The Game

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During the long sorting ceremony, I write out notes to all the members of my 'mafia' to tell them about the vaults. I plan to give them hints on how to find them to make a game out of it for the year. I don't write one for Harry, Ron, or Hermione since I'll talk to them in the common room.

As diner ends I stand up and immediately head for the Slytherin table. I am met by a few glares but I ignore them and just walk up to Daphne and Theo.

"What's this?" Theo asks as I hand him the envelope.

I smirk, "Open it when you get in your dorms and don't tell anyone about them."

Daphne and Theo nod as they stare at the letters in their hands. I smile as I turn around searching the crowd for the twins.

I quickly find them as they are at the back of the Gryffindor line. Walking up behind them I smack their shoulders with the envelopes in hand.

"Here take these," They turn around at my words their odd gazes quickly turn to smiles as they recognize me.

"Is this what you were writing during dinner?"

I nod, "Read them in the dorms and keep them secret or I'll turn you into a fish."

Fred grins, "I've always thought of myself as more of a dolphin."

I roll my eyes as I step past them catching up to Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione.

Putting my arms around Ron and Neville I interject into their conversation, "I'll need to talk to you guys in the common room."

They seem confused but I quickly change the conversation so I don't have to explain. When Snape attempted the vaults he was turned away at the second vault because opening it required you to break your wand.

After everyone puts their things away I head downstairs to the common room and wait. Seeing Harry, Neville, and Ron come together I smirk.

Looking around at the first years still lingering in the common room I speak up, "Unless you want your ears ringing I suggest you go up to the dorms."

They all give me odd looks but I meet them with a glare, "Go."

With sighs, they all go up the stairs and Harry grins at me, "The first years aren't scared of you yet."

I shrug, "I would prefer if none of them were scared of me but I don't want them to get hurt with what I'm going to say."

Struggling through the crowd of first years I see Hermione get off the stairs with an annoyed face, "And what is that exactly?"

I smile as I gesture at the couch across from me, "Please, sit. Muffliato."

They nod as they sit across from me with curious gazes. I smirk at their eager gazes.

"This is what I learned from Snape and Dumbledore so it is for sure true. Around the campus are five powerful cursed vaults hidden around the campus. Dumbledore has given me permission to hunt these vaults, they are very dangerous so even I will have to be careful."

"That being said I also got his permission to get help from my friends, so I decided to make a game out of it. There will be a race between everyone and anyone is free to work together. The only stipulation is you have to get me before you search for the vault."

"Once we clear a vault the new clue for the next vault will be given to everyone and the race for the next vault will begin. Each vault has an item and clue, the item can be given or shared among those who found it; but the final treasure will be shared among those who contributed the most over all the vaults, obviously."

I can see Hermione and Neville are skeptical while Ron and Harry look incredibly excited. "You said they are dangerous, how dangerous?" Neville nods along with Hermione's words obviously a bit scared.

I give her a small smile, "Snape took on the first vault by himself in his fifth year. That being said plenty of students have died attempting them. I'll be there though so it won't happen."

Hermione nods a little reassured while Ron and Harry both still seem excited, "Do we get a clue?" Harry asks excitedly.

"You do, would you like to hear it?"

Ron and Harry nod like pecking chickens while Hermione nods more reluctantly, "On the fifth layer of the lion's spire lays a frozen path leading to the rising sun."

Ron and Harry both fall into deep thought but I see Hermione has already figured it out causing me to shrug, "I figured you'd get it right away, when you find it come get me and bring whoever you want to go with."

Hermione nods as Harry puts a hand on her shoulder, "You're going to bring us right?" He asks with Ron giving a toothy smile behind him.

Hermione's brows raise, "I remember on the train this morning you didn't even stop to say hello right?"

Ron holds up his hands, "I'm innocent, Dean dragged me with him."

Neville who is on the opposite side of Hermione speaks up, "I think he means the fifth floor of Gryffindor tower, it has a path to all the wings doesn't it?"

I raise my brows at him as he continues, "But what does 'frozen path' mean?"

Hermione smiles as she stands up having already figured it out, "Well then boys it looks like you have someone to figure it out for you."

Neville holds up his hands this time, "I don't want to, he said people have died in these vaults."

Ron puts his arm around Neville, "Come on, Soren himself will be with us, what could possibly hurt us."

I smirk as Harry gives a wry smile, "If anything you can help us and we will share the prizes with you."

Neville's tension releases a bit as Hermione shakes her head and walks to the stairs, "Good night boys."

I hold up a hand, "Good-Night," all of us echo.

Looking back at the boys I raise my brows, "So, you guys like my game?"

Harry and Ron nod, "It seems like it will be fun," Harry says with a grin.

"Good, have you talked to Lupin yet?"

Harry gives me an odd look, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, so you haven't, odd… Lupin was your father's closest friend outside of my father. He is a good guy, he will be our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the year."

"That's cool Harry, maybe he will be more lenient on your grade," Ron says with a joking smile.

Harry gives me a calm look as he seems to be thinking, "Did you already talk to him?"

I nod, "Yeah," turning to Neville I continue "He also knows your parents very well, they were friends during the war."

Neville's eyes fall at my words as he nods, seeing the gloomy atmosphere I stand up.

"We have class in the morning, might wanna get to sleep." Making my escape I head upstairs to read a book before going to bed.