Adventures in Curse Breaking: Dragon Treasure

Truth or Dare

They found Penny setting up her sleeping bag. 

"Woah," said Barnaby, "it's bigger than my dormitory in here."

"It'd have to be to fit Hagrid," said Bill. 

The ceiling of the tent was indeed so tall, Hagrid would have just barely been able to touch it with his fingers. To their right was a large cooker and in the back was a Hagrid-sized table. There was even a door with a bathroom in the back corner.

Everyone got out sleeping bags and set them up in the middle of the tent in a sort of circle with Penny farthest away from the door, Merula on her right, then Sarah, Barnaby, Charlie, and Bill.

They all changed into their pajamas and sat down in their sleeping bags, but it was clear none of them we're ready to go to sleep. 

"I suppose we should try and get some sleep," said Bill. 

"I can't possibly go to sleep now!" said Penny. "I'll have nightmares about bloody brooms!"

"I guess we could play a game or something," said Sarah. She had to admit to herself that her heart was still racing from when Barnaby had scared her. It would be nice to have a few laughs before bed. 

"What would we play?" asked Charlie. 

"How about Truth or Dare?" said Penny. "I used to play it all the time with my muggle friends at sleepovers."

Merula scoffed. "A muggle kids' game. Gross."

"I'm okay with it as long as we agree not to go outside anymore tonight," said Bill. 

Sarah didn't much fancy the idea of playing this sort of game, especially with Merula, but no one had any other ideas, so she said, "Who wants to go first?"

"Me!" said Barnaby. "Merula, truth or dare?"

"Dare. Truth is for suckers."

"I dare you to be nice to all of us for the rest of the night!"

"What?" she bellowed, her face reddening. "You're not serious!"

Penny giggled. "That's the dare. You have to do it, or you lose."

Merula's face contorted into a series of miserable expressions. She seemed unable to speak. Finally, she spat out, "Fine."

"Let's test it," said Charlie. "Merula, what do you think of my hair?"

"It's...lovely," she said, through gritted teeth. 

"Well done," said Sarah. "It's your go."

"Alright Spellman," said Merula. "Truth or Dare?"

Sarah paused, trying to decide which one Merula would make more painful. "Dare."

"I dare you," she said, smiling maliciously, "to imitate your most annoying friend. We'll guess who it is."

"None of my friends annoy me!" said Sarah.

"Are you going to do it or are you going to lose?"

"Okay, but just because this person gets on my nerves sometimes, doesn't mean I think they're annoying." She cleared her throat, and did her best at a Scottish accent. "You think you like quidditch? I liked quidditch before it was cool. I practically invented quidditch. If you can't name every quidditch player since 1980, you're not a real fan."

"Skye Parkin!" said Charlie, laughing. "That sounds just like her at practice."

They played several more rounds, daring each other to do ridiculous things like belly-dancing, use transfiguration to give themselves crazy hairstyles, and lick the floor. Charlie nearly fainted when Bill made him say something bad about dragons.