Sorry this one is monstrously long! (sighs) It's a bit confusing, because describing a scene like Quiddtich with so many people is simply confusing. But at any rates, not as much about Ryou this time, more on Yugi and Yami bonding! (squeals) Yeah...Yugi and Yami bonding. The next chapter will probably also circle around Yugi and Yami, but I'm not sure. Soon Sirius will come back to see Ryou again. Soon. Don't worry. Soon. You couldn't possibly think that I would've forgotten my number one bishie Padfoot? Atrocious.
For those of you who like spoilers, you can find one at my deviantart website. Go to( ww w.deviantart. com/deviation/10899523/) (take out the spaces)
Don't own YGO or HP.
READ AND REVIEW! I LOVE YOU ALL WHO HAVE ALREADY DONE SO! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE I SAY!!
Chapter Ten
As it turned out, the Hogsmeade weekend was going to be postponed. In light of the recent escapes of the Death Eaters, the closest Hogsmeade weekend was now pratically three weeks hence. Bakura grew rather tetchy because of this delay, and retreated to his soul room silently for most of the while. Ryou was suspicious of his yami's frequent retreats, but heeded no attention as he was trying to find a way to communicate with Sirius better.
"Connections of the MInd and How to Create Them?'" read out Hermione one common-room-filled night. "'Psychology Communications; Muggle or Magical?' Isn't this a bit too advanced for you, Ryou?"
Ryou smiled. "I'm very curious about the wizarding world, Hermione. No doubt that you must've seen these books too, am I right?"
Hermione blushed modestly as she settled herself down next to Ryou, her arms pouring with books, at which Ryou helped her with.
"Have you?" he inquired truthfully.
Hermione smiled too. "I suppose I have, though I only did so that I could use them as reference for my N.E.W.T exams, they're supposed to be extremely difficult and advanced. Of course, I haven't tried them out myself yet, as you need a willing participant to help you out. Also, I doubt that it'd be on the N.E.W.Ts as well, unless you're studying to be an auror or something, which I'm not."
Ryou chuckled at the amount of information Hermione always divulged within one breath.
"But I've seen you, Ryou," she said seriously. "You're a very good student. If you had started out at Hogwarts when you were eleven, I have no doubt that you could manage this sort of complex spell."
Ryou shrugged modestly and returned back to his book as Hermione reached in her bag and took out a sheet of parchment.
"What's that for?" he asked.
"S.P.E.W," she said casually. "I'm thinking of opposing a strike...what about you?"
Ryou couldn't help but smile even more broadly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm afraid I'm very busy."
Hermione looked slightly disappointed. She skimmed Ryou's book with her eyes, and suddenly beamed.
"I know!" she said, ginning. "Why don't you and I try this spell some time? I'm not even sure if it's on our NEWTs, but it's better if we're prepared, right?"
Ryou grinned. "That'd be wonderful, Hermione." But then his face fell, looking sheepish. "but I don't know...what if I do something horribly wrong?"
"What can go wrong?"
Ryou looked rather sad. He didn't want to put his newest friends in any situation where he might be the cause for thier pain. Of course, Bakura hadn't done anything yet...why was he so worried? Maybe he just didn't have any confidence in himself...
"I'm just...worried that I might do something wrong," he admitted. "I wouldn't want to put any of your life in danger."
Hermione laughed. "You're over-reacting, Ryou. It's just a mind-communicating spell, there would be nothing life-threatening in it." She paused. "Of course, if something does go wrong, then yes, I suppose the brain could malfunction, or the person could be mentally disabled for quite some time,...but nothing serious!" she added quickly, seeing Ryou's horrified expression.
"Look," she said, taking out her wand. "Let's just try first, and see, okay? I'm willing to let my head be opened up and such. I'll take the risk." She smiled. "Come on, Ryou."
Ryou reluctantly stood and pointed his wand at Hermione. He read the instructions over and over a few times before he directed the incantation.
"Legilimens Communicani!"
There was a feeble string of light threading out of Ryou's wand, straining itself towards Hermione's head. It stopped mid-way and collapsed, as though exhausted, and extinquished.
"That was good!" exclaimed Hermione. Ryou let out a breath.
"This is hard..." he muttered.
"It'd have to be," said Hermione. "Concentrate, Ryou. Concentrate."
They continued on, practicing the communications charms until Ryou was quite exhausted and was ready to go to bed.
"See? Nothing bad happened," pointed out Hermione before she said goodnight and trudged up her dormitory stairs.
As Ryou headed up for his dorm, he couldn't help but think, Only because I didn't manage to do the charm properly, Hermione. If I did, who knows what could happen.... Guiltly, he still felt some paranoia against his insane Yami...after all, it was only a few weeks to a month ago that his darker side had pledged aliiance with Marik by stabbing his arm with a knife. Ryou shuddered at that memory. But, he said, thinking firmly, that Hermione was right. There was nothing to worry about. He had told Bakura he had trusted him, and he would stand by that trust. Hadn't the tomb robber proven himself already? Ryou decided to be a little less paranoid as he slipped under the covers and fell asleep.
Bakura slipped out of bed disdainfully and stood by the window of the tower. Next to him lay an oak dresser with a few empty, shining glasses, a jug of water, and some random parchment paper and quill. Disgruntled, he began playing with his teasured pocket knife, flippiing through the different blades and such. He couldn't help but wonder about what could Mungdungus possibly want him to steal. He smirked. Of course. He would never get caught. He was the tomb robber, a feared theif. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the Ring underneath, and it began to glow steadily. The points hanging loosely serenley began to jingle, swaying in a calm, seductive motion against the still air of the domitory. Bakura frowned as he turned his head back up to face through the window.. His hand reached for the quill and subliminally began doodling as he intently stared into the night sky.. He looked at the parchment to see that he had drawn a messy version of the infamous Eye of Horus, the one that was depicted on his item as well as the other Millennium Items, and oddly enough, a lightning scar above it. He blinked, snapping out of his mesmerizing period of creativity and looked down at his Ring again.
The dangling points began to shiver, shaking numbly, as they started to reach forward. The tomb robber shook his head. His Ring never had acted this way. Obviously, the intertwining forces of foreign magic were beginning to affect the ancient treasure. Yet, as the tomb robber flipped the pocket knife with his fingers, twirling it about like a rather dangerous baton, he couldn't help but notice that the points of the Ring were straining slightly towards the still figure of the messy-haired, legendary Harry Potter.
Bakura suddenly threw his fist foward, with such force that the knife stabbed through the oak dresser without a single sound, silently and squarely between the drawing of the lightning bold and the Eye of Horus.
Harry squinted his eyes in the darkness. He could make out the dark figure of Ryou Bakura in the moonlight, and blinked when the shadow left, unusually smooth, unusually quick and unusually silent. His scar began tingling omniously, but Harry ignored it. His face was sweating slightly, his hair moist. Another dream had occured again, but at least they had improved along with his Occulemncy lessons. However, Harry's throat was unnaturally parched. He slipped out of his sheets once he knew Ryou couldn't hear or see him, and headed for a jug of water. As he reached for it, he saw a dark dent in the dresser, and curiously, ran his finger along it. How peculiar...
....his scar began to tingle even more, tickling at his nerves as though stroaking raw skin. Harry quickly shook his head to shake away the pain, but it was still there, almost mocking him. He quickly got himself a glass of water and chugged it all down, his throat refreshened. He ran a finger down the dent again. This time, the pain was even worse. Harry quickly returned to his bed, unsure of what to make of it. He had only seen Bakura next to dresser...it was possible it was he who made the slit, but why did his scar hurt everytime he touched anything that had to do with the white-haired teen? He was always quite friendly....
Harry had a sudden image of his new friend, but it was how he looked on the train when Malfoy was there...Harry slipped back asleep, an image of an insane, fierce-some and dangerous Bakura slowly subsiding into his dreams.
The next morning, Harry awoke to the sounds of Yugi talking. He slipped though the curtains of his bed and saw the shadow of Yugi talking quietly but animatedly to someone....invisible, perhaps? There was a faint silouhette, but when Harry rubbed his eyes, there was nothing there. Yugi threw open his curtains, beaming.
"Morning, Yugi," said Harry, yawning. "What's up?"
Yugi looked very happy. Well, then again, he was always happy everytime Harry saw him, but it looked genuienly excited. "What are you so happy about?"
"Quidditch tryouts today, isn't it?" asked Yugi.
"I didn't know that you were so interested," smiled Harry.
Yugi shrugged. "It's a game, right? And I never seen it before...this is going to be so fun!"
"Don't squeal in delight now," muttered Ron as his mouth stretched into a rather large yawn. "You gotta live through Care of Magical Creatures first...no doubt Hagrid has some other 'cute, petty, non-dangerous creature' waiting for us. What d'you reckon it is this time, Harry? A chimera? A dragon? Another Skrewt?"
Harry laughed.
Yugi didn't look discouraged though. "What can we do to survive the class, then?" he joked.
"Poison them? Stamp the lot of them?" suggested Ron, looking quite serious.
"That's not nice!" accused Yugi, laughing.
"Nor are whatever Hagrid has, I can tell you," insisted Ron.
Ryou poked his head through the door, smiling and squinting his eyes in a overly-friendly expression. "Hurry up guys!" Harry, Ron and Yugi quickly ran through the doors, down the stairs and into the Great Hall, where they met Hermione, still reading the Daily Prophet edition of the outbreak from Azkaban.
"What are you doing with that old thing?" asked Ron, frowning at the parchment she held in her hands.
"Read this," she replied, thrusting the paper forwards. Ron read out loud as everyone gathered around him.
"'The Ministry Of Magic claims that, on accounts of the recent breakouts, Aurors will be guarding Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley until the Dementors are captured. There are also rumors of the new allied Death Eaters, who were seen helping the breakout and the reconcilliation among the Dementors. Where these new members of Volde-You-Know-Who came from there's no clue, however, from the Aurors Department of the Ministry of Magic, are rumors that there had been sightings and deaths all over Japan and the United States. Whether this information is a reliable source, this reporter cannot determine.'
"Blimey..." Ron finished, awe-struck. "Japan...where though?"
Marik frowned. "My sister is in Japan," he said curtly. "They'd better not be any trouble around her."
"I'm sure Ishizu can take care of herself," assured Ryou. Yugi looked wide-eyed.
"I wonder how Jii-san and everyone else is doing...."
There was an awkward silence until Hermione broke it.
"I'm sure nothing's happened," she said, though she looked worried herself. "It's just a rumor, right?"
Ginny appeared next to Harry, and frowned herself when she saw the Prophet in Ron's hands. "Oh that..."
"What?" asked Ron sharply.
Ginny gave both Hermione and Ron a look before shrugging. "Nothing...nothing.."
Ron was about to open his mouth, clearly confused, before Hermione stepped on it. Harry got the idea and hurredly changed the subject. He couldn't let Yugi, Ryou and Marik know about the OotP.
"United States..." said Yugi softy. His eyes suddenly jumped. "Hey...wait a minute. Where in the U.S? Kaiba's there!"
"Yugi," said Marik dryly, obviously irritated. "One, the United States is huge, even Kaiba won't be coincidently where the Death Eaters are, and two, why do you care?"
"It's Yugi," joked Ryou lightly, smiling wryly, though he looked concerned himself. He directed his large eyes at the parchement. "Do you really think this might have something to do with Kaiba, Yugi?"
Yugi shrugged. "I sure hope not."
"Once again," said Marik exasperatedly. "Why do you care?"
"Who's Kaiba?" asked Ron.
Hermione perked up. "You know Seto Kaiba?"
Yugi and Ryou nodded. Marik snorted.
"In a way of speaking, yes," he said.
"Goodness," said Hermione, her eyes wide. "But...he is the CEO of Kaiba Corporations. The military corporations."
Marik snorted again. "Once again, in a matter of speaking."
"It's no longer a military coporation," explained Ryou. "That was when his adoptive father was in charge. Now it's a gaming corporation based on Duel Monsters."
Hermione frowned. Harry was beginning to feel slightly suspicious of Hermione's knowledge, but didn't want to press it, in case it would bring in news from the Order.
"Where were we again?" he hurriedly asked. "Finished breakfast, everyone?"
Actually, they had barely touched their food, but somehow, no one was actually all that hungry today. Rather cheerful, Yugi, Ryou and Marik set off after Ron and Hermione and Harry, heading towards Care of Magical Creatures. The bright morning sun was radiating a warm, cozy surface across the bright green grass. The sky was a beautiful sapphire blue and there was a light, gentle breeze floating upon the wind. Yugi beamed brightly as he almost skipped towards Care of Magical Creatures.
"Why is he so happy today?" muttered Marik to Ryou. Ryou shrugged.
"Maybe that's actually the pharaoh," muttered Marik, a mischevious grin beginning to play on his lips, "and he's skipping because he thinks Kaiba's dead."
Ryou scowled in annoyance. "Yugi or Yami are not like that," he protested in a hushed voice. Yet somehow, Marik knew that deep within in the Ring Bakura was snorting himself. Ginny hurried past them to head for her Herbology lesson.
As they appraoched Hagrid's hut, Harry couldn't help but notice that there were rather large crates in front, all nailed shut dangerously. He couldn't help but wonder how dangerous the new monsters would be...of course, then he and Ron and Hermione would have to play around, thinking they were wonderful pets, adorable creatures that could be petted with...the memory of the Skrewts was all too clear.
The Slytherins and the rest of the Gyffindors appeared in little groups, their black robes billowing out. All of them stood a rather fair distance beyond the crates, looking rather anxious. Finally, Hagrid came out of his hut, looking very pleased and excited as he revealed a crowbar from his pocket and began to open one of the crates.
"Tempermental things they are," he said, looking very happy still as he cranked the crowbar. "Got 'em in little cages...shouldn't let 'em along the grounds now...they could be as bad as pixies..."
Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked at each other before supressing laughter of another memorable encounter with pixies.
"But they're stronger," continued Hagrid. "Can fly 'igh and mighty, they can, and they can grow to as tall as you kids now."
"What, precisely," drawled Draco, a tint of nervousness in his voice slightly, "are you talking about?"
"Wait ter you see 'em," replied Hagrid. He finally opened one box and pulled out a cage. Inside contained a rather small, pixie-like female, with long red hair and bird-like wings.
"Can any of you tell me what this is?" asked Hagrid. "Doubt you could tell though...they're a more evolved breed than the originals..."
Hermione tentatively raised her hand, as though slightly unsure. However, Yugi suddenly bursted out, his eyes wide,
"It's a Harpy Lady!"
Hagrid looked suprise that Yugi would know, but pleased all the same. "Yeh're right there, Yugi. They got magical properties of guilt...can terrorize you if yeh do something wrong." He gave Malfoy a look, who , on the contrary looked rather relieved that it was just a feeble-looking fairy. "Now, they ain't grown yet, so if you do somethigng wrong in front of them they won't terrorize ya...but when they do grow, yeh better be careful around them.
"Now...group up in pairs...and we'll feed them today!"
Yugi, Marik and Ryou gathered about one cage and began poking shredded lettuce through the bars of the cage. The Harpy Lady that they had chosen was very stubborn and wouldn't eat.
"Wish Mai was here now," muttered Ryou as the fairy bit him smartly on the finger.
"My my," drawled Malfoy again. All three of them turned around; Ryou looking skeptical, Yugi looking innocent, and Marik looking dangerous. "You can't even feed a fairy, Bakura? A bit pathetic for yourself, wouldn't you say?" He brandished his own cage, jangling the poor harpy lady inside it. He laughed. "They're just fairies, albino. Weak and frail and feeble and feminine...like you and Ishtar."
Marik frowned darkly.
"Get out of here, Malfoy."
"Oh, I wouldn't think so," said Malfoy smoothly. "Why don't you three get out of here? You don't belong here. Not in the wizarding world, not in Britain, and certainly, not in Hogwarts."
Bakura was feeling rather restless inside the Ring and suddenly took over. There was a flash underneath Ryou's robes as the sudden soul switch took place, and now Malfoy was looking in the now, narrowed, cold eyes of the anicent tomb robber.
"You don't belong in the human race, Malfoy," replied Bakura, just as silkily. He held up a deck of cards. "I believe you'd be more fit in here....like a paper card. What do you think, Marik?"
"I think he doesn't belong in the human race at all," agreed Marik. "How about in a piece of crap? Like you first intended?" Bakura's face suddenly changed into a rather exasperated annoyed look at Marik, who laughed airily.
"Save it, Malfoy," said Marik. "You shouldn't be lecturing us about where we belong. Especially when you can't stand your own reputation. You're a disgrace to the human race."
"But you'd make a lovely ferret," said Harry suddenly, who had joined. He didn't want Marik or Ryou to get into trouble. It was better if Malfoy only dealt with him.
All of them laughed and turned around, ready to return feeding the Harpies. Suddenly, Yugi heard a wand being pulled out, and when he turned around, he saw that the wand Malfoy was holding was pointing directly at Harry's unsuspecting back.
Yugi quickly rammed his shoulder into Harry, who toppled over with a surprised "whoa!". The curse grazed just the tip of Yugi's shoulder as he fell next to Harry, who had whipped out his own wand and was trying his best to point it at Malfoy.
/Yugi!/ yelled Yami, alarmed, from his soul room. /Wha..?/
Upon instinct, Yugi hadn't activated the Millennium Puzzle to awaken Yami. The spirit was beginning to feel guilty that he had not protected Yugi in time, but it seemed as though his hikari was healthy enough.
/Are you hurt?/ demanded Yami worriedly.
/No..no,/ assured Yugi back, getting up. /Just..a lot of mud, that's all./
"ALOHOMORA!" yelled a voice.
/What the--?/ Yami had suddenly looked through Yugi's eyes and was rather shocked. He hastily took over in a flash and ducked as an incoming Harpy Lady was about to shoot through his head. He felt her collide into his hair and collapsed onto his head, where he hastily picked her up gently and replaced her in the cage. When he turned around, there was absolute pandemonium.
Bakura and Marik, for some unknown reason, were standing back and watching the entire scene nicely. It was obvious that either the theif or the keeper had unleashed Malfoy's Harpy Lady, who was biting on his ear aggresively for hurting her. It seemed, however, that the spell must've reflected off the intended lock and had bounced off to other several cages, since many of the students were running about trying to catch their Ladies.
"What's going on?" yelled Yami at Bakura. The theif gave him a sharp but amused look as he returned watching the scene.
"It's not that hard to see, pharaoh."
Hagrid was yelling on the top of his voice, obviously trying to calm the students down.
"Wait---yeh--don't hurt them now...Who did this?!"
With a sudden idea, Yami quickly jumped onto the crates and looked around. Making sure that the Harpy Ladies noticed him, he commanded loudly,
"Harpy Ladies! Attack the guilty one's life points directly!!"
The Harpy Ladies seemed to blink confusedly at him before they understood, and with a look of pure pleasure the entire flock of Ladies sped towards Malfoy and Bakura. Bakura, who was standing in front of Malfoy, instinctively ducked and avoided the army of Ladies, but left Malfoy right open for a collision. They heard a muffled yell as each Harpy Lady pelted into him and when the flurry of wings cleared, Bakura let out a burst of laughter.
All the Harpy Ladies were perched on Malfoy's shoulders and arms, who was looking rather tired. He hastily tried to shake them off, but they held on and he rather resembled a fair-haired scarecrow with multicolored crows perched on his shouders and arms. The Gryffindors couldn't help but laugh slightly, but they soon ceased as some disgruntledly tried to help Malfoy.
The bell rang for the end of class and Yami jumped off the crate, hurrying towards Harry, Hermione and Ron, who were starting to head for their next class.
"We should've helped him, shouldn't we?" asked Hermione nervously.
"Hermione!" groaned Ron. "Come on! If you want to help Malfoy in a time like this, at least take a picture first! Hey, Harry, d'you know where Colin Creevey is...?"
Bakura and Marik had finally caught up, snorting with laughter.
"Good one, good one," laughed Marik as he slapped Bakura hard on the shoulder.
"Tomb robber's instinct, my dear Marik," said Bakura haughtily, smirking arrogantly as he waved his hands through the air.
Hermione frowned at Bakura's attitude with a hint of slight confusion before she hurried off to help Hagrid pick the Harpy Ladies off Malfoy. Bakura suddenly stopped laughing and his face no longer showed the expression of pure malice. His crazed pointy hair fell limply, as though dampened. His eyes suddenly turned large and round full of regret and worry.
"Oh, Ryou," groaned Marik suddenly. "What now?"
"I'm going to go help," Ryou muttered as he sped off after Hermione. Ron and Harry looked back.
"What the?" said Ron. "'Kura's going to help Hermione? But why? Didn't he say the spell?"
"Uh ..." Marik looked back as Yami hastily turned around. "...No, that was me," the tomb keeper lied. "Either than that, it's probably Bakura's guilty concsience."
At this, Yami snorted but looked much relieved.
"I hope he hurries up," he said solemnly. "We still have three more lessons."
"What are you doing?" asked Hermione as Ryou approached. He looked sheepish as Malfoy sent him a glaring look.
"Exactly what I would ask," he said coldly. Ryou frowned.
"Look," he said. "I'm sorry, alright? Either co-operate nicely, or I will regret my apology and not help at all. Okay?" But that statement looked rather feeble, as though he would never regret his apology no matter what Malfoy did. He pulled out his wand.
Hermione frowned. "You certainly don't need Harpy Ladies to divulge your guilt," she said, slightly coldly.
Ryou looked so crestfallen that she almost regretted her words immediately.
"I'm sorry," he repeated sadly, as though he was very tired. "Excuse me."
He stepped back and called, "Extracto Pixisiliem!"
The Harpy Ladies, as though drawn by some invisible force, jerked off Malfoy's arms and shoulders and fell neatly into the cages that were strewn around the Slytherin Boy. Hagrid looked relieved and grateful as he thanked Ryou and Hermione.
"It's nothing," muttered Ryou before he hurriedly ran off.
"Hold it," snarled Malfoy suddenly. "You aren't going anywhere, Mudblood!"
Hermione and Hagrid immediately reacted to the insults.
"Malfoy!" yelled Hermione, looking ready to slap him. But Malfoy ignored.
Ryou slowly turned around, looking very nervous and melancholy. Suddenly, there was a instant flash of light as his expression changed and his hair flew higher by a fraction, and his small lips split into a scary smile.
"No, I'm not," replied Bakura smoothly. "Which makes it all the more dangerous for you, Malfoy. Now, if you will excuse me..." he whipped around, his cloak flicking dramatically against the wind. "...I do not wish to spend my time retoring childish insults with you. I have a life, you know." And with that, he walked away.
/No no.../ groaned Ryou from his soul room. /Why did you do that, Yami?/
/Because he's a git, that's why/ retorted Bakura dully. /Let me have some fun, hikari./
/You have an image of a girl still in your mind!/ exclaimed Ryou, remembering that embarrassing incident that his Yami heeded no time to remind him constantly. /Isn't that enough?/
/I'm sadistic, not perverted,/ replied Bakura, with an incredulous look at Ryou, as though slightly surprised that his hikari would get those two adjectives mixed up.
/Please don't do anything more today!/ pleaded Ryou desperately. Bakura snorted but gave in.
/But you have to give me some time for myself, hikari,/ he said pouting.
/Some time/ promised Ryou. He sighed. /Hermione suspected something. She was acting so cold towards me after what you did with Malfoy./
/What do you care?/ retorted Bakura as he returned staring into nothing, looking very pensive and annoyed. In a little attempt to cheer him up, Ryou smiled slightly.
/Get your mind out of the gutter, Bakura./
Then he left, with Bakura staring after him.
/I'm sadistic, not perverted!!/ yelled his yami at the open door of the soul room.
Hermione had become warmer towards Ryou for the rest of the day, despite Bakura's sudden reply to Malfoy. The poor white-haired teen looked so innocently depressed that she couldn't help but regret her coldness towards him. Seeing his dark brown eyes linger almost exhaustedly at his schoolwork and seeing his small mouth open when he accidently fell asleep in History of Magic (several girls pointed and cooed before he actually woke up, embarrassed.) made her think second thoughts about his...more darker and ruder side.
It was still in her mind, however, when classes ended and everyone stood up to head for the Quidditch Pitch. Harry and Ron had to quickly hurry up to the Gyffindor Tower to retrieve their brooms. When they returned, Yugi was gaping admiringly at Harry's Firebolt, his large violet eyes twinkling.
"I always thought Angelina was in the same year as Alicia and Katie," voiced Ron. "Why is she still in Hogwarts?"
"She's not a student anymore Ron," replied Hermione. "She's Madame Hooch's new student teacher. That's why she's still here."
"So that leaves three new Chasers then," said Harry.
"And two new Beaters," said Ron suddenly. "Because Fred and George aren't here anymore..."
"...and a new Captain," finished Harry, blinking. "Wow...we're short-handed this year, aren't we?"
"You're the new captain," said Ron, nudging Harry in the ribs.
"Says who?"
"McGonagall, that's who."
Harry looked slightly bewildered. "But I...I can't lead a team!"
"Sure you can," encouraged Hermione. "Think of what you've done so far, Harry!" Harry groaned.
"Fine, fine..."
"Oi!" yelled Ron towards Ryou, Marik and Yugi. "Hurry up! We're going to be late!"
"What about dinner?" asked Ryou innocently, gathering up his books.
Marik laughed. "Hungry already? What are you going to do, raid the kitchens?" Ryou blushed slightly but smiled at Marik's joke about his large apettite.
"You eat a lot?" questioned Hermione, observing Ryou's extremely slender figure. "You sure don't look it, no offense."
"I know," smiled Ryou.
"The boy has a high metabolism," said Marik, quirking his eyebrows. "Sometimes he'd look almost skeletal."
Bakura suddenly switched places and attempted to whack the laughing Marik in the head.
"Oh, what's wrong, tomb raider? Don't like looking dead on your feet?"
"Let's see how you'd like it soon," laughed Bakura as he made another wild gesture."After you die."
"I'm perfectly happy staying sixteen thanks," replied Marik. "Not a few thousand years."
Ron, Hermione and Harry blinked at Marik's retort as Yugi shook his head.
/Oh no.../
/At it again, aibou?/ asked Yami dryly from the back of his mind.
/Yeah.../
/They're getting awfully careless/
/But we can't do anything, can we?/
/No.../ murmured Yami. /I suppose that if I step in then they'd be prancing the halls going, 'the pharaoh is senile the pharaoh is senile!'/
"Hey," poked Bakura at Yugi, smiling maniacally. "Pharaoh..."
Yami switched places.
"What is it, tomb robber?"
Bakura and Marik exchanged glances and asked, "What day is it today, pharaoh?"
Yami blinked. He knew what this was leading up too...but frankly, he didn't know what day it was.
"Don't you get tired of being dumb, tomb robber?"
Bakura didn't look frazed. He and Marik exchanged a look and yelled happily, "He doesn't know!" and then, to Ron, Hermione and Harry's surprise the two, normally silent and quiet boys started prancing around the halls going, "The pharaoh's going senile! The pharaoh's going senile!"
Marik laughed. "Senile---see nile! The pharaoh's gone senile at the Nile! He lost is mind in Egypt's longest river!"
"Better drowned in the Nile than in his brain," laughed Bakura.
"Er---are you guys on sugar or something?" asked Ron cautiously.
"NO!" yelled Bakura and Marik together. "We're just hhaaaapppyyy...!" Suddenly they stopped short and glared at each other in horror. "We're HAPPY?! UGH! Unclean! Unclean!" And with that they started flailing their hands as though burned, and started wiping each other's palms on their shrits.
"Unclean! Unclean!"
Harry couldn't help but laugh, and Ron joined. They reminded him so highly of Fred and George...with a bit more evil-related hyperness. He looked back at Yami, who was smiling cynically at the two boys, his arms crossed and his eyebrows arched. It seemed as though even the ancient pharaoh couldn't help but smile at the atrociousness of the two hyper boys.Finally, when Bakura had calmed now and began to take in deep breaths between laughter, Ryou took over and looked very wry.
"Sorry...bit too much sugar," he explained to Hermione.
Marik was still chortling happily as they entered onto the Quidditch Pitch. Angelina and Madame Hooch were there, awaiting the arrival of the students for tryouts.
"Good day, all," said Madame Hooch briskly. Many brooms were laden on the ground, their branches sticking out on odd angles. Angelina stood next to her, her long dark braid swept around her head in an elegant, mature bun. However, her face still held an excited look of a child's anticipation, reminding Harry much like Wood's.
"Congratulations Harry!" cried Angelina happily, shaking his hand vigorously.
"Er---thanks," said Harry.
"This is great," smiled Angelina wistfully. "With you as Captain, the Gryffindors will sure win this year."
Harry's heart plummeted deep into his stomach. Oh great. More pressure.
"Trying out?" asked Angelina at Ryou. Ryou blinked and stammered, "Oh no..no..."
"Come on," gestured Marik. "What harm could it cause?"
"Not many people tried out today," noted Angelina. She was right. There were a few second years, a two third-years and one fourth-year. Ginny was also there, something that made Harry's heart sure that at least the team wouldn't be that outnumbered. She was a great flyer. Ginny gave Harry a thumbs-up.
"Well." Angelina clapped her hands together. "Let's try this, shall we? Now, I know I have no control Harry, but I can help with your decisions of picking those for tryouts."
"Er--thanks," said Harry, having the deep impresion that Angelina was trying to live through him. "Thanks, Angelina, but I think I'll manage." With that, he mounted his broom and took off.
"Okay! Uh...we'll start off with the second years, then, okay? Mount your brooms."
As the first years moutned and took flight, Yugi gave Ryou a nervous look.
"I'm not sure I can fly," he admitted.
"And yet you were so excited, King of Games?" said Marik. "Come on, it can't be that bad." His eyes trailed over to the box where they held the Snitch, the Quaffle, the Bludgers and the two beater sticks.
The second years were alright; Harry couldn't see much talent though. It seemed as though this was their first true attempt. Yet as the second years floated back onto the ground, Harry thanked them encouragingly and asked for the two third-years and the fourth year.
They were alright too...one of the thir years was absolutely horrible, as his attempt at a bludger nearly maimed Harry's head into splinters. He had a sick feeling that if he involved this third year into the team, it would be Harry's brain that was going to drown in the Nile.
Ginny was tremendous! There was no other word for it. Harry was amazed at Ginny's speed and agility to capture the ball and score. Of course, since Ron was her sibling, it was rather difficult to determine wether she was good or whether Ron had just improved. Either way, Ginny was amazing.
Finally, Yugi, Ryou and Marik had a chance. Yugi and Marik eagerly mounted their brooms, though Ryou was a little bit reluctant.
/Hikari, if you really don't want to do it.../
/What?/ asked Ryou.
/Well...if you really don't want to, then we can make it that Quidditch is my time./
/You'd like Quidditch?/
Ryou felt Bakura's eyes float towards the Beater's clubs.
/Oh no./
Harry saw Malfoy and his group of friends arrive. Annoyed, he swooped down and stopped Malfoy in his tracks.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?"
"It's certainly worthwhile to see you fall on your head, Potter," said Malfoy silkily, as Pansy Parkinson grabbed his arm giggling madly.
"Sorry to disappoint you," said Harry curtly. "We're in a middle of a tryout, Malfoy, so back off."
"I should think not, Potter," replied Malfoy. "Use your manners...I think we'll just sit here nicely." With that, he snuggled himself and Pansy on the benches of the stadium, as though they were a couple on a date watching a movie. Angrily, Harry soared back to meet Yugi, Ryou and Marik.
"Don't listen to whatever Malfoy yells at you," he warned. "Just don't listen."
Yugi nodded.
"Okay!" yelled Harry. "Sixth years. Up here!"
Yugi mounted his broom and tentatively pushed himself up. The broom seemed to acknowledge his anxiety and slowly floated upwards. Gaining confidence, Yugi narrowed his broom upward and followed Harry. He was doing rather well.
Ryou was next. He followed Yugi's reluctant method, and was finally relieved until Bakura took advantage and shot through the sky, yelling in delight. Marik then thrusted off the ground with tremendous strength and shot after Bakura, clearly having a wonderful time. Yugi was the only one left on the pitch who was concentrating hard on controlling the broom.
"Here," said Harry, handing him the Quaffle. "Try to score through Ron's hoop."
Yugi blinked, his eyes wide. He had to take his hands off the broom? Oh boy.
He reached out for the ball which Harry plopped gently into his small hands.
"I'll try not to fall."
"Don't worry," assured Harry. "Angelina or Madame Hooch will catch you."
Yugi slipped the Quaffle under one arm and moved silently forwards, as Marik and Bakura swooped dangerously around him. Marik's broom was doing the oddest things as he stopped in front of Yugi.
"Having fun?"
"Enough," smiled Yugi.
"Dunno why it's doing this," growled Marik as he frowned at his jerking broom. "Do you think someone..."
"MALFOY!" yelled Bakura's voice suddenly.
In that split moment, Marik's broom gave a violent jerk and he almost fell. Growling, he pulled himself up and tried his best to regain control, but the broom was shaking too much. Suddenly, a bludger flew past, grazing his fair hair slightly, narrowingly missing his head. Yugi gasped and dropped the Quaffle, trying to regain balance.
Startled by Bakura's accusation, Malfoy dropped the jinx and Marik regained control. However, as he swooped down to pick up a beater's bat, Malfoy shot yet another curse at Yugi, who surprisingly, ducked it with amazing smoothness.
Yami had taken over.
The ancient spirit couldn't help but feel how easy flying was. It was a surpassing joy. How the broom commanded his every whim, his thoughts, and how smoothly the broom soared brought a smile to Yami's face. Unable to live in this moment of pleasure, Yami's face contorted into one of much seriousness as he stared down at his attacker. Malfoy was now attempting to jinx Malfoy from behind Madame Hooch's back, with such slyness that it was difficult to tell that Malfoy was jinxing anyone at all. Suddenly, a spell hit Marik squarely in the shoulder. Yami bent down over the broom and shot like a javelin towards Marik.
"What's wrong?" he demanded.
"Nothing, pharaoh!" yelled Marik, gripping his shoulder. There was another flash of light as Malfoy directed another spell at them. Cursing, Marik and Yami broke apart and together they sped away smoothly. Yami could see that Malfoy was directing yet another attack at Marik. He narrowed himself down on his broom and made contact with Marik, knocking his broom and the tomb keeper out of the way and took the spell head-on himself. There was a searing pain in his arm and chest as he spun uncontrollably around, glaring at Malfoy.
Harry could see that Malfoy was jinxing the team, but he had no idea why Madame Hooch was oblivious to it. Well...maybe for the sake that she was asleep...Angelina tried desperately to wake her, but instead, commanded Malfoy to leave. Malfoy ignored her and Pansy shot a jinx at her directly. Her hair now untangled from her elegant bun, Angelina's beautiful dark hair was now twisting and snarling, and Harry could see that her hair strands were now either snakes or worms.
"A worm coming out of your head," laughed Pansy. "That's what I always imagined your hair would be like."
Harry plunged a hand down his robes to make a grab for his wand.
"Che," muttered Yami darkly as he regained his position. Bakura and Marik were deflecting Malfoy's jinxes with their beater clubs. He saw the Quaffle fly through the air and caught it. Looking down at the red ball, he had an idea.
"Go, QUAFFLE!" he yelled, throwing the ball with such force that it spun rapidly as it soared through the air. It made direct contact with one of the jinxes and floated there omniously for an instant.
"What the?" exclaimed Malfoy.
Yami had extracted one of his many silver belts, and had buckled a particularly large one laden with sliver, around the Quaffle, deflecting each jinx back at Malfoy.
However, there was one catch. One of the jinxes and attacked at an odd angle and shot at Yami unsuspectingly. He had no time to duck and was hit squarely in the face.
"Argh...!" wincing, he closed his eyes, losing his balance on the broom.
/Yami!/ cried Yugi.
/I'm fine aibou.../
/No, you're not!/
Yugi suddenly took over, and sped towards the ground. Another jinx bounced off the Quaffle and hit him squarely in the back.
"Aah..!"
/Yugi!!!/ Yami yelled.
Yugi slumped in a faint, and Yami took control. He swerved and directed the broom towards the grounds, where he was soon accompanied by Marik. The Quaffle had reversed each jinx back at the Slytherins, and they each lay stupefied. Madame Hooch awakened and Angelina had disappeared to the Hospital Wing.
"You okay?" asked Marik.
Ron had sped over, and soon they were also accompanied by Harry.
"You okay?" they kept on asking.
Yami nodded, smiling slightly to reassure them. In truth, he did feel a lot of pain, but he wasn't going to admit it.
/Yami.../ said Yugi softly from their soul rooms.
/What, Yugi?/
/You're hurt.../
Yami winced noticeably. Bakura soon joined them.
"You'd better head for the Hospital Wing," said Harry as they landed.
Yami stood up, still wincing. He didn't feel any pain, but it was Yugi's body...
"Hospital Wing," said Harry firmly.
Hermione popped up next to them with Ginny.
"That Malfoy!" Ginny said aggressively. "They used a Protego charm to envelope themselves in a bubble of protection! Or else I would've done something.."
"It's okay," assured Yami. "I'll go to the hospital wing."
They headed towards the Hospital Wing, and halfway, Yami collapsed, but Marik suspected that it was not because Yami couldn't take the pain, for then Yami's face began to soften, his extra streaks disappearing, and soon, Marik recognized the form of small Yugi. Marik shrugged and wearily picked up Yugi's light body and piggy-backed him all the way to the Hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey laid him in a bed and shooed them off. Indeed, Marik was right. Yami had retreated to Yugi's soul room, where he crouched, holding Yugi's spirit protectively. After quite a while, Yami finally stood up, carried his hikari's spirit and gently laid him down on his soul room bed, and left. Yami extracted himself from the Puzzle and stared at his hikari's unconcious body in the darkness of the hospital wing, where he laid a hand on Yugi's forehead.
In the middle of the night, Yugi looked up wearily. "Yami?"
Yami had fallen asleep next to the boy in spiritual form, and awoke, startled. "Yugi!"
His had closed tightly over Yugi's.
"Are you okay?"
Yugi smiled faintly. "Yeah...I'm fine."
"Why did you do that?" asked Yami, his eyes concerned and hurt. "I could have taken all the blows for the both of us."
"I didn't...want you to get hurt," said Yugi. Yami gripped the little boy's hand harder.
"Promise me you won't do that again," said Yami, looking slightly desperate. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of things like that."
Yugi smiled. "It was nothing, Yami. Nothing. If you had taken that one, you would've fainted and fallen."
Yami frowned. It was true. The blow that Yugi took was overwhelming and could've resulted in the pharaoh's own unconciousness. "Be that as it may be, Yugi. I appreciate your nobility, but ..."
"It's nothing," said Yugi firmly.
"Promise me, aibou." Yami had such a concerned look on his face that Yugi had to give in.
"I promise, Yami."
Yami smiled faintly. "You do too much, aibou."
"No I don't."
Yami smiled. "Come on...you need to sleep."
"You need some too," protested Yugi lightly. Yami smiled.
"Alright," he agreed. "I'll sleep too. But only if you properly do so so that in the morning, I won't have to be too worried."
Yugi nodded.
"I'll summon the Celtic Guardian to watch over us," said the ancient spirt as he summoned the said elf. A life-form replica of the card's contents appeared next to them, nodding at Yami and Yugi before turning his head up high, in a confident, military position of protection.
"Do you think that's necessary?" asked Yugi as Yami was about to retreat back into the Puzzle.
"I don't trust Hogwarts," said Yami simply. "Especially if it has many students like Malfoy."
Yugi shrugged and fell asleep. Yami returned into the Puzzle with a sheer bright light, but as the pharaoh began to drift to sleep, the Puzzle's glow began to dim until it had entirely faded away into the night.
Long, ne? Ah well...I actually don't like this chapter much. Yami seems to be rather slow on uptake today. And I don't like it when Yami's like that. Ah welll..R&R!! Please!!