Alias of Chaos

"Wingad-yum lev-yosa!" Yuugi waved his wand with a 'swish and flick', but nothing happened…again. "Kuso," he exclaimed. "Why can't I pronounce this right?!" He dug his fingers into his hair in frustration for the fifth time that night.

"Kuso," a woman next to him inquired, turning her head to look at him.

Yuugi was practicing some spells in the dining room of the house, angered at his inability to speak Latin and English based words. "It's Jepainese," Yuugi replied. "It basically means shit. We don't have much of any 'r' pronunciations in my native language, which makes saying it so hard for me."

The woman nodded in comprehension. Yuugi was trying to remember what her name was. She had told him when he first met her, but it was so odd he didn't know if he could recall it.

She sneezed suddenly, her nose turning into a pig snout. Looking at her new nose cross-eyed, she rubbed it slowly, somehow molding it back to her old one. She sneezed again, and her hair turned pink. "Oh, excuse me, pumpkin, ol' Tonks has a bit of a cold."

"No problem," Yuugi shrugged. He decided to start glaring at the feather in front of him again.

Suddenly, Harry lifted his head from the table, beginning to snooze as he started to read a Transfiguration book for school. "Hey, I know a spell that might be pretty easy to pronounce."

Yuugi looked up skeptical. "Really? What?"

"Lumos. It puts a light at the tip of your wand. When you want it to be put out, just say nox."

Yuugi looked at his wand, hoping that if he glared at it hard enough, it just might obey him. "All right," he replied skeptically. He held his wand out in front of him. He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Lumos."

Suddenly, a bright white light filled the gloomy dining room so brightly Harry cried out and covered his eyes. Yuugi covered his eyes, too, but could feel the foreign magic pulsing throughout the wand as he held it, the light never fading. The spell is too strong…I have to tone it down somehow.

Yami helped to redirect his attention to the source of the magic flow, which was from none other than Yuugi's hand, and therefore his own body. It was like a psychic attempting to slow the flow of water from a crumbling dam; he concentrated on pulling the liquid tendrils of energy back into his self.

Finally, Yuugi was able to open his eyes again and noticed that there was a soft, innocent light at the end of his wand. "Never seen that before," Tonks replied.

"I'll say," Harry replied. "What did you do?"

Yuugi looked at his wand in contemplation. "I didn't realize the amount of power I was putting behind it. I was so angry with my earlier attempts, I put all of my thought into making it work.": Yami, these wands simply seem to take magical abilities and helps to manifest them into the physical world. If these people worked hard enough, they might not even need the wands.:

The dark spirit gave a mental nod. : I am beginning to get that impression, too. Words contain a great deal of power as well. It makes sense that words help to activate the flow of energies.:

Yuugi thought hard. If he could manipulate the magic for the simple little light spell, then surely he could manipulate that feather without a wand, right? After all, it was worth a try. Suddenly he looked up, and noticed the black-haired teen giving him a funny look. I seem to be making my own rules for magic. "Nox."

The light vanished from the tip of the golden wand completely.

Tonks seemed to be looking at Yuugi contemplatively, but didn't say much of anything. Yuugi set his wand down, looked at the feather, and concocted a plan. Pointing his fingers down, palm facing up, he began to release some of that liquid energy he could see, just a little, and willed it to go underneath of the feather and up, just as if he were directing the muscles in his arm to lift an empty box. He grinned when the feather began to lift up into the air and rise higher. Screw the wand and words, I'll just do all of my spells this way.

Harry's jaw dropped. Tonks looked stunned. Someone from the doorway had their eyes bugging out of their head, bewildered. "HOW IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING THAT??!!"

Yuugi lost his concentration, dropping his hold on the feather and allowing it to fall back to the table. "What," he asked confused.

The girl he had been briefly introduced to, Hermione, pounded into the dining room and looked him straight in the eye. "How can you do magic without the wand? I've tried for eons and haven't been able to!"

Yuugi tried to hide the fact that he was trying to swallow the lump in his throat. He probably shouldn't have done that. "Surely other wizards can do some things without wands. It's not even that complicated of a spell…right?"

Tonks looked thoughtful as she starred skeptically back between Hermione and Yuugi. "I…suppose…but…"

"I made a glass wall disappear on my cousin Dudley," Harry responded. "And I've heard of little wizard toddlers bouncing after they fell out of a two story window."

Hermione looked like she didn't want to believe it, but she didn't say any more. Yuugi was thanking his lucky stars that Harry had spoken. If anything got out about him…he didn't want to think about the running he and Yami would have to do.

The brown-haired girl opened her mouth as if she were going to say something, but at that moment a man three sizes bigger than the average male walked in, his big brown trench coat looking particularly musty. "'Ello there, Harry. How's it go 'in?"

"Hello, Hagrid," Harry greeted, smiling up at the half giant.

"Sorry I cou'dn't meet ya at Diagon Alley terday, Harry. Had some important 'Ogwarts business to attend to earlier…'Ah, who's this?" Hagrid looked down at Yuugi at the table, grinning broadly underneath of his huge beard. "You mus' be Ugi!"

The young teen looked up at Hagrid with large eyes. He looks like he could have jumped out of my deck of Duel Monsters. "No, it's Yuugi."

The half giant nodded swiftly. "O 'course it is! How was yer shopp'n trip there, Ugi? It wen' well?"

"Yeah, I had a lot of fun." Yuugi forced a smile, not really sure what to do in an awkward situation like that, and decided to close up his book and head upstairs for bed. He was pretty sure that Hermione was looking at him with unsure feelings in her eyes, Tonks still didn't know what to make of him, and Harry was…well, he was Harry. Yuugi still wasn't sure what to make of him yet. "It's late," he said, "and I want to make sure my new bird hasn't wrecked havoc in my room. It was nice meeting you, Hagrid. I assume we'll see each other again?"

"Oh, you cin be sure o' that!" Hagrid laughed heartily, clapping Yuugi on the back again, knocking the wind out of him. The teen stood up and headed upstairs, glad to have all of the eyes off of him. Opening up his bedroom door, he stepped inside, threw his book on the desk, closed his door again and landed face first on his bed.

The mattress groaned slightly as more weight was added to it, his darker side sitting down next to him. : Are you all right?:

Yuugi wanted to scream and rip his hair out all at the same time. : No! I hate being like this…trying to hide everything…I spend more time worrying and stressing than I do smiling anymore. I do not like who I've become. I'm so testy around everyone. I hate this…and I miss having you around physically.:

Yami stretched out next to his hikari, willing Yuugi to turn his head and look at him. A tug deep down told Yuugi of his wish, and he complied. : We need to slow down, aibou. Take this one step at a time. I know that we want to know all of the information about this world that we can find, simply as a way to get home, but we have to think. We must do like a child does watching their adults. Observe the others around us. Do like they do. If we don't see them doing something, we won't do it either. Eventually, they will tell us all we need to know. Such as the information about Horus.:

Yuugi smiled just a little. : I don't know what I'd do without you. You know that, don't you?:

Yami smirked. : And I exploit it every chance I get, too.:

Yuugi laughed, wrapping his arms around Yami. : Goodnight, Yami. I love you.:

: Goodnight, love.:

Harry stared at Hermione and Tonks after Hagrid had left, knowing what all of them were pondering.

"How did he do that," Hermione asked finally. "I've never seen a wand spell performed without a wand before! How did he do it?"

Tonks shook her head. "It just had to be a fluke. That's all. Nothing to worry about. It was probably just a product of his frustration at not being able to pronounce anything properly. We'll talk to Severus later. He'll know of a potion to cure that problem." She smiled up at Harry and Hermione. "You kids go and get some rest, won't you?" She stood up and left the dining room.

Harry shook his head. "I don't know Hermione. Maybe Ron's dad can tell us something in the morning. He's seen a lot working in the Ministry. He might know something." Harry knew that it was a poor idea, considering the amount of reading Hermione did, but hopefully it would be enough to placate her for the moment.

"We've got to find out who he is," Hermione stated. "There's something funny about him."

"Funny about who?" Harry and Hermione turned as Ron walked into the room, the pajamas he was wearing about three inches too short.

"That boy, Yuugi," Harry stated, and filled Ron in about what had just happened with the feather.

Ron got a surprised look on his face. "How the hell did he manage that?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Hermione stated.

"Perhaps we ought to tell Dumbledore," Ron suggested.

"Perhaps we should," Harry reiterated, beginning to think that might be a good idea, after all.

Yuugi let out a relieved sigh as he sat down in an empty compartment on the train, everyone else following suite. Horus squawked indignantly in the overhead storage. : Don't like it up here…cramped…poor treatment! Very poor!:

: Oh, you spoiled bird! I'll give you an extra treat tonight when we get to the castle,: Yuugi groaned back.

Horus ruffled his folded wings, but for the most part remained silent.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all sat down, too. "How long of a train ride is it," Yuugi asked.

"We'll reach the Hogsmead station by nightfall," Hermione filled in. "Hogsmead is the only village left in the world that is populated by nothing by witches and wizards. It's very close to the castle."

"Oh, yeah!" Ron exclaimed. "I can't wait to get a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. I think I'm having with-drawls."

"You take trips to Hogsmead?" Yuugi asked curiously.

"You have to be at least a third year to go," Hermione started, "and guardian permission to go. We're allowed to go on weekends after Halloween."

"Uh." Yuugi was curious about the legal guardian part. Who was his legal guardian here? Or was Dumbledore keeping him a secret from the Ministry? After all, look where he found the spiky-haired teen. He probably wouldn't be allowed to go. He could already guess at the hazards that could happen if he went to the village. "There is one thing I've been curious about," Yuugi started again. "What can you tell me about these Houses at Hogwarts?"

"When did you here about them," Ron asked him curiously.

Yuugi opted not to explain his encounter at Madame Malkins. It didn't seem too terribly important; so he told about the research he did on his own afterwards. "I read about them in Hogwarts, A History."

Hermione smiled at him. Hmm. Maybe she liked books a lot.

"Well, you certainly don't want to be in Slytherin, no matter what happens," Ron spoke up. "There wasn't a dark witch or wizard that wasn't in Slytherin. They're cunning, and only out for themselves."

: Malik,: Yuugi and Yami mentally spoke at the same time.

"Ravenclaw's are really smart," Harry stated. "They've always been known for their intellect. They usually go one to be professors or inventors."

"Hufflepuff is known for their loyalty to friends," Ginny spoke up for the first time that afternoon. "They're really sweet people, but they get teased quite a bit."

Yuugi felt that he would have fit into that house just a few years ago.

"And last there's Gryffindor," Hermione spoke last. "That's the house we're all in. Gryffindor's are known for their bravery."

"It's the best House, too," Ron interjected. "That's the House that you want to be in."

"Hmm." Yuugi was fascinated by this method of sorting students. "What kind of competition goes on between the Houses," Yuugi asked. When teams were separated, there was always competition.

Four people chuckled lowly. Yuugi raised an eyebrow in question. "Well, during the Quidditch matches, we always are competing to win the Quidditch cup," Harry started. Yuugi figured it must be some kind of wizard sport. Most schools had a sports team they enjoyed.

"And every House tries to earn points throughout the year. If you behave, you're awarded points, and if you misbehave, you lose points. If your House wins, you get the House Cup," Ginny finished.

"Makes sense," Yuugi stated. "Now, tell me about this Quidditch that was mentioned earlier."

Ron and Harry acquired a wicked grin. "Oh, wait until you see it." Both sets of eyes gleamed.

The train jolted to a stop, jarring the occupants inside. Yuugi stood up, now wearing his new robes over his normal clothes. "Don't worry about your stuff," Harry filled him in, just as he was reaching for Horus. "Your stuff will be brought up to you by the time your House is called."

"Called," Yuugi asked. "What do you mean?"

Just as they entered the isle, a sea of students pushed them along, ushering them outside. Yuugi never did get his answer. Just as they left the confines of the train, a booming voice called above the boisterous crowd. "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Yuugi saw Hagrid holding up a large lamp in the darkness of the evening, calling first year students over towards him. "Ah! Ugi! Come 'ere! Dumbledore wants yeh ter come with me!"

Gods. Yuugi didn't know if he would ever get used to the slaughtering of his name. Instead, he shrugged, and headed off towards the massive man. It didn't take long for all of the ashen faced, frightened first years to get together, all of them heading off towards the lake. "Pair up," Hagrid roared. "Three ter a boat!"

Hagrid jumped into one boat, Yuugi close behind him. As the students began to pile into the boats, a straggler jumped into the boat with them, looking around with wide, frightened eyes.

Hagrid pushed off, setting them forward and motioning for everyone else to follow. The wind was whipping about gruffly, an icy chill that tried to bite harshly into the skin gnawing at their wool cloaks. The lake was as black as obsidian, secrets and peril waiting eerily below.

It was no more than fifteen minutes before they reached the other end, the boats creaking and groaning as they were pulled ashore. Yuugi could understand everyone's apprehension. This was a rather frightening experience for someone so young, with so little experience, to be introduced into a new school such as this. Quite frankly, he'd have been worried, too, had Yami not been with him.

: I sure hope we know what we're doing,: Yuugi commented dryly.

: In our situation, aibou, that is highly doubtful. And truthfully, I'd be worried if we were more prepared, given our history of miraculously escaping life-threatening peril. :

: Always the optimist, : Yuugi replied glumly.

All of the students got out of the boats, following Hagrid as he walked up to the massive doors of the front entrance. The entire structure was very much that of an ancient gothic castle. Yuugi was in love. The school was magnificent.

Every child grew quiet when the front doors opened up, and out walked a woman that Yuugi had come to see quite a bit of at the Order of the Phoenix.

Professor McGonnagal.

"'Ere they are for ya," Hagrid announced. "All the firs' years."

The aging woman nodded her approval. She turned to them almost gravelly. "Welcome students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is now that you will be separated into your Houses. While you're here, your House will be like your family. Good behavior will earn you and your House points. Any rule breaking and you and your House will lose points." It was here that she stopped and looked pointedly at all of the students. In other words, don't act up, you'll regret it. "Now, follow me."

Instantly, the front doors opened up, and she began to walk into the main hall, and then into the Great Hall, where all of the older students were seated and waiting for their meals.

Yuugi was not the only one surprised at what he saw. Yami's mental eyebrows had reached the ceiling. The night sky above them was gleaming with the constellations almost brighter than the night sky above. The candles floating above them were glorious, and cast such a warm glow about the room that nothing else could ever hope to compare. I read about this in Hogwarts, A History. Never dreamed it could truly live up to so much bragging,

McGonnagal stepped up to the front of the room where the faculty seating was, and stood next to a stool with a tattered and ratty looking witch's hat resting on top. The professor unrolled a parchment from her grasp, and read the first name on the list. "Araan, Ashley." A small girl with deep brown hair stepped up without so much as blinking, picked up the hat, sat down, and put it on her head.

Yuugi was quite surprised when the hat shouted out "RAVENCLAW!!!"

: So that's how the sorting works,: Yami commented. Yuugi wondered what the hat was going to make of him and Yami.

A head of red hair caught his eye as 'Bethany, Alexa' was sent to Hufflepuff. It was, of course, none other than Ron Weasley, sitting next to both Harry and Hermione. They looked rather worried about something, but what Yuugi couldn't be sure. Unless they were worried about him becoming a Slytherin. That could not bode well for his personality and reliability. The teacher's would probably never trust him.

"Morgan, Mathew." A young boy with bright blonde hair walked up shakily, picked up the hat, and sat underneath of it. "GRYFFINDOR!!!!"

The respective table clapped enthusiastically, welcoming the new student to their table.

: Sounds like we're up next, : Yuugi said to his darkness.

Yami sighed hard, knowing there was hardly anything they could do to prepare. He knew that this sorting was going to count for a lot more than just sleeping quarters for him and his aibou. He was positive that all of the professors that they had recently been talking to were going to gage his trustworthiness on the outcome of this sorting. Not to mention the students they had begun to be acquainted with. Harry seemed to like his aibou for some reason. Something happened in Harry's past that made him look at people differently, and it was perhaps through Harry that he would learn the information he needed to get him and Yuugi home safely.

If they were put in Gryffindor.

There was a lot riding on this sorting for him and Yuugi, too. Yuugi knew this, of course. One of the reasons he had been so edgy lately. It would be hard to lose a friend now, before they had even started to trust each other. Harry was, at the moment, the only safe tie they had to this realm.

It's a frightening thought to think that the whole of your world could possibly turn against you.

"Motou, Yuugi!"

Every head in the room turned. The name in itself was entirely foreign. Who could this possibly be?

Yuugi took a deep breath, striding confidently forward. So judgement day has finally come. He picked up the hat, sat down on the stool, and waited.

How strange, a voice whispered next to his ear. Two minds instilled into one body. Conflicts, and yet not. Old, and yet young. Royal, and yet poor. But both of you, oh my, yes both of you, minds to be challenged. Brilliance on both accounts. Books and people. Impressive. Very impressive. Strength. You've led armies before. Friendship, at times it was all you had. But your loyalty, so unfailing. And your cunning-

: Don't,: Yuugi warned the hat. : Don't even. We've had our darker days, true. That can not be denied. But do not tell us that Slytherin is the right house for us. We are not arrogant, nor are we blind, nor do we care for naught but our own survival. Our cunning comes into play when we need to get loved ones out of the darkest parts of their nightmares and back out into the light of day. :

: It has always been for the good of all that we ever fight,: Yami replied, too. : And it's the balance that we have that holds my darker magicks at bay and under control. I would be lost without the one with me, and all that he has given me. Judge him, not me.:

The hat seemed silent for a minute, and Yuugi registered the tension that was growing in the air. They had been on the stool for quite a while already, and there were still a lot of students to go.

Very well, the hat conceded. Brilliance can live in places other than Ravenclaw. And loyalty can live in other places than Hufflepuff. And cunning can be for brighter purposes. That only leaves one place for the both of you, so long as you stay as one. You'd best stay in "GRYFFINDOR!!!!!!!"

The room lifted in uproar. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were clapping in what looked like relief. Yuugi took the hat off with a load-releasing sigh, stepped off the platform and joined the Gryffindor table. When he looked up, Dumbledore was beaming at him, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Congratulations," Hermione stated. Yuugi hardly realized that he had sat down next to the entire group.

"Yeah," Ron stated. "You were up there so long , we were afraid that hat might have fallen asleep on you!"

"I'm just glad it's over," Yuugi replied. He started clapping with everyone else as 'Rosalin, Marie' was sent to Ravenclaw.

Shortly, the sorting was done, and everyone was seated. Yuugi was now looking at him empty plate, wondering who would be bringing the food in.

Professor Dumbeldore stood up, smiling at everyone. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. As the usual reminder, and new news for our first year students, the Black Forest is completely forbidden, so it is asked that you not leave school grounds. Also, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, please welcome Professor Isis Ishtar."

Yuugi almost chocked on his own tongue. Could it be the Isis of this dimension? He took a close look at her. She had the same serious purple eyes. She had the same sleek black hair. And she-

It was the Isis from his own dimension. She was wearing the Tauk, like usual, but it had on it a ruby that Yami had affixed to it some time ago before giving it back to her. According to myth, the ruby helps one in trying to balance the energies in the body, and is female oriented. That was the reason that the natives of India believed that it should be worn on the left side of the body when worn as a ring. With her foretelling of the future, is was an invaluable gift. Yuugi would have rather seen her as a Divination teacher, but if this worked...

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking at Yuugi curiously. "Do you know her," Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Yuugi stated, still in shock. "An old family friend."

"Now for a few more words," Dumbeldore stated. "Wish, wash, wishy, and let's eat!" He clapped his hands, and the table was suddenly covered with food.

No wonder people think of his as a crack pot. At least he has a sense of humor.