Embracing Shadows

Chapter Eight

By morning the school was out of Death Eater control. Severus was a known traitor to the Death Eaters. The news of him killing Dumbledore on the old man's orders spread. Some of the members of the Order sent him notes apologizing for ever doubting his loyalties such as the Weasley family. It was busy in the school; the teachers where moving the non-critical injured to the hospital wing, while the Auror's and Order members where taking the critical patients straight to St Mungo's. The prefects where watching over the younger students; making sure they stayed contained to the great hall while the school was assessed for damage.

Ishizu the current Divination Professor had just finished helping a seventh year Hufflepuff student to a bed when she saw noticed who was occupying one of the beds. Someone she'd never expected to see anywhere near the magical school let alone in the magical school. She looked at the reincarnation of the High Priest in absolute shock and horror. Of all the people she was expecting to see in the hospital wing he was the last person. He looked terrible the worst she'd ever seen the young man. He was still covered in dried dirt and blood, his hair was mattered mess and if she'd thought he was thin before, he was sickly thin now.

"What is Seto Kaiba doing here? I knew he went missing at Christmas, but I had never expected him to turn up here."

"Did your second sight show you he'd gone missing?" Minevra asked her in a disbelieving tone. The older professor was used to her predecessor Sybil constantly telling her what she'd seen after an event had passed.

She ignored the transfiguration teachers tone. She was used to it after teaching at the school over the past year. "No, a mutual friend of ours told me of his disappearance. I thought his disappearance was related to his company. I'm assuming since he's here that Death Eaters where involved." Severus nodded his head to confirm Ishizu's suspicions. "I had no clue that Death Eaters where involved. If I had, I would've extended my search to include magical areas. I can no longer see an accurate future for him or of anyone tied to the Millennium Items. They seem to change what fate and destiny have mapped out for them on a whim. He's the worst culprit out of the item holders."

"These items, are they true Millennium Items?" Severus asked her indicating to the key and scales that where on side table.

"They're the real thing. These where the items that were in the possession of Shadi; an ancient spirit who judges the worthiness of a Millennium Item holder. My family has been watching the Death Eaters ever since they showed an interest in the items two years ago. It was my main reason for accepting the teaching position here, so I knew the going on in the magical world."

"You come from a pure blood family; surly you must know of the going on in the magical world without being in the school" Flitwick noted.

"My family closed themselves off to the outside world over three millennium ago. Not just muggles but from everyone. It's only since my brother and I took over as head of the clan that we've started integrating with the outside world; both magical and muggle worlds. You really aren't well Kaiba" she looked down at the sickly teenager. "You'd be telling me to leave if you where." She turned back to the headmaster. "I need to inform Kaiba's brother that he's alive. I'm assuming I have permission to bring him here and anyone else young Mr Kaiba wants to bring along."

Severus confirmed that she could bring the boys family. She took one last look at the unconscious teenager before making her arrangements to bring Mokuba to the magical world.

KC

Mokuba was sitting on the floor of Yugi's bedroom, playing with his capmons, trying to distract himself from thinking of Seto. He missed his brother so much. He wanted to stay in England and keep looking for his Seto but that wasn't an option. He needed to go back to school since he knew that was what his brother would've wanted. Plus they didn't know if they would ever find his brother again. If they did, how much time it would take? It had already been four months since his brother had vanished. He tried staying at the Kaiba mansion, but it had been so big and lonely and felt suffocating being there without his brother. Every turn reminded him that his brother was still missing, it also bought back horrible memories of when his step father had still been alive. He'd been grateful to Yugi for opening up his home to him. He had gladly accepted staying with the older boy. It had been easier to deal with day to day life with Yugi around. He looked up and smiled as Yugi entered his bedroom. The older teenager opened his school bag adding a few more pages to the already built up pile. Yugi took it upon himself to collect the homework and assignments for Seto while he was away for business and kept it up even though the he was currently missing. Seto always grumbled and complained whenever he received his homework from Yugi, but he was sure that deep down his brother appreciated it.

"How was school?" Yugi asked in a friendly tone.

"I guess it was okay," Mokuba replied. Informing the older boy about his day about the marks he'd got on his assignments. Who he hung around with at lunch. He missed coming home from school and giving his older brother lectures about taking breaks, sleeping and eating properly.

Muffled steps where heard coming up the steps and stopping in front of Yugi's door and a light knock was heard before the door opened.

"Do you need help with the shop grandpa?" Yugi asked of the older man.

"No, not at the moment Yugi. There's someone here to see yourself and Mokuba." Mr Moto told his grandson and long term house guest.

KC

Yugi followed his grandfather down the stairs. He was pleasantly surprised to see Ishizu Ishtar. He'd informed her months earlier that Kaiba was missing and hadn't seen her since. During that time they'd kept in contact through emails and phone. He was wondering if she had come to discuss the tablet of the pharaohs lost memories or needed the Millennium Necklace that was currently in his possession.

"Ishizu" Yugi greeted her with a grin.

"Pharaoh, Mokuba it's a pleasure to see you both." she greeted them happily. "I come with good news that you'll both be happy to hear, is there somewhere we can talk?"

"Right this way," Yugi showed her through the shop and into the living area.

Once they were all seated Ishizu began telling them the news. "I came at the first opportunity that I could. I thought that this news was best heard in person and from someone you knew. Last night around 11pm in England your brother was found Mokuba."

She let the news sink in. Mokuba sat in disbelief for a few moments before rattling off a heap of questions about what had happened.

"I've been teaching a subject call Divination at a school called Hogwarts. Divination is also known as fortune telling. Hogwarts is one of the schools that teach magic to young witches and wizards in Europe. Christmas Eve your brother was kidnapped by a group of evil wizards known as Death Eaters. He's been held captive by them the whole time he was missing. We're still not sure of the motives of them taking your brother, it seems that it was just a case of he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. As to his health; he was still unconscious when I left this morning. It's still not certain of how much damage has been done to him, what he'll recover from and what he won't."

"I'll arrange a flight." Mokuba got out his phone ready to call Roland who was acting president in Seto's absence.

"That won't be necessary; I've arranged a port key to take us back to Europe." She then explained what a port key was.

KC

Yugi grabbed Seto's homework, duel monster cards and packed some clothes after he told his grandpa what was going on. He also asked his grandpa to tell Tea, Joey, Tristan and Bakura that Kaiba had been found, but only after he'd left. He knew that they'd want to come with him and he also knew that Kaiba wouldn't want anyone to see him, especially in a weakened state. He'd probably have a fit over the fact that he was going to be there. They then made their way to the Kaiba mansion to pack spare clothing for Seto and anything extra Mokuba would need.

The international port key wasn't a pleasant experience. They arrived in the headmaster's office where they left their bags, excluding the one that was for Seto before making their way to the hospital wing where Seto currently was. Mokuba ran to his brother's side immediately. The older boy was still unconscious but had been cleaned up since Ishizu last seen him. His left arm was in a sling and is whole body was twitching all over, he was pale, thin and his hair was still a mattered mess.

"Big brother!" Mokuba cried to his brother with disbelief, taking his hand that wasn't in a sling. Confirming it really was his brother in front of him. His brother's skin was cold to touch and was hard to believe he was still alive. After showing them to the hospital wing and telling them how to find her Ishizu left to give Mokuba some privacy.

"Do you think that Kaiba will be okay?" Yugi asked the Pharaoh as he looked at his school friend.

"Kaiba's strong Yugi, I'm sure that he'll be fine."

"Is that the Millennium key and scales on the bedside table?" Yugi asked looking at the two items.

"It is Yugi. I wonder how Kaiba came to have them."

Yugi took the two items into his possession; he knew that Kaiba wouldn't mind. In fact he'd probably throw them at him to get rid of them if he'd been awake. The others in the hospital wing tried to talk to them, but Yugi couldn't understand a word they were saying. All of Mokuba's focus was on his older brother.

KC

He felt different when he woke up. His body was still shaking all over from the crucio curse but he wasn't in as much pain as he'd been for however long he'd been captured. He didn't feel cold and he felt clean. The surface he was on wasn't the hard cold floor of the dungeon; it was soft, warm and comforting. His stomach wasn't twisting like it was trying to eat itself from hunger, his mouth wasn't dry from dehydration and he had a strange taste in his mouth. He felt someone holding his hand, but it didn't feel like Luna's hand. It wasn't the hand of a woman, it felt like the hand of someone younger. He could hear the whispered voices around him. The voice of Luna talking softly, but also the voices of others he didn't know. He opened his eyes and squinted not used to the light after months of darkness. He looked across at the person holding his hand. It didn't register at first that the person holding his hand was real. /it felt like an illusion of what he wanted to see the most. His younger brother.

"Mokuba," he said slowly. His speech slurred from lack of muscle control. Using the Millennium Items and crushing all those peoples souls had really taken it out of him.

"Big brother you're awake," Mokuba shouted with tears in his eyes. "I love you Kaiba, I missed you so much. I never want you do disappear ever again."

He didn't get much time with his brother. Seeing that he was awake the nurse came over and started asking questions of the oldest Kaiba; such as his name, date of birth, age etc. Most of the Hogwarts staff and students in the hospital wing were shocked to find out that the young businessman was only seventeen years old and would've only been in sixth year of Hogwarts if he was attending due to the month his birthday fell. Mokuba was shocked listening to his brother talk as was Yugi. It took a long time for him to get a full sentence out and he often paused as if he had to think about his responses as his speech was so slurred.

"Your left arm has been broken multiple times and was healing out of place; we've broken again to correct the positioning and will take a while to heal. You've got broken ribs, one of which was puncturing your lung, you've now got a chest infection and you're very lucky to be alive just from those injuries alone. You've had skull trauma at some point in your past which has been aggravated while you were captured. Can you tell me how and when your skull was fractured?"

"Eight years old, bus accident." He replied saying as little words as possible. Looking over at Mokuba who nodded confirming that was correct.

She wrote down a few notes and told Seto more about the condition he was in. Yugi didn't understand many words the kind woman was saying and Mokuba was translating for him though every now and again Mokuba wouldn't know a word.

"And finally you've got extensive nerve damage and brain damage. Most constant victims of the cruciatus curse never fully recover." She then went into more details about what of what exercises could help in his recovery. Mokuba started crying again as the witch said that they was a possibility his brother would never fully recover.

"We'll arrange some exams for you to see how your mental skills and writing skills are at the moment."

"Such as homework?" he asked her.

"Exactly" she replied happily. All to happy for him to do his school homework to test his capabilities.

He looked at Yugi and Mokuba as started talking Japanese. "Did either of you bring my homework?" his speech was still slurred but it didn't take him as long to talk in his native tongue as what it took him to speak in English.

"Ah yes I have it right here" Yugi replied pulling out the pile of papers and a few pens. "This pile is your homework," Yugi separated the papers. "These are our assignments, and this last lot are the notes that Tea, Bakura and myself took in class. Bakura's notes are half written in Japanese and English."

The witch gave her approval before attending to one of the many patients who were in the hospital.

"I can read English" he snapped at the younger duellist. That was something Yugi should know already.

"Don't work yourself to hard big brother." Mokuba told him in a scolding tone.

"I'll be fine Mokuba" he replied with a smile. "Do either of you know where my duel monster cards are and my locket?"

"There on the bedside table. The Millennium Items were also sitting with them, but I've taken them into my possession." Yugi replied standing and handing the requested items to the patient.

With one hand Seto opened his locked seeing that the picture of his brother was still there. He then placed it back around his neck, the photo inside had been damaged but still recognisable. He then started going through his deck, checking the condition and that all cards where there. He frowned at how blood splattered and how much dirt and grime where on some of the cards. Of course he already knew this but seeing them in full lights was heartbreaking. He needed to replace much of his deck since the spoiled cards wouldn't work with the card reader for the holographic duel disc system. For tournament table top duels he still wouldn't be able to use the cards because it would be considered as making. Some of the cards where irreplaceable; his blue eyes in particular, two of the cards would never be able to be used in a duel again. The other cards where easily replaceable but he didn't want to replace those cards. Those cards had been given to him by his father or brother. Yugi looked just as heartbroken as he felt.

He sighed as he put the cards aside as began working on his homework. It had been months since he'd done any written work. The closest he had to written work was drawing on the walls. He became easily frustrated when he had trouble answering questions that he should've answered with ease. This was work that he'd been able to do since he was a child with ease! Normally he didn't even think about his homework. Most of his school work was completed while in classes or lunch break so he could concentrate on Kaiba Corporation work and Duel monsters strategies after school. The girl from the graveyard who he remembered was called Hermione, not understanding they where testing his mental capabilities had come over to assist him. This frustrated him even more since she'd just assumed he couldn't do this work normally.

"It's easy," she said as she started to explain how the work was done.

"I know how to do this work! Leave me alone." He snapped at her, or at least tried to. It didn't come out in the tone he wanted because he had to stop and think about his words.

His outburst had caught the attention of the nurse.

"That's not the case. You're clearly struggling with the work your doing. It's okay to ask for help." She told him in a caring tone.

"Miss Granger, in this case it's best not to help. We need to check his mental capabilities," the medi-witch explained after she'd finished her examination of the older man.

He was annoyed with himself. He knew the answers, he knew how to do this work and yet the answers wouldn't come to him. If he had to relearn all this work from scratch, it would be a nightmare. He'd never be able to lead his company again if he had to relearn everything. His hand was also very shaky; his hand writing was almost illegible. He normally had very neat handwriting, even if he preferred typing over writing by hand. It took him a long time, but he managed to get three weeks worth of homework finished. In the end it was 100% correct but he was still upset with himself about how long it took to get it done.

"That's enough for now," Mokuba told him and picked up the work. The nurse was happy with his progress. It was nice to have his brother fuss over him and try to boss him around.

All he wanted to do was talk to his brother and find out what he'd been doing the last few months. But he soon found himself dropping back to sleep. This was a relaxing sleep, not just because he'd fallen unconscious or passed out from exhaustion or to pass time.

KC

Luna only had to stay overnight for observation; besides being a bit malnourished she was in good health. Ollivander had been transferred to the wizard's hospital for further treatment. Even though Seto should've been transferred they didn't because of his non-magical status. Apparently possessing shadow magic didn't count as being magical. The ancient magic was something the wizards weren't familiar with or detect. He was at risk of having his mind wiped if he'd been transferred to the wizard's hospital. He'd asked to be transferred back home so his medical staff could look after him, but the school nurse wouldn't allow him to transfer to his home or normal hospital because apparently normal doctors couldn't heal magical injuries. He didn't believe the woman. Non magical people could heal magical wounds just fine.

Yugi and Mokuba had been allowed to stay at the school while he was still a patient in the school hospital. Even though Luna had been released she visited every day. He was still having days where he had no clue who he was, or where he was, and would just stare into space. It scared his brother quite a bit, reminding the younger boy of the time when he'd been in a coma and when he was in hospital following the bus accident. After a week of being kept at the school hospital wing the nurse finally deemed him healthy enough to travel back to Japan.

"I'm glad that we met." Luna told him with a smile.

"Even if the circumstances weren't the best," he smiled back. "Though if we'd met under different circumstances I would've never given you the time of day to get to know you properly."

He allowed the eccentric girl to hug him, and returned the hug. He couldn't believe he was actually going to miss Luna. He was happy to say that she was a genuine friend, which bought his friend total up to two.

"Joey would never believe him if I told him you willingly let a person that wasn't Mokuba hug you." Yugi teased him. "Can I hug you?"

"Over my dead body! You're never to tell that dog anything" he snapped.

This had Mokuba bursting into tears and running up to him and pulling him into a bear hug. No hint at all of loosening his grip. "I thought you were dead."

He made a note to himself to refrain from making morbid jokes or mentioning death around his brother for a while.

KC

It was nice to be home again. Once upon a time he dreaded stepping foot into this house, it was in this house where he'd been broken. He didn't know whether to be thankful or detest his adoptive father even more then he already did, since it was due to the old man that he'd survived the four months without giving in to the pain and mental mind games. He wasn't yet healthy enough to run his own company. All his work took longer to complete then found that he couldn't walk for long periods of time. He was still having constant muscle twitches and suffering from memory lapse. He hated listening to his voice whenever he spoke; hearing how slurred his speech sounded some of the time. He also found himself having trouble sleeping without Luna beside him. He was surprised to find he missed the eccentric girl as much as he did. Mokuba had taken to sleeping next to him again and the nights he had his brother beside him were the nights he slept the best. Both brothers knew the other was safe when they were together.

All the doctors had told him to allow himself time to heal, allow himself time to adjust to being back home. After three days at home he'd decided he was going to return to school, against doctors orders. He'd been going stir crazy being at home, he wanted to get some normality back in his life. It had already been announced to the press that he'd been found though none of them were expecting to see him as he was.

He got stares from the other students as Roland wheeled him to his classroom in the wheel chair he detested so much. He'd collapsed earlier that morning when he'd' tried to walk from his bedroom to the kitchen. He was so glad the school had a lift so he could get to the floor his classes where held on. Even though his school work wasn't to his normal standards he was at least keeping his attendance levels up. Keeping himself busy, getting him out of the house and away from the awful memories from the past four months.