Disclaimer : I am not Rowling, I am not Tolkien. Thus I am nothing and own nothing.
And since the disclaimer's purpose is to give credit where it's due, I have another declaration to make. Everyone say hi to my new beta, Arianne. Every little mistake you will not find in this chapter is due to her. The remaining mistakes are unfortunately still mine.
Well, finally, this chapter is out before the end of June. I really don't know when the next one will be. If inspiration strikes and does not let me go before I write, it will be before the end of June. If not, it will be for the beginning of July. After I've read the Order of the Phoenix.
Thanks to all the reviewers. I'm really honoured by all the feedback I've received. For those of you who asked a question, the responses are below.
Chapter four: Hide and Seek
The night sky had changed since the Eastern shores had been called Middle-Earth by its mortal inhabitants. Earendil did not travel in the sky anymore and the stars had shifted considerably. But the firmament was still beautiful, especially during summertime.
On this clear night, the full moon hung high among the stars, shedding a pale silver light over the tree tops. Several meters below, however, darkness prevailed under the cover of the forest. Legolas did not mind the absence of light. Perched on a tree, he preferred to remain invisible for a while.
For the second time in 24 hours, the quest to find the reborn mortals of the Fellowship of the ring had lost some of its urgency face by new events. But unlike the first time, Legolas did not rejoice at the interruption.
The first setback had been Arwen, Faramir, Eowyn and Eomer's arrival at the main office of Winter, Spring & Green. This was a joyful and touching reunion, especially between Arwen and her father. At the end of the Third Age, Elrond had rejoined his wife on Aman and his sons had followed him a few years later, leaving Arwen on Middle-Earth. Imladris' Lord had loved all of his children dearly but Arwen had always been his favourite. Legolas still remembered the stricken look on Elrond's face when he had handed him a last letter from his daughter on his arrival in Valinor. Arwen's final farewell. That day, Elrond had let go of his last hopes and had finally acknowledged he had lost her forever. That had grieved him deeply. Having his daughter back into his life was a blessing beyond his wildest hopes.
Legolas had stayed with the newcomers to talk well into the night. The delay in his departure for England was long but he learned important information about his missing companions, such as their new names, appearances and jobs as well as their last known position in Scotland.
Thus, by the time his plane landed in Heathrow, it was well past midday. A tentative enquiry at the Ministry of Magic told him the wizards knew nothing of his friends. Neither did the Muggle police. Just as he had been about to head for Scotland to look for them himself, he heard rumours that seven Muggles had been attacked by Death Eaters the previous night and had been taken to St Mungo. That worried him somewhat. He was now certain his friends were alive but he knew nothing of their condition.
Once at the hospital, he was told the Muggles had gone with Hogwarts' Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, with the avail of the Ministry. Such an answer was not totally unexpected after more than half a day. The "Good riddance" an ill-tempered purple skinned nurse with yellow dots and tentacles in place of hair was. At this point, the elf judged safer to beat a strategic retreat before someone thought to ask if these Muggles were his friends. He already knew they had to be uninjured to be able to leave and cause mischief and that deduction contented him for the moment. Furthermore, they would be safe in company of Albus Dumbledore, a man whose reputation for acceptance and fairness was legendary.
At his second trip to the Ministry, Legolas stalked obstinately the only worker he could find, a stressed looking fellow who seemed on the verge of burning out. Accepting eventually to look for a possible report concerning Dumbledore and seven Muggles, the tired wizard discovered that Hogwarts' Headmaster had decided to take four non-trained wizards and three Muggles – who were suspected of being Squibs – to his school. He read the report viciously, punctuating it with mutterings of likely hexes to throw at collaborators who choose "a most convenient time to drop off the face of the world. Incommunicado, my a**". Considering the impressive pile of files stacked on the man's desk, Legolas could not help but agree. Still, he did not stay to listen to the man's increasingly original threats. He had his next destination: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Following the purest tradition of magical schools, Hogwarts was hidden and unplottable. Only the staff and the students knew where it lay. No elf had ever become a teacher at Hogwarts and the few children born since the elven folk had come back to the Eastern world had escaped the mortals' notice and been home-schooled. Thankfully, even if the elves had never tried to find out exactly where Hogwarts lay, rumours heard throughout this millennium narrowed down its location to Scotland, near the only entirely wizarding village of Britain, Hogsmeade.
Once there, a question at the owner of Three Broomsticks, the local pub, was all it took to discover Hogwarts' exact location. Legolas also received confirmation of the passage of seven unknown men accompanying Professor Dumbledore less than one hour before his own arrival. These men had been Muggle-clad and seemed to have brought school supplies and trunks with them. His heart constricting strangely, he let a bright smile lit up his face as he thanked a blushing Madam Rosmerta. The chase was about to end.
Not even five minutes later, another chase started.
Outside the pub, the street had started to empty. It wasn't night yet but a chilly wind was blowing, announcing autumn's approach. Legolas passed many wizards hurrying to go back home or to enter The Three Broomsticks for a drink or three. That was why the two standing men caught his eye at first. At a second glance, he saw they were talking at the entrance of an alley near the edge of the village. Something in their behaviour immediately put his instincts on alert.
It took him a few second to realise why. He was seeing a lackey reporting fearfully to his master. They hadn't been obvious about it but the nervous looks the dark-haired man kept throwing around and his growing agitation was starting to give them away.
His master probably realised this too and he gestured to the other man to enter deeper inside the alley. The response of the latter was… interesting. Elven eyesight allowed Legolas to observe his eyes widening in panic and a frantic headshaking. He is the bearer of bad news. The man was virtually shaking and some passer-bys threw him curious looks.
Seeing this, the master, a blonde haired man, grabbed the smaller one by the scruff and pulled him back into the street. His subordonate relaxed in response and, although still visibly nervous, he stopped shaking.
Suddenly, as if sensing Legolas' glare, the blonde turned his head sharply in the elf's direction.
Legolas did not break stride at this scrutiny and kept walking nonchalantly, stopping from time to time to admire the displays of the shops. The watcher would merely see a young man wandering the streets, still relatively far away, according to human eyesight. The only things out of the ordinary would be his grey trench coat instead of a proper wizard robe and the long backpack he bore. But nothing about him would warrant further attention. Elven natural discretion allied with a little magic can work wonders, he commented silently. When carrying several weapons that would have drawn a lot of attention in this place and age, small deceptions were in order.
The elf profited from the occasion to look at the blonde man's face and recognised him. Lucius Malfoy, a suspected Death Eater fourteen years ago but never condemned. His prestigious name and his immense wealth had allowed him that. Nowadays, he was an influential public figure, thanks to his family's old name and his money.
Malfoy turned eventually in the other direction and headed briskly away from the main street and out of the village, leaving his lackey to scramble after him. On one of his master's words, the dark-haired man resumed his report, looking around to check if anybody was into hearing distance and, now and then, sneaking guarded looks towards his companion.
Unfortunately for them, mortal hearing range and elven hearing range were at two entirely different levels. With a little concentration, Legolas managed to catch every word.
"Crabbe and Goyle will recover in a couple of hours, sir," the lackey said nervously.
"Do I look like I care what happens to these two idiots?" Malfoy hissed back threateningly. "I want Dumbledore's little spies dead. Hunt them down and kill them. Preferably before they reach Hogwarts."
"But…"
"Perhaps you want me to tell the Dark Lord who failed to keep our reunion secure?" Malfoy asked unctuously.
The other man's steps faltered for a second. But afterwards, he straightened his back and, trying to sound nonchalant, asked "They are only two, Sir. What could they do against us?"
"Idiot. For this remark alone, rest assured our Master will hear of your incompetence," Malfoy announced calmly. "The only one who is opposing the Dark Lord is that fool of Dumbledore. But even he can not do anything if he knows nothing. That's why he has spies. At no cost must Dumbledore learn what they have heard today. Is that clear?"
"I'll bring you their heads," Fear and a desperate resolution to make up for his mistake permeated his voice.
"Do that. Otherwise it will be your head I'll offer to the Dark Lord. Take Wormtail with you. I expect news of you success tomorrow. You know what awaits you if you fail?"
"Y…yes."
"Good," Malfoy said, grimly satisfied. He turned towards the other man and whispered coldly in his ear "Do not disappoint me. And don't forget to bring back the ball."
Without waiting for an answer, he disapparated, leaving his companion frozen in fear. After a moment, though, he recovered and looked back over his shoulder to ensure no one had followed them. He did not look in the copse of trees beside him.
There was no one behind him and he left the road to head for the forest, never realising an elf was following him, despite the few covers this barren lapse of land offered until the trees. But men's perception had dimmed with time and still fewer were those who could feel the weight of an Elda's scrutiny. And once Legolas reached the trees, the Death Eater lost all chances to catch sight of his pursuer.
The elf let him get ahead of him and sighed. Hogwarts was in the other direction. Our reunion will have to wait a little longer, my friends, he apologised silently.
After a ten minutes' walk, the Death Eater rejoined a waiting group of men.
"Pettigrew!" he barked. "Which way do you think they would take?"
"I… I'm not sure," a small blonde man stuttered.
"Please," the dark-haired man sneered cruelly. "These are your old friends. You have to know how they think. It's in your interest to help us find them. Maybe then, the Dark Lord will be indulgent with you for forgetting to mention earlier that Black was an Animagus. Although it isn't likely. We've counted at least five meetings during which a black dog was spotted nearby. Five!"
"How could I have guessed he would work for Dumbledore?" Pettigrew tried to defend himself pitifully. "He spent twelve years in Azkaban. He should be… he is completely mad!"
"Mad with rage, you mean," his interlocutor mocked. "You betrayed the Potters' and framed him. And now, you're hiding among us from him and Lupin. They want you dead, Wormtail. Aurors and Lupin's kind are persistent this way. It's your fault they take so much interest in our reunions."
"That's not true…"
"Spare your excuses," he dismissed him. "Macnair!"
A broad-shouldered man replied, "I can follow the human traces, Nott. But once they'll transform…" he trailed off.
"We'll deal with this then. The moon is rising soon. Let's go."
He led the eleven other men into the forest. Legolas watched them go, eyes narrowed. He had read the wizarding newspapers after Voldemort's fall fourteen years ago and he had been horrified to learn about the Potter's betrayal by their best friend. Now, it would seem an innocent man had been wrongly imprisoned at Azkaban under the guard of the Dementors. He repressed a shudder. Dementors. The origins of these creatures were unknown but those who remembered the Second and the Third Age of Middle-Earth could recognise a chilling echo of the Nazgul in them. Some traces of the old world still remained in this one. Shaking sadly his head, he shook off these musings. Now was a time for actions, not for reflections. He would watch the Death Eaters and help Black and his friend should they be in difficulty.
And so it started. A dangerous game of hide and seek that moved deeper and deeper in the forest and penetrated into a realm of older, darker and foreboding trees.
At nightfall, the Death Eaters separated into four groups to increase their chances to catch their prey. Nevertheless, Black and Lupin managed to stay ahead of them most of the time without Legolas' intervention. To the elf, their movements seemed strangely erratic; the two pursued sometimes circling back to position themselves behind the Death eaters, at other moments stalling just in front of a group of Death Eaters. In these cases, Legolas drew the dark wizards' attention and led them astray. That was easily done. These men hurried towards the smallest sounds but never thought to look up in the old trees.
Right now, perched in a tree, Legolas listened to the three Death Eaters just beneath him. Nott and Macnair were cursing Sirius Black and Remus Lupin vividly while Pettigrew stood trembling on the side.
"We're all going to pay for this if we do not catch them before sunrise," Pettigrew moaned.
It wasn't the first time one of the Death Eaters made this strange comment. They seemed to think Black and Lupin would stay in the forest until sunrise and reach Hogwarts to slip from their grasp then.
"Shut up, Wormtail," Nott snapped. "Macnair, are you sure you saw them over here?" he asked testily. He was the apparent leader of this mission and he bullied mercilessly his companions. Ruling by fear. Some things never change. All those who professed to call themselves Dark Lords and theirs followers always tried to rule by power and fear.
"I'd swear I saw them over here, Nott," the other man affirmed. He did not seem to mind Nott's bullying so focused on the chase he was. That man seemed to have devoted his entire life to an unique goal: the pleasure to kill.
But he would not have the pleasure of killing the two Animagi here. Legolas too had caught a glimpse of two flashes of black and silver in this direction. But when they had disappeared behind some bushes and out of sight, the elf had relied on his other senses and his ears told him the two canines were long gone. Voldemort's servants would find nothing here.
Time to check on the other groups.
The second group of Death Eaters wasn't very far. Their loud voices led him straight to the edge of a large glace. As Nott's group, they were cursing Black and Lupin to the lowliest hell they knew. And they were also scared. They knew dawn was only a couple hours away.
Letting them go in the direction of the first group, Legolas wondered again at this association of failure and dawn. He dropped from his tree and watched the wizards move away. They were no orcs to fear sunlight so. Then, what am I missing?
A branch cracking near the other side of the glade interrupted his musings. Third group. This one had learned the value of silence during a hunt a few hours ago and gave a little more difficulties to Legolas since then. But they would never walk silently enough to escape an elf's notice. Still, they were heading his way and Legolas resolved to stay out of sight.
Without a sound, he ducked behind a bush.
And found himself nose to nose with a silver wolf. Lupin's Animagus form. But the gleam in the golden eyes and the snout didn't correspond to those of a normal wolf. Dimly, Legolas realised he had found the missing piece of information that had him puzzled all night.
Werewolf.
####
Sirius Black was not a happy man. Dog. Animagus. He had had a bad day and he was having a worse night. Still, every little scratch he earned to protect Harry was worth it. Sirius would do anything to keep his godson safe. That included spying on Death Eaters to stop Voldemort.
The problem was that this time, he had given himself away during the meeting of the Dark Lord's servants and Wormtail had recognised his Animagus' form. He had only managed to get away thanks to Remus' diversion. His old friend had never followed an Auror's training but his supernatural reflexes compensated the lack of formation and he was inventive. He had to be, after seven years of creating confusion to cover James and Sirius' asses at Hogwarts.
It was supposed to be a simple spying mission, Sirius repeated mentally and a whine almost escaped his lips. A mere sneak in and listen. Remus should have had plenty of time to lock himself up for the full moon. Sirius and he could even have gone in the Forbidden Forest, allowed Padfoot and Moony to play as they used to before … before everything. Instead, they had fought against a few Death Eaters to be able to enter the southern edge of the forest before nightfall. Since then, they were chased by the dark wizards and to complicate the matters, Padfoot had to keep Moony from chasing the men. Remus will never forgive himself if he bites somebody. Even if these bastards deserve to be cursed and suffer the rest of their pitiful life. He fought to keep another whine from emerging and the pouch he was carrying seemed to grow heavier. It's my fault.
Malfoy had brought a strange dark crystal ball to the meeting, giving it to another Death Eater to be studied. He had claimed the crystal, about one foot big in dimensions, was indestructible and he wanted to know what it was. The reunion had started afterwards, unveiling some of Voldemort's plans. Those chilled Sirius to the core and he resolved to inform Dumbledore as soon as possible. He had planned to go to Hogwarts to see Harry, anyway. The last and most puzzling news was that Voldemort wanted some Muggles the Headmaster had taken under his protection brought to him. But Sirius had probably heard wrong. At this point in time, he had managed to sneak near the abandoned pouch, pushed by his curiosity. It was then Wormtail had arrived, seen him and given the alarm. Sirius barely managed to grab the pouch and bolt.
He almost whimpered as he cursed his impulsivity. Malfoy was merely curious about that crystal and I screw the mission and risk Remus' life because of this. It wasn't supposed to happen, he complained silently again. But it was the next thought that succeeded in breaking the whine loose, wasting breath that would have best served helping him run. I wasn't supposed to lose Moony.
He should never have relaxed his guard.
Once inside the forest, Remus and he had managed to lose the Death Eaters long enough for the moon to rise and for Remus to transform into Moony. The situation had become more difficult then. The wolf scented the humans and wanted to hunt and kill them. Padfoot had all the trouble in the world keeping him from following his instincts and trying to lead him into the deeper and more dangerous part of the forest.
Thankfully, the wolf had seemed to understand his pack mate's urgency and never strayed far from the dog. Sirius had never so grateful for the fact that Padfoot's proximity helped Remus control somewhat the wolf's instincts.
Nevertheless, there were some close calls. Just because Moony stayed close to Padfoot did not mean he could not manoeuvre them either directly onto the path of some Death Eaters or just behind them. Each time Sirius realised this, it was almost too late. The men were into hearing distance and the human voices drove the wolf mad with rage. The only thing Padfoot could do was to try to distract Moony and hope the Death Eaters went another way.
Miraculously, however, the Death Eaters never stumbled upon them. Time and time again, the men imagined having heard something in another direction and headed on a wrong track. Once the voices went out of hearing range, Moony relented and accepted to follow Padfoot's lead. For a short time, anyway. But long enough for Sirius to be persuaded he had a guardian angel somewhere, somehow and he thanked all the deities he had ever heard of for sending it to him.
These relieves were eventually the causes of Sirius' mistake. The momentary luck had lulled him into a false sense of security and he let his guard down. Padfoot had been stressed all night, hackles almost constantly raised, and until then, he had had no means to exorcise his fears. Padfoot wanted to fight or relax and play. Fighting was out of question as long as Moony had the smallest risk to enter the fray and bite somebody so he relaxed.
Several times this night, he had smelled a somewhat fleeting scent. He never stopped to check but he thought he recognised vaguely a human's scent tangled with some wood, leather and steel. But each time he came across this trail, Padfoot was thrown off and wanted to inspect it more thoughtfully. This time, Sirius indulged his inner dog. Moony was beside him and the Death Eaters were downwind and out of hearing range. He didn't think they risked anything.
So, he focused on the scent and examined it to his heart's content. The more recognisable odors were the leather and the steel, mixed with a little oil. The wood was trickier. Padfoot could smell distinctly polished wood but fresh wood also seemed to be an integral part of the human's unique smell. And something was wrong with this smell. He would be hard-pressed to explain how but he was sure of this. It was intriguing. The smell was so fleeting, so faint, that he would never have caught a whiff of it among the other overwhelming odours in a city.
A branch cracked near him and Sirius swore silently. Damn these Death Eaters! The noise came from downwind, letting Sirius some time before the wolf recognised human presence. He raised his head to nudge Moony and found himself alone. Moony was gone.
A cold hand seized his heart as he listened to the sounds around him, trying to locate howls of rage and cries of human pain. There were none for now. He bit back on his first urge to howl after his missing pack mate and lowered again his nose to the ground. There. His paws moved almost before his brain told them to.
He had to find Moony before the Death Eaters killed him or before he killed some of them. But he couldn't run fast and follow closely the trail at the same time. He almost growled in frustration. He would not even be able to find Moony by sounds for the wolf could be as silent as a ghost. He can not have gone very far, he thought anxiously. Not in so little time.
He sniffed again and almost froze. Men. Panic reared its ugly head. Not now, not so close to dawn…, he pleaded. He took another desperate whiff. Wait. The two scents separated after a few steps. The Death Eaters had passed here after Moony. The wolf hadn't crossed them yet. At the edge of his tether, he abandoned all prudence and set off at full speed - and noisily – after Moony. Fuck stealth. I'll hear the Death Eaters if they are close. He would not lose another friend to the dark wizards.
And if Moony hear me, he'll come and take a look at what I'm doing.
Any creature with decent hearing in this forest would either go into hiding or come investigate the noises he was raising by snapping the lowest branches, crushing the brindles on the ground and making the fallen leaves crisp without a care. Sirius was certain Moony would recognise Padfoot's presence and rejoin him. That was why he almost barrelled into a silent and immobile wolf on the other side of a luxuriant bush. An immobile wolf virtually on top of a crouched man.
Sirius' mind froze in horror.
But Moony did not look poised to attack. Rather, his muscles were relaxed, ears tipped forwards with curiosity, nostrils flaring slightly to sniff the air and he was tilting his head quizzically. He finally turned his head towards Padfoot and whined questioningly.
That prompted Sirius' muscles, if not his brain, into actions. Advancing with tottering steps, he too took a whiff at the stranger. He bore the strange scent he had examined earlier. The blonde man was wearing a blended mix of Muggle and wizard clothes: closed grey trench coat and dragon leather boots. Strange. He would have drawn a first curious glance in the Muggle and the wizarding world. But he wore these clothes with so much natural ease the curious would probably have dismissed him at a second glance.
With a little surprise, Sirius realised he was almost touching the man's chest and sniffed again instinctively. Something clicked in his mind. No sweat. He doesn't sweat. And there was something else wrong in this human-like scent.
"Sirius Black, I presume?" the man said. Moony did not react at the voice.
And why should he?
Baffled, Sirius sat back on his heels, contemplating the enigma before him. A man who didn't quite have a human scent and didn't quite have a human voice.
####
Legolas watched the Animagus fall on his backside and smirked internally. Mortals are so easy to tease. The wolf probably sensed his amusement at his companion's expenses for he turned his back on the elf, slapping him with his tail in the move.
"And werewolves still have their quirky temper", he mock-scowled at the wolf.
The silver canine ignored him with majesty and pawed at the dog to snap him from his daze. The massive black dog was panting heavily, a heavy-looking pouch dangling forgotten from his lips. No doubts Black had panicked when the wolf had come to Legolas. And now, he found him in company of a man who was not a Man. He looks rather overwhelmed.
The wolf finally lost patience at his black mate's bewilderment and shouldered him with force. Being pushed to the ground brought Black to reality nicely and he immediately rose to place himself between the wolf and Legolas, hackles rising. The werewolf let him stand before him with bored disinterest and the elf blinked once.
"I mean no harm," he said calmly, extending his empty hands forwards with the palms up. "You and your friend have nothing to fear from me." Not in this age, anyway. The world had changed and the clear black or white shades of Middle-Earth had blurred into shades of grey. Werewolves were no longer Morgoth's creatures.
He looked from the still growling dog to the tranquil wolf with growing comprehension. Pettigrew's old friends.
"Lupin must be very lucky to have a friend like you." Werewolves were usually shunned by wizards. For this wolf and this dog to be so familiar with each other, they had to be pack mates since a long time. Since before Black's imprisonment. There is still hope to be found in Men, after all.
From across the glade, voices approached and the wolf's ears perked up. Oh no, you don't, Legolas thought.
"Daro." Stop.
The wolf froze for a second and then turned on the elf, snarling in response at the command. Legolas changed tactics. He whispered calming words, pleas for assistance and approached slowly the werewolf. He was stopped by a warning growl. Black.
"You know the Death Eaters are coming this way. If the wolf focuses on my scent and my voice, he will let them pass without attacking," he explained softly. "I know what I'm doing."
The dog hesitated. His eyes flicked over the listening wolf. From their left, another group of Death Eaters could be heard approaching. The retreat was cut. The canines would not be able to pass without attracting the Death Eaters' attention, even if the werewolf didn't attack.
"Trust me," he whispered. We don't have much time.
Black relented and let Legolas kneel in front of the wolf.
"Will you let me touch you, Mither?" Legolas keep talking softly, his voice below a whisper. The men would not hear him but the wolf would hear distinctly every word. The elvish terms intrigued him. All beasts that weren't fundamentally evil understood that language. First part done, Legolas mused. Lupin was ignoring the human voices in his favour. He could only hope he would also ignore the human scent and that the Death Eaters would leave fast.
"Damn it! I heard the dog heading this way and I did not hear him leave. Where has the fucking beast gone?"
The Death Eaters were searching the bushes near their location. Black lowered his head, seemingly ashamed. He had not been discreet coming over here and now, the dark wizards knew where they were. And they are too near. I can not leave the wolf to divert their attention, Legolas swore siletnly. At this moment already, the werewolf was agitated, starting to fight out of the elvish spell. We're going to have to fight. The elf opened his coat, readying himself to take his weapons. The wolf shoved his nose inside with curiosity and Legolas pushed him back gently. Another snout touched him, demanding his attention.
Black was holding a stick between his teeth. Legolas took it, lifted an eyebrow, shrugged then smiled his thanks. It could work. He listened for a second to pinpoint the Death Eaters' position and threw the stick behind them.
"Did you hear that?"
"He's passed behind us. Let's go."
It wouldn't take long for the wizards to realise there were no more sounds in this direction. As soon Legolas judged they were far enough, he tried to get up and leave. The dog grabbed him by the coat.
"The sun will soon rise. You should get your friend as far as possible from the Death Eaters before his transformation. I'll led them another way," he said. Black did not let go of his pan of coat.
"You are in no condition to negotiate, Master Black," Legolas stated sharply, annoyed.
The dog growled low in his throat in response at the sharp tone and the wolf followed his lead, baring his teeth. Pack mates, Legolas sighed mentally. What threatens one threatens the other. He shook his head.
"I was going to Hogwarts when these men's behaviour caught my attention. Be it at dawn or at the school, I swear we will meet again. Will you go now?"
Black released the coat but stayed where he was, still hesitating.
"Go," he commanded.
The wolf bolted. Throwing a last look over his shoulder, the dog followed.
####
"Did I hallucinate or was there really a man with us this night?"
Remus sounded wiped out. He looked wiped out. He did not look as if he had argued with a dragon and lost. Thanks Merlin for small favours. The wolf had been calm during the transformation. He had only torn superficially at his left arm. As soon Remus was entirely human, Sirius had transformed at his turn, handed his friend his clothes and dressed the wound before letting him recuperate. For the moment, Remus was sitting against the arrows-pierced tree signalling the edge of the centaurs' territory and Sirius was standing beside him. They were safe there from all the other dangerous creatures of the forest. Even the Acromantulas and the vampires knew better than find themselves on the bad end of a centaur's deadly aim. To keep himself busy, Sirius was sharing the information he had heard at the Death Eaters meeting but Remus hadn't said a word until then, worrying his friend.
"It was a collective hallucination in that case because I saw him too," Sirius gave a feeble attempt at levity, relieved to hear his friend speak. Remus merely leaned his head back against the trunk and they fell back into silence. Eventually, Sirius blurted out seriously, "Remus, I'm sorry. If I hadn't got myself spotted, they would never have been chased us on a full moon and you would never have risked biting someone. And I'm sorry for risking your life for a stupid ball."
His friend contemplated him silently for a few moments. "Sirius," he started finally.
"Yes?"
"Pass me that crystal." Remus' long suffering look triggered alarm bells in Sirius' mind.
"Why?"
"Because it's supposed to be indestructible and I need something to hit you on the head," he deadpanned. That made Sirius flinch and Remus sighed at the sight. "Neither of us is hurt and you stopped me from biting the Death Eaters," he explained quietly. "I'll probably worry about it another day but right now, I'm just glad nothing happened. There is nothing to be sorry for." When he didn't receive a response, he asked with determination, "Remind me which of us insisted I came yesterday."
Grimacing and squirming slightly, Sirius replied hesitantly. "Hum…. Not me?"
"Exactly. Hence, I did not hear you apologise to me for something for which you weren't responsible," Remus announced firmly.
After a few more moments of silence, Remus re-engaged the conversation. "So, did I hallucinate or was there really a man with us this night?"
He extended his hand and peered up expectantly. Chuckling and relieved, Sirius helped him stand up. "It was a collective hallucination in that case because I saw him too."
"Moony was persuaded he wasn't human," Remus commented thoughtfully. Catching Sirius' eyes, he nodded in Hogwarts' direction. He had not rested nearly long enough and both Sirius and he knew this but they couldn't stop long. They still had work to do. Pleasantries and rest could wait until later.
"So did Padfoot," Sirius agreed soberly. "Do you have an idea on what he was?"
"He was on his way to Hogwarts," interrupted a clear voice. "He was also under the assumption you too were going there."
At the first word, Sirius and Remus whirled around, wands pointed unfailingly on the source of the voice.
"And a fair morning to you too, Master Black, Master Lupin."
The stranger was back. I did not hear him arrive, Sirius noted. And I can't hear the lyrical accents in his voice anymore. He studied him from a human perspective in the shaded light of the trees. The man-like creature seemed young, in his mid-twenties at the most. Blonde hair, blue eyes, rather high cheekbones but otherwise, his face was rather common. Someone you could have passed in the street without noticing. He was still wearing his grey trench coat and his backpack and looked singularly unruffled by the two wands pointed on him. Altogether, he looks remarkably… ordinary.
Out loud, he commented, "You look human."
The creature blinked in response. "Thank you. So do you. The pictures in the newspapers do not do you justice."
Sirius had vaguely the sensation he was being mocked. Narrowing his eyes, he replied dryly, "What can I say; I need a comb to look good."
That response surprised a joyous laugh out of the stranger and he shook his head before bowing slightly. "Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo. Shall we go? I have some people to see."
A little thrown off by the unknown language and by the abrupt change of subject, Sirius was surprised to feel an answering grin tug at his lips against his will. The stranger's merriment was contagious and Sirius could not help but let go of his initial irritation at the perceived slight.
"Aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first? You know that I am Remus Lupin and that my friend is Sirius Black but we do not know your name." Remus asked politely, lowering his wand.
Sirius followed his example. After all, the stranger had helped them escape the Death Eaters earlier and didn't act threateningly. And if he tries anything, we still have our wands in hand, unlike him.
"The name on my identity card is Lawrence Green," the stranger stated.
"That's a human name," remarked Sirius. "As you're not human, I guess it's not your true name."
"My true name is Legolas. I am an Eldar. In your language, I would be an elf," he continued.
Remus and Sirius shared a puzzled look. "You look nothing like a house-elf."
Legolas scowled. "Men have given them the same name but there is no relation between us." Sirius had no trouble believing that. Legolas had none of the house-elves' obvious mannerisms and he certainly had not their appearance.
"We've never heard of your kind before," Sirius remarked. But if I hadn't seen Moony not attacking him, I would have taken him for a human, scent slightly different or not. Except for the wolf's behaviour face to him, he seems entirely human.
"We try to be discreet." A small smile, as if he was saying a private joke.
That answer made Sirius feel faintly mystified without being able to pinpoint the exact cause. A glance towards Remus showed him that his friend too was puzzled, his brow furrowed in reflection. Choosing to ignore this feeling for now, he asked another important question. "Why did you help us?"
Legolas shrugged before answering. "I could say it seemed the right thing to do but you wouldn't believe me."
"No kidding…" No one was that altruist. Not in this world and not in these times. Everyone has reasons for what they do.
"I have friends to find at Hogwarts and it would probably be for the best if Professor Dumbledore had causes to trust me." Sirius blinked. He answered my question. Then why do I have the feeling I know even less than before?
"Where are your weapons? And your wand?" Remus asked suddenly, deciding to change subjects. Sirius let him take the lead. He too wanted to hear that reply. Legolas was carrying steel and wood, both Padfoot and Moony had scented this.
"I have no wand. I am the equivalent of a Squib. As for my weapons…" He opened his coat and exposed the inner left side to sight. There is nothing there. What…. A silver flash appeared. The elf was drawing a sword from the sheath strapped on the inside of the coat. Sirius' attention was drawn to the weapon. Strange runes were engraved on the hilt and at the base of the blade. Legolas twirled it with ease before sheathing it back into the folds of his coat. Both sword and sheath disappeared from sight. Although …
"A notice-me-not charm." Remus sounded as impressed that Sirius was.
The elf nodded. "With experience or the right materials, invisibility spells can be seen through. But unless you know it's here, you have to possess both an immense power of perception and an even greater strength of will to penetrate this spell."
"But it's not foolproof," Sirius commented. Canine senses had allowed Sirius and Remus to discover the presence of steel.
"It is enough," the elf stated firmly. How does he do that? It should be impossible to sound both quietly confidant and haughtily arrogant at the same time. "Most wizards will never realise it's there. Their eyes will slide over the sword without ever registering its presence." And he was right. Sirius and Remus hadn't remarked anything and Sirius was certainly more powerful than most. Although Albus was much more powerful and would probably see through any spell which didn't involve an actual transformation. But, if it was a charm and he was really a Squib,
"How…"
"I have friends," the elf smiled enigmatically.
"Even if you do not have a wand, you have an object made of wood on you," Remus noted.
"Yes." The elf nodded. And did nothing more.
"So?" Sirius was getting impatient after a few seconds of silence.
"So." Legolas repeated imperturbably. What the hell is going on?
"Aren't you going to show us?" he pushed.
"If you insist," the elf shrugged. Is he laughing at us? Sirius was unsure and that irritated him. Without a word, Legolas reached behind his back and grabbed the side of his backpack. When he brought back his hand forward, he was holding a long bow. Making a full turn, he displayed briefly a quiver full of arrows and two white handles. The backpack was an illusion. And I didn't notice anything. He could have killed us before we even realised he was there. It was a troubling thought.
"Why are you hiding all these weapons? In the wizarding world, they would merely have been dismissed as a quirk of your personality," Remus remarked quietly.
"Because I'm also moving trough the Muggle world," came the logic answer.
It made sense. But Sirius recognised the stubborn look on Remus' face. He had stumbled upon an enigma and was trying to resolve it. James and I might have been the leaders of our little group but Remus usually pointed out the loopholes in our plans. And those in Hogwarts' rules, too. Something doesn't add up in the elf's story. Said elf stayed silent, watching them calmly.
"Do you realise there is something wrong with your story?" Sirius asked suddenly, looking intently at Legolas' face. How is he going to react?
A lazy smile spread slowly on his lips and a hint of mischief shone in his eyes. That was not what I expected. "I told no lie."
"But you didn't tell all the truth either," Remus shot back. He massaged his temples. "Have you ever been told you were infuriating?"
"Fey, whimsical, arrogant, insufferable and infuriating have often been used to describe me, once upon a time." And he sounded smug about it, too.
"Did it occur to you it would be much faster if you told us everything at once instead of waiting for us to ask the right questions?"
Legolas tilted his head to consider the matter, a small smile still playing on his lips. Eventually, he replied. "I have also been told I had a twisted sense of humour and a stubborn streak wide enough to span the vastest ocean in the world."
Sirius started to massage his own forehead. One of the standing directives of the Order of the Phoenix was to look for possible allies against Voldemort. They would be forced to play the elf's game to discover more about him. Albus is not paying us enough to do this job.
####
Daro: Stop
Mither: Grey one
Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo: A star shines upon the hour of our meeting
Next chapter: Reunions. They will meet. Finally.
####
Sabriel-chan: No, I did not forget Imrahil. He'll show up later with Lothiriel. And when I say later, I mean either around chapter 10 or in November. And we're still in mid-September in the fic.
Alynna Lis Eachann: More Gandalf is coming when he'll decide to show up. *grin*. Of course Glorfindel will make an appearance! Elladan and Elrohir will tag along too.
Neth: Somehow, I've found a lot of similitude between Harry Potter and LOTR. Expect comparisons and parallels to be drawn now and then.
Menolly: The answers will come. But no, I do not think the ministry will use veritaserum to discover whether or not the Fellowship is telling the truth. One, it's a very controlled product and if Snape had some, it's because he is an excellent potion Master and two, even if they suggested the idea, Albus won't allow it. Hospitality has some rules. Anyway, with all the weirdoes already wandering in the wizarding world, seven more people with delusions will not cause problems. And the ministry's opinion when Legolas'll show up? Wait and see. You liked the owl? Just wait until Gandalf and Elrond meet the Ringbearer's new Precious.
JadeiteZ: My beta told me the same thing. I suppose Messrs came originally from French but in my dictionary, it can also be used in English. But you're right, it does sounds a little too formal. Will change that in the revisions, when I'll have the time to do them. I'll talk about Eldar and house-elves now and then. Gimli will mention this rather often.
Aro: Revenge will come but vengeance is a dish best served cold. In other words, the twins' payback isn't yet for the next chapter.
Rogue Solus: Legolas' talents as a Squib? Good question. Very good question. *takes a look at her plotline and check it over and over again* Excellent question even. I don't have a clue. *ducks and looks for cover* That question will be answered one way or another, thanks for pointing out what would be a plot hole before it appeared. And…Precious will be back. We like Frodo'sss Preciousss.
Ashley: Aragorn'll definitively find out what his powers as a Squib are. For the others, I don't think they will have the opportunity to discover them. Remember, some Squibs have lived all their lives without knowing what their abilities were…
Tori: You sure know how to praise a girl, Tori. I write like JK? *blushes, opens her mouth to say something on par with one of the best writers of the century and close it again, still mute* I looked for something inspiring but all I could find is thank you. Wow. And you're right; Aragorn's names are going to raise some interesting questions. The Hobbits call him Strider, his other friends call him Aragorn, the elves are going to slip and call him Estel, Imrahil will call him Elessar… The HP people are going to be confused.
And I never said I was French. Same language but different country. Je suis Belge, en fait. Il y a une faute dans la première ligne? C'est assez embarrassant. Je sais, j'ai déjà vu des fanfics bourrées de fautes en Anglais – et si je les ai remarquées, c'est qu'elles étaient vraiment flagrantes. Mon histoire n'en a pas beaucoup en comparaison mais je pense qu'un texte est beaucoup plus agréable si le lecteur ne doit pas s'arrêter pour se demander si un mot existe réellement.
Oh, et Faramir réapparaîtra un peu plus tard. Patience ! Et j'ai bien lu les fics de Scribe qui est sur ma liste des auteurs favoris. A plus !
