"Harry, you play chess, right?" Remus asked, putting his own spoon down.
"Yes."
From the tentative answer Harry was wondering where Remus was going with his question; Sirius was rather wondering that himself.
"Imagine that the chessboard is the wizarding world. On one side of the board is Voldemort." Remus gestured with his wand and a black King piece sprang into being on the dining room table. "On the other, the Leader of the Light, Albus Dumbledore." A white King piece appeared.
Sirius was sure Remus had been a brilliant teacher; Harry was paying attention, his brow lowered in concentration.
"But there are many pieces on a chessboard." A third gesture had the actual board arriving. "Some people in the wizarding world might be important like the knights, rooks, bishops and Queens." Pieces arrived to fill the squares. "The Minister of Magic might be one of those pieces, for instance. And I think you, Harry, would probably be one of the more important pieces. Some of us though might merely be…pawns."
The word impacted with the force of a bludger as the minor chess pieces arrived. Sirius could see Harry's internal flinch as clearly as if he'd done a full body jerk.
"Now what's the first lesson you learned about chess?" Remus asked softly.
A series of emotions ran across Harry's face but he raised his eyes to meet Remus's bravely. "That you may need to sacrifice a piece."
"And you might risk others." Remus gestured until the board transformed into a half-played game. "See, your rook is at risk because you've decided to protect your knight. Now, remember the wizarding world is our board, so Albus is risking his rook, and let's say that's Sirius, because he's decided to protect his knight, let's pretend that's you. Do you think Sirius would argue with that decision?"
Harry darted a look at Sirius. "No?"
"No." Sirius stressed immediately. "In theory, I have no trouble being put at risk if it means that you're safe."
Harry looked as though he wanted to argue the point but Remus jumped back in.
"Only Albus doesn't ask Sirius because Sirius is only a chess piece and Albus has control of his side of the board, even though the decision he's made – that he won't offer Sirius his personal protection so Sirius gets a trial but he will allow Sirius to escape – means Sirius doesn't get his name cleared and remains on the run as a fugitive, and you're still stuck at the Dursleys."
Harry frowned heavily as he absorbed Remus's words.
"But say there was a different move that could have had both pieces safe." Remus made another motion with his wand and the pieces changed to safe positions. "With this move – offering Sirius the personal protection of the Chief Warlock until Sirius can be questioned under veritaserum – Sirius is a free man able to provide you with guardianship and you're free of the Dursleys. However, this move means the whole game is a bit more difficult."
Harry looked over at Sirius, his eyes guarded. "Could he really have put you under his personal protection?"
"He could have," Sirius replied calmly, "but no doubt it would have created difficulties between him and Fudge politically, and potentially that could have ramifications for legislation in front of the Wizengamot or things that Dumbledore needs Fudge to do as Minister." He pointed at Harry's ice-cream and got his godson eating again. "To keep with the chess theme, he was probably thinking several moves ahead with his ultimate endgame in mind when he made the decision not to offer me protection."
"Ron says I need to think ahead more when I play." Harry commented, stirring the slush that his ice-cream had become. "He says that I see a piece in danger and automatically move to save it without thinking about the rest of them."
"So I guess we know which move you would choose if you were controlling the board." Remus continued.
"This one." Harry admitted.
"Of course you would and so would Sirius, and so would I." Remus agreed brightly. "But none of us are in control of the board, we're…"
"A chess piece." Harry said, disgusted.
Remus cleared his throat, a little chagrined. "Ah, well, yes, but I don't mean to imply that in real life Albus considers you or any of us with the same cold objectivity that he would an actual chess piece. He does care about you, Harry; don't forget that in both moves we've talked about he's protecting you. And I'm sure in real life the decisions he makes weigh on him."
Sirius wasn't so sure about that but he appreciated that Remus wanted to reassure Harry that Dumbledore cared about him, especially since Harry believed so few people in his life cared about him.
"However, when Sirius and I got together and talked, we realised that Albus has made quite a few decisions like this one," Remus gestured towards the chessboard which went back to the previous play, "decisions which on the face of it are well-meaning but frustrating for the chess pieces – uh, the people involved."
"And really unfair if he's deciding without asking them what they want." Harry interjected fiercely.
"Exactly. So Sirius being Sirius, or should I say Padfoot, decided to mutiny and take over the whole game." Remus made a gesture at the chess piece and the rook changed into a small dog which began running around the chessboard barking at the other pieces forcing them to move back to the preferred play.
Harry gave another small laugh at its antics. Sirius was glad Remus had found a way to lighten the mood.
Remus gave it another moment and then had the dog change back. "And now we're deciding the moves rather than Albus."
There was silence and Sirius could almost see the wheels in Harry's head turning as he took on board everything they'd said.
"So what do you think?" Sirius asked impatiently.
"I think I hate chess." Harry wrinkled his nose as Sirius gave an appreciative bark of laughter. "But I think I see what you mean. I mean, I think the Headmaster could still help with the Voldemort thing but I can understand wanting to make your own decisions."
Sirius breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Talking of which," Harry said slyly, "I know you don't want me to be involved – and I understand that," he said hurriedly, "it's just…"
"You're not sure Voldemort will leave you alone." Remus finished.
"I asked the Headmaster why Voldemort was so interested in me after first year." Harry licked his spoon. "He said he'd tell me when I was older. Maybe I should ask him again."
Sirius hummed caught between wanting to keep Harry out of it and yet unwilling to outright lie to his godson. He capitulated to the need for honesty. "We think there's a prophecy involved but you and I will need to investigate with the Department of Mysteries."
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