Easy Mistake ; Harry Potter

O N E H U N D R E D A N D T W E N T Y F I V E | Smoke And Fire

"Help me Ellie, Padfoot and Remmy are winning!"

Eleanor looked up from her English homework. She was in the middle of writing an essay for her favourite book that would count towards a quarter of her coursework grade. She had decided to do the essay on The Song of Achilles. It was a modern remake of a classic, so Eleanor thought that would help her gain bonus points as her English teacher, Mrs. Finch was quite smitten with any type of classic literature.

Currently Josh, Remus and Sirius were engrossed in a game of Wizards chess. Sirius had gone digging around in the attic and pulled the game out a few weeks ago. After being tested for anything sinister (after all, you couldn't trust anything in the house of Black) Mad-Eye deemed it safe and therefore Sirius has been trying and failing to teach Josh how to play chess.

Eleanor examined the game. Sirius and Remus were in fact winning (by a lot) and Josh was loosing so badly, Eleanor didn't think she could save it for him.

"Move your Pawn right diagonally. You'll be able to take one of the Rooks." Eleanor explained.

Eleanor was just about to look back down at her essay when she saw Josh move. "No, not that piece. That's the wrong Pawn! - No that's a Knight!"

"Well which piece do you mean?! You're no help." Josh whined.

Eleanor sighed. "I am, you're just not listening. The Pawn thats next to your Knight. Yes! Now tell that to move diagonally to the right. See, now you can take the Rook."

Josh cheered as his pawn violently knocked the white piece off the board.

"You know, that is classed as cheating. We shouldn't have to put up with such foal play." Sirius said as he effortlessly removed a black Pawn from the board and watched as the white Knight showed no remorse for the Pawn.

"Oh, please," Eleanor said. "You're playing two against one. I would hardly call that fair."

"Yes," Sirius said with a smile, though he didn't take his eyes off the board. "But someone was meant to join Josh and play with him but they decided to ditch us at the last minute to do their boring homework."

"Be quiet, both of you. I'm trying to concentrate." Remus muttered.

"Relax- Remmy," Sirius teased, using Josh's nickname for the werewolf. "We're going to win."

"No, you're not!" Josh declared.

"We are." Sirius said. "There is no way you can bring the game back to your favor now, we've crushed you!"

"Honestly Sirius, there is no need to be so competitive. It's just a game and Josh is a kid after all." Remus said with an eye roll.

"I was just saying, we're going to win. The odds are with us. Josh, there is no way you can win. I'm just saying it how it is, kiddo."

Josh huffed. "Well, I'll beat you in the next game. You watch!"

Sirius smirked. "You can't beat the Chess Master."

Remus sat up straight and stretched. "Need I remind you who taught you how to play chess. You were abysmal when I first met you and you only started to get the hang of it in your third year, chess master."

Sirius turned to Remus. "Well hang on just a minute-"

But Eleanor didn't get to hear the rest for she saw movement in the corner of her eye and turned to the fireplace. She was sure it had just sparked angrily but when she looked properly, the fire was crackling merrily.

Then suddenly, as if she had wished it there, Harry's face appeared in the flames. Eleanor yelped and knocked over her Ink bottle on to the dining table.