After observing the chessboard for a moment, Ron immediately noticed something unusual.
"We have to play our way across." Ron's voice was unusually calm. Facing this giant wizard chess board, a sense of focus and composure never seen before appeared on his face, which was usually a bit lacking in confidence.
This was Ron's domain, and he had absolute confidence in his ability to checkmate anyone on this battlefield.
"It's obvious," Ron pointed to several empty positions on the board, "we must take the place of those missing black pieces."
Harry and Hermione exchanged a look, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.
This meant they would personally participate in this violent chess game played with giant stone statues.
Every time a piece was "taken," it would involve a real impact and smashing.
"I'm terrible at chess," Harry confessed.
"Me too," Hermione echoed. Her wisdom was more reflected in logic and knowledge than in this kind of strategic game full of variables.
"Don't worry," Ron patted his chest, his eyes shining, "I'll direct you."
He began to assign roles.
"Harry, you go be that Bishop." He pointed to an empty spot in the C-file.
"Hermione, you go be the Castle." He pointed to another empty spot in the E-file.
Ron himself walked over to the Knight's position in the G-file and vaulted onto the tall stone horse.
"We must win." He tightened his grip on the reins, his gaze like fire as it swept across the row of silent and deadly white pieces opposite them.
Hermione took a deep breath and stepped onto the base of her "Castle."
Lia the Cat gave a light leap, jumping onto Hermione's shoulder, then climbed to the top of her head, finding a comfortable spot to crouch down.
A small white Ragdoll Cat, crouching on top of a giant black Castle piece—the image was full of a bizarre sense of drama.
Lia the Cat blinked her large blue eyes curiously, looking at those giant stone figures opposite them that were filled with an aura of "life."
When the three of them were in position, the white pieces on the opposite side of the board moved.
A white pawn moved forward two squares.
"Crack... Boom."
The sound of stone grinding against the floor echoed in the empty room, carrying a heart-palpitating sense of weight.
"Alright, the game begins." Ron licked his dry lips, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "Pawn to E4, advance!"
Following his command, a black stone pawn also moved forward.
The chess game unfolded from there.
Ron displayed an astonishing talent for command. He calmly observed the situation of the entire board, every move carefully considered.
"Harry! Three squares diagonally! Take that Knight!"
Harry nervously moved according to the command, and the Bishop statue he represented slammed violently into the white Knight opposite him.
"BOOM!"
With a loud bang, the white Knight statue was instantly Diffindo under the impact, stone fragments flying everywhere! Harry was jolted back half a step by the massive force, his face turning pale.
This was too real.
The game proceeded with extreme difficulty. White's offensive was incredibly fierce, every move carrying a ruthless intent to kill. Several black pieces were smashed to pieces right before their eyes.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on Ron's forehead as his brain worked at high speed.
If it were a normal match, he had a hundred ways to win.
But while protecting these three pieces and fighting at the same time, even Ron felt immense pressure.
The game gradually fell into a stalemate; the number of black pieces dwindled, while the white side maintained a powerful offensive. Especially that white "Queen"—she had no face, but every move carried a majestic air of looking down on everything and a lethal threat, leaving the black side's defense precarious.
The Castle played by Hermione was firmly pinned to the back rank, unable to move. She clenched her fists nervously, her heart filled with a sense of powerlessness, able only to place all her hope in Ron. On her head, Lia keenly felt Hermione's stiffness and her unconcealable tension.
Lia the Cat followed Hermione's gaze and locked her eyes onto the most majestic and most unsettling figure for Hermione: the white "Queen."
In Lia's understanding, anything that made Hermione unhappy should be taught a lesson.
The cat's instinct to protect its owner was triggered without warning.
She suddenly gave a light leap from the top of Hermione's head, her snow-white body tracing a graceful arc across the black squares of the chessboard.
"Lia!" Hermione cried out in a low voice, her heart leaping into her throat for fear that she would be stepped on by those moving statues.
But Lia the Cat ignored her completely. She walked with elegant, silent feline steps, heading straight across the center line of the board and into the white camp.
This action caused all the "living" pieces to freeze for a moment. These pieces, given life by magic, only had "playing chess" in their rules; they hadn't been told how to deal with a cat intruding onto the board!
Lia the Cat ran up to that arrogant White Queen, looked up, and gave a "Meow."
Seeing that the other party ignored her, she kicked off with her hind legs and jumped up, extending her claws without showing her nails to snag the hem of the Queen's stone robes, doing it over and over again, never tiring of it.
This sudden harassment from a "non-piece unit" completely disrupted the white pieces' rhythm.
The white Knight being harassed by Lia clearly became sluggish and hesitant when receiving a move command, as if it were wary of the little thing underfoot that could be stepped on at any moment.
And that arrogant White Queen, during a crucial move, even tried to avoid Lia's persistent harassment as the cat attempted to climb onto her.
Its magical logic seemed to have fallen into chaos: it had to execute the "move" command while also obeying the hidden rule of not harming "non-game units."
The movement showed visible stiffness and deviation! She actually moved to the wrong square!
The White Queen deviated from her intended attack route, revealing a massive, fatal opening!
Ron, who had been staring intently at the board, saw his eyes light up instantly!
"A good opportunity!" He let out a low roar of suppressed joy!
This opportunity, unintentionally created by Lia, was a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Ron's brain worked at an unprecedented speed as a path to victory—one that was also incredibly brutal—emerged clearly in his mind.
He took a deep breath, his face turning unusually pale, but his eyes were incredibly firm.
"Hermione, you must move to H3." His voice was a bit raspy.
Hermione moved immediately.
"And then, Harry..." Ron looked at Harry, his voice trembling slightly, "when the Queen takes me, you can move to G5... Checkmate."
"What?!" Harry and Hermione cried out at the same time.
"No, Ron!" Harry shouted.
"This is wizard chess!" Ron's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable determination. "To win, sacrifices must be made! You must go on and find the Philosopher's Stone!"
He looked at the White Queen opposite him, no fear in his eyes, only the honor and resolve belonging to a Knight.
No one understood wizard chess better than Ron!
"Knight to E5!" He gave himself his final command.
The stone horse he rode moved with heavy steps into the White Queen's attack range.
The White Queen raised her stone arm, which was as sharp as a blade.
"Ron!" Hermione let out a desperate scream. She wanted to rush over, but her body was held firmly in place by the invisible rules, and she could only watch helplessly.
"BOOM—!"
The massive stone arm swung down with immense force! The stone horse instantly shattered into countless pieces, and Ron was thrown from its back by the terrifying force, flying through the air like a puppet with broken strings.
His temple was cut by flying stone fragments, bleeding slightly, before he slammed heavily onto the stone floor in the distance, letting out a heartbreaking thud.
He lay there motionless, completely unconscious.
"Ron!"
Hermione was both anxious and angry—anxious because Ron's life was uncertain, and angry because she was powerless while her friend was injured.
But she didn't dare to leave her post without permission, worried that her reckless actions would ruin the situation Ron had built.
"Checkmate."
Harry's voice carried a sob and endless anger.
He moved to the designated position and, facing the white King, declared the end of the game.
The white King opposite him dropped its stone sword to the ground with a "Clang," declaring its submission.
The door leading to the next room rumbled open.
The moment the restraints vanished, Harry and Hermione immediately rushed to Ron.
Harry tremblingly reached out to check his breath and shouted hoarsely, "He's still breathing!"
Only then did Hermione feel her almost-stalled heart begin to beat again.
She knelt down, looking at Ron's pale face and then at her own clean hands, a strong sense of frustration welling up in her heart.
In this stage, she hadn't helped at all, and could only watch as her friend cleared the path for them.
"You go on!" Hermione's voice trembled as she looked up at Harry. "Snape must be up ahead! You must stop him!"
A furry little thing nudged the back of her hand; it was Lia the Cat.
She had run to Ron's side and was sniffing him gently with her small nose, seemingly confirming his condition, before looking back at Hermione with concern.
Looking at everything before her, Hermione's resolve overcame her sorrow. She gently wiped the blood from Ron's forehead and briefly tended to his injuries.
"I'll take care of Ron..." she choked out, scooping the "little troublemaker" who had caused chaos but also achieved great merit into her arms and hugging her tightly, as if to draw strength from that warm, soft body. "...and Lia."
---------------------------------
I hope you enjoy this fanfiction! If you're having fun and want to read 30 chapters in advance, feel free to check out my Patreon: patreon.com/TLScarlet
Your support means a lot so if you like the story, don't forget to drop a Power Stone.