A/N: If you've read this far, thanks a bunch. Input would mean a lot to me, so criticize if you want!
Chapter 6: Breakfast
They didn't encounter anyone as they raced down the corridors and reached the Great Hall quickly. They went in and sat down with the visitors near the head of the Gryffindor table. Several professors, including Dumbledore, were already eating. There were no other students in the hall yet. Professor McGonagall seemed surprised to see the four visitors plus five others she hadn't seen before. She looked quizzically at Dumbledore, but he shook his head and motioned to the empty hall. She assumed that to mean, "I'll explain when everyone has arrived."
House elves were bringing out an early breakfast for the guests. The hobbits' faces lit up as they saw the food. Most of it was unfamiliar to them, but they recognized food when they saw it. The elves had to bring out more almost immediately, the hobbits were eating it so fast, not to mention the other eight people enjoying it, too.
They were soon joined by Ron who, upon waking up and finding Harry in neither bed nor common room, assumed that his best friend was at breakfast already. He approached the table with a look of utter confusion on his face. He looked to Harry for answers, but Harry just shook his head and mouthed the word 'later'.
Students began trickling in for breakfast. The Fellowship began receiving curious looks, and some nervous ones, particularly because they were strangers, partially because three of them were obviously armed, and, Harry suspected, partially because of that hat! Harry couldn't figure out what fascinated him about it, but it intrigued him.
Hermione was chatting up a storm with Legolas, wanting to hear everything about the land they'd come from. The elf in turn asked her about this world and her life. When she told him of all the accomplishments she'd done, he told her he'd figured she was so clever, and gave her a big smile. She practically passed out at the sight of the smile. Then Harry realized why she'd wanted to wake the elf up. Stupid girls, he thought.
Ron was discussing battle tactics with the two young men and the dwarf. Ron was planning on becoming an Auror one day, and even though he'd be mostly using magical battling skills, he wanted all the advice he could get.
Harry was admiring the hobbit's ability to make food disappear so quickly when he heard a voice behind him sneer, "Who are these, Potter? Part of your fan club?"
Knowing full well that the voice belonged to Draco Malfoy, Harry didn't even bother turning around. "No, Malfoy, in fact, they'd never even heard of me before this past night! Now if you don't mind, it's easier to eat without a presence of stupidity behind me…"
Malfoy grabbed Harry's collar. "You want to fight, Potter?"
Before either of them could blink, Legolas had jumped up, fit an arrow in his bow and aimed it at Malfoy's head.
"Legolas, no," Harry cried, "You can't just kill people here! You'd be in Azkaban before you knew what hit you!"
The elf, unconvinced but pacified, lowered his bow, but kept a wary eye on the blond-haired Slytherin. Not liking the look the elf was giving him, Malfoy desisted and went to join his friends at the Slytherin table.
"That boy is dangerous to you, young Harry," the elf commented.
"Yeah, Draco can be just plain pigheaded on most occasions," he said. "But just because someone's annoying doesn't mean you have to shoot them."
Legolas still looked doubtful, but before he could argue, the Headmaster stood up.
"I have an announcement to make," Dumbledore said, when everyone had quieted down. "Due to an emergency situation, all students beneath sixth year must evacuate the school. We expect all of you that must leave gone three days from now. Those of the remaining students may go if they wish, but remember that we will need your help desperately. All available and willing students will be necessary to fight Lord Voldemort."
At the name of the Dark Lord, some of the younger students cried out in fear, and everyone looked a little unsettled at the news.
"Unfortunately, the Ministry does not believe my pleas for help in the impending attack, so they will not send their Aurors to help. Let me add, however, that we are not alone in this battle. Most of you may have noticed some strangers here this morning. Our own Harry Potter brought these gentlemen to our aid. These men are supposedly the best chance of winning we have. Only time will tell the reason, but let us hope that what was said is true.
"After breakfast, please send and owl to your families if you are to return home. You will arrive at King's Cross Station three days from now at the usual time, unless they'd rather come and get you now. Enjoy the rest of your meal."
This news created much gossip within the next five minutes, and soon, every student had heard all of it. Throughout it all, Harry couldn't help noticing that Snape was looking at him, but not with all of the usual loathing. He puzzled over that until Ron shook him out of it, saying they should start looking up spells for war, since there obviously weren't going to be classes. Harry agreed, and led his companions from the hall.