Miss Slytherin

When in the Snake Pit: Snake Bite of '96

Since the esteemed Slytherin pub was built directly on the course of Salazar's path, Slytherins happen to frequent often. More now during the havoc than anything, so you could imagine the business booming more now than it had since the first time it opened which was during the first Hogsmeade visit of the year. Students under year 5 were not allowed to even be within a 50-meter radius of the pub considering how foul the languages the older students have. McGonagall would have their heads in a gargoyle's mouth if these young ones were to come back to school with '50 ways of saying Fuck' freely in the castle's walls.

But the fact that Salazar's path was within the premise of the Slytherin dungeons, the Snakes held a new tradition for their people in these hard times. Hence the birth of the monthly card games, the brilliant idea suggested by Slytherins who were not old enough to step in the pub themselves, these three snakes sat around the table as if they owned the place.

One smugly holding his cards as if he already won, the other two scowling hard enough to burn a hold on the centre of the table where another stack of cards sat. All around them were older students, on occasions like this, it was the only evening Slytherins could invite people from other houses. Pucey was swimming in galleons during these times that he wouldn't even mind the roughhousing that comes in once in a while.

"Are you ready to lose Kenny-boy?" The one player says holding the least cards on hand says, smirk taunting the players who held more cards. "This is your final round, say goodbye to that glitter pen."

"You shut your damn mouth Macabee!"

"They're playing for a pen?" One Ravenclaw spoke out confused never thought of seeing Slytherin making bets over such items, even they don't know what a glitter pen is.

"Don't underestimate their bets mate," one Hufflepuff warns the Ravenclaw. "The last time I went down the dungeons they were fighting over correction liquid," he says, shivering at the sight he saw during that traumatising day, admitting that it was amusing for snobby purebloods fighting over muggle items.

"But they're just muggle items, I got a graphing paper from Mallory for a sickle—" he was cut off with lemon to the mouth, eyes wide before watering as he sipped in the lemon's juice. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" He cringed at the taste glaring at a Slytherin with watery eyes.

"You're ruining our business!"

"Well, how much are you charging them for one piece of graphing paper then?"

"A galleon for two—"

"You bastards!" The Ravenclaw's eyes widened at the price he had heard for paper with squares. It was a large difference between a sickle for a piece and a galleon for two, it was absurd and unheard of.

"Whistle blow now, you'll be walking out of this place naked," the Slytherin threatened the Ravenclaw causing him to pale and hide behind the Hufflepuff who remained calm while watching the game.

"4 yellow," the boy says holding the least cards in hand.

"4 red."

It was up to the last student who also held a significantly large amount of cards on hand, not even holding an ounce of fear in his eyes, he was now the one looking smug. "Reverse."

"No," Macabee's eyes widened.

"5 of plus 2," Ken grinned.

"Uno!" Both boys turned to the 3rd player on the table, holding one last card in hand, the deck had a red stop card. The shit-eating grin the boy had on his face as his tinted glasses reflected the shock of everyone's faces in the room.

"Not possible!"

"He's winning?!"

The whispers in the building started to buzz louder, anticipating the next move from the next players.

"You're bluffing," one of the boys huffed, placing down a red plus 2.

"I'm not," the one card boy smirked.

"Plus 4," the next boy says, cautious with the colour he was going to suggest next. "Green—," he paused to see the wide smile on the winning boy's face. "No! Blue!"

"Thanks for playing, gents," the boy smiled, placing down another plus 4 on the deck. "These are all mine now," he smiled, gathering all the items on the centre of the table. All the glitter pens in varying colours were picked up, every shimmering tube of ink was no longer in the boys' possession.

"Let's play again next month, yeah?" The boy smiled, waving away carrying the goods as he exited the building.

Silence filled the whole room, amazed at how long the game was and how 'heavy' the prize too. "Butter beer's on me boy," Adrian Pucey suggests at the stunned boys. Ignoring the clinking coins from the people in the room as well as a series of discouraging groans.

Don't know how accurate the game of Uno is, it's been a  while since I played it. See you all at the next one! Hope you all stay safe and stay healthy! 

Rayah.