Harry Potter and the Ring of Doom

The travellers now turned their faces to the journey before them. The sun was before them and their eyes were dazzled, for all were full of tears. Gimli wept openly. "I have looked last upon that which was fairest," he said to Legolas. "Henceforth I will call nothing fair, unless it be her gift." He put his hand to his breast.

"Tell me, Legolas, why did I come on this Quest? Little knew I where lay the chief peril! Truly Elrond spoke, saying that we could not foresee what we might meet upon our road. Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared, and still it did not hold me back. But I would not have come, had I but known the danger of light and joy. Now have I taken my worst wound in this parting, even if tonight I were to go to the Dark Lord. Alas for Gimli son of Gloin!"

"Nay!" replied Legolas. "Alas for us all! And for all that walk the world in these after-days. For such is the way of it: to find and lose, as it seems to those whose boat is on the running stream. But I count you blessed, Gimli son of Gloin: for your loss you suffer of your own will, and you might have chosen otherwise. But you have not forsaken your companions, and the least reward that you shall have is that the memory of Lothlorien shall remain ever clear and unstained in your heart, and shall neither fade nor grow stale."

"Maybe; and I thank you for your words. True words doubtless; yet all such comfort is cold. Memory is not what the heart desires. That is only a mirror, be it as clear as Kheled-zaram. Or so says the heart of Gimli the Dwarf. Elves may see things otherwise. Indeed I have heard that for them memory is more like to the waking world than to a dream. Not so for Dwarves."

"But let us talk no more of it," Gimli finished. "Look to the boat! She is too low in the water with our baggage, and the Great River is swift. I have no desire to drown my grief in cold water!" He grabbed a paddle and steered toward the western bank, even as Aragorn was doing.

#####

The Company drifted down the River, stopping at a place they deemed safe enough. That first night, Harry pulled his fellow students to him and spoke to them. "Ron, Draco, Hermione; I have to tell you of the decision I came to in Lothlorien, the last night we were there."

"We already told you, Harry," Draco drawled. "You're not getting away without us."

"I know," he chuckled in response. "Question is, how do we get away from the other four?"

"Why?" Hermione asked. "They'd be quite handy to have with us in Mordor." She shivered at the mention of the name.

"I know - and three of the four of them would probably stick out like sore thumbs to Sauron and his minions. We've got an Elf - sworn enemies of Sorehead." He was rewarded with some chuckles. "A Dwarf, who's friends with that same Elf, and who comes from a people also not known for working with the Enemy, if I understood the histories rightly." He stopped and frowned. "And then we have Aragorn - a man about whom so many Prophecies are written that it's ridiculous. Him alone stepping into Mordor would probably set off alarm bells in Sauron's tower." Shaking his head he finished. "I'm going to be bad enough with It around my neck."

"Are you going to tell them?" Ron asked.

"No. They'll insist on coming with us if I do; you know that. So we find the perfect point to escape and break away from them. That lets Aragorn do what he truly wishes; go to Gondor and Minas Tirith. And then we pray like crazy that we get to that volcano and back."

Hermione gave him a long look. "You'd rather be going in alone, wouldn't you?"

He sighed. "Yes. I'm the only one with the guarantee not to die in there. Besides, you've seen my luck with choices recently - that's why I'm trying to leave the others behind. My decisions have already killed Gandalf and Sirius. It's bad enough that I was stupid enough to agree to carry this thing to flush it down the hot lava crapper, but to bring others in with me? That's damned near suicidal on their part, from what I've heard of Mordor." He shook his head. "Has it occurred to any of you that I'd like to leave you behind because I care about you? You're all my friends, and seeing you hurt because of me will tear me apart." He shook his head. "But I can't talk you out of it, so I work with you." He nodded. "We'd best get back, or they'll start to wonder what we're talking about."

"All else fails, tell 'em we were homesick," Ron said. "After all, we have been here since the beginning of October in this world, and it was some time in January, last I knew."

Draco hung back, walking slowest as they returned to the camp. Hermione noticed this and walked over to him. "What's wrong, Draco?"

"Not used to that yet, I'd have to say," he said with a shake of his head. "He actually meant me when he said that he didn't want his friends hurt. Given how willing he was to curse me in front of a teacher just a few months ago, I'd never have thought it possible. Then again, given the incredible wanker that I was..."

"That was someone else, Draco." She laughed. "When was the last time any of us called you by your last name, hmm?

He thought for a while. "I don't remember, but I do know it was said humorously, to make a point." He stopped, and for the only time Hermione could ever remember, she saw naked fear in his eyes. "Is Harry the only one who feels that way?"

She walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. "Ron's been joking with you, Harry doesn't want you hurt, and I'm willingly hugging you right now. You tell me." She was pleased to feel him return the hug.

From a short distance away, they heard Harry call softly, "You two okay up there? Everything all right?"

Before Draco could say anything, Hermione grinned an evil grin and said, "Yeah, don't worry, we're just have a quick go of hot animal sex is all."

The snort carried quite a ways up the hill. "Carry on, then," Harry said, and his laughter could be heard fading away as he walked back to the camp.

When she turned to face him, Draco had the Malfoy eyebrows set on stun. "'Hot animal sex?'" He shook his head. "Aren't you worried he'll take it wrong?"

"No. First of all, we haven't even been up here long enough to take our clothes off in any way, shape or form, and the ripping that would be required would be heard in the camp. Second, I'm betting that our voices are carrying enough to not necessarily make the conversation understandable, but obvious that all we're doing is talking. By my making a joke about it, Harry knows it's nothing to worry about." She blushed, though she didn't know whether Draco could see it. "Plus, he trusts me as well, and trusts you not to try anything."

"I hope you're right. I wouldn't want to see this go away. Oddly enough, I'm sort of liking having friends, rather than allied companions." They walked down the hill, and Hermione took Draco's arm as they walked.

Back in camp Harry stood up as they re-entered camp and said with a smile, "If you're back this fast, then you aren't treating her right, Draco." Harry's eyes twinkled.

Draco effected his old attitude as he responded, "Well, I decided that we should wait for a later time. After all, the screams of passion I'd undoubtedly bring forth would be heard all the way back in Rivendell, so it might be a better idea to wait." He looked at Harry with his old Slytherin contempt in his eyes, but couldn't hold it, and began to snort, as if he were trying to hold back repeated sneezes, and finally simply started laughing. That was what the Company needed to improve their mood after their leave-taking earlier that day, and the demeanour of all was markedly improved as they turned in for the night.

#####

The next few days were uneventful, if somewhat unnerving. They travelled down the river for some time, and there was little in the way of wildlife, or any signs of life, for that matter. Each member of the Company was elsewhere as they made their way down the River; Legolas running under the stars of a summer night in some northern glade amid the beech-woods; Gimli fingering gold in his mind and deciding whether or not it was fitting to be wrought into the housing of the Lady's gift.

Draco was getting a little antsy being in the boat day in and out with Boromir, however. He recognized the odd gleam that would come into Boromir's eyes occasionally, and then they would paddle closer to the boat holding Aragorn and Harry. Boromir's eyes were always on Harry, and Draco somehow doubted that Boromir was trying to get up the nerve to ask Harry on a date. Besides, Hermione would kill him if he tried anything.

It was on the fourth day out, as they camped for the night, that Ron murmured to Harry, "Saw something funny out on the river, Harry, 'bout an hour before we landed here."

"Really? Tell me about it; I could use the laugh."

"I wish it was that type of funny. More odd type of thing, and a bit nervous-making, if I really saw it, and hadn't simply dozed off in the boat."

Harry sat up. "Tell me about it."

Ron was interested by the odd note of command that entered Harry's voice, and he knew that Harry wasn't even aware of it. "Well, I was looking back downstream, if only as an excuse to look at Hermione," he laughed, "when I noticed that one of the logs was acting odd. I watched it as it started to change direction and aimed for your boat. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was actually seeing it, and it seemed to have disappeared."

"I'm betting you saw it, Ron. Remember what they told us in Rivendell about the one who held it before Bilbo? I'm betting you saw Gollum."

"Isn't that just great?" Ron grumbled. "As if we didn't have enough problems."

"Well, we keep our eyes open. That's about all we can really do. If there's no sighting tonight, then tell Hermione tomorrow in the boat, and we can have extra eyes watching for the little stinker."

Somewhere in the middle hours of the night, before he normally would have awakened, Harry snapped awake. Sitting up, he had his wand at the ready. He found himself staring at two luminescent orbs, about a yard away, that suddenly went out. By the time Harry could murmur "Lumos!", the thing had gone away, and he heard a quiet splash.

Aragorn sat up. "What is it? I felt something in my sleep. Why have you drawn your wand?"

"I think it was Gollum," Harry answered simply.

"Ah! So you know about our little footpad, do you?" Aragorn said. "He padded after us all through Moria and right down to Nimrodel."

"I think I saw him the night we met Haldir."

"I doubt it not. Since we took to boats, he has been lying on a log and paddling with hands and feet. I have tried to catch him once or twice at night, but he is slier than a fox and slipperier than a fish. I had hoped the river voyage would beat him, but he is too clever a waterman for that." He shook his head. "You lie back down; I will watch for what is left of the night. We shall have to try going faster tomorrow."

The rest of the night passed without Gollum making another appearance. The Company kept a sharp eye for him, but saw nothing of him for the rest of their voyage down the River. They spent long periods paddling down-river, and the banks went by at a swift pace, but they saw little of it, because they now travelled by twilight and night, and rested during the day, lying as hidden as possible. Time passed in this way until late on the seventh day.

The weather was still grey and overcast with winds coming from the east, but as the evening approached, the sky to the west began to clear, and the sliver of the new Moon coming could be seen. Ron noticed Hermione frowning. "What's up?"

"Don't know right now. Something's odd," was the only response he could get from her. She lapsed back into silence.

The next day found the country beginning to change rapidly. The banks began to rise and more and more stony was seen in their make-up Soon they were passing through hilly rocky land, with steep banks buried in deep thorns, tangled with brambles and creepers. Behind those hills were low crumbling cliffs in front of high ridges covered in wind-writhen fir trees. They were approaching the grey hill country of Emyn Muil.

There were many birds on these cliffs, and they had spent the day high in the air, circling, black against the pale sky. As they lay in their camp that night, Aragorn watched the flights doubtfully, wondering if Gollum had been committing mischief of any sort, and if the news of their voyage was even now making its way through the wilderness. As the sun was setting and the Company stirred to begin their travels again, he saw a dark spot against the sky's fading light: a great bird high and far off, now wheeling, now flying slowly southward.

"Legolas, is that what I think it to be; an eagle?"

Legolas looked for a moment and replied, "Aye, a hunting eagle. I wonder what that forebodes; it is quite a distance from the mountains."

"We shall not start until dark is full upon us," Aragorn decreed.

#####

The eighth night of their journey was silent and windless. The Moon had disappeared with the sunset, and the night was clear. "We shall venture one more night. We are reaching areas of the River that I do not know well, for I have never journeyed by water in these parts; not between here and the rapids of Sarn Gebir. If I am right in my reckoning, those rapids are still many miles ahead. Still, we must keep a sharp watch and not try to paddle swiftly."

Harry, being up in the lead boat with Aragorn, was given the task of watching the River's surface. He said loudly enough for the other boats to hear, "Visium Nocturnus!" After hearing someone smack a hand against a forehead, there were four more from the other boats (as well as "No, thank you" from Gimli and Legolas), and he cast it upon Aragorn as well. Now the river seemed as bright as noon-day. "I'm just annoyed that I forgot that one until now. You know how useful that would have been in a few places?"

"Like Moria?" Aragorn asked with some amusement.

"Actually, no. It needs light to work with, and the light that Gandalf was producing was bright enough to have blinded anyone using that spell. Walking through the woods a few times, though, it would have been handy." They set their eyes to the river ahead as they moved downstream.

They could see the beginnings of foam in the water when problems arose. The current was steering them toward the eastern banks when they saw Orcs emerge. They began to paddle madly for the opposite shore when a twang was heard, and an arrow splashed near the boats. Harry heard Ron say, "Gimli, Legolas. Get your boat over to me. We'll lock together, and then cast a charm to move the boats. Gives us a chance to fight back against the Orcs." He looked back to see Ron working hard to keep them together, and realized what he must have done when the boat holding Gimli and Legolas shot forward at them. As the boat reached them, Ron murmured something, and their boat started to move under its own power. Gimli began steering while Legolas set an arrow to string. Harry warned Aragorn what he was about to do, and then did the same. He saw Hermione's and Draco's boat do the same, and each of the four boats now had a protector. As arrows whistled at the Fellowship, the Orcs began to feel a bit discommoded at the sight of their fellows suddenly lighting up the shore when they burst into flames. After several had been skewered by arrows and about fifteen or so were burning brightly on the shores, they lost heart and disappeared back into the scrabble at the shore. As the boats reached the Western shore, the students ended the spell moving the boats, and brought them to ground.

"Gollum's doing, I'll bet," Aragorn growled.

A feeling of dread came over the Company as they looked to the south and saw great clouds rising and sending outriders into the starry skies. "Elbereth Gilthoniel!" Legolas sighed as he scanned the skies, and as he did, a dark shape came from the cloud and wheeled toward them. It soon appeared as a great winged creature, blacker than the pits of Moria. Fierce voices rose from across the river, greeting it, and Harry felt a chill shoot through him to his shoulder. He gasped and fell to the ground.

Legolas' bow sang suddenly, the arrow shrill in its flight from Galadriel's bow. A harsh croaking scream followed, and whatever the shape was, it fell from the sky onto the eastern shore. The voices across the river began cursing and screaming, and then grew silent.

They stayed silent and awake the rest of the night. Harry ended the spell prematurely, since it only simulated noon-day sun, to give them a chance to deal with the morning sunrise when it came.

They sat with their weapons ready, Hermione drumming her fingers along the length of the mithril wand. Finally, she said, "Harry, maybe I'm crazy..."

"You must be, Hermione; you're in love with me!" he laughed quietly.

"Shush, you," she giggled. "Seriously, though, I've been thinking about the way the Moon looked, and something isn't adding up. That night in that flet, where I was so scared, before we entered Cara Galadhon, when you saw Gollum, the Moon was waxing, about a week away from being gone. Last night, when I saw the Moon, we'd been on the River for about a week, and the new Moon had just passed, and we had a fingernail sliver of light from it. I know we spent time in Lothlorien, but I'd swear that it didn't feel like an entire month. But that's the only way that this works. Either that, or Galadriel has a Time Turner in there somewhere, since I balk at the concept of time coming to a stop."

"Time does not stop in Lothlorien; nor anywhere else," Legolas answered. "But change and growth is not the same in all things. For the Elves, the world moves both very swift and very slow. Swift because they themselves change little and all else fleets by; for them it is a grief. Slow because they do not count the running years, not for themselves. The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long, long stream."

"Galadriel wields a power within Lothlorien," Harry said. "I will not say what it is, but I know of it. Although we do not reckon the month, we must have spent one in there."

"Indeed," Aragorn said. "Harry speaks rightly. Winter comes to an end, bringing a spring of little hope."

"Cheerful," Hermione said. "But true." After a pause she said, "Y'know Harry, I don't know where you learned that spell, but I didn't think it was all that effective. The lighting reminded me of early twilight. Enough to see what was ahead, but I don't think I'd classify it as noon-day sun." He frowned in response, and warned her to prepare for him to cast it on her. Carefully pulling out his holly wand, he cast the spell again, on her, and she gasped. "But... I cast the same spell and got this..." She cast the spell on Harry, and the look of worry on his face intensified.

"Hermione, are you feeling well?" he asked.

"Fine, although the magic not working like it should has me a little worried. Then again, I've never bothered to study how illness affects magic use. Probably just caught a slight cold, and my body is fighting it off." She shook her head. "Getting scared of a head cold. Imagine that." She smiled ruefully.

#####

The morning arrived grey and very foggy. "This is not going to make getting around these rapids any easier," Aragorn murmured.

"Why do we not abandon the boats and head westward and southward, toward the Entwash and my own lands?"

"That assumes that we will be going to Minas Tirith, and that has not yet been decided. I do not wish to abandon the boats yet. I have a mind to stand at Amon Hen yet, before deciding."

Boromir argued for Gondor for a time more, but when Harry made it obvious that he would listen to Aragorn, he gave way. "It is not the way of Men of Minas Tirith to abandon friends in their time of need. You shall have need of my strong arm before the end, but I will go no farther with you than the hills of Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw. There I shall set out home, alone if necessary, if my help has not earned the reward of any companionship."

Ron leaned over to Hermione and whispered, "My Mum packs better bags for a guilt trip." She giggled in response.

"We must find a way around the rapids, so Legolas and I will set out to find that way. If we have not returned within a day, then you shall know that evil has befallen us on this side of the river as well. You shall then choose another leader and do as necessary."

"I wonder if Boromir knows that we'd choose you?" Draco whispered to Harry. "That'd really frost him, I'll bet." Harry simply sat there, stunned at Draco's revelation.

They spent a tense time waiting, but a short one, for three hours later, Aragorn and Legolas returned. "We have found the path, and the track is short; no more than a mile. The difficult part will be in portage. While light, these boats are large enough to be difficult."

Harry whistled tunelessly as he gently pointed his wand at one of the boats and murmured "Reducio!" In short order, the four boats were small enough to placed in the students backpacks, and they were underway. Less than an hour later, they were at the landing below the rapids.

"With the fog so great, we will wait until tomorrow to leave," Aragorn said. "Even if the fog remains great, we must go then."

The night was uneventful, except for a light rain that came an hour before sunrise, and was gone as dawn broke. The fog had also begun to break as they began their trip, and shortly the sun had come through, warming them all.

Before them lay a wide ravine, cliffs seeming to rise impossibly high. As they approached it, the walls became closer together, and their speed increased. Above them was a thin strip of blue sky, and before them, blotting the sun, were the hills of Emyn Muil, through which no opening could be seen.

Harry could see two massive rocks in the distance, looking as if pillars to guard the stream of water. The river sped them toward them.

"Behold the Argonath, the Pillars of Kings!" Cried Aragorn. "We shall pass them soon. Keep the boats in line, and as far apart as you can. Hold to the middle of the stream!"

As Harry was borne toward them the great pillars rose like towers to meet him. He discovered that they were actually carved into the likenesses of men. Tall and kingly they stood; the likeness, in fact, of kings of old. Each stood with left palm aimed outward in warning, and the right hand holding an axe. All save Aragorn were struck by them, and bowed their heads before them.

The ravine grew dark around them, as the walls blotted out the sky. After what felt like too long a time, they shot out into daylight, causing all to breathe a sigh of relief. Aragorn looked back toward the Argonath and said, "Long have I desired to look upon the likenesses of Isildur and Anarion, my sires of old. Under their shadow Elessar, the Elfstone son of Arathorn of the House of Valandil Isildur's son, heir of Elendil, has naught to dread!" A light was in his eyes, and he stood straighter, as if years had fallen from his shoulders; he looked the part of the greatest of kings.

Then the light faded and he spoke to himself. "Would that Gandalf were here! How my heart yearns for Minas Anor and the walls of my own city! But whither now shall I go?"

As they floated, much slower now, in Nen Hithoel, the lake before the Rauros Falls, they steered to the western shore. "We shall head for the lawn of Parth Galen - a fair place of old. Let us hope that no evil has yet come upon it. There we shall make our decision, for we can go no further in any direction without a definite destination in mind."

The last stage of their Quest was before them.