Chapter 8: - Hey! Look who's in Hogsmead!
Yami was glad when classes started again on Monday when Harry rejoined his friends. Yugi had not spoken to him since Saturday night when Yugi had shouted at him for not telling him sooner, in front of the entire Gryffindor Common Room, stunning not only Yami but the rest of Gryffindor House as well. The awkward silences between Yami and his hikari were driving the Pharaoh up the wall.
However, returning to lessons meant the Slytherins were given a chance to wind up Gryffindor about their defeat. Ron finally cracked during Potions, having endured Malfoy's spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broomstick from the other side of the classroom.
"There has to be a way of changing the Penalty Game so it affects him if he's doing it at a distance." Joey snarled as Ron chucked a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, hitting the boy in the face and causing Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor, losing the points given to Yugi for catching Harry.
"If Snape's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm going off sick." Growled Ron as they headed up to class after lunch, "Check who's in there Hermione."
Hermione peered around the door, "It's OK."
Professor Lupin was back, but it certainly looked as though he'd been ill. Joey found himself sat in the middle of Yami and Yugi while Kari, Hermione and Ombre were sat a row back. The moment the entire class settled an explosion of complaints burst out about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill.
"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?"
"We don't know anything about werewolves!"
"Two rolls of parchment!"
"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.
"Yes, but he said we were really behind…"
"He wouldn't listen…"
"TWO ROLLS OF PARCHMENT!"
Professor Lupin smiled slightly at the looks of indignation on everyone's faces. "Don't worry, I'll speak to Snape. You don't have to do the essay."
Kari and Hermione groaned quietly, Joey sighed and turned around and looked at them, "Don't tell me you two have already done it!"
"Fine, they won't tell you." Ombre snapped at him.
The lesson passed without a hitch. As class ended, Yugi shot out the door and as the gang went to follow Lupin asked Harry to stay behind.
Yami caught up with Yugi as the boy headed for the Monster's wing to see Boh. "Yugi…"
"You could've told me!"
"But…"
"Don't say you didn't want to worry me!"
"It was just headaches; I didn't think it was anything to worry about."
"You've been getting them for months!"
"They were just headaches; they went away with a simple painkilling potion. There were more important things going on."
Yugi glared at him then asked, "You weren't worried about them?"
"They were just headaches, I wasn't even keeping track of them, it was only in the Hospital Wing that I realised how long I've been getting them for."
Yugi sighed, the anger in his eyes melting to concern, "Just promise me next time you'll tell me if something is wrong."
The moods of the gang took a definite upturn as the end of term approached. Harry would be getting Anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff and there was no sign of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger and the threat of Yami were keeping them at their stations.
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She was still angry, but now she was feeling betrayed and lonely.
Everyone was avoiding her.
Even her hatchlings had been staying away as much as possible.
Why could no one see that see was right?
She had tried keeping close tabs on all her hatchlings, but they kept slipping away.
When she had mentioned this to Tobias he had smiled slightly and told her not to worry. The five younglings weren't going to get into any trouble.
Kisara had moved out of her room.
There were lots of rooms in the castle that were unused. Even a few that were only accessible from the roof.
So now she was alone with her eggs.
They should hatch soon.
She just hoped they wouldn't betray her like the others.
It was Mahado's fault.
His fault everyone had turned against her.
She never understood him, he had never understood her.
They hated each other with a passion.
All that hate hurt so much.
She refused to feel hurt.
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Two weeks before the end of term, two things happened. The first snowfall left the grounds covered in 'white sand' as Kari jokingly reminded Ombre. The other thing was a letter from Kari's parents basically ordering Kari home for the holidays.
"Not a mention of me in the letter?" Ombre asked, relief etched on her face.
"No… Please guys!" Kari begged, "Don't make me go! Please, please, please, please!"
"How exactly are we supposed to help?" Yami asked; amusement obvious.
"Come up with a reason for me to stay here, please guys!"
"I don't have a reason, guys?" Joey asked, looking around. Everyone shook their heads.
"Fine!" Kari growled, "Who else can I ask?" She looked around the Great Hall, her eyes resting on the Ravenclaw table where Kaiba was missing. "Damn it!"
Everyone else would be staying for the holidays, Ron wanted to get away from Percy, Hermione said she wanted to use the library, while Yugi, Yami, Ombre, Joey, Ryou and even Kaiba and Mokuba would be staying here over Christmas instead of going back to Japan. Harry was glad they'd be staying over Christmas; he didn't think a Christmas by himself would be much fun.
To everyone's; bar Harry, delight, there was to be another Hogsmead weekend on the very last weekend of term.
"I'm going in Zonko's." Kari said with an evil grin, "And I'm taking Fred and George with me. I'm going to see if I can't get out of having to go home for another Christmas, ever!" Ombre gulped, why was she suddenly very glad she wasn't going with her hikari for Christmas?
"What about you, Yugi?" Ron said, rapidly changing the subject, Kari's parents were nicer to her then the Dursleys were to Harry… just about… only they had never quite forgiven Kari for being the surviving twin.
"Honeydukes." Yugi said happily, deliberately ignoring Yami's expression at the mention of the sweetshop.
Resigned to the fact he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood and had decided to read up on the different models. He'd been riding Kari's Nimbus 2000 during practise but he really needed his own broom, Harry didn't entirely trust Kari's broom, she was too well known for tinkering with it and he couldn't use Yugi and Yami's because they were on the team.
On the Saturday morning of the trip, Harry bid goodbye to the others and headed back towards the Gryffindor Tower. "Psst! Harry!"
He turned halfway along the third floor corridor to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a one eyed hump backed witch. "What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously, "I thought you were going to help Kari with ideas for pranking her parents."
"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go." Said Fred, with a mysterious wink, "Come in here." He nodded towards an empty classroom to the left of the one eyed statue. Harry followed the Weasley twins inside. George closed the door quietly and turned, beaming, to look at Harry.
"Early Christmas present for you, Harry." He said.
Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it. "What's that supposed to be?"
"This, Harry, is the secret of our success." Said George patting the parchment fondly.
"It's a wrench, giving it to you," Said Fred, "But we decided last night, your needs greater then ours."
"Anyway, we know it off by heart." Said George, "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."
"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" Said Harry.
"A bit of old parchment?" Said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him, "Explain, George."
"Well… when we were in our first year, Harry, young, carefree and innocent…"
Harry snorted. He doubted Fred and George had ever been innocent.
"…Well, a lot more innocent then we are now… we got into a spot of bother with Filch."
"We let off a Dungbomb off in the corridor and it upset him for some reason…"
"So he hauled us off to his to his office and started threatening us with the usual…"
"…Dentention…"
"…Disembowlment…"
"…And we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."
"Don't tell me…" Harry said, starting to grin.
"Well, what you have done?" Asked Fred, "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed… this."
"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know." Said George, "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."
"And you know how to work it."
"Oh yes," Said Fred, smirking, "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."
"You're winding me up." Said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.
"Oh, are we?" Said George. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
At once thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, green curly words that proclaimed;
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
Are Proud to Present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
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Crabbe leaned into the headboard on his bed as he chewed on the end of a quill.
Before him lay his transfiguration books and notes as he tried to concentrate on his homework.
It was never easy.
Bakura was pacing the room again.
Draco was pretending to read, but hadn't turned a page for several minutes.
Goyle was watching the ink from his quill make interesting patterns on the scroll. When magical quills broke they went very wrong indeed.
Crabbe was becoming worried. He knew he wasn't a quick thinker, or even a good thinker but some things you just knew.
Don't show your weakness, especially not to your allies. Yet Bakura was pacing.
The only person you could trust was yourself or someone completely in your power.
Had all three of them fallen so completely into Bakura's power in so short a time, or did he simply not care, or did he believe they didn't have a chance against him.
Were they being controlled, or simply manipulated? Crabbe expected to be manipulated; it was part of being a Slytherin, but Crabbe was worried that Bakura had some further control over them.
His father had told him 'Follow the Malfoy boy, he'll take you far.' but that was before the Malfoy boy became the Malfoy boys. Crabbe still followed orders.
The question was whose? Draco or Bakura?
Bakura had a plan, Draco had liked it and so the entire term was worked out to this plan. Crabbe didn't know the full details, but Draco had to appear friendless.
Bakura had stopped pacing. He was staring up at the ceiling with a gleeful look on his face.
The strange Ring was glowing again.
"Crabbe, Goyle. Go get Ryou; he's on the third floor near the library." Bakura commanded.
Crabbe glanced at Draco. That was a mistake.
"No Bakura, that's not part of the plan. Your hikari must have nothing to do with us. You said that yourself." Draco drawled. That was a bigger mistake.
Bakura was across the room in a moment, a knife in his hand, looming over in a threatening manner.
"Never tell me what to do." He hissed.
Draco took a step backward, his already pale face whitening.
"I am in control, understand?" The tome robber continued.
"You are my way to power, not me to yours." Draco said angrily.
It was the wrong thing to say. You don't argue with those hanging by a thread. Crabbe's father had said that many times. Then again the Malfoys didn't teach their children the same lessons as the Crabbes.
"I think, little brother, that you plan to betray me." Bakura laughed at these words, and Crabbe wondered what he intended to do. "Your father made us brothers in name; shall I make us brothers in blood as well?" Draco seemed to pale further, and probably would have backed away further if he hadn't encountered the wall.
Crabbe moved without thinking. He grabbed Bakura's knife hand, and was glad to notice Goyle had Bakura's other arm. "Don't" He muttered.
Bakura's rage seemed to grow a hundredfold.
Before they could react darkness rose up around them and Crabbe found himself slammed against a wall. He tried to rise, but his body just lay there.
He had good view of what happened next, and could not even close his own eyes to shut out the vision.
"I planned for this Draco. Did you? I researched spells to find how I could bind your loyalty. I could use the Ring to bring you under my control, but I don't need a mindless body." He glanced at Crabbe and presumably at Goyle, "There are enough of those hanging around."
"I won't obey you anymore. I'll tell Muto and his gang. They'll stop you, they did before." Draco defied him.
Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. Crabbe started to rant inside his mind.
"You won't betray me." Bakura grabbed Draco's hand and slit the palm with his knife, before doing the same to his own hand. Bakura firmly gripped Draco bleeding hand in his own.
"Repeat this oath. Brothers in name, brothers in spirit, now brothers in blood."
Draco clamped his mouth shut.
Bakura repeated the words again.
Draco was still fighting, trying to pull away from the death grip Bakura had on his arm. Crabbe knew this spell, or one like it. Bakura must had been slipping Draco the preliminary potion for weeks now, but if Draco could resist saying the oath before he get free of Bakura the spell would have little effect.
Bakura said the words yet again.
Then again, if Bakura repeated the chant enough times… each repetition gave more strength to the binding spell.
"Brothers in name, brothers in spirit, now brothers in blood." The oath was pulled from Draco, syllable by syllable.
Bakura smiled.
The second time Draco said the oath the words were sullen.
Bakura joined him on Draco's third repetition; the words seemed to flow naturally from both of them.
"You are mine." Bakura declared as a sooty red glow surrounded the two. Bakura let go and Draco collapsed, panting, onto the floor.
"Now for you two." The shadow magic surrounded Crabbe, lifting him up. For a moment he seemed to lose track, then came to and found Bakura talking.
"Go get Ryou."
Getting Ryou proved easy.
At first he seemed nervous, but when told Bakura wanted to talk to him he seemed to gain in confidence.
He followed Goyle to the chosen meeting place, Crabbe behind to make sure he didn't try to escape.
Bakura was waiting.
The two white haired boys entered a classroom, and Bakura told Crabbe and Goyle to lounge outside.
Wait meant to guard and be seen. Lounge meant stay nearby and be ready to frighten anyone away.
It wasn't long before Crabbe could hear voices, not clear yet but their tone was clear. Fear and anger.
No one was meant to hear this.
Which meant a secret that could be exploited.
No.
Bakura was capable of anything; he would go far and Crabbe would follow him there.
Crabbe felt like something was missing. He reached for it.
No.
The voices were loud enough to be heard clearly now. He should remember this.
No.
The words seemed to fade away as they were spoken.
What could the Ring…
No.
The voices were quiet now.
Didn't he have friends?
Something was wrong.
There was nothing he could do.
His friends were gone. Trapped just like him.
No one else would see there was something wrong.
No one else would care.
The door opened.
Ryou stepped out first, with Bakura just behind him.
Bakura nodded.
Something was missing from Bakura.
Ryou reached up to rub his neck, or rather the chain around it.
Ryou had the…
NO.
I will know! He shouted at the mental voice.
The Ring.
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"What took you so long?" Kari laughed as Fred and George joined her outside Zonko's joke shop, "We'll meet you in the pub later." Kari smiled at the others and she, Ombre and the two boys split away from the group.
"Come on Yami!" Yugi pleaded, dragging the Pharaoh down the road, Hermione and Ron followed, sure that Yugi was headed for Honeydukes and Joey headed in a different direction altogether. Kaiba sighed and made his way to the Post Office to deliver some important mail to some contacts in Egypt.
Yugi, Hermione and Ron looked through the sweets, Yami was watching to make sure Yugi didn't buy as many sweets as last time. They were looking at a table with a large sign above which read Unusual Tastes. Yugi wasn't sure about any of these sweets, and Hermione was of the same opinion, "Urgh, no, Harry wouldn't want one of those, they're for vampires I expect."
"I bet Draco would eat one." Harry said, causing even Yami to jump out of his skin.
"Harry!" Yugi gasped, "How?"
"What're you doing here?" Hermione squealed.
"Wow!" Ron looked impressed, "You've learnt to Apparate!"
"Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so none of the sixth years could hear him and told them about the Marauder's Map.
"How come Fred and George never gave it to me?" Ron was outraged, "I'm their brother!"
"But Harry isn't going to keep it" Said Hermione, as though the idea was ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you Harry?"
"No, I'm not!" Harry said.
"Are you mad?" Ron asked.
"It could be useful." Yami said, "It shouldn't be…"
"Shoudn't be what?" Hermione hissed, "What about Sirius Black? He could be using one of those secret passages to get into the castle! The teachers have to know!"
"He can't be getting in through the tunnels," Harry said quickly. "There are seven secret passages on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch knows about four of them and the other three, one of them's caved in so no one can get through it. One of them had the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't really get out of it. And the one I just came through – well it's really hard to see so unless he knows it's there…" Harry hesitated, what if Black did know it was there?
Ron, however, had pointed to a sign on the inside of the sweetshop door. As Ron and Hermione dissolved into an argument, Yugi dragged Harry away to show him some of the sweets. Once they'd paid for their purchases they left the shop and headed for the Three Broomsticks, where the others were waiting.
They took up two entire tables between the window and an absolutely gorgeous Christmas tree. Ron and Yami went and got their drinks as Harry, Yugi and Hermione joined the others. After the initial shock of the others Harry settled into a chair where he couldn't be seen easily. "Hey Kari, what's in the bags?"
Kari just smirked evilly as Yami and Ron came back, carrying five foaming tankards of Butterbeer. Yami and Yugi settled at Joey, Kari and Ombre's table while Harry, Ron and Hermione settled at the other.
"Merry Christmas!" Harry toasted, the others followed suit.
They drank deeply, Harry was certain that it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. A slight breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry peered around the Christmas tree and nearly choked.
Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the Pub in a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a pinstripe cloak; Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.
In an instant Hermione and Kari looked at each other, Kari snatched the Millennium Orb from Ombre and the two girls, using Wand Magic and a small amount of Shadow Magic placed the Illusion spell, they'd perfected between them, on Harry, making him apparently disappear. "Get under the table." Hermione hissed, Harry did so, still holding his Butterbeer tankard but now hidden from view by four pairs of legs in case the spell wore off. Harry looked through the dense lower branches of the Christmas tree and saw four sets of chairs move back from the table beside this one. Harry had never been so glad that the spell Hermione and Kari had cooked up used little Shadow Magic so Kari wouldn't get ill again and was easy to cast, as the teachers sat down.
Kari watched, her attention divided as Madam Rosmerta gave out the drinks. "Ombre, if someone's still serving, can you get me another Butterbeer?"
"I'll get it." Joey said, getting up as Madam Rosmerta spoke up.
"You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?" Asked Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice, "Scared all my customers away… it's very bad for business, Minister."
"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Said Fudge uncomfortably, "Necessary precautions… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore and one of the students, Dumbledore won't let them in the grounds and they were mumbling something about a student attacking them with Shadows. Personally I think…"
"Dumbledore is quite right to refuse them entry to the school." Professor McGonagall snapped, "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around!"
Yugi looked at Yami who was uncomfortably shifting away from the teacher's table as Flitwick cheered on McGonagall.
"All the same," Demurred Fudge, "They are here to protect you all from something much worse, though I may change the guards if they think Shadows can attack them. Black is capable of murder, if you don't allow the Dementors into the school…"
"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Said Madam Rosmerta, trying to change the subject, "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."
"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Said Fudge gruffly, "The worst he did isn't widely known."
"The worst?" Asked Madam Rosmerta as Joey came back with Kari's second Butterbeer, "Worse then murdering all those poor people, you mean?"
"I certainly do." Said Fudge.
"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"
"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," Murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who is his best friend was?"
"Naturally," Said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh, "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here – ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"
Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk, spilling Butterbeer everywhere, Ron kicked him as Hermione tried to clear it up.
"Precisely," Said Professor McGonagall, "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course – exceptionally bright, in fact – but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers…"
"I dunno," Chuckled Hagrid, "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."
"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" Chimed in Professor Flitwick, "Inseparable."
"Of course they were," Said Fudge, "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."
"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" Whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Worse then that, m'dear," Fudge dropped his voice as Yugi got up and took their empty mugs across to the bar, Yami watched carefully, there were too many Slytherins around for his liking. "Not that many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."
"How does that work?" Madam Rosmerta asked as Joey and Yami dashed up to the bar to relieve Yugi of some of the tankards he'd been trying to carry, bringing them over to the tables, Harry was still frozen under the table where Hermione and Ron were sat listening hard to what was being said.
"An immensely complicated charm," Professor Flitwick said. "Involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find – unless, of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"
"So Black was the Potters's Secret Keeper?" Whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Naturally," Said Professor McGonagall, "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters's Secret Keeper himself."
"He suspected Black?" Gasped Madam Rosmerta.
"He was sure someone close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," Said Professor McGonagall darkly, "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing on a lot of information to You-Know-Who."
"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"
"He did," Said Fudge heavily, "And then, barely a week after the Fidilius Charm had been preformed…"
"Black betrayed them?" Breathed Rosmerta.
"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it…"
"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went silent.
"Shh!" Said Professor McGonagall.
"I met him!" Growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flying motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred to me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd been Lily an' James's Secret Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attackan' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin' he was. An' yer know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.
"Hagrid, please!" Said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"
"How was I supposed ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily and James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, "Give Harry ter me Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him…" Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry outta there. "I won' need it any more." He says. I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it any more? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he's bin the Potters' Secert Keeper. Black knew he'd have ter run for it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him."
Ombre and Yami caught each others expressions; both showed they thought that this was no way for Harry to find out all of this. Yugi looked stunned; Ombre had her hand on her Hikari's arm, while both Kari and Hermione tried to concentrate on the conversation and the illusion spell at the same time.
"But what if I'd given Harry ter him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friend's son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em any more."
A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Pomfrey said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day."
"Alas, if only we had," Said Fudge bitterly, "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew – another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and – knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret Keeper, he went after Black himself."
"Pettigrew… That fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" Asked Madam Rosmerta.
"Hero worshipped Black and Potter," Said Professor McGonagall, "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I… How I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.
"There now, Minerva," Said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses, Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later, told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?" And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"
Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always helpless at duelling… should have left it to the Ministry..."
"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldnt've messed around with wands – Id've ripped him limb from limb!" Hagrid growled.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," Said Fudge sharply, "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I – I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of blood stained robes and a few… a few fragments…"
Fudge's voice stopped abruptly; there was the sound of a few noses being blown. Yami looked at Yugi, who'd gone white. Yami squeezed his hand, 'I won't let him any where near you.'
Yugi smiled weakly at him and Yami tried to ignore another headache, as Fudge started again, "Well, there you have it, Rosmerta." Said Fudge thickly, "Black was taken away by twenty members of Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which, I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."
Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh, "Is it true he's mad, Minister?"
"I wish I could say he was," Said Fudge slowly, "I certainly believe his Master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man… cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd've thought he was merely bored – asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him – and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door, day and night."
"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" Said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"
"I daresay that is his – er – eventual plan." Said Fudge evasively, "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"
There was a small clink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.
"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the Headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle." Said Professor McGonagall.
One by one, the pairs of feet at the next table took the weight of their owners again, Madam Rosmerta disappeared behind the bar and the teachers and Cornelius Fudge disappeared out of the shop. Hermione and Kari lifted the illusion spell and Ron stuck his head under the table.
"Harry?" Ron asked, as Harry shot out of the pub, Yugi followed but lost him in Honeydukes.
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The gang left Hogsmead quickly, meeting up with Harry in the Dining Hall, where Hermione and Ron watched Harry nervously. Harry would've shot up to the dormitory he shared with Yugi, Yami, Joey and Ron to be alone once they reached the Common Room, but found that the boys had decided to come with him, they were heading up the steps as a certain Black Norwegian Forest cat came down, carrying a certain rat.
"Kiyoshe!" Ron snarled, chasing the cat as it fled back up the stairs.
"Don't you dare hurt my cat!" Yami snarled, chasing the boy up the steps.
Harry, Joey and Yugi dashed after them, reaching the room to find Ron and Yami just starting a shouting match, Ron holding Scabbers tightly, while Yami was holding a struggling Kiyoshe who was desperately trying to get at Scabbers again.
"Your cats have been after Scabbers since the start of term! Scabbers is ill and your cats are insane!"
"Well you should keep better track of him! Kiyoshe is a cat, it's her duty to chase and catch vermin! If you're so worried about Scabbers then keep him where Kiyoshe, Bastet or Crookshanks can't get at him!"
"Vermin? You think Scabbers is vermin? Scabbers is a better pet than your cat'll ever be!" Ron bellowed.
Harry couldn't deal with this after everything he'd heard in the pub, and went and sat back out on the stairs, grabbing his photo album before leaving the two to fight. Yugi got between the two, and Joey took the opportunity to follow Harry out.
"You alright Harry?" Joey asked, sitting down by the boy as the volume in the dorm increased, "It wasn't right for you to find out like that."
Harry just looked through the photo album, stopping on a picture of his parents wedding day, "That's him Joey, that's the traitor who turned my parents over to Voldemort. From what the teachers were saying, Black and my Dad were as close as you and Yugi, he betrayed them in the worst possible way… was he planning on betraying my parents even then? Did he know then he'd end up in Azkaban?"
Joey shuddered; Malik had once forced him to fight Yugi in a Duel to the Death, using the powers of the Millennium Rod, which now belonged to Yugi and Yami, but for someone to willingly betray their best friend, when they knew the outcome would be death… Joey could quite understand the rage shown in Harry's eyes.
Joey's thoughts were broken by a yelp of pain and Yugi pushed past the two of them, "Yugi!" Yami's panicked voice followed the boy down the stairs, as the Pharaoh came dashing out, the Millennium Puzzle in hand. Kiyoshe escaped Yami's arms as the Pharaoh dashed after his hikari. However, by the time Yami had reached the Common Room, Yugi had dashed out of the portrait hole.
However, returning to lessons meant the Slytherins were given a chance to wind up Gryffindor about their defeat. Ron finally cracked during Potions, having endured Malfoy's spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broomstick from the other side of the classroom.
"There has to be a way of changing the Penalty Game so it affects him if he's doing it at a distance." Joey snarled as Ron chucked a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, hitting the boy in the face and causing Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor, losing the points given to Yugi for catching Harry.
"If Snape's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm going off sick." Growled Ron as they headed up to class after lunch, "Check who's in there Hermione."
Hermione peered around the door, "It's OK."
Professor Lupin was back, but it certainly looked as though he'd been ill. Joey found himself sat in the middle of Yami and Yugi while Kari, Hermione and Ombre were sat a row back. The moment the entire class settled an explosion of complaints burst out about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill.
"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?"
"We don't know anything about werewolves!"
"Two rolls of parchment!"
"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.
"Yes, but he said we were really behind…"
"He wouldn't listen…"
"TWO ROLLS OF PARCHMENT!"
Professor Lupin smiled slightly at the looks of indignation on everyone's faces. "Don't worry, I'll speak to Snape. You don't have to do the essay."
Kari and Hermione groaned quietly, Joey sighed and turned around and looked at them, "Don't tell me you two have already done it!"
"Fine, they won't tell you." Ombre snapped at him.
The lesson passed without a hitch. As class ended, Yugi shot out the door and as the gang went to follow Lupin asked Harry to stay behind.
Yami caught up with Yugi as the boy headed for the Monster's wing to see Boh. "Yugi…"
"You could've told me!"
"But…"
"Don't say you didn't want to worry me!"
"It was just headaches; I didn't think it was anything to worry about."
"You've been getting them for months!"
"They were just headaches; they went away with a simple painkilling potion. There were more important things going on."
Yugi glared at him then asked, "You weren't worried about them?"
"They were just headaches, I wasn't even keeping track of them, it was only in the Hospital Wing that I realised how long I've been getting them for."
Yugi sighed, the anger in his eyes melting to concern, "Just promise me next time you'll tell me if something is wrong."
The moods of the gang took a definite upturn as the end of term approached. Harry would be getting Anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff and there was no sign of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger and the threat of Yami were keeping them at their stations.
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She was still angry, but now she was feeling betrayed and lonely.
Everyone was avoiding her.
Even her hatchlings had been staying away as much as possible.
Why could no one see that see was right?
She had tried keeping close tabs on all her hatchlings, but they kept slipping away.
When she had mentioned this to Tobias he had smiled slightly and told her not to worry. The five younglings weren't going to get into any trouble.
Kisara had moved out of her room.
There were lots of rooms in the castle that were unused. Even a few that were only accessible from the roof.
So now she was alone with her eggs.
They should hatch soon.
She just hoped they wouldn't betray her like the others.
It was Mahado's fault.
His fault everyone had turned against her.
She never understood him, he had never understood her.
They hated each other with a passion.
All that hate hurt so much.
She refused to feel hurt.
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Two weeks before the end of term, two things happened. The first snowfall left the grounds covered in 'white sand' as Kari jokingly reminded Ombre. The other thing was a letter from Kari's parents basically ordering Kari home for the holidays.
"Not a mention of me in the letter?" Ombre asked, relief etched on her face.
"No… Please guys!" Kari begged, "Don't make me go! Please, please, please, please!"
"How exactly are we supposed to help?" Yami asked; amusement obvious.
"Come up with a reason for me to stay here, please guys!"
"I don't have a reason, guys?" Joey asked, looking around. Everyone shook their heads.
"Fine!" Kari growled, "Who else can I ask?" She looked around the Great Hall, her eyes resting on the Ravenclaw table where Kaiba was missing. "Damn it!"
Everyone else would be staying for the holidays, Ron wanted to get away from Percy, Hermione said she wanted to use the library, while Yugi, Yami, Ombre, Joey, Ryou and even Kaiba and Mokuba would be staying here over Christmas instead of going back to Japan. Harry was glad they'd be staying over Christmas; he didn't think a Christmas by himself would be much fun.
To everyone's; bar Harry, delight, there was to be another Hogsmead weekend on the very last weekend of term.
"I'm going in Zonko's." Kari said with an evil grin, "And I'm taking Fred and George with me. I'm going to see if I can't get out of having to go home for another Christmas, ever!" Ombre gulped, why was she suddenly very glad she wasn't going with her hikari for Christmas?
"What about you, Yugi?" Ron said, rapidly changing the subject, Kari's parents were nicer to her then the Dursleys were to Harry… just about… only they had never quite forgiven Kari for being the surviving twin.
"Honeydukes." Yugi said happily, deliberately ignoring Yami's expression at the mention of the sweetshop.
Resigned to the fact he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood and had decided to read up on the different models. He'd been riding Kari's Nimbus 2000 during practise but he really needed his own broom, Harry didn't entirely trust Kari's broom, she was too well known for tinkering with it and he couldn't use Yugi and Yami's because they were on the team.
On the Saturday morning of the trip, Harry bid goodbye to the others and headed back towards the Gryffindor Tower. "Psst! Harry!"
He turned halfway along the third floor corridor to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a one eyed hump backed witch. "What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously, "I thought you were going to help Kari with ideas for pranking her parents."
"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go." Said Fred, with a mysterious wink, "Come in here." He nodded towards an empty classroom to the left of the one eyed statue. Harry followed the Weasley twins inside. George closed the door quietly and turned, beaming, to look at Harry.
"Early Christmas present for you, Harry." He said.
Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it. "What's that supposed to be?"
"This, Harry, is the secret of our success." Said George patting the parchment fondly.
"It's a wrench, giving it to you," Said Fred, "But we decided last night, your needs greater then ours."
"Anyway, we know it off by heart." Said George, "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."
"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" Said Harry.
"A bit of old parchment?" Said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him, "Explain, George."
"Well… when we were in our first year, Harry, young, carefree and innocent…"
Harry snorted. He doubted Fred and George had ever been innocent.
"…Well, a lot more innocent then we are now… we got into a spot of bother with Filch."
"We let off a Dungbomb off in the corridor and it upset him for some reason…"
"So he hauled us off to his to his office and started threatening us with the usual…"
"…Dentention…"
"…Disembowlment…"
"…And we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."
"Don't tell me…" Harry said, starting to grin.
"Well, what you have done?" Asked Fred, "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed… this."
"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know." Said George, "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."
"And you know how to work it."
"Oh yes," Said Fred, smirking, "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."
"You're winding me up." Said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.
"Oh, are we?" Said George. He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
At once thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, green curly words that proclaimed;
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
Are Proud to Present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
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Crabbe leaned into the headboard on his bed as he chewed on the end of a quill.
Before him lay his transfiguration books and notes as he tried to concentrate on his homework.
It was never easy.
Bakura was pacing the room again.
Draco was pretending to read, but hadn't turned a page for several minutes.
Goyle was watching the ink from his quill make interesting patterns on the scroll. When magical quills broke they went very wrong indeed.
Crabbe was becoming worried. He knew he wasn't a quick thinker, or even a good thinker but some things you just knew.
Don't show your weakness, especially not to your allies. Yet Bakura was pacing.
The only person you could trust was yourself or someone completely in your power.
Had all three of them fallen so completely into Bakura's power in so short a time, or did he simply not care, or did he believe they didn't have a chance against him.
Were they being controlled, or simply manipulated? Crabbe expected to be manipulated; it was part of being a Slytherin, but Crabbe was worried that Bakura had some further control over them.
His father had told him 'Follow the Malfoy boy, he'll take you far.' but that was before the Malfoy boy became the Malfoy boys. Crabbe still followed orders.
The question was whose? Draco or Bakura?
Bakura had a plan, Draco had liked it and so the entire term was worked out to this plan. Crabbe didn't know the full details, but Draco had to appear friendless.
Bakura had stopped pacing. He was staring up at the ceiling with a gleeful look on his face.
The strange Ring was glowing again.
"Crabbe, Goyle. Go get Ryou; he's on the third floor near the library." Bakura commanded.
Crabbe glanced at Draco. That was a mistake.
"No Bakura, that's not part of the plan. Your hikari must have nothing to do with us. You said that yourself." Draco drawled. That was a bigger mistake.
Bakura was across the room in a moment, a knife in his hand, looming over in a threatening manner.
"Never tell me what to do." He hissed.
Draco took a step backward, his already pale face whitening.
"I am in control, understand?" The tome robber continued.
"You are my way to power, not me to yours." Draco said angrily.
It was the wrong thing to say. You don't argue with those hanging by a thread. Crabbe's father had said that many times. Then again the Malfoys didn't teach their children the same lessons as the Crabbes.
"I think, little brother, that you plan to betray me." Bakura laughed at these words, and Crabbe wondered what he intended to do. "Your father made us brothers in name; shall I make us brothers in blood as well?" Draco seemed to pale further, and probably would have backed away further if he hadn't encountered the wall.
Crabbe moved without thinking. He grabbed Bakura's knife hand, and was glad to notice Goyle had Bakura's other arm. "Don't" He muttered.
Bakura's rage seemed to grow a hundredfold.
Before they could react darkness rose up around them and Crabbe found himself slammed against a wall. He tried to rise, but his body just lay there.
He had good view of what happened next, and could not even close his own eyes to shut out the vision.
"I planned for this Draco. Did you? I researched spells to find how I could bind your loyalty. I could use the Ring to bring you under my control, but I don't need a mindless body." He glanced at Crabbe and presumably at Goyle, "There are enough of those hanging around."
"I won't obey you anymore. I'll tell Muto and his gang. They'll stop you, they did before." Draco defied him.
Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. Crabbe started to rant inside his mind.
"You won't betray me." Bakura grabbed Draco's hand and slit the palm with his knife, before doing the same to his own hand. Bakura firmly gripped Draco bleeding hand in his own.
"Repeat this oath. Brothers in name, brothers in spirit, now brothers in blood."
Draco clamped his mouth shut.
Bakura repeated the words again.
Draco was still fighting, trying to pull away from the death grip Bakura had on his arm. Crabbe knew this spell, or one like it. Bakura must had been slipping Draco the preliminary potion for weeks now, but if Draco could resist saying the oath before he get free of Bakura the spell would have little effect.
Bakura said the words yet again.
Then again, if Bakura repeated the chant enough times… each repetition gave more strength to the binding spell.
"Brothers in name, brothers in spirit, now brothers in blood." The oath was pulled from Draco, syllable by syllable.
Bakura smiled.
The second time Draco said the oath the words were sullen.
Bakura joined him on Draco's third repetition; the words seemed to flow naturally from both of them.
"You are mine." Bakura declared as a sooty red glow surrounded the two. Bakura let go and Draco collapsed, panting, onto the floor.
"Now for you two." The shadow magic surrounded Crabbe, lifting him up. For a moment he seemed to lose track, then came to and found Bakura talking.
"Go get Ryou."
Getting Ryou proved easy.
At first he seemed nervous, but when told Bakura wanted to talk to him he seemed to gain in confidence.
He followed Goyle to the chosen meeting place, Crabbe behind to make sure he didn't try to escape.
Bakura was waiting.
The two white haired boys entered a classroom, and Bakura told Crabbe and Goyle to lounge outside.
Wait meant to guard and be seen. Lounge meant stay nearby and be ready to frighten anyone away.
It wasn't long before Crabbe could hear voices, not clear yet but their tone was clear. Fear and anger.
No one was meant to hear this.
Which meant a secret that could be exploited.
No.
Bakura was capable of anything; he would go far and Crabbe would follow him there.
Crabbe felt like something was missing. He reached for it.
No.
The voices were loud enough to be heard clearly now. He should remember this.
No.
The words seemed to fade away as they were spoken.
What could the Ring…
No.
The voices were quiet now.
Didn't he have friends?
Something was wrong.
There was nothing he could do.
His friends were gone. Trapped just like him.
No one else would see there was something wrong.
No one else would care.
The door opened.
Ryou stepped out first, with Bakura just behind him.
Bakura nodded.
Something was missing from Bakura.
Ryou reached up to rub his neck, or rather the chain around it.
Ryou had the…
NO.
I will know! He shouted at the mental voice.
The Ring.
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"What took you so long?" Kari laughed as Fred and George joined her outside Zonko's joke shop, "We'll meet you in the pub later." Kari smiled at the others and she, Ombre and the two boys split away from the group.
"Come on Yami!" Yugi pleaded, dragging the Pharaoh down the road, Hermione and Ron followed, sure that Yugi was headed for Honeydukes and Joey headed in a different direction altogether. Kaiba sighed and made his way to the Post Office to deliver some important mail to some contacts in Egypt.
Yugi, Hermione and Ron looked through the sweets, Yami was watching to make sure Yugi didn't buy as many sweets as last time. They were looking at a table with a large sign above which read Unusual Tastes. Yugi wasn't sure about any of these sweets, and Hermione was of the same opinion, "Urgh, no, Harry wouldn't want one of those, they're for vampires I expect."
"I bet Draco would eat one." Harry said, causing even Yami to jump out of his skin.
"Harry!" Yugi gasped, "How?"
"What're you doing here?" Hermione squealed.
"Wow!" Ron looked impressed, "You've learnt to Apparate!"
"Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so none of the sixth years could hear him and told them about the Marauder's Map.
"How come Fred and George never gave it to me?" Ron was outraged, "I'm their brother!"
"But Harry isn't going to keep it" Said Hermione, as though the idea was ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you Harry?"
"No, I'm not!" Harry said.
"Are you mad?" Ron asked.
"It could be useful." Yami said, "It shouldn't be…"
"Shoudn't be what?" Hermione hissed, "What about Sirius Black? He could be using one of those secret passages to get into the castle! The teachers have to know!"
"He can't be getting in through the tunnels," Harry said quickly. "There are seven secret passages on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch knows about four of them and the other three, one of them's caved in so no one can get through it. One of them had the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't really get out of it. And the one I just came through – well it's really hard to see so unless he knows it's there…" Harry hesitated, what if Black did know it was there?
Ron, however, had pointed to a sign on the inside of the sweetshop door. As Ron and Hermione dissolved into an argument, Yugi dragged Harry away to show him some of the sweets. Once they'd paid for their purchases they left the shop and headed for the Three Broomsticks, where the others were waiting.
They took up two entire tables between the window and an absolutely gorgeous Christmas tree. Ron and Yami went and got their drinks as Harry, Yugi and Hermione joined the others. After the initial shock of the others Harry settled into a chair where he couldn't be seen easily. "Hey Kari, what's in the bags?"
Kari just smirked evilly as Yami and Ron came back, carrying five foaming tankards of Butterbeer. Yami and Yugi settled at Joey, Kari and Ombre's table while Harry, Ron and Hermione settled at the other.
"Merry Christmas!" Harry toasted, the others followed suit.
They drank deeply, Harry was certain that it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. A slight breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry peered around the Christmas tree and nearly choked.
Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the Pub in a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a pinstripe cloak; Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.
In an instant Hermione and Kari looked at each other, Kari snatched the Millennium Orb from Ombre and the two girls, using Wand Magic and a small amount of Shadow Magic placed the Illusion spell, they'd perfected between them, on Harry, making him apparently disappear. "Get under the table." Hermione hissed, Harry did so, still holding his Butterbeer tankard but now hidden from view by four pairs of legs in case the spell wore off. Harry looked through the dense lower branches of the Christmas tree and saw four sets of chairs move back from the table beside this one. Harry had never been so glad that the spell Hermione and Kari had cooked up used little Shadow Magic so Kari wouldn't get ill again and was easy to cast, as the teachers sat down.
Kari watched, her attention divided as Madam Rosmerta gave out the drinks. "Ombre, if someone's still serving, can you get me another Butterbeer?"
"I'll get it." Joey said, getting up as Madam Rosmerta spoke up.
"You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?" Asked Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice, "Scared all my customers away… it's very bad for business, Minister."
"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Said Fudge uncomfortably, "Necessary precautions… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore and one of the students, Dumbledore won't let them in the grounds and they were mumbling something about a student attacking them with Shadows. Personally I think…"
"Dumbledore is quite right to refuse them entry to the school." Professor McGonagall snapped, "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around!"
Yugi looked at Yami who was uncomfortably shifting away from the teacher's table as Flitwick cheered on McGonagall.
"All the same," Demurred Fudge, "They are here to protect you all from something much worse, though I may change the guards if they think Shadows can attack them. Black is capable of murder, if you don't allow the Dementors into the school…"
"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Said Madam Rosmerta, trying to change the subject, "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."
"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Said Fudge gruffly, "The worst he did isn't widely known."
"The worst?" Asked Madam Rosmerta as Joey came back with Kari's second Butterbeer, "Worse then murdering all those poor people, you mean?"
"I certainly do." Said Fudge.
"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"
"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," Murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who is his best friend was?"
"Naturally," Said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh, "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here – ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"
Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk, spilling Butterbeer everywhere, Ron kicked him as Hermione tried to clear it up.
"Precisely," Said Professor McGonagall, "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course – exceptionally bright, in fact – but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers…"
"I dunno," Chuckled Hagrid, "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."
"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" Chimed in Professor Flitwick, "Inseparable."
"Of course they were," Said Fudge, "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."
"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" Whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Worse then that, m'dear," Fudge dropped his voice as Yugi got up and took their empty mugs across to the bar, Yami watched carefully, there were too many Slytherins around for his liking. "Not that many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."
"How does that work?" Madam Rosmerta asked as Joey and Yami dashed up to the bar to relieve Yugi of some of the tankards he'd been trying to carry, bringing them over to the tables, Harry was still frozen under the table where Hermione and Ron were sat listening hard to what was being said.
"An immensely complicated charm," Professor Flitwick said. "Involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find – unless, of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"
"So Black was the Potters's Secret Keeper?" Whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Naturally," Said Professor McGonagall, "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters's Secret Keeper himself."
"He suspected Black?" Gasped Madam Rosmerta.
"He was sure someone close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," Said Professor McGonagall darkly, "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing on a lot of information to You-Know-Who."
"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"
"He did," Said Fudge heavily, "And then, barely a week after the Fidilius Charm had been preformed…"
"Black betrayed them?" Breathed Rosmerta.
"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it…"
"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went silent.
"Shh!" Said Professor McGonagall.
"I met him!" Growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flying motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred to me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd been Lily an' James's Secret Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attackan' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin' he was. An' yer know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.
"Hagrid, please!" Said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"
"How was I supposed ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily and James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, "Give Harry ter me Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him…" Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry outta there. "I won' need it any more." He says. I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it any more? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he's bin the Potters' Secert Keeper. Black knew he'd have ter run for it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him."
Ombre and Yami caught each others expressions; both showed they thought that this was no way for Harry to find out all of this. Yugi looked stunned; Ombre had her hand on her Hikari's arm, while both Kari and Hermione tried to concentrate on the conversation and the illusion spell at the same time.
"But what if I'd given Harry ter him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friend's son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em any more."
A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Pomfrey said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day."
"Alas, if only we had," Said Fudge bitterly, "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew – another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and – knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret Keeper, he went after Black himself."
"Pettigrew… That fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" Asked Madam Rosmerta.
"Hero worshipped Black and Potter," Said Professor McGonagall, "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I… How I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.
"There now, Minerva," Said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses, Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later, told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?" And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"
Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always helpless at duelling… should have left it to the Ministry..."
"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldnt've messed around with wands – Id've ripped him limb from limb!" Hagrid growled.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," Said Fudge sharply, "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I – I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of blood stained robes and a few… a few fragments…"
Fudge's voice stopped abruptly; there was the sound of a few noses being blown. Yami looked at Yugi, who'd gone white. Yami squeezed his hand, 'I won't let him any where near you.'
Yugi smiled weakly at him and Yami tried to ignore another headache, as Fudge started again, "Well, there you have it, Rosmerta." Said Fudge thickly, "Black was taken away by twenty members of Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which, I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."
Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh, "Is it true he's mad, Minister?"
"I wish I could say he was," Said Fudge slowly, "I certainly believe his Master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man… cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd've thought he was merely bored – asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him – and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door, day and night."
"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" Said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"
"I daresay that is his – er – eventual plan." Said Fudge evasively, "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"
There was a small clink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.
"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the Headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle." Said Professor McGonagall.
One by one, the pairs of feet at the next table took the weight of their owners again, Madam Rosmerta disappeared behind the bar and the teachers and Cornelius Fudge disappeared out of the shop. Hermione and Kari lifted the illusion spell and Ron stuck his head under the table.
"Harry?" Ron asked, as Harry shot out of the pub, Yugi followed but lost him in Honeydukes.
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The gang left Hogsmead quickly, meeting up with Harry in the Dining Hall, where Hermione and Ron watched Harry nervously. Harry would've shot up to the dormitory he shared with Yugi, Yami, Joey and Ron to be alone once they reached the Common Room, but found that the boys had decided to come with him, they were heading up the steps as a certain Black Norwegian Forest cat came down, carrying a certain rat.
"Kiyoshe!" Ron snarled, chasing the cat as it fled back up the stairs.
"Don't you dare hurt my cat!" Yami snarled, chasing the boy up the steps.
Harry, Joey and Yugi dashed after them, reaching the room to find Ron and Yami just starting a shouting match, Ron holding Scabbers tightly, while Yami was holding a struggling Kiyoshe who was desperately trying to get at Scabbers again.
"Your cats have been after Scabbers since the start of term! Scabbers is ill and your cats are insane!"
"Well you should keep better track of him! Kiyoshe is a cat, it's her duty to chase and catch vermin! If you're so worried about Scabbers then keep him where Kiyoshe, Bastet or Crookshanks can't get at him!"
"Vermin? You think Scabbers is vermin? Scabbers is a better pet than your cat'll ever be!" Ron bellowed.
Harry couldn't deal with this after everything he'd heard in the pub, and went and sat back out on the stairs, grabbing his photo album before leaving the two to fight. Yugi got between the two, and Joey took the opportunity to follow Harry out.
"You alright Harry?" Joey asked, sitting down by the boy as the volume in the dorm increased, "It wasn't right for you to find out like that."
Harry just looked through the photo album, stopping on a picture of his parents wedding day, "That's him Joey, that's the traitor who turned my parents over to Voldemort. From what the teachers were saying, Black and my Dad were as close as you and Yugi, he betrayed them in the worst possible way… was he planning on betraying my parents even then? Did he know then he'd end up in Azkaban?"
Joey shuddered; Malik had once forced him to fight Yugi in a Duel to the Death, using the powers of the Millennium Rod, which now belonged to Yugi and Yami, but for someone to willingly betray their best friend, when they knew the outcome would be death… Joey could quite understand the rage shown in Harry's eyes.
Joey's thoughts were broken by a yelp of pain and Yugi pushed past the two of them, "Yugi!" Yami's panicked voice followed the boy down the stairs, as the Pharaoh came dashing out, the Millennium Puzzle in hand. Kiyoshe escaped Yami's arms as the Pharaoh dashed after his hikari. However, by the time Yami had reached the Common Room, Yugi had dashed out of the portrait hole.