Disclaimer: Don't bother dragging out them stupid lawyers, because I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. (If I did I'd be filthy rich now.)

~Chapter 4: Night Attack and Platform Nine and Three Quarters~

"Help!"

The strangled, choked cry escaped Malik's throat as the fingers around his throat tightened. "MARIK!" bellowed Yami. Seto and Ryou were appalled. Didn't Yami banish Marik to the Shadow Realm?

"Let him go!" Yami thundered, as Bakura appeared. Malik's lavender eyes were wide with fright, and Seto could see them glazing over. "He'll suffocate if you don't get that insane yami off him!" Seto yelled. "Yami, do something!" Yugi squealed, just as Malik's body went limp. "Mind Crush!" Yami yelled, unable to think of anything better. Marik dropped his hikari to the floor and vanished.

"Malik!" Yugi yelped, rushing over to the Egyptian, who was lying on the floor, back to the wall, taking welcome breaths of air. "What happened?" Malik panted for a second, and shook his head, dazed. "Give him a while to recover, Yugi, you twat," scolded Seto. "Somebody should take care of that bleeding arm first."

After his arm was bandaged and he calmed down enough to talk, Malik told them that, while he was stargazing out the window, he saw a glowing yellow light emanating from the Sennen Rod, and next thing he knew he was being suspended in the air by his yami. "Could he have someone managed to escape?" Ryou asked. "That's almost impossible," muttered Malik. "Unless he had outside help…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Platform Nine and Three Quarters?!" Seto almost yelled into Yugi's ears. "There is no such thing as a train platform with a fraction over it!" "Seto, calm down!" said Malik, resisting the urge to conk him square in the noggin with his Rod. "This is the wizarding world, remember that!" Seto grumbled like a beaten dog. Just then, Ryou overheard somebody conversing. "Mom, how long more before the Hogwarts Express leaves?" Nudging his friends, he pointed to a group of people, all with flaming red hair, and among them…Harry!

"Hey, Harry!" Yugi called. Harry whipped around. "Oh, hi, Yugi!" he answered. "D'you know them?" the flaming haired lady asked. "Yeah, sorta," said Harry. "How're we going to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters?" Malik asked. The woman smiled fondly. "First-years? Ron's starting his first year as well!" she said. "To get to that platform, you walk straight  into that wall there between platforms nine and ten, and don't worry you'll crash – that's very important. Best to do a bit of a run if you're scared." "I'll go first," Malik volunteered. Everyone else gave him the "Go for it." Focusing on the seemingly solid wall ahead, he walked towards it, broke into a slight run, and didn't crash. When he opened his eyes, he was looking right up at a sign. Platform nine and three quarters, it said. Behind him, Yugi, Seto, Ryou, Harry and Ron emerged.

"Malik? Seto?" squeaked Yugi. "Some help?" "Coming Yugi! Just as soon as I get mine up the train." Malik replied, struggling with his own luggage. "Need help?" Yugi was approached by the flaming haired twins he'd seen earlier. "I'm Fred, that's George," one said, easily hauling Yugi's suitcase up the train. "I'm Yugi," the small boy answered. George goggled at his hair. "Natural," Yugi replied, as Malik and Seto came over to help hoist the rest of the luggage up.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Dang, every compartment seems to be full," Malik commented. "Here's an empty one!" Ryou squeaked from the end of the carriage. Seto, Malik and Yugi hurriedly made their way towards the empty cabin.

Seto looked up from his book as he heard the compartment door slide open. Malik was resting his head against the side of the compartment, his eyes mirroring fear and worry. The bandage was still on his arm. Yugi and Ryou were duelling noisily, because Yugi had made a foolish move and almost lost to Ryou. Harry and Ron poked their heads in. "Can we…?" Harry began. Seto nodded, and poked Ryou and Yugi to budge up a bit so that Harry and Ron had room to sit.

Malik stared out of the window at the hazy blue sky. How did his yami come back? His thoughts were interrupted when a plump, smiling witch said, "Anything off the cart, dears?" Harry and Seto offered to get something for everyone. They returned with Cauldron Cakes, Droobles' Best Blowing Gum, Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties…

Malik was roused from his reverie by the avalanche of sweets Harry dumped on the chair. Eyeing the chocolate wearily, he picked up a packet of Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans. "Careful," Ron warned. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour." Yugi cringed. "Yeech! I got shoe polish!" Malik chuckled, and gingerly took out a greyish-bean and bit into it, only to choke and mutter, "Yuck! Liverwurst!" Yami and Bakura had also appeared, startling Harry and Ron at first. Seto and Ryou too, took a gamble. Seto made a face. "Eurgh…spinach." Ryou grinned. "I got toffee!" Malik made a face. "Lucky you."

Suddenly the compartment door slid open, revealing a pale-skinned boy with white blonde hair, flanked by two boys who resembled gorillas. Beauty and the Beast indeed, thought Yami, chuckling as he vanished inside the Puzzle. Bakura took the cue and popped back inside the Ring. "I heard we were expecting some foreign students," the boy said, a in drawling voice. Malik already hated this kid. Seto frowned. "Aren't you Seto Kaiba, owner of KaibaCorp?" the boy asked. "Draco Malfoy." Malik closed his eyes and leaned against the wall again. Draco's eyes shot towards the candy. "Don't mind if we help ourselves." He reached for the candy but was smacked away by Malik and Yugi. "Goyle, Crabbe!" he called. Goyle lunged for Malik, who ducked and shoved him clean out of the doorway; Yugi ducked under Crabbe and Yami quickly took over, tripping Crabbe out of the doorway into Malfoy. A united "Oof!" and Malik slammed the door shut. "He's lucky Malik threw him out the door," Seto growled. "I would've re-arranged his lousy face, that twerp." Just then the door slid open again, and a girl with long bushy hair stuck her head in.

"Have any of you been fighting?"

Author's Ending Notes: I'm sure all those who have read the Harry Potter series know who this bushy haired girl is. But no giving things away…and, I've stuck another cliffhanger here for you to enjoy! -runs from flaming Christmas baubles, flying chairs and angry fans-