Harry Potter and the Ring of Doom

The Company stood rooted with horror at what they had just witnessed. Even as Aragorn and Boromir ran from the bridge, the remainder of it cracked and followed Gandalf into the abyss. Aragorn cried out to rouse them. "Come! I will lead you now! We must obey his last command. Follow me!"

Harry barely remembered to free Hermione from the spells he had on her before they stumbled up the great stairs, Aragorn at the front and Boromir at the very back. They ran, heedless of pursuit, and finally burst upon the Great Gates. A guard of orcs crouched on either side of the gates in the shadows, but fled in terror after Aragorn smote their captain to the ground with a single stroke. They swept past the terrified orcs, paying them no mind, running the huge ancient steps that were the threshold of Moria.

Thus, at last, they came out under the sky and felt the wind on their faces.

They did not halt their flight until they were well out of range of bowshot from the walls. The Dale lay around them, shortly after noon.

A short, grievous rest later, and Aragorn said, "I fear we can stay no longer, friends. We have far to go before nightfall, since orcs will follow." He turned to the mountain and held up his sword. "Farewell Gandalf!" he cried. "Did I not say to you, 'If you pass the doors of Moria, beware?' Alas that I spoke true!" They continued east for a while before turning south, which headed them quickly downwards, running out from between the arms of the dale.

Hermione was gasping soon, as they came to a small stream. "Aragorn, we have to stop for a moment," Harry said. "Hermione's ribs and head!"

"Milady, forgive me!" Aragorn said, coming back to her. "My thought was so great on pursuit that I forgot your injury."

"I'm okay, Aragorn; it just hurts enough to slow you all down."

"Forgive me, Hermione, but I must check your wounds," he said, and began unbuttoning her blouse.

She laughed painfully. "Who gave that little speech the day outside of Bree? Remember what it was about?"

He laughed as well. "Point taken. Still, with your friends here, and others who were not at the time..."

"If seeing a girl with a cut head and a full body bruise turns them on, then let them enjoy," she said as he opened the last of the buttons. He began to probe her side and chest carefully, and smiled after several minutes, even as she cried out in pain a number of times.

"Lady Hermione, you and your friends have the luck that many wish they had. Once again I am reminded that it is a bad idea to bother your kind. That stone hitting you in that manner should have killed you, and probably would have killed any but Gimli. You, however, lay there with what seem to me to be bruised ribs and a bloody scalp. We will bind them as best we can for the sake of safety, but then we must be away." She nodded, and had Harry unclasp her brassiere as cloth for binding was procured. The Company turned, ostensibly to scan the area for potential intruders, while he wrapped her. She held Harry's hand, squeezing occasionally when it got particularly painful. Aragorn also cleaned her head wound while he was at it.

In short order they were on the road again. With ribs bound, Hermione was moving better, and she and Harry talked quietly as they marched. "Why did you take off the bra?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Jealous?" she laughed, and smiled to make sure he knew she was joking. "Seriously, the binding was going to be bad enough, but having a piece of cloth pressed tightly into my skin by an outer layer is really rather painful, and I won't go into the hooks on those things. She reached up and carefully touched around her breasts. "With this binding, you have no idea how happy I am that I'm not a big-chested girl, Harry. It's painful enough, having them squished like this. If I were bigger, and they were getting squished? I'd be screaming in pain from that." They walked further in silence, Harry gently holding her hand, and she asked, "I don't honestly remember anything until Aragorn was leaning over me. Well, bang on the door, large rock coming at me, then Aragorn leaning over me. What happened?"

"We killed the cave troll," he said simply. "That sort of scared the orcs."

"Pfft!" interjected Ron. "'We killed the cave troll.' This nutter did it all by himself, 'Mione. Saw you laying there, looking all dead and stuff, and climbed up the troll. After dancing with him for a while; what was it, a waltz?" Ron laughed, and continued, not waiting for an answer, "this bloke picks up the rock crushing you and embeds it in the troll's head. Then, nice as you please, he simply dances off it as it falls to the floor!"

"Ron, you could've done the same thing at the end; you play Quidditch. You're agile. And I wasn't dancing, I was trying to get the right shot."

"What were you planning on doing?" she asked, seeming a little afraid of the answer.

She could see the embarrassed blush. "I was going to shove my wand up his nose, and then fire off an Infernum... I mean Incendio." He shrugged. "I thought he'd killed you, you see, so I let my anger get the better of me." He laughed. "I could've tried Expelliarmus on his brain, but he'd have had to have had one, first!"

"Ow!" she said, laughing. "Please don't make me laugh."

They reached a point where they could climb from the dell, and Hermione winced. "Let me, my love," Harry said. "I did it to get you across the bridge back there."

"No, I can't let my fear of heights keep me from doing my share," she said stubbornly.

"But if you make your ribs worse," Harry started, but didn't need to finish. In short order he was at the top with her, and returned her to movement.

They walked for several hours, following the stream that they had stopped beside, and it grew as they travelled, becoming a small river. They stopped for a break at dusk, to eat, and to give Hermione a break. She was trying to bull onward, but the pain was slowing her more and more. Finally, Harry said, "Do we have anymore of that athelas tea, or was that all used on me, back after Weathertop?"

Aragorn snapped his fingers and reached for his pouch. "It has dried, and some of the virtue is gone, but I have the remainder of what I gathered then." He drew out the withered looking leaves and handed them carefully to Draco, who tossed them into his cauldron full of water. Almost immediately the soothing sweet smell filled the area. Shortly, he decided that it was ready, and they carefully bathed Hermione's head and bruises. She sighed as the pain slowly faded, and the rewrapping was not as painful for her.

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They started walking again. As they continued, Hermione noticed Harry falling deeper and deeper into thought, and she wasn't liking the look on his face. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"I should have asked more questions. I blindly accepted advice, and now someone is dead because I didn't do enough study. Again."

"He suggested the route," she replied.

"Yeah, and everyone else suggested that we try anything else. I listened to Gandalf, and made the decision." He shook his head. "I'm sorry; I'm trying to avoid going into one of those sullen fits I had just before Weathertop. You know; the ones that led to Ron punching me?" Hermione could see Ron wince slightly ahead of them. "Don't worry, Ron. I needed some sense knocked into me."

Harry sighed. "It's just that I don't want to be a murderer, and that's what is going to happen. Either Voldemort kills me, or I kill him. And I am kind of fond of my own skin, you know." He laughed without a lot of humour behind it. "I wonder if Hogwarts was as interesting before my first year? The Philosopher's Stone and a teacher trying to kill me, and in return I killed him. Second year had us opening a door to a Chamber most teachers didn't believe in, saving Ginny's life by killing that book, and killing a basilisk. Third year, I met the man everyone thought betrayed my parents, and the man who did. Fourth year led to another attempt on my life, and the death of Cedric Diggory. Last year led to me killing my godfather by not paying attention to my damned lessons. Now, another of my brilliant choices has led to the death of another person. Are you guys sure you want to follow me to this Mount Doom?"

She looked at him for a long moment. "I wish he hadn't fallen either, Harry, but he died saving all our lives. From a demon, for all I could tell! He died to make sure you survive. And if you think I'm going to abandon you to do this on your own, you are downright crazy. If you think I'm going to let my boyfriend waltz into something dangerous without me there for backup, then you need to sit and think again." She felt about ready to cry.

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Harry was stunned by the vehemence in her voice, so he gently put his arm around her as they walked, and heard a quiet sniff. "I'm sorry, Hermione. It just hits me now and then. How can I not feel guilty for Gandalf's death? Even if he suggested it, I'm the one who said to take that route. If I'd insisted on that Rohan Gap, he probably would have grumbled mightily and gone along with it."

From the front of the line, a "Ha!" was heard, and Aragorn called back, "Not likely, Harry. Gandalf could be very persuasive. I think you were destined to choose Moria, if only because he would have given you, someone who does not know the area, a large number of reasons to choose it. I mourn him too, Harry, but he chose the route himself. We mourn, but go on."

"I guess," Harry said, not completely convinced. Shaking his head, he looked up. "Where are we heading, Strider?"

Legolas answered instead, as they came upon a wide grey shadow and the endless rustle of leaves. "Lothlorien! We come to the very eaves of the Golden Wood. Alas that it is winter!"

"We are still little more than five leagues from the Gates, but we can go no further," Aragorn said. "Let us hope that the virtue of the Elves will keep us tonight from the peril that comes behind."

"If Elves indeed still dwell here in the darkening world," Gimli replied.

"They do indeed still remain, but deep within the woods. We will go forward until the trees are all around us then turn from the path and seek a place to rest." He stepped forward, but Boromir stayed where he was.

"Is there no other way?" he asked.

"What fairer way would you desire?" asked Aragorn.

"A plain road, though it lead through a hedge of swords. By strange paths has this Company been led, and to evil fortune thus far. Against my will we entered Moria, and suffered loss. And now we must enter the Golden Wood, you say. But of that perilous land we have heard in Gondor, and it is said that few come out who once go in, and that of the few none have escaped unscathed."

"Say not unscathed, but perhaps if you said unchanged you would speak the truth," Aragorn replied. "But wisdom has waned in Gondor if they now speak evil of Lothlorien. Believe what you will, but there is no other way, unless you choose to go back through Moria, or scale the mountains, or risk the river."

"Then lead on!" said Boromir. "But it is perilous."

"Indeed! Fair and perilous, but only the evil, or those who bring evil with them need fear it. Follow me!"

They had gone barely more than a mile into the forest when they came across another stream flowing swiftly from the tree-clad slopes. "Here is Nimrodel!" said Legolas. "Of this stream the Sylvan Elves made many songs long ago." He smiled and descended the bank. "I will bathe my feet, for it is said that the water is healing to the weary." He looked back. "Follow me! The water is not deep. Let us wade across. On the other bank we can rest, and the sound of the water may bring sleep and forgetfulness of grief." One by one they climbed down. Harry removed his boots and socks, and stepped into the water, and stood for a moment, letting the cold, clean water flow over his feet. When he left to climb the other bank, he felt the weariness and stain of travel had been washed from him.

They sat apart from the path for a while, eating dinner, and talking. Legolas sat singing a song about she whom the stream was named for. After a while, Gimli looked around. "I think that it may be a good idea to move to the trees, as it is said that some of the Elves still do. It would be safer than sitting or laying on the ground."

"You give good council," Aragorn said. "Let us take to the trees for the night, as the Galadhrim do."

Legolas leapt to his feet and jumped to a low branch, far above his head, but dropped to the ground in surprise at the cry of "Daro!" from the branches above. He shrank against the trunk of the tree.

"Stand still! Do not move or speak!" he whispered to the others.

Soft laughter broke over their heads, and then another clear voice spoke. It sounded Elven to Harry and the others, but not what was spoken in Rivendell. Legolas looked up and answered in the same language. Finally, he turned to the group. "They have been aware of us for a while. They wish to speak to both me and Harry. They know something of our journey."

A rope ladder lowered from above, almost glowing silver in the dark. Legolas easily moved up the ladder, while Harry moved behind at a slower pace. He finally reached the top to find a platform up there with Legolas and three other Elves. "Greetings! I am Haldir. We have heard rumours of your coming, for the messengers of Elrond passed by Lorien as they made their way home up the Dimrill Stair. As you do not seem evil, we will befriend you, as Elrond asked, although we do not usually lead strnagers through our lands. You must sleep here tonight, though. How many are there of you?"

"Eight," Legolas answered. "Myself, and six humans, one of whom is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, a friend of of the Elf-folk of the Westernesse."

"You mentioned only seven," Haldir said.

"The eighth is a Dwarf," responded Legolas.

"A Dwarf!" said Haldir. "That is not good. We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days. They are not permitted to pass through our lands." Harry stood and walked to the ladder. "Where are you going?"

"Well, if someone that Elrond chose as part of the Fellowship isn't welcome to pass through your lands," he replied, "then we need to find that different route that Boromir spoke of."

"Wait!" Haldir said, and then conferred quickly with his compatriots and Legolas. After a short time he said, "We will do this, though it is against our liking. If Aragorn and Legolas will guard him and answer for him, we will allow him to pass through with you, but he must go blindfolded."

Harry snorted and set foot on the ladder. "No," was all he said as he climbed down the ladder.

"What happened up there?" Ron asked, seeing the look on Harry's face.

"Oh, they'll let us through, as long as we agree to blindfold Gimli," Harry growled. "Aragorn? We find another way tomorrow morning."

Gimli's face darkened as he heard Harry's first pronouncement, but it changed to one of shock at his comment to Aragorn. "Why, lad? Most would have just agreed with it, not thinking of whether I might agree."

"Where we come from, that attitude is called bigotry," Harry grumbled. "I have not heard one person say a single thing about open hostility between the Dwarves and the Elves, yet the Elves look askance at you simply because you're a Dwarf. If you don't go through this area with your eyes unbound, we don't pass. Either that, or I break off on my own and find my own way."

"Aren't you being a bit stiff-necked about this, Harry?" Aragorn asked.

"Yup. I won't stand for that kind of treatment of my friends. If I have to find a way to climb the mountains to avoid Lothlorien, then I will. Besides, which is more stiff-necked - me standing up for my friends, or the Elves insisting that you and Legolas not only vouch for him, but watch him, and make sure he's blind-folded as he walks through the woods? If anything, that sounds like the start of open hostilities on the part of the Elves." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm sorry; I'm getting angry and I don't want to, especially with this thing around my neck. I'm not trying to start trouble, but I will not accept any solution that involves Gimli walking through these woods as no better than a prisoner. And that's my final word on the subject." He turned to Hermione and shrugged, and was rewarded with a rather passionate kiss.

"Thank you, Harry. You spoke for me as well." She punctuated her statement with another kiss, this one shorter and somewhat less passionate.

"I'm sorry if I've made enemies of these Elves, Aragorn," Harry said.

"I doubt you have. To be honest, I have never before thought of the situation in such a manner, and even if it earns me the Lady Galadriel's ire, I shall support you." He smiled a knowing smile. "I do not believe that it will cause a long-term problem, however."

"Are we going to need to find somewhere else to stay overnight?" Ron asked.

"No," answered Haldir as he stepped from the bottom step of the ladder. He walked over to Gimli and bowed. "For you to have developed such diverse and powerful friendships speaks well for you and the Dwarves, and I apologize for what was said above." He turned to Harry. "My conditions are withdrawn." He smiled. "We must get you above, however, since we will not be moving toward the Gates until morning."

Quickly they were above the ground. Hermione climbed with Harry right behind her, and she moved as close to the tree as she could. "She's not a real fan of heights," Harry explained to Haldir.

"She may have problems with Caras Galadhon, then," Haldir said with some worry. "The entire city is in the trees." A whimper was heard from near the tree.

"Hermione," Harry said, going to her, "I will be there for you. I will catch you if you fall." He caught her eyes. "And I don't say that idly, love. I will catch you." He held her face in his hands as he said that, and she gasped as they both felt the tingle that resulted. "It appears that I've just sworn a wizard's oath, Hermione."

"But you'll be cursed if you fail!" she said, throwing her arms around him and shivering.

"As well I should, if I let that happen." She looked into his eyes, saw that he was serious, and relaxed.

They ate and drank some food that the Elves had brought with them, since none of them were in the mood to turn down an extra meal, and then lay down to sleep. The Elves had brought sleeping furs, and they also used their cloaks for extra warmth. Hermione fell asleep the moment Harry curled up against her, spoon-fashion. He smiled.

Rather than sleeping, Harry dozed, not completely asleep, but neither was he completely awake. At some point, he found himself sitting uop because he thought he heard rough voices in the distance, and the clang of metal. His sword was very near, so he carefully drew the blade and found it glowing a faint blue color, which faded slowly to its normal metallic hue as the sound slowly disappeared. His feeling of unease and danger still felt strong, though, so he slid carefully to the hole in the platform that he had come up through. He looked down and thought he saw something climbing the tree, but before he could do anything about it, he saw it turn, and suddenly drop from the tree and run away. Very quickly after an Elf came through the hole. It was Haldir.

"There was something in this tree that I have not seen before. It was not an orc. It fled as soon as I touched the bark. It seemed wary, and certainly had some skill with trees. I dared not shoot for fear of arousing cries." He shook his head. "We cannoot risk battle. A strong company of Orcs has passed, crossing the Nimrodel - curse their foul feet inits clean waters! - and went down the old road beside the river. They seemed to have picked up some scent, and lingered some time by the place where you had halted. The three of us could not challenge a hundred, so we drew them into the woods with feigned voices. My brother Orophin has gone back in haste to our dwellings to warn our people." He scowled. "None of the Orcs will ever return out of the forest of Lorien, and there will be many Elves hidden on the northern border before another night falls. But you must take the road south as soon as it is fully light."

The morning was still young and cold when the Company set out. They went back to the path and headed south for a time. Soon Haldir turned into the trees, leading them to the edge of a river. Whistling a low bird call brought another Elf from hiding, to whom Haldir skilfully threw a coil of rope. It was caught and tied to a tree, and then two more followed tied at heights to make it easier for the rest of the Company to cross. It was an easy crossing for all, with Haldir and Legolas showing the greatest skill.

Once the ropes were coiled again, they set off amongst the silver barked mallorn trees. As they walked, Harry looked to Haldir and asked him a question. "How much trouble are you going to be in for letting us walk without blindfolds?"

"Potentially a great deal. It is our law that no stranger be permitted to see our land without permission. I have set it aside, for I deem it important that the Lord and Lady of these woods meet you, and that meeting cannot take place if you do not come to the city. I know not what my punishment will be."

"I'm sorry to put you through this, Haldir. But I can't back down on my principles, either. He's a friend, and I'm probably a greater danger to your woods than Gimli, given certain things about me."

"We know of your burden, Harry Potter. It is the reason I am willing to risk not blindfolding anyone."

They travelled until noon of the next day, when they were met by a host of marching Elves, who stopped momentarily to give news to Haldir. As they continued on their way, Haldir explained. "The remaining orcs are on the run, and are not expected to live much longer. An odd creature was sighted in the woods near there as well, but escaped down the Silverlode. Also, a message from the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim supports my decision." He looked at Harry. "They apparently are very interested in meeting the Ring-bearer." He motioned around them. "We will rest here at Cerin Amroth for a while, and come to the city of the Galadhrim at dusk.

Most everyone threw themselves to the ground to rest, but Harry and Hermione walked for a while, holding hands, and came to a tall hill, covered in the beautiful yellow flower called elanor by the Elves. He reached down and gently plucked one, kissed the flower, and handed it to her. She blushed very prettily and bowed her head demurely, bringing the flower to her own lips, and then carefully placed the flower in her hair over her left ear. The look she gave him when finished was mischievous. She leaned forward and kissed him then, and he was astonished at the passion behind it, and none of it sexual. He was also marvelling at his own equally powerful response. Oh my god! he thought. I think it's actually love...I hadn't been willing to hope ...

The sun was sinking behind the mountains when they began moving again. Their paths took them into thickets where the shadows had already deepened into night, and the Elves brought out silver lamps to light the way.

Suddenly they came out into the open again and found themselves under the early evening sky, with a few stars visible in the sky. There was a wide treeless space before them, running in a great circle and bending away on either side On the far side there rose to a great height a green wall encircling a green hill thronged with mallorn trees taller than any they had seen thus far. Their heights could not be guessed, but they stood in the deepening twilight like living towers. In their many-tiered branches and amid their ever-moving leaves could be seen countless lanterns gleaming, green, gold, and silver. Haldir turned to the Company. "Welcome to Caras Galadhon!"