Winter had come to Fangorn. For the last three months rain and snow had heavily pelted vast regions of the dark wood. The creatures of the forest had grown their winter coats and others had hidden themselves away, deep beneath the earth. Temperatures kept all but the hardiest of plants from showing their leaves.
Even with the benefit of warming charms, the two children had been hard pressed to keep the chill from their bones. Luckily, Draco, having been raised in the social circles where such knowledge was fashionable, knew the furs best to keep the cold away. Keeping a ready supply of them within the small cave that had become their hiding place was easy enough.
Sitting upon the cliff ledge mere yards away from the cave entrance, Draco stared out across the tree tops of Fangorn. The rising sun caught the white hair of the fur wrapped around his widening shoulders, sparkling like the snow drifts upon the rocky environment surrounding him. Only the top half of his face was exposed to the cold, extremities like nose tip and ear tips bright cherry red.
Much as he missed the warmth of spring, Draco found that he enjoyed winter more. Especially winter here, at what seemed like the top of the world. The harsh granite stone he sat upon was miles away from that warm spring clearing the two had first appeared in over a year ago, and miles higher in elevation. The smell of pine, oak and cold old stone was crisp and clear at this height.
The cave at Draco's back had been cramped and uncomfortable when Potter and he had first found it. And true to his word, the brat had been tense and snappy for the first month or so in the small commode. Draco had found his patience evaporating after the ninth argument in five days had left a dent the size of a small boulder bashed into the side of the cave.
A terse explanation of Potter's childhood explained the discomfort. When Potter had found the cave expanded to somewhat roomy portions the next day, the tension had eased immediately and the arguments diminished in force and frequency.
A small grin passed across covered lips as Draco contemplated the other child. Though Potter's temper was still red hot and a thing to be avoided, his control had improved since the setumsempra incident that had torn open Draco's chest. It was certainly a change for the better if you asked him.
Harry woke slowly to the smell of tea and the ting ting sound of the kettle. The thick furs that made up his bed slid easily off his body when he levered himself upright. Looking around, he saw no trace of Malfoy. Shrugging Harry reached over to the pile of clothes next to the furs and withdrew a heavy sweater. Luxuriating in the feel of warm, soft wool against his skin, Harry surveyed the room and gave a small smile. It had nothing on Hogwarts, but it certainly felt like home.
The dent Harry's magic had punched into the wall months ago contained the merrily cracking fire, a magically carved chimney directing the smoke so it did not drift into the room. Malfoy had carved the back of the fireplace with designs of trees and birds and Harry had made it so the chimney spout curved and wound its way through the mountainside, emerging from the rock roughly a mile and a half away. The faint glow of morning light dappled the rug covered passageway leading towards the outside world, yards to the right of Harry's bed.
Magic had shaped the chairs and the table from the rock floor beneath his very feet.
Opposite Harry's bed, was Malfoy's, covered in fur and mossy green sheets just like his own. The frames of the beds were merely stone edges raised from the floor. Between the two beds were the table and chairs. Shelves and recesses that had been pressed into the rock contained candles and glass orbs of steady flame, dishes and knickknacks scattered amongst the lighting implements. Every so often one could see the glint of a squat potion bottle peeking out from the mess, the contents glittering darkly.
Getting himself out of bed, Harry quickly braided his thick hair and gave a long stretch, proceeding to gather breakfast dishes for himself. Tucking a small loaf of bread from the table under his elbow, Harry filled two cups with tea and made his way into the passage. The floor of the narrow hall sloped sharply down and then up again to help contain the heat from the main chamber, the hall widening the closer he got to the outside. A bronze cauldron stood near the outer entrance, the curled lip waist high. Black willow branches were piled inside, soaking in the cold water within.
Emerging through the permanent barrier charm across the entrance and onto the small ledge, Harry found Malfoy sitting dangerously close to the edge. The cold snap of the wind bit at his nose and fingers, making him clutch at the hot mugs of tea more tightly. Harry took a few steps forward and peered over, down the sheer drop to the forest below. Faint birdsong reached his ears, tucked as they were into the warm twist of his braid. Sitting down beside the quiet child, he offered some bread along with a cup of tea. Malfoy refused the bread but took the tea.
"Couldn't sleep?"
Malfoy nodded and uncovered his mouth enough to take a sip, giving a satisfied sigh at the flavor.
"More dreams. They're always the same, a dead tree burning in a city of stone."
"Malfoy, do you think they might be premonitions?"
Harry tried to keep any derision out of his voice as he asked the question. Having had the words of a Seer hanging over his head most of his life, Harry still thought it was a load of hog wash. He had chosen his fate, not had it forced upon him as Trelawney's words had suggested.
Malfoy gave a negative shake of his head, wisps of white hair slipping from the pulled back knot he usually kept it in.
"I'm not a Seer, Potter. Any trace of the Sight in my family line is generations' back, not anything strong enough to give me visions. I'm not worrying about them in any case."
A lonely howl broke the silence of early morning and Harry gave a subconscious twitch at the sound. Malfoy's eyes slanted towards him for a moment and he huffed when the pale child raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'm fine."
Malfoy laughed and gestured to the necklace of warg teeth around his neck, something Harry rarely took off.
"You know they're more scared of us now then we are of them?"
"I know. I just don't like them this close to home…it make's me feel a little territorial."
Malfoy just shook his head and took another sip of his tea.
"I wonder what those mutts are hunting now."
Harry gave a little grin.
"I'm in need of some exercise today. Why don't I find out?"
Harry crouched low, his lithe frame hidden by the spiky outcroppings of the cliffs side. The day was cold and grey but the light was still good enough to make out the hulking figures creeping out from the trees. He had been gathering herbs for Malfoy when he'd noticed shadows flitting behind him. He'd been hoping to take up the search for the wargs when he'd completed the errand for Malfoy but it seemed his timetable had been moved up. The large hulking shapes had been wargs, but what had been strange was that these wargs had riders.
Humanoid and ugly, Malfoy had made mention of this creatures months ago as beings to be avoided. Orcs, were what he had called them. Scarred and scattered with metal rings piercing their flesh, tusks protruding from their lower jaws, they were ugly and had a look of malice seemingly stamped on their faces.
They had trailed him for miles during his search for Malfoy's herbs. Harry had made sure that he had kept his body posture loose and relaxed, never letting the tension in the pit of his belly curl his spine. The wind had been stiff and cold, whipping past his face and blowing his scent towards the wargs constantly.
The cave was ten or so miles south. Harry had ventured east, farther and farther away from their hideaway and the scents that lingered in the surrounding area. Looking closely, Harry could see the cleaver like swords attached to the harnesses of the wargs. The blades, from hilt to blade tip were coated in a dark tar like substance. Blood, no doubt.
Looking away from warg riders and up to the cliffs side, Harry tried to discern a path upwards. The cliff was not sheer by any means, but steep enough the wargs would not be able to follow. Giving a short huff, Harry kept himself low as he crawled towards the base of the cliff. Reckoning the height to be close to two hundred feet, he gave a mental groan and cursed softly. Trust him to back himself into a corner.
Casting a disillusionment spell, Harry shuddered at the feeling of raw egg sliding down his neck. With one last look at the approaching riders, he started to climb.
Minutes ticked by as he climbed higher and higher, trying to avoid disturbing any nesting birds that might give away his location. The stone was rough and sharp, easy to climb if you were small enough and had opposable thumbs. As he climbed, Harry tried to catch a glimpse of the riders over his shoulder. Unfortunately wisps of hair blew across his vision every time he turned his head to look, obscuring his sight of the pursuing creatures.
By the time Harry had climbed about fifty feet up the cliff his muscles had started to ache. Finding a small niche, he gave a sigh of relief and put his back against the chilly stone. Many feet below him the riders had found his original hiding spot.
Looking down Harry watched the three riders and their wargs mill around the rocks below, cursing and spitting at each other in a foul language. Just as Harry was about to continue his way up the cliff, a fierce bellow echoed through the trees and the surrounding area. Small pebbles rained down the cliff side and the harsh caw of disturbed birds burst from the forest. Harry cringed. Something or someone was pissed.
Another roar sounded and this time was accompanied by a series of high pitched yips and yowls. The wargs beneath Harry's feat sent out high pitched yips of their own, startling to the side every time the sounds repeated. The orcs atop their backs cursed at them for their sidling and at a barked command from one jumped off the backs of their mounts quickly.
As soon as the ugly humanoids were off their backs, the wargs were off like a shot. The lead orc gave a disgusted snort and spat in the direction of the mutts. With a wave, he motioned to the others to keep searching. The three started to spread out amongst the rocks. Harry however, did not follow the orcs progress. He watched the area of the forest where the wargs had vanished into the black foliage. A feeling deep in his chest warned him to stay very still, no matter that he was invisible to the natural eye.
A large, familiar form burst through the tree-line. Clutched in his gnarled, twisted hands dangled the remains of two of the orcs mounts.
"HOOOMM…GNASHING AND BURNING…hroomm…CRUSH YOU AND KILL YOU…hoomm…ORCS IN MY FOREST!"
Treebeard's very sap felt as if it was boilng. Orcs in his forest! How dare those maggoty worms put their filthy roots upon any creature within Fangorn! Looking about, he located the maggots in questions…scrambling about the rocks of the mountain without a care, leaving their bloodstained filth upon all they touched. Treebeard felt another roar work its way up his trunk.
Bounding forward, he threw the mangled bodies of the wargs at the orcs and dived into the pile of boulders. Small sounds of pain issued from amongst the rocks when a large fragment of stone landed on two of the three, crushing them instantly. He pushed aside rock after rock as he desperately searched for the third. Treebeard gave a satisfied hroom when his roots finally closed around the stinking body of the last orc. Lifting the squirming body up till the creature could look into his eyes; Treebeard glared at the orc and started to squeeze…slowly.
Harry gave a squeak.
A killer tree wasn't something one saw everyday, after all, so his squeak could be excused.
The Whomping Willow didn't count. The Willow couldn't uproot itself; chase you down and slowly, deliberately crush you to death if you pissed it off. Quietly, Harry cancelled the disillusionment spell. He doubted the killer tree would play nice with something it couldn't see. Keeping himself still, Harry frowned as he watched the large creature. That booming voice had been familiar but the creature's face was covered in warg blood and was not recognizable.
He flinched when the orc in the tree's hand… exploded…for want of a better word. Fighting the urge to throw up, Harry pressed himself tighter to the cliffside.
"Hroom…hooom…nasty orcs in Fangorn…foul…fithly…hroom…"
Harry blinked as amber colored eyes the size of dinner plates turned in his direction.
"TREEBEARD!?"
Draco's head shot up from his task when a shrill shriek sounded from the east. Looking into the distance, he narrowed his eyes at the horizon. The sun was past the midday point and Potter had still not returned. Draco wasn't worried about the Gryfindor, but still, he needed the herbs before sunset.
However, after searching for a few minutes, his excellent vision could pick out nothing unusual. Shaking his head, he went back to heating the cauldron full of willow stalks.
The wargs must have caught whatever they had been hunting…poor bastard.
Treebeard shook out his roots in disgust, the crushed body of the orc sliding wetly from his grasp to hit the rock with a plop. He then turned and started to move away, intent on finding the rest the filthy creatures. But a small squeak of his name caught his attention. Turning back to the pile of boulders, Treebeard crouched down and began to move the boulders aside. That did not sound like the voice of an orc.
"Up here, Treebeard!"
Harry shouted, hoping that his voice was loud enough for the large tree to hear him. When the huge, blood spattered face of the Sheppard turned from the rocks up towards him, Harry gave a huff. Hopefully the great twig would remember he was a friend.
In the year or so since Malfoy and he had arrived in Arda, Harry had come across the Ent only a handful of time. Maybe only once before when he had been on his own. From all the encounters the three of them had had, Treebeard had been very kind and very helpful. But Harry had never seen viciousness like this from the Sheppard before.
"Hroom…humm…I know…hmmm…you…hrooom…little elfling…hoom"
He gave a sigh of relief as a smile split the mossy beard of the giant face below him.
"I would hope so, Treebeard! I thank you for the rescue!"
"Hmmm…rescue…little…hroom…one...hoom?"
Harry blinked.
"Yes Treebeard. The five you killed were tracking me since morning. So thank you!"
The great amber eyes of the Ent studied Harry thoughtfully for a moment, before a questioning sound issued from within the green beard.
"What…hroom…was your…hmmm…name again…little…hoom…one? Hrmm…Hadrian…hoom…wasn't…hmmm…it?"
Harry shook his head. Looking down, he thought for a moment and then shrugged. It wouldn't be polite to disagree with a tree that had just come out of a blood frenzy, nope, not polite at all.
"Hadrian's as good a name as any, Sheppard."
The Ent gave a slow nod and came closer to where Harry was perched upon the small ledge.
"Hmmm…would…you…hroom…like…to…hoom…come down…Hadrian?"
Treebeard reached up one lengthy arm as he asked this, offering Harry the palm of his hand. Harry contemplated the bloodstained wood for a moment, and looked at the fifty feet of air separating him from the ground. Pinching his nose closed, Harry jumped onto the rough, broad palm.
"Please."
Draco paced in front of the fire. He had half an hour before the sun set and the pain relieving potion he'd been working on all day was ruined. If Potter didn't make it, Draco was going to ring his skinny neck!
As he continued to pace, a sound from outside the entrance hall halted his step. A great crunching and shifting noise reached his ears, like the sound of an avalanche in reverse. Cautiously, Draco proceeded to the outside ledge. Looking over the edge, he jerked back with a girlish shriek when Potter's head nearly hit his. Landing on his bum, he scooted back as quickly as leather pants would allow till his back hit the wall of the mountain behind him.
Potter was slowly lifted over the edge of rock, gripping onto the giant hand that was holding him. Muffled laughter came from behind the hand Potter had slapped over his mouth and watery, humor filled green eyes were tilted at Draco.
Stepping off of what looked like a bloodstained knot of tree roots and onto the flat stone of the ledge, Potter uncovered his mouth and gave Draco a jaunty little wave.
"Hi honey. How was your day?"
For any that are concerned about the time skips, the way I'll be doing it is increasing the amount of time passed with every chapter. So it started with days, weeks, months and right now it's going to be years. So now just think decades and centuries. Also, I would love to hear suggestions or any ideas about the story you guys have. I do apologize for the formating of this and the last two chapters. I've been having a few problems transfering docs. over to FF.