They got their exam results a few days after the feast. Since it was such a warm day, the populous of the school hung around on the grounds, enjoying the sun. Bruce was relieved to discover that he had passed every class, even Transfiguration; Melissa was so furious that she had lost points in Divination that she went to see Professor Trelawney about it.
"Clouded inner eye, my butt!" Melissa snarled, gripping her report card tightly. Bruce sniggered. "You'd think that predicting the death of Mrs. Norris and four students next year would go over well."
Beth laughed. "Maybe that was taking it a little far."
"Say, what's wrong with Marcus?" Bruce said, sounding worried. Marcus Flint and Vivian were walking across the grounds together; Marcus's face was a mask of fury. Bruce, Beth and Melissa strolled up to them, but on seeing Marcus's demeanor, passed a little to one side. They could just make out the conversation.
"Oh, Marcus, you didn't!" Vivian cried in disappointment.
Marcus punched a wall in passing; Vivian flinched. He pulled back a bloody fist without noticing.
"Transfig and Runes," he grunted, with a bitterness that bordered on desperation. "I have to take 'em again." He punched another wall and left a bloody mark. "Two more years!" he snarled, through clenched teeth.
Vivian gently steered him away from a group of chipper-looking first years. "Two more years of Quidditch," she reminded him. "You know a lot of fifth-years, so you won't be left alone. It's going to be all right. Just don't let it happen again, and they'll let you graduate."
"Maybe," Marcus grunted, but his voice held a note of hope.
Across the courtyard, the fifth-year Slytherins stood around comparing the scores they got on the O.W.L.s.
"Eleven," cheered Uther. "Not bad for a Quid-head, eh?"
Several people that Beth didn't recognize groaned and covered their reports. She assumed that they had done worse and wouldn't admit it.
"For a Quid-head, it's all right," Riggs sniffed. "How's this look, eh?" He held out his parchment to Uther, who let out a whistle. Beth peered over his shoulder.
"I thought the O.W.L.s stopped at sixteen," she commented.
"Not if you're brilliant like Riggs," Uther bragged. "Going for the Head Boy position, will you?"
Riggs took his parchment back and folded it fussily. He pushed up his glasses with one long finger. "Perhaps."
Richard came up and clapped Riggs on the back. "A Slytherin Head Boy, nothing could be better!" he exclaimed. "Just keep in line for another year. We'll do all we can to help!"
Riggs nodded his thanks.
"How'd grades treat you, Rich?" Beth asked. They strolled away from the group.
Richard heaved a sigh. "All right, except for Care of Magical Creatures. Apparently I totally missed killing a Bundimun in my final, and it ate through half the paddock fence. Kettleburn let me pass, though. He's not a bad sort. How about you, Beth?" he asked cheerily. "Pass everything?"
"Yeah," she shrugged. "Everything except Potions."
Richard's jaw dropped. Beth started to laugh. "Kidding," she admitted. "I only missed like ten points in that class. As mad as Snape was, he couldn't fail me after that."
Grinning, Richard rolled his eyes. "Well, he may not have failed you, but don't count on ever being a prefect either. I went in to see him and he pretty much told me that neither of us will be getting the job. Over his mangled, steaming corpse, I believe are the words he used." He gave a little disappointed shrug. "More time to spend on the Society then, what do you say?"
"Gloria serpens, of course," said Beth.
That evening the SSA gathered for the last official meeting of the year.
"What else is there to talk about?" Melissa complained as they filed into the Vase Room in the dead of night. "The whole corridor thing is cleared up. We all know how everything turned out. Even Dumbledore made an appearance. As far as I'm concerned, everything's finished."
"Not so," said Richard, taking his spot at the front of the room. He clasped his hands and beamed around at the assembled students. "Well, we've lost the House cup, but we've had a great year," he began. "If you didn't notice, our Award for Special Services is over on the counter."
A big silver trophy stood gleaming on one shelf, totally overwhelming the colored bottles around it. The names of all ten of them were engraved on its surface, as well as the year.
"Now it's time to get ready for next year," Richard continued. "We need rings and notes to be enchanted. Daedalus, can you charm the rings again? Uther's already made them."
"Sure," he agreed. "Now that my project is out of the way."
"Oh, you got it!" Vivian squealed excitedly. "Show us, will you, Dell?"
Daedalus shuffled his feet a little. "All right." He gripped his wand in one hand and closed his eyes. As they watched, he grew smaller and smaller, shrinking in on himself, until his entire form vanished and a three-foot-long green snake dropped to the floor.
The SSA applauded enthusiastically. The snake that was Daedalus slithered around a little, showing off shiny green scales and a long brown streak down its back. Then there was a flash, and Daedalus reappeared, gripping his wand and smiling broadly. Vivian gave him a big hug.
Uther grabbed Daedalus's hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Going to get registered, are you, old boy?"
Daedalus shrugged, still beaming. "Not sure yet. Might be handy to keep it quiet. Besides, I hear the forms you have to fill out are beastly."
"Salazar Slytherin would be proud," said Riggs.
"Right," Richard grinned. "We need to get your new talent into the Ledger. Meanwhile -- Riggs, can you enchant the notes over the summer?"
Riggs nodded curtly.
"Excellent. Finally, we have to say goodbye to Jerome. He's been with us these five years, and the SSA won't be the same without him. But remember, graduation is not the end. He's joining dozens of alumni in bringing glory to Slytherin by building himself a great future. Keep in touch, Jerome."
The members cheered. Jerome, for once, looked bashful.
Bruce gave Uther a nudge. "Say, who's going to be inducted next year, anyway? In Jerome's place?"
"Evan Wilkes and Rudy Rudisille," Uther replied. "They're a couple of good eggs. We've kept tabs on them for two years. They don't know it yet, though, so keep mum."
"How come we didn't know about it?" Melissa demanded indignantly. "We could have helped."
Uther ruffled her hair, which only made her madder. "Club policy, only fourth year and up gets to pick the newbies. Don't worry, next year's your chance."
"Good," said Melissa, smoothing her hair. "I already know who my vote's for: Draco Malfoy."
Richard raised his hands for silence. "That's all we need. As always, keep your ears and eyes open over the summer. There are mysteries out there, chaps. Conundrums and riddles and hidden meanings. There are secrets. Let's solve them!"
One by one, the members of the SSA filed out of the Vase Room and into the dark hallway. Beth cast a glance at the Ledger, alone and majestic on its podium. She tapped Richard on the shoulder.
"I -- think I'll stay behind for a minute. Just a little while."
"Sure," said Richard, with a smile. "Just blow out the lights before you go, eh?"
He went through the door, and Beth was left alone.
Heart pounding, Beth walked over to the thick, dusty tome. She knew what she wanted. Hadn't one of her brothers been a Slytherin? And in fact -- hadn't Riggs said that she was the second Parson to be listed? It would be a partial answer, but it was better than nothing ... and wouldn't it be worth it, to find out at least some of the truth? If her family was alive, then Beth had been lied to her entire life. She wanted to know.
She cleared her throat.
"Lycaeon Parson."
The old ledger gave a wheeze and dust spurted from either side. The pages began to flip backwards as if blown by a wind. Kicking up another cloud of dust, the thin paper settled open. The book coughed apologetically and lay still.
Beth stared at the open book. She didn't want to see. Then what did I say it for? she chided herself, so she swallowed the lump in her throat and moved up to the ledger.
She leaned over the book, heart thumping At the top of that page was a listing for Melissa's uncle Ollivander, which stated his age, skills, and current occupation, followed by a lot of little facts like "Prefers blue toothbrushes" and "Wand: Willow with unicorn mane, nine inches." Below that, more names lined the pages, some of them shifting as entries were magically updated. Beth ran her hands down the list nervously. Near the middle of the right-hand page, and right below her own entry, Beth's finger stopped.
Beth let out her breath in a long, shaky wind. Snape had spoken the truth. Azkaban, the wizard prison ...
And a Death Eater. He had been allied with Lord Voldemort. That meant he was surely a murderer as well.
Who did he kill? Beth thought wildly. And what else had he done to earn a place in the black, cheerless walls of Azkaban? What did he look like, after all those years surrounded by dementors and criminals? Surely he wasn't the grinning Quidditch player that waved at her from the old photo. Not now.
It had always been a strange feeling, knowing that she had a brother who no longer existed. Stranger was the thought that her brother actually did exist, somewhere unreachable but still closer than ever.
She scoured the entry for more information, but the brusque description didn't help much. She closed the Ledger with shaking fingers. There was little more to do, then; the information she wanted was not stored in books, but in the minds of people she knew. She went around the room and blew out the candles; then she left.
Beth cast one last look back before the hidden door slid shut. It would be three months before she saw the Vase Room again, three months without her closest friends, three months almost entirely without magic.
She heaved a sigh. At least that was three months for her to work up the courage to ask her father about the rest of her family.