Endgame

Keep in mind that during the songs anything in italics is 'sung', anything in normal text is 'spoken'.

Chapter Seven: Scene Two - How To Antagonize Your Opponent

The lights come up and on one side of the stage you see one of the The Palace Hotel's conference rooms. A gaggle of REPORTERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, INTERVIEWERS and TV PERSONNEL are assembled to speak to Frederick who is facing the gathering somewhat disdainfully. Silvius is not there yet but Walter is, he is taking care of last minute details for the interview. Frederick now sit down on a dais looking rather bored, that is until the questions begin...

Reporter #1

Does your opponent deserve such abuse?

FREDERICK

All Soviets deserve abuse!

Reporter #2

But even you must concede he can play

FREDERICK

Oh, he's the best Red on the circuit, sure, I'll give him that -

Reporter #3

He hasn't lost for a long time. He could be a tough nut to crack

FREDERICK

Listen, if he gets one game off of me it's because I want to keep press interest going -

Reporters

Why do you persist
With vicious attacks,
Ungracious remarks re:
Opponents? It smacks
Of a lack of conviction, admit
You're under duress
And that your only skill left
Is for money not chess

If Soviet life's
As grim as you claim
Then how come their boys are
So good at the game?
Though you swear the American dream
Is clearly the best
You're no advertisement for
Life and times in the West.

(SILVIUS now enters the conference room and takes a seat next to FREDERICK)

Reporter #4

Will you risk the whole match and break down?

FREDERICK

I don't know what you're saying. What are you - what are you implying?

Reporter #1

All your outrageous demands, self conceit -

FREDERICK

I don't see anything outrageous in demanding what I'm worth.

Reporter #5

They pay you all that you ask for and then you demand even more -

FREDERICK

I am the reason you're all here - who's ever heard of Sergievsky?

Reporters

It's hard to believe what we're reporting
Why so disparaging? Not very sporting

FREDERICK

Are the Communists sporting? My God -

Reporters

Tell all this to the United Nations
Are you an asset to East-West relations?

FREDERICK

What is this? What have the Russians ever done for East-West relations? Do you guys
have any serious questions?

Reporter #6

What's your impression of our little town?

FREDERICK

Rather cold and dull. As I expected.

Reporter #2

Where would you rather have played? Leningrad?

FREDERICK

Leningrad was an insulting Soviet suggestion -

Reporter #3

They only tried to be friendly, they would have played in New York

FREDERICK

Aw c'mon, you know as well as I do what their motives were!

Reporters

You protest too much, we see your ploy, a
Big noise to hide your fears, pure paranoia

FREDERICK

I'm not paranoid. They're out to get me!

Reporters

Tell all this to the United Nations
Are you an asset to East-West relations?

FREDERICK

Jesus...

Reporter #7

Will you be quitting for good if you lose?

(FREDERICK stares at the reporter, but makes no reply)

Reporter #2

Is it true about you and your second? Is Vassy your lover-boy?

FREDERICK

(Does a double take and glares at the reporter)

What'd you say?

Reporter #2

Is it true about you and your second? Is Vassy your lover-boy?

FREDERICK rushes at the reporter and hits him in the face then storms off. Pandemonium ensues from which emerges:

Reporters

Well, what did I say
He's out of his tree
He's finally flipped
And between you and me
He's no hope of retaining his crown
In his frame of mind
In fact he shouldn't have come here
He should have resigned

SILVIUS gets up now and desperately tries to restore order. As the REPORTERS continue, he dominates their words with a powerful outburst:

SILVIUS

Smile, you got your first exclusive story
Now you can bask in his reflected glory
Naked, unprovoked, Yankee aggression!
Oh what a credit to your great profession!

Reporters

Much better to quit
While still number one
Than crash to defeat
Reputation undone
Though he's proved to himself
It's a communist plot
If you ask me it's money that did it
And started the rot

It's sad that the best
His country's produced
Is crumbling in front
Of our eyes and reduced
To a mindless abuse and assault
On all of mankind
In fact he shouldn't have come back
He should have resigned

The other side of the stage now lights up. You are seeing the inside of another suite in The Palace Hotel.

ANATOLY SERGIEVSKY, the Russian challenger to FREDERICK, and the head of his delegation ALEXANDER MOLOKOV have been watching the Press Conference on the television. The image of SILVIUS's face during his attempts in regaining order with the REPORTERS is still showing on the screen. Newspapers with all the stories about FREDERICK are lying around the suite. ANATOLY and MOLOKOV are watching the television carefully, though MOLOKOV now lowers the sound whilst huffing in disgust.

MOLOKOV: What a ridiculous demonstration. The man is clearly disintegrating before our very eyes.

ANATOLY (his eyes are riveted to the television): Don't believe it. (a pause) Molokov, who is that man?

MOLOKOV (glances at the television then smirks when he sees who Anatoly is referring to): Why? Interested?

(Anatoly says nothing though he turns round to stare at Molokov)

MOLOKOV: Very well.

(Mokolov picks up a file off a table and begins to read out loud the information it contains)

Silvius Vassy. For the past seven years Frederick Trumper's chess second. Hungarian-
born, left Budapest in 1956 as a young child and emigrated to England with his mother, his father stayed behind. His mother died only a few months after they arrived in England and unable to find his father he was adopted and raised in London. He is an excellent chess player in his own right I might add. Several years ago he and Trumper were rumoured to have become lovers. Though they are currently sharing a suite here at the hotel due to lack of rooms, whether or not they are lovers is undetermined.

ANATOLY: You mean there are things the KGB does not know?

MOLOKOV: We are seldom surprised by your tastes in lovers, Anatoly. I shall make it a point however not to inform your estranged wife of your latest interest.

ANATOLY: Svetlana and I keep no secrets from each other. Unlike your friends in Moscow, who are all too good at keeping secrets.

MOLOKOV: Please, my dear Anatoly, I don't know what you mean. I'm merely an advisor who is informing you about the lovely Silvius Vassy, as you asked.

ANATOLY: Vassy...Vassy. Is he perhaps related to the former Hungarian chess champion Gregor Vassy?

MOLOKOV: His son. As far as Trumper goes however, the man is utterly mad. Believe me, Anatoly, you're playing a lunatic.

ANATOLY: That's the problem. He's a brilliant lunatic and you can't tell which way he'll jump. Like his game he's impossible to analyze - you can't dissect him, predict him - which of course means he's not a lunatic at all.

MOLOKOV

What we've just seen's a pathetic display
From a man who's beginning to crack
He's afraid - he knows he isn't the player he was
And he won't get it back

ANATOLY

Nonsense!
Why do my seconds
Always want to believe
Third-rate propaganda -

MOLOKOV

My friend, please relax
We're all on your side
You know how you need us -

ANATOLY

I don't need my army of so-called 'advisors'
And 'helpers' to tell me
The man who's revitalised chess single-handed
Is more or less out of his brain
When it's very clear he's sane

MOLOKOV

Listen, we don't underestimate Trumper -
We won't get caught in that trap
After all, winning or losing reflects on us all -

ANATOLY

Oh don't give me that crap!
I win - no one else does
And I take the rap if I lose

MOLOKOV

It's not quite that simple
The whole world's tuned in
We're on display
We're not merely sportsmen -

ANATOLY

Oh please don't start spouting that old party line
Yes I know it's your job but
Just get out and get me a chess-playing second
In thirty-six hours we begin
That is if you want to win!

MOLOKOV: Wanting's not sufficient, we have to know, we have to make sure you will win. All men have a weakness and Frederick Trumper's weakness is this man who controls him. He is Trumper's king and mentor. The best moves are always away from the chessboard, Anatoly. Silvius Vassy is your aim, take him and you win the game!

ANATOLY: So you think I can't win otherwise?

MOLOKOV: I'm not saying that. I'm just making certain that all our options are available. Vassy is attractive...then there's his intriguing family history - Hungary, 1956 and all that -

ANATOLY: I'm a chess player, Molokov - you go and play these other games!

MOLOKOV leaves the suite highly displeased. ANATOLY goes over and touches the TV screen where SILVIUS's face is still showing, then switches it off. He then wanders over to a chess board and idly moves round some pieces.

ANATOLY

Who needs a dream?
Who needs ambition?
Who'd be the fool
In my position?
Once I had dreams
Now they're obsessions
Hopes become needs
Lovers possessions

Then they move in
Oh so discreetly
Slowly at first
Smiling too sweetly
I opened doors
They walked right through them
Called me their friend
I hardly knew them

Now I'm where I want to be and who I want to be
Doing what I always said I would
And yet I feel I haven't won at all
Running for my life and never looking back
In case there's someone right behind
To shoot me down and say he always knew I'd fall

When the crazy wheel slows down
Where will I be? Back where I started

Don't get me wrong
I'm not complaining
Times have been good
Fast, entertaining
But what's the point?
If I'm concealing
Not only love
All common feeling

Now I'm where I want to be and who I want to be
Doing what I always said I would
And yet I feel I haven't won at all
Running for my life and never looking back
In case there's someone right behind
To shoot me down and say he always knew I'd fall

When the crazy wheel slows down
Where will I be? Back where I started.

(A RUSSIAN now enters the room, a member of ANATOLY's delegation)

RUSSIAN: Molokov tells me you want to play chess. We have one hour before the delegate's conference.

ANATOLY (glares at the man and starts to walk out of the suite): You can tell him to go to hell!

(The stage lights go dim)

*Backstage*

'Weasley? Weasley! Oh for Merlin's sake, where's is that blasted boy?' Severus whispered angrily.

'I think I saw him and Hermione over on the other side, Severus,' Remus said quietly and glanced through the wings to the other side of the stage.

Severus went over and stood next to Remus to look himself, then scowled as he saw the red-headed boy talking to someone that was all too familiar. 'He's supposed to have been on this side of the stage, not bothering Harry,' he said and began to walk away.

Remus put his hand out and took Severus's hand, slightly pulling him back. 'Let them be, Severus.'

Severus stopped short as Remus's hand on his bare skin sent a shiver through him. 'Let me go, Lupin. The last thing I want right now is for that Weasley boy to upset Harry. I need- '

'You need to leave them alone,' Remus said firmly, noting that this was the second time now Severus had called Harry by his first name. Glancing back to the other side of the stage he then turned back to look at Severus who was still unmoving and facing the other way. 'They don't look like they'll come to blows. Physically Ron has never harmed Harry that I recall.'

Severus did turn round now, slightly shivering once more as Remus's hand left his arm. 'It's not the physical aspects I'm concerned with, it's the emotional ones. With the wrong words now everything that he's worked for could come undone.'

'And what is it he's worked so hard for?' Remus asked, then something on the side of the stage caught his eye and he chuckled softly. 'Does this have anything to do with Draco Malfoy, Severus? I believe you did say you would tell me about that, now seems like a good time.'

Severus actually grinned slightly then turned to look at Remus. 'All I will say on that is that Draco Malfoy is the epitome of the word 'Slytherin'.'

'What - an annoying, evil bastard?' Remus said with some amusement.

Severus rolled his eyes. 'The boy puts the word 'sly' into Slytherin, Lupin.'

Remus snorted. 'I believe you did that way before he did, Severus.'

'And what is that supposed to mean?' Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.

'You are a Grand Master of being 'sly', Severus, Albus of course right up there with you. I have to admit, it was a brilliant move getting those two together though. Worthy of a Slytherin, or rather worthy of you,' Remus chuckled.

Severus stared at Remus in shock. 'Are you telling me...that you knew...the whole time?'

'I'm not as dense as people think I am, Severus,' Remus said a bit defensively.

'I never thought you were. If anything I'm the one who is a stupid, foolish dense idiot,' Severus said softly before he could stop himself, then cleared his throat and turned his gaze to the floor when noticed Remus's penetrating gaze. 'What I mean is...err...that is...'

Remus put his hand out one more onto Severus's arm, squeezing it tightly for a moment. 'Don't let the past keep haunting you, it doesn't do any of us any good. We can't change what happened, all we can do now is live with the results of our actions.'

'What if I don't want to live with that,' Severus said, once more a shiver running down his spine as Remus touched him.

'We don't have the choice anymore, Severus. Just like for Silvius and Anatoly...stories like ours don't have happy endings. Even if we want to pretend they do...we know they don't,' Remus said quietly then glanced off to the other side of the stage and smiled. 'However...it seems that for other people...it does...'

Severus looked towards where Remus was now looking, and an odd smile also came across his lips. 'Well, seems there's hope after all eh?'

Remus nodded, his gaze still on the two boys who were now smiling at each other and talking quietly but animatedly. 'I was hoping those two would fix things. I just wonder now what's going to happen next when Ron finds out about a certain young Slytherin?'

Severus watched a moment longer than chuckled. 'Seems that is being addressed as well - look,' he said softly and walked over to stand behind Remus.

He pointed to the other side of the stage where a familiar silver-haired boy was now standing next to Harry. Standing this close to Remus however, and seeing the events unfolding on the other side of the stage made him light-headed for a moment. His heart began to beat strangely, his palms suddenly became sweaty, and he couldn't help but to let out a slow breath of air to try to calm himself down. He was half hard from just breathing in the intoxicating scent that seemed exclusive to Remus Lupin, and keeping himself in check was suddenly more difficult than anything he'd ever done in his life.

'Severus? Are you all right?' Remus asked in concern as he turned round now to face the Potion's Master.

Severus was a bit startled that Remus could tell what he was feeling. *Of course...scent and hearing...not to mention it's almost time for the full moon again so his senses are working at their peak*

'I'm fine,' he lied and turned away quickly. 'We should go, it's time for the next scene,' he mumbled, then walked away. He had to walk away, if he didn't he was going to take Remus into his arms, carry him down to the dungeons, ravish the wolf senseless...and the play would suddenly be short two of it's star cast members. Severus sighed, it was a nice thought anyway but as they say 'the play must go on', and anything else would have to wait...providing there would be something to wait for.

*You're wrong, Remus...stories like ours can have happy endings, I will hope for that anyway. I can't explain why I'm still so afraid to tell you how I feel when I need you so much, Remus...but I am afraid. I'm more afraid of saying the words I should have spoken years ago then of anything else in my entire life. Perhaps...of course...that's it! Through Anatoly I can finally tell you...show you even what I feel...and this time I won't let you go again...*