Disclaimer: All characters and settings are based on the writings of J.K. Rowling and/or J.R.R. Tolkien. I am not and will not make any money off this.

Word of warning: this story will frustrate you if you are an avid Harry Potter fan and it will doubly frustrate you if you are also a Tolkien fan. However, I promise that if you stick it out all your frustrations will be alleviated by the end and you will find an enjoyable story until you get to that end.

Chapter 1 – The Stranger, the Life Exchanger

A strange man popped into town. Literally, the pop echoed in the small southwestern English town as the stranger emerged out of nothingness.

Night's darkness aged as the tall outsider began to walk along the town's cobblestoned streets. If anyone had been out this late – and happened to be sober – they would certainly have done a double take when they noticed him.

To begin with, the manner in which he walked was awkward. It was not exactly a limp, although the man did carry a staff. His legs just appeared to move as if they were too long for the rest of him. One might have thought the term "gumpy" to be appropriate. He had the gait of a teenage boy who had just undergone a growth spurt and was trying to get used to his own body. Despite the appearance of his stride, however, the man was no teenager.

The second thing that would have brought attention to this man was the way he was dressed. Any dignified person would find his "costume" strange. After all, Halloween was months away. Nevertheless, it was not uncommon in this town to see such attire among a certain segment of the population.

For the magical residents of Godric's Hollow it was commonplace to wear robes and cloaks. However, even wizards and witches would have found this stranger's wardrobe odd, if not downright eccentric. Thick gray wool was not exactly fashionable, particularly when it was worn and tattered. Nor was it exactly practical, especially for such a warm night in May.

The tall ash staff was a bit much, as well.

Upon reaching the square in the center of the village, the man paused to gaze at a statue. As he approached, it transformed from a war memorial into a representation of a young couple holding a baby.

His forehead compressed as if he was in deep thought for a moment, but then he immediately began shuffling forward again. When he turned around to look at the statue once more, he saw it had returned to the form of the war memorial.

As he passed a pub and then a church, it was clear that the man knew exactly where he was going. He did not hesitate as he proceeded to walk behind the church and towards a kissing gate that led to a cemetery.

The man moved through the entryway as clumsily as he had walked down the street. After pulling his robes free from being caught in the self-closing gate, he looked around in humiliation, but the entire area was dark and silent. His awkward expression was fleeting as it returned to one of a man on a mission. If someone had been watching, they may have thought it a poor attempt to hide his embarrassment.

Once past the gate, the man walked purposefully, peering from grave to grave.

Finally coming upon the one he wanted, he quietly read the tombstone's inscription to himself, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." His face went through a series of rapidly changing expressions, through uncertainty and more embarrassment until it finally settled on resolve.

The man had been compulsively rubbing his right hand, but he suddenly stopped. After setting down his staff, he lifted up a fist upon which moonlight glinted off a golden ring beset with a black stone.

Slowly, the stranger took off the heavy ring. Closing his eyes, he turned it over in his hands three times.

Suddenly, wisps of vapor appeared before him. The mist swirled as it formed into the shadows of a man and a woman. They were not exactly ghostly, but they did not look quite alive either.

The man was tall and thin with disheveled black hair and glasses. His arm was around a very pretty woman with long red hair and striking green eyes. As the image became clearer and their facial expressions became less distorted, it was obvious that these two people were incredibly puzzled and bemused.

"I suppose you're going to tell us what this is all about," said James Potter.

James's wife Lily blinked up at him and then looked back at the stranger.

The stranger took a clumsy step forward revealing large blue eyes, a youthful face, and short wavy brown hair. He stuttered, "My… my name is Ekem Egnezzem. I have come to ask for your help."

While the stranger had been speaking, Lily noticed him slide a ring on his right index finger. She recognized the black stone immediately. She pondered this for a moment. Yes, she remembered that stone, in fact she remembered a great deal of events that occurred while she was dead. She was dead! It all came flooding back: she had died protecting her son Harry and somehow she knew everything Harry had been through while she was gone. She knew everything, including everything about that stone. There was only one thing she did not know.

"Where did you get that stone?" Lily blurted out.

Ekem had been staring at James, but he suddenly snapped back into reality at hearing this question. "Uh… it was given to me… as part of my quest."

James squinted. "What sort of quest? And what do you need us for? We're dead after all." At that, Lily quickly looked up at James, apparently shocked that he had said they were dead out loud.

"That I cannot answer right now, but I promise that I will in due time," Ekem said almost as if he was trying to convince himself. "What I can say is that if you join me on this quest, you will help countless people."

"Countless people, eh? And why exactly are we supposed to buy this?" James said, frustrated.

Ekem took a breath. "Because I'm not forcing you to do anything. If you choose not to trust me, you will simply return to your final resting place." He paused. "However, if you come with me, you can help to overcome an evil far more powerful than the Dark Lord ever was. Not only will you protect the innocent, but you will live up to the wonderful perception that your son has of you." Even he was surprised at how eloquent he sounded, especially after such an awkward start.

"What exactly do we have left to prove?" said Lily.

"Nothing at all, but your son believes, and rightfully so, that you two are courageous and willing to sacrifice for others. Your son would never expect you to turn away from those in need."

At this, James and Lily both turned towards each other as if thinking by hive mind. Lily abruptly looked back at Ekem and shouted, "But we're dead!"

"And, like I have said, that is how you will remain if you wish. But… if you choose to help me – on my quest, I mean – then you will regain life."

"And we can be with our son?" Lily blurted out hopefully.

"I am afraid not. In fact, we will be going to another time and place entirely."

Lily looked hurt, but James looked puzzled. "You mean to say that we are going to another dimension?"

Ekem nodded.

"Why exactly would we want to go to another dimension and risk our…" – he paused in disbelief – "lives… for people we don't even know?"

"Because that is exactly what Harry would do and that's exactly what he would expect from his parents as well."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Well, yes, perhaps, if he knew about it! On the other hand, he just might be royally pissed that some creep is disturbing his parents' graves."

James had been shaking his head in several short rapid motions since Ekem's last comment. "So, the three of us," he gestured between them all, "we are supposed to take on someone more powerful than Voldemort."

Ekem smiled for the first time since their encounter. "Actually, I hope to convince all those closest to Harry to join us. Those who have died, of course."

James looked up with a grin. "Like Sirius and Remus?"

Ekem hesitated and then nodded. "Precisely."

James considered a reunion with the Marauders with an almost devious smile, he thought about his son, and he looked at Lily. She looked back at him knowingly and lightheartedly said, "I guess there will always be time to 'rest in peace' later."

They turned to Ekem who gathered up his staff. Waving it like a giant wand in his right hand, a flash of light appeared and engulfed James and Lily before vanishing into the darkness.

Ekem let his staff slide down within his grasp until the end hit the ground with a quiet thud. Clutching the staff against his body with both hands, he Disapparated.

There were ten others Ekem would recruit to help him in his quest. He knew beforehand that some would be easier to convince than others, but he was hopeful.

After James and Lily, Cedric Diggory was easy to convince. An exemplary Hufflepuff, Cedric was loyal and a hard worker.

After Apparating to the Diggory family tomb and using the Resurrection Stone in his ring, Ekem told Cedric that this was a choice between "what is right and what is easy." Recognizing these as the exact words Dumbledore had used to eulogize him, Cedric knew he could not say no.

What followed was the recruitment of Sirius Black. Having spent twelve years in Azkaban, Sirius had a difficult time trusting a stranger, especially one that had unexplainably came into possession of a powerful magical ring. However, once Sirius thought about how the Marauders would be reunited, the light in his previously dark face could not be contained.

Sirius exclaimed with delight, "I spent twelve years in a prison surrounded by those evil soul-sucking Dementors, another two years on the run, a year alone in a house I hate with a house-elf I despise, and then the one time I got to go out and do something worthwhile my witch of a cousin kills me!" The nodding of his head became progressively more rapid. "Now you offer me the chance to break the monotony of death with long lost friends. I heartily accept!"

After a few successes, Ekem's next stop proved to be more difficult than he anticipated.

Arriving by Apparition near the lake at Hogwarts, Ekem had to be careful not to bring any attention to himself. After all, Harry Potter had only defeated the Dark Lord just hours before at this very school. The noise from within the castle walls told Ekem that the victory celebration had yet to cease.

Ekem set aside his staff as he came upon a marble tomb. Before taking off his new ring, he went over what he would say in his mind. After several moments' reflection, he took off the ring and turned it over in his hands three times.

The shadow of an old man draped in velvet with a long white beard and half-moon spectacles gradually appeared before him.

Ekem opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, the old man said in a very calm yet firm voice, "If you mean to ask if I will simply abandon my last great adventure and go off with you, you are barking up the wrong Whomping Willow, young man."

Ekem's mind raced with thoughts, something about a higher purpose and doing what is right.

The old wizard preemptively countered, "I chose the way I would die and not many men can say that. I accepted my own fate and welcomed it. You will not take that away from me."

After gulping, Ekem spoke. "You are a great wizard. No one would question that you have done your part to defeat evil and promote good. You have without argument done more than any other to set in motion the defeat of the Dark Lord. However, I must throw your own words back at you: 'It is our choices that show what we truly are.'"

Ekem could not tell if what he saw in the old wizard's blue eyes was a glint of annoyance or enjoyment.

After a moment the old man said, "If you're going to quote me, I might as well quote me too: 'Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them.'" He paused and took a deep breath. "I am at peace, everything is as it should be and yet, for as clever a man as I am, I'm about to make a very dim-witted choice."

The wise old wizard hinted at Ekem's staff, which Ekem hastily retrieved.

With that the two men grinned at each other and, in a flash, the old wizard was gone.

The recruitment of the always wise Albus Dumbledore stood in stark contrast to that of the always vigilant Alastor Moody. In fact, the grizzled warrior was ready to leave before his form fully appeared. He was like a child all packed and ready to go on holiday to an amusement park. To Moody, defeating evil was like a carnival game. However, he always played with utmost seriousness.

Moody's willingness to leave with a complete stranger was quite out of character, Ekem thought. The man was known for his paranoia and Ekem had expected that he would need a great deal of convincing. Nevertheless, Moody came without any protest and Ekem was not going to argue about that.

Following the recruitment of the burly, came the recruitment of the barely three feet tall. It would be the first non-Human in the group, yet someone still very close to Harry Potter.

When Dobby appeared, Ekem had to contain a laugh at the mismatched clothing that the house-elf was wearing.

Dobby looked Ekem up and down. "Dobby knows what you want. I has seen who you are, sir."

Ekem looked down and swallowed. Then his eyes followed the ground to a large white stone and he read aloud, "Here lies Dobby, a free elf." He looked back at Dobby. "You went from slavery to free service because of Harry Potter. Will you now freely serve in his honor?"

Dobby's large green eyes looked up at Ekem. "Dobby feels unsure sir, but Dobby joins you. He thinks it what Harry Potter would do."

After Dobby, Ekem found himself rather nervous about the next ghostly meeting he would have. He was compulsively rubbing his right hand and both his hands began to tremble as he took off the ring. Turning the ring over three times in his hands, a dark mist began to swirl until it took the form of a black-robed man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and eyes like dark empty tunnels.

The looming shadow of Severus Snape said nothing, but stood waiting with his hands interlocked and his eyes affixed on Ekem.

Ekem could hardly stand the silence, but he seemed afraid to speak.

Snape stared unflinchingly as if to say, "Well?" but he only stood there in silence.

Finally, Ekem stuttered, "I would very much like you to… uh… join me on a quest. I…"

"Let's be off then," Snape said curtly.

Ekem's jaw dropped and he just stared in awe. He had expected this to be far more difficult and far more humiliating. Yet here Snape was, choosing to help him without a single argument.

Snape breathed heavily in annoyance, bent over to pick up Ekem's staff and handed it to him forcefully. "I think you'll be needing that."

Ekem looked down at the staff as it was thrust towards him.

"Oh, take your time, I'm sure your quest can wait," Snape said in a successful attempt to belittle the prey before him.

Ekem fumbled with his staff before finally getting a grip on both it and his emotions.

"You better hurry up before I decide I'd rather not go on a quest with someone this incompetent."

With a wave of the staff, Snape, who was now shaking his head in disgust, disappeared in a flash leaving Ekem to sigh to himself in relief.

As far as recruitment went, Ekem was over the hump. Only a few more stops now.

If Ekem had thought Moody was like an excitable child, it was only because he had not met Colin Creevey yet. The mousy boy could hardly contain his excitement at what Ekem told him.

From Colin's body, Ekem only had to move a few feet in the Great Hall of Hogwarts to find the next person he was looking for.

After using the Resurrection Stone this time, a young man with flaming red hair and freckles appeared. Ekem expected this much from a Weasley. What he did not expect, however, was the glum look on Fred Weasley's face.

"Do you know why I've come?" asked Ekem solemnly.

Fred nodded slowly.

Ekem continued, "Have you made a decision?"

"What good will it do if I go with you… what can I do?"

"You will be a great help. We need good, trustworthy people. You bring a lot of skill and sense to the table. Besides, who else could boost morale better than you and your… tricks?" Ekem said as he forced an uneasy smile.

"You've come to the wrong place for that. What about my morale?"

The silence that ensued told Ekem that this may be the first potential recruit he would lose. "I cannot begin to understand what it is like to lose your life so young. But you must know that Cedric and Colin – both of whom were younger than you when they lost their lives – have decided to join this quest."

Fred looked up. "This isn't about me! I'm not the type to sit around pitying myself. This is about my family. The looks on their faces when that wall exploded on me! They… they were devastated. My brothers… George." As he trailed off, the shadows of tears rolled down his ghostly cheek.

Ekem was deeply struck by this, "You grieve not for yourself, but for those left behind?"

"At this very moment, my brother George is distraught… and alone."

A longer silence ensued.

Fred straightened up quickly, "You need to take me to him."

"To your brother?"

He responded rapidly, "Yes, let me see him… and the rest of my family… and, afterwards, I'll go with you."

Ekem shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I just can't do that."

Fred reverted to anger. "You can't… or you won't?"

"I am sorry."

"Then let me be."

Just then, a nearby door creaked open.

Ekem leapt with fright. The way he stumbled away to hide almost made Fred laugh. Almost.

To resurrect Fred and Colin, Ekem had come to the Great Hall, where their bodies had been lain only hours before. The victory celebration had long died out and everyone was asleep, allowing Ekem to sneak into the castle and this room unnoticed. Now it seemed that someone had not been asleep after all.

As Ekem darted behind a table, Fred's deathly shadow vanished. A short, plump woman with red hair walked and then broke into a stumbling run across the room. Apparently, she had been too distraught to notice Ekem or the shadow to which he had been talking when she came in.

Kneeling on the floor, the woman hoisted Fred's limp body into her arms. "My boy, my boy," she cried. "My brave boy." Molly Weasley rocked her son's lifeless body, her worst fears realized.

When the door to the Great Hall opened once again neither Molly nor Ekem noticed. Molly was so wrapped up in her emotions and Ekem was entranced by those emotions. The mirror image of Fred walked towards Molly, but this was no shadow. George, Fred's twin, laid one hand on his mother's shoulder.

Molly looked back and forth between her two sons, one living and the other lifeless. "You two look so different now."

"That's 'cause Fred's got both his ears, Mum," said George with a quiet, restrained type of humor.

She tried to smile, but her cheeks barely rose. "He's just so fragile."

"Uh… Mum, Fred was a Beater. We aren't a bunch of poofs, you know. In fact, Fred was probably one of the toughest Hogwarts Beaters in centuries. I should know; I used to have to practice with him. Took a lot of bruises from my brother, I did." George knelt down beside his mother and his voice became quieter and more serious, "I'm really going to miss him."

Molly had been staring blankly at her dead son. "I was always so hard on you boys…"

George stared at his mother in disbelief. "You were the best mother anyone could hope for. Fred and I always said so."

"We always did have a special relationship, you boys and I. It was always sort of fun trying to catch you in the act." She tried to grin again.

"It was always sort of fun trying not to get caught."

"It sometimes felt like I had my brothers back again when I was with you two. They had the same brand of mischievous behavior, Fabian and Gideon. You know, that's why I named you Fred and George… F and G, like them."

"I know, Mum, you've told us a hundred times." George paused feeling he needed to be more comforting at this moment. "The three of them have each other now, you know. Heroes, the lot of them. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Fred is setting off to impress some angelic totty with stories of his 'brave sacrifice at the Battle of Hogwarts.'" George said this last part in a deep, macho voice and with his chest puffed up. He continued more seriously, "He died a hero's death, Mum, and I don't think he'd have it any other way."

After a few moments, the two of them stood up. Mother and son hugged each other before giving Fred one last look and walking out of the Great Hall together.

Ekem waited until the door closed behind them and slowly walked towards Fred's body. He was still in awe of everything he had just overheard. He was even a little ashamed. Taking a deep breath, he used the Resurrection Stone to summon Fred once again.

The image of Fred was quite different than before. His expression had changed. "I'm ready now," he spoke softly.

Ekem nodded, apparently a silent understanding had fallen between the two of them. With that, he staggered over to where he had been hiding and clumsily fumbled with his staff as he picked it up.

Fred's voice was quite different as he said, "Listen mate, I don't know how you're expecting to defeat all sorts of evil if you can barely stand on your own two feet."

His face turning red, Ekem resorted to rubbing his ring hand.

Fred displayed a mild smirk just before his ghost vanished.

As Ekem moved between the dead bodies in the Great Hall, he could not stop replaying what had just happened in his head. Of all the recruiting he was performing tonight, he had least expected that of Fred Weasley to be the most profound.

About halfway between where Fred's body lay and the doors, Ekem stopped. Before him lay two bodies, those of a man and woman. The golden wedding bands on each of their left ring fingers gleamed with the reflection of the stars from the enchanted ceiling above.

Taking off his own ring one last time for the night, Ekem used the power of the Resurrection Stone to bring forth the spirits of Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin. The pretty woman's pink hair and youth stood in stark contrast to the man's graying brown hair.

Lupin spoke first in a hoarse voice, "Well, I suppose we don't get to see Teddy before we leave." He did not phrase this as a question, yet there was a glimmer of hope in the statement.

"I am truly sorry," said Ekem.

Tonks and Lupin nodded simultaneously. "So then, we join James, Sirius, and Lily now?" said Lupin as Tonks looked up at her husband who sounded almost like a boy at that moment.

Ekem nodded. "We do."

As Ekem lifted up his staff, Tonks slid her hand into Lupin's and the two of them vanished.

--

A/N: This is my first fanfic. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the crossover genre because explaining how the actual crossover occurs is often too strange for words. You may already have that same feeling about this story, but really the crossover portion is less important than the actual story. Whether you are a Harry Potter fan and/or a Tolkien fan, please take the time to continue reading. I promise you will not regret it in the end and, hopefully, you'll enjoy it on the way.

Many thank you's to Ashwinder for her beta help.

I hope to see all your frustrations when I read the reviews. : )

Next Chapter: Snape the Sour Grape