Disclaimer: …J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Square-Enix owns FFVII. There, I said it. I don't own either one! NOW LEAVE ME TO MY MISERY! (sobs)
Author's note: Please don't flame. Sorry I didn't update earlier! I had to go through with a 24 hour writing challenge! DON'T KILL ME!
Convergence of Time
By Aurora M. Tepes
Chapter 12: Memories
Harry looked around the room again. He stepped past Ron and noticed the sword that Cloud had shown them on one of their first days.
"Maybe Wutai is something in Japan. I mean, this does seem to be the guards' common room," he said. Ron nodded quickly.
"You're probably right, Harry. But…what do we do now?" he replied. There was a mischievous glint in Harry's eyes.
"We might as well look around. Maybe there's something here that can help us find Hermione," Harry responded. Ron nodded hesitantly as Harry headed toward a dark hallway. He walked carefully down it and found another door. He opened it and swiftly entered.
The room was small with off-white walls, a mirror, a bed, a dresser, a desk, and dim lighting. The bed looked like it was never used. The sheets were perfectly made and had no hint of indentions. Papers were strewn over the desk in a writing Harry could not read. The dresser seemed untouched as well. Ron entered the room.
"Doesn't look like anyone lives here…besides the papers, I mean," he commented. Harry approached the bed and looked under it. He pulled out a long gun.
"Looks like somebody does," he replied. Ron opened the top dresser drawer. Empty. The second was empty as well. In the last one he found a pensieve crammed into the small space. He pulled it out carefully.
"Harry! Look!" he commanded in a hushed voice, as if the pensieve could hear him. Harry headed over and looked down into the swirling mass of silver.
"Looks like this guy has a lot on his mind," Harry commented. Ron nodded. The two leaned closer. They were just about to go…when they were pulled into the mass of memories.
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Harry and Ron found themselves standing in a large bedroom. The sleek, mahogany floor ran serenely under the small bed, perfectly made with silken, red sheets. The walls were a vibrant blue. Toys littered the floor and the white curtains rustled as the fan whirled on its highest setting.
A boy sat on the bed, swinging his feet idly against the frame, legs too short to touch the ground. His untidy, black hair feel wildly into his clear, brown eyes. His black pants faded into his black tennis shoes and his red t-shirt hung loosely on his thin form. He stared at the door as if expecting someone.
Footsteps, there were footsteps outside. The boy's face brightened with anticipation. Harry and Ron stepped back, keeping the door and the boy in full view.
"H-Harry, what's going on? Who is that?" Ron whispered. Harry shrugged, wide-eyed.
The large, mahogany door swung open to reveal a tall man dressed in the same manner as Vincent. In fact, the man who stepped in the door was almost identical to Vincent. But this man had warm, brown eyes and a broader, friendlier face. He wasn't as pale either.
"Daddy!" the boy exclaimed, jumping off the bed and running to the man. The man lifted the boy into the air and hugged him tightly.
"How are you, Vincent?" the man said.
"Good!" the boy answered. But his expression turned from one of excitement to worry. "But Mommy left this morning and I haven't seen her since!" The man's face took on a grim undertone and he took a seat on the bed, setting the boy on his knee.
"Your mother… Vincent, you have to understand that it's hard for her to do everything around here, raising you, cleaning house, running her own business, things are hectic. And without me here most of the time…Well, she just… She's not coming back. You'll still get to see her…but she's not coming back," the man finished softly. The boy's eyes were wide and uncomprehending.
"Harry, do you think we're inside that red-caped guy's…" Ron began. Harry nodded. Then the scene around them changed.
Giant rocks jutted up around them in a sort of semi-circle. The same boy from earlier stood before them. Only now he was about their age, 16 or 17. His hair was still as untidy as before and he retained his lean structure. But now he donned black…all black. The same man as before was there too.
"Vincent, what are you doing out here? It's dangerous in the wilderness! Go home!" the man stated. The teen, Vincent, clenched his fists until his knuckles were white.
"And what will be waiting for me when I get there, Dad?" he questioned almost inaudibly, his voice getting quieter with anger. "An empty chair? An empty house? A grave with Mom's name on it! What the heck do you care about where I go or what I do! You're never there. You don't even know me anymore!"
"You think I like it this way?" the man started. "You know I want to be home, Vincent, but I can't. Not if I need to provide for us!"
"Oh, so that's what all this is about? You study Chaos and Hellmasker and Gigas and Galian constantly all because you want to provide for us? I don't think that's what it's about. If you really cared you wouldn't shut yourself in the study all night! This project of yours means more than anything ever has! More than me, more than Mom, more than anything! How can you even pretend to care when you don't even know what's happening in my life!"
An inhuman shriek pierced the air as the conversation ended. Both men turned and stared at the beast before them. Dark purple fur clothed the creature and a shock of red ran down its back. Horns jutted out of its head and its glowing eyes held nothing but fury.
It leapt at Vincent, sending him to the ground. Blood and fur flew as dust clouded the scene. A single shot rang out and the fight stopped. The man stood, holding a gun limply in his right hand. Vincent stared wide-eyed at the dead beast on top of him.
"Silver…The only thing that can kill Galian Beast," the man murmured.
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Harry and Ron felt themselves pull out of the pensieve. When they arrived back in their reality, they realized they were still alone.
"C'mon Ron," Harry said seriously.
"What?" Ron questioned.
"We've got to find Hermione."
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Author's Note: DUN DUN DUN! Sorry if it wasn't that great. One more chapter until Vincent really shows back up! No flames!
