Harry found himself being pulled quickly down the hall. Before he could talk, Legolas made a shushing sound and lead him into the empty Muggle Studies classroom. The only door in the hallway that wasn't locked. He pulled Harry down behind the teacher's desk.

"Someone was coming." The boy whispered.

Harry gave him an annoyed look, and shook the boy's arm off when he tried to pull Harry back down. He needed to get to his dorms before curfew and as much as he wanted to understand the strange boy he didn't want to have detention on top of everything else. The sound of footsteps and low voices stopped his thoughts. How had the boy heard them before him? Was it because he was some kind of creature?

The people in the hall grew closer and he could make out the voice of Pomfrey and Snape.

"I don't know, I didn't even hear him escape." Said the worried healer.

"He can't have gone far." Snape said, he seemed annoyed to Harry, but it could just be general Snape.

They were rattling the classroom door knobs and it didn't register with Harry that he was still out in the open. He was still wondering about what kind of being the boy was. Said boy had tried to get Harry's attention without making noise and was growing irritated at the lack of response.

Legolas pinched Harry's leg and the wizard let out a yelp. The sound prompted Legolas to stand and cover Harry's mouth with his hand. Snape opened the door and raised an eyebrow.

"Well...I should have expected. Potter, fifty points for kidnapping a patient on bedrest." Snape said and Harry glared at the man furiously.

Legolas lowered his hand and stepped in front of Harry like he was going to protect him.

"I escaped on my own." The blonde said. "I was the one who sought...Potter out, I need to speak with him. Alone."

"I'm sure this imperative chat can wait until morning. You are still in a classroom unattended Potter, get to your dorms or I foresee Gryffindor's chance at the House Cup-"

"You misunderstand." Legolas interrupted. Snape scowled and motioned for the boy to continue. "It is too...imperative as you say."

"Unless-"

"It's life or death." Legolas said firmly.

Harry was surprised the boy could be so intimidating. He looked around the age of a fourth year, though he was a bit taller than Harry. It was the way he held himself, standing tall and confident. A warrior going into battle. Legolas didn't ask for respect, he carried himself as if he had already earned it.

"Then you shouldn't be opposed to having the headmaster present." When Legolas moved to protest, Snape added more. "The lives and safety of the students are his responsibility when they are attending Hogwarts, as Mr. Potter is currently."

Legolas thought for a moment before nodding his head. Snape turned with a grand sweep of his robes.

"Follow me." The professor commanded.

The two boys waited in the Headmaster's office while Snape went to get Dumbledore. Legolas was way too serious for his age in Harry's opinion. He stood next to the Headmaster's desk, looking off into the distance again.

"What did you mean by life or death?" Harry couldn't help but ask after the uncomfortable silence became too much to bare.

"Yes, I would like to know that too." Both boys turned to the speaker, Dumbledore, who seemed to glide across the room. Even in his royal purple robes over striped yellow and green pajamas, Dumbledore was still wizardly. Snape had not returned, which gave some relief to Harry.

"Lemon Drop, boys?" Dumbledore asked, taking a small bowl of candy off the shelf with dozens of trinkets moving in various ways.

Harry shook his head, he didn't think he could handle the taste of candy with all this 'life or death' talk going on. Legolas made no move to take one either, so Dumbledore put the bowl back.

"Now, I believe we should get to the serious matters. Mr.-?" Dumbledore turned to Legolas expectantly.

"Legolas. Just Legolas." The boy said.

"Alright, Legolas, please continue." Dumbledore leaned back in the chair behind his desk and eyes in the room turned to blonde boy.

"I have been… contemplating this situation for the time I have been in this world-"

"World?" Harry asked.

Was Legolas some kind of alien? He remembered Dudley sobbing in his sleep one time because he had watched a movie on aliens and thought they had abducted him. Harry didn't watch it, he wasn't allowed to, but he did overhear some conversations over aliens in his primary school. As if Legolas could read his thoughts, he gave Harry an irritated look.

"Yes. My home is... Arda, and this is not it." Legolas said.

"Hmm. And do you know how you came to be here?" Dumbledore asked.

"I remember, I was on my way across the sea. The water started to churn in circles. I tried my hardest to turn the ship, but I just…" Legolas trailed off sadly.

"You were sucked into a whirlpool? And how did you come to be in the lake?" Dumbledore asked.

"I do not know. One moment I was struggling to stay above the waves and the next there were no waves at all. I wore myself out, trying to swim."

"And that was when Harry came in?" Dumbledore continued the interrogation.

"Yes."

"Which brings us too the life or death situation?" Dumbledore concluded.

Harry hoped the Headmaster had guessed wrong. He'd been involved in enough life or death situations. He was in one now, with Triwizard Tournament this year.

Legolas closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again, he didn't have the same air of confidence.

"My people - Elves, we have always been connected to nature...to Arda itself. And our life force is tied to the world so truly that our lives will end with it. But... when I was marooned here… it was gone. My connection to my home and to my brethren had been replaced. While I was healing, I could feel a new connection and when I awoke…" Legolas paused and turned to Harry, who didn't like where this was going. "I sought it."

"I see…" Dumbledore said. "This connection?"

"I can feel when he's in danger and I feel - I need to protect him."

"Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing!" Dumbledore said.

"What?" Harry exclaimed.

"Are you joking?" Legolas interjected at the same time.

Harry stared, Legolas seemed about as happy about this connection as he did, which was not at all. Harry didn't want to drag another person into dangerous situations. And Legolas wasn't even in this by choice!

"No, my boy! You see Harry here has been entered in a very dangerous tournament-" Dumbledore started.

"No." Legolas said firmly, he did not look happy about being called Dumbledore's boy. "I won't allow him to be in a dangerous situation."

Harry appreciated the sentiment, really he did, but there was no way that was going to happen with his life. It felt nice to be protected by someone for once, even if he knew what Dumbledore would say.

"I'm sorry, but it is a binding magical contract. There is no way to break it." Dumbledore said, almost exactly as Harry thought he would.

"Then let me do it instead." Legolas didn't seem to happy about it, but he still offered. Maybe it was the will of the mystic connection.

"That… is also against the rules. However, if this connection is the way you say it is, we could interpret the rules to allow you to compete with Harry. I will have to go over everything again, and it will take time. Harry, it would be good if you could help Legolas get accustomed to living here and I will send a bed up to the boy's dorm for him."

"Very well." Legolas said and dismissed himself as he headed for the door. Harry waited for Dumbledore to nod to him before he followed.