Title: The Master of Death: The Wizard of Prophecy

Summary: Harry is on his way back to Hogwarts after emerging victorious in the second wizarding war, but is waylaid with a new prophecy told to him by Luna Lovegood. Will he go back to classes or will he go to Middle-earth? That's a silly question… After all, Hermione always said Harry had a saving people thing.

Drama / Adventure

Harry, Luna, Witch-king, The Fellowship of the Ring, Galadriel, Celeborn, The Nazgûl

World: Books/Movie, LoTR, HP

Intro - Hubby and I were watching the LOTR: FotR again. He made an off-handed comment that made me scoff since the reasoning - at least in my mind - was so obvious. He said the trip to Mordor would have been so much easier if they had simply had the eagles take them straight to the volcano. I mean, come on… if they did that, the story would be over much too quickly. Where's the fun in that?

Only that had me thinking about The Vanquisher that I posted and all the things I wrote and could/should have written differently. Starting with how Harry got to Middle-earth… Hmmmm… Not very Luna-like… and Harry just went along with it? Nah… the boy was known to have a temper on him.

I've never done a 'redo' / 'rewrite' of a story I had already posted before, but after that comment from Hubby The Vanquisher just insisted on it. Besides, I was never really pleased with that story anyhow.

Seeing how this story is still very much AU and doesn't follow any original story line (HP or LotR), some things are naturally going to be different… wait, that's not completely accurate. I use the timeline for LotR as a guide, so it loosely follows LotR as far as the timing of events. Anyhow, this story is vastly different from my original Vanquisher. The only similarities between the two stories: Luna is Galadriel's daughter, and Harry goes to Middle-earth.

HP cannon still stands all the way until after the battle in Book 7…

The Master of Death: The Fellowship Reforged

Volume 1 - Chapter 01

Tom Riddle - aka Voldemort, the self-proclaimed Dark Lord - was dead. Dead, dead. Not the disembodied, yet to be reborn in a very dark magic creepy way, but in the real, final no more horcruxes kind of dead. With Tom's death came the end to the second wizarding war. That war that had consumed Harry Potter's years in the magical world. Any surviving Death Eaters had been rounded up, the magical world was at peace once more, and people happier without the threat of death or destruction hanging over their heads. The masses celebrated… and mourned.

Harry Potter - aka the Boy-Who-Lived, recently-declared Savior of the Wizarding World - didn't celebrate. Oh sure, Harry was glad the war was over, but too many good people died during the war - people that Harry cared about and some he even loved. What he mostly felt was restlessness. All his life Harry felt as if he had been led by the prophecy, that his only purpose had been the destruction of Voldemort. Harry hadn't truly expected to accomplish that task, let alone survive it. Only Harry had done both - killed Tom and lived to tell the tale - and now that part of his life was over.

At first Harry didn't know what he'd do next. Unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on how forgiving he felt that day - some folks told Harry what they wanted him to do:

Kingsley Shackelbolt - the new Minister of Magic - wanted Harry to join the ministry and give the wizarding community peace of mind.

The general public of the wizarding world - according to the media - wanted Harry to become an Auror, find any escaped Death Eater, and keep them safe.

Vernon Dursley - Harry's whale of an uncle - wanted Harry to never acknowledge his family again. Ever.

Hermione Granger - best friend and sister in all ways that mattered - wanted to go back to school and believed Harry and Ron should join her.

Harry had no idea what position he could possibly fill within the Ministry that would guarantee the public 'peace of mind'. Nor did he want to look too closely at that prospect. While Harry had wanted to be an Auror since the day he learned of them, the idea no longer held a shine for him. Harry wasn't a peace keeper. He was a teenager. Harry wasn't ready to grow up and be some beacon of peace. Besides, he had been doing that for the past seventeen years and Harry deserved a break… didn't he? As for Vernon Dursley… Harry was more than happy to oblige. Harry hadn't spoken to any of the Dursleys since they all moved out of their house on Privet Drive right before Harry's seventeenth birthday. And the thought of seeking them out - intentionally - was absolutely ludicrous. From that short list of folks telling Harry what to do, Hermione was the only one that succeeded. Hermione had talked Harry into retaking their seventh year of schooling. Harry had briefly thought to argue that a person couldn't possibly 'retake' something they hadn't taken in the first place, but the witch was determined, and Harry didn't have anything better to do anyway. So…

It was Tuesday, September 1st and the train sped its way across the countryside to deliver the students to Hogsmeade Station. Laughter and running children could be heard in the hall. The compartment Harry sat in had a soft, steady buzz of conversation going, but nothing too hectic. Harry rested his forehead against the window pane. The glass felt cool against his heated skin.

When the door to the compartment opened again, Harry mentally braced himself. It was still too early for Malfoy and his cronies to make their traditional visit. Then again, Malfoy's usual sidekicks weren't coming back to retake their last year at school. Some Slytherins that survived the war chose to stay away from Hogwarts. Aside from the annual anticipated visit, there had also been many well-wishers dropping by that year… with the occasional gossiping, giggling girl who - not so subtly - asked questions about him and Ginny breaking up while batting their eyes at Harry. Girls.

With a long-suffering sigh, Harry opened his eyes and turned to see who had entered the compartment. She sat - silently, patiently - beside him and when he gave her a small smile of relief she finally spoke, "Hello, Harry Potter."

Harry relaxed into his seat when he greeted back, "Hullo, Luna Lovegood."

Luna watched Harry for a silent moment. Harry frowned when he noticed how out of character Luna appeared. In previous years the young waif of a girl had worn colorful dresses, when not in her school uniform, with a butterbeer cork necklace and radish earrings. Luna usually had a far-off look in her eyes and spoke with a lilting sing-song voice about nonsensical things that left the listener confused and wondering if they should believe anything the girl said… unless they knew Luna. Then they'd listen carefully and heed her advice. Luna was simply everything one would expect from a Lovegood: brilliant, open minded, often seen with a vacant or far off look, and eccentric in every aspect of the word. Except she didn't fit that expectation at that moment. Luna looked perfectly poised, excited, a touch anxious, and - surprisingly - sad. Luna's hair appeared lighter than her usual honey blonde; her dress was long and flowing, made of a gauzy material that was a simple white rather than blindingly colorful; her radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklace were missing replaced with only an intricate silver ring on her index finger; when she spoke it was with an air of finality instead of whimsy, "It's nearly time."

"Erm… time for what?" Harry asked. He glanced out the window and noted that it was barely getting dark. Harry brought his attention back to his friend, stating, "I'm sure we have another hour at least before we reach Hogsmeade."

"Yes, we do, and then I will be going home." Luna smiled sweetly, "I will miss you, mellon."

"I don't understand," Harry said, frowning. "Why go all the way to London to ride a train to Scotland, just so you can go back to St. Ottery Catch-"

Her sudden burst of laughter surprised them both and cut across his words, no one else looking over at the lilting sound. Luna gently corrected him, "It's Ottery St. Catchpole. Only that's not the home I'm referring to. Father and I are going back to Middle-earth where we belong. As to why I'm on the train, Father encouraged me to come aboard to say my farewells. It's what's taken me so long to get to you. You're my last friend to visit with."

"Middle of Earth?"

"Middle-earth," Luna again corrected Harry gently. All humor slowly left the girl and she spoke wistfully, "Middle-earth is where my people have lived for over a thousand years. We dwell in the Golden Wood below the Misty Mountains in Lothlórien. Dark times have befallen the land. The time of the elves is coming to an end." Harry shook his head, taking it all in, but not understanding a word. Luna leaned closer, nudging Harry playfully by bumping shoulders with him. "It will be alright. The perian has the ring."

Harry perked at that word as it triggered a long-ago memory. Perian. He had heard that word before. Luna had said that once and at the time it made absolutely no sense to him. It happened some time ago, Luna and he had been talking when she had suddenly stopped speaking and gasped in shock. Her demeanor had changed drastically from calm and dreamy to focused and worried. Luna's words came to Harry as he spoke them back to her, "The perian fights the call of the dark."

A beautiful smile brightened Luna's features as she nodded. "Yes. Bilbo continues his fight."

"This isn't one of your tall tales with a hidden moral," Harry watched her closely and shook his head along with her, "this is real."

"Yes, it is very real," Luna stated quite matter-of-factly. Harry turned his attention to the other occupants in the compartment for their reactions to what was being said and noted for the first time since the beginning of their conversation that not one of their friends was paying any attention to them. They were still talking, some more animatedly than others, but Harry couldn't hear a word of it. It was as if Harry and Luna weren't even in the same compartment with them. Luna slipped her small hand into Harry's. "I will miss you most of all."

Harry snorted in amusement and met Luna's pale blue gaze. "Why? You'll miss the crazy adventures that nearly get us killed?"

"No, silly." Luna chuckled softly. "There will be plenty of adventures to be had in Middle-earth. You, Harry Potter, are my friend." She looked past him at the darkening skies beyond the window pane. "I was to ask you to accompany us…"

"Us… you and your father… to Middle-earth?" Harry sat up straight and peered at her. "Why?"

"There is a-"

"Please, don't say prophecy," Harry interrupted, practically begging. Luna didn't speak, instead she bit her bottom lip and looked down at their clasped hands. Harry groaned. "Of course there is… Fine, tell me."

Luna didn't hesitate and spoke to their hands without meeting Harry's eyes, "When the One calls, the light will be brought forth and guide him; destroying that which cannot be destroyed. Through the light, the darkness will fall, and bring an end to the war of wars."

"Not very poetic…"

"It sounds better in elvish," Luna said in passing as she finally met his gaze. "It loses something in the translation."

Harry gave her a tired smile, dragged his attention back to the window, and laid his forehead against the cold pane. Luna didn't press Harry for an answer, she simply held his hand in silent moral support. It wasn't until the train slowed into Hogsmeade Station that Harry finally spoke, but it wasn't to Luna, "Hermione?"

The brunette jumped at the sound of Harry's voice. Everyone, save for Luna, had apparently forgotten that Harry was in the compartment with them. One by one their friends had been exiting the train to get into a waiting carriage and from there they'd go to the castle. Hermione stood there, frowning in confusion because Harry and Luna weren't standing nor were they dressed in their school uniform. They hadn't moved… and - what amused Harry - Hermione couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from their clasped hands. Hermione finally responded, "Yes?"

"Do you have your beaded bag with you?"

Hermione blushed, "Erm…"

"Is it still packed? With the books, the tent… everything?"

"Well…" Hermione met his gaze and sheepishly nodded. "Yes."

"Mind if I borrow it?"

Without asking why, Hermione dug into her school bag and pulled out her worn-out red beaded bag. It had gotten them through many tough times during their year on the run. Harry accepted the bag with a, "Thanks." He set the bag in his lap and frowned. "I don't know when I can bring this back…" the 'or if I can' was left unspoken but must have been plain in his expression.

Still, Hermione didn't ask why, but she did ask, "You'll be safe?"

"I'll be with Luna."

Hermione's eyes swept over to their blonde friend. "We're not going this time?"

There was no need to ask who the 'we' Hermione was referring to. The trio had gone through quite a bit over the past seven years and they did so together. Harry responded before Luna could, "Not this time. You need to go back to school. Graduate. Make this world of ours a better place."

A single tear dared to fall, but Hermione stood strong and nodded. Hermione took a bracing breath and told her best friend something she had been meaning to for quite some time. Now was, possibly, her last chance, "I love you, Harry."

Harry moved then. In one fluid movement he stood, dropping the beaded bag onto the seat he had just vacated, and hugged his best friend. "I love you, Hermione. My sister in all but blood. Take care of everyone. It's your turn to shine."

Hermione swiped at her tears when Harry released her from his embrace. She then latched on to Luna to embrace the blonde just as tightly as she had Harry. Hermione whispered to Luna, "Please take care of him."

"I will do what I can," Luna agreed.

"That's all I can ask," Hermione said with a half laugh-half sob and then ran from the compartment, not looking back.

Harry pulled down his trunk from the overhead rack and shrunk it down before dropping it - with the red beaded bag - into his pocket. The two friends left the train in silence and walked from the station into the Forbidden Forest. When they finally came to a stop it was at the same clearing where Harry had faced Voldemort in order to die. That was where they found Luna's father.

The man twirled his wand in his hand and Harry stood in stunned silence. Luna's father looked markedly different than the last time Harry had seen him. For one thing, the man no longer had the haunted, vacant look of a Lovegood that had his only daughter stolen. The blonde man sighed longingly, "I rather enjoyed having magic. Pity we cannot take it with us."

"Mr. Lovegood?"

"Ah," Luna's father stopped twirling the wand and motioned the boy forward, "Splendid. I see you have decided to join us."

"Father, may I properly present Harry Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, Head of the Noble House of Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived, The Chosen One, Undesirable No. 1, Vanquisher of Dark Lord Voldemort, and the Master of Death." Said boy squirmed at the numerous titles but didn't look away from the man before him. Harry wasn't sure he could. The man was tall, regal, and - more importantly - Mr. Lovegood had pointed ears. Pointed. Ears!

Harry blinked. "Wait, what? Master of Death?"

"I did warn you," Luna's father reminded him. "When you came to me asking about the Deathly Hallows. I told you then that together they make one the Master of Death."

"That's why they kept coming back to me," Harry said more to himself than to the others.

"You tried to destroy them, throw them away, but they would return, whole and unblemished."

"I did. I finally gave up and accepted them." Harry sighed. "So... Master of Death. That doesn't sound ominous."

"It isn't as bad as you think," Mr. Lovegood tried to reassure the young man.

"Harry, there's more," Luna continued before Harry could ask for clarification. "This is my father: Celeborn, Lord of Lothlórien, Lord of the Galadhrim, Lord of the Golden Wood, Lord of East Lórien, Prince of Doriath."

Celeborn gave a regal nod of his head and Harry blinked before he gave a small awkward bow, but Luna wasn't done with the introductions, "Before we go I need you to understand. My true name is not Luna. I am Linovahle, Maiden of Lothlórien, Maiden of the Galadhrim, Maiden of the Golden Wood…" And with that she brushed her hair behind her ear. Harry stared; gaped really. Luna… Linovahle… whatever her name was, she too had pointed ears. Harry couldn't resist his curiosity and raised a finger to trace along the outer edge of her pointed ear. Luna just smiled and took his hand in hers before he could make contact, snapping his attention away from her ears and back to the girl. Reality came into focus for Harry and he blushed at what he was about to do. Harry mumbled an embarrassed apology. Luna didn't reprimand Harry, she continued as if he hadn't spoken, "Father isn't Xenophilius Lovegood. The entire Lovegood family had perished in the magical accident created by Pandora Lovegood's research shortly before we arrived, allowing Father and I to stand in for them. It was a fortuitous tragedy." Luna still held Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze. "We will be going to Lothlórien. Mother is expecting us."

"Your mother?" Harry blinked, pulling his trance-like stare from Luna's ears once and for all, and frowned, "I thought you said your mother was dead."

"While Pandora Lovegood is dead, I told you that my mother was in a place I could not go yet," Luna reminded him. "Semantics, perhaps, but it is - at the very least - the truth. It is time for us to return. Will you still come with us?"

Harry hesitated, his mind spinning trying to take all of the information in when a single point stood out above the rest, "Your father said we can't take our magic with us. I don't see how I'll be of much use to you without it."

"Ah," said Celeborn, "I did say that… But!" He held up a finger to stress his point. "You, Mr. Potter, are a true wizard where we are not. While we are in your world we took the form of humans and were granted magic to 'blend in' with others in your world, but when we return to Middle-earth," here Celborn gestured to his ears, "it will be as our true selves."

Harry cocked his head, squinted his eyes and asked, "So, about that 'One'. The prophecy was a bit vague. I'm guessing Middle-earth has its own version of a Dark Lord?"

"Of course," Celeborn said as if it were obvious.

At that declaration Harry took a shaky breath and repeated, "Of course."

Luna waved off her father and focused on her friend, "I told you the prophecy, Harry." She waited until Harry nodded before continuing, "Our world is much different than this one. More primitive by Muggle standards, yet rich with culture and traditions. That life... all life in Middle-earth is threatened. Sauron has a single horcrux: a ring. The One Ring. It has been found and must be destroyed." Harry appeared to have calmed and Luna stepped closer, "Will you come with us?"

"Of course I will," Harry acquiesced, "I told you I would." Luna smiled at him and Harry gave her an awkward shrug, "After all, I have another prophecy to fulfill."

Timeline:

TA 3001 The ring is 'discovered' by Gandalf

TA 3009 Linovahle & Celeborn go to Earth for Harry

TA 3018, Apr 12 Gandalf tells Frodo to take the ring away from the Shire

TA 3018, Jul 10 Gandalf is arrested in Orthanc

Some things to keep in mind as you read:

Random Elvish words (perian = hobbit, mellon = friend). I didn't make them up. These words/phrases are taken from various websites and are in italics. Yay internet!

I really didn't want to have to write full sentences in elvish and then translate, blah blah... so... instead all Elvish sentences will be in [brackets and italics] … and in that vein of thinking, all Black Speech will be in {these brackets, bold, and italics}

According to the LotR Wiki: The early Middle-earth Role Playing games named the eight (yes, there are nine total, but the book actually named Khamûl) unnamed Ringwraiths: Er-Murazor (the Witch-king), Dwar, Ji Indur, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel, Ren and Uvatha. While none of these eight names are considered canon, I didn't bother making up new names for them and used these instead. Oh and the wiki claimed Adunaphel was female... pfft, no, just no. Nine kings... KINGS as in male, so all of my wraiths are male and I used the above names.

Also, using Wikipedia I've created a timeline for my notes. I will post those at the end of each chapter to help you keep up with what's going on in the background. For an example, see above.

And before you ask: no, there is no pairing between Harry and Luna. They're like siblings, nothing more.

Whew. That's a lot to remember.