Chapter 8 – A New World of Problems

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Part II

*Excerpts from 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets', 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire', by J.K. Rowling in this chapter. All credit goes to her. View Disclaimer in Section Titled "Disclaimer & Summary"*

House-elf's bowed their heads in Harry's direction, causing the wounded Natives who were awake to glance in his direction as well. Harry vaguely acknowledged them as he came to a halt in front of the two 'guards' before the privacy screen.

Before Harry could so much as greet the two, the raven haired one bowed his head while placing his hand above his heart. A moment later, the fair haired Native, mimicked his actions although he gazed upon Harry with an intense imploring gaze. A nagging tugging sensation alerted Harry of having met this particular individual before.

Harry had no concrete answer as to why he was engaging them in such a familiar manner, he found himself saying, "You were the one who lead the search party after me." As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt like a complete idiot. Most Natives who spoke to him did so in the flowery dialect instead of English, it would be awfully embarrassing for him to ask for a translation or stand there unsure of what to say. Therefore giving them an opportunity to possibly use it against him. If there's one thing Harry Potter could say Mad Eye Moody engraved into his head, it would be the importance of "Constant Vigilance!"

"My Lord Eruchil, you are correct. It is an honor to be before you." The fair haired one said. "I am known as Prince Legolas Thrandulion of the Woodland Realm and Co-Captain of its Elite Silver Leaves. The stars shine upon our meeting." Harry kept his grimace at "Lord Eruchil" from his face, another unwanted title to the list. The raven haired man then proceeded to introduce himself. "I am called Prince Thorin Durinson, Heir to Erebor and Commander of Durin's Folk's armies. At your esteemed service." Harry faced another issue, if he did introduce himself he would possibly offend the Natives who have granted him his new 'title', on the other hand if he used his new 'title' he would be tied to the Native's out of honor. Opting to not make the Natives his enemies just yet, he settled with, "Eruchil. Eruchil Pervell, it is a pleasure."

Harry's gaze fell behind the privacy screen. Motioning to pass, both Princes moved aside. An air of unease and nervousness settled upon their shoulders. Harry passed through the opened space and beheld the cyan eyed slumbering man. Immediately as he stepped foot inside the closed off area, the 'pull' that caused all of the problems in the beginning, returned tenfold strong. Heavily bandaged as he was, Harry could make out the swift indentations of a well-toned physique underneath. In areas where a bandage was not utilized, in order to grant the skin beneath to breathe.

The familiar warmth of the Hollow on his hand spread across his being. Vaguely he heard the gasps from Legolas and Thorin, his complete focus was driven in healing the bane of his existence. For if it were not over the 'pull' between the two, Harry could of perhaps avoided this whole 'Eruchil' business altogether. Placing a palm on the man under the Hollow's Sleep, the Hollow on his finger pulsed miniature essence waves around the duo. Soft scarlet hues illuminated the small area. Harry observed the way the man's firm chest moved as he inhaled and exhaled each breath. Strong, yet delicate collar bones protruded painfully from poultice bandages and brown-yellow flesh. Arms that could wield the mightiest of weapons with grace and strength, now rested limply against the blood stained linen. Legs that have marched in the defense off hearth and loved ones, tethered to frail patches of leathery skin. A struggling, heart pounding against the scarring tissue intent on bursting the organ with chocking pressure.

'Complete recovery will be near to non-existent' Harry grimly thought.

Harry placed his free hand on the figures cheekbone, barely touching the wrapped bandages across his face and head. His feather soft touches could feel the faint coolness from the poultice beneath, the most dominant of sensations was that of dragon's fire burning his fingertips if he left them there for too long.

"How does he fair, my Lord?" asked an anxious Legolas. Without breaking his ministrations Harry softly answered him. "As well as to be expected. The house-elves…" Thorin interrupted disbelievingly.

"House-elves?" before he caught himself and apologized. Harry arched an eyebrow and continued, "He has been placed in a Hollow's Sleep. I am currently exchanging essence and lulling his body to heal. He may be silent now and seem peaceful in rest. All to the contrary to his cruel reality. Even now, as I rest my hands upon his bandaged self, I feel the dragon's fire scorching his skin. His pain…" Harry left the statement hanging and focused on his 'patient', he was still unsure as to why he was so invested in his well-being. It was compulsive, he can't help it. Just as he acted in defense of Hermione and Ron, without thinking, he has to do everything in his power to help the man before him.

Beneath his fingers, Harry felt as the man began to wake and breathe heavier as the pain became the only thought to cross and conquer his rationality.

"Uugh, ahhgh" the man's eyes exploded wide open, revealing a startling shade of cyan half-crazed in agony and confusion. Legolas and Thorin moved to help.

"No. Remain to the side. He does not recall or recognize anything. His rational mind has closed itself off to fight off the pain. Remain where you stand, I doubt he shall wish to harm his comrades any more than you would wish to harm him." Harry quickly ordered.

"Gah-argh. Argh" The man groaned, pink saliva and fresh blood spilled to the side of his bandaged face. Panic seeped into his cyan eyes as they rapidly searched the enclosed space, his head lifted up from the pillow as he tried to find his foe before falling heavily on the pillow once again. A harsh cry of pain escaped his lips. Harry held him down as gently as he could. Blood soon began pooling around the struggling man. Freshly knitted skin ruptured and stained Harry's hands. Willing more warmth and comfort to surround the panicking man, Harry held the man's tossing head, and captured his crazed gaze with his own reassuring, soft one. "You're safe. You're safe now. No harm will reach you here." He muttered softly, making sure his eyes stared unflinchingly into the man's cyan ones. The man's struggles slowly abated, although every few seconds his whole body would shudder and whimpers would permeate the air. Garbled pants and groans, served as the only communication the man was able to utilize. The area around his tortured eyes was subdued and greyish, swelling bulges in sickly alabaster-brown swallowed and obscured the man's peripheral of the outside world. Two massive orbs of puss and fluid served as his eyes now.

' The Hollows Sleep , served to limit the damage but the vast amounts of dark essence scorched into his skin and the numerous injuries he has will only impede the healing process. Normal methods will be of no use in this situation.' Harry mentally listed as he continued to calm the pained man. Thinking quickly Harry uttered "Lenio" while holding the man's gaze and holding him down with his hand over his heart. Like a showering mist, opal streams spread forth from his hands. A river of illuminescent rainbow colors seeped beneath the bandages. Harry released the man's head as his erratic, pain-induced movements slowed. Softly, holding the man's chin Harry slowly lowered it. Opening his lips enough for the liquid opal to travel down his parched and undoubtedly heavily scarred esophagus (from smoke inhalation). The Hollow on his finger throbbed as it became one with the pain relieving charm. A tingling-numbness spread through the man's body, relaxing his tensed and taut limbs.

Harry tore his eyes away from the semi-conscious man and looked over his shoulder to see a stoically faced Thorin and a misty-eyed Legolas staring at him in upmost reverence. "The charm I used will only last for three hours. I will have to make vials to be used periodically to keep him stable and prevent him from further harming himself." Harry rose from his sitting position and turned to directly face the Native Prince's.

"The usage of the vials will have to be sporadically spanned over a limited amount of time. If it is over-used it can cause more harm than good on his already grievous wounds." Harry turned his gaze once again on the numb, heavily bandaged man, "I wish to prevent him from hemorrhaging and causing more scar tissue to form."

Harry looked over the materials a floating tray held before moving on to a small long table which held multi-colored vials and a brewing pot. Hanging above a shelf, were dried plants and oddly shaped roots. Muttering under his breath, Harry suddenly looked up and called out "Head Apprentice!" A minute later a small thunder-clap echoed inside the small space where a small creature peaked its head inside momentarily before stepping inside completely.

The creature, was wearing a white tea-towel with a bold red cross on the front draped like a toga. It's long, bat-like ears were oddly familiar …

'Winky?' said Harry incredulously.

The tiny creature looked up, revealing enormous brown eyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato.

'Did Master call for Winky?' squeaked the elf curiously, from behind a startled Legolas and amused Thorin. Its voice was higher even than Dobby's had been, a teeny, quivering squeak of a voice. Thorin and Legolas spun around in their spots to look. Though they had heard a lot about Winky from various men under their leadership, they had never actually met him or…her. Both looked on in interest.

'Yes, I did,' Harry told the elf, 'I need you to gather a couple of items for me.'

'I will be most happy too, sir!' squeaked the elf. She was bouncing up and down on her tiny feet, face shining with delight. Harry spared a warm smile for the cheery house-elf, "I require a jar of common yarrow, witch hazel, burdock leaves and root, mallow leaves and root, white oak bark and two whole jars of sugar and honey."

'Winky will bring the items quickly, sir – and you, sir –' her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon the semi-conscious man, 'you is healing Crispy-Earl!' Legolas spluttered at the strange alias.

'Yeah, I am,' said Harry while gathering his materials to make a heady brew to treat scarring burn wounds, aches and pains.

'But Winky thought it was impossible, sir!' she said, raising her hands very slightly up to her face and looking awestruck.

'It was thought of as impossible to survive the killing curse and here I am' said Harry. 'His recovery will not be an easy one, but not impossible. Not while he remains under my care.'

'Ah, sir,' said Winky, nodding her head, 'ah, sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, I will have a few more house-elves prepare the healing waters for you.'

'Thank-you. We will be there shortly, bring everything I have asked for to the waters along with a fresh set of linens and bandages.' said Harry. Harry reached above the shelf and grabbed a jar filled with warty-looking knots of oak trees, along with a pouch which smelt of dried inner bark of trees and pine needles. Emptying both items into the moderate-sized brewing cauldron. The scent of mint leaves being boiled down reached everyone's noses. The man on the bed breathed easier, more calmly as the brew released the tannic acid from the dried pines. "Winky will do as Master says." A small thunder clap later, Winky disappeared.

Harry added the warty looking knots into the brew, causing the concoction to darken in color. "The darker the liquid becomes the increasingly vile the taste becomes in relation to the concentration of tannic acid." Harry began explaining, solely for the benefit of his small, curious audience. "Tannic Acid, provides a soothing relief to aches, pains and heat induced wounds, due to the acids astringent properties." In the back of Harry's mind, he idly wonders what Professor Snape would say to Harry brewing dangerous, highly skilled pain potions. While Harry waited for the brew to reach its optimal boiling point, he began gathering chickweed leaves and crushing them into a potato-like consistency before storing it into a jar spelled with a heating charm. "Once the Healing Waters have been prepared, we shall cleanse his wounds now that he has been given a sedative. It is better this way, it will prevenient him from feeling too-much pain while the worst of his burns are….rubbed of any harmful agents." Harry winced as he finished his reasoning. Thorin and Legolas both paled considerably at the mere thought of it. Harry glanced purposefully in both of their directions, noticing the dark circles under their eyes, slightly disheveled appearance and clammy countenance.

Turning around again, he grabbed a pouch filled with mint leaves before he crushed the leaves into smaller portions and poured them back into a separate pouch. Grabbing a smaller cauldron, Harry filled it with a large dose of liquid garlic and sorrel, before placing the pouch of crushed mint leaves within. Harry worked in relative silence for a few more minutes before the small-thunderclap of Winky signaled her return. Glancing inside the smaller cauldron, Harry grabbed a small pouring spoon and filled two small potion vials with the bright cool-lime liquid.

"The process of cleansing him will be long and arduous. It will require more magical assistance than previously. Take these vials and drink them. You may watch over him when you have rested." Harry handed Legolas and Thorin the vials.

'I do not wish to…" began Legolas, but one look from Harry had him retreating and unstopping the vial. Thorin followed soot. Once Harry was satisfied, he motioned for Winky towards him. "Place them in the Private Complex, two rooms down from my own. Wake them when the man has been cleansed and bandaged in a handful of hours."

"Yes, sir" Winky bobbed her head before leading the sedated pair to their rooms. Harry turned and checked his heady pain relief brew before pulling his arm sleeve up and untethering the Elder-Wand from its holster. The same feeling of unease crawled up his arm as skeletal phalanges gripped his forearm and ran idle patterns across his goose bumped flesh. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, Harry tries to channel his focus completely on his magical core. Remembering the over-powerful spells he used against the Dragon, he tried to suppress the influx of ancestral essence and use a miniscule amount of it for his intended purpose. Similar to a raging river in flood season, Harry slowly builds up a dam narrowing the flow of ancestral essence coursing through his veins into smaller streams within his venules. Greatly reducing the influx and guaranteeing the slumbering man's survival.

With a swish and flick he intoned, "Wingardium Leviosa". With much care and maneuvering, Harry led the semi-conscious man through the back of the privacy curtains and down a well-hidden hall. After 300 steps, the pair came upon an open cavern.

Unlike the Prefects bathroom Harry used in his fourth year, the healing waters was built within a cavern. Imposing arched column ways were placed methodically, surrounding the large circular pool with rising steam. Each column surrounding the circular pool was inlaid with various carvings in Ancient Latin promoting well-ness and healing. The water itself was a pale-natural green mineralized with spicy herbs and mint leaves. The stone beneath his booted feet hummed in greeting, golden swirls lit up the stone walkway towards the healing pool. Harry followed the swirls constantly checking the half-conscious man levitating by his side. Removing his boots and robe, Harry carefully wanders inside the circular pool. With careful movements Harry removes the soiled bandages from his wounded side and sets them aside. Gathering the Elder Wand, Harry flicks his wrist, causing the other man's bloodied bandages to disappear painlessly. When he was done and he had a firm foothold within the pool, Harry safely levitated the man into the pool. The man hissed in discomfort, cyan eyes more alert and focused. Harry lifted his chin with careful fingers, staring into a dark shade of cyan, like a sea of untouchable sapphire pearls, and watched as they steeled into determination and unwavering focus. Wordlessly, Harry helped the alert man deeper within the healing waters. Soaking every part of his scorched flesh with common yarrow leaves creating a barrier against further bleeding, the floating petals of witch hazel helping in shrinking the blood vessels preventing future hemorrhages. Harry flicked his free wrist and the jars of sugar and honey floating towards him. Unstopping them, Harry poured a small amount of honey within his palm and slowly rubbed the syrupy concoction against his exposed scarlet-mustard flesh on his chest. Cyan eyes followed his ministrations, silently observing the poultices used and there immediate relieving effect.

"It's to help prevent infection. The water in this pool works in tandem with my magic and brand of medicine." Harry whispered, coating the man's heavily scarred cheek with honey and aspen. "This wasn't your first experience with Dragon fire, was it?" Harry asked quietly, his brows dropping slightly in contemplation. "I am unsure if you are able to understand me…I will try to help you as much as I can. Dragon Fire is difficult to heal…especially one tainted by darkness." Harry explained. Running his hands over the man's bald head, coursing through the few burnt patches of once-silvery blond hair. Harry looked down at the man when he felt a faint touch against his arm. The man was staring intently up at him, pale-green droplets fell across his face reducing the swelling obstructing his peripheral vision. As the swelling went down, Harry was surprised at how different the man's facial contours were after the healing herbs seeped the darkness burned within. As a mist of dark magic seeped out of his flesh, Harry watched entranced as the once obscured smoke-blackened muscle and skin stitched itself whole leaving behind a faint dusting of pearlescent rose. The man's rough hand clutched Harry's forearm briefly in astonishment, brief tremors erupted across his frame. He opened and closed his mouth, gurgling in an attempt to form a coherent word or sentence.

"C-Can f-feel a-again…." The man whispered to Harry, disbelief weighing heavily within the simple confession.

"This is very good. We will have to go through this procedure three times daily to restore as much function as we can." Harry said, blushing in embarrassment as he was administering the poultice to the man's man's voice was eerily beautiful, suave and confident. Richly intoned with a tilt to his words. The closest Harry could come to describing the sound would be between a mixtures of French, Italian with Spaniard enunciation. The situation was both awkward and uncomfterble for Harry, especially when he was holding an effeminate male rather intimately. The last person Harry ever held intimately had been Ginny before….before everything went to hell.

His eyes flickered when Harry rubbed a combination of honey and sugar across his neck, draining and repairing the skin beneath. Cyan eyes dilated as the dark magical essence continued to be drained and the flesh mended. Tremors wracked his frame again but the man seemed not to be aware of it, as he continued to gaze at Harry with an emotion he could not explain nor understand the intensity in which those eyes bored into his own.

"What is your name?" Harry asked the man while maneuvering his magical essence to pour and surround the healing flesh. Building a barrier to help protect his weakened body from outside pathogens. His magic shielded every portion of skin, the remains of silver-blond hair, nails, glands and non-existent nerves. Harry sincerely hoped the healing waters and his magic could help this peculiar being. Without the bodies largest form of protection functioning properly, he would not be able to survive for long. The skin helps the body to retain fluid, and fight against illness, eliminating waste and regulating temperature. Without these built-in lines of defense…Harry couldn't find it inside himself to continue with that line of thought.

"Thranduil…." The voice broke through his musings, shivers rolling his stomach again. "My name is Thranduil Oropherion."

Harry bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement before responding in kind. "Eruchil Pervell." Harry leaned over and moved Thranduil closer towards his chest. "I need to apply the honey onto your back, please bear with this for a few more moments. I will try to be as quick an as efficient as possible." Thranduil's back was broken, red and pearlescent rose in places, extending all the way down to his waist and his swimmer's legs. Excruciating if Harry had not used the pain relieving charm earlier on. Thranduil rests his head against Harry's shoulder, causing goose bumps to erupt across his skin as he feels the other male take in and release his breath. Harry spreads the honey-sugar poultice across his back, over the indentation of his shoulder blades and onto his lower back. Thranduil's breath hitches as new skin begins to grow and scar tissue dissolves, as Harry's ministrations massage and rub deep into the muscle and nerves beneath.

The mist rising obscures Harry's line of sight as he leads Thranduil over to the pool edge where he sits him down. Rivulets of pale-green travel down Thranduil's pearlescent rose upper torso, trickling as Harry's magical essence boosts its healing properties. Harry coats his hands with honey and crushed burdock leaves before softly picking up one of Thranduil's scorched legs. "I'm going to spread the paste over your legs, is that alright with you? It's to restore function of your limbs and reduce the pain." Harry questioned while locking gazes with Thranduil. Thranduil leans against a carved column and nods in assent. Relishing in the peace of not being in pain and being able to feel extremities he all but gave up in. Thranduil's lips parted slightly as he inhaled the herbal scents wafting from the pool of water. Harry's hands rubbed upward on Thranduil's legs. Leaving behind rose-colored flesh and droplets of pale-green. Honey dripped and mixed with the rivulets of water, as Harry's hands reached Thranduil's thighs. Spreading his fingers apart, Harry added some more pressure as his hands rubbed the muscle and sinew.

Harry arched Thranduil's leg slightly upwards to be able to spread the poultice all-over the injured flesh. Thranduil opened his half-lidded eyes when Harry traced his hands across his other thigh. Slowly he raised his shriveled newly formed flesh, coated hand and cupped Harry's cheek. Startled, Harry snaps his attention on Thranduil.

"Thank-you my Lord. Thank-you." The amount of emotion behind those few words were enough to suffocate Harry. "Your welcome." Harry found himself saying not being able to brush off the gratitude as he would back in the Wizarding World. Harry looked down at the delicate new-skin growing as his hands continued to push his magical essence onto the wounded flesh. Thranduil followed his ministrations and stifled the shocked gasp brimming to get out. He watched entranced as the newly formed skin came into being, more delicate than a puff pastry's flakey top layer. Before it morphed into a sturdy glaze overlay with a smooth coating of pearlescent rose.

Once finished with his treatment, Harry helped Thranduil to a stand-still as the man was exhausted from the little excursion. Whispering 'Wingardium Leviosa' once again, Harry returned him towards the healing hall. His breath's came easier and were not as labored. The swelling has decreased exponentially granting Thranduil his full vision. Harry carefully laid the semi-conscious man down on the cot covered in freshly washed linen and flicked his wrist. A neutral colored paste of willow bark and white-oak leaves spread across the more delicate and prone to infection portions of his body before being wrapped in fresh bandages. Once finished he moved towards his brewing pot and watched in satisfaction as the brew colored into an earthen-seaweed color. Pouring the brew into a vial Harry walked back over to the half-asleep Thranduil and lifted his head before bringing the vial to his lips and coaxing Thranduil to drink the heavily potent potion. He tried to gag it away but Harry persisted. Once the vial was emptied, Thranduil went under into a peaceful slumber.

Harry rose from his crouched position and laid a blanket over Thranduil before calling out, "Winky". A small thunderclap later, the small house-elf appeared.

Harry walked over and patted her head causing a delighted giggle to burst from the gushing house-elf.

"I need you to inform Prince Thorin and Prince Legolas of their comrade. In a few hours when they have rested." The house-elf nodded eagerly and disappeared once again. Harry rolled his soaked shirt-sleeve up before untethering the Elder Wand again and casting a heating charm on himself and his clothes.

Holding his burgundy robe over his arm, Harry walked out of the small room and away from the privacy curtain before his curiosity won over and he headed in the direction of where the skeletal-black coated legs rested. Reaching a hand out to part the privacy screens Harry feels a gust of cold air behind him before a voice he never thought he could ever hear again caused his blood to run cold and a deep ache to spearhead his heart.

"Harry."

-LINE BREAK-

A/N: Divergence from original ( Poikaer Shrouded in Shadow) after Ch.9-10.

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