Till Death do us Part

Halfway There

Fluttering wings made us look forward.

"What is that?" Hermione took uneven steps forward, going towards the strange sound.

"I don't know," Ron stated.

'Sounds like wings,' I pointed out  as we entered a room filled with golden birds.

"Curious. I've never seen birds like these." Hermione looked around in awe.

"They're not birds, they're keys," Roger whispered as one flew past him.

'I'll bet one of them fits that door.' I pointed towards an old wooden door.

In the middle of the room there was an old broom suspended in the air. What a weird thing to have? It was cool, but still.

"What's this all about?"

'I don't know. It's strange.' I squeezed Roger's hand for comfort as Ron strolled over to the door and took out his wand.

He pulled on the lock. "Alohomora!" When the lock didn't up he shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try."

"Urg! What're we going to do? There must be a 1000 keys up there!"

"The key must match the door. You look for an old one. It would be big, probably rusty," Roger theorised, looking around the ceiling.

'There! I see it!' I pointed at one of the keys that was flying slower than the rest. It had a broken wing and was struggling to stay in the air. 'The one with the broken wing!'

"How are we going to get it?"

Ron drifted his fingers along the edge of the broom. "There is only one way."

'I strongly disagree with that statement but nevertheless, I shall let this play out.' Roger gave me a disapproving look but silently agreed with me as we stood by the wooden door.

Ron mounted the broom and of course, this thing wasn't as simple as we hoped. The second he touched the broom, the keys started panicking and rushed around our little lion. He tried to swipe them away but was failing miserably. He pushed himself into the air and tried to get his hands on the key, but it kept leaving him in the dirt.

After possibly ten minute- half an hour at most- I decided to take over the situation. I lifted up my hand and focused my magic. I pushed forward, making a tube of space where the spells and charms didn't affect me. The key flew in and lost its magic, falling down my 'tube' and neatly into my hand. I twisted the key in the lock as we walked through and Ron came barreling in after us.

'There is always a simpler way,' I announced with a smirk.

"Okay, okay. Next time I'll listen to you. Where are we now?"

Looking around we were in a dark room with broken pieces of marble chucked around here and there. I could feel Roger gripping my sleeve as we both shook. I did not like it here!

"I don't like this," Hermione whispered. "I don't like this at all."

"This place, it's like a graveyard," Roger added.

"This is no graveyard," Ron stated, walking out in front of us. "It's a chessboard." We walked onto a marble board as the torches caught alight. The pieces were massive staring down at us, blocking all ways out.

'There's the door.' I pointed to the exit as we rushed across the board.

Suddenly, when we reached the line of pawns they brought up their sword and blocked the passage. I jumped back, falling over my own two feets and breathing harshly. I did not like this!

"Now what do we do?" Hermione looked around as Roger pulled me off the floor.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" When a Gryffindor says that it is never good. "We've got to play our way across the room. All right. Sly, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the Queen's side castle. As for me and you Roger, we'll be a knight."

'We're doomed.'

We all took our places both Ron and Roger having to climb onto the horses' backs.

"What happens now?"

"Well, white moves first, and then... we play."

A white pawn on the other side of the board moved forward as Ron and Roger studied the board.

"Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like... real wizard's chess, do you?" Hermione read my mind as I looked up to them for an answer.

"You there! D-5!" A black pawn moved forward, stopping in the path of the white pawn. The white one raised its swords and smashed our one. "Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizard's chess!"

Gulping, I felt for something to pick- finding a stitch on my lower arm. I did not like this. I told those idiots that this was not going to end well.

The game continued, piece smash against each other. I couldn't follow the game but Roger could. He followed the game with flickering eyes. "Ron, wait a minute."

"You understand right, Roger. Once I make my move, the Queen will take me... then Sly will be free to check the King."

"No! Ron you can't!"

'What's going on?' I nibbled on my lip, fear rushing through me.

"He's going to sacrifice himself!"

'No! You can't do that! There must be another way!'

"Do you want to stop Snape or not? Sly, it's you that had to go on. I know it. Not me, not Hermione or Roger, you," Ron told me as I shook my head.

'I only came here to make sure you were safe!'

"It's alright Sly. I'll be fine. Go stop Snape for us. Knight to H-3!" Ron's moved before we could say- or write- anything else. "Check."

The Queen turned and advanced on Ron. Ron was breathing faster, this was all like it was in slow motion. The Queen stopped and stabbed him. Ron went flying off his horse and landed on the ground unconscious.

"Ron!" Hermione started walking but I made a red X appear in front of her.

'Don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing.' Hermione stilled herself as I walked diagonally to stand in front of the king. 'Checkmate!'

The second the sword fell to the floor, we all ran to Ron's side. He was unconscious and unmoving. I brushed my fingers across his hairline- moving the strands out of his eyes.

'Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right, I have to go on.' I felt Roger gripping onto my sleeve as he smiled at me.

"I'm coming too."

Smiling, I nodded before looking at Hermione. "You'll be okay, Sly. You're a great wizard, you really are."

'You are too. I'll see you in time for breakfast. You'll see.' Standing up, I walked away with Roger. Onward it is.

Little note, I know only one could move forward but I want Roger in the next part, so... we'll just pretend that isn't true.