Chapter 17: 1858 Opera Game
29 November 1991
Harry woke up, already filled with dread knowing what would happen on that day. It was Friday, meaning that they would have potions with the Gryffindors. Harry was superb at potions, but he knew Ron Weasley would probably be bothering them. That was no surprise. The moronic git couldn't seem to realize that Harry and his friends from Slytherin were not evil sociopaths. Most of the Slytherin students couldn't be held accountable for the actions of their fathers. It was ludicrous and absurd to think that all of the Slytherins would believe in Voldemort's murderous and prejudiced beliefs.
Then again, Weasley wasn't smart enough to think about that angle. If he had spent time studying potions rather than constantly trying to find fault with the Slytherins, maybe he would perform better or at least make his potion-making skills adequate.
Harry then watched as Draco woke up.
"Good morning, Harry", he said, smiling.
"Likewise, Draco", Harry said.
"Today is Friday. And you know what that means."
"Double potions with the righteous Gryffindors", Harry sarcastically remarked. "The perfect lions. Weasley will probably be opening his mouth about how we will all become evil."
"Not surprising from him", Draco said. "But you know that's they way he is. There is nothing that we can do about that. We'll just have to ignore him."
"Hopefully Snape will find an excuse to take points away from Gryffindor."
After Theodore, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle woke up, they all headed to breakfast with the girls.
Harry ate his toast as quickly as possible, looking forward to potions.
He tried listening in on conversations of his fellow Slytherins from where he was sitting. He heard Linus Urquhart talking with Cassius Warrington about strategies the Chasers would need to perform well in matches. Terence Higgs was busy laughing with Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole. Caleb Holland and Miles Bletchley were discussing the Chudley Cannons and their team's victories and shortcomings.
Tracey Davis smiled. "You know Harry, if Weasley opens his mouth and says the wrong thing, Snape might give him detention again."
"I can only dream", Harry said, trying to picture that in his head. Maybe some more detentions would be good. It would keep Weasley's idiotic mouth shut.
"He better not start calling us evil again", Draco said. "Those comments are just becoming tiresome. It's not even funny anymore."
"I don't think it ever was humorous to begin with", Harry said. "It really is irritating and infuriating."
The Slytherin first-years then headed to the dungeons for their potions lesson. The Gryffindors arrived just five minutes before class was about to begin.
Harry tried to avoid looking in Weasley's direction. Harry wouldn't need to say anything. Usually, Weasley would open his mouth when making moronic statements.
He could just vomit after hearing those bland accusations.
Professor Snape walked inside the classroom.
"Today we will be brewing the forgetfulness potion", Snape said in his usual restrained tone. "I expect the potions to be completed in a proper manner. I will also be collecting your essays on the importance of both aconite and the infusion of wormwood today. You all had more than enough time to complete them. There will be no excuses."
Some of the Gryffindors grumbled.
"I mean it!", Snape snarled. "Any more complaining or querulous statements and I will start removing points from Gryffindor. Now get to work."
Harry, Draco, and Pansy worked together as usual. Brewing the forgetfulness potion was not that difficult. Harry added two drops of lethe river water to his cauldron. He then heated his cauldron for twenty seconds. Harry saw that Draco and Pansy were doing the same. He glanced at Weasley, who seemed to be struggling with his potion.
Harry looked at Daphne and Tracey. They seemed to understand the current task in front of them. Of course, he did not have to worry about Theodore or Blaise.
Harry then added two valerian sprigs to his cauldron. He stirred his cauldron three times in a clockwise direction. He waved his wand and left the cauldron to brew.
"How are you handling this task?", Draco asked.
"Everything seems fine, so far", Harry said. "I just have to wait for the second part of the instructions."
"I'm sure you'll do fine, Harry", Pansy said.
Harry looked at Hermione Granger. It didn't surprise him that she had completed the first part of the instructions without even the slightest blemish in her potion. Weasley's and Longbottom's potions both looked pink.
Just then Professor Snape made an announcement.
"I will now have your undivided attention", he announced. "I looked at your essays, and most of them were inadequate, to say the least. Indeed, the best essay I have seen from this class was from Mister Potter."
The other Slytherin first-years looked at Harry, beaming. The Gryffindor first-years looked envious and incensed.
"For the brilliant words that Potter put into his essay, not to mention the detailed explanation he wrote about aconite…twenty points to Slytherin."
Harry felt pleased.
Ron Weasley then shouted, "That's blatant favoritism! That's not fair! Granger worked hard on her essay, why don't you give her some credit?"
Harry glanced at Weasley feeling slightly angry. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut? Harry had to secretly agree that Hermione should have probably gotten recognition for her work, but he wasn't about to question Snape, who clearly seemed to view Harry as one of his favorite students.
In any case, Snape had the final decision.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Weasley, for speaking out in class without being asked. By the way, your essay was poorly written. Five more points from Gryffindor."
Weasley glared at Snape before looking back to his potion.
"All right, everyone. Back to work."
Forty-five minutes later, Harry and the other Slytherin first-years went back to working on their potions.
Harry added two measures of standard ingredient to the mortar. He then added four mistletoe berries to the mortar. Harry then crushed the berries into a medium-fine powder.
"Great work on getting Slytherin more points, Harry", Draco said.
"I just wish Weasley would keep his mouth shut", Harry said. "He doesn't know when to stop, apparently."
Harry added two pinches of the crushed mixture of the crushed mixture to his cauldron. He stirred the cauldron five times in an anti-clockwise direction. Harry then waved his wand to complete the potion.
He then handed his potion to Professor Snape.
Snape looked at Harry's forgetfulness potion.
"Excellent work, Potter. Twenty points to Slytherin."
"Teacher's pet", Weasley called out.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor", Snape said. "This is the second time you have spoken out in class, Weasley. If you say any more unnecessary comments, detentions will follow."
Harry glared at Weasley briefly before heading back to his seat.
After classes ended for the day, Harry and the other Slytherin first-years headed to the Slytherin Common Room.
Harry was working on his transfiguration notes when Draco then pulled out his Wizard's Chess set.
"Harry, have you ever heard of the Opera Game?", Draco asked.
"I don't believe I have", Harry said.
"The Opera game was played in 1858 between the American chess master Paul Morphy and two amateurs called Karl II, Duke of Brunswick and the French aristocrat Comte Isouard de Vauvenargues. This game is believed to be one of the most famous of chess games. The reason why is because it shows the importance of rapid development of one's pieces and the value of sacrifices in mating combinations."
"I guess it would be good to learn about this game", Harry said. "It could be useful against You-Know-Who."
"Theodore and Blaise will demonstrate it for us", Draco said. "Show it to him."
Theodore had the white pieces and Blaise had the black pieces.
"Pawn to e4", Theodore said. The white pawn on e2 moved to e4.
"Pawn to e5", Blaise said. The black pawn on e7 moved to e5.
"Knight to f3", Theodore said. The white knight on g1 moved to f3.
"Pawn to d6", Blaise said. The black pawn on d7 moved to d6.
"Pawn to d4", Theodore said. The white pawn on d2 moved to d4.
"Bishop to g4", Blaise said. The black bishop on c8 moved to g4.
"Pawn to e5", Theodore said. The white pawn on d4 pulled out its sword and stabbed the black pawn on e5 to bits.
"Bishop to f3", Blaise said. The black bishop on g4 pulled out its sword and obliterated the white knight on f3.
"Queen to f3", Theodore said. The white queen approached the black bishop on f3 and struck it numerous times, destroying it.
"Pawn to e5", Blaise said. The black pawn on d6 pulled out its sword and destroyed the white pawn on e5, smashing it to bits.
"Bishop to c4", Theodore said. The white bishop on f1 moved to c4.
"Knight to f6", Blaise said. The black knight on g8 moved to f6.
"Queen to b3", Theodore said. The white queen on f3 moved to b3. This move threatened checkmate in two moves. Only one move from black could delay that.
"Queen to e7", Blaise said. The black queen on d8 moved to e7.
"Knight to c3", Theodore said. The white knight on b1 moved to c3.
"Pawn to c6", Blaise said. The black pawn on c7 moved to c6. This move guarded the black b-pawn from capture by the white queen. Harry could tell that the black position in this game was gradually dissolving.
"Bishop to g5", Theodore said. The white bishop on c1 moved to g5.
"Pawn to b5", Blaise said. The black pawn on b7 moved to b5, attacking the white bishop on c4. Harry expected that the white bishop would retreat.
Instead, Theodore said, "Knight to b5."
The white knight moved to b5, destroying the black pawn on that square. Harry was impressed by the sacrifice.
"Pawn to b5", Blaise said. The black pawn on c6 pulled out its sword and stabbed the white knight on b5 numerous times.
"Bishop to b5", Theodore said. The white bishop on c4 moved to b5, smashing the black pawn on the b5 square. This move also put the black king on e8 in check.
"Queenside knight to d7", Blaise said. The black knight on b8 moved to d7 to block the check.
"Castle Queenside", Theodore said. The white king on e1 moved to c1, and the white rook on a1 moved to d1.
"Rook to d8", Blaise said. The black rook on a8 moved to d8.
"Rook to d7", Theodore said. The white rook on d1 moved to d7, destroying the black knight on d7 with its sword. Harry was impressed by this sacrifice.
"Rook to d7", Blaise said. The black rook on d8 pulled out its sword and stabbed the white rook on d7 in numerous pieces before taking its place.
"Rook to d1", Theodore said. The white rook on h1 moved to d1.
"Queen to e6", Blaise said. The black queen on e7 moved to e6.
"Bishop to d7", Theodore said. The white bishop on b5 moved to d7 and obliterated the black knight on that square.
"Knight to d7", Blaise said. The black knight on f6 captured the white bishop on d7, attacking it numerous times to destroy it.
"Queen to b8", Theodore said. The white queen on b3 moved to b8, giving check to the black king. This move was a queen sacrifice. Black had only one legal move.
"Knight to b8", Blaise said. The black knight on d7 moved to b8, destroying the white queen on the b8 square.
"Rook to d8", Theodore said. The white rook on d1 moved to d8.
"Checkmate", Theodore said.
Harry had to admit that was an impressive game. White had given up all of his pieces except for his kingside rook and kingside bishop. Yet, the sacrifices Paul Morphy made in this game caused the inevitable result to be worthwhile.
"So, Harry, what can you tell us about this game?", Draco asked.
It didn't take long for Harry to respond.
"The 1858 Opera Game was a game that showed development of pieces and how all your pieces should be doing something useful. It can be seen that the black kingside rook and the black kingside bishop never left their original squares during the entire game. The two black players also made several inaccuracies during the game. One example was on black's sixth move, when they played the black kingside knight on g8 to f6. A better move would have been to play the black queen on d8 to f6 instead. Another inaccuracy was on black's tenth move, when the black pawn on c6 captured the white knight on b5. A better move would have been to play the black queen on e7 to b4. The two players representing black made another error on their twelfth move when they played the black queenside rook on a8 to d8. They should have played the black queen on e7 to c5. On black's fourteenth move, the black queen was moved from e7 to e6, when it should have been moved to b4. Black's fifteenth move should have been to capture the white bishop on d7 with the black queen instead of the black kingside knight. Overall, this game shows the importance of fundamentals and basics as well as the brilliance of Paul Morphy, as evidenced by the sacrifices he made in this game.
"Very good observation, Harry", Draco said.
That night, as the other Slytherin first-years were sleeping, Harry crept out of his bed and quietly headed to the room where that strange mirror was in. Harry looked the mirror longingly. He touched the mirror and saw his parents smiling at him.
Harry smiled back at his parents, wishing that he could touch them and interact with them. If only he could speak to them.