Ellie walked into the common room with something NEW and shiny. Well...not so shiny. But NEW.

She sat down on the floor by the fire, putting her chess board and things on the floor in front of her. She was never one for chess. She didn't know how to play, and never had the desire to. But, her grandma sent her the present, and she was going to use it.

She pressed the letter that had come with it flat on the floor. There were instructions in it. Her eyes went from the letter to the board and the little pieces with it as she placed them on the appropriate spot. Gotta love her grandma and the very helpful diagram she had drawn. The pieces wriggled and shouted a little when she held them. But, she figured she wouldn't like it much either if people picked her up by her head. And at least they didn't try and run away. If they even could. Hmm.

Now. To play.