Draco had woken up. It was a Sunday, so he decided to wander the grounds. Nothing made sense anymore, and he need some time to piece it together, ALONE.
Well, it can't be too complicated. I'm a Malfoy. We are superior to everyone. We have perfect lives. We are very rich, and everyone wishes to be us. We have personal tutors at the Manor to teach us important Dark Arts that Hogwarts doesn't even know about, and Occulmacy. Also in morality(but that one didn't last long, after a year, Father said the teacher was not quite right in the head, and didn't get another one,) literature of the famous, and etiquette. The social stature goes 7-Animals, 6-Half animal Bloods, 5-Muggles, 4-Mudbloods, 3-Pureblooded muggle loving wizards, 2-Insignificant Pureblooded Wizards, then 1-the Elite Pureblooded wizards.
Okay, that's all good and fine. That's what my mother and father have always told me, and I have always believed it. It seemed true enough. When I was 5 I met Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crab. They sure as heck confirmed everything. I am much better than they are.
Okay, when I got to Hogwarts I got my first glance at the discrepancies in this logic. Hermione Granger is much better than me in all subjects, including Potions. I only get better grades because Snape likes me and tutors me a bit under Fathers orders during the summer. Actually before that, Potter didn't want to be my friend. Why would he chose a Weasley and a Mudblood over me?
But that was okay, He just degraded to a 3 with all the 5s he had hung out with the rest of his life.
My second year, I wanted to help out the heir to rid the school of mudbloods. They just fouled up empty space, right? Just before the heir of Slytherin was caught, I had a dream where my ethics teacher talked to me, and reminded me how precious any life was. I never did figure out who the heir really was. Although I was very surprised that Potter could speak Parseltongue. I was miserable during the leaving feast because of that. I don't think I caught much of what anyone said during it.
Okay, and then there was that games keeper that father wanted me to get fired. It wasn't going to kill anyone, just send them to Azkaban. I tried, and it didn't work. How could a Malfoy, a 1, fail over a 6? Also that whole thing with Sirius Black was never really resolved. I tried to get Potter to go after him to get killed, but he must have much more restraint then me, if he ever figured it out…
Well I tried to convince myself that all of these failures were just because, as Father had explain, blood and the old ways was counting for less and less everywhere.
When Cedric Diggory died in the fourth year, I was really confused. Voldemort was dead, Harry had killed him. Harry must have killed Cedric or something. Probably a fight about Chang, or winning the Triwizard cup. That was not a surprise that he entered himself, always wanting more attention, as a 3 he really had to try hard to get it.
But then Voldemort returns, and my Father was turned into a sniveling servant. I didn't want to believe the rumors that he was one of them, although I did tease the trio that they were at the World Cup. The look on their faces was just too funny. I never thought he really was. He might have been, given what I know now.
And then last year, Father was in on an attack at the ministry. He was arrested, and it was proven that Voldemort was alive again. Maybe Harry had been telling the truth all along, and didn't really deserve… Malfoy almost broke down there.
Well, I gotta try to finish this, and think about it all. Critically. Matter of Factly. Without emotional interference to sway judgment of my life. Oh this is just Great. Maybe I should just bang my head on the tree over there. No!
Okay, and then this summer, Father breaks out of prison, and comes knocking on our door. Mother had set up all the wards somehow so that he couldn't get back in. We have a relay image system the kitchen that shows the gates, and Father was trying his hardest to get in.
Then Mother said that he should know he couldn't get in, as he tested it himself, the house elves can make indestructible wards, and then to just go away. She had a group of the house elves protect us whenever we went out of the house. We didn't talk much. She sort of just sobbed around the house. But my Godfather still came to tutor me, and she let him in.
This just stinks. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to think? My godfather's been a lot of help, but he had some pretty big issues of his own he won't tell me about. He kept on needing to go in and out of the wards. Mother asked him if the house elves could run his errands for him, but he said it was important. He said something about making sure that Lucius was alright one time, although I don't think he meant to.
My head's pounding now, and I haven't found anything new, just that I was probably raised on a mountain of lies. Wonder how many of them were true.
Could I just perform a spell and go away? I don't care where. Just not here.
All of the sudden, a bright light flashed, making all the shadows from the sun disappear for a whole minute. What's happening over there?
It was Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and they were acting like goldfish. Draco recovered his senses fairly quickly. Oh shoot. Well, I'll just be fall back on tradition and mean to them. I hope they go away and leave me in peace. That would be much better than apologizing and spending the whole day with them explaining why I'm not crazy. If I have anything to apologize for. Het hem! No Denial! At least not to yourself. Okay, fine, I'll just go with the old insult then. "Well if it isn't Potty, Mudblood and the Weasel…"
Harry punched him, and then tackled him and knocked them both to the ground. Oh, Merlin! He must be wound tighter than me! HELP! Malfoy tried to punch him back when the world became much bigger, flipped, and then went completely null, or almost null. Draco felt himself transform into some sort of weird snake thing with wings. He then did what any normal person would do. Fainted.
Finally, I can get you to the right world. I'm sorry I dropped you… You aren't even listening to me! Awake!
Salazar was quite annoyed. Gryffindor, who was supposed to be helping him, called him over to another realm on a minor matter saying 'urgent'. Why couldn't Gryffindor just fix a few things himself? After the minor problem was fixed, Salazar had spent an entire day tracking Harry Potter's signature, among all the other Harry Potters' signatures. So many of them were so close! It was quite lucky that Harry had let off a large and unusual power burst for that particular area, even if it was quite short in durration. It narrowed down the search grid so it only took another day, instead of weeks or months.
And now, I've found him, and he's ASLEEP! Looks like he ran down his magic, and then got drunk. Salazar waved his hand over Harry to wake him up.
Help! Oh, hello Salazar, going for a nice spin? Confused, extremely disoriented, and still dreaming, it was Draco who responded.
Ingrate. Salazar dropped them in the correct location.
It was but an hour after Gimli and Legolas broke the fellowship of the ring, the ring successfully destroyed and Saron never again to return to middle earth, when a voice whispered through their minds, Nurture, protect and grow this young one. He is powerful in magic, but needs to ally his magic with physical strength for his journeys and battles ahead. His name is Harry Potter, and he will fight a nemesis equal to Saron. Do not neglect my trust, or a world shall fall to ruins.
"Did you hear?"
"In all the caves of Moria, I've heard nothing alike."
Suddenly a bright green flash blinded them. As soon as they could see again, they found a skinny, young, black haired boy coughing, apparently trying to get his breath back.
"Welcome to Middle Earth, young wizard, Harry Potter." Legolas mentally accepted the strange mind request, it sounded like it came from one as ancient as the elder most of elves.
Draco gasped again. They think I'm Harry Potter? Maybe they just got the wrong name. Harry Potter always gets the credit for everything… They thought he was Slytherin's heir in our second year, and now… Draco caught his breath, and looked up at Legolas.
"I am not Harry Potter." His green eyes shown with such intensity that kept Legolas and Gimli silent. "And what in the world is Middle Earth?"
Up until now, Draco had been confused and disoriented. He had not taken in any of the details of the scene. In a moment, he absorbed the facts that there was a rather tall blond, who could pass for a relative if not for the pointy ears, braided hair, and general attire, there was a short man, who looked like a miniature Hagrid, with much redder hair and more braids on his extremely wild beard, dressed in full armor, with an ax draped over his shoulder. Not only were these two odd figures who appeared from no where extremely strange, but they seemed to fit in with the environment around them. The woods looked strangely menacing and alive, even greener and wilder than the Forbidden Forest surrounding the school. Forbidden Forest, dangerous animals… unknown forest… unknown dangers… unknown people… unknown world…my head hurts…
Legolas, again, was the first to recover his speech. "Middle earth is the vast land all people live in. More specifically, we are in the Fangorn forest, on our way to Lothlórien, and then on to Mirkwood."
"After we are done with that, we will go visit the caves of Gondor. Magnificent forests of stone, gardens of minerals. My friend Legolas has yet to appreciate the beauty of stone caves."
"And you have yet to appreciate this… The trees live, can't you hear their ancient whispers…" Legolas trailed off to hear the very sounds he was talking about.
Draco listened for about two seconds to the eerie vocalizations of the trees before and impatient dwarf interrupted. "Wait, if you aren't Harry Potter, how do we know we can trust you?"
"I see the Gryffindor golden boy's reputation precedes him. Well, I am his best friend in the whole world. I accidentally got picked up by my guardian, the great Salazar Slytherin, and dropped here… I'm not really sure why."
Gimli and Legolas exchange glances, and then decide to trust… "Well, first introduce yourself, young wizard."
"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. Pureblood wizard." Draco said shortly.
"Your guardian told us that you were going to fight an evil menace in your world, and we should prepare you the best we can. Give you our knowledge of great battles and wars to better the chances of your success. Gimli can teach you how to wield an ax in battle, and we of the ancient elven race are known for our archery."
I'd better play along… I can pretend to be the good little hero they expect easily enough… these people seem like they would be very bad to cross… I don't know what Slytherin's playing at…"Here, try this." Gimli easily swung his ax from his shoulder and then twisted it around to Draco's hand, handle first.
Draco took the large, sharp, heavy ax apprehensively, and tried to swing it at the stump nearby. The head of the ax made it slightly above his waistline, and then strait down to the dirt. I have no muscles for this.
"AHHH! That is not how you treat an ax!" Gimli quickly pulled his ax away from Draco. "What you need is some good old fashion dwarven strength."
"Yes. Carry our stuff on our journey, and you will get stronger. It will be a good journey for you." Legolas said.
"I am NOT carrying your Luggage!" Both Legolas and Gimli stared at him, their blue and brown eyes boring threateningly into his sliver ones. Draco started and remembered his earlier resolution of pretending to be a golden boy to survive this mess… When I tell my father… But then he remembered how he didn't want to talk to his father about anything to do with Slytherin/Voldemort again. This is such a strange land. These people seem good willed enough. They won't kill me, if they think I'm needed to fight a great battle. I intend to stay OUT of that battle though. In all the books I've read, when wizards go on long journeys, they come back better and stronger, if they survive. Also, these people don't seem to take kindly to complaints. "Um, I mean… I might slow you guys down if I carry the luggage…"
"We aren't in any hurry, the wings of change have stopped blowing here, and it will be nice to take the time to enjoy the ancient beauty and wisdom of the trees once again."
Great, just great… ah well; I don't particularly want to die today… "Alright then."
"Lo, this lad isn't too dumb to live after all, Legolas."
They gathered up their camp, and went on their way. Draco politely asked about Gimli's ancestry and was regaled with stories of the mighty and brave deeds and creations of the dwarves for quite some time on their walk. Draco got tired, but the very filling biscuits, Legolas called it lambas bread, and water from their canteens kept him filled with enough energy and all day long, to focus on Gimli's booming voice and keep putting one foot after another.
It was getting late, and the sun was just starting to set. They crossed over a river that had a perfect reflection. It wasn't windy, and the sunset was at just the right angle to make the background behind his reflection a beautiful pink and orange.
Draco caught sight of this reflection. But he didn't notice its beauty.
It wasn't his reflection.
I am Harry Potter.
He fainted.