A/N: Hoping this quick update will get me some reviews :)
Chapter Ten: Pays to be an Einstein
The end of October was exciting for Hogwarts because Professor McGonagall had set up a giant Transfigured chess set in the courtyard as, what she deemed, a treat for Halloween. It was the subject of much spectacle and there were constantly students crowded around it during breaks and mealtimes playing in mini-tournaments. As expected, The Ravenclaws generally monopolized the board, though I saw several Slytherins take over when they were bored. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs weren't as enamored– although I'd seen the Marauders mucking around with it once or twice for the amusement of a watching crowd. I'd never had a chance to play on the set, because my friends weren't very interested and no one else would let Bottle-Specs join their game.
I did, however, get my chance on the afternoon of Halloween when the Gryffindors had been excused from Defence Against the Dark Arts for the day. The teacher that year, Professor Tofty, was supposedly interviewing for a position in the Wizarding Examinations Authority at the Ministry, so he was away for a spattering of lessons to attend meetings. The Fifth Year Gryffindors headed out to the courtyard to enjoy the last of the sunshine and the beginnings of the brisk air. It was unusually empty and I was thrilled to see that I might manage to squeeze a few games of chess out of my friends. Wendelin, Florence and Emmeline sat on some of the benches behind the white chess pieces doing a quiz from Witch Weekly while Rahul Patil and Billy Stebbins sat on a low wall, bouncing an old quaffle to each other between their legs. Marlene, Benjy, Jasper and I took the benches behind the black pieces and leaned back to enjoy the sun. Before I could suggest it, Benjy stretched and gave me a grin. "Shall we finally have that game of chess you've been after us for then, Effie?"
I grinned back and dusted off my skirt as I stood. "I'm warning you Benj, my grandmother has been teaching me how to play Chess since I was four."
He frowned. "You mean that Muggle Chess doesn't have different rules?"
I smiled again and he sighed. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"
"Probably."
I won the game quickly and efficiently and though he was laughing, I could see that Benjy was putout by his quick loss. We had perked the interest of our fellow Fifth Years by now, and I noticed that Rahul and Billy weren't bouncing their quaffle anymore and Florence had leaned forward slightly, taking her eyes off Wendelin's magazine.
Jasper went next and lost in six moves. He hung his head embarrassedly and scowled at me. "Not fair! I've only played Chess like twice in my life!"
"Shouldn't have tried it then, sore loser!" I teased, enjoying myself.
He shook his head and nodded at Marlene. "You have a go, Marlene. Deflate Effie's head a bit."
Playing against Marlene was a bit trickier – since she was my only practice partner at Hogwarts. She wasn't a huge fan of the game, but she did understand strategy – probably a by-product of being Quidditch-obsessed. She held her own and I almost lost my Queen before I was able to checkmate her. She groaned while the giant chess pieces reformed, and sighed.
"I tried, lads – but Effie's just too good at this game!"
"Oh come on! It's just a stupid, nerdy game – how difficult can it really be?" Wendelin had obviously put down her magazine while Emmeline and Florence were distracted by our games. She studied her nails and looked at me haughtily.
"She just beat all three of us in under twenty minutes, Warcroft. Can't you just admit that she's good?" Marlene said, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, she crushed us!" Benjy agreed before coughing. "Sadly."
Wendelin stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Well anyone could beat you idiots! Bet you can't beat me, Einstein."
I wanted to thank her again for the compliment, but instead just nodded at the board. "By all means give it a try, Wendelin. Do you want to play with white?"
She pouted. "White goes first, right?"
I stifled laughter. If she knew anything, she'd know that it didn't matter. "Yep."
"Then yes," she said, beckoning to Florence and stepping up to the board. Emmeline hung back on the bench, an amused smile playing on her lips.
"Your move," I said, rolling up my sleeves and pushing my glasses up the brim of my nose.
"I know that, Bottle-Specs!" she snapped, whispering to Florence.
"Pawn to F4" Wendelin said, when she stepped away from her friend.
The pawn began to move, just as a crowd of Sixth Years came into the courtyard laughing during what was obviously a free lesson. Lily, Dorcas and Mary joined Emmeline on the bench and Lily waved at me as I sent one of my own pawns forward to battle. I bit my lip as I heard the sounds of the Marauders enter the Courtyard and take up the space under the marble archways. They didn't seem to be paying much attention to our game and were laughing loudly about something Filch had shouted at them for, but either way, I was determined not to let their presence distract me from winning. I could not lose to Wendelin Warcoft.
The game went on steadily, with Wendelin taking as many pieces as I did. The really shocking part of this was that Florence seemed to be the one making all of the decisions. It soon became very clear to me that Wendelin had no part in being a tough opponent and it was Florence, the usually dim and ditzy girl, who was my real competition.
"She's good Effie," Marlene muttered as I thought about my next move.
"It's Florence really. Who knew she was good at something?" I whispered back, glancing up at Florence who was biting her lip, obviously thinking several moves ahead.
"You know what," Benjy stepped forward. "I was just thinking…do you reckon she's related to the owner of Shipley Games?"
We all gasped in recognition. Shipley Games were the leading Wizarding producers of Chess and Gobstone sets, which obviously made Florence not only rich and also an accomplished player.
It was break by now and the Courtyard had filled with several students who gathered to watch. A few Slytherins were even standing in the shadows under the marble arches watching. But because Regulus Black was among them, I think they were more focused on Sirius' presence in the courtyard than on our chess game. Wendelin giggled and rolled her eyes, playing up to the audience and saying things like, "I don't know how you roped me in to this game, Effie! I never play this." She obviously didn't want anyone to think that she would play anything as uncool as chess, but it didn't matter anyway, because soon Florence wasn't even pretending that Wendelin was making the decisions. Although Wendelin had to actually give the command, Florence was the one concentrating and suggesting moves. Wendelin was mostly waving at Sirius and James who were now watching with mild interest. Remus and Peter had actually stepped forward to join the large circle surrounding us while the other two hung back, looking over at Lily and whispering to each other.
My opponents hadn't made a move in a while and I could see Florence chewing on her lip as she stared at the board. Her queen was in danger and I could see she was working out how to save it.
"Any time you're ready," I smiled, feeling a little excited that I finally had something to show off about. Pathetic – but exciting nonetheless.
To my surprise, a few people chuckled and Wendelin looked furious before smiling fakely. She was careful never to tease me too aggressively or call me Bottle-Specs in front of the Marauders. Perhaps she was worried that they might see her for the banshee that she really was.
"Ha-ha! Knight to C3," she said, acting rashly.
"No!" Florence breathed and I grinned, pouncing at my opening.
"Bishop to G4," I said smugly, crossing my hands and bouncing on the balls of my feet as my Bishop brutally destroyed their Queen.
Wendelin covered her face in dismay as the crowd groaned. Apparently they'd been rooting for her – though I shouldn't have been surprised.
"Now I have to do damage control," Florence huffed under her breath. Whether Wendelin hadn't heard, or pretended not to, she simply laughed airily and turned to talk to Billy Stebbins who was frowning at me.
"Oi move your King, so she can't get at it," he said to Wendelin and Florence. I smiled. Sure! They could all pitch in – I would still crush them all until they were crying for mercy. I would stomp on their bones and turn them into chess pieces! I would – Oh wow, I really needed to get a hold of myself.
"No! Move your Castle three spaces forward!" I heard the sickening voice of Bertram Aubrey say from the circle surrounding us. "You can't let Bottle-Specs win! She can barely see the board!"
A couple of people laughed with him, including Wendelin and Billy, but Lily and her friends kept quiet, and to my surprise, so did the Marauders.
"We can't do either of those things!" Florence snapped. "Knight to B5."
After Wendelin had repeated the command, I smiled. It was a good move. Rather than backtrack, she'd gone on the attack and now my Queen was in danger.
"You could try moving your Knight a couple of spaces straight forward, Effie!" I heard Lily call. "But don't take my advice – I'm terrible at Chess!"
I laughed at the illegal move and shook my head. "Yes, you are."
Lily, Dorcas and Mary laughed with my friends and I saw Remus and Peter crack smiles of their own. Wendelin looked disgruntled at Lily taking my side and Bertram Aubrey shot me a look of irritation.
"Well play a move, Bottle-Specs! No one has all day!" Bertram shouted.
"Shut up Aubrey," Remus Lupin spoke up and I smiled at him in surprise.
"Don't worry Bertram, you can get back to coming up with more clever insults soon, the game's almost over," I said. I was winning one lousy chess game and suddenly I was acting like I ruled the world.
Just two moves and I had them. Or at least, I had Florence. Wendelin was such a dimwit, she would have lost quicker than Jasper had – and he had been terrible!
"Queen to E5, Check" I said, watching Florence carefully. She wouldn't see it, would she?
"What an idiot!" Bertram said. "Wendy, take her Queen."
After glancing at Florence for a moment and seeing no immediate answer, Wendelin made the move and I cracked a huge grin.
"I guess it pays to be an Einstein sometimes, Wendelin," I said, tapping my head and pointing at my Bishop lying in wait. "Check mate."
"And to think I thought she was shy," I heard Sirius mutter nearby. Wonderful. He had chosen this moment to notice me, and it was while I had turned into some kind of Chess Monster.
Wendelin's King removed his crown and threw it down and it skidded to stop near my feet as Marlene, Jasper and Benjy let out huge cheers and Lily and her friends broke into applause. Florence winced and shut her eyes while Billy Stebbins kicked his quaffle at the wall, hard. Bertram Aubrey made a face and stomped away and Wendelin let out a shriek of annoyance. The crowd started to disperse, some of the people muttering, obviously disappointed at my good fortune and skill. I was so drunk with power, I didn't even care that the people who weren't grumbling, were pointing and snickering at my little victory dance.
"Good game," Florence said quietly, with a small smile.
Suddenly however, her demeanor changed, as if she'd suddenly remembered who I was. She frowned, stepping back behind Wendelin again. She wasn't making the first moves anymore.
"Oh well done! Great, you won this pathetic, loser game. Really, congrats!" Wendelin said huffily. "Come on, girls!"
Florence followed without another look but Emmeline hung back with the Sixth Year girls who were all still laughing at Wendelin's tantrum.
"She took that well," I said with a satisfied grin, as I turned back to my friends and accepting their congratulations.
"That was a really good game, Effie!" Remus said patting me on the shoulder.
"Yeah, you almost made Chess seem exciting!" Peter added with a laugh.
"Oh, er - thanks" I smiled, feeling on top of the world, but reddening at their attention. Over Remus' shoulder I saw Sirius looking at the backs of his friends' heads in confusion. He was probably wondering why they were talking to me – but even that couldn't diminish my good mood. Finally I'd got one up on my enemies and it felt amazing!
"Well, see you later, then!" Remus and Peter said, waving as they went to join Sirius. He was still looking my way, and I felt my cheeks glow warm. It was almost as if he was looking at me and though his expression was confused and a little vacant; I could also see a slight smile on his face.
A/N: Review pleeeeeease.