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Disclaimer: I do not own HP or LOTR.

Chapter 4: The Council

"I amar prestar aen…

The world is changed.

Han mathon ne nen…

I feel it in the water.

Han mathon ne chae…

I feel it in the Earth.

A han noston ned gwilith.

I smell it in the air.

Much that once was is lost. For none now live who remember it."

- The Fellowship of the Ring

….

Harry was directed to a seat among the semi-circle of Men, Elves and Dwarves that sat around a stone pedestal. He ended up next to Gandalf the Grey, who greeted him with a mischievous grin.

"Quite a good view, Master Potter. Don't you think?" Gandalf flicked his eyes across the circle where Legolas was sitting.

Gandalf chuckled as Harry blushed faintly. The young wizard very deliberately did not look at the elf, who had heard Gandalf's comment and was laughing softly. Damn those elf senses.

Finally, Harry thought the two beings had enjoyed enough fun at his expense, and he said sassily, "Yes, indeed. How is the view from your seat, Master Gandalf? Anyone catch your eye?"

Gandalf let loose a deep laugh, startling Frodo who was seated on the other side of him. "No, dear boy, the esteemed Lord Elrond isn't my type."

Harry was struck with sorrow at the fondly spoken "dear boy". Dumbledore called him that back when Harry had still been attending Hogwarts. Before his hellish training for the war that destroyed earth, before his innocence had been robbed of him and he had become hardened to the sight of corpses littering the streets.

He looked down at his hands. Hands that were stained with the blood of the world he failed to protect. His fingers slowly curled into a fist, and his eyes shut in pained remembrance of his loved ones.

Legolas frowned as he saw Harry's face fall in sadness. He rose halfway from his seat, ignoring Glorfindel's questioning glance, but before he could attempt to cross to Harry's side, Lord Elrond stood, and the circle instantly grew quiet. The Council had begun.

….

Harry was in awe of the regal and lordly way Elrond conducted the meeting. Although he had already learned of the lore surrounding the One Ring and its evil, he was spellbound as Elrond recited his tale and bid the allies to destroy the ring.

Elrond really was an unparalleled leader. Harry, who had led an army of wizards and muggles in an attempt to keep Earth and its inhabitants safe from the forces of evil, understood how difficult it was to convince a group of very different people to decide on one thing and do it in a timely manner.

Eventually, Elrond called Frodo forth to present the Ring. The small hobbit carefully set the ominous jewelry on the pedestal, and returned to his seat, playing nervously with his tunic. It troubled him to be parted from the ring.

Harry could see shadows stretching between the ring and Frodo. They writhed and stretched constantly, winding themselves around Frodo's body and mind, trying to twist, corrupt, and destroy him.

A ragged looking man gathered the attention of the council and started to give a speech. His name was Boromir, Son of Denethor.

This Boromir fellow, from the White City of Gondor, rambled on and on about how he had a dream vision of the Ring, Isildur's Bane, and how he should take the "gift" of the One Ring for his country. Frankly, Harry was annoyed.

The wizard watched expressionlessly as Boromir strode towards the pedestal, his hand reaching out for the ring.

Right before he could grasp it, Gandalf jumped up, and dark clouds appeared from nowhere to hover over the council as a cruel, chilling wind whipped through them. Boromir fell back into his seat at the ominous event.

Gandalf, his eyes shadowed, spoke with a dark, foreboding tone,

"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,

ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,

One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them.*"

Elrond rose and sternly rebuked Gandalf, "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris.*"

Gandalf rasped, "I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether Evil!*"

He sat down with a final glare toward Boromir.

Harry almost lost his composure from the sheer absurdity as Boromir rose once again and blabbered how he could use the ring for good, and that his people deserved the ring since they fought against Mordor all the time, and so on and so forth. Harry's respect towards Elrond rose as the elf lord stood calm and firm in his resolution that the Ring must be destroyed without resorting to kicking Boromir out of the meeting.

Finally, Aragorn got annoyed with Boromir's long-winded speech, and stood up, saying, "You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master.*"

Boromir retorted, "And what would a ranger know of this matter?*"

Harry watched as Legolas stood to defend Aragorn. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance.*"

Boromir whispered in shock, "Aragorn? This... is Isildur's heir?*"

Legolas asserted, "And heir to the throne of Gondor.*"

Harry almost laughed aloud at the poorly concealed disgust on Boromir's face. After Aragorn had calmed Legolas down, Boromir threw himself back in his chair with one last petty comment. "Gondor needs no king.*"

Harry smirked at the likeness between the angry pouting face of Draco Malfoy and Boromir at that moment. It was uncanny the way both of their eyes narrowed and the left side of their mouth pulled down in a petulant manner.

The distracted wizard's attention was brought back to the council when a dwarf slammed an axe into the Ring with a resounding gong, only to have the weapon shatter into thousands of tiny pieces. By a stroke of luck a particularly dangerous looking shard embedded itself just to the right of Harry's head. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to face Elrond, who spoke. "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.*"

Harry had to restrain himself from stupefying the entire council as another argument broke out about who would take the ring to Mordor. He knew, however, who would be the one to take it. The little hobbit he had healed in the woods. His eyes, they reminded Harry of himself once upon a time. Frodo was an innocent thrust into the hands of fate. This was the reason the Valar wanted him to come to Middle Earth, to protect the ring bearer and his companions.

Harry stood and raising his staff, said firmly, not loudly, "Be quiet." His magic carried his voice to everyone's ears, and the shouting council grew silent. "Now, Frodo, you may speak."

Frodo, who fidgeted under the eyes of the council, whispered, "I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way.*"

Gandalf sighed in a resigned way. Apparently he had suspected that the hobbit was fated to be the ringbearer.

One by one, Aragorn, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas, Gandalf and a reluctant Boromir swore to help Frodo carry out his task. Suddenly, the three hobbits who travelled alongside Harry to Rivendell, Merry, Pippin and Sam, all sprung from their respective hiding spaces and shouted, "We're coming too!" and "Mr. Frodo ain't going nowhere without me!"

Harry laughed and agreed, "Yes, it seems you were meant to come along as well. Elrond, I will join this group as well. My powers will be put to good use there."

Elrond nodded, and declared, "Ten walkers to escort the Ring to its doom. Then you shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

…

As the others departed, Harry stayed behind, feeling increasingly nervous. Soon, the only ones left in the council's meeting place were Harry and Legolas.

Legolas had this look on his face that spoke of hope and joy, but Harry remained anxious. Harry cleared his throat. "Legolas, I…" He trailed off.

Legolas smiled gently, and took Harry's hand in his. He whispered softly, "I do not know from whence you came or why, but I feel more gladdened than ever in my long life to know your face. In the ways of my people, we would wait alone for eternity for the chance to know one such as you are to me."

Harry shook his head, confused. Legolas was implying something both fantastic and unbelievable. While Harry had felt content with the strong friendships he forged with his ragtag group, they were just his allies and comrades. He cared deeply for each one of them, and missed them, but he had never felt like his existence would end without their presence. It scared him that Legolas made him feel that way. Although Harry had decided to go to Middle Earth first as a new start, a way to find his soulmate, and then also to protect the innocent people who were threatened in this land by evil even greater than Voldemort, he still couldn't comprehend that Legolas, his living, breathing, handsome soulmate stood before him.

Legolas raised his other hand and cupped Harry's cheek. Harry blushed, red flooding his cheeks at the intimate gesture. The elven prince said with conviction, "Harry Potter, Lord and Wizard, you are my soulmate. I could feel it the moment we met. An instant connection was forged. I can feel it binding us together like two drops of water placed next to each other. We are becoming one."

The wizard placed his free hand over the elf's hand on his cheek, and stated hesitantly, "I do not know what to do. I have never been… like this before."

Legolas could tell that Harry meant to say "loved", and it saddened him. He pressed his lips to Harry's forehead and then pulled the wizard into a warm embrace. "I can tell you have not had an easy life, melleth nin (my love), if you have not felt loved before. I will do my best to make it so you never have to feel that way again. I swear it, istari nin (my wizard)."

…

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of training and preparation for the trek to Mordor. In what little spare time they had, Legolas and Harry met and took walks in the gardens. After hearing of Legolas's tales of growing up in Mirkwood as the Prince of the woodland realm, and his adventures to far off lands in Middle Earth, the wizard finally opened up and told Legolas about his fight against Voldemort and the horrific war, his sadness for his parents' murders, his cruel life at the Dursley's and the precious friends he managed to make at Hogwarts. Legolas was both enthralled and aggrieved at his stories. He wanted to know everything about Harry's life, and resolved to protect his soulmate from such despair. If he could, he would slay every person that damaged his love, especially those vile Dursleys. He would love to get his hands on them.

Finally the day of departure came, and the fellowship met at dawn to be sent off by the elves of Rivendell. Harry noticed the jeweled pendant hanging from Aragorn's neck that hadn't been there before. He also perceived Elrond's daughter Arwen's grief and love toward Aragorn. Harry's magic reached out to her, and he spoke into her mind, 'I will keep him safe, Lady Arwen. Do not despair. Your love isn't lost yet.'

She gave him a grateful smile. Harry turned and followed the group, who was heading out onto the path out of Rivendell. He heard Frodo ask Gandalf quietly, "Mordor, is it left or right?*"

"Left.*"

*- Quotes from the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring. I do not claim ownership and only use them to add to the validity and plot of my story.

End of Chapter 4:

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