Playing Chinese Chess with Hermione

Playing Chinese Chess with Hermione

After returning to school, Harry found the dining hall and common room too noisy, so he went to the library.

The library was enormous. There were thousands of bookshelves alone, intersected by hundreds of narrow aisles.

There was a hall before the entrance to the library, with a high ceiling and a spacious interior. It had many long tables and benches, much like the dining hall, but even larger, since this was where students studied and completed their homework.

However, there were not many people there at the moment.

Harry and Hermione picked a seat. Harry opened the chess box and set up the pieces.

They were like living people, moving about in their own positions.

The moment they were arranged, the warriors on both sides stood solemnly.

His own general drew his sword with a swish and shouted, "My broadsword has long hungered for battle!"

Boom!

His five soldiers raised their spears high and slammed them down. Their momentum was like an army of thousands, making the chessboard tremble as they roared in unison, "Fight!"

Their bearing was extraordinary.

Across from them, the commander refused to be outdone. His beard and hair bristled with rage as he pointed his sword at Harry's general, killing intent blazing. "I will wash my throne clean with your blood!" The soldiers stepped forward, lowered into stances, and angled their spears upward. "Kill!"

The warhorses reared and neighed. Neighhh!!

Harry: (⊙o⊙)...

Hermione: (⊙o⊙)...

Honestly, Harry had gone blank the moment the general shouted that line. What the hell was this supposed to be?

He knew Wizard Chess pieces could talk, but this was simply too absurd.

Hermione was the same. Though she was not as enthusiastic about Wizard Chess as boys tended to be, she had played it quite a few times. Yet the moment this set had been arranged, it produced such a spectacle that she was genuinely startled.

Was Chinese chess really like this?

Harry's mouth twitched. "All right, I'll teach you how to play. The rules of Chinese chess are much simpler than Wizard Chess. You'll basically get the hang of it after one game..."

A few simple explanations later, Harry had taught Hermione how to play Chinese chess.

"All right, let's begin." Harry rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation.

It had already been many years since he had played Chinese chess, let alone this kind of wizard Chinese chess. It was practically like commanding a real war!

Hermione hesitated, then said tentatively, "Horse, one left and two forward!" The horse on the right side of Hermione's formation stamped in place a few times before suddenly leaping to the position she had specified.

Hermione let out an involuntary cry of amazement, her face filled with excitement.

Harry said, "Soldier, one forward!" The soldier on the left moved one step ahead and stopped at the Chu River boundary.

"Chariot, back five." The chariot rumbled forward, sending Hermione's horse flying with a single blow.

Hermione studied the board and said, "Cannon, fire over the soldier at the elephant." One of Hermione's cannons turned its barrel toward one of Harry's elephants.

The cannon shook, firing a flash of flame that blasted away the elephant aligned with it, then rolled into the elephant's position.

The two went back and forth, slaughtering each other fiercely.

You killed my elephant, I attacked your soldier; you captured my horse, I advanced my cannon.

Since it was Hermione's first time playing, Harry had to remind her from time to time how she should move, so the game took quite a while. But after finishing one round, Hermione had already become familiar with the basics.

They played two more games, and this time the pace was noticeably faster.

Hermione became more skilled with every game, but unfortunately, she still lost all three matches. Still, that was only to be expected.

Hermione puffed out her cheeks and said, "One more game. I'll definitely beat you this time."

Harry smiled. "I'd like to continue too, but class is about to start. Does our adorable Hermione want to skip class?"

Hermione jolted and looked up at the stone clock overhead. They had actually been playing for over an hour, and there were only thirty minutes left before class!

"How did time pass so quickly?" Hermione blurted out.

Harry said, "Don't worry about that for now. Could you help me take the Chinese chess set back to the common room?"

Hermione asked curiously, "What about you? Aren't you going to class?"

Harry said, "I have something else to do. I need to go into the library."

Hermione said, "All right, I'll go first."

Hermione picked up the box and left the hall.

Harry stood and looked around the room. There was no one left. He remained where he was for a moment, glanced up at the ceiling, then headed toward the library exit.

At the same time, he thought about how, in the original story, Harry had accidentally found an abandoned classroom alone after Christmas. Inside it, he had seen the Mirror of Erised, which could reveal everyone's deepest desires!

And the starting point was the library!

Harry stood at the doorway. Beyond it was a corridor. One direction led toward where Hermione had gone, while the other led somewhere no one had passed through.

Harry looked around, making sure he could not see old Filch or his stray cat.

Harry headed down one end of the corridor. The rooms on the first and second floors appeared to be in use for storing things. He found the staircase and climbed upward.

Most of the rooms on the third and fourth floors were empty classrooms, though some contained piles of discarded items. Harry checked every room, but there was no obvious large mirror. Then he went up to the fifth floor.

This building only had five floors. If Harry still could not find it, then it might not be here. And if he wanted to find the Mirror of Erised after that, it would be difficult.

Hogwarts was so enormous. How could Harry possibly have the time to search every room?

The fifth floor looked as though no one had visited it in a long time. A layer of dust covered the floor.

After pushing open several rooms on the fifth floor and searching them carefully, Harry discovered in disappointment that there was no trace of the mirror.

Had the mirror's location changed from the original story?

Luo Bei: Guess where the mirror is?

I want bookmarks! I want recommendation votes!

Spells:

Standard Wizard Spells Level 1

Household Spells:

Spell 1: Anapneo — Household spell English name: anapneo

Choked on something by accident? Or stuck in a massive traffic jam while driving? A wise wizard should use this spell to eliminate your troubles in one go. Parents with children at home should learn this spell too. Keep it handy at home for peace of mind.

Spell 2: Engorgement Charm — Household spell English name: engorgementcharm

Hagrid once used it on his pumpkin seedlings, making them grow explosively within seconds. Suitable for farming households.

Spell 3: Impervius — Household spell English name: impervious

Hermione often used it on Harry's glasses. It could effectively prevent them from fogging up. Those interested could try using it on a mirror while bathing.

Spell 4: Accio — Household spell English name: accio

A spell that made whatever you wanted fly to you. The most classic example was Harry summoning the Firebolt in the Goblet of Fire.

Spell 5: Lumos — Household spell English name: lumos

A basic spell Harry often used in the Philosopher's Stone. It made a wand emit a faint green glow for illumination.

Spell 6: Sonorus — Household spell English name: sonorus

It amplified the sound of one's voice several times over, often used at sporting events and similar occasions.

Spell 7: Diffindo — Household spell English name: diffindo

A spell that split things into pieces. Those interested could try using it as scissors.

Spell 8: Alohomora — Household spell English name: alohomora

Forgot to bring your key when you got home? Or placed something important inside a cabinet and could not open it? Or needed to open something encrypted or locked? A wise wizard would use Alohomora, though the required wand movement was a bit troublesome.

Spell 9: Nox — Household spell English name: nox

A fire at home? Can't put out the fireplace? Use Nox. If it is the fire department, dozens of people generally cast Nox at the source of the flames together. Guaranteed to work.