Harry Potter and the Price of Freedom
Written by Becca
Disclaimer: All HP Characters and places belong to JK Rowling. All LOTR Characters and Places belong to JRR Tolkien. I own nothing you recognise.
Summary: -HP/LOTR Crossover- Rated for later chapters Harry's life in the Wizarding world comes to an end yet he is given a second chance to find happiness in another world. Pairings: Harry/Erestor, maybe some Harry/Erestor/Haldir
Author Notes: I noticed that most people do not think much of Lord of the Ring crossovers and I wondered why. Personally, I love HP crossovers with LOTR, especially when its slash with one of the sexy elves -grins- I hope you like this so far, I only have five chapters written on it, but I thought if I posted what I have so far, some of you could give me some ideas for it or something.
Prologue
Darkness.
Silence.
Fear.
Harry's thoughts were compressing as he lay as still as he could, trying to even his breathing and quieten the beat of his heart. Surely it was not natural for any room to be so quiet? There was always the sound of wind through the cracks of the stone, a groaning door, a creeping window. Or in Hogwarts case, the gentle whispering of the walls, the soothing buzz of the wards and so without even opening his eyes, he could tell he was not in his home. He wracked through his brain, trying to remember what had happened, he recalled a battle, the last battle but his memory was hazy and he could not recollect what exactly had happened.
Not a whispered voice washed over him, not a breath that did not belong to himself could be heard. The silence almost felt like it was closing in on him, squashing him until he was held between solid walls of nothingness. Crushed by thoughts and almost overwhelmed by his fear. It took him all this time, without opening his eyes, to remember that not only did he have no need to breath, but his heart did not beat and hadn't done for years.
Therefore, he wasn't as alone as he thought
War
He remembered he was at war. He did not remember said war ending. He was alone in a room with another being, he was lying down with his eyes closed and he was scared. Therefore, one must assume that he was in a room with his enemy. Without moving an inch and making sure to keep his eyes closed and his breathing as it had been so as to not alert the other of his wake, Harry very slowly broadened his senses, reaching old slowly to wrap around the other in the room…his enemy.
Maybe he shouldn't have done that
He was left trembling under the power he had just felt, the mind of this being was definitely not open to intruders but what left him more than a little worried was the fact that there was more than one. All of equal power that his own could not even compare too. Maybe he shouldn't have done whatever it was he did to piss off these people. He had not a chance of survival.
Did he care?
Hell no
In war one must make sacrifices, he knew that he would not fight against people such as these if there was not a good reason. But that's another thing, he could not sense evil, he could not sense destruction or even hatred, he just felt an overly calm, peace. Merlin he wished one of them would say something so that he at least knew he was not drowning in darkness, was not choking on his own thoughts.
As far as he knew there was not a single door or window in this room, considering he could not feel the air change anywhere and so he had two choices. Attack first and ask questions later if he survived or open his eyes, let them know he was awake and die before he can even ask a thing…hmm, tough choice but considering he could not feel their evil, that did not mean they were not, it was rather simple to mask ones true colours when one has power, so he may not be killed or he may but then if he attacked and managed to harm someone that wasn't evil then that would just totally suck
Now his head hurt
Without much more thought, Harry's hand slowly travelled to the two daggers he wore on a belt. He couldn't help but hold his breath as they were drawn from their sheaths and then he took a deep breath and counted to ten before he jumped to his feet and threw the two daggers at two of the beings. It was rather a good thing he knew where they were without looking considering as soon as he snapped his eyes open, a blinding white light burst through his eyes bringing an instant headache.
It also didn't help when the two daggers he had thrown just seemed to turn back and then slam right into both of his shoulders, dragging him back until he was effectively pinned to the wall. The wall that Harry was positive had just popped up out of nowhere too. He looked down at himself and cringed at the blood dripping down to the white floor. He grinned weakly up in front of him even if he couldn't see anyone around him in this bright light
"Heh – I umm – I guess I shouldn't have done that" he said sheepishly and then looked pointedly down at the floor "I'm kinda ruining your décor here" when there was still no answer, he rolled his eyes and reached up to grasp one of the daggers, wincing as it lodged himself further in. He pulled it out and cringed but didn't make a sound and then reached up to get the other. As he fell to his feet and landed on the floor (which may I add, he couldn't see as it too was covered in bright light) he sheathed his weapons and just stood, waiting.
And waiting
And waiting
The silence was compressing again and he narrowed his eyes
His fear returned
"Oh for the love of-" he muttered and then closed his eyes "Can you just get it over with and kill me already? I know there's more than one with me in this room, I don't know who you are, why I'm here or even where I am but I do know that if you don't kill the lights, I'm gonna get a bloody migraine" he muttered, rubbing at his temples. When there was still no reply, he huffed and sat on the floor, his back leaning against the wall he had just been pinned too and he took out his dagger and threw it in the air, catching it between his fingers whilst he waited.
"Harry Potter" the voice echoed around the room and Harry jumped, wincing as the knife went straight through his finger. He looked up glaring but he was not sure in which direction the person or persons were anymore
"You did that on purpose," he said accusingly
"I assure you. I did not" the same voice again, a male, his words were laced with power and knowledge and Harry sighed
"Besides, that's what you get for playing with knives" this time it was a woman and Harry rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath "How would you know if I sounded like your mother when you have never met her?" the woman asked curiously, obviously hearing Harry's words. Harry winced visibly and glared
"That was a little below the belt don't you think?" he asked, arching an eyebrow "And anyway, it's a saying, you know, a phrase, a common…oh never mind" he said and once again pushed the dagger into its holder and climbed to his feet, he looked around, squinting into the light for any sign of the voices, "Are you going to show yourselves or am I to just speak to the air? I assure you I have learnt my lesson," he said, pressing a finger against the hole in one of his shoulders and flinched.
Finally the blinding of the light died down and Harry was able to see around him, the walls and floor were white (surprisingly) but were no longer caked in light. A few feet in front of him though was a large (white) table where sat at least 10 of the fairest beings Harry had ever set eyes on, dressed in long, flowing white robes. He groaned when he saw this but walked forward and studied them all carefully, meeting their eyes. He hit himself on the head after he had finished looking and he bowed stiffly, but he couldn't stop from asking the one thing that was plaguing his mind
"So…has colour even been invented here then? Besides black and white" he said, smiling innocently and ignored both the glares and the amusement he was receiving. He rocked backwards and forwards on his heels with his hands clasped behind his back "You know, if you'd just said that you weren't an evil ugly creature before I opened by eyes then you could have saved me both the humiliation and the pain" he said in a singsong voice and rolled his eyes as the one person in the middle just stared at him, his face a mask of indifference whilst a few of the others were openly smirking or smiling
"You have attempted to attack the Valar, explain your reasons," he said and Harry blinked
"The Valar?" he said and then scowled "You have access to my thoughts and my memories, if you are whom you say so why should I have to explain myself? And besides, if you were the Valar then a feeble attempt such as mine was would not have the almighty powerful creators of all beings so pissed off now would it?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. The middleman as Harry had come to call him arched an eyebrow and with a wave of his hand, Harry was shooting back down the room, not one of his counters would stop it
"Alright, alright keep your hair on man" he snapped when it finally stopped. He was drawn back before the row of people and he glared daggers at the middleman before sighing "I am – was – in a war, the last thing I remember is being in the middle of a battle, I cannot remember how said battle ended, I cannot remember much of it clearly at all and so when ones memory goes from being in a battle to be drowning in silence, its quite unnerving as I am sure you can imagine" he said and then smirked "Which reminds me, you could use a splash of paint here and there and a little music wouldn't go too badly either"
"Do you offer no apology for your attack?" the woman next to the middleman asked surprised and Harry stared at her
"Do you offer me no apology for returning the attack? As I see it, I'm the only one that's wounded here. Now if I had managed to actually have hit one of you or even come close then I would apologise but as I am the only one who is harmed, then it serves myself right and we're even. Don't you think?" he asked seriously and the woman smiled at him before nodding
"Oh lets get this over with. Harry Potter, you are given a choice. You may continue on your way to heaven, return to your world but as a ghost or live, as you are now, in another world amongst others of your race, well, what your race was before you were turned." The middleman said and Harry looked at him for a minute before growing serious
"May I ask, as I obviously died in that battle, what of Lord Voldemort?" he asked slowly and the middleman studied him carefully
"You defeated him," he said carefully and Harry's jaw dropped. He opened and closed his mouth for a few minutes before he lowered his head
"Then I deserve none of the choices you have given me my lord. Voldemort may have been a Dark Lord but he was still a living being and I killed him," he said sincerely and jumped visibly when he felt a hand on his shoulder
"Now there is the pure soul we have sensed in you, young lord. You have been forgiven for that deed as by killing Lord Voldemort, you have saved the lives of millions of others. There was no other choice, we are aware of that. We have…contact with a particular person who would help you with this decision. We will leave you now with them" well honestly, Harry stared in the space where the middleman had just been stood for a good few minutes in complete shock but then he turned when he sensed another presence and his eyes fell on Severus.
He stepped forward, hardly daring to believe his eyes as the man pulled him into a tight embrace. He leant his head on the mans chest and smelt the familiar potions and herbs, tears came to his eyes and he pulled back slightly to cup the mans cheek "Is it really you?" he whispered, looking into the dark orbs that were glittering with love for him, just like they used too.
"My Harry. My love. It is I yes but we do not have much time. I need you to listen to me" Severus said softly, stroking his hands through Harry's hair lovingly "I have missed you so much my beauty, I have watched you ever since I was forced to leave. Harry, I know you want to be with me, I know you want to see your parents again but not yet, others need you and your powers whether your or I like it or not. You must return to another world, bring light to others lives like you have mine" he added and then tilted Harry's face up when the boy started to protest and pulled him into a deep kiss.
The familiarity sent Harry's mind reeling, as he opened up to that probing tongue and then it was just like it had been in his sixth year, just under a year ago now and Harry was back in the potions masters arms, deep inside the dungeons. Tears fell as he explored that mouth anew and stroked that tongue with his own, there was no doubt in his mind, this was his Severus. When they broke apart, they were both panting heavily and pressed their foreheads together. "I – I want to be with you Severus. I cant – not without you," he whispered but Severus smiled sadly and shook his head, pulling back
"You need to move on Harry, what we had together was beautiful but now its gone. We both know you do not wish to return as a ghost and so there are but two options, to stay and travel to the heavens with me or go to another world, move on, live in the happiness you never received at home, forget about war and find another soul to connect with. I am gone, what we had is over now but you, you have the chance to be happy, find love in another and live without war and despair. I will always be waiting for you when the time comes" he said softly, his hand cupping Harry's cheek "But now is not the time, others need you" he said, letting his hand fall to his side.
"I will always love you Harry. Be happy," he said again and Harry nodded silently, his tears still falling as he watched the image of his lover flicker and then he was alone. Harry fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. He knew what Severus said was true but his heart spoke differently. If he followed the man now, he would have the chance to meet his parents, to become a family again but more importantly at this minutes, he would have his love in his arms but if he did that, then it was over. Life was over. If he did as his love said and went to another world, then he may find the peace and happiness he had always desired and that wouldn't be forever, he could always meet his parents when the time came…
"Have you decided?" the middleman's voice echoed around the room and Harry took a deep breath before standing and turning to face the table full of beings again. He nodded curtly and the man smiled at him "When you arrive in your destination. You will find a few things that you may need close by. May the stars shine brightly over your head" he said again and Harry smirked weakly
"Isn't it you people who decide that?" he asked, in a poor attempt of humour and the middleman scowled mockingly
"It's a saying, you know, a phrase, a common…oh never mind" he teased and Harry laughed through his tears. He bowed low and then straightened his head to meet their eyes once more
"I would say it's been an honour but I'm afraid it's a little too painful to be classed as anything but frustrating and by the way, the whole light things…its kinda nauseating" he said smiling innocently
"We will meet again Harry Potter" the woman said amused and then it was dark again.