Beads of sweat ran down my cheek from my hairline as I made the final call, unsure if my decision I had come to was correct or not.
"Come on Y/N, it's now or never," a bickering Harry commented behind me, only egging on my anxiety and frustration over the stressful situation.
"Yes, I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best," an optimistic Luna tried to assure, holding her left wrist in her right hand behind her back, blowing a strand of platinum blonde hair from her eye. I swallowed, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to calm my tensed nerves.
"Tick tock, you haven't much longer and you know I hate to be kept waiting," an intimidating voice boomed in front of me.
"Alright alright, I've made my decision," I announced, the nerves in my arms tightening and the hairs on the back of my neck raising like the goosebumps on my arms.
"Let's hear it then,"
"Um...erm," I hesitated.
"On with it, no more stalling,"
"Knight to B6," I finally announced. Everyone around me stopped breathing as the small glass figure moved itself across the board a few spaces from where it began. Ron, who sat across from me, looked shocked at the move. We all assumed maybe I had done something clever but a small smirk tickled his lips that he failed to hide.
"Knight to G5, checkmate," he determined and as his own horse scattered along the board, his prediction turned into fact when my King piece crumbled down once his was set. Most everyone gasped at the final move that led to my demise but the shock factor of Ron winning every possible game of Wizards Chess that he could faded aftertime.
"Good game," Harry announced, his heavy hands on my shoulders, attempting to reassure me.
"Good, but not good enough," I sighed, leaning back into the comfy chair I was sitting in.
"I wouldn't take it too personally Y/N, Ron beats everyone in that simple game," A voice from behind us laughed, his voice a bit deeper than the other 6th and 5th years crowded around. I rolled my eyes, knowing instantly who it was, George Weasley, Ron's brother.
"Simple?" Ron exclaimed, pushing up from the table, rattling some of the intricate pieces on the chess board. "I'll have you know this game takes real skill and thought-processing to win." He proclaimed, very obviously affected by his older brother's words. "Why don't you come over and play if it's so simple,"
"I would Little brother, but I have better things to do than obliterate you in Wizards Chess," George responded, looking at Fred who stood next to him. I noticed they had boxes gathered in their arms, curiously wondering what they contained.
"As do I," Fred agreed, shrugging his shoulders. The twins as quickly as they had come, were gone and part of me felt relieve, though I wasn't entirely sure why.
"What a coward," Ron pouted under his breath, putting away the game pieces, reserving them for another game on another day. I smiled at the mild bickering and grabbed my bag, and glanced down at my watch, gasping loudly when I saw the time. I had agreed to go out to lunch with Dean since it was Hogsmeade weekend, and as of now, I was going to be late. After quickly bidding everyone around me goodbye, I rushed up the stairs into my dorm that I shared with Katie Bell, one of my very good friends.
"What's your rush?" she asked, lying on her bed, legs dangling over the edge, looking up from a muggle magazine I had gifted her on her birthday. I rummaged through my messy trunk on my knees, looking for anything to wear, quickly finding something comfortable yet still presentable.
"I forgot about that thing with Dean,"
"Dean Thomas?"
"Yes, remember at lunch last Thursday?" I aquitted, hurriedly throwing on the outfit I had found. My hair fell into my eyes, causing slight irritation before I blew it to the side with my breath. I cringed, realizing I had forgotten to brush my teeth that morning and began to fetch my toothbrush and paste from the disorderly trunk.
