Quatre: *sigh* This chapter isn't very good, so forgive me. This is basically the aftermath of the attacks. Next chapter should be better.
Yami Quatre: We have some shonen-ai implications here; however, Quatre has said that if enough people object, she will not expand upon it.
Yami Kenshin: Basically, vote: Shonen-ai or no?
Quatre: And now, we continue with our regularly scheduled fic.
Key:
"…" Normal speech
/…/ Hikari(private)/Harry thinking
//..// Yami (private)
\…/ Dragon
… Hikari (public)/Harry
… Yami (public)
Harry walked up to the stone gargoyle hiding Dumbledore's office nervously. Madame Pomefrey had healed the worst of his injuries, a broken rib and concussion among them, but she had left him with many scrapes and bruises. He rubbed against a rapidly purpling mark on his cheek and debated whether or not to go up.
Karasuhebi was still wound around his arm, her head resting gently on his shoulder. She watched his indecisiveness with amusement.
\Why do you not wish to go up to see your friends?/ she asked after they'd stood there for five minutes.
"What am I supposed to tell them?" he wondered. "I don't think they should know about the Millennium Items, because that would just put them in danger. But how do I cover something like that up? They're my best friends, and I hate to lie to them."
\Then do not lie. I have confidence in Professor Dumbledore's ability to protect them./
"But-"
\Trust Professor Dumbledore,/ the dragon advised.
Harry sighed. "You're going to pester me until I tell them, aren't you?"
\He gets it!/ Karasuhebi grinned smugly. Harry scowled down at her.
"Pop tarts," he sighed.
The gargoyle came to life and sprang aside. Harry climbed onto the moving staircase and let it carry them up.
The door was already open when Harry reached the top. He knocked lightly to announce his presence before walking in.
He found himself on the ground less than a second later, having been glomped by Hermione. Ron was seated in one of the large armchairs and was sending a sympathetic look his way.
"I believe Harry would like to breathe sometime soon," Dumbledore said after a few minutes, amusement evident in his voice.
Hermione blushed and let Harry go. He took a seat in one of the armchairs, and they all turned to Professor Dumbledore.
"I assume you heard what Malik told Yami about Yami Marik?" Dumbledore asked Ron. Ron nodded. "And you told Hermione?" Again, Ron nodded. "Very well. Harry, would you like to explain?"
Harry nodded and sighed.
\Once you start talking, you won't stop,/ Karasuhebi said by way of encouragement.
Harry scowled down at the dragon. "Don't push your luck. Can we have privacy, please? Go find Yami or something."
Karasuhebi managed to scowl. \Fine./ She unwound herself from Harry's arm and flew out the window.
Ron and Hermione blinked. "Where did that dragon come from?" Hermione asked.
"I'll explain that in a bit." Harry sighed. He then proceeded to tell them everything, omitting the bit about the Millennium Items having any powers. So far as Ron and Hermione knew, the only purpose the Items served was to hold the spirits of Yami and Bakura.
Ron and Hermione looked at him strangely. "So Yami really was a pharaoh?" Hermione asked skeptically.
Harry nodded. "From what I've heard, anyway."
"And Yugi and Yami are really separate halves of a whole soul?" Ron put in. "The same with Ryou and Bakura and Malik and Marik?"
"That's right."
"So where does that dragon come in?" Hermione asked.
"They're the guardians that Professor Trelawney mentioned in her prophecy," Harry answered.
"So that means the five of you have to save the world?" Ron asked. "Blimey, Harry!"
"How, though?" Hermione wondered. "The dragons are all fine and dandy, but what happens when Marik summons those monsters again? How will we fight against those? And how in the world did he manage to conjure monsters from that blasted card game, anyway?"
"Apparently, it's something the yamis can do," Dumbledore answered, sparing Harry. "I did not know of it myself until this afternoon. I have yet to question them about it."
"Only the yamis?" Hermione asked quizzically. "Today I thought I saw Ryou on the battlefield. There were a few monsters around him, too."
"Erm…"
Tell them that Bakura summoned them for me, I was just directing them, Ryou supplied quickly.
Are you eavesdropping? Harry asked.
Not me. Kuro. He's relating what you're saying back to me. The other dragons are around there, too.
Harry sighed and relayed Ryou's excuse to the others.
\Fascinating though this might be, could you speed it up a bit?/ Gin'iro's "voice" asked dryly. \Some of us are hungry./
It appears we have another Bakura around here, Yami observed. In the words of the fictional character know as Terriermon: Momentai!
Harry couldn't help it. A fit of giggles overcame him, and he fell out of his chair.
Are you all right, Harry? Yami asked in concern.
Ron and Hermione were staring at him like he'd gone mad.
Harry couldn't stop laughing for a good five minutes.
"What's so funny, Harry?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head. "Apparently, Yami watches Digimon Tamers."
Ron was confused. Hermione giggled a bit before becoming serious again.
"So you and those four have some sort of telepathic link to one another?" she asked.
"Apparently."
\Fooood…./
Harry sighed. "And the dragons, too." He turned to Dumbledore. "Gin'iro is practically begging to be fed. May we go now?"
Ron and Hermione checked their watches. "It's dinner already?!"
"You may go. Please keep this a secret from the other students, the quieter we can keep this, the better," Dumbledore advised.
They nodded and left.
"You go on ahead," Harry told Ron and Hermione. "I'll catch up with you later."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.
Harry nodded. "It's dinnertime, right? I'll meet you in the Great Hall."
Ron and Hermione looked doubtful but went ahead anyway.
Karasuhebi flew in the nearest window and landed on Harry's shoulder. \Why do you not go with your friends?/
"I need to write a letter," Harry replied, heading for Gryffindor Tower.
\To who?/
"My godfather," Harry replied.
When he reached the dormitories, though, he found a letter waiting on his pillow.
Harry,
Dumbledore has already told me about what happened today. Yugi's friends are really worried. Monsters showed up here, too, but Jou's 'duel disk' enabled him to fight them off.
Someone's serious about getting rid of those four. I suggest you stay as far away from them as possible.
Seto has enclosed something for you, he hasn't told me what yet. He says that it'll be helpful should Marik attack again.
I'll be in Hogsmeade for the next Hogsmeade weekend. We'll talk later.
Siirus
Harry put the letter on his bed table and picked up the previously unnoticed package lying on his bed.
He opened it to find a Duel Disk, like the ones he'd seen on television. There was a note from Seto.
This is a Duel Disk from last year's Battle City Tournament. Remus Lupin has put a spell on it so that it will work for you. Don't lose it or break it, it's only a loner until Voldermort and Marik are destroyed. Tell Yugi and Ryou to have theirs charmed also.
Seto Kaiba
Harry looked over the Duel Disk and turned it on.
"Cool!"
He found his deck and placed it in the Duel Disk. "I'll have to tell Yugi about this."
His stomach growled just then, reminding him that he was hungry.
"Don't say anything," he said to Karasuhebi, who'd opened her mouth to make a smart comment.
\Aww…/
Harry went downstairs to the Great Hall to eat.
Yugi climbed the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. "Ow, ow, ow," he muttered to no one in particular as he walked. There was a rather large bruise forming on his right side, from where a Harpy's Brother had attacked him before the Dark Magician could react. It stretched every time he moved, and was being generally irritating.
Asagi was quite sympathetic. \I wish I could help you, but I'm not a phoenix, after all./
"That was quite helpful," Yugi muttered, "But thank you for the sentiment."
He reached the Tower and headed straight for his room. He ignored Fred and George, who were trying to get him to go over there (probably to test one of their inventions.)
Bakura was already in the room, lying face down on his bed. Gin'iro was curled up beside him, watching with red eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.
\Hello. Come here often?/ Gin'iro asked amiably.
"Not right now," Yugi groaned, flopping onto his bed. He didn't even kick off his shoes.
\Please leave Yugi alone,/ Asagi said. \He is not feeling well./
\Oh. From the battle today?/
\Yes. I assume that is also why Bakura is asleep?/
\Right. "Don't tell Yami," he said before he fell asleep./
\I can see why,/ Asagi said
"Please stop talking," Yugi murmured.
The two dragons shot him a glare but obliged.
Yami walked in a few minutes later, Koganeiro perched precariously on his shoulder.
"Yugi?"
The teen in question groaned. "Not now, Yami."
"Are you all right?" Yami asked, sitting down on the bed next to Yugi.
"No."
"What's wrong?"
Yugi didn't say anything, so Asagi took Yugi's shirt into his mouth and pulled it up. Yugi yelped and shot up, trying to push his shirt back down, but Yami already saw the bruise. It covered Yugi's entire right side and stretched halfway across his back, stopping about four inches from his spine. It was a miracle that nothing had been broken, as Madame Pomfrey had said.
"When did this happen?" Yami asked quietly. "During the battle?"
Yugi nodded. "I didn't want you to worry though. That's why I didn't say anything."
"Yugi, we may not share the same body anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't care what happens to you."
"I know that!"
"Then next time something's bothering you, please tell me."
Yugi sighed. "All right."
"Now let's do something about that bruise. It's a rather nasty one."
"I noticed," was the dry reply. Yugi sat up and took off his shirt so that Yami could get a better look at the bruise.
"Hm. I'll go get some ice. It might help."
"Don't you put raw meat on black eyes"
"No, I think that's just in the movies."
"Oh."
"I'll be right back. As soon as I find out where to get ice." Yami stood and made for the door. "Stay there."
"Where else would I go? Mars?" came the sarcastic reply.
"You've been hanging around me too long," Bakura muttered. "Well done."
Yami shook his head and went downstairs. Perhaps one of the older students would conjure some ice for him.
"Oi! Yami!"
He turned his head to see Fred and George Weasley waving cheerfully at him from the other side of the common room.
"What do you want?" he called back, staying safely where he was.
"What happened earlier, with the monsters?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, what kind of magic was that?" George added.
"I have no idea. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must find some ice."
"Good luck. Try going to the kitchens, the house-elves might be able to help you."
Yami nodded. "And where are the kitchens?"
Fred and George told him, and he set off.
He was back ten minutes later with a particularly talkative house-elf named Dobby carrying a sackfull of enchanted ice.
"-and Harry Potter freed Dobby from nasty, nasty Malfoys!" Dobby continued as they climbed up the stairs to the boy's dorm. "Then, Harry Potter encountered Sirius Black! Harry Potter escaped, though, very very lucky."
They entered the fifth-year room just then, sparing Yami from the story of Harry's life.
"Thank you for your assistance, Dobby," Yami said. "I can take it from here."
"All right, Yami… What is Yami's last name?"
"It doesn't matter."
Dobby shrugged. "It was very nice meeting Yami, and Dobby begs that he comes to visit Dobby again soon!" With a snap of his fingers, he was gone.
Yami stared at the spot where Dobby had been before shaking his head and turning his attention to Yugi.
"Are you awake?" the pharaoh asked softly.
Yugi nodded and tried to sit up with a wince.
"Lay down," Yami said. "That bruise has to be incredibly stiff and painful by now."
"Yeah. It's painful."
Yami wrapped the ice (enchanted so that it wouldn't melt) around the bruise and sat on Yugi's bed. "Feel better?"
"My right side is numb. I guess that's the point, but it feels weird."
Yami chuckled. "One time, when I was a child, I was practicing sword fighting with my instructor. He hit me too hard by accident, on my leg, and I had a really bad bruise for at least two weeks. I couldn't walk for the first two days, and we didn't have any ice back then."
Yugi grinned. "You were worse off than I am, ne?"
"I suppose. I didn't really mind at the time, though. It spared me from having to do any work for a few days."
Yugi chuckled. "Lucky you. I doubt I'll have that kind of luxury."
Asagi and Koganeiro had moved to the top of Ron's canopy and were watching the two closely.
\Yami likes Yugi,/ Asagi said privately to Koganeiro.
\It is quite evident to everyone except them,/ Koganeiro answered. She stretched her wings. \Should we help them along?/
Asagi shook his head. \I don't think my charge feels the same way. We'll have to let them figure it out for themselves, and if they never do, it's their loss./
Koganeiro scowled but nodded.
Unnoticed by them during the conversation, Yugi turned his head so that he was staring up at Yami.
"You must be hungry. Why don't you go to the Great Hall?"
"I'm not very hungry."
Yugi stared up at Yami for a long time. Yami found an excuse to look somewhere else.
"Yami, is there something bugging you?" Yugi asked after about ten minutes.
Yami shook his head. "I'm just worried, that's all."
Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Really? Is that why you've been staring at my butt for the last ten minutes?"
Yami blushed. There was a faint snigger from the direction of Bakura's bed.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't really paying attention to where I was staring. I was thinking about what we should do if Marik attacks again."
"Oh. We could summon monsters and use them as sentries," Yugi suggested. "And perhaps set a few traps around the castle perimeter."
"Very good idea, Yugi. I shall ask Dumbledore about it tomorrow. How does your side feel?"
Yugi blinked. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
"That's good." Yami removed the ice and, not knowing what else to do with it, threw it out the window. "I hope no one was down there."
Yugi grinned. "I certainly hope not!" He tried sitting up. "What time is it?"
Yami checked his watch. "About seven."
Yugi yawned. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I fell asleep right now. Good night, Yami." He kicked off his shoes (finally) and curled up in the bed. Asagi flew down and curled up next to him. Yami sighed and went downstairs again.
Harry and Ryou were dueling in a corner of the common room. Malik had finally been released from the hospital wing and was sitting in an armchair eyeing the wizards warily. Hermione had her nose in a book, and Ron was watching Ryou and Harry.
Yami sat down next to Malik. "When are you going to be sorted?" he asked.
Malik shrugged. "Tomorrow, I think. At breakfast. Then Dumbledore is going to take me to someplace called Diagon Alley to buy some books and stuff."
Yami didn't say anything. He just stared off into space, thinking, running different scenarios in his mind over and over.
What would he do after such a defeat? Would he try again? Or we he plan a different attack, to keep them off balance?
He knew the answer without really thinking about it.
Of course Marik wasn't stupid enough to try the same thing twice in a row. And if not Marik, then that dark wizard Voldermort.
So if Marik wasn't going to try and attack again, then what would he do?
Yami nearly growled with frustration as his mind came up with blanks.
He forced himself to calm down and looked around, trying to find something to keep himself occupied. A sign on the coomon room message board caught his eye,
Despite the events of today, the Hogsmeade weekend has not been cancelled. It will still be in one week. However, classes tomorrow have been cancelled. Have a nice day.
Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress, Hogwarts.
Yami was glad there were no classes tomorrow. He was tired, and he wasn't sure if he'd have gone anyway.
Before he knew what was happening, he'd fallen asleep in the armchair.
Attack at Hogwarts!
Daily Prophet reporters located at Hogmeade Village reported yesterday that several monsters, from the Muggle card game Duel Monsters, appeared yesterday and proceeded to attack Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. According to Professor Albus Dumbledore, there were no casualties, and the attack was safely repelled.
According to Dumbledore, he believes that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is the perpetrator of this attack, along with an unknown accomplice. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge discounts this fact as an excuse to cover up Hogwarts' gameskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures' professor's inability to perform his duties.
"Of course He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named isn't back," Fudge declared at an impromptu press conference in the Ministry of Magic building. "It was probably Dumbledore trying out one of his experiments and they just went out of whack."
A Hogwarts transfer student replied to this, saying, "If that ******* can't see past his own nose, why the hell is he the most powerful man in the country?! Of course Dumbledore wouldn't try something like this! It was that bakayarou Voldermort and his sidekick Marik that summoned those blasted monsters. If it hadn't been for Dumbledore, students probably would have gotten killed!"
Fudge was livid upon hearing this and insisted that the boy be punished. Dumbledore refused, saying that opinions had a right to be spoken.
Fudge insists that Dumbledore was behind the attacks, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has not returned. He claims that it is an attack on the minister himself, to undermine his authority.
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead," he said firmly. "I find it far more likely that we have another enemy, this 'Marik' person, whoever he is."
Aurors are scouring the country, even as we speak, but no clues have emerged. Please keep reading for updates.
Quatre: Forgive me for the crappy quality. It is almost eleven o'clock at night and my eyes hurt. I'll probably do some editing tomorrow.
Yami Quatre: Brownie points to anyone who guesses which "transfer student" talked to the Daily Prophet!
Yami Kenshin: Now, I do believe you two should go to bed *makes shooing motions with his hands*
Quatre: No arguments from me. Read and review, please! And don't forget to vote!