"Roxas…"

One eye opened, followed quickly by the other. Together they glared at the light that prevented the man's sleep- the curtains were open.

I had that dream again… I thought I had gotten rid of those years ago.

He rolled over, yawning. He made quick work of waking and changing his clothes, before putting up his usual glamours.

The dream echoed in his mind, though…

A scream- "Roxas!"

A pained cry, coming from himself…

A multitude of people surrounding him, screaming…

"Sora! Are you okay?"

"Sora?"

"SORA!"

The air around him vibrating with electricity, him lifting into the air, light surrounding him… until there was nothing, nothing but darkness.

He shivered, thinking of the dream. It seemed as though it was how someone died, how he died.

He shivered again, but continued moving. He had things to plan, places to be- he couldn't focus on dreams that seemed like the realities of long ago. He had to focus on the now. He had to focus on his future- on Britain's future.

Roxas sighed, it almost felt as though he could sense Sora's presence somewhere nearby- he had a nagging feeling that Sora would be someone he knew, if only vaguely.

He followed the now present Hermione to the Great Hall. He gave Namine a look though- a look that signified their need to talk.

Ron plopped down next to him, which disgusted Roxas- he knew Ron's eating habits, and he had always been fine with them before, but Roxas hated bad manners. Also, you know, Ron had betrayed him.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Ron asked in between bites of food.

"Well… I'll tell you after dinner, Ron." He was going to test Ron, and if he failed, then Roxas would know for sure that what Axel and George had said was true- not that he didn't believe them, he needed proof for himself.

Hermione sent Ron a look of loathing- which both surprised and amused Roxas. It was good to know that Hermione's loyalty to him, but it was also kind of sad how easily she was turned against their other best friend.

As Dumbledore made his usual speech to the students, he looked Roxas in the eye- and Roxas felt the man attempt to enter his mind. He had learned to protect his (and Sora's) minds the hard way while they were attempting to resist the demon inside Sora, and he felt the man attempting to slink inside his mind. He allowed Dumbledore in, curious.

Since he knew the man was inside his head, he could sense the man's thoughts and intentions- they weren't pretty.

Since he was getting suspicious, I had the twins tell him Ronald wants him for his money- a well planted false memory and compulsion works wonders!

Dumbledore worked through his head, looking at the memories Roxas showed him of his summer- the usual mental and verbal abuse from the Dursleys, an occasional pot swung at his head, starvation- the usual, and the first few days of his time with Ventus.

Dumbledore rummaged around a bit more, left two spells, and pulled back.

Roxas immediately began to examine them- one was to ensure his hatred of Slytherins, the other a compulsion to be suspicious of Ron. He easily dismantled both of them, and questioned as to why Dumbledore would want him to be suspicious of Ron.

He say Dumbledore make eye contact with Ron, and quickly got Ron's attention on him instead, because he suspected that Dumbledore was attempting to plant a compulsion with Ron to has extreme greed- so as to keep him suspicious of Ron and have Ron fit the bill.

When they were dismissed, he dragged Ron and Hermione away to a secluded passage- a collapsed secret passage on the fourth floor.

"Ron, look me in the eye- I need to check something."

Ron met his eyes willingly, and he slipped into his friend's mind. Dumbledore had only managed to lay the foundation of the compulsion- greed. Not extreme greed, simply a bit more than a normal person has. He easily dismantled it, and carefully looked to see if Ron was actually just trying to get to his money. He wasn't.

"Ron. Dumbledore attempted to put a compulsion on you- to get you to be very greedy for my money so that we wouldn't be friends anymore because of it. I have no idea why, but that is the reason I needed to be able to look into your eyes- to break it."

"So… Dumbledore doesn't want us to be friends?" Ron asked.

"I assume so, though I don't know why."

"Well, I know that we will stay friends! We've been friends for four years, and it isn't gonna stop now!" Ron exclaimed, puffed up with indignation at Dumbledore.

"Wait… so Ron is still our friend?" Hermione asked, confused for a moment.

"Yeah. Dumbledore also apparently planted a fake memory of Ron in Fred and George's minds, as well as a compulsion to tell me. I don't understand why, but I suppose the old man has to have a reason for trying to break up my friendship with you."

"Why would he do that?" Hermione asked.

"Who knows, Mione. Let's just go back to the common room… wait! You guys go on ahead, I have to talk with Luna…"

Roxas ran in the direction he had seen her white-blonde hair disappear in, and traipsed around until an arm reached out and dragged him into a spare empty classroom.

"Hmmm…. You've been looking for me." She stated.

"I have, yes." Roxas replied. "Tell me what you know about Sora."

Her eyes were amused. "The shooting star has fallen from the skies, he waits for a trigger, he needs something to help him accept that he has been held by death before. Maybe the thirteenth member can convince him somehow…"

After she finished her confusing statement, she backed out the doorway, leaving with an echoing giggle.

He needed to decipher what she meant.

AN- Yes, I know it has been much longer than a couple of months, but this story is NOT abandoned! I have simply got a lot less free time now. I'm in the most advanced program my school has- meaning LOTS of homework. I write this as I am supposed to be making notes for a paper due soon on the use of firearms. Please know, my files of plans for this story are gone, so I am writing as I go now. Hope you like!

Also, I Dropped some HUGE hinted as to who Sora is this chapter. The first POV was him, though we don't know who he is yet.