AN: I'm back, just a really short Author's note at the beginning of this chapter saying sorry for not updating quickly, hope you enjoy Harry's 'New Beginnings"!

Chapter 11 - New Beginnings

A cool breeze was blowing against his cheeks.

That was the first thing Harry noted when his conscious mind caught up with itself. He didn't open his eyes yet, choosing to enjoy the first moment of peace he'd had since they set off from Rivendell.

Although, that rock poking him in the back was beginning to get rather irritating.

Finally after a while of laying there, his eyes fluttered open. He found that he was looking up the face of the cliff. Why on earth he would be doing that was at that very moment a mystery to him.

Just like that the memories came pouring back of the previous….night? Day? Month? Year? All these questions raced through his mind as the memories of saving Bombur, an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, falling….falling….

The meeting with Manwe and Eru were the memories which stuck out most in his mind. He had yet another destiny to fulfill.

"Just brilliant" he muttered to himself.

He then looked down at himself. Everything seemed to be in place. No rocks sticking out of his stomach, no cuts, no bruises even. Harry counted his lucky stars (no pun intended) that Eru at least had the courtesy of healing him before sending him back to this place.

Speaking of which Harry turned towards the matter of what he was going to do next. Apparently, according to Eru, he would know what to do. Well, he could use that instinct right about now.

He looked up and decided that his first course of action was to get back up onto the cliff top and assess the damage done, whether or not the others had survived. A knot formed in his stomach. What if they hadn't made it?

Would it be his fault?

No. He refused to think like that, he'd been there and done that. He knew blaming himself would get him nowhere.

He took a deep breath and disappeared. He appeared at the top of the cliff. Looking around he saw partial devastation. Trees were burnt and charred. There was still the faint smell of burnt orc, along with a carcus here or there.

But there was no sign at all of any dwarf, hobbit or wizard. Harry relaxed slightly. At least they got away. But now he was faced with a dilemma. Should he go after them or should he focus his attention on the remaining orcs. This was his chance if he wanted to take it. He had no obligation to help the dwarves other than his promise to Gandalf.

His promise.

"God damn my stupid saving people thing" he mumbled to himself as he turned towards the cliff face which he'd previously fallen down. Looking out over the vast stretches of hills, trees, the occasional small mountain. He knew it deep down already, his decision was already made for him. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Opening his backpack which he'd carried with him all throughout his journey in Middle Earth he reached in, searching for one of his most prized possessions. Just when he was beginning to get annoyed he felt a stinging pain in his hand. Removing it he found a splinter in the middle of his palm. Pulling the splinter out he figured he must have found what he was looking for and put his hand back in again.

He grasped his hand around a wooden frame and pulled. His Firebolt came out relatively easily, but that wasn't what Harry was focused on.

His broomstick never used to be that short.

It was like a punch to the gut. He stared, wide eyed, at the remaining half of his beloved broomstick. His only reminder of Sirius. His best means of transportation with which he could find the dwarves, short of apperating to a random place and hoping for the best.

Harry stared for what felt like an age before sighing. There was no use getting upset about it now. Now he had more important things to think about. Like finding the dwarves.

"I must be freaking insane" he muttered to himself. He shouldered his pack and was about to start running when his head seared with pain. It was only for a moment but in that moment an image flashed across his mind. It was a large house. A house that seemed vaguely familiar. It wasn't until a large man walked out of the front door of the house that Harry knew where it was.

Coming back to reality he blinked. Eru's words coming back to him "You will know what to do." This must have been what he was talking about. He wasn't too happy about having visions, that was entirely too Voldemort-esque for his liking, but he supposed if they were helpful he could live with them.

He twisted on the spot and a air sucking moment later he was stood in a wood. Peeking through the trees he could see the large house from his vision. It certainly had been quite a while since he had last seen Beorn. Not since he had fought off a pack of Wargs who were attacking a large bear. Needless to say Beorn had been grateful, Harry hoped he remembered that otherwise his prescence might not be welcome.

He grinned however, when he saw that large form of Bombur close the door behind him. At least the dwarves and no doubt Gandalf had gotten away. How he had yet to know but he was just glad they did. Walking towards the house he decided to listen in to the conversation before knocking. Wouldn't want to arrive in the middle of an important part of the story after all. He smiled remembering Beorn's fondness for stories. No doubt Gandalf was explaining all about their adventures so far.

And so he waited, listening to the tail of the Misty Mountains told all over again. Only when it got to the point of him falling off the cliff did he decide to make his entrance.

Grinning he went up to the front door. He knocked twice loudly.

"Know who could that be? Not another one of yours I hope" Beorn thundered as his large footsteps rumbled across the wooden floor towards the door.

As the door opened Harry had a good view of the dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf sitting around a table. He smiled enigmatically at them.

"Didn't miss too much did I?" he said cheerfully. The looks one all of their faces was one that he would treasure until his dying day. All the dwarves sat there agape, except from Thorin of course who merely settled for wide eyes. Bilbo was of a similar expression to the dwarves, except with wide eyes and mouth agape. Gandalf merely had slightly raised eyebrows, trust that grumpy old wizard to expect him even in death.

"HARRY!" they all shouted and the next thing he knew he found himself at the bottom of a dwarf pile, struggling to breath while Gandalf chuckled merrily.

"Good Eru, well if it isn't Mr Potter himself, long time no see eh?" Beorn boomed. Harry, having extracted himself from the dwarves and Bilbo, coughed and wheezed a few times before straightening himself up and smiling at the giant man who reminded him vaguely of Hagrid with his love of animals and gigantic size.

"Indeed Mr Beorn, long time no see, I'm sure you'll forgive me for not visiting sooner, pressing matters elsewhere you understand?" Harry said. Beorn smiled.

"Of course, of course, we were actually in the middle of a story which involved you, and judging by the surprise of your companions, they did not expect to see you?" he said. Harry looked a bit sheepish.

"Yes well, I had a bit of a nasty fall, took me a while to get back up again you see" he said. Bombur snorted.

"Yes a nasty fall, a nasty fall of well over 100 ft which by all means should have killed you" he laughed. "How on Earth did you get back up from that?"

"That, Bombur my friend, is a story for another time, and I would like to know how you escaped all of those orcs in one piece" Harry replied with a big smile towards the group at a whole.

"We were just getting to that bit I think?" Beorn said. Gandalf nodded with a small smile and indicated for Harry to have a seat.

"Yes, as I was saying before I was interrupted," here he threw a look at Harry, Harry just smirked in reply "we were completely surrounded, no way of escape, then I turn around to find Mr Potter here with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, falling to his doom off of a 100 ft cliff, after that set back we really were looking toast" Gandalf said. There were murmurs of agreement from all those around. Gandalf continued.

"Then low and behold, help arrives in the form of about 10 giant eagles, magnificent as legend tells them to be, swooped in and took out all the Wargs they did, then, as if saving us from those terrors wasn't enough they were kind enough to give us a lift to their home, after which they carried us to the edge of your woods, and here we are" he finished. Harry looked impressed, he had actually not had the pleasure of meeting one of the great eagles but he had heard all about them from Gandalf and they sounded truly magnificent.

"That is truly a great tale, whether it is true or not, if only all beggars could tell such great tales they might find me a bit kinder" Beorn chuckled. There was nervous laughing around the room, apparently the dwarves weren't very encouraged by Beorn's words.

Dinner that night was a welcome time for Harry, who had only just realised how hungry he was, having not eaten in at least two or three days. He gobbled down all sorts of delicious things, the dwarves and Bilbo, despite eating with the Eagles that morning ate with a similar enthusiasm. Gandalf merely observed whilst chewing his own tea.

After a couple of days of rest and much housework as instructed by Beorn the company was quite ready to set off again. Provided food and water from Beorn which would easily last them a week or so, and some ponies which would take them to the edge of Mirkwood forest but no farther, the company and Gandalf set off again.

"Remember Mr Potter, you are always welcome 'round these parts, all you have to do is knock" Beorn shouted to him. Harry waved back with a smile on his face. He might just do that sometime.

It took them a while to come to any sort of defining landmark. A day at least. The landmark was a river which ran as far as the eye could see, not that the eye could see far, what with all the trees in the way. Gandalf, after much deliberation and not a few exasperated sighs from Harry, decided that they should journey left, up the river.

As they got further up the river the air around them seemed to get gloomier, it may have been the thought of going into the feared forest or the forest itself which loomed upon them like a dark mist.

They eventually got to a crossing point where Gandalf, who was leading them, stopped. This in turn caused the spirits of the company to drop significantly, they had all known that the point which Gandalf and possibly Harry would be leaving them would come eventually, but that didn't mean they had to like it.

Harry sighed as he looked upon the gathered dwarves and hobbit. He knew he could stay. He knew he still had help which could be offered. But he knew his help might also be needed with a much bigger threat.

It was his choice in the end, one choice was going with the company into Mirkwood and onto the Lonely Mountain, the other was the accompany Gandalf to the abandoned stronghold of Dol Guldur to fight the Necromancer. The question was where was he needed most.

Sighing again, he seemed to do that a lot these days, he beckoned Gandalf over whilst the dwarves were stripping the ponies of their supplies and rationing it out between them. Gandalf caught his gesture and walked over to him.

"Yes my friend?" he said when he was sure the dwarves and Bilbo could hear them.

"What do I do Gandalf? I could easily abandon these dwarves and Bilbo and go with you to Dol Guldur, that is where you're going right?" he asked. Gandalf looked surprised but slowly nodded.

"That is where I am going, and therefore I shall answer your first question like this: What do you feel would be the right thing to do? For sometimes, one must make the choice between what is right and what is easy" he replied. Harry blinked. Then blinked again. Before resigning himself to his fate.

"I have to go with them don't I?" he said. Gandalf raised his bushy eyebrows.

"No, no you do not have to go with them no, no, no, it is completely your choice" he replied. Harry thought for a moment before steeling himself, then nodding to Gandalf, who smiled back at him.

Striding back over to the company he said in a loud clear voice.

"After talking with Gandalf, I believe that it would be beneficial for all of us for me to accompany all of you into the forest"

The mood of the company considerably improved again after that announcement, the dwarves were expressing their thanks, even Thorin seemed happy to have a wizard accompanying them into the forest.

With a smile on his face Harry turned towards the forest. His smile slid off of his face as he looking deep into the darkness on the other side of the river.

This could only go badly.

AN: There we go, I'M OVER MY WRITERS BLOCK! YAY! Seriously though, I'm sorry it took so long to update but I think I hit the wall when I started to write this chapter ages ago and it has taken me a while to get over it, hopefully updating won't be as much of a problem from now on. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, what dangers await Harry and the dwarves in Mirkwood forest? See you later! BYE!