The next morning was much of the same with Cassidy transfiguring her bed back into a sleeping roll which she handed to a rather nervous looking elf. She assured him that the roll would not suddenly transfigure back while he carried it, but declined her offer to make it lighter. Haldir then informed her that the weight was not a problem among elves, whatever that meant.
She apparated back to the ground whilst the elves climbed in their impossibly graceful manner and the small group set off. Just as before, most of the elves flew through the trees while Haldir, Rumil, and another who Haldir refereed to as Orophin walked with her. Apparently the tall blond elf had two brothers. I wonder if all elves look like that, she contemplated with a silent smile on her lips.
The forest around them seemed to grow in life and vibrancy as they proceeded, trees of massive proportion rose up and golden vines draped downward. Cassidy found that she couldn't help but marvel at the beauty around her. Not even Professor Sprout's magical greenhouses where all the castle's potion ingredients grew could compare to these woods which grew wild and strong. She couldn't stop herself from enchanting a passing flower to float from its vine and land delicately in her hair. She of course did not do so without encouraging another blossom to grow on the same vine.
"How did you do that?" Haldir asked, though his tone sounded more like an accusation.
"It was a simple summons and a growing charm... I did not harm to tree, look," she pointed to the new blossom as brilliant as the one now shining in her hair. "Another grows just the same."
"These Mallorn trees are sacred," he hissed.
"Yes, and so I did not harm them."
Orophin whispered something to Haldir and the two engaged in a small argument in their tongue. Cassidy could not hold back a chuckle at the scene. Apparently, no matter where she was, brothers would be brothers.
The group walked for several more miles, at one point crossing a rather treacherous looking river which Cassidy once more simply apparated across, before they came the edge of a city. At this point, Haldir turned to her and spoke. Even Orophin and the happy Rumil looked grave.
"You are about to enter Caras Galadhon, the heart of Elvendom on Middle Earth."
"Yes," she pointedly ignored the "Middle" and decided that such was something to worry about in the future.
"This city is a sanctuary and its protection is my duty. If you seek to harm any in this place I will end you without a thought. Do you understand?"
"I wish no harm upon you or your kin," Cassidy spoke earnestly, dearly hoping that she had indeed found herself somehow in another world and not in a delusion made by Voldemort. She would hate to have to destroy this beautiful place if it were indeed a false vision.
Haldir seemed to take her answer as satisfactory and thus led her into the city. Cassidy gasped in shock. It was a city build vertically into the trees. The towering giants, larger than the redwoods she once saw on a family vacation, rose up into the sky with hundreds of steps winding around each one, leading to homes build like masterful treehouses. Sunlight rained down through he leaves casting a golden glow over the landscape and hundreds of elves, each as beautiful as the other, walked up stairs and across perilously narrow bridges without a fear in the world.
It was wonderful.
The feeling of Haldir pushing lightly on her shoulder brought Cassidy back down to earth and set the sinking fear in her stomach that perhaps this was indeed a dream, for what world- what race could be so beautiful. She was left to her ponderings as Haldir nudged her to a massive staircase leading so high up, that Cassidy could barely spot the platform that it lead to. She frowned at the expansive staircase, lacking railings as is the case at Hogwarts, and had her wand half lifted with the intention of apparating to the top.
A rather severe glare from Haldir stopped her.
Thus, Cassidy, Haldir, and his two brothers walked the long trek up the stairs. Up and up they went, Cassidy finding herself eventually out of breath while the elves seemed entirely unaffected by their climb. At several moments, Cassidy had the briefest curiosity as to if the elves ever fell and what they would do if she were to suddenly trip. Unlike the Hogwarts castle, she could not feel any magical barrier to stop a fall from the steps.
Finally, after what seemed like and eternity, they stopped at the top. Haldir and his brothers immediately dropped to a low bow, kneeling on the floor with their fists against their chests whilst Haldir spoke rapidly, but firmly in their language. Cassidy did not know what he said, but she was certain that she could distinctly hear her name come up.
Cassidy looked upwards and saw and woman more stunning and beautiful then she had ever seen before with shining hair and glowing eyes. Beside her stood a man with hair as white as hers, but with the slightest sheen of pure white silver in it. The two wore metal circlets around their heads and Cassidy instantly knew that they were the ones in charge of this beautiful kingdom. She briefly glanced down at Haldir and noticed a rather pointed glare that seemed to be commanding her to bow. She did not. The days of bowing in magical England were long gone, the only one who still demanded such supplication was Voldemort himself. She would never bow to those who seek power.
"Rumil, Orophin, thank you for your assistance. You are dismissed," she spoke warmly and Cassidy couldn't help but notice that even her voice was beautiful. "You are certainly a strange one, miss Cassidy of Oleander," she spoke her name with a slight accent, but Cassidy grinned in response.
"And so are you, Lady Galadriel," she smirked. Although she could feel Haldir tense behind her, Lady Galadriel merely laughed, her voice light and like the tinkling of a bell.
"And bold you are too, now tell me child," her face was still gentle, but her tone turned to one with strength behind it. "How does one so young come to bear such power? You have been accused of Dark Magic, though I sense no darkness emanating from you."
"My magic is not dark," Cassidy corrected, a hint of annoyance in her tone. "It is merely magic. I can see that wherever I am your kin do not have much, if any, but where I'm from it's rather common among my kin."
"And where are you from?"
"That, I fear, bears a longer explanation."
"Perhaps, I can shorten this exchange," she smiled warmly.
Cassidy was puzzled for a moment before she felt it, it was like the power of a natural born Legilimens, warmer and softer than the harsh pry of one trained crudely in the art form, but it was an intrusion nonetheless. Cassidy's instincts immediately kicked in, slamming a wall down to block of her mind, offering nothing that a black pit of endless darkness that the inexperienced could easily become lost in. Then, her mind strode forward in that manner that she had been trained, a sharp stake of her energy pushed into the stacking mind, tearing through it like a knife through flesh.
She heard a gasp and looked up, immediately ceasing her counterattack as Lady Galadriel held a hand to her forehead, falling backwards and being caught by her husband. Instantly Haldir had a blade pointed at Cassidy's neck and Cassidy held her wand aloft in warning. Although Haldir didn't know what exactly her wand did, he had been thrown back by it once and was aware that it held some sort of power. It was a standoff.
Galadriel and Celeborn were speaking quietly to one another in their musical language and Cassidy was itching to find a reference book where she could pinpoint a translation spell. It was quite obvious that the silver haired lord was both concerned for the wellbeing of his wife, and rather angry at Cassidy. She would assume that he did not trust her which was just fine as she did not trust them. A world where elves appeared to have no magic, fight with crude swords and bows, yet their leader was a Legilimens... it was far too suspicious to Cassidy.
It was a brilliant plan really- create a fantasy world where Cassidy would let her guard down, get her to trust these beautiful beings and make her want them to trust her. And then, have one of them "check" her mind, thus gaining access to all her knowledge of the Order. It was brilliant. A rather intricate illusion, but Voldemort had always held more power than any witch or wizard gave him credit for and thus it was only logical that he would be capable of more than she would initially imagine.
If Cassidy had to tear this illusion down by the seams then so be it.
She would not betray her friends.
"If you wish to access my mind then you will have to try harder than that you servant of the Dark One," she hissed in anger.
"How dare you attack our Lady and make such accusations," Haldir roared, blade tip digging closer.
"If you don't back up with that blade this instant then so help me I will blast you back," she hissed at him. Her voice was dangerously low as she was furious.
"You would not dare..."
"Expelliarmus," she cried out with enough force to send his blade tumbling off the edge of the treehouse's platform and knocking him over. "Now stay down or I will stupefy you."
The guards at the entrance had their hands on their blades and looked as if they were about to make a move when Galadriel held out her hand, calling something in their language that made them pause and return to their posts.
"I believe we must all calm down a moment," she spoke lightly, gripping her head in pain. "It seems we have several misunderstandings."
"My Lady-"
"I am alright Haldir," she spoke soothingly to both her husband and the Marchwarden before turning to Cassidy. "I have lived a many good years, child of Oleander, but never have I encountered a mortal with the power to push me from their mind, nor one who can attack with merely their consciousness."
"Where I'm from, the gift of legilimens, of mind searching, is not quite uncommon. We are at war and we must learn to protect our minds and the secrets they contain." She kept her explanation brief, anger and distrust evident in her voice.
"You are rather young to be at war, child."
"I'm of age, 17 as of this year."
"Even among Man that is considered young," the silver haired Lord, Celeborn, spoke.
"Perhaps it is, but there isn't much of a choice when facing a Dark Lord."
"Tell me child, do you hail from Middle Earth?" Her voice was genuine, but Cassidy released a bark of laughter.
"No, no I don't. I tried to apparate home, but as that didn't work I'm under one of two assumptions."
"And such are?" Celeborn questioned.
"I'm either in an entirely different world when I should be dead," at those words Cassidy could hear a slight inhale from behind her. "Or, what is more likely, I was captured and this is all an illusion by he-who-shall-not-be-named meant to gain access to my mind as he has apparently grown tired of his usual methods of torture."
"Cassidy, I can assure you that we are not a form of torture, you are indeed on Middle Earth. What would prove such to you?"
Cassidy considered for a moment, thinking of all the things that could possibly be faked, anything that he would be able to recreate. Then, and idea dawned on her, a rather unpleasant but hopeful one.
"I would access one of your minds and search through it for memories... memories of love," she spoke slowly, considering her words with care. "Many things can be falsely formed, but true love, joy, grief, and loss cannot be faked, especially not by one as dark as he. If you are truly creatures of good, if this place and this world is real, then I will be able to find it in one of those memories."
"And if you think us false illusions?" Galadriel asked.
"Then I will burn this place to the ground until he gives up and pulls me from this fantasy to kill me." She spoke without pause. She had resigned herself to death in that tower when she chose to blow herself up. She would not hesitate now.
Cassidy heard a sharp inhale of breath behind her, it appeared that Haldir did not approve.
"Then you shall search my mind," Lord Celeborn spoke, stepping forward. I shall show you the memories of my daughter, my joy at her birth, my despair at her torment, and my sorrow as she left these shores for another.
"My Lord, I would advise against..."
"It is all right Haldir," Celeborn spoke firmly. He then approached Cassidy, carefully bending to one knee so that she could better look into his eyes for he was much taller than the young girl.
"Take care with an Eldar mind," Galadriel warned. "We are creatures of eternity and our minds are as vast as the star filled sky in comparison to the mortal's consciousness."
Cassidy nodded, still slightly amazed at the lengths that these beings, if they were indeed real, were willing to go to in order to convince her that they were real.
"If there is something that you do not wish for me to see, then create a door and I promise that I will not open it," she spoke carefully and he nodded.
Cassidy took great care in fortifying her own defenses as a mind once opened is far more easily accessed. Then, she tightened her grip on her wand and dove inward.
She felt his consciousness around her like the folds of an icy blanket- all encompassing and cold. His mind did indeed remind Cassidy of a sky filled with emptiness and bright specks of light. She gently moved forward until she found the memory that he was pushing to the surface. The first memory was bright and gleeful, she eagerly slipped in and watched as Celeborn, by all appearances the same though his eyes told of greater youth, cradling a newborn babe. The child was pale skinned and held the delicately pointed ears of the elves, with bright blue eyes and shining gold hairs, curling lightly against her scalp. She instantly knew that the radiant bundle was a girl as she felt the warmth and affection rolling off of Celeborn in waves as he then handed the child over to Galadriel who looked far too beautiful for right after giving brith. But, the joy was so genuine, Cassidy found herself smiling as she share the memory.
She then retreated from that one and moved to another, this time the memory held the haze surrounding it that those memories which one tried to forget so often do. She pushed past the old cobwebs and entered it, finding herself as Celeborn, racing through the halls of some unknown building where large, arching windows opened to reveal graceful waterfalls, but her-his eyes were not on the windows. They were on a door which he threw open only to find a delicate form cringing on a bed. She was beautiful, blond and blue eye- Cassidy instantly knew that it was the same child as from before. She was a chid no more though and her eyes were wild with terror.
"Celebrian," she heard herself- Celeborn, gasp.
He collapsed to his knees beside her bed as she sobbed softly, trying to reach out to seek comfort from her father, but fear preventing her from doing so. She could feel the stab of pain that Celeborn felt, the naming guilt of self accusations proclaiming himself to be a terrible failure of a father. She felt his utter devastation and helplessness. Then, she found herself looking deeper into the fair maiden on the bed and saw a glowing ember- her soul, growing dimmer. The mind she was in let out a great moan of grief before she pulled backwards.
She then retreated from the mind, she had seen enough.
When she fulled pulled herself from the mind of the silver-haired Lord, she found his face as impassive as ever, but she could still sense the lingerings of grief. She looked deep into his eyes, this time only at the surface level, and quietly spoke,
"I am sorry."
He nodded wordlessly and stood, instantly slipping his hand into his wife's as if to draw comfort from her. Galadriel looked deeply into his eyes and the two shared a silent conversation before he nodded and she smiled sadly, turning to Cassidy.
"Do you believe us to be truthful now?"
"Yes," as Cassidy spoke, she wiped a tear that she had not noticed falling from her eye. "No being of darkness and evil could fake... or even create such a memory. I am very very far from home."
"I sense that you would still be reluctant to allow me access to your mind," Galadriel spoke after a slight pause. Cassidy shook her head.
"My training... it is of the sort that one does not easily push aside. I fear that I cannot handle an intrusion without attacking in turn. But," and idea struck Cassidy, "I could show you if you have a pensieve. It is a place where one can view memories, usually a stone basin enchanted with old magic."
"My mirror perhaps?" Galadriel then gestured to follow, waving Haldir to come as well. The group slowly made their way back down the endless set of stairs. Cassidy marled slightly at how Galadriel waled so gracefully in her long gown, never tripping on the hem even once.
The air was growing cool and Cassidy tugged her clock closer around her shoulders, noticing how the elves did not mind the chill in the air, Galadriel even walking barefoot across the damp earth. She did however notice how Celeborn gave a very pointed look at her boots, watching as she walked soundlessly.
The place where they ended their walk was not what Cassidy was expecting. It was an open area with a large, stone basin in the center. Cassidy felt the familiar warmth of magic which this land seemed to lack and was thus drawn closer to it. The object which Galadriel described as her "mirror" was indeed a pensieve, a rather old one, but beautiful and powerful.
Cassidy carefully explained the process of what she what she was about to do: how she would pull forth memories from her mind, and all they would have to do with them, would be to lean into the pensieve and they would find themselves in her memories. She reluctantly promised to enter with them as they would need a guide. She would be dumping quite a few memories in there.
Cassidy placed her wand tip to her forehead, pulling forth a stream of silver thread that she dropped into the swirling water. She did this again and again, pulling forth the memories of her parents first explaining that her mother was a witch, of her summers spent at the dueling dojo in Japan after her temper proved to set off her magic unexpectedly, a brief glimpse of Hogwarts before the darkness set in, of Voldemort rising, an attack of Death Eaters, her on missions for the Order, and finally- she would show them her last memory of her world, of her breaking the prisoners out of Malfoy Manner, fleeing upwards and upon finding no escape, destroying herself int he process.
Once she was done, she placed her hands on the rim of the cool pensieve stone, watching as Galadriel, Celeborn, and even Haldir after some beckoning did the same. Then, all four plunged forward. For a moment they were trapped in the swirling gyre of her memories, but Cassidy pointed in a direction and they all swam towards it; it was her first memory. This they did for each one, watching the events play out and learning enough about her world and her powers to understand why she was so confused, why she was so untrusting.
During one of the memories, she watched as the stoic Marchwarden turned his head, averting his gaze from the Death Eater performing the crucio on a 4th year student whose parents once fought in the first Wizarding War. That memory ended with Cassidy, Tonks, and Moody breaking up the meeting and rescuing the child, but he would be sent to St. Mungos where he never fully recovered from the effects- the students at school all thought that he moved.
Finally, when they finished watching the floor explode from below Cassidy, when they felt the burn of fire cascading around them and watched as her world went from a fiery engulf to dark, they were yanked out by Cassidy. Sometimes those inexperienced in reading a pensieve were easily trapped within the gyre of memories.
An audible silence fell over the group, all attempting to process what they had just witnessed. As usual, Galadriel- the strange elf reminded Cassidy a bit of her friend Luna, Luna Lovegood who never seemed perturbed- was the first to speak.
"You have been through many trials, more than one should in a lifetime, but especially for one so young. There is much for us to speak of, but that can wait. It is so oft for us elves to forget how mortal tire. Haldir, please guide Cassidy to a guess flet and return to complete your report. Eat, rest, and we call speak on the morrow, Cassidy of Oleander."
Cassidy nodded her head lightly in acknowledgment before following Haldir through the city and up another flight of endless stairs. She was absolutely determined to begin appareting again the second he turned his back. But, as with the walk to Caras Galadhon, the blond elf remained silent. He only spoke once they reached the small house which Cassidy assumed would be temporarily hers. In one corner a large washtub was already filled with steaming water and a fluffy towel sat next to it. A nightgown, hairbrush, slippers were set on a small vanity while a hot plate of what Cassidy could only assume to be dinner was situated on the table nearest the door. What drew Cassidy's eyes most however, was the large and rather plush looking bed. Transfiguration had never quite been her strong suite and the transfigured bed that she slept on the night before was really a lumpy mess. That bed looked like heaven.
"These are to be your accommodations until our Lady sees so fit. If you require anything then you may pull this bell," he gestured to a long, thin rope hanging near the door. "And a maid will come to assist you. Otherwise, you are our guest here, but I would advise against wandering."
The unspoken "I do not trust you and thus will be watching you" was quite clear, but Cassidy had no intentions of wandering that night. Though she was immensely curious about these strange elves, she was not stupid enough to get caught mysteriously lurking around their capital city at night. She thanked Haldir with a genuine smile and watched him nod in acknowledgment before leaving. he still obviously did not trust her, but seemed a bit warmer after watching her memories. I suppose watching someone die does that to a person, she mused.
Cassidy went about a nightly routine slowly and automatically: eating, bathing, spelling her hair dry, and dressing. She eventually found herself setting at the edge of her bed, trying to will herself to simply collapse into the plush sheets and sleep.
But, a force of sorrow beyond her will crept in and instead she wept.
She wept for her parents, killed when she was a child.
She wept for her friends, never to know what became of her.
She wept for the Order, with not enough witches and wizards to fight Voldemort.
And she wept for her world, dancing on the very precipice between good and evil: filled with hatred, ignorance, blame, and suffering. It was her home, and she may never see it again.
From several trees over, a shadow fell across a tree branch. An elf was crouching low, silent as a windless night, listening to the sounds of a mortal girl's anguished tears. The figure listed for several moments before standing and disappearing into the night.