Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Harry Potter and the path of the Night Elves
Lorien
They came into a large section of the camp which had been slightly separated from the main group, when they entered it they noticed that many of the Night Elves were up and about, very much unlike the majority of the men and other elves. However there were areas where groups of fully armed Elves with Blonde hair and lighter skin, were conversing with their own people, they were obviously getting along well for their features were animated and excited, Harry surmised that the elves which had dwelt in Middle Earth for longer were fascinated with meeting a new kind of their species, he understood their excitement, for he himself was excited at the prospects at what was to come, after all he had the chance of a new life.
Walking over to the closest group he made his presence known to them with Bellatrix by his side.
"Good Morning" they turned to look at him and when they saw him they immediately fell to their knees with heads bowed, this had the effect of attracting other of his kind who, in seeing that their leaders were there, also fell to their knees with their heads bowed. Feeling nervous he lightly touched the head of the nearest Elf.
"You may rise my brothers" the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them, it was like he was meant to say it to them, the words had the effect of allowing every elf on his or her knees, numbers which he couldn't count with a passing glance, to rise and begin to celebrate their birth in a new world, they hugged and cheered with smiles painted upon there fair faces for several hours before they ceased the activity and began to relax.
In this time Harry and Bellatrix had got to know many of the elves which were now their kin, they were also pleased to note that the initial act of going to their hands and knees was a one time thing unless he wished it again, and that in normal life they would just offer him either a bow or If in close contact a hand to the shoulder which signified the bond of friendship and trust.
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Celebrations aside Harry didn't have any contact with the other Lords and kings through the period of one week in which he stayed at the camp. It was a surprise that the evening that they were to depart Harry received visitors in the form of the Lord Elrond of Imladris and Gil Galad who he now knew to be the High King of the elves in the far west of Middle Earth. Their coming was seen from afar by the scouts who he had placed around the edges of their camp in order to be forewarned if they were attacked in the Night. Because of this Harry didn't meet them in bed attire, but instead in fine clothes which had been a gift from an Elf maiden as a sign of loyalty.
When their presence was announced and the two important figures sat down in chairs in his tent, he looked at them warily.
"Your purpose still remains hidden from me High King Gil Galad and yours also Lord Elrond, why do you visit on the eve of our parting, is it to dissuade me perhaps?" the elves shared a side glance and then Elrond spoke.
"It was indeed our intention to dissuade you from going too readily into battle; however I can see that it is futile trying to do so now." He paused regarding Harry wearily for a second. "I speak for my King when I say that I wish for our people to remain friends and in times of need, allies. Although we cannot for reasons already mentioned compromise our forces to you, we do wish to help in other ways" he pulled a great bow from its place on his back and handed it to Harry much in the same way that he had received the sword from Gil Galad.
Harry took the bow and slowly observed it, it was a beautiful weapon which held both power and grace in abundance, it had a strong string which when touched was comfortable and easy to manage, it was similar to his sword in its own way too, it had a unique style even among other elvish weaponry, and was made to be pure black save for five Golden lines running on a slightly tilted angle by both sides of the area which was designed to be held in the hand.
Placing the bow into his lest hand like he had seen other elves do throughout the week, he pulled back the string smoothly with his right, its draw was ten times more graceful than the bows he had tried throughout the week, and the power behind that smooth draw was amazing.
"The bow has been in the design stage many years before your arrival, we feel that it will be perfect for the needs of your people, we increased the drawback weight to allow for a more powerful shot, this shouldn't be a problem due to your people having greater strength than ours. The bow is a work of art, It has a Mithril core to vastly increase the strength and the accuracy, it will only be broken by great magic's or by the weapons made by the smith who crafted your sword" Harry stared at him in shock, he of course, having been around an army of incredible size, knew of the almost inexistent and valuable metal Mithril. To make a bow core out of it was astounding, the price would be astronomical. He knew better to try and refuse the gift however, if he did they would find some way to get it to him without his knowing.
"It is a mighty gift, thank you High King Gil-Galad and Lord Elrond"
"Elrond" Harry stared
"Pardon?" Elrond smiled
"Just call me Elrond"
"And I Gil-Galad, you are to be a king and are already an Istar of power I cannot begin to imagine, you do not yet have my respect, but you do have my good-will"
Harry bowed his head in acknowledgement, before standing along with his two guests. Nodding once he was about to turn and walk over to his bed area when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"There still remains the task of informing you that I have taken the liberty to send riders with an order to deliver to Lorien, the order relates to the armament of your army, weapons of choice will be supplied to all troops and any of those who desire them, armour also will be provided, made of the best metals we have in our possession, if we cannot help you physically take the land of Rhun, then we offer you weapons to attempt to yourself, I do not advise continuing with this rash plan to take the region but I hold no sway over you, you of course must do what you think is best for your people" and with that they both swept out of the room, cloaks catching a non existent breeze creating an impressive image.
Harry smiled grimly and then placed the bow on his bed; he then made his way outside where he proceeded to prepare for the march to Lorien the next day.
It was several months later when the Night Elves entered through the wooded borders of Lorien, the going had been slow due to the need for secrecy and the fact that they had with them children and women.
By the escort of one of the patrol groups that guarded the borders they were led into the heart of the wondrous city which many had attempted to describe back at the camp, non however had done the place before them justice.
They were led through glades of many colours and passed many an elf before they arrived at the dwelling of the Lord and Lady, there Harry and Bellatrix were drawn aside while the rest were taken away to another location. A tall and fair lady elf led them, along with who seemed to be her husband, to a secluded part of the wood, there they took seats and sat in pleasant silence until it was broken by the Lady.
"Welcome Elerossë and Failariël, leaders of the Night Elves, It rust that you had a pleasant journey"
"Moderate Lady Galadriel, the going was slow and tiring but we are glad for the chance to rest" replied Bellatrix. Harry was now feeling stupid for not looking at the most recent History of Middle Earth, it would sure come in useful now, however Bellatrix had taken it upon herself to start a sort of History class if you will, there elves who were interested to know about the History and factions in this new world, could read and learn from books which had been given to them from the Dwarves of Khazad Dum when they had passed through only a month or so before.
"You are most welcome in the land of Lorien my friends, even in these dark times your presence is wanted, for as you entered the wood I felt the power within its protections strengthen by great amounts, for this I thank you" Harry smiled softly, it wasn't done intentionally but If it made elves in the world safer then he was glad of it regardless. "I was informed By King Gil-Galad that he had gifted you with weapons which were to be created here, I am pleased to say that we have completed the order and they are works of great achievement, for never before have we hade such well crafted armour as we have done with this" continued the man next to Galadriel who only Bellatrix could identify as Lord Celeborn, Galadriel's husband.
"We are greatly indebted to you for you work and your kindness, once we are able I will find a way to repay you and all those who played part in giving this magnificent gift" Harry said, Celeborn smiled at him, as did Galadriel.
There was a tense silence for a few seconds before it was broken by Galadriel
"Come" and with that she proceeded to rise and walk off away from them.
The Lady led them back through several thickets but they eventually stopped in a small building which was just as intricately designed as all the others they has seen throughout the city so far. She led them inside where they were met with ten sets of black and Gold armour, nine bows identical to the one which Harry had given to Bellatrix, nine swords, not too dissimilar from his own, but obviously different, and ten spears, all lined up in separate racks along the walls.
Stepping forward to the right centre set, Harry reached out and picked up the battle helmet which rested upon a small shelf, the helmet was different from the rest there, it was without the large addition at the top, making it more lightweight, and it also had a peculiar shine to it which he could not identify on the helms purely Golden shade. The helm was flawless and curved in ways which clearly showed it was of Elven origin and craftsmanship.
"It's beautiful" he whispered.
"Indeed it is Young Istar, worthy of a mighty warrior to wear, made of the hardest metals which run between layers of mithril, it is capable of deflecting even the sharpest of arrows without effort, it is yours to wear in battle, a sign of your identity and power"
Harry turned to gaze upon the Lady Galadriel, and then to Bellatrix who was examining a pair of long daggers closely, obviously impressed by the beautifully curved blades.
"Who are these for?" he asked gesturing to the weapons and armour in the room.
"For you and the Lady Failariël" she answered. Harry frowned
"And the rest?" he asked
"For those who you most trust and have proven themselves to be the best leaders and soldiers in your army, we thought that those who prove themselves worthy would wear this design of armour, it shows there rank as one of the most senior in the army even in the rush of battle" Harry nodded and smiled once again, however the Lady wasn't finished yet. "They, unlike the armour of the others, also have Mithril contained in them, not as much as yours and the Lady Failariël's but enough to make it some of the best armour we have ever had the privilege to craft" she smiled at him and then bowed her head slightly
"I will leave you and the Lady to try out your armour and weapons, if you wish to see me or my husband then you can find me near the archery range" And with that she left the room, her husband in the lead.
When she was gone Harry turned to Bellatrix.
"This armour is amazing; it's so light, but so strong at the same time" his face grew darker and his eyes flashed with a hidden power. "Although I wish we didn't need it at all" Bellatrix smiled grimly.
"It's for the safety of our people, if we can take over Rhun then we can begin to grow strong, I just hope that we don't lose many of out people getting it" Harry sighed.
"If anyone or anything kills off my Kin then Valar help the one that does, I'll hunt them down and write a warning all over the sides of the dark Tower itself"
Bellatrix shuddered at the thought but in fact she felt the same way, however one thing about the oath like statement was the fact that Harry probably would do it.
Silence enveloped the room and Harry looked back at the weapons and armour arrayed before him. Picking up a light leather undershirt he slipped it on over his head and tied the fastenings tight around him, he then picked up a huge dress-like chain mail, save for the fact that it sparkled with an unearthly glint showing that it was once more made of Mithril. Slipping it on over his head he let the armour fall down to just above his knees, it was then he noticed that at the waist the armour slit into two, with a slit going from there to the very bottom of the piece. Next he placed a black breastplate upon him, it was then that he realised that it had a familiar shape upon it, a Golden lightning bolt in a circle outlined with a thin layer of Gold, was upon the breast, it was then that the huge truth came to him. This was a symbol which every one of his warriors would wear, however instead of feeling embraced and upset that such a thing had been created, he felt proud, proud that his Mother and Fathers sacrifice which was shown in the scar upon his forehead, was now to be used as the symbol which his people followed. Slipping the plated metal on, he pulled it down, now noticing that there was another layer of light leather between the pieces to provide a snug non slip fit. Next he placed bracers on his arms, and then fastened a pair of greaves to his lower legs. Stepping over to the weapons rack he pulled off one of the Midnight black bows, a pair of knives identical to Bella's, and a sheath to keep them in, which attached to his back and formed an x shape.
Placing the bow down he attached the daggers to his back and then his sword to his waist, he turned to look at Bella, she was looking at him intently as if it was the first time she had ever seen him.
"You look...different" Harry frowned.
"How so?" She smiled
"More Kingly I suppose, by the way have you grown?" Harry frowned once again
"Not to my Knowledge, perhaps it was a side effect of being turned in to an elf or something" he shrugged and proceeded to strap a black quiver to his back.
"Perhaps, but don't you think that this is a bit of an expense for armour which we may grow out of soon ,well maybe not me because the only way I'm going is outwards, but you might have to get new armour soon if you grow out of it"
"Oh come on I'm about the same size as you, and you're what, about five feet ten, right?" she nodded and gave a slight smile.
"Perhaps it's your face then that makes you look smaller, it looks much more youthful than many of the elves here" Harry snorted and gave a slight cough
"That may be because most of the Elves we've seen are perhaps older than Hogwarts" Bellatrix had the decency to look slightly embarrassed by her huge slip, that was until her features became lighter and a smile formed at the corner of her lips.
"Well whatever, all I was trying to say, before you sidetracked me was that I thought you looked very different, in a good way of course, and for the love of the Valar I've just realised that you aren't wearing glasses anymore, you have nice eyes Harry so don't hide them OK" blinking Harry briefly wondered how she had switched topics so suddenly, elf or not Women were till a mystery to him. Shaking his head he picked up his bow in his left hand and opened the door with his right. Leaving Bellatrix alone he started to make his way back to one of the archery ranges he had seen on the way to the room, he hadn't gone ten meters when Bellatrix caught up to him.
Looking at all her tightly worn black armour and her new graceful features Harry couldn't help but stare a bit before he was brought back to the land of the living by a small slap to the head.
"Are we going to go practice then?" he nodded dumbly and followed her as she set off at a steady pace in the opposite direction he had been heading, sighing at his inability to remember even the simplest of routs.
As they walked a thought which had been in his head since the time they had arrived in Middle Earth came to him and he chose that moment to ask the question.
"Bellatrix?" She gave a small sound to show she was listening.
"Why are we so comfortable around each other now? I mean before we came here we were enemy's but now we seem fine around each other, It's just weird. And also what about you? You've really changed in the last couple of months, to the point, scary though it is that I feel like you could become a friend" she stopped and put a hand on his shoulder.
"When we were in the light and before that when we were back in Privet drive it felt like something was judging me, I don't know but I knew when I felt it that I had done wrong, I asked for forgiveness out of desire to live, I admit, however when we arrived here, well lets just say that I felt almost all the evil gone, so much so that I could look at my past like a distant dream, It all comes down to that when I changed into a Night Elf, Evil was pushed from my soul somehow, I truly did get a chance to live again, and just so you know I no longer want forgiveness out of self gain, for there are more important things in life than myself, honour, friendship, love...I just want happiness Harry, and I'll go to any length short of falling to the dark again to feel it for the first time"
Harry didn't know what to say, it was now clear that she had felt similar things to him before they had been taken to Middle Earth, however where he had prevailed stronger due to his honourable and kind nature, she had suffered for her wrongdoings, it made sense on some strange level but he was glad that he felt he could trust her, it was a feeling that told him this, not evidence or documents, but a feeling that she would stay with him till the end.
In his musings he hadn't noticed that he once more started to walk and that they were nearing one of the Archery ranges.
When they got within ten metres of the range and rounded a thick wall of trees which hid it from eyesight, they saw a magnificent site.
There was over a thousand of them, all waiting in lines of ten, taking it in turns to fire three shots at the target, they would then rotate in turn so that everyone got in some practice.
"Welcome my Lord, my Lady" greeted an elf from their left, turning he smiled at the slightly nervous elf and nodded his head "I am Revion my lord, I am pleased to be here and will do what you ask" Harry smiled at the elf once more, he liked him already, tall, strong and loyal, yet possessing a personality which flooded the area in waves.
"I am pleased to meet you Revion, perhaps you can tell me what has happened in my brief absence?" the eager elf nodded and then began to explain.
"Those who wish to protect you and our people are, as you can see here, training to do just that, they are a large group and have been spread around the forest at various archery ranges in groups of one thousand, weapons and armour which bear the mark of Lightning have been given to all of those who are in training, bows of great power and price have been given to all elves even those who don't wish to fight, along with this all swords and shields have been given, along with full armour. It is a sight My Lord; they look spectacular when amassed together"
Harry nodded pleased that they had even got this far in such a short space of time.
"And what of those who do not wish to fight? Women and children, men who aren't soldiers, what of them?" Bellatrix asked from his side. The elf turned to her and smiled fully.
"They have taken residence in a small community on the outskirts of the forest, they have, with the exception of the children, started to find their feet, many seem to be interested in Crafting and forgery, others prefer weaving or cookery, everyone is pulling together to make our community grow My Lady" Bellatrix smiled, this was good, because in times of peace there were other things which needed to be done, farming to name just one.
"And what of you Revion what place have you taken? For you are not dressed as a warrior yet you do not appear to be a craftsmen, and indeed not a child I dare say" he laughed softly.
"I have taken the part of the unofficial village messenger" he shook his head "Alas less than an hour has passed since our arrival and yet I become the Village Messenger" he gave a soft chuckle. Harry suddenly had an idea, it was a good one. Well at least he thought so.
"How about we make your job slightly larger than that Revion?I propose that you become the first Messenger and scout for our people, your job will be to gather information from across the world and give it to me or the Lady beside me, will you take the task Revion?" The elf thought for a second before nodding.
"Indeed I will my Lord, it is an honour to serve" and with that the elf strolled off into the trees where after a couple of seconds he seemed to just vanish.
Looking over at Bella he gave a shrug of her shoulders before leading him over to where the archers were practicing.
It was a couple of minutes later that Harry and Bella were stood next to each other, bows in hand, facing the targets which were about fifty metres away. It was the first time they had even fired an arrow before but Harry had seen it done in muggle movies back on Earth so got the gist of it roughly.
An elven archer who was apparently a Master bowman, a rank only attainable after two thousand years of training, stood by their side giving the tips to better their stance.
Pulling an arrow out of her now full Quiver Bella slowly fitted it to the string, she then proceeded to pull back the string and after about a minute of aiming, let the arrow sail right passed the target she was aiming for. Harry snorted softly; this earned him a glare from Bella.
"Go on then you try, see how you like being laughed at on your first attempt" she snarled menacingly. It was then that Harry realised that although the evil had been taken from her soul, that she still had one hell of a temper when annoyed.
Pulling back his string slowly he aimed at the target and let the string loose. His arrow swept straight passed the target. Coughing and laughter came from Bellatrix general direction; he however wasn't looking at her, but at the finely crafted bow in his hands.
"This is going to be harder than I thought" he murmured before once again fitting an arrow to his string.
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Authors note:
Thanks for all the reviews so far, it's been great!
I think I need to start a vote for what the pairing will be.
So far I've had suggestions for nearly very option I suggested and am leaning to Harry/Bellatrix. NOthin is certain yet though and it would perhaps be nice if Harry was with an OC elf.
There has also been some confusion over when this story takes place. Just to make it clear, it takes place 100 years before the battle of Dagorland, which, to those of you who don't know what that is, is the place in the movies where you see the man and the elves cme together.
It is my intention to carry this on through from before this event and right through to the end of the books. (note that I will follow the books loosely)
What do people think of this?
Should I end it sooner or later than that, showing Harry coming back to Earth for a bit before returning to Middle Earth...well that is if he makes it that far anyway...
They came into a large section of the camp which had been slightly separated from the main group, when they entered it they noticed that many of the Night Elves were up and about, very much unlike the majority of the men and other elves. However there were areas where groups of fully armed Elves with Blonde hair and lighter skin, were conversing with their own people, they were obviously getting along well for their features were animated and excited, Harry surmised that the elves which had dwelt in Middle Earth for longer were fascinated with meeting a new kind of their species, he understood their excitement, for he himself was excited at the prospects at what was to come, after all he had the chance of a new life.
Walking over to the closest group he made his presence known to them with Bellatrix by his side.
"Good Morning" they turned to look at him and when they saw him they immediately fell to their knees with heads bowed, this had the effect of attracting other of his kind who, in seeing that their leaders were there, also fell to their knees with their heads bowed. Feeling nervous he lightly touched the head of the nearest Elf.
"You may rise my brothers" the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them, it was like he was meant to say it to them, the words had the effect of allowing every elf on his or her knees, numbers which he couldn't count with a passing glance, to rise and begin to celebrate their birth in a new world, they hugged and cheered with smiles painted upon there fair faces for several hours before they ceased the activity and began to relax.
In this time Harry and Bellatrix had got to know many of the elves which were now their kin, they were also pleased to note that the initial act of going to their hands and knees was a one time thing unless he wished it again, and that in normal life they would just offer him either a bow or If in close contact a hand to the shoulder which signified the bond of friendship and trust.
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Celebrations aside Harry didn't have any contact with the other Lords and kings through the period of one week in which he stayed at the camp. It was a surprise that the evening that they were to depart Harry received visitors in the form of the Lord Elrond of Imladris and Gil Galad who he now knew to be the High King of the elves in the far west of Middle Earth. Their coming was seen from afar by the scouts who he had placed around the edges of their camp in order to be forewarned if they were attacked in the Night. Because of this Harry didn't meet them in bed attire, but instead in fine clothes which had been a gift from an Elf maiden as a sign of loyalty.
When their presence was announced and the two important figures sat down in chairs in his tent, he looked at them warily.
"Your purpose still remains hidden from me High King Gil Galad and yours also Lord Elrond, why do you visit on the eve of our parting, is it to dissuade me perhaps?" the elves shared a side glance and then Elrond spoke.
"It was indeed our intention to dissuade you from going too readily into battle; however I can see that it is futile trying to do so now." He paused regarding Harry wearily for a second. "I speak for my King when I say that I wish for our people to remain friends and in times of need, allies. Although we cannot for reasons already mentioned compromise our forces to you, we do wish to help in other ways" he pulled a great bow from its place on his back and handed it to Harry much in the same way that he had received the sword from Gil Galad.
Harry took the bow and slowly observed it, it was a beautiful weapon which held both power and grace in abundance, it had a strong string which when touched was comfortable and easy to manage, it was similar to his sword in its own way too, it had a unique style even among other elvish weaponry, and was made to be pure black save for five Golden lines running on a slightly tilted angle by both sides of the area which was designed to be held in the hand.
Placing the bow into his lest hand like he had seen other elves do throughout the week, he pulled back the string smoothly with his right, its draw was ten times more graceful than the bows he had tried throughout the week, and the power behind that smooth draw was amazing.
"The bow has been in the design stage many years before your arrival, we feel that it will be perfect for the needs of your people, we increased the drawback weight to allow for a more powerful shot, this shouldn't be a problem due to your people having greater strength than ours. The bow is a work of art, It has a Mithril core to vastly increase the strength and the accuracy, it will only be broken by great magic's or by the weapons made by the smith who crafted your sword" Harry stared at him in shock, he of course, having been around an army of incredible size, knew of the almost inexistent and valuable metal Mithril. To make a bow core out of it was astounding, the price would be astronomical. He knew better to try and refuse the gift however, if he did they would find some way to get it to him without his knowing.
"It is a mighty gift, thank you High King Gil-Galad and Lord Elrond"
"Elrond" Harry stared
"Pardon?" Elrond smiled
"Just call me Elrond"
"And I Gil-Galad, you are to be a king and are already an Istar of power I cannot begin to imagine, you do not yet have my respect, but you do have my good-will"
Harry bowed his head in acknowledgement, before standing along with his two guests. Nodding once he was about to turn and walk over to his bed area when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"There still remains the task of informing you that I have taken the liberty to send riders with an order to deliver to Lorien, the order relates to the armament of your army, weapons of choice will be supplied to all troops and any of those who desire them, armour also will be provided, made of the best metals we have in our possession, if we cannot help you physically take the land of Rhun, then we offer you weapons to attempt to yourself, I do not advise continuing with this rash plan to take the region but I hold no sway over you, you of course must do what you think is best for your people" and with that they both swept out of the room, cloaks catching a non existent breeze creating an impressive image.
Harry smiled grimly and then placed the bow on his bed; he then made his way outside where he proceeded to prepare for the march to Lorien the next day.
It was several months later when the Night Elves entered through the wooded borders of Lorien, the going had been slow due to the need for secrecy and the fact that they had with them children and women.
By the escort of one of the patrol groups that guarded the borders they were led into the heart of the wondrous city which many had attempted to describe back at the camp, non however had done the place before them justice.
They were led through glades of many colours and passed many an elf before they arrived at the dwelling of the Lord and Lady, there Harry and Bellatrix were drawn aside while the rest were taken away to another location. A tall and fair lady elf led them, along with who seemed to be her husband, to a secluded part of the wood, there they took seats and sat in pleasant silence until it was broken by the Lady.
"Welcome Elerossë and Failariël, leaders of the Night Elves, It rust that you had a pleasant journey"
"Moderate Lady Galadriel, the going was slow and tiring but we are glad for the chance to rest" replied Bellatrix. Harry was now feeling stupid for not looking at the most recent History of Middle Earth, it would sure come in useful now, however Bellatrix had taken it upon herself to start a sort of History class if you will, there elves who were interested to know about the History and factions in this new world, could read and learn from books which had been given to them from the Dwarves of Khazad Dum when they had passed through only a month or so before.
"You are most welcome in the land of Lorien my friends, even in these dark times your presence is wanted, for as you entered the wood I felt the power within its protections strengthen by great amounts, for this I thank you" Harry smiled softly, it wasn't done intentionally but If it made elves in the world safer then he was glad of it regardless. "I was informed By King Gil-Galad that he had gifted you with weapons which were to be created here, I am pleased to say that we have completed the order and they are works of great achievement, for never before have we hade such well crafted armour as we have done with this" continued the man next to Galadriel who only Bellatrix could identify as Lord Celeborn, Galadriel's husband.
"We are greatly indebted to you for you work and your kindness, once we are able I will find a way to repay you and all those who played part in giving this magnificent gift" Harry said, Celeborn smiled at him, as did Galadriel.
There was a tense silence for a few seconds before it was broken by Galadriel
"Come" and with that she proceeded to rise and walk off away from them.
The Lady led them back through several thickets but they eventually stopped in a small building which was just as intricately designed as all the others they has seen throughout the city so far. She led them inside where they were met with ten sets of black and Gold armour, nine bows identical to the one which Harry had given to Bellatrix, nine swords, not too dissimilar from his own, but obviously different, and ten spears, all lined up in separate racks along the walls.
Stepping forward to the right centre set, Harry reached out and picked up the battle helmet which rested upon a small shelf, the helmet was different from the rest there, it was without the large addition at the top, making it more lightweight, and it also had a peculiar shine to it which he could not identify on the helms purely Golden shade. The helm was flawless and curved in ways which clearly showed it was of Elven origin and craftsmanship.
"It's beautiful" he whispered.
"Indeed it is Young Istar, worthy of a mighty warrior to wear, made of the hardest metals which run between layers of mithril, it is capable of deflecting even the sharpest of arrows without effort, it is yours to wear in battle, a sign of your identity and power"
Harry turned to gaze upon the Lady Galadriel, and then to Bellatrix who was examining a pair of long daggers closely, obviously impressed by the beautifully curved blades.
"Who are these for?" he asked gesturing to the weapons and armour in the room.
"For you and the Lady Failariël" she answered. Harry frowned
"And the rest?" he asked
"For those who you most trust and have proven themselves to be the best leaders and soldiers in your army, we thought that those who prove themselves worthy would wear this design of armour, it shows there rank as one of the most senior in the army even in the rush of battle" Harry nodded and smiled once again, however the Lady wasn't finished yet. "They, unlike the armour of the others, also have Mithril contained in them, not as much as yours and the Lady Failariël's but enough to make it some of the best armour we have ever had the privilege to craft" she smiled at him and then bowed her head slightly
"I will leave you and the Lady to try out your armour and weapons, if you wish to see me or my husband then you can find me near the archery range" And with that she left the room, her husband in the lead.
When she was gone Harry turned to Bellatrix.
"This armour is amazing; it's so light, but so strong at the same time" his face grew darker and his eyes flashed with a hidden power. "Although I wish we didn't need it at all" Bellatrix smiled grimly.
"It's for the safety of our people, if we can take over Rhun then we can begin to grow strong, I just hope that we don't lose many of out people getting it" Harry sighed.
"If anyone or anything kills off my Kin then Valar help the one that does, I'll hunt them down and write a warning all over the sides of the dark Tower itself"
Bellatrix shuddered at the thought but in fact she felt the same way, however one thing about the oath like statement was the fact that Harry probably would do it.
Silence enveloped the room and Harry looked back at the weapons and armour arrayed before him. Picking up a light leather undershirt he slipped it on over his head and tied the fastenings tight around him, he then picked up a huge dress-like chain mail, save for the fact that it sparkled with an unearthly glint showing that it was once more made of Mithril. Slipping it on over his head he let the armour fall down to just above his knees, it was then he noticed that at the waist the armour slit into two, with a slit going from there to the very bottom of the piece. Next he placed a black breastplate upon him, it was then that he realised that it had a familiar shape upon it, a Golden lightning bolt in a circle outlined with a thin layer of Gold, was upon the breast, it was then that the huge truth came to him. This was a symbol which every one of his warriors would wear, however instead of feeling embraced and upset that such a thing had been created, he felt proud, proud that his Mother and Fathers sacrifice which was shown in the scar upon his forehead, was now to be used as the symbol which his people followed. Slipping the plated metal on, he pulled it down, now noticing that there was another layer of light leather between the pieces to provide a snug non slip fit. Next he placed bracers on his arms, and then fastened a pair of greaves to his lower legs. Stepping over to the weapons rack he pulled off one of the Midnight black bows, a pair of knives identical to Bella's, and a sheath to keep them in, which attached to his back and formed an x shape.
Placing the bow down he attached the daggers to his back and then his sword to his waist, he turned to look at Bella, she was looking at him intently as if it was the first time she had ever seen him.
"You look...different" Harry frowned.
"How so?" She smiled
"More Kingly I suppose, by the way have you grown?" Harry frowned once again
"Not to my Knowledge, perhaps it was a side effect of being turned in to an elf or something" he shrugged and proceeded to strap a black quiver to his back.
"Perhaps, but don't you think that this is a bit of an expense for armour which we may grow out of soon ,well maybe not me because the only way I'm going is outwards, but you might have to get new armour soon if you grow out of it"
"Oh come on I'm about the same size as you, and you're what, about five feet ten, right?" she nodded and gave a slight smile.
"Perhaps it's your face then that makes you look smaller, it looks much more youthful than many of the elves here" Harry snorted and gave a slight cough
"That may be because most of the Elves we've seen are perhaps older than Hogwarts" Bellatrix had the decency to look slightly embarrassed by her huge slip, that was until her features became lighter and a smile formed at the corner of her lips.
"Well whatever, all I was trying to say, before you sidetracked me was that I thought you looked very different, in a good way of course, and for the love of the Valar I've just realised that you aren't wearing glasses anymore, you have nice eyes Harry so don't hide them OK" blinking Harry briefly wondered how she had switched topics so suddenly, elf or not Women were till a mystery to him. Shaking his head he picked up his bow in his left hand and opened the door with his right. Leaving Bellatrix alone he started to make his way back to one of the archery ranges he had seen on the way to the room, he hadn't gone ten meters when Bellatrix caught up to him.
Looking at all her tightly worn black armour and her new graceful features Harry couldn't help but stare a bit before he was brought back to the land of the living by a small slap to the head.
"Are we going to go practice then?" he nodded dumbly and followed her as she set off at a steady pace in the opposite direction he had been heading, sighing at his inability to remember even the simplest of routs.
As they walked a thought which had been in his head since the time they had arrived in Middle Earth came to him and he chose that moment to ask the question.
"Bellatrix?" She gave a small sound to show she was listening.
"Why are we so comfortable around each other now? I mean before we came here we were enemy's but now we seem fine around each other, It's just weird. And also what about you? You've really changed in the last couple of months, to the point, scary though it is that I feel like you could become a friend" she stopped and put a hand on his shoulder.
"When we were in the light and before that when we were back in Privet drive it felt like something was judging me, I don't know but I knew when I felt it that I had done wrong, I asked for forgiveness out of desire to live, I admit, however when we arrived here, well lets just say that I felt almost all the evil gone, so much so that I could look at my past like a distant dream, It all comes down to that when I changed into a Night Elf, Evil was pushed from my soul somehow, I truly did get a chance to live again, and just so you know I no longer want forgiveness out of self gain, for there are more important things in life than myself, honour, friendship, love...I just want happiness Harry, and I'll go to any length short of falling to the dark again to feel it for the first time"
Harry didn't know what to say, it was now clear that she had felt similar things to him before they had been taken to Middle Earth, however where he had prevailed stronger due to his honourable and kind nature, she had suffered for her wrongdoings, it made sense on some strange level but he was glad that he felt he could trust her, it was a feeling that told him this, not evidence or documents, but a feeling that she would stay with him till the end.
In his musings he hadn't noticed that he once more started to walk and that they were nearing one of the Archery ranges.
When they got within ten metres of the range and rounded a thick wall of trees which hid it from eyesight, they saw a magnificent site.
There was over a thousand of them, all waiting in lines of ten, taking it in turns to fire three shots at the target, they would then rotate in turn so that everyone got in some practice.
"Welcome my Lord, my Lady" greeted an elf from their left, turning he smiled at the slightly nervous elf and nodded his head "I am Revion my lord, I am pleased to be here and will do what you ask" Harry smiled at the elf once more, he liked him already, tall, strong and loyal, yet possessing a personality which flooded the area in waves.
"I am pleased to meet you Revion, perhaps you can tell me what has happened in my brief absence?" the eager elf nodded and then began to explain.
"Those who wish to protect you and our people are, as you can see here, training to do just that, they are a large group and have been spread around the forest at various archery ranges in groups of one thousand, weapons and armour which bear the mark of Lightning have been given to all of those who are in training, bows of great power and price have been given to all elves even those who don't wish to fight, along with this all swords and shields have been given, along with full armour. It is a sight My Lord; they look spectacular when amassed together"
Harry nodded pleased that they had even got this far in such a short space of time.
"And what of those who do not wish to fight? Women and children, men who aren't soldiers, what of them?" Bellatrix asked from his side. The elf turned to her and smiled fully.
"They have taken residence in a small community on the outskirts of the forest, they have, with the exception of the children, started to find their feet, many seem to be interested in Crafting and forgery, others prefer weaving or cookery, everyone is pulling together to make our community grow My Lady" Bellatrix smiled, this was good, because in times of peace there were other things which needed to be done, farming to name just one.
"And what of you Revion what place have you taken? For you are not dressed as a warrior yet you do not appear to be a craftsmen, and indeed not a child I dare say" he laughed softly.
"I have taken the part of the unofficial village messenger" he shook his head "Alas less than an hour has passed since our arrival and yet I become the Village Messenger" he gave a soft chuckle. Harry suddenly had an idea, it was a good one. Well at least he thought so.
"How about we make your job slightly larger than that Revion?I propose that you become the first Messenger and scout for our people, your job will be to gather information from across the world and give it to me or the Lady beside me, will you take the task Revion?" The elf thought for a second before nodding.
"Indeed I will my Lord, it is an honour to serve" and with that the elf strolled off into the trees where after a couple of seconds he seemed to just vanish.
Looking over at Bella he gave a shrug of her shoulders before leading him over to where the archers were practicing.
It was a couple of minutes later that Harry and Bella were stood next to each other, bows in hand, facing the targets which were about fifty metres away. It was the first time they had even fired an arrow before but Harry had seen it done in muggle movies back on Earth so got the gist of it roughly.
An elven archer who was apparently a Master bowman, a rank only attainable after two thousand years of training, stood by their side giving the tips to better their stance.
Pulling an arrow out of her now full Quiver Bella slowly fitted it to the string, she then proceeded to pull back the string and after about a minute of aiming, let the arrow sail right passed the target she was aiming for. Harry snorted softly; this earned him a glare from Bella.
"Go on then you try, see how you like being laughed at on your first attempt" she snarled menacingly. It was then that Harry realised that although the evil had been taken from her soul, that she still had one hell of a temper when annoyed.
Pulling back his string slowly he aimed at the target and let the string loose. His arrow swept straight passed the target. Coughing and laughter came from Bellatrix general direction; he however wasn't looking at her, but at the finely crafted bow in his hands.
"This is going to be harder than I thought" he murmured before once again fitting an arrow to his string.
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Authors note:
Thanks for all the reviews so far, it's been great!
I think I need to start a vote for what the pairing will be.
So far I've had suggestions for nearly very option I suggested and am leaning to Harry/Bellatrix. NOthin is certain yet though and it would perhaps be nice if Harry was with an OC elf.
There has also been some confusion over when this story takes place. Just to make it clear, it takes place 100 years before the battle of Dagorland, which, to those of you who don't know what that is, is the place in the movies where you see the man and the elves cme together.
It is my intention to carry this on through from before this event and right through to the end of the books. (note that I will follow the books loosely)
What do people think of this?
Should I end it sooner or later than that, showing Harry coming back to Earth for a bit before returning to Middle Earth...well that is if he makes it that far anyway...
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