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Wizard's Chess
By 'Ponine and Zenn
Chapter One - Déjà Vu
"Damn, I'm never going to beat you at chess, am I?" a disgruntled Harry Potter muttered to his smirking friend.
"Nope. Doesn't look like it." Ron Weasley grinned and ducked a mock punch.
Hermione Granger pushed past them both, rolling her eyes and sighing at the immaturity. "Honestly, you two are so juvenile. We are seventh years, we should act like it."
"Where's the fun in that?" Ron asked, glancing at her and nearly plowing into a statue. Managing to not injure himself, he did cause quite a raucous, bringing a sneering Potions Master out of his classroom.
"Lateness is deplorable, but to bring attention to it is going to lose you twenty points from Gryffindor." With that, Snape pivoted and swept back into his room.
"Like he wouldn't have taken points anyway." Ron muttered, glaring darkly into the doorway.
They quickly moved into the room and found seats as far from the front as possible, while still remaining in the class. After a quick lecture on the difference of the properties of crushed unicorn and bicorn horns, the class set to work on a solidifying potion, that Snape guaranteed most would not be able to complete, and the class was fairly quiet.
Suddenly a liquid roar was heard near the back of the classroom. The students turned as one, watching as the trio of Gryffindors backed away from their workstation. Snape sneered, and made to go nearer to the rolling cauldron. Before he could make it halfway across the lab, a drawling voice made itself known.
"Honestly Weasel-bee, could you be any more thick?" Draco Malfoy walked up to them, skirting the area of the work table.
"Shove off, Malfoy." Ron growled, glaring at the Slytherin.
"What, can't take the criticism? I mean, that has to be the worst potion I've ever seen, and Longbottom isn't any where around." Draco stated, smirking at the now popping concoction.
"Oh, come of it. It's not that bad, just a couple of mixed ingredients." Hermione glanced at Ron, who's ears had turned pink. "What did you do, mix the belladonna with the knotgrass? Or the loofstrife with the bicorn horn? Everyone knows those together are very volatile."
"Showing off as usual, Ms. Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know it all, again. And for you Mr. Weasley, twenty-five points from Gryffindor and a week's detention. With Mr. Filch." Snape smiled evilly, then glanced at a glaring Harry. "Five points from Gryffindor for that look, Mr. Potter."
Draco grinned smugly and glanced at Hermione before turning back to Ron. "Really Weasley, you should put a muzzle on your pet Mudblood. Then you wouldn't lose quite so many points."
Ron's eyes narrowed as his hand made for his wand in his pocket. "Curse you, you little ferret!"
Draco reached his wand first, whipping it out towards the trio. "Lusus Lapideus!"
A blast of gray light shot from the Slytherin's wand, hitting the hastily incanted shield before the others. Ricocheting off, it flew into the ruined potion of the closest cauldron. For a moment nothing occurred, then abruptly, the liquid exploded. Going easily past the shield charm, which was only meant to back spells, the goop coated the three Gryffindors and Malfoy. A bright light engulfed them, and with the room spinning uncontrollably, the young wizards and witch lost consciousness.
Slowly Harry came to, blinking rapidly to dispel the haze, before he realized he wasn't wearing his glasses. Feeling along the floor, he found the frames and put them on. When he looked up, he immediately took them off, cleaned and then replaced them. It didn't change what he was seeing.
Marble columns stood tall along the perimeter of a large chamber. The walls seemed to be made of granite, along which were evenly spaced sconces. Glancing to the other side, Harry saw a large open area, with a tile floor and nothing upon it. Everything seemed to be in the same blue tinged gray.
Harry looked next to him, his eyes widening even more as he saw his friends laying there. Both Ron and Hermione were starting to awaken, and before long they both sat up. Harry continued to stare at them, amazed.
"Where the bloody hell are we?" Ron exclaimed, then turned to Harry, without looking at him. "And why are you staring at me like that?"
". . . Er, Ron?" Hermione asked faintly.
"What?"
"Look down. Or at us."
"BLOODY HELL! I'm gray! And so are you!" Ron yelled, standing up and staring at his arms.
"I noticed that." Hermione said, though her voice didn't sound as condescending as usual.
Suddenly a moan caught their attention and they noticed another gray form sitting a fair distance away. Draco Malfoy sat up, glancing around his surroundings, then his eyes fell on the others.
"What in Salazar's brilliant name is going on here?!" Malfoy snarled. "What did you do?!"
"We didn't do anything, Malfoy," Harry snarled, standing up next to Ron and helping Hermione up as well. "This is all your fault."
"Mine? Are you daft?! Of course it's your doing, Potter, you always screw things up. That is how your convict mutt got killed, isn't it?"
Harry reached to yank out his wand, before suddenly realizing he didn't have it. The others looked for theirs as well, and finding them missing glanced at one another.
"Oh, crap." Ron said, still feeling along his pockets.
"Language, Ron!" Hermione admonished, glancing around them once more, sparing a quick glare at Malfoy.
"Really, Hermione! This isn't the time for that!" Ron muttered, shooting a frustrated look in her direction. She didn't notice.
Taking a couple of steps forward, she glanced over her shoulder. "Come on, let's figure out where we are. And a way out."
"Er, Hermione."
"Yes, Ron?"
"What are we going to do with the ferret?" He asked, pointing to Malfoy.
"You are not going to do anything with me, you blasted Gryffindor!" Malfoy yelled, losing his cool manner for a moment and startling the others into silence. "When my father hears about this . . ."
"Oh, shut it, Malfoy." Harry told the Slytherin. "Your father isn't here now, is he?"
"Mind your attitude, Potter." Draco sneered, his lip curling in distaste.
"Or what, Malfoy? You'll curse us? Fine job you did of it before." Harry sneered back, smirking.
"This is not my doing! You self-righteous scar-head!" derided Draco with ever increasing anger.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Then who the devil cast that spell into Ron's potion?"
Draco shut his jaw, grinding his teeth, then turned on his heel. Without another word, he strode off, moving into the middle of the room.
"Malfoy! Wait, you don't know where we are or how to get out of here!" Hermione yelled after him.
"Who cares where he goes, Hermione?" Ron muttered. "Let the ferret fend for itself."
Hermione shot Ron a glance, as Harry fought down a smirk.
"Malfoy, wait. We should stay together." Hermione continued, for the good it did her.
"Why don't you leave me alone." Draco drawled without turning, still walking across the open part of the room. "You little Mudblood."
Ron growled low in his throat and started off after the Slytherin. Hermione attempted to stop him, and when she couldn't, followed him. Going after his friends, Harry too walked on to the tile floor.
Suddenly a wretched groaning filled the air. The students stilled, glancing around. The torches along the walls burst into double the flame they had shown before, before dying out. As the room was cast in to shadow, the sound increased in pitch to a wail.
"What, what's happening?" stuttered Ron's voice through the darkness. "I don't like this. I really don't like this."
"Quiet down, Ron." Hermione whispered, grabbing on to one of the boys' arms.
"Let go of my arm, you Mudblood." Draco snarled. Hermione immediately let go. "Now I have to get the Mudblood germs off of me."
"Don't you call Hermione a Mudblood." Harry was starting to get annoyed with the word.
"Ooh, defending the Mudblood, are you, Potter?" asked Draco.
Before Harry could tell Malfoy off, a loud roaring sound came from the floor under them. The torches blazed back on, nearly blinding the four students. Large stone figures appeared at either end of the room, each about seven feet tall. White pieces were on the right, black on the left. All the pieces were made of stone, possibly granite like the walls.
"What the blazes are those?" Ron asked.
"Ron, Hermione. Where have we seen these before?" Harry asked his friends, déjà vu hitting him abruptly.
"First year," Hermione said. Then looking around, she added, "We're on a giant chess board."
"Exactly. We may have to play our way across the room," Harry said. He hurriedly walked towards the black side, but the black pawns sounded an angry growl as Harry came towards them. Sighing, Harry returned to the middle of the room.
"Looks like we will have to play our way across the room," Harry told the others.
"I'm not playing with Mudbloods, Scarheads or Weasels." Draco said angrily.
"I don't think we have a choice, Malfoy." Harry said askance as he gazed at the opposite sides of pieces. Then, turning to the others, "this is different, though. Look, it seems we have to be the Kings and Queens of both sides."
"Oh, yeah. Well, who's what?" Ron questioned, sliding slightly nearer to Hermione.
"Oh no, no, no. I am not siding with Malfoy." Harry immediately said, glaring at his supposed best friend.
Ron looked apologetic, but took Hermione's arm and steered her towards the white side. Harry continued to glare for a moment, then turned a rather murderous expression towards Malfoy.
"Come on. Let's get this over with, so we can get out," sneered Harry. Draco was fairly surprised to find that he was disconcerted at Harry's evil side rearing up.
"Fine, Potter." In order to cover up any unease, Draco waved a haughty hand and strode to the black side. He went immediately to the king square.
"Git." Harry muttered. Then louder, "Just what do you think you're doing, Malfoy?"
"What does it look like, Potter? Or are you that daft you can't tell?"
This time it was Harry who growled as he went after Malfoy. His angry expression did not bode well for anyone. Reaching the edge of the board, he turned another dark glare on Malfoy and stepped into the queen's spot.
"Damn. Not only am I playing queen to a death eater wanna-be, but we just have to be on the black side," muttered Harry, angrily. "This is a nightmare. Maybe it is a nightmare." Harry brightened with new hope. He reached over and smacked Malfoy across the jaw.
"OWWW!" Draco yelled, trying not to fall over backwards. "What the Bloody Hell do you think you are doing?! How dare you touch me!"
"Damn." Harry sighed, turning back to face the main part of the board.
"Potter! What did you do that for?! Are you listening to me?! POTTER!" Draco raged, stepping closer to Harry.
Just as his foot fell over the line separating their spaces, the stone statues of their side turned to him. Shocked, Malfoy stepped back, this time outside of the board. The bishop beside him thrust out his arm, catching Draco around the neck and pulling him upwards. The Slytherin struggled as he rose, like a worm on a hook. Black spots rose in his vision, as the hand holding him tightened.