Of Wolves and Worgs

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter, nor Yu-Gi-Oh!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No, Berg,"

"Well then you're pretty much outta luck, ain't ya, you Usopp-wannabe?"

"What is that supposed to mean? Is that an insult?"

"To Usopp, yes,"

"Go into the Hall and join your schoolmates, Mr Berg, otherwise I will take points away per second you stay here in front of me!"

"You know what? Kiss my big, fat, a-,"

"Is there something wrong here?"

Brian and Snape turned to see Professor Dumbledore walk up to them. Brian nodded and jerked a thumb to Snape, "He wants Lucien to join in the search, and I told him not without me,".

Snape rolled his eyes, "Headmaster, he is a student and there is a dangerous criminal loose in this castle. I'm only looking out for his welfare!"

The brunette scoffed and shook his head, "Yeah, sure,". Dumbledore looked at them both and cleared his throat, "Brian, why do you wish to join in the search?" he asked quietly. Brian, like Peeves, wouldn't mess with Dumbledore. He sighed loudly, "Lucien follows my orders...if not me, then one of my friends, who are by the way, already in the Hall. Now, I'm capable in both magic and physical means of self-defense. If I'm not allowed to join in the search, the biggest creature who has a great sense of smell by the way, will be unavailable to you...," he explained.

"If he joins the group, he will be putting himself at risk and if Black is in the building, it may give him a hostage," Snape countered in a desperate tone.

"Enough!" Dumbledore raised his hand, silencing them both as he began to ponder the choice that lay before him. Brian shifted slightly while Snape glared at the Gryffindor. Dumbledore closed his eyes and nodded slowly, "You may join, Brian. Please call Lucien here and you may join the search party,".

Snape gawked at him while Brian danced a little jig in his place, "Headmaster...,".

"It may be difficult, Severus, but I'm left with no choice. We do need help in apprehending Black, don't we? Brian, if you'd please," the elderly wizard said in a mild tone. Brian turned and brought his fingers to his mouth, then let out a long, high whistle that echoed through the castle halls.

Seconds later, the Worg came bounding down the nearby flight of stairs and leapt over the railing, landing on the floor in front of them. Snape frowned and waved his hand in front of him, "He may be fast to reply, but he smells rather horrible. Where has this mutt be wadding in?" he asked.

"First off...Professor, don't call him a mutt, he doesn't like it," Brian warned as he climbed onto his growling pet, "Second...I honestly don't know where he's been tonight. I figured the others were out having a fun time, so I let him wander around the castle as long as he didn't tear anything up or knock anything down. Ain't that right, boy?" he asked, scratching the Worg's ear.

Dumbledore couldn't help but smile, "Well I'm sure Mr Filch will appreciate that. Mr Berg, you may begin the 2nd and 3rd floors. If you see anything, send out a signal,". Brian did a two-finger salute as Lucien made his way back to the staircase, "You got it!".

Watching them go, Snape shook his head, "Why did you allow him that filthy mutt?" he asked quietly. Dumbledore chuckled slightly as he patted Snape on the shoulder, "A boy needs a dog, Severus...,"

Snape tried to protest, but decided not to. He shook his head, then scrunched his face in confusion and thought, "What in the world is an Usopp?"

Dumbledore couldn't help but chuckle loudly as he patted Snape again, "I suggest you start reading some material from Japan, Severus...,"

Inside the Great Hall, amongst the hundreds of very squishy sleeping bags, Harry and Yugi stared at the mystic ceiling, wondering the same thing while people whispered it around them.

"How do you think he got in?" one Ravenclaw asked, "I bet he Apparated!"

"Maybe he disguised himself!" a Hufflepuff suggested.

Dean Thomas propped himself on his side, "Maybe he just flew in!".

Hermione growled and looked at the group, "Honestly, are Seto and I the only ones who's read Hogwarts: A History?". Joey rolled over on his side, "Knowing you and rich-boy, probably, Herms...now shut up and go to sleep before I hit ya wit my pillow,"

Ignoring the blonde duelist, Hermione looked at everyone else, "Hogwarts is protected by powerful spells, and is guarded by Dementors! There is no possible way that Sirius Black could've gotten in by diguise or by Apparating! It's impossible for him to enter without being noticed!"

"Hermoine, I'm warning you...shaddup or be prepared to face da pillow,"

Yugi glanced at Yami who was on his stomach next to him, and decided to have a more private conversation on the topic.

/Pharaoh, what's your opinion on this? How do you think he got in?/ he asked worriedly.

/I don't know Yugi...I'm not familiar with all this new magic, remember...the only magic I truly know is Shadow Magic and some of the Oricalchos stones when we battled Dartz, but even though we've been here for a few years, I have to go with Hermione on this one/ Yami replied, eyes locking with Yugi's.

/But he got in without being caught! You don't think he's using.../

Yami shook his head slightly /No...Bakura's Ring would've picked up a new Item. So it's impossible on that front/

As the lights went out, Joey rolled over onto his belly, eyes glancing at his friends and closed his eyes. He was about to doze off when...

"Joey...what do you think on this?"

With a snarl, Joey rolled over and kicked Hermione in the shins, earning a muffled shriek. She sat up and glared at him, rubbing her legs, "What was that for?".

"I warned you to clam up so I can sleep," he said groggily.

"But you said that you'd use a pillow!" she protested, trying to keep her voice lowered, "What happened with that plan?".

"I don't have a pillow to spare,"

-----

As if the news of Sirius Black attacking the Fat Lady didn't make things bad for Harry and Yugi, but because of this new development, McGonagall demanded that either Harry have a teacher overseeing his Quidditch Training sessions, or that he be pulled from the team until Black was caught.

Then, the Gryffindor team found out that their next match wouldn't be against Slytherin, but against Hufflepuff, due to Malfoy's 'injury'. Needless to say, this didn't sit well with Oliver Wood. The rest of the team sat in almost complete silence while Oliver started to rant about how Hufflepuff was no pushover.

"How much you wanna bet he keeps going for at least an hour?" Brian whispered to Joey, leaning over to the side.

Joey grinned, "Three butta-beers and a dozen boosta packs," he whispered back, "That he stops soon," he added quickly. The two replacement Beaters watched as Oliver began to shout at Fred.

"I don't care if Harry caught the Snitch in five minutes the last time we played Hufflepuff, Fred! Cedric Diggory's put together a very strong side this year, and we'll be playing in totally different conditions!" He's an excellent Seeker! I knew this is exactly how you'd all react, we mustn't relax, we mustn't think our opponent is weak and a pushover! We must keep our goals focused, and we must win!" he roared.

Fred looked slightly alarmed, "Alright...alright, Oliver...we'll focus and take Hufflepuff seriously...very seriously,"

The day before the match, things got worse for Harry, Yugi and the others. It all started when Harry, Yugi and Joey were late for Defense Against the Dark Arts class that afternoon. They were kept by Oliver who kept showing up giving them tips and hints on tomorrow's Quidditch match.

Joey grinned as Harry pushed the door open, "Look it'll be fine, Lupin is cool ok? He's nothing like the other freaks we've had and besides, from what I hear, he's a lot better than the mop-top, long-nosed asshole that we know as Professa Snape,"

"Is that so, Mister Wheeler? Well then...how is that?" a cold voice greeted the trio as they entered the classroom. For that set of ten seconds, Joey came very close to unloading his bowels entirely into his boxers. For those of you reading who don't know what 'unloading bowels entirely' mean...it's this.

Shitting your pants to the brim.

"Uh...Professa...look I was...I was just...,"

Snape walked over to him and leaned inward, "You were just causing Gryffindor House to lose points, Mister Wheeler. You three go take your seat," he ordered.

Harry glared at Joey as they made their way to some empty desks, "Nice goin', Joey," he hissed.

As the class continued, not only did the surprise of Snape teaching strike everyone hard, but they discovered that the lesson they were supposed to be doing, was not on his agenda for today. Instead, they were going to study one of the most deadliest creatures in the world.

Werewolves.

This did seem a little advanced for them right now...so some questions were bound to come up...and they did!

"Professor, where's Professor Lupin?" Tea asked, her hand raised.

"He's feeling too ill today to teach, Miss Gardner, now go back to your studies,".

"But where is he? What's wrong with him?" Yugi added quietly.

Snape looked at him and smiled a twisted smile, "It's nothing life-threatening, Motou, now getting back to the subject at hand...," he paused walking to the front of the classroom, "Can anyone tell me what the differences between a true wolf and a werewolf?".

He scanned the room and saw that no one had their hand raised...well except Hermione, who he seemed to consider invisible. Snape shook his head in disgust, "To think a third year class of this subject cannot tell the differences...it's pathetic,"

/I don't like the feel of this, Yami/ Yugi said mentally as Snape went on a rampage of verbal abuse.

/About Professor Lupin? You heard what Snape said, he's ill/ the Pharaoh replied, pretending to look involved with the class as a front.

/But why would Snape look so happy about it? I saw that grin and it gave me the creeps/

/I'll admit, it reminded of Bakura back in my day, but there's nothing to worry about/

/What if he did something to him? Lookit Harry! He's probably thinking the same thing!/ Yugi protested, glancing at his friend who didn't look pleased at all that Snape was in a class that he wasn't needed in.

/Yugi, just calm down and bear through this.../

/I'm trying it's just that.../ Yugi's voice trailed off.

Yami looked at his hikari /Aibou, something wrong?/ he asked, concerned.

The King of Games shifted slightly in his seat /N-no...don't worry about it/.

Before the Pharaoh could ask any further, Yugi shut down his mind-link side just as the class drew to a close. As they were filing out of the room, Yugi looked back at Brian who was gazing at his wrist for some reason.

"Brian, something up?" Yugi asked curiously. Brian's head jerked up and he quickly hid his wrist under his robe, "Naw, I'm fine...,"

The two Kings, so to speak, watched as their friend left the room in a hurry, concerned looks on their faces.

"You get the feeling he's hiding something from us?"

"I wouldn't put it past anyone in our group to hide something, aibou,"

The two of them left the classroom to see Joey and Ron go on about what an ass Snape was to them while Brian walked ahead, looking at the Eye symbol on his wrist.

I wonder...but I need to find Shadi first he thought as he made his way up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower.