/Text/ Spirit to Host

/Text/ Host to Spirit

Chapter 12: Exploration

Professor Dumbledore approached the podium in front of the teacher's table once the sorting had ended and Professor McGonagall returned to her seat.

"Good evening! To our new students, welcome! And to our returning, welcome back! While I know there are a great number of rumbling stomachs here in the Great Hall, there are a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce before we get too saddled down with roast and pudding.

"First off, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has updated the list of banned items. The comprehensive post is just outside his office, and now includes nearly all items from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Also, as always, the Dark Forest is forbidden to all students without exception.

"As you may have all noticed, there are a number of Aurors patrolling the grounds this year. Your luggage this evening has been checked for dark magical objects before making its way onto the grounds. If you find that something has been confiscated unfairly, please reach out to your Head of House, and the matter will be looked into. In addition, after sunset, no student will be allowed outside the castle unless accompanied by a teacher. The curfew this year will be strictly enforced. Please be sure to return to your dormitories by 9pm each evening.

"Finally, I wish to make an announcement regarding staffing this year. First, let us welcome back Professor Hagrid, who will return to his position teaching Care of Magical Creatures…."

There was a fair amount of applause around the room, except from the Slytherin table.

"Next, let us welcome back Professor Dolores Jane Umbridge, who has decided to remain on staff for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."

If the whispers and half-hearted applause were considered noisy before, it was nothing compared to the initial stunned silence before the deafening level of protest heard from across the Great Hall.

Hermione scanned the teachers sitting up at the front table, and sure enough, in her bright pink cardigan was Professor Umbridge, not looking nearly as smug as she did at the start of term the previous year. Considering her last act at Hogwarts was being carried off by centaurs in the forest, and then driven out of the castle by Peeves, Hermione couldn't blame her. But...hadn't she been fired?

"This doesn't make any sense," she hissed. "There's no way Dumbledore would have let her come back after last year."

Seto glanced up at the faculty table. "Aside from her crime of clashing shades of bring pink, what did she do?"

"Nothing, and that's the problem," said Hermione. "She didn't teach us anything."

"Remember the secret club they formed that I told you about over the summer?" asked Yugi, "That was to fight back against her."

"So if she's back, are we going to go through the same song and dance as last year?" asked Ron.

"I hope not, but I suppose we'll have the DA to fall back on if she does."

"…and now? Dinner!" said Dumbledore, stepping back from the podium and returning to the teacher's table.

Yugi's eyes widened as food suddenly appeared on the table. He had never seen so many dishes together on one table in his life!

"Are meals like this…all the time?" asked Ryou. "I don't know where to begin!"

"Just feasts," said Ron, shoveling drumsticks onto his plate. "Usually there's four: the Welcome feast, Halloween, Christmas for those who don't go home, and the end of the year feast."

The doors to the Great Hall suddenly swung open, catching everyone's attention. It was Harry.

/Judging by all the blood on his face, it looks like your friend was in a fight,/ said Bakura. /Wonder what the other guy looks like…./

Ryou handed Harry a spare napkin as he sat down next to him, ignoring all the curious eyes on him from around the Great Hall. "Are you alright? Your nose is bleeding."

"Thanks. And I'm fine. Tonks already straightened my nose back out."

"Where have you been?" Hermione hissed at him, "You missed the sorting, and Dumbledore's announcement that Umbridge is back again this year!"

"What?" Harry twisted around to look up at the teacher's table. Professor Umbridge was quietly conversing with Professor Vector, who did not look pleased to be seated next to her.

"I know, mate," said Ron, "Dumbledore must be out of his mind."

"I'm sure he has his reasons," said Yugi. "Although, since you've never had a professor for that position more than once, I was kind of expecting someone new."

"Me too," said Harry.

"Does this mean we'll be starting the DA up again this year, Harry?" asked Ron.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know yet. We'll wait and see what her first class is like. If she's just like last year, we'll send out the coins again."

"So….Harry," said Yugi, "Where were you all this time?"

"I was tailing Malfoy – and don't give me that look, Hermione! I found out some interesting news on the train."

"If you're still trying to convince us that Malfoy's been branded with the Dark Mark…"

"Look, I didn't have to see the Dark Mark. He admitted it to his friends that he became a Death Eater. He was given some sort of special assignment."

"What was it?" asked Ron.

"I don't know, but if succeeds at whatever it is, he won't return for school next year."

"A year without Malfoy? Doesn't sound too bad," said Ron.

"I'll bet anything it has to do with his trip to Borgin and Burkes," said Harry, "Malfoy was pretty interested in that cabinet."

"For the last time, Harry," Hermione sighed, "You don't know what he was doing there. We couldn't see anything. His mother could have been looking for furniture."

Harry shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm going to find out what he's up to."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Letting the subject drop, they returned to their dinner.

Finally, after his third helping, Yugi pushed his plate away. "Oooh, I think I ate too much."

Ryou smiled. "All that heavy food will do that to you."

"This is the kind of event you need Joey for," said Yugi. "He and Tristan would love this."

"Friends back home I imagine?" asked Hermione.

Yugi nodded. "They have bottomless stomachs."

"Ah – they're like Ron, then." Hermione looked over at her friend, who was still shoveling food onto his plate.

When the dishes finally cleared themselves from the house tables, Dumbledore sent them on their way.

"Come, Gryffindor Tower is this way," said Harry. "Older students usually get a head start, and then the first years get their own tour back to the common room by the prefects to help them learn the way."

"Shouldn't we be in that group then?" asked Ryou.

"Probably," said Harry, "But there's less staring this way. You're all heads taller than those kids." He and Ron led them through the clusters of students leaving the Great Hall, up a staircase, down another corridor, and through another set of double doors to a chamber that was several stories high. Various staircases lined the walls.

"Gryffindor Tower is on the seventh floor," said Ron, "Up this way."

They passed the second floor landing when the staircase suddenly broke off from the wall and floated up to a different landing on the fifth floor, catching Yugi off balance and nearly toppling him backwards into Seto.

"Oh, yeah, careful. The staircases like to change on you," said Harry "If you're not paying attention, you'll end up on the completely wrong end of the castle."

"Thanks for the warning."

As they floated up, Ryou took the time to look around the hall. Portraits lined the entirety of the walls. Some witches and wizards waved at them as they passed, others pointed and made snickering remarks to each other.

"Do all of the pictures in the castle move?"

"Well, yeah," said Ron, "Can't expect them to hang around all day."

"Wait, aren't you a prefect?" asked Yugi, "Don't you have to help out Hermione with the first-year students?"

Ron shook his head. "Hermione's got that down. We take turns patrolling the corridors and things like that. She always enjoys blurting Hogwarts trivia to the new ones anyway. 'Did you know' this and 'Actually this portrait' that. No thanks."

"Maybe it wouldn't seem that way if there was someone else she knew that actually took an interest in the history of their school," said Seto. "You two have really never thought to read something outside of your own textbooks?"

He wasn't surprised when Harry and Ron both shook their heads at him.

Harry led them to the end of one of the halls on the seventh floor, stopping in front of The Fat Lady's Portrait. "This is the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. If you don't know the password, she won't let you in."

Ron turned to the painting. "Abstinence."

"Correct," said the Fat Lady. The portrait swung open, revealing a passageway. On the other end was a large, round room decorated in red and gold. Squashy armchairs and sofas were scattered about the room. There were several bookshelves along the walls. Above a roaring fireplace was a large tapestry of a lion. Along the far wall were two staircases going up into the tower.

"Boys staircase is on the left," said Harry, "The different dorms are labeled on the doors. I imagine you'll either be in ours, which is for 'Sixth Year' or there will be a specific one for you, since it'll be hard to cram eight beds in one room."

"I wouldn't mind finding out," Yugi yawned, "I think dinner did me in."

"Me too," said Ryou, turning towards the staircase. "How early should we be downstairs tomorrow?"

"Well, good news this year is that tomorrow's Saturday, so there won't be classes until Monday. Classes start at 9am but on the weekends you can get breakfast through I think 10am."

"Okay, thanks," Yugi smiled. "See you guys in the morning."

The dorms seemed to be labeled so the first-year students were at the bottom of the staircase, and the higher their year, the closer they would be to the top of the tower. Their room was labeled "Exchange Students" and was sandwiched between the doors for the fifth and sixth years.

Their dormitory was round, and their trunks sat at the foot of each four-poster bed in the room. Beside each sat a bedside table and a tall, skinny cabinet to hang up their robes.

Yami phased out of the Puzzle and looked around the room. "Looks comfortable."

Ryou and Seto glanced up from unpacking their trunks. Yugi was in control…but did they just hear the Pharaoh?

"Kaiba…" Ryou began hesitantly, "Do you see what I see?"

"I see two Yugi's."

Yugi looked from his companions, to Yami, and back. "What do you mean? You've never been able to see the Pharaoh before when he's come out of the Puzzle."

"I wonder if it's the magic in the castle," said Ryou. "Come out, Spirit. Let's see if you can be seen too."

Bakura sighed and came out of the Ring, crossing his arms over his chest. "Happy?"

Set also appeared. "This shouldn't be possible. No one, aside from those we've bonded with, should be able to see us."

Yami shrugged and perched himself on the edge of Yugi's bed. "Well, this does make sharing information easier."

Bakura turned to Set and Seto, "Speaking of…did anything strange happen to you last night?"

Set tilted his head, "Like what?"

"Something reached out to the Millennium Ring last night. The Shadow Realm was stirring. I couldn't tell if something or someone entered or left the Shadow Realm, but that would be the least of our worries."

"Why's that?" Seto leaned against the bedpost. "Wouldn't it be problem if something managed to escape from it?"

"You're still quite new to this, Kaiba, so let me fill you in on a little tidbit about the Shadow Realm," said Bakura, bitterly, "It can only be summoned by way of a Millennium Item. Between the three of us, we have five of those items, and the other two are safe with that blasted ghost. He's as likely to summon the Shadows on his own as the Pharaoh is to smash his Puzzle and hand me the pieces."

"So if one of us didn't do it, then someone else has the power to summon the Shadow Realm," said Seto. "…I wonder if whoever is behind this is also the reason I keep having those memory flashes."

"Did you have another one?" asked Yugi.

Seto nodded. "Last night. It was the same three as before, but there was also a brief glimpse of another one. I – well, Set anyway, was chipping away at something, but it went by so fast I couldn't see anything else about it."

"It doesn't make any sense why you're the only one having glimpses of the past return," said Bakura. "If anyone was going to have this happen, I expected it to be the Pharaoh."

"Maybe we should write to Ishizu," said Yugi, "Her family knows more about the secrets to Yami's past than any of us. She might be able to tell us what's going on."

Seto scowled. "Until I get my tech working again, you're going to have to send it by owl."

"It'll have to wait until morning then," said Yugi. "I just hope she can help us."

"Don't tell me you're still spying on them," Hermione shook her head, and then looked up and down the breakfast table. There was no sign of their new friends.

"Look, Ron and I heard some things the night before Hogwarts that were just odd," said Harry. "For one thing, they seemed to be talking about themselves almost in third person, which I've never heard them do before. And something about Millennium Items."

"They also mentioned something called a Shadow Realm, and that something may have escaped from it. Dunno what that is though. Ever heard of it?" said Ron.

"No," said Hermione, "And did it ever occur to you that they would tell us when they're ready?"

"They could be dangerous, Hermione. Bakura was talking that night, and it was as if he was a completely different person – and Yugi too! Their voices had changed, and some of the things they were speaking about – it was as if they were from a different time!"

"Even if they are truly up to something, do you think they would be any less dangerous if they found out you two have been listening in on them?" Hermione waved her fork angrily at them, "I want to know as much as you do, but this isn't the time to be snooping around. Do you really think Dumbledore would let in anyone dangerous with You-Know-Who so out in the open now?"

"He let Umbridge back. Obviously his judgement isn't all there," Harry countered. "Between them and Malfoy, something isn't right around here, and I'm going to find out what."

"Speaking of…" said Ron quietly, "Here they come."

"Morning," said Yugi, dropping into a seat next to Hermione. "Kaiba's not here? By the time we got up, he was gone."

Hermione shook her head. "No. We haven't seen him. But I'm sure if we catch any of the giggly Hufflepuffs that were eyeing him up last night, they'd be able to tell us."

Ryou blinked. "Giggly Hufflepuffs?"

"You were on the wrong side of the table last night to see," said Hermione, "Although, there were a couple of Gryffindors that had their eye on you too, Ryou."

Ryou's cheeks turned pink and he busied himself with buttering some toast. "Oh my…"

"Um, I have a question, Harry," said Yugi. "Is there a place here in the castle that we could send a message back home? Or would we have had to get an owl from Diagon Alley?"

"There's an Owlery," said Harry. "Not everyone has or could afford an owl, so there's a tower full of them here. I can show you after breakfast."

"That would be great!" Yugi beamed.

"Would you mind giving me a little tour of the school?" asked Ryou, "If you don't have any plans for the day, that is. I'm sure we'll explore on our own, but I'd like to know where our classes are going to be ahead of time."

Hermione nodded. "I'd be happy to! I have to run back to the common room for a moment, but I'll meet you down in the Entrance Hall when you finish breakfast."

They caught up with her as she was coming back down the steps outside the Great Hall.

"I suppose we'll start at the Owlery, since you wanted to go there anyways," said Harry. "It's this way."

The Owlery was its own tower accessed around the side of the castle near the Herbology gardens.

"You want to watch your step here on the stairs," said Harry, "It gets icy in the winter."

"Does it matter what owl I use?" asked Yugi, looking around.

"I usually just hold out my arm and use the first one that comes down to me," said Hermione. "Usually an owl like Hedwig or Pigwidgeon that belongs to a specific student won't fly down to anyone but their owner."

A tawny barn owl flew down to Yugi's outstretched arm and he tied his letter to its leg. "Will it know where to go?"

"Somehow, they always know where they're going," said Harry, "Yours might just take a while to get there."

"Take this to Ishizu Ishtar, please?" said Yugi, "I'm not sure where she lives, but she works at the museum in Domino City, Japan."

The owl gave a hoot, ruffled its wings, and took off through the window.

/Well, that's one thing out of the way./

They pointed out the gardens and the Herbology classroom, and the path leading to Hagrid's Hut, with the promise of taking them to meet Hagrid properly in the upcoming days. Ron pointed out the Forbidden Forrest off in the distance behind Hagrid's house, and Harry showed them the Quidditch pitch on their way back up to the school.

"Either of you interested in trying out for the team?"

"While it was fun this summer, I don't think high-flying adventures with broomsticks are my thing," said Ryou, "I think I'll stay on the ground, but I'll at least come to all of the matches and cheer you on!"

Yugi shrugged. "I haven't decided."

"You'd probably make a good chaser," said Harry, "You're a small guy, so it makes you less of a target for bludgers or other players. So long as you can catch and have a decent throwing arm, you're all set."

"When are tryouts?" asked Ron.

"As soon as I can reserve the space, probably after the first week of classes or so," said Harry, then frowned. "That is…if Umbridge's ban still isn't in place."

"I think it might have been lifted," said Hermione, "All of those Educational Decrees that she put into effect seem to be gone."

/You know, Yugi, if we want a large-enough open space to duel, the Quidditch field is perfect!/

/I was thinking that too, Yami. We'll have to tell Kaiba about this place./

/I would wait until after he gets the duel disks working again./

/But electronic devices don't work here./

/That's true. But I'm sure we'll think of something. Have a little faith./

"Yugi?" asked Hermione. "Are you alright?"

"Oh – sorry," Yugi laughed, ignoring the curious looks Harry and Ron were giving him. "I was just thinking, that this field would be a great place to play Duel Monsters – the way we do back home, with the duel disks. It's definitely large enough."

"Yeah," said Ryou, "After the summer of playing on tabletop, I kind of miss it too."

"Those machines won't work though," said Hermione, "Remember?"

Yugi frowned. "I know. It was a nice dream though."

By the time they had made it back up to the castle and toured the first floor, which consisted of mainly unused classrooms and the trophy room, it was time for lunch.

"You got an award for services to the school!" said Yugi, as he grabbed a sandwich from the tray in front of him. "What for?"

"The Chamber of Secrets was opened in our second year," said Ron, "You-Know-Who was behind it. He was attacking muggle-born students, and long story short, we saved the school from having to close down."

"That's a huge achievement considering you were only what, twelve years old?" said Ryou, "Amazing!"

"Hiya, Harry!" said a voice behind them. There was a sudden gasp. "Yugi Muto!"

Yugi turned around and was immediately blinded by a bright flash of light.

Harry sighed. "Hi Colin."

Yugi blinked, trying to get his vision back to normal. The boy named Colin was a grinning blonde holding a large, rather old-looking camera. "Uh, hello."

"I'm Colin Creevey," said Colin, "I'm so excited to meet you. Wait till I show this to my brother Dennis! He's a big fan of you and Seto Kaiba!"

"Oh, really?" Yugi turned back to Harry and mouthed 'help!', but Harry was grinning, enjoying the moment that Colin wasn't snapping pictures of him for a change.

"Say, do you think you could autograph this for me?" He pulled out two magazine photos. One was from the duel disk article he had read back at the Burrow, and Yugi could see Seto's neat signature near the bottom of the photograph. The other photo was from the Kaiba Corp Grand Championship Tournament, taken right before his match with Leon.

"Uh, sure," Yugi took the offered pen and scribbled his name down next to his photograph. "Say…did you get Kaiba's signature today?"

"Sure did – just got it in fact!"

"Where is he? I haven't seen him all day," said Yugi.

"He's in the library, but oh boy was he not happy to have his photo taken…" said Colin.

Yugi rubbed his eyes to get the last of the bright spots out of his vision. "I can't imagine why."

"I didn't think he was gonna sign my article, but he was a good sport about it. Anyways, thanks for the autograph. See you around!"

"Thanks," Yugi mumbled. He glared at Harry. "You were enjoying that."

Harry grinned. "Absolutely. He followed me around all second-year. You can't separate him from his camera."

"Seto's in the library?" Hermione wondered, "Classes haven't even begun yet."

"Probably needs someplace quiet to finish that tome you gave him," Ron snickered.

"Honestly, I'm glad there's someone else in this school with similar interests," said Hermione, "It's a good light read if you need a change of pace from studying all the time. There's so much to learn about Hogwarts in that book if you would just take the time to read it."

Yugi looked back towards the door to the Great Hall, where students were filing in and out. "Will the librarian jinx me on sight if I brought food into the library? I have a feeling Kaiba hasn't eaten since dinner last night."

"Yes," said Hermione, "Madame Pince is very protective of her books."

As they continued through the castle, Harry, Ron, and Hermione pointed out their classrooms. "Transfiguration is there, and across the way and down that hall is Charms," said Ron. "Don't be late to Transfiguration or McGonagall will pile on the homework."

"That goes for Potions too," said Harry, "Although Snape will just take away house points and pile on the homework just because he doesn't like me."

"You're his least favorite student?" asked Yugi.

"That's an understatement," said Harry, "I'm the spitting image of my dad, and, well, he and Snape didn't get along while they were at Hogwarts, so he's projecting his hate onto me."

"That's not very fair," said Ryou. "You're not your father."

"Tell that to Snape," said Harry. "Here's the library, by the way."

Yugi had almost given on up on looking for Seto in the library, when they finally found him at a table tucked between sections on Magical Law and Legilimency. There were a stack of books on the edge of the table, and by looking at the spine of the one open in front of him, they were all advanced spellbooks. His travel mug from the train was next to the stack. Yugi wondered how he managed to smuggle a drink in.

"How did you know I was back here?" Seto asked without looking up from his book. Yugi could see he had gone through several sheets of parchment taking notes.

"Colin Creevey sold you out," said Harry.

"Figures. Did he blind you too?"

Yugi nodded. "Unfortunately. We came looking when we didn't see you at breakfast…or lunch."

"I'll eat later."

"Have you been sitting back here all day?" asked Ryou. "Don't you want to explore the castle a bit?"

"I had plenty of exploration to do this morning, believe me," said Seto. He leaned back in his seat, glowering. "Let's see. First, I had to visit Professor McGonagall's office and have my laptop equipment returned because the Aurors flagged it last night. And our duel disks. They're all back in the dorm. You're welcome. Then it was the Owlery, the Kitchens, and then I arrived here."

"You found the Kitchens, and you haven't been here an entire day yet?" Ron's jaw dropped. "It took us four years to do that. How'd you manage to find it so quickly?"

Seto raised an eyebrow, reached across the table, and handed Hermione back her copy of Hogwarts: A History. "I read a book. In any case, that house elf who sings your praises, Harry, knows how to make decent coffee now."

"So what is all this?" asked Yugi, gesturing to the pile of books.

"Research on spell crafting."

Hermione gasped. "Creating spells is advanced magic, Seto. So many things can go horribly wrong during the inventing process, not to mention this is incredibly ambitious for someone new to magic in the first place! Don't you think this is a bit…" She struggled to find her words.

"Too difficult?" Seto finished for her. "Hardly. The school's enchantment prohibiting the use of electronics is merely a barrier that needs breached."

"I don't know," Hermione crossed her arms, "Even if you did, the magic protecting the school is extremely powerful. It's not just about having your phone turn on; it also prevents Muggles from finding the school too."

"Yet I saw a radio in the common room last night," Seto countered, "Which is an electronic device invented by Muggles. You're going to tell me that will work, but my tech won't? Look, I'm not going to tear down the magic walls around the school, but I will find a way around them."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue again, but Yugi tugged her sleeve. "Come on, he's busy, so let's just finish our tour." He turned back to Seto. "We'll see you at dinner, right?"

Seto nodded, waved them off, and returned to his book.

Ron shook his head as they walked out of the library. "Two sickles he gives up."

"I'll take that bet," said Ryou, with a glint in his eye that would be more natural on his darker half.

"You're pretty confident," said Harry as they walked back into the staircase hall.

Yugi shrugged. "You don't know him like we do. I hope you weren't saving those coins for anything special."

Monday rolled around faster than any of them had anticipated. Breakfast was a bustle of activity between students waking up and trying to grab something to eat, and the Heads of Houses walking up and down their house tables delivering schedules.

"Potter," said Professor McGonagall, "Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you in his office after dinner this evening."

Harry swallowed his pumpkin juice. "What for?"

"He didn't say, but I assume it is of some importance," said McGonagall, handing him his schedule. She turned to the exchange students. "Please see me in my office after dinner this evening to schedule your additional lessons."

"Extra lessons?" Ron asked once McGonagall had continued her way down the table. "What for?"

"Catch-up classes," said Ryou. "To help us adjust. They won't be for the entirety of the year…at least I hope not."

Seto pushed the Daily Prophet he was reading aside and took a look at his schedule. "Advanced Arithmancy and then a break, followed by Herbology and then double Defense against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration this afternoon."

Hermione glanced over at his schedule. "Aside from my Ancient Runes class, our schedules are identical. What about you guys?"

Yugi compared his schedule with hers. "Looks like our regular classes are all the same. I don't have Advanced Arithmancy though, but I do have double Ancient Runes with you tomorrow."

"Looks like I'll be faring Divination alone," said Ryou, stealing a peek at Ron's timetable.

"Yeah, sorry mate," said Ron, "Harry and I are glad to finally be rid of that class, although it was good for sneaking in naps – that room is always stifling."

Harry pushed his plate away and groaned. "Double Umbridge today? Ugh."

Ron looked back at his schedule. "Well…if there's one silver lining? At least we don't have Snape and Umbridge today. And it looks like we have two free periods before break. Our first class isn't until Herbology at noon!"

"Those free periods are going to be a blessing for you once they start piling on the homework," said Hermione. "You should be so lucky that you have so many of them."

"I can't wait to get back to the common room," said Yugi, looking around the Great Hall, "Those girls over there keep staring. And giggling."

"Ignore them," said Seto, taking a final bite of his toast before getting up from the table. He positioned his laptop bag (currently doubling as his school bag) over his shoulder and took a last sip of his coffee. "If you don't give them any attention, they'll eventually give up."

"Did that work back home?" asked Harry.

"Well enough."

"I suppose we'll see you in Herbology," said Hermione, grabbing her bag. "Enjoy your three hours of doing nothing."

"Oh, we will," Ron grinned.

Harry frowned as the two walked off, earning quite a few glares from some of the Hufflepuff girls as they exited the Hall. But it wasn't the popularity his new classmates seemed to gather that bothered him. When Seto stood up, his robes had parted enough that he could see a glint of something golden tucked into one of his belt loops. The only jewelry Seto seemed to wear was the Duel Monsters card he once glimpsed hiding underneath his shirt, but that wasn't anything flashy at all. Was he hiding something?

"So…we have two free periods too before Herbology," said Ron, "Anyone fancy some Exploding Snap back at the common room?"

"Sure," said Ryou, "If Hermione's right, we might as well enjoy the free time while it lasts."

"Where have you been?" asked Ron as Hermione and Seto made their way across the grounds to meet them in the greenhouses. "We thought you would have been back in the common room ages ago."

"We got a head start on Professor Vector's assignments in the library," said Hermione, "She swamped us with work and it was quieter there than in the common room."

"Bet you wish you had all those free periods," Ron snickered.

"We just had one," said Hermione, "And I'm fine with the extra workload this year. The only thing I'm dreading is what we're going to tell Hagrid when he realizes we dropped his class."

"Can't exactly tell him we didn't enjoy his class, can we?" said Harry.

"He's your friend, isn't he?" asked Ryou. "Why not just tell him the truth?"

Harry didn't quite have an answer to that.

They quieted down as Professor Sprout walked up to the front of the greenhouse.

"Welcome back, sixth years!" she said, "We'll be collecting Snargaluff pods today." She gestured to what looked like a stump covered in vines on the table in front of her. "You'll want to work either in pairs or groups on this one. Snargaluffs are very protective of their pods and their vines will attack you, which is why it's best that at least one person keeps the branches at bay. There's an opening in the center, that's where the vines will be concentrated. That's also where the pods will be. There are thorns on the vines, so make sure you wear gloves."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione formed their own trio around one greenhouse bench full of the Snargaluffs. Yugi looked around the room and then back to Ryou and Seto at the nearest table. "I guess these are ours."

Ryou looked down at the first stump. "So…it doesn't look very violent."

"We haven't angered it yet," said Yugi, "So who wants to battle with the branches, and who wants to get the pods out?"

Seto rolled his eyes, slipped on his dragonhide gloves, and shoved his hands into the thickest concentration of vines. Yugi and Ryou scrambled back as the branches came to life, twisting up around Seto's arms and aiming for his face.

Seto tilted his head away from the angry vines and glared at his partners. "I can reach the pods, but someone is going to have to keep this thing busy or I won't be able to get my arms back out."

Ryou ducked under a flailing branch and started grabbing the ones wrapped around Seto's arms. "How are we supposed to stop them all?"

Yugi stole a quick look at the tables nearest them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione weren't having much luck with theirs either. They were all trying to get at the center of the Snargaluff and avoid the branches as much as possible. Hermione had managed to free one hand from its grip with a pod in hand. But most of the other tables were having similar trouble. However, one of the Slytherin groups gave him an idea.

"Here," he grabbed a few of the loose, flailing branches and tied them together. "Try knotting them so they can't take our eyes out."

It took several minutes of wrestling with the enraged vines before Seto was able to free his arms, grasping a pod in his hand. The branches immediately stopped their attack and shrank back inside the stump.

"You okay?" Yugi asked as Seto dropped the pod unceremoniously into the bowl beside the stump and rubbed at his wrists.

"Fine."

"Very good, boys!" said Professor Sprout cheerfully, and she dropped a second stump onto another table. "Keep going!"

Seto looked at the new, mellow stump in front of them and then to his companions. "Next one's yours."

They had extracted five pods by the time the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Ryou was glad it was over – his spirit was all too eager to banish his stump to the Shadow Realm after one of the thorns flew out far enough to nick his cheek.

"Wonder what's for lunch," said Ron, as they climbed the steps leading back up and into the castle, "I'm starving."

"I can't believe you're ready to eat again. Aside from Herbology, we haven't done anything to work up another appetite yet," said Yugi.

"Again, Ron is always hungry," said Hermione.

Ron shrugged as they brushed past a group of third year Slytherins and into the Great Hall, "Better enjoy the free time while we have it. We've got double Umbridge next. Two hours of taking notes will only get so interesting."

"She'll have it out for all of us after that stunt in the forest," said Harry.

"Maybe things have changed," said Ryou optimistically, "After what you've told us about her class last year, I don't think Professor Dumbledore would let her continue in exactly the same way. At least give the first class a chance?"

Harry swallowed a bit of his sandwich, "I won't make promises."

Professor Umbridge was seated at the table in the front of the room, looking over a series of papers as the class filed in. The desks were arranged in pairs. Harry and Ron grabbed seats as far from Umbridge's front table as possible, with Ryou and Seto across the aisle next to him and Yugi and Hermione in front. Only when everyone had found seats did she look out at the room and get up from the table.

"Good afternoon, students," she said. Harry was glad the false sugary voice she had used at the start of term last year was gone. "Welcome back. How lovely it is to see all of your smiling faces again."

Yugi took a quick glance around the room. Only Umbridge was smiling, and it really didn't seem like a genuine one at that. Aside from a few Slytherin students, most of his classmates were frowning or putting out various shades of disgust.

"All of you will remember following the strict, Ministry-approved course last term," Umbridge continued, pacing up and down the aisles, "After recent events at the Ministry of Magic, the curriculum has been adjusted. The Minister has approved a new theoretical and practical curriculum. Now…we have three sessions a week: a double class today and a single block on Friday. We will spend one block on theoretical approaches, and one on practical, and then the third will bring us all back to speed on your rather previous subpar education in this course. Are there any questions?"

No one missed the irony to her statement considering their shoddy learning last year.

"So we're actually going to use magic this year?" said Ron.

"Students will raise their hands to speak in my classroom," said Umbridge sharply.

Ron sighed and muttered to Harry, "Well that hasn't changed."

Ryou looked over at Ron across the aisle before slowly raising his hand.

"Yes?" asked Umbridge sweetly.

"What kind of magic will we be learning?" asked Ryou.

"And what is your name?"

"Ryou Bakura, Professor."

"Well, Mr. Bakura, the sixth year curriculum covers nonverbal spells. We will also cover dark creatures and the Unforgivable Curses."

Yugi noticed she seemed much less pleased about teaching them magic than just having them read through their textbooks.

Professor Umbridge returned to the front of the room and tapped her wand against the blackboard next to her front desk. "For the first part of today's lesson, please open your books and begin reading and notating Chapter One. There will be no need to talk."

There was a collective sigh from around the room as inkwells and parchment were set out and books opened. Professor Umbridge continued to pace the room, enjoying the sounds of quills scratching against parchment in the otherwise silent classroom. She rounded the corner by the back of the classroom and came to a stop in front of one of the desks.

"Hem, hem."

Ryou looked up. "Professor?" Next to him, Seto gave her a quick glance before returning to his book.

"After class, please see me in my office. You as well, dear," said Professor Umbridge, tapping her wand against the edge of Seto's book before moving on to speak quietly to Yugi. When she moved back to the front of the room, Yugi turned back to them and shrugged.

The rest of their first period of Defense Against the Dark Arts went without much incident – reading and taking notes could only get so interesting. Finally, Professor Umbridge tapped her wand against the blackboard, clearing away the writing and replacing it with "Nonverbal Magic".

"Thankfully, your education in other subjects has been much more consistent," said Umbridge, "For the last five years, you have learned quite a number of spells that you've been reciting verbally. While this is a perfectly acceptable, it is time you learned to perform your spells nonverbally. Can anyone tell me the advantage of using spells nonverbally?"

Hermione's hand, as usual, soared into the air. Looking around, Yugi noticed that no one else had made a move to answer Professor Umbridge.

"Anyone at all?" said Umbridge; pointedly ignoring Hermione's outstretched hand. No one else seemed interested enough to bother raising their hands. After a few moments, it became clear that Umbridge wasn't going to pick Hermione, so Yugi slowly raised his hand into the air.

"Yes, Mr. Muto?"

"Well…if you're fighting someone…they won't know what spell you're trying to cast, so they won't have a chance to defend against it, right?"

"Correct!" said Umbridge, "Nonverbal magic takes quite a bit of practice, concentration, and mental discipline. It is very unlikely that any of you will master it today. But we will start simple with an easy incantation. I trust you all remember levitation charms from your first year lessons?"

Harry and Ron exchanged glances. Of course they remembered – it was one of the first spells they learned and mastered, having used it to knock out a mountain troll with its own club in the girls' bathroom.

Professor Umbridge waved her wand and a stack of feathers made their way up the aisle to each desk. "Today you will attempt to levitate these feathers without speaking the incantation. I will award twenty house points to the first one to successfully charm their feather."

She sat down at the table in the front of the room and watched the group turn their wands on their feathers. Several Ravenclaws looked almost pained as their faces scrunched up in concentration, yet their feathers did not move from their resting place. A few whispers of 'Wingardium Leviosa' were uttered throughout the classroom.

"Do you know the spell?" asked Hermione quietly.

Yugi nodded, "I remember seeing it in your old books, but I've never actually practiced the spell."

"Nonverbal spells, children. There should be no talking!"

Yugi looked behind him to Ryou and Seto's desk. They didn't seem to have any luck raising their feather either.

Umbridge tutted as the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class. "When we next meet, I expect you to be able to lift those feathers without uttering an incantation. In addition, please have Chapter One and Two studied. You will be tested on Friday."

"We'll see you in Transfiguration," said Ryou to Harry, "Professor Umbridge wanted to speak to us."

Harry glanced up to the entrance to Umbridge's office. He wondered if the walls were still pink, but didn't really want to have to find out first-hand. "Good luck, and don't touch her quills. If she ever makes you write lines in there, use your own. Trust me."

Professor Umbridge was already at the top of the steps before her office when Yugi, Ryou, and Seto finished gathering their books. "In here, you three." She sat behind her desk and gestured to the seats in front. "Please."

Yugi took a moment to look around. All of the surfaces were covered in lace. It reminded him of something someone's great-grandmother would keep in their living room. The vases on the little tables scattered around the room all contained fake flowers.

A quiet meow stole their attention. Expecting to find a kitten hiding away in the office, Yugi was surprised to hear it coming from a technicolor cat etched onto a plate hanging on the wall. The kitten mewed again before curling up in its basket. Upon a second look, he noticed there were a great many kitten plates mounted on the wall.

/This place is…kind of creepy./

"Would you like some tea?" she asked sweetly. "No? Very well then." Umbridge looked across her desk at her three new students. Yugi and Ryou, while looking a little nervous, sat relaxed, if not curious to her summon. Seto, however, sat ramrod straight in his seat, his icy blue eyes boring holes right into her. It made looking his way rather unsettling, and she wondered if he did so on purpose.

"I hope your first day of classes has been going well today," said Umbridge, "Unlike all of the other sixth year students, I did not have the pleasure of getting to know you as I have the others. I hope that we will come to be good friends this year."

She didn't miss the looks Yugi and Ryou shared. "Something you'd like to share, dear?"

Ryou bit his lip. Harry and his friends told them all about Umbridge and their previous year at Hogwarts before even getting to school. He wasn't sure exactly what to say without possibly getting her angry.

Thankfully, he didn't have to. Seto beat him to it. He looked down at his watch. "There's just under thirty minutes until our next class. You and I both know you have no desire to befriend us, so you can continue the false pleasantries, or we can get down to the point."

"Watch your tone, Mr. Kaiba, or I will have to put you in detention," said Umbridge, "This is not your company. This is my office, and you will show the proper respect."

Judging by the look on Seto's face, Yugi thought he was about to talk back to her when he suddenly stopped mid-word. His jaw clenched and he broke his eye contact from her to glance down at his side for a moment before he glared back and said icily, "Yes, Professor."

"Very good," said Umbridge, smiling, "Before term started, Professor Dumbledore alerted all of the staff to your unusual acceptance into Hogwarts this year, and I am curious, why did you choose to come all the way to Hogwarts instead of a magical academy much closer to home?"

"Well," said Ryou carefully, "Professor Dumbledore believed we would be safe here."

"I see. As I'm sure you may know already, the Ministry of Magic is actively trying to thwart You-Know-Who. Knowing the reason behind his sudden interest in you could help turn the tide of the war."

"Professor, I'm not sure what you want us to tell you. We know as much as you do…which isn't much," said Yugi.

"I know you have spoken to Professor Dumbledore on more than one occasion," said Umbridge, "As your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, I ask you to bring me any new information, for it would not only help keep you safe, but help stop You-Know-Who."

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore shared everything he knew with you," said Seto, "If not, perhaps he doesn't trust you after all of the damage you did here last year."

Umbridge stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"We may not have attended this school last year, but people talked. You were put here by your government to discredit Dumbledore and keep everyone from learning how to defend themselves."

Umbridge sighed. "Of course, you are given a story from a rather biased point of view. From the view of the Ministry, there was no proof at the time of You-Know-Who's return."

Yugi looked at Ryou. "…Wasn't the Defense against the Dark Arts professor that year a dark wizard in disguise? Wouldn't that have been proof enough?"

"The only word at the time of You-Know-Who's return was Harry Potter's. After competing in the rigorous trials of the Tri-Wizard Tournament and dealing with the accident that was Cedric Diggory's death, one could not trust his testimony alone. And as for Mr. Crouch, when we learned there was an escaped convict in the school, he was handed over immediately to the Dementors." Umbridge bristled. "What's done is done. The Ministry acted in the people's best interest then. Now, circumstances have of course changed. The new Minister of Magic acknowledges a need for a practical approach in the classroom. You, as well as your classmates are the future of our Wizarding society. Without the ability to defend or fight back against You-Know-Who, our way of life would cease to exist."

She watched them for a few more moments before getting up and walking around to the front of her desk. Smiling, she held her hands out non-confrontationally. "I think I have gone about this the wrong way. There will of course be chatter amongst the other students about me. That is inevitable. But I don't wish to start us off on the wrong foot. Take some time to adjust to Hogwarts. I'd like for you to be able to form your own opinions without being influenced by the others. We'll continue this in the upcoming weeks. Now off you get, I don't want you to be late for Professor McGonagall's class."

Umbridge walked them out of the classroom and stood in the doorway as they made their way down the hall. Once they turned the corner and were out of sight, she returned to her office, and waved her wand at her rose-tinted quill. It immediately sprang up and began dictating a letter.

Attn: Pius Thicknesse
Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic