Chapter 9

"Angel, did you have a mother?" the boy asked sitting on a park bench looking at children playing while they're mother looked on, smiling.

"I was human once," said the spirit materializing next to the boy, invisible to any passersby.

The boy took this to mean yes. "Do you remember her? What was she like?" A question, not a demand, unusual for the boy.

"She was weak," the spirit said without emotion.

"Yeah, mine too," the boy said angrily. "She shouldn't have died like that."

"Well have to strong for them," the spirit said gently.

"Yes," the boy said, "Stronger than anyone."

Harry turned around to see this new stranger. He was clad in black leather pants and jacket, a blood red fitted shirt that matched his eyes, and silver chains and buckles everywhere with the exception of a golden upside down pyramid hanging from his neck. But none of his outlandish accessories could even compare to the effect of his hair. Tricolor starhead. Harry stared. How was hair like that even possible?

Malik jumped out of bed, apparently cured of his headache. "The gods must hate me, first the tomb robber now the pharaoh." Malik cast his eyes upward, beseechingly. "Why me?" but got no answer to the age old question.

"So the tomb robber was here. That explains a lot. I felt the Shadow Realm open so I came running."

"What exactly are you doing in Diagonal Alley anyway?" Malik asked.

"That's Diagon alley. And Sugoroku was catching up with an wizard old friend, Mundungus Fletcher." Yami said casually.

"How does your grandfather know a wizard?"

"Apparently Sugoroku's late sister was a witch. And as a gambler, Sugoroku appreciated wizard gold just as much yen. He was always on the lookout for quick, easy money and Mundungus and he became business partners of sorts," Yami said with a slight shrug. "So is Bakura playing a shadow game?"

"We assume so. Although he looked ready to forgo the rules and end it with a knife," Malik said grimly.

"Who's he playing with?" Yami asked.

"His grandmother."

"What did you say?" Yami chocked out.

"Yep, Ryou's maternal grandmother."

"Oh Ra," Yami sighed exasperated. He didn't think the tomb robber would be so rash. The woman must really have upset him. "Well I guess, I should go in after him."

Ginny, who was trying to make her way to the door , found it blocked by Rishid who was in the process of resealing it. She was about to blast her way through, but Hermione stopped her. "We don't know anything about their magic. It's better not to risk anything just yet," she whispered to the younger girl.

"By the way who are they?" Yami said pointing the wizard group.

Isis sighed, "Unwanted, witnesses,"

"Well, first I'll get Bakura. Ra knows what he's doing to that poor woman. Then I'll decide what to do with them."

"You should take Malik with you. Two items are better than one." Isis said

"What do you mean two items?" Yami asked.

"Really pharaoh," Malik said laughing. "I can't believe you left for America and left my clan's most prized treasures in the hands of a profiteering, lecherous old man," he said with a disapproving shake. "Of course Bakura stole the items."

"I'm going to kill him," Yami shouted as he disappeared into the shadows followed by Malik.

Isis smiled at the witches and wizards. "Tea anyone?"

The day was getting worse and worse for Yami. After coming back for America, Yami was hoping for some peace and quiet in Domino City, where he could forget about the darkness that had consumed him, forget about failing his hikari, forget about the near end of the world. But no… Sugoroku insisted that they take a 'family vacation.' Some vacation, so far all Sugoroku had done was catch up with old gambling buddies in England. Then in popped Mundungus Fletcher, blasting in like cheap firecrackers. Although Sugoroku had mentioned wizards in countless stories, he had so many tall tales that it was impossible to tell which ones were true and which were total fabrications. As Yami quickly discovered, the wizarding world was only too real. Although Yugi was enjoying himself tremendously, looking at all the strange creations, Yami was far too exhausted to take anymore surprises. But of course, of course, half way around the world the tomb robber would find a way to disturb his nap.

"Hey Yami, isn't this the graveyard?" Malik asked eyeing the place cautiously.

"All roads lead to the graveyard, Yami said simply. "It would be impossible to find the tomb robber by walking the entire shadow realm. Depending on what type of shadow game they're playing we might be able to sense the energy of someone losing 'life points' or 'soul energy' ," Yami said closing his eyes and letting his mind open. "That way," Yami said point, "Hurry," They ran. Malik really hoped Yami knew where he was going because he couldn't sense anything. Then the shadows parted and they were upon them.

Lady Asceline had lost her regal manor instead she was curled up on the floor sobbing, "No more, no more."

Bakura just laughed. "Oh please, I haven't even gotten to the truly 'evil' stuff."

"Stop this tomb robber," Yami ordered.

"Yeah how low can you go picking on an old woman," Malik supplied.

"She's getting her just deserts. And you know as well as I , a shadow game cannot be stopped once its begun." He went over to the cowering veela. "Come on your turn. Need me to explain the rules again. Think of a memory. Share it with me. First one to have their spirit break represented by these ushebti dolls, loses. We'll see if we can locate the true meaning of evil."

"That's not a fair game," Yami argued. "You have thousand of years worth of memories."

"Ever so righteous my dear pharaoh. But to make you feel better, I will limit myself to memories only from my living life and one choice of host that should about equal her years of memories."

"If we hit him over the head, will the game end?" Malik whispered to Yami.

"I really don't know. It's a reasonable theory but its possible the shadow realm will take both their soulds. I 'm afraid all we can do is watch."

"Come on Madame," Malik cheered. Even though he didn't really like the old veela, he felt that Bakura had gone to far, and there was still a part of him that took great joy in the tomb robber's humiliation. And there was nothing like getting beat by an old woman to take him down a notch. "Come on. You don't even need to summon a bad memory. Just something to shake him up."

Bakura glowred. "No helping."

Weakly Laday Asceline raised her head. She had to fight there was too much at stake. Shakily she wracked her brain for something that would jar this 'dark Ryou'. She summoned the memory and projected it out.

The spirit turned a little gray. One doll cracked and crumbled. "A mother's love. How touching." His tone was sarcastic but he looked a little strained He summoned a second memory from the ancient pat. The woman shook like a leaf and a small crack appeared in one of her ushebti dolls but it remained.

"Wow she might actually win," Malik whispered to Yami, both awed and annoyed.

"I wonder what the stakes are," Yami murmured. He sure hoped Bakura had not been foolhardy enough to stake their lives upon it.

Bakura looked troubled. The memory of monsters consuming the souls of convicted men did not have the shattering effect of the massacre of Kul Elna.. Obviously the old bat was a little more resislient then he expected. What else to use? Well, he had said he would use one other host. Why not…yes… why not the most recent one? The one before Ryou. Bakura found the memory and summoned it. The veela's mouth gaped open in horror. She let out a piercing scream and her two remaining ushebti dolls burst into a cloud of fine dust.

"Over so soon," Bakura laughed. "Well, I guess we found the face for your evil. Now penalty game. Pride goeth before a fall, and you my dear angel are about to fall from grace." As he spoke the veela's glow diminished, her flowing hair thinned and turned brittle, her bones became heavy. The veela had become human. She stared at her hands, turning them slowly. This time she cried out not in terror but in humiliation.

"Oh really woman show some backbone," Bakura scoffed. "You know you've been using your powers for a few underhanded tricks. And I'm the only one allowed to be sneaky in this family."

She stared dumbly at him. Bakura sighed. Really her hand was caught in the cookie jar and she still played the innocent card. "Look, Kosuke was by no means father of the year. But was all Ryou had. And yes, he was itching to cast off his responsibility to his son and run away. The thoughts were there, the desire was there, but he never would have left if you hadn't 'suggested' it."

"No I'm too old for-"

"Shut up! It wouldn't take much to get Kosuke to leave. He wanted to go. He wanted to pretend he never even had a son. But he couldn't . Raged by doubt and fear, he would have stayed if you hadn't pushed him over the edge."

"I only wanted what was best for Ryou," the old woman sobbed.

"And where were you ten years ago? You were blinded by your hatred. You had felt that Kosuke was unworthy of your daughter and you begrudged the child. Am I right?"

"I was foolish," she whispered hanging her head.

"Well it's too late to change the past. Ryou is nearly of age so you have no right to interfere with his life. He is mine and mine alone," Bakura growled. And with that their surroundings began to vanish and they found themselves once again inside the hotel room.

Harry stared as the shadow mages began to reappear. "Lady Asceline?"

"Oh my gosh," Hermione gasped. "Lady Asceline you're...you're."

"Human," Ron whispered in shock.

Lady Asceline refused to meet any of their eyes. Instead she withdrew into herself, looking as small as possible.

"Is the change permanent?" Isis asked.

"Depending," Bakura said thoughtfully, "On how she repents."

Lady Asceline met his eyes briefly, then faltered and looked away.

"Well, that's that. Time to go," Malik said grabbing his suitcase.

"Wait, what about our guests?" Isis asked, looking at the four wizards and witches.

"What about them?" Bakura grumbled. "Tye've expanded their education. Wizard magic isn't the only magic in the world. Give them something to think about."

"We could at least make them fort our faces," Yami suggested. He knew Yugi was sensitive about his idenity. He didn't want vengeful victims, curious cops, or mad scientists banging on his door in the middle of the night. Yami thought the boy a little paranoid but did his best to oblige, usually with a mind crush, much to Yugi's dismay.

"What for? Do you really think we'll see them again?" Bakura asked annoyed. Really the pharaoh was getting more like the shrimp everyday.

"I think we might. No we will see them again," Isis mused. "Our destinies are interwoven."

"All the more reason, for them to remember us," Bakura snapped. The room darkened then brightened and they were gone. Mrs. Weasley rushed through the door followed by Tom and Desiree. Desiree shrieked as she saw her mother huddled in a corner. Timidily she approached, tears streaming down her beautiful face. She eased her mother to her feet and the two slowly made their way out of the room. Harry took one more look at the spot Ryou was at. He didn't know why but he felt a tug at his heart at the thought of not seeing him again. He had felt that Ryou was a kindred soul, not just because he had lost loved ones but because, Harry had a strange feeling they had met before, like they were long lost friends. It was completely ridiculous but he felt it nevertheless. With a heavy sigh he followed the group out the room.

So this was kinda short but hopefully I'll have a new update soon.