Three o'clock on the following afternoon found Silver, Razor, Mighty, and Ray standing outside the great white marquee in the orchard, awaiting the arrival of the wedding guests. Silver had taken a large dose of Metamorphia and was now the double of a purple Muggle snake boy from the local village, whom Mighty had stolen some scales using a Summoning Charm. The plan was to introduce Silver as Cousin Trey and trust to the great number of O'Hedge relatives to camouflage him. All four of them were clutching seating plans, so that they could help show people to the right seats. A host of white-robed waiters had arrived an hour earlier, along with a golden-jacketed band, and all of these wizards were currently sitting a short distance away under a tree; Silver could see a blue haze of pipe smoke issuing from the spot. Behind Silver, the entrance to the marquee revealed rows and rows of fragile golden chairs set on either side of a long purple carpet. The supporting poles were entwined with white and gold flowers. Mighty and Ray had fastened an enormous bunch of golden balloons over the exact point where Ash and Mina would shortly become husband and wife. Silver was rather uncomfortable; his lack of fur made him feel cold even with the extra layers on the suit he was wearing and he had to take some potion earlier to practicing slithering since he didn't have any legs. Mighty kept tugging on the collar of his suit "When I get married. I won't be bothering with any of this nonsense. You can all wear what you like, and I'll put a full Body-Bind Curse on Mum until it's all over" "She wasn't too bad this morning, considering" Ray said.
Blaze shook her head "You didn't see her when Hamlin's letter arrived. She started crying when she realised it meant he wasn't coming himself" "Well who needs him" Mighty said bitterly. Brightly coloured figures were appearing, one by one, out of nowhere at the distant boundary of the yard. Within minutes a procession had formed, which began to snake its way up through the garden toward the marquee. Exotic flowers and bewitched Flickys fluttered on the witches' hats, while precious gems glittered from many of the wizards' cravats; a hum of excited chatter grew louder and louder as the crowd approached the tent. Ray smirked "Excellent, I think I see a few Illumina cousins. They'll need help understanding our customs, I'll look after them" "Not so fast, Your Holeyness" said Mighty. He darted past the gaggle of middle-aged witches heading the procession, he said "Here. Permettez-moi to assister vous" to a pair of pretty foreign girls, who giggled and allowed him to escort them inside. Ray was left to deal with the middle-aged witches and Razor took charge of Rob's old Ministry colleague Bow the Sparrow, while a rather deaf old couple fell to Silver's lot. "Wotcher" said a familiar voice as he came out of the marquee again and found Julie-Su and Knuckles at the front of the queue. She recognised Silver instantly "Rob told us you were the snake". As Silver led them inside she added "Sorry about last night. The Ministry's being very anti-Zilla at the moment and we thought our presence might not do you any favours" "It's fine, I understand" Silver said, speaking more to Knuckles than Julie-Su.
Knuckles gave him a swift smile, but as they turned away, Silver saw Knuckles's face fall again into lines of misery. He did not understand it, but there was no time to dwell on the matter. Big was causing a certain amount of disruption. Having misunderstood Mighty's directions he had sat himself, not upon the magically enlarged and reinforced seat set aside for him in the back row, but on five seats that now resembled a large pile of golden matchsticks. While Rob repaired the damage and Big shouted apologies to anybody who would listen, Silver hurried back to the entrance to find Razor face-to-face with a most eccentric-looking wizard. A grey Racoon dressed like a sea captain. An odd symbol, a small diamond cut emerald inside an emerald cut one that was inside a larger diamond cut one hung by a chain around his neck. He extended his hand to Silver "Finny the Racoon, at your service. My daughter and I live just over the hill, so kind of the good O'Hedges to invite us. But I think you know my Marine?" he added to Razor. He nodded "Yes. Isn't she with you?" "She lingered in that charming little garden to say hello to the Dark Bats, such a glorious infestation! How few wizards realize just how much we can learn from them" "Well ours do know a lot of excellent swear words, but I think Mighty and Ray taught them those". He led a party of warlocks into the marquee as Marine rushed up "Hello, Silver!" she said. Silver stepped back in surprise "Uh, my name's Trey" "Oh, have you changed that too?" she asked brightly. Silver narrowed his eyes "How did you know?" "Oh, just your expression" she said. Marine was wearing bright yellow robes, which she had accessorized with a large sunflower in her hair. Once you got over the brightness of it all, the general effect was quite pleasant. Finny, who was deep in conversation with an acquaintance, had missed the exchange between Marine and Silver. Bidding the wizard farewell, he turned to his daughter, who held up her finger and said "Daddy, look, one of the Dark Bats actually bit me!" "How wonderful! Their saliva is enormously beneficial!".
Razor, passing them in the opposite direction, let out a loud snort. Silver led the Racoons to their seats and rejoined Razor who had an elderly echidna woman in black robes clutching his arm "And your piercings, Razor. They make you look like a delinquent. Forelock's Mane, what is Finny wearing? He looks like he's about to on a fishing trip. And who are you?" she barked at Silver. Before Silver could ask why this woman was being so rude Razor said "Oh yeah, Auntie Kali, this is our cousin Trey" "Another O'Hedge? You breed like Dark Bats. Isn't Silver the Hedgehog here? I was hoping to meet him. I thought he was a friend of yours, Razor, or have you merely been boasting?". Razor looked like he was considering parricide "No…He couldn't come" "Hmm. Made an excuse, did he? Not as gormless as he looks in press photographs, then. I've just been instructing the bride on how best to wear my tiara. Goblin-made, you know, and been in my family for centuries. She's a good-looking girl, but still from Spagonia. Well, well, find me a good seat, Razor, I am a hundred and seven and I ought not to be on my feet too long". Razor gave Silver a meaningful look as he passed and did not reappear for some time. When next they met at the entrance, Silver had shown a dozen more people to their places. The marquee was nearly full now, and for the first time there was no queue outside "Nightmare, Aunt Kali is. She used to come for Christmas every year, then, thank God, she took offense because Mighty and Ray set off a Ring Bomb under her chair at dinner. Dad always says she'll have written them out of her will. Like they care, they're going to end up richer than anyone in the family, rate they're going. Wow…". Razor was now looking past Silver at Coral who looked very pretty in her green dress "You look great!". Coral smiled "Always the tone of surprise. Your Great-Aunt Kali-Ca doesn't agree, I just met her upstairs while she was giving Mina the tiara. She said 'Oh dear, is this the Muggle-born?' and then, 'Bad posture and skinny ankles'" "Don't take it personally, she's rude to everyone".
Ray then suddenly appeared "Talking about Kali-Ca? Yeah, she's just told me my ears are lopsided. Old bat. I wish old Uncle Nestor was still with us, though; he was a right laugh at weddings" "Wasn't he the one who saw a Grim and died twenty-four hours later?" Coral asked. Ray casually shrugged "Well, yeah, he went a bit odd toward the end. But before he went loopy he was the life and soul of the party. He used to down an entire bottle of Firewhiskey, then run onto the dance floor, hoist up his robes, and start pulling bunches of flowers out of his-" "Thank you. He sounds a real charmer" Coral said, while Silver roared with laughter. Razor shook his head in regret "Never married, for some reason" "You amaze me" Coral said. They were all laughing so much that none of them noticed the latecomer, a handsome young wolf, until he held out his invitation to Razor and said, with his eyes on Coral "You look vunderful". Coral shrieked and dropped her small purse, which made a loud thump quite disproportionate to its size. As she scrambled, blushing, to pick it up, she said "Reynard, I didn't know you were…Goodness…It's lovely to see…How are you?". Razor was scowling now. After glancing at Reynard's invitation as if he did not believe a word of it, he said, much too loudly "How come you're here?" "Mina invited me" said Reynard, eyebrows raised. Silver, who had no grudge against Reynard, shook hands; then, feeling that it would be prudent to remove Reynard from Razor's vicinity, offered to show him his seat. "Your friend is not pleased to see me?" said Reynard as they entered the now packed marquee. "He's my cousin" Silver muttered, but Reynard was not really listening. His appearance was causing a stir, particularly amongst the Illumina cousins. He was, after all, a famous Sky Chase player. While people were still craning their necks to get a good look at him, Razor, Coral, Mighty, and Ray came hurrying down the aisle "Time to sit down or we're going to get run over by the bride" Mighty said. Silver, Razor, and Coral took their seats in the second row behind Mighty and Ray. A sense of jittery anticipation had filled the warm tent, the general murmuring broken by occasional spurts of excited laughter. Rob and Mari-An strolled up the aisle, smiling and waving at relatives.
A moment later Ash and Charlie stood up at the front of the marquee, both wearing dress robes, with large white roses in their buttonholes; Mighty wolf-whistled and there was an outbreak of giggling from the Illumina cousins. Then the crowd fell silent as music swelled from what seemed to be the golden balloons. "Ooooh!" Coral said, swivelling around in her seat to look at the entrance. A great collective sigh issued from the assembled witches and wizards as Arthur and Mina came walking up the aisle, both beaming. Mina was wearing a very simple white dress and seemed to be emitting a strong, silvery glow. While her radiance usually dimmed everyone else by comparison, today it beautified everybody it fell upon. Blaze, wearing golden dresses, looked even prettier than usual, and once Mina had reached him, Ash did not look as though he had ever met Eclipse the Darkling. "Ladies and gentlemen" said a slightly singsong voice, and with a slight shock, Silver saw the same wizard who had presided at Locke's funeral, now standing in front of Ash and Mina "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…". As he continued Silver and a few others were annoyed to hear Kali-Ca whispering rather loudly "Yes, my tiara sets off the whole thing nicely. But I must say, Blaze's dress is far too low cut". Blaze glanced around, grinning, winked at Silver, then quickly faced the front again. Silver's mind wondered a long way from the marquee, back to afternoons spent alone with Blaze in lonely parts of the school grounds. They seemed so long ago; they had always seemed too good to be true, as though he had been stealing shining hours from a normal person's life, a person without the burdens he faced. As the ceremony went on Mari-An and Isabella were both sobbing quietly into scraps of lace. Trumpetlike sounds from the back of the marquee told everyone that Big had taken out one of his own tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs. Coral turned and beamed at Silver; her eyes too were full of tears "Then I declare you bonded for life" the wizard said. He raised his spear high over the heads of Ash and Mina and a shower of silver stars fell upon them, spiralling around their now entwined figures. As Mighty and Ray led a round of applause, the golden balloons overhead burst.
Birds of paradise and tiny golden bells flew and floated out of them, adding their songs and chimes to the din "Ladies and gentlemen! If you would please stand up!". They all did so, Auntie Kali-Ca grumbling audibly; he waved his spear again. The seats on which they had been sitting rose gracefully into the air as the canvas walls of the marquee vanished, so that they stood beneath a canopy supported by golden poles, with a glorious view of the sunlit orchard and surrounding countryside. Next, a pool of molten gold spread from the center of the tent to form a gleaming dance floor; the hovering chairs grouped themselves around small, white-clothed tables, which all floated gracefully back to Mobius around it, and the golden-jacketed band trooped toward a podium. "Smooth" said Razor approvingly as the waiters popped up on all sides, some bearing silver trays of drinks, others tottering piles of tarts and sandwiches. "We should go and congratulate them!" Coral said, standing on tiptoe to see the place where Ash and Mina had vanished amid a crowd of well-wishers. Razor shrugged "We'll have time later". He got the three of them drinks and then looked around "Not there! Nowhere near Kali-Ca". Razor led the way across the empty dance floor, glancing left and right as he went. Silver felt sure that he was keeping an eye out for Reynard. By the time they had reached the other side of the marquee, most of the tables were occupied. The emptiest was the one where Marine sat alone "All right if we join you?" "Oh yes. Daddy's just gone to give Ash and Mina our present" "What is it, a lifetime's supply of Gurdyroots". Coral aimed a kick at him under the table but caught Silver instead. Eyes watering in pain, Silver lost track of the conversation for a few moments. The band had begun to play. Ash and Mina took to the dance floor first, to great applause; after a while, Rob led Isabella onto the floor, followed by Mari-An and Arthur. "I like this song" said Marine, swaying in time to the waltzlike tune, and a few seconds later she stood up and glided onto the dance floor, where she revolved on the spot, quite alone, eyes closed and waving her arms. Razor smiled "She's great, isn't she. Always good value". But the smile vanished from his face at once. Reynard had dropped into Marine's vacant seat. Coral looked pleasurably flustered, but this time Reynard had not come to compliment her. With a scowl on his face he said "Who is that man?". Silver was surprised to see he was pointing at Finny "Uh, his name's Finny. Why?" Silver said. Razor quickly got up "Want to dance?" he abruptly said to Coral. She looked taken aback, but pleased too, and got up.
They vanished together into the growing throng on the dance floor. Reynard watched them "Oh, are they together now?". Silver paused "I…Don't know" "Who are you?". Silver again paused before deciding he could trust Reynard. He shook his hand "Reynard, it's me. It's Silver". Reynard nodded with a smirk "Ah, Mina told me you vould be in disguise. Good to see you again". He sat down next to Silver but the moment he saw Finny his scowl returned "Why is he here?" "Uh, he lives around here. He knows the O'Hedges. Why?" "Because, if this was not a wedding I vould duel him, here and now, for vearing that filthy sign upon his chest". Silver was surprised and realised he was talking about the symbol Finny was wearing "Sign? Why? What's wrong with it?" "Mephiles. That is Mephiles' sign" "Mephiles? The Dark Wizard". Reynard slowly nodded "Mephiles killed many people, my grandfather, for instance. Of course, he vos never poverful in this country, they said he feared Locke and rightly, seeing how he vos finished. But that is his symbol, I recognized it at vunce. Mephiles carved it into a vall at Grimm ven he vos a pupil there. I valked past that sign for several years. Some idiots copied it onto their books and clothes, thinking to shock, make themselves impressive until those of us who had lost family members to Mephiles taught them better". Reynard cracked his knuckles menacingly and glowered at Finny. Silver felt perplexed. It seemed incredibly unlikely that Marine's father was a supporter of the Dark Arts, and nobody else in the tent seemed to have recognized the symbol "I don't think Finny knows what the symbol means. He's a bit…Eccentric. Probably thinks it's the symbol of Junk Food Boogey Guy". Reynard was broken out of his anger and stared at Silver "Vat?" "Like I said. A bit eccentric".
Reynard got back to scowling and took out his sword as if considering duelling Finny after all. Silver stared at the sword for a moment then "Madden!" Silver said loudly. Reynard jumped, but Silver was too excited to care; the memory had come back to him at the sight of Reynard's sword. Merlin taking it and examining it carefully before the Emerald Championship, that's why Silver thought about Sky Chase. Reynard stared confused at Silver "Vot about him?" "He's a Talisman maker!" "I know that". Silver's mind raced "He made your Talisman" "I know that as well" "Where is he these days?". Reynard looked puzzled "He retired several years ago. I vos one of the last to purchase a Madden make. They are the best although I know, of course, that you set much store by Merlin. Why do you ask?" "Just heard about it somewhere". Silver didn't bother elaborating. So, Finitevus was looking for a celebrated Talismanmaker, and Silver did not have to search far for a reason. It was surely because Finitevus was still not aware of Silver intrusion and was looking for answers "If you'll excuse me" Reynard said politely, he got up and moved through the crowd to Silver could only guess to be Finny. Silver went to find Razor, to tell him about Madden, but Razor was dancing with Coral out in the middle of the floor. Silver leaned up against one of the golden pillars and watched Blaze, who was now dancing with Mighty and Ray's friend Manic, trying not to feel resentful about the promise he had given Razor. He had never been to a wedding before, so he could not judge how Wizarding celebrations differed from Muggle ones, though he was pretty sure that the latter would not involve a wedding cake topped with two model Wisps that took flight when the cake was cut, or bottles of champagne that floated unsupported through the crowd.
As evening drew in, and moths began to swoop under the canopy, now lit with floating golden lanterns, the revelry became more and more uncontained. Mighty and Ray had long since disappeared into the darkness with a pair of Mina's cousins. Rotor, Big, and a lion in a purple porkpie hat were singing "What I'm Made of" in a corner. Wondering through the crowd Silver spotted an old owl sitting alone at a table. He was vaguely familiar. Racking his brains, Silver suddenly realized that this was Harvey Who, member of the Order of the Wisp and the writer of Locke's obituary. Silver approached him "May I sit down?" "Oh, of course". Silver leaned in "Mr Who, it's me. It's Silver". Harvey gasped "My dear boy! Rob told me you were here, disguised. I am so glad, so honoured!". In a flutter of nervous pleasure Harvey poured Silver a goblet of champagne "I thought of writing to you, after Locke, you know? I'm sure it was hard for you". Harvey wiped his eyes. Silver smiled sympathetically "I saw the obituary you wrote for the Daily Prophet. I didn't realize you knew Professor Locke so well" "As well as anyone. Certainly, I knew him longest, if you don't count Dimitri and somehow, people never do seem to count Dimitri" "Speaking of the Daily Prophet. I don't know whether you saw the interview Breezie gave about Locke?". Harvey's face flooded with angry colour "Oh yes, Silver, I saw it. That woman positively pestered me to talk to her. I am ashamed to say that I became rather rude, called her rather colourful words, which resulted, as you may have seen, in aspersions cast upon my sanity" "Well, in that interview. She hinted that Professor Locke was involved in the Dark Arts when he was young". Harvey shook his head at once "Don't believe a word of it! Not a word, Silver! Let nothing tarnish your memories of Locke the Echidna!". Silver looked into Harvey's earnest, pained face and felt, not reassured, but frustrated. Did Harvey really think it was that easy, that Silver could simply choose not to believe? Didn't Harvey understand Silver's need to be sure, to know everything? Perhaps Harvey suspected Silver's feelings, for he looked concerned and hurried on "Silver, Breezie is a dreadful-".
But he was interrupted by a shrill cackle "Breezie? Oh, I love her, always read her!". Silver and Harvey looked up to see Auntie Kali-Ca standing there, the plumes dancing on her hat, a goblet of champagne in her hand "She's written a book about Locke, you know!". Harvey rolled his eyes "Hello, Kali. Yes, we were just discussing-". Kali-Ca took a seat at their table uninvited "Hello again, Tony, or whatever your name is. "Now, what were you saying about Breezie, Harvey? You know she's written a biography of Locke? I can't wait to read it; I must remember to place an order!". Harvey looked stiff and solemn at this, but Kali-Ca drained her goblet and clicked her bony fingers at a passing waiter for a replacement. She took another large gulp of champagne, belched, and then said "There's no need to look like a pair of stuffed Froggys! Before he became so respected and respectable and all that tosh, there were some mighty funny rumours about Locke!". Harvey was turning red "Ill-informed sniping" "You would say that, Harvey. I noticed how you skated over the sticky patches in that obituary of yours!" "I'm sorry you think so. I assure you I was writing from the heart". Kali-Ca scoffed "Oh, we all know you worshipped Locke; I daresay you'll still think he was a saint even if it does turn out that he did away with his Squib sister!" "Kali!" exclaimed Harvey angrily. Silver felt a chill down his spine "What do you mean? Who said his sister was a Squib? I thought she was ill?" "Thought wrong, then, didn't you, Harv. Anyway, how could you expect to know anything about it? It all happened years and years before you were even thought of, my dear, and the truth is that those of us who were alive then never knew what really happened. That's why I can't wait to find out what Breezie's unearthed! Locke kept that sister of his quiet for a long time!".
Harvey actually banged his fist on the table now "That is not true! The reason Locke never spoke about Desi is, I should have thought, quite clear. He was so devastated by her death" "Why did nobody ever see her, Harvey? Why did half of us never even know she existed, until they carried the coffin out of the house and held a funeral for her? Where was saintly Locke while Desi-Ca was locked in the cellar? Off being brilliant at Soleanna, and never mind what was going on in his own house!". Silver's eyes widened "What d'you mean, locked in the cellar?". Kali-Ca cackled again "Locke's mother was a terrifying woman, simply terrifying. Muggle-born, though I heard she pretended otherwise" "She never pretended anything of the sort! Jenna-Lu was a fine woman" whispered Harvey miserably. Kali-Ca ignored him "Proud and very domineering, the sort of witch who would have been mortified to produce a Squib" "Desi was not a Squib!" "So you say, Harvey, but explain, then, why she never attended Soleanna!" said Kali-Ca. She turned back to Silver "In our day, Squibs were often hushed up, though to take it to the extreme of actually imprisoning a little girl in the house and pretending she didn't exist. Squibs were usually shipped off to Muggle schools and encouraged to integrate into the Muggle community. Much kinder than trying to find them a place in the Wizarding world, where they must always be second class; but naturally Jenna wouldn't have dreamed of letting her daughter go to a Muggle school". She laughed and took a swig of her drink "And as for all this shite about her being sick. She never once was taken to Eldorado's and no Healer was ever summoned to see her!". Harvey scoffed "Really, Kali-Ca, how you can possibly know whether-" "For your information, Harvey, my cousin Lancelot was a Healer at Eldorado's at the time, and he told my family in strictest confidence that Desi-Ca had never been seen there. All most suspicious, Lancelot thought!".
Harvey looked to be on the verge of tears. Kali-Ca, who seemed to be enjoying herself hugely, snapped her fingers for more champagne. Numbly Silver thought of how the his Aunt and Uncle had once shut him up, locked him away, kept him out of sight, all for the crime of being a wizard. Had Locke's sister suffered the same fate in reverse: imprisoned for her lack of magic? And had Locke truly left her to her fate while he went off to Soleanna, to prove himself brilliant and talented? Kali-Ca wasn't done yet "Now, if Jenna hadn't died first I'd have said that it was she who finished off Desi". Harvey was horrified "How dare you! Jenna wasn't capable of such a thing" "If the mother in question was capable of imprisoning her daughter for years on end, why not? But as I say, it doesn't fit, because Jenna died before Desi. Of what, nobody ever seemed sure". Harvey scoffed "Oh, no doubt Desi-Ca murdered her. Why not?" "Yes, Desi might have made a desperate bid for freedom and killed Jenna in the struggle. Shake your head all you like, Harvey! You were at Desi's funeral, were you not?". Harvey was shaking with fury "Yes, I was. And a more desperately sad occasion I cannot remember. Locke was heartbroken" "His heart wasn't the only thing. Didn't Dimitri break Locke' nose halfway through the service?". If Harvey had looked horrified before this, it was nothing to how he looked now. Kali-Ca might have stabbed him "How do you know that?" "My mother was friendly with old Siwa-Ra. Siwa described the whole thing to Mother while I was listening at the door. A coffin-side brawl! The way Siwa told it, Dimitri shouted that it was all Locke's fault that Desi was dead and then punched him in the face. According to Siwa, Locke did not even defend himself, and that's odd enough in itself, Locke could have destroyed Dimitri in a duel with both hands tied behind his back". Kali-Ca swigged yet more champagne. The recitation of these old scandals seemed to elate her as much as they horrified Harvey. Silver did not know what to think, what to believe. He wanted the truth, and yet all Harvey did was sit there and bleat feebly that Desi-Ca had been ill. Silver could hardly believe that Locke would not have intervened if such cruelty was happening inside his own house, and yet there was undoubtedly something odd about the story.
Kali-Ca wasn't done yet "And I'll tell you something else. I think Siwa has spilled the beans to Breezie. All those hints in that interview about an important source close to the Locke's. Goodness knows she was there all through the Desi's business, and it would fit!" "Siwa would never talk to Breezie!" whispered Harvey. Silver suddenly remembered that name "Siwa-Ra. The author of A History of Magic?". Harvey nodded looking quite desperate to leave this conversation "Yes. A most gifted magical historian and an old friend of Locke's" "Quite gaga these days, I've heard" said Auntie Kali-Ca cheerfully. Harvey scowled "If that is so, it is even more dishonourable for Breezie to have taken advantage of her and no reliance can be placed on anything Siwa may have said!" "Oh, there are ways of bringing back memories, and I'm sure Breezie knows them all. But even if Siwa's completely cuckoo, I'm sure she'd still have old photographs, maybe even letters. She knew the Lockes for years. Well worth a trip to Vigil's Hollow, I'd have thought". Silver, who had been taking a sip of butterbeer, choked. Harvey banged him on the back as Silver coughed, looking at Auntie Kali-Ca through streaming eyes. Once he had control of his voice again, he asked "Siwa lives in Vigil's Hollow?" "Oh yes, she's been there forever! The Locke's family moved there after Sabre was imprisoned, and she was their neighbour" "Locke lived in Vigil's Hollow?" "Yes, Barry, that's what I just said" said Auntie Kali-Ca testily.
Silver felt drained, empty. Never once, in six years, had Locke told Silver that they had both lived and lost loved ones in Vigil's Hollow. Why? Were Shadow and Tikal buried close to Locke's mother and sister? Had Locke visited their graves, perhaps walked past Tikal's and Shadow's to do so? And he had never once told Silver, never bothered to say. And why it was so important, Silver could not explain even to himself, yet he felt it had been tantamount to a lie not to tell him that they had this place and these experiences in common. He stared ahead of him, barely noticing what was going on around him, and did not realize that Coral had appeared out of the crowd until she drew up a chair beside him "I simply can't dance anymore. Razor's gone looking to find more drinks. It's a bit odd, I've just seen Reynard storming away from Marine's father, it looked like they'd been arguing". She dropped her voice, staring at him "Silver, are you okay?". Silver did not know where to begin, but it did not matter. At that moment, something large and silver came falling through the canopy over the dance floor. Graceful and gleaming, eel landed lightly in the middle of the astonished dancers. Heads turned, as those nearest it froze absurdly in mid-dance. Then the Patronus's mouth opened wide and it spoke in the loud, deep, slow voice of Espio the Chameleon "The Ministry has fallen. Saline is dead. They are coming".