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𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟗𝐓𝐇, a thunderstorm had settled upon the small village of Hogsmeade. While witches and wizards enjoyed themselves in the comfort of their brightly lit homes, or by the hearth of a roaring fire at the Three Broomsticks, a solitary shadow was dodging the pelting rain above them. He remained mostly invisible to the unsuspecting residents below, except for when a stray bolt of lightning illuminated the night sky.

Thomas Hill was slumped across his broom, his Slytherin cloak rippling behind him as he fought against the strong winds of the storm. His emerald green eyes squinted through the darkness as he tried to make out the small buildings dotting the landscape beneath him. He was searching out a particular destination, a solitary destination where many witches and wizards dared not go.

The Shrieking Shack.

Once Thomas had finally spotted the abandoned house hiding amongst the trees on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, he tipped his broom downward and began his descent. He could have used the Whomping Willow to access the Shrieking Shack, but the directions provided to him had been very specific and he liked to keep a wide breadth from the temperamental tree. It also didn't help that Headmaster Dumbledore had tightened his watch on the Whomping Willow ever since Thomas's third year, for reasons unknown. He had already nearly been caught by Professor Snape as he was sneaking around the hallways of Hogwarts, and he had almost sworn that he'd seen one of Draco Malfoy's eyes flicker open as he was leaving the Slytherin dormitories, so he hadn't wanted to take any other risks.

As Thomas's feet settled into the billowing grass, he pushed his dark hair out of his face and lifted his head to take in the sight of the terrifying structure that was rooted into the earth before him. Rotted wooden planks were sewn together by strands of untamed ivy. Grimy windows peeked out from between the leaves, offering a haunting tune as stray winds whistled through the broken glass. While Hogsmeade and Hogwarts had still clung onto some of their lively fall colors, everything around the Shrieking Shack was black; the trees, the grass, the plants. It looked like it was in a perpetual state of waiting for a winter that would never come.

Thomas unlatched the lid of the basket on his broom and watched a furry, black head pop out. The creature's glowing, yellow eyes cut through the darkness around it, and it offered Thomas an inquisitive "meow" when its sight landed on him.

"Well, Mr. Boddy," Thomas began, addressing the cat. "We better get started. There's a lot to do before the first guest arrives."

Thomas lifted Mr. Boddy from the basket and set him onto the long grass, which would have completely camouflaged him if not for his golden eyes. The pair began their trek towards the front door and stopped after they reached the top step. Thomas could feel his body shivering, but he didn't think it was from the cold. He glanced down at Mr. Boddy, who returned the look, before placing his hand on the silver door knob.

"Meow," Mr. Boddy said after a few minutes of silence had passed.

"Yeah, I know," Thomas responded. His eyes were glued to the grains of the wood and his hand was frozen on the door knob. "I'm just preparing myself."

"Meow," Mr. Boddy said again.

"You can really be a proper ass, you know that, right?" Thomas mumbled to himself as he finally allowed his fingers to twist the knob and push the door open.

As the door creaked open on its rusty hinges, Thomas felt his jaw drop open. He had expected the interior of the Shrieking Shack to look as decrepit as its exterior, but what he found instead was completely different.

The door opened to a hallway so long that Thomas could barely see the end of it. Rolled down its center was a bright red rug that crawled up the steps and met the tips of his toes. Glowing lights fixed into golden sconces adorned the walls in between large paintings of magical portraits and landscapes that moved within their frames. Thomas took a gentle step inside, worried that one wrong move could shatter the illusion.

Once his body was through the door frame, he was enveloped in a warmth that emanated from an unseen fireplace. The smell of burning pine floated down the hallway, sneaking between the cracks of the several closed doors along it. Thomas's eyes found a staircase situated in the center of the hallway that climbed up the walls and disappeared from sight. It was hard to say exactly how many floors rested above him, but from the height of the building, he had to guess at least three.

The last time Thomas had been to the Shrieking Shack was during his fourth year on a dare, but the closest he had gotten to it was the perimeter of trees that grew around it, never inside it. He had often wondered what the interior looked like, but the scene before his eyes was the last thing he would have ever guessed. It almost seemed like somebody had put a spell on the building to bring it back to life.

An impatient "meow" from Mr. Boddy shook Thomas out of his reverie and reminded him of the tasks he had been assigned. He pulled a folded slip of paper from his back pocket and pressed it against a table sitting alongside the hallway as his eyes scanned over the contents.

1. Arrive at the Shrieking Shack at 10 o'clock sharp on the night of October the 29th.

Thomas mentally checked this item off the list.

2. Go down to the basement and find the wooden chest with a large, golden padlock on it. You will know it is the right chest because there are runes carved into the dark stain. The matching key sits beneath it. Grab that as well.

3. In the dining room, you will find six gifts wrapped in black paper. They are addressed to each of the guests. Ensure that all are accounted for.

4. Conduct a thorough sweep of the building to ensure that nobody else is hiding within.

5. Greet the guests as they arrive and show them into the parlour. ONLY ADDRESS THEM BY THE MONIKER GIVEN TO THEM.

Thomas stopped reading after the fifth step when his eyes got caught on the capitalized and underlined sentence. The previous letter he had received a week earlier had informed him that his moniker was Wadsworth, and that he was to play the role of the butler. He hadn't been too keen about that part, but he obliged only because he knew what would happen if he didn't follow the rules. An unconscious shiver rippled through Thomas's body at the thought.

Thomas began to check off each of the items on the list; dredging up the small, but surprisingly heavy chest from the basement, counting the gifts in the dining room (and trying his hardest not to peek), and searching the entirety of the Shrieking Shack room-by-room. He had forced Mr. Boddy to stay by his side as he conducted the search and had kept his wand before him the whole time, weary of any creaks or cracks that echoed throughout the house.

"Meow," Mr. Boddy had said to Thomas after Thomas had nearly fallen on his ass when a draft ruffled the closed curtains in the room they had been searching.

"Shut up," Thomas had retorted.

Once everything was complete, Thomas found himself standing in the foyer, unsure of what to do with himself. His fingers unconsciously drummed against his legs as he glanced once more around the luxurious space and tried to foretell what the weekend would bring. He didn't have much time to contemplate when a loud knock erupted from the front door, its echo reaching every corner of the house and rattling Thomas's bones.

"Meow," Mr. Boddy said to Thomas, looking up at him with his amber eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Boddy," Thomas replied before taking a deep breath, his eyes glued to the front door. "It's time to begin."

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A/N: Ahh, it's finally begun and I'm so excited! I have some crazy things planned for this story that will hopefully keep you guys on your toes! Like I said before, this story is inspired by the 1985 film, "Clue", so the plot will be loosely based around it. You don't have to have seen "Clue" to understand or keep up with the story, but it's a great movie that I'd definitely recommend! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! (:

Who do you think is at the door?