DISCLAIMER: Not mine, never was.
Chapter 7
I woke up next morning around 11 o'clock. 'It's the 24th! The Council!' I thought. 'Oh yeah… and Jasmine's birthday. Wish I could be there…' I was beginning to miss my friends more and more.
I got up, washed and dressed in my Earth clothes, which had been washed. But my school robes were almost too torn to be wearable. I should throw them out… but I don't want to. That's weird. I always thought I'd love to get rid of my uniform…
I left my room to see if there was anywhere I could get some food. Even after the huge feast last night, I was a bit hungry. I bumped into Merry in the hall. Surprise surprise, he was carrying food.
'Oh, hi Merry!'
'Morning Vanessa!' he said through a mouthful of bread.
'Can I have one of those rolls? I'm starving!' I asked.
'Sure!' he said as he handed me a white roll.
'Thanks! Where were you going?' I asked, tearing a piece of bread off and eating it.
'Frodo's been summoned to a secret council, but we didn't want to miss it, so Pippin, Sam and I are going anyway. Do you want to come?'
'Oh, sure,' I said, wondering why I hadn't been invited to the Council. In all the Mary-Sues I'd ever read, the character always got to go to the Council (and to be honest, my adventures were quite Mary-Sue-ish).
'Great! I think it's this way…' said Merry, starting off down the corridor in the way he had been headed when I came along.
I followed him. We walked for a little while down corridors, through gardens until we could see a stone circle with many people- elves, men and dwarves, sitting around the edge. We moved closer, and Merry motioned silently for me to follow him. He led me round to where some pillars stood. Pippin was already there.
'What's Nessa doing here?' he whispered to Merry. 'Wasn't she invited to the Council?'
'No, I wasn't. If I was, I wouldn't be here would I?' I answered.
Merry gestured to us to shut up as Elrond had started to speak.
(A/N: We all know how the Council goes so I won't repeat it all as there's no point. If you don't know what happens at the Council, then what are you doing reading this? We continue our story when Pippin and Merry burst in…)
Merry and Pippin burst out from behind the pillars before I could stop them. Elrond looked around as if he was looking to see if more hobbits would burst out of obscure places.
'Wait! We're coming too!' they shouted as they ran to the centre of the stone circle where the rest of the Fellowship were gathered.
'You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!' said Merry.
'Besides, you need people of intelligence on this mission… quest… thing…' added Pippin.
'Well that rules you out Pip,' whispered Merry. Pippin paused while he thought about this, and then frowned.
'Nine companions... So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!' said Elrond. He paused. 'I believe that there is still someone hiding near us. Why haven't they revealed themselves?'
So he knew I was there… never mind. He didn't seem too cross with the hobbits, I don't think anything's going to happen to me. I stepped out from behind the pillar.
The members of the Council started to murmur and whisper to each other when they saw me. They had probably never seen someone as young as me wearing strange trousers and a messy ponytail, hiding behind a pillar at a strictly men-only event. I looked down nervously, wondering if Elrond was going to introduce me.
'This is the Lady Vanessa,' he said. 'Some of you may have met her already. She has come to Rivendell from a far off land that none here have ever seen or heard of.'
This explanation, brief though it was, seemed to satisfy everyone. But I was unsure what to do next. Should I step forward and volunteer to join the Fellowship? No! Wait until someone asks you. They probably don't want a young, inexperienced, foreign girl travelling with them- it would make the whole company more vulnerable, I thought.
Gradually all the members of the Council drifted away, save the nine that had formed the Fellowship. I was about to leave when Elrond motioned for me to come and join them.
'Would you please all introduce yourselves to Vanessa,' said Elrond. I thought that this wouldn't be a good time to point out that I knew who everyone was anyway.
Aragorn, Gandalf and the hobbits didn't bother introducing themselves, so Legolas stepped up first.
'I am Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Northern Mirkwood,' he said, and bowed. Cocky show-off, I thought.
'And I am Gimli, son of Gloin,' said Gimli. Whoa. Big beard.
'And I am Boromir, son of Denethor Steward of Gondor,' said Boromir. He looks too nice to die…
I nodded to each person, but didn't know what to say other than 'Nice to meet you all.'
'Now I suggest that you all get to know one another a bit better, as you will be travelling together for the next few months at least,' announced Elrond.
'What?' I said.
'I have talked long and hard with Gandalf over the matter, and we both agree that you would be a great asset to the Fellowship,' he explained.
'I can't join the Fellowship! I'm a crap walker, I'm not very strong, I can't fight, and I don't know anything about how to survive in the wilderness for days one end without any way of knowing where the nearest town is!' I objected. It was true- I had always hated walking long distances.
'On the contrary, you can fight very well, as you proved at Weathertop,' said Aragorn. 'Although magic is not the contemporary form of fighting here, it will do. And if you wish to learn how to fight with weapons, I would be glad to teach you.'
'That's very nice of you but really I don't think…'
I was interrupted by Elrond saying 'And as for walking, you will become used to the strain.'
Well, they do have a point. And it would be amazing to join the Fellowship and go through everything they go through! Although running across the Riddermark is going to be hell…
They could see I was weakening. 'Ok, ok, I'll go,' I said.
The hobbits seemed happy at least, but Legolas, Gimli and Boromir looked sceptical. And why wouldn't they? They don't know anything about me.
'I will now leave you to get to know one another better,' said Elrond, and he left.
Everyone looked at me. 'What are you looking at me for?' I asked.
'Aragorn said you can fight. I'd like to see you against Boromir here,' said Gimli.
'I don't think that would be a good idea…' I said.
'I think it's a good idea. Just to give us an idea of your skills. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you,' laughed Boromir. 'Does anyone have a sword for the lady here?'
Legolas silently offered me his. 'It's a bit big…' I said, but Boromir ignored me. I took the sword with one hand. I dropped it immediately. 'Shit that's heavy!' I swore. 'Don't laugh!' I shouted at Boromir, who was indeed laughing.
'I am sorry. I do not mean to mock your actions. But perhaps that sword is too heavy for you?'
'No… you think?' I said sarcastically.
Boromir ignored my sarcasm. 'Do any of you hobbits have a sword?'
'I do. Bilbo gave it to me last night,' said Frodo, offering me Sting. (A/N: I know, wrong timing, but Vanessa needs a sword!)
I took it gladly- it was a lot lighter than Legolas's had been. Boromir raised his sword and before I knew it he was charging towards me. It scared the hell out of me- this huge man running towards me with his sword raised high, ready to attack. I didn't know what to do, so I raised my sword too and tried to block his swing when it came, but it was a lot more forceful than I had expected and Sting was wrenched from my grasp, clattering to the ground. Shit. What am I going to do now? Instinctively I pulled out my wand, and without thinking shouted 'PETRIFICUS TOTALUS'. Boromir froze instantly, his sword in mid-swing, and fell back to the ground, his eyes wide and frightened.
'Oh no! I'm sorry Boromir, I didn't mean to! Reflex action you know…' I said the counter-curse and he was able to move again. Well, technically he was, but he remained still on the floor, shaking slightly, for a bit before he could get up.
Everyone looked at me. Ooops… I should probably have stuck with the sword…
'What was that?' asked Legolas. It was the first time he had spoken to me.
'Uhhh… I guess you could say that's how I fight,' I said.
'With that stick?' said Boromir incredulously.
'It's not a stick, it's a wand!' I replied.
Thankfully, Aragorn stepped in to explain stuff a bit more. 'Vanessa is a witch- a female wizard,' he said. 'In her world there are a lot of people with powers like hers. There is a school for them to learn more about how to do magic, and that is where Vanessa has come from. She is joining us on our quest to destroy the Ring because Lord Elrond clearly thinks that her powers will be of use to us.'
'How can she help us?' asked Gimli.
'You'll find out,' I said.
I was spared from any further annoying questions by the sound of a gong announcing that lunch was being served. Saved by the bell…
Were you all expecting her to go to the Council? Sorry if I disappointed some of you, but I'm trying to go my own way with this.
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Arami: Thanks! Sorry I didn't use your phrase in this chapter, but there wasn't really any opportunity to.
faeriekittie306animelover: which other HP/LOTR crossover have you read? Cos I like them, but there aren't that many. And yes, in the first chapter it says Vanessa is Harry and Hermione's daughter.
IwishChan: Three cheers for Spring Break! Yay!
coolmarauders: Right back atcha. I hope your good mood keeps up… prays that the mace of doom never darkens the doorway again
Wacko the Sane: what can I say? Forget I said anything…
