the best played game of chess

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 163972

A thought struck me the other day.

At the end of PS/SS, DD awards Ron points for "the best-played game 
of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years".

At first my mind started on a silly tangent with all sorts of 
questions:  How did DD know that it was "the best"?  He wasn't there 
to watch it.  

Quirrelmort would have had to play as well.  We know he got by the 
keys before the chess set, since he was the one who bent the wings, 
and we know what he did to the troll afterwards.  So how did DD know 
that Ron's game was "best"?  Did he count intentions?  Did he 
interview the chess pieces?  

I discounted the silliest question of all:  Didn't DD have to play 
through as well?  I figure that there wouldn't have been time for him 
to do that.  No, I think DD had some sort of "back-door key".  I 
mean, when he set up the mirror he had to get it in there somehow, 
right?  I don't think he dragged it after him whilst singing, dropped 
it down on the Devil's Snare, let it get attacked by keys, set it up 
as a pawn, and risked the troll whacking it.

So I went back to musing about the chess game played by Quirrelmort.  
Was it really inferior to Ron's? Which piece did he set himself up 
as?  How long did it take?

I wasn't going to bore the list with all these questions, but then I 
happened upon one that just might matter:

Who masterminded the game?  Was it Quirrel or LV?  Much has been said 
about Ron's chess abilities coming in handy in the future should 
Harry need someone to plan strategy.

If Quirrel was the chessmaster, then there's nothing to worry about.  
99% of us think Quirrel is dead anyway. (Sends a purple turban over 
to CV.)  Although I can imagine Quirrel arguing with LV about which 
move to make next. <Ginger stops and imagines amusing dialogue>

If LV was behind the game, then Ron has a good match ahead of him.  I 
find this unlikely since LV has a bad track record of "I forgot about 
that".  No, that doesn't make for a good chess player.  Heck, I can't 
remember how half the peices move.  I'd have been clonked in 5 moves.

So what do y'all think?  Was Quirrel the one who got past the chess 
set?  Or was it LV?  Or did they put their heads together (so to 
speak)?

Ginger, who wonders if this is even relevant, but that has never 
stopped her before.