Harry bypassed the Great Hall, where those who were wounded were being treated by Madam Pomfrey. He didn't want her help or anyone else's for that matter, He climbed the stairs up to Gryffindor tower where he went to lay in his bed and waited for death. Slowly his eyes slipped closed, he was enveloped in warm glow, he sighed as his body relaxed as death took him.
He opened his eyes expecting to be with his loved ones but found himself alone in a void. Harry looked around completely confused, when he saw a figure standing just a short ways from him. She was dressed in black with white flowing hair. Harry immediately got into a defensive stance whipping out his wand and pointing it at the woman.
"Where am I, who are you?" Harry demanded.
The lady in black raised her hands in a sign of surrender. "Peace, Harry Potter, I mean you no harm. I am Nienna the Lady of Mercy."
Harry didn't relax his grip on his wand. "What do you want?"
"To give you a second chance at life."
Startled, Harry lowers his wand. "I'm dead?"
"For now yes, but we would like to change that. We have watched you for a very long time, Harry Potter, and have seen all that you have suffered, we would like to offer you another chance at life. a fresh start in a new land."
Harry looked down at his feet, "I don't deserve a second chance, I failed to protect them."
"You did your best to protect those you love, but that is the way of war. Nevertheless there is no one more deserving than you for a second chance, your life has been nothing but sorrow and misery and you have moved us."
"Us?" Harry questions.
"We are the Valar, gods of Arda and we would like to give you a second chance at life in Middle Earth, where you will be loved and looked after."
"What if I decide to stay dead, then what will happen?" Harry asks
Then you will move on into the afterlife, where your family and friends will be waiting for you. But I do not think that your friends that gave up their lives would want you to pass up this opportunity."
Harry thought for a moment, Nienna was right. His family and friends would want him to have the opportunity to be happy, he couldn't squander this gift he was being given.
"Would I still have my magic?"
"Yes that will not be taken from you, do you accept our offer?" Nienna asks.
Harry nods, "Yes I accept your offer."
"Good then we will send you to Middle earth and put you in the right path," She waved her hand and a bright light engulfed Harry.
"You will revert to a child when you enter Middle Earth."
Harry's eyes widened, "Wait, What?"
But it was too late he was gone. The next time he opened his eyes he found himself in the middle of the forest at night. Harry put his hand to his head and groaned.
"Oh my head," That's when he noticed that his voice was a lot higher.
He looked down at himself and noticed that he was a lot shorter than he was, seeing a stream nearby, Harry got up and walked towards the stream. There was a full moon so he could see his face in the reflection of the stream. He was a child again, though he was shorter and stockier than he was as a child. He was still cut up and bruised his clothes soaked in blood. Suddenly Harry hears a twig snap behind him, he whirls around and comes face to face with a man, or so he thought was a man, with a short black beard, long black hair with a little grey in it holding a sword. Harry immediately pulls out his wand, but with so much blood loss, he collapsed on the cold ground.
Thorin Oakenshield and Company had stopped for the night near a stream at around sunset. Everyone bustled about making camp while Thorin barked out orders. Once everyone was settled, the company gathered their clothes and head to the stream to bathe, Thorin waited until they were finished to go bathe himself. He wanted a little solitude after such a long ride. As he walked toward the stream, he saw a figure hunched over the water, quickly drawing his sword, Thorin again begins to stalk forward. He was betrayed by the snapping of a twig underneath his feet, the figure whirled around to face Thorin holding nothing but a stick. Suddenly the figure collapses in front of Thorin. Slowly, Thorin makes his way over, he carefully nudges the figure with his foot, seeing that the figure is unconscious, he turns it over. Thorin gets the shock of his life, there lying before him is a small Dwarfling, he kneels down next to the Dwarfling, finally noticing that there is blood seaping into the ground. Quickly, Thorin picks up the Dwarfling and hurries back to camp.
The Company had settled down for the night, all that they were waiting for was for dinner to be ready, when suddenly Thorin comes crashing through the underbrush, carrying a bundle in his arms. Dwalin and Balin immediately stood up and came to Thorin's side.
"Thorin what happened?" Dwalin asks, grabbing his war hammer.
Thorin ignored them, placing the bundle on the ground next to the fire.
"Oin come quickly!" Thorin yelled
"What's the matter, Thorin, are you hurt?" Oin asks
"No, I found a dwarfling near the stream he's badly injured."
There was a collective gasp from all the Company, Bilbo and Gandalf.
Thorin moved out of the way as Oin rushed over with his medical bag, he quickly removed the clothes on the Dwarfling to examine him. He was horrified by what he saw, the boy was slashed up from head to toe blood seeping from every wound, he had a long scar on his forearm another scar on his wrist.
"Who would do such a thing to a child?" Balin asks as he peers down at the boy a tear gleaming in his eye.
"I don't know, but they will pay with their lives if I ever find out." Dwalin says as he grips his war hammer even tighter.
Oin takes out several salves and begins to smear it onto the wounds, he carefully examined the rest of his body, he found a deep gash in the Dwarfling's leg.
"This wound is too deep, I need to stitch it up."
Gandalf walks over, puts his hand on the boy's head and murmurs a spell.
"He will stay unconscious while you stitch him up." Gandalf assured them.
With a nod, Oin begins to stitch up the wound on his leg then proceeds to put ointment on it, and wraps it up tight. Oin wraps up all of his other wounds.
"Place the boy on my bed roll," Thorin orders.
Carefully they lift him and place him on Thorin's bed roll. Taking off his coat, Thorin covers the boy. Thorin tried to pull the stick out of the boy's hand but the Dwarfling had a death grip on it. Thorin decides to leave it, not wanting to wake him. He moves back towards the fire.
"Will the boy live?" Thorin asks.
"Aye, none of his wound were infected and he does not have a fever. It's only a matter of time for him to recuperate."
Thorin made a decision, "We shall rest here for a few days."
The others nod and head back towards the fire where Bombur is making a venison stew. Once it was ready the Dwarves lined up to be served. Thorin waited for everyone to be served then he went and got his bowl. He asked Bombur for an extra bowl and went to his bed roll, setting the bowls down, he carefully sat down next to the Dwarfling and gently shook him awake.
"Little one, it's time for you to wake up and eat." Thorin says softly.
Harry's eyes flutter open, his eyes widen when he sees Thorin sitting next to him. Harry immediately scurries away from Thorin, pressing his back against a boulder, pointing his wand at Thorin.
Thorin raised his hands in surrender, he slowly makes his way towards Harry.
"It's alright little one, no one is going to hurt you, you are safe now."
Harry stared deep into Thorin's blue eyes, He found that they were stern and troubled but they also held a gentleness in them. Harry debated and slowly began to lower his wand. Thorin smiled at the little Dwarfling.
"Come on, little one, you need to have something to eat."
Harry looked at Thorin curiously, slowly he made his way over to Thorin.
"You won't hurt me?" Harry asks in a weak and timid voice.
"Thorin's eyes widen, shocked at what the boy told him. A wave of anger washes over Thorin at the thought of anyone hurting a child. But then he notices that fear enters the boy's eyes, Thorin immeditately calms down.
"No, child, I would never hurt you, now come here and eat." Thorin says as opens his arms
Harry made a decision, putting his wand away, he walks timidly into Thorin's arms. Thorin picks him up and notices how light the boy is, he cuddles the boy to his chest and walks back to his bedroll. Thorin sits down with the boy in his lap, picking up the bowl of stew, he hands it to Harry.
Harry looks at Thorin suspiciously, he took the bowl from Thorin, and sniffed the bowl. Taking spoon from Thorin, he began to eat ravenously. When, the boy finishes Thorin gave him some water in a cup, the boy's eyes look longingly at Thorin's bowl. Thorin hands the little Dwarfling his bowl and Harry digs in again. Fili and Kili having seen this walk over with another bowl of stew for Thorin. When Harry sees them coming he scrambles out of Thorin's arms and hides behind him.
"It is alright, little one, they will not hurt you either, these two are my nephews, Fili and Kili. Can you come out and say hello?" Thorin asks.
Fili and Kili sit a little aways from Thorin as the little Dwarfling peeks out from behind Thorin, then reaches up and whispers in Thorin's ear.
"Are you sure they won't hurt me?" Harry asks. Fili and Kili look at each other surprised.
"No little one, no one in my Company will hurt you, I promise." Thorin whispers back.
Harry comes out from behind Thorin and sits in his lap again. He's not sure whether he can trust these Dwarves, but they were being nice to him so far and they fed him, maybe they could be trusted. He looks down at his hands and whispers.
"Hello."
Fili and Kili grin at Harry, they slowly move a little closer to Thorin and the Dwarfling. Harry looks on as they get closer to him, Fili hands another bowl of stew to Thorin.
"Do you want more, little one, you can have as much as you want."
"No, you eat it sir." Harry says timidly.
Thorin realizes he hasn't introduced himself to the boy.
"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, at your service, little one. What's your name little one?"
Harry shrugs his shoulders, he didn't know what his name was in this world and he no longer wanted to be known as Harry Potter.
"I don't have a name, sir, I mean Thorin. At least I don't remember it." Harry lied.
Kili smiled at Harry, "how about we come up with a name for you?" Harry nods in agreement.
"How about Nalak?" Fili suggests. Harry frowns and shakes his head no
"What about Fimzad?" Kili asks again Harry shakes his head no.
"Dwtil?"
"Grunkon?"
"Druak?"
"Thim?"
Still Harry shakes his head no. The whole time Thorin had been comtemplating the boy until finally he came up with a name.
"Haraldur, it means One who leads an army."
Harry thought for a moment then he looks at Thorin and smiles.
"Yes, I like that name." He whispers to Thorin.
Thorin nods, "Then you shall be call Haraldur. Haraldur I want you to meet my Company."
Thorin picks up the boy and walks toward the campfire, there everyone gathers around Thorin to meet their newest addition. Haraldur hid his head in Thorin's chest as they neared the fire, he was very nervous to meet the other Dwarves that were there. Once they got closer to the fire Thorin whispered in Haraldur's ear.
"Come, little one, no one will hurt you. They are all curious to meet you, be brave Haraldur."
Haraldur lifts his head and looks around at the other Dwarves.
"This is Balin and his brother Dwalin."
Haraldur stares at the kindly old Dwarf with white hair, Balin smiles at the boy, making Haraldur calm down a bit more. He then looks at the severe looking bald Dwarf with tattoos on his head and hands. At first Haraldur was frightened of him but when he looked into his eyes, Haraldur saw nothing but kindness. Dwalin reaches out to ruffle Haraldur's hair but Haraldur flinches away from him. Dwalin pulls his hand away.
"Nice to meet you Lad." Dwalin tells him instead, then catches Thorin's eye. Thorin too notices Haraldur's reaction, he would make whoever hurt this boy pay with their lives.
Thorin wasn't the only one who noticed Haraldur flinch away from Dwalin, the rest of the Company noticed as well. Gloin was the next one who came up to him.
"Do not be afraid Haraldur, none us will hurt you, we only wish to protect you. My name is Gloin, at your service." Gloin says to the frightened boy.
Haraldur hides his face in Thorin's chest, he looks up at Gloin and gives him a little smile. Gloin smiles back.
"You know I have a wee Dwarfling too." Gloin informs him.
Haraldur perks up and looks around the camp, when he doesn't see another child he frowns and looks at Gloin waiting for an explanation.
Gloin laughs, "No, Lad, my wee Gimli stayed at home, but hopefully you will meet him."
"I'd like that." Haraldur says timidly.
Each Dwarf came up to introduce themselves to Haraldur, he timidly said hello to each and every one of them. Bilbo was one of the last to come introduce himself, Haraldur looked at the Hobbit up and down, he couldn't help the words that came out of his mouth.
"What are you?" He asks then slaps his hand over his mouth, Haraldur looked around frighten, think that he would be punished for asking a question. Haraldur in his old life was beaten for asking questions by the Dursleys. All he saw was amusement in the eyes of the Dwarves and Bilbo had a big smile on his face, and his eyes showed nothing but compassion.
"I am a Hobbit, young one, I come from the Shire." Bilbo tells him.
"Where's the Shire?" Haraldur asks.
"Why, my boy, you're in the Shire. I actually come from a town call Hobbiton."
Haraldur only nodded his head. He still wasn't clear on what the Shire was but he didn't ask anymore questions. Finally Gandalf came to great the little Dwarling, when Haraldur saw Gandalf his eyes widened. The man was incredibly tall and was dressed in grey with a pointy hat. Haraldur could feel the magic coming from the tall man.
"Hello, Haraldur, I am Gandalf the Grey, and I am also at your service."
Haraldur wiggled to get out of Thorin's arms, Thorin put him down and watched as the boy walked up to Gandalf. The boy had a look of awe on his face as he approached Gandalf, Gandalf smiled kindly at the young Dwarf.
"A wizard." Was the only thing that Haraldur said.