Notes: Well this chapter is late isn't it? Sorry for the delay, school's starting soon and I had a Blaster worm scare (as it turned out, my computer is getting fried by the heat here in California. Yes we have AC, but apparently it isn't enough.) I also felt I was loosing me Seto-ness. (That would explain why most chapters include Harry and his friends or the "bad guys"). But thankfully, I think I'm getting I back!
Anyway, I think it's about time to answer a few vital questions:
Time line?
I think this fic would take place after Battle City and before Memory World in the manga, as for the anime… well it's still post Battle City but I can't really fit it I with the whole "Doom Association" or whatever. That would be why I'm following the manga.
Why Gryffindor?
Well beside character interaction (as was stated I a review) there are darker forces at work here. Now I don't want to spoil it for you but Hogwarts is going to break a few of its original traditions this year. ^_^
Character death?
I already (almost) hate Rowling for killing off one of my fav. characters, and I really wouldn't like to do the same, but… well you'll just have to see how the fic goes. Sorry no spoiler here.
Grammatical Errors?
Just ignore them please. I'm very sorry, and I don't have another excuses other than my beta is bailing on me and I type this at twelve midnight to about two in the morning – leaving only four hours of sleep for yours truly. If the error are terrible I'll re-edit the fic, but that might slow down the posting of new chapters. I'll see what I can do…
Now it's time to see Seto argue with certain Hogwarts' décor…
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Turmoil
By Kaitourei
Chapter Six: Eavesdropping
"How about we forget about the password and think about this: it would take me less than five point three seconds to reconstruct your facial features."
- Seto Kaiba
Harry watched as the hall erupted with applause and various cheers. Commotion at the teacher's table was comical. Harry could make out Hagrid, as he tried to vainly wipe away the ale he had spit on Flitwick. When the half giant had a chance, he glared murderously toward Kaiba, only receiving a taunting smirk that clearly said "haha" from the brunette. Still, Harry couldn't miss the empty chair where he presumed Professor Malfoy would have sat and wonder what the professor was up to.
Next to Harry, Dean Thomas – a muggle born wizard - looked ecstatic. "He's in my house!" Dean whispered over and over again to himself. "This is so cool!"
"Care to explain what's so great about this guy?" Seamus Finnigan asked. "By the sound of it I'd say he's some sort of muggle saint."
Dean's head snapped toward the Irish boy. "He's a Japanese billionaire, owns his own company, and was a world champion duelist in the game Magic and Wizards – which is the best thing invented, besides soccer!"
"Japanese?" Hermione's head shot up, obviously over hearing the duos conversation. "Don't you find it odd someone thousands of miles away would attend Hogwarts instead of a closer school? But then again… if he is a billionaire I suspect he wants only the best and Hogwarts is the best. Still…"
"Looks like you aren't going to be able to ask him yourself," Ron commented dryly.
"And why is that?"
"Because," Harry finished for him. "He's heading out of the hall with Dumbledore."
Fred and George, who had emerged at the time of Kaiba's Sorting and placed them selves diagonally from Harry, exchanged devious glances. Harry, Hermione, and Ron could literally see the wheels turning within their red haired heads felt the sensation of trouble (that seemed to follow the two ubiquitously) close in.
"Not every student gets a special lecture by the Headmaster himself, not even you Harry," Fred mused. "I'd say this 'Kaiba' kid either has some serious issues or there's something about his we don't know… not that it won't take us long to find out."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh no. Aren't you in enough trouble already?"
"Oh yes, and as for trouble… Well, three detentions are worth it," George said with the same smile. He glanced toward Fred. "Dearest brother, care to accompany me to the, erm, *water closet?"
"If your going than I am to," Ron crossed his arms stubbornly. "Besides I'd like the see what this 'Seto Kaiba' is like. Who knows, maybe Dumbledore is giving his a piece of mind after what Seto said to McGonagall. I mean it looked like they were arguing."
Hermione looked from Ron to the twins and Harry. "Harry? You've got to back me up here, what if Dumbledore catches us?"
Harry was about to open his mouth but George threw his arm around the black haired boy, saying, and "No worries everyone, me and Fred know every passage in this bloody castle. And it just so happens there's a tunnel in the wall opposite to the hall their in. Newly discovered actually, you see we had to avoid Filch this morning somehow…"
"And what if they are heading to Dumbledore's office?" Harry added in, backing up Hermione slightly. He had a deep feeling any adventure would lead to a deeper and darker plot. He wasn't willing to risk any of his friends or classmates lives.
"Harry, Harry, Harry," George asked. "You of all people should know Dumbledore's office is in the opposite direction."
"Settled then," Ron said grinning broadly. "You coming or not Hermione."
The brunette sighed, getting up as the other did. "Might as well," she bit her lip. "Only to keep you four out of trouble… I could loose my chance at becoming Prefect and Head Girl for this though! [1]"
"Like I said before: no worries!" George assured as the five exited the great hall, unnoticed by the other students who were either eating or whispering intently in small groups scattered throughout the hallway. Harry couldn't but help see the fuming form of Lucius Malfoy as he spoke harshly with Draco, who intern nodded rapidly and hurried away to whatever his father said.
Once the great hall was out of sight the twins steered the other three toward an ominous looking door. George quickly peeked within the room before motioning for the other to follow. Complying the other boys stepped inside. But is was Hermione that let out a long sigh and stopped, crossing her arms while glaring daggers at the doorway.
"If you think I'm going in here…"
"Why not?" Harry shrugged as the others around him nodded. "There's no one in here Hermione, and besides we went into a girls lavatory in the second year, remember?"
"Of course I remember," Hermione groaned. "I can't believe you guys are talking me into this… this… lunacy!" Resentfully she stepped into the room and wrinkled her nose as a sulfuric smell rushed to meat her. "You weren't joking when you said the girls toilet was better than the boys were you?"
"'Fraid not," Ron said. "What happened in here? Crabbe or Goyle take a dump?"
"Most likely," Harry muttered as he watched Fred approach the only sink.
After a swift push to the side, the sink and a large sector of the wall slid aside revealing an entrance tall enough for someone of Dumbledore's height to walk through. Fred and George grinned as they ushered the others into the darkness.
"Lumos!" Harry whisper, almost automatically, as he followed Ron down the tunnel. After walking in silence for a minute or two, the five came to a split in the tunnels. Fortunately for them, a collapsed wall blocked the right-handed path so the decision wasn't too hard. When they had walked another five meters George raised his hand for them to stop and pressed his ear to the wall.
"I can't hear anything," Ron said as he did the same.
"'Course you can't!" Fred hissed as he pushed his way to the frount. "You think reading the twentieth century edition of 'Big Brother: 101 Ways to Spy and Pry' twice didn't pay off?" Pointing his wand toward George and the others he whispered, "*Arcano-audultare!" before repeating the spell on himself. "Don't worry, it will ware of in an hour or so."
"And mum says we need to study those ruddy school spell books," Ron shook his head. "I bet there's a million more useful things in that book than any of these."
"Quiet Ron. Listen!" Harry hissed standing close to the wall.
"…I understand your concern, Kaiba," Dumbledore said as if they were next to him. "And I assure you your brother is being taken care of at this moment – the Ministry has the best Aurors they could spare watching him."
"And they will be enough?" The cold voice of Kaiba came through the wall and his footsteps stopped abruptly. "Mokuba hasn't replied to the emails I've sent him in the past few days, which may I add, is quite unlike him…"
Ron look toward Hermione questionably, "Email?"
"Mail through a computer," Hermione said quickly, leaving Ron to mouth "computer" to Harry and the twins – whom in turn shrugged, while Harry hastily explained the concept to his friend.
"… And if I find there is a problem, I will leave this school of yours and take it upon myself to correct it, whether is be this Voldemort or what ever else. It will be you and your world I will hold responsible for that possibility. Do you understand what I have just said?" Kaiba continued, causing the eavesdroppers to raise their eyebrows.
"Muggle born?" George whispered to the others, who, nodded and continued listening.
"Yes, I understand completely," the Headmaster continued seriously. "But I'm more concerned about you, Seto Kaiba. I know how reluctant you were to take this opportunity. I only hope that will not affect the relationships between you and the students here, they take this very seriously you know."
"I don't believe social relationships are necessary in an academic situation," Kaiba returned in the same cold manner. "As for the school itself, you offered it to me as an opportunity to expand my knowledge and better my magic skills, so I will hold it to that."
"Hm…" The voice of Dumbledore musing floated to the eager ears of the five. "I see you're a very serious young man, Kaiba, and I shall respect that. But, before we part, perhaps you could tell me about the incident in Ollivanders?"
"I prefer you not pry," came Kaiba's reply.
"Yes, but from what Hagrid has told me, the incident was quite unnatural, even for our realm."
"How many others know?"
"Only Hagrid and myself, but I have known walls to have ears… Might I enquire why you avoid any spoken word on the incident in question?" The listeners could almost see the Headmaster eyes sparkling as he addressed Kaiba.
"No one likes loose ends," Kaiba answered curtly. "I prefer to avoid any incriminating rumors."
"I see…" the Headmaster mused again. "Unfortunately I must inquire, for the safety of my student. Tell me, Kaiba, what is the 'Shadow Realm'?"
"I apologize, but I do not know enough about it myself to answer you properly," Kaiba said smoothly. "Now, I would like to return to my common room, or whatever the dorm is called. I have a company to run and my brother, as smart as he may be, cannot run it alone – although I will thank you for allowing me to use some technology in this school, no matter how primitive."
"It was a deal," Dumbledore replied solemnly. "I will hold up my end, I only hope you will stay to yours."
"I'm here aren't I?" Kaiba said with a hint of mockery. "I believe it's safe to say I'm holding up my end."
"Yes, yes," Dumbledore's voice held the first sight of exasperation Harry and the other had ever heard. "I suggest we both take our leave, Kaiba. I'm sure you can find your way to the common room." Dumbledore's soft footsteps faded farther and farther away from the ears of the five. Kaiba's slow breathing could be heard for a second, before he also departed.
Behind the wall Harry exchanged glances with the others, "What was that about?"
"Someone's got a nine foot pole up their arse," Ron huffed as he followed Fred and George back toward the exit. The twins whispered between each other, snicker occasionally. Ron continued his rambling, "How did he get into Gryffindor?"
Hermione who followed in the back also shook her head, "Well this will be interesting won't it?"
"Yeah, our very own Draco Malfoy," Ron said bitterly as he stepped into the boys laboratory. His freckled nose wrinkled as a familiar smell rose again. "What died in here?"
George looked up, "Apparently Kaiba's humor."
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Finding the common room was harder than it had sounded and the moving staircases didn't help Kaiba one bit. He cursed himself mentally; he knew the old man had been up to tricks… Perhaps this was all some conspiracy? The CEO scowled in response to his own thought, no one in his or her right mind would go out with this fare without killing him by now. Still lost, the CEO continued his inner battle. It actually wasn't until he had found another student - wearing the colors of the Gryffindor flags - standing next to a painting, that he felt some soft of optimism.
"You there!"
The shorter boy looked up at Kaiba with fear in his eyes. "Yes-s," the bowl haired boy stuttered as Kaiba drew nearer. "W-what is it-t?"
"You're in Gryffindor?" Kaiba asked and the boy only nodded. "Good. Now, where is the common room?"
"B-behind that p-painting…b-but," the boy looked forsakenly at the floor.
"But what? I don't have all day."
"I f-forgot the p-password," the ground seems very interesting to him at the moment. "A-and the Fat Lady won't let me in…" He pointed a shaky finger at the painting.
Kaiba snorted in return and walked up to the painting, glaring murderously at the oil and acrylic covered paper. After searching the edges of the painting he came up with nothing. No that he expected to, the realm he was in had a very vague grasp in the reality he once knew. The woman on the paper blinked in turn and fanned herself; she raised a pudgy eyebrow, "Password?"
Kaiba was shocked for a moment, but the feeling wore off. He was slowly becoming used to people appearing out of nowhere and things talking when they weren't supposed to. Dimly the CEO remembered his stay in the Leak Cauldron (which to him, was one of his worst stays anywhere). After immerging from his shower – that as cold – the dresser had thrown its door open and begun to giggle uncontrollably… Atleast until Kaiba had pushed the nightstand against it, muffling the giggles into barely audible hiccups. Needless to say, the CEO was growing accustom, although that never meant he appreciated them.
Raising his own eyebrow, Kaiba crossed his arms and smirked infamously. The conversation with Dumbledore and his getting lost had already struck a cord within the CEO's mind. The unappreciated feelings of senselessness and his own lack of logic were welling within the brunette, making him a volcano of untapped irritation ready to explode.
"How about we forget about the password and think about this: it would take me less than five point three seconds to reconstruct your facial features."
The woman on the other side looked horrified, "You wouldn't dare!"
"Please don't," the timid boy said looking frantically from Kaiba to the horror-struck painting.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Kaiba calmly asked grabbing the boy by his front. "If I were you I'd be looking for someone who does know the password so 'I' wouldn't end up worse than this canvas will."
"Y-you can't d-do that!" The smaller boy stuttered. "T-they wouldn't let you!"
"I can and I will," Kaiba said, feeling his blood pressure leap to another level. Dropping the smaller boy roughly, the CEO turned toward the painting once more. "Now, continuing with my arrangements…"
The sound of footsteps approaching caught the CEO's ear. Kaiba stopped and turned abruptly, his attention now caught by three teens in familiar colors approaching them. A black haired boy with a rather unusual scar across his forehead looked at each of them, "Neville? Seto Kaiba? What's going on?"
"I need the password," Kaiba said flatly, crossing his arms. "And I was lucky enough the run into this useless excuse for a student." Kaiba knew he would curse himself for letting the comment slip, but lately his mask had been slipping off in this new unpredictable realm. He couldn't hide his anger or frustration – which he knew was manifesting from the sense of impending doom that seemed so potent within the castle.
"That was uncalled for!" The bushy haired brunette girl snapped, daring to glare back at him, but looked away in the end.
"Yeah," the red head fumed. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"
"I have a vague idea," Kaiba scoffed. "But by telling you it would only infuriate you further."
The red head smirked. "I'm Ron Weasly, this is Hermione Granger…" He motioned toward the girl. "And he is Harry Potter!" Ron awaited Kaiba's stunned response, although it wasn't what he had expected.
Oblivious to Ron's hopes, Kaiba looked the three up and down unnervingly. "So?"
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*Water closet = the British term for "bathroom".
*'Big Brother: 101 Ways to Spy and Pry' = a magical book on spying… made of for the fun of it.
*Arcano-audultare = a made up spell, curtseys of yours truly. Latin for "listen secretly" or "secretly listen".
[1] I seriously have not idea what year you become one of these (Prefect/Head Girl) and I'm too lazy to find out. Personally I'm going to keep them out of my fic, I don't think it will affect the plot much. Sorry folks.
Next chapter: Welcome to Gryffindor
Seto gets acquainted with his housemates (needless to say, you probably can guess he doesn't make the best first impression) and the first day of classes start with Charms! Oh, Seto's going to have to use his wand won't he?
