Chapter 13: Checkmate

"Alright, class dismissed," says Finn Dandridge, after all of the animals have been put away.

With a sigh of relief from Cristina and a shrug from Meredith, they head back to the Ravenclaw common room to relax for a little while before dinner.

"Have you ever played wizard's chess?" Cristina asks Meredith.

"From time to time," Meredith smiles. "My mother taught me because she didn't want me…" Meredith gestures and Cristina understands her because they're best friends now.

"She didn't want you to be an embarrassment," Cristina concludes.

"Yes," says Meredith.

"Do you want to have a game then?" asks Cristina. "I heard the library has a few sets that students can borrow.

"Alright then," says Meredith, as they head over to the library after they've changed into their evening robes.

The library is stacked tall with magical volumes, of all shapes and sizes. The ones about animals might have fur on the cover, or even have fangs that might bite the reader.

Cristina looks longingly at the 'restricted,' section of the library, wishing she could find a way in there.

"Why would you want to read books we're not supposed to read?" asks Meredith. "They could be dangerous."

"Why wouldn't you?" asks Cristina. "That's where all the good stuff is."

The restricted section would have to wait though because Meredith and Cristina arrive at the front desk, and politely ask the librarian to loan them a Wizard's chess set.

"Here you are, dears," says the librarian. "Just be sure that none of the pieces walk away on you before you bring the set back."

"Thanks-" Meredith and Cristina say in chorus before they bring the set to a spare table. "Oh, not in here, the library is a silent space. You can bring it back to your common room to play," says the librarian.

"Alright," says Meredith, and they wander off again with the wizard's chess set.

Before they arrive at the common room, Meredith and Cristina are cornered by Meredith's mother, and their potions teacher, professor Ellis Grey.

"So I hear that you cannot fly, that you cannot answer any questions, and your only inclinations appear to be with feline friends with the veterinarian!" Ellis Grey glares at her daughter.

"It's only my first day…" Meredith cowers.

"She was brilliant with the kittens!" Cristina tries to advocate for her friend.

"And to think that you'd like to be spending your free time playing games rather than catching up on your studies. Give it here-" says Ellis, and Meredith hands over the wizard's chess set to her.

"It's from the library…" says Cristina.

"I'm well aware," says Ellis. "And I'll lead you two back there to return it for now. Why don't you have Cristina pick up some books for you to read?" says Ellis.

"Yes mother," says Meredith.

"Well-" says Cristina. "Alright then…" she concedes also, intimidated by Ellis Grey's glare.

"Checkmate-" Meredith whispers into Cristina's ear, softly.

Indeed.

To their delight, Ellis Grey does not hover over them for too long, and after she settles them in with three volumes of textbooks piled high next to them, she wanders off again to her potions lab to attend to one of many of her experiments.

Once they are sure they are in the clear, they try to rent the wizard's chess set again, but the librarian won't let them, stating that Ellis Grey specifically said not to.

Meredith sighs, and they go back to their table, only this time they find it occupied by two wizards in the Hufflepuff house.