Chapter Text
“Checkmate”
With growing delight, Peter watched as his chess pieces moved in the dim light of a candle and his opponent's king threw his crown to the ground. “Victory is mine!”
“How are you doing that!” James exclaimed, frowning. His tongue was sticking out in concentration as his glasses slid down his nose.
This was Peter's third Victory in a row. He was getting quite good at it recently. Fleamont Potter, James’ Dad had given him a chessboard on his last Birthday. Over the last few months he had shown both boys how to play and now Peter beat Fleamont on a nearly daily basis.
James didn’t have as much luck. He was taking too long for his moves. Giving Peter enough time to guess what he might do and figure out a way to best counter him. And when he did make a move, it wasn’t even a good one.
“I had to have some talent.” Peter retorted, watching as the little chess pieces marched back to their starting position.
James shook his head, leaning backwards in his huge bed, “You have so many talents already. Bet you will be top of the class.”
Blinking, Peter looked up. “No. You won’t be either. ”, he said firmly.
“And how would you know?” James asked, stretching before starting the game anew. White begins.
“I just do.”
“You little secret keeper.”, James laughed. Peter smiled. He liked James' laugh. Even while losing, he was having more fun than most. Without looking he sent his left rook to capture James knight. “See? That's what I mean!”
“What?”
“You are not even looking. It’s like you already know what I’m going to do, even if I don’t.” James bit his lip in concentration, trying to decide what to play next.
“It’s not that hard.”, Peter retorted, kneading his hands in his lap. “You are easy to read.” Closing his eyes, he let his head fall back in the cushions.
He heard James shuffle. Apparently he had made his move. “Bishop to E7 and that would be checkmate again.”
“What?! How?!” James exclaimed.
Opening one eye, he looked his best friend in his dark eyes. “Like I said. Easy to read.”
Scratching his head, James hummed. “Maybe they will put you in Ravenclaw.”
A high pitched laugh escaped Peter. “No.” Shakily he stood and pushed the chessboard aside. “Anything but Gryffindor would be a disaster.”
“It won’t matter much. We would still see each other between lessons.”
“But it does matter! To me it does.” Peter nearly screamed in distress. He had tried to think about something else. But the thought of being separated from his best friend - his only friend - frightened him to the core.
“Shht.” James quickly put a hand over Peters mouth, pressing Peters back against his chest, as he listened in the night. “Do you want to wake my parents?”
Scowling, Peter licked the hand. Disgusted, James pushed him away.
“Sorry.”
Sighing, James let himself fall backwards onto his bed again. “Don’t be. I am nervous too.”
“You are?” Wide eyed, Peter scrambled into James bed and laid next to him. It was soft and so huge that it could probably fit four boys.
James turned his head to him. “Of course.”
“But you are the bravest person I know!”
James laughed and Peter shuffled until they were both covered under a blanket. “If you are brave, you are still allowed to be nervous or scared. I just won’t let that stop me.”
Peter turned away to stare at the ceiling. Yesterday they had decorated the whole room in Gryffindor colors. Red and Gold. But right now, in the dim candle light, he could barely make out where the bed ended.
“Do you think I can get into Gryffindor, even if I let my fears stop me?”
“Hmm” James clicked his tongue. “I think you are going about this quite wrong.”
“I am?”
“Yeah, It’s not just about bravery. It is about passion and connection. Honor and loyalty.”
Peter turned his head. James was smiling softly and had a far away look on his face. The kind of smile, you don’t realise you have. It wasn’t about happiness, more about peace. Peter loved that smile. At home, he never saw that.
“I am loyal, James.” Loyal to you.
Peter blinked and suddenly James looked directly in his eyes. “I know. There is no one in this world I would trust more.”
A warm feeling spread through Peter's chest. Slowly he sat up and reached for the candle to put out the light. With a soft sigh, he snuggled deeper in the pillows.
Tomorrow, the Potters will take them to the train in the morning. The Hogwarts Express. He had seen it a few times before, when his sister got on and off the train. She was in Hufflepuff.
Philomena had completed her last year at Hogwarts already and decided to move on to college with her muggle boyfriend. It was a disaster and included a lot of screaming. In the end, his parents decided that they didn’t have enough time to take Peter to the train station themselves. Luckily the Potters would be heading there anyway and were more than fond of the idea of Peter and James having a last sleepover.
Tomorrow, everything will be different.
“James?” Peter whispered. It was strange how you automatically lowered your voice when it was darker. “Promise me something?”
“Hmm?” James murmured. “Anything.”
“Will you still be my best friend if we don’t get the same house?”
“Of course” James replied instantly, twisting under the blanket till his fingers touched Peters reassuringly. It felt like a promise infused with lightning. “You will always be my best friend. No matter what happens. Promise”