If their opponents had been a medium-difficulty computer, Ron could have just barely won while keeping Harry and Hermione safe.
But Zhang Xiao's chess pieces were a computer set to "hell difficulty"!
Hermione stared at the enormous magical chessboard, not daring to let her attention wander for even a moment.
"E7 to E5!"
Zhang Xiao's pieces immediately launched into a heated discussion:
"The Italian Game!"
"They're doomed! I know at least five hundred ways to counter this opening!"
"For the beautiful ladies, onward, onward!"
"Crush their formation! Break through their defenses!"
Whenever the pieces made a move, Ron relayed it to the pieces on the giant board, while Hermione directed the opposing side according to its moves.
The pieces swept through the opposition, barely willing to let the three transfigured ladies move at all.
If they absolutely had to move, the pieces' roaring voices would turn tender and affectionate:
"Oh, beautiful lady, would you be so kind as to take a few steps over here?"
"Who would have thought that even the way she walks could be so graceful?"
Harry and Ron were grinning delightedly on the board.
Dumbledore, presumably watching from the shadows, probably regretted not tossing Zhang Xiao straight in front of Quirrell.
When had he ever seen anything so shameless as taking a phone along to play chess against an old man in the park?
Clang!
After a piece dragged the opposing King's last defender off its horse and gave it a savage beating, the enemy King slowly sank to one knee before Ron, who had checkmated it, on the enormous magical chessboard.
Hermione let out a relieved breath and nearly collapsed on the spot.
She had been the most nervous person throughout the entire game. Even when directing the pieces, she had spoken one word at