Chess was the name of the game.

Remi couldn't sleep tonight, he was so bored and his mind was yet racing with thoughts. After leaving his bunk to sit by one of the windows he saw a fellow RavenClaw. Curious as to why someone else would be awake at such a time was a wonder. He politely asked the time and learned it was midnight. Remi shrugged it off, he's been up later creeping around Hogwarts. After some discussion the duo sat down for a game of chess. They set up their pieces and were ready.

Remi asked "So what color would you like to be?"

Thales sat at the sofa, reading calmly his Defense Against the Dark Arts book, as he was having the feeling that maybe the teacher didn't like him very much... or at all. It probably was just an impression, but as he couldn't sleep in that particular night, and had nothing to do, it seemed better to him to prepare himself for the worst. Well, at least he was learning something there, Thales though, even if it was that not using his wand to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts was boring compared to the alternative. Thankfully, he was saved from what was looking like to be a long night by a fellow student, that seemed to share his liking for chess.

"I don't mind the color very much, but I'd rather be the whites."

Thales smiled at Remi and started positioning his pieces on the chessboard.

"I am Thales by the way, nice to meet you! In what year are you, may I ask?"

He finished positioning his pieces on the board and made the first play, moving his right knight 2 squares forward and one to the left.

So this kid wanted to be white. Although Remi was good at both he just felt white was easier to win with. When they decided to not use the board that you had to shout the letter and number of what piece you're moving Remi sighed, best not wake up the whole house at this time of night.

After a quick pause of alining the pieces properly he spoke "Remi and I'm second year." He was about to move one of his pieces but then remembered that there we some rules that needed to be addressed.

"Before we continue... There are a few rules that some people play by while others don't. Are you always allowed to move your pawns 2 spaces from the start or is it just the first pawn? Also is there a limit of how many queens, bishops, rooks, etc you can have? I think that last question is are we allowed to castle?"

Remi wanted to clear up any questionable rules so halfway through the game they weren't at each other throats debating on a few simple  rules.

"Humm... I guess we can move all our pawns two spaces from the start. Normally I play with having the limit equal to the number of pieces you have at the beginning of the game... And I don't see anything wrong with using castle.  En passant is also allowed, I suppose."

Thales looked at Remi, waiting for his approval of the rules they would be using.

"Anyway, it is unusual to find someone awake at this hour, I guess you couldn't sleep either, huh? Something on your mind or just regular insomnia?"

He let his head get slightly askew when asking, examining Remi's expression.

Remi was okay with the rules, then heard Thales question.

"Anyway, it is unusual to find someone awake at this hour, I guess you couldn't sleep either, huh? Something on your mind or just regular insomnia?"

Remi couldn't decide, was it insomnia or was he just not in the mood for sleeping. He figured the second option. "I guess I just am a night owl, I've been up much later. I don't usually fall asleep until around this time." Besides, if any other fellow RavenClaws were awake, like Thales was now, Remi would usually end up talking to them for the night.

He moved his pawn from in front of his king forward 2 spaces.

"I see..."

Thales nodded towards Remi. There were nights when he couldn't simply sleep, too, but that one wasn't one of them. He had something in his mind that wouldn't let him sleep peacefully, so he just sat trying to empty his mind and get rid of the worries when his housemate came in. He was happy about that development, however, it seemed more fun to play chess than to sit idly in that chair doing nothing.

"That's good, I guess, I personally like owls."

He smiled at Remi and moved left horse 2 spaces forward and one to the right.

_{A thousand apologies for my lateness! PM me if I do that again, please >.<}

"I see..."

There was a long pause then Thales spoke up again "That's good, I guess, I personally like owls."

Remi moved his right bishop down near the knight.

"I've seen many days where you and Lucas are out and about. I'm surprised he's not up right now. You guys act like brothers around each other; like a few other first years."





I'm sending you a pm about something else.

Thales examined the chessboard for a moment. Remi could use his bishop to get rid of his knight, but doing so would get his bishop destroyed, and Thales was ok with that development.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! I guess we are pretty close, he's a good friend!"

The mention of Lucas name made Thales shift a bit uncomfortably on his chair. He didn't expect expect his name to be mentioned by Remi, now he definetly wouldn't be able to sleep that night! He moved his Peon(b5) forward.

"Do you intend to use your bishop to kill my knight? Y'know I can just use a peon to avenge him, right?"

Remi knew something was up.  Most younger students would end up either telling Remi a story about their adventurers, or even just say something other than"Huh? Oh, yeah! I guess we are pretty close, he's a good friend!" Remi made an educated guess[1] that they got into a fight. As for now he was busy focusing on chess.

"So..." Remi moved his right knight to the left 1 and down 2,"What else do you do besides chess?"

1.	As a science teacher would say