Disclaimer: I don't own Harry's Wonderful World or Middle Earth. They unfortunately belong to their rightful inventors.
Chapter Fourteen. Choices
The atmosphere at the breakfast table was one of heavy anticipation. Although no one had spoken out loud their speculation of what Harry's choice would be they all were waiting with baited breath.
The twins were strangely quiet as they escorted Harry to the table. Harry waltzed in took his seat and started piling up his breakfast plate as if he hadn't a care in the world. To all that witness the young wizard elf's behaviour it seemed that Harry had apparently forgotten his oath to decided.
Erestor, was perhaps the exception to the rule. He was sitting on Elrond's left hand side with his scholarly nose glued to an ancient tome. Now and then his hand would wander on the table top to look for a delicate berry to pop into his mouth but other than that he was not making any other movements.
"Lovely weather," Elladan commented trying to start a conversation.
Harry glanced up at his plate and merely smiled serenely.
"It's all blue," Elrohir continued hopelessly looking through the archways at the sky.
"Hmmm," Harry murmured letting his eyes slide. "There's some clouds, might rain."
"Rain is good weather in which to make a decision," Elladan commented all too lightly poorly covering up his hint for Harry to tell them his decision.
"Personally I like to sleep in rainy weather," Harry returned calmly smirking over the top of his goblet all too well aware of what his uncles were trying to do. "I didn't sleep much last night. Perhaps I'll go back to bed this morning…"
"Oh damn it!" Erestor cried from his seat, slamming his precious book down before stamping out of the room. "I just can't find anything on the dreaded Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo."
Harry choked on his drink in a valiant attempt not to spew the liquid all over the table and the elf sitting opposite him.
"He's still researching that?" Elrohir squeaked in unbelief.
"I thought he would have been intelligent enough to have concluded Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo is neither vegetable, animal or mineral," Elladan concluded.
Elrond raised his eyes to the heavens as if asking what sins he had previously committed in his long lifetime to deserve his family and friends. Harry on the other hand returned quietly back to his meal.
The meal continued in relative silence each elf contemplating their own questions and Harry smirking knowingly at them all. Finally when the dishes had been taken away by the servants and the twins had eaten their full, Elrond decided to be blunt.
"Have you made a decision, Elrossë?"
Harry smiled winningly. "Yes," he said simply.
Elrond waited for a pause of a good five seconds. The twins instinctively leaned into the table as if they would hear Harry's answer more clearly.
"And?" Elrohir demanded roll his hand to indicate for Harry to elaborate.
"Oh?" Harry winked mischievously. "And what?"
"What. Have. You. Decided," Elladan demanded between clenched teeth deciding it was time that Harry answered them.
Harry calmly set his plate to the side and regarded his elvish family. It was amusing how they all leaned in to hear his response. He opened his mouth to reply when…
"I say this is a fair morning," Gandalf exclaimed entering the room.
"'Tis," Harry agreed serenely chuckling at Gandalf's surprised expression when he was faced with some very irritated elves.
"He was about to tell us what he had decided," Elrohir whined.
"And you had to barge in," Elladan added bitterly.
"At this rate we'll never know," Elrond grumbled in an unusually dour mood.
Much to the elves surprise Harry cackled evilly and rubbed his hands together cheekily. The elves shivered to hear such an awful sound emitting from one of their own mouths. "Oh the glorious power I hold!" Harry chuckled. "It's delightful!"
Harry's comment was the last straw for Elladan's restraint. Without thinking he picked up the closest knife and chucked it at his cackling nephew. Realising what the unidentified flying object was that was heading straight for him, Harry yelped and jumped to the side which meant he ended up landing on his head on the floor.
Elrond silence the near hysterically laughing twins with one of his well known penetrating stares. His sons immediately gifted him the gift of silence and Harry scrambled up only to trip on his robe and falling flat on his face again. With Elrond staring at them like that the twins didn't dare laugh.
Harry slowly stood regally brushed off his robe and sat down at the table. "Now where was I before I was rudely interrupted?"
"You were about to tell us your decision," Elrond hissed apparently his restraint only went so far.
"Hmm… I thought I was up to the laughing evilly…"
Elrond had raised his eyebrows and lifted his knife as if to say I won't miss.
"Okay, okay… pushy," Harry muttered. "Can't a guy make a decision without his family attacking him."
"Elrossë this is no longer funny," Elrond muttered rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Harry decided that Elrond was indeed right and his family had been properly punished. "I established the facts. I must go back I could never forgive myself if everything and everyone I had ever loved were slaughtered or tortured. I cannot and I'm deeply sorry but this is something I must do…"
Elrond sighed, he had been afraid for this.
"However." Elrond perked up as he heard Harry continue. "It is a fact that elvish bodies are far superior to that of mortals. And if I'm an elf and a wizard I would have an edge and a power that Voldemort doesn't necessarily know about."
Harry stopped to fiddle with this cutlery. "If I am an elf could I visit them sometimes?"
Elrond dared not believe it was possible that he was hearing correctly. He glanced over to Gandalf. "It could be arranged. It would not be often."
"You do realise that your friends are mortals?" Elrohir pointed out softly. "They will die and you will go on?"
Elrond could have cuffed Elrohir in those moments.
Harry paused to consider for a moment. "Death is apart of life and though we might never have to taste the bitterness of death we will not linger here forever. I'm not stupid Elrodan, this is my last chance for a real family. I'm aware."
"Touching," Elladan muttered.
"Even though you all drive me to distraction," Harry continued.
"And you don't drive us up the proverbial wall?" Elrond countered grinning.
"I can't help that I'm so loveable!" Harry cried in defence, his face fell in the next moment. "How soon will I be able to leave?"
"Within the hour could be arranged," Gandalf murmured.
Harry nodded and glanced at his long fingers. "I suppose this is goodbye then."
"No way," Elladan exclaimed standing.
"We're going with you!" Elrohir chorused.
"And when were you planning on telling me?" Elrond said sternly crossing his arms against his chest. That was never a good sign.
"Now?" Elladan hazard.
"We need to keep our little nephew-pooh safe," Elrohir continued lightly.
"But who will keep me safe from you?" Harry whined. "Plus it would be terribly inconvenient for you two to drop everything here and follow me."
Elrohir raised his eyebrow. "We're immortal. We've got plenty of time to find a she-elf."
Elladan snorted. "Is that all you think about?"
Harry rolled his eyes as he watched the twins exit the room arguing over she-elves. Honestly the third year Gryffindor boys had more maturity than those two. A moment later Gandalf excused himself and left Harry alone with Elrond.
"It was a good choice," Elrond said in way of encouragement.
"I could get myself killed," Harry dimly pointed out.
Elrond sighed heavily. "Alas I live that reality every day. It is something to do with begetting sons. They must always put themselves in danger in the name of the greater good or the grand adventure."
"Don't tell me you never did?" Harry said raising his eyebrows. "I seem to vaguely remember you telling me about some battle."
"Yes. That was a long time ago," Elrond agreed slowly. "That was when this world's fate lay in the balance as does yours now. Every world will come to those moments."
"To the moment then," Harry murmured toasting the nearest glass.
"The moment," Elrond echoed lifting his own.