Sorry this is such a boring chapter. But it's the aftermath of Shadi's attack, so of course it has to be a little more subtle.
I regret to inform you, readers, that I may not be able to update as often in the future. School is really getting to me, and writer's block is approaching me, since yaoi has been stuffing my mind silly. Bah!
Yeah, I have another account for my yaoi stuff here. I'm not going to say what the username is, but for all you yaoi lovers, go find me! (hugs) Mostly inspired by the oh so many gift fics I have to do for friends. (groan) Crossovers are my area of expertise, not romance.
Anyways...chapter 17. Approaching writer's block. Anyone who wishes to help can e-mail me. Thanks!
Read and Review, please!
Yes, the next chapter will have Bakura finally at the Ministry stealing for Mungdungus. Or maybe the chapter after that...I don't know how long it will take to explain Harry's encounters with Luna or Ryou's experience with the Pensieve. So...but don't worry, it's coming!! But..so is the writer's block....gah! (shudders)
Chapter 17
"DA meeting," said Harry, cocking his head to one side as the multi-colored-haired boy tried to dodge around him. "Er...if you don't mind me asking, is there something wrong?"
"No, no, not at all," said Yami distractedly, trying to manage to swerve around the boy. "Ah...do you mind moving, please, Harry?"
"Oh...er..." Harry hesitantly stepped aside, but managed to grab hold onto the sleeve of Yami's robes to stop him. "DA meeting, did you get that?"
"What's a DA meeting, again?" asked Yami, pursing his lips, frustrated at himself for not managing to find Marik yet.
"Dumbledore's Army," said Harry, raising an eyebrow at Yami's odd attitude. "Yugi, are you sure there's nothing wrong? I was just going to the hospital wing to see Marik and..."
"Well then, prepare to find instead an empty bed," said Yami seriously, nodding as he tried to look outside a nearby window. Harry released his grip on Yami's robes blankly, his mouth slightly agape.
"He's not in bed? Why?"
"Don't know," sighed Yami heavily. "I'm trying to find him...but no luck so far."
Harry sighed, blowing a strand of hair resignedly. "Man, that's rough. Do you want me to help?"
"I'd like that, thank you, Harry," said Yami sincerly, still scanning the skies, looking as though he had wondered if Marik might've kidnapped a hippogriff.
"Well...ah, no problem..." said Harry sheepishly. "Seeing as he's...right there."
Yami snapped his head around in the sound of Harry's voice, and noticed that the legendary boy was pointing down the hall, where Marik and Ryou were strolling aimlessly, clearly deep in thought.
"Ya--- I mean, Yugi!" called out Ryou, waving his hand. "Found him!"
"You don't need to call me like a lost dog, Ryou," sighed Marik, annoyed. "I'm fine, don't worry about me..."
"Marik!" Yami had bolted from Harry's side remarkably fast (concerning the boy's size) and was in front of Marik instantly, his crimson eyes darting with concern. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Pharaoh," emphasized Marik exasperately. "Don't get your butt all high and mighty and regal with me, okay? I'm fine!"
"Seeing as though you've disappeared from my sight during the night in such a condition---"
"Where does 'I'm fine' confuse you?!"
"Marik, I was just concerned...!"
"Yes, well, you don't have to be, I don't like owing debts, I ---"
"That's enough of that!" yelled Ryou suddenly. Both Marik and Yami instantly blinked and in unision, swivelling around to meet the white-haired boy's brown eyes, their owns wide in amazement.
"Sorry," whispered Ryou meekly. "It's just ...when your two friends are always yelling at each other and you have two adults in your head yelling at each other..."
"Bakura's been rubbing off on you," commented Marik, almost proudly. Yami suddenly thrusted his index finger a little too hard into Marik's shoulder, causing the Egyptian to exclaim in pain.
"HEY!"
A small, unnoticable by two-feet radius jerk was enough to tell Marik not to slip more about Bakura in front of Harry, whom the Egyptian hikari seemed to just realize was standing there.
"Oh, hi Harry," said Marik cheerfully.
"Er...hi," said Harry uncertainly. That was a bit of an odd scene played before him. Why on earth did Yugi, typical shy, nice Yugi, suddenly jabbed Marik in the shoulder like that? And who was Bakura again? ....oh yeah. Ryou.
Eh? That didn't work out.
But before Harry could continue his train of thoughts, Ryou was smiling at him and waving his procelain hand slowly in front of his eyes.
"Ah...Harry? You there?"
"Huh? Oh yeah...DA meeting, tonight."
"DA?" repeated Marik blankly. "What's the DA?"
Sighing, Harry proceeded to explain, however his explanation was met with a few disappointed faces.
"Oh no...I can't do it," said Ryou regretfully. "I have my detention with Snape tonight."
"And I'm not going," said Marik bluntly. "I have other things on my mind."
"I would love to go," assured Yami. "But...I'm afraid not tonight, Harry. Please accept my apogolgies...I have enough to do tonight, with Hogsmeade weekend finally tomorrow. And..." he gestured to Marik.
"Hey, I'm standing right here, you know?" interjected Marik heatedly.
"I'm sorry, Marik, I was just simply speechless with your recovery!" said Yami, rolling his eyes ever so slightly. He sighed again, and regarded the Egyptian with a tired but happy look. "The important thing is that you're alright. You had me worried there for a second."
"I don't---"
"Yes, we know," interrupted Ryou hastily, laying a hand on Marik's arm. The Egyptian procceeded to regain composure, though he gave Yami a pointedly secretive look, his lavender eyes flashing towards the once again, abandoned Harry Potter. Yami blinked and instantly turned around smoothly.
"Sorry Harry," he said again.
"That's okay," assured Harry, shaking his head. "Look, Hogsmeade is tomorrow, maybe we can meet for the DA meeting in The Three Broomsticks or something, and then you can meet the rest of the DA."
"That'd be pleasant," said Yami, nodding, oblivious to Marik's horrified look. "We'll be there. But for right now Harry, we're slightly preoccupied. Would you mind if we head back to the common room ourselves?"
"Oh, no, sure," said Harry hastily. "Yeah...I was just going to tell everyone else about the meeting tomorrow..." Yami nodded at him farewell, before strolling towards the Gryffindor Tower. Quickly bidding Ryou and Marik a polite goodbye, Harry quickly hurried down a corridor. Shaking his head again, he looked around and tried to find an awakened occupant of a portrait.
"Excuse me, can you please tell me where the Ravenclaw common room is?"
The three of them managed to get to the common room fine; the dormitories were basically empty by now. Either the occupants were outside enjoying the last tribute of sunshine before the autumn-winter days, or they were simply sleeping in. Yami, Marik and Ryou managed to find the common room empty and settled into large, comfy chairs near the fire. As soon as they had all settled down, (Marik tried to supress a sarcastic, ironic smirk as he noticed that Yami's stance was royally stiff and regal against the chair), Ryou and Marik immediately began to tell Yami everything that's been happening.
"Shadi?" repeated Yami, frowning. "...I never knew it was possible for him to be hurt."
"Yes, I know," agreed Marik, frowning also, remembering his first encounter with the Egyptian 'ghost'. "Thankfully, Hagrid was able to take care of him, and Firenze said that he was going to take Shadi somewhere where he had to try to fix fate." These last few words were followed by a couple of derisive snorts from the Egyptian boy. Ryou hurriedly finished the rest of the story. When he did, Yami gave heaved a heavy sigh and sank back in his chair, a tired look upon his face.
"This is absolutely wonderful," he said succinctly. "So what Dumbledore told us in Japan was right. Some people are after our Items...and unfortunately, one of them is right here in Hogwarts."
"Harry?" suggested Marik. "He's been stepping in a little too many times with us. Plus, he wanted Luna's article as well as you. He obviously knows something."
"How do you know that?" asked Ryou. "I don't remember him asking Luna for her article..."
Marik raised an eyebrow at Ryou and pointed at the Rod sticking protectively from his back pocket. Ryou blinked, but soon slightly frowned, disapprovingly.
"You did mind-wipe Hagrid, right?" asked Yami.
"Of course, Pharaoh," said Marik smoothly. Yami sighed again and leaned back. He then regarded his crimson eyes upon Ryou, who raised an eyebrow in return.
"What does your yami say about this?" asked the ex-pharaoh, his narrow gaze narrowing further.
There was an instant flash of light, and Yami Bakura was soon sitting in Ryou's chair, changing from Ryou's demure position to a far more dramatic one that rivaled Yami's. Lounging back and crossing his legs, Bakura held upon a look of disgust and disapproval as he narrowed his eyes at Yami.
"I'd say we banish the entire school."
Marik smiled, relieved at Yami Bakura's sarcastic nature.
"That's a good idea," Marik agreed, egging Bakura on. The thief gave Marik a small smirk before returning his glare at Yami.
"To you, Bakura," said the ex-pharaoh, "everyone should be sent to the Shadows."
"Yup," agreed Bakura happily, nodding his head.
"So this means nothing to you?" asked Yami, laying a cold glare upon Bakura. "That we are now in danger, more than anyone had thought, and you're not worried?"
"You are the one who posseses the Tauk, may I remind you, Pharaoh," pointed out Bakura, abandoning his mischevious sense. "I wouldn't be quite worried if I were you. Nor so dumb."
Marik rolled his eyes. Moral was still dented across his head.
"I do not dare use the Tauk," said Yami simply. "Life is a game we must play by the rules, not the quick fix. That is why the Tauk denied Ishizu her last prophecy, because she used it one too many times."
"How philosophical," said Yami Bakura dryly. "But stupid. If you just use the damn thing maybe you'd quit complaining."
"I will not," said Yami simply.
"Complaining? Or using the Tauk?" asked Marik, his well-known smirk playing all too well on his face.
"Be serious, tomb keeper!" admonished Yami, his temper raising a slight notch. "And no, I will not use the Tauk."
"Then you're more than a baka than I thought," said Bakura triumphantly.
Yami was close to rolling his eyes when he decided against it, and swiftly turned to Marik.
"What about you? I appreciate highly that you came to tell me so quick, but what do you think we should do?"
"The all-mighty Pharoah doesn't know!" mocked Bakura, sitting properly now. Yami sent him an annoyed look. Marik sighed and replied.
"I'm not too worried, myself," he said darkly. "I don't care who's going to take my Rod. It is a Keeper's duty to keep the Tauk and the Rod safe in hands, and I will live up to that duty."
Yami smiled.
"I'm impressed, Marik. You've changed more than I've thought."
"It's amazing what a bit of sunlight can do to someone," said Marik dryly. "Don't remind me too often of it, Pharaoh, or I might just lose myself again and you'll have more trouble."
"Thank you for such a threat," said Yami. "But seeing that I was close to seeing Yami Marik again, I don't think it would be neccessary."
Immediately, Yami sighed and returned to his commanding, regal demeanor.
"However, though I admire your bravery and confidence to ignore the situation at hand, I regret to say that we must be far more aware. You two may feel as though you can conquer anyone who steps into your way, but do take care to remember that if you couldn't get through me, there is also the clear chance you can't get through someone else."
"Getting cocky now, Pharaoh?" sneered Bakura, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Getting reasonable, Tomb Raider," replied Yami coolly. "We must all stick together in this time. We do not know who exactly is working for Voldemort at hand to be aware of them."
"Malfoy," said Marik instantly. Bakura laughed.
"Like as if that baka can manage to even send a proper spell," laughed Bakura. "No...it can't be Malfoy. He doesn't possess the intelligence to even know of the Millennium Items."
Marik smiled. "Then Snape, then."
"Do you really believe that professor might be responsible?" asked Yami incredulously.
"He's the head of Slytherin, Pharaoh," said Marik. "Who knows what he can do."
"Greasy slimeball too," laughed Bakura again, remembering Sirius's exact words.
Yami frowned. "Tomb Raider...you're different today. What's the matter with you?"
"The matter with me?" repeated Bakura, his cold eyes staring cynically into Yami's crimson ones. "A bit odd coming from you, isn't it, Pharaoh? I would naturally assume that you, of all people, could rant about what's wrong with me."
"Sensitve today, aren't you?" asked Yami, still frowning.
"I am never sensitve, Pharaoh," snarled Bakura, returning so quickly to his usual cross stature that Yami began second-thinking himself. Sighing and leaning back again, Yami closed his eyes in hopes of washing away his thoughts.
"If you wish, Marik," spoke up Bakura's voice, each tone a clear pitch of malice, "I can give Snape a bit of an encounter with the Thief King." Yami's eyes shot open.
"You are NOT sending that man to the Shadow Realm!"
"Being a part of the Shadows themselves is not my only trait, Pharoah," said the thief coldly, a mischevious smirk playing on his lips.
"What are you planning to do?" demanded Yami. Bakura waved a hand.
"Please do not tell me you've forgotten .... again ....Pharaoh. The Potter boy once told us that Snape used to be a Death Eater. A member of Voldemort's little clan. If he is whom Shadi was referring to, then I can all but steal everything he owns to find enough proof. If he truly is the Death Eater that wants Marik's Rod, then by all means, then we should rethink our strategies for the kill."
"And how exactly do you think you'll manage to steal enough proof from him to convince me that he is the Death Eater Shadi was refering too?" asked Yami. "Would you need us for a distraction? Because I assure you, tomb robber, I will have no part in it."
"One, Pharaoh, I don't need a distraction," said Bakura coolly. "And two, Pharaoh, tonight my dear hikari is attending his detention with Snape. That gives...thieving opportunities....at its best." He brought his fingers to his face, which Yami noticed were twitching pointedly. A sadistic smirk plastered across his face, Bakura whipped his hair out of his eyes, making the malice in his brown eyes visible for all to see. "Don't worry, Pharaoh. I won't hurt the poor man. Or banish him, unless he gives me reason to."
"Everyone gives you a reason to banish them," said Yami gravely. Bakura smirked.
"You know, you're right." Bakura laughed. "But I haven't, have I? Isn't that satisfying enough?"
"With you, no," muttered Yami. He stood also. "Make sure you do NOTHING that will draw attention to us, thief, do you understand? Nothing!"
"Nothing will notice," promised Yami Bakura off-handedly. "I am the darkness. And nothing notices the darkness."
"I miss Professor Lupin," complained Yugi sadly as he walked down the halls with Ryou. Marik had been convinced well enough to stay in bed for one more day, since they were all going to Hogsmeade tomorrow. They had just recently handed in their permission forms, three sheets of paper individually scrawled from Ryou's father's neat, but dirty, sandy print, to Ishizu's fine, flourish signature, to Grandpa Motou's scratchy Japanese characters. Ryou was somewhat down-put that his father had not inquired much about his accquaintance with the wizarding world, but Yugi immediately had changed the subject to the conversation Yami and Bakura had exchanged earlier on about their memories.
"I do miss Professor Lupin too," said Ryou wistfully.
"How's Sirius?" asked Yugi, making sure his voice was softer as they passed a couple of students.
"Good," smiled Ryou, perking up slightly. "He's only been staying once in a while. I'm worried about him, Yugi. The Shadows are affecting him more and more."
"He was in Azkaban before, right?" said Yugi. "Judging by what people say about Azkaban, it sounds a lot like a wizarding version of the Shadow Realm."
"I know," sighed Ryou gravely. "Even Sirius said so himself, and sometimes it affects his mood. He hates it in Azkaban and he hates it in the Shadow Realm. I wish I could do something to help him."
At this, Ryou leaned against the stone cold walls, sighing deeply.
"I'm just glad he's not in the Shadow Realm like how Mai was," he said. "If he did, he'd be far worse. Reliving your worse fears over and over. At least with me, it was just cold, lonely and depressing. Sirius is very sensitive about his past."
"Yami is too," joked Yugi lightly. "That is...because he has no past to be sensitive about."
Ryou sighed again. "I hope I can see Sirius again soon," he said. "Bakura doesn't like him very much, but I do. I really want to see him again."
Yugi nodded, and peered into the glass cabinet. They were beside the Trophy Room and the glass cabinet next to Ryou sported old yearbooks, medals and awards.
"Hey, Ryou, what does Sirius look like?"
Ryou blinked at Yugi's question and peered through the glass cabinet. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped.
"Oh my," he breathed.
There was a picture in one of the yearbooks, Sirius was waving animatedly, accompanied by the Harry-look-alike, a younger Remus Lupin, and a short, plump boy whom Ryou did not recognize. "Most Mischevious" read the label.
"That is Sirius," said Ryou, pointing to the smug-looking,. handome seventh- year. "Wow."
Yugi grinned. "Cool! So that's how Sirius looked like when he was in Hogwarts!"
"He said he was quite the trouble-maker," laughed Ryou. "I guess this proves it."
"Not as much as Bakura and Marik though," laughed Yugi also. Ryou glanced distantly at each picture, but one specific one caught his eye.
The Harry-lookalike was embracing a beautiful, red-haired woman. Her dark green eyes looked familiar, but Ryou couldn't place where, since the picture was black and white. The photo itself was barely visible, being on another page hidden by the accompany sheets of yearbook, but if he squinted, he thought he had seen those eyes before.
"Do you think we should call Sirius something else other than his real name?" asked Yugi suddenly.
"Why?" inquired Ryou, still skimming his eyes curiously over the glass cabinet.
"Well...Yami said we shouldn't draw attention...just like we don't refer to Bakura out loud, maybe we should give Sirius a nickname?"
Ryou smiled. "He gave me one, you know."
Yugi beamed. "What is it?"
"Wings."
"Wings?" repeated Yugi. "Why 'Wings'?"
"Well, he once told me that he and his friends used to name themselves under the animagi forms they undertook," explained Ryou. "His was Padfoot because, him, being a dog, he had padded feet...Professor Lupin was Moony because he was a werewolf, and Sirius's other friend was Prongs because he was a stag. So I'm Wings, or White Wings, because my patronus was an owl."
"Oh," said Yugi, understanding dawning on him. "White Wings. Sounds pretty."
Ryou smiled. "I like it. It's better than being called a host, landlord, hikari or baka any day."
"So what should we call Sirius?" prodded Yugi. "We can't keep on saying his name out loud everyday. It'd draw attention to us and Yami doesn't want that."
"What about 'Snuffles'?" suggested Ryou. Yugi burst out laughing.
"Snuffles? Why Snuffles?"
Ryou smiled broadly. "Well, I went to his soul room, and he had a leather dog collar. On one side it said 'Padfoot' and the other side said 'Snuffles'. So...maybe we can use that."
"I think we should just call him Padfoot," chuckled Yugi. "Snuffles would sound weird to anyone who overhears."
"Yeah...I suppose."
There was a silence as each of them thought over the nickname, weighing the possibilities between "Padfoot" and "Snuffles".
"Er --- Ryou," prodded Yugi. "It's almost eight."
Jerking back into reality, Ryou yelped, his eyes and mouth rather comically wide. "Oh no...! Snape is going to kill me if I'm late! I'm sorry Yugi, I have to go!"
Thanking Yugi for accompanying him so far, Ryou pelted down the hallway and hurriedly turned a corner. Smiling but rolling his eyes all the same Yugi turned around but almost instantly hit something solid.
"Oh, sorry Yugi!" apoligized Harry.
"Harry!" exclaimed the smaller boy, holding his head. "Uh...hi! Wasn't there a DA meeting tonight?"
"Tomorow," replied Harry. "Just remembered I had to serve ...er...remedial Potions tonight."
Yugi's eyes widened. "Remedial Potions, Harry? Are you really that bad?"
Harry had to do his best to supress an annoyed grimace. He hated everytime he had to explain that he had to go "remedial Potions".
"Yeah," muttered Harry. "Sorry, Yugi. We're meeting at the Hog's Head tomorrow for just a brief meeting...just to know when everyone's free for the lessons."
"That's great, Harry," smiled Yugi.
Harry nodded, smiling also. Looking up at the clock, he whapped his head, tired of the thought of having yet another "remedial Potions".
"I'll see you later, then," smiled Yugi. Harry thankfully nodded and pelted off in the same direction Ryou had oh-so-worriedly ran after, his expression quite much the same as Ryou's. But at the sight of the cabinet, Harry did stop momentarily, and his eyes glazed sadly, before instantly hurrying down the corridor. Curious, Yugi tried his best to estimate what Harry was looking at, but his best guess was the picture of the Harry look-alike with the girl with red hair.
/She's really pretty, Yami/ he said.
Yami raised an eyebrow. /No intention to be rude, aibou, but what exactly that does that have to do with any of the matters present?/
Yugi turned around to face the transparent spirit next to him.
/Harry was looking at that picture./
/Yes?/ prompted Yami.
/I don't know, but I just feel funny about it, Yami. Ryou was looking at it too. Do you think maybe it has something to do with Sirius?/
/It's possible,/ shrugged Yami indifferently. /But why should we interfere?/
/I guess we shouldn't,/ sighed Yugi. /But all the same.../
The aibou and the darkness finished their conversation distantly before heading back to the common room.
Harry arrived at the dungeons one minute before eight; breath laboured, he burst in, only stopped short to avoid tripping over the white-haired teen that was on his hands and knees, scrubbing the floor.
"Hey, Harry," smiled Ryou.
"Ryou!" exclaimed Harry. "What on earth are you doing there? On the ground...?"
"Detention," replied Ryou. He waved at the bucket next to him. "Professor Snape wanted me to wash the entire dungeon without magic..."
Quite the contrary, this didn't seem to affect Ryou very much. He still had his happy attitude, and it seemed to him, cleaning was nothing.
"You're a Muggle-born, right?" asked Harry.
"Yep," nodded Ryou, wringing out this sponge. "In a way, anyways..."
"In a way ---?" repeated Harry. " What do you ---"
"Mr. Potter," said a familiar, cold voice. "Has your scar been affecting your memory? You're here for Remedial Potions, not for a chat with Mr. Bakura."
Harry instantly jerked his head to the source, trying to supress a look of disgust and hatred that Snape was obviously rivalling. Ryou blushed slightly, muttered and apology, and promptly returned scrubbing the floor.
Harry frowned. Ryou was here...but his Occulemncy lessons were supposed to be private...if Ryou was here, he'd know that Harry wasn't taking "Remedial Potions".
"Mr. Bakura," said Snape icily. "Now that Mr. Potter has arrived...I daresay you can get started in the storeroom closet..."
"Already done, Professor," said Ryou politely, standing up, respectfully casting his eyes downward. "If you wish, Professor, I can also clean your office." Harry was surprised at Ryou's offer, but he had remembered Ryou was a timid pushover, not a normal student. Even Snape seemed slightly suspicious of this.
"My office, Mr. Bakura," said Snape coldly, "is strictly forbidden. Off-limits to any student who approaches it."
"But sir...I had misbehaved in class," said Ryou. "I would like to clean it. It would certainly cut down some of your own free time. And I promise I won't go through your things. I don't...do things...like that. I respect people's privacy, as they respect my own."
Snape frowned. It was hard not to believe this timid teen in front of him, but then again, Ryou Bakura had demonstrated he was capable of mischeif and malevolence...he was not going to let a child go through his things unsupervised...
"Sir?" said Harry suddenly, trying to force his voice to be cool. "If you don't mind, I do have other important things to do."
Snape flashed Harry a death look, his lips slowly curving to a conniving smirk.
"Fine, Bakura, go," Snape snapped. "But if I come in there and if one thing is out of line..."
Ryou hastily bowed, something that caused both Snape and Harry to blink at, and shuffled out of the room and into the dungeon next door.
"So, Potter," snarled Snape once Ryou was out of earshot. "You think you have better things to do than learn Occulemency? Not surprising, coming from your media-inflated head. What is it now, newspaper interviews? Fanmail recipricals?"
"Sure," muttered Harry through gritted teeth. "That too, besides taking a bath. This room needs more of a clean more often." Like your hair, Harry thought to himself, reminding himself of that requently said description from his godfather.
Snape's smirk immediately deformed into a ugly frown. He raised his wand, his cold onyx eyes glinting with hatred. "Now, Potter. Let's see how well you've been practicing, shall we?"
"Baka," Bakura muttered to himself, pleased, at the perfect opportunity. With a wave of his hand, all of the excess "dirt" that had to be manually cleaned disappeared, no doubt sent to the Shadow Realm. His skilled brown eyes glimmered as they quickly scanned the office, his smirk twisting in disgust at the floating jars of preserved monstrosities.
/Please hurry, Bakura/ urged Ryou.
/Shut up, hikari,/ snapped Bakura. /Let the fingers do their magic./
/At the very least ... you should ACT like you're cleaning the floor/ said Ryou nervously.
Bakura sighed, annoyed. Picking up the bucket, he placed it near the office desk, then stood back to admire the effect.
/Happy now, hikari?/
A soft sigh from his other told him yes.
Smirking, Bakura got onto his hands and knees, in the act of cleaning the floor, when really, his eyes were lingering on the closed drawers. Each drawer had a keylock, and Bakura only naturally assumed that each one was locked.
Pulling out his Millennium Ring by its leather cord, he expertly examined the keylock of the bottom drawer. When he found out that a normal pin would not work, he attempted a spell Ryou had taught him: Alohomora. That didn't work either, and all that Bakura hoped was that it didn't set off a magical alarm. He didn't know enough about the magical world to know its traps, but, it didn't matter. He'd be hiding in the darkness without a second's blink, and no doubt everything would look relatively unharmed.
So finally, Bakura, trusting on his ever-so-reliable Millennium Ring, began to pick the lock.
The Ring, it seemed, was not just an item for stealing souls. He placed one of the sharp points of the Ring into the keyhole, poked around a little bit, a tongue slipping from the corner of his mouth, and finally, the keyhole gave a simple "click" and the drawer slid open.
Smirking, Bakura stared at the drawer's contents, throwing the Ring over his shoulder so that it hung on his back. "Always works."
He did this for a couple of other drawers, each time finding nothing incriminating enough, until he spied a specific drawer, that clacked and shifted when he placed his fingers on it. Everytime he opened it, a new content was found, instead of the old. Frowning, he slid open the drawer and closed it, again and again, until he was met with a dark, black drawer, looking as though it held nothing. But Bakura was too experienced to be fooled by this trick. Though it may seem like nothing, there was something, and he'd simply have to feel it.
He slid his hand in, and closed on a hot, curved surface. He pulled it out, and noticed that it was a fragile, glass-spun sphere, around the size of an eight-ball. Peering at it, he noticed a small etching upon it... though in Egyptian, and in modern Arabic, Bakura managed to translate the older, Egyptian text easier than the modern Arabic.
Ishizu Ishtar and the Nameless Pharaoh
Prophecy 'BC' (?)
Bakura frowned, his cross expression narrowing into a far more menacing one. Perfect proof. But what the hell was this slimey haired baka doing with a prophecy about the Battle City tournament? Did Snape even know what he was holding, what he was keeping, if he didn't know either traditional Egyptian or modern Arabic?
/Oh my....Yami, what is it?/ came Ryou's soft voice.
/A prophecy, it seems,/ said Bakura shortly. /About Ishizu and the Pharaoh./
/Yami Yugi?/ exclaimed Ryou. /But how...?/
Suddenly, tomb robber instincts stimulated themselves, prickling his hair at the base of his neck. Immediately, he shut the drawer, stuffed the glass-spun ball into his pocket, and ducked out of sight.
There was a defeaning BANG that rattled the room, tremoring the floating glass jars precariously over Bakura's head. A second later, Snape stormed in.
"BAKURA!" he roared. Bakura smirked. Okay, so there was an alarm...somewhere.
Hmn. He'd be needing Marik to help him with this one. He wouldn't get caught, but he didn't gaurantee that Snape would remember him. Ah well, no matter.
Slipping against the shadows, Bakura slithered past the oblivious Snape, and entered the other dungeon, where Harry was, frowning and on his knees. Bakura paid him no heed and suddenly walked in, behind the Professor.
"Hello, Professor," he said politely, a remarkable imitation of Ryou, right down to his British accent itself. It took all his control to surpress the sadistic joy that was bubbling inside his chest as he stared at Snape's red face. The Potions Master seemed to be beside himself.
"SPIT IT OUT!!" he roared again. "WHAT DID YOU DO? WHAT DID YOU STEAL?"
"Steal?" repeated Bakura blankly. "I didn't steal anything....please, Professor, calm down, you're scaring me."
"Why weren't you here?" snarled Snape, a vein twitching.
"I went to the bathroom," Bakura replied smoothly. He couldn't help the sarcasm dripping in his next sentence. "You see, when one has a full bladder, there are more depressing consequences than a burst ---"
Immediately, he shut his mouth, remembering that he was acting like Ryou, and sported an innocent look.
"Are you accusing me of stealing, Professor?" suggested Bakura, looking hurt, forcing his eyes to swell with tears. He lowered his head, staring at the ground, just like what Ryou would've done.
"You stole something, Bakura," Snape insisted, advancing upon him. Bakura had to hold back his urge to simply thrust his knee into the idiot Potion Master's stomach and run.
"I stole nothing," stated Bakura simply, edging some coldness to his voice. "I came here to serve my detention, not get accused of stealing. If I wanted that, I'd go over to the nearest police station and dance around madly."
Snape looked ready to strangle him out of frustration.
"Look around," said Bakura calmly. "I stole nothing. I thougth Hogwarts was about justice, not accusations." He thought he was pushing it a little bit there, but he didn't care. Snape's lip curled.
"If there is anything missing at ALL, Bakura..."
Bakura shrugged, casting his eyes downward, ala Ryou.
Unbeknownst to Snape, Bakura was quite the master of replicating the things he stole, even though it was merely a few seconds. Using the illusion of his shadow magic, he made the a replica of the glass spun ball appear in the dark drawer. Snape opened it, and frowned.
"Did I steal anything?" murmured Bakura.
Snape balled his fists, trying to control his rage. Bakura wasn't exactly sure why Professor Snape was acting like this, but he didn't exactly care. There was no proof that Bakura stole anything ... yet... and there never will. A sudden idea came to him. Well, he had promised the Pharaoh not to send the man to the Shadows...but he never said that he couldn't bring the Shadows here.
Suddenly, there was a blackout; darkness dawned in a fit of murderous rage, and Bakura, smirking, threw the spun glass ball into the swirling abyss. He'd be able to retrieve it from the Shadows later. But for now...let the condensated part of his soul be the Snape's distraction.
He slumped to the floor, allowing Ryou instant share of his body.
/One wrong move, hikari/ he threatened venomously, /and Snape will not be the only one in the Shadows./
Moaning, the Shadows disappeared, and Ryou blearily opened his eyes.
"What happened?" he asked, trying to sit up. Snape snarled, pulling him up.
"What did you feel?" he demanded, shaking Ryou.
"Uh -- uhh..." Ryou mumbled, racking his brain for a possible excuse.
/Something HIT you, dammit, hikari!/ supplied Bakura impatiently.
"Something--something hit me..." muttered Ryou, holding his head. Snape narrowed his eyes, and suddenly noticed the open door. He threw Ryou onto the ground and disappeared through the doorway.
"Ryou!" Ryou turned around and saw Harry by the doorway. He hastily ran to Ryou's side and pulled him up.
"Thanks," murmured Ryou, shaking his head.
"What happened?" asked Harry.
"Something...blackout...hit me..."
"Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?" asked Harry.
"No," said Ryou firmly. "No...I'm ..fine..."
Suddenly, there was yet another loud BANG and Harry noticed that Ryou's eyes were wide with fear.
"Quickly, this way," muttered Harry. "Is your detention over?"
"I think so..."
"Look out!" yelled Harry suddenly.
Ryou was barely aware that he had plunged head-first into a basin. Harry heard his surprised yelp as the white haired boy went down, the contents of the Pensieve swirling. Oh no...poor Ryou....and Harry doubted Harry knew how to get out...
Sighing, and hoping with all his might that Snape was not going to come back for a while, Harry fell in after Ryou.
Harry's in trouble...again. (sighs)
Wow, weird and boring chapter. Ah well, a pensieve moment in the next chapter, and after that, Bakura's incident at the Ministry. There's something in there for all you Malik fans!
....I suppose...as a filler...I could think of another Sirius encounter...
Filler ideas needed! Please help!