Marik woke up in Bakura's arms. He didn't remember falling asleep with him, but he was there. He glanced oer at Bakura. There was a tattoo on his arm; it depicted a green snake coming out of a white skull. It took a few seconds for Marik to feel the sensation of movement. Bakura was running.

"Bakura, where's Ryou?", Marik asked.

Bakura kept running. Marik tried to look behind him. Malik was chasing them, holding a wand in his right hand. Malik also had that weird mark on his arm, in the same place Bakura had it.

Marik sat up. "What are you doing, Bakura?! He's a Squib; he can't hurt us! Stop running! You don't need to be afraid of him! Stop running! STOP! STOP RUNNING, NOW!"

Every time Marik told him to stop running, Bakura sped up a little. Then...

"Avada Kedavra!"

Bakura fell to the ground. Marik fell, back first, onto the ground. He crawled over to Bakura, and put two fingers on his neck. Nothing. Bakura was dead. Marik stood up, and began to run. If he had an older brother who could use magic that had the ability to kill, he had good reason to run away and be scared.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Marik fell dead.

Is this real life? Is this a dream, or not? What does Avada Kedavra even do? It kills. It kills, for sure. I'm scared, now, if this is real life. Where was Ryou? Had he already killed him with Avada Kedavra? I'm confused.

Why was Bakura holding me? Why was Malik able to use magic? So many questions, so many answers. I don't know anything. At least Ryou's still with me.

Marik looked up from the ground. Harry and Ron were awake and dressed, and had their stuff with them, waiting by the door for him. Marik disabled the protection spell, and began to get dressed, making sure to hold on to Ryou's hand the entire time.

Marik ran, trying to catch up with Harry and Ron as they headed to class.

"Where's your first class?", Harry asked Ron.

"Potions," Ron answered. "What 'bout you?"

"Same here," Harry answered. He turned to Marik. "What about you, Marik?"

Marik shook his head. He couldn't shrug his shoulders because he was carrying Ryou on his back. "I didn't get a schedule."

"That's because you don't need one. Potter, Weasley, to class. Ishtar, stay here."

Harry and Ron scuttled away to get to Potions class. Marik looked up. He was looking right into the eyes of Professor McGonagall. He remembered. McGonagall had tried to take Ryou from him, but Marik wouldn't give him to her. Bakura ended up having to come up there and take Ryou for the moment, instead.

Marik wondered if McGonagall was angry with him for that.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," he greeted her kindly. "Is there a reason you would like to speak with me?"

"Yes," she answered. Her voice seemed to quiver as she spoke. "You didn't receive a schedule because of Ryou. You need to take care of him. We can supply you with magic lessons when there are other people to look after him, maybe on...!"

Marik interrupted her by taking out his wand. Ryou was silent, but he was crying. "Speaking of magic," he said, and put the tip of it on Ryou's back, "Sonorus."

Ryou's crying sounds became heard, although they weren't very loud. McGonagall looked at Marik with her jaw to the floor.

"You... you know magic," she said.

Marik nodded. "How?", McGonagall asked.

"Bakura taught me when I came over to his house. Got me this wand, and everything," Marik answered.

"Bakura. I should've known," she said, balling her hand into a fist. She dropped her arm to her side and opened her fist. "So, how many spells do you know? Which ones?"

"Quite a few," Marik answered. "Oh, by the way, I had this weird dream last night, and there was a spell name in it that I didn't recognize. Do you know what 'Avada Kedavra' is?"

McGonagall grabbed his wrist and pulled him off to somewhere.

"...and he says that the spell was used in this dream. Marik, who used the spell?", McGonagall asked.

"Malik, on Bakura and me. Bakura and him, they had these weird marks on their arms; a green snake coming out of a human skull," Marik answered.

McGonagall looked back at the wizard she was talking to. It was the same white-bearded wizard in the sky-blue robes as last night, from the feast. "Marik, this is Headmaster Dumbledore. I want you to tell him about the dream.", McGonagall said, pulling out a chair for Marik to sit in.

Marik sat down, holding Ryou in his lap. He slowly, carefully told Dumbledore about the dream, telling him about every detail that might've been important. By the end of it, Dumbledore stratched his beard and looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"Well," he started. "In all my years, I never thought you would have such a prophetic dream."

Marik looked back at McGonagall. She nodded at Dumbledore. Marik screamed.

"How come everyone knew me before I even came here?! How come everyone knows Ryou?! Why is everyone always mad at Bakura for everything?! I don't know anything, and you all know everything!", he shouted.

McGonagall put her hand on his shoulder, and he took in a deep breath. "Marik," McGonagall said, "your mother's sister was..."

"Who?", Marik asked.

McGonagall froze. "I don't want to say," she said to him.

Dumbledore stood up. "Professor McGonagall, it is vital that Marik knows this information. Tell him who is aunt was."

McGonagall took in a deep breath, slowly letting it out of her mouth. She then began to speak.

"Marik. There were two sisters. One was named Lucretia, and the other was named Timaelia. Lucretia married a man named Kaito, and they had two sons and a daughter together. Timaelia married a man named Dante, and the two had a daughter and two sons, along with adopting a son.

"Timaelia died in childbirth with her youngest child: her son. Her husband wasn't there for her death, as he was naming the child and having him blessed. Her husband was later murdered, but we don't know who did it. Her children were found later, but one of the people there for her son's birth was a witch.

"Lucretia and her daughter died in a car crash. Her husband sent his sons away from England to Japan. Coincidentally, Timaelia's children were also on their way there. They met there. Lucretia's sons were named Ryou and Yami, although Yami was called by his last name, Bakura, instead. Timaelia's children were named Odion, Ishizu, Marik, and Malik."

Marik froze. My best friend is my cousin. My best friend's brother is my cousin. My siblings were the cousins of my best friend, and his brother. Too much! It's just too much!

"But... but Malik's my half-brother. He can't be...", McGonagall put a hand up to stop him.

"He was your father's child before he married your mother. That's why he's a Pureblood, and you are not. Your mother was a Muggle-Born witch, you see.", McGonagall explained. "Now, I know it's going to take you a minute to adjust to everything, but I want you to go back to your room and tend to Ryou.

"Can you do that for me?"

Marik gulped, but nodded, then walking out of the room.

McGonagall still hadn't told Marik why everyone knew him and his cousins. All he found out was that he and the Bakura family were cousins. Was that a bad thing? Maybe, maybe not. Did Bakura know? Did Malik know? Did Ryou know? Marik hadn't known before then.

He decided not to mention it at all to Malik or Bakura. It was better if he didn't mention it then trying to explain everything by himself. He slowly dozed off in front of the fire, Ryou asleep on top of him.