Disclaimer: not mine
I finished Mass Effect Andromeda! Which considering I usually suck at shooting things is a shock. I skipped some of the task missions cause they were a pain without marking them on the map but otherwise did it all.
Chapter 13
Aqua walked through the never ending Darkness because she had to, if she stayed still for too long then those strange creatures attacked in groups. They weren't Unversed but they were from the Darkness. At least she had her Keyblade, without it she'd be in serious trouble.
Without her, how would Ventus be saved? Surely his Heart had found its way back to him and she hated the idea he had woken alone in a place he wouldn't recognise. Would he be able to find a way out of the Castle the way it was now?
Terra had to be safe, otherwise her current predicament was all for nothing. He would hopefully have gone to Master Yen Sid and would be there for Ven. That would make all of this worth it.
"Aqua?" a young male voice called, and her heart jumped.
"Ven?" she spun around, eyes searching the Darkness and then she saw him, her hope fading. He looked around the right age, but he wasn't Ventus, wasn't Vanitas either thankfully…although something about him reminded her of both of them. "Who are you? How are you here?" she asked, Keyblade in hand just to be safe.
"My name's Harry," he answered, running a hand through wild black hair. His image flickered before becoming more solid. "You're Aqua," he grinned happily.
"How do you know my name?" She asked, wary, and yet wanting to relax because he reminded her of Ventus…and he was just a kid, but Vanitas was just a kid too.
"That's….kind of a long story and I don't know how long this will last. When Ventus and Vanitas fought, both their hearts. Were meant to be destroyed. Ventus' Heart still exists, inside another boy, but sleeping. But…not his whole Heart. Part of him and Vanitas drifted through the Worlds…" he shifted, and her eyes widened.
"Into you," she whispered. His hair wasn't wild like either of theirs although the length could be taming it some, but it was the same black as Vanitas', his eyes were a green/blue colour…could the blue be from Ven?
"I was dying, but the pieces of their Hearts healed me. I've dreamed about them all my life. I feel…like I've known you and Terra all my life," he reached a hand to her and she reached back. He wasn't Ventus but he had his memories. Their fingers brushed but his hand didn't quite feel solid beneath her own.
"How are you here?" she asked, worried for him.
"Where's here?" he asked.
"The Realm of Darkness," she answered, not surprising he didn't know, Ventus hadn't. Maybe Vanitas hadn't either.
He frowned slightly. "Have you seen a boy with silver hair? His name's Riku," he asked, and she started at the name.
"I met a boy like that once, but in the Realm of Light, he was only five or so."
"Oh…He was about fifteen when I saw him there, in the Realm of Darkness, he was lost. Maybe he got out, that was three years ago."
Fifteen? How was that possible? She couldn't have been trapped there so long, could she? And…he'd be eighteen now? "How did you get here?"
"That time I was dying, again. I got better though. This time, I found a special room at my school, it can pretty much become anything you want. I wanted to check if Riku made it out but I found you instead."
"Then you're not really here?"
"I can't see what you are, I just see you standing in the Room," he offered.
That explained why he didn't feel solid. That was wonderful for him, not so good for her. His image wavered and she tried to tighten her grip.
"Hold on, maybe I can pull you through," he told her, and she watched as a Keyblade appeared in his hand, a familiar one…the one Ven had had at the Keyblade Graveyard before merging with Vanitas…the Lost Memory.
She held onto his hand as tight as she could, raising her Keyblade to match him, if their magic could combine, maybe they could open a gateway between the Realms that was strong enough for her to pass through. She heard the whispers and looked around, seeing the approaching hoard even as the magic built. She felt Harry tighten his grip on her hand, feeling a bit more substantial even as the shadowy creatures began grouping together.
"What's wrong?" he called, almost yelling to be heard over the noise their magic was making.
"They're coming!" She yelled, seeing the creatures twisting together into some kind of...tower?
She looked at him, seeing his gritted teeth, sweat beading at his temples, she doubled her efforts of reaching through the small breach to his World. This may be her only chance of ever getting out! She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, another tower forming. She was going to be trapped between them!
"Bit more…" he grimaced.
She felt a wind whipping up from the movement of the towers and braced herself more firmly, but she could feel her grip slipping on his hand.
"AQUA!" he screamed as her hand was ripped from his.
She stared into green/blue eyes and then she was being thrown away from him, even as he tried to reach for her. She tumbled and managed to get to her feet, facing her enemies. It wasn't an easy fight and in the end she used her last potion to heal her wounds, magic drained between the escape attempt and fight. She didn't know how far away she was from where Harry had been, but she couldn't see him anywhere.
"Harry?" She yelled but there was only silence…and one missing glove.
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Hermione leant against Draco as the Express made its way towards Hogwarts. She couldn't believe how the years had flown by, then again, they hadn't all been exactly peaceful. She'd be eighteen soon and she was hoping for something very special. Her parents had made it clear that while seventeen was the age she'd become an adult in the magical world, that was not the case in the non-magical.
Dating Draco had made things difficult for both of them within their Houses at first, but their group of friends were not to be messed with. When Harry Potter himself had been happy for them, had hexed Ron Weasley in her defence, well…
She glanced at where Harry was leaning over Susan's book to see something, wishing… all of the girls at Hogwarts who threw themselves at him and Harry had never dated. He didn't seem at all interested and she wondered if maybe he preferred his own gender. If he did that was not going to be easy, not with how the Wizarding World saw such things…and the need for heirs. Then again, sometimes she wondered if Harry planned to stay in the magical world after the end of the year. He wouldn't really….would he?
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Harry listened as the Tri-Wizard Tournament was announced to the school, along with the age requirement. He felt several people glance his way, did they think he would be putting his name in? He had no plans to, not when they suspected nefarious plans behind the whole thing, not to mention the death toll. And eternal glory? He couldn't name one previous winner, he doubted anyone could except Hermione and that was only because she'd begun researching as soon as they heard it might be revived. It would be interesting to meet students from other magical schools though.
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Merlin studied his instruments, he just about had the correct time period narrowed down and….ah! Yes, that just might do it, the Second Wizarding War. There was some sort of prophecy involved, that could explain what he'd been picking up from his birth World. Except…he was sure he had sensed a Keyblade which should be impossible. Now…who all was involved in that blasted war? Sometimes being a time and world traveller confused even him.
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Neville watched as Harry flew through the air, doing Seeker drills with Draco. Draco was good, very good, he could go professional but Harry…he was even better. It was like he was born to fly and Neville figured his Animagus form had to be some kind of bird, probably a bird of prey because it fit him. He didn't know if either was interested in a Quidditch career after Hogwarts, but with the games cancelled for the Tournament, a lot of peoples' chances would be hurt. Then again, Harry and Draco were good enough that they'd probably been on several scouts lists for years. But the other seventh years and even sixth years were going to be disadvantaged.
The other schools were arriving in three days and they were all on edge. They knew from Lord Malfoy that the Goblet of Fire was to be used to pick the champions and it would be revealed to the schools then. Harry wasn't going to be let out of sight the whole time it was available to ensure that no one would be able to say he entered himself when he denied it. No one in Hufflepuff would doubt him but the other Houses? Even though he had friends in them all, Neville knew not everyone would believe him. Too many still saw Harry as nothing more than the famous Boy-Who-Lived. Despite the truth coming out about Dumbledore and Riddle now sane and human; Harry was still the only person ever to survive the Killing Curse and that likely would never change.
So long as Dumbledore remained out there, their world would remain unsettled, waiting for his next move. It hurt, to think they had trusted that man so much….that his parents had trusted him only to come out of hiding too early. If Dumbledore had just accepted that his fame would fade in time, how many lives would have been spared? How much further could they have come without the war? Or would a Dark Lord have risen even without his interference?
Lips pressing to his briefly snapped him out of his thoughts and he grinned at Hannah, wrapping an arm around her, glancing down at the Longbottom betrothal ring on her finger. They had the date all set, July 10th and she would be his wife.
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Riku sat on his bed, staring at Kairi's 'sleeping' form. She looked so peaceful…how could her Heart be gone? He didn't trust Hook as far as Kairi could throw him…but Maleficent hadn't lied to him yet. At least Sora had shown some concern for her finally, even if it was too little too late. He'd get her Heart back for her and then they'd go anywhere they wanted.
He hated leaving her in the room, defenceless, but he didn't have much choice. He didn't really trust anyone in the Castle. She was safe enough from the Heartless, but the others?
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Harry sat with his House as the newcomers settled down, Durmstrang at the Slytherin table and Beauxbaton at the Ravenclaw….upsetting more than a few of the boys around. Definitely some part Veela's in that group from the reactions they were getting.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," said McGonagall, stern features softened some as she took in their guests. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."
One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.
"No one's making you stay!" Hannah whispered, bristling at her.
"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," the Headmistress continued. "For now, I now invite you all to enjoy this wonderful mean and make yourselves at home!" She sat down, and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward at once, engaging her in conversation, although she didn't seem too pleased about it. Not surprising really since he had been a Death Eater and many of the older staff still held grudges, not that he blamed them for that.
The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign.
"What's that?" everyone heard Ron ask from the Gryffindor table, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding.
The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently coloured uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts' robes. Now that they had removed their furs, the Durmstrang students were revealed to be wearing robes of a deep bloodred.
Hagrid sidled into the Hall through a door behind the staff table twenty minutes after the start of the feast. He slid into his seat at the end and waved at Harry, and then the rest of his friends with a very heavily bandaged hand.
"Skrewts doing all right, Hagrid?" Harry called.
"Thrivin'," Hagrid called back happily.
"Yeah, I'll just bet they are," Ernie shuddered. "Looks like they've finally found a food they like, doesn't it? Hagrid's fingers."
At that moment, a voice said, "Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?" It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed during McGonagall's speech. She had finally removed her muffler and a long sheet of silvery-blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth.
Ernie went purple, he stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.
"Yeah, have it," said Harry, pushing the dish toward the girl.
"You 'ave finished wiz it?"
"Yeah," Justin said breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent."
The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. The other guys were still goggling at the girl as though they had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog them back to their senses.
"She's a Vela!" Roger said hoarsely to Harry.
Well, that explained a lot. Personally, he thought she was pretty enough, but nothing overly special. Though he could sense a little magic coming from her, not like anyone else, maybe that was the Vela charm?
"When you've both put your eyes back in," said Susan briskly, "you'll be able to see who's just arrived." She was pointing up at the staff table. The two remaining empty seats had just been filled. Ludo Bagman was now sitting on Professor Karkaroff's other side, while Mr. Crouch, was next to Madame Maxime.
"What are they doing here?" said Harry in surprise.
"They organized the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they?" said Susan. "I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start."
When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar desserts too. Wayne examined an odd sort of pale blancmange closely, then moved it carefully a few inches to his right, so that it would be clearly visible from the Ravenclaw table. The girl who looked like a Vela appeared to have eaten enough, however, and didn't approach again.
Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, the Headmistress stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Harry could feel the excitement rising and personally just wanted it all over and done with. All he had was a sinking feeling in his gut and a happiness that the Weasley twins had already graduated, they didn't need that kind of mayhem this year.
"The moment has come," she offered, nodding at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket, just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation," there was a smattering of polite applause, "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."
There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced. His toothbrush moustache and severe parting looked very odd next to McGonagall's severe bun and glasses.
"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," she continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts. The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."
Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached McGonagall, carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's. Harry wondered how much more flare Dumbledore would have added to the whole affair, and was very grateful for his absence…or was he watching them all, invisible? Apparently it was something he was highly skilled at, even with the added security, they couldn't be positive he wasn't within the walls.
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," the Headmistress continued, as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before her, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways.. their magical prowess - their daring -their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger." At her last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.
"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," she went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."
McGonagall took out her wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. She reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. She closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.
"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," McGonagall explained. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween," very few caught the slight grimace on her face at the date, there had been little luck at Hogwarts on Halloween since Harry had begun attending, "the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete."
"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," she continued severely, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line." She glanced at some of the more adventurous younger years in warning.
"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all." With that they were dismissed.
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"In order to defeat Xehanort, there are allies we must gather, acting now to rouse them from their slumber. We have discussed this before, Sora," Yen Sid pointed out to the three before him, and they nodded.
"Your Mark of Mastery exam was conducted in the hopes you would acquire the power to wake them. However, the Darkness nearly took control of you, and your grasp of your new abilities leaves much to be desired." The boy had failed spectacularly and had nearly ended up as the Thirteenth vessel, such a mistake could not be made again.
Sora looked down at the floor, suitably chastised for his error in judgement.
"Furthermore, Xehanort nearly made you his vessel, and in the process stripped you of most of the power you had gained by then. I suspect you have already noticed this, correct? But first, you must regain all the strength you have lost. Perhaps it is foolish to expect a complete recovery, but it is absolutely vital you perfect one power-the power of waking, which you failed to master during your exam. There's someone who lost his strength and found it again, a true hero to whom you ought to pay a visit."
Yen Sid did not think he would recover all that was lost, but he had to reattain the Power of Waking otherwise all would be lost. They needed all Seven Guardians to face Xehanort. At least they no longer had to worry about that other Drive form, they were all gone.
Sora perked up and strikes various bodybuilding poses, to Donald's less-than-amusement. Would the boy ever grow up?
"Perhaps he can point you in the right direction."
"Got it," Sora saluted, and he nodded.
"Master Yen Sid..." Donald began.
"You can count on us to take care of Sora!" Goofy finished. He hoped they were correct, they had failed to report the issues with his Drive forms after all.
"I would have it no other way. I put Sora in your hands," he leant back in his chair, watching their interactions. The three had become close, not that it was any surprise considering everything they had gone through together.
"Count on us!" all three told him and then they were gone, leaving him to contemplate the plans that had been set into motion, hoping it would be enough to save them all.
TBC….
We're getting closer to where things will meet up! And consider Krum and Fleur's ages altered so that they are competing despite Harry being seventeen. They're closer in age to Hermione than him though.
Hope you enjoyed Harry using the RoR and ending up reaching Aqua when he was trying to see if Riku was still trapped. She came so close to being saved.
