Morning came to Hogwarts just as it would any, other day. It later proved to be the only normal part of the day.
It started in the Great Hall at breakfast time. The story of the previous night in the Gryffindor common room had spread faster than wildfire. Of course, it was fueled by the fact that many of the Gryffindors were carrying out their dares already. Alice and Frank had dressed up and Anna was reading her book. This was something that was gaining her many strange looks.
Anna’s best friend, Anastasia even came over to her over and asked, “Why are you reading a book at breakfast?”
“Because, last night I was dared to read a book for twelve straight hours,” Anna replied, never taking her eyes off of her book.
“I wish Ravenclaw would do something fun like that,” Anastasia said, wishfully.
This gave Sirius a stroke of inspiration. “Then come to the Room of Requirement, tonight, Anastasia. We’re” ”
“It’s Ana,” Anastasia cut in, looking furious. Everyone knew that she hated her real name.
“Anyways,” Sirius continued, “we’re playing in the Room of Requirement, tonight. Anyone from any house is welcome.”
“Alright, I’ll come. Can I tell other people?”
“Sure. Just make sure that they don’t tell a professor.” And with that, Ana headed back to her own table to finish breakfast. As she reached the Ravenclaw table she leaned in close with a group of her friends. The plan was beginning to circulate.
James laughed. “That was brilliant, Padfoot. It should be much more interesting with other houses.”
“That’s the idea. I can’t wait to play with Snivellus. I wonder what we could get him to do.”
“Speaking of the toe-rag…” James looked at his watch. “We should be heading to Potions.”
Potions with Professor Slughorn was never horrible, even if it was with the Slytherins. However, most of the Gryffindors found that it was hard to concentrate whilst thinking about what was to come in an hour’s time. They had Transfiguration next.
Sirius and James spent the lesson telling their class about the game which was to take place that night in the Room of Requirement. They stayed away from students who would tell professors, as they were sure it would be severely frowned upon, but got most of the class to agree to come.
Finally, the bell rang and the Gryffindors ran up to Professor McGonagall’s classroom. They were eager not to be late because they might miss Jessie’s dare.
“Where’s Jessie?” Professor McGonagall asked, looking up from her register. She looked pointedly at Alice and Frank. “Why are you two dressed like that?” she asked, her lips forming a very thin line.
Many Gryffindor students had to stifle their laughter and the Hufflepuffs looked curious. Professor McGonagall’s forehead creased a little as she frowned disapprovingly at the outbreaks of sniggering.
“Just felt like a change, Professor,” Frank replied casually. This time, several students were not able to conceal their laughter.
“Anna, please put that book away,” Professor McGonagall said, growing impatient.
“I can’t, Professor.”
“Why on earth not?”
“I have to read it for twelve straight hours. I’ve only been reading for an hour and a half.”
Professor McGonagall started to say something in return, but was interrupted by the opening of her classroom’s door.
“Sorry I’m late.” Everyone turned around in his or her seat to see Jessie enter. “I had to get your present, Professor McGonagall. It’s outside the door.” She left to go and get it.
Many Gryffindors were biting their lips to keep from laughing. “It’s going to be the llama,” whispered Peter, excitedly.
Sure enough, he was right. Jessie entered with a llama a few seconds later.
All of the students laughed, but Professor McGonagall’s mouth contorted into the thinnest line anyone had ever seen. Jessie let go of the lead and the llama began running around the classroom. The same room, full of strange humans, seemed to confuse it and it went wild. Jessie took her seat next to Lily, trying to look calm and as if she had done nothing wrong.
When the laughter died down about ten minutes later, McGonagall tried to begin teaching, but it was no use. The llama proved to be too much of a distraction. Mainly because llamas are muggle animals and many students had never seen one before. No one learnt anything even vaguely related to Transfiguration during that class. Lunch came afterwards and the story spread faster than any other story in Hogwarts history. The Marauders even heard that about half the school was planning to turn up at the Room of Requirement that night, to play.
“This is getting out of hand.”
James and Sirius looked up from their lunches to see Lily glaring down at them.
“What’s getting out of hand?” James asked.
“This game. I mean, half the school is coming to play tonight, and Gryffindor has already lost fifty house points because of your stupid dares!” Lily’s voice grew louder and louder as she spoke, she was practically shouting by the time she finished.
“We never said anyone had to play,” James countered.
“But you implied that they should.”
“How?”
“Peer pressure.”
“How did we use peer pressure, Lily?” asked Sirius.
“Every time another person decides to play, it pressures their friends into doing it too.”
“Then it’s not us using peer pressure, its other people,” James said calmly, pleased at his own clever response.
“You can’t blame us for that, Lily,” Sirius pointed out.
“Yes I can. You started the game and you came up with the idea of going to the Room of Requirement tonight.”
“So? It’s not our fault people listen to us,” Sirius pointed out.
“It’s also not our fault that the people who listen to us like what we say,” added James.
“Yes it is,” she snapped. And with that, Lily stalked off to the opposite end of the table, fuming.
Truth, Dare, or Double Dare by MrsRuebeusHagridDursley
Chapter Notes: You know the drill, right? Review!
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