The Power of Magic and Elves
Disclaimer: Bah... still not mine. I really want a little griffin cub.. she's so cute.
Chapter 10: The Great Library of Imladris
Harry awoke the next morning in a new room. The room was large, airy and white. There was a window to his left and he could see trees and snow dusting the branches as it fell gently from the skies. Cera lay on the floor near him still asleep. He couldn't remember coming into this room. He must have fallen asleep on the ride back to Imladris. He pushed back the covers from the bed.
The splint on his leg had been readjusted and the muscles were stiff and sore from overuse the day before. Even still he got up and wandered about the room. There was a wardrobe against the wall made of dark wood and intricately carved with graceful sweeping designs. Closer inspection showed that it held the clothes he had searched through the day before. Though judging by the pile there were several additions. Most of them were more intricate than he cared for with gold or silver stitching on the hems and sleeves. Finery never had a place in his life. Still he picked out a fairly plain green robe. It would be a good time to explore this place and find the library again.
A knock on the door interrupted his exploration of the room and woke Cera from her sleep. The griffin stretched comically, lengthening her body and stretching her head out in a huge yawn. Shaking his head at her antics Harry opened the door and stepped back.
"Good morning, Faervel." Elrond said standing in the doorway.
"Good morning, Lord Elrond." Harry replied wondering where this conversation was going to go.
"How do you feel this morning, little one?" Elrond asked.
"I'm fine" Was Harry's automatic reply. He'd lost count of the number of times he had said that.
Elrond lifted a single eyebrow at that response. He was beginning to think it was the only he would ever get for that inquire.
"You should stay off of that leg as much as you can. You stressed the breaks yesterday." Elrond said. "If starts to hurt let me know and I'll get you something for it."
Harry nodded his head.
"Sit down Faervel" Elrond said motioning toward the bed as he took a seat in the single chair in the room.
Harry complied and sat waiting expectantly.
Elrond glanced out the window. It had started snowing last night just as they arrived in Imladris. He had brought the elfling to this room in the wing that housed his family. He needed to find a way to breach of the topic of Faervel joining his family.
"You told Estel that your parents had died. Do you have family somewhere that we could find for you?" Elrond asked gently. He wasn't sure he'd give the elfling over even if he said yes. Any family that allowed him to become like this didn't deserve him.
"No" Was all Harry answered. His only living family was the Dursleys and Elrond certainly would not be able to find them.
"Can I stay in Rivendell, at least for a little while?" Harry asked. He might not want their protection and attention but that library was a valuable resource and despite himself he trusted a few of the elves here and Aragorn. Or at least he trusted them as much as he trusted any member of the Order.
Elrond looked up sharply at him and Harry grew worried. He didn't think Elrond would cast him out of Rivendell. Perhaps he would put conditions on his staying here. Was the elf angry with him for going into the forest?
"I would never make you leave this place Faervel." Elrond said solemnly.
Harry sighed in relief. He knew very little of this world and needed time to learn of it.
"I know you don't have family but I would like to bring you into my family. I'd like to adopt you." Elrond said.
Harry opened his mouth to say something but wasn't sure what to say and closed it. In his head he was a twenty-year old wizard that knew he couldn't accept this. He did not need a guardian or protection once he could figure out the world he had been dumped into. Adoption would give Elrond far too much control over him and wouldn't allow him to do what he needed if Elrond disagreed. But in his heart was a miserable little boy who curled up in the cupboard day after day wishing he had a family that loved him. His heart wanted to accept and let Elrond and his family sooth away the pain of rejection and ridicule, of death and torture that he had harbored since he had been left on the Dursley's doorstep. His head screamed at him that such a thing was folly. He couldn't even tell Elrond about his past.
Cera seemed to sense his maelstrom of emotions and lay her head on his lap. She would help him when he could not speak of his past and stand by him even when he wanted to leave this place. He stroked her feathered head.
"I don't think I can." Harry replied and watched as Elrond eyes narrowed in confusion. "I can't remember ever having a family." 'Sorry Sirius' he thought to himself. The Dursleys didn't count and he was a guest at the Weasleys however much Mrs. Weasley cared for him. And Sirius, he was supportive and cared but only through letters.
"I don't know how you were separated from the Elves or when you lost your parents but the Elves treasure their young. We would never let you be hurt as you were." Elrond said trying to get the elfling to understand that he was safe and protected now. That he could rely on someone other than himself and it was safe to do so.
"Come, breakfast is waiting and we can discuss this later." Elrond said and moved towards Faervel to help support his weight knowing the elfling would be loath to let him carry him as much as he wanted to help him.
Memories, sights, sounds and smells assailed him that had no place at the table. He fought his body's desire to tremble and whimper. He could only stare ahead blankly as he fought to master his mind.
Elrond had brought him out to eat with his family and several other elves of Imladris. The elves had watched him curiously until Elrond shot a hard glare at them. Now they just stole the occasional worried glance.
Elrond surreptitiously placed bread and fall fruits in front of him. "Try to eat something Faervel. It will get better." The elf told him and slowly placed a ring adorned hand on his shoulder. Harry would have expected the contact to make it worse but some of the tension bled out of him.
Harry tired to eat some of it and managed a little bread and a slice of an apple. He had to change his reaction to the sight and smell of food. His head knew they weren't going to hurt him or make do anything in order to eat but he couldn't stop the memories and barely edged out the phantom pain. He forced himself to eat another slice of the apple and gave up for the day,
"Can I go? Please?" Harry begged quietly to Elrond.
"You may go. This will get better and I will help you want me to. Try to rest today Faervel." Elrond allowed.
Harry quickly stood and turned from the table knowing several pairs of eyes were following and for once not caring.
In the hallway he learned against the wall trying to use occulmency to clear his mind. Eventually he became a little more composed set off to find the library with Cera again at his side.
"Why did you bring him down here, Father?" Elrohir asked Elrond.
"If he is strong enough to go out to find that creature, than he is strong enough to begin to heal more than just his physical wounds." Elrond replied to his son.
"You knew he wouldn't eat anything here." Glorfindel pointed out.
"I know. But we cannot keep him isolated. It will not help him any longer." Elrond said his eyes following the path the elfling took out of the room.
"Someone will need to show him around." Elrond said. "and introduce him to the guards so that will recognize him and stop him if he wanders out again." Elrond added.
"Elrohir and I will do that. Right 'Ro?" Said Elladan with a mischievous look on his face.
"No tricks and leave the cook alone." Elrond said.
"Yes, father." Elladan chirped in agreement and took that as his cue to leave the table in search of a certain young elf.
"And Erestor" Elrond added quickly. Elrohir follow his twin a bit more reluctantly.
One left turn and a long corridor later and Harry had found the Great Library of Rivendell. It was an airy room quite unlike the Hogwarts library. There were scrolls and tomes lining walls. There were frescos painted on the walls; one depicting a battle scene occupied an entire side of the first room. There were statues and weapons, realms and circlets of silver so bright they seemed to be made of the moon itself. It was a tribute to the past more than a library.
"Well Cera, I wonder where Hermione would start." He whispered to the griffin.
Cera cocked her head in almost a canine fashion, turned to face her head away from the books and plopped down on the floor utterly in contempt of the knowledge and history she was currently turning her backend to. She completed the move with an annoyed flip of her tail.
"No Cera, that's were Ron would start." He replied with a laugh. It felt good to laugh. He hadn't since Fred and George's drunken reenactment of their battle with McNair that seemed more of a comedy routine complete with prat falls on banana peels more than a battle for life and death. Of course any battle that took place in the storeroom of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes would be unique if nothing else.
Harry wandered along amid the antiquities on display instead of going for the scrolls and books. He doubted this would have been Hermione's choice but such things tell a story of their own and these were deemed important enough to collect and display in such a fashion. He stopped in front of the large fresco. It depicted a terrible battle of men, elves and dwarves against a force of dark creatures, and men. He wondered what started this war.
"It is the Battle of Dargolad and the victory of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men." A voice from behind him informed him.
Startled he turned to see who had spoken. Harry hadn't heard anyone coming up to him which was unusual but the elves seemed to have a way of moving silently. It was Elladan who gave a name to the events on the wall. Satisfied that his pursuer wouldn't harm him he turned back to the painting and his thoughts.
"And what caused the war?" He asked after a time.
"Betrayal and corruption" Elladan answered succinctly and grew quiet gazing at the painting in thought.
"But come! Now is not a time for the tales of history and war but for exploring and fun." Elladan said quickly putting away his pensive mood.
"Perhaps he'd rather hear the story Elladan. We don't all have your thirst for trouble." Elrohir said he had apparently been left behind by his quick moving twin.
"Nonsense. It is our duty to show him around and tales won't accomplish that." Elladan said seemingly excited to show the elfling around Rivendell.
Harry knew defeat when he saw it and turned from the painting. Perhaps he'd ask Elrohir later to elaborate on the 'betrayal and corruption' Elladan mentioned. After all don't most wars start with either or both?
"Alright if you can show how not to get lost around the corners of this place I'll be glad." Harry answered. It was probably the most words he spoken so far.
The next several hours found Harry very lost and relying on the twins' to get him back to the few corridors he had mapped out.
Elladan and Elrohir took Harry to the courtyard and the training yards. It was still snowing. He saw the hall of fire and the halls of healing. A place he had already spent more time in than he would like. Along the way they introduced him to several elleths that approached them with toys that they had made for him. Harry cheeks pinked in embarrassment and according to the elleths he was adorable. This did not help his embarrassment at all. The twins also stopped many of the guards to introduce him. Going into the forest would not be as easy next time. The guard's eyes seemed to follow them through the courtyard and back into the house, increasing his paranoia and sense of being captive here. Now they were headed to the kitchens though he would prefer to stay away from them.
Elladan and Elrohir had other ideas.
Elrohir disappeared looking for someone while Elladan pointed to a small wooden table and chair.
"Go have a seat Faervel. You need to eat something. I know you didn't eat much this morning. Besides you'll want to stay on Elhadril's good side." Elladan said moving stealthily to steal a few pastries since Elhadril wasn't watching.
Elrohir reappeared with Elhadril who set out a bowl of soup and some bread in front of him. "I'm glad to meet you little one. And don't listen to the tales these two will tell you. Come down whenever you like." Elhadril told him. "Now eat little one."
"We never got an open invitation like that." Elladan taunted Elhadril.
"You gave yourself one always coming to steal my pastries." She said pointing at the half pastry left in Elladan's hand. "And you never came half staved into this place." She added quietly.
Harry was a little uncomfortable eating by himself even with Elladan's banter. He also wasn't very hungry. He'd never had much of an appetite and recent events hadn't helped.
"Oh don't mind them." Elrohir said sitting beside him with an apple in his hand. "This is what Elladan does for fun and Elhadril is good enough to accommodate him." He took a bite of his apple. "You do need to eat though Faervel or you'll not recover your strength."
Harry nodded. It was true. He was already tired and his leg hurt. He ate the bread and soup without comment.
"Besides you'll want to be awake tonight. We'll take you down to the Hall of Fire and you can hear those tales Elladan was too energetic to tell."
Harry forced himself to finish the soup and bread.
"Thank you Elhadril" He said.
"You are welcome Faervel. Come back and see me even if you just want to get away from these twins." She said with a smile.
Harry smiled in return though he didn't think he come back much.
"Come on. Back to your room so you can rest until tonight." Elrohir said.
Harry followed obediently, limping heavily until they reached the door to the room he had woken up in that morning.
"This will is your room now." Elrohir told him. "Mine and Elladan's are just across the hall there." He said pointing out two doors next to each other. "Estel's room is next to yours and our fathers is at the end of the hall." He added pointing to the last door beyond the one they stood in front of.
"If need one of us just come." Elladan finished for his twin.
Apparently Elrond hadn't waited to ask about bring him into his family before putting him there. His room was between Aragorn's and Elrond's.
"We will come for you tonight. Perhaps we can convince Glorfindel to sing." Elladan said opening the door and urging him past it.
Harry removed his shoes and lay down on the bed. Cera had followed them and was sitting beside him now. Harry rested for awhile but couldn't bring himself to sleep. Cera nudged him ruffled her feathers.
"I know I promised you, girl. But I don't have the tools yet. I'll make it someday soon." He conceded and Cera gave him as menacing a glare as a griffin can. "I can't sleep. Let's go Cera."Knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep until he was exhausted he left the room again to find the library.
Harry had come back to the library intent on discovering the cause of the battle he had seen depicted earlier. Elladan's answered was annoying in its brevity. The text he could find near the scene was not in a tongue he could read and many of the other scrolls seemed not to be in elvish script either though some certainly were. Delayed in learning about his world, he got ensnared in examining the large painting again.
"Faervel?" Elrond approached him carrying a small cup.
"Lord Elrond" he responded, turning to see him. At least he had heard the elven Lord's approach.
"I believe this is where my sons found you earlier." Elrond said looking at the painting as well.
"Elrohir noticed your leg hurting you. They expected you were resting in your room." Elrond said not looking away from the depiction of the battle portrayed in front of them. "Here." He said handing over the cup. "If you do not tell us when you are hurting we cannot help you."
"I'm sorry. I'm not accustomed to looking for help." Harry said honestly. Helping him got others killed. Still, he drained the contents of the cup.
"I know." Elrond responded. He returned his attention to the painting the elfling was still studying. "What has caught your attention enough to lead you back to this painting?" He asked curious.
"I asked Elladan how the battle started. He said the war started with betrayal and corruption." Harry said recalling the part those things had to play in the war that he fought. He also recalled how that war ended. "How did the war end?" Perhaps this one ended better.
Elrond sighed delving into his own memories and with a graceful hand sought out the elves and men he knew well in that battle. "Gil-galad and Elendil fought Sauron till he fell, though they perished in the act. Elendil son, Isildur picked up his father's broken sword and cut the ring from Sauron's hand. And without it, Sauron's power broke and peace returned to the land. Thus began the third age of this world."
"And Sauron's ring?" Harry asked. Was this what was mentioned the other day?
"I and Círdan counseled Isildur to destroy it but he kept the ring. It eventually betrayed Isildur to his death. And the ring fell into the Great River and was lost." Elrond finished his tale.
Harry stifled a yawn. "Thank you for telling me." He said; glad to receive a better answer than Elladan's.
"You are welcome. My son's brevity, while true enough is not very specific." Elrond commented, watching the elfling yawn. "The events that led to that war are many and the full telling is long. Ask again when he is less wanting to move about this place."
Harry could barely keep his eyes open now but he was alert enough to realize that something in the tea he had just drunk was causing to be so very tired. He aimed a weak glare at Elrond.
"Come. I am surprised you lasted this long. You need to rest and stay off of that leg for the rest of the day." Elrond replied and helped him back to his room and waited until he stubbornly couldn't hold off sleep any longer.
True to their word, the twins with Aragorn woke and brought him to the Hall of Fire. It was dark out now and the Hall was lit only with a massive fire dancing beneath the hearth. Elves walked about or sat listening to the tales being sung.
Harry stayed in the shadows out of sight and settled into a chair beside Aragorn and near the Fire. A song was just ending and he could see Elladan and Elrohir talking and gesturing to Glorfindel.
The blond elf stood to begin a song. Apparently the twins had convinced him to sing without Harry's help.
As the song was ending Aragorn broke his silence.
"It is lay of Lúthien." He said
"It is a good tale." Harry said with a peaceful smile.
"Most would call it sad." Aragorn replied not expecting the elfling to think otherwise of the tale.
"Why? Because she died? She and Beren were able to live out their lives together and found peace in the end." Harry replied.
Aragorn wasn't sure how to reply to that. In a way he agreed but it wouldn't be him giving up an immortal life.
"I wanted to come today when the twins showed you Rivendell but had to meet with a few of the guards." Aragorn said.
The singing continued and Harry replied "They showed me courtyard and the training yards and the kitchens."
"Ah, so you met Elhadril. Just stay on her good side and you'll be fine." Aragorn spoke with a smile and a laugh.
"That's what Elrohir said." Harry replied. "I found the Library without their help though." Harry glanced over at Aragorn. Perhaps he could teach him the language that some of the scrolls were written in since it didn't seem to be elvish. "When you first found me you spoke another language or several. Could you teach me one?"
"I didn't know you were an elf when I found you. I spoke in the common tongue and the tongues of man. But yes, I can teach you if you wish." Aragorn answered remembering the day he had discovered the horribly injured elfling that he had wanted to help.
"Do you like Rivendell? I brought you here when you could do little to alter our path." Aragorn asked. "You certain look better than you did then."
"When you found me I didn't think I would live much longer." Harry paused and looked around him. "But I think I like this place." The music and atmosphere were causing him to say more than he would have otherwise. "Everyone seems to watch me here though and it makes me feel like I'm trapped again. Lord Elrond says he wants to help me. But he'll want to know what happened to me and I cannot tell him that. He wants me to join his family. I can't remember being part of a family. I don't know how."
Aragorn wasn't entirely surprised by what he heard but he was surprised that the elfling had said so much. "Then let us teach you."
A/N: At least it didn't take as long this time. I've also got the next several chappies all nicely outlined and waiting to be filled in. For anyone worrying, this fic won't be abandoned. It will however be long .
I thank all my reviewers for the motivation to get this out. I really liked the 18 wheeler's load of motivation. It was suggested to make Harry an animagus and I was trying to decide whether or not to go there. If you'd like him to be an animagus please suggest a form. And no, he isn't going to be a phoenix or a griffin. A phoenix makes things too easy. As for a griffin, one is enough though that could have solved Cera lonliness in a whole different kind of way...
Oh.. and kudoos to those who caught the half of a bird's nest on the stone troll being a bit of a joke from me. You keep asking about the timeline and I try to give hints without telling you the year. So... we are exactly however long it takes for that bird's nest to be completed and abandoned again from the point in which Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippen find Old Mr. Bilbo's trolls.
Got comments, questions, ideas for an animagus or otherwise, or motivation for me to post the next chapter? Please Review
Coming soon:
Chapter 11: The Free Peoples of Middle-Earth