Chapter Three – The Sacrificing Finale

"Did you just call me Hermione!" she asked incredulously.

Draco's eyes widened, and a slight flush moved up his neck before he fought it down. "No! Of course not. Never!"

Harry turned to him. "Yeah, you did, Malfoy."

Draco paled more than what looked healthy. "Oh, shut it, Potter. If I did, it was merely a case of temporary insanity, that's all. Of course." Draco reassumed his sneering expression and called out for a black rook to move.

From there the game moved quickly, none of the players wanting to get attacked for delaying. They all kept an eye on the two creatures who were now circling the board, nudging the edge as though wanting to come after the humans. After several tense moves, both sides were seriously depleted, but the students had managed to remain out of the way.

"Check!" yelled out Hermione, with a clear path towards Draco.

Play passed back to the black side, and Harry glanced toward Malfoy. He knew enough of chess to know that he could only move to save the King, and he narrowed his eyes, looking to see what he needed to do. Their remaining rook and bishop were on the other side of the board, no help to them, and Draco was stuck where he was. A move became visible, but before he could do it, Malfoy stopped him.

"Hold it, Potter!" Draco called, raising a hand and pointing to the white knight a short distance from him. "If you're moving where I think, that knight will take you out."

Harry hesitated, blinking in surprise, then glancing around again. Hermione watched him nervously, as Ron too looked for another move. The silence echoed for a moment, making the already agitated students even more worried.

Not seeing any other move, Harry looked at the others. "Think we can just concede or something?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a low sliding noise was heard from the shadows.

"Guess not, mate," Ron answered, straining to see into the darkness. Then as Harry made to move, Ron turned sharply to him. "What are you doing?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Moving."

"You can't! You'll be hurt!" exclaimed Ron, again looking towards the edge of the board. The creatures had began moving past the outer boundary.

"I don't really think I have much of a choice, Ron," Harry answered calmly, though his eyes flickered between the stone knight and the creatures repeatedly.

Suddenly a hissing sounded from behind Draco and he whipped around. A large snake came out of the darkness, its scales gleaming red and gold in the torch light. Malfoy whimpered quietly and took a step backward.

"Oh, Hell!" Ron moaned. Then he looked at Harry. "Oh, of course. Talk to it, Harry! You can tell it not to attack."

Harry didn't answer or seem to hear, as he was staring hard at the slithering creature. He cocked his head to the side as though to listen better.

"Wh-what are you waiting for, Potter!" Draco yelled, his voice slightly higher than normal.

Harry shook his head. "I can't understand it. The hissing, I mean."

"Who cares! Just tell it to get away, leave me alone, go somewhere, anything!" Draco took another step back, glancing down only to make sure he remained in his square.

Focusing on the snake's slowly moving form, Harry let out a low hiss of his own. Malfoy shuddered, and the group watched the reptile. It didn't hesitate in the least. Harry hissed again, this time more forcefully, but it didn't seem to care.

"I don't think it's gonna listen to me," stated Harry. He turned as a skidding was sounded to the left of him. Seeing the other creatures moving toward him, he added, "Er, I think I need to move."

"No, Harry," Hermione exclaimed, her breathing quickening as the monsters moved closer, but they bypassed her, intent on her opponents.

"I have to, Hermione," Harry said, taking a deep breath.

"Do something, for Salazar's sake!" moaned Draco, nearly hyperventilating.

As Harry made to turn, his foot hit a piece of broken rubble, causing a slight scattering noise. The snake abruptly turned its head away from the scared blonde and moved toward the Gryffindor. The speed of its slithering increased and Harry stopped moving for a moment. As it neared him, it suddenly rose as though to strike, then twisted in the air.

With a pop, the great snake morphed into what seemed a vision of death, and a cold wave passed over the students. The Dementor swooped over Harry, who struggled against the overwhelming tide of despair.

Through his haze, Harry heard Hermione yell out, "It's not real, it's a Boggart!"

The words failed to register fully as the creature began its pulling at Harry's soul.

Unexpectedly, the world refocused before Harry, the grim screaming receding from his hearing. He forced his head up, realizing that he was bent over on the floor. Looking up, he saw a large spider making its way toward a very frightened Ron.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered, trying desperately to remain in his square. "Note to self: never throw rocks at Boggarts to save friends!"

Harry quickly pushed himself to his feet, his strength returning with the Dementor gone. Glancing around, he took a deep breath. He heard sounds from behind indicating that the other creatures had moved in, and he sighed. Not risking time to lock eyes with any of the others, Harry stepped out of his square quickly. He strode over the board to get in position.

Once in the new square, Harry called out, "Hey! I moved, back off, you blasted creeps!"

Everyone and everything turned to Harry, the beasts stilling, then slowly retreating. Not breathing until the Boggart had moved away, Ron then gaped at Harry.

"Harry, what," Ron took a long breath, "mate, what are you doing?"

"The only thing that was readily available to do, Ron," Harry said dryly. "Your move."

Ron opened and shut his mouth a few times, trying unsuccessfully to reply. He then looked slightly desperately at Hermione. She sighed, glancing over the board yet again. Running a hand through her hair, she frowned.

"There aren't any other moves. I don't . . . I, hell!" Hermione exclaimed.

Draco crossed his arms, trying to regain his dignity, and adopted a sneer. "You know it is best to move before those creatures attack, again."

Ron turned with a sharp glare. "You would say that, Ferret. You just want Harry to get killed."

Draco narrowed his eyes at the redhead, sneer increasing. "Oh, yes, of course." He rolled his eyes. "I think I already explained why I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. Does any one remember that? Honestly."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry snapped, shaking his head. "Come on, Ron, just play."

"No!" Ron exclaimed. "I'm not going to send that thing to kill you!"

This time it was Harry who rolled his eyes. "It's not going to kill me, Ron. And it is the only way we're getting out of here."

"Just play, Weasel," Draco muttered darkly, though a hint of desperation tinged his tone.

Glancing over at the Slytherin, Harry noticed the boy's eyes darting towards the edge of the board and the creatures.

"Sod off, Malfoy!" Ron stated angrily. "Just you . . . hold it!" Ron's eyes glinted as he looked between Draco and the creatures. "Your Boggart is a SNAKE! Oh, Merlin, I can't believe the Prince of Slytherin is afraid of snakes! This is too good."

Draco flushed deeply, visibly fighting his reaction. "Should have let that Lethifold eat you, you Gryffindork. Just shut up, and play the damn game!"

Harry sighed. "Ignore each other, for once. Both of you are like children! Could we please face our possible deaths in peace!"

Hermione blinked at him. "Now you know how I feel. Really, if we just worked together, maybe we could find a way out. Or, at least finish this despicable sham of a game."

"But to finish, we would have to have the knight take Harry, Hermione," Ron said. "Are you insane? We can't do that."

"Ron, just do it already!" Harry yelled, finally losing the last of his patience.

"No," Ron replied stubbornly, crossing his arms in a manner rather similar to Malfoy. Realizing this, he dropped his hands to his sides quickly. Glaring once more at the Slytherin, who was gesturing for him to get on with it, he said, "This is absolutely ridiculous!"

A low growl snapped the student's attention towards the monsters. The various creatures edged closer, stepping over the boundaries of the board. Ron gulped, a spider nearing him, as he was closest to the Boggart.

Draco smirked when the redhead cowered slightly away from the beast. "So much for Gryffindor courage. Just send the knight over. I thought unending loyalty was a Hufflepuff's thing. Oh, wait a minute. I know, it's not that at all, is it? You just don't want to lose the game, do you? Ha, that's why you don't want to move." Draco's smile widened evilly. "I've heard you don't like to be beaten in Chess. Bet you just can't stand to lose to me."

Ron's mouth dropped open, then he snapped it shut, and turned an irate expression on the blonde. "How dare you, you Death Eater Wannabe. Shut your face."

"Will you two cut it out already!" Hermione groused desperately.

Suddenly, she let out a squeal, dropping to her knees. As the boys turned to her, they saw the Quintaped pulling her toward its mouth. Hermione gasped, struggling away.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled.

"Ron, move the knight!" Harry ordered, as Hermione cried out again, the monster's teeth aiming for her arms.

Ron glanced at them, but when the creature's fangs ripped into the girl's arm, he turned to the stone figure.

"Knight to C7!" he called, his face pale.

As the piece glided over, the other monsters began retreating. The Quintaped looked reluctant to release Hermione, but finally did with a growl of disappointment. She got back to her feet, turning abruptly toward Harry.

Harry took a deep breath as the chess piece moved in front of him. Before he could move away, the rearing figure of the horse upon which the knight rode kicked out. The hoof caught him sharply in the chest, stealing his breath away and sending pain lancing through him, pushing him a ways back. Darkness claimed his vision.

Landing on his back near the edge of the board, Harry came to a stop, unmoving. Hermione looked at him with her uninjured hand over her mouth, a fearful expression in her eyes.

Paler than normal, Draco called out his last move, stepping over to Ron's space and yelling, "Checkmate."

The board suddenly cleared of all stone remnants.