Disclaimer: not mine
So I've decided there will be SoraKairi and ReplicaRikuNamine. Still trying to decide for Harry, though leaning towards Riku.
I am definitely de-railing canon for HP since this Harry is slowly gaining more and more memories from Ventus and Vanitas so he's in a way seen other worlds, seen what Darkness can do. But he's also not the poster boy for light with part of Vanitas in his heart. I guess he's more grey than anything.
Chapter 5
Harry leant his head against the window, watching the scenery pass and letting the excited chatter of his friends soothe him. He was nervous and kind of in awe of them all. They'd gotten together, taken things they'd seen and heard…and taken it to Lord Malfoy, Madam Longbottom, Madam Bones….and every other adult they were related to with power in the Magical government. All without him suspecting a thing, though he did have a good excuse for the last week considering he was unconscious for a good part of it. He wasn't going back to the Dursleys'….he was never going back. There'd been something of a battle over his custody apparently and now he'd be spending his summers alternating between a few families, this summer would be spent at Malfoy Manor.
He wasn't sure how he felt about that, Lord Malfoy had been a Death Eater, no matter how much he'd cleaned up his reputation since then. Harry was hailed for defeating Voldemort…so how would Lord Malfoy take that with Harry under his roof? He didn't believe he'd tried to harm him, not when so many others were watching closely, but no one had ever caught the Dursleys.
Dumbledore…every instinct he had from years under Vernon's thumb…from Vanitas and Ventus….screamed that the grandfatherly old man was more than he seemed, that he wanted something from Harry. He'd been the one to leave him with his 'relatives' and then never check up on him and who brought a powerful object into a school full of kids when they suspected someone bad was after it?
Something had felt different since he'd dreamt of the platform, like something waiting, just under the surface, a new power, tied to the magic he'd been learning from his dreams for years. He couldn't remember what it was called, but he'd seen the strange weapons Ven and Vani wielded, that the others did too. Was that what it was? Could he….maybe wield one too? That kind of power…kind of scared him.
"Harry?"
He blinked and turned his head, offering a small smile. "Yeah Hermione?"
"You'll write?"
"Of course, maybe we can all meet up during the summer or at least for supply shopping."
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Narcissa watched the students disembark, searching for a sighting of her son…there. She had read her sons' letter but seeing him in a group of students from nearly every house, especially Gryffindors…well it just had to be seen to be believed. She stepped forward and saw Draco's smile before he slipped back on the mask of a proper heir.
"Mother," he greeted her before introducing her to the other children.
She understood the whispers about the Potter boy now, he looked little like how he was portrayed. The boy shifted slightly under her gaze, wary but not hostile. She greeted them all calmly, even the young Muggleborn. She was hardly a muggle-lover or anything, but she was also not one to utterly hate and despise the muggleborn who joined their world. She just wanted them to assimilate and not try and make them all muggles. They had their own rich heritage and should not have to give it up to make them more comfortable. However, as she'd grown older and had truly looked at the facts around her…she could not deny that those families who intermarried with them produced less squibs, such as the Potters.
It took some time, but eventually she had the two boys ready to return to the Manor. She hoped young Harry liked the room that had been prepared for him, she had done her best to design one that wouldn't overwhelm him but would also make him feel accepted.
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Lucius watched as two brooms darted by in the distance. He was proud of his son's abilities on a broom, and unsurprised by Potter's considering who his Father was. He had never thought he would have the Boy-Who-Lived living under his roof and yet for at least the current summer, that was the case. Next summer the boy would be with either the Bones or Longbottom's.
This was the best chance to woo him to their way of thinking, and with how badly his 'family' had treated him, he had thought it may be easy. Potter was obviously powerful, and that power and fame with his intelligence behind it could go far in their world. Despite their treatment, he was not anti-muggle, just anti-Dursley.
He'd been making plans for the coming year, but now he was reconsidering exactly what to use. Perhaps Tom Riddle's diary was a bit too dangerous, there was no guarantee it would be discovered on one of the children before school began again. He wanted Weasley discredited, but would the diary endanger his own son? After hearing of the insanity of the spirit that had possessed Quirrell he was concerned about the diary.
The man that Potter had killed so many years ago…had not been the same one he had sworn his allegiance to. He had changed more and more with time, losing more of his sanity and diving far too deeply into the Dark Arts, going beyond the Dark and into Black magics that no one sane would touch. Potter was not Dark…but he would bet a fair share of his fortune that the boy was not as Light as Dumbledore would like. How could anyone remain so with a childhood like his? Perhaps he would align the Potter's with the Neutrals and that was something he could work with.
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On a bright sandy beach, the sun shone warmly on a spiky-haired boy, who opened his sleepy eyes and sat up. He yawned, starting to lay back down again, when suddenly a girl's face appeared in front of him. "Whoa!" he jumped back up and turned, kneeling in the sand even as the girl giggled at him. "Gimme a break, Kairi."
"Sora, you lazy bum. I knew that I'd find you snoozing down here."
"No! This huge, black THING swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe! I couldn't…"
She smacked him lightly.
"Ow!"
"Are you still dreaming?" she put her hands on her hips, watching him.
"It wasn't a dream!" he denied before frowning. "Or was it? I don't know." He looked off towards the ocean, seeing the clouds billow in the sky. "What was that place? So bizarre..." he whispered, feeling confused.
"Yeah, sure." She walked passed him toward the water.
"Say, Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up," he asked curiously.
"I've told you before, I don't remember," she glanced back at him.
"Nothing at all?" he finally got to his feet, stretching.
"Nothing."
"You ever want to go back?"
"Hmm. Well, I'm happy here," she smiled at him.
"Really..."
"But you know... I wouldn't mind going to see it."
"I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there. I wanna see 'em all!
Kairi turned to face him, hands clasped behind her back. "So what're we waiting for?"
"Hey!"
They turned to see Riku further up the shore, carrying some small logs.
"Aren't you guys forgetting about me? So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft," he rolled his eyes at them before tossing a log to Sora, who fell over with a yelp, and walked over to Kairi. "And you're just as lazy as he is!"
"So you noticed," she giggled. "Okay, we'll finish it together," Kairi promised, as Riku sat beside Sora. "I'll race you!"
"Huh?" Sora looked up at her.
"What, are you kidding?" Riku smirked.
"Ready? Go!" She called.
Sora and Riku glanced at each other before leaping up and racing across the beach. They smiled at each other as Kairi followed them, still giggling.
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Dobby watched the family closely, in awe to finally see the great and wonderful Harry Potter, but also very scared for him. The Great Harry Potter must be kept safe! He knew what Master had been planning and moved to where the item was hidden. He would have to punish himself very badly!
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"Why on earth are all of Lockhart's books on our lists?" Ernie asked as they walked through the Alley.
"Maybe the Defence Professor this year is a fan?" Justin snickered.
"Who's Lockhart?" Harry asked as the group moved towards the bookstore.
"Gilderoy Lockhart. Father called him a puffed up peacock, I think he was going to say worse until he noticed Mother," Draco admitted.
"He's soooo dreamy," Hannah sighed, and Hermione shocked them all by nodding in agreement with her.
They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for that was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows: GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME today 12:30 P.m. to 4:30 P.m.
"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"
The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Lady Malfoy's age and up. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies ... Don't push, there ... mind the books, now . . . . "
The group grimaced but squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells Grade 2 and snuck up the line to where Mr. and Mrs. Granger were waiting with Hannah's Mum.
"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Abbott. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute…"
Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.
A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash. "Out of the way, there," he snarled at Justin, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet."
"Big deal," said Justin, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.
Gilderoy Lockhart heard him and looked up, his eyes roving over their group and Harry's heart sank to his stomach as he saw the look in the man's eyes. He leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"
The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dove forward, seized Harry's arm, and pulled him to the front. The crowd burst into applause. Harry's face burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the group.
"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."
Harry yanked on his hand and when Lockhart refused to let go, he slammed his booted foot down on the crazy man's as hard as he could, causing him to yelp and finally let go. "And you all stand there and let him manhandle me?" Harry looked around at the crowd and then shook his head.
"All right Harry?" Ernie asked even as his friends surged forward, forming a barrier between Harry and everyone else.
"Now the idiot's off me, sure."
"Bloody peacock," Justin sneered.
"No manners at all," Draco drawled, every bit the pureblood heir as he looked Lockhart over and obviously dismissed him. "Let's finish up and get out of here." He then offered Hermione his arm and she took it, looking a bit shocked by it all.
The crowd watched in shocked silence as the children walked away to get the rest of their books.
"I can't believe some Professor expects us to waste good gold on the drivel he writes," were Draco's parting words.
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing. He straightened up and found himself face-to-face with Ronald Weasley, who was glaring, ears red. The boy had tried to force his friendship on Harry for most of the previous year but none of the group liked him, all realising what he wanted from Harry. "Famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Oh get lost Ronald," Hermione snapped at him.
Mrs Abbott and the Grangers joining them had him storming off in a huff.
"Don't mind our brother," one of the twins called.
"We'll keep him out of your hair," the other finished, waving as they left, guiding a small redhead girl with them.
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Harry laughed as Draco pouted, Hermione patting his shoulder in mock sympathy. The summer had seemed to pass so quickly between homework and learning more about the magical world, spending time with his friends. The wards on Malfoy Manor also meant they'd been able to keep up their practical work too, which he felt was unfair to anyone who couldn't afford wards like that.
They were all excited for their second year, hopefully it would be quieter than last year.
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Settling back into school was pretty easy, it was interesting seeing the Sorting form the other side of things and getting to welcome the new Puffs. By the end of the first day, Lockhart had proven himself to be a nuisance to nearly every Professor they'd had, showing up to give unwanted advice. He'd honestly thought Professor Sprout was going to bury him with the mandrakes they were re-potting! He was just thankful she'd stopped the idiot from pulling aside during their first class, he wanted nothing to do with the man.
Being back at school meant he could sneak off to have time to himself to train. He knew the weapon Ventus and Vanitas wielded now, it was a Keyblade. If he wanted to wield one too then he needed to be ready for it. He used their memories and some transfigured wood to train with, just like the practice blade Terra had passed on to Ventus. He hadn't felt comfortable enough at Malfoy Manor to practice, even outside where there were no portraits. Draco was his friend and his parents while a bit…cool and reserved were nothing like others had warned him, at least to Harry…but something told him to keep everything to do with Keyblades and other worlds totally secret.
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When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Ernie's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.
"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!" He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books -well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about, just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in -" When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!"
Harry looked down at his paper and read:
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart 's favourite colour?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:
30. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?
Was he for real? Harry glanced at Justin who looked utterly horrified and he didn't blame him.
Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class. "Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"
He gave them another roguish wink. Wayne was staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Roger and Ernie, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Susan and Hannah, on the other hand, were listening to Lockhart with rapt attention.
". . . but Miss Hannah Abbott knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hannah Abbott?"
She raised a trembling hand, face bright red at the attention.
"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Hufflepuff! And so, to business." He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it. "Now, be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."
In spite of himself, Harry leaned around his pile of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Roger and Ernie had stopped laughing, looking eager to actually learn something worthwhile.
"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them." As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover. "Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies. "
Ernie couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.
"Yes?" He smiled at Ernie.
"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" his friend choked out.
"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Ernie. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"
The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.
"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.
It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Wayne by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Wayne was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.
"Come on now - round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Wayne, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way.
The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Justin, and Susan who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.
"Can you believe him?" Justin snapped, as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.
"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Susan, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.
"Hands on? "said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. "Susan, he didn't have a clue what he was doing -"
"Rubbish," said Susan. "You've read his books - look at all those amazing things he's done -"
"He says he's done," Justin muttered.
A few minutes later, their friends peeked back in, looking sheepish at having abandoned them, moving to help them finish the work. Harry was with Justin, just because Lockhart said he'd done something in his books, didn't mean he'd actually done it, outside of his own delusions anyway. At the moment, he honestly wasn't sure who was the worse teacher, Voldemort possessed Quirrell, or Lockhart.
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Lucius stared in horror, it was gone. How could it be gone? He knew Potter had faced his Master's insane shade before the end of the school year, if he returned and learnt Lucius had lost what had been entrusted to him… but who could have taken it? With Harry Potter himself in the house, there had been no raids so that ruled out the Ministry, not that most of them would have even been able to detect its hiding place. Who could have gotten past the wards on the property and then the ones on the well-hidden door into the cellar and then the ones on the bookshelf?
He could only pray that it was well away from Hogwarts and the children. Who knew what horrors it could unleash within the school as a Founders heir. There was nothing he could do put keep an eye on events at the school, Diagon, and the Ministry as they were the most likely places for it to appear.
TBC…
