Top Secret

by Shealtiel

Rated: T for sexual references, adult themes, violence and mild coarse language

Summary: "Oak, fourteen inches, unpliant and resilient, excellent for Transfiguration with a knack for Charms. Veela hair core."

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Friday, February 20th, 1976

9:33pm

Gryffindor Common Room

After spending this last week struggling but succeeding in my mission to beat first Remus and then Peter at Chess, I have finally collected each of the Marauders under the category of 'people I can beat at Chess'. Yep! I finally beat Sirius!

He's complaining that I apparently cheated, but there is no truth to that rumour, mainly because we're playing Wizard Chess, and I'm not even sure if it's possible to cheat at normal Chess, much less this version.

Lily's been super loved up the past couple weeks with Corey (his name is not Cody… whoops), and they're always wanting to go off alone in the library, so Georgia and I have been seeing the Marauders a little more recently. Which really means I've been trying to beat them all at Chess. And I have finally succeeded!

But seriously, it might seem like a waste of time that I've spent so much of it learning how to think in a strategic and complicated enough way to beat a few boys at Chess, but it's actually increased my brainpower by about tenfold! Seriously. And I'm starting to see things differently, more easily figure out puzzles and riddles, even questions and spells in class. I just feel generally more alert, smarter, quicker (mentally). Professor Dumbledore wasn't kidding around with this stuff. Even the meditation has helped me feel more energised and less tired and sleepy in class.

I'm also getting a lot better at that thought transference thing. More coherent. It's still super hard, and I have to do some serious concentrating, but that's probably improving my mental fortitude or focus or something as well. I'm sure it's worth it.

Dumbledore said tonight that when I can properly control my thought transference, I'll be able to transfer conversations and real time events. Knowing how hard it is to do what I'm doing now, I don't feel like I'll ever get there, but that's what I thought about Chess too, and look at me now! Gryffindor Chess Champion!

Now I've gotta find more people to play with, who are even better than Sirius. Let the search begin.

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