the_debt_of_time

Less than five minutes later, the hallway began to fill with students dressed in black
and green robes. It was as if Lady Luck decided to smile upon the two Gryffindors
committing mischief. The first to appear was a smug-looking Regulus Black, flanked by his
lanky cronies.
"I'll take that bet," Regulus said. "Twenty Galleons on Slytherin to win next week's
match, another five if we win the Cup. And I'll give all my winnings to anyone on the team
that can knock my blood-traitor brother off his broom."
From beneath the cloak, Sirius made a rude hand gesture, and Mia stifled a laugh.
"What's the password again?" Regulus asked the boy next to him.
"It's 'basilisk,' but.. ." The boy scanned the hallway. "Where's the—?"
"Did we take a wrong turn?" Regulus asked with raised eyebrows as he did a quick
check of the wall, turning around to look back down the hallway.
Lucius Malfoy walked forward with Mulciber, Avery, Wilkes, and a scattering of
younger Slytherins behind them including the Carrow twins and Snape. "What are you first
years doing just standing around?"
"Nothing," Regulus said nervously, looking embarrassed. "I just... I mean... We
can't find the entrance to the common room."
"Pathetic." Lucius rolled his eyes and turned, only to find himself in a similar
position. Instead of speaking, Lucius scanned the corridor with narrowed silver eyes, his
jaw tight before glaring down at Regulus. "What did you do? Where is it?"
"I don't know!" Regulus yelped.
"Should.. ." Alecto muttered. "Should we go and fetch Slughorn?"
"Absolutely not!" Lucius snapped. "You want to tell that bumbling idiot that his
entire House can't locate their own fucking rooms?"
Snape rolled his eyes. "So, we're supposed to just sleep in the hallway?"
Lucius narrowed his gaze. "Unless you'd like to sleep in the lake, Severus, which can
be arranged quite easily."
An hour later, not a single Slytherin had gone for help, but five had turned on one
another.
Lucius Malfoy spent most of the night trying to keep his Housemates from tearing
each other apart. Apparently, putting the already on edge and suspicious Slytherins into a