There was a brief moment--a split second--after the Sorting Hat had announced, �Griffindor!� that I wondered. I wondered if it had made a mistake, or whether it had chosen wisely after all. Had it put me in Gryffindor because all my brothers had been in it? And Mum and Dad too?

But now I understand why. Now I understand it had not been a mistake.

Life-size chess pieces lie broken at my feet, scattered around the board like corpses. I�ve never really seen death--other than those of the various pets our family has owned over the years--but I can almost see it now. It�s here, creeping closer, and I think even Harry can sense it. He looks at me, with his eyes coming out of his head, waiting for me to give my next orders, but I think he knows. I think he knows what�s about to happen.

�We�re nearly there,� I mutter, more to reassure myself than him or even Hermione, who�s been standing behind me, still and silent all this time. �Let me think...Let me think...�

The queen pivots around, her face blank and unfeeling. As her stare burns into me, I know what has to happen. I know what I have to do.

�Yes... it�s the only way... I�ve got to be taken...�

Hermione�s head snaps up; she nearly leaps from her square, until my eyes plead with her to stay put so she�s out of danger.

�No!!!�

But they can see what I see, I know they can. Why are they fighting me on this?

�That�s chess! You�ve got to make some sacrifices!�

I catch the look of panic that Hermione throws Harry�s way, but I choose to ignore it and press on--as matter-of-factly as I can, because I know I must be practical now.

�I take one step forward and she�ll take me,� I say. �That leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry.�

�But-�

I cut him off quickly, before I lose my nerve.

�Do you want to stop Snape or not??�

Hermione�s voice cracks noticeably when she protests. �Ron-�

I ignore her. I have to.

�Look, if you don�t hurry up, he�ll already have the Stone!�

I can see the conflict playing out on Harry�s face. He knows I�m right. This is no time to be holding back or to be having second thoughts. Everyone�s got a duty, and this is mine.

I�m not afraid. Not really. This isn�t fear I�m feeling, more like... regret. Regret that the last meal I had was braised duck--I hate duck. Regret that I skipped the treacle tarts at dessert because we had to sneak out of dinner early. Regret that I hadn�t fed Scabbers before I left or that I hadn�t owled home in four days or that I had snapped at Hermione at breakfast because I had been so irritable about our exams.

Funny the things that run through your mind when you think you�re about to die.

I�m only twelve, but it feels as if I�ve already lived a hundred lifetimes to get to this moment. I turn beside me to Harry, who looks as if he�s fighting every urge inside him to stop me from doing this. I�m grateful for it, but I know what I have to do, and I do this willingly.

�Ready?� I say.

Harry nods, but only slightly so, and Hermione looks as if she is ready to burst into tears at any moment now. I take a deep breath and fix my eyes ahead so I don�t see the looks on their faces.

�Here I go... Now don�t hang around once you�ve won...�

I take a step forward, watching the queen intently. She doesn�t move straight away--or maybe she did, but I�d just lost all sense of time--and for a second, I actually think she might spare me. But before I can breathe a sigh of relief, I see a blur of movement, and feel the heavy blow of her arm to my head, knocking me hard to the cold, unforgiving marble. The shock of it all is too much for my brain to process, and I feel it shut down almost immediately.

As blackness falls on me, I think, I did it. I protected my best friend.

I�ve earned that spot in Gryffindor.