Chapter 9: Battle of Helms Deep
Aragorn gave Harry a worried look when the Man began to panic, his eyes glazed. After a few minutes Harry seemed to calm and relaxed, his eyes returning to normal. Aragorn gave him a questioning look and Harry quickly answered, "I was talking with Papa."
"You can speak with him from this far?" Aragorn asked in amazement.
Harry nodded before he continued, "One of my brothers gained a concussion and he needed to know how to handle it."
Aragorn nodded and they continued on their way to the armory to get ready for the battle. They reached it soon enough and got ready. Aragorn put on his chain mail while Harry merely waved his wand and was wearing an outfit Aragorn had never seen before. He wore black trousers that looked like a second skin with knee high leather boots. He wore a loose blood red pirate shirt with the strings undone, he could now see something he hadn't seen the night before. Aragorn stepped forward and lifted Harry's shirt to see a tattoo of a large, emerald snake.
"Where did this come from?" he asked.
He jumped when the snake moved and came to life, if lifted its head and Aragorn met its gold, slitted eyes, Harry chuckled and answered, "This is my familiar Demetri the basilisk."
Aragorn looked up at him in amazement and Harry gave an amused smile before he hissed something to the basilisk, the snake slithered up his arm and wrapped around the Ranger. Aragorn began to hesitantly stroke the snakes scales and slowly relaxed and began smiling. Harry grinned before he closed his eyes and his weapons appeared. His swords were now strapped to his back, his daggers to his thighs, and his quiver and arrows to his lower back but what caught Aragorn's attention was the staff that appeared. It's base was covered in runes and the top looked like a snake with its jaws open wide, inside them was a circular jewel that looked much like an eye.
"Why does that look like an eye?" Aragorn asked still stroking Demetri.
"Because it is, it's the eye of the basilisk I slew in second year," Harry told him before clipping the cloak from before around his neck.
Aragorn took a step back and stared at the ball atop the staff untrustingly and made Harry laugh. He felt someone tap on his shoulders and turned to see Legolas standing there smiling gently. He was pulled into a hug and heard the Elf whisper, "The King wishes to speak with you," before he was pushed to the door.
He ran out before he realized Legolas hadn't told him where the King was, he quickly transformed sniffing out the King. He reached the briefing room and quickly transformed back. He pushed open the doors and walked in calmly.
There before him were Severus, Sirius, and Théoden staring down at what seemed to be a map of Helms Deep, "You called for me?" he asked, his voice carrying to them.
Théoden looked up and nodded before he waved him forward, "Are you going to be in this battle?" he asked looking up into Harry's emerald eyes.
"That is the most stupid question I have ever heard, that's like me asking you if you are going to fight," Harry told him sitting between his godfathers.
Théoden nodded as if he hadn't insulted him and continued, "Your godfathers here have told me that you would be better off commanding the children fighters."
Harry looked at his two godfathers before turning back, "They would be correct, I will lead the children," he told the King confidently.
The King nodded before he stated, "You may leave now boy," the King told him before looking down at the map.
Harry glared at the top of the King's crowned head before he looked down on the map before he pointed out, "You should place some of you Men in the inner layers in case those in the outer layers are defeated," before he stood and walked out leaving the King of Rohan speechless.
When Harry reached the armory again he had to hold back laughter at the sight of Gimli with a chain mail shirt pooling about his feet, he heard Gimli say, "It's a little tight around the shoulders."
The wolf Animagus lost it and began laughing hard. The Dwarf turned his glare on Aragorn thinking it was him laughing at his predicament, but Harry continued to laugh and snapped his fingers making the mail shrink and become more comfortable for the Dwarf. Aragorn and Legolas soon joined Harry in laughing, especially when they saw the surprised look on the Dwarf's face.
"What devilry is this?" Gimli exclaimed drawing his ax menacingly.
"No devilry my Dwarf brother, only me trying to give you a hand," Harry said around his snickers.
Before Gimli could make a comeback there came the sound of a blaring horn, "That is no orcs' horn," Legolas cried excitedly, and the blond Elf was right, it was too lovely to belong to the ugly beings.
Harry raced out of the armory, Aragorn and Legolas right on his heels, he came to the outer wall only to freeze at the sight that met him. Elves in silken cloaks, holding sharp bows, stood before them in lines. One in particular caught his attention, it was Haldir from Lothlorien!
The wolf Animagus heard his last words, "We have come to honor that pact," and Haldir looked directly at him an amused smile on his face.
Harry knew of what he spoke and couldn't help the grin that spread across his face; he jumped the last few steps and tackled Haldir in a hug, not even caring that he wore full armor. He felt the blond wood Elf freeze before hesitantly wrapping his arms about the young Man. Harry smiled and snuggled even closer to the Elf.
"Welcome, brother, to Helms Deep," Harry whispered before he pulled back and kissed the Elf on the cheek before he backed up so Legolas and Aragorn could greet him.
Haldir's face held surprise that grew to shock when Legolas and Aragorn hugged him as well. He hugged them back unknowingly still in shock. Théoden had gotten over his initial shock and was grinning like a mad man, happy that his people would not be alone.
Harry stood at his post on the wall and heard the frightened breathing of the boys behind him. Many of them were his age when he entered his first year at Hogwarts, others were barely Men yet, but all were filled with fear and hopelessness.
One finally bucked up the courage to speak to him, "Sir, the Men say we will not last the night, and that there is no hope left," the lad whispered, tears filling his eyes.
Harry turned to him and knelt before him, "There is always hope as long as you believe there is," he told the boy giving a warm smile.
This didn't seem to help so Harry stood and looked every single one of them in the eyes, he didn't notice his family come to bid him good luck, and began to speak to them, "You are scared, and you should be!" he began his normally emerald eyes the color of jade, "That shows you have sense! But here's a secret for you, we all are," his voice carried to the Men down the walls on either side of him and his "Men".
They listened closely, as did the ebony wolf's family, "I want you to look at those around you! Do you see them?" he asked as they did as commanded when he got affirmatives from them he continued, "Those are your brothers, and your family, we protect our family do we not?" he got hesitant nods from the boys before him, and though he couldn't see it he got nods from the other Men as well, "I will protect you with the last breath I have, I will make sure none of you die on this night," Harry swore his voice firm and full of confidence, "You have the strength of your brothers to lean on, the love and faith of those around you and in the caves, and you have hope! With these three items we will not fail!" he exclaimed.
When his speech was finished a cry broke out and everyone felt confidence in themselves and those around them grow. The Elves joined in the cry feeling motivated for the first time, the only reason they had been there before was by order of their superiors, now they fought for their loved ones and those around them who had become their brothers. Harry gave a nod and turned to see his family staring at him, Sirius and Severus held proud smiles on their faces, Boromir and Gimli were grinning madly, and Legolas was giving him a smile, but he saw none of this his eyes were only for the Man he loved.
Aragorn slowly walked forward, his eyes and face unreadable, Harry grew nervous until the future King of Gondor scooped him up and twirled him about, a huge smile on his face. The Ranger quickly set the Man he loved down only to pull him into a deep, love filled kiss. It started out passionate but became gentle, when they pulled back they heard wolf whistles and laughed, they laughed even harder at the look of surprise on the boys faces. Harry was distracted when he saw Haldir over Aragorn's shoulder ushering him toward the blond Elf.
Harry kissed Aragorn one more time before pulling from his arms and walking over to the armor clad Elf. He stopped beside his friend and turned to look over the plain waiting for the Elf to tell him what he wished to say.
"Lillian wanted me to tell you that she misses you and to come get her soon," Haldir whispered his voice subdued, but Harry heard the underlying love for the young Elfling.
Harry smiled gently and felt tears in his eyes as a picture of his little Elfling came to mind, "I miss my cub so much Haldir, if it would have been safe I would have taken her with me," Harry whispered as a few tears escaped his emerald eyes.
Haldir, seeing this, pulled the young Man into a one armed hug, "She knows that, and loves you so much for it," he told the Man encouragingly.
"Thank you Haldir, for the message and the encouragement. Good luck in the battle, kick some orc ass!" Harry said wiping away the tears and giving a dangerous grin.
Haldir grinned back, dropping all masks, and said, "You as well, my ai toror', you as well," before he let go of his hold on the young wolf.
Harry went back to his post, placing reassuring hands on some of the boys' shoulders as he passed. When he reached it he suddenly heard the blare of the orc horn and the dull marching of their feet. He turned to find Aragorn in the crowd upon the wall, he soon found him near Haldir and his people and made eye contact before mouthing, 'I love you', Aragorn mouthed it back before Harry turned back to face the oncoming threat.
The army of orcs soon reached the wall and stood a few yards away, but still close enough that Harry could see their ugly faces covered in helmets. His voice carried to those behind him telling them to notch their bows, he held out his hand as he did this and his bow materialized before him. He notched one of his own arrows, it had begun to rain. The orcs before them began beating their spears in an unnerving beat, a tense few minutes passed before one of the Men's hands slipped and an arrow was let loose, it caught one of the orcs on the front line in the neck. There was a pause and then a roar came from the orc army, 'And so it begins,' Harry thought before giving the command to fire.
The Battle of Helms Deep had begun.
