Chapter Nine

"Who's up for a game of spotlight?" Elise asked after they'd finished their dinner, conversation and dessert – Jo had done as promised and cooked them all a hearty treat. The girls all cheered, standing up and jumping. "We have to play it our way," Jo said, her and Elise laughing already. The boys looked at them. "What's spotlight?" Tom asked.
"...What are your modifications?" Danny asked. The girls grinned.
"Danny's learning fast, don't you think?" Jo mused.
"He knows which questions to ask," Elise agreed. They grinned at each other secretly.
"Spotlight – what we're calling spotlight - is just like hide and go seek in the dark," explained Jo.
"We turn off all the lights in the house, everyone goes to hide – they have a certain amount of seconds and then someone has to find them-" Mel continued.
"But we have made it just a little tiny bit funner," Tilly added. "We usually dress up or something, but we each have like, a weapon. It's usually a sword or a light sabre, and when you're found you have to be stabbed and killed to be considered caught. Which means it's fun because you have the chance to run and hide or fight back and kill them –"
"And the game usually involves someone absolutely CANEING themselves on some object that they ran into and everyone else laughing," Elise concluded.
"Yeah, that's usually Elise," Jo said laughing. "You guys interested in playing?"
The boys grinned to one another. "It does sound fun," Dougie voiced, beginning to get excited. Harry hesitated. "I don't know – it seems sort of... intrusive and awkward running around your house and going through your rooms to hide and stuff... I feel weird." The boys nodded, agreeing. The girls stood silent, thinking.
"How bout we go in partners?" Tilly suggested. "I'll go with Dougie, Elise with Danny, Mel with Tom, Jo with Harry – we'll get dressed up, prepared: protected! And then we'll play teams. The team with the most points wins... a prize or something."
Everyone cheered, complimenting Tilly on her geniusness.
"Tilly, you should get your dress up box out – we'll all go get dressed."
"We should make it a surprise," Elise mused. "Each team should get like, five minutes with the dress up box and they have to choose their costumes and weapons. Then they grab their stuff, go into whoever's room, get changed and ready, suggest tactics and possible hiding spots, then we'll parade out, show everyone, tell them the team names and rock off."
"That's a good plan, I like that," Tilly said, touching her noise and pointing at Leise. She smiled.
"What do you think, boys?" Jo asked, leaning against Harry and resting her arm on his shoulder. "Sounds like a fucking awesome plan to me," Harry laughed, looking up at Jo. She grinned and looked at the rest of the boys, waiting for their consent. They nodded and stood up eagerly, standing with their team partner.
"We'll make it too –to make it easier but sort of challenging at the same time—"
"—That made no sense, Jo -"
"That you have to hide together, otherwise it doesn't count and you lose points." Everyone agreed.
"Who goes first to the dress up box?" Mel asked, looking at the girls. Leise thought about it. "Tilly and Dougie – it's her box. You got five minutes to choose your costume guys – go, go, go, go!"
Tilly grabbed Dougie's hand and they ran off to her room.
"Wanna make it fair and go to our own rooms for tactics time?" Mel suggested, looking at everyone. They all agreed and, tugging on their partners, the girls lead them off to their rooms.

"Hoo," Tom said as he walked into Mel's room, staring at the scene.
Mel smiled. "What?" she asked, looking at her room as well. Tom whistled.
"This is a nice room," he complimented, taking it all in. The feature wall was sunshine yellow, very in your face, surrounded by pastel cream walls and ceilings. Her bed - a huge king bed - was patterned in an array of colours. Photos hung everywhere; huge collages of events, portraits of people and places. Writing of quotes and dates and drawings were hung up everywhere, covering walls until the original colour could not be seen. On one side of the room, a huge mirror, three meters long and two meters wide, hung. Makeup, jewellery, appliances and clothes lay everywhere. It was a very cool, albeit very messy, room.
Mel grinned again, thanking him. She sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to her. "Alright... we gotta think up some tactics, hiding spots and –"
"A team name," Tom said immediately. Mel grinned.
"Any suggestions?" she asked. Tom thought about it.
"Do you like Harry Potter?" he asked. Mel laughed, clapping her hands.
"YES! I love it."
"Wanna be called Team Voldemort?" he asked. "He's pretty... pretty wicked." Mel shook her head seriously. "You mean Team He Who Must Not Be Named?" she said. Tom blanched.
"How could I have forgotten?"
Mel laughed. "I like that though – Team He Who Must Not Be Named." They high fived.
"So... hiding spaces. Where are good ones?" Tom asked, getting to business. They brainstormed possible places going from room to room; bath, shower, toilet; desk – on top and underneath, (that's what she said," Mel interjected) – under beds, in closets, ect. "We gotta remember that we have to also be able to get away if we need to," Mel reminded him. Tom thought about it seriously and was interrupted by someone pounding on the door.
"Oi, your turn with the box," Dougie shouted out. Mel and Tom stood up, becoming excited with the prospect of the game.

***
"What do you wanna dress up?" Tilly asked Dougie, throwing open the lid of the box. Clothes and items spilled from it. "Woah," Dougie commented, clearly impressed. "I don't know – any suggestions?" Tilly put her had to her chin, stroking it as she thought. She began chucking out clothes, throwing them over the floor. Dougie picked up a feathery scarf, throwing it over his shoulder. "Does this make my bum look big?" he asked innocently, sticking his bum in the air. Tilly laughed. "No, no, definitely not."
Dougie laughed. "You lie," he said, feeling the back of his jeans. "It definitely feels bigger." He picked up a bright pink tutu. "Oh my god! This is AWESOME!" he said, immediately climbing into it. Tilly snorted with laughter. "You're missing something," she said, digging through the box. She pulled out a wand with a star and feathers and handed it to him, bending down to dig some more. "Here it is!" she cried, pulling out a tiara. Dougie gasped. "It's... it's perfect. It... Completes me..." he said, pretending to get teary, flapping his hands in front of his face like a beauty queen. He bent his head for Tilly to place it there. "Amazing," she said, laughing. "What am I going to wear though?" she asked, turning back. Dougie turned to the box, digging through it himself. "What about this?" he asked, holding up a dirty white singlet. "You could shove a pillow underneath and we could draw on a beard and moustache and use that other tutu and scarf and... I don't know – it's just an idea."
Tilly laughed. "It's PERFECT!" she cried, grabbing it and tucking it under her arm. "You're going to have to get out of that costume – we need to keep it a surprise." Dougie obeyed, laughing as Tilly helped him out of his tutu. He turned to the box once more. "Hey, I could use this too," he said as he picked up a tiny pink singlet, laughing. Tilly clapped. "Hell yes! That would go well." They both laughed.
"What are our weapons?" Tilly asked, pulling props out. There were light sabres, ninja swords, a bostaff, and all other manners of weapons. Dougie laughed. "Well that's obvious, Tilly. We're going to use wands!" he said, pulling out another wand like his. Tilly clapped, grinning madly, excited now.
"What are we going to call this team?" she asked him. Dougie shrugged, thinking. He turned to her, out of ideas.
"...What about..." she began, stroking her chin once more. Dougie laughed as he watched her. "What about the foojam fairies?" she asked. He stared at her. "...Foojam? What is foojam?"
She shrugged. "No idea, but I love the word. What do you think?"
Dougie said it out loud a few times. "I like it!" he exclaimed, clapping and jumping around. "Hiding spots?" Tilly shrugged; pffting. "Wherever the hell baby," she said dramatically, flopping her hand in the air. "Let's wing this!" They laughed and, putting their hands together in a group symbol, they shouted at the same time, "FOOJAM FAIRES!" Hugging each other in good luck, they ran down the hallway to get Mel and Tom.

***

"What are we going to dress as?" Mel asked Tom, looking at the clothes before them. Tom grimaced. "Shit, I have no idea." He scoured around. "Oh my god! There's a cape!" he said excitedly, pulling out a black cape with a hood. "Soo dressing up as He Who Must Not Be Named, don't you recon?"
Mel laughed and found another cape the exact same. She pulled out two skin coloured swimming caps. 'Wanna wear these underneath?" she said, laughing as she shoved it gently on Tom's head. He placed the hood up and looked in the mirror. "I like this," he said, walking around with a stupid lope. They laughed. "We need something more," Tom said, looking around. Mel thought about it. "I have the BEST idea," she said, running over to Tilly's dressing table and grabbing some eyeliner. "Give me your hand," she ordered, turning to him. He reached it out and Mel's heart fluttered as she took his long delicate fingers in her hand. She grinned as she drew something on his pointing finger before doing the same to hers.
"I don't get it," Tom admitted, looking at her etching on his hand. Mel laughed and pursed her lips, brining her finger to underneath her nose. It was a moustache. Tom laughed harder then Mel had ever heard him. "That is the most awesome thing I have ever seen," he said as he imitated her.
"We can run away making noises now with our moustaches," she explained, laughing.
"What weapon are we choosing?"
Tom thought about it. "Any preference," he asked her. Mel shook her head.
"Are there any wands?" he asked, sifting through the box. Mel knelt down to help.
"FOUND SOME!" she cried seconds later, holding up some magician wands. Tom clapped, high fiving her again. "This is awesome. Well, if we're ready, let's go get Jo and Harry." They raced off together to pound on Jo's bedroom door as Dougie had done to them.

***

"Alright," Harry said, rubbing his hands together business like. "Let's do this. Tactics – we're going to win this game," he said.
Jo laughed. "Someone's competitive," she observed. "Like me – this should go well. Well... hiding spots: -they need to be good, accessible... not always obvious and we should be able to make a quick getaway."
Harry nodded, taking it all in. "Good tactics... any particular spots you can think of?"
Jo thought for a moment. "Sometimes just being out in the open is good –like, next to a wall or something. We really mean it when we say it's in the dark – you can't see anything in front of you. This game really relies on feel, touch, sound and guess."
"Any other hints?"
"Stab them before they stab you. Run away... tackle. Yep, that's about it." Harry laughed, holding up his hand for a high five. "We're going to rock this baby – fuck, it sounds heaps fun."
Jo laughed, squealing a bit. "Fuck this is going to be awesome – it's a fun game, and frigging rough. You'll get hurt, but I'm sure you can take it," she said, pretending to punch him. He pretended to cry.
"Or not," Jo laughed, pushing him. "What's this team gonna be called?"
Harry thought about it. "We should incorporate our names into it," he said. Jo laughed.
"I know this might seem really stupid to you, but what about Team Potter? You're names Harry, which is an obvious connection, and my names Joanne – JK Rowling. It's only an idea."
Harry stared at her before laughing hard. "My mum's last name is Potter," he told her, grinning. "And I have a lightning shaped scar," he informed her, moving his hair aside. Jo grinned.
"Aha, and I have sort of red hair – Ginny Weasely and Harry ended up getting together – we're a team. This works!" She high fived him again. "Fuck it, give me a hug! This is going to be awesome!"
Harry laughed, crushing her to his chest. "Does this mean we're married?" he asked.
Jo laughed. "It's either that, or I can be your best mate and pretend to be Ron." Harry thought about it.
"Nah, I don't think I'd kiss Ron," he mused before widening his eyes as he realised what he said. There was an awkward silence before Jo pissed herself. They were interrupted by Mel and Tom pounding on the door, shouting together in unison. "FIVE MINUTES!"
"Saved by the knock," Harry muttered. They looked at each other, grinning, before Jo grabbed his hand and ran out the door.

***
"Team name?" Danny asked immediately after Leise shut the door to her room. Elise looked at him, grinning and bopping –she was excited. "Um, shit, I don't know. You got any ideas?" Danny thought about it. "What about... ah, shit, I don't know – we'll come back to it. Tactics?"
"Hide, run, attack. When we're in; observe, listen; learn. This game is hard, so we gotta look for patterns and try to hear where they are... and Mel's a sucker for repetition in this game – she'll hide in similar spaces and –"
"Observe, listen, learn. Law number six of Dinotopia," Danny laughed. Elise stared at him for so long he got embarrassed.
"I could... I feel like buying you one hundred presents right now. Other then Jo, you are the only other person I know who knows the laws of Dinotopia off by heart – no one else has ever seen it. Gah!" she ran at him and tackled him in a hug. "You are soo cool!" She said as she drew away. Danny laughed.
"What are the weaknesses of each team do you recon?" Danny asked. Leise thought about it.

"There's not too much – Tilly usually makes hilarious noises and you can find her or attack her because of that... Mel finds creative hiding spots and... Jo always fights back or attacks first for the hell of it. Hah, me and her did fencing together one summer in year ten so our sword fights are immense. It's hilarious. What about the boys?"
"Dougie ends up giggling and making funny noises too – Tilly and him make a perfect team. Tom, he would be the sort of person to find really good hiding spots and then stay there... and Harry would take the element of surprise. Wow," he said as an afterthought. "We're all sort of perfect for each other, aren't we?"
Leise grinned, her stomach jumping around in excitement. "I'd say," she said slyly. Danny blushed. "What is the plan for our ninja skills?" Leise asked, changing the subject. Danny grinned. "Hide? Attack when needed. When in doubt, run away." Leise laughed, high fiving him. "This is a plan!" Their group discussion was interrupted by a pounding on the door; Jo yelling out, "Hurry up you fat fucks!" and feet thudding on the floor as Harry and Jo ran away. Leisey and Danny looked at each other, grinning before running across the hallway.

***
"What are we going to wear?" Jo asked, sitting down and looking through the clothes in the box and on the floor. Harry sat down next to her, searching as well. "Well, we're wizards," he said, before quickly correcting himself. "And witches," he added, laughing. He picked up two beards; similar to the one Tilly wore at Halloween. "Wanna make like Dumbledore?" he asked. Jo stared at him in excitement, grabbing one and putting it on. Harry put on his and they looked at each other before beginning to laugh. "We need some pointy hats or some foshizz," Jo said. She pulled out two Santa hats, shoving one on Harry's head. "Good enough," she said, laughing as he put one on her.
"What about for our robes?" he asked, looking deeper into the box. He pulled out a fake tan brown fur coat and grinned. "Is there another one?" he asked. Jo sat up a bit, looking around.
"Found one," she said finally, grinning at him as she pulled out a black one.
He laughed. "Yes, no?"
"Definitely," she replied, nodding furiously. She stood up, offering her hand. He took it and she heaved, pulling him up. "What about weapon choice?" she asked. Harry looked around, deep into the box. "Ah..." he said after a moment's pause, "I think I found the perfect thing – correct me if I'm wrong." He resurfaced to hold up two plastic chickens for Jo. He squeezed them, making them emit a high pitched "eeh!" Jo looked at them elatedly, clapping her hands excitedly. "You're right! They're fucking perfect!"
Harry laughed. "See, when they attack us, we can have a better reach," he explained. "If we're being attacked, all we have to do is this:" He shrieked, his voice rising two octaves higher as he threw the chicken at her. It hit her gently in the face, where she was doubled over laughing. "That is the funniest idea I have ever, ever heard," she told him, grabbing the chicken and throwing it back. "Are we ready Mr Potter?" she asked. He stood up, grabbing the costumes. "Indeed, Mrs Potter," he said. He waved the chicken in the air in her direction. "Accio Jo!" he shouted. Jo pretended to glide over there where he wrapped his arm around her waist, turning her to the hallway. Raising his arm, he waved the chicken at the door way. "MUSH!" he cried, and, laughing their heads off, they ran down the hall way.

"Quick Danny, we gotta be quick, I really wanna play this game," Elise urged, pulling him to the box. "What's the costume going to be?"
Danny crouched over the box, looking through it, around it. He pulled out a huge blue dress. "I like this," he told her, holding it up against himself. Elise looked at it and laughed. "That looks good on you," she told him, picking up a dinner jacket for herself. Danny grabbed elbow length white gloves from the box and handed Elise a tie. "We could go as crims," Danny told her. "Like, the curly crims or something... because we're about to cause everyone some GREVIOUS BODY HARM!" he yelled, punching the air.
Elise snorted. "I like that – like a modern day, cross dressing version of Bonnie and Clyde..." Danny laughed. He picked out a feathery scarf, much like Dougie's, and handed Elise a blue wig. "You could wear that," he suggested. "Would match my dreth," he added, putting on a lisp and talking girlishly. Leise laughed. "Alright... We're the Curly Crims, on account of our hair. Our reason for being criminals are because we're about to kick everyone's ass... we can do this. What weapon?"
Danny looked into the box before gasping. "Light Sabres?" he said hopefully. Elise grinned, high fiving him. "I was hoping you'd say that," she told him. Finished, they went into separate rooms to get changed.

"IT'S TIMMMEEEE EVERYBODY!" Mel screamed out. As one, every single door opened, and the Team's stepped out together. Everyone dissolved into laughter upon seeing the other costumes.
"Introduce your selves," Mel instructed. Tilly stepped forward, followed by Dougie who flapped his hands like wings and tiptoed to her side. They all laughed and admired their costumes. Dougie was in a green tutu, having swapped Tilly with a pink one. He had a fluro green feather scarf around his neck, and he had taken his shirt off and replaced it with the tiny pink singlet top that rode the majority of the way up his stomach. He fluttered around a bit more. Tilly had scribbled a moustache and beard on her face, and her dirty white singlet had been shoved with pillows. Her pink tutu matched her fluro pink scarf that adorned her neck too. She wore denim shorts. "Team Foojam Fairies," she reported to them. Dougie lifted his star wand and pointed it at Harry, who stood opposite to him. "Wishka, wishka, wishka!" he shrieked. Everyone laughed. Danny and Elise stepped forward next.
"Team Curly Crims," Elise told them all. Dressed as a man, having swapped her dress for jeans, she looked spiffy.
"... Curly Crims?" Mel asked incredulously.
Danny nodded. "On account of we're about to commit some serious bodily harm," he recited, karate chopping the air. They all laughed, admiring his night-blue evening gown and gloves.
"Gee Danny... it's sad. You make a better woman than you do a man," Tom told him.
Everyone laughed.
"They're perfect for each other," Mel added. "Elise makes a better man than woman!"
"She's definitely got the beer gut for it," Jo said. Elise stuck her finger up at her.
"At least I don't have the face, JoMANN," she retorted. Jo snorted.

Mel and Tom introduced themselves. "Team Voldemort," Mel told them proudly. Tom shook his head and tsked in disgust. "She means Team He Who Must Not Be Named," he corrected her. Everyone admired their capes, moustache and improvised tattoo on their arms. The swimming caps added to the affect, making everyone laugh at their apparent baldness.
Mel took her wand out and pointed it at Elise. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Elise pretended to scream and wither on the floor.
"You were just killed by the mighty powers of Lord Voldemort," Tom told her.
Elise put her hands to her ears. "Oh, the name! The name! The name of He Who Must Not Be Named!"
Jo spoke, interrupting Elise's hysteria as she stood forward in her fur coat, beard and Santa hat. "Team Potter," she said, looking directly at Mel.

Mel gasped. "How can it be!?"
"My mother died to save my life. I have one thing you will never have, Tom... I have LOVE!" Harry shouted. Mel and Jo high-fived, laughing.
"This means war," Tom said to Harry.
"People will die tonight," Danny added, showing his hairy leg to the top of his thigh through the slit in his dress as he pretended to pull out a gun by clasping his hand.
"It is a sacrifice I am willing to make," Tilly told them, holding her wand up.
They stared at each other. "Rock off," Elise ordered. She stepped forward as Tilly did, and Jo pushed Harry forward. Tom glared at him jokingly and stepped forward too.
"Scissors, Paper, Rock!" They called. Tom and Elise and Tom were all rocks. Harry got paper.
"AHA! Harry and Jo are in first!" Elise cheered.
"Let's turn the lights off then!"
"Whoever's in has to stand in the foyer!"
"Lights off!"
The lights turned off.
"Lumos," said Mel in the dark. Jo and Elise started laughing.
"Nothing happened," Elise said as Jo giggled, thinking the exact same thing. Tom stuck up for his team member
"Yes it did. You just can't see, muggle."
Elise stopped laughing immediately, which intensified everyone else's.
"Too far Tom... too far," she said before laughing again. Jo interrupted them again.
"Alright... Team Potter will go to the foyer, and once there, we'll count to thirty. Then we're coming for you." Grabbing Harry's arm, they felt their way down the hall way to the front of the house.
"One! Two! Three! Four! Ha! Ha! Ha! Five! Six! SEVEN! Ha! Ha! EIGHT! Ha!"
Harry started laughing. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"You never watched Sesame Street when you were little?" Jo asked. Harry was silent, and she translated that he was giving her a blank look in the dark.
"I don't know –it wasn't big in England –you had the Muppets. But there was this character called Count Dracula and that's how he counted... he was awesome – Fourteen! Fifteen!"
Harry laughed, counting with her. At twenty five, they began moving towards the lounge room door. Jo grabbed Harry's hand. "And so it begins..." she whispered. "Chickens ready?"
"Check," Harry confirmed. He squeezed her hand. "Are you scared?" he asked her softly. Jo scoffed "No. You?"
"Good. I'm not either."
Jo snorted. "Sure you're not."
They fell silent as they walked through the lounge room. The game was all about surprise and senses – the more unexpected your appearance was, the funnier the find. They moved around the room, feeling. Communicating through hushed whispers and touching, they decided to move on – Harry directing Jo by grabbing her head in his hands and moving it to the direction he thought they should go. Taking her hand again, they moved towards Mel's room.

***

Danny and Elise were squashed together in a wardrobe. They struggled not to laugh; the space being only suitable for one person, were a person to find themselves in a scenario where they needed to strangely be in a wardrobe such as the present moment. Danny had his arm around Elise's waist and she was pressed tightly against his chest, one hand around his neck.
"Well isn't this cosy," he said conversationally. Elise started shaking with laughter.
"What have you got planned for this week?" Danny asked quietly. Elise thought about it.
"Nothing actually. I think it's going to be a very boring week. What about you? Anything exciting planned?"
Danny was silent. "I'm not exactly sure – I was... I was hoping something would come up..."
"Like what?" Elise asked. Danny shrugged. They stayed in silence for a while, trying to listen. Hearing nothing, Danny started again, tightening his grip around her waist.
"Actually Elise... are you busy Wednesday?" he asked suddenly. Elise shook her head before realising he wouldn't be able to see it. "No," she said out loud, her heart beating just a little bit faster.
"Elise," Danny said. "Will you go out with me on Wednesday? I'd like to take you somewhere."
Elise was silent, ordering herself not to scream out loud.
"Elise?" he asked, embarrassed now.
"Yes Danny... I would love to go out with you on Wednesday."
He hugged her.

Team Potter stood quietly in Mel's room near her bed, having searched everywhere. Jo grabbed Harry's hand, turning to him as she stood on her toes to put her lips near his ear.
"They're in the wardrobe," she whispered very quietly. She felt Harry squeeze her hand in response and together, they moved to the door. Taking their chickens gently from their pockets they readied themselves. Harry tapped on Jo's back – one, two... THREE! They wrenched open the doors and attacked Elise and Danny, hammering them in the dark with their chickens, a ruckus of 'eehs!' sounding.
"We got you! We got you!" Harry yelled out excitedly.
"What the fuck's making that noise!?" Danny asked, trying to pull his light sabre out. It was stuck.
"You're in!" Jo yelled, grabbing Harry and running, leaving the other two to try and get out.

"My room?" Jo asked Harry as they ran through the dark. Harry agreed and together they ran towards her bedroom. Opening the door, they paused behind it and shut it gently. "Where do you wanna hide?" Harry whispered. Jo looked about, trying not to laugh as she realised it was useless. "What about if we stand on the bed against the wall?" Squeezing her hand in agreement, Jo took him towards the bed. She stifled a scream as something touched her foot.
"What the fuck was that?" she asked. A groan was all she got in reply.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"Foojam Fairies," Tilly replied from under the bed.
"What's wrong with Dougie?"
"Someone stepped on my hand," Dougie groaned, trying to hold it back.
"—Oh shit... is that what I trod on? Sorry Dougie," Harry said. They started laughing.
"Who's in?"
"The Crims. We better hide Harry – they could be coming."
Together, they jumped onto the bed and stood at the head of it, pressed up against the wall. The four of them fell silent and waited.

***

"I like this game," Tom said quietly to Mel as they crouched under the dining table. Mel laughed. "So do I... we used to play this at every birthday when we first made it up... and us four do it some nights." Lighting flashed through the window – it was starting to rain again. "What are we going to do if Jo and Harry find us?" he asked. Mel was silent.
"I don't know –maybe run? What do you think?" Tom nodded next to her.
"Mel..." he said suddenly. She turned to him and saw him dimly as lightning flashed again. He was looking at her.
"You know how I asked you last week if you wanted to go out sometime?"
Mel grinned in the dark, her stomach turning with butterflies. "Yeah," she replied.
"Are you free this Wednesday?"
Mel thought about it – she could get time off if she needed. "Yes, I am."
"Would you like to go out then?" Tom asked. Mel grinned.
"For sure... where are you taking me?"
She could tell Tom was smiling. "Not going to tell you – it's a surprise."
Mel grinned. It faltered when she heard footsteps in the hallway. She grabbed Tom's hand.
"Just in case we have to run," she told him, her heart again fluttering as she felt her hand in his. Tom squeezed it.

"Come on Danny," Elise said, finally having climbed out of the wardrobe. Danny jumped out beside her and something loud echoed throughout the room.
"Did something just rip?" Elise asked, mystified.
"I think I just ripped Tilly's dress," he replied guiltily. Elise started laughing.
"Come on," she said again, walking forwards. Danny grabbed her hand.
"Just so I don't lose you," he told her. Elise grinned to herself in the dark.
"Let's go to the kitchen first ay?" she said. Danny murmured in reply and together they wound their way out of Mel's room to the dining room. Feeling around, they made their way to the middle of the kitchen, shuffling around, feeling the corners with their hands and feet. Agreeing silently that nothing was there, they moved towards the dining table. Danny stopped Elise, hearing something. He leant down and whispered close to her ear. "I think there's someone under the table." Elise nodded, drawing her light sabre. Danny copied her. Bending down, they walked quietly towards the table. Then, all of a sudden, they pounced, jabbing the ends of the toys under the chairs.
"Ow!" Screamed Mel, trying to back out. Tom began laughing, trying to follow Mel.
"I got you! I got you!" Elise shouted. "Run Danny! They're in!" And together they ran into Jo's room.

Jo, Harry, Dougie and Tilly listened as Jo's bedroom door opened and closed. They heard stumbling and whispering and footsteps draw closer to the bed. "Boo," Jo said quietly. Elise screamed. It was cut off as Danny placed his hand over her mouth, shaking with laughter.
"It's just Jo and Harry," he said soothing her. Dougie grabbed his leg.
"ARGH!" he yelled. Everyone laughed, biting their lips to keep it in.
"It's just some random person under Joanne's bed, Danny," Elise retorted. They all sniggered.
"Let's go hide by the wall near the door," Danny said, tugging on Elise's hand. They shuffled over and pressed themselves against the wall, falling silent. They could all hear footsteps.

***

"I just head Elise scream," Mel said to Tom, tightening her grip on his hand.
"That mean's either Danny scared her, or someone else scared her," Tom added.
"And I think the scream came from Joanne's room," Mel concluded. They walked slowly out of the dining room and shuffled down the hall until Mel's hand fell on Jo's door. She waited for Tom to be right behind her before opening it quietly.

Elise and Danny stayed ultra silent, pressing themselves instinctively harder against the wall, Elise's hand clamped hard over her mouth to stop her from laughing, Danny's hand held tight in her other.
Harry and Jo stood still on the bed, holding hands, not moving a muscle together. Dougie and Tilly lay unmoving on the floor. They all listened as Mel and Tom moved quietly throughout the room, moving their way around the outside of the room, moving towards the huge doors. Jo and Harry drew their weapons at the same time as Danny and Elise. Dougie and Tilly already had their wands ready.
Finding nothing, Mel and Tom moved back towards the door, curving in towards the bed. Dougie struggled not to laugh, knowing that in any second he would need to sneeze – he had allergies to everything. Joanne, preparing for the attack, squeezed her chicken accidently. Softly, an 'eeh' sounded through the room. Tom and Mel froze.
"Come out, Potter. I am going to kill you," Tom said menacingly, moving with Mel closer to the bed. Jo felt the bed sink in where Tom had his hands, feeling if anyone lay on the bed. She went for it, sending everyone into action.
"NEVER!" she screamed, jumping and tackling Tom where she knew he was. He yelled out and fell on the bed where he was caught in a headlock by Jo.
"Eeh! Eeh! Eeh! Eeh!" was heard over and over again as Jo hit him repeatedly on the head with the chicken. At the same time that Elise snorted with laughter, Dougie sneezed. Tilly, who had been feeling with her hand the carpet in front of her, finally grabbed Mel's foot. Mel screamed, jumping back and running into Danny who had been creeping forward with his light sabre ready. Harry went for anyone, shrieking his two octaves higher shriek as he chucked his chicken at no place in particular. It made a high 'Eeh' sound as it hit Elise square in the face.
"I'm really sick of that chicken," she said, running in the direction the chicken had come from.
"No Potter! No! I'm sorry! Enough with the chicken!" Tom cried, still struggling from his headlock. Jo laughed evilly. "He Who Must Not Be Named is the chicken!" she cried, jumping up and letting him go. Tom jumped up straight away and followed where he thought she went. Reaching out, he found the end of her coat and crash tackled her to the ground. Danny rounded on Mel.
"SECTEMSEMPRA!" Mel cried, flinging her wand in all directions. Danny hit her again and again with his sabre, singing the Imperial March theme: "Doo, doo, doo, doo do doo, do doo doo". Mel jabbed him in the gut and he let out oomph. "Expelliarmus!" she yelled as she did it.
Tom was heard shouting on the ground. "Expelliarmus! Arvada Kedavra! Imperio! Pantilonious

Poopicallous!" In between each spell, the chicken was heard as it connected with any bit of Tom it could reach. "Get off me Tom Riddle!" Jo was crying. "I'll call Harry – he'll defeat you AGAIN! Get off! NO!"
"Schoom, schoom, schoom, schoooooooooom," Elise was saying, making her own sound affects for her sabre as she fought Tilly. Tilly was heard shouting out different utterances; "ABARA KADABARA! ALA KAZAM! WOHLA!"
Harry was shouting. "Jo! I need my chicken! I need my chicken! I'm under attack! MAY DAY! MAY DAY!-"

"I can't find your chicken! Where is your chicken!"
"WISHKA! WISHKA! WISHKA!" Dougie yelled, bashing Harry with the star on his wand.
"DOUGIE'S KILLING ME!"
"Schoom, schoom, schoom, schooo—"
"Eeh! Eeh! Eeh! Eeh!"
"Wishka! Wishka!"
"OPEN SEASEME!"
"My CHICKEN, Jo!"
"No, Tom Riddle, NO! – I'm TRYING TO FIND IT Harry! Riddle has me in a kungfu gri-"
"You're going to die, Ginny Weasely..."

"Doo, doo, doo, doo, do doo, do doo dooo,"
"My beard! Harry! My beard! It's lost!"
"Lord Voldeemort wins again!"
"Doo, doo, doo, do doo do, do doo do!"
"Schoom, Schoom!"
Jo threw off Tom, rolling and getting up. She stepped on Harry's chicken.
"I got your chicken! I got your chicken! RETREAT! RETREAT!" She ran to the door way, banging on the wall to let Harry know where she was. Harry, dodging Dougie's wand, ran to the door. They slipped out together and ran to the bathroom where they quickly climbed into the bath.
Danny and Elise, drawn together by their Star Wars related theme songs, grabbed hands and followed suit, running out the door and through the hall way to the lounge room. It left Team He Who Must Not Be Named and the Foojam Fairies in combat. Mel and Tom attacked, hitting the other two again and again and again until they grabbed each other and ran out of the room, finding their way to Elise's. The only couple to have not yet been in, Tilly and Dougie stated their search. They shuffled their way to the closest room. Opening the door to Elise's office, they instinctively grabbed hands. For now, it had become such a natural thing for everybody.
Taking five minutes to search, they found no one. They moved into the next room – the bathroom.
"Let's check the shower," Tilly suggested, tugging on Dougie and moving towards the shower. They felt around and met nothing. Harry laughed through his nose.
"Someone's in here," Dougie whispered, holding Tilly's hand tighter.
"I think they're near the door," Tilly replied, squeezing his hand back. They walked slowly over towards the door, feeling the walls with their hands. "Check nearer the bath," Tilly said, guiding him over there. Jo and Harry shrank back away from their touch until they could avoid it no longer.
"RARGH!" They screamed at the same time.
Tilly jumped slightly in the dark and Dougie screamed, jumping back and clutching Tilly in fear. Jo and Harry made a run for it, cackling madly at Dougie's chickenness, high tailing it out of the bathroom.

The game lasted for hours until finally, at one thirty, another epic battle raged out in the lounge room. Unable to decide a winner, they all moved the ottermen to join with the couch, making it big enough for everyone to lie on.
"Fuck that was fun," Elise commented sleepily. They all agreed.
"Dougie screams like a girl," Harry added, making Tilly and Jo laugh at the memory of Dougie in the bathroom.
"I'm sore though – you guys were right. That was a dangerous game," Danny added.
"Worth it, but," Jo concluded, rubbing her eyes. She sunk down in the couch.
"Is anyone else really tired?" Tom asked. Everyone mumbled back, physically exhausted from the three and a half hour game they had played.
"We should go home," Dougie added, lying on his stomach and closing his eyes.
No one answered him – they were all asleep.