/Text/ Spirit to Host

/Text/ Host to Spirit

Chapter 14: Letters

The morning started along just like the last two. The Great Hall was a bustle of activity as their fellow classmates rushed in and out to grab a bite of breakfast, finish any last-minute touches to their homework, and read any mail that dropped from the flurry of owls swooping throughout the room. Yugi was suddenly glad he had shifted his bowl over a bit to read upside-down from Seto's copy of the Daily Prophet as two envelopes were dropped right where his cereal had sat moment ago.

"I've got mail!" he said excitedly, tearing open the first letter.

Yugi –

Thank you for writing. I was quite surprised to find an owl waiting for me at the museum until I read your letter. I trust you are adapting well to your new surroundings. Your grandfather visited me here yesterday to see the new exhibits and explained a bit more on what has happened. I'm sure you are taking all of the necessary precautions against this new threat, so you won't need me to tell you to be careful. Your friends are very much looking forward to your next trip home.

As to your concerns, I have been in touch with my contacts in Egypt, as well as Marik and Odion, who have returned home with several family artifacts that we have swapped out at the museum. The tablet depicting the Millennium Items is quite safe. It is very hard to explain, but we can all sense the ancient magic protecting the area. It is unlikely that anyone with ill intent will be able to get close enough to damage it.

The tablet of the Pharaoh and Kaiba has had many visitors here in the museum. I cannot say for certain who it was that you described in your letter that was pushing for a translation, but I was not the one the individual met that day. There are only a handful of people that can translate the tablet, and aside from myself, they are all fellow tomb keepers in Egypt. Without better knowing who came in asking about a translation, it will be very difficult to tell them apart from the other guests. It is not uncommon for visitors to request translations on the ancient writings while on tour.

On a related note, I take it you have told your wizard contact about my family's connection with the Millennium Items. A most peculiar man named Dumbledore payed me a visit two weeks ago. He too inquired a bit about the tablet, but it was nothing particularly invasive. It seems the threat that took you to England is quite a valid one. He has been in touch with what I must assume is the wizard government in Egypt, and some sort of protective enchantment is in place on our home.

In addition, I seem to have a new 'assistant' here at the museum – a wizard to help keep an eye out on the museum (and myself, I imagine) in case these dark wizards return. His name is Bill Weasley. He claims to have a younger brother attending your school, perhaps you have met him?

Also, archaeologists have uncovered some interesting artifacts near one of their dig sites. It is nowhere near any of the shrines or temples that depicted the Millennium Items or Duel Monster tablets, so I doubt any of them will attract magical attention. Marik is heading to the site to inspect them, and will send photographs along. I will forward them to you when I know more if you are interested.

Stay safe,
-Ishizu

Yugi put down the first letter and reached for the second, instantly recognizing his grandfather's handwriting on the envelope.

Yugi,

I can't begin to tell you how relieved we were to get your owl. We've been trying to get in touch with you for days, but the calls wouldn't connect. I assume Mokuba was having the same issue with his brother, and that was why he was feeling down the past few days. He was noticeably better yesterday, so I guess he was able to make contact with Kaiba. I suppose we'll have to use the owls to talk instead of the phones, so try to send regular letters home so we know how you're doing. I hope you are adjusting well to Hogwarts and able to make some new friends.

It has been relatively quiet here at home. Sturgis and Hestia pop by the shop now and then to see what's new. Sturgis has even inquired about Duel Monsters! I don't think he's going to actually learn how to play completely, but it is interesting that they want to blend into their surroundings a bit. They're just as out of their element as you are.

The shop is doing quite well. Joey, Tristan, and Téa come around to help on the weekends during the busy period, though that might slow down as school started. It's only been a few days, but Joey is already complaining that with you, Bakura, and Kaiba gone their classes have gotten rather dull. You have all been off on so many adventures that he probably doesn't remember staying put for one whole year. Hopefully this is a nice change of pace for everyone.

I saw Ishizu yesterday as the museum had some new Egyptian artifacts on display. Nothing quite as "interesting" as some of the things we've seen before, but it certainly brought back memories of wandering the deserts with Arthur Hawkins! I'm not sure when your school breaks are, but if you're able to manage a trip home; they are quite a sight to see!

Keep in touch!
-Grandpa

Yugi put the letters down next to his bowl of cereal. "Seems like everyone's doing alright at home."

"That's good," said Ryou, "That bottom letter – is that the one from Ishizu? May I read it?"

"Sure," said Yugi.

"Who's Ishizu?" asked Harry.

Yugi swallowed his breakfast. "She's a friend of ours that works in the museum back home."

Seto sipped his coffee and turned the page of the Daily Prophet. "Looks like there was another attack last night."

"Where?" asked Harry. "Anyone we know involved?" He then immediately felt foolish for asking – it wasn't as if Seto would recognize any names that would appear in the Daily Prophet.

Hermione peered at the article from across the table. "Oh no, Amelia Bones was murdered!"

Harry nearly choked on his pumpkin juice.

"Amelia Bones?" asked Ryou. "Would she be related to the Susan Bones that's in Hufflepuff?"

"Her mother, I think," said Harry, "She worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and was at my hearing last summer."

"She was well liked, from what I heard," said Ron, "And she was the head of the department too. I imagine it wasn't easy to take her out."

"I'm sure all of the Death Eaters she helped put away are celebrating," said Hermione bitterly. "There aren't a lot of good and devoted witches and wizards like Madame Bones left."

"Who do you think will take over the department then?" asked Yugi.

"Hopefully someone competent, like Kingsley or Mad-Eye," said Harry.

"If Voldemort was behind Amelia Bones's death, this would be a perfect opportunity for him to sneak in one of his stooges and try to undermine the government – assuming he hasn't already done that," said Seto, pushing the paper away..

Hermione turned it around and finished skimming the article, "It looks like her replacement hasn't been announced yet, but the rumor is that someone called Pius Thicknesse is likely to replace her."

Harry shrugged. "I've never heard of him." He turned to Ron. "Does your dad know him from work?"

Ron shrugged. "He's never mentioned him before, but Dad doesn't know everyone in every department at the Ministry."

Seto got up and swung his laptop bag over his shoulder. "For the Ministry's sake, we'd better hope her replacement is at least somewhat competent. I'll see you in Herbology."

Harry looked down at his watch. "There's plenty of time before your Arithmancy class," he said to Hermione, "Where's he going?"

Hermione shrugged. "The library, I'd guess. Where else?"

Harry turned to Yugi. "Have you thought any more about trying out for the Quidditch team? I'm going to try and reserve space on the pitch for tryouts either this weekend or next after breakfast."

"Maybe," said Yugi, "I haven't played a whole lot though – just around the house over the summer. Are you sure I'll be good enough?"

"It never hurts to try out," said Harry, "The worst thing that can happen is that you don't make the team. Angelina, Fred, and George have all left, so I have plenty of spots to fill."

"I don't have a broom though," said Yugi.

"You can use one of the school brooms, and if you can get through the tryouts on one of those, you'll be fine. If you make the team, then we can check out the shops in Hogsmeade or write to Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley to get you a broom of your own," said Harry.

"You did say you liked being up in the air," said Ryou, "I think you should go for it."

/I hear you snickering back there, Spirit/ Ryou said.

/I have the greatest images running through my mind of the squirt playing this sport and trying to stay on a broom. Don't ruin it for me./

Yugi thought about it. "Do you think the flying instructor would let me borrow one of the school brooms to practice for a little bit before tryouts?"

"We can go ask her," said Harry, "There should be enough time to ask Madame Hooch and book the Quidditch Pitch before the first years have their flying lesson."

Yugi nodded. "Okay!"

Hermione watched them hurry out of the Great Hall. "Do you think Yugi will be able to make the team?"

Ryou shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it depends who else wants to join. I'm sure there are a lot of talented players here, but you can't count him out. You could say Yugi's got a penchant for come-from-behind victories."

"It's much darker down here than I thought it would be," said Yugi, as Hermione led them down into the dungeons after lunch for their first Potions class of the year. "Is this class always so…dim?"

"Yeah," said Harry, "Fits Snape's mood perfectly."

The tables in the class didn't have enough room for the six of them to set up their cauldrons together, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione branched off to one table, leaving Yugi, Seto, and Ryou to grab the one next to them.

"It's best we don't sit at the same table," said Harry, "Usually Snape finds something about me to criticize every class. I wouldn't want him to treat you all badly at your first lesson just because we're near each other."

"It's that bad?" asked Ryou.

"He only favors the Slytherin students, so yes," said Ron, "Just wait, you'll see. Even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws have it tough."

As the rest of the class filed in and gathered around the other small, circular tables, Yugi took a look throughout the room. A cauldron was set up in the front of the room, sitting on an unlit burner. Shelves full of jars of all shapes and sizes lined one wall, and a cabinet with old potions textbooks stood on the other side of the room. Behind the front cauldron was a large, blank blackboard. An open door off to the left seemed to lead to a storeroom for extra ingredients. Another door was near the book cupboard, leading to Snape's office.

The classroom door slammed shut the instant the bell rang to signal the start of class. Professor Snape stormed up the aisle and up to the front of the room, his robes billowing menacingly behind him with each step. Ryou swallowed nervously. This was the class that Harry had talked about dreading all summer, he already felt intimidated, and Professor Snape hadn't even said a word yet. Ryou looked over at his tablemates. Yugi looked a bit nervous, gripping his stool a little tightly, but Kaiba's face was its usual expressionless mask.

"I honestly am surprised that some of you have managed to worm your way into my N.E.W.T. level class," said Professor Snape once he reached the front of the room. His eyes fell on Harry and Ron for a moment before scanning the rest of the dimly lit dungeon. "There will be no more hand-holding. If you are unable to keep up in this class, you might as well begin thinking of a new career field, or plan to stay behind and retake fifth-year Potions with your fellow underclassmen."

He tapped his wand against the blackboard, and a list of ingredients and instructions appeared. "You may recall that in the summer between your second and third year, you were given an essay on Shrinking Solutions, and that your first lesson the following year was to brew them. The new third-year class has also been given this assignment."

Yugi and Ryou exchanged looks, not quite sure where this was going.

Snape aimed his wand behind him and three bottles floated from the place on one of the empty desks to the cauldron in the front of the room. "They have been made aware that their potions will be tested at random in this class. If these samples were brewed correctly, they will have all passed on their exam, regardless of their individual results. However…" Snape sneered, "The likelihood of them producing a passable Shrinking Solution is rather unlikely. As I recall, none of you were able to brew the potion correctly."

Yugi thought he saw Hermione stiffen over at the next table from Snape's comment. Maybe one person was able to finish it correctly, but Snape either forgot or didn't want to give her credit for it. He was thinking the latter.

Snape pointed to the board. "Which is what you will all be accomplishing in today's class. This potion will take 90 minutes to complete. After that time I will choose three of you at random to test these three potions. Instructions are both on the board, and on page 8 of your books. There will be no talking, and no assisting anyone else at your table. All of the ingredients you require are in the front cabinet. Begin."

With their arms full of ingredients, the class returned to their tables and opened their books.

Ryou looked at the first step.

/What the hell is a Shrivelfig?/

/I think it's this/ Ryou picked up one of the purplish-looking figs. He carefully drained the juice from it and added it to his cauldron, turning the burner on to a low heat. Once he added his daisy roots, he turned to his tablemates. Yugi and Kaiba were at a similar state with their potions.

"Your potions should be emitting a yellow hue," said Snape, circling the room. "If any of your cauldrons are emitting green gasses, then you have errored and your potions have now become highly poisonous. By now you should know the proper spell to clear your mess and begin again, and if you're lucky, you might have enough time to finish before the end of today's class."

Yugi looked up and around the room. Most of the cauldrons he could see were somewhere on the yellow side. He couldn't see Hermione's cauldron, but Harry and Ron's looked somewhere between green and yellow. I hope they're doing okay. He saw Snape make it to their table and look in Harry's cauldron.

"It is lucky for you and the rest of this class that we will not be testing your potion, Potter," Snape sneered, "If it was any greener, it could probably kill someone."

Yugi turned back to his work and began to quickly stir his potion. He hadn't been too keen on touching the still-wriggling caterpillars, but it was nothing compared to the look of disgust currently on his rival's face.

/You're having so much fun, aren't you?/ Set chuckled.

/This is disgusting./

/We used leeches for medicinal purposes, you know…./

/Gee, I wonder why they're not used anymore/ Seto thought dryly as he juiced his second leech.

/Advances in healing medicines, I understand. But look! Only two more to go! And then…you get to touch a rat spleen – how exciting! I bet you would have never imagined that this would be how you would be spending your Wednesday afternoons./

/You can be quiet now./

Snape finally reached their table and took long looks at each of their cauldrons.

Yugi finished juicing his first leech. He bit his lip. "Professor? …Is something wrong?"

"No, Mr. Muto. It would appear your previous Muggle education has given you an edge over your peers and it seems you three are doing more than a passable job at your first potion. However, do not let this simple assignment give you a false sense of confidence."

Ryou looked up from his cauldron. "Sir?"

"All of the potions we will brew after this will be much more difficult, and equally more dangerous. Professor Dumbledore may be under the notion that the three of you will be able to run blind in N.E.W.T. level subjects without any prior magical knowledge, but I am not. You three may be the Headmaster's pet project, but should you fail to keep up in this course, I will not hesitate to drop you into an additional Remedial Potions class to join the sorry sixth years that are forced to repeat their last year. Expect no special treatment."

"Of course not," said Seto, dropping the rat spleen unceremoniously into his cauldron. "That would be an insult."

Snape gave the three of them a hard look before returning to the front of the room. "Your potions should be finishing up within the next several minutes. Once completed, they need to be bottled, labeled, and on my desk or you will not receive credit for today's class."

Ryou placed his bottled sample next to his cauldron and pointed his wand to the remainder of his draft. "Evanesco."

/It worked!/

/Of course it did – you got that vanishing magic to work in your other class. Have you no faith in yourself?/

/Of course I do, Spirit – it's just that I hadn't the chance to practice very much. I wasn't able to get it the entire time in the common room, remember?/

Snape watched the last of the bottles reach his desk before moving to the three samples from his third-year students. "Your potions will be graded for Friday. In the meantime…I said we were going to test these samples. I will choose three of you at random. If these potions have been brewed correctly, none of you will end up poisoned. However, should that be the case…" he gestured to the front cauldron. It didn't take the smartest person in the room to understand that the potion Snape had on display the entire time was an antidote for whatever side-effects may occur.

"If you don't end up poisoned, depending on the state of completion, you will either de-age, or merely shrink in size."

Snape took one of the bottles and began to wander the room. "Now…who will be first?"

/Ugh, please be quiet, Spirit/ Ryou mentally pleaded, /How long can you keep doing that?/

/That image will never leave me, thank you very much!/ Bakura cackled gleefully.

/It really wasn't all that funny. Yugi might've been poisoned!/ Ryou adjusted his hold on his cauldron as he stopped in front of the portrait hole. "Abstinence!"

/You know as well as I that the shrimp was in no real danger. But seeing him so tiny…/

Ryou sighed as Bakura practically rolled around in his soul room and set off for his dormitory to trade out his potions equipment.

"I knew he was going to pick on me," said Harry bitterly, "I told you he had it out for me."

"It could have been worse," said Hermione, "Either of you could have ended up poisoned, even if it would have only been for a moment or two."

"Those third-years are truly lucky that all of those were decent enough potions that the whole class passed. Especially since none of your year was able to pull it off when you had that lesson," said Ryou once he returned to the common room.

Ron dropped into one of the common room armchairs. "I think he was banking on a bunch of dud potions. Did you see the look on his face when they all passed? That was priceless – almost like watching Snape go through Umbridge's inspection last year."

"Yeah, he was so happy he couldn't fail any poor thirteen year-olds that he gave us two rolls of parchment on the Drought of Living Death," said Harry.

"Well, considering you don't have any classes after Transfiguration and nothing after Charms first thing tomorrow, you should have no problem knocking that out," said Seto, leaning against the bookcase. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked out towards the window.

As the rest of them sat around the common room fire and talked about their last class, Harry's eyes darted to Seto every so often. He hadn't moved from his spot at the bookcase, and was still looking out the window. After a few seconds, he would tap his fingers against the crook of his elbow, but there was something off about him that Harry couldn't quite put a finger on. Sure Seto wasn't always the most social of their group, but to see him not moving…or even blinking…it was unnerving.

After a while, Yugi glanced up at the clock on the wall. "We better get going if we're going to make it to Transfiguration on time."

"Let me grab my book, I'll be right down," said Hermione, jumping from the couch and hurrying up the girls' staircase.

Yugi checked his bag for his supplies and looked at his rival. Seto still hadn't moved.

"Kaiba? Ready to go?" Yugi exchanged a glance with Ryou. "Kaiba?"

"He's in his own world, mate," said Ron.

Ryou hesitantly walked over and tapped Seto's arm. "Kaiba? Are you okay?"

Seto suddenly blinked and flinched away from Ryou's hand.

"Did you hear us before? We're heading down to Transfiguration. Do you need to change out your books or anything?" asked Yugi. "You were pretty spaced off, everything okay?"

"I heard you. I was…thinking about my tech problem." He grabbed his bag and stalked off towards the portrait hole.

"What's with him?" asked Ron as Hermione came back down the girls' staircase.

"I don't know," Yugi shrugged. "He's just not in a good mood today, I guess. It's not like it would be the first time." Yugi swung his bag over his shoulder and followed the others out of the common room.

/It looked like he was talking to Set. I've never seen him get so deep into his mind link before that he spaces out so openly though./

/I know. From what I've seen before, he hides it under the guise of his work. Do you think something was bothering him?/

/I don't know, Yami…he said he was thinking about his computer problem./

/Yugi, you and I both know that was just a story. Kaiba was struck off guard at being caught talking to Set, and he wouldn't do it so blatantly in the open unless something was wrong./

/You really think he would tell us though?/

"Yugi!" Hermione suddenly grabbed Yugi by the arm, "Careful – the staircases move remember?"

"Yeah, right…sorry," Yugi gripped the railing. "I was just trying to remember if I left my homework in my trunk."

Ryou looked over. "You didn't put it in your bag before we left?"

Yugi rubbed a hand through his wild hair, laughing nervously. "I'm…pretty sure I did."

"You'd best hope so. Professor McGonagall won't accept late assignments," said Harry. "We…learned that the hard way."

"By that, he means he and Ronald," said Hermione matter-of-factly, "Don't lump me in with them."

They were some of the last to arrive to Transfiguration. Yugi sat down next to Ryou and rifled through his bag for his homework.

"Were you really thinking about your homework?" Ryou whispered.

Yugi shook his head.

"Were you…talking to him?" asked Ryou.

Yugi nodded, looking over at Harry and Ron across the aisle. The two were speaking quietly, so the odds of them overhearing wasn't all that good.

"Yeah," said Yugi, "I guess I lost track of where I was going."

"I'll say," said Ryou. "You nearly fell down a few floors – and let me tell you, he was none too happy that you didn't go splat, you know."

"Did you give him a good verbal abusing?"

Ryou rolled his eyes. "As good as it was going to be. You know how he is."

"Quiet down!" said Professor McGonagall as she made her way up the aisle and to the front of the room. She gave her wand a quick wave, and the parchment rolls she had assigned from their last class lifted themselves from all of the desks and formed a neat pile on the front table. Turning, she pointed her wand at the board, and a symbol drew itself in the center.

"Today we will be conjuring birds. Before we learn the incantation, we need to practice the wand movement. Arc your wands in this shape here. Notice how the symbol resembles a bird, or at least a wide 'm'. Casting will be like writing the letter with your wand."

She watched the class wave their wands about for a moment before holding her hand up. "And now, the incantation: Avis. Like before, there are twenty house points in it for anyone who can nonverbally cast their spell."

Professor McGonagall walked down the three steps from the front of the room and began to walk the class as they went to work. "Don't dally on the wand movement. One syllable for each half of the casting symbol."

As she corrected one of the Slytherin students, a flutter of birds could be heard from the other side of the room. A few students paused in their attempts to look over and see a flock of canaries circling above Seto's head, with Hermione looking up at them in disbelief.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up as their newest friends returned to the common room later that evening. Ryou sank down at the table next to Ron as Seto brushed past them and up the staircase to the dormitories without a word.

"How was Herbology?" asked Harry.

"It was…interesting," said Ryou. "We learned how to re-pot Mandrakes."

"I remember that," said Ron, "We had to do that second year. Neville fainted in the middle of class."

"Well," Ryou massaged the back of his neck, "We didn't fare so well either."

/Speak for yourself, I enjoyed it immensely./ Bakura crossed his arms smugly. /I haven't seen anyone…or anything get a drop on his Insufferable Holiness in ages. It was long overdue./

"What happened?" asked Hermione.

"Well…" Yugi said, "I might have gotten a little too eager to start…."

"We hadn't all gotten our earmuffs on yet," said Ryou, "And…well…"

"It was totally an accident!" Yugi laughed.

"He knocked Kaiba out cold for the whole first part of class," said Ryou.

"Is that why he stormed up without a word?" asked Hermione. "Is he alright?"

"Bruised ego aside, he's fine," said Yugi, "But he's been in a weird mood since we left Potions today."

"He did well enough in McGonagall's class. He summoned his birds before you, Hermione," said Harry.

Hermione bristled before returning to her essay, dragging her quill along the parchment with much more force than necessary. "Beginner's luck, nothing more."

Two hours passed before Yugi threw down his quill and leaned his head back. "Ugh. I can't think anymore. How does Professor Snape expect us to fill two rolls of parchment on this one subject?"

Harry grimaced. "Welcome to Potions class."

"Well…I think I'm going to head up for the night." Yugi gathered his things and stuffed them into his bag. "I can't think anymore. I'll see you guys in the morning."

Ryou yawned. "I think I'm going to finish my last few paragraphs on this section, and then I'll be up. G'nite, Yugi."

"See you at breakfast, Yugi," said Hermione.

Yugi climbed the steps and stopped short once he entered his dormitory. "Set?"

The spirit was pacing next to Seto's bed. The curtains were drawn, so Yugi had to assume he was asleep. Considering his rival never came back downstairs after they all returned from Herbology, there was nowhere else he could be.

"Phara –no, you're Yugi. My apologies."

Yugi closed the door and dropped his bag on his bed. "Everything okay?"

Set shook his head, and paused in his pacing. "I cannot do anything."

Yugi tilted his head as Yami phased out of the Puzzle. "What do you mean?"

Set dropped down on his knee. "My Pharaoh." He turned back to the curtains. "Seto has told you about the dreams; the glimpses of my past that he shouldn't even be having in the first place. He does not sleep well enough in the first place, and then these memories invade his mind like a parasite and there is nothing I can do except wait for them to pass."

"You can't wake him out of them?" asked Yugi.

"You think by now I haven't tried?" said Set angrily, "Every time this happens I am blocked out, and…" he punched the curtains to Seto's bed, watching as his fist went right through the scarlet fabric. "It's not like I can do much good like this."

"They're happening now?" Yugi asked. "Is there anything we can do?"

Set shrugged. "I don't know. Before we arrived at the Weasley home, his brother tried to wake him once – he thought Seto was having a nightmare, but that didn't work either. These memories disappear, in time, but it is the worst feeling to have to sit by and allow this to happen, without knowing why he is going through this in the first place."

Yugi looked to the Pharaoh. "We've never experienced this, and Bakura hasn't either. This doesn't add up."

"There must be an influence outside of the Millennium Items doing this to him, though it can't be a coincidence that this didn't start until after we gave Kaiba the Millennium Rod," said Yami. "Question is…who would have knowledge of events 5,000 years ago?"

Set sighed and looked back to his host. "The dreams are fading out now. I can ease him back to a deeper sleep, but we need to find out what is causing this, and soon."

Long after Yugi and Ryou had gone to bed, Set reappeared out of the Millennium Rod, and was surprised to see he wasn't the only restless spirit in the dormitory.

"I'm surprised to see you awake…not that we need sleep."

"I've been worried," said Yami, "Is he alright?"

"Seto is fine now, though he will not be in a good mood in the morning."

"Well, that wouldn't be anything new." Yami gestured to the door. "I wanted to ask you something, but let's go outside. I don't want to wake anyone."

"What is it?"

"What were you talking about earlier with Kaiba, when we were back in the common room after Potions class?"

Set frowned. "Seto was not very good at hiding that this time. I think he was over-analyzing."

Yami sat down on the steps outside their door. "Over-analyzing? About what?"

Set sat beside him. "Something Professor Snape said. He –"

The sound of one of the other dormitory doors above them caught their attention. Yami glanced at his High Priest. "I know our hosts can see the three of us…but you don't think any of the others…"

"I don't know, and I don't particularly wish to find out," Set hissed, "We'll get back to this in the morning."

Yami nodded as the two spirits disappeared just in time for Harry to descend the tower steps, his wand and Marauders Map in hand. He stopped outside the exchange students' door and looked back to the map. The strange '?' was back, along with a new figure, labeled 'Set', but just like the last time he had seen the peculiar figures on the map, they didn't last.

Now I know I didn't imagine them, Harry thought to himself as he returned upstairs. If they're not ghosts, and you can't apparate in and out of school, then who keeps showing up on the map…and why are they always near this room?