The Door To All Worlds
[Chapter I]
A/N Sirius is very much a spectator this chapter, for reasons stated in the first sentence. But he will be totally active in the story by the next chapter. Poot Sirius...
Sirius wandered the woods for a short while before abandoning his human body for his animagus form. With his sharpened sense of smell he sought out a town by nightfall, but by then the gates had closed and it had started to rain. He paced back and forth beneath an overhanging bit of wood, a bit drier. This wasn't anywhere he was familiar with, not surprising since he had just tumbled through what could possibly be a sodding dimensional portal for god's sake. Or I could go back to the whole me being dead and in hell theory, Sirius thought. It would surely fit with me stuck in the rain when I can smell food cooking somewhere on the other side of this damned wall. He shuddered thinking of those long months after Azkaban, even after the joy of knowing that Harry forgave him for not being there, not being a good friend to his father and mother. Long months spent hungry, and alone, and beyond weary for more than just rest but for company as well.
His ears perked up a bit, someone was coming up the lane to the big locked gate in the wall. Four laden ponies walked wearily up to the gate. A small window in the wall opened up and an old man poked his head out, blinking as water dripped into his eyes from his oiled leather hat.'What do you want, and where do you come from?' he asked gruffly. Peering into the darkness at the newcomers.
'We are making for the inn here,' answered the man who seemed to be in the lead. 'We are journeying east and cannot go further tonight.' The voice was uncertain, but held a small bit of authority to it.
They bantered back and forth until the gate was opened and the four ponies filed in. Sirius saw his chance and slipped in with them, following the ponies close until they were stabled, and followed the boys he had mistaken for men into the Inn. As soon as he was inside he sneezed without thinking and one of the boys turned and saw him. Sirius flinched back, but the boy reached out a hand and patted him on the head, although Sirius' head nearly came to his shoulders.
'Hullo there fellow, are you following us eh?' He asked cheerfully. Sirius took the words as the invitation it was and backed away to shake the water from his fur as best as possible without making a mess. Much easier than one would think really, Sirius had long suspected that real dogs only made such a messout of sheer malice, to aggrivate their owners.
He listened as the leader of the boys introduced them all as Mr. Took, Mr. Brandybuck, Sam Gamgee, and himself as Underhill. There wasn't much difference between any of the boys, save perhaps colouring. The boy who seemed to speak for everyone, Underhill, was pale and had darker hair. Sam had slightly browner skin than the rest, and the other two reminded him strongly of Fred and George Weasely. It was the one of the left that had spoken to him. Although, while much of a muchness, they were not identical. He followed them as they were led to a table and the two boys poked at each other good naturedly. Sam seemed to be the peacemaker, but Underhill seemed not to notice any of the antics of the others. Sirius felt a whine build in the back of his throat, he reminded him strongly of Harry. It wasn't just the dark unruly hair, although that might have contributed. He couldn't, of course, tell what colour the boy's eyes were after all, dog's being colour blind, but they were full of thought and darker things, things that shouldn't have anything to do with young boys on an adventure in an Inn. For that was the topic of the conversation.
Other folk had converged quickly around the newcomers and Sirius was obliged to sit under the table where the two mischevious boys nudged one another and slipped him scraps of food beneath the table for which he was profoundly grateful. He listened mostly to a conversation about maps and bookwriting, and learnt the boy's first names, Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo. Very odd names for very odd folk, he could see now from his vantage point that every one of his unknowing companions had overlarge furred feet. Definitely not human. This did, however, comfort him. If they weren't human then they were obviously not muggles either...
He put his head on his paws and dozed a bit, but was shaken from his reverie by an outcry not ten minutes later. Something it seemed had gone very wrong and the boys were running headlong down the hall to what must be their room for the night. Sirius bounded after them, and was on their heels as the door closed behind them.
Sirius felt a shiver run along his spine and the hair rose at the ruff of his neck, a man was sitting by the fire, his clothing worn and weatherbeaten. He had long unkempt hair, and he badly needed to shave. Sirius didn't know what exactly was going on, but the boys, Hobbits he had heard them say among themselves, seemed frightened. He felt a growl bubble up in his throat, and held it behind bared teeth.
'Hallo!' said Pippin. 'Who are you, and what do you want?'
'I am called Strider,' he answered: 'and though he may have forgotten it, your friend promised to have a quiet talk with me.'
'You said I might hear something to my advantage, I believe,' said Frodo. 'What have you to say?'
'Several things,' answered Strider. 'But, of course, I have my price.'
'What do you mean?' asked Frodo sharply.
'Don't be alarmed! I mean just this: I will tell you what I know, and give you some good advice – but I shall want a reward.'
"And what praytell would that be?' Frodo demanded.
'No more than you can afford,' answered Strider with a slow smile, as if he guessed Frodo's thoughts. 'Just this: you must take me along with you until I wish to leave you.'
'Oh, indeed!' replied Frodo, surprised, but not much relieved. 'Even if I wanted another companion, I should not agree to any such thing, until I knew a good deal more about you, and your business.'
'Excellent!' exclaimed Strider, crossing his legs and sitting back comfortably. 'You seem to be coming to your senses again, and that is all to the good. You have been much too careless so far. Very well! I will tell you what I know, and leave the reward to you. You may be glad to grant it, when you have heard me.'
'Go on then!' said Frodo. 'What do you know?'
Sirius glared at the man, Strider, as he told them he was sent to find them, and had overheard their plans as they came towards the town. It was all a bit to coincidental to Sirius that this man knew a bit too much. Not that Sirius had any business in it at all that is. But, then when had he cared whether something was his business or not?
Strider's dark eyes focused behind the hobbits for a moment, seeing the shape in the shadows at their backs. 'I ask you to choose your companions wisely young sirs, and I include myself in that edict. However, one must ask who praytell is this?' Sirius stepped foreward guardedly and made the mistake of looking up at the man's eyes.
Strider stood in one smooth motion and had his sword drawn, separating the hobbits from the 'dog'. 'Show yourself for what you are!'
To be continued... will Sirius be Orc Chow? Will Strider decide that he's the enemy? Will strider ever comb his hair? da da dummmmm (And yes, I am lazy but I am also quite fond of Tolkien's work and don't want to muddle it up too much, so most of the dialogue is straight from the book)
[Chapter I]
A/N Sirius is very much a spectator this chapter, for reasons stated in the first sentence. But he will be totally active in the story by the next chapter. Poot Sirius...
Sirius wandered the woods for a short while before abandoning his human body for his animagus form. With his sharpened sense of smell he sought out a town by nightfall, but by then the gates had closed and it had started to rain. He paced back and forth beneath an overhanging bit of wood, a bit drier. This wasn't anywhere he was familiar with, not surprising since he had just tumbled through what could possibly be a sodding dimensional portal for god's sake. Or I could go back to the whole me being dead and in hell theory, Sirius thought. It would surely fit with me stuck in the rain when I can smell food cooking somewhere on the other side of this damned wall. He shuddered thinking of those long months after Azkaban, even after the joy of knowing that Harry forgave him for not being there, not being a good friend to his father and mother. Long months spent hungry, and alone, and beyond weary for more than just rest but for company as well.
His ears perked up a bit, someone was coming up the lane to the big locked gate in the wall. Four laden ponies walked wearily up to the gate. A small window in the wall opened up and an old man poked his head out, blinking as water dripped into his eyes from his oiled leather hat.'What do you want, and where do you come from?' he asked gruffly. Peering into the darkness at the newcomers.
'We are making for the inn here,' answered the man who seemed to be in the lead. 'We are journeying east and cannot go further tonight.' The voice was uncertain, but held a small bit of authority to it.
They bantered back and forth until the gate was opened and the four ponies filed in. Sirius saw his chance and slipped in with them, following the ponies close until they were stabled, and followed the boys he had mistaken for men into the Inn. As soon as he was inside he sneezed without thinking and one of the boys turned and saw him. Sirius flinched back, but the boy reached out a hand and patted him on the head, although Sirius' head nearly came to his shoulders.
'Hullo there fellow, are you following us eh?' He asked cheerfully. Sirius took the words as the invitation it was and backed away to shake the water from his fur as best as possible without making a mess. Much easier than one would think really, Sirius had long suspected that real dogs only made such a messout of sheer malice, to aggrivate their owners.
He listened as the leader of the boys introduced them all as Mr. Took, Mr. Brandybuck, Sam Gamgee, and himself as Underhill. There wasn't much difference between any of the boys, save perhaps colouring. The boy who seemed to speak for everyone, Underhill, was pale and had darker hair. Sam had slightly browner skin than the rest, and the other two reminded him strongly of Fred and George Weasely. It was the one of the left that had spoken to him. Although, while much of a muchness, they were not identical. He followed them as they were led to a table and the two boys poked at each other good naturedly. Sam seemed to be the peacemaker, but Underhill seemed not to notice any of the antics of the others. Sirius felt a whine build in the back of his throat, he reminded him strongly of Harry. It wasn't just the dark unruly hair, although that might have contributed. He couldn't, of course, tell what colour the boy's eyes were after all, dog's being colour blind, but they were full of thought and darker things, things that shouldn't have anything to do with young boys on an adventure in an Inn. For that was the topic of the conversation.
Other folk had converged quickly around the newcomers and Sirius was obliged to sit under the table where the two mischevious boys nudged one another and slipped him scraps of food beneath the table for which he was profoundly grateful. He listened mostly to a conversation about maps and bookwriting, and learnt the boy's first names, Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo. Very odd names for very odd folk, he could see now from his vantage point that every one of his unknowing companions had overlarge furred feet. Definitely not human. This did, however, comfort him. If they weren't human then they were obviously not muggles either...
He put his head on his paws and dozed a bit, but was shaken from his reverie by an outcry not ten minutes later. Something it seemed had gone very wrong and the boys were running headlong down the hall to what must be their room for the night. Sirius bounded after them, and was on their heels as the door closed behind them.
Sirius felt a shiver run along his spine and the hair rose at the ruff of his neck, a man was sitting by the fire, his clothing worn and weatherbeaten. He had long unkempt hair, and he badly needed to shave. Sirius didn't know what exactly was going on, but the boys, Hobbits he had heard them say among themselves, seemed frightened. He felt a growl bubble up in his throat, and held it behind bared teeth.
'Hallo!' said Pippin. 'Who are you, and what do you want?'
'I am called Strider,' he answered: 'and though he may have forgotten it, your friend promised to have a quiet talk with me.'
'You said I might hear something to my advantage, I believe,' said Frodo. 'What have you to say?'
'Several things,' answered Strider. 'But, of course, I have my price.'
'What do you mean?' asked Frodo sharply.
'Don't be alarmed! I mean just this: I will tell you what I know, and give you some good advice – but I shall want a reward.'
"And what praytell would that be?' Frodo demanded.
'No more than you can afford,' answered Strider with a slow smile, as if he guessed Frodo's thoughts. 'Just this: you must take me along with you until I wish to leave you.'
'Oh, indeed!' replied Frodo, surprised, but not much relieved. 'Even if I wanted another companion, I should not agree to any such thing, until I knew a good deal more about you, and your business.'
'Excellent!' exclaimed Strider, crossing his legs and sitting back comfortably. 'You seem to be coming to your senses again, and that is all to the good. You have been much too careless so far. Very well! I will tell you what I know, and leave the reward to you. You may be glad to grant it, when you have heard me.'
'Go on then!' said Frodo. 'What do you know?'
Sirius glared at the man, Strider, as he told them he was sent to find them, and had overheard their plans as they came towards the town. It was all a bit to coincidental to Sirius that this man knew a bit too much. Not that Sirius had any business in it at all that is. But, then when had he cared whether something was his business or not?
Strider's dark eyes focused behind the hobbits for a moment, seeing the shape in the shadows at their backs. 'I ask you to choose your companions wisely young sirs, and I include myself in that edict. However, one must ask who praytell is this?' Sirius stepped foreward guardedly and made the mistake of looking up at the man's eyes.
Strider stood in one smooth motion and had his sword drawn, separating the hobbits from the 'dog'. 'Show yourself for what you are!'
To be continued... will Sirius be Orc Chow? Will Strider decide that he's the enemy? Will strider ever comb his hair? da da dummmmm (And yes, I am lazy but I am also quite fond of Tolkien's work and don't want to muddle it up too much, so most of the dialogue is straight from the book)
