Secret Behind The Mask

Chapter Four-The Chess Game

She woke up, stretching her arms. Why do I always have that dream?

Don't tell me you just woke up, Snape thought.

Hey! I thought the deal was that we the only way we're to talk-

Or think.

Yes, or think. Don't interrupt me! Where was I? Oh yes. The only way we're to think to each other, is when it's directed at the other. Melly was starting to sound annoyed. She did, after all, have to remind him at least once a day.

Fine, whatever. Snape thought. I'll leave you alone then.

Melly got up, and got dressed, and she put her hair up. She lazily walked down to the Common Room, and saw Harry and Ron at it, again, with the chess game. Who could they find joy in playing that game? Hermione was sitting in front of the fireplace, reading a book, of course. There were some first years by the notice board, talking excitedly about the Valentines Day Ball.

She sighed, and decided to go over to Harry and Ron.

"Check," Ron said as she approached.

"Hello, adopted best friend," she said as she sat down next to him. "Who's winning?"

"Ron, as usual," Harry droned.

Melly smiled, and looked up at him. "Chess isn't that hard, is it?"

Harry looked up at her, eyes wide. "It is when you're playing him." He looked at Ron. "Is it my move?"

Ron smiled. "Yeah. You're in check."

"Oh, great."

Melly smiled wider. He couldn't beat Ron? That was pretty sad. She found a move that could put Ron in checkmate.

She got up, and sat down next to Harry, and leaned next to him, and whispered the move. Ron could see Harry's eyes light up.

"Hey! That's not fair!" he whined. "You can't help him! What about me?"

"It isn't your turn, and you don't need help," Melly smirked. She stood up, and sat back down next to Ron. She nodded at Harry.

"Okay, um, queen to E6," Harry said.

The white queen moved in front of the red king, leaving one square in between them.

"Checkmate."

Ron looked at the board, eyes wide, and mouth fully open. "How-"

"It's simple," Melly explained. "See...The white queen blocks this move...and this move. The bishop here...this blocks your king's move here...and this other bishop on the other side of the board...blocks him here."

As she was showing him how he was in checkmate, Ron turned white, whiter than the pieces. He felt like fainting. No one had ever beaten him before.

"Can I play?" Melly asked the two. Harry nodded, and got up.

"I'm going to go talk with Hermione, anyway," he said, unable to hide a smile. "I got to tell her that I just beat Ron at chess!"

He walked away, and Melly took his place in front of Ron, who was still staring at the board.

"Ron?" she asked cautiously. "Are-Are you okay?"

"I've never been beaten before," he said, very quietly.

Melly smirked. "Well, get used to it. I've never lost a game either."

"You play chess?" he asked, finally bringing his gaze up from the board to look her in the face.

"Duh! Were you not convinced when I showed Harry that move?"

She smiled as she set the pieces. "Let's see how good you really are, shall we?"

Ron's face regained color, and he looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you kidding? I could probably beat you with my hands tied behind my back."

"Me too! But, that's only because you don't necessarily need your hands to play this game."

"You're white, you move first."

"With pleasure..." She paused for a moment, thinking where to move first.

The first move always is the determination of the game, Melly. Lucius's voice rang through her mind. You move your knights first; it puts you straight in offensive. Move the two end pawns, then your in defensive.

"Knight to H3," she said. The right-most knight moved to its spot. Starting out in offensive position. Hmm...let's see how this goes.

Ron looked at the board. So, she decides to start with the knight? Okay then. I'll just start with my usual...

"Pawn to E5," Ron said. The little red pawn moved up two spaces.

Melly smiled. Good move, Weasley. "Knight to G5." The same knight from before move in the 'L' position to G5.

Well, since the game has just started..."Pawn to A6." The red pawn moved on square forward.

I started with that knight, so..." Left knight to A3." The white, left-most knight moved to the square.

"Pawn to B5." One of Ron's red pawns moved two spaces forward.

I'll second that...or, wait a minute..."Pawn to B3."

Now, on to something more..."Knight to C6."

The oldest trick in the book. "Pawn to C4."

Ron almost burst out laughing. Why had she moved there? Well, duh, Ron! "Pawn to C4." The red pawn bashed the white pawn into pieces. "And that, is what's leading me to victory."

"Who wish," Melly said as she smirked at him. "Pawn to C4," she said, not taking her eyes off Ron. Her white pawn bashed the red pawn. "Did you not see that one coming?"

"I did, actually."

"So, you let me take it?"

"I'm being nice to you."

"Well...DON'T! I perfectly know well how to play chess. I don't need you to be nice about it."

"Whose move?"

"Your move."

"Pawn to G6."

"Pawn to E3."

"Knight to A5."

"Bishop to B2." Got to get all the pieces out there if I'm to play offensive.

Knight to C4." The red knight moved, and took the white pawn.

"Knight, C4." Her knight turned his into dust.

"Castle, B8."

"Pawn to F4."

"Castle, B2."

"Knight, B2." Her knight, once again, took his castle.

The game continued for five minutes, swapping turns, and swapping attacks.

""Bishop to H4," Ron said. He watched as his little red bishop moved one space diagonally to the left.

Melly smirked. "Queen to H4." Her white queen moved diagonally to his bishop, and slaughtered it with her chair. "Check," she whispered. "The first check in this game. How do you feel actually receiving the first check, instead of giving it?"

"I know it's not going to last long, that's for sure." Ron looked for a good place for his king to hide. "King, C8."

"Queen, G4. Check again."

"King, C7." Melly watched in utter disappointment as his king returned to safety. But not for long...

The game continued for another five minutes. The score was...white captured four pawns, two knights, two bishops, and one castle. Black captured four pawns, and one knight.

"Queen to E7," Ron said, wanting to get his queen out in the game. She was always one of his first pieces to get out, but now, she wasn't.

Melly took a few minutes to decide, then, Ron noticed a smile slowly form on her lips. "Queen to H4," she said.

Ron looked at her in puzzlement. What was she playing at? She moved her queen in open view of his queen, with no protection. What a weird move. "Queen to H4." Ron's queen went and demolished her white queen, wiping Melly's smile clear off her face. Obviously, she hadn't seen that move.

"Hey! That was my queen you took!"

"Well, you told me not be nice to you," Ron said, a hint of, "I told you so" in his voice.

Melly looked at him angrily. Just wait. I've got a little plan up my sleeve. I should be thanking you for taking her. You walked right into my trap, Weasley.

"Pawn, A3," Melly said. Her pawn moved one space forward.

Ron noticed this, but paid no mind. He had her queen, so he practically owned the board now. "King, D8," he said, lazily.

"Pawn, A4," she said, her pawn moving one space forward.

Ron wondered what she could be doing with it. He decided that it was probably to distract him from his queen. "Queen, E7," he said. She's now safe in her own territory...Wait a minute, now I'm just getting paranoid.

"Pawn, A5," Melly said again.

Ron got nervous. Okay, he was paranoid. "Queen, A7." His queen moved to a place where she was only two spaces away.

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Ron?" she asked, looking at him now. His eyes were wide, and his lips were formed into a wacko grin. "If you try to attack me, I'll get you back, with my castle. This one," she pointed to her left castle that hadn't yet been moved, "will attack your queen if you kill my pawn. I'd be careful if I were you." She watched as Ron's smile faded. ""Knight, D5."

Ron nodded, realizing that he almost made the biggest mistake that he could ever make in a game of chess. "Pawn, H5." Just in case he lost his queen, he wanted to be prepared.

"Knight, B4."

"Pawn, F6."

"Knight, C6."

Ron opened his mouth to say another command, but Melly was before him. "Think about what you're doing, Ron," she said, very quickly. He looked at her, confused. "Look at the position your queen is next to my knight."

He did. He gaped. He almost lost his precious queen! Wait, precious? Okay, getting very paranoid. Got to move her to safety. "Um...Queen to C7," he said.

Melly smiled. "Thank you for clearing my path. Pawn, A6."

"And thank you, for your knight. Queen, C6."

"You're quite welcome. Pawn, A7."

"And your bishop. Queen to C4."

"And, I'll be taking my queen back."

Ron looked at her, a confused look plastered on his face. "How?"

"Simple. I move my pawn one more space forward, and you give me back my queen. Want to watch? Pawn, A8."

Ron watched as the pawn moved to the last square, and transform into her white queen. "I believe you are now in check."

"King, D7."

"That'll be my castle. Queen, H8."

"Queen, D5." Who knows what she'll be planning? Glad my queen is now in safe territory.

"Queen, F6. I really hope you weren't planning on using that pawn?"

Ron shook his head. "Queen, D3."

"Or this pawn. Queen, G6."

Ron shook his head again; a smile growing wider and wider at every second while he watches her queen take his pawn. "I wasn't using it at all. Queen...G6."

Melly's eyes went wide, and her mouth made a complete 'O'. "HEY!" That was totally uncalled for!

"Sorry about that. Shall we continue playing?"

"Oh, you're going down, Weasley!"

Melly watched as he denominated her pawns with his queen. Then he moved to F3, taking her castle. She decided to move one of her pawns to D3, hoping above all hope that he would attack her pawn that was on E4, so she could get his queen. He didn't, of course. You play that trick once, your opponent will be sure to keep an eye out for those.

White castle, A4; red pawn, H3...Pawn...wait a minute! I was in check the whole time! Ever since he moved his queen to E4! What a bastard! King to D2, quickly!

Queen, F8; white pawn, D4; red king, D8; white pawn, E5; red pawn, E5; white pawn, E5; red pawn, H2; white castle, E4; red king, C8; white pawn, E6; red queen, F6.