"This is a stupid idea and just for the record, I want it known that I think it's stupid," Theodore Nott said for the umpteenth time as he followed his friends up the narrow passage.
"Say it again Nott, it might make a difference this time," replied Blaise Zabini with a grin. He was at the front of the group, his wand outstretched and lit as he lead them through the forgotten passage, brushing cobwebs out of his way every so often.
Daphne Greengrass squeezed her boyfriend's hand in solidarity, "you can turn back babe, you don't have to come."
Theo scoffed as her sweet statement was undercut by her expression. She was smirking dangerously at him. "If I don't go who's going to make sure none of you do something monumentally stupid? If I hadn't been there last time, Pansy would still be engaged to that bloke down at Hogsmeade," he laughed but gave her fingers a squeeze back.
"Engaged?" Ginny Weasley's voice interrupted his preoccupied thoughts, her tone one of excitement and intrigue.
Pansy Parkinson was behind the couple, next to the Gryffindor and laughing loudly until Blaise shushed her. "That was a one off that game," she told her. "We just let it get a bit out of hand, it's not like tonight will be the same, anyway, the book has different rules."
"I'm holding you to that Parkinson," Ron Weasley's voice carried up the corridor and Pansy could picture his red ears easily in her mind's eye.
The game Pansy and Theo were referring to had occurred some months ago in a seedy backroom of a restaurant in Hogsmeade where the group of friends had spent their weekend locked in a game and, like usual, come out on top. Daphne still wore the necklace she had won around her neck to this day. Every two or so months, the group of friends would find another collection of ragtag and reckless people to play but the Slytherins had never lost and they were confident they wouldn't lose tonight.
"We've played Granger before Pans, and that didn't go like expected," Theo reminded her, thinking back to the unfortunate forfeit he had had to undergo.
"Don't underestimate the Gryffindors," was all Harry Potter said from the back of the pack, his mouth a hard line. "And when did Hermione play?"
"It was only a small game, barely one round between her, Draco and I, relax Potter. It was nothing but practise," Blaise laughed in reply and resumed leading the way."This will be over by midnight and you can go back to your tower without being caught, your losers tail between your legs."
Luna Lovegood placed a gentle hand on Harry's arm, "The basset bugs aren't around Harry, we won't get caught," she told him reassuringly in her own whimsical way.
Harry nodded and thumbed the stack of cards in his hand absentmindedly. "That's what I am worried about," he said quietly to himself.
The group finally reached the rickety wooden steps that led to a small oak door after five or so minutes of silent trekking, stopping in the small dead end as Blaise began clearing the webs from the doorway.
"I swear it get's longer each time I come," Pansy fussed as she pulled a string of sticky web from the sleeve of her robe.
"It probably does," agreed Harry and he watched Blaise tap the door handle three times in a particular rhythm. The door handle began to glow softly, the brass shining as though it was being lit from within. The gold seeped from the handle and into the grains of the wood, illuminating the group.
"I love that," Daphne breathed out, looking at her friends all bathed in the gold light.
Blaise pushed the door open and squinted at the bright light from the common room. It was cozy and large, plenty enough for only the Head Boy and Girl.
Nobody really knew where the Heads' Tower was situated when they were out on the grounds but it was one of the tallest towers with an uninterrupted view of the Quidditch pitch and the surrounding stands. Tall windows were set into the stone and finished with window seats, six of them scattered around the tower. Each cushion was covered in belongings- Quidditch uniforms or library books, Crookshanks curled into the setting sun or a broom and it's care kit.
There were three doors to the left of the entrance portrait, two being bedrooms and one being the shared bathroom and next to them, in the circular wall, was an ever-lit fireplace with a large gilded mirror hanging above it.
Lounging on one of the multiple sofas was the Head Girl, Hermione Granger and she grinned when she saw them emerge from behind a portrait of a unicorn, grazing in field of wild flowers. The witch had been expecting them for a couple of minutes or so as the magical creature had whinnied and alerted her.
"Thank Merlin, any longer and I would have had to send out a search party," she said in a way of greeting. Hermione accepted a hug from Luna and a fist bump from Ginny, still complaining about their lack of punctuality when both of the Gryffindor boys dropped kisses on her cheeks at the same time, effectively quietening her. Blaise picked her hand up and tried kiss her knuckles as she laughed and shoved him playfully.
"Make yourself at home why don't you," she smiled, watching those who had greeted her settle into spaces in the living area. Ron threw himself on a sofa next to Theo and after Daphne had greeted her host, she went to curl herself into her boyfriend's arm.
Hermione hugged Pansy and the pair settled on one of the armchairs, both sinking into the squishy cushion. "Anybody for a drink?"
"Let me guess, you've smuggled a bottle of elf wine into school and now we have to share it between ten," Pansy replied and Hermione simply laughed.
"I went down to the kitchens and secured us a case of fire whiskey but if one bottle of elf wine is more your style Pans," the cool voice of Draco Malfoy made the Slytherin girl jump. The Head Boy was coming out of his room with multiple bottles tucked under his arms and a smirk on his pointed face.
"Now we're talking!" cheered Ron and he lazily smiled at the thought of the alcohol. "I love being friends with the Heads."
"I'm glad Weasley because the game revolves around all of these bottles," commented Blaise as he accepted a bottle from his friend. "Ready?"
A chorus of replies answered him as Draco sat down on his armchair, a grin on his face already.
The ten of them passed one bottle around for liquid courage before Blaise cleared his throat and sat up, unrolling a scroll that had come from the yellow book and taking the deck of cards from Harry, using the table in front of him to set up.
"Welcome to The Game," Blaise began with a sense of showmanship in his voice. "From now until five of us agree, we cannot leave this room and are all participants of the game. Raise your hand if you wish to leave now," Blaise waited for a heartbeat before he continued. "Rules are to be discussed and written now."
"Nothing illegal," Harry said quickly and Blaise rolled his eyes but wrote it down on the partchment regardless.
"No interfering with anybody else," Daphne said after some thought. Her addition was met with vocal agreement and it too was written down on the partchment.
"Nothing that will cause any physical, emotional or mental harm," Hermione added.
Blaise wrote it down with his usual finesse and then looked around. "Anything else?"
"If you fail or bail you have only one strike and then you're out," Draco finished and rummaged around in his trouser pocket. He pulled out a small glass phial full of clear liquid and Hermione listened to her friends swear in varying degrees.
"Veritasium? Really?" Ginny said but couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Merlin's balls, do you really condone this Hermione?" Ron asked her but didn't make any attempt to get up and leave.
"I was the one who told him where to find it in the potions cupboard, it's a necessary component according to the book," she replied and accepted the nudge from Pansy. "I am not repeating the same game I did last time with those cheats," she snorted as Blaise and Draco dramatically acted as though they had never heard anything so insulting.
"So we're all in agreement, as soon as we down the potion we begin, and if you say dare we can either pick one or pick one of the pre-agreed cards," Theo clarified for the group.
Harry finally set down the deck of cards which he had collected from the group throughout the week. Everybody had been given five blank cards to write a dare on in case they ran out of original ideas whilst playing. The thought and preparation for the game had spanned the previous week and all ten of them had had difficulty concentrating in classes that day. Harry and Draco as captains of their respective house Quidditch teams had made sure there was no practise that weekend in case the game went on longer than just that night.
Draco watched Hermione conjured ten glasses and he poured a healthy amount of alcohol into each, finishing them off with several drops of the clear potion. Everybody reached from a glass and took a large gulp, Ron going as far as downing his entire glass.
"And so we begin," Theo said but it was more ominous than Hermione liked.