Endgame

On note the chaps now are going to begin their 'play' version. It should be easy to figure out what's what (I'll make any footnotes, etc at the end of the chaps). The play is going to be broken down by 'acts', and the 'behind the scenes' things will take place during those 'intermissions' of sorts. I know, sounds more confusing that it should appear though,I'll do my best to make it easy on you. Anyway...enjoy the bittersweet tale of romance, politics and espionage as East meets West in an all out war in the form of Chess...Hogwarts style! :) (PS Once the play begins the 'songs' will be denoted by italics, regular speech is normal text.)

Chapter Five: The Story Of Chess - Act One Begins!

'Nervous?'

'No.'

'You're lying.'

'No I'm not.'

Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head. 'Show me an actor that isn't nervous on opening night and I'll show you a werewolf that doesn't resent what they are. And since I'm a werewolf that happens to hate myself, I know you're nervous.'

Severus turned to stare at Remus intensely, black eyes boring into honeyed gold. 'Since when did you turn so hateful and resentful, Lupin?'

Remus sighed and turned his gaze away. 'Since I learned that life is a very harsh taskmaster, Severus. People like me are only allowed to dream about what others are allowed to have. I suppose after a while all that's left is to be bitter and hateful, especially when once I had the chance to make those dreams become reality...only to find in the end that I was a fool to even dream them,' he said quietly, then turned and began to slowly walk away. 'I'm going to check on the others, make sure they have what they need.'

Severus watched him walk away, his heart tearing into a million pieces. Closing his eyes he breathed in deeply, the nervousness of opening night now abandoned as memories of the past came floating back to him. Of what he once had, and what he'd thrown away in anger and jealousy

'Why? Dammit, Re...why? Why are you doing this to me?'

'I'm not doing anything you, Sev. Sirius is innocent, you know that. I can't ruddy well let him sleep on the street until they clear his name now can I?'

'Innocent or not, why have him here? Send him to Arabella's house...or Alastor...anyone...just not here!'

'I can't do that, Severus, you know I can't. He needs me.'

'I need you more than he does, Remus! How am I supposed to see you if he's stalking round the flat?'

'Severus...please...we'll find time, if not we'll go someplace else.'

'The hell we will! I'm not going to be kicked off to the side so that some mutt can do whatever he pleases!'

'Why can't you understand? He spent twelve years being locked away from the world, and the past year and half running from both Muggle and Magical law. He's still a scared and afraid twenty-one year old in his mind, not a thirty-five year old man who's been allowed to live the life he should have had. He needs to know I'm there for him, Sev. That he's still needed and cared about,' Remus said sadly.

'Let him go find 'caring' somewheres else,' Severus muttered.

'Where? Where else is he going to go, Severus? He's still on the run, in case you forgot...no thanks to you in the first place!' Remus said heatedly, then sighed. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, but you know that he has no one else to turn to now but me. I'm the only friend he has left, Severus.'

'Friend?' Severus sneered, 'you mean ex-lover don't you? Tell it like it is, Remus...you want him back in your bed. You were just using me...all this time. Seducing me into your arms, when it's been him you've really wanted all this time. And now that he's 'available' again...you want him back. Once again Black wins...and I'm made a fool of!'

'No...no! Severus that's not true!' Remus said frantically. 'You have the wrong idea...Sirius was never my- '

'Do I?' Severus said coldly, cutting Remus off mid-sentence. 'Merlin I was a fool to believe that the words you spoke to me were real, that they meant something. The moment he came back I knew...I knew you'd fall right back into his sweet words and old promises! Who needs the greasy haired git Slytherin when you could have the Sex God of Gryffindor in your bed?'

'Severus...no...please...please listen to me...Sirius and I...we were never- '

It was too late however, Severus was beyond anything but anger and it boiled through him in waves of jealous rage, and once more he cut Remus off mid-sentence. 'Listen to you? I would rather drown myself in burning oil than listen to you again! Go on and take him back, by nightfall you'll probably both be laughing about this no doubt! Just like the old days...laughing about how you managed once more to pull one over on me. You led me on...I believed you...you swore to me that you loved me, Remus...but it was all lies, nothing but bald-faced lies...wasn't it! Well, fine, I don't need you! I hate you, Remus Lupin...I never want to see you again...ever!'

'Severus...Sev...please...wait!' Remus sobbed but it was too late. Severus had already Apparated out of the flat by the time he'd said the word 'wait', and true to his word Severus never returned there again.

Severus stumbled back against the wall in shock, for the first time since that day he began to finally understand what he'd been too angry and jealous to hear. *Oh God, all this time...I didn't listen to him...I should have...I was wrong...so wrong. He was trying to tell me that day that he and Black...oh Salazar, why didn't I listen? What have I done? Remus...Remus I'm so sorry...I- *

'PROFESSOR! PROFESSOR SNAPE? Oh! There you are! Let's go, it's almost time to go on!' Harry said breathlessly as he ran up to where Severus was still leaning against the wall.

Severus blinked, it took a moment for Harry's words to sink in and he sighed, straightening himself back up and brushing down his costume. Looking at the boy intensely for a moment, he couldn't help but to notice that standing not too far behind him was Draco. Clearly the younger Malfoy was trying to appear non-chalant, however Severus noticed a few very smouldering looks - directed solely at the black haired boy in front of him.

'Tell me what's going on between you and Malfoy, Potter,' Severus said abruptly, watching Harry's expressions carefully now.

Harry seemed to pale a bit, then nervously, subconsciously even, glanced over to where Draco was now standing off to the side, obviously eavesdropping, though he was moving closer, almost predatorily, with every second. 'W-with...ah...me a-and M-Malfoy...Sir?I...err...I d-don't know what you mean,' he stammered.

'I'm neither blind nor a fool, Potter. Do you think I am?' Severus said gruffly.

Harry shook his head. 'No...' he said hesitantly.

'Well then, from what I see, Malfoy is either now standing directly behind you ready to kill you...or shag your brains out. Which is it?' Severus said with a twist of his lips in amusement.

'Kill me,' Harry said quickly.

'Shag his brains out,' Draco said at exactly the same time.

'Seems you're at an impasse then, eh? Is what they call a 'love/hate' relationship?' Severus asked dryly.

Harry and Draco turned to each other and couldn't help it, they began to laugh. 'Personally I think it's the 'enemies make the best lovers' type of relationship, Professor,' Harry grinned. 'You knew, didn't you,' he said a bit accusingly as he now looked back at Severus.

Severus shrugged. 'Let's just say I've been noticing things,' he said a bit smugly. 'Now, I believe it's time to take your places, the curtain is going up in five minutes,' he said eyeing the Muggle clock on the wall.

'Right!' Harry said then turned and began to walk away, smiling at Draco as he did so.

Draco however stayed a moment and looked at Severus thoughtfully. 'You want something, Mr. Malfoy?' Severus asked curiously.

Draco seemed to be thinking over his words, then came to a decision. 'Forgive me for saying so, Sir, but...don't let real life end up like the play. Sometimes...there are things worth giving up...for love...' he said quietly and glanced back at Harry who was still waiting off to the side.

'Are you so sure about that, Malfoy?' Severus asked raising an eyebrow.

Draco turned back and looked carefully at his Potion's Master, then nodded. 'All the money in the world can't buy what really counts, Professor. If it's one thing I've learned from being a Slytherin, with a little cleverness, a bit of deviousness and a hell of a lot of seduction...a person can get anything they want,' he smirked.

Severus chuckled. 'I'll keep that in mind, Malfoy. Now hurry up and get into place.'

Draco nodded then turned and walked away, stopping only for a moment to take Harry's hand and squeeze it tightly for a moment. Severus then watched as they went their separate ways, and he shook his head in amazement. 'Perhaps you're right, Malfoy...it's going to take more than a few words of apology to get back what I want. Now it's my turn to be as clever as you were in getting Potter into your bed...'

****

'Hear ye! Hear ye! Hogwarts Theatre in the Round is proud to present for your viewing pleasure our First Annual Production, and we hope there'll be many more in the future! Tonight you will witness a tale of bittersweet romance, political plots and conspiring ploys. It's East meets West in an all out battle of Chess!'

The theatre hushes as the red velvet curtain goes up. The setting - a giant sized Chessboard. Various students are dressed in costumes portraying the various types of chess pieces. Kings, queens, bishops, rooks, knights and pawns decked out in black and white, swords and shields. A magically created spotlight comes up, and in the centre of the board stands a lone red-headed man gazing down as if in thought.

Slowly he walks forwards as more magically enhanced lights begin to illuminate the living chess board. As he gets to the end of the board the pieces begin moving into place behind him, and then he looks up into the crowd, scanning it for a moment as if in contemplation. In a clear voice the red-headed man begins to speak...

'The year is 1956. The place - Budapest, Hungary. Gregor Vassy tries to protect his family in a country torn apart by war, stricken by poverty, and is slowly dying away. Amidst the sounds of gunfire, shouts and uprisings, the man tries to bring a spot of hope to his only child.'

'Knowing that he cannot protect him however, his sends his wife and young son to England, where they become citizens. Gregor however stays behind to fight off the Armies that are invading his homeland, and soon vanishes without a trace. Just before he sends Silvius away however, Gregor finds a quite moment to instill his love for a game into his young son, and thus begins the story of Chess...'

(The board comes to life now as the red-headed man, known only as 'The Arbiter', begins to weave the tale in song, the living pieces join him in chorus...)

The Arbiter:

Each game of chess means there's one less
Variation left to be played.
Each day got through means one or two
Less mistakes remain to be made.

Chorus:

Each game of chess means there's one less
Variation left to be played.
Each day got through means one or two
Less mistakes remain to be made.

Not much is known
Of early days of chess beyond a fairly vague report
That fifteen hundred years ago two princes fought,
Though brothers, for a Hindu throne.

Their mother cried
For no one really likes their offspring fighting to the death.
She begged them stop the slaughter with her every breath
But sure enough one brother died.

Sad beyond belief
She told her winning son
"You have caused such grief--
I can't forgive this evil thing you've done."

He tried to explain
How things had really been
But he tried in vain.
No words of his could mollify the queen.

The Arbiter:

And so he asked the wisest men he knew
The way to lessen her distress.
They told him he'd be pretty certain to impress
By using model soldiers on
A checkered board to show it was his brother's fault--
They thus invented chess.

Chorus:

Chess displayed no inertia
Soon spread to Persia then west
Next the Arabs refined it
Thus redesigned, it progressed

Still further yet
And when Constantinople fell in 1453
One would have noticed every other refugee
Included in his bags a set

Once in the hands
And in the minds of leading figures of the Renaissance
The spirit and the speed of chess made swift advance
Through all of Europe's vital lands

Where we must record
The game was further changed
Right across the board
The western touch upon the pieces ranged

King and queen and rook
And bishop, knight and pawn
All took on the look we know today
The modern game was born

The Arbiter:

And in the end
We see a game that started by mistake in Hindustan
And boosted in the main by what is now Iran
Become the simplest and most complicated
Pleasure yet devised
For just the kind of mind
Who would appreciate this well-researched and fascinating yarn


The Arbiter:

The international chess federation of which I have the honour of being president
announces that the next world championship will take place in Merano, Italy.

The current world champion, Frederick Trumper of the United States of America, will defend his title against Anatoly Sergievsky of the Soviet Union.

The first player to achieve six victories will be declared champion. The first game will begin on March 27th...

(The lights go dim once more)

*Back behind the scenes however...things are taking its own turn...*

'Remus...Remy...I can't do this...'

'Sirius, calm down. You can do this,' Remus said in a hushed voice.

'No...no...I can't! I can't go out there before everyone...I- ' Sirius said panicking now.

'Black, if you don't shut up and stop snivelling I'm going to smack you between the eyes myself. Now get out there!' Severus whispered furiously.

Sirius glared at Severus, then muttered a few words under his breath. 'You know...I really hate you, Snape.'

'The feeling is mutual I assure you,' Severus whispered back dryly. 'Now stop moaning and go!'

Sirius looked to Remus for help on this, but Remus merely smiled and put a comforting hand on Sirius's arm. 'Do this for Harry...and all the children...all right?' he whispered softly.

Sirius sighed and nodded, smiling back at Remus. 'For the kids, sure. Not for him though,' he whispered back and once more glared at Severus.

Severus glared back. 'That's fine by me, I'm not doing this for you either, Black,' he hissed.

'Oh then who are you doing it for, huh, Snape? If you're doing what I think you're doing- ' Sirius began threateningly but got cut off quickly.

'Sirius, you're up, the Merano scene's ready!' Harry whispered as he ran up to the three of them, then glanced at Sirius, then Severus, then Remus. 'Did I miss something?'

Remus shook his head. 'Just Severus and Sirius being their usual selves,' he smirked.

Harry rolled his eyes and nodded at Remus. 'Typical. Anyway, you have to go, Sirius, they're waiting!' he whispered as he glanced up and flashed a quick smile to someone whose was starting to signal furiously behind the three men.

Sirius threw one more glare at Severus, then smiled at Harry and nodded at Remus. 'For the kids then,' he said under his breath and walked away. Harry went the opposite way, in the direction in which the person was signalling him was at. He stopped for a moment in the shadows, apparently to hug someone before dashing back off behind the set.

Remus turned to Severus, a strange look in his eyes. 'That wasn't...Draco Malfoy...was it?'

Severus looked up at the retreating figure of the small silvery-blonde boy and with a grin nodded. 'I'll tell you about that later,' he whispered and glanced out of the wing they're in. 'Right then, let's get to it shall we?' Severus then walked off nervously to the edge of the wing, waiting for his cue.

Remus watched him leave then chuckled to himself, shaking his head in pure amazement. This was certainly shaping up to be an interesting evening, and the play had barely even begun!