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!

A/N 2: Well, apparantly has forbidden replying directly to reviewers in the text of a story, so I've decided I'll just reply when there's a direct question asked via that odd little "reply" button they've added...this stinks... Anyway, getting close to the end now, maybe 3 or 4 more chapters? It makes me sad...here's 16!


Chapter 16: The Eye of the Storm

Sam entered the kitchen the next morning, sat down next to Frodo, bid his greetings to those seated at the table and helped himself to a steaming plate of food. As he ate he glanced sideways at Frodo and flicked his eyes often from his master to Harry. There existed a tension between them, ground that trembled unsteadily and buzzed a warning that clearly said, "Tread with caution if you must tread at all." Sam decided to keep his nose in his own book.

'Don't go meddlin' in things that aren't of your concern, Samwise, or you'll meddle too much and cause more trouble then's worth it,' he thought to himself.

The rest of the household seemed almost completely at ease, yet beneath outlooks tranquil enough to almost be somnolent, all were poised and ready for something to fall upon them, as a mouse will feel when about in the household of a cat. Still, the conversations were light and friendly, touched with good humor and sprinkled with cheerfulness.

Later in the day, the temporary and makeshift infirmary was cleared out and the room belonged solely to Frodo and Sam once more. Frodo then curled up on the window seat with a book, content to sit alone for a few hours. Sam found Merry and together they sought out something to do. In doing so they found Fred, who was explaining to Pippin the makeup of some of he and George's products. Sam and Merry soon became engrossed in it as well, and the former hobbit wanted to fetch Frodo so that he, too, could see, but Pippin bid him not to. "Frodo would be here if he wanted to," he said. "But I think he'd prefer to be alone just now."

Fred left a bit later for work. "I told George I'd only be gone a little while. Don't think he'll be too thrilled I've overstepped my break…" he said with a wink, then apparated on the spot, something the hobbits had grown used to by now.

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"I think it's just a bit fishy, though, with him having the Dark Mark and all," Ron said. He and Harry had joined Hermione and Ginny in the girls' room. Ginny was sitting cross-legged on her bed, Hermione was in an armchair with a book open on her lap, Harry sat on her bed and Ron sat backwards on the desk chair, arms crossed over the back of it.

Hermione, who had been scanning the pages of her book, glanced up, looking thoughtful. "It is sort of odd. Still, Ron, we don't know all of what happened…you know, down there, Voldemort could have coerced him into it. That's what it seemed like when Aragorn pulled back his sleeve."

"Or he's using the Imperius Curse on him," said Ginny.

"I don't think so," said Hermione. "There's something in his eyes that's truthful. Besides, do you honestly think he would succumb to the Imperius Curse?"

"Why shouldn't he?" Harry asked, and although his voice was edged with bitterness there was an ingenuous curiosity beneath it.

Hermione closed her book and set it aside. She seemed to sit up taller on her seat. "The whole story's a little complex…Frodo carried a ring of sorts, an evil ring. From what I've gathered it put his mind through turmoil and nearly drove him insane, but in the end he managed to destroy it. It had a will of its own, I guess, and tried to bend Frodo to its will, which it did eventually succeed in doing but he fought it for a very long time…That's why I wouldn't expect the Imperius Curse to do him much harm. I think he'd shake it off like Harry would."

Ron snorted. "Sounds like a load of rubbish…evil rings…seems like something Dad would be interested in, though."

Hermione put on a look of annoyance. "Think that if you want, Ron, just don't go around saying that to Frodo or anyone else from his time."

Ginny spoke again. "I don't think he's bad at all. He's the one who helped us find Harry, after all."

"And how did he know where to find Harry, exactly?" Ron shot back.

"He said he dreamt it, or something," Ginny responded.

"See? You-Know-Who could have been using him like he used Harry."

"How would he have known about Frodo, though? Or any of the Fellowship, for that matter?" Ginny argued.

Ron shrugged. "He's You-Know-Who, why wouldn't he?"

"I don't think he's a Death Eater because he wanted to be, and I don't think he was forced to, either," said Harry. The others turned to him.

"He is because if he hadn't agreed to become one, Voldemort would have killed all of us."

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. "He would have anyway, and Frodo should have known that," said Ron.

Harry nodded. "What would any of you have done?" he asked them. When they gave no reply, he said, "But I think Voldemort set the whole thing up. He knew you would come after me, and he meant to kill you as well as me. I don't think he knew about Frodo and the others, or about Sirius being alive. The tunnel collapsing was deliberate; once he realized Lupin and the others had arrived, I guess it was more than he'd bargained for. He tried to get all of us with one blow. Wormtail never did anything, that was just Voldemort laying it on him so we wouldn't know."

"But how did Voldemort get out then?" said Ginny.

"Apparated," said Ron, and Ginny looked as if she wanted to slap herself. "I guess the other Death Eaters did, too."

"Harry, how do you know all of this?" Hermione asked.

"The same way Frodo knows what he tells us," he said indifferently.

"You're having visions?" asked Ginny.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe."

There was silence for a moment as everyone interpreted all of this new information. Harry then stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go find Sirius," he said.

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Sirius was sitting at the kitchen table with Remus and Gimli. The three were eating sandwiches and laughing about something when Harry walked in. Molly Weasly was sitting at the other end of the table, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Hey, Harry!" Sirius said. "Pull up a chair and grab a sandwich."

Harry abruptly noticed his gurgling stomach and did just that. He took a glass and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice from a pitcher next to the plate of sandwiches on the table.

"What was so funny?" he asked.

"Gimli's just been telling us tales from his home," Remus explained.

"And a fine home it is!" Gimli boomed. "You'd never be able to imagine such a fine place, laddie. Though, I can't say I've been there in quite some time."

"Why's that?" Sirius asked.

Gimli released a bark of laughter. "Been away, 'aven't I? . First the business with the Ring, then off tramping around in caves and forests with that sardonic elf! Now I'm here with you cheery folk. But I'd like to return there someday, just to see it again."

"One would think you would have learned to hold your tongue about those who could be nearby after your experience in Lorien."

Gimli whirled around. Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf had entered the kitchen. "Legolas! You can't walk in on a bloke just like that!"

The others in the room laughed (besides Molly, who had left a few minutes before) and helped themselves to some well-earned comforts.

"And what have you three been up to?" The dwarf asked roughly.

"Discussing amongst ourselves what could possibly be done about this dismal war we mean to fight in," said Aragorn.

"What are we doing about it?" Harry asked abruptly.

"We are not entirely sure as of yet, I suppose the first thing to be done would be to discover Voldemort's new headquarters," Aragorn said.

"There'll be an Order meeting as soon as Severus returns. He left just last night to try and find where it is," Remus announced.

Harry snorted. "Still don't trust him?" Sirius asked, then chuckled when Harry nodded. "Neither do I. But if he's good enough for Dumbledore then he'll have to do."

"There's someone else we could use," Harry pointed out, albeit vaguely. He looked up and met Aragorn's gaze. The King look slightly surprised, but not as if he had not expected it.

"That is true," said Gandalf. "And I do believe Albus has considered the advantage of Frodo's position. I daresay his time will come shortly."

"We'll all have a part to play in the end," said Remus. "Large or small."

The companions in the room fell to their own thoughts after this statement, pondering odds and probabilities and chances of survival, although no one spoke allowed. No one wanted to dampen the hopeful atmosphere with dark thoughts of failure and loss.


TBC