Chess Lessons with Harry and Draco: Year 1 Chapter 30: Back Rank Mate, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 30: Back Rank Mate

24 April 1992

Harry woke up that Friday morning, feeling excited and ecstatic. He was looking forward to Potions, even though that meant being in the same classroom as Ron Weasley and the Gryffindors. He knew that Weasley deserved to be in detention and to face the consequences for his irrational actions. Of course, he knew his three closest friends in Slytherin were also going to get punished that Saturday, but he tried to console himself. Slytherin had only lost 30 points, which they easily made restitution and atoned for. The Slytherins themselves made transgressions, but their records made them look like saints in comparison to the Gryffindors.

One thing was obvious. Harry was glad he was not a Gryffindor. Imagine how many detentions he would have had to serve if he was in the same company as Weasley and his lot. Imagine being friends with that git. Harry could not have imagined a worse debacle. No one, in his opinion, deserved to suffer that punishment. Harry felt bad for Hermione Granger and even Neville Longbottom, who honestly felt too wise to be in the company and presence of Weasley. If Granger wasn't muggle-born, she probably would have done well in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. Imagine how many points Snape would have awarded her if that were the case!

Harry studied his Potions notes. The final exam was coming up within a few weeks, and he wanted to make sure he was well aware of what questions he would be faced with. He wanted to prove he was more than just "The-Boy-Who-Lived". He was Slytherin's top first-year student, Slytherin's star seeker. He was one of Snape's best students and he was making Slytherin House proud each day. He had excelled in all of his classes and clearly wasn't afraid.

Just then Draco and Theodore woke up.

"Morning, guys."

"Morning, Harry", they both said simultaneously.

"Ready for Potions?", Draco asked.

"Absolutely. I have to see the look on Ron Weasley's face. Apparently, his mother didn't take the news of his nightly escapade very well."

"Obviously", Theodore said, laughing.

"You realize that tomorrow night we have to serve detention with him, right?", Draco asked.

"A temporary setback. After tomorrow night, Slytherin will still have the lead for the house cup by far and Gryffindor will still be in last place, with everyone disgusted with Ron Weasley. Even his own housemates don't even want to be around him."

"It serves him right", Draco said. "What was he thinking, anyway, trying to ship a dragon off of school property? Did he really think he wouldn't get caught?"

"I swear, these Gryffindors seem to have the thickest skulls", Harry said. "A Slytherin never would have done that."

"I agree."

After Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise woke up, the six Slytherin first-year boys headed to breakfast. They met the Slytherin first-year girls and talked about varying topics on the way to breakfast.

At breakfast, Pansy was giggling with Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis. She glared at Ron Weasley, who was eating at the Gryffindor table. Pansy whispered something to Daphne and Tracey while pointing at Weasley, and the three of them started laughing.

Harry looked around the Slytherin table. Cleo Rowle was talking to Gaius Avery and Gemma Farley. Marcus Flint seemed to be giving instructions to Miles Bletchley and Graham Montague.

Eventually, Gaius and Cleo led the ten Slytherin first-years to Potions. Professor Snape was all business in class and made no mention of Weasley and his misdeeds.

Weasley stared at Harry, Draco, and Pansy nastily. Harry knew the redhead wanted to say something offensive, but didn't want to risk getting any more detentions thanks to that howler his mother had sent him.

"Today we will be brewing The Hair-Raising Potion", Snape said. "I trust you all should know how to do this. If you've been paying attention in my class, this shouldn't be an issue for you."

And they got to work. The ingredients required for the Hair-Raising Potion were rat tails, porcupine wings, and Billywig stings. The potion was supposed to be the color green in its final form.

Granger was the first one to complete her potion, no surprise there. A few minutes later, Harry and Draco turned in their potions. Pansy was the next one to finish.

Crabbe and Goyle were the last Slytherins to finish brewing their potions. Weasley and Longbottom were the last ones overall to finish brewing their assignments.

Snape then said, "Ten points each to Potter, Malfoy, Parkinson, and Nott. Also, ten points each from Weasley and Longbottom."

Ron looked disgusted. But there was nothing he could do.

After classes, the Slytherin first-years looked over their notes. After fifty minutes of studying, Draco then pulled out his Wizard's Chess set.

"Harry, there is something else in chess you need to be aware about", Draco said. "It is known as the back rank mate."

"Show me", Harry said.

Draco arranged the pieces to have white pawns on g3 and h2, a white rook on e1, and the white king on g1. Draco also made sure to have black pawns on f7, g7, and h7, and had the black king be placed on g8.

"So, Harry, how would you deliver checkmate in this position. It only takes one move here."