Chapter - 70 : Sibling Rivalries and Secret Strategies

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"Just come here," he said, rolling his eyes. I rolled mine back but walked over, dropping into the chair across from him.

"Well?" I demanded. "What?"

"Play with me," Malfoy ordered, reaching out to move the pieces back into their starting positions.

"Didn't we just talk about not ordering me around?" I scowled.

"Yeah, but I'm in a foul mood so I don't really care about your feelings right now."

"You say the sweetest things, Malfoy," I simpered. "Really, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy."

"Well, it's your brother's fault I'm in a foul mood to start with."

I scoffed and made my first move. "What a coincidence. He's ruined my mood as well, as it happens."

"Greengrass said you ran off the check on him after the game," Malfoy noted, ordering his opening move as well.

"I did." I nodded, staring at the board. I moved a pawn. "Ron and Granger had already hauled him off to Hagrid's for tea."

"I'm sure you scurried off after them to act like a good little sister," Malfoy sneered, taking my pawn with one of his. I scowled as my pawn's body was hauled away by Malfoy's.

"I did, actually. Found them all talking about how Snape was trying to kill Harry by cursing his broom."

"Snape?" Malfoy repeated incredulously. "Why the bloody hell do they think it was him?"

I rolled my eyes and moved a bishop. "Granger. 'You have make eye contact for curses and Snape wasn't blinking. I've read all about them!'" I quoted in a mockingly high-pitched voice.

"That filthy know-it-all Mudblood," Malfoy seethed, pushing forward another pawn to claim one of mine. "Like Snape would do something that stupid."

"Language," I warned absently, claiming one of his pawns. "That's what I said, but they wouldn't hear a word about it."

"Your brother's friends are idiots," Malfoy scoffed.

I shrugged. "I suppose like most people they have their areas. But yes, on the whole I agree with you."

"Your brother isn't much better," Malfoy added, glaring at the chess board. I could tell he was one of the ones who was very frustrated by how Gryffindor had won. He ordered a knight with a little more force than necessary.

"Watch it," I threatened, taking his knight with a bishop. It was a careless move from him. "He's my brother and I'll beat you with this knight." I scooped up the remains of the knight and pulled my arm back warningly, as if to throw.

"Whatever," Malfoy huffed, taking my bishop with one of his own. "You know, you're not terrible at this now that you know how to play."

I sneered. "What, worried I'm going to beat you?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Hardly. I've been playing for years." He took my other bishop with a pawn and I winced in embarrassment. He smiled smugly.

"Why do you like chess so much?" I asked curiously. Malfoy seemed to have an actual interest in very few things. Most of the time he acted like classes were beneath him in some way. The only things I'd ever seen him be passionate about were his love of Quidditch, chess, and potions, and his hatred for my brother.

"My dad taught me how to play," he said with a shrug. "We used to play every night before bed."

"Used to," I noticed. "Why don't you anymore?"

"He's busy," Malfoy said shortly, casting me a dark look that, in conjunction with his vicious destruction of my knight, I took to mean he wasn't keen on the subject of his relationship with his father.

Still…

"Must be nice," I mused, directing a pawn forward without really thinking. "To have your parents teach you things."

"Didn't your Muggle aunt teach you to cook or something?" he recalled vaguely.

I couldn't help it. I let out a mad little giggle. Malfoy looked up at me in surprise. "Aunt Petunia?" I snickered. "Teach me to cook? Hardly! She gave me a cookbook, pointed to a recipe, and told me not to burn anything or I wouldn't get any supper. That's how I learned to cook."

Malfoy looked me up and down. I had gained some weight since coming to Hogwarts and getting real, consistent meals, but I was still painfully skinny and small for my age. "You burned things a lot, did you?" he observed.

"No, not really," I admitted. I gestured to my torso. "Most of this was finally snapping and saying what was on my mind. Turns out my uncle didn't like being called an idiot. He was the one that usually said no food. My cousin just hit me if he was mad."

Malfoy looked incredulous. "And you stick up for Muggles and Mudbloods like Granger?"

I shrugged. "Muggles are just like wizards in that some of them are alright and some of them, like my family, are only alive because I couldn't figure out how to get away with their murder."

Malfoy scoffed. "And there's the Slytherin in you. You were sounding like a Hufflepuff for a minute there, Potter."

"The horror," I deadpanned, then smirked as I took one of his castles.

We stayed quiet for a minute, playing seriously and contemplating our moves instead of talking. Malfoy took two more of my pawns and I managed to get one of his before he spoke again.

"If I'd been playing Seeker I wouldn't have let Potter get the Snitch," he mumbled. I let out an annoyed sigh.

"Are you still on that? It bothers you so much just try out for the team next year," I said irritably.

"Oh, I'm going to," Malfoy said immediately.

"Really?" I smirked. "Even though you've been flying wrong for years?"

Malfoy glared. "Shut up, Potter. You're not funny."

"Agree to disagree."

"Are you going to?"

I stared at him blankly. "Am I going to what?"

"Try out for the team," Malfoy said as thought it was obvious. "You're not a bad flyer, and you'd make a decent Chaser." He rubbed the back of his head, scowling.

"Hadn't considered it," I said honestly. "I like flying, sure, but I don't know how I'd feel about actually playing Quidditch."

"Think about it," Malfoy said. "I want to see Potter's face if you play against him." He snickered. I drew back my hand and nailed him with the remains of one of his knights. "Oi, what was that for?" he demanded.

"I warned you."

Malfoy and I finished our game and played another – I lost spectacularly both times – and then we headed to dinner. After dinner I headed to the fourth floor, where there was an empty room where I'd arranged to meet Fred and George.

I tried to open the door, only for it to be pushed closed in my face.

"Seriously?" I demanded.

"Password," I heard Fred ask in a spooky voice.

"You're both idiots," I replied.

"Ouch, that hurts."

George pulled the door open and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me. The twins had pushed the dusty desks back to open up a little training arena in the middle of the floor.

"Did you bring the list?" George asked. I nodded, plucking the list of pranking spells from my pocket. He and Fred grinned.

"Then let's get started."

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Loving the story and can't wait for more? By supporting my Patreon, you'll get exclusive early access to over 100+ chapters ahead of what's posted here!

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

http//patreon.com/NAnami725

Join us on Patreon and unlock the full adventure today!

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