Chapter 588 - Boardgames

The following week at Hogwarts began with a fierce rainstorm. The Great Hall's enchanted sky was filled with thick gray clouds that were just brimming with moisture. Part of the duties of the Prefect's is to keep the first years and other students inside during fierce weather. Thankfully as the Slytherin Prefect's they were mostly in charge of the Slytherins. And it was not too hard to wrangle the snakeling's since Severus had a free period and could easily glare the 1st years into silent submission. And as for the transfer students, they wisely decided to stick with their friends indoors and found something else which to occupy their time with.

Knowing that the 1st years must be gloomily hanging out in the Slytherin common room with Severus standing watch over them, Rowan quickly departs from Professor Vector's classroom the instant the bell rings. The rain pounds on the windowpanes as she makes her way through the corridors. Without any interruptions, she makes her way to the gloomy dungeons lit by brightly lit torches.

Rowan stopped before the Slytherin entrance and mutters, "Foe-Glass." The wall silently cracks open to reveal the inner passageway to the Slytherin quarters. Stepping through she emerges into the toasty warm Slytherin common room that has a roaring fire blazing.

As expected, the 5th and 7th years have already claimed tables for themselves to study for the perspective end of the year exams. The first years are rather quiet as they work on their homework or attempt to play wizarding chess under the impatient, stern gaze of Severus. Holding back a sigh, Rowan says, "You study, Severus. I'll take it from here."

Severus snorts in derision as the first year's snakeling's visages immediately brighten up. Seeing the poor first year's stare at her as if she were their savior, Rowan says, "I have some board games for all of you to play. But first, have each and everyone one of you finished your homework?"

Most of them their heads bob up and down except for a handful, who immediately wilt at her words. Rowan hides a smile and says, "I'll excuse you all just this once, but next time, please finish your homework promptly. Remember I'll be available tomorrow morning for tutoring in our regular classroom."

The remaining procrastinator's faces brighten up at Rowan's words. "Now please go and put your things away. We wouldn't want anyone tripping over bookbags or for the ink to spill on homework, now would we?" The first year's scramble to do so and hurry to the dorms.

At the nearest study table, Terry lifts his flaxen head as his delicate features contort into a grimace. "You're being too nice to them, Rowan," Terry grumbled. "Wilkes was considered nice for a Slytherin Prefect and he was nowhere near as doting as you are, Rowan."

"I'm not being nice," Rowan snapped back. "The less energy they have for mischief, the less work I have to deal, which means less of an interfere with my own studies."

Silvia and Tiffany snicker loudly at Rowan's words as Bethanie merely shows Rowan a sympathetic smile. After the first week at Hogwarts, none of the three girls were envious of Rowan's badge. Rather they were all extremely gratefully that Rowan had taken the cursed position so to speak.

Terry sniffs as Severus sitting at his side merely mumbles, "Whatever works, I don't care as long as the brats stay out of my hair."

Rowan rolls her eyes and heads upstairs to her own dorm to leave her bookbag for the time being and grab the numerous board games that were enchanted to remain small. Grabbing them, she returns to the common room to find all the first years eagerly waiting for her. Some of the others in the common room lift their heads from their homework or those bored turn their heads to watch the event.

Charming the board games back to their original sizes, Rowan says, "Now I've brought multiple copies of three muggle board games. One is called, Monopoly, the other The Game of Life, and lastly, Dungeons and Dragons." It was a shame really that Uno would not be available to the masses until 1992 and Jenga until 1982 when it was first shown at the London Toy Fair.

Hearing the word muggle board games instantly most of the first years make wary faces. Rowan merely stares down her nose at them and says, "Make your final judgment after you've at least played one game and not before." Several snakelings look a bit shamefaced at that.

Rowan proceeds to explain both games to the first years as they neatly split into three groups. At first, the first years are a bit tentative about playing, but quickly they begin to laugh and fiercely battle each other.

To be frank, Rowan was a bit pale watching the ongoing matches of Monopoly and Game of Life. Not that Dungeons and Dragons, the Slytherin version was not the thriller, horror rated-R version, but the Monopoly and Game of Life board games were simply cutthroat. The first year Slytherins used every possible card in their deck to doom their opponent and not above forcing them with a mortgage card or the jail card.

In fact, the game's got so intense that the older first-year Slytherin's wanted to try their hand at the muggle games. Even Terry pulled Severus and the rest of the girl's into playing Monopoly. Rowan tactfully remained silent, but needless to say, she wondered if she should reevaluate her perception of Bethanie. Bethanie and Terry were dominating the game, while Silvia, Tiffany, and Severus ganged up together in a futile attempt to try to bring either of them down.

In the end, even the 5th and 7th years were pulled in. By the time, dinnertime rolled around the 5th and 7th years had discovered a new stress reliever. Rowan tactfully left all copies of the board games in the Slytherin common room cupboards for anyone to use. She only left a rather simple note that of to please put the board game and all the pieces back into the cupboard when finished playing with them.

Of course, she had no way of knowing that Game of Life, Monopoly, and Dungeons and Dragons would become a staple game within the Slytherin households. In fact, the three boardgames would quickly spread among friends. By the time Christmas came around, the three boardgames would be the most sought out children's gifts in the wizarding world. But that is a tale for another time.