Author's Note: I do not own ANYTHING pertaining to Kingdom Hearts. I only own Blastbone Clarkson, Nox, Xarch, the Pegasus, and the Seekers. This chapter brought to you by the Association Supporting Active Procrastinators. Call us at 1-999-247-ASAP, or visit us at .
Chapter Twenty: Hogwarts
Blaster appeared in a large castle half an hour after the battle against the Heartless and Paritals. The hall he appeared in was rather large, and had four long tables taking up the length of the hall. Behind him was another long table, oriented the other way at the head of the hall. In front of him was a set of giant doors. When he looked up, he saw not the roof, but the moon and the stars, each one clearly visible over the hundred-plus candles that floated, extinguished, in the air.
"Blaster to Landing-Team," Blaster announced into his wristband. Nothing came in but static. "Blaster to Landing-Team!"
"You won't get an answer," a voice said. It was male, had a British accent, and came from behind. Blaster turned around, summoning his Keyblade. The man walked out from the shadows. He wore silver robes, and wore a pair of half-moon glasses that rested on his long, crooked nose. He had a long, silver beard that tucked into the belt of his robes.
"Who are you?" Blaster demanded.
"I mean you no harm, young Key-bearer," the man said. "However, if necessary, I will use this." The man pulled out a long, thin, wooden stick. Based on the texture and color, Blaster noted that the stick was made out of wood from a Black Elder tree.
"Who are you?" Blaster demanded again, pointing the Thirteen Order Crystal more menacingly at the man.
"My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," The man replied. "I am headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"And what is that?" Blaster asked.
"The very building you are standing in," Dumbledore replied. "Welcome, Key-bearer."
(INSERT TITLE SEQUENCE: the globe appears, with a shield appearing in 4 sections. The top right section fades in, and it's a golden lion on a red background. Continuing clockwise, the second is a silver serpent on a green background, the third is a yellow raven on a blue background, and the fourth is of a black badger on a yellow background. Once all the sections have assembled, a golden emblem appears, with the letter "H" in the center. Behind the seal, two wands appear, crossed, both of them made of oak. The words "The Wizarding World" appears in a shower of blue sparks under the seal. Title remains for a few seconds before a jet of red sparks and a jet of green sparks meet in the middle, causing an explosion that takes the title away.)
"So, Mr. Dumbledore…" Blaster began.
"Professor Dumbledore," Dumbledore corrected.
"Professor," Blaster repeated. "How do you know of me?"
"I have seen a Key-bearer before," Dumbledore replied. "It was a rather interesting meeting. However, that is not why I was expecting you."
"Why were you expecting me?" Blaster asked, cautiously moving towards Dumbledore.
"There was a prophesy not long ago," Dumbledore said. "I bared witness to a prophesy that involved two bearers of the Key, and two of those without hearts, but pretend they do. But it was told within another prophesy."
"What of this prophesy?" Blaster asked. His keyblade was still in his grip, but hung loosely at his side, angled toward the ground.
"There is a prophesy that tells of a child," Dumbledore said. "The child will be born on the last day of July, and he is destined to bring about the fall of Voldemort."
"Volde-who?" Blaster asked, confused.
"I knew you would ask," Dumbledore said. "Voldemort is a very skilled wizard. He is, however, a wizard in the Dark Arts. His most loyal companions are called Death Eaters, and he goes around, killing those who get in his way."
"Voldemort," Blaster said. "Who would name their child Voldemort?"
"It is not the name he was given," Dumbledore replied. "He chose that name himself. Didn't think Tom Riddle would be scary enough. He wanted to be the most feared wizard in the world. And now, he may know the prophesy."
"This prophesy you keep talking about," Blaster said. "Why are we so important?"
"Because," Dumbledore said. "You will help in the initial downfall of Voldemort."
"Woah," Blaster said, stopping a quarter of the hall away from the table. "I know I am a Key-bearer, but as a Key-bearer, I know I mustn't meddle in other-worldly affairs. I'm sorry, Professor."
Blaster turned and walked towards the giant doors at the other end of the hallway.
"Well, since you were mentioned in the prophesy," Dumbledore said, "I guess this means that your 'meddling' is required." Blaster stopped halfway down the hall, then turned back around. "It is especially important because there are two boys who were born on the last day of July, and you must help protect them."
"Okay," Blaster said. "Could you, by any chance tell me what year it is?"
"It's the year 1981," Dumbledore said.
"1981?" Blaster asked. "That is one hell of a time-jump."
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked.
"Well, from where I come from," Blaster said, "the year is 2020. That's nearly 40 years."
"What can I say," Dumbledore said. "Time must run differently on your world." Blaster looked a little confused. "Yes, I know. I researched Key-bearers, and the Keyblade itself. You come from a different world, and your blade has the power to either save, or doom a world."
"Partially correct," Blaster said. "For me, anyway." Dumbledore looked at Blaster with a questioning look. "I'm actually from a different universe. A parallel set of worlds that runs about 15 years ahead of this set."
"I see," Dumbledore said. "Well, time's a waisting. We have a 'Dark Lord' to take down. Especially now since he has been able to summon heartless."
"Heartless? I'm already gone, Sir," Blaster said, racing for the door.
"Hang on," Dumbledore said. Blaster skidded to a stop right by the doors. "I never asked your name."
"General Blastbone Clarkson," Blaster replied. "But you can call me Blaster, Professor."
"Well, Blaster," Dumbledore said. "I can at least point you in the right direction. Tonight is the 30th of October." A clock chimed in the distance, stroking twelve times. "Make that the 31st. I fear Voldemort is going to attack one of the two families, and, one of his inside men has a good idea which it should be. The Potters are a possible family, but to know where they are is not known by me, but by the Secret-Keeper."
"What?" Blaster asked.
"A Fidelius Charm protects them," Dumbledore said. "What I would do is take that device of yours and see about tracking down the Heartless. But I wouldn't do that until you get off the grounds. The Magic here interferes with technology."
"Interference?" Blaster asked. "I shoulda known. This technology is state of the art, and it just so happens it can pick up interference and cancel it…temporarily, of course" Blaster tapped a few buttons on his wristband, and it sprang back to life. "Any idea where the Potters might be?"
"There is this place," Dumbledore said. "It might be somewhere in a place called Godric's Hollow."
"I guess I'm going to have to pick up a few history books, then," Blaster said. " And maybe a few robes or something. Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."
"My pleasure," Dumbledore replied.
"Blaster to Landing-Team," Blaster tried again, speaking into the wristband.
"You're back!" Sora's voice said. "We thought we lost you."
Blaster smiled. "It was interference," he said. "But, all fixed. I need you to beam to a place called Godric's Hollow, and see if you can beam me there too. Can you do that for me?"
"A simultaneous teleport is easy," Pegasus replied.
Blaster winked at Dumbledore before he disappeared in a flash of white light. When his feet had returned to ground, he was in a different street, surrounded by houses and late 70's to early 80's British cars. He appeared in a back alley, and turned in time to watch the Keyblade Master and the two Nobodies.
"We've been expected," Blaster said as soon as the "Landing Team" had landed. "From what I have been told, we have been predicted to…how would you put it?" Blaster left the sentence open for someone to continue.
"Meddle in the affairs of this world?" Sora suggested. Blaster nodded. "But, we're not from this world. You remember what King Triton said before he destroyed that crystal trident, right?"
"'As Keybearer's, you must already know,'" Blaster recited. "'You must not meddle in the affairs of other worlds.' And that's the one thing I forgot to mention about the new and improved Journal system. It will record every word we speak and store it."
"Ooh, goodie," Nox said dryly. "Just what I wanted. For everyone to hear exactly what I say on missions."
"At least we know that we should be here," Xarch said. "But, we look strange."
"Eh," Blaster said. "I'm like The Doctor; doesn't matter what I wear because I can pretty much blend in. Almost like the master of disguise…sorta."
Blaster then took a look at his wristband. The device started beeping wildly, and turned to a mini radar. The radar picked up the four standing in the alley, but soon picked up 3 more heading their way, and a bunch of little black dots following them on the bright green screen.
"That doesn't sound good," Sora muttered. From the end of the alley, a trio of men appeared, each one wearing the same black cloak, and each one with a strange mask on. Behind them was a near multitude of Heartless. They ranged from the colored musical family like the Crimson Jazz and the Silver Rock, to Heartless that Sora and Blaster hadn't seen since their first adventure: Wizards.
"Oh boy," Blaster muttered. The men stopped and turned to look down the alleyway.
"What do we do?" Sora asked as the three men drew wands.
"Hold it right there," one of the men shouted.
"I think the answer is simple," Blaster said.
"Stop talking!" another man shouted.
"RUN!" Blaster shouted in return. The three quickly jumped at the chance to run down the opposite end of the alleyway. Blaster stuck behind, summoning Thirteen Order Crystal to his grasp. "Who wants some?"
"He's got a Keyblade!" the third man exclaimed.
"Avada Kedavra!" the first shouted. A jet of green sparks erupted from the tip of his wand and struck Blaster, who wasn't expecting it, right in the chest. Blaster's eyes bulged for a second as he heard a rushing sound, and blacked out several seconds later, dead before he hit the pavement.
"The other half of our 'men' are at the other side of the alley," the second man said. "We have them trapped."
The men advanced down the alley, tourturing Blaster's lifeless body further by levitating him with their wands and smashing him into one of the stone walls.
As the men advanced, Sora, Nox, and Xarch were racing their way to the end of the alley. With the end in sight, they all tried to put on a burst of speed, but had to skid to a stop when more Heartless appeared.
"Now what do we do?" Sora wondered.
"What else," Nox said, summoning his chain whip in a swirl of black dust. "We fight."
Sora reluctantly summoned his Keyblade at the same time Xarch summoned her Aerial Blades in a blast of red and blue electricity. The men emerged from the darkness of the tunnel, their wands raised high.
"There's another one," the third man pointed out. It was obvious that he wasn't the smartest of the group.
"Avada Kedavra!" the first man said again. The jet of green rushed at Sora, who barely had time to dodge the strike. A burning hole appeared on the ground mere inches from where he once stood. The second wizard shot the same spell at the Keyblade Master, only to have Sora dodge again. The third shot the same spell, but this time, Sora was ready.
"Reflega!" Sora called, and a hexagonal dome appeared around him, bouncing the killing spell away, into the throng of advancing Heartless. It killed a Crimson Jazz in one hit.
"Where's Blaster?" Nox asked, brandishing his whip menacingly.
"You don't need to know," replied the first man.
"Nox, I don't think now is a good time to antagonize someone," Xarch said, her back to the men.
"The Keyblade Master will die," the second man said. He muttered something, and Sora's limbs suddenly went rigid and at his side. "Now we can finish it."
Another one of the curses erupted from the tip of the third man's wand. Sora, who was unable to speak, looked in fear as the curse hurtled toward him. A split second later, the curse was deflected by one of Xarch's Aerial Blades.
"Get out of the way!" the third man shouted. "Unless you would like to die first."
"Try me," Xarch taunted.
"Avada Ke-!" the first man began. He was stopped short when something collided with the back of his head. He slumped down, unconscious, seconds later.
"Next time," a familiar voice said, "make sure your enemy is dead before you ignore them."
From behind the multitude of Heartless, General Blastbone Clarkson emerged from the darkness, juggling two rocks in the air with one hand. The two men turned around, just in time to watch Blaster toss both rocks in the air, summon his keyblade, and swing like a baseball bat. The two rocks hurtled at the two remaining men, taking out several Heartless that managed to get in the way. The two men were struck right in the forehead, knocking them out before they hit the ground. The Heartless began to attack, jumping forward to attack. Blaster just smirked, and rushed right through them at lightning fast speeds. Twenty-one slices after the initial rush, and the Flash attack destroyed all the Heartless behind him, making them dissolve into black dust and releasing their stolen heart to join Kingdom Hearts.
Sora was still on the ground, struggling against his invisible bonds. With the Heartless advancing from the other direction, Blaster took Sora's Ultima Weapon, still lying on the ground next to him.
"Nox, Xarch," Blaster said. "Could you hold back the Heartless for a while?"
"Of course," Nox said. He rushed into the fray, with Xarch not far behind.
"I hope this works," Blaster muttered, pointing Sora's Keyblade at its owner. A beam of light erupted from the tip, reversing the curse put upon the Keyblade Master.
"Thanks," Sora said. "Didn't know if that would work either."
"Not a problem," Blaster said, offering the handle of Ultima Weapon as a hand.
Sora grabbed it, then quickly pulled himself up. Blaster let go of the Keyblade, then charged at the other Heartless. Of the group that was there, Blaster destroyed half of the remaining Heartless in a single strike. Sora got to the Heartless just in time to take out the last three in an explosion, where three balls of light circled the Keyblade Master and destroyed everything in its radius. Once the dust settled and the last heart faded, the group settled down slightly.
"So, now what?" Sora asked.
"I saw an old, abandoned apartment along the way," Blaster said. "We should hide out there and try to get some rest. I'll take watch first because I got a feeling that whoever sent those guys here might come looking for them if they don't return."
(Scenes from the next chapter.)
ON THE NEXT "INTO THE FIRE": A reprieve for the night leaves two conversations to go through (Blaster leans against a wall, talking to a very nervous Xarch./Sora and Roxas talk inside the Station). Plus, a prophesy for the fate of the world ("Well, Dumbledore sent me here to tell you the prophesy you heard about," a man with crazy hair and an oddly electric blue eye said). Tune in next week for an all new chapter of "Into the Fire." Mainly Fridays at 9/8c, but may be later or sooner depending on how long it takes me to write.