12 Apr 2022, 00:08
˗ ˏ ˋ A Chess Match ˎˊ ˗
Friday - April 8th, 2022
Gryffindor Table
Charlie set down the chessboard on top of the table with a thud that shook the whole table. A few Gryffindors glanced but continued their own conversations. She could've sworn the dust flew off the top but she didn't mind. It was a hefty size, but each piece was flawlessly cut. Charlie admired the pieces, and started to put them in their place. Her chess set from home looked a bit different from the one here, but she missed her normal opponent. She remembered when it was summer time, and she would be dragged out to the yard, bribed with cheddar and grapes. Her father would teach her how to play, she was decent but never could beat him. He always seemed to have the advantage, but Charlie never cared. The time she spent with him was priceless to her, and it seemed to be a perfect opportunity to snag a snack from the kitchens. She looked down the table, trying to take note of anyone that wasn't conversing in conversation or doing homework. Her eye caught the light colored hair of a girl around her age past a group of 3rd years. Charlie gave a wave to catch her attention, hopefully inviting an opponent to the table.White Pieces - Charlie G.
Black Pieces - Anemone W.
208 WC
12 Apr 2022, 01:07
˗ ˏ ˋ A Chess Match ˎˊ ˗
She wished she had headphones. Not that the Great Hall was obnoxiously loud today but sometimes music was a final touch to inner peace people sought. Definitely for Anemone, who actually enjoyed listening to classical music. Most people tended to think it was boring and nowhere as hype as the trendy music playing everywhere these days but she knew that classical music came in so many different types, which is what it was bound to given the seemingly infinite amount of artists in the genre. There was classical music that made you feel great sorrow, intense excitement, and incredibly driven, and she loved it all. Sometimes it made her feel like she was escaping into another world when she was encapsulated by the sounds of pianos, violins, cellos, and harps.
The Great Hall had students scattered around, some simply making conversations, others eating, and many keeping to themselves with their studies or hobbies. Anemone was practicing her penmanship, really like the feel of the quill on parchment paper. It made her feel like she was back in the medieval or Victorian times, when things were more elegant and serene in some ways. Anemone wondered how Hogwarts was in those times, since allegedly the school was founded around the age of Merlin, if she remembered correctly.
She had stopped for a second to wipe her glasses with her shirt, wearing a charcoal sweater with the Gryffindor crest and jeans, when she noticed nearing movement from the corner of her eye. Anemone only meant to look momentarily but an approaching student caught her eye.
It was a girl with light, red hair who seemed her year carrying a chessboard. Anemone hadn't played chess in a long time and always wanted to improve, since she felt like it was a game that improved someone's sharpness. Her mother was a great chess player and used to participate in competitions when she was younger but then life caught up to her after she had Anemone. Her mother encourages anyone who'll listen to try the game.
The girl started setting up the board. She figured the girl had a partner already and was probably waiting for them but just as she was going to go back to do what she was doing when the girl skimmed the room, saw her, and beckoned her to come play.
Uh, this is kind of random, maybe I shouldn't have been staring so much, she thought, but Anemone actually didn't really want to pass the attitude up. She gave the girl a small smile and gathered her things, walking over to her. She vaguely recognized the girl, feeling like she'd seen in her in the Gryffindor commons before.
"Hi," she greeted. "You wanted me to play with you? Or maybe you were waving to someone else actually..." Anemone swiveled around, figuring that someone else might be approaching instead.
The Great Hall had students scattered around, some simply making conversations, others eating, and many keeping to themselves with their studies or hobbies. Anemone was practicing her penmanship, really like the feel of the quill on parchment paper. It made her feel like she was back in the medieval or Victorian times, when things were more elegant and serene in some ways. Anemone wondered how Hogwarts was in those times, since allegedly the school was founded around the age of Merlin, if she remembered correctly.
She had stopped for a second to wipe her glasses with her shirt, wearing a charcoal sweater with the Gryffindor crest and jeans, when she noticed nearing movement from the corner of her eye. Anemone only meant to look momentarily but an approaching student caught her eye.
It was a girl with light, red hair who seemed her year carrying a chessboard. Anemone hadn't played chess in a long time and always wanted to improve, since she felt like it was a game that improved someone's sharpness. Her mother was a great chess player and used to participate in competitions when she was younger but then life caught up to her after she had Anemone. Her mother encourages anyone who'll listen to try the game.
The girl started setting up the board. She figured the girl had a partner already and was probably waiting for them but just as she was going to go back to do what she was doing when the girl skimmed the room, saw her, and beckoned her to come play.
Uh, this is kind of random, maybe I shouldn't have been staring so much, she thought, but Anemone actually didn't really want to pass the attitude up. She gave the girl a small smile and gathered her things, walking over to her. She vaguely recognized the girl, feeling like she'd seen in her in the Gryffindor commons before.
"Hi," she greeted. "You wanted me to play with you? Or maybe you were waving to someone else actually..." Anemone swiveled around, figuring that someone else might be approaching instead.
12 Apr 2022, 03:14
˗ ˏ ˋ A Chess Match ˎˊ ˗
Charlie saw the girl make her way towards her, and she flashed an eager smile. She folded her hands under her thighs for a moment to warm them, she gets comments of her hands being cold constantly. Once she reached to where Charlie was sitting she stood up and leant out a hand, introducing herself.
"Aye, ye seemed like ye were lonely so I wanted to see if ye knew 'ow to play wizards chess!" Charlie said, "Charlie Grace, it's nice to meet ye'"
They both sat down and Charlie glanced at the quill and parchment bundled in her hands. She felt her hands cramp at the sight of it, she didn't particularly like using a non self-writing quill but it'll be something she'll have to get used to over time. She centered the chessboard in the middle of the table as she set up the rest of the pieces.
"So, are ye a first year as well?"Charlie asked, "What are ye doing fer Easter break?"
She took a final look on the chessboard, something looked off until she switched the King and Queen. Charlie always mixed those two up, they tend to look similar. Charlie decided to be the whites, leaving the new opponent with the blacks.
212 WC
"Aye, ye seemed like ye were lonely so I wanted to see if ye knew 'ow to play wizards chess!" Charlie said, "Charlie Grace, it's nice to meet ye'"
They both sat down and Charlie glanced at the quill and parchment bundled in her hands. She felt her hands cramp at the sight of it, she didn't particularly like using a non self-writing quill but it'll be something she'll have to get used to over time. She centered the chessboard in the middle of the table as she set up the rest of the pieces.
"So, are ye a first year as well?"Charlie asked, "What are ye doing fer Easter break?"
She took a final look on the chessboard, something looked off until she switched the King and Queen. Charlie always mixed those two up, they tend to look similar. Charlie decided to be the whites, leaving the new opponent with the blacks.
212 WC
16 Apr 2022, 03:03
˗ ˏ ˋ A Chess Match ˎˊ ˗
Well, this was all really sudden. But Anemone decided to go along with it since she was already interested. She had similar encounters where students just jumped right into things as if it was normal, as if everyone was comfortable with each other to some level. It was different than her old school, where most kids stayed to themselves or their cliques and it took a while to get closer. Children seemed to grow more reclusive as the generations went by, or maybe it was just environment because Anemone usually ended up with a few friends, and usually they weren't close, like a best friend.
The fellow Gryffindor introduced herself as Charlie, which actually seemed to fit her, in Anemone's opinion. "Anemone. Is Grace your second name, or your last name?" Her accent was interesting, too, clearly Irish. Anemone was good with accents, having traveled a lot with her mother's family when she would live with them. One of her aunts was Irish and had a heavy accent that strangely Anemone could understand the best out of all of the relatives who weren't Irish at all.
Anemone noticed Charlie's hand twitch a bit when she glanced at the bundle she was carrying. She recalled some students actually not like working with ink and quills and pursed her lips to the side, hoping that it wasn't Charlie's case. She couldn't imagine bearing through the school with that kind of pain, especially if it was required to use those particular writing utensils. Anemone wondered if Hogwarts would ever modernize, and how they'd actually go about doing so, especially with the ancient state of the castle.
Charlie asked about her year in school, and what she was doing for Easter break, curiously. "Yes. And nothing. Er, what about you?" Her parents didn't celebrate Easter, they weren't religious and felt like Easter without the belief defeated the purpose.
She felt like it was a little strange to be so straightforward, but people were different here, and it wasn't exactly a bad thing. Kids around her age, even older, wanted to be so similar, especially to their idols on the media. "Wizard chess, what's the difference?" She watched Charlie move a few pieces around that she probably misplaced.
The fellow Gryffindor introduced herself as Charlie, which actually seemed to fit her, in Anemone's opinion. "Anemone. Is Grace your second name, or your last name?" Her accent was interesting, too, clearly Irish. Anemone was good with accents, having traveled a lot with her mother's family when she would live with them. One of her aunts was Irish and had a heavy accent that strangely Anemone could understand the best out of all of the relatives who weren't Irish at all.
Anemone noticed Charlie's hand twitch a bit when she glanced at the bundle she was carrying. She recalled some students actually not like working with ink and quills and pursed her lips to the side, hoping that it wasn't Charlie's case. She couldn't imagine bearing through the school with that kind of pain, especially if it was required to use those particular writing utensils. Anemone wondered if Hogwarts would ever modernize, and how they'd actually go about doing so, especially with the ancient state of the castle.
Charlie asked about her year in school, and what she was doing for Easter break, curiously. "Yes. And nothing. Er, what about you?" Her parents didn't celebrate Easter, they weren't religious and felt like Easter without the belief defeated the purpose.
She felt like it was a little strange to be so straightforward, but people were different here, and it wasn't exactly a bad thing. Kids around her age, even older, wanted to be so similar, especially to their idols on the media. "Wizard chess, what's the difference?" She watched Charlie move a few pieces around that she probably misplaced.
18 Apr 2022, 03:10
˗ ˏ ˋ A Chess Match ˎˊ ˗
Charlie gave a slight grin, "last," she took one last look at the board. "No worries, aye get it alot, uncommon last name." When Anemone mentioned her name, Charlie looked flabbergasted.
"Aye-nem-" Her tounge twisted from the pronunciation, but she was determined to get it right. "Ay-nem-oh-me" She gave an achieving smile, hopefully her efforts wouldn't have gone unnoticed.
She shook her head in agreement with the upcoming holiday, realizing she was making up small chatter.
"Home, just for a wee bit, to see de family."
She rubbed her hands and moved a pawn forward. One would note that it was a common move for her to make, almost like a tick. She decided to change the subject before it got awkward.
"If 'ou've e'er played chess," Charlie pointed to their board, "quite similar." She motioned to the pawn, "Pawn, defend de King 'n Queen." Charlie labeled as much as she could, and explained their purposes truthfully. She had a feeling there would be at least one student who would make up a rule as they went so she tried to explain as much as she could. Though for now, there was only so much she could instruct.
"Since aye already went," she curtsied with her head, "try ye best."