"I don't like this. I don't like this at all." Hermione whispered. We had entered a room with broken statues on the floor.
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
"A graveyard?" I suggested, not liking this either.
"This is no graveyard… This is a chess board." Ron told us. He walked forward onto the board and torches lit up, illuminating the board and the giant players. We walked up to join him.
"There's the door!" Harry said. We walked forward. The pawns pulled out their swords. We jumped back.
"Now what do we do?" I asked. I should have known it wouldn't have been this easy. There was always a catch. Ron looked at the rest of us.
"It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room! Alright… Harry, you take the bishops square. Elizabeth, you'll be the Queen's side castle and Hermione, you'll be the king's side castle. As for me… I'll be a knight." We got into position.
"What happens now?" I asked. Ron was just positioning himself on top of the knight piece. The rest of us had empty squares to ourselves.
"Well, white moves first and then… we play." He told me. A pawn on the other side of the board moved forward. Ron studied the door.
"Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like… real wizard's chess, do you?" Hermione asked.
"You there! D-5!" He ordered a pawn. The pawn moved forward so it could be taken by the enemy piece. The other pawn drew his sword and smashed the pawn. Pieces flew everywhere. I had to duck if I wanted to keep my head attached to the rest of my body. Ron looked over at Hermione.
"Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizards chess."
Time passed, though I couldn't tell how long. Pieces were destroyed, turned into rubble over and over again. Ron and Harry studied the game.
"Wait a minute…" Harry said. Ron looked at him.
"You understand, right, Harry? Once I make my move, the queen will take me and then you'll be free to check the king." Ron said.
"No, Ron, no!" Harry yelled.
"What is it?!" Hermione asked.
"He's going to sacrifice himself!" I told her.
"No, Ron, you can't! There must be another way!" Hermione yelled. Ron grimaced and turned to face Hermione.
"Do you want to stop Snape or not?!" He looked back at Harry.
"Harry, it's you that has to go on! I know it! Not me, not Hermione, not even Elizabeth, you!" Harry very slowly nodded to Ron.
"Knight to H-3." Ron ordered. Ron's piece moved forward.
"Check." He said, barely audible. The queen turned and advanced on Ron. He took a deep breath, turning pale. The queen thrust her staff into Ron's piece. It exploded. He landed hard on the floor with a scream and didn't get up. Hermione moved towards him as I forced myself not to move at all.
"NO! Don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing!" Harry told her. She froze, still standing on her square, and nodded once. Harry walked forward to be in front of the king.
"Check mate." He told the piece. The king's sword fell to the ground. The game was over. Harry, Hermione and I ran over to Ron. We kneeled over his unconscious body. Harry looked at Hermione.
"Take care of Ron. Then, go to the Owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right… I have to go." Harry told her. She nodded once.
"You'll be okay, Harry. You're a great wizard, you really are." She told him.
"Not as good as you." He said sheepishly.
"Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship and bravery… And Harry? Just be careful." She pleaded.
"Can you guys profess your love so we can get on with it?" I asked. Both of them shot me a look. Harry and I went on into the next room.