A Different Life

In years to come, Beth would never quite remember how she had managed to get through her exams when she half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at a moment. Yet the days crept by and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.

It was swelteringly hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuff-box - points were given for how pretty the snuff-box was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion.

Beth did the best she could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in her forehead which had been bothering her ever since his trip into the Forest. Lavender and Parvati thought Beth had a bad case of exam nerves because she couldn't sleep, but the truth was that she kept being woken by her old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.

Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Beth had seen in the Forest, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but the rest of the Junior Marauders didn't seem as worried about the Stone as she did. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their revision they didn't have much time to fret about what Quirrell or anyone else might be up to.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out.

When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Beth couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione, as they joined the crowds flocking out into the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learnt about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."
Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterwards, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree.

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.
"No more revision," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Beth, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Beth was rubbing her forehead.
"I wish I knew what this means!" she burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Beth. "I think it's a warning ... it means danger's coming..."

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot. "Beth, relax, Mia's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Quirrell found out how to get past Fluffy. And Neville will play Quidditch for England, no offense, Nev, before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Beth nodded, but she couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something she'd forgotten to do, something important.

When she tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I realised we'd done that one."

Beth was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. She watched an owl flutter towards the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. She recalled the last note Hagrid had sent, which had been regarding Norbert's hatching. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy ... never ... but - Beth suddenly jumped to her feet.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Beth. She had gone white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you on about?" said Ron, but Beth, sprinting across the grounds towards the forest, didn't answer. Draco had realized what Beth did, though, and his face was paler than usual.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Beth cut across him.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn't take his cloak off." He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows. "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Beth sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah ... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here ... he asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after ... so I told him ... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon ... an' then ... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks ... Let's see ... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted ... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home ... so I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy ..."

"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Beth asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep -"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?"

When they reached the Entrance Hall, they decided that they had to tell Dumbledore, but then realized that they had no idea where his office was. They looked around and were about to ask a portrait when they heard a voice.

"What are you six doing inside?" It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

Beth swallowed - now what?
"It's sort of secret," she said, but she wished at once she hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Beth frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Miss Potter-Black, he has many demands on his time -"

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Miss Potter-Black?"

"Look," said Beth, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor - it's about the Philosopher's Stone -"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms but she didn't pick them up. "How do you know -?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think - I know - that Qu - that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.
"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected. And the other professors are keeping an eye on Quirrell."

"But Professor -"

"Miss Potter-Black, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But they didn't. "It's tonight," said Beth, once she was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Quirrell's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"Let's discuss this in the Room of Requirement," said Susan quietly. They went up to the Room and sat down on the chairs provided.

"What do we do now?" asked Neville. "Dumbledore's gone, and McGonagall doesn't believe us."

"Quirrell needs to be stopped somehow," said Draco firmly. "I don't want You-Know-Who returning to power."

Beth stood up. "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

The others stared at her. "Are you trying to get yourself expelled, Beth?" asked Susan.

"No, I'm not, Sue," responded Beth. "Drake's right, Quirrell needs to stopped and I'm going to do it."

"You're mad!" exclaimed Ron and Neville simultaneously.

"You can't!" cried Hermione. "You'll be expelled, Bethany!"

"SO WHAT?" Beth shouted. "Don't you understand? If Quirrell gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter any more, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back home and wait for Voldemort to find me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would have done, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you guys say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

There was a silence for several seconds. Then Draco stood up. "You're right, Beth. And I'm going with you." As she stared at him the others stood up as well.

"We're coming, too," said Neville, his face set and determined.

"We're not letting you do this alone," said Hermione. "You need all the help you can get."

"But - but - what if you guys get expelled as well?" asked Beth.

"That doesn't matter, Beth," said Ron. "We don't want You-Know-Who coming back into power."

"And what kind of friends would we be if we didn't go with you, Beth?" asked Susan. "Remember we've all sworn friendship with each other and made that gold cord appear around our wrists, confirming it."

Beth opened her mouth, then shut it again as she realized that it was useless to try to talk her friends out of it. She gave them a grateful look and hugged them.

That evening, Beth, Hermione, and Neville got under the Invisibility Cloak while Ron cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself. Beth was holding the flute Hagrid had given her for Christmas, because she didn't feel up to singing. When they reached the third floor corridor, they found that Draco was already there. Susan turned up a few minutes later. They went inside.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Quirrell must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Beth. "Well, here goes ..."

She put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Beth hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased - it tottered on its paws and fell on its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"Keep playing," Neville warned Beth as they slipped out of the Cloak and crept towards the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. Ron, Draco, and Susan removed the Disillusionment Charms on them.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Nothing - just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Beth, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at herself.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Beth handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled at twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.

Beth climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.
She lowered himself through the hole until she was hanging on by his fingertips. Then she looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Lily to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," said Ron.

"See you in a minute, I hope ..."

And Beth let go. Cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down, down, down and - FLUMP.

With a funny sort of thump she landed on something soft.

She sat up and felt around, her eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though she was sitting on some sort of plant.
"It's OK!" she called up to the light the size of a postage stamp which was the open trapdoor. "It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Ron followed straight away. He landed sprawled next to Beth. "What's this stuff?" were his first words.

"Dunno, sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, guys!"

Susan jumped, followed by Draco and Neville. The distant music then stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Neville's other side.

"We must be miles under the school," she said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"

She leapt up and struggled towards a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snake-like tendrils around her ankles. Neville and Draco struggled for the wall as well. As for Beth, Susan, and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.

Hermione, Draco, and Neville had managed to free themselves before the plant got a firm grip on them. Now they watched in horror as the other three fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound round them.

"Stop moving!" Neville ordered them. "I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant curling around his neck.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" exclaimed Neville.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" gasped Beth, wrestling with it as it curled around her chest.

"Light a fire!" exclaimed Neville. "Because it likes the dark and damp!"

"Hermione, you're the best one making fires," shouted Draco. "So make one!"

"Yes - of course - but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something and sent a jet of bluebell flames at the plant.

In a matter of seconds, the three felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies and they were able to pull free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Neville," said Beth as she joined the others by the wall, wiping sweat off her face.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky some of us don't lose their heads in a crisis - 'there's no wood', honestly."

"This way," said Beth, pointing down a stone passageway which was the only way on.

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downwards and Beth was reminded of Gringotts.

With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, she remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully grown dragon - Norbert had been enough ...

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

They all listened. A soft rushing and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" asked Susan.

"I don't know ... sounds like wings to me," answered Beth,

"There's a light ahead - I can see something moving." said Hermione.

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy, wooden door.

When they reached the door, they found it wouldn't open, not even with an Alohomora. Then Beth looked up and realized that it wasn't birds, but actually winged keys. Some broomsticks were against the wall and Beth, Ron, Draco, and Susan grabbed one each and took off. Neville and Hermione remained on the ground because they weren't good at flying.

Finally Ron, Susan, and Draco managed to drive the correct key towards Beth. She pinned it against the wall. The other's cheers echoed around the high chamber. They landed quickly and Beth ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. She rammed it into the lock and turned - it worked.

The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

The next chamber contained a huge chessboard, with giant chess figures. They had to play their way across. As Ron was the best chess player among them, he took charge. Beth and Draco were told to take the place of the queen and king, Neville was a bishop, Hermione a castle, and Ron a knight. Ron then started directing the pieces after white had made its move.

Finally Ron realized that to win the game, he had to allow himself to be taken. They all protested, but Ron just said it was the only way and it was more important that they got to Quirrell and stopped him. There was nothing else for it.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard around the head with her stone arm and he crashed to the floor-

Hermione screamed but stayed on her square - the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. Shaking, Neville moved three spaces to the left.
The white king took off his crown and threw it at Neville's feet. They had won.

The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. Susan elected to stay behind to tend to Ron and the others charged through the door and up the next passageway.

The next room held a troll that was even larger than the one they faced on Halloween. It was out cold, with a bloody bump on its head.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Beth whispered, as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

She pulled open the next door, the four of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's," said Beth. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onwards. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. The others looked over her shoulder to read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two of our number hold only nettled wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tried to hide
You will always find some on nettles wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onwards, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, are all different size,
Neither dwarf or giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

Neville looked puzzled by this, so the other three set to working out the puzzled. They read through the paper several times to make sure they understood everything and then examined the bottles. Hermione figured out that the smallest bottle would allow you to go forward, while Draco and Beth figured out the rounded bottle at the end of the line would allow you to go back. As the bottle to go forward only contained enough for one person, Beth would have to go one alone.

"Will you be all right?" asked Hermione, tears brimming in her eyes, but not falling. She hugged Beth tightly.

"Yes, Mia," said Beth. "I faced Moldy Voldy once before and survived, so maybe I'll be lucky and survive again."

"Don't do anything foolish and get yourself killed, Beth." said Draco fiercely. "Or I'll kill you myself." He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

"You're the best friend ever," said Neville. "Well, along with the rest of the Junior Marauders. Anyway, take care, Beth." He hugged her.

"Good luck, Beth," said Hermione. She took a drink from the round bottle at the end. Draco and Neville then drank as well and the three clasped Beth's hand briefly before stepping through the purple fire.

Beth drank from the smallest bottle and then stepped through the black fire. She wasn't surprised to find Quirrell there, examining a mirror.

"You!" she shouted. "How dare you! Expelliarmus"

Quirrell turned and then fell backward as he was disarmed. Beth, a furious look on her face, snapped his wand in two so he couldn't use it. "You are not going to get the Stone so you can present it to Moldy Voldy and return him to power."

Quirrell got up, looking angry. "You wretched girl! How dare you break my wand!" He raised his hands to do some wandless magic, but Beth was quicker.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Quirrell froze and fell to the ground, having been hit with the Full-Body Bind.

Beth strode forward and looked down at Quirrell. On a sudden whim, she undid the turban and barely managed to keep from screaming when she saw that Voldemort was on the back on Quirrell's head. She took a step back and wondered what to do. Somehow she had managed to be quicker than Quirrell and had stopped him, but there was Voldemort to consider. Her scar flared with pain, distracting her from thinking.

A noise startled her and she whirled around. However, she stumbled and fell, one hand landing on Quirrell's hand. A scream rent the silence, proving that Quirrell had managed to break free of the spell. Beth stared in shock as his hands started blistering as if burned. She quickly removed her hand, but then realized that something about her had caused him to be unable to touch her bare flesh without feeling great pain.

"KILL HER!" shouted Voldemort as Quirrell sat up and stared at his blistered hand.

"I don't have a wand!" protested Quirrell as he got up.

"DO SOMETHING!" yelled Voldemort angrily. Beth reached out and grabbed Quirrell's face, despite the pain it was causing to her scar. He screamed, but she held on desperately. Eventually she blacked out.

When she came to, she saw that Sirius and Natalia were bending anxiously over her. "Mum! Sirius! What are you doing here?"

"Tending to you," replied Natalia. "Dumbledore notified us as to what happened and we came here right away. You scared us."

"What happened to Quirrell?" asked Beth.

"Dead," answered Sirius. "The theory is that when your mother died to protect you, she left a protection on you that prevented Voldemort from touching you without being hurt. Since Voldemort was possessing Quirrell, Quirrell got the brunt of it."

"Oh," said Beth. "Mum, where are the twins?"

"At home, with Remus taking care for them. And Dromeda and the Grangers helping when they're not busy with work. Tonks volunteered too, but her mother told her not to help, since she's so clumsy and might accidentally drop Chris or Kate."

"Are my friends all right?"

"Yes," responded Sirius. "They're all fine, including Ron."

Beth sat up and looked around. She was in the Hospital Wing, and the table next to her was piled with sweets.

"Some of them are from us," said Natalia, smiling. "And the rest are from your admirers. What happened down in the dungeons between you and Quirrell is a complete secret, so naturally the entire school knows."

"Fred and George were the ones responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat," said Sirius. "But Madam Pomfrey thought it wouldn't be hygienic and confiscated it."

Beth chuckled weakly. "How long have I been here?"

"Three days," said Natalia. "You missed the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. Since Gryffindor didn't have a reserve Seeker, they lost. Draco is happy with the win, naturally, though Slytherin ended up winning the Quidditch Cup."

"What about the Stone? Where was it?"

"I can answer that," said Dumbledore, coming in. "The Stone was hidden in the Mirror of Erised. Only someone who wanted to find it, but not use it, could get it out. In any case, since it doesn't seem to be safe at Hogwarts either, it will be destroyed."

"But what about your mentor Nicolas Flamel?" asked Beth. "Won't he and his wife die?"

"Yes, but I had a chat with Nicolas and he feels it's for the best. He and his wife have enough Elixir to set their affairs in order and then they will die. Oh, and Beth, I would like to apologize to you. I had not expected that you and your friends would end up in such danger. If I had, then I would have done things differently."

"It's all right," said Beth. "I must have inherited my father's penchant for attracting trouble."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Perhaps. In any case, I'm sure your friends would like to visit you, so I shall take my leave."

When the rest of the Junior Marauders turned up, Natalia and Sirius slipped out the room. Beth told them exactly what had happened when facing Quirrell. Susan and Hermione stifled screams when they heard that Voldemort had been on the back of Quirrell's head. They were all relieved to hear that the Stone was being taken care of, though relief turned to shock when they found out that it would mean the deaths of Nicolas and Prenelle Flamel.

The next day, Hagrid came to visit Beth and burst into tears, crying about how he had been the one to reveal how Fluffy could be tamed. Beth managed to calm him down and once he recovered, he gave her a present, which was a set of wooden book ends, carved in the shape of dragons. She thanked him sincerely.

That evening, Beth left the Hospital Wing for the feast. Madam Pomfrey had insisted on giving her one last check-up, so the Great Hall was already full.

When Beth walked in there was a sudden hush and then everybody started talking loudly at once. She slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at her.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are a little fuller than they were ... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before the next year starts ...

"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus: in third place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and sixteen points; tied for second, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six points each, and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Beth could see Theodore Nott banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes ... First, to Miss Susan Bones, I award Hufflepuff house fifty points for her loyalty in helping her friends and demonstrating her courage and bravery."

The Hufflepuff table was in an uproar, for with the points just awarded, they had beaten Slytherin by four points and won the House Cup. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw joined in the applause and cheers because Slytherin's winning streak of six years was broken. However, Dumbledore raised his hand, stopping the cheers.

"Second, to Mr. Draco Malfoy, I award Ravenclaw fifty points for his intelligence and helping his friends." The Ravenclaw table was now in a uproar, for they were tied in first place with Hufflepuff.

Dumbledore raised his hand a third time and said, "Third, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, Mr. Neville Longbottom, and Miss Bethany Potter-Black, I award forty points each for an excellently played chess game, knowing how to deal with a dangerous plant, use of cool logic in face of fire, and pure nerve and outstanding courage."

The Gryffindor table was in an uproar, for the one hundred and sixty points had put them at four hundred and seventy-six and they were tired with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The Slytherins looked distinctly unhappy as Dumbledore clapped his hands and the Slytherin hangings were transformed to hangings of the other three houses.

It was the first time in history that three houses had been tied for the House Cup and Beth wondered if Dumbledore had done this on purpose because of the whole inter-house unity thing. Well, at least three-quarters of the school were happy and had something to celebrate. And this was the first time that Hufflepuff had won the House Cup, even if they were tied.

The feast was great and Beth decided that it was the best evening of her life, even better than Christmas or winning at Quidditch.

The exam results were announced the next day and Beth was surprised that she had managed to place third with Draco. Hermione placed first, of course, and second place was taken by Ravenclaw Terry Boot. Ron and Susan were tied for fifth place, and Neville placed sixth, his excellent Herbology mark (the class where he had beat all his friends in) making up for his average Potions mark.

They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays (I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the country-side became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

It took a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

Sirius was there to meet Beth, but Natalia wasn't, having elected to stay home to take care of Chris and Kate. He greeted the Junior Marauders and told them that they could visit. Lucius Malfoy appeared then, a frown on his face. He escorted Draco away, definitely looking displeased about something. Beth hoped that Draco would be all right and then followed Sirius out to the car. She was glad that the summer holidays had arrived and hoped that they would be wonderful.