Narc

     Narc

     By Magic Emperor Bryan

Severus Snape sat in his office, a Nintendo Entertainment System controller firmly in hand. Normally, such Muggle devices, being powered by Electricity, did not work in or around Hogwarts due to the high level of magical energy around the area. However, Albus Dumbledor, the Headmaster, had journeyed to the Muggle world recently and had discovered the Nintendo. He had also discovered a way to change the form of energy the NES (this was the popular abbreviation of Nintendo Entertainment System), needed to run. Now, Severus was playing one of only a very few such enchanted systems. He also possessed a modified Play Station and a Game Cube. The most surprising thing of all had happened when Severus, irritable after a particularly disastrous Potions lesson, entered the staff room to find Minerva McGonagall hard at work on a Game Boy Advance Role Playing Game called Golden Sun.

The game which now occupied Severus Snape's time was one he had loved since his early years, when his parents had had an old Nintendo and had lived as Muggles. One of the games they had allowed their children to buy was Narc, and it was that very game which now occupied Snape's time. The graphics, though crude by today's standards, still impressed Snape. The music was also very good and made up for the fact that the sound effects were not top notch.

Snape entered Dr. Spike Rush's drug lab and prepared to blow it up. After the destruction of this operation, he could go on to level 3. He was just looking for a key card that would allow him access to the next area when Harry Potter, no doubt here for that detention which Snape was actually prepared to admit was wrongfully given, entered the room. Severus tried to recapture his usual sneer, but it just wouldn't come.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Let me finish this level and---" Harry was looking in amazement at the screen, his eyes wide.

"Is that Narc, Professor?" he asked. Snape stared at him.

"Actually, it is," he said, "I was just looking for a---" He paused to collect the key card and continued, "Anyway, I suppose you're here for that detention."

"Yes, sir," Harry said.

"I did some thinking," Snape said, "and I've come to the conclusion that the detentions for you and your friends were wrongfully given. Consider them canceled." He paused, "You do seem to have some knowledge of this game though."

"I beat it back when Dudley had his Nintendo. He got so mad he threw it out the window along with Hydlide." Snape began to laugh.

"He actually bought Hydlide?" he asked when he could speak again, "That's the worst game ever made. Granted, I've got a copy here, but I don't actually get any pleasure from playing it! The graphics and music are the worst on the NES, and whoever came up with those controls must have been using some illegal substances." Harry grinned.

"I don't presume to put words in your mouth, but do I sense an admission that we actually have something in common?" Snape's eyes widened.

"Do you know?" he asked, "I think we might. I guess I never did hate your father. I just had to preserve the whole Slytherine gig. Don't expect me to play favorites though!" Harry smiled.

"I wasn't," he said. Then he and Severus began a two-player game of Narc. After only about an hour, they finished. From then on, when Harry seemed to be either serving detentions or discussing an essay or recipe with Snape (those were usually already finished), he would join his Potions master for a night of senseless video game violence.