I decided to make this a slightly longer chapter because school has started again I'm not sure I can update as regularly as I would like. However I will strive to maintain an update a week :)
Harry was in Herbology on a dreary December day holding down a thorny vine trying to strangle him.
"Harry get it off me!" Ron cried as another vine shot out to entangle his already trapped right arm.
Ron wasn't the only one having trouble. The class was supposed to be harvesting the seeds of the plants for Professor Sprout to germinate through the winter but the plants seemed to object to that.
Barbed vines trashed out anytime someone got close and most of the 5th year students were being beaten back rather than harvesting seeds.
The green house was filled with writhing plants and screaming students.
"Don't be shy dive in. You aren't going to get anywhere ten feet away." Sprout encouraged as the newly freed Ron retreated to a safe distance regrouping with Harry and Hermione.
"Oh this is impossible." Hermione huffed annoyed. Her hair was even wilder then usual and her left wrist was bleeding from a shallow cut.
"Neville got one." Ron said. Indeed Neville was the only person to get a seed so far with only a small bloody scratch on his cheek.
"Ron and I will grab the vines and Hermione you dive for the seeds okay?" His best friends nodded grimly and leapt on the plant as a leopard would pounce on an unsuspecting deer. Immediately a thorny tendril wrapped around Harry's arm and throat trying to throttle him. Ron was in a similar predicament with three vines constricting his arms to his side.
Hermione was only inches from the round walnut sized seed when the greenhouse door burst open letting in a blast of cold air. To Harry's utter amazement the plants froze turning still as statues.
Legolas's golden head poked in.
"Professor Sprout forgive my intrusion." He said closing the glass door behind him. "Madam Pomfrey asked if you had any herbs for fever, her stock is running low." Sprout stared at him for a moment then at the frozen plants, some with thrones still wrapped around student's necks, before responding.
"Of course. One moment." She said bustling off to the side. Legolas smiled at Harry walking over to his work bench.
"What are you doing today?" He asked completely oblivious to the plant trying to murder Harry.
"Umm. We're collecting the seeds." He said worried that speaking might aggravate the vines further. To his surprise the tendrils were slowly retreating as if it was a child caught in wrongdoing and was attempting to cover it up.
"I see." Legolas said reaching out a hand to the plants.
"I wouldn't do tha…" Hermione shut up mid-sentence as the plant remained still and let Legolas stroke its viridian leaves.
Sprout, who had returned with the required leaves, stared in amazement as Legolas whispered soft musical words in a language Harry didn't understand. He reached out and picked all three dark seeds and handed them to Harry.
"Thank you." The elf turned noticing Sprout with the leaves for fever. "Madam Pomfrey will be most pleased." Sprout could only nod as Legolas made for the door again. Before closing the glass behind him the elf turned around with a playful spark in his eyes and called out.
"Try not to give them too much trouble."
Harry furrowed his brow in confusion. Who was the professor talking to? Not the student surely, but who else then?
As soon as the door closed behind Legolas the plants sprung to life once more, attacking the students but perhaps with slightly less vigor than before. Harry stared at the three round seeds in his palm.
"What in Merlin's name was that about?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head looking back out at the retreating figure of the elf. He noticed that Legolas left no tracks in the snow.
"Is it just me or were the plants nicer after Legolas left?" Harry asked plowing through the deep snow towards Hagrid's hut by the forbidden forest for their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Ron snorted.
"I don't think those foul things could ever be classified as 'nice'."
"But Harry has a point. How did Legolas get the plants to give him the seeds without trying to kill him? It wasn't a spell since he can't do magic."
"Finally dropped the professor have you." Hermione blushed, though it might have just been the frigid wind buffeting the trio, Harry wasn't sure.
"Gather round! Gather round." Hagrid's booming voice called out beckoning the Gryffindors and Slytherins closer to the edge of the forest where the vast canopies above blocked most of the snow.
"I've a real treat for ya today. We're gonna be studying some very rare creatures. We'll be headin into the forest to see em in their natural habitat." Hagrid said hauling a head cow carcass over his back before walking into the forest. "Plus they like the dark."
"What likes the dark? Did he say?" Malfoy sounded scared. Harry grinned thinking of the last time Malfoy had been in the forest. He had ended up screaming his head off before running away.
"Come on Harry." Hermione said following closely behind Hagrid. They ventured into the forest where the foliage was so dense the only sign of the winter storm were small patches of snow on the needle strewn ground.
"The smell of the meat should attract em but I'll give a call just in case." Hagrid raised his great head and was about to let out a call but stilled. He tilted his head as if he was listening to something.
"Who's singing?" He asked. Harry heard Malfoy laugh behind him.
"Look the great oaf has finally gone mad. What singing." But Hagrid was right, Harry could hear too. It was faint but unmistakably there.
A soft voice echoing in the forest.
Hagrid frowned walking towards the direction of the song. The group as if by some unspoken agreement stayed quiet and followed Hagrid deeper into the forest. The voice grew louder, the melancholy tune resonating with the trees filling with Harry with an unexplained sense of peace. The trees beside him danced, the leave rustled merrily, though the air was still.
The group eventually reached a clearing to find an unexpected sight.
Legolas's lithe form was cradled against a great tree. His eyes were closed with one arm draped over a leg drawn to his chest and the other resting on a raised root. Despite Legolas's relaxed posture Harry saw the same bow and knives he had noticed before laying close to the elf.
The elf's high timbre reverberated around the clearing filling the woods with beautiful song. The words were foreign but seemed to speak of stars and moonlight. A faint glow surrounding the elf and the trees, a calming light blocking the forest clearing from all the woes of the world.
Harry felt a distinct sadness when the elf stopped singing and opened his blue eyes to gaze at the Care of Magical Creatures class. The faint glow faded from the clearing.
"Sorry tah'av disturbed ya Legolas." Hagrid said. The elf shook his head.
"You did not. I heard you coming a while ago." Legolas's posture remained relaxed against the tree but he suddenly jumped to his feet drawing an elegant knife from his back. Harry was alarmed unsure what had disturbed the DADA teacher but he soon saw what the elf must have sensed.
Black skeletal horses with leathery wings trotted silently into the clearing blinking opaque eyes at the dead cow on Hagrid's shoulder.
Legolas tilted his head as if listening to an invisible voice, placing a hand on the truck of the tree he had been resting on before. Smiling as if satisfied Legolas sheathed his knife and walked closer to the class.
"What are they Hagrid?" Neville asked.
"What are what?" Malfoy asked.
"Who can see em?" Hagrid asked laying the carcass down for the skeletal horses. Harry raised his hand along with Neville and two Slytherins. Hermione gasped next to him in understanding.
"Are they thestrals?" She asked. Legolas looked between the student and the creatures with mild curiosity.
"Good girl Hermione. Yes they're thestrals. Does anyone know why some of ya can see em and some can't?
"Thestrals can only been seen by those who have seen death." Hermione replied instantly. Hagrid beamed at her.
"Are you aware that the ministry has classified thestrals as dangerous?" A squeaking voice sounded at the back of the group. Legolas looked like he wanted to draw his knives again and a part of Harry was hoping the elf would. Hagrid just chuckled as Umbridge, who was shorter than most of the students, pushed her way to the front of the queue.
"They're not dangerous. I mean sure they'll take a nip at ya if you really bait em, but this lot are fine." Umbridge raised both an eyebrow and her clipboard.
"Shows signs… of pleasure at the idea… of… violence." Harry felt his own anger rise and noticed Legolas had also tightened his grip on his bow.
"Professor Hagrid is right these creatures are not harmful." Legolas said. Umbridge narrowed her eyes at the elf.
"And what expertise can you possible claim on this topic?"
"The trees bid that the creatures aren't dangerous. They are welcome in the woods." Harry stared questioningly at Hermione.
"Trees?" He whispered. Hermione shrugged.
"The trees told you?" Umbridge asked her eyebrow climbing higher. "Tell me, do you talk to trees often?" She asked derisively. The Slytherins laughed making Harry wish he could jinx Malfoy into a ferret.
Legolas remained unabashed.
"I am a wood-elf." He said as if that explained everything.
"Oh yes that clears everything up nicely." She laughed scornfully. Legolas frowned opening his mouth to either argue or explain further but Umbridge cut him off, clearly satisfied she had established talking to trees was absurd.
"And what are you doing here? This forest is forbidden." Legolas's eyes were cold.
"It is not forbidden to teachers."
"Why are you carrying dangerous weapons with you? Surely it is not appropriate to have such things around children." The tension was almost palpable now. The students watched in horrified fascination at the verbal battle.
"I have been told it is unwise to venture into these woods without protection and this was a deserted clearing not five minutes ago."
"Well since there is now a class here it would be better for you to leave."
"I have just as much right to be in this forest as you, perhaps even more so." Harry wasn't sure what the elf meant but was glad someone was standing up to the old toad. Umbridge frowned at Legolas then turned ignoring the elf completely. She fixed her menacing eyes on Hagrid.
"Do you know." Umbridge began slowly as if talking to a toddler. "It is… dangerous… to bring… the students." She motioned at the classes, "So far… into the forest?"
"Nothing'll hurt em while I'm here." Hagrid said confidently albeit confused as to why Umbridge was speaking so peculiarly. Hermione breathed in barely contained anger next to Harry. Legolas was fingering his bow.
"I hope he shoots her." Hermione hissed under her breath to Harry. Legolas having superb hearing looked over and smiled at Hermione. Harry grinned back.
"An arrow through her head would be an improvement." He joked back.
"Please continue as usual. I will walk." Umbridge mimed walking, "among the students." She pointed at students, "and ask them questions." She motioned to her mouth.
"I think Miss Umbridge, you will find that Professor Hagrid can understand you perfectly well without crude hand gestures." Legolas said coolly.
Umbridge glared furiously at the elf. She opened her mouth but Legolas's eyes suddenly widened.
The thestrals raised their heads screeching in alarm before galloping away from the clearing.
"Get out!" He hissed nocking an arrow. Umbridge stepped back in alarm.
"How dare you. I am senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic!" She practically screamed her voice becoming even shriller than normal.
"Calm down now Legolas." Hagrid put up a placating hand. Harry felt a chill run up his spine. Something was wrong. Legolas looked straight into Hagrids eyes speaking with an urgency Harry had never heard before.
"Listen to me Hagrid you don't understand. You need to get the student out of this forest right now. Go!" The elf spun and in one fluid motion let an arrow fly.
It disappeared into to forest gloom but Harry could still hear the agonized shriek that followed as the arrow found its mark.
Spiders.
The elf let two more arrows fly with only shrieks of pain to confirm the projectile and flown true. Suddenly vile scuttling noises came from above and, to Harry's horror, spiders were climbing towards them from either side of the clearing blocking escape. Ron let out a high pitched scream. His hatred for spiders was well known. Legolas muttered a foreign curse.
"Get into a tight circle and stay behind me. No one try to run off on your own, the spider will pick off strays." His voice usually light and musical was now commanding.
Harry found himself automatically following Legolas's instructions grabbing Hermione and Ron protectively and staying close to Hagrid's massive form. To Harry's surprise and confusion the giant spider ignored the humans, lunging instead for the fair creatures now letting arrow after arrow fly with deadly accuracy.
Despite Legolas's skill the spider soon became too numerous and close for arrows to be affective so he drew the twin knives from his back.
Harry watched in fascination as the elf wove and dance between the ugly arachnids. His movements graceful and deadly. Each strike severing a limb or ripping the unprotected underside of the monsters.
The elf was terribly outnumbered and even with some frightened students trying to help with stunning spells the elf was surrounded by at least thirty of the poisonous creatures. Yet Legolas wasn't discouraged.
He swirled through the spider ranks leaping from their backs and stabbing his knife deep into their heads. Soon their numbers were reduced to merely five.
That's when things went wrong.
Legolas embedded one knife into a spiders head while plunging the other into another foul creature's belly; however a third barreled towards him. All Harry saw was a giant hairy body careen into the elf, a spurt of red liquid, and both figures fell to the forest floor.
The thestrals spread their leathery wings and fled away from the clearing when Legolas heard it. Familiar clicking and scuttling noises he was all too familiar with.
He cursed softly, how had he let them get so close and there were children in the forest with him.
Legolas cried for Hagrid to take the young ones to safety before letting an arrow fly. If the class left now he might be able to keep the fell creatures busy long enough for them to reach the forest edge without hindrance. His elven ears picked up the shrill shriek of Umbridge who's voice was probably beyond human hearing.
"Get them away from me! I am a ministry official! Help!" Against Legolas's warning she made a mad dash away from the clearing.
A small part of the prince was tempted to just let her be taken by the spiders but the notion was squashed as a large hairy arachnid lunged for the short scuttling women. The creature fell dead at Umbridge's feet. Letting out a very undignified scream she quickly ran right back to the tight huddle of students.
Suddenly spiders appeared from the neighboring trees blocking their exit.
"Rhaich!" He cursed, letting arrows fly without bothering to check if they found their mark. His arrows never strayed.
To the elf's relief the spider all but ignored the children going straight for him instead.
Soon the spider were too close for his bow and Legolas drew his twin white knives. Rolling under the first spider slashing its legs off Legolas stabbed one through the eye and gutted a second that tried to plunge its stinger into him. The thrill of battle took him guiding his arms in the deadly dance of desolation.
The battle turned into a bloody dance, with elven grace and agility Legolas wove through the barbed legs and poisonous fangs. These spiders had never encountered a warrior of Mirkwood before and paid dearly for their boldness.
A larger than average spider reared up, its stinger launching with lighting speed. Legolas was forced to bring both knives up to block the jarring blow but he couldn't stop the spider's heavy body as it fell on him.
Black spots danced in his vision as Legolas felt his head come into contact with the frozen earth blurring the spider's form. Kicking out with his legs he got enough distance between him and the beast to stab its soft underside.
One eager spider launched itself from the side of tree. Legolas turned his knife allowing the creature to impale itself while stabbing his free knife deep into another's head. The two spiders jerked and lay still.
A quick survey of the clearing told the elf he was getting close. Only about ten spiders remained.
Legolas leapt onto the back of one spider severing its head, summersaulting over the dead body as it crashed to halt.
Nine.
A twirl of his wrist, a well-aimed jab ended the life of two more.
Seven.
He threw one knife impaling a spider's eye, jumping forward to sever another's head while pulling the knife he threw earlier from the corpse.
Five.
Two more spider charged screeching at the elf. Legolas easily dispatched both burying his knives simultaneously in their repulsive bodies. A third charged. Legolas pulled at his knives, to his horror both remained stuck.
His eyes widened just as the giant spider crashed into him sinking its fangs deep into the elf's side. Searing pain blazed across his torso making him gasp. However the spider's momentum had yanked both knives free allowing Legolas buried them deep into the fell creature's bulbous eyes.
The last two spider underestimating their injured prey charged recklessly. Legolas twirled in one elegant circle bring both spiders crashing to a standstill. The clearing previously filled with shrieks and cries fell eerily silent.
"Legolas! Legolas are you alright?" A concerned voice hovered near the elf. The prince forced himself to focus. It was Hagrid's voice.
"Fine." Legolas answered automatically.
"Like hell you are." Ron's voice broke through the haze that was now starting creep into Legolas's vision.
The horrible throbbing had returned to his head.
"You're covered in blood."
The elf looked down. Surely it was just a scratch.
To his surprise there was indeed crimson liquid spreading alarmingly fast across his tunic dripping to the forest floor.
With the battle over weariness crept back into his body. The trees shifted, restless with concern.
The elf rested a reassuring hand on the nearest pine. I am fine my friend. He said before the ground rose up alarmingly and the world turned to darkness.
When Legolas regained consciousness the first thing he noticed was that his side burned like fire.
The stubborn elf tried to stifle the groan that came unbidden from his lips. Too late.
"He's awake!" A voice sounded.
"Out of the way. Let me see." A female voice this time. The blurry shape of something white drifted in front of the elf's face. The healer madam Pomfrey looked down in concern.
"Can you hear me?" She asked. Legolas wanted to answer but found his throat too dry and his brain too muddled to form the required words. He settled for nodding.
"Good." She said pleased. "With the amount of poison you have in your system and that nasty concussion it's a miracle you're even alive right now. Any human would have died for sure." Legolas smiled wryly.
He had been bitten and stung so many times on patrol in Greenwood he was sure he had built up some tolerance to spider venom. No need to tell the over concerned healer though. They always worried too much.
"Here drink this. It will help with the poison and pain." She said handing Legolas a nasty green vile. The elf eyed it suspiciously. He had been forced to drink far too many potions by Lord Elrond to trust healers completely. Pomfrey sighed exasperatedly, glaring pointedly at her patient.
Legolas gagged the liquid down just to make the healer stop glaring. She smiled.
"Good. Now I would prefer if you waited but if you feel up to it the Headmaster wishes to speak with you." Legolas nodded eagerly, regretting the decision when his head spun from the sudden movement.
She left and was quickly replaced by the elderly wizard.
The potion soothed his burning side and aching head diminishing the pain to a dull throb. The Headmaster gave a serene smile settling himself on a seat next to the elf's bed. Legolas carefully dipped his head in respect.
"Well Legolas Greenleaf I must start with saying thank you! You fought in valiant defense for the students of Hogwarts and protected them well. It is a debt I will not forget." He said giving a light bow to Legolas.
"No need to thank me." The elf's voice was hoarse compared with its normal musical quality. "My duty to protect the penneth." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled genially.
"All the same you were regrettably injured in course of saving my students for which I am grateful."
"Are they all safe?" The elf enquired. Dumbledore's eyes crinkled as he smiled.
"Just like an elf to ask after the welfare of others while they are stuck in a bed covered in bandaged." The gray haired man chuckled.
"They are all safe and unharmed. Some are shaken but that is to be expected. Miss Umbridge did not take well to the entire sequence of events. She seems to somehow find it your fault that the spiders showed up."
"She may be right." Legolas thought gloomily. Fell creatures hated the light of the elves. His presence may very well have drawn the dark creatures out in an attempt to snuff out his suffocating light.
"All the same one would imagine her more grateful, if not at least more understanding, after you saved her life. Alas we shall never be able to fully understand the mysterious logic by which politicians work things out." Legolas laughed lightly but stopped as it made his side hurt.
"Well at least one positive thing came out of this." Legolas didn't feel terribly assured spotting the amused light behind the wizard's eyes.
"The school is roaring with tales of the courageous elf who single handedly downed an army of spiders to save his students." Legolas groaned sinking deeper into the plush pillows.
"Fantastic!"
Elvish translations:
Rhaich – Curses
Penneth – Young one