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 13: Nierme Oior

By Jess S

"Is that really the…wisest course of action, my lord?" one of the masked Death Eaters inquired nervously, his voice hesitant. "To accept form a coalition of sorts with a potent phantom?"

"It is the wisest course of action we might take, young one." The Dark Lord told the teenager, one of the Slytherins that had been pulled to Middle Earth with his elders. The shock of finding themselves on another world had apparently had a rather pleasant effect on the way the Heir of Slytherin treated his followers. Whereas before, on Earth, he'd been in a foul temper, frequently hexing his supporters, and using the Cruciatus Curse on them with disturbingly increasing frequency, now; on Middle Earth, he seemed more like the leader they remembered. Now, Lord Voldemort had become the personification of everything Slytherin once more: decisive, but charming, ruthless, but practical. This was undoubtedly why the teen wasn't writhing on the floor in pain.  "We know very little of this world, and yet common sense would tell us that an evil as great as this…phantom, could only be held back by an equally powerful alliance of 'good'. On our own, we might not stand a chance against such opposition, but by joining forces with our new friend; we could very well be what sees the malevolent forces of this Middle Earth, dominant."

"So your answer is positive then, my lord?"  One of the older Death Eaters inquired in a neutral tone.  "We are to serve this phantom and the…beasts that worship it?"

Voldemort laughed coldly, "Oh no, Avery, not serve, never serve. You have sworn your allegiance to me, and I will swear friendship and camaraderie to this… Ring Lord, as he calls himself… He wishes to obtain a solid form, so we shall strive to make this possible. His forces need control and influence that most of his minions are incapable of handling, so we shall lend him a hand there as well. But make no mistake, I am your Lord, and I serve no one."

~ * ~

The void that serves as the dominion of cataleptic psyche is a quite unusual place, a piece of information that you probably aren't prone to appreciate in your commonplace, reoccurring departures from it. One may cling to it, in exodus, yearning to hold onto that painless, effortless world that so often serves as a sanctuary for so many.

Some might claim to feel no such loyalty. They might consider themselves about the desire due to a love of life that few others can comprehend. Even they, however, must note the haven in times of hardship. The most common time would be after one had been sedated, whether it is by concussion, hormones, physical or emotional pain, something sent them to that world, away from life's hardships at least for a short while, and even when they don't know what it is, it makes the refuge that much more difficult to leave.

But we do return to the waking world, no matter how much we might not want to. In worlds such as Arda, where magic is practiced, that natural impulse can be stopped. The very same impulse can be prevented by poisons, and illnesses that pull us away from the living world, into its mere shade; death.

Harry was not under spell to send him under, though. He had not been poisoned, and he was not physically ill. It wouldn't take him long to realize that what had sent him under was a sickness of the heart, the emotional turmoil he might never be able to escape. At the moment, however, he was not aware of this.

The room he was a large, elegantly assembled bedroom that was one of the chambers he'd long called his own; a branch of the palace in the center of Lothlórien. That was, undoubtedly, why it felt familiar, in and of itself.

Soft, silky sheets formed a gentle, loose-fitting cocoon underneath a white bedspread with the green and gold leaf pattern of the Galadhrim carefully embroidered onto its surface. The bed's mattress easily matched or surpassed that had been so impressive to his young mind, when he'd first gone to Hogwarts, long ago. The air was filled with song, and the sweet aroma of the Lissium blossoms, which bloomed on the nearby Cerin Amroth alone, and could be found in no other part of Middle Earth. The pale, silvery lights the Galadhrim used for illumination served another purpose, more often then not, in soothing the hearts of those who entered the Elven metropolis with good intent.


It was named for the fair gardens of the Dream Master for a reason, as it served the purpose on Middle Earth. Whereas the Valar, Maiar, and many Eldar often went to Lórien's gardens to seek peace and healing, many mortals and Eldar who did not yet wish to cross the Seas came here…or they once did.

That was before the Ring Lord, Sauron, launched his assault upon the mortal world. Now, the fair city was cloaked in mystery, veiled and closely protected both by its guards, and the magical protections its Lady had woven around it a long time before…

Harry knew all of this, of course. He'd learned of Arda's histories a long time before returning to his own world. It didn't really cross his mind though, not when he first woke up to find himself there, lovingly tucked-away in his bedroom.

It did seem a little odd though.

'What am I doing here?' He wondered immediately, knowing that he wouldn't have been puzzled, if he'd waken up in the master bedroom of the telain he'd shared with Ránëwén, since they're wedding, several centuries before. 'Ránëwén…'

Amazing, isn't it, how quickly one's thoughts can lead to the cause of a pain, particularly one so great?

The mere thought of his wife, and the realization that she really was gone was enough to break whatever self-control he'd had left, which wasn't much. His lament added discord to the mourning song he could hear in the distance, and served to bring his foster parents running.

By the time they'd arrived his earlier tears had returned, to rush down his cheeks in a flood of desolation so heartbreaking that neither parent could move beyond the room's threshold for several moments.

Then, the Lady's maternal instincts sent her forward, hurrying over to the bed, to take her foster son into her arms, even as she encased his mind in telepathic waves of warmth and love. "Shh, shhh… yondo nin, shhh…" she breathed gently, carefully drawing him into her protective embrace, even as her husband sat down in the chair beside the bed, offering his silent support. "It's all right… Shhh…"

"W-Was it a dream? A-a nightmare?"

"Man?" Galadriel leaned back slightly to meet his eyes, which were gazing up at her through a well of tears, anguish, and only a small amount of hope. It nearly broke her heart to shake her head and, in doing so, shatter that hope. "Lau… No, it was not a nightmare, yondo nin…"

Both Elves were more than a little worried when the wizard's breathing began to increase, but it was Celeborn that found a solution for it. "He should meditate…" he told his wife quietly.

The Lady of Light nodded, tenderly smoothing back the child's raven hair. "I want you to meditate for me… Can you do that, melme?"

"U-uma…." Harry replied unsteadily, "I… I think so…"

"Er'suuya…mi…et…mi…et…"  {Just breathe…  In…  Out…  In…  Out…}

For several hours, Harry followed his foster mother's soft commands, inhaling when she told him to, and exhaling to the commands that always followed.

Now, of course, it couldn't be that easy to forget something like this. And one of the major points of meditation, clearing your mind; was to gain focus. But that takes time, and finding the proper focus isn't painless.

"I'm sorry…"

Galadriel blinked down at her foster-son, her worry augmenting once again when she saw the desolation in his lowered gaze. Some might make the mistake of thinking that he was apologizing to them, but she was a very accomplished healer, had plenty of experience with matters of the heart, and she knew the son of her heart.

"I'm so sorry…" the wizard shook his head, tears creeping out of his eyes as he stared at the floor.

Noticing that he'd completely lost track of his breathing count, as he was now very close to those same heartrending gasps, she spoke up in a soothing, compassionate tone. "Ta ilosse le…" {It's not your fault…}

"Yes it is…" Harry told her, finally looking up from the floor, not paying his tear stained face any mind. "I--I lost focus… I don't know why I used that spell. I should have realized that my world wasn't open like Arda, so it wouldn't be disposed to assist… I could have done something much smaller… I probably didn't even need to use Istari magic…And even then… I could have Apparated! If I'd been thinking I could have grabbed her and taken us both out of harms way! I'm completely to blame! If--"

"No you are not." Galadriel cut in, her voice still empathetic in the common tongue, though fairly hardened by the words she was utilizing. "There are times when there's nothing we can do to. I'd hate to think that it was Vair's Will, but it may have been. You were fighting for what you believed in; what was right. You were protecting your home and your loved ones, just as she was. Would you not allow her the honor of a true heroine's death? Make her sacrifice a futile endeavor?"

He blinked, clearly taken aback as he considered this. His foster parents waited patiently, apparently unaffected by the long silence that surrounded his thoughts. After several moments he shook his head slowly, "No…No, of course not… It is an honor she deserves as much as any…But…I…"

"You miss her," the Lady of Light précised, continuing after his only just visible nod, giving up on trying to catch his eyes; which were focused on the flooring once more. "That is natural, of course. But she would not want you to wither away because of her love. Especially if she is not dead."

Here the wizard's head snapped up as he moved his gaze away from the floor again, to stare at her, his eyes wide. "Wh-What?"

"Logically, she was right next to you, and a supporter of the Light, so she should have arrived here to, dead or not. With no body to prove her death, she may yet be alive…  Supper should be ready now; would you like to wash up and then join us, or take it abed?"

"I-I'll join you," he said immediately, rising somewhat shakily, but at least the despondent air that had been hovering around him had dissipated somewhat. "I'll be down in a few minutes…"

Galadriel nodded, also rising, and reached out to draw him to her again, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead before releasing him and following her husband to the door.

Celeborn was silent until they heard water splashing from the bathing area, and then he spoke as they stepped out onto the terrace before making their way across the elegant bridge that connected the telain to their own.  "Are you sure that was wise, melda nin?"

"Perhaps not," the Lady sighed, shaking her head as she closed her eyes in regret. "But I truly couldn't think of anything else…and it is possible."

"Possible, yes," the Lord of the Galadhrim agreed, shaking his head as he held her regular chair for her to sit at the table. "But likely?"

"Elerossë will be joining us," she told the waiting servant, continuing after the servant had nodded and departed quickly.  "He needed something to hope for… The loss of a soul mate isn't something many survive. As long as there is hope…He has a chance… We all do."

~ * ~

"What is that?" Ron asked, after several moments of silence.

An Elf-maiden, who had introduced herself as Tári, had led them to this telain a short time before, and while they had a number of questions to ask, somehow they just knew that now was not the time.  But, with the quiet conversations they'd all been participating in gone, the quiet, rather sad song, produced by a breathtaking chorale somewhere in the Elven city, rang all too clearly through the room they now sat in, 'enjoying' supper.

Tári had led them here and then left, to return a few moments later to direct other maids towards the table they were now sitting around, to deposit the food they'd brought there.  Many of the maids bowed slightly, a melancholy air clinging to them, before leaving, but their leader remained behind to answer the young wizard's question.

"It is a lament, for the Lady Ránëwén."

"A what?"  Colin Creevey inquired hesitantly, looking around at the now equally depressed expressions of his teachers, peers and elders.

"A lament," Hermione repeated quietly, before going on to explain, "for Violet.  An expression of their grief at her…passing."

"And a commemoration of her life," the Elf-maid nodded, offering a kind smile. "Death is not something that pierces the Lady's veil very often. It is hard for us to accept the passing of one of our own, particularly one that we all knew, and loved, so well…"

"What was she like?"

The Elf blinked, "Pardon?"

"Violet…what was she like?" Ron asked, looking up to meet her eyes. "We only knew her for a few short weeks…  She seemed really nice, and she obviously loved Harry, but…  We don't know much more then that…  We didn't get the chance…  And I…  I don't think that asking Harry when he wakes up would be a good idea…"

"No…" Tári shook her head; her pale silvery-blonde locks rustling slightly at the diminutive action. "The grief will be far too near his heart for some time to come…" she paused, clearly reminiscent, continuing once she'd collected her thoughts.  "She was somewhat unusual in her birth.  Her mother was of Imladris, the realm of Lord Elrond, and was part human. Her mortal ancestry, though very distant, showed in her dark-tresses. She was named for her eyes, which were often likened to the stars in the late-twilight…"

Hermione spoke up after the Elf had been silent for some time, "Her mother was from Imladris, right?"

"Uma," the Elf nodded, picking up that thought, "Lady Enelya was one of the minor nobles of Imladris. She wedded Master Angaráto Calaelen shortly after the Fall of Numenor. They'd met when he'd come to Imladris, as the captain of Lady Celebrían's guard…"

Again, the wizards were made to wait in silence for several moments, before another decided to break into the Elf's thoughts.

"What happened to them?"

"Ma--What?"

"Vi--Ránëwén's parents," Cho Chang clarified, "What happened to them?"

"They were part of Lady Celebrían's escort the last time she made her way home, and fell with all the rest when it was ambushed by Orcs…" Tari bowed slightly, "If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I have much to do before turning in. Enjoy your meal."

~ * ~

Harry sighed as the cool, crystalline droplets of water ran down his face and neck, to seep into the collar of his pyjamas.  There was a sensation of soothing-ness in that, however small. The pain had not depleted, quite the contrary, it had withdrawn, to the far recesses of his heart and mind, to become a steady, relentless ache hidden only by the hope that it might not be necessary.

He knew that his foster-kin were trying to help him, but the temptation of the escape his foster-mother had offered was far too ideal to repudiate outright. It was what he needed; a sense of hope, of optimism to make him rise every day. It was what might allow him to look past the fact that she wasn't there. If she was anywhere he could reach, alive, then he would find her. He had to.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by a familiar knock coming from the door. The familiarity was both heartening and depressing, because he knew exactly who it was. "Lende mi…" he called as he made his way back out through his bedroom and into the small lounge area that opened onto the terrace, looking down as his caller entered the room.  "Mae govannen…"

A gentle, but firm hand at his chin forced him to look up a few moments later, and only then did the March Warden of Lothlórien reply, "Mae govannen, Elerossë."

The (much) elder being's voice was like his touch, gentle but unyielding, which only made sense, considering his moderately Spartan daily life.  But more could be seen in his grey eyes then Harry was used to seeing. Usually his mentor was a master of the Elven preference of keeping his expressions carefully schooled to neutrality, even in the presence of his kin. He'd led a hard life, so it was only to be expected…  But now…  This was probably the third time he'd seen such expression in the warden's eyes.

The first was when they'd been wandering to Imladris, Harry's first time outside of the borders of the Golden Wood… He'd gotten into quite a bit of trouble back then…

Harry had known at the time that he probably shouldn't have gone hunting alone, but he'd wanted to prove that he was capable of doing so…Why that was, he couldn't exactly recall. Looking back on it, he knew that the only reason Haldir had told him to stay close was because he was in unfamiliar territory, and they didn't know what dangers might await them. But, when he was younger, he'd taken it as doubt towards his abilities… So he had gone hunting, alone.

Now, hunting alone in unfamiliar territory was a bad idea in general. But hunting alone, at night, in unfamiliar territory was certainly a lesser relative of suicide.

~ *Flashback* ~

It wasn't hard to see why the members of the Eldar race were so fond of the night…at least; it wasn't hard to see when you could actually see the stars. Varda's magnificent gift to the world was truly a wonder to behold, but their absence was almost as depressing as their presence was inspiring. Now, hidden behind the dark storm clouds that Haldir predicted would release their mighty flood some time tonight…Harry had no choice but to accept that it certainly was a wretched time to be hunting.

But, he needed to prove to his guide and mentor that he could hold his own on this trip…

The fact that he simply couldn't find anything certainly didn't help matters. It seemed that Haldir wasn't the only one who wished to set camp early this evening. None of the normal predators seemed to be out. Sure, he could hear a few birds now and then, the scurrying of various rodents and the ordinary symphonies the insects provided but…  It was still oddly quiet…

After a few more minutes of looking around for something, anything that might indicate a possible prey, Harry sighed in defeat, deciding to turn back to camp. He didn't bother moving quite as silently nor as vigilantly as he had before. He wasn't looking to catch anything, so he didn't care if he scared any possible prey off.

Instead, his thoughts were turned inward, where they seemed to like being a lot as of late. Now, they were tied up in reprimanding him for his lack of success. How was he supposed to be of any use to anyone on Arda or Earth if he couldn't even hold his own in a friendly partnership?

Of course, his mind still prone to the insecurities of youth didn't register that he might be in danger in the dark, dreary wood he was walking through. And, in retrospect, he had to admit that Moody's favorite saying 'Constant Vigilance!' was certainly just as important as the somewhat paranoid, retired Auror made it out to be. It was too bad for him that he didn't realize that before he walked into the waiting trap.

For that was the only thing it could be, really.  Though it took him a few moments of struggling to realize that.  He might have been able to escape if he'd had his dagger or his wand drawn, but he didn't. The sticky material that clung to all around him, its hold on him only strengthening as he struggled, was indeed a very clever trap.

After this realization came a second, that of what exactly it had to be. The only thing it could be, of course, was the web of one of the great spiders that had survived the fall of Beleriand. There weren't that many of them, but most of the survivors haunted dark woodlands, such as these, or the even darker caves in the Shadowy Mountains. It was rumored that some now haunted the former Eryn Lasgalen, now called Mirkwood, for the darkness that was overrunning its domain.

A large part of him hoped that this was simply a web that a wondering spider had left behind, while searching for filling hunting grounds. After all, this wasn't a very good place. The wildlife was scarce, though that could very well be because of the spider, and it was only a little over a weeks ride from Lothlórien, with the Misty Mountains looming off in the distance. The only prey that could really be expected were those on their way to Lothlórien, and anyone who wasn't experienced enough to handle themselves, such as an Elven warrior or perhaps one of Dúnedain Rangers, traveled in caravans…

But that hope was crushed when, after several moments of remaining absolutely still, and listening, he felt a slight tug from the right side of the webbing, which meant its creator knew he was there, and was coming.

This caused a chill of sheer terror to rush through the young wizard's body.  Of all the monsters he had to run into now, when Haldir didn't know where he was or that he might be in danger, it had to be one of those he'd been taught to fear the most.

The Great Spiders of Arda weren't like Aragog and his kin. They were among the foulest beings that had ever walked these lands. Some were the descendents of Ungoliant, the infamous destroyer of the Trees of the Valar, who even Melkor learned to fear. They were truly dark creatures, their very natures comprised mainly of envy, insatiable voracity and unreserved malevolence. It was said most of the spiders around today weren't anywhere near the size of their great ancestors, but they could populate an area more quickly then almost any other creature, so their numbers gave them strength in places like Mirkwood and they'd developed an heightened perception with regards to their wicked craft of entrapment.

It was much nearer now; the tugging was stronger, and he could hear it approaching through the gloomy treetops. Therefore, it wasn't long before he heard its eagerness in the terrible way it twisted the Common Tongue of Men with the Black Speech. [AN: Note that whenever it's talking it should sound like what I just said, but I don't know much of the Black Speech, and I may not be able to make the dialogue quite as crude as that…if at all. Sorry :(] "What is this we have here?  We's are thinking that it must be an elf…A young elf, yes…They're the only ones that come by at all really…but the older ones never get caught…We like the taste of elf blood, yes…"

And then he felt himself being lifted rapidly upward by the webbing he was caught in, and then he was spun around several times, until he was securely wrapped in the spiders mesh, before it stopped to take a closer look at him, its many, dark eyes… intrigued?

"What is this? It looks like no elf? Does not glow…no…  A young Ranger then?  Well, very well… We's are hungry, so we don't really care…"

And that was all it said before it began spinning him again, until his entire body was encased in webbing, which had hardened somewhat into an inescapable prison. He couldn't see anything then, could only quake in terror as he felt it carrying him away, unable to see where it was going thanks to the thick netting around his face, which barely let him breath. Escape wasn't possible… He knew that. He couldn't move at all, so that ruled out his wand and his Elven weapons…

By the time his captor finally stopped, Harry was at wits end. What could he do? He could barely tell up from down in this terrible cocoon, how could he free himself? Yes, the webbing had hardened somewhat, but it was still sticky enough that struggling was more hindrance than help.

Then all conscious thought vanished as a sharp pain in his abdomen signaled penetration, drawing a wounded cry from him. The throbbing ache echoed through his body, augmenting to new heights almost as quickly as the sense of helplessness he now felt.

~ Haldir's Point of View ~

[AN: Yes, I realize that Harry wouldn't remember anything from Haldir's POV, but telling the next part solely from Harry's POV would be pretty boring so…Writers license. :-P]

The March Warden of the Golden Wood was not in a good mood. It hadn't taken him a particularly long time to realize that his Lord and Lady's foster son was missing, but it had taken far longer than it should have. Elerossë had been clever, to be sure, setting up his sleeping mat the way he did and then sneaking off at precisely the right time.

Haldir had suspected something of this nature might occur early on in the trip, but to deliberately disappear in the middle of the night? What was the boy thinking?!

Well, actually, what he was thinking was fairly obvious; for some reason Harry felt that Haldir's protectiveness was due to his own colossal failings. In a way it was, Harry simply didn't have the experience to know the dangers around him all the time. That was why Haldir had chosen to go with him, as a guide and protector. The child wouldn't really be able to learn anything with a full division of guards around him, so having a single, very experienced guard was the only other option. He liked the boy, and he hadn't left the Golden Wood in some time, so, why not?

This would be why not! The boy had deliberately 'given him the slip' in an effort to prove some non-essential thing. What could he possibly hope to prove in this escapade? Proof of adulthood?  Hardly.

It didn't help that Harry seemed to have gone a fair distance from the camp, and wandered right into the area of the woodland that Haldir had made every effort to avoid. He'd sensed something evil from around here. That was why he'd taken the extra day's hike of going around it, along the river: a far more pleasant journey, and more practical. He'd planned on coming back here whenever they returned home, that time with an experience hunting party, to root out whatever it was that haunted these woods.

What that was, was now quite obvious. At least one spider had obviously spent a great deal of time weaving its trappings in this area. His enhanced sight made it easy enough to slip around all of the ensnarements that were close to the ground, but from the tracks he was following, Harry had only really missed them by luck. He wasn't even paying attention to where he was going!

His anger and concern reached new levels at that realization, which caused him to increase his already rapid pace to what could be considered a conservative run. It therefore wasn't long before he reached the place where Harry apparently stopped, then decided to turn back in the direction of their camp, going a slightly different route…one which would probably lead him right through some of the arachnid monstrosities' traps.

Now he was running, his wholly honed Elven heritage still making his footfalls almost invisible on the ground he was crossing, but not quite. Then he came upon a sight that made him stop dead in his tracks, his eyes wide with horror.

One of the webs that had obviously been laid out, right in Harry's path, had been drawn in, undoubtedly once the young wizard had been caught in it.

The Eldar warrior forced himself to continue breathing at a steady, constructive rate; his mind quickly moving into high gear. His grey eyes quickly moved to the treetops above the cleanly broken webbing, where a large creature had clearly passed through a short time before.

Following the creatures trail wasn't easy, that's why it stuck to the treetops. It meant that any pursuer had to keep an eye on the 'track', the ground in front of them, and the area around them. Very difficult for even the most experienced warrior, to be sure.  But this wasn't the first time he'd hunted a monster of this sort.

The sound of a familiar, aggrieved cry a short distance ahead of him was all he needed to know his path was right, and then he didn't need to watch the treetops quite so closely, nor did he care to.  By then he was well and truly running through the dark woodlands, an arrow already on his bow, where it had been for quite some time, wait to be of use.

The creature was making no effort to be inconspicuous; that much was clear as he reached the clearing it had chosen to feast in. It obviously hadn't eaten in quite some time, so was wasting no time in enjoying its catch.

By the time that thought had registered, the March Warden had already entered the clearing, come to the stop, raised his bow and let the arrow fly.

Hunger had a powerful calling, but the pain of an arrow sinking into its backside was more then enough to draw the monster away from its meal, to turn its attention to its attacker. But turning to face was one of the worse things it could have done, for that left its precious eyes, vulnerable to attack. He wasted no time in taking advantage of that target, ruining a number of the dark, beady instruments before it managed to launch its own offensive.

The manner in which it chose to attack, though, was surely the worst thing it could do. By leaping at him, it opened its soft underbelly for attack.

And that was really all it took to bring it down; one arrow to the heart. Then it lay on the ground, spasming as it released its death throws.

He didn't really care about the creature. Quickly severing its head from its body was more for the large piece of his mind that didn't want such an enemy at his back, more then it was for pity to the monster itself.

Then he quickly made his way over to the cocoon of slightly hardened webbing the spider had dropped upon his arrival. The grayish-white envelope was broken only by the hole in the middle, which was leaking blood.

He winced at the sight, though it wasn't unexpected, then he began cutting into the tight prison with careful, sensitive cuts, to make sure that he didn't do his young friend more harm. It took some time to free the young wizard from the webbing, and the Elven warrior honestly wasn't surprised by the wide-eyed, unconscious state he found his 'mortal' friend in.

The spider had been feeding, which meant he still probably had some of the venom of its bite in his veins, and was therefore paralyzed.

The Elf shook his head, releasing a soft sigh before he wrapped some of the webbing he'd just freed the boy from around his middle, to slow the flow of blood until he could treat it. Then he picked the boy up, carrying him out of the clearing and back to their camp like the child he truly was.

~ *End of Flashback* ~

Harry hadn't woken up from that drugged state for several days, according to his wife's uncle. And it had taken him a number of weeks to recover from the incident, his wound needing time to heal, along with the careful attention Haldir readily provided. If he'd felt useless before it was nothing compared to the way he felt those first few days, when he could barely move without help, and had to rely on his companion utterly and completely.

But, more then that, what he really remembered was the way the March Warden had looked at him. The anger and disappointment mingled with fear, concern, and compassion, all swirled together in the Eldar's wise, silver-gray eyes, was not an easy thing to forget…

The second time had been on the day he and Ránëwén were married. The look of absolute joy in the profound gaze was far more pleasant a sight, to be sure.

And now… the slightly resigned, yet compassionate and concerned look in his mentor's gaze was almost enough to bring the tears back. If Haldir accepted the 'fact' that Ranewen was dead…shouldn't he? Wouldn't that mean that his foster mother was simply trying to make him feel better with a cruelly false hope?

"She would not want you to live in the past or in doubt, Elerossë," the March Warden reprimanded lightly, releasing his chin as he stepped to the side slightly.  "Nor should you give up hope."

"Dan…" Harry looked down at the ground once again, shaking his head. "But what if she isn't alive?"

"Then you should honor her memory and the time you had her beside you," was the firm reply, and then he smiled slightly as Harry looked up at him. "But the Lady is right…there is always that chance, however small, that she may have survived. Would you condemn her to the way you suffer now, by giving up on her?"

"Lau…"  Harry shook his head, his mouth setting in a firm line.  "Laume…"  {No…No, of course not…}

"Come," his uncle-in-law insisted, after a moment's silence. "The Lord and Lady are waiting for us. As are Rumil, Orophin, and our supper…" [AN: I'd forgotten that 'Rúmil' was one of Haldir's brother's names. Therefore, just so you can tell the difference between them, in dialogue, etc., I'm going to be calling Haldir's brother "Rumil", and not "Rúmil". OK? …Because I really don't feel like finding another name for him…]

End Chapter 13.

Translations:

Nierme Oior - Tears of the Heart

Yondo nin - my son

Man? - What?

Lau…- No

Melme - Love

Uma - Yes

Lende mi… - Come in…

Mae govannen… - Welcome (Well-met)

Telain - A platform that the Galadhrim built in the higher branches of the silver-barked and gold-leafed Mallorn trees of Lothlórien.  ("Tree houses")

Response to Reviews:

Raclswt - Thank you.

LOL, no, I don't speak Elvish, I just like using it. If it were actually a language that people used in their day to day lives, then I probably wouldn't use it as much, because I highly doubt I do it any justice…

BloodRedSword - Seventeen, why?

LOL, I'm glad you liked it ^_^

*Nods* Very true…some of that was supposed to be in this chapter, but I was having trouble with that, so I cut it short. Sorry. L

Maybe…

Thank you. ^_^

Hmm, I'm not sure I'd be any good at it, but I'll go take a look. My main problem is a lack of time. I barely have enough time to write my own fan fics and read some others… I'm not sure I could beta someone else's stories on a regular basis. But I'll consider it.

Herald-Mage Brianna - Thank you.

I'm not quite sure yet… though I'm definitely considering a few. ^_^

Rhinemjr - LOL, don't worry about it. ^_^
That's good to hear.

No, it wasn't very nice…and it really wasn't to be, so… *shrugs*

Thank you. Sorry about the wait. -_-*

Jeni Black - LOL, yup.

LOL, I'd like that, and I'll certainly try, but my sister-in-law has two have sisters (and a lot of step-siblings, I'm not quite sure how this family works, but… *shrugs*) so I'll have some competition…. I don't know. I think the "cute" characteristic seems to go hand in hand with the "little" one…most of the time…when they're not crying…etc…

No, no member of the Fellowship knows Elerosse personally. Gandalf has heard of him, but he never meant him in person. Legolas was always off hunting or something like that, when they could have meant, and all of the others weren't born yet…
LOL, no, I'm not quite sure… I think it's the same sort of scenario people relate to "Heaven":

- Perfect paradise

- Everyone wants to get there…

- But no one really ever says what you might do there…

Except the Undying Lands sound a little more…mortal…though that isn't really the right term. So it's not quite the same thing.

Silnar - Hi ^_^

Thank you, I'll keep that in mind

We'll see…umm…lack of momentum?

Sorry, you'll have to wait and see. :-P

Deliverance - LOL, don't worry about it. I appreciate the effort. ^_^

That's always nice to hear, and yes, it should be, shouldn't it?

LOL, yes, I thought so too. *Shrugs* I thought it fit… I mean, she always does that with professors, doesn't she? How long did it take her to get away from always referring to Snape as "Professor Snape" even though she hates him almost as much as Ron and Harry do? The summer before fifth year? …I think…

Oh yes, that will certainly be interesting…though difficult…definitely difficult…It's one of the reasons this chapter is so short…*Sighs*
Maybe…
LOL, doesn't really matter…it looked weird, but…*shrugs*

You're welcome, and thank you. ^_^

Heather-Hezzer-and-Honaluki - *Shrugs* I, personally, prefer the movies…for the most part. But maybe that's just me…. Don't get me wrong, I love the story, but… I think it's because the books focus on the story more then the characters, and the movies seemed a bit more personalized to me…and we could see Elves. That's a definite plus. ^_^*
Thank you, I'm glad you think so.

Maybe…Maybe not…

Privan - *Sigh*

1. When did I even mention slash? As far as I know it simply hasn't come up. It may, and there may be a slash relationship later on in the story, but as far as I know that's yet to be decided, and hasn't been mentioned at all.

2. I personally like the Elvish, and I realize that I've gone overboard with it a few times, but I have cut back, and, in my humble opinion, which in the end is the only opinion that matters, it adds flavor and authenticity to the story.

3. Why? Generally, crossovers have to lean towards one or the other, and I think I've kept it fairly balanced, but, as it says in the summary, Harry's going to have to choose one of the worlds, so do I.

4. Harry's character is hard to judge. He's lived a long time, yes. But on Middle Earth, has he lived a long time when compared to those he knew well? No. Compared to most of them he'll still be a child for a long time. Like, in the flash back here? I may be wrong, but I believe Haldir was alive in the First Age. Harry came to Middle Earth in the Third Age, so of course, even after a few centuries he'd still seem like a child to Haldir.
5. But I do hope you are enjoying the fic still, and I apologize if you feel I over reacted, which I very well may have.

Szelij - Thank you…

*Blink**Blink*…

LOL… *Falls out of computer chair*

*Picks herself up off the floor a few minutes later, stifling giggles*

Thank you, that was a very amusing image…Which may or may not be usable. We'll see. ^_^

Darak - OK… Thank you…

Hmm, well, that's a lot easier to answer then why she didn't push him out of the way, which has an answer as well, but that'll come out in the course of the story, so please don't bother asking.

You have to remember that while Ránëwén had a lot of training and whatnot, and is a pretty good duelist, she'd still be far more accustom to the way she lived on Middle Earth, and therefore, it's very possible that the idea simply didn't occur to her when she half-unconsciously reacted to the site of her soul-mate be in mortal peril.

Umm… He was struggling, and Harry only saw him doing that, so yes, he probably fell over, but he was determined to get Harry…which can supposedly do a lot, especially for a wizard.
Well, Harry doesn't know either, so that's good.

Hmm, well, a lot of the things Voldemort did were things that he also did, or Dumbledore did when they dueled in OotP, so, considering it HP cannon, I thought it was fair game for him… And, as to the shade part, I have to disagree. Just because he couldn't physically practice doesn't mean he couldn't accumulate knowledge, with the intention of practicing once his body was restored, or he was in control of someone else's body.

He wasn't misbehaving, and just because he's over a thousand years old doesn't make him all knowing. He knows and has seen a lot, yes, but he still very young as far as Elves go. (I'm not sure if Arwen or Legolas was the youngest Elf on Middle Earth, but I think it was one of them…)

Lunawolf - Maybe…

Yes, it should be. ^_^

We'll see… ^_~

HG/HrRFan4ever - LOL, yes, that seems to be the general consensus, which is good. ^_^

For the most part yes…though that doesn't mean they're done reacting…

Thank you.

It's my brother and my sister-in-law. And thank you. Congrats to you too, and yes, it is wonderful. ^_^

Kevin-McKay - LOL, personally? I agree. ^_^

But I am fond of cliffhangers…Sorry. :-P

Estel Potter - Thank you :-D

*Nods* Yes, bad times for Harry…

LOL, I actually did that when I was writing at one point. I added her into a scene (which was supposed to be in this chapter, but won't come up until the next one), and then remembered that she's not supposed to be there, so I had to delete most of the scene. *Shakes head* I don't know…maybe I get too attached my OC's, but leaving her dead won't be easy…

LOL, he does, doesn't he? Don't worry, not that far off. ^_~

*Blink**Blink* LOL, *clap**clap* That's almost the exact mindset I'm getting Harry ready for… ^_^

That's always nice to hear… I'm trying to keep her in character.

LOL, yes, he will be… Not sure about Haldir yet…We'll see. ^_^

*Sigh* I should, shouldn't I? …Of course I have to make up my mind first, but… *shakes head* That should be all sorted out in the next chapter.

Umm…Every one that I know of, pretty much. All of them were attacking, so all of them ended up in Mordor…Well, almost all of them.

Thank you. ^_^

The angelic vampire - *Cough**Cough* Sorry can't answer the second part of that yet… :-P

Calen - Thanks, *nods* yup.

LOL, sorry, that's for the next chapter… It was supposed to be in this chapter, but it's being difficult…So it's going into the next chapter. Leaving you guys with a short chapter. *pouts* Sorry…

LOL, very amusing image, I may give it a try. Thanks for the idea. ^_^

Musicstarlover - Yes, it's always nice when exams are over. And yes, I'm an aunt. And, therefore, I would appear to be rather lucky, wouldn't I? ^_^

*Blinks* Umm…Wouldn't a bar of chocolate have a chocolate flavor?

Lyla Snape - ^_^

LOL, yes, stabbing Umbridge is a very appealing concept, isn't it?

She's working on it…

Vsd2oc - LOL, thank you very much. ^_^

1. I try…Over-thinking can make writing difficult, but the final product is better, so I think the efforts certainly worth it.
2. LOL, enjoy. ^_^

Sierra-Falls - *makes a face* Um…the two people that were with them when they were pulled back? … It seemed like a good idea at the time. *Shrugs*

LOL, very true…More of that later. ^_^

Luke-6622427 - *Sigh* Yes, the last chapter, and this one, were terribly short, I know. And I apologize. They're being difficult, so…

Blip-dragon - Hmm… I'd think so. Elves aren't purely magical, that would be what the Valar, and maybe the Maiar are. Elves are immortal, but they're not invulnerable… But, as to the depleting life energies thing… That's a very real possibility. ^_~

Dadaiiro -

1. LOL, thank you, I'm glad. ^_^

Yes, they were, weren't they?

Yes, I like Galadriel too. ^_^

2. LOL, maybe… ^_~

*Blink**Blink* Yes, that would be an interesting scene, wouldn't it? …LOL, and that gives me quite a few ideas, but I'm afraid they'll probably have to wait until later…

Jaclyn (Mebririth/Enya) the butterfly Queen - Hi! ^_^

LOL, I try.

*Shrugs* That's good to hear…It shows how much people actually like Violet. I haven't anyone say they're glad she'd gone, so bringing her back definitely isn't out of the picture. ^_~
Thank you, I'm glad you think so.

Nymphadora14 - Thank you ^_^

*Sighs* No, Elves aren't purely magical beings. They're immortal, but not invulnerable. I think the Valar are supposed to be purely magical beings (they're gods), but I'm not quite sure yet…
 

Dadaiiro -
(1)

No, death definitely wasn't way off. ^_^

*Shakes head* I think most of that's hinted at in the last few chapters, but the rest is still behind closed doors, for now.

Yes, he did. I mean, he pretty much admitted that he should have given Harry a good grade!
Most of those questions have been answered, right?

LOL, yes, that was kind of a spur of the moment decision. Originally, they were supposed to be betrothed/engaged, but not married yet. But then I decided that Harry'd have to realize it wasn't really fair for Ránëwén to have to get married surrounded by his friends, and not hers, so he didn't take the chance.

*Cough**Cough* That should be coming up pretty soon.

(2)

Maybe…Maybe not…

*Nods* Very true…but I really don't think Harry could ever right the death of his soul mate off as an "accident".

Umm…sorry…not telling… :-P

LOL, I'm not quite sure about that yet, still thinking…

Yes, Remus will transform.
Thank you ^_^

Saki - LOL, thank you. ^_^

It is nice, isn't it.

…No…not really…Poor Harry… *shakes head*

Dumbledore - LOL, thanks. ^_^

Hmm, I'll consider it. But I've always found that background lends depth, so…We'll see… Thank you for the advice, though.

Thanks to:

Digi Bonds

Wytil

Insaneechildfanfic

Canal

CastusAlbusCor

Tomboy101

Misscarlet1225

Burningicecream

The Lady Reaper of the Shadows - ^_^

Cataclysmic

Athenakitty

Silver Sparklze

Aion

Prd2bAmerican18

Ahndi - ^_^

Insain fan - LOL…cool ^_^

Jlmac - :-D

Star mage - Probably, yes…We'll see.

Possesed Angel

"Fan of story" (email)

Angua - You're very welcome. ^_^

Lilytiger20 - ^_^

AN: Wow, 52 Reviews! Not bad guys! ^_^

Sorry about the wait. As I told quite a few of you, I was trying to give you guys a longer chapter… But one of the later scenes just isn't cooperating, so I'll have to rethink it.

What'd you think? Worth continuing?

I'm going college visiting tomorrow, but I'll try to update again soon.

Bye! ^_^

~ Jess S