Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 8

Pairings: eh.

Author's note: Thanks to Andrea, yes, I am going to try the H/S/G triangle. Katrina, YOU ROCK!!!! heather b, naeem, FlikFreak, and all the other people who have kept up with this story and given me valuable advice and support, YOU ARE THE BEST *hugs to all*!!!!

Ron and Hermione stared at Harry apprehensively. Sora just gawked blankly.

"So....what? How is Voldemort going to get at him? And even if he did, what does it really matter? He's a greasy, bitter old meanie." Sora shrugged, not really understanding.

"Sora, Snape has saved my life not a few times, by using his sharp-as-a-blade wit, and Slytherin cunning. If he has been called to a meeting by the Dark Mark, then it is a good chance that he will be tortured to death. I owe him my life, I can't let that happen. I think I have a plan..." The quartet huddled together, and Harry talked for another half hour, discussing his ideas and tactics. At the end of the hour, they had come up with a sure-fire rescue plan, both for Snape, and Goofy and Donald.

"Okay, let's run through it again. Harry and I will ride to the Death Eater meeting on his broomstick, under the Invisibility Cloak. We'll slip in undetected, me going for Donald and Goofy, and you, Harry, going for Snape. We hand each of our charge's a Hogwarts portkey, and activate it. Then, we fly back. Everyone got it?" Sora stated, staring at his companions.

"Yep." they chorused. Hermione and Ron rose from the couch to prepare the Portkeys. Harry ran upstairs to retrieve his broom and cloak, plus change into black trousers and turtle-necked sweater. Sora accompanied him and borrowed Ron's coal jeans and long sleeve shirt.

Later, Harry briefed him on where he suspected Voldemort's location was, by what he saw in his dream. It had looked like a deserted castle, and, checking the English map, had discovered a derelict manor not far from the Riddle House, the Dark Lord's old hiding place. "That's probably where he his, and if not, we'll turn back and try again."

Rushing back downstairs, now cloaked in the color of night, they met up with Ron and Hermione, who held a rubber duck, and a ball of twine.

"They are both to Dumbledore's office. Sora, tell your friends that they need to touch it and say "Hogwarts!" to activate it. Harry, same thing for Snape. Are you both ready?" Hermione murmured, the seriousness of the situation stifling the air.

"Yes. Don't worry, Hermione, we'll come back in one piece, with Snape and Sora's pals. Don't tell Dumbledore until we are gone for thirty- Ginny?"

The little redhead had descended the girl's stairs to retrieve her forgotten books, when she stopped dead when spotting the party. "What are you doing?" She whispered, slowly making a way towards them.

"Nothing, Ginny. Just a prank on the Slytherins-" Ron started, but his sister cut him off.

"It isn't nothing, Ron! I can see that! You all are so ominous. Where are you going, Sora?" She mumbled, finally stopping to stand, blushing, in front of her new crush. The Keyblade Master couldn't think of a proper reply.

"We are on a rather....serious mission. I can't have you say anything about this, it's really important. It's no huge deal, though. Promise not to blab?" Harry spoke up, furious that she had addressed Sora first instead of him. It was obvious that she liked the spiky-haired brunette.

She glanced at him, surprised, as if noticing his presence for the first time. Nodding mutely, she turned and hugged him encouragingly, and pecked Sora on the cheek, whispering a 'good luck' to them both, before whisking upstairs, white nightdress whipping behind her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron pushed open a window, and helped Sora put on his knapsack with the portkeys, some healing potions (courtesy of Hermione), and a bit of food if they were stranded. Harry mounted his prize Firebolt, and offered a hand up to the brunette. Draping the cloak securely around them and their ride, the duo flew into the chilled night air, Hermione and her boyfriend wishing good them luck and Godspeed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry and Sora, who clung desperately to his back on the broomstick, touched down noiselessly on a balcony of Whyverly Manor, an ancient crumbling shell of a once magnificent House. The windows were magically darkened, but up close, a trace of inner light was apparent. They slipped off of the broom, and Harry shrunk it to fit in the knapsack.

"Be as quiet as possible...they could be expecting something such as this..." Harry whispered, using a silencing spell on the balcony door, and then a quick 'alohomora.'

They crept into a dimly lit corridor, where, at the end on either side, a ill-attending Death Eater guard stood. Neither had noticed the door ajar. They passed the man on the left, who was short and thin, with cataracts in one eye. He definitely looked evil enough to be a servant of the Dark Lord. The man seemed to feel something pass by him, but took no heed of it. ' I really, REALLY hope that Voldemort can't sense us here...' thought Harry, crossing his fingers.

The didn't see anymore minions until they reached the Feasting Hall, where candelabras lined the walls, casting eerie shadows on the floor. Voldemort himself stood in front of a throne-like chair, addressing his followers.

"Yes, we finally have the filthy traitor in our grasp. Shall I dispose of him quickly, or let you have your sport first?" He cackled as the men cheered for blood, and at their lord's signal, a bound and gagged prisoner was dragged forward, and tossed ruthlessly into the throng.

Harry recognized Lucius Malfoy, who strode forward, pointed his wand at what could only be his Potions Master, and fired a painful curse, which had daggered slash marks cross their way over his body, aching cuts that forced Snape to whimper in pain.

Sora had to hold his companion's shoulder when he made a movement forward. "Not yet...walk with me to the dungeons, then you can play around up here. I'll join you after my pals are safe." He whispered in Harry's ear, steering them towards a door leading downward.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Down in the dungeons, Heartless guarded the cells, which held various people in various forms of existence, from elves to centaurs to Light wizards. At the very last prison hold off of the hall, Sora could feel familiar magic, a mixture of warm protection, and audacious curiosity. Goofy and Donald. Harry pulled them into a hidden corner, pulling the ball of twine out of the back pack. Squeezing his friend's shoulder reassuredly, the dark haired teen pulled the cloak off of the Keyblade Master, and disappeared upstairs. Sora was now out in the open, alone, with only his wand....he needed the weapon bestowed upon him.

'Reversus." He muttered, and the stick in his hand elongated to his Excalibur, Destroyer of Darkness. The Heartless in the dungeon sensed the weapon and it's wielder now, and swarmed towards his hiding spot.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry snuck back upstairs, and prepared himself for his attack. Snape was in bad shape now, one eye crusted shut with gory gook, his arm at a funny angle, and blood gushing from a stomach wound. Harry blanched from the stench of life fluid oozing from his teacher's wound. Voldemort's head shot up, and his serpent nostrils dilating, seeking out a familiar scent....Harry's.

"Sound the Summons! Our guests have arrived. Harry Potter, you needn't walk around invisible amongst your hosts. We know that you are here." Harry threw the cloak off and shrunk it, stuffing it in his pocket. He stood, boldly facing his enemy.

"Give me back my Potions Master."

The Dark Lord laughed, and flicked his wrist at his captive ex-servant.

"As you wish."

The next thing Harry knew, Snape's prone figure flew up and crashed into him, shoving him back ten feet. Harry knew this was his only window of opportunity, and wrapped the groaning man's bloody hand around the ball of twine, and muttered, "Hogwarts."

Snape disappeared in a blur, leaving Harry alone in a room with a seriously pissed off Dark Lord, and his army of minions.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora swung the Keyblade left and right, parried sharp claws, and stabbed at dark flesh. He was swarmed with scores of Heartless.

"Sora? Sora! Over here! Blast the door!" Donald's lisp-ridden voice called, rattling the bars. The Keyblade Wielder did his best to clear himself the nearest creatures, and pointed his sword at the vague vicinity of his friend's cell, shrieked "ALOHOMORA," and turned to defend his back from razor nails.

Donald and Goofy were at his side in a heartbeat, but no weapons to assist them, except for a rusty medieval shield that hung on the wall, and a equally dilapidated spear.

After what seemed like forever, they were down to five Heartless, Sora fighting three with his Keyblade, and Goofy and Donald doing their best with the other two.

"Gotcha!" Cried the three, as they vanquished them all with Sora's Trinity Attack.

"So...where 'uv you been?" Goofy said with his Southern drawl, pulling the three of them into a group hug. "We've missed you!"

"I've missed you, too, guys, more than you know. I'll fill you in once we get back to safety, but first I need to help a friend. Take this rubber duck. It will transport you to a safe place." Sora said quickly, all to aware of the growing noise above them, coming from the Feasting Hall.

"Wait, you dropped this when the Light swallowed you back home." Donald said, placing the Ultima keychain into Sora's hands. "You know what to do with it."

"Thanks! You both holding the toy? Now, say 'Hogwarts!'" Sora said, and the last thing he heard from his friends was Donald muttering, 'What's a Hogwarts?' And their whirred off to safety.

"Hold on, Harry, I'm coming, and I've got an old friend with me."

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author's note: there! All done, for now at least. Next chapter will be up soon, and please, PLEASE review! *hugs*