~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* CHAPTER VIII *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~
Harry did not sleep that night, something was bothering him, he could not place his finger on it. It was like an itch under his skin that did not leave him alone no matter how he tried to be rid of it. He had wandered outside and was sitting on the landing of the stairs, looking at the sky when the soft rasp of scales came to his ears. He looked to see Voldemort in his Naga form slithering his way up the stairs, the man having gone out for a late night stroll it seems.
"What has you awake so late, Hadrian?" He wondered, his sibilant tones caressing his ears like a playful wind.
"I cannot sleep, but that is not what is bothering me." He admitted, looking to the stars. "We never did talk about what the old fool had done to annoy you so..."
"Ah, yes..." Voldemort smiled as he moved and coiled himself around Harry. "Perhaps your shadows should join us... Severus should be here soon enough as well, he wanted to stock pile the battle potions you will be needing soon enough."
"Thank you... and yes, Aragorn, Legolas, come out." Harry called and smiled as the pair slipped from their hiding spots. "Most impressive, but you are trying to sneak upon a Naga King and a Devi, both of whom who have very strong senses."
Legolas smiled as he moved to sit beside Harry, looking to the stars, but his smile dimmed and fell away as he noted how dim they looked. Aragorn had leaned on a torch stake close by. Severus didn't take long to join them and once he was comfy on his mate's coils they began to talk.
"Griphook's work has been infallible since he took over as the Potter Accountant. He's taken back every Knut that has been taken from your vaults, every tome and relic has been returned as well, hefty fees and interest rates have all but ruined Dumbledore and his precious Order of Fried Chicken." Voldemort began, chuckling at his little joke, which earned him a halfhearted swat form his husband. "Fine, the Order of the Phoenix, happy now?"
"Immensely." Severus drawled.
"Poor Fawkes, having his kind used as a symbol for a group that is either firmly on Dumbledore's side or witless idiots who are too blind to see the truth." Harry sighed, a little callous toward those he normally held sympathy and understanding for.
"And how do you know the Headmaster's familiar's name?" Severus asked.
"He's been with me since I began this journey, him, Aldeztaile and Hedwig, though I've had Hedwig longer." Harry told him, blinking as if that was obvious. "Fawkes it doing me a favor by keeping my friends Frodo and Sam safe while they make their way to Mordor. We got separated when an Uruk-hai attack separated us. Not long after we left Lothlorien."
"I see." Severus smiled secretively. "Anyway, the Order is viewed as the Heroes of our tale, fighting back the Dark and Death Eaters, all the while scouring the earth looking for you. They were hit the most with the fines and interest rates to the point that they have lost a lot of their good standing in the public's eye. Even the Headmaster, practically untouchable what with his fame for his defeat of Grindelwald, being the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamont, and the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, has taken a serious blow, even if just barely."
"And it doesn't help that many are starting to believe that you had died that night or the following days after my defeat." Voldemort smirked. "It will be quite hilarious to see how they will react to you coming back from the 'dead.' However, that is not what has us worried or annoyed. Dumbles, even with the blow to his reputation, still holds his positions, if only by the skin of his teeth, and still has sway over public opinion. He's playing on everyone's fears. Laws have been passed that enslave most creatures, sanction the hunting and killing of others!"
"They just recently passed a law that allows the government to test infants at birth for Creature blood and if they are discovered, they are euthanized... 'a kindness and a mercy'..." Severus hissed, enraged, the darkness around them coming alive as shadows moved and writhed with his anger.
The reaction they were expecting wasn't the one they got. One would have expected the appalled looks on Legolas' and Aragorn's faces, would've expected wailing or shouting, but Harry didn't react at all. He simply nodded his head, but the strange look that entered his eyes left them feeling uneasy. He simply snapped his fingers and Milly appeared.
"Yesing sir?" she bowed, sensing the change in her normally kind master.
"Could you do me a small favor please?" He asked her, while waving a hand lazily into the air and a vial with a liquid black like night that somehow sparkled like black diamonds appeared. He whispered in her ear too soft for anyone to hear what he said and even then he spoke in the Elvish that the House Elves spoke, a strange gekkering sound not unlike a fox, but this sounded higher pitched, almost airy, but haunting.
"Ooh, Milly bes doings its nows!!" She cackled darkly and vanished with no sound at all.
Harry smiled brightly at his friends, but the dead, ice cold look in his eyes sent ice running rampant in their veins. Harry was truly someone you did not want to make the enemy of.
"If they want to play God so badly... why not give them a taste of their own medicine?" Harry simply asked, a book appearing in his hand which he opened and looked through. "I see, tch, tch, tch... that simply will not do... Ah, Kahli would enjoy this..." He hummed, a quill and parchment appearing from no where. Scribbling out a quick notice and sealing it with the Hallows mark on it, it vanished and he smiled icily once more. "Any thing else?"
"You are truly terrifying, my friend." Aragorn breathed out.
"..." Harry looked at him and softened his smile. "I do not like innocents being harmed or killed, especially children... Call it my maternal instincts going a little haywire... Though some would say it's because I have a saving people complex..."
"It is simply who you are, Harry." Legolas told him, a small smile on his lips. "It is simply another aspect of your character. If we cannot accept all of you, then we cannot truly call ourselves your friends, your Coven."
"Hear, hear." Boromir chirped, coming over. "Besides, I would rather stand with you, Hadrian, than stand against you. You are a deadly swordsman and I would never wish to cross blades with you if I can help it."
Harry chuckled as he wrote a few more letters, sealing them with his Lordship and Heirship rings as needed before they vanished with soft pops, copies being made and making their way to Griphook, who made his way over.
"My Lord?" He called, bowing his head low, a true sign of respect from the Goblins which is very hard earned. "How may Gringotts assist?"
"I will need at least 10,000 Galleons removed from the main Potter vault and divided into the new vaults which I mentioned to be made and secured along with all the protections I listed for the creatures that will surely need to flee. If more is needed take what is necessary from the Gryffindor main vault as well. And another 20,000 taken from the Peverell vaults to pay for the children's, who are being murdered, funerals... that is assuming I cannot work out an alternative. But I am waiting for Death--"
You~summoned~me,~my~Master?
The entity suddenly spoke, his voice emanating from Harry's wine glass. Looking in he saw the black liquid that normally appeared when Death could not be there physically.
"Hello, Papa Mors... You received my letter?"
Indeed~I~have...
I~approve~and~shall~confer~with~Chaos
"Thank you. Anything else I should be aware of?" Harry wondered vaguely, the steel in his eyes did not brook for argument or any of Death's attempts to circumvent Harry's feelings on certain matters. The Entity sometimes regrets personally raising his Master, the child was somewhat immune to him when he wanted to be, could get him to do things he normally wouldn't and the child had the best stare down he's ever had the pleasure/misfortune of being on the receiving end of. Death did his equivalent of taking a deep breath in, (he was Death, he did not breathe) and said:
You~will~not~like~what~you~hear...
I~have~done~all~I~can~to~prevent~more,
but~even~I~cannot~interfere~too~much~or~too~often...
Harry narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as he looked at the book in his hands that glowed a moment and what he saw did not make him happy. He spat something most foul that Death recoiled as if burned, causing the black liquid to slosh in the goblet.
"How much longer until I can go back and rip that old bastard's lying tongue out of his fucking arse?" Harry hissed, his temper well and truly riled, curses coming more often than before. The urge to rain pain and suffering on these fools making him twitchy.
Not~yet...
But~soon...
Just~a~bit~more~patience,~Master...
Harry growled and slammed the book shut, huffing annoyed. Oh Harry had patience. You needed a lot of it to deal with everything that is Death and his many Children, the Gods and Goddesses of Death and their dramas. Harry could be called the God of Patience if he were of Divine heritage, but still it annoyed him when he was reminded that he could not jump the gun, not yet at least. Death seemed to have nothing else to say, having shown him what he wanted him to see and thus vanished, replacing the wine with the special wine Harry seemed fond of from the Elementals' realm.
"Harry?" Legolas ventured, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm alright, just annoyed is all. But that is alright. Papa Mors is doing what he could to reverse these crimes. Death and Chaos run on very tight schedules, shocking I know, but that is the truth. Chaos especially hates when things happen that she does not plan for. It means she and her Children have to clean up the mess or are the scapegoats for the ones who created the mess in the first place." Harry sighed, taking the goblet and sipping at it only to purr happily at the wine that was now filling his goblet. "Ah Papa knows me so well... Moonbeam Wine! Delicious..."
"What is Lord Mors attempting to do?" Griphook ventured, treading carefully. One did not assume that they were privy to such details just because they have Death vouching for them.
"Bringing back as many of those who died, too many deaths makes it very hard for Papa and his Children to keep track of them and that is how we end up with Demons and Dementors. Not every soul rests in peace after they die." Harry told him. "Not to mention with so many deaths, Magic is dying out faster and soon no one will have magic and Papa will be forced to end the world with Chaos' help."
At the mention of Dementors, all those from Harry's Realm shuddered in fright.
"My mindless cousins would sooner feed on their fellow kin rather than aid us, however being the Shade Queen grants me some sway and hold over them." Severus shuddered again. "We could attempt to get them on our side if only to keep them from being used against us. I personally do not want my soul sucked out."
"Nor do I." Harry agreed, the few times he ever encountered a Dementor, it was under Death's heavy supervision and strict tutelage when learning to cast the Patronus Charm. "Just learning to protect myself against them was harrying enough; no that wasn't a pun."
Voldemort was smiling at Harry for his unintended pun and refused to stop smiling, which made Harry blush and snap at him childishly.
"Enough, Tom." Severus chuckled at his mate's antics. "I've been tasked with gathering information from the Dark Sect and from your relatives... I'm to persuade them into giving you up and into taking you in. And I'm to persuade you into following orders... if you prove resistant."
"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley are the worst sort of Muggles, completely anti Magic, anything they do not deem Normal is classified as freakish and unnatural. They were paid quite a hefty sum to take you in after your parents were murdered." Griphook added. " They were given potions and items to use on you, suppressing your magic, breaking your mind down until you were malleable for the Headmaster's purposes. They were to be paid monthly to keep abusing you, only using the bare minimum to keep you alive."
"Oh?" Harry huffed. "And have they been paid more since you took over?"
"No... in fact they were not pleased to find out that they were to return every single last Knut and had to give up their possessions and house, even the old crone's wedding rings, to pay the interest. They tried attacking us, but after my sister turned their piglet of a son into an actual piglet and threatened to roast him alive, they quickly sang a different tune and are currently working themselves to death in one of our mines to finish paying back their debt." Griphook's smile was nothing short of frightening. "The son now lives with his father's sister, not a maternal bone in that woman's body. It would do him some good, strict that one is."
"Hmm... perhaps I will visit them, just to see what kind of monsters would willingly abuse a child, Magical or otherwise, for money." Harry mused.
"Then you will just simply adore Umbridge... she loves to torture people, adult and child alike to get what she wants. She is absolutely obsessed with the Ministry, power and making sure everyone understands that very few stand above her and that she has her fingers on enough pulses that she needs to only put a bit of pressure and her will, will be done. Let's not mention she is 100,000% anti Creature." Voldemort snorted, conjuring up an image of the woman.
"Ugh, what is that beast?" Aragorn demanded, but flushed brightly when he realized it was a woman. "Oh my... how unfortunate..."
"Don't feel bad, she's uglier in real life and her rotten personality makes me look like a cuddly kitten on my worse days." Voldemort assured him, laughing humorlessly. "She is the one putting the pressure on the voters to vote in favor of the Creature Laws, even wrote the ones allowing the testing on the children. She hates Dumbledore, but shares his views on the 'dangers of non-human Magicals' and has taken up teaching at the school to torture the students with torturous detentions."
"She's using Blood Quills, completely illegal, only used in the most highest level contracts, such as peace treaties, execution or exoneration documents. She also has the school under a Post ban, making it impossible for anyone to send letters out or to receive letters. She personally goes through everyone's mail and if she deems it even remotely treasonous she punishes the child! One of my Snakes had to 'write lines' for getting a letter that told her the good news that her oldest brother had recently had twin sons!" Severus snarled, enraged once more just thinking about poor sweet Emilia sobbing in his arms with 'Babies are Creatures and must be Destroyed' carved into her hand.
"..." Harry's eye was twitching. "I do not like violence... I never wish death on another... but this Umbitch will personally have my hand through her heart, as pitifully tiny it is."
The snarl on his lips was inhuman, but Legolas purred at the sight of it. His Omega would be a fierce, but doting mother of their pups-- No, bad Legolas! Harry was not theirs, not yet. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't court the pretty minx and possibly bond with him. He would rather fade than let Harry slip through his fingers. He shook the thought off for now, focusing on the strange Istari and the plight they found themselves in for now.
"Funny, my students, not just my Snakes, call her the same thing." Severus smiled darkly. "Any ideas you wish to share? I promise to only use them for the good of the students."
Harry's smile was bright and playful, which made it all the scarier. After all he was the Heir of the Marauders, his former bullies could be quite vicious when the mood struck them.
"She hates creatures right? She loves to torture children? You said there was a Herd of Centaurs in the forest right?" Harry smiled and it did not bode well for Umbridge. "Can't be too vicious, I want her to have some of her... spunk before I rip her heart out of her chest... I love the look on their faces when I do it..."
"..." Voldemort gulped in fright. "When did you--"
"I was 7, Papa Mors wasn't home and well the strange man from the general store who always looked at me and told me I was pretty, broke into our house... It was the first time I blacked out in Fight/Flight Mode... Papa came home to see his corpse and me sleeping with his heart clenched tight in my fists... He suppressed the memory until I was 15 and then helped me cope with it. I killed three more times like that, each time in Fight/Flight Mode..." Harry shrugged.
"Ah, I actually favor the liver..." Severus mused. "I took a kidney once..."
"I ripped a tongue out..." Harry told him and from there the two Omegas were comparing their gory Fight or Flight stories, uncaring for the horrified and oddly turned on looks they were getting from the others. Griphook was grumbling that neither Omega were available, to have such a vicious mate would make him the envy of his Clan, but alas, it was not meant to be...
It was the wee hours of the morning, Griphook, Boromir, Severus and Voldemort had retreated to their rooms for the night, leaving Harry, Aragorn and Legolas to stargaze. Harry was sitting alone for now as Aragorn and Legolas talked quietly further up the steps, worry on their brows.
"The stars are veiled..." Legolas murmured. "Sauron's shadow grows..."
"We cannot waste any more time... We need to gather our forces and fight... Frodo is counting on us as we are counting on him." Aragorn nodded in agreement. "Can you tell us how their progress grows?" He directed at Harry.
"I have no gift for Sight, however, if Frodo had failed, we'd all know it." Harry told them, looking off toward where Mordor glowed in the far distance. "Fawkes is with them and keeping them safe. We must do our part as well or it will all be for naught."
They went quiet before a sudden pulse of foul magic spiked in the air. Harry yelped and threw himself down on the landing, curling up as if to protect himself from the feel as Legolas rushed to his side, Aragorn running inside with a shout of 'he's here!' Legolas helped him up, whispering light spells to ward off the dark magic. Harry slowly uncurled, but in his own head he was fighting with Sauron's Leech Craft. The Dark Lord of Arda was whispering sweet nothings, promises of power, riches, immortality, if only Harry would become his.
Harry was steadfastly holding his Occlumency shields up and whenever they took damage, he quickly patched them up. The Light spells that Legolas was casting were giving him something to focus on, to ground him, not so much the spells, but Legolas' voice. Sauron didn't like this, battering at Harry with images of the Elf with a red haired She-Elf, happy and clearly in love. But Harry didn't pay it much attention because Legolas had told him of his first love who had found her one in a Dwarf and when he died, she faded away.
Hard to be jealous over a dead woman and even more so when they had agreed that they work best as friends, nearly 300 years before she found her One. Sauron suddenly vanished and Harry was able to finally uncurl himself from his position and Legolas sighed in relief, kissing his little Wizard soft, if a bit shakily.
"Are you alright?" He asked pulling away.
"Much better when I'm off the hard stone steps..." Harry retorted, snorting softly when Legolas laughed, but still helped him to his feet. "Let's go see which of the Hobbits did it..."
"Why does it have to be a Hobbit?" Legolas wondered as they hurried toward their rooms.
"Because they are like cats, get enough curiosity in them, it will kill them until they are satisfied. Besides Gimli is still piss arse drunk and will not wake until well into the afternoon tomorrow." Harry snorted. "You and Aragorn obviously were out here with me. I wasn't even in the room. Boromir has basically avoided anything magical since his brush with Death. Gandalf obviously knows the Palantir is dangerous and wouldn't mess with it. My people are either drunk and passed out or are currently mating in whatever room they were given to bother messing with it. And the Goblins had all hissed and demanded that the Palantir be destroyed."
"So Hobbits..." Legolas nodded sagely, seeing how Harry had shot down all other choices. "And the other Men would avoid it simply because it was how Saruman took over the King."
"Exactly..." Harry nodded as they came into the room to see Gandalf talking to a semi catatonic Pippin. "What's happened? Why was that filth here?"
"You sensed him?" Gandalf looked up at Harry with concern.
"He tried to invade my mind, but I kept him at bay. However I think he believes either I or Pippin has the Ring, if how stricken Pip looks is any indication." Harry sighed. "Pippin, look at me..."
He whimpered, but looked to Harry, afraid, but the moment their eyes met, Harry was in his head. He watched the last few moments where he had suffered untold torture about Frodo, the Ring and Harry, but Pippin, brave little Pippin didn't speak nor did he give in. Pulling out his mind, Harry smiled as the young Hobbit was now dozing somewhat peacefully in his arms.
"He's said nothing about the Ring or Frodo. Sauron will come after Pip thinking he has the Ring." Harry nodded in confirmation. "A foolish thing he may be, but he is an honest fool and loyal to a fault..."
"You two will not be safe here..." Gandalf sighed.
"Nowhere will be safe. However I get the feeling you want us somewhere else where we can help shift this war... You can take Pip, but not me. I have something else that needs to be done." Harry told him firmly.
The older Istari met his eyes and for a moment they stared one another down before Gandalf nodded his head. He was not so powerful that he would dare to presume that he could order the younger magic user about, especially when the boy stood on a pedestal much higher and untouchable than anyone other than the Gods themselves.
"I shall see you soon then." He got his things gathered as Pippin was woken up and made to pack his things. By the time dawn had peeked over the horizon, Pippin was being spirited away with Gandalf and Fenrir, who promised to keep an eye on the young Hobbit for Harry.
"Don't worry Merry, he'll be safe. Now come on, we have to move..." Harry assured him, seeing the melancholy that was etched into his face. "We will see him soon..."
"I snapped at him..." Merry murmured.
"You were worried that he had hurt himself... Yes he's a bit upset that you are mad at him, but deep down he knows you are worried about him. Now come on, I will make a warrior of you yet." Harry smiled, leading him inside...
Severus and Harry were sitting in the courtyard teaching basic Herbology to those who wished to learn. What could be used to make medicine, what could be used for poisons and what can be used in a fight against attackers much stronger or skilled then they were. Several Elves were sitting amongst the civilians even a few of the Rohirrim were learning this. Theodred, Theoden and Aragorn were in near constant meetings, Eomer and his men were riding in and out every other day trying to gather their full force, but Saruman's treachery had much further reaching repercussions than they had originally thought.
Rohan was all but shattered to the bare bones, less then even half their forces had survived and even less came at the call of their King, too wounded or too few to spare. There was no fooling themselves, they were heading into that final battle and they would be heading into it sooner rather than later. Theoden had been stubborn for a day or two about aiding Gondor, since they didn't come to his aid, but Aragorn reminded him that while he may not have lived the life of a King, Gondor's King had ridden to his aid as well as the eldest son of the Steward of Gondor. Theodred also helped in the matter by reminding his father that Harry would be helping his friends, and that when they left so to would he leave with them.
So now as they waited for the signal from Gondor, they prepared themselves as best they could. Bellatrix took over teaching the woman how to fight. Knives, crockery and even spears were used. Eowyn enjoyed those lessons, seeing the Magical woman heft spears and throw them with deadly precision. Even if she missed her intended target, she hit it in a place that could be very deadly. She seemed to enjoy aiming for the head of the dummies, which she made look like the monsters of Mordor, Saruman and even Dumbledore(the Adra Natives were clueless to the old man that seemed to have incurred her wrath) just because she could.
Her husband and his brother taught the young men and teens how to quickly set up deadly traps that would slow enemy forces down, without magic of course. Boromir helped to train the Elders in simple, but effective sword play. Legolas and the other Elves scouted out the area, hunting down the linger forces of Saruman's army, making sure that as few as possible joined up with Sauron's main army. So it wasn't a shock that about 3 weeks after Gandalf and Pippin had left that the Signal had been lit.
"Gondor calls for aid!" Shouted a foot soldier, running up to Aragorn who smiled and raced up the stairs to stop by Theoden.
"Gondor calls, what will you say, King Theoden?" Aragorn asked.
"And Rohan shall answer!" Theoden nodded firmly, slapping a hand to Aragorn's shoulder. "Muster the Rohirrim! We ride for Gondor!"
It was organized chaos after that as they got ready to move out. Harry looking toward the distance at one point, a mountain that seemed to stand alone and almost always cast in shadow. Yes, he needed to go there...
Pippin was getting dressed in the Livery of Gondor, rambling in mild panic as he realized that he just swore himself into the service of Denethor, but it was all he could do to get the man to even remotely listen to Gandalf. It was foolish and impulsive, but it had worked. Gandalf did not say much to him, staring toward Mordor, a worried pinched expression on his face. Fenrir had taken on his wolf form and was pretending to be a domesticated wolf, keeping watch over the Devi's Coven mates. If there was no reason to expend energy then he will not waste it needlessly.
"Gandalf?" Pip called when he realized that he wasn't being either scolded for his foolishness again or warm words of encouragement were given. Coming to the old man's side he placed a small hand on his knee, startling him a moment. "I'm worried about Frodo too..."
"Yes... I am having trouble keeping him within my sight the closer he gets to Mordor... And it looks like even Harry's magics are beginning to fail..."
"It doesn't mean they've failed yet!" Pip snapped, jabbing his thigh with a pin, making the old Wizard hiss. "It means Frodo still has a fighting chance! We just have to keep hoping, keep fighting! If we do, then Frodo will feel it and it will boost him further!"
Gandalf chuckled, glad that Pippin, was still optimistic as always. A foolish child he may be, but a courageous young man he was growing up to be. Yes, he will not doubt or wallow, they had time still, the enemy still blind to a few cards in their hands and hopefully they will remain that way. They turned when Faramir entered the room after knocking.
"Here, this might fit you better than anything else." He smiled softly at the small Hobbit, getting a small shock when he learned that he was a cousin of the Ring bearer. "It belonged to a foolish boy who spent much of his afternoons slaying dragons rather than studying to one day be Steward."
"This was yours?" Pippin asked, carefully putting the livery on and letting Faramir tie it into place.
"Yes... Boromir's would be too big." He sounded sad mentioning his brother. "He would have wished you to have his... If he were alive now, he'd beam in pride, you know?"
"... Boromir's alive; did you think he died?" Pip wondered.
"His horn had washed up... it was cloven in two..." Faramir told him, looking painfully hopeful, but devastatingly resigned.
"No! Boromir's alive! I know he is because I just left him! He said he was going to be heading to Osgiliath to help your men hold off Mordor's forces for a little longer!" Pip nearly shouted, trying to get his brutal honesty across.
"But--"
"It is true, Boromir still lives. His life having been saved by one of our own, a young Istari from a strange land donned in Greens, a servant of the God of Death." Gandalf nodded. "He's saved several lives that would have otherwise been lost. Boromir, Prince Theodred, Haldir of Lothlorien and even Frodo's life was saved from being turned into a Nazgul..."
"Truly?" Faramir asked, worried about someone who followed a Death God, if there was such a thing, but still hopeful.
"Yes! He's very kind and quite powerful! He's helped us a great deal over this past year! He will make sure that you and Boromir meet again!" Pippin promised.
Gandalf was nodding, that grandfatherly smile he gave to all he befriended or viewed as something akin to family adorning his features. Faramir finally allowed himself to hope, visibly relaxing and if his eyes were wet, neither male pointed it out. Finishing helping Pippin get ready, Faramir escorted him to his father's chambers where Pippin was to keep Denethor company and entertained, even if his mind was slipping more and more everyday. The shadow of Mordor praying on the weak, corrupting them or driving them insane the larger it grew. Faramir had his duties and set about them, a new hope blossoming in his chest...
Sam sniffled, hurt by how utterly betrayed Frodo had looked when they woke to discover the last of their rations had mysteriously went missing. Of course it happened when Fawkes was out scouting the area and possibly hunting down a hare or two for them to eat. He knew that Gollum fellow was a bad fit, but Frodo was right, he knew how to get to Mordor without being seen. Frodo had seemed so fine, fighting off the Ring's power, but with the lack of sleep, water and food...
He almost slipped as he was climbing and caught himself on a ledge. Pulling himself up and sitting on it, he caught his breath. Setting his hands down behind him, he blinked feeling what felt like a leafy green and turned to grab it. It was the leaf wrapping of the Lempas bread!, scattered around him was the last of their food! It had been tossed! That scoundrel! Getting up, filled with rage and determination, he began climbing, he was going to catch up with his Frodo and he was going to smash Gollum's skull in. Just because Mr. Bilbo saved the poor thing's life once out of pity, doesn't mean it deserves another chance since it clearly wasted the gift Mr. Bilbo gave it!
'Hold on, Frodo, your Sam is coming!'
Frodo was gasping for air, he couldn't move anymore. His mind was under near constant attack now, Smeagol's whispering wasn't helping him. The Ring suddenly felt like it weighed a ton and a half, but still he kept going. The cave was dark and stunk of death and rotting filth. He knew it was a trap, but the Ring seemed to be pulling him through it, almost gleeful as if it new that once they crossed Her cave, it would be home in Mordor, closer to its master!
Where was Fawkes? Where was Sam? He startled when a strange sound was heard and he took off running only to be caught in a spiderweb much too big to belong to even the most largest of average spiders. This spider had to be as large as the Party tree! Or almost as large, but he wasn't going to stick around and find out! Smeagol was singing in the distance, about him being eaten up by Her and that they would have Precious back! Crap, he needed to get out of here!
He struggled to get Sting free of its scabbard and grabbed the phial of liquid Starlight, it would grant him only a little bit of protection, but it was still something! Cutting himself free and hacking through the webs, he hurried as best he could because about halfway out of the cave, She made herself known and well, she was a monstrous and grotesque spider! She chased him into the daylight and then seemingly vanished. He looked about for her, but did not see her. He looked and looked, forgetting to look up and behind him until he spun at the sound of a tumbling rock.
He gasped as he was hit in the chest with her stinger and then carefully wrapped up in webbing...
Sam screamed in horror seeing Frodo being cocooned by the spider and raced out to attack her. Shelob screeched and snapped her mandibles at him, trying to stick him with her stinger. The Hobbit, rolled out of attacking range, picking up Sting and the Phial as he went, getting her away from Frodo and fighting her off. She hissed and screeched, but when he stabbed her in the eye and hacked off the lower half of one of her legs and then slashed open her abdominal, finally forcing her to retreat. She crawled back into her cave, blinded, maimed and with a wound festering with Elvish magic which would surely kill her.
Not even a moment after she fled, did Gollum attack Sam, enraged that he kept Shelob from killing Frodo and letting him have the Ring! He tried to fight the fat Hobbit, who wasn't all that fat, more muscle than fat now. Getting his bony hands around that thick neck, he was going to do him away like he did a similar fat Hobbit who came between him and his Precious! But he didn't get to do anything because a furious screech and a burst of flames slammed into him and he fled soon after, cursing stupid Hobbitses and flaming birdies.
"Fawkes!" Sam gasped, the Phoenix chirped and nuzzled him before hopping over to Frodo. "Frodo!?" He ripped the webbing and then sobbed at the deathly pale and unseeing eyes. "No... Frodo, come back... come back..." He begged.
Fawkes set the webs on fire before he leaned his head over the stinger wound and cried on it. It took a moment or two, but suddenly color and life returned to Frodo, the songbird cocooning them in a wall of fire to keep them safe from any other creatures that might wander by.
"Frodo!?" Sam gasped feeling him shift in his arms.
"Sam?" Frodo moaned and blinked his eyes and smiled softly. "You came back?"
"Of course! I love you too much to abandon you..." Sam scolded softly, pulling him close and kissing him softly. "Don't go where I cannot follow you... Never, Frodo, never..."
"I promise... Fawkes?" Frodo wondered as the bird seemed to be giving him a scolding glare. "I am sorry I was so trusting..."
The bird clacked his beak, but nodded, dropping his flames, he grabbed them by their shirts and took off over the darkened fields hiding them on a distant cliff, they would wait a few hours before they kept going. If Fawkes had to fly them all the way to Mt. Doom, he would...
They were camped in the shadow of the Mountain. The horses were nervous, they bayed and bucked, not even the King's horse dared to linger in such a place of age old rancor. Even the Men and Elves were nervous, eyeing the fleeting shadows as they danced to quickly for their liking. Severus watched the shadows with a distant look of spite, being a Shade meant his kind were the closest living thing to have the name Children of Death. He had no control over the dead, but he could interact with them in a way the normal living could not. And as the current Queen/King of the Shades, it meant he was quite powerful. He watched the shadows dance, the discolored and rotting ghouls that popped up every now and again, to startle the Men and beasts annoying him.
"You see them as well?" Harry's voice asked, the young Master of Death could see the Dead as if they were plain as day, could see them rising from all over the mountain, heading in a steady procession toward the hidden valley between the mountain walls. "They have been called... they are gathering."
"Yes, but some of them do not seem to mind startling our comrades a bit..." Severus snorted. "I take it, this is why you did not go with the White Wizard?"
"Yes... besides someone has to make sure they do not hurt my brothers or my Alpha." Harry smiled, something sharp and deadly. "Besides even if Aragorn could sway them to his side, who is to say they will not turn and betray him like they once did to Isildur?"
Severus nodded his head in agreement, after all one does not trust a coward and a traitor so easily or at all. And the young Master of Death would be more than enough to get their loyalty and to keep it if they do not wish to spend their afterlife in this miserable carrock.
"Severus, can I trust you to keep things handled?" Tom suddenly asked, appearing from nowhere and looking out of breath. "The old goat seems to have broken into one of the bunkers... I am needed."
"Go!" Severus snarled, looking worried because those bunkers had information on Harry and they couldn't afford for the old man to get his hands on anything! "Take the LeStranges!"
"But--"
"I have cousins here! I will not be without protection! And we have Greyback!" Severus cut him off. "And I am not helpless! I have fought beside you for nearly 2 decades, how many have ever bested me?"
Tom chuckled and pulled his mate into a kiss, "None... be safe, beloved and watch our son well, he's as sly as a Slytherin and as foolhardy as a Gryffindor."
He then activated his cross dimensional Portkey, several Goblins going with him under orders from Griphook, who gave temporary control of the Potter vaults and accounts to his sister, Sparkfrost, who would do him proud and cut any fool down to size with a charming smile. Severus sighed as he turned to look at the pass once more.
"Will you be needing my company?"
"No... But I'm sure you will come with me anyway simply to see how well I handle such a situation." Harry smiled.
"Indeed, after all, if you cannot handle the departed, you have no hope to handling the living." Severus smirked, turning his head and snarling in the greenish face of a ghoul, who fled when it was frightened instead. "Hmph, I will go to smack that one for attempting to startle me. Only the Gray Lady frightens me."
Harry chuckled as he moved away to see to a few of the men as Legolas and a few Elves ran about trying to keep the horses calm. Aragorn and Eomer were having a similar conversation across the camp, the young King of Gondor staring at the ghostly image of the King of the Dead as he smiled, cruel and full of malice...
Later that night, Aragorn's sleep was fitful. He kept seeing Arwen, pale and getting weaker, dying. He saw her and Lord Elrond arguing, but still she stubbornly remained for the love she chose. She begged her father to have the sword of Anduril, Flame of the West, reforged. He saw the Evenstar shattering, Arwen dead and the East ablaze, the Eye glaring at him! 'I SEE YOU, ARAGORN!'
He jolted awake, knife in hand as he looked about his tent. The flap opened and a soldier bowed to him. "Forgive me, my lord, but the King wishes to see you."
Aragorn nodded his thanks and quickly got his boots and left his tent, as he moved through the camp he saw Eowyn getting Merry fitted in Rohirrim Livery, chuckling as he drew his sword, which wasn't as sharp as it once was. He chuckled, Merry may be tiny, but he's slain his fair share of Orc and Uruk-hai over their journey, he has no doubt that he will slay a hundred more before this war was over. Making it to the King's tent, he announced himself before stepping in. Theoden looked up at him and bowed, before leaving him and a hooded figure alone.
"Will you not come greet your foster father?" a low familiar voice spoke and Aragorn quickly snapped a sharp bow before he embraced his foster father, kissing his cheek. "You look well."
"As well as I can be, my sleep is anything but restful. My dreams steadily grow darker, twisted." He admits, looking twice his age in that instant. "How is she faring?"
"She grows weaker by the day, but she lingers for love and I linger as well for her..." Elrond did not sugar coat his words. He has always been on a fine cushion of needles since he realized his only daughter and his foster son were in love. On one hand, Arwen could do no better, a King, kind and just! But on the other hand, it meant giving up her immortality and dying one day. No parent should ever have to bury their child and Elrond would not wish it of his only daughter or either of his sons, but Death comes to all in time.
"We are severely outnumbered, hope is fading quickly, but I hold to it steadfast..." Aragorn nodded, admitting to his worries without stating all of them.
"Hope has forsaken these lands, yes, but that is the old hope. You bring a new hope and I am here to deliver it!" He quickly withdrew the scabbard blade and pulled it free. "Behold! The Flame of the West! Anduril, reforged from the shards of Narsil! Go to the Mountain and those who dwell there, make them heel once more to the King of Gondor. Go, my son, time is short... I must leave now if I wish to make it back to Arwen in time..."
"My thanks, Ada... I will do what I can, pray for us all." Aragorn knelt before his father and lord, the Lord nodded and bade him stand before pulling him close and kissing his brow.
"You are one of my greatest achievements, your brothers and Arwen as well... I look forward to seeing my grandchildren hale and happy, but not until Sauron's silenced forever..." He told him firmly before he slipped his hood back up and slipped out, riding out under the cover of darkness.
Aragorn stepped out of the tent a moment later before he nodded his head and went to gather his things. He was just finishing checking his saddle bags when Eowyn took his sword and held it to his throat.
"Why!?" She demanded in a harsh whisper. "Why are you leaving!?"
"Because we have too few men, we need more..." He looked to the mountain and she looked at him with a pale face. "If I do not try and sway them to our side, we might as well dig our graves and wait to be laid in them."
"It is madness!" She simpers, but clears her throat taking her commanding tone once more. "You would abandon us? The Men look to you for hope!"
"And they shall have it, but we need more people, Eowyn. We all have lost too many. Many more will fall this day." He told her, smacking the blade up and quickly taking it from her, pinning her to a tree at the same time. "The Men will look to you, their future Queen to lead them. Do not be fooled into thinking you are merely a woman, you are a warrior, a Queen and one day a loving mother. The Men will need you to guide them. Do so now in my stead. I know you will go into battle, so I ask that you be that hope in my place until I bring the help we desperately need."
She scowled, but nodded firmly as he released her and grabbed Arod's reigns, leading him away from camp. She sighed, feeling cold and abandoned for only a moment before she snapped at herself and left. She had armor to prepare...
"And where do you think you are off to?" Gimli demanded from where he was sitting on a boulder, smoking his pipe, near the entrance to the path that leads to the Dimholt.
"Not this time, Gimli--"
"Oh please, have you learned nothing about the stubbornness of Dwarves?" Harry demanded, chuckling as he and Severus came out of the darkness, melting into sight much like the apparitions they would be facing.
"We will not let you leave on your own." Legolas added his own rejoinder as he too appeared.
"Besides what will you do should you become trapped?" Severus wondered. "Do any of you know magic and even then, do you know Death Magic?"
Harry chuckled as he saw them shake their heads, moving forward as he donned his Deathly Hollows cloak and was already wearing the battle robes of the Peverell family. The inner layers were made from dragon hide, hydra whiskers and banshee hair, leaving it impenetrable too all, but the Killing Curse and Blessed Relic Blades. The outer layers were made of scales from various creatures both land and sea with the Deathly Hollows cloak(not the Cloak of Invisibility, his formal robe, that doubles as his dueling robe) being spun from Dragon hide and Acromantula silk, making it deflect most spells of moderate damage and all mild damage spells.
The cloak held up pretty well against most bladed weapons, but anything Goblin Made and up, it would only hold up for a few strikes, nothing more. Severus was wearing armor made from the shed skin of a 1000 year old Basilisk, blended with dragon hide and hair from a 500 year old Banshee. It was half as good as Harry's armor and allowed him to always have some part of his body shrouded in shadows no matter how much light shown upon him. They were well prepared because the armor was made with the intention of fighting the Supernatural elements. Or as is the case, the Dead. The Dead played dirty since the Living normally cannot touch them, but the dead could possibly touch them if they feel the right amount of emotion.
Shamans had an easier time interacting with the dead, able to bridge that gap between the Living and the Dead or widen it to prevent spirits from physically harming the Living. Death Magic and its various forms was actually very interesting, but most didn't study it because of horror stories or prominent figures had done terrible things using it. The Ministry dubbed all Death Magic as Necromancy, which was then dubbed Dark Magic and thus was illegal. Many forget that Slytherin himself was a Necromancer and one of the best Healers of his time. Merlin was also a Necromancer, using it to predict the future, to heal and to protect Arthur and Avalon from invading forces!
Severus shook his head, he was letting his thoughts wander, a rare thing. His family, because of their Creature and their status in their culture, were practitioners of the Dead Arts, he would be a very good choice to have in a fight with the Dead if one is to be had. He and Harry had spent the last few hours discussing the various techniques one could use, their most effective plans should they need one. Harry even gave him the books that Death Himself gave to Harry to study. He was displeased that Harry has already implemented a few of the spells, but did not scold him beyond his standard, 'Foolish Gryffindor!'
"It's so quiet..." Gimli hissed, trying not to disturb the air.
"Because the Dead wander here, nothing living dares to come near. Not even the bugs or usual parasites that would have made their homes here..." Severus told him. "We're being watched..."
The others tensed, looking about more alertly. Harry hummed softly, an eerie little tune as they kept walking, seeming to enjoy this little walk as if it was one he took regularly.
"I've just noticed..." Severus suddenly spoke again. "Where is Boromir?"
"He'd left a few days before to head to Osgiliath to aid his people keep the Invasion at bay, trying to buy us extra time to prepare for the final showdown." Harry told him. "He slipped away unseen to avoid drawing attention, I helped by disillusioning him." Harry smiled.
"Ah." Severus nodded as they came to an archway. "Ohh, what a lovely message... 'The way is Shut. The Dead wander this Path and suffer not the Living.' Dramatic aren't they?"
"I've seen scarier messages in my meals." Harry huffed and Severus chuckled.
"You two seem to be enjoying yourselves a bit too much." Gimli grumped.
"I've grown up the ward of Death, what do I have to fear from a bunch of ill tempered puffs of energy?" Harry challenged.
"And my people are considered Children of Death, I've been surrounded by the obscure since I was conceived. Besides, Master Gimli, when did you last win a fight with a spirit?" Severus smirked.
"Do you think it will boil down to a fight?" Legolas worried.
"If it does, we will have to do our best then..."
They all startled and turned to see Haldir walking up behind them.
"Haldir." Legolas chuckled softly.
"Legolas... Hadrian." He nodded to them in turn, nodding to Aragorn as well, though he eyed Severus warily and snorted at Gimli. "What mad scheme are you up to now, Princeling?"
"... I hate it when you call me that."
"You are the youngest Elf, you are still a Princeling." Haldir smirked, rubbing Legolas' age in his face.
Harry rolled his eyes as the two argued with one another. They walked into the cave, the two wizards creating orbs of light to allow them to see. The cave was pitch, colder than it should be for the early spring weather. The air was close and stale, but had a bitter tang from something long dead clinging to it. There was an ever present rolling cloud of mist that blocked the ground from sight, which made it very dangerous to venture further in. It wasn't until they were about 10ft into the cave when a thunderous sound came from behind them and Haldir ran toward the entrance only to see it sealed shut with a large slab of rock.
"It is shut!" He called back.
"The way is shut..." Severus sighed, quoting the warning. "Well we have no choice but to keep going forward." He cast a few more spells that blew the mist out of the way every few feet so they could see where there were pit falls as well as making two more light orbs to hang around them.
They kept walking, the Elves holding their bows tightly, Aragorn gripped his sword hilt tighter as Gimli clutched his ax in a near white knuckled grip. Harry and Severus didn't seem bothered as they kept following the shadowy figures that randomly solidified in the darkness, taking on a strange greenish white color, always decomposing skeletons. They were heading somewhere, much deeper into the mountain. Harry slid his feet, easily pushing bones and other unmentionable things out his path, he would not disrespect the dead men any further by stepping carelessly on their remains.
The others didn't seem to notice or follow his lead, it did not bother him. The Elves easily avoided the remains while Aragorn picked his footing carefully. Gimli just walked as he wont to do, it wasn't until Aragorn told him to not look down did he step on a skull and looked down to see it. He nearly yelped, blowing at a misty hand that coiled up towards his face. Harry directed his orbs of light toward the ground, illuminating the sudden pit falls as Severus' highlighted trip wires and other such booby traps.
"They are quite ingenious for dead men..." Haldir murmured after studying one of the traps.
"They have nothing but time. Death can be quite boring especially if they are trapped here and cannot leave or pass on." Harry told him. "I've seen spirits who have become completely malevolent because they had lingered in a spot for too long, trapped and bored."
"Let us hope they will listen to me..." Aragorn sighed, he did not wish to find out the full extent of their boredom nor anger at being trapped. "Assuming they will not simply kill me for being Isildur's heir."
"It is a possibility, however I will not allow them to hurt you... Making me angry is not something they would dare risk. I can very easily condemn them to a fate worse than what they are already suffering." Harry told him, smiling coldly. "Ah, the City of the Dead..."
They came out of the singular path into a wide area that at first looked like an endless drop into the heart of the mountain, but then eerie lights and shapes began forming. A vast city appeared and floating toward them was an army so massive, they all compressed together, wary. Severus and Harry tensed as they saw the weapons in the ghosts hands. One in particular floated up to them, his chuckle low and dark, echoing with a haunting ring to add to the bone chilling factor.
"Who dares... to enter my domain?" He demanded, floating around them, shying away from Severus and Harry, but doing it in away that looked like he was looking at the group from a different angle.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Heir of Isildur! I am the rightful king of Gondor and have come to seek your aid! What say you!?" Aragorn spoke loudly and with a commanding edge that was befitting of a King.
The ghosts all laughed as the Ghost King flew into his face and glared coldly at him, "Foolish boy... Isildur's line has been cut... only the King of Gondor commands me..."
Aragorn grabbed the Ghost by the throat, shocking not only it but himself, as he pulled Anduril from her sheath and held her to his throat.
"Do you recognize this blade?" He hissed, but quickly let go of the Ghost King to dodge a spear. Legolas loosed an arrow and curse when it sailed harmlessly through the attacking ghost.
Harry sighed and pulled the Elder wand out of his pocket and with a murmured spell, it began growing into a long staff. It was still the pale gray of the Elder wand, with the same elder berry knots along it, but then a blade of about 3 1/2ft long grew out of the top, a shade too dark to be anything but congealed blood with a moon white edging. The edging was actually various spells and runes in all languages from every realm that all said the same thing 'Master of Death' In the center of the blade was a series of gears, a Plato Axis spinning in the middle with an hourglass filled with black sand in the center of the gears that clicked ominously in the silence.
Spinning the staff, Harry slashed the attacking ghost in the chest, his form breaking up an turning into a will'o'wisp which he then trapped in a Plato Axis binding spell. He grabbed it and eyed the spirit, snorting at it and tossing the caged ghoul in the air and when it came back down it landed in the bony hand of Death who materialized at Harry's side, bowed low. The Ghosts gave a wide berth to them. The Ghost King was shoved forward and he cowered before Death.
"Hello Papa..." Harry smiled happily as Death stood straight and was eyeing the caged ghost. "He tired to kill Aragorn."
Oh?
That~will~not~do...
I~happen~to~favor~the~young~Gondorian~King...
"My... my lord... had I known--"
"Aragorn told them who he was and they laughed at him." Harry tattled, he smiled evilly at the trembling ghosts. "They rightfully didn't come near myself or Professor Snape, but they don't seem to have that same fear or respect for my Coven."
The Ghosts all began whispering, fear evident in their faces.
Oh...~I~am~most~displeased...
Shall~I~punish~you~worse~than~you~have~already~suffered?
"Ohh, can Professor Snape come up with the punishment!? If they hadn't attacked Aragorn, he would have held their debt fulfilled and they could have finally rested in peace!" Harry stated with a wide smile that was cruel, enjoying the looks of longing the pale faces and their whispers of fear and worry.
"You are being quite cruel, Mr. Potter." Severus stated, smirking proudly.
"They shouldn't have attacked Aragorn." Harry simply stated. "And if I'm being cruel because they attacked my Brother..." Harry smiled darkly as he leaned onto Legolas. "Imagine how down right vicious I would be if they harmed a single hair on Legolas' head? You do not mess with the Master of Death nor those he favors, especially the one he plans to mate..."
The Ghost King dropped to the floor, inching forward like the worm he was and clutched at Harry's robes reverently. He begged forgiveness, promised to aid them in whatever endeavor they had. He didn't care if they never knew peace, just as long as they were not punished worse they already had been. Harry hummed as he seemed to consider his words as Severus snickered.
"Papa, should I give them a chance?"
They~would~not~betray~you...
Isildur's~curse~is~powerful,~but~anything~you
do~to~them~would~be~a~thousand~times~worse!
And~that~is~because~you~are~MY~Master...
Harry hummed and seemed to be considering his options, making them sweat before he held out his hand for the caged ghost, which he threw the orb down and it shattered letting it free.
"Swear your allegiance once more to the King of Gondor. Fight for us, help us win against the forces of Mordor and I shall consider your debt fulfilled." Aragorn spoke up once more. "If you do this, I will petition Hadrian to set you free of my ancestor's curse."
"I will set them free, but they must remember that as the Master of Death I can summon them back at any given moment." Harry told them. "But yes, do a good job, make those Mordor filth suffer and you are free. What say you?"
"We fight." The Ghost King agreed, standing up as his army all snapped a sharp salute.
"Then open the way and let us be on our way!" Harry ordered. "Severus, collect what you need for your spells. I prefer my toys to be fresh."
Severus nodded and snapped his fingers at a group, demanding to know where their remains were buried and went to dig a few of them up. It took him only a handful of minutes to get what he needed, he had a specialty for Bone Armies. As long as he had a few bones he could summon up the whole skeleton and taking a bone from each of the men trapped in the mountain gave them twice the army. Death simply faded, but he never left Harry's side. He would fight beside his master and it's been too long since he's fought in a war, it was good to shake off the cobwebs. The Ghost King opened the exist and followed the group out as they came out of the back of the mountain and could see several pirate ships sailing by.
"Ohh! Enemy ships!" Harry grinned, looking mildly crazed. "Huh... is this what bloodlust feels like?" Death nodded at Harry as the boy blinked his eyes slowly, the smile getting wider.
"You're first time?" Severus chuckled at his student. "Come I shall teach you how to indulge without losing your composure..." Severus pulled him close as they headed down to the river.
Aragorn chuckled at Harry's antics, the young man had always been strange, it seemed he got stranger the closer they got to the final showdown.
"Come it will help us catch up with the rest our people." Aragorn smiled.
