Return to the Old Ways

by kayono

The Pharaoh and King have returned, but the Fates and Destiny have yet to let them out of their grasp. There's more in the darkness than is known, but 'life isn't interesting unless there's a chance of dying.'

5. End of The Fun

Return to the Old Ways

Warnings: Sanity is not guaranteed. AND, swearing. Cursing. Cussing. Vulgar language. Whatever you would like to call it, this goes for everything. People swear in this, they use bad words. Namely 'kura, but others do, too. And some OOC-ness... but that might just be my perspective on Snape, hm?

Disclaimer: I do not own, you do not sue. Or the whole thing starting with "Kay-fuzz not own" and ending with "Kay-fuzz not a company. Kay-fuzz sad." And I just realized- that little quote Yugi said last chappie? Yus, the whole, "I am only one, but I am still one thing"? That's not mine. Belongs to... anonymous?... well, some person who was put in this book of poetry we own called 'Lifelines'. And a number of other things don't belong to us. Like the plot. (sniff) stupid, overly-used plotlines...

Recap: Atemu and Bakura return to their hikaris, Yugi and Atemu get kidnapped, brought to Hogwarts, Bakura and Malik find them, the three- er, four- er, five- er, six get taught by Isis, Yugi and Atemu get stuck in the Axis, they get out, offered a job by Dumbledore through Isis, end up teaching HoM, DADA, and Guidance, meeting the Weaslys, going on a European tour, reviving three dead souls into Shadow Creatures bound to serve them named Lasine, Anriel and Shimasu in Spain, meet Fleur in France, and all seven/ten travel together to Italy.

---

Chapter 4: End of the Fun

---

"Talking"

'Thinking'

(-Hikari-)

((Yami))

("Ancient Egyptian")

"Spells"

---

Italy. The land of pizza. The land of possibly the most prominent religion on earth. Of vineyards, lazy, Mediterranean days and nights, footwear, and more pizza. And Pisa, as Yugi-tachi quickly found out, that being their first stop in the only country shaped like footwear. Of course, Pisa was now behind them, as was almost falling off the tower (Yugi) actually falling off the tower (Shimasu), falling down the stairs (Malik), almost jumping from the tower (Shimasu and Ryou) actually jumping from the tower (Bakura) and laughing at the other's antics (Fleur, Lasine and Anriel). As was quickly sealing (while Anriel, Lasine and Shimasu kept Fleur busy) the Charter Marks on the tower, therefore making sure that the next person to fall off the tower would not be sent to the Shadow Realm, as had all the others before.

This sealing wasn't nearly so hard as the one in Spain. It might be because the Shadows and Mists now accepted them as true Masters, it might have been because the Shadows and Mists were not trying to take people's souls at that moment, or it might have been because they had gotten stronger, more powerful. Regardless, it was sealed within five minutes- about as long as it took for Fleur, Lasine and Anriel to get halfway down the tower before feeling the magic and the two Shadows Creatures trying to stop Fleur from sprinting right back up.

Another thing behind them, now quite literally, were a few elder men and women, staring out the window avidly, gasping and pointing at every little thing. The funniest thing- to Bakura, anyways- was that it was quite obvious that those behind them were not gaijin- they were honest to goodness Italians, albeit either with severe Alzheimer's disease or really bad memory.

Therefore, whenever they passed anything remotely interesting, they would be pressed against the bus windows, 'oohing' and 'awwing' to their heart's content, and then some.

Although at first it was humorous, they all started getting more and more bored and annoyed at these occurrences, and Shimasu, being the fun-loving, psychotic child that she was, started imitating the older humans, making comical faces as she did so. That, and the occasional card-duel that was played, served to diminish the monotony of the trip.

---

Fleur couldn't help but stare up at the giant building before her, gazing at it in awe- before another group of tourists ran into her, dragging the young, blonde, French madmoiselle from her reverie. She glared angrily after them, before turning to the rest of the group.

"This is the Vatican?"

Yugi nodded, looking down at another brochure Ryou had been able to procure from somewhere. "Yup, Vatican City. The smallest country in the world."

"And home to more of those people -Popes, right?- than can be counted." Malik put in, eyes wandering around the groups of people standing, sitting or praying within the square where they now stood.

Lasine pouted. "I still don't understand why we couldn't wear what we had been wearing in here."

Ryou frowned at Malik. "Actually, Malik, they can be counted. And it's disrespectful to the Catholic God to show leg within Vatican City." Ryou answered Lasine, gesturing at the other onlookers, all of whom were in long-legged pants or long skirts.

Anriel cocked her head as Fleur began walking towards the basilica, eyes examining everything within sight, the rest of the group following and imitating. "Catholic God? They have different Gods than us?"

Ryou shook his head. "Only one God, Anriel. Catholicism states that there is only one God with three parts- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When they pray, they make the sign of the cross, touching their right hand to their forehead, stomach, left shoulder and right shoulder- in that order- as they say, 'In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.' Catholics are forbidden to worship other Gods, as it goes against one of their commandments."

Yugi nodded, remembering this from the Axis. "Something along the lines of, 'Thou shall have no other Gods before me' or 'Thou shall not worship false Gods'. Yami and I found it offending, but to each their own, right?"

Five heads bobbed in acknowledgement as Fleur walked back to them. "As much as I love this place, is there any reason why we're here?"

Malik tilted his head towards the sun, perfectly peaceful in the warmth. "No one forced you to come with us, Fleur. You simply chose to. You can go back whenever you like."

Ryou sighed while Yugi whapped the Keeper on the head, before both turned to Fleur who was seriously thinking over what Malik had said. "I know I didn't have to come with you, but... I don't know, it just feels..."

"Right?" Lasine asked, blinking innocently.

Fleur snapped her fingers, grinning. "Right. It just feels right."

Shimasu laughed. "Maybe you're a Shadow Mage, too!"

Fleur laughed along with the younger girl, thinking she was joking, while the three Mages and two creatures put serious thought to that- and decided that they would be keeping an eye on the young witch.

---

All too soon, the three Kage no Mage, three Shadow Creatures, and one Mark Mage, found themselves back in England- with, of course, complaints.

"Re, doesn't the weather ever change here? Rain, rain, rain, more rain, oooh, look ONE SECOND of sun, then- guess what?- more RAIN! And then there's that stupid BUS! I thought I was going to get run over when it first appeared- and then when I was on it I thought I would be killed from either being squished, or a heart attack, or something-"

"Malik..." Ryou sighed over Malik's voice, while Yugi watched with a small smile on his face as the young Grave Keeper continued his rant.

"...and now we're back here- HERE- in this Re-damned weather going to a MARK pub and- what's more- we're going to WORK for these stupid, bakayoru-"

Three voices sighed this time, Lasine, Shimasu and Anriel having since departed back for the Shadows, the explanation to Fleur being that they had to go home. Fleur turned to the other two Shadow Mages as the Rod Holder decided to switch to a language he was totally fluent in- not that anyone other than Atemu, Bakura, and Yugi and Ryou (although with the help of their yamis) could understand him.

"Does he always do this?"

Yugi laughed. "I thought you were used to this kind of thing now."

Fleur frowned. "Yes, but hee's veery... loud."

Ryou laughed as well, grabbing Malik by the wrist and dragging the other behind them, ignoring his protests, still in Ancient Egyptian. "Yeah, Malik's like that."

"I'm right HERE, you know!"

Fleur gave a small smile. "So you trois are teachers at 'ogwarts?"

Yugi nodded, before shaking his head. "Malik and Ryou are teachers- History and Defence respectively. I'm just a guidance... person."

"Feelings teacher!" Malik interjected, making Fleur laugh and Yugi pout.

"Weell, I wish both of you good luck." Fleur said simply, catching the questioning looks in the other's eyes. "Zee 'ogwarts Defence teachers 'ave never lasted veery long for thee last few years- only un year each- and Professur Binns was a veery boring professur."

Malik grinned while Ryou cocked his head. "I though you went to school in France?"

Fleur nodded. "Born and bread. But I attended thee 'ogwars for a year, about trois years ago, during an inter-school tournament."

They entered into the Leaky Cauldron, catching the eye of many a witch and wizard who looked at them curiously. It might have been because Fleur was with them, it might have been because they had only been there once before, it might have been the slightly darker aura around the three Kage no Mage, or it might have been that they still had their hoods over their heads, blocking their faces from view.

Dumbledore, sitting in a corner, stood up as they entered, and the bar stilled as they noticed his grave face. But, quite suddenly, his features lit up. "Ah! Ms. Delacour, I did not realize it was you! You have certainly changed since the Triwizard Tournament!"

Fleur did not flinch nor blush at his compliment, instead giving a small smile, before turning to her three companions. "Moi am staying for a while in England, so I will bee heree for a while."

Yugi nodded, and all three bowed gently to her at the waist, and Fleur, now definitely having a red tint to her cheeks, curtsied back and hurried to the barkeep, Tom, who immediately gave her a room and sent her up the stairs.

Dumbledore motioned the three Mages aside. "Maybe we could continue speaking privately?"

They nodded without speaking, choosing instead to follow the elder Headmaster down the same corridor and into the same room they had previously visited, not two months before. Dumbledore gestured them in, closing the door behind them, and gently falling into one of the seats around the table.

He couldn't help but notice how two of the chairs had changed- both now had slightly taller backs, looked oh-so-comfortable, regardless of the fact they were apparently made with stone, and were definitely Egyptian-themed. And, although the styles were noticeably different, the height, width, visual impact- everything that separated the two chairs from the others in the room had the same weight, the same value.

Dumbledore smiled a bit at the not-so-subtle power play, before pulling out some parchment and looking at the three carefully. "I can assume you will catch me if I try to make you trust or believe me against your wills?"

Malik snorted. "No, we'll just let you decide personally what we want to do with our lives."

However, lowering his hood, Dumbledore saw that there was a small, almost invisible smile on the other's face, though it certainly wasn't the first thing that caught your attention. Although having seen his face before, the Headmaster had never really gotten to look at him properly. Perfectly shaped, with slightly accented cheek bones, and eyes lined heavily with kohl and two tattooed marks from the corners of his lavander eyes, framed by layered, golden bangs and hair that cascaded down to his shoulders, two small golden earrings hung from his lobes, and golden bands wrapped around his neck.

The other two slowly lowered their hoods- and Dumbledore found his breath catching in his throat, as he took time to look at each in turn, and then as a group. The only word that came to mind was beautiful- absolutely gorgeous, he was sure that the three could easily make anyone- male or female- swoon just by shooting a glance their way.

Deep chocolate brown and shining amethyst eyes stared back evenly, lined by more kohl and resting in two more perfectly accentuated features- not too hard and chiselled, but none too soft and round, either. Hair of imaginary shades, equal to those of precious jewels- opal; gold, ruby and obsidian- framed the faces; and as outlandish as the looks might have been on anyone else, they seemed so right, so perfect, on the those before him.

Breaking out of his reverie, Dumbledore grinned. "I would hope that you would wear your hoods during classes and any other time in which you might come into contact with students."

Yugi raised an elegant eyebrow, Atemu clapping from his soul room at his light's developed habits of living with a Pharaoh stuck in their head. "Oh? Why is that?"

Dumbledore's smile only widened. "No reason- just that some of our best students are female, and they might be too distracted to study. Not that the males would be any exception, though..."

Ryou chuckled, Yugi making a noise somewhere between a laugh and a giggle, and Malik smirked. "Really, are we that good looking? Hm... maybe we should be models instead of teachers."

The other two's small noises turned into full-fledged laughing, and when they finally calmed down enough to say anything, Yugi addressed Dumbledore. "Inside joke."

((Literally.))

Dumbledore took out his wand and a small pin, and transfigured the metal tool into a quill, a bottle of ink also appearing. Taking the quill, he turned to the three mages. "So, what will be the terms of your contract?"

Yugi leaned back, stretching his arms out. "It depends on what course we're teaching, doesn't it?"

Dumbledore nodded, looking at the three again. "Alright. You'll need to be on-call, whenever we need you. As I already stated-"

"You're going through a war, and need us to help defend the school should someone attack?" Malik filled in, eyes narrowed slightly. Dumbledore noticed this and nodded. Malik snorted. "Well, we'll help defend the students. Whether or not we defend the school is purely how much damage is done during any fighting we may have to do. And we'll do things our way- whatever way we think is the best way for getting out of the situation."

Dumbledore frowned, but nodded, writing it down. Ryou looked down at the paper, before frowning. "Professor Dumbledore-"

"I would appreciate it if you just called me Albus."

"Albus, then," Ryou corrected himself, "we won't have to stay on school grounds, will we?"

"No, none of the teachers have to stay on school grounds, though you might find yourselves having no time to do anything but mark, teach, eat and sleep."

Ryou smiled. "I doubt that."

Dumbledore raised a questioning eyebrow before writing it down. "And, salary."

Chocolate and lavender eyes turned to the final one in the party, while the Pharaoh's hikari frowned slightly. "What would one pay a teacher in a magic school?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "Depends on what job, seniority, power, danger level of the job, etcetera."

Yugi continued to frown, glancing over at Malik and Ryou, eyes asking a question. Two shrugs were his answer, and he turned back to Dumbledore, frowning before sighing. "I know that I would be paid less than Malik or Ryou, as I'm only guidance and they're actual teachers. Ryou should get paid the most of the three of us, as he's most likely to get injured, then Malik as he might do actual work-" there were a number of snorts within the room, telling Dumbledore and Yugi exactly what the occupants thought of that idea. "-then me."

Questioning eyes glanced at the other two who nodded for their confirmation, and this was written down as well.

"Hogwarts' code of behaviour is inside every teacher's office- where in that office, however, is always questionable." Smirks and smiles met this, and Dumbledore smiled as well. "Everything that you should know will be in your offices at the school, and everything that you may need for your courses should be picked out as soon as possible, and please, let me know what you would like each student to get for their courses."

"How will we get to school?" Ryou asked slowly, already knowing at least two ways to do so.

"You can go ahead to the school if you wish to get everything ready with me right now, or whenever you're finished picking out your supplies, if you'd prefer. Then you can stay at the school, get to know the building, or come back here, hang around London, and return to the school on the train with the students. Floo powder, of course, would be the way to travel, as you can't apparate into Hogwarts, and a Portkey would take too long to set up."

Ryou nodded, Yugi continued to smile, and Malik remained nonchalant.

Dumbledore sighed. "Do you wish to cover anything else in this contract?"

Yugi frowned. "Just that after a year, it must be renewed."

That made Malik and Dumbledore blink, Malik beating the elder to asking, "Why? What's happening after a year?"

Yugi gestured with his hand to himself and Ryou. "Did you forget already, Malik? We only have a one year vacation- then we have to go back to the Guard."

Malik frowned but nodded, while Dumbledore looked patiently between them. "The, er... Guard, did you say? What did you guard?"

Neither seemed inclined to inform the aging man, and instead left him to his ponderings. Frowning at them, he also wrote down that the contract expired after a year, before looking back up. "Well, as it seems that you are all ready to get your things, if you would follow me..."

Thus saying, the four men moved back into the main room of the Leaky Cauldron, before moving out a back door and into a backyard. Seeing the intrigued looks on their faces, he frowned. "Have you never been to Diagon-"

"Yes we have, old man. It just so happens that we travelled by floo powder." Malik stated sourly, before gesturing to Yugi. "Yugi here, though, has never been here."

Yugi frowned at them. "Must you blurt it out to the whole world?" Two pairs of curious eyes frowned at him, before leaning back and sighing. "Good. Still Yugi."

The hikari's eye twitched, Dumbledore coughing politely to draw their attention. "I don't suppose that you would mind following me?" He gestured to the now-open wall behind him, and the three mages shrugged, used to weirder things in life, and obediently followed the Headmaster into the crowd of Diagon Alley.

---

They had barely gone four steps before people started looking, pointing, whispering. They were sure this time it was because of their cloaks, but they paid the gawkers no heed. Compared to Egypt, even in summer months England was cold, and- as Malik found such convenient times to point out- wet, damp, and rainy. They ended up being led into Flourish and Blotts, where Dumbledore pointed them to some shelves and a small witch near the back of the store.

"Pick out the books and materials you would like to use, and tell the witch back there, as well as myself. I'll be off, visiting some old friends." Dumbledore turned on his heel and walked out of the store, leaving the three Shadow Mages standing awkwardly in the front of the shop, blinking.

"Some help he was." Malik muttered as he began looking through the titles to see if there was anything worth using as a course book.

Ryou sighed, following Malik's example, while Yugi blinked and looked around.

(-Yami?-)

((I highly doubt we'll find- or even need- books for a guidance position, aibou.))

(-I know, but what should we do?-)

((I would like to see what kind of Egyptian Heka books they have...))

(-Then have the body. I'm too tired right now, anyways.-)

((Hai, hikari-sama.))

Yugi, however, was already halfway to dreamland as Atemu took control of the body and said that, and so missed it. However, Atemu grinned and began towards a young man who apparently worked in the store.

"Excuse me, but would you have any Egyptian Heka books?" He asked, watching the young man's slightly flustered countenance as he turned around- before a look of fear on his face showed that he clearly though ill of the ancient Pharaoh, and was scared of him.

"You... you... who the bloody hell are you?" Books that were once in the young man's arms dropped to the floor unceremoniously, landing with a sharp crack, brown eyes widening and red hair becoming even more messy.

A young woman proceeded over, eyes narrowed. "Ron! Be careful with those books! Do you not know how much they cost!"

The young man, now identified as Ron, blushed, his ears turning red. "Sorry, 'mione."

She continued frowning as she turned to Atemu. "And you! Really, if you're not a Death Eater, take that cloak off. You'll go giving everyone the wrong impression!"

Atemu raised an elegant eyebrow, surprised by the woman's bossiness. "And how do you not know that I am a Death Eater?"

She laughed. "If you were, you wouldn't be walking around the streets like that."

Atemu laughed as well. "Of course not. I am At... Re..." he gasped as his eyes caught sight of a statue to that very God on a pedestal, before his attention was drawn once again to the young woman.

She blinked. "Atra? Well then, pleased to meet you. My name is Hermione Granger, and this is Ronald Weasly. We're students at Hogwarts."

Atemu smiled. "Really? And what, may I ask, are you doing here at the beginning of August?"

Hermione grinned. "I decided to come get some books before we actually get the new course book list. I love reading- do you?"

Atemu nodded, Hermione unable to see the gentle grin on his face. "Very much so. Especially history- mainly Egypt, but other countries are always fascinating as well."

Ron gagged. "How can you stand reading so much?"

Atemu turned to him fully, eyes catching a few of the titles, and he leisurely picked out a book with some Egyptian Hieroglyphics on the spine, flipping through it and laughing inwardly at the horrible translations of said glyphs. "There are many things, Mr. Weasly, that are and are not written down in history. These things could easily become relevant to us today, as history as a very annoying habit of repeating itself."

"Of course, sometimes repeating itself can make things more interesting, wouldn't you say?" Another voice came from behind the three.

Turning, Atemu easily recognized Malik. "Did you find any good books, Malik?"

The Keeper shrugged. "A few that had maybe one or two good pages, with possibly three correct facts maximum, but other than that, nothing. I might as well write a book about Egyptian History before the Purges and see how everyone absorbs that."

Atemu laughed, before turning to the two students. "Malik, these are Ms. Hermione Granger and Mr. Ron Weasly."

Malik turned to Ron, and let out a small laugh. "Weasly, eh? I can see the resemblance. Tell your parents that Malik Ishtar says hi for me, m'kay?"

Ron nodded, before looking over to Bakura who had also just appeared around the corner. "That's it, this store is useless. There's nothing in here anywhere near what I would like to shove down the throats of those poor little- oh, hello, who's this?" Ryou inquired, taking over before Bakura could do too much damage.

Malik mock-bowed to him. "Sir Ryou Bakura, this is Ms. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasly."

Ryou smiled at them gently. "It is very nice to make your acquaintance. I would hope to see you again in the future."

Hermione blushed at the proper way in which Ryou spoke while Ron looked furious, before a voice called them from somewhere else within the store. "Hermione! Ron! It's time to go!"

Hermione turned back to them- namely Atemu. "I would hope to see all of you again, Mr. Bakura, Mr. Ishtar, Atra. Come on, Ron- time to go." Hermione dragged Ron over to the counter with all her books, snatching the Ancient Runes book out of Atemu's hands, and quickly paid for all of her reading material, before dragging Ron, now carrying bags, over to the door, waving bye to the three Mages.

Malik raised an eyebrow at Atemu. "So your name's Atra now? Are you going through an identity crisis or something?"

Atemu sighed. "No, I started to say my name, but then a statue of Re caught my eye..."

Ryou smiled gently. "Re? Where?"

Atemu led them over to the very small bookshelf, filled with old, dusty tomes, doing nothing but collecting dust. Another young man- who defiantly worked at the book store- walked over to them, and waved them away from the shelf. "I'm sorry, sirs, but these are old books- no one wants them as no one can translate them, not even the Rune experts. They're nothing more than collector's items now."

Atemu frowned, reaching around him to pick up one of the books. "How much?"

He laughed. "So you're collectors? We'll probably give you a discount. You know, for helping to clear these books from our inventory."

The three mages shared a look, before nodding. "We'd have to take the books a few at a time..."

Malik snorted. "No we wouldn't. Dumbledore's picking us up, remember? We'll just get him to help us take all the books back with us." Ryou nodded. "It would work, and we'd need the help."

"Alright."

Turning back to the helper, Atemu held out a pouch of coins. "I suppose you would like our payment, ne?"

---

Dobby had heard tales about strange events that had occurred years ago in Hogwarts since he had begun working. Elves, ghosts, sprites, and even Peeves occasionally whispered amongst themselves about strange people, strange magic, and- even more confusing- the Sectrum Distalfios.

The house-elf of course knew of the Sectrum- it was ingrained within all elves, their very conscious and existence was fuelled by the ancient power used to write, control, and seal it. However, Dobby had never thought that he would ever get to hear it whispered so freely among his fellow elves and residents of Hogwarts. Mavin, the Head Elf, had explained to many of the new elves that came to Hogwarts what had happened, though none had understood it.

There had always been whispers, but now they seemed to increase in volume, have more power, more energy to them. They were whispered in corridors, in halls, in classrooms, and many times were overheard by others, which only served to confuse them.

The Sectrum Distalfios- a legend, a Prophecy as old as time itself, part of the founding structure of magic- the Charter, an ancient scripture divided into five different parts, each to do with different things. And at the very heart of the Charter lay the Sectrum, the very pinnacle on which the rest of the scripture was built. Destroyed long ago, bits and pieces of the Charter had been passed down by word of mouth- and yet, the wording never varied, it was always the same. Never changing, the one true constant within the world- within any world, any realm. Rumoured, whispered, but never spoken aloud- to do so would be to betray the sanctity, the power that was the Sectrum.

And so Dobby found himself continuously amazed when he heard the whispers continue, louder and clearer now. His thoughts were jumbled, confused, torn between sharing what the whispers were about and keeping the secrecy that such an idea, and object, as old and destroyed as it was, deserved.

"Dobby! Careful, hurry up! The three new teacher-sirs are coming!" Mavin called from near the fireplace, his usual station, before 'poofing' away to another part of the castle.

Dobby frowned but started working with all his might. New teachers? Perhaps a young boy he was so fond of should know about this...

---

The Grounds of the castle were shimmering with the small droplets of water that remained stuck to the grass and plants from the rains, the sun making them glimmer like tiny little jewels. Creatures of all shapes, sizes, colors, and backgrounds ran around the grounds and forest, carefully hidden from prying eyes, preparing for the noisy, annoying people that would be coming within the month. The Shadow Mages would have been able to see the creatures, of course- had they been looking.

And it probably wasn't that easy to see things from the highest tower in the castle, surrounded by thick, brick walls.

"Welcome to my office. I hope you will find it pleasant?" Dumbledore asked kindly, gesturing for them to have some tea.

Although be unconscious/on the verge of death, Yugi easily shied away from the drink, knowing instinctively that something... none to pleasant would happen. Ryou and Malik, already fully knowing what would happen (thanks to that kawaii little guinea pig beside them), raised eyebrows and remained emotionless as the elder Headmaster shrugged and sipped the tea.

"If there is anything you would like to talk to me about, I will be able to be found by coming to this office- if I am not here, the portraits should be kind enough to send you in the right direction." He gestured to the portraits, and they all stared down at the three.

"How do we know what to tell them if we can't see their faces!" One shouted and Dumbledore frowned.

"I don't suppose-"

His partially unasked question was answered as hoods were thrown back and cloaks were removed, the three making themselves as comfortable in the office as dignity, sanity, guarding and custom would allow.

The portraits were silent, before Malik spoke. "There, now you see our faces."

They nodded and then turned their attention away from the four males in the center of the room, while Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Well then. I know that everyone here should at least try to help you make your way around. Will you be staying here, or-"

Yugi nodded. "At least for a while. We might, though, travel around- would that be alright?"

Dumbledore nodded this time, before looking around his office for something. "Ah-ha!" Standing up, the old man proceeded around the office until he reached up onto a shelf and pulled down an old, tattered hat.

Yugi, Ryou and Malik looked at him in suspicion and confusing, humour showing slightly in their eyes. "This is called the sorting hat, and has been the way we sort students here every year since Hogwarts first opened. Just for the fun of it...?"

Yugi sighed, looking at the other two. Malik didn't seem to entirely like the idea, and Ryou didn't look to care. He stood up and walked over slowly, glancing at Dumbledore. "This is safe?"

"The safest."

He took the hat gently and placed it on his head.

So, who is this who is to be sorted+

Yugi gasped, sensing Malik and Ryou starting for him, but waved them down. (-I'm not to be sorted. I'm a new teacher here, and Dumbledore thought it would be interesting if we tried on the hat.-)

Able to use your thoughts to communicate easily, hm? And we? Is there another who shares this body+

Yugi almost began to panic but calmed himself down. (-No. Two of my friends are also going to be teachers here come the new year.-)

Ah.+ Although sounding accepting, the hat did not sound too pleased, nor very convinced. +Then we should get you 'sorted'...+

(-Alright.-)

Hm... lots of courage... many life-or-death situations... Dumbledore himself nearly killed you at one point? My, that's new... ah... knowing 'techniques' to get your way- you call them the 'Puppy-dog-eyes?' Never heard of those before. Ah... you're a very hard worker, you see things through to the end. Well I'd have to say either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, and then Slytherin. Ravenclaw doesn't seem to be your sort at all- no offence, of course.+

Yugi blinked, having no idea what the hat was talking about. (-Er... none taken?-)

He took off the hat, blinked a few times, and passed it to Malik. "It said I would be a good Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, and maybe a Slytherin, but... definitely not Ravenclaw." Seeing Malik's sceptical look, Yugi laughed. "Alright, it didn't say definitely, but it certainly implied it."

Malik shook his head, placing the hat on it.

Ah, so you're another of the new teachers+

(-Yes.-)

Concise, straight to the point, certainly cunning... You would make a wonderful Slytherin. But- how now, there's lots of courage here. Stood up to some pretty powerful, ruthless people. Gryffindor, maybe. But definitely another hard one.+

(-Slytherin or Gryffindor?-)

Slytherin of Gryffindor.+

(-Alright. Thanks, hat.-)

There was no reply and Malik slipped it off his head, throwing it to Ryou who caught it with a disapproving glare. "What? It said Slytherin of Gryffindor to me."

Ryou sighed, gently placing the hat on his head. (-Please forgive my friend. He can be... temperamental.-)

It is alright. The last new teacher+

(-Yes.-)

A pity. I was having such fun seeing your memories...+

Ryou's breath caught in his throat, before he choked out, (-Seeing our memories? What did you see?-)

Enough to know that the Sectrum Distalfios wasn't just some legend from Southern Lands.+

(-Please, if Dumbledore--)

Don't worry, secrets of the mind are always kept. I will never display your thoughts to another, nor say anything about them.+

(-Thank you.-)

Now, let's see here... smart, very smart. Some cunning, a desire to get what you want- though that doesn't seem to really you, per say, everyone can have their quirks. Hm... another brave one, very brave. A definite hard worker, too. You, you would be good in any house- Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.+

(-Pardon me for asking, but--)

What do the houses mean+

(-If you don't mind me asking.-)

Proof that you belong in Ravenclaw. That's where- to be blunt- all the smart people go. Gryffindor is for the brave, Hufflepuff for the hard-working, and Slytherin for the cunning, or the Dark.+

(-And all of us could be in Slytherin?-)

In all honesty, based on what I've seen, all of you should be in Slytherin.+

The hat was silent after that, and Ryou slowly took it off, glancing once at Yugi and Malik, Dumbledore missing the look as he placed the hat again onto the shelves. "Well now. If there is anything else you might need, feel free to some visit. The portraits and paintings should be nice enough to show you around."

He shooed them out the door then, slamming it closed behind them, throwing their cloaks out into the hall after they had left.

Malik frowned. "Anyone think that there's more going on here than just a school caught in a war?"

Ryou sighed. "Definitely. That hat knows the Sectrum Distalfios."

Malik stiffened, Yugi rounded on the other hikari. "Are you sure?"

Ryou nodded, before glancing around and dragging them into a corner. Moments later found them in the forest- to be specific, a small grove with a young unicorn in it. And although startled, the unicorn cautiously approached them, neighing softly as it's horn bumped Yugi's hand. The light jumped but smiled down at the creature and sat down cautiously on the ground, Malik and Ryou as well, surrounding the unicorn, who also lay back down on the soft grass again.

Ryou gently stroked the silvery mane while Malik the back, taking comfort from the young creature. "When I first put on that hat, it said it was a pity that I was the last one, because looking through our memories was so fun. Then-" he held up a hand from his petting, gesturing the other two to stop the protests they were about to scream out, "-it said that it would never reveal something like a person's memories or thoughts to another. And that we should all be in Slytherin- House of the Cunning and Dark- because of... well, our memories, our yamis- anything and everything that's happened around us to do with magic has to deal with the Shadows..." He left off awkwardly and Malik nodded.

"It makes sense… but why is Slytherin called the 'Dark' House?"

"Because every witch or wizard that has ever become bad, become evil, has belonged to Slytherin." A rough voice called from the brush.

Whipping around, startled, the three Mages blinked as they tried to make out the shape, camouflaged by the shade from the overhead trees. The unicorn that lay with them whickered softly in welcome, before nudging Yugi's hand again, coercing the hikari back into petting the foal.

All eyes, however, remained riveted on the shape slowly emerging from the shadows- a large, round body, eight spindly, hairy legs, and a number of small, darker dots that could only be assumed were eyes. A white spot on it's back contrasted heavily with the black color that faded into the undergrowth, obviously out-of-place in it's position.

Said white spot suddenly departed from the giant spider's back and flew to Ryou, who held out his arm and let the creature land.

"Enima…" he whispered, surprised to see the snowy owl again. "How have you been?"

Instead of answering, she cocked her head towards the spider, and Ryou nodded to the black creature, smiling. "Araggnon. How are you?"

"I am fine, my King." He replied, walking over and kneeling beside the mages and unicorn. "Enima here has been living amongst us for the last few years, having received no message from you to do anything."

Ryou bowed his head. "I am sorry. Araggnon, this is Yugi and Malik. We will be teaching at Hogwarts this year."

Araggnon turned his attention now to the other two, before rolling slightly forward in a sort-of bow. "Pharaoh, Keeper?"

"Yes." Malik replied, grinning like an idiot. Yugi, of course, was not much better. Enima seemed to almost frown at them before she flew over and nipped Yugi's ear. He sqwaked in surprise, blinking as he felt the owl's tounge, beak and claws as well as something a bit damp against his neck, before she moved onto Malik. Although not as obvious nor as loud, Malik reacted basically the same way, before the owl flew back over to Ryou.

"Your friends are strange, and make stranger noises."

"We are NOT strange!" Yugi protest, a frown on his face.

"No, we're all just slightly insane." Malik continued. The look on his face did nothing to contradict his words- if anything, it only emphasized them.

Ryou sighed, shaking his head. "Enima, Araggnon, what have you heard?"

"Many things. The Dark Lord Voldemort they so fear has returned. A prophecy concerning Voledmort's downfall and a young, famous boy at the school was talked about between the Headmaster and the boy at the end of last year. A number of deaths. Some Death Eater attacks. The Order has started up again."

Ryou blinked. "Again? Weren't they still around seven years ago or so?"

"You speak as if that it is not a long time." Enima looked at him strangely.

"Can't blame me." Ryou replied defensively, before urging her to continue. Araggnon, however, was the one who continued.

"Creatures all throughout the forest have started preparing to take sides should they need to- and it seems that this fight is going to come to a head, and soon."

Yugi sighed. "Wars always do- and never the way, the time, nor place one would like." Yami nodded from his soul room.

Malik groaned, tangling his fingers in the silken tail of the unicorn, who whickered again, this time in support. "It's times like these- when we somehow get dragged into this sort of thing- that I almost wish that there were no Shadows."

A number of surprised and outraged looks passed on the other's faces, but Malik, head tilted towards the sky, did not notice them.

"But then I think of everything that's happened- really everything, not just the events themselves- and... well, it feels like anything else woud be too boring, too normal, too... Mark-ish to really even think of having it as a life."

The looks changed to smiles- or giant-spider and owl versions of smiles- and the Mages shared a good laugh.

"Since when has Mark Magic become so much of an insult to us?" Ryou asked slowly, grinning as he watched Yugi's and Malik's reaction.

Both shrugged. "Since whenever we decided that Wizards and Witches were stupid, self-important idiots, I guess." Malik replied, still grinning and petting the foal. Said foal looked up at Enima and the owl nodded.

"She wants to know if you would be staying here much longer."

"At the school or this exact clearing?" Yugi replied running his hands over her ears and mane.

"The school."

Tilting his head, Yugi turned to the young, beautiful creature. "For a year, young one."

The creature before them whickered again, and all eyes turned to Enima, who was silent. Araggnon took that opportunity to wish them good-luck, inform them that he would see them later, and amble out of the clearing.

It was then that Enima spoke. "Her name is Galena."

Yugi smiled then. "Greek for Healer, derived from Galen, meaning healer, calm."

A number of eyes swivelled to stare at him and he slightly blushed. "What? Is it my fault that I take an interest in supposedly-dead languages?"

Galena whickered again, before nudging them away. Enima nodded at her. "It is time for you all to go. There is much to do."

"I'm not going to disagree with that statement." Ryou muttered, before turning to the two creatures brightly. "Enima, Galena, it was wonderful to see you again. We should do this again."

Enima nodded, flying off to find Araggnon, while Galena neighed, standing up to see them off before turning back into the underbrush and disappearing from sight.

Using the Shadows, and once safely within Hogwarts once again, the three shared a look.

"There's even more going on now that we probably don't know of." Malik whispered, glaring at a suit of armor.

Ryou sighed. "I know, but we can't do anything until we know for certain what's going on. But I hope that this year might not be as bad as I thought it would."

Malik shook his head, a smirk on his face. "Idiot. Don't you know? Those are the famous last words."

---

The corridors echoed with the sounds of feet, walking in even strides, the clicking sound of the steps reverberating off the metals suits, ancient stone hallways, and mostly empty or sleeping portraits.

A few whispered conversations were audible- nothing too obvious, without a doubt, but there were small, indecipherable noises that would normally translate into a conversation- translate being the key word.

The words, if one decided to try to listen to them, would certainly be of Arabic of Egyptian origin. However, the sounds that were made were certainly not Arabic or Egyptian- not Egyptian of the last thousand years or so, at least.

("I wonder what that old fool is planning. Surely he wouldn't just hire us because Isis said we might be good teachers?")

("Do you really want to try to figure out your sister's methods and means of getting her way? Personally, I would think she would be a really good thief as well…")

("Can we stop talking about who you'll recruit for your next thieving mission and get back to the subject at hand, King of Thieves?") Although the whispers were indecipherable, the sarcasm and mocking in the last few words was easily conveyed, the voice, a deep, rich voice with an air of royalty.

("Of course, Pharaoh.") Sarcasm was evident in this statement, too. ("We shall all do what the Pharaoh wants.")

("The Pharaoh happens to be right, Bakura. Now… what shall we do? Er… excuse me, ma'am, I was wondering…") One of the cloaked figures that had rounded the corner turned to a portrait of a woman that was actually awake, and staring at him like he was insane.

A second walked over. "Excuse my friend." The first figure grumbled. "We are new teachers here, and were wondering where our rooms were."

The portrait frowned at them. "Are you sure you're new teachers? How am I to-"

"Madam Deloria!" a voice from another portrait echoed down the hallway, and moments later one of the portraits from Dumbledore's office- an elder man- appeared in the frame. "Madam, these are indeed the three new teachers! I have been asked by Dumbledore to personally escort them!"

The woman- Madam Deloria- frowned at him. "Are you sure, Phineas?"

Phineas nodded before gesturing for them to follow. "Quite sure, Madam! Excuse me, I must see these three off to their chambers!"

He started off through the portraits again, the three figures following. Waiting for them at every turn and corner, he noticed the strange silence that hung around them and frowned. "Don't you chaps normally speak to one another? Why are you all so quiet?"

The second figure looked up. "It is because, my friend, that we are trying to memorize the way to our chambers so that we do not get so lost later."

Phineas nodded and continued, watching them out of the corner of his eye. There was just something about them….

He stopped when they came to a small, but long painting, the background black with but a few, small, dots, and a large, brighter collection of the dots in the middle. "Ah, the only painting of just stars in this entire castle. I had it commissioned myself, you know. Of the Pleiades- beautiful, isn't it?"

All three nodded before the third- and last- figure spoke up. "Thank you very much, Phineas."

"Your welcome. And the password is Apotelesma."

The second figure nodded, approaching the portrait. "Apotelesma!"

The portrait began to warp, changing from the original picture of stars to simply a black void, and Phineas nodded. "Wonderful. Right through there, if you'd please."

"Thank you again, Phineas." The third figure said, before stepping through the portrait, the other two following.

As soon as the portrait returned to normal, Phineas Negilus frowned, making his way back to the Headmaster's office. He thought he knew at least some of the secrets of the castle, if not all of them. And he had commissioned that painting, after all. So when did it cease to swing open, like it was supposed to, and instead became a vortex- a portal?

---

He awoke with a cold sweat, gasping for breath. A small stream of silvery light from the outside world sneaked through the tightly drawn curtains to land on his chest, stretching to the wall and towards the ceiling- but never quite making it. His eyes, still wide with fright from his dream- or, more aptly put, nightmare- traced the line of light, calming himself down enough to think semi-clearly.

That had definately not just been a nightmare. He had seen things done that no one should ever have to see, and felt the hideous joy the emanated from the one who's body he temporarily occupied during the occurance. His forehead- in particular, a small lightning-shaped scar- burned like fire, and he winced, eyes snapping shut over glittering, emerald eyes, as he reached out for his bedside table and glassess.

He put them on, pressing his palm still to his forehead as the pain began to subside. Why did it hurt so much more this time than it had in the past? He remembered something about the Death Eaters Avery, Nott, and Bellatrix- he felt his stomch curl in rage at the last name. She was the one responsible for Sirius' death! She would pay dearly.

But, thinking back, he realized that she might have already started her 'penance'. Something had happened to her and Nott, and both had been found in a large home- undoubtably the Malfoy's, if the figures with platnium blonde hair were any indication. But there was something about Avery, too. Something that he just couldn't remember...

Groaning, his eyes searched around the room he shared with his beloved Hedwig, only to find her gone, probably out hunting. He frowned- right when he needed her, too.

He pushed the covers and duvets off his body with his legs, swining them around to rest on the cold floor. He winced as the sharp pain from the freezing temperatures sent shivers up his spine, feet shuffling around until he found an old pair of slippers that he been burried in the very bottom of one of the closests, never to be used again, no doubt.

As dirty, out of fashion, and just plain old as they were, the slippers were still comfortable, and served their purpose. He shuffled across the floor to his desk, grabbing a piece of parchment, a quill, and an ink bottle.

Dipping the quill in the ink, he lifted his hand to write- and stopped. What would he write? That he had a dream about the Dark Lord Voldemort, and that something had happened to three of his strongest Death Eaters? As not-so-insane as the sounded- now- who would he write to? Dumbledore wasn't truthworthy enough to leave any kind of information in his care- sure, they might be on an even level- that still wasn't enough for Harry to totally trust the aging Headmaster, not now.

Maybe Hedwig, whenever she gets back, might know someone he could send it to? Or it might just help to get everything down on paper, write out everything that was bothering him- his dream, everything, and then lock the piece of parchment away, or send it with Hedwig and hope she knew someone to take it to.

Afterall, he had seen her doing something that looked like conversing with another snowy owl occasionally at Hogwarts- maybe that other owl would know someone?

Feeling more confused than ever, he re-inked his quill, and, in the middle of the night with the glorious return of Re still hours away, the boy-who-lived, Harry Potter, began to write.

---

Atemu blinked as he surveyed where they had ended up, Malik and Bakura beside him, all three taking off their cloaks.

Of course, the fact that there was sun, there were monsters, and there were random, fluffy balls could only mean one thing-

"How did we get to the Dominion?" Malik asked slowly, trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Atemu shrugged. "I really don't know. I never felt any kind of Shadow Heka around the portrait, and not until moments before we were here."

Bakura growled. "So… those wizards have access to this place?"

"No, they don't. Whatever password you used to get here, as I assume that is the way wizards do things, probably had more than one meaning, and you merely used the wrong meaning."

Whipping around, the three came face-to-face with- "Delta!" Bakura's eyes widened as he took in his hikari's favourite card personified- the Change of Heart.

Delta gave a small smile. "It is wonderful to meet you, Master." Bakura nodded to her, getting over his shock. "So… if we wanted to go to the chambers that they had set out for us-"

"You would have to use a different meaning when you spoke the words, and therefore-"

"A different tone." Atemu sighed. "As useful as the Charter can be…." Bakura yawned. "Well, whatever. I'm all for camping here for the night. Good night." He quickly walked off to his rooms, shedding his cloak as he went.

Malik sighed. "I'm going to join him. No use wasting good sleeping time, right?"

Atemu watched as Malik's back became visible to him before it rounded the corner. Delta looked at him carefully, before Yugi, in the corporeal spirit-form, appeared beside his dark.

"Yami, I want to take a bath."

Atemu nodded. "Then a bath you shall have, aibou. Thank you, Delta."

"Of course, Pharaoh. Have a good night."

Atemu led Yugi down a number of ornate staircases, and a large, underground hallway, with no doors on either side but many sculptures, paintings, portraits, and small alcoves. Yugi blinked. "Where are we going? I meant we should go back to Hogwarts."

"Aibou, did you really think the Shadows and Shadow Creatures would build such a grand castle as this for their Masters, and not even think about cleaning?" Atemu replied, a small grin on his face. The silence was enough to tell him that Yugi had actually thought that there wasn't any place to wash, and Atemu's grin only got larger.

Finally reaching two double doors, Atemu paused and let Yugi look at them carefully. Solid marble stone lined with bronze, the two doors were barely decorated, the natural beauty of the stone being allowed to shine through. A perfectly circle sealed the doors together, the circle itself a beautiful gold, the rim around in more of a white-gold color. Yugi blinked, turning to Atemu. "Erm… this is nice and all, but… what about my bath?"

Atemu laughed, grabbing his hikari by the shoulders and pushing him towards the doors. "Push on that circle in the middle, aibou." Yugi frowned over his shoulder at the dark, but did as he was asked.

The doors swung open easily, revealing wide, flat stairs the progressed slowly down to a wide, flat area with a wall in front of them and lots of sheer drapes that, as there were so many, effectively blocked the area beyond it from sight.

"Come, aibou. Down the stairs, and around the wall..."

"Yami, if this is some sort of trick..."

"No! It's definitely not a trick, aibou!"

Yugi sighed in resignation, allowing himself to be steered down the stairs. Atemu reached around him to brush aside some of the sheer veils, letting them fall back into place as they passed.

The yami pushed his hikari towards the opposite side of the wall, where small indents in the wall provide space to put clothes. A small, linen kilt, approximately Yugi's size, was laid out on one of the small benches. Yugi frowned, turning to his dark, but Atemu only grinned.

"Come now, aibou. Afraid of the Egyptian-style clothing, are we?"

Yugi pouted. "No way. Turn around."

Grudgingly, Atemu turned his body as Yugi stepped over to the wall to get changed, taking another look at the pillars on either side of said divider. Heiroglyphics were carved into the alabaster stone, depicting a number of different things that the young hikari was positive he probably wouldn't want to know.

Atemu, feeling his hikari's contentedness at something, turned to find him walking around the wall, already changed into the kilt, his own clothes discared somewhere in the area.

He walked over quickly and grabbed his light by the hand. "Maa maa, aibou. You don't want to get lost, do you?"

Yugi pouted again, looking entirely too... kawaii, for want of a better word, for Atemu's sake. "Of course I'm not going to get lost. I just wanted to find a tub and get washed!"

A slightly evil smile crossed Atemu's perfectly formed face. "Really? Then I suggest you follow me, aibou. The 'tub' as you called it is over this way."

Yugi let himself be dragged- again- away from the wall, and the door, and further into the maze of veils, drapes and curtains. Atemu left him seeingly in the middle of nowhere, and walked off to the left, telling his aibou to "Stay there and don't you dare move." Yugi easily complied- he wasn't sure at all where he was now, and certainly didn't want to get as lost as Atemu kept saying he would.

Instead, he filled his need to wander with his need to ponder. Where had Atemu gone? Why had his yami left him in the middle of a room of veils, with a kilt on? That line of thought, of course, could go in a number of directions- most of which Yugi was sure he'd rather avoid at the moment- and instead turned to looking around.

The curtains and veils were sheer, right? Then why couldn't he see through them?

"Because, aibou, we do not want you to see through them. Well, not until right... now."

As Atemu (from where ever he was) said the last word, the drapes and veils seemed to disappear into nothingness, a few sliding along like on a track to wrap around more alabaster pillars, all pillars and other shapes within the room having more hieroglyphics carved into them.

Yugi gasped in surprise as he looked directly in front of him.

He was standing on the edge of what could only be a huge pool, out of which rose most of the pillars and columns. The water, a gentle, Caribbean blue, had only a few small ripples on it- more than likely from the veils being drawn back. The hikari wasn't sure if the walls of the pool underneath the surface were smooth or rough, but they were certainly textiled, though it was hard to tell through the water.

The pool itself stretched out in front of him, and, he had the strangest feeling, all the way around the hallway they had just left, a complete room underneath the entire castle. Alabaster pillars reached up to the ceiling, supporting the castle, and Yugi suddenly wished he hadn't realized that. However, the Shadow Creatures wouldn't build something dangerous for their Masters to live in, and so he had no worries- no obvious ones, anyways.

He turned his attention back to the pool, and gingerly put his toe in. The water wasn't extremely hot, not was it cold- it was luke-warm, and felt like almost nothing as it gently caressed the single apendage that was submerged.

Atemu grinned as Yugi stepped down onto the first step, then another, quickly getting down to the bottom of the pool. Looking over his shoulder at the yami, the light walked a bit further, finding the water about waist height, before diving into the water an resurfacing a little further away.

Atemu grinned as he saw Yugi go under again, but frowned as he- again- surfaced further away. He went to call out, but Yugi was already under the water, already proceeding further and further away from him.

"Aibou!"

However, Yugi had decided to round one of the pillars, and Atemu suddenly wished that there weren't so many pillars- or that he hadn't left so much of a mystery about the pool. It did, indeed, fill the whole room, which in turn was the whole basement to the castle, but only the small area around the door was lit- the rest was darkness, and although the Shadows would certainly help find one's way through it, actually getting around was a definite pain- and likely to get you lost.

((Aibou!))

No answer, and Atemu continued to frown- in fact, it only deepened. He took off his cloak and through it in the general direction of the wall and benches- where it landed, he took no notice of.

Putting on 'Pharaoh-garb', he proceeded into the water quickly, following where Yugi had gone. He saw the ripples caused by his hikari, and decided to follow them when he rounded the alabaster pillar. Something grabbing his foot under the water, though, made him yelp and his mouth fill with water as he was dragged under.

Pushing agaist the floor, he looked on in annoyance as his light surface next to him, giggling at his face.

"You think that's funny, aibou?"

"No. I think your face is funny."

"I'll show you something funny!"

Atemu proceeded to dunk his hikari, before Yugi struggled back, and soon it turned into an all-out water fight.

---

Dumbledore sighed, walking over to his chair at the head of the kitchen table at Number 12 Grimwauld Place. One aged and wrinkled hand came up to his forehead, cradling said head as he tried to calm the pounding within it. He was glad that no one else was in the kitchen, glad that no one else would see his moment of weakness- he was a leader, and therefore should behave like one, even if it pained him.

A gentle knocking on the door caused him to look up, and his eyes met those of a young red head, sixteen years old and already all too knowledgeable of the ways of the world. "Professor Dumbledore?"

He gave a small smile, motioning her over. "Yes, Ginny?"

She walked over slowly, holding onto what Dumbledore suspected was a very small stuffed animal. The idea that she was too old for stuffed animals crossed his mind, before he banished that thought completely- it was not good to follow the typical stereotypes that the world decides upon. He pulled out a chair for the youngest Weasly, allowing her space to sit.

She was silent, gathering her thoughts, and did not looked very comfortable, obviously not about to start the conversation.

"Ginny? Are you alright?" He asked gently, adged eyes taking in the bags under her eyes, the white-kunckle grip on whatever was in her hands, the clenched teeth. 'That was a stupid question.'

"P... Professor... what's going to happen? I heard that Professor Binns retired... and who will be our new DADA teacher? Who is going to protect Hogwarts?"

Five others entered the kitchen then, all of them looking none to happy. They took seats around the table, the only female- a seventeen year old with bushy brown hair- opting to sit beside Ginny, the youngest of the red-haired young men that had entered sitting beside her. A black haired teen with startling green eyes sat beside the young male red head, opposite Dumbledore, the last two red heads- twins, and nineteen years old- sitting next to each other on the other side of the black haired teen.

Dumbledore sighed. "You all want to know what's going to happen?"

They all nodded, and Dumbledore slowly folded his fingers together, resting his chin on the small, flat space he created. "In fact, I've found three new teachers- one for History, one for Defence, and a third for a new, after-and-during-and-any-time-of-the-day classes."

The black haired teen frowned. "Any time of the day classes? Why would there be classes you can take any time of the day?"

Dumbledore smiled gently, thumbs twidling together in what was an unmistakable Charter pattern, voice slowly becoming laced with the gentle tones of the Round of Calm. "They're not so much classes as a... er... 'feelings course', as one of the other new teachers put it, Harry."

One of the twins grinned. "Did you say 'feelings course'? Aren't those just Guidance people?"

The other twin match the first's grin perfectly. "Guidance? Now, who do we know who could need that?" Both sets of eyes were turned onto Harry, who blushed, looking away, and frowning.

"I do NOT need Guidance!"

Dumbledore chuckled, releasing the Round of Calm to gesture Harry openly to be calm. "No, no one needs guidance. What these new courses are are just some one to talk to if you want to- to confide things in. And do not worry about confidentiality. I belive- although completely accidentally and from lack of knowledge of the situation, let me assure you- that I almost killed him once, and he seems to harbour a grudge- or at least only tell me what I need to know. The other two new teachers, actually, seem to hate me more than he does..."

Ginny looked up in surprise, as did the other female. "Hate you? Then how do you know that they aren't on you-know-who's side!"

The second female frowned. "And why them? Why not any of the other teachers that seem to always be trying to get the position?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Because, Ms. Granger, that a very close friend of mine- who should be arriving any moment now, mind you- has very high recomendations of them- she personally trained them, and I would easily trust her with my life. Although they seem to be of higher rank than Isis, she seems to have their respect, for one thing or another, and they would not hurt her if they absolutely did not need to."

Through most of the explanation, everyone seemed to be more and more open to the new teachers, but the last sentence seemed to put them back on edge. "If they did not need to? So they would hurt her?" Geroge, a twin, asked in surprise.

Dumbledore sighed. "Only in extreme situations, and if she would tell them to- Isis called it an 'E.S. Sacrifice', I belive."

"E.S. Sacrifice? What does that mean?" the youngest male red head, Ron, asked in amazement.

"It means Extreme Situation Sacrifice. When the only way out is to sacrifice someone or something, and they allow you to." The voice was gentle, calming, and relaxing, a thousand times more powerful and expressive than Dumbledore's.

All heads whipped around to the doors, where a young woman with a sand-colored veil over her head, and the same color of dress and cloak, stood in the doorway, straight and proud.

Dumbledore stood up as she walked fully into the kitched, removing the head veil and revealing her long, raven hair, striking blue eyes and full lips. A small gold band around her forehead with a topaz jem hanging from the middle encircled her head, looking more like a crown than a hair piece. "Isis, wonderful to see you."

She smiled gently. "And wonderful to be here, Albus." Her eyes roamed over those gathered in front of her. "And who might these young ones be?" He voice, now unobstructed, was filled with ancient wisdom and mystery, echoing of ages past. It reminded Hermione of the man she had met in Flourish and Blott's- Atra.

Dumbledore's smile widened, moving her to the chair between his own and the other twin's, Fred's. "From your right: Fred and George Weasly (not sure which is which, though- never have been, either), Harry Potter, Ronald Weasly, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasly."

She bowed slightly to them. "I am Isis Ishtar, Head of the Egyptian Department of Intiquities, and Kage no Mage."

Dumbledore, although smiling gently, was obviously confused at the last statement, but covered it quickly. "We were just talking about the three new teachers."

She nodded in understanding. "Ah, yes." She sat down gracefully, between Fred (George?) and Dumbledore, placing her hands, folded, on the table. "Mouto, Ishtar and Bakura." A smile crossed her face, as she obviously reminiced about times long-gone. "Mouto was only under my care for a few months, almost a year, but easily surpassed both my brother and Bakura through all the extra training they did.

"Bakura is probably the next powerful, but slightly unpredictable. However, if you get on his good side, you'll be there for the rest of your life. And if you get on his bad side, then there's always a chance that you can get on his good side, as long as you're not a suck-up, goodie-goodie, or someone he would consider to be a 'Friendship Harpy'."

This statement caused everyone at the table to stare as Isis' smile only widened. "And, of course, is my brother, Ishtar. He's just as unpredictable as Bakura, but whether you're on his good or bad side depends on his mood."

Dumbledore coughed. "Isis... I'm not too sure about you saying such... blunt comments about these new teachers to their students."

Isis shrugged. "It's always better to be safe than get your soul stolen. Maa maa, I was joking!" She protested at the looks on their faces. Laughing, she continued. "But they're all well trained in seven different types of magic, though they only usually deal with the top four, and as such might be a bit rusty when it comes to your kind- Mark magic. Regardless, they are all understanding, helpful, and responsible."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "And, from what I could see, they also don't mind joking around."

Isis nodded. "They certainly don't. So if you ever feel the urge to have a laugh, just talk to them- especially Mouto. He'll listen, laugh, and give you something to think about- all with one sentence."

Hermione nodded as Ginny stood up. "Thank you, Ms. Ishtar."

Isis shook her head, also standing and taking Ginny's hands in her own, comforting the girl. "Don't thank me. Just have faith- everything always works out in the end for the better when it comes to these three. No, go to sleep and relax. Everything will be better in the morning."

When everyone had heeded her words, Dumbledore stood and looked at her back. "What do you think will happen, Isis?"

The Seer just smiled politely. "If you knew, you'd be packing your bags and heading for any other realm besides this one within the next five seconds. But, as I said, those three always find a way to come through."

---

Something about the middle of August seemed to scream, "AAAHHHHH!"

...or maybe that was a seventeen year-old girl who was currently staring in horror at a parchment list in her hand, eyes widened in shock, two friends looking at her in surprise as they stood outside a bookstore in what appeared to be a very busy alley.

"Hermione... are you okay...?" Ron asked slowly, nervously staying at least three feet away from her- enough room to be 'close', but enough to get out of there should she start to panick. Harry was basically immitating him.

"No... I... there's..."

Harry peered at his other best friend around Hermione's back, mouthing, "Maybe we should bring her to St. Mungo's?"

Ron nodded, before grabbing her arm. "Come on, Herm, we need to get you somewhere to calm down."

"Ron, let go of me!" She exclaimed, ripping her arm out of his grasp. She shoved the list into his face. "What does this say!"

Ron blinked, scanning the list. "It's... our list of books, Hermione."

She growled. "I know that, Ron. Look at what the list says!"

He read it dutifully, before shaking his head. "I still don't get it. Some special, hidden code in here or something?"

Hermione sighed, whirling on Harry. "Well? Have you read yours?"

Harry blinked, pulling out his own. "Well... let's see here... Hermione, I don't see anything."

"Exactly!" She exclaimed. "Thank you Harry!" She gave him a quick hug, before rounding on Ron. "See? He gets it!"

She proceeded into the book store- Flourish and Blotts- Harry and Ron sharing a quick look of confusion before following her.

Hermione quickly scanned the rows of bookshelves, looking from one to another, grabbing a few textbooks she deemed nesecary for the year to follow, lobbing them at Ron and Harry, three of each, their piles soon almost too many for them to carry.

"Herm, c'mon! We're going to drop these books soon!" Ron spoke up around his stack, quickly side-stepping to stop the offending books from toppling sideways.

Hermione turned around to glare at them. "What do you expect, Ron? With no textbooks for HoM or DADA, especially now, we can't help but be prepared!"

"But three of the same book? Unless you two are buying them for me..."

"I can assure you, Ms. Granger, that three of the same book will not be nesecary for your schooling." A calm, collected voice spoke behind her.

Hermione whipped around, grinning. "Mr. Atra! How are you?"

The man in the cloak bowed his head slightly to her in recognition. "I am quite well, Ms. Granger. Mr. Weasly, how might you be?"

Ron was stunned at being addressed in such a way, before he gave a small smile. "I... I'm good."

Harry looked over the new man. He wasn't much taller than himself- about the same height as Ron. The dark, black cloak he wore shrouded all body parts from view, the hood moving with his head, as though a part of it. Glyphs in silver trim lined the bottom, cuffs and hems of the robe, a silver chain linking one side of the cowl to the other.

Hermione glanced at the newest addition to the cloak- a golden eye symbol, embroidered on the top of the hood, and a pendant, made of obsidian, alabastar and opal with the eye symbol on it as well hung from around his neck, falling just below the silver chain. "You have some new aditions to your cloak?"

Atra nodded. "Yes. Since your warning about mine and my companion's similarities to these 'Death Eaters', we have taken steps to differentiate ourselves from that group further and far more obviously."

Hermione nodded in approval. "That's good... but what did you mean about not needing all these books for school!"

He glanced down at her. "Really, Ms. Granger, I thought your upbringing was better than that. Who is this other friend of yours?" His voice was light, humourous, joking. Hermione certainly didn't find the comment offensive. Instead, she blushed in embarrasment.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Atra! This is my friend, Harry Potter."

Atra paused for a moment, but Harry did not feel the usual staring openly at him- in fact, it felt more like no one was staring at him, nor paying him even the slightest bit of attention- it was a semi-new feeling, as it was not an oppresive feel, like that which he recieved at his Aunt's and Uncle's.

Harry blinked.

Atra laughed. "Pardon me. Mr. Potter, it is an honor to make your acquaintance." He held out a hand regally, slightly tanned skin and a strong, but delicate hand looped by golden rings and a thick, golden arm guard with a flail etched into it being shown. The flail itself was inlaid with ruby and amethyst. Harry took the hand, feeling an almost unnatural warmth.

"It... it is good to meet you, sir."

Atra released his hand all at once, and a grin was almost perceptable on the cloaked one's face. "No need to be nervous, Mr. Potter. Now, Ms. Granger, I believe you had a question for me?"

Hermione nodded fervently. "You said that we wouldn't need the books for school. What do you mean?"

Atra gave the impression of shrugging before raising his hand to the shelves. "What do you see here?"

Hermione gave her best Professor McGonagal impression before looking over her shoulder. "Shelves of books on the wizarding world."

Atra nodded. "Sadly, that is what I see, too. There is no other kind of book in here- they all revolve around the 'wizarding world', and completely ignore every other kind of 'world' that there is."

Hermione frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Atra looked about ready to say something, when two more cloaked figures (dressed exactly the same, mind you, with only the color of trim being different- one had a sand color, much like Isis's robes, and the other a crimson) turned the corner and hailed Atra.

"Hey! We were looking for you!" the one with the sand colored trim called out, and Atra seemed to almost grow in size, although that was impossible. However, the aura of laughter and humour around him made the oppressive feeling diminish by... well, by a lot.

"Ah, Malik, Ryou. Why were you looking for me?"

The one with the crimson trim- Ryou- replied with a calming voice, certainly English but with a hint of the same foreign accent the other two possessed in their voices as well. "Professor Dumbledore wanted us back at the school to help set everything up. He said that we needed to decide on a few things, and talk to the teachers."

Atra nodded again, before turning back to Hermione, Ron and Harry. "Pardon me, but I must be going. I hope to see you again? And no, Hermione- you don't need three of each book. But one of each should be fine..."

They got the distinct impression of him winking at them before following the other two out of the store. Harry turned to his two companions. "Who were they?"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno, mate. Met them at the end of July- around your birthday, really- and Hermione and Atra seemed to hit it off pretty well." Ron's voice took on a dangerous, slightly evil quality, and Harry held back a laugh at his friend's protectiveness.

Hermione looked over at them, quickly sifting through the piles and grabbing only one of each book. "He seems quite educated, and has obviously either no problem or no clue that I'm a muggle-born."

Harry sighed, thinking back as the quick conversation replayed in his head. "Well, he certainly sounded educated. But what did he mean about the 'different worlds' thing?"

Ron sighed. "Leave the intellectual stuff to Hermione, Harry- you know how she gets off on it."

Hermione frowned at them. "Ron..." she started in warning, Harry biting his lip to stop himself from laughing at his best friend's face. She turned around, walking down the isle to start putting the extra books away. "He basically just said that we'll be learning some different means of protecting ourselves, not the traditional wizarding ways. For Dumbledore to okay this, it might very well mean that this will give us an edge over You-Know-Who."

Ron rolled his eyes as Harry grabbed a book out of his arms to give to Hermione. "So then why do we need all these extra books?"

Hermione didn't even turn around to face him, but instead continued walking, looking at the titles. "Although we'll be learning different methods of protecting ourselves, we still should be prepared with the old-fashioned ways. You know- the wizard ways."

Ron and Harry shared a look, knowing easily what the young witch was getting at. "Hermione... you're not really thinking of-"

She turned around quickly, a dsiturbingly happy smile on her face. "Yup! We're re-starting the DA!"

---

The moment they were back in the Dominion, Bakura appeared beside Ryou, fuming. "What did you think you were doing! We're not supposed to have anything to do with these Re-damned Mark Mages!"

Atemu frowned, letting Yugi take control of the body and separating himself. "I merely wanted to see if there was anything more there that might be of interest to us- anything that might help with anything."

Bakura continued to seeth. "Sure, yeah, but you can never just leave well enough alone! You have to go and talk to some of the students, basically tell them what we're teaching...!"

Yugi sighed. "Bakura, please. There's nothing really big or important that Yami said. Just that they won't be learning wizarding ways- we never said what kind of ways!"

Ryou nodded. "I think you might be over-reacting, yami."

Bakura rounded on him and grabbed his wrist, pulling his lighter towards him. "Who's over-reacting, hikari?"

Three other bodies had started forward, but Ryou stood there, unflinching, and cooly replied, "You are. There's no harm done, and those three still have no idea who or what we are. It's only right to associate with those who are- for want of a better term, less powerful than us, so that maybe they won't be so..."

"Stupid?"

"Arrogant?"

"Ignorant?"

"Amazingly self-centered?"

"High-and-mighty?"

"Narcistic?"

"Self-important?"

Yugi opened to add another adjective, already having two to his name, but a small glare from Ryou shut him, Atemu and Malik up, a sheepish grin on their faces.

Ryou, in the meantime, turned back to his yami. "Inesence, basically everything that those said."

Bakura kept his gaze locked on Ryou, and the albino hikari began to almost feel uncomfortable. The grip on his wrist slackened, before the other arms came up and grabbed Ryou's upper arm, the first hand moving to do the same. Crimson leveled with hazel, and the two stood there for a tense minute before Ryou sighed.

"If anything should happen, I'll take-"

"No, Ryou. The Pharaoh and his midget can take the blame." Bakura cut him off, and Ryou found his eyes widening in shock, before both looked over at the two in question.

Yugi shrugged, while Atemu seem to ponder it before nodding. "If anything should happen, we'll take the blame."

Bakura growled to illustrate his point, before slowly releasing Ryou- but keeping the hikari at his side by a tense hand on his shoulder.

Malik shifted uncomfortably before stepping between the two sets of yamis and hikaris, obviously feeling left out. "Alright, now that we have that all figured out... Dumbledore actually did want us back- he said to get you, and as such has no idea that we're out of the castle."

Yugi sighed. "Alright. Let's go back then."

"Did he say why he wanted us back there?"

Ryou shrugged as Bakura started walking, dragging the light with him. "He said that he wanted to introduce us to the other teachers."

Malik followed, still walking between the two pairs. "Which, I get the feeling, means he's going to try to get us to either talk about ourselves or get us to actively join this little 'anti-Dark-Lord' person thing that's going on."

Bakura growled. "Enima and Arragnon informed me it was called the OotP- the Order of the Phoenix."

Atemu blinked, pausing in stride for a moment. "The Order of the Phoenix? Is the Bennu highly valued here, too?"

Yugi shrugged. "I could probably ask the matron."

Malik rolled his eyes as Atemu and Bakura shared a quick glare and disapeared. "Yes, we all know how well you get along with her."

Yugi sighed as they approached the re-creation of the painting that supposedly brought them to their chambers from Hogwarts- the cosmos one- and all made sure their cloaks were on straight and revealed nothing. "I know that they almost killed me, but I learned a very valuble lesson- do NOT eat or drink anything that is supposed to make me feel 'better'. I didn't even know before hand what the consequences could be- not that I would- so why should they?"

Malik and Ryou watched him carefully before sighing. "I say we approach Dumbledore about the Bennu. Perhaps he might be the best person to talk to. He knows our situation the best, knowing Isis and all." Ryou whispered slowly as they bid quick fare-wells to some of the monsters roaming around the castle.

Malik nodded as did Yugi. "Then we'll get him alone and ask him about anything that we should know as teachers?"

Four heads nodded- not that anyone could see the other two- before the password, "Apotelesma" was spoken and the three returned to the castle.

---

The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, ancient to a fault, had stood and withstood every kind of possible threat. Floods, droughts, wars, explosions, muggles, more wars, hail, even more wars, sabotage, and a couple more wars. It had still retained it's integrety, although some spells and wards had needed to be placed to insure it stayed this way. For two thousand years it stood as a symbol of learning, of knowledge, of power, support, and unbreakable tradition.

Tradition was a very hard thing to break, and was the foundation of many of the classes, rules, and everything else within the castle's walls. Tradition was associated with continuity, with normalacy, with consistancy. However, due to certain... events, the ideals of 'continuation', 'normal', and 'consistant' were no longer practiced much within the stone walls.

And thus we find a group of teachers- actually, all the teachers- of the school gathered in the ancient library, filled to the brim with tomes and volumes of events and knowledge that normal mortals were not even privellaged to know of. At the head of the large table that had been 'moved' (summoned/transfigured) into the room sat the aging Head Master, Albus Dumbledore. He rested his chin on his hands, fingers folder together to make a bridge.

To his right sat the Deputy Head Mistress, Minerva McGonagal, calm worry etched on her face. To his left sat the potions Master, Severus Snape, greasy black hair falling into his eyes and hiding some if not most of his face from view. However, his body language spoke volumes- nervous, annoyed, and highly suspicious.

Professors Flitwick, Hagrid, Vector, Trelawny, Sprout, Hooch, the 'late' Professor Binns, Nearly-headless Nick, the Lady Mismerine, the Bloody Baron, and many of the other House Spirits and Professors ranged along the table, Hagrid taking up three places. Three chairs near the end, however, remained conspicuously empty, the finely woven fabric that covered them not having a single dent in it.

Sanpe turned to Dumbledore irrately. "Really, Professor Dumbledore, I thought you said you would be introducing three new teachers to us. I, frankly, don't see any new teachers- and if there are new teachers, they seem to not understand the concept of being 'prompt'."

McGonagal remained silent, waiting for Dumbledore's response. He sighed, looking slightly weary, until Peeves floated in, to the annoyance of nearly everyone in the room. About to blow a raspberry, he stopped seeing the Bloody Baron and instead reported to Dumbledore directly.

"Professor Bakura sir says that they're heading up now, sir." He related to Dumbledore, floating in an army-like manner, chest thrown out and hand to his head.

Dumbledore smiled gratefully. "Did they say where they were, Peeves?"

The little poltergeist said nothing for a few moments, appearing to think it over, before he shrugged. "Sirs not say nothing."

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you, Peeves."

"Little Peevies just doing what little Peevies supposed to be doing." And the small man floated away.

Snape frowned as McGonagal looked curiously at Dumbledore. "Why do you think he keeps calling them 'sirs', Albus?"

Dumbledore placed his chin on his folded hands again, seeming to ponder the question. "I do not know, Minerva. But from the information I have recieved from Isis, I have no doubt that they were able to find a way to keep him in check."

Snape frowned. "Isis? You mean that other Seer that you're so friendly with? The Egyptian one? How would she know?" The way he pronounced Seer made it sound like a horrible thing, and Trelawny bristled.

"Excuse me? I decide to cloud my vision so that I may pass onto you the new I have seen from the stars and globes and tea, and you mock the greatest art of all?" She stood, about to return to the North Tower, but Dumbledore motioned her to sit down.

The elder Head Master turned to the other teachers. "Ms. Ishtar is a very close friend of mine, a representative of both muggle and magical communities and governments of Egypt. She is fluent in many different languages, the Past, Present and Future are no mysteries to her, she is one of the heads of an Ancient Egyptian clan that has studied magic for millenia, and-"

"She's the best sister a guy could have. Oh, and teacher, too."

"Yeah, she whipped you into shape pretty quickly."

"Hey!"

Attention was drawn to the three cloaked figures at the door, one appearing to glare at another who was snickering, both having definate exotic accents. The third walked a bit further into the room, bowing slightly at the waist as the snickering one and glaring quickly did so as well, each taking their seats at the end of the table, the shortest one (who had been snickering) on one side, the other two opposite him.

"Professor Dumbledore, we are very sorry for our lateness."

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, it is alright. You'll have to forgive me, but I can never seem to remember who is who."

The singular cloaked figure beside Hagrid motioned to the other two. "Bakura and Ishtar."

"And Mouto." The one called Bakura supplied, before looking at the faces of his new colleagues. "We were not sure why you wanted us here, Professor Dumbledore, and were not sure of the circumstances in which this meeting was called." He had a definite British accent, but it was laced with the same foreign, exotic accent that the other two- Ishtar and Mouto- had.

Snape glared at them. "That is no excuse. Professor Dumbledore calls you, and you come."

Ishtar leaned forward slightly, and Mouto commented lightly, in a quiet voice, "If you mean to glare at someone, at least pull your hood back."

Ishtar leaned back again, pulling a strange looking wand from his pocket and idly twirling around his fingers, the motions born of years of practice. "Ah well. Professor..."

"Snape?" Dumbledore supplied, slightly amused.

"Ah, yes, Professor Snape. Bakura here wasn't making excuses. He was merely stating that if we had known the importance, we would have moved faster in finding Mouto here in his wanderings, instead of doing our search of this giant castle that we've had but one week to wander around."

"That is no excuse, either, Ishtar." Snape glowered, put off at the three's insolence.

Ishtar leaned forward again. "Exactly. It wasn't supposed to be an excuse. Would you prefer one? I could come up with a few on the spot, if you'd like. Of course, they would all more than likely involve something along the lines of torture, decapitation- no offense, Nick- and other wonderful, gory, bloody stories."

Snape didn't look too pleased by the rookie's answer, and instead merely glared as Ishtar sat back in his seat.

Bakura sighed. "Forgive him. He's a bit touchy about the comment about Isis earlier."

McGonagal looked interesting. "Isis Ishtar is your sister? Tell me, do you know of what clan she belongs to? What kind of magic she does?"

Ishtar did not look amused. "Of course I know. I was brought up the exact same way." And he let the subject drop- though everyone else were not as eager. Like, for example... Trelawny.

"Is Ms. Ishtar also a Seer? How acturate is she?"

Ishtar was not inclined to say anything, so Bakura took over, Mouto remaining silent. "She has only ever been wrong once- and that was only because she willed the vision she saw to move in her favour. And although all of her predicitions, visions, and prophecies have come true, a few of them we're not too... pleased with." At everyone's questioning look, Bakura elaborated. "They've involved a number of things from death to a forced removal of a very close person to us- they weren't always her own predicitions, visions, or prophecies, though. Some she had to interpret from ancient texts."

Trelawny looked impressed, but Hagrid, noticing the sudden sitffness of Mouto, looked down at him. "Eh, lad? What's wrong wit' ye?"

Mouto did not move, and instead muttered under his breath. "The 'forced removal' was of someone close to me."

Hagrid looked saddened- but also slightly intrigued. "Who, lad? Family?"

"Someone equivalent to a brother- a twin."

Hagrid sighed, patting him on the shoulder, nearly knocking him off his chair. "Ye fergave 'er?"

Mouto sighed in his gentle, quiet voice. "Of course I did- it was one of those ancient text prophecies Bakura was talking about. He had to leave. However, he was able to come back, and I was able to completely forget my anger at Isis."

Hagrid nodded. "Ye woud make a good councilor."

Mouto looked up at him, strange amethyst irisis being visible through the shadows his cowl created. "I am."

Hagrid blinked before guffawing. "Then ye'll do a great job o'it!"

Bakura and Ishtar grinned at their companion getting clobbered by the half-giant, before Bakura turned his attention back to Dumbledore. "When you were talking about Isis, you forgot one thing."

Dumbledore blinked, looking on in curiosity. "Oh? And what did I forget?"

Ishtar took the opportunity to jump in again. "That she taught us nearly everything we know- well, the basics at least."

Dumbledore nodded. "She did, indeed. Now, if you would like to know more about Ms. Ishtar or Professors Mouto, Bakura or Ishtar, please talk to them later. We have a meeting to begin, I believe.

"As teachers of Hogwarts, we have a duty to protect the school, our students, ourselves, and all who seek shelter within our walls. We also have a duty to come to the aid of those who need it- whether they ask for it or not. We are trained witches and wizards, we train witches and wizards, and we do so to make sure we and those we train are of the highest calliber. If not us, then who will come to others' aid?

"As I said at the beginning and end of the last few years, we need to work together to become a unified people, so that we may defend and protect others against the Dark Lord." Dumbledore's voice turned grave. "I wanted you all here so that we may develop a proper way to handle threats to the school and our students, and those in the surrounding area. Having a plan is better than winging it."

Leaning back (as he had become hunched over as he spoke) Dumbledore surveyed the teachers and Spirits. "Any ideas?"

McGonagal raised her head. "We need a quick, easy access route for the people of Hogsmead to get into Hogwarts should a threat arrive."

Snape continued, "And we also need a way to combat the Dark Lord's armies, and at least weaken them should they try to attack Hogwarts."

Mouto shifted, sitting up straighter and developing an almost imperial aura. "Our main priority should be making sure those under our care will be safe in times of need- in Egypt, those people who need protection more or were of higher rank lived closer to the palace than those who did not need protection as much, or worked the fields and therefore needed to be closer to their work lived further away. I'm not suggesting we move the village around-" He quickly added as he saw some of the looks on the faces, "-but I'm suggesting that those who need protection more- elderly, sick, young, those who can't defend themselves very well- have priority over those who would gladly stay and fight, to protect themselves."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, laughter contained in those eyes. Bakura, although it was invisible underneath the cloak, smiled right back. "Mouto here is a master strategist- he's never lost a game of life-and-death, and only ever lost five games in his entire life."

Ishtar nodded, proud. "Yup! That's our Mouto!"

Mouto shook his head. "I'm not a 'master strategist'- I merely am analyzing the situation from the little we actually know of it."

Snape smirked, feeling as though he had suddenly gained the upper hand. "If you don't know very much, then why don't you just listen?"

Mouto frowned at him, before turning his head slightly towards Dumbledore and McGonagal. "What is the distance, and are there any secret passages that connect the area? Rivers, pathways, roads, hills, trees, plantlife- any kind of natural and unnatural formation can be used to one's advantage."

Dumbledore nodded. "There are a number of back alleys and hidden passages that could be used. Shall we make use of them?"

Mouto shrugged. "As Professor Snape pointed out, we don't know the area very well. It all depends where they are, how visible they are- the best to use would be either the ones you can be sure that no one knows about, or the ones that aren't all that secretive, but still secret."

Bakura nodded. "The Dark Lord won't expect us to use the more obvious passages. He'll think we'd use the ones hidden away, unable to be found. He'd send his men searching for those, and, with 'our' kind of luck, they'd find them, too."

Ishtar stopped twirling his wand, placing it back within the foldds of his cloak, his voice taking on a more serious turn as he addressed the Head Master. "You remember the points of our contract?" Dumbledore nodded, and Ishtar gave the feeling of grinning. "Good. Then you should know that it could probably be extended to include outlaying people who seek refuge, but the rest stays the same."

Dumbledore tilted his head, but nodded, summoning a piece of parchment and marking it down, before said piece was banished to where ever it had come from.

McGonagal, having gotten a chance to look at the sheet, eyed the three at the end carefully, surprised by the contract itself- and the notes Dumbledore had written down regarding the three. However, knowing discretion, she decidedly did not mention anything.

Flitwick nodded his head. "I can come up with a few charms that will help you three get used to the area, and then we can come up with a good strategy."

The three bowed their heads slightly to the small Professor, as Mouto, gently again, replied, "It would be very much appreciated, Professor..."

"Flitwick!"

Bakura and Mouto chuckled as Ishtar began airing that content and happy aura again. Trelawny found it strange that the three could control their aura and what others felt their emotions were- well, it seemed that way, anyways.

Dumbledore looked over at the arithmancy teacher. "Professor Vector? What do you think about this?"

Vector blinked, looking up from notes he had been staring at. "It seems that the conclusions we've reached are excellent, but that until the new Professors get time to become acquainted with the surrounding area, we'd have to use their ideas only, not the actual plans."

More nods greeted this assessment, and Dumbledore nodded. "Alright, I think we've covered nearly everything that everyone needs to be present for. Professor Vector, if you could show Mouto, Bakura and Ishtar around, it would be greatly appreciated."

Vector nodded as well. "Of course, sir."

As the four left the room, other Professors left, too, until soon it was only Dumbledore, McGonagal and Snape left in the library, Madam Pince having actually left the room to go around and collect some of the books that had become scattered around the castle.

"Albus, I don't understand."

Dumbledore turned a questioning gaze on MacGonagal, Snape frowning as he looked at the Deputy Head Mistress. "What is it, Minerva?"

"When you pulled out their contract... I couldn't help but look at what it said. And... those notes..." The wavering in her voice startled the two men who shared a quick look before turning their attention back to her.

"Minerva, I can assure that we have their full support." Dumbledore said soothingly, placatingly.

Snape frowned at him, now.

"Notes, Professor? What notes?"

The contract was summoned again, and Snape quickly ran over it, seeing nothing too surprising on the sheet. However, when he got to the end, notes quickly scribbled and changed a number of times covered the whole bottom area, and these he looked at with more focus, letting the words sink in. His head snapped back up.

"What does this mean, Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore sighed. "What it means, Severus, is that those three could easily tip the scales in our favour- should they choose to fight with us. Right now, they refuse to do anything more than protect lives- buildings and landscape are irrelevent to them. They will do what is nesecary to protect that which they said they would protect, even if the price is greater than any one man can pay. Ms. Ishtar said that they are capable in using all seven types of magic, but they usually only use the top four. They can invoke ancient magic- use powers of darkness and light, Gods and Demons."

McGonagal started. "But... what are the top four?"

"It is not common knowledge, and so I would appreciate it if you did not repeat this outside of this room or my office.

"The seven kinds of magic- Shadow, Soul, Charter, Spirit, Mio, Mark, and Aura- are ranked in order from strongest to weakest, and are thus placed in that order when recited. The top five- Shadow, Soul, Charter, Spirit and Mio- have not been used in the last hundred years in the case of Mio, and the last thousands of years in the case of Shadow.

"The only reason we know about Shadow, Soul, Charter and Spirit is because some acient texts- the Sectrum Distalfios- were found and translated, but no one today can fully invoke the powers that they bring. I myself know one or two Rounds of the Charter- calming ones, mainly.

"For Mouto, Bakura and Ishtar to be able to invoke all types of magic, it would mean that they must be of a high rank or ancient blood lines that can be traced all the way back to the last time Shadow, Soul Charter and Spirit magic were actually practiced- five thousand years ago to ancient Egypt."

Snape stopped. "You actually expect me to believe that they can use some kind of magic that hasn't been used for thousands of years?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm not expecting you to believe anything. What I'm expecting you to do is to remember that those three are very important- maybe not always or just to us, but to someone in the world, somewhere, Professors Yugi Levis Mouto, Ryou Lumen Bakura and Malik Luminarium Ishtar will be able to change- to save- to protect- to teach the true power of being able to walk, to speak, to commune, with Gods and Demons."

---

Mana frowned at the strange object that her three new helpers had just dragged into the Dominion- to be more specific, the Records Hall of the Castle of Shadows. "Well then, you three, what are we supposed to do with this?"

Lasine frowned, scratching her head. "Something to do with rest, tations, new books, copy, and trans-Atlantic?"

Mana frowned. "That's about as clear as the moon during the day in a sand storm."

Lasine sweatdropped while Shimasu giggled, the usual giant smile appearing on her face.

Anriel paused, looking over at the books. "I believe that it actually was that we need to restore the books so that they won't fall apart, if we need to make some new books, copy out the words properly or go over them with ink, translate the text into Japanese and possibly English."

There was silence before Mana shook her head and began pushing the old shelf further into the vaulted, darkened room. "Wonderful. If we don't get this done by whenever we see them next, it's your heads."

---

Notes

1) For those who were curious about the chapter title, we never say the words 'summer vacation' in my school because it always feels more like summer at the end of May and beginning of June than it does any time during July and August. Like right now- we got out of school early today cause of a heat wave- a whole hour and a half earlier! And we live on the 49th parallel... that's funny. So, as we don't call it summer, we call it 'The Fun'- hence the title. End of August end of The Fun. and the CNE, but that's a whole other thing.

2) Alright, I wrote this song listening to Bohemian Rhapsody (which I always end up spelling Phrapsody for some reason) by Queen- specifically theYGO AMV by Shockingpichu (download it today!). I love how she made Raphael and Atemu speak like that near the middle... (squeels) ah, so good. "No escape from reality"... love it! Of, google AMV and click on the second link (I think it is- well, not the company, the Music Video website. Bohemian Rhapsody is a local download, and took me half an hour, but it's all good!)

3) Why did Fleur disapear whenI love her so? Let's call it the PLOT. Can you believe it? A PLOT? That might actually stay the same all the way through without me changing it and leaving PLOT HOLES? ...I'm gonna start believing in God again now...

Song

I really don't think I need to state this, but just in case- BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY BY QUEEN. BUY THE CD OR DOWNLOAD THE AMV- IT'S A GOOD SONG REGARDLESS. M'kay? M'kay.

Other

I haven't done this in a while, so...

CLICK THE BUTTON!

THE BUTTON!

BUTTON!

(Chibi Bakuras start floating arund you, stabbing your hand with swords towards the pretty purple button below)

BUTTON!

THE BUTTON!

CLICK THE BUTTON!

...We love Baku-sama...

"And thus we leave, and thus we destroy, and thus we GO GET SUGAR!"