XXXIV – Dream Eaters And Darkness' End

Diagon Alley
One Hour Later
Harry's POV

"Great Kingdom Hearts, does this guy ever quit?" Sora asks as he heals some of Riku's more serious injuries, including the nerve damage the poor lad had to suffer having been under our enemy's Cruciatus curse for a few seconds before the bastard got attacked by Riku's Komory Bat and I sigh as I reply my brother's question:
"His main goal today had been to deal me a horrifying blow by either kidnapping or even killing Sirius. Now that he has me and the chance to just kill me instead of first weakening me, he just hungers for this chance. Plus, he is a Slytherin. Once he has a goal in mind, his ambition goes through the roof."
Here the two others groan and Voldemort laughs before he asks: "Quite right, Harry, so why not just give in and admit defeat. Surely you can see that, even though I am outnumbered, you are way out of your league. You cannot win." Yet here I smirk and swish my Keyblade from my front to my back before I say:

"Sorry Tom, but I recently found out that my destiny outlives yours.""What do you mean? I have been trying to lure you to the Prophesy for months and you never bit. So why do you believe you know it? Did Dumbledore tell you? Surely the old fool wouldn't make a mistake like that. I don't care if your parents defied me trice, you cannot!"
This raging rant confuses, but then Neville laughs and asks: "Isn't that cute, Harry. It seems that you are the topic of two prophesies. Though I do wonder something, Lord Slytherin. When did you hear this other prophesy?" And Voldemort snarls before he spats: "I was told it shortly before you two brats were born by my trusted spy."
And while I feel exhilarated over the chance of reporting this to Dumbledore later, do I then smirk even wider and say: "Then I am very sorry, Riddle, but that prophesy is probably a total bust. The prophesy I was told concerned not just you and me, but those around me and even the world Sora and Riku have come from.
Its intensity is much greater, so either that other prophesy was but a way to bring the first prophesy back into the realm of reality and speed up destined events – or it was a total bust made by a total and utter fraud." Yet this seems to be the wrong thing to say as suddenly something happens that I could have never predicted.

Voldemort screams in rage and as he does, do I cringe as I suddenly notice how even a darkness I recognize as coming off of my own person due to my past, a Darkness that comes from Riku and a darkness that comes from the portal leading to the Leaky Cauldron all get leaked out of us and drawn to the man's raging form.
"He can actually summon other people's darkness? How is that possible?" Riku asks shocked and I mutter: "Must be a combination of his own darkened heart and the incredible power behind his magic. Darned, I should have seen something like this coming!" I then curse myself, only for the raging shout to turn into malicious laughter.

This instantly makes my brother, best friend and brother's mate set ourselves in battle ready stances and the laughter stops suddenly as Voldemort, now surrounded by a vortex of swirling dark energy that is mixed with black and purple wisps of smoke and yet the colors don't make the man vanish due to his pale complexion.
His bright blood-red eyes also stand out more now than they have ever done before and stare us down with a sense of certainty in his own victory that it takes everything I have not to shudder in fear over whatever the man could have planned to get us out of the way before he speaks, his voice actually emphasized by his new power:
"Oh no, Harry Potter, what you should have realized, is that you should never give your enemies a true incentive to see your end. You may think that your first prophesy will mean my demise, but knowing that I have wasted the last 13 years as naught but a spirit over a false prophesy – you just doomed Hogwarts for life."

Yet this confuses me and Sora shares my confusion as he asks: "Wait, what does Hogwarts have to do with all this?" And Voldemort snickers to himself, making me suppress even more inner tremors of fear as he says: "The fraud that made that second prophesy lives there, you see, and I can't accept the fate she brought down on me."
"Trelawney. Why am I not surprised?" I growl angrily, only then realize something and hiss: "My darkness, he didn't take all of my Darkness away from me." And Riku mutters: "Yeah, same here. Seems he's still new to actually using that ability of his. Now let's make sure he doesn't get the chance to learn it."

And I nod, before my eyes widen as a familiar voice asks: "Mind if I even out the playing field?" And in a swirling storm of black and grey smoke does Luxord actually appear, his face a mask of perfect tranquility and his whole stance proving he is ready for a battle that, dare I say it, may take his life before he says:
"You are fighting a form of Darkness I have long since been familiar with, after all. His powers aren't that different from Xemnas', really." And Sora looks up shocked before he says: "Hey, he's right." Here Luxord smiles at the brunette and says: "And besides, going by the darkness I can sense growing inside him, you're running out of time."
Here Sora and Riku send the man unimpressed looks before Voldemort says: "As much as I appreciate unexpected help, I am quite certain I can demolish Potter and his stupid little party of palls by myself. Though the effort is much appreciated." Yet here Luxord raises an eyebrow at him, making me feel relieved as he asks:

"I'm sorry, I seem to have misled you somewhere down the road of me coming here. Did you believe I came to aid you in a battle of Light versus Darkness. Cause then it seems that your little spy –." And here I get the gift of the century as Luxord snaps his fingers, making a pair of Dancer Nobodies appear – with Snape in their clutches.
The man struggles and tries to reach for his wand, which another Dancer is keeping out of reach through its rhythmic movements and flawless weaving around the captive and its friends before Luxord smirks at the angered Voldemort and says: "Has forgotten to let you know of something highly valiantly important.
Namely, that my Harry is a Venquine with multiple mates – and you're looking at one of them." This makes Voldemort send the man a furious glare and then Luxord says: "Leon and the others have joined with Sirius. They are keeping the Death Eaters from breaking free from your Graviga spell until Madam Bones comes around."

Yet instantly I can see that this is the wrong thing for Luxord to have said as I shout: "LOOK OUT!" Only for Luxord to phase out with his special smoke trick, just as a Killing curse that has a horrible cluster of Darkness surrounding its bright, eerie green colored form passes through what is left of the vanishing cloud.
Fearing the worst, I am ever so relieved to see Luxord appear near me and he smiles at me, yet phases in and out as Voldemort shoots a whole folly of Killing curses and other Dark Magic at the man, obviously determined to take my mate from me before doing anything else, yet this is something I will not accept to let happen.
I look at Riku and the boy nods, before we move over to stand by Luxord's sides and activate something we have been working on for the longest time. Stretching out the arm not holding our Keyblades, we shout: "I'M HERE!" And with that summon two crystalized walls of dark and light energy that absorb the man's attacks.

Here I grunt as Riku and I had been practicing this against each other, yet the fury and darkness that comes from Voldemort's spells are much crazier and greater than Riku has been able to shoot at me thus far and while I work my hardest not to let the Darkness any further than my shield, do I still feel its power having trouble keeping stable.
"Harry! Riku!" Sora shouts and Neville asks: "What are you doing?" And I grunt as Riku says: "We were kind of expecting that, at one point in time, we might be ambushed by Dark Magic or a form of Darkness that was new to our repertoire, so we studied a form of Twilight magic to gain control over these shields.
They – ugh – they are conjured by the darkness in our hearts, yet – are strengthened by our Light-hearted need to defend those we love. They – they also seem to get stronger when – when we use them to – to defend someone who had been a part of the Darkness once before." And this makes us both look at Luxord before wincing.

The man looks shocked yet intrigued and then suddenly the spell barrage stops all together, just when I felt that my change of focus had allowed a large amount of the shield's power to whittle out and when I look at what could have caused Voldemort's sudden cease of fire, do I see something I could have never even expected.
A bright yellow and dark black colored horn that has crazy sharp edges at the parts where it shifts and turns and which is covered in dark red blood that actually have streams of darkness flowing through it. Rustler's horn is sticking out of Voldemort's body and the man seems as shocked and surprised at seeing it there as we are.
Yet then something happens that makes me drop the shield and grasp my heart as I suddenly feel something affecting the bond between me and Rustler and while I cave down to my knees, do I then try to look up and through hazy eyes, do I see something horrifying as Rustler seems to struggle between two forms.

One of these forms is his own, yet the other is much different and actually emits the same level of Darkness as Voldemort himself does. This shocks me and I whisper: "What – what is happening to – to Rustler?" And Sora whispers: "No." Before Riku grunts and mutters: "Voldemort's darkness is turning him into a Nightmare."
This shocks me and yet, while I do notice how Riku turns from the struggling to stay normal Unicorn to me, do I not really register what he says until it's too late and before I can respond, does the silver haired boy whisper: "Sleepga." And just like Malfoy and Snape, do I feel myself falling victim to the Sleep Spell.

Riku's POV

"I hate having to do this, but at least this way, Harry won't suffer from the broken bond. Plus, Sora and Neville – even with Sora's experience with Nightmares – are might too Light-hearted for this. No, it must be me." And with that do I decide to pay one last tribute to the noble steed that looks at me with willing, accepting eyes.
I see a single tear escape its gaze as it looks at me and fight one of my own that tries to spill before I shout: "THUNDAGA!" And with that do I cause for a huge electrical storm to crash down on the half-turned Dream Eater/Nightmare and the man who he has impaled on his horn, the cry of the man overwhelmed by the shriek of the beast.

Sora and Neville cry in protest as they see me put down the Monster of Darkness and the beast once bonded to their brother and Best friend, but then something happens that even I never could have predicted as Luxord phases himself over to the center of the storm and says: "Time to erase your Darkness from the very fabric of time."
And instantly Sora seems to get what Luxord is planning and shouts: "NO LUXORD! DON'T PULL AN AXEL! HARRY STILL NEEDS YOU!" Yet Luxord smiles at the brunette, his eyes just as accepting as Rustler and says: "Don't worry, my bond with Harry will be as eternal as time itself. You all can make sure of that."
And while I wonder what he could mean, does he then turn his back on us, completely ignoring the crazy storm I still have conjured around him and while he moves his left arm from his hip up to above his head, does he move his right from above his head down to his hip before spreading both arms as wide as possible.
And as he does, do I see a clock with two handles, one for each of his arms, move alongside him before both arms hit the three and nine at equal paces and as they do, do they unleash waves of energy that instantly make me conjure the shield back if only to protect my brother and mate against their incredible power.

"Let go off the Storm. Time and Darkness are Mine!" Luxord shouts and while I can hear his devastating pain as he rips himself apart by putting all that he is into his attack and unleashes more of his inner talent than his power and body can handle, do I still do as he says, using the Keyblade to summon Neville and Sora to me.
Sora grabs Harry's sleeping body as he flies over and while we all crouch down behind the shield, do we also all watch with tears streaming down our eyes and our hearts breaking over the united screams that come from the clock and the three beings before us; Voldemort, Rustler and Luxord; as time erases them from existence.

Like this we keep sitting, crouched and together even as the storm resides, other people slowly leave their shops and safe havens and the enormous power of time itself vanishes from the sight that is Diagon Alley, the only things left behind being a pocket watch, a burned wand and four hoof prints embedded into the pavement.
"Luxord. Rustler. They – they sacrificed themselves. They're – they're gone." Sora mutters, looking absolutely defeated and I hug the poor Veela close, Neville taking Harry from my mate as he looks as us before turning to the sight itself, tears streaming down his eyes as he gazes at what is left of our trusted fallen comrades.

"HOORAY FOR HARRY POTTER! THE SAVIOR HAS DEFEATED THE DARKNESS ONCE AGAIN!" Someone suddenly shouts and this shocks me so much I drop my shield before I notice how there are hundreds of people actually stampeding over the place where Luxord and Rustler have fallen, huge smiles on all their faces.
Looking at all these cheering people with nothing but my mouth dropped in shock, do I get practically shocked out of my skin as a furiously raging voice shouts: "STOPGA!" And instantly the entire crowd gets locked in time, a sight that makes me feel my heart break just a little further before I turn from it and see the one responsible.

Leon has never looked this furious and the sight of the man's raging fury actually makes me want to conjure another shield as he asks: "Are you all that stupid? Can't you see your hero being sound asleep? Why would you praise him for the actions of others? Why can't you acknowledge the true heroes? What is your freaking problem?"
And while the crowd now seems to cower where they stand do I then see something that actually makes me feel a rage similar to the one Leon must be feeling as I see that one of these people is about to stand on Luxord's pocket watch, the man himself completely obvious to the fact he is about to destroy a hero's last property.
This fact makes me try my absolute hardest to keep the darkness that I know is tied to my anger at bay and instead I snarl: "Neville." The boy looks at me and I motion for the pocket watch, the boy's eyes widening before he turns furiously stern himself and snarls: "Accio Pocket watch." And everyone's eyes follow the summoned item.

Neville gently gives Harry to Leon as he waits for the acquired item and after catching it in his hand, does he address the shocked crowd angrily and snarl: "This is one of the last links you idiots have to your actual hero. A man that's not even from this world or country, yet was still willing to sacrifice himself for all of you sorry lot.
This man died a hero and what do you do – YOU NEARLY DESTROY HIS MOST PRECIOUS OF ITEMS JUST TO CELEBRATE A SENSE OF PEACE THAT HAD BARELY NEVER BEEN BROKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE! Do you even realize that you are desecrating the site of two self-sacrificing heroes?
I thought wizards had honor, I thought they had decency, I thought they had a sense of respect for the dead. What I am seeing here – total opposite." By now many faces look ridden with guilt, but then something even worse happens as a calm, grandfather kind of voice speaks and says: "Mr. Longbottom, I am sure –."

Yet that is as far as the Headmaster actually comes before suddenly the Rumbling Rose is at the man's throat and Neville snarls: "Headmaster, no emotion, whether Light or Dark, is worth dishonoring the death, especially not mere minutes after their sacrifice. Plus, there is no reason for these idiots to hoard my friend as their hero.
Yes, Harry fought Voldemort, we all did. However, I know Harry and I know Sora and Riku. And you should know all four of us and know that we would not want to be hounded as heroes – WHEN THE SACRIFICE OF OUR LOVED ONES SAVED OUR AND YOUR ASSES! HAS HALLOWEEN TAUGHT YOU NOTHING!"
The man looks shocked and Neville snaps: "You could have prevented that fame! You could have proven your loyalty! You could have stepped up and admitted that you believed the talents of your favorite late students had saved their son and your sorry butt. But no, you late fame go to everyone's head, but no more."

Dumbledore seems shocked beyond words and Neville says: "Celebrating is one thing, Headmaster, but if you don't keep it contained, it will only create more darkness. Because I sincerely doubt I am the first that told you that letting Harry's fame get to everyone's heads is like shaming Lily and James Potter's memories.
Their deaths – and those of Luxord and Rustler – while dark as they are deaths, are light based as they saved all of our lives. And that is what this world is supposed to be like. Light and darkness working together. I mean, look at Harry, Sora, Riku and me. Sora and I are light based, yet Harry and Riku are more dark-aligned.

And look how well we fought together." Neville snarls at the end and as I can see Leon's spell weakening its hold over the crowd before me, do I then notice something else that shocks me. As the spell weakens, does a wave of incredible energy emit from where Luxord stood before his passing and the energy hits Leon, Sora, Neville and me.
Feeling this incredible power reach deep within me, do I then feel as if everything I have done together with Harry suddenly has a much deeper meaning and while this confuses me, do I then get shocked as I, in my mind, hear Luxord's voice whisper: "Don't worry, my bond with Harry will be as eternal as time itself. You all can make sure of that."
And instantly I get what the man meant, making a new wave of tears hit my eyes as I whisper: "Luxord. He – he used the last bit of his strength to have time itself transfer the bond he had with Harry – to all of us. To – to make sure Harry wouldn't suffer from a broken bond." And this shocks everyone around.

Hey everyone,
Okay, I will admit, when I first wrote this story – I DID NOT PLAN FOR THIS! I know I overused the capitals here a bit and whatnot, but I felt it had to be done. Part of me felt like continuing from this part, yet I didn't really know how to do so in the present tense. So yeah, I pulled a troll and left you all on a cliffhanger.
Now, next chapter will be the final one and will take place at either the very end of the year or this year's Christmas. Either way, I promise you it will be very emotional, yet also quite fulfilling and will make for an ending that will make this crazy little story – as maddening as it sometimes was – come to a worthy ending.
See you soon,

Venquine1990
PS. Who here needed tissues?