." Voldemort snarled.

"You were foolish to come here tonight, Tom." Dumbledore said calmly.

"Oh, you think so? I think I couldn't have planned this better, on the contrary. Now, I'll be able to destroy both of you."

"The Aurors are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone and you... dead."

In one instant, many things happened. Megan felt herself being pushed aside into a corner while powerful jets of light shot out of both wands. Brilliant blue for Dumbledore, deep red for Voldemort. Bellatrix, after one, anguished look at Voldemort, slid out of sight into the closest fire place and disappeared in green flames. Megan stood transfixed as she watched Dumbledore and Voldemort battle, neither giving in. Voldemort kept trying to send bolts of electricity in every direction but Dumbledore kept them away. One almost hit Megan and she only just ducked in time. Voldemort must have realised he'd get nowhere like this, because he broke the spell connection and breathed a huge spurt of flames, which took the form of a huge snake. Megan's eyes widened in horror and she stared, unable to move. Dumbledore whipped at it with his wand, keeping it away. Not a word was spoken. But Megan saw that Voldemort was about to strike from behind.

"LOOK OUT!"

Suddenly, Fawkes darted forwards and swallowed the Killing Curse whole.

"Fawkes!" Megan gasped.

He burst into flames and flew across the chamber were he crumpled to the floor. Seconds later, his baby form was peering out of the ashes. Dumbledore, a glint of cold anger in his eye, threw the flames back at Voldemort before summoning a huge amount of water he used to trap Voldemort in. Megan reached out and picked up the tiny Fawkes, looking around, desperately trying to find some way to help.

"Just stay where you are, Megan." Dumbledore said.

Voldemort freed himself from the water at that moment, and turned it into shards of dark energy which fired at Dumbledore who blocked them with a powerful Shield Charm. Then, he caused a huge shock wave which shattered all the glass in the room. He then used his wand to control them, firing every sharp piece of glass like a dagger at Dumbledore. Megan covered her face with her arms to protect her eyes from the shards that showered down on her, cutting her hands. Dumbledore deflected the brunt of it by producing a shield that turned the glass into sand. Voldemort eyed Dumbledore with pure hatred.

Just then, he pointed his wand not at Dumbledore but at Megan, on the other side of the chamber. She sensed it was coming and quickly set baby Fawkes down. He glared at her as she stood up, waiting. Then, the spell hit. She was blinded for a moment, buckled and dropped to her knees. The blind rage in her was stronger than ever, shunting any other thought or feeling aside. She could no longer hear or see anything. She was no longer herself. She was only black rage. Murderous bloodlust filled her entire being. She looked at Dumbledore, her desire to kill him stronger than anything. He was kneeling beside her.

"You lost, you old fool." she said in a cold, soulless voice far from her own.

A spasm of pain shot through her, burning like acid coursing through her..

"Megan, you're stronger than this, I know you are!" Dumbledore said.

"She is nothing but a pathetic, weak child!" Megan snarled. "And you're old and worn. I win! Do you not understand that? You're no match for me."

You see now, Megan? Said the same cold voice in her ear in a tiny corner of her mind. We are the same. Exactly the same.

Looking up into Dumbledore's eyes, she saw the reflection of a cold, chalky white face with black eyes and slits for nostrils wearing a zip jacket. The same one she wore. The pain was getting worse, burning like both fire and ice at once. Then, somewhere inside of her, a light began to shine. She heard a laugh. A flicker of colour. A memory. Her and her friends laughing at a joke of Fred and George's. Herself and Cedric laughing between kisses. A whisper.

"I love you."

Pain shot through her once again, and she let out a gasp. She fell on all fours, panting. She was herself again. She could see Voldemort staggering slightly and Dumbledore watching them both.

"You can think I'm weak if you want... And maybe by myself, I am weak. But... you're wrong about something..." Megan said in a strained voice as she rose to her knees. "I'm nothing... like you... Because even if you one day become immortal, you'll never be truly alive... because you'll never know how powerful love can truly be... or how valuable friendship is... how it feels to be loved as an equal, not feared as a tyrant... You'll never feel those things that make being alive meaningful... And for that... I feel sorry for you."

There was a blinding light and a scream of pain. Megan let out her own scream. The pain was unbelievable. The ice was a thousand times colder, the fire a million times hotter. She thought she would die right then. A black substance shot out of her and she fell backwards. She only heard Cedric's voice scream her name as she slipped into blackness.

Something was gently stroking Megan's cheek. She was also being held tightly, but not in a restraining way. She slowly opened her eyes, her mind still shell shocked from the pain. Her vision eventually cleared. Someone was looking down at her.

"Hey, there, beautiful," said Cedric's warm voice.

Relief glowed on his face.

"... Hey..." she said in a tired voice. "You okay?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"I'm fine. Only you would worry about me, when you're the one who was almost killed, tonight." he sighed, still smiling.

"Because nothing I can endure would ever hurt me as much as losing you," Megan whispered, touching his cheek.

He helped her sit up, though kept his arm around her. She glanced around, and frowned in confusion.

"Are we still at the Ministry?" she asked.

"Dumbledore wasn't comfortable with moving you until you'd woken up." he said. "He... wanted to make sure..."

He hesitated.

"That I wasn't possessed any more..." Megan finished.

He gave her a sheepish half smile. Megan thought for a moment.

"... I don't think I am... I mean... I don't feel bloodthirsty or angry or anything... I can't sense him any more."

"Megan? Are you all right?"

Dumbledore was looking at her for once, right into her eyes. And to Megan's immense relief, the urge to attack him was nowhere to be found.

"I think so... are you okay, sir?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

He was holding baby Fawkes in his hands. Megan wasn't sure, but she thought he looked relieved.

"He... is Fawkes going to be okay?"

"Oh, yes. This brave bird won't be taken down so easily," he smiled.

"You say you fought?" Fudge's voice said a few feet away.

"Indeed," he said, before turning to Megan and Cedric. "Would you keep a hold of him for me?"

"No problem, sir," Cedric said as Megan reached out to take him.

"Thank you. Please, excuse me."

He turned away. Megan looked down at Fawkes, sleeping in her hands. Just then, something made her eyes widen. She opened her mouth but Cedric's fingers pressed gently against her lips.

"He's fine." he said. "They all are. The adults are back in London and the gang's being tended to by Madam Pomfrey."

She sighed with relief.

"You should have gone too," she said, eyeing a gash on his cheek.

"And leave you? Not happening." he said, holding her tighter.

Megan smiled softly at him, then brushed her lips against his. She lay her head against his shoulder. Dumbledore's voice made them look up.

"Minister, if you don't mind, I'd like to send my students back to the castle." he said. "If you must question them, I'd much rather it waited until tomorrow."

"What? Oh, yes, yes... send them off..."

He was clearly very jumpy.

"He finally got it?" Megan asked bitterly.

"Yeah. Only took him a year, but he sees the truth." Cedric sighed. "Can you stand?"

He helped her up. She was a little unsteady and sore, but not hurt. He kept his arm around her.

"Megan?"

She and Cedric looked up at Dumbeldore.

"I am aware that you've had a very rough time, but would you mind waiting for me in my office?" he asked. "We must talk."

Megan glanced up at Cedric. She didn't feel scared but didn't want to be alone, even if it was Dumbledore.

"You may stay as well, Cedric, if you wish," the Headmaster said, as though sensing. "I will join you in half an hour."

Feeling better, Megan nodded. Cedric, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders, led her to a Portkey Dumbledore had created for them. They put their hands on it, and landed in Dumbledore's office.