Disclaimer :
I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings.
Summary:
After the death of his loved ones, Harry searched for a spell that would bring him peace, but the spell he found only brought the opposite. Sending him to a different world where there was another war which he never wanted to be part of.
Note:
Chap.03
Harry and the four hobbits ran towards the village of Bree, in the pouring rain. Though they had their hoods on, it was little help to prevent the hobbits from becoming thoroughly drenched. As for Harry, only his outer cloak was only wet a little, and inside he was all dry and warm. Thanks to the fine silk and magic weaver who made it.
"Looks like we're here." Merry said looking up at the large wooden gate of the village.
"Let's get in before we catch a cold from the rain." said Frodo, walking up to the gate.
"…" Harry looked at the village and thought. For the last few hours, while they were drifting along the river, he had listened to the hobbits. They told him legends and stories about them and creatures that walked the land they called middle earth.
"Hobbits, elves, trolls, and goblins… it looks like I'm not in my world anymore."
Frodo knocked on the wooden gate. After a couple of seconds a small window, just big enough for a face to fit in, slid open above them.
"Who's there?" asked a grouchy voice. Not seeing anybody, he shut the window and a second later, another window, at the hobbits height, slid open.
"What do you want??" the old man asked again.
"We are heading to the Prancing Pony." Frodo responded.
The man closed the window and opened the door, stepping out in front of them with a lamp in his right hand. He was old and skinny with hair like straw that clung to his shoulder.
The man eyed the group and especially Harry because he was visibly half a head taller than the hobbits and wore a rich silky robe unlike the rest, and stood out. Harry ignored the stare.
"Four hobbits and… a child?" the old man narrowed his eyes in question, looking at Harry. Harry glared angrily, but didn't say anything.
After observing the group a bit more, the gate guard spoke.
"Huh, this you don't see everyday. What's your business?"
"We wish to stay at the Inn out of this cold rain." Frodo answered.
"Alright, you may enter." He said sidestepping so they can come through. Harry looked around in awe at the scene before him as he passed houses and people. The houses were built out of brick stones and the clothes the people wore were so primitive. In his survey of the town, he lost track of those around him and was bumped harshly by a large fat man. The man didn't bother to look at whom he'd bumped into and kept on walking.
"Are you alright mate?" Pippin asked worriedly
"Yes." He replied as he watched the man walk away into the night. He avoided the wagons and men gracefully after that. His hobbit friends however, were jostled in the crowd. Inwardly, Harry sighed, and halted his steps so he was walking at the back of the group. He entered the minds of the villagers that came close to them and made them walk in another direction. Unaware of the odd actions of the humans around them, the hobbits kept on searching for the Inn.
"This way." Frodo called walking over to a lit house filled with people.
"Inn of the Prancing Pony…" Harry spoke in a quiet voice and entered the Inn after the hobbits. Once inside, they were greeted with loud noises and laughter. The hobbits tensed, huddling closer to one another unconsciously. Harry on the other hand felt a presence and turned his head towards it. At the far corner beside the fireplace, sat a man in a cloak similar to Harry's. He was smoking a pipe and staring at them.
"Who is he?" Harry thought watching the stranger from the corner of his eyes as he fallowed Frodo and his friends to a counter.
"E…excuse me." Taking his wet hood off, Frodo asked hesitantly of the white, chubby bartender who was drying a metal cup with a dirty looking rag. The chubby man turned around at the voice and looked around for the source of the voice. Not seeing anyone, he was about to go back to his task when he caught the tip of Harry's hood and leaned over to look down at its owner.
"Oh, hello there little masters. What can I do for you?" he asked looking at the faces of the hobbits and Harry's cloaked form.
"We are friends of Gandalf the gray. Can you tell him we have arrived?" Frodo answered looking up at the men.
"Gandalf?" The bartender asked, stopping his drying and thinking for a moment.
"Sorry, but haven't seen him for a while now." he said and went back to his business.
The hobbits glanced at each other worriedly and walked silently to an empty table. Harry sat on the right end of the table where he could see the stranger from the corner of his eyes, Frodo in front of him and Merry beside him. When everyone sat, Merry leaned forward to the center of the table and softly asked.
"What now?"
Sam stared at Frodo while Pippin gazed at the humans drinking and laughing at the counter. Even though Harry was leaned in a little and looking at them, he was more focused on the stranger.
"Why is he watching us?"
Frodo took a breath and stared back at his friends.
"Okay, we should try to stay low…" but before he could finish, Pippin stood up.
"I'm gunna get us some drinks!" he chirped leaving the table.
"Pippin no!" Frodo whispered.
"And I'll help!" Merry said forgetting the situation at the word 'drinks' and joining his cousin.
"Merry!"
The three watched as Pippin and Merry disappeared into the crowd. Harry sighed.
"Great. I just hope there aren't enemies in here…" he thought and glanced at the man in the corner, who was still watching them.
"Don't worry , he'll be here soon." Sam assured Frodo who gave a small smile.
Harry was troubled. A person they were supposed to meet was not here when that person said they would be. It seemed that this person was also the one who had sent Frodo and Sam here. If he was correct, that person sounded like a man who was wise and reliable.
"Something must have happened." Harry bit his lower lip.
They had no idea as to where they were to go or what do now. They had no starting point at all. Harry, not liking their current circumstances, decided to inform the two of the stranger so at least they can stay close together and figure out what to do away from public eyes and ears.
"That guy over there has been watching us ever since we have arrived here." He said gesturing with his eyes to the corner without turning his head.
Frodo and Sam hastily turned their head toward the corner taking a glance of the stranger, who was still puffing smoke and watching the three. The two quickly turned back.
"I think we better grab some food and a room as quickly as possible." Harry pointed out as the two nodded. Then the bartender walked by them and Frodo stopped him.
"Excuse me, that man over there by the corner, who is he?" he questioned tilting his head slightly towards stranger.
The chubby men took a quick look and leaned low, talking in a quiet voice.
"He's one of them rangers. A dangerous fellow. He is known as The Strider around here. You should stay away from him, if you know what I mean." He glanced again at the strider before leaving quickly.
Sam gulped glancing at the strider. Frodo also gulped touching his ring and closing his eyes. Harry was in deep thought.
"A strider, what could he want with us? An enemy perhaps?"
Frodo took his ring off of his necklace and held it in his hand fingering his ring. As he did so, he started to feel strange, his surroundings became blurry, dizzy, and he felt light headed. As the three were in thought, Harry and Frodo heard a hiss.
"…ns…"
"Ba…ns…"
"What on Merlin?" Harry looked around trying to find the source.
"Baggins…"
"Frodo Baggins…"
Harry widened his eyes at the name and looked at Frodo who had his eyes tightly shut as if he was hearing it too. Harry quickly looked at Sam, but saw he was still glancing at the strider and unable to hear the hissing. Harry looked back at Frodo who seemed to be concentrating.
"Frodo…?" he asked and froze. A black mist appeared out of Frodo's ring surrounding Frodo. It swirled and its black mist turned into white and took a form of a child, but with nothing. No face, hair, or anything. It was all like static from television when there was a weak signal. Harry watched shocked, as the thing put its hands on Frodo's shoulders. It gave a vile smile revealing its black teeth and hissed gleefully.
"Baggins!"
"Baggins?"
Frodo and Harry jerked out at the sound of Pippin at the same time and turned towards the voice. Only to see Pippin surrounded by men and the chubby bartender.
"Sure I know him, he's over there. F.r.o.d.o B.a.g.g.i.n.s" Pippin said pointing at their direction and taking a drink.
"He's my cousin you know." He smiled cheerfully, waving at them, while the men stared at them.
"That fool!" Harry hissed angry and got up to storm over to Pippin and slap him across the head, when he saw Frodo hurriedly run to Pippin.
"!" Sam cried getting up as well.
Frodo pushed through the people, reached Pippin, and grabbed him by the shoulders to pull him back. Suddenly, he slipped on a man's boots, which made him fall backwards.
"Pippin! What are you do...?!"
He hit the ground hard making him release his ring into the air. Frodo tried to catch the ring that was in the air, reaching for it only for it to be slipped directly onto his extended finger, as if a magnet directed it, and he vanished before everyone's eyes. Harry felt a sharp headache as soon as the ring slipped on to Frodo. Clutching his head painfully he looked at the spot where Frodo vanished.
"That ring!"
"He's gone!" said the chubby bartender.
Merry, who was not far away from Pippin, quietly went to him and pulled the shocked hobbit away from the crowd, towards Harry and Sam.
"This is not good" still in pain, he looked for Frodo. Sam, after a few seconds of shock, he started to frantically look around for Frodo.
"Where'd he go?" asked another man.
Harry suddenly felt the pain go away as quickly as it came and for some reason he knew where Frodo was. He turned his head towards where he thought he felt Frodo. He saw The Strider standing in front of a table and bent down.
"That strider…what is he?!"
When The Strider stood back up, he brought Frodo up with him, and dragged him up the stairs.
"Frodo." Harry whispered and ran where Frodo and The Strider went up.
"Harry?!" Sam called out, as he watched Harry run up a stair and fallowed after Harry. Merry and Pippin looked at each other and fallowed Sam.
Harry reached the top floor and walked quickly but silently, listening for Frodo. He stopped almost at the end of the hallway when he heard Frodo's voice from his right.
"Who are you?"
"Are you frightened?" Said a stern voice.
Harry reached his hand to open the door, but the door was locked. He cursed internally.
"Yes."
"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." Said the voice. Harry quickly using wandless magic, opened the door and stepped inside.
"That's enough. Step away from him."
"Harry!" Frodo cried, relieved and worried at the same time.
The Strider had his hood off, so Harry could see his face clearly. He had a wavy dark brown hair with a pale stern face and keen grey eyes.
"You…, how? … A child?" the stranger asked stunned at Harry.
"I'm am not a child." Harry said angry at being called a child again and glared severely at The Strider.
The deadly glare startled the man, taking his breath away, but he quickly recovered and narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?" he asked slowly reaching towards his sword, but quickly pointed his sword towards the door when Sam, Merry, and Pippin burst in, each holding an object as a weapon.
"Let go of them! Or I'll have you longshanks!" Sam yelled holding a candlestick in a fighting pose.
"Sam." Frodo sighed in relief when he saw his three friends burst in to save them. Harry rolled his eyes at their choice of weapons. Merry was holding a vase while Pippin was holding a fork…
The strider sighed and sheathed his sword and looked back at Frodo. Harry readied himself to fight as the man stepped up to Frodo.
"You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo." He said softly stopping a foot away from the terrified hobbit. Harry halted at the word.
"A wizard?!"
The Hobbits widened their eyes and looked at The Strider in confusion and concern. The Strider looked at them all and in a low voice he spoke.
"They are coming."
A/N:Thank you always to my beta readers and my reviewers.
