Percy Jackson and the Mirror of Erised

48) Through the Flames

The next chamber was dark. I couldn't see anything at first. But as we stepped inside, torches flickered on.

We were standing on a large chess board. We stood behind the tall black pieces, which faced the tall white pieces. The chessman had no faces.

We all shivered.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

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

The door was behind the white pieces.

"How?" Hermione asked nervously.

"I think," Ron said, "we're going to have to be chessman."

Ron walked to a black knight, and placed his hand on it. The knight swiveled it's head to look at Ron and he asked, "Do we — er — have to join you to get across?"

The knight nodded and I said, "If no one wants to get hurt, we need to go back now." I looked at my friends. "This is the room where it starts. Only three of us will go to the next room."

My friends all stared at me for a moment, wide-eyed. I didn't feel like denying it.

My friends all looked at each-other and nodded.

Ron looked back at the board, "This needs thinking about.... I suppose we've got to take the place of four of the black pieces...."

We all watched Ron think.

"Now, don't be offended or anything, but you two aren't very good at chess, and Percy looks too pissed to play—"

"We're not offended," Harry said. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go there instead of that castle. Percy, you take the place of the other bishop."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be a knight," Ron said.

The Knight hopped off of his horse while two bishops and a rook left the board. We all took our spots.

"White always plays first in chess," Ron said, watching the other pieces. "Yes... look...."

A white pawn moved forwards two squares. Ron directed the black pieces. They moved silently. I didn't pay much attention. I just closed my eyes and tried to think of stuff other than my stepdad.

"Harry — move four squares to the right."

It was quite scary when the other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to pieces, and dragged him off of the board.

"Had to let that happen," Ron said, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

The white pieces showed no mercy when they took our pieces. There was a pile of broken pieces lying next to the board.

Twice, Ron only just noticed that we were in danger. That's was nice. A bishop had been off in the corner. I hadn't noticed it. Ron had been about to take a different piece, but then he saw that bishop. He sacrificed a pawn for me.

Ron darted around the board, taking as many pieces as the white did.

"We're nearly there," Ron muttered. "Let me think — let me think..."

The white queen turned towards him.

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

"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted. They looked at Ron with horror filled eyes.

Ron turned to me, "It was me, wasn't it?"