The Snake's Secret * under revision*

Gaming

Harry was stressed. More than he had been in a while and a thought came to him. Because they were celebrating Hermione's return 

"Since we're all here let's play Cold Earth again." He remarked to the room. 

Draco and Ron's heads perked up and the both looked very exited, Hermione on the other hand had played similar games with friends before and know that a fps game almost always ends the same way. 

Harry called the elves and Crabbe and Goyle back in, He'd need to find a name to call the two by.

Harry got them all to lie down again, getting comfortable. Once they had settled and Crabbe and Goyle were on watch Harry pressed the light on the back of his neck, dropping his hand down to the mattress. He spotted his little Ouro slithering up to rest on his chest. 

The lights flew past his eyes as the technology integrated with his nervous system fully and took control, he sank down into the game excited to let the world go for a minute and kill some zombies. 

The EA logo played as usual and the smaller ones flittered by, after a little bit the ground gave way beneath his feet and he dropped back into the familiar marble room with the other three, landing lightly on his feet and looking at the black podium in the centre of the room, where the other three were. 

They all looked at him, Hermione being the first to adjust. "So are we going to continue?" She asked, pointing at the three main buttons hovering above their player screens. 

They were: CONTINUE, NEW GAME and EXIT.  One more option than before. 

Harry walked over to his screen, "Yeah, but let's see what we can do with the characters first." 

He stopped by the podium closest to him and tapped on the screen. His stats flashed up, listed equipment and unlockables. 

Scanning through he noticed that after another ten points he would unlock quick draw, and he had a tactical knife he could equip. Adding it he selected to have it strapped to his waist for quick access, and closed the screen going to check on the others. 

Ron was looking at his screen so intently there was a brief flicker of concern in Harry, but after a second he realised Ron had found the customisation page for his scythe and currently was trying to pick a good colour for his blade. Draco was walking around the room bored and itching to start whilst Hermione was looking at the map they had filled in so far. 

After a minute Ron sighed, threw his hands in the air and hit save. Then the other three turned to Harry, waiting for him to make the choice. 

He reached up and clicked on "Continue". 

The room dissolved and they fell again, landing in the the house they finished off in last time. 

"Eww!" Ron shouted as he stepped forwards and got a cobweb to the face, and started sputtering and spitting it out. This was becoming a trend. 

Draco chuckled and looked over his machine gun, a worrying glint of love in his eyes. Hermione was already checking the exits. Not that there were any, the door behind them was sealed and the light bulb at the end of the hallway clearly marked their route. 

Ron was the first to step forwards, not a very clever idea given he couldn't use his scythe in the confines of the hallway. It was a dim and cramped trip, obviously underground, the air was stagnant and thick. Ron in front with his bubble-gum pink scythe with bright green flames was making the progress even slower. As they walked a rank smell started to build, the squeaking of rats was all the was audible over the sound of their footsteps and the cobwebs had ebbed away, after reaching the solitary light bulb in the hallway Ron paused to listen and see in there was anything ahead.