Venquine's Mind Chapter 48: P14 - Escaping The Nightmare, a harry potter fanfic

Hey everyone,
So this is another way for me to celebrate the brilliance that is Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, which came out just at the end of last month and which has two incredible games as part of its content as well as a very amazing, yet at the same time very confusing movie. And this preview is a Dream Come True.
Sorry, bad pun,

Venquine1990

Preview #14
Escaping The Nightmare

Yen Sid's Castle
Sora's POV

I've been going through several worlds now and in each of them I came across a really strange young man in the Organization's black coat as well as my old enemy, Xemnas, in a few of them and while I wonder why they keep following me, has something else been keeping me feeling confused and wary ever since I arrived here.
So far I have reached three worlds where I came across people I have grown close bonds with over the last few years, yet because I thought I was stuck in sleeping worlds, did I believe that to be the reason as to why neither Jiminy nor Mickey, Donald and Goofy recognized me, yet this just can't be the case in the world I am in right now.

And when I see my good friend Mickey turn to me and say: "See you real soon, Sora." Do I instantly get reminded of the guy in the black coat and his last words to me before he vanished. "Sleep on and we will meet again. Does that mean that this was indeed Mickey speaking – or is this all something set in motion by that boy?"
Goes through my mind and then I look around the office of my Master, Yen Sid, and see the one thing I had been hoping for. In one of the square-shaped bookcases that is build up against the walls of the tower is a small notebook with a pencil and I remember using Riku's Komori Bat while I was still within Traverse Town.
I quickly check to see if Mickey is really gone and then rush to get the pencil and notebook and think: "He's always there to pick up the slack. I really hope he can be there to help me figure this out." And with that do I turn to my Dream Eaters and, ignoring the Keyhole I see appearing in the wall, I say: "We need to hurry, let's go."
And while the three of them look uncomfortable with us leaving the Keyhole unattended, do we then rush down the staircase where I hide within the shadow under it to avoid Mickey from seeing me and while I can only hope that the little Mouse is too busy with his water to notice or care about the Keyhole, do I then write down:

Riku,
I really hope this reaches you before you leave the Master's Tower as there is something seriously wrong. We started all of this in the Master's Tower and it was the Master who got us to start this test. That means that there is just no way that the Master's Tower or even this world could be sleeping. Something's just not right.
Sora
PS. If you're still inside the Tower, don't let Mickey know something's wrong.

And with that do I focus on the bond I sensed between us when Riku's Sound Idea joined with mine and after using this to quickly check what Dream Eaters Riku is using, do I summon his old reliable Komori Bat, which Riku is keeping with him as a reserve third and I hand it the note as I say: "Give this to him, it's urgent."
And while I can tell that the Komori Bat wants to celebrate that it has been called on, do I send it a stern glare, telling it not to linger and while I hate how it flaps in sadness for a moment, do I then sigh in relief as it vanishes in the same cloud of pink smoke that it used to come to me and I think: "It's up to you, Riku. Help us."

Riku's POV

"Gosh, I hope I can be part of the team someday." My closest friend from another world tells me and while I am well aware that we are in the past and several decades before my actual meeting with my friend, can I not help but shake his outstretched hand, move close in a friendly manner and say: "You will, I promise."
And after hearing my friend chuckle, do I happily watch him leave the tower, hoping he won't let into his laziness a second time as that is what got him into this huge mess in the first place, yet then I get shocked as I lose my Komori Bat – my back-up Dream Eater – to Sora and I wonder what he could possibly need him for.

Yet just when I want to decide to just leave Sora to it and call on the Keyhole that will hopefully make me finish all of this and allow me to open up the last of the seven Sleeping Keyholes that Master Yen Sid asked me to go after, do I get a second shock as Komori Bat returns to me, with a small note stuck to his yellow-toned fur.
"A – a note from Sora? How did he even know that he could do this?" Goes through my mind and then I see that Komori seems slightly let down and I think: "He sure came back quite quickly. Did Sora really only call on him to send me this note?" And with that do I take the note and give Komori a pat as I start to read.

And as I read this do I feel like a right idiot as I can't believe that I took my arrival to this world so for granted that I didn't even question it, though I partially blame that to arriving in Prankster's Paradise as my meeting with Jiminy, Gepetto and Pinnochio made me believe that sleeping world are similar to worlds stuck in the past.
I then take note of Sora's PS note and quickly motion my Dream Eaters to follow me, feeling glad that I haven't summoned either my Keyblade or the Keyhole yet as I leave the room and quickly hide under the staircase as I see the door opening for Mickey and when I am sure he is gone, do I go on and leave the tower.

Yet as I move into the star-filled courtyard surrounding the tower, do I feel the shadow of the tower covering me and suddenly I feel like I am back in the shade of the volcano where I fought that huge devil-like demon and suddenly I remember something that also happened before I had to fight and defeat this demon.
"I don't know how you did it, but you really have found a way to trap Darkness inside your Heart. And a boy who's immune to Darkness is of no use to us." And while I had scoffed back then, do I now feel greatly concerned over this statement as I think: "I am indeed immune to Darkness, but – Sora is as well, right?"
Yet then I remember something important, something that makes me stop in shocked fear and I think: "No, Roxas. He is the actual evidence that Sora isn't immune to the Darkness. So that means, they're after Sora." And instantly I feel rage filling me from within as well as feel my determination to see him safe grow.

Yet then I feel a nudge in my side and I look down at my Yogi Ram, shocked to see him have a notebook and pencil between his teeth and I smile at him before hiding between a pair of bushes and after giving the Ram Dream Eater a warm pat, a Block-it Chocolate and a compliment, do I focus on my reply and write:

Sora,
Ever since I got into Traverse Town have I been meeting with a guy in a black cloak and I think – no, I know for sure that he is behind us arriving here where we never should have been able to get. You're right, the Master's Tower can't be Sleeping and I can only assume that our trip to Prankster's Paradise was meant to make us accept this error of judgement without too much question. Look out for the guy, Sora. It's you that he wants.
Riku

And while writing this note alone leaves me with a strong sense of angered protectiveness, do I then turn back to Komori bat and I make sure to pet it a little more as I say: "You need to send this to Sora right away. We're all in big trouble, maybe even more than we can handle." And the yellow bat nods before vanishing.
I grunt in disgust at the fact that I had been so busy getting through this test and keeping Sora safe while learning to control my own Darkness that I didn't even notice the trap we were in and then turn to the other two Dream Eaters, both of their faces showing a semblance to my own determination as I say: "Alright, let's train."
Yet because of what Sora said, do I know I can't stay here and within sight of either Mickey or – worse – Master Yen Sid and so I quickly use my winged friend to get to the Top of the Tower, where I wait for Mickey to again leave the room before rushing into the room and from there back into the Music Note, ready to train.

Sora's POV

I managed to get into the first field of the Music Note world and stay out of sight of the Dream Eater Nightmares that were around by swiftly gliding over the first field of clouds and over to the chasm between two mountains at the other side of the field and now, I am just waiting for Riku and hoping he has a reply to send me.
Yet while I do this, do I also try to make sense of everything this kid in the coat and Xemnas have been telling me; things that, due to my surroundings and my hatred for them, I had been forced to or tried to ignore as they didn't seem to be helping my situation at all and sometimes even seemed to make things even worse.
I am leaning against a small crevice that is made out of one of the two mountains and only better as I had actually spotted the kid in the coat flying over my hiding spot several times, his eyes clearly searching for my presence and the way that he constantly gazed right at my hiding spot really unnerves me.

Just for safety reasons, and because I had spotted him several times now, had I called my Dream Eaters back into their own pocket dimension and while Meow Wow had tried to convince me to let him stay with some whines and cute little pouts, had I told it: "It's for our own good. If you're safe, I can hide away better."
And the pup had whined at this before vanishing in a puff of smoke and I had quickly sought refuge in the crevice afterwards – and not a minute too soon as the kid in the coat had crossed my hiding spot only a few minutes after the smoke had vanished and the fact that these events had followed each other so shortly had concerned me.

"What does he want with me?" I can't help but silently ask myself and while I am sure that the answer lies somewhere in the hints that kid has been giving me, am I too on edge to actually think them through and then, just when I have again determined that the kid went to the Autumn field, do I feel relieved for my current solitude.
Relieved because the Komori Bat appears in another puff of smoke and I quickly gaze into the set of mountains that lead to the Autumn Field, yet when I am sure that no one is coming, do I motion it to come closer and as it does, do I finally see something that has me feeling relieved for the first time since my realization.
Another note is attached to the Komori Bat's paw and I sigh in relief as I mutter: "Riku, please. Please have the answers that are just going over my head." And I make sure to pet, cuddle and feed Komori as I take the note from it. Yet after sending it to the pocket dimension for safety, do I read the note and instantly my fears return.

"I remember that. Joshua showed me their first meeting. But why has this kid been following – no wait, if this is a trap, then – he hasn't been following us; he's been guiding us. He's been trying to get us somewhere. We're not opening up Sleeping Keyholes; we're opening portals that kid created to guide us to his endgame.
But who is he?" I mutter to myself, but then sense something that instantly makes me press my entire body against the walls of the crevice that hides me and I spot the boy coming to stand on the pathway that crosses between the mountains, his glare aimed inwards into the path and his eyes almost dark red with his rage, actually scaring me.

"Where is he? That Sigil is supposed to make it easier for me to guide him to where he needs to be. I could have sworn that, because my future self is supposed to be reborn today, Sora would not stray from the path no matter what. So how is it I can't find my thirteenth dark vessel? Surely – Riku hasn't tried to interfere a second time."
And while I feel curious over many of the things the boy says, do I then swiftly move myself into such a tiny position, the black-back of my shirt blends in with the shadows of the larger mountains and right in time too, as the boy actually walks through the chasm, his eyes trying to train onto every nook and cranny of the road.
"Let him miss me. Let him miss me. Let him miss me." Goes through my head as a mantra as I have my eyes closed and therefore can't see if the kid has already passed, yet to my relief do I hear his footsteps fading into the other side of the path and yet I keep to the shadows and silently crawl to the other side of the path.

There I again call on my winged friend and feel blessed beyond words that it appears in a soundless cloud of smoke. I quickly gaze behind me and instantly feel my blood freeze over as I see a shadow coming closer. I jump onto the Pegaslick and hiss: "Fly up, but keep out of the sunlight. Fly away from where the sun hits him."
And to my utter relief does the Pegasus manage to fly past the kid in the coat without being spotted. Yet as we fly away and as I spare one last glance at him, do I feel that the way that he suddenly stops in his path can't mean anything fortunate for me, yet to my relief do we pass the very first set of mountains right after this.
I then get off of my friend and quickly use my Keyblade to leave the world for the Tower before I aim the Keyblade at the Music Score and think: "This will probably make him know where I am and I probably can't keep him locked in there, but the more I can stall for time, the better. At least until I know what he wants."

And with that do I aim my blade at the Music score, yet instead of a Keyhole appearing, does the Music Score itself vanish and I see the other Music Scores glowing before the musical notes around them start to get covered in Dark Energy, just like they did when they had Spellican within them upon my first arrival.
"He knows. I got to get out of here." And with that do I jump into the still existing Keyhole and instantly use it to jump back to The Country Of the Musketeers. Yet while diving down, do I feel as if being watched and instantly I aim my Keyblade away from the world, allowing me to leave the Diving motion and the trip to the world.
This, I do for every other world, yet each time I feel the sensation of being watched increase the further down I dive and in the end I use my entire arsenal of Dive Attacks in my desperate rage to get away, breaking me out of the dive and actually into another. Yet here I am at the end of the Dive and thus crash to the world.

I land face first against a rough platform made of stone and feel it cutting into the side of my face as well as slightly into my shirt and gloves, yet as this happens, do I get shocked as the sensation of being watched finally fades, yet thanks to how tiring it has been to dive from one world to another, do I just pant as I keep lying down.
"Sora!" I hear three voices shout, two male and one female and both male voices are soft, one having a hint of self-doubt and the other sounding wise and instantly I know where I am and hiss: "Joshua, I need your power. Protect – my dream." And while I have my eyes closed, do I hear Joshua giving me an understanding sound.

And to my utter relief do I feel a bright light shine against my tiredly closed eyes before a strong wave of caring magic washes over me and seeps into me as well as the stone road underneath me and then I hear Joshua land back on the ground before he grunts and I ask: "You weren't invaded – were you?" And Joshua answers:
"No Sora, but it was definitely a close call and I really don't know how long I can keep this dream safe against a force that evil." Yet here I sigh and finally open my eyes as I get up, yet I instantly feel like fainting again, Neku and Shiki moving over to stabilize me and I grunt as I say: "And – what if – you had – two dreams – to protect?"
And Joshua smiles as he says: "That would definitely make my power more widespread, but it should also give me more reason to use my full power. Though, if I were to protect two dreams in the same area, I could do much more effective work." And at this I nod, feeling relieved that I might finally get my chance to figure this out.

Riku's POV

It's been some time since I send my letter to Sora and I have been training way further than I believed I would need to even just for, potentially, seeing if the next Keyhole would lead to a new world, yet I have been doing this because of that strange lad and because I felt I had to do something so I wouldn't succumb to my worries.
"Sora, where are you? What is going on at your side?" Goes through my mind as I take out yet another Nightmare with my Tyranto Rex and then finally get what I have been waiting for this entire time as, instead of sensing Sora summoning my Komori Bat, I actually get his Meow Wow landing in my arms with a note stuck to his horn.
Relief floods me like a tidal wave and I happily pet the little guy as I take the note and while the little thing keeps whining, which makes my concerns for all this return right away, do I motion it to go play and train with my two strongest Dream Eaters and send them a silent order to keep him safe as I start reading the note.

Riku,
Head for the Third District. Joshua will protect us there and give you my next note.
Sora.

And the shortness of this note makes me know more than ever before that things are at their absolute worst as Sora is never this short with me and I think: "What could they be up to? What did you find, Sora? How much are we in danger?" Yet then I tense in fear as I sense something and instantly I summon my Keyblade.
And just as I use it to escape The Symphony Of Sorcery and dive for The Grid – if only to distract my pursuers – do I see a portal of Darkness appear and two huge demon like arms try to reach for me and Meow Wow, yet the little tyke had already come running at me and I had encased it under my free arm as I took for the Dive.
I then make sure to dive from the Grid to La Cite Des Cloches, to the new world, to Traverse Town and back to the new world, yet just before I start my new Dive do I use my full power and with use of the Darkness within me do I phase out of the Dive and into the end part of the Dive leading back to Traverse Town.

I land in a roll, end up crouched on the First District plaza and instantly move into a standing position before phasing over to the door to the Third District and while Meow Wow whines at this and while hating that I am scaring him, does the whining stop the minute we pass through the doors and I understand instantly why.
As I pass through the door do I also feel as if passing through some kind of forcefield and the power feels strong and protective, making me sigh in relief before I hear a pleasant voice say: "Ah, good to see you made it here safe and sound, Riku. Sora will be pleased." And I smile up at Joshua, again sitting atop the fountain.
I lean against the frame of the door in relief and ask: "Let me guess, you cast a spell to protect Sora and my dreams from whoever is chasing us?" The blonde nods and says: "Yes, and now that you are in the same place, I can use my full power to its full potential, especially with how small sized this district is compared to others."
I nod at him and then sense Meow Wow wiggle under my arm before it seems to vanish in a cloud of stars and moons and while I can only hope that Sora won't be too angry with me for scaring his little friend like this, does Joshua then look up from me to the door in intrigue before he lets of out a soft laugh and says:

"How interesting." And I tilt my head at him as he says: "I can sense a whole army of Dream Eaters standing right outside both doors of the District – Good Dream Eaters, not Nightmares. And they seem to understand the severity of the situation as they are actually sharing their own energy with me to make my shields even stronger."
This both amazes and relieves me and then Joshua says: "Now, onto the reason I waited on this side of the portal and not Sora's. Here, Sora wrote this just as you arrived in this world." And as he speaks does he jump down and glide over to where I am almost lying against the door and he hands me a new note that I read:

Riku,
Sorry for worrying you, but I felt as if I was being followed no matter where I went and I slightly tired myself out trying to get here. However, when I scratched myself upon landing in Traverse Town, the sensation of being watched left me and it confused me, but I was too scared to really think about as I could only think of one thing;
That kid in the black coat. Joshua showed me your first meeting with him and he has been meeting me at every world I've been to. Riku, it's not the Sleeping Worlds we're in. It's a bunch of illusions created by this kid and whoever he works for. How else can we explain him constantly being able to be here – and with Xemnas no less.
Listen, I managed to hide myself earlier and heard him say some really crazy things. Here's what he said; Where is he? That Sigil is supposed to make it easier for me to guide him to where he needs to be. I could have sworn that, because my future self is supposed to be reborn today, Sora would not stray from the path no matter what. So how is it I can't find my thirteenth dark vessel? Surely – Riku hasn't tried to interfere a second time.
Riku, what Sigil did he mean? Was that why I lost the sensation of being watched when I scratched my clothes? (Joshua can tell you what I am wearing). Is that what he's been using to lead me? And to what? To be this thirteenth Dark Vessel? Why does he think I can be led into anything that can make me succumb to Darkness? And what does he mean his Future self?
Riku, I – I don't like admitting it, but – Riku, he scares me.
Sora

And while this has been his longest note yet, do I hate it nonetheless as I have never known Sora to admit that anything scares him and I think: "I need to see these questions answered. It might help me reach Sora – or at least get him his confidence back." And with that I turn to Joshua and ask: "Have you read this?"
The boy shakes his head and says: "It was meant for you. I would never invade privacy like that." At this I smile at him and say: "Alright then, let me catch you up." And with that do I read the letter out loud, looking at him from time to time and trying to read his expression as I explain him the problem that Sora and I are having.

"Hmm, it really was a good thing that you and Sora came here. Not only is this world one that exists purely for those that seek protection, but the combination of that magic, my spell and the powers of the Dream Eaters should keep you safe for at least the next several hours. Hopefully long enough you can find a way to escape all this."
At this I nod and ask: "So, about Sora's outfit?" And Joshua turns glum with dark thoughts as he says: "He's mostly dressed in red and black. His jacket is red with black highlights, same as his pants. He has yellow shoes and a black shirt with a tear in the white X that crosses his chest." And instantly utter fear grips my heart.

And that is that,
Okay, I will be honest, I REALLY want to actually turn this one into an actual story here and now and that is why this one went on for so long, though that was also because I constantly felt like ending it at other parts just wouldn't feel right. Still, I hope you all liked this little twist on the game, more KH goodness will follow soon.
Have fun,

Venquine1990

Further Story Parts:

Sora and Riku realize who they're dealing with

Sora rips his whole shirt apart to make sure the Organization can no longer track him.

Sora repeats his flash Dive to the Various worlds with parts of his torn up shirt ending up in each world to confound Young Xehanort.

Riku realizes that, if using enough of his and Sora's Power, he can use the Dream Eaters to get back to Sora.

Sora and Riku combine their united power over Reality Shifts as well as a combination of all Reality Shifts from every world to overpower the hold the Organization has over them and escape their "Dream" trap

Young Xehanort tries to invade the Mysterious Tower to get to Sora, yet because Sora now knows that he has the hearts – or parts thereof – of Ventus, Aqua, Terra, Axel, Roxas, Naminé and Xion in him, does he use this combined strength to lock Young Xehanort inside the trap he tried using on Sora.

Sora goes back to Traverse Town and manages to gather all of the Dream Eaters, yet almost gets kidnapped by Young Xehanort a second time.

Sora escapes the attempt with help of the Dream Eaters and manages to get them all to leave the Dream World and enter the Waking World with him, yet this effort drains him and puts him into a Second Sleep.

The end of Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance and what Riku does to wake Sora up remain the same as in cannon, though I might deviate from the canon method of how Xehanort gets defeated – once Kingdom Hearts 3 finally gets released!