Alecto Carrow and I have gotten very close over the past few days. I've isolated myself from my old friends and she had a fight with her brother. We're both alone now so we're kindred spirits, it makes sense that we should stick together.
Right now, the two of us are sitting on the floor of the Slytherin common room with a chess board between us. I've lost track of how many games we've played. Alecto takes the game too seriously for it to be much fun for me but I still find it preferable to talking.
I send a pawn in front of Alecto's bishop, hoping she'll take it. I'm not losing on purpose, but I do like watching the pieces shatter and then put themselves back together for then next game. She asks if I did that on purpose, if the suicidal move was part of my strategy. I just shrug, I think we've played enough games for her to know I don't strategize well.
While she considers her next move, I let my eyes wander around the common room. I'm looking for Bellatrix and I convince myself it's just to make sure she's okay. She's curled up on a couch- our couch -with her head on Rosier's shoulder. He looks content but Bellatrix seems unhappy about something...
"Roddy, it's your turn," Alecto tells me impatiently.
I look away from Bellatrix long enough to glance at the chess board. "Um, knight to E- five," I command absentmindedly then I turn my obsessed eyes back to my ex-girlfriend. Rosier is kissing all along her hairline now, her cheeks and her neck. She doesn't exactly seem to be enjoying it, but she's not making any move to stop him either.
I wonder if he's doing her homework, I think. And then I mentally kick myself. Damn, I shouldn't have looked...
"Queen to E- five," Alecto mutters, sounding quite pleased with herself. I turn just in time to see the knight shatter into countless porcelain pieces. I pretend to be disappointed for a few seconds before I send another worthless pawn in front of the queen, toward inevitable destruction. It's only the latest casualty in this game I can't seem to stop playing.
Alecto finally sees what I've been staring at. She sighs then turns back to the game board, seeing my latest stupid move. "You're kind of the self-sacrificing type, aren't you?" She asks. We both know she's not just talking about chess.