Sorry about taking so long with the chapter. I got a real creative boost from all of the great reviews I received and wrote most of the chapter but then I…sort of got distracted by other things. Oops. It doesn't help that I'm losing interest in the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom and that exams are now looming. So the next (and last) chapter probably won't be out until after January.
I also apologize if the chapter isn't up to the usual standard. Like I said, I'm finding it harder to write Yu-Gi-Oh so...
Chapter 31 – Voldermort
This time Bakura managed to land on his feet. Willing his vision to stop swimming, the yami surveyed his surroundings. It seemed they weren't in Kansas-I mean Hogwarts anymore. They were in a graveyard that possessed a sinister atmosphere that made Bakura feel right at home.
As Cedric helped Harry to his feet Bakura's expert hearing caught the sound of someone approaching. His trained thief instincts told him that the person approaching wasn't to be messed with. Bakura decided that he should probably listen to his instincts even if they were telling him to be a coward and hide. Still, a live coward was better than a dead hero.
Just as Bakura had effectively hidden himself behind a gravestone the approaching figure appeared. Seconds later Harry was on his knees, crying out in pain. A cold, high pitched voice broke the stillness of the night when it ordered, "Kill the spare."
The unknown figure cast a spell, the burst of green light from its wand sending Cedric to the ground. Bakura was fascinated by what he had just witnessed. So this was how wizards killed each other. It was definitely less messy than duelling with swords but it did seem slightly anti-climatic. Seeing your enemy ripped apart by spirit monsters was (in Bakura's opinion) much better viewing.
Bakura's attention was turned towards Harry as the teen was dragged into the heart of the graveyard. Bakura followed slowly at a safe distance. After all, it was no good getting caught because then he wouldn't be able to rescue Harry from this unknown evil. That and if the situation became too hairy Bakura would be able to make a quick getaway.
Bakura watched as Harry was tied to a gravestone and began to speculate what this was all about. It was either going to be a satanic ritual of some sort or very kinky bondage rape. Bakura wasn't too sure which one he wanted it to be.
Bakura's fears of it being rape were put to rest when the hooded figure pulled a large cauldron in front of the gravestone Harry was tied to. The unknown person then dropped a bundle into the happily bubbling cauldron along with a bone from a nearby grave, his own hand and some of Harry's blood. Bakura was fascinated as to what this ritual would achieve.
He didn't have to wait long to find out. The cauldron gave all present that night a spectacular floor show; strobe lighting and dry-ice included. When it all ended a pale snake-like man stood up from within the cauldron then stepped out stark naked. This made Bakura reconsider the idea that this wasn't going to be bondage rape.
The snake-man was clearly narcissistic as he kept examining himself with an obvious glee. He also seemed to be the one in-charge because the hooded figure was on his knees whimpering before the new man. The snake-man didn't have much sympathy for the hooded figure as he roughly took hold of the figure's arm and pressed something that made him howl. The hooded man was then released. The snake-man began pacing and reciting his monolog. Yes, definitely narcissistic.
After a few minutes of monolog more men in cloaks and masks appeared out of thin air. They approached the snake-man apprehensively before dropping to their knees and kissing the hem of the man's robes while murmuring, "Master, master." It made Bakura wonder if they were all about to have some twisted group orgy.
Thankfully they backed off into a circle that surrounded Harry and the snake-man. There were gaps in the circle so Bakura was able to spy on the snake-man as he started another monolog. This guy sure liked to talk about things that made no sense to Bakura. He didn't seem like he'd be stopping any time soon so Bakura shifted into a more comfortable position.
As snake-man rambled on Bakura decided he should try contacting Ryou. He took a deep breath and opened the mind link. /Ryou, are you there?/
/Bakura!/ Ryou cried out in relief across the link. /Thank goodness you're alright! Where are you? What's happening?/
/The Triwizard Cup was a portkey that brought me to this graveyard. Cedric got hit by a beam of green light and is now dead. Harry is currently tied up and might possibly be about to be ritually sacrificed to a snake god./
/What?! What are you doing? Why aren't you saving him?/
/I'm monitoring the situation./
Ryou didn't sound pleased by this answer. /In other words you're being a coward./
/Coward is a strong word-/
/Bakura, you better save him right now or so help me I'll-/
Bakura hurriedly severed the connection. He didn't really want to hear the end of Ryou's threat as he could already tell that it he wasn't going to like whatever it was. Bakura sighed. It seemed he was now obliged to save scar-face from these psychos. Damn Ryou and his morals.
Bakura's mood improved slightly when his attention was returned to the unfolding drama. Harry was being untied which meant that Bakura might not have to be a hero after all.
Bakura quickly shrunk into the shadows as one of the hooded figures walked past his hiding place to where Cedric's body lay. They returned a second later with Harry's wand which was thrust roughly into the teen's hands. The circle of cloaked men then closed in so that the circle had no gaps and Bakura couldn't see what was happening. Bakura cursed and edged closer to the action.
It sounded to Bakura as if Harry and snake-man were having a one-on-one duel. A few seconds later he was sure. Then the graveyard was filled with a brilliant light as Harry and snake-man were lifted into the sky by an invisible force, joined together by a thin beam of golden light that issued from their wands. They hovered in the air, trapped in a cage of golden light.
Bakura was stumped as to what to do now. He had no idea what this golden cage thing was supposed to do and had no way of combating it. Perhaps he should just go back to the portkey and see if it did two-way journeys. He'd just have to tell Ryou that he tried to save Harry but it was too late. It wasn't like Ryou would have any proof that he was lying after all.
Bakura had just made to turn away when something caught his attention. Ghostly people were coming out of snake-man's wand. Bakura recognized one of them – it was Cedric. How the hell did he get into snake man's wand? Did that green beam of light suck out people's souls. He'd have to learn that one and use it on Yami.
Just then Harry jerked his wand upwards and the golden cage dissolved into nothing. Harry landed on his feet and out of the circle of cloaked figures. Bakura immediately followed him, not wanting to be left behind. He hurriedly used a negate-spell card so that he could get to the portkey without worrying about being hit. Harry was looking at Bakura as if he'd only just remembered he was there as well. Bakura felt so loved.
When Harry headed towards Cedric's body instead of the portkey Bakura become confused. He knew Cedric was handsome and Harry was gay but a pretty body wasn't worth dying over, especially not when Harry had a live rival waiting back at Hogwarts to screw him silly. Bakura tried to drag Harry towards the Portkey but he wouldn't have it. They reached Cedric's body with Bakura still clutching Harry's sleeve. Harry dropped to his knees, taking Bakura with him, pointed his wand at the portkey and muttered a charm that made the Triwizard cup zoom towards him. Bakura grabbed hold of the flying cup and was suddenly gripped by the unpleasant sensation he had come to associate with travelling by portkey.
Bakura landed with a thump. He lay still until the world stopped spinning. Slowly, he sat up to take in his surroundings. They were at the Quidditch pitch. They were safe.
Bakura let out a sigh of relief. He was then suddenly surrounded by people, all clamouring to know what had happened. There were screams when Cedric's lifeless body was noticed and agitated mumblings. People were trying to talk to Bakura and talk to Harry but Bakura had eyes and ears for only one person. Ryou had managed to force his way through the crowd and was now crying softly into his shoulder. "Bakura I was so worried about you! Even after you contacted me with the mind link I was still so sure that something terrible had happened to you! Bakura!"
Bakura hushed the distressed teen as he held him close. "It's alright Ryou; I'm alright. Everything is going to be fine."
By now the rest of Bakura's friends had arrived along with Dumbledore and other Tournament officials. "What happened Bakura? Where did you disappear to?" asked Yugi worriedly.
"The cup was a portkey and transported us to a graveyard where a bunch of people in hoods performed a satanic ritual and put on a really good light show. Oh, and they killed Cedric and then forced Harry to join in the festivities. By the way, where is Potter?"
On realizing that Harry was missing, Dumbledore gathered together a group of teachers and headed up towards the school. As the rest of the adults tried to restore order, Marik asked Bakura, "Did you bring me anything?"
Bakura gave him a scathing look before turning back to the crowd. "Does anyone have a non-stupid question to ask?"
"Why is my son sitting on your lap?" asked Mr Bakura.
"Because it's national sit on your friend's lap day?" replied Bakura hesitantly.
Mr Bakura didn't look like he believed him. Bakura looked to the others for help. While most looked clueless, Marik pulled out the Millennium Rod and whacked Ryou's father over the head with it. The old man had been rendered unconscious.
Bakura nodded approvingly. "Nice idea, for once, Marik."
"You're welcome," replied Marik happily.
"What are you two talking about? You just knocked out my father!" cried Ryou as he rushed to his dad's side. He hurriedly checked the man's pulse, releasing a sigh of relief when he realized his father was fine. Ryou then turned to his friends and asked, "Can you take him to the hospital wing?"
"Of course," replied Yugi, who immediately moved to pick up Mr Bakura. Unfortunately for Yugi Mr Bakura was far too big for him to carry. After many attempts of trying to lift the much heavier man up, Yugi turned to glare at his friends. "Aren't any of you going to offer to help me?"
Feeling that it was his duty as Yugi's boyfriend to stop Yugi continuing to make a fool of himself, Yami stepped forward. Unfortunately this combined effort was still not good enough. Malik rolled his eyes and decided to take pity on their vertically challenged souls. He strode forward and slugged the limp body over his shoulder. Yugi and Yami stared in amazement and awe of Malik's strength. The sight made Malik feel able to continue baring the weight of the man who was actually a hell of a lot heavier than he looked. It seemed a love of cream puffs ran in the family.
Seeing that his father was being taken care of (sort of) Ryou returned to Bakura's side. "You're coming to the hospital wing as well," he informed the thief.
"But I'm not injured!" exclaimed Bakura indignantly.
"I want you to go anyway, just to be sure. Please Bakura," begged Ryou, turning the ultimate chibi eyes of doom on him.
Bakura groaned but allowed Ryou to pull him to his feet and support him. He really wasn't injured and didn't need mollycoddling but if it made Ryou feel better then he would put up with the boy's fussyness. The teenager had obviously been very worried about him and Bakura knew from experience Ryou wouldn't stop worrying until he was one hundred percent sure that Bakura really was alright.
And so, the injured and those carrying the injured headed up to the castle and the hospital wing. The rest of the group followed seeing as the sight of the wizards panicking was no longer interesting. The hospital wing was pretty much deserted so it was easy enough to book in the two patients. Madam Pomfrey examined Mr Bakura first and quickly declared that the bump on his head wasn't serious. Leaving the poor man to rest she moved onto Bakura, who was also quickly given a clean bill of health.
The gang was just about to leave when Hermione and the Weasleys arrived. They all gathered around Madame Pomfrey and began to demand Harry's location. Seto sneered and said, "The security at this school is pathetic."
Jou elbowed him in the ribs. "Hey, someone just died; they're allowed to let their security go to pot."
"Even though it was probably their bad security that enabled the student to die?"
Jou frowned as his argument was crushed and then obliterated. "Shut up."
Watching a distressed family of redhead's harass a matron turned out to be quite enjoyable so the gang stayed to view the show and was still there a good twenty minutes later when Harry was brought to the hospital wing by Dumbledore. The Weasleys then gathered around Harry and started to fuss over him. Dumbledore quickly told them not to, as well as to let Harry rest. After that Harry was led over to the bed, given a potion to help him sleep and then allowed to drift into dreamland.
Once a few minutes of watching a bunch of people stand silently around a bed had passed, the gang decided that there was no more entertainment to be offered in the hospital wing and so left for their common room. There everyone said their goodnights and went to bed.
Ryou cuddled up to Bakura once they were in bed and whispered, "I'm really glad that you're alright."
"Yeah," muttered Bakura sleepily, not really paying much attention to what Ryou was saying as he was already drifting off.
"I'm also really proud of you for winning the Tournament."
"Yeah." A moment of silence. "What!?" cried Bakura as he sat bolt upright in bed.
Ryou looked at him in mild confusion. "Well you and Harry touched the Cup at the same time so I guess you came joint first but technically you did win. Hadn't you realized that?"
Bakura was no longer tired, instead he was ecstatic. He began to jump up and down on the bed cheering and singing his praises. He then ran out into the common room to celebrate and make sure that everyone else knew how fabulous he was. An irate Seto shouted at him to shut up and Yami echoed his sentiments. Malik and Marik on the other hand thought that a victory celebration was in order. They came into the common room with alcohol and sugar and proceeded to make a hell of a racket. The others tried to quieten them but their complaints fell on death ears. In the end they gave up and decided that they might as well join in the festivities seeing as for once there was something worth celebrating. While the rest of the castle that night was left in a state of shock and confusion the gang partied hardy until the crack of dawn…
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