Disclaimer: I don't own anything you do recognize yada, yada, yada...

Chapter 4

When Ron woke up the day after Neville left he made himself a small breakfast, quickly ate it and left his moderately sized wooden house he had been told he could stay in. It was a bit unusual for him to rush his meal but he had an important appointment at the Golden Hall. He was going to speak with the young king Theoden about terms of his longer stay.

When the read head reached top of the small hill atop which was the large wooden building, guards at the double doors opened them for him and greeted him politely. Ron stopped just before the throne at which sat the king. He had to admit the man did hold that aura of aristocracy, and being in his mid twenties he was the prime example of a warrior. The teen bowed slightly before the man.

"As you asked king Theoden, I'm on time... I think" The read head spoke with a bit of embarrassment in his voice, he did think he was a bit late.

"Don't worry, you're on time. Now as I mentioned yesterday before your friend left the only position I can trust you with, at least for now, is a horse handler and tamer. But don't fret I have enough faith in you to allow you to handle our royal stables, not the common ones." Theoden said with a small smile. He knew this wouldn't be much for the young man before him, but he had to be sure he could trust him, test him. Besides an outsider being introduced to their ranks to high could cause some ruckus.

"I do understand that this position is more respected among you, than any other kingdom... especially if what I read in Rivendell about the royal horses is truth." The boy before him said. It was another thing that made the king think and observe the read head. When he met him for the first time he and his friend stated rather quickly that they received elven training. He asked for a proof as such things couldn't be handled lightly and the boy obediently had read some of the few history scrolls written in the elven language that remained in the possession of his family. Theoden would never say it out loud but that alone had caused him to look at the boy with more respect... and now his understanding of his people.

"That is good then, one of my guards shall guide you to the stables." As he said that he gestured to a guard standing near one of the carved wooden pillars that supported the roof of the hall. The man nodded and in turn gestured at Ron to follow him.

The read head had to admit he wasn't expecting some grand job but this was a bit bellow his expectations. With a sigh he started to look around, seeing that the guard lead him out of the Golden Hall and was guiding him down the hill.

"You should be happy newcomer, normally it takes years to earn your position." His voice told Ron that the armored guard was about his age.

"I appreciate it that I don't have to start from the very bottom. But still, after all that training I got in Rivendell it's a bit disappointing."

"So I have heard. If you prove yourself at the stables our king will trust you with something more to your liking." The armored youth said trying to sound positive.

After that their talk ended for a while until the young guard stopped near a low and long building that stood along the palisade. There were also a moderately sized pens in which he could see close to a dozen magnificent horses... and here he thought that the most graceful race had the most graceful mounts. It would appear he was wrong.

"Magnificent aren't they?" When the elderly voice asked the question Ron almost jumped. He turned quickly around only to find a man with graying hair had sneaked behind him somehow.

"I'm Eoric son of Beored. I have managed those stables for over two decades young man and I will be your teacher and supervisor." He said and waived his hand dismissively at the guard who just grunted a bit annoyed but turned back and headed to the Golden Hall nonetheless.

"I'm Ron son of Arthur. Um... what I will be learning exactly?" The read head decided to withhold a groan when the word 'learn' left Eoric's mouth.

"Horse handling, taming, some medical facts... all that you should know. Besides I will teach you to fight from horse back. Don't look so surprised. I was summoned before our king last evening and I was told to train you to the best of my abilities."

Ron was caught by surprise at one point but he got over himself. Truly, he should see that coming and there was only one thing he could do now.

"So then, let's get started. The sooner we finish for the day the sooner I will be able to eat a proper meal." He cringed a bit when Eoric started to laugh lightly at his words. He had a sudden feeling it would be a long day.

It was quiet and lonely travel for Neville. He just hopped he made the right decision. It was five days after he left Edoras behind him. At the eight day of his journey he finally saw it. The city of kings, Minas Tirith. He liked to imagine how would it look, but the reality was much better than he could have imagined. The seven levels of the city were expertly carved into the mountain side with the Tower of Ecthelion reaching high into the sky.

Neville just admired the city from afar for a while before nudging his horse, to go forward. When it was almost sunset he finally reached the main city gate.

The guards seemed to inspect him with their sight, but otherwise made no other movement to show interest in him as he moved to higher levels of the city. That changed when he reached the seventh gate.

"Halt stranger. What is your business here?" Those guards wore different armor and they held themselves with far more confidence than those he encountered on lower levels. Their armor seemed more detailed and on their helmets they had some sort of white wings.

"I would like to see the Stuart of Gondor. Gandalf the Gray sends me." It wasn't a total lie.

The two guards discussed something briefly before calling a young man, telling him something. Neville watched as the boy sprinted on the higher level.

"You can leave your horse in the stables here but don't take to long, the Stuart will be expecting you."

Neville just nodded and did as he was told. In no time he entered the marble hall at which end he could see an elevated throne, empty, and at the floor level another, occupied. Luckily he looked up how to great the man that practically ruled Gondor.

"Hail Denethor, son of Ecthelion. Lord and Stuart of Gondor." He said and bowed. After that he looked more closely at the Lord. He was no warrior, but he definitely commanded respect. Even being only ten to fifteen years older that Neville... if the boy had to guess. But he couldn't be sure, with the Nummenorean blood and their slower aging. Then again, elfs told him how weakened that royal bloodline was.

"I'm most curious what news do you bring, or what do you seek in my kingdom stranger?" Denethor said in a low, deep voice.

"I am Neville son of Frank my Lord. I'm looking for a place to stay and live. I have come here to offer my service as I have been trained by the elfs and do not wish for my talents to waste." He really wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say as it was rather straight forward.

Denethor seemed a bit more interested in him after his words and after what seemed like a good twenty minutes of staring at him, Denethor finally spoke.

"I could offer you a place amongst the guardians of the citadel. If you pledge your allegiance to me, as is the custom."

Neville didn't think it would be as simple but he really couldn't see anything wrong with what he was told. After all it was a custom to swear loyalty to a king, or in this case a Stuart here in Middle Earth.

After their meting ended Neville got two days to prepare himself for the ceremony.

"Wake up, young one." Said an ethereal voice. She couldn't quite place it, as it was coming from everywhere... or so she thought. When Luna opened her eyes she saw the most amazing thing in her life. It was as if she was suspended in space. Stars, whole Arda and Valinor laid before her eyes. For reasons unknown Arda was a bit blurry, but still beautiful. Then she looked around a bit and finally spotted who was talking to her.

"Hello." She said with a cheery smile.

"My name is Varda, perhaps you have heard stories of me?" The beautiful woman asked with a small smile.

"Oh yes I have. I'm honored to meet you." Luna looked a bit more serious after a moment, she knew what was at stake here.

"Do not worry child. My mind is made up already as I have been watching you and your friends form the moment you have come to our world. I will grant you my blessing and you shall become an Istari."

Luna was instantly happy. But then something occurred to her.

"If you have watched us my Lady... Can you tell me what happened to my two other friends? Harry Potter and Hermione Granger?"

Varda expected that sort of question. A shadow of worry passed through her thoughts as the fate of those two was a great concern among Valars. Darkness ruled them, and they were convinced that while the trio that was not under Saurons influence could be safely sent home after they fulfilled their destiny on Arda, those two could not leave Middle Earth as they were now. Valars would simply deny any form of help to two beings of darkness, especially as she and Manwe saw and understood something that Sauron hasn't.

So with a sight she decided to tell the truth.

"Luna, your friends have fallen to darkness. They are servants of Sauron. They have become something more than Nazgul, but still they are neither dead or alive."

At hearing this Luna almost wanted to scream that it was a lie. But she remembered just who she was talking to.

"I... I understand." She whispered with a sad voice.

"You will now sleep again. When you wake up, your staff shall be by your side." Varda's voice started to sound more distant with each word she spoke till there was silence and sleep took over Luna.

In Lothlorien she woke up with a gasp. She looked around the clearing she fallen asleep. There on the edge of forest she saw Lady Galadriel watching her and when she heard a twig snap , she turned her head right to see Gandalf coming to her.

"I see you made it..." He had to stop talking as he saw a lonely tear escape her eyes. She quickly hid it when she turned to admire her staff.

Gandalf now stood by her side and he also was looking at the staff. It was elegant, if he had to call it anything. It was the same high as his staff so it was a bit higher than the girl. The wood had a silver shine and atop it was a great sapphire, which was held in place by what looked like thin vines formed from the silvery wood.

"If I may know Luna, what saddens you?" He asked with a grandfatherly tone.

"My lost friends Gandalf. It would seem they now serve Sauron... I need some time to think." She said quietly, stood up and headed into the forest.

The Gray wizard sighed warily. That was very bad news indeed, it would seem he was wrong in saying to Elrond that there was nothing to worry about the darkness being a bit more stronger than it supposed to be...

Smoke was slowly rising in the horizon behind two black riders. They rode in silence and only occasional grunting of their nightmarish horses broke it. Both of them thinking about what have they done.

It was supposed to be another village of another tribe of many that they had visited so far in Harad. Same thing as always, they would ride in, people would cover at their sight and they would talk with the leader undisturbed. Off course said leader would quickly agree to serve Sauron once more as his ancestors have done before. Be it from fear, which was most of them or like some of them from the desire to fight. But this last village was different. It was an actual village for one. Somehow these folks managed to settle themselves at crossing of some trading routs between coast at which the pirates lived and the more prominent tribes of Haradrims. So as they were, they didn't want to participate in a war.

Harry and Hermione had orders in such case. At the beginning they tried to resist but the orders were to specific. So here they were now, riding away from the village they have burnt to the ground all this time thinking about the massacre.

In the end it took them a better part of the year to complete their task. When they returned to Mordor, to Barad-dur they discovered that they lost much of the hope that they kept deep within them, hope for freedom.

When they returned a new task was given to all Ring Wraiths. As the armies of Mordor were growing Sauron needed just one more thing. The One Ring. That was their new task to find it and bring it back to their master.

Harry and Hermione were to leave as last for the search, when a trail would be found, to surprise anyone or anything that held the ring.

And so they would wait for decades, hidden by shadows and high walls of Minas Morgul and Mordor, training. Till the time when the Ring would desire to be found.

AN: It's been a while hasn't it? And whats that? Only half the length of previous chapters... To sum it up, real life decided to catch up on me, add to this almost permanent lack of ideas for this chapter and thats what it comes to.

I think I need a beta... Or even a part-time co-writer.

Anyway, I decided to post this chap as it is... Maybe in the future it will get some more love. For now, for those who Fav and Alert, I'm not dead and this story too is still alive.