"Ouch!" Yami protested as Sugoroku tended another bruise on his cheek with the piece of cotton wetted with alcohol

"Oh, don't be like that! You're a man aren't you?" Sugoroku teased and pressed the cotton-ball to the bruise again

"Ouch!" Yami immediately protested

Yugi giggled a little at the funny faces Yami was making. He closed the first-aid kit and put it back in place.

"However Yami, you are way too unthinkable! You always rush into things!"

"He's right, Yami" Sugoroku agreed while putting a plaster to Yami's cheek, "You must think before rushing into fights"

Yami touched his now tended cheek feeling the medical alcohol still stinging.

"Well…what else could I do? They had him cornered" he said defensively

However he couldn't deny the fact that he indeed rushed into things. But sometimes he couldn't help it.

"There! I am done" Yugi said as he closed the cupboard which he had put the first aid kit in

"Ah… Thanks" Yami said hissing in pain at his cheek when he touched it with his finger to check and immediately regretted it

"Don't touch it, big brother!" Yugi 'scolded' him

Yami didn't even bother to stop his smile from appearing to his lips. It wasn't like he liked it when his little brother scolded him, however de didn't dislike it either. The way Yugi's small lips pouted, the way his delicate eyebrows frowned made him look like a cute teddy bear, like those Yugi and Yami shared together. Yami often joked around saying that if his brother took that specific expression and then hid among the stuffed animals then Yami or anyone else wouldn't be able to tell the difference between him and them.

"Okay, okay… Jeez!" Yami sighed

Yugi's face grew smiley once more. Yami sighed but his smile remained. However even if he didn't like it, he had to admit that Yugi was way more patient than he was and he was more…reasonable at times. Yami was different. His pride and hastiness were making him act fast before considering his actions too well. Usually his gut was right, however even Yami knew he couldn't always rely on that. Even so, he was better than Yugi at school and sports. He was better at games… Yami still couldn't explain that. He knew that his brother was great and worthy opponent and the difference between them wasn't…bigger than a hair however at school Yugi wasn't making it so well as someone would have expected.

Yami was always blaming the lack of confidence Yugi had. Yugi never gave up however he still didn't believe in himself enough to do well at school. One thing Yugi was better at was art and perhaps it was making various crafts too. Yugi liked making and drawing things. Perhaps it was a secret talent of his…well…except THAT talent he had…

"Anyway it's your turn to wash the dishes!" Sugoroku said cheerfully

"I did it yesterday!" Yugi's arm rose in the air before Yami had the chance to say it first, "It is Yami's turn now!"

Yami groaned. Yugi was damn good at that! He could always tell what was about to say and then say it before him! And the truth was that the previous time it was their turn to wash the dishes it was Yami the one who did it because of the same reason and they had "agreed" Yugi would do it next.

"Alright! Yami it is!" Sugoroku chuckled

"Thanks for backstabbing me, Yugi!" Yami murmured to his brother through clenched teeth

He wasn't really angry of course. In fact he didn't mind washing the dishes…THAT much. However deal was deal. Only then he remembered that Yugi had his other hand behind his back at that time. He had his fingers crossed, no doubt.

"Anytime, brother!" Yugi giggled and then ran upstairs to their room

Yami sighed and stood up from the table to go to the sink. He switched hot water on and placed the dirty plates under the tap. The soft steam that formed from warm water felt pleasant to his face. Hot water didn't bother him. Either he had built tolerance to it or he was simply made for…hotness. Yami started scrubbing the dishes with the sponge. For a second he looked out of the window that was above the sink. Outside there was a clear, black sky full with countless stars. Yami kept staring them, completely forgetting the hot water that kept on running over his hands and plates.

"Some say that stars never lie…" he thought to himself, "If that's true, then my and my brother's purpose is somewhere there…and still we do not know it…"

Yami barely thought about his future plans for his life. He never thought that far. He was more man of action. And when he was thinking about the future, he usually thought about Yugi's uncertain future. With Yugi's abilities, it was hard for his little brother to find a place to belong. Especially since he couldn't control it.

However when Yami was alone, sometimes he caught himself thinking about his future as well. He realized he didn't have many purposes in his life: Only games and his family. However was that enough? What could he do? He also wanted some recognition. He desired greatness in a way. He was a proud boy. That was sure. He wanted recognition…he wanted to prove himself…

"Maybe one day…both of us will…"

It was Saturday morning and the sky had a gray color as it was covered in clouds. Some dog was barking at the end of the street. Kame Game Shop was closed in that morning. It would probably open later on. The wind was blowing some leaves here and there, and they were dancing gracefully in a strange dance only nature could produce. There weren't many people walking around. Probably most of them were sleeping still. It was Saturday morning after all. Therefore there was no one there to notice a tawny owl flying gracefully, yet with incredible speed and power, in the gray sky and landing to a branch…close to the Kame Game Shop…

Yami and Yugi were sitting at the table eating their breakfast. Sugoroku Muto entered the room holding a bunch of letters checking them.

"The mail's here, guys!" he announced

The two boys raised their heads to look at him.

"Now let's see…" Sugoroku was mumbling to himself as he was seeing through the letters, "…is there something interesting today…?"

Yugi and Yami were looking at him with great attention.

"Yami! Look!" suddenly Yugi left the table and ran to the window

"What is it, Yugi?" Yami asked

"An owl! I have never seen one up-close!"

Indeed the beautiful tawny bird with the open-wide golden eyes was standing at a branch around a dozen of meters away from the window Yami and Yugi were staring from… Yami joined Yugi.

"Wow! You're right!" he said, "She is beautiful! Whoa! She must have forgotten to go to sleep!" he commented

Yugi had stuck his little face on the glass of the window, along with his two palms looking at the beautiful bird. Was it just his imagination or the bird…was staring at him?

"B-Big bro…" Yugi stuttered while getting hold of Yami's sleeve, "This owl…is looking at me…"

Yami chuckled.

"Don't be silly, Yugi! She is an owl! This is the way she gazes all the time. It is just that now she is searching the place to find a place to sleep the day over…"

"I…I guess…" Yugi said and let go of Yami's hand, "She's creepy…" he mumbled, "Beautiful…but creepy…"

Sugoroku was smirking while listening to the brothers' conversation. He shook his head and bent down to the letters he was holding once more… As he was passing through the letters, tough, he reached the final one. It was a yellowish-white envelope that was sealed with…red wax?! Who used wax to seal letters in 21st century?! Also the wax seal had a strange crest on it. As if it was some letter sent from a medieval palace or something. Sugoroku flipped the letter over to see whom it was from and whom it was addressing to. There was no name of the person who sent it. It only had one named written with beautiful calligraphic letters.

Yugi Muto

Sugoroku looked genuinely surprised. Yugi had never received a letter before and certainly not such a…formal yet strange letter.

"Yugi…" he said, "This letter is for you…"

Yugi blinked in surprise and Yami couldn't fight back a small gasp of surprise.

"For me?" Yugi questioned pointing at himself

Sugoroku nodded.

"It has your name on it. It is yours…"

He handed the letter to his little grandson. Yugi held the letter in shaky hands. His palms were sweaty and he was afraid he would ruin the envelope. Yami had leaned over Yugi in interest.

"Come on!" he encouraged him, "Open it!"

The boy's hands were still shaking while he was holding the envelope.

"S-Should I?" he asked dumpily, "I mean…I never receive letters… It…It could be a mistake… Probably is someone else's letter…"

"Of course you should, you dummy!" Yami said softly, "It's yours isn't it? Who else has your name after all? Come on! Open it and read it to us!"

"That's right!" now Sugoroku shared his elder grandson's enthusiasm.

Yugi gulped once.

"Alright then…here goes…"

With hands that were still shaking from emotion and anticipation he unsealed the red wax seal and opened the envelope… Slowly he took out the main letter, which was beautifully folded. He opened it to reveal the same, beautiful calligraphy… And he red in a small voice:

"Dear Mr. Muto,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…"

Yugi's eyes widened (as well as everyone else's) and looked up at his audience as if asking for support. He still couldn't believe in his eyes. A school? For wizards and witches?! His brother and grandfather didn't seem less shocked but Yami nodded his head faintly, encouraging him to continue.

"…Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Headmistress"

Yugi finished his reading in a small, dying voice and looked up at his small audience. His face was almost as white as the paper he was holding. With hands still trembling he opened the envelope and took out…a list of stuff like a shopping list and a small ticket. It looked like a one-way train ticket and it was for…Platform 9 ¾?! In London too?! Sugoroku broke the silence that followed.

"Ha. That was very good prank indeed. And well set up to be exact! Come on my boy…" he said patting Yugi's shoulder softly, "Calm down…"

Saying to Yugi to calm down at a moment like that, it was like saying to the fire "not to burn". Yugi was now shaking all over.

"This…is a fake…r-right…?" he whispered in a barely noticeable voice, "Magic…d-doesn't exist right…? Right…?"

Yami didn't answer. He took the letter from Yugi's hands softly and checked it and then the ticket and the list.

"Well, I believe it is real" he declared seriously causing the other two look at him questionably, "I mean…this paper and this calligraphy look too good to be fake right? Also who would have used wax to seal the letter? It is not that such things are found every day, isn't it? Also all the details…the names…the exact list of objects needed…even the ticket, look all so real. I doubt that someone would be through so much trouble for a single prank… Besides that owl…"

He paused for a second to take a glance out of the window over his shoulder with the corner of his eye. He was right. The owl was still outside at the same place.

"…is still there" he finished his sentence, "All that seem too strange to me to be a common prank. After all we all know what Yugi can do… So yes. I believe that it is 100% real…"

"Hmm" Sugoroku rubbed his beard in deep thought, "Indeed. What you said sounds correct, Yami."

Yugi seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.

"So…I am…a wizard…" he mumbled

Deep inside he always knew it, but he was in denial because it was too much to handle. However now the truth was before his eyes and there was no space for doubts anymore.

"You must go, Yugi" Yami told him, "In that place they will teach you how to control your talents…you must go"

Yugi looked at him.

"What about you, big brother?"

"Me…?" Yami smiled a sad smile, "I am not a wizard. I will stay here cheer you all the time and be proud of you! I will always support you"

"What? You mean…you aren't coming with me…?"

"Yugi. The invitation was for you and you alone. I don't think I can follow you"

"No" Yugi said, "I won't go"

"Yugi!" Yami protested

"I am not going without you!"

"You must, Yugi!"

"I am not obliged to go, am I? Without you I am not going!"

"Yugi don't be silly" Yami got hold of Yugi's shoulders, "This is your chance to learn how to control your abilities. You finally have the chance to control what is inside you. This is the only place that can possibly help you do it!"

"But…I can't! Without you I can't…"

"You can and you will! You must…"

"NO! I don't want this!" Yugi yelled in tears and ran upstairs pushing Yami out of the way

"Yugi!" Yami called, "Yugi!"

He hissed and clenched his fists.

"Dammit!"

He felt Sugoroku's hand on his shoulder.

"Give him some time, Yami. He is upset right now. Let us not talk about it for now…"

Yami felt his eyes burning with tears too. He was angry with himself for being harsh to Yugi and he regretted it making him cry. He wiped the tears with the back of his fist angrily.

"Okay…" he said in a low voice

The days passed without anything happening. Yugi wouldn't change his mind. But…in reality something was happening. Owls kept coming. All the more owls were coming and sitting on the branches or the cars all around Kame Game Shop and they would keep staring at the house with their wide eyes as if they were observing every single detail of it. Yami was startled and was constantly watching them with very chance… When he washed the dishes, when he went out to throw the trash in the trash bins or when he had to swap the entrance of the Game Shop. He was feeling the owls' gazes upon him, almost piercing his soul. He was feeling a shiver down his spine every time… Even when he was taking Yugi to school, an owl would follow them and wait outside school for Yugi to come out and then return back home with them. One more owl was joining the others every day that passed. There had gathered yellow, black, white gray and all possible colors of owls outside the small Game Shop.

Every time Yami or Sugoroku would try to shoo them away, the owls wouldn't move an inch. They remained there…observing…guarding… And every day Yugi refused to give an answer, a new owl would appear…guarding…lurking. They seemed to be lurking for Yugi as if they were lurking for the next mouse to hunt. And they wouldn't move from where they were. They didn't sleep, they didn't eat, and they didn't drink… They were just standing there waiting…guarding and lurking. Waiting, guarding and lurking all the time… Yami sighed once more as he lay down on his bed gazing at the ceiling. An owl was sitting at the window at the ceiling…stabbing him with her sharp, wide golden eyes that appeared to be glowing in the darkness…

Yugi's 11th birthday was coming closer…

Ta-Da! Second chappie of my Yami Muto and the Room of Snakes! We are getting to the juicy point here!;P Yugi receives his letter a little before turning 11 years old! However Yugi refuses to go without his brother

As you can see McGonagall is the one sent the letter but as Headmistress this time! Since the defeat of Voldemort she is the headmistress of Hogwarts!
Poor Yugi is afraid to go without Yami because he feels uncertain! What is going to happen? Stay tuned to see;P

Story by (c) Me

Harry Potter and Yu-Gi-Oh belong to their rightful owners!

Please do not use or copy any part of this writing without my permission. If you want to create art of it (pics, one-shot comics etc...) please give me credit and come to me giving me a link of your art so I can thank you properly and admire your work

Please if you read this please review me!
Enjoy!