CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.
“This needs thinking about. . . .” he said. “I suppose we’ve got
to take the place of three of the black pieces. . . .”
Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally
he said, “Now, don’t be offended or anything, but neither of you are
that good at chess —”
“We’re not offended,” said Harry quickly. “Just tell us what
to do.”
“Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione,
you go there instead of that castle.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to be a knight,” said Ron.
The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these
words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the
white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares
that Harry, Ron, and Hermione took.
“White always plays first in chess,” said Ron, peering across the
board. “Yes . . . look . . .”
A white pawn had moved forward two squares.
Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently
wherever he sent them. Harry’s knees were trembling. What if they
lost?
“Harry — move diagonally four squares to the right.”
Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken.
The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the
board, where he lay quite still, facedown.
“Had to let that happen,” said Ron, looking shaken. “Leaves you
free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on.”
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