Okay guys.
I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all the people who follow, review, and send me messages about this story. I cannot say thank you enough, or convey to you how much it all means to me.
Now I know it been over 2 years since I have last updated this story, and all I can say is life got hectic. Like, crazy hectic.
I cannot say that I will be updating weekly, but I have definitely found my passion for writing again. It makes me so happy that so many of you enjoy my story. I promise to try and keep this going, no matter what happens.
I love you all.
xx
Harry sat on a patch of soft moss, Frodo's head in his lap. The blindfolded male ran his fingers through the hobbits' hair. In the trees above them, the songs of the elves could be heard. Legolas let his head hang low as he heard their words.
Merry and Pippin were solemn, even with the plates of food and wine around them, as they too seemed to be entranced by the mournful song.
"What are they saying?" Sam asked from beside Harry.
"They're singing a lament for Gandalf," Harry replied softly, as he looked up. Even without his eyes the words were showing pictures within his head of the great wizard who was a friend to the elves.
Legolas looked over at the blindfolded male who was sitting amongst the hobbits. He could not help but feel that the loss of their friend was lessened by Harry's presence. He knew that it was a terrible thought to have, but for some reason even with their impending journey ahead, it didn't seem as bad with the blindfolded boy amongst their group.
Away from the group, Aragon and Boromir are talking, but they are too far away for Harry to hear.
Gimli is guzzling a bottle of wine, tears rolling down his face for the loss of his people in the halls of Moria, and for their fallen comrade.
Aragon walks over to the group, laying a hand on Harrys' head.
"You all should get some rest, we have all had a long journey. We will sleep safe within these woods."
Merry and Pippin nodded, moving to find a place beneath a tree. Sam lay down next to Bilbo, always keeping close. Harry moved Frodo down next to Sam, the hobbit already asleep long ago.
Harry quietly stood, walking over the hobbits as he moved over to where Aragon was. "Can I talk to you?"
Aragon looked up, putting some pipe-weed into his long pipe. "Of course, Harry."
Harry sits down next to him on the bench.
"You said something to me in the mines," Harry started slowly, "you said I need to be brave. Like my dad."
Aragon was silent. He continued to pack his pipe. Harry, sensing what he was doing merely lit a light on his index finger, holding his finger out. Aragon let Harry light the inside of the pipe.
As he took a puff, letting the smoke furl out from his mouth, he looked at the young man sitting next to him. "Yes. I do not know why I said that. I have been having these…images shown in my mind. Pictures of a time before this."
Harry was quiet for a moment. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course, Harry."
"I want to… I want to look into your mind, if you'll let me," Harry asked.
"Like what Lady Galadriel can do?" Aragon replied tentatively, knowing the powers of the great elvish queen.
"Yes, quite similar. But I will have access to all your memories and thoughts, not just being able to show you something and talk to you."
"I trust you," Aragon replied.
Harry nods, focusing his magic to reach into Aragon's mind. Shifting through his memories, he tried to not delve too deep, although he did hear a familiar voice and saw the memory of a dark haired elf with delicate features. Arwen. Harry thought to himself, moving past the memories, going further back. Much further.
Soon there were familiar faces, the dark walls of Grimmauld place immersing Harrys mind. He stands in the hallway, turning to see his younger self standing next to a long haired man. The man throws his arm around his shoulders.
The image changes, it's a younger man on an enormous motorbike, and two familiar faces gawking at the purchase. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but the expression on the red-haired females face showed her berating the young man for buying the dangerous bike.
Soon, he was standing by a familiar lake, and Harry felt his heart swell. Hogwarts, he never thought he'd be able to ever see it again, in its full glory and magnificence. The memories Harry would see whenever he thought of his home was bloodied floors and broken walls.
This was the Hogwarts of his childhood before him.
Four boys walked past, towards the lake, laughing and pushing each other.
"Come on Prongs, don't get so hung up on Evans. You can always go for Lestrange."
James Potter screwed up his face. "Ew. Don't even joke about that. Evans is the only one for me."
"You need to stop pestering her, she'll only hate you more," Remus said nonchalantly as he hitched the text book under his arm higher.
Peter nodded along with Remus.
"Oh come now, don't gang up on the love struck fella'!" Sirius said with a laugh as he threw his arm around James, much the same as the earlier memory.
Harry watched them walk further and further away, and he pulled out of Aragon's mind.
Aragon's shoulders slumped as he had felt all the memories being pulled to the surface. What world was this? Who were these people?
And like a dam that breaks, it all came back in a flood of emotions and memories.
Aragon looked over to Harry, tears in his eyes. How could he have forgotten? How could he even be here?
He didn't let his thoughts confuse him for too long as he pulled Harry into his arms.
"Harry…I…"
Harry couldn't believe it. Aragon was Sirius.
Harry felt tears drip down, soaking his blindfold as he brought his arms up to hug Aragon back.
"I don't understand how this can even be possible," Aragon whispered. "This cannot be. And yet, I don't want it to be false either. If that was my life before this, if that was me, then you are the Harry that I never got to care for. To look after. To show you that everything would be okay because I was going to always have your back."
Harry could only shake his head. He didn't understand this all either. He had watched Sirius fall through the veil, he had seen his soul disperse into the cloudy mist on the other side.
A familiar melodic voice filled their minds as they pulled away from the hug in surprise.
"Aragon, son of Arathorn. You were known by another name, many millennia ago. Your soul was wandering the void between the worlds, lost without purpose, without a destination to head towards. You were given a choice, by the Valour. To rest and sail to the next lands, or to come back and help Harry once again. You chose without hesitation to help the one you love. You were reborn, into this world with no memories of your past life, but with the purpose of helping you find Harry once more. Your soul was given a destination, a focal point in the future for you to head towards. You never knew why you travelled. The ranger who roams the hills. You were searching, all this time."
Galadriel appeared from behind a tree, almost gliding along the grass, her gown trailing behind her like white wings from her back.
"I was searching for Harry? In this realm?" Aragon asked softly, to not wake the others around them.
"Yes, your soul was given the purpose of finding and helping Harry. It is your destiny to be here, on this journey of the fellowship."
Harry let his hands hang in his lap. "So Aragon was waiting for me here, all along? So I was meant to come here all along?"
"Yes, Harry Potter, I am here to show you what is to come," Galadriel held out her hand. Even though Harry could not see, he raised his hand to take hers.
"Sleep Aragorn, for your journey ahead will be weary and your mind and body will need its strength. Come, Harry."
Galadriel lead Harry away from the group, their steps light. Harry seemed to float along with her.
She stops before the silver basin, letting Harry take the few steps up.
"Look into the mirror, and you shall see your purpose in this world."
Harry can feel the magic swirling before him in the basin. He reached his hand out, touching the water with the pads of his fingers, hovering above the surface.
"What if I don't want to know my fate?" Harry said as he looked over to where he could feel Galadriel watching him. "Only bad things have happened when I learn the truth of what is expected of me. What if I don't want this amazing big adventure? What if I want to just live a normal life for once?"
"If you wanted a normal life, you wouldn't have even agreed to come on this journey," Galadriel said sadly, "you know as well as I that in your heart, you know your journey is yet to be over."
Harry turned back to the water and let his hand drop beneath the surface of the water. In his mind, he can see.
There is a battlefield with creatures. Ugly, twisted looking creatures all lunging towards him, encircling him with swords and spears. Harry opens his eyes and the creatures all die around him. As the creatures fall, he sees familiar faces also fall, their eyes lifeless as they drop to the scorched ground. Harry looks down and his hands are bloodied, at his feet the crumpled body of a small hobbit. He looks up. Towering over them is a great shadow, burning bright at the top a great eye.
The eye burns through him, and Harry can hear himself start to laugh, cackling into the open air. He can smell the burnt flesh of his enemies and his friends filling him. Harry holds up his hands to his face, the blood smearing across his eyes and cheeks as he feels the coolness against his hot skin.
He sees his reflection in a shield nearby, a shining shield with a white tree melded into the metal plating.
His eyes are red and his pupils slit. His nose is gone and it is replaced by two flat nostrils, his tongue darting out. Voldermort.
No. It is him.
Dark Harry.
Harry pulls his hand out of the basin as he is brought back to the forest of Lothlorien.
"This is what is to come if you fail," Galadriel said softly, looking at the sweating boy who was leaning against the basin for support.
Harry felt sick to his stomach. "No. I don't believe it. I would never…"
"No. You would not. But this world holds great evil. Evil that must be destroyed at all costs. Do you know now why you were called here?"
"I need to help Frodo destroy the ring. The ring will also drive me to insanity."
"Yes, you will never know peace until all evil, in all forms, are gone. You are one of a kind, for you shall never die. Your soul was picked by the Valour to come here. To help. But for your help you will be rewarded."
Galadriel walks forward, taking Harry's hands in her own. She leans down and rests her forehead against his.
Harry can see himself, standing on the balcony, overlooking treetops. He feels hands on his hips and he turns to see Legolas smiling down on him.
He is not wearing his blindfold, as green eyes meet grey.
Harry smiles back.
As Galadriel pulls away from Harry, she brushes back a stray hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear.
"You have known great pain and loss. You were brought to our world to give you another chance at a life you should have always had. Just as Aragon was given a second chance, so have you. Take this chance, Harry Potter, for you are young and have so many years ahead of yourself to live. You, the master of death shall live for all eternity. In our realm, we have a race that can live alongside you, forever."
Harry cannot reply, as he lets Galadriel lead him back to the group.
Harry does not notice Galadriel walk over to Frodo and wake him, leading him away to the same place he had been only moments before.
He lay down on a patch of moss, away from the group as he lets Galadriel's soft voice in his head singing lull him to sleep. It was the first time in many years that Harry slept peacefully.