Twice Chosen | Esmerelda Potter

28. The Giant Board

"It's a chessboard."

The lamps light up around the board, revealing the gigantic chess pieces. 

"C'mon, there's a door!" Harry says, pointing to a large set of doors at the other side of the room. We follow him to the end of the room, where the door is.

However, before that can happen, the pawns move their swords into our path, blocking our path. Hermione gasps loudly. 

As we back away, the pawns move their swords back to their normal position. 

"Okay," Ron says. "I think we take the places of the empty black pieces and we compete against the white pieces. So, Harry, you stand on the empty bishop square on the queen's side. Hermione, you stand on the queen's side castle. Elda, you take the other bishop square on the king's side."

"Elda?" I ask. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"It's a nickname!" Ron replies. 

"I like it!" Hermione says.

"Me too!" Harry agrees. 

I shrug and glance over at the board. 

"What will you play?" I ask. "There are no empty spaces left!" 

"I'll be a knight," Ron says. All of us move into position on the empty squares while Ron climbs onto the horse's back. 

"White will move first, but then we play," Ron states. Harry and I nod in response.

"But wait!" I shout. "What if we lose?" I ask.

"I'm not sure," Ron says. "I don't want to think about that." I shudder in response. 

A white pawn suddenly scrapes ahead two spaces and stops abruptly, making me shiver.

"Ron, you don't suppose that it will be like real Wizard's Chess, do you?" Hermione asks with a nervous tone. "With all the pieces getting whacked to bits?"

"I dunno Hermione!" Ron says. "You there!" Ron points to the black pawn close to his knight. "Move to E5!" 

In response, the black pawn slowly slides two squares ahead. The white pawn piece takes his sword and smashes the black pawn to bits, then the pawn throws the remnants of the other pawn off the board. 

"Hermione, I think this will be exactly like Wizard's chess!" Ron shouts, his voice shaking slightly. 

Throughout the entire game, Ron commands all the pieces, knocking down the white pieces and keeping the rest of us out of harm's way. I admire Ron's ability to play chess, probably due to the fact that I am rather terrible at it. 

There are only seven pieces left on our side, and I can feel that we are close to winning, although I'm not sure, since I've never played on the winning side before. 

"Oh no," Ron whispers quietly. 

"What is it Ron?" I ask. 

"Once I make my move to that square, the queen will take me. Then both of you will be free to check the king and move on," Ron says solemnly. 

"No!" Harry shouts. "There must be another way!"

"Let me think!" Hermione shouts. "I could figure out another way if you give me time!"

"There's no time!" Ron shouts angrily. Do you want to stop Snape or not? He probably has the stone, and if we give him more time, he could give it to You-Know-Who by the time Harry and Elda get there!"

I roll my eyes at the nickname, but I silently enjoy it.  

"Don't wait around after you've won," Ron instructs. I nod in response.