162
Bunking off
🩳

"Yeah we're in Snakefang House now, we can do whatever we like!" you say, as the two of you head down to the lava pool.

As you arrive in the central courtyard the other Snakefang students are leaving for your lessons, but not before one of them has explained to you that the lava pool is one end of a pipe that goes through the earth's crust directly down to the mantle 70 km below. Magically constructed by Sylvester Snakefang all those centuries ago with a knowledge that is now lost, it still serves as the central heating and waste disposal system of the Tower.

This gives you an idea, and you and Snako go back to your towers and return with an armful of food from your everlasting larders. You make a little pile of this next to the lava pool and take turns throwing stuff in and watching it burn. You particularly enjoy watching the chocolate frogs melting to a gloop and then bursting into flames.

When you get bored of this you play with the snakes. They don't speak but they appear to understand everything you say, and soon you are playing tag, running and yelling with the snakes in hot pursuit.

Then you discover another doorway leading to a cavernous rock chamber full of indoor tennis and badminton courts and table tennis tables. You and Snako play a few rounds of table tennis leading to a two-all draw.

After another trip to the inexhaustible larder you decide to climb up the winding stone staircase to the very top of the house tower. When you reach the summit your legs feel like they can't take another step but you are rewarded with a view for miles and miles - hills and mountains and forests, with no buildings other than those of Hogsnorts in sight.

You and Snako amuse yourselves by throwing things off the edge and watching them fall.

Finally you both go and chill out in your own tower, playing video games in which you run around shooting at each other.

It has been the best day ever.

But it isn't over yet! "Hey Arthur, Snako," shouts one anonymous pale-faced student, just returned from lessons. "Dinner time in the Great Hall!"