A Hogwarts Tale (Year 1)

#5 - Exploding Snap & Exceptions

Marlene hid a snicker. Dorcas was way too protective of her books. To be fair, Marlene had tried to rip their pages apart. But still.

"The second version of Exploding Snao is the 'Patience' version. Now, in the Patience game, everyone opens up a pair of cards each. After we have gone one round, the cards will start to explode, so you've gotta watch out unless you want some nasty burns on your face," Marlene taunted teasingly. Dorcas fingered one of her braids - which were still holding her hair together - why! - while Lily tapped a finger on her chin, trying to understand the game. Alice clapped her hands together excitedly and suggested, "Hey, why don't we play a trial round? Since Marlene and I already know how to play, we can help out Lily and Dorcas."

Almost immediately, Dorcas shook her head. "Um... I-I already kn-know how to play." Marlene felt faint - just kidding - because Dorcas had just spoken two of the longest sentences Marlene had heard from her that day.

Alice shrugged. "Okay, Lily will just have to catch on fast."

Marlene dealt out the cards into a large square. All four girls drew out their wands, and Marlene nodded in signal of beginning. She flipped over a card towards her right and retracted her hand just as quickly. Dorcas, who was on Marlene's left, went next, chewing her lip thoughtfully. After Dorcas, Alice giggled and turned a card over.

Alice's card matched Marlene's.

Marlene and Alice lifted their wands simultaneously, but Dorcas beat them to it. "Snap," Dorcas whispered softly, tapping both card with incredible speed. Almost immediately, Dorcas' card exploded in a puff of think smoke.

When the fog cleared, Marlene burst out laughing. Alice's eyebrows were singed with a few sparks still caught on them. Lily was trying to beat out the ashes in her red hair. Lily chuckled, while Alice wailed about how her perfect face was going to be ruined forever. Even Dorcas let out a small smile, her pale lips curving upwards.

After millions of frantic eyebrow-rubs from Alice, Lily played her turn, choosing a card in the center. Next, Marlene cautiously flipped a card up with her wand, before she leaned away and squeezed her eyes shut as a precaution. But nothing happened and Marlene wanted to sigh at how stupid she probably looked.

The girls went a few more rounds. When Marlene turned over her card, she was extremely bored. So far, Marlene had accomplished a feeble one set, Alice with none, and Lily with one. Dorcas apparently had super-fast reflexes, ending with an impressive four pairs of cards. But no exploding cards yet.

Marlene slammed the card facing up on the ground, wanting to sigh exasperatedly. All of a sudden, Dorcas jerked backwards, whipping out her wand. The card erupted with a loud BANG! and billowing clouds of grey smoke floated into the air.

Surrounded by the murky fog, Marlene coughed and swatted at the smoke, her eyes stinging and her face feeling rather sooty.

When the smoke cleared, Dorcas tapped the exploding card and another card that matched, snatching up the pair. She placed them atop the neat stack of her other sets.

Marlene groaned, "Urgh, I think my face just got burnt off!" Lily laughed, pointing at Marlene's right cheek. Confused, Marlene wiped said area, and a shower of ashes rained down on the floor. Guffawing along with the other girls, Marlene thought that, just maybe, she might enjoy the next seven years with these girls.