I hope everyone had a good holiday! I've been very lazy during this holiday. ^_^; Anyway here is Chapter 15 of Ancient Magic.
Also incase you were wondering where the review responses are they are at the end of each chapter, because of ff.net's enforcement of the no author note chapters I had to do this. The reason I am putting them at the end is so you don't have to scroll through them and read them unless you want to. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Yugioh.
Chapter 15
Softly Albus Dumbledore entered his office, his stomach rumbling in annoyance. "Yes, I agree completely he murmured. Without a thought he walked over to a spot in his office, right before what appeared to be a mirror, a mirror with shadowy figures looming around, they were more numerous and more clear than they had been. Not surprising, he suspected that it would be like this. He had gotten the urge to set it up and now he started at his enemies figures solemnly, "don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes," Dumbledore found himself murmuring the piece of muggle history with a smile.
The floor creaked softly as he made his way to his desk; he sat down, and pulled open the drawer. It was jam packed with who knew what. "Funny, hadn't realized I had so much stuff," the Headmaster spoke out loud. Ruffling through the many objects, he talked to himself, "Ah so that is where I put that…oh I've been looking for this."
~*~
"Whatever you want me to do Albus." Professor McGonagall stated, her eyes looking bright in the dim light.
"I don't know when you'll be back, or how difficult this will be…" Professor Dumbledore told her quietly, his eyes determined.
"Whatever you want me to do Albus," She repeated firmly, her voice calm and unconcerned.
"Good." A pause, "I wonder how long till your 'accident' is all over the schools," Dumbledore wondered out loud with a slight amused smile.
Her lips twitched ever so slightly, "not long I suspect, not with these students anyway."
That morning before the students woke, she was gone.
~*~
~its pure gold~ Yami Bakura said softly, as his hikari, held onto one of the gold goblets containing pumpkin juice.
~No~ Ryou Bakura replied firmly mentally to his Yami. Not that what he wanted would make any difference in whether or not Yami Bakura stole or did whatever he pleased, but he could at least try.
~Watch yourself Hikari; I do what I please when I please. Besides~ Yami Bakura sneered, ~I won't steal their trinkets, it's hardly a challenge for the King of Thieves~. In another time he may have stolen them just for amusement, or too see if anyone noticed. There wasn't any fun in it now. No one to get the better of here, except perhaps the headmaster…but still what fun would it is toying with the old fool?
~*~
"I heard her twin sister was bitten by a werewolf and she may not live," one Hufflepuff girl told anyone who would listen.
"No you're wrong, she got sick last night and they had to take her to St. Mungo's!" A third year Ravenclaw boy argued.
"You're all wrong." A cold voice drawled, "She's been," Draco Malfoy paused to make the moment more dramatic, "sacked."
"Sure, Malfoy, and you will be named headmaster tonight." Hermione snapped scathingly. Normally a statement like this would be quite uncharacteristic of Hermione, but she, like many, seemed not to be able to stand anything that came from Draco's mouth. "Twin sister," Hermione muttered in disgust. Really some rumors where flat out ludicrous!
As the Gyffindor's relaxed at their table, there were many theories floating around, and the Great Hall was full of whispers. "He couldn't be right," Neville Longbottom asked fearfully, "She couldn't have been fired…right?"
"Don't be silly, Neville, of course she hasn't been fired. The very idea is ridiculous." Hermione said calmly. "In fact Professor McGonagall was probably attending to an important matter and will be popping in any moment."
It seemed as though many students had the same theory because a majority of the students were staring at the doors, just waiting for the Transfiguration professor to come in. She never did, at least not this morning. So those who were waiting for her return, ready to spread gossip about her "pale" face and clearly "feeble" condition, were very disappointed as they made their way to the first class of the new school year.
Reluctantly Ron, Harry, and Hermione led the new comers to their first class at Hogwarts, History of Magic. Professor Binns was still the teacher, despite the rumors each year of his pending retirement; he had yet to give up teaching. Some say he embraced his job so much, that when he died, his soul wished to remain in Hogwarts in order to teach for quite some time. Whether it was because he was a ghost, or it was just his personality, it was widely accepted that Binn's class was always boring, and constantly repetitive. This year, it would undoubtedly be more so, Hermione told the others, because of the O.W.L.S. coming up and everything.
'A ghost eh?' Malik thought with a mischievous grin. 'Bet I could have some fun seeing just what exactly affects ghosts.' Malik put a hand to his Millennium rod, 'I wonder if the millennium items would truly affect anyone who isn't truly living, but not quite dead either….' Malik decided he would have to check that out sometime. He noticed Yugi was giving him a warning look. Malik huffed mentally, what business of Yugi's was it what he did or didn't do. None whatsoever, Malik thought bit annoyed.
Sure enough after a short conversation between Binns and his three new comers, the class went off without a hitch, and it was just as boring as had been predicted. Unless of course you were a goblin, then you have been interested, but fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), they were not goblins. Well, actually the good thing about the fact that History of Magic was repetitious, it meant that Yugi and the others would catch up, probably sooner than in the other classes, like Potions and Transfiguration.
Although technically to the other fifth year students, Binn's lesson wasn't exactly the same as last year. There was one important new aspect mentioned, that was the O.W.L., which were pivotal tests. The downfall, at least for the new students was the fact, that they weren't entirely sure whether or not they had to takes these tests. After it all despite the fact they were in a fifth year class, it was their first year at Hogwarts, not to mention any sort of magical school period.
Classes weren't the only thing on Yugi, Ryou, and Malik's mind. Their classmates were definitely different than those from either Japan or Egypt. The girls would come up giggling and ask questions. One even went up to Malik and asked him what sort of charm he used to make his hair look like that and then promptly asked him on a date, giggling and blushing the whole time. Malik didn't bother replying; he only sneered and smirked at the idiocy of these particular girls at Hogwarts. This was just one example of the girls at Hogwarts, the guys were something else as well. Yugi got his blonde bangs yanked by someone who he thought was named Seamus, or maybe Dean but he wasn't quite sure. There were too many people to get their names straight right away.
To further their unease, well Yugi's anyway, the dread that his fellow Gryffindors seemed to have for Potions class and in particular Professor Snape was really sort of alarming. It didn't seem possible that some many people could hate one man so much, but it looked and sounded as if they did. Also if the student's stories were true, well then, it appeared the Potions Master hated the Gryffindor just as much as they disliked him.
The dungeon in which Potions took place was a large, dank, clammy room, that sent a chill down everyone's spine, but then, Yugi thought, what did you expect when your class was taught in a dungeon. Yugi sat next to Ryou, and likewise Malik, and their new friends took up positions around them. When the Slytherins entered the dungeon it became apparent one reason why the Gryffindors detested this class so much. Malfoy and his followers were jeering and nagging at the Gryffindor, Harry Potter especially.
'I wonder why Malfoy seems to go just for Harry," Yugi wondered as he watched Harry battle his temper in hopes of going through ONE Potions class without getting points taken away. Yugi shook his head slightly, he just didn't understand all these English customs, but apparently some customs, like giving others a hard time or being mean was an international characteristic. "He almost reminds me of Seto…" Yugi murmured.
Malik let out a derisive snort as he watched Malfoy's antics contemptuously, "THAT does not act like Kaiba." His purple eyes were narrowed and he appeared to be disgusted by the thought of Malfoy and Kaiba being the same.
"Well really, there are some resemblances," Ryou put in, observing Malfoy solemnly with his wide brown eyes, a small smile flitted across his face. "Of course Kaiba doesn't act like a juvenile, or stoop to little ploys like this, he is insulting, but he does know when to give it a rest."
The door opened and Severus Snape swept into the room, he surveyed the din in the room, but said nothing reprimanding Draco Malfoy or the other Slytherins, he looked at Harry, his nose wrinkled slightly in disgust. His cold eyes then turned to the new students, the new students who were taking some of the limelight off that boy. Clearing his throat he began his first lesson to this group for the year. "Today we will be mixing up some Meditation Draughts. The directions are on the board, once you have completed the draught fill a flask and put it on my desk. Make sure they are labeled. Also, the O.W.L.s are fast approaching and I expect most of you to scrape through with an acceptable, although," he turned his attention to Harry, "for some of you that will be easier said than done."
Amethyst eyes blinked at the teacher and then at the board. Yugi scratched his head gawking at the directions. He didn't even know what most of this stuff was let alone how to make a Meditation Draught. Looking at Ryou and Malik it was obvious they were in the same predicament.
Hermione was well on her way to a (hopefully) superb Meditation Draught when she noticed that her new friends appeared to be lost. Looking around to see where Snape was at the moment, she began giving Yugi and the others instructions out of the corner of her mouth, something she had done a time or two in the past.
Currently, Professor Snape was giving Neville Longbottom a hard time, something he seemed to enjoy almost as much as tormenting Harry Potter. Harry expected he would be making the rounds to him any time now. Sure enough after successfully frazzling Neville, Snape moved to Harry's cauldron, but before he could speak, he noticed that his new students appeared to be having some difficulties. Then he saw their hair, something that had escaped his notice earlier mostly because he hadn't been paying attention.
Now Snape was a simple man, alright maybe not simple, but he liked things a certain way. He liked the fact that he could always get Potter mad, that he could always frazzle Neville, and that very few things every truly made him gawk. Unfortunately today this was not the case as he stared at the newcomer's hair. He felt the strange urge to slap his forehead with the palm of his hand but he resisted. He turned and began insulting Potters draught without a backward glance. He was mad and Potter was there, good for Snape, bad for Potter.
Hermione had her own trouble with Yugi, Malik, and Ryou. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Yugi was not someone destined to be a Potions Master. He got easily distracted and sometimes overenthusiastic with ingredients, something that was not good when precision was required. Malik on the other hand would put in ingredients that he had been warned would cause explosions or bangs, not because he forgot, he just liked making noise and causing problems. Ryou showed the most promise, he was quiet and careful with his measurements and was tentative with his stirring, but it was apparent by the bored look in his eyes he was hardly riveted by the goings on of the class. So with Hermione's help, the trio managed to finish their draughts in time, barely, but still it was their first lesson after all.
Hope you enjoyed Chapter 15, comments, suggestions, and questions are welcome. Next chapter will hopefully by the end of the month at the latest.
Review Responses
Autumn Ann Star: Here it is…an update! ^__^
Maruken: Here's the update! ^_^ I guess you do have to keep repeating it. XP
Ryou Bakura Obsessor: -_-;; You didn't have to agree with me you know? ^______^
Yana5: That would be in the yaoi version when I get around to posting it on my website. This version is non-yaoi so yes and no. XD
Princess Krystal01: Well now, one never knows ne? ^_~
Fluffy-kins: sorry. ^_^; I tend to write it short little bursts.
Trekkie-54: Don't worry the Yami's will start getting restless. XD ^_^;
Subaru: Thank you! ^_^ Anzu won't really come into the story too much, maybe once in awhile but I don't think she is going to play any major part in the story.
Yami Kenny: -_-;….. err… right here? ^-^
Chibi-claire: Thank you!
Me: Thanks! ^_^… o.0;; The last three chapters are missing? Err… maybe because I deleted the review responses and put that at the end of chapters and ff.net hasn't updated it yet? Just a guess. ^_^
Linda: I think when I fixed the review responses it fixed the chapter numbers so they matched, I just don't think ff.net has updated it yet.
Donella: o.0; Well that's not good! ^_^ Guess I'll have to work faster.