Chess Game and Magic

During the party, Professor Flitwick pulled out a set of Wizard's Chess and challenged Professor Burbage to a game. Professor Burbage's chess pieces were quite vocal throughout the match. As Anthony watched, he couldn't help but agree with a pawn's suggestion, thinking that if Professor Burbage really ordered it to C5, Flitwick would certainly capture it.

"Listen, Listen!" the pawn proclaimed.

Anthony's comment drew him into the battle between the black and white pieces. By the end, the victorious chessmen practically ordered Anthony to take over the game. Professor Burbage graciously gave up her seat, leaving the chatty spectator to face the smiling Professor Flitwick.

They played for a while, but Anthony, in a moment of carelessness, missed a chance to checkmate the opponent's king, allowing Black to secure a stalemate. He shrugged at the irate chess piece, saying, "Nothing to be done."

Professor McGonagall, observing the match, echoed his sentiment: "Stalemate." She promptly took Anthony's place, saying, "My turn, Filius."

"Very well, Minerva," Flitwick grumbled, resetting the pieces. "But you know I can't beat you."

Anthony asked Professor Sprout, "Is Minerva a good player?"

Professor Sprout offered a knowing smile: "Very."

Anthony then witnessed a decisive victory. White, initially disadvantaged, rallied and ultimately triumphed, earning praise from the chessmen as a skilled commander.

Professor McGonagall inquired, "Anyone else?"

"Not against you playing White," Professor Sprout replied.

McGonagall flipped the board, a hopeful glint in her eye. The once-proud White pieces deflated, looking helplessly at the professors circled around the board.

"Alright, alright," Professor Sprout said, taking the seat opposite McGonagall. The White pieces groaned audibly.

Anthony also played against McGonagall, enduring a headache-inducing match with the chatty White pieces. Professor Burbage heckled from the sidelines, sometimes agreeing with the bishop, sometimes the knight, but her tone made it clear she wasn't genuinely invested in their opinions.

"Where did you find this Wizard's Chess set?" Professor Sprout asked Flitwick quietly.

Flitwick took a sip of his drink and nodded towards a corner: "Over there, by Quirinus."

After McGonagall's three consecutive wins, no one wanted to play as White.

When someone mentioned that Trelawney and Professor Quirrell had yet to play, Trelawney suddenly became engrossed in Hagrid's rock cakes, believing the distribution of raisins held universal truths.

Professor Quirrell insisted he preferred to watch and declined all invitations with such nervousness and awkwardness that no one had the heart to press him further.

After McGonagall left the chessboard, the back-and-forth resumed. Flitwick challenged Anthony again, and this time Anthony won as Black. He then yielded to Professor Sprout when Flitwick requested a rematch.

Their game was relaxed. They casually moved pieces while snacking, ignoring the chessmen's protests. The pieces moved reluctantly, and when captured, simply lay down instead of being dramatically taken. McGonagall and Flitwick watched, shaking their heads.

Just as class was about to start, Anthony finally managed to step away from the Wizard's Chess game. As he wished everyone a good time – particularly the battling black and white pieces – he was surprised to see Professor Quirrell gesturing to him.

Anthony pointed to himself in question. Quirrell nodded, offering a nervous smile and then indicating the chess game, as if presenting it as a gift to Anthony.

Anthony left, thoroughly puzzled.

To prepare for the upcoming field trip, the class focused on gauging students' preferences and finalizing group arrangements. The lesson also shifted to cover the intricacies of ticket purchasing.

While Anthony would be handling the tickets this time, he hoped the students would learn the process for future trips with family and friends to Muggle events. This way, they could make reservations, pay, buy tickets, and check in themselves, rather than resorting to magic and leaving a flustered ticket clerk to face their supervisor's wrath.

Cedric signed up for the zoo trip and, alongside Roger Davis, was the only student in the class selected for that destination.

One of the unlucky students, looking enviously at his assigned destination, asked Cedric, "Would you trade for five Galleons?"

"Hey, hey!" Anthony intervened before Cedric could respond. "No swapping. And I remember your name, Roberts."

Roberts sheepishly withdrew his hand from his pocket. "Yes, Professor."

Cedric gave a regretful shrug and smiled at Anthony. "I'm not selling my luck just yet."

"Wise choice," Anthony replied.

...

After clarifying the stark differences between British Muggle currency and the wizarding world's financial system, Anthony began to explain the various discount options available to them.

In his research, Anthony discovered, to his surprise, that Hogwarts was actually officially registered ("Scottish Academy of Magical Arts (Special Vocational School)" "Unknown date of establishment" "Unknown location" "Unknown number of students"). This meant, theoretically, all Hogwarts students had government-recognized student status.

Anthony and the students discussed the advantages of being students, but also warned that saving 20 to 50 percent might entail spending much more time explaining their school to every ticket vendor.

During a call to the zoo, Anthony was nearly mistaken for a circus ringleader looking to introduce his future performers to potential animal partners. The zoo representative politely informed him that they did not endorse animal performances. Anthony had to clarify that they were from a magic school, where they mainly learned card tricks, tightrope walking, and crystal ball juggling.

"What? Muggles have schools that teach how to make money with card tricks?" a student asked, intrigued, his fingers twitching in excitement.

Anthony made a mental note to discuss the dangers of gambling in his next lecture and assured the student it wasn't quite as glamorous as it sounded.

In a way, those schools taught Muggles to pretend they had magic, just as he was now teaching them to pretend they didn't.

Another student sighed wistfully, "I should've gone to a school like that. I'd ace all my subjects."

Anthony paused, then admitted there might be some truth to her statement.

"But not necessarily," he countered. "Try this."

He performed a simple magic trick (the only one he knew), producing a jellybean seemingly from thin air. It was a trick his grandfather used to play on him.

After he pretended to pluck the jellybean from Cedric's ear, the boy frantically scratched at it while his deskmate searched his other ear for another hidden treat.

No one could figure out how he did it – according to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, he shouldn't be able to conjure food.