Title: Shinko Majutsu
Author: Katreal
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot, if even that.
Last Time:
He felt the body go limp as he materialized in spirit form. Bakura shook his head and glanced back, to all appearances it seemed like Ryou was sleeping. He smirked and made his way back towards the Gargoyle passage. Utilizing his current transparent nature, Bakura stepped through the wall to find a spiral staircase. Bakura smiled faintly as he made his way up the stairs; Beware world, the Tomb Robber's curiosity has been aroused!
At the top of the staircase Bakura stopped, he could hear voices on the other side.
Chapter 8
Bakura pressed his ear against the wooden door. Normally he would have just gone inside to listen; but he wanted to be cautious. He knew that the wizards could see ghosts; does that mean they can see spirits too? Bakura didn't want to take that chance. If the wizards could see him, well Ryou would be the first suspect due to the uncanny resemblance between the Tomb Robber and his light. Bakura strained to hear, soon he could make out words.
"Headmaster…half is true…other one? Magical…missed?"
Bakura frowned, he could only make out a few words here and there; but judging by the voice it was Professor McGonagall talking. But to who? The thief only had to wait a moment before the cheery voice of Albus Dumbledore answered.
"Minerva…quite simple…"
Bakura growled in frustration; forget the consequences, he was using Shadow Magic! The spirit drew on the power of the Sennen Ring; this increased his hearing. Now he could make out the full sentences.
Let us back up a bit for the reader's sake, ne? Well a few minutes before Bakura discovered the Gargoyle passage, Minerva McGonagall entered the headmaster's office. Dumbledore was seated at his desk, fiddling absently with one of the various silver thingamajigs that inhabited the cluttered office. He glanced up, "Good Evening Minerva. Is there anything the matter?"
Professor McGonagall nodded, "Good Evening Headmaster. I am here to…clarify something."
Dumbledore sets the silver thingamajig on his desk and folds his hands, blue eyes twinkling, "It would be the two students; correct?"
By this time Bakura had taken up residence outside the office, unknown to the two Professors.
McGonagall nodded, "Yes Headmaster. Hogwarts has never had late starters before, much less foreigners! I can understand Sirius's ward; if even half of what you said at the feast was true. But what about the other one? How could one of his magical strength have been missed?"
Dumbledore chuckled, "Minerva, it's actually quite simple. He never was in the first place."
The usually unruffled teacher was confused, "I'm afraid I don't understand Albus."
"Minerva…do you remember George? The one in the Marauder's year?"
Professor McGonagall frowns, "Hmm…George…Wait." Her eyes widen slightly behind her spectacles, "You mean that Ravenclaw George Bakura? One of the greatest curse breakers for Gringotts!? George and that Ryou are related?"
Dumbledore nods, "Indeed. Ryou is George's son."
Professor McGonagall frowns, "I didn't even know he had a son…besides they look nothing alike. But that still doesn't answer my question."
"You're right. Well, five years ago letters of acceptance were sent to all the potential first years, including Ryou. But George intercepted the letter first and sent a reply back. I think I have it around here somewhere…" Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, "Aha! Here it is."
McGonagall takes the letter from Dumbledore's outstretched hand and reads:
Dear Dumbledore,
I see you are still Headmaster huh? Hope you are well. Anyway I shall get to the point. As you are probably aware I am not going to allow my son to go to school quite yet. My wife and daughter are recently deceased and Ryou is almost sick with grief. I do not wish to introduce him into the magical world at such a time. Maybe next year or the year after that; once his grief has dwindled. Please do me this favor?
Sincerely, George Bakura
The transfiguration professor glances up, "Why have you waited so long?"
The Headmaster takes the letter back, "George and Ryou moved to Japan soon after and I hadn't heard from him. I'm guessing that hearing rumors of Voldemort after the Sorcerers Stone incident put him on alert; he tried to move his only family, Ryou, out of danger. I didn't hear from him since; at least not until this summer…"
-Flashback-
Dumbledore was once again sitting in his office, looking over the list of potential first-years one last time when he heard a knock. Without looking upwards he speaks softly, "Come in."
The door to his office creaked open and then closed again. Professor Dumbledore still didn't look up, "Yes?"
"Professor Dumbledore?" Asked a voice he had not heard in a long time, "I wish to ask you something."
Dumbledore looked up, mildly surprised to see the face of his old student, George Bakura, "It has been a long time George; what do you need?"
The younger man didn't say anything for a moment, unconsciously running his fingers through his short black-hair(1), "Well…Do you remember that lettersix years ago?"
Dumbledore nods, "Yes. Are you planning to let your son join us now?"
"Yes. I may have spent most of the last five years in Egypt but I can tell that something is wrong with Ryou. Whenever I return home I find him…withdrawn. He hardly ever talks and stays shut in his room most of the time. I'm hoping that coming into a close-knit society such as Hogwarts he might be able to make a friend or two. Plus there is the fact that I would rather my son knew how to defend himself; now that Voldemort is back."
Dumbledore nods again, "I understand."
George Bakura smiles and whispers, "Thank you Headmaster." Before turning on his heel and exiting the office.
Sighing Dumbledore retrieves his quill and adds one more name to the list of first years, though making a note beside it saying 'Sixth-Year'.
-End Flashback-
Professor Dumbledore ended his narration of his memory, "See Minerva? It was quite simple."
The transfiguration teacher, Minerva McGonagall inclines her head slightly, "I suppose."
The headmaster's long hands twitched as he gazed at one of the thingamajigs on his desk, without looking up he asks, "Is that all Minerva?"
"Yes Headmaster. Thank you for your time."
Bakura sprang away from the door as he heard Professor McGonagall's approaching footsteps. He raced down the spiral staircase, all but flying straight through the wall concealing the passage, managing to scare the living daylights out of a brown cat that had the unfortunate luck of being in the thief's path. He didn't stop until he reached the room where Ryou was. The spirit walked over to his hikari's currently soulless(2) body, retaking control and standing up.
Without even bothering to ponder the conversation he had overheard Bakura began to make his way back to the common room, the only thing he bothered to think about now was, 'Do I tell Ryou? ..............Nah............I'd rather not listen to the constant musings that would most likly come from such information...' Bakura frowned, 'That reminded me(3) I havn't bugged that light of mine for awhile....'
Bakura smirked at that thought, he knew exactly how he wound annoy his light the next morning...
--Oi, wakey wakey hikari-pretty.--
Ryou groaned and stuffed his head under a pillow, -'Kura…- He mumbled sleepily, -You're acting like Marik again…-
--So? -- Bakura appeared in spirit form and poked his hikari,--If you keep lazing around like that you shall miss breakfast.--
Ryou grumbled something into his pillow and swatted at Bakura's hand; apparently he had forgotten how frightened he had been at the spirit last night. The aforementioned spiritsmirked and poked Ryou in the side, delighting in annoying his light, "Hikari-pretty must wake up!"
Sighing Ryou sat up and rubbed his eyes, "You do know that it's creepy when you act like that…right?"
Bakura just smirked, "That is the whole point yadonushi."
Ryou shook his head and quickly changed, forsaking his silver silk pajamas in favor of the black school robe. He absently noticed that the Slytherin badge had somehow appeared onto the front of his robe. Also, folded neatly on his trunk Ryou had found a green and silver scarf, he put the scarf aside for later.
The white-haired hikari suddenly noticed silence. He frowned; Bakura had once again retreated to his soul room to sulk. Why you ask? To tell you the truth neither Ryou nor this poor author could tell you that at the moment. Neither the hikari nor the writer could claim to understand the twisted train of thought that made up the Tomb Robber's logic.
Anyways, back to the story. Ryou dug through his trunk; trying to decide what to bring. Deciding that he would most likely be allowed to collect his books before class Ryou only stuffed his wand in his pocket(4) and exited the dorms.
The Dark Magician had always been an early riser, a left over habit from when he was a priest. This morning was no different; Dark had risen with the sun to go downstairs, once again dressed in familiar clothing. Wizard's robes were very similar to his own clothing; minus the armor of course.
Dark passed the time by going through his text books, not the 6th year ones…but the 1st and 2nd year. Being a spell-caster himself, Dark knew that basics were essential to any type of magic. He was quite interested in the modern method of magic, it might not be as powerful as shadow magic but the various ways it could be used was impressive. Shadow Magic focused on the soul and spirit, where as this new magic focused on the physical world.
Unfortunately, so far the mage had seen neither hide nor hair of any type of spell that could help him. But…he wasn't really expecting to find anything in the early books anyway. The sound of footsteps made Dark look up from his reading. Exiting the 6th years Boys Dormitory was Harry and Ron. Both seemed to be in a rush. Ron sprinted out the portrait hole, mumbling to himself about being late. Dark quirked his eyebrow at this, but made no comment.
Harry would have followed the red-head's example if he hadn't of spotted the Magician in his corner, "Dark! What are you still doing here!? Everyone else has already gone to breakfast!"
The mage shrugs and closes his book; Harry's question had confirmed where all the students had been going for the last 10 minutes or so. "So that's where everyone was going?"
"Yes, now hurry. Even if you aren't hungry you have to go to breakfast to get your schedule."
Dark nods and puts his book in his bag. Swinging the bag over his shoulder he stood up, "Do I need anything?"
Harry shook his head, "No, they allow you to return to the Common Room to pick up your text books."
"Alright."
With that they both exit the common room.
There we go…done…:sighs: I went back and reread a lot of this story…and let me just say that I have decided to go back and rewrite it. Maybe not today…maybe not tomorrow…maybe not even until I finish this story completely…but I will eventually! There are just so many things I feel could be better…so many things I can expand on…so many things I can add…Oh well…It'll definitely have to wait till I have more time…
(1) I dunno how he really looks…don't get mad at me!
(2) Well…Ryou is still in his soul room and Bakura is in spirit form…that means there is no soul in control, making it soulless.
(3) ..............Don't ask how.............
(4) Holly, Dragon Heartstring, 10 inches if you are curious.
Review Responses:
GG: Sorry…I've only seen the dub and it seems like Yami no Yugi believes that Bakura doesn't care…I'll go back and change it, okay?
Dragon C. Chan: Thank you!
InsanityRoseSparkles: Fear teh sneakyness! XD Anyways, glad you like the chapter n.n
SPUW Commander, Ruler of the eastern hemisphere, whatever!!!!'s brother: Glad you liked it :D
T.K.: Ano…Why would Mahaado know Bakura was eavesdropping? Bakura is currently outside Dumbledore's office and Mahaado is asleep in the Gryffindor's Dorms. Yep Ryou and Draco will become friends…kinda…And yep. He will have to wear long sleeves n.n
Sycopowerranger: Glad you like it…though in this chapter I made Bakura sound…different…More like I imagine Marik would be O.o I've never written Marik before…
Koriaena: :is just imagining it now: XD I just have to put that in the story somewhere!