Bat-Bogey Hexers

71

"Viola . . ." said Ava, tapping her chin with her quill as she stared thoughtfully down at her Care of Magical Creatures homework. "What are the top five reasons a dragon makes a good pet?"

Viola paused in the middle of studying her Ancient Runes book, and a frown formed on her face as she looked up at Ava.

"There aren't any," Viola said in a bemused tone of voice. "Dragons make terrible pets."

"But then why does it say . . ." Ava squinted down at her the paper she was working on. "Is this a trick question?"

The two Slytherin girls were sitting in a corner of their common room finishing up some homework one evening mid-October

Viola let out a light laugh as realization hit her.

"You know what it probably is? I was just talking to Hagrid last class, and he told me he actually hatched a dragon a few years ago. Apparently he's always wanted one as a pet," said Viola. She peered over Ava's shoulder at the paper.

"Oh . . ." said Ava. "Well what makes them a good pet then?"

"I just told you, nothing," said Viola.

Ava fixed Viola with a stern look.

"Um . . . They're so cute and cuddly?" Viola suggested.

Ava laughed. "You know what? I'm going to put that, just to see what Hagrid says." Ava scribbled something down with her quill, then she looked up at Viola and asked, "Have you done your Care of Magical Creatures homework yet?"

Viola shook her head.

"I'm working on Ancient Runes again. It's difficult. Care of Magical Creatures is so easy I always save that for last," said Viola.

"It's the exact opposite for me," sighed Ava. "Ancient runes is a cinch while Care of Magical Creatures is-"

"Viola," a cool voice interrupted Ava.

Viola and Ava both looked up to see Morgana Rosier standing before them. She had her arms folded across her chest and a sour expression on her face.

Immediately Viola's brown and Ava's blue eyes narrowed at the girl standing before them.

"What do you want Morgana?" demanded Viola.

She expected it had something to do with her lying about Bellatrix Lestrange being her mother. Morgana had let the subject drop surprisingly quick, so obviously she must have some sort of revenge planned.

"Do you want to play a game of Unbreakable Truth or Dare with me?" Morgana asked.

Viola frowned. "A game of what?"

"Unbreakable truth or dare. You do know what it is, don't you?" said Morgana snidely.

"Of course I do," lied Viola, "but I don't want to play. Thanks."

Morgana's eyebrows went up. "Suit yourself Lestrange."

With that Morgana stalked off, scoffing something that sounded like "coward" as she went.

As soon as the brown haired girl was out of earshot, Viola turned to Ava and asked in a low voice. "Do you have any idea what 'Unbreakable Truth or Dare is?"

Ava nodded. "As a matter of fact I do: I heard some prefects talking about it the other day."

"Well what is it?"

"Apparently is a fad game spreading through the students," said Ava. "The prefects were saying that they need to bring a stop to it as it's becoming kind of dangerous."

"How do you play?" asked Viola. She was frowning. She hated being in the dark about anything.

"Well," said Ava, "As far as I can tell, it's a mixture between Truth or Dare and the unbreakable vow, as the name implies. What you do is you challenge someone to play, and you have to either complete a dare, or answer a question honestly. Before hand, you cast some sort of spell which administers terrible pain onto the first person to fail to complete either of those things. And you just keep daring and truth-ing until someone loses."

"Sounds like a stupid game," said Viola.

Ava nodded. "I can see why the prefects want to bring a stop to it. All these kids doing stupid things for dares . . ."

"Imagine if I had played with Morgana!" said Viola, looking across the crowded common room to where she sat with Bertha.

"You'd be dead," said Ava matter of factly.

Viola nodded in agreement. "Yup. Probably from jumping off the top of the Ravenclaw Tower or something . . ."

"Most likely," agreed Ava.

Viola returned to her book, only to emerge seconds later.

"So . . ." said Viola slowly, "I've been researching ways to enter the Triwizard Tournament, and I think I've found a way to do it."

Ava looked at Viola, her blue eyes wide. "You're still planning on entering?"

Viola nodded determinedly. "Uh-huh. I'm going to make an aging potion. It should get me through whatever aging restriction spells have been set . . . Hopefully. I'm pretty good in potions so I don't think it'll be too hard."

Ava bit her lip. "And you're absolutely certain this is a good idea?"

Viola nodded again. "Definitely."