Hey everyone,
First of all, I'm really sorry, but I haven't done any writing for Dumbledore's Folly this past chapter. I am actually working on a rewrite that many people have been asking for, for a LONG time.
It's a rewrite of one of my very first stories, which was a Harry Potter/Yu-Gi-Oh CR crossover. Unfortunately I haven't gotten any further than the first chapter of Philosopher's Stone.
And what some of you might consider worse, I haven't written even ONE chapter for Dumbledore's Folly all month.
However, I PROMISE that Dumbledore's Folly will be finished by Christmas and that all the remaining chapters will be my Christmas present to you all. Nice, isn't it? A finished story for Christmas?
Anyway, enjoy the first chapter of Cards of Magic, the rewrite of a story that is more than 9 years old and that many have wanted to see come back for a few years now.
Let's duel,

Venquine1990

Preview #30
Cards Of Magic

18th of June 1996
Domino City, Japan
Yugi's POV

The skylight and the sunrise is just beautiful from where I'm standing.

It's on the same fenced cliff as where Mou Hitori No Boku (my other half) stood with Téa when he spoke of how his heart was telling him to uncover the mysteries of his ancient past. Some might wonder why I'm standing here or why I asked the others to meet me here today.

Today marks the 4 year anniversary of when I first finished the Millennium Puzzle. An event that changed my life forever and that led to one crazy adventure after another. It was only last month that I lost the Millennium Puzzle to the Shadow Realm as I said goodbye to Pharaoh Atem, who departed for the Afterlife.
Not a day goes by that I don't miss that familiar weight around my neck or that I don't miss that warm, strong presence that was connected to my heart, mind and my soul.
And each time this sense of loss is accompanied with a need to suppress a tear of loss, pain, grief and regret. Regret, because I lost the one who stole my heart 3 years ago

And never told him that I loved him.

I know that my friends will be here in a few minutes, so I made sure to come early, just so I could openly cry and not worry them.
Somehow and for some reason, it feels comforting and reassuring to see my tears falling down the cliff and getting drowned up by the waves of the sea several feet beneath me. I won't deny that, in the first week since his departure, I had fought the need to come here, climb over the waist-high fence and just jump down to the cliffs below.

Just to be with him again.

But I know Mou Hitori No Boku and I know he wouldn't want me to do something like that. I know he would want me to live my life to the fullest and to follow my heart. But in that first week, that was exactly what my heart was telling me.

Still, I know I don't have much time left before the others show up, so I wipe the tear tracks off my face and slap myself in the face a little to bring color back to my face.
And as I look back at the rising sun, I smile. The colors of the sky as the sun breaches the horizon and slowly rises out of the water really remind me of him.
Of his stunning ruby colored eyes.
Of the purple edges to his midnight black hair.
For just the shortest of seconds I even fool myself and believe that I see him, as if he's standing at the edge of the horizon and turns to me, that kind, confident smile that he has been known for on his face and his eyes focused solely on me and my person.

I shake my head.

Just like the sense of loss, this isn't the first time that I imagined seeing him somewhere. A few times over the last few weeks, my imagination tricked me and I believed to see him either standing in my bedroom or on the corner of a street or something.
I've grown used to these mirages. They have become a part of my life. The last few times it even brought a bit of a melancholy smile to my face when I saw them – or believed to have seen them.

I hear a lot of footsteps behind me, in a much larger amount than I've been hearing so far, and turn around. My usual smile adorns my face when I see my friends coming over.
Joey, Serenity, Téa, Tristan, Duke, Ryou, Mai, Kaiba, Mokuba, Marik, Ishizu and Odion. They're accompanied by mum and grandpa and most of them smile back when they see me turn around.

Kaiba is one of the few who don't smile, but I notice that he is walking closer to the group than he did only a few weeks ago. This is because of a conversation between him and Joey on our boat ride back from the island where we said goodbye to Atem.
Since that conversation, Kaiba has been more accepting of us and his role as a friend of our group. And it really doesn't escape my notice that he's walking right behind Joey, who I know he has a major crush on.
Kaiba and Joey are one of the reasons I am so happy with this group of friends. Ever since I lost the one I loved and realized the romantic tension between them, I've made it my life goal to get them together, to make sure they don't repeat my mistake.

I can only hope that today's celebration will help with that.

My friends reach me and everyone greets and congratulates me on the anniversary. I smile at them all and thank them each respectively. Mum pulls out a checklist and jokes that I have too many friends before she calls all our names.
The others laugh as they call present.
Grandpa has a flat, rectangular box in his hands and I wonder what kind of cake he bought for the occasion. It really doesn't surprise me that Joey and Tristan are sending hungry furtive looks at the box every so often.

Mum finishes the checklist and a huge grin is on her face as she says:
"Alright, next point of this meeting/celebration. You guys have worked yourselves into the ground, so to say, to uncover the secrets of Atem's roots. And I won't lie, for the last few years I have been feeling pretty homesick myself.
But, as Yugi and dad will know, I've been denied my chance to return to my own roots many a time in this past decade or so. I will explain that later, another time. Either way, I tried again a few weeks ago and, when I realized that I wasn't being blocked from every angle imaginable, I took my chance."

She pulls something from her purse and shows us a whole set of plane tickets as she says: "Tadaah, fifteen tickets to England! The plane leaves tomorrow and I already arranged everything with both your school and your company.
Thanks for that one, Mokuba."
Kaiba looks at his little brother, who shares a wink of amusement with my mum, in shock. The others see this and either giggle, laugh or try to suppress a snicker or giggle. I snort silently in amusement myself.

At the same time I blink back tears of elation. Like mum said, I know how many times various companies and other organization have, for unspecified and unknown reasons, kept mum from returning to England.
Even the firm that she worked for when I was young, where employees were sent out to other countries to help with either hostage survivors or legal situations, deliberately sent her out to every single country in the world,

Except for England.

And when mum tried to argue against this and tried to fight the decision to keep this up, she somehow lost the case, even though the defense, at first, told her she was fully in her rights. To this day, mum just doesn't understand how she could have lost the case.

But now it no longer matters. Mum can return home and I get to see the country that she has wanted to visit for so long. I'm not entirely sure if I want to meet with my aunt, my mum's half-sister, as mum told me that she wasn't the kindest growing up.
But mum also has – or had – another half-sister, who died almost 15 years ago. And her grave was always one of the reasons mum was so desperate to go back to England, even more-so once I became old enough to understand the situation. And like her, it has also been my dream to visit the grave of my aunt, who apparently died a hero in a secretive war.

Mokuba tells Kaiba that he already arranged some of the things with their English branch and that Roland will be ensuring that everything that Kaiba might need to keep doing his job will be packed and ready.
"That way you get to relax, which you haven't done since the whole thing with Dartz ended, and do good for the business. And who knows, maybe England can inspire you into doing something new. It and Japan are pretty different in a lot of ways, after all."
Naturally these arguments convince Kaiba, who gives his brother a quick grateful smile before he pretends to reluctantly agree on going along. His reluctance is obvious and it brings a grin to both my face and Joey's.

"Who knows? Maybe I can get them to share a cabin on the London Eye. That should get them in a nice romantic mood. They might even end up kissing by the time they get down again."
I only need to spare a glance at Mokuba, who is in on my desire to get his brother together with my best friend, to know that he's in on my plan and fully approves.

But then, even though the sun has long since risen above the horizon, a bright flash of light comes from behind me and startles us all. It blinds us and when I turn around to look, my eyes widen in utter shock and amazement.
"Eeh guys, forgive me if I'm seeing things, but is that Sliver the Sky Dragon coming from the sun?" Duke's question proves that I'm not the only one seeing this shocking image, proves that this isn't another mirage like him.

A huge serpentine-like dragon with red scaled head, red scales running down his back and black scales running down his front flies towards us.
The beast has two mouths full of razor-sharp fangs alongside one huge fang on each end of its mouth. It has diamond-shaped yellow eyes and a large bright blue
crystal at the back of its head. There are spikes running down its back all the way from the back of the head to the tail. Behind the first set of spikes a large set of wings protrudes from the huge beast.
The beast has two short arms with three razor-sharp claws on each end of the arms. Two extra claws protrude from the monster's chest at arm-height.
The Egyptian God monster twists and turns its serpentine body as it flies towards us. Kaiba and Joey both activate their Duel Disks, ready to battle the huge beast, but it merely stops in front of us, part of its body floating slightly above and behind the railing of the cliff.

It looks at us and growls softly. Yet it's the look in his sharp yellow eyes that astounds me. "Guys, call me crazy but – I think Sliver wants to take us to England himself!"
Kaiba wants to argue this, but he falters when Sliver nods its huge, red-scaled head in acknowledgement. A stunned silence hangs over us for a moment and then
mum says:
"Well, considering how often I got blocked from leaving at the last minute, I'd like to see whoever has been doing so for the last few years try that on an Egyptian God. If Sliver wants to help me return to my roots then I'm going."

And instantly grandpa and I follow after her. Mum and I climb over the railing and onto Sliver's back first before mum takes the cakebox from grandpa, after which he climbs aboard as well.
And the sight of us seated on the huge, scaled, winged beast is enough to spur the others into action as well.
Joey helps Serenity and Tristan and Duke help Téa and Ryou. Kaiba climbs on before catching Mokuba, who jumped onto the dragon's back from the top of the railing.
And once Odion has taken his seat at the back of our group, behind Marik and Ishizu, I turn my head and say:

"We're ready, Sliver.
You can take off!"

The dragon lets out an almighty roar and flaps its mighty wings. And while it keeps the part of its body that we're on steady, it once again twists and turns the rest of its body as it flies off.
Yet the closer we get to the rising sun, the more I feel as if I'm seeing another mirage. "Eeh guys, I know he's called the Winged Dragon of Rah and all, but – is that him?"
This time Tristan proves me that I'm not seeing things before Téa asks: "And is it me or are we flying straight towards him?"

Shock and fright runs through us all as we realize that Téa is right. Then another sound comes from behind us and when I turn my head, my eyes widen even more when, from the depts of the ocean, Obelisk the Tormentor comes to stand up and tower over us.

AN. Why did I describe Sliver, but not Obelisk and Rah? I felt like it.

I look from Rah in front of us, to Obelisk behind us, to Sliver, who seems to float contently in mid-air, its whole serpentine form now wrapped around itself like the top of a tornado or a tycoon.

"Was I wrong?"

Mum asks hesitantly and I reach behind me to grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "The Egyptian gods wouldn't come to us or bring us here without reason, mum. I'm sure of it. We just need to find out what they might want from us." I tell her gently.
Mum smiles at me, but then Joey says: "Eeh guys, they're getting closer." I look up and notice that Joey's right. Slowly but surely Obelisk and Rah are coming closer. Rah also has his golden-plated wings fully extended and Obelisk has done the same with the demon-like wings on his back.

Kaiba: "They're closing in!"
Marik: "Why would they try to encase us like this?"
Joey: "What's going on?"
I myself: "Hang in, guys!"
We all grab hold of each other.

At the same time
Scotland, England
Harry's POV

Order of the Phoenix, end of chapter 32
Harry whirled … on, then.'

"There will be no need for that."

A voice sounds from the thicket of the forest. I turn from where the Thestrals are standing and see the most startling sight yet.
An Egyptian woman who wears a beige gown made almost entirely of silk walks towards us. The woman also wears an intricate golden headband with cowl attached to the back of the band. The band itself is shaped like a bird with its metallic wings encasing the woman's face from either side of her head.
There is also a band with golden plates, with a blue plate in the center, wrapped around the woman's chest and another of three thin and long golden plates wrapped around her waist, just above her hips. The rest of her dress is entirely made of beige silk and shows off her body and form in a very nice, yet moderate way.
The woman has narrow eyes that are a dark blue color, though they almost look black thanks to the darkness of the forest. I also can't help but notice the strange necklace she wears as it has an eye symbol at the front. The eye is staring straight at me, yet I don't feel uncomfortable about this fact. I just focus on the woman instead.

"My name is Isis. I once served powerful kings and rulers and even the Gods. They were the ones who sent me here, to fetch you and to warn you.
Young Harry, if you take these beings to the Ministry for Magic, you will embark on a journey that leads to nothing but pain, darkness and a hollow, senseless victory against the forces of the one known as Lord Voldemort.
If you take these noble creatures, you will do exactly as Voldemort wants. But you will not find what you want. Sirius Black is not at the Ministry. You have been tricked and deceived. I understand your desperation – and your desire to keep those you care for safe.
But the gods wish to keep you safe. Because of this they have sent me to you and sent my friend, a man known as Mahad, to your godfather. The power of the Gods will help us reunite you in a much saver environment.

Will you come with me
Or will you embark on this quest?
The choice is yours entirely."

I really don't know what to think about the woman and what she said. I want to call her a loon, but there are two things holding me back. One is a strange instinctual need to believe her, like a voice in my head that reassures me that she's speaking the truth.
The other is the fact that, ever since I noticed her necklace, the pain in my scar has lessened and has even become less painful than normal. I don't feel Voldemort's anger spiking anymore and this helps me to think more clearly. And one thought keeps running through my head.

And Ron voices it:
"Mate, I know a lot, but I know that even Malfoy wouldn't be suicidal enough to play a trick on us and then try to involve the Gods in that. Especially not the Egyptian ones."
And the fact that my best friend, who like Hermione, really doesn't believe in things like religion and divinations, tells me this convinces me.

I turn to the Thestralls, one of them still licking my sleeve and softly rub its leathery face as I say: "Thank you, but we're not going to need your help tonight." And then, just to make sure they don't try anything, I pull off my robe and throw it at them.
All six of them rush for the garment that floats down to the ground a few meters away from me. I turn to Isis and ask her what I need to do. The woman extends her arm and says:
"Grab my hand. The Winged Dragon of Rah will bring us to a sanctuary where you will be able to find your godfather, safe and unharmed."
I hear Hermione behind me, but I ignore her spluttering and arguments. I nod at Isis and walk over. A quick glance behind me shows that the others are also following. Hermione stares at them and then rushes after us.

"You guys can't –!"
"Hermione, not now!"

Neville snapping at her silences the girl. Like the rest of us, though much more reluctantly, Hermione grabs Isis' hand. The woman, who actually looks slightly younger than Sirius, smiles at us and whispers:
"Great Winged Dragon of Rah, hear your loyal subject, please. We're ready. Take us to thy sanctuary." And a bright golden light envelops us.

At the same time
London, England
Sirius' POV

"I don't know, Remus. Something about those injuries doesn't sit right with me." I mutter as I use a spell to clean the blood off my hands and my robe.
Remus follows after me and says: "We can report it to Albus. You coming to the meeting tonight?" I roll my eyes and give him the same answer I've been giving him the past three months.

"No."

Yet again this confuses my best friend. Yet again his confusion annoys me. Yet again he just doesn't question me on why.
Though this time his reason not to question me might be different from usual. As, while he asked me, we had been heading for my room. And when I answer and arrive there, I notice that my room isn't as empty as I had expected it to be.
But it's not Kreacher, that rotten little elf that made my youth miserable, or Molly, who sometimes still doesn't understand the concept of privacy, who's standing in my room.
A man with an Egyptian tan, narrow sharp blue eyes and a robe made of beige silk and golden plates stands in the room instead.
I want to wonder how the man got in here without the wards alerting me, but something about his presence both disturbs and reassures me at the same time. That strange combination of sensations takes priority to me.

The man speaks:
"Greetings, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin. I am Mahad. I once served great and powerful rulers and am here in the name of the Gods of Egypt. They wish to ensure security and longevity in both your futures and the future of those you hold dear.
Lord Black, as we speak, your godson and heir is on the verge of walking into a dangerous trap. My friend, Isis, is currently attempting to ensure that this does not come to pass. She and I have been entrusted with the task to ensure that you two can reunite in a location much saver than your current environment.

The choice is yours, Sirius Black.
If you come with me, you can reunite with your godson and reassure him that you are safe. If you deny my request, then even the Gods will not be able to safeguard your future. I wish not to place an ultimatum on your shoulders, but the Powers that Be would not lie about a situation such as this. Both you and I know this."

The minute Mahad said that he is here in the name of the Gods, I knew I could trust him. Like other Magical families – like James and the Weasleys, Frank and Alice – I was raised to believe, honor and be humble to the will of the Gods.
It was one of the few things that my family and I agreed on, even my mother and my crazy cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. Yet when my mother started raving that Voldemort had ascended to Godhood, it had been the last feather plucked from the Hippogriff's wing. I had packed my things and left, finding sanctuary with the Potters.

Because of this, I don't even need to think of what choice I will make. I step up to the man, who has his arm stretched out to me.
Remus calls out to me from behind me. I turn to glare at him and snarl: "Not even Bellatrix would use the gods to trick me, Remus. Even she knows better than to befoul them. If Mahad was send here in their name, I believe him.

Now I'm going to go see Harry.
It's up to you decide if you join me or not."

The man stares at me for a moment. Then his face turns stone-faced and he nods. He moves over to stand besides me and I smile at him as we take the last few steps to where Mahad is waiting for us. As one we grab his outstretched hand and he says:
"Great Winged Dragon of Rah, hear your loyal subject, please. We're ready. Take us to thy sanctuary." And a bright golden light envelops us.

At the same time
London, England
Mana's POV

I absolutely love the fact that I get to do this. Isis had, with the blessing of the Gods, the king and the Pharaoh, send me to Diagon Alley. And the minute I saw the two red-heads working on their storefront and putting a huge, giant-sized bust of a man who lifts his top hat off his head and puts it back on, I knew I was the perfect choice for this job.
I had used my own magic to pass through their ward scheme, to enter their vicinity without them noticing and just patiently wait for them to come down from the platform they are standing on. I know that Mahad and Isis are right now with their own respective targets and wish them both the best of luck, just like we all did when we left the Afterlife.

Then, as soon as the two come down, they suddenly start to shoot curses and spells my way. I yelp and screech and jump around as I shout: "SEIZE FIRE! SEIZE FIRE! I MEAN NO HARM! I COME IN THE NAME OF THE GODS!"
And thankfully that last bit makes the two stop casting. Yet I had tripped on the cobblestone road while evading one of their curses. I am lying on the ground, my butt in the air, my face in the dirty road, my foot stuck between two cobblestones and mentally grateful that Isis had extended the length of my skirt a bit before I left.

One of the two identical redheads helps me back up and the other asks: "Which Gods sent you? And what's your name?"
I take a few breaths to regain my stamina and then twirl on my axis before I strike my usual pose. I stand on the tip of my right foot and have my left lifted up in the air. I wink at the two and show them the peace sign with my left hand as I say:
"My name is Mana. I used to serve a great and powerful Pharaoh who was, for a long time, lost to the sands of times. Now I have come in the name of the Winged Dragon of Rah. And I bring both bad and good news to friends of the one known as Harry Potter."

Instantly I have their full interest and I continue:
"As we speak, my mentors, Mahad and Isis, are busy getting your friend and his godfather to a sanctuary created by the Gods themselves. And I'm supposed to bring you guys there as well. You both will play a vital role in what will occur once your friends arrive there.
Oh, and I also know someone who is related to both your friend Harry and my friend Yugi. I wasn't supposed to tell you guys that just yet, but I figured that you boys would want to know it anyway. So, care to come along?"

The two are wide eyed as they stare at me and share a short look before they chorus: "You had us at Rah."
I giggle at them and stretch out my hand. The two of them take it and I chant:
"Great Winged Dragon of Rah, hear your loyal subject, please. We're ready. Take us to thy sanctuary." And a bright golden light envelops us.

And the stage is set,
WOW! That was a pretty loaded preview. For a moment I was debating between this event – the trip to the Ministry – and the argument between Sirius and Molly at the start of OotP. But I already used that in To Read Into The Universe, so I decided to use this instead.
Anyway, expect this story to come out once three conditions are met. 1. Dumbledore's Folly is finished! 2. I finished Darkened Light up to the end of Philosopher's Stone. 3. I finished this story up to the end of Philosopher's Stone.
Let's duel,

Venquine1990