Sora groaned and rolled over, snuggling into the cold bedding beneath his hands. Rubbing his cheek on his pillow happily, he frowned as the sensation manifested as scratchy and rough, and the temperature of his bedding registered… finally. It wasn't warm. It was freaking cold!

Sitting upright with a gasp, blue eyes wide in surprise and shock, Sora blinked as he came face to face with the trunk of a tree. A very large tree. The trunk was so large that Sora was certain his arms wouldn't manage to get halfway around it… if he was into hugging trees, which he certainly wasn't.

Pushing himself upright, the brunette backed up a few steps and looked up, the sheer height of the tree making him dizzy. He couldn't even see the first branches in the dull light. Shivering, he rubbed his bare arms and watched his breath mist in the cold air. Where the hell was he? Glancing around, his eyes widened as he noticed more of the same ancient trees surrounding him.

Well, he certainly wasn't at home, where he should be.

After Riku, Kairi and Sora had returned to the islands, the trio had heard very little from Donald and Goofy, and Sora had transferred back into school, dropping back a year, along with Riku, and had grumbled immensely as he was forced to study to catch up on the six months they'd missed during their travels. Now he was who knows where, and all that effort had gone down the drain. Damn he hated his life sometimes.

Shivering, Sora rubbed his arms and looked around. Casting a firaga into the trees, his eyes widened as the fire ball kept going for a good fifty metres, showing more large trees, before crashing into a tree and exploding. Sighing, he rubbed his arms again and looked around. "Great, I'm in a bloody forest."

Shrugging, the brunette decided to start walking. Maybe he'd find someone, or something, that would be able to tell him where he was. After choosing a direction and walking in that vague direction for a good twenty minutes, he frowned as his stomach growled. A white mist had rolled in a few minutes ago, chilling the already freezing temperature even more. Teeth chattering, Sora continued onwards, rubbing his arms to try and stay warm. Thin pyjamas were not a good thing to stay warm in after all, especially when it was the middle of summer at Destiny Islands.

"Alright, WHERE THE HELL AM I?" Sora finally screamed into the never ending wood with a glare. Huffing, and feeling mildly better and able to cope at his unexpected situation, Sora sat down on a root to stare at the ground and think. What should he do now?

"Ahem…" A high pitched female voice coughed politely, making the keyblade wielder stiffen in alarm. "Would you mind getting off me please?"

Turning slowly with wide eyes, Sora came face to face with a thin tree that was peering at him in curiosity. "Ah…"

"Are you alright?" the tree asked as the face engraved in the bark moved.

Sora did the one thing he could think of in a situation like this. He screamed like a little girl. Pin wheeling backwards in a panic, he slammed into another tree and managed to knock himself out.

When he awoke, he was almost blue, had a pounding headache, and when he finally managed to focus on his surroundings, found himself surrounded by horse people wielding bow and arrows as weapons that were currently trained on him. Eyes wide, Sora froze.

"What's your name?" one of the horse people asked gruffly as he approached cautiously.

"S-Sora," the brunette stammered as he stared with wide eyes, his mind quickly going into overload. "W-Where am I?"

"In the Forbidden Forest," the horse person answered in a tone of voice that sounded confused. "How did you get this far out?"

"All I know is that I went to bed in my own bed last night, I woke up this morning in the middle of a cold forest, and a tree talked to me! I have no idea where I am!" Sora replied, quickly beginning to border on hysteria.

"You're a student then?" The horse-man asked as he lowered his bow and relaxed the tension on the string.

"Of course I'm a student!" Sora yelled and stood up, not caring that the weapons centred on him more determinedly.

"What are you doing out here then?" he asked suspiciously. "You know this place is forbidden."

"I don't know WHY I'm out here! I just woke up out here!" Sora yelled bitterly and clenched his fists, feeling the early signs of crying as his eyes began to sting. "Look, if you can get me out of here, just do it! Either that or explain to me what the hell is going on."

There was a frown on the horse-man's face but he nodded, putting his arrow back into the quiver on his back, the other horse-men surrounding him taking it as a signal that they could let their own guard down a little. "Alright. We'll take you back."

"Really?" Sora asked in disbelief, his eyes wide as hope sprung up in his chest. He might finally get out of here.

"Really. My name is Firenze."

"Oh… Nice to meet you. Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm not normally like this. I just have no clue what's going on."

"That's quite alright, although I would appreciate it if you curb your anger. We are just trying to help," Firenze informed as he glanced at the others surrounding them as they began walking.

"Sorry, I'm just cold, tired, hungry and confused. I don't do well with any of those emotions alone, let alone together."

"Understandable. Are you cold now? Your lips look blue."

Nodding, Sora shivered and grimaced as his teeth started chattering. Within seconds a coat of fur was draped over his shoulders. Quickly snatching it and wrapping himself in it to get some warmth back as soon as possible, Sora smiled at the horse-man that had given it to him. "Thank you."

"It's quite a long walk back to the castle young one. Do you think you'll be able to manage?" Firenze asked in concern as he gestured at Sora's bare feet.

"I'll manage as long as I can," the keyblade wielder answered with a grimace.

Firenze nodded in satisfaction. "I wouldn't ask for anything more."

They walked in silence for a good five minutes before Sora's curiosity finally overflowed and he just had to ask. "I hate to ask and this might seem incredibly rude but, what are you?"

Firenze looked at him in confusion, eyes flicking over the brunette to look for any signs of injury, and finding none he frowned. "My kin and I are centaurs. We live in the Forbidden Forest. We read the stars."

"Oh…" Sora murmured in fascination. He'd never heard of centaurs. "How fascinating. Are you a regular occurrence on this world?"

"Our kin are few and far between, so no, we're not."

"Oh…"

They walked in silence for another half hour, the human's stomach growling loudly, and quite embarrassingly at one point.

"I would give you food, but we're only another half hour from the castle," Firenze answering sympathetically at the brunette's blush, a hint of a smile on his hairy face.

"That's fine," Sora answered with a sigh and blinked when they came across a lake. Admiring it in wonder, he frowned as he noticed the iced over edges. "What's that?"

"An alcove of the Black Lake," Firenze answered, ushering the brunette on when he paused to stop and gawk. "Keep moving."

The other Centaurs stopped the moment they passed an unidentifiable line of trees and turned and galloped back the way they came, placing arrows back in quivers and slinging bows over shoulders as they went.

"Where are they going?"

"We do not normally come out this far," the Centaur answered quietly as he began glancing around himself almost anxiously. "It's too close to the edge of the forest. We can easily be spotted from here on, and we're too easy to target. Normally I would leave you to find your own way back, but I don't believe you would be able to. I will take you to the tree line, and leave you in capable hands, but after that I'm afraid we must part ways." Making what seemed to be a measured decision, the skittish Centaur drew his bow and an arrow, nocking them together to be ready for anything.

"Thank you," Sora murmured back with a relieved smile. He wasn't sure he liked this place at all. It was too creepy.

Nodding to show he heard the spoken gratitude, Firenze remained silent. Finally, the Centaur stopped and cocked his head, listening to their surroundings. Apparently satisfied that nothing was about to launch themselves at them and attack, he put his fingers to his lips and made three long, high pitched and ear shattering whistles.

Once that was done, Sora followed Firenze's silent instructions and they moved forward another five hundred meters before pausing once again, and the Centaur sounded off the same three high pitched whistles.

This time, it was returned, and the Centaur visibly relaxed, a small smile crossing his lips. "Come, Hagrid is nearby. We will not need to leave the forest."

Following Firenze as he turned and began walking in another direction, Sora sighed happily as he began seeing patches of sunlight as the canopy thinned. After another five minute walk, the duo walked into a clearing and Sora blinked as they came face to face with a man that was a good nine feet tall, if not ten or eleven, and a class of teenagers in black robes with various coloured stripes on their uniform. That was what it looked like, seeing as they were all wearing the same style clothing.

"Firenze, wha' an honour," the giant beamed happily and walked forward.

"Hagrid, it's been a while," the Centaur greeted and stretched out a hand.

"Indeed. 'Ello, who's this then?" the giant now known as Hagrid asked with a grin as he turned to look at Sora curiously. "It's a bit cold for you to be wanderin' around in pyjama's ain't it?"

"I'm Sora, and yes, I have noticed," the brunette answered with a sheepish grin. "I couldn't help it though."

"Surely you'd know better though. It's cold here at the best of times," Hagrid replied lightly and tilted his head curiously at Sora's blush.

"Hagrid," Firenze spoke up suddenly and gestured the giant off to the side a bit. They stepped to the side and began talking in low voices.

Sora shifted uncomfortably and glanced over at the whispering class of teenagers that were about his age. They seemed normal enough, aside from the strange looking clothing. He felt like an idiot.

"Alrigh'," Hagrid finally said and nodded, turning back to face the brunette with a thoughtful look on his face. "Sora, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Let's take you up to see the Headmistress. She'll know what to do with ya."

"Um… okay."

Firenze nodded in satisfaction and stepped forward. "Sora, it was a pleasure meeting you. Unfortunately this is where I must leave you. You will be in good hands from here on. I hope that one day we will meet again, when you're warm, dressed and understanding," came the amused voice.

Sora cringed and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. We will meet again young Sora. For now, farewell." With that, the Centaur turned on his heels and began cantering in the trees.

"Hey, Firenze!" Sora yelled suddenly as he raced forward a few steps, grinning as he noticed the Centaur stop.

"Yes?"

"How did you find me?"

The Centaur smirked. "Simple. We followed the screams."

At Sora's blush, Firenze laughed and galloped off into the trees and out of sight.

"Come on, let's get you up to see the Headmistress and she can decide what to do with ya. Class dismissed!" Hagrid yelled and clapped a very large hand on the brunette's shoulder.

Glancing up at the enormous man with a hint of nervousness, Sora swallowed and allowed himself to be guided out of the forest.

"So how'd a small tyke like you end up in the Forbidden Forest?" Hagrid asked once they were well on their way up the hill after they'd left the forest.

"I honestly don't know. Last night I was in bed and this morning when I woke up I was lying underneath a tree in the freezing cold. You're about as confused as I am."

"Hmm… What house are you in?"

"House?"

"Judgin' by the way you look I'd say you're Hufflepuff. Damn those Ravenclaws. Don' worry. The Headmistress will see to it that they get a suitable punishment."

"Okay…?" Sora murmured and turned his attention to the enormous castle walls they were approaching. Eyes wide, he stared up at it in fascination. "Oh wow."

"Yeah, it's breathtaking ain't it? It still gives me goose pimples every time I see it, especially after the war and You-Know-Who was killed."

"You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, ya know, Lord Voldemort." A hard edge crossed Hagrid's expression and his eyes hardened in anger and fear. "The very impression of the devil incarnate himself. He definitely won't be missed."

Eyes shifting back to the footpath to watch where he was going, Sora looked up as they passed through a stone archway and stared around wide eyed as they walked through the stone courtyard, passing students carrying books on their way to lessons and laughing loudly without giving him a second glance.

"Come on, this way," Hagrid urged and they walked through a large set of double doors and up a large set of steps to the first floor. They walked until they came to a stone gargoyle and Hagrid stopped. "Primrose Malifis," Hagrid spoke and Sora jumped as the stone gargoyle leapt to the side, revealing a set of steps that went up. "Come on, up you go," the giant urged and pushed the brunette up the steps, quickly following him.

The stopped at a door and Sora surged forward to open it, stepping into an enormous office. Hagrid stepped in behind him as the brunette stared around him in awe. There were objects here that looked like nothing he'd ever seen before. There were any number of paintings lining the walls, that all appeared to have people in them that were sleeping, and at the desk was an elderly woman dressed in green with a tall pointed hat and sharp eyes, looking at them curiously.

"Hagrid, what can I do for you?"

"Firenze found poor Sora here lost in the Forbidden Forest this morning. Claims he has no idea how he got there, poor thing. I say it was those damn Ravenclaw's or Slytherin's. No bloody good any of 'em."

"Sora you say?" the witch-like woman asked curiously as he looked him up and down. "What house are you from?"

"Uh… As in school house?"

"What other house would I be talking about?" she asked, obviously not impressed.

"Um… Chifton?" he tried hopefully and bit his lip anxiously.

Her lips pursed together in annoyance. "I do not appreciate the sarcasm Mr…" she trailed off looking for a name, obviously.

"Sora. Sora Hikari."

The Headmistress frowned and pulled a file out of her desk, looking through it. She looked up sharply once she'd gone through a section of papers twice. Pursing her lips together again, she studied him scrutinisingly. "Are you a muggle?" she asked cautiously.

"A what?" Sora asked in confusion, tilting his head to the side.

"Can you use magic?" She elaborated carefully.

"Yes…" Sora answered in an unsure voice, shying back a bit. This woman was giving him the creeps a bit.

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen…"

"Do you attend Hogwarts?"

"What's that?" Sora asked in confusion and jerked back a little as both Hagrid's and Headmistress' eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Hogwarts is where you are now Sora," the Headmistress explained carefully. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"You're kidding, right?" The brunette asked in disbelief. Sure, he'd met Yen Sid and Merlin, who were Wizards, but they were the only Wizards he'd ever met. Sure, Sora could use magic, but aside from his elemental magic that was it.

"Give the boy a break Minerva," a kind voice suddenly interjected as it entered the conversation, and Sora's head flew around in surprise as he went looking for the owner of the new voice. "Can't you see he's not from this world? Just the way he's dressed should be enough indication."

Understanding suddenly dawned on both Hagrid and the headmistress' faces. "Of course, that's why I've never heard of you," she murmured and smiled, as though everything was suddenly making sense. "So your name is Sora Hikari?" she asked and Sora nodded, still looking around for the owner of the voice.

"Over here dear boy," the voice answered with a chuckle and Sora blinked as he found a portrait of an old man waving at him, an amused gleam to his eyes.

The brunette's eyes widened even further, his jaw going slack as he stared at the painting in disbelief. The picture was waving at him. Talking to him! The man in the portrait smiled and nodded, as though reading his mind. It took all of Sora five seconds to process this fact, before his brain did the first thing it could do. It lit up like a light bulb. "That is SO COOL!" Sora practically squealed as he raced over and began checking the portrait over with wide eyes, lifting it away from the wall to check the back of it to see if there was any technology. "How do you do it?"

"Oh, just a bit of paint, some soul binding and a little magic. Nothing too complicated," an unfamiliar voice drawled a little further over and Sora backed up to stare at a portrait of a greasy black haired man next to the one he was standing in front of.

"Severus, give the boy a chance to explore what he's seeing," the first portrait of the white haired old man scolded lightly, a bright twinkle to his eye as he winked at Sora, who grinned back, feeling completely ecstatic. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. You're Sora Hikari?"

"Yeah," he answered in surprise and stepped back, placing his hands behind his back to stop them from reaching out to touch the other painting as well. He was sure he'd find the same thing there. Absolutely nothing.

A smile seemed to touch the elderly man's lips at the brunette's antics. "Welcome to Hogwarts dear boy."

"Thank you. Now, how do I get back home?" Sora asked, looking back at the headmistress.

"Thank you Hagrid, you can go," the stern looking woman dismissed with a smile, obviously avoiding the question.

"Sure thing Headmistress," he replied brightly with a smile as he turned and began walking heavily back towards the door. "See ya la'er Sora. Bye Dumbledore!"

"Bye! It was nice meeting you," Sora called after him.

The door closed before it opened again a moment later and Hagrid's head popped back through the door. "Oh, Headmistress, before I forget, Firenze said to tell you that young Sora 'ere is 'ere for a reason. They're gonna scry the stars and let me know as soon as they find something."

"Alright, thank you Hagrid," the headmistress replied with a smile. "Let me know as soon as you find out."

"Will do." The door shut again as the bearded face disappeared through the crack in the door.

"Now, why don't you tell us where you're from Mr Hikari," Dumbledore urged as soon as the door was shut. "Then maybe we can help you."

Breathing out heavily, Sora explained about the island and his friends. By the time he finished he was groaning and clutching at his hair. "My mother is going to kill me, again!"

"Why is that?" the Headmistress asked curiously.

"This isn't the first time I've disappeared," the brunette answered dryly.

"How did you get here?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"I honestly don't know. I went to bed last night and woke up in the forest this morning."

"Hmm… how far in?"

"About an hour's walk?"

The old wizard gained a thoughtful expression. "How curious."

"What should we do for the time being Albus?"

"How would you feel about attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Albus Dumbledore asked merrily.

"Would I ever!" Sora answered happily with a grin.

Both sets of blue eyes turned to face the headmistress expectantly. She sighed and smiled. "Alright. But first, you need a house." She stood up and walked over to a shelf, where the elderly witch reached up and pulled down an old tattered hat.

Sora looked at it curiously. "What's that?"

"This is the sorting hat. It will decide what house you will fit into best."

"Oh…" Tilting his head curiously, Sora studied it as the headmistress approached and held the hat over his head, wondering how it would do that. Maybe it would spit out different coloured confetti or sparks when he put it on. That would be kind of cool.

"Ready?" the headmistress asked with a soothing smile.

Nodding determinedly, Sora stood straight and took in a deep breath as the hat was placed on his head.

"Hmm…What do we have here?" a deep and rough voice asked in amusement.

Sora jumped in fright as he heard the hat chuckle and glanced around the room, catching sight of the other people in the portraits listening intently, and the soothing smile of Albus Dumbledore and the Headmistress. "Is this normal?" he asked quickly, fighting to keep his breath even. "Hats talking when you put them on?"

"No, only this hat," Dumbledore soothed with a smile and wink.

"Oh good," he answered faintly and drew in a deep breath, jumping again when the hat laughed.

"I see you are not used to our world Sora Hikari. You have travelled the universe saving it from the darkness. A very brave quest, even if it was forced on you. Your friends were your support these past three years. Your friendliness could also place you in Hufflepuff, but I see you are destined for greater than making friends. I say… GRYFFINDOR!" the hat suddenly announced loudly and there was a loud chorus of cheering from the portraits and a happy smile from the Headmistress and Albus.

Severus just sulked and crossed his arms, turning away from the happy celebration.

Sora removed the hat with a sigh of relief.

"Welcome to Gryffindor Mr Hikari," the witch greeted happily and took the hat, placing it back on the top shelf.

"Thanks…" Sora murmured. "Um… what do I do now?"

"Now I will take you up to the Gryffindor Dormitories and inform Professor Vane about you."

"Who?"

"Professor Vane. She's the head of Gryffindor and teaches Arithmancy."

"Arith-what?"

"Mathematics you twit," Severus growled and Sora winced.

"Does that mean I actually have to pay attention in her classes?"

There was amused laughter from the black haired man as he crossed his arms and leant back, looking at the brunette in amusement. "What do you know? I might actually grow to like a Gryffindor."

"That'll be a first," one of the elderly witches in a portrait on the other side of the room muttered sarcastically.

Dumbledore just laughed and the headmistress rolled her eyes like this was a normal occurrence.

"Come on. Let's go and get you settled in. I think Professor Longbottom has the afternoon off. I'll get him to take you into Diagon Alley to get you some robes books and a wand. You'll need an owl as well of course."

"Okay…"

"Good luck! Have fun!" Dumbledore called out behind him and Sora waved as the two real people left the office.

"I will. Bye!"

The heavy wooden door shut behind them and Sora jumped as the gargoyle leapt aside again. Well, it looked like he was staying here for a while. May as well get used to it. Sighing, the keyblade master turned and readied himself for Hogwarts School of Magic.