What is a Game?

Chapter 14 - Never Again

AN: As a warning, this chapter will seem really, quite odd. Out of left field and confusing. This does not come into play for a long - long time. As in not until after Hogwarts, probably. I'm not fully decided, but this isn't just me having a fit, it's actually for a later plot point, and it's to serve to explain how Dungeons work in my system, more fully. (Though it will take some guesswork on your end, it's as close as I can get to saying it without directly saying exactly the mechanics)

Anyways - have a good read, folks!

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It was now Samhain, and I was sending the first letter to Harry, after having made sure it was absolutely perfect. The delay was to make it seem less likely it was me.

It could be anyone! Everyone and their mother knew where Harry was, now. And how to reach him. Though he hadn't gotten any Owls save his own, and a Hogwarts owl, which led me to think he had a redirect ward, except for critical mail - IE School or Governmental notices. It made sense, considering he's a child celebrity. What didn't make sense is who had it set up? His guardians weren't taking care of him, and his magical guardian, who managed the ward presumably, should know that.

So who was it? Well, no one knows.

I digress.

Also, the delay gave me a decent enough reason for not being at the feast when it starts - I had to send a letter to my mother - also true. I would, after this, be going looking for a special Autumnal Dungeon! I'd check the lower-floors on the Gryffindor side of the Castle, which was also the first tower to be raised in the school.

Quickly, I got my post tied off on the owls, and sent. The Hogwarts owl with Harry's letter would likely hold the letter till breakfast tomorrow morning. The Feast would be three hours - and then two more before curfew. I had an hour before it started, so best to be hunting!

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I had decided that it would be best if I started in the dungeons beneath Gryffindor Tower and slowly, slowly wound my way up the tower, in the direction of the Great Hall. I was one floor below ground level when I found a Dungeon, which hadn't been there a week or so ago when I last cased this hall.

The Lost Room.

Level 15+

This room was lost for a reason. The Dark Rituals done here bring in the spirits of the dead. Tonight, they're extra potent.

An Undead themed Dungeon? Sure. I quickly opened the door to enter the dungeon.

Entering the dungeon was odd in a way I've rarely seen. The world warped and stretched then settled around me, and I found the Castle, much the same as it had been, but now it was in an obvious state of disrepair. As focused back in on myself, I realized I could hear the sound of dragging feet behind me.

I whirled around and cast the piercing hex, at eye level for myself. I hit the Zombie who was three paces from me in the neck, and it toppled over, dead. It was a generic, Garden Variety Zombie, nothing special from what I knew them to be in my last life. The door behind me, which I used to enter the dungeon, was billowing dark smoke. I tried it, and it was firmly sealed.

Some horrid ritual had been conducted -or was in the process of being conducted.. I'm sure.

I skitter away from the scene, and zip around a corner, finding more generic-brand undead. Three Pulso later and they die, so I keep going. There is probably a way into the room which I've not yet found. It's clearly the 'destination', to me anyways. As a result, I'm going to assume there will be other people, or a tool which lets me get into that sealed door.