Hey guys!

Yet another exciting chapter ahead. And once again, not gonna delay you any further with my boring ANs.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Nothingnothingnothing!

On to the chapter!

Just a reminder:

Blah = transfers speaking Japanese

Blah = hikari/yami speak

Chapter 25

Ellie didn't know what to think. She felt as though she was justified in both her anger and fear of the transfers, but she just couldn't shake the hurt look on all of their faces when she accused them of being evil.

Yugi had looked upset, but Ellie figured that it was more concern for Ryou and Malik that provoked his hurt. Ellie knew that even though he wasn't even close the sweet and innocent boy she had once believed him to be, he still cared for his friends immensely more than himself. She wondered how Yami had reacted.

Ryou's expression had fazed her slightly more. He had simply looked at the ground, and shrugged a little bit. It was almost although he agreed when she called him evil. Which Ellie knew to be true, because with Bakura around he had to feel as though he were evil sometimes, if not always.

Malik's reaction was the worst, though. Ellie had expected rage, had even hoped for it. Anything would have been better than the way that his face had crumpled. He couldn't form a sentence, and he had looked utterly defeated. He hadn't even tried to defend himself.

But Ellie didn't regret it. She felt that even though they had all betrayed her and Hermione's trust, they deserved an explanation. Because they couldn't be friends anymore.

Ellie didn't want to think anymore. She downed the dreamless sleep potion that had been in her hand for hours now, and flipped over her damp pillow.

Her last thought before she fell asleep was to wonder if the transfers were mad. Would they come after her and her friends?

XXX

Ryou, I am the evil one. You are anything but.

Ryou flinched at the voice, but otherwise ignored his yami and rolled over. His sleep had been riddled by nightmares, but at least he had managed to get some. It was his first uninterrupted sleep since he had woken up from Bakura's attack.

Stop ignoring me! You can't keep running away from your problems.

Bakura was annoyed again, Ryou could tell. He was slightly worried that he would snap and attack him again, forcing him to relive that.

I would never, Ryou. Not again.

Oops. Ryou had forgotten to block his thoughts.

Then why did you do it in the first place, Koe? Ryou finally demanded. It was the first time that he had intentionally spoken back to Bakura in days.

Bakura sighed, his annoyance fading only to be replaced by guilt. Because Elizabeth was right. I am evil.

Ryou didn't answer because he knew that there was more to that, and he wanted Bakura to say it uninterrupted. He was also shocked that Bakura hadn't called Ellie 'Blondie', but her real name.

Bakura sighed again. But not on purpose. I would never hurt you on purpose, Ryou. He thought for a moment. Or Elizabeth. I would never hurt her on purpose either.

Even after what she said?

Ryou felt waves of anger coming from his yami when he mentioned what Ellie had said to them the night before. I'll do my best.

Ryou sighed into his pillow. I miss her.

I really am sorry, Ryou. The pharaoh is right, there is something manipulating me. I can feel it. But that's not an excuse. You are completely entitled to be angry with me. He paused, thinking. Ryou had never heard his yami make such a speech, and was a little shocked. I meant what I said: you are not evil. Regardless of what you saw when I attacked you.

But Ellie-

No, Ryou. You saw what you feared the most. The guilt that you feel over it is what proves that you are not evil.

Ryou felt tears brimming in his eyes. But she's so afraid of me. You heard what she said.

Bakura was silent for a very long time, so long that Ryou didn't think that he was going to answer. He couldn't even hear what he was thinking.

Then prove her wrong, he finally said, much to Ryou's surprise. Show her that you are not evil. None of you are.

I thought you didn't want me to have anything to do with her? Because we. . . you, uh. . . you know . . . Ryou hadn't forgotten their conversation before Bakura had attacked him. It had been uncomfortable, and Ryou didn't want to bring it up again, but he was curious to know what had changed the spirit's mind.

Bakura chuckled. I can handle myself, Ryou. I want you to be happy.

Ryou couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Bakura was to completely lose control again, and go after Ellie. Because this time he would be able to. It was an immense stroke of luck for Ellie that their body was unconscious last time, otherwise . . .

I will not let that happen. I promise.

Ryou felt as though an immense weight had just been lifted off of his chest. Thank you, Koe.

There was a comfortable silence in which they were both left to their own thoughts. The dim light shining through the curtains brightened with the sun, and Ryou could hear his roommates beginning to stir in their beds.

I am sorry about your Mother and Amane. Bakura finally said, causing Ryou to flinch. I know that you do not like to think about it, but I wanted to offer my condolences.

Ryou couldn't bring himself to answer. He nodded stiffly, and immediately began scrambling for things to think about to avoid talking about his mother and sister.

He was incredibly worried for Malik. Ryou himself had been hit hard by Ellie's accusations, but he imagined that it must have been a thousand times worse for Malik. He was the one that she had addressed, and her entire accusation had been one hundred percent true. Malik had killed his father.

Both Ryou and Yugi understood the circumstances, and had witnessed Malik's condemnation of Marik firsthand. It was easy for them to believe that Malik had changed, and he was now a good person.

But Ellie and Hermione? It didn't sound as though they knew the full story. Ryou had no idea how they had found out in the first place, though he suspected that it was Harry and Ron who had told them. Not many people knew about that, so there was definitely something fishy about the situation.

He rolled out of bed and dressed. Ryou knew that there was no way that he would be able to sleep in. He walked over to Malik's bed. He wanted to check on his friend, a task that he felt bad for neglecting the past week. Ryou knew what Malik was going through, but he had been too selfishly wrapped up in his own fears to focus on him.

Ryou quietly pulled back the curtains, and saw a lumpy form under the blanket that did not look like his friend.

"Malik?" He whispered, and pulled back the blanket.

There laid a pile of pillows, the Millennium Rod and a note. Ryou instantly felt the first taste of dread bubbling up in his throat as he unfolded the note.

To Yugi and Ryou,

I don't want to bore you with a sappy goodbye note. But I figure you guys would worry if I just disappeared, so I suppose I sort of have to.

I'm going home. I think you know why.

I'm leaving you the Rod. Marik's getting stronger, and I don't know how much longer I can hold him at bay. It's not safe for me to take it, and I would like to know that it's with someone I trust to keep it away from the bad guys.

And for Ra's sake, don't follow me! We all know that this is for the best. I'll let you know when I get home.

Malik

P.S - Please take care of Kuma. But watch out: she bites.

He gasped at what he read.

"Yugi! Malik's gone!"

"Huh?" Asked a groggy Yugi, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

"Malik's gone!" He repeated frantically, thrusting the Rod and the note that Malik had left in Yugi's face. "Look!"

Yugi read the note, his grogginess instantly disappearing and being replaced by genuine worry. "But, Voldemort-"

"Not here! Don't let on that he's gone." Ryou said, gesturing the their roommates, some of who were undoubtedly awake and trying to figure out why they were speaking Japanese.

Yugi nodded. "We need to talk to Dumbledore."

Ryou nodded and waited as Yugi quickly got dressed.

XXX

Harry woke to an excited Ron shaking his shoulders.

He had slept exceptionally well. He thanked Merlin that Ellie had offered to brew him a dreamless sleep potion, as he didn't think that he would be able to make it through the night without reliving that memory countless times.

He had also slept well with the knowledge that he had placed Imperturbable Charms that only he and Ron could break around their beds. The transfers weren't able to harm them while they were asleep. After what he saw he didn't trust them one bit.

"Harry! Wake up! This is our chance!" Ron was saying.

"What are you talking about?" Harry groaned as he reached over to his nightstand to grab his glasses. "What's our chance?"

"The dormitory's empty!" He said, yanking the covers off of Harry. "The transfers are gone! And Neville, Dean and Seamus are all at breakfast."

Harry realized what Ron was trying to say. He sat up excitedly. "We can search their things."

"Yeah!" Ron said, rushing over to Yugi's bed.

Harry jumped up. "Wait! Let me check the map!" He certainly didn't want the transfers walking in on them rummaging through their stuff. Merlin knows how they would react. Especially Malik. Harry shuddered again as he remembered what he had seen.

"Already did," Ron said gleefully. "Yugi and Ryou are in Dumbledore's office, and Malik isn't even in the castle! I reckon we have loads of time." Malik certainly was the one that Harry was most worried about being caught by, so that boosted his confidence.

"Where are Ellie and Hermione?" Harry asked suspiciously. He didn't really want them walking in on them, either. The girls wouldn't be angry with them if they found something of importance and told them about it later, but Harry knew they would stop them if they had the chance.

Ron shrugged, scanning the map. "They're in the library. Blimey, it's Sunday morning for Merlin's sake! Can't they give it a rest for one day?!"

Harry laughed. "That's fine, Ron. It gives us more time." He quickly joined Ron's side at Yugi's bed and helped him search.

They didn't find anything unusual in Yugi's things. Just a bunch of Duel Monsters cards, little golden stars, and a lot of muggle photographs portraying a bunch of different people.

Four of them kept appearing in most photographs, though. A short, elderly man that could only be Yugi's grandfather, a tall blonde boy with a cocky grin, another tall boy with brown hair, and a pretty brunette.

"Who do you reckon they are?" Harry asked Ron, waving one of the photographs in front of his face.

"Dunno," Ron replied, looking up from a Duel Monster's card and examining the photo. Harry suspected that Ron would love to learn how to play the game had it not been something that the transfers all loved so much. He would probably be really good at it, too. "Friends of his, I'd say."

They searched for a few more minutes, the only significant thing they found being a box containing a small stack of letters written in Japanese characters. Harry didn't know much about Japanese, but he definitely could tell that the handwriting belonged to a girl.

Ron sniggered when Harry pointed it out. "Reckon that it's the girl from the pictures?"

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. Let's move onto Malik's stuff."

Ron quickly rearranged Yugi's things so that it didn't look as though they had been looking through them, and joined Harry at Malik's trunk.

Their search there was equally as fruitless. There wasn't a single thing that was a cause for alarm. Malik didn't have one thing that wasn't necessary for Hogwarts, no photographs, no duel monsters cards, no muggle clothes, and certainly no threatening objects. The golden rod wasn't even there.

They quickly moved onto Ryou's things.

Ryou had lots of Duel Monsters cards, books and clothes lying around. But they didn't find anything out of the ordinary there, either.

Ron grunted in frustration. "Bloody hell, we didn't find a single bloody-"

"Wait," Harry interrupted. "We didn't check his night table." He pulled on the drawer, only to find that it was locked.

"Alohomora," Ron pointed his wand at the drawer, which instantly sprang open. "Thank you, Hermione," he grinned.

The pair instantly dove into the drawer, pulling out a beautiful golden locket, a pair of cracked glasses, and a small box. Ron examined the locket while Harry opened the box and pulled out another stack of letters. Fortunately, these ones were written in English. Harry unfolded the one on top.

"Who's Amane?" Ron asked.

"Dunno," Harry replied. "Only one way to find out," he said, and began to read:

"Dear Amane,

Hogwarts is everything I've dreamt of and more! You would love it here, it's amazing. It's this big giant castle surrounded by the most beautiful mountains, forests, and lakes. It's completely magical, and it reminds me of the games we used to play as kids. Do you remember, Amane?

The people here are great, too. I've made a few friends. Their names are Ellie, Hermione, Ron and Harry.

Ron and Harry were a little bit suspicious of us at first, but we talked it out and I think that they understand that we really don't mean them any harm. They still don't want us around much, but I think that we will be good friends soon. Ron is very funny, and I can tell that Harry treats his friends very well.

Hermione is really smart. She reminds me a lot of Father, how she's always reading and studying. She's been a really good friend to us, and she's fun to hang around with when Yugi and Malik want to duel.

And you will love Ellie, Amane. She's very kind, brave, smart and pretty. She helps me out a lot with homework, and always makes sure Yugi, Malik and I don't get lost in this big castle. She's been a great friend, too. She always includes us, even when Harry and Ron don't want us around. Everyone likes her and wants to be her friend. She is truly the nicest person that I have ever met. Even Bakura likes her, I think. He acts like he doesn't, but I know him well enough to tell that he really does, whether he knows it or not.

Father is well. He sends me letters sometimes, but I think that he is still very sad. He is always working, and I don't get to see him very often. But that's okay, because my friends usually make me feel better.

I should go now, Amane. I think that somebody is coming upstairs. I promise that I will write you soo. Don't you ever think that your big brother has forgotten about you.

Give my love to Mother.

Love always,

Ryou"

"Blimey," Ron said. "I didn't know that Ryou had a sister."

"I wonder where she is," Said Harry. Ron shrugged.

"And who is Bakura?" Ron sniggered. "Is he referring to himself? He must really be some nutter. . ."

"Hang on," Harry said. "He said that they don't mean us any harm. Do you reckon that that's true?"

Ron shrugged. "Couldn't tell you, Harry. They haven't done anything against us yet, have they?"

"Well, I suppose not . . ." Harry said thoughtfully. They had almost gotten into a fight, and Ryou had roughed Ellie up once, but they had explicitly said on many occasions that they did not want to be on bad terms. "But there was still that memory . . ."

Ron nodded, setting the locket aside and they dissolved into silence once more.

They rifled through more of the letters and read them. Harry noticed that Ryou talked about Ellie a lot in the letters. It kind of worried him, it almost seemed as though Ryou were obsessed.

"Uh, Harry?" Ron finally said, interrupting his reading about how Ellie had shown Ryou around Hogsmeade.

"What?"

"Why haven't any of these letters been sent?"

Harry was gobsmacked. He couldn't believe that he hadn't questioned that before now. Here was a huge stack of letters, almost one per day, and none of them have been sent.

"Maybe . . . maybe she's in Japan? And the owls won't fly that far?" He speculated doubtfully.

"That can't be it," Ron said. "Because Yugi and Malik send letters there all the time, remember?"

Harry shrugged, and resumed his reading. But now that the question had been raised, it wouldn't stop bugging him. Where exactly was Amane?

"Bloody hell, Harry! Look at this!" Ron's voice cut him out of his thoughts. He was looking at a photograph.

Harry leaned over and gasped.

"Is that Ellie?!" Ron leaned in for a closer look.

It was not Ellie, Harry knew. But it certainly did look exactly like her. It was quite unnerving, actually. The photograph portrayed a small girl with very unruly blonde curls, pale pale skin, glasses, and a smile that radiated happiness and innocence.

"No. . ." Harry said. He took the photo from Ron's hands and flipped it over. The handwriting on the back read 'Amane Bakura, 11 years old'.

"That's Amane?" Ron yelped.

They were too wrapped up in the photograph to notice Ryou slipping through the door.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

XXX

"Ah, Misters Bakura and Muto. I must say, you are awake early." Professor Dumbledore smiled. "But by the looks of things, you are not merely here for a visit. Please make yourselves comfortable, boys." He gestured to a pair of chairs sitting in front of his desk, and they sat down, looking around.

Yugi was almost too worried about Malik to notice his surroundings. Almost.

Professor McGonagall had shown them how to get into the headmaster's office on their first week, for emergencies such as these. But they had never actually been inside. And the contents of the room were far too fascinating to ignore.

The large, circular room's walls were covered by dozens of paintings. Every occupant, Yugi noticed, appeared to be asleep. But Yami's perceptive eye told Yugi that many, if not all, seemed to only be pretending.

There were strange objects everywhere, covering the surface of many tables. Yugi had no idea what these objects could do, and was tempted to pick one up. Only the urgency of the situation made him restrain himself.

The sorting hat was sat high up on a shelf, as though it were sitting on a throne. Yugi waved to it, wondering if it would speak to him, but it did not move and he felt rather stupid for waving at a hat.

But the most interesting thing by far was the phoenix perched in front of him. Neither Yugi nor Yami had ever seen a real live one, and they were both amazed by her beauty. Yugi felt a small pang of sadness when he thought of how much Malik would love her, and he quickly brought his attention back to the matter at hand.

"Professor," he said. "Malik's gone."

Dumbledore didn't answer for a moment. Then, finally, "Gone?"

"Yes, sir." Ryou nodded. "He left during the night."

"Where did he go?"

"He left a note saying that he was going home," Yugi said hesitantly. "Will he be okay?"

"I should hope so." Dumbledore said. "You boys are all more than capable of taking care of yourselves, however-"

"No," Yami had phased out. "Malik left the Millennium Rod, which is the source of his power here."

At the mention of Malik actually being defenseless, Dumbledore's face took on an expression that was quite unnerving. Yugi instantly could see why he was such a respected and feared wizard. "I will send out a search party at once." He walked over to the open window, and fired what looked like a silvery phoenix out of his wand.

"If Mr. Ishtar is still nearby, the Order will find them." He stated, resuming his seat behind his desk. "Mr. Muto, I need you to tell me why he left safety and such a powerful item behind."

Yugi hesitated. He knew that Dumbledore knew about Yami and Bakura, but Marik was a whole other story. Would he still want to save Malik if he found out what Ellie and Hermione had?

Something tells me that he already knows, Aibou. Yami said, sizing the man up as though he were an opponent in a particularly tricky duel.

Then why is he asking, Yami?

I think that he wants to hear you say it. He is a forgiving man, I can tell. You should tell him, Yugi.

"Um," Yugi began. "Malik has a dark side as well, Professor. But he is different from Yami and Bakura."

"Different?"

Yugi hesitated again, and he was grateful when Yami stepped in to explain for him.

"He is a perverse mutation of Malik's rage. Malik has reached his breaking point one too many times, and with the help of the Shadows, Marik was formed."

"He's been a problem before," Ryou jumped in. Yugi noticed that he was acting a lot more like his normal self today, and he wondered if it was in light of the situation or, maybe he had made up with Bakura? "But Malik had confined him in his mind. He's been there ever since, but now . . ."

"I suspect that our magic has made him stronger?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, sir." Yugi lowered his gaze. "We should have told you before. But now it's too late."

"It is not, Mr. Muto." Dumbledore told him. "Now I must ask you to return to Gryffindor Tower. I have some business to attend to."

"Professor?"

"Not to worry, Mr. Bakura," his eyes twinkled as he took in Ryou's worried face. "I will notify you the moment I hear something."

"Thank you, sir."

XXX

When Malik awoke, he was blinded by the splitting headache that was pounding at his skull, and deafened by the murderous bellowing of Marik inside his head.

He flinched, somehow finding the presence of his nearly-freed yami comforting. He waited for the overwhelming sensations to subside so that he could take stock of his situation.

Malik was bound to a chair, and he found that he couldn't move an inch. The room that he was in was dark, almost pitch black. The only light was filtering in through the edges of the curtains, showing the dust that was floating around in the air. It looked as though it were a beautiful day outside, probably one of the last nice ones before winter came blowing in.

It smelled moldy. Malik suspected that this room wasn't used often.

"Ah, he's awake." A high voice came from Malik's immediate left. He couldn't turn his head enough to see it's owner, but it was just as well. The creepiest man Malik had ever seen stepped in his line of vision. "I have heard so much about you, Malik Ishtar."

The man was revolting. His skin was translucent, so white that it was almost gray. Malik could easily see the spidery veins on his bald scalp: they were the only indication that this man was even remotely human. He was tall and thin, dressed in black robes that looked to be too big for his body. But it was his face that disturbed Malik the most: his nose was flattened so that his nostrils were merely two long, thin slits. And his eyes were blood red. The very same blood red that Mclaggen claimed that Malik's own eyes had turned when he attacked him. . .

Malik knew exactly who this man was.

"I am Lord Voldemort," He grimaced in a way that looked like he was trying to smile. "But you can call me 'Master'."

"Like fucking hell I will!" He yelled, struggling against his bonds. "Let me go!"

At his sudden struggle, Lestrange and one of the men that had helped capture him stepped into his view. They both had their wands pointed straight at his heart.

"How dare you disrespect our Lord!?" Lestrange demanded. "Master, shall I teach him some manners?"

Voldemort chuckled. "That will not be necessary, Bella. I have other plans for him."

"Perhaps," said the man. "He can help us obtain the prophecy?"

"Lucius, you are blinded by your hate for Harry Potter." Voldemort said, still smiling and never taking his eyes off of the still struggling Malik. "I have much more important uses for this boy. But first, I need to be sure that it is true."

"Be sure of wha-AHH!" Malik yelped in surprise.

He suddenly felt a presence in his mind, one that wasn't Marik. It was similar to how he felt when Shadi used the Ankh on him. He knew that Voldemort was trying to read his mind.

Malik instantly pushed him out. He had far too many secrets, secrets that would be devastating if they were to fall into the wrong hands.

The pressure on his mental defenses got worse, and Malik found himself straining under it. But he did not give.

"Ah," Voldemort said, the sick smile vanishing from his face. "An occlumens."

Malik had no idea what an occlumens was, but he didn't give a damn at that point. "Get the hell out of my head!"

"You will learn," Voldemort hissed, seemingly angry now. "To respect your master. Crucio!"

Malik screamed. He didn't know that a simple spell could cause so much pain. It was worse than every hit he'd ever received in the Shadow Realm combined. He tried to thrash, but his bonds made that impossible.

Voldemort lifted his wand, and Malik panted for air.

The pressure on his mind returned, and Malik found that after this attack, his mental defenses were slightly weaker.

Bellatrix laughed.

"You might as well just give up now, boy. The Dark Lord will win in the end, you'll save yourself a lot of pain," the Death Eater named Lucius said.

Malik rolled his eyes. "Your funeral," he said nonchalantly. He hoped that his fear wouldn't show.

"Crucio!"

XXX

Ryou had left Yugi in the common room, saying that he was going to go upstairs and grab his homework. He needed something to fill his time with while they waited for news of Malik.

But he froze when he walked through the door.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bakura demanded. At the sight of Harry and Ron snooping through his hikari's private things, he has instantly taken over.

He felt Ryou's dread. It was like being hit with two bombs in one day for the poor boy, and Bakura wasn't going to let this slide.

Let me talk to them, Koe. Ryou said quietly. Bakura was shocked to see that he was willing to stick up for himself.

No, I will handle this for you. He didn't want Ryou to have to deal with these two imbeciles after what he'd been through in the past week.

Please, Koe! He pleaded, to Bakura's even greater surprise. I want to make this better.

Bakura reluctantly relented, but he remained poised to take over.

"Who is Amane?" Harry asked. He looked determined, but Ron just looked pale, causing his freckles to stand out even more so than usual.

Harry stood, a photograph clutched in his hand. Bakura's heart sank when he realized which photograph it was. "Who is Amane?" He demanded again.

Ryou sighed, the confirmation that they had actually read the letters hitting him hard. But he stepped forwards confidently. He took the photograph out of Harry's hands and smiled sadly at it. "Amane is my sister." He said.

He didn't feel angry at all, Bakura noticed. Just sad and emotionally exhausted. That made Bakura want to take over and send these two fools to the Shadow Realm even more, but his hikari's determination was the only thing that was stopping him.

Harry nodded as though he had thought so.

"Where is she?" Ron asked. His voice was slightly higher than usual, but otherwise his face had returned to it's normal color when he realized that Ryou wasn't going to attack them.

Ryou hesitated for the first time. Bakura knew that he had a hard time accepting his mother and sister's deaths, and he avoided saying it out loud at all costs. He even spoke about them as though they were still alive, sometimes. Bakura gave him a gentle nudge. "She's dead."

Shame mixed with Ryou's sadness as the revelation of these letters hit Harry and Ron.

Ryou's letters to Amane were his biggest secret: not even Yugi or Malik knew. He would write them in the dead of night, or when the dormitory was empty. They were the only times that Ryou would allow himself to think of his sister and mother, and when he wrote the letters it was easy for him to pretend that they would receive them. It was his only way to cope.

Even before Bakura had realized that he truly cared about the boy, he had left him alone during these sessions. They have always been sacred to Ryou, and out of respect he had never brought them up, and tried not to think about them for his hikari's sake.

But Bakura could tell that Ryou was embarrassed that Harry and Ron had found them. He poured his heart into the letters, and they were for his eyes only.

"Dead?" Ron repeated. "Then why did you- ow!" He shut up when Harry hit him.

"Dead how?" Harry asked, slightly suspiciously. Bakura figured that he thought that Ryou had killed them, as Malik had killed his father.

"Car accident," Ryou whispered, looking down at the photograph once more.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry," Harry finally said. When Ryou looked up, both he and Bakura could see that he truly meant it.

"Thank you." Ryou began picking up the letters and stacking them into the box. He kept the photo clutched firmly in his hand, though.

"Is that her?" Ron asked, holding out Amane's old locket and gesturing to the photograph.

Dread filled Bakura at this question. He knew that they had definitely noticed the similarities between his hikari's little sister and their friend, Elizabeth.

"Yes," Ryou said, possessively taking the locket back and clutching it with the photograph. "She was 11."

Thankfully, neither boy pointed out the connection. Bakura knew that Ryou was now aware of how alike the two girls were, but it took the nightmare of Amane turning into Ellie at the car crash for him to realize it.

It was yet another thing that he didn't like to think about.

Bakura noticed that Harry and Ron were exchanging a look, seemingly communicating something, but he neither knew nor cared what it was.

Ryou?

I'm okay, Bakura. He sighed. But thanks.

"Is your mom, er, dead too?" Harry asked.

"Yeah." Ryou was gaining some confidence now. "I write those letters because I miss them. They were never supposed to be read by anyone else." His words could be taken as accusatory, but his tone was anything but.

"We're sorry that we went through your stuff," Ron said, averting his gaze with his ears flaming red. "We were just looking for, uh. . ."

"Evidence that I am evil?" Ryou asked.

"Sort of," Ron mumbled.

"Did you find any?"

"No," Harry and Ron both said.

"I don't think that you are," Harry continued. "I did, but not anymore." Ron nodded fervently in agreement.

Bakura thought that they had a hard time believing that anyone who wrote sad letters to their deceased mother and sister could be evil. And he agreed wholeheartedly.

Ryou felt a small trickle of hope, Bakura noticed. "You don't?" He asked.

They shamefully shook their heads.

Ryou carefully placed the box with all of the letters, and Amane's locket back in the drawer with her glasses. He closed it, not bothering to lock it this time.

"Neither are Malik and Yugi, you know." Ryou said.

"I don't think that Yugi is," Ron argued. "But Malik, well, you know . . ."

"That wasn't Ishtar." Bakura said, phasing out. He figured that it was high time to explain to these fools what was really going on. It was too much trouble to have to lie to them all the time, especially with them constantly snooping around. "At least, not the one you know."

Ron yelped, and Harry jumped back.

"Blimey!"

Not at all to Bakura's surprise, Ryou blushed. "This is Bakura," He said embarrassedly.

"Bloody hell! How are you doing that?!" Ron demanded with wide eyes.

"You know," Bakura stated, "Your girlfriends are a lot smarter than you fools."

"Er, what?" Harry asked.

"They figured it out months ago." Ryou actually laughed. "Ellie and Hermione, I mean."

"Figured what out?" Ron asked. "What are you, a ghost?!"

Bakura scowled at being asked such a ludicrous question. "Of course not. I am a spirit."

"Bloody hell," Ron said, heavily sitting down on the bed.

"You mean to tell me," Harry asked, sounding slightly angry, "That Ellie and Hermione knew?"

Bakura grinned. "Yep."

"It's not their fault," Ryou was quick to jump to their defense, regardless of what Ellie had said to them last night. Neither of them had forgotten. "We made them swear not to tell."

Harry still looked angry, but Ron looked incredibly intrigued. "Do Yugi and Malik have, er, spirits too?"

Ryou nodded. "Yugi has one. We call him Yami." They both braced themselves for the information that they would have to relay next. "And Malik's is . . . Different, though."

"That's who killed his father." Harry stated.

Ryou nodded. "It isn't his fault. They are very difficult to control."

Bakura snorted. Difficult? Ryou made it sound like he could control him. As if.

"Hang on," Harry said, the expression on his face making it look as though he had just realized something. He whirled on Bakura. "You're the one who took out those Death Eaters. And you're the one who hurt Ellie."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Fool. You truly believed that my hikari was capable of such violent acts?"

"Bakura," Ryou said warningly. Bakura scowled, but he shut up none the less.

"H-hikari?" Ron asked, completely butchering the pronunciation.

"It means 'light'," Ryou replied, once again actually laughing. "Bakura is my yami. That means darkness."

"Ugh. I hate Japanese," Ron groaned.

"But," Harry said, ignoring Ron's complaints, "Doesn't that mean that all of you, especially Malik, are dangerous?"

Ryou shook his head. "Yugi's yami is actually quite stable. You don't have to worry about him at all." He then smiled warmly over at Bakura, who couldn't help but smile tentatively back. "Bakura here isn't as bad as he used to be. You should be fine as long as you don't make him mad."

"No promises," Bakura couldn't help but growl over at them, smirking when he saw Ron go slightly pale again.

"And Malik bound his yami awhile back, after he caused some . . . problems." Ryou said hesitantly. "But lately, we think that he's been getting stronger, which is why . . ."

"He beat Mclaggen to a bloody pulp?" Ron offered.

"Yeah. . ." Ryou bit his lip, knowing that he had to tell them that Malik left. "And the thing is . . ."

"Ishtar ran away." Bakura finished for him, quite bluntly.

"What?!" Harry yelped.

Ryou nodded gravely. "He reckons that his yami was about to break free. And he was upset because Ellie and Hermione found out about how his father-"

"No! Don't you see? Voldemort wants him! A lot. It isn't safe for him out there!"

"What do you mean?" Ryou asked worriedly.

"It didn't make sense before," Harry said anxiously getting up and rushing to the door. "But Voldemort wants his yami! To set him free and give him a body! And now he's out there, unprotected!"

The three boys gasped.

"Get Yugi," Ron said. "We need to talk to Dumbledore."

XXX

Malik's bonds had long since been released. There really was no point to them, anymore, as he was laying on the floor, so spent that he couldn't escape even if he had had the chance.

"Crucio!"

He had been being tortured for what seemed like hours on end, screaming and thrashing. It was all a blur to Malik, all he knew was that he desperately wanted to go home. To Isis and Rishid.

Once again, he felt the invasive poking at his mind. It was the only thing that Voldemort hadn't managed to do to him, break his defenses. Through all of the pain, Malik at least sought some pride in the fact that he hadn't given in. Yet.

"Wormtail," Voldemort called, "Bring in the cauldron."

"Yes, My Lord."

A short man that had joined them awhile ago bowed low and scuttled out of the room.

"Malik," Voldemort said to him, towering over his tortured body. "You have had your chance. I could have let you live." Through the haze of Malik's vision, he saw Voldemort shake his head, almost sadly. "But since you will not allow me access to your mind, I cannot be sure if I am correct. If I am mistaken, you will die."

"Fuck . . . you," Malik managed.

Bellatrix spat on him.

Malik didn't even have the energy to wipe it off.

Voldemort merely laughed, and stepped aside as he was replaced by a massive black cauldron that was levitated in. A fire was quickly lit underneath it. Malik had no clue what was going on, and he didn't really think that he wanted to know.

"Bellatrix took a trip to Egypt, Malik," Voldemort said as multiple death eaters began dumping different substances into the cauldron. "She had the pleasure of visiting your father's grave."

Malik wondered what the hell that had to do with anything, but didn't have the energy to voice his question.

"I'm sure that you're going to be fascinated to know what can be done with a few simple ingredients." Voldemort laughed cruelly, right before Malik felt his body be magically picked up and thrown into the boiling hot contents of the cauldron.

He screamed at the pain, bubbles spewing from his mouth. Malik surfaced, and desperately tried to climb out. He was hit with a spell from behind that rendered him completely immobile.

Something splashed in the cauldron next to him, and he heard Bellatrix's voice begin chanting behind him.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given . . ."

XXX

Dun duun daaaaah! Surprise! I can do cliffhangers, apparently!

Not much is said about this spell in GoF, but I'm guessing that if there are two beings in Malik's head then it can be used to create a body for the second. Why not?

So, do you guys have any idea if Voldie's plan will actually go through or not? Or if the Order get there in time to stop him and save Malik? Lemme know in a review!