disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, Harry Potter, or any of their characters.
The ritual gone wrong and a "wizard" was brought forth from a parallel dimension, now, the newly revived Dark Lord wield power as ancient as time. And Magician of Black Chaos was torn between his bound duty as a Dueling Spirit and what little humanity he still remembered as a man.
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Ch2.
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Peeves was drifting listlessly through the echoic dungeon halls when he heard voices coming from the next corner. Curiosity perked, the poltergeist phased through the wall to see Professor Snape arguing with two other men, one in black leather and the other in outlandish armor. Not something one would see everyday, and Peeves believed that mischief was in order.
He giggled naughtily as he flew off to find himself some dungbombs.
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"Checkmate," Maha Vailo smiled softly, egging his white knight on to capture the red king. Amycus griped the edge of the desk hard to resist the urge of wanting to flip the small table and the wizard's chess over, for he had lost the sixth time in a roll during the hour. The spiritual creature noticed that his playmate was displeased, so he quickly put the chess set away, opting instead to pick up a stack of enchanted cards he had discovered in one of the cabinets.
"Or we can play with these?" Maha Vailo asked politely.
"No."
"How about..."
Amycus fumed, with his knuckles cracking. "For God's sake, we are not playing any more stupid games!" The Death Eater stood up in chagrin, kicking over his chair as he did so. Maha Vailo widened his eyes, making those blue monochromatic pupils stood out even more. Unconsciously, Amycus squirmed.
"You do not want to play...?" Maha Vailo asked quietly, inwardly appalled, for never in his spiritual life had he ever encountered anyone who would refuse a game.
Amycus looked at the younger male. Maha Vailo had dropped his gaze, his lips were quivering, long eyelashes fluttering, and was blinking as if holding back unshed tears. The human wizard swallowed, he was starting to feel uneasy again. "F-Fine," Amycus relented, turning away as he righted the chair to sit back down. "But only one more."
He hated effeminate men.
Five minutes later, Maha Vailo was beaming at him like the most innocent child in the world, while the white queen clobbered the red king. "... Checkmate," the spellcaster smiled sweetly and Amycus flushed, feeling in equal parts anger and embarrassment. He pushed the chessboard away, pouting rather childishly.
He really fucking hated effeminate men. "I'm not playing with you again."
"There is no shame in losing, Mr. Carrow."
The pink tinge on Amycus' cheeks deepened. "I-I am not ashamed!"
Maha Vailo chuckled lightly as he collect the chess pieces. "What do you suggest we do then, if you are so opposed to tabletop entertainment?"
"We could always go torture some muggles," Amycus answered offhandedly.
The spellcaster tilted his head. "Muggles?"
Amycus let out a condescending laugh. "Those pathetic non-magic folks."
"Pathetic...? Why?" Maha Vailo kept his voice neutral, but his bewilderment was true. He mentally called up the only Monster card in his hand and touched the small picture fondly with his delicate fingers, a Light attributed warrior and the strongest in the deck: Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning. "Sounds like my best friend would be a muggle by your standards, but..." There was a reason Envoy of the Beginning had been on and off the human banned-list since the debut of his card.
Amycus coughed. "What?" He demanded wildly, "You're friends with a filthy muggle? Seriously?"
Maha Vailo flipped the card over for the wizard to see. "He is my best friend and not a spellcaster," the Duel Spirit courteously informed, "But please refrain from insulting him, as his power is without peer amongst our rank, not to mention he also has quite a prideful temper."
The human wizard scoffed in disbelief, plucking the card rather negligently from the younger man's hand. "It's a piece of paper," Amycus inspected it, before degradingly fanned it in the air. "And the picture is not even moving."
"Please stop that," Maha Vailo requested quietly, forcing himself not to frown through sheer tenacity. "He will not be happy."
"Yeah?" Amycus mocked, "What's he gonna do? Give me a papercut?"
Maha Vailo paused, inclining his head slightly as if listening to a voice only he could hear, before straightening. "Envoy of the Beginning had just told me your soul could be one-half of his tributes if Master Voldemort wishes for his service."
The Death Eater faltered, almost dropping the card in the process. "W-What?"
"No need to worry," Maha Vailo consoled pleasantly. "I would need to kill you first."
That was why when Amycus returned that seemingly unremarkable card, his face was three different kinds of pale and was shaking slightly. Somehow, he did not think the younger man was joking.
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It took longer than originally intended to deal with the Ministry, so Dumbledore could not say he was totally surprised to find their mysterious captive gone. No matter since the pictures had been keeping an eye out for them, and had informed him they had not gone far. But Dumbledore had to hide his shock when he finally did discover Severus, for he was now accompanied by not one but three eccentrically garbed male.
They were all arguing apparently.
Filius Flitwick gave the headmaster a baffled glance, wand lowered. He had expected Death Eaters or something similar, though one of the trios could dubiously fit with his daunting air. Not the older teen in that absurd bright armor, however, nor the young boy in that dirty tan cloak, a neck ring, and bandages with a missing right arm. To add into the general confusion, Peeves was there as well, floating amiably beside the boy and acting overall out-of-character.
"What is going on?" The Charms Professor asked, exasperated, drawing the attention of the group, but he was at once uncomfortable when Severus looked in their direction as if discovering his savior.
Dumbledore was quick to start sorting things out as he joined the party. "Severus, can you please explain the situation?" For this once, the Potions Master complied without a snide remark on his part. "This boy, Dharc, attempted to..."
"Dharc the Dark Charmer!" The aforementioned boy loudly interrupted, leaning on his large feather-and-bone staff as he shot daggers with his dull brown eyes. "Get my name right, geezer!"
Severus pointedly ignored the youthful spirit. "As I was saying, this kid attempted to put me under the influence of an Imperius Curse..." Dumbledore blinked and Filius' eyes widened as he made a short strangled sound. "... when Peeves interfered." They all looked to the school poltergeist and prankster, who was now happily giggling as he poked the boy's messy hair in a friendly manner. "So as you can see, he ended up the one under the curse."
"A kid... put a ghost under the Imperius Curse?" Filius asked, "Is that even possible?"
Dharc the Dark Charmer huffed in childish annoyance, waving the transparent being away with his wooden staff. "No idea what you old people are chattering about, but I am extremely pissed off right now," he said, coming up right into Dumbledore's face. "I can bring the fucking Red-Eyes Black Dragon to its knees, but somehow ended up with this... creature! I mean," he turned to glare at his two deck companions, "what is the deal?"
Magician of Black Chaos did not even bother with trying to look apologetic. "We did not anticipate the disruption," he said, arms crossed. "Traps happen, accept it."
Dharc the Dark Charmer pouted, turning away. "Whatever, where are my cards?" The child spellcaster asked, spinning his staff, and as he spoke five starting cards appeared before him. Instantly, Breaker the Magical Warrior collapsed onto one knee, expression twisted in pain.
The youngest-looking spellcaster gave him a concerned glance. "You alright?"
"Yeah, the Recycle Spell just dealt a huge blow to my life since you drawn so many cards at once," the teen knight panted heavily, sword stabbed perpendicularly into the floor. "If any of you would be so kind as to use a Spell before I die?"
"Oh, sure," Dharc the Dark Charmer quickly said picking out a Spell card in his hand, but before he activated it, Dumbledore wove his wand to use a simple Reviving Spell. "Would this do?"
Breaker the Magical Warrior nodded his thanks. It did not matter what type of charm was casted, as his other Continuous Spell Spell Absorption would turn every magic triggered within the vicinity into his life energy. "You have my gratitude."
Dumbledore withdrew his wand, but didn't put it away just yet. "Nonetheless, I would advise paying a visit to our hospital wing, you still look rather..." the wizard glance at the spirit teen's bluish-grey skin. "... ill."
The magician knight slowly stood, testing his joints as he looked at his deck companions. "I do not mind, what about you two?"
Magician of Black Chaos kept his arms crossed and brows furrowed. Staying here any longer meant more time away from his master and it made him uneasy, yet the idea of fighting his way out, again, was far from appealing. He sighed, as he knew he had to compromise. "Why not." Seeing that his two stand-in legal guardians had come to an agreement, Dharc the Dark Charmer was quick to nod as well.
"Lead the way, sirs," Breaker the Magical Warrior turned back to address the human wizards, he was still half-leaning on his sword and his shield was considerably lower. "We were quite lost you see."
Severus looked like he had swallowed a lemon and Filius still felt like he had been hit by a Confundus Charm, but Dumbledore was taking everything in relatively well. "Of course," the headmaster genially replied, turning to specifically look at the one-armed boy, "But please first lift the curse you have placed on Peeves, as it would be unwise to bring such a troublemaker into the hospital ward."
Dharc the Dark Charmer was initially puzzled, before understanding glinted in his eyes. "I cannot, mister, my flip effect is permanent."
"Permanent?" Dumbledore asked, keeping his tone light as he did not wish to further provoke the strange group, but in truth he was alarmed. A kid, fifteen at most, had just placed an unforgivable curse on a sentient magical non-being, claiming it irreversible, and was acting so cavalierly about it. The scowl on Severus' face deepened.
"Well, or you could kill me to remove the effect," Dharc the Dark Charmer admitted and, ignoring the affronted looks shared by the human wizards, he took a battle stance with his single arm holding the staff up in a pose that was meant as a threat. "But I am not going down without a fight!"
"Dharc the Dark Charmer," Magician of Black Chaos warned, holding his own metal scepter cross from the boy's face forcing the younger spellcaster to take a step back or in danger of getting hit. "We received no orders to attack."
Said child sulked but immediately acceded, swirling around to now hold his weapon defensively. "Fine," he said, storming off by himself with Peeves drifting after him. "I am not going to the stupid hospital anyway, big deal!"
Magician of Black Chaos sighed, looking to his more mature spirit cohort. "Set a Trap to protect the kid, will you? I would hate to see him killed."
"Already on it," Breaker the Magical Warrior answered, setting his last two cards onto the field. They, unlike Monster cards, were completely invisible and intangible.
Dumbledore coughed. "Filius, please make sure that young Dharc don't wander down a wrong corridor." The Charms Professor agreed with the sentiment, hurrying after in the direction the unusual child had left.
Breaker the Magical Warrior crossed his legs, sitting in midair and rested his weapons on his lap. "You were saying about a hospital wing?"
Severus glared at the floating magician knight, expression sore.
Things could not possibly get even more nonsense than this, or so he thought.
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It was a lot more difficult to relocate the guests into the hospital ward than originally believed, as Dumbledore later discovered, as half the school was under the impression that the leather-clad man was a Death Eater. And though while both had cooperatively but begrudgingly agreed to walk, their attire did little to help divert the attention, not to mention how the armored teen was actually pretty loud when he marched on.
The headmaster had just finished formulating some questions he would like answered when they arrived at the destination ward, then another unexpected happened to again derail his thoughts. For just outside the infirmary, the two guests abruptly halted before giving each other a knowing look, then in tandem making a beeline through the beds and occupants. Dumbledore had at first wanted to place them in a more secluded spot, but that plan was thus disrupted as the foreign wizards stormed through the ward without regard.
In fact, nervous cries sounded following the two despite the usual quiet of the hospital wing. Many wands were drawn and trained, while a few were discreetly scurrying out the way. They should not be faulted, though, for most patients placed here tonight were victims of the rebound from that black haired man's Shield Charm, but it did not lessen the headache.
Minerva was here, as she was the first casualty, and was not pleased even though she did give Dumbledore a hand at soothing out the panic among students. The expression on Severus only got darker when he realized the odd guests were ignoring everyone as they head straight for the last bed, where its occupant was hidden behind the curtain.
It was where Harry Potter was laid resting, and for a second Dumbledore was alarmed. How could he have been so careless? Allowing curiosity to get the better of him!
Multiple wands were drawn.
From Bill and Molly Weasley, both of whom were standing guard by Harry's bedside; from Minerva, who was determined despite her wounds; and from Severus, the killing curse at the tip of his tongue.
... only for the two foreign wizards to drop onto their knees, weapons withhold and head bowed low, as if greeting their king... or their master.
The-Boy-Who-Lived blinked groggily, shaking awake from the Sleep Potion induced slumber for the second time that night and wondered hopefully in his drowsiness that the Minister for Magic had miraculously come to his right mind. What he thought he saw by the bedside was even stranger than that.
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Since this was not the first occasion they served a master with multiple fractured souls, neither Magician of Black Chaos nor Breaker the Magical Warrior pause to reconsider when they sense their master in the vicinity. They hastened to his side without further delay, dropping to one knee by instinct. Though they did not foresee the possibility of finding a part of their master here, it was still a welcomed convenience.
"Er... what is going on?" Their master asked, having been roused from sleep.
Breaker the Magical Warrior apologized at once, his head inclined even lower. "I am sorry for disturbing your rest. The human wizards here requested that we walk, but I am fairly unaccustomed to trek terrains in my armor."
Harry was suddenly wide awake, realizing it was not a dream and indeed there were two towering well-built men in bizarre getups kneeling by the bed. He sat up too fast, giving himself mild vertigo. "Wha... no! What?" Harry sputtered, having difficulties in forming complete sentences. "Who are you guys? Please stand up, there's really no need to... guys?" He made a wild motion with his hands, silently begging the two to cease downgrading themselves, while looking to the other adults gathering to his side for explanation.
The Duel Spirits got up immediately, because an order was an order. And for this once, Dumbledore was as lost about the situation as the boy he sworn to protect.
"We would all like to hear some explanations," Professor Snape spoke up coldly as he kept his glare on those otherworldly spellcasters, his wand leveled to their chests, not taking any more chances.
Breaker the Magical Warrior looked to his chaos wielding companion, and they both wore equally puzzled frowns. How many duelists summon them to fight? All of them. How many duelists summon them to ask questions? None. Thus neither of them had a clue on what to say.
"Well?" The boy in the bed asked, disciplined but firmly inquisitive, and wasn't that just fantastic. Their master had asked, so now they had to answer.
"I am Magician of Black Chaos," the leather-clad magician took the initiative, and the spellcaster knight quickly followed his lead. "I am Breaker the Magical Warrior."
"Oookay," Harry replied uncertainly, he couldn't shake a sense of familiarity from the back of his mind but surely he would remember if he had ever met these men before... right? But unfortunately for the spectators, for no further explanation was forthcoming. The following pause was awkward and everyone was glaring at the two with distrust, but being the center of attention, the not-wizards themselves seemed completely oblivious to the hard stares.
Or they did not care, as was the case.
Madam Pomfrey chose this moment to appear, however, and she was demanding quite vehemently that Harry needed his rest and that the visiting party took the leave. Most were ready to comply and take this conversation elsewhere, but...
"No," a short rebuke, Magician of Black Chaos threw everyone not his master or deck comrade a penetratingly nasty glower, for daring to suggest that he leave. Uproar was imminent.
"Who are you to decide—"
"— appear from nowhere—"
"— they could be dangerous or—"
"— and without reason!"
"ENOUGH!" Breaker the Magical Warrior shouted, effectively shutting every human up for he had brandished his glistening sword, there were a few worried gasps. "Magician of Black Chaos and I are not going to leave our master unprotected," the young knight managed to make the statement sound like a threat, the blade in his hand gleamed in the weak candle light. "If any of you attempted to remove us by force, order or no, we will hurt you."
Dumbledore quickly raised his hands, stopping the argument from their side before it got the chance to escalate again. "Very well," the headmaster said, locking gaze with the black-clad magician through his half-moon spectacles, twinkle blue to blood-gold, and somehow knowing that the man could get truly malevolent when provoked. There were many other students here, and as the headmaster, Dumbledore could not put their lives in possible jeopardy. "We concede," he said, stopping Molly and Severus with a gesture when it seemed that they had something else to say. "But only if you are also willing to make a compromise."
Magician of Black Chaos narrowed his eyes, but did not interrupt.
"Only one of you may stay," Dumbledore continued, "and I request that the remaining come with us."
The Duel Spirits realized at once what it meant, for mind games were often played on their field, but they would conciliate for they knew where their true priority lie. And so the spellcasters gave each other a nod, easily coming to a silent agreement, Breaker the Magical Warrior shouldered his sword to face the adult humans with resolution and Magician of Black Chaos turned back to their master.
"I will go with you," the magician knight said, his cooperation inadvertently surprised Dumbledore as they all followed out the infirmary.
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People were soon dismissed to their various jobs, leaving Dumbledore and the armor knight alone in the corridors. Now that the hospital wing was no longer an option, the aged wizard finally decided it best to take the youthful outlander to his personal study for questioning.
"I am astonished that you didn't request to stay behind," Dumbledore started a small conversation as he leaded the way. "You place a lot of trust in your friend?"
Breaker the Magical Warrior gave him a peek from under the scarlet helmet, there was mirth but clouded. "Do you play chess, headmaster?" The young man asked, right out of the blue, "Or perhaps another type of strategic board game?"
"Yes, I do play chess," Dumbledore answered, perplexed by the question he wondered where the topic would go. "However, I am nowhere as good as Minerva."
The magician knight nodded lightly. "Then you understand why sacrificing pawns for the other chess pieces are a universally accepted part of the play?"
Dumbledore was shocked by the obvious self-deprecation, though he took care to not show it. "You consider yourself a pawn?"
"I do not consider it, headmaster. I am." Breaker the Magical Warrior answered with no hint of bitterness, and he could not help but find amusement in the human wizard's bewilderment. Humans and Duel Spirits were simply too different in their morality or way of life. "Magician of Black Chaos is our queen, the master is our king. We agreed to let the queen protect our king, and sent the expendable pawn into the enemy line... It is neither trust nor faith, it is strategic sense."
Dumbledore thought over the words for a long time. He had never met anyone with such drastic opinions on life and values. "You see it as a game?"
"We all see it as a game."
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Magician of Black Chaos knew that the humans did not trust him, which was absurd from his perspective. He was a Duel Spirit, his life revolved around the rules of their game and loyalty to the summoner was carved into his basic instinct. Unless under the influence of Spells or Traps or the occasional Monster effects, he could not betray his master even if he wanted to.
Not that he wanted to, as it was an equally outrageous thought.
Yet they were still throwing him suspicious glances.
That was problematic, because Magician of Black Chaos had his accomplished task to report to but now had to put it aside for later, since he would like to talk in private to his master yet those non-duelist human casters refused to give him any chance. Not to mention... looking up, the magician saw a pair of brilliant green eyes staring intensely into his blood-golden ones. "Please get some rest, Master. We have time to talk once you wake."
His appearance-wise teenaged master nodded, tucking himself into bed. The boy was much more pleasant to be around with than his world-wary older half, as was always the case with split souls. Magician of Black Chaos could attest to that. He called over a chair from cross the room with his own magic, since it was obvious that the lighter half of his master was going to feel guilt if he stood throughout the night.
His master's human guards refused to leave them alone though, dropping in and out at random intervals and always leaving at least one other to stand alert. As was the case, Magician of Black Chaos and his master did not get to talk until much later; in fact, it was the late morning of the next day.
"Don't mind them, Mister... er, Chaos. They're just worried."
Magician of Black Chaos nodded tersely, though inwardly winced at the misuse of his name. Two halves of a soul and neither were duelists, looked like the deck had their work cut out for them. "Please call me Magician of Black Chaos, Master."
Harry blinked, his belated breakfast on the spoon halfway into his mouth. He gave the spellcaster spirit a sly grin. "Only if you call me Harry."
The magician of light and darkness looked down. "I cannot do that. I apologize."
His master was distressed, his bright green eyes widening first before they narrowed into a small frown. "Why do you insist on calling me that?"
"You are what you are, my master."
"Why?"
"You just are."
Harry sighed, eating another mouthful of porridge, deciding to drop the topic for now. "Do you want to eat something?"
"I do not require nourishment to sustain."
"Do you sleep?"
"I have no need to."
Harry quirked an eyebrow. "Are you human?"
"I am not."
"What are you?"
"I am a Duel Spirit."
"What's that?"
"It is..." Magician of Black Chaos paused, frowning a bit, conflicted. "I do not know how to explain it in the human tongue, I am sorry."
Harry bit the spoon in thought, breakfast forgotten. It felt like a game of 20 questions, with the not-wizard genuinely trying to be helpful while hampered by the fact that he seemed incapable of certain thought process. He was not being deliberately confusing at least, but unintentionally, and Harry wondered if it was any better.
By noon, most other occupants of the medical wing were firmly dismissed by Madam Pomfrey, though a few still tried to think up excuses to stay. From personal experience Harry knew that rumors would start like wildfire, if it hadn't already, and he mentally groaned at the thought as he sneak a glance at the pale lean male, who was also going to be the subject of talk for the next month. The not-wizard was watching the last of student leave from the breach between folds of curtains, focused and waiting.
Unhealthy-looking flesh, kohl marking-lines that sliced down his cheeks, dark leather, magenta belts and buckles all over. Harry was so sure he had seen the guy from before, but why couldn't he remember...?
"Master," Magician of Black Chaos spoke after making sure that they were alone and would be undisturbed for some while, and he returned to the bedside as he held up his right hand. Swirling black and white lights gathered and his master widened his green eyes in awe as a nondescript playing card appeared between his gloved fingers.
"What's this?" Harry asked as he took the seemingly commonplace object, inspecting the card front and back cagily but saw no oddity. However, he did recognize the man on the unmoving picture, as the person who'd imprisoned and impersonated Professor Moody for all those months, and the title above confirmed his suspicion. But that was the baffling part, since who would print such a person on a muggle card?
"That is your loyal servant, Master," Magician of Black Chaos informed unhelpfully. "The human wizard you sent me here to retrieve."
"What do you mean by 'I sent you'? And why would you think this... horrid man... is my servant?" Harry asked weakly and with a grimace, he really did not need a repeat of his second-year and all that Heir of Evilness crap. "Wasn't he the Death Eater who served Voldemo..." He trailed off as realization gradually hit, and suddenly Harry felt his blood turn to ice.
"It's you!" The Boy-Who-Lived exclaimed, trying to back away but ended up tangled in the sheets. "You were in that graveyard! You were there! I saw—"
"Yes," Magician of Black Chaos did not refute the accusation, was inexplicably calm about the whole event. "Your soul-half did not inform you on it?"
"What do you mean?" Harry demanded, part hysterical, but the spiritual magician was wearing that perplexed frown again. "I do not understand your question, Master," the spellcaster cautiously responded, "Why are you so upset?"
Harry took a couple deep breaths, trying to ease his pounding heart. So far, his life did not seem to be in mortal danger, which he was immensely glad about, but it was hard to communicate with a being that had trouble understanding his... Harry had to stop his thoughts right then.
He had encountered many sentient magical creatures during his past years, and many possess their own unique attitude on life and belief. Goblins and their standpoints on ownership; centaurs and their pride and obsession with gazing at the stars; and finally the house elves, immeasurably powerful yet humble and undyingly devote to humans. Maybe his previous deduction worked both ways, Harry realized, and that as a human he too was incapable of certain thought process from a different perspective.
Magician of Black Chaos was pinning him down with his eldritch gaze. Harry gulped, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. The plain piece of paper griped tightly in his hand had an unnatural weight to it, and at this moment, Harry did not yet know he literally held a human soul in his grasp.
.
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Is the pronunciation for Dharc the same as "dark"?
The amount of Life each Monster has is equaled to his/her ATK or DEF, depending on which is higher. BtMW had 1600, but Recycle activated 5 times when DtDC drew his 5 cards, dropping his Life to 100. He was actually really close to dying.