A/N: Well, this is the last part of Pre-Hogwarts. HAPPY READING!!

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Ron’s set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family – in this case, his grandfather.

-Sorcerer’s Stone, about Ron’s chess set

9-year-old Ron Weasley waited excitedly in front of the fire. It was Christmas Eve and everyone was coming home, even Grampa Weasley, Arthur Weasley’s father.

Ron really liked Grampa Weasley. He was fun to play with. The flames of the fire turned green and an old man with white hair and glasses stepped out of the fireplace holding a bag.

“GRAMPA!” Ron yelled, hugging the man.

“Hello, Ron, my boy.” Grampa Weasley said, hugging him back. “How are you? Have you been a good boy so Father Christmas can bring you presents?”

“I’ve been pretty good, Grampa,” Ron said. “And I know that Father Christmas isn’t real. But Gin doesn’t know so don’t tell her.”

“We’ll keep it our secret,” Grampa Weasley said, nodding seriously.

“Dad!” Arthur Weasley entered the room. “How’ve you been? How’s Ireland?”

“I’ve been doing fine, Arthur. Ireland’s the same as usual.”

“GRAMPA!” 6 other children came running into the room and threw themselves at the elderly man.

“Hello, little Weasleys!” Mr. Weasley the senior cried. “Bill! My, how you’ve grown. You’re 18, are you not? What are you doing now that you’re out of Hogwarts?”

“I got a job at Gringotts,” Bill said. “I’m a curse-breaker.”

“Good, good, what about you Charlie?”

“I’ve gotten an apprenticeship in Romania, working with dragons. I took it after I received my OWL results.”

“An apprenticeship, that’s very good. And how about you Percy? How’s Hogwarts?”

“Hogwarts is fun, Grampa. I chose Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures for my extra subjects.”

“Excellent choices. Fred, George, how are you liking Hogwarts? Have you found any secret passages?”

“We’ve found loads!” George cried.

“Yes, in our first week we found one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy on the second floor.” Fred chimed in.

“An amazing feat. Ginny, how have you been? Are you keeping busy with all your brothers’ away?”

“Yes, I’ve been reading a lot and playing with my dollies.” The 8-year-old said.

“Well, that sounds like fun. Now, how about we open my gifts, eh?”

“YEAH!” the Weasley children yelled.

“All right, then. Everyone gather round.” Grampa Weasley sat in the rocking chair next to the tree and pulled his bag close to him. “Here you are Arthur, Molly,” he said handing them a neatly wrapped parcel. And for Bill. Here you go Charlie. And here’s Percy’s. Fred, George, here are your gifts. And Ron, I think you’re going to like yours. And last, but not least, Ginny.” Grampa Weasley handed out the gifts and sat back as the family tore them open.

“Wow!” he heard Bill yell. “An earring! Thanks, Grampa!”

“It’s a clip-on.” Grampa Weasley said.

“It’s so cool!” Bill clipped it onto his ear.

“How do you like your gift, Ron?” asked Grampa Weasley.

“I don’t know how to play chess.” Ron said.

“Well, how about I teach you?”

“Really?” Ron’s face lit up like he’d been hit with a Cheering Charm. “You’d teach me?”

“Of course. Come on, let’s go to your room.”

“It’s this way!” Ron cried excitedly. “Mum, Dad! Me and Grampa Weasley are going to my room to play chess!”

“All right, Ronnie!”

Ron led Grampa Weasley up a few flights of stairs and to a door that had a sign which read, RONALD’S ROOM.

“I’ve got my own room now that Bill and Charlie have moved out.” Ron said proudly. He opened the door and led the elder Weasley into a room of orange. “Do you like it? The Chudley Cannons are my Quidditch team.”

“They’re a nice team.” Grampa Weasley said. “Now, let’s play chess.” He set up the board and began to explain the pieces and rules. “White always goes first.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, it’s just how chess is played.”

“Oh.”

“These pieces are pawns. Once a pawn has moved, it cannot retreat. To move a pawn, you must go forward. You may move forward twice, if the pawn has not been moved, but after the pawn has moved at least once, it can only move one time.”

Grampa Weasley continued to explain the rules of chess and showed examples with the moving chess pieces. “Want to play?” he asked when he was finished explaining.

“YEAH!” Ron yelled excitedly. “I want to be black.”

“Okay,” Grampa Weasley set up the pieces and ordered his pawn to D4.

Ron moved his pawn to E4 and the game began.

“Check.” Ron declared ordering his knight to H3. Grampa Weasley moved his queen to take Ron’s knight and Ron moved his bishop three spaces to the left. “Checkmate.” Ron declared proudly.

“What?” Grampa Weasley was flabbergasted. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“You, my boy, are a natural. That’s why I gave you this chess set. You keep it. It was my old one. I want you to have it so you can learn strategy. You- Know-Who’s going to come back, Ron. And when he does, you may have to strategize against him.”

“He’s going to come back?” Ron asked, a scared look coming onto his face.

“Yes. He will come back. Harry Potter didn’t defeat him. He merely took away his powers. You learn strategy, my boy. You’re going to need it for the 2nd war.”

“I promise, Grampa. I’ll learn to be the best strategist ever. And I’m going to be the best chess master too.”

“You do that, Ron. And remember what I said. He will come back. And you’ll have to be prepared when he does.”

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A/N: Well that’s the last part of Pre-Hogwarts. I’m sad now. Thank you all so much for your kind reviews. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’m planning on doing one for Harry and Snape, but I’m not sure when they’ll be up. BYE!!

--Review Responses-- --

Jamie N. Potter – I feel stupid now. I mean, who would name their kid Ginerva? Thanks for telling me. I’m glad you like my story.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ALL THE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER!!