A Note From Sun Queen: Hey people! Man, this story's certainly evolved from my original plan...this was supposed to be a break from some other fics I was working on, but it really took on a life of its own! I wrote the first two chapters of this, then I had planned to leave it, because I'd set the scene, but I had no clue what to do next. However, I got such an overwhelming response that everything else went on hold as I worked a plot for this story. This is the reason there are some gaps in the plot at the beginning. For example, I have absolutely *no* idea as to HOW Legolas got to the HP world, so if anybody has a good theory, let me know. I'm desperately trying to avoid the "an interdimensional vacuum-cleaner sucked up our hero and deposited him in the world of the author's choice," plot, so I need another idea.
Also, this fic has turned into a rant for the thing that pissed me off the most in Harry Potter, the slavery of the house-elves. Let's just say if I were at Hogwarts, I'd be in SPEW with Hermione...
This chapter starts out from Dobby's POV, then switches back to Legolas, then goes to Dumbledore, the back to Legolas- oh hell, just read it. You're smart people. You can figure this out. Also, the Acromantula are the giant spiders that live in the Forbidden Forest, first seen in HP and Chamber of Secrets. All information on these creatures is accurate, straight out of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Cute little book.
And to all the people who write sweet, yet vaguely threatening reviews, I swear I am working on this as much and as fast as I can. Please don't forget I am a panicky high school student and a lazy little schmuck besides. Apparently, it's only 'six weeks until exams and we don't have time to stop for anything!' So the inconsiderate teachers pile on the assignments, quizzes, and tests. Bleeeeeaaaahh. Well, since none of you are qualified therapists, you don't get paid to listen to me whine. Just read the chapter.
And for the people who were wondering, I think this chapter probably hit the PG-13 rating. Ewww, spider guts...if you have an obsessive love for our eight-legged friends, spare yourself the grief and skip this chapter.
Chapter 8: A Minister, an Acromantula, and One Scared House-Elf
Dobby's day had become more and more confusing as the sun rose higher in the sky.
After spending several long minutes staring at his hands by the Great Hall, he had snapped out of his reverie, in a double hurry now to finish his chores before the students came downstairs for breakfast.
But even running had become different. The world seemed to swim and shift, making him dizzy. Dobby's stride became uneven, and he wobbled back and forth, desperate to keep his balance. He wanted to stop, to catch his breath, but some house-elf instinct screamed to hurry up and get out of sight before people arrived on the scene.
*Smash*.
It felt like someone had knocked his feet out from underneath him, dumping him headlong into a suit of armour. Dobby shook his ringing head, watching helplessly as disjointed metal limbs clattered down around him. The visored helmet rolled away some distance down the hall, and the rest of the suit collapsed like a decapitated body. An annoyed little voice emanated from the rolling helm: "Oy, mate, that was totally unnecessary!"
Dobby heaved himself to his feet with a sigh. Yet another mess he'd have to clean up...
*Why?*
Surprised, Dobby looked around. There was no one there.
*Why should you have to clean it up?*
Oddly enough, Dobby had never stopped to consider the services he provided. It made him pause now, to wonder, why he *should* clean up this suit of armour...
He never had a chance to finish the thought when a burning began behind his eyes, travelling through him until his entire body was wracked with painful spasms. This was worse than shutting his ears in the oven door and ironing his fingers, a hundred times worse!
Oh no. Through the haze of pain, Dobby could hear dozens of tramping feet, students on their way downstairs for breakfast. He stumbled away from the ruined suit of armour, gasping, ducking into the first empty room he found, one of the empty visitors' chambers. He collapsed under the window, choking, as the burning, prickling sensation gripped him once more.
The heavy oak door swung shut, muffling his gasping sobs.
And out in the now-deserted corridor, the helmet continued to call out. "Oy, a little help here, please..."
**********
The rising sun had banished some of the dark grief from my heart, but I knew that it was only temporary. Come nightfall, the shadows would creep back in to choke my soul. I had to talk to Dumbledore, and soon.
Unfortunately, this was a massive school, and I had no idea where he might be. There didn't seem to be any students about; they must all be down at breakfast. How was I going to find Albus?
My ears pricked as I heard a soft rush of wings behind me. I smiled as I turned my face slightly; it was Albus' magnificent red and gold bird. Out hunting, perhaps? He eyed me beadily and settled on my shoulder, then chirped a sweet, quavering note.
"Good morning, my fine friend." I smiled at the beautiful creature who'd taken up residence beside my head. "I don't suppose you know where Professor Dumbledore is, do you?"
To my surprise, the bird immediately leapt off my shoulder. Beating his powerful wings, he hovered in the air, calling in his musical voice, clearly meaning for me to follow him. I shrugged, then ran lightly after the feathered creature. He had a better chance of finding his master in this old castle than I did. As I turned the corner, I saw the bird vanish through an open window, obviously not realizing that I couldn't fly out after him. Unlike Mithrandir, I didn't have an eagle at my beck and call.
Hopping onto the sill, I gauged the distance to the ground. No worse than jumping off a cave troll, so I leapt gracefully to the grass below, landing in a crouch. Not bad, Legolas, not bad at all...
The bird was still fluttering some distance away, so I ran to catch up. He seemed to be leading me towards the edge of the forest, where I could see a large cluster of figures...and something dark and massive...
**********
Albus Dumbledore was normally a tolerant, patient man. Those who knew him would freely admit that he refused to judge people, or assign blame. However, even *he* could not believe the sheer stupidity of Cornelius Fudge's latest plan.
The portly Minister of Magic stood beside him on the school lawn, a short distance away from the borders of the Forbidden Forest, clutching his lime-green bowler hat under one arm, and waving away Albus' commentary with the other.
"Why wasn't I informed of this plan, Minister?" asked Dumbledore in his lowest, most dangerous voice. Anybody with an ounce of sense would be backing away, but Fudge merely smiled in his smug, condescending manner.
"Come now, Albus, this was considered a 'need-to-know' mission, and you didn't need to know." Fudge smiled again, his demeanor similar to a father whose child had just done something clever. "Besides, the mission was a success! We captured a *live* specimen!" The garishly dressed wizard's gaze turned inward, as though he could already see throngs of cheering supporters. "Just imagine, Albus! We can put these creatures into service against You-Know-Who! This could turn the tide of the war!"
"An Acromantula..." Dumbledore let his gaze travel towards the massive black spider standing stiff-legged a dozen yards away. The huge creature was bigger than a Clydesdale horse, its fat body and eight spindly legs covered in wiry black hair. A pair of glossy sharp pincers hung from its face, each longer than a man's arm. Eight dark eyes were cloudy from the barrage of spells that had taken it unawares.
Ministry wizards were milling around the insensate creature, studying its long legs, the hairy, low slung body. They seemed as satisfied as Cornelius Fudge, likely already planning their best-selling books: "Capturing the Acromantula: How a Brave Group of Wizards Defeated You-Know-Who and Single-Handedly Won the War!"
Dumbledore, however, was too smart to step nearer to the giant beast. "Minister, with all respect, how can you expect to control this creature? We know so little about them, but what information we do have suggests they are extremely intelligent, and totally untrainable."
"Well, that's just the point, man! We won't know until we try, will we?" Fudge looked irritated, as though he'd expected Dumbledore to be first in line to congratulate him, on what he considered an incredible achievement.
"Minister," Dumbledore began again, "I highly recommend against this course of action. This is a dangerous creature with which to experiment, and I do not believe it would be prudent to commit our resources-"
"Dammit, man!" yelled Fudge, his patience clearly at an end. "Would you sit there in that mouldy old castle while He Who Must Not Be Named overruns the whole bloody world?"
"We both have our own ways of dealing with the threat posed by Voldemort," Dumbledore said quietly, watching the man flinch as he spoke the enemy's name. "However, I cannot support you in this venture."
"Now you listen here, Dumbledore-"
Then the screaming started.
**********
From over a hundred strides away, I heard the screams.
I realized, to my horror, that the huge black creature, a spider, no less, which up until this point had been rather stiff, had sprung to life. I broke into a run, sprinting with all my strength towards the besieged humans.
Long hairy legs swept out left and right, knocking over the humans who tried to subdue it. I saw several raise their wands and shriek spells, but if magic had controlled the creature before, now the incantations just made it angrier.
The giant spider reared onto its hind legs, let out a roaring screech, and charged. I saw several humans go down under the trampling legs, their screams mingling with the shouted spells and the creature's roars.
I saw one brightly-dressed human racing away towards the shelter of the trees, surrounded by several other men. One figure, however, stood his ground. My heart leapt to my throat as I recognized the silver beard. *Albus*!
He yelled what seemed like a dozen spells in one breath, causing the creature to stagger. But it somehow managed to dodge the killing blow, and then the monster was upon him.
It seemed as though time slowed; I was unable to move, unable to scream as one huge foreleg swept out, sending Albus flying, only to smash into a tree. He slid to the ground, so limp and still that I feared he was dead.
Albus was down, and no other man was in any position to oppose this beast.
Suddenly, all my rage, my pain, my fear and my grief crystallized into a burning bloodlust. My lips snapped apart in a feral snarl as I tore my knives from my boots. Let this creature come. Let this monster of darkness fall upon me; I would revenge Albus and let the blood of my foe stain the grass red.
I opened my mouth and an Elven battle-scream tore loose, as I brought my knives up into a combat position. The monstrous spider, which had been lumbering back towards the Forest, swung around to face its challenger.
I felt waves of malevolence buffet me as eight obsidian eyes met mine; my regard for my enemy flew up the scale. This was no brainless cave-troll. This creature was smart.
"Little worm." it hissed, clicking its sharp pincers together menacingly. "Run away, before I crush your bones and bleed you dry."
In response, I threw one of my knives.
The creature tried to dodge, but my aim was true, and the long dagger embedded itself in one glossy black eye, splattering gore over the remaining seven. A roaring shriek, and now I had one hell of a pissed-off spider bearing down on me.
Most excellent. I turned tail and fled, the spider following like a hound on a leash, leaving a spattered trail of gore in its wake. Unfortunately, while I'd jabbed one knife into my belt, the other was still lodged in the creature's eye. My bow was somewhere back in the castle, and I realized I was seriously underarmed. After my initial fit of bloodlust, rationality was beginning to seep back into my brain. So, still running, I began to hatch a desperate plan.
I was passing an large oak. In a heartbeat, I'd pounced on the trunk, and had scrabbled up into the foliage. Over the pounding of my heart, I could here the creature clicking about beneath me.
A cold, hissing voice floated up to me. "Out of the tree, little squirrel. I haven't paid you back for my eye!" I shot back along a branch as a hairy leg speared the space I'd occupied a heartbeat before. Then another stabbed through the leaves, tearing a deep cut into the arm of my tunic.
I grimaced as I felt warm blood soaking my sleeve. The tree shook as the spider jabbed again and again with its front legs. I followed my ears, letting the clicking pincers tell me where the spider was. It was moving back and forth, trying to determine my location as well. I braced myself as another thrashing leg took a chunk out of my shoulder. Mumbling a quick prayer to the Valar, I leapt from the tree.
I landed feet-first on the spider's broad back. It screeched, swinging back and forth, trying to dislodge me, but I dug my knife into the wiry black hair and hung on tight.
The spider bucked and thrashed, but I managed to grab my second dagger from the ruins of an eye before I was thrown. I tumbled to the ground, clutching my two blades, rolled to my feet, and began to run again.
"Come on, follow me. Come on, nasty attercop. Follow me!" I whispered, terrified that the cunning creature would realize where I meant to lead it. But the massive spider was blinded by blood and rage, and seemed content to chase me wherever I went.
Over the low hill, past the lake shore, and my destination was in sight. I yelled, though I'm unsure whether it was aloud or in my mind.
*Help me!*
I managed to duck and roll clear just as the Whomping Willow sprang to life, powerful arms whipping into the spider that pursued me. Even so, I felt more than one branch graze my back deep enough to draw blood, and one nearly took my head off as I dodged.
The spider wasn't so lucky; it had charged full speed into the lethal tree's limbs. A roar of pain mingled with the snapping of wood, rising quickly to a high-pitched scream. The dazed creature lurched and kicked itself free of the whipping branches, blood splashing from welts and jagged tears on its body and legs. Pain-clouded eyes saw me once more, and the creature screamed and charged. I felt the first stirring of real panic. The Willow's assault had weakened the spider, but by how much?
I stood my ground until the creature was almost upon me. Then, just as it seemed as if I would be trampled under eight pounding legs, I dove towards its underbelly, yanking out my knives and latching onto the wiry hair like a leech, hoping to get a stab at its heart.
Big mistake.
The spider screeched to a halt, and I realized, to my horror, that I'd played right into its hands, or rather, legs. For the eight hairy legs around me folded and buckled, and a very heavy black body crashed down on top of me.
My blades were all that saved me from being crushed to death that second. Somehow, I'd managed to whip them both up and jab them into the monstrous stomach that was blocking the sky, an instant before it flattened me into the ground.
A gush of hot, foul blood soaked me as the spider stiffened with a roar, giving me just enough space to wiggle out. Then, before the legs could knock me over and trample me, I clawed my way up onto the bloody, slippery back.
Stabbing and slashing with all my strength, I somehow managed to cling to the slick hair. The monster's inarticulate screams and desperate thrashing told me I was doing a good deal of damage, but I couldn't hold on for much longer...
The spider finally managed to throw me, and I hit the ground on my back, hard enough to knock all the air out of my lungs, and, judging by my burning chest, to break a rib or two as well. I tried to get up, tried to get my legs underneath me, but my fight was over.
A horrifying black shadow eclipsed the sun, and I made out smoldering hatred in the beast's remaining eyes. The pincers clicked and clacked as they slowly drew lower, a hunter savouring the sight of its defeated prey.
"Goodbye, little worm..." the creature hissed, and the pincers stabbed towards my chest.
At the same instant, I lunged upward with the last of my strength, driving my blood-soaked blade up under the creature's head, through the soft tissue of its mouth, and into its brain.
I saw the creature's legs collapsing, its head lolling forwards, dripping bright blood as it tumbled oh-so-slowly towards the ground, landing in a prickly black heap a mere stride away from my head. It was dead.
Everything seemed so hazy all of a sudden, and I turned my dream-like attention to the twin pincer wounds in my shoulder, each one dribbling black poison, a burning pain that travelled through my blood, to my heart and to my brain. Blood flowed from dozens of cuts and welts on my arms, back, and shoulders, leeching my strength into a warm puddle beneath me.
A gentle whoosh of wings, and Dumbledore's beautiful bird landed beside me, weeping warm tears. I felt them running down my face, and I grieved to think of the wonderful creature crying for me.
I had a vague awareness of figures surrounding me, of hands reaching out to grasp me. Someone touched my cheek, and I opened bleary eyes to see Minerva McGonagall staring at me, her face chalky white, and her hands trembling with fear or rage. Maybe both.
"Why?" she asked, her voice shaking. I wondered if Albus was dead.
I wasn't sure what she meant, so I tried to shrug. I only managed to make myself choke as bright blood welled up in my mouth. Staring her straight in the eye, I managed to rasp out my last words.
"I don't...like...spiders."
And the world dissolved into a twilight haze of pain.
To be continued...Well, we can't kill the main character, so it's obviously not the end, is it? While Legolas was out venting some rage with the Acromantula, what happened to Dobby? He was there at the beginning, remember? And now we have Fudge blustering in...things look pretty grim for our hero, folks...tune in next week for another exciting installment of A Mirkwood Elf in Dumbledore's Court!