Hey everyone,
I got to say, this story is coming along nicely. Also, I have some great plans for Luna, Maleficent and the Organization when it comes to the final confrontation between them. I just don't really know what to do with the Basilisk or the Chamber of Secrets. However, the Basilisk won't become a Heartless or a Nightmare.
Anyway, enjoy,
Venquine1990
Co-author: I Give Zero Fox aka Kawaii Nate
Chapter 11
A New Wielder
21st of November 1992
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Harry's POV
The Petrification of Stations has definitely left the castle in a right state and it took the teachers a few days to get the students' focus back on what is truly important. And for once the unpopularity of my friends actually worked against us as Axel, Roxas, Demyx and Xion all tried calming the students down from their fear.
Yet when I heard of this, I did not take kindly to this and so I stood up against the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Slytherins and even those in my own House and finally gave them the reality check they needed. "They didn't get divided, they got Sorted separately to unite Hogwarts under one banner once more after a millennia.
Can't you lot realize that this kind of anger, resentment, jealousy and other dark emotions will just attract the Heartless and other dark creatures once Hogwarts moves to Radiant Garden? Or that the Sorting Hat has already foreseen this and took the required action to prevent it from happening? I mean, honestly?"
And while I got a night's detention for my tone – and a few choice words that I voiced against the more stubborn of the lot – did it make the students that listened to me think on what I said and did it improve the House situation for my friends, even if only a little. Yet, together with this, did I also make my announcement.
Some of the Halfbloods that had also wanted to start moving had been pissed that the meeting was for Muggleborns only, but I had told them that they would have their turn once the meetings between my father and the Ministry had been handled, which I had assured them would more than likely be before the end of the year.
Daddy Marluxia had also happily taken onto Dumbledore's offer to help Professor Sprout grow the Mandragoras for the sake of Stations and he has also been spotted along with mum several times, the students that encountered them constantly having a really red face whenever they told anyone that they came across the duo.
This had definitely left me feeling quite embarrassed quite a few times and my parents had promised they would use the Corridors from now on if they were alone together and sensed others coming near them, yet even with this promise, I had still felt uncomfortable as I just didn't want to know what they did when alone.
Still, while I had hoped that Luna would rebel and show up, as she had been rebelling more and more over the last three weeks, had the girl decided to shine in her absence. And the main reason I had believed I would see her at the meeting was because the girl has been caught insulting Muggleborns a few times over the same time period.
"It must be that Heartless that is affecting her. He must be having the same effect on her as Ansem had on Riku." Axel had been in the belief and while Riku had really wanted to meet with the girl or join in on the search for this Heartless, had the Minister and Daddy Zexion demanded he stay focused on their meetings.
"Still, I have more important matters to concern myself with." I think as I focus on where I am, standing on the raised dais that usually has the Head Table on it and with Muggleborns of all ages and three of the four Houses sitting on chairs in front of me, all of them dressed casually and all of them talking with each other.
I summon my Keyblade and use it to get their attention as I raise it above me and light the tip just slightly. Everyone looks at me and I say: "Thank you all for coming. Before we begin, can someone tell me why the Snake Muggleborns haven't shown up yet?" Yet this makes many of them look at me as if I'm crazy and I say:
"Oh, give me a break. Voldemort and Grindelwald completely messed up the balance between Muggleborns and Purebloods and let's face facts. Not all Muggleborns get enough encounters with the Wizarding world before taking the Hogwarts Express to know about this millennia old feud before they get Sorted.
So yes, there are Muggleborns in Slytherin, they probably just know how to hide this from the public. I'm willing to bet most of them are the Slytherin wallflowers, not openly antagonizing anyone, not standing up for their kind in other Houses either. Is that really too hard to believe?" And no one seems willing to oppose this.
I then sigh as Roxas and the others decided to scour the castle for the Heartless as else I would have asked the blonde to gather the Slytherin Muggleborns for this meeting. "Hopefully he can help me with this later today." I think and then focus back on what's important, the Muggleborns looking at me curiously.
"Okay, before I begin, let me ask you a question. Have all of you learned the packing spell? Remember that this was part of the package deal offered by the Ministry for Muggleborns ready to leave this world for Radiant Garden and later the other worlds." And almost everyone nods to confirm that they have indeed done this.
"Good, all those who are in the older years, please help those who didn't nod. It really can't be more important that they learn this as I can't say when each of your families is ready to leave, so learning to do this is vital to the future." And nods of promise to do so comes from the older ones, while the rest nod in understanding.
"Now, allow me to show you what will be the first thing you can expect when you travel to the new world." I say and I snap my fingers, my parents having spent summer teaching me how to open Corridors of Darkness. Yet the minute the swirling mass of dark energy appears beside me, do I feel a shudder running down my back.
"Something's wrong." I mutter and only a minute later do I see something rushing past me and my eyes widen as Kendal appears beside me and jumps at a lizard that is dark blue colored with a yellow head, actual blue and yellow patched shoes and the Nightmare symbol showing against a pink and light blue colored stomach.
And while a single bite of my growing lion is enough to have the lizard break apart and become smoke, do I then hear a high-pitched voice laugh and hear Hermione gasp: "Maleficent." And while I want to wonder who that is and how she knows that, do I focus on the voice coming from the other side of the portal as it says:
"Now, isn't this intriguing. A Keyblade wielder that has control over the Power of Darkness. Let's see if you're any better than that waste, Riku." And I jump back a little just in time with my Keyblade in hand and Kendal in front of me as a whole horde of Nightmares actually sprouts from the corridor, which vanishes afterwards.
I raise my other arm in a sign of summoning and shout: "Dusk, get my parents and alert Roxas and the others NOW!" But while the Dusk had actually been standing on the side of the hall, in the corner near the door the Antechamber, does it try to head for one of the open windows – only to slam against some kind of shield.
This makes me turn to it in utter shock and then, even though the corridor is gone, do I still hear the woman's voice laughing, as if she has control of the entire Great Hall and she says: "Oh no, no, no. little Wielder. There will be no help coming for you. This is a chance to gain new servants that I will not let slip. Now, show me your power."
And I growl at the voice, furious that this evil woman is willing to have this entire army of monsters torture and terrify the innocent students in the Hall with me just to turn them into beings of Darkness and I shout: "Dusk, change of plan, gather the youngest together and keep them away from the Nightmares, NOW!"
And instantly the Dusk starts flying over everyone's head and plucking the smallest of the students out of the crowd, carrying them over to the left front corner and signing them to stay there before going back to repeat the same actions. In the mean time I turn to Kendal and ask: "Can you get Auron to come here?"
But the Lion shakes his head and I say: "Okay, just head for where the younger ones are cowering and keep this army away from them as the Dusk gathers them together. Then switch between helping me and the Dusk, got that?" And the lion charges for the corner before he starts prowling the space between the young ones and the rest.
I then jump back again to dodge the attack of what looks like a huge eagle with razor sharp, purple colored wings, the beast crying at me, but I aim my Keyblade and shout: "Firaga Burst!" My fire moves having improved greatly ever since Lea and I got together. The ball of fire hits the bird and it vanishes into smoke.
Then suddenly I notice that there are others standing around me, all of them with one kind of weapon or another in their hands, but I glare and say: "Don't attack anything other than the small fry. No discussion, you have yet to receive any true training with these weapons and those bigger beasts are way out of your league."
"They might even be out of my league." I think to myself, but I don't voice this and while the older kids seem reluctant, do they agree with my order and we start attacking the beasts that charge at us at the same time. Yet while the others focus on the lizards, penguins, fishes, cats, bats and dogs so much, am I still outnumbered.
And so, every time one of my attacks hits either a lion, tiger, panda, seahorse, giraffe, ram, elephant, Pegasus, unicorn or eagle, do I need to jump away in order to avoid the attack of another of the many, many beasts. And while it happens from time to time that a random attack from the others hits the wrong target, is this not enough.
And the way that I hear that blasted woman's voice ringing through the hall, as if she can see what is going on and knows that I am up against a force I cannot beat doesn't help me. Then suddenly I feel something hitting my back and turn around, feeling horrified that these beasts actually forced me into one of the hall's corners.
All of the bigger Nightmares – or at least the half of what had left the corridor – are all surrounding me, the ones representing carnivores at the front and looking as if they want to eat me instead of turning me into one of them, while the eagles are proving that they represent the woman's ego as they are flying circles around me.
"Such a shame, you're not even half of what that other waste of my time proved to be. Oh well, at least as a Heartless you will be of much better use to me. And I will happily use the rest of your little army to empower my own." The nasty woman laughs, yet then I get an idea and I try to look past all those surrounding me.
I see that the other students fighting the Nightmares have managed to get to the part of the hall that is right in between my position and where Kendal and the Dusk are protecting the younger students that don't have weapons and I think: "It's a crazy plan and mum and dad are going to be furious, but – it's my one and only chance."
And with that do I focus my Keyblade upward, focus on the area around me, even as the predator Nightmares are slowly stalking ever closer, obviously in the belief that they got me beat and I sense my Keyblade connect with the power of the clouds that are shown in the Enchanted Ceiling above me and shout: "THUNDAGA!"
And while mum has, weeks ago, told me I am far from ready to use this strongest form of Thunder Magic and while I can sense why as this magic practically drains every last bit of energy out of me in order to be used, does the effect cause exactly what I had hoped as a bolt of thunder hits every last Nightmare in front of me.
Or so I believe until, after the dust clears from this super powerful attack and after I manage to raise my head back up, do I see that one of them actually managed to evade the attack as a stag with dark pink fur and with horns that are V-shaped with the center being pink and the ends being purple is prowling at me, snorting in anger.
I sigh and pant and try to raise the arm holding my Keyblade for another strike, only for my eyes to widen in fear as the Keyblade vanishes, proving I am just too tired and weak to keep fighting. And with eyes wide with fear do I see the horns on the stag's head starting to crackle with electricity, but it fails to strike me.
And the being that causes that has my mouth drop as a Hufflepuff of thirteen years old with wild brown hair and with an actual Keyblade in her hands stands behind where the beast stood, her Keyblade having slashed right through it and now stuck in the ground where the Nightmare had been only moments before.
"Her-Hermione?" I ask shocked, but then I get another bit of evidence that I am weaker than I thought as I feel consciousness leaving me. And as Darkness overcomes me, as I feel my body falling down to the ground, do I hear Granger shrieking my name before everything around me gets lost to me and I faint from exhaustion.
Granger's POV
I had been taken by the Dusk to where the other Second, First and Third Years had been taken for their own safety and while the older ones and some of those in my year who had already gained their weapon – like Lavender Brown and Justin Finch-Fletchley – had broken free and joined Harry to fight, had I stayed behind.
And this had aggravated me, even after Harry ordered the others to just keep to the smaller lot of the advancing army and while it was obvious that some of them had trouble using their weapons and others had issues with fighting the smaller Nightmares, had I kept my focus on the source that actually worries me.
Potter had taken on the bigger Nightmares all on his own and while he had the dumb luck that the more inexperienced fighters sometimes got to strike down the bigger Nightmares trying to attack him, had I felt terrified as I noticed how, slowly but surely, the bigger Nightmares drove Harry away from the rest of the fight.
And even though the fighters and smaller Nightmares are now right in my line of sight, do I keep trying to keep an eye on Harry, gasping when I realize that the Nightmares are forcing him into the right back corner of the Great Hall with how they constantly make him jump away from their jump and dive attacks.
And when the boy realizes this, it's already too late, making me moan: "Harry." As Maleficent speaks again: "Such a shame, you're not even half of what that other waste of my time proved to be. Oh well, at least as a Heartless you will be of much better use to me. And I will happily use the rest of your little army to empower my own."
This shocks and horrifies me and the students around me all start to whimper and cry as they hear this, the Third Years trying valiantly not to in order to be strong for my year mates and those younger than me, but then I think: "No, I can't let her do this. I can't let this happen. I – I can't let her turn my prince into her minion."
And because this is the first time I truly acknowledge Harry as my future ruler and because I feel a whole new form of determination fill me up from somewhere deep inside me, do I break from where the Dusk and Kendal the Lion try to keep the others and I safe and do I rush for where Harry suddenly shouts: "THUNDAGA!"
And to my shock, do I see huge bolts of thunder hitting every single Nightmare – bar one that somehow evades the bolt heading for it with a well-timed jump and which has smaller bolts of lightning showing to go through its horns. And while I feel some strange kind of weapon form in my hand, do I focus on the beast.
I also spot Harry standing opposite of it and my determination to see him safe grows as I see him losing control over the Keyblade, the weapon vanishing from his hand as he pants and sighs in exhaustion. Then my body starts moving out of instinct and the next minute my new weapon has struck down the Nightmare.
And only then do I realize what weapon I have in my hand and while I am shocked, do I see an actual Keyblade, one with a dark blue handle with a white guard that surrounds the handle like a squat teardrop, turning the whole thing to look like a white heart, with two blades making the blade and with a key-shape at the end.
The key shape itself exists of a single circle at the head with a six-pointed star in the center, three circles inside each other next to each other and an axe-shaped head next to that with two circles attached to this head, one showing a crescent moon, the other showing a regular star. And finally a book hangs on as a keychain.
Yet then I notice something in front of me and my eyes widen as Harry is actually falling. I instinctively dismiss my brand new Keyblade and rush for him, catching him just seconds before his head can hit the stone ground and saving him from a possible concussion, but then I get something new to feel terrified over.
"You foolish, dumb girl. How dare you think you can interfere with my plans." I hear Maleficent's voice speak, yet it doesn't sound as if it is resounding through the entire hall. Instead it sounds right behind me and I turn my head, my eyes widening in fear as I actually see the horrible witch appearing right behind me.
The woman is glaring at me furiously and her staff is actually already alight, proving she is about to strike me down. I gently lie Harry down and then turn around, my fear for the witch fighting my need to see my Prince safe and raise my arms in a need to keep Harry safe. And without me understanding why, does my Keyblade appear again.
Yet the witch doesn't notice this as she just laughs at how ridiculous I must look to her, the bushy-haired, buck-toothed teen trying to stand up to what could very well be an immortal witch and I think: "Even with my new Keyblade I'm no match for her." But then I get personal proof that I am worthy of my Hogwarts title.
"Keyblade. A key can open locks." I think and I turn to the Great Hall doors, which are also covered by the clover shaped shield that had kept the Dusk from gathering Harry's parents and friends and as I look at this, do I notice that I am gazing right over my own Keyblade. And instantly an idea that is crazy and hopeful hits me.
I turn, grab the Keyblade with both hands and focus all of its power onto the door and to my delighted relief does a bright beam made of light and stars shoot from the axe and circle shaped tip and hit the door, actually breaking the shield and causing for the doors to slam open. And tears stream down my eyes as I see what's behind them.
Eleven adults, all with different weapons, all of the Hogwarts teachers, two other wizards and six teens, four with Keyblades, one with a magical instrument and one with two circular weapons all charge into the Great Hall, their weapons raised and all of their elemental attacks hitting the last of the smaller Nightmares still around.
Yet then I get slammed into by a ball of fire and I scream as it lashes out at me and knocks me off my feet, slamming me against the wall behind me and causing me to fall onto Harry, who grunts in pain even though he is unconscious. Yet the attack and the release of energy have left me as drained as he is and so I struggle getting up.
My arms tremble as I try, only to fall away from under me, but while I expect Maleficent to approach me for another attack, do I instead hear two sets of feet rushing at my position and hear one of them – Sora – shouting: "Leave them alone, Maleficent!" And the knowledge that he knows her is the last thing I know before I faint.
An hour later
Hospital Wing
I struggle to open my eyes and look around, my surroundings temporarily confusing me until a rustling curtain opens to show me a woman in a matron's outfit and I realize I am in the Hospital Wing. This instantly makes me remember what happened and I shoot up from where I am lying as I shriek: "Harry! Maleficent, she –."
But the Matron pushes me down and says: "Miss Granger, calm yourself. Heir Potter is resting a few beds down from yours and that witch has fled the castle. The Headmaster is attempting to see if he can alter the wards to keep her out as we speak. Now please, lie down and take a deep breath. You exhausted yourself quite badly."
And this confuses me for a second before I remember what I did to cause that and, as if to answer, does my Keyblade once more appear in my hand. "Mss. Granger!" The woman shrieks, but I yelp: "I don't know how that happens! I really have no control over it. I – I just remembered what happened and it appeared."
The woman sighs and says: "Very well, try to dismiss it. I don't want you tiring yourself out anymore." And I focus on emptying my hand, feeling relieved when the blade does indeed vanish in a burst of stars. "Good, now lie down and let me have a look at you. You had a few cracks in your spine, but I healed those no problem."
The woman says as she forces me to lie down again and I wince at hearing that as I remember the ball of fire Maleficent shot at me pushing me against the wall and I ask: "I landed on Harry after Maleficent attacked me. Is he okay? I didn't hurt him, did I? I was trying to protect him. I know it sounds stupid, but –"
But then the curtains open again and an ancient voice says: "There is nothing stupid about a Badger proving herself worthy of her chosen House, Mss. Granger. And yes, Heir Potter is going to be fine. He'll be in a lot of trouble with Professor Larxene for using an attack quite out of his league, but he will be fine otherwise."
This makes me wince as Professor Larxene has proven herself quite vicious. After our first lesson did we all do as she told us to, but since then haven't any of us seen our most precious artefacts unless the woman taunts us with them in order to bring out our fighting spirit and making us instinctively learn crazy, but valuable lessons.
Yet while the woman often put on a very insulting and rude tone, proving she believes us to be quite below her, has she never stooped to the level of the bullies I have faced up against for most of my life and she always returned some of our precious belongings to us, only to take a different one for the sake of new lessons.
Yet then I remember why Harry did what he did and I say: "He had no other choice, Professor. The bigger Nightmares, the – the tigers, unicorns, pandas and other beasts, they – they all had him surrounded. He was with his back to the wall and the – the carnivory ones were ready to kill and eat him. It was his only option."
At this the man nods and says: "Every other student that helped fight off the smaller Nightmares told us this, Mss. Granger, no need to worry yourself. Professor Larxene is just using her rights as a mother to punish her son not knowing his own limits and going against the rules of the lessons she has with him one on one."
I nod at the man, who then turns around and says: "Just get yourself some sleep, Mss. Granger. The wards have been adapted thanks to some help from young Riku and our king and the Great Hall now has a constant array of Dusks and other Nobodies keeping an eye out. A new meeting will take place somewhere later this week."
And while I feel shocked at remembering what started all of this – the meeting to help Muggleborns get ready for the move – does the man sigh as he says: "I can only imagine how quickly Hogwarts will empty after this. No doubt many Muggleborns will want to flee to the safety of Radiant Garden after this event."
Yet while I am not sure if he means me or not, does the man turn around, a gentle and encouraging smile on his face as he says: "At least they will have someone well-able to protect them if they do, won't they Keyblade Wielder Hermione?" And I gasp in shock at his words as he passes back through the curtains, out of sight.
Well said, Albus.
So Hermione is now also a Keyblade Wielder and the Organization has a bit of an idea of what they are dealing with. What does this mean? It means that somewhere in the upcoming chapters, the confrontation between them and Maleficent will happen. WOW, this story might be even shorter than I first expected.
However, what more can you expect from this story: Sirius, Remus and Saix talking about what could potentially hold their relationship back from reaching its full extend. Riddle and Maleficent discover who Luna really is. The Basilisk might get slain. Hogwarts takes the place of Maleficent's castle in Radiant Garden.
A few other things you can still expect is Hermione receiving training from – I think – either Sora, Riku or Xion and Lea yet again proving that he takes his soulbond with Harry very, very seriously. So don't worry about this story ending next chapter, you can expect it to reach at least chapter fifteen, maybe even twenty.
All good? All good,
Venquine1990
Co-Author: I Give Zero Fox aka Kawaii Nate
PS. Yes, I do think this story will have a few filler chapters, but those filler topics will play a more prominent role in the next sequel.
