So I didn't mean to spilt these two as much as I did. I just ended up happening because I was tired and wanted to get something up before I went to bed on Friday. Well then I ended up posting in Saturday but that's all in details.

~Also, I know it took so long for me to get this chapter up. Mid-terms kind of blind sighted me even though I knew that they were coming. Now I'm free for the next month, or rather I'm relatively free as school will let me ever be.

Anyways enjoy.

The Darkest Magic

Tifa Strifeheart

~Last Time~

He realized that he was wrong when Kaiba began to scream.

Chapter Ten

He had no idea what was going on but he knew whatever it was it was Kaiba's fault. He never thought he would have ever heard such a terrible sound from him. The fact only made the idea of Kaiba in pain now even more vexing. When he found the people that had done this… Mentally, he shook his head. He would deal with the people who did this to the CEO later; now he had to focus on Kaiba.

He had stopped screaming but he was still panting, head clutched in one hand, eyes staring unfocused at the ground, white knuckles gripping the rod. Jounouchi wasn't sure what had happened to him but the Millennium Rod in one hand was still pulsing with a steady glow. Whatever it was that was, The Rod was dealing with it. Knowing he had nothing else to do but wait, and not liking the idea a bit, Jounouchi steered the taller man into his large 'CEO chair' and settled on waiting.

The intercom chirped followed by the worried voice of Mikiru. "Mr. Kaiba?" He couldn't help smiling. If Kaiba knew how much his employees cared about him he did a fine job of disguising the fact. Jonouchi reached over his boss and pressed one of the intercom buttons.

"He's fine Mrs. Mikuru. I've got him." There was a pause and even though he couldn't hear it, he knew that the older woman was sighing.

"Alright then, Good work Jounouchi." He nodded, aware that she couldn't see him. He straightened as the intercom cut out.

Frowning Jonouchi looked around the large office.

Someone had notice them. Someone was watching them and had figured out that they were looking into the murders. For a moment he let himself entertain the idea that this was just a corporate attack on the CEO, by company trying to take over or do away with another, but shook the thought away. There was no way that this was a mere corporate attack. That's what his gut told him and experience had tauht him to trust his gut. Besides the way that they had altered Kaiba's memories had been too precise. It couldn't have been drugs; the accuracy was too accurate - only attaching to those memories concerning the cases. And hypnosis was out because he highly doubted that Kaiba would have allowed himself sit still long enough to let anyone finish the job. The only idea that made sense to him was that whoever it was that was killing people on the streets had moved to stop their snooping. It made sense. They couldn't have just killed Kaiba that would have brought on too much attention to themselves. And anyone who knew shit about Kaiba knew that threats were useless, regardless of the fact that they were willing to confess to the attacks even in such an indirect way. Taking his memories of the past few months' events was the only option that made sense. They had planned this and had executed it perfectly. The realization left an ugly feeling in the pit of his stomach. They had hit too close to home.

They had come for someone close to him. Now it was personal.

There was a groan to his right and he turned to Kaiba that was finally coming back to himself. Forcing his trademark grin onto his face, he squatted in order to look up at the other man's face. "Morning, Sunshine." Kaiba had squeezed his shut eyes tighter for a moment. Those blue eyes cracked open and focused on him. Jounouchi couldn't help the way his smile grew to the point that he was beaming. With another groan - this one definitely more exaggerated then the one before it - he shut his eyes again. Putting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his fists, Jonouchi took pity on the poor man. "In fear of being a jerk, I have to say I told you so."

"Shut up."

He watched the brunette exhale deeply before opening his eyes again, this time the haze had cleared somewhat. "Those assholes." He straightened his back leaning into his chair. The Rod in his lap had stopped glowing but Jounouchi could feel its power still radiating as it began to die down. He looked up at the other man.

"You remember the people who did this to you?"

Kaiba nodded. "They couldn't dress, that was one thing. Looked like they walked out of a 1970's mafia movie." Jonouchi would have laughed if they had been in any other situation; if Kaiba had noticed the way that they dressed then it must have been bad. Instead he settled for a snort.

"What happened?"

"Mikuru had paged me." Kaiba leaned forward placing his elbows on his large desk and staring at the other side of the office. Jounouchi didn't move, not wanting to ruin this moment of share and tell. "She knew that I was not to be disturbed. She claimed that there was someone that needed to see me." He frowned and Jonouchi could already tell that he was considering firing his other secretary. Jonouchi stood up with a stretch and walked around the desk.

"Don't." Kaiba stared at him hard as he sat down. "She didn't remember anything either." There was a moment before Kaiba nodded.

"I knew something was up so I grabbed my gun." Even as he said it, Kaiba opened the drawer that Jonouchi knew had he kept his gun and looked in. By his face alone Jonouchi could tell that the gun was in its rightful place. Kaiba reached in a pulled the gun out of its drawer. Jounouchi watched as he began to check the gun over with practiced movements. It said a lot that Kaiba had chosen the gun over the more powerful Rod. They would have to do something about that. "I know that I was silent when I went over to the door. There was no way that they should have been able to tell that I was there but somehow they did. I opened the door and they did something. For a moment all I saw was white before they were dragging me into the office. I couldn't move my body but I could see what they were doing and hear what they were saying."

Jonouchi watched as deft fingers slowly began to take the gun apart going over each piece with a confident ease. He refrained from making comment.

"They put me at my desk and then begun to debate." Kaiba looked up and their eyes met. "They were arguing about whether they should kill me or not." It was an effort for him to supress a shiver. The look in Kaiba's eyes said that it was a conversation that he had heard before; something that he was used to. The fact that it was probably true made him sad. After what seemed like forever, the CEO went back to his firearm and Jonouchi went back to breathing. "Apparently killing me - they called me 'a muggle' whatever that means - like they had all the others would have been too suspicious. They settled on wiping my memories instead." His grip had tightened on the final pieces of what had been his gun. Jonouchi watched as his hands resumed moving over the pieces again. They were shaking. "After that there is a flash of light again - from a stick like thing that each of them had."

"You mean a wand?" Kaiba looked up, giving his male secretary a dry look. Jonouchi couldn't help flashing him a lopsided grin. "Hey, that's what it sounded like." Kaiba rolled his eyes and went back to his gun.

"Fine, it was a wand. They used it on me and at this point my memories split." He put the final piece of metal that had once been a gun on the table. "I have memories. One is of them doing whatever it is that they did to me, taking all the research stuff on my desk and leaving. The other is of doing work for Kaiba corp. That is the memory that takes over until you come in."

He looked up them and Jonouchi could see the question that he would never ask but wanted answers to. With the gun spread out in pieces in front - a tool Kaiba trusted that had failed him - and the knowledge of what those people had been able to do to him between them Jonouchi understood. He leaned back on his chair threading his fingers on his stomach and trying to look calmer then he felt.

"Well something good did come out of all this." Kaiba lifted a single eyebrow and Jonouchi snorted. "At least we know that the items can reverse the effects of whatever it is that they can do." He sobered. "Accept death." Across the desk Kaiba nodded and he sighed in response. "Well, whatever happens, one thing is clear – we have to become better at using the items. For now that's our only defense against them." Again Kaiba nodded his hands returning to the pieces on the wooden desk. With more confidence and speed he began to put the weapon back together. Jonouchi had to confess - that was kind of cool. Like James Bond.

"We'll leave work early today and head to the Realm. If anything we should start there." Jonouchi nodded. This was the Kaiba that he wanted to see. The lost one was unsettling. He gave the other man a mock salute.

"Yes, Sir." Kiaba rolled his eyes and he grinned back as the final pieces of the silver gun clicked back into place.

Ryou sighed as he stared at the map on the table. He was beginning to get a headache and whatever it was that was going on with the avian population in the area was not doing anything to help. It had been some time since they had felt anything from Yugi and they had been trying to pinpoint his location with no luck. He was just about ready to give up and wait for Yugi's next fluctuation and just set all his monsters on him. He took a deep breath. Now he was getting impatient, he told himself. They had waited this long, there was no point in rushing now and ruining whatever it was that Yugi was doing. Sometimes being a good friend was so annoying.

The sound of heavy footsteps in the hallway told him that Bakura was back from where ever it was that he had gone to. He looked up expectantly glad to have a distraction. Or at least he was glad until Bakura appeared. His yami was wearing a pair of slacks and a long sleeve shirt but that wasn't what had his headache finally breaking through and start pounding between his eyes. It was the dead owl that he had clenched in one fist by its feet. The brown carcass stained partially with blood. Some of which was dripping onto their kitchen floor. There was a gleam in his eye that, while it didn't scare him, had him nervous for every other living thing around in the area. He spared a glance at the poor bird hoping that it had come to a swift, painless end. He doubted it though.

He looked up at the other's face with a frown. "Kura! What did you do?" His yami just grinned at him throwing the carcass on top of the map on the table. To use to Bakuras displays he could only be bothered to worry if the blood would stain the wood underneath the thin paper.

"They are annoying. Ra. The damn things are everywhere!" He reached up with his dripping hand and Ryou gave him pointed stare. They both know what he wanted to do and both knew what Ryou would not do if he carried it out. With a grumble, Bakura moved the bloody hand away from his mouth and moved over to the sink where he began to wash his them instead. With an approving nod Ryou turned back to look at the poor bird. The only thing that it did was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was wondering where he would bury the thing when Bakura walked over to the table wiping his hands on one of the kitchen towels. Ryou hoped that his yami had used soap.

An envelope suddenly appeared beside the carcass, somehow missing the small pool of blood that had begun to form around it. "Before you start on how cruel I am you may want to take a look at that." Across from him, Bakura pulled out a chair and dropped into it. Ryou followed suit sitting across from him. The fact that they were sitting at a table with a dead bird between them did not go unappreciated by Ryou. He just decided to ignore it for now. He wouldn't have traded his yami for anything - quirks and all. Or at least that's what he told himself. No matter how tempting the idea was sometimes.

He reached around the bird and picked up the letter. He recognized the texture of the envelope. As someone who had studied Ancient Egypt due to both educational and personal reasons alike, he knew parchment when he felt it. The fact that someone was writing using parchment in this day and age could only mean one of two things. Either there was some very eccentric person out there with a history fetish or there was something more sinister going on probably involving a cult of some kind and this was some sort of initiation. He placed his bets on the latter. He knew all the eccentric history nuts in the world. They preferred e-mail or tape recorded messages with the ability to steal your souls - Crawford had been a sick, sick man. He glanced at Bakura who was prodding the bird with a finger; like he, was one to talk.

He flipped the envelope over and read who it was addressed to. His eyes widened. Whatever he had been expecting, the address he saw wasn't it.

Mr. H. Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Bakura noticed his look and grinned. "I had the exact same reaction and had to ask myself: What's more shocking?" He checked off the conditions on his fingers. "The letter's existence, the fact that Harry lives under the stairs or the idea that someone is obviously stalking him." Bakura cackled and Ryou could only give him an exasperated look before going back to the letter. He pulled out the contents of the envelope - which was also made up of the same kind of parchment. Ryou placed the empty envelope on the table, unfolded the letter and began to read.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

He knew his eyebrows almost reached his hair line by the time he had finished reading and he didn't need Bakura's amused expression to tell him how it made him look. "What is all this?" He glanced at the second page of the letter. It was a list of books and other things that Harry would need to start in September. That was to say, it looked like a list. Some of the items on the page looked preposterous in themselves - a caldron, really, for what?

Bakura moved towards him, smile feral. "Well, little light, it looks like our resident drama queen has been invited to school." He smiled. Ryou shivered. "A school for magic." Ryou rolled his eyes and went back to the letter.

"This would have to mean that magic is real. And they are teaching it to people." He looked at Bakura. "Isn't that a bad thing? People shouldn't know magic." Bakura frowned more serious now. He crossed his arms over his cesti and glared down at the letter.

"It's different." He nodded to the parchment. "They need wands for starters. Wands were only used back then for the most powerful of rituals. This looks like they use wand all the time." He snorted.

"But is any of this real?"

Bakura gave him a look. "What, you think owls with letter strapped to their legs are just a coincidence?" Ryou couldn't help smiling slightly. Bakura sighed.

"Well there is only one way to find out if any of this is real or if someone is pulling the gag of the the century." He glared at Ryous blank look. "We follow Mr. H. Potter of course!" He turned away muttering something that Ryou didn't bother to try listening to.

The plan was easier said than done. It was well into August before either of them saw Harry Portter again. There hadn't been any screaming or violent displays from the Dursly household in weeks and they - or at least Ryou - were beginning to think that the boy was gone when they saw him taking a walk one day.

"Hey! Harry." The boy turned to see who was calling him. He stopped his walk and let them catch up. Each of the older males taking a side of him and together they resumed their walk. "It's been a while Harry. How have you been?" Above the boys head, Ryou shot a glare at Bakura. /Please yami, don't let him know we know./

Bakura just snorted - getting a strange look from Harry but didn't say anything. The boy turned to look up at him beaming. "I'm okay I guess. Just, you know, getting ready for school and such."

Ryou arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What school do you go to?" There was a flicker of something on Harry's face, Ryou was sure it was panic, before he was smiling again.

"It's not from around here so I doubt you would know it." Ryou accepted the boys dodge.

"So I take it that you will be living there."

Harry nodded. "Yep. For a whole year. I think it's a boarding school. I've never been to one of those."

"How are you affording it?" Ryou shot his yami a mollified look. That wasn't the kind of question you just asked some one. Apparently Harry didn't know that.

"My mom and dad paid my tuition." Ryou was surprised and it showed on his face for a second. Harry had never spoken of his parents in the time they had known him. He decided to change the subject; this was obviously one that he wasn't prone to talking much about.

"Last time you were over we only got through the basics of Duel Monsters. Since we won't see each other for some time, would you like to learn some more?" Harry glanced from him to his own house and back again. If Ryou didn't know better he would have said that the boy was reluctant.

After a long moment, Harry just smiled and nodded. "Sure." Ryou glanced at his yami as they walked in a comfortable silence to their house.

/Isn't there some way that we can keep an eye on him./

Bakura returned his glare with a glance /What the hell do you think I've been doing while you were babying the brat?/ Ryou rolled his eyes and Bakura smirked in return.

He focused back on the boy between them. Most other kids would have been chatty by now. Harry wasn't like most other kids. It made Ryou sad to think about it. "When do you start school Harry?" The boy frowned then.

"Kinda early this year, Ryou." Green eyes looked up at him. "I start on the first of September."

Ryou just nodded with a smile. Beside Harry he could feel the fine weaves of shadow that Bakura was working on.

"Are you sure that you want to do this, Yugi." Yugis turned, closing the book he had been reading and marking his place with a finger. Headmaster Dumbledore was standing in the doorway of the small classroom. The room was empty but that was okay because he was still trying to familiarize himself with it.

He shook his head. "Are you okay with this Dumbledore. Having me here could probably put you in a lot of trouble."Albus smiled in that way that told Yugi he was amused.

"Probably, but you didn't kill anyone at the Ministry on your rampage." There was a question there that Yugi didn't rise to. He knew that Dumbledore wanted to find out what had happened and he was sacrificing a lot to help Yugi. He just wasn't sure if he could completely trust the man yet. Trust any of them. Then there was the fact that he didn't really know what had happened in the Ministry beyond what anyone had told him.

The elderly professor adjusted his glasses. "Besides I was never one to see eye to eye with the Ministry on every matter." Yugi smiled. There was something about this man that he couldn't help wanting to trust. He wasn't deceived though. He knew there was some sort of power in him that had to be watched but the desire to trust was genuine. He would have known if someone was manipulating him.

"Are you sure that you are up for this, Yugi?" He nodded glancing down at the book in his hand.

"Yes. The information itself is not very extensive I think that I have most of it down.I will be bringing in some of the creatures with the help of… the games keeper." Dumbledore reminded him of the large man's name. "I'll familiarize myself with them before the year starts. Thankfully there were still notes" Dumbledore nodded. "If it is truly a course on defending against the powers of darkness then I may add my own twist to the course as well." Like he had suspected, Dumbledore didn't protest. He just reminded Yugi that he should contact him if he needed anything and left.

Yugi stared after the man for some time before settling down at the teacher's desk. The last thing he had thought he would be doing when he left Domino was teaching and here he was. Running around the countryside had not got him too much closer to the person that was responsible for his grandfather's death and it had almost gotten him killed. He had to do this right and a center for information seemed like his best bet. Since the Ministry of Magic was out of the question, he had to make due with Hogwarts. Besides, children were freer with information then their adult counterparts. He sighed and leaned back into his chair.

It had been almost a month now and he was so lonely. He hadn't felt Yami in nearly a month. It was like he was just gone. Sometimes Yugi would just sit in front of the large metal door in that endless corridor just to confirm its existence. To be sure that behind it his yami was still there. He couldn't remember a time when his head was last so silent and the silence was getting to him. He missed the feel and the buss of yami in the back of his mind. He was trying as hard as he could to keep holding up but he didn't want to do this alone. He needed his yami back with him. Yugi relaxed against the back of the chair and, with a few deep breaths, the world began to fade away and he was gone.

He opened his eyes standing in his soul room facing the screen to the outside world. That in itself was weird considering that he always appeared on the bed unless… his eyes widened refusing to believe. The only time he didn't appear in his bed was when there was someone else already in it. There could only be one person in the room of his soul. Not sure if he could believe Yugi turned around.

"Hello Yugi." Before he knew what he was doing, he launched himself at the figure on the bed. He had probably expected the reaction and so caught Yugi with ease. Yugi didn't care enough to analyse it. The only thing that mattered now was his yami; strong and safe and there in his room with him. His vision blurred with tears he couldn't have stopped even if he wanted to. He just sat there, half on the bed half on his yami, sobbing into the fabric of his leather vest. Yami was saying something to him, probably something to calm him down, but Yugi wasn't listening. All he could hear was the deep timber of his darker halves voice and all he could think was that he was finally home. He wasn't sure if he was talking about himself or his yami and he couldn't bring himself to care.

After what seemed like forever the stream of tears finally died down to muffled sniffles. Yami had stopped talking but had never stopped rubbing circles on Yugis back. Yugi snuggled closer making sure that his hands were locked behind Yami's back deciding that he never wanted to let the other go. They stayed like this in silence for some time before Yami broke it. "I missed you, Yugi." Yugi nodded into his other half's chest. 'Miss' did not begin to describe how he had felt without Yami by him. Yami seemed to understand because he held Yugi even tighter for a moment. Finally he pulled away and Yugi let him. When he looked up into red eyes he felt his joy crash into him all over again.

"You're back." Yami nodded and smiled down at him.

"I am." Yugi couldn't stop the grin that split his face. He lunged forward to give Yami a quick hug and pulled back again to look up at him.

"I'm glad. I have so much to tell you."

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