Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, Neville and Luna would be together.
Another long silence ensued after Hermione described the past of Drema. Finally, Harry stirred. "Well," he said, "Voldemort is trying to rival Drema. Who stopped Drema in the end?"
"Merlin," came the reply from Hermione.
"Well, I should get dinner ready," said Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley excused himself muttering something about a bicycle. They left the kids alone at the table.
Ron looked at Aranea, "Can you play quidditch or chess."
Aranea grinned, "Both. Particularly chess."
"Excellent! I challenge you to a chess match."
"I accept." Aranea replied smirking evily.
The kids ran to Ron's room to witness the game. Before Ron could offer Aranea pieces, she pulled out a bag of chess pieces. They looked ancient. Aranea smiled. "They were my great great great grandfather's lucky pieces. Ron grinned and showed her his grandfather's pieces. Then, the game began.
Harry stood on Aranea's side while Hermione was watching Ron. Aranea was brilliant at chess. She blocked all of Ron's moves, but he formed some of his own invented strategies. It was the toughest game each of them had ever played. Finally, Aranea checked Ron, but Ron pulled his last trick. With his last piece (a knight) he eliminated the threatening bishop. Harry and Hermione gasped. Ron had just forced a draw with Aranea.
Ron straightened up and held out his hand, "That was the toughest game of chess I have ever played. Some of those strategies nearly finished me!"
Aranea took his hand, shook it, and said, "Same here! I thought I had you there but I guess not."
Ginny suddenly appeared with Fred and George. They were laughing. "Hey guys! Wanna play some quidditch!"
Everybody said yes except for Hermione and Harry who both had no brooms. Harry's was destroyed on the day of Firdenmor's attack. They agreed to just watch.
Aranea was right. She was incredible at playing keeper and chaser. When Ron asked why she wasn't on the Slytherin team, she responded, "I am a girl. Trust me if I could, I would."
After a lovely meal from Mrs. Weasley, the teenagers talked late into the night. Fred and George had a great time with Aranea. Aranea had more ideas for pranks than even they had. Aranea agreed to share her ideas for joke products if they paid her 2 galleons for every five jokes. They replied, "If you help us become better than Zonkos, we'll give you 20 every time you invent a new prank."
"You're being rather loose with my money," Harry laughed.
A.N. Not much in this chapter, but the action returns soon! I'll try to update this evening.