The common room buzzed as students quietly discussed Peeves's attack on Gilderoy Lockhart.
Harry and Ron were playing Wizard's Chess, while Hermione sat beside them, hugging a copy of Detailed Guide to Healing Spells as she read.
Harry had received his Wizard's Chess set last Christmas, and it still wasn't very obedient. It often argued with him.
Several students crowded around to watch, while Harry's chess pieces eyed him with open disdain.
"E4," Harry said hesitantly.
His white king immediately clutched his head. "Here we go again! I've died eight hundred times with that move!"
The white queen beside him rolled her eyes too. "Merlin, can't you learn something from that boy over there?"
Ron's pieces, meanwhile, held their heads high. The black knight even wiped off his lance, ready to charge.
"Watch this." Ron grinned. "My knight to F6."
The black knight immediately galloped forward, leaping gracefully into position and kicking one of Harry's pawns flying on the way.
"Your turn, Harry." Ron smugly bit into a sausage they'd sneaked out of the dining hall in a crystal bottle.
Harry wiped his forehead. "Then... my bishop to C5."
"What?!" his white bishop shrieked. "Are you mad? That black knight will chop me in half!"
The chess piece clung desperately to the board.
"Please, just listen to me this once..." Harry begged softly.
"Absolutely not!" The white bishop plopped down on the board. "Send him instead. It doesn't matter if he dies!"
He pointed at a pawn, who rolled his eyes.
Ron's pieces erupted in laughter. The black rook shook with laughter, bits of stone trembling. "Just surrender already!"
Hermione looked up from her book. "How about I—"
"No!" Harry and Ron said in unison.
At that moment, Harry's white queen suddenly stood up and kicked the bishop straight to