I don't own Harry Potter or Code Lyoko

The pretender

A crow landed on a flickering light. Smoke slipped out and went up the crow's beak. It flickered.

Harry's and Jeremy's dorm

The computer opened a window as the Superscan picked up the tower.

Bathroom

"Forget it, Ulrich! Your sabre may have some class, but compared to my laser arrows, your monster count is way behind mine," said Odd as he brushed his teeth.

"Oh yeah? I bet you forgot that my sabre saved you from a quick game over last time!" exclaimed Ulrich.

"And I do better than both of you," said Harry.

"You know what?" asked Jeremy. "I made up a little statistics program that I'm using to record your performances on Lyoko over the past few weeks. So tonight, if you want, we can compare and see who's best, ok?"

"That's great, I really love stats! We'll finally have proof of my superiority," said Odd. "But in any event, I've got something that you'll never have, good buddy, and that's style!"

"Style, my friend, doesn't impress a Megatank!"

"Hey, what's all this about a Megatank, huh? You talking about a video game?" asked Nicholas.

"Yeah! Teddy Bear Heaven! Way too complicated for you," said Odd as he cleaned his mouth.

"Very funny Della Robbia."

"Ulrich? Have you got a minute?" asked Johnny nervously as he walked over. "Can I talk to you in private?"

Corridor

"I'm listening."

"Well, you're Yumi's friend right?"

"Well, boyfriend."

Johnny slumped as Ulrich went into his dorm and got changed. "When I see Yumi, I mean…I'm…wait, I mean…well, I'd like to…you remember the episode of Hospital of Horrors that was on last week?"

"Huh? You'd like to give Yumi a transfusion of French poodle's blood?" asked Ulrich.

"No. I mean, at the end. What happened between Tracey and Dr Shrank."

"I'm sorry Johnny but I'm going out with her. You're a bit young for her anyway, aren't you? It's time for breakfast so you might want to hurry up."

Stairs

"You look happy for a change," said Odd as the boy walked down the stairs. "What did Johnny want?"

"Just to talk. He's totally flipped out over Yumi!"

"What did you say?" asked Aelita.

"You did let him down gently, didn't you?" asked Jeremy.

"I told him that I'm going out with her."

"Well, that's one of the best options," said Harry as he stood up from his position on the stairs. "Xana's attacking. He possessed crows this time. He does have a thing for animals."

Library

Yumi looked at a crow in the window. Johnny sat down next to her.

"It's nice to see you."

"Be quiet Johnny. I'm reading."

"I like to read too. I read all kinds of stuff. Manga, comics and magazines. Do you like comics?"

Yumi glared at him as she closed her book.

"I like manga best. What about you? I bet you know some great ones. Can you recommend some?"

"No. See you. I'm going to lunch."

"I'm coming too."

Lunch Hall

"I like the idea of self service," said Johnny as he continued to pester Yumi. She picked up salad. "You're having salad? Great idea. Vegetables are good for you. Wait for me! I can't believe you like Brussels sprouts too. We have so much in common."

"Don't forget in sector five, I took out three mantas," said Odd as he dug into his food.

"I took out five creepers and four mantas," said Harry.

"I don't trust your maths," said Ulrich as he leaned back in his chair. "You're terrible at it."

"No I'm not."

"Not you Harry."

"Where's your table?" asked Johnny as Yumi walked over to them. "I'd like to sit with you."

"Go away Johnny," said Ulrich when Yumi went to get some water. "It's clear she isn't interested in you."

"I have the feeling I'm getting on her nerves."

"So stop following her," said Harry as Sissi sat down.

"What's this about?"

"Johnny is annoying Yumi."

Outside

"I think I got question two right," said Jeremy as they compared questions. "I said that China stretched over the rivers of eastern Asia."

"I got that too," said Sissi. "I couldn't remember the names though."

"What about you, Odd? How did you do on question three?" asked Aelita.

"Simple, I said China was the most populated country in the world with a billion people per square metre," said Odd. Jeremy, Ulrich, Harry, Sissi and Aelita laughed like they hadn't laughed for years. "You mean I got it wrong?"

"I guess I was right not to trust your stats, huh?" asked Ulrich. Harry rubbed his head as he watched a crow. It flew to more of them.

"Hey guys?" asked Harry. "Is there something off about that group of crows?"

"It's kinda bizarre," said Ulrich.

"I don't think I've ever seen so many crows," said Sissi. One tried to peck Jeremy and sparks came off its beak.

"I saw the sign. It's in their eyes. It's Xana."

"Well, duh," said Harry. "I could have told you that."

The crows started to fly towards them and they ran.

"Hurry, we have to go," said Odd. "They'll peck away at us until there's nothing left."

One pecked Ulrich. Harry formed energy fields and threw them. The crows backed off before flying after them again.

"I'll try to lure them away," said Odd. "You get to Lyoko. Hey, birdies! Over here!"

They swarmed on him as the others pulled the manhole cover up.

"Odd, come on, we're here!" yelled Ulrich.

"Give me a second to finish my acupuncture session!"

"This is scary," said a shivering Sissi as Odd pulled the cover over him.

"You should have seen the rats."

"Incredible," said Jeremy as they rode down the path. "I forget to check the Superscan and Xana attacks."

"Don't worry," said Aelita. "Everything will be fine once we get the tower deactivated."

Gym

Yumi practiced her gymnastics. Johnny clapped. "Johnny, you wouldn't be planning on following me all over all the time?"

"Well yeah!"

Johnny tried but landed awkwardly. Yumi's phone rang.

"Odd? What? A big flock of birds?" She looked out the window to see the birds. "Ok. I'll be right there."

"Yumi! Wait up!"

"No! Don't follow me!" the birds broke through the window. "Johnny! Get going! It's me that they're after!"

Johnny ran out the door as Yumi crashed through a window.

Factory

Ulrich poked his head up. The birds were looking at him like he was dinner.

"I don't believe it," said Odd as they climbed out. The crows focused on Harry who gulped.

"I think Xana wants to get to me again. I don't think they'll attack just yet though. Xana probably doesn't want to harm me."

"We've been through worse. And besides, it's not every day we have such a big audience…" Aelita trailed off. They walked through the birds.

"We'll delay them," said Ulrich as he and Odd got into a fighting pose. "Get to the elevator."

"We're waiting!"

They ran into the elevator as the flock swarmed the two boys.

"Hurry up!"

They slid under the cover as the birds flew into it. Dents appeared.

"I got five of them," said Odd.

"I don't know what I got. But if you're trying to cheat, don't forget that the birds don't count. Only monsters are recorded."

"Yumi's all on her own. I hope she's ok," said Aelita as she put her phone to her ear.

"She's probably fine," said Sissi.

Yumi

Yumi hid in the shed as her phone rang. A bird pecked through the door and she slumped to the floor. She picked up her phone.

"Too late!" The birds crashed through the window and started to peck her.

Factory

"There's no answer."

"Don't panic," said Jeremy as he walked into the lab. "I'll virtualise you near to the tower. Then I'll call Yumi. Transfer Ulrich. Transfer Harry. Transfer Aelita. Scanner Ulrich. Scanner Harry. Scanner Aelita. Virtualisation. Transvers Odd. Transfer Sissi. Scanner Sissi. Scanner Odd. Virtualisation."

Lyoko

"The tower is south southwest. In a crater."

"Start up the stats Einstein!" yelled Odd as they jumped on their vehicles.

"You're going to cry when you see the results!" said Ulrich as he looked at the cat.

"I doubt it, buddy. And besides, I don't cry when I get bad grades, do I?" asked Odd.

"If you did, you'd have drowned in your tears ages ago!"

"I don't really see the point of the stats," said Sissi.

"You start earning your points now," said Jeremy as they approached the crater. "Xana's sent you a big army of Krabes."

"Let's go! I'll leave you the dregs!" Odd zoomed off.

"We'll see about that."

"May the best man win, and that's me! BAAANZAAIIIII!" he shot down into the crater. "Where are they? I don't see any."

Harry arrived and defeated them in ten seconds.

"That's cheating Harry! You can't use your super speed."

"No one said I couldn't," said a grinning Harry. "And even if I didn't use it, I'm still faster."

"Is that what you mean by style?" called Ulrich. "Letting Harry do the work?"

"That's a good one," said Sissi as Odd glared at them.

"See if you can do any better!"

A hundred Krabes started to walk down the path.

"I just asked for that, didn't I?" asked Harry as he watched them then noticed the figure riding one. "And is that me? Again?"

Kadic

"What is this about hordes of crows?" asked Jim as Johnny led him and Mr Delmas to the garden shed.

"It's true, I swear. They flew into the gym and attacked Yumi. Look at the windows."

Jim opened the door and crows flew out.

"There! You see!"

"Yumi?"

Her phone rang. Delmas picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Mr Delmas. Is that you?" asked Jeremy.

"Yes, it's me."

"Do you know where Yumi is?"

"Yes. She's here, in the tools shed. She's been hurt."

"Mr Delmas, we have to get her to the hospital," said Jim as he checked Yumi.

"Listen Belpois, I'm too busy to talk to you at this time. I have to call an ambulance. Hang up, please."

"You six, can you hear me?" asked Jeremy as he cut the call. "Yumi's been hurt. We have to launch a return to the past. First, deactivate the tower."

"Ok," said Ulrich as Aelita ran to the tower. A Krabe walked in front of it as Harry attacked his clone.

"Are you trying to delay me?"

"No. I have something else in mind."

Harry disarmed it and stabbed it before it had chance to pull out another weapon. Odd aimed at the Krabe and Ulrich intervened. Sissi hit one of the ones coming down and Harry ran to help her.

"I'm surprised that that clone didn't try to manipulate me."

"That's not fair!" complained Odd. The Overbike was hit. Odd started to laugh before getting hit by the last Krabe. Ulrich started to laugh.

"Ulrich and Odd, would you mind concentrating? Do I have to remind you there's a Tower to deactivate if you want to save Yumi?" asked Jeremy.

Two more Krabes arrived at the bottom. Odd jumped up and shot one.

"Odd the Great, the Brave, the Magnificent, has finally overcome his handicap! And has now caught up with his opponent! Temporarily, of course, because Odd has…" said Odd as a Krabe's laser devirtualised him.

"So long, Odd, the Mega-!" said Ulrich.

"That wasn't fair!" complied Odd.

"Careful Ulrich. You're losing to many life points," said Jeremy as Ulrich battled the Krabe. Harry watched as Sissi was devirtualised then destroyed the rest. Aelita hit the last one with an energy field.

"Hey Aelita, you're cheating," complained Ulrich.

"Yeah, I know, but you guys are just too clumsy!" she walked into the tower.

"Nice one Aelita." Jeremy started to relax then noticed the crows.

Aelita walked to the interface.

Aelita

Code

Lyoko

"It's ok Jeremy," said Ulrich as Aelita ran out of the tower as Harry joined them. "You can launch the return to the past now. Jeremy? Do you read us Jeremy?"

Hornets attacked and Harry shot them down.

Kadic

Johnny sat with Yumi in the ambulance.

"Can you make anything out of this attack by birds with electric beaks, Jim?" asked Delmas as the ambulance drove away.

"No…never seen anything like it, sir, uh…except for when I investigated paranormal phenomena for a highly special secret service section."

"You did?" asked Delmas in surprise. "I didn't know that!"

"I did. But I'd rather not talk about it…it's a classified defence secret."

Lab

Odd walked in and stared at Jeremy. "I don't believe this. Jeremy!"

Lyoko

"Aelita! Behind you!" Harry yelled as a Scyphozoa wrapped its tentacles around her. Hornets appeared and Harry and Ulrich stared to fight them. Ulrich's sword was knocked out of his grasp and disappeared.

"Ulrich, can you hear me?" asked Odd as he sat down at the terminal. "Jeremy's out cold, the birds have attacked him!"

"Oh great…Xana's captured Aelita. I've got Hornets on my tail and my sabre's gone! Thanks Harry."

Harry handed Ulrich his sword before shooting the hornets with laser arrows. Ulrich sliced one then looked at the sword.

"This is lighter than mine. Do something Odd!"

"I'd love to but the supercomputer's programs aren't my area of expertise! I can try to get your sabre back."

Harry defeated the last Hornet but a manta arrived which kept them away from Aelita. The Scyphozoa placed her on its back and they flew off. Harry followed.

"Wait up Harry! Super Sprint!"

Harry caught up to the Manta and threw a shuriken at it. The manta exploded and Aelita fell to the ground. She looked at him.

Ambulance

Johnny wiped Yumi's head.

"Johnny, what are you doing?" asked Yum as she woke up. "Why are you still here?"

"I won't leave you Yumi. You're my friend's sister."

"Did Ulrich put you up to this?"

Johnny shook his head. Yumi closed her eyes.

"Hang in there Yumi."

Lyoko

Aelita threw an energy filed at Harry who dodged. "You have to do better than that."

Ulrich arrived and started to dodge as well.

"Odd, you're going to have to launch a return," said Ulrich.

"I thought we couldn't launch one when Harry or Aelita was possessed."

Sissi walked over to the terminal and watched. "Don't look at me. I wouldn't know."

"At least try to program me my sword so I can return Harry's!"

Ulrich's sword appeared before bursting into pixels. Aelita ran towards the tower.

"Sorry."

Harry shot forwards like a bullet out of a gun, forming a shuriken as he did so. He slammed it into Aelita's back. She threw an energy field as she devirtualised and it hit Ulrich who also devirtualised. Harry's sword dropped to the ground and he picked it up.

"What now?"

"Coming back to earth is next," said Sissi.

A Scyphozoa floated up behind him.

"Uh oh. Odd, can you bring me in? I have a feeling that the Scyphozoa won't let me do it myself."

"I don't want to mess this up. I'll wake Jeremy!"

Harry threw an energy field at the Scyphozoa. It dodged and tried to pick him up. Harry jumped out of the way of the tentacles as he moved back. It continued to try to pick him up.

"Hurry up!"

"Come on Jeremy, this is the tenth slap! Don't tell me you need a real smash," said Odd as he attempted to wake Jeremy up. Sissi slapped Jeremy.

"Odd? Sissi? Are you crazy or what?" asked Jeremy.

"Harry wants to be devirtualised. The Scyphozoa is after him."

The Scyphozoa trapped Harry and started to possess him.

"I think we're a bit late," said Jeremy as the Scyphozoa put him down. "I think it managed to do it so quickly because it's a rough job so Harry might not have had chance to resist. That could be so Harry can get out."

Harry walked into the tower and rose to the nest platform.

Harry

Code

Xana

The tower disappeared and Harry fell out as he regained control. He rubbed his head.

"I really need to stop sacrificing myself. I just deleted another sector, didn't I?""

"Harry I think you should run," said Jeremy as the sector disappeared. Harry pulled out his sword and stabbed himself. "That works. It's all over though."

"Get going on the return to the past," said Harry as he joined them in the lab. "It's only over for the desert sector. It might not be for Yumi."

"Return to the past now."

Yumi

Yumi was rushed to the operating room.

"What do we have here?"

"A girl, fourteen or fifteen years old, multiple injuries. Unconscious."

The white light covered them.

Earlier

"Very funny Della Robbia," said Herb as he walked out after eyeing Harry with a nasty look.

"Well?" asked Ulrich as Jeremy walked in.

"It's ok. Yumi's going to be fine."

"Phew."

"I really wish that I hadn't deleted the desert sector."

Jeremy put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "It's not your fault. You didn't want to do it but you were forced to."

"Ulrich? Have you got a minute?" asked Johnny nervously as he walked over. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"No problem."

Ulrich's and Odd's dorm

"Well, you see… when I see Yumi…"

"I get it," said Ulrich as he took out his clothes. "You like her but you don't know how to get her to notice you."

"That's it but how did you guess?"

"Instinct. That's one thing that can't fail. You do know that you don't have a chance, right?"

Outside

"Hey guys! I got the latest stats on Lyoko battles," said Jeremy as he waved paper at them.

"Ready to eat your hat, good buddy?" asked Odd.

"You're the one who's not going to be able to digest this!"

"Stop arguing," said Sissi.

"The Lyoko Warrior who has outclassed all the others is…HARRY!"

"How did we guess?" asked Aelita. "He's the fastest out of all of us and never gets devirtualised apart from when he wants to."

"I don't believe in statistics," said Odd. "They're not the way to determine who the best is. They don't mean a thing."

"You have to admit that Harry is good at this though," said Ulrich.