A thousand thanks to faithful readers and positive reviews. PLEASE let me
know where I can improve. I hope you're not having too much trouble with
the hyphenation thing. The entire work is hyphenated correctly in my Word
file, but the conversion to Fanfiction makes all the hyphens and dashes
look the same. I also have yet to figure out how to translate my
italicized words over to Fanfiction intact. Any hints would be much
appreciated.
Note to Jadesky-Oh, yes! You will certainly find Remus within this work. He is one of my favorites as well. I just hope you don't hate me by the end.
CHAPTER SEVEN: The Chess Challenge
Term was to begin in less than a week. Professor Snape returned, haggard-looking and in, if possible, an even fouler temper. The pace of preparation rose to a frenzied pitch as more and more teachers arrived after pleasant summer breaks. Professor Dumbledore dealt with a constant stream of owls from the Ministry of Magic, while Professor McGonagall handled the flurry of owls from students and parents. Professor Snape's return meant a last minute restocking of the potions storeroom-he requested that Roxanne be made available to help.
Although she'd long-since scrubbed the floor, walls, and shelves of any evidence, and replaced the missing gin, a nagging guilt twisted in her gut every time she stepped over the storeroom's threshold. She imagined Professor McGonagall had told him about the incident. He'd probably gotten a laugh (well, maybe a sour smirk) out of her detentions. He said nothing about it, didn't treat her any differently, but put her right to work checking and rechecking the stock.
Finally, she could stand it no longer.
"Professor."
"Yes, Miss Stewart," he replied, without looking up from the parchment spread on the table beneath his beady eyes.
"I need to apologize to you."
At this he looked at her with narrowed eyes, then opened his mouth to speak.
"No," she interrupted. "Please don't stop me or I'll never get through this." So he sat in grim silence as she poured out the story-the drunken Hogsmeade weekend, the long detentions, the stolen gin, the dizzy spell, the mess on the floor. "I'm sorry," she finished. "It will never happen again."
He considered her carefully for a moment. She fully expected him to explode. But Snape half-smiled-truly not a facial expression that came easily to him. "I'm not going to attack you, Miss Stewart," he said, bemused by her whipped-dog stance. "As a matter of fact, I've know of your crime for quite some time. I quite enjoyed seeing you sweat. It can't have been easy for you to tell me the whole sordid tale. I use only the best gin. It's a shame you were unable to enjoy it." Snape fell silent. Roxanne wasn't sure what to say. "I accept your apology," he sighed reluctantly. "Now can we get back to work?"
**********
Late in the afternoon of September first, Hagrid fetched Roxanne from the library where she'd been helping Madame Pince-a rather unpleasant, pinch-faced witch who reported having had a horrid vacation in China-dust up the bookshelves. Roxanne thanked Hagrid when they stepped outside the castle's front doors, then asked, "What's up, Hagrid?"
"The train'll be here any minute. I thought ye migh' like te cross the lake wi' the res' o' the firs' years."
"But they're-what-eleven, aren't they?"
"I know, I know. Ye'll look a bit outta place. But ye can ride wi' me. They'll not know any diff'rent."
She eyed him skeptically.
"Aw, c'mon, Roxanne. All firs' years gotta cross the lake on the first day o' term," he urged. She finally relented and they walked into Hogsmeade together, Hagrid quizzing her for her Magical Creatures exam that she would take tomorrow.
**********
Roxanne waved to the engineer as the sleek red Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station. He climbed down from the cab after the engine was secured and talked with her about her summer as hoards of young people, all dressed in neat black robes, disembarked.
Hagrid was calling the newest batch of first-year students around him and waving to others as they passed him on their way to the waiting carriages. Roxanne spotted the shock of red hair that signaled the Weasley family and waded through the crowd of mostly-shorter students to say hello. Ron's head stood well above those of his brothers and sister, and he spotted her first.
"Roxanne!" he called, waving wildly and struggling against the crowd to greet her.
"Hey, Ron! George, Fred, Ginny! How was your summer?"
"The best!" called George or Fred. She'd never be able to get them straight. They were all ecstatic to hear she'd been sorted into Gryffindor.
"Roxanne," said Ron, I'd like you to meet my friends. This is Hermione Granger," he said placing his hand on the back of a bushy-haired young witch that had fought through the crowd with him.
"Hi, Hermione. Welcome back to Hogwarts."
"And this," said Ron impressively, as if she'd be astounded by his next introduction, "is Harry Potter."
"Hi, Harry," said Roxanne shaking his hand firmly, with no trace of astonishment, no hint of recognition, no quick peek at the scar on Harry's forehead. Ron was dumbfounded.
Harry was pleasantly surprised to meet someone in the wizard world who didn't gawk at him like some sideshow freak at the mere mention of his name.
"Roxanne!" said Ron pointing significantly to the dark-haired boy, "Harry Potter!"
"I'm sorry. Have we met?" she asked, failing to cotton on.
"No. Ron," said Harry. "Really. It's OK."
Gratefully Hagrid called. Harry and Roxanne shrugged at each other, Roxanne signaling with a finger to her head that Ron must be loopy. Harry nodded in agreement and laughed.
"I'll see you later. Hagrid's taking me across the lake. It's good to meet you both!" she called as she hurried off to join the other first- years.
**********
Hagrid proved too large to share a boat with, so Roxanne ended up alone, in a spare that glided smoothly over the still black water toward Hogwarts castle. She'd seen this view many times in the predawn darkness, so instead of gaping and 'oohing' at the sight along with the others, she lay back in the boat and let her hand trail in the water, watching the stars flicker into view as the sky darkened. The giant squid swam beneath the boats, touching Roxanne's hand from time to time. The other first-years were oblivious to the huge sleek shape in the black water beneath them. Most knew the creature was down there lurking somewhere and cast nervous looks into the water, relieved to finally reach the shore.
As Professor McGonagall gathered the first-years in anticipation of the sorting ceremony, Roxanne slipped off to quietly take her seat at the farthest end of the long head table. She looked for, and spotted, the Weasleys who waved enthusiastically. She smiled and waved back with a small, unsure tilt of the hand, glancing down the row of teachers for any disapproving glares. Surprisingly, there were none.
A tall narrow-faced blond boy at the Slytherin table was straining to get a look at her. He had a malevolent smirk on his face as he whispered to his gang of gorilla-sized friends, pointing furtively. Roxanne didn't notice. But Fred and George did. They pointed him out to Ron, who pointed him out to Harry and Hermione. Snape had noticed too, and shot a warning glance at the boy, whose smirk became more subdued and his whispering ceased.
**********
The new school year began for Roxanne with exams in Care of Magical Creatures and History of Magic, receiving high marks on both. Her new schedule involved learning her subjects by assisting the professors-one each day--and studying History of Magic on her own in the evenings and on weekends. She was then to report to Professor Binns regularly on what she'd learned. Professor Binns' discussions proved to be nothing like those she'd had with the Headmaster. But even Binns couldn't squelch the fascination for the subject instilled in her by Dumbledore.
Mondays she assisted Professor Snape with potions. Despite Snape's less- than-friendly temperament, Roxanne looked forward to Mondays, simply because she'd found something she excelled at. And Professor Snape seemed pleased to have a student eager to absorb his knowledge.
Tuesdays she assisted Professor Moody-not an easy task considering Moody's constant state of high security. Roxanne had to be certain he knew when to expect her and carefully stick to the routine. She'd only had to be pinned to the wall once earlier that summer, a wand tip held menacingly to her forehead, to learn that lesson. Afterwards he'd told her about his career as an Auror (a sort of dark magic policeman), about years of tracking down and imprisoning malevolent dark wizards and witches, about many of the cunning enemies he'd earned-not all of whom were incarcerated, and the sources of many of his scars which covered his face like a nightmarish mask.
Wednesdays Roxanne was trapped with Professor McGonagall who insisted she sit in on the first- and second-year classes in an attempt to break through Roxanne's difficulties with the subject. By the end of September Professor McGonagall's frustration turned to livid determination and she required Roxanne to spend extra time on Wednesday mornings reviewing and re- reviewing what she learned the previous week.
Thursdays Roxanne helped Professor Flitwick with charms classes. While much of her time was spent cleaning up after clumsy, inexperienced students, she was learning dozens of new and useful charms. And when they had spare time, Professor Flitwick could be found teaching her handy dueling techniques to help her with Professor Moody's continuing attacks, or challenging her to a game of chess. A chess-master himself, he managed to beat her a few times, which only heightened Roxanne's determination to not lose again, and she studied his strategies carefully at each match.
Fridays she reported to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid put her straight to work handling a variety of magical creatures. After a number of near misses and minor injuries, Roxanne felt she could tackle nearly anything Hagrid threw at her.
Like the other students, Roxanne had homework assignments to complete and could often be found in the library or in the Great Hall studying at the near-empty Gryffindor table, surrounded by books, quills and parchment. The other students watched her curiously at first, but she soon became part of the routine, though not a link in the continuous chain of gossip that snaked through the student body. Several of the seventh-year boys had taken to vying for her attention, but Professor McGonagall's stern warning on her first full day at Hogwarts kept Roxanne from paying them any attention-even to tease just a little. Besides, she was not interested in teenagers-she'd sooner date Professor Moody. And since Hogwarts was barren of young adult men, with the exception of Professor Snape, (well, relatively young) Roxanne had few things to distract her from her studies.
She needed a distraction.
Flying turned out not to be the distraction she'd hoped it would be. Her first afternoon of flying lessons with Madame Hooch could have been taken from an old vaudeville comedy routine. First, she looked and felt terribly out of place among the gawky eleven-year-olds. The tallest one only reached her shoulder in height and, unlike herself, most seemed perfectly comfortable standing beside a magic broomstick. Second, she seemed to have chosen an extremely temperamental broom that refused to even so much as shiver at her word, and bucked and twisted when she tried to mount it as if it feared her adult weight would snap its handle in two. When she finally managed to get the broom in the air, it did its best to pitch her off. Madame Hooch frowned at Roxanne sternly as if the entire episode were her fault. And even worse, she had the extreme misfortune of being an object of humor to a group of pimply children.
She eventually came to an awkward truce with the rudiments of the skill- enough that Madame Hooch finally relented and released her from further flying lessons. She would be perfectly happy to watch the others fly without any trace of desire to join them.
**********
One Saturday afternoon, about mid-October, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were playing a game of chess at the Gryffindor table. Hermione, her nose in a book as usual, kept intermittent tabs on the game's progress. Roxanne had noticed the three seemed to be inseparable. She'd also noticed that Harry seemed to lose a lot of chess games to Ron. She didn't remember him winning once. She tried to keep her mind on her essay for Professor Snape: "Deadly Poisons and How to Recognize Them." But the chess game-as all chess games did-kept pulling at her attention and she found herself watching carefully as Harry made mistake after mistake and Ron mercilessly took advantage of them. Harry, though he'd gotten much better since first learning to play, was losing badly and Ron was very smug about it.
As Harry went to make another bad move Roxanne cleared her throat loudly. Harry, his hand still on the chess piece, looked at her. She looked straight back and shook her head, clearly signaling that he could do better. As Harry's chess pieces seemed to agree with her, Harry replaced the piece, studied the board carefully and chose another. A glance at Roxanne told him he'd chosen better this time.
The rest of the game continued this way-Harry checking for Roxanne's approval before each move, and Ron glaring at her with increasing annoyance- until Ron finally won (Harry's game had been too far gone to save).
Roxanne shrugged and went back to her studies. Harry slid over and thanked her.
"It's OK-I just couldn't sit here and let him completely trounce you," she replied.
"And I suppose you think you could beat me?" It was Ron standing across the table from her, his long arms crossed.
"I believe I could give you a run for your money." It was Roxanne's turn to act smug.
"Let's go, then," Ron challenged.
Roxanne took a small shiny black box from her shoulder bag, touched it with her wand and enlarged it with the 'engorgio' charm. Ron gasped as the snakes inlaid into the lid became easily identifiable.
"Roxanne," said Harry hesitantly, "I thought you were a Gryffindor."
She followed his astonished gaze to the box, becoming acutely conscious for the first time how odd it was for her to be carrying such a box. She wasn't sure she ought to tell him how unusually violent her chessmen seemed to be.
"It was my father's," she replied. "A gift from his parents. They were- er, are Slytherins."
Ron and Hermione had not failed to understand the significance of what she'd just told them-a Gryffindor born of Slytherins! Neither really had Harry. But Harry had never been one to flinch unpleasantly over oddities- being one himself. Roxanne noticed this and appreciated it as much as Harry appreciated her apparent ignorance of him and all he represented- although he had a difficult time believing someone could have been at Hogwarts for 3 ½ months without ever having heard of Harry Potter.
"Are we still going to play?" Roxanne asked.
"What? Oh, yeah. Of course," said Ron, a puzzled expression still on his face.
The game was a long one. They were still playing as the rest of the Gryffindors gathered for dinner, still playing as the teachers entered, still playing as Professor McGonagall sniffed testily and complained to Professor Dumbledore about Roxanne consorting with the younger students. But Dumbledore soothed her, ("It's just a chess game, Minerva.") and the game continued. Pieces advanced and retreated as Ron and Roxanne did their best to outmaneuver the other. They played through dinner, snatching bites between moves.
After the tables had been cleared of dinner and most of the students had left for the dormitories, thirty or so remained behind, gathering on either side of the table, shuffling about to get a better view of the game. Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore stayed as well, quietly discussing the game from a respectable distance, seated in chairs perched atop the table.
The game seemed to be going nowhere, and the chessmen were growing tired, when in a brilliant capture, Roxanne defeated Ron's remaining Bishop, sacrificing a knight in the effort and ending the game in a stalemate.
"Well, bless my soul," declared Professor Flitwick surveying the near-empty board.
Ron stared at the board. "You did that on purpose," he said, disappointed. "You lost your knight on purpose. You forced a stalemate! Why?"
"I'm tired. Neither of us could have won-even with the knight still on the board. What was the point of going on?" she answered with a shrug.
Without another word Ron scooped up his chessmen and stormed off to bed.
"Good game," drawled a slender blond Slytherin boy to Roxanne as she cleared her chessmen.
"Thanks," she said without looking up. It had been one of a long string of congratulations as the gathered crowd worked their way out of the room, and at the moment she was having difficulty getting her knights into the box- they were having a heated argument about whether Roxanne had made an error that could have turned the tide of the game.
Professor Flitwick came forward. "All right then Mr. Malfoy," he said sternly. "Off to bed with you."
Draco Malfoy smirked at the look of shock on Roxanne's face as she spun to look at him. Then he turned and, followed by two much larger boys, strutted out of the Great Hall.
**********
Harry came into the dormitory a few minutes after Ron. Ron was lying on his bed, still dressed, fuming.
"I had to wait to get my chess board back," said Harry, explaining his delay. But Ron ignored him. "Ron-it's a chess game! She didn't beat you did she."
"She may as well have," Ron spat.
"You're not really this upset about tying a chess game, are you?"
"Ah, Harry. It's just that-well-chess is the only thing I can beat you at. It's my 'trail to glory,'" Ron said dramatically. "If she can beat me-"
"She didn't beat you!" Harry reminded him.
"She was bloody brilliant," breathed Ron, a note of awe in his voice. "I've gone soft with no one challenging to play against."
"Thanks," said Harry smirking.
"C'mon Harry. I didn't mean-"
"I'm only joking, Ron. I know I'll never be able to come close to beating you-even when you go easy on me. You'll catch her next time."
"Yeah, I reckon so," Ron said, perking up a bit. Neville, Dean, and Seamus came banging up the stairs, burst into the room and bounded toward Ron.
"Amazing!" said Dean, pounding Ron on the shoulder.
"I've never seen anything like it!" roared Seamus.
Neville just shook his head vigorously, a look of deep admiration on his face. Ron was surprised, and pleased, at all the attention.
**********
Ron took to carrying his chess set with him wherever he went, hoping to catch Roxanne for a rematch. He found she studied in the Great Hall, and eager to avenge himself, badgered her ceaselessly.
"Ron, can't you see she's got work to do?" said Hermione testily. Ron rolled her eyes at her. She couldn't possibly understand. It seemed obvious to him that a chance to redeem his reputation was volumes more important than studying.
Finally, on a Wednesday during lunch break Ron's relentless pestering paid off, and Roxanne stowed her transfiguration textbook and retrieved her chess set. She'd had enough transfiguration for one day anyway.
"Ron," whispered Harry urgently, "we've got potions next. You realize what Professor Snape'll do if you skip his class."
But Ron squared his shoulders. "This shouldn't take long," he said confidently setting his pieces on the board.
Roxanne looked at Harry and shrugged. Then turned to Ron and held out a hand. "I'll see you in detention then?"
Ron looked at the hand for a moment, then took it and shook it once. "Detention, then."
Note to Jadesky-Oh, yes! You will certainly find Remus within this work. He is one of my favorites as well. I just hope you don't hate me by the end.
CHAPTER SEVEN: The Chess Challenge
Term was to begin in less than a week. Professor Snape returned, haggard-looking and in, if possible, an even fouler temper. The pace of preparation rose to a frenzied pitch as more and more teachers arrived after pleasant summer breaks. Professor Dumbledore dealt with a constant stream of owls from the Ministry of Magic, while Professor McGonagall handled the flurry of owls from students and parents. Professor Snape's return meant a last minute restocking of the potions storeroom-he requested that Roxanne be made available to help.
Although she'd long-since scrubbed the floor, walls, and shelves of any evidence, and replaced the missing gin, a nagging guilt twisted in her gut every time she stepped over the storeroom's threshold. She imagined Professor McGonagall had told him about the incident. He'd probably gotten a laugh (well, maybe a sour smirk) out of her detentions. He said nothing about it, didn't treat her any differently, but put her right to work checking and rechecking the stock.
Finally, she could stand it no longer.
"Professor."
"Yes, Miss Stewart," he replied, without looking up from the parchment spread on the table beneath his beady eyes.
"I need to apologize to you."
At this he looked at her with narrowed eyes, then opened his mouth to speak.
"No," she interrupted. "Please don't stop me or I'll never get through this." So he sat in grim silence as she poured out the story-the drunken Hogsmeade weekend, the long detentions, the stolen gin, the dizzy spell, the mess on the floor. "I'm sorry," she finished. "It will never happen again."
He considered her carefully for a moment. She fully expected him to explode. But Snape half-smiled-truly not a facial expression that came easily to him. "I'm not going to attack you, Miss Stewart," he said, bemused by her whipped-dog stance. "As a matter of fact, I've know of your crime for quite some time. I quite enjoyed seeing you sweat. It can't have been easy for you to tell me the whole sordid tale. I use only the best gin. It's a shame you were unable to enjoy it." Snape fell silent. Roxanne wasn't sure what to say. "I accept your apology," he sighed reluctantly. "Now can we get back to work?"
**********
Late in the afternoon of September first, Hagrid fetched Roxanne from the library where she'd been helping Madame Pince-a rather unpleasant, pinch-faced witch who reported having had a horrid vacation in China-dust up the bookshelves. Roxanne thanked Hagrid when they stepped outside the castle's front doors, then asked, "What's up, Hagrid?"
"The train'll be here any minute. I thought ye migh' like te cross the lake wi' the res' o' the firs' years."
"But they're-what-eleven, aren't they?"
"I know, I know. Ye'll look a bit outta place. But ye can ride wi' me. They'll not know any diff'rent."
She eyed him skeptically.
"Aw, c'mon, Roxanne. All firs' years gotta cross the lake on the first day o' term," he urged. She finally relented and they walked into Hogsmeade together, Hagrid quizzing her for her Magical Creatures exam that she would take tomorrow.
**********
Roxanne waved to the engineer as the sleek red Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station. He climbed down from the cab after the engine was secured and talked with her about her summer as hoards of young people, all dressed in neat black robes, disembarked.
Hagrid was calling the newest batch of first-year students around him and waving to others as they passed him on their way to the waiting carriages. Roxanne spotted the shock of red hair that signaled the Weasley family and waded through the crowd of mostly-shorter students to say hello. Ron's head stood well above those of his brothers and sister, and he spotted her first.
"Roxanne!" he called, waving wildly and struggling against the crowd to greet her.
"Hey, Ron! George, Fred, Ginny! How was your summer?"
"The best!" called George or Fred. She'd never be able to get them straight. They were all ecstatic to hear she'd been sorted into Gryffindor.
"Roxanne," said Ron, I'd like you to meet my friends. This is Hermione Granger," he said placing his hand on the back of a bushy-haired young witch that had fought through the crowd with him.
"Hi, Hermione. Welcome back to Hogwarts."
"And this," said Ron impressively, as if she'd be astounded by his next introduction, "is Harry Potter."
"Hi, Harry," said Roxanne shaking his hand firmly, with no trace of astonishment, no hint of recognition, no quick peek at the scar on Harry's forehead. Ron was dumbfounded.
Harry was pleasantly surprised to meet someone in the wizard world who didn't gawk at him like some sideshow freak at the mere mention of his name.
"Roxanne!" said Ron pointing significantly to the dark-haired boy, "Harry Potter!"
"I'm sorry. Have we met?" she asked, failing to cotton on.
"No. Ron," said Harry. "Really. It's OK."
Gratefully Hagrid called. Harry and Roxanne shrugged at each other, Roxanne signaling with a finger to her head that Ron must be loopy. Harry nodded in agreement and laughed.
"I'll see you later. Hagrid's taking me across the lake. It's good to meet you both!" she called as she hurried off to join the other first- years.
**********
Hagrid proved too large to share a boat with, so Roxanne ended up alone, in a spare that glided smoothly over the still black water toward Hogwarts castle. She'd seen this view many times in the predawn darkness, so instead of gaping and 'oohing' at the sight along with the others, she lay back in the boat and let her hand trail in the water, watching the stars flicker into view as the sky darkened. The giant squid swam beneath the boats, touching Roxanne's hand from time to time. The other first-years were oblivious to the huge sleek shape in the black water beneath them. Most knew the creature was down there lurking somewhere and cast nervous looks into the water, relieved to finally reach the shore.
As Professor McGonagall gathered the first-years in anticipation of the sorting ceremony, Roxanne slipped off to quietly take her seat at the farthest end of the long head table. She looked for, and spotted, the Weasleys who waved enthusiastically. She smiled and waved back with a small, unsure tilt of the hand, glancing down the row of teachers for any disapproving glares. Surprisingly, there were none.
A tall narrow-faced blond boy at the Slytherin table was straining to get a look at her. He had a malevolent smirk on his face as he whispered to his gang of gorilla-sized friends, pointing furtively. Roxanne didn't notice. But Fred and George did. They pointed him out to Ron, who pointed him out to Harry and Hermione. Snape had noticed too, and shot a warning glance at the boy, whose smirk became more subdued and his whispering ceased.
**********
The new school year began for Roxanne with exams in Care of Magical Creatures and History of Magic, receiving high marks on both. Her new schedule involved learning her subjects by assisting the professors-one each day--and studying History of Magic on her own in the evenings and on weekends. She was then to report to Professor Binns regularly on what she'd learned. Professor Binns' discussions proved to be nothing like those she'd had with the Headmaster. But even Binns couldn't squelch the fascination for the subject instilled in her by Dumbledore.
Mondays she assisted Professor Snape with potions. Despite Snape's less- than-friendly temperament, Roxanne looked forward to Mondays, simply because she'd found something she excelled at. And Professor Snape seemed pleased to have a student eager to absorb his knowledge.
Tuesdays she assisted Professor Moody-not an easy task considering Moody's constant state of high security. Roxanne had to be certain he knew when to expect her and carefully stick to the routine. She'd only had to be pinned to the wall once earlier that summer, a wand tip held menacingly to her forehead, to learn that lesson. Afterwards he'd told her about his career as an Auror (a sort of dark magic policeman), about years of tracking down and imprisoning malevolent dark wizards and witches, about many of the cunning enemies he'd earned-not all of whom were incarcerated, and the sources of many of his scars which covered his face like a nightmarish mask.
Wednesdays Roxanne was trapped with Professor McGonagall who insisted she sit in on the first- and second-year classes in an attempt to break through Roxanne's difficulties with the subject. By the end of September Professor McGonagall's frustration turned to livid determination and she required Roxanne to spend extra time on Wednesday mornings reviewing and re- reviewing what she learned the previous week.
Thursdays Roxanne helped Professor Flitwick with charms classes. While much of her time was spent cleaning up after clumsy, inexperienced students, she was learning dozens of new and useful charms. And when they had spare time, Professor Flitwick could be found teaching her handy dueling techniques to help her with Professor Moody's continuing attacks, or challenging her to a game of chess. A chess-master himself, he managed to beat her a few times, which only heightened Roxanne's determination to not lose again, and she studied his strategies carefully at each match.
Fridays she reported to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid put her straight to work handling a variety of magical creatures. After a number of near misses and minor injuries, Roxanne felt she could tackle nearly anything Hagrid threw at her.
Like the other students, Roxanne had homework assignments to complete and could often be found in the library or in the Great Hall studying at the near-empty Gryffindor table, surrounded by books, quills and parchment. The other students watched her curiously at first, but she soon became part of the routine, though not a link in the continuous chain of gossip that snaked through the student body. Several of the seventh-year boys had taken to vying for her attention, but Professor McGonagall's stern warning on her first full day at Hogwarts kept Roxanne from paying them any attention-even to tease just a little. Besides, she was not interested in teenagers-she'd sooner date Professor Moody. And since Hogwarts was barren of young adult men, with the exception of Professor Snape, (well, relatively young) Roxanne had few things to distract her from her studies.
She needed a distraction.
Flying turned out not to be the distraction she'd hoped it would be. Her first afternoon of flying lessons with Madame Hooch could have been taken from an old vaudeville comedy routine. First, she looked and felt terribly out of place among the gawky eleven-year-olds. The tallest one only reached her shoulder in height and, unlike herself, most seemed perfectly comfortable standing beside a magic broomstick. Second, she seemed to have chosen an extremely temperamental broom that refused to even so much as shiver at her word, and bucked and twisted when she tried to mount it as if it feared her adult weight would snap its handle in two. When she finally managed to get the broom in the air, it did its best to pitch her off. Madame Hooch frowned at Roxanne sternly as if the entire episode were her fault. And even worse, she had the extreme misfortune of being an object of humor to a group of pimply children.
She eventually came to an awkward truce with the rudiments of the skill- enough that Madame Hooch finally relented and released her from further flying lessons. She would be perfectly happy to watch the others fly without any trace of desire to join them.
**********
One Saturday afternoon, about mid-October, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were playing a game of chess at the Gryffindor table. Hermione, her nose in a book as usual, kept intermittent tabs on the game's progress. Roxanne had noticed the three seemed to be inseparable. She'd also noticed that Harry seemed to lose a lot of chess games to Ron. She didn't remember him winning once. She tried to keep her mind on her essay for Professor Snape: "Deadly Poisons and How to Recognize Them." But the chess game-as all chess games did-kept pulling at her attention and she found herself watching carefully as Harry made mistake after mistake and Ron mercilessly took advantage of them. Harry, though he'd gotten much better since first learning to play, was losing badly and Ron was very smug about it.
As Harry went to make another bad move Roxanne cleared her throat loudly. Harry, his hand still on the chess piece, looked at her. She looked straight back and shook her head, clearly signaling that he could do better. As Harry's chess pieces seemed to agree with her, Harry replaced the piece, studied the board carefully and chose another. A glance at Roxanne told him he'd chosen better this time.
The rest of the game continued this way-Harry checking for Roxanne's approval before each move, and Ron glaring at her with increasing annoyance- until Ron finally won (Harry's game had been too far gone to save).
Roxanne shrugged and went back to her studies. Harry slid over and thanked her.
"It's OK-I just couldn't sit here and let him completely trounce you," she replied.
"And I suppose you think you could beat me?" It was Ron standing across the table from her, his long arms crossed.
"I believe I could give you a run for your money." It was Roxanne's turn to act smug.
"Let's go, then," Ron challenged.
Roxanne took a small shiny black box from her shoulder bag, touched it with her wand and enlarged it with the 'engorgio' charm. Ron gasped as the snakes inlaid into the lid became easily identifiable.
"Roxanne," said Harry hesitantly, "I thought you were a Gryffindor."
She followed his astonished gaze to the box, becoming acutely conscious for the first time how odd it was for her to be carrying such a box. She wasn't sure she ought to tell him how unusually violent her chessmen seemed to be.
"It was my father's," she replied. "A gift from his parents. They were- er, are Slytherins."
Ron and Hermione had not failed to understand the significance of what she'd just told them-a Gryffindor born of Slytherins! Neither really had Harry. But Harry had never been one to flinch unpleasantly over oddities- being one himself. Roxanne noticed this and appreciated it as much as Harry appreciated her apparent ignorance of him and all he represented- although he had a difficult time believing someone could have been at Hogwarts for 3 ½ months without ever having heard of Harry Potter.
"Are we still going to play?" Roxanne asked.
"What? Oh, yeah. Of course," said Ron, a puzzled expression still on his face.
The game was a long one. They were still playing as the rest of the Gryffindors gathered for dinner, still playing as the teachers entered, still playing as Professor McGonagall sniffed testily and complained to Professor Dumbledore about Roxanne consorting with the younger students. But Dumbledore soothed her, ("It's just a chess game, Minerva.") and the game continued. Pieces advanced and retreated as Ron and Roxanne did their best to outmaneuver the other. They played through dinner, snatching bites between moves.
After the tables had been cleared of dinner and most of the students had left for the dormitories, thirty or so remained behind, gathering on either side of the table, shuffling about to get a better view of the game. Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore stayed as well, quietly discussing the game from a respectable distance, seated in chairs perched atop the table.
The game seemed to be going nowhere, and the chessmen were growing tired, when in a brilliant capture, Roxanne defeated Ron's remaining Bishop, sacrificing a knight in the effort and ending the game in a stalemate.
"Well, bless my soul," declared Professor Flitwick surveying the near-empty board.
Ron stared at the board. "You did that on purpose," he said, disappointed. "You lost your knight on purpose. You forced a stalemate! Why?"
"I'm tired. Neither of us could have won-even with the knight still on the board. What was the point of going on?" she answered with a shrug.
Without another word Ron scooped up his chessmen and stormed off to bed.
"Good game," drawled a slender blond Slytherin boy to Roxanne as she cleared her chessmen.
"Thanks," she said without looking up. It had been one of a long string of congratulations as the gathered crowd worked their way out of the room, and at the moment she was having difficulty getting her knights into the box- they were having a heated argument about whether Roxanne had made an error that could have turned the tide of the game.
Professor Flitwick came forward. "All right then Mr. Malfoy," he said sternly. "Off to bed with you."
Draco Malfoy smirked at the look of shock on Roxanne's face as she spun to look at him. Then he turned and, followed by two much larger boys, strutted out of the Great Hall.
**********
Harry came into the dormitory a few minutes after Ron. Ron was lying on his bed, still dressed, fuming.
"I had to wait to get my chess board back," said Harry, explaining his delay. But Ron ignored him. "Ron-it's a chess game! She didn't beat you did she."
"She may as well have," Ron spat.
"You're not really this upset about tying a chess game, are you?"
"Ah, Harry. It's just that-well-chess is the only thing I can beat you at. It's my 'trail to glory,'" Ron said dramatically. "If she can beat me-"
"She didn't beat you!" Harry reminded him.
"She was bloody brilliant," breathed Ron, a note of awe in his voice. "I've gone soft with no one challenging to play against."
"Thanks," said Harry smirking.
"C'mon Harry. I didn't mean-"
"I'm only joking, Ron. I know I'll never be able to come close to beating you-even when you go easy on me. You'll catch her next time."
"Yeah, I reckon so," Ron said, perking up a bit. Neville, Dean, and Seamus came banging up the stairs, burst into the room and bounded toward Ron.
"Amazing!" said Dean, pounding Ron on the shoulder.
"I've never seen anything like it!" roared Seamus.
Neville just shook his head vigorously, a look of deep admiration on his face. Ron was surprised, and pleased, at all the attention.
**********
Ron took to carrying his chess set with him wherever he went, hoping to catch Roxanne for a rematch. He found she studied in the Great Hall, and eager to avenge himself, badgered her ceaselessly.
"Ron, can't you see she's got work to do?" said Hermione testily. Ron rolled her eyes at her. She couldn't possibly understand. It seemed obvious to him that a chance to redeem his reputation was volumes more important than studying.
Finally, on a Wednesday during lunch break Ron's relentless pestering paid off, and Roxanne stowed her transfiguration textbook and retrieved her chess set. She'd had enough transfiguration for one day anyway.
"Ron," whispered Harry urgently, "we've got potions next. You realize what Professor Snape'll do if you skip his class."
But Ron squared his shoulders. "This shouldn't take long," he said confidently setting his pieces on the board.
Roxanne looked at Harry and shrugged. Then turned to Ron and held out a hand. "I'll see you in detention then?"
Ron looked at the hand for a moment, then took it and shook it once. "Detention, then."
