HD: Ra almighty, I'm so sorry, my updating has been so bad!

COH: HD has been busy with school

Bea: -snort- all she does is sleep.

Cole: or draw all over her mortal friends.

Alvar: NO OWN!


Chapter 17

Blitz led the way to the dungeons were the sixth year Ravenclaws waited along with the other Gryffindors. Everyone looked nervous and stuck together, scared of their own shadows.

"Is Slughorn here yet?" Ryou asked, dropping his bag and seating against the wall.

"Doesn't look like it." Jou shrugged, sitting next to the British-boy.

"Is it me, or are we getting strange look?" Amaya asked, nodding over her shoulder at the other students who were casting looks back at the group.

Seto looked up and sent one of his famous cold-stares and the others looked away. Amaya sat down beside Jou and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I think they may be suspicious." She voiced in Japanese.

"You think?" Jou shot back in teasing sarcasm. Amaya heat him lightly and looked over at Yugi who stood away, his hand in his pocket.

"Someone should talk to him." She hissed at the others, they all looked at Jou.

"I'll go." Malik whispered, he pulled away from the group and headed for his short friend. "Hey Yug!" Yugi looked up sharply and smiled wearily at the blonde.

"Hey Mal." He nodded. Malik reached a tanned hand out to brush away Yugi's bang.

"You ok?" Yugi willed back his tears and nodded, stepping into Malik's warmth.

"Yea…" Yugi jumped when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Hello everyone!" Professor Slughorn smoothed his shirt and smiled brightly at the students, most returned to the smile.

"So dis is Slughorn…?" Jou mumbled as he made his way into the classroom.

"I guess…" Ryou muttered back, sitting beside Jou. Malik sat with Yugi, Seto with Harry and Amaya and Blitz together.

"I see some new faces among you." Slughorn's eyes skimmed over the Hikaris, Jou, Seto and Harry.

Yugi shifted and brushed his fingers against the hilt of the dagger. Slughorn stoped next to Harry and studied his face for a long moment. Harry shifted around under the gaze and looked to the others. Blitz saved him.

"Professor, don't we have a lesson to attend to?"

Slughorn straightened and nodded. "Yes we do." He turned back to the blackboard and began to explain the lesson to the class.

"Thanks." Harry muttered to Blitz when they began on the potion.

"No problem!" Blitz beamed.

Malik looked pale as he and Yugi started their potion.

"Malik are you ok?" Yugi asked after awhile of Malik flinching at the potion and its ingredients.

"I'm-"Malik suddenly jumped to his feet and raced out of the classroom pass the bewildered Professor with Yugi at his heels.

"What's wrong with them?" Slughorn asked no one in particular. Amaya frowned in deep thought.


The group saw Malik and Yugi again at lunch were Malik was stuffing himself with food.

"What happened?" Ryou asked when they sat down.

"Malik got suddenly sick." Yugi explained, thinking back to what had happened.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, worried for the blonde.

"He's fine." Yugi sighed, looking to Malik who was working his way through his third helping.

"So it would seem." Seto muttered.

Malik stoped to poke his tongue out at the young CEO before continuing with his food.

"It's amazing he isn't fat." Harry muttered to himself. Jou snickered.

"What?" Malik stoped his eating again to look at Harry questioningly.

"Nothing…" Harry smiled innocently.

Amaya laughed and took some food.


Kirra glared at the Librarian as she walked away, taking with her the large book Kirra was trying to borrow.

"You look happy, what happened?" Lily sat beside the fuming Japanese girl.

"She took my book!"

"What book?" Lily looked up from the homework she had pulled out.

"I was trying to borrow a book but she wouldn't let me." Kirra sighed.

"Which book was it?"

"A book." At Lily's stern look Kirra growled. "Fine it was a book on taking over peoples' emotions, I only wanted to glance through it."

"Kirra have you ever thought you could read something normal?"

"No…" Lily sighed and opened her text book.

Kirra watched the rope that separated the restricted section. Tonight…


It was nearly midnight and the prefects and Head students were returning to their dormitories for some much needed rest. Against the cold dark, stone walls a flickering shadow moved.

From the shadow depths Kirra walked, her eyes bright against the dark, dark purples robes pulled around her body, she walked with light feet to the velvet rope that separated her from the book she desired.

The rope dropped with a muffled thud to the ground and Kirra walked past. The books were dusty and the shelves untouched. Her finger tips, caddied in leather gloves, left a ghostly mark across the spines. The book she desired was at the back, tucked far away were the teacher's hoped no one would venture to.

"There you are." Kirra's voice hung in the air as she walked up and grasped her wanted item she felt a tingling in her hands. "Damn!" she cursed in every language she knew.

Dumbledore had placed a well guarded charm, in case the book was stolen.

Kirra pulled back and pulled up a shield of magic to protect her from any side effects. She swept back into the shadows and left the book lying on the floor…


Lily had just returned from her rounds, a little scared since what happened to the Professor and student.

The ambers were slowly dying in the fireplace as she shrugged off her cloak and sat in an over stuffed chair. She closed her emerald eyes and sleep slipped into her mind…

The creak of the portrait hole made Lily jump awake and whip around to face…

"Kirra?" Kirra stood against the wall, her eyes closed and her breathing heavy. She looked up sharply at Lily.

"Lily, what are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Lily challenged. "Kirra, you didn't go back to get that book, did you?"

Kirra turned away and Lily bit back a groan. "Kirra, that was foolish and dangerous, Dumbledore could have found out and you would have been kicked out!"

"So?" Kirra shrugged, turning her dull eyes back on Lily. "I wouldn't care either way, as long as I have that book."

"What is so important about that book?" Lily was on her feet and seething at Kirra. She couldn't understand why her friend was being so stubborn!

"You wouldn't understand." Kirra snapped eyes narrowed. "I'm going to bed." She left before Lily could voice her view further.

Lily let out a frustrated sigh before collapsing on the couch and staring at the darkened ceiling.


A flickering candle was the only light, making shadows dance across the walls and for the occupants to squint.

An older Kirra passed a hand over the book and sighed. She had placed the charm on the book to stop her younger self from her foolish actions; if she were to go through with her plan…Kirra shivered and placed the book at the back on the shelf, hidden from view.

Her companions turned to her with their hollow eyes.

"Make sure Sirius goes through with telling Harry, don't let him back down." They nodded and faded to smoke.

Kirra looked back at the shelf and pressed her fingers to the locket around her neck before moving the fingers in an arch. A silent shield that not even Dumbledore would detect.

She gripped her locket and watched as a shadow portal opened. Inside she saw an image of Yugi, sleeping in his bed, relaxed with sleep.

"Sleep well." Kirra sighed, willing back her tears.

The portal faded and Kirra slipped in to the shadows leaving behind no trace but a flickering candle.

TBC…


HD: Ok hopefully you all enjoyed it and won't kill me.

COH: thanks to our lovely reviewers!


Kelly: Thanks for the review! Please tell me what you think of this chapter, thanks.


Alvar: and to our signed reviewers! THANKS!

Cole: review or HD will sulk.

Bea: or won't update.

COH: REVIEW!

HappyDevil, Bea, COH, Alavr and Cole.