Chapter One
The war against Voldemort was finally over and Hermione knew that any day now she would be returning home to Middle Earth, she would be returning to her true family. She couldn't bring herself to tell Harry just yet or even Ron, but after their kiss in the Chamber of Secrets she knew that she was going to break his heart. She kissed him just to see if there was any spark, any feeling of love that she could justify being able to stay but there wasn't.
As she stood there off to the side of the Weasley Family as they mourned the loss of Fred, she silently prayed that his spirit was free and had no reason to linger. She scanned the Great Hall and saw many fallen warriors of Light laying there looking as if they were just sleeping, she saw Remus and Tonks next to each other holding hands. Gone before they even had a chance to know they young son Teddy, Lavender gone but with the satisfaction of knowing she wouldn't be cursed like Bill Weasley and many others both young and old cut down in the prime of their life.
She knew such was the way of wars as her father told many times that he lost friends in the many battles back home. She was very young when she lost her mother and when she was sent here to this realm, she knew that it would just be to protect Harry and then she would be returning home. Once she saw a chance she escaped to the Headmasters office, she went to the one Ishtari of this realm that knew of her secret. As she approached the silent sentient's, they quickly moved aside as if they were excepting her. After making sure no one was following her, she slipped inside as they closed behind her; she could hear voices in his office and they did not sound happy.
"Please enter Lady Corwen Half-Elven," was all she heard as she approached the door to the office. So instead of knocking she walked in and found her former Headmaster's portrait conversing with the new Headmistress and Professor McGonagall was not happy. "Lady Corwen, I see you have finally come to terms with the fact your leaving soon? Please understand that if I could have found a way to let you stay I would have but your father said unless you find the one your heart calls out too, you must return home. I am sorry Minerva but your favorite student is leaving and I haven't told you the whole truth as to who she really is. You know her as a muggle-born Witch named Hermione Granger but before first year she never really existed, I know that you went and met with her parents but they were just her host family.
"Hermione Granger was born in the year T.A. 243, two years after her older sister Arwen was born. She is the last child of Lord Elrond Half-Elven of Rivendell which resides in the realm Middle Earth, when she was very young she showed signs of being the first Elven Ishtari in many centuries. You could say that she was to be the replacement for her Grandmother Lady Galadriel but a dear friend of mine noticed that her gifts were not like her Grandmothers. He himself trained her until I requested his help in protecting Harry, he knew that he was needed in Middle Earth and could not leave. So he sent his young apprentice to help, I created the identity of a young muggle-born girl and made sure to have her placed in Gryffindor. Over the past seven years, I knew that she would have to return to her home but I had hoped she would find the one her heart calls too but alas I see that she hasn't.
"Lady Corwen, shall we remove the glamour and return you to your true appearance?" he said as he looked down upon her and Professor McGonagall.
"Yes please Headmaster, it would be nice to finally be the height and age I am supposed to be. I would like to leave a note for Harry and Ron, in fact I would like to leave the entire contents of my vault to Ron and his family. They shouldn't have to scrimp and save just to pay for Fred's service, Professor McGonagall will you make sure the boys get my letter and my regrets for not telling them I was leaving. I will explain everything in my letters but for now just tell them I was called away due to my parents dying in a car crash. I would like that to be the official story as to my sudden disappearance, I know that Harry and Ron will wish to come find me but where I am going they cannot follow, I know that they will be upset and hurt but this is the way it must be done.
"I will never forget you Professor or all that I have learned in my seven years in this realm but this is something my father wishes and I must go." She said as she felt a familiar feeling of warmth wash over her as Dumbledore removed the spell that was restricting her true self. Once the spell was finished, she shot up to a height of 5'10 and became much slimmer but not in an unhealthy way but more of a fit slim, her hair which was once bushy was now down to her mid-back and golden brown. Her brown eyes became a gorgeous sky blue, once she finally stopped reverting back to her natural form she quickly set about writing letters to Ron and Harry.
She also left the key to her vault with a letter to the Goblins giving Ron's family full permission to use any money that she has in there and may receive for being a war heroine. Knowing that since the spell was removed her father and Gandalf would be arriving to claim her, she ran from the headmaster's office and quickly went to the chamber where her belongings from Middle Earth were being kept. She quickly changed into a summer green dress with matching slippers, her elven cloak and placed her wand in the belt of her dress. She also grabbed her staff that she used for many a year while in Middle Earth; while she had been trained with swords and bows (thanks to her father and brothers), she never felt the need to use them.
Once she had finished her dressing, she closed and shrunk the trunk that held the rest of her belongings and placed it in the pocket of her dress. She hoped that she might finally find the one who her heart calls to back in Middle Earth, if not then she shall sail west to Valinor. She knew that her sister had found the other half of her heart in Aragorn but she was afraid our father would deny their union, he was from one of the long lived races of Man and he would die in time leaving her sister to morn his death.
As she quietly made her way back to the headmaster's office, she made sure to keep the hood of her cloak up around her face. Then just before she reached the stairs to the Headmaster's office she ran into Ron and Harry who were heading the same direction as she was. She silently cursed as she was hoping to leave before they noticed she was missing, sighing she just continued her steady pace.
Since she reached the statues first she quietly said "Gummy worms" and they parted to let her enter and just then Harry caught up to her. "Excuse me, have you seen a young lady with bushy brown hair come this way?" He asked sounding out of breath. Turning to him but keeping her face hidden she said in elvish "I am sorry but I have not seen the lady you speak off, I am afraid I must hurry. I have an appointment with your Headmaster and my father will be arriving soon."
Harry and Ron just stood there not knowing what to say, finally Ron spoke up "Excuse could you repeat that but in English please?"
"She said that she was sorry but she hasn't seen the lady that you speak off and that she has an appointment with your Headmaster." a voice behind them said then turning to her it said "Lady Corwen, it has been many moons since we last saw each other and you grow to be as beautiful as your mother."
When she looked passed the boys she saw her sisters love standing behind the boys, "Aragorn or should I say Strider, have you claimed your rightful throne yet and my sisters heart?" she said with a slight smile on her face. "I see these past years hasn't changed your playfulness, Mae govannen my dear little sister." Aragorn said with a smile upon his face.
"Mae govannen to you, it has been to long since I last looked upon those from my home and I have missed you all. How is my sister Arwen and the twins? Is all well in Middle Earth and since when is it your job to come and collect me with Ada?" she said this time in common tongue.
Harry and Ron just stood there watching them in awe, Aragorn smile faded as he spoke "I am afraid that the Ring of Sauron has been found, there will be a Council Meeting upon your return and your Ada, along with Gandalf wishes that you attend. They believe that your magic will be useful in the coming war and they hope that you can help the ring bearer with his quest. Besides you, the only delegates that have yet to arrive are the ones from Mirkwood but you know Legolas he loves to be the last one to arrive."
"Let us go and speak to Headmaster and then take our leave, I would hate for Legolas to finally lose his spot as the last to arrive. It has been many moons since I last saw him, how is he and Tauriel? Has his father finally relented and let them marry?" she said.
"From what I have heard she fell in love with another and when he died she left Mirkwood never to return. Of course I never knew him while she was there so I can't not say how it has affected him." Aragorn said.
A wave of sadness came over her, she remembered when they were younger; Legolas had fallen in love with the young ward of his father. To hear that she fell in love with another and broke her friends heart was heartbreaking, she knew all too well what that feeling was like. While she didn't love Ron, the way her sister love Aragorn she did care about him and when she saw him with Lavender it hurt her. Before she could come to terms with the loss of a great friend in Tauriel, she turned to Harry and Ron.
"Forgive me my manners I am Lady Corwen, I am the youngest daughter of Lord Elrond Half-Elven. This is my foster brother Aragorn; he carries the heart of my sister with him where ever he goes. Back home he is destined to become a Great King but he has many trials before that comes to pass, hopefully my father allows them to marry once he becomes King." she said with a slight bow.
Harry spoke up "My name is Harry Potter and this is my friend Ron Weasley, we are in search of another friend of ours. The last time we saw her she was in the Great Hall morning the loss of some friends that we lost recently, then when we turned around she had vanished. I heard from the Castle Ghosts that they last saw her heading this way and we hoped that we could catch her before she made a stupid mistake." he said as he looked between her and Aragorn.
She quickly turned around to hide her tears, she couldn't let them see her cry over the fact they would never see her as Hermione again. As Aragorn saw Corwen turn from the boys with tears in her eyes he said "I am sure that she would be happy to know that she has two great friends in the both of you, if I am correct I believe the Headmaster can help you in your mission. Shall we go ask him? Corwen, your father is awaiting you upstairs as well."
Now with Aragorn and the boys, she made her way up the stairs to the headmaster's office knowing that it would be the last time she entered it. Hopefully she could get away before they read their letters and before they tried to follow her. As they reached the top of the stairs, the door to the office swung open and standing there looking the same as he did when she left was her father.
Before anyone could say anything she ran to her father and cried into his arms; even though it was only seven years here, it had been ten in Middle Earth. "Ada, I have missed you so much. Even though I am sad to be leaving here, I am glad to see you. I haven't found a love like Arwen has in Aragorn, but I hope to find one in Middle Earth. That's only after the quest of the Ring bearer is finished, I don't want to be distracted just to wind up getting hurt or worse." she said as she cried into his chest some more.
"Ah Mister Potter and Mister Weasley, I see you have made your way here; might I be right in guessing it is because your missing one third of your trio?" Dumbledore's portrait said as he noticed the boys standing off to the side of the room.
"Albus, I think since the boys are here they could receive their letters from Miss. Granger. You see boys Miss Granger came to speak to Dumbledore in hopes of finding a spell to fix her parents memories but instead she could out that they were killed a few days ago just before the battle. Their car was hit by a drunk driver and they died instantly, we gave her a an emergency port-key to where her parents had been hiding out. She left you each a letter and Ron she left you her vault, it seems that she is leaving the magical world and will be unreachable from now on. Everything you need to know is in the letters and I suggest you read them in your Common Room, you may tell the others but only after you have read her letters." Professor McGonagall said as she handed the letters to Harry and Ron, along with the the vault key.
Harry and Ron just stood there not knowing what to say, but they accepted the letters and left. Once Corwen heard the office door close she turned to Professor McGonagall and thanked her. "Lord Elrond, I suggest you three leave before those two come back begging your daughter not to leave. There is little time left before your way home closes and I am glad to have taught your daughter, she was a great help here and I hope she is an ever greater help in her home. Lady Corwen, it has been an honor being your headmaster and I hope you find happiness in the future." Dumbledore said with tears in his eyes.
Upon saying that Aragorn, Lord Elrond and Corwen stepped throw the portal that was being held open by Gandalf on the other end. She was finally home and she knew she wouldn't have much time with her family before she was to leave again, so she headed off to find her sister before the emissaries from Mirkwood arrived. On the way to her sister's room, she ran into her twin brother's Elladan and Elrohir.
They stopped in their tracks as they saw their baby sister running through the halls as if she was a small elfling again, instead of the woman she was now. They smiled knowing that she had returned, which meant she hadn't found love there. Instead of stopping her like they should have, they stepped aside knowing that she would need her sister the most at the moment and that they would see her after the Council Meeting.
When she finally made it to her sister's room, she came to a stop and gently knocked on the door "Elladan, I thought I asked you not to knock unless Corwen had returned with Father?" was all she heard from inside.
"Well then sister I suggest you let me in for we have much to discuss, it has been many moons since we last talked of boys and love." Corwen said as she waited for her sister open her door.
While Corwen and Arwen caught up on the past ten years, the Mirkwood representatives finally arrived, once they were settled the meeting was called to begin. Corwen was still in her summer green gown and cloak silently walks into the meeting with her hood up shielding her face from the others. Legolas was the one to notice her first but stay silent, not wanting to give her away just yet. He had heard from his father that Lady Corwen was returning that day and was to be a member of council; he had not seen her in ten years, not since she was sent to the realm of Earth to play bodyguard to a young Earth Ishtari.
He also knew that her returning meant no one had captured the heart of the Elven Ishtari, it would take a strong Man or Elf to capture her heart. At one time he wished it had been her that he had fallen in love with but it was Tauriel who had been the one to capture his heart. Over the centuries he wondered if he had made the right choice, then before he could find out she was sent to help in the realm of Earth. He figured that she would find love and not return but here she stands instead.
As the meeting went on, they argued over the ring and how Aragorn was the rightful King of Gondor. When Gandalf said something that hadn't been spoken many of year, they came to the conclusion that the ring must be destroyed. Gimli the dwarf tried to break it with his axe but failed, then it was announced that it should be taken to Mount Doom and thrown in the fires that it had been forged in. Then they began to fight over who should take it, since they were all fighting they couldn't hear the young Hobbit named Frodo speak up. So Corwen muttered a spell under her breath "Sonorus" and spoke above the voices.
"Quiet, let the Hobbit speak!" was all she said before cancelling the spell. Everyone looked from her to the young Hobbit who volunteered to take it even though he didn't know the way. Everyone began to pledge their alliance to him and just before she could speak up three other Hobbit's came barging in saying that he wasn't going anywhere without them. Finally, she walked over to the young Hobbit, as she got closer both Aragorn and Legolas stood aside for her.
"Young Master Frodo, it takes a strong person to leave his home in order to fight in a war that he needs no part in. I know from experience that you will need all the help you can get, so I offer myself as well. I am Lady Corwen, the youngest daughter of your host Lord Elrond; I have just returned from helping a Young Ishtari fight a battle he could have not won on his own. Will you except me in your fellowship?" she said softly as she removed her hood and gave him a low bow.
Frodo just stood there as he saw the second most beautiful Elven female bow before him as if he was royalty, before he could speak up Gimli spoke. "We don't need a woman with us, she will just hold us back and we don't have time to make sure she has the comforts she is used to." he said before thinking.
Standing up she spun around to face him with one of her barely used daggers in her hand, "Dwarf, I would watch my words if I were you. I am a skilled warrior like my sister and mother before me, plus I am the first Elven Ishtari to come about in many centuries. I have just come from a battle in a Realm called Earth were I saw many people I called family and friends die all because a mad man wasn't loved as a child. Before I left I was taught the ways of the bow and sword, while I know how to use them I prefer using my magic. With one word I can either kill you or bend you to my will, while I refuse to use those words unless I have no choice do not think I am weak because I am female. Many years ago I knew a Female warrior who was given a place in the royal guard because she was more skilled with weapons then I am. We maybe the fairer of all the races but it does not mean we are the weaker." She said as she held the dagger to his throat.
Before Aragorn could remove her hand, Legolas whispered in her ear "Corwen, do not kill the Dwarf for his ignorance; it is good to see you my old friend. I am glad that no Earth Ishtari stole you away from us, it would have been a sad day to hear that you wouldn't return. I am sorry to say that Warrior you speak of left Mirkwood and has not been seen in many of years." he said as he gently removed her hand from Gimli's neck.
Before Corwen could speak her father stood up "Corwen, I am sure Master Gimli regrets what he said; now upon that any other objections to my youngest daughter joining the fellowship. If not then you have two days to prepare, as I have just gotten her home and wish to spend some time with her before she leaves Rivendell again. There will be a banquet in a few short hours and I suggest you all dress for dinner, I will make sure you know when dinner is ready. For now, why don't you all start packing for your adventure and we will see you at dinner. Prince Legolas, would you mind escorting my daughter to her room before we become one member of the Fellowship short." he said
Legolas just bowed his head and gently took Corwen's hand, "Lady Corwen, have I told you lately how much that green brings the golden tone in your hair?" Legolas said with a hint of flirtation in his voice. He didn't mean to flirt with her but he had to calm her down somehow.
"Why Prince Legolas, since when do you notice such things? I thought your heart belonged to Tauriel or am I mistaken, after all it has been many of year since I last lad my eyes upon you." she said.
"Tauriel, left after the one who stole her heart was killed in battle, no one has seen her in many years. I am afraid that after this quest I am sailing for Valinor, for the one I overlooked as a young elfling doesn't see me in that light. I was a foolish young elf and let my heart over run my head, had I paid more attention I would have been saved of the heartache." He said as he led her to her room.
Once they reached her room she turned to face Legolas and placed her hand upon his face, "Legolas, I know the feeling; while I was in the realm of Earth I thought I had found love but he chose someone else and by the time he came to his senses it was too late. I didn't and couldn't love him the way he wanted, that is why I too will more than likely be going West as well. For I to had love once when I was a young girl but like the one in the Earth realm, he chose another. Many a night I cried over him but I came to realize that she was what he was looking for, she was strong and more skilled with combat weapons while I was just an Elven Ishtari who could never compete for his love." she said before going into her room and closing the door in his face.
After she closed her door, Arwen stepped out of the shadows "Legolas, I told you many years ago that you made a mistake in loving Tauriel; you broke my sister's heart and that is why she really couldn't find love in the Realm of Earth. I suggest you figure out yourself before she falls in love with you, just to get hurt again. This time there will be no coming back from it, she will leave and I will never see her again." she said before leaving to find Aragorn.
Legolas knew she was right, he always knew that Corwen was destined for greatness and he was afraid that if he loved her she would fail. He didn't want to be cause of her weakness, so he gave his heart to Tauriel just to have it broken like he broke Corwen's. As he walked to where he would be staying while in Rivendell, he would be trying to figure out his head and his heart before embarking on a journey that killed get them both killed if they were distracted.