Harry Potter: The Green Arrow of Hogwarts (Book 1) (Fan Fiction) (REPOSTED)

Chapter 14: Wizard's Chess and the Final Battle

With Oliver

As the group entered the next room, they found themselves facing towering stone statues, each carved with ominous precision.

Hermione's brow furrowed as she whispered, "I don't like this. I don't like this at all."

Harry glanced around, taking in the eerie scene. "Where are we? A graveyard?"

Ron shook his head. "This is no graveyard."

Cautiously, the group stepped back as Ron took a few steps forward. He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as realization dawned on him. "It's a chessboard," he announced.

The others moved up beside him, and Harry pointed towards the far end of the room. "There's the door," he said, gesturing to a grand, imposing doorway.

The group edged forward, but as they neared the giant chess pieces, the statues raised their swords, halting them in their tracks. The blades gleamed menacingly for a moment before the statues lowered them once more, falling still.

Bella and Hermione looked to each other, then back to the boys. "Now what do we do?" they asked in unison.

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

He stepped forward, organizing their positions. "All right, Oliver, you take the empty bishop's square." Turning to Hermione, he continued, "Hermione, you and Bella will stand with the queen-side castle. I'll be a knight." Finally, he turned to Harry. "You stay back for now."

Harry nodded and stepped off the board, letting the others take their places.

Bella looked over at Ron with concern. "What happens now?"

Ron mounted the stone horse, gripping the reins tightly. "White moves first. And then... we play."

A pawn from the opposing side slid forward, and the game began. Ron studied the board carefully, his face intense as he planned their moves.

Bella glanced around nervously. "Ron, you don't think this is going to be like... real wizard's chess, do you?"

Ron grimly ordered a piece forward. "You there, D-5." The piece moved into position, only to be smashed to rubble by the opponent's knight.

Ron sighed. "Yes, Bella. I think this is going to be exactly like wizard's chess."

With each move, more pieces were obliterated. "Castle to E-4!" Ron commanded, watching as more pieces clashed and fell. The stakes grew higher with each turn as the pieces advanced.

Then, in a particularly close exchange, Oliver barely ducked in time to avoid a flying shard of stone. He looked over at Ron, catching the determined look in his friend's eyes. A sinking feeling filled his stomach.

Ron turned to him and nodded. "You understand, right, Oliver? Once I make my move, the queen will take me. Then you're free to check the king."

Oliver's eyes widened in horror. "No, Ron, no!"

Bella's voice trembled as she realized the gravity of Ron's words. "You're going to sacrifice yourself."

Ron glanced back at her, giving a small, resolute smile. "Do you want to stop Snape from getting that Stone or not? Oliver, Harry—it's you two who have to go on. I know it. Not me. Not Hermione. Not Bella. You two."

Oliver and Harry exchanged a solemn nod, understanding the weight of their mission.

Ron tightened his grip on the horse's reins. "Knight to H-3." His piece moved forward, then to the left, putting the opponent's king in check. "Check," he declared.