Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters or elements of Harry Potter and Kingdom Hearts. They all belong to their respective owners, J. K. Rowling, Disney and Square Enix.

Summary: HP/KHII Crossover. Harry has just celebrated his 16th birthday when unexpected guests drop in for a short visit and he ends up unwillingly coming along on the ride.

Pairings: Possible Riku/Harry (that's far in the future though, as you can understand by reading this chapter, Riku isn't that…fond, of Harry right now).

Warnings: AU after the 5th HP book and after the defeat of Xemnas in the end of KHII.

Author's Note: I'm aware I said in the first chapter that I wouldn't have any parings in this story. But Deb (kounetsudeb) talked me into a Riku/Harry. XP She can be real persuasive that woman. :shakes head: I remember saying that I wouldn't be updating this story regularly, I still won't, but maybe post a chapter now and then when I feel like it. Well, as you've probably deduced by seeing this chapter…I felt like it. There might be another soon, but no promises since I'm in the middle of job hunting and running around the city looking for said job.

Heart of Light and Darkness

Chapter 2

"Thinking of you, wherever you are. We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend. Now I will step forward to realize this wish. And who knows: starting a new journey may not be so hard or maybe it has already begun. There are many worlds, but they share the same sky- one sky, one destiny."

Kairi – Kingdom Hearts

Situated in the middle of a large body of water was a small Caribbean island. The cerulean blue sea surrounded it, the sun painting a thin line of glistening light reaching the small piece of land. Ocean's constellation of stars. The mirroring sky had a faint taint of red and orange stretching out above, the occasional wisp of cloud passing by lazily. On the sandy beach of said island sat a young girl gazing out into the distance, as if waiting, patiently, for something or someone.

Three points of soft blue light blinked to life in the sky and fell from it, leaving a streak of that same hue trailing behind them. The girl stood up, hopeful eyes watching the descent as they plunged into the deep waters, water cascading and glinting in the late sunlight.

Sora broke the surface first, taking a lungful of breath closely followed by Riku and Harry popping up with a gasp each. Their heads turned from side to side, while they tried to orient themselves.

"Sora! Riku!" A girl's voice broke through the air then.

Standing on the beach to the island was a redheaded girl, jumping and waving at them. Sora gasped with joy, upon recognizing her, and smiled largely as he began to swim, kicking up a spray of water in the other two boys' faces in his haste to get into shore. The silver haired youth, lowering his hand he used to shield against the splash, followed his friend leaving Harry bobbing up and down and threading water. He looked towards the beach, observing the girl for a moment. Slower than the others he swam after them, feeling the wet clothes starting to weigh him down.

Reaching shallow waters Sora heaved himself to his feet and ran through the water, tripping once or twice as the girl watched on with a warm smile. Other high voices brought their attention to several new arrivals as they rushed at the boys. Sora only had time to look surprised for a second or two before he was literally jumped by two individuals who brought him crashing down into the water again, laughing all the while.

Harry was able to get the shore bottom under his feet in time to see Riku hug an enlarged mouse (?), glancing warily at the two and then catching sight of a similarly sized Duck and even bigger dog looking thing, nearly smothering Sora in their attempts to hug the boy closer to them. They were all wearing clothes though which only served to confuse the raven haired even more. Were they some sort of animagus, like his godfather had been, Harry wondered, ignoring the constricting feeling in his chest that lone thought caused.

Feeling incredibly out of place, and he didn't want to admit envious, out of what couldn't be anything but a joyful reunion between friends; he stopped his forward motion and averted his eyes from the scene. He missed his friends terribly and wanted to go back home.

"Welcome home." The girl said and reached out a hand to Sora who smiled, grasping it as she helped him up to his feet again.

"We're home." He said happily.

The girl looked over Sora's shoulder then when she detected Harry. She tilted her head in question and the brunette turned around as well. Feeling the eyes on him the raven haired boy rubbed his arm awkwardly, before raising emerald orbs unsurely.

As if sensing his hesitation she smiled comfortingly.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Kairi!" Sora burst out then, not able to hold himself back anymore, and wound his way over to Harry through the water. He slung an arm across the other boy's shoulders, ignoring the look from the other, and grinned largely. "This is Harry."

"Nice to meet you." She said.

"Y-you too." Harry said and felt himself redden lightly at the stammer.

Sora dragged him up the beach to the others onto the shore. The brunette let him go to shake some of the water out of his hair, which somehow managed to stay almost as spiky as when it was dry.

Immediately he noticed the looks on him from the animal looking individuals and didn't know how to react to their enquiring gazes. For some strange reason though, the duck was giving him some nasty glares. It made Harry feel like he was under close inspection, which he actually was.

"Who are you?" The duck said, suspiciously and very much so rudely, with a strange quacking quality to his voice.

"Donald!" Sora reproached him for the duck's attitude. He gave Harry an apologetic smile. "This is Donald. He doesn't mean to be a jerk all the time."

Donald quacked indignantly in response to Sora's comment but was ignored as Sora went along to introduce the others.

"That's Goofy." He pointed at the other tall figure besides Donald, who waved with a large smile (immensely more friendly looking), continuing on to the mouse. "King Mickey, and Kairi." He ended with a gesture to the girl who gave a small wave in Harry's direction.

"King?" Harry repeated and couldn't help taking a closer look at the black colored mouse with a curious and surprised eye.

"Yes." King Mickey said with a light voice and smile, walking up to Harry. "Nice to meet you, Harry." He said while taking a closer look himself at the raven haired teen.

"Nice to meet you too." Harry replied automatically, his manners still intact.

Donald made an affronted noise in his throat, coming around the King and directed a staff looking thing in his face.

"It's 'Your Majesty'! Not you!"

Goofy tried placating his friend but the duck wouldn't have anything of it.

"That's quite alright Donald." King Mickey said lightly, effectively putting a stop to the argument and not the least bothered with Harry's leaving out of his title like his subordinate and friend. "So, Harry, how come you're with Sora and Riku here?" He asked kindly, polite but cautious.

Harry wondered idly what Ron would have thought if he told him that a huge mouse, not forgetting a duck and dog, was talking to him, asking questions and to top it all off one was a king to boot. Would he believe him or think that he made it all up? Maybe had one too many of those Butterbeers? It was one thing to meet centaurs and gigantic spiders, magical creatures, but a talking duck and mouse? They weren't magical, were they?

"I don't know." He answered truthfully and frowned.

"We came to Harry's world after reading Kairi's letter." Sora jumped in saying. "Then there was this black hole swallowing Harry and we got dragged into the Realm of Darkness again, then the Keyblade acted funny, it did something to Harry and, and…" Sora trailed off, waving his hands and arms around in rushed excitement.

King Mickey looked thoughtful, perhaps a concerned look in his eyes.

"The Keyblade did something?" He asked, turning around to stare at Harry. He took a few steps across the small and sandy beach, observing the now nervous looking raven haired teen.

"Your Majesty," Riku said, stance on guard. "Is it possible that he's a Nobody?"

"A Nobody?" Mickey queried.

"What's with you all calling me a nobody?" Harry's tired and now annoyed voice rang clear. "I don't understand what's going on. I can't get anything sane enough out of all you." He said, shaking his head as if that would bring some sense into everything.

"After defeating Xemnas we were stuck in the Dark Realm, until we find the Door of Light and it brought us to his world, but then he used the Corridor of Darkness to bring us back to the Dark." Riku added.

"Again this talk of worlds…" Harry said, breathing out with an exasperated sigh.

"The Keyblade was reacting to him." Riku continued on undisturbed. "It caused him harm and some darkness came out of his chest."

Harry was awkwardly aware of the many pairs of eyes on him again and in the next he had a funny looking staff thrust into his face again and a very angry duck spewing threats at him.

"What is it that you're planning?"

Harry stepped back hastily, eyeing the staff with narrowed eyes, hand going to his pocket and fingering the wand there.

"Donald." King Mickey said with a stern voice. "I do believe an explanation is in order."

"There are many different worlds out there, Harry." The King said. "This is Sora's, Riku's and Kairi's world. Me, Donald and Goofy come from another and you from yours."

"How is that…" Harry started but abandoned the question about impossibilities when looking back on the things that had already happened. "Those other things?" He tried instead.

"What Sora and Riku were talking about is The Door of Light; the passageway from the Dark Realm to the Light Realm. The Light Realm is where most of the worlds reside, yours for example. Somehow Sora and Riku came to your world, reentering the Dark Realm along with you before coming back to the light side again. Exactly how I do not know, but the fact is that you did."

"All of this… am I supposed to believe you?" The raven haired replied disbelievingly.

"Hey! Mind your mouth!" Donald shouted at Harry.

"I, no, this can't be. How do I get back? I have to get back to my friends…" Harry babbled and Sora reached to put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We'll help you get back to your friends." He said.

"Sora, you…" Harry stared at the beaming brunette.

"First things first, Sora. Merlin might know how to get Harry back to his world." Mickey cut in.

Harry started at the name. Did he hear that right?

"Did you say Merlin?" He asked incrediously Getting a few strange looks from the party.

How did they know Merlin? Didn't they say that this was a different, world, than that to his own? Wait… did he say meet him? As in he's still alive?

"Yes, I did." King Mickey answered him with a curious look.

"As in Merlin, the wizard?" Harry pushed on.

"You know him?" Sora asked surprised.

"How do you know Merlin?" Donald asked him suspiciously, eyeing him.

"Know him?" Harry replied astonished. "He is one of the most famous wizards in magical history. Even muggles know of him and every witch and wizard learns about him in school."

"Muggles?" Sora questioned after Harry's explanation with a mystified look.

"Non-magical people." Harry explained automatically. "But Merlin has been dead since several hundred of years back." He pressed the point.

"What do you know pipsqueak?" Said Donald annoyed. "Master Merlin is very much alive and well!"

"Are you a wizard Harry?" King Mickey asked expectantly.

"Yes, I am."

"May I see?"

"My wand?" Harry asked, removing the wand he'd been fingering before from his pocket and holding it up. His fingers clasped around the holly wood and he drew comfort from the only recognizable thing left from his world except for his clothes.

Donald sent it a short glance before snorting.

"That puny thing?" He said haughtily.

Harry frowned at the duck.

"This is a proper wand." Donald continued snottily, raising his own proudly. "I bet you can't even perform any decent fire magic with that."

Goofy and Sora both shook their heads at their friend's antics.

Harry was not in the mood for ridicule, he'd had enough of that since first meeting these people and he was not about to get insulted by a stupid, if larger than normal, duck.

"I'll show you magic." He threw back at Donald.

"Hah! You can try." Donald shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head.

The raven haired boy felt the last bit of his patience run into the sand. Directing his wand at the white mass of feathers, ignoring the warning shouts from the others, he called out a spell that shot a bright yellow stream of light square in the duck's chest, too fast for Donald to react.

The party stopped, stunned.

Donald blinked once, his eyebrow twitching next in confusion before he erupted into hysteric laughter. The rod was unceremoniously dropped to the ground as he fell on his back and he clutched desperately at his midsection, his eyes tearing up from the onslaught.

Seeing the scene made Sora completely lose it, cracking up while he pointed at Donald rolling around on the sand. Donald, still clutching his stomach, seemed to be trying to curse both Harry and Sora in between the laughs but he could only gasp.

Harry smirked, very much pleased with the results.

"What'd you do?" Goofy asked, watching his comrade with a half amused half worried smile.

"Just a simple tickling spell." Harry replied self satisfactorily. The others looked relieved.

After a moment Donald slowly stopped laughing, gasping to catch his breath and glared at the raven haired boy.

"I'll make you regret that!" He shouted, reaching for his staff.

"Donald!" King Mickey said sharply and Donald stopped in his actions, looking torn between obeying his king and submitting to his urge to teach Harry a lesson he'd soon never forget. He muttered lowly and shot Harry some more nasty glares.

"That goes for you too Harry." The King said and Harry had the decency to blush for his childish actions.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"That was great!" Sora let out while still snickering with an appreciating look.

"I'm sorry, but how do we get to Merlin with no Gummi ship, Your Majesty?" Goofy asked then with a concerned look.

"Hmm." King Mickey grasped his chin thoughtfully. "That is a problem."

"What's a gummi ship?" Harry quietly asked Sora who had come to stand beside him.

"A ship you fly with."

"Oh."

Not really an answer but, oh well.

Meanwhile King Mickey was pacing the ground, in deep thought and apparently trying to come up with some sort of solution that would help them.

Sora followed the mouse for a while before losing interest and slumped to the ground instead of standing while waiting. Harry, tired from the recent events, joined the brunette and saw Kairi coming to stand by them. She smiled at them and sat down as well. Riku plumped down to the side of them

"This could take a while." Riku said in a way of explanation with a small shrug, suggesting he was used to this, and Kairi chuckled softly in response. He kept a watchful eye on the raven haired teen in the corner of his eye.

Goofy and Donald followed in the King's footsteps, trying to offer advice every once in a while.

The three struck up a conversation that involved many old memories and teasing remarks from Riku about Sora. Harry listened silently with an attentive eye to the others.

The good news was that they had agreed to help him back to his world. The bad news was that they didn't really know how to go about doing that, first they had to find Merlin. Though that seemed easier said than done judging from how even the King had to think about it. He was still amazed that Merlin was still alive.

For the moment they seemed to be trusting him, not counting Riku, or at least believing he wouldn't do anything against them. It was somewhat reassuring. In an alien and foreign place like this, that meant something to Harry who honestly didn't know if he would be able to find his way back by himself.

"Harry?"

"Huh?" Harry shook himself out of his thoughts, blushing slightly when he noticed the scrutiny he was receiving from the three.

"Are you okay?" Kairi asked.

"Just thinking about… you know…" He answered lamely.

"It will be alright." She said and smiled comfortingly.

"Maybe!"

They turned to observe King Mickey stop to a sudden halt and then he went over to the group, Donald and Goofy trailing behind. The King stopped in front of the raven haired and looked down on him with an unidentifiable look.

"Harry, do you remember what happened before the black hole appeared back in your world?"

Harry frowned.

"Why are you asking me…?"

"Just answer the question." He interrupted impatiently.

"Talking to Sora?" He tried, looking at said boy.

"No, what were you thinking?"

"Thinking?" Harry's eyes became clouded and he quieted down.

Sora nudged him when he kept silent.

"I was thinking about how I wished I was anywhere but there. How easy it would be if I just disappeared…"

His eyes widened at the audible crack that rang in the air and everyone immediately stood up to their feet again. Harry had the feeling of déjà vu when a dark hole appeared a bit away and in front of him, although this time it was standing up like a door. A swirling mass of darkness that closed out absolutely all light that tried to enter.

"The Corridor of Darkness…" Riku said.

"Yes." The King said bewildered, eyeing the unmistakable portal. "Harry is able to open the Corridor of Darkness, but only Heartless, Nobodies and, some special cases should be able to do that..."

Harry didn't know what to say to the enquiring look sent his way.

"Don't look at me." He said. "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"Then how?"

"He could be lying." Said Riku darkly.

"Why would I be lying?" Harry asked affronted.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"This is not the time for arguments. The portal could be closing any moment."

They were interrupted by King Mickey who had begun moving towards the dark oval. Donald shouted his protests but they went unheeded as the King went through. Goofy followed his King with a shout of 'Wait your Majesty!' and Donald gave a frustrated growl before going after them.

Riku put a restraining hand on Kairi's shoulder as she attempted to pursue the others.

"Kairi, you stay here." Riku said. "It's not safe."

"Don't say that! I won't be left behind again. I'm going with you. Nothing you will say will change my mind."

"Kairi." Sora looked uncertainly from one friend to the other.

"Sora, I'm going with you." The girl insisted.

"It's dangerous." Riku persisted.

"And not for you?"

"No, but-" The older boy floundered.

"I'm going." She said, ducking under his hand and jumping through the portal.

Riku let out a frustrated growl and joined her.

"Come on Harry." Sora said.

Harry swallowed down the apprehension that had been building up, following the brunette as the last person to go through the dark portal.

He'd expected it, whatever it was, to be utterly and completely dark like before but the passageway, for it couldn't be anything else, were a mixture of colors actually. It was nothing like the first time he'd passed through it. Not bright colors per se, but swirling dark blue and murky washed out red. One thing was for sure, he'd never seen anything quite like it. There were a lot of things that he hadn't seen before, maybe he should start counting them and see how high he could go. Jokes aside though, this was no time for them or at least so Harry thought.

Sora and Goofy were making fun of Donald while evading the duck's attempts at giving them a good smack on the head. He actually managed one on poor Goofy who rubbed the spot with a small pout while Sora snickered.

"This way." King Mickey waved them over.

"You know they way?" Harry asked, looking around but he could only see empty space that stretched on and on.

"I think so. We need to go to Radiant Garden. There we will find Merlin."

He ignored the uneasy feeling and strode after the King determinedly.

"Radiant Garden, huh…" He didn't bother asking this time. Putting two and two together, it was where Merlin was.

He gave a small flinch and didn't know what to say when another dark portal came into existence further up before them. Mickey sent him a short indescribable glance over the shoulder, which lasted for but a second, before calling for the others. Harry sighed and closed his eyes. That was it, eh? So somehow he was the one causing these things to pop up. He'd kind of figured that out by now, but how? He didn't feel anything particularly special happening to him. His body hadn't changed or anything… If not it had something to do with, that key of Sora's. It had done some strange thinks to him.

The raven haired raised his hands to eye level and gave them a long stare, squinting slightly. Maybe thinking he'd be able to decipher something from them but other than being slightly bruised they were still his old hands.

"What is happening to me…?" He murmured softly that went unnoticed by the others just as they walked passed him and into the entrance way, talking all the while.

King Mickey waited for him expectantly, and sighing again Harry also continued on.

In the next he stepped out onto cobbled and paved stone. Looking around he could see they were in some sort of town or more precisely standing in the town's market square from the looks of it. The stores seemed to be closed however, wooden doors barred at the windows and the lack of people being around another clue.

So this was also another world?

"Radiant Garden…"

AN: There you go. Hope this makes people happy. Although the chapter is considerably shorter than my usual standards… Well, leave a review if you like it, will you? /Lin