Chapter 4: The Talk

Harry stared at Yami with blank astonishment. The Shade seemed serious as he settled cross-legged on the grass.

"What?" Harry asked, shocked. He had been relying on Yami coming with them. Without the Shade they had limited protection against attacks by Death Eaters or even Ministry wizards. Not to mention Yami's grasp on the earth magic was considerably more developed than Harry's. Added to that was the fact that Yami could apparently sense Horcruxes more specifically than Harry could.

All in all adding up to a whole lot of reasons that Yami should be going with them.

Yami shook his head. "I have thought this over and there is no way that I can accompany you." Yugi was seated next to Harry, staring firmly at the ground. Harry could see Yugi was bracing himself to be accepting of something he obviously didn't like. Yami's eyes flickered over to the tiny elf and his eyebrows knitted in worry.

Hermione shook her head firmly, her knowing expression on. "We can remove the anti-Shade spells everywhere we go, that's no problem. Surely you realise that?"

Yami sighed and tugged his fingers through his hair; a habit he had picked up from Harry. "I realise that you are able to take the spells down, and I am...grateful. However that itself would bring up many other issues. You would take the spells down and leave them down, that would leave many humans open to Shade attacks with no way to defend themselves." All three of them stared at Yami in abject amazement. Even Yugi seemed surprised by Yami's sudden concern for human safety.

Ron laughed. "You can't seriously be worried about humans. You never care about them." Yami shrugged his shoulders, but before he could answer Yugi looked up.

"It is not the other humans, at least not their health that concerns you. It is the Death Eaters." Yugi's voice was quiet. Harry could see Yugi was upset about Yami not coming with them. As far as Harry had been able to determine, the two of them hadn't been separated for long periods since they had been bonded. However Harry knew that it wasn't in Yugi to fight Yami on this decision, as much as he hated it. This wasn't going to be easy for either of them.

Yami nodded in response to Yugi's answer. "If the anti-Shade spells are removed then the Shades will attack more and more humans. As you know our attacks on humans are based mainly on making you frightened, if the other humans become frightened enough they will go to Voldemort for help.
They may not do it directly, but we know that he wants to take over the Ministry and we also know that he can use the Veil magic to protect humans from my people. People will go to him for help if the Shades become too much of a problem."

They all sat in silence for a moment; there was no denying the truth in Yami's words. There was a lot at stake and they wanted Voldemort to keep his weapon against the Shades under wraps as long as possible.

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked. Harry looked up, he hadn't even thought about that.

Yami smiled in the darkness, his red eyes flashing brightly despite the lack of light. "I will make myself useful. You currently have very little with which to fight Voldemort, and fight him you will have to. Even when his Horcruxes are destroyed he will be a formidable enemy. The few humans you have on your side are weak and frightened, they will not do. So while you hunt down the Horcruxes I will create you an army with which to defeat Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

There was another long moment of silence while they all considered that. Harry thought it was a great idea, he was very aware that the few humans he did have on his side were not going to be much of a barrier when Voldemort finally attacked, so having a backup army of other magical beings would be very helpful. Ron piped up. "What is this army going to be made up of?"

Yami smiled again. "Giants, elves and Shades"

Harry frowned. "Three points. One; I thought the giants weren't going to fight with us. Two; I didn't think the elves would either. Three; Shades don't fight together."

Yami shifted his weight around as Yugi padded over and settled in his lap. The elf tucked his face into Yami's shoulder. "I will talk the giants around. The elves will fight; all I have to do it warn them and let them know when to come. As for the Shades if there is anything which can get us to fight together it will be the promise of the destruction of the non-human. I will tell them of the prophecy and you. Voldemort will have the Veil magic, but you will have several very angry and destructive Shades on your side. We will win."

Harry felt a rush of vindictive delight at Yami's words.

"Okay..." Harry started, but Hermione interrupted.

"I really don't think this is a good idea." She said a worried look on her face. "I mean I think the only reason that the Order hasn't been bugging us about what we are doing is because they thought you were coming with us. I mean they may not trust you completely, but they know how strong you are and that you won't let anything happen to us." Hermione bit her lip.

Yami nodded slowly. "I understand, but this is going to be for the best. I can come to you if you desperately need me. I can travel quite quickly if I need to and the darkings will keep us in contact with each other. As for the Order's peace of mind, if you are worried about what they will think then do not tell them. We are telling them almost nothing about what we are doing anyway so let them go on thinking that I am going along with you. If we time our departure right then none of them will realise the difference anyway."

Yugi turned to look at her. "Yami is right, it is for the best."

Harry nodded. It made sense to him. Hermione didn't look convinced, so she put forward another question. "When will you leave?" She asked. Ron turned where he was sitting and looked out into the darkened forest. Harry knew what he was thinking. They had been here a while now. The Order would be looking for them and the area within the anti-Shade spells wasn't all that great, eventually someone would stumble onto them.

Yami tilted his head in the same direction the two of them were looking as he answered. "When you do, as much as I would like to start this as soon as possible I do not want to leave you alone and unprotected here."

Ron turned back suddenly. "So you're alright with leaving us on our own hunting You-Know-Who, but safe at home and you're worried?"

Yami growled softly, he was still staring out into the forest. Harry wondered if someone was coming. "While you are here you are under the power of the Order and your family. While they are more trustworthy than the average human I do not trust them to allow you to leave when you need to."

Yugi nodded firmly. "They are nearly here." He too was watching the forest. "Hermione are we ready to leave?" He asked. Hermione had unconsciously been put in charge of packing the essentials for their upcoming task.

Hermione nodded. "We're all packed and ready to go." She gave a soft nervous laugh. "You're coming with us Yugi, aren't you?"

Yugi smiled. "Of course, someone has to keep an eye on you three." He gave a reluctant smile. "Besides I have to stay with Harry." Harry smiled at him; Yugi still needed the energy that Harry gave him. It wasn't something that could be passed over any distance so they had to stay together. Not that Harry would have let Yugi go with Yami anyway; it would be too dangerous.

Yami pushed his long fringe out of his eyes, "Please add these to whatever you are taking with you." He held out six small perfectly spherical black balls to Hermione.

She took them with a look of confusion. "What are they?"

Yami leant forward, "They are some of the fake Shades which Fred and George have created..."

Ron nodded, leaning forward now to get a good look. "Yeah, now I recognise them. Apparently they're pretty realistic."

Yami chuckled. "They should be; I helped make them." Harry smirked, so that was what the three of them had been muttering about for the past year. Every time they met, the twins and Yami had been talking softly about something. Harry wondered just how realistic these fake Shades were were. "What do we need them for?" Harry asked. While he understood how they could be helpful, joke products were hardly going to win a war.

Yami rolled his eyes. "Use your brain, as far as everyone is concerned I will be travelling with you. However if you run into trouble I am certain that it will be beneficial for it to appear that I am there. Just toss them on the ground hard enough to break the shell or hit them with a stunning spell. They will not produce a fear spell like mine, but that will not matter. Humans are so scared of Shades that they should do all the work for you."

Any further conversation or planning was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Mr Weasley and Bill. Both men had their wands drawn. Bill twisted his wand are in his fingers, his jaw tightening. Yami flexed his shadows and both wizards wands flew into his grasp. He handed both to Yugi for safekeeping.

"We are all who we appear to be. I needed to speak with Harry, Ron and Hermione alone." Yami rose to his feet in a swell of shadows. "They can return with you now." Hoisting Yugi in a more secure seat on his hip Yami padded calmly past the two stunned men. Yugi held out their wands as they walked past and they took them automatically.

Yami paused as he was about to disappear into the darkness under the trees. "Oh and you three please make sure you keep them around you at all times. If they vanish and you cannot find them at all tell Yugi." The two of them faded into the nothing. Harry frowned in confusion for a moment before he realised that Yami was talking about the darkings. As Mr Weasley grabbed Ron by the wrist and dragged him back towards the house Harry checked the darking band around his own wrist.


As Harry was getting dressed the morning of the wedding he thought things over. He was seventeen now, an adult by wizarding law, so after the wedding they could leave whenever they wanted. They would be going without Yami though, who Harry had considered their greatest asset. "You are strong enough to do this without Yami, Harry." Yugi said startling Harry.

Harry turned to the little elf who was sitting on their bed. "Reading minds now Yugi?" He asked smiling slightly.

Yugi smiled back. "I was thinking the same thought last night. It is comforting to have Yami along, but he is right. Having him along would be more trouble than it is worth. I think it is going to be safer this way." Yugi paused, pouting cutely. "That does not mean I like it though."

Harry grinned and looked at himself in the mirror once more; he was in his dress robes and would be taking a Polyjuice potion to disguise him as a Weasley cousin. Yugi would be sticking with Yami and any questions as to the whereabouts of Harry Potter for the day would be redirected to them.

Everyone was relying on the idea that the guests would be too frightened of Yami to actually ask him where Harry was. There was a soft familiar hoot from Ron's wardrobe. Harry looked over at his owl. "Sorry Hedwig, but stay here please." They had all decided that taking an owl along with them would only be dangerous; particularly an owl as recognisable as Hedwig, so she was staying with the Weasley's. Harry sighed at the offended look in Hedwig's round eyes and turned to Yugi. "Right are you ready to go?" He asked.

Yugi slid off the bed and followed at Harry's heels.

They arrived in the kitchen to a very tense situation. Yami v Fleur.

Harry was only surprised that the confrontation hadn't occurred sooner. Fleur was a vision in white; she almost seemed to be glowing. Yami on the other hand was dressed all in black leather and his eyes were doing that non-reflective thing again. Harry stopped at the door; Yugi ran into his leg and squeaked in surprise.

"You will be'ave yourself Shade." Fleur said, chin up and glaring.

"Will I now?" Yami purred back. Harry could see he was almost enjoying himself.

Fleur stamped her foot. "You will not ruin my wedding; you will not attack my guests." She demanded.

Yami gave her a bored look. "Just how are you going to stop me?" He asked.

Fleur looked furious, "I will block you from my wedding if I must." She pronounced gloriously.

Yami smiled. "I really would love to see you try." He replied as his eyes narrowed in warning, though his lips coiled in a smirk. The room darkened as Yami's shadows stretched. Harry made a lightening decision and stepped between the two, this could end very badly. Yugi stayed where he was, looking between the three of them. The other Delacour's had arrived downstairs with Mr and Mrs Wesley. "What's going on here?" Mr Wealsey asked.

Yami chuckled. "Tormenting the locals. By the way your guests are arriving and Bill is about to come down the stairs." It was instant action. Fleur gave a surprised cry and fled through to the other room. Mrs Weasley dashed upstairs to stall Bill and everyone else headed outside to meet the guests. Yami chuckled and looked at Harry. "Are you not supposed to be someone else today?"

Harry looked around; someone was supposed to have the Polyjuice potion ready for him. "Yeah...hold on I thought you could see through the Polyjuice magic?"

"I can, but now that I know what to look for I can see the magic." Yami shrugged and picked up a bottle left sitting on the counter. He opened it and sniffed. "I think this is it."

Yugi hurried over. "Yami you are going to be nice today, you promised?"

Harry took the bottle and downed the foul tasting liquid. While his skin bubbled and morphed Yami replied. "I shall be an angel to everyone except those who ask where Harry Potter is."

Yugi nodded "Good, come on Harry...sorry Barney, you should get out there." Harry grinned. Barney was his disguise name.

"Where are Hermione and Ron?" He asked.

"Right here." Hermione called out from behind him. She and Ron hurried down to the kitchen. "Mrs Weasley wants us to go make sure that everyone finds their seats." Hermione looked very pretty in a lavender dress; Ron looked uncomfortable in his dress robes. Harry tugged on his own, now too tight robes and followed his two friends outside.

OOOOOOOO
OOOOOO
OOOO

Yami padded out into the sunlight, Yugi balanced on his hip. There were more and more humans crossing his boundary spells. He made his way over to a nearby tree and after getting Yugi settled in the branches above his head, settled against the roots. He focused on the people crossing into his territory. So far no Death Eaters or anyone tainted by close contact with them.

"Hello Yami." Yami started and lashed out. The earth magic flared stinging his shadows and Luna blinked calmly down at him.

Yami pulled himself back into form. "Hello Luna." He was going to ignore the fact that she'd snuck up on him.

Luna sat on the grass next to him. She was dressed in yellow, but didn't seem to mind the stains gathering on her clothes. Yugi laughed and climbed out of the tree to greet her.

Yami smiled faintly as Yugi hugged the part-blooded elf-human. "So Luna, you are here for the wedding?" Yami asked with prompting from Yugi.

"Oh yes, we live just over the hill." She motioned off to the left, "Are you going to stay here for the whole wedding?" She asked.

Yami shook his head. Most of the guests had arrived now. Punctuality was expected at this wedding or you wouldn't be let in, and the human repellent spells were the least of their worries. "Yes, I have got the job of frightening people into not asking where Harry is."

Luna smiled. "I expect you'll be very good at that." She commented happily.

Yami chuckled and got to his feet, lifting Yugi up as he did. "I should think so. Coming?" The three of them headed for the pavilions. There was a crush of humans gathering; some seated, others standing in little groups talking. Luna peeled off into the crowd. Yugi bit his lip and kept his face out of Yami's shoulder.

Yami settled in a spindly golden chair which had been set near to where the Weasley side of the wedding were to sit. Yami watched everyone slowly filter in and sit.

As with Dumbledore's funeral he received many nervous or angry looks; particularly from one particularly hideous old human female who had been grumbling angrily at the twins. George looked over at Yami; grinned and made a slashing gesture over his throat. Yugi tapped Yami on the nose. "Uh uh, no way." Yami looked up at the twins and shrugged.

A sudden crescendo of music suddenly assailed Yami's ears. He winced, but Yugi prevented him from covering his ears. The music faded slowly away and the ceremony began. Yami's attention wandered moments into it. He really had little interest in this, though Yugi seemed to be intrigued.

Yami let his mind drift until thunderous applause broke through his daze. Apparently everything was over. People immediately began to mingle.

Yami looked around at the guests; Yugi watched with him the two of them conversing silently on the various people who passed them by. Yami noticed several people giving him nervous glances. He surmised that someone had mentioned that Yami could tell them where Harry was and they were trying to pluck up the courage to ask. Yugi nudged him. /Do you need to scare them?/

Yami gave a mental sigh. /That was the idea behind me being here today./ With that he met their eyes, gave them his most sinister smile and beckoned for them to come closer. All three of them made their way very quickly off in another direction. Yami chuckled.

"Yami." A very soft hiss came from Harry who had just arrived in the chair next to Yami.

Yami didn't turn his head from scanning the crowd. "Yes?"

"Just look scary, I need to think for a bit and people keep talking to me." Harry said leaning back into his chair and closing his eyes. People started to give him very odd looks; after all he was apparently at ease sitting next to the Shade. Yami narrowed his eyes slightly and unleashed a few shadows, tracing paths for the darkings to follow as well. Yugi giggled as Yami's shadows tickled him gently and the area around them cleared in record time. Yugi looked over at Harry and tilted his head in question.

Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his now red hair. "People have been saying things about Dumbledore and...I just don't know what to believe."

Yami grunted. "Believe in what you know, humans are stupid do not listen to any of them."

Harry blinked rapidly at him and then grinned, getting him more frightened looks. "Probably the most useful advice I'll ever get. I'm going to miss you Yami."

"Do not get sentimental, I am not going far." Yami replied, trying not to feel touched by the human's affection.

People were starting to gather at the front of the room. Harry got to his feet. "I'd better go." He hurried over to join the human throng. Yugi stood on his chair to try and get a better look, but didn't make a move to get closer.

A flare of human magic later and everyone went back to mingling now with cake. "Um...excuse me...sorry." Yami turned his head as he realised that the voice was addressing him.

He stared at the wincing young man. "Yes?" Yami asked softly.

"Well...um...you see..." Yami growled softly and the human jumped and blurted out. "I wondered if you could direct me to Harry Potter."

Yami arched an eyebrow, he hadn't actually expected any of the humans to pluck up the courage to actually come and ask him where Harry was.

Yami opened his mouth to reply, when something crossed his boundary spells and the human spells which lined them warped and vanished. Yami leapt to his feet snarling a warning. He stretched out his senses, but there was nothing there yet. It was only a matter of time.

Humans scattered, screaming in fright as his shadows surged around the tent. However the Weasley's and all the Order members turned to him. Yami was their early warning system, if he called danger they were going all action stations.

Yugi gave a start and pointed. Yami could see Harry staring at him, but Yami was focused on trying to identify the spell before it arrived. His boundary spells were humming as a silver Patronus dashed through the crowd and glided smoothly to where it could be seen by all. "The Minister is dead, he is coming; run." The statement was said in the deep calm voice of one of the Order.

Yami moved across the room, he scooped up Yugi and shoved the other humans out of his way. Some humans were apparating away others were running in circles; all were terrified. Yami ignored the sudden influx of energy as he found Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered together, now reaching out to hold hands. They were going to apparate. Yami needed to act fast.

Yami wrapped his shadows around them, hiding them from view by making himself completely visible. "Go, be quick." He handed Yugi over to Harry, sending all his adoration for the little elf down their bond as a goodbye.

Yugi's huge eyes filled with tears. /Be safe. Come back to me./ Yugi's mind-voice was quiet and hopeful.

"I can mask where you go, now go!" Yami yelled at the three humans; sending a mental message back to Yugi at the same time. /Of course. Stay out of trouble./ The darkings shrieked and vanished into pockets.

There was a loud popping, a surge of human magic and Yami's link to Yugi stretched rapidly. Yami swirled around as Death Eaters began to appear. He laughed; none of them were wearing Veil Cloaks. Well now, this would be some fun.


Alrighty then. Now things are going to get interesting. Yami is unfortunately going to take a bit of a back seat through the middle of this story.

He's going to be doing a lot of travelling, so we're just going to have some updates on his progress. They should be fun bits so hopefully you'll forgive me for leaving him out so much.