Megan Potter - A Saga of the Heart - Book 6 - Dark Temptation-

Chapter 25 - A turn for the curse

Saturday came. The weather was not kind. The wind was cold and sharp, and the sky grey and dull.Megan was also a little sad because she'd not heard from Cedric. Soshe had no idea if he would be there or not.

"Oh, look..." Ron said unhappily.

Zonko's joke shop had been boarded up.

"... Them too?" Hermione whispered.

Zonko's was a student favourite. To see it closed was rather heartbreaking.

"Come on..."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" said a voice behind them.

Megan looked around.

"Cedric!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around him. "You cheek, you never told me if you were coming or not!"

"I wanted to surprise you,"he grinned. "Clearly, it worked. Come on, let's keep moving."

Honeydukes, mercifully, was open.

"Why not hang here all afternoon?" Ron suggested.

Before anyone could answer, another voice interrupted them.

"Megan!"

"Oh, no...!" Megan groaned.

Slughorn appeared, carrying alarge pack of crystallised pineapple.

"That's three of my suppers you've missed now." he said. "That just won't do, now will it? I'm determined to have you. Miss Granger and Mr Nelson love them,don't you?"

"Oh, yes, they're very...interesting." Hermione said helplessly, her voice too high.

"Now, what has kept you?"Slughorn asked.

"I've had Quidditch practise.I'm captain, you see."

It was true, she had strategically placed her practices when she'd received an invitation. However, Harry and Hermione had no reason to refuse and were stuck with him, to their discomfort. She'd apologised, but there was no way around it. They comforted themselves in the fact that at least they weren't alone with him.

"I see," Slughorn said."Well after all that work, I expect a win! But a little recreationis always healthy. How about Monday night, say around seven thirty? You can't possibly want to practise in this weather?"

"I can't, I'm afraid, sir.Professor Dumbledore's expecting me on Monday."

"Ah, alas, I am unlucky again, it seems," he said dramatically, earning Megan a raised eyebrow from Cedric. "Well, you can't evade me forever."

And he waddled away. Megan had only just managed to not say "unfortunately".

"What's he want with you?"Cedric asked.

"He's a collector of popularor talented students. That way they grow up to be important people and he has friendly connections in high places."

"And he wants you?"

"Seems that way..."

Cedric stiffled a chuckle.

"It's not funny," Megan grumbled, flushing. "It makes me sound like some object in a shop window..."

"Oh, I know, love, I'm not laughing at you.

"I can't believe you wriggled out of another one," Hermione said exasperatedly.

Megan didn't answer. After buying a stock of sweets, they decided to go to the Three Broomsticks. As they walked along the streets, they saw a squat man ambling along, clearly eager not to draw attention to himself.