"Let me go see him! Let me—" Aria's screams weren't heard. She was trapped in a side chamber with only a high small round window and a wooden door as her only means of getting out. Around the room were various dark oak bookcases, filled with numerous scrolls and hard cover books. Tables were also in the room, as well as a stone fireplace with flames licking the air from the smoking wood pile. The Hogwarts insignia was in the middle of the stone above the mantle, etched in with fine details, revealing a lion, a raven, a badger and a snake in each of the four pieces of the crest.
But all this detail was not what was on Aria's mind. She only needed seconds to look around, before turning to Mildred and the other Head Authors and Authoresses. "Why are you doing this?" Aria choked, unsure what to do and afraid. "I care about Frodo. I want to help him this time."
"I'm sorry, Aria," Bastila said. "But this must be done. To protect the authors and authoresses. To protect the hobbits, witches and wizards at Hogwarts. And I'm afraid, if we must keep Harry's timeline in check, then this must be done, for your safety and for Frodo's. We cannot risk another hobbit's lives on having a hobbit and an authoress fancying each other. I'm sorry, Aria, truly I am. These will be your quarters. There is a bed here as well. Food will be brought to you, so you won't starve."
"And yet, I'm denied helping Frodo out. The timeline's already affected due to us being here. Surely you knew that," Aria told her, flat out.
"We know." Elizabeth Swan said. "That's why you are staying in here. We'll monitor any action that goes on. But this must be done."
"You keep saying that, but why? Hasn't there already been enough damage done?" Aria spoke, venomously, "Why me and Frodo? What difference does it make? I shouldn't have told him the things I said to him in the first place. Let me see him!"
"She's delirious." Bastila told Mildred. "Go and assist Frodo. I'll watch over Aria until you return."
"Yes Master Shan. At once," Mildred said, taking her leave.
Bastila's gaze turned to Aria, her expression sullen. "I'm sorry, Aria. But I'm afraid it's for your own good." She turned to one of the guards, telling them as she walked out of the side chamber. "Lock the door."
"Yes Jedi," the guardsman said, slamming the door shut and locking it.
"Wait. Wait!" Aria rushed towards the door, but it was too late. It was locked. There wasn't a window either. She was trapped. "Hey! HEY!" She banged and slammed her hand against the door several times, but to no avail, for the door was locked tight. Even the handle could not budge. She collapsed on the floor, her back leaned up against the wood. Now what was she to do? "I hope Frodo's all right."
It was a fading hope, one she hadn't expected to happen in the first place.
…
Frodo stepped over the threshold to Courter's office. It was evening. The first day of term was nearly spent. And yet, the moment he entered the office, he was swamped in a sea of purple. There was purple silk again, draped over the lanterns, the desks and tables. Even the walls were painted purple. It was very ominous, and nearly sent chills down his spine.
"Good evening, Frodo," Courter said, beaming at him. "Now, on with your detention, which I entrust will be very lively."
"Maybe," Frodo said, concerned. It was one thing to lose his authoress, but given the events of today, he hadn't had much luck convincing anyone – the teachers, the staff even – that Courter was someone they shouldn't trust. Something just felt wrong about her. Maybe the hearing had something to do with it. It was as if everyone turned a blind eye…
"Mr. Baggins," Courter said, snaking Frodo out of his thoughts. "Sit down, will you?"
Frodo did as he was told, finding a spot to sit next to his teacher's desk. Just what was the detention, he wondered…
"Would you like a drink?" Courter asked, heading over to her potion cabinet.
"Maybe. But… I thought the detention would be fast," Frodo said, unsure what else to say. There was a strong scent of lavender whiffing up his nostrils. He could hardly think straight. "Like, I thought I was in trouble. Supposed to do… something…"
"Yes. All in good time. Here." Courter said, handing to Frodo a teacup with purple liquid inside. "Drink. You'll feel better."
Frodo smelt the tea. It too had lavender, almost between lemony and blackberry smells. It sure looked all right. Maybe he should try some… just to… his head felt better… much better… as if everything would turn out all right… what was he doing again?
…
Professor Minerva McGonagall was out of her wits. Hobbits in a drugged state of being, half the authors and authoress students gone missing, not to mention all the horrid methods the Head Authors and Authoresses were using to keep the stories in line. It was positively outrageous. And the Ministry of Magic was assisting these Head and High Authors and Authoresses with their medieval methods, as McGonagall put it. It was out of the question outrageous.
Her green robes glided with her every step as she made her way to the Headmaster's office. Surely Albus Dumbledore would know what to do with this sticky situation. And it was nearing Frodo Baggins' birthday. Surely, she figured, he would not want to spend his sixteenth birthday not knowing who he was or what was happening. And yet, even entering Albus' office felt like a different place. It was so quaint… but no, she must resume her task at hand.
"Albus," McGonagall said with great care, as she trod up the steps to the Headmaster's desk. "We have an urgent matter and Filius has been caught in this situation as well."
"What is it, Minerva?" Albus spoke up, clasping his fingers together.
"It's the Halflings we have here at Hogwarts. I fear we have a situation on our hands. The Head Authors and Authoresses have been a hindrance as of late," Minerva said, beside herself.
"Go on. This I must know," Albus said, curious.
"Then you agree with me that there is something going on." Minerva asked, hoping for an answer.
"Yes," he said, nodding his approval.
"Well, the authors go on about 'protecting the timeline', but their presence here has already changed it in more than one way," she said.
"Yes, except they have kept their word up until now about staying out of our original timeline." He pressed further. "Minerva, what is it that they are doing?"
"Drugging hobbits, like what they did to poor Bilbo Baggins fifty years ago, stowing away the hobbits' authors and authoresses, if they go too far over the line that suits the authors' needs, no one has any idea where the fifth-year hobbits have gone missing – Potter's concerned that Baggins hasn't turned up in a few weeks… Albus, something needs to be done, and fast," McGonagall said, worried.
"And so it shall," Albus said, standing up and heading towards the door. "The authors know what they're doing at times, but this has gone too far. They're not allowed to abduct students, whether they be authors, authoresses and hobbits. Let's straighten them out, Minerva." He turned the corner, finding a latch. It worked, opening up a dark stone passageway. He pulled out his wand at the same time as McGonagall and lit it with the lumos spell. He glided down the passageway. For a moment, there wasn't any sounds. At last, he found the door, leading to the Author's Chamber… only this time, it was still and orderly. He advanced towards Mildred Hubble, hoping to reason with her.
"Dumbledore," Mildred was surprised. "What brings you here? You see, everything's in order. We can take it from here."
"This meddling must stop. It is not in our agreed rulebook for the Head Authors and Authoresses to abduct students or drug them. Professor Dippet prevented this once before, fifty years ago. You cannot…"
Mildred nodded. "Yes, and as far as I can remember, we sorted out Bilbo Baggins in our own manner. I'm sorry, but you're not allowed in this wing, or any part of the Author's Chamber. Constable Green's orders and the Ministry's."
"I see," Dumbledore said. "But as I recall, I am the Headmaster. And you've already meddled with the timeline, the moment you entered this castle. Now free the hobbits and their authors, or I will take full action on this matter. You have the right to be here, but not to abduct students from their classes and their schoolwork, or even from each other. Is that clear?"
"For now it is," Mildred said, grinning softly. She turned to the Head Authors and Authoresses. "Release the hobbits and their authors. We'll deal with this matter soon." She turned away. "Nothing will stand in our way." She grinned. "And you wonder why this call this a tough year, on so many levels."
Dumbledore turned to McGonagall, telling her, "Find Frodo and Aria. Then send word to Bilbo Baggins and his authoress. It's time we had a discussion over this matter."
"Yes Albus," Minerva said, wandering down the corridors. With one wave of her wand, she sent the Four Points spell in the air. It directed her to a locked side chamber. And there was Professor Courter, overlooking the door.
"You're not welcome here, Minerva," Courter said, blocking the door.
"I am under direct orders from the Headmaster. This is where Aria Breuer is being kept," Minerva said, serious.
"Yes, and under very specific instructions from the Ministry of Magic and the Author's Campus, I am hereby exempted from…"
"Sil, it is the Headmaster's orders. Now open that door or we will take immediate action from Albus Dumbledore. Now, open this door," Minerva said, serious.
"Well, all right then," Courter said, moving towards the door and muttering to herself. The door flew open. She insisted, facing Minerva, "I'm sorry. But I cannot let you go in. Miss Breuer has gone positively mad. She won't stop writing these ridiculous fanfiction tales of woe and despair."
"Breuer," Minerva called in the side chamber. "Breuer." She found Aria, scrawling on a piece of parchment. It was as if she wasn't paying attention. McGonagall placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was enough to startle Aria and make her look up at McGonagall. "What have they done to you? Come on. We're getting you out of here. You're leaving this chamber. Come on."
"Really?" Aria asked, her voice soft and hardly been used in a few weeks.
"Yes. Come on," McGonagall said, leading Frodo's authoress out of the chamber.
Aria blinked several times. She wasn't used to the bright light. It stung her eyes. So many weeks inside that side chamber. She flinched upon seeing the many stares of the people surrounding the Author's Chamber. What had she done to deserve this freedom? And there… there was Frodo, fair faced, bright blue eyes, curly brown hair and a blue uniform. She remembered the authors telling her he had been drugged. She was close to him now. Already she could feel her heart beat frantically inside her heart. She hadn't seen him for so long, and yet she had written so many fanfiction stories where he was the lead protagonist in nearly all of them. But meeting him again… it was like a dream.
"Frodo…" she coughed. "Frodo… do you remember me? Frodo?" She was doing her best to be loud, but did he recognize her at all? "Frodo. Frodo, it's me. It's Aria. Frodo." She coughed again. She hoped he would remember her…
"Aria?" Frodo asked in turn. He remembered her now. He advanced towards her. It was her. He embraced her fondly. The effort was worth it, but Aria looked so pale, like she hadn't seen sunlight for weeks on end. His memories were coming back. The drugs must have been wearing off. "The tea and that lavender smell. I thought I'd forgotten you."
"Frodo," Aria laughed, joyously. Frodo wouldn't let his authoress go now.
"Let's go, Frodo, Aria. We have much to discuss," Dumbledore said, leading the way. Frodo led Aria out of the Author's Chamber. It was good to be back and himself again. Yes, it was.
