Gotc: Annnnnnd we're off again!
Ace: Oh God…You do realize I just dug my way out from under the six foot high pile of laundry next to your closet right?
Gotc: Did you start a load?
Ace: No.
Gotc: Then get your butt back in the fic and be useful.
Ace: But I haven't even-
Gotc: MOVE!
Ace: Eep!
Gotc: I think I enjoy tormenting him so very much….Maybe I should see someone about that….Nah. Well folks, I must say I'm glad some of you are interested in the part Ace will be playing in this fic. Well, we're not quite there yet, but I think you will all be pleased with my plans for him and the plot. BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Erhem, sorry about that. Now I kept you all waiting long enough for the last chapter so let's get this all turned around a little quicker eh? SQUEAKY!
Squeaky: Squeak! (Sorry. Ace is the only thing around here to steal, although why anyone would want him is beyond me….)
Gotc: He has his moments. Now let us move along!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon
CHAPTER 16: Suspicious Minds
The walk to Professor McGonagall's office was silent, no one really having any desire to talk. At least to each other.
(One day….Not even that! We didn't even make it all the way through our first day without you landing me in detention, and with that horrible woman no less!) Ryou sighed, more disappointed than frustrated by this point. He'd learned a long time ago to just roll with whatever kind of mayhem the spirit seemed to attract.
((Like I could let the Pharaoh get in trouble and skip out of there with a clean nose.)) Bakura snorted, ((The Ishtar's would never let me hear the end of it.))
(Oh sorry, I forgot that it's sooo much worse to have Malik and Marik making fun of us…..)
((Why are you getting so worked up at me for?)) Bakura asked, rounding on his hikari, ((Why not yell at his Highness? He's the one who was 'commanding' us to keep our heads down in the first place, and then he goes and pulls a stunt like that?))
(He must have had a reason-)
((What if I had a reason?!))
(You hardly ever have a reason, and when you do it's either: 'It was in my way', 'Something that shiny shouldn't be just sitting around like that', or 'Because I figured it would irritate the Pharaoh/Kaiba')
((Am I really getting that predictable?))
Ryou rolled his eyes as he followed Harry down the hallway. He'd managed to re-take his body shortly after they'd left Umbridge's clutches, and surprisingly the spirit didn't put up much of a fight about it. Which led Ryou to the belief that Bakura really was serious about Yami getting in trouble and not him. A quick glance over at his companion confirmed that Yugi had taken control back as well. To anyone watching, the shorter teen walked with his eyes downcast, almost as if he were counting the floor tiles in front of him. However, Ryou knew the glazed over look in his eyes better than that, having worn it on his own face many times before. Only Yugi didn't look mad or confused, as Ryou usually did. Instead he looked truly concerned, and deep in thought. But it only lasted for a moment, before he blinked once and refocused his gaze back on the world around him.
"Hey…" Harry said, slowing up to face the two, "Thanks for that back there."
"For what?" Yugi asked, looking at Harry, "I think we just made things worse."
"Yeah…" Ryou sighed, "It seems to be a talent of ours."
"No," Harry chuckled humorlessly, "I met Umbridge this summer, and I think she's had it out for me ever since then."
The young wizard scratched the back of his head in weary frustration, looking up at the ceiling several stories above him, as if it held the answers to all of his problems.
"It's been like this all summer," He said shaking his head, "People think I'm some kind of nutter after what happened at the end of term last year. I mean sure everyone back at the Order believe me, but everyone else? Well, you guys heard about what happened with Seamus last night didn't you?"
"The quick version, but yeah," Yugi admitted.
"I have the feeling it's only going to get worse from here on out," Harry said, "But you guys standing up to Umbridge in there, saying I wasn't the only one….I dunno, it just felt good to know I'm not in this by myself."
(Hear that Bakura? You actually were nice to someone.)
((It wasn't intentional and you know it!))
"To be honest," Ryou said with a chuckle, "I'm just glad to be away from that hat of hers…"
"No kidding!"
The three shared a laugh at their professor's expense, when a door to their left swung open, revealing Professor McGonagall with an uninviting look emanating from behind her glasses.
"What on Earth are you three doing out of your classes?" She demanded, effectively reminding the three why they'd been spared the rest of Umbridge's class in the first place.
"We were sent to see you," Harry said grudgingly holding out the sealed note they'd been given.
"All of you?" McGonagall asked with searching eyes as she took the note and slit it open with a tap from her wand.
Her eyes scanned the paper, carefully reading each line, her expression becoming more and more difficult to read with every passing second. When she did finally finish it, she only slipped the note into her robes and turned her back to the boys.
"Come inside," She said curtly, heading inside without even making sure they would follow her directions.
Harry let out a heavy sigh, and obediently followed her in, while Yugi and Ryou hesitated for a moment before following suit. As soon as all three were inside the office's threshold, the doors swung shut behind them with an ominous thud. McGonagall took a seat at her desk, setting the note out in front of her, and watching the boys carefully.
"Is it true?" She asked after an uncomfortable moment of silence.
"Professor?"
"Did you three shout at Professor Umbridge?"
"Yes."
"And you called her a liar?"
"Not outright-"
"And you told her He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back?"
"Yes."
Shaking her head, McGonagall removed her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose in an attempt to alleviate the headache she could already feel manifesting.
"Have a biscuit you three."
"What?"
"Have a biscuit," McGonagall repeated, waving her hand at a small checkered tin laying amongst piles of papers on her desk, "And sit down."
The three all exchanged confused looks. They had expected some kind of an outburst, rather than a show of hospitality from such a stern-looking woman. Cautiously, they all reached for a Ginger Newt, and found a seat, as McGonagall continued to eye them seriously.
"You three need to be careful," She said quietly in a voice that almost sounded human, in place of the crisp, no-nonsense tone that had become associated with her, "Misbehaviour in Dolores Umbridge's class could cost you much more than house points and a detention."
"What do you-" Ryou started to say
"Use your common sense!" She snapped, the human quality in her voice gone as quickly as it had come, "I'm guessing you all heard her little speech before you were kicked out of her class?"
"Yeah," Harry shrugged.
"It's the same one she gave to the rest of the faculty this morning," McGonagall sighed, And you Potter, should know where she comes from and who she reports to better than most."
Somewhere outside, a bell trilled and the distinctive rustle of students pouring into the halls seeped into the office. McGonagall gave the note in front of her a small tap with her finger, as she stood up.
"This says you will be having detention with Professor Umbridge every night this week, starting Wednesday night."
"What!?" The three exclaimed, horrified by the very idea of being around the toadish woman any more than absolutely necessary.
"Professor," Harry pleaded, "Couldn't you-"
"No I couldn't," She said curtly, extinguishing all hope to overturn their punishment.
"We were telling the truth!" Yugi pointed out, "If there's a threat to the rest of the students, she's only going to-"
"This isn't about who's right and wrong!" McGonagall shouted, slamming one hand down onto her desk, "It's about keeping your head down and holding your tongue!"
For a moment, there was a stalemate between students and teacher, as both sides resolute in their thinking refused to believe the other was right. At last, the three students stood up, heads down in defeat, although neither wanting to admit it.
"Understand Professor Umbridge is here for a reason," McGonagall said, "And that she'll do whatever it takes to help the Ministry gain a foothold here at Hogwarts, even if that means she has to make examples out of people along the way."
Then she looked right at Yugi and Ryou, her green eyes boring holes into them as if to make a place to store her next words.
"You two need to be exceedingly careful in how much about your escape you give to anyone, not just Delores Umbridge," She said carefully, "The Ministry doesn't yet know all the details, and you could give away the Order without meaning to."
Yugi and Ryou nodded solemnly in agreement, although not quite meeting the professor's sharp gaze. It was like some unspoken arrangement between them. The Ministry was still in the dark about them, but even the Order was missing a large part of the story and they were well aware of that, even if they didn't push the boys for information. McGonagall didn't push the fact either, as she opened the door for the boys and pointed them out of her office.
"What happened to 'laying low'?!"
Yugi and Ryou had been dreading dinnertime ever since their dismissal from McGonagall's office. News travelled even faster in the magical community it seemed than in the digital one. Everywhere they went, they had heard whispers and murmurs about the shouting match that had taken place in Umbridge's class. They had yet to decide which was worse: the gossip itself, or the looks they received when they passed a whispering group. No one was making any attempt really to conceal the topic of their conversations and it was getting to the point of being unbearable. Even amongst the Gryffindors there were inquisitive stares coming from all angles, punctuated by the hushed and garbled conversations.
Harry looked to be having an equally miserable time, but was offered some relief from the stares by sitting with Ron and Hermione. Yugi and Ryou had ended up retreating to a semi-deserted end of the long table, in an attempt to find some respite, only to have and angry Malik and Kaiba descend on them.
"Look Kaiba," Yugi tried to explain, "It wasn't-"
"I don't want to hear to hear your excuse!" The livid CEO growled through clenched teeth, trying to keep from yelling as he would if they were back in his office, "On top of having to run my company long-distance and this school work, I do not want to add babysitting you three to my list of things to do! You do realize that woman will be out for all of us now, right?"
"Oh get over it," Malik turned on Kaiba, "Now Marik and I are gonna have to work twice as hard to make her life miserable now that she's gonna be doing the same to me!"
"Do you just plan on being hated by everyone you encounter Malik?" Yugi asked wearily, propping up his head with one hand, "Or is it just a gift?"
"You mental ward rejects are missing the point!" Kaiba hissed, shooting a glare at a group of second years, sending them scurrying for safer ground, "People are suspicious about us! I had someone ask me today about how we managed to get out of Domino with Death Eaters on our tails! And you drawing attention to us isn't helping!"
"Kaiba, we don't even know how we managed to do it. Besides, Bakura isn't exactly the easiest person to reason with when he gets an idea in his head," Ryou pointed out, "When he has an opinion, he's going to let you know about it."
"I don't care! If you don't get your psychotic episodes under control," Kaiba warned, "We're all going to be in trouble!"
Kaiba didn't say another word as he turned and stalked off towards the Ravenclaw dormitory. Several people were all crowded around the doorway, but scrambled to get out of his way as he walked through, as if touching him would cause them to burst into flames.
"He's just grumpy because they don't serve strong enough coffee here," Malik dismissed Kaiba's threat, "How are your headaches by the way?"
Yugi shrugged.
"About the same I guess," He said, "More tolerable maybe, but that might just be adjusting to it. Yami's been swapping out with me throughout the day to give me a break. How 'bout you Ryou?"
Ryou actually had to think about it for a moment. He hadn't really noticed the pounding as he had earlier, and he couldn't think of when it had subsided. He could still feel it, but it was distant, almost compartmentalized away into a small box in the furthest reaches of his mind.
"I don't hurt anymore really...," He admitted, "It's still there, just not hammering away at the inside of my skull."
"Good," Malik said, " 'Cause Marik wanted to explore the castle a little more tonight, and wants Bakura to come with us."
"You do realize we have homework right?"
((Correction Yandoushi, you and the Pharaoh's clone have homework. My evenings are free.))
Ryou rolled his eyes, ignoring the voice in his head, knowing it wasn't any good to argue with the spirit. Yugi continued to pick at his plate or a minute longer, before giving up on rousing his appetite and pushed it away from him.
"I think I'm gonna go to the library and start some of that homework," Yugi sighed picking up his bag, "I doubt it's going to be any better tomorrow, especially with Umbridge's detentions."
"I'll come too," Ryou agreed, noting all of the looks that were still coming their way, "Anywhere's better than here. What about you Malik?"
"Eh, why not," The Egyptian shrugged, "It's not like I've got anything better to do now anyway. WE'RE LEAVING, SO YOU CAN ALL STOP STARING NOW!"
Yugi and Ryou suppressed a grin as half of the Great Hall suddenly turned back to their dinner, as if it was the best meal they'd ever eaten in their lives. Malik seemed satisfied enough with the results, and followed the other two out of the Great Hall, not once looking back.
"Strange bunch aren't they?" Ron said cramming another bite of apple pie into his mouth, once the new students were out of sight.
"No stranger than anything else around here," Harry said, doing his best to ignore the attention that was now focused solely on him.
"Maybe a bit more than normal..." Hermione mused, still glancing back at the door where the three had left, "I was a bit surprised by some of the things Ryou said today in class."
"Which bit? The Ministry bashing or the knife comment?" Ron said sarcastically.
"Both," Hermione said, lowering her voice, "He just didn't seem like himself today. Even Yugi was a little...well off."
"You weren't exactly in character yourself today either," Harry pointed out, feeling the familiar frustration boiling back to the surface, "You were right there with us attacking Umbridge."
"I wasn't attacking anybody," Hermione argued back with a highly affronted look on her face, "All I'm saying is the whole time they were with us at Snuffle's, Ryou and Yugi just didn't seem like the type to get so upset like that. They were almost different people entirely."
"Well if you haven't noticed," Harry said standing up, "Our newest and dearest professor seems to have the innate ability to do that to people. And why do you have to go criticizing the only other people in this castle who actually believe me?!"
"They aren't the only ones who believe you Harry," Hermione said, making subtle gestures for him to sit back down, "But you don't understand how everything looked when you came back clutching Cedric's dead body, and Dumbledore said you'd fought You-Know-Who. Then everyone went home for the summer, where they spent two months reading about how you're a nutcase and Dumbledore's going senile!"
Harry was about to open his mouth to retaliate, when he realized he was drawing stares from just about everyone nearby. They all had the same eager looks on their faces, as if they wanted him to break out into another bout of shouting.
"Forget it," Harry sighed, hastily grabbing his own things, "Let's just get out of here."
Hermione didn't object to the idea, briskly gathering her bag and getting up after Harry. Ron hesitated for a moment, wondering if the attention was worth finishing his desert, but in the end decided to head off after his friends. Harry had to grind his teeth to keep from repeating Malik's earlier stunt and bellowing his irritation at the other students staring at them the whole way out the door.
The walk back to the Gryffindor common room was filled with a strained silence, with nothing but the steady drumming of rain on the windows droning in the background. Stacks of homework, his first zero of the year, and detention. It felt like time had slowed down, simply to see how many marks against himself Harry could accumulate throughout the day. A quick glance out the window confirmed that even the warm glow of light that usually came from Hagrid's cabin was still absent. Even the woods seemed unusually dark and more unwelcoming than normal-
Harry blinked once, thinking maybe it was the rivulets of water obscuring his vision. Staring hard into the trees, he could have sworn he saw two bright topaz eyes looking back at him from the depths of the forest.
"Hey!" He shouted after Ron and Hermione, looking away for a moment, "There's something outside!"
Ron and Hermione stopped and turned back to the window, peering out into the darkness to catch a glimpse of what Harry was talking about.
"Harry," Ron said uncertainly, "There's nothing out there..."
"Yes there is!" Harry insisted, "It's over there in the...trees..."
Harry scoured the spot where he had seen the eyes shining like two golden gems, but found nothing but dark blots of wet, shadowy leaves. Confused, Harry shook his head, wondering for a moment himself if perhaps he was going crazy.
"I know I saw something..."
"Well I don't know about seeing things," Ron said turning around, "But I think I'm starting to hear things..."
"Knock it off Ron," Harry said, not wanting to hear anymore taunts that evening.
"I don't think he's joking Harry," Hermione said cocking her head a little , to better hear the faint voices, "It sounds like they're coming from the Forbidden Corridor."
"Hardly forbidden now," Ron pointed out.
"Oh will you come on?!" Hermione sighed exasperatedly, grabbing hold of Ron's robes and towing him along behind her.
Not about to be left out, Harry jogged alongside the two, until they rounded the corner leading to the former out-of-bounds corridor. Hermione suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, upon hearing the voices from before only much louder. They sounded familiar, but whoever it was, was talking too fast to catch any coherent words. Cautiously, the three peered around the corner, careful to stay as quiet and out of sight as possible. Of course, that became exceedingly difficult when the first thing to meet their eyes, were three outlandish hairstyles belonging to none other than Yugi, Ryou and Malik.
Exchanging wordless glances of surprise, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked on as the three exchange students seemed to be having some sort of argument that was getting worse with every passing moment. All three were obviously agitated about something, but it almost looked like Yugi was bearing the brunt of the confrontation from the other too. Not that he wasn't holding his ground. The supposedly shy teen now looked like he would have strangled his companions if given the opportunity, and his voice was steadily getting louder with every passing moment.
"I thought they were going to the library," Ron whispered in a barely audible voice, "Do you think they got lost?"
"Shh," Harry hissed, "Can anyone hear what they're saying?"
"Yes... But," Hermione hesitated after a moment, "It doesn't make any sense."
"What are you talking about?" Ron demanded, "It's not like they're speaking in some other language."
"That's just it," Hermione said, "They're not speaking English. It's ancient Egyptian."
Gotc: Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha! So much for being careful... But beware! There are worse things lurking about in the castle! And perhaps even bigger secrets!...Or I could be lying for the reviews and return viewership...either way! You all know the drill by now, make me happy and click that little button down in the left hand corner there and tell me what you thought! I would love to break 100 reviews for the first time ever...((Cough, cough, hint, hint)) Laters!