"Knight to E4."
"Hey, don't put me there, can't you see his queen?" the knight protested, waving his hands up and down madly at Harry.
"Oh, very well," Harry sighed, "bishop to D7."
"What?" the bishop retorted, "do you have some defect or the other? Can you not see his piece ready to strike?"
"Just move," Harry ordered. Reluctantly, the bishop made his way over, swearing under his breath.
Ron smirked. "Queen to D5. Checkmate," he triumphantly called, as Harry's King lay down his sword in defeat.
"Honestly Ron, I'm sick of this game!" Harry complained, "Even the chess pieces know more than me! Besides, since when did inanimate objects start moving and talking?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Welcome to the world of magic, Harry," he said.
"Women!" Ron grunted, "I thought it was only Mum, who was obsessed with Lockhart, but Hermione?"
Harry laughed, "It's probably just a phase, Ron!" Harry explained, trying to keep a straight face, "it'll be over in no time at all!"
"It sure looks like it, Harry," Ron sarcastically replied. "For merlin's sake, the whole crowd of women at Diagon Alley were just swept off their feet when the so-called genius arrived. Personally, I think he's a good-for-nothing bloke. The only thing that he does well is pose for photographs."
"Well, that's probably why they all like him," Harry suggested, shrugging his shoulders. Ron gave him a glare.
"She's gone insane, that one," Ron muttered to Harry, as he looked suspiciously at Hermione, who was stroking a large ginger cat, "Buying a mutt like that! Mental, she is."
"Well, it is her pet," Harry responded, trying to make Ron see sense. But his friend wouldn't budge from his original thoughts.
"I bet she's doing this purposefully. Of course she does, I can see right through her. She wants to get rid of Scabbers- I'm telling you, she wants to get rid of him.
"Don't you remember the time he bit Goyle's finger? Practically his whole palm... It was brilliant timing really. Too bad she wasn't there to see it. Perhaps she wouldn't be so against my poor little rat then..." Ron continued, trailing off as Crookshanks leapt up from Hermione's lap towards him.
"Harry, mate, I'm really sorry about being such a big prat, you know," Ron apologised once again for previously ignoring Harry since his name was pulled out from the Goblet of Fire.
"Ron, it's really alright," Harry assured his best friend, "I really don't mind any more."
"It's just that, I now feel so guilty about the whole thing," Ron hesitantly explained, "I mean, after the First Task, it obviously means that taking part in the tournament is particularly good luck."
"Ron, listen," Harry replied, "We all go through these things sometimes. It really doesn't matter. Believe me."
Ron nodded his head, though a bit unsurely.
"Please, Harry," Ron said in an almost begging tone, "really do think about what Hermione said. The Prophet isn't uttering a single word about the truth and they're using you to blame, all the time. You have to teach us the true Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"Ron, I appreciate your concern, but really it doesn't seem right for me to do such a thing," Harry told him.
"Look mate," Ron explained, solemnly, "they're trying to turn everyone against you. They're using you."
"Ron, I'll think about it, but really, I don't care if the whole world turns against me. As long as I have you and Hermione on my side, nothing else matters," Harry softly said as Ron sighed in defeat.
"Ron, I'm serious. It's really unnecessary for you and Hermione to come with me on the hunt," Harry frustratedly said, running a hand through his messy hair.
"No, we've -" Ron tried to say, but Harry cut him across.
"It's going to be really dangerous and I don't want you all to risk your lives for me," Harry explained.
"Mate, you may be Harry Potter," Ron told him, with a determined expression set on his face, "but we're your best friends and we've gone through everything together. We're coming with you, no matter what you say."
"Well," Harry dissaprovingly said, "you can do as you please. But if anything happens to the two of you, I doubt I'd ever forgive myself for letting you get into danger."
"Deal," Ron agreed, a bemused expression on his face, "but remember we've never exactly have been one of the best people to do things safely and cautiously."
Harry sighed, knowing it was the truth.
Ron ran up to Harry and gave him a tight, back-breaking hug with Hermione. At long last, the Dark Lord lay fallen and good had triumphed over evil.
"You did it, mate," Ron whispered, thumping Harry on the back.
Harry shook his head. "No," he replied, "we did it."