UnExpected

Chapter 42

Every move was planned. Strategically placed for a specific reason. Once a decision was made, it couldn't be taken back. There was only one shot. If you lose. There wasn't a second chance.

"What's everyone doing?" Hermione asked.

"Watching Buffy and Sirius play checkers," Ginny replied.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked in to find everyone sitting around the dining room table. Except for Mrs. Weasley who was off visiting Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Summers who was apparently somewhere else in the house.

"What's checkers?" Ron asked.

They each settled around the room as they looked at Buffy and Sirius, who were intently hunched over a black and red checkerboard. Which included little round pieces in the exact same colors, placed individually over their own squares.

"It's a Muggle game, kinda like Wizards Chess," Buffy answered without moving her eyes. Buffy played Muggle games? Since when? "Except for you know, the pieces don't move and it's not exactly chess."

"So, it's nothing like Wizard's Chess?"

"No," Sirius replied.

Buffy placed her finger on a red circle-piece and moved it diagonally to the right. Away from surrounding black ones.

"We tried playing another Muggle game called Battleship, but Sirius blew it up."

"Why?" asked Harry.

"He kept losing," Remus said.

"Stupid Muggle game," Sirius grumbled, moving his black piece to the left.

"And then there was Monopoly," said Buffy.

"Don't tell me he blew that up, too?" Hermione asked.

"He set it on fire," Ginny replied.

"It was mocking me!" Sirius loudly defended.

"He kept landing in jail," Buffy stated.

Harry and Hermione laughed, as did everyone else in the know. Ron, however, was the only one who had no idea what that meant. What did she mean Sirius kept landing in jail?

"Buffy!"

Everyone turned to the doorway at the loud call, and fifteen seconds later watched as Ms. Summers made her entrance. Buttoning up her coat and quickly glancing around the room.

"Oh, I didn't realize everyone would be in here," she said, before focusing on her daughter. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, just...give...me..." Buffy lifted up a red disk and hoped it over, one, two, three, four black ones. "Okay, I'm set."

"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed at his rapidly lost pieces.

"George, you wanna take over?" she asked, rising from her chair.

"It'll be my pleasure," he grinned, taking Buffy's spot.

"I wouldn't get too cocky," Sirius told him. "You've only played once and lost."

"That was then, and I think I've got a good chance now," George said assuredly.

"Why do you think that?"

"I've been watching you play."

Sirius glared as everyone else laughed. This game was going to be an entertaining one that was for sure. And Buffy was sadly going to miss it. Well maybe not so sadly...

"We'll see you guys later," Buffy bade as she walked to the door.

"Where are you two going?" Remus asked.