Monopoly

How to Play Monopoly

Follow the instructions given to you in the box. Generally all one really needs to do is go around the board, avoid jail and buy as much land as possible without going bankrupt in the process. However if like me, that is too difficult for you to contemplate, there should be more specific instructions in the box. If you do not have those… wing it like Harry Potter.

x-x-x-x-x

They didn't know how Harry had managed it… again. One minute they had been strolling down Diagon Alley buying supplies and generally browsing and the next Harry had disappeared. They hadn't heard anything from him all day and that was their first mistake. A quiet Harry was a plotting Harry. Their second mistake was allowing Harry to wander off by himself. Trouble found Harry, usually when no one else was around. He was a magnet and it had been utter chaos since then especially when Severus was concerned.

Severus was utterly terrified. Harry had the amazing and utterly stupid ability of disappearing in a crowd of one. He was one of the most famous people in the wizarding world and yet he constantly managed to avoid being detected. Even if one knew exactly what the boy looked like it was still impossible to locate him. Every black haired child was searched even those that had merely green eyes. None of them were Harry and yet they all appeared to be him.

He was beginning to believe that Harry had his Invisibility Cloak with him at all times. With that thing in hand, Harry would be able to get away with anything and no doubt one of the Weasleys had aided him. They liked to abuse their authority figures especially the Weasley Twins. Those terrors had no respect for anyone except their parents.

The Order scrambled around him, attempting to locate Harry and make sure that he hadn't been kidnapped by a random Death Eater on the street. That would have been disastrous even if he had managed to escape last time without anyone's help and in such a ludicrous manor. Of course there were also tales going around that Harry could have been taken by some stranger in Knockturn Alley. At this point in time nothing had been ruled out and everything was taken into consideration.

Severus growled. Where could that brat be? He questioned himself time and again, wondering if he had missed something of vital importance. There was nothing. He knew Harry well but he couldn't even begin to think on where Harry Potter was. That brat was still as much a mystery to him as he had been before. Knowing more about him merely led to more mysteries.

Eventually the group regathered and informed them that no one had seen Harry or anyone like Harry in the area. It was as if Harry had disappeared and erased every sighting anyone had of him in one go. It was impossible but that hadn't stopped Harry from doing the impossible before. They hadn't checked Knockturn Alley however that option was looking brighter and brighter at every passing moment. That was until Hermione re-joined the group.

"I heard that he was at Gringotts." Hermione spoke up.

The group sighed. That couldn't mean anything good for them even if Harry were only retrieving money from his vault.

x-x-x-x-x

As usual they were correct. Outside of Gringotts they were alarmed to see the hoard that had gathered. Luckily the hoard weren't angered or upset which was something to be thankful for. Instead they were all in shock and uncertain as to how to deal with the sight inside the only bank in Britain's Wizarding World. That couldn't have been good news for them.

The Order joined in on the confusion. If Harry was inside, why were they shocked? Their confusion didn't make much sense at all. Being alert or even terrified was more certain that confusion. After all this was Harry Potter they were talking about. Yet they needed to know. They needed to discover if Harry was alright.

However upon entering they soon realized what all the fuss was about and sighed. Harry was sitting in the foyer cross-legged and with a small group of goblins. Together they were all facing a small board with little pieces scattered over it. The Purebloods that surrounded the small group had no clue what was currently occurring yet the Muggleborns were having the time of their lives cheering Harry on. The Order sighed. Harry was playing yet another game… this time with goblins. Where did he come up with these ridiculous ideas?

Hermione however was rather intrigued as the pieces were enchanted. Monopoly had never been enchanted before and she was curious to see the outcome of the game though she kept that to herself. Severus merely wanted to grab Harry and be gone from this odd scene. However he didn't believe that the goblins would be too pleased about that. They were always stingy about money and gambling. Fake money, it seemed, also worked into that equation.

"Bugger, I'm in jail again!" Harry cried.

Harry's dog piece (which looked suspiciously like Sirius) gave him a glare and sat down in jail. It wasn't his fault though! The evil dice kept landing him in jail! Although Harry had begun to suspect that the goblins had something to about that. When it came to money it appeared as if cheating wasn't entirely off the list of possibilities for them.

Harry sighed as the goblin next to him smirked and rolled the dice. He wasn't entirely certain as to how this situation had occurred. One moment he had been walking beside Severus, bored out of his mind, and the next he had been walking into Gringotts. Next thing he'd known was that he was sitting down and playing Monopoly. That also wasn't his fault. He'd just been a little bored and then he'd found something to keep his mind occupied not that anyone would believe him. Boredom, it was a contagious disease like yawning.

Still, being able to play a game with someone else had been the best news he'd heard all day. Of course, playing with goblins had brought on a different kind of challenge altogether. They were wicked and not in the totally awesome way. They were cruel when it came to money and downright nasty if someone other than them decided to cheat. Harry loved it especially when he had challenged them to Monopoly.

Equal stakes had been met. The goblins wouldn't have it any other way. They needed to have a trade waiting for them. Harry eagerly agreed. Whoever won would get what they desired from the other.

The goblins snickered at his poor luck. At least the ones still in the game did. Harry had already bankrupt two of them yet there were still three others in the game and he would win! There was no losing right now. He was going to get his winnings and the goblins could simply have their reputations ruined for the day.

Patiently, Harry waited for his turn. In this time the goblin to his left gained a house and the others bought properties in the cheapest section on the board. His piece was still huffing when his turn came around.

"Honestly, you would think that my piece would be at least a little understanding. It's not like I send it to jail on purpose!" Harry exclaimed as his piece moved away from jail on his roll of doubles.

"Quite fitting since your piece is a dog. It reminds me of someone else."

Harry turned and realized that there was an entire town practically in the entrance hall of Gringotts and the Order was at the head of it. However his attention was focused only on the one person standing there, the one who had spoken.

"Severus! I didn't realize you were there?"

Severus couldn't even find the energy to scowl at his little lover. After half a day spent attempting to locate him all he really wanted to do was wrap himself around Harry and forget the world. Of course that wouldn't be very helpful when they were in the middle of Gringotts. He also doubted that many people would understand considering who they were.

"Why are you here?" Severus enquired with his typical sneer. He needed to keep up appearances in public after all. However Harry already had his back turned to him.

"Not now Severus I want to win this game."

The next major move was made by Griphook who managed to bankrupt another goblin. The poor creature hadn't even seen it coming. He was suddenly very glad that Griphook managed his accounts and not someone that was on his enemy list. There was no telling what that goblin could do if he wasn't managing his money.

"Harry we do have to be leaving now." Molly exclaimed.

She was certain that the crowd surrounding them would draw in Death Eaters and that would be very bad for the Order and the goblins. A battle would be fought right in the middle of the street. The goblins growled clearly not interested in listening to the maternal lady. They had better things to think on then some insignificant war. Besides if a fight broke out in their bank their laws would immediately make everyone involved forfeit every last galleon in their accounts.

"I think I'll finish this game first Mrs Weasley." Harry said as his turn once again came around.

He certainly didn't want to be the one to insult the goblins by forfeiting the game to them. It would be an insult and besides they'd been playing for a while now and yet no winner was insight. It would be silly to end it now when they were closer to revealing the victor. Harry smiled happily as he rolled the dice again and placed a red hotel piece down on his bought square. It was time to kick this up a notch.

"That is not how it is played Mr Potter." A Goblin growled.

"I don't care." Harry pouted, refusing to move his piece from the board. If he was going to win this then he was going to need to play dirty like they did. He would just need to be wary of pushing their boundaries.

Griphook took one look at him and scowled. Beside him another goblin glared ferociously but that may have been merely because he was currently losing. The goblin who was acting as the bank growled at him before replying.

"You are meant to place green houses there first and when you obtain a certain number then you can place a red hotel, Mr Potter, not the other way around."

Harry didn't bother moving. He wasn't going to play fairly when he knew that the goblins were cheating. It just wasn't right and he played to win! The goblin-banker suddenly gave a very menacing grin.

"Mr Potter if you don't play correctly I shall have you fined."

Harry's mouth dropped open in outrage.

"You can't fine me for that! That's not how it's played!"

"I don't care." The goblin deadpanned.

They were good, Harry had to admit. Goblins certainly knew what they were doing. However Harry had more ammo up his sleeve. This wasn't going to be the end of it at all. With a glare, Harry replaced his green with red and settled down. This was far from over. Now he would kick it up a notch.

x-x-x-x-x

"I win."

The proclamation wasn't sudden. Everyone had known within the past ten minutes that Harry was going to win. They weren't entirely certain how he had managed to pull it off but he'd done it. Harry Potter was officially the first person to win a game with goblins as opponents.

The goblins grunted and grumbled under their breath not denying it. It wouldn't do to appear as if they would go back on their agreements. Business would be lost if they attempted something like that.

"What exactly did you win, Harry?" Hermione questioned.

Many of the Order were also curious but weren't known to religiously surround Harry Potter so they couldn't bring it up either. It was left to Hermione Granger to do that for the.

"I won something that I need." It was the only reply they were given as the goblins brought in Harry's prize. A small gold cup glittered back at him as Harry smirked. Yes, that had been well worth the trouble.

x-x-x-x-x

"Why did you run off like that?" Severus snarled, dragging Harry inside the house.

Harry sighed. He should have expected this really. As soon as the game was over and he had collected his reward the Order had swept him away. It was frustrating to believe that they didn't trust him enough to keep him safe. Did they really not have any faith in his abilities? Instead of expressing this however he went for a childish outlook and persona.

"No one would play with me at Grimmauld so I brought a game along with me. The goblins were happy to play once I told them what it was."

This caused many of the Order to make puzzled faces. No one dared play against the goblins they were simply too good at what they did. Unless one really knew what they were doing, it was simply safest to let the goblins do what they did best.

"What game do goblins enjoy playing?" Tonks asked.

Not everyone had been able to have a front row view and the few that did hadn't said a word since they'd managed to get Harry away from the Bank. It was rather frustrating when one thought about it.

Harry gave them a childish laugh of joy. "Why, Monopoly of course!"

Everyone sighed. Of course, what had they been thinking? It was simply a game of money for the rulers of it, just another ordinary day at Grimmauld Place.

When I was young… playing Monopoly seemed like an impossible thing to do and it would take hours to win it. Now it's easy and fun. Board games can be interesting when you feel like playing them. The next game shall be… Snakes and Ladders.

~MidnightEmber