Hey guys! Another early treat for y'all. You're lucky, I usually wouldn't update so often, I've just got bitten by the muse bug I suppose, and I can't write fast enough to keep up with all of my ideas.
Hopefully you don't mind. ;)
Anyways, I own nothing. There is some dialogue here from the book, I believe, and the sorting hat song. Neither of them are mine.
Enjoy!
Chapter 15
"We should get back." Ryou said, jealously eyeing the way that Malik had his arm around Ellie. Bakura, who was paying very close attention to what was happening, laughed loudly in his head.
-Give it a rest, Ryou. Ishtar is a charmer, but I don't think that you need to worry.- He said, but not meanly.
-Why are you being nice to me?- Ryou couldn't take it any longer. He wanted to know what had come over his yami.
Bakura didn't answer.
-And what about Ellie and Hermione, Koe? Why did you protect them?- Ryou prompted.
-I don't know.- Came the quiet reply, before Ryou felt Bakura retreat to the solitary of his soul room.
Ryou was just about ready to pull his hair out in frustration, but the sight of Ellie shyly skirting out from under Malik's arm made him feel better.
"No," she said to Ryou's request that they get back. Ryou's stomach lurched in both good and bad ways as she walked over to him, took his arm and continued. "We need to talk." She gently pulled him into a nearby empty compartment. She gave Yugi and Malik expectant looks as well, and they all filed in. Hermione shut the door behind them.
"What was that?" Hermione asked, her look of confusion mirroring the one on Ellie's face.
Ryou and Malik shared a worried look. They knew that they were busted.
Yugi tried to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Why did you defend us?" Hermione demanded.
"Don't act so surprised," Malik scowled. "We're not evil." Anymore.
"You sure act like it sometimes." Ellie said quietly. She wouldn't meet any of their eyes. Ryou knew what was on her mind, and he wondered once again what she and Bakura had talked about on the night that his yami wouldn't let him see.
"We're sorry that you feel that way." Yugi said. "I like you guys. I really do. But you have to understand that we can't share all of our secrets with just anyone. It's too dangerous in more ways than one."
"More ways than one?" Hermione asked, eyebrows raising in shock. "Is there somebody other than You-Know-Who after you guys?"
"Um, not really. It's very . . . Complicated." Ryou answered. Complicated didn't even begin to describe all of their situations. "Malik is right. We're not evil. Just. . . Dark." He thought for a moment. "Sometimes."
Ryou did not like the way that Ellie and Hermione both looked like they understood.
"And powerful?" Ellie asked.
Malik grinned. "Oh yeah."
"Oh."
"Hey, Ryou?" Hermione asked after she and Ellie had a second to digest that information.
"Yes?"
"That thing that you . . . you know. When the death eaters attacked you in London." She blushed a bit. "Was that a duel monster?"
Wow. Hermione was very observant. Best to go with the truth, he thought. The vaguest truth available.
"Yes. It was, Hermione."
"How did you-"
"We can't tell you." Yugi told her firmly. "I'm sorry."
"What about what just happened?" Ellie demanded. "You know Malfoy and the rest of his Slytherin lackeys are going to be looking for blood after what just happened. You shouldn't have done that."
"We'll be fine." Ryou smiled at her. When she opened her mouth to argue, he cut her off. "Really."
"If that is what Slytherin is like, then I do not want any part of it." Malik muttered, shaking his head.
"We really should get back now, though." Ryou said, laughing a little bit. "I'm sure your friends are worried." He added that last bit to Ellie and Hermione. They nodded, and the group all moved towards the door.
"Wait." Yugi said, looking slightly anxious. "You can't tell them."
"Why not?" Hermione demanded.
"Please. They already don't trust us. We just had a bit of an argume- never mind that." He shook his head, and Hermione looked slightly miffed. "The point is that they aren't our biggest fans at the moment." Yugi smiled sadly. "I don't want to give them any ammunition."
Ryou and Malik nodded in agreement.
"But they'd be pleased!" Ellie argued, looking put out. "You helped us."
"Yes. We gave them our word that we would never hurt any of you, but they are still wary of what we can do. I don't want them knowing that Ryou, um, pulled a knife on a fellow student. Slytherin or not." Yugi added, seeing how both Ellie and Hermione were ready to argue with him on that last point.
"You're asking us to lie?" Hermione asked, skeptically. "To our best friends?"
Yugi blanched.
"No," Ryou answered for him. "Just. . . Bend the facts. A little. Just until we gain their trust."
Neither girl looked pleased, but they finally nodded.
The group finally began the short trek back to their compartment. Ellie hung back, walking slowly. Ryou decided to follow suit.
"So," Said Ellie conversationally. "What were you guys fighting about?"
"You." He replied, slightly embarrassedly.
"Me?"
"You know, when I pushed you I. . . I wasn't myself. I can't explain it right now, but I really am sorry and I promise that it won't ever happen again." He blushed. "I don't ever want to hurt you, Ellie."
Once again, that flicker of understanding appeared in Ellie's eyes. It made Ryou feel sick, the knowledge that she and Hermione might know more than they were letting on.
"I forgive you, Ryou." She smiled genuinely this time. Ryou's dejection quickly turned to elation to see Ellie smiling at him like that, and he couldn't help but smile right back.
XXX
"First years! Transfers, this way! First years and transfers!" Malik hopped off of the train, and heard a woman's voice calling them over. The smallest members of the crowd were nervously herding towards her.
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry demanded Ellie, his gaze set on the woman waving a lantern high. "Isn't he back yet?"
Ellie shrugged, her head swiveling, looking for whoever Hagrid was.
"Who is Hagrid?" Ryou asked from close behind Ellie, looking really pleased that the crowd was causing their immediate proximity.
"He's the groundkeeper. . .He's supposed to be taking you across the lake." Ellie replied with a worried look on her face, sharing a meaningful glance with Harry. "You don't think . . .?" She lowered her voice and leaned in towards Harry.
"No. He was with Madame Maxine," Harry whispered firmly. "He's fine."
"Who?"
Ellie rearranged her face into an unconvincing smile, and turned to the transfers. "Never mind, it's fine. That's your ride, guys." She successfully changed the subject by pointing at the woman, and then locking eyes with Malik. "Good luck with the sorting."
With that, her and Harry turned tail and disappeared into the crowd.
With all the excitement of the fight with both Harry and Ron and the Slytherins, Malik had completely forgotten about the sorting. He groaned theatrically. "Fuck."
A first year looked offended and scurried off.
"Malik! Stop it! You'll do fine!" Yugi chirped, taking hold of his sleeves and pulling him along.
The three of them awkwardly climbed into the little boat that was meant for children much smaller than themselves, and cursed and swore as they almost capsized it.
"Stop! Stop! STOP!"
"Don't move!"
"Lean left, Ryou!"
"Ouch! That's my foot!"
"MALIK! Stop it!"
"Sorry!" He wasn't sorry.
"Will you three cut it out?!" Came the irritated voice of Professor Grubbly-Plank from across the water.
"We're trying!"
Awhile after they had finally gotten settled comfortably in the boat, Professor Grubbly-Plank announced that Hogwarts would soon rise up from the horizon. And when it did, an audible intake of breath could be heard from every member of the group.
Malik, who had grown up in an underground tomb, and then moved to modern Domino City, had never seen anything like it. A magnificent castle towered above them, with dozens of turrets and hundreds of lit up window. It provided a beacon for their ascent as they climbed out of their boats and began the trek up to their new home.
He couldn't help but join in on the excited chatter with Yugi, Ryou and the rest of the first years.
They finally made it in to the castle by way of two massive doors leading to a cavernous entrance hall. There they were greeted by Professor McGonagall, a woman whom they had met at headquarters.
She explained to them a bit of how the ceremony would work, and then pulled the three boys aside to tell them that, as transfers, they would be sorted last so that she could introduce them properly.
Yugi was bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement, Ryou was paler than, well, Ryou, and Malik felt as though he were going to throw up.
The doors opened, and the group filed into what Hermione had told him was the Great Hall. She had told him of it's magnificence, but words could not do it justice: it was lit by the starry night sky, as Hermione had told him that it was bewitched to be a reflection of the sky itself. There were also hundreds and thousands of candles, floating in midair, seemingly hovering the students, who were sat at four long tables, eagerly craning their necks to get a glimpse of the newcomers.
He loved it, it had to be one of the most beautiful places that he had ever seen. It was so different from the dark caves in which he had grown up. It was open, airy and completely and utterly magical.
Looking around at his fellow newcomers, Malik felt so out of place, towering above everybody. He and Ryou were about the same height, but they were both pretty tall, especially when they were stuck in a group of 11 year olds and Yugi.
He felt the gaze of all of the students on him, and resisted the urge to turn around and run out the doors screaming like a little girl. He stopped looking at the ceiling and instead focused on the faces, a lot of which were whispering. Most likely about the three 15 year olds that had entered with the first years.
He finally picked his friends out from the crowd. Sitting at what could only have been the Gryffindor table (as it was sitting underneath brilliant scarlet and gold flags) were Harry, Ellie, Hermione and all of the Weasleys. Ellie and Hermione waved happily, while Harry and Ron both avoided their gaze. Malik looked over at Ryou, who was blushingly waving back at them, and Yugi, who was craning his neck simply to see over everyone.
Malik jumped, when all of a sudden a voice came out of nowhere and boomed above the clatter of voices in the hall. He looked to the front, and saw, to his amazement, that an old and frayed hat sitting on a little three legged stool was the source of the singing:
In times of old, when I was new,
And Hogwarts barely started,
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted.
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach"
The four good friends decided.
And never did they dream that they
Might some day be divided
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there, so I can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin,
"We'll teach just those Whose ancestry's purest."
Said Ravenclaw,
"We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor,
"We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff,
"I'll teach the lot And treat them just the same."
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to Light
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning just like him.
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest
and taught them all she knew,
Thus, the houses and their founders
Maintained friendships firm and true.
Hogwarts worked in harmony
for several happy years,
but then discord crept among us
feeding on our faults and fears.
The Houses that, like pillars four
had once held up our school
now turned upon each other and
divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
must meet an early end.
What with dueling and with fighting
and the clash of friend on friend.
And at last there came a morning
when old Slytherin departed for the Shadows
he left us quite disarranged
as we must now reap what we sew.
And never since the founders four
were whittled down to three
have the Houses been united
as they once were meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
and you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
because that is what I'm for.
But this year I'll go further,
listen closely to my song:
though condemned I am to split you
still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
and must quarter every year
still I wonder whether sorting
may not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
the warning history shows,
for our Hogwarts is in danger
from dark and deadly Shadows.
And we must unite inside here
or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
let the Sorting now begin!
Malik had found the song a bit boring and had tuned out after a bit. But apparently that was not the right thing to do, as the whole hall had exploded into whispers. He whirled desperately on Yugi.
"What did-"
"It said that Hogwarts was in danger from Shadows!" Yugi whispered frantically to him and Ryou. "Not here!" He gestured to the crowd pressed in on them, giving him funny looks as he had just spoken in Japanese
Yugi had good timing too, as the whispering abruptly died out. Malik looked to the front and saw Professor McGonagall looking particularly murderous towards the whispering pupils.
"Abercrombie, Euan." She called impatiently. A large eared boy stumbled forward and placed the hat on his head.
He was followed by dozens of kids, all wearing the same terrified expression. The sorting went on for awhile, the crowd around the transfers dwindling until they were the only three left. Malik suddenly felt even more self conscious as he didn't have anything, not even tiny eleven year olds, to hide him from the scrutiny of his peers.
He saw Malfoy and his gang of hulking Slytherins leering at him from their table. He gulped, praying that he wouldn't be put in their house.
Professor McGonagall once again waited for everyone's undivided attention before she continued.
"We are pleased to welcome three transfer students from Japan this year. They will be joining our fifth years in their studies. I expect all of you to give them the warmest of welcomes." Her eyes lingered on the Slytherin table as the students craned, if possible, even more to see the three boys.
"Bakura, Ryou." She called, unfurling a second roll of parchment. Poor Ryou looked as though he was going to faint at any given moment, but he gathered his wits (probably a push from his yami) and walked to the stool with his head held high, and not a trace of a blush to be seen on his usually red face. Malik felt a small twinge of pride for his friend.
He put the hat on his head, and the hall fell silent. It looked as though every house wanted the transfers in their houses, as it seemed like everyone was holding their breath.
The hat was taking a long time on Ryou, whose eyes were closed. It must be having an argument with Bakura, he thought.
The crowd was getting restless. They were beginning to whisper. Malik listened in, and he immediately wished that he hadn't.
"That's them!"
"The Duel Monsters champions!"
"Oh my god! He's so cute!"
"What are they doing here?"
"Do you think that he'll autograph my hat? Next to Krum?"
Malik did not have any idea who Krum was, but there was no way in hell that he was autographing any girl's hat. He glanced over at Yugi, who looked very uncomfortable as well. It seems that he heard the whispers as well.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat finally exploded, scaring everyone out of their wits. Said table exploded in cheers and screams, louder than that of any of the first years received. Malik grinned as Ryou took a seat next to Ellie, who hugged him in congratulations.
"Muto, Yugi!" McGonagall called, and Malik was left all alone while Yugi went up, his face blanching at all the stares he received. That boy was always the centre of attention, but it seemed that he would never ever get used to it.
The hat didn't take nearly as long sorting Yugi as it did with Ryou.
"Gryffindor!"
Said table exploded into even louder cheers, seemingly elated that they received two of the transfers. Yugi seemed even more elated, and he jogged over to sit with Ryou and the others.
Malik was happy for his friends, but he was also terrified. What if he was the only one to get sorted into a different house?
What if he lost control of Marik? He needed his friends to be nearby to help him reel him in.
And, what if he was sorted into Slytherin? It seemed as though that was the house he was most suited for, as he had all of their traditional traits. But there was no way that he could sleep in the same room as Malfoy without having to booby trap the immediate area around his bed every night.
He felt sick.
"Ishtar, Malik!"
Malik took his time walking to the stool, completely forgetting about all the stares on him. All he wanted was to be put into Gryffindor, with his friends and have the peace of mind that that would bring.
He finally made it to the stool, and painfully lowered the hat onto his head.
"Ha!" A voice in his mind exploded, reverberating in a scarily familiar way to what Marik had done before he was bound. "Another one! My, my, you are powerful, aren't you?
"Yes, I can see. . . But wait? Your other half is different than those of your friends'. Hmm. So you banished him? Interesting.
"You're clever, that much is certain. Very clever. Cunning too, and ambitious. Ah, those are very much the qualities of a certain green and silver house, I know. But what's this?"
"No! Please, I want to be in Gryffindor, with my friends."
"You cannot simply ask which house you would like to be in, boy. It doesn't work that way. You would be great for Slytherin, child. An excellent addition. And Slytherin would be great for you, no doubt about that. Hmm."
"Please. Not Slytherin."
"I told you, my dear boy, you cannot choose."
"But-"
"I know exactly where to put you!"
Malik opened his eyes and waited for the sorting hat to call his fate.
XXX
Minor cliffhanger, nothing that you guys can't handle. Any guesses to which house Malik's going to get into?
A few things that I need to say. Starting with the sorting. I know it's supposed to be alphabetic, but for my own personal reasons (and in order to provide y'all with a nice cliffy) I tweaked it a bit and made Malik come after Yugi. Hope you don't mind.
The song, obviously was ripped off from the book. I tweaked it a tad, but not nearly enough to credit myself AT ALL. I would also like to cite the Harry Potter Wiki page for the song, because I copy and pasted it from there. Heaven knows I wasn't going to type the whole thing out myself, and I really wanted it in the story.
I would also like to thank everybody that has reviewed so far. You guys are my motivation, and I would like to remind you that I am totally open to ideas, criticism, as well as predictions. Don't be afraid to drop a line in the pretty little box!
Thanks for reading, and I'll hopefully see you soon!