Hey everyone,
Well, here it is. The second chapter that has been completely deleted and rewritten. And to be honest, I am kind of glad that I deleted this one as there were a few things that, while I may have been proud of them at first, now I just feel as if they could have been put together much better and that is what I will try with the rewrite.
Okay, enjoy,

Venquine1990


Chapter 31
The First Night Passes

27th of June 1995
Hogwarts School
Harry's POV

Getting Erica back has felt like some kind of blessing of the Founders or something. For Erica to come back from taking Dumbledore into custody with three new teens that, just by looking at her, I can tell she has more or less adopted in the same way that she unofficially did me all those years ago makes me feel even happier.
And then the cherry on the ice-cream shows itself as Sora tells us that he knows a form of magic that can speed up my healing process if not completely heal me from all the injuries that Madam Pomfrey discovered when she put me through the Full-Physical and the weapon he summons to use this magic is just utterly incredible.
It looks like a key-shaped blade and is made of gold and silver metal, yet at the same time I can sense a whole lot of power coming off of the blade that proves that the boy himself – named Sora – has been using the blade for an extended period which makes me feel even more sure that the boy can indeed speed up my healing process.

Sora then takes another look at my parents like a silent request and dad nods with a happy smile on his face before Sora aims his blade my way and says: "Curaga." And a gorgeous cloud of leafs and flowers gets blown my way, yet when the leafs and flower petals hit me, do they vanish as they merge with my skin and cloths.
And as this happens, do I actually feel an incredible power going through my blood and seeping into my bones and muscles and as the power does this, do I sigh in utter relief as I can feel everything that has been hurting since the Full-Physical relax and feel the pain fade away as my muscles and bones strengthen and my blood clears up.
I feel a boost coming to my body and feel my heart beating a little easier and even feel as if some strange form of magic gets released from my mind, making it easier for me to think and feel and when the feeling vanishes, do I let out another sigh of relief before Ron asks: "Think you can try again, mate? Standing up, I mean?"

And while the others – especially my parents – look at me worriedly, do I breath in with the intention of gathering some of my renewed strength before I strongly grip the armrests of my wheelchair, yet unlike with how it went earlier, does it now actually take less effort for my legs to move themselves into a standing position.
Still I make sure to push myself up slowly and when I am standing and sure that I am standing, do I take one hand off of my wheelchair, yet use the other to take hold of the control stick and use it to move my wheelchair away from behind me and move it over to my side for extra support and when this is done, do I move further.
Taking another deep breath, not because I don't feel confident, but because I am unsure of the magic Sora used and how long it could possibly last, do I then slowly start to move my legs into a walking motion, yet it seems that Sora didn't replenish all of my energy as I feel myself panting in strangely draining effort after a few steps.

Instantly dad is by my side and while mum is on my other side helping me stay on my feet, does dad take over my wheelchair and does he move it back behind me, allowing me to sink back into its comforting hold with a sigh of relief as Sora hums and says: "That's odd. Curaga usually cures everything on a person."
Yet dad smiles at him and says: "It must be because Hogwarts is practically drowning in her own form of magic; both intent and excess magic. Excess magic is something that leaves one witch or wizard when they cast a spell and then – sometimes – enters another as a way to help them get a boost in their growing core and magic."
Sora looks shocked and intrigued and dad says: "Intent magic is usually found within the walls and other parts of Hogwarts, which already makes it quite potentially powerful. Excess magic is even stronger as it exists out of different levels of teenage and adult magic mixed together and gathers itslef in the air itself."

Here Sora nods and then asks: "So, where usually my magic would heal Harry, those forms of magic is now trying to – undo my magic?" And dad smiles at him as he says: "I think so, though not on purpose. She isn't used to your kind and so considers it a threat to her inhabitants. You just need to train here a while, get her used to you."
"Wait, this magic is sentient?" Riku asks shocked, but dad shakes his head and says: "No, the magic itself isn't. Hogwarts is. It's just something that happens when a castle like this becomes the core location for hundreds different forms of intent and excess magic for over a period of more than a thousand years. It's only natural."
Sora and the others had definitely been shocked to hear how long Hogwarts had been around and then I laugh and say: "That's it. I'm going to let a petition go around Hogwarts and when the results are in, I am sending it to the Board and the Minister." This confuses everyone and I look at dad with great determination as I say:
"You are getting your job back. You are going to be our Defense teacher again next year. Ah, no discussion." And the man had looked shocked at the fact that I had interrupted his objection before I turn to the others that had been in the Gryffindor common room with me and asks: "Am I wrong?" And everyone shakes their head.

The man had been shocked by this, but had then smiled at me and I had happily smiled back before the Weasleys had approached mum and Mr. Weasley had asked: "Sorry to ask this, Sirius, but do you know what we can do with Molly? I know she's part of the reading team, it's just – I no longer feel I can trust her while here.
There are just too many students, not to mention that Harry is still in his state of health and, well, even though she ruined her reputation with everyone already, I – I just don't want to take any risks." Mum had nodded and said: "I'll just have her taken to Grimmauld Place and then let Narcissa write the other Blacks with the info.
Then she will be off our hands and she can become someone else's problem." Mr. Weasley had smiled at this and the rest of the night had been spent between the Weasleys, Fiana, Erica, her friends and my parents sitting around the fireplace of Gryffindor common room, laughing, talking and all out getting to know each other.

"Harry, now that the tournament is over and all, are the other books still necessary?" Hermione actually asks me just before we all head for bed and while I am amazed that my book-loving friend is contemplating the ending of a reading, do I sigh as I had hoped that no one would ask me personally before I say:
"Hermione, if there is one thing this whole thing has taught me it's that all forms of magic have a cost and this one is very, very dependent on how we treat its gifts that it presents to us. The better we respond to the good parts of the reading, the better magic will allow us to deal with the – lesser parts of the books' contents."
The girl nods and asks: "And if we stop?" And I cringe before I whisper: "I die." Causing for so much shock to run through everyone that the room turns silent with shock and I say: "I know that's painful to hear – but just remember; when I came up with this plan, I had a prophesy in mind, had no parents and had my inner mental struggles to booth."

The girl looks horrified and heartbroken, but nods and I turn to Erika as I ask: "Would – would you be up to some bedtime talk?" And the woman smiles at me, making me turn slightly teary-eyed as her smile really reminds me of times of old, when I would visit her office near the school to talk out all that was on my heart and mind.
And tonight everything feels just like all those years ago, yet at the same time it feels so much better. We are now four days past a very changed Third task and that what should have ruined the whole Tournament has been halted in its tracks and to make things even better have the books solved most of my heart's deepest issues.
Yet even with all that can I not help but mutter: "I can't help it, you know? That constant fear that just keeps nagging at the back of my mind. That small voice that constantly tells me that I am unworthy of all this; that my efforts are for naught and that karma will come back to punish me when I least expect it. That it will take me all I love."

Yet Erika asks: "And where do you think that fear could lead you to?" And I sigh as I lie on my back and say: "That it will make me push everyone away. That it will make me do something that will permanently end the reading. That – that I will disappoint mum or dad. That they – they will read something – they won't accept of me."
The woman looks at me worried and I turn to her with tear-filled eyes, only unlike last time are they tears of fear and longing as I ask her: "You'll stop them, won't you? You'll make sure I never lose them, right?" And when the woman asks: "Do you want me to?" Do I rush into her arms and, at the top of my lungs, scream:
"YES!" Before I rant: "Please Erika! I – there is – there is just so much wrong with me! There are so many things I did wrong over the years! And – and – and the – the third book! I – I'm just – so scared that book – will break us apart. And – and – and Viktor! He – he – he's so amazingly nice to me and – and I – I feel so unworthy."
The woman hugs me close at hearing me plead like this and holds me closely against her own form, not saying another word or asking another question, but just calmly allowing me to shed my tears and as this tires me out, is the way she holds me and the touch of her hand through my hair the last thing I sense before falling asleep.

Sirius' POV

"You sensed that too, didn't you?" I ask my mate as we slip ourselves into a sleeping bag that had been given to us by the House Elves and that, when I suddenly sensed something happening to my pup, we had moved to lie just to the side of the small stone staircase that leads up to the two doors leading to the doors.
Remus nods and says: "Yes, but I can smell it too. Our pup's not really in danger – he just seems to be letting go of some pent up emotions, just like he did last night when he told us of Erika." Here I nod, but then cuddle with the man and whisper: "I just can't believe it, Remy. Our baby boy, our little pup had to face death at age eight."
At this the man pulls me close and I say: "Not even my mum ever sunk that low. Remus, those Muggles – are worse than my parents. I – I never thought I'd find someone worse than my mum, let alone that someone who is worse – could be a Muggle. With – with Lily, I – I always thougth Muggles were better than us, you know?"

Here the man nods and says: "And in many wayst they are, Pads. I can say that with utmost security." Here I look at him and he says: "After everything that happened on Halloween and after seeing more and more things happen in the magical world that pushed or would have pushed me further and further away from pup, I left.
I just left, moved to the Magical world, used what little inheritance my parents and grandfather had left me and bought myself a library worth of Books for Dummies as Muggles have started calling them. I studied their history, their most present state, their most common subjects of conversation, everything I could.
The transfer from Magical to Muggle was definitely hard – but the transfer back before Harry's third felt so much harder." At this I look at him and ask: "Wait, if you lived in the Muggle world, why didn't you use Muggle means to contact Harry before his third?" Yet the man shakes his head in sheer pain and mutters:
"I didn't just live in the Muggle world, Sirius, I lived as a Muggle. And while Muggles may be ages ahead of us in lots of ways; when it comes to finding people we magicals are still superior. And with how strongly the Dursleys were trying to keep their reputation as normal as possible –." At which I nod and softly mutter:

"Finding pup would have been impossible." Yet then Remus looks up for a few seconds before he smiles and then moves us so that I am lying with my head near his shoulder and with his arm around my upper back as he whispers: "Pup's calm now. Erika got him to sleep." This makes me smile too and then Remus says:
"Siri, I may have been unable to find pup thanks to the magical world forcing me to leave until it needed me again, but we have him now and he needs us. Muggles and Magicals tried keeping him from us and us from him, but no more. I am done running away, Sirius Black, from my pup, my partner and from my true life."
And this makes me happily cuddle into the strong man that has so often seemed weaker than a newborn puppy to me, but that now seems to be the epitome of what Harry meant when he said we could reap rewards from our good responses to good parts and while slighlty worried, do I still whisper: "So am I, my Remus."

Riku's POV

This castle has a lot of what seems to be everything and with that I don't just mean appliances or incredible interior and exterior designs. It also seems to have an incredible amount of people living both within its walls and outside them, yet it's the ones that Erika introduced me to today that have me greatly, greatly worried.
There was no doubt in my mind when I gazed upon Erika's prisoner that she was in the right with wanting him firmly locked away and part of me didn't even really need the explanation behind his crimes, yet where the man seemed to revel in his own Darkness, can I sense alarming levels of the same power with others.

"And all these people seem obvious to it?" Sora asks as we had chosen a bit of a secluded corner in the common room and I mutter back: "Not really obvious, they just seem to worry more for the emotions, especially those of others, than they do for the fact that these emotions carry a Darkness of their own." To which Kairi asks:
"Could they – not know?" And we both look at her as she says: "Think about it, Roxas was a Nobody, he had a heart of gold, yet he had no idea he was helping those pining for the Darkness. Not to mention we are in a world far outside our own Universe. What if magic doesn't work here like it does back home?"
Here Sora nods and he says: "We have definitely seen evidence of that already. Moving staircases, talking portraits, food that appears out of nowhere. And everyone uses those wands in much more varied ways than we ever used our Keyblades. You know, they actually remind me of the Master. Does seem like similar magic."

And while even I can tell that Sora still believes that the Master is way above all these people here in level and experience, do I still agree with him and ask: "You know what I think might help? With that whole Hogwarts thinks our magic a threat problem we have?" And when Sora and Kairi look my way, do I say:
"Help Harry – get a Keyblade." And instantly the two are smiling at each other, their eyes gleaming with ideas of what could happen if we were to do this and I say: "After all, if one of her own uses our magic, surely Hogwarts will see we mean no harm. So, tomorrow?" The others nod and I nod back before calling it a night.
Yet just like so many nights before does he haunt my dreams in ways that make all of my emotions for him stronger and that even wake me two times, making me gaze at him in utter longing before sleep once again claims me and plays the same evil trick; giving me the one brunette I love with all that I am, but that I can never have.


And that is that!
Okay, so I skipped the whole Blaise, Hermione thing, but that will probably come up next chapter. In fact, I think I already gave myself a nice little way of getting those two to – at the very least – meet a little more properly than just through some joined class or another dispute taking place between both of their friends.
Also, I am really glad that this chapter got a total rewrite. It makes Harry's injuries seem more real, it plays a little more in on his own personal issues such as his suicidal urges, it creates some nice backstory for both Remus and Erika's relationship with Harry and it even makes a nice beginning of the SoRiku pairing that will develop over time.
Yep, much better rewrite,

Venquine1990