Sands of Time
By: Neko-Chibi-Faithkitty

Summery: Yami discovers that an evil wizard is destroying the souls of the people of Egypt. Fearing that this vile creature is seeking the power of the Shadow Realms, he follows him back to a land with as much magical history as Egypt. There he discovers that this new threat doesn't want the Pharaoh's ancient power…he wants the Spirit's very life.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Harry Potter.

Author's Note: I apologize in advance. I will most likely be very slow to update this story because I want it to be perfect and I will at times erase whole chapters and start over again to get it that way.

Chapter 1: In Dreams They Come

A young man stood looking up at the blazing heat of the Egyptian sun. His tri-colored locks swayed gently in the wind. The years had been very generous to him. Where he had once been incredibly short, he was now tall for a person of Japanese decent. At 5'8" he was still not as tall as most of the people he met on dig-site, but he was by no means the child-like person he had been. He had still retained his innocence, even though it didn't quite show. You could only tell by looking into his delicate violet orbs.

"Mouto?" Came a voice from behind him. He turned to see a tall man in jeans and an overly large tank top.

"Weasly." He said, acknowledging the redheaded European. "Did you need

something?"

"No, not really. Just wondered what you were thinking about." The man said calmly.

Yugi smiled slightly. "You could say I was just wondering what the pharaoh of this tomb would think if he could see strangers standing at it's entrance."

"I'm sure he'd be shocked." The taller one laughed his dragonic earring winking at his left earlobe.

"Not so shocked as you might think." Yugi sighed.

"How so?"

"You'll have to figure that out on your own." He smiled playfully. "Maybe you'll figure it out…someday."

Bill Weasly shook his head. "Why is it that everything is a game with you?"

"It's in my nature." He shrugged. Then he turned and started to walk back to the campsite where they had stayed during the excavation.

"So…" Bill started.

"So?"

"You're really going to back to Japan?"

"Yes. My grandfather died and I need to go back to tend things there."

"Sorry to hear that mate."

"It's alright. I'll miss him, but I'm used to loosing those I care about."

"Ouch!" Bill replied, looking sharply at the smaller man. "What do you mean by that?"

Yugi smiled sadly. "When I was young I stumbled across a very powerful secret. From that moment on people have been hurting my friends and doing everything they can to get that secret."

"What was the secret?" Bill asked nervously.

Yugi looked back and winked at him. "If I told you then I'd have to kill you!"

"Why you little!" Bill cried and ran to tackle his Oriental friend. "Your grandfather isn't dead at all now, is he?"

"No." he replied sighing. "But I really do have to go back. Unfortunately the museum funding this little project is getting impatient."

The redhead frowned. "Are they getting ready to pull the plug?"

"Unless I can bring back more proof of The Eternal Pharaoh's existence."

"But we don't have proof." Bill grumbled in frustration. "I swear! If I didn't know any better I'd say that this is a wild goose chase and someone on the inside is hiding the goose!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get a break soon." He sighed and looked over to the ruins they had been studying. Then he looked back up at the carefree sky. "Well, I'd better go get packed."

Bill watched as the smaller man walked away. "I'd better call Dumbledor." He muttered almost inaudibly. "He needs to know about this."

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The young archaeologist calmly got off the plane. Looking around he easily located the museum's representative sent to retrieve him. "Ishizu." He smiled nodding. "Konnichi wa."

The tall woman frowned at him. "They're not very happy with you Great One." She told him in curt Aramaic.

"Please." He sighed, answering in the same tongue. "I couldn't very well let them discover my secret."

"True, but telling the owner that he's a mule like dung beetle and an ungrateful parasite wasn't exactly the brightest idea you've ever had my liege."

"I would never say that!" Yugi cried shocked.

"Having Yami say it is the same thing."

Yugi listened as the soul began to snicker in his mind. //Next time I'll be sure to disguise my voice. //

/If Isis has anything to say about it there won't be a next time. / Yugi reprimanded, trying not to laugh.

"Well?" She asked looking at him expectantly.

"Huh?"

"Well, what is my Pharaoh's excuse?"

"He's not used to having to explain himself. When he was ruler over Lower and Upper Egypt, people did what he commanded without question." Yugi lied, covering for his darker soul.

The tall woman frowned, but seemed to accept his answer. "Well, I'm to let you drop your things off at the hotel and then take you to the museum." She sighed, slipping easily into Japanese.

"Hotel?" Yugi looked over at her sharply. "But what about my apartment?"

She blushed. "Well, um, Shadi wasn't expecting you back, so…" Her voice faded ever so slightly.

"So?"

"He hasn't quite gotten around to paying the bills in a while and there's no water, electricity, or telephone and various companies are refusing to turn them back on."

Yugi sighed in relief. "Good. For a moment I was afraid you'd tell me he got me kicked out."

"Not yet." By then they had reached the baggage claim and Yugi was reaching for his luggage. When he had the three small suitcases on a luggage cart, he turned back to his old friend.

"Well, since they've been so kind as to spend money on a hotel for me, I might as well use it. Lead away my friend."

When Yugi had been to his room and put his things away, he returned to the taxi where Ishizu waited for him. It was a sign of how angry they were with him. Usually she met him with a limo, or at least a nice car. Not only had they had to take a taxi, but he was sure they had only sent her to make sure he made a prompt appearance. The hotel was nice though, so he hadn't completely fallen out of favor. He'd just been brought back to be griped out. /Yami. / He sent to his alter ego.

//Yes Aibou//

/Next time you get mad at him for insulting our intelligence, bite your tongue. / He advised the spirit.

//But you were cheering me on the entire time. // Yami said smiling confidently.

/Do you have to remind me. /

//Just pointing out the truth. //

/Stop clouding the issue with facts. That windbag's going to be yelling at me for hours. /

//If he's that annoying, which you have to admit he is, why don't you let Ishizu or Shadi fund the dig. //

/Because then we'd actually have to find something every now and then, and while I don't mind the others knowing, I'd rather they didn't learn how to access the Shadows. /

//Point. // By then they'd reached the museum. Rather than continue their discussion, they watched as the older Ishtar paid the cabby. When she had finished she noticed them watching her.

"I'll take you up to his office." She said calmly. Yugi followed her through the cold marble halls like an obedient puppy. Finally they reached the foreboding doors of the owner's office. "This is where I leave you Kami No Yugi."

Yugi smiled at her nickname for him. Then he winked at her. "Time me." She rolled her eyes as he proudly opened the doors, but entered looking as though he were fearing for his life. When the door slammed shut she walked over to the bench she had had placed there for times just such as this. Sighing she looked out at the early morning sun and then back down at her watch. This would take a while.

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Four hours into the 'meeting' Yugi lowered his head to hide a sigh. The man was still yelling. Honestly! He had only called him a dung-beetle. It wasn't like that time Yami had called him a cross-dressing half stick of a man with a rat for a mother and a dog for a father. He really shouldn't have let Yami answer the phone when he was drunk. That reminded him, he had promised to go drinking with Bill when he got back. It would have to be him and not his 'significant other', as Ryou had taken to calling the ancient spirits. Granted Yugi couldn't drink as much as Yami, but Yami had a tendency to speak without thinking when he was less than sober. As Pharaoh this hadn't been a problem, but as tiny pee-on of the Domino City Museum, it often got them in trouble.

"Mouto! Are you listening to me?" The man before him screeched.

"Yes sir. You said that if I don't stop following fairy tales and myths I'll never find anything." The man frowned at him as though contemplating his next string of complaints.

//How do you do it Aibou// Yami asked half-joking, half-curiously.

/Do what/ Came the silent reply.

//Pay attention while daydreaming. //

Yugi laughed silently. /You didn't have to experience the wonders of Sir Thomas Moore's Utopia. /

//Utopia… But I enjoyed that lecture. //

/Good. The next time the museum sends us to a lecture outside our area of expertise, you listen. / The brighter soul grumbled. Then he got the impression of a smile.

//Better than listening to him… //

/Hey, what time is it/ Yugi suddenly asked, changing the subject.

//Probably getting close to noon. Why//

Just then they heard something beeping out the theme of My Little Ponies. /Right on time. / Yugi smiled to his other half while looking bashfully at his boss. "Sorry sir, I must have forgotten." Then he quickly pulled out his cell and flipped it open. "Moshi moshi?"

"Mouto? Hey it's me Bill." Came the other voice clearly. The museum owner frowned. "I was calling to tell you that Gringotts has offered to fund our dig."

"Gringotts?" Yugi asked. "Isn't that the museum in London that you work for?"

"Yeah. And they said they'd offer us twice as much as we're getting right now! Isn't this great!"

"Yeah! Wonderful! Hey-"

"Mouto!" He was cut off by his boss' angry growl.

"Um I better go." He flipped the phone closed. "Sorry sir." He replied apologetically, trying to ignore the laughter echoing in his soul.

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Several hours later Yugi left the office bowing humbly. As he the door closed behind him a large grin erupted to cover his face. Looking contently over at Ishizu he said only one word. "Time?"

She sighed. "11 hours and 23 minutes." She answered frowning. "Your record was 14 hours and 36 minutes."

He nodded approvingly. Then he stretched yawning loudly. "Does that hotel have a burger place nearby?" He had had a weakness for the fattening food ever since his teenage years. "That old man had me in there forever."

"We can stop by Burger World on our way."

Yugi smiled cheerfully at her. "Great!" Then he calmly pulled his cell back out and dialed Bill's number. "Hey!" He said smiling when the Englishman answered promptly. "Perfect timing! He was running out of things to complain about when you called."

He heard a sigh. "Mouto, why do you do that? One of these days you're going to loose all our funding."

Yugi laughed. "Don't worry. I know when to stop. After all, I've never lost a game."

"I'd still prefer if you didn't play with our funding."

The sprightly Japanese man chuckled. "Fine, next time I'll gamble my job."

"As long as you don't mess with mine. Are we still on for that drink when you get back?"

"Yeah, sure. Who's paying?"

"Bet. If we lose our funding you pay, if you've managed to appease the old man, which I doubt, I'll pick up the tab."

Yugi laughed and quickly agreed. "Someday you'll learn that I don't lose." He looked over as Ishizu waved at him.

"Would you like me to order the food for you my Pharaoh?" She asked in Aramaic.

"Nah." He answered in Japanese. "I won't be much longer."

"What was that?" Bill said. Yugi could tell he was frowning trying to translate the ancient language.

"Oh, um, that was the curator. She wanted to know if we've found anything else about the Pharaoh."

"Oh, well, you can tell her that we're still just digging up coins."

"Will do. I'll call you later to let you know about the funding."

"Kay."

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Yugi sleepily stumbled into his hotel room, yawning hugely. //Aibou…// Yami sighed. //Are you sure you really want to get up at seven? I mean, what about jet lag, not to mention the fact that it's nearly midnight. I'm sure Ryou wouldn't mind making an excuse for you.//

Yugi sighed, and smiled tiredly. "Nah. I'm good. Besides, the museum's already mad at me." He answered aloud, plopping down in a chair by the dark mahogany desk..

//Then would you like me to go in your stead//

Yugi shook his head while pulling off his shiny black boots. "I'll be just fine as long as I get to sleep soon." Reluctantly he got up from the chair. Pulling off the tight cotton shirt he had been wearing, he tossed the black garment over his small carry-on bag and headed to the bathroom. Moments later he reappeared with a toothbrush in his mouth and began rummaging in his pack. Sighing in frustration he gave up his search and went back into the bathroom. Grabbing the cheap paper cup the hotel supplied, he began to rinse his moth out. Setting the cup to the side of the sink, his violet gaze flitted up to the mirror.

He glanced back down, and then his eyes flew back to the mirror in shock and fear. He stared in horror as flames licked at the wall behind him. Whirling quickly, he found nothing. Turning back to the mirror, he saw nothing. /Y-Yami…. / he whispered quietly, unsure of his voice.

//Yes// the dark spirit frowned, concerned for his light.

/ Did you see that/

//See what? Yugi, are you alright//

/But there was a fire! Didn't you see it/

//No. Are you sure you're alright//

/Yeah, I'm fine. / Yugi answered, still thinking back on the glimpse of flame. As he continued to get ready for bed his mind continued to flit over the experience. Finally as his head settled on the pillow and sleep claimed him, he began to forget it.

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Yugi looked out into the desert night. In the moonless darkness, the only light was from a golden flicker on the other side of the great sand dune. He started to climb, but something held him back, some nameless fear. Slowly, fighting his sense of dread, he struggled up the dune. When he reached the top, his violet gaze fell on the sight he had been dreading. There before him lay the dig site, and it was burning.

He watched helplessly as the workers ran from the consuming fires only to be killed by a strange green light that flitted among them. He cried out in angered sorrow as the people of Egypt died protecting his secrets. That was when he saw Bill. The redhead flew from the ruins to the edge of the fire's light. The next thing Yugi knew he was standing beside the man as he faced a foe shrouded in black.

"What do you want?!" Weasly yelled angrily. "Why kill the muggles?! They haven't done anything! What are you looking for?!"

The black figure hissed a joyful incantation as a green image shot from his wand. Then he turned to answer Bill. "The Dark Lord will have the secret of immortality at last. I saw what was written – " The man was cut off as Shadows began to circle his throat. Lovingly they ripped the life from his body. Then they started for Bill…

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Yami looked around him confused. Then he glanced down and gasped in shock. He was wearing the garb of the ancient Egyptians, not his usual black clothing. Then he began to whirl around trying to understand. The stars winked warningly in the moonless black night. The he whirled to see the great dune behind him. he felt rage overcome him as he saw the golden light winking on the other side. If the was Egypt in the past, than that could only be one thing. As he reached the top of the dune he looked out on the great city in all it's splendor. On a normal night, the golden walls would be winking in the starlight, but tonight the glowed with the fearsome gold of fire. The people fled in t error as their homes burned. Suddenly a black figure emerged from the flames pursued closely by one of the great Priests. He watched as Kalim cornered the man. Angrily he pointed the Sennen Scales at him. "You dare disturb the resting place of the Pharaoh's secret."

"Ah! And now that secret is mine! He shall not be the only Eternal One!"

Kalim glared at the man and raised the Scales, calling forth their Shadows. "You shall carry the secret with you to the Shadows!"

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Yes, I know that Gringotts is a bank, but Yugi doesn't know that.