"LET THE BOY GO!"

Harry spun his head around as he heard those words. That voice sent chills down his spine, it was almost as if the Devil himself had said it. Off to his side, blood red eyes were staring back at them. Those eyes seemed to bore into your very soul and judge it for all it's worth. You could almost see the rage behind them as if your death would come just from looking at them.

Shadows played around it as if they were alive. They licked and caressed around something, as if they worshiped whatever they were protecting. Suddenly the shadows parted and a man stepped out of them. Harry's eyes widened as he looked at the man. He was short, that was certain, but the man held his body with confidence and authority that he had never seen on anybody before. Tri colored hair, made up of crimson, black and gold adorned his head and framed his face making his eyes stand out even more. Bronzed skin was covered by black leather, making the man blend with the dark shadows.

"I'm only going to give you this warning. Let the boy go or you will all die and that includes your shadow monster also. I have no patience for those who leave my realm and harm innocents."

"Who do you think your are? Do you honestly think that someone like you could kill us?"

"As for who I am, I am the Master of the Shadows, the one true ruler of the power you are stealing. As for killing you, I know I can. Your powers are nothing compared to mine."

The Deatheater stood there and sized up the man standing a few feet in front of him. He didn't look like much, but he knew that something had been taking their group out. But no one had lived long enough to give a description. Certainly this couldn't be that person could it? No it had to be a group of people, only a mass of numbers could take out that many of his kind.

"You seem so sure of your self. But I'm afraid you've gotten in over your head, Crucio!"

Harry closed his eyes as the deadly green light erupted from the man's wand. He knew what this forbidden curse would do to the man and he really didn't want to see the effects of it. So he, with eyes closed, waited for the painful screams to begin. But they never came; instead he heard a deep, smooth but deadly laugh. Opening his green eyes he looked at the new comer and gasped. The man was still alive and laughing! But how?

"Care to try again?"

The young teen was simply amazed. This person was laughing and daring them to come up with something more powerful. Who was this person with deadly blood colored eyes? He didn't know but for the first time since this had all started he felt like he was going to make it out of this alive. It didn't matter that he was getting faint from the pain he was experiencing, or that he felt his own blood running down his arms, he just knew he would be safe.

But it seemed the Deatheaters thought differently. For the first time, they were afraid. This stranger had blocked one of the most painful curses they knew. Even their shadow monster had a look of fright on its gruesome face. It seemed all of them had the same thought, they must kill this person or they would be killed. And with that all twelve of them raised their wands and carried out the most deadly of the forbidden curses, the avada kedavra.

Twelve different beams of eerie green light shot forth and headed for the man cloaked in darkness. All watched in amazement, horror, or a mixture of both.

The shadows swirled, as if they knew what was coming and was enraged by it. Their movements became faster and more protective of the person that was being attacked. A glossy rainbow like barrier was suddenly present and shielded the man. Each deadly curse bounced off as if they were nothing more than a harmless light show. No sooner than it had started, the barrier was down and the angered shadows were once again licking and caressing the strange man, as a protective, worried lover would do.

"Foolish mortals. Do you really thing your weak magic can harm me? You should be more careful at who you aim those silly sticks at." The stranger stopped and titled his head to the side with half closed lids. It was as he was listening to a voice that only he could hear. Slowly his eyes opened back up with a dangerous gleam in his eyes and a deadly smirk played across his lips. "You have angered the shadows. They want to be the ones to take part in your deaths and I'm going to give it to them."

Harry watched as the shadows quickly spread out and surrounded the group of now terrified Deatheaters. Flame like fingers of shadows coiled one by one around all of them, winding themselves up the petrified bodies stopping at their faces, like cobras ready for that final strike. He heard the man snap his fingers and all the shadows dove into the mouths of the silently screaming Deatheaters. After only seconds of being inside their bodies, the shadows pulled out each grasping some type of whitish fog with them, causing each body to collapse to the street.

Harry was so busy watching what was going on around him he didn't notice that the strange but powerful man was walking towards him until he felt the monster holding him suddenly go stiff. Somehow he tore his gaze away from the deadly shadows and their victims to look into the face of this Master of Shadows.

"Hitotsu-Me Giant let him go now and receive your punishment."

Harry could have sworn he heard the monster gulp as he was released. Still holding his wand, he fell to his knees on the cement sidewalk and turned to watch the creature. Shock was all over Harry's face as he watched it fall to its knees in front of the stranger. This creature, just moments ago, had attacked him and now it was shaking in fear and bowing before this person!

"Master... please..I"

"Enough! You have disappointed me, Hitotsu. I gave all the shadow monsters freedom to live within the realm, freedom to do as you please. But you and the others have turned on me, joining up with these people and harming innocents! And for that you will be sealed again!"

The crimson-eyed stranger took a step back as another creature emerged beside him. A human like figure, clad in deep purple amour, stepped in front of the Hitotsu-me Giant and raised his staff, pointing the tip of it at the offending creature. With cold blue eyes and a sneer on its face, the monster gathered it's deadly magic and let it flow through its staff to the accused.

Harry watched at the blue-green monster screamed as it was destroyed and the shadows fade away. Looking up he noticed the stars were back and the moon was high above sending it's soft light to the now quiet scene below. Now luminated, he could see the lifeless bodies of all the Deatheaters. There was no blood, no wounds, nothing that made it look as if they were no more than sleeping. What happened to all of them and who was this person? This Master of Shadows?

He turned his head to look upon the face of the man who had saved him. He was staring at the same spot where the creature was destroyed and had a brief look of pain and sorrow in his eyes. As if he was hurt because of the creatures death. Harry then looked at the purple clad monster. It was watching the man also with worry in his eyes as if he understood what the man was feeling.

"You did what you had to do, Pharaoh."

Harry raised an eyebrow. Pharaoh? Why had the creature called the man that? Was it a nickname or something?

With a sigh and a sad smile 'Pharaoh' looked at the one who spoke. "I know Mahaado, but it doesn't make it any better."

Harry was about to make his self-known to the ones talking when he grabbed his head. Voldemort must have already known of his follower's defeat. His scar, his link to the Dark Lord, flared with pain causing him to scream. He felt strong hands on his shoulders and tried to open his eyes. He got a brief look at worried crimson before all went black.

Atemu looked down at the boy who had screamed and fallen into his arms. Quickly he shifted the boy around to look over him. In the moonlight he saw the vital red fluid trailing down his arms.

"Atemu, what should we do with him? And why was he a target? Every other battle there was no children involved."

"I have no answers for the last question, but as for the first, he needs help." He picked the boy up and looked around trying to find out where he might belong. But he sensed nothing; it was as if he had no family at all. "I will take him back with me. Once he wakes up, he can tell me where he lives and then I will bring him back."

The magician nodded his head to his master and friend. "Very well, I will open the portal..." Mahaado stopped and turned around. Something was coming.

The pharaoh sensed it also. It was foreign magic but not dark like the one he had just faced. He looked over to his beloved friend and nodded his head to signal that he could also feel it. With a snap of his fingers, all the bodies disappeared, leaving no trace of a battle. They were ready.

CRACK
Dumbledore and five other members of the Order looked at the man and creature. His senses went on alert as he was over whelmed by the powerful aura this person was putting off. Never had he felt such strength before. Even the purple clad human looking creature had a strong and powerful aura. His eyes fell upon crimson ones and were stunned. They looked as if they were reading his soul. Mentally shaking it off, he looked at the fallen body of Harry Potter in the arms of this man. Had they done this to the boy? He knew of the attacks and this new dark magic the Deatheaters were using. And they had recently developed a way to track it as they had done tonight.

But this person didn't look like a Deatheater. So he decided talking might be best. After all this could be a misunderstanding.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am Headmaster of Hogwarts. We tracked a group of Deatheaters here..."

The stranger interrupted him, "Deatheaters. Should have figured they would use a name like that."

"So you have met them?"

With a snort of disgust the man replied. "There were twelve of them this time. Those people disgust me the way they abuse my realm and the monsters that live there. And they have been disposed of as they should be."

Dumbledore was taken aback but the venom that went with those words. Nor did he miss the words he had used. This time and my realm he had said. But what had he meant by that? This new magic was... well new to them and they had failed to fully understand it. All they knew was it allowed them to command creatures they had never seen have before and cause it to become nighttime anytime of the day.

All in all, he was not sure if he could trust this person, after all he had a creature also and a powerful one at that. He needed to get Harry away from him and back to the Order.

Atemu studied the old man in front of him. He could sense power from him, but he was still no real match for him and Mahaado. But this new group didn't trust him. It was written all over most of their faces. And there was one in the back that showed worry. Worried for the boy perhaps? Ah, so they must know him. Interesting.

"I take it you know the boy then?"

Mahaado shifted his gaze to people standing in front of them. He too had felt several emotions from them. His pharaoh was right, they did know the boy. And the cousin of Anubis was the most worried and angered. He opened up his mind to his master; he needed to speak to him in private.

Pharaoh, I do not trust them. We should take the boy and leave. The one that is a cousin of Anubis is angered also.

Atemu's eyes never left the leaders sight. I agree, they are loyal, but they also hold secrets. And their distrust of us is rolling off of them in waves. We shall leave.

"Yes, we know the boy. He goes to my school. I would like to take him home now." Dumbledore stepped forward to take Harry when the creature raised his staff and pointed it at him. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the members of the Order raise their wands in defense.

"Do not step any closer to the boy or my master, that is if you value your life."

Shock and rage rang through out the group. They had never heard one of these monsters talk before. They didn't think they held that much intelligence.

Atemu looked down at the boy in his arms then back to them. "Whatever you are thinking of trying will not work, I have seen your magic and it is nothing compared to the shadows. I think I will be taking this boy back with me, I do not like the lies and mistrust in your hearts and minds. After all, you should be more grateful to one that leaves his family and life to come and protect strangers." He nodded to his loyal friend, signaling it was time to go.

Mahaado raised a hand and a portal opened up behind them. Atemu turned to go through, but stopped and looked back at the Order. "I will return to this exact place in a weeks time with the boy. I'd suggest Dumbledore, that if you want to see him again, you meet us here at sundown. Alone. Oh, and do not think you will be able to track us." And with that he and the magician walked through the portal, leaving six very stunned and outraged members of the Order behind.

Yugi sat on the white leather couch flipping through channels on the TV. Glancing over to the clock on the marble mantel of the fireplace, he sighed as he noticed the time. It had already been over two hours since Atemu had left. Pushing the power button on the remote, he turned the TV off and went to the kitchen. It was late and he knew Seto would be home soon, and most likely hungry.

Rummaging through the refrigerator, he pulled out the needed things to make them dinner and hopefully Atemu would also be home to enjoy it. He didn't mind cooking for them, after all it was the least he could. Kaiba had asked him to come live with him and Atemu after all these strange battles had started. He had told Yugi that he wanted him to be there to look after the spirit since he couldn't be there to do it all the time like he wanted. So without hesitation, he told him yes and promptly moved in. Seto let him live there rent free and even gave him a personal bank account, filled with more money than he needed, to do with as he pleased. He had argued with him about this, but Seto just shrugged and said 'think of it as a thank you for helping me.'

Yugi shook he head as he thought about that day. He didn't need a thank you. The young man was more than happy to help when it came to his darker half. After all, Atemu had helped him and his friends more times than he could count. And now he could pay some of that back, even if it was no more than cooking a simple meal for them.

As soon as the chicken was done he heard the familiar footsteps of Seto walking into the room. "Hello Seto, you're just in time for dinner."

Kaiba smiled at him as he loosed his tie. "My timing is always perfect. Haven't you learned that by now?"

"Of course, I wouldn't expect anything else. Oh and before you ask, he's not here." Yugi looked at the blue-eyed man and saw anger and worry flash in his eyes.

"Let me guess, Mahaado?" A nod. "How long?"

"Over two hours now. I'm hoping he will be back soon. He still hasn't got his strength back." He grabbed two plates and began to fill them with food.

"Maybe I should go look for him."

"Yugi shook his head and placed the food in front of Seto. "Eat first, then we'll both go. You need to eat cause knowing you, you probably haven't eaten since this morning." He chuckled as he heard the other man growl in defeat and start to eat.

They sat in silence while finishing their meal. Both of them lost in their own worries and thoughts. Neither one of them liked it when Atemu went off on his own to fight. They knew he could take care of himself and that he had the most powerful creatures by his side, but they both loved him in their own ways and with love came worry.

Seto and Yugi looked up from their meals at the same time as they felt the rush of shadow magic through the house. Without a word to each other, they quickly got up and rushed up the stairs to where the power was centered.