Yugi: We reached the 101 marker!

Lina: Awesome! We didn't even do that in Ready to Run!

Atem: Congrats, Kitty! (no reply) Uh...Kitty?

Kitty: (sobbing in the corner)

Yugi: (runs over to her) Neko-chan...?

Kitty: WAHHHHHHH! I FORGOT THIS PART WAS COMING!

Lina and Yugi: (exchange looks)

Atem: What was coming?

Kitty: (points to the computer screen, still crying, but does not reply)

Yugi: Guess we'll have to read the chapter...

Lina: R&R!

Chapter Fifteen:

Grief Consumes Once More

"It can't be Hagrid," Diana muttered from her bed in the Hospital Wing.

Madame Pomfrey had forced her to stay the night and drink several potions in order to even out the meals she had vomited up, and this morning, Marik, Harry, Ron, Seto and Hermione had come to visit her and tell her about Tom Riddle and the Heir of Slytherin.

"I know, I couldn't believe it at first either," Marik sympathized.

Diana's eyes narrowed. "No, I just don't believe it at all. Hagrid would never do such a thing. Riddle must have made a mistake."

"Dare, they had the whole school involved," Hermione pointed out, "And Hagrid had a monster-like something with him. You have to admit, it does look like he did it."

"How can you say that?" Diana growled, "You complained about me thinking Harry was the Heir of Slytherin, and now you turn around and think Hagrid is? He's our friend! He would never kill anyone."

"But he does have a fondness for unusual creatures," Atem appeared in his transparent form next to Harry, "It could've been an accident."

"Oh yeah," Diana said sarcastically, "He just so happened to have Slytherin's blood, just so happened to know, just so happened to take the monster out of the Chamber one day and just so happened to kill someone, is that what you're saying?"

"He might've thought it needed fresh air or something," shrugged Ron.

"And Hagrid would risk Dumbledore's trust in order to take it outside again after fifty years?" Diana asked, "Dumbledore's trust means more to him than anything!"

Bakura appeared next to Diana and nodded.

"You do have to admit that there are still some questions Riddle has yet to answer," the Tomb Robber agreed, "For one, would Hagrid-san really attack Yugi and my Hikari? Secondly, how do we know that monster Hagrid-san was keeping was Slytherin's monster? Thirdly, how do we know we can trust this Riddle guy at all?"

"We can trust him!" Marik snapped suddenly, his face a little red.

"And how many monsters could there have possibly been at Hogwarts at that time?" asked Harry, "Not many, I'd wager."

"Either way," Seto said, "We at least know whom most officials suspect of this, whether or not it's true."

The Quidditch match against Hufflepuff was coming up, and Oliver Wood was pushing Harry to his limit. In fact, if it weren't for Hermione's help and Diana's encouragement, Harry probably would've collapsed each day after practice.

"Think of it this way, Harry," Diana told her friend one day as she helped him on his Charms essay, "When you win the match, you can wipe that silent smirk off the Heir of Slytherin's face."

The day of the match was sunny and bright: perfect for flying. Unlike the last Hufflepuff match, Snape wasn't refereeing. Like the last Hufflepuff match, neither Harry nor his friends suspected a thing could dampen their spirits for this game.

I really wish I could've warned them that something beyond their imagination would be happening that day, and in the few days that followed.

Diana sat next to Ron in the stands, waving her Gryffindor banner and cheering as the Gryffindor team came into the stadium.

"Hey, Dare-chan," Bakura appeared next to her suddenly, "Have you seen Seto, Marik or Mione-kun?"

"Mione said she'd just figured out something," Diana shrugged, "Whatever that means. Probably wants to look up something on ancient varieties of toadstools or something…and Marik said he wasn't feeling that well; he probably went to bed. I dunno about Seto, though."

"I saw him earlier," Ron shrugged, "He said he needed to write a letter to Kitty…he won't miss the match, he'll be here."

Bakura nodded, but he didn't look completely convinced.

/You alright, Bakura/ Diana asked, feeling his concern.

-Yeah,- Bakura muttered, -I just…feel like something is going to happen…-

In the stadium, Harry mounted his broom and took off into the air with the rest of the Gryffindor team, before the Hufflepuff team joined them in the air.

-Harry-kun…-

/Yeah, Atem/

-I'm not so sure about this…maybe you should say you're sick or something and not play.-

Harry blinked. /Why? I've flown plenty of times before./

-I just feel like something bad is going to happen…I don't want you to be the target again…you know, like last year…-

/I'm sure everything will be fine/ Harry assured him, before closing the mind-link and flying over Oliver Wood to get into position for the start of the game.

It was then that Professor McGonagall strode into the center of the Quidditch pitch, holding the large purple microphone Lee Jordan usually spoke through.

"This match has been cancelled!" her voice echoed around the stadium.

The crowd booed and hissed as the Gryffindor team landed next the Transfiguration professor, the players surprised and Wood traumatized.

"B-but Professor…Gryffindor…the Cup…you can't just…!"

McGonagall didn't reply to Wood's stammers; instead she continued, "All students should return to their dormitories and their Heads of House shall explain."

McGonagall then looked at Harry. "Potter…come with me, please."

Harry felt a flood of worry flood him as he followed his Head of House off the field.

/What did I do/ he wondered.

-I don't think you did anything, Harry-kun- said Atem, but he didn't sound reassuring. In fact, he sounded even more nervous than Harry was.

Diana and Ron came down from the stands and ran over toward McGonagall and Harry as they were entering the building.

"What's going on?" Diana asked, but on closer inspection, someone could see it wasn't Diana.

Her hair was up in several places, her eyes were a dark, cold brown and there was a strange scar on her left cheek that hadn't been there before.

Bakura had taken control of his host.

But instead of shooing them away, McGonagall looked at Ron and the Bakura-controlled Diana with a strange, sad look.

"Yes…yes, I suppose you two aught to know too…" she sighed, "Follow me."

As the three walked down the halls, Harry looked at Bakura. But Harry's usually green eyes were an intense scarlet, his jet-black bangs were now gold and he'd grown tall enough to look the Tomb Robber in the eye.

"Did you sense something too?" Atem asked in a deeper tone than Harry.

Bakura nodded. "Do you have any idea of what's going on, Pharaoh?"

Atem shook his head. "No…I thought it might be something to do with Harry-kun's safety at first…"

"You had reason to think that," Ron shrugged, "But what about now, Atem? Now what do you think is happening?"

Atem frowned. "I…I don't know…now I'm really scared…if it wasn't Harry-kun, who else would I have sensed was in such danger? He's my host, for crying out loud!"

"Not many are as important as your temporary host," Bakura nodded, "But you sensed more than me…obviously whatever happened has more to do with you than me…"

"I always have wondered why all these things seem to happen to me," Atem moaned.

/I've wondered the exact same thing myself/ Harry thought toward his other side.

The three followed McGonagall through endless hallways until they finally realized they were going into the Hospital Wing.

"Now this might come as a bit of a shock," McGonagall said in a surprisingly quiet tone, "There's been another attack…another double attack."

The three looked around McGonagall at the beds that held the Yamis' hosts, Yugi and Ryou, and then beside them on two identical beds were two other familiar figures.

Hermione and Seto.

The three at first only stood and stared. Then Atem felt his knees hit the floor; his shoulders shook as he began to sob.

"Seth…" the Pharaoh whispered as tears flooded down his cheeks, "Of course…who else would I have sensed was in such danger besides my temporary host or Yugi-kun? My cousin."

Diana took Bakura's place, put her arms around Atem's shaking figure and hugged him from behind. "I'm so sorry, Atem…"

Ron sat down next to Hermione's bed, his eyes not leaving her face, and gently touched her hand.

"She's as cold as ice…" he muttered, "It's almost as if she's…she's…"

"Don't talk nonsense, Ron," Diana said sharply to try and convince herself, "Mione's not dead. She'll be just fine, you'll see."

It was then that Marik raced into the Hospital Wing; he stopped abruptly and his eyes widened in horror when he saw Hermione and Seto.

"No…" the Tomb Keeper whispered, "So it's true…Malfoy said there'd been another attack…"

Harry took Atem's place and wiped his other side's tears off his face.

"I feel awful…" he said quietly, "Atem hasn't acted this sad since what happened to Yugi…it's almost like I can feel every bit of pain he is."

"Seth is the only bit of family he has here," Diana tightened her grip around Harry, "I know they used to be rivals in Egypt…but I probably know better than anyone what Atem's going through."

Harry would've asked what she meant, but the newly forming tears in Diana's eyes made him think twice. She'd never cried in front of him before.

"This just isn't fair!" Diana burst out, "Why Seto and Mione? Why? They didn't do anything! Why the hell is the Heir of Slytherin hurting them?"

"Because they were a threat," Ron whispered in sad realization, "Seto, Yugi and Ryou are the holders of the Millennium Items, and Mione's the smartest girl in this bloody school. They could've intervened to stop this…the Heir of Slytherin didn't want them in the way of his plans."

Marik was almost as white as Diana usually was as his eyes filled with tears. Quickly he shoved them away.

"Maybe…maybe there's still a way to help Seth," he said quietly, "Maybe…I could be his host or something until Seto comes back."

Atem appeared next to Harry so fast that if he were solid, he would've knocked him over.

"You think so?" he asked, looking hopeful.

"It worked for you and Bakura," Diana replied, "Why shouldn't it work for Seth?"

Ron wrenched the Rod out of Seto's hand. "Here, M-"

He stopped in the middle of his sentence and his eyes went blank.

"Ron?" Diana waved a hand in front of his face, "Ron! Are you okay?"

"He's fine," smiled Atem, "Let him say hello to his new Yami."

Ron looked around.

/This isn't the Hospital Wing...

It wasn't; he was now in a room painted a fervent orange, with posters of the Chudley Cannons and pictures of his rather large family and friends on the walls. There was also a small mini-refrigerator (that looked oddly like one Ryou had show him in his house that summer), and when Ron opened it, he saw food in it.

He snuck looks around the room, before snatching a bottle of soda out of the fridge, unscrewing the top and drinking some.

/Ah, that's better. Now…to find out where on earth I am…/

Ron then noticed a strange, dark blue door that clashed brightly against the orange walls.

Frowning a little in surprise, Ron seized the doorknob and turned it.

On the other side was a purple-black hallway that both Harry and Diana had seen before, and when a door across the way opened, it revealed someone that Ron and his friends had all been dying to see alright…

-Ron-kun!-

/Welcome back, Seth/ Ron replied with a grin.

(the sound of silence)

Yugi: Oh, Ra no...

Kitty: (wails)

Seto: I'm gone? NO!

Seth: (glomps his Hikari and begins to cry)

Everyone: (stare)

Seto: (blushing furiously) GET OFF, YOU IDIOT!

Seth: (lets go) WHY, KITTY?

Kitty: IT...WAS...THE...PLOT BUNNY'S FAULT!

Yugi: (hugs Kitty even tighter)

Hermione: Oh, c'mon, guys, it wasn't her fault...but I know a few Seto fangirls out there will be mad/sad about this.

Harry: And that's an understatement.

Kitty: (sniff) Reviews?

Kara: 11, and first is Engie, a.k.a. egyptionkitty, with her two reviews!

Kitty: (smiles sadly) Me love Balto. And me loved Wicked! (glomps both Balto and Elphaba)

Elphaba: OW! Kitty, I have to go get the ruby slippers from Dorothy!

Kitty: Must you?

Elphaba: YES.

Kitty: Okay. (lets her go) And what's your excuse, Balto-chan?

Balto: AROOOOOOOOO!

Kitty: Good point. (lets him go)

Yugi: (nods) And yeah, you're right, it was Hagrid supposedly. But Kitty did think about changing it.

Kitty: At least you are innocent of any crimes on Kaiba-kun's part. I will kill the plot-bunny, even if I like to torture Kaiba sometimes...

Seto: (blink) I will NEVER understand you.

Yugi: Can't wait to hear more aobut your fic!

Lina: And now, PyroAnimeFan532.

Kitty: Pegasus WOULD be good torture, I'll have to save that for the Bash-a-thon...

Yugi: Thanks for your concern...I'm sure you'll be passing it onto Seto and Mione now too...

Kitty: And thank you so much for your support!

Diana: Now presenting...Claire!

Kitty: Poor Hagger-kun!

Yugi: (sweatdrop) Hagger-kun?

Kitty: (grins) Me like Grawp. He's funny. (glomps the smaller giant)

Grawp: (whacks Kitty over the head with a club)

Kitty: (K.O.)

Yugi: WHY YOU...! (whacks Grawp over the head with a bigger mallet)

Grawp: (K.O.)

Yugi: (glomps Kitty) HUMPH! That'll teach 'im.

Kitty: I luv you. (kisses his cheek)

Lina: (sweatdrop) Anyway...Mondays suck ass. Yes, I'm guarding Bakura quite well... (reveals Bakura locked up in a cage with a sign saying 'No Dianas allowed') And as Kitty said, the Valentine will be left for us to wonder about for a while still... (sighs) I am curious...

Kitty: Aren't you all? (grins evilly)

Diana: Next is ANAYAS-CREATOR.

Kitty: Thanks...but you'll kill me for this chappie, I know. (goes off and mourns in the corner)

Bakura: (rubs his head) owwww...I WAS JUST KIDDING!

Diana and Lina: (glare at each other)

Kara: Next on our list is dark sorceress of egypt.

Kitty: I actually like Bugs Bunny.

Atem: But the plot bunny must die. (clicks a machine gun)

Diana: I'm better than I was, anyway...thanks for your concern. (smiles)

Bakura: (blushes furiously) Well...Lina sure hopes not.

Lina: (growls ferally) And now we turn to aNiMe-AzN-aNgEl.

Kitty: (takes the box of tissues) Thanks.

Marik: That diary is creepy...

Kitty: It's supposed to be. And I thought writing that part down would waste time. I needed to get onto other stuff..sadly, like this stuff. (sniff)

Bakura: I must admit, me possessing Dare-kun and the Pharaoh possessing Harry was cool.

Seto: (blushes) Whatever.

Kitty: (glomps Seto and grins) There'll be for with Dare's "problem" later in the series. Don't worry, you will understand...later.

Lina: Onward to Kyte's review!

Kitty: Yeah, I did: with my Chorus. And the Bash-a-thon is being looked forward to by everyone here...except Malfoy and Lockhart, of course.

Lina: Are those Valentine guesses close, Kitty?

Kitty: (grins) I shall say this: one of your guesses is right.

Bakura: (struggles to escape from the hug) Kitty, I shall kill you for making me look like a softie!

Kitty: You only are around Dare, Bakura, and it is to stay that way. (looks at Kyte) There's much more to Bakura's char yet to be revealed; I think you will enjoy it.

Diana: Technically my mom isn't a clue to who sent the Valentine, but it is a clue to my reaction to it.

Kara: And Rainbow Guardian Angel's TWO reviews!

Kitty: I never liked it either.

Yugi: (smirks evilly) I know how to kill it. (opens the book in front of a showing of "The Littlest Elf")

Book: (melts into dust)

Kitty: GO YUGI-CHAN! (glomps her bishie) And me wuv animals too: just furry ones! Fun to pet.

Marik: 'Tis alright. Dare and I are good friends, anyway...

Lina: (glomps Bakura possessively and grins) Good that you know that.

Joey: (smiles sheepishly and blushes) Aw...thanks.

Kitty: You reviewed twice to be 100th reviewer! Thankies! (grins)

Atem: I am NOT German!

Yugi: Could've fooled me. You're always the one to accompany Kitty's friend Em to the museums about German history.

Atem: (blushes)

Lina: Onto Zelda-Ally's review!

Diana: (grins) Good to know I'm understood. Valentines should die.

Kitty: YAY BALTO!

Seto: Must I shoot Jake?

Kitty: YES. It's our reviewer's request.

Seto: I don't wanna. I'm mad at you for making me petrified.

Kitty: IT WASN'T MY FAULT, IT WAS THE PLOT BUNNY'S FAULT!

Yugi: Look, Seto, if you need motivation...just pretend Jake is Gozaburo.

Seto: (eyes narrow and he smirks) Thanks. That helped. (shoots another tree down to make it fall on the one Jake is tied to)

Kitty: WHOOT! Nice, Seto-kun.

Seto: (smirks) Elementary.

Yugi: Alright...101 marker!

Kitty: (tears in eyes) Thank you guy SOOOOOOOO much! I luv you all, even if you Seto fangirls will kill me for this chapter. (grabs a tissue from aNiMe-AzN-aNgEl's review tissue box and blows her nose)

Kara: R&R!