Egyptian Sorcery

By AlantisB

Chapter Ten

"My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery...." -Dumbledore

Legolas watched as his former master stumbled over his words as he tried to come up with an explanation about the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor known as Bakura. He had not known that the Tomb Raider had followed them to this world, yet he and the others in the deck had been aware of danger looming over their charges. But to hear that it was one of the most dangerous of the lot caused him great distress.

Since he was not Yami and Yugi's card any longer, he could not protect them from what the boy-man was planning. With Yami's formal permission to be passed on as Draco's teacher however, he could train Draco to protect his former masters as well as protect himself. The pharaoh needed a High Priest to protect him; it didn't matter if he no longer had a kingdom. Priests were needed to keep the Pharaoh on the side of the gods, and with Yugi and Yami's luck, they would need the blessing of the gods to survive. Sitting back to lean against the headboard of the bed, the elf watched as the pharaoh and his priest talk.

"Well?"

Draco was becoming increasingly annoyed, if the twitching eyebrow was any indication. Yami sighed, looking down at the blankets to pick at the threading for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Then with a deep breath, he started to weave the tale of a young boy that lived in a Game Shop in Domino City, Japan in another world.

Throughout the story, the Slytherin prince (so-to-speak) was silent, giving no clue as to what he was thinking as the story unfolded. He managed to keep a straight face as he listened to some of the things in the story he was told about muggle technology replacing magic in the Shadow Games, and the man known as Pegasus Crawford challenging all the best duelists to be in his tournament.

Draco had to reign in his emotions as he listened to Yugi recount about the three souls that were stolen named Mokuba Kaiba, Seto Kaiba, and his own Grandfather. Sometime during the storytelling, Yugi had 'woken up' and switched places with Yami so easily, it had taken Draco a few minutes to notice. He did not falter when the younger boy spoke about the Shadow Realm battle and the final moments that lead up to him being knocked out from his weakness.

Yami switched with Yugi to tell the part about waking up in a strange house they later learned was named Eye of Ra. The terrifying but stunning meeting between Meioh and Yugi, and the conclusion that Meioh was in all actuality, the Dark Magician brought to life, the same as Legolas. They told everything they could remember about the days before going to Hogwarts, including the meeting between them and the Slytherin in Diagon Alley.

When the story was over, the sun was just rising over the horizon, casting a soft glow into the dorm as Yami finally looked up for the first time since he started the story. He was surprised to see his normally, stoic friend, glare at him with icy blue eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, anything to get rid of that look from his friend's face when Draco punched him.

"OW!" Yami hissed as he reached up to rub his cheek. "What was that for?"

"For not telling me sooner, you bloody prick!" Draco ranted. "You could have saved me from many migraines over your fool of a hide if you had just spoken up to me."

"I couldn't trust you at first, then later I didn't want to make you angry when you found out I lived a lie." Yami replied.

Legolas stretched from his position, bring attention to himself after a few hours of being ignored. "Well, now that you've sorted things out. May I suggest something?" Draco waved his hand in acceptance before using the hand to cover his mouth from a yawn. "Why don't we all go to bed and sleep for a few more hours and we can come up with a plan to deal with Professor Bakura later. Do you agree?"

Yami nodded. "That's a wonderful idea, Legolas. We do have classes today and we need the sleep."

Draco was about to agree when he realized one very important fact.

"Where is Legolas going to sleep?"

Yami managed to look sheepish as he glanced at the yawning elf warrior.

*

In the early afternoon, Yugi and Draco walked to the Great Hall. Legolas was hiding in the dorm from the rest of school, as Draco suggested since elves, real ones, haven't been seen in thousands of years. At first, the elf wouldn't let the boys leave without him but sly comments about being studied by the Ministry of Magic had changed his mind.

Yugi during the of the day, had to continually keep Yami from switching places with him as he heard the whispering taunts from his fellow students. It got so bad that in spirit form, Yami trailed behind the two of them to give the students a feeling of unease each time they came near him. Every time the duo passed through the halls, whispers would start in their wake, some saying Yugi had found out the Gryffindor password and had stolen the souls while everyone slep. Other rumors had it Draco's idea to steal Harry Potter's soul, so the dark lord could swoop down on the school and win.

As the day passed, the rumors grew more and more ridiculous and the only three people in the school that knew the truth, couldn't say it. Legolas couldn't because he was an elf and would be studied as soon as he showed himself, Draco and Yugi couldn't because who would believe the suspects themselves, and Slytherin ones at that!

The only good thing that came out of the rumors was occasionally when Yugi was really upset; Yami could actually touch him and give him some measure of comfort because of it. It was like Yugi's spiritual barrier around his body lowered enough for Yugi to feel the spirit's touch. Draco still couldn't see Yami in spirit form unless he looked out of the corner of his eye, Yami was like a shadow you could only glance at and if you tried to look at it full on, it disappeared. But Draco didn't really want to start seeing spirits, it could be dangerous if he started seeing people that were no longer alive, but thought they were.

During lunch, Yugi picked at his food while Draco glared at the Dream Team, surprisingly at Ron in particular. Yami walked over to the Gryffindor table, remaining unseen as he glared at the trio. When he got close enough, he could hear what they were saying and he didn't like it at all.

"I'm telling you Hermione, it had to be them! Malfoy is a Death Eater and he follows the You-Know-Who, he's recruited Mouto and now they're trying to get Harry!" Ron exclaimed, while Harry nodded in agreement.

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione replied. "Were you there? No! Don't say things unless you really think you have enough evidence to back it up."

"What more evidence do you need than Malfoy sitting there smirking at us?"

Yami slammed his hands onto the table, angry enough to have them corporal to actually hit the table. The group of students surrounding the area jumped as the table shook. They glanced at each other, wondering what made the table move.

On the other side of the room, Yugi looked up to see Yami cursing the Gryffindors out in Ancient Egyptian while they have no idea he's there. "Oh Ra," Yugi moaned, slumping in his seat to cover his face. "Yami, you're making a fool of yourself," he whispered, embarrassed.

To top the entire yelling match which only Yugi and Yami could hear, Yami grabbed the center piece of the Gryffindor table and threw it at the wall. The Dream Team and the rest of the table looked shocked as the centerpiece picked itself up and then slammed into the wall, breaking to pieces.

Ron looked over at the Slytherin table to see Yugi slumped in his seat, mumbling to himself. He tugged on Hermione's room. "See! Look at that, cursing the table. There's your proof!"

Hermione looked at Yugi and then glanced at the broken pieces of the centerpiece. She sighed, nodded slowly. "It does seem plausible. Maybe you're right Ron."

The Great Hall's doors opened as a big black dog ran in. Harry perked up at a chance to see "Snuffles" but frowned when the dog instead headed over to the Slytherin table. Yugi looked up as Yami walked over with Rags trailing behind him looking excited. Yugi smiled softly to himself. "I think a certain mooch has heard we're going outside to class in a few minutes, what do you think Draco?"

Draco smirked. "Five sickles say it was Legolas who told him."

"You're on." Yugi bent down to scratch Rags under the table. "Hey boy," he whispered, feeling his earlier embarrassment disappear as he petted his dog. "You heard we're going outside, huh? Yeah, 'course you did!" He grinned when Rags licked his face.

Yami leans over the table to whisper his other's ear. "I'm going into the puzzle."

"Feel better now?" Yugi murmurs.

"Very much so," Yami said disappearing into the puzzle.

Yugi grabbed his mug and drank the last of his pumpkin juice before he and Draco stood up and headed out of the Great Hall. The walk outside was pleasant as Rags made sure to keep Yugi cheered up as he ran back and forth teasing the younger boy to chase him. Finally Yugi laughed and started to chase the dog around as Draco kept walking, smirking at the site of Yugi acting like he was five instead of fifteen.

Rags and Yugi calmed down as the now-familiar site of Hagrid's hut came into view. Yugi grinned when he saw they were the first ones there. To Draco's disgust, Yugi loved talking with the half-giant teacher whenever he had a chance. Though now that he knew Yugi wasn't from this world, he understood that most of the creatures he would see are dead and gone or hidden. But that doesn't mean Draco was ready to be buddy-buddy with the mudblood teacher.

Draco was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Yugi gasp in surprise. "What?" He walked over to the gate where Hagrid's latest creature was supposed to be held. He stopped at the sight as Yugi stared at the creature.

It was a Sphinx.

"Yugi?"

Yami turned to look at Draco. "I have not seen one of these in a long time. Not since I ruled." He looked back at the Sphinx. "One such creature used to guard my palace walls, and I allowed it. Once every so often, I would track it to the gate and we would spend hours trading riddles to see who is the master of the game of mystery."

"Who won?"

Draco could he the smirk in Yami's voice. "I did, of course."

"Of course," Draco agreed, rolling his eyes somewhat at the smugness from his friend.

"I wonder . . " Yami trailed off. Slowly, he looked into the eyes of the Sphinx. When he knew he had its attention, he bowed to it, keeping their eyes locked. As he rose, he started to speak in a language Draco had never heard, but knew it had to be Ancient Egyptian from the way the Sphinx perked up at the sounds.

"Greetings Master of Riddles, may I inquire a game?" The Sphinx stared at the pharaoh for a moment then nodded once, sharply. Yami broke into a grin. "Very well. I shall start off."

In English, Yami recited a riddle to the amazement of Draco and Hagrid, who had just stepped out of the hut. "A man walks up to you and says - "everything I say to you is a lie." Is he telling you the truth or is he lying?"

The sphinx replied, "He's lying. Even though he's lying when he says "everything" he says is a lie, some of the things he says can be a lie, and this is one of them." It nodded as Yami sat down in front of it. "A woman has 7 children, half of them are boys. How can this be possible?"

"ALL the children are boys, so 1/2 half are boys and so is the other half." Yami answered. "A farmer and his hired help were carrying grain to the barn. The farmer carried one sack of grain and the hired help carried two sacks. Who carried the heavier load and why?"

"The farmer's load was heavier. His hired help only carried two sacks, while the farmer carries one sack, but his sack is a sack of grain. The hired help only carried 2 sacks - both empty." The Sphinx said. "I cannot be felt, seen or touched;
yet I can be found in everybody; My existence is always in debate; Yet I have my own style of music. What Am I?"

"I'm a Soul. Style of music: soul music." Yami said.

In his soul room, Yugi looked up when he received general excitement and happiness from Yami. Curious, he listened in to what his other was doing and was amazed to 'see' him battle it out in riddles with a real Sphinx! It looked like neither side was clearly winning but the creature and Yami didn't care, it seemed. They were enjoying the challenge of the game to outwit each other.

Yugi smiled, he was glad Yami was having some fun. He seemed so bored these last few days with no real challenge other than playing Draco at chess. At least he was having some fun for a while until the class came to break them up.

"There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word - from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time?"

Yugi frowned at that one, Yami didn't know English well enough to answer it. Maybe he should help him out? Yami? Do you want some help? I could help you figure that one out since you don't know English so well.

That would be splendid, aibou. I do find I am having trouble figuring this out. Perhaps I have lost this game afterall?

Nah, give me a moment to think. I hope that Sphinx isn't impatient.

So do I.

A few minutes tick by as Draco and Hagrid watch Yami try and figure out the word which would do exactly as the Sphinx said. They didn't even notice when the class had quietly walked to their seats and sit down, curious as to what was happening prior to the Sphinx's riddle. Draco knew Yami probably wouldn't figure it out, English wasn't his native language but it was his and he still didn't know the answer to that! His eyes widened in surprise when Yami opened his mouth to answer:

"The base word is Startling - starting - staring - string - sting - sing - sin - in – I"

The Sphinx sat on its hunches and stared at Yami for a moment before bowing its head to concede defeat for the moment. Yami smiled, reaching through the fence to scratch the Sphinx back where the lion's fur was located. "You have a good grip on riddles, for such a young boy." The Sphinx stated. "I am glad I decided to play."

"I am honored you allow yourself to, Master of riddles." Yami stood up and gave the Sphinx another bow. "It has been a pleasure playing the game. But now I must leave you to attend the class to which we are learning about you. It should be starting in a few minutes."

The Sphinx's eyes twinkled in a amusement. "I believe it has already started."

Yami's eyes widened and he turned to see the entire class of Gryffindors and Slytherins watching him. Yugi switched with him as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as the class and teacher stared at him with shocked expressions.

"Um," was all he managed to say in reply.

TBC