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━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━...‥・
zemora and hermione's hands found themselves intertwined sometime between watching the chess pieces fall after every single move. harry watched his best friend in an antsy state, just as the witches standing along the edge of the board.
"wait a minute." harry breathed as he studied the single last pieces upon the board.
"you understand right, harry?" ron's voice fell dramatically as he answered the confusion resting on harry's features. "once i make my move, the queen will take me. then you're free to check the king."
"no, ron, no!"
"what is it?" hermione questioned dumbfounded, glancing between the boys in a quick matter.
"he's going to sacrifice himself."
"no, you can't. there must be another way." hermione yelled out towards the weasley, yet turned her head once she felt the tug upon her arm.
"he's not going to die." zemora's gaze flickered between the gryffindors with slight amusement, her words falling playfully. "we make the final moves, ron falls off, harry continues and saves the day."
ron hated the fact that he found himself nodding along to the slytherin's words once again. "harry, it's you that has to go on. i know it. not me, not hermione, not zemora. you."
harry allowed ron's remarks of encouragement to settle before sending the weasley a simple nod. it was all ron needed before he was tightening his grasp around the chess piece he resided upon, glancing ahead with determination dancing across his features.
"knight to H3."
the chess piece steadily followed the order from the wizard, and just as zemora had predicted, ron was knocked from upon the knight within a moment.
"ron!" harry yelled out helplessly for his fallen friend.
"no, 'mione, not yet." zemora quickly tugged hermione's frame, forcing the girl to stay put. "we're still playing. he's okay. i promise."
"checkmate."
zemora watched alongside hermione as harry finished the game. the sword in the king's hand fell to the ground in a heap, the metal echoing through the wrecked room.
in a matter of seconds, the three were rushing to an unconscious ron.
"take care of ron, then go to the owlery, send a message to dumbledore." harry's gaze flickered between the witches. "ron's right. i have to go on."
