James and Lily fluff! *grins*

Chapter Nineteen

Chess

The door led to a narrow passageway. Lily, followed by James, picked her way through the cobbled stones.

James found himself tripping suddenly. He grabbed hold of Lily by accident and she toppled over.

James found himself looking into Lily's green eyes and felt there was nothing else in the world.

Lily stared back at him until she realized that he was on top of her. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" She yelled.

James blushed and hurriedly stood, pulling Lily up and looked around. "Sorry Lils, I tripped."

Lily didn't seem to want to continue along with the thread as they were going on, as she turned around, whipping her red hair around and storming off into the next chamber.

The dim lights suddenly flashed on and the group stood, slightly blinded.

Karrie looked around and gasped. "It's a chess board."

Peter grinned at her. "And you know who can play the best."

"Karrie?" James asked, astonished.

"Well, she beat our uncle, and he's second in the world of wizarding chess." Peter said and Karrie blushed.

"So, Karrie, where are we going?" Lily asked.

Karrie looked slightly flustered. "Well, as the commander, I have to be King." Karrie said. "Lily and Arabella should be bishops. James and Sirius as Knights and Peter and Remus as rooks."

The pieces on  the board moved away from it and left seven empty places. Karrie gulped and then took her place.

Soon they were all in potions. "Sirius, go to F3."

Sirius moved through the pawns and then it was blacks turn.

A pawn slid forward, in easy range for Sirius to take.

Karrie glared at the black pawn and then grinned. Sirius go to H4." She said.

Lilly sifted uncomfortably. The same black pawn slide forward once move.

Karrie frowned and then told the pawn in G2 to move forward one. it slid forward and then blacks queen moved forward one, and Sirius was in danger.

"Sirius to F5."

Karrie began to sweat as the game continued. The pawns of the other side were ruthless in taking their own pawns, and Karrie wondered what would happen if one of the "players" were taken off the board.

Finally, Remus was taken. He walked off the board, shaking slightly.

Nothing happened to everyone's relief and Karrie began to play more ruthlessly.

The last move was played and then Karrie smiled. "Classic trap." She murmmered. "Let them take your queen and then drop on them."

Their queen was taken and everyone but Peter looked worried.

"Peter to F9." Karrie said.

Peter walked the five steps to the position in a perfectly straight line. The black king dropped his crown on the ground at Peter's feet and the pieces disappeared. Karrie sighed as Lily ran over to hug her friend.

"That was brilliant!" she cried.

"Lily." Remus stood near them, his face grave. "Lily, I just remembered something."

Everyone turned to look at him. "While we don't feel tired or hungry or thirsty, it doesn't mean our bodies don't need the nourishment. When whatever you do in the last task we will be returned to those states that we would be if we hadn't eaten or drunk anything for however long we'll be in here. That means we have to get through here before seven days are up, or else we'll all die."

"How long have we been in here?" Sirius asked in a dry voice.

"I don't know." Lily replied.

They all looked at each other then all hurried to the door.

"Albus." Professor McGonagall walked into the room. "Albus, they've been gone five days, if they are in the Circle, they have to get out in two days."

"I know Minerva." Dumbledore said, standing. "We can't tell how long they'll take. They don't know how long they've been in there."

"What can we do?" McGonagall looked slightly scared.

"Not much. We have to be there when they come out though. It's the only way we can save them.

McGonagall nodded. "And what are we to do about the person who finds out who the Circle is guarding?"

"Well, I think in the group, Lily or James will become the Principle. I'll talk to James if he was and I think Lily needs no telling about why."

McGonagall looked spectical. "All this protection for a prophocey that we can't tell is true?"

"Minerva, I have found that when someone makes a prediction, there is some truth behind it. No matter what, we have to protect Lily."

"I beg your pardon Proffessor, but why must we protect this single girl?"

"Lily is muggle born, with the Circle intact it protects any who come against muggle borns, since Lily is a muggle born, and also, she must be protected in case this prophocey is true."

"But why must we fear this dark lord that has not yet come to power?" McGonagall asked.

"He has come to power though." Dumbledore sighed. "Voldemort is no longer a common name used, and he is gaining support. We must hope that Lily will not be afraid of what could be her destiny."

"Why be afraid of it?"

"If you were told that your son would be the one who would bring about the defeat of the dark lord, what would you do, at eleven?"

"I wouldn't know what to do." McGonagall answered sighing.

"I'll talk to her as soon as she is out of the Circle and we'll discuss what must be talked about." Dumbledore said.