Chapter 7: - Poor Yami
Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, halting the Japanese students long enough to get them to pass the message to their monsters to search the grounds. The long tables had been pushed to the sides, making enough room for everyone. The Gryffindors were joined by the students of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, who all looked very confused.
"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore said as the last student slipped in just before Professors Flitwick and McGonagall shut the doors.
The student made her way over to a group of students, eight Gryffindors, two Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff. They'd grabbed sleeping bags and claimed a corner of the room as their own. She grabbed a sleeping bag of her own and stopped behind one of the tallest of the group.
"Hi guys."
The boy in front of her wheeled around, as did Ombre, Joey and Hermione. "Kari?" Hermione yelped, "What're you doing out of the Hospital Wing?"
"They said I'd be safer here. Madam Pomfrey wasn't overly happy to let me out though." She said, watching a group of Slytherins in the opposite corner out of the corner of her eye. Ombre reached out with her magic and sensed Bakura and Malfoy in the centre of the group.
"Kari…" Joey started, however Kari's eyes hardened and she turned away from him, Kaiba moved up to make room between him and Ombre and she laid her sleeping bag down between the two. Yugi looked at his friend and saw Joey was upset at the shrug off.
"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Yugi whispered.
"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be." Ron replied.
"It's very lucky he picked tonight you know," Hermione said as they settled into their sleeping bags. "The one night we weren't in the tower."
"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run." Joey said.
"Yeah, didn't realise it was Halloween," Ron said, "Or he'd off burst in here." Yugi and Hermione shuddered.
The questions and suggestions going around the hall annoyed Hermione. "Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read 'Hogwarts, a history'?" She asked the rest of the group crossly.
"No," Kari replied, "Remember, I read it in our first year."
"Then you know as well as I do that this castle is protected by more then walls, dragons and Duel Monsters. There are all sorts of enchantments to stop people getting in by stealth. You can't just apparate in here, and I'd like to see the disguise that could fool the Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds, they, or the dragons, would've seen him fly in."
"The lights are going out!" Percy shouted and all the candles went out at once.
It was very early morning, when most of the students had fallen asleep, when Professor Dumbledore came in. Yami, who was finding it impossible to sleep, was glad he had his back to Percy who, as Head Boy, was one of the two in charge, as Professor Dumbledore came over to speak to him.
"Any sign of him Professor?" Asked Percy in a whisper.
"No, all well here?"
"Everything under control, sir."
"Good, there's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."
"And the Fat Lady, sir?"
"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."
"Yami?" Yami almost jumped, he hadn't realised Yugi was still awake, and he sounded scared, "How could he just get away?" As much as he wanted to reassure his hikari, Yami didn't have an answer.
"You remember the conversation we had Headmaster?" It was Snape, "Just before –ah – the Start of Term?"
"I do, Severus." Yami could easily hear the warning in Dumbledore's voice.
"It seems – almost impossible – that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed…"
"I do not believe that a single person inside this castle would've helped Black enter it." Said Dumbledore, his tone was clear that the subject was closed. "I must go inform the Dementors that our search is complete. The Duel Monsters won't go anywhere near them."
"Didn't the Dementors want to help, sir?" Percy asked.
"Oh yes," Said Dumbledore coldly, "But no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."
"Yami?" Yugi asked over the mind link.
'Yes, Yugi?'
"What was that about?"
'I don't know.'
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The school talked of nothing else but Sirius Black for the next few days as Kari joined them in classes again. They had decided to ignore the suggestions of how Black had got into the castle, including the theory that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.
The Fat Lady's ripped portrait was replaced by a portrait of a knight by the name of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. Nobody was particularly happy about this as he spent most of his time challenging people to duels or coming up with very complicated passwords.
However the mad guardian was the least of Harry's worries. He was being closely watched and whenever he wasn't in a large group with his friends, teachers would find an excuse to walk with him along the corridors.
The weather was worsening steadily as the first Quidditch match of the season. Undaunted, the Gryffindor Quidditch team were training harder then ever, watched by Madam Hooch, who was acting on Professor McGonagall's orders.
Then, at the last training session before Saturday's match, Wood gave the team some unwelcome news.
"We're not playing Slytherin!" Wood stormed, "Flint's just been to see me, we're playing Hufflepuff instead!"
"Why?" Chorused the rest of the team.
"Flint's excuse was that his Seeker fell down the stairs and can't play." Wood ground his teeth, "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather, think it'll ruin their chances…"
"Madam Pomfrey can fix breaks in minutes!" Yami growled, "He's faking it!"
"I know that, you know that, but we can't prove it!" Wood said bitterly, "And we've been practising all those moves assuming we'll be playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff and their styles are different! They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory…"
Angelina and Katie giggled.
"What?" Wood asked frowning.
"He's that tall, good looking one, isn't he?" Angelina asked.
"Strong and silent." Katie said. She then looked at Angelina and the two girls started giggling again.
"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together. Hufflepuff are a pushover. Alright so we have to field a reserve after Alicia's accident;" Fred growled, "No offence, Yugi."
"None taken." Yugi replied, well aware that Alicia's accident was in fact a sneak attack by a couple of sixth year Slytherins. He'd had to be careful himself, not that Yami ever left him alone long enough for the Slytherins to get anywhere near him, after what had happened to Kari.
"Come on Oliver," George said impatiently, "Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember."
"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, "I'm not worried about fielding a reserve!" He yelled, waving towards Yugi, who smiled at him, "But Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin are trying to wrong foot us! We must win!"
"Oliver, calm down!" George said, looking alarmed, "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously!"
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The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder then ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. Most of the Slytherin team were looking smug and Bakura in particular was looking more evil then ever causing Yami to stick closer to his hikari then ever.
However, Harry and Yugi had no time to worry about anything other then the match. Yugi had it easier then Harry, who was being pestered by Wood who made Harry ten minutes late for Defence Against the Dark Arts. However it wasn't Lupin taking the class, it was Snape, who took ten points from Gryffindor. Snape's excuse for infiltrating their class was that Lupin was very ill.
He looked through the notes and then flicked through the book, right to the back, which he must know they hadn't covered yet and said, "Today we shall discuss…" He paused and smirked, "Werewolves."
"But Sir!" Said Hermione, looking at Kari for backup, "We're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypuffs."
Snape didn't listen and continued to aggravate them all lesson, finally causing Ron to snap, "You asked us a question and Hermione knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"
Even Yami, who'd been considering sending Snape to the Shadow Realm, recognised Ron had gone too far in Snape's eyes, as the Potions Master stalked over to the red headed boy. "Detention Weasley." Said Snape silkily, his face close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."
No one spoke for the rest of the lesson, but everyone complained as Snape set them homework, two rolls of parchment on the way they would recognise and kill a werewolf. Ron caught up with them five minutes after the class ended, absolutely fuming. He, Joey and Yami started a very long rant which didn't stop until they went to up the Common Room after dinner, during which Yugi managed to sneak a piece of chocolate cake from under Yami's nose making Kari laugh. They headed up straight up to bed afterwards, though it was quite a while before anyone slept as Fred and George set off a bunch of firecrackers as their way of releasing tension before the match.
Yugi was the first awake the next morning, or at least he thought he was. When he went down to the Common Room, Harry was already there.
"What time is it?" Harry asked as Yugi carried a spitting and snarling Kiyoshe down he stairs.
"Ten past five," Yugi answered, putting Yami's cat down, it shot back upstairs, "I give up, she was trying to eat Scabbers!" Yugi said, frustration tinting his voice, "We didn't have nearly as much trouble last year with her. I know," He turned to Harry, "Wanna play Wizard Chess?"
Harry nodded. Yugi beat him before they went down for breakfast, with Yugi keeping an eye on Kiyoshe. Harry felt slightly disappointed that he couldn't beat Yugi at chess even when his attention was divided. They were joined by the Quidditch team, as well as Danni and Yami. Wood insisted his reserves were ready to fly in case of injuries.
"It's going to be a tough one." Oliver said, as Yugi tried to tempt him to eat something.
"Stop worrying Oliver," Said Angelina soothingly, "We don't mind a bit of rain."
However it was considerably more then a bit of rain.
Harry, Yugi and Yami changed into their scarlet Quidditch robes, and waited for Oliver's regular pep talk. It didn't come, the team captain tried to speak several times but just ended up gulping and closing his mouth again. With the rain storm outside, Yami was glad he wasn't needed to play unless Harry came off his broom and that was as unlikely as Bakura turning over a new leaf.
Oliver shook his head and led the team out, the reserves waiting inside. The wind was so strong that Yugi staggered sideways as he walked out onto the pitch. "Oh great." Yugi murmured, as thunder rumbled over the pitch. If the crowd was cheering then they couldn't hear it over the wind. Yugi looked over to Harry, who was trying to dry his glasses, if Harry couldn't see out of them Yami would have to take over, and both boys knew Yami would probably freeze in fear in this weather.
The Hufflepuffs approached, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains shook hands; Diggory smiled but Wood merely nodded. Harry and Yugi saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." This was going to be interesting if they couldn't hear anyone. They mounted their brooms and took off as Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which was the only sound they could hear over the wind. They were off.
Harry rose faster then Yugi, both Nimbus 2000's swerving slightly in the wind. Harry held it as steady as he could and watched for the snitch, while wondering how Yugi was doing.
In minutes Yugi was so cold and wet that he fumbled when catching the Quaffle two or three times, he managed to score just before Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which went off as the first flash of lightening was seen.
Yugi flew down to where he could just about see Wood, Harry had beaten him to the ground, "I called for a time out." Wood roared as Yugi touched down, "Come on, under here!" They huddled under a large umbrella, Yugi pushed his bangs out of his eyes, water was streaming from them. He sneezed and Wood looked at him sympathetically, "You alright to continue, Muto?" Yugi nodded.
"What's the score?" Harry asked.
"We're fifty points up," Wood said, "But unless we get the snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."
'You alright?' Yami asked over the mind link. Yugi jumped, he'd forgotten he was wearing the Puzzle under his Quidditch robes.
"Yeap, Wood's called a…" "Ahhh choooo!" "Time out."
"I've got no chance with these on!" Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses, he'd missed the quick conversation between yami and hikari and didn't really want to substitute with Yami, because the Pharaoh, while no longer afraid of flying, wasn't experienced with flying in this sort of weather, he would if he had to but Harry knew that Yami would rather he didn't and Jenny had graduated last year and had never been very good at spotting the snitch even in good weather.
At the very moment Harry had waved his glasses, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was beaming. "Harry, give me your glasses!"
Hermione tapped them with her wand as the team watched in amazement, "Impervius!" Hermione grinned and handed them back to Harry, who put them back on and found… "They'll repel water now!" Hermione said over the latest roar of thunder.
Oliver looked like he could have kissed her as she dashed back to the stands. "Ok team, let's go, Muto, if you can't continue, tell me now." He added when Yugi sneezed again as they took off.
"I'm fine." Yugi yelled over the noise of the wind, joining the team in the air. He caught the Quaffle that Angelina and streaked towards the Hufflepuff goal hoops. He narrowly avoided a Hufflepuff, he thought it was a Beater, by spinning on his broom and zooming away.
A bludger came wizzing at him so he tossed the Quaffle back to Angelina and let his broomstick drop so the bludger went over his head. "Harry! Behind you!" He heard Wood yell and let the wind spin him around, Wood must have seen the Snitch.
Then he felt a familiar chill sink into his bones, Harry was diving at top speed for the Snitch, but then he seemed to slow, lose his grip… Harry was falling…
Harry never falls…
Yugi felt chilled to his core, there was nothing he could do… but he'd acted without thought and was now racing after Harry.
He wasn't going to make it.
He couldn't make it.
Then Harry slowed down.
The darkness lifted somewhat, and the storm seemed to calm.
He caught him.
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Yami was furious. He now hated the Dementors with the same depth that was normally reserved only for Bakura. When they had come he had felt the depths of his despair, but now all he felt was cold fury. Mahado was stood at his side and the Dementors seemed fearful of the pair.
"How dare you?" He snarled, not expecting an answer. Mahado wondered if the Pharaoh was aware of the building Shadow Magic, if he was aware the Millennium Symbol was glowing on his forehead, if he was aware of anything other than his towering fury.
A Dementor floated forward, Yami's icy glare turned to it. He raised his hand and the creature let out a horrible shriek as the shadows rose up around it, taking it to the Shadow Realm.
The remaining Dementors drew back, Yami and Mahado took a couple of steps forward, the shadows darkening and reaching out hungrily, devouring two more Dementors.
"Muto!" A familiar voice called firmly, Yami didn't turn around, "Yami!" The voice called him a second time, the person hadn't been able to tell which Muto he was, "Yami, don't you dare ignore me!"
Yami wheeled around angrily, ready to send the person to the Shadow Realm for interfering, and then froze. "What do you want, Kaiba?"
"I believe he was looking out for your welfare, Mr Muto." Professor Dumbledore said, stepping out of the storm educed darkness.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir?" Yami asked, his rampage temporarily forgotten, Dumbledore was radiating anger like Yami was radiating Shadow Magic. The symbol on Yami's forehead flickered for a moment, but the shadows did not want to leave.
Professor Dumbledore raised his wand and silvery light flowed out of it, driving the Dementors further back before they turned amass and glided away.
Kaiba was watching Yami, "Curb your powers, Muto."
"He's right Yami, control the Shadows." Dumbledore commanded softly.
Yami nodded once, closed his eyes and forced the shadows away, closing the door.
When he opened his eyes again, light danced across his vision and pain burst behind his eyes but as his knees gave way he felt someone catch him, supporting him, as his vision cleared he was shocked to see it was Kaiba. "Are you alright Yami?"
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She felt so cold, so very, very cold. A burning sensation in her eyes told her that she was close to tears, but why? She should feel happy, or at least relieved. The Dementors were gone. Chased away by the Headmaster, the Pharaoh and Mahado.
Then why did she feel like the world was ending? And that there was nothing she could do about it.
She should go talk to someone. Instead she was curled up on her bed, shaking. Her mind was running around in circles. Why did everything feel so bad? Mana tried to bring to mind good things, happy things. They were absent, or unreal.
"Mana?" A quiet knock at her door, the voice unsteady… worried.
She considered moving, but the thought of moving was too much, her limbs felt heavy and her voice lost.
"Mana?" The knock came again, this time the voice sounded almost panicked… but it was so thick and tired as well.
"Mahado?" She called out, but her voice sounded strange to her ears. Try a mental call echoed in her mind, and while her body lay unresponsive to her commands her mind remained active and a sudden energy filled it, burning to be released. Mahado? She called, putting all of the new burning energy behind the call.
The door opened slightly, enough to allow Mahado to slip inside her room. Mana managed to open her eyes to look at him, but her lids remained heavy, and her body was beginning to go numb. He looked so tired and worn, and something was haunting him.
"Mana, something is wrong… something has gone so very wrong." Then he stopped, looked at her and seemed to really see her for the first time since… Mana tried to remember, but it was a good memory and beyond her.
"Mana! What happened? What's wrong?"
Mana tried to lift her head, but she was so very tired and instead closed her eyes. The cold was burning now, and it hurt, but she was so cold and living seemed so hard.
"Mana," the voice seemed so far away, and she almost felt like she was drifting way into the cold lonely mist. "Mana, I need you to fight this. I need you, don't leave me…"
Could she fight this? She was so cold… all she wanted to do was sleep and drift and forget. A single tear formed, and ran slowly down her face. It was hot, but left a cold trail.
Someone wiped it away, warm hand against her cold face. What was his name? So many memories were gone. What is his name? It was gone, with only a shadow left in its place. A fire filled her. She wanted that name back. She would have that name back or by the Gods she would… Mahado. Oh… good, now what? She could feel her body again; she tried to flex her hand. A finger moved, then a second. Within moments she had control of her arm, and she could hear someone speaking.
"Don't die, please don't die. I don't know what I would do if you died. Please Mana, come back. Please don't die. I couldn't bear it."
She almost smiled, she could feel a small smile almost on her lips, but it was held back. "Mahado?" She asked weakly. "What happened?"
"The Pharaoh sent three Dementors to the Shadow Realm." He told her.
"Yami did what? But that means… but why would he do that?"
"The Dementors he sent are not imprisoned, only trapped. They will continue to feed on all those connected to the shadows."
Mana closed her eyes, "We are still connected. Is there anything we can do?"
"I'm not sure. But if we don't do something…"
"We can isolate them. Draw the lines of power away from them, sent the lines spinning around them, if they spin fast enough…" Mana began, seeing in her mind eye what needed to be done.
"Then they won't be able to tap into the shadows. But will it be enough?"
"No. They will escape, and they could be far more powerful than before. But if we set them loose at this point…" Mana left it unsaid.
"It is the only idea I've heard that has any chance of helping. If we let them continue to drain us we'll be in no fit state to do anything."
"Should we ask for help?"
Mahado snorted, "And who from? The Pharaoh is in the hospital wing, Kari is still recovering, Ombre was never much good at our kind of magic, Yugi hasn't been trained, Ryou is off limits, and if you are even considering Bakura I think you need your head checked."
"I was actually thinking of the dragons."
"I can't wake them, I tried… they are as unresponsive as you were a few minutes ago, except for Kisara."
"Then Kisara…" Mana looked at him, Mahado's eyes were hard and she dropped the idea. "Okay then, just us two, may the Dementors tremble at the thought of their doom."
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Harry could hear voices.
"I'm fine!"
"According to Kaiba and Professor Dumbledore, you nearly collapsed!"
"I was overtired. I'm fine now."
"You're not going anywhere until I've checked you over."
"But…"
"Please Yami, let her, just in case."
"There's nothing wrong, Yugi, you don't have to worry."
"How long have you been getting the headaches for?" Harry heard Madam Pomfrey ask.
"Just a few days… weeks… ummm… maybe a couple of months…" Harry could almost see Yugi glaring at his 'brother.' He did not know where he was, but from what he could hear he was pretty sure it was the Hospital Wing.
He opened his eyes slowly and Kari's face lit up, "Yugi, he's awake!" Harry had been right, he was led in a bed in the Hospital Wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, splattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around his bed. The gang were there too, though Yami and Yugi was a couple of beds down, looking like they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.
Two beds down, a mud splattered Yugi, was glaring at Yami, who looked like he'd been put through the wringer, while Pomfrey fussed over the latter.
"Harry!" Yugi wheeled around as Fred spoke, both twins were white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"
Harry's memory was on fast forward, the lightening, the Grim… and the Dementors…
"What happened?" Harry asked, sitting up so fast everyone gasped.
"You fell off," Said Fred, "Must've been – what – fifty feet?"
"We thought you'd died!" Said Angelina; who was shaking. Hermione made a small squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely blood shot.
"But the match," Harry asked, "What happened? Are we having a replay?"
No one said anything, no one would meet his in the eyes. The truth sank into Harry like a stone.
"We didn't… lose…"
"Diggory caught the Snitch." Said George, "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw… Yugi saved your life… he caught you… and Diggory wanted to call it off when he saw, wanted a rematch, but they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."
"Where is Wood?"
"Still in the showers," Fred told him, "We think he's trying to drown himself."
Harry put his face to his knees, his hands roughly gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. "C'mon Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."
"There had to be one time you didn't get it." George said.
"It's only the start of the season!" Kari said, wondering if Quidditch was like football points wise. Angelina agreed.
"Yeah, we only lost by one hundred points, right?"
"Yeah, so if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…" Fred answered.
"Hufflepuff will have to lose by at least two hundred points." Said George.
"But if they beat Ravenclaw…"
"No way, Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin lose against Hufflepuff…"
"It all depends on the points – a margin of a hundred either way."
Harry led there, not saying a word. They had lost… for the first time ever, he had lost a Quidditch match.
Ten minutes later, after Madam Pomfrey was convinced Yami wouldn't collapse on the spot again, the nurse shooed out the Quidditch team, leaving the gang behind. They settled around Harry's bed.
"Dumbledore's furious." Yami said, Harry could tell he wasn't happy either.
"I've never seen him like that before," Hermione said, her voice quaking, "He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you slowed down enough for Yugi to catch you. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium straight away… he was furious they'd come into the grounds, we heard him…"
"The Dementors won't be coming into the grounds again any time soon." Yami growled.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Yami sent three of them to the Shadow Realm," Kari said, "And nearly collapsed right afterwards."
"I didn't collapse!" Yami snapped, glaring at Kari.
"I said nearly!" Kari squeaked, she looked at Harry, "Harry, errr…"
"Did someone get my Nimbus?" Harry asked. The gang looked at each other. "What?"
"Well… when you fell off, it got blown away." Hermione said hesitantly.
"And?"
"And it hit… it hit, oh Harry… it hit the Whomping Willow." Harry's insides lurched.
"And?" He asked, dreading the answer.
"Well, you know the Whomping Willow." Said Ron, "It doesn't like to be hit."
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before Yami's complaining woke you up." Ombre said, picking up a bag at her feet and as she finished, she tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful and finally beaten broom.
"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore said as the last student slipped in just before Professors Flitwick and McGonagall shut the doors.
The student made her way over to a group of students, eight Gryffindors, two Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff. They'd grabbed sleeping bags and claimed a corner of the room as their own. She grabbed a sleeping bag of her own and stopped behind one of the tallest of the group.
"Hi guys."
The boy in front of her wheeled around, as did Ombre, Joey and Hermione. "Kari?" Hermione yelped, "What're you doing out of the Hospital Wing?"
"They said I'd be safer here. Madam Pomfrey wasn't overly happy to let me out though." She said, watching a group of Slytherins in the opposite corner out of the corner of her eye. Ombre reached out with her magic and sensed Bakura and Malfoy in the centre of the group.
"Kari…" Joey started, however Kari's eyes hardened and she turned away from him, Kaiba moved up to make room between him and Ombre and she laid her sleeping bag down between the two. Yugi looked at his friend and saw Joey was upset at the shrug off.
"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Yugi whispered.
"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be." Ron replied.
"It's very lucky he picked tonight you know," Hermione said as they settled into their sleeping bags. "The one night we weren't in the tower."
"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run." Joey said.
"Yeah, didn't realise it was Halloween," Ron said, "Or he'd off burst in here." Yugi and Hermione shuddered.
The questions and suggestions going around the hall annoyed Hermione. "Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read 'Hogwarts, a history'?" She asked the rest of the group crossly.
"No," Kari replied, "Remember, I read it in our first year."
"Then you know as well as I do that this castle is protected by more then walls, dragons and Duel Monsters. There are all sorts of enchantments to stop people getting in by stealth. You can't just apparate in here, and I'd like to see the disguise that could fool the Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds, they, or the dragons, would've seen him fly in."
"The lights are going out!" Percy shouted and all the candles went out at once.
It was very early morning, when most of the students had fallen asleep, when Professor Dumbledore came in. Yami, who was finding it impossible to sleep, was glad he had his back to Percy who, as Head Boy, was one of the two in charge, as Professor Dumbledore came over to speak to him.
"Any sign of him Professor?" Asked Percy in a whisper.
"No, all well here?"
"Everything under control, sir."
"Good, there's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."
"And the Fat Lady, sir?"
"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."
"Yami?" Yami almost jumped, he hadn't realised Yugi was still awake, and he sounded scared, "How could he just get away?" As much as he wanted to reassure his hikari, Yami didn't have an answer.
"You remember the conversation we had Headmaster?" It was Snape, "Just before –ah – the Start of Term?"
"I do, Severus." Yami could easily hear the warning in Dumbledore's voice.
"It seems – almost impossible – that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed…"
"I do not believe that a single person inside this castle would've helped Black enter it." Said Dumbledore, his tone was clear that the subject was closed. "I must go inform the Dementors that our search is complete. The Duel Monsters won't go anywhere near them."
"Didn't the Dementors want to help, sir?" Percy asked.
"Oh yes," Said Dumbledore coldly, "But no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."
"Yami?" Yugi asked over the mind link.
'Yes, Yugi?'
"What was that about?"
'I don't know.'
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The school talked of nothing else but Sirius Black for the next few days as Kari joined them in classes again. They had decided to ignore the suggestions of how Black had got into the castle, including the theory that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.
The Fat Lady's ripped portrait was replaced by a portrait of a knight by the name of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. Nobody was particularly happy about this as he spent most of his time challenging people to duels or coming up with very complicated passwords.
However the mad guardian was the least of Harry's worries. He was being closely watched and whenever he wasn't in a large group with his friends, teachers would find an excuse to walk with him along the corridors.
The weather was worsening steadily as the first Quidditch match of the season. Undaunted, the Gryffindor Quidditch team were training harder then ever, watched by Madam Hooch, who was acting on Professor McGonagall's orders.
Then, at the last training session before Saturday's match, Wood gave the team some unwelcome news.
"We're not playing Slytherin!" Wood stormed, "Flint's just been to see me, we're playing Hufflepuff instead!"
"Why?" Chorused the rest of the team.
"Flint's excuse was that his Seeker fell down the stairs and can't play." Wood ground his teeth, "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather, think it'll ruin their chances…"
"Madam Pomfrey can fix breaks in minutes!" Yami growled, "He's faking it!"
"I know that, you know that, but we can't prove it!" Wood said bitterly, "And we've been practising all those moves assuming we'll be playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff and their styles are different! They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory…"
Angelina and Katie giggled.
"What?" Wood asked frowning.
"He's that tall, good looking one, isn't he?" Angelina asked.
"Strong and silent." Katie said. She then looked at Angelina and the two girls started giggling again.
"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together. Hufflepuff are a pushover. Alright so we have to field a reserve after Alicia's accident;" Fred growled, "No offence, Yugi."
"None taken." Yugi replied, well aware that Alicia's accident was in fact a sneak attack by a couple of sixth year Slytherins. He'd had to be careful himself, not that Yami ever left him alone long enough for the Slytherins to get anywhere near him, after what had happened to Kari.
"Come on Oliver," George said impatiently, "Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember."
"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, "I'm not worried about fielding a reserve!" He yelled, waving towards Yugi, who smiled at him, "But Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin are trying to wrong foot us! We must win!"
"Oliver, calm down!" George said, looking alarmed, "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously!"
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The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder then ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. Most of the Slytherin team were looking smug and Bakura in particular was looking more evil then ever causing Yami to stick closer to his hikari then ever.
However, Harry and Yugi had no time to worry about anything other then the match. Yugi had it easier then Harry, who was being pestered by Wood who made Harry ten minutes late for Defence Against the Dark Arts. However it wasn't Lupin taking the class, it was Snape, who took ten points from Gryffindor. Snape's excuse for infiltrating their class was that Lupin was very ill.
He looked through the notes and then flicked through the book, right to the back, which he must know they hadn't covered yet and said, "Today we shall discuss…" He paused and smirked, "Werewolves."
"But Sir!" Said Hermione, looking at Kari for backup, "We're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypuffs."
Snape didn't listen and continued to aggravate them all lesson, finally causing Ron to snap, "You asked us a question and Hermione knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"
Even Yami, who'd been considering sending Snape to the Shadow Realm, recognised Ron had gone too far in Snape's eyes, as the Potions Master stalked over to the red headed boy. "Detention Weasley." Said Snape silkily, his face close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."
No one spoke for the rest of the lesson, but everyone complained as Snape set them homework, two rolls of parchment on the way they would recognise and kill a werewolf. Ron caught up with them five minutes after the class ended, absolutely fuming. He, Joey and Yami started a very long rant which didn't stop until they went to up the Common Room after dinner, during which Yugi managed to sneak a piece of chocolate cake from under Yami's nose making Kari laugh. They headed up straight up to bed afterwards, though it was quite a while before anyone slept as Fred and George set off a bunch of firecrackers as their way of releasing tension before the match.
Yugi was the first awake the next morning, or at least he thought he was. When he went down to the Common Room, Harry was already there.
"What time is it?" Harry asked as Yugi carried a spitting and snarling Kiyoshe down he stairs.
"Ten past five," Yugi answered, putting Yami's cat down, it shot back upstairs, "I give up, she was trying to eat Scabbers!" Yugi said, frustration tinting his voice, "We didn't have nearly as much trouble last year with her. I know," He turned to Harry, "Wanna play Wizard Chess?"
Harry nodded. Yugi beat him before they went down for breakfast, with Yugi keeping an eye on Kiyoshe. Harry felt slightly disappointed that he couldn't beat Yugi at chess even when his attention was divided. They were joined by the Quidditch team, as well as Danni and Yami. Wood insisted his reserves were ready to fly in case of injuries.
"It's going to be a tough one." Oliver said, as Yugi tried to tempt him to eat something.
"Stop worrying Oliver," Said Angelina soothingly, "We don't mind a bit of rain."
However it was considerably more then a bit of rain.
Harry, Yugi and Yami changed into their scarlet Quidditch robes, and waited for Oliver's regular pep talk. It didn't come, the team captain tried to speak several times but just ended up gulping and closing his mouth again. With the rain storm outside, Yami was glad he wasn't needed to play unless Harry came off his broom and that was as unlikely as Bakura turning over a new leaf.
Oliver shook his head and led the team out, the reserves waiting inside. The wind was so strong that Yugi staggered sideways as he walked out onto the pitch. "Oh great." Yugi murmured, as thunder rumbled over the pitch. If the crowd was cheering then they couldn't hear it over the wind. Yugi looked over to Harry, who was trying to dry his glasses, if Harry couldn't see out of them Yami would have to take over, and both boys knew Yami would probably freeze in fear in this weather.
The Hufflepuffs approached, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains shook hands; Diggory smiled but Wood merely nodded. Harry and Yugi saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." This was going to be interesting if they couldn't hear anyone. They mounted their brooms and took off as Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which was the only sound they could hear over the wind. They were off.
Harry rose faster then Yugi, both Nimbus 2000's swerving slightly in the wind. Harry held it as steady as he could and watched for the snitch, while wondering how Yugi was doing.
In minutes Yugi was so cold and wet that he fumbled when catching the Quaffle two or three times, he managed to score just before Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which went off as the first flash of lightening was seen.
Yugi flew down to where he could just about see Wood, Harry had beaten him to the ground, "I called for a time out." Wood roared as Yugi touched down, "Come on, under here!" They huddled under a large umbrella, Yugi pushed his bangs out of his eyes, water was streaming from them. He sneezed and Wood looked at him sympathetically, "You alright to continue, Muto?" Yugi nodded.
"What's the score?" Harry asked.
"We're fifty points up," Wood said, "But unless we get the snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."
'You alright?' Yami asked over the mind link. Yugi jumped, he'd forgotten he was wearing the Puzzle under his Quidditch robes.
"Yeap, Wood's called a…" "Ahhh choooo!" "Time out."
"I've got no chance with these on!" Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses, he'd missed the quick conversation between yami and hikari and didn't really want to substitute with Yami, because the Pharaoh, while no longer afraid of flying, wasn't experienced with flying in this sort of weather, he would if he had to but Harry knew that Yami would rather he didn't and Jenny had graduated last year and had never been very good at spotting the snitch even in good weather.
At the very moment Harry had waved his glasses, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was beaming. "Harry, give me your glasses!"
Hermione tapped them with her wand as the team watched in amazement, "Impervius!" Hermione grinned and handed them back to Harry, who put them back on and found… "They'll repel water now!" Hermione said over the latest roar of thunder.
Oliver looked like he could have kissed her as she dashed back to the stands. "Ok team, let's go, Muto, if you can't continue, tell me now." He added when Yugi sneezed again as they took off.
"I'm fine." Yugi yelled over the noise of the wind, joining the team in the air. He caught the Quaffle that Angelina and streaked towards the Hufflepuff goal hoops. He narrowly avoided a Hufflepuff, he thought it was a Beater, by spinning on his broom and zooming away.
A bludger came wizzing at him so he tossed the Quaffle back to Angelina and let his broomstick drop so the bludger went over his head. "Harry! Behind you!" He heard Wood yell and let the wind spin him around, Wood must have seen the Snitch.
Then he felt a familiar chill sink into his bones, Harry was diving at top speed for the Snitch, but then he seemed to slow, lose his grip… Harry was falling…
Harry never falls…
Yugi felt chilled to his core, there was nothing he could do… but he'd acted without thought and was now racing after Harry.
He wasn't going to make it.
He couldn't make it.
Then Harry slowed down.
The darkness lifted somewhat, and the storm seemed to calm.
He caught him.
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Yami was furious. He now hated the Dementors with the same depth that was normally reserved only for Bakura. When they had come he had felt the depths of his despair, but now all he felt was cold fury. Mahado was stood at his side and the Dementors seemed fearful of the pair.
"How dare you?" He snarled, not expecting an answer. Mahado wondered if the Pharaoh was aware of the building Shadow Magic, if he was aware the Millennium Symbol was glowing on his forehead, if he was aware of anything other than his towering fury.
A Dementor floated forward, Yami's icy glare turned to it. He raised his hand and the creature let out a horrible shriek as the shadows rose up around it, taking it to the Shadow Realm.
The remaining Dementors drew back, Yami and Mahado took a couple of steps forward, the shadows darkening and reaching out hungrily, devouring two more Dementors.
"Muto!" A familiar voice called firmly, Yami didn't turn around, "Yami!" The voice called him a second time, the person hadn't been able to tell which Muto he was, "Yami, don't you dare ignore me!"
Yami wheeled around angrily, ready to send the person to the Shadow Realm for interfering, and then froze. "What do you want, Kaiba?"
"I believe he was looking out for your welfare, Mr Muto." Professor Dumbledore said, stepping out of the storm educed darkness.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir?" Yami asked, his rampage temporarily forgotten, Dumbledore was radiating anger like Yami was radiating Shadow Magic. The symbol on Yami's forehead flickered for a moment, but the shadows did not want to leave.
Professor Dumbledore raised his wand and silvery light flowed out of it, driving the Dementors further back before they turned amass and glided away.
Kaiba was watching Yami, "Curb your powers, Muto."
"He's right Yami, control the Shadows." Dumbledore commanded softly.
Yami nodded once, closed his eyes and forced the shadows away, closing the door.
When he opened his eyes again, light danced across his vision and pain burst behind his eyes but as his knees gave way he felt someone catch him, supporting him, as his vision cleared he was shocked to see it was Kaiba. "Are you alright Yami?"
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She felt so cold, so very, very cold. A burning sensation in her eyes told her that she was close to tears, but why? She should feel happy, or at least relieved. The Dementors were gone. Chased away by the Headmaster, the Pharaoh and Mahado.
Then why did she feel like the world was ending? And that there was nothing she could do about it.
She should go talk to someone. Instead she was curled up on her bed, shaking. Her mind was running around in circles. Why did everything feel so bad? Mana tried to bring to mind good things, happy things. They were absent, or unreal.
"Mana?" A quiet knock at her door, the voice unsteady… worried.
She considered moving, but the thought of moving was too much, her limbs felt heavy and her voice lost.
"Mana?" The knock came again, this time the voice sounded almost panicked… but it was so thick and tired as well.
"Mahado?" She called out, but her voice sounded strange to her ears. Try a mental call echoed in her mind, and while her body lay unresponsive to her commands her mind remained active and a sudden energy filled it, burning to be released. Mahado? She called, putting all of the new burning energy behind the call.
The door opened slightly, enough to allow Mahado to slip inside her room. Mana managed to open her eyes to look at him, but her lids remained heavy, and her body was beginning to go numb. He looked so tired and worn, and something was haunting him.
"Mana, something is wrong… something has gone so very wrong." Then he stopped, looked at her and seemed to really see her for the first time since… Mana tried to remember, but it was a good memory and beyond her.
"Mana! What happened? What's wrong?"
Mana tried to lift her head, but she was so very tired and instead closed her eyes. The cold was burning now, and it hurt, but she was so cold and living seemed so hard.
"Mana," the voice seemed so far away, and she almost felt like she was drifting way into the cold lonely mist. "Mana, I need you to fight this. I need you, don't leave me…"
Could she fight this? She was so cold… all she wanted to do was sleep and drift and forget. A single tear formed, and ran slowly down her face. It was hot, but left a cold trail.
Someone wiped it away, warm hand against her cold face. What was his name? So many memories were gone. What is his name? It was gone, with only a shadow left in its place. A fire filled her. She wanted that name back. She would have that name back or by the Gods she would… Mahado. Oh… good, now what? She could feel her body again; she tried to flex her hand. A finger moved, then a second. Within moments she had control of her arm, and she could hear someone speaking.
"Don't die, please don't die. I don't know what I would do if you died. Please Mana, come back. Please don't die. I couldn't bear it."
She almost smiled, she could feel a small smile almost on her lips, but it was held back. "Mahado?" She asked weakly. "What happened?"
"The Pharaoh sent three Dementors to the Shadow Realm." He told her.
"Yami did what? But that means… but why would he do that?"
"The Dementors he sent are not imprisoned, only trapped. They will continue to feed on all those connected to the shadows."
Mana closed her eyes, "We are still connected. Is there anything we can do?"
"I'm not sure. But if we don't do something…"
"We can isolate them. Draw the lines of power away from them, sent the lines spinning around them, if they spin fast enough…" Mana began, seeing in her mind eye what needed to be done.
"Then they won't be able to tap into the shadows. But will it be enough?"
"No. They will escape, and they could be far more powerful than before. But if we set them loose at this point…" Mana left it unsaid.
"It is the only idea I've heard that has any chance of helping. If we let them continue to drain us we'll be in no fit state to do anything."
"Should we ask for help?"
Mahado snorted, "And who from? The Pharaoh is in the hospital wing, Kari is still recovering, Ombre was never much good at our kind of magic, Yugi hasn't been trained, Ryou is off limits, and if you are even considering Bakura I think you need your head checked."
"I was actually thinking of the dragons."
"I can't wake them, I tried… they are as unresponsive as you were a few minutes ago, except for Kisara."
"Then Kisara…" Mana looked at him, Mahado's eyes were hard and she dropped the idea. "Okay then, just us two, may the Dementors tremble at the thought of their doom."
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Harry could hear voices.
"I'm fine!"
"According to Kaiba and Professor Dumbledore, you nearly collapsed!"
"I was overtired. I'm fine now."
"You're not going anywhere until I've checked you over."
"But…"
"Please Yami, let her, just in case."
"There's nothing wrong, Yugi, you don't have to worry."
"How long have you been getting the headaches for?" Harry heard Madam Pomfrey ask.
"Just a few days… weeks… ummm… maybe a couple of months…" Harry could almost see Yugi glaring at his 'brother.' He did not know where he was, but from what he could hear he was pretty sure it was the Hospital Wing.
He opened his eyes slowly and Kari's face lit up, "Yugi, he's awake!" Harry had been right, he was led in a bed in the Hospital Wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, splattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around his bed. The gang were there too, though Yami and Yugi was a couple of beds down, looking like they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.
Two beds down, a mud splattered Yugi, was glaring at Yami, who looked like he'd been put through the wringer, while Pomfrey fussed over the latter.
"Harry!" Yugi wheeled around as Fred spoke, both twins were white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"
Harry's memory was on fast forward, the lightening, the Grim… and the Dementors…
"What happened?" Harry asked, sitting up so fast everyone gasped.
"You fell off," Said Fred, "Must've been – what – fifty feet?"
"We thought you'd died!" Said Angelina; who was shaking. Hermione made a small squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely blood shot.
"But the match," Harry asked, "What happened? Are we having a replay?"
No one said anything, no one would meet his in the eyes. The truth sank into Harry like a stone.
"We didn't… lose…"
"Diggory caught the Snitch." Said George, "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw… Yugi saved your life… he caught you… and Diggory wanted to call it off when he saw, wanted a rematch, but they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."
"Where is Wood?"
"Still in the showers," Fred told him, "We think he's trying to drown himself."
Harry put his face to his knees, his hands roughly gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. "C'mon Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."
"There had to be one time you didn't get it." George said.
"It's only the start of the season!" Kari said, wondering if Quidditch was like football points wise. Angelina agreed.
"Yeah, we only lost by one hundred points, right?"
"Yeah, so if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…" Fred answered.
"Hufflepuff will have to lose by at least two hundred points." Said George.
"But if they beat Ravenclaw…"
"No way, Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin lose against Hufflepuff…"
"It all depends on the points – a margin of a hundred either way."
Harry led there, not saying a word. They had lost… for the first time ever, he had lost a Quidditch match.
Ten minutes later, after Madam Pomfrey was convinced Yami wouldn't collapse on the spot again, the nurse shooed out the Quidditch team, leaving the gang behind. They settled around Harry's bed.
"Dumbledore's furious." Yami said, Harry could tell he wasn't happy either.
"I've never seen him like that before," Hermione said, her voice quaking, "He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you slowed down enough for Yugi to catch you. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium straight away… he was furious they'd come into the grounds, we heard him…"
"The Dementors won't be coming into the grounds again any time soon." Yami growled.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Yami sent three of them to the Shadow Realm," Kari said, "And nearly collapsed right afterwards."
"I didn't collapse!" Yami snapped, glaring at Kari.
"I said nearly!" Kari squeaked, she looked at Harry, "Harry, errr…"
"Did someone get my Nimbus?" Harry asked. The gang looked at each other. "What?"
"Well… when you fell off, it got blown away." Hermione said hesitantly.
"And?"
"And it hit… it hit, oh Harry… it hit the Whomping Willow." Harry's insides lurched.
"And?" He asked, dreading the answer.
"Well, you know the Whomping Willow." Said Ron, "It doesn't like to be hit."
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before Yami's complaining woke you up." Ombre said, picking up a bag at her feet and as she finished, she tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful and finally beaten broom.