Frodo stared at the painting of the Fat Lady. He was surprised when the painting spoke to him, but not as surprised as when he first saw a painting move. It was an awkward conversation but the painting was adamant. It did cover the entrance to where Harry Potter was, but it would not move aside without the password. It was too late at night for any of the students to be out, and Frodo was stuck. He sat down next to the painting and tried to stay awake.
"What have you found, Mrs. Norris?" a voice said in response to a cat's hiss.
Frodo looked up to see a cat walking toward him. Behind her, Argus Filch came around a corner, holding a lantern. The hobbit stood up, and stared at the approaching man, who returned the stare.
"Do you know the password? I need Harry Potter," Frodo asked, one hand clutching the chain beneath his shirt. The other hand moved to the dagger he had taken from his attacker.
"You'll not need that," Filch said, pointing to the blade Frodo was resting his hand on. "I'm Argus Filch, the caretaker. You must be the reason all of the staff is in an uproar. We found your friend, and we saw what he did to your blankets. Don't worry about him. He'll wake up chained to a bed. He won't be going anywhere."
"That is good to know," said Frodo, "but, about the password?"
"On my authority, Madam," Argus said to the Fat Lady, and the portrait swung open to reveal the entrance. "Follow me, lad, I know where that boy sleeps. But I warn you, I'll have my bit of fun by waking him up personally."
Frodo followed the man into the empty common room and then up a winding stairway. Filch opened a door and motioned Frodo to be quiet. Frodo watched as Filch walked up to the sleeping form and said, "Potter, wake up, I have a job for you." Frodo's grin matched that of the caretaker, as Harry recognized the voice, and jumped up saying, "I didn't do it."
"Course you did, Potter," Filch said, "but that's not what I'm here about. You have a guest." Filch stepped aside to reveal the hobbit.
"I came to see you," Frodo said to the boy, who was fumbling for his glasses.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Because Malfoy came to see him," Filch answered.
"Why would Malfoy visit Frodo?" Harry asked, confused.
In answer, Frodo threw the dagger onto the bed. "Why do you think?" he said.
When Filch left, Harry quickly got out of bed. "Stay here," he told Frodo and left to catch up to the caretaker.
Stopping Filch in the common room, Harry asked him, "What am I supposed to do with Frodo? He's supposed to be kept hidden."
"Sometimes you're a daft fool, Potter," Filch told him. "It should be obvious from what happened that he's no longer a secret. No use trying to hide him anymore. Now we have to keep him out of danger. I'll tell Dumbledore he's with you. He'll be safe enough." Filch turned to go, then turned back. "Potter, they say bad things are happening out in the world right now, and they're right. I don't trust this school to be safe for very long. I'm not trusting you with him forever, just for tonight. Dumbledore will decide what to do in the morning, if he hasn't already."
Filch left, and a stunned Harry stared at the entranceway for a few minutes. He finally decided that waiting for morning was a wonderful idea and walked back to the dormitory. He went to his bed only to find the hobbit lying in it. Frodo looked up and apologized, then moved over to make room for Harry.
"What is it?" he asked, when Harry didn't move.
"I've never shared a bed with anyone before," Harry said, embarrassed.
"All you have to do, Harry, is to be part of a large group at a small inn on a crowded night. If you want any sleep at all, you'll get used to it rather quickly." The hobbit laughed at his own joke, adding, "for now, if you have a spare blanket, I have a solution."
"Yes, I do," Harry said, fetching it from his trunk.
Frodo took the blanket and hopped out of the bed. "I'll be underneath the bed if you need me," he said, wrapping the blanket around him. Pausing, he reached under the covers where he had been lying, pulling out the dagger. The hobbit then disappeared under the bed, while Harry crawled under the covers.
Ron closed his eyes, but stayed awake, just in case.
*
"Here comes the mail," Hermione said with undo excitement.
Ron looked up from his breakfast when he heard Hermione sigh. "Were you expecting anything?" he asked.
"Yes and no," she answered, "I sent an owl yesterday. I don't expect a reply this quickly, but I'm hoping."
Ron shook his head. With all that was happening, she was still sending requests for autographs to all the stars. There was hardly a wizard in entertainment who hadn't received a letter from her. "What do I see in her, anyway?" he muttered.
"Do you hear the news?" Colin Creevey asked, as he passed by, "Draco Malfoy is in the infirmary, chained to a bed. They say he went mad last night, and there are rumors he tried to attack somebody."
"Harry?" Hermione asked, suddenly afraid.
"Harry's fine, Hermione. He's in bed, sleeping late," Ron said.
"What about the, uh, other person in the infirmary?" Hermione asked.
"You heard about him?" Colin said, "That's the best part of the story. They were supposed to be hiding someone in there, but it turns out that no one was there. Malfoy's two goons were waiting outside when they got caught. They told everybody that they found Malfoy on the floor. He had been beaten up, but the room was empty."
"And they saw no one go in or out?" Hermione asked.
"That's right," Colin said, laughing "It's a great story, but I wonder how much of it is true."
When Colin left, Ron grabbed Hermione's arm. "Don't go rushing off," he whispered, "everything is fine."
"Where's Frodo?" Hermione whispered back, "How is he? Is he alone?"
Ron smiled at her nervousness. He always wanted to put his arm around her, when she was like this. "He's fine. He's underneath Harry's bed, asleep. And he's not alone. He has Draco's knife with him."
Hermione glared at Ron, briefly, irritated that he knew what had happened. She then smiled at him, understanding that the Great Hall was not the best place to share secrets. "We need to talk, privately," she said, "Lets go wake up Harry."
"You're right about waking him up," Ron said as they were leaving, "we have double potions in less than an hour."
Hermione smiled at Ron, "I think we should skip class today, but let's ask Harry about it first."
"Hermione Granger deliberately missing a class," Ron laughed, "I never thought I would see the day. And why should we skip Potions, outside of Snape being a git, and the fact that he hates us?"
"How about because we need to talk to Dumbledore, Ron. There are things that can't wait."
*
Harry was already dressed and waiting for them when Ron and Hermione arrived in the common room. Frodo was sitting by the fireplace, eating. Next to him stood a house elf. It wasn't Dobby, but another elf. To confuse matters, this elf was dressed in a tan colored robe instead of his usual attire.
"Billy?" asked Hermione, in recognition.
"My name is Baralas, Hermione Granger. I have made the choice, and already the memories of my years return to me. I can see your reaction, but sadly no, I am in no position to help you, except to say that you are right and time is short. Im tirad gwathron lona, Meldis Hermione. A dark path lies before you."
"He and Frodo have been brushing up on elvish all morning," Harry said. "I've already learned that the house elves call me 'Mellon Cennan.' It means 'Friend Potter.'"
"A pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Granger," Frodo said, standing up and giving a small bow. "I hear that you are the one who recognized me. And Baralas tells me that you tried to help the elves a few years ago, a fact for which he is now grateful."
"Forgive me, Meldis," Baralas said, "until the choice is made, we have little understanding of our past, except by prompting. I understand now what you tried to do, and call you, Elvellon, friend, in the highest meaning of the word." He bowed in turn, and left them.
"What is Meldis?" Hermione asked, "He used that word twice."
"It means friend, as does the word mellon," explained Frodo, "except in this case, it is on a more personal level, with a woman. You did make a strong impression on him."
"Hermione, you're blushing," Harry said with a laugh.
"There's no time for jokes, Harry," she said, blushing even more. "The entire school knows about Draco, and how long do you think it will be until they know about Frodo."
"Knowing Seamus and Dean, they've already told everyone who will listen," Harry told her. "They saw him sleeping under my bed. They may not know he's a hobbit, but it won't be long before someone who's read those books puts all the pieces together."
"Then we should go to Dumbledore, now," Hermione said in her taking charge voice.
"Dumbledore said to wait here," Harry said, "He went to Potions to get the two of you, and he'll be right back. Some of the teachers will be coming here as well."
"Why here?" asked Ron, who then answered his own question, "Right, can't risk moving Frodo. Someone else might take a shot at him." When Harry looked at him, he added, "I'm your friend, Harry. You know I always sleep with one eye open."
Harry smiled, "Thanks, Ron, You are a good friend at that."
They turned to look as someone came in. It was Dennis Creevey. When Ron filled one of his brothers positions as beater, no one on the Quidditch team was surprised. Dennis was the surprise. He was not the fastest flyer, but he could hit a bludger anywhere he wanted to. Now he was walking in, angry and upset. "Harry, if I lost us a match, would you get mad at me?"
"Sure, Dennis," Harry said laughing, "Why?"
"I just walked out of Divination," Dennis said.
"Wise move," Hermione added.
Dennis glanced at Hermione and continued, "Madam Trelawny started staring at me and talking in a funny voice, 'You will fail Harry, and he will feel the loss,' she said. Then she added in a normal voice that I should be careful. You're going to die in the next Quidditch match."
"Oh No, Harry," said Ron through his laughter, "You're doomed to die."
"Harry," Hermione said, "If you have to die, die catching the snitch. We wouldn't want to lose."
Dennis joined in the laughter, relieved at the reliability of the Divinity teacher's predictions. Thanking them, he left for his room, pausing to give an odd stare at the hobbit.
The three of them told the hobbit stories about Trelawny, while waiting for Dumbledore, until Ron commented on the time. "It shouldn't take this long, Potions is already half over, and he left before the class even started."
"Harry, what is wrong," asked Frodo, as the black-haired boy suddenly jerked his head up.
"It's my scar," Harry said, "It's hurting, but in a familiar way."
"Familiar?" Asked Ron, "Harry, familiar as in...?"
"Dementors!" Harry said. "There are dementors on the grounds and they're getting closer, and fast."
"Is it You-Know-Who?" asked Hermione.
"No," said Frodo, "I can feel him. He is still too far away."
"Then why are they here?" Hermione's question begged her confusion.
"I think we're about to find out," Ron said, as noises came from the entranceway.
The portrait swung open and Cornelius Fudge walked in, flanked by two of the dementors. "You are all to come with me," he shouted, "Any resistance will be punished severely. Grab the hobbit."
None of the Gryffindors waited to listen to a single word. They, and the hobbit, ran up to the dormitory, locking the door, shoving a bed in front of it, and casting what few spells they could to guard the door.
"Trapped," said Frodo.
"Not yet," said Ron, as he grabbed a side table and threw it through the nearest window.
"Grab your firebolt, Harry," he yelled, as he reached under his bed for his own broom.
With an effort, he and Hermione got Harry on his broom, and flying away.
"Cor, forgot something," Ron said, angrily. "Three of us left. One broom."
"What about Dean and...." Hermione said.
"In the storage shed, only the members of the team keep their brooms with them."
"Take Frodo and go," Hermione said forcefully, "He's more important, and I can hold them off."
In that split second, time froze for Ronald Weasley as the implications of what Hermione had said hit him hard. Despite not believing her, Ron gave Hermione a kiss, then grabbed Frodo, and flew out the Window with him.
Hermione pulled out her wand and watched as the door slowly dissolved in front of her, and the sound of breaking glass echoed in the background. She backed toward the window, knowing how high up she was, but she had decided to choose her own form of death. She could hear Fudge shouting not to hurt the hobbit when they got in, and she was not a hobbit.
"Hermione, Jump!" someone called.
Hermione turned around to see Dennis Creevey coming toward her on his broom. As he flew past the window and arched upward, she jumped, grabbing hold of him. Dennis held onto her and keep control of the broom as he flew after the others. Hermione, relieved at her sudden rescue, looked back to see the Minister of Magic standing in front of the broken window, cursing. Looking down, she could see dementors, changing their directions to follow them. Ministry agents, some with brooms, followed as well.
"Look ahead," Dennis said.
Centaurs were riding out of the forbidden forest, signaling the students to land. There were a dozen at first, but by ones and twos their numbers increased rapidly. Dennis shouted a wild whoop, as he brought the broom down beside the others. Laughing he said, "Harry, we don't have to worry about losing the match, now."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh with him. "So, what do we do?" she asked.
An aging brown Centaur approached her and said, "You RUN. Follow the trail. It will take you to a safe place."
"Come on," shouted Ron, "They can hold off the dementors but WE have to get away."
Harry was barely able to walk, so they carried him, Ron and Dennis with one arm each, Frodo grabbing the legs, showing more strength than expected. They ran quickly, despite the burden, as the hobbit proved to be surefooted, and adept at following a trail, but they were forced to stop in an open glade when they found themselves facing three unicorns. One approached Hermione, pointing its horn at her chest. Then it raised its head and whinnied.
"They're here for us to ride," Hermione said in wonder. The unicorn bent it legs, to let Hermione mount.
"I'll ride with Harry," Frodo said, and led him to a second unicorn.
Ron looked at the third unicorn, who also bent it legs. He mounted, and turned to Dennis to help him on, but the unicorn stood up, whinnying. Somehow Ron understood that the weight would be too much for the unicorn to travel far. "Can you at least take us to a safe place?" he asked. When the unicorn shook its head yes, Ron said, "Good enough, we'll catch up, later."
Ron helped Dennis mount, and the unicorn took off, not as fast, or in the same direction as its companions. As it raced into the forest, the two boys listening to the fading sounds of battle from behind them.