Hiya!

Had lots and lots and lots of fun writing this chapter for y'all. There's a ton of Malik angst, and even some crazy Marik POV. I hope you like it!

At the end of the last chapter I asked you all if the Malik/Marik naming scheme was too confusing. And you all said that it was (for the most part) okay, so I'll stick with the same names for now.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing! . . . *sigh*

Enjoy!

Chapter 27

"And what exactly did you plan on doing with me?" Marik said to the tall pale man with the red eyes.

When the nemesis had attacked and stolen his pathetic hikari from him this strange magician had defended both Marik and the Millennium Items. He took him to a house where there was a big long snake that talked to Marik. The snake told him good things about the tall pale man with the red eyes but Marik still did not trust him but he knew that he needed him so he would find out what he needed him for.

"I need you to show me how to use these items," the man said. "And in return, you may keep whichever one you wish."

Marik wanted all of the items. He really really wanted all of them but he wanted his hikari even more. He wanted to make his hikari hurt for what he did. He wanted revenge on his hikari. But his hikari was being protected by all of those other magicians with the wands who came for him just moments before Marik was about to get his sweet revenge.

"I want my hikari. I want my Malik," He said. "If you help me get him then we have a deal."

The tall pale man with the red eyes smiled in a way that made Marik wish his stupid hikari didn't keep the Millennium Rod because if Marik had it Marik could read his mind and know what he was thinking. Then he felt the tall pale man with the red eyes try to get into his mind but Marik was too strong for him and he resisted as hard as he could to show the tall pale man with the red eyes that he was stronger than him. The tall pale man with the red eyes looked angry with Marik and Marik thought that he was going to try to attack him but then he looked happy again so Marik stopped worrying.

"Ah, I should have known. You're an occlumens as well," he said to Marik and laughed. "I was merely trying to find out your name."

"My name is Marik."

The tall pale man with the red eyes smiled at Marik again but it was a mean smile so Marik knew that he could not trust him. "It is such a pleasure to meet you, Marik. You will call me Lord Voldemort." Marik did not like the way that Lord Voldemort was telling him what to do but he still had the Millennium Items so Marik could not fight back yet. "And we have a deal."

And then Lord Voldemort handed Marik the Millennium Necklace but Marik did not want the Millennium Necklace because it reminded him of his stupid hikari's sister and he did not want the Millennium Eye because it reminded him of the stupid Tomb Robber.

"No!" Marik shouted angrily at Lord Voldemort. But since he was holding the Millennium Necklace it made him finally able to control the shadows so he hit Lord Voldemort with them and he went flying. "I want the Millennium Ankh!"

Lord Voldemort looked really mad this time and he pulled out a wand and pointed it at Marik and some blue stuff came flying out of it at Marik but he gathered the Shadows together once more to block the blue stuff that Lord Voldemort had sent at him.

"I want the Millennium Ankh!" Marik shouted again but this time he did not attack Lord Voldemort with the Shadows he just waited for an answer.

"You mean to tell me," Lord Voldemort said and Marik knew that he was very very angry but he did not attack anymore. "That there is another item?"

Marik knew that the man named Shadi has the Millennium Ankh and the Pharaoh has the Millennium Puzzle and the Tomb Robber has the Millennium Ring and his stupid hikari has the Millennium Rod and the Millennium Scales went missing and now Lord Voldemort has the Millennium Eye and Marik has the Millennium Necklace.

"There are seven items, Lord Voldemort." Marik said to him.

"Three are at Hogwarts, and I have two," Lord Voldemort said to Marik and he did not look mad anymore he looked very happy. "Where are the others?"

"My hikari had the Millennium Scales but they went missing and Shadi has the Millennium Ankh." Marik said to Lord Voldemort who smiled and looked very happy again.

"And where can we find this man Shadi, Marik?"

XXX

Ellie and her friends arrived at the hospital wing in record time, panting and out of breath. They met Professor Dumbledore at the entrance.

"Professor!" Hermione panted. "How is-"

"He will be fine, Miss Granger," He smiled wearily at his pupils. "You may all see him, but please do not cause him any unnecessary distress."

"Professor," Ryou asked tentatively, "He didn't - I mean, did Voldemort manage . . . ?"

Dumbledore looked very grave. "I am afraid so, Mr. Bakura. Bellatrix Lestrange performed the ritual necessary to supply Marik with a body. We have good reason to believe that Marik and Lord Voldemort are working together."

Ellie gasped in horror. Voldemort having access to that kind of power was completely unthinkable: there was no way that he could be stopped now. They were doomed.

"We can stop them," Yugi said, quite determinedly. "Voldemort has Shadow Magic and wizard's magic, but so do we. If we work together we can take them down."

Ellie was shocked at his confidence, but not altogether convinced that he was right.

Professor Dumbledore smiled down at Yugi, looking quite proud indeed. "Very well put, Mr. Muto. I believe that you are right. Now," He stepped out of their way. "Please go to your friend. I think that he needs your company more that mine at the present time. I will come see you in one hour."

The group rushed through the door of the hospital wing, but paused when Dumbledore called after them.

"And Misters Bakura and Muto? I have asked Madame Pomfrey to give you all some privacy, in case your friends wanted to wish Mr. Ishtar a speedy recovery." He winked at them, and waved his wand at the doors, which promptly slammed shut.

"Very well," Yami said, quite happily, as he phased out. Bakura quickly followed suit, and the transparent yamis followed close behind their live counterparts to the hospital wing's only occupied bed, which had the curtains drawn around it.

Yugi was the first to reach the bed, and he peeked through the curtains while the rest of the group hung back.

Ellie was quite nervous to see Malik. She was terrified to see what condition he would be in after being in Voldemort's hands for so long. And what effect would the absence of his yami have on him? Would he be awake? Would he even want to see them? Would he want to see her?

Yugi's gasp broke through her thoughts, and he ripped the curtains open, revealing the cause of his gasp to every member of the group.

"Malik!" Ryou cried, being the first to rush to his friend's side. "Your face!"

Ellie clapped her hands over her mouth, and for the second time that day felt her chin trembled as tears began to spill out of her eyes. She couldn't look away from the grotesque cut that marked her friend's face from his cheek to his neck. And on top of that, he was so very pale and had bags under his eyes that made him look as though he were ten years older than he really was.

Malik was sitting up in his bed, propped against a couple of pillows. He was clad in the striped pajamas standard of the hospital wing. His hands were clasped together tightly, and his eyes were locked on them. He never once looked up when his friends walked in.

"Are you alright?" Yugi asked with wide eyes, standing on the opposite side of Malik's bed from Ryou. "What happened?"

Malik kept his gaze firmly on his hands, which Ellie noticed were white from the strain of clenching them so hard. "Where's my Rod?" He asked quietly.

"It's right here," Ryou said, quickly pulling the Millennium Rod out of his bag and setting it on Malik's lap. Ellie cringed at the sight of it, knowing that it had taken life. But in that moment she was there for her friend, and she tried her best to banish those thoughts from her mind. "Malik, are you -"

"Don't let him get it." Malik finally looked up at Ryou, and his eyes were wild. He looked completely crazy in that moment, which both scared Ellie and made her guilt intensify tenfolds. The tears spilling down her cheeks flowed faster, and she felt Ron place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't let who get it?" Ryou asked.

"Marik." Malik said, his hands suddenly shooting forwards and firmly grabbing Ryou's shirtfront and pulling him in. "Don't let him get my Rod."

"I won't, Malik," Ryou said uncomfortably, trying to get away.

"Let him go, Malik," Bakura said firmly, stepping up behind his hikari.

"Don't let him get my Rod!" Malik raised his voice, and shook Ryou violently. His aggressive actions shocked Ellie enough that she stopped crying.

Harry hurried towards them and pulled Ryou from Malik's grasp. "Malik, calm down! You're safe."

"Harry," Malik breathed, suddenly calming down. The manic glow in his eyes disappeared, and he simply looked very weary. "You don't have to be afraid of me anymore."

"What did Voldemort do to you, Malik?" Harry asked. "And why hasn't Madame Pomfrey healed that?" He pointed to the gash on Malik's face.

Malik shrugged. "Couldn't, I guess. She said something about snake venom-"

"Nagini did that?!" Harry demanded, gasping.

Malik thought about the question for a moment before answering. "I don't know who Nagini is, but Bellatrix did this with a knife." He picked up the Millennium Rod and began examining it, as though he had never seen it before.

"She must have infused the knife with venom so the wound wouldn't heal," Harry said incredulously.

That was completely barbaric, Ellie thought, but she was still too afraid to say anything. Dumbledore said not to cause him any additional distress, and Ellie was afraid that her mere presence would work Malik up, especially in his unstable state.

"That's going to scar, you know." Bakura said, sounding almost proud.

"I have some bad news," Malik stated casually, ignoring Bakura. He finally looked up, and locked his gaze on Hermione and Ellie. "You girls might want to sit down for this one."

His façade was terrible. He was trying to appear completely nonchalant about the whole thing, but it was obvious to everyone present that he was hurting, and bad.

Hermione frowned. "Malik," She said. "We know about Marik."

"I KNOW! Ra, can't you just listen to me?!" He suddenly exploded at Hermione, causing her to step back. "I'm trying to help you! Now sit down!" He shouted, pointing at a couple of chairs next to his bed.

Ellie eyed the way that he was holding the Rod, and decided that it was in all of their best interests to listen to him in that moment. She pulled a reluctant Hermione closer to the deranged Malik and they both took the seats that he had gestured to a moment before.

"Malik . . ." Ryou began, but Malik cut him off.

"It's okay! Thank you," He nodded to the girls, suddenly calm and seemingly content. "Now I think that it's best to start by telling you that this is utterly and completely not my fault. Marik did it."

At first Ellie thought he was joking. But the look on his face said that he was anything but, and Ellie's jaw dropped. He had always felt so guilty and ashamed of Marik's actions, but here he was openly stating that he had nothing to do with whatever he was about to tell them. What in Merlin's name was wrong with him?

"N-not your fault?" Ryou repeated, apparently just as shocked as Ellie was.

Malik shook his head frantically, eyes wide. "No. No way. Please listen to me. I had nothing to do with it." He held up his hands and spread his fingers, looking very desperate for someone to believe him.

"We believe you, Malik." Ellie finally spoke up. "Marik did it. It's all his fault."

Malik nodded happily. "Yes. Don't be afraid of me. It was Marik." He then held up the Rod, as if showing off a new toy. "He took the Eye and the Necklace. Now he and Voldemort have them."

Yugi, Ryou and Yami all gasped, while Bakura let out a string of profanities. Ellie and Hermione exchanged a frantic glance, remembering Bill's letter. It had mentioned rumors of a Millennium Eye . . . could Voldemort and Marik have gotten ahold of it?

"The eye and the necklace? What are those?" Ron asked. Ellie and Hermione both shifted uncomfortably, thinking that they already had a pretty good idea of what they were.

Yugi sighed. "I suppose that we have a lot of explaining to do."

Bakura snorted. "Yeah. No secrets now that your enemies have access to our power. Ra forbid that anyone fight an unfair battle, right Pharaoh?" He rolled his eyes.

"Thief, now is not the time." Yami glared at Bakura.

"Pharaoh?" Ron asked excitedly. "Does this have anything to do with Egypt? Cause in third year my family-"

"Won 700 galleons from the Daily Prophet and went to visit Bill in Egypt." Harry, Hermione and Ellie all finished for him, rolling their eyes.

Ron looked defensive. "Well, we did."

"Go on, Yugi," Yami said, looking annoyed at the interruptions.

Yugi looked nervously at Malik, to see if he was going to be stable enough to hear the story which had affected all of their lives so much. "It all started a few years ago when my Grandpa gave me the Millennium Puzzle." He pulled it out of his robes, and held it up for all to see. "That's when it all began . . ."

XXX

In the depths of his cavernous soul room, Shadi felt a foreboding sense of dread wash over him. He stopped his meticulous planning for the girl, and looked at the Millennium Scales. They were such an important part of his plan.

Shadi was by no means a psychic, but his duty as the Keeper of the Ankh provided him with much insight towards all happenings with the Millennium Items. And something was very wrong.

The pupils in his eyes dilated as he clutched at the Millennium Ankh, and he now knew that all of his painstaking work preparing the girl was for nothing. It was too late, they were coming for him.

Her trial was over before it had even started. Shadi knew that she was nowhere near ready, but there was nothing that he could do.

He had to move. Now.

XXX

"Bloody hell," Ron said, shaking his head in amazement. "I didn't know that some game was capable of causing so much- OUCH!"

Hermione quickly snatched her hand back from where it had smacked Ron upside the head.

Ellie was just as shocked as Ron. It was unbelievable, the power that the transfers were capable of unleashing! Not only had they told them about the Millennium Items and where the yamis came from, but Ellie had never realized that the game Duel Monsters played such a significant role. She and Hermione had already figured out that the monster that Bakura had summoned to fend off the Death Eaters back in the summer was a Duel Monster, but they were flabbergasted to find out that the boys could summon any Duel Monster they pleased. She very much wanted to see their power, but she didn't dare ask now because it wasn't likely that Malik could handle it in his state.

Yami frowned deeply. "It is not just 'some game', Ronald. It has roots which would make even the founding of this school seem insignificant."

It was Hermione's turn to look offended. "Oh, Yami, I don't think that that's true. If you would just read 'Hogwarts, A History' I'm sure that you would see-"

"I think," Harry interrupted loudly. "That we can discuss that later. What's important now is the fact that Voldemort has access to two of the Millennium Items!"

"Your scar's hurting again, isn't it Harry?" Ellie asked. He always got agitated when Voldemort was happy.

"Of course it's hurting!" Harry snapped at her. "I haven't felt him this cheerful since Lestrange broke out of Azkaban."

"What did you just say?" Bakura demanded, after sharing a look with Ryou.

"I said that my scar hurts?"

"No," Bakura replied, getting right in Harry's face and pointing a finger at him. "You said that you can feel when Voldemort's happy."

Ellie had completely forgotten that the transfers didn't know a thing about Harry and Voldemort's connection.

"Er, right," Harry said uncomfortably, looking at his friends for help. "I suppose that I haven't told you lot about that yet, have I?"

"Is Voldemort your yami, Harry?" Malik asked, speaking for the first time in awhile.

Harry shook his head. "No, Malik. We just have a connection." He sighed, and rubbed at his scar. "I dunno how it works, or even if it goes both ways, but I usually feel when he's especially happy or angry. Sometimes I even have visions."

"Is that how you all knew that Marik killed my father?" Malik asked, once again without a hint of shame or guilt.

But Harry, Ron, Ellie and Hermione were all ashamed, though. They nodded their heads, eyes downcast.

"Malik," Ellie stood up and tentatively approached his bedside. "You know that we're sorry, right?"

Malik clutched the Rod to his chest defensively as she got closer, and looked very threatened at her proximity, so she stopped about a foot away from the bed. He nodded with wide eyes.

"I'm not Marik," He said.

Ellie shook her head. "No, you're not. I'm sorry that I mixed you up and said those things to you."

"We don't believe them anymore." Hermione piped in, standing up from her chair and joining Harry at the foot of Malik's bed.

"None of us do, mate," Ron added, flushing again and stepping up to stand next to Ellie.

Malik smiled slightly and relaxed his defensive posture, but then looked at Harry and frowned. "Even you?"

Harry looked slightly put out at being put on the spot like that, but Ellie believed that Harry knew deep down that none of the transfers were evil.

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Malik's face broke into a full on grin, and Ellie's heart swelled to see him look so happy after all that he had been through. She felt her eyes well up once again, and quickly wiped the moisture away.

"Are you crying again?!" Bakura asked her exasperatedly.

"No," She said unconvincingly, sniffling. She crossed her arms defensively across her chest. Bakura laughed at her, but it wasn't a mean laugh.

Hermione, Ellie was relieved to see, was equally as choked up as she was.

Ron thumped Ellie hard on the back in what was presumably a comforting gesture, but only resulted in her lurching forwards. "Girls," He said, grabbing her shoulders and yanking her up before she could fall, all while rolling his eyes. The boys all laughed while Ellie and Hermione scowled at them.

It was in this moment that Professor Dumbledore strode into the hospital wing. At his presence, Malik immediately straightened up.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Ishtar?" He asked as he approached the group.

"Better," Malik mumbled.

"I offer my sincerest apologies, but I must ask you to tell me exactly what happened to you in the past 24 hours, Mr. Ishtar." Dumbledore said, and Malik paled. "Your friends may remain, if you wish."

Malik nodded fervently. "I want them to stay."

"Professor, I don't think that Malik is ready to discuss what happened," Yugi said. Ellie agreed wholeheartedly. It was obvious that Malik wasn't nearly back to his usual self, and she thought that he should at least get a good night's sleep before he had to relive his trauma.

"I wish that that were an option, Mr. Muto," Dumbledore said gravely. "But I'm afraid to say that the Order needs this information immediately. We cannot afford to wait."

Malik sucked in a great gasp of air, then exhaled it loudly. "I can talk about it. Don't worry, Yugi."

Yugi looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded nonetheless.

"I left because Marik was about to break loose, and I knew that he would hurt people," Malik began. "I left in the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep. But Marik took over for a minute, just long enough to take the Millennium Eye and Necklace. I didn't know I had them. And I left the Rod behind because I didn't want Marik to have access to it if he were to take over for good.

"I left through Hogsmeade. I was intending on going home, because my brother and sister could have helped me restrain Marik." His gaze returned to his hands again, and Ellie thought that he was going to cry. She took a step forward and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and noticed that he didn't shrink away from her this time.

"But Lestrange and a bunch of other Death Eaters attacked me, and I didn't even know that I could have fought back." He sighed, this time sounding very angry with himself. "If I could have fought back, this never would have happened!"

Ellie quickly retracted her hand from his shoulder and took a step back, once again suspecting Malik to be on the verge of a meltdown.

He clutched the Rod with a grip so tight that his whole body shook. His face contorted with rage, and a vase on his bedside shattered, spraying Yugi with broken bits of glass.

Ellie felt hands on her shoulders, and the next thing she knew Ryou had pulled her behind him and he approached Malik's right side and wrestled the Rod out of Malik's hands. As soon as it left his grasp Malik's rage disappeared, to be replaced with a very pained expression.

"Don't let my yami get that, Ryou." Malik said.

"I won't. Don't worry." Ryou replied.

Professor Dumbledore didn't even skip a beat. "Can you continue with the story, Malik? What happened when the death eaters captured you?"

Malik's face returned to normal as he carried on as though nothing had happened. "They knocked me out with some spell," He shrugged to indicate that he had no idea which spell it was. "And when I woke up I was in this dark room. Voldemort was there." Malik looked angry again, but this time he didn't act on it. "He wanted me to call him 'Master'."

Dumbledore nodded. "I expect he wanted to see if you would willingly submit to him before he had to draw out Marik. Please, continue."

"One of the death eaters there said something about getting a prophecy," Malik said, and Ellie instantly remembered how Malfoy and Lestrange were discussing a prophecy in Knockturn Alley. "But Voldemort said that he was blinded by his hate for you." He nodded at Harry.

"Could it be the same prophecy that we heard them talking about in Knockturn Alley?" Hermione asked Dumbledore excitedly. But Dumbledore just shook his head and gestured to Malik, who looked anxious to finish his story. "Sorry," Hermione mumbled.

"Then Voldemort tried to get inside my head." Malik puffed up a bit, as though he were proud. "But I didn't let him."

"I expect that he didn't like that," Ryou commented. "Did he?"

"No," Malik said, frowning again. "He used the Cruciatus Curse on me when I told him to fuck off."

Everyone gasped at both Malik's language in front of Dumbledore, and the fact that he had just confirmed that he had been tortured. Dumbledore just gravely waved off his language.

"They tortured me for a long long time," Malik said, not noticing what had just happened. He looked quite distracted, as though he was reliving his torture instead of just talking about it. Ellie wanted to approach him again to comfort him again, but Ryou stood between her and Malik. She bit her lip instead, and focused on not bursting into tears again. Poor Malik.

"It got harder to resist him trying to get into my head, but I never let him in. He kept saying that if I would just let him in, then the pain would stop. But I couldn't!" He shook his head desperately. "If he got into my head then he would have known everything!" Malik looked down again. "I suppose it doesn't really matter now, though, does it? He's got Marik. Marik will tell him everything."

"It's alright, Malik," Hermione said. "We'll stop them."

Hermione didn't sound as though she were all too convinced of that herself, but Malik seemed consoled.

"Thanks, Hermione," He beamed. Ellie couldn't keep up with his mood swings.

"What happened next, Malik?" Yami asked.

Malik frowned. "He said that if he was wrong, then I would die. What did he mean by that, Professor?"

"I suspect that Lord Voldemort was worried that he would kill you." Dumbledore frowned deeply, and for once he looked a lot older than usual. "It there was not another being inside your head at the time, you would have died. And that would have meant that he would not have you for his own needs anymore."

"Oh," Malik said, clearly not liking that answer. But he just quickly carried on with his story. "Then they brought in a big cauldron, and threw me in." He shrugged. "That hurt, too."

"Oh, Malik," Ellie said softly, shaking her head.

"I think that they dug up my father's grave," Malik went on. "Because Lestrange started raving about his bones."

Everyone knew this to be true, and that the bones would have actually been in the cauldron with him, but Malik did not need confirmation of that in his present state.

"Then Lestrange cut off her hand, I think, and chucked it in." Malik looked disgusted. "A little extreme, if you ask me."

Ellie quickly looked over at Harry to see how he was doing listening to Malik describe this process. She knew that he still frequently dreamt about the graveyard where Voldemort was resurrected. He looked pale, but otherwise gave no sign of how he felt.

"And then she did this," Malik pointed at the cut on his face.

"Curious," Dumbledore interrupted. "They used your own blood to revive your yami. Very curious."

"Isn't it supposed to be blood of the enemy, or something?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley. Peter Pettigrew used Harry's blood in Voldemort's own resurrection. It is very interesting that they believed that Malik would be, in effect, his own worst enemy."

"But, sir," Ellie interjected. "Voldemort used Harry's blood to make him stronger, because now he can touch him without getting hurt. Marik won't be any stronger from taking Malik's blood, would he?"

"That is an excellent question, Miss Milton." Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "We shall have to wait and see. Now, Mr. Ishtar, is this when your yami came to have his own body?"

Malik first nodded, and then quickly shook his head. "He did, but I went all numb first. I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything! And there was this horrible pressure in my head. I think that it was Malik trying to get out. I tried to resist, but he was too strong for me." He looked sadly over at the Rod in Ryou's hands. "When I let go, the numbness left. And then Marik was in the cauldron with me."

Malik paused, and nobody said anything. The tension in the room was so high that Ellie could have heard a pin drop from the other side of the hospital wing.

"He said that he was going to punish me for locking him away." Malik's lip quivered. "But then Voldemort interrupted him, saying that he could only have me if he accepted Voldemort as his master."

Malik sighed heavily. "And Marik accepted. I passed out then, and I suppose that's when the order came to rescue me."

"There is a chance that Lord Voldemort will not be able to use either the Millennium Eye or the Millennium Necklace, thank Ra," Yami said.

"You don't know that for sure, Yami," Ryou said. "And even if he can't, I'm sure that they will be able to find a death eater that can."

"And Merlin knows where the Scales have ended up," Ron pointed out.

"What if Marik teaches Lord Voldemort how to duel and engage in Shadow Games?" Yugi squeaked. "Professor, you need to let us teach the Order how to duel, otherwise they will be defenseless!"

"Not to worry, Mr. Muto. The same thought had already occurred to me, and I was going to contact your Grandfather and enlist him as a teacher."

"That's a great idea!" Ryou said.

Yugi bit his lip anxiously. "Will he be safe?"

"I assure you, Mr. Muto, no harm whatsoever will come to your Grandfather. He will remain safely at Headquarters with Sirius."

Harry perked up. "Sirius could use the company, Yug."

Yugi nodded slowly. "His English isn't the best, but I'm sure that he would love to help."

"Thank you, Mr. Muto. I shall contact him immediately." Dumbledore said, and then frowned. "Ah, Mr. Muto and Mr. Bakura," he nodded at the yamis, "I think that it would certainly be in your best interests to disappear now. Madame Pomfrey is on her way, and she will not react well to two spirits visiting her patient."

Yami and Bakura took his advice, and instantly disappeared from view.

"I wish you a speedy recovery, Mr. Ishtar," He pulled out a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and tossed them to Malik. "Beware, though, you would not do well to come across an unpleasant flavor. Goodnight." He turned around and walked out of the hospital wing, presumably to go contact Yugi's grandfather.

Malik eyed the sweets as though they would bite him, while Madame Pomfrey exited her office right on cue and began drawing the curtains.

"They mean every flavor, mate," Ron said. "Dumbledore's right: be careful which ones you eat."

"Curfew's in half an hour!" Madame Pomfrey barked at them as she bustled over with a tray full of potions for Malik to take. Ryou hastily shoved the Rod down his shirt. "Mr. Ishtar needs his rest." She returned to her office.

"Ugh," Malik said, eyeing the potions. "I think that I would rather test my luck with the beans." He shoved the potions away and started digging around in the sweet box.

"Malik!" Ellie scolded. "Take your potions! You're not going to get better unless you do."

"But I don't want to." Malik said.

"Well I'm sorry to tell you that that isn't how it works!" Hermione joined in, hurrying closer and shoving a particularly nasty looking potion into his hand. "Go on, drink up."

Malik scowled at having the girls gang up on him, but knocked it back in one gulp anyways. He made an awful face. Ellie followed suit, and picked up the second potion to hand to him.

"If it makes you feel better," Ron said cheerily. "In second year we all had to drink potion with bits of Slytherins in it to try and figure out who had opened the Chamber of Secrets."

The potion fell from Ellie's hand and shattered when it hit the ground.

"Oh my God." Ellie whispered.

The Chamber of Secrets.

How could she have been so stupid?

"Are you alright, Ellie?" Ryou asked. Ellie ignored him, and for that matter she ignored everyone else that were staring at her.

She had suddenly realized exactly where she had seen the Eye of Horus before.

Dead centre of Salazar Slytherin's forehead, on the gargantuan statue of him in the Chamber of Secrets.

Her nightmare where she had been running down an aisle, enclosed by water on either side, had taken place in the Chamber of Secrets.

The snake that was fighting the strange monster with the head of a crocodile was the basilisk.

And as soon as she realized this, Ellie felt a pull drawing her to it. She suddenly felt as though the Chamber were a magnet, and it was tugging her in. She absolutely couldn't resist. And she knew that she had to go alone. Ellie didn't know why, but she just did.

Ellie shook her head, dazed and not wanting to rouse suspicion. "Yeah, I'm fine." She said, knowing that she was a terrible liar. She waved her wand at the mess she had just made of Malik's potion, and it instantly repaired itself and the potion hopped back into it's container. "I'm really sorry, though. I just realized something. I have to go!"

Ellie hoped that they wouldn't notice that something was wrong. She also hoped that they didn't think that she was leaving Malik for something stupid.

She kissed Malik on the forehead and told him to feel better, then jogged out of the hospital wing. Miraculously, no one followed her.

For the second time, Ellie was going to the Chamber of Secrets.

She prayed that neither monster would be there.

XXX

Okay, now that it's all out and in the open I have to ask: was it obvious? How many of you (be honest!) guessed that it was the Chamber where Ellie had seen the Eye and was having her dreams in? I know that a few of you snappy reviews had guessed it! C: Cookies to you guys!

Did you guys catch the (not so subtle) hint that Marik's a parsletongue? I thought that it would fit. Malik doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be one as well! (Not that it plays a big role in the story anyways xD )

Oh, and the crazy Marik POV! I made it all trippy and scattered on purpose, but I'm worried that it just looked like I temporarily forgot how to write. XD Like it or dislike it? I was aiming to make him look absolutely bat shit crazy, so I hope it worked!

And what did you think about crazy Malik? Is he sufficiently crazy? It was mega fun writing him like that. It was easy too. But, unfortunately his intense insanity is only temporary. *sigh*

Like I said, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I really got to have some fun with the characters. ^.^ I hope it shows.

Thanks for reading, my lovelies!