Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the Lord of the Rings books and/or movies is not mine. Also, the part about 'The Second Sight' was branched from the series 'The Lost Years of Merlin' by T.A. Barron. I've only changed some of the properties and therefore, do not own anything by him. Take note that information in this story comes from various websites online, some information in the movies, and books. It will NOT be one hundred percent correct, and if I do get something immensely wrong, please feel free to correct me on it. I'm not a wiz at LotR's, so I will not say I am.

A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay. Note: Also, I'm sorry to those who wish this to be a 'before the Fellowship' story, but it's planned during the whole ring journey thing.

Thanks stellarbeams, Fancyfree, Rubber Ducky Loser, Carolina, jka1, JuMiKu, TanyaPotter, Naomi Maxwell, queen-of-monkey-magic, Sealunis, Moon-Freak00, andMysticMaiden 18 for all the wonderful reviews!

Seeing An Eternity

By: xScenex

Chapter Two

Fire was everywhere, licking at his skin and clothes hungrily. The boy did all he could to run away from the ghastly things behind him, but his senses were overrode by the fire, smoke, and the acrid smell of the ones known as Orcs.

It was the first time Harry had ever actually encountered the creatures in the half year he had been in Middle Earth, and he hoped to never see them again if he got out of the forest alive.

He ran blindly - quite literally - through the burning shrubs, the loud cackling of the creatures behind him sending unwanted chills up his back as they began gaining speed on him. He couldn't see where he was going. The fire messed up what little of his second sight he had as it consumed the very life he depended on to see. And worse yet, he couldn't see the Orcs that well. That's what scared him - he was being chased by creatures that just weren't… completely alive. They were mere shadows behind him, gaining speed and momentum.

He expanded his second sight as far as he could, but still nothing came to him. The dying life of the forest was quickly disappearing… If only he had tried harder to learn the sight.

Flashback:

Time was passing. How long it was, Harry didn't know, but during the days that he spent wherever he was, he stayed with Ashtwig, the Ent.

He found it odd, at first, but after at least a week of acquaintance, he realized that the creature was something magnificent. He'd learned much from the Ent, about the species itself, about where he was, and about himself.

See, the truth was, Harry was no longer in his own world. He'd discovered that on the third day of trying to persuade Ashtwig to take him home. After much arguing on Harry's behalf, he realized that they were talking about two different things, and the creature didn't know anything about Britain. He was still insistent that there were only a few known wizards around.

Harry had been depressed for weeks afterwards, wishing nothing more than to fall into a deep dark sleep where he would never wake up but it didn't happen. He missed his friends, his old life - surprisingly, but if fate had thrown him into an unknown place, then so be it. He couldn't change anything, he had thought to himself bitterly on more than one occasion.

Harry was partially able to accept all that as happening, although he still had no idea where he was exactly or what was happening where he was. He realized that he probably could accept it a bit because he had learned that anything was possible in the wizarding world and he had already come to terms with that years before when Hermione showed him the time-turner she used for classes, or it was the fact that he was scared of going back - Dumbledore was dead, and he was blind. How could he ever defeat Voldemort while blind?

After he voiced those thoughts, Ashtwig decided to help him in the only way a tree-creature could. He told Harry that to be able to see again, he would have to use his senses together as one like the elder's used in the older days when all creatures were united as friends. The Ent told him that he needed to feel the nature around him as well as to feel the life pulsing everywhere within the confines of every living body.

'You have to feel the life, Master Harry.'

'Feel life? How am I supposed to do that?'

'Barumrum. Close your eyes and concentrate on the leaf in front of you. Until you are able to clear your mind, you wont be able to concentrate on the sole object.'

'So it's like occlumency?'

'I have no knowledge of what you speak of, young Master Harry.'

'…'

Harry thought it all to be quite ludicrous. He refused to acknowledge it for a long time, until Ashtwig began to explain it to him as the 'second sight', and Harry realized that he had used it quite a few times on his first run-in with the Ent. It was pretty much like magic - sometimes happening accidentally. All he had to do was concentrate hard on something, recognize the shape and the life form inside - which was actually quite hard to do, as he'd never known that he could feel life - and he would be able to See things. But Harry had no patience for sitting in once place, trying to concentrate on something pulsing with supposed life. He had trouble learning occlumency before - so the sight proved to be difficult for him to recognize.

After almost a month of constant, nonstop - and mainly forced - attempts to See, he was able to make out the leaves on the tree's surrounding them in the forest, and some of the smaller, slower bugs that inhabited the forest. The life inside both things pulsed convulsively and brightly, allowing Harry to see much more of his surroundings that glowed with green and other colors that he had never actually known existed. Of course, it looked as if it would regularly, just with more color. What he now saw was life at it's best - more brilliant and colorful then before. It was both beautiful and fascinating.

Soon, he tried harder and harder on his 'Second Sight' through sheer fascination, and was able to make out the outlines of tree's without too much difficultly; it had taken him a little over three months to do that. It would be a long time until he was completely trained in the 'Second Sight', his Ent friend had told him, but now that he knew how to do it, it would be easier to move forward with the training.

At least now he didn't constantly run into tree's or trip over uplifted roots.

It was now almost half a year since he'd been in 'Middle Earth', as he'd come to call it. He still couldn't grasp the complete fact that he was somewhere other than Britain, and he often found himself sulking, wishing he was with his friends.

But he couldn't do anything about that.

Many nights during his expanded visit to what he decided to dub 'new world', he and Ashtwig would talk about the things going on in 'Middle Earth'. He learned about the differences from what he knew. Elves were tall, majestic beings instead of servants, and he found out that everything was a bit medieval there, where people fought with swords and other weapons.

He nearly laughed at the irony of being thrown into Middle Earth because of Godric Gryfifndor's sword.

His Ent friend also told him about the evil's in the world, and Harry was strongly reminded of Voldemort every time he heard the name Saruman. He learned that the wizard was ordering the Orc's that he commanded to slowly destory the Faragorn forest, where the Ents resided. Harry was a bit disconcerted, but Ashtwig told him that they never went to far into the forest.

If only that had been true.

Now, the other-word boy ran for his life, tripping and stumbling through the fire. His lungs ached from the smoke filled air and he gagged constantly on the drifting ash.

The ljeering of the Orc's fill his ears, along with the own thumping of his heart. These creatures were worse than Death Eaters, he thought while dodging around a tree he nearly ran head first into.

It had been almost a full half hour that he'd been running away from the cursed creatures. He wasn't sure how much longer he could continue, but he knew he couldn't just let them get him. He had to get away - for Ashtwig's sake. That had been the Ent's last wish for him before he fled. He only hoped his friend was okay.

He felt his heart ache at the thought of having left his friend behind. The Ent was the only person - or creature - he had ever known in the Middle Earth place, besides the tawny owl that had come to him in times of need - who had fled when the Orcs had come. Harry's hero-complex was hard to ignore, but he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything against the Orc's.

Harry continued to run, the heavy sword at his waist, hung there by a vine woven sheath that Ashtwig had helped him make slammed against his thigh, reminding him that he may have to use it. His wand was tied around his wrist in a handmade holly wand holster, but he couldn't use it in his situation. He'd be firing spells blindly and that would only cost him time.

He wasn't sure how much longer he had been running, but eventually, the sounds of pursuing Orc's started to fade in the distance. Harry allowed himself to slow down; only a little, so that he could run further without exhausting himself more than he already was. His breathing was ragged, and the stitch in his side left him staggering more than before.

"Merlin have mercy," he groaned as he fumbled around a large oak tree. But alas, Merlin had no mercy for him that night.

As he stepped forward, he found that there was no ground to step on, and therefore, flailing his arms about, he fell forwards off a small precipice. He let out a cry of fear and surprise before plummeting down the side.

He slid down the steep slope, covering his face with his hands as random roots and branches hung out of the ground. It was painful, and he found himself wincing as the rocks and shrubbery slapped against his slightly burned and raw skin, which was already quite sensitive from his adventure to Middle Earth.

After mere seconds, he found himself crumpling at the bottom as his feet hit the ground suddenly, sending pain through his legs.

And onslaught of tiny pebbles and rocks followed moments after, covering his cloak in a layer of dust, dirt, and rock. Harry didn't care though - he was in too much pain to notice something as small as that.

How could he be so stupid? Hadn't Ashtwig taught him how to determine if he was in danger of falling into a pond, river, or off a cliff? But panic is a funny thing…

The blonde haired boy pushed himself into a more comfortable sitting position so that the cool breeze could give his burned skin some comfort. He flexed his legs and arms, making sure there was no major damage. He had been lucky on that, at least.

He ached everywhere, but he knew he wasn't out of the danger zone yet. He had no idea of what lived so far into the forest, or if the Orc's would find some other way to get him. He wiped the perspiration of his face, successfully smearing dirt on him, but he didn't care. It was actually a bit of a comfort.

Sighing, Harry tried to stand up. His feet still ached and he only wished to sit back down and not get up, but he needed to move and find someone or something that could help him. He could faintly hear the roar of the burning forest somewhere behind him in the distance as the flames traveled quickly, and the slight clanging of axes against wood. He tried to block it out, knowing that they were destroying the life in those tree's. Since he had gained some Second Sight, he had begun thinking of plants as living, breathing creatures.

Another, faint noise brought him fully alert, but after a few rapid seconds, he realized that it was the tawny owl he had befriended. He'd named her Iris after the Greek messenger, and she had become his new, faithful familiar. Ashtwig had been clearly surprised, saying that the creatures of the forest and all of Middle Earth were never fond of humans, and it was unheard of for the free owls to go willingly to a human.

But Harry figured it was because he was already familiar with owls that she trust him, and he trusted her in return.

"Iris," he breathed out in relief. "You're okay."

The comforting weight placed on his shoulder as she landed was more than enough to sooth his nerves. She hooted softly and nipped at his ear.

"I'm so glad," Harry whispered and he reached up to stroke her feathers with a shaking hand. "I thought you didn't get out of there in time."

She gently bit his finger, telling him she was okay. "We're not out of danger yet, though. We need to get out of here and find some help."

She ruffled her wings a bit before taking flight once more. Harry wished she would have stayed. He was afraid of losing her, as he had Hedwig. The thought of his old snowy owl left him feeling a bit saddened.

A distant call from Iris told him that she was trying to lead him somewhere. He shook his head a bit and stretched his senses out, trying to find the life around him. He was happy to find that there was quite a bit of it, and he could easily guide himself around without too much trouble. The sight hadn't adapted enough for him to do major things on his own, but he was still improving.

Groaning on behalf of his aching body, he began walking in the direction that his familiar led him. The ground wasn't as cluttered with leaves like where he usually stayed, and the ground was harder. His feet hurt a bit more with each step, but he would continue to walk until he could go no further.

So, he set off into the distant darkness of Fangorn Forest, and into the unknown, only hoping to get away from the foul creatures that now invaded his new home.

They were following a river, Harry noticed. He amused himself by focusing on and watching the shining forms of the fish that swam about in the shallow parts of the water. Iris was flying up ahead - he could make her out through the foliage of tree's and other greenery around them.

He noted that she seemed a bit hesitant in the past half hour, stopping occasionally on a branch and listening to things that Harry couldn't hear.

At the moment, she had paused in her flight and landed on a small boulder covered in moss. Harry walked over to where she was and sat down tiredly, not caring that the moss would more than likely stain his cloak.

"Finally," he muttered jokingly, earning a nip on the wrist. He winched a bit, but otherwise, he didn't complain.

A small wind blew around them, threatening to knock Harry's cloak off his head. He pulled it up further, not wanting the wind to blow his overly long hair around. It hadn't been cut since way before he had fallen into this other world, and he found it quite annoying now that it swept down past his shoulders. Plus, there was the fact that he disliked it even more now that he knew it wasn't black anymore.

The night the spell had transported him to Middle Earth, it had taken all pigments from his eyes, skin, and hair. Ashtwig had told him about his appearance, causing him much distress. The main reason was because he lost the only thing he had of his parents - a mixture of his looks. The second reason was - he must look like Draco Malfoy.. Only with long hair.

Grimacing at the mere thought, he shook his head and tried to get the thoughts of his old friends, family, and enemies out of his head. He had long ago learned to accept the fact that he may not get home, but he still had hope in his heart for home.

Harry was just about to stretch out under the tree and doze off when Iris let out a loud screech, wrenching him into standing position. His senses flared into full force; even though it wasn't exactly any better than when he would just walk around.

He stood in position, wand in hand and his other hand on the sword at his side. Even if he didn't know how to use Gryffindor's sword correctly, he had at least had some experience with the Basalisk in the Chamber of Secrets.

The wind picked up and he caught a strong amount of life coming from somewhere in the bushes to his right. He gulped - whatever it was, he could tell it was powerful. And as powerful as it's life burned, Harry knew that it wouldn't go down easily by instinct. Fear flooded his senses.

He just hoped he wouldn't be the one to go down first.

A/N: Sorry guys. This was… er… a bit rushed, so it sorta' sucks. I had to re-write what I had before because my sister went through the computer and deleted all files - including all my story files. But I wont use that as an excuse. I've been lazy, tired, and busy, so that's why I haven't updated until now. I've gotten a new job, and all that, so I've had no time to do anything. I thought my old job was bad with taking my time - This one is much, much, much worse! But… please bare with me. - Min.