Hey everyone,
So NO ONE commented on the hint I left at the bottom of my last AN, but considering what happened in the last chapter, I really can't blame you. And this chapter is not going to be much better as it will lead the main protagonists away from the actual antagonists. However, I am planning to exempt one thing.
The students turning on Harry for being the Heir of Slytherin. Of course, this can't even happen as Lockhart isn't the DADA teacher, Larxene would teach Dueling Clubs much better than Lockhart ever could, there will be no snakes conjured by Malfoy and, of course, the most important bit – HARRY IS HORCRUX NO MORE!
So yeah, there will be no slandering of Harry's character by the student body and to further ensure this am I going to spare Justin, Collin, Hermione and the other two from being Petrified. Instead of that I will create a few Random OC's that might just make an appearance in either Preventing Trouble or Family And Friends.
Sounds great, right,

Venquine1990
Co-Author: I Give Zero Fox

Chapter 10
Better Or Worse?

31st of October 1992
Entrance Hall, Hogwarts
Xion's POV

"Harry, we got a major problem." I tell the young prince as I rush for him after having escaped the Dark Wizard who surprised me while I was trying to keep an eye on Luna and I say: "Luna's been nothing but a decoy. There's someone else, someone clearly older and much darker that just did something horrible."
Instantly Harry, my Demyx and the other two look greatly concerned and Harry asks: "Calm down, Xion. Tell us what happened." And I answer: "I was following Luna when a male voice of someone who sounded to be Percy or maybe the twins' age sounded from somewhere and suddenly I really, really had to go.
So I went to the bathroom, but that was actually a hidden place for the same bastard and he seemed to have conjured some kind of monster that he controlled through a language I couldn't understand at all. It just sounded like crazy hisses and shushing sounds. And when I heard this monster approaching, I phased out of there.
But then, just when I was relieving myself of the after effects of that curse, did I get attacked and I phased out again. But as I fled, I actually caught sight of this huge – I don't even know what it was. But it's roaming the school and to make matters even worse, it seems to be accompanied by this whole army of Dark magic owls."

By now the others are looking dark with concern themselves, but then suddenly Harry looks down and asks: "Kendal, what are you doing here?" But before the Aura Lion, as we found out his kind is called, can do more than growl at the Grand Staircase, does Cedric rush over and ask: "Harry, have you seen Auron? I can't find him."
This shocks us all, but then my Demyx slams his fist in his hand and says: "Oh, I get it!" And we turn to him as he says: "Those Owls must be Nightmares. They're Dark Dream Eaters, just like Auron and Kendal are Light Dream Eaters. That's why Auron is gone and Kendal is here. They can sense their natural enemies."
This shocks Cedric and then he tells us something greatly worrying and says: "Then you have to find him! I've been raising Auron as a familiar and a pet, not a Dream Eater. He has no experience whatsoever, other than that one time he came to Harry's aid at the start of last year. He could be in danger, maybe even –!"

But before the boy can go on, do we all rush into the Grand Staircase, Harry telling Kendal to go find Auron. And the Aura Lion, which by now has grown to reach Harry's mid waist, roars as he leads us up many of the staircases and up to the fourth floor before rushing into a doorway that seems to open at hearing his roar.
We rush through after him and pass through quite a few more hallways before suddenly Kendal jumps higher than he did before as he turns a corner and when we do the same, we spot them. Black wings with blue feathers on the inside, a green color on the inside of the pointed ears, a purple belly and purple and green talons.
The owls have strange red eyes and two of them are actually shooting beams of light from them at Auron, who is crouched against one wall, growling and snarling, but apparently too weak to do more. Yet before the owls can answer this clear threat to stay away, does Kendal jump at the two owls and actually pounce one of them.
The owl slams against the floor yet Kendal shocks us as he roars and lets a sprite that looks exactly like him float out of his form before it vanishes, only to actually multiply and attack the other owl that was about to strike against Kendal. Yet when Harry notices that the other owls are about to attack Kendal, does he shout:
"Blizzard!" And shards of ice leave his Keyblade and strike the beasts. And this is our cue to attack the other Nightmares. And to my relief does it seem as if these Nightmare Owls aren't even all that strong as only three strikes of my Keyblade are enough to make the Nightmare vanish and the others are just as easy.

And while we had been outnumbered five to seven, do we manage to destroy them all, yet I don't relax and say: "We need to warn the Headmaster. The Owls may be gone, but that dark wizard and that huge beast are still somewhere around the castle. I just don't get how we missed him. Was it because of Luna?"
"I – may have a theory on that." Harry mutters and we all turn to him as he says: "It's a stretch, but – it could be that Luna has been fighting whatever Darkness has been controlling her from time to time and that, because she fought it, it found power outside her body and formed into a body of its own. You know, like Ansem."
This actually doesn't sound all that far-fetched and Axel asks: "So – we're dealing with a humanoid Heartless made by Luna's own heart and this dark form of magic that controls her from time to time? What? Does that mean that she's now free of it?" To which Harry mutters: "That depends. We'll just have to keep a look-out."
And the rest of us nod as I say: "Alright, now let's go before that monster gets here. It may not be a Heartless or a Nobody or even a Nightmare, but just hearing it being called and feeling it approach me – it was not a feeling I want anyone else to experience. We have to warn the Headmaster." And everyone nods.

Only when we reach the Great Hall through Axel's portal do I feel shocked as I realize that we are already too late as there is shock, fright and a strong sense of the unknown going through the hall. "Ah, there you five are, finally. Didn't you hear the Headmaster calling all students to the Great Hall over the announcer?"
Professor McGonagall asks as she approaches us and I cringe as I did hear something while fighting the Owls, but was too focused on the battle and helping Roxas to really pay attention. "Sorry Professor, Auron was missing and Kendal helped us realize that there were Nightmares – Dark Dream Eaters – in the castle."
Harry explains and the woman grimaces as she says: "That sounds like a valid concern. However, we have other matters to worry about." And only then do I notice how the Superior, Sora and Riku are standing in front of the Head Table, all three of them, Madam Pomfrey and the Headmaster bend over something or someone.
"What happened?" Roxas asks and McGonagall sighs as she says: "Mr. Stations was found Petrified on the Sixth floor corridor, just two corners away from the staircase to Gryffindor Tower. Your Superior and friends are trying to help the Headmaster find out how he got in this state and see if they can undo the effects."

And instantly we all rush over, some students looking shocked to see us others shocked to see us walking so closely together. "You seem to be more unpopular with your House than I thought, Roxy." Axel says as he notices how many at the Slytherin Table are glaring at how Roxas and him are rushing over side by side.
But Roxas ignores this just as I ignore how the more popular and girly-kind of girls are glaring at me for rushing to the Head Table with Demyx right next to me and I know that my best friend thinks the same thing I do: "House Popularity pales in comparison to doing the right thing." And I know we both just want to focus on current events.

"Ah, there you five are. What kept you?" The Superior asks and Harry repeats his answer, making Sora and Riku share a dark look as the two must be remembering their own time encountering these creatures. "They're called Peepsta Owls. Be careful with them. If they scan you, they'll know your every move and attack accordingly."
Riku tells us and we nod before Axel asks: "What about Stations?" And the four look down grimly as Dumbledore says: "He's been Petrified, but I can't say by what." At which I answer: "I might. I was following Luna and got ambushed. We think it's a Heartless created out of her own heart and the Darkness that's been affecting her.
It hit me with a spell that made me need to go and then summoned something awful. I don't really know what it is, but it was gigantic and made me feel worse than –." And while I keep quiet, does the Superior nod, proving he understands that I mean the time I found out the purpose for which I was created so long ago.
Roxas hugs me, even if I doubt he really remembers what happened back then and I smile at my best friend before Dumbledore asks: "What can you tell us of the beast you encountered, Mss. Xion?" But I shake my head and say: "No more than I already told you, sir. It's gigantic in size and just excludes the presence of a predator."
The man nods and asks: "And the one who called him? What can you tell us about him?" At which I say: "He sounded male, sounded about the same age as either the twins or Oliver Wood and when he called on the beast, he made the strangest noises. Like he was hissing or choking or something. I really couldn't understand him."

"But the monster could, huh?" Dumbledore asks and just by the grave tone of his voice, do I realize that this means something and I ask: "Professor?" Yet it's the Superior who answers and he says: "A message was found next to Stations. It was written in blood, but the blood wasn't Stations. It was rooster blood of all things."
This confuses me and Axel asks: "What was the message?" And Sora answers: "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware." Which really creeps me out and makes me actually shudder, Roxas hugging me even closer as a sign of comfort as he asks: "And this was written in rooster blood?"
The four men in front of us nod and Dumbledore says: "Mr. Malfoy has already lost his House 10 points for threatening Muggleborns who read the message that they would be next. Though I am quite surprised he is taking these words for truth, seeing as how Mr. Stations here is of Pureblood Heritage himself, thus going against the legend."

"Wait, what legend?" The Superior suddenly asks and Dumbledore says: "The Legend of the Chamber of Secrets. It says that, after his legendary fight with Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin left a hidden chamber in the school with a monster lurking within, waiting for the rightful heir to unleash it upon the unworthy."
"And who did Slytherin consider the unworthy?" The Superior asks and I can tell he takes his tale quite personally, which is natural seeing what I know about the man and how he feels about the way he treated people like Marluxia, Vexen and even Roxas and myself all those years ago before he regained his heart.
"Muggleborns. Those of Muggle parentage but who have magic themselves. This is exactly why I gave Mr. Malfoy the task of writing down an essay describing all known and lesser known Pureblood lines. Once he realizes Mr. Stations falls under one of those lines, perhaps he will realize how foolish his statement truly was."
At which I think: "Or at least how much of a fool he made of himself, threatening Muggleborns after a Pureblood got attacked." Then Axel asks: "So, what do we do now?" And the Headmaster says: "You lot keep an eye out for these Nightmares. Leave the Chamber and its mystery to the teachers and those they call for help."

At this we turn to the Superior, Sora and Riku, but the three shake their heads and Sora says: "Sorry, we can't help. The moving is going so well, we're now managing ways to move entire families with their finances, work spaces and everything. It's going faster and faster and we're getting more and more requests.
We've even met a few Half-bloods who are ready to go, but the Ministry's being a little difficult with that. They're adamant to have the Muggleborns go first, but because some of them are still here at Hogwarts, we're now in the middle of negotiations on who should leave and when. Basically, we're rewriting the entire schedule."
And this makes me turn to Harry, who indeed does look quite guilty and he asks: "Is there – anything I can do?" To which the three shrug and say: "The best you can do is make the Muggleborns that are yet to leave feel comfortable and give them information on what they can expect when they do move to the other Universe."

At this Harry nods, but then he says: "I guess I'll start organizing meetings with them then. But with Lea meeting me more and more often, the guys here needing my help from time to time with their House troubles, my staggering homework and now these Nightmares arriving." And the boy cringes in clear concern at the end.
But then Axel says: "Harry, just leave the Nightmares to us. You just make sure we can use Kendal from time to time and have him train Auron when you're not busy playing with him yourself and then you can focus on everything else you need to worry about. You're already a prince, a student and a boyfriend, you don't need to be a hero too."

And Roxas, Demy and I happily nod in agreement, making Harry sigh in relief as he says: "Thanks guys. Now, what about Stations? Is he going to be alright?" To this Riku sighs and says: "Well, he was definitely attacked by something from this world, our magic has no effect on his current state whatsoever, not even Curaga."
"It truly is too bad, but Mr. Stations will have to stay in the Hospital Wing until Professor Sprout has finished raising her Mandragoras to the right state of growth. Only the right kind of Mandragora juice can undo a Petrification like this." Yet at this seems to perk Harry as he seems to have a new idea and happily asks:
"Then what of Daddy Marluxia? Can't he come in his spare time, when he's not at work, and help her grow them?" At this the Superior and Dumbledore share a pleasant look and the Superior says: "That does sound like a good idea. And I have no doubt Larxene will be happy to have her partner around more often too."
At this the Headmaster nods in pleasant gratitude and he says: "That sounds like a wonderful idea. It seems everything will work out in the end." Yet while the man then uses his wand to levitate Stations away, do I think: "Then why do I feel they have to get worse before that can happen?" And I look at my friends worriedly.

You said it, Xion,
So, now the gang does believe that Luna is innocent and that it's someone behaving similar to Ansem in KH1, but they haven't realized yet that they are only half right. And unfortunately, it's going to take a while before they actually realize that. And the longer it takes them, the more they have to fight.
And to make matters worse, Harry is now out of the picture as a Fighter, so it will be up to Demyx, Xion, Axel and Roxas to fight off the Heartless. Yeah, like they don't have enough issues with their own Houses to deal with. Side note, I do plan to have those issues come to a head, but only after I deal with Tom.
Next chapter: the first meeting between Prince Harry and the Muggleborns that are waiting to leave. Unfortunately, this meeting will not go all that smoothly, but Harry will get a reason to get back into the fray. Only when he realizes that this attack is a little worse than last, he'll get some unexpected help.
But from who,

Venquine1990
Co-Author: I Give Zero Fox