A World to belong to.

Chapter 3; One to fear

Resistance Headquarters – Glastonbury

"I'm not so sure we should have done this, James." It was Lily's voice. Harry was hiding at the top of the stairs. He had perfected the art of snooping around undetected from when he and Zell did it. He shook his head to ignore that lingering memory. It had been a week now since he'd woken up in this place.

"It was necessary, Lily." That voice belonged to the old man, Dumbledore. At least Lily and James seemed to care about what happened to him. Dumbledore just seemed interested in keeping him there as some sort of future weapon.

"We deserve to be happy, Lily." That was James, finally. He always seemed to defer to Dumbledore in these conversations. "And the spell only targets somebody without any blood family." The first time James had said that Harry had hit him and pointed out that blood family wasn't the only kind of family a person could have. He'd then locked himself in the room that Lily and James had given him.

"We have heard that Voldemort is interested in Harry. He knows that Harry came from 'another world which holds the power to defeat him' but you're safe as long as you stay under the Fidelius." Dumbledore informed them. Harry had heard about this Fidelius, supposedly it hid James and Lily's house from the Death Eaters that were close to taking over the world. He'd also heard mention of this prophecy that Dumbledore seemed to constantly quote from.

"Well Voldemort won't get to Harry." Lily declared.

"You must make sure that Harry grows to become what we need. He is the link to his old world and the powers hidden there." Dumbledore told her seriously. "Voldemort will want to use Harry to get to that world and harness that power for himself and we can't allow that. James, if it looks like Harry will be captured by Voldemort you know what you have to do. You have to kill him."

Harry woke up with a startled jerk. He was in the resistance headquarters under Glastonbury and according to the watch on his wrist it was still early morning. He had somebody else's arm lying across his waist regardless of the fact he'd sat up. Terrance hadn't even woken up but Harry knew the boy was tired from the earlier half of the night and his nightmares. Harry lay back down and put an arm around Terrance who snuggled further into Harry's side in his sleep. Harry and the other older children would never admit it but the younger children comforted them as much as they comforted the children. Harry was a little more independent but after spending so much of his childhood running around on his own it felt nice to sleep beside somebody else.

It was the first time in a few weeks that Harry had slept the entire night without visiting Squall. He'd gone back at the start of the night to try to see him but not been able to find his mind. Presumably Ellone still had him wherever she'd sent him and Harry wasn't too worried about it. Harry slowly got up several hours later and Sabre, who'd sat in silence throughout the night, nuzzled his side after Harry got changed. He headed for what amounted to a bath in this place and was out and dry before any of the other children woke up.

He found Remus walking across the central cave, obviously returning from a duty shift guarding the entrance. He looked tired so Harry simply stopped and watched him until Remus caught his scent and looked up, startled out of his reverie. The werewolf studied Harry's serious expression. "Good morning, Harry."

"Remus." Harry nodded. "I had a dream last night." Harry told him after a moment. He could remember the events the dream were about but he'd never really given them any thought. Remus was looking at him in confusion, nobody really talked about nightmares. "It was a memory from when I stayed at the Potters' house. Before Voldemort attacked."

"I'm sorry, Harry." Remus said, more out of confusion than anything else.

"Did you know that Voldemort attacked because of me?" Harry asked.

"He attacked because he heard that James and Lily were raising a son." Remus corrected. "Not because of you."

"Except Dumbledore told James and Lily that Voldemort wanted the power from my old world and that he'd come for me to access it." Harry told him bluntly. "I only remembered that part because of the dream last night. "Voldemort came to James and Lily's house to capture me."

"He went there to kill you." Remus shook his head.

"How about this then, Remus?" Harry smirked. "Dumbledore told James that if Voldemort managed to capture me he'd have to kill me rather than let Voldemort have me."

"Dumbledore would never tell James to do that!" Remus snapped.

"But I remember it."

"You were five." Remus countered with a sharp edge.

"I remember it." Harry told him with the same edge. "If I can remember the family I used to have then I can remember something like that."

"It's not true." Remus shook his head in denial. "Dumbledore was a great man! He'd never kill a child."

"No, he'd have James Potter do it for him." Harry laughed. "So if Voldemort has the location of this hideaway don't you think he'd send all his Death Eaters to get me?"

"How would he know you were here?" Remus asked. "Even if the others were captured and gave away the location, which I doubt?"

"Everybody here knows about Sabre and my magic." Harry pointed out harshly. "Do you really think it would take Voldemort much to recognise that as something otherworldly?"

"Even so, our people wouldn't tell him anything." Remus shook his head.

"You're in denial." Harry snapped and turned on his heels. "It's been four days, Remus, they've been tortured for four days, how much more can they take?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Ellone's mind

Harry didn't have to try very hard to find her mind within the scape. He appeared amongst the floating masses of minds and instead of only being able to sense the whereabouts of Squall within them he could sense Ellone as well. He floated towards it with excitement and then flowed into it. He felt no shift in her mind just like with Squall. He was difficult to sense until he was actually there and made a mental sound.

His world shimmered from the mind-scape to that of a moving corridor that Harry could easily recognise as Balamb Garden, it was an upstairs corridor. At her side was a man dressed in white, just like the two that had taken her from the Training Centre after Squall and Quistis had rescued her. Harry didn't want to say anything so he simply enjoyed the ride as Ellone walked down through the garden to the Library.

Harry waited until she was seated and looking through a book before deciding to speak. "Theoretical Mind Magicks." Harry read off the cover as she opened it. "Not the most interesting sounding book, big sister."

Her surprise was evident as the book slipped from her fingers and onto the desk. She hastily picked it up again and focused on the introduction page. "If you're really Harry then prove it."

"That hurts." Harry told her sarcastically. He'd always been the one with the sarcastic wit even at a young age. "How?"

"Tell me something nobody but me and you could know." She told him. "What was your favourite colour?"

"I didn't have one." Harry pointed out easily. "You can't have forgotten that one. I was three and Seifer made fun of me because I was the only one that didn't have one. I cried for an hour."

"Who with?" She wasn't letting up.

"You." Harry said bluntly. "Because I didn't want anybody else to know that I felt like the outcast. You slapped me on the back of the head when I told you that."

"Oh Harry, it is you." Ellone sighed.

"Evidently." Harry laughed. "You took it easier than Squall did."

"I didn't think Squall remembered the Orphanage. None of them do." Ellone looked around briefly and Harry got a brief glimpse of a few SeeDs and her white dressed guard at another table nearby. Ellone went back to reading with little pause, pretending to read even as she mentally spoke to Harry. She was quicker on the uptake than Squall had been. She hadn't even tried to speak out loud yet.

Harry blanched at the comment and it was a few moments before he could smooth out his thoughts enough to send a thought to her. "None of them do and the only one I haven't seen is Irvine."

"Tell me about everything Harry." Ellone pleaded. "Tell me what happened to you?"

"Well," Harry had to pause to work out where to begin. "Well I was sleeping next to Squall, like always, and I felt like I was trying to wake up except it hurt so much. I couldn't wake up no matter how hard I tried and then I went unconscious. I woke up later in a big bed in a house on another world. The world's full of magic users and it's under the control of an evil Wizard. A married couple used a spell to find me and bring me to them and they never cared what I lost in the bargain."

"Oh, Harry." Ellone sighed.

"The couple were hunted down because the evil man, Voldemort, found out about me and traced me to a prophecy I think mentions the Guardian Forces. He killed them both and I escaped." Harry continued. "I didn't have a home after that. I kept to myself and learnt to protect myself. I slept through more than my share of bad nights. When I was older, not too long ago, I ran into some trouble and some resistance fighters tracked me down and offered me a place to stay."

"What were you doing in Squall's mind?" Ellone asked.

"I found a Guardian Force on this world and he taught me how to use my mind to reach Centra. I spent almost a year searching and finally found Squall when we were both younger. I quickly realised that Squall's memory of the orphanage was gone so I befriended him." Harry continued emotionlessly. "We've been friends ever since. He knows about the orphanage I used to live in and how I was taken from it but he doesn't know that he, Zell, Seifer, Quistis and Selphie were part of our family. When you were attacked in the training centre I told him I recognised you."

"And Squall remembers nothing?" Ellone asked.

"Nothing about the orphanage." Harry sighed sadly. "I've learnt not to try to help him to remember but I hope that one day he'll see physical evidence and it will bring back his memories."

"Maybe I can help a bit." Ellone told him. "I have a power similar to yours, Harry. I can take the minds of other people I know into the past to relive things. I think it would be a bad idea to force them to relive the orphanage before they remember themselves but perhaps something I show them will help them remember me."

"What happened to everyone, sis?" Harry asked. "I was beginning to think I'd be on my own forever."

"You'll always have me." Ellone countered quickly. "There was a big fire that raged through the orphanage and we all ran out of the rooms. Squall was crying and I was trying to help him but it wasn't until Matron had put out the fire before he told us that he hadn't been able to find you in the room you shared. We all searched through the night and in the morning Matron went out onto the plains to search. She looked for two weeks before she had to give up. We all thought you were dead."

"You thought..." Harry stopped himself, if it wasn't bad enough that his family didn't remember him, they'd thought he was dead before that.

"Clearly we were wrong." Ellone sighed. "When I came into my ability I could sense them all instantly but I could never find you."

"You can feel them all?" Harry asked desperately.

"All of them." Ellone's head moved as she nodded. "What about Irvine, you haven't seen him?"

"No." Harry told her. "I mentioned his name to Squall after he realised I'd reacted to you."

"He's a soldier in Galbadia Garden." Ellone told him. "I've seen his mind but haven't done anything. He remembers and it would be far too hard for him to know I know where he is but can't do anything."

"If I can get Squall to go there and see him, maybe Irvine could tell him the truth." Harry suggested.

"I've tried talking to Quistis about it before." Ellone sighed. "She refused to listen to me and she's even forgotten the conversation. I think it'll take them all being in one place before they remember. If we get them all together maybe they'll all remember."

"I hope they do." Harry agreed.

"Harry?" Ellone asked. "Can you get back?"

"Not anyway I know of." Harry told her simply. "I can't push my body through the connection I have to this world. Only my mind."

"So even if they all remember?" Ellone prompted.

"I'll still be trapped here." Harry continued. "But I'll be happier if they at least remember me."

"Just remember, Harry, that Irvine and I both remember." Ellone told him gently. "There's no way I could forget the glue in our family. Everybody loved you, Harry. Even Seifer."

"Thank you, sis." Harry told her before backing out of her mind and back into his own body, to check on it, before he found Squall again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Squall's mind

Harry arrived and found himself staring up at a screen where he could see Seifer holding his Gunblade across the throat of a large man. It was clearly a news broadcast but before he could say anything Quistis ran onto the screen. "Stay back!" She yelled at a trio of guards that ran onto the screen.

"Squall!" Zell's voice sounded from off to Squall's right but Squall didn't look away from the screen. "What are we going to do?"

"Nothing." Squall said, "Our job is to assist the Owls. It's none of our business."

"Timber team?" Quistis suddenly turned to the camera. "If you're watching get over here right away! I need your help! You have permission!"

"Squall!" Zell and Selphie both yelled.

"Squall." Harry said simply. "You have to help her."

"Harry!" Squall mental voice rejoiced happily. "I thought you'd been hurt!"

"Squall! You're busy. Get moving!" Harry ordered.

"Let's go." Squall nodded jerkily and turned to the left. He began running up a long flight of stairs that led to the top of a tall building. Harry could just about see Zell running on Squall's left and presumably Selphie was behind them. "Where have you been, Harry? I've been worried sick!"

"Sorry, Squall." Harry apologised. "I couldn't reach you where you were and I spent most of the morning catching up."

"Catching up?" Squall sounded worried.

"You remember the girl from the training centre?" Harry asked. "The one you saved?"

"You mean Ellone?" Squall asked just as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Yeah, I found her." Harry told him before pausing as Squall kicked in the electronically locked door. "Or rather, she found me in the mind-scape."

"Oh, Harry." Squall paused. "That's good."

"Yeah, maybe we should talk about this later?" Harry pointed out. "You seem to be rather busy right now."

"Okay, Harry." Squall paused as he started running up some stairs. "But don't think I'm not concerned about it. I love you, Harry, and we'll spend hours talking about it if you want to. Just as soon as I'm done with this ridiculously bad mission."

Harry laughed and took a silent seat in his boyfriend's mind as Squall, Zell and Selphie finally reached the recording studio. Quistis was still standing opposite Seifer and the captive man. She glanced at Squall, Zell and Selphie. "We need to restrain him!"

"What are you doing?" Squall asked Seifer harshly.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Seifer snapped. "What are you planning to do with this guy?"

"Planning to do?" Harry knew his boyfriend was thinking. "He's Rinoa's boyfriend. That must be why he's here."

"And I'll pretend I know a Rinoa." Harry put in dryly.

"I get it!" Zell suddenly perked up on Squall's left. Squall didn't answer Harry's sarcasm. "You're Rinoa's..."

"Shut your damn mouth, chicken-wuss!" Seifer yelled over him.

"He broke out of the disciplinary room." Quistis spoke up with her eternal calm. "Injuring many in the process."

"You stupid idiot!" Zell shouted angrily looking ready to jump in.

"Calm him down, Squall." Harry added helpfully.

"Zell, calm down." Squall told the other SeeD simply.

"Instructor?" Zell half turned to Quistis. "You're going to take this stupid idiot back to Garden, right?"

"Zell! No!" Squall jerked around to look at Zell even as the blood drained from his face at his mistake.

"That wasn't good." Harry put in sadly. Now everybody watching this knew that Seifer was affiliated with Garden and therefore SeeD.

"I see..." The large man smirked. "So, you're all from Garden. Should anything happen to me, the entire Galbadian army will undoubtedly crush Garden. You can let go of me now."

"Nice going, chicken-wuss." Seifer snarled at Zell. "You and your stupid big mouth!"

Squall watched the energy flee from Zell's body. "Zell.." Harry didn't realise he'd said it to Squall until he felt Squall's question rising in his mind but Seifer was drawing their attention back again.

"Take care of this mess." Seifer told Quistis and Squall.

Seifer backed out of the room with the large man still held firmly under his Gunblade. The group took off after them but Selphie had to pause to drag Zell along behind them. Squall ran into a back room on Quistis' tail only to feel magic slam him down onto one knee. Harry could feel Squall trying to gather the strength to stand but Harry's eyes were stuck on the woman standing near the pillar in the centre of the room. It was her magic holding both Squall and Quistis down but the magic wouldn't have been able to do anything to Harry beyond the pain he was already feeling. He knew this woman, his heart wanted her and his mind screamed inside Squall's head with painful echoes of sound.

Harry could only watch in horror as she opened a portal in the pillar and first Seifer and then the woman disappeared through it. Squall and Quistis jerked as they were released but Harry had trouble staying in Squall's mind and he knew his boyfriend could feel his turmoil. "Harry!" Squall yelled. "What is it?"

"It's her." Harry knew he sounded like he was crying. "But she can't be like that."

"Be like what?" Squall asked. "Are you talking about the Sorceress?"

"She's not..." Harry started backing out of Squall, scared that he'd sense something from him when he couldn't control his thoughts properly. "I'm sorry, Squall. Take care of yourself. I need to go and get some answers from somebody."

Harry was gone before Squall could respond and Harry was back in his own body within moments. He was alone, lying on his cot, with tears on his face. Sabre was lying at the edge of the cot, about the size of a regular Tiger, with his large head on Harry's lap.

"What is it, little one?" Sabre asked. "What upsets you?"

"Matron." Harry sat up and hugged Sabre's head into his chest. "She's changed. Squall saw her. She's evil. She's a Sorceress."

"It is the way of the Sorceress', Harry." Sabre told him.

"She wasn't evil!" Harry shouted and let go of Sabre and crawled back to the wall and hugged his knees. "She wouldn't do anything bad."

"Then perhaps your Matron has done nothing more than be possessed by another." Sabre stood regally and came close enough to lick the side of Harry's face. "All will be right at the end."

"I don't want it to be right at the end." Harry told him sadly. "Everybody but Ellone and Irvine have forgotten me, I'm stuck on another world alone and Matron is an evil Sorceress. I don't want it to be right eventually. I want it to be right now!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Ellone's mind

"Ellone!" Harry all but yelled into her head as they walked down the corridor through Balamb Garden. She tripped rather dramatically and an arm crossed Harry's view before there was general confusion as somebody helped her stand up again.

"Thank you, Petri." Ellone's voice sounded clearly as she straightened. "I was daydreaming."

"You seemed surprised, ma'am." 'Petri', a tall blond man, said kindly.

"I'm sorry." She turned to continue walking. There was another man on her other side who she glanced at before walking passed him. "Harry? Do you always make Squall jump like that?"

"Sorry." Harry told her without much sincerity. "I was just with Squall. Did you know about Matron?"

She glanced around and Harry could tell the way she moved that she'd tensed up. "Harry..."

"Why couldn't you have told me?" Harry demanded. "She's a Sorceress and she doesn't seem to be a nice one!"

"She's not." Ellone sighed. "I'm hiding here from her. The White SeeDs protect me from her, but Harry, she's not herself. She's possessed by another Sorceress."

"It just gets worse every time I come here." Harry told her dryly. "Well, Squall and Quistis didn't recognise her but Squall thinks I'm crazy because I ran from him after seeing her."

"I'm sorry, Harry." Ellone sighed.

"Ellone?" Harry paused for a moment and she almost called him. "You're going to make Squall collapse again to visit the past again right, should I tell him what's going on."

"I wouldn't." Ellone told him. "I'll explain it to him myself one day but it might be best not to let him know how connected he is to the others. You'd have to tell him how I know them all and that'll cause problems until he knows how to react."

"So I should just pretend I don't know anything about it?" Harry asked.

"I don't like asking you to lie to him." Ellone sighed.

"As it is I'm going to have to tell him the truth about how I know you and how I know the Sorceress." Harry sighed. "That's going to be hard enough and Squall won't force an answer from me if I don't want to talk about it."

"You two...?"

"Us two." Harry repeated slowly. "Don't tell anyone. You'll spoil his reputation for being a hard nut to crack."

Ellone laughed suddenly and Harry said goodbye even as her two SeeD guards turned to look at her in concern.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Resistance Headquarters – Glastonbury

Harry opened his eyes to see a highly amusing sight. Sabre was facing off with a snarling Remus who's Werewolf side didn't seem happy with being challenged by the Guardian Force. Sirius was lingering in the back of the scene with his wand at the ready and a half dozen children were on the fringes watching the scene.

Harry sat still as he watched, knowing that Sabre would know he was awake again without trouble. As Harry watched Remus made to reach for his wand and Sabre playfully reacted, he leapt across the gap, tripling in size as he did until he vanished from sight and a breeze filled the cave with his parting.

"You really shouldn't challenge him, Remus." Harry told them simply. "He's bigger than you."

"I worry about having that thing around here, Harry." Sirius told him as he strolled forwards. Remus was straightening himself out as if nothing had happened.

"He can still hear you, Sirius." Harry responded with a smirk. "Now, Sabre wouldn't have reacted like that unless you tried to get to me. What do you want?"

"We were hoping to talk some sense into you, Harry." Remus told him. "There's no reason to go running from every shadow. We understand if you're scared..."

Harry was on his feet in an instant. "I'm not scared of anything in this world, Remus." He snarled.

"It's okay to admit it, Harry." Sirius gulped as Harry turned harsh eyes on him.

"You're all still alive because you're overly cautious." Harry narrowed his eyes. "People that know where this place is were captured and you're stupid enough to still be here."

"There's no way of knowing they were captured and questioned." Remus told him calmly.

"There's no way of knowing they weren't!" Harry retorted angrily. He turned on his heel and when Remus and Sirius tried to follow him the wind picked up and Sabre burst out of the wall and blocked the corridor with his form. His growls could be heard echoing throughout the cave network.

Harry went to find the other children he knew to eat some food and even settled down for a while to relax amidst their laughter. The delusion was pleasant with everything happening in this world and Harry's own.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Squall's mind

Harry easily took in the view of passing trees as soon as he entered Squall's mind. He was in a train again, lying on his side staring out of the window at the passing scenery. It was night time just like in his own world. "Hi, Squall." Harry greeted gently.

"You've been gone half the day." Squall accused as he sat up before crossing the room to sit in front of a mirror. He was clearly tired and when he passed his hand through his hair it stuck up a bit. He spoke out loud so that Harry could hear his true voice.

"You want me to just stay here?" Harry asked. "I told you my world isn't the safest place."

"I know." Squall sighed. "I'm sorry."

"You're just worried about the way I reacted, right?" It didn't take a genius to work that one out.

"You recognised that Sorceress, didn't you?" Squall frowned at his own image.

Harry made a nervous sound. "I told you about the Orphanage and that apart from us few children there was only the one adult to look after us. She was a lovely woman that would protect us from everything and she could protect us without much effort. She was a Sorceress but she wasn't evil. She'd never have hurt one of us."

"Oh, Harry." Squall tried. "Some people change."

"No!" Harry snapped and Squall jerked in surprise. "Sorry. It's just she's not herself. She's possessed. Ellone admitted it when I went to her earlier."

"And you trust this Ellone?" Squall asked worriedly.

"Without a doubt, Squall." Harry told him fiercely. "She thought I was dead."

"Why?"Squall asked in surprise.

"There was a big fire when I was taken and they couldn't find me." Harry sighed. "Can we drop this..."

Harry almost jerked out of Squall's mind. It was hard to describe the feeling when he couldn't actually feel his body. Normally when Sabre was knocked out he knew about it through a distinctly sick feeling in his stomach but without a body it felt simply like a rather unnerving tingle through his mind. Sabre had lost to somebody. Harry felt another distinct feeling though this one he recognised. Somebody had slapped him, very hard.

"Harry!" Squall almost shouted at him. "Are you still there?"

"I think the base is under attack. Sabre's knocked out and somebody just slapped me."

"Go!" Squall hissed desperately "And come back as soon as you're safe."

"I love you, Squall." Harry said quickly but he was gone before Squall could answer.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Resistance Headquarters – Glastonbury

Harry opened his eyes just as Phillip's hand was coming down again. Harry grabbed it mid flight and saw Phillip's eyes widen. "Where's Sabre?" Harry asked.

"He went out into the main cavern when it started." Phillip, the only one older than Harry told him. "Remus sent word to escape. The others are already heading to the back."

"Sabre's gone. We have to hurry." Harry nodded and stood up. He pulled on his clothing and drew his Katars. He barely had to pause to collect everything he owned. Harry generally slept in the middle of all the others so he could be ready and it didn't take long to follow deeper into the tunnels where the children were gathering by the hidden rear exit. "Is everybody here?" Harry asked loudly.

"I've got everybody." Sarita told him, one of the other older children.

"I'll take the rear." Harry announced. "Sarita you lead them, make sure there's enough of us that can fight spread throughout the line. If I fall, you get them all to the hideout and wait for the adults. Go now, they won't be able to delay them all for long."

"I'll stay back with you." Phillip offered. Soon the entire group was slipping out of the exit and deeper into the cave network that had only been explored enough to find an emergency exit. Harry followed the end of the line with Phillip at his side keeping a constant look over his shoulder in case somebody was following.

It was perhaps half an hour of jogging before Harry saw a flicker in the shadows behind them followed by a sharp crack. A Wizard had apparated into the cave behind them. A series of five cracks came seconds later. "Phillip, run and catch up. Tell them to run for it. I'll slow them down!"

"Harry! No!" Phillip snapped.

"Just me or all of them?" Harry rounded on him. "Get out of here Phillip or we'll both go and they catch up to the others."

Phillip winced in the darkness before quickly hugging Harry and turning to pelt up after the others. Harry sunk down to the ground by the cave wall and waited as the six Wizards caught them up. If they'd been resistance members they'd have shouted the safe word as soon as they'd arrived. There were strict protocols when it came to this sort of event.

When the first one was in clear view Harry brought up his magic, using the only Flare he had left in his arsenal. Red light filled the cavern in both directions and three of the Wizards were completely consumed by the magic that tore into Harry's body. He was too inexperienced to use such powerful magic.

He kept himself upright with the knowledge that he'd just taken out half of them and he was sending a lightning spell down the cave only a second afterwards. He hit one of them but the other two raised shields. Harry jumped forwards and his whole body slipped through the magical shields. He cut into them both with his Katars but even as he recovered he felt a wand pushed harshly into the side of his neck. He tried to turn his head but he felt long, cold, fingers grab the back of his head.

"Harry." The voice almost hissed and Harry felt shivers go up his back. He'd only heard that voice once before. When he'd called out through the house after killing James. Harry did the only thing he could think of. He cast a Quake spell against the ceiling of the cave, relying on the small chance of escape, but also to close the cave and stop any other Death Eaters from following the children.

He felt a series of rocks pounding into them both and heard Voldemort hiss in anger and pain before he felt the horrible sensation of being forced through apparition.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry was knocked out almost as soon as he'd arrived and he woke up in a pitch black room that stunk of a damp filth. His injuries hadn't been repaired and his left shoulder screamed at him where a large rock had fallen on it. He quickly found a wall to sit up against and reached for his magic. He had it all except for Sabre who was still silent in his mind but even with his stores of para-magic he didn't like his chances of escape.

He didn't really want to risk slipping into the mind-scape to see Ellone and especially Squall because he'd be defenceless here. He needed to find out what Voldemort wanted before he tried to get away. It had to be several hours later when he heard a sound at the end of the hallway outside his cell but instead of coming to him another door was opened and before Harry could brace himself a loud scream pierced the air.

Harry put his hands to his ears but it did nothing to keep out the awful sound. In the eerie silence after the screams had stopped he heard his own door slowly open. Light flooded the room and Harry took in the damp stone walls of his six by six cell and then the man that walked in. He wore a skull mask of the Death Eaters but it was black rather than the white or silver he'd seen before.

Harry was prepared to be dragged from the cell or even taunted but when the man simply raised his wand Harry realised he was badly mistaken. "Crucio!" The man hissed through the mask with practiced ease and Harry didn't even have time to flinch before the pain slammed into him. He'd seen people under the Cruciatus before but he'd never imagined himself in that position. Pain blossomed in his chest and he almost thought he could cope with it until it slammed through the rest of his body. It felt like every part of his body was being torn apart and then set on fire. It felt like his arms and legs were melting and he could hear screams but couldn't feel his throat through the all consuming pain.

When the pain subsided Harry was alone again and he curled up in the corner to cry into his arms. He couldn't wait now, he had to talk to Squall and he didn't care what his body went through to get there.

He pushed his mind into the abyss of the mind-scape but slipped out again when he realised he couldn't sense either Ellone or Squall. Ellone had taken Squall into the past again, just when Harry had needed him the most.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Centra – East Deiling City train

Squall was the only one to truly realise that they were missing a member of their team. They'd all settled down in the common room onboard the train for the early afternoon journey and it had taken a few minutes for Squall to realise that whereas Quistis, Zell, Selphie and even Rinoa were all there Irvine Kinneas, their new team mate, was gone.

Irvine had come across as a bit of a womaniser to Squall but also as a highly lonely man. Squall had seen a flash of something like deep shock when they'd all been introduced but it had faded within minutes to a cold cover that Squall felt was all too familiar. He'd almost shrugged the man off as a simple recluse but he doubted that the name was sheer coincidence. This was one of those that had grown up with Harry. He'd sat watching the stars with Harry and had been a brother to Harry before he'd been taken.

He found Irvine lying on his back on one of the bunks in the sleeping section of their rooms. He had an arm over his face but Squall could tell he was awake. "Irvine?" Squall asked as he crossed the room and sat on the bottom of another bunk. "Could we have a chat?"

"About what?" Irvine lowered his arm and looked at Squall.

"About your past." Squall decided to be truthful. He'd wondered about what he'd say to this man if they met but he'd always imagined that Harry would be in his head with him but he hadn't heard from Harry since he'd fled from his mind when he was under attack. "When I was twelve somebody started talking to me... in my head."

Irvine gave him a strange look that was half confusion and half concern. "Good therapy?"

"I thought I might be going insane but the longer it went on I realised that somebody else was really talking to me." Squall explained. "We got closer over the years but I always knew he was pained about something. He told me how he used to live in an Orphanage with a whole group of friends that he loved until he was taken when he was five."

Irvine had sat up with a start at around the time that Squall mentioned the Orphanage and was watching everything that Squall did. "What's his name?" Irvine managed after a moment.

"Harry." Squall told him. "He told me your name a few days ago in case I ran into you. I get the impression he's never talked to anyone else before but he found somebody called Ellone the other day and they've been talking."

"Sis?" Irvine looked around as if he wanted to escape from Squall but the pain could easily be seen in his expression.

"So it's true?" Squall asked. "You really know him?"

"Nobody could forget Harry." Irvine said defiantly. Squall almost thought Irvine was pleading with him.

"He said you used to lie out under the stars together." Squall told him gently, as if Irvine was about to break. "I'm sorry if this is painful but I promised Harry that I'd do everything I could to help him find his family again."

"Where is he?" Irvine locked his eyes on Squall. "After we do this mission can you take me to him?"

"I don't know where he is." Squall sighed. "I've never met him. He comes to me and talks in my mind but he's on another world and he's trapped there. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to get back but he can force his mind into this world but it's harder to find the people he wants. I think he might have given up since he found me."

"But you don't know him?" Irvine asked. Again that pleading tone was there. Squall shook his head. "Have you found anybody else he knew?"

"Nobody but this Ellone girl." Squall shrugged. "I hope to though."

"Is he..." Irvine bit his lip. "Is he in your head now?"

Squall shook his head slowly. "I haven't heard from him since last night on the way to the Garden, he had to go in a rush because his base was attacked. I don't know what happened."

"Could you tell him you told me?" Irvine asked.

"Of course." Squall nodded. Irvine leaned back in the bed heavily and Squall stood up and left Irvine to his thoughts. He'd seen another side of the sharpshooter in the last few minutes and he'd make sure that he never forgot it.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Earth

Harry was thrown to the floor rather unceremoniously. The few windows he'd been passed showed that it was nearing daybreak and he'd already been tortured after a long, hard night of trying to sleep without much success. The hall he'd been brought to was lined with Death Eaters and Voldemort stood dead centre with a man dressed in dark red robes. The two men were the only ones in the room that weren't hiding behind masks.

"And here is the prodigal 'son' of the Potters." Voldemort laughed. "What a shame you got dragged into this."

"If it's such a shame you can let me go." Harry spat blood from his mouth. He'd bitten his lip rather badly in the second round of torture.

"Ah, but you hold the key to the power I seek." Voldemort slowly began walking towards him. "A power that even now you hide, Forces beyond this world's comprehension. All I need do is reach out into your home world and take what is rightfully mine."

"You can't." Harry snarled. "There is no going back."

"Oh? Is that what the precious Albus Dumbledore told you when they took you from your home?" Voldemort laughed loudly. "You see my faithful servant here has worked out a way to invert the connection you hold to your world and turn it into a two way portal that will open before me all of the treasures of your world. Perhaps a second world to rule over."

Harry knew his eyes had widened in surprise and Voldemort laughed at him. "You'll be the key stone to the portal. The prophecy says you will either defeat me, which is laughable, or you'll help me rule. As the conduit to the powers of this other world you are doing just that." Voldemort lectured. "But don't fret about your life, dear Harry. You'll be well taken care of and protected, we wouldn't want you getting killed."

"Go to hell!" Harry spat blood again but Voldemort just laughed and flicked his wand. Harry flew back out of his capture's grip and against the wall to the left of the hall. On the wall to his left was an intricate carving that glowed with Wizarding magic.

"Do the spell, Ginner." Voldemort said quietly. "We have much to achieve in the Ancient World of Centra."

Harry didn't know where Voldemort had come across so much information but when Ginner lifted his wand to rest over Harry's chest he found himself less than worried about that. Pain blossomed through him and even if it wasn't as strong as the Cruciatus it definitely got his attention. He felt himself tiring, like he had when he'd first started sending his mind to Centra and before he realised it he could almost see the mind-scape superimposed over the real world. The spell was forcing open the small rift his original passage had caused.

With a blinding flash of light the carving beside him exploded with heat and power and the wall crumbled away to be left with what almost seemed to be a soundless waterfall. "Excellent work, Ginner." Voldemort complimented as he walked towards the portal. "Malfoy, Davers. Take your men through and send back word."

Two men bowed to him before gesturing. No less than a dozen Wizards ran through the portal without a backwards glance followed by Malfoy and Davers. Harry couldn't help but be limp against the invisible restraints holding him to the wall but that didn't stop him from casting a Cura into his own body, trying to regain enough energy to use this opportunity. Through the portal sat his real home and family and most importantly, Squall.

A man walked back through the portal and bowed to Voldemort. "We met a small group of men, some managed to use some form of magic against us but we overcame them with little effort, My Lord." The man reported. "We have kept a few alive to interrogate as you ordered. They seem to form a military body of some kind."

"Let us go." Voldemort nodded and followed the man back through the portal. Harry couldn't believe his luck as he fell to the ground. Voldemort's spell had worn off when he'd stepped beyond this world. Harry staggered up even as somebody sent a spell at him and with one last thought he threw himself into the portal. His last thought was to Sirius and Remus and all the children he'd protected. Maybe at last they could be safe with Voldemort gone and his loyal soldiers leaderless.

Harry could feel the rift close behind him even as he was thrown from the portal and out onto paving stones in the middle of a road. He was hauled to his feet less than gently and knew it was hopeless. Voldemort and his dozen men were all around him and Voldemort was furious.

He succumbed to the pain a few minutes later as Voldemort took his anger out on him. As he fell unconscious he saw a sight that he wasn't too sure if he liked. At the end of the road was a whole platoon of Galbadian Soldiers with a tall young man in white at the front. It was unmistakably Seifer.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry knew he'd been asleep for a few hours by the brightness through the window. He was tied up in the corner of the hall. He was being guarded by a pair of Death Eaters but as he looked around the large room he could see the entirety of the fourteen Death Eaters and Voldemort as well as a dozen Galbadian Soldiers, Seifer and Matron. He couldn't help but stare at her and Seifer in desperation. For the first time since he'd been taken he was looking at them with his own eyes.

Voldemort was talking to Matron with a calm tone of voice and after only a few moments Harry realised that he'd formed an alliance with Matron. He straightened up against the wall and Matron turned to look at him. Instantly Harry stopped thinking about her as Matron but as the Sorceress. She didn't have any of the caring qualities of his own Matron. "It seems your prisoner is awake." She said calmly and again her voice was nothing like the soft, loving tones of before.

"Bring him forward." Voldemort snapped.

It was Seifer that moved towards Harry but as his hand came to grab his upper arm Harry shirked away. "Don't touch me, Seifer." Harry told him, the hurt clear in his voice even though his voice didn't reach Voldemort or Edea. Seifer took back his hand with a frown and after a moment where Harry refused to meet his eyes, Seifer gestured to the Death Eaters around him. Harry just got a view of one of the Death Eater's flicking his wand and Harry found himself hurtling across the floor to lie on the ground between Edea and Voldemort. Voldemort sneered down at him and his lips moved only slightly in a silent spell. Harry felt a wild flash of pain throughout his body and he screamed before he could stop himself. He writhed on the ground for only a few seconds before Voldemort dropped his wand and he fell limp again.

"So, this is the one from our world?" Edea asked. "Yes... I can sense his power, it is the same as ours and he is bonded to a Guardian Force."

"A large cat." Voldemort scoffed. "It fell under the attack. It is of no concern to us now."

"Don't let your ignorance of this world be your weakness, Voldemort." Edea said without emotion. "His Guardian will regenerate within a few days. It is the way they are."

"Then we'll keep him weak enough to stop him trying." Voldemort snarled and Harry realised that he'd become an amusement. "The portal we used to come here collapsed behind him. I'm sure that with enough effort we can reopen it."

"Don't presume so much, Voldemort." Edea lectured. "While in your world his bond to his home guided the portal but crossing into a particular world cannot be done on command. You have lost all chance of returning to you world. I suggest you make do here."

Voldemort glared around the room, unwilling to glare at Edea it seemed, before he turned to Harry. "I'll simply kill him then." Voldemort stated and drew his wand.

"Wait." Edea suddenly spoke up. Harry glanced at her in surprise and saw a struggle on her face for just a moment. Her lips curled up slightly before she turned to Voldemort. "He is of my world. I shall take him to Galbadia Garden with me."

"Why?" Voldemort snapped.

"You clearly have no use for him now." Edea told him. "He may be of use to me in the future. Seifer, take him out to the cars."

"Of course." Seifer bowed slightly and leant to pick Harry up. Harry let him without struggling and Seifer almost hauled him from the room. Harry managed to stumble along between Seifer and the three Soldiers around them. He didn't want to turn magic on them without his Katars, these weren't Death Eaters, they knew how to fight with para-magic and his magic wouldn't be as effective against them. Seifer hauled him up to a Galbadian Army van and all but tossed him inside before entering himself.

Harry was propped against the front wall while Seifer and the other three guards sat on the benches. It was about fifteen minutes before the van shuddered to life and started moving. Harry simply sat against the wall looking directly at Seifer. When they had been younger Harry had always been able to see the hidden part of his older brother but right now he had trouble finding it through Seifer's cold demeanour.

"What the hell are you staring at!?" Seifer yelled. Harry simply kept watching him even when Seifer reached over and slapped him across the head. Harry's eyes narrowed and he slowly looked to the side of the van and decided to try and get some much needed sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry spent two days locked up in a detention room, he'd tried to go to Squall a few times only to find him either asleep or in so much pain that he wouldn't respond regardless of how loudly Harry yelled into his head. He hadn't been visited but his wounds hadn't been cared for either and there was only so much Harry could do for himself in these conditions especially when he hadn't been able to eat and he was on the verge of dehydration.

Harry looked up from his place on the bed when the door slid into the wall and Seifer entered. Harry caught a glimpse of a few guards in the corridor. Harry couldn't help but give into his thirst and he stared at the jug of water on the tray of food that Seifer was carrying.

Harry watched him carefully as Seifer set the tray down on a ledge along the wall and poured some water into a glass before offering it to Harry. Harry took it and seeing no reason to need to poison him Harry drunk it slowly, knowing from experience that if he drank too much or too quickly he'd make himself sick. "Thank you, Seifer."

Seifer jerked a bit. "How is it you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you, Seifer Almasy." Harry said quietly as he drunk a little more.

"How?" Seifer growled.

"You don't remember me then." Harry sighed. "So if you don't remember me how do you account for the years before you were sent to Balamb Garden with Squall?"

"I've never been anywhere but at Balamb Garden." Seifer spat.

"How is that possible?" Harry pressed. "They don't let people in that young. You just remember being there but nothing before that."

"So what?" Seifer asked. "Lots of people don't remember their first few years."

"You only went there when you were seven." Harry pointed out. "You really don't remember the Orphanage?"

"What Orphanage?" Seifer asked sharply.

"The one we both grew up in." Harry told him sadly as he forced himself to stand up.

"I don't know you." Seifer snapped.

"Yes, you do." Harry sighed. "You just don't remember because I was kidnapped before you left the Orphanage. You've forgotten it all but you can still remember if you really try."

"You're insane." Seifer retorted.

"Just try, Seifer." Harry pleaded. "Try and remember me. Harry."

Seifer turned around to leave but all it did was make him see Harry in the mirror and he froze for a time as he stared at Harry's reflection. "What's life without a bit of fun?" Seifer's voice was so soft Harry almost missed it but he could clearly see the pain in Seifer's expression as he stared at Harry in the mirror. He'd remembered Harry's saying and it obviously caused him pain to remember that. Seifer left the room before Harry could think of anything else to say.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter