Venting out the madness that was his last 4 years of schooling to someone who actually cared and believed it was beyond satisfying. And having not just one but both of his attractive new friends empathize with his frustration at his destiny or role or whatever his fame as the Boy-Who-Lived was supposed to be categorized as was a much needed balm for his loneliness and ire this summer. Even with Ron and Hermione Harry's never really felt this free to be himself.

With Hermione, who rats him out whenever he does something against the rules 9 times out of 10, he's fallen into his old school habits with Dudley. She goes postal if she isn't the top marked student, even if she got an O proving that she's one of the top students in all her classes she'll foam at the mouth if someone else beats her in a single subject or test. Plus she feels it's her job to teach her friends (and everyone else really) how to do anything no matter what. Harry decided to keep his grades passing but nowhere near hers so she can give him pointers and stay happy, it was preferable to pissing her off and maybe loosing her as a friend.

Ron meanwhile was simpler. He was the first friend Harry ever had and, for the most part, had always done his best to make sure the three of them were happy and in the loop with wizarding culture. He and his family were and are what the raven always wished his family could be one day, the youngest Weasley son and his siblings being his surrogate siblings in a way. Given all that, and how easily hurt and jealous Ron could get about Harry's fame and fortune, it was no wonder the Boy-Who-Lived was willing to bend over backwards to try and keep himself how Ron expected him.

While a proud and brave Gryffindor Harry was just as much a snake at heart as a lion. He was a parselmouth for Merlin's sake! But as long as he feared Ron's disapproval, the disapproval of much of the wizarding world as a whole, the green eyed teen couldn't be anything but the textbook lion. Not unless he fancied a repeat of his isolation during the Tournament.

But Marik, Ryou, and Bakura didn't care about any of that. Harry could gripe about things, talk about subjects he had to pretend he didn't enjoy with others at length, and even embrace his darker gifts without judgement. Hell, Bakura and Ryou were parselmouths themselves! And according to the tomb keeper being able to speak to snakes is revered in Egypt.

Speaking of snakes, his admission of being fond of the creatures actually came in handy at forming his deck. Both paler haired boys sorted out all the cards they had that were even remotely serpentine for Harry to sort through, resulting in the raven getting a decent chunk of his deck ironed out. Apparently his talent with snakes extends to the monster spirits linked to the cards as well, go figure.

As he's giving them a recap of the Tri-Wizard Tournament's trials, having been asked to go into further detail when he glossed over them in his earlier summary of last year's events, Isis opens the door.

"Sorry to break this up, but dinner's here. Do you like pizza Harry?"

The raven shrugged as he admitted reluctantly.

"I've never really eaten it before. But I've always wanted to try it."

The bespectacled boy missed the looks his new friends shared over his head as they followed the older girl downstairs. The female tomb keeper meanwhile smiled softly at the younger boy.

"I understand that feeling, my brothers and I are new to the dish ourselves but it's one we're quite fond of."

Harry relaxed at that, glad he wasn't the only one new to something most considered normal here. The lack of judgement he faced in the Ishtar house was new, but he liked it. It made him feel normal.

There were 3 different pizza boxes open on the table, earning raised brows from the raven Brit. Noticing his look the white haired teen explained.

"Whatever pizza doesn't get eaten now can be put in the fridge to tide us over until we go shopping."

Marik adding.

"Also we have different tastes in toppings and dietary needs. Ryou and his tenant are the only ones who will touch that one."

The blonde points at one bearing multiple varieties of meat as toppings. On closer inspection both of the other pizzas carry different varieties of vegetables on them instead. A light goes off in the green eyed wizard's head as he realizes.

"You're vegetarian?"

All three Ishtar's nod, Isis adding.

"The middle box is Marik's usual. He doesn't like mushrooms and likes pineapple, which Rishid and I can't stand, on his pizza."

Harry, being the bold and curious teen he is, agrees to try a slice of both of the taller boys' favorite flavors. Meat lovers is pretty good, a bit too much meat for the raven's liking but not bad. And Marik's vegetarian friendly tomato slices, spinach, pineapple, red onion, and black olives is much better than he expected. Green eyes turned pensive as he tried to work out what mixture of the toppings on both would make a pizza he'd like best, because he was certain if you mixed both kinds you'd get the perfect blend of flavors.

On top of that dinner as a whole was great. While the chatter wasn't as loud or frequent as at the Gryffindor table, the Weasleys', or even the Dursleys' it was nicer than them all combined. Harry had never felt quite so comfortable or included in his life as he did right now. So it was with great reluctance that he left number 5 to return to his relatives' house afterward.

As he stood by their door, grimacing at the thought of how pissed his Aunt and Uncle would be, he jolted when a pair of strong arms wrapped around his shoulders. Marik was hugging him, he realized numbly, before returning the embrace. When the blonde pulled back, Ryou taking his place, the Egyptian said.

"You're welcome to drop by again tomorrow, or any other day."

As he pulled back from his own hug the whitette added.

"We're honestly going to be pretty bored here, we could use the company."

Harry laughed, a blush on his face.

"I'd love that. See you guys tomorrow then."

With a wave as he walked away both teens watched as he made it across the street and entered the door of Number 4 as if there was risk of the door exploding. Judging by the muffled yelling they heard shortly afterward from both a deep and shrill voice in tandem that analogy wasn't inaccurate.

After a few moments the pair noticed Harry's form in the barred window of the house waving at them before flopping down on what must be his bed below it. Violet eyes narrowed on the house before closing the front door, gears turning in his head and arms crossed over his chest. Ryou stayed silent as he watched the blonde put the pieces together in his mind, having guessed the same himself a while ago.

The threadbare hand-me-down clothes despite his fame and fortune, small stature and low self-esteem despite his achievements and intellect, and the sheer amount of things he was ignorant of that should've been normal with his family's lifestyle. The way he referred to his relatives as relatives instead of family, if he bothered to mention them at all. And the way he lit up at being taken seriously or shown even basic kindness or acceptance all painted a very unpleasant picture of his home life.

Marik shared a look with his fellow thief, declaring.

"If they're half as bad as I think they are I'm getting him out of there."

Ryou smiled, though it was sharp in a way that would've better fit Bakura than the kind boy, as he agreed.

"Trust me, the spirit and I will be right there with you when you do."