"Makes sense,"  Blossom said, surprised that Dione had taken his arm.  "We'll either find a passage to the lake or a flooded out section of the dungeon, which might make for an interesting adventure in itself."  He looked at the other two girls.  He grinned.

"Unless, of course there is no courage left in Gryffindor."  It was a deliberate goad but not one meant maliciously.  He didn't expect either of the Gryffindors to turn down the opportunity to explore the deeper reaches of the dungeon but stranger things had happened.

Rico jumped, in fake terror, clasping onto Dessa's arm. Taco hissed and leaped from his shoulder, scampering down the hallway. "Oh no!" He said, false hysteria peaking into his voice, maybe we'll see a GHOST!" He turned and jumped at Lexi. "RAWR!" He yelled.

He laughed his silliness off. "Well it seems we have tossed together and expedition, I'm in."

Lexi made a face at Blossom at the mention of there being no courage left in Gryffindor. 'Course there was courage left, enough to last them at least seven years. She didn't even flinch as Rico did his little freak-out, which was entertaining, she had to admit; and she found herself laughing.

"Rico, why don't you walk in front of me," she said. "Then you can warn us if there are any ghosts or monsters waiting for us." With this, Lexi put her hands on his back and pushed him down the dim corridor, "What? All talk and no action Slytherin? You coming?" 

The jab at Slytherin was purely in good fun, just to defend her pride and get back at the Gryffindor comment a while  ago.

"Slytherin takes the traditional leader's position,"  Blossom said.  "At the back.   We don't require the joy of exploration and discovery to lighten our days.  We get fulfillment from seeing our minions doing well."   He leaned closer to Dione and said, in a stage whisper "And it keeps us from being the ones that springs the traps."

The banter was just that, banter.  He expected some comment about Slytherins bringing up the rear but wasn't exactly going to take exception to one if it came.  He had set himself up for it after all.  It felt good to be having a little bit of mindless fun.  It was a nice change from lessons, essays and other things.

Dessa laughed at Rico's display of mock fear, and nodded insistently when Lexi pushed him ahead to forge their path. The banter between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors was thus far enjoyablel, and she could only hope that things would remain civil, and they'd get to enjoy an adventure.

"Don't worry," Dessa said in reply to Blossom's jibe about Gryffindor running out of courage. "I know it's a foreign subject for you snakes, but courage is a renewable resource."

They began planning their order for an expedition through the tunnels, and Dessa laughed at the Slytherin's idea of the "eader's position". She leaned over to Lexi and stage whispered "That means he's scared."