Knights of the Neverending Story Annual #1
"Without You"
*This story takes place during Knights of the Neverending Story #11
The Battle of Hogwarts had destroyed many lives and altered many others. But in the end, evil had been vanquished and order had been restored to the wizarding community. But while many of those who had lost a loved one would find a way to soldier on and go on with their lives, one person, in particular, had given up on everything.
After the funeral of his identical twin brother, Fred, George Weaselly had lost all willingness to go on. The once cheerful ginger headed young man no longer smiled; he no longer wanted to run the self-started business that he and his brother had put their heart and soul into; he barely even wanted to get out of bed anymore.
It had fallen to his parents and siblings to keep his business running, and of them, only his brother Ron seemed to have fun selling the pranks, jokes, and other assorted oddities that the little shop had to offer. All while George just remained at home, wishing he'd have been able to share his beloved twin brother's fate. His brother, his best friend, his soulmate. He'd been taken away unjustly and there was nothing anyone could do to bring the young man back.
One morning, months after Fred's death, George was staring at himself in the bathroom mirror. His hair had grown long and shaggy.
"You look horrible, George," the reflection said. "That hair doesn't suit you."
George recognized the tone of the voice as he stumbled back. "F- Fred?"
"Who else did you expect, Harry bloody Potter?" the reflection asked. "Come on George, get your ass up already. You're letting Ron run our business, he's probably eaten all the chocolate frogs by now."
"You can't be real," George said as he put his hands on the sink and stared down. "I'm going crazy."
"Are you?" the reflection asked. "Go ahead, ask me something only Fred would know."
"I can't. Everything Fred knows, I know. We never had any secrets from each other, we kept everything from Ron."
"Oh, yeah. But trust me, I'm me."
"But if you're you, why aren't you here instead of talking through my reflection?"
"Probably because I died and I don't have a body."
"So, if you're... you, I can bring you back," George said. "I can make you live again."
"Maybe, but that's some serious dark magic. You'd be hanged if you tried to do that."
"Then how do I get you back on this side?" George asked as a pounding came at the door.
"Well, go on," the reflection told him. "I'm not going anywhere."
George rushed downstairs and opened the door, seeing a teenage boy standing there. From the way he was dressed, he was obviously a Muggle.
"You have to be kidding me," the boy said. "I was expecting Harry Potter or Hermione or even Neville. Wait, are any of them here?"
"No, it's just me, thanks for the kind words," George said as he started closing the door.
"Wait!" the boy said. "If it's just you, then you're the one we were sent to get. My name is Bastian Balthazar Bux, and I've been sent from Fantasia to recruit a wizard."
"Then you really have got the wrong guy. I'm not a wizard anymore."
"Please, I know about Fred, I know about the Battle of Hogwarts, I even read the Cursed Child. You are a great wizard, George. Let me explain."
George just sighed as he opened the door and let Bastian in.
"It all started with a book called the Neverending Story..."
A short while later, Bastian had told George about the Wicked Witch of the Southwest trying to claim AURYN and of his and his group of friends going from world to world trying to find a way to stop her.
"The Childlike Empress said we were to find a wizard here, one who could help us fight the Wicked Witch," Bastian said. "You might be the only one powerful enough to stand up to her."
"You've got the wrong guy," George told him. "I can't help you."
"But without you-"
"I'm sorry," George said as he pushed Bastian toward the door. "Good luck with your war."
George closed the door as he passed by the hallway mirror, looking at his reflection.
"Did you not hear what he said?" the reflection asked. "This AURYN thing sounds all-powerful. Maybe it can bring me back."
"How do we know it's not some kind of dark magic?" George asked. "You could come back a soulless zombie or worse. You could come back and be the next Voldemort."
"Or you could have your best friend back," the reflection told him. "Things could be normal for us again. Isn't that what you want? Isn't that what we want?"
George just stared out the window. He quickly got dressed and rushed out to where Bastian was standing around a well with Huck Finn, Mike Teavee, Terrance the Fairy and Nibs of the Lost Boys.
"I'm in," the young wizard said.
"What made you change your mind?" Bastian asked.
"Because you might be able to give me something I want. I want my brother back. If I help you, I want you to use this AURYN thing to bring Fred back."
"Bastian, a word over here?" Huck asked as he led Bastian away from the others. "Can you do that?"
"You saw what happened in Neverland with the Lost Boys," Bastian said.
"You also had more powerful magic helpin' you," Huck said. "This is dark stuff we're talkin' about here. Voodoo level stuff. You don't go messin' with that kind of dark magic."
"What other choice do we have, Huck?" Bastian asked. "We need this guy to stop the Wicked Witch. It'll all work out, I hope."
"What do you mean you're out of fairy dust?" Mike asked as he held Terrance upside down and gently shook him. "Come on, man, give up the stuff!"
"We're not in Neverland, and I don't have an endless supply!" Terrance shouted as Bastian and Huck returned. "Besides, I might have... relieved myself of the last of it while I was being chased by that owl."
"Without fairy dust, our new friend can't fly with us to Oz," Bastian said.
"Uh, guys?"
"Maybe we can fly back to Fantasia. It's connected to Neverland now, we can gas up and be on our way in no time," Nibs suggested.
"Guys?"
"Ain't no time for that, the Witch is gonna make her move any minute now," Huck told them. "Maybe we should-"
"GUYS!"
All heads turned toward the newest member of their group.
"I have an idea. But first, do we have a deal?"
All eyes fell to Bastian, who took a deep breath. "We have a deal."
The two shook hands, with Bastian wondering if he could make good on his promise to bring Fred Weaselly back to life...
"You Can't Do That On Teavee"
It was the morning of the chocolate factory tour, and four of the five golden ticket winners were waiting eagerly outside of the gates of the factory. Charlie Bucket, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beuroguard and Veruca Salt all had their tickets in hand, while their guardians stood behind them. The only one who wasn't in attendance was one Mike Teavee, although his mother had shown up to see if the boy had come to the factory on his own.
In reality, young Mike had disappeared in the middle of the night, having been spirited away by Peter Pan in a misguided attempt to rebuild his group of Lost Boys after the previous group had been slaughtered by Captain Hook.
"I thought there were supposed to be five of us here?" Charlie asked as he looked around.
"Who cares? More chocolate for me," Augustus said.
"Grandpa, do you think something happened to the other kid?" Charlie asked his grandfather. Out of the large group there, only Charlie seemed to be expressing concern for the missing boy.
"I'm sure he's fine, he probably just got wrapped up watching t.v. or something," Grandpa Joe told him. "Don't worry about it, Charlie, just focus on enjoying the tour and winning that prize."
Veruca also noticed Mike wasn't there and started scheming to herself. "If one of them has been eliminated already... Daddy, I have an idea."
"Yes, dear," Mr. Salt said in a nervous voice. "Whatever you want, dear."
A few minutes later, the gates opened as one Willy Wonka came out to greet his guests. His smile momentarily turned upside down when he took count of the kids.
"Only four? Where's the fifth?" Wonka asked. "Okay, I can work with this. It's only one child, how that possibly ruin the tour?"
Wonka led the children and their parents into the factory, and after the introduction brought them all to the edible wonderland where the chocolate river was located. The children and their parents all began to explore, eating whatever they could find in the room. That was when Augustus saw the chocolate river and began drinking from it.
"Oh, no, you mustn't-" Wonka told him before Augustus fell into the river.
"We have to help him!" Charlie shouted as he tried to reach toward the boy. That was when Veruca saw her chance to get rid of two birds with one stone. She pretended to trip, knocking Charlie into the river, just as Augustus was sucked into the tube.
"Charlie!" Grandpa Joe shouted. "Someone help him! Charlie can't swim!"
Charlie quickly began sinking as the Oompa Loompas quickly rushed in and tried to get to Charlie before it was too late. Meanwhile, Veruca was standing back, smirking to herself.
"Three down, one to go,"
TO BE CONTINUED...
"The Littlest Cupid"
Terrance flew into the hidden lair of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, having made sure the coast was clear. The small fairy dragged a piece of bread along with him as he landed on the bed.
"Nibs? I brought you some food," Terrance said. "It's not much, but the pirates had fresh baked bread, so I got you the biggest piece I could carry."
Nibs stood up from where he had been staring at the wall. He had a chain around his ankle as he walked toward the bed and picked up the bread.
"Thanks, Terrance, I don't know what I'd do without you," Nibs said as he sat down.
"You should try to escape," Terrance said. "There are no more fairies and no more Lost Boys. And Peter's probably not coming back. You and I could just... go away. Try to find a new home."
"Neverland's the only home I've ever known," Nibs told him. "Besides, even if we did run away... It'd always just be the two of us. You're my closest friend, but sometimes I feel like I want... more."
"You mean like... a soulmate?" Terrance asked.
"Someone I can, you know, hold hands with," Nibs blushed . "Maybe just hold me while we look at the stars. So, yeah, a soulmate I guess."
"The fairies have, well had, a spell that's designed to bring soulmates together," Terrance told him. "Maybe if we used it, your soulmate would come to you. Then would you leave Neverland?"
"Yeah, I guess," Nibs told him. "It's at least worth a shot."
Terrance returned with all the ingredients for the spell, placing them on the floor. Nibs started mixing them into a bowl as Terrance lit a candle before landing on Nibs' shoulder.
"Now what?" Nibs asked.
"Now I add the fairy dust, and then have to say what you want in your soulmate," Terrance told him. "Be specific."
Terrance tossed some fairy dust into the bowl as Nibs closed his eyes.
"My soulmate has to be strong, but sensitive. They need to have a huge heart and be very brave. And... they have to love me with everything they have and more. My soulmate will never let me feel like I'm alone."
"I think that's it," Terrance told him. "If your soulmate is out there, they'll come to you within three full moons."
"The first full moon is tonight," Nibs said. "Do you think they'll like me?"
"No, whoever your soulmate is... they're gonna love you."
Weeks later, the second moon came and went, and Nibs watched the stars every night, hoping that his soulmate would come soon. Terrance still came to visit him, but Hook was increasing his hunts to seek out whoever was left in Neverland, which meant Terrance had to go into hiding. And Nibs refused to believe Peter wasn't coming back, so he remained chained to the wall. His only hope was that his soulmate would come to rescue him.
A month and a half later, the third moon came, with Nibs watching the sky the entire night, knowing that someone who loved him would come soon. The following morning, Nibs woke up slumped against the wall. He jumped up and searched around.
"Hello?"
There was no answer. Nibs was all alone in the Lost Boy's lair. His soulmate hadn't come like he was promised. Maybe... no one loved him.
It was another few weeks later when Tiny Tim and Huck Finn had stumbled upon the hidden lair while in search of Bastian. While both boys had wanted to help Nibs, he still had a glimmer of hope that his soulmate would still come for him. It wasn't long before Peter Pan finally did return, with Nibs convincing his new friends to flee before Peter found them.
"Come on," Huck whispered to Tiny Tim as they started making their way out. As they were almost out the door, Nibs grabbed Huck's hand, feeling the warm skin of another after a very long time of being alone.
"Huck, there's a large elm tree by the shore, just straight forward from here and you'll find it, I'll see you there," Nibs told him as he continued to hold Huck's hand. Huck just smiled a little before Nibs finally let go and watched his new friends leave.
And that's when Nibs started to realize that maybe, just maybe, his soulmate had come for him...
"The Collector"
The door to Correander's Book Shop opened, with the bell on the door alerting the owner to a new customer's arrival. Correander was sitting at a table, reading his personal copy of 'Charlie & The Chocolate Factory", but this version was turning out to be wildly different from the version he remembered.
"Can I help you?" the store owner asked.
"Perhaps," the man in a long black overcoat and gloves asked. He had a large black hat on his head, with the brim obscuring his face. "I'm looking for a particular book. A very rare copy. I understand you specialize in... rare copies."
"I have many rare and first editions," Correander told him. Perhaps a copy of 'Moby Dick' from the first edition printing?"
"I'm thinking of something a little rarer," the man said. "I'm interested in.. The Neverending Story."
The man raised his head, revealing his face as Correander reeled back in shock.
"You. It can't be."
"What's the matter? Surprised to see me?" the man asked with a hideous grin.
"The Neverending Story is no longer your story, nor is it mine," Correander told him.
"Yes, I know, the story is now being told by a young man named Bastian, I've seen his story firsthand," the man said. "I've seen that he is not worthy of the Neverending Story, nor the power of the AURYN. The boy has constantly fouled things up."
"As did I, and as did you," Correander reminded him. "No human who enters the Neverending Story gets everything perfect, you know that. He will learn his way."
"His way has led to a witch getting ahold of AURYN," the man said. "It is time for the Neverending Story to be taken out of his hands. I will have the book."
"No, you won't," Correander told him. "The book has chosen a new reader, and someday it will choose yet have no power here. Leave my store."
The man just flashed a quick grin as he blew some dust off of a book. "Very well. But the book will be mine. And when it returns to me, pray that your precious new protector is well out of its pages."
The man left as Correander went to lock the door. For the first time in a very long time, he had been scared. Not only for the world of Fantasia but for Bastian Balthazar Bux.
TO BE CONTINUED...