"Uh. . ." Yugi said, dumbfounded. "Where'd she go?"
"Cool! Disappearing teacher!" Fred hollered, and the students broke out in laughter. This went on for a few seconds, with Yugi's gang all staring at them in bewilderment. After they had calmed down, Harry actually took the situation into consideration.
"I dunno," he answered.
"D'ya think Snape disappeared too?" Ron asked eagerly. "Cuz if he is, man, this place is gonna become some kinda paradise!"
"Um, if I could say so, I don't think disappearing teachers is a good thing," Bakura pointed out meekly. "Doesn't that usually mean something bad is going to happen?"
"The only thing that could happen with McGonagall gone is a party," George proclaimed. He smiled at the cheers that rose from his classmates.
"We'll run the school!" Seamus jeered, getting into the moment. Then his face got serious. "But what if Dumbledore's gone too? What will we do if You-Know-Who shows up?"
Nervous murmurings replaced the cheers. Voldemort had been known to show his ugly face at least once a year. Suddenly there was a mad rush for the headmaster's hidden headquarters, behind the statue down the hall.
"Where are they going?" Tristan wondered. He and Joey had trotted back to the gang. "They called us here, and they barely acknowledge our existence! Yugi, do you think Yami could have been wrong?"
Yugi fingered the Millenium Puzzle worriedly. "Maybe. But he's never been wrong before. . .!"
"Well, why don't we stop blubbering and follow them?" Mai stepped forward into the Great Hall and walked quickly towards the retreating boys, high heels clicking irritably on the marble floor. The others exchanged looks, then followed her inside. The castle had come to life; students flooded into the hallways from all directions, all chattering excitedly. Bakura automatically flattened himself against a wall, anxious to get away from the crowd.
"What happened to Flitwick?"
"Snape just disappeared!"
"Isn't that a good thing?"
The students didn't seem to notice the group of strangers that were cleaving their way after Harry and the others. When they finally reached them, the young wizards were standing beside a giant statue of a griffon. Harry stepped forward.
"Lemon sherbert!"
The griffon didn't move. Harry sighed. "Guess he changed the password. . ."
Malfoy ran forward, hitting his fists off the stone. "Open up! Open sesame! Abra Kadabra! OPEN THE HELL UP!"
"Malfoy, cut it out. You're just making yourself look like an idiot," Fred muttered.
"Look like one?" George snorted.
"Is this a guessin' game?!" Joey grinned. "I love guessin' games! Lemme try!" He ran forward and shoved Malfoy out of the way. "Uh. . .Ooga Booga!" The statue remained still. Joey fell back. "That's all I've got. . ."
Yugi watched his friend, stifling a laugh. Then a voice inside his head made him jump.
"Yugi. Where is Seto Kaiba? He had the Millennium Rod."
"I don't know," Yugi thought back to the pharoah. "Why?"
"I summoned all the holders of the Millennium items to help free this world of the Shadow Realm. Kaiba is the holder of the Millennium Rod, is he not?"
"Yeah I guess so. . .But shouldn't you be able to sense an item approaching?"
"Yes. That's why I asked if he was-"
Seto Kaiba slammed into the room, his helicopter escort waiting outside the doorway. "Someone stole the Millennium Rod," he said softly. "And you'll never guess who."
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R&R!!