The Hogwarts Express steamed along the tracks through the English countryside. The sun began to set as the twilight casted shadows through some of the trees. Donald and Goofy looked out at the passing scenery while Sora's mind was elsewhere.
He was looking out of the compartment and down the corridors at some of the other people, whom he could only assume were students. Goofy peeled his eyes away from the window to look at his friend.
"What's the matter Sora?" he asked.
"Huh?" Sora heard the Captain's voice and turned his head. "Oh…nothing," he responded, and continued to look out.
Donald and Goofy looked at each other as if to doubt their friend's feelings.
"C'mon Sora, what's wrong?" inquired the Mage.
"Well…" Sora began. "It's just that it seems kinda quiet. I mean, there's been no sign of heartless anywhere. I thought, maybe with us coming here, that they'd show up."
"Aw, don't worry about stuff like that." Goofy reassured. "We just need to focus on helping these guys at the school."
Sora turned and gave a smile to his two friends and said, "Yea you're right." Suddenly he heard some of the students conversing, and picked out a familiar voice. Looking down the corridor again, he spotted Harry looking into the other compartments as he walked down towards the three heroes. Sora also noticed a bushy brown-haired girl, and a boy with red hair, slightly taller than Harry, following close behind.
"Why can't we just meet them when we get to the school?" The boy asked as Harry looked into another compartment. "We've been walking down this train since we left."
Harry turned around and said, "You just have to meet them." Harry seemed driven to find whoever he was looking for. And luck stroke as Harry spotted Sora from the end of the car looking down his way. "Come on this way."
"There's only one way to go," came the girl, obviously a little annoyed. Harry just let it go as walked rather briskly down the corridor.
"Hey Harry," Sora greeted. Donald and Goofy also greeted their acquaintance from the train station.
"Hey. Glad I found you three." Harry said.
"So, uh, who're your friends?" Goofy asked as he looked behind Harry at the two students behind him in the hall.
"Oh, I'd like you to me…" he started, but when he turned and saw the surprised looks on his friends' faces, he paused, and gave a perplexed look himself.
But the moment passed as quickly as it came as the girl spoke up, "I'm Hermione Granger."
"Ron Weasley," came the red haired boy, still surprised at the occupants of the compartment.
"Nice to meet ya, name's Goofy."
"Donald Duck."
"And I'm Sora. So, are you guys going to this school too?"
"Oh, yes, and you should probably change into your robes soon, as should the rest of the students," came Hermione.
"Hermione, we'll change when feel like," Ron piped, but Hermione gave him a scowling look.
"Well, don't blame me if Gryffindor loses 50 points because you aren't properly dressed."
Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked at the bickering friends.
"Wait, what robes?" Sora asked, stopping the two from going further with their argument. Goofy and Donald wondered the same thing.
"You don't have any?" Harry responded.
"Uh-uh." Donald shook his head.
"Maybe Professor McGonagall will go easy on you three, seeing as you're new." Harry thought.
"Otherwise, you'll be in detention before you can say 'butterbeer'." Ron said.
"Well, I'm going to get ready, so if you don't mind," Hermione started and then looked at the three in the compartment. "It was nice meeting you." And with that, she disappeared down the corridor and into the next car.
"Guess we should be going to," Ron thought.
Harry agreed, and the two bid Sora, Donald, and Goofy goodbye, saying they will see each other at the feast.
"A feast? Wonder what kind of food they'll have," Goofy thought.
"Dunno, but maybe—"Sora started, but suddenly the breaks to the train screeched through the evening air. The three grasped onto their seats just to keep from toppling into one another. Goofy, however was unsuccessful.
"Wak, get off me, you big palooka!" Donald scowled.
"Sorry Donald, but I couldn't help it," Goofy said as clambered off his friend. "But I wonder what that was."
"I don't know, but…"Sora began as he looked out into the corridor. Other students were peering out as well, wondering what had caused the train to come to a complete halt. "I think we should—"
Screams filled the car, as dark shadows appeared out of nowhere and into the corridor.
"Heartless!"
Donald and Goofy drew their staff and shield as Sora drew his keyblade. The three leapt into battle.
"Stay in your compartment!" Sora pleaded, hoping to keep the students safe. The corridor was only a few feet wide, forcing the three to battle in line.
The other students had locked their doors but looked out into the halls at the three strangers wielding unusual weapons. Their eyes widened as more of the strange shadows popped up and at each end of the corridor.
"Thunder!" Donald stayed in the middle of the corridor, so as to cast his magic at each end of the car.
"Come on!" Goofy was blindly charging the Shadow heartless with his shield. Once he got to the end of the car. Here, as the heartless began to surround him, Goofy unleashed Tornado, and spun furiously with his shield, disbanding the shadows.
Sora was at the other end of the car, wailing on his share of heartless. But not only were there Shadows, Soldiers began to appear as well.
"Magnega!" The gravity spell did its job, as the heartless were sucked together by a magnetic sphere just above Sora's head.
Here, Sora jumped in the air and slashed at the mass of heartless circling around. He came to ground panting a little, smiling at his work. But victory was short-lived as more Shadows and Soldiers appeared.
"Aw come on!" Sora groaned.
"Sora! Goofy!" Came the Mage.
"Right." Sora caught on. Goofy nodded as well, and soon there was a blinding light. The students watching had to shield there eyes only for a moment. When they looked on again, they were awestruck.
Donald and Goofy had disappeared, but Sora remained; only now he wielded two keyblades, and his outfit shone a brilliant gold. Light seemed to radiate from him, and the heartless seemed to be taken aback.
However, the Shadows and Soldiers attacked again, but moved lightening pace, swinging both keyblades at the attacking hoards. The heartless were outmatched at the boy's increased power. Once he had generated enough power, Sora began to spin with his keyblades above him. The heartless became suspended in the air, helpless against the keyblade wielder. The students could not help but let their jaws fall to the ground at what they were seeing. Sure, they had seen magic, but nothing like this.
After a few spins, a vortex of light erupted from Sora and sent the heartless reeling. Sora landed on his feet and looked at both ends of the car. All seemed quiet now, and then his gaze fell upon the windows of the compartments, which were plastered with stunned faces. His clothes lost their radiance, and Donald and Goofy were once again at his sides.
"Gawrsh, I hope the other students are ok." Goofy worried.
"Come on, we should go check the other cars."
At that moment, the train kick started and began to move once again. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were passing down the corridor of each car, checking out if the heartless had done any damage. From the looks of it, they hadn't, as the students in the other cars were lost in deep conversation, wondering what had caused the train to stop. It was then that Donald had bumped into someone going the other way.
"Hey, watch where you're going," he said angrily as he looked up. But he immediately recognized the face.
"Oh, you're Harry's friend."
"Yes, and you should not be so rude," replied Hermione, looking rather flustered. She was now dressed in her robes, which had a badge with the letter P stitched on.
"Is everyone ok?" Sora asked
"I believe so, although I really don't know what caused the train to stop. Do you?"
Sora looked at Donald and Goofy, and they looked back, not sure of what to say.
"We'll tell you when we get to the school."
Hermione looked at them suspiciously, but decided against pressing the matter. "You three should prepare yourselves. We'll be arriving shortly."
Sora looked out of one of the windows, and sure enough the scenery had changed. The three made their way back to their own compartment to get a better look. The countryside had disappeared, as there were trees rolling along the hills. The sun had set, although there was still enough light to see in the distance. And what that light fell on amazed them.
Sitting high on a cliff was a grand castle, looking rather worn from centuries of existence. Many turrets and spires climbed into the sky, making Disney Castle look miniscule.
"Wow," was all that Donald could say, which was more than what either of his two companions could come up with. As the train raced closer to the castle, Sora could make out small buildings coming into view. Lights dotted the scenery as the train began to slow down.
"Looks like we're there," Sora surmised.
"Yup, now maybe we can get somethin' to eat, ah-hyuck," Goofy added.
"We gotta look out for the heartless," Donald said.
"Aw, c'mon Donald. The students are going to that feast, and Master Yen Sid said we have watch over them. So that's where we're gonna go." Sora was hoping to win this petty quarrel.
And he did, as Donald could only sigh in defeat.
The train came to stop in a little town nestled in a valley below the castle. Sora looked out and saw the students begin to file out of the train. So the three decided to follow, seeing as they knew not where to go.
As they stepped out and on to the station platform, they could see most of the students heading out towards the road that led to the castle. In the distance Sora could see some of them boarding carriages, but to his amazement they were moving on their own. To his right, he heard a booming voice calling out.
"First year! First years this way!" Sora turned and almost fell where he stood. A man, or what he thought was a man, stood shouting out, directing the young students, waving a lantern along the platform. He was as tall as the Beast, and had long mangy hair, and a big, bushy beard. Donald and Goofy turned and jerked in fear as well.
After a few moments, Sora found his voice and asked his companions, "Well we aren't students, so which way should we go?"
"Maybe we should ask him," Goofy answered, gesturing towards the giant man, who was now in conversation with Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy made their way to the young wizards, hoping to be pointed in the right direction.
"Oh, here they are Hagrid," Harry said as he saw the three approaching.
"Well, Professor Dumbledore told me all about you three," Hagrid said as he eyed Sora, Donald, and Goofy.
"He did?" Sora asked.
"O'course. He said that you just need to take one o' the carriages up ter the school and meet with Professor McGonagall. She'll take you to Professor Dumbledore. But I can't see why three new students would have to see the headmaster on the first night."
"Oh, we're not students," Donald blurted then immediately put his hands to his mouth.
This remark surprised Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and now they had many questions on their mind.
"No we're not," Sora started as he looked down on the Mage. "But you'll find out more soon enough. Thanks for the help Mr., uh, Hagrid. C'mon guys." And with that the three raced across the station towards the road where the horseless carriages were. Sora knew that they would want to know who they were and why they had come, but didn't want to alert them that they were not from this world.
"Nice going, Donald."
"I'm sorry, it just came out," replied the Mage.
"Let's just get on a carriage and find Dumbledore."
They all agreed, and soon were being pulled towards the school. The sky had blackened now, and the castle could barely be made out against the stars. With the heartless now in this world, Sora knew he would have to work quickly with Donald and Goofy to find the keyhole.
Well, I got some action in this chapter, so maybe that can quench your thirst. R&R!