Ch.1 - Birds & Apparition
Dissociative Magics
Birds & Apparation
Ghost ReaperandWinter Cherries
Originally by: FeatheredMask
Edited Version of Original: 4/1/18
1st Edit: 4/15/18
Note: In this version of the story Ryou knows what a Shadow Mage is, has the ability to wield the shadows (making him a Shadow Mage like Bakura & Marik) and has vague knowledge of the wizarding world (due to the Ishtars). Also any and all Shadow Mages can see any of the spirits when they materialize in translucent/out-of-body form.
Koe - Ryou's name for Akefia (Yami Bakura) meaning voice
Yadonushi - Bakura's nickname for Ryou meaning landlord
"Dark Sorcerer Marik attacks the goblin, it—"
The annoying tap tap tapping of something banging against the window distracted Ryou and he trailed off, turning to stare at the petty barn owl banging on their window while Bakura seethed at the interruption in the back of his mind.
"Hey Marik could you?" He gestured towards the window with a shooing motion. Marik nodded and scrambled away from Monster World and towards the window to scare it away.
"Shoo! Shoo you little vermin!" He exclaimed, very mindful of Ryou's fear of animals only to notice the letter tied to the small bird's leg. He gasped in surprise and opened the window, nearly strangling the poor thing as he tried to wrangle it inside. Ryou let out a girlish shriek as it flew around the room, landing in front of him on the castle's tallest spire. The owl let out a curious hoot and stuck its' leg out for him to take the letter.
"M-Marik! Get that thing away from me!" He squealed, stumbling out of his seat as Bakura materialized, mumbling bitterly under his breath as he (unsuccessfully) tried to scare the animal away from his host.
Marik sighed but rushed over, untying the letter, swearing in multiple languages as the bird tried to peck out his eyes before tossing it back out the window. He eyed the letter in distrust but nevertheless tossed it to his still shaking friend.
"Aw come on Ry, I thought you were getting better with animals, it was only a tiny bird,"
"O-only a tiny bird!" He cried, mindlessly tearing into the letter. "That 'tiny bird' tried to peck your eyes out! And anyways, who even sends letters by owls anymore, it's so unsanitary!"
"Oh, what's…?" The letter was not what he was expecting.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and WIzardry
Headmaster: Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Bakura,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no longer than July 31st.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
Bakura stared at the letter. "What's this?"
Marik glared at it in a mix of amusement and disgust.
"It's Ryou's acceptance letter. He was supposed to get one on his eleventh birthday from a Japanese wizarding school," He paused for a moment. "Actual it's odd that Hogwarts of all places sent him one five years too late,"
"You make it sound like that's a bad thing,"
"Those wizards," He spat the term like a slur. "Never really accepted our magic, they despised it, distancing themselves from the Ishtar clan until the term 'Shadow Mage' was nothing more than a fairy tale,"
Bakura hmmed as if it made perfect sense but Ryou wasn't so sure. "So, you mean to tell me I've got other magic besides the powers of the shadows?"
Marik shook his head. "Probably not, after all you did own the ring before you were eleven right? Even if not you still would have had the potential to wield the shadows being half a reincarnated soul and all,"
"Then why would he even be invited to a magic school, as far I was aware, shadow magic's been untraceable since before Egypt," Bakura said, asking the questions while his host recovered from the shock of being so close to an animal.
"You're not wrong, maybe the wizards thought your attacks on Ryou's old classmates were bursts of accidental magic? I'm not sure but Ishizu probably knows,"
He grinned suddenly, staring at Ryou with a smile. "Actually Ishizu accepted a 'job' offer from the school, they wanted to 'repair broken relations' or something dumb like that so I'll be going as well. Just think of all the fun we'll have!"
It was then that Marik noticed that he wasn't even listening.
"Ryou," He said, snapping his fingers in front of his (mostly) dazed friend. "I'm going to get Ishizu, call your dad and tell him you're going to a boarding school in Europe,"
And then disappeared into the shadows.
Mechanically Ryou picked up the phone and dialed his father. He waited barely one ring before the man picked up.
"Mr. Bakura speaking,"
"Hello Father," He greeted. "It's Ryou,"
"What is it Ryou, I'm in supposed to be in a meeting right now,"
The half-truth slid out of his mouth with hardly any thought. "A friend of mine is going to a boarding school and invited me to come along, even offered to pay the tuition. Can I go?"
He could hear his Father sighed distractedly through the phone. "Sure, fine, do whatever. I have to go now,"
"Thanks Father lo-"
There was the long ringing of the disconnect tone.
"-vo you,"
He sighed, closing his eyes and resting his head on the shelf behind him.
"You know," Bakura sneered, crossing his legs as he floated in front of him. "You shouldn't let your stranger of a father walk all over you like that right?"
He was about to respond with a witty remake when the room suddenly chilled and the Ishtars stepped out. He turned to the with a tired smile.
"We're going to magic school,"
Lupin apparated in an alleyway, appearing behind a dumpster. A cat shrieked at his sudden arrival, scrambling away from where he'd nearly landed on its' poor tail. He pointed his wand at his throat and muttered a spell. Stepping out of the alleyway he was pleased to find that he could understand all the surrounding signs, the Japanese reading as easily to him as if it were his first language.
Making his way through the streets, Lupin noticed that most of the people giving him odd looks wore ridiculous outfits as well making him wonder what was so wrong about his. He figured he'd have fit in better with his wizards robes rather than the antique hand me down muggle suit.
He made his way up to an apartment and stopped at the room number 412 -mindful to clear his throat and quickly run through any and all introductory speeches- before raising a hand to knock, only to stop when he heard the loud voices shouting from inside.
"Marik! Give it back!"
"Never! The card is mine!"
A small grin wiggled its' way onto Lupin's face. It reminded him of his days at Hogwarts with the Marauders. Shaking away the memories of sunny, fun-filled days full of endless pranks and days long gone, he knocked. Immediately, the squabbling ceased and he could faintly hear someone apologizing repeatedly. There were a few clicks and some other unlockish sounds and the door swung open, revealing a pale, gangly boy with a long shock of pure white hair. Lupin looked beyond him to see a mischievous looking Egyptian boy smiling sheepishly at a woman of the same nationality. The woman noticed his staring and he looked away with an awkward throat clearing.
"Ah, hello. You must be the wizard escorting Ryou," She greeted warmly, taking the door from the boys and beckoning the Professor inside.
"Yes, the Headmaster, Dumbledore sent me," He responded in kind, coming in and sneaking a furtive glance around the room. Small place full of games and nick-nacks.
"Ishizu Ishtar," She gestured to the Egyptian boy. "This is my brother Marik and-" She nodded to the albino. "-this is Ryou Bakura,"
"I'm assume you're of the infamous Ishtar clan?"
"The leaders actually," Marik blurted, narrowing his eyes at the negative connotation.
Lupin refrained from frowning and tried to backpedal.
"Well then, it's an honor to meet you," He said, trying to regain favor and erase the look of disdain from the older sibling's eyes (and not to mention the younger's disgust).
"Oh don't butter him up it's bad for his ego," Ishizu waved, eyes flickering down to her brother with an amused look. "Might you also, perhaps be a teacher at this 'Hogwarts' as well Mr. Lupin?"
Lupin tried not to fidget under the intensity of her 'neutral' stare. "I was, the Defense Against the Dark Arts position seemed to be cursed I suppose, not one teacher had ever lasted for more than a year in there, including me,"
"Well then," She turned to his new charge. "Ryou are you all ready to go?"
The boy nodded vigorously with a hesitant look on his face, clutching a small backpack to his chest. "Promise you'll bring the rest of my stuff with you when you go to Hogwarts?"
The Egyptian boy, Marik laughed, giving his mousy looking friend a pat on the back. "Of course, we wouldn't want you to lose anything important now would we?"
"Oh," The albino squeakily moaned. Lupin held out his arm and the boy clutched it desperately. "Just remember to lock up, please Ishizu,"
He looked almost desperate.
"See you at Hogwarts!" Marik cried cheerily, pointedly ignoring his friend's fearful look and continued bouncing on his heels beside his sister.
"Right then," Lupin said, still somewhat disturbed by the cruel behavior of the two Egyptians. "Remember Ryou, don't let go,"
One feeling of being pushed through a tube later, they stood in London, across the street from a row of adjacent buildings. Lupin breathed in the familiar night air of England, feeling as though it filled him with energy and peace. There was the sound of labored breathing to his right and with a start, he realized Ryou had fallen to his knees.
Lupin helped the boy up. He thought he looked sickly, but passed it off as a side effect of first-time side-along apparition. They walked across the street, Ryou stumbling along, having to be supported by the weary professor.
"Here," He said, handling the dazed boy a piece of paper. It read The Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12 Grimmauld Place in loopy cursive. "Read this and then concentrate on alley between number eleven and thirteen,"
He noticed Ryou's confused face but just chalked it up to being the sudden appearance of the house, pulling the sluggish boy behind him as he approached the door. Immediately the two were rushed inside by a flustered redhead.
"I'm fine, Molly. I wasn't attacked by Death Eaters or anything. However, I think Ryou should be the one getting fussed over; he looks a bit rattled from the apparition,"
"Alright then. Come along, dearie." The stout woman motioned for Ryou to follow and hurried him up the stairs. "Let me show you to your room." Mrs. Weasley went on to talk about the house and what a dreadful state it was in.
Lupin shrugged off his coat and headed to the dining room, playing with the thought of how Sirius would react when he told him the kid had white hair. He skirted around the troll's foot umbrella stand Tonks seemed so fond of knocking over-
The place shook as something heavy fell on the stairs and the dratted portrait woke up. The house shook even more when everyone in the house rushed to shut up the noisy lady. Lupin ran over as well, not caring that he knocked over the umbrella stand as he did so. When the stairs and portrait came into view, his breath caught in his throat.
He bypassed the painting screaming obscenities at him, more focused on the unconscious body on the steps. His hand went to the wrist, and he exhaled in relief when he felt a pulse. He waited until the curtains once more quieted the portrait, and the other Order members noticed the unconscious boy.
"Who's the kid?" Sirius popped the question.
Lupin cast the counter spell for the translation charm, and sighed, relieved to find English rushing back to his fill his thoughts. "Ryou Bakura, the new student Dumbledore sent me to get."
This work originally belonged to FeatheredMask who was kind enough to lend it to me.
- Ghost ReaperandWinter Cherries