Chapter 15: -Fair Thee Well
Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating: as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry and all anyone felt like doing was strolling into the grounds and flopping down onto the grass was several pints of iced pumpkin juice. Perhaps having a casual game of Gobstones or a friendly (or not so friendly) game of Wizards Duel Monsters or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the lake.
But they couldn't. The exams were creeping up on them and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while the summer breezes blew in through the open windows and practically begged them to go outside.
Even the Weasley twins were caught working, they had their O.W.L's (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) coming up and they had their heads in the books for the first time in the gang's memory. Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic and with his N.E.W.T's (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) coming up, he was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave severe punishments to anyone who he caught disturbing the quiet in the Common Room in the evenings. In fact the only one more on edge then Percy was Hermione.
Kari and Ombre were helping her as much as they could, and the rest of the gang had given up on asking her how she got to all her classes, but Ron and Harry couldn't restrain themselves when they saw her exam timetable. The first column read…
MONDAY:
9:00 am Arithmancy
9:00 am Transfiguration
LUNCH
1:00 pm Charms
1:00 pm Ancient Runes
"Hermione?" Ron asked cautiously, well aware that Hermione was liable to explode when disturbed, "Are you sure you've copied these down right?"
"Yes." Hermione snapped and then spent the next five minutes rummaging through the notes she'd made to find a text book.
Yami and Joey were sat at a table while Yugi perched, with his notes, on the window ledge, the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck. Yugi had finally taken it back in exchange for a promise from Yami, that he wouldn't cling so tightly to his hikari as long as Yugi agreed not to do anything as stupid as running into the Forbidden Forest without telling him.
So far both had stuck to their end of the bargain, and added to this was that Yami and Mahado had begun to teach him how to control both Yugi's Magic and the Shadows since it was so determined to escape their grip at the slightest thing.
Because they were working so closely together again, their partnership was finally beginning to get back to how it had been.
Bakura Malfoy had been lording it over them after passing his level three Beast Care and Taming, and Hagrid was so proud that one of his students had passed the course that he was allowing Bakura to tend to Buckbeak over the summer and to assist him in classes.
This meant that most of the gang were rather relieved that exams were coming up and lessons were ending. The only person that couldn't get that excited about the end of the year was Harry, even Hermione was relieved that the Summer Holidays would soon be here.
Bakura still hadn't forgiven Yami for having the audacity to be chosen by one of the Pilot Cat Kittens, though Kiyoshi, Bastet and Crookshanks had taken to the kitten instantly, becoming protective of but friendly with the little one, who Yami had named Kana, having felt that he couldn't keep calling the sacred animal by the name of Worm, who was now starting to sprout feathers and climb walls.
All in all, with no imminent threats to the gang, bar the usual, and no sign of Sirius Black, Exam week passed hectically, but with no major speed bumps, other then the last exam for most of the group, Divination.
There was a minor speed bump on Thursday night, the last night to get any research done, when Joey and Kari decided that if they studied any more then their head was going to explode and settled down for a game of Duel Monsters in the boy's dorms.
That would have been fine, had Joey not had a run in with Bakura earlier in the day and when he cast apparaître, practically shouting the spell, the deck responded by summoning most of the Monsters in his deck, at about a half to three quarter size, most of which didn't fit in the room properly, causing one of them, Joey wasn't sure which to tumble down the stairs.
"Return to your cards!" Joey yelped, naming all the monsters in sight. The two winced as they heard crashes and yelling from downstairs.
"How much trouble are we in?" Kari asked as Percy and Yami came upstairs.
Yami was followed by Baby Dragon.
"I'm sorry, but I have no choice but to remove House Points and inform Professor McGonagall, since your little Dragon broke the table he crashed into and disturbed the entire Common Room with its noise." Joey and Kari looked at each other and grimaced, "Five points each to be taken."
Percy then stalked back downstairs.
"Return to the deck." Joey sighed and pointed his wand at the dragon, who gave him a dirty look and vanished. "Don't say it." Joey growled at Yami, who looked amused and intrigued.
"I wasn't going to say anything, I was just wondering what you were doing to manage that stunt." Yami said thoughtfully, and then laughed. "And Yugi wants to know too."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry and Ron were the last for the Divination Exam, and were longing to join their friends at the lakeside. Ron went first, and came down twenty minutes later, warning Harry that he hadn't seen anything and that he did not think Professor Trelawney had believed what he'd made up.
Harry went up last and the sickly scent of the fire made Harry cough as he joined Professor Trelawney at the table, on which a large crystal ball stood. "Good day my dear," She said softly, "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… take your time now… then tell me what you see."
Harry stared at it, but nothing but fog stared back.
"Well?" Trelawney prompted delicately, "What do you see?"
"Err," Harry started, "A dark shape…"
"What does it resemble?" The Professor asked, "Think now…"
Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Yugi and his training at the hands of Mahado and Yami.
"A Pharaoh."
"Really…" Trelawney looked intrigued, "What about him?"
Harry gulped, remembering that the gang didn't know how much the teachers knew about the powers of the items, "He seems to be wielding some kind of powers."
"Magic?"
"I'm not sure…" Harry said, "He's fighting someone, an old enemy."
"And what does this enemy look like?"
"A man and a monster of some kind." Harry made up on the spot. "I don't know what it is."
"Who's winning?"
"I think it's about even." Harry's eyes widened as for a spilt second the fog in the crystal ball looked like it formed the Eye symbol from the millennium items and then it was gone as soon as it appeared. "It's gone." Harry murmured.
"That's a shame dear, we'll leave it there, I'm sure you did your best while the vision was there."
Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, when a loud, harsh voice spoke from behind him.
"It will happen tonight."
Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth was sagging.
"S…Sorry?" Asked Harry.
"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His disloyal servant, betrayed by his sons, betrayed by his cohort, will set out tonight. Tonight… before midnight… the servant… will set out… to rejoin… his master."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yugi."
The boy stopped in the corridor, having come inside to grab his, Yami and Joey's Duel Disks, Kari's Apparaître spell was good, but it wasn't the same as having a Duel Disk on one arm and a hand of cards in the other hand. He let Mahado catch up to him, though he was well aware that the Duel Monster could easily have outpaced him if he had wished. "What's wrong?"
"I need to ask a favour of you."
"I'll help in anyway I can, you know that." Yugi said, "What do you need?"
"I need you to utilise some of your training."
Yugi looked at Mahado carefully. "Which part?"
"The part where we taught you how to release people trapped within the Shadow Realm. The Pharaoh won't do it, we can't ask Ryou, we won't ask Bakura, Ombre can't do it and Kari, while strong, isn't able to control the Shadows that well."
Yugi nodded. "I should tell Yami though."
"Explain that I have you in training and that I will explain everything afterwards, the Pharaoh, while understanding in most things, still has that irrepressible hatred for the Dementors that would have him try and stop you."
"I know they need to be let out, or things will get worse." Yugi agreed, surprising Mahado, who had expected to have a larger argument out of Yugi, "Give me a second."
Mahado watched as the Little Pharaoh passed Mahado's message on, his eyes going blank. Then the boy's eyes cleared and he nodded.
'Mahado, don't push him to hard.' Yami told the Dark Magician directly.
Mahado didn't reply.
"Where do I need to go?" Yugi asked.
Mahado lead him up to the seventh floor and an empty classroom, where all the Duel Monsters had gathered, even Kisara.
They looked at Mahado sharply as he entered first, breathing sighs of relief as Yugi walked in afterwards. "Yugi has agreed to help us."
"You need to be in the centre of the group." Mana told the boy, who took of his de-ageing charm and with a flash of light, went from the child who was still the Little Pharaoh and became the young adult that resembled the Pharaoh in so many ways. However unlike the Pharaoh, Yugi's power was in no way overt, although even Kisara would not have challenged him alone.
Mahado and Mana watched as he placed his wand on the table by the door and took his place in the centre and Dark Necrofear took its place. Everything had to go perfectly, and Mahado had waited until he was certain Yugi could handle what he was asking of him before he had approached the young man. Yugi was older, now, than the Pharaoh had been when he'd sealed the Shadow Realm, and as such should have been trained a lot earlier, but... those where thoughts for a not so turbulent a moment.
"Ready?" Yugi asked, a little nervous but willing to attempt what Mahado had asked of him.
The Duel Monsters nodded and Mana grinned nervously. They all knew the effects of Dementors, and knew that they might have to fight them once they were released.
If necessary, they were ready.
Mahado watched in trepidation as Yugi closed his eyes and called upon the powers of the Shadows.
He'd been worried about letting Yugi do this, unsure that he was ready.
But something had told him to ask, and now, watching as Yugi tapped deep into the magic, Mahado could have been excused for mistaking the Young Pharaoh for the Pharaoh of Egypt.
Gone was the Little Pharaoh from when Yugi had been in training, the Young Pharaoh had never resembled his Egyptian counterpart more then he did now as the magic swirled around him, causing his Gryffindor Hogwarts Robes to swirl around him in the wind forming, at his temples, the light began to form into a crown, not that dissimilar to the one the archaeologists had returned to the Pharaohs at Christmas.
The Shadow Magic had worked out that a destined wielder was being trained and had finally accepted Yugi; unlocking the last of the power he was destined to wield, at the moment he needed it most.
Yugi's eyes snapped open, the violet orbs sharp, determined and knowing as Yugi released the bindings of the Dementors the Egyptian Pharaoh had sent to the Shadow Realm so many months ago, bringing them back to the human world.
Nobody liked the creatures, but leaving them in the Shadow Realm would have proved to be too dangerous and Yugi's own light magic created a shield against the Dementors' powers, encasing them in a prison of radiance in the room. His eyes swept around to Mahado, who nodded, and then Yugi attempted to close the door he'd opened.
The Young Pharaoh froze halfway through and for a second, the determination in his eyes gave way to surprise.
The Shadows wanted out for itself as much as they had wanted the Dementors out, and were now pushing against the teen's power, attempting to rip through the door and into the world the Dementors had been released into.
The Duel Monsters watched in growing horror as they realised that as strong as the Young Pharaoh had become, he would not be able to stop the tide of magic.
Yugi don…! Boh started to say but stopped at a look from Mahado.
"If he loses his concentration now, we're all lost."
The wand Yugi had laid on the table began to glow, growing brighter the longer Yugi struggled with the darkness and finally, as the Young Pharaoh gave everything he had to shut the door to the Shadow Realm, the light grew overbearing, merging with the shadows growing around the teenager in the centre of the room and finally overwhelming all in the room.
Mahado had enough time to view the crown of light fading and Yugi falling, before something dragged him away. Please, Yugi, be alright.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the Duellists at Hogwarts froze as they felt their links to the monsters almost completely vanish.
Yami's head shot towards a room, where light was streaming out of a window, and bolted to his feet, Ombre, Kari and Joey right behind him as he raced inside and up the stairs to the seventh floor, working out which room the light came from, from the streams of light under one of the doors.
Yami slammed it open and had to shield his eyes from the light, feeling a wave of coldness wash over him temporarily before disappearing.
As the light finally died down, Yami watched in horror as Yugi, crown fading, fell forward as if in slow motion, and the last of the Duel Monsters, Mahado included, vanished.
Please, Yugi, Yami heard Mahado's last mental plea, be alright.
Yami caught Yugi and examined every inch of him finally taking the Millennium Puzzle in hand and entering Yugi's Soul Room.
It had changed. While it was still full of Yugi's toys and games, there was one wall that showed an Egyptian style painting of a coronation. Yami looked from it, to the young adult sleeping on the most luxurious bed Yami had ever dreamed of.
The painting showed the shadows bowing to Yugi, who was wearing a crown of light; the crown of the heir.
But Yami could sense the painting wasn't something Yugi had brought into his soul room himself, and as such had no idea where it had come from…
Although he did have several thoughts as to what it meant…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Bakura, I need to speak to you privately."
Bakura Malfoy looked up from his purring book, and met the grey eyes of his adopted brother.
"Why?"
Draco glanced around; the dormitory was empty except for the two boys. "It is about my Father."
Bakura smiled slyly, and with a wave of his hand the small noises of outside was completely cut off. "Well?"
Draco bundled up his courage, but wouldn't meet Bakura's eyes as he handed over a piece of parchment.
Bakura scanned the letter and his grin deepened. "And what do you think we should do about this, brother?"
"A trap is no longer a trap if you walk into it knowingly." Draco replied, his voice unsteady and low.
"And what of being a proper Malfoy?"
Draco snorted, "It took my father a year to break out of prison, he's a fool; he only had two years left of his sentence to serve, and he should never have got caught in the first place. At least you are teaching me how not to get caught instead of relying on friends in high places and a large amount of bribes."
"But he is still your Father."
"Yes, but he betrayed us, betrayed the family, disgraced the family name, if I help him it will be more of the same incompetence."
"Draco…"
"And I'm scared of you."
Bakura blinked, surprised that that reason had made it onto the list, few people ever actually admitted to being afraid of him.
"So what do you think we should do with your Father?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The gang were in the hospital wing again.
"I should assign you lot permanent beds." Madam Pomfrey wasn't joking, as she checked Yugi over with a number of spells. "He's fine, just over strained his magic and exhausted. Nothing a few hours sleep can't cure." Yami breathed a sigh of relief. "I must ask if there's been anymore Shadow Games recently, because if so I'm assuming Mr Muto isn't the only one that will be brought in today."
It was Joey that answered, "No, Yugi was training with the Duel Monsters and something happened and we found Yugi like this and the Duel Monsters gone."
Madam Pomfrey tutted and walked off as a purple eyes silver dragon swooped in the window, leaving a note for the group before taking off again. It seemed the Dragons born in the world were the only ones who hadn't vanished.
Joey looked at it and then passed it to Yami, "It's for you."
To the Pharaoh.
If you're reading this, then there's a possibility something has gone wrong and I am unable to explain this to you in person.
Do not blame Yugi for the events that have transpired, it was I that asked him to do what he did.
He was just doing what you would not.
The Dementors are no longer in the Shadow Realm, where they are is another matter as I will have no idea, but that should make it as safe as it can be for you to finish Yugi's training, without the fear of the Shadows attempting to consume us all.
Make sure you do continue his training, for his sake and for yours.
Be safe,
Mahado
It was signed by the Dark Magician and Yami passed it around. "Yugi let them out to help us and the Duel Monsters." Yami whispered. "I just wish I knew what has happened to our monsters." He turned to look at the others, who were just as shocked as he was. "We're supposed to be meeting with Hagrid for tea." Yami said, his voice taking on some form of normality, "You guys should go, I'll stay with Yugi."
Joey shook his head, and the girls looked like they were going to protest but at that moment Madam Pomfrey ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione, Joey, Kari and Ombre out the door.
They looked at each other and headed down to the entrance hall, Joey, Kari and Ombre barely saying anything. "I wonder what went wrong." Ron said quietly as they walked down to Hagrid's Hut.
"I don't know." Hermione replied, her voice just as quiet.
Silence fell again as they reached Hagrid's hut. He let them in quickly and shut the door behind them just as quickly. "Where are Yugi and Yami?"
"Yugi's in the hospital wing. He was… studying too hard and the sleep finally caught up with him." Kari said, "Yami stayed with him."
"I surprised you're not in there with him." Hagrid said to Hermione, "The amount of work you did for the exams." He sighed, "I shouldn't have asked you down here but I found someone that belongs to yer, Ron."
Hagrid picked up a cage and passed it to Ron. Everyone stared at it. "That's… Scabbers!" Ron opened the cage door and took the rat out.
"Don't worry." Ron said as Scabbers tried to escape, "There's no cats here."
Joey was looking out the window, at this time of day, he would have been able to see Tobias flying around… except… "Ummm, is there a reason the Minister for Magic is coming down here?"
"What?" Kari yelped, looking out the window. "Oh no."
"Quickly, go out the back door!" Hagrid let them out and shut the door just in time for the front door to be knocked on.
"Ah Hagrid, I heard something about Dragons at Hogwarts." They could hear Cornelius Fudge say, "My men and I are conducting an investigation, may I come in?"
But they couldn't. The exams were creeping up on them and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while the summer breezes blew in through the open windows and practically begged them to go outside.
Even the Weasley twins were caught working, they had their O.W.L's (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) coming up and they had their heads in the books for the first time in the gang's memory. Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic and with his N.E.W.T's (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) coming up, he was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave severe punishments to anyone who he caught disturbing the quiet in the Common Room in the evenings. In fact the only one more on edge then Percy was Hermione.
Kari and Ombre were helping her as much as they could, and the rest of the gang had given up on asking her how she got to all her classes, but Ron and Harry couldn't restrain themselves when they saw her exam timetable. The first column read…
MONDAY:
9:00 am Arithmancy
9:00 am Transfiguration
LUNCH
1:00 pm Charms
1:00 pm Ancient Runes
"Hermione?" Ron asked cautiously, well aware that Hermione was liable to explode when disturbed, "Are you sure you've copied these down right?"
"Yes." Hermione snapped and then spent the next five minutes rummaging through the notes she'd made to find a text book.
Yami and Joey were sat at a table while Yugi perched, with his notes, on the window ledge, the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck. Yugi had finally taken it back in exchange for a promise from Yami, that he wouldn't cling so tightly to his hikari as long as Yugi agreed not to do anything as stupid as running into the Forbidden Forest without telling him.
So far both had stuck to their end of the bargain, and added to this was that Yami and Mahado had begun to teach him how to control both Yugi's Magic and the Shadows since it was so determined to escape their grip at the slightest thing.
Because they were working so closely together again, their partnership was finally beginning to get back to how it had been.
Bakura Malfoy had been lording it over them after passing his level three Beast Care and Taming, and Hagrid was so proud that one of his students had passed the course that he was allowing Bakura to tend to Buckbeak over the summer and to assist him in classes.
This meant that most of the gang were rather relieved that exams were coming up and lessons were ending. The only person that couldn't get that excited about the end of the year was Harry, even Hermione was relieved that the Summer Holidays would soon be here.
Bakura still hadn't forgiven Yami for having the audacity to be chosen by one of the Pilot Cat Kittens, though Kiyoshi, Bastet and Crookshanks had taken to the kitten instantly, becoming protective of but friendly with the little one, who Yami had named Kana, having felt that he couldn't keep calling the sacred animal by the name of Worm, who was now starting to sprout feathers and climb walls.
All in all, with no imminent threats to the gang, bar the usual, and no sign of Sirius Black, Exam week passed hectically, but with no major speed bumps, other then the last exam for most of the group, Divination.
There was a minor speed bump on Thursday night, the last night to get any research done, when Joey and Kari decided that if they studied any more then their head was going to explode and settled down for a game of Duel Monsters in the boy's dorms.
That would have been fine, had Joey not had a run in with Bakura earlier in the day and when he cast apparaître, practically shouting the spell, the deck responded by summoning most of the Monsters in his deck, at about a half to three quarter size, most of which didn't fit in the room properly, causing one of them, Joey wasn't sure which to tumble down the stairs.
"Return to your cards!" Joey yelped, naming all the monsters in sight. The two winced as they heard crashes and yelling from downstairs.
"How much trouble are we in?" Kari asked as Percy and Yami came upstairs.
Yami was followed by Baby Dragon.
"I'm sorry, but I have no choice but to remove House Points and inform Professor McGonagall, since your little Dragon broke the table he crashed into and disturbed the entire Common Room with its noise." Joey and Kari looked at each other and grimaced, "Five points each to be taken."
Percy then stalked back downstairs.
"Return to the deck." Joey sighed and pointed his wand at the dragon, who gave him a dirty look and vanished. "Don't say it." Joey growled at Yami, who looked amused and intrigued.
"I wasn't going to say anything, I was just wondering what you were doing to manage that stunt." Yami said thoughtfully, and then laughed. "And Yugi wants to know too."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry and Ron were the last for the Divination Exam, and were longing to join their friends at the lakeside. Ron went first, and came down twenty minutes later, warning Harry that he hadn't seen anything and that he did not think Professor Trelawney had believed what he'd made up.
Harry went up last and the sickly scent of the fire made Harry cough as he joined Professor Trelawney at the table, on which a large crystal ball stood. "Good day my dear," She said softly, "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… take your time now… then tell me what you see."
Harry stared at it, but nothing but fog stared back.
"Well?" Trelawney prompted delicately, "What do you see?"
"Err," Harry started, "A dark shape…"
"What does it resemble?" The Professor asked, "Think now…"
Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Yugi and his training at the hands of Mahado and Yami.
"A Pharaoh."
"Really…" Trelawney looked intrigued, "What about him?"
Harry gulped, remembering that the gang didn't know how much the teachers knew about the powers of the items, "He seems to be wielding some kind of powers."
"Magic?"
"I'm not sure…" Harry said, "He's fighting someone, an old enemy."
"And what does this enemy look like?"
"A man and a monster of some kind." Harry made up on the spot. "I don't know what it is."
"Who's winning?"
"I think it's about even." Harry's eyes widened as for a spilt second the fog in the crystal ball looked like it formed the Eye symbol from the millennium items and then it was gone as soon as it appeared. "It's gone." Harry murmured.
"That's a shame dear, we'll leave it there, I'm sure you did your best while the vision was there."
Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, when a loud, harsh voice spoke from behind him.
"It will happen tonight."
Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth was sagging.
"S…Sorry?" Asked Harry.
"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His disloyal servant, betrayed by his sons, betrayed by his cohort, will set out tonight. Tonight… before midnight… the servant… will set out… to rejoin… his master."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yugi."
The boy stopped in the corridor, having come inside to grab his, Yami and Joey's Duel Disks, Kari's Apparaître spell was good, but it wasn't the same as having a Duel Disk on one arm and a hand of cards in the other hand. He let Mahado catch up to him, though he was well aware that the Duel Monster could easily have outpaced him if he had wished. "What's wrong?"
"I need to ask a favour of you."
"I'll help in anyway I can, you know that." Yugi said, "What do you need?"
"I need you to utilise some of your training."
Yugi looked at Mahado carefully. "Which part?"
"The part where we taught you how to release people trapped within the Shadow Realm. The Pharaoh won't do it, we can't ask Ryou, we won't ask Bakura, Ombre can't do it and Kari, while strong, isn't able to control the Shadows that well."
Yugi nodded. "I should tell Yami though."
"Explain that I have you in training and that I will explain everything afterwards, the Pharaoh, while understanding in most things, still has that irrepressible hatred for the Dementors that would have him try and stop you."
"I know they need to be let out, or things will get worse." Yugi agreed, surprising Mahado, who had expected to have a larger argument out of Yugi, "Give me a second."
Mahado watched as the Little Pharaoh passed Mahado's message on, his eyes going blank. Then the boy's eyes cleared and he nodded.
'Mahado, don't push him to hard.' Yami told the Dark Magician directly.
Mahado didn't reply.
"Where do I need to go?" Yugi asked.
Mahado lead him up to the seventh floor and an empty classroom, where all the Duel Monsters had gathered, even Kisara.
They looked at Mahado sharply as he entered first, breathing sighs of relief as Yugi walked in afterwards. "Yugi has agreed to help us."
"You need to be in the centre of the group." Mana told the boy, who took of his de-ageing charm and with a flash of light, went from the child who was still the Little Pharaoh and became the young adult that resembled the Pharaoh in so many ways. However unlike the Pharaoh, Yugi's power was in no way overt, although even Kisara would not have challenged him alone.
Mahado and Mana watched as he placed his wand on the table by the door and took his place in the centre and Dark Necrofear took its place. Everything had to go perfectly, and Mahado had waited until he was certain Yugi could handle what he was asking of him before he had approached the young man. Yugi was older, now, than the Pharaoh had been when he'd sealed the Shadow Realm, and as such should have been trained a lot earlier, but... those where thoughts for a not so turbulent a moment.
"Ready?" Yugi asked, a little nervous but willing to attempt what Mahado had asked of him.
The Duel Monsters nodded and Mana grinned nervously. They all knew the effects of Dementors, and knew that they might have to fight them once they were released.
If necessary, they were ready.
Mahado watched in trepidation as Yugi closed his eyes and called upon the powers of the Shadows.
He'd been worried about letting Yugi do this, unsure that he was ready.
But something had told him to ask, and now, watching as Yugi tapped deep into the magic, Mahado could have been excused for mistaking the Young Pharaoh for the Pharaoh of Egypt.
Gone was the Little Pharaoh from when Yugi had been in training, the Young Pharaoh had never resembled his Egyptian counterpart more then he did now as the magic swirled around him, causing his Gryffindor Hogwarts Robes to swirl around him in the wind forming, at his temples, the light began to form into a crown, not that dissimilar to the one the archaeologists had returned to the Pharaohs at Christmas.
The Shadow Magic had worked out that a destined wielder was being trained and had finally accepted Yugi; unlocking the last of the power he was destined to wield, at the moment he needed it most.
Yugi's eyes snapped open, the violet orbs sharp, determined and knowing as Yugi released the bindings of the Dementors the Egyptian Pharaoh had sent to the Shadow Realm so many months ago, bringing them back to the human world.
Nobody liked the creatures, but leaving them in the Shadow Realm would have proved to be too dangerous and Yugi's own light magic created a shield against the Dementors' powers, encasing them in a prison of radiance in the room. His eyes swept around to Mahado, who nodded, and then Yugi attempted to close the door he'd opened.
The Young Pharaoh froze halfway through and for a second, the determination in his eyes gave way to surprise.
The Shadows wanted out for itself as much as they had wanted the Dementors out, and were now pushing against the teen's power, attempting to rip through the door and into the world the Dementors had been released into.
The Duel Monsters watched in growing horror as they realised that as strong as the Young Pharaoh had become, he would not be able to stop the tide of magic.
Yugi don…! Boh started to say but stopped at a look from Mahado.
"If he loses his concentration now, we're all lost."
The wand Yugi had laid on the table began to glow, growing brighter the longer Yugi struggled with the darkness and finally, as the Young Pharaoh gave everything he had to shut the door to the Shadow Realm, the light grew overbearing, merging with the shadows growing around the teenager in the centre of the room and finally overwhelming all in the room.
Mahado had enough time to view the crown of light fading and Yugi falling, before something dragged him away. Please, Yugi, be alright.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the Duellists at Hogwarts froze as they felt their links to the monsters almost completely vanish.
Yami's head shot towards a room, where light was streaming out of a window, and bolted to his feet, Ombre, Kari and Joey right behind him as he raced inside and up the stairs to the seventh floor, working out which room the light came from, from the streams of light under one of the doors.
Yami slammed it open and had to shield his eyes from the light, feeling a wave of coldness wash over him temporarily before disappearing.
As the light finally died down, Yami watched in horror as Yugi, crown fading, fell forward as if in slow motion, and the last of the Duel Monsters, Mahado included, vanished.
Please, Yugi, Yami heard Mahado's last mental plea, be alright.
Yami caught Yugi and examined every inch of him finally taking the Millennium Puzzle in hand and entering Yugi's Soul Room.
It had changed. While it was still full of Yugi's toys and games, there was one wall that showed an Egyptian style painting of a coronation. Yami looked from it, to the young adult sleeping on the most luxurious bed Yami had ever dreamed of.
The painting showed the shadows bowing to Yugi, who was wearing a crown of light; the crown of the heir.
But Yami could sense the painting wasn't something Yugi had brought into his soul room himself, and as such had no idea where it had come from…
Although he did have several thoughts as to what it meant…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Bakura, I need to speak to you privately."
Bakura Malfoy looked up from his purring book, and met the grey eyes of his adopted brother.
"Why?"
Draco glanced around; the dormitory was empty except for the two boys. "It is about my Father."
Bakura smiled slyly, and with a wave of his hand the small noises of outside was completely cut off. "Well?"
Draco bundled up his courage, but wouldn't meet Bakura's eyes as he handed over a piece of parchment.
Bakura scanned the letter and his grin deepened. "And what do you think we should do about this, brother?"
"A trap is no longer a trap if you walk into it knowingly." Draco replied, his voice unsteady and low.
"And what of being a proper Malfoy?"
Draco snorted, "It took my father a year to break out of prison, he's a fool; he only had two years left of his sentence to serve, and he should never have got caught in the first place. At least you are teaching me how not to get caught instead of relying on friends in high places and a large amount of bribes."
"But he is still your Father."
"Yes, but he betrayed us, betrayed the family, disgraced the family name, if I help him it will be more of the same incompetence."
"Draco…"
"And I'm scared of you."
Bakura blinked, surprised that that reason had made it onto the list, few people ever actually admitted to being afraid of him.
"So what do you think we should do with your Father?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The gang were in the hospital wing again.
"I should assign you lot permanent beds." Madam Pomfrey wasn't joking, as she checked Yugi over with a number of spells. "He's fine, just over strained his magic and exhausted. Nothing a few hours sleep can't cure." Yami breathed a sigh of relief. "I must ask if there's been anymore Shadow Games recently, because if so I'm assuming Mr Muto isn't the only one that will be brought in today."
It was Joey that answered, "No, Yugi was training with the Duel Monsters and something happened and we found Yugi like this and the Duel Monsters gone."
Madam Pomfrey tutted and walked off as a purple eyes silver dragon swooped in the window, leaving a note for the group before taking off again. It seemed the Dragons born in the world were the only ones who hadn't vanished.
Joey looked at it and then passed it to Yami, "It's for you."
To the Pharaoh.
If you're reading this, then there's a possibility something has gone wrong and I am unable to explain this to you in person.
Do not blame Yugi for the events that have transpired, it was I that asked him to do what he did.
He was just doing what you would not.
The Dementors are no longer in the Shadow Realm, where they are is another matter as I will have no idea, but that should make it as safe as it can be for you to finish Yugi's training, without the fear of the Shadows attempting to consume us all.
Make sure you do continue his training, for his sake and for yours.
Be safe,
Mahado
It was signed by the Dark Magician and Yami passed it around. "Yugi let them out to help us and the Duel Monsters." Yami whispered. "I just wish I knew what has happened to our monsters." He turned to look at the others, who were just as shocked as he was. "We're supposed to be meeting with Hagrid for tea." Yami said, his voice taking on some form of normality, "You guys should go, I'll stay with Yugi."
Joey shook his head, and the girls looked like they were going to protest but at that moment Madam Pomfrey ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione, Joey, Kari and Ombre out the door.
They looked at each other and headed down to the entrance hall, Joey, Kari and Ombre barely saying anything. "I wonder what went wrong." Ron said quietly as they walked down to Hagrid's Hut.
"I don't know." Hermione replied, her voice just as quiet.
Silence fell again as they reached Hagrid's hut. He let them in quickly and shut the door behind them just as quickly. "Where are Yugi and Yami?"
"Yugi's in the hospital wing. He was… studying too hard and the sleep finally caught up with him." Kari said, "Yami stayed with him."
"I surprised you're not in there with him." Hagrid said to Hermione, "The amount of work you did for the exams." He sighed, "I shouldn't have asked you down here but I found someone that belongs to yer, Ron."
Hagrid picked up a cage and passed it to Ron. Everyone stared at it. "That's… Scabbers!" Ron opened the cage door and took the rat out.
"Don't worry." Ron said as Scabbers tried to escape, "There's no cats here."
Joey was looking out the window, at this time of day, he would have been able to see Tobias flying around… except… "Ummm, is there a reason the Minister for Magic is coming down here?"
"What?" Kari yelped, looking out the window. "Oh no."
"Quickly, go out the back door!" Hagrid let them out and shut the door just in time for the front door to be knocked on.
"Ah Hagrid, I heard something about Dragons at Hogwarts." They could hear Cornelius Fudge say, "My men and I are conducting an investigation, may I come in?"