A New Place, A New Love

Author's Note: So sorry for the long wait. I have gotten a couple of reviews for this, so I thought I would update. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. I know it doesn't follow the plot line completely, but I hope it is okay.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is related to Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 2

By the time they had reached Bree, it was raining and Minerva was losing what was little warmth that she had to the unforgiving down pour. The town was blocked by what appeared to be a large fence to keep things out, and as they got closer, she saw the door that would let them in. Having no clue what to do, she decided to let Frodo take the lead and it proved to be quite successful. Soon they were beyond the massive walls that were now seen as protection to Minerva.

As she looked around, she saw a few lights coming from the inside of what looked to be a bar, but everything else was relatively dark. She focused on the lit bar and saw the sign above the door. She was glad that they had reached their destination and that they would be able to relax. Frodo led them into the bar where Merry and Pippin instantly went for the bar. She found a table for all of them to sit at and just looked around the place. She quickly identified the shady few that each bar tended to have, and settled for looking for those who seemed completely out of place.

As she scanned the crowd, she was able to pick up most of their conversations thanks to her animagus abilities; however, she stopped when she was met with the sight of a hooded figure that was facing directly at them. Before she could think about it anymore, Merry and Pippin cut off her line of sight with several pitchers of what she guessed was beer. She looked down in front of her and realized how tired she truly was, and she could not drink and lose her senses, especially not with a stranger staring at her.

"Excuse me," she said as she say the bar tender go by, "do you by chance know who that man is in the corner?"

"Him?" The bar man gestured towards the hooded stranger, "He's a Ranger, he is. They are a dangerous lot Rangers. They just ride alone in the wilderness without known' where they headed. They call him Striker, and it seems that you have caught his attention."

Minerva didn't miss the appreciative look that the bar tender gave her and hoped Gandalf would show up soon.

"If you'd like," he smirked, "I could escort you out of here and to a room for the night? You wouldn't have to pay me, at least not with any money…"

Chills gripping her spine and a vile taste at the back of her throat, Minerva shook her head and looked back down at her drink.

"Well Sweetie," he caressed her shoulder, "when you are ready to ditch the hobbits, I'll be ready."

With that, he turned away after winking at her, and Minerva had to fight back the urge to gag and burn her robes. The gall of that man scared her and infuriated her, but she had no idea what people in this world could do, and she wasn't about to find out in the middle of a crowded bar. Looking around, she could see that a few other men were giving her appreciative looks, while Merry and Pippin were entertaining several others with songs and stories. Frodo brought her from her reflections with a gentle tap on the hand.

"Minerva," Frodo had a look of concern on his face, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she responded curtly and added a small smile in the attempt to convince him.

"He had no right to do that… Why didn't you use your stick again to get rid of him?"

With a heavy sign, she looked at Frodo and was reminded of a young Harry Potter. Curiosity in full bloom and trouble in the wings ready to swoop in, she had found another Harry, but one that was faced with a different adventure.

"I do not know much about your world, Frodo. This means that I cannot use my wand unless I absolutely have to. I do not know if the people around me are stronger than me or if they have some type of magic of their own. I prefer to know what I am getting into before instigating an altercation."

Just as this was said, she saw Frodo's eyes turn a glassy white and he began to breathe heavily. He started to shiver it seemed before he started to sway. He came out of this state and headed straight for Pippin. Minerva was confused about his sudden change, but when she heard Pippin give away Frodo's real name to some of the people he was entertaining, she knew they were in some trouble.

Silence was echoing throughout the entire bar as Frodo was on the ground and the ring was flying through the air. She looked down at Frodo just as the ring landed perfectly on his finger, only to see him vanish completely. There was a collective gasp from everyone, and she knew this was not good at all. Maybe I will be using my stick again, she though bitterly.

Everyone is in a state of hysteria as they discuss the events that just transpired, and she can see Sam's face turn a shade of green and Pippin instantly regain his senses. She can tell that some people are mad, but she doesn't care, she needed to get to Sam, Merry, and Pippin and hopefully keep them out of harm's way. Taking a step forward, she was jerked back by an arm that wrapped itself around her waist. Her back hits the chest of a man that she can feel is quite large, and in this position, there is no way she is going to get her wand. Although considering the way they reacted to Frodo's vanishing act, she doesn't think magic would be a wise choice.

"Well Sweetie, it looks like you were hiding something from us," the bar tenders voice makes her freeze. Out of everyone here, he had to be the one to grab me. "Why don't we talk about your punishment, huh? I think I have some friends that have a lil' something to contribute too."

Now Minerva was struggling to get out of his grasp, but he held her strong. She tried to use her arms to pry him off of her, only to result in his other hand grabbing one of her wrists. She was spun around and pinned up against a wooden banister as the man grabbed her other wrist. She had one chance to escape, and she didn't think she would get another one. Bringing her knee forward as hard and fast as she could, she made contact and watched him buckle.

Running away from the banister and her attacker Minerva looks up to Sam, Merry and Pippin just in time to see the hooded figure place his sword back into its holster and drag a struggling Frodo out of the bar. Without a second thought, Minerva beckons the hobbits to follow her as she chased after the hooded figure. The door of the bar closed behind her as she saw them disappear into an inn across the street. Staying on their trail, Minerva followed them through the lobby and up the stairs to come to a closing door. Just as she reached it, a gust of wind hit her face as the door slammed shut. She turned to see the hobbits just catching up, and pulled out her wand.

"Ahlohamora," Minerva whispered and braced herself for a possible stand-off.

One look at the hobbits, and she was opening the door with her wand drawn ready to attack. What she wasn't expecting was to have a sword pressed to her neck and her arm twisted behind her.

"Let her go, or you'll get it!" Sam bellowed from the doorway with his fists in the air.

The man behind her laughed lightly before he addressed the hobbit.

"Your heart is strong and pure, but that will not keep you alive when faced with a blade. I am not going to hurt any of you," Strider said while gently releasing Minerva and sheathing his sword. "I am sorry, Frodo and company, but the Ringwraiths are coming, and we could not stay at the bar."

Minerva whirled around to face this Strider character and pulled her wand to level out just above his chest. This is when she noticed that the hood that he had been previously wearing was gone and a rather calm face was present.

"If you were there to help us, why did you not remove that vile bar man from my person? You obviously have the power to!" Before he could answer, Minerva continued with her questions, "And why would you grab me with a blade to my neck?"

Strider brought his hands up in a gesture of surrender as he watched the woman in front of him point a stick at him. He knew that he had to provide some answers to her questions if he wished to keep her quiet and keep them safe from their enemy.

"I was preoccupied with finding Frodo, and by the time I had found him, the bar tender already had you pinned against the pillar. I pulled out my sword, but you had already proven yourself as quite the capable opponent. As for your second question, I had a hunch that you would burst in here ready to kill, so I tried to allow you some time to calm down."

Minerva still held her wand firm, but the way he spoken and his unwavering gaze made her believe him.

"What were you doing at the bar?"

"Gandalf had sent word that all of you would be meeting here, and that he might require help protecting all of you."

Minerva still had several questions that she wanted answers, but Frodo stopped her by stepping toward Striker and thanking him for saving them.

"Any friend of Gandalf's is a friend of ours. It has been a very tiring day," Frodo paused as he looked at the rest of his group, "can we save all of the other questions for morning? I would really like to get some sleep."

A few hours later, and all four hobbits were fast asleep on Striker's bed. The window sill was occupied by Minerva and Striker as they watched the Ringwraiths enter Bree and head straight for the bar. They appeared again in a window of one of the bedrooms above the bar as they stabbed and massacred the beds that lay before them. Minerva inhaled quickly as she realized that could have been them in those beds, and she wasn't sure she could fend off all of them by herself. Her patronus had worked as a distraction, but she had no idea how to get rid of them.

"You should get some sleep," came a voice to her left.

She turned to face Striker, "I am fine…. What are those things?"

Striker leaned back against the window frame and began his tale of the once Nine Kings.