Chapter 3

The three of them, Yami, Marik, and Ryou, got onto the train and chose an empty compartment. A few minutes later Harry, Ron, and Hermione came through. "Hey, want to join us?" Marik called to them and they agreed, coming in and sitting down in the seats across from the Millennium Item holders.

"So, have you read this year's textbooks?" Hermione inquired.

"Seriously, Hermione," Ron groaned, "Do you think we have nothing else to than reading schoolbooks? We only got them last month."

"You mean you haven't read your books?" Yami asked him in surprise.

At Ron's affirming nod Marik groaned, "And we've all been working like mad to try and read them all, thinking that we needed to get them read so we wouldn't be too far behind."

"Huh?" Harry asked intelligently "Oh yeah, I'd forgotten that you're new students. How did you manage to get in so late anyway? I mean coming in in the fifth year is extremely weird. Dumbledore always manages to spot magic users."

"I don't know; we didn't realize that there was any community for witches and wizards. I mean, we knew that magic existed because of Shadi, who's this really weird Egyptian guy who dresses in robes and a turban and keeps turning up in the weirdest places. It's like he teleports himself or something. So he and Isis showed us our past lives and stuff like that which made it pretty obvious that magic existed. But we didn't realize that we were wizards until Isis signed us up to go to Hogwarts."

"But that's crazy." Hermione put in. "Dumbledore should still have recognized your magical talent and sent you a letter on his own."

"Well just don't expect us to know anything." Marik told her.

"So, can you do magic now?" Harry asked them, "I mean since you're just starting now you might not know how to do anything."

"Oh, we've studied the books;" Yami told him airily "The spells are pretty simple actually. Almost too simple, there's just no challenge in using them."

"Oh, really," Ron put in sarcastically, "And how come you find them easy whereas I, who grew up in a wizarding family, still have trouble with some of them?"

"Oh, I don't know," Marik's tone matched Ron's for sarcasm "Perhaps you're just an idiot."

"Calm down guys," Hermione cautioned them "You don't need to fight to prove that you're as good as you say you are. I believe you."

The boys ignored her, "Perhaps this calls for a demonstration." Yami pulled out his wand.

"Wow," breathed all three wizards (well, one's a witch) staring at his wand. "That is just amazing." "It's gorgeous," "How did you get a wand that fancy?"

"Fancy?" Yami and Marik chorused.

"This isn't fancy, it's just normal."

"Yeah, if it was fancy it would be solid gold, preferably done in the way Bakura works metals."

"Bakura does metalwork?"

"Yeah, Bakura does metalwork, Marik works with wood, and I draw and paint. We've all got our own hobby. (That's why they packed so much stuff. Of course they also had various weapons but they normally kept those in their soul rooms anyway.)"

"Cool. I don't make anything; I guess my hobby would be playing Quidditch."

"Quidditch, what's that?"

"It's this really cool game played on broomsticks..."

By the time they arrived at the castle Bakura had taken over again and the yamis had all decided that they hated Quidditch. Ron had been going on about it for hours. When they got out with the others and saw the carriages all four of them (the yamis plus Harry) gasped and stared at the strange creatures harnessed to the carriages.

Bakura was the first one to speak "Wow," and then walking up and addressing one of the strange creatures, "Who are you? You look fantastic."

"Figures," Yami muttered.

"How can he like those creatures?" Harry asked shakily.

"What are you talking about Harry?" Ron asked "I don't see anything. Besides we've got to get in the carriage. They're going to be moving soon."

"Don't you see them?" Harry asked "They're like great black winged horses. And they've got leathery wings and they look half starved."

"I know what they are!" exclaimed Marik suddenly, climbing into the carriage and pulling Harry in behind him. "They're Thestrals. We read about them in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' remember? Bakura get your ass in here now!" he hollered out the window, "Anyway," Marik continued once they were all safely inside, "They're a type of winged horse that's considered to be very unlucky by wizards because they can only be seen by those who have seen death. And Bakura, I know you like monsters, but why did you have to decide to go over there and pet them? They could have been dangerous."

"It's good to see you remember what I read to you," Bakura replied ignoring his comment. "And they're wonderful aren't they?"

"Um, how 'bout, no" Yami told him sarcastically. "I prefer your Dark Necrophia to those things."

"But I like Dark Necrophia," Bakura protested.

"Yeah, and you like tarot cards and all sorts of weird stuff. What house is Malfoy in, do you know?" Marik put in.

"Slytherin, why?" Ron asked in confusion.

"'Cause I want to make sure that whatever house he's in I'm not."

"Well that I can understand, Malfoy is a git." Harry said wryly.

"Git? What's a git?" Yami asked in confusion.

"It's, um, well, not a very nice term for someone. I'd have to agree though, Malfoy deserves it." Hermione looked reprovingly at Ron. "And as a prefect, you should know better than to call people names."

"Oh, come on Hermione, give him a break. If being a prefect means you have to be a goody-goody then I'm glad that I'm not one."

"I'm sure being a prefect is a great responsibility," Bakura told her calmly, "But you have to take it in stride. Don't get all worked up about it."

The carriage stopped in front of the palace and everyone filed into the Great Hall. Harry and his friends went and took a seat at the Gryffindor table while the three darks went up to Professor McGonagall to see what they were supposed to do. "Wait here through the sorting." she told them "Once all of the first-years have been sorted then you will be called up to be sorted into your houses."

"Okay," Yami told her, and then to the others "Now, let's just make sure that we won't go into Slytherin. Bakura, can you do your thing on the professor?"

Bakura nodded, "The hat over there is a sentient being that reads your mind and decides where the best place for you is. If Marik can mind-control it we can get it to put us wherever we want."

"Right," Marik agreed eagerly as the hat began to sing; he'd been waiting for a chance to use his rod again. "So what house do we want to go into?"

"Well Ravenclaw's for the ones who are extra intelligent. Slytherin is for purebloods and evil people, but we've already decided against that. Gryffindor is for the brave and Hufflepuff is for people who can't get into any of the others as far as I can see." Bakura told them.

"Right then," Yami decided, "We're going to be in Gryffindor."

The three turned their attention to the sorting listening as the first years were sorted into various houses. Yami in particular was fascinated by the idea of a hat that could think. Dumbledore stood up then his presence commanding the attention of the students around the tables.

"Now as some of you might already know we have three special students this year. Their magic didn't awaken until recently and therefore they are to be put in the fifth year with others of their age group. They will now be sorted into their houses." He sat down heavily.

"Bakura, Ryou," McGonagall called. Bakura coolly stepped up, taking the hat and placing it on his head.

"Hmm," the hat murmured in his ear, "difficult. You have the qualities to go into Slytherin if you want to."

"I am not going to be in the same house as Malfoy." Bakura mentally snarled at the hat. "Slytherin is out of the question."

"All right then, if you don't like Slytherin let's put you in... GRYFFINDOR!" Bakura rolled his eyes as he stood up and hissed at Marik as he went past. "Some help you were."

"Hey," Marik protested defensively, "I tried!"

"Ishtar, Marik," Marik put on the hat and appeared to be having an interior argument with it.

'If you dare to put me in Slytherin you stupid hat, I will rip you to shreds and then burn the pieces and scatter the ashes on the four winds of the earth!'

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled.

"Moto, Yami," Yami tried the hat on, and it fell over his head so that all anyone could see was his mouth.

'I go with my friends.'

"Yes, I see, brave, and rather foolhardy at times, you actually are fit for GRYFFINDOR!"

Yami walked over to sit with his friends as the Gryffindor table started another bout of cheering. "Well, that was good luck, we managed to get into the house we wanted despite Marik's inability to help us."

"I can't control the thing if I can't put myself in its body and I just can't see myself as a talking hat."

"Yeah okay, so where's the food? I'm starving!"

"Hey, unfair, there's no raw meat!"

"Aw, come off it Bakura. Raw meat's not good for you; you'll get a stomach-ache if you try to eat any."

"Fine," Bakura snarled, and then, "Hey, Hermione, who's that!"

The ghosts were swooping in through the walls now and all the first years were staring at them. "Oh, those are just the ghosts. There's a lot of them around here. You want to watch out for Peeves, he's a poltergeist and the only ghost who's in color."

The Bloody Baron swooped over toward their table stopping in front of Marik and sneering at him. "So, who are you? And what are you doing with the Gryffindors? You should be in my house."

"Oh, shut your trap idiot." Marik snarled in return. "I'm not in Slytherin am I? So I'm obviously not supposed to be there. I'm quite happy where I am, thank you very much for asking, not. Now GO AWAY!"

The Bloody Baron flew away looking shaken and rather scared, and Marik returned his attention to his food. This was the best meal they had had since arriving in England and they were enjoying it. Isis was a terrible cook.

After dinner was over Dumbledore stood up. Everyone fell silent as everyone turned to look at him. "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students – and a few of our older students ought to know by now too." At this Harry, Ron, and Hermione smirked at each other. "Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are any number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door. We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

A few people clapped unenthusiastically. "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the –"

Dumbledore stopped suddenly looking over at Professor Umbridge, Professor Umbridge looked like somebody's maiden aunt: squat, with short, curly mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes. As she looked up they could see a pallid, toadlike face and a pair of prominent, pouchy eyes.

"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge. Dumbledore sat down and looked attentively at the professor. The other teachers were not so calm. Professor McGonagall's mouth was a thin line and Professor Sprout's eyebrows were in her hair. Students were smirking at her mistake. Obviously the Professor didn't understand the way things were done at Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Headmaster," simpered Professor Umbridge in a high-pitched girly and slightly breathy voice "for those kind words of welcome." She coughed again and continued "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking back at me." No-one looked happy at being addressed as if they were in kindergarten. "I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends! Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge again. When she resumed her speech she didn't sound so enthusiastic. Her words were now dull as though she had learned them by rote.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching." Here she paused and gave the other teachers and staff members a small bow. None of them looked very impressed. Professor Umbridge gave another throat-clearing cough and continued.

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school..." She went on in this vein for quite a while leaving everyone thoroughly bored. "...Let us move forward then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

Dumbledore clapped as she sat down. He was almost the only one. A few of the staff clapped once or twice and none of the students had been paying enough attention to know that she had finished. Before they could start however Dumbledore stood up again.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating. Now, as I was saying Quidditch tryouts will be held..."

"Ghastly woman," Fred commented.

"Did you notice her theme?" Hermione asked them.

"Theme? What theme?" Ron asked her.

"Oh, come on," Yami told him scornfully, "Please don't tell me you didn't notice what was staring you in the face."

"What? I don't understand." Harry said. Obviously Ron wasn't the only clueless one here.

"Honestly," Hermione sounded exasperated. "She as good as said that the ministry is trying to interfere in Hogwarts business." People began to disperse as Dumbledore dismissed them all. "Come on Ron, we're prefects now, we have to show the first years to the homeroom."

"Oh yeah," Ron didn't look too happy about this "Oi, Midgets,"

"Hey, I resent that!" Yami glared at him.

"Oh, sorry, first years this way please. Follow me."

"Mind if we follow too? We're new here so we don't know what to do either."

"Why bother to ask, we'll do it anyway."

Hermione and Ron got the first years sorted out and took them to the Gryffindor common room, telling them the password and showing them the way to the dormitories (the yamis got a room to themselves as they didn't fit in with any of the others). Everyone said goodnight in a hurry and then ran to bed. It was late and they wanted to get a good start the next day.