Disclaimer: not mine

Been enjoying Melody of Memory and writing essays. First game other than FFXV that I've ever gotten a character to level 99! Finished the world tour on beginner.

Changed a line in Sora's reminiscing on the exam to fit in with the idea I had for this chap. I accidentally posted it on ffnet as chap11 instead of replacing the originally chap10 with the edited one, sorry.

Chapter 11

Remus put aside his marking to lean back in his chair. He was a coward, he'd been at Hogwarts for almost two months and yet he hadn't approached Harry once as anything but his Defence teacher. He wished he'd been in the same compartment on the train, but the group had been too large to fit in the one he'd claimed, he was just thankful no one had been Kissed.

Being approached young Susan with a note from her Aunt had been a shock, as had being questioned over the events of that Halloween…learning Sirius had never received a trial had been an even bigger one. No trial didn't really mean anything though, no matter how his traitorous heart cried out for his last remaining friend to be innocent. But then why would he have attacked the Fat Lady? So much didn't make any sense.

Although it was tempting to let Moony out to deal with Dumbledore over leaving Harry with the Dursley's. If he'd known he would have done something, but he had been assured Harry was safe and well loved.

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Mickey signed the letter and placed it on his desk, he didn't like sneaking away the way he was but it was for the best. The Darkness was spreading, consuming Worlds, and as the only current Keyblade Wielder he had a duty to investigate and stop it. He would miss Minnie, but she understood, it hopefully wouldn't be for as long as when he apprentices under Master Yen Sid. It was his hope that with what was happening, at least one more Keyblade Wielder would appear and so he was sending Donald and Goofy to look for them.

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Lucius stared at his house elf, not sure what to think or feel. Dobby was the reason for the mess last year…all because he thought he was doing the right thing, to protect Harry Potter. People, including young Harry, had nearly died and all because Dobby was concerned that Lucius was a threat to the boy. He had no intentions of harming him. No, if anything he thought perhaps Potter might be the way forward for the Wizarding world. He had made friends across blood and house divides, he was smart, powerful…everything Riddle had been without the prejudice and then growing addiction to first dark and then black magic.

He would still very much prefer a world ruled by Purebloods but he was coming to see that it would never happen, not how they had wanted. He was not turning into a muggle-lover, he loathed them, but he also wasn't blind. They were badly outnumbered and muggles could destroy entire cities with the press of a button. Better they remain hidden them be wiped out in such a manner. The only way to remain hidden was to learn and to ensure muggleborns remained within the magical world.

It left him in a mess, his Dark Mark had darkened, his Master was growing in strength. How was he to survive his return with the Diary gone and as one of Potter's guardians? He looked at Dobby again, perhaps there was a way to give him some added protection.

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Terra and Aqua were practicing in the Throne Room, when they heard the front door of the castle open. They walked to the balcony and looked toward the door, where Master Xehanort stood with a dull-eyed boy at his side. They walked inside and Master Eraqus greeted them too quietly for the two trainees to hear. Master Xehanort said something to Master Eraqus and they walked up the inner steps together, the remaining still, staring at the floor.

"That boy-is he okay?" Aqua asked quietly.

"I'll go see," Terra offered, heading down the stairs and up to the boy who barely seemed aware of his presence. "I'm Terra. What's your name?"

The boy slowly raised his head, revealing dull blue eyes. "Ventus."

"Whew, you can talk!" he smiled, trying to tease him, but there was no response. He turned and looked up. "Aqua, c'mere."

Aqua smiled and ran down the stairs. "Hi, I'm Aqua," she offered once she was with them, and it seemed like the boy was a bit more aware.

He looked to each of them in turn. "Terra... Aqua..."

"So, are you here to train with us? Where are you from? Who was that man with you?" Terra rambled nervously. Was he hurt maybe? "You good with a Keyblade? He tried again.

To their shock and horror, Ventus started to wail loudly in pain. He fell over, clutching his head, screaming.

"Whoa, what's the matter?" Terra asked, kneeling beside him. He didn't look hurt!

"Are you okay?" Aqua asked, not sure whether to touch him or not.

It was a relief when the two Masters rushed to join them, obviously alerted by his cries.

"What did you do?" Master Eraqus asked.

"Nothing, I…" Terra stammered even as Master Xehanort gathered Ventus into his arms. "I just asked him some stuff."

"Ventus cannot tell you anything...because he cannot remember anything," his Master explained solemnly and Terra felt sick, Aqua gasping sadly.

Poor kid.

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Harry took a deep breath and mounted his broom. His first real game and the weather was absolutely rotten. They were at school, there was no way anyone sane would play in this weather, except magicals apparently. It was pretty much gale force winds and driving rain, the temperature not much above freezing but hey, at least it was taking his mind off the crowd.

The Gryffindor team wasn't the worst to be against in his first match either. Better them than Slytherin, Flint didn't know the meaning of fair play. Derrick and Bole were brutal as Beaters too. The Weasley twins were far better players and better sports from what he'd seen.

"Alright there Harry?" O'Flaherty asked, and Harry nodded, adjusting his goggles. "Don't worry, we'll keep the twins off your back," she grinned and then they were mounting their brooms as the team was called.

Harry had his orders from their vice-Captain, catch the Snitch as quick as possible, no one wanted to be out in that for very long. He just hoped he could live up to their expectations. Cedric was older, more experienced…and somehow sick for the worst day ever. Anyone other than Cedric and Harry would wonder if he was faking it to get out of playing in the storm. Something though…something about the storm felt wrong to him, unnatural.

Then they were racing out onto the pitch as their names were called, doing a loop before landing, barely able to hear Hooch as she spoke to the Captains. She blew her whistle and Harry soared skyward, searching for the flicker of movement and gold that would indicate the snitch.

He could barely see a foot in front of his face as the wind drove the rain in sheets of sleet more than water. He was glad the group had all put in to get him a set of upgraded goggles for playing, otherwise he'd be blind! Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen, hardly able to see his teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch. He flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. He hoped the others were doing alright but he could barely see them as they flew around, couldn't hear Lee Jordan's commentary on the match.

He lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice Harry nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent; everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, he could hardly tell them apart...

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Harry could just see the outline of Fleet through the thick rain, gesturing him to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.

"Wood called for time-out!" Fleet roared at his team just to be heard. "Come on, under here," he motioned them into a huddle at the edge of the field under a large umbrella;

Harry took off his goggles and wiped them hurriedly on his robes, the others doing the same.

"What's the score?"

"We're fifty points down," Fleet answered, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night," he warned, glancing at Harry who nodded in understanding.

Full of fresh determination, he urged his broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath the Gryffindor Seeker, who was streaking in the opposite direction...

There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. it was getting more and more dangerous. Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly…He turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and Harry saw something that distracted him completely , the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats.

Harry's numb hands slipped on the broom handle and his Nimbus dropped a few feet. Shaking his sodden bangs out of his eyes, he squinted back into the stands. The dog had vanished.

"Harry!" came Fleet's anguished yell from the Hufflepuff goal posts. "Harry, behind you!"

Harry looked wildly around. The other Seeker, some Seventh Year whose name he had never heard was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them…

With a jolt of panic, Harry threw himself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch. "Come on!" he growled at his Nimbus as the rain whipped his face. "Faster!"

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Yen Sid stroked his beard, it had begun. Sora and Riku would be in the Sleeping Worlds now and there was nothing they could do to interfere. One of them had to pass, to gain the Power of Waking, it would be needed against a foe such as Xehanort.

It was not often he regretted giving up being a Keyblade Master, but now he was finding he did. He had felt similarly that day over a decade ago when a heartbroken Master Aqua and Mickey had brought the comatose Ventus to the tower. It was stronger now though, when the two youngest were both touched by Darkness. Would they pass…or Fall?

So long as they passed, there was no time to deal with their failings, they would need to press on, to stop Xehanort's plans whatever they were. They were safe from him in their exam at least and stripped of everything they'd learnt meant that hopefully Sora's Darkness was at least contained for the moment. Since he apparently lacked all control over it, they would have to do something about it as soon as possible. He had saved the Worlds twice, he could not become lost to the Darkness like Xehanort had.

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Something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Harry had gone suddenly deaf, what was going on? And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him, inside him, just as he became aware of something moving on the field below...

Before he'd had time to think, Harry had taken his eyes off the Snitch and looked down. At least a hundred dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at him, were standing beneath him. It was as though freezing water were rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. And then he heard it again... Someone was screaming, screaming inside his head... a woman...

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now..."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead -"

He struggled to reach for his magic, for his Keyblade but numbing, swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain... What was he doing? Why was he flying? He needed to help her... She was going to die... She was going to be murdered... He was falling, falling through the icy mist.

"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy...

A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and…

Harry blinked, floating in blackness, unable to see anything. No…there! Light…familiar light, but it wasn't possible… "Ven?" he whispered, reaching out to it. He felt it stir slightly, sluggishly, as if it was in a very deep sleep, other lights, other hearts around it, three more. All of them…being dragged deeper into sleep…into Darkness. "VENTUS WAKE UP!" he didn't know their names, couldn't help them, could he?

He tried to summon his Keyblade again, feeling it form in his hand, aiming at them, trusting his Heart to guide him as the blade glowed with Light. Everything in Harry screamed that he had to save them, even the part of him from Vanitas, who had only ever wanted to be back with his 'brother', to be whole. Magic exploded around him, reaching out to the falling hearts, catching them. How could they be so connected? Had Ven somehow survived the fight with Vanitas? Maybe the larger portion slumbered within another?

It didn't matter, he couldn't let anyone be lost like that. "Wake up! You have to wake up!" he yelled to them, pouring all of his magic into them.

He felt the strongest one stir, trying to wake, reaching out his free hand and then ghostly fingers brushed his, sleepy blue eyes meet his own, before with a flash of light, Ventus' armour covered their form, trying to protect whoever the other boy was.

With his magic drained dangerously low, Harry slipped into unconscious, even as on the Quidditch pitch, the Headmaster slowed his descent so that he landed gently on the grass, his team surrounding him.

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On a white throne worlds away, Sora's sleeping form sat somehow upright, head to his chest even as around him, friends and foes fought over his fate. None noticed his finger twitch slightly.

"Are you okay, Riku?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah. Thanks, Mickey," Riku answered.

Riku! He could hear them but it was like they were worlds away, he just had to wake up.

"Master Xehanort! We were right about you!"

"All of this was decided. My twelve selves would welcome me here on this day, when I would return a complete person. It is the future which lies beyond my sight."

He let the words flow passed him, letting the Light from that voice fill him, able to feel the other hearts with his…Not just Roxas but two more? It didn't matter, the strange armour he could feel protecting him didn't matter, or who that other boy with such green eyes was, all that mattered was waking up and helping Riku and Mickey.

"But you failed. Sora stopped you in your tracks on both counts," Riku's voice caught his attention again.

"Yes, he did. That dull, ordinary boy, a Keyblade wielder so unlike any I have ever seen. However, I have not abandoned my ambitions, the seven guardians of light and the thirteen seekers of darkness." The old man chuckled and it even sounded evil.

"Seven guardians of light? Well, for Keyblade wielders, there's me and Riku and Sora. And my three missing friends, that's six. Then the seventh would be..." the King gasped and Sora wished he could see what was happening even as he fought to move, to open his eyes, anything.

The power was fading, if he didn't do something soon he'd be pulled even deeper in.

"That means...the thirteen seekers of darkness..."

"Yes, little king. Perceptive. But Sora and another on your list belong to me now. And that puts you three guardians short…."

What?! No! No way, he did not belong to some creepy old man. He'd faced Riku when possessed by Ansem, he couldn't make them go through that with his body, he couldn't.

"But first, the thirteen darkness's shall be united. All the seats have been filled. And now the last vessel shall bear my heart like the rest!"

He was dimly aware of something happening, movement?

"No!"

"Sora!" Riku's voice held terror, and Sora hated to hear it.

He heard the old man laugh and then something utterly dark and disgusting was moving towards him. NO! He threw everything into moving, letting Roxas' rage give him extra strength, the other two pushing as well, though less than Roxas. There was the distant sensation of falling and then arms around him.

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Riku watched as a pat of Xehanort's heart flew towards Sora, his own heart in his throat as he struggled to get free from where Ansem had him pinned to the floor. Just before it reached Sora…he pitched forward, tumbling from the throne to plummet towards the ground, only to be caught by a familiar figure…

"He made it!" Mickey called in relief.

"You!" Xemnas snarled.

In a flurry of flames, Axel landed on the ground nearby, holding a barely stirring Sora in one hand and his weapon in the other.

"Axel!"

"Axel?" the redhead smirked. "Please. The name's Lea. Got it memorized?"

What was going on? Seeing Sora go utterly still again had him summoning his Keyblade and swiping back with it, scrambling to his feet when Ansem dodged back, moving to cover Axel…Lea? Whatever. Mickey quickly joined them, the three ready to defend the sleeping teen.

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"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"I thought he was dead for sure."

"But he didn't even bruise let alone break something."

Harry could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. He didn't have a clue where he was, or how he'd got there, or what he'd been doing before he got there. All he knew was that every inch of him was aching as though it had been beaten.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

Scariest... the scariest thing... hooded black figures... cold ... screaming...

Harry's eyes snapped open. He was lying in the hospital wing. The Hufflepuff Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around his bed along with his friends.

"Harry!" said Fleet, who looked extremely white underneath, the mud. "How're you feeling?"

It was as though Harry's memory was on fast forward. The lightning…the Grim…the Snitch…and the dementors... "What happened?" he asked, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.

"You fell off. Must've been, what, fifty feet?" Heidi McAvoy answered. "You fell right through where we were so we dropped the Quaffle and tried to catch you.

"We thought you'd died," Tamsin Applebee admitted, shaking slightly, short brown hair utterly plastered with mud.

Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.

"But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?" No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into Harry like a stone. "We didn't…lose?" He'd lost his first match?

"Dell got the Snitch," said Fleet. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square... and I'm sorry but…" he shrugged. "it's not your fault, game should have been called the instant those things appeared."

"Cedric?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Is proud of you for going out in that," Susan answered. "He was going to be here but he's been sent home to recuperate."

Eventually the team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving, leaving his friends who moved closer to the bed.

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away... He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him -"

"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," Draco picked up the story. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were…" the normally pale blond looked utterly white, voice fading, but Harry hardly noticed.

He was thinking about what the Dementors had done to him... about the screaming voice…and the void with connected Hearts. He looked up and saw his friends looking at him so anxiously that he quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say. "Did someone get my Nimbus?"

"Er -" Draco glanced at the others.

"What?" said Harry, looking from one to the other.

"Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," Justin offered hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit - it hit - oh, Harry - it hit the Whomping Willow," Hannah grimaced.

Harry's insides lurched. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds. "And?" he said, dreading the answer.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," Neville tried to explain. "It…it doesn't like being hit." That was an understatement.

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," Susan told him in a very small voice. Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's broomstick.

It wasn't like he'd had it for years and won loads of games with it or anything. But it was one of the few things he'd bought himself to just use for fun. He'd bought the team upgraded brooms too last year, but his own had been different, to him at least.

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He hesitated slightly, but continued walking toward the castle. As he looked up, he saw Master Eraqus walking down the steps toward him. Ven froze, looking away.

"Ventus, you're alone? I thought Aqua would—" he walked over and placed his arms around his shoulders. "Well, what matters is that you're home. You don't belong outside this world yet. You need to stay here where you can learn,"

"In your prison?" He cut his Master off.

"What?" he asked in shock, stepping back slightly.

"That's your excuse...for keeping me imprisoned here, isn't it?" he demanded angrily.

"What did you hear?" Master Eraqus asked.

"That I'm supposed to be some weapon... Some kind of..."Chi-blade"!" he snapped in answer.

"I knew it. Xehanort…he could never let it go," the Master shook his head, falling silent for several minutes, thinking. "I failed. I had the chance to stop him and couldn't do it. But I will not fail again." Master Eraqus summoned his Keyblade and he gasped, backing away from the older male.

"Master! What are you..."

"The Chi-blade has no place in this or any world. Xehanort has made his purpose clear...and I am left with no choice. Forgive me...but you must exist no more." He thrust out his Keyblade and chains of light streamed out.

Ventus stood, his eyes clamped shut.

"Ven!"

He opened his eyes to find Terra in his armour was blocking the blow even as the light dissipated.

"What?" Their Master demanded…not his Master anymore?

He'd…he'd tried to…kill him? Why? He didn't ask for any of this! He wanted…to go back, before the exam, when they'd been happy and a family.

"Master, have you gone mad?" Terra, his brother, demanded.

"Terra! I command you, step aside!"

Terra's armour vanished. "No!"

"You will not heed your Master?" Eraqus demanded angrily.

"I won't!"

"Why do all my attempts to reach you fail? If you don't have it in your heart to obey...then you will have to share Ventus' fate."

No! Not Terra! But it was like he was frozen, unable to do anything but watch as Terra defended them both. Asa Terra stumbled, he finally found his voice again. "Enough, Terra! He's right..."

"Quiet!" Terra snapped at him, and Ven flinched.

"Terra..."

Eraqus jumped back and the end of his blade glowed brightly. He swung it in a circle and knocked them back. Terra picked him up under one arm and gasped at the sight before them. Master Eraqus was shining with light as his clothing fluttered as if pulled by a strong wind. He moved his Keyblade forward with his left arm raised, pointing, as if charging up an attack.

"You may be my Master. But I will not...let you hurt my friend!" Terra yelled, and Ven shivered, feeling the Darkness around them.

"Has the darkness taken you, Terra?"

Terra swung his Keyblade back and opened a portal, tossing Ven into it.

Ven forced himself up, kneeling in the mouth of the portal. "Wait, Terra!" he yelled reaching for his brother, but the portal snapped shut.

Harry sat up, breathing heavily. A dream, it was just a dream…a memory. A quick look around proved he was in the dorm, finally released from the hospital wing. It had felt so real, more so than most of the memory dreams, because of what had happened after the Dementors knocked him out? He glanced at his clock and groaned but rolled out of bed, there was no point in trying to go back to sleep when he had to be up in an hour anyway. At least he'd get first shower and could soak in the hot water for as long as he pleased.

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Riku stared at the strangely armoured form in Sora's dream, there was something about the way it was standing, just staring at him… "Sora?" he whispered, and it jerked. On the helmeted head as the Nightmare symbol except it kept flickering between that and nothing.

"Sora wake up!" he pleaded, Sora was in the armour somehow. Parts of it were black but others parts were much lighter in colour, the colours shifting almost dizzyingly, because Sora was fighting? "I'm here to take you home, you just have to wake up. Please. Don't… don't make me fight you."

The armour took a step towards him but then staggered and the armour shattered, Sora falling free. Riku lunged, trying to catch him and failing as Sora sank into a dark pool. He didn't even hesitate to summon his Keyblade to follow.

TBC…

So thanks to Harry's help Sora did almost manage to save himself from Xehanort by falling off the chair and he managed to keep the armour from becoming fully a Nightmare and fighting Riku. That's why I changed a line in ch10, so Sora remembers a voice calling for Ven to wake up while he was asleep.