Harry could feel he was being carried somewhere. He groaned when he realised he was still alive. The absence of pain did not give him any relief. It would begin again all too soon he just knew it. The memory of the nice person he saw when he woke up the first time was gone. All he remembered was the beating from Vernon that he forced his magic back to stop it from healing him. He had hoped to wake to see his parents waiting for him on the other side.

Vernon always got enraged when he healed himself after a beating. He could still feel the phantom pains of him cutting up his back with a knife writing the word freak on it the last time. The cut had been really deep his magic could not erase the scarring. He whimpered thinking he might do it again and was surprised when someone started rocking him and singing. The voice sounded inhuman. It was too beautiful and laced with some kind of magic.

Harry's eyes flew open and he tried to wriggle out of the arms of whoever was holding him. He surprised whoever it was because it worked and he shot out of the arms and landed roughly on the ground backing away from the stranger. He scraped his leg but he ignored the pain. It was superficial. Compared to what he was used to he didn't even feel it. Instead he curled in on himself and waited for the blows to start again. This time he pushed his magic so far down locking it away it wouldn't be able to heal him again.

xxxxx

Haldir was walking fast towards his home, the sleeping child in his arms and one of his brothers in front the other behind him in a protective stance in case they were attacked. They were not taking any chances with the elfling. A couple of more elves guarding the forest joined them to increase the protection detail.

Haldir watched as the child's eyes opened a look of terror in them and then the sudden movement he was not expecting from the extremely small child made him loose his hold on him and he shot out of his arms landing on the ground and curling in on himself. He had not expected the child to be able to walk all. His size was too small for that. He also refrained from tightening his hold on the child because he knew he might injure him.

His thoughts didn't linger on that instead his heart was breaking at the sight of the frightened child who looked like he was readying himself for a beating. What could have happened to him to bring such terror in his eyes? How could anyone even cause such terror to a child like that.

He knelt beside the child and spoke in a gentle soothing voice that even his brothers had not known him to be capable of being the march warden. He was always strict and professional and tolerated no nonsense. That person disappeared as he crouched beside the child and said "Little one. I will not harm you. You have no need to be afraid. I will allow no harm to come to you either."

He didn't just pick up the child knowing he would need to earn even a small bit of trust from the child otherwise he was going to have problems. If the child came to him of his own free will, it would make it easier to deal with him later.

He did not stop talking and at the same time shooing away the other elves who seemed to want to crowd him.

Harry lifted his head from where he was curled up when no pain came, tears falling down his little pale face although he made no sound. He saw the tall being in front of him who was speaking with such a nice voice. He had no idea what he was saying but it felt nice. He froze for a second remembering the feeling of the imperious.

It had similar effects but he could also feel the difference. He was not in a dream like state. The calm feelings did not try to influence his feelings nor did they try to change what he felt inside. He could bask in the safe feeling knowing that his feelings were his own.

He blinked his big green eyes laced with a sheen of tears unaware of how they affected those around him, his bottom lip quivering a little. Feeling brave for a second he let a sliver of his magic out to sense any hostility from the being in front of him. He was doing it instinctively. Finding nothing hostile about the being because he could tell he was no man Harry uncurled and tried standing up.

Up until then he had been too distraught to notice that he was different. Now however he could see that he was much smaller than he remembered being. In fact as he stood up the change was glaringly obvious. A new fear went through him and he began to cry. What had happened to him? Was it a curse? Could he change back?

Haldir leaned over to pick him up and was glad he did not refuse him. He cradled him in his arms as he checked him over for injuries and tried to comfort him at the same time. Harry instinctively snuggled deeper in the arms of his carrier and his thumb found its way into his mouth in a gesture of seeking comfort.

Rumil walked up to his brother and said "He has been hurt hasn't he?"

Haldir was holding back the fury he was feeling at the one who had harmed the child in his arms so as not to frighten him. He was already thinking about finding out where he came from and avenging whoever had put that fear in the child. He saw the green eyes close as the child cried himself to sleep and a fierce wave of protectiveness washed over him.

He faced his little brother and said "I do not know what he has been through but I can safely say he has been badly abused. I do not wish to even imagine what could have happened to him that the Valar themselves intervened and brought him here. I hope there is a way to find out who did this because I want to hurt them for this."

Rumil replied "I think every elf is with you on that one brother. I'm sure there will be outrage when everyone finds out about this."

A few hours away from their arrival from the orders of Lothlorien Haldir saw several elves arrive on horse back. Two of them being his lord and lady. He was not surprised. Lady Galadriel would have seen the child arrive through their minds. She was actually in the lead and as soon as she was close enough she gracefully slid off her horse and glided towards him.

"How is the child Haldir?"

Haldir bowed to her and said "I'm not too sure my lady. I was not expecting the reaction I got when he awoke. He was terrified my lady. The look in his eyes should not be one seen in the eyes of a child. Of anyone actually."

She held out her hands and said "May I?"

Haldir despite knowing she would not harm him found it difficult to hand him over. He did with reluctance that had lady Galadriel raising her eyebrow. She did not go in his mind to his relief to find the reason. It was one of the things he loved about her.

She did not invade their privacy without their consent or unless something was terribly wrong. That was only reserved for strangers who entered their realm so she would know they had no bad intentions for those she looked after.

As soon as she had Harry in her arms he woke up. He didn't however panic like last time. He watched her just as she watched him then she smiled and said "Welcome Harry Potter to Caras Galadhon. Know you will find much love and happiness here." she kissed his forehead and continued "You may call me nana little one, this is your new home. You will not have to worry about those who harmed you before. Namo took care of them, they now live the life they forced you to live. Already they cry out for release."

Harry was asleep when he felt a presence arrive. It felt safe to him he wanted to see this presence. Fighting through the heaviness of sleep he opened his eyes when he felt himself changing hands. He saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life, it was not really her beauty that drew him to her but the maternal feeling he was getting from her. He wanted to cry, thinking about his own dead mother.

Then she spoke and he actually understood what she was saying in the flowery language he had not understood before. It finally occurred to him she was speaking in his head. His eyes widened when she told him he could call her mum. He reached out to touch her face a he replied in his mind saying "You want me to call you mother? You are going to be my mother? You want me?"

Her smile did not waver as she replied to his questions "Yes, yes and very much so little one."

Harry smiled back shyly his previous fear momentarily forgotten. None of the elves saw the tall being dressed in black leaving the scene. Harry was going to need a childhood before he told him who he was to him. Galadriel would be a wonderful mother and Celeborn a wonderful father. He had plenty of time, in fact a whole lifetime and more.