Okay, sorry about cutting it short suddenly last chapter…It was the only way I could figure out how to end it. Besides, we kinda need to cut to the quick here, or this chapter will never happen. And do you know how hard it is to type with one hand? Sorry, something random there…

Disclaimer: You all know I don't own Digimon. And do I look like J.K. Rowling to you?

Chapter 32: Ambush

Back at school. Yawn.

It was their first Saturday back, a slightly dull spring afternoon with a warm rain pouring down outside the windows of an unused classroom now housing two sixth-year Slytherin boys, one with dark hair, the other with pale blonde. There was a small, pewter cauldron hanging in the fireplace, but it was currently unused as the tutoring turned to charms and wand movements.

"That's it, a circular motion before the flick." Kimura was saying warmly, showing him the motion again. "One, two, three, and…"

"…Impedimenta." Draco muttered, slightly distracted. The spell wavered a moment, then shot out, hitting its mark dead-on.

Draco sighed, barely registering Kimura's warm assurances of his improved skill. He was thinking about his orders, straight from the Dark Lord himself…Not to mention the punishment that would be waiting for him if he didn't do as ordered…

"…really getting so much better, Malfoy-kun." Kimura smiled warmly, turning his head slightly when the blonde didn't respond. "…Malfoy-kun? Is something wrong?"

Draco shook himself. "Of course not. What makes you think that?"

"Oh…Nothing." the dark-haired boy dropped his eyes down humbly. He shrugged and started to clean up the slight mess that had been made.

Draco growled a little to himself, trying to calm his frazzled nerves. He was being ridiculous, this was so stupid. Bloody hell, he was a Malfoy, not some sentimental Gryffindor dumbarse…

Kouichi packed the last few things away in his bag. "It's almost for dinner. We better go clean up, okay?"

It's now or never…

"Hey, Kimura."

"Yes?" The dark-haired boy turned back slightly at the door, blinking.

"You know…there's a Hogsmeade weekend next week." Draco slid into his standard cordially-charming disposition. "There's something I've been wanting to show you. You might find it very…interesting."

For a moment Kimura looked a bit confused. Then he smiled again, very warmly. "I'd like that."

Draco forced a smirk of his own. "Good."

'Friends'…are for the weak…

( - ) ( - ) ( - )

Kouji leaned back on his bed with a sigh, trying to clear his mind. Lazy, boring Sunday afternoons were never really his thing. He tried rather hard not to show it, but there were days when he had almost as much pent-up energy as Takuya, especially during the laze-around-the-barn kind of times.

Not that he was going to admit that to anybody, even if it was a bright and sunny spring day outside, even if the grass had finally returned to its lush green, even if dozens of couples (including Tomoki and Weasley-chan) were out enjoying the sunshine, even if half the Quidditch team was out on the field sparing with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, cuing plenty of opportunities to get Junpei and Takuya in some rather amusing situations, with or without Izumi in the equation. But he fought it down. Takuya was the troublemaker, not him. He was fine just where he was…

Speaking of which…

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming his mind completely before stretching out to feel the edge of his connection with Kouichi. The elder twin was sleeping in yet again, having only this morning produced the last of the D-Tectors (Junpei's) early this morning. It had been six hours, it seamed only appropriate to check up on him…

"Kouichi. Are you okay?"

A low groan echoed in his mind, that of one barely conscious. He got the feeling of burying his head under a heavy pile of pillows before the tired voice of his brother come back. "Fine…Fine…"

There was a slightly muffled yawn, as his brother stretched slightly and tried to blurrily regain enough consciousness to carry on a half-way decent mental conversation. He was struggling…that was too easy to tell.

Kouji frowned slightly. "Nii-chan…You still sound so tired. What's wrong?"

"Nothin'…" Kouichi thoughts were muffled over slightly in exhaustion. "I'm just…tired…that's all. Just sleepy…"

Kouji sighed, shaking his head a bit. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you."

"You're not bothering me." Kouichi's smile flashed in front of his eyes. "I don't mind…talking…"

Kouji had to smile, if only just a little. "Never mind. Just get better…I'll talk to you tomorrow."

( - ) ( - ) ( - )

Draco lead the way across the newly-fresh grass just outside the borders of Hogsmeade. Kouichi noticed that he seamed…either excited or nervous, but he was fighting to keep himself neutral, so it was hard to tell.

They stopped at the very outskirts of town, outside a large, run-down, creaky looking old washed-up mansion. The Shrieking Shack.

Kouichi hesitated a moment, getting an odd tingling sensation on the back of his neck. It was probably nerves, he reasoned. Nothing to worry about, there was no way the rumors were real. Besides, it had to be safe, otherwise Draco-kun wouldn't have come here so often…

The blonde boy opened the front door, motioning the other inside. Kouichi nodded and entered, waiting until Draco had followed to look around. The old front hall was in serious disrepair, full of cobwebs and spiders and lord knows what else, given old wizarding houses.

"Woah." Kouichi whispered, his voice echoing slightly and disturbing a little dust with his breath.

A slight glance out of the corner of his eye noticed Draco looking rather nervous. He was just about to ask what was wrong when the blonde's calm mask slipped back on and he opened another door.

"In here." he muttered shortly. "It's in here…"

Kouichi smiled at the blonde and took the initiative. This room seamed to be full of arm chairs, it was in the center of the house so there were no windows, and without lamps it was really rather dark. He had to hold out his hands to keep from running into things.

"Draco-kun…I can't see anything…"

There was no response. Kouichi glanced back, only to find the door shut behind him and the room empty. A chill ran up his spine suddenly, moving to grip the door knob. "D-Draco-kun?"

He grabbed the knob and tried to turn it, only to jump a foot as a cold voice laughed behind him. "It won't open. Locked up tight."

Kouichi spun around. The room was now full of half a dozen full-grown wizards, all wearing long black robes and white masks. Flashes of newspaper articles filled his mine and his breath caught in his throat.

Kegareru…Death Eaters.

The one who had spoken before laughed again, softly, and lifted off his mask, revealing a long, pale face with scraggily blonde hair hanging down past his shoulders. "No reason to bristle like that, dear boy…" he whispered, voice lined with fake-syrupy-sweetness. "We're only interested in a little…business offer."

The look in his eye…This man had to be Lucius Malfoy. Draco's father.

A dull blade of betrayal stabbed into his side a moment, then faded away with calm understanding. He let his mind slip away and closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. His hands slipped non-threateningly into his pockets, keeping a cool gaze on his face.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "So…you really are man of very few words, aren't you?"

The boy didn't respond, nor did he move at all. Malfoy leaned back, a smirk playing across his lips. "Our offer is quite simple." he said with a bored air. "We've been studying the uses of a very…unique…kind of muggle technology. The kind some moron fortified with magic. It seams this magic has created and entire race of creatures, who remain inactive and inaccessible to those from this side…do you follow so far?"

Kouichi hesitated, but gave a short nod.

Lucius widened his smile. "Bright lad." he said, fake-approving, and crossed to him. "Now…after months of research, we have found a way to command these so-called 'virtual' creatures…but making them 'exist' in this plane, or indeed, finding them physically at all, has seamed neigh-impossible…And that's where you come in, dear boy."

He put a hand on Kouichi's shoulder. "We've…come to the understanding that you might have a special…connection…with these creatures. Is it true?"

Kouichi kept his eyes locked. "And what if it is?"

A pale eyebrow was raised. "So he does speak." Malfoy chuckled, then continued. "If you agree to our terms, Our Lord will be certain to reward you properly…he may even be kind enough to forgive your dirty half-blood heritage." Claw-like, manicured nails curved into his shoulder. "All we ask is that you give us a way to completely reach that other world…and take control of the creatures that live there."

He pulled back to stand level with the shorter boy, looking him right in the eye. "Do we have a deal?"

"Go to hell." Malfoy started at the words from the boy's mouth, but wasn't prepared for the wand from his pocket. "Akke Toraseru!"

The blonde man was blown back by the fiery light-blow. Kouichi made a break for it, rushing for the door with his wand bared.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, STOP HIM!" Malfoy roared, and the others whipped out their wands.

Kouichi snapped his arm around twice. "Oiyaru Buki! Expelliarmus!"

Two wands went flying from their owner's hands. Kouichi's eyes turned for the door, stretching out to reach it, just before three voices shouted out at once. "STUPEFY!"

Two balls of light hit Kouichi square in the back, one after the other, followed by a third to his lower right side. A strangled gasp escaped from his lips helplessly, his wand plummeted to the ground, and he dropped limp.

The only woman in the group removed her mask, smirking as she walked forward to pick up his wand. The boy groaned, pulling himself up on his arms and reaching for it, weakly.

"This one has spunk." she sneered down at him. "Three stunning charms direct-hit, and he's still conscious."

She bent down and pressed Kouichi's own wand to the exposed skin of his throat. The boy froze, eyes widening with fear.

"That's right, boy." she whispered. "You should be afraid. You just made this very hard on yourself. Stupefy."

TBC…

Akke Toraseru Attack spell, Japanese version of 'Stupefy'

Oiyaru Buki Expelliarmus