Malik wandered back into the Great Hall where only a few members of the staff remained, none of which Malik knew, except for Hagrid, which left the giant as Malik's only source of information.

"Excuse me, Hagrid?" Hagrid turned to see who was addressing him.

"Ah, Malik, right? What can I do for yeh?"

"Professor Dumbledore said I need to see Professor Snape to find my dorm room. Could you tell me which one he is?"

Hagrid pointed over his shoulder. "Over there." Malik looked in the direction indicated. 'Of course this Professor Snape had to be the creepiest guy in the place,' Malik thought. 'Figures.'

But Malik was not stupid. There was already a great deal of tension between him and his housemates. The best thing to do was to get in good with the guy in charge, namely Snape. But Malik was used to being the boss, so authority figures were new to him. He wasn't quite sure how to act, so he had to think first. Now, which of his underlings had always impressed him most? That was easy, Rishid. So how would Rishid act in this situation...?

Malik walked up to Snape, keeping his head low. He waited for Snape to notice him before speaking.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, sir," Malik said, swallowing his pride, "But I have been in a meeting with the headmaster and missed instructions to the location of the dorm rooms. Professor Dumbledore said I should ask you for help."

"And are you asking or are you merely stating your situation?"

'Great,' Malik thought. 'Arrogant and a butthead besides. I can't believe I have to kiss up to this guy...' "I'm asking, sir. Would you please show me the way?"

"Come with me."

Snape led Malik out of the Great Hall and down a series of steps. Along the way, Snape felt obliged to find out a bit about his new student. It was his duty as the leader of the Slytherin house.

"Why did you travel so far to attend Hogwarts?" Malik thought this was a good opportunity to win some favor.

"I heard it was the best, sir. I wouldn't want to go anywhere but the best."

"Then why did you appear unhappy to become a Slytherin?" Snape retorted. Malik hesitated.

"I...it's just that I was not impressed with Slytherins that I had met so far. It seems that a few members of the house are a bit disrespectful of other cultures. I didn't want to be in a house where I would be prejudiced against." There. That was a good answer.

"There will be no such prejudice in my house, you can be assured of that." Snape said. "I don't allow such displays of ignorance from my students." Had Harry or any of his friends been there, no doubt they would have argued that statement on behalf of the muggle-borns. But now Snape was going to ask the question that would most affect his opinion of Malik. "How long has your family practiced magic?"

"It can be traced back about five thousand years," Malik answered.

"Five thousand? That is impressive. Yet you are not familiar with modern magic?"

"We practice the old ways. Tradition was important, especially to my father. But I would like to broaden my horizons. There isn't much of a future to look forward to if you live in the past."

"Well said, Mr. Ishtal. But the past plays an important role in our future, don't you agree?"

"It plays a role, yes. But I don't feel that it should dominate it. We learn from the past, but cannot focus our lives upon it. I would rather keep my eyes forward."

Snape nodded. "That is a valid point of view. You are well-spoken for your age and I doubt that is due to the language charm. You should make a fine Slytherin." Malik beamed. It was amazing how far the right words could take him. At least being on the teacher's good side would make things a little easier.

Snape led Malik to the entrance to the Slytherin dorm room, where he informed Malik about the password ("Dragon liver") and took him as far as the common room. There were only a few students left there, and a quick glare from Snape told them it was time to go to bed. Snape pointed Malik to a staircase leading even farther down, indicating that that was the bedchambers for Malik's year. He then advised Malik to turn in for the night. Tomorrow was, after all, the first day of classes.

Malik stepped slowly down the dank dungeon-like steps. He really didn't like having to kiss-up to anybody and it put him in a foul mood. Malfoy and his goons didn't help either.

"Well, well. He didn't run away. I'm surprised," Malfoy crowed. "I thought for sure that you were going to cry to Dumbledore to let you go home because you couldn't take being a Slytherin."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Malik muttered sarcastically. "I have to stick around to make your life a living Hell..."

"Bold words coming from someone who doesn't even know how to use a wand," Malfoy retorted. "I'll bet you can't even perform a simple spell. That's why you had to resort to cheap tricks back at the robe shop."

"Back off, Malfoy, I am so not in the mood for this right now. Don't mess with me."

"What's wrong? Time of the month, is it?" Crabbe and Goyle chuckled at the crude remark. Malik just shook his head and walked over to a spare bed at the end of the room. He wasn't going to sink to their level. Least, not now, anyways.

He ignored them as they continued to laugh at little jokes that they whispered to each other. He pulled the green velvet curtains around his bed, giving himself a bit of privacy. He changed out of his robes into an oversized T-shirt and baggy shorts, the only pajama quality clothes he had, as Egypt really didn't require them. He then dug a laundry bag out from his trunk and stuffed the millennium rod safely inside and placed it under his bed just as his curtains were flung open.

"Hello, again."

"Geez, can't a guy get any privacy around here!"

"We're housemates. Practically brothers by Hogwart's standards. You don't need to hide anything from us."

"Go away, will you? It's bad enough I have to have classes with you, I don't need you aggravating me before I go to bed, too."

"I just wanted to show you around the place," Malfoy said, spreading his arms wide in a gesture of peace. "As you can see, these are the beds. The bathroom is up the stairs and to the right, next to the fireplace. And this..." He picked up a pitcher that had been resting on the windowsill. "This... is the water jug." Malfoy then turned the jug over, pouring all of the contents right on top of Malik's bed. Malik could only stare in shock.

"Welcome to Slytherin," Malfoy sneered, placing the now empty pitcher back on the windowsill and turning back towards his bed and exchanging signals of success with his goons.

Malik narrowed his eyes dangerously as he watched Malfoy go, clenching his fists and breathing deeply.

"This. Means. War."

....................................

"They've been in with Dumbledore for a long time," Hermione observed. They were all in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione had a book in her lap and Harry was losing spectacularly to Ron in chess. Fred and George and several of their friends were up in their dorm. There was an awful lot of noise coming from up there, which did make Harry and company wonder what they were up to. Most of the other Gryffindors had already gone to bed.

"You worry too much, Hermione," Harry commented.

"Wonder what was so important," Ron said, "that it had to be said in private."

"Could be anything," Hermione answered. "Maybe they were just embarrassed to bring whatever it was up in front of us."

They let it drop at that. Not long after, the door to the common room opened and Yugi and Ryou took their first steps into the Gryffindor common room. They seemed surprised to see such lush surrounding concealed behind a painting. McGonagall greeted Harry and company and then advised that they all go to bed, for classes began the next day. She pointed the stairs leading to the dorm room out to them, then left to retire to her own chambers. Yugi and Ryou ventured deeper into the common room to get a better look at things. Yugi's expression changed dramatically when he saw what Harry and Ron were doing.

"Oh, chess!" he said. "May I-" But Ryou was quick to cut him off as soon as he realized what was going on.

"No, no, no," Ryou interrupted. "The professor said bedtime. We really should be going to sleep now."

"But I-"

"No. You'll thank me later," Ryou said firmly, steering "Yugi" towards their chambers, practically having to push him up the stairs before he finally gave up and complied.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked.

"I dunno, they're weird," Ron answered. "What's the big deal abut playing a game?"

In the bedchambers, Yugi (having regained himself) and Ryou found that their trunks had been brought up for them.

"They must really be on the ball here," Yugi observed quietly so as to no wake up the other boys that were already sleeping near them. "They didn't even know we were going to be in this house, and already all our stuff was brought up and our beds made."

"Great service," Ryou agreed. "Not bad accommodations, either," he added, touching the soft scarlet-red velvet curtains around his bed. Both boys changed into their pajamas and climbed into their beds. But falling asleep was a hard fought battle. They couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow. It wasn't until after Harry and Ron came up and went to bed themselves that sleep finally found them. Ryou dreamed about turning toads into teapots and riding on the back of a dragon. Yugi dreamed that his and Ryou's yami and Malik ran amuck painting mustaches on the moving paintings and then were congratulated by the Weasly twins as Dumbledore kicked them out of school.

Sunlight streamed into the Slytherin fifth years' bedchambers. Malfoy tried to ignore the sun's attempts to wake him. In the end, it wasn't the light that finally stirred him from sleep.

"Wha. What the.?" Malfoy stammered as he felt his own damp bed sheets. He jumped out of bed. The sheets, the blankets... and even his own pajamas, were damp with water.

"Finally awake, eh, Malfoy?"

"You!" Malfoy exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Malik, who was already standing fully dressed at the entranceway to their chambers. "You poured water on my bed while I was asleep!"

"I didn't do anything. You poured the water on there yourself in a childish prank. But then you were so kind as to switch beds with me. I slept wonderfully, thank you."

"Wha...What?" Malfoy said stupidly. Then he realized where he was. His bed was normally the one closest to the door. He had just gotten out of the bed farthest away, the bed Malik had had. "Wh-what did you do? Move me in my sleep?"

"No. You moved on your own. You even moved the trunks. Ask your cronies if you don't believe me."

Malfoy turned to see Crabbe and Goyle standing on the sidelines. Crabbe scratched his head. "He's right," he said. "You did do it own your own."

"But I don't remember that!" Malfoy protested.

"Well...You still did it," Goyle said. "We saw you. You said you were sorry and asked to switch beds 'bout an hour after you poured the jug on the bed."

"I wouldn't do that!"

"That's what we thought... Well, anyway, we're goin' to breakfast. See you there, Draco." Malfoy watched dumbfounded as they left. They heard the door of the common room slam after them. Malik laughed, low and menacing.

"I told you not to mess with me..." he said as he himself turned up the stairs. Malfoy narrowed his eyes, his mind racing frantically for an explanation. He growled in anger and frustration.

"How'd that guy do it?" he muttered aloud to himself. Then his eyes widened as the only explanation he thought possible came to mind. "That bastard... He knows the Imperius Curse!"

The Great Hall bustled with the activities of breakfast. Steaming plates of sausages and bacon and pitchers of milk and juice crowded the tables. Yugi and Ryou sat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The newbies watched in awe as dozens of owls streamed in carrying packages and letter. These were just some of the daily occurrences they would just have to get used to.

A crowd formed around the unmistakable voices of the Weasly twins. The Gryffindor fifth years couldn't see what was going on, but the procession was moving towards them. The group gawked as the crowd finally cleared and the twins sat beside their brother.

"Hello all," Fred cheered. "Notice anything different?"

"What did you do to yourself, you nut?!" Ron exclaimed. His shock was somewhat understandable, for, you see, Fred's hair was a vibrant shade of green. George's was an electric blue.

"Yugi and Whitey gave us a brilliant idea for the joke shop," George answered. "Color Bombs! Completely safe and wonderfully effective. Slip one into food, and the person walks away with a multi-colored mouth. And as you can see, it works in shampoo, too."

"Unfortunately, we're not sure yet as to how long before it wears off," Fred added. "We'll have to work on that." Fred turned to Yugi and Ryou. "Well? As our inspiration, your opinion is important. And suggestions? Complements? Fashion tips?"

"Uh... No comment," Ryou answered, returning to his cornflakes and trying to conceal the humorous smile that was threatening to reveal itself on his face.

"It's great!" Yugi said, not bothering to act mature like Ryou. "Very creative."

"Morning Yugi. Bakura." The boys turned, already knowing who was addressing them.

"Morning Malik," they answered.

"Venturing from the Slytherin table into the domain of Gryffindors," Ron observed. "You brave soul. Didn't anyone tell you that it's sort of an unspoken rule that the two houses don't associate if they can avoid it?"

"I'm sort of a breaker of tradition," Malik answered, attempting to sit beside Ryou. Hermione put up her hand to stop him.

"You can get away with breaking an unspoken tradition, but sitting with your own house at meals is a widely spoken and enforced one. They'll just make you move if you sit here. They want you to bond with members of your own house."

"That's stupid. Have you MET the members of my house?"

"Sadly, yes," Harry answered. "But that's the way things are. And here comes one of your housemates now. He's always a pleasure," he added sarcastically.

Malfoy shoved past a pair of second years to get to their table, looking furious the whole time. "Consorting with Gryffindors? That's about right, you belong with scum like them."

"What do you want now, Malfoy?" Malik said in a bored manner.

"I don't know how you learned to do it," Malfoy began, "but you can be sure I'm going to expose you for it. You can't get away with things like that."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Malik replied innocently.

"You don't think you can manipulate me with magic without consequences, do you?"

"Manipulate you with magic? I'd like to see you prove it."

"I'll find a way to. Count on that. Expulsion is the best you can hope for. Use of the Imperius curse can land you in Azkaban, and I'll do my best to make sure that's exactly what you get!" With that, Malik stormed off to the Slytherin table. Malik cocked an eyebrow is slight confusion.

"Imperius curse? Azkaban? What the Hell is he talking about?" Malik asked.

"Azkaban is a wizard prison. The worst," Hermione volunteered. "And the Imperius curse is a very advanced spell that allows a witch or wizard to control another person. It's outlawed and there is no tolerance for it. It's a very serious accusation." Ryou and Yugi looked nervously around. Malik, however, kept cool.

"I've never even heard of such a thing. And I just started magic; how am I supposed to know how to perform some complex spell?"

"You shouldn't, and that's why Malfoy won't get anywhere with his threats. But still, you shouldn't go looking for trouble."

"I'm not afraid of him..."