Harry's Twin - Book One // Complete // Editing

Results Aren't Everything

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I step cautiously into the dark room. Harry and I lead, while Hermione and Ron follow. As soon as we step into the mysterious room, it floods with light.

I look down and beneath my feet are patterns of white and black. A chessboard? The board covers the entire floor, and in front of us are two sets of giant chess men. We're standing behind the black set, the white is further beyond. The white men are facing us. Frankly, they look a little chilling, as they're faceless and very large. I feel Ron and Hermione shiver slightly next to me, while Harry's face scrunches in worry. I bite my lip and survey the room around me. This chamber made no sense.

'What do you think this one's about?' Hermione asks timidly. 

I shrug and turn to the two boys. 'Any ideas?'

Ron looks between the chess pieces thoughtfully. Out of nowhere, his face lights up brightly and he exclaims, 'It's obvious! Don't you see? We have to play our way across the board.'

The rest of us realise what he's saying, then spot the door on the other side. That's our target, and we have to play a giant game of chess to achieve it.

'I think we'll have to be the pieces,' Ron ponders. 'We are the chessmen.'

He walks slowly up to the closets piece. A black knight and his horse. Ron reaches towards the piece. He has barely touched the knight's horse before the piece springs to life. Ron asks the knight if the challenge requires us to join them. With the knight's nod, Ron turns back to us.

He looks at each of our faces, around the room, and then back to the three of us. 'We're going to have to replace four of the black pieces. This will take a bit of thinking.' He pauses, examining the room once more. Hermione, Harry and I stay quiet, allowing the red haired boy to think. 'Now, look, don't get offended, but . . . none of you guys aren't great at chess-'

Harry cuts him off. 'We're not offended,' he reassures his friend. 'Just tell us what to do.'

Ron nods slowly. He instructs us to take positions on the board. Harry becomes the bishop. Hermione is made a castle. I am assigned to be the black queen.

'Ron, what about you?' I ask.

'I'm going to be a knight,' he announces with a strong air of confidence.

The chessmen appeared to have been listening, as a bishop, a castle, the queen and a knight turn towards us and shuffle off the board. We move to our places. The game is beginning.

'White always moves first in chess,' Ron pipes up again, pointing towards a white pawn. It's moving forward. It stops two places away from where it came from. Ron's mind begins to work and soon the over-sized game of chess is underway.

Our first major hit comes in the form of our other knight. The white queen picked him up and ferociously smashed him to the ground before dragging the pieces of the board. I look at Harry and notice that the concern in his eyes is equal to how I feel. Surely Ron won't let us get hurt?

'I had to let it happen,' Ron sighs, refocusing his attention on the task at hand. 'Hermione, move and take out that bishop there.'

Every time a man from our side is lost, the white set seem to only get less merciful. They smashed players to the board, threw them violently and kicked them to the side. A huddle at the side of the board begins to grow as more black chessmen are discarded. Ron darts around the board, barking orders and causing a matching pile of while pieces to form on the opposite side. A few times Ron, seemingly distracted by the growing amount of losses, almost doesn't realise that Hermione and Harry are in danger. I've so far been safe, but who knows what's coming. 

'Nearly there,' he mutters to himself. He looks at the board, his eyes darting madly for the solution. The white queen turns and faces Ron, somehow making her blank face seem menacing. 'Yes . . . it's the only way,' Ron says slowly. 'I will have to be taken.'

'No!' Hermione and I yell, as Harry's head whips around to look at his best friend. Behind Harry's glasses, his eyes are wide with shock. 'You can't be taken! Are you insane? Look at what they did to the other pieces, Ronald!' I protest.

He shakes his head, not bothering to listen to any reasoning. 'But that's chess! You have to make sacrifices. You have to lose somethings to gain control of the game. Don't you guys want to win? Listen, I'll take a step forward. That piece there, she'll take me. Then Harry, it's leaves you free to checkmate the king!'

'But-' Harry begins.

'Do you want to stop Snape or not?' Ron reasons calmly.

'Ron-' Hermione tries.

'No, listen guys,' I stop her. 'He's right. We need to stop Snape. And that means sacrifices. If we don't move quickly, he'll have the stone by the time we get there. So, please. Listen to Ron. I . . . I will stay here with him, while you two go on.'

Ron looks at me appreciatively. Hermione, in contrast, looks appalled. 'We're not losing both of you!'

'No, you're not. Ron's getting taken, I will stay here and make sure he's okay. You guys don't need me to continue. You're much better at all this magic stuff than me.'

'That's not true!' Harry protests. 'You and Hermione get the almost the same results every time!'

'Results aren't everything,' I smile, before giving my brother a look telling him to hurry up.

Harry nods slowly and admits I have a point about someone needing to stay with Ron. He can finally see there's no alternative. It took him long enough.

Ron breaths out heavily. 'Here goes nothing. Ready? Go,' he gulps and slides forward. His face pales as the white queen slides to him and reaches out. 

With a mighty blow, she sends him crashing to the floor. Hermione screams. I almost step out of my square to go to him, but I remember that doing so will jeopardise the game. I close my eyes and breath deeply. Ron will be okay. The queen drags him away, allowing Harry to make his move. He shakily takes a few steps to the left.

As Harry stepped into his new spot, the white king removed his crown and dropped it angrily at Harry's feet. We had won. Slowly the chessmen part and the doorway is clear. They bow low, blank faces trained on ours. Harry and Hermione can now move on to whatever lies ahead.

I rush over before they can exit. 'Be careful!' I plead, pulling them both into a tight hug. 'Don't get hurt, please. Good luck.' I turn away and kneel next to Ron, unsure of what to do.

With a last look at Ron and I, my brother and best friend are gone. 

_____

Wow finally another chapter is posted. I absolutely love this chapter in the book and I hope I did it enough justice! Vote and comment if you please, I'd love to know what you think!

Also, if anyone has any book recommendations (fanfic or physical) please send them to me/comment them. Christmas/general movie recommendations are also greatly appreciated.

In other news, FANTASTIC BEASTS!!! It was so amazing and totally reawakened my total obsession over Harry Potter(it was still there, of course, but resembled something of a . . . sleeping dragon ;) haha)!! Message me to fangirl if you want lmao

Thanks guys for reading, and if you want to check out my very simplified update schedule, just look at my most recent post under "conversations". I plan to do heaps of writing this holidays (NZ long holidays, yay!), so look forward to that. And sorry for the super long authors note. See ya!