"I'll start. Knight C3," said Professor Flitwick.
"D5."
"D4."
"Bishop F5"
"F3."
"Bishop G6."
"Knight H3, and our drinks are here," Professor Flitwick said as he passed me my glass.
"A question, sir: what are we doing when the other schools arrive? E5," I said as I took a sip.
"Take E5. What prompted the question?" the professor asked as I moved my pawn to C6 and he moved his to E4.
"I was talking to Fleur, and she said the Beaxbatons were doing some sort of dance. Queen H4. I spoke to someone at Durmstrang, and they're doing an acrobatic performance," I said as he moved his pawn to G3. "Queen E7. Knowing Dumbledore, he'll have some stupendous idea, like performing the school song."
"Knight F2," the professor said with a guilty look.
"He's not doing that, is he? Knight D7," I said as the professor moved his pawn to F4. "Take E4. He's actually doing that!"
"Knight, take E4. I tried to stop him alongside Minerva, but he insisted on the song. Something about the magic of music."
"Bishop, take E4. I get that, but can we do something else," I said as he took my knight. I took his knight with my queen. "Can we not do an orchestral piece and a light show?"
"Knight D2. I asked if we were allowed to use animal golems and lights. You castled? Okay," the professor scoffed. "Pawn C3. Minerva offered to make the golems alongside Severus."
"Queen E7. See, that's a better idea," I said as he moved his queen to E2. "King B8. I'll speak to the governors and see what they can do."
"Bishop H3. Please do. I would probably die from second-hand embarrassment if we did that," he said as I moved my knight to H6. "Knight F3. Remember to keep my name out of it."
"G6. Done. Now could you tell me why I'm here?"
"Bishop E3. We will get to that; don't worry," the professor said with a small smile as I moved my knight to F5. "Did you see any interesting first years? Bishop, take F5."
"Take F5. No, not really. The only interesting people are the Kelly girl and the muggle born," I said.
"Castled. Yes, Miss Kelly and Miss Granger," he said as I moved my queen to E6 with a confused look. "Yes, she is related to Hermione Granger. A younger sister, actually. You should have seen the look on Minerva's face. She wanted both Grangers to be her cubs. King B1."
"Bishop E7. She never told me she had a sister," I said as the half-goblin moved his knight to D4. I responded by moving my queen to G6.
"Queen C2. Any thoughts on continuing tutoring this year?" the professor asked as I placed my knight on B6. "There are a few students we would like to keep a particularly close eye on this year. Knight, take F5. They're all first-year, so they won't clash with your timetable as much as last year."
"Knight C4. I had my hands full with Granger and Longbottom last year. It would have been much easier if you didn't make the programme an interhouse programme," I said as he moved his rook to E1. "Knight, take E3."
"Knight, take E3."
"Bishop C5. Is Granger still taking all the available electives?" I asked.
"No, she dropped a few. Queen, take G6," he said as my rook took D1. "Rook D1. Her time turner was confiscated after she misused it last year. Onto more important matters: the diadem."
"Take G6. What about it? Have you found a solution?"
"Knight G4. It depends on how you define a solution," he said as I moved my king to C8. "The goblins have found a solution, but they would like to talk to the ones who found it. I would like you to be the representative for you and your friends. H4."
"Rook D8. Why me?" I asked as he took my rook. "King D8."
"You are the only one among your friends who has a lordship. The representative would look down on your friends and belittle them if they were your representatives. King C2."
"King E7"
"King D3."
"Okay, have you spoken to them? King E6."
"I've spoken to one of them and will get to the rest after we are done. There is one more matter, but we will speak about it once this match is finished. Knight E3."
"Okay. B6."
{King E4. Bishop E7. F5. King D7. E6. King E8. Knight C4. Take F5. King take F5. C5. Knight E5. Take E6. King take E6. Bishop D8. Knight F7. Bishop C7. H5. King F8. H6. King G8. G4. Bishop F4. King F6. King H7. G5. Bishop take G5. King take G5. A6. Knight E5. B5. Knight D7. C4. Knight F6. King H8. King G6. A5. Knight D7. A4. H7. B4. Knight E5. Take C3. Knight F7.}
"Checkmate, boy," the professor said as he stood up and stretched out his hand. "That was a good match."
"Congratulations. What does that make it? 17–15 to you?"
"18 -14. I won last time, and you know it," he said as he waved his glass in the air, waiting for a refill.
"We didn't finish the game. How do you know you were going to win?"
"I don't care. I count that as my win," he said as he took his glasses off and placed them on the table. "You may need a drink for this."
"I heard from Jessica that you had a panic attack on the way here," he said as he took a sip of his drink. "They're getting more frequent, and I strongly suggest you receive professional help."
"I'm fine," I said while I downed the rest of my drink. "I don't need it."
"Give me your bracelet," he said, his hand stretched out above the table. Reluctantly, I gave it to him. He inspected it before putting it down. "The charm has rapidly deteriorated, and I suspect the reason is the more frequent panic attacks. I will not be applying the charm to your bracelet anymore."
"What? Why?" I raised my voice as I interrupted him. He stared into my eyes, and I kept my mouth closed.
"Have you heard of the opioid crisis that is happening across the Atlantic?" he asked as I gave a slight nod. "It started off relatively harmlessly. It was used properly and in accordance with proper medical guidance. People took it, and it took the pain away. They got used to it. Used to the thrill and the numbness that it brought. The more they used it, the more they needed it. So they have it more often, and slowly they become addicted. And that addiction slowly destroys them from the inside. To recover, they need to go to rehab, get help, and sort themselves out. Not for themselves, but for the people around them. Do you understand?"
"Absolutely. 100%."
"The opioid is your bracelet."
"Yeah."
"The addiction is your reliance on it."
"I got it."
"The people slowly destroying themselves are your panic attacks."
"Mm-hmm."
"Rehab is Madam Pomfrey."
"Loud and clear. 100%."
"I've already reserved Wednesdays from 18:00 to 19:00 for the rest of the academic year for you."
"What happens if I don't go?" I asked.
"You will go to the first four sessions; after that, you can't help a man who doesn't want to be helped," he said. "If you do not attend your first four sessions, I will be revoking your privileges."
"If that's all, I'll be going now," I said while standing up.
"Yes, one more thing. Tell the girls that you all have defence with Moody tomorrow, first thing," he said while putting his glasses back on.
"None of us chose defence," I replied.
"I know," the half-goblin responded. "Dumbledore believes that as all seventh-year students are potential Hogwarts champions, you will all be trained by Moody. Once the champion is selected, they will be privately tutored by him. And I think that's it. Goodnight, Mr. Ebonwood."
"Goodnight professor."