Authors' Note: No, it's not a mistake, there really are two authors to this story. And those two authors would like you to note that the story is based on the "Chess Complete Cast Album". The storyline is based on that musical, and we have followed the order of songs on the aforementioned album.
Disclaimer: All the characters, places, items, and everything else from "Harry Potter" belongs to J. K. Rowling. The plot and lyrics of "Chess" belong to Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus, and Benny Andersson. The modified lyrics and plot are ours, just as this story, and our infinite love and worship of both "Harry Potter" and "Chess".
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Chess
The Story of Wizard Chess
Each game of chess means there's one less
Variation yet to be played
Each day got through means one or two
Less mistakes remain to be made
"My dear students, professors, ghosts, and other creatures, I would like to welcome you all to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore spoke. "I know you can't wait to start with your studies, and take up new subjects..."
"Did he have you write his speech for him?" Ron chuckled into her girlfriend's ear.
"Shh!" Hermione admonished and pushed him away.
"But this year we have something very special planned out in Hogwarts."
"If this is another ball, he can shove it..." Ron began grumpily.
"A HOGWARTS CHESS TOURNAMENT!!!"
"What?" Ron's head snapped up and away from all the delicious food in front of him. "Did he say chess? Did he say chess?"
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Did he say chess?" Ron asked a bit louder, when he received no answer.
"Yes, Mister Weasley, I did indeed say chess. I feel that now, after the war, something is needed to cheer us all up, something other than the fascinating art of studying, something to bring us all together in the spirit of friendship and toleration. Even thought this entertainment is in the form of a contest, I ask you not to let your want to win overshadow the bonds of civility and good nature towards others, and although each victory gains your house 10 points, and the championship of the whole tournament 1000 housepoints, let us use this opportunity to get new friends and bring all four Houses together in peace and friendship. Because friendship is priceless."
Ron, who had spent most of the speech, especially all those House-unity and goodwill parts glaring at the Slytherin table like the rest of Gryffindors, broke the gaze with a fifth year Slytherin who had happened to be his glaring partner, and turned to Hermione, who looked angry for some reason.
"One thousand House points for the overall winner? That's fantastic!"
"I will let the Headmistress explain you the rest," Dumbledore nodded, and sat to his chair, observing the students from his vantage point on the wall by the teacher's table. With his portrait taking up new residence in the Great Hall, and twinkling at students during every mealtime, it was a bit easier to forget the war that had claimed his life and many others.
With a nod to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, Headmistress of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry turned towards the body of students and frowned.
"SILENCE!" Minerva McGonagall boomed over the large hall, and pointedly ignored the faint chuckle from the direction of the previous speaker.
"As was said, this year Hogwarts hosts a inner-school championship of chess. Everyone who wants to participate has the chance to sign up in the course of the next seven days starting tomorrow. After all those interested have rolled themselves in, the games will start. Each person will be paired up with someone, preferrably of another House so that you can spend time with people you usually don't and promote inter-House unity..."
Here McGonagall paused for a fraction of second to give the leering Snape a sharp and evil glare, then continued.
"Whoever wins the match moves on to the next round, and so forth. If the game is tied, both persons are given a new partner; if one student ties three games in a row, they will be eliminated from the tournament. Each victory gains your House 10 points. The games go on until there are only two finalists left, between whom a grand final takes place. The winner of the final will become the Champion of Hogwarts, have their picture and interview published in the Daily Prophet, receive a special invitation to the Ministry of Magic Spring Ball, gain a special school award, and have their complete biography added into "Hogwarts, A History". In addition to this everlasting fame and glory, the House of the winner will also receive one thousand points. The detailed rules and instructions of signing up to the tournament will appear on your common-room boards tomorrow. With all the questions concerning the competition, turn towards myself or your Head of House.
Now, speaking of other matters, I expect this little tournament of ours not to hamper with your schoolwork..."
As McGonagall went on to talk about matters of more importance, Ron tuned her out, and gave a dreamy sigh. Forever fame and glory plus one thousand House points — finally he was able to do something great and noble and distinguished for the House of Gryffindor, something that would go down in history and have people remember him for a long time, and not as another Weasley, but as the Champion of Hogwarts.
"I can't see what this is all about," Hermione ranted after the meal on their way to their tower. "Now all the people will be excited about another silly game and no one will take time to prepare for the NEWTs!"
This was Ron and Harry's time to roll eyes, which they did. But as this chess tournament was a most excellent excuse not to study, they kept their tongues and let her rant, hoping to persuade her to lend them her notes later on.
---
The next day both Harry and Ron signed themselves up for the tournament, and were in the middle of a practicing game when the door burst open and in stormed a livid Hermione, her hair seemingly sizzling with electricity, red blotches of anger on her cheeks, her lips moving in a silent rant.
Noticing her friend and boyfriend in front of the fireplace, she rushed up to them, grabbed Ron by his collar, ignored his yelp of surprise and fear, and hissed at him.
"You will teach me how to play chess!"
"Wha?" Ron was certain he had misheard.
Letting him go, she pushed him back to the sofa and took a seat at his side, forcing herself calm and repeating her order.
"You will teach me how to play chess."
"Why?" Harry asked, shocked and surprised just as his friend.
"Because Terry Boot asked me today at the library whether I was going to participate," she explained, getting angry once again.
"So?" Ron didn't understand.
"And when I said 'no', he was kind enough to point out that chess was a complicated game and only those smart enough can handle it. I'll show him smart enough!" Hermione fumed.
Harry chuckled but quickly disguised it as a cough.
"So, teach me to play," Hermione demanded.
"Well… I…"
"Please?" she added, giving him her sweetest smile.
"Sure!" he agreed at once, unable to resist her.
"Well?" she asked after a while, when Ron was still giving her a besotted glare.
"Oh yes. First, before we can go to the practical side, you must know the most important things about wizard chess… starting with a bit of its history…"
"History… you?"
"Quite much is known
Of early days of chess including this quite clear report
That many hundred years ago two wizards fought
As rabid dogs for one last bone…"
"I can imagine that," Hermione quipped.
"Their armies died
And quite soon there was no one left to battle out their will
They didn't duel in fear that they might get killed.
More fighters they just had to find."
"Cowards."
"No humans left,
Instead a piece of wood
With the help of craft
And magic, wooden soldiers looked quite good."
"Boys and their toys."
"With these crafted knights
They went on with their fight
Each day and each night
Wooden men warred, wizards enjoyed the sight."
"Let someone else do their dirty job."
"But as land was ruined after battle
Deciding to deal with that matter
A special board they created for their war
Where soldiers marched
And fought and battled, each other chopped and shattered
And thus the game was born."
"Finally someone who cares about nature."
"Later when war was through
They played that game on as sports
And introduced to others who
Came to like and love it,
And told their friends."
"Boys and their toys."
"You already said it," Harry remarked.
"So, it's worth saying again."
"And then when Merlin born was some time later
He helped the game be even greater
Making Wizard chess a must."
"A must?"
"A must for everyone to learn."
"Oh."
"Once in the hands
And in the minds of all the wizards in Medieval times
Around the world played by the good and evil guys
The game was loved in every land."
"In every single land?"
"New wizards thought
Ways to improve the board
Squares of black and white
Were a beautiful and lovely sight."
"Ooh, pretty!"
"King and queen and rook,
And bishop, knight and pawn
All took on the look
We know today, a modern game was born."
"Boys and thei…"
"Oh, come on, Hermione, we're not that bad."
"Shut up, Harry, Ron is speaking."
"With success
We see the game that started once as war between two lords
But soon got fascinating and captured them all
Reach every corner of the globe with nation
Squaring up to nation to determine, no holds barred,
Who owns, who made, who will parade
The champion of chess."
"Now teach me! Teach me! Teach me!"
"Calm down, Hermione. Here, take my seat…"
As Harry stood up from his armchair, Hermione took a seat by the chess board, peering at it with lots of curiosity and elation. She was really starting to like that game, and she hadn't even played yet. It was just that anything that made Ron take an interest in history simply had to be fascinating.
---
The following weeks flowed by quite as always, except they were nothing but usual.
"I won!" Ron exclaimed, jumping into the Gryffindor common room. Well, that was usual. As it was, Ron always won.
"Damned!" Harry cursed, sinking into an armchair by the fire.
"Who did you lose to?" Hermione asked, not raising her glance from the Transfiguration homework in front of her. If there was something Hermione was good at, well, she was good at almost everything, but one of her specialties was coping with much work in small period of time. Despite her last year at Hogwarts, the ridiculous amount of homework they were given, the NEWTs looming nearer and nearer by each day, his boyfriend Ron who demanded some attention, she still managed to learn chess and improve her skills at it.
"Ernie Macmillan."
"I have a game with him this Friday."
"Good luck," Harry wished.
---
Time passed by, matches were won and matches were lost, House points were gained and House points were lost (when people were too engrossed in the competition to do their homework), parties were held, and detentions were given, Hermione got beaten by Daphne Greengrass which drove her into a horrible mood (people knew to keep away from her), and terrorize everyone around her, at least until Ron smashed the Slytherin girl and ended up with an utterly grateful bushy-haired bookworm in his arms ("Well, at least I showed Boot who of us is the smart one!"), and the rubies and emeralds in the House points' hourglasses were in noticeably larger quantity than the others, although quite equal to each other.
And the evil glares Snape and McGonagall gave each other became sharper and sharper.
Technically, Minerva shouldn't have been the Head of Gryffindor any longer, since she was the Headmistress now. Technically, she wasn't. Technically, the Head of Gryffindor was now Sybill Trelawney. But no one really cared much about the technical side of things. And thus, McGonagall was still the Head of Gryffindor.
---
It was late November when Dumbledore made the announcement.
"The School's Chess Unity Management, also known as the S.C.U.M. which I have the honor of being president announces that the final of the Hogwarts Chess Tournament will be organized by the House of Ravenclaw. Ronald Weasley, Champion of Gryffindor will meet Draco Malfoy, Champion of Slytherin in civility and friendship…"
This time Hermione heartily took part in the Gryffindor versus Slytherin exchange of killer glares, trying to stare a hole into the raven-haired head of Daphne Greengrass.
"The first player to achieve six victories will be declared champion. The first game will begin on December 3rd."
Each game of chess means there's one less
Variation yet to be played
Each day got through means one or two
Less mistakes remain to be made