Chapter 4: You Learn Something New Every Day!
Harry let out a sigh as he watched the landscape pass below him, he felt the strong pump of Buckbeak's wings and he slowly glided over top Gandalf, their shadow falling over the leader of the horses and his riders. He felt Boromir's grip on him tighten as Buckbeak dipped to the left to turn, following Shadowfax's every move. He gave a chuckle which turned into full blown laughter as Boromir smacked him in the stomach for laughing at him.
"Harry, I have a question for you," Boromir said in his ear so to be heard.
"What is it brother?" Harry asked turning his head so he could see his older brother.
"How is it that Buckbeak came to be in Middle Earth, I thought only you and Remus came here?" it had been bothering him the whole ride and he had finally figured out a way to ask, bluntly.
Harry was shocked, he had questioned it, he had merely accepted it as possible when he had called Buckbeak the first time, it had just seemed so natural, "You know big brother, I don't rightly know. Perhaps it is because he is one of my familiars and therefore is a part of me. In being a part of me, my soul to be more precise, then perhaps he had to come for me to feel complete and truly be here as a Man and not a spirit," Harry answered thoughtfully.
He felt Boromir nod and decided to continue the conversation, "So when are you going to tell the lovely Lady Eowyn of your feelings for her?" he asked, sly grin on his face.
He heard Boromir splutter behind him and lost it, he began to laugh loudly. He gripped at his sides and at Buckbeak's feathers trying hard not to fall off and plunge to his death.
"It's not funny little brother, not at all!" Boromir told him angrily, huffing, when his voice became sad, "She probably hates me, I don't blame her for it, what's there to like?" he let his head fall on Harry's back and the young Animagus felt as tears soaked through the back of his tunic.
His eyes widened, it was very rare for his big brother to show such feelings, he grew serious and whispered, "You mean what is there to hate? Brother you are the most kind hearted person I have ever met, and added to that you're as loyal as a dog to his master! I never told this to you, but when Pads, Shadow, and Papa told me stories of my parents, when they described my father I was reminded of you," Harry felt Boromir's shock as his older brother froze, "Boromir you have so much good in you, why can't you see it?" he asked gently, placing a loving hand on one of Boromir's that was wrapped around his waist.
"I'm weak, I fell for the Ring's seductive words, I nearly killed Frodo! Kind hearted you say? I'm black hearted! Loyal? Only to Gondor and my family, never once did I ever think of the well being of Middle Earth!" Boromir told him bitterly, staring down to the ground bellow.
Harry had heard enough, he flipped so he was turned facing Boromir face to face, his back to Buckbeak's head, he put his hands on both of Boromir's cheeks and turned him to face him. When their eyes met, Harry opened his telepathic link and let Boromir see everything he wished his brother to see. Boromir watched as images of him and Harry interacting passed before his eyes, but he was in place of Harry watching himself and feeling what Harry felt. He felt the love, the awe, the pride, and most of all he felt the safety.
He pulled back and stared into Harry's eyes, his own wide with shock, Harry's green were flashing, "After my fifth year I trusted very few," Harry began staring Boromir straight in the eye, "And I trusted even less when the War started, the only people who could say they held my trust were Papa, Draco, Neville, Hermione, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, and surprisingly Percy. They were my family, they were the ones I trusted to protect my heart. War does many things to you brother, one is ripping away any innocence you might have kept in the years that passed. And with each death of those I trusted, I locked away even more of myself until I talked to no one but Remus," Boromir looked at his little brother in surprise, he couldn't imagine this bright, care free Man had ever been untrusting.
"When the War ended, I stood on a battle field looking at my surroundings, bodies littered the ground everywhere and the only home I had was reduced to rubble. When Remus and I were sent here to start anew, I had convinced myself I would open my heart to no one but Remus, so as not to risk the pain that came with the love. That was shattered when I met my little brothers, but still I did not feel safe in their presence, it took me quite a while before I could sleep near them. It took a while for me to feel safe with the other members of the Fellowship as well, and then you came along and this warm feeling washed over me. I felt safe for the first time, and Remus wasn't even nearby! You were the first to make me feel safe without me having to get used to you," Harry told him smiling.
Boromir stared at him in shock before a smile broke out on his face and silent tears streamed down his face and he pulled Harry close, "I love you little brother," he whispered kissing him on the head.
He felt Harry smile into his neck and him kiss there, "I love you too big brother."
They stayed quiet for a while just enjoying the brotherly love and the warmth that spread through them before Harry spoke up once again, "About you not being loyal, what you said before just proved your loyalty. You are only loyal to Gondor and your family? So what, so is every bloody soldier out in the battlefield. When I was in the War, do you think I gave a flying fuck about the rest of the world? No, all I cared about was that my loved ones made it through alive and that I still had a home to go to. Every soldier has a selfish reason for fighting, it's what keeps them fighting. Now I'll admit there are some selfless people out there who do fight for the whole of Middle Earth, but that's just what makes them who they are. We are Men, we are selfish, but that's what makes us strong," Harry told him quietly flashing back when he heard Neville telling him the same thing as they sat in the Hospital Wing, Harry on the mend and mourning the loss of some of the younger Hogwarts students.
Boromir was once again amazed at the wisdom that the young Man in his arms held, too much now that Boromir thought about it. He wished he had been there to shield Harry from all the bad things that had happened in his world, but then he never would have met Harry and the Man wouldn't be who he was today. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, both lost in their own thoughts and memories as Buckbeak drew nearer and nearer to Gondor, Boromir's homeland.
'And the land of the Man my Papa loves!' Harry realized, a mischievous grin breaking out on his face.
When Boromir sent him a questioning glance he merely shook his head and Boromir was left even more curious, he knew that glint he had seen it before Harry had bad mouthed Saruman when the white wizard possessed the King, and again when he had been in Lothlorien and called Gimli a midget.
Before Boromir could inquire further Buckbeak went into a dive, the warrior of Gondor gripped tighter with his legs and pulled Harry closer to his chest. Harry laughed, knowing his brother would have hated air planes or broom sticks. Buckbeak landed smoothly and trotted beside Shadowfax and Harry turned around properly. He was surprised when he saw Pippin jump the space between the Buckbeak and Shadowfax, landing in Harry's lap. Harry grabbed him instantly on instinct so he didn't fall as Buckbeak continued to trot on toward the gates of Minis Tirith.
He saw his little brother crying and held him close whispering soothingly, when the tears started to slow he finally asked, "What is it Foxy? Was it a bad dream?" he asked gently running his fingers through the young tween's hair.
Pippin nodded and buried his face in Harry's chest and began to sob, Harry tightened his arms around the tween and began singing soothingly. Slowly Pippin's sobs receded and his breathing slowed, when Harry looked down his eyes were closed, tears streaked his rosy cheeks and Harry knew that if someone were to draw innocence it would be this picture right here.
He turned to Gandalf as they continued on their way up the pathways to the Steward's home, "Did he get any sleep on the way here, it was a three day journey after all," Harry asked rubbing soothing circles on the little Hobbit's back.
"No he didn't sleep once, and when he did he would wake screaming and wouldn't go back. He just woke now from one of those frightful nightmares when he saw you," the white Istari said his eyes filled with grief and sorrow for the young tween.
Harry sent him a gentle smile, "Don't beat yourself up for it, sometimes you can't sleep unless with family and even then it can be hard. I've lived through plenty of nightmare's myself, I could only get a peaceful sleep with my brothers or Remus and sometimes not even then so I'd have to take Dreamless Sleep potion that is until I built an unhealthy addiction to it," Harry told him soothingly getting lost in his memories.
They finally reached the front gates and Harry felt his older brother dismount behind him before he himself dismounted without using his hands, Boromir watched impressed.
"What? It's not as hard as it looks," Harry said not understanding his amazement, still holding Pippin to his chest.
Boromir just shook his head muttering about "acrobatic wolves" as he continued to walk toward the front doors of the Steward's home. Harry laughed softly as he too walked forward, he felt Pippin shift and looked down to see his eyes open wide and staring up at him with curiosity and slight fear.
"What is it love?" he asked kissing Pippin on the forehead and holding him close.
"You don't hate me do you? You aren't mad because I looked into the orb?" Pippin asked fearfully.
Harry was confused and opened the link between his brother and himself to clear things up and was surprised at what he found. Pippin lay shivering on the ground, Harry standing over him with an evil smile and he was saying such hurtful things and was throwing insults as his uncle once had when he was young. Harry pulled out instantly understanding Pippin's fear.
He pulled the young tween closer to his chest and whispered, "No matter how many mistakes you make Foxy, you can always count on me to stand beside you," before he kissed him on the head and continued to walk.
Pippin nodded before cuddling into Harry's warmth and looking at his surroundings for the first time. That's when he saw the white tree and gave a jolt of surprise. Harry looked down to see Pippin staring with wide eyes at the white tree in the middle of the courtyard. He gave a sad smile seeing the bare branches; it reminded him of the Whomping Willow on the grounds of Hogwarts. It had burned down when it had defended Harry from the curses the Death Eaters had thrown at him. He got a flash of Aragorn sitting beneath the tree before him, only the leaves glowed silver beneath the sun; he was disturbed when a shout came. Harry turned to see two identical children running toward the reclined Man he loved. They looked exactly like Aragorn, their hair a perfect match but Harry gave a jolt, they had his mother's eyes! He spun around to see himself standing there, holding the hand of a three year old boy that had his mother's hair but Aragorn's blue-grey eyes, and Harry's own stomach was round with pregnancy. Coming up behind him were Lily and Lith, both grown and smiling.
Harry jolted from the vision eyes wide, Pippin was looking up at him worriedly, and Harry found out why when he felt the tears coursing down his cheeks. A grin came to his face and he reassured Pippin that he was fine, in fact he was ecstatic.
"You coming turtles?" Harry heard Boromir cry, he turned to see both him and Gandalf standing and waiting for them in front of the doors.
"Turtles my ass," Harry shouted back at him, rolling his eyes, "I could beat you in a race any time!" he continued to walk Pippin smiling in his arms.
They entered the large front room that was covered in marble, in the middle sat a hunched man, holding a split horn in his hands, his eyes dead. He was covered in a black fur coat and his grey hair hung lank about his face. Harry didn't like him instantly, something about the man seemed to project ill will and malice as well as hate, for what Harry knew not. He could find only a sliver of light in the Man's soul and it was too deeply wrapped in the darkness that it seemed to be drowning in the dark sea that was the Man's soul. Harry felt a shiver go down his spine and he held Pippin closer to him and stepped closer to Boromir.
Boromir sent him a questioning glance and Harry merely opened the telepathic link and let Boromir see and feel what he did about his father. He felt horror being the one to bear the news to the Man he thought of as an older brother. He heard Boromir gasp and closed his eyes in pain, thinking Boromir would hate him and call him a liar. What happened next surprised him, Boromir pulled him into a one armed hug, and held him to his side protectively. When Harry looked at his eyes they were glaring at the Man on the throne, as if warning him that if he made one wrong move he would be dead, even though he was his father.
LOTR/HP/LOTR/HP/LOTR/HP
Harry stood on the balcony, his eyes flashing in anger as he thought back on his meeting with Denethor, Boromir's father. Unbeknownst to him, his magic was swirling about him and water was rippling and the fire in the hearth danced angrily with his mood. Suddenly Harry felt someone hug his legs from behind he looked down to meet Pippin's fear filled eyes. He felt his heart clench it was him who put that look on his brother's face. He quickly took calming breaths and meditated for a few seconds before he felt calm once again.
He turned and kneeled in front of Pippin so their eyes were on the same level somewhat. He gave the young tween a reassuring smile and pulled him into a hug before standing and turning once again to look over the fields that surrounded the fortress of stone that was Minis Tirith. He felt Boromir and Gandalf join him, the presence of the Fellowship members calmed him even more and Harry finally relaxed for the first time since the meeting with Denethor.
They stood in silence when suddenly a white beam shot up into the sky from the direction of Mordor. For some reason Harry felt fear and foreboding fill him and he quickly reached out his telepathic link to check on all he loved.
He found the minds of Frodo, Sam, Remus, and his new brother Sméagol he believed his name was. Frodo's seemed clouded for some reason and filled with fear, as did Sam's and Sméagol's.
'REMUS! Are you four alright? Is anyone hurt?' he called out panicking and thinking the worst.
Pippin buried his face in Harry's chest his own mind open to hear the answer they waited for with baited breath.