Gotc: Hi there everyone! I'm back and I'm going to address an issue a couple of you were kind enough to point out to me in the last chapter. Sorry about the Hermione having red hair thing. I don't know why, but I picture her with it, ever since the first book came out.

Ace: Fail.

Gotc: I swear one day I'm just going to lock you in a closet and forget about you. Moving on, I am glad you guys liked the little skirmish between Ace and our yamis. I promise there was a good reason for it besides my own entertainment!

Ace: Hey! I have feelings to you know!

Gotc: And I continue to choose to ignore them. So let's move on with this! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (I've got bets running for the chapter where you get knocked on your tail. Who wants in?!)

Ace: I know when I'm going to knock you on your tail!

Gotc: Really Squeaky….I'll go in for twenty bucks!

Ace: You know when it'll happen!

Gotc: You're kidding right? Since when did I give you the impression that any part of this story was planned?

Ace: I'll take that bet Squeaky.

Gotc: While we get squared away, you guys go on and enjoy the fic! And our song for today is Look After You by The Fray!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon

CHAPTER 23: Another Missing Piece

Yugi didn't think it was possible to ache any more than he did now. Not that Ryou or Harry were doing any better at the moment, considering they were now stuck with Professor Umbridge for the next several hours. His arms still felt weak and shaky from Yami's encounter with Professor Cooper, and he could only imagine it was going to be worse tomorrow. But right now, it made cleaning Umbridge's room for the third time all the more difficult.

/Aibou, please,/ Yami insisted for the fifth time that evening, /You should rest and let me take over for a while. I was the one who got you in trouble in the first place./

/Yami I promise I'm fine./ Yugi chuckled a little to himself, /Besides, it's not like I'm not used to stuff like this by now. I feel better than I did after dueling Marik in the Battle City tournament. Still, I think I'm going to have a nice bruise where you collided with Bakura./

When the only response Yugi got back from his darker half was a wave of remorse, the smile faded from his voice, and was replaced by a heavy sigh. There were a few things that came to mind to change the subject, but there was one question in particular that was nagging at him.

/Yami…./ Yugi asked tentatively, not wanting to purposely poke at sore subject, /How did you know?/

/Know what?/

/That you could take Ace./

/Hmph. I think everyone who saw what happened today would have a very different perception of the situation. Especially when both the Thief and I ended up in the dirt./

/Ok, so he got the best of both of you. But you know that's not what I mean. You lasted longer against him than everyone in the class. I didn't even know you could fight like that!/

/Neither did I…/

Yugi paused for a moment in his cleaning. There was concern in Yami's voice now, perhaps even fear. While Yugi couldn't quite say that Yami being able to defend himself, even for a short time, was a bad thing, he understood the worried tone in his voice.

/Yami,/ Yugi tried to reason as much with Yami as with himself, /Just because you've been having flashes of your memories doesn't mean that this could be connected./

/It would be an awful coincidence if they weren't./ Yami pointed out, /Today…It was like a memory in itself. When I was facing Cooper…I didn't have to think. It just was….well, easy is a pretty poor way to describe it, but it's the only word I can think of. And the other night….I was fighting someone as Pharaoh. I fail to see how they aren't connected in some way. I think even Bakura knows./

/What makes you say that?/

/He actually trusted me to carry out a plan, and not fail before he could act. And the Thief isn't exactly one to trust many people./

Yugi couldn't argue with that. Bakura hardly said four words, before there was some kind of insult aimed at one of them. And while Yugi hadn't thought much of it at the time, Bakura never asked for help, no matter how bad the situation was.

/I….I just wish we knew more./ Yami sighed, /It seems like everyone around us knows more about me than I do./

/There's only so long that can last./

Morning, and whatever promise of rest it brought, was not welcome in the Gryffindor dormitories. Pain seemed to have taken on a whole new meaning, until it had become a parasite that had embedded itself in the muscle of every last student. Only the comfort of a four-poster bed was enough to keep the ache at bay. And even the dawn seemed to sympathize with them, rising as a dark and gloomy day, whose pale light offered no warmth.

Still, there were some signs of life. A few birds twittered merrily just outside one of the windows to the boy's dormitory, in an effort to try and rouse their spirits, but only succeeded in angering an already sullen yami.

((That bird,)) Bakura growled, his teeth clenching in rhythm to his pounding head, ((Is a grand total of two seconds from being some Shadow's breakfast.))

(Not now Bakura….) Ryou moaned, trying to ignore the throbbing ache that had settled in his limbs, (Can't you wait until after noon before trying to kill something?)

The only reply he got back was a mumbled stream of Egyptian that he was pretty sure was meant to cuss him out, or at least something along those lines. Fortunately for him, it was the only aggressive gesture the spirit made, before he settled into a weary daze.

"Guys?" Neville muttered from his own bed, "Shouldn't we be getting breakfast?"

"Sure thing Neville," Ron groaned, "Why don't you go down to the Great Hall and pick some up for us?"

"I don't know about the rest of you…" Harry said, his eyes half-open, "But the next time I see Professor Cooper, I'm filling his shoes with cement."

A murmur of agreement rolled lazily around the room, along with a near infinitesimal burst of energy that was just enough to stir what could be called motion from the battered Gryffindors. One by one, they managed to find enough energy to force themselves from bed and start their days. Ryou wasn't far behind, swinging both legs over the edge of his bed, and plodding over to rouse Yugi who was still veiled behind the heavy curtains of his bed.

"Yugi…" Ryou yawned, staggering over to his friend's bed and rapping on the bedpost, "We're getting up…"

Ryou waited a moment, resting his head on the wooden post, before he realized he hadn't heard a response of any kind. He waited another second, before he tentatively pulled back the crimson curtains, only to find the bed made, empty and cold. Bakura even broke free of his fatigue induced stupor to glance numbly at the bed.

((Remind me to loot this kid's sugar stash.))

While the rest of his classmates were still stumbling out of bed to greet the morning, Yugi had never fallen asleep. To him, it was starting to become a regular occurrence, much like the headache that never truly seemed to go away. At its best, it was a persistent itch he was unable to get to, and at its worst, they were nearly blinding. Right now, it was somewhere in the middle, like an insect bite. It had finally reached the point where Yugi couldn't stand laying in bed any longer, and quietly snuck out and into the rising castle.

For a teenager, Yugi had seen and done things most people couldn't even imagine. After all, sharing a body with a 5,000 year old Pharaoh wasn't something people his age experienced on a daily basis. Nor was being something akin to an international celebrity, dueling strange characters who wanted him dead with cards that housed the spirits of monsters that dwelled within another realm, or ending up befriending most of those people. Being here, at this castle, where magic and monsters were an everyday occurrence? It was just par for the course really, and yet he was having trouble getting it all to soak in.

Maybe it was because he was so far from anything familiar, his friends, his family. Maybe it was all of the strange things in his life finally catching up to him. Maybe it was because the one 'person' he counted on the most for support and guidance, was going through the exact same thing. But whatever the reason was, Yugi felt lost. Figuratively, and literally.

Somehow, his feet had carried him aimlessly through the halls, until he found the plush, dew kissed grass of the Quiditch pitch beneath him. The massive bandstands towered over him, until they looked as if they would catch the laden clouds drifting overhead. He looked around for some indication of how he'd managed to get inside in the first place, but quickly gave up in favor of continuing forward. He'd managed to make it as far as the middle of the field, before the skies decided to reward him with a light, but persistent drizzle that was rapidly working its way through his robes and down to his skin. The only shelter available was the bare wooden frame from where the house banners hung during the games.

Deciding it was better than nothing, Yugi hurried beneath the sheltering beams to wait until the rain stopped. As he watched the grey skies, he got the feeling that somehow Mother Nature knew exactly how he was feeling. He leaned against one of the outer beams, trying to get more comfortable while he waited, and discovered that what he thought was hard wood must have had an enchantment placed on it to make it springy, yet firm to the touch. A safety measure to protect the players against what he'd heard could be a dangerous sport no doubt. But as his hand brushed over the wood, a strange idea came to mind, although he couldn't quite figure why he would have thought of it.

For a moment, he was glad there was no one out and about who could see him, as he pulled back a fist and let it fly into the wood grain. The charm did its trick, bouncing Yugi's fist back without injury, but a little harder than he'd first anticipated and knocked him off his feet. He chided himself for being so stupid, and turned to walk away, but stopped before he made it two steps. Mentally rolling his eyes at himself, he stood in front of the post again, this time planting his feet more solidly into the ground and struck again. His fist bounced back with a dull thump, and he stayed on his feet.

With a little more certainty, he punched at it again, now using both fists and weaving occasionally from side to side. The musty smell of old wood and magic, the sound of gentle rain splashing to the ground and the cool morning breeze made that little alcove feel a world away. As Yugi continued to use the post as a makeshift punching bag, he suddenly became aware Yami had joined in right alongside him, mirroring his moves with amazing precision. Instead of stopping, Yugi continued, letting their minds meld together as though they were dueling. It wasn't long before the simple left-jab-right started evolving into more and more intricate moves. A strike with an elbow into a chop with the side of the hand, a knee followed by a quick right.

Little by little, Yugi realized that the annoying buzz in his head had subsided to nearly nothing at all. Maybe it was just all the stress of this new magic and new lifestyle that had been getting to him after all, and he just needed to work it out. Finally out of breath, Yugi stopped to glance over at his darker half, who was panting for breath as well, but with a small and tired grin on his face. He felt better; they both did.

"Well done," A familiar baritone chuckled from behind them.

Yugi jerked his head in the direction he'd heard the voice, to see Professor Cooper ducking under the wooden frame work to get out of the rain. His midnight hair was soaking wet and laying limply on the top of his head, and his shirt was completely soaked through, a testament to how long he must have been out in the weather.

"How much of that did you see?" Yugi asked apprehensively, partly due to his mistrust of the strange professor and partly due to what his figured he must have looked like.

"Quite a bit, I'm afraid," Ace admitted, rubbing his chin and looking down at Yugi's posture, "You've got a good solid stance there, and you don't overcompensate or misplace your weight when you throw a punch. It's a mistake quite a few beginners make."

Yugi raised an eyebrow, as Ace continued to look over and critique his performance.

"Your strike is a little weak though," Ace said, taking a similar stance next to Yugi to demonstrate, "You're taking the strength for your punch only from your shoulders and arm. Really it should come from the whole body."

Ace looked ahead at the post Yugi had been using and squared himself with it before he went on.

"Imagine the strength coming from the Earth and rock below," He said, slowly doing the motions for Yugi to follow, "entering through your feet, traveling through your legs, hip, back and across the shoulders before going down the arm and out your hand when you make contact. You get a lot more force when you put your whole body into it. And you leave your torso wide open when you draw back to strike."

Yugi took a half step back away from Ace as the Professor grabbed his arm. He felt Yami immediately reach for the Puzzle's magic, ready to send the professor straight to the Shadows, but Ace only repositioned Yugi's arm.

"See?" He said, noting the new angle, "When you draw back, you should bring that other arm up like you're grabbing hold of something around your neck. You'll be able to defend yourself better that way."

Ace ran through that motion as well, so Yugi could get the hang of it, and didn't seem to have noticed the sudden defensiveness he'd displayed. Not quite sure what else to do, Yugi tried the tips Ace had shown him, and found they really did help quite a bit. Ace seemed pleased with the results himself, and gave Yugi a good clap on the shoulder.

"Not bad….," He said, nodding his head appreciatively, "Not bad at all."

"Isn't it against some school rule to be teaching a student how to fight?" Yugi asked.

"I'm sure," Ace said, entirely unconcerned, "But one: Most of those rules apply to wizards. I'm a muggle, ergo; those rules really don't apply to me. And two: Teaching a student how to throw a decent punch is hardly teaching them how to fight. I'm just….improving on the foundations."

"Not one for authority, are you?"

"I like to make my own rules, something you and your friends are no strangers to it would appear."

Now Yugi turned on Ace, who still looked utterly unconcerned for his own safety that, unbeknownst to him, was now in jeopardy from a 5,000 year spirit not wanting to give away an opening he could prevent. Now realizing the apprehension in Yugi's eyes, a small chuckle escaped his lips as if Yugi had just missed the punch line of a joke.

"You don't have to get so worked up," Ace assured him, throwing his hands up in a disarming way, "It's not like I'm going to turn you in or anything, but midnight strolls and bribing the other ghosts to play tricks on one another might prove to be a bit more of a dangerous game than you realize."

Yugi almost wanted to collapse from relief. So that's what Cooper thought he saw! He was just as new to the castle as the rest of them, so it would only make sense that he wouldn't now all of the ghosts that called the school home. Not that they did either, but that was hardly the point.

"Anyway," Ace said, draping his arms over one of the beams, "How'd you end up running with a bunch like that in the first place? Not that they aren't good kids or anything, but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that all of you were supposed to be bitter rivals or something."

/That's an understatement…/ Yugi heard Yami scoff, /Still, be careful how much you tell him Aibou…/

"We were for a long time," Yugi admitted, "But it was better for all of us to associate with one another instead of trying to kill each other every time we had a match, so to speak. What about you? How'd someone like you end up in a school for wizards."

"The same way I've done everything else in my life," Ace half laughed, half scoffed, "By accident. Apparently, I was in London at the same time the Headmaster was out recruiting."

"Where were you before that?"

"Ya' know…." Ace thought for a moment, "I don't remember to be quite honest. Tibet maybe… I really couldn't tell ya. Truth is, I don't like staying in one place for very long any more. Things get familiar, and shortly after, boring."

"Haven't you ever thought of, at the risk of sounding cliché, settling down and having a family somewhere? A home even?" Yugi asked, and was immediately sorry he had.

Ace's face was suddenly hidden by a mask, a cover that gave away no emotion, and left him looking like a hollow shell, instead of the person Yugi'd been talking to moments before. But there was something in the professor's eyes that he couldn't quite bury from sight.

"Everyone thinks about it," He said, keeping his voice steady and level, "Just….Well, not everyone's meant for it. Besides, who needs to settle down when you've got the whole world there at your fingertips?"

Yugi wanted to say something, in fact, he nearly did. The only thing that stopped him were a rapid series of flashes before his eyes: A young woman, a little girl, both with hair darker than raven's feathers and but eyes brighter than the night stars. He could see the smiles on their faces, before the scene was awash with crimson and a howl of utter loss and rage echo in the depths of his head. He couldn't tell if the horrific sound was coming from him, or someone else. Even with such a brief flash, he felt an instant wave of remorse and pain hit him. Ace hadn't noticed, but instead turned to him with a grin and stepped back out into the rain.

"Well, I think I'd better be heading off," Ace said, squinting up into the sky, "Rain's letting up and I'm famished. You might want to think about getting something to eat too. You're so skinny, even I might not be able to hit you!"

"Yeah…" Yugi said shakily, trying to recover, "I think I'll be heading in too."

But even as he looked up, Ace was already jogging halfway across the pitch and well out of earshot. Yugi managed to stay on his feet long enough for Cooper to turn out of sight before his shaking legs gave out underneath him. He was getting used to the flashes by now, or as used to them as someone could, but never had they come so quickly or with such raw emotion coupled with them. Reaching through the link, he was surprised to find it still open, and called out to Yami only to receive silence. Tentatively, he withdrew inside of himself and gently nudged his darker half's soul room open and quickly found the reason for his yami's silence.

Yami was on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chest with his back propped up against one of the many inverted doors that served to decorate his soul room. Both crimson eyes were staring out into open space, two steady streams of tears pouring from them. He wasn't making any noise, or gave any sign he was aware of Yugi's presence. He just looked…lost. It wasn't until his hikari was kneeling right next to him that Yami stirred enough to look up at his lighter half.

"What happened to them… Who were they…." He mumbled, before beating one fist one the stone floor beside him "Damnit Yugi! They could have been my family and I don't even recognize them!"

Not sure what else to do, Yugi quietly took a seat next to the Pharaoh. Yami put his head back in his hands and said something in Egyptian he couldn't quite catch and said nothing else for hours until the king finally fell asleep.

Gotc: Yeah…Not as long as I originally planned, but that's ok. It was mildly angsty which made me happy, and hopefully you all too! Plus, more Ace! Next chapter will be longer and back to the main plot instead of running off with Yugi, so keep with me and I'll have a new chappie up soon!