Disclaimer: I own the plot, though I apologize if it's been done before. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien.
There and Back Again
Chapter 5
Ata Hogwarts - Part A
By Jess S
Platform 9 3/4, September 1st, 1995
In all honestly, Platform nine and three quarters wasn't really all that different from any other platform at Kings' Cross. Admittedly, the entrance was a bit different, the fact that you couldn't see any of the other platforms might be perceived as odd, and the same could be said for the train that passed through it. But, all in all, it wasn't too unusual, and certainly not the least bit in the Wizarding World.
"Where is he, Ron?" Hermione demanded for what the redhead thought must've been at least the twentieth time.
Which was primarily why the youngest of the Weasley brother's rolled his eyes, "He'll be here, Hermione. He promised... and besides, Harry wouldn't miss the train back to school for anything. He can't be getting along with his relatives that much!"
The bushy-haired brunette sighed. "You're right, but..."
"Morning Hermione, morning Ron!"
They both turned quickly around to find their missing friend. Right next to him were three eleven-year-old girl's in Muggle clothing. One had red hair, and hazel eyes, while the other two were obviously twins, with dark brown hair and blue eyes.
"Sorry I'm late," Harry apologized, before turning to the eleven year olds and leaning down slightly, "Now you just need to find a compartment on the train," he told them, smiling warmly. "Don't worry," he gestured to the clock on the wall a short distance from them, which read twenty of eleven. "The train doesn't leave until eleven, so you'll have plenty of time. And I'd wager there are more then a few empty compartments left."
All three girls blushed slightly, as they said "Thank you!" before hurriedly boarding the train. They glanced back once, but hurried on when Harry smiled at them in response.
Once they were aboard the train, the raven-haired wizard turned his attention back to his friends. "Again, I'm sorry about that. They couldn't find that platform, and I didn't have the heart to let them finish asking the guard."
Both of his friends smiled.
"That's all right, Harry," Hermione nodded to him.
"You're not that late, anyhow." Ron added, ignoring his other friend's glare.
Harry nodded, "Well, we should probably head up the Prefect's carriage."
"Right." Both nodded, and the 'three' of them quickly made their way to the head of the train.
And, once again, while boarding the train, Harry held the door for both his friends, and then held it long enough to allow another person passage before entering himself.
~ * ~
"Shouldn't many of you be at the school, waiting for the Express to arrive?" Madam Vance inquired politely, pulling her shawl a little tighter around her fragile frame.
"We shall leave soon, Emmeline," Dumbledore replied, offering a smile with his nod of recognition. "However, the Express isn't due to arrive for well over an hour, so we have plenty of time.... And I would like to use that time to our best advantage." He looked around a moment, before asking: "Does anyone have anything to report?"
Silence met the inquiry.
The fight against Lord Voldemort and his Dark forces was rather disheartening, even - no - especially now. One might think it wrong to want war, but many had no doubt that open war had to be better then what they currently had...
Far too close to nothing for anyone's liking...Even with a spy in the Dark Lord's inner circle, they didn't know anything that was really worth knowing. They didn't know what he was doing or planning, so in essence, they didn't know what to do or plan.
That was what made their current situation so disheartening.
With nothing to do, there was nothing to put their minds' to rest. There was nothing to make them feel like they were making a difference.
After several moments silence the Headmaster sighed. "Very well," he shook his head. "Continue to watch and listen. We must wait for Voldemort to make his first move...This meeting is adjourned." As the Order members rose to depart, he turned to Professor McGonagall. "The Express?"
The Transfiguration teacher sighed, but nodded after a moment's thought. "Wilson did all he could...It's still acting somewhat irregular, but the students won't be in any danger."
~ * ~
"All right then," Kevin Entwhistle of Ravenclaw, and this year's Head Boy, began. [I couldn't find either an HB or and HG in bk5. Were they named? Because the two I'll be using aren't even in their seventh year in the cannon. I made the HB 2 years older, and the HG 5 years older!]
"Settle down everyone," the Head Girl, Laura Madley of Hufflepuff, called. "Why don't we get started, so that we can get this over with?"
Obediently, the quiet chatter in the front double-compartment of the Prefect's carriage died down.
"Thanks, Laura," Entwhistle nodded to his partner, before turning his attention back to the group. "First of all, we'd like to mention all of our new members... There are a bit more then usual, actually." He nodded over towards the Slytherin, "We have Mr. Malfoy, and Miss Parkinson from Slytherin starting this year."
"Mr. Macmillion," Madley continued, "and Miss Abbot, from Hufflepuff."
"Mr. Goldstein and Miss Patil, from Ravenclaw."
"And, we have three new arrivals from Gryffindor," Madley nodded over toward the Gryffindors, continuing before anyone could object, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger."
"Welcome to the team, all of you!" Entwhistle continued, smiling. His smile faded when a voice came from the Slytherins.
"Why are the Gryffindork's allowed to have three Prefects?" Parkinson demanded. "They're only supposed to be two a year!"
Madley sighed, "It is unusual, but it has been done before." The Head Girl replied. "The Headmaster and the Headmistress simply didn't wish to choose Mr. Potter over Mr. Weasley, or vice-versa. Plus, the three of them have proven in the past that they work very well together, and will undoubtedly be a great asset to this team." She continued with a much sterner tone, "Now, I believe we should continue with a few rules we all follow..."
Entwhistle continued, "Being a Prefect is a duty, not a privilege. It does not give you the right to break rules or pick on other students any more then non-Prefects do. Quite the contrary, you are supposed to prevent such acts. If you see another Prefect doing it, you are bound by your duty as a school Prefect, to report it."
"Should you abuse your Prefectoral powers," the Head Girl continued, "the minimum penalty is loss of your badge and all Prefectoral privileges, should your infraction be severe enough, as a Prefect, you may be suspended, or even expelled."
Both of the Heads looked around the carriage.
"Any questions?" Entwhistle inquired. He smiled slightly, when he was met by silence. "Very well, then... New Prefects, all you need to do is keep an eye out for trouble this ride. The older Prefects will handle the patrols." He waved to the door, "All of the compartments in this carriage are reserved for Prefects, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding a vacancy."
Slowly, the crowd dispersed...
Harry was the only one out of the Gryffindor trio that saw Slytherin Prefects followed them out. Therefore he expected a confrontation of some short. Of course, Ron and Hermione didn't seem all that surprised to find the Slytherins had followed them to one of the first compartments outside the door.
"Bit lost aren't you, Weasel?" the blonde sneered, his eyes on Ron. "You'd never make it here with what your father brings home each week."
Hermione, realistically didn't need to grab Ron's arm to stop him from rising to the Slytherin's bait, the look Harry'd given him had already accomplished that.
"It never ceases to amaze me," Harry began before Ron could open his mouth, shaking his head. "How minute your imagination continually proves to be, Malfoy," he continued, after nodding to the group of Slytherin's behind the Malfoy- heir (Pansy, Crabbe & Goyle). "Although it really shouldn't be all that surprising considering your house...Your founder, Salazar, would certainly disprove, to find no cunning in what remains of his house."
Malfoy's pale eyes snapped over to Harry, smoldering with suppressed rage. "You are hardly fit to judge any member of Slytherin house, Potter..." He was interrupted by a gasp from right behind him, and turned quickly toward the offender. "What's wrong with you, Parkinson?"
His partner was staring at the Boy-Who-Lived, her pale blue eyes wide.
Harry chuckled slightly, "I suppose your housemate is a little more observant then you are, Malfoy..." He too, was interrupted, not by any of his year mates, but by the train itself... Which had, quite suddenly, given a giant lurch, like one might expect to encounter during an earthquake. It came to a shuddering stop, and the lights flickered repeatedly before it started moving again, as though nothing had happened.
"Wh-what was th-that?" Pansy Parkinson stuttered after a moment's silence, which had followed many startled shrieks, as she accepted her housemates assistance in rising from the floor.
"I'm not sure," Harry replied quietly, while making his way to the door, where he stepped over Crabbe and Goyle. "We'd better check in at the front."
For once, none of the Slytherin's protested following the Gryffindor's lead.
~ * ~
"So... the Express is on its way, then?"
"Yes," Lucius Malfoy nodded. "Would you like us to attack it, my lord?"
"No." The Dark Lord shook his head, "It is still too soon, to announce my reawaken...We will wait until the Ministry and the Wizarding World have separated themselves even more from their Muggle-loving protector...And then we will crush them...But, first," he shook his head. "I do believe there is a record of the prophecy concerning young Potter and myself, at the Ministry...is there not?"
"There is, my lord," Malfoy nodded. "In the Department of Mysteries."
"Ah... yes," Lord Voldemort frowned slightly, "that would be a problem..." After a moment's silence, he turned his crimson eyes back to the blonde. "You will research this, attempt to retrieve it, and bring it to me...You may use any resources you wish..."
"As you command," the Death Eater bowed, "my lord."
~ * ~
"What's happening?!"
"We don't know!" the Head Girl shouted over the panic that was bouncing around the Prefect's compartment. "Everyone calm down!...Please!" She pleaded as she, too, began to panic.
Neither she, nor Entwhistle had ever expected to have to deal with any dangerous situations quite so soon...the school year hadn't even really begun yet! And as such, they were more then a little lost themselves...
This, certainly wasn't a good thing...and it was quite lucky that some people could keep their heads in a crisis, or the Heads would've had an all out prefect mob on their hands! Not that that was all to far off as it was...
The Wizarding teenagers were all lost and confused, not having the slightest idea of what to do, while knowing everyone else aboard the train would expect them to know, and the fact that their appointed leaders were just as lost didn't help masters...
It was times like these that defined the word 'panic'...
Therefore, it was quite a shock when that panic began to ebb away, calmed by a soothing wave of power...
The silence that ensued was a result of that sudden emotional ease. As it left all of the prefects in shock and awe, quite evident in their wide, staring eyes, as they looked at one another.
A pointed cough from the main entrance/exit to the carriage drew their attention to the five prefects that were standing there. Of course, the sight of these particular five standing together could have also brought about the abrupt silence in its own accord, if it had been witnessed a little earlier...
Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin, were standing right beside their Gryffindor year-mates: Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and the third, who was currently offering them a pleasant smile, could only be Harry Potter...as much of a shock as that was...
The handsome, raven-haired Gryffindor Prefect didn't appear the least bit ruffled by the panic that had been rising within the carriage moments earlier, although the same couldn't be said for his companions. His bright green eyes, which many people within the carriage had only noticed just recently, as he wasn't wearing his classes anymore, were set on the two Heads on the other side of the carriage. "Perhaps we should start with a sweep of the train?" he offered, "Calm everybody down?"
After a moment's silence, Entwhistle blinked, then nodded. "Ri-Right," he nodded, straightening his back a little as he began giving orders. "Everyone move out, calmly," he told them, "and check on the other students, try to calm them down and whatnot..."
Quickly, Madley jumped in, "We shouldn't be all that far from Hogsmeade now, so it won't be long. Any questions?"
"Suggestions?" the Head Boy added after a moment's silence, meeting Harry's eyes.
Harry nodded, his quiet reply ringing through the silence. "Perhaps someone should check up from with the conductor?"
Both Heads nodded in agreement.
"Alright," Madley continued, "Potter, you and Malfoy come with us to the front, everyone else, make sure everyone's alright."
~ * ~
Back on Middle Earth - Imladris, 3001 of the Third Age
"It has been too long, my young friend," the Gray Wizard smiled as he watched the young man many knew of as the Ranger, Strider, make his way over to the wizard's table. He knew, of course, who the young man actually was, but it was not his story to tell, nor did he have any reason to betray a dear friend's confidence.
"You wished to see me, Gandalf?" Aragorn inquired quietly as he took the seat across from the table, which was located in a darkened corner of the Prancing Pony's dining area.
Gandalf sighed quietly, "Indeed, I did..."
There were, truly, few things that could make the old wizard pause...so the fact that he did was more then capable of inciting worry in those who knew him well. Of course, that worry did not show in the Ranger's outward expression, but it was nonetheless present.
"I have just recently come across an unusual find," the wizard began, taking a draft on his pipe, and blowing a ring out, before continuing. "I had been visiting the Shire, for an old friend's birthday, when one of his more peculiar belongings was brought to my attention once again.... For many years now, since his quest with Thorin and Company, Bilbo has been the owner of a rather unusual ring...."
Aragorn frowned, but said nothing as he waited for one of Middle Earth's most powerful wizards to continue.
"Bilbo was rather fond of this ring...A fondness, which one must presume has come from how long it has been in possession, and I don't doubt that, to a point...However, this fondness was a bit...unnatural. The ring once belonged to the creature Gollum. It was Gollum whom Bilbo took the ring from, and it was Gollum who the old hobbit sounded like when he referred to the ring...It had a rather unnatural hold on him..."
"You think this is Ring of Power." The Heir of Isildur summarized, watching the (much) older being closely.
"The One Ring...Sauron's Ring...yes," Gandalf nodded. "I do indeed..."
Silence hung over the table for some time...And it wasn't until after the bartender had filled both their drinks a second time that either chose to speak.
"What should be done?" Aragorn murmured, taking another long sip of his beer.
Gandalf remained quiet for a moment, before replying. "We must find Gollum. He is the only living being outside of the Baggins' and ourselves that knows of the Ring's whereabouts...We must find him before the enemy does."
Aragorn nodded, "Do you know where it might be?"
"For many centuries, Gollum has kept himself hidden in the deep tunnels of the Misty Mountains..." Gandalf replied. "That was where Bilbo met him, and the Ring...I do not doubt Gollum has left the caves by now, to search for 'his precious', as he and many others have often called it, but the Mountains' may yet be the best place to begin our search."
"Then we will begin there," the Ranger nodded. After a moment's thought, he looked at the wizard again. "And what of the Ring?"
"It should not be left unprotected, even hidden as it is." Gandalf agreed.
"I believe you said it is no longer is Bilbo Baggins' care?"
"Yes," Gandalf nodded, "its hold on him, was far too great...It is now in his young cousin, Frodo Baggins' indirect care.... Perhaps the Rangers' could increase their watch on the Shire?"
The Ranger nodded, "I will see that it is done...And all rangers' will be on the look out for the creature Gollum, even as I shall hunt him myself."
Gandalf nodded his approval, his blue eyes twinkling, "As shall I...."
~ * ~
It was dark outside the Express's windows, as usual, as it began to slow down. It had taken almost the entire trip to calm the student body down. It didn't help that what had happened wasn't overly unusual, according to the conductor, it happened once every decade or so, when they 'drained' the train.
"You know..." Ron shook his head when his two best friends looked at him, "this is the first time I've ever really considered never boarding the Hogwarts Express again..."
The other two Gryffindor Prefects' laughed.
Harry raised an eyebrow, "What about in third year, with the Dementor? You didn't consider it then?"
Ron shook his head again, now grinning, "Are you kidding? That was awesome! This was just..."
"Odd?" Hermione offered, nodding to herself and continuing before he could reply. "Actually, it makes quite a bit of sense....The train is essentially magic. Sure, it was once a train in its own right, but over time its become more magic then metal, and with so much magic floating around it all the time, after a certain amount of time, they would have to drain it."
"But that doesn't explain why it did that!" Ron protested, shaking his head again. "They shouldn't have drained the train if they knew it was going to do that! I mean, so what if the Express has a little too much magic in it?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Maybe they didn't know, Ron. But even if they did, too much magic isn't a good thing. Depending on how much excess magic was present, it could become very dangerous. What do you think Cancri is?"
"Man?" {What?} Only Harry heard the inquiry from their Elven companion, for only he knew she was there, and only he was meant to hear it. The other two Gryffindors' were far to caught up in their conversation to notice, which was undoubtedly why she'd risked asking, and why he risked replying.
Ron's eyes were wide with horror, and his skin was a bit too pale. "You...you mean...?"
"Venefica Cancri," Harry quietly told the Elf, "Kuruvarle Amandil, enrimba kuru..." {Wizarding Cancer, too much magic...}
"A..." {Oh...} she replied softly, sounding more then a little wearied, which wasn't surprising, as she had been concentrating her magic to help keep the Express stable for the last half-hour.
"Na ilya maar le, melda nin?" {Are you all right?} He inquired gently, concern evident in his tone.
"Uma, maar nin..." {Yes, I'm fine...} she replied just as softly as before, "Toi nailyi en." {We're almost there.}
"Yes!" Hermione replied, shaking her head in exasperation. "That's one of the reasons the school has to drain the train every few years. If they didn't, students could become very ill, or even die, just from riding this train! Honestly!" she sighed, "Isn't anyone else ever going to read Hogwarts, a History?"
Ron gulped, but remained silent.
Harry laughed, shaking his head in bemusement as his friends turned to look at him. "As amusing as this conversation is, we really should be getting our stuff. I think we're there...."
A few moments later the train came to a complete stop. The Prefects, as they were supposed to supervise the departure/arrival, were the first ones off the train. They didn't have to worry about the carriages leaving without them, because the first ten carriages in the line were reserved for the Prefects. They just had to make sure everything was running smoothly on the platform, and make sure no one was having any trouble with the train or the carriages. Once they were sure everything was running smoothly, they could head for the carriages, which would then leave for Hogwarts. If they didn't think everyone would be ready for the appropriate time, then they were to notify the Head Boy or the Head Girl, who would then halt the carriage line.
That was one of the reasons the First Years always crossed the lake by boat. Not only was it a spectacular way to start the school year, but it also meant that the Prefects didn't have to worry about them.
All in all, there wasn't any difficulty with the arrival. With the exception of a few confused second-years and one third-year that didn't know she didn't need to unload her trunk. So they quickly moved to the head of the column, to the carriages that were reserved for the Prefects.
"Ai yana toi Thestrals," {So those are Thestrals,} Violet murmured softly as they made their way to the front.
Harry nodded in agreement as the peculiar, winged-creatures standing between the carriage shafts turned pupil-less, white eyes toward them as they passed. "Maure na..." {Must be...} He replied just as softly. He knew, thanks to Hermione's gift, what these creatures were, and why he could see them now. He had to shake his head as he looked at them, imagining how very different his reaction to them might've been if not for his trip to Middle Earth.
For indeed, it wasn't hard to imagine how differently a fifteen-year-old wizard with scarcely any battle experience and a two-thousand-year-old wizard would react to anything. Compared to some of the battles, monsters, and wonders, he'd seen, these winged, horse-like creatures with heads that very closely resembled a dragon's in nature, were nothing, with perhaps the exception of amusing. With a pleasant smile and a small bow, he held the door open for his friends, gesturing them in before him.
Both blinked, but after a moment Hermione stepped forward with a smile, accepting the helping hand he'd offered. "Thank you, Harry."
"Yeah, thanks, mate."
"Not a problem," Harry replied softly, before stepping up into the carriage, nodding in the direction of his Elven companion. Invisible or not, it didn't matter, he never had any trouble finding her, and he knew exactly where she was anyhow, from the tracks on the ground. The grace inherent to her people allowed her to step more lightly then all other beings, but even Elves, and Elf-raised, left tracks, however faint.
A moment later, they were off, rattling and swaying up the rode. When they passed between the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars on either side of the gates to the school grounds, all three Prefects leaned forward to try and see whether there were any lights on in Hagrid's cabin by the Forbidden Forest, but the grounds were complete darkness.
Harry smiled when he heard a soft gasp from his Elven friend outside the carriage. He had no doubt that it was Hogwarts Castle, looming ever closer: a towering mass of turrets, jet-black against the dark sky, it's windows blazing fiery bright above them, was the cause of her surprise.
Upon reaching the stone steps that led up to the oak front doors, the carriages jingled to a halt, and Harry got out of the carriage first, opening the door once he'd heard Violet step down. Outside the carriage, all three Prefects looked down toward the forest, for the lit windows that were usually present there. But no sign of life came from within Hagrid's cabin.
"We should probably get going," Harry suggested to his friends, "we don't want to be late."
"Right," Hermione nodded.
"Yeah...." Ron agreed, sparing the cabin one last look before turning with his friends to join the crowd hurrying up the stone steps into the castle.
~ * ~
It wasn't any wonder her beloved loved this school so much...There was just something about it that inspired that love, even in her, an Elven-lady of nearly twenty-two-hundred years of age. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew she was welcome here.
It reminded her very much of her home. The Lady of Lothlórien welcomed all of good intent into her home, and this castle seemed to possess no less power, nor any less wisdom, regardless of the fact that, if Harry's stories were true, it was scarcely more than a thousand years old.
Today was, very clearly, a day of celebration within the castle. She'd followed the Gryffindor Trio up the stone steps into an entrance hall that was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right. If memory served her well, and it usually did, they were now on their way to the Great Hall and the start-of-the-term feast....
She, however, was not headed there. For it was not her place to be. Instead, she turned down the corridor to the left, to make her way to a portrait with a ticklish pair, and the kitchens that laid beyond them, Harry's letter to one of the house elves in hand.
~ * ~
The four House tables in the Great Hall were filling up under the starless black ceiling, which was just like the sky they could just barely see through the high windows. As was relatively custom for special occasions, candles were floating in midair all along the tables. Which cast a golden glow on the silvery ghosts and excited faces of the chattering students. Some were probably talking about their summer, others were simply exchanging greetings with all of their housemates and friends. The more quiet ones were simply watching, noting the new haircuts and robes, as they were accustom to doing.
Harry wasn't the least bit surprised by the looks that were continually sent his way and the whispers that intensified as he, Hermione and Ron made their way down along the Gryffindor table until they came three available seats, which Neville had apparently been saving for them.
"Wow! He grew over the summer!" was one of the whispers he caught.
"Ya think?" another girl replied.
"He's cute!" he thought came from the Ravenclaw table.
"Cute?" came the reply from another Ravenclaw, "Don't you mean gorgeous?"
After tuning them out a moment later, Harry turned to look at his friends, and saw their worried gazes directed toward the staff table. He turned to scan the table as well, although it wasn't really necessary, as Hagrid's size made him stand out in any crowd.
"He can't have left," Ron murmured, sounding anxious.
"Of course he hasn't," Hermione snapped, before turning anxious eyes back to them. "You don't think he's...hurt, or anything, do you?"
"No," Harry replied immediately.
"But where is he, then?" Ron inquired.
Harry thought for a moment, before replying very quietly, so that Neville, seated across from them, Parvati and Lavender, to their right, and the second year to their left, could not hear. "Maybe he's not back yet. You know: from the mission Dumbledore sent him on at the beginning of the summer."
"Yeah....Yeah, that'll be it," Ron nodded, apparently reassured.
Hermione, however, bit her lip, ad continued to look up and down the staff table as though hoping for a more definite explanation of Hagrid's absence. After a moment she frowned, and pointed to the staff table, "Who's that?" she inquired sharply.
Harry turned back to the staff table, scanning the area she was pointing toward. It was right near the center of the staff table, where Professor Dumbledore sat in his high-backed golden chair, wearing his deep-purple robes scattered with silver stars. The Headmaster was currently listening to the woman in the chair next to him.
The witch herself was squat in stature, with short, curly, mouse-brown hair held back by a pink band the same shade as the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes. Her face, from what they could see of it, was rather pallid and toad-like, with a pair of noticeably pouchy eyes.
"The one in the cardigan?" Ron asked, smirking.
"Yes," Hermione nodded, "I don't recall ever having seen her before."
"She must be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I don't know who she is, though."
"I think I've seen her somewhere before..." Ron murmured.
"'Course you have," Neville cut in, "She works for the Minister. She's his Undersecretary."
"She works for Fudge?" Hermione repeated, frowning. "Then what on Earth is she doing hear?"
"Dunno..." Neville replied.
Harry frowned slightly, glancing down at the woman. 'Well, I honestly wouldn't think that even Fudge would sink that low, but maybe my time away gave me a little too much time to forgive his character...Honestly,' he shook his head, 'A spy in a school...Hopefully that's all she is....'
Hermione, he noticed, was also scanning the staff table, her eyes narrowed. "No," she muttered, "no, surely not..."
"What...?" Ron began to ask, but stopped short when the doors from the entrance hall opened.
A long line of scared looking first years entered, led by Professor McGonagall, who was carrying a stool in front of her, on which sat the Sorting Hat. The chatter that had filled the hall moments before was now completely gone, and all eyes were on the first years that were now lining up in front of the staff table.
'Now comes the song...' Harry thought with a smile. It was nice to see that most of what he remembered wasn't far off mark, and a moment later, the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat began to sing. [This Song, obviously, belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me.]
In times of old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will teach!"
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might some day be divided,
Four were their such good friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so I tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,
And treat them just the same."
Those differences caused a little strife
When first they came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A House in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin,
Took only pure-blooded wizards
Of great cunning, just like him.
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
Thus the Houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony,
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding our faults and fears.
The Houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up the school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with dueling and fighting
And the clash of friend and friend
And at last there came the morning
When old Slytherin departed
And thought the fighting then died out
He left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the Houses been united
As they were once meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
Because that's what I'm here for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry this is wrong,
Though I may fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, know the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
Let the Sorting now begin.
After that the hat became both motionless and soundless, while applause, punctured with muttering and whispers, broke out. All across the Hall, students were exchanging remarks with their neighbors and Harry, clapping along with everyone else, knew exactly what they were talking about.
"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" Ron commented, his eyebrows raised.
Harry nodded in agreement. The Sorting Hat, from what he remembered, usually confined itself to describing the different qualities looked for by each of the four Hogwarts Houses and its own role in sorting them; Harry, himself, could not remember it ever trying to give the school advice before. 'Then again, it does sit in Dumbledore's office all year...So it's bound to have heard some of what's been going on...'
"I wonder if it's ever given warnings before?" Hermione wondered aloud, sounding slightly anxious.
"Yes, indeed," Nearly Headless Nick replied knowledgeably, leaning across Neville towards her. This caused Neville to wince, as it was very uncomfortable to have a ghost lean through you. "The Hat feels honor-bound to give the school warning whenever it feels-" he stopped, placing a see-through-finger up to his lips and nodding towards the staff table.
They turned to see their Head of House giving the still-chattering students a scorching look, which was undoubtedly the cause for the mutterings rather abrupt end.
After casting a last, slightly displeased, measuring look around the Hall, Professor McGonagall lowered her eyes to her long piece of parchment and called out, "Abercrombie, Euan."
This brought a terrified-looking boy stumbling forth in his haste. He followed McGonagall's motions, and sat on the stool, trembling slightly, even as the Deputy Headmistress placed the Sorting Hat on his small head. In truth, the only reason the hat stayed on his tiny head was because of his very prominent ears.
Everyone waited excitedly as the Hat considered, and a moment later the rip near the brim opened again with a shout of, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry, and the rest of the Gryffindor table, clapped loudly as the small boy staggered over to their table and sat down, looking very much like he wanted to sink into the floor and never be seen again.
That was how the Sorting of 1995 commenced, and so the long line of first years at the front of the Hall was slowly thinned by the Sorting Hat's decisions. Harry was more then a little amused when he heard Ron's stomach rumble loudly, and spared a glance in his direction to see the redhead staring a the golden plate before him longingly. He didn't have long to wait, however, as the last first year, "Zeller, Rose" was sorted into Hufflepuff moments later. With that, Professor McGonagall collected the Hat and stool to remove them from the Hall, as the Headmaster rose to his feet.
Harry had to smile at the sight, to see his 'old' Headmaster standing before them all again. Although technically the Professor couldn't be more then two hundred-years-old, so he was no longer his senior. It was nice to be back, and this was one of the things he'd always been able to remember, their Headmaster rising before them to greet them before the Start of Term feast.
"To our newcomers," Dumbledore began in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and his lips bearing a beaming smile, "welcome! To our old hands - welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
Appreciative laughter and applause came as the Headmaster sat down as the Feast appeared before them all. The five long tables were now groaning under joints, pies, dishes of vegetables, bread, sauces, and flagons of pumpkin juice.
"Excellent!" Ron groaned as he hurriedly reached for the nearest plate of chops to begin piling them on his plate.
Harry shook his head, smiling slightly while accepting the dish of green peas from Lavender, "Thank you..." he nodded his thanks with the same, pleasant smile. "What were you saying before the Sorting, Sir Nicholas?" He asked after a moment's pause.
"Yes," Hermione agreed, also turning slightly toward the ghost. "About the Hat giving warnings?"
"Oh yes," the ghost replied, seeming glad to have a reason to turn away from Ron, who was now eating roast potatoes with almost indecent enthusiasm. "Yes, I have heard the Hat give several warnings before, always at times when it detects periods of great danger for the school. And always, of course, its advice is the same: Stand together, and be strong from within."
Harry nodded in comprehension, "Good advice," he murmured quietly, but wasn't heard, undoubtedly thanks to Ron's full-mouth inquiry.
""Ow kunnit nofe skusin danger ifzat?" the redhead asked, his mouth so full that Harry had to silently acknowledge it was quite an achievement, if a bit disgusting once, for him to make any noise at all. Hermione, on the other hand, looked openly revolted.
"I beg your pardon?" Nearly Headless Nick inquired after a moment's silence.
Ron gave an enormous swallow before asking again, "How can it know the school's in danger if it's a hat?"
"I have no idea," the Gryffindor Ghost replied. "Of course, it lives in Dumbledore's office, so I daresay it picks things up there."
"And it wants all of the Houses to be friends?" Ron asked, glancing over at the Slytherin table. "Fat chance."
Harry shook his head slightly, in amusement, while continuing with his supper.
A short time later, when all of the students had finished eating, and the noise level was starting to creep up once again, Dumbledore rose to his feet once more. This, of course, made all talking cease immediately as all of the students turned toward the Headmaster.
Harry himself just wanted to be on his way so that he could go check up on Violet, which should be relatively easy, if Dobby had followed the instructions in his letter, which he didn't doubt the loyal House Elf had, but nonetheless, he wanted to make sure.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," Dumbledore began, still smiling pleasantly at all of them. "First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now too..."
Harry smirked, shaking his head slightly, as he had no doubt Ron and Hermione were doing.
"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty second time, to remind you that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes. Nor are a number of other things, all of which can be found on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door." After a moment's pause, the Headmaster continued, still smiling. "We have had two changes in staffing this year. And we are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; and we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was a round of polite, but fairly unenthusiastic applause as the two new teachers stood up. Professor Grubby-Plank sat down at the end of the faint round, while Dumbledore continued.
"Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the-" He broke off, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge.
As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge said, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she intended to make a speech.
The Headmaster only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat down smartly, and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing more than to listen to her talk. Other members of the staff were not as adept as hiding their surprise, as no new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before.
Many of the older students were smirking, evidently thinking that this woman did not know how things were done at Hogwarts.
Harry, however, was not of such a kind opinion. He'd winced the moment her high-pitched, breathy cough had been uttered. 'Nai Vala!' {By the Valar!} He swore mentally, shaking his head while waiting for the new DADA Professor to speak.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered in high-pitched, little-girlish voice, "for those kind words of welcome." She gave another throat clearing, "Hem, hem," and continued. "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy faces looking back at me!"
Harry didn't need to glance around to know no one looked happy. He was quite certain they all looked taken aback at being addresses as though they were five year olds.
"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"
Students exchanged looks at this, and some of them were barely concealing grins.
It took all of Harry's Elven training to keep his expression void of emotion, whether it be the slight amusement he felt at the witch's obvious naivete, or the tremendous dislike he felt at the reason for her presence.
"I'll be friends with her, as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan!" Parvati whispered to Lavender, and both collapsed into silent giggles.
"Hem, hem," Umbridge continued, this time in a less breathy, more businesslike manner, with obviously over-rehearsed words. "The Ministry of Magic has considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching." She paused here to make a small bow to her fellow staff members.
Harry smirked slightly when none of the Professors bowed back, while he watched Professor McGonagall, whose dark eyebrows had contracted so much that she now looked a great deal like a hawk when she exchanged a significant glance with Professor Sprout.
"Hem, hem," Umbridge went on with her speech, "Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts had brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation....."
All the Elvish training in the world could not keep the raven-haired Gryffindor Prefect from rolling his eyes heavenward. Of course, he'd lasted much longer then many of his schoolmates.
The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking had started breaking up moments before, when students began putting their heads together, whispering and giggling.
Umbridge, however, did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience, and Harry had the impression a full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and she would have plowed on with her speech. Hermione and the teachers seemed to be the only people, aside from himself, who were paying the least bit of attention. He could tell by his friend's expression, though, that while she may be absorbing everything the upstart said, she didn't like a single word. And he couldn't agree more.
"...because some changes will be fore the better, while others will come , in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." She then (finally), sat down.
The Headmaster stood up once again, bringing his hands together, the staff and the students followed his lead, though it was more then noticeable that the students weren't overly enthused, and still found their own conversations more important. Of course, even the teachers could be seen putting their heads together throughout the applause. As the 'applause' died down, so did all other noise, as the student body looked expectantly towards their Headmaster.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," Dumbledore said, bowing slightly to her. "Now - as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held..."
"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," Hermione murmured in a low voice.
Harry nodded in agreement, while Ron turned to stare at her.
"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" The redhead protested. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy!"
"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," Hermione replied. "It explained a lot."
"It did?" Ron blinked, then shook his head. "It sounded like a loud of waffle to me."
Harry had to fight to suppress a laugh at that.
"There was some important stuff in that waffle." Hermione told him grimly.
"Was there?" Ron inquired blankly.
"How about 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about 'pruning whenever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?"
"Well, what does it mean?" Ron asked impatiently.
"Coming from someone who works for Fudge?" Harry shook his head, "It means the Ministry's going to be, and probably already is, interfering at Hogwarts."
Hermione nodded in agreement, smiling slightly, while Ron looked at both of them, clearly horrified. Before either could say anything, however, there was a great clattering and banging around them, as the other students rose to depart.
Harry and Hermione both rose to their feet quickly, Ron hurrying to catch up.
"Hey!" the redhead called after them, as they hurried toward the doors, "what's the rush?"
"Ron," Hermione looked back over her shoulder, clearly annoyed. "We're supposed to show the first years where to go!"
"Oh yeah," Ron shook his head, clearly having forgotten. "Hey-hey you lot! Midgets!"
Harry had to suppress another laugh as Hermione spun around to glare at the redhead.
"Ron!"
"Well, they are, they're titchy..." [What does 'titchy' mean?]
"I know, but don't call them midgets!"
"First years!" Harry called down to the group of little people that had gathered on the end of Gryffindor table that was closest to the door. He smiled pleasantly when they all turned to look at him, and nodded to the three girls he'd helped at the station, Caroline and Christine Wright, and Amy White, if he remembered correctly. "This way, please."
With that he led them out of the Great Hall, raising an eyebrow at Ron and Hermione when they caught up with them at the doors.
~ * ~
Back on Middle Earth - Eriador, 3007 of the Third Age
It was a cold, late night that saw a cloaked rider riding into one of Eriador's few fortresses. He knew this place well, for he'd been there before. It was where his mother had been born, where she now dwelt, and where she would die.
Gilraen, Queen of Gondor, had not stayed long in the House of Elrond. Not wanting to overstay her welcome, regardless of the lord's assurances that that was not possible, she had chosen to return to her people not long after her son reached his majority.
And now, after walking Middle Earth for nearly one hundred years, the queen was soon to depart for Mandos, the House of the Dead. It might seem odd to some, for one hundred was truly considered too old, not in the terms of those of the Race of Man, or more particularly, those of royal blood and descent.
However, a second darkness was fast approaching, and as the queen knew she would be able to face it. As she would later be quoted, in farewell to this world. "Onen i-Estel Edain...ú-chebin estel anim...." {I gave Hope to the Dunedain...I have kept no hope for myself....}
The news of her death would reach him during the next spring...a spring that she never saw...
~ * ~
Back on Earth - Hogwarts, September 2nd, 1995
History of Magic was by common consent, the most boring subject ever devised by Wizard-kind. Professor Binns, their ghost teacher, had a wheezy, droning voice that was almost guaranteed to cause severe drowsiness within ten minutes, five in warm weather. He never varied the form of their lessons, but lectured them without pausing while they took notes, or while most of them stared, sleepy-eyed, into space.
Hermione, of course, was generally the only person who could resist Binn's soporific power. Therefore, she was more then a little surprised to find, half-an-hour into the lesson, Harry was still wide-awake, and taking notes no less!
"Harry?" she inquired quietly.
He glanced at her, and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you all right?"
Harry blinked, and after a moment's consideration, nodded. "Yeah, just not overly tired, really," he lied. Truth be told, he was trying to become reacquainted with his home world, and studying its history, even a history he already knew, was one way to do that.
Hermione watched him a little while longer, before shrugging and, after glancing at Ron, who was asleep, returned to her notes.
After History of Magic, came Potions, with the Slytherins and their House Head. It was on their way there, after having crossed one of the schools many courtyards while a fine, misty drizzle fell, aided by a cool autumn wind, that they ran into Cho Chang. Cho, Harry remembered, he had been dating Cedric Diggory the 'year' before, when he'd had a crush on her.
"Hello, Harry!" She'd greeted him once she was near enough. That wasn't overly odd. It was odd that she wasn't surround by her usual gang of giggling girlfriends.
"Hi," Harry replied, smiling pleasantly at who he'd come to think of as his childhood crush. Before he could say anything else, however, Ron jumped in.
"Is that a Tornado badge?" the redhead demanded, pointing at the front of the Ravenclaws' robes, which bore a sky-blue badge emblazoned with a double golden T. "You don't support them, do you?"
"Yeah, I do." Cho replied calmly, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Have you always supported them, or just since they started winning the league?" Ron inquired in a rather accusatory voice, which made Harry and Hermione to trade looks.
"I've supported them since I was six," the Ravenclaw Seeker replied coolly. "Anyway..." she smiled at Harry, before turning on her heel and heading back in the direction she'd come from. "See you, Harry."
The three of them watched her depart, and Harry had to fight back a grin when she was halfway across the courtyard, as Hermione chose then to round on Ron.
"You are so tactless!"
"What? I only asked her if--"
"Couldn't you see that she wanted to talk to Harry on her own?"
"So? She could've done, I wasn't stopping--"
"What on Earth were you attacking her about her Quidditch team for?"
"Attacking? I wasn't attacking her, I was only--"
"Who cares if she supports the Tornados?"
"Oh, come on, half the people you see wearing the badges only bought them last season--"
"But what does it matter?"
"It means they're not real fans, they're just jumping on the bandwagon--"
Harry finally decided to interrupt them when he heard the bell signaling the approaching beginning of the dreaded next class. It wasn't overly surprising, that as they joined the group lining up outside Snape's classroom door, the other two Prefects were still bickering.
Thankfully, though, they had enough sensed to pause their...debate, when Snape's dungeon door creaked ominously open and the class filed into the classroom. Nonetheless, he wisely chose to position himself between them when they reached their usual table at the back, ignoring the huffy, irritable noises they were now making.
"Settle down," Snape coldly instructed as he shut the door behind him.
The order was, really, a needless one, as the class had fallen quiet and ceased fidgeting the moment they heard the door close. The Professor's presence alone was enough to ensure that during their first year, and after four years of him, it was more then enough.
"Before we begin today's lesson," Snape began, staring around at them all after he'd swept over to his desk. "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'acceptable' in your O.W.L., or suffer my... displeasure."
He finished with a lingering gaze on Neville, which made the nervous boy gulp.
"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me," the Potions Master went on. "I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye." Here, his eyes rested on Harry, and his lips curled.
Harry merely gazed back, apparently completely unfazed by his teacher's sneer. This, he saw, caused more then a little confusion in the Potions Master's dark-black eyes.
"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell," the Professor continued softly, "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.... Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and sooth agitation...."
The rest, Harry tuned out, as he could already, thanks to his foster-father, Lord Cereborn's instruction, brew this draught with relative ease. So when Snape called an end to their work, an hour and twenty minutes later, with, "A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion." Harry didn't feel any agitation, as both he and Hermione had accomplished that very feet, and were now turned towards Ron's potion, which was shooting green sparks.
"Those of you who have managed to complete the assignment, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing." Snape ordered, "Your homework is twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday."
"I'll meet you up at the Hall in a few minutes," Harry told his friends as they were exiting the dungeons, "I want to go check on something."
"Alright, Harry," Hermione nodded, obviously reigning in the curiosity he could see in her eyes.
"Yeah," Ron nodded to him, "see you there, mate."
Harry nodded in reply, before turning on his heel and heading down the same corridor they were walking down, but in the opposite direction. A short while later, he'd tickled the pear that granted entrance to the kitchens and was soon surrounded by house elves.
He smiled as he stepped into the high-ceilinged room. Then glanced around at the mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped along the stone walls, some of them over by the gigantic brick fireplace on the other end of the room. Of course, scarcely a moment passes after his arrival that he was surrounded by dozens of the small, wide-eyed house elves that worked there.
Harry thought for a moment, then nodded, looking down at a few of the house elves. "Yes, could I, please, have a picnic lunch for two?"
Several house elves nodded eagerly, before scurrying away to prepare the meal.
"And," he looked towards some of the remaining house elves, "Could one of you, please, tell me where Dobby is?"
They all nodded, before pointing down toward the fireplace. The house elves in front of him cleared a path to let him cross over to the fireplace.
Dobby, Harry was a little surprised to see, looked exactly the same as he remembered him. With his enormous, green, tennis-ball-shaped eyes brimming with tears of joy, and his bat-like ears fluttering in excitement. The clothes he wore were as peculiar as Harry remembered as well, nothing matching, no coordination, and barely anything to truly classify a proper ensemble.
"Hi, Dobby," Harry smiled at the obviously overjoyed house elf.
"Harry Potter, sir!" the house elf quickly launched himself at the wizard, seizing him in a tight hug for a short moment, before stepping back and bowing deeply. "Is there anything Dobby could do to help Harry Potter?" the wide-eyed elf asked, "Dobby wishes he could help Harry Potter, for Harry Potter set Dobby free and Dobby is much, much happier now...."
Harry nodded, still smiling pleasantly at his small friend. "Actually, I just came to ask you if you were able to help the friend I sent here last night."
"Oh, yes! Yes!" Dobby nodded, smiling brightly and bouncing up in down. "Dobby knew the perfect place for the lady to stay!"
"Really?" Harry smiled, obviously relieved. "I'm glad to hear that, Dobby. I knew that if anyone could help us, it'd be you." He continued after a moment's pause. "And you're sure no one will be able to find her, and she'll be comfortable there?"
"Oh, yes! Yes!" Dobby nodded again. "Dobby took the lady to a place Dobby heard of from the other house elves when he came to Hogwarts, sir. It is known as the Come and Go Room, sir, or else the Room of Requirement!"
Harry smiled kindly, "And no one will be able to find her, she'll be safe?"
"Yes! Yes!" Dobby nodded again. "The lady will be safe in the Room of Requirement, sir. Because it is a room that a person can only enter when they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there, and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is always equipped for the seeker's need. Dobby has used it, sir, " the elf said, now sounding somewhat guilty, "when Winky has been very drunk. He has hidden her in the Room of Requirement and he has found antidotes to butterbeer there, and a nice house elf-size bed to settle her on while she sleeps it off, sir...And Dobby knows Mr. Filch has found extra cleaning materials there when he has run short, sir, and..."
Suddenly, a memory, from long ago (to his mind) returned to him...
~ * Flashback * ~
"Oh I would never dream of assuming I know all of Hogwarts' secrets, Igor," he remembered overhearing Dumbledore tell Karkaroff during the Yule Ball. "Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turning on the way to the bathroom and found myself a beautifully proportioned room I have never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of charming chamber pots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. But I must keep an eye out got it. Possibly it is only assessable at five-thirty in the morning. Or it may only appear at the quarter moon - or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder."
~ * End of Flashback * ~
"The Room of Requirement, huh?" Harry thought about it a moment, then asked. "How many people know about it?"
"Very few, sir. Mostly people stumbles across it when they needs it, sir, but often they never finds it again, for they do not know that it is always there waiting to be called into service, sir."
"It sounds brilliant," Harry smiled, nodding his approval as a group of house elves came over to them carry a gigantic picnic basket. "Thank you," he smiled as he relieved them of it. Then he looked back at Dobby, "It sounds perfect, Dobby. Could you show me where it is?"
~ * ~
Back on Middle Earth - The Dead Marshes, 3017 of the Third Age
The Dead Marshes was a haunted and desolate place; a graveyard for the many Men and Elves who had died at the Battle of Dagorlad at the end of the Second Age. However, the Marshes were more then just a burial ground for the dead...like many of its kind, it could be a killer in itself. This it had proven in 1944 of the Third Age, when a large portion of the Wainrider army was driven into the Marshes after the Battle of Camp. They did not escape it...
In all actuality, it was rather fitting, a quite nearly unsurpassable, unattractive, and unapproachable border for Mordor's border. For that was where it sat; to the northwest, between the Mountains of Mordor and the wetlands of the Anduin River below the Rauros Falls.
However, that did not keep Aragorn Elessar from pursueing his quarry into the dreaded Marshes. It had taken many long years, but after the search had begun again in 3009, six years later, the creature was finally found...
Catching it, however, was a whole different matter entirely... A vicious and violent creature, which was used to being hated, feared and hunted, Gollum was not the usual type of being any hunter tracked or captured, but Aragorn was there now, to do just that.
And that was what he did....
After a long and stressful journey, he would later leave the creature in the care of the Elves, but it wasn't their fault, anymore then it was his, when the treacherous creature would escape, to be captured by forced loyal to the Dark Lord...
Which would eventually set the Nazgúl on the Baggins' family at the Shire...
~ * ~
Back on Earth - Hogwarts, September 2nd, 1995
After lunch that day they'd had their first Defense against the Dark Arts class with Dolores Umbridge. That was...an unusual affair, to say the least....
"Well, good afternoon class!" Umbridge had said once the whole class had sat down.
A few people mumbled, "good afternoon," in reply.
"Tut, tut," the Professor shook her head, frowning. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"
Once their reply had satisfied her, she'd smiled as she basically began telling them that they'd never had a proper instructor, and that they were far behind where they should be in their 'O.W.L. year'.
"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please." And she'd rapped the backboard again with her, rather short, wand, and words appeared on the board at once:
Course aims:
1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.
2. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can be used legally.
3. Placing the uses of defensive magic in a context for practical use.
Next, she'd asked them to take out their copies of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard and to turn to "Page five and read chapter one, 'Basics for Beginners'. There will be no need to talk."
The chapter, Harry found, was dryer then anything he'd ever come across in his foster-father's library. As he'd already read all of the information in different contexts before, he had no trouble deciding that this was simply the dullest way the information could be presented.
So, instead of reading, he simply kept his eyes on the page, while reminiscing back to lunch, when he'd visited Violet in the Room of Requirement.
The Room itself was truly a fantastic creation. The lodging it had created for his Elven companions (as that was where Elrohir and Camthalion would be staying when they returned), was like a small Elven palace, which had reminded him very much of Rivendell.
The balcony they'd eaten lunch out on was undoubtedly his favorite part. Though technically it didn't exist, the balcony indicated that the room was on the side of the Castle overlooking the lake, because that was the view if offered. Violet was quite sure it didn't change the Castle's outward appearance at all, as she'd already sent Dobby around to check, and he'd confirmed that even when she was standing there the entire time, he didn't have an idea where the balcony was.
It had also served to reassure him. As Elves hated to be trapped indoors, Harry was convinced they were all at least somewhat claustrophobic, even though he knew it was simply because they loved nature so much. The balcony was the solution for that. It was a place Violet could go to feel the open breeze, to watch the sunrise and set, or gaze at the stars. Therefore, she wouldn't feel trapped within the school's walls. That was something he'd truly feared. If she'd felt trapped, her happiness could have been utterly destroyed, which would have been her destruction.
Thankfully, though, the balcony was there, as were many large, open windows, much like those that were seen in Rivendell. They allowed a pleasant breeze to blow through, all though the castle's magic still kept the room temperature very comfortable.
Dobby and the other house elves had agreed to bring Violet anything she needed, which had honestly surprised Harry. He knew Dobby would be willing to help, but he would've thought that the other house elves would want Dumbledore's permission or something of that nature.
As it turns out, one reason the Wizards of old had decided to call house elves 'elves', was because they were forever talking about them. Even more so then witches and wizards, the tall ones, the High, or True Elves, were beings that the house elf community held in very high regard, so they were all too happy to serve one...
Harry was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Umbridge speak, "Using defensive spells?" she demanded with one of her little, girly laughs. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during this class?"
"We're not going to use magic?!" Ron demanded loudly.
"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr.---?"
"Weasley," Ron supplied, while thrusting his hand into the air.
Professor Umbridge, smiling quite widely, then turned her back on him.
Harry shook his head when he saw Hermione, and just about everybody else's hands fly up. This was going to be long class...
~ * ~
Earth - Hogwarts, Room of Requirement
Violet smiled slightly, shaking her head as she watched the mer-folk play down along the surface of the lake. Harry had been quite right when he'd said the balcony was undoubtedly her new living quarter's finest feature.
As an elf, she couldn't stand being indoors, away from the light and the air for prolonged periods of time, which was why she hadn't been overly insistent about wanting to travel with him when he was going to visit the Dwarves. She didn't share the same prejudice toward the Dwarven people that most of her Race did, though that was undoubtedly because of both Harry's liking of them and the Lady's choice to remain neutral in the conflict. Nonetheless, as beautiful as their halls may be, and she knew they were, having passed through Dwarrowdelf for a brief period of time, with Harry, Elrohir, and Camthalion, on their way home from Rivendell, she couldn't imagine ever living in a Dwarven city. True, a mountain wasn't easy to invade, and the natives were quite safe in that regard, but they hardly ever had time to gaze upon the stars, or feel the wind in their hair...
Well, perhaps it was simply that Elves and Dwarves were used to very different things...
Harry's definition of this 'room' was very accurate. It was brilliant.
She truly hadn't expected to be offered such a place to reside in. Of course, she wouldn't have minded staying in the Shrieking Shack, or even in the little Wizarding village she could just barely see from the balcony, and that was truly only by the grace of her Elven eyes.
Nonetheless, this room was wonderful. The architecture and the furniture so much like what they'd expect to be found in Rivendell that she had, upon entering it, wondered if she'd stepped into Lord Elrond's domain. What's more, the room had thought of just about everything.
It hadn't just given her one bedroom, there were a total of five...although both she and Harry expected that that was only for symmetry. Now, they didn't have to worry about finding a place for Elrohir and Camthalion to stay when they returned.
There was, of course, also a small kitchen, a dining room, two living rooms, and a fairly well stocked library with an immensely interesting collection. Aside from that, there was a large meeting room, which would be perfect if the Elves of this world wished to meet with them. There was also a large, high-ceilinged room with padded floors and walls, which would serve as the perfect place for them to practice spells.
Although she'd only actually obtained a wand of her own a few short days ago, she had been practicing (with Harry's wand, which, thankfully, didn't mind) for many centuries, under Harry's supervision. Nonetheless, she'd already discovered that casting spells with her own wand was much easier.
End of Chapter 5.
Translations:
Ata Hogwarts - Back to Hogwarts
Venefica - poisonous, magical
Cancri - the disease: cancer
Commeatus - coming to free passage
Aequalis - of equal age
AN: Well, that's it for Chapter 5! What'd you think so far?
Two things:
1. If you didn't notice, this is labeled; 'Part A'. In all actuality, 'Part B', is already done. If I recieve enough reviews by my birthday, this Sunday, I will update then.
2. *Sigh* I've decide to follow some advice a friend gave me. I really do appreciate everyone's reviews, which is why, up until this point, I've always been replying to each and everyone of the them, separately. However, I've found that this is very time consuming, and somewhat ridiculous when many of the reply's are, quite simply:
Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it! Thank you! ^_^
It gets to be a bit repetitive. Therefore, I've decided that I'm going to only reply, directly that is, to the reviews that are actually about something, asking a question, or going into detail on something, or whatnot. I will recognize the other reviews, but I'm not going to reply to each and every one of them anymore. I apologize if this offends anyone.
Review Responses:
OrionTheHunter - Thank you, I'm glad you like so many of my stories.
I just updated Lady Serenity, although I'm not sure when I'll be updating Harry Potter and the Chrestomanci or Midae.
Xirleb70 - *Sigh* I know, V-Star and I are having that problem too...
School = no creative energy L
I'm glad you like it so much. ^_^
LOL, yes, they are. ^_^ .... I'm not entirely sure why some people haven't figured that out yet, but....(really, one person emailed me and asked me to pair Harry with Ginny in the story! And I'm like: *confusion *, "but he's already with V!"
Fear Mage - Thank you, I'm glad you like it so much. ^_^
Umm...*sigh* I suppose the Middle Earth scenes only really make sense if you put them all together. There's basically two stories going on here right now, and, eventually they'll come together, but until they do, some parts may be hard to make sense of.
At the moment, most of the Middle Earth scenes have simply shown the passing of time on Middle Earth, compared to Earth.
A-man - LOL, yes, they're together, don't worry. ^_^
Phoenix Lumen - *sigh* That was an error of judgement on my part, I suppose. The Elrohir that left Middle Earth with his twin brother Camthalion, Harry and Ránëwén, is not one of Elrond's sons, he just has the same name as Elrond's son.
Thank you, I'm glad you like it. ^_^
Sorry for the wait!
CrazyCruciatedDeathEater - Thank you! ^_^
*Sigh* thank you, I've tried that, but thank you for suggesting it anyway...I'm pretty sure I've seen just about everyone of the HP/LOTR's crossovers on FF.net, because I always come across the same ones. There really haven't been any new ones!
Hmm...Prince of Rivendell, huh? Doesn't ring a bell. Although, you're not the only person whose recommend that one, so I suppose I should give it a try. LOL, don't worry about it! The other person couldn't remember the author's name either! ^_^
Gorthaur? I haven't seen that one before, but if you say so. *whispers*It sounds better anyway! ^_~
Khari - Hi! ^_^
LOL, that's all right. You can't be expected to review every chapter. And, if I recall correctly, I updated this pretty frequently for the last few chapters.
Thank you, I'm glad you like it so much. ^_^
*sigh* I really shouldn't answer that, but yes, he/they will...
LOL, don't worry. A lot of time is passing on Middle Earth, but not that much!
Well...I'm not sure when 'the whole world' will know, but Ron and Hermione, and a few other people will meet her soon. And yes, he will tell them the truth...or maybe an edited version of it, soon.
Thanks for reviewing! ^_^
If you really want to translate this into Spanish, then you're more than welcome to. I'd love to see it, and post it. ^_^
Serpent of Light - ...LOL ^_^*
Thank you, very much...
You should give it a try. As long as you're willing to put the effort in, it can be pretty fun. Besides *whispers*we need more of them! There aren't even that many bad ones!
*Sigh* Sorry, almost there, but not quite...
Sorry for the wait
Jessyka - I'm glad....
Umm... I suppose... But you have to keep in mind, they aren't teenagers.
Hmm... you know? I've never really thought about that before.... It would be interesting. But for all intents and purposes, at least in this story, no, he doesn't.
Mercurialgreen - Thank you, I'm glad you think so....
I must, however, admit to some confusion. Flashbacks? Most of the Middle Earth stuff (in current chapters) is stuff that's actually happening on Middle Earth at that time. I know there are a few flashbacks, but not many...
I hope that doesn't ruin the story for you. And if it does, I sincerely apologize.
Hoshi-tachi - Thank you, I'm glad you think so.... ^_^
LOL, ok, I'll let you know if I see any... Actually, I think I'll start a list of them, and just post it with each chapter.... That was people know what I already know, and whatnot.
I am terribly sorry for the long wait. I'm afraid school and all that drained the creative energy out of me somewhat.
BF110C4 - Thank you... ^_^
I definitely agree with that, to a point (a very, very high point), as LotR wouldn't be LotR without that continual interaction...which, you're right, does (sadly) seem to escape most fans. Of course, most fan fics are based solely on the movies, which are, at least from what I can tell, primarily character driven. Nonetheless, I think the Elvish that's used in the movie (while it wasn't used enough, IMHO) does still show some of the importance of that interaction.
You are the first reviewer to really mention that, though, so I wish I could talk about it a bit more, however, I'm afraid that would be rambling, so, I'll stop now. Thank you for both reading and reviewing, and I do apologize for the wait.
Star - Thank you....
Yeah, I suppose so. But don't worry! This is, still, a LOTR crossover, after all! ^_^
Rayvern - *Frowns* ...I didn't think any of the stuff I threw in there was all that far from what happened in the movie...
^_^* Thank you.... Yes, I assume most people probably do. However, I do feel (rather strongly) that it does, as you said, add to the story (however little). But thank you for the suggestion.
Guardian angel of wolves - LOL ^_^*
Well, I suppose that would be a rather nice occurrence. Of course, I think the wait in between those chapters wasn't that long, so it's not overly surprising. I'm glad you liked them, though. It would've been terrible if you'd come across them and found that you couldn't stand them at all. (Believe me, I've done that before *sigh*, it's not fun.... That was one of the rare times I've had trouble staying to my no flame policy.)
Don't worry, that not all that far off... ^_^
Thank you! :-D You're the only person whose actually listed a few of them!
I'll definitely have to check Prince of Rivendell, as you're the second person whose mentioned it. And I haven't heard of the other two either, so I'll have to take a look! Thanks for recommending them! ^_^
Joe - Thank you, I'm glad you like it so much. ^_^
LOL, no, I'm not fluent in Elvish. I just know the basic format, rough grammar, several words, and I've also managed to make an English to Elvish dictionary, by way of a lot of research/reading.
If you want to find a dictionary online, I'd recommend starting with the Gray Company. I know Lord of the Ring's Fanatics Library has been putting one together, but I'm not sure if it's up yet... And, as for learning the language (grammar & format) in general. 1. There are tons of sites that you can go to for free. 2. The movies work to, if you watch them enough. (Although that's only for very rough format and whatnot...)
I hope that helps! ^_^
Thanks to:
The Elfin Child
Rachel A. Prongs
Evyominique
CiA1
Malach
Prd2bAmerican18
Silver Sparklze
Siward
Dracana Kantari
Annon.
Bye! ^_^
~ Jess S