.. Just a note, I probably won't be updating for quite some time, because I have school. I need time to type up the entire Chapter 10, and that's going to take me a while, because I'm still deciding whether I should use my idea for my other YGO/HP crossover for this. I don't know. T.T (sighs) This one might be a little bit shorter and cornier than the others, by the way, so please don't throw tomatoes at me!! scurries away
You can find some of my spoilers at if you wish. There might be some artwork there of my fanfic too. I've already done one spoiler there. And an image. Check out
I seriously doubt any YGO canon characters other than the ones mention will be in this fic. Shadi will, as well as Isis/Ishizu, but I'm still not sure about Seto. It may be possible that Seto might be in the fic, but don't count on it. His insults are far too hard to make up. .
Okay, let's get this straight before we continue, just in case of confusion: Y. Bakura knows about his past vaguely, you know, simply that he was a tomb robber and defied the Gods and the few things like that. He doesn't know much about his village getting slaughtered, as per the story of the AE arc. Yami doesn't know much about his past either other than the fact of what Bakura has told him. You know, the tablet,that he was a pharoh, and that they fought together, yaddi yaddi yadda. Soon, they will though. Soon.
Read and Review please! v.v I wish for more! Add me to your Favs list! Add this story to your favs list! Review! Review! I know, I'm so selfish. I should stick with what I have.
Bakura: No you shouldn't. Steal, grab, lift....defy the rules and defy the Gods! Then you will have everything you wish.
Me: What, like turning up dead and end up living in a ring for three to five thousand years? No thanks.
Atemu: snicker
Yeah yeah, I don't own YGO or HP.
Chapter Nine
The next few days passed with much anticipation and enthusiasm. Even Yami couldn't retreat back to his pensive brooding. The uproar at Lupin's return made the tense atmosphere in Hogwarts lift with such eagerness and rejoice that it even lifted Marik's moods along. The young Eygptian boy could be seen smiling a small smile everytime he entered yet another class, especially when it was occupied by Lupin.
"Now," Lupin had said, on their first day of class. "I know that you are new here, but I'm sure you'll be able to catch up soon. You'll be able to learn and defend yourself against third-year monsters within a month."
"Oh?" asked Marik, who had looked very disbelieving.
"Oh yes," smiled Lupin warmly, "you are all from Japan, aren't you? Well then..."
Lupin had retrieved a caged box underneath his desk, which contained a rather wet-looking, scaly monkey-like creature.
"A Kappa," he said, smiling as Yugi, Ryou and Marik gaped at the unfamiliar monstrosity. "I do believe it origins from your own homeland, though I doubt that you would've seen it anywhere unless you lived near the rivers and the shore."
Yugi, Marik and Ryou spent yet the entire day defeating the Kappa between turns. They were given much privacy as Lupin had to attend to the rest of the sixth-years, who, to Marik's disappointment, were learning about vampires. At first, Yugi looked rather apprehensive as to cast the incantation, but after the tomb keeper had done it with much ease, Yami encouraged Yugi to try it on his own, and the young boy managed to do it extremely well. Marik was quite taken with his Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, as Lupin was quite the only teacher who seemed to show any warm regards towards the moody boy. The young Egyptian exhibited much potential in DADA that even Yami was surprised. Well...not that it was a big surprise, considering the keeper's past.
Soon they were done Kappas, and headed on to Red Caps, which Bakura seemed very intrigued in.
"I wonder why I never seen these little bakas before," he said airily one time. "With my reputation, you'd think I'd have a whole row following at my heels. Delightful minions they'd be, don't you think, pharaoh?"
"Oh yes," nodded Yami. "Then it would've been so easy to find you, tomb robber. Find one of these little bakas and then we'd find the..." he turned around to hide his smirk. "...Baka-kura."
"Shut up, pharaoh," snapped Bakura as Marik stifled laughter. "Or they'll be living in your hide, next."
They had finally gotten used to their timetables, as well as the disappearing steps, the mis-directing stairs, and even some of the secret passageways soon after the fourth week. The caretaker that they had heard of, "Flich", was still on hiatus. When asked why he was, Yugi thought the answer seemed far fetched. Who in the world would actually ask the Ministry of Magic to sign a form allowing students to be whipped raw?
"Filch," nodded Ron.
Yugi, Ryou and Marik also managed to catch up on the latest news of the wizarding world; they now knew that recently Voldemort's minions broke out, and intended to steal something from the Ministry of Magic, and was serving time in Azkaban. Ron and Hermione also explained to them about the history of Death Eaters...about the prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black (Ryou looked intrigued, Harry looked dark), and various other incidents involving the Dark Lord. Yugi and Ryou were mortified at the amount of people killed under Voldemort's rampage of terror, while Marik stayed silent on the matter.
Marik was also, despite his will, very interested in his Ancient Runes class with Hermione. To her slight irritation, Marik surpassed her own great marks in this class with ease. The young Egyptian looked adorably estatic as his eyes shone at all the ancient text that the teacher showed him. To many's amazement, Marik could translate most of different languages, and was quite fluent in the Egyptian heiroglyphics. Yugi couldn't tell whether being on the same level as Hermione could perhaps breach a truce, or whether the contempt between them would simply grow due to competition of marks. Even though Marik wouldn't admit it, Yugi knew that he prouded himself of knowing the ancient texts.
Yugi was too busy enjoying Hogwarts to give the opinion a second thought.
On one day, upon finishing their Herbology lesson,Yugi, Marik, and Ryou, (accompanied with a weary Harry, Ron and Hermione) slouched out the greenhouses, their faces dripping with sweat and caked with soil, as they were attempting to properly fertalise a monstrosity of a flower that almost gulped up Yugi. They bumped into the girl that had greeted them on their first day of school.
"Hello," said Luna dreamily. Her eyes seemed to be not as glazed this time, with a bit more liveliness and sharpness. Yugi took this as a sign that Luna was excited.
"Hi," smiled Ryou pleasantly.
"What are you looking so happy about?" asked Ron, wiping soil off his nose.
Luna huggled a magazine to her chest. "Dad's going to make a great edition to the Quibbler next month," she said, her voice misty and far-away. "It'll skyrocket."
"You've actually found a Rumple-corned Snorkack?" asked Yugi, smiling.
"It's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack," waved Luna, "and sadly...no."
"That's the understatement of the year," muttered Hermione. Luna gave her a rather sharp look.
"But anyways..." she continued, falling back into her dreamy demeanor. "I can't wait till it comes out!"
"What's it about?" asked Yugi.
"Not telling yet," she smiled. "But Dad found a couple of mum's old files about this great thing....oh, I can't wait."
Feeling as though Luna expected them to ask, Harry said, we see it when it gets here?"
Luna jumped eagerly. "Of course, Harry! I think Dad can spare a few copies.." and with that, she hopped away, butter-beer corks jangling and radish-adorned ears swinging.
At lunch, they met yet another Ravenclaw student; however Harry quickly ducked his head into his kippers as she approached. The girl, though, did not seem to be interested in Harry; if she was, she was making quite a show in ignoring him, and was flirting with Ryou distinctively.
"Hello, Cho," said Ginny wearily.
"Hi," replied the girl, her long black hair draping gracefully onto Ryou's shoulder. "My my...is this the new student?"
"Unless you've ignored hiim for the last few weeks," muttered Ron, gulping down juice. "Yeah."
"I heard lots about you," she said, smiling. "Especially from Parvati and Padma and Lavender."
Ryou blinked and looked distinctly uncomfortable.
"Daijoubou," coaxed Cho suddenly. Harry looked up.
"You speak Japanese!" exclaimed Yugi happily. "Sugoi!"
Cho smiled. "A little," she admitted. "I would want to make Ryou here as comfortable as possible."
"Baka," murmured Marik under his breath.
"Well, I'm --" Ryou looked up as firmly as he could. "I mean, daijoubou, Cho, I'm fine. You don't need to make me any more comfortable than I already am. Thank you."
Cho looked a bit taken aback as Harry smiled. She gave Harry a look somewhere between anger, accusation and apology before abruptly turning away on her heel.
"That was pathetic," smiled Marik.
/I hate to agree, hikari, but that was,/ spoke up Bakura from the Ring.
/You hate to agree?/
/Figure of speech, ahou/ replied the spirit airily.
"Quidditch tryouts soon," said Ron happily. "Since Alicia and Katie have already graduated, who d'you reckon will be the new Chasers?"
Ryou looked bewildered and Yugi looked confused.
"Here," said Hermione, smiling as she handed over a book called "Quidditch Through the Ages." "This might help you to understand what we're talking about."
"A sport flying on brooms?" asked Yugi. "Oh right---you guys mentioned this on the train!"
"Why don't you try out, Yugi?" asked Harry.
Yugi looked a little nervous. "I'm not sure I can fly."
Ron beamed. "It's easy, Yugi. Don't worry...Madame Hooch will probably give you guys lessons soon."
"Do you think we'll have time?" inquired Ryou, casting a look at his schedule. Though he had gotten used to his classes, he was still worried about the overwhelming work they had to do at night.
"If you schedule it properly, yes," responded Hermione, snatching Ryou's time-table eagerly. "Yours look alright to fit in some Quidditch practice, but of course, the wizarding academics are just as important."
Ron groaned. "Last year she made us our schedules....the only thing we could thank her for was giving us some sleep."
"That was good though," said Harry, smiling. "When do you guys want to try?"
"Whenever," responed Ryou courteously, slightly nervous. If his yami were to unspokenly take over...who knew what chaos he could cause where no one could reach him?
A large, brown tawny owl suddenly swooped through the Great Hall and landed precariously onto the crowded Gryffindor table, upsetting a large bowl of pudding. Everyone scrambled underneath the table to avoid the wave of chocoloate. Soon, a large flock of owls began swooping in, each bearing the same piece of parchment on their legs as their leader.
"What the---?" Harry held his arms up to block the other food items that were beginning to be upset from the arrivals of the other owls as well.
"What on earth?" Hermione untied the owl and unscrolled the parchment. "What's the Daily Prophet doing here at lunch?"
"Afternoon subscription?" suggested Yugi, peeking from underneath the table. He had scrambled underneath laughing as the wave of pudding had begun to slop towards him.
"No way," replied Ron, his ears turning red and his hair brown. Marik had to stifle laugher at the sight of Ron's sticky hair and ducked underneath the table again. "The Daily Prophet never sends out afternoon papers."
"It must be important, then," replied Harry, wiping his glasses with his shirt disdainfully.
Hermione gasped. "Oh no....!" she cried softly. "Harry!"
"What is it?" Harry quickly looked towards Hermione, who unrolled the Prophet on the messy table, so that everyone could see. Ron, Marik, Yugi and Ryou leaned forward. The newspaper bore a couple of black and white images of various people. (Yugi blinked at the moving pictures at first.) Ryou, however, narrowed his eyes on one particular picture.
"'Azkaban, No Longer a Fortress of Fear, declares Ministry,'" read out Hermione in a hushed whisper. "Oh no...Harry..they escaped!" Her voice was filled with anxiety as she pointed to the photographs. "Malfoy was right, Harry. It's finally happened... the Dementors have joined in league with Voldemort!"
Frowning with worry, Harry leaned down to read the fine script. Ron looked dumb-struck. The entire Great Hall seemed to be silent, the air thick with worry and anxiety. Those who had suscribed to the Daily Prophet were not the only ones who knew of the devastating breakout. Each face was still and paralyzed. It seemed as though the entire Hall had fell into a shocked, stunned stupor.
Ryou frowned at the picture labelled "Bellatrix Lestrange." The woman looked back with sourly, dark eyes, her heavy eye-lids drooping forwards, her face sunken. It was quite obvious that she must've possessed some beauty at some point of her life, though any trace of it had been sucked away dry. Yet, beneath those heavy-lidded eyes, was a light, burning with loyalty of the Dark Lord, a confidence that seemed to be the only thing alive in her photo. She blinked slowly back at Ryou, her pale lips stretching into a small smirk.
So this was the person, this near-death villain, who was smirking omniciently at Ryou, who had sent his friend to the Shadows. Ryou's frown deepened further, his eyes burning at the picture with suppressed anger.
It seemed as though he was not the only one. Harry was also staring fixedly at the picture of Bellatrix, his eyes in narrowed slits, his head heavy, ready to burst with anger at the person who dismissed his godfather. For a split second, Harry could see his godfather's face once again, one that was mingled with surprise and fear, before he slipped through the ancient archway, and never came out the other side. Blinking, Harry clenched his fist and turned away, anger boiling in his heart.
"This is terrible," said Yugi sadly. "Is there anything we can do at all?"
"Believe me, I doubt we'd able to do anything," sighed Hermione. Ron looked up at her with a meaningful glare, but she looked unnerved. "This is horrible!" She rolled up the parchment and stuffed it into her bookbag, looking quite fearful. The Great Hall seemed to be almost still; it was as though they were in a room of the dead. Faces fell and faces contorted. Others slipped their hands across their chest, as though making a barrier of protection. And there were others, especially most of the Slytherins, who simply looked quite pleased. Marik glared at Malfoy from across the room; the Slytherin boy looked quite happy and was smirking in a I-knew-it manner as he slowly swirled his goblet lazily.
The teachers at the staff table were looking very grave, but Dumbledore stood up, smiling reassuringly. As Harry looked closer into Dumbledore's eyes, he could almost swear that the Headmaster was simply putting on a facade, for those twinkling eyes were now dark and clouded, with a grim expression.
"Students," he said clearly. The heads of the Great Hall turned at him, a sea of pointed black hats flicking in one direction, like a black wave. "Do not worry yourself. Hogwarts is the safest place to be at a time like this. Remember my warning from two years ago. Stay united, and be aware. Together, it will be harder to fall. Bear that in mind as you head off to your classes." He nodded at McGonagall, who looked rather pale herself. She quickly stood and began clapping her hands smartly, indicating that the stunned student body should commence classes. Blinking, the students finally began to move; there was a subtle ruffling sound as the Hogwarts inhabitants trudged toward the oak doors, in large cliques. Harry saw the Headmaster give Professor McGonagall a look before she nodded curtly back, and all the teachers headed through another door. Snape, who was last, looked back at the devastated crowds of students, and Harry notcied that he was yet rubbing his left arm.
Suddenly, a pain seared down his scar, burning intensely. He felt a bubbling, happy sensation that was not his own, as the scar burned even more. Pressing the palm of his hand onto his scar to supress the pain in anyway, Harry quickly turned around a corner before there was a possibility that Lord Voldemort could control him. Pointing his wand to his forehead, and muttered "Occulemnio...." The pain in his scar subsided reluctantly, and Harry returned, rubbing his forehead wearily.
Yugi saw Harry retreat away, and was about to go see if he was okay when suddenly the Millenniun Puzzle glowed. Alarmed, Yami extracted himself from his aibou's body and stared, in spirtual form, at the glowing puzzle.
"What's going on?" whispered Yugi.
"I don't know," replied Yami darkly, his eyes wide as he watched the Item glow omniously.
Bakura suddenly popped up behind Yugi, as did Marik.
"Pharaoh," said Bakura simply, his face blank, but his eyes dark. He held up his Millenniun Ring, which was also glowing. Yugi turned around to see Marik holding out his Rod, and the same thing was happening. All three Millennium Items were illuminating.
"What do you think this means?" asked Marik, his voice low.
"I don't know," replied Yugi sadly. Yami exchanged positions and looked at Bakura and Marik straight in the face.
"Something is not right," he said. "The Items must've been disturbed."
"Do you think it might have something to do with Voldemort?" asked Marik darkly.
"I'm not sure," replied Yami. He stared at the corner where Harry had turned. "I saw Harry just before my Item glowed....it seemed as though he was in a rush to get away from the crowd."
"Suspcious," snarled Bakura. "Do you think he's simply lying to us? That he is actually in league with Voldemort?"
A sudden realization struck Yami.
"If that is so," he said slowly, "Then it is certain that Voldemort wants our items. I'm not sure is Harry is in it..." he trailed off, but then started again, more confidently. "No. I know Harry is not in league with Voldemort whatsoever. However, Dumbledore did mention that our powers were strong and the dark forces would want them. Now that the prisoners of Azkaban have been released, we have to be more careful."
He looked back at the Tomb Keeper and Robber, his face grim.
"I'm afraid we will have to do what Dumbledore said. As much as we despise each other, we have to stay together united if we want to escape from the wraths of Voldemort."
Bakura's mouth opened to make a comment, but Yami cut him off.
"I know it is what we despise," he said. "But this is only the beginning. We don't know what else Voldemort is capable of, and if he wishes to possess our Items, then our lives will be in far more danger. And even more so, if we're alone." He cast a look at Bakura, who looked slightly defiant.
"Alright Pharaoh," he agreed grimly. The tomb robber slipped a hand protectively around his Ring. He gave Marik a look before sauntering off down another corridor, his hands in his pockets, and his face pensive. Marik shook his head.
"He's been like that a lot lately," he commented lightly. "I wonder what's going on?"
"I'm not sure," said Yami dismissively. The tomb robber had always been a moody person. As Marik opened his mouth to speak, another voice interrupted them.
"Boys," called out Professor Lupin, his eyes rather dark, but smiling all the same. "Shouldn't you be in class now?"
Marik looked very casual. "I guess."
Yami nodded. He and Marik had History of Magic next; caught up in the moment, Yami hadn't realized that the corridor that Bakura went down was the one leading to Professor Binn's classroom.
Professor Lupin walked towards them and looked down. "Don't worry about Voldemort right now," he assured, though Yami was not convinced. "Hogwarts is the safest place to be."
"And why is that?" asked Yami.
Lupin smiled wearily. "It is said that the only person Lord Voldemort ever feared was our Headmaster. Living in his presence, you'd think that might contribute to your safety, don't you think?"
Yami said nothing, but smiled.
"You'd better head to class before Binns pronounces you late," said Lupin, nudging them.
"I doubt that," snorted Marik. Lupin smiled.
"I suppose you're right," he said. "When I was here, he never did anything to the students when they misbehaved. He never even noticed them."
"You went to school here, professor?"
"Oh yes," replied Lupin. "I believe there might be a Hogwarts scrapbook somewhere in the castle. They usually have one for the seventh-years, so I daresay if you try hard enough, you can find some in the library. My friends used to sword-fight with wands in Binns' class and he never noticed, not even when the accidently shot a rope of fire crashing through the window."
Marik's eyes glinted maliciously, but Lupin, though he saw it, continued casually, "But I'm not trying to give you ideas," he said, winking. "Hurry along now."
Yami nodded and began to hurry after the tomb keeper.
"Oh, Mr, Motou..."
Yami looked back.
"May I ask, where did you get your pendant?" Professor Lupin looked mildly interested at the puzzle. Yami held it, looking sentimentally proud as he looked back up at Lupin.
"It is a treasure," he said. "That came from a tomb of an ancient Eygptian pharaoh. It's called the Millenniun puzzle. My--I mean, I, spent eight years trying to solve it, and eventually, with hard work and faith, I did."
Lupin looked intrigued. "It is amazing," he said. Yami nodded, agreeing.
The professor smiled again. "Come by my office sometime, Mr. Motou," he said, as he opened a nearby door. "If you ever need anything, you can come by. It's usually open." And with that, the professor waved and slipped through the doorway.
Bakura stared through the window of the Owlery tower, down at the sunny hills and the dark forest. It was amazing to believe that on such a bright, unsuspecting day, would something so terrible happen. Not that he was concerned about it, of course, but he suspected that his hikari might've accidently stimulated an unwanted part of his heart. He sighed darkly and retrieved his hand from his pocket, clutching an envelope.
The envelope was made of parchement, heavy and welcoming. On the front, it read,
"To Mr. Ryou Bakura
Sixth Year Gryffindor
Who Was Seen In Knockturn Alley"
Bakura slipped a pocket knife from his back pocket and slit the envelope open.
"Dear Mr. Bakura
It has come to my understanding that you are quite the unknown theif, and I wish to state a proposal. I am the one that you met that day in Knockturn Alley, the man wearing the women's dress drinking a large firewhiskey when you stole your pocket knife and was boasting about it. (Quite a prize, I must say, by the way) I wish to ask for you to meet me in Hogsmeade at your next Hogsmeade weekend in the Hog's Head, where I will be wearing the same lady's dress. I assure you, your theiving needs will soon be satisfied by my proposal.
Send back a letter or a note depicting that you are interested in my proposal. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.
Sincerely, Mungdungus Fletcher."
In spite of himself, Bakura was rather interested. A proposal, he said? He distinctly remembered the man named Fletcher. Quite a nice fellow considering the business he was in. At any rate, the Tomb Robber wished to feed his need for some mayhem. How long had he not stolen anything? A month now?
Quickly, Bakura scribbled a large "YES" on the clear space on the parchment. He quickly tied it to a nearby owl. He carried the owl through the window and threw it to the open sky.
After Ryou's classes (Ryou recieved his first History of Magic test and had excelled tremdously) Bakura slipped through the portrait hole first (Yugi needed a leg up from Marik) and smiled at the crowd at the bulletin board.
"What's the deal?" asked Marik as he approached Ron.
"Oh dear...I can't believe they'd allow us to go after this," said Hermione.
Ron, however, looked more pleased than worry as he looked back at Marik.
"Hogsmeade weekend next week."