It is the next morning. Harry has determined that something is wrong due to being too quiet, but considers that to be due to the Quietus Charm on his bed. However, he notices that everyone else is missing from the dorms. He finds that he has slept too late and his first class started some time ago. He suspects that someone deliberately made sure he could not attend his first class, but he finds a note nearby, in his handwriting, about wanting to sleep in and to not be disturbed. He finds another note from himself, requesting he play the game, stressing this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Looking at the instructions of the game after he has determined that the note is legitimately from himself, he finds that he starts with 100 points.
Harry begins with attempting to get snack bars from his bag. He gets another note stating that he lost a point and is now at 99 points, with additional information stating he is confused and still hungry. Harry requests a box of cereal bars, but he gets only the box with a note stating that he spent one point for the box of cereal bars, leaving him at 98 points. Harry gives up on the pouch and goes to get his robes. He finds cereal bars under the robes with another note saying he spent a point, leaving 97 points, and that he is still in his pyjamas.
Harry considers that Dumbledore controls the game, and looks under his bed to find another note saying that Dumbledore does not and that Harry lost 20 points for the guess as well as another 2 for still having his pyjamas, leaving 75 points. Harry asks how to get more points, and another note says that "opportunities to do good are everywhere", costing him a point, leaving 74 points. Harry cannot find any more clues, and after switching into his robes, he leaves.
Harry becomes lost due to the moving stairways, and asks a painting for directions. The painting tells him that going left takes him down. He also asks about the mysterious notes; the painting says that it has no answers about reality. Harry thanks the painting and moves on. Harry then encounters a dead-end, and asks for a hint. A nearby painting tells Harry that he has a hint for the game, costing three points. Harry accepts the cost, and the painting tells Harry that the darkness is between the green study rooms and Transfiguration class. Harry loses 10 points for slowness, leaving him 61 points. Harry also asks about where the message came from, getting a cryptic answer, as well as directions to the darkness the painting mentioned.
As Harry walked through a corridor, he hears a boy scream, and finds several Hufflepuffs and Slytherins. The Slytherins are accosting Neville, who Harry prompting releases from their hold. One of the Slytherins push Harry to the ground, but Harry gets back up and pulls out his wand. He announces that he will use as many points as needed to defeat the Slytherins, saying Abracadabra as he uses the wand. One of the Slytherins is hit with cherry pie emitted from the wand, and the Hufflepuffs laugh. On the pan holding the cherry pie, Harry finds a note removing 30 points from him for shipping and handling, leaving him at 31 points. Another pie hits another Slytherin, who is ordered to read the note on that pie's pan. The note orders the Slytherin to not attack Harry with magic, or the attack with be reported to the game authorities. A large Sytherin lifts Harry's hand and begins to push his index finger backwards. However, Professor Sprout arrives to question the Slytherins. She checks Harry's wand for usage and finds none. She takes three points from each Slytherin and the Slytherins leave quickly.
Harry learns that the words to the Killing Curse are Abracadabra (despite a Hufflepuff student saying the proper pronunciation) and explains that Muggles view the words as a joke. One of the students introduces himself as Ernie Macmillian. Neville complains about the bruise on his arm, but the Hufflepuffs say that Harry did that to safe him from the Slytherins. Harry leaves after further admonishment from Neville.
Harry asks about how well he is doing in the game. A note appears, and he find that he got 10 points for style and negative 3 million points for good thinking, as well as a Ravenclaw House point bonus of 70, leaving him -2,999,871 points, as well as 2 turns left. Harry tries to appeal to the game controller, but another note removes an additional trillion points, remarking the appeal as failed. Harry tries to make a guess about the game, and another note says he failed, giving him negative infinity points, as well as a note to go to McGonagall's office. Harry goes there, knocks on the door, and McGonagall lets him in.
