Hallows Game || HP X Squid Game (Draco Malfoy)

19 - Albus and Alia

"Well, well... I once used to play on this exact spot when I was a child. Aren't nostalgic moments the best things in life... after lemon sherbets, of course?"

I watched in frustration as Dumbledore looked smilingly around with glistening eyes, acting as though we were simply on some trip down memory lane.

"That's great, Professor," I said, trying to keep my patience, "but did you hear what the announcer said? We've got to play marbles."

"Ah... marbles. I used to play that with my brother all the time. Did you know I had a brother? And a sister, too. Both dead now, though... dear Ariana." He looked off into the distance, seeing a life I could not see. "I'm sure my house is nearby. Shall we see if Mother will care to lay another place at the table?"

"Um- perhaps we should play marbles, first?"

"It's no problem. Mother loves entertaining." He turned, ambling up the road, motioning for me to follow.

I swallowed. "Professor."

But Dumbledore just continued to limp away, causing my chest to harden in panic.

"Professor!"

"My house is definitely somewhere around here."

I pushed my hands through my hair in frustration. "Professor, we have to play this game right now."

"This is weird." Dumbledore mumbled, spinning around on the spot so that his long grey scraggly hair fanned around him. "It's definitely this street. Where did my house go?"

"Professor!"

Dumbledore blinked at me, as though only just noticing me standing in front of him, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. "Are you lost, little girl?"

Dear Merlin on Earth.

"Marbles!"

"Marbles?"

Trying not to scream out loud, I pointed to the other players who were already well into their rounds. "See? Everyone else is doing it. We have to do this too."

But, to my dismay, Dumbledore just shook his head, chuckling softly. "No. That's a child's game. Why would I want to play that? I'm nothing but an old, decrepit man."

And without waiting for an answer, he turned and continued to limp his way up the street.

Well. This was going swimmingly.

"Wait. Professor!"

Frustrated, I turned towards the pink guard who was assigned to us.

"Look, clearly my partner is not in his right mind. Isn't he basically withdrawing from the match? He can't play the game. No?"

The guard remained mute.

"Damn it."

I ran after Dumbledore who continued to wander around aimlessly. "Let's just play once." I cajoled, my voice unnaturally light as I tried to hide my panic. "This is really... it's a lot of fun."

No sooner had the words left my mouth when a loud gunshot reverberated in the air, and, next to us, Oliver Wood's head blew up in an explosion of blood, bone and brain matter.

"Player 453, eliminated."

"See?" I added weakly.

Looking startled, Dumbledore began to tremble. "I want to go home," he sobbed, sounding not unlike a lost and frightened child. "I know my house is somewhere around here, but I don't remember where."