Scars of the Future

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, both Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Theywere created by the amazing minds of J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien.

A/N: This fic was not created by myself alone. It was done inscript 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!

Here's the second chapter of the day!


Chapter 20: Alone No Longer

Frodo ducked behind an empty umbrella stand as they passed, fearing that any emotion he might show towards his cousins would give him away. After several minutes had passed and he could no longer hear their footsteps, Frodo followed silently after and waited impatiently at the foot of the spiraling staircase that led to Voldemort.

Give them strength, Elbereth, give them strength. He prayed.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he heard footsteps again descending the stairs. He darted out of sight once again and watched as the same three Death Eaters passed, once more dragging an unconscious Merry and Pippin.

Anger flared inside of Frodo and he had to fight to maintain control over his emotions and keep from running out to them. Instead, he turned and marched up the stairs and to Voldemort's door. Once there he stopped to breathe and put on a relaxed demeanor. This done, he knocked thrice.

"Enter."

Frodo pushed the door open and stood in blinking in the garish late afternoon sunlight. He was amazed at how much time had passed since his arrival. He bowed deeply. "My Lord," he addressed.

"What do you want, Baggins?" hissed the Dark Lord, striding from a dark corner where a small, crude desk sat and turning his snake-like eyes on Frodo.

"Forgive me if for my impertinence, but I witnessed the capture of my cousins, and wish to speak to them."

Voldemort's slit of a mouth disappeared altogether as he eyed the hobbit suspiciously.

"To what purpose?"

Frodo forced every drip of malice into his voice with absolute precision as he said his next. "They do not know that I have sworn myself to you, and I wish to reveal it to them." He sneered. "But I wished to ask My Lord's permission beforehand."

Voldemort turned on his heel in the swish of his cloak and returned to his desk. "It surprised me, that your servant did not accompany them. Do you find that odd, Baggins?"

Frodo flinched and braced himself. "Samwise is a cowered. He would first protect himself than care for the well-being of his betters." The words drove pangs of guilt and anguish into his heart, for he knew his words were not true and it broke him to speak such ill words against his dearest friend.

The Dark Lord busied himself with a quill and parchment, but did not respond.

"My Lord?" tempted Frodo.

Voldemort stopped writing, and said tersely, "Do as you wish, hobbit, but do not interrupt me again! I am not concerned with the actions of those in my service until I need them."

Relieved and elated, Frodo bowed and backed out of the room. "Thank you, My Lord," he said, and closed the door.

He couldn't have been down the stairs and out of the cellar door fast enough; his panic drove him onward. Once in the tunnels, where nothing could hinder him, he ran as fast as he could and took the left fork at the crossroads. He slowed halfway down it, fearing that there would be a guard, but once again there was not. For some reason, this did not comfort him.

Frodo found Merry and Pippin on the opposite side of the dungeon than Tonks. They were huddled in a corner, cold, weakened, and afraid. The bars of their cell had been compressed to half their size by magic, obviously to accommodate the hobbits.

They leapt up when they saw him and ran to the bars. Frodo grasped their hands tightly between his own. "Are you all right?"

"Well enough, Frodo," comforted Merry. "He hurt us, I won't lie to you, but we've both been worse off."

Pippin nodded his agreement. "He wanted information, but we didn't give any to him, though he tried to take it by force."

"How did he do that?" Frodo questioned.

"I'm not sure, magic, apparently. I suppose that's all we need to know."

Frodo nodded. "Do you know how you're to escape?"

Merry reached into his pocket and took out a complicated-looking knife. "Harry gave this to us. He said it would unlock any lock."

"Bless him," said Frodo, smiling.

"Frodo."

All three hobbits jumped slightly and looked around for the source of the disembodied voice. There was no one. "What—" started Pippin.

"Frodo!"

This time, Frodo realized what it was, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the mirror. Sirius's face looked backed at him. "Sirius, what is it?"

The response was abrupt. "Have your cousins arrived?"

"Yes," said Frodo, slightly alarmed. "Has something gone wrong?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. Sorry if I worried you. Things have been tense around here."

"I would imagine so."

"Look, Frodo, the sun is setting as we speak, we'll be arriving within three hours. What is the situation there?"

"Well enough considering the circumstances. I'm with Merry and Pippin now, actually. How are they to know when they should escape?"

Sirius paused, then said. "I guess you'll have to wait and tell them. Surely there's a clock around there somewhere."

"And if I can't return?"

Sirius sighed and shook his head. "This plan has too many loopholes," he muttered. "Tell them they'll have to count the minutes…I don't see any other way than to give them this mirror, and you need it."

"Couldn't I just wait by the entrance for you to come?"

"I doubt Voldemort would allow you out of the house to wait for us."

"Snape told you where the hidden entrance is, did he not?"

"He did."

"I could wait below, and someone could knock."

Sirius turned and spoke with someone else in the room. "I think that will work, actually. Now, Frodo, one last thing, I need you to describe to me how the entrance is protected."

"From what I can tell, there are usually two or three Death Eaters on sentry duty. Also, Voldemort's room is at the top of a tower hundreds of feet above the ground. It cannot be seen from outside, for I'm sure it is hidden by magic, and though its height is great I've no doubt somehow Voldemort has devised a way to see any trespassers," Frodo explained.

"That last could be a problem," said Sirius. "Have Merry and Pippin distract him, and I'm sure Dumbledore and Gandalf will come up with something or other. Until then, Frodo, get some rest, you'll need it."

"Same for you. Goodbye, friend."

"Goodbye." Sirius's face faded from the mirror. Frodo looked up at his cousins and handed the mirror to Pippin, who gave it to Merry. The latter hobbit took it without question.

"I won't have anything to do with it," he said, seeing Frodo's confused expression. "Not for all the gold in Bag End, and you know well enough why."

Understanding came to Frodo and pushed aside his initial puzzlement. Although he had been many leagues away, struggling towards Mount Doom, Merry had explained to him Pippin's encounter with the Palantir, and it made sense to Frodo why he would be reluctant to handle another magical communication source.

He nodded. "Take care, you two. When the time comes, head straight to Voldemort and do what you can to keep him from his window. I hate to ask this of you, but it must be done."

Merry reached through the bars and clutched Frodo's right shoulder with his left hand—the shoulder and hand not scared from the Nazgul encounters. "Don't worry about us, Frodo. Just focus on what needs to be done."

Frodo nodded and turned away. "Get some rest, I hope I shall see you soon."

"You will, Frodo," Merry reassured, as Frodo began walking away. "You will."

After leaving his cousins, Frodo walked in the opposite direction and once again stepped into Tonk's cell. He felt her brow and found that she was still too warm, although she hadn't worsened. For that he was grateful. He smiled slightly when he saw her clasping the pendant in her hand, and she seemed to be sleeping a real sleep, not one induced by fever.

"Hebo estel," he whispered.

He walked back the way he had come and left the dungeon area by way of the tunnel. When he reached the intersection he turned right and headed for the cellar. There, he found a burlap sack and dragged it to a dark corner where he curled up and fell into an uneasy slumber.

!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!

When Frodo awoke he felt refreshed. He stretched and headed up the stairs into the Riddle House and to the kitchen. Glancing out the window he saw that it was dark, and for a moment he worried that he had missed the Order's arrival. There were no clocks in the kitchen, oddly enough, and fighting back panic Frodo hurried back the way he came. He had passed through the cellar and was half running through the tunnels when he collided with something solid and fell backwards. He looked up. There was nothing there.

Seemingly from out of thin air Ginny's head appeared. She gestured to a chamber dug into the side of a tunnel. He followed her head into it, and once hidden from any passers-by she took off the cloak, revealing Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Frodo blinked.

"How did you get in here, and what are you doing?"

"Slipped in as the Death Eater's were switching shifts," said Ron. "We came with the Order; they didn't know we did, though."

"Surely Alastor would have!" hissed Frodo. "You shouldn't be here, this is dangerous!"

"If he noticed, he didn't say anything. And we know it's dangerous, but Harry reckons he's the one that should finish Voldemort, and we weren't about to let him come alone," Ginny argued.

Frodo sighed. "What is done is done. But you said the others are here?"

"Yes, but we got here before they did. We didn't have to worry about being seen, and there're fewer of us," Hermione said.

"I'd better go, then. Look, be careful. You four shouldn't even be here," Frodo advised. He turned to leave, but turned back. "Harry," he said, and walked over to him. "You have become a good friend to me. And I—I would hate to see anything happen to you. We have much in common, Harry, and I believe we understand each other on levels even we don't realize. Your friends will be with you always, but in the end you will stand alone, despite how many loved ones surround you." He clasped Harry's hand briefly. "Belain na le."

Harry only nodded. Frodo hurried from the chamber and into the tunnel. He rushed quickly down it and waited in the shadows behind the stone stairs at the end.

Some twenty minutes later a quiet knock came from above him. Frodo stood and climbed to the trapdoor and opened it slightly. He peered into the gloom, and then opened it all the way. "Down here," he said, and returned to the bottom.

Frodo's heart lifted a few seconds later when he heard Sam's familiar voice. "Mr. Frodo!"

The two friends embraced, and Sam nodded in approval once he had made sure no harm had come to his beloved master.

Frodo's eyes wandered over the rest of the group, and his heart sank as he noticed its small size. With Sam were Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, the black dog that was Sirius, and a terribly large, mangy wolf. Frodo instinctively stepped back, although he truly felt there was nothing to fear.

Sirius transformed back into himself. "Frodo, meet Moony the werewolf."

Remus gave Sirius a reproachful glare from his yellow eyes, as Frodo said, "I figured as much. I admit I worried last night what I saw the moon about whether you'd be with us, and I am glad you are." He glanced around at the group. "I'm glad you all are, for that matter. It was terrible waiting."

"You have done well, Frodo," said Gandalf. "But you shall be alone no longer."

"This can't be all of you, though."

Aragorn shook his head. "No, we ran into trouble with the sentries, and Alastor and a group of others are handling that situation. It seems that Dumbledore found a second entrance, and he decided it would be unwise to have everyone use the same, so he's leading a group that way. Some of us are to find that entrance from here and open the door, because Dumbledore is certain it will be locked. We also have to leave this door open, lest someone should need it."

Frodo nodded his agreement. "Come with me, I think I know where it is."

They moved stealthily for such a large group, and when they reached the junction of the tunnels Frodo stopped them. "The right tunnel leads to the dungeon," he said, and caught Remus's gaze. "Tonks is there. The left I haven't explored, but I'm willing to wager that it leads to this second entrance. The straight one leads directly to the house."

"Dumbledore commanded that I go immediately to Voldemort and keep him occupied. Apparently the Dark Lord showed interest in me when he learned of our arrival," said Gandalf.

"Legolas and I will get the rest of the Order in here," Gimli announced. "It shouldn't take much skill to break a door latch, and we can handle any we meet."

"I'll come with you," said Aragorn, but Legolas shook his head.

"No, Aragorn. We can do without you this once," the elf smiled. "But there are others who need you more."

The King of Gondor nodded. Legolas and Gimli bid their farewells and took the left tunnel at a brisk pace, soon disappearing into the gloom.

"Then, Frodo—"

"Aragorn, go with Remus to the dungeons. Tonks will need your skill as a healer immediately. Do what you can to aid her and free her from this horrid place, and once you are sure she is safe, then return," Frodo said.

"I'll go with Aragorn and Remus," Sirius said, following Remus down the right tunnel.

"Sirius, wait."

Sirius walked back to Frodo. "What?"

"There is something I must tell you, although I believe it will hurt you. For that I am sorry. Sirius, Harry is here. He took the Portkey with the Order along with Ginny, Hermione, and Ron under the invisibility cloak. I met him just before I joined you."

Sirius's face was a mask of fear and anger, yet his fear dominated all else. He cursed under his breath, and locked gazes with Remus. "Forgive me, Moony, but you know what I have to do." The wolf nodded. "I'm going after him. Frodo, Remus…good luck." He transformed into the massive dog, sniffed the air, and then sprang forward and bounded down the tunnel in the direction of the house.

Aragorn knelt and embraced the two hobbits. "Like brothers you are both to me, and I wish nothing more than to accompany you, but it is not to be. I will try to return to you quickly, but I make no promises. Farewell." He stood and clasped arms with Gandalf, then left with Remus, leaving Gandalf and the hobbits alone.

"Well, my dear hobbits," said Gandalf, "we go now perhaps to our ends, but be not afraid! If it is the will of the Creator that we leave in such a battle then we shall, but we shall fight, my friends. We shall fight."


Hebo estel: Sindarin: Have hope.

Belain na le: Sindarin: The Valar be with you.

TBC!