A/N: Once again let me express my gratitude to everyone who is reading this story, and especially to everyone who is reviewing. I would also like to assure Grizabella that the story will end with an epilogue, but that will not be for a few more chapters. I hope all of you continue to enjoy the story.
Chapter 11: The Council
"Harry Potter, is going to die," Draco yelled as he walked by. Harry glared at Draco through his new glasses, but said nothing. Draco ran over to him and Hermione and said, "I can change it, if I want to."
"Draco, what are you talking about?" Hermione said.
"It will be night," Draco said in a serious tone, "the storm will be in the distance. You will see a streak of lightning clearly, but it will be too far away to ever hear the thunder. Someone familiar will call your name. Do not turn around. Fall to the ground, and death will pass over you."
Then Draco began laughing and would not stop. When he went to leave, he called back to them, "Elf Friend, Your Elf Friend is here." He laughed again as he walked back to his room.
"At least he's happy," Hermione said as they walked around the corner.
*
Ginny climbed the steps from the boat dock, to the entrance hall. She followed the directions given her, and entered what looked like a large common area. Harry and Hermione were seated at a table, having breakfast. Their reaction would have made you think it had been years since they had last met, instead of six weeks. Ginny was introduced to Frodo again, and then to Faramir, who identified himself as 'My Lady's Protector.' Hermione assured her that the young hobbit "has only saved my life twice, so far."
When asked how things had been going, Ginny told her friends that she had been back to Hogwarts, and had the pleasure of explaining to them how everything was moved to Dublin, including the lake and the giant squid. She told them of Dumbledore's rescue, and about Colin's family, and that nothing had been heard about Ron.
As they talked about their adventures, Harry and Hermione knew that Ginny wasn't telling them something, but that it was important. They did not press her on it, but Faramir did without intent. He asked about her eyes noting that, for hobbits, green eyes like Harry's were also unusual. Harry looked, and wondered why he had not noticed before. Her normal brown eyes were almost golden with streaks of silver. He looked at Hermione and she nodded.
Ginny looked at her friends, and began to raise the wall between them that could never come down. "I met someone, Galdor," she said, "I was performing a healing spell to save him, and it worked. But I was changed in the process, and I've become like him."
"Draco, he knew," said Hermione in astonishment.
Ginny laughed lightly, and said, "I'm sorry, Hermione, I have no idea what that means."
"Draco was hit in the head," Hermione explained, "and now he's a little funny. He came up to us while we were on our way here for breakfast, and called me Elf Friend, and said my elf friend was here."
"That would be me," said Ginny.
Harry and Hermione both stared.
"I am curious," asked Frodo, after a long pause, "How do you accidentally become an elf?"
"First, you fall in love on the spur of the moment, and then spend weeks denying it," Ginny said.
"Ginny, You're only fifteen," Hermione said.
Ginny looked at her friend and said something cruel, something to make her understand what had happened, "You're right, Hermione, I am only fifteen, and in one thousand years I will only be one thousand and fifteen."
Hermione looked at Ginny in a new light, and saw, not her best friends' little sister, but a timeless elf, with the happiness and sadness both visible in her eyes. Ginny would always be her friend, but now it would be different. She glanced at Harry who was lost in thoughts of his own.
Harry remembered the first time he had met Ginny, a skinny ten year old, excited about meeting her first celebrity, him. That was little more than five years ago. He had lost a friend, not through death but through life. He understood that Ginny drove a wedge between them by telling him and Hermione, but she was right. To deny it would be a lie, and that would be worse. "Is he a good man, uh, elf?" he asked.
Ginny smiled, and that was answer enough.
Guests for the meeting began arriving, and Harry heard a very familiar voice call his name. It was his godfather. Sirius Black came walking up as Harry stood up, and they hugged each other strongly. "How?" was all Harry could ask.
"Albus, of course. And, if you can believe it, the mess you created," Sirius said as he sat down with them. "It was mostly politics in the end. After Azkaban was attacked, I hope you know about that, everyone in the Ministry of Magic panicked. Then the Irish released the information about Dumbledore. That got Fudge sacked, but when the Irish released the information about the Creevey family, I see you know about that as well, the government started to look for scapegoats. They hit upon me, but Albus sent a message to them that Fudge had destroyed information proving my innocence. I became an overnight hero."
Sirius saw everyone listening intently, and happily continued his tale. "Then the school disappeared, and showed up here in Ireland. The Prime Minister, himself, picked me as the man to talk to the Irish government. It was a good choice, too. It showed we were cleaning up our act. They in turn, told me about the meeting, and I am the official representative for the British Government, with the power to do nothing except listen."
Sirius pointed to Frodo and Faramir and asked, "Who are these kids?"
Laughter filled the table, rising in pitch when Frodo tried to correct the situation, but kept breaking up. Finally, he gained enough control to say, "I am the reason we are having this meeting."
"Merlin's Beard, It's all true," Sirius said. His attempt to apologize was greeted by more laughter, and he was saved from further embarrassment by the arrival of Albus Dumbledore, and the new eruptions of joy.
*
The council was called, and everyone walked out to the open air pavilion where the meeting would take place. Sirius asked Harry what his status was, and Harry explained that he was companion to the Ringbearer, as where Hermione and Faramir. Ginny smiled politely and said she was part of the group from the Grey Havens. When Sirius said he was told that they were all elves, she told him that he was correct. Sirius Black took his seat feeling very confused.
Dal Dagda called the meeting to order and invited the various races. Sirius looked around and was amazed. There were men and elves, of course, but also Dwarves, Goblins, the two Hobbits, a Centaur, and someone Sirius was told was an Istari.
"Once before a council of this nature was called," Dal Dagda began. "There are those of us present who remember that meeting, and its results. Our task is harder now because of several things, not the least of which is that the memory of the place we must go to has been lost in the sea of time. Even the elves had not thought to chart the changes of the land. We know the ring must be destroyed, but we do not where to take the ring."
"There are other things we must talk about," said one of the goblins, "Unless someone here knows where the Cracks of Doom lie."
After a pause, Dal Dagda gave the goblin the floor. "I am Hrothchak," the goblin hissed, "and for those of you who do not know, I am here at the insistence of Aiwendel, the Istari. Otherwise, you elves would have nothing to do with me. A great many of you of the other races have been reading certain books, and know us, from them, as orcs. We Goblins of today are the descendants, in a manner of speaking, of the lesser orcs, the pit diggers, the load carriers, the drudges. After the wars, Aiwendel came to us, and tried to teach us new ways. Over the ages, we became what we are now. We have always had the urge for power, and we have it, freely given, through our control of money. And we like it. I, personally, enjoy wearing rich clothes, eating fine food, and drinking fine wines. I am even recognized as a connoisseur.
"Now I have to tell you something that I don't want to. It is something you have to know to understand. I have no parents. No goblin does. We do not have any sexes. We are mules. We reproduce by replicating ourselves in the breeding pits. There is no need to describe them, but you would not like them. I remind you now that I said we were the lesser orcs. There are also the greater orcs, or War Orcs as you would call them. They live long, but do not breed true, except that they are always violent. There is always someone around who wants cheap bodyguards, and they have also survived.
"We have discovered that someone is actively breeding our great brothers, and in large numbers. Aiwendel, acting on our information has confirmed this. He has also confirmed that they are being bred in the Great Forest which has been enfolded from the earth. Their numbers are growing steadily, and must be suppressed, or they will overrun every thing they can once they are let loose.
"This is our problem. We cannot fight. We were bred to carry the loads of weapons, not to use them. We can neither defend ourselves, nor defend you. If all is lost, you will die, but we will return to slavery and toil. We will do all that we can to aid you and supply you if you help our cause. We humbly ask you to help us."
Hrothchak bowed his head, and returned to his seat. Neither he nor any other goblin said a word. They waited in silence for a reply.
One of the Dwarves stood up and claimed the floor. "I am Dwarin, son of Drey. We are not unmindful of the plight of these orcs, whom our fathers slaughtered with hatred. And it was a righteous hatred. These," he said, waving at the goblins, "were in our minds, the worst. In the days of Morgath, they were abominations made from our own people, captured or coerced by the festering evil. We have watched them over the years, as they made themselves anew, in the changed world."
"Say it," commanded a grey-bearded dwarve to the speaker.
Dwarin nodded, and continued, looking directly at Hrothchak, "It was decided, long ago, that if it came to pass that you needed our help, we would give it to you, our wounded brother."
Hrothchak visibly jumped at the word, 'brother.'
"Yes," Dwarin shouted, "brother, I call him, because we share our common roots. But we will also hold our brothers to their promise to supply our needs, and our list will be long. We have been away from war for too long."
Dwarin then bowed to the assembled host, casting a look at Radagast as he did so. Sirius looked at the Istari, puzzled. There were events going on around him that he could not comprehend, and he knew that his confusion would only increase. He watched as the elf sitting next to Ginny stood up.
"I am Galdor, of the elvin people of the Grey Havens. We are much diminished from what we were when we last attended such a council. We have kept to ourselves for too long, and we must make amends. Those of us that can, will also give their help in this cause. Our list, however, will be short. What we need most is information, and by my word, Hrothchak, anything you reveal to us will never be used to do you ill.
"I must also speak on the subject of the ring, but briefly. The Goblin had the right of the situation when he asked if any of us knew where to find the Cracks of Doom. I repeat the pledge, Frodo Baggins, that we gave to you that fateful day long ago. All that I can do to aid you in your quest, I will do with open heart."
Sirius heard movement behind him. Then he saw the young hobbit, Faramir, take the floor. "All of you use fancy words real easy, uh, easily," he said, "I can't. I don't know enough of them, and I'm supposed to be too young to use any of them, but you're talking about fighting. If it threatens the Mark, then my grandfather's father, The Took, himself, will want to do something about it. We don't want to fight, but if we have to, we will. We don't want to fight far away, but, well, we fought inside the Mark once already this year."
Faramir faltered in his speech, then blurted out, "Heck, just tell us where to go and when to be there."
Dal Dagda led the round of laughter and applause that followed. Hrothchak even got out of his seat to thank the hobbit. Shame and pride warred on Faramir's face but, when he saw Hermione's smile, pride won out. As he took his seat, he sat tall, not thinking about what The Took would say when he found out.
Bren cleared his throat, as the applause died down. "We are the cause of the battle that the hobbits fought. We were reckless in our arrogance, and drove the enemy, unwittingly, to their homes. I can not speak for my people, but I can speak to them. I will promise you this, at least one Centaur will aid your cause, Master Goblin."
Hrothchak stood and bowed to Bren, saying, "Even the help of only one member of your noble race is a rare gift."
Sirius watched as the Goblin gave a strange smile, then turned to watch the centaur prancing in place, clearly agitated. He had studied centaurs but still knew little about them. Bren stammered, and finally said, "How dare you?"
"Because it IS true," Hrothchak said, surprised at the reaction.
"I must agree," Hermione said, getting up from her chair. "Your people have proven to us, time and again, the nobility that is within you. Why do you deny it?"
"It is our shame, my lady," Bren said, "It was Sauron, in his arrogance, who made us to be warriors to his cause, then cast us aside as a failure. When his cause was lost, and men and elves came to destroy all of his creations, only Radagast stayed their hands from slaughtering our forefathers. Tell me, how can you consider us to be noble."
"Oh, sweet vanity," Hermione purred, "I fear that centaurs are too proud to be noble."
"Please do not mock me, Lady Elvellon," Bren said.
"Then I shall mock myself, dear friend. I ask you, do you think me noble? And I warn you, I mean to trick you with this question."
"I do, my Lady. I would be shunned by many here if I did not."
Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Bren. And my parents thank you. Did you know that they are Dentists." She paused at many in the pavilion looked at her in confusion. "Upon request, they pull out rotted teeth."
Bren gasped in surprise, and then joined in the general laughter, finally saying, "My Lady's point is well made. Forgive me, good goblin, for my words. It seems that centaurs are too proud of their humility to be called noble. And I will dare to speak for my people after all. We will come."
No one reacted, because a laugh was heard at the far end, low but piercing. Draco Malfoy was standing there with his insane grin. When two elves moved to stop him, he called out, "Dal Dagda, that is what this is." He smiled as everyone paused, and looked at the elf he addressed. "It is the old tongue of this land. They misunderstood." Draco smiled, knowing no one understood what he had said.
"You should not be here," the elf said to him, "You are not well."
"Yes, and Yes," Draco said, "But I have no choice. The man needs to speak."
Albus Dumbledore arose from his seat, saying, "Mr. Malfoy, I assure you we are prepared to speak, and to offer our assistance, both Mr..."
Draco interrupted, shouting, "Finn and myself intend to offer any and all aid that the Republic and my colleagues can spare." He then assumed a normal voice, "Those are your words, and your next ones are 'Draco, you should rest.' Did I get that right."
Albus said nothing, but nodded slowly. Draco looked at Hermione, and said, "Elf Friend. You know what I am. And you, Harry, my enemy and my friend. Tell him, Harry. He has to speak. I've decided that I don't want to die after all."
"Tell who, Draco?" Harry asked.
"It's a riddle, Harry," Draco said, crying, "He cannot speak."
Harry took a deep breath as Draco let himself be led from the room, conscious that every eye was on him. Dal Dagda broke the silence by calling for a recess. Harry was still in his seat when the last delegates left, except for Sirius. "It's obvious, Harry, I'm the one he's talking about. I'm only supposed to listen."
"I don't think so," Harry said, "It seems too obvious. That isn't like Draco."
"He's mad, you know," Sirius said, "Anything is like him. Wait, I am wrong. There is always a method to madness."
Sirius thought. In school he was a master at mischief, planning and scheming for the fun of it. Break it down. Tell him. He must speak. A riddle. He cannot speak. Draco. Madman.
"I've got it," Sirius said, after a while, "Draco wants to address the assembly."
Harry looked up, stunned. "Please, you've got to be joking. They won't let him speak. You heard his ravings."
"Exactly," said Sirius, "If he came in and asked to speak, he would be led back to his room, and they would lock the door. Draco Malfoy cannot speak."
"Fine," Harry replied, "then why do I have to tell Draco he has to speak."
"You're assuming, Harry. You have to tell Him, not He. He is Draco Malfoy. Him is somebody else."
"Dal Dagda," Harry exclaimed, then paused, "Would Dal Dagda listen to me?"
"Of course, he will," Sirius told him, "You are Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the boy who defeated the Dark Lord in his attempt to seize the Philosophers Stone, the boy who defeated a basilisk, the young man who saved the Mark, and you have to tell me the full story about that when we have time. Any other questions?"
"Just one," Harry asked with a smile, "Those stories I've heard about the marauders, did you talk my dad into doing them, or did he talk you into it?"
"Harry," Sirius said in mock disgust, "I never talked your father into anything, but then I never had to."
*
"I wish to thank all of you assembled here for permitting me to speak," Draco Malfoy said in a serious tone. "I will speak to the point, so that I may not waste your time. Let me begin by explaining to you that I am mad, although I do have my more lucid moments. I know what you are thinking not because I can read your minds, but because I knew what you would be thinking. I can see the future, all of it, and you should know that the future is not planned. Things can and will happen that will alter a set path, and open a range of possibilities. And that is why I am mad. I do not see what will be, I see everything that might be.
"I see something that is coming, that will come unless it is stopped. You must know this, and you must know it now. There is a great burning eye seeking its way out of oblivion. His name, you already know. His last vestige grows. The irony is that you only need to know this, for the future to change. You again know who you truly fight, even as you fight those who would replace him.
"I also know your questions, and I will answer two of them. First, look to Harry Potter. When the time comes, he will tell you where to find the Cracks of Doom. Second, To achieve victory, the one who would dare to wear the ring must be betrayed."
Draco walked stiffly out of the assembly, leaving everyone in doubt as to his sanity, more than one person questioning if he were truly mad. Eyes were on Harry again, but all he could do was shrug. Dal Dagda voiced everyone's thoughts by saying, "We must assume that, when the time is right, Harry Potter will discover what he needs to know."
"If I may speak," Albus Dumbledore asked, and was given the floor. "I fear that I understand my former student all to well. We have been gathered here for one purpose, and we have been diverted into another path. We are well intentioned, but we must remain focused. The Ring and its destruction must always be at the forefront of our minds. Young Malfoy spoke of Sauron returning, and if I may dare to address you, I see his hand already at work. At my school, we found the Ring in our midst, and we were scattered. The Ring again comes to a group of us, here, and again we disperse, all to go our separate ways, with no plan for the Ring. I repeat, we have made no plans concerning the Ring."
"Well spoken, young wizard," Radagast said, "and we must talk about the Ring. I would remind you that the last time such a council met, a fellowship was forged. My brother was a part of that fellowship, but even for all his power the fellowship failed. It is for you, here today, to decide the fate of the Ring."
"It's like hearing yourself speak," Sirius whispered to Albus.
"The Ring is not safe," Ginny Weasley said suddenly, "We cannot do anything with the Ring. It has a mind of its own. We have to restrain the Ring. Frodo Baggins must choose his own path, and we must abide by his decision. In our last trial, It was only when we aided his plan that we succeeded."
"I would remind you," Frodo said, "I almost failed, the last time. I may very well fail this time. Then where will you all be?"
"The hobbit is right," Dwarin said, "He may fail this time. And if you do, Frodo Baggins, I will die with an axe in my hand. You have the One Ring. The choice is yours. Tell us how to help and we will do so."
"Would you take it from me?" Frodo asked, pulling out the Ring and showing it, "Would you take this ring from me and spare me from making a choice?"
Dwarin stepped back. "I fear that ring more than death or shame. I would not want it."
Frodo put the Ring away, and looked around, "My fate is tied to Harry Potter. I will talk with him, and ask his advice." He sat down, saying nothing else.
*
"I know I'm slow on this," Hermione said, "but why did Draco have to talk to us, just to remind us about the Ring."
"To prod us," Ginny said, "We were all set to help the goblins, and deal with the Ring later. Draco's little speech was to remind us of what we were there for. And to make sure we didn't forget. I pity him."
"Why?" asked Hermione, "He has always been a pain, but now, at least, he is nice to us."
"And why is Draco being nice to us?" Galdor asked in amusement.
"Because he wants something," Harry said. "He wants something, but he has to be nice to us to get it. Underneath, he's still Malfoy."
"What do you think he wants?" Galdor asked.
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "If I were mad, what would I want?"
To change the subject, he asked Galdor, "will you and Ginny be getting married?"
"If you mean, to have a wedding, with a party, yes. Ginny's parents would appreciate that, and no elf in his right mind has ever turned down a chance to make merry. But if you are talking about vows, there is no need. We will be together as long as we are both alive. Should one of us die, we will meet again in the west, for the other of us will sail the straight path."
Ginny smiled at the thought, and asked Harry, "Do you have any plans for marriage?"
Harry laughed, "None at all. I never even had my first real date. Some short guy with a jewelry problem dropped in and ruined everything."
"Hey," Frodo said with a laugh, "You had your date. I saw you dancing with a very pretty young lady while you were in the Mark."
"No offense Hermione," Harry said, "but it was like dancing with my sister."
"Tell me, Hermione," Ginny asked quickly, "was it like dancing with my brother?"
"You are forming ranks against me," Hermione laughed, "stop or I shall call for my protector." She paused and looked around, "Where is Faramir?"
"With the War Council," Galdor said, "They make plans to stop the Dark Lord before his plot bears fruit."
"I hope they're not listening to him," Frodo said, "His head may get too big for him. Oh, but they may need to. He has fought two battles and that makes him two up on most of those he's talking to."
"They know he is a boy," Galdor said, "and they know his experience. They will take both into account. He also takes my knowledge with him."
Ginny smiled again, saying, "Galdor was there, in the ranks of Gil-Galad the day he fell. Faramir had heard of the tale, and asked about the battle. The detail he went into was great. He asked a great deal about tactics as well as formations."
"He is a bright boy," Galdor concluded, "and a quick learner when he applies himself. I doubt he is leading everyone around, but he is holding his own."
"How quickly they grow up," Harry said with a smirk.
"Yes," said Hermione, with a smirk of her own, "How quickly we do grow up."
*
Faramir came up to Hermione as she was heading for breakfast. He was dressed to travel, with a saddle pouch on his shoulders. "My Lady," he said, kneeling on one knee, "I beg your leave."
Hermione ignored the onlookers watching the curious scene and asked him, "What do you need, that you ask me such?"
"Plans have been made, my Lady, and I wish to return to my grandfather, The Took, that he may be informed."
"If you need to go, go swiftly. All I ask is that you take care, for you are dear to me."
Faramir bowed to her, and went to the stables, where his pony was being saddled. He was curious at first, since he had ridden bareback on Grand, as he called the pony. The elves told him that bareback was fine for riding, but he might need to fight, and the saddle would help him maneuver. The first thought the hobbit had was to ask Grand if it was fine with him. He loaded the saddle bags with the letters and plans, mounted and rode to the Mark
"It's begun, My Lady," Harry said, "We are drifting in different directions again."
"I am tired, dear friend," Hermione said, "I know not what task to take upon my shoulders next. They have all become burdens."
"They're going now, Hermione," Harry said in Sindarin, "you don't have to talk fancy anymore."
"Yes, let us talk in a different language instead, and impress them that way," Hermione replied.
"Hermione, You're getting caught up in this fancy talking. You do it almost all the time."
"I have little choice. But for you, I am never called by my name, only by my title. I have spoken this way to such a degree that I must pause to think of more simple terms to use."
"Are you going?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Hermione, Lady Elvellon, said, "I gave Faramir my promise that I would attend him. Will you come?"
"No, I have to stay with Frodo, and no one wants him near any battlefield. The elves claim the summoning spell has been broken, but no one wants to take any chances. We're going back to Hogwarts with Dumbledore."
"At least you will sleep in your own bed for once," Hermione said, provoking a small smile.