Scars of the Future

Disclaimer: The characters, both Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, were created by J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien.

A/N: This fic was not created by myself alone. It was done in script format over Instant Messenger by myself and Animagus-Spirit. This fic and most of the events in it are her brilliant ideas, I have just taken the task to write it. Therefore, this fic is dedicated to her. I would also like to thank my beta, Inwe Telemnar. You guys are the greatest!

For my reviewers...

LaxGoalie- Lol, I've always thought Harry was a bit of an idiot really…anyway, glad you don't consider Scars as "boring and pointless". I've honestly never read a crossover, which doesn't really make sense to those who know me well, but it's been fun writing this. Again, I can't take credit for most if not all the plot--have to give that to Animagus-Spirit. However, when actually writing it, it is hard to make sure I'm not forgetting characters. Thanks for the review!

LATMC- Wow--what a great review! Thanks a lot! It means a lot that you'd "never stop reading it." That's probably a good thing, lol. Pippin's great isn't he? I've always had a soft spot for him, but don't we all? He's such a sweetie, lol. Hmm…Sirius, or not? The answer to this is somewhere within the next 3 chapters, thought I'd let you know. Thanks again, you should leave more long reviews, they're always nice!

Callisto Star- Lol, I'm glad I'm getting a good reaction from my readers!

Chapter 9: Finding and Forgiving

It was dark when Pippin awoke. His head throbbed terribly and there was dry blood on his forehead. He groaned, and wondered how long he had been lying there. Surely everyone has noticed I'm gone by now, he thought. Not wanting to worry them further, he tried to stand up, but his legs remained locked together. That was the moment he remembered. "Harry!" he gasped aloud, unintentionally. Realizing he had to inform the others of what had happened, he lifted himself on his arms and began to drag himself back toward number twelve. The going wasn't easy, but Pippin refused to stop. Who knew how long it had been since Harry had left with--who was that anyway?

Slowly and painstakingly, Pippin dragged himself down the sidewalk. After what felt to him like hours, he reached the steps outside of Number Twelve. He rested for a few minutes, then began to pull himself up the stairs. It took a quarter of an hour, but he eventually reached the door, lifted his arm and knocked. There was silence, and the he heard footsteps and the drawing back of the lock. Remus Lupin saw nothing at first, then looked down and saw Pippin lying on the ground, looking up a him.

"Pippin!" Remus said. "Everyone's been worried about you. What happened?"

"Remus, Harry, he's-"

Remus lifted Pippin by the arms, pulled him inside and shut the door. It took him only a moment to undo the curse, and Pippin was soon standing on his own legs, although still holding onto the wall for support

"What about Harry?" said Remus, concern etched into every feature.

"He's, he's…gone," gasped Pippin.

Remus grabbed his arm and led Pippin into the kitchen where he collapsed into a chair. The only other people present were Aragorn and Molly, who immediately moved to Pippin's side, Molly Weasly conjuring a glass of water for the parched hobbit to drink.

Aragorn laid a hand on Pippin's shoulder and made the hobbit look at him. "Pippin, can you see clearly? Are you dizzy at all?"

"A little dizzy, Aragorn, but just a little, I'm fine," Pippin insisted.

Molly handed Aragorn a wet cloth, and the king proceeded to wipe the dried blood from the hobbit's forehead and hair. There was a rather nasty gash, but not a deep one, and he wasn't too worried. "Tell us what happened, Pippin," he said to the hobbit.

"I was following Harry like Gandalf told me to, he went outside and down the street a ways. I hid behind some bushes so he wouldn't know I was there. He shouted something, a name a think, I can't remember what, I-"

"What's this, Aragorn? Gandalf told Pippin to 'follow' Harry?" said Molly with a hint of anger or suspicion.

Aragorn nodded. "As I told you and the others, someone put poison in the drinks at breakfast. Gandalf did not believe that anyone within this house would have done it unless influenced by someone from the outside. He wanted us to each observe a member of this household and find out what we could."

"All right then, continue dear," she said, although now her face was fixed with worry.

Pippin swallowed. "A man stepped out from behind one of the buildings. He and Harry seemed to know each other. He-"

Remus paled. "What did he look like, Pippin?"

The hobbit closed his eyes. "He was thin, had long black hair and blue eyes…no, gray eyes."

Remus's eyes locked with Molly's and she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Who is he?" Aragorn asked.

Remus shook his head. "It would appear to be Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, but-"

"He's dead, Remus!" exclaimed Molly. "You were there, how, how can he be-"

"I don't know, Molly," said Remus. "Harry came to me last night and told me he had seen Sirius and spoken to him. I tried to advise him against speaking to the man again, because I felt that Harry was being fooled, because how could he be alive? Harry promised me he wouldn't, but I should have known he would anyway. I then promised Harry I would not tell anyone else what he had told me, but I feel now that I should have."

Tears stood in Molly's eyes, waiting perhaps for confirmation of her fears before falling. Remus gestured for Pippin to continue.

"Harry said he didn't understand something, and the man said the weakness was a side affect of the potion. Then he-"

"What are you saying, Pippin?" demanded Aragorn, voice sharp. "Are you saying Harry poisoned Frodo?"

Pippin nodded. "That's what it sounded like. The man said they would be well in a few days. I guess everyone was supposed to drink it. Then he told Harry to come with him, to find someone named Pettigrew I think. Harry agreed to go with him, and I tried to stop him, I really did, Aragorn, but he did something with his wand and I couldn't move my legs and I fell. That's all I remember."

Remus grabbed the hobbit's shoulders. "Where Pippin? Did they say where they were going?"

"He never said where exactly, just to Voldemort."

Molly shrieked and fell into a chair, unable to stand. Remus paled another shade. "This is my fault. I should not have left what I knew unspoken. I could have prevented this…"

"I doubt you could have stopped Potter anyway, he's always had a disregard for rules." Severus Snape stepped into the kitchen. "Clearly Potter has been fooled to believe that Black is alive. A metamorphmagus is my clearest guess. Or a Polyjuice Potion. Whichever, Potter has now been lured to Voldemort," he said with finality.

"A fact we have concluded, Severus," said Remus, standing up. "If you could make yourself useful and send an owl to Dumbledore, it would be appreciated."

Snape scowled and turned on his heel. "Very well," he said, and swept out of the room.

Molly attempted to stand up. "I have to send notice to Arthur," she said.

Remus held her arm. "I'll do that, Molly. Go lie down, I'll bring you some tea in a moment."

"He's been so busy at the Ministry, I hate to have to send him bad news…"

"It will be taken care of," Remus said, and led her out of the kitchen and toward the stairs.

"I have to tell the children, they've been wondering where he is…"

"I'll tell them everything. Everything will turn out all right, Molly, it will," he said, trying to calm her, although he didn't know how much truth his words spoke.

"No! Stop it Remus, really! I'll never be able to sleep anyway, I'll, I'll-" she broke down sobbing, and Remus led her back to her chair and flicked his wand at the stove. Presently, a steaming cup of tea was in Molly Weasly's hands.

"Aragorn, if you could help me assemble the others…" Aragorn nodded and he and Remus left the room. Within five minutes the entire Order (excluding Mundungus and Tonks, Snape, and Dumbledore), Hermione, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny, and the Fellowship, (excluding Gandalf and Frodo) were all either sitting or standing in the kitchen, looking anxious. Remus quickly recounted what Pippin had told him, causing Hermione to gasp and then place a comforting arm around Ginny and Molly and Ron to pale, accenting his freckles. Fred and George looked as if they had both been slapped.

"All we can do," said Remus, "is wait. Severus has sent an owl to Dumbledore, and there is nothing we can do until he arrives. We know nothing of where Voldemort now is; he has changed locations since the capture of Kingsley, Mundungus, and Tonks. There is no action we can possibly take, and I advise all of you not to do anything to endanger yourselves." He looked mainly at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George as he said this. "This is hard on all of us," he said. "But there's nothing we can do."

No one said anything. Hermione wiped tears from her eyes and Ginny emitted a small sob. "It's late," said Remus. "I want all of you to try and sleep. Perhaps by morning we will have an answer."

They all nodded solemnly, not even a protest came from Ron, and stood and left, each going off to his or her own bedroom, shoulders sagging in defeat and loss. Pippin swayed as he tried to stand, and Merry grabbed his arm and led him back to their room, Sam following behind. Only Aragorn and Remus remained in the kitchen. "You did well, my friend," said Aragorn, clasping Remus's shoulder. Remus nodded sadly, then turned and proceeded upstairs to send an owl to Arthur. Aragorn first checked to see how Frodo was faring, then he, too, retired.

Sam had long ago dozed off during his vigil over Frodo and been moved by Aragorn to his own bed, when the latter hobbit began to dream. But these dreams were different than the ones he had recently been having. These dreams were of Harry, locked in some form of cell and enduring tortures beyond the imagination of many. Frodo's mind was in torment, and every pain inflicted on the young wizard he felt, yet he did not make a sound or do anything more than flinch. Although Sam was oblivious to his master's distress, Pippin somehow felt Frodo's agony. Perhaps it was the weakened state of both, but Pippin was awoken from troubled dreams by some inner pull, and moved from his bed to Frodo's room. He took his cousin's hand and managed to pull him from his deep slumber.

Drowsily, Frodo opened his heavy lids and looked upon the face of his cousin. "Pippin..." he whispered.

"I'm here, Frodo," Pippin said.

"Harry's been…taken by him, by…Voldemort," Frodo croaked weakly.

Pippin nodded. "I know, Frodo, I was there. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't. I'm sorry."

Frodo shook his head. "It isn't…your fault, Pippin. Do the…others know?"

The other hobbit nodded. There was a long pause, and Pippin said. "Frodo, yesterday, what me and Merry said, well, we didn't mean it, we really didn't. We just, we're afraid, Frodo. We don't know what's going to happen, or who to trust. I can speak for Merry as well, we're sorry, Frodo, so sorry."

"It is…forgotten, Pippin. I know you…and Merry would…never mean such things…tell him you are forgiven…"

"Whatever you ask, cousin."

"What…happened to me…today? It's all a…a blur in my mind."

"You were…poisoned, Frodo."

"Poisoned? By who?"

"Harry did it, but he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't know what was in the bottle. It's a long tale, Frodo, I'll tell you when you are stronger."

Frodo nodded slightly. "Stay with me, Pippin, please."

Pippin nodded and lie down beside Frodo. He kissed his brow and put an arm around his shoulder, meaning to protect him from whatever dreams chose to assail him the rest of the night.

TBC really soon! Already have the chapter written, so the faster you review then the soonerI post!