𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter thirty-one; Where We Go
" Let's see if sticking charms work on stupid teenage boys! "

  SAL DRAGGED HER trunk down the girl's dormitory stairs, each thump echoing in the bustling common room. It was bittersweet, to be bringing her belongings down for the very last time— Salem would miss Hogwarts. She'd miss Hogsmeade and her dorm and her roommates and every laugh by the fire, but seeing James Potter smiling at the bottom of the stairs made her heart a little lighter.

  "Want any help?"

  "I'm a big girl, James," Salem sighed, allowing her trunk to rest beside her. "I can handle it."

  James held up his hands in defense, making Salem smile.

  "So," He sighed, leaning against the sofa, "Gonna take your chess set?"

  Salem's eyes followed the direction James jerked his head, setting her sight on the faded old chessboard. It'd been reset long ago, many more chess games played on it since Salem and James's very first. 

  "I don't think so," She finally responded, "It hasn't moved in seven years— it's found it's home."

  "Or it's stuck to the table," Sirius interrupted, dragging his own trunk down the stairs along with another one which, after seeing Remus following the boy, Salem assumed to be Remus's. "Remember when we used sticking charms on random things in the common room— think that was one of 'em."

  Salem's jaw dwindled.

  "You're joking."

  "Try and pick up this rug," Remus sighed tiredly.

  Salem hesitated, but quickly rounded the sofa to the corner of the ornate rug, shoving her fingers beneath it and attempting to tug it up. 

  It did not move.

  So Salem quickly approached her chess set, glaring at a snickering Sirius, before trying to lift it.

  It did not move.

  "Sirius Black!"

  Sirius's face quickly melted from humor to fear, and quickly a chase ensued. Salem was the cat, Sirius played the part of the mouse, and James and Remus watched with amusement as Salem hopped the sofa to bring the boy down.

  "Let's see if sticking charms work on stupid teenage boys!"

  "You can't do that—what if I can't leave— my skeleton will be stuck to the common room floor forever!"

  "Only if I'm lucky!"

  "Alright, alright," James sighed, approaching the two as Salem reached for her wand, "We've got to get to the boats, children."

  Salem didn't give up so easily, but James just shook his head and wedged his arms between Sirius and Salem, and with a bit of struggle, picked the redhead up.

  "Put me down!"

  "What are you—!"

  Salem halted her thrashing, brushing her unruly hair out of her face to see Lily had been the one to stumble upon the group.

  "They're rubbing off on you."

  The redhead's expression turned to pure annoyance, crossing her arms as James refused to put her feet back on the ground.

  "They are not."

  "Are too," Lily teased with a grin, "Come on, before the boats leave without us."

  Sirius scrambled up from the floor, quickly returning to the safety of Remus as James let Salem down. The girl huffed, pushing her hair back, before grabbing her trunk. Remus informed the group that Dottie and Peter were already waiting for them and that they should hurry, and they filed out rather quickly.

  But as Salem reached the portrait hole, she faltered.

  Once she left, that was it. Never to see this room again.

  "Don't want to leave?"

  Salem turned, smiling gently at James.

  "Not really," She mumbled, letting her eyes dance across the decorations of the common room.

  "You found your home, too, didn't you?"

  "Yeah," Salem nodded, gently grabbing James's hand, "But you're coming with me, so it'll be alright."

  James simply squeezed her hand in response.

⥊

  Dottie Fitzgerald, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and Marlene McKinnon boarded a boat after agreeing they'd meet up at the Hogwarts Express. The next boat that came along housed Sirius Black, Lily Evans, James Potter, and Salem Gerard.

  "Who'd you ride with your first year?"

  "You, Moony—"

  "Not you," Sirius laughed at James, "Gerard."

  "Dottie," Salem attempted to remember, "Um. . . Dorcas, and Alice."

  "Stay friends with them?"

  "You four were lucky," Salem smiled at James, "Not likely that you meet your three best friends for life at age eleven."

  "Well," Lily sighed, "I think you're just as lucky."

  "How so, Lils?"

  "You found your friends for life at age seventeen."

  Sirius grinned at the girl's comment.

  "Well, you're a bit concerted, aren't you?" Salem asked, making both James and Sirius laugh as the boat lurched into motion, "I have, though. Can't imagine a life without you lot anymore."

  James just smiled, scooting closer to the girl and wrapping a gentle arm around her. 

  "We can't imagine one without you either, Sal."

  The rest of the boat ride was relatively silent. Salem's head rested on James's shoulder as they floated across the Black Lake, and none of them had any mind for anything other than the sight behind them.

  Hogwarts was just as beautiful as Salem remembered. The castle alight with candles and starlight, reflecting with dancing details on the dark water. It was simply a building. But the people inside, students and teachers, the traditions and classes, her favorite courtyard and tree, the kind creatures and magical plats— that's what made it home.

  But, then again, home was coming with her, wasn't it?

⥊

"Don't forget to write."

  "I swear," Salem laughed as Lily worried over her, scrawling her address on the already full piece of parchment she held, "And we'll spend time together. Tons."

  Lily smiled, taking a deep breath before hugging Salem tightly. The latter didn't hesitate before returning the embrace. Lily seemed as though she was attempting to keep her tears as bay as she let go and quickly hugged James, who'd been waiting patiently, bidding the couple farewell before disappearing into the bustling crowd of the platform.

  "So," Salem breathed out, turning to James, "Where do we go?"

  "The only way to go," He smiled in response, seeing the familiar doubt lingering in her eyes, "Forward."

  "Really, James. What happens now?"

  James gently brushed her hair back, allowing his hands to rest on either side of Salem's face.

  "You come visit this month," He stated softly, "Meet the parents and all. I'll be taking care of them, so visits might be difficult. But you're welcome over to mine anytime. And we stay together. We write, we call, we cherish the visits. . . and when the time comes, when we're both ready, things will change. We'll move in together. We'll move closer to each other. We will figure it out with time, Salem, and if you need something solid to rely on, rely on this; I love you, and I won't ever stop, and if you need more, I will give because I know that if I need more, you'll give, too."

  Salem melted. She gently moved closer, lifting her arms to wrap around James's middle. And he reciprocated, holding her tightly.

  "I love you, too."

  James smiled, although Salem couldn't see it, she knew it was there.

  "How about we find your mum, huh?" James suggested gently, "You said she's meeting you here?"

  Salem nodded, letting go but lacing her fingers with James's.

  They began to make their way to the wall that would allow them to cross to the muggle side of King's Cross, but before they could disappear through the brick wall, James's eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

  "Oh, Sal!"

  "What?" She grumbled as James tugged her quickly in the opposite direction, "Potter—"

  As they skidded to a halt, Salem realized James had dragged her right to her waiting parents.

  Both of them.

  Elizabeth looked a bit out of her comfort zone, being on the opposite side of the brick wall, but she let this go when she saw her daughter. Roman, on the other hand, was already grinning wildly.

  "Dad?"

  "Sal!"

  "You're both. . . here."

  "Of course we are," Elizabeth smiled, "It's a special day, after all."

  Salem gave James a questioning look. A look that read hesitation. Was it safe? Could she trust that this was a good thing? Should she just stay beside the boy she knew loved her— the one that wouldn't let her hand go until he knew she was ready for this.

  And James smiled, nodding towards the couple.

  It appeared this was all Salem needed, as she quickly approached the two and allowed them to tug her into an embrace. James sat back as the family laughed and chatted amongst themselves, he laughed when Roman wrapped her up in a bear hug, and smiled when Elizabeth gently smoothed down her hair.

  "How was your last year, Sal?"

  Salem smiled at her father, not yet escaping from under his heavy arm as she turned to James Potter.

  He was so beautiful. Just as beautiful as he was when he pondered over her chess set for the first time, and when he gathered up secrets until they were bent and broken, and when he greeted her happily after the first quidditch game she cheered for him, and when he hugged her in the tiny quidditch shed, and when warmth nipped at his cheeks and he told her he'd love her forever.

  But now. He was just a boy. There were no games, no fear, he was just a boy, with messy hair, and the warmest chocolate eyes she'd ever seen, smiling at Salem Gerard who'd re-built her life from the ground up.

  "Better than I could've ever wished for."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
And that was the last chapter
of Checkmate! Thank you all so
much for reading this book, I
never imagined this would get
as much love as it has, and 
I sincerely appreciate all of
you loving Sal just as much as
I! There will be an epilogue,
but there will not be a sequel.
I hope you guys are happy with
the ending, and will be happy
with the epilogue, thank you
guys so much once again, and
with much love, Nic.