Chapter 9: - The Rogue Bludger
Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockheart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead he read passages from his books to them and sometime re-enacted some of the more dramatic bits. He usually picked on Harry to help him with these reconstructions; so far Harry had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager who Lockheart had cured of a Bubbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything but lettuce since Lockheart had dealt with him.
Harry was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting as a werewolf. If he hadn't needed to keep Lockheart in a good mood, he would have refused and let Yugi get the brunt of the embarrassment.
"Nice loud howl, Harry… exactly… and then, if you'll believe this I pounced… like this… slammed him to the floor… thus… with one hand, I managed to hold him down... with my other, I put my wand to his throat… and used my remaining strength to cast the incredibly complex Homorphus Charm… he let out a piteous moan… go on Harry… higher then that… good… his fur vanished… the fangs shrank… and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective… and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly threat of werewolf attacks." The bell rang and Lockheart got to his feet, letting Harry up. "Homework; compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Sighed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"
The class began to leave. Harry returned to the back of the room, where the entire group were waiting. "Ready?" Harry muttered.
"Wait till everyone's gone…" Hermione said nervously, "All right."
She approached Lockheart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand. The group stood in an arc behind her. "Professor Lockheart… Sir?" Hermione said, looking around and smiling slightly at the support, "I wanted to check this out of the library. For background reading." She held out the piece of paper, "But the thing is, it's in the restricted section, so I need a teacher to sign for it. I'm sure it would help me understand what you said in Gadding with Ghouls about slow acting venoms…"
"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" Said Lockheart taking the note, as Kari realised the time and dashed off. "My favourite, now that Miss Ironhide is gone, I'm sure that I can say that no one will mind me giving the brightest student in the year a little extra help." Lockheart signed it, turning the conversation towards Quidditch, offering to help train Harry, Yugi and Yami. Yami snorted derisively as they left, the man had a bigger ego then Kaiba.
The group hurried off, arriving at the library as Ron and Hermione started bickering about Lockheart having (or not having) a brain. Once they had the book they barricaded themselves in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They made a discovery though, they'd have to steal a lot of Snape's supplies. Hermione and Ombre checked the coast was clear once they'd settled on the Polyjuice Potion, and the fact it, unfortunately, would have to be Harry, Ron and Hermione who went in, as Bakura would sense the yamis or their hikaris straight away, even if they looked like someone else.
"You know…" Joey joked, as they made their way back up to the Common Room, "If one of you could just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow that would be a lot easier." Yami however went white, he'd forgotten about the Quidditch match tomorrow, and Yugi was going to have to play since Angelina was ill. Joey looked over and could have kicked himself, Never, he thought, Never mention coming off of a broomstick around Yami.
Harry woke up early on Saturday Morning, Yugi was already up, or at least Harry thought he was, the bed was empty, but the teen had gone to bed before Harry. The boy was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, but mainly at the thought of facing a team mounted on the best racing brooms gold could buy. He had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly.
After half an hour of lying there with his insides churning, he got up, dressed, and went down to an early breakfast, where he found Yugi and the rest of the team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much.
As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way to the Quidditch Stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. The gang came hurrying over to wish Yugi and Harry good luck as they entered the changing rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Quidditch robes, Yugi pulling his on for the first time before a match, then sat down to listen to Wood's pre-match prep talk.
"Slytherin have got better brooms then us," he began, "no point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder then they have, we've been flying in all weathers… ('Too true,' muttered George Weasley, 'I haven't been properly dry since August.')… and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy and his brother Bakura, buy their way onto their team," He looked around at the shocked faces, "I forgot to warn you all, Bakura Malfoy will be playing today too, Beater, so watch out Yugi." Yugi nodded. Wood turned to Harry, "It'll be down to you Harry, to show them a Seeker has to have something more then a fast broom. Get to that Snitch or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to!"
"So no pressure, Harrry!" Fred said, winking at him.
Yami watched anxiously as the teams filed out, Lee Jordan, a Gryffindor, was commentating, and called out the names of the teams, Yami smiled in pride as the name Muto was announced to the entire school, but his happiness was short lived as the Slytherin team filed out, ending on Malfoy and Malfoy. Yami growled as he saw Bakura with a Beater's club. Yugi was looking determined and was ignoring the pointed look Bakura was giving him. The teams got into position and Madam Hooch blew the whistle and the game began, with Yugi grabbing the Quaffle first off and passed it to Alicia.
Yugi dived for a second to avoid a Bludger aimed at him by Bakura and caught the Quaffle, only to have it taken off of him by a green blur. Yugi looked up and saw Harry, George and Fred having trouble with a second Bludger which seemed to have it in for Harry. Yugi managed to regain the Quaffle and was streaking towards the goal when he was hit by a Bludger and dropped the ball. Yami winced against the pain he felt from his hikari, Bakura was focusing his attacks on Yugi and had succeeded at the critical moment, hitting Yugi's right shoulder just as he'd been about to score.
A time out was called, and Yugi dived towards the ground watching Harry, George and Fred trying to avoid the mad Bludger. "What's going on?" Wood said, as the team gathered together, while the Slytherins in the crowd jeered, "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Yugi scoring?"
"We were twenty feet above him, stopping the other Bludger murdering Harry, Oliver!" George said angrily, "Someone's fixed it… it won't leave Harry alone, it hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."
"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since out last practise, and there was nothing wrong with them then…" said Wood anxiously. Madam Hooch was walking towards them, and they could see the Slytherin team jeering behind her.
"Listen," said Harry as Madam Hooch came closer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve," he continued, "You go back to the rest of the team, Yugi needs you to stop the Bludger Bakura keeps hitting at him. Let me deal with the rogue!"
"Don't be thick," Said Fred, "It'll take your head off." Yugi rotated the injured shoulder, testing how much he could move it, a movement Oliver Wood didn't miss as he looked around at the team.
"Oliver, this is mad," Alicia said angrily, "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Let's ask for an enquiry!"
"If we stop now we have to forfeit the match!" Harry said, "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a mad Bludger! Come on Oliver, tell them to leave me alone."
"This is your fault!" Fred said angrily to Wood, "'Get the Snitch or die trying!' What a stupid thing to tell him!"
Madam Hooch had reached them, "Are you ready to resume play?"
Oliver looked around, and made up his mind on seeing the determined look on Harry's face, "All right!" He said, "Fred, George, you heard Harry, leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."
The gang watched the match closely as the game resumed, with Harry having to try every trick in the book to avoid the mad Bludger, while Yugi and Alicia, now they had back up, were beginning to pull the score back slowly.
Yugi saw Harry and Malfoy talking, and passed the Quaffle to Alicia, soaring upwards as the rogue Bludger swerved in for a fresh strike at Harry who'd stayed still to long. Harry was startled as Yugi flew upwards on his left side, groaning and being pushed into Harry as something hit the Chaser. Harry caught him gently, holding him upright. Yugi sat upright on his broom, pain obvious in his eyes, "Harry, move!" Yugi gasped, as the Bludger closed in on the pair. Harry spotted something that would end the game. The Snitch was hovering above Malfoy's head. Harry went to grab the Snitch, but had stayed still way too long, helping Yugi, the rogue Bludger, smashed into Harry's elbow. Harry grabbed the Snitch with the other arm.
Harry and Yugi dived towards the ground, Yugi managed to land but Harry hit the mud and rolled off. His arm was at a very odd angle. Fred and George were wrestling with the rogue Bludger, Harry looked at the Snitch in his hand. "Ah ha! We won!" He said, vaguely, and passed out.
Yami and the gang rushed onto the pitch, Yugi saw them, smiled, "Harry caught the Snitch!" Yugi gasped, and passed out, falling into Yami's arms. Yami growled, Yugi had been hit by the Bludger, protecting his friend, when Harry had stayed still too long and it from the feelings he'd gotten down the link, Yugi was in a lot of pain.
"He's as stubborn as you are!" Joey complimented the unconscious hikari, while speaking to Yami.
Harry came round with rain falling on his face, still led on the pitch. Someone was leaning over him, someone with glittering teeth. "Oh no, not you!" Harry moaned.
"Doesn't know what he's talking about!" Lockheart said loudly, to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. "No worry, Harry! I'm about to fix your arm…"
"No!" said Harry, "I'll keep it like this thanks." Harry said, trying to get up, but the pain was terrible, he heard a clicking. "I don't want a photo of this, Colin!" He said loudly, he'd spotted Yugi on the ground, a worried Yami knelt by his side. Joey was pushing away a worried Rebecca, annoyed by the girl's persistence.
"Lie back Harry, I've used this plenty of times." Lockheart said soothingly, "It's a simple charm I've used countless times."
"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.
"Both he and Yugi should really Professor!" said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning, even with two of his players injured. "Great capture Harry, your best yet, I'd say!"
"Stand back!" Lockheart said, rolling up his sleeves.
"No! Don't!" Harry said, but it was too late. Lockheart had twirled his wand and pointed it at Harry's arm. Harry looked at his arm and nearly passed out again, his arm resembled a large rubber glove, with no bones in it at all.
"You're not coming anywhere near Yugi!" Yami snapped, having seen the trouble Lockheart had caused as Hermione and Ron helped Harry to his feet. Lockheart looked offended as he stopped dead in his tracks. "Alright, Joey, can you move him?" Yami asked, turning to his friend. Joey nodded and lifted Yugi carefully, carrying the boy up to the hospital wing, with Harry being helped by Ron and Hermione. Yami, Kari and Ombre followed.
Madam Pomfrey wasn't best pleased.
"Mr Muto, I can probably heal in an hour or two, I can mend bones in a second, however regrowing them is a whole other matter!"
"You can, can't you?" Hermione asked.
"I'll be able to, but it will be painful." Madam Pomfrey said, chucking a change of clothes at Harry. "Both you and Mr Muto will need to stay the night. I can heal him, but he'll need rest, something he won't get in the Gryffindor Common Room tonight." Madam Pomfrey passed Harry a large bottle of Skele-Gro, which was vile to the taste. "And regrowing bones is a nasty business, it'll be a painful night for you, Potter."
Madam Pomfrey walked over to Yugi's bed, and waved her wand, a bright blue light feeding from the tip and surrounding Yugi. Yami watched with interest as Yugi's pale face got some colour back, and his breathing sounded less forced. "He'll be fine, he just had a couple of broken ribs, from where the Bludger impacted, that sport is dangerous…" Madam Pomfrey continued along those lines as she went to get something from her storerooms.
"I'd like to know how Malfoy bewitched the Bludger to chase Harry in the first place." Joey said, speaking up while the nurse was out the room.
"Something else we'll have to ask him, when we use the Polyjuice potion." Said Harry, relieved that Madam Pomfrey was able to fix his arm and that Yugi hadn't been too badly hurt. He knew broken ribs were serious but Madam Pomfrey had made out that she'd fixed those just now. "I hope it tastes better then this stuff." Harry said, sinking into his pillows and referring to the Skele-Gro.
"With bits of Slytherins in? I doubt it." Ron said, half joking. Yugi stirred and opened his eyes, Yami was by his side in seconds.
"How are you feeling?" Yami said, leaning on Yugi's bed.
"I'm fine, stop worrying about me." Yugi said, "How's Harry?"
Yami smiled, typical Yugi. Joey couldn't help laughing, "He's fine except for one small thing."
"What's that?" Yugi asked, concerned. Harry lifted his arm as best he could and Yugi gasped. "How?"
"Lockheart." Yami replied, as the Gryffindor Quidditch team burst into the room, having come to see Harry and Yugi.
"Unbelievable flying, Harry!" Said George, "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing." They had brought everything to have a good party. But unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey stormed over, shouting, "These boys need rest, one's just had ribs reset and the other has 33 bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"
For a moment it looked as though Yami was going to get away with hiding near the doorway. But when he was spotted by Madam Pomfrey, she'd gotten angry. "I'm warning you Mr Muto, if you don't get out right now I'll see to it there's a good reason you're here!" Yami left, muttering something about the nurses here being evil.
"He's always so protective of you." Harry said to Yugi, who was smiling gently, wishing Yami would open up his end of the mind link, "Was he always like this? Even when you two shared a body?"
Yugi laughed, "Yeap, pretty much since we first met, but it got worse after he thought he'd lost me."
"Lost you?"
Yugi nodded, "Have you ever heard of Maximillian Pegasus?"
"No, who's he?"
"You know we play Duel Monsters?" Harry nodded, "Well he's the man who created the cards."
"But I thought the game was five thousand years old at least!" Harry spluttered.
"It is," Yugi continued, "The cards have only been around a few years, they're the modern form of the game." Harry nodded.
"So what does this Pegasus guy have to do with Yami being protective?"
"Pegasus liked collecting souls."
"Souls?" Harry gasped.
"We played a Shadow Game against him and I wasn't strong enough, I fainted and Yami went all avenging angel like. If it wasn't for him and my friends…" Yugi shuddered. He hated the Shadow Realm, hated it, hated it, hated it! "Since then he's always been overly protective of me, I don't mind, but sometimes I wish he'd think about himself first, instead of me." Yugi smiled, "Mind you, we've still ended up in some pretty unpleasant situations."
"Why do I get the feeling, you guys didn't tell us everything last year?" Yugi just laughed.
Madam Pomfrey came in, "If you boys don't quiet down, I'll force a sleeping potion down you." Yugi went quiet very quickly. Harry on the other hand thought she was being unfair, and wanted to hear more about Yugi and the others, however he daren't speak now. Maybe once they were out the Hospital Wing...
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Hours later, Harry woke quite suddenly in the pitch darkness and gave a small yelp of pain; his arm now felt full of large splinters. He looked over to Yugi's bed, the small boy was still asleep. Harry probably wouldn't say this to his face, but Yugi at 12, wasn't much shorter then Yugi at 18, Harry knew, he'd seen this for a fact. He tried to roll over and go back to sleep but found someone was leaning over him.
"Get Off!" He said loudly, stirring Yugi, "Dobby?" He gasped the house-elf's name as he realised who it was.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Yugi asked sleepily. Harry didn't reply he was too busy staring at the house-elf.
"Harry Potter has come back to school," He whispered miserably, "Dobby warned Harry Potter. Ah, sir, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Harry Potter go home when he missed the train?"
Harry heaved himself up on the pillows and pushed Dobby away. "What're you doing here? And how do you know I missed the train?" Dobby's lip trembled, "It was you!" He said slowly, "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"
"Indeed yes, sir," Dobby said, nodding vigorously, "Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards…" He showed the two boys ten long, bandaged fingers, "But Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school another way!"
Harry slumped back onto his pillows, "You nearly got me, Ron and Joey expelled;" He said fiercely, "You'd better clear off before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you." Dobby smiled weakly.
"Dobby is used to death treats, sir. Dobby gets them 5 times a day at home." He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Yugi felt sorry for him.
"Why d'you wear that thing?" Yugi asked, beginning to wake up slightly.
"This, little Pharaoh?" Dobby said, turning to Yugi and plucking at the pillowcase, "Tis a mark of a house-elf's enslavement, your highness. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes. The family is careful not to pass Dobby a sock. For then he would be free to leave their house for ever." Dobby stared at them with bulging eyes, "Harry Potter must go home! The Pharaoh must join him, he should never have come to Hogwarts in the first place! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make…"
"Your Bludger?" said Harry, anger rising once more, "What d'you mean your Bludger? You made that Bludger try to kill me?"
"Not to kill you, sir, never meant to kill you!" Said Dobby shocked, "Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life. Better sent home, grievously injured, then remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home."
"Dobby? If it's so important that the Pharaoh goes home too, why haven't you come after me?" Yugi asked.
Dobby looked at him, "It is not smart to anger the Pharaoh, hurting his light would only cause him to stay, I have not come up with a plan that would not cause the Pharaoh to blame and attack my younger Masters." Yugi could understand that, Yami angered was not a pretty sight and nothing was liable to anger him faster then Yugi being in trouble or hurt. And from what Dobby had been saying, if Yami attacked the house-elf's Masters, Dobby would be the one punished.
Harry was still fuming, "I don't suppose your going to tell me why you want me sent home in little pieces?"
"Ah, if only Harry Potter knew!" Dobby groaned, "If he knew what he means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, us dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He Who Must Not Be Named was at the height of his powers, sir! We house-elves were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, sir. But mostly, sir, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He Who Must Not Be Named. Harry Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, sir, and Harry Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the dark days would never end, sir… and now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let either of you stay here now that History is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber is open once more…"
Dobby stopped, horror-struck, then grabbed Harry's water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over his head, toppling out of sight. A couple of moments later he crawled back onto Harry's bed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby!"
"So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Harry whispered, "And… did you say it's been opened before? Tell me Dobby!" He seized the elf's wrist as it reached for the water jug, "But neither me or Yugi are Muggle-born, how can we be in danger from the Chamber?"
"Ah, sir, do not ask anymore of Dobby, dark deeds are planned in this place, but Harry Potter or the Pharaoh and his light must not be here when they happen. Go home, Harry Potter, go home, Yugi Muto. You must not meddle in this, sirs, it's too dangerous…"
"Dobby? Who opened it last time?" Yugi asked calmly.
"Dobby can't, sir, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" Squealed the house-elf, "Go home, Harry Potter, go home, Yugi Muto, and take the Pharaoh with you."
"I'm not going anywhere," Yugi said firmly, "Some of my best friends are muggle-born. They'll be first in line if the chamber really has been opened…"
"The little Pharaoh risks his own life for his friends, he truly is the light, but he must save himself, he must not be here, the darkness must not destroy the light… His Royal Highness is too important…"
Dobby froze, Harry and Yugi could hear it, voices and footsteps, "Dobby must go." The house-elf breathed and vanished. The two boys slumped back onto their beds as the footsteps neared. Dumbledore led a group of teachers, carrying two figures between them, into the hospital wing.
"Get Madam Pomfrey!" whispered Dumbledore, the two boys led quite still, pretending to be asleep.
"What happened?" The nurse asked.
"Another attack, a triple attack. Minerva found them on the stairs."
"There was a bunch of grapes next to him, and a couple of booster packs next to her, and the dragon was led next to them, it's not petrified, but it seems to be very ill, maybe one of the other duellists can explain it. We think they were trying to sneak down to see Potter and Muto." Harry and Yugi's stomachs lurched, they propped themselves up enough to see who the two were, without getting caught.
The boy was Colin Creevley, he had his camera in his hands, the girl was…
"Rebecca!" Yugi whispered, it was barely audible, but he and Harry ducked anyway, just in case.
"Petrified?" Madam Pomfrey asked, Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes," McGonagall said, "But I shudder to think what could have happened had Albus hadn't been on his way down for some hot chocolate." She tried to prise Rebecca's hands away from her glasses, but couldn't.
The three of them stared down at Colin, and Dumbledore prised the camera from the boy's hands. "You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" Dumbledore didn't answer, he just opened the back, and a jet of steam hissed out of the camera.
"Melted… all melted." Madam Pomfrey said in wonder.
"What does this mean, Albus?"
"It means the Chamber of Secrets, is indeed open again."
Professor McGonagall gasped, "But Albus… surely… who?"
"The question is not who," Said Dumbledore, "The question is how?"
Harry was peeking again and he could tell, Professor McGonagall was as confused as he was.
Harry was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting as a werewolf. If he hadn't needed to keep Lockheart in a good mood, he would have refused and let Yugi get the brunt of the embarrassment.
"Nice loud howl, Harry… exactly… and then, if you'll believe this I pounced… like this… slammed him to the floor… thus… with one hand, I managed to hold him down... with my other, I put my wand to his throat… and used my remaining strength to cast the incredibly complex Homorphus Charm… he let out a piteous moan… go on Harry… higher then that… good… his fur vanished… the fangs shrank… and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective… and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly threat of werewolf attacks." The bell rang and Lockheart got to his feet, letting Harry up. "Homework; compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Sighed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"
The class began to leave. Harry returned to the back of the room, where the entire group were waiting. "Ready?" Harry muttered.
"Wait till everyone's gone…" Hermione said nervously, "All right."
She approached Lockheart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand. The group stood in an arc behind her. "Professor Lockheart… Sir?" Hermione said, looking around and smiling slightly at the support, "I wanted to check this out of the library. For background reading." She held out the piece of paper, "But the thing is, it's in the restricted section, so I need a teacher to sign for it. I'm sure it would help me understand what you said in Gadding with Ghouls about slow acting venoms…"
"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" Said Lockheart taking the note, as Kari realised the time and dashed off. "My favourite, now that Miss Ironhide is gone, I'm sure that I can say that no one will mind me giving the brightest student in the year a little extra help." Lockheart signed it, turning the conversation towards Quidditch, offering to help train Harry, Yugi and Yami. Yami snorted derisively as they left, the man had a bigger ego then Kaiba.
The group hurried off, arriving at the library as Ron and Hermione started bickering about Lockheart having (or not having) a brain. Once they had the book they barricaded themselves in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They made a discovery though, they'd have to steal a lot of Snape's supplies. Hermione and Ombre checked the coast was clear once they'd settled on the Polyjuice Potion, and the fact it, unfortunately, would have to be Harry, Ron and Hermione who went in, as Bakura would sense the yamis or their hikaris straight away, even if they looked like someone else.
"You know…" Joey joked, as they made their way back up to the Common Room, "If one of you could just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow that would be a lot easier." Yami however went white, he'd forgotten about the Quidditch match tomorrow, and Yugi was going to have to play since Angelina was ill. Joey looked over and could have kicked himself, Never, he thought, Never mention coming off of a broomstick around Yami.
Harry woke up early on Saturday Morning, Yugi was already up, or at least Harry thought he was, the bed was empty, but the teen had gone to bed before Harry. The boy was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, but mainly at the thought of facing a team mounted on the best racing brooms gold could buy. He had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly.
After half an hour of lying there with his insides churning, he got up, dressed, and went down to an early breakfast, where he found Yugi and the rest of the team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much.
As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way to the Quidditch Stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. The gang came hurrying over to wish Yugi and Harry good luck as they entered the changing rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Quidditch robes, Yugi pulling his on for the first time before a match, then sat down to listen to Wood's pre-match prep talk.
"Slytherin have got better brooms then us," he began, "no point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder then they have, we've been flying in all weathers… ('Too true,' muttered George Weasley, 'I haven't been properly dry since August.')… and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy and his brother Bakura, buy their way onto their team," He looked around at the shocked faces, "I forgot to warn you all, Bakura Malfoy will be playing today too, Beater, so watch out Yugi." Yugi nodded. Wood turned to Harry, "It'll be down to you Harry, to show them a Seeker has to have something more then a fast broom. Get to that Snitch or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to!"
"So no pressure, Harrry!" Fred said, winking at him.
Yami watched anxiously as the teams filed out, Lee Jordan, a Gryffindor, was commentating, and called out the names of the teams, Yami smiled in pride as the name Muto was announced to the entire school, but his happiness was short lived as the Slytherin team filed out, ending on Malfoy and Malfoy. Yami growled as he saw Bakura with a Beater's club. Yugi was looking determined and was ignoring the pointed look Bakura was giving him. The teams got into position and Madam Hooch blew the whistle and the game began, with Yugi grabbing the Quaffle first off and passed it to Alicia.
Yugi dived for a second to avoid a Bludger aimed at him by Bakura and caught the Quaffle, only to have it taken off of him by a green blur. Yugi looked up and saw Harry, George and Fred having trouble with a second Bludger which seemed to have it in for Harry. Yugi managed to regain the Quaffle and was streaking towards the goal when he was hit by a Bludger and dropped the ball. Yami winced against the pain he felt from his hikari, Bakura was focusing his attacks on Yugi and had succeeded at the critical moment, hitting Yugi's right shoulder just as he'd been about to score.
A time out was called, and Yugi dived towards the ground watching Harry, George and Fred trying to avoid the mad Bludger. "What's going on?" Wood said, as the team gathered together, while the Slytherins in the crowd jeered, "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Yugi scoring?"
"We were twenty feet above him, stopping the other Bludger murdering Harry, Oliver!" George said angrily, "Someone's fixed it… it won't leave Harry alone, it hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."
"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since out last practise, and there was nothing wrong with them then…" said Wood anxiously. Madam Hooch was walking towards them, and they could see the Slytherin team jeering behind her.
"Listen," said Harry as Madam Hooch came closer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve," he continued, "You go back to the rest of the team, Yugi needs you to stop the Bludger Bakura keeps hitting at him. Let me deal with the rogue!"
"Don't be thick," Said Fred, "It'll take your head off." Yugi rotated the injured shoulder, testing how much he could move it, a movement Oliver Wood didn't miss as he looked around at the team.
"Oliver, this is mad," Alicia said angrily, "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Let's ask for an enquiry!"
"If we stop now we have to forfeit the match!" Harry said, "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a mad Bludger! Come on Oliver, tell them to leave me alone."
"This is your fault!" Fred said angrily to Wood, "'Get the Snitch or die trying!' What a stupid thing to tell him!"
Madam Hooch had reached them, "Are you ready to resume play?"
Oliver looked around, and made up his mind on seeing the determined look on Harry's face, "All right!" He said, "Fred, George, you heard Harry, leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."
The gang watched the match closely as the game resumed, with Harry having to try every trick in the book to avoid the mad Bludger, while Yugi and Alicia, now they had back up, were beginning to pull the score back slowly.
Yugi saw Harry and Malfoy talking, and passed the Quaffle to Alicia, soaring upwards as the rogue Bludger swerved in for a fresh strike at Harry who'd stayed still to long. Harry was startled as Yugi flew upwards on his left side, groaning and being pushed into Harry as something hit the Chaser. Harry caught him gently, holding him upright. Yugi sat upright on his broom, pain obvious in his eyes, "Harry, move!" Yugi gasped, as the Bludger closed in on the pair. Harry spotted something that would end the game. The Snitch was hovering above Malfoy's head. Harry went to grab the Snitch, but had stayed still way too long, helping Yugi, the rogue Bludger, smashed into Harry's elbow. Harry grabbed the Snitch with the other arm.
Harry and Yugi dived towards the ground, Yugi managed to land but Harry hit the mud and rolled off. His arm was at a very odd angle. Fred and George were wrestling with the rogue Bludger, Harry looked at the Snitch in his hand. "Ah ha! We won!" He said, vaguely, and passed out.
Yami and the gang rushed onto the pitch, Yugi saw them, smiled, "Harry caught the Snitch!" Yugi gasped, and passed out, falling into Yami's arms. Yami growled, Yugi had been hit by the Bludger, protecting his friend, when Harry had stayed still too long and it from the feelings he'd gotten down the link, Yugi was in a lot of pain.
"He's as stubborn as you are!" Joey complimented the unconscious hikari, while speaking to Yami.
Harry came round with rain falling on his face, still led on the pitch. Someone was leaning over him, someone with glittering teeth. "Oh no, not you!" Harry moaned.
"Doesn't know what he's talking about!" Lockheart said loudly, to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. "No worry, Harry! I'm about to fix your arm…"
"No!" said Harry, "I'll keep it like this thanks." Harry said, trying to get up, but the pain was terrible, he heard a clicking. "I don't want a photo of this, Colin!" He said loudly, he'd spotted Yugi on the ground, a worried Yami knelt by his side. Joey was pushing away a worried Rebecca, annoyed by the girl's persistence.
"Lie back Harry, I've used this plenty of times." Lockheart said soothingly, "It's a simple charm I've used countless times."
"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.
"Both he and Yugi should really Professor!" said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning, even with two of his players injured. "Great capture Harry, your best yet, I'd say!"
"Stand back!" Lockheart said, rolling up his sleeves.
"No! Don't!" Harry said, but it was too late. Lockheart had twirled his wand and pointed it at Harry's arm. Harry looked at his arm and nearly passed out again, his arm resembled a large rubber glove, with no bones in it at all.
"You're not coming anywhere near Yugi!" Yami snapped, having seen the trouble Lockheart had caused as Hermione and Ron helped Harry to his feet. Lockheart looked offended as he stopped dead in his tracks. "Alright, Joey, can you move him?" Yami asked, turning to his friend. Joey nodded and lifted Yugi carefully, carrying the boy up to the hospital wing, with Harry being helped by Ron and Hermione. Yami, Kari and Ombre followed.
Madam Pomfrey wasn't best pleased.
"Mr Muto, I can probably heal in an hour or two, I can mend bones in a second, however regrowing them is a whole other matter!"
"You can, can't you?" Hermione asked.
"I'll be able to, but it will be painful." Madam Pomfrey said, chucking a change of clothes at Harry. "Both you and Mr Muto will need to stay the night. I can heal him, but he'll need rest, something he won't get in the Gryffindor Common Room tonight." Madam Pomfrey passed Harry a large bottle of Skele-Gro, which was vile to the taste. "And regrowing bones is a nasty business, it'll be a painful night for you, Potter."
Madam Pomfrey walked over to Yugi's bed, and waved her wand, a bright blue light feeding from the tip and surrounding Yugi. Yami watched with interest as Yugi's pale face got some colour back, and his breathing sounded less forced. "He'll be fine, he just had a couple of broken ribs, from where the Bludger impacted, that sport is dangerous…" Madam Pomfrey continued along those lines as she went to get something from her storerooms.
"I'd like to know how Malfoy bewitched the Bludger to chase Harry in the first place." Joey said, speaking up while the nurse was out the room.
"Something else we'll have to ask him, when we use the Polyjuice potion." Said Harry, relieved that Madam Pomfrey was able to fix his arm and that Yugi hadn't been too badly hurt. He knew broken ribs were serious but Madam Pomfrey had made out that she'd fixed those just now. "I hope it tastes better then this stuff." Harry said, sinking into his pillows and referring to the Skele-Gro.
"With bits of Slytherins in? I doubt it." Ron said, half joking. Yugi stirred and opened his eyes, Yami was by his side in seconds.
"How are you feeling?" Yami said, leaning on Yugi's bed.
"I'm fine, stop worrying about me." Yugi said, "How's Harry?"
Yami smiled, typical Yugi. Joey couldn't help laughing, "He's fine except for one small thing."
"What's that?" Yugi asked, concerned. Harry lifted his arm as best he could and Yugi gasped. "How?"
"Lockheart." Yami replied, as the Gryffindor Quidditch team burst into the room, having come to see Harry and Yugi.
"Unbelievable flying, Harry!" Said George, "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing." They had brought everything to have a good party. But unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey stormed over, shouting, "These boys need rest, one's just had ribs reset and the other has 33 bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"
For a moment it looked as though Yami was going to get away with hiding near the doorway. But when he was spotted by Madam Pomfrey, she'd gotten angry. "I'm warning you Mr Muto, if you don't get out right now I'll see to it there's a good reason you're here!" Yami left, muttering something about the nurses here being evil.
"He's always so protective of you." Harry said to Yugi, who was smiling gently, wishing Yami would open up his end of the mind link, "Was he always like this? Even when you two shared a body?"
Yugi laughed, "Yeap, pretty much since we first met, but it got worse after he thought he'd lost me."
"Lost you?"
Yugi nodded, "Have you ever heard of Maximillian Pegasus?"
"No, who's he?"
"You know we play Duel Monsters?" Harry nodded, "Well he's the man who created the cards."
"But I thought the game was five thousand years old at least!" Harry spluttered.
"It is," Yugi continued, "The cards have only been around a few years, they're the modern form of the game." Harry nodded.
"So what does this Pegasus guy have to do with Yami being protective?"
"Pegasus liked collecting souls."
"Souls?" Harry gasped.
"We played a Shadow Game against him and I wasn't strong enough, I fainted and Yami went all avenging angel like. If it wasn't for him and my friends…" Yugi shuddered. He hated the Shadow Realm, hated it, hated it, hated it! "Since then he's always been overly protective of me, I don't mind, but sometimes I wish he'd think about himself first, instead of me." Yugi smiled, "Mind you, we've still ended up in some pretty unpleasant situations."
"Why do I get the feeling, you guys didn't tell us everything last year?" Yugi just laughed.
Madam Pomfrey came in, "If you boys don't quiet down, I'll force a sleeping potion down you." Yugi went quiet very quickly. Harry on the other hand thought she was being unfair, and wanted to hear more about Yugi and the others, however he daren't speak now. Maybe once they were out the Hospital Wing...
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Hours later, Harry woke quite suddenly in the pitch darkness and gave a small yelp of pain; his arm now felt full of large splinters. He looked over to Yugi's bed, the small boy was still asleep. Harry probably wouldn't say this to his face, but Yugi at 12, wasn't much shorter then Yugi at 18, Harry knew, he'd seen this for a fact. He tried to roll over and go back to sleep but found someone was leaning over him.
"Get Off!" He said loudly, stirring Yugi, "Dobby?" He gasped the house-elf's name as he realised who it was.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Yugi asked sleepily. Harry didn't reply he was too busy staring at the house-elf.
"Harry Potter has come back to school," He whispered miserably, "Dobby warned Harry Potter. Ah, sir, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Harry Potter go home when he missed the train?"
Harry heaved himself up on the pillows and pushed Dobby away. "What're you doing here? And how do you know I missed the train?" Dobby's lip trembled, "It was you!" He said slowly, "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"
"Indeed yes, sir," Dobby said, nodding vigorously, "Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards…" He showed the two boys ten long, bandaged fingers, "But Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school another way!"
Harry slumped back onto his pillows, "You nearly got me, Ron and Joey expelled;" He said fiercely, "You'd better clear off before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you." Dobby smiled weakly.
"Dobby is used to death treats, sir. Dobby gets them 5 times a day at home." He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Yugi felt sorry for him.
"Why d'you wear that thing?" Yugi asked, beginning to wake up slightly.
"This, little Pharaoh?" Dobby said, turning to Yugi and plucking at the pillowcase, "Tis a mark of a house-elf's enslavement, your highness. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes. The family is careful not to pass Dobby a sock. For then he would be free to leave their house for ever." Dobby stared at them with bulging eyes, "Harry Potter must go home! The Pharaoh must join him, he should never have come to Hogwarts in the first place! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make…"
"Your Bludger?" said Harry, anger rising once more, "What d'you mean your Bludger? You made that Bludger try to kill me?"
"Not to kill you, sir, never meant to kill you!" Said Dobby shocked, "Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life. Better sent home, grievously injured, then remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home."
"Dobby? If it's so important that the Pharaoh goes home too, why haven't you come after me?" Yugi asked.
Dobby looked at him, "It is not smart to anger the Pharaoh, hurting his light would only cause him to stay, I have not come up with a plan that would not cause the Pharaoh to blame and attack my younger Masters." Yugi could understand that, Yami angered was not a pretty sight and nothing was liable to anger him faster then Yugi being in trouble or hurt. And from what Dobby had been saying, if Yami attacked the house-elf's Masters, Dobby would be the one punished.
Harry was still fuming, "I don't suppose your going to tell me why you want me sent home in little pieces?"
"Ah, if only Harry Potter knew!" Dobby groaned, "If he knew what he means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, us dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He Who Must Not Be Named was at the height of his powers, sir! We house-elves were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, sir. But mostly, sir, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He Who Must Not Be Named. Harry Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, sir, and Harry Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the dark days would never end, sir… and now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let either of you stay here now that History is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber is open once more…"
Dobby stopped, horror-struck, then grabbed Harry's water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over his head, toppling out of sight. A couple of moments later he crawled back onto Harry's bed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby!"
"So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Harry whispered, "And… did you say it's been opened before? Tell me Dobby!" He seized the elf's wrist as it reached for the water jug, "But neither me or Yugi are Muggle-born, how can we be in danger from the Chamber?"
"Ah, sir, do not ask anymore of Dobby, dark deeds are planned in this place, but Harry Potter or the Pharaoh and his light must not be here when they happen. Go home, Harry Potter, go home, Yugi Muto. You must not meddle in this, sirs, it's too dangerous…"
"Dobby? Who opened it last time?" Yugi asked calmly.
"Dobby can't, sir, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" Squealed the house-elf, "Go home, Harry Potter, go home, Yugi Muto, and take the Pharaoh with you."
"I'm not going anywhere," Yugi said firmly, "Some of my best friends are muggle-born. They'll be first in line if the chamber really has been opened…"
"The little Pharaoh risks his own life for his friends, he truly is the light, but he must save himself, he must not be here, the darkness must not destroy the light… His Royal Highness is too important…"
Dobby froze, Harry and Yugi could hear it, voices and footsteps, "Dobby must go." The house-elf breathed and vanished. The two boys slumped back onto their beds as the footsteps neared. Dumbledore led a group of teachers, carrying two figures between them, into the hospital wing.
"Get Madam Pomfrey!" whispered Dumbledore, the two boys led quite still, pretending to be asleep.
"What happened?" The nurse asked.
"Another attack, a triple attack. Minerva found them on the stairs."
"There was a bunch of grapes next to him, and a couple of booster packs next to her, and the dragon was led next to them, it's not petrified, but it seems to be very ill, maybe one of the other duellists can explain it. We think they were trying to sneak down to see Potter and Muto." Harry and Yugi's stomachs lurched, they propped themselves up enough to see who the two were, without getting caught.
The boy was Colin Creevley, he had his camera in his hands, the girl was…
"Rebecca!" Yugi whispered, it was barely audible, but he and Harry ducked anyway, just in case.
"Petrified?" Madam Pomfrey asked, Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes," McGonagall said, "But I shudder to think what could have happened had Albus hadn't been on his way down for some hot chocolate." She tried to prise Rebecca's hands away from her glasses, but couldn't.
The three of them stared down at Colin, and Dumbledore prised the camera from the boy's hands. "You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" Dumbledore didn't answer, he just opened the back, and a jet of steam hissed out of the camera.
"Melted… all melted." Madam Pomfrey said in wonder.
"What does this mean, Albus?"
"It means the Chamber of Secrets, is indeed open again."
Professor McGonagall gasped, "But Albus… surely… who?"
"The question is not who," Said Dumbledore, "The question is how?"
Harry was peeking again and he could tell, Professor McGonagall was as confused as he was.