AN: I thank all my reviewers and anyone who read/is reading my story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Note: All Malik's Ghouls are my original characters.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 5
Sunlight poured through the thin canopy, flooding the woodland floor with pools of brilliance and warmth. Celtic groaned, opening dazed amber eyes. It took the elven warrior several minutes to orient himself enough to take in his surroundings. One thing was for sure. Wherever he was, this was no longer within the Shadow Realm where he belonged when he master was not in need of him.
"So, you're finally awake."
The Duel Monster spun around to face the speaker, his hand automatically going to his sword hilt The voice belonged to a tall man with black hair and an amused expression.
"No need for that, I'm not trying to hurt you. You must have had quite a fall. You were out for about two days. I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to come 'round."
Noting the confused look on the elf's face the man grinned crookedly. "Name's Sirius. Glad to meet you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yugi, Ryou, and Malik excelled in wand work. Mastering charms took more time and patience than Malik had expected, but once they had, it was incredibly strong. Out of the three, Yugi had the most control and was quick at throwing spells. Malik flung himself into the more destructive magic with worrying eagerness, and in no time-without the knowledge of the school teachers-had become quite adept at the dark arts. Ryou was not at all sure he approved and Yugi was more than a little concerned, but it was always safer to have the Egyptian busy than bored. The albino caught an interest in herbology, history, and magical entities.
With all the lessons and studying, the yamis were left with nothing to do. Malik could feel Ishtar's restlessness atop his own. He sat alone in the dungeon-like common room, tapping his fingers on the arms of his chair. Violet eyes strayed to the stairway leading to the seventh-years' dormitory and narrowed in thought.
/ Ishtar, do you remember which of our Ghouls were seventeen? /
// Never paid much attention to their ages, just their skills. //
/ Let us go find out. /
No one tried to stop him as he stood and headed for a dormitory not his own, though many gave him strange looks that he ignored. Sneaking up the steps Malik smirked at the sound of familiar voices.
"-Asked if we would consider an alliance."
"What a disgraceful offer, knowing our position. Erys should know that."
"Aye, he does. And that is exactly why he informed us so soon. He wants us all to meet in the Forbidden Forest this night."
"The Forbidden Forest? My dear brother! There is a reason why the forest is forbidden."
"Come now, don't tell me you're scared."
"Of course not!"
Malik paused at the door which stood ajar, allowing a dim light to spill onto the steps. The two figures sprawled across the nearest beds looked up, startled as the door was pushed open. A split second later they were scrambling to their feet.
"Lord Malik! We were not-expecting you . . ."
Malik analyzed the taller boys' fearful expressions with an arched brow. Kahan and Yahar had not changed much in the few months since they'd last met. Both brothers stood a full three inches taller than Malik himself, with raven dark hair and sapphire eyes.
"By your conversation, I presume that there is more than a little information I should know?" The Egyptian narrowed his eyes, pausing for effect before continuing.
The two seemed paralyzed with nervous fright. Courage had never been their weak point, except when Malik was concerned.
"As, why you did not make your presence known? I find it hard to believe that you would not have known I was here."
Silence.
"Well?"
They shifted uncomfortably, and Malik was not surprised when Yahar was the one to answer. The younger had always been easier around the leader of the Ghouls. "We were not sure if you'd wish to see us after-after the way we parted last."
Kahan nodded in agreement. Malik could fully understand their worries. Around seven months ago he had dispersed the Ghouls, lectured them on staying in line, taken away their duel decks, and threatened them that, if he ever heard of them doing anything without informing him first, he would personally execute them with such severe manner that there could have been no doubt in their minds. Anyhow, those who understood him knew that he never gave idle threats.
"What about this-offer?"
Yahar hesitated. "Can we-explain tonight? Erys knows more on this matter than we do."
They waited hopefully for Malik's reply.
"Fine."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dumbledore glanced up from the pile of letters on his desk as the door opened. "Ah, Severus. What is it you wished to see me about?"
The potions master glided across the room to stand before the headmaster, a frown of displeasure on his pale face. "Headmaster, I fail to see the wisdom in allowing one of my Slytherins to take class with students of another house."
Blue eyes twinkled. "They appear to be doing well. I just thought it easier for the teachers to have all the new students together. And it would be easier for them to adjust in the company of friends."
A faint sneer touched the professor's face, curling his thin lips unpleasantly. "But headmaster, it has been two weeks. Surely, if other students can 'adjust', this one can."
Albus sighed. "I will not argue with you over this. You have the right to choose what you do with your students. So if you insist, I will make no move to stop you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Laer crept down to the common room, his insides churning with nerves. If he were to be caught-he didn't even want to think about the consequences. With his hand on the back of the portrait he froze, listening. Relieved that no one had noticed, he slipped out into the hallway.
At the archway into the entrance hall, Laer stopped to wait for Erys. They had resolved to go down to the forest in groups of no less than two. It was several minutes before the other turned up, slightly breathless and ruffled. Straightening his robes and shaking black bangs from gray eyes, Erys motioned for them to move on.
The night was dark, the thin sliver of a crescent moon momentarily blocked by drifts of pale clouds. All the Ghouls had been, and on occasion still were, thieves and were no strangers to the dark. Looming on the edge of the school grounds was the thick, ghostly trees of the Forbidden Forest. As they approached, they noticed that the light in the Gamekeeper's house was still alight. Giving the wooden hut a wide berth, they entered the woods.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hagrid bustled around the one-room hut, making tea and setting out cakes. "So, how've ye all been?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat around the table while Crookshanks playing on the floor at their feet.
"Fine, Hagrid. Actually, we wanted to ask you something."
Hermione pulled a photo from her pocket and slid it across the table so their friend could see. The image in the picture was of a dragon, blue in color with purple eyes and a mouth full of jagged teeth.
"Have you ever seen a dragon like this? Bill sent us this picture. He says it's highly unusual. And look at this." She traced the outline of the creature. "It's surrounded with dark light."
The gamekeeper shook his head, puzzled. "Nope, never 'eard o' such a creature."
"Maybe it has something to do with all those appearances in the newspaper," Ron suggested.
"Very possible, though I think it looks very familiar." Harry frowned in puzzlement.
A cat's agitated hissing interrupted them. Crookshanks was pawing at the window, glaring into the night.
"What is it, Crookshanks?"
Hermione got up and went to the window. Squinting, her brows creased in a slight frown. "I think I see someone out there, or it could just be a trick of the light."
The others came to join her.
"I don't see anything."
"Wait. There, Ron, look."
Sure enough, just beneath the cover of the trees, they caught a glimpse of black robes before whatever it was vanished.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The gathering in the clearing was not large, just the six of them sitting and standing in a rough circle. Nothing had changed in his absence, Malik reflected, except that-for some reason, they were all twice as scared of him. Something must have gone wrong that they hadn't told him yet.
Erys took up the explanations as he had in so many other ventures during the prime of the Rare Hunters, more commonly called the Ghouls.
"Not so long ago, I got a letter from someone called Wormtail, proposing an alliance between ourselves and his Lord." He frowned. "He made no mention of a name but I know who it is. This Wormtail's master is a very powerful dark wizard, infamous since his uprising. People are scared of saying his name, so he is merely known as You-Know-Who."
Malik snorted. "And the catch?"
"You aren't going to like it-but you'll get it out of me one way or another," he amended quickly at his glare. "They have Heron."
Malik arched a brow inquiringly. Heron was one of his older Ghouls, a gray-haired boy in his early twenties and expert at seamanship, a useful skill for their exploits. "What do you mean 'have'?"
"They captured him. And if we don't comply . . ." Erys let the threat hang.
Malik folded his arms and leaned back against a tree, gazing thoughtfully into space. "We shall see . . . For now, just go about your business. Pretend you don't know me. I will call you should the need arise."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yami, may I come in?"
"Anytime, aibou."
Yugi slipped through the door which stood ajar, leading into the gloom of his other's soul room. The place felt ancient like a pharaoh's tomb out of the past, built like a maze with numerous doors and staircases that always seemed to be changing location.
"Is something wrong, Yugi?" His Yami appeared before him looking concerned.
The little hikari sighed. "Not really. I just can't sleep. I keep getting these dreams . . ."
Yami gestured with one hand. "Would you like to sit?"
Yugi nodded gratefully and dropped onto the couch that had materialized, and Yami sat down beside him.
"What sort of dreams?"
Yugi contemplated the hieroglyphs on a beam near the ceiling that hadn't been there before. "Well, they're all sort of misty and distant so it's hard to remember." He frowned, trying hard. "I think we-Ryou, Malik, and I-were all standing in a room. The walls were made of crystal, or something like it-might have been mirrors. We were facing a man with dark green hair and he said that we had to win-in a game of sorts-or someone was going to die."
Yugi shuddered and Yami put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, aibou. It was just a dream. And we aren't known as the King of Games for nothing."
Yugi smiled and closed his eyes. "Thanks . . ."
"Anytime," Yami whispered, picking him up and heading for his hikari's soul room across the empty hall.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ryou opened his eyes groggily and for a moment was unsure of what had woken him. Then he heard it, an eerie, spine-tingling howl far off in the distance.
Outside the sun was just beginning to rise, throwing the world in a cast of gray that dulled all color and brilliance. The grounds were still and there was nothing down among the greenery. But just as he was about to turn away, assuming that his imagination had been playing tricks on him, Ryou caught sight of-something-man or beast, slowing making its way through the underbrush at the edge of the forest. It looked like a-but it couldn't be . . . could it?
A silver-gray wolf, larger than any normal wolf or werewolf, was prowling through the tangled vegetation.
"Silver Fang," Ryou breathed. "But how?"
He shook his head, blinking, and the apparition, if indeed that was what it had been, had vanished. Maybe he had dreamed it after all. Or at least he hoped so.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ron," Harry whispered as they took off the invisibility cloak. "I've just got this very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, like something terrible is going to happen."
Ron shook his head pityingly. "Harry, you're always getting these weird feelings. And what have we learned from them?"
"What?"
"That there is absolutely nothing we can do about it."
Harry shrugged and changed the subject as they climbed into bed. "What do you think of the new students?"
"They're a bit strange, but they seem all right. I'm not sure about the third one though, what was his name?"
"Malik."
"Yeah, him. There has to be some reason the hat put him in Slytherin."
Harry thought about mentioning what he had overheard in herbology but fell asleep almost immediately.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: Please tell me if you have any suggestions. Ideas are welcome.
Thanks again for reading and please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Note: All Malik's Ghouls are my original characters.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 5
Sunlight poured through the thin canopy, flooding the woodland floor with pools of brilliance and warmth. Celtic groaned, opening dazed amber eyes. It took the elven warrior several minutes to orient himself enough to take in his surroundings. One thing was for sure. Wherever he was, this was no longer within the Shadow Realm where he belonged when he master was not in need of him.
"So, you're finally awake."
The Duel Monster spun around to face the speaker, his hand automatically going to his sword hilt The voice belonged to a tall man with black hair and an amused expression.
"No need for that, I'm not trying to hurt you. You must have had quite a fall. You were out for about two days. I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to come 'round."
Noting the confused look on the elf's face the man grinned crookedly. "Name's Sirius. Glad to meet you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yugi, Ryou, and Malik excelled in wand work. Mastering charms took more time and patience than Malik had expected, but once they had, it was incredibly strong. Out of the three, Yugi had the most control and was quick at throwing spells. Malik flung himself into the more destructive magic with worrying eagerness, and in no time-without the knowledge of the school teachers-had become quite adept at the dark arts. Ryou was not at all sure he approved and Yugi was more than a little concerned, but it was always safer to have the Egyptian busy than bored. The albino caught an interest in herbology, history, and magical entities.
With all the lessons and studying, the yamis were left with nothing to do. Malik could feel Ishtar's restlessness atop his own. He sat alone in the dungeon-like common room, tapping his fingers on the arms of his chair. Violet eyes strayed to the stairway leading to the seventh-years' dormitory and narrowed in thought.
/ Ishtar, do you remember which of our Ghouls were seventeen? /
// Never paid much attention to their ages, just their skills. //
/ Let us go find out. /
No one tried to stop him as he stood and headed for a dormitory not his own, though many gave him strange looks that he ignored. Sneaking up the steps Malik smirked at the sound of familiar voices.
"-Asked if we would consider an alliance."
"What a disgraceful offer, knowing our position. Erys should know that."
"Aye, he does. And that is exactly why he informed us so soon. He wants us all to meet in the Forbidden Forest this night."
"The Forbidden Forest? My dear brother! There is a reason why the forest is forbidden."
"Come now, don't tell me you're scared."
"Of course not!"
Malik paused at the door which stood ajar, allowing a dim light to spill onto the steps. The two figures sprawled across the nearest beds looked up, startled as the door was pushed open. A split second later they were scrambling to their feet.
"Lord Malik! We were not-expecting you . . ."
Malik analyzed the taller boys' fearful expressions with an arched brow. Kahan and Yahar had not changed much in the few months since they'd last met. Both brothers stood a full three inches taller than Malik himself, with raven dark hair and sapphire eyes.
"By your conversation, I presume that there is more than a little information I should know?" The Egyptian narrowed his eyes, pausing for effect before continuing.
The two seemed paralyzed with nervous fright. Courage had never been their weak point, except when Malik was concerned.
"As, why you did not make your presence known? I find it hard to believe that you would not have known I was here."
Silence.
"Well?"
They shifted uncomfortably, and Malik was not surprised when Yahar was the one to answer. The younger had always been easier around the leader of the Ghouls. "We were not sure if you'd wish to see us after-after the way we parted last."
Kahan nodded in agreement. Malik could fully understand their worries. Around seven months ago he had dispersed the Ghouls, lectured them on staying in line, taken away their duel decks, and threatened them that, if he ever heard of them doing anything without informing him first, he would personally execute them with such severe manner that there could have been no doubt in their minds. Anyhow, those who understood him knew that he never gave idle threats.
"What about this-offer?"
Yahar hesitated. "Can we-explain tonight? Erys knows more on this matter than we do."
They waited hopefully for Malik's reply.
"Fine."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dumbledore glanced up from the pile of letters on his desk as the door opened. "Ah, Severus. What is it you wished to see me about?"
The potions master glided across the room to stand before the headmaster, a frown of displeasure on his pale face. "Headmaster, I fail to see the wisdom in allowing one of my Slytherins to take class with students of another house."
Blue eyes twinkled. "They appear to be doing well. I just thought it easier for the teachers to have all the new students together. And it would be easier for them to adjust in the company of friends."
A faint sneer touched the professor's face, curling his thin lips unpleasantly. "But headmaster, it has been two weeks. Surely, if other students can 'adjust', this one can."
Albus sighed. "I will not argue with you over this. You have the right to choose what you do with your students. So if you insist, I will make no move to stop you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Laer crept down to the common room, his insides churning with nerves. If he were to be caught-he didn't even want to think about the consequences. With his hand on the back of the portrait he froze, listening. Relieved that no one had noticed, he slipped out into the hallway.
At the archway into the entrance hall, Laer stopped to wait for Erys. They had resolved to go down to the forest in groups of no less than two. It was several minutes before the other turned up, slightly breathless and ruffled. Straightening his robes and shaking black bangs from gray eyes, Erys motioned for them to move on.
The night was dark, the thin sliver of a crescent moon momentarily blocked by drifts of pale clouds. All the Ghouls had been, and on occasion still were, thieves and were no strangers to the dark. Looming on the edge of the school grounds was the thick, ghostly trees of the Forbidden Forest. As they approached, they noticed that the light in the Gamekeeper's house was still alight. Giving the wooden hut a wide berth, they entered the woods.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hagrid bustled around the one-room hut, making tea and setting out cakes. "So, how've ye all been?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat around the table while Crookshanks playing on the floor at their feet.
"Fine, Hagrid. Actually, we wanted to ask you something."
Hermione pulled a photo from her pocket and slid it across the table so their friend could see. The image in the picture was of a dragon, blue in color with purple eyes and a mouth full of jagged teeth.
"Have you ever seen a dragon like this? Bill sent us this picture. He says it's highly unusual. And look at this." She traced the outline of the creature. "It's surrounded with dark light."
The gamekeeper shook his head, puzzled. "Nope, never 'eard o' such a creature."
"Maybe it has something to do with all those appearances in the newspaper," Ron suggested.
"Very possible, though I think it looks very familiar." Harry frowned in puzzlement.
A cat's agitated hissing interrupted them. Crookshanks was pawing at the window, glaring into the night.
"What is it, Crookshanks?"
Hermione got up and went to the window. Squinting, her brows creased in a slight frown. "I think I see someone out there, or it could just be a trick of the light."
The others came to join her.
"I don't see anything."
"Wait. There, Ron, look."
Sure enough, just beneath the cover of the trees, they caught a glimpse of black robes before whatever it was vanished.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The gathering in the clearing was not large, just the six of them sitting and standing in a rough circle. Nothing had changed in his absence, Malik reflected, except that-for some reason, they were all twice as scared of him. Something must have gone wrong that they hadn't told him yet.
Erys took up the explanations as he had in so many other ventures during the prime of the Rare Hunters, more commonly called the Ghouls.
"Not so long ago, I got a letter from someone called Wormtail, proposing an alliance between ourselves and his Lord." He frowned. "He made no mention of a name but I know who it is. This Wormtail's master is a very powerful dark wizard, infamous since his uprising. People are scared of saying his name, so he is merely known as You-Know-Who."
Malik snorted. "And the catch?"
"You aren't going to like it-but you'll get it out of me one way or another," he amended quickly at his glare. "They have Heron."
Malik arched a brow inquiringly. Heron was one of his older Ghouls, a gray-haired boy in his early twenties and expert at seamanship, a useful skill for their exploits. "What do you mean 'have'?"
"They captured him. And if we don't comply . . ." Erys let the threat hang.
Malik folded his arms and leaned back against a tree, gazing thoughtfully into space. "We shall see . . . For now, just go about your business. Pretend you don't know me. I will call you should the need arise."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yami, may I come in?"
"Anytime, aibou."
Yugi slipped through the door which stood ajar, leading into the gloom of his other's soul room. The place felt ancient like a pharaoh's tomb out of the past, built like a maze with numerous doors and staircases that always seemed to be changing location.
"Is something wrong, Yugi?" His Yami appeared before him looking concerned.
The little hikari sighed. "Not really. I just can't sleep. I keep getting these dreams . . ."
Yami gestured with one hand. "Would you like to sit?"
Yugi nodded gratefully and dropped onto the couch that had materialized, and Yami sat down beside him.
"What sort of dreams?"
Yugi contemplated the hieroglyphs on a beam near the ceiling that hadn't been there before. "Well, they're all sort of misty and distant so it's hard to remember." He frowned, trying hard. "I think we-Ryou, Malik, and I-were all standing in a room. The walls were made of crystal, or something like it-might have been mirrors. We were facing a man with dark green hair and he said that we had to win-in a game of sorts-or someone was going to die."
Yugi shuddered and Yami put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, aibou. It was just a dream. And we aren't known as the King of Games for nothing."
Yugi smiled and closed his eyes. "Thanks . . ."
"Anytime," Yami whispered, picking him up and heading for his hikari's soul room across the empty hall.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ryou opened his eyes groggily and for a moment was unsure of what had woken him. Then he heard it, an eerie, spine-tingling howl far off in the distance.
Outside the sun was just beginning to rise, throwing the world in a cast of gray that dulled all color and brilliance. The grounds were still and there was nothing down among the greenery. But just as he was about to turn away, assuming that his imagination had been playing tricks on him, Ryou caught sight of-something-man or beast, slowing making its way through the underbrush at the edge of the forest. It looked like a-but it couldn't be . . . could it?
A silver-gray wolf, larger than any normal wolf or werewolf, was prowling through the tangled vegetation.
"Silver Fang," Ryou breathed. "But how?"
He shook his head, blinking, and the apparition, if indeed that was what it had been, had vanished. Maybe he had dreamed it after all. Or at least he hoped so.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ron," Harry whispered as they took off the invisibility cloak. "I've just got this very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, like something terrible is going to happen."
Ron shook his head pityingly. "Harry, you're always getting these weird feelings. And what have we learned from them?"
"What?"
"That there is absolutely nothing we can do about it."
Harry shrugged and changed the subject as they climbed into bed. "What do you think of the new students?"
"They're a bit strange, but they seem all right. I'm not sure about the third one though, what was his name?"
"Malik."
"Yeah, him. There has to be some reason the hat put him in Slytherin."
Harry thought about mentioning what he had overheard in herbology but fell asleep almost immediately.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: Please tell me if you have any suggestions. Ideas are welcome.
Thanks again for reading and please review!