Hey everyone, time for another chapter. I hope it's not too short for you, but it was a difficult one to write. I was done with tennis, but someone got sick and I'm the replacement so I'm busy there. Band started and school has been like it always is. I hope you enjoy this chapter and not get too upset by it.

Reminders:

/Ryou to Bakura/

/Bakura to Ryou/

'These contain the thoughts of the characters.'

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Yugioh.

Ryou ran as far up as he could before his breath became short. He stopped at a window and looked at the grounds of the school. In the corner of his eye he saw movement and there was the cloaked man. The man was running towards the castle, but not the entrance. When he had lost sight of the man, Ryou sighed and ran to the stairs. The teachers were just leaving and he knew he would never be able to catch the man.

Ryou sighed once more and began his trek to the Gryffindor common room. He had seen the man in the silver cloak many times in his dreams, but now that he knew the man was real, he didn't know what to do.

/Bakura/ He called to the spirit.

/Yes, Ryou, I saw him. / came the growled reply.

/So I guess this means that he is real, right/ Ryou felt his Yami nod and he sighed. /Great. /

Arriving at the portrait of the fat lady, Ryou said the password and entered. He looked around at the scared expressions everyone in his house had on their faces and sighed. He had seen hopelessness last year, but he had never thought he'd see the fear that accompanied it ever again. He climbed the stairs to his dorm and collapsed on his bed.

"What am I going to do?" Ryou asked himself.

"For starters, you can try to stop talking to yourself," Bakura replied from next to him.

"Technically, Bakura, you are me and if I am talking to you now, then I'm still talking to myself," Ryou replied.

"Good point. What do you propose we do?"

"Would I have even asked that question before if I knew?" Ryou sighed as his Yami smirked. He knew Bakura was trying to make him feel better, but he really needed to know what to do.

Bakura sighed, "I don't know what to do, Ryou. Why don't we list the things we do know?"

Ryou nodded and thought. "The cloaked man is real and not just a part of my imaginations. If the man is real, then the dreams are real and you're going to get hurt. The man is up to something, obviously since he started a forest fire which means he's obviously not a muggle born."

Bakura raised his eyebrow, "How do you get the last one?"

"Well, with all the warnings about starting a fire in the forest on television, what kind of muggle would actually do it?"

"Oh, I get it," Bakura grinned.

"Yeah," Ryou drew the word out. "So that's what we know, what don't we know?"

"We don't know when your dream will occur."

"Or who the man is."

"Or what he is up to completely. He is after you or well…us."

"Well, judging on all the things we don't know being the important ones…we're screwed."

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it."

The boys looked at each other and simultaneously fell back. This was going to be a long night.

LALALA

Ryou sighed as he dragged his feet to the library. He had a few essays to write and thought it would be a good idea to finish them early. The last couple days, Ryou and Bakura had been listing everything they knew and trying to find out more. Countless hours were spent brainstorming ways to defeat the cloaked man.

He sat at a table and sighed beginning his work. 'Transfiguring another wizard is forbidden because…' Ryou laid his head on the table. 'I have no will to write this,' he thought. He began putting his supplies back in his bag when he heard a whooshing sound. He looked around and saw a piece of silver leave the library. Quickly finishing with his bag he swiftly followed the person. 'Its 9:30, it's obvious he's up to no good.'

Ryou followed the cloaked man stealthily into the night. 'I won't let him get away from me this time, I'll find out what he's doing!'

/Ryou…/

/Huh, Bakura? What is it/

/Why are you following him/

/So he stops doing whatever he's doing. I need answers, we need answers. He could be out to destroy the world/

Bakura sighed feeling his hikari's determination. /Be careful. /

Ryou did a double take at Bakura's tone. He continued to follow the cloaked man until he reached the forest and his heart skipped a beat. "Bakura, you don't presume this is…"

/I don't know, Ryou, I don't know. I need you to do one thing though. /

"What is it?" Ryou asked confused.

/The Ring is a very special item, Ryou. I have used it for evil all my life. Now, in this lifetime, I have neglected its powers. Use it, Ryou. Use the ring and you'll find what you are looking for. I know you can defeat this guy. /

"Bakura," Ryou laughed nervously. "You're acting like you're going to leave me."

/Just in case, make sure the Pharaoh stays in line and Marik stays sane. Love your family and never forget me or I'll haunt you forever. /

"You already do the last part," Ryou smiled lightly and continued through the forest.

/How are you certain that you know the path he took/

/I've been dreaming about this for quite some time, Bakura, I know the path by heart. /

Bakura nodded and let his hikari continue. 'I wish we could have studied a lot more before this encounter,' he thought. 'He has finally caught up to his grade level, yes, but…,' Bakura sighed and looked around his soul room. 'He's not ready for this, not for another loss.'

LALALA

Ryou quietly entered a clearing behind the cloaked man. The man slowly turned and Ryou saw his mouth curve into a smirk. "Who are you and what are you doing here and Hogwarts?" Ryou demanded.

"Who I am is none of your concern and what my purpose is you'll find out too late," he replied and Ryou felt déjà vu.

"You sound familiar," he said staring hard at the man.

"Yes, but you won't remember me," The man pulled out his wand as Ryou grabbed for his.

'My wand,' Ryou looked at his hand. He had left it in his dorm and had no way to retrieve it now. A warm sensation began to fill him and Ryou's eyes widened in shock.

/Bakura, no! You know what will happen, don't do this/

/I have to Ryou… /

"If I don't…no one else will," Bakura finished aloud, glaring at his enemy.

"Just as I expected," the cloaked man chuckled. "Now I've got you right where I want you."

"You will not take me."

The man laughed. "You won't be able to help your little friend ever again, tomb robber. I've been doing research," he grinned and began to wave his wand declaring the incantation the boys knew would come. Bakura tried to move and found he couldn't, he looked at the man; there was no way out.

"Ryou, remember what I said, don't lose hope and you will defeat him. I'll always be there with you."

/Bakura, no/

"I'm a part of you now, Ryou. You've grown so much and have really understood me. Thank you."

/Bakura, you can't! Please don't do this! You'll pull through, you'll break free/

As the last word was said with a resounding calmness a bright, blue light shot out of the wand and hit Bakura square in the Millennium Ring. A numb sensation filled Ryou's body and was followed by searing pain. 'It's tearing me apart,' he yelled in his mind as his mouth was already screaming.

'So this is how I fall,' Ryou heard Bakura's thoughts loud and clear, 'victim to an evil man out for revenge, heh, how ironic, that's how I fell last time.'

The last thread broke and Ryou felt consciousness return to him. "Bakura!" he shouted as his voice broke.

"What have you done to him, you monster!" Ryou yelled oblivious to the fact he had fallen on his knees during the pain. "What have you done!" he screamed. The man with the cloak just stood there smirking.

Updation complete! I wasn't planning on doing this until next chapter, but recent, as in just before I finished this, thoughts had me writing it now. Yes, I know you knew it was coming, but I was so sad writing it and I wonder if you were sad reading it!

Please tell me what you thought and I'm so sorry it took so long to update!

-Maki-sama-