Hi new story even though I haven't finished my ongoing ones...This one wouldn't leave me alone so I will submit what I have and see where it takes me :) Hope you like.

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The End of Harry Potter as we know him

The world kept spinning, people grew older, cities rebuilt and changed. But Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived-to-never-grow-old, stayed the same.
Ever since the last wizarding war had ended and the Dark lord had fallen, Harry had felt outside of it all.
His friends had gotten married, had birthed children and grown comfortable with their age, but he, Harry, was still the same.
His face was still young and without the lines of age, his hair as dark as the day they'd ended the war. The loss of his glasses, due to finding them a hazard during his years as an Auror, were the only change that could be seen. Still he resembled the young man of only seventeen years, never to be eighteen, who'd stood up to the Dark lord seeking eternal life, and still time had moved on without taking him with it on its ever changing journey. What fickle luck was it that Harry who'd never asked for time was to be given it all.
Always had it seemed that he was on the outside of life looking in. At the Dursley's he had observed other families in the neighbourhood and had hoped that he too one day would be brought into the same warmth and comfort that seemed part of family life. But it had not been his lot in life. He had since gotten away from his cramped cupboard but the world had still been small and lonely. It still was for him.
His bright spots had been Ron and Hermione but now even they were fading away, growing older and busying themselves with later life.
Harry had tried, he really had, he'd married once but Ginny had wanted children and none had come from him no matter how hard they had tried to conceive. The healers could find nothing wrong with him, Harry was in perfect health but for whatever reason they simply weren't a match when it came to making babies. They had spoken about adoption but it had never seemed to happen either, what with his fame the authorities had been reluctant to place a child in their home. And as time had passed and he'd never shown signs of aging he'd seen Ginny become uncomfortable with her own changing appearance in comparison to his. Ginny had moved on and had four boys and a girl with her new husband, she was happy and Harry could not blame her for wanting the same family he'd always longed for himself.
So Harry was alone, still on the outside looking in. The others tried, they invited him over and treated him well, but once the children of his childhood friends started looking older than him they couldn't quite hide their unease with the situation.
Harry too felt uneasy with the tangible proof of his friend's fragility the fact that they slowly but surely journeyed towards the end of their lives. Ron's flaming red hair had started to fade into grey and thinned. Hermione's formerly smooth skin had started showing her age with lines around the eyes and mouth, she'd gotten glasses after too many late reading nights. Signs of a happy life she would say as she walked past a mirror.
Harry had long since removed the mirrors in his house, unhappy with the constant reminder of his eternal youth.
The reminder that he would forever be the boy-who-lived.

A great party was being held at the Burrows in true Weasley fashion. There seemed to be far too many redheads to count and a scattering of blonds, brunettes and blacks thrown in to the mix. Children of all ages and sizes mingled in amongst the many adults. Laugher and happy shrieks rent the warm summer air as they all took up room in the lush green garden.
Many tables had been set up on the lawn on the Weasley's Quidditch field and lamps hung in the air suspended by magic as dusk slowly crept upon them.
In the bushes not far from the tables a line of gnomes had set upon themselves to gather leftover treats from the tables, rubbing their tummies in anticipation of tasting the goodies that the people had left after finishing their meals. Three redheaded boys, faces full of freckles, stood not far from the gnomes. They each sported grins as they stood whispering stealthily, pointing at the gnomes who seemed none the wiser of the boys presence.

"Here you are boys" A grey-haired man approaching them said, handing out a hand-net and a large fabric bag for them to use.
"Fred and I once caught 31 of the little suckers in one night, see if you can beat that before it's time to go home." George Weasley challenged them, causing even broader grins to appear on the boys faces. George went to join his wife Angelina who stood further away shaking her head at him in exasperation.

"Percy will not be happy when he finds you corrupting his three little angels George." She chided softly, trying not to let her smile show.
"Besides you're getting too old for pranks." She added causing him to gasp in outrage at her words.

"I caught one great-uncle George!" One of the boys called triumphantly before the other two helped to stuff the loudly swearing gnome into the bag.

"What Great grandpa Percy doesn't know…" George whispered as he held his thumbs high and watched as the next boy tried his luck.

"MUMMY! Gideon called me a frog-face!" A sharp voice called from further away, as a small girl ran up to a woman seated among several others under a tall tree.
"Tell him I'm not a frog-face!" She demanded stomping her foot hard on the grass as her brother Gideon stood poking his tongue out at her.

"Gideon Davis!" Their mother gasped making him quickly hide his tongue and look down at the ground chastened.
"Apologise to your sister please." She chided making him frown, until she cleared her throat.

"Sorry Mags." Gideon mumbled, looking up from under a bright red fringe, blue eyes apologetic.

"Not forgiven." His sister Maggie sniffed, pert nose turned up in the air.

"Mummy I said I was sorry, tell her to forgive me!" Gideon whined crossly, looking outraged when Maggie poked her tongue out him. Their mother looked exasperated and gave her own mother a pleading look.

"Honestly you two, you're as bad as each other. Go find your brothers and bug them instead." Ginny Davis, nee Weasley and formerly named Potter, told her two youngest grandchildren as she leaned back in her chair with a scolding look.
"Remind me again why you decided to have two more on top of the five you already had. And to think you could have been free of children in just two years." She grumbled at her daughter and rolled her eyes as the children ran off giggling at her words. Moira gave her mother a tired look and sighed before taking a deep sip of her wine in lieu of answering.

"I can't believe I'm a great grandfather." Ron mumbled gazing at the tiny infant in Hermione's arms.
"To think that my baby Rose is a grand mum and that the grandfather is a Malfoy. Mind you, I always said that Scorpius took after his mother, good lad that. Malfoy is a right git still though." Ron continued before grunting as Hermione whacked him on the knee. She shifted the baby into a better position in her arms and gazed down lovingly.

"Ron, not tonight." Hermione chided softly before smiling at their daughter Rose and her blond husband seated further away talking to their granddaughter Grace, whose baby they were celebrating. Hermione hadn't been all that happy to hear about the two of them at first either but as Ron said, Scorpius was a good boy. And he made Rose happy which was all Hermione cared about. Their daughter Grace had married Algot Longbottom, grandson to Neville Longbottom, much to everyone's joy at tying the families together and very much approved by Grandpa Ron.

"I bet Malfoy blew a gasket when Amaranth was born." Ron said gleefully as he gently stroked the baby's strawberry blond hair. Grace had the Malfoys platinum blond hair, like her father Scorpius but the new little Weasley-Malfoy-Longbottom's hair was different.
"A Malfoy with red hair." He sniggered making Hermione give a long suffering sigh, clearly having heard this before.

"Have you not evolved at all since we were eleven Ron? Can we have at least one night of adult behaviour now that we are great grandparents?" Hermione hissed as Ron glared at Draco Malfoy, who stood talking to Luna Lovegood by one of the party tables completely unaware of Ron's glares. The aged Draco had sponsored Luna on many of her expeditions and they had ended up becoming good friends much to everyone else's surprise. And contrary to Ron, Draco Malfoy had become a changed man after the birth of his son and had ended the Weasley feud on his part.

Under one of the many leafy trees in The Burrows garden, Harry Potter the resident boy hero, sat comfortably gazing up towards the house that his first real friend had grown up in. The house had changed many times since the first time Harry had laid his eyes on it, now it stood large and proud, a testament to Ron's stubbornness and hard work. Mr and Mrs Weasley had at first moved into an annex built into the now bigger house whilst Ron and his ever growing family had moved into the main house. But both Mr and Mrs Weasley had died within a month of each other and now the big house only housed Ron and Hermione and their many frequent guests.

The clan had grown large Harry thought with a crooked smile as he observed them, all of the Weasley children had their own children and some of those had already gotten their own. And today they were celebrating the birth of a new member, the first of Ron and Hermione's great grandchildren. Ron and Hermione's oldest grandchild had not but a few months past given birth to a healthy baby girl and made Ron and Hermione proud great grandparents for the first time.

"Hey Uncle Harry, have you seen the new Nebula star shooter broom?" Priss Lupin, granddaughter of Harry's godson Teddy, asked as she sank down on the ground beside Harry handing over a glossy Quidditch magazine for Harry to look at. To an outsider they looked like two teens paging through a magazine rather that a girl and her substitute great grandfather. All the children called Harry uncle until they grew old enough that it sounded odd, at which point they usually just called him Harry. It didn't help that Harry still acted much as he always had, oh he'd learnt many new things as the years had passed but he seemed to be stuck acting as the seventeen year old he looked like. Described though as somewhat more mature and self-aware than before, if you caught Hermione on a good day. Her daughter Rose had been adamant for a period of time that Harry was Peter pan in disguise, after having been read the story by an apologetic Hermione and an amused Ron.

"You'll have it before September ends, I ordered it a couple of weeks ago, it is an early birthday present. You did very well on your exams and deserve a reward after all that hard work." Harry answered, having glanced at the picture quickly, smiling as the teen beside him paled in shock at the surprise gift.

"For real!?" Priss gasped, eyes widening at Harry's nonchalant nod.
"Really!? Oh, thank you Uncle Harry! I have to tell Grandpa Ron he won't believe it!" Priss exclaimed, racing off after giving Harry a hard hug. Harry savoured the warmth the hug had left, it wasn't often the seventeen year-old gave out hugs freely anymore.

"I presume you told her about the broom Harry." Teddy asked as he walked over, on his way to his wife with a glass of wine in each hand, having nearly been bowled over by his excited granddaughter. The two men watched as Priss disappeared into the crowd in her search for Ron and presumably her father as well even though John Lupin wasn't much of a Quidditch fanatic. Harry had warned John about the purchase during one of their monthly dinners, where the Lupin's and Harry sat down and exchanged family updates.
"Diana still isn't overly pleased by the gift you know, she thinks Priss should be made to buy it on her own now that she's of age and about to start work." Teddy added making Harry shrug, the girl had earnt it getting top marks on her N.E.W.T's. Teddy soon walked on smiling to himself in a good mood, leaving Harry to his thoughts as he sat under the green boughs.
Harry hoped the broom would make the girl less upset about what Harry was about to do. He gazed out at the gathered crowd again and sighed, knowing he had to go on with his plans but still reluctant to take the last step.

He sat under the tree in peace for a while, hidden under the tree's shade and the darkening night, thoughts flitting by. He'd known for a while now that he was ready for The adventure. The adventure which probably wouldn't lead him back here again. The memory of burying Mrs Weasley and the thought of waiting for everyone else to die away from him was slowly but surely driving him insane. Hermione had given them a scare a few months ago after getting a difficult infection and looking close to death and even though she had bounced back with the help of the healers, Harry hadn't been able to shake the hollow feelings of dread it had caused.
For a few weeks back now he'd been dreaming of going away to never come back, he figured it was his unconscious mind telling him it was time. He'd gotten everything ready and was just working up the courage to say goodbye.
He didn't know where he was going but had wondered at going back to South America again. Last time he'd had a good time, the weather had been warm and the women pretty on the eyes. The only negative aspect of leaving other than missing everybody, was telling them of his decision. He sighed and closed his eyes, listening to the murmurs of voices carried in the wind, wishing it wasn't so hard saying goodbye.

It was much later in the evening when Harry sat across the table from Hermione, each with a steaming cup of tea before them. All the other guests had either left or gone to bed if they were staying overnight. Ron had excused himself not long ago with a pointed look at Hermione, rubbing his balding head tiredly. He'd made Harry promise to stay for breakfast tomorrow before he went on another of his crazy adventures. Harry had let a few people know during the party that he would be going on another adventure and was content to let the rumour mill do the rest.
"When will you be returning?" Hermione finally asked eyeing him over the rim of her cup, the steam fogging up her glasses making her squint. The fine lines on her face, coupled with her stern look, made her look like an old teacher and Harry felt his chest tighten at the thought of never seeing her again.

"I'm not going to come back this time." Harry said slowly in an apologetic tone, even though his mind was set up and not likely to change. He rubbed the hot mug nervously as he waited for her reaction. Hermione lowered her cup to the table a set look on her face.

"Harry…" She started before stopping as he held up his hand to halt her words, his face pained.

"My mind is made up Hermione. I can't stay here anymore, you must understand." Harry said quickly as she bit her lip and looked down at the table.
"I can't bear the thought of watching you and everyone else I love grow old and then…" Harry trailed of as he didn't want to use the word die and a tense silence descended.
"I really don't want to go to anyone else's funeral, Molly and Arthurs was bad enough and with you guys coming up towards the same age." He finally said drawing a shaky breath and followed her example of looking down at the table.
"I just can't stay here anymore, please say that you understand." He whispered looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"I do understand Harry." She finally whispered after a tense silence making him blink.
"I don't like it but I know what you mean. I have known it for a while really, I just didn't want to think about it too much." She added picking up her cup again and taking a big gulp of the now cooling drink.
"Luna… Luna warned me years ago that you would eventually leave and we've made several contingency plans about you. Luna said that you might not even warn us beforehand so I guess I should be grateful." She said quickly watching as Harry's youthful face fell in shock.
"I've been terrified Harry, every time you've gone off on one of your silly little adventures. I never knew if it was going to be the last time I saw you or not. It's been awful seeing you off but I couldn't stop you, I wouldn't." She sniffed making Harry reach across the table and hold onto her hand.

"You should have said something Hermione!" Harry chided gently as she gave an involuntary sob, her whole body trembling making it clear she was getting old and frail. He had always wondered why she was so against him going anywhere.
"I was always going to tell you before I went, I wouldn't do that to you." He added summoning a handkerchief for her to dry her eyes with.
"Now what does Luna have to do with this? And what do you mean you made plans?" He asked, dreading the answer. Hermione making plans was usually scary enough but throw Luna into the mix and anything could happen.

Hermione laughed through her tears at his face, as she tried to stop crying.
"Oh some of them were terrible, I'm afraid I was rather short with Luna for months as she continued to argue with me. I thought you might stay with Rose you see…" She trailed off at the look on his face.
"Yes that's what Luna thought you'd think about that idea but I don't want to lose you. I keep worrying about who's going to look after you when I…" She stopped suddenly, not able to continue at the look on Harry's face. She sniffed and fresh tears filled her eyes again.

"Hermione I love you all but I can't stay. It's slowly killing me inside, watching all of you change and grow old, whilst I'm left on the outside. Prissy is going to be older than me in a few weeks and it's killing me." Harry whispered making her nod quickly. She knew how hard it had been on him when Teddy grew older than him in appearance and when he and Ginny had separated. Not to mention all the children who had come after and aged beyond him.

"I know and I do understand! It's just hard because I love you and I don't want you to go." She said gripping his hand harder.
"I just don't want you to be on your own, that's all. I'm also selfish as I don't want to lose you and I worry about you all the time." She added watching as he looked down on the table again unable to meet her eyes. Yes he knew that, he'd overheard her enough times to know that, a year ago he'd overheard her saying that he was like her second son which had pierced his heart as he was as old as her.
"Luna thinks that she has a solution and although I'm not happy with it as I don't want you to go, I think she's actually found the best solution for you. At least I'm pretty sure it is." Hermione said trying to look and sound reassuring, although she wasn't completely sure the other woman's plan would work in reality. It looked good on paper though and Hermione had gone over the theory for the past two years without finding anything she could argue with, much to her chagrin as it meant Luna had indeed found a solution that would work for Harry. It just meant that they would lose him forever.
"Well it's really one of her mother's old findings that Luna has expanded on but I've looked it over and I don't believe it will hurt you. But you can't come back once you go, it's a one way trip." She said sadly.

"Where to?" Harry asked after a moment of silence. He wasn't that adverse to any ideas that Luna thought up, as he'd gone on several adventures with her before she had the twins, her ideas always seemed to turn out well in the end. The journeys were bound to be action filled but they had so far always ended well. Although she'd stopped her travels for good after her seventieth birthday, after falling down a deep cave and spending a week all alone before she was found.

"I'm not sure but Luna calls it Middle Earth and her mother named it Arda. It's another level of reality or a universe somehow bound but not part of ours. Luna's mother managed to establish a connection of a sort but never went any further as Luna was born. It's similar but still different to our reality. At least as far as I can make sense of the theory." Hermione answered, her voice slowly shifting into her lecturing voice.
"The lands look similar to earth with mountains, forests and seas. Mrs Lovegood made several observations of different species living in the lands and although she hasn't pinpointed exactly what they are, some are humanoid in shape and behaviour." She stated, eyeing him sadly. Harry wasn't sure what to think of it all, did he want to leave one world and enter another.

"I'm still leaving tomorrow Hermione no matter where I choose to go, I've sold the house already and made arrangements with the goblins about my vaults and all my stuff." Harry mumbled having made the decision to leave now that he'd told her, making her bite her lip hard. He didn't want to give her time to convince him to stay.

"So soon Harry, couldn't you stay a little longer?" She whispered with a pained look on her face, making Harry sigh heavily.

"I can't stay Hermione, I've stayed long enough already." Harry said begging her to understand with his eyes.

"I know, I know." Hermione muttered, giving him a strained smile.
"It's all set up and ready for you to leave, Luna's been waiting years for me to get ready to let you go. She knows that you're going away for good this time, she always knows. She warned me weeks ago that something was up and she told me to talk to you tonight." Hermione said almost crossly, wringing her hands as she frowned at him having confirmed Luna's predictions. Harry shrugged, not at all interested in trying to figure out the mystery of Luna out.

"How do I get to this Middle Earth place?" Harry asked not sure if he really believed her about any of it, but as it sounded like it could be a new kind of an adventure he was up for trying. And if it was a one way trip then neither he nor they could tempt him back again. Besides it would keep his mind busy to discover new things and people, perhaps he'd age with it being a different place from earth.

"Luna calls it Sploo or splosh, she hasn't quite made her mind up which name she likes the most." Hermione said drily, before giggling at Harry's face.
"It's pretty much the same as using the Floo network but you go by water, do you want me to explain it in full or shall I leave it at that?" Hermione asked eyeing him intently, pretty sure he'd decline the in depth explanation.

"No I think I got it, floo using water instead of fire." Harry answered wondering if she was having him on.
"But how does that bring me to this alternative reality, am I just jumping into the nearest pond or something and then arriving somewhere else?" He asked hoping it wouldn't make her start a longwinded explanation.

"There's a spell that you use in combination with the water and a powder mix. Somehow the water mixed with the powder makes a path or bridge possible and the spell sends you across. Lunas mother sent many things, even a live cat across and it worked. We should be able to see you for a moment before the portal shuts, Luna and I sent a few things over a couple of times to test the theory." Hermione explained, making a face at the mention of the cat, before giving a big yawn.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry, I've not been able to sleep since Luna warned me that time was running out." She said taking her glasses off before rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"I'm sorry Mione, I guess I should have said something sooner. I just didn't want to make a big deal of going away and I figured it wouldn't give people enough time to stop me." Harry said reaching out for her hand again and giving it a squeeze.

"Ron knows as does Teddy, but we didn't tell anyone else." Hermione said making Harry blink. He had figured that Ron would know but Teddy had been his usual self earlier, not giving any inclination of knowing that Harry was going away forever.
"Teddy is actually alright with it, he seemed to know that you'd leave eventually, long before I did anyway." She added when Harry kept silent.
"He's not coming though, to see you off that is. He said it was better to just say goodbye at the party and he hopes that you find peace and happiness wherever you go." She said before her bottom lip started quivering again.
"Luna said that she is ready when you are and to just come over in the morning. " She whispered as tears started falling again.
"I'm going to miss you so much Harry and you had better stay out of trouble!" She croaked before accepting his hug as he came round the table.

"It's going to be alright Hermione." He said as her bristly hair tickled his cheek.

Luna stood waiting patiently for them when Harry and Hermione slowly came walking up to the house late the next morning looking tired. They'd spent the night with Hermione filling Harry in on the details of his travels, the lands and what else she thought he should know and they had barely slept but for a few hours in the morning. Ron had woken them for breakfast and Harry had apparated home and gathered his bags. He'd bought several very expensive mokeskin bags which he'd filled with enough gold for years of traveling, the rest of his money and possessions he'd willed away to family and friends in a years past if he didn't return. It had taken a good deal of hashing it out with the goblins, who'd seemed to think he was out of his mind and were unwilling to risk him regretting his decision later and blaming them for anything given away.
Ron and Harry had said goodbye at the house and as far as Harry knew, his friend was sat on the porch with a cup of tea in his hand still.

"I knew you'd come. I take it Hermione has filled you in on all the important bits?" Luna greeted before clapping her hands together in apparent glee at Harry's nod. She then rushed to give him a hard hug before turning and giving one to the sombre looking Hermione.
"Cheer up Hermione, he's going on a great adventure into unknown lands. Just think of all the wonderful creatures and plants he will discover." Luna gushed with a smile, turning a blind eye to Hermione's eyes which were getting glossy again.
"Mother was able to note a few creatures that she could spy through the reflection. I have copied them into a notebook for you to bring with you." She added turning to eye Harry with a speculative look. He had travelled enough with her to know she had probably written a book for him and expected him to write the sequel.
"Well don't dawdle we have to get you going before Hermione changes her mind again or just uses the Imperius curse to keep you here." Luna said, brushing a lock of grey hair out of her face before giving an exasperated Hermione a fond look.
"We have packed you clothes, money, food and a tent. No arguing, it's all sorted so just say thank you." Luna ordered as she bustled into the house and motioned for them to follow. Her husband Rolf sat writing at his desk and gave them a vague wave as they passed him. It was funny really when she showed her bossy side which had appeared after she had her twins, a little scary but mostly fun to experience.

"We don't know what kind of money they use so we've packed golds and silvers and different metals and jewels for you to barter with. And I packed you books on different topics, it was ever so hard choosing which to pack. Everything is packed into waterproof muggle trunks as we don't know for sure if charms or spells will last the trip. But I placed different runes on them for protection, weight and security." Hermione informed him as they went deeper into the house and made it into what Luna called the ritual room.
"Oh and I packed a bag of good quality warding stones just in case you're in a muggle populated area or magic is monitored." She added biting her lip, looking worried at possibly having forgotten to pack a necessity.
"You have a muggle tent as I previously mentioned that some of the magical items seem to vanish or have the magic dissolve when crossing. Luna's mother sent through many things and only the transfigured items seem to be affected no doubt due to…" Hermione's explanation was cut short as Luna handed her a bottle with clear liquid inside and placed her hands on her hips with an impatient look on her face.

"Hermione just douse him already, you had all night to fill him in, let's get on with it. He's not staying here any longer, no matter how much you talk." Luna said as she did a last inspection of the three trunks, chained to each other, that stood before Harry. She motioned for Hermione to get on with it and smiled reassuringly at Harry, looking for a moment like a gentle grandmother smiling at a grandchild.
"Harry you just need to be cleansed before you go so that you don't bring any contamination with you, you wouldn't want to bring any diseases with you." Luna said before finally snatching the bottle out of Hermione's fidgeting hands with an impatient huff.
"Give him a hug Hermione!" She ordered as she unplugged the bottle. Hermione hurried to grab Harry in a rib-cracking hard hug. Luna finally pulled her away and dumped the water over Harry's head before he had a chance to protest. She cast a cleansing spell from her mother's spell book and Harry felt his skin itch as the liquid spread out all over his skin. Hermione eyed him worriedly and started muttering under her breath about how this might all be a mistake after all and what if he got into trouble and needed help or if they had forgotten to pack a necessity. Harry ignored her as he was more concerned with the itching that was spreading lower and onto more delicate areas of his body.

"Let us send Harry on his way and then we can have a cup of tea and discuss your worries." Luna suggested, rolling her eyes unseen by the other woman, making Hermione's lower lip tremble. Luna patted her hand gently, both to comfort her but also to keep her from accosting Harry again.
"Grab a handful of the white powder from the blue bowl on your left and find your magic, say Arda when you are ready to release it, don't forget to strap the trunks to yourself and make sure you have lots of fun." Luna said with a motherly smile, looking as if she was waving him off at the Hogwarts express. Hermione was now sobbing hard beside her and Harry smiled at them. He strapped the leather band, which hung at the side of one of the trunks, to his left arm and stepped into a large tub filled with dark blue fizzing water. Luna levitated the trunks into the tub after him with a flick of her wand.

"I'll always remember you and I'll love you forever. Take care of each other and be happy." Harry said trying not to be too moved by Hermione's tears. She always cried when he left but this time he wouldn't be back to reassure her again.
He gave them a last smile before closing his eyes as there was no use dragging it out any longer. He had been ready for weeks, he even carried his old and new moleskin pouches with him wherever he went filled with his usual travel essentials. Although he'd left the cloak in his vault for Teddy to pass on to whoever he wanted when he was ready.
He was finally free of all the Deathly Hallows and who knew, maybe he would start aging again in this new land because he'd be free.

"Arda." He spoke clearly, blocking Hermione's sobs out with difficulty, after having focused his magic and letting it out. He felt a sharp sudden burning on his right arm and opened his eyes with a snap as he found himself in dark icy water. He thought he saw the glimmer of scales and he swore he could hear deep rumbling words. He tried to see which way that was up but he was lost in a black nothingness, his lungs were burning with the need to draw a breath. He had a moment of thought that perhaps he would die after all before he was pushed from underneath and his head broke the surface and he was able to gasp for much needed air. The sky was dark above him and choppy waves made the water around him foam and froth. He paddled with difficulty, the heavy trunks floating before him and dragging him hither and thither as the waves moved. Suddenly his feet touched something and he was raised out of the water slowly.

"You have been granted passage by the grace of Námos' petition, Ilúvatar is merciful indeed. Take the name Námondil and walk forth upon Middle Earth learning what you may." A voice said, sounding to Harry like both the roaring of the sea and the gentle lap of waves on a sandy beach. Harry only realised that he was sat on the back of a whale when the animal let off a jet of water which reached high in the air in the shape of a misty v. He thought he saw the shape of a large man in the choppy waves but when he tried to fix the shape it was gone.

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Hope you liked the first chapter :) This has not been beta read and English isn't my first language so feel free to give me spelling corrections if you find any annoying ones :)