Chapter Four The Judgment of the Elves:

Severus lay still, the pain was gone and now there was an emptiness inside. The world was quiet and still for now. He could not move he was too weak but his mind at least was still his. Saruman watched him, wary he had done all he could to break this man but still, he remained unbroken. Or so it seemed, deep inside Severus very much wanted to give in and very much wanted to escape this place but he could not. He passed out and did not wake no matter what Saruman tried. It was at this time Severus found himself in a beautiful vale and the white lady Galadriel was before him. He felt ashamed of his evil ways and fell to his knees before her. There was a power of elves that most did not know, they could speak mind to mind and Severus was brought here to speak to those here. That and face a judgment of his soul.

"Rise." That was not Galadriel and terror filled Severus, the white lady was merciful but not this other "rise and face us Severus son of Tobias."

"My lord…." Severus began.

"Silence! The white lady vouches for you but I do not." Elrond said, "tell me why we should we let you exist?"

"Would you become a dark lord such as Sauron?" Thranduil said walking up.

"Should we not eliminate you fully now?" Legolas said.

"Please, I brought him here, and he will not betray me." Galadriel said, "yes Severus son of Tobias, I brought you, not Dumbledore but you, you have much to do and here your power is needed."

"I am evil." Severus said, "it would be best if you did kill me."

"So you could rise more powerful?" Elrond said looking terrifying.

Severus felt a terror he never had known before, he was here to be judged, his very soul, he fell to his knees and realized he was unclothed for a reason and he was in chains. He was being judged for in middle earth this was how wayward souls such as his were judged; bound, unclothed, powerless. Most did not see the power of the high elves, the leaders of all the high elves and for good reason, most could not stand to. Severus was seeing that power and it was terrifying to him. He recalled much of his life and he knew that these here had no reason to trust him or let him live. He would not beg, he would let them do as they would with him.

Elrond stood over the man before him, he was terrified as he should be. Elrond had no mercy for traitors, no mercy for those who had caused horrible suffering. This one, oh he knew all about him now, how he was very nearly as bad as an orc why should he let him exist? The lady Galadriel stayed his hand, and only that stayed his hand, he circled the man before him glaring down at him. The very fact that on coming into middle earth he could not enter Lothlorien showed to him that this man was evil and he knew exactly what to do with evil. He would not torture him but he would see him rendered a non-threat. Yet Galadriel said he was redeemable, still he had to face judgement.

"You came to middle earth and have done what exactly?" Elrond asked, "you were to go to Lothlorien!"

"I could not get in, I am too evil, too lost." Severus said, "it is my fault, I took the mark, I betrayed everything! Here I am no better, I deserve nothing but slavery."

"That we can agree on." Thranduil said. "If we were ones to keep slaves."

"Do what you will to me, I deserve it." Severus said head bowed.

"Father I think he is hungry." Legolas said looking at their captive before them, "shall I feed him?"

"Yes, give him this." Galadriel said.

Thranduil knew what his son was doing, he would rather destroy this thing before them. Yet Galadriel stayed his hand and said this one was redeemable. The shape of a man, oh yes he looked like a man but his past life showed he had been almost as bad as an orc. He took in the terror on the man's face, he did not delight in torture, far from it. Even when he captured orcs he was merciful to them in ending their lives quickly. His prisoners he kept alive he was good to, and so he did not like to torment any. This one Severus had no way of knowing that, and saw only those who could torment him because he would have done that, but that was in the past was it not?

Severus did not understand what was happening, why would they feed him? Something wrapped in a leaf was given to Legolas who walked to Severus and put it in his bound hands. Severus opened it and found something pure and white, a small loaf of something that smelled good to him. Severus ate it and found it very good, he wanted more, much more. He looked around for more and felt ashamed, he was being greedy and knew that was wrong. He lowered his eyes and did not see the look of surprise on Elrond's face. Nor the look of approval on Thranduil's face.

What Severus did not know was that the way-bread he had taken could not be eaten by anyone who was fully evil or unrepentant. That he longed for more showed that he was not evil and it would help him survive the judgment. Legolas turned to his father who walked over and Severus flinched as the elf king stood over him. Thranduil was not going to hurt him, far from it. He crouched down by the man and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, to show he meant no harm. Severus was passing the test set and he wanted to show him that he was not going to be hurt if he was redeemable, which he was. Galadriel had been right, this one, as bad as he had been was redeemable.

"You wish more mortal man?" Thranduil asked. "You like that?"

"Yes sire." Severus said looking up at him, the fear in his eyes still there, "please."

"Take this" Thranduil gave him another, "it is good you like this."

"T-thank you." Severus said taking it and eating it. "You are not going to torture me though I deserve it?"

"No, we don't do that, bind you to keep you from doing harm, yes but we do not torture." Thranduil replied. "Though you have."

"Yes, and I regret it." Severus said, "I regret every evil thing I ever did."

"Perhaps there hope for him after all." Elrond said. "I think he has learned his lesson in following a dark lord, have you not?"

"I have my lord Elrond." Severus said, "destroy me if you must."

"I don't think that will be needed." Elrond replied. "But a lesson might be in order."

"More?" Galandriel asked then to Elrond, "he has suffered enough. He knows what he is here for."

"Very well." Elrond replied.

"Please my lady." Severus said and he was given another by her hand, "thank you my lady."

"Now, would you care for drink?" Thranduil asked.

"Please sire." Severus said.

The elves were acting different to him now, no longer were they hostel to him but they were being far more kind. Elrond came up with a clear goblet and gave it to Severus who drank the cool clear draught that made him feel as if light were going through him. He was not aware of the tears on his face nor that he was growing stronger in body. The chains that bound him were gone and he stood head bowed as the elves watched him. It was Elrond that took his left arm and put something on it getting Severus to cry out for a moment but then the pain was gone and he felt whole.

"You have passed the test and now shall be able to face what you must." Galadriel said, "if you had not."

"I would have you bound and cast out." Elrond said, "you are not of this world, not yet but you could be, I will not have another dark lord rise, we have enough with Sauron."

"You have passed judgment." Thranduil said, "you know what will happen if you betray us."

"Yes sire." Severus said, "you will bind me and cast me out."

"I will help when I can." Legolas said.

"Find the ones called Merry and Pippin, they are hobbits, treat them kindly." Galadriel said, "go now."

Severus came to with a gasp and found he was still bound and Saruman had gone off to torment Wormtongue for the time being. Severus concentrated and got his bonds off and stood, he saw he was still clad in what remained of his shirt and trousers. He turned to see Saruman enter the room and with a wave of his hand he threw Saruman to the wall. That was new, he never could do that before wand-less, but Saruman was angry and came forward and grabbed him and drug him out to torture him. Long hours later he lay trembling in pain his back still throbbing but the evidence of the beating aside from bruises gone. He was drug to the top of Orthanc and he lay there looking up at Saruman who was amused by his pain.

"You fight too much." Saruman said, "but the time has come."

"Yes but not for you." Severus said.

"I tire of this." Saruman said getting angry again.

"As do I."

Severus had never done what he was about to do before, Apparate after jumping off something. He gave one last look at Saruman, spat at his feet and jumped. Then he was gone and he appeared at the edge of the plain of Isengard by the great gate falling a few feet to the ground below. At once two small figures were on him small swords pointed right at his heart. He wondered if these were the hobbits and realized they really were about to kill him.

"Are you the ones called Merry and Pippin?" Severus asked.

"Who is asking?" One replied.

"Galadriel sent me." Severus said.

"Oh!" One said.

"Yes, I am Merry." One of them said.

"I am Pippin." The other said, "what happened to you?"

"Saruman." Severus replied.

With that the world went dark for him and he passed out. Merry and Pippin had never carried a man before but they managed somehow to get him into a high chamber and onto a bed. The ent draughts had made them far stronger than they should have been. They left the battered stranger to sleep as he was not going anywhere and they went about getting food and such for an evening meal.

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Elves are very powerful in middle earth, lords, kings and ladies, or the white lady? Even more so, there is a hint that elves can speak mind to mind, well it is not even hinted at, it is outright mentioned in LOTRs. Severus was set to judgment and he passed, if not he would be cast out and this story would be over. The way he was judged is how it would be done in middle earth.

No Elrond and Thranduil do not like to torment others but they do see Severus as one who had served a dark lord. Yet Galadriel called for help and the Valar sent Severus to her, though because of his mark he was unable to get to Lothlorien.

As stated no slash!

Yes he is in the care of the hobbits, they will treat him kindly as they are a good and noble people. I do love hobbits after all.

Please do review, that is how I get paid.