"Dying is a Delicate Moment"
A fanfic by Agara
"Kill me. Kill me if you ever loved me."
And he kills her.
CHAPTER EIGHT : YOUR MAJESTY
Thoughts are written in Italics
Big Line : New POV
OoOoOo : Same POV / Time Lapse
Notes : This chapter is entirely based on the chess game : "The Game of the Century" between Bobby Fisher and Donald Byrne (1956).
We have analyzed every move and if you want to check at the same time as you read there as several videos on Youtube.
It took us quite some time to understand what we could imply with every move.
We would like to thanks Jamie (Ara's chess teacher in primary school), without him she would have not had this idea.
Song : Your Majesty by Lorne Balfe
16.12.1942
"Black or white ?" Tom asked.
"Black suits you better." She answered.
They were facing each other, across a wooden table in their common room. It was just after dinner, and the students were mainly gathered in front of the fireplace, leaving Tom and Hermione by themselves at the back of the room.
They stayed silent for a little while, glaring at each other. Both of their minds were racing, trying to figure out how it will play out. Then, Hermione took one of her white horsemen, made it jump above the pawn then slid it to the left at the same time as she spoke up: "Knight to F3".
"Starting with a knight ?" Tom smirked. "I would have thought you would have started with a pawn. Knight to F6." His pale fingers moved the piece.
"Pawn to C4."
Tom was staring at the board game, silent. "Pawn to G6."
"Knight to C3." She moved her other rider onto the black square.
"Bishop to G7."
They were surrounded by a peaceful silence. Only the sound of the pieces on the classic chess board game and their announcements could be heard.
"Pawn to D4." Hermione said.
She glanced at Tom's side. She briefly analyzed his pieces and knew immediately his next move.
"Kingside castling." He declared.
He interchanged his King with his left castle, securing like that his most important piece.
You're not even surprised Hermione.
The first thing he does is protecting his King.
Tom, for the first four moves, you've been preparing this one.
You're not paying the game. You're just afraid of losing.
She rose her head and saw him already looking at her. He nodded.
So it begins.
16.12.1942
After he nodded at her, she took one of her Bishops and shifted it to F4.
He responded by moving his Pawn forward to D5.
"Have you already finished the essay on animagi ?" He casually asked.
"Already given it to Dumbledore."
She took her Queen between three fingers, gently raised it above the other pieces of the game, as though it was the most delicate item, and placed it two squares forward diagonally, on B3.
Already using your Queen ?
"How come you do not like him ?" At the same time as he asked the question, his Pawn on D4 captured hers on C4.
There was no subtlety, whether it was on his move or on his question.
She bit the inside of her right cheek, apparently, she was not taking the blow well. She stayed still for a second, analyzing the game in front of her eyes.
Once again, she took her Queen, brought it closer to his Pawn, the one on C4, and swapped the two pieces, taking away one of his own.
"How come you don't like him ?"
He didn't know if she had done it strategically or just by retaliation. Yet, Tom could only appreciate the beauty of what she had done.
He took his time to move one of his Pawn to C6. Once the piece down, he looked at her.
"He never seemed to like me." He finally answered.
She rose her head. She appeared surprised.
She hesitates. Why ?
Tom was focused on observing her.
The way her eyes wandered from one piece to another, wondering what would be the consequences of each move.
The way her right hand shifted above the items, without touching them.
The way her breath quickened when she was about to touch one.
Enough with hesitation, she took her Pawn and moved it to E4.
Still in silence, he played his Knight to D7.
The noises they could hear at the beginning of their chess contest were slowly fading away, not that the room was emptying itself, but because the only thing that mattered at this moment, for the both of them, was winning this game.
They were not looking at each other. Their gazes were set on the pieces. She shifted her left rook and slid it to the right until it settled on D1.
It was his turn. He analyzed, once again. He lead the same Knight he used the round before to B6, but before he could put it down, she spoke up.
"Because he does nothing." She simply said.
Tom was taken aback. He stopped, and stared at her.
"He is the only who could do something, and yet he just lets people getting killed." Grace continued.
He acknowledged her response by just putting his Knight down.
16.12.1942
"You have yet to congratulate me." Hermione said while putting her Queen on C5.
He took one of his Bishop in his left hand, frowned his eyebrow and played with the piece. It took a second before he decided on a square to settle his item on.
"Congratulate you on what ?" He answered.
"Are there that many things I've done you can congratulate me on, Riddle ?"
She had not played yet but she knew she would take her Bishop to G5. She just liked playing with him, as he liked playing with her.
You should definitely thank Ron for your chess skills.
He understood that she would not play until he gave her an answer. He snorted.
"Do you want someone else to inflate your ego Hortense ? Slughorn had already praised you enough, hadn't he ? After all, that is why you have done it. Marvelous." Tom mocked.
"Was I that transparent ?" She played her move.
They both smiled and he moved his Knight to A4.
A knight on the rim is grim.
"Congratulations." He started.
She slid her Queen across the board onto A3.
"But, if you wanted to go that bad to the Slug Club I could have taken you to the Christmas dinner." He finished while capturing her Knight with his own on C3.
She swapped places between his Knight on C3 with her pawn. "If I wanted to do it the easy way, I would have asked Pollux to take me there. After all he is a much better company."
Their eyes met. With each move they were taunting each other.
"You could have." Tom said. "Be careful however, do not let your guard down too soon."
His knight took her pawn on E4. By taking her pawn, he opened the way for her defeat. Her king was standing, alone, without any protection, and Tom was eager to see it abdicate.
Don't be naive Tom. You would never let your guard down, Hermione. Ever.
The candles, suspended on the ceiling, illuminated the chess board. They still had the same number of pieces.
Hers, white and bright, were scattered on the board, trying to get to him from everywhere.
His, black and dark, were centered around his King.
He was focused on preserving the royalty whereas she was concentrated on keeping all of her pieces.
Funny how the way one plays chess reflects perfectly one's personality.
She captured his pawn on E7 with her Bishop. The white cleric was standing diagonally to his Queen. Hermione just gave Tom a bait. He had two solutions.
16.12.1942
I have two choices.
His eyes were staring at the board game. He visualized the possible outcomes.
If I take your bait Hortense, I would capture your Bishop, make you lose one piece, but I would also be in the line of sight of your own Queen.
If I do not take your bait Hortense, I leave your bishop near my King but move my Queen to a safe place.
His eyes were staring at Grace. He visualized the possible outcomes.
If I take you bait Hortense, I would listen to every word you say, believe every lie, but I would also be another pawn to you.
If I do not take your bait Hortense, I would leave to your plan but I would keep in mind to figure out something to do about you later.
Tom chose the latter. "Queen to be B6". Grace gave him a dark smile, understanding perfectly what his last move meant.
She answered by moving her bishop to C4 leaving, this way, her King alone with her rooks.
Tom dangerously placed his only Knight to her side of the board, by swapping her pawn on C3 by his horseman. He enjoyed taking her pieces, one by one by hand, and putting them right next to his right elbow. It was like removing her defense bit by bit in order to get closer to her secret.
She made her other bishop, the one still standing next to his king, slide to C5.
Why did she do that ?
He focused on the game, frowning his brows a little, analyzing every move she ever made since the beginning of it. She had just given him a perfect opportunity to Check her. He smirked.
"Where are you every Wednesday night and Friday afternoon before potion ?" He solemnly asked. "Check." He added while moving his rook one square right to E8, facing directly her King.
She casually moved her king to the left, to F1, where she knew it would be safe. "I don't ask you where you and the lads go once a week for an hour don't I ?" She said, raising her head to meet his gaze, a crooked smile on her lips.
Well, look at that.
If I knew you were playing the same game all along, we would not have lost that much time.
From that moment on, an understanding settled between them. One that had not been said out loud, or been heard by the others in the room. An understanding allowing them to ask a question if their last move was satisfactory enough.
Tom shifted his other bishop to E6. She had not stopped staring at him. And without even moving her eyes a centimeter, she took her bishop and killed his Queen.
Tom stiffened his jaw but stayed calm. She had taken his second most important piece. Yet, he smirked : the game keeps going without a Queen, but never without a King.
"But I could ask you." She added. Her gaze fell back to the table.
Then, the game sped up. The windmill began.
He moved his Bishop to C4, capturing hers. Check. "Why don't you ask more questions ?"
She shifted her King to G1, to be safe.
He moved his Knight to E2. Check. "Why being friends with the lads is so important to you ?"
She shifted her King to F1, to be safe.
He moved his Knight to D4. Check. "Why did you need to get into the Slug Club so badly ?"
She shifted her King to G1, to be safe.
He moved his Knight to E2. Check. "Why are you at Hogwarts ?"
She shifted her King to F1, to be safe.
He moved his Knight to C3. Check. "How did you get into Hogwarts in the first place ?"
She shifted her King to G1, to be safe.
We are getting nowhere.
He moved his Pawn to B6, capturing her Bishop.
He took a good look at her. She seemed calm. Tom wondered if she was putting on an act or if she was truly serene.
16.12.1942
The silence settled again. Two rounds passed.
She moved her Queen to B4, he moved his Rook to A4.
She moved her Queen to B6, capturing his Pawn. He moved his Knight to D1, capturing her rook.
Tom had just gained a rook, two bishops and a pawn for his sacrificed queen, leaving him ahead of one minor piece. It was an easily winning advantage in master play. Hermione's queen, on the other hand, was outmatched by Riddle's pieces, which dominated the board.
Tom and Hermione didn't look at each other during those four moves. They kept their eyes on the board and by extension on the other player's hands.
They were so invested in the game, that they had not realized they were the only two left in the common room until one of the dormitory doors slammed loudly.
At the same time they rose their heads. The fire was almost put out. Hermione quickly glance at the mural clock : 9:50PM.
"Aren't you going to tell me off about the curfew Riddle ?" Hermione mocked.
Tom snorted. Quite unattractively.
« And what for ? So I could give you a detention and it would be taken away like the last one ? » He said.
« Why not ? It was quite entertaining, last time, seeing Slughorn undermine your prefect authority. »
Tom saw red, but he tried not to show it.
He's too easy to rile up.
Hermione smiled lightly and moved her pawn to H3. Tom smirked lightly and moved his rook to A2, eating her pawn.
Of all his pieces and pawns were defended, leaving Hermione's Queen with nothing to do.
She decided on playing her King to H2. As for Tom, he captured, again, one of her pawns on F2.
There were only a few pieces left. She gently pushed her rook, resting on H1 to E1, now facing his rook. It was almost too easy for him to move his castle to take away hers.
"Do you know the three principles in chess Riddle ?" She asked.
They were both aware that he knew them.
"First, you need to have the control of the board's center. You need to know where the most important pieces are, what they can do and most importantly what they are able to do for the King." She kept going.
Tom did not need a translator to understand the analogy she was beginning to make. The board's center clearly represented the board of professors at Hogwarts.
"The second rule is development. You need to get your Knights and Bishops out, and connect your Rooks. All those pieces need to be interconnected one way or another, and no one in the white army must come in between them." She looked at him, a playful glint in her eyes.
The second rule represented the lads. Tom's right hand started to fist his leather chair, from anger.
"And last but not least, you need to keep your King safe." She stopped for a second and moved her Queen to D8, leaving the white monarch facing directly his black ruler. "Check Riddle."
Well Riddle, you're definitely not safe.
"And in order to keep your King safe" Tom replied, "you must be willing to make sacrifices." He put his bishop between her Queen and his King.
Hermione just got the confirmation, once again, that 1942 Tom was indeed the younger version of Voldemort. While Tom was ready to sacrifice one of his most important players, Hermione couldn't resign herself to destroy its life like that. So she backed down, she didn't take his bait and settle on capturing his Rook with her Knight on E1.
16.12.1942
Tom was sitting straight in his chair. His right hand, was simply placed on the armrest, his left hand, was fidgeting above the chess pieces.
They were both looking at each other, she had a small smile on her lips just after she captured his Rook, whereas Tom was impassible.
You think you are so smart Hortense.
You think you can outplay me Hortense.
But this is my playground.
He lowered his gaze to examine his game. After a couple of minute of consideration, Tom leaned down a bit in his chair. His right hand was now resting on the table, playing with the pieces she had lost, his left was moving steadily over his Bishop. He felt extremely satisfied with what was about to come.
He responded to her move by placing his Bishop on D5.
Tom saw Grace moving her Knight to F3 while he took his own with his left hand.
"You have played chess before. It is quite obvious that you know your way around the board, and the strategic one's could use." He said while shifting the piece to E4. "You are good, I may not say otherwise."
While Tom talked, Grace kept playing, she had just pushed her Queen to B8.
"But you are not good enough." He concluded. He put down one of his Pawn on B5, and the loud noise of the piece hitting the marble board echoed in the empty room.
She stayed focus on the game and moved her Pawn forward H4.
"You think you can outplay any opponent, that you can predict every move he might play and every thought he might have." He played his pawn to H5.
She had not yet risen her gaze. She grabbed, with her right hand, only Knight to E5.
"You assume that your game is smart enough to fool your adversary. That he will fall for your baits." He responded to her move by shifting his King to G7. "You lure him, giving him an easy solution while preparing the deadly move that might lead to the downfall of his own monarchy."
She carried her King to F1.
This time she looked at him. Yet, he was not looking at her. He made his assumptions while staring at the board in front of him a slight smirk on his lips, but not perceptible by Grace. His attitude at this moment reflected his game : confident, playful and malignant. He met her gaze.
"Stop me if I am wrong Hortense." He moved his Knight to G3. Check.
She shifted her King to E1, to be safe.
"You know from this moment on, that you will not win this game." He moved his Bishop to B4. Check.
She shifted her King to D1, to be safe.
"You think however that you have played well and put me in difficulty more than once. You think you have found an enemy that attain your level of cunning and deceit." He moved his Bishop to B3. Check.
She shifted her King to C1, to be safe.
"Yet, he ruled the game when you thought you were in control." He moved his Knight to E2. Check.
She shifted her King to B1, to be safe.
"And here you are, losing the game you were so sure to understand." He moved his Knight to C3. Check.
She shifted her King to C1, to be safe.
He smiled. Not the usual smirk he often seemed to show, but a real malicious smile was printed on his face. He had both of his elbows on the wooden table and his hands joined. He stayed like that for only a second then leaned back into his chair, resting his arms the armrests.
None of them had declared their move since the first few rounds of the game.
"Rook to C2." He announced and without being touched, the rook moved forward the King. It stops in front of the white ruler and destroyed it to pieces. "Checkmate."
This game had been a wizarding one all along. He had played along with her muggle way, thinking that at first it was to destabilize him. She thought maybe he would feel confused, not knowing that he had been raised in a muggle environment. But he figured it was not a strategy, she had instinctively played the muggle way. "Interesting" he had thought.
"Once again Hortense, you have played good, but not good enough."
16.12.1942
She was watching the board.
Her King. Her poor King reduced to ruins, scattered to the feet of his enemies, of his Enemy. The King, the man, the savior, the best friend.
Harry
Then the Queen, alone, lost and homesick. Keeping the face of pride in front of the darkness, but as much as shattered inside as the outside of her King.
You, Hermione
Her horseman was facing her. The soldier she knew would never leave. Bravery and courage filling his veins as much as love and friendship filled his heart.
Ron
At least, she still had two Pawns. The two she knew she would lure, she would use, without any regrets or remorse.
Slughorn and Dumbledore
She now looked at his army.
His rook, the one he used to protect him, was surrounded by the pieces of her King. Raising from the ashes of the fallen monarch, the rook took the appearance of one of her worst memory.
Dolohov
The Knight, represented by the beauty of the equine, taunted the loss of her ruler.
Malfoy
She could imagine the laughs of the two Bishops. Like two friends winning the game of the century.
Rosier and Lestrange
And the Pawns, used and manipulated, were still oblivious to their conditions. The Third Estate was pleased by the win, not knowing that they could have as well died that their King would have not batted an eye.
Avery, Mulciber, Nott, Slughorn, Dippet
Then his King. Proud and malicious, praising his own intelligence. The smug smile on his face, the way his body was relaxed by his victory and his head pleased by her silence.
Hermione rose from her seat and took her one of her Bishop from his stack of his wins. "But Riddle, it was only a game."
OoOoOo
16.12.1942
The lads had just left. Some of them, especially Edgard and Edmund had gone to bed, knackered by Quidditch, and others either had gone to the library or for a walk.
Hermione had just picked a book from the library and was sat in one of the couch in the common room. Even though she was bored, she couldn't focus on the novel.
Tom just leaned in the leather chair in diagonal to the couch. He put down the book he was holding and rose his head to meet her gaze.
"Fancying a game of chess Hortense ?" He casually asked.
She shrugged and it was her turn to set the book down.
Out of boredom, they began to play.
Notes : Hope you guys liked it !
After reading the comments, it appears that there are some confusions about the ages of the characters and we apologize for it :
- Tom (and the lads) are 15 y/o
- Hermione / Grace is 19/yo BUT looks like 15 y/o (due to the war, under-nutrition…)
- Pollux is 16 y/o (6th Year)
- Cassandre is 14 y/o (4th Year)
Thank you guys again so much for your reviews and support.
Love
-DDM's Managers