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Albus sat hunched over the chess board, his chin resting on his long hands and his spindly index finger tapping against the side of his long nose. He examined the board carefully, considering his nexts moves, his deep blue eyes moving from his knights to his remaining rook. He felt a light pang to his temples and he knew Gellert was not playing fair. Albus could sense his companion’s malicious smirk, so he raised his eyes from the board, meeting the other wizard’s intense stare.
“Get out of my head, Gellert,” he said in a serious tone, yet the corners of his mouth betrayed him, “I’m trying to think.”
“I know,” Gellert crooned smoothly, his accent never failing to send shivers down Albus’ arms.
“Get out,” Albus plead again and finally the pang was gone. Good. Gellert would not beat him again. Back at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore was one of the greatest chess players of the whole school, he would not be beaten repeatedly by ruffian Gellert Grindelwald.
So they played, eyes oscillating between the board and each other’s faces, always trying to predict the next move. Gellert’s smug features kept Albus alert and uneasy. His breath was becoming more and more laboured as the game progressed, the tension between the two so thick Albus could cut through it. At one given moment, Gellert seemed to fall for Dumbledore’s trick, and his black queen was taken by a white bishop. Albus smirked, his eyes shining victoriously at Gellert, yet the other wizard didn’t bat an eye at his loss. He held Albus’s gaze, tipping his head forward so his blond hair almost touched his opponent’s auburn locks. Silently his black rook moved sideways, checking Albus’ king.
Dumbledore was shaken out of his trance we he heard the piece dragging itself along the board, and finally noticed what a grave mistake he had made. He fell right into Gellert’s trap, trying in vain to counteract. He finally removed his elbows from the table and reluctantly tipped over his king, surrounded by Gellert’s pieces. The blond wizard smiled broadly then, his eyes shining amusedly, and snatched his black queen from Albus’ side, rolling the piece between his fingers. His other hand, silent as a thestral, snaked its way to Albus’ chin, lifting his head until his dark blue eyes met with Gellert’s much lighter ones. He waved the queen around, still smiling maliciously.
“For the greater good, my dear.”