Chapter 16: Castling

25 December 1992

It was Christmas.

Harry woke up at Malfoy Manor, feeling excited. He looked forward to seeing what presents he would receive this year. If this Christmas would be anything like last year, he was sure he would truly and genuinely enjoy it.

Harry sat up and stretched, slightly yawning. He was looking forward to seeing what kinds of presents his friends would have gotten him. He was so excited!

Just then a knock came at his door. Harry walked towards the door and opened it. It was Draco.

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

"Merry Christmas, Draco."

"Are you wondering about what presents you've got this year?"

"Absolutely", Harry said. "I am curious to find out."

"Likewise", Draco said. "Let's see what they got us."

Harry followed Draco to the living room in Malfoy Manor. When they got there, they found presents under the tree.

Draco opened one of the boxes and looked at the note.

"It's from Theodore", he said. "A new Wizard's Chess set. Awesome!"

Harry opened another box. This one was from Cassius Warrington, and it was a copy of the book Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry smiled, then opened another box. Chocolate frogs from Pansy.

Harry opened another box to find a new Quaffle from Marcus Flint. He opened another box to find his own Wizard's chess set from Caitlin Holland.

Harry was pleased with the gifts he had gotten. Once again, his Slytherin friends had come through for him. Harry knew he didn't have much interaction with Caitlin outside of the Slytherin Common Room, but he knew she had been a good friend so far and he wanted to made sure that they stayed friends.

Harry was looking at a card from Luna Lovegood when Draco had an idea.

"Harry, it would be a good idea if we went over another chess tactic. This tactic is known as castling. Castling occurs when the king is moved two squares towards a rook on the same rank and then moving the rook to the square that the king passed over. Let me show you."

Draco then placed the white king on e1 and a white rook on h1.

"The white king moves from e1 to g1. The white rook then jumps over from h1 to f1."

When Draco said this, the white king moved from e1 to g1. The white rook then moved from h1 to f1.

"This is what happens when you castle kingside. Now let's see what happens when you castle queenside."

Draco then cleared the board and placed the white king on e1 and the other white rook on a1.

"The white king moves from e1 to c1, and the white rook jumps over by moving from a1 to d1."

The white king moved from e1 to c1, and the white rook moved from a1 to d1.

"It truly looks like a special move", Harry said. "It could be used to protect the king."

"Just so you know", Draco said. "There are restrictions regarding this rule. For example, you can't castle while you are in check."

Draco then cleared the board again and placed the white king on e1, a white rook on h1, the black king on e8, and the black queen on e4.

"As you can see, the white king can't castle because he is in check from the black queen on e4."

Draco then placed the black king on e8, a black rook on a8, the white king on c1, and a white rook on e5.

"In this position, the black king cannot castle because he is in check from the white rook on e5."

"Okay, then", Harry said. "So you can't castle while you are in check."

"Correct", Draco said. "There are other restrictions you should know about. You can't castle if the king has to pass through a square attacked by an enemy piece."

Draco then placed the white king on e1, a white rook on a1, the black king on g8, and the black queen on h5.

"As you can see, the black queen is attacking the d1 square, which the white king would need to go through to castle queenside. So therefore, white cannot castle."

Draco then placed the white king on g1, a white rook on f1, the black king on e8, and a black rook on h8.

"As you can see, the white rook is attacking the f8 square, which the black king would need to go through to castle kingside. So, therefore, Black cannot castle."

Harry then cleared his throat and said, "So, you cannot castle while in check, and you can't castle through check."

"Correct", Draco said. "Also, you cannot castle into check as well."

Draco then placed the white king on e1, a white rook on h1, the black queen on a7, and the black king on c8.

"As you can see, the black queen is attacking the g1 square, which is where the white king would be if he castled kingside. So, White cannot castle."

Draco then placed the white king on c1, a white rook on g3, the black king on e8, and a black rook on h8.

"As you can see, the white rook is attacking the g8 square, which is where the black king would wind up if he castled kingside. So, Black can't castle in this position."

Draco then cleared the board.

"There is some good news, however. If the rook is under attack, you can still castle. If the rook has to pass through a square it would be attacked on and not the king, you can still castle."

Draco then placed the white king on e1, a white rook on a1, a black bishop on e5, and the black king on d8.

"For example, in this position, the white rook on a1 is attacked by the black bishop on e5. This does not deter the white king from being able to castle queenside, as it is the rook that is attacked and not the king."

Draco then placed the white king on e1, a white bishop on b2, the black king on e8, and a black rook on h8.

"In this position, the black rook on h8 is attacked by the white bishop on b2. This does not stop the black king from being able to castle kingside, as it is the rook that is attacked and not the king."

Draco then placed the white king on e1, a white rook on b2, the black king on e8, and a black rook on a8.

"In this position, the white rook on b2 is attacking the b8 square, which the black rook needs to pass through. This does not stop black from being able to castle queenside, as the king is not in check, and does not have to castle through check or into check."

Draco then cleared the board again.

"You also can't castle if one of your own pieces is in the way", Draco said.

Draco placed a white rook on a1, a white bishop on c1, and the white king on e1. He then placed the black king on e8, a black knight on g8, and a black rook on h8.

"As you can see, neither king can castle, because their own pieces are in the way. The white king can't castle queenside because the white bishop on c1 stands in the way. The black king can't castle kingside because the black knight on g8 is in the way."

Draco then cleared the board again.

"Okay, there is one more restriction. Castling is the first move that both of the pieces have to make. If the king has moved, castling is no longer an option. If the rook has moved, you can't castle with that rook."

Draco then placed the black king on e8 and a black rook on h8.

Draco then said, "Rook to h7".

The black rook on h8 moved to h7.

"As you can see, black can't castle with that rook anymore."

"Okay, then", Harry said. "Let's go over the rules nice and slowly. You can only castle if it the king and rook haven't moved yet, the king isn't in check, the king doesn't have to cross any squares attacked by an enemy piece, and if the squares between the king and rook are empty."

"Correct, Harry", Draco said. "I think you get it."

Lucius and Narcissa then walked in.

"Merry Christmas, Draco. Merry Christmas, Harry."

"Merry Christmas, Mom", Draco said. "Merry Christmas, Dad."

"Merry Christmas, Mister Malfoy", Harry said. "Merry Christmas, Missus Malfoy."

"Are the two of you enjoying your presents?", Mrs. Malfoy asked.

"Yes, we are", Draco said.

Before discovering he was a wizard, Harry would have never thought he would ever enjoy Christmas. Now, it truly was a holiday he enjoyed looking forward to.

Harry continued opening his presents, smiling as he unraveled each one.

31 December 1992

Harry was looking forward to the New Year's Eve party Pansy's parents were hosting. He was looking forward to getting to know Pansy's parents better and interacting with his other friends from Slytherin. He was sure he would have a good time.