Phew. This took a while to write. Most of this doesn't actually happen in the movie, so I had to make it all up… p.s. I'm sorry if Aragorn is a little out of character here… but I had to change him a little bit to fit properly. DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to Tolkien except Vanessa.

We were off early the next morning for Rivendell, after I had bought some boots at the only shop in Bree. The scenery around us was still pretty much exactly the same as in England.

'Where are you taking us?' Frodo asked Aragorn anxiously.

'Into the wild,' he replied gruffly.

'How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?' I overheard Merry whisper to Frodo.

'I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer and feel fouler,' Frodo whispered back.

I sniggered, thinking of the reaction that would provoke back home. Home… I was missing it already. Had I really disappeared from Earth? Was I here instead of there? Or was I still at Hogwarts but in Middle-Earth at the same time?

'He's foul enough,' muttered Merry angrily.

'We have no choice to trust him. Besides, Vanessa trusts him and she knows a lot more about this than we do,' replied Frodo.

I smiled inside. That's so sweet! They trust him because I do!

'But where is he leading us?' whispered Sam.

'To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the House of Elrond,' said Aragorn.

Sam was breathless with excitement. 'Did you hear that! Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!'

We walked on for a while longer without stopping. I don't think I had ever walked as far or as fast as we did then, but I knew it was going to get worse, so I tried not to complain.

After a while the hobbits stopped for a rest and began to unload pots and pans from Bill the pony.

'We do not stop until nightfall,' said Aragorn.

'But what about breakfast!' asked Pippin, outraged.

'You've already had it.'

'We've had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?' replied Pippin matter-of-factly.

'I don't think he knows about second breakfast Pip,' said Merry.

'Are you really that hungry?' I asked.

Pippin nodded.

'Hang on, I think I might have some food in my bag,' I said, rummaging through. 'Ah-ha! Here you go! It might be a bit old, but I think it's still ok.'

'What is it?' he asked.

'Chocolate. Go on, try it, it's delicious. Not really an entire meal, but it'll keep you going. Eat as much as you want, I've got loads.'

Pippin nibbled apprehensively at the corner of the Honeydukes' bar I had given him. His face screwed up. 'Ugh! That's gross!'

'What! You can't think chocolate is gross! Everyone loves chocolate! Give it here,' I said, snatching it from him. I took a bite. 'It's fine! Ah well, more for me I guess.'

'Have you got any more food?' Pippin asked.

'Perhaps, but I don't know if you would like it. Ooh, here's a banana from breakfast. It's a bit old… But if you cut the bruised bits off it'll be fine.'

Pippin looked nervously at the banana. 'I've never seen one of these before,' he said. 'You have strange food.'

'Try it.'

He took a bite, and seemed to like it enough. 'Thanks,' he said, but his speech was muffled by a mouthful of banana.

We walked on for a while more. It was beginning to get dark, and we had reached the Midgewater Marshes. It was quite possibly the worst place I had ever been. Thousands of midges hung around in big clouds just at head level, so whenever you ran into a cloud you got a mouthful. The worst of it was that the ground underfoot was disgusting and wet – there were little pools everywhere to trip into. At least I had proper boots on.

'What do they eat when they can't get hobbits?' spat Merry as he ran into another cloud. Minutes later Pippin tripped over, landing face first in one of the larger pools. He was soaking wet from head to toe when he got up.

'Pippin, come here,' I called in a flash of inspiration.

Pippin obediently came, but looked a bit cautious. 'What? Aaah…' he broke off as he saw my wand pointed straight at him.

'Don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you,' I laughed. 'Tergeo.' It seemed to work well enough at cleaning Pippin's clothes, and at least he was drier.

'Wow!' he stared at me in awe.

'Hurry up you two, we cannot delay any longer than we have to,' called Aragorn, who by this time was far ahead of us.

We stopped for the night on the driest patch of solid ground we could find. Sam started unloading pots and pans while Aragorn sent Merry and Pippin off to find firewood. They returned later with a bundle of logs and sticks.

'This is no good, they're all wet,' said Aragorn.

'Don't worry, leave it to me.' I said, using my wand to dry the wood. 'There. Dry as a bone. Do you want me to get the fire going quickly?'

'If you could, that would be excellent. Your powers seem more astonishing every day,' replied Aragorn.

'Oh any second year can light a fire. It's one of the easiest charms you learn. Incendio!' The logs burst up in flames. I was getting used to the stunned looks on the hobbits' faces by now.

After about half an hour we were sitting huddled around the fire eating slightly burnt sausages.

'Nessa, do you know any good songs?' asked Sam. 'Only I'd love to hear a song from your world that I've never heard before.'

'Oh yeah, I know lots of good songs. At least, I think they're good, but I don't know whether they're quite your taste…'

'Try us,' challenged Frodo.

'Ok,' I accepted. 'What kind of song do you want me to sing?'

'One with a story behind it,' replied Pippin.

'A song with a story… I don't really know many like that. Most of the songs I know are about love, or the lack of it. But what about this one?' I began to sing one from the Muggle film, wondering how they would react.

Lay down your sweet and weary head

Night is falling, you have come to journey's end

Sleep now, and dream of the ones who came before

They are calling, from across a distant shore.

Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face?

Soon you will see, all of your fears will pass away

And you'll be safe in my arms, just sleeping

What can you see? On the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea, a pale moon rises

The ships have come to carry you home.

Dawn will turn to silver glass

Light on the water, all souls pass

Hope fades into the world of night

Through shadows falling out of memory and time

Don't say we have come now to the end

White shores are calling

You and I will meet again

And you'll be here in my arms, just sleeping

What can you see? On the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea, a pale moon rises

The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn to silver glass

Light on the water, grey ships pass

Into the West

It was a while before anyone spoke.

'What's it about?' asked Pippin.

'Death, I think,' I replied.

'What do you mean?' asked Frodo.

I tried to remember what Gandalf said to Pippin in Minas Tirith. 'It's saying that death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass. And then you see the white shores, and beyond… a far green country under a swift sunrise.'

'Oh…'

'It's getting late. We should go to sleep if we are to have enough energy tomorrow to get as close to Rivendell as possible,' said Aragorn, breaking the mood a bit.

The hobbits looked reluctant, but were too scared of Strider to argue. I got out my blanket, which Barliman had given to me on our departure. It was getting a lot colder. Finding the driest, comfiest spot I could I settled down to sleep.

I was woken a few hours later by a man's voice singing. It was a beautiful voice, rich and deep, and it was singing an elvish song. I realised it was Aragorn singing. I sat up and looked over to where he sat by the dying embers of the fire, his face glowing in the orange-red light.

'It is a sad story you sing of,' I said quietly.

'You know of whom I sing?' he asked.

'You sing of Luthien Tinuviel, who gave up her immortality to be with the one she loved,' I replied.

'How do you know that?' he asked, surprised.

'The books, remember?' Ok, so he sang in the movies, not the books, but I really didn't feel like trying to explain how movies worked.

'Ah, of course.'

'That song… The words… Grey ships sailing into the West. Your knowledge of our world seems to surpass many of those who live here.'

'You mean the elves leaving Middle Earth to Valinor? And I doubt that I'm above most others, although I've only met you and the hobbits.'

'Yes. And it is a good thing that the hobbits know little. If they knew too much of the horrors that lay ahead of them they would turn back.'

'You underestimate their courage. I know what will happen to everyone here, and even the hobbits will prove themselves worthy of great renown in one way or another,' I contradicted.

'You are very mysterious my lady. You do not give much away,' he said, turning to look at me.

'I don't give much away because I don't want to influence any decision of anyone here in case it has a changing effect on the ending of this story. And please, call me Vanessa, or Nessa,' I replied.

'Alright – Vanessa. But you should be sleeping. You need to regain energy if we are to get to Weathertop by nightfall tomorrow. I presume you know all about Weathertop?' he said.

'Oh yes. Well, goodnight.'

'Goodnight.'

I returned to my blanket and tried to get warm again. Aragorn was still sitting by the dying fire when I fell asleep.

The song was Into the West, by Annie Lennox (if you didn't know, then shame on you I guess!) I'll keep the review replies in the edited versions for posterity :)

Wow! I've had more reviews for these first chapters than any other of my fics! (Apart from The Mystery of the Ticklish Pear, but that's longer…)

IwishChan: Thank you! Yeah there aren't many HP/LotR crossovers that I know of either.

Coolmarauders: hope this update came soon enough! Please don't chop of my head with your Mace of Doom! Remember, if you kill me, you won't get an update. P.S. I read your bio- GO PRONGS! Aragorn is sooo hot! Keep defending him!

Lily Took: Thanks. Don't worry, I am continuing with it. Methinks Gandalf should come along around chapter 5 or so.

Wacko the Sane: I told you, it's not exactly a Mary Sue. You'll see… Why do you always review so negatively:p

Kurleyhawk2: thanks. Here they come.

SHINE: thank you! If you review again could you please leave a signed review? (if you have an account that is) cos I'd like to see ur bio page.