Disclaimer: Screw the rules, I´ve got green hair.
Unfortunately, I don´t even own this quote, much less any of the characters mentioned in this story.;)

Author´s note or
Where I Screwed Around With Canon:

Well, this is a scene that could be featured in most of your standard YugiohHP crossovers. As for how they got there, please just choose your own favourite story, or alternatively, bug Lizeth to update. Takes place during sort of the sixth and seventh book mashed together, except that Dumbledore has not been fatally injured. Let´s just pretend that the old chap had been the teensiest bit more careful with that ring, k:)


„Sir?"

Albus Dumbledore turned around, saw nobody and raised an eyebrow, before the voice spoke again.

"Eh, down here, professor…"

The headmaster inclined his head, recognized the small student before him and smiled. "Yuugi! You are still here? I think the last of your Gryffindor classmates are just about to leave the great Hall, and you, of all people should be trying to get some sleep."

The small boy tried to suppress a yawn and failed. It was true. The last few weeks had been rather harrowing for all of them, and he had the distinct suspicion that the only thing that kept him from falling over at this moment was the thin stream of energy flowing out from the puzzle around his neck. Yami protecting and helping him at all times as usual.

Ryou behind him looked just as haggard and Harry had actually nodded off a few times and landed face first in the pumpkin soup while they were still having their meal and were listening to the speeches.

Nevertheless, it was an evening of victory. Lord Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard ever to taint the earth, had fallen at the hands of the Boy Who Lived.

There were no more Horcruxes to raise him again.

The Shadow Magic of the Millenium item holders had prooved to be a most valuable asset and the ancient powers Voldemort had been seeking were in the end used against him.

Now the Great Hall was decorated in the colours of the four houses and framed, lifesized portraits of the students, teachers and members of the Order fallen in the fight hung from the walls in commemoration on this evening, the black cloths behind the teacher´s table reminding everyone that the happiness was streaked through with mourning. There had been laughter and tears all night.

Yuugi yawned again and wobbled slightly, trying to focus himself on what he was trying to say. This was important. He opened his mouth and swayed, seeing from the corner of his eye the transparent hand of Yami reflexively reaching out to steady him at the elbow. It passed right through and the concealed pain in the spirit´s crimson eyes at his inability to be physically there for his Aibou reminded Yuugi sharply why he was even here and staring up at the great silver beard.

"Professor, I´ve been meaning to ask you something…"

"Yes, Yuugi? I´m all ears."

Ryou touched his friend lightly on the shoulder. "Eh, is it all right with you if I go up to the dormitories already? I´m really tired and Bakura is starting to get grouchy…he doesn´t like his body not to be well rested, he says."

The star haired boy sighed. The spirit of the Millenium Ring had gotten a lot more cooperative during their time at this school, (which maybe could have had slightly to do with Dumbledore´s impressive and trusting personality, that had apparently influenced even the Tomb Robber) but Yuugi still didn´t like the fact how Bakura still seemed to claim Ryou´s body as his own and overtook it whenever he wanted.

All the more reason for his request, then. "Do you think you could stay just a little bit longer? I kind of would like you to hear this."

Ryou hesitated, then stared into space as if he was listening to a voice only he could hear and when he winced at what apparently were a few choice swearwords by said voice, Yuugi knew it was okay. If Bakura had truly disagreed, then Ryou would probably be in the Ring already, with his far more sinister counterpart stomping towards the Ravenclaw tower.

Now, with all the attention of his two (four) listeners focused on him, Yuugi started again.

"I have been talking with Hermione about the history of Lord Voldemort."

Dumbledore nodded. "And now you have a question concerning him?"

The petite duelist swallowed. "Kind of. She said he had been a bodyless spirit for eleven years."

"That is correct." Dumbledore´s expression was now unreadable and Yuugi couldn´t tell whether the old wizard already knew into what kind of direction the conversation was heading.

"But he kept sort of alive, because his soul was bound to certain objects."

"Aibou, where are you going with this?" Yami asked through their mind-link, worried because he could feel waves of nervousness and anxiety flooding Yuugi´s half of their soul. The younger boy ignored him, however, and as the pharaoh tried to peer into the thoughts of his partner to find out, he found himself gently but firmly shoved out. Apparently his aibou didn´t want him to know just yet and so Yami was listening apprehensively along with everybody else. Tearing down Yuugi´s mental walls was out of the question, of course.

"Again, yes. But up until now you haven´t asked me your question." The headmaster replied, his eyes now showing honest curiosity.

"Sorry, Sir. I- I am getting to that. Harry later told me that two years ago Voldemort managed…with the assistance of his servant, who sacrificed his arm for it, and the capture of Harry, he managed to…to…"

"Yuugi, this is ridiculous!" Yami had appeared in physical form, as soon as Yuugi´s idea had reached their shared conciousness. Almost instantly he was gone again, however, as Yuugi forced himself back in control. "No it´s not!" he shouted, his voice reaching even the Pharaoh in the puzzle who was just getting to his feet again, "Voldemort´s state was just like yours! And just like him, you can get your body back!"

Shocked silence followed his words, only broken by a soft rustling of bangs as "Ryou´s" hairstyle shifted ever so slightly towards pointyness.

"A…body, you say?" Bakura´s deep tone was hoarse, but excited.

"Yeah." Yuugi tried to glower at the thief. "Just so you know, this is not for your but for Ryou´s sake. I can´t stand to see you taking over his body against his will all the time."

Standing invisible next to him in spirit form, the smaller white haired boy smiled. He could sense his yami´s sudden surge of joy and for some reason that also made him…happy…

Their relationship had really become a lot better during their time at Hogwarts, Bakura even sometimes grudgingly complimenting Ryou when he was excelling at one of his subjects, such as ancient runes and divination in particular.

"This is a very dark branch of magic you´re referring to, Yuugi." Said Dumbledore, his tone serious and lacking the amusement it had held before.

"Y-yes, sir, I kind of had guessed that, but-"

Wide, worried violet once more flashed back into fierce crimson.

"Aibou. Don´t even think about it, this is madness!"

Yami was physically pushed aside roughly and staggered.

"Speak for yourself, Pharaoh. I am very interested, so I want to hear what the little runt has to say."

The surprise of the shove allowed Yuugi to regain control easily.

"No, it isn´t, Yami. Besides, you want it, too, don´t you…" "I…" the spirit hesitated and Yuugi smiled sadly. Try as he might, the Pharaoh had never been able to conceal his emotions from him if Yuugi reached out for the other part of his soul with all his heart. He was living empathy and all of Yami´s defences crumbled to dust when Yuugi really tried.

"I just want to make you happy, Yami…and Ryou, too."

"Aibou…"

There was worry. There was unease because the spirit obviously felt that it was not right to employ this kind of magic. There was guilt, too – did Yami think that he didn´t deserve hisown body because he had already died? Yuugi also sensed a pull of duty and confusion and thought that Yami probably didn´t know in which form he would be able to protect him best…and there was also, in one of the corners of the maze that Yami desperately tried to guard the most – a spark of exitement, a tiny ember of longing and the wish to finally feel again…

"Don´t lie to me."

Yami cursed himself for his weakness and Yuugi spoke again.

"…but, isn´t there a way? I had hoped that there wasn´t real evil magic, more like that its nature depended on the user…that´s how Shadow Magic works, I think…"

The Pharaoh winced. He had never told Yuugi what he had done when he had first emerged from the puzzle…

Shadow Magic was dark. It was dangerous. It was like himself.

But then, would some more dark magic actually make a difference? He could be there for Yuugi, could maybe actually comfort him when he cried….and could go into battle without endangering the body of the one he had sworn to protect.

The thoughts were so tempting.

Dumbledore gave him a long stare. Finally he said: "What do you think of this, Yami?"

The spirit form of the Pharaoh appeared instantly, surprised. Once again, the headmaster´s piercing blue eyes were staring right at him through their half-moon spectacles, as if they could actually see him.

Could they really?, Yami sometimes wondered. He´d very much like to know, but somehow 'How many fingers am I holding up?' didn´t seem like the kind of question you´d ask the old wizard.

"He is reluctant." Yuugi spoke for him. "But I know he really wants to."

"Please, Yami. I would so much like to see you smile…"

"Is that true, Yami?" Dumbledore asked again, not unkindly. The Pharaoh hesitated before slowly giving the tiniest of nods – still not sure whether anything of him was actually seen by the man before him.

"Hey, and what about me? I want my own body, too! Don´t just ignore me!" Bakura had taken a step forward and was glaring.

Dumbledore turned around and looked at the white-haired youth, with an invisble Ryou in the background cringing at the spirit´s rudeness. The headmaster of Hogwarts didn´t say anything, but his stare alone seemed to be enough to show the thief that he had overstepped some kind of line – Bakura dropped back into a less aggressive stance and folded his arms, trying to pretend indifference.

"I mean, this is about me, too, right? I want a say in this." He continued, no less blunt, but his tone suggested a little bit more respect. (Also, his lower lip was strangely protruding, but you wouldn´t call it a 'pout' – not unless you wanted to wake up with a smaller amount of fingers than you went to bed with, at least)

"I was going to ask you too, Bakura." Dumbledore said, his tone neutral but nevertheless managing to make the spirit drop his eyes for a second. "Please tell me your opinion."

"I…would like to have my own body very much." The words seemed to come out through gritted teeth as if the teen absolutely hated having to ask for something – but that alone showed how important the issue was for him.

Dumbledore gave the other boy an equally long stare and didn´t say anything. Finally Yuugi spoke, if only to break the silence.

"Please, sir? I mean, Yami actually offered up even our puzzle, his soul, as a prize when he engaged Voldemort in that Shadow Game trying to win back that locket Horcrux. He was prepared for a fate worse than death to help you!" Yuugi pleaded.

"Of the worthiness of your partner there is no question." Dumbledore replied, "Even if I have my concerns about our other, white-haired friend here…"

"Hey! I stole that snake right from under his nose, you have no right…!"

But the blue eyes were twinkling and hope surged through Yuugi. Maybe…

"We´d do anything!" he tried again and Bakura in the background looked more than eager, but Dumbledore held up a hand.

"It´s not as easy as you´d think. And even if I´m talking about this now, nothing has yet been decided. Apart from needing quite the complicated potion for the procedure itself, there are three very rare ingredients needed for its completion…"

Yuugi swallowed. He had avoided thinking about that part until now and couldn´t help himself but clutch his right wrist protectively.

"No, Aibou." Yami´s voice cut through the mind-link and this time it sounded as hard as diamond, "I admit that you can make me do a lot of things that I otherwise wouldn´t even consider, but there is no way of me ever letting you hurt or cripple yourself for my sake."

He turned his head to glare at Bakura, who he knew could see him and added acidly:

"And the same goes for you, too, Tomb Robber. Don´t even think of getting anywhere near Ryou with a knife, no matter how desperate you are. We are dead and have no right to demand this from the living."

"Dead or not, you still got a broomstick up your arse. Kill-joy." Bakura muttered under his breath, but still wondered whether he would have actually done it. Lately he had felt rather…reluctant to let any harm come to his weaker half…he would be horrified to admit he felt actually protective (that was reserved for moronic heroic Pharaohs), but still…it was close.

Whether or not Dumbledore had followed the full exchange (apart from frowning at Bakura´s rather surprisingly good grasp of offending English) he spoke again after the spirit of the ring had finished.

"I am not sure whether it would work. I shouldn´t tell you this." He sighed. "But then again, if there ever were people who had a reason to know, it would probably be you.

The three ingredients needed are, and I quote, 'The bones of the father, the flesh of the servant and the blood of the enemy'."

"There is absolutely no reason for Tomb robber to look so exited at that last part. I told you, this is madness."

But Yuugi noticed that the voice of the Pharaoh was lacking a lot of its former strength and resolve. He coughed.

"So…is there a way to get these things?"

"That, Yuugi, would be entirely your task. I don´t think I could be of much help. Also, don´t forget that you have yet to convince me to agree to this at all." He said, his tone now once again cool and distant. He faced the two boys once more and his eyes were now positively X-raying them.

"Well?" he prompted.

"…we would use our bodies to protect." A clear voice said, and it was obvious that Yami had once again assumed control. "That is why we were brought into this world. I think even the Spirit of the Ring is starting to realize this now."

"I also have a name, you know?" Bakura interjected testily, but the Pharaoh didn´t let this distract him.

"But there are forces attacking us from all sides, demons and humans hungry for the power of the items. Lord Voldemort was just one of many. And while they are hunting for me, it is often Yuugi who gets hurt, when I…fail." He had obviously been struggling with the last word, but now his speech flowed more easily.

"It is the same for both of us. We are very protective of our partners and just as we are tainted, they are innocent. Therefore, I ask you to help us with this to shield them from harm."

Yami inclined his head slightly and closed his eyes, and as they were opened again, one could see that the spirit of the puzzle had once again withdrawn, never taking the body away from his partner for longer than necessary.

Bakura didn´t say anything, but there was a look in his eyes that suggested agreement.

Dumbledore nodded. "Very well."

---

Half an hour later, Severus Snape cursed his headmaster all the way to hell and back when he was woken up just to be told there were two cauldrons of one of the most complicated potions ever to be prepared.


More to come, please stay tuned and leave me comment what you thought of the idea. I haven´t seen anything like this before, if you have, can you tell me?

If you read, please review, constructive criticism welcome as well:)