Chapter Six: The Point of No Return
Disclaimer: The plot and any fictitious characters are mine, but the Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings universes belong to their respective owners. I'm just messing around with their worlds.
oOoOo
Harry felt nauseous, and when he tried to open his eyes, a blinding light made his head throb. He shut his eyes, wondering if he had ended up in hell. However, when Harry moved his fingers, he could feel soft grass, and when he took a moment to listen, all he could hear was the hum of bees and the chirping of birds.
There were no other sounds.
Which was odd in itself because Harry could have sworn he was surrounded by Death Eaters. He faced off with Voldemort and… died!
Harry sat bolt upright, regretting it immediately when his head felt like someone was repeatedly hitting it. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, squinting in the light, but everything was blurred. Harry felt around the grass, finding his wand and his glasses which he slipped on.
Harry swallowed thickly, trying not to retch as a fresh wave of nausea washed over him. He breathed deeply, taking a moment to calm his racing heart. When Harry felt he could look around without throwing up, he took in his surroundings. He had woken beneath the stippled sunlight of an old tree. White flowers were scattered among the well-seeded grasses. It was quite an idyllic setting and Harry thought he must be in heaven. However, he also questioned why arriving in heaven was so painful.
For a moment, Harry wondered where everyone else was. Surely, his parents, Sirius, and Lupin would come to greet him, but no such welcome had happened. He frowned, sighing as he grasped he was entirely alone in this beautiful forest. Harry used the old tree to clamber to his feet, taking a moment to breathe deeply before deciding he would just have to find them first.
Harry halted at another tree near a long dirt track and listened as a gentle clip-clop of an approaching horse could be heard. Harry ran behind the tree as they came around the bend. His heart thudded in his chest when it stopped right next to the tree he was hiding behind.
'Harry, you can come out,' said the deep voice, and Harry frowned as he recognised it. Harry peered around the tree, looking at the hunched figure, garbed in grey robes, sitting on the horse. The beautiful white horse snorted and reared as it looked at Harry.
'Professor Dumbledore?' Harry whispered, his voice dry and gravelly. He coughed, wondering why his throat was so tender.
'Yes, Harry, but I must ask you to call me Gandalf from now on,' the old wizard told him, motioning for him to come down. He looked back up at Harry who hadn't moved. 'Well, come on, Harry, we must press on,' Gandalf told him, and Harry shook his head. He climbed down from the bank, and stood next to the horse, stroking its neck.
'What happened?' Harry questioned, feeling like he was missing something important.
'Oh, yes, well…' Gandalf said, taking Harry's wand from him and tapping the young man on the head with it abruptly.
'Ouch! What the-' Harry snapped, but his eyes widened when everything became clear. Memories of everything that had happened came back to him in seconds. For a moment, Harry stared at Gandalf in alarm, before leaning over and emptying the contents of his stomach onto the dirt track. Harry wiped his mouth, closing his eyes against the throbbing behind his eyelids, still looking a bit green.
'So, I see you took the left train,' Gandalf said in amusement, looking over at Harry.
'It would appear so,' Harry slurred, breathing heavily and trying to quell the churning of his stomach.
'Do you remember what I told you before you got on the train?' Gandalf asked, looking at Harry seriously.
'Yes, sir,' Harry replied, standing upright and swallowing thickly.
'Now, Harry, I must stress you call me Gandalf, and nothing else. Gandalf the Grey is my name in this present,' Gandalf said sternly, looking at Harry who realised his half-moon spectacles were missing.
Harry nodded. 'Where are we?' he asked, looking around interestedly.
'We are close to the Ford of Bruinen,' Gandalf answered, smiling at Harry. 'And just past it is Rivendell, the home of the Elves,' he told him, his eyes twinkling.
'Elves?' Harry probed curiously, letting Gandalf help him up onto the horses back behind him.
'Elves,' Gandalf countered with a chuckle as they came over a hill revealing the wide river Bruinen beyond.
'So, this is Middle-Earth?' Harry enquired, perceiving it wasn't unlike the future. 'Tell me everything,' Harry said eagerly, wanting to know all about this time.
'What, everything?' Gandalf asked in shock, his brow furrowing. 'Well, what can I tell you that I have not already told you? A war is coming, but for the moment life in Middle-Earth goes on as it has this past age. At the moment, the date is October the eighteenth, and the year is three thousand and eighteen…' Gandalf trailed off as he surveyed the peaceful scenery around him. 'And by my reckoning, Frodo should already be in Rivendell,' he added softly, and Harry frowned wondering who Frodo was.
Harry looked around as they galloped over a stone bridge towards a mountain. Harry was startled when Gandalf changed his course unexpectedly and took a path through a narrow gorge. When they reached the end, it opened up into a beautiful valley, and nestled in the middle was a small cluster of elegant Elven buildings below towering cliffs and snow-capped mountains.
When they reached the courtyard, Gandalf dismounted and helped Harry down. 'Mithrandir!' came a voice, and Harry turned to see a beautiful woman running towards them.
'Arwen,' Gandalf greeted as she came to a stop in front of him. 'What has happened?' Gandalf quizzed fearfully, taking in her appearance. Arwen looked exhausted, and her riding gear was covered in mud. Harry thought he spotted blood on there as well.
'It is Frodo,' Arwen responded simply, before leaving swiftly again.
Gandalf turned to Harry. 'I will have to ask you to wait in Elrond's study, Harry. It is just up those stairs,' Gandalf told him, pointing to a building.
'But-'
'Now, Harry,' Gandalf said, cutting him off. 'I will be there shortly,' he added and walked away after the woman.
Harry looked around, noticing quite a few people were running around and supposed there must be some sort of emergency. 'You must be a friend of Gandalf's,' came a voice from behind him.
Harry turned around hastily and looked down to see a tiny man standing next to him. He looked like a child and only reached up to his waist. However, on closer inspection, this little person was not a child as he had wrinkles on his face and hands, and his hair was grey. He was a man of indeterminate age, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He was wearing a dashing brocade waistcoat, and he looked every inch the eccentric gentleman.
'Uh, yes, sir,' Harry answered in surprise.
'What? Never seen a Hobbit before?' the small man asked although he didn't seem as astonished by this as he sounded.
'Uh, no, sir. I don't get out much, I guess,' Harry replied, shaking his head.
'Hobbits are small folk. We live in Hobbit Holes, and Bag End, where I used to live, is a particularly fine example of one,' the Hobbit told him proudly, puffing away on a pipe.
'Maybe I'll see it someday,' Harry said, smiling down at the Hobbit.
'Yes, maybe,' the Hobbit responded, looking up at Harry. 'My nephew, Frodo, arrived in poor shape. Got all the Elves in a tizzy. Lord Elrond has been working tirelessly to save him,' the Hobbit clarified anxiously, gesturing to the Elves. 'I know he'll pull through, he's a Baggins,' the Hobbit added softly, more to himself than to Harry.
Harry and the Hobbit moved up the steps towards Elrond's study. 'Oh, I almost forgot my manners, how silly of me,' said the Hobbit, chuckling to himself. 'I am Bilbo Baggins,' the Hobbit greeted, reaching out his tiny hand to shake Harry's.
Harry held out his hand, and Bilbo had to use both of his small hands to shake his hand. 'I'm Harry Potter,' he greeted back, grinning at Bilbo.
'Oh, that's an unusual name,' Bilbo said, leading the way into Elrond's study as Harry raised his eyebrows in disbelief. 'And where are you from, Harry?' Bilbo probed, and Harry froze at the question.
'Uh… I'm from-'
'Bilbo Baggins!' Gandalf exclaimed with a beaming smile, saving Harry from having to answer.
'My dear Gandalf!' Bilbo cried as Gandalf dropped to his knees to embrace his old friend.
Gandalf pulled back, holding Bilbo's shoulders. 'Good to see you got here safely,' he said, his eyes twinkling.
Gandalf pulled back and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. 'Harry, here, is my apprentice,' Gandalf told Bilbo, to which Harry glanced up at him in surprise. Gandalf smiled at him, giving him a look which said he would explain later and to go with it.
'An apprentice? Well, this is a new thing for you, my friend. I didn't think Istari took on apprentices,' Bilbo answered pensively, eyeing Harry with a slight frown.
'Maiar, Bilbo,' Gandalf corrected him, smiling at his old friend. 'And we do, from time to time,' he told him, a twinkle in his eye.
Bilbo nodded indecisively. 'Any word on Frodo's condition?' Bilbo asked, wringing his hands nervously.
'Frodo is going to be fine,' Gandalf replied with a smile, and Bilbo sat down in relief.
'Oh, good,' Bilbo answered, shaking his head. 'Are the Elves finished? I want to go see him,' Bilbo said, standing up and moving to the door.
'Yes, Bilbo Baggins, it is done,' came a deep voice from the other side of the room. They all turned to see a strikingly handsome man standing in another doorway. His face was neither old nor young, though in it was written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful. The man nodded to Bilbo, and the Hobbit beamed at him before rushing away out the door.
'Lord Elrond,' Gandalf greeted, lowering his head in reverence.
Elrond moved further into the room. 'And this is one of the three you mentioned before?' he questioned, sitting down behind his desk.
'Yes, Mr Harry Potter,' Gandalf replied, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder.
Elrond's eyes moved to Harry's hand before moving back to his face. He sat back in his chair, clasping his hands together. 'I can see the likeness,' Elrond said cryptically, making Harry frown. Elrond sighed. 'I trust this information will be kept secret for now?' he asked, looking at Gandalf.
Gandalf nodded. 'Yes, Lord Elrond,' he countered, turning to Harry. 'Take your ring off, Harry, and keep it hidden,' Gandalf said, and Harry frowned up at him.
Harry took his ring off. 'Why?' he asked, looking down at his ring which he slipped into his pocket.
'I'll explain when the others get here,' Gandalf explained, looking out the window. 'Which I imagine won't be long,' he added with a smile.
'What others?' Harry asked, looking between Gandalf and Elrond.
'Soon, Harry,' Gandalf said, shaking his head. 'For now, let us leave Elrond in peace,' Gandalf said, leading Harry from Elrond's study.
The two wizards walked down the stairs and further into Rivendell. They met with Bilbo who was sitting at a small table on a patio outside a large hall. Harry looked into the room, seeing a lot of Elves singing and dancing. 'Tea, Harry?' Gandalf asked him, taking a seat at the table.
Harry nodded, moving over to another table with maps scattered all over it. 'Ah, those are maps of the places I've been to,' Bilbo told him, pouring tea into two teacups.
'Do you mind if I have a look?' Harry asked, gesturing to the maps.
'Not at all!' Bilbo answered with a smile, sitting down and turning his attention to Gandalf.
Harry frowned when he noticed some drawings of a ring on some parchment next to the maps. He squinted, wondering what it was meant to represent. Harry glanced towards Gandalf who was watching him before turning his eyes back to the picture. He moved some of the sheets, looking at other sketches. One of them was covered in rings all over the page, and mad scribbling he couldn't quite understand. Harry's frown deepened, and he moved the papers back into place, hoping that ring wasn't the same one he suspected it was.
Is that why Gandalf is here? Harry wondered, turning back to Bilbo and Gandalf. He took a seat, making a note to ask Gandalf when he got a chance.
Harry noticed another map on the table; this one was framed and charred in one corner. Gandalf smiled to himself, looking sideways at Harry. 'I may have given Bilbo a nudge out of his comfort zone in the past. He went on a journey with a dwarf named Thorin. He gave Bilbo this map,' he explained, and Harry nodded, looking at it a bit more closely. The title at the top read: The Lonely Mountain.
'I was shocked to find the Elves don't know about Afters, Gandalf! I was very disappointed indeed,' Bilbo complained, picking up a pork pie and taking a bite.
'Afters?' Harry asked Gandalf in confusion, receiving a chuckle from the old wizard.
Bilbo stood up and picked up a sponge cake from another table. 'But I found this, so we should be fine. I just hope it will be enough,' he said thankfully, placing it on the table.
Gandalf nodded, looking at Harry. 'Afters,' he reiterated in amusement, pointing to the cake.
Harry, on the other hand, was eyeing the stack of food Bilbo was piling onto the table with raised eyebrows. 'Not enough?' Harry asked Gandalf, who shrugged and smiled.
'Hobbits, Harry,' Gandalf countered with a chuckle. 'You will become well acquainted with them,' he advised, leaning back in his chair and sipping his tea.
'Cake?' Bilbo asked, turning to Harry.
'Uh, no thanks,' Harry replied, eyeing all the food. His stomach growled as he realised he hadn't eaten in days.
Bilbo turned back, his eyebrow raised. 'No, that will not do. You need some food too, I should think,' he said, his eyes glinting.
Harry moved to stop him. 'No, sir, it's fine,' he said quickly, but it fell on deaf ears. Harry looked at Gandalf for help, but the old wizard just smiled.
'One thing you'll learn, Harry, is Hobbits have an insatiable appetite and are very generous hosts,' Gandalf told him, smiling at Bilbo.
Harry smiled, watching Bilbo pile food onto a plate for him, and shook his head.
oOoOo
Hermione opened her eyes, squinting against the sunlight shining through the trees, momentarily blinding her. She loathed camping, wishing with hindsight they had thought to use the tents she still had in her beaded bag. Then again, if they needed to make a swift getaway, they would have to leave them, and Hermione didn't want that to happen.
Hermione shivered in the cold morning chill. The blanket she covered herself with was thin and scratchy. Hermione felt groggy and agitated from sleeping rough. For a moment, she lay there, listening to the chirping of birds, and looking at all the little things she missed the night before due to the darkness.
Hermione looked over at Ron. He was facing her, but he was still sound asleep. Ron's face was tranquil, and he was missing the pinched expression he had adopted from all the trauma they suffered over the last year. The Horcrux hunt was a complete nightmare. Not only did Ron leave because of the effects of Slytherin's Locket, but Hermione also discovered the redhead had feelings for her. Feelings which Hermione wished, with everything in her, that she reciprocated, but she just couldn't find it in herself.
Hermione's gaze moved to Malfoy, and she speculated if he would ever change. Draco Malfoy was free to be whoever he wanted to be without the burden of his father or Voldemort arbitrating his every move. Although, Hermione thought this would not happen any time soon, and she appreciated he would always be a Slytherin at heart. Hermione couldn't help feeling sorry for him though, having lost his mother. It was clear there was more to the Malfoy's than she initially thought.
Hermione sighed, realising they really needed to get up and make a plan for what they were going to do. She knew Diagon Alley was the next stop in their new mission, but Hermione knew they would need to be cautious. Death Eaters would be everywhere, and there was the likelihood that they would need to fight their way through them to achieve their goal.
Hermione rolled her eyes, letting the cold air of the early morning wake her up a little more. She sat up, wrapping the blanket around her to keep the chill at bay. Hermione shivered, looking around the small camp. The fire had gone out, but a warmth lingered in the embers.
'Ah, you're awake,' came a voice from behind her.
Hermione turned to find Snape emerging into the clearing. He lit the fire with a flick of his wand, before turning back to her. 'Wake the other two up. It's about time we left. I'll double check the area,' Snape advised, moving off into the trees.
Hermione frowned, stifling a yawn and looked at her two sleeping companions. Draco was blinking, apparently having been woken up by Snape's voice. He yawned and pushed his blanket back as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Draco stood, stretching, and moved over to his satchel, pulling things out of it which Hermione couldn't quite see.
After a moment, Draco moved over to the fire, which was now burning merrily, and placed a triangle cooker in the middle of it. Hermione understood he must have been using this to cook food for himself. She found it a little curious to watch him using a Muggle technique to cook when he had always seemed to abhor anything to do with Muggles.
Draco pulled his satchel towards him; it was an expensive bag he had used in school. Hermione noted it was now tattered, with burns here and there. She was relatively stunned at this, as Malfoy's tended to keep their personal items in above perfect condition. Alas, Hermione supposed Draco had abandoned that right when he turned against Voldemort and his father.
Draco paused, looking over at her. 'Do you want something for breakfast?' he slurred, his voice still groggy from sleep. Draco kept his tone polite, but you didn't have to be sorted into Slytherin to know he wasn't a morning person.
'Sure, just whatever you can spare is fine,' Hermione replied, giving him a smile and keeping her tone soft so as not to set him off.
Draco nodded, reaching into his satchel and pulling out various breakfast delicacies and setting them on the triangle cooker.
Snape came back into the camp. 'Good, you're awake,' he said to Draco, receiving a short nod. Snape moved over to Ron, nudging him with his foot. 'Wake up, Weasley,' he snapped, getting an irritated groan from the redhead.
It took Ron a moment to come to, and he sat up, rubbing his eyes blearily before scowling at Snape. 'Geez, can't a guy sleep,' he protested, but as soon as Ron detected the food Draco was making, his stomach gave a loud growl. Ron lowered his head in embarrassment before glancing at them sheepishly.
Hermione laughed, and even Draco let out a little chuckle. 'Hungry, Weasley?' he asked, sparing Ron a glance.
'I haven't eaten since yesterday,' Ron mumbled, his ears turning red in mortification. Ron yawned, standing and stretching before moving closer to the fire.
'Snape, you wanting anything?' Draco called to the Potions Master, receiving a negative response. Draco shrugged nonchalantly like this was a typical response.
Once the food was ready, Draco shared it equally onto three small plates that he pulled from his satchel. He handed a plate to each to Hermione and Ron, before digging into his own food.
Hermione ate slowly, having not eaten properly in days she wanted to savour every morsel of food she could get. Although, Hermione was never one to rush her food in general, even if she was starving.
Ron, on the other hand, was eating his share like it was his last meal. After he was finished, he passed his plate back to Draco who raised his eyebrows at him. Ron shook his head, looking at Hermione who wasn't even halfway through her own, and it was only a couple of sausages, a hash brown, an egg, and a bit of black pudding.
Ron studied her, it was something he did a lot, hoping she wouldn't notice. It wasn't just because he loved her, he just found her mesmerising. Ron thought Hermione was the most beautiful woman in the world, although he knew he was biased in this, she just had an otherworldly aura about her. The way she moved sometimes, it was almost graceful and calculated.
Ron remembered the first time Hermione corrected his homework, and he had to ask her what she had written because her writing was like calligraphy. It was like Hermione didn't belong in this era. Ron shook out of his thoughts and looked away from Hermione when she stood to hand her plate back to Draco.
'So, what's our plan?' Ron posed casually, picking up his and Hermione's blankets and folding them up.
'Diagon Alley, right?' Hermione countered, moving to help him.
Draco nodded. 'We can Apparate there,' he said, not moving to help them, but observed them from his position on the ground.
'But…'
'Granger, the Dark Lord shattered the Apparition Wards around the Forbidden Forest so they could get in and out. I highly doubt your Order have had a chance to put them back up with being confined to the castle,' Draco argued before Hermione could question his logic about Apparating.
Hermione's mouth snapped shut, an indication that she was about to contend his point, and crossed her arms. 'Well, do you know the safest point we can Apparate to?' Hermione probed instead, glaring at the Slytherin.
Draco shrugged. 'Knockturn Alley is out; it will be teeming with Death Eaters. We could always Apparate to Muggle London and enter through the Leaky Cauldron. From there, Flourish and Blotts is across the road,' Draco surmised, tapping his chin contemplatively.
'I hate to say it, but Malfoy's suggestion is probably our best bet,' Ron said with a sigh, grimacing at agreeing with Malfoy again.
'Of course, I'm a prodigy,' Draco countered smugly, making Ron want to punch him in the face.
Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Wouldn't the Leaky Cauldron be full of Death Eaters as well?' she questioned, looking at Draco with an I-am-positive-your-plan-will-fail expression.
Draco's grin abated slightly. 'Either way, we have to be ready to fight,' Draco countered with a shrug. 'We don't know that anyway. Last time I was there most of them stuck to Knockturn Alley,' he told them.
Hermione sighed, realising Draco was right. 'Fine, that's what we'll do when it comes to it,' she huffed, shaking her head. Draco chuckled, earning a glare from the Gryffindor. 'So, Malfoy…' Hermione trailed off, looking at Draco.
Draco frowned at Hermione. 'Yes, Granger?' he probed when she didn't speak for a few moments.
'Can I ask a question?' Hermione asked, looking directly at him.
Draco stared back at her, wondering if she could use Legilimency and pulled up his walls just in case. However, he didn't feel anyone trying to probe into his mind. 'You just did,' Draco muttered, picking up a stick and prodding the fire with it.
'No need to be pedantic,' Hermione snapped, rolling her eyes. 'I just wanted to ask why you joined You-Know-Who,' she said, crossing her arms in irritation. Ron looked at Hermione in surprise, but when he glanced at Draco, the Slytherin didn't seem perturbed by the request.
Draco remained silent for a few moments thinking about the question. 'It wasn't my choice,' he finally answered, placing his empty plate on the ground next to his satchel. Draco pointed his wand at the three empty plates. 'Scourgify,' he muttered, placing the now clean plates back in his bag.
Ron and Hermione shared a stunned glance. 'Everyone has a choice, Malfoy,' Ron said darkly, scowling at the Slytherin.
Draco glared at him. 'If you call being tied to a chair, tortured, and the brand forced onto my forearm a choice, Weasley,' Draco retorted indignantly, clenching his fists.
Ron's blanched, and he closed his eyes regretfully. Hermione stared at Draco in shock. 'They did that?' she asked in a small voice. Hermione despised Draco, but she would never wish something like on anyone.
Draco sighed, shaking his head. 'Everyone in the Malfoy family has served the Dark Lord since he was in school. My grandfather, Abraxas, was one of his closest followers in Hogwarts. My father, who heard stories of how great the Dark Lord is, joined as soon as he got a chance. When my time came, I was expected to join eagerly as well,' Draco paused, jabbing the fire with the stick.
Draco continued after a moment of silence. 'I was different,' Draco whispered with a dark chuckle. 'So, good old Lucius thought he could beat some sense into me. If I so much as doubted what the Dark Lord was doing…' Draco trailed off, staring into the fire. 'It's a wonder I never became resistant to the Cruciatus Curse,' he stopped, his voice cracking slightly.
Ron and Hermione stared at him, unable to comprehend what Malfoy had to go through. Ron still looked unconvinced, but he couldn't be sure, so he kept his comments to himself. Hermione, on the other hand, scarcely breathed for fear Malfoy would stop talking. She felt sorry for him, and everything that had happened to him, but this was a glimpse at the Slytherin who tormented them for years. Hermione wanted to know why and what his real views were. Hermione wanted to know who the real Draco Malfoy was.
Draco sighed, tilting his head. 'I'm a Malfoy, so I was a slave to the Dark Lord before I was born. Now, I'm stuck with this mar on my perfect skin until I die or he dies,' he told them, making Hermione and Ron raise their eyebrows at his choice of words for his skin.
Unexpectedly, Draco pulled his sleeve up, exposing the black skull on his forearm, the snake protruding from its mouth. Ron looked like he was about to be sick, and Hermione recoiled away from it. Just seeing it made her think Voldemort could see them through it.
Draco looked down at it in revulsion, his mouth a contortion of pain. 'When it swells like that, it means he is calling us. It feels like someone is stabbing my arm with hot knives, over and over again. It only stops if we go to him, and if we ignore it, the pain is almost blinding,' he cringed, biting his lip from the pain, and a tiny trail of blood trickled down his chin.
Snape came into the clearing, staring at Draco with a frown. 'Ingorio,' he muttered, his wand pointed at Draco's arm.
Draco took a deep breath as the pain promptly faded. He smiled at Snape in thanks. 'You really need to teach me that spell,' Draco said, pulling his sleeve back down.
'It is fairly simple, really,' Snape said, showing them the sharp flick to the left and wide anti-clockwise circle with his wand. 'The incantation is "Ingorio",' he told them, putting his wand away. 'It stops the pain, but only from cursed marks,' Snape added, looking around the area.
Hermione touched her bandaged arm, wondering if it would work on the word "Mudblood" carved into her arm. She looked over at Snape to see him watching her, and he gave a small incline of his head, indicating that he believed it would work.
Hermione was about to try it, but their peaceful surroundings were broken by the frightened screeches of birds leaving their perches in the trees. She frowned, wondering what had disturbed them at such an early hour in the morning.
Snape was alert immediately, listening for noises coming from within the otherwise quiet area. 'We need to leave,' he said, looking at them in turn. 'Now,' he ordered, and everyone rushed around the clearing, grabbing what little items they had with them. Snape moved towards the trees, pointing his wand at his hand. Several red dots, close to their location, appeared on his hand in contrast to four green dots indicating them. 'Go now!' he called to them, sprinting over and pointing his wand at the fire, dousing it.
They froze when shouts emitted from the trees, before swiftly moving about. Hermione pulled out her wand as she grabbed her beaded bag. She ran over to Draco and Ron who were already waiting to leave. The two Gryffindors sprinted into the trees, but Draco stopped. 'Snape!' he called to the old Potions Master.
'Go! I'll stall them!' Snape growled back. He disillusioned himself, and after a moment, figures emerged from the trees into the clearing.
Draco nodded, turning and dashing into the trees. One of the Death Eaters spotted him. 'Don't let him get away!' he barked, and jogged towards the trees, but something tripped him up.
Snape appeared, his wand drawn and pointed towards them. 'Lucius,' he said in greeting as one of the Death Eaters removed his mask, uncovering the pale face and long blonde hair or Lucius Malfoy.
'Severus Snape turned traitor,' Lucius spat, pointing his wand at Snape. His blue eyes moved to the trees where he could have sworn he saw Draco disappear into. 'Explain something, Severus. How is it that brat I called "son" is still alive?' Lucius enquired conversationally, moving to circle Snape like a predator stalking its prey.
Snape shrugged. 'I guess miracles really do happen, Lucius,' he countered complacently, not moving to yield even though five wands were pointing at him.
Lucius paused, eyeing Snape. 'Ah, I see,' he said simply, the pieces clicking into place. 'I did ponder where Narcissa had vanished to. Looks like I still have a brat to kill,' Lucius fumed, raising his wand.
'You won't touch him!' Snape barked, firing a purple beam at Lucius, sending the elder Malfoy into a nearby tree.
All hell broke loose as the other Death Eaters fired spells towards Snape, but he held his own, deflecting them and sending them back. Snape managed to knock out two of the five remaining Death Eaters, before the sixth, who was still on the ground, slammed his fist into the back of Snape's knee. Snape lost his balance, falling to his knees.
The Death Eater got up, retrieving his wand while the other two moved towards him. One of them sauntered over, stopping in front of Snape. They pulled off their mask, revealing the eccentric curls and gleaming eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange. 'Such a shame, Sevvy,' Bellatrix whispered, leaning forward and licking his cheek.
Snape scowled, pushing her away and Bellatrix cackled maniacally. She moved over to Lucius and revived him as the other Death Eaters made sure Snape wouldn't escape. Lucius got up with a groan, glaring at Snape before moving over to him. 'Good show, Snape, but it was not enough,' Lucius raged, pointing his wand at Snape. 'Now, tell me, was Draco with anyone else?' he interrogated, trying to use Legilimency, but Snape's mind was a fortress.
'Albus has won…' Snape said contently, smiling up at Lucius. 'My conscience is clear,' he added, closing his eyes and waiting for death which would inevitably come.
Lucius shook with fury. 'What do you mean?' he grilled, but when Snape didn't reply, and he started humming a familiar tune under his breath that Albus Dumbledore used to sing, Lucius lost it. 'Avada Kedavra!' he screamed, and the green light engulfed Snape, who slumped to the ground, the smile still on his face.
'You shouldn't have killed him, Lucius,' one of the Death Eaters said in astonishment. 'There are other ways to get information-'
'I know!' Lucius shouted, shaking his head. 'I will explain to the Dark Lord,' he said, not looking forward to that exchange. Lucius stalked towards the trees where Draco had disappeared. 'Did any of you see anyone else with Draco?' he asked, rounding on his five companions.
'I saw a girl,' Bellatrix answered in her high baby-like voice.
'Did you see what she looked like?' Lucius probed, moving over to her and clutching her chin forcefully.
Bellatrix glared at Lucius, pulling her face out of his grip. 'No, but if we find Draco we will find her,' she said heatedly, strolling past him to look around the area.
Lucius clenched his fists. 'I want them found!' he ordered the four masked Death Eaters, and they Apparated away.
Bellatrix glanced up at him. 'What are we going to do, Lucy?' Bellatrix enquired, and Lucius flinched at the nickname she had given him.
'We will go to the Ministry,' Lucius countered harshly and Apparated away without waiting for her to follow.
Bellatrix sighed, looking around the clearing again, and her eyes focused on something that could be of relevance. She moved over to it swiftly, leaning down to scoop it up, and twirled it around. It was a green-tinted pebble, something Draco used to collect when he was a child. 'Interesting,' Bellatrix whispered, but she sulked when she grasped it wouldn't give her any hint as to where they had gone.
Bellatrix scanned the area again, her eyes falling on the body of Severus Snape, and her mouth split into a wide grin. After searching him and finding nothing of importance, Bellatrix scowled in frustration and Apparated away to join Lucius at the Ministry of Magic.
oOoOo
Harry sat in a window seat in Frodo's room while Gandalf moved to the chair next to the bed. Harry had been in Rivendell for six days already with no sign of Frodo waking up, and he hoped the small Hobbit would pull through. Elrond had been pretty resolute the small Hobbit would be fine, but Gandalf looked concerned.
'Do you think he'll wake, Gandalf?' Harry asked, standing and moving to look at the bookcase along the wall. They were all written in Elvish, so Harry had no idea what the titles said, but he wanted to keep active. There wasn't much to do in Rivendell at the moment, and most of the Elves kept to themselves.
'Yes, any moment now,' Gandalf muttered, and Harry looked over at him with a frown. Frodo groaned, and Harry moved over to the bed in astonishment. He cast a sideways glance at Gandalf but didn't comment.
'Where am I?' came Frodo's voice, feeble and alarmed.
'You are in the House of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning on October the twenty-fourth if you want to know,' Gandalf replied, grinning down at the small Hobbit.
Harry moved to open the curtains, brightening the room up before moving back to stand next to Gandalf. 'Is he okay?' Harry asked softly, receiving a nod from Gandalf.
Frodo's eyes flickered open, and he looked around at the room. His bed was next to an open window, and dappled sunlight played on ornately carved timbers. The sound of a nearby waterfall drifted through the panorama of fir trees outside. Frodo looked over at Gandalf and Harry. 'Gandalf!' he whispered faintly, looking relieved to see the old wizard.
Gandalf puffed on his pipe softly, smiling down at Frodo. 'Yes, I'm here. And you're lucky to be here too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid. But you have some strength in you, my dear Hobbit,' Gandalf clarified, patting Frodo on the head warmly.
Frodo sat up in his bed, looking at Gandalf questioningly. 'What happened, Gandalf? Why didn't you meet us?' Frodo questioned, shaking his head.
Gandalf looked away out the window. 'I am sorry, Frodo,' he countered gently, his eyes troubled. 'I was delayed,' he whispered dejectedly, closing his eyes.
Harry frowned at him. 'I hope I wasn't the reason,' he said, shaking his head.
Gandalf turned to look at Harry. 'No, you arrived after, but the plan was to meet you along the way. However, complications arose,' Gandalf informed them cryptically.
'I meant to ask… what happened to…' Harry trailed off, not knowing how to ask such a question in front of Frodo. He had explicitly been told not to talk about the future for the moment in front of anyone, and he hadn't had a chance to ask Gandalf anything without other people around. It was maddening. Harry just wanted to know what happened to Ron and Hermione.
'They are fine,' Gandalf answered simply, smiling at Harry who nodded in relief. Although this only quelled his curiosity for now. Harry still had loads of questions to ask.
'Frodo! Frodo! Bless you, you're awake!' came a shout from the door and in ran Samwise Gamgee.
Harry had been introduced to the other three Hobbits, Sam, Merry, and Pippin when they finally arrived with that Ranger. "Strider", they called him, but Harry didn't get a chance to really speak to him or see him before he departed. He hadn't seen him since, and that was a few days ago.
'Sam has hardly left your side,' Gandalf told Frodo, grinning at the two Hobbits.
'We were worried about you, weren't we, Mr Gandalf?' Sam replied, beaming at Frodo.
Gandalf nodded. 'By the skills of Lord Elrond, you're beginning to mend,' Gandalf answered as the Elf Lord in question walked into the room.
Elrond walked up to Frodo's bedside. 'Welcome to Rivendell, Frodo Baggins,' he greeted, nodding his head. Frodo sat up, looking at Elrond with awe. 'You have found your way to the last homely house east of the sea. The Elves of Imladris have dwelt within this valley for three thousand years, though few of my kin now remain,' Elrond elucidated with a smile.
Frodo nodded, getting out of his bed and sluggishly moved to the window with the assistance of Harry and Sam. Frodo looked out at the stunning valley, and a huge smile blossomed on his lips, brightening his face.