An Author's note: When I set down to write this story I never really expected it to center around Bakura and his yami (even though I really like both of them), but somehow I think the story had managed to edge that direction.

Just goes to show that some stories really do have minds of their own. Scary huh?

Chapter 26

The Past

A few hours later the wizards now knew just about every detail about the Millennium items…at least they knew as much as Yami and Yugi knew. Yami Bakura really did not pay much attention to the proceedings; he was too busy making sure Bakura had not slipped into a coma or something like that.

Once the duelists where finished talking the wizards still looked slightly bamboozled.

Finally, Snape snorted "This is the most ridiculous story I have ever heard. Shadow Magic? There can be no such thing. Magic is either Dark or Light, it that simple. Besides that, there is no other kind of magic that we wizards do not know about."

"Oh yes, you high and mighty wizards know everything." Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. "You don't even know the Elder Breed."

"The elder what?" Sirius asked.

"See what I mean." Yami Bakura smirked.

"I don't even know what those are..." Yami shook his incorporeal head.

"Well, you are nobility. Of course you would not know." Yami Bakura said smugly.

Yami gritted his teeth, but did not rise to the bait.

Yami Bakura growled and walked over to the bed and said "Believe what you will, fools. I need to check on Bakura!" With that the moody spirit vanished.

"…what a pleasant and cheerful man…" Ron muttered.

Snape frowned. He did not trust this spirit, not at all. Such power and darkness! Though the spirit did not seem as evil as Voldemort, he was still dark enough to be a danger to them all. He would have to discuss this…creature with Dumbledore as soon as possible. Perhaps the headmaster would have a reliable way of keeping this thing on a leash. Truth be told, Snape was a bit scared of the spirit (it was not often that the Potions Master had his brain broken into and he did not like the feeling at all), and he was going to make sure this self proclaimed King of Thieves was kept under control.

Snape rose, growled something about meeting Dumbledore and Appareated out of there.

Marik raised his eyebrows "I think the Tomb Robber just made an enemy…." He said.

"He's everyone's enemy." Sirius scowled. "I wish that I could be out there fighting Voldemort, though! I wouldn't have to hear him bragging all the time!"

"Why can't you fight? Can't you turn into a dog…right?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah, but thanks to my old buddy Wormtail every Death Eater in England knows to look out for a big black dog." Sirius said sadly.

"…why don't you dye your fur?" Marik asked.

"What?" Sirius said.

Marik rolled his eyes "Honestly, you wizards make things so complicated! Look, just get some white hair dye, maybe have one of us clip your fur a bit, maybe stick a blue bandana or a bow or something and no one will recognize you!"

Everyone stared at Marik.

"That is actually a good idea…except for the bow part." Sirius said "You're right, I should try that…"

"Idiot wizards." Marik muttered in Arabic.

Meanwhile in Bakura's mind, the spirit was walking down the hallway connecting their soul room. For the first time in almost 5,000 years he felt nervous about facing the boy who he shared an existence with.

He faced Bakura's door with a sigh. "I've hurt him so much…why did I do that? Why did I hurt him so much? What was I thinking?"

Truth be told, he could not quite remember why he had been so harsh to Bakura in the first place. It felt to him like it had been a completely different person that had done those acts.

For a second he remembered what that Black Fox creature had done to him, that blackness she had removed from his soul. Was that the reason he was now feeling so much guilt over what he had done to the boy? What had that creature done to him?

The spirit shook his head. It did not matter anymore! It was done, and he could not change it. What mattered now was Bakura.

He opened the door to find Bakura pacing around his soulroom (just because one is unconscious in the real world did not mean one was not active in one's own mind).

When Bakura noticed his yami was here he jumped a little, his eyes going wide. For a second Bakura and his spirit stared at each other, neither knowing what to do.

The spirit took a deep breath. "Bakura…I've been…a complete and utter fool. I've hurt you. It made perfect sense to me while I did it…but it makes no sense now…I…I…am sorry." Those last two words where so quiet that Bakura could barely make them out.

Bakura smiled at his yami "It's alright. I know you are not all bad. I've known since Battle City that there is some good in you."

"What! But I stabbed you!" Yami Bakura stared at Bakura in shock.

"On the blimp you saved me. You saved me from Slifer the Sky Dragon. I know you said that only did it because you needed my body…but…I think you where lying yami."

"Like I said before, you are far too nice." Yami Bakura said.

"Maybe…maybe." Bakura grinned.

"Hmp, by the way, the wizards know about…everything now." Yami Bakura said.

"Brilliant." Bakura groaned.

"We will just have to see how this plays out." Yami Bakura shrugged.

"Yeah…yami?"

"What?"

Bakura hesitated. His yami seemed in a strangely mellow mood today, and was acting much nicer than he usually did. There was something Bakura wanted to ask his yami, and he thought that now might be the perfect time.

"Yami…a few weeks ago I asked you why you hate the Pharaoh, and I still want to know…please tell me."

For a moment Yami Bakura looked like he was going to just leave, but then his face softened a mild fraction "Sit down, Bakura."

Bakura, a bit shocked that his yami had yet to call him "host", sat down on the floor of his soulroom. His yami sat across from him with a sigh.

"A long time ago when I was just a boy, my village was destroyed to create the Millennium Items. The Pharaoh sent his men and slaughtered my people to make these items. In the name of power he killed everyone I loved in one fell swoop."

"Yugi's-"

"No, this was not the Pharaoh you know, but his father. Akem-something-or-other. I managed to run into the desert and was rescued by a golden dragon named Gorneel."

"The one whose voice you have been hearing?"

"The same. Gorneel saved me and brought me to the Thief King. In those days the King of Thieves lead a band of rouges that traveled the known world plundering and robbing the nobility. In a way, we where like that Robin Hood fellow, only we keep our treasures for ourselves.

I was adopted into the Band, and for a while I practiced to be a blacksmith for them. I really did not have any ambition to be a thief back then. However, in the Band even the cooks knew basic thieving skills, just in case, and I was no different.

We traveled around for a while, and eventually we came back to Egypt when I was thirteen. We ended up in the capital, and the King thought it would be a good idea to give me some practical training. I would live in the city for three weeks with no support and no aid. The basic idea was to teach me self reliance.

I was a bit lonely at first, I have to admit that, but I got used to it. Then, however, everything changed. I meet another boy about my age. At first I thought he was the son of a palace scribe looking for some fun. He dressed like a commoner, but it was pretty obvious he was high born or at least had been around high borns enough to pick up their mannerisms.

We talked…okay, honestly we argued about nobles a lot. I hated them, not only because of what they had done to my family, but because Gorneel always told me that nobles were lazy indolent scum that did absolutely nothing for the common people but break their backs with work and pain. He hated nobles; Gorneel…hated them a lot.

Anyway, after some rather spirited discussion we started fighting, but then it turned from fighting to a kind of play wrestling. After that, we had become friends.

We played together all the time I was there. I liked him; he was the only person I had met close to my age in a long time. But then one day he showed up with a bunch of soldiers in the market…riding on a horse beside the very man who oversaw the death of my parents. The Pharaoh. What was worse, the murderer was wearing the Puzzle! A thing made from the blood of my kin!

I confronted my so called 'friend' right there on the street. I knew who he was now, he was not just in contact with nobles, he was the prince.

'How could you do this?' I bellowed 'How!'

He begged me to come with him, begged me to come and live in the palace with him. Then the Pharaoh looked at me…and I flew into a rage.

'Monster!' I bellowed 'Murderer! You killed my family to make that THING on your neck!' I lunged for him, but his guards threw me to the ground and prepared to run me through with their spears.

Then Gorneel swooped down from the sky, and the Thief King rode up with the rest of the Band at his heels. They had been following me, to make sure I was safe, and now that I was in real danger they had come to save me.

The Thief King's sword flashed through the air and cut the spears to pieces. 'Hurt this boy and you will rue the day you drew breath, evil one.' He growled at the Pharaoh, who had the gall to look shocked! Or maybe he was distracted by Gorneel…

Anyway, Gorneel scooped me up in his claws and flew away to get me to safety. I don't know what passed between the tow of them, all I knew was that the friend I had played with for weeks had betrayed me, and I hated him for it.

I was distraught that night, very distraught. 'This is so wrong!' I told Gorneel 'He will live as a king and be hailed by the people, even though he and his kin destroy everyone around them! His son…will he be like the Pharaoh?'

'My boy.' Gorneel said sadly, 'I am afraid that this…child will grow to be exactly like his father. You saw how he tried to trick you into becoming his slave? I guarantee that is what would have happed to you had you gone with him.'

'It is not fair…' I groaned.

Then Gorneel nuzzled me and said 'Little brother, if you wish it you can become a king as well. I will help you, and you will surpass this boy in wisdom and strength. Do you wish it?'

'Yes, I do.' I said.

'Then I swear to you, when you are ready, you will be a king."

Gorneel kept his promise. I stopped my blacksmith training and began to take on full thief training.

When the old Thief King retired, Gorneel kept his promise.

I became the Thief King."

Bakura was silent for a moment, then he said. "I…can kind of see where you are coming from…but how do you know that Yami was going to betray you?"

"What else would he have done?"

"Maybe he did not expect to see you that day with his father, maybe he thought he was offering you a better life?"

"The life of a slave?"

"How old was he?

"…maybe nine…ten at most."

"I'll grant you that his parents probably where thinking that, but I doubt he was thinking like that at nine or ten! He probably thought he was helping you!"

"Bakura, he was a noble! You don't know what they were like back then! Imagine a Voldemort who did not have to slink in the shadows! That is what they were like!"

"Yami, you say that I am too nice, but you are too quick to judge! You never got their side of the story!"

Yami Bakura stood up, anger clear on his face "You were not there, Bakura, you do not know what it was like!"

"Maybe…maybe…but I still think that you judge too fast."

"Hmmp!" the spirit spun around to leave.

"Yami?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Your parents. I'm sorry they were murdered…I know what it is like to lose someone you love…"

The spirit hesitated "I know…go to sleep, Bakura. Rest up and get stronger."

"Okay…please think about what I said."

"…alright…" Yami Bakura said as he faded from the boy's mind.

As Bakura was started go even deeper into sleep he smiled. It was the first time in his life that his spirit had called him by name. It felt good, and he loved it.

"He is getting better, I can feel it!" he said as he slipped into sleep.

When Yami Bakura rematriazlized back to his room he discovered a transparent Yami waiting for him.

"What are you doing here alone?" the spirit of the Ring growled.

"Most of the wizards went to see Ron's dad…and Marik and Yugi went to find white hair dye."

"…hair dye?"

"For Sirius."

"…Hair….Dye…?"

"Yes, hair dye."

"Huh….Mortals."

"I need to talk to you." Yami said.

"About what?" the spirit asked.

"I cannot remember my past. I do not know what I did long ago."

"So? Why should I care?'

"I don't remember, but you have said that once killed your wife. I don't know if I really did it, or if it was done by someone else in my name, or if I even knew about it."

Yami Bakura huffed.

"But I am sorry." Yami finished with a slightly pained look.

"What did you say?" Yami Bakura stared.

"I am sorry. If I did give such a heinous order then I am sorry. If it was done without my knowledge then I am sorry as well, because either way I was responsible. I have never apologized for anything I have done before in my life…but I am sorry now."

"You think that WORDS are going to erase what happened!?" Yami Bakura bellowed "You think I will forget it all! NEVER! I will never forget!"

Yami lowered his head, not knowing what to say.

But, as Yami Bakura stared at the Pharaoh, he remembered the boy he had once been. How good a friend he had been, and for once he thought that maybe he HAD been wrong. That maybe the prince had not betrayed him after all.

Maybe the boy was right.

"I will NEVER forget." Yami Bakura reiterated "But…I will work on forgiving."

Yami looked up, and for the first time in 5,000 years he smiled at his old friend. A friend he could not remember.

But he was still…a friend.

A/N: By the way, this will not turn out a tendershipping fic. Mainly because I have always thought that parings that include Yami and Hikari (I think that is how you spell it), are a sort of weird form of narccissim (Now I will read them if the plot is good, but I will read anything if the plot is good. Plot trumps all), but I don't think I should be writing them with the way I percive it. The relatioship between Yami Bakura and Bakura is going to be a plantonic brother/father/son kinda thing.

Similary, you will not see Yami Yugi or Yami Bakura getting together. But...that is because I think Yami Yugi works better with Mana...I don't know why I just like it better (shrugs).