Howdy. Just a quick note, if you read last chapter before the second update notice went up and thought the chapter was a bit average then you weren't alone. Head back and re-read that chapter. I've re-done a whole heap of it so that it reads better.

Sorry about the slow update this week, the reason behind that is I have actually acquired a Beta. Yes you read correctly. I can imagine there are a few people thinking 'about damn time'. Well thanks again to my lovely new Beta Phoenix0192 who has graciously assisted me in bringing my writing back up to speed.

Chapter 26: Half-Way House

Harry pulled himself out of the dark grey fog of sleep and dragged his eyelids open. For a moment he was hit with a wave of disorientation. The world around him was half blur and half clear, showing a small neat room with a dresser and a window looking out over the ocean. Harry wriggled his arms, one of which was completely numb, underneath him and pushed himself into a sitting position.

Sitting still and blinking sleepily Harry reached up to his face and pulled off his glasses. Squinting in an attempt to compensate for their loss Harry managed to figure out that he had fallen asleep on his glasses. One of the lenses was decorated with a spider-web of cracks and both arms were badly bent. Giving a moody sigh, Harry twisted around and felt through his pockets for his wand.

At that moment, memory returned. The sudden wave of crushing despair, mild confusion and sudden worry nearly made him pass out again.

Harry shuddered and focused on finding his wand so that at least he could see while he finished his panic attack. It took Harry several frantic minutes to remember that the Snatchers had taken his wand.

Dropping his glasses onto the bed-spread in front of him Harry took to staring out of the now completely fuzzy window. The door opening behind him somehow didn't surprise Harry at all.

He turned his head and looked over at the blurs coming into the room. As usual Yami was as clear as day. The slender Shade was watching Harry warily, now Harry knew where the confusion and worry he was feeling were coming from. It also explained why he wasn't worried about where Yugi or his friends were. If Yami was here then no one was in danger.

"Harry, you'the little elre awake." Harry turned to look at the brown topped blur which had come in behind Yami.

"Yeah, hey Hermione could you possibly fix my glasses?" He asked. The blurry room was starting to make him dizzy.

"Sure. Reparo." She said firmly and then pressed Harry's glasses into his hands. Harry pushed them onto his face and looked around. Yugi was attempting to climb onto the bed so Harry caught him under the arms and lifted the little elf onto his lap. Yugi hugged him happily. Harry couldn't help but smile in return. This close Harry could tell that Yugi was feeling a little worse for wear, the torture and Harry's exhaustion had hurt him more than he would ever say. Harry focused and sent a little extra strength to the elf.

Yugi looked up at him. "You do not need to do that." He said firmly.

Harry smiled. "I'm feeling better, good as new." He lied. It was hard to tell if Yugi believed him, but the elf settled his head on Harry's chest and closed his eyes. "Although I wish I still had my wand. I'm not sure what I'm going to do without it." Harry mused. He smoothed Yugi's hair gently; the little elf needed a bit of love after what he had been put through.

Hermione blinked. "Oh, sorry I completely forgot." She said and pulled out Harry's holly wand from the pocket she had replaced her own wand into. Holding out the wand and the attached darking to him, Hermione smiled.

Harry grinned in return. Surely things were starting to look up. "Thanks Hermione, but when did you..?"

Hermione looked pleased and glanced over at Ron who was sprawled in the spare chair. "Ron grabbed them after you...well whatever you did."

Harry glanced over at Yami, who had wandered over to the window and was ignoring them all. "Well you see..." He started. Hermione and Ron deserved to know. After all the stuff they had put up with, they should be told what had happened.

Ron snorted. "You don't need to explain mate. Yami and Yugi did that. Kind of messed up don't you think? I mean, actually using Shade magic."

"It is certainly messed up Ron. However what is done is done and from what you have told me there are far more important things to be discussed than the absurdity which occurred yesterday." Yami rumbled turning to look over his shoulder. Ron winced, apparently Yami still made him a little nervous.

Hermione nodded. "'That's true. Harry we haven't had much of a chance to talk here. There are too many people and there's too much of a risk that someone will overhear something. Now that you're awake we can talk though."'

Harry blinked. "Can't people still listen in?"

Ron chuckled. "Yami took care of that. He told everyone if they came upstairs then he'd force feed them to a dragon."

Yami snickered at the startled look on Harry's face.

"Where would you find a dragon?" Harry asked the amused Shade.

Yami arched an eyebrow. "Humans tend to take my threats seriously, no matter how ridiculous." He said by way of explanation.

Yugi giggled. "Harry pay attention." He paused and wriggled around in Harry's lap so that he was facing everyone. Yugi sighed happily and leant back against Harry's chest. "Hermione has something we really think you should hear." Yugi looked over at Hermione and nodded.

Harry shifted so that he was no longer sitting on his legs and looked at his friend. Hermione stared at her hands while she spoke and her voice quavered slightly. "When they took you all down to the cellar they wanted to talk to me." Hermione gave a soft snort. "Well they said they wanted to talk, really they just asked me questions." Hermione swallowed and added softly "... and they used the Cruciatus curse if I didn't answer."

Harry tightened his protective grip on Yugi and Yami gave a low growl. Hermione gave them both faint smiles and went on with her story. "They were very insistent about where we got the Sword of Gryffindor and they wanted to know if we took anything else."

Harry frowned trying to shove aside the vengeful thoughts which were snarling in Yami's voice. "Where is the sword?" he asked, his voice coming out low and dangerous. Harry looked around hoping to see the silver sword propped up in a corner.

Ron winced at Harry's tone. "Still with the Death Eaters. I managed to grab our wands, but I couldn't find the sword. Sorry mate."

Harry shrugged, despite his disappointment, and swallowed the urge to break something. "It's alright, our wands are probably more important at this stage. We've still got Yami to destroy the Horcruxes. Right?" Harry threw a glance at Yami who nodded casually his eyes still fixed on Hermione.

"Hermione is not finished." Yami noted, only the stiffened tone in his voice indicating that he was still fuming.

Harry turned back to Hermione. "Sorry Hermione."

Hermione smiled weakly. "That's okay Harry. Anyway, remember when we arrived Lucius asked Rodolphus how we could have taken the sword from his vault in Gringotts. Well they kept asking how we managed to break in and if Griphook had helped us so I figure there has to be something else in that vault that is important." All this came out in a gush that wasn't at all like Hermione's normally composed self, even her normally bushy hair seemed wilder than usual.

Harry clenched his teeth and could almost feel Yami doing the same thing. While Harry's concern had mainly been for Yugi, who in truth hadn't signed up for this level of danger, Harry had not forgotten that the Death Eaters had tortured Hermione as well - they were going to pay for that.

"I think there are just some other treasures, there must be loads in a vault from a pure-blood family like the Lestranges." Ron noted.

Hermione shook her head, in an exasperated way that suggested this wasn't the first time Ron had raised this point. "No there was definitely something else they were asking about, something that had them both very worried. I mean why would they care if some other treasure had been taken unless there was something else which was so important that they were terrified of us stealing it?"

Harry nodded and bit his lip, he had to know what information Hermione had given the Death Eaters, but he didn't want to offend her. "What did you end up telling them?" He asked Hermione gently, to show he didn't blame her if she had told them anything; after all they had been torturing her.

Hermione levelled her gaze at Harry. "I told them that the sword we had with us was a fake, and that we had just picked it up along the way."

Harry stared at her in amazement; his friends continuously surprised him with their strength. "Wow Hermione that was a great idea."

Hermione blushed happily, but her face tightened again in thought. "Maybe, but it won't take long for them to verify that the sword is real."

A knife blade pressed into Harry's scar and he leant back into his pillow and focused on the wall above Hermione's head. He took a couple of shaky breaths and tried to crush the blind fury which was niggling away at the back of his head. Harry flicked a glance at Yami, but the Shade was watching him with nothing but curiosity in his expression. Harry shook off the feeling and forced his mind back to Gringotts. At Harry's sudden silence Yugi glanced over his shoulder and blinked. "Are you okay Harry?" He asked. Harry hugged Yugi gently in response.

"Yeah just thinking." He puzzled Hermione's story over in his head for a moment more. "I think Hermione's right. I think there is something else important in the Lestrange's vault and the only thing it could possibly be would be the last Horcrux. I mean Vol..." Harry caught himself quickly. "You-Know-Who has given the Death Eaters Horcruxes to look after before."

"Last?" Yami chimed in. "You have only one more to destroy?" Harry blinked; Yami actually seemed worried.

"Well we still have to kill Nagini, but other than that yeah, just the one." Harry said.

Yami nodded slowly. "I had better get moving. I still have a great number of things to do."

Harry nodded and filed that away as something to ask about later. He needed to know how his Shade army was coming along, but for the moment he needed to focus on the Horcruxes. "So if the last Horcrux is in the Lestrange's vault in Gringotts I guess we have to break in and steal it."

Ron snorted. "How are we supposed to do that?" Ron asked. "No one can break into Gringotts." Harry threw a glance at his red-headed friend. He was going to guess that Ron had already pointed this out to Hermione.

"Nothing is impossible." Yami said firmly. "It is something you must do, so find a way to do it."

Yugi grinned. "Pep talks Yami. That's not like you."

The Shade rubbed his cheek. "I think Harry and I may have exchanged more than just our magic." He grumbled. "I am beginning to sound like a human."

"Is that a bad thing?" Ron asked with a grin.

Yami glared at him. "If I am to talk around several Shades to fight for you then yes it is a bad thing. Acting like a human will not endear me to them."

"I hate to tell you this Yami, but acting like a Shade will not endear you to them either." Yugi pointed out.

Yami rolled his eyes. "This is all beside the point." Harry smothered a smile; apparently Yami wasn't too keen on the attention. "A plan is needed to break into this Gringotts place. What will be required?" He asked them.

Hermione shook her head. "I have no idea." She brightened suddenly. "But maybe Griphook could help us. He might even know for certain what is in the Lestrange vault."

Harry nodded. Like all of Hermione's ideas, it was a good one. However he couldn't imagine that the goblin was going to be particularly forthcoming about the contents of the bank vault, particularly when he found out they were going to break into it.

Harry set Yugi on the bed beside him. He wasn't entirely sure about the strength of his legs and didn't want to crush Yugi when he plunged face first into the floor. Harry swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got up, happy that he only swayed slightly. "So let's get moving. Where's Griphook?" Harry asked.

Yugi stood up on the bedspread. "Fleur has him in one of the other rooms. They were going to move him out of here with Dean, Luna and Mr. Olivander, but Hermione and Ron thought you might like to talk to him, so they talked Bill into letting him stay here for a while. Dean, Luna and Mr. Olivander are going somewhere else this afternoon though."

Ron looked startled. "How did you find out about that?"

Yugi examined his hands. "People tend to forget I am there." He said quietly.

"Useful skill." Yami noted, moving past the bed and lifting Yugi up onto his hip. "Not normally something I can get away with." He flashed his teeth in a rarely seen smile.

Yugi gave Yami a faint smile before turning to look at Harry. "Ready?" He asked.

Harry nodded and with Yami leading the way they headed for Griphook's room. As Harry walked he watched Yugi. As soon as Yami had arrived Yugi had automatically gone to the Shade and once again they seemed attached at the hip. It was slightly depressing to think that despite everything Yugi would still chose Yami over him. If he was going to admit it, Harry would say that he was jealous.

Dipping his head to stare firmly at his feet, Harry concentrated instead on thinking about what he could say to convince Griphook to help them.

Yami pushed open the door to the small bedroom and stepped inside. The room was dark, the windows covered with thick curtains. The goblin was seated on the bed and as they squeezed their way into the little room his eyes narrowed. Griphook seemed to have come through the encounter without too many injuries, though he sported a nasty cut over one eye which extended up through his right ear.

Harry was close enough behind Yami to see the look of utter terror flash over Griphook's face at the sight of the Shade's gleaming red eyes. Harry glanced at a calm Yami and wondered if there were any magical races, other than the elves, that weren't affected by the Shade's chilling fear magic.

Yami obviously noticed the goblin's fear and withdrew politely to a nearby corner. In the strange corner of Harry's mind which was now connected to the Shade, Harry could sense that Yami was enjoying himself. Harry wasn't going to begrudge him that. Yami's help was going to be essential soon enough and despite Harry being sure that Yami was entirely with them he didn't really want to annoy Yami.

Harry sat on the chair near the goblin's bed. "Hello Griphook, are you alright?" He asked.

Finally tearing his eyes from Yami and Yugi in their corner, Griphook looked at Harry. "Well enough Harry Potter. Surely you are not here to ask about my physical well being."

A low growl emitted from the shadowy corner at Griphook's harsh tone. The goblin jumped.

Harry glared over his shoulder at Yami, who narrowed his eyes warningly. Yugi however had a smile lingering on his lips. Harry turned back to Griphook. Apparently he had a pair of bullies to back him up in his questioning.

"Griphook, I have a few questions to ask you." Harry told the goblin. He could see the vague shadows of Hermione and Ron standing behind him as well. Harry really hoped that the number of people confronting him wouldn't frighten Griphook too much.

Far from it, the number of people in the room seemed to have steeled him. "Ask Harry Potter." He replied slyly. "But be warned, I may not answer."

Harry held out a hand to stay the move he knew Yami was going to make. "I was wondering if you could give me some advice concerning goblins." Harry asked. He regretted the approach; he was going about this in a very round-about way.

Griphook lifted an eyebrow. "Advice is free."

Harry cleared his throat and decided to just dive straight in. "We want to break into the Lestrange vault in Gringotts, they have something in there which will help us to defeat You-Know-Who." Harry said firmly. However he could see as soon as the first half of the sentence was out of his mouth that Griphook would refuse.

"You think I will help you? It is impossible to steal from a Gringotts vault." Griphook snapped.

Ron shook his head. "It's been done before."

"Yeah, the same day I first met you Griphook, seven years ago." Harry added.

Griphook nearly bared his teeth, only Yami's presence in the corner stopped him. "The protection on that vault was minimal."

Harry opened his mouth to continue his argument. There had to be something that he could say to convince Griphook to help them, because without the goblin's help they would never succeed. Griphook jumped in before Harry could comment. "I will never help you. We have been placed in authority over the treasures that you humans wish to protect. I will not betray my kind" Griphook snarled and turned his face away.

Harry clenched his teeth and leant forward trying to think of something that would change the goblin's mind when a hand settled onto his shoulder. Harry half turned before Yugi was shoved into his arms and Yami moved smoothly past him.

Yugi wriggled around, but before any of them could say anything Yami had picked Griphook up by his ears and shoved him into the wall. Despite Yami's lack of height, he was tall enough that holding the struggling and cursing goblin at eye level still kept Griphook's feet well off the ground. Yami leant forward until he could whisper in the goblins ear. Shadows of Shade and darking detached and wound their way around Griphook who had stopped struggling and was now turning pale.

"What's he saying?" Harry whispered to Yugi.

Yugi shrugged slightly. "I do not know I do not speak Gobbledegook." He replied though he looked very startled.

After a minute Yami dropped Griphook on his feet and stalked back to his corner. He leant casually against the wall and crossed his arms. "Perhaps now you will be a little more cooperative." Yami told Griphook firmly.

The goblin shakily climbed back onto his bed. Yugi slid off Harry's lap and trotted over to Yami who glanced down as Yugi leant into his knees.

Harry blinked, but turned back to Griphook who was still glaring at him. "So will you help us?"

"Your Shade has given me no choice in the matter." Griphook replied sullenly.

Harry sighed. While at least they didn't have to talk Griphook around Yami's threats also meant that they wouldn't have the goblin's willing cooperation. "We are only after one thing in the vault." Harry said. "We won't take anything else and if it isn't there then we'll leave without a problem."

Griphook sneered. "There will be a great many problems Harry Potter. The vault that you wish to enter is one of the deepest and best protected within Gringotts, it will not be easy to reach or to enter." The goblin settled back. "Leave. I need to think about what obstacles stand in your way." Closing his eyes Griphook curling in on himself and turned his back to them all.

Hermione and Ron were already at the door by the time Harry had risen to his feet. Yami was still watching the goblin, his eyes glowing in the dim light. However he pushed away from the wall and followed Harry and the others out of the room, Yugi following at his heels.

Harry closed the door and paused. "Well that didn't quite go as well as expected." He sighed.

Ron shrugged. "He's going to help isn't he? What more did you want mate?"

Harry looked at Yami out of the corner of his eye. "A little more cooperation and a little less intimidation." He said carefully.

Yami flashed white teeth in an unprecedented second grin. "Intimidation is much more entertaining." He noted. "This brings me to a question." He paused considering how to ask. "How did you manage without me?"

Hermione giggled and Ron grinned. Harry tried to resist smiling, but the Shade seemed so genuine that eventually Harry gave in and laughed along with the others. Surprisingly Yami didn't seem bothered.

"What's so funny?" A voice asked. Everyone turned to look at Dean who was standing at the top of the stairs peering around the corner.

Harry shook his head still grinning. "Nothing. What's up?" He asked back.

Dean grinned. "It's just that Luna, Mr. Olivander and I are off and we were wondering if you were up to seeing us off."

Harry smiled. "Yeah." He said, still chuckling faintly. They all trooped downstairs. Mr. Olivander was seated on the living room couch. The old wandmaker was still very pale, but his face broke into a smile as Harry stepped into the room. He didn't even seem to notice Yami, who had once again retreated to a corner of the room. "Harry Potter, I didn't have a chance to thank you before." Harry stepped up to the elderly man and shook his hand.

"Don't mention it Mr. Olivander." He said.

"Hello again Harry." Luna said as she came around the corner, smiling vaguely. "Are you better now?" She asked.

Harry smiled in return. Trust Luna to notice. "Yeah, much better thanks Luna."

"Alright everyone time to go." Bill said. Luna and Hermione hugged each other and Ron and Dean exchanged handshakes. Yugi hurried over to give his goodbyes with Yami trailing in his wake.

As everyone trooped out the door to bid a final goodbye, Harry sunk onto the sofa and rested his head in his hands.

"Are you still tired?" Yami asked quietly. Harry jumped, he had been sure that Yami had left with everyone else.

"No I'm alright." Harry sighed and remembered something he had wanted to ask Yami. "So how close are you to having an actual functioning army?" He asked.

Yami made a face. "I have sent messages to the Shades and I have come up with a method of fighting the Veil Magic." Harry brightened at that, it was certainly good news. Yami continued. "However I am not sure how well it will work, simply because it requires a certain degree of cooperation and that is not something that we Shades are particularly good at."

Harry grinned. "I've noticed." Yami glared at him so Harry hurried on. "So how much longer do you think you'll need because as soon as we've got the cup then we'll be ready?"

Yami shrugged. "I have a plan and hopefully that will mean I will be ready as soon as you are. However to be ready I will need to leave here soon."

Harry nodded slowly. "Well I think we should be alright without you." He glanced at Yami. "Contrary to popular belief we were doing alright before we were caught by the Snatchers."

Yami lifted an eyebrow and Harry got the distinct feeling that Yami didn't believe him.

"If you are sure." Yami said doubtfully.

"I'm sure Yami; we're really going to need the Shades to fight Him." Harry insisted.

Yami eyed him, but didn't seem convinced. Harry made a mental note to have Yugi talk to their Shade.

Everyone came trooping back into the living room and Bill looked at Yami. "I take it that you've finished whatever secret talks you were having." He asked.

Yami smirked. "No, but we have relocated them to the goblin's room."

Bill gave Harry a sharp look. "Alright, I'll tell Fleur." He turned and walked out of the room, glancing back over his shoulder with a worried look.

Ron sighed. "So we're going through with it all?" He asked, looking around at them.

"We don't have a choice Ron. We need to find out if the cup is in that vault." Hermione said firmly.

Yugi nodded. "It is going to involve a lot of planning." He looked up at Yami. "When are you leaving?" Yugi asked softly.

Yami's eyes widened slightly. "What makes you think I am leaving?" He asked. Harry got to his feet hurriedly in order to hide his smile.

Yugi shook his head. "Your army is not ready yet and Harry will need them soon."

Yami sighed and answered reluctantly. "I will leave later, once I am sure that the goblin will cooperate." He narrowed his eyes at the three humans who grinned and mounted the stairs again heading back for Griphook's room.

Halfway up the stair case a blaze of pain went through Harry's scar. With a cry of surprised pain Harry staggered backwards and fell. He hardly noticed though because Voldemort's whereabouts had suddenly snapped into sharp focus.

Harry was standing on the lawns at Hogwarts. He considered entering the school and rousing Severus, but decided against it. Better that this was done alone and out of sight of his Death Eaters. Turning and walking smoothly across the grass, Harry approached the shining white tomb of the last Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Looking down at the smooth alabaster Harry smiled. Lifting his wand he drew it sharply to the right and the heavy stone which rested on the top of the grave shattered. Harry leant backwards slightly and allowed the dust to clear.

Inside lay Dumbledore, his greatest enemy.

Smiling in satisfaction Harry reached into the tomb and took the wand which rested in the old man's hands. Lifting the wand free of the tomb Harry lifted it up to examine it. To think something so unassuming contained so much power. Harry turned...and nearly rolled off Yami's shoulder. "Hold still." The Shade growled. Harry could feel a ripple of well-suppressed worry coming from Yami so he fell still.

Yami carried him back to the small bedroom Harry had woken in that morning and dropped him on the bed. Hermione and Ron had hurried into the room before them and were now watching him in worry. After a moment of trying to steady his breathing Harry noticed that Hermione was carrying Yugi and the elf had his eyes closed. Swallowing a sudden surge of terror Harry tried to stand back up. Yami pushed him down. "Stop. Yugi is alright, you just frightened him." The Shade snapped.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, craning his neck to get a better look at the elf.

Yugi opened his eyes. "Sort of, the vision startled me that is all." Yugi took a shaky breath and reached out to Harry. Hermione hurried over and handed the little elf over. Yugi settled on Harry's lap and rested his head against Harry's chest. Harry hugged Yugi so tightly to him that the all the air was force out of his lungs.

Harry looked down. "How can these visions affect you?" He asked fretfully.

Yugi looked up and gave a shy smile, refusing to meet Harry's eyes. "Well I have been...sort of suppressing the visions...at least I have been trying to." Yugi blushed and ducked his head again. "They make me feel really funny and they do funny things to you as well so I have been filtering them out. It has not worked completely, but it did help a little bit." Yugi said in a rush.

Yami growled softly behind Harry. Harry however caught Yugi's chin and lifted the elf's head up, forcing him to meet Harry's eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked quietly. Harry knew he should have been angry, but he just couldn't make himself mad. He was just worried that Yugi had been hurt by Harry's visions.

Yugi shrugged uncomfortably. "I thought you might get angry 'cause the visions were helping a little bit."

Harry groaned. "Yugi they really could have been helpful."

Yugi's eyes filled with tears. "I was just trying to help." He said in a tiny voice.

Ron coughed slightly. "What did you see?" He asked Harry.

Harry rubbed his head, suddenly noticing that there was a bump and his head was throbbing. "Ouch." He commented.

Yugi immediately looked up and extended a hand to touch Harry's cheek. "You hit your head on the wall before Yami could catch you." Yugi said, his voice still a little thick from suppressing his tears.

The ache eased. Harry hugged Yugi gently. "Thanks and I'm not mad." He said. Yugi smiled faintly. Harry lifted his head and looked at his friends. Hermione had taken the seat and Ron was leaning against the wall next to the dresser Yami was sitting on.

"Vol...You-Know-Who has taken Dumbledore's wand. I don't know why..." Harry didn't even get to finish before Yugi interrupted with a startled "Oh no."

Everyone looked at him. Yugi blushed slightly at the sudden attention, but the tension was shattered by Yami, who snorted. "You do not still think the old humans wand is this Treaty wand do you?"

Yugi glared at Yami sharply. "Yes I do."

Hermione interjected sharply. "Hold on, Treaty wand as in the Hallow wand."

Yugi turned and nodded. "Yes. All of Dumbledore's spells had earth magic in them, but he claimed that he had never even heard of earth magic. He let me look at his wand and I could see that it had been made by elves."

"You can tell?" Ron asked obviously impressed.

Yugi nodded again and wiped the tears out of his eyes. "There are things to look for, but that is beside the point. I think I also know where the other Hallows are."

Yami grunted. "I know about that rock, but what about the cloak?" He asked.

Harry looked between the two of them. Apparently they had had this conversation before.

Yugi sighed and looked back at Harry. His bright eyes were serious. "I think that the Resurrection Stone may have been in the Ring that Dumbledore destroyed last year." Yugi told them."I cannot be sure though because I never had a good look at it."

Hermione frowned. "What about the Invisibility Cloak."

Something went click in Harry's head and he looked down at Yugi in amazement. "You think my cloak is actually the third Hallow?" He asked.

Yugi nodded. "I am absolutely certain of that one. It is definitely elfin made, even Yami can tell and it does everything that the archives said it did. I cannot use magic under it, it can act as a shield against certain spells, it is really old and the spells still have not faded." Yugi finished.

Hermione shook her head. "How did You-Know-Who know that the Elder wand was actually Dumbledore's wand?" Everyone turned to look at Harry.

Harry stared at his hands, remembering the vision. He could easily recall the feelings and ideas which always came with his glimpses into Voldemort's mind. "He's been after the Elder wand all year. A wand so powerful it can defeat any other, because he needed a way to overcome our wand's twin cores. Maybe Mr. Olivander told him about it, maybe he heard it in a story like we did, but he's been searching for it. Somehow along the way he discovered that the wand ended up in Dumbledore's hands."

"How?" Hermione asked quietly. Yami shifted slightly, his eyes watching Harry fiercely.

Harry sat for a minute, thinking it over. "The wand maker Gregorovitch. Grindelwald must have stolen the wand from him. Then when Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald he must have taken Grindelwald's wand and kept it."

"How could You-Know-Who have known that it was the Elder wand?" Ron asked, rubbing his head in confusion.

Yugi answered this time. "Mr. Lovegood said that the Elder wand was easily traced across history. Voldemort must have done just that."

"It makes sense and also provides problems." Yami noted. "If he ever masters this wand his power will be immense." Yami paused and smiled faintly. "At least against humans."

"No." Yugi said, shaking his head firmly. "The wand is elfin and allows the wielder to command the earth magic, but that command is not complete. Anyone with an understanding of the earth magic should be able to control the earth magic above the wand's power. The elves would have ensured that to make sure the wizards never used the wand against us." Yugi turned to Harry. "If you concentrate you will be able to command the wand through the earth magic, even though he holds it. But you must focus. The magic was made for elves to externally control, not humans."

"Can't you do it?" Harry asked.

Yugi shook his head. "You are the only one who can defeat him Harry. We can help you, but you must be the one to face him." Harry swallowed nervously.

"Okay, but if that's true then the most powerful wand in history is still in You-Know-Who's hands." Ron said.

Yami sighed. "A powerful wand will make no difference against the Shades. It fact it will slow him down. There is no way for him to bind the earth magic and Veil magic together. The magic's are too fundamentally different. He will have to choose between using his wand and fighting my Shades with the Veil magic. Either way we will have him."

Yami slid off the dresser, shadows catching and landing him on his feet. "Speaking of which, if you are certain that you can control the goblin I must leave. If I am to assemble this army then I need to get back to it. I need to ensure that we are ready when you have destroyed the last Horcrux."

"We still have to kill Nagini." Harry noted.

"Perhaps." Yami said and turned towards the window. He glanced back over his shoulder and gave them all a surprisingly gentle smile. "Good luck with your plan, call me if you need me."

Then with a swirl of shadows, Yami was gone.

Harry stared at the spot where the Shade had stood a moment before. Questions whizzed through his head. Why hadn't Yugi mentioned that Dumbledore had the Elder wand? If he had they could have gotten to it before Voldemort.

Why had Dumbledore made everything so difficult for them, throwing in the clues for the Hallows had complicated and confused them? Harry still wasn't sure if Dumbledore wanted him to find the Hallows or if he was destined to only know of their presence.

Harry shook his head in an attempt to clear it. A more immediate question leapt forward

How were they going to break into the single most secure building in the whole wizarding world? This was going to take some effort.

Holy guacamole was a long one.