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Chapter 5: The Board Game
Athena shook the dice in her hand and threw it. "Yeah! 6 steps forward!" She sat there and watched as the wooden model of her walked 6 steps from the starting point. The model turned and stuck her tongue out at Snape. Snape frowned and grabbed the dice. He tossed it and it showed 5. The wooden model of Snape walked 5 steps and stopped.
Athena took the dice and tossed it. "Uh oh." She said, staring at the dice, which showed 3. The mini Athena frowned at her and walked 3 steps. She stopped at exactly at the square that said: "Say the most embarrassing thing you have done clearly."
Snape looked at the square and then at Athena. "You don't have to say it." He said.
"But I have to, the board have a spell that force the players to do what the board shows." Athena said helplessly. "The most embarrassing thing I have done is....happened in Diagon Alley. I wandered off from Mummy and got lost in Diagon Alley when I saw a woman who had her back turned and she was wearing a green cloak like Mummy, I mistook her as Mummy and..." Athena had her head low. "...Hug her from behind. Then the woman turned around and I got a shock. Then Mummy called for me from the ice-cream shop...." Athena trailed off and Snape was laughing as loudly as he could. "It wasn't my fault!" She protested.
Snape started to cough and cleared his throat. "My turn."
"Hope you land on that square." Athena mumbled but Snape didn't. He got a 6 and the mini Snape got past the square safely. Athena took the dice and tossed it. She got a 3 and mini Athena walked 3 steps. Snape studied the board carefully. If he got a 4, mini Snape might end up on the square that said: "Sing a song" And his singing was rather terrible. At least James Potter and Sirius Black said so. Last time he sang was 20 years ago and at that time, his Housemaster forced him to because the four houses needed to send representatives to sing for Christmas (One of Dumbledore's weird ideas). He continued to stare at the board until Athena said: "Hurry up, Uncle Severus."
"Uh, what?" Snape blinked. "Oh yeah." He took the dice and tossed it, pleading silently that he would get at least a 5 as he watched the dice spun. The dice stopped and Snape stared in horror. He put his face in his hands as mini Snape walked 4 steps and stopped on the singing square. Snape removed his hands and rolled his eyes as Athena looked at him eagerly. He stood up, sighed and opened his mouth to sing the school song:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot
"There." Snape said shortly and sat down. He stared at Athena, who stared back with her mouth opened. "What?" He asked irritably.
"Your singing is pretty good."
Snape snorted. "Yeah right."
"It's true, I am not lying." Athena insisted.
Snape passed the dice to Athena. "Your turn." He said, pretending not to hear her.
Athena pouted and snatched the dice. She tossed it and got a 6. Mini Athena walked 6 steps and Snape tossed the dice and got a 2. He rolled his eyes as Athena tossed the dice and got a 5. "With a rate like this, I doubt that I can win the game." He grumbled.
Mini Athena walked 5 steps and landed on the square: "Do a cheer."
Snape grinned as he watched Athena got up from the chair and started to cheer:
Give me an L!
Give me an I!
Give me an O!
Give me an N!
What's that spell?
Lion!
What does it represent?
GRYFFINDOR!
Can't hear you!
GRYFFINDOR!
One more time!
GRYFFINDOR!
Snape curled his lip in disgust. "Who taught you that?"
"Mummy."
Snape raised his eyebrows and didn't ask any further. He took the dice and threw it. He gulped when he got a 6. The mini Snape moved 6 steps and landed on the cheering square. Athena watched in amusement as Snape stood up and yelled:
Which house has green and sliver as its colours?
Slytherin!
Which house has a snake as its animal?
Slytherin!
Which house think that it is much better than Gryffindor?
Slytherin!
Which house is the best among the four houses?
Slytherin!
Go~~~ Slytherin!
"Ooooo." Athena said in awe and Snape sat down. Snape grinned with a mixture of embarrassment and pride. Athena took the dice and tossed it.
***
The game went on and when it was coming to an end, mini Snape stopped on a square that said: "Say a speech on anything."
Snape cleared his throat and started to speak: "There won't be any foolish wand-waving, or silly incantation in this class."
Athena looked confused.
"As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and the exact art of potion-making...."
Now Athena had a slight idea what was Snape talking about.
"...I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare your senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."
Now Athena had an expression that Tom Felton made in the movie after Alan Rickman made that speech.
Snape sat down and gave the dice to Athena. "Your turn."
Athena tossed the dice and got a 3. "Oh no, just one more step and I will win." She groaned as she watched mini Athena walked 3 steps and stopped on in front of the finish point. Snape took and tossed the dice. "6 steps." And he watched in glee as mini Snape walked 6 steps and stopped on the finish point. Before he knew what he was doing, Snape punched his fist in the air, yelling: "I win! Hahahaha!"
Athena moaned in disappointment as she watched the board went blank and flashed the words: "Congratulations! Mr. Severus Snape, you're the winner! Come back and play again next time!"
Snape looked at the clock, which showed 9 pm. He actually spent 3 hours playing a magical board game?! "Well, Athena I think it is time for you to go to bed." Snape said tiredly.
"It's not 11pm yet and I want to play this." Athena protested, taking out a Muggle soccer ball from the cupboard that Snape confiscated from Dean Thomas.
"Hey, your parents let you to sleep at 11pm doesn't mean that I will let you to sleep at 11pm too." Snape snapped, his old nasty attitude was back. "And besides, it is too dark outside. We will play tomorrow if your Mummy and Daddy are not back yet."
"I will wake up early tomorrow to play." Athena said.
Snape waved his wand and green night-robes appeared in Athena's arms. "Get dress and I will show your bedroom."
"I prefer red." Athena pouted.
Snape glared and Athena ran off to the bathroom.
***
"Here, you will sleep here tonight." Snape said, showing Athena his bed.
"Where will you be sleeping?" Athena asked in concern.
"Err...none of your business." Snape said finally. He had not decided where to sleep for the night. "Now get in." He ordered.
Athena climbed on his bed.
"I am blowing off the candle now." Snape said walking towards the candle stand.
"Wait! Mummy used to tell me stories before I sleep." Athena cried from the bed.
"So?" Snape said and folded his arms.
"You know what I am going to say." Athena said and looked at Snape expectedly.
Snape sighed in frustration and went out to his desk. He opened his drawer, rummaged around and took out a Muggle book that he confiscated from Lavender Brown. The book seems complicated and he bet that Athena would be asleep before he even finished the first chapter. He came back and sat down on a chair beside the bed. "Listen, I am just going to read it once."
Athena nodded.
Snape opened the book and started to read "The Curse of the Ruby Necklace" by Francine Pascal. "Jessica, look out behind you!" Elizabeth Wakefield shouted..."
***
Two hours later, Snape read: "...they probably have a lot to talk about. The end." He frowned. "Why the hell are you not asleep yet?" He demanded.
"The story is over?" Athena asked.
"Yes, and I am probably going to have sore throat tomorrow, no thanks to you." Snape snapped.
Athena giggled.
"Ha ha, very funny, now go to sleep." Snape said and Athena drew the blanket up to her chin. "Good night, Uncle Severus." She said sweetly.
Snape grunted in response. He went to blow the candles and he heard Athena saying: "I like you, Uncle Severus, you are pretty nice."
Snape went pink and rushed out, closing the door.
***
Snape sat down at his desk to mark his essays again. He paused, and then he smiled softly at the direction of his bedroom. He caught himself immediately and slapped himself. "What the hell am I doing?" He mumbled and turned back to mark Vincent Crabbe's essay.
Thank you for all your reviews!
Chapter 5: The Board Game
Athena shook the dice in her hand and threw it. "Yeah! 6 steps forward!" She sat there and watched as the wooden model of her walked 6 steps from the starting point. The model turned and stuck her tongue out at Snape. Snape frowned and grabbed the dice. He tossed it and it showed 5. The wooden model of Snape walked 5 steps and stopped.
Athena took the dice and tossed it. "Uh oh." She said, staring at the dice, which showed 3. The mini Athena frowned at her and walked 3 steps. She stopped at exactly at the square that said: "Say the most embarrassing thing you have done clearly."
Snape looked at the square and then at Athena. "You don't have to say it." He said.
"But I have to, the board have a spell that force the players to do what the board shows." Athena said helplessly. "The most embarrassing thing I have done is....happened in Diagon Alley. I wandered off from Mummy and got lost in Diagon Alley when I saw a woman who had her back turned and she was wearing a green cloak like Mummy, I mistook her as Mummy and..." Athena had her head low. "...Hug her from behind. Then the woman turned around and I got a shock. Then Mummy called for me from the ice-cream shop...." Athena trailed off and Snape was laughing as loudly as he could. "It wasn't my fault!" She protested.
Snape started to cough and cleared his throat. "My turn."
"Hope you land on that square." Athena mumbled but Snape didn't. He got a 6 and the mini Snape got past the square safely. Athena took the dice and tossed it. She got a 3 and mini Athena walked 3 steps. Snape studied the board carefully. If he got a 4, mini Snape might end up on the square that said: "Sing a song" And his singing was rather terrible. At least James Potter and Sirius Black said so. Last time he sang was 20 years ago and at that time, his Housemaster forced him to because the four houses needed to send representatives to sing for Christmas (One of Dumbledore's weird ideas). He continued to stare at the board until Athena said: "Hurry up, Uncle Severus."
"Uh, what?" Snape blinked. "Oh yeah." He took the dice and tossed it, pleading silently that he would get at least a 5 as he watched the dice spun. The dice stopped and Snape stared in horror. He put his face in his hands as mini Snape walked 4 steps and stopped on the singing square. Snape removed his hands and rolled his eyes as Athena looked at him eagerly. He stood up, sighed and opened his mouth to sing the school song:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot
"There." Snape said shortly and sat down. He stared at Athena, who stared back with her mouth opened. "What?" He asked irritably.
"Your singing is pretty good."
Snape snorted. "Yeah right."
"It's true, I am not lying." Athena insisted.
Snape passed the dice to Athena. "Your turn." He said, pretending not to hear her.
Athena pouted and snatched the dice. She tossed it and got a 6. Mini Athena walked 6 steps and Snape tossed the dice and got a 2. He rolled his eyes as Athena tossed the dice and got a 5. "With a rate like this, I doubt that I can win the game." He grumbled.
Mini Athena walked 5 steps and landed on the square: "Do a cheer."
Snape grinned as he watched Athena got up from the chair and started to cheer:
Give me an L!
Give me an I!
Give me an O!
Give me an N!
What's that spell?
Lion!
What does it represent?
GRYFFINDOR!
Can't hear you!
GRYFFINDOR!
One more time!
GRYFFINDOR!
Snape curled his lip in disgust. "Who taught you that?"
"Mummy."
Snape raised his eyebrows and didn't ask any further. He took the dice and threw it. He gulped when he got a 6. The mini Snape moved 6 steps and landed on the cheering square. Athena watched in amusement as Snape stood up and yelled:
Which house has green and sliver as its colours?
Slytherin!
Which house has a snake as its animal?
Slytherin!
Which house think that it is much better than Gryffindor?
Slytherin!
Which house is the best among the four houses?
Slytherin!
Go~~~ Slytherin!
"Ooooo." Athena said in awe and Snape sat down. Snape grinned with a mixture of embarrassment and pride. Athena took the dice and tossed it.
***
The game went on and when it was coming to an end, mini Snape stopped on a square that said: "Say a speech on anything."
Snape cleared his throat and started to speak: "There won't be any foolish wand-waving, or silly incantation in this class."
Athena looked confused.
"As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and the exact art of potion-making...."
Now Athena had a slight idea what was Snape talking about.
"...I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare your senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."
Now Athena had an expression that Tom Felton made in the movie after Alan Rickman made that speech.
Snape sat down and gave the dice to Athena. "Your turn."
Athena tossed the dice and got a 3. "Oh no, just one more step and I will win." She groaned as she watched mini Athena walked 3 steps and stopped on in front of the finish point. Snape took and tossed the dice. "6 steps." And he watched in glee as mini Snape walked 6 steps and stopped on the finish point. Before he knew what he was doing, Snape punched his fist in the air, yelling: "I win! Hahahaha!"
Athena moaned in disappointment as she watched the board went blank and flashed the words: "Congratulations! Mr. Severus Snape, you're the winner! Come back and play again next time!"
Snape looked at the clock, which showed 9 pm. He actually spent 3 hours playing a magical board game?! "Well, Athena I think it is time for you to go to bed." Snape said tiredly.
"It's not 11pm yet and I want to play this." Athena protested, taking out a Muggle soccer ball from the cupboard that Snape confiscated from Dean Thomas.
"Hey, your parents let you to sleep at 11pm doesn't mean that I will let you to sleep at 11pm too." Snape snapped, his old nasty attitude was back. "And besides, it is too dark outside. We will play tomorrow if your Mummy and Daddy are not back yet."
"I will wake up early tomorrow to play." Athena said.
Snape waved his wand and green night-robes appeared in Athena's arms. "Get dress and I will show your bedroom."
"I prefer red." Athena pouted.
Snape glared and Athena ran off to the bathroom.
***
"Here, you will sleep here tonight." Snape said, showing Athena his bed.
"Where will you be sleeping?" Athena asked in concern.
"Err...none of your business." Snape said finally. He had not decided where to sleep for the night. "Now get in." He ordered.
Athena climbed on his bed.
"I am blowing off the candle now." Snape said walking towards the candle stand.
"Wait! Mummy used to tell me stories before I sleep." Athena cried from the bed.
"So?" Snape said and folded his arms.
"You know what I am going to say." Athena said and looked at Snape expectedly.
Snape sighed in frustration and went out to his desk. He opened his drawer, rummaged around and took out a Muggle book that he confiscated from Lavender Brown. The book seems complicated and he bet that Athena would be asleep before he even finished the first chapter. He came back and sat down on a chair beside the bed. "Listen, I am just going to read it once."
Athena nodded.
Snape opened the book and started to read "The Curse of the Ruby Necklace" by Francine Pascal. "Jessica, look out behind you!" Elizabeth Wakefield shouted..."
***
Two hours later, Snape read: "...they probably have a lot to talk about. The end." He frowned. "Why the hell are you not asleep yet?" He demanded.
"The story is over?" Athena asked.
"Yes, and I am probably going to have sore throat tomorrow, no thanks to you." Snape snapped.
Athena giggled.
"Ha ha, very funny, now go to sleep." Snape said and Athena drew the blanket up to her chin. "Good night, Uncle Severus." She said sweetly.
Snape grunted in response. He went to blow the candles and he heard Athena saying: "I like you, Uncle Severus, you are pretty nice."
Snape went pink and rushed out, closing the door.
***
Snape sat down at his desk to mark his essays again. He paused, and then he smiled softly at the direction of his bedroom. He caught himself immediately and slapped himself. "What the hell am I doing?" He mumbled and turned back to mark Vincent Crabbe's essay.