Patches of bright blue sky were beginning to appear over the castle turrets, but these signs of approaching summer did not lift Silver's mood. He had been thwarted, both in his attempts to find out what Rutan was doing, and in his efforts to start a conversation with Ellidy that might lead, somehow, to Ellidy handing over the memory he had apparently suppressed for decades "For the last time, just forget about Rutan" Coral told Silver firmly. They were sitting with Razor in a sunny corner of the courtyard after lunch. Coral and Razor were both clutching a Ministry of Magic leaflet "Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" for they were taking their tests that very afternoon, but by and large the leaflets had not proved soothing to the nerves. Razor gave a start and tried to hide behind Coral as a girl came around the corner. She rolled her eyes "It isn't Undina" "Oh, good" said Razor, relaxing. "Uh, Mr Silver" a small mole girl was standing behind him. Silver looked around "Yeah?" "I was asked to give you this" "Thanks". Silver took the scroll the girl was holding and once she walked away before saying "Locke said we wouldn't be having any more lessons until I got the memory!" "Maybe he wants to check on how you're doing?" said Coral. Silver unrolled the parchment but rather than finding Locke's long, narrow, slanted writing he saw an untidy sprawl, very difficult to read due to the presence of large blotches on the parchment where the ink had run.

Dear Silver, Razor, and Coral,

Sython died last night. Silver and Razor, you met him,

and you know how special he was. Coral, I know

you'd have liked him. It would mean a lot to me if

you'd nip down for the burial later this evening. I'm

planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favourite

time of day. I know you're not supposed to be out that

late, but you can use the Emerald. Wouldn't ask, but I

can't face it alone.

Big

"Look at this," said Silver, handing the note to Coral. She scanned it quickly "Oh, for heaven's sake". She handed it to Razor who shivered at the memory of Sython "He's mental! That thing told its kids to eat Silver and me! Told them to help themselves! And now Big expects us to go down there and cry over its body!" "It's not just that. He's asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows security's a million times tighter and how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught" "We've been down to see him by night before" said Silver. Coral shook her head "Yes, but for something like this? We've risked a lot to help Big out, but after all. Sython's dead. If it were a question of saving him-" "I'd want to go even less" said Razor firmly. He was still shivering "You didn't meet him, Coral. Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot". Silver took the note back and stared down at all the inky blotches all over it. Tears had clearly fallen thick and fast upon the parchment "Silver, you can't be thinking of going. It's such a pointless thing to get detention for". Silver sighed "Yeah, I know. I s'pose Big'll have to bury Sython without us" "Yes, he will. Look, Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with us all off doing our tests. Try and soften Ellidy up a bit then!". Silver rolled his eyes "Fifty-seventh time lucky, you think?" "Lucky?" said Razor suddenly. His eyes widened and grinned "Silver, that's it. Get lucky!" "What d'you mean?" "Use your lucky potion!". Coral gasped "Of course! Why didn't I think of it?". Silver stared at them both "E-77? I dunno. I was sort of saving it".

Coral and Razor both stared at him outraged "What for?" "What on Mobius is more important than this memory, Silver?" asked Coral. Silver did not answer. The thought of that little golden bottle had hovered on the edges of his imagination for some time; vague and unformulated plans that involved Blaze splitting up with Marcos, and Razor somehow being happy to see her with a new boyfriend, had been fermenting in the depths of his brain. Coral snapped her fingers in front of Silver "Silver? Are you still with us?" "What? Yeah, of course. Well, okay. If I can't get Ellidy to talk this afternoon, I'll take some 77 and have another go this evening" "That's decided, then". Coral got to her feet and started repeating "Destination. Determination. Deliberation" "Oh, stop that, I feel sick enough as it is" Razor begged. They suddenly heard sobbing. They looked around and two hedgehog girls were walking past to head back to the castle "Blimey, they don't look happy, do they?" "They're Monica and Isabell Hedgehog. Didn't you hear what happened?". Silver and Razor both shook their heads "Well, their brother was attacked by a Zilla. The rumour is that their mother refused to help the Nocturnus. Anyway, the boy was only five and he died in St. Mungo's, they couldn't save him". Coral looked down at the ground and her voice trembled a little "Silver, you've got to get that memory. It's all about stopping Finitevus, isn't it? These dreadful things that are happening are all down to him". Silver didn't say anything, a rush of guilt washed over him, how could he not have gotten it already? The bell rang overhead in the castle and both Coral and Razor jumped to their feet, looking terrified "You'll do fine" Silver told them both. They headed toward the entrance hall to meet the rest of the people taking their Chaos Control Test "Good luck" "And you too!" said Coral with a significant look, as Silver headed off to the dungeons.

There were only three of them in Potions that afternoon, Silver, Void, and Rutan. Ellidy looked quite cheerful "Ah well, as we're so few, we'll do something fun. Have a look through your books and find me something amusing to brew!". Silver and Void both looked pleased. Rutan opened his copy of Advanced Potion-Making with a sulky expression. It could not have been plainer that he thought this lesson was a waste of time. Undoubtedly, Silver thought, watching him over the top of his own book, Rutan was begrudging the time he could otherwise be spending in the Twilight Cage. Was it his imagination, or did Rutan, like Julie-Su, look thinner? Certainly, he looked paler; his skin and fur still had that greyish tinge, probably because he so rarely saw daylight these days. But there was no air of smugness, excitement, or superiority; none of the swagger that he had had on the Soleanna Express, when he had boasted openly of the mission, he had been given by Finitevus. There could be only one conclusion, in Silver's opinion, the mission, whatever it was, was going badly. Cheered by this thought, Silver skimmed through his copy of Advanced Potion-Making and found a heavily corrected Half-Blood Prince's version of "An Elixir to Induce Euphoria" which seemed not only to meet Ellidy's instructions, but which might (Silver's heart leapt as the thought struck him) put Ellidy into such a good mood that he would be prepared to hand over that memory if Silver could persuade him to taste some.

"Well, now, this looks absolutely wonderful" said Ellidy an hour and a half later. He stared down impressed at Silver's cauldron "Euphoria, I take it? And what's that I smell? Mmmm, you've added just a sprig of peppermint, haven't you? Unorthodox, but what a stroke of inspiration, Silver, of course, that would tend to counterbalance the occasional side effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking. I really don't know where you get these brain waves, my boy". Void was looking rather grumpy; determined to outshine Silver for once, he had most rashly invented his own potion, which had curdled and formed a kind of purple dumpling at the bottom of his cauldron. Rutan was already packing up, sour-faced; Ellidy had pronounced his Hiccupping Solution merely passable. The bell rang and both Void and Rutan left at once. "Sir, don't you want to try-" Silver began, but Ellidy immediately glanced over his shoulder; when he saw that the room was empty but for himself and Silver, he hurried away as fast as he could. Disappointed, Silver emptied the cauldron, packed up his things, left the dungeon, and walked slowly back upstairs to the common room. Razor and Coral returned in the late afternoon with the latter pulling Silver into a hug "Silver! Silver, I passed!" "Well done! And Razor?" "He…He just failed". Razor came slouching into the room looking very depressed "It was really unlucky, a tiny thing, the examiner just spotted that he'd left one of his fin piercings behind. How did it go with Ellidy?" Coral asked. Silver's mood joined Razor's "No joy". He looked to Razor "Bad luck, mate, but you'll pass next time. We can take it together" "Yeah, I s'pose. But a piercing! Like that matters!". They spent most of their dinner roundly abusing the Chaos examiner, and Razor looked fractionally more cheerful by the time they set off back to the common room, now discussing the continuing problem of Ellidy and the memory "So, Silver, you going to use the E-77 or what?". Silver sighed "Yeah, I s'pose I'd better. I don't reckon I'll need all of it, not twelve hours' worth, it can't take all night. I'll just take a mouthful. Two or three hours should do it" "It's a great feeling when you take it" said Razor reminiscently. Coral laughed "What are you talking about? You've never taken any!" "Yeah, but I thought I had, didn't I? Same difference really". As they had only just seen Ellidy enter the Great Hall and knew that he liked to take time over meals, they lingered for a while in the common room, the plan being that Silver should go to Ellidy's office once the teacher had had time to get back there.

When the sun had sunk to the level of the treetops in the Deep Woods, they decided the moment had come, and after checking carefully that Antion, Marcos and Larry were all in the common room, sneaked up to the boys' dormitory. Silver took out the rolled-up socks at the bottom of his trunk and extracted the tiny, gleaming bottle. "Well, here goes" said Silver, and he raised the little bottle and took a carefully measured gulp. Coral and Razor watched him carefully "What does it feel like?". Silver did not answer for a moment. Then, slowly but surely, an exhilarating sense of infinite opportunity stole through him. He felt as though he could have done anything, anything at all and getting the memory from Ellidy seemed suddenly not only possible, but positively easy. He got to his feet, smiling, brimming with confidence "Excellent. Really excellent. Right, I'm…I'm going down to Big's". "What?" said Razor and Coral together, looking aghast. Coral got in Silver's way to stop him leaving "No, Silver, you've got to go and see Ellidy, remember?" "No, I'm going to Big's, I've got a good feeling about going to Big's". Razor looked concerned "You've got a good feeling about burying a giant spider" "Yeah, I feel like it's the place to be tonight, you know what I mean?" "No" said Razor and Coral together, both looking positively alarmed now. Coral picked up the bottle "This is E-77, I suppose? Or you haven't got another bottle maybe. Like…" "Essence of Insanity?" suggested Razor. Silver gave an uncharacteristic laugh "Trust me, I know what I'm doing or at least 77 does". He confidently walked to the door "Hi!" he said cheerfully to two people he passed. He got halfway down the stairs when he got a sudden inclination. He took out his emerald "Chaos Light". He turned invisible and continued with Razor and Coral hurrying along behind him. At the foot of the stairs, Silver slid through the open door. "What were you doing up there with her?" shrieked Undina, staring right through Silver at Razor and Coral emerging together from the boys' dormitories.

Silver heard Razor spluttering behind him as he darted across the room away from them. Getting through the portrait hole was simple; as he approached it, Blaze and Marcos came through it, and Silver was able to slip between them. As he did so, he brushed accidentally against Blaze "Don't push me, please, Marcos". She sounded annoyed "You're always doing that; I can get through perfectly well on my own". The portrait swung closed behind Silver, but not before he had heard Marcos make an angry retort. His feeling of elation increasing, Silver strode off through the castle. He did not have to creep along, for he met nobody on his way, but this did not surprise him in the slightest. This evening, he was the luckiest person at Soleanna. Why he knew that going to Big's was the right thing to do, he had no idea. It was as though the potion was illuminating a few steps of the path at a time. He could not see the final destination, he could not see where Ellidy came in, but he knew that he was going the right way to get that memory. When he reached the entrance hall he saw that Rykor had forgotten to lock the front door. Beaming, Silver threw it open and breathed in the smell of clean air and grass for a moment before walking down the steps into the dusk. It was when he reached the bottom step that it occurred to him how very pleasant it would be to pass the vegetable patch on his walk to Big's. It was not strictly on the way, but it seemed clear to Silver that this was a whim on which he should act, so he directed his feet immediately toward the vegetable patch, where he was pleased, but not altogether surprised, to find Ellidy in conversation with Chrysan. Silver lurked behind a low stone wall, feeling at peace with the world and listening to their conversation "I do thank you for taking the time, Chrysan, most authorities agree that they are at their most efficacious if picked at twilight". Chrysan warmly smiled "Oh, I quite agree. That enough for you?" "Plenty, plenty. This should allow for a few leaves for each of my third years, and some to spare if anybody over-stews them. Well, good evening to you, and many thanks again!".

Professor Chrysan headed off into the gathering darkness in the direction of her greenhouses, and Ellidy directed his steps to the spot where Silver stood, invisible. Seized with an immediate desire to reveal himself "Good evening, Professor". Ellidy stopped dead in his tracks "Forelock's horn, Silver, you made me jump. How did you get out of the castle?" "I think Rykor must've forgotten to lock the doors". Ellidy scowled "I'll be reporting that man, he's more concerned about litter than proper security if you ask me. But why are you out here, Silver?" "Well, sir, it's Big. He's pretty upset. But you won't tell anyone, Professor? I don't want trouble for him". Ellidy's curiosity was evidently aroused "Well, I can't promise that. But I know that Locke trusts Big to the hilt, so I'm sure he can't be up to anything very dreadful" "Well, it's this giant spider, he's had it for years. It lived in the forest. It could talk and everything" "I heard rumours there were acromantulas in the forest". Silver had to hold a laugh, the idea of that killer swarm being a rumour was ridiculous to him "Yes, sir. But this one, Sython, the first one Big ever got, it died last night. He's devastated. He wants company while he buries it and I said I'd go". Ellidy interest grew increasingly which Silver caught "Well, if you wanted to come, Professor, Big would probably be really pleased. Give Sython a better send-off, you know". Ellidy's eyes were now gleaming with enthusiasm "Yes, of course. I tell you what, Silver, I'll meet you down there with a bottle or two. We'll drink the poor beast's-Well, not health, but we'll send it off in style, anyway, once it's buried". He bustled back into the castle, and Silver sped off to Big's, delighted with himself. Big pulled him into a hug when he appeared at his door "Yeh came!" "Razor and Coral couldn't, though. They're really sorry". Big waved him off "Don' matter. He'd've bin touched yeh're here, though, Silver". Big gave a great sob. He had made himself a black armband out of what looked like a rag dipped in boot polish, and his eyes were puffy, red, and swollen.

Silver patted him consolingly on the elbow, which was the highest point of Big he could easily reach "Where are we burying him? The forest?" "Blimey, no. The other spiders won' let me anywhere near their webs now Sython's gone. Turns out it was on'y on his orders they didn' eat me! Can yeh believe that, Silver?". The honest answer was yes. It had been quite clear that Sython was the only thing that stopped them from eating Big "Never bin an area o' the forest I couldn' go before. It wasn' easy, gettin' Sython's body out o' there, I can tell yeh. They usually eat their dead, see. But I wanted ter give 'im a nice burial. A proper send-off". He broke into sobs again and Silver resumed the patting of his elbow, saying as he did so (for the potion seemed to indicate that it was the right thing to do) "Professor Ellidy met me coming down here, Big" "Not in trouble, are yeh? Yeh shouldn' be outta the castle in the evenin', I know it, it's my fault". Silver shook his head "No, no, when he heard what I was doing he said he'd like to come and pay his last respects to Sython too. He said he'd bring some bottles so we can drink to Sython's memory". Big looked astonished and touched "Did he? Tha's-tha's righ' nice of him, that is, an' not turnin' yeh in either. I've never really had a lot ter do with Ellidy before. Comin' ter see old Sython off, though, eh? Well, he'd've liked that, Sython would". Silver thought privately that what Sython would have liked most about Ellidy was the ample amount of edible flesh he provided, but he merely moved to the rear window of Big's hut, where he saw the rather horrible sight of the enormous dead spider lying on its back outside, its legs curled and tangled "Are we going to bury him here, Big, in your garden?" "Jus' beyond the pumpkin patch".

His voice quivered and broke. There was a knock on the door, and he turned to answer it. Ellidy hurried over the threshold, several bottles in his arms "Big. So very sorry to hear of your loss" "Tha's very nice. Thanks a lot. An' thanks fer not givin' Silver detention neither" "Wouldn't have dreamed of it. Sad night, sad night. Where is the poor creature?". The three of them stepped out into the back garden. Sython's body lying on the edge of a massive pit beside a ten-foot-high mound of dirt. The three stood respectfully for a moment and then Ellidy said "Uh, Big, the last thing I wish to be is indelicate but Acromantula venom is very rare. Would it be possible for me to extract a vial or two. For academic purposes, of course". Big whimpered "Well, it's not gonna do him much good now, is it?" "My thoughts exactly". Ellidy very quickly made his way over to the body and filled a few vails he conveniently had on him with the venom. Once putting them away he examined the rest of the body "Marvelous creature. Looked to be quite healthy. You must have taken good care of him, Big". Big blew his nose in a hanky "Thanks. It's not ev'ryone appreciates how beau'iful they are. I didn' know yeh were int'rested in creatures like Sython, Ellidy" "Interested? My dear Big, I revere them. Now, shall we proceed to the burial?".

Big nodded and moved forward. He heaved the gigantic spider into his arms and, with an enormous grunt, rolled it into the dark pit. It hit the bottom with a rather horrible, crunchy thud. Big started to cry again. Ellidy, like Silver, could only pat Big as high as the shoulder "Of course, it's difficult for you, who knew him best. Why don't I say a few words?". He stepped up to the rim of the pit and said, in a slow, impressive voice "Farewell, Sython, king of arachnids, whose long and faithful friendship with those who knew you won't forget! Though your body will decay, your spirit lingers on in the quiet, web-spun places of your forest home. May your many-eyed descendants ever flourish and your Mobian friends find solace for the loss they have sustained". Big sobbed "That was beautiful". Silver and Ellidy helped him into the hut once Sython was buried. Ellidy uncorked one of the bottles of wine he had brought "Don't worry. Had tested for poisons" he assured Silver as he poured him a glass. He gave another to Big and then raised his own glass "To Sython" "Sython" said Silver and Big together. Both Ellidy and Big drank deeply. Silver, however, with the way ahead illuminated for him by E-77, knew that he must not drink, so he merely pretended to take a gulp and then set the mug back on the table before him. The potion gave Silver a little nudge at this point, and he noticed that the supply of drink that Ellidy had brought was running out fast. Silver had not yet managed to bring off the Refilling Charm without saying the incantation aloud, but the idea that he might not be able to do it tonight was laughable. Silver grinned to himself as, unnoticed by either Big or Ellidy (now swapping tales of the illegal trade in dragon eggs) he casually waved his hand in the direction of the emptying bottles and they immediately began to refill.

After an hour or so, Big and Ellidy began making extravagant toasts to Soleanna, to Marmolim made wine, and to "Silver the Hedgehog!" bellowed Big, slopping some of his fourteenth bucket of wine down his chin as he drained it. Ellidy laughed "Yes, indeed. Silver, the Chosen Boy Who…Uh…Well, something of that sort" he mumbled, and drained his mug too. And for a while after that, Big and Ellidy were sitting side by side, arms around each other, singing a slow sad song

" And Odo the hero, they bore him back home

To the place that he'd known as a lad,

They laid him to rest with his hat inside out

And his staff snapped in two, which was sad"

Silver applauded them both. Big laughed "I had him from an egg, yeh know. Tiny little thing he was when he hatched. 'Bout the size of a Pekingese. Used ter keep him in a cupboard up at the school until…Well, ya know". Ellidy nodded "How sweet. I-I once had a little Mobani fish called Francis. He was very dear to me. But one afternoon I came downstairs and he was gone. Just…Poof". Big listened intently "Very odd, innit?" "Yes, but that's life I guess. You go along and then suddenly…Poof". Big stared into thin air "Poof" he repeated before letting out a small laugh and falling back into his chair. After a few seconds he let out a very loud snore. Ellidy and Silver both chuckled. Ellidy then stared at Silver and his smile slowly vanished "It was a student who gave me Francis. The Seventh years were all graduating. A lot of goodbyes and wishes of good luck. After they left on the train I went back to my office and found a bowl on my desk. Full of water and floating on the surface was a small flower petal". He laughed but his eyes were filling with tears "As I got closer, I must have triggered the spell because the petal sank but before it hit the bottom it transformed into a little fish that did a few leaps out of the water. It was a beautiful bit of magic. Your…Your mother was the one that sent it. And…And the day I lost Francis…The day the bowl was empty was the day your mother…". His voice trembled and he wiped his eyes "I know why you're here, Silver. But I can't help you. It would ruin me". Silver's face was blank, the potion had worn off, he was on his own now but despite that he knew exactly what to say "Do you know what happened that night, Professor? The night this happened to me".

He concentrated and his eyes turned golden. Ellidy fearfully looked away from him. Silver stood up "My father was killed first. He tried to give my mother time. He died fighting. And then my mother was cornered in my bedroom. She stood in front of my cot and was told to move. She was told she could live if she just stepped aside". Ellidy finally looked back at him "What?" "She could have survived that night but she sacrificed herself for me. I survived that night because her love was more powerful than Finitevus". Ellidy shivered "Don't say his name" "I'm not afraid of the name, Professor. And neither were my parents. My mother gave her life and you can't even give a memory". Ellidy was left speechless by this. Silver slowly approached him "I'm going to tell you something. Something others have only guessed at. I am the Chosen One". Ellidy's eyes widened as he listened "Only I can destroy him but to do it I need to know what you told Sam Tund all those years ago. Please, Professor, be brave like my mother. Otherwise, you disgrace her. Otherwise, she died for nothing, and the bowl will remain empty". There was a long silence before finally Ellidy reached into his jacket and took out a small glass vial "Please…Don't think badly of me when you see it". He raised a gloved hand to his head and touched a finger to his temple "I-I didn't know what he was" his voice broke. He slowly removed his finger which pulled a glowing purple strand from his head. His hands shook. Silver stepped forward and held them steady as Ellidy dropped the memory into the vial "Thank you, Professor".