HP= Harry Potter YGO = Yu Gi Oh ET= E.T. JR =JOLLIE_RANCHER SS = Severus
Snape MV =Mysterious Voice JW= Joey Wheeler RW =Ron Weasly
YB =Yami Bakura
YB: Why have you drawn me into this pointless fanfic?
YGO: We needed an evil person.
MV: Not to mention it's so fun to annoy you.
JR: And annoying people is what we do best.
ME: Just think. What would we do if we didn't have people to annoy?
HP: Not to mention if we don't have an evil person with bad plots that are doomed to failure that we can taunt about how he is destined to lose.
YB: You pathetic baboon! I cannot lose!
YGO: Uh, Bakura?
YB: What?
YGO You need to watch what you're doing.
YB: Why it's not like any thing you can do will trip me up. My plans are guaranteed to succeed.
YGO: Yeah, but.
YB: Give up now or else I'll.. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
YGO: I was trying to tell you, you were about to trip on my yo-yo.
JR: That's not something you see every day. A yo-yo tripped by a yo-yo.
ME: Almost as strange as a horse with two rear ends.
JW: Has anyone seen Ryou?
YGO: He's a little tied up at the moment. Why? What do you need?
JW: I think he has my Red-Eyes.
MV: (Monotone) Wow. Joey lost his Red-Eyes.
HP: (Also Monotone) Clear-Eyes. Gets the red out. Wow.
YB: ( Finally untangling himself from Yu Gi's bright red yo-yo) AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I will destroy you all for this humiliation!
JW: Hey Ryou, Have you seen my Red-Eyes?
YB: Hands Joey a bottle of Clear Eyes. This should help.
JW: %$ Huh?
All But JW: -_-;
ME: Before people decide to sue..
YB: I think I'll just sue them for my humiliation.
ME: We don't own any of the people or products we torture in this unbelievably dumb fic. J
JR: That was the most wonderful disclaimer yet.
ME: Only a truly insane mind could come up with it.
YB: I must try to take over the world. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.
ME: OOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY. Maybe an almost truly insane mind.
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Into The Mists By Faith_Kitty and Jollie_Rancher
Chapter Nine: Shadows Revealed
Yami Estel watched her great pharaoh as he slept. Even in sleep he looked strong enough to depend on. She knew that if anything were to happen to her he would be right there to rescue her. And then she would be there to heal his wounds. They would spend eternity together. She looked back over at him. Quietly he tossed in his sleep and then began to mutter.
"I don't want to. Why do I have to? You do it, it's not like she can tell the difference. Okay, I admit it. She's nice, but that doesn't mean I want to ask her."
"Ask her what?" Yami Estel asked concerned.
"To marry me." He said simply, blissfully unaware of the ambush he had just walked into.
"Who are you asking to marry you?" she asked, carefully annunciating every word.
"Yami Estel."
"Who asked you to Propose to her?" she demanded turning a lovely shade of red.
"Yu Gi."
"Why?"
"Estel asked him to."
"When did they do that?!?"
"When she was hiding in his soul room. But don't tell Yami Estel. She'll be furious." Yami Estel tried to keep from screaming. Tried.
"YYYUUUUUUUU GGGGGGGGIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!" Yami Yu GI woke with a start. Estel disappeared as he opened his eyes. Wondering at the fact that he had dreamed about Estel's Yami, he looked around puzzled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry sat silently by Ginny's bed side. Ron and Hermione were at dinner, but he had chosen to stay behind. He remembered the helpless feeling he had felt as that wall had come up between them as he watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful right now. Then he saw her eyes flutter.
Slowly she began to become aware of her surroundings. All she could remember after Care of Magical Creatures was a dreadful feeling of helplessness, and Harry running to try and save her. There were also small bits of a duel against Professor Mouto that made no sense.
"Harry." She said not really expecting a response.
"Yes, Ginny." Harry responded a great deal of relief in his voice. He was very glad she alright.
"What happened?" She asked hoping to fill in some of the gaps. It was strange it was almost like the time Tom Riddle had taken over her.
"Don't worry about that it's all over. You need some sleep." He said to keep her from worrying. She lay back down obediently, glad that he was there, and gratefully drifted into simi-concousness. Shortly after she fell asleep Ron and Hermione returned. He told them she had woken up and their relief was evident on their faces. Hermione then dragged him to the Great Hall and forced him to eat something.
"What good would it do for you to die of starvation?" She asked when he protested.
Ginny spent the entire day recovering under the watchful eye of Madam Pomphrey. Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited when they could. And much to her surprise and delight Professor Mouto and Estel visited as well.
"Hello, Poppy." Professor Mouto greeted Madam Pomphrey. Then he turned to Ginny a sad smile on his face. "Hello Ginny."
"How are you feeling?" Estel asked concerned.
"Hello Professor, E.T. I feel a little worn out but none the worse for ware, thank you." Ginny said pulling herself up into a sitting position.
"I'm really sorry you got dragged into this Ginny. It was all my fault, they were after me. You should never have been put through that." Yu Gi apologized his voice full of sorrow and anger.
"It's not your fault Professor, I just seem prone to these kinds of things." Ginny tried to reassure him. "I hope no one told mom, she might just pull me and Ron out of school if she does." She mused out loud thinking of how her mother tended to react when it came to her and her brothers.
"No, it should never have happened. I came here to protect you and instead I placed you in danger." He said in frustration, knowing she had faced a fate worse than death.
"I don't blame you Professor. Besides it was the two of you that saved me." She said wishing he would quit blaming himself.
"No," he said again, "you saved yourself."
"But I couldn't have without you. I don't remember much of what happened but I do know that you are the reason I am alive. No matter how you look at it with out you I would be dead." Ginny said hoping it had helped. She was rewarded with a smile.
"Thank you, Ginny." He said seeming encouraged. "You get some rest and I'll see you in class." Estel lay an encouraging hand on Ginny's shoulder and smiled sweetly, then they left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day Ginny was up and feeling as good as new. Surprisingly she was looking forward to History of Magic that morning. So much so that she tried to inhale her breakfast and nearly choked on her eggs. The others were happy to see her up and well. They could barely keep up with her on the way to class.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yu Gi watched as his eager students filed in. Ginny ran to grab a seat at the front of the room, followed closely by her three friends. He smiled a little as he looked at her. Then he let his gaze scan the rest of them. Slowly Neville raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"
"Professor Mouto, What happened?" he asked in a somewhat nervous voice.
"I suppose you deserve an explanation. I'm sorry that I can't give you that, because I don't have one myself." The students looked at him in confusion. "I'll do the best I can though. The best I can do is to tell you what I know, which isn't much. I'm sure most of you have noticed that my fiancée and I have.."
"Yu Gi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He blanched at the tone in her voice. THAT was not his Estel.
"Yami Estel. What can I do for you?" he said trying not to sound like a frightened kitten.
She stormed in. Her hair was not flowing gently down her back as it normally would have. Instead it was rapped around her head in an intricate braid. On her brow was a thin golden circlet. She wore a golden robe cut in Egyptian style. At her wrists various bangles tinkled beautifully. He instantly knew he was in trouble. She only wore her 'princess' clothes when she was p.o.ed. Then he noticed that her eyes were a lovely shade of blood red. That did not bode well for his future. "You made him do it!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Who do what?" he asked, completely confused.
"You made him say it!"
"What are you talking about Yami?"
"And Estel was in on it." She said starting to cry.
"Yami, what's the matter?" Yu Gi asked quickly starting to panic. This ssssoooo didn't look good for him.
"You and Estel made Yami propose!" She wailed, dissolving into tears.
"Oh. Yeah. That." The distressed Yami was still weeping bitterly. Yu Gi called to Hikari Estel while holding Yami Estel.
/What happened?/ he asked her.
\ How should I know? I didn't tell her. Did you?\
/No, I didn't tell her./
\Then who could have told her\
\/ YAMI! \/ They screamed simultaneously.
//What do you need Yu Gi?// the great spirit asked him, appearing at the door to his soul room.
/Did you tell Yami Estel that we made you propose?/
//No, she would kill me if she found out. But I did have a really weird dream about her the other night. I thought she was interrogating me. Hm, odd.//
\Let me at him! Let me at him! I'll kill him!\
/Honey, if you kill him, who will make your yami feel better. After all, If you kill him he can't fix it. CAN HE!/ Yu Gi said with an angry glare at his Yami. Suddenly Yami Yu Gi found himself holding a sobbing Yami Estel. After a moment of panic he decided what to do. He pulled a mallet out of the Shadow Realms and hit her over the head with it knocking her unconscious. The student looked on in confusion and then began to cheer him on. (A.N. Got ya going. Hehehehe. Would I really do that. I can't believe you think me so low. ) After a moment of panic he decided what to do. Slowly he cupped her face in his hands. When she was looking at him full in the face he wiped the tears from her eyes with one gentle hand and then pulled her close. When she was close enough that the sent of her perfume made his knees wobble he kissed her gently.
"Could I have kissed you like that if I didn't love you. Estel, listen to me. I love you. Not the kind of love that lasts a little while and then goes away, the kind of love that makes eternity quiver with envy. I don't know when I fell in love with you, only that I did. If you won't marry me, then I don't know how I will find the strength to face tomorrow."
Estel looked up with hope shining in her eyes. "I waited for you," she whispered. "I waited for so long." Her heart ached with longing.
"So did I." She was complete. The two Yamis retreated to his soul room, where they locked the door. Not that they had to, Yu Gi and Estel were more than glad to leave the happy couple to their own devices. However that left them to deal with the students.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next few weeks were, thankfully, calm. Ginny still got daily detentions, and Estel seemed to have taken over all detentions. She could be stern at times but was always fair. In History of Magic they continued learning about ancient Egypt and the class had become much more attentive. In Defense Against The Dark Arts they continued to lean to duel and avoid shadow magic. Most students were becoming good duelists, Malfoy on the other hand couldn't even win against the first years. The DA had been reestablished under Professor Mouto's supervision and Harry was unanimously voted the leader. Of course, the DA was optional and so there were no Slytheryn's in it. In Quiddich Slytheryn had defeated Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor had taken Huffelpuff in the first two minuets of play thanks to Ginny. At Harry's suggestion, himself, Ron, and Hermione had taken to walking Ginny to all of her classes.
"You know, you don't have to follow me absolutely everywhere." Ginny said to her recently acquired shadows.
"Are you kidding! If any thing happened to you mom would kill me." Ron said, shuddering at the thought.
"Besides it's partly my fault." Harry said looking at the ground.
"How is it your fault?" Ginny asked exasperated and tired of people blaming themselves for what had happened to her. So far she had gotten it from Professor Mouto, Estel, Hagrid, Dumbledor, and Harry. And then there were others who gave her a look that told her they were trying to find a way to say it as well, including Ron and Hermione.
"Voldemort is in league with those two who took over your mind. And he chose you because he knows that we are friends." Harry tried to explain.
"You have lots of friend they could have chosen from. I was just the first they had an opportunity to snatch." She said brushing off his explanation.
"Exactly, and I won't let it happen again." He said forcefully and protectively. When they had seen her safely to class they rushed off toward their own.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yu Gi sat at his desk arguing with his yami, while his students did book work for the first time that year. They didn't seem too happy about it.
/They deserve to know!/
//Perhaps, but is it really worth the risk of telling them?//
/Dumbledor said they were great at detective work. If we don't tell them, they may decide to find out on their own, and with only half of the necessary knowledge, they could wind up getting them selves killed, or worse hurting innocent bystanders that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time./
//Just because those four overly curious children are running around doesn't mean you should tell the entire student population that I have a freak-a-fide form of amnesia that can only be cured by Shadow Magic 'cause I was an idiot and locked away my own memories.// rather than the expected protest, all he heard was smothered laughter. Then the laughter started to grow, and become less smothered. //WHAT is so funny?//
/You said freak-a-fide!/ Yami began to laugh at himself. /Truce?/ Yu Gi finally managed to ask.
//What are your terms?//
/Estel and I will tell only those two, and we tell them every thing so they have no reason to try to find anymore./
//Truce.//
Just as they finished their peace talks, the bell rang signaling the end of class. "Harry" he called, "Ginny."
"Yes, Professor?"
"I need to speak with you later this evening. Please come to my History of Magic office after your last class. If you get a detention, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. This is more important. If you are not here, the I will be very upset."
"Yes, Professor." They answered nervously.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What did Professor Mouto want?" Ron asked curiously.
"He wants to talk to us after classes." Harry told him with a look of deep thought.
"I don't think we're in trouble though. He said not to worry if we had detention, and that he would take care of it if we did." Ginny added gratefully.
"Perhaps he will tell you about some of the stuff that happened to you, Ginny." Hermione said hopefully.
"Well, there is only one way to find out, we just have to go." Harry stated simply.
"If only we were going too, I would like to know just what is going on around here." Hermione whined.
"We can. Fred and George sent Ginny some Extendable Ears. That is, if it's okay with you two." He said turning to Harry and Ginny.
"It's fine with me. We'd probably wind up telling you what happened any way." Harry said thinking it over.
"Well, I certainly don't mind." Ginny said as they reached her class. "I'll see you guys later." She waved good bye. And the others headed for Potions.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That afternoon when they had finished there last class the four students met up down the hall from Professor Mouto's office. Ginny handed her brother and Hermione each an Extendable Ear. She had gotten a detention from Snape but Professor Mouto had said not to worry.
"Don't get caught!" Ginny warned the two. "Snape will probably give me the detention for it."
"We won't get caught." Ron said confidently.
"Normally I wouldn't approve of such things, but under the circumstances." Hermione let her sentence trail off.
"Don't worry. You are both prefects no one will stop or question you." Harry said motioning for Ginny to hurry. They knocked lightly and entered the office. Ron and Hermione slipped their Extendable Ears under the door moments after it shut.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yu Gi motioned the two in with a wave of his hand. When the door was firmly closed behind them he stood. He watched in amusement as two Extendable Ears slipped under the door but he didn't say anything.
"I suppose you wonder why you're here." The two baffled students exchanged a where-is-he-going-with-this look.
"Um, Professor, is there something you need to tell us?" Harry asked.
"How much has Estel told you?"
"Well," Ginny began nervously, "She told us about the seven Items, what they were, and why they were created. And my brother Bill used to tell Ron and me stories about seven magical items used to control the world."
"What does your brother know about these Items?" the young professor asked cautiously.
"He works as a curse breaker for Gringotts over in Egypt."
"Hmm. Well, I suppose it would be best if you heard the entire truth from those that know it best. Estel and the Yamis and I have all spoken, and we've agreed that the student body needs to be warned, however this needs to be done without causing a general panic." The two students exchanged another glance.
"I suppose," the professor went on, " that I should start at the beginning, when I first got the Millennium Puzzle. When I was very young I moved from Japan to America where my Grandpa lived. My parents had just died and I was very shy to begin with. To give me self confidence my Grandpa gave me a puzzle that had been in the family for years. He said that no one had ever been able to solve it, and that it had something to do with my favorite game, Duel Monsters." He paused. Harry and Ginny looked bewildered.
"I know you're confused," he continued, "but I promise this is going somewhere. As I was solving the puzzle I began to wish for friends. Just before I finished it I met my three closest friends, Joey, Tristan, and Téa. Then when I solved it I discovered that a spirit of some sort lived in the puzzle. He helped my friends and I to become close. That spirit was always there for me, giving me courage to face the world. But the spirit could never remember anything. It didn't even know it's own name." Neither Ginny nor Harry noticed the purple mists that began to encircle them. As Professor Mouto spoke the mist lazily began to receive the two unwitting victims. Yu Gi waited until they were completely enclosed by the mists before he went on with his story. The two students didn't notice.
"Then, I met a young man known as Seto Kiaba. Seto and his brother Mokuba were orphans, but they didn't have it to bad as Seto owned his own corporation. When Seto discovered that my Grandpa had a really rare card he challenged him to a duel. My Grandpa lost, and Seto tore up the precious card. To avenge my Grandpa I challenged Seto. Only by luck was I able to pull all the pieces of Exodia the Forbidden One. That was the first time I ever used Shadow Magic. I banished an evil part of Kiaba's soul to the Shadow Realms." The two looked at him in shock. Could you really destroy a person's soul with this game? Yu Gi smiled in understanding.
"That very night, Maxamilion Pegasus kidnapped my Grandpa's soul. The only way I could save my Grand pa was to defeat Pegasus. It wasn't until Pegasus stole the souls of Mokuba and Kiaba that I figured out that it wasn't anything personal. Shortly after I dueled him I discovered that he was a widower. He was trying to use my Puzzle and his Eye to revive his dead wife. During that time the Spirit and I grew closer and closer. About an hour after my duel with Pegasus his Millennium Eye was stolen. The keeper of the Items came to me thinking I had done it. Shadi and I began to search the Spirit's soul room." Suddenly he paused. "You know," he said offhandedly, "I think Shadi was right. Your room does look like a tomb."
"I could take offense to that aibou." Said a figure that was slowly materializing beside the small man. The students stared at the newcomer incredulously. He looked almost like Professor Mouto, but he was taller. He also seemed more confident and his violet eyes were tinged with crimson. Somehow he seemed vaguely familiar. Suddenly Ginny seemed to recognize him.
"You must be the one Estel talks about! You're Yami!" All three of the boys looked at her.
"That's the yami?" Harry asked.
"What exactly does Estel say when she talks about me?" Yami demanded of her. Ginny looked startled by the questions. Harry was busy looking from the Yami to the Hikari, while Ginny tried to stammer an answer for the excited looking Yami.
Yu Gi laughed at the puzzled expression on Harry's face. "Didn't you believe Estel when she said we had friends upstairs?"
"Actually, we kind of thought she was a little nutters." Ginny responded blushing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What happened?" Ron asked in surprise. "It just stopped working."
"Maybe they just stopped talking." Hermione suggested becoming worried.
"No. It's been to long for that to be the case." Ron said confused.
"Then, maybe Professor Mouto noticed them and used Shadow Magic to disable them." Hermione said.
"That would make sense. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and have Harry and Ginny tell us what happened." Ron said plopping down. They both go comfortable and decided to just listen and wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Shortly after Yami had appeared two of Estel walked up. One was slightly smaller than the other. The first had blue-black hair and a playful expression that she wore during detentions. The other had hair as black as pitch and wore an expression that just begged someone to misbehave in her presence. Yami Yu Gi became instantly quiet. The pitch-haired one took one look at him and started laughing.
"You look guilty." She noted.
"What are you doing here?" the other asked. "You have no idea how hard it was to find you." The smaller of the two walked up to the smaller Yu Gi and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"We had to come here," Yu Gi explained. "Their friends were trying to use those ear things to listen, and we couldn't start a panic when I got to the 'fate worse than death' part." She laughed beautifully. Harry and Ginny blanched at the wording, but the two Yamis didn't seem to notice. They had begun talking to each other.
"We're going to go patrol to make sure Bakura and Marik don't find you." Yami Estel said.
"Special Dark." Her Hikari coughed.
"Milk Chocolate." The Yami snapped back. Yu Gi and his yami seemed completely baffled by this exchange.
When the two Yamis had retreated Yu Gi went on with his story. "Anyway, after Shadi came Yami started to remember things. He remembered being called Yami, Great One, and Pharaoh. Then, as time passed he slowly began to feel that there was something left to do. That was when we met Ishizu. Ishizu is the owner of the Millennium Necklace. It allows her to see into the past. She is also the sister of Marik."
"Isn't he the one who took over my mind?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, but you mustn't judge them to harshly. Marik was one of the few chosen as the Pharaoh's elite guard. He alone knows how to release. but I'm getting ahead of my self. Ishizu showed Yami and I what had happened. Long ago Duel Monsters was real. Then, the power became out of control. The Pharaoh somehow managed to lock the creatures away into stone tablets. I don't know what became of those tablets, but I have seen their images in one of the hidden paths of my Yami's soul room. When the creatures were locked away, a treacherous magician betrayed the brave pharaoh. He challenged him to a duel. Not even Ishizu knows how that duel ended. Only Yami knows, and he erased his own memories."
"How did he do that?" Harry wanted to know. "Why?"
"He did it so no one would be able to unlock the power ever again. All he remembers is that the power is locked away in seven mystical Items."
Then Estel spoke up. "The Millennium Items are divided thus: I have the Scales. They have the power to restore balance. In the Scales is the soul of the pharaoh's favorite dancer. Shadi has the Key. It has the power to unlock the secrets of the mind. The Spirit of the Key is one of the pharaoh's bodyguards. As Yu Gi said earlier, Ishizu has the Necklace. You know it's power, but so far we still don't know which spirit she has. Yu Gi has the Puzzle. It is the most powerful of the Items because it has the power to contain the other six. In it resides the Spirit of the Great Pharaoh himself."
"Are you saying that his upstairs person is the Pharaoh?" Harry asked in astonishment.
"Yes," Yu Gi answered him, "my Yami is the great Pharaoh."
"What is a Yami?" Ginny asked.
"Yami means Darkness. Hikari means light. Just because my Yami is my darkness doesn't mean he is evil though. It just means he's the opposite of me."
"Yu Gi has been called the soul of pure innocence," Estel remarked. "Yami is the soul of worldly experience. He has known betrayal and pain where Yu Gi has known only love."
"Who owns the other three Items?" Harry wanted to know.
"Marik has the Rod. Its power gives him dominion over the minds of others." Estel said in a sad voice. "He didn't always use its powers for evil though. At one time he was loyal to the Pharaoh. In service to the pharaoh though he was driven insane. He is the only one who knows how to bring back the memory of the pharaoh. While in service to the Great One, the secret was tattooed on his back, and he lets no one see it, for he wants the Soul Of The Pharaoh for himself."
"So your saying that he knows how to steal Professor Mouto's Yami?"
"It's worse than that." Yu Gi whispered. Estel looked at him worriedly for a moment and then began to explain the true horror to the two young students.
"If Marik manages to get the Soul Of The Pharaoh, Yu Gi will be lost as well. His own soul will be lost in the Shadow Realms forever." She began to cry. "If that happens, their body will die."
"It's something like a Dementor Kiss," his Yami said coming up behind them, "Only instead of the soul dying, it is trapped in a hell of the worst kind." Harry and Ginny blanched at this description. "It is a fate you barely escaped Ginny." The Great Spirit continued. "If you had not forced Marik to loosen his grip on you, Yu Gi and I would have had no choice but to completely destroy your soul to get rid of him. On the flip side, if you had managed to win the duel with me, Marik would have destroyed you himself because you had served you purpose." Harry and Ginny were becoming even paler with every word.
"Who has the last two Items?" Harry somehow managed to ask.
"Ryou Bakura." Hikari Yu Gi whispered. "Ryou is a wonderful person. He was one of the first people I met when I arrived in America. But his father gave him the Millennium Ring for his birthday. The Ring has the power to locate anything he asks it to. But Bakura never had a chance to learn to use its power. The Ring is inhabited by a power hungry Grave Robber. That Yami has taken complete control of him."
"You can do that?" Ginny whispered in awe and fright.
"Yes," Yami Yu Gi replied. "We can take over. Fortunately most of us won't take over unless invited to or if we feel our Hikari is in danger. Even then most of us will always relinquish control if asked. Yami Bakura and Yami Marik are the exception, not the rule."
"Yami Bakura is always seeking a body without a soul," Hikari Yu Gi finished for his Yami, "so that he can get rid of his Hikari, If he doesn't find such a body, he has no qualms about destroying someone else's soul. After all he has already tried several times to send his Hikari to the Shadow Realms. Also, Bakura has the Eye. It is unknown who is in the Eye. All we know is that it lets its owner see the unseen. For example its wearer can see the thoughts of people."
"What does all of this have to do with us?" Ginny asked in a scared whisper.
"Everything." Yami Estel said, appearing from the shadows to place a hand on Ginny's trembling shoulder. "You see, Bakura and Marik have teamed up with your Lord Voldemort. He will help Bakura to get all of the Items, and Marik to steal the Soul Of The Pharaoh. We aren't sure how to stop them, because we don't know the rules of this Game. Marik is the only one who know all the rules."
"Why is Voldemort doing this?" Harry demanded. "He never does anything unless he gets something he wants out of it."
"Revenge Harry. If Marik and Bakura get what they want, they will give him what he wants. You, Harry. If they win they will deliver your soul on a platter trapped in a void. Locked in the Shadow Realms for all eternity with no hope of escape. If Voldemort delivers what they want, they will give you a fate worse than death. Worse than a Dementor's Kiss." Harry and Ginny looked stunned.
"There is nothing worse than a Dementor's Kiss." Harry denied vehemently.
"There is something infinity worse." Hikari Estel said softly. "When you receive a Dementor's Kiss your soul ceases to exist. In the Shadow Realms your soul still exists, trapped, with no way out. There are no bars here in the Shadow Realms, but make no mistake, it is a cage. Without Shadow Magic this place is a void. There is no light, no sound, no feeling, no emotion, only emptiness. To be trapped here is a fate worse than anything that has ever been done to any man."
"This is where the Egyptians would banish not thieves and criminals, but those they hated." Her yami informed them. "It was a fate reserved only for those we wanted to destroy utterly. Without their souls the bodies would eventually perish, but the soul lingers on. The Shadow Realms contain many of those souls. Only one soul ever escaped. That soul no longer exists. It was completely destroyed." She finished with quiet assertion.
"I think it's time we took them back." Hikari Estel said. "They have learned more than enough. Dumbledor has spoken often and well of their discretion. I trust them not to cause a panic. Let them go to their friends for comfort."
"Yes," Yami Yu Gi said, "let them."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The shadows around them dissolved into Professor Mouto's office once again. The two pale students stared blankly in the direction of their Professor. They turned slowly and exited to find a very worried Ron and Ginny waiting for them.
"Professor Mouto did something to disable our Extendable Ears. So what happened? What did he say?" Ron asked in a rush of words.
"You two don't look so good, is everything all right?" Hermione asked looking at their pale faces with worry. Harry nodded slightly to her question and him and Ginny headed down the hall with Ron and Hermione left to follow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was several days before Harry and Ginny let Ron and Hermione in on some of what happened. They omitted the being taken to the Shadow Realm and down played the fate worse than death parts, while still implying the danger of the whole situation. The amount of fear that the down played version inspired convinced the four that the information should be kept between themselves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
JR: Wow, that was a good chapter if I do say so my self, and I do.
HP: What's all that chocolate stuff?
ET: Yami Yu Gi is like Special Dark Chocolate. You save him for important occasions. Hikari Yu Gi is like Milk Chocolate. He always makes it better.
YGO: I'm chocolate? %$
YB: Imbecile!!!!
JW: Wha's goin' on here?
SS: Fools!!!!
YB: Pathetic Worms!!!!
SS: Nincompoops!!!!
YB: Foolish Dogs!!!!
SS: Ignoramuses!!!!
YB: Cowardly Curs!!!!
HP : Is that a word?
SS: DETENTION!!!!
YB: Good one.
SS: Silence you dunce!!!!
MV: Have you tried Sissified Tweety Bird?
YB & SS: %&
JR: It's just an honest question.
RW: OOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HP: What happened? Is he okay?
ME: He's fine. He just had a piano dropped on his head.
JR: Happens to me at least twice a week, and I'm perfectly fine.
ME: RRReeeeeeaaaaaaalllyyy?????
JR: Okay, there might be some slight side effects, but at least they're fun.
HP: Can we get back to Ron now?
ME: Sure, he should be alright as long as he doesn't try to hit on E.T. again.
HP: When did he do that?
ET: When the two idiots were insulting each other. JR: ACTUALLY, They were insulting everyone, and they happened to keep getting in each other's way in the process.
ET: Oh, my mistake.
HP: What About Ron??????????
ME: Who?
JR: The idiot with the piano on his head.
ME: Oh...why does he have a piano on his head?
ET: He was hitting on me.
JW: When did he hit on you?
HP: WHAT ABOUT RON?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
JR: Hey that looks cool. Let me try! !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?
ME: Ooh, let me let me! !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!? ?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! huh?
WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO
ME: What's that?
JR: It's the cops! RUN!!!!!!!!!!!
ET: No, it's just an ambulance. Harry called it for Ron.
YGO: Whose Ron?
ET: The one who hit on me.
YGO: HE HIT ON YOU!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrr! Where is he! Where is he!
ET: He's over there, the one with the piano on his head.
YGO: Why does he have a piano on his head?
ET: You dropped it on him for hitting on me.
YGO: He hit on you? I'LL KILL HIM!!!!!!!!!!
ME: Why are we running in circles?
MV: Ooooohhhh! I feel like a hamster! A cute fuzzy wuzzy hamster!
SS: You Fools! Ask For Reviews So We Can End This Foolishness!
JR: Spoil Sport! Spoil Sport!
ME: Where?
ET: Over there. The one with bad hair.
ME: (in baby voice to Snape) Does somebody need a nap time?????
SS: I'm leaving!
YB: Coward. Some one give reviews to these two idiots before they drive the world insane. It's no fun ruling crazy people.
JR: If ya cain't rule 'em, JOIN 'EM!!!!!!!!! ME: Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehheheheheheheheheheheh ehehehehehehehehehehehehe!
MV: WWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! I'M A HAMSTER!!!!!!!!! WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
YB: -_- * sigh * (monotone) woo hoo.
YB: Why have you drawn me into this pointless fanfic?
YGO: We needed an evil person.
MV: Not to mention it's so fun to annoy you.
JR: And annoying people is what we do best.
ME: Just think. What would we do if we didn't have people to annoy?
HP: Not to mention if we don't have an evil person with bad plots that are doomed to failure that we can taunt about how he is destined to lose.
YB: You pathetic baboon! I cannot lose!
YGO: Uh, Bakura?
YB: What?
YGO You need to watch what you're doing.
YB: Why it's not like any thing you can do will trip me up. My plans are guaranteed to succeed.
YGO: Yeah, but.
YB: Give up now or else I'll.. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
YGO: I was trying to tell you, you were about to trip on my yo-yo.
JR: That's not something you see every day. A yo-yo tripped by a yo-yo.
ME: Almost as strange as a horse with two rear ends.
JW: Has anyone seen Ryou?
YGO: He's a little tied up at the moment. Why? What do you need?
JW: I think he has my Red-Eyes.
MV: (Monotone) Wow. Joey lost his Red-Eyes.
HP: (Also Monotone) Clear-Eyes. Gets the red out. Wow.
YB: ( Finally untangling himself from Yu Gi's bright red yo-yo) AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I will destroy you all for this humiliation!
JW: Hey Ryou, Have you seen my Red-Eyes?
YB: Hands Joey a bottle of Clear Eyes. This should help.
JW: %$ Huh?
All But JW: -_-;
ME: Before people decide to sue..
YB: I think I'll just sue them for my humiliation.
ME: We don't own any of the people or products we torture in this unbelievably dumb fic. J
JR: That was the most wonderful disclaimer yet.
ME: Only a truly insane mind could come up with it.
YB: I must try to take over the world. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.
ME: OOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY. Maybe an almost truly insane mind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Into The Mists By Faith_Kitty and Jollie_Rancher
Chapter Nine: Shadows Revealed
Yami Estel watched her great pharaoh as he slept. Even in sleep he looked strong enough to depend on. She knew that if anything were to happen to her he would be right there to rescue her. And then she would be there to heal his wounds. They would spend eternity together. She looked back over at him. Quietly he tossed in his sleep and then began to mutter.
"I don't want to. Why do I have to? You do it, it's not like she can tell the difference. Okay, I admit it. She's nice, but that doesn't mean I want to ask her."
"Ask her what?" Yami Estel asked concerned.
"To marry me." He said simply, blissfully unaware of the ambush he had just walked into.
"Who are you asking to marry you?" she asked, carefully annunciating every word.
"Yami Estel."
"Who asked you to Propose to her?" she demanded turning a lovely shade of red.
"Yu Gi."
"Why?"
"Estel asked him to."
"When did they do that?!?"
"When she was hiding in his soul room. But don't tell Yami Estel. She'll be furious." Yami Estel tried to keep from screaming. Tried.
"YYYUUUUUUUU GGGGGGGGIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!" Yami Yu GI woke with a start. Estel disappeared as he opened his eyes. Wondering at the fact that he had dreamed about Estel's Yami, he looked around puzzled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry sat silently by Ginny's bed side. Ron and Hermione were at dinner, but he had chosen to stay behind. He remembered the helpless feeling he had felt as that wall had come up between them as he watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful right now. Then he saw her eyes flutter.
Slowly she began to become aware of her surroundings. All she could remember after Care of Magical Creatures was a dreadful feeling of helplessness, and Harry running to try and save her. There were also small bits of a duel against Professor Mouto that made no sense.
"Harry." She said not really expecting a response.
"Yes, Ginny." Harry responded a great deal of relief in his voice. He was very glad she alright.
"What happened?" She asked hoping to fill in some of the gaps. It was strange it was almost like the time Tom Riddle had taken over her.
"Don't worry about that it's all over. You need some sleep." He said to keep her from worrying. She lay back down obediently, glad that he was there, and gratefully drifted into simi-concousness. Shortly after she fell asleep Ron and Hermione returned. He told them she had woken up and their relief was evident on their faces. Hermione then dragged him to the Great Hall and forced him to eat something.
"What good would it do for you to die of starvation?" She asked when he protested.
Ginny spent the entire day recovering under the watchful eye of Madam Pomphrey. Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited when they could. And much to her surprise and delight Professor Mouto and Estel visited as well.
"Hello, Poppy." Professor Mouto greeted Madam Pomphrey. Then he turned to Ginny a sad smile on his face. "Hello Ginny."
"How are you feeling?" Estel asked concerned.
"Hello Professor, E.T. I feel a little worn out but none the worse for ware, thank you." Ginny said pulling herself up into a sitting position.
"I'm really sorry you got dragged into this Ginny. It was all my fault, they were after me. You should never have been put through that." Yu Gi apologized his voice full of sorrow and anger.
"It's not your fault Professor, I just seem prone to these kinds of things." Ginny tried to reassure him. "I hope no one told mom, she might just pull me and Ron out of school if she does." She mused out loud thinking of how her mother tended to react when it came to her and her brothers.
"No, it should never have happened. I came here to protect you and instead I placed you in danger." He said in frustration, knowing she had faced a fate worse than death.
"I don't blame you Professor. Besides it was the two of you that saved me." She said wishing he would quit blaming himself.
"No," he said again, "you saved yourself."
"But I couldn't have without you. I don't remember much of what happened but I do know that you are the reason I am alive. No matter how you look at it with out you I would be dead." Ginny said hoping it had helped. She was rewarded with a smile.
"Thank you, Ginny." He said seeming encouraged. "You get some rest and I'll see you in class." Estel lay an encouraging hand on Ginny's shoulder and smiled sweetly, then they left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day Ginny was up and feeling as good as new. Surprisingly she was looking forward to History of Magic that morning. So much so that she tried to inhale her breakfast and nearly choked on her eggs. The others were happy to see her up and well. They could barely keep up with her on the way to class.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yu Gi watched as his eager students filed in. Ginny ran to grab a seat at the front of the room, followed closely by her three friends. He smiled a little as he looked at her. Then he let his gaze scan the rest of them. Slowly Neville raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"
"Professor Mouto, What happened?" he asked in a somewhat nervous voice.
"I suppose you deserve an explanation. I'm sorry that I can't give you that, because I don't have one myself." The students looked at him in confusion. "I'll do the best I can though. The best I can do is to tell you what I know, which isn't much. I'm sure most of you have noticed that my fiancée and I have.."
"Yu Gi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He blanched at the tone in her voice. THAT was not his Estel.
"Yami Estel. What can I do for you?" he said trying not to sound like a frightened kitten.
She stormed in. Her hair was not flowing gently down her back as it normally would have. Instead it was rapped around her head in an intricate braid. On her brow was a thin golden circlet. She wore a golden robe cut in Egyptian style. At her wrists various bangles tinkled beautifully. He instantly knew he was in trouble. She only wore her 'princess' clothes when she was p.o.ed. Then he noticed that her eyes were a lovely shade of blood red. That did not bode well for his future. "You made him do it!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Who do what?" he asked, completely confused.
"You made him say it!"
"What are you talking about Yami?"
"And Estel was in on it." She said starting to cry.
"Yami, what's the matter?" Yu Gi asked quickly starting to panic. This ssssoooo didn't look good for him.
"You and Estel made Yami propose!" She wailed, dissolving into tears.
"Oh. Yeah. That." The distressed Yami was still weeping bitterly. Yu Gi called to Hikari Estel while holding Yami Estel.
/What happened?/ he asked her.
\ How should I know? I didn't tell her. Did you?\
/No, I didn't tell her./
\Then who could have told her\
\/ YAMI! \/ They screamed simultaneously.
//What do you need Yu Gi?// the great spirit asked him, appearing at the door to his soul room.
/Did you tell Yami Estel that we made you propose?/
//No, she would kill me if she found out. But I did have a really weird dream about her the other night. I thought she was interrogating me. Hm, odd.//
\Let me at him! Let me at him! I'll kill him!\
/Honey, if you kill him, who will make your yami feel better. After all, If you kill him he can't fix it. CAN HE!/ Yu Gi said with an angry glare at his Yami. Suddenly Yami Yu Gi found himself holding a sobbing Yami Estel. After a moment of panic he decided what to do. He pulled a mallet out of the Shadow Realms and hit her over the head with it knocking her unconscious. The student looked on in confusion and then began to cheer him on. (A.N. Got ya going. Hehehehe. Would I really do that. I can't believe you think me so low. ) After a moment of panic he decided what to do. Slowly he cupped her face in his hands. When she was looking at him full in the face he wiped the tears from her eyes with one gentle hand and then pulled her close. When she was close enough that the sent of her perfume made his knees wobble he kissed her gently.
"Could I have kissed you like that if I didn't love you. Estel, listen to me. I love you. Not the kind of love that lasts a little while and then goes away, the kind of love that makes eternity quiver with envy. I don't know when I fell in love with you, only that I did. If you won't marry me, then I don't know how I will find the strength to face tomorrow."
Estel looked up with hope shining in her eyes. "I waited for you," she whispered. "I waited for so long." Her heart ached with longing.
"So did I." She was complete. The two Yamis retreated to his soul room, where they locked the door. Not that they had to, Yu Gi and Estel were more than glad to leave the happy couple to their own devices. However that left them to deal with the students.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next few weeks were, thankfully, calm. Ginny still got daily detentions, and Estel seemed to have taken over all detentions. She could be stern at times but was always fair. In History of Magic they continued learning about ancient Egypt and the class had become much more attentive. In Defense Against The Dark Arts they continued to lean to duel and avoid shadow magic. Most students were becoming good duelists, Malfoy on the other hand couldn't even win against the first years. The DA had been reestablished under Professor Mouto's supervision and Harry was unanimously voted the leader. Of course, the DA was optional and so there were no Slytheryn's in it. In Quiddich Slytheryn had defeated Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor had taken Huffelpuff in the first two minuets of play thanks to Ginny. At Harry's suggestion, himself, Ron, and Hermione had taken to walking Ginny to all of her classes.
"You know, you don't have to follow me absolutely everywhere." Ginny said to her recently acquired shadows.
"Are you kidding! If any thing happened to you mom would kill me." Ron said, shuddering at the thought.
"Besides it's partly my fault." Harry said looking at the ground.
"How is it your fault?" Ginny asked exasperated and tired of people blaming themselves for what had happened to her. So far she had gotten it from Professor Mouto, Estel, Hagrid, Dumbledor, and Harry. And then there were others who gave her a look that told her they were trying to find a way to say it as well, including Ron and Hermione.
"Voldemort is in league with those two who took over your mind. And he chose you because he knows that we are friends." Harry tried to explain.
"You have lots of friend they could have chosen from. I was just the first they had an opportunity to snatch." She said brushing off his explanation.
"Exactly, and I won't let it happen again." He said forcefully and protectively. When they had seen her safely to class they rushed off toward their own.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yu Gi sat at his desk arguing with his yami, while his students did book work for the first time that year. They didn't seem too happy about it.
/They deserve to know!/
//Perhaps, but is it really worth the risk of telling them?//
/Dumbledor said they were great at detective work. If we don't tell them, they may decide to find out on their own, and with only half of the necessary knowledge, they could wind up getting them selves killed, or worse hurting innocent bystanders that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time./
//Just because those four overly curious children are running around doesn't mean you should tell the entire student population that I have a freak-a-fide form of amnesia that can only be cured by Shadow Magic 'cause I was an idiot and locked away my own memories.// rather than the expected protest, all he heard was smothered laughter. Then the laughter started to grow, and become less smothered. //WHAT is so funny?//
/You said freak-a-fide!/ Yami began to laugh at himself. /Truce?/ Yu Gi finally managed to ask.
//What are your terms?//
/Estel and I will tell only those two, and we tell them every thing so they have no reason to try to find anymore./
//Truce.//
Just as they finished their peace talks, the bell rang signaling the end of class. "Harry" he called, "Ginny."
"Yes, Professor?"
"I need to speak with you later this evening. Please come to my History of Magic office after your last class. If you get a detention, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. This is more important. If you are not here, the I will be very upset."
"Yes, Professor." They answered nervously.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What did Professor Mouto want?" Ron asked curiously.
"He wants to talk to us after classes." Harry told him with a look of deep thought.
"I don't think we're in trouble though. He said not to worry if we had detention, and that he would take care of it if we did." Ginny added gratefully.
"Perhaps he will tell you about some of the stuff that happened to you, Ginny." Hermione said hopefully.
"Well, there is only one way to find out, we just have to go." Harry stated simply.
"If only we were going too, I would like to know just what is going on around here." Hermione whined.
"We can. Fred and George sent Ginny some Extendable Ears. That is, if it's okay with you two." He said turning to Harry and Ginny.
"It's fine with me. We'd probably wind up telling you what happened any way." Harry said thinking it over.
"Well, I certainly don't mind." Ginny said as they reached her class. "I'll see you guys later." She waved good bye. And the others headed for Potions.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That afternoon when they had finished there last class the four students met up down the hall from Professor Mouto's office. Ginny handed her brother and Hermione each an Extendable Ear. She had gotten a detention from Snape but Professor Mouto had said not to worry.
"Don't get caught!" Ginny warned the two. "Snape will probably give me the detention for it."
"We won't get caught." Ron said confidently.
"Normally I wouldn't approve of such things, but under the circumstances." Hermione let her sentence trail off.
"Don't worry. You are both prefects no one will stop or question you." Harry said motioning for Ginny to hurry. They knocked lightly and entered the office. Ron and Hermione slipped their Extendable Ears under the door moments after it shut.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yu Gi motioned the two in with a wave of his hand. When the door was firmly closed behind them he stood. He watched in amusement as two Extendable Ears slipped under the door but he didn't say anything.
"I suppose you wonder why you're here." The two baffled students exchanged a where-is-he-going-with-this look.
"Um, Professor, is there something you need to tell us?" Harry asked.
"How much has Estel told you?"
"Well," Ginny began nervously, "She told us about the seven Items, what they were, and why they were created. And my brother Bill used to tell Ron and me stories about seven magical items used to control the world."
"What does your brother know about these Items?" the young professor asked cautiously.
"He works as a curse breaker for Gringotts over in Egypt."
"Hmm. Well, I suppose it would be best if you heard the entire truth from those that know it best. Estel and the Yamis and I have all spoken, and we've agreed that the student body needs to be warned, however this needs to be done without causing a general panic." The two students exchanged another glance.
"I suppose," the professor went on, " that I should start at the beginning, when I first got the Millennium Puzzle. When I was very young I moved from Japan to America where my Grandpa lived. My parents had just died and I was very shy to begin with. To give me self confidence my Grandpa gave me a puzzle that had been in the family for years. He said that no one had ever been able to solve it, and that it had something to do with my favorite game, Duel Monsters." He paused. Harry and Ginny looked bewildered.
"I know you're confused," he continued, "but I promise this is going somewhere. As I was solving the puzzle I began to wish for friends. Just before I finished it I met my three closest friends, Joey, Tristan, and Téa. Then when I solved it I discovered that a spirit of some sort lived in the puzzle. He helped my friends and I to become close. That spirit was always there for me, giving me courage to face the world. But the spirit could never remember anything. It didn't even know it's own name." Neither Ginny nor Harry noticed the purple mists that began to encircle them. As Professor Mouto spoke the mist lazily began to receive the two unwitting victims. Yu Gi waited until they were completely enclosed by the mists before he went on with his story. The two students didn't notice.
"Then, I met a young man known as Seto Kiaba. Seto and his brother Mokuba were orphans, but they didn't have it to bad as Seto owned his own corporation. When Seto discovered that my Grandpa had a really rare card he challenged him to a duel. My Grandpa lost, and Seto tore up the precious card. To avenge my Grandpa I challenged Seto. Only by luck was I able to pull all the pieces of Exodia the Forbidden One. That was the first time I ever used Shadow Magic. I banished an evil part of Kiaba's soul to the Shadow Realms." The two looked at him in shock. Could you really destroy a person's soul with this game? Yu Gi smiled in understanding.
"That very night, Maxamilion Pegasus kidnapped my Grandpa's soul. The only way I could save my Grand pa was to defeat Pegasus. It wasn't until Pegasus stole the souls of Mokuba and Kiaba that I figured out that it wasn't anything personal. Shortly after I dueled him I discovered that he was a widower. He was trying to use my Puzzle and his Eye to revive his dead wife. During that time the Spirit and I grew closer and closer. About an hour after my duel with Pegasus his Millennium Eye was stolen. The keeper of the Items came to me thinking I had done it. Shadi and I began to search the Spirit's soul room." Suddenly he paused. "You know," he said offhandedly, "I think Shadi was right. Your room does look like a tomb."
"I could take offense to that aibou." Said a figure that was slowly materializing beside the small man. The students stared at the newcomer incredulously. He looked almost like Professor Mouto, but he was taller. He also seemed more confident and his violet eyes were tinged with crimson. Somehow he seemed vaguely familiar. Suddenly Ginny seemed to recognize him.
"You must be the one Estel talks about! You're Yami!" All three of the boys looked at her.
"That's the yami?" Harry asked.
"What exactly does Estel say when she talks about me?" Yami demanded of her. Ginny looked startled by the questions. Harry was busy looking from the Yami to the Hikari, while Ginny tried to stammer an answer for the excited looking Yami.
Yu Gi laughed at the puzzled expression on Harry's face. "Didn't you believe Estel when she said we had friends upstairs?"
"Actually, we kind of thought she was a little nutters." Ginny responded blushing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What happened?" Ron asked in surprise. "It just stopped working."
"Maybe they just stopped talking." Hermione suggested becoming worried.
"No. It's been to long for that to be the case." Ron said confused.
"Then, maybe Professor Mouto noticed them and used Shadow Magic to disable them." Hermione said.
"That would make sense. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and have Harry and Ginny tell us what happened." Ron said plopping down. They both go comfortable and decided to just listen and wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Shortly after Yami had appeared two of Estel walked up. One was slightly smaller than the other. The first had blue-black hair and a playful expression that she wore during detentions. The other had hair as black as pitch and wore an expression that just begged someone to misbehave in her presence. Yami Yu Gi became instantly quiet. The pitch-haired one took one look at him and started laughing.
"You look guilty." She noted.
"What are you doing here?" the other asked. "You have no idea how hard it was to find you." The smaller of the two walked up to the smaller Yu Gi and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"We had to come here," Yu Gi explained. "Their friends were trying to use those ear things to listen, and we couldn't start a panic when I got to the 'fate worse than death' part." She laughed beautifully. Harry and Ginny blanched at the wording, but the two Yamis didn't seem to notice. They had begun talking to each other.
"We're going to go patrol to make sure Bakura and Marik don't find you." Yami Estel said.
"Special Dark." Her Hikari coughed.
"Milk Chocolate." The Yami snapped back. Yu Gi and his yami seemed completely baffled by this exchange.
When the two Yamis had retreated Yu Gi went on with his story. "Anyway, after Shadi came Yami started to remember things. He remembered being called Yami, Great One, and Pharaoh. Then, as time passed he slowly began to feel that there was something left to do. That was when we met Ishizu. Ishizu is the owner of the Millennium Necklace. It allows her to see into the past. She is also the sister of Marik."
"Isn't he the one who took over my mind?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, but you mustn't judge them to harshly. Marik was one of the few chosen as the Pharaoh's elite guard. He alone knows how to release. but I'm getting ahead of my self. Ishizu showed Yami and I what had happened. Long ago Duel Monsters was real. Then, the power became out of control. The Pharaoh somehow managed to lock the creatures away into stone tablets. I don't know what became of those tablets, but I have seen their images in one of the hidden paths of my Yami's soul room. When the creatures were locked away, a treacherous magician betrayed the brave pharaoh. He challenged him to a duel. Not even Ishizu knows how that duel ended. Only Yami knows, and he erased his own memories."
"How did he do that?" Harry wanted to know. "Why?"
"He did it so no one would be able to unlock the power ever again. All he remembers is that the power is locked away in seven mystical Items."
Then Estel spoke up. "The Millennium Items are divided thus: I have the Scales. They have the power to restore balance. In the Scales is the soul of the pharaoh's favorite dancer. Shadi has the Key. It has the power to unlock the secrets of the mind. The Spirit of the Key is one of the pharaoh's bodyguards. As Yu Gi said earlier, Ishizu has the Necklace. You know it's power, but so far we still don't know which spirit she has. Yu Gi has the Puzzle. It is the most powerful of the Items because it has the power to contain the other six. In it resides the Spirit of the Great Pharaoh himself."
"Are you saying that his upstairs person is the Pharaoh?" Harry asked in astonishment.
"Yes," Yu Gi answered him, "my Yami is the great Pharaoh."
"What is a Yami?" Ginny asked.
"Yami means Darkness. Hikari means light. Just because my Yami is my darkness doesn't mean he is evil though. It just means he's the opposite of me."
"Yu Gi has been called the soul of pure innocence," Estel remarked. "Yami is the soul of worldly experience. He has known betrayal and pain where Yu Gi has known only love."
"Who owns the other three Items?" Harry wanted to know.
"Marik has the Rod. Its power gives him dominion over the minds of others." Estel said in a sad voice. "He didn't always use its powers for evil though. At one time he was loyal to the Pharaoh. In service to the pharaoh though he was driven insane. He is the only one who knows how to bring back the memory of the pharaoh. While in service to the Great One, the secret was tattooed on his back, and he lets no one see it, for he wants the Soul Of The Pharaoh for himself."
"So your saying that he knows how to steal Professor Mouto's Yami?"
"It's worse than that." Yu Gi whispered. Estel looked at him worriedly for a moment and then began to explain the true horror to the two young students.
"If Marik manages to get the Soul Of The Pharaoh, Yu Gi will be lost as well. His own soul will be lost in the Shadow Realms forever." She began to cry. "If that happens, their body will die."
"It's something like a Dementor Kiss," his Yami said coming up behind them, "Only instead of the soul dying, it is trapped in a hell of the worst kind." Harry and Ginny blanched at this description. "It is a fate you barely escaped Ginny." The Great Spirit continued. "If you had not forced Marik to loosen his grip on you, Yu Gi and I would have had no choice but to completely destroy your soul to get rid of him. On the flip side, if you had managed to win the duel with me, Marik would have destroyed you himself because you had served you purpose." Harry and Ginny were becoming even paler with every word.
"Who has the last two Items?" Harry somehow managed to ask.
"Ryou Bakura." Hikari Yu Gi whispered. "Ryou is a wonderful person. He was one of the first people I met when I arrived in America. But his father gave him the Millennium Ring for his birthday. The Ring has the power to locate anything he asks it to. But Bakura never had a chance to learn to use its power. The Ring is inhabited by a power hungry Grave Robber. That Yami has taken complete control of him."
"You can do that?" Ginny whispered in awe and fright.
"Yes," Yami Yu Gi replied. "We can take over. Fortunately most of us won't take over unless invited to or if we feel our Hikari is in danger. Even then most of us will always relinquish control if asked. Yami Bakura and Yami Marik are the exception, not the rule."
"Yami Bakura is always seeking a body without a soul," Hikari Yu Gi finished for his Yami, "so that he can get rid of his Hikari, If he doesn't find such a body, he has no qualms about destroying someone else's soul. After all he has already tried several times to send his Hikari to the Shadow Realms. Also, Bakura has the Eye. It is unknown who is in the Eye. All we know is that it lets its owner see the unseen. For example its wearer can see the thoughts of people."
"What does all of this have to do with us?" Ginny asked in a scared whisper.
"Everything." Yami Estel said, appearing from the shadows to place a hand on Ginny's trembling shoulder. "You see, Bakura and Marik have teamed up with your Lord Voldemort. He will help Bakura to get all of the Items, and Marik to steal the Soul Of The Pharaoh. We aren't sure how to stop them, because we don't know the rules of this Game. Marik is the only one who know all the rules."
"Why is Voldemort doing this?" Harry demanded. "He never does anything unless he gets something he wants out of it."
"Revenge Harry. If Marik and Bakura get what they want, they will give him what he wants. You, Harry. If they win they will deliver your soul on a platter trapped in a void. Locked in the Shadow Realms for all eternity with no hope of escape. If Voldemort delivers what they want, they will give you a fate worse than death. Worse than a Dementor's Kiss." Harry and Ginny looked stunned.
"There is nothing worse than a Dementor's Kiss." Harry denied vehemently.
"There is something infinity worse." Hikari Estel said softly. "When you receive a Dementor's Kiss your soul ceases to exist. In the Shadow Realms your soul still exists, trapped, with no way out. There are no bars here in the Shadow Realms, but make no mistake, it is a cage. Without Shadow Magic this place is a void. There is no light, no sound, no feeling, no emotion, only emptiness. To be trapped here is a fate worse than anything that has ever been done to any man."
"This is where the Egyptians would banish not thieves and criminals, but those they hated." Her yami informed them. "It was a fate reserved only for those we wanted to destroy utterly. Without their souls the bodies would eventually perish, but the soul lingers on. The Shadow Realms contain many of those souls. Only one soul ever escaped. That soul no longer exists. It was completely destroyed." She finished with quiet assertion.
"I think it's time we took them back." Hikari Estel said. "They have learned more than enough. Dumbledor has spoken often and well of their discretion. I trust them not to cause a panic. Let them go to their friends for comfort."
"Yes," Yami Yu Gi said, "let them."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The shadows around them dissolved into Professor Mouto's office once again. The two pale students stared blankly in the direction of their Professor. They turned slowly and exited to find a very worried Ron and Ginny waiting for them.
"Professor Mouto did something to disable our Extendable Ears. So what happened? What did he say?" Ron asked in a rush of words.
"You two don't look so good, is everything all right?" Hermione asked looking at their pale faces with worry. Harry nodded slightly to her question and him and Ginny headed down the hall with Ron and Hermione left to follow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was several days before Harry and Ginny let Ron and Hermione in on some of what happened. They omitted the being taken to the Shadow Realm and down played the fate worse than death parts, while still implying the danger of the whole situation. The amount of fear that the down played version inspired convinced the four that the information should be kept between themselves.
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JR: Wow, that was a good chapter if I do say so my self, and I do.
HP: What's all that chocolate stuff?
ET: Yami Yu Gi is like Special Dark Chocolate. You save him for important occasions. Hikari Yu Gi is like Milk Chocolate. He always makes it better.
YGO: I'm chocolate? %$
YB: Imbecile!!!!
JW: Wha's goin' on here?
SS: Fools!!!!
YB: Pathetic Worms!!!!
SS: Nincompoops!!!!
YB: Foolish Dogs!!!!
SS: Ignoramuses!!!!
YB: Cowardly Curs!!!!
HP : Is that a word?
SS: DETENTION!!!!
YB: Good one.
SS: Silence you dunce!!!!
MV: Have you tried Sissified Tweety Bird?
YB & SS: %&
JR: It's just an honest question.
RW: OOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HP: What happened? Is he okay?
ME: He's fine. He just had a piano dropped on his head.
JR: Happens to me at least twice a week, and I'm perfectly fine.
ME: RRReeeeeeaaaaaaalllyyy?????
JR: Okay, there might be some slight side effects, but at least they're fun.
HP: Can we get back to Ron now?
ME: Sure, he should be alright as long as he doesn't try to hit on E.T. again.
HP: When did he do that?
ET: When the two idiots were insulting each other. JR: ACTUALLY, They were insulting everyone, and they happened to keep getting in each other's way in the process.
ET: Oh, my mistake.
HP: What About Ron??????????
ME: Who?
JR: The idiot with the piano on his head.
ME: Oh...why does he have a piano on his head?
ET: He was hitting on me.
JW: When did he hit on you?
HP: WHAT ABOUT RON?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
JR: Hey that looks cool. Let me try! !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?
ME: Ooh, let me let me! !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!? ?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! huh?
WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO
ME: What's that?
JR: It's the cops! RUN!!!!!!!!!!!
ET: No, it's just an ambulance. Harry called it for Ron.
YGO: Whose Ron?
ET: The one who hit on me.
YGO: HE HIT ON YOU!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrr! Where is he! Where is he!
ET: He's over there, the one with the piano on his head.
YGO: Why does he have a piano on his head?
ET: You dropped it on him for hitting on me.
YGO: He hit on you? I'LL KILL HIM!!!!!!!!!!
ME: Why are we running in circles?
MV: Ooooohhhh! I feel like a hamster! A cute fuzzy wuzzy hamster!
SS: You Fools! Ask For Reviews So We Can End This Foolishness!
JR: Spoil Sport! Spoil Sport!
ME: Where?
ET: Over there. The one with bad hair.
ME: (in baby voice to Snape) Does somebody need a nap time?????
SS: I'm leaving!
YB: Coward. Some one give reviews to these two idiots before they drive the world insane. It's no fun ruling crazy people.
JR: If ya cain't rule 'em, JOIN 'EM!!!!!!!!! ME: Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehheheheheheheheheheheh ehehehehehehehehehehehehe!
MV: WWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! I'M A HAMSTER!!!!!!!!! WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
YB: -_- * sigh * (monotone) woo hoo.