"Ding ding ding... Everyone quiet down, please."
Professor McGonagall tapped her glass just as the evening feast was about to begin, prompting all the students who had been chatting quietly to fall silent.
"Before the feast begins, we must first thank a few people. A round of applause for Professor Sprout—this year's Mandrake harvest was excellent. A round of applause for Professor Snape, who brewed the Mandrakes into the special potion that cures petrification. And applause for Madam Pomfrey—our medical officer had an incredibly heavy workload this year, having to care for so many petrified patients. Thanks to the combined efforts of these three, all the petrified students have been revived."
As Dumbledore named them one by one, rounds of applause broke out again and again. The students clapped gratefully for the trio.
"Furthermore, due to this year's mass petrification incident, and as a form of apology, the school has decided—all exams are canceled."
Dumbledore's announcement triggered an eruption of excited applause among the students. Only the diligent ones like Hermione, and the seventh-years who had already completed their graduation exams, clapped with less enthusiasm.
The hall doors opened, and Hagrid's massive figure strode inside.
"Sorry! I'm late. The owl carrying the paperwork to prove my innocence got lost—it was that dumb bird named Errol."
Hagrid walked up behind Ron and ruffled his red hair—it was clear he knew Ron had delivered the letter.
"I've got to tell you all something: if it weren't for Harry and Ron, I'd still be stuck in the Ministry of Magic. I just want to say—thank you!"
Hagrid believed it was all thanks to Harry and Ron, of course. Regulus Black didn't mind at all, but Gilderoy Lockhart was still waving eagerly from the staff table, trying to get Hagrid's attention.
"You're about to leave Hogwarts—do you really expect Hagrid to repay you?"
Regulus Black shot a sidelong glance at Gilderoy Lockhart, instantly extinguishing the latter's enthusiasm.
"Hogwarts wouldn't be the same without you, Hagrid!"
Harry Potter couldn't contain his excitement and threw himself into Hagrid's arms.
Dumbledore stood up and started clapping, encouraging the rest of the students to follow suit.
After all, the truth about the Chamber of Secrets had come to light, and it was now common knowledge that Hagrid—accused of opening the Chamber fifty years ago—had been innocent all along.
"Fifty years of injustice finally cleared... I just wonder when my foolish brother's name will be cleared."
Regulus Black was one of the few who didn't applaud. His quiet remark amidst the students' cheers still managed to reach Dumbledore's ears, prompting the old headmaster to glance over at him.
"Hagrid! Hagrid! Hagrid! Hagrid..."
The students' cheers brought Hagrid to tears. He was overwhelmed with emotion—this moment was deeply moving for him.
In the final days of the semester, all of Hogwarts was filled with joy and celebration.
Ron's broken wand had long since disappeared—thanks to Gilderoy Lockhart, who had taken the Sorting Hat and dropped the wand.
But because of that, Ron agreed to Regulus Black's arrangement. In order to buy a new wand, Ron was brought into the Muggle world's club scene, thus beginning his career in chess tournaments.
"Mr. Black! Isn't this place for adults only?"
It was Ron's first time in a Muggle club, a place filled with smoke, alcohol, and waitresses in seductive maid outfits.
"Remember what I taught you—call me Regulus in public. You're my distant, poor relative. I discovered you had exceptional talent in chess, so I brought you out to see the world. And here, minors can be brought in by adults."
Regulus Black held a walking stick. The black ebony staff reached the ground from his hanging arm, and its golden head was embedded with seven pea-sized crimson rubies, arranged at a slight angle into a swirling pattern.
Though not a regular, Regulus had visited the club a few times, so he quickly found a group playing chess in a corner on the second floor.
"Hughes! I brought that relative I mentioned last time. Do you have enough pounds on you?"
Regulus approached a chess table, tapped a chair with his walking stick, and addressed a middle-aged man.
The man was tall, balding, and had been staring blankly at a half-played chessboard.
Interrupted, Hughes looked up, visibly displeased, then shifted his gaze to Ron.
"This kid? You want me to play him? Should I order him a glass of milk?"
Hughes sneered as he spoke, clearly not taking a teenager seriously.
"Didn't you hear what Mr. Hughes said? A cup of hot milk."
Regulus Black turned to the maid-dressed waitress watching the scene and spoke. Immediately, someone went to prepare the hot milk.
He grabbed Ron from behind and shoved him into the seat opposite Hughes.
Regulus Black then pulled out a roll of banknotes from his pocket—all one-pound notes—clearly prepared for the occasion.
"There's not much money here! Exactly one hundred pounds. Let's start with one pound per game. How about that?"
He placed the entire roll of money right on the table and looked at Hughes challengingly.
"You seem pretty confident! Black, who is this to you?"
Hughes leaned back in his chair, starting to take the boy in front of him a little more seriously.
"I told you, he's my distant cousin—Ron Weasley. Remember that name. You'll find out later that losing to him wasn't unjustified."
Regulus Black said confidently, as if declaring: remember that name! You'll be Ron's first stepping stone.
The hot milk had already arrived. Ron nervously held the cup and took a sip. The surrounding spectators, who had gathered after hearing the commotion, began whispering and speculating just how far this seemingly nervous kid could go against Hughes.
"Kid—or should I call you Mr. Weasley—have you ever played chess before?"
Hughes began resetting the chessboard, clearing the previous game's pieces.
"Yes, I play often at home, though the pieces are a bit different."
Ron started arranging his side of the board. What he meant by "different" was that wizard's chess is far more violent—you can literally smash the opponent's pieces. But in the Muggle world's chess, there's none of that drama.
However, to Hughes, this "different" probably just meant Ron had never used such high-end chess equipment before.
After all, this club had top-tier facilities—the chess set in front of them was a full black-and-white crystal set.
Regulus Black didn't say another word after that. He trusted Ron knew what to say and what not to. The Statute of Secrecy was no joke—the Ministry of Magic enforced it strictly, and every child in the wizarding world knew this was a bottom line. Cross it, and you face the consequences.
The two began with quick-play games, each pressing the timer alternately like a wobbling toy that wouldn't fall. In less than five minutes, that toy came to a halt.
"Checkmate! I win."
Ron smiled and picked up his now lukewarm milk, continuing to drink it.
The onlookers began buzzing with conversation. Everyone had been watching the game closely and saw with their own eyes how Hughes had lost to Ron. The whole match had ended too quickly.
Hughes stared at Ron's face for a while before pulling a card from his pocket.
"Waiter! Bring me one hundred pounds in change."
As a long-term club member, he could withdraw small amounts of money for games like this. This wasn't gambling, after all. The club wasn't a casino—how could gambling happen here? This was just gentlemen's entertainment.
Soon, an identical roll of one-pound notes was placed next to Hughes. He took out one note and slid it across the table to Ron.
"You had good luck today, but I'll win it back."
Ron looked up at Regulus Black, then placed the pound note underneath his own roll of money.
The chess games at the club continued from noon until evening. Regulus Black's roll of money remained untouched, while Hughes had spent all of his.
"Congratulations, Ron! You've made a name for yourself with just one game. There's still a long road ahead, but we can think about that after dinner."
Regulus Black picked up the winnings and took Ron to the club's dining room, leaving Hughes alone in a daze.
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09