Wood looked down at the board. "So I did."
"White moves first."
"No, d'ya think?"
"Yeah, actually I do at times. Don't you want to, y'know, go first?"
Wood shrugged apathetically. "Go ahead."
Cedric advanced his king's pawn two squares. Wood advanced his queen's pawn two. Cedric captured. "Are you even trying?"
"Yeah."
Wood brought out a bishop. Cedric responded, and they became engrossed in the miniature world. Wood's early sacrifice had in fact gained him a small but potent tactical advantage. However, he squandered it late in the game. "Do I want to know what you made that move for?"
"Sure. I'm going to pin your knight next turn."
"Oh, I don't think you are." Cedric captured Wood's kingside rook.
Wood swore, dragging out the vowel. "Not my rook. Rooks are the best."
"Should I ask why you didn't move it earlier?"
"No. No, you shouldn't." Wood reluctantly captured the offending piece (still a good trade for Cedric), which gave the Hufflepuff time to move his knight out of danger. He did not, in fact, know why he hadn't moved his rook earlier. Rooks were his favorite pieces; solid, reliable, and, on the opposite side of the board, being strategically maneuvered by his junior.
"I'll agree that they are good," said Cedric. "You're built like one yourself."
"Oh, and you aren't?"
"I never said that."
"You implied it."
"No," Cedric said, moving his own kingside rook, "mate."