Leaving Illusions Behind

Written by Li Cruz

Chapter Four: The Cursing of a Name

Author Notes:

To ruth 4 kai: I'm a heavy reader of fantasy and sci-fi (and, erhm, fan fiction). Also I do a lot of writing. So in the end, I ended up with a lot of bits and pieces of ideas ad it is just a matter of making a combination work.

To others like Selena*99: The pervious story, I felt was both the tempo was too bloody fast and the storyline had more holes in it than a colander.

To Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Hold ya horses!

Signing out

Li Cruz (rantermaster@yahoo.com)

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Harry and Yugi, about an hour after being shooed out of the infirmary, managed to slip out of the Griffidor common room. Despite the fact they had only met not an hour ago, they both were curious about the 'demon' and what was the matter with him.

The sun was setting, so it casted long shadows in the hall. Harry and Yugi hide behind one of the large statues when they heard someone coming. Ollivander and Sinstra walked by.

"So, do you know what is going on?" Ollivander softly said.

"No, Dumbledore all summoned us for an emergency meeting. I don't quite understand why he'd need you?" Sinstra said.

"Perhaps…" Ollivander's voice trailed off as the pair turned the hall. Yugi and Harry shared glances. They nodded to each other in complete understanding. They sneaked to the hall.

"So where are we?" Yugi peered around.

"In one of the halls of empty classrooms." Harry whispered.

They both could hear the voices in the classroom at the end of the hall. It took both Harry and Yugi a few moments to sneak in. There was several shelves in the back that they hid behind. Harry and Yugi looked out over a lecture hall.

There were at least twenty people both of the school staff and the Order of Phoenix. Harry sighed in relief. Mad-eye Moody wasn't there. Dumbledore stood up in front of the group.

"I apologized for any inconveniences caused by calling you here, but I have called this meeting of both the Order and the faculty to aid in perhaps saving a young man's life."

"What do you mean, Albus?" One of the older witches said.

"We don't know the name of this young man. Yet he saved several lives, Petunia Evans, Harry Potter, and Severus Snape. Madam Pofrey."

Madam Pofrey stood up, her face paled. She coughed slightly. Solomon Motou, who was sitting near the front, leaned forward.

"When I and Solomon Motou scan the young man. We only found the most recent injuries. Later, I performed the Vomica Petos spell when he didn't answer. I had merely suspected a silence charm of some sort."

A number of folks murmured at this.

"You found something worse." Solomon stated flatly.

"Vomica Petos trackes every spell and potion used on a person depending on the caster's parameters. I perform the spell and potion for a span of five years." She closed her eyes for a moment. "Never in my life, have I ever seen something like this. The list was parchment scroll long."

Several members of the gathering exchanged glances with each other. Pofrey drew a breath. Dumbledore looked ancient. Many of the gathering shifted in their seats.

"The young man, by all accounts, should be dead." Pofrey said.

Harry and Yugi shared a glance as the gathering broke out into mutters. Solomon, Remus, and Professor Snape, as if sharing the same mind, yelled for quiet. Dumbledore picked up where Pofrey left off.

"Indeed, our mysterious guest should be dead. The list Profrey's spell produced was three-quarters of the list, comprises Dark Magic spells and potions. All of them are labeled as illegal."

The room went silent. Dumbledore looked around the quiet room. Snape was first to break the silence.

"There is something you are not telling us about the last of the list. What is it?"

"The rest of the list comprises of various curses and two of the Unforgivables." Dumbledore said. "Cruciatus and Avada Kedavra."

The group began shouting in protest. Dumbledore waved his wand, creating a bang. He looked around.

"But unfortunately we cannot do any about the Avada Kedavra. We need help in reversing the damage done."

"So that's why you called us?" Flitwick said, indicating all the House Heads and the few other members of the school faculty. "Wouldn't removing the curses possible kill him?"

"Possibly, but we may…" Dumbledore grimaced. "Have to invoke…"

Apparently for the adults, there was no need to finish the sentence. Everyone looked grim.

"After that, we'll have another problem. Hiding the boy."

"The Ministry's after him?" Remus asked.

"Yes, but not for what you may be think, Remus. Ollivander, we need a wand for him."

"Ah, I see. You planned to hide the boy as a wizard, even if he's not." Ollivander spoke thoughtfully.

"He is a wizard, but you could say one of a completely different disciple."

"Interesting. I will have to see the boy afterwards than." He said as he stood up. "Unfortunate for me, I must return to my shop. Good day."

Ollivander walked out of the room. His thin face was in contemplation. Dumbledore clapped his hands and everyone else looked to him. Harry and Yugi, after a moment of whispering, agreed it was better to leave now before they were caught. They, after getting out, split up. Yugi, back to the Griffidor common room, intended to discuss with his friends what had happened. Harry headed to his Aunt's new quarters to think.



A few days later, there could be heard faintly screams. Harry was acquainting himself with the foreign trio, when they first heard the screaming. They all exchanged glances.

"What on Earth was that?" Marik exclaimed.

"I think it's the kid in the infirmary." Bakura replied, his voice going from soft to harsh. "Man, it sounds like someone in dying a very gruesome death."

Harry, now used to the way Ryou Bakura seemed to have a split personality, said dryly. "He's probably in a lot of pain."

Yugi merely stared into space.

::Abiou?::

:Oh, sorry, Yami.:

::You shouldn't worry to much about it. They are taking care of him.::

:I know.:



Later, that evening, they eat in the Great Hall. All the adults were paled and exhausted. Pomfrey wasn't at the table. Everyone ate in silence. Aunt Petunia broke the silence when desert was served.

"Who is he?"

Dumbledore gave a tired smile.

"He's been completely uncursed and healed. We are not completely sure about his mental state, though. We didn't find out his name." He said with a finality.

At this everyone looked up. Dumbledore was now paying attention to his meal.





The next morning, the quartet made their way to the Great Hall. Aunt Petunia was gone for the day to pick up Dudley with Mrs. McGonall. Grampa Motou was busy with rearranging his classroom and office.

"So do you think we can go to the Infirmary?" Ryou asked curiously.

"No, Professor Dumbledore told us we still can't." Harry said with a sigh.

Marik had a thoughtful look on his face. Ryou and Yugi automatically moved away from him. Harry blinked in surprise when he found Yugi on his right instead of his left.

"I have an idea." Marik's eye glanced side to side. Yugi and Ryou shuttered simultaneously. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Instead of wondering who the kid is, how about we do some pranks."

"If you do so, Mr. Ishatar, you will regret it." A smooth silky voice said behind him.

Everyone jumped. Professor Snape looked down on them with a bored expression. A smaller person stepped out of the shadows and latched himself to the Professor's robe. Harry could have sworn Snape had smiled at it.

"Quatre, come. We wouldn't want to miss breakfast." Snape said soothingly to the young boy clinging to his robe.

As the pair walked by, Harry and Yugi stared after them. Marik waved a hand in front of their faces each. Harry snapped out of his daze. Yugi just closed his eyes.

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Next on Leaving Illusion Behind:

Chapter Five: Quatre and Severus