Harry Potter and the Returners

Memories 12

Previously on memories:
They landed their brooms and Harry walked towards the door with the key struggling in his hand.

He rammed the key into the door and unlocked the door, with a bated breath he turned towards his friends.

"Ready?" He asked, his hand on the handle as they nodded he pulled the door open.
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They entered the next chamber which was so dark there was barley anything visible. As they stepped further in light flooded the room to reveal that they were standing on a giant chessboard.

Ron grimaced at the memory of what happened on that chessboard.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry all had a shiver go down their spine when they saw the towering chess pieces with no faces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Said Ron, "we've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" Asked Hermione nervously.

The twins both adopted two evil grins.

"Well it's obvious isn't it..."

"Itty ronnikins..."

"Will have to take the lead with this one."

Everyone rolled their eyes at them.

"I think....that we're going to have to be the chessmen."

He walked up to a black night and carefully put his hand out to touch the horse. At once, the stone sprang to life.

"Do we...have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded, Ron turned back to his friends.

Everyone but the trio paled slightly, "it isn't going to be exactly like real wizards chess it it?" Asked Teddy anxiously.

The three avoided the question and just looked ahead at the memory, causing everyone to worry even more.

"This needs thinking about..." he said, "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces..."

Harry and Hermione stayed quiet and let ron take the lead. Finally he stopped thinking and turned to speak to them, "now don't take offense to this but neither of you are all that great at chess..."

Arthur laughed slightly, "I don't think you need to worry about that son."

"We're not offended." Harry quickly assured. "Just tell us what to do."

Ron nodded and gave a small relieved smile, "well Harry, you take the place of that bishop and Hermione you take the place of the castle."

"What about you?"

Ron looked up, "I'm going for the knight."

The chessmen seemed to understand what to do because at Ron's words a knight, bishop, and castle turned their backs on the white pieces and swiftly disappeared from the board, leaving three empty spaces.

Teddy leaned closer towards Remus and whispered, "that's kinda creepy."

Remus smiled softly and nodded, "I agree."

"White always plays first in chess." Ron said, looking across the board.

A white pawn moved foreword two squares, Ron started to direct the black pieces and they moved silently and obediently.

"Harry...move diagonally four squares to the right."

Their first real scare came when their other knight was taken, the white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board where he layed face down and unmoving.

Everyone had jumped when it happened, not expecting it to be as violent.

All the parents in the room paled dramatically hoping that nothing bad would happen to their children.

"Had to let it happen." Said a shaken looking Ron, "leaves you free to take that bishop Hermione...go on."

Every time one of their pieces was lost the white pieces showed no mercy on them. Soon there was a huddle of broken and battered black pieces slumped on the floor by the wall.

Twice Ron had noticed that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He darted around the board taking almost as many white pieces as the ones they had lost.

"We're nearly there." He muttered, "let me think."

The white queen turned her blank face towards him.

Molly teared up knowing what was coming, she hid her face in Arthur's shoulder.

Hermione held Ron's hand tightly knowing he was okay.

"Yes." Ron said softly, "Its the only way..I've got to be taken."

Molly let out a sob, Teddys head turned to Ron quickly, "but...you could die!"

Ron smiled softly, "don't worry Teddy I'm fine."

"No!" Harry and Hermione shouted

"That's chess!" Snapped Ron, "you've got to make some sacrifices! I make my move and she'll take me...leaning you free to check the king Harry!"

"But..."

"Do you want to stop snape or not! If you don't hurry up, he'll already have the stone."

"That was very brave of you Ron." Said Remus softly, everyone else nodded their heads agreeing.

"Ready."

He stepped forward and the white queen pounced, she struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm sending her hard across the floor.

Tears welled up in Molly and Arthur's eyes as they watched their son collapse tot he floor. Fred and George stood still with their mouths gaping open as they saw what had happened.

Hermione screamed but stayed in place, the white queen dragged Ron to the side. Harry shakily moved three spaces to the left.

The white king took off its crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won.