Hatley High

The story unfolds in contemporary times around a school year in a small town where magic, science, and personal history intersect. Tommy navigates high school, romance, and a growing reputation as a chess prodigy, while his father pursues cosmology alongside the town’s mystic leanings. The blend of real-world everyday life with extraordinary events places the action squarely in the modern era.

North Hatley is a quiet lakeside town that becomes the home of Tommy and his father after Melanie's death. The town is saturated with Melanie’s legend, visible in photographs and trophies that line local spaces. Hatley High, the local school, is home to the Knights chess team and anchors the community's intellectual heartbeat amid its rivalries.

🔮 Magic vs Science

The narrative layers magical moments with scientific inquiry, challenging the idea that the world is only explainable in clockwork terms. Tommy’s feats feel like windows into deeper patterns that science struggles to quantify. Herman’s cosmology work and Lorne Granger’s discussions push toward an openness to mysteries beyond strict rationalism. The tension between belief and evidence becomes a guiding thread of the story.

🏠 Identity & Belonging

Tommy and his father must redefine themselves in a town haunted by Melanie’s legend. The community’s memory of Melanie provides both inspiration and pressure to measure up to a past standard. Friendships, romance, and rivalries test what it means to belong, especially for someone stepping into a legacy that isn’t purely their own.

♟️ Chess & Strategy

Chess serves as a language for ambition, trust, and resilience. The Knights’ legacy is tested by an underground club, a high-stakes match against a Russian team, and Tommy’s unconventional approach. Every move reveals character, from Shaun’s need to prove genius to Tommy’s calm, strategic thinking that blends magic with mathematics.