The mass of students eventually started moving and talking again as they were all gifted with a glare.
"Demyx, Axel, you come too," Zexion demanded with a frown as the two nobodies made to make off with the rest of the students.
Demyx frowned but nodded, grabbing Axel by the wrist and dragging him forward.
Chapter 10 - Possessions
The group followed McGonagall up to her office, Cloud, Leon and Yuffie staring around wide eyed, Cloud looking more and more unsure as they continued up. When the stairs first moved Yuffie yelped and almost jumped out of her skin while Cloud and Leon just gripped the railing to steady themselves. Sora reassured them that it was completely normal.
"How the heck are moving stairs completely normal?" Leon grumbled with a scowl as he continued on carefully.
"You get used to a lot in this place," Sora explained brightly.
Riku watched Sora closely all the way up to McGonagall's office, glad that the brunette seemed to be himself again. He frowned as his thoughts drifted. What had caused Roxas to emerge like that? Maybe it was the sudden appearance of the Organization? He'd have to talk to Vexen about it – or Zexion.
Then again… maybe not. He still didn't trust any of them, but they'd probably have a better idea about what was going on than he would.
Minerva led the way into her office and led the way to a lounge area behind her desk, waving her wand and summoning tea and lunch before taking a seat.
Everyone sat, Leon, Cloud and Yuffie looking around the room curiously.
"Okay," Yuffie began, looking curiously at some floating glass spheres, "I know Merlin has some weird stuff, but this is just…"
"Unreal," Cloud finished quietly as he noticed the paintings on the walls moving, peering down at them curiously. He leant closer to the brunette ex-SeeD. "Hey, Leon, we weren't drugged, were we? Or hit with one of Merlin's experimental spells?" he asked quietly, still watching the paintings warily.
"No," Leon replied, seemingly unsure of his own answer. "At least, I don't think we were." He was still looking at Zexion with wary curiosity.
Zexion meanwhile was making himself a cup of tea while Sora, Riku, Demyx and Axel all hooked into the plate of sandwiches.
"Please, help yourself," Minerva offered, nodding for Harry to do the same.
He gave her a grateful smile and made himself a tea.
Cloud finally finished looking around enough to sate his curiosity and looked back at the group currently munching. Sora and Riku seemed at ease, even if Riku was a little on edge. His eyes narrowed but Cloud turned his gaze back to the elderly woman, who seemed to be the one in charge.
"What are you all doing here?" Minerva asked, getting straight down to business. There was no point in flouncing around.
"We got a distress call from Kairi," Leon began, looking directly at the two Islanders. "Apparently you two disappeared out of your beds with no warning at all, and everyone was in a panic."
Sora blinked, his blue gaze saddening at the news. "Yeah, we didn't have any warning at all. We both woke up in the Forbidden Forest one morning in our pyjamas. We didn't have anything with us."
Leon nodded. He'd assumed that much.
Yuffie started digging through the backpack she had brought. "We thought so, so we paid each of your houses a visit and brought you some stuff." She tossed a bundle of clothes at both Keyblade Wielders with a grin.
Sora and Riku blinked in surprise before unwrapping the clothes.
"My clothes from the Three Good Fairies!" Sora cheered, launching himself at the ninja with a hug. "You're the best Yuffie!"
"I know," she replied smugly, hugging him back, before letting him go and pushing him back towards his clothes. "Go look in your pockets."
Blinking, Sora did as he was told and stared as he opened the pockets, piles of his protection accessories falling out of them, enough for both of them. "You're amazing Yuffie," he breathed and immediately began putting his favourites on under the robes, tossing the rest at Riku, who went through them and picked out what he wanted, putting on a couple of rings and an Aegis anklet.
"Whoa, I knew you had big pockets Sora, but I think there's more," Axel mused as he took in the still bulging pockets.
Blinking, Sora opened them and breathed a sigh of relief with a grin as he noticed them stuffed with Potions and Hi-Potions. "You really are amazing Yuffie."
"I know," the girl preened as she grinned and watched him, her chin resting on both her hands, her elbows on her knees.
"Hey, Sora, look," Riku said suddenly, having gone through his own clothes bulging pockets, only to find more potions, protection accessories, and Sora's collection of key charms.
Sora blinked and reached over to pluck the bundle out of his best friends hands. "You bought them all?" He asked in surprise, looking back at the ninja.
"That's was Leon's suggestion, not mine," Yuffie explained with a smile.
"Thanks," Sora said quietly, looking at the older brunette, his eyes a little teary.
Leon nodded, giving Sora a small smile, which was the barest twitch of his lips.
Sora still caught it though and grinned back at him brightly.
"What is the Organization doing back?" Leon asked, looking at Zexion curiously.
"We don't know either," Zexion replied as he set his tea down gently on the table. "All we know is that we woke up one day a couple of months ago in a chamber down below the dungeons."
"Why haven't you left?" Cloud asked curiously.
"We can travel within the world with dark portals, but we are unable to leave this world altogether."
"Really?" Yuffie asked, suddenly looking worried. She looked at her two companions. "Hey, do you think we'll be able to leave?"
"Cid's coming with the Gummy Ship, remember? We should be able to just fly out of here," Leon replied.
"How are you all alive?" Cloud asked curiously, looking between Demyx, Axel and Zexion. "Castle Oblivion was taken out at least 12 months ago, maybe more, but you said you just suddenly appeared in the chamber, just after, if the timing is correct, when Xemnas was taken down." He looked at Sora and Riku for confirmation.
They both nodded, looking back at Zexion.
Zexion rubbed his temples irritably as he leant back into the cushions. "We have discussed the possibilities. The easiest one, and most believable one we came to, was that somehow Xemnas managed to store our abilities, which, while we were living at Never Was Castle, I came to realise were sort of like our heart replacements."
"Actually, that does make sense," Sora suddenly spoke up, glancing at Riku briefly. "When we were fighting Xemnas, there were four or five versions of him that we had to fight. During one of the fights, he used all the abilities of the Organization that I'd defeated, and others, which I didn't understand until Riku explained it all to me. He used water, fire, wind, earth, lightening, space, and a few others. And then in another battle where I fought him alone, he took me to a different dimension and created a scenario around us, but it wasn't really there."
"That does sound like my illusion power," Zexion agreed, raising his hand to his chin, looking thoughtful.
"When we defeated that version of him, maybe all your powers were released?" Sora suggested.
"But then how did you end up here?" Riku added in.
"This world must have snatched our powers, which would have naturally returned to where they first came from," Axel added in, also looking thoughtful.
Demyx just looked confused.
Leon nodded. Cloud blinked. He didn't really understand all of it, but he got the gist of what everyone was saying.
Harry meanwhile was looking completely lost. "I think I'm missing the basic story here," he said, looking at Minerva for an explanation.
She sighed, rubbing her temples. She'd barely come to grips with the story she'd heard the other night, and now this. Her brain really was going to explode if she wasn't careful. "I'll explain it after."
The Auror didn't look happy with that explanation but he let it pass.
"What do you three plan to do until your friend comes?" Minerva asked wearily, focusing on the three newbies.
"It's probably best if we stick together with Sora and Riku," Leon decided, turning a steady gaze on the headmistress. "At least that way we know we're all in one place when Cid does get here."
"Can they join us? Please, Professor McGonagall?" Sora pleaded, giving the woman his best puppy eyes.
She sighed. "Mr Hikari, I'm sorry, but we already have so many people here. Many more and we'll start drawing the attention of the Daily Prophet and the Ministry."
"Can they at least spend a couple of nights?" Sora asked pleadingly. "We can catch up then, and Leon, Cloud and Yuffie are probably all tired anyway. Besides, they have nowhere to go, and no currency."
The woman sighed again before closing her eyes and blocking out those blue eyes. She could see the sense in Sora's request, and she was leaning towards letting them stay….
"Alright, but only until you find your feet elsewhere."
"Yes!" Sora cheered, grinning at Yuffie, who grinned back.
"Thank you," Leon replied with a nod.
She nodded back with a smile. Getting up, she walked over to her desk and rang a bell. It tinkled, and within a second or so there was a small pop and a small pointy-eared creature dressed in rags appeared.
"What does Headmistress require of Blinky?" the creature asked with a bow. "More tea? Or perhaps some snacks?"
"No Blinky. Could you please gather a couple of other house elves and ensure that they set up three guest rooms for our new guests?"
"More guests?" the creatures asked, and Cloud felt himself recoil a bit at the familiar distortion of features as the big beady eyes turned to look at them.
Leon placed a calming hand on the blonde's leg and squeezed gently, steading the ex-SOLDIER, without looking away from the creature before him.
Cloud swallowed and released a slow breath, calming himself purposefully. He gave a small nod to show he was okay.
Leon lifted his hand and put it back on his own lap, without even glancing in the blonde's direction.
"Yes, let me know when the rooms are ready please."
"Blinky shall see to it right away Headmistress." With a low bow, the creature vanished with another small pop.
"Professor," Harry spoke up, focusing green eyes on the headmistress. "If you like, I can talk to Shacklebolt to see if he'll let me take charge of any and all reports coming from Hogwarts about the guests."
The woman seemed to relax and she smiled. "I would be grateful for that," Minerva replied gratefully. She focused on the three guests. "Young Lady, how old are you?"
Yuffie blinked. "Seventeen."
"And you two? I'm assuming you're over seventeen?"
Cloud's lips twitched in amusement as he nodded, Leon doing the same.
"What are you both good at?" She asked, coming to sit down again. "Magic?"
"Hyne, no!" Yuffie burst out with a peal of laughter. "These two are much better at hitting each other with swords than magic."
"Swords?" Harry asked, suddenly interested.
Leon tapped the gunblade that was resting against his hip still while Cloud flicked a thumb at the giant blade that lay resting against the back of the couch behind him.
Harry, McGonagall, and Zexion's eyes widened in surprise.
"You can actually use that thing? It looks heavy," Harry replied in surprise.
"It is," Yuffie replied with a smirk, glancing at the blond.
Cloud just looked smug as he crossed his arms.
Harry looked contemplative, as did Minerva, before she shook her head.
A small pop had Blinky the house elf popping back into the room, the elf bowing. "The rooms are ready Headmistress."
"That was quick," Sora commented with a blink.
"Thank you Blinky. Which rooms are they?"
"The East Wing behind the bowl of fruit for the young Miss, the water jug for one young Master, and the dog for the other young Master," the house elf informed, still in his bow.
"Thank you. I'll take them there now then."
The elf disappeared with another pop.
Leon and Cloud both blinked in confusion at the room references. Yuffie's head just tilted to the side curiously.
"Come, I'll take you to your rooms and then give you a tour of the castle," Minerva decided as she straightened her forest green robes. "Mr Hikari, Mr Valley, Mr Flame, Mr Melody and Mr Schemer, you can all return to class."
Zexion nodded and stood, the others following his example, even as Sora protested, but he followed the instructions with a pout.
Cloud, Leon and Yuffie all stood up as well, Yuffie hugging the brunette as a goodbye when he followed Riku to the door of the office.
Harry and Minerva watched in amazement as Cloud absently grabbed his sword with one arm and flicked it around, slinging it into its back holder. The others thought nothing of it though, as though it was a normal occurrence, and Leon nodded to the Headmistress to show they were ready.
"This way then," she said and led the way out of the office to begin the tour, Harry following and managing to draw Yuffie into an enthusiastic conversation.
Sora didn't see his friends until dinner that night; even then they were dragged up to the teachers table to socialize with the teachers. They were watched curiously throughout the night by most of the students, curious rumors and talk about their strange appearance being the conversation topic during the main meal amongst the students. After that, they were dragged off by the Headmistress, and the four heads of houses.
"Think we'll see them again?" Lily asked curiously as she watched Leon, Cloud and Yuffie being escorted out of the Great Hall.
"Yeah, we will," Sora replied with a grin and went back to his desert.
"You sound certain," Hugo said as he drizzled some honey onto his custard sponge.
"I know they're staying," was the only reply Sora would give with a smug smile.
When Sora went to wake Cloud and Leon up the next morning, he found both of them in Leon's room. As he barged in saying – or in another's opinion, yelling - a cheery good morning, he stopped and stared at the blond tuft of hair emerging from the covers to glare at him in annoyance.
"Sora, what do you want?" Leon grouched, also glaring at the hyper brunette in the doorway.
"I uh… came to get you both for breakfast," Sora replied in surprise, blinking at the two heads that were appearing. He could have sworn the blond was in his own room when they went to bed last night. "I figured you might get lost otherwise."
Cloud groaned and pulled the covers up over his head while Leon just sat up and rubbed his eyes, the covers falling to his lap, leaving his chest bare. "Is it morning already?"
"Yep," Sora replied chirpily. "So come on, up!"
"Sora, we don't exactly have anything we need to do today," Leon grumbled, glaring at the blue-eyed teen.
"Oh come on, stop being spoil sports!" Sora whined, bouncing over to the bed and half landing on it as he attempted to tug the covers down from Cloud's head.
"Go away Sora," Cloud groaned, his voice muffled by the blankets. "We were up late, and we're both tired."
"Well that's your fault, not mine," the brunette pouted. "Come on, just come to breakfast, please? There are some people I want you to meet."
Leon took one look at the pout and groaned, knowing that this was going to spell trouble for the two of them. "Sora, no, not now. You can introduce us at lunch."
"Please?"
Leon took one look at the big blue eyes that were begging him and groaned in defeat. "Fine… wait outside while we get dressed."
"We?" Cloud asked in surprise, glaring up at him from the blankets. "No, you, not we."
"Cloud, come on."
"It's your fault for looking at him."
"Cloud," Leon pleaded, giving him a big-eyed look that had Sora's jaw dropping in disbelief from his position on the end of the bed.
Cloud sighed heavily as he closed his eyes. "Fine. Sora, get out."
Quickly jumping off the bed, Sora rushed to the door. "You have two minutes!"
They both glared after him as the door shut.
Cloud sat up and glared at the brunette. "I blame you."
Leon smiled and leaned over to kiss lover. "Good morning to you too grouchy."
"I still can't believe you're a morning person. It just doesn't seem to fit with your ice personality."
"It's alright, you're not the only one," the brunette chuckled and glared at the door when it opened slightly.
"One minute thirty seconds!" Sora called before it shut again.
"We really need to figure out how to change that password," Cloud sighed before rolling out of bed to start getting dressed.
"It would never work against Sora," Leon argued as he copied the blond. "Sora's a keyblade master. Nothing works against him."
"Yes, but it will against Yuffie."
"True…"
They were donning their armour and other accessories when Sora threw the door open again. "Come on," he whined, bouncing anxiously on the balls of his feet. "I'm hungry and unlike you two I have classes today."
"You don't have to wait for us," Cloud threw back as he rolled his eyes, slinging his buster sword onto his back.
"I do, because it was either me or Riku who came to get you guys."
"I think I would have preferred Riku," Leon muttered as he pulled his gloves on, scooping up his gunblade after that. "You're too cheerful in the morning."
"So are you," Cloud bit back with a smirk. "I think you enjoy doing it just to freak me out in the morning."
"Does it work?"
"Obviously," Cloud snorted and headed towards the door. "Come on slow poke."
Leon followed. "Bird boy."
"Ice Princess."
"Glow worm."
"Snuggle bug."
"Teddy Bear."
"Okay!" Sora interrupted, giving the two warriors mildly scared looks. "You two are freaking me out."
"Good," they both answered before smirking at each other and continuing towards the Great Hall.
"So, who are we meeting?" Cloud asked curiously when they started to meet up with various other yawning students on their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Some friends I met here," Sora replied with a smile before it widened and he straightened up, a hand waving. "OI! RIKU! YUFFIE!"
Leon and Cloud both winced as the Keyblade Wielder's voice hit their eardrums.
"Morning!" Yuffie chirped as she skipped towards them with a bright smile, Riku following at a slower pace with an armful of books and his hair tied back, one hand in his pocket.
Riku greeted Cloud and Leon with a nod and an apologetic shrug.
Cloud glared at the silver haired teen, insistent that he get his message across. Leon, noticing the blonde's direction of irritation, placed a distracting hand on his comrade's shoulder and squeezed warningly, nodding a greeting to Riku.
Yuffie and Sora, who hadn't noticed the exchange at all, were walking down the corridor chattering loudly, Yuffie telling him everything that had come to pass the night before.
"Sorry about Sora," Riku apologised to the two stoic males. "He insisted we come collect the three of you for breakfast."
"Next time, let him collect Yuffie," Cloud grumbled as he adjusted the way his buster sword was hanging on his back. It was a little uncomfortable.
Riku smirked a little as they reached the Great Hall, and he raised a hand, waving at Scorpius, Albus, Lily, James, Hugo and Rose, who had all noticed them the moment they came in. Sora waved brightly as well and grabbed the ninja's wrist, dragging her down the aisle, still chattering happily.
"Good morning!" Sora greeted brightly as he sat down next to Albus, dragging Yuffie onto the bench beside him. Cloud and Leon sat down as well, Riku jumping over the table of food to sit beside Rose on the other side. She gave him a disapproving look, which he ignored. "Okay, everyone, I want you to meet some friends of mine."
Yuffie gave the group of Weasley and Potter witches and wizards a wink and peace sign, her tongue sticking out a little. "Hi! I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie!"
"And this is Cloud and Leon," Sora introduced, indicating which male was which.
They both nodded a greeting to the teenagers, Lily's face blanked and dazed as she stared at Leon with awe.
Leon shifted his gaze to the witch curiously and she blushed, quickly dropping her gaze. No one noticed Cloud move his hand under the table to grip Leon's tightly. The brunette just gave him an amused look.
"Guys, this is Hugo, James, Lily, Rose, Albus, and Scorpius," Sora continued introductions flawlessly, not noticing anything.
"Nice to meet ya!" Yuffie said with a grin and a nod. She eyed the food in front of them contemplatively. "It's just help yourself, right?"
"Right," Sora confirmed as he began scooping food onto his plate.
The others copied them, Leon reappearing with both hands, as did Cloud.
"So what have you guys got on today?" Sora asked curiously as he looked at his friends.
"A couple of meetings with various people," Cloud replied with a shrug. "Minerva wants to have a chat to us about our options here as well."
"Do you think you'll stay here?" Riku asked curiously as he speared another sausage. "Or will you stay somewhere else?"
The two males exchanged looks before looking back at the other teen. "Here," Leon replied with a shrug as he spread some jam on a piece of buttered toast.
"Why?" Sora asked curiously.
"Cid will trace Merlin's spell to here, because this is where we arrived," Cloud explained. "It makes sense to stay as close as we can to here."
"And so when he does get here, we know where you two are," Leon added.
"Oh," Sora murmured and nodded. "That makes sense."
Leon nodded in satisfaction and went back to his breakfast.
The morning mail arrived, and Yuffie, Leon, and Cloud's heads shot up in surprise as the Great Hall suddenly filled with owls, all swooping in to find their owners and drop the parcels and mail they were carrying.
Scorpius stood up and caught a box like parcel that dropped into his hands, just barely saving his scrambled eggs, and sat down again as he pulled the letter off the twine holding the brown paper over the box.
"Ooh, what did your dad send you this time?" Albus asked eagerly as he reached over and grabbed the box as his friend opened the letter and read it.
"Apparently some new brand of chocolate he's found that he deems satisfactory. He wishes for my opinion on it."
Albus frowned but opened the parcel anyway, tearing the wrapping paper off the box of chocolates. "He's testing you again, isn't he?"
Scorpius smirked and placed the letter back in its envelope. "Obviously."
Albus studied the box curiously before handing them back to his friend, his face twisting in disgust. "All yours."
The Malfoy snorted in amusement and took the box to look over himself, a smirk dancing across his lips. "Thanks Al."
"You're welcome."
Tbc~