Title: Beyond the Point of No Return
(a crossover of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings)
Author: Richan
Pairings: HP/SB pre-slash, LG, HP/LG/SB later
Warnings: character death(implied), slash
Spoilers: thru OotP for HP, thru RotK for LotR
Summary: Harry finds himself in a strange land with some even stranger people. But he finds a familiar face among them.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the world of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. I have, however, played with the timelines a bit. Please note that some things that are part of these books have been adapted to fit this story, and so everything isn't the same as written by Rowling or Tolkein.
Original Author's note: these will be short chapters, and I will hopefully be able to post one each day, but we'll have to see how that goes. It depends on how busy I am at the theater and how fast I can write.
Secondary Author's note: Each chapter is one of three acts. Within, the acts are divided into nine scenes. Each scene is marked with the individual title, as well as which character's 'voice' is speaking.
act 1
scene 1: through the veil and beyond
Harry
The last thing that he remembered before falling into the darkness was Hermione screaming his name. Before that, he could clearly recall looking over the veil that resided in the depths of London and that Fudge had decided Harry would be the one to study it. He knew he must have fallen through the veil, but how would be a mystery to be figured out later. Harry had the feeling it would be he was pushed or pulled through it, and not under his own power.
The question now was: where was he?
He let his magic creep out, touching on everything in the room. There was a solitary candle made of... tallow? That was rare for the wizarding world, since most stores sold wax or everlasting candles. Another odd aspect of the room was that there were some strange flowers on the bedside table.
The door opened up to an odd being. Harry could tell that it was an adult female, but was short. She wasn't as short as a house elf, but more along the line of Professor Flitwick. Behind her came a tall male, who had something similar to magic, as if it was locked from his use.
"This is the man?" the man asked. His voice was like honey, rich and thick but soothing.
"Yes, my lord," the woman answered in a soft tone, as if she was almost the man's social equal. "Sam and Eleanor found him on their way back from fishing."
"Has he woken?"
"No. He did drink a little water when I used Eleanor's bottle."
"Good. Please let me know when he wakes. He reminds me of the man that was found two years ago. King Elessar also needs to be notified."
"Very well, my prince," the woman said. "If you would like to stay, I am sure Sam will be home from the pub soon."
"Thank you, Rosie, but I will need to rescue Gimli from whatever trouble I am sure he has gotten into. When I find him, we will join yourself and Sam."
The door shut quietly, and Harry opened his eyes when he felt he was alone. The room he was in was small, and the furniture was made for a person half his size. At first he thought it was a child's room, but he saw no toys or other children's accoutrements. The bed had been enlarged with wood and straw to fit his frame, taking up the entire length of the room. His feet were bare under the blanket covering him. The rest of him was still in the clothes he had been wearing, although his robes were unbuttoned all the way down, and his shirt and vest down to a comfortable level.
His wand was still in its pocket in his sleeve, but his sword - the same sword as that of his ancestor, Godric Gryffindor - was propped up in the corner, its scabbard fastened tight over the ruby-encrusted handle. Next to the sword lay his boots, socks laying across the tops.
Harry cautiously sat up but felt nothing wrong with him other than a few bruises where he must have landed. He listened for movement and heard none.
Now he would wait for the woman to come back to find out exactly where he was.
scene 2: beauty
Legolas
He stepped into the room, eyes darting to the tall form scrunched into a seat at the kitchen table. He had been told that the unknown visitor had woken, but the reality was much different. Brilliant green eyes shone out from a sun-kissed face that also held full lips and high cheekbones. Wild black hair adorned his head, falling past his shoulders. He had a lean frame with lithe muscles. His strange, outer clothes were a rich red, complimenting the dark green and black clothes he wore underneath.
The Man stood. "Are you the man I need to speak with?" His voice was smooth but with a strange accent. It was very near to a man who was an advisor to the king.
"He's no man," Gimli said behind him. "He's an elf!"
"An elf?" the man asked. "I don't understand."
He turned to Gimli. "He is like Master Black, Gimli. He is not of this land."
"Legolas, lad..." the dwarf began.
"Black?" the man asked in a whisper. "What is his first name?"
"First name?" Legolas asked. He then realized what the man was asking. "He is Master Sirius Black."
The man dropped heavily back into his seat. "Sirius?"
Rosie came over and handed the man a cup of coffee and he slowly sipped.
"You know him, lad?" Gimli asked.
The man nodded. "If it's the man I think it is, he was my father's best friend."
"What is your name?" Legolas asked, curious about this strange man.
"Harry Potter." He stuck his hand out towards Legolas.
Remembering that Master Black had done the same thing when he arrived, Legolas took the offered hand. A tingle shot up his arm, leaving an excited warmth in its wake. He was startled by the feeling, but did not let it show.
"Welcome, then, to the Shire, Master Potter," Same spoke as he came through the door. The hobbit looked at Legolas. "Will you stay for second supper then?"
Legolas nodded, even as Gimli said they would stay. He wasn't hungry for food, but he was most definitely in the mood for information about this intriguing man.
scene 3: when in stillness
Sirius
"Master Black?"
He turned to the young boy standing in the doorway. Nodding in the direction of the door, he bid the young boy to enter the lab.
"What do you have for me?"
"The king would have you join him for supper this evening, Master Black. Master Greenleaf has send word from the Shire."
He nodded. "Thank you, Pippen. Please tell King Elessar I will be there to sup with him."
The boy left and Sirius turned back to his experiment. It had been unsuccessful when he tried a week ago and it had taken him this long to gather the ingredients he needed. For the shortest of moments he wished he had Snape's knowledge of potions. Then he came back to his senses and went over his list one more time.
He called upon his magic, willing the experiment to work. He needed to contact someone from his world, to let Harry know he was alive and healthy, although quite unable to return. He needed to set Harry's heart right, because he knew he would feel guilty.
"Master Black? My king is in the family dining hall tonight," the guard directed that evening.
Sirius nodded and hurried into the citadel, still disappointed that the experiment had failed once more. He had been so close today, but it hadn't been enough. This time he had gotten less of a reaction than the first time, and now he was unsure if he should try it a third time or if he should continue trying the mirror.
"Sirius," Elassar, or Aragorn to his friends, greeted.
"Aragorn. My Lady," Sirius greeted. "How is the prince today?"
Arwen smiled at the mention of her son. "He is well. He is looking forward to going to Rivendell to see his uncles."
"I had forgotten," Sirius said.
The three sat down at the small table, conversing quietly as they ate. It wasn't until they were finished with their fruit that Sirius brought up why he had come.
"What did Master Green leaf have to say?"
Aragorn smiled. "It seems that someone followed you from your world, and he also knows of you."
Sirius' heart skipped a beat. "Does he say who it was?"
"A man named Harry Potter."
Sirius blinked spots away and his breathing became erratic. "When... when did he come? Arrive, I mean?"
"Thursday last," Aragorn said. "Samwise Gamgee found him on the shore of the small stream where he fishes."
"Was he hurt? Healthy?" Sirius urgently asked.
Arwen put a hand on his arm. "He was unhurt, Sirius. Legolas was going to take him to Rivendell."
scene 4: the twins
Harry
He almost couldn't keep his mouth shut as he beheld the beauty of Rivendell. The elf named Legolas had offered to take him this far until which time Sirius or another of the king's trusted advisors would take him to the city called Minas Tirith. Harry was hoping it would be Sirius himself. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so overwhelmed by this land.
He had to admit he had found Hobbiton and the surrounding area a welcome respite from war-ravaged England and Scotland. On their journey to Rivendell, he had taken the opportunity to breathe in air untainted by smog or other air pollutants. Legolas and Gimli had pointed out several places that had been significant to the War of the Ring as well. Harry had been impressed by the entire story as told by Meriodac and Peregrin. His host had told the part he had played, and Harry's heart had wrenched in remembrance at his own parting with Ron during the final battle against Voldemort.
Harry carefully guided his horse down the steep path that led into Rivendell. He wasn't exactly used to riding a horse, and his bum was screaming that fact loud enough he thought the elf could hear it. He could ride a broom four days straight, but this was killing him. Legolas finally stopped and Harry gratefully pulled his mount to a halt and gingerly slid off.
Two dark haired elves came from one of the buildings, and as they approached, he could see that they were twins. One of them came forward and greeted Legolas with a kiss. Harry hid a snicker at Gimli's grumpy comment even as a small pang went through him. It wasn't jealousy of the twin or Legolas, but he was feeling a little envious that they had someone.
The other twin came over. "Greetings. Legolas sent word that he was bringing a Man with him, but did not give your name."
"Harry Potter." This time he nodded instead of holding his hand out.
"I am Elladan, and my brother over there is Elrohir. Welcome to the Last Homely House."
111
Harry smiled as he read the note Elladan had given him after they had finished eating. He thought it quite funny that his elven guide had written a note explaining his absence. Harry's host had made some pretty ribald jokes as the two of them ate. Gimli himself had excused himself from dinner, but had said that it was because dwarves weren't meant to ride horses and now he was paying for it.
Harry felt comfortable with the dark haired elf. It was like sitting with Fred when they had been stuck in Grimmauld Place for two days, just before Harry's seventeenth birthday. Harry couldn't remember where George had been, but it had been great fun with only Fred.
Elladan had told him that the message for Sirius would reach Minas Tirith in three days' time, so he would need to find something to keep him occupied until then. He wouldn't have to wait much longer than that, because knowing Sirius, he would apparate directly here.
"Are you a wizard as well, Harry?" Elladan asked, bringing Harry back to the present.
"Yes."
"Will you show me on the morrow?"
He shrugged his shoulders, seeing that it couldn't hurt. "Sure."
scene 5: magic
Legolas
He was fascinated by the golden sparkles coming out of the man's stick. The light had caught his eye as he walked through the small courtyard that connected the wings of the house. Master Potter then said something in a strange language and the small flowering plant in front of Elladan grew at a very fast pace until it towered over him. The man then waved his stick, uttered a few more words, and the plant twisted to form a chair.
"Will it hold me?" Elladan asked.
The man laughed. "Yes! Go ahead and sit in it."
The dark-haired elf carefully sat in the chair. "It is very comfortable, Harry."
"Thank you." He bowed.
Legolas stepped around the tree he had been leaning against. "Are you a wizard, Master Potter?"
"It's Harry, remember?" The green eyes crinkled as he laughed. "And yes, I am a wizard. Elladin was telling me about the wizard you knew. The magic I have is very different."
Elladan sprang up from his floral chair. "He told me that there were many wizards and witches! His best friends can do magic!"
The man nodded, but Legolas could tell that there was more to it than that. Green eyes should not look that haunted, and in fact they reminded him of Frodo's eyes when he had woken in the House of Healing. This man had come face to face with great evil and had survived, but he had also lost something of himself in the victory. Maybe it had been his innocence, but Legolas could tell that this man had as pure a heart as anyone.
"What else can you make?" Elladan was asking.
Harry pointed the stick as a pebble. Legolas didn't understand the language, even at this short of a distance, and it reminded him of some of the things Gandalf used to mutter so quietly even the hearing of an elf could never pick it up. The pebble grew to a creature a hand width tall and a bit longer than a length. The creature had a long tail that swished back and forth.
"What is it?"
"A house cat."
"What about another animal?" Legolas asked after all three watched the... cat wash itself.
Harry grinned. A barely audible 'pop' sounded and a much larger version of the cat stood in his place.
Legolas stepped back. This man must be very powerful in order to change his own shape.
"How are you able to do that?" he asked as Harry changed back.
"It's very hard. Most wizards can't do it, and it took me two years of study. Sirius can do it - he studied with my dad. That's one of the reasons I didn't take as long to learn it as my father. It was in my blood."
scene 6: wishes
Sirius
As soon as he returned to his rooms, he gathered up only a few articles of clothing before heading to his lab and securing his experimental items. Satisfied, he rechecked his bag to make sure he had the necessities and apparated outside Minas Tirith. It would take him approximately two hours to arrive in Rivendell, meaning he would get there in the middle of the night. But he knew he would be able to stay in the small house near the river. He would be rested for the morning, when he would see Harry again.
Sirius wondered if he would be able to get any rest as excitement coursed through his veins after arriving in Rivendell. Another immense feeling was worry, closely followed by fear. How did Harry get here, and did he come through the veil like Sirius did himself?
The first year he had been here, Sirius had looked for the reason he had come. Everything he had ever seen and heard of said that the veil was a portal to the land of the dead. When his cousin had hit him, he thought that this would be it. Instead, he had found himself in a land recovering from war. He had been heralded for his magic when he had fought against the guards who had tried to bring him before the king as an enemy of the land because of the suddenness of his arrival.
He had been grateful for not being treated like a criminal after that, and it had taken several months before he had stopped looking over his shoulder. Sirius had taken to looking for a way out and back to England after that, even though he wouldn't be free unless Wormtail had been captured and convicted.
Sirius had poured over everything he could get his hands on, looking for anything that mentioned the veil. The closest he had come to it was a mention of a veil worn by one of the Valar. He hadn't been able to figure out the full significance or even the name of which of the Valar it had been, but by asking the oldest elves he could speak to, he had learned the veil had been used by the Valari to come to Middle Earth. Other than that, he could find no indication that he could return.
The dawn rapidly approached, soft oranges and yellows dancing across the sky. Sirius pulled himself out of bed, ruefully acknowledging that his mind had been too busy for him to sleep. Sirius washed thoroughly and made sure his clothes were neat and wrinkle-free, chastising himself mentally for being vain enough to do so.
He walked towards the house and found himself shaking with anticipation. The closer he got, the more nervous he got. As he made his way to the dining room, he could hear muffled voices behind the closed doors. One in particular stood out. It was familiar and strange at the same time. But it reminded him of home and he knew it was Harry, only with a grown-up voice. Sirius practically ran to the doors and threw them open.
He stopped suddenly at the sight of Harry laughing with Elladin and Gimli. The teenager he had known had grown so much, from the long hair to the scar that ran down the side of his neck from behind his ear and disappeared into his collar. His facial structure was more like Lily's now, rather than looking like James.
"Harry!" he asked in a voice raspy with emotion.
Brilliant green eyes met him as Harry raised his head. His entire face lit up with joy as Harry stood and raced towards Sirius. Strong arms pulled him into a hug that threatened to take his breath away. He loved it anyway.
scene 7: story
Harry
He breathed in the scent he had missed, the scent of Sirius - vanilla and orange blossom. It was strange he could remember it, having hugged him over Christmas hols. He had seen how healthy the man looked, and he certainly didn't feel like a skeleton that was slowly growing new muscles. Being here had been good for Sirius, because his eyes didn't look haunted. At least not to the degree they had been when Harry had last seen him.
In the background he heard laughing, and he belatedly remembered they had an audience. Harry pulled back and smiled up at Sirius. He grinned back at Harry.
"You've grown so much, Harry."
"Of course I have," Harry said. "I'm twenty-two."
Sirius stepped back, surprise clearly written on his face. "How can that be? I've only been here a little over two years."
He shrugged. "I don't know, Sirius. But there's no changing my age." He guided Sirius to the chair next to where he'd been sitting. Under his fingertips, he could feel the man trembling, even through his own. "Are you all right, Sirius?"
"Yeah," the other man replied shakily. "I think my body caught up with my brain."
111
It wasn't until the two of them were comfortably settled in a couple of chairs that Sirius asked the big question.
"When did we win? Because you're here and it doesn't look like you're itching to go back for something as important as that."
Harry sighed. "Yes, we won - at the end of my seventh year. Voldemort managed to break through the wards and made it as far as the entrance hall with his Death Eaters. The Order and DA fought against the Death Eaters, while Dumbledore and I went after Voldemort.
"He led us through the castle to the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. Dumbledore shot a couple of curses at him, and they began a volley between them. I stayed by the sink to keep the bastard from going down and trying to keep Moaning Myrtle from being hit by the spells.
"Just when I managed to get her to go through the plumbing, Voldemort hit Dumbledore... with the killing curse. Fawkes showed up, but it was too late, but he did help me when I began fighting." He paused, trying to keep himself from reliving that day. It helped when he tried to tell this like he was reading it out of a book.
"What happened to Fawkes?" Sirius asked.
Harry smiled as he thought of the scarlet and gold bird. "He came and stayed with me. I tried to get him to stay with Minerva, but he never left my side for that first year after everything." He laughed darkly. "Damn annoying when you're trying to complete the final Auror exam and the examiners are watching him more than the student they're supposed to be grading."
Sirius laughed at that, and as a warble came from the window, and Harry looked out to find a familiar ball of feathers sitting among the branches of the blossoming tree, he let the pleasant sounds of phoenix song and bark-like laughter wash over him.
"I should have known he'd find some way to follow me," he muttered under his breath.
scene 8: abandon
Legolas
He had heard that Master Black had arrived, but hadn't seen him yet. He had met up with Gimli mid-morning, having spent the day until then catching up with Elrohir on the news that had not reached him while he was touring the Shire and other outer areas. Contrary to what his dwarven friend believed, he and Elrohir did not spend all of their time lying together. Although lately, his lover had only touched him while there were others around. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to what Gimli was saying.
"Master Black brought word that Aragon will be accompanying Eldarion here in a month. What say we go back to Minas Tirith when he returns?"
Legolas nodded. It would be nice to visit with his friend. Since Arwen had their son, Aragorn had stayed in the city with only rare ventures to visit. The last visit was two years ago, when they travelled to Rohan for Eomer's wedding.
As they sat down for the afternoon meal, Legolas looked for their visitors. He was curious to find they were still tucked away in another room. Then Elrohir asked him a question, and he didn't think of it until they separated after eating. Legolas watched with a saddened heart as his lover ignored him and walked off with Elladan.
Resigned with his abandonment, though not very willingly, he wandered through the house, looking for the two men. He slowly walked down the corridors, finally stumbling upon them in a small library once attached to Arwen's rooms. The black haired men were talking quietly, and Legolas wondered if all wizards knew how to make their voices so soft that even elves couldn't hear them. The words were muffled, and their voices sounded like they had been crying. He wondered if that was one of the reasons why Harry was so sad in spite of a ready laugh.
There was a lull in the talking, and Legolas took the opportunity to knock and enter the room. Their faces didn't reflect the tone of the voices, but there were traces that a conversation of some importance had taken place.
"Elladan wished to let you know that food is readily available in the dining room. There is a variety of fruits and some Shire-style bread."
Harry perked up. "We missed dinner?"
"Yes. We dined a short while ago."
Sirius leaned closer to Harry. "Let's go eat and we can put off the more depressing talk. How about while we eat you can tell me what old Moony's been up to."
scene 9: falling
Sirius
He watched Harry's smile fall, and his heart dropped into his stomach. "What happened to Moony?"
Harry shook his head and looked out of the corner of his eye. "Sirius, he - "
He grabbed Harry by the shoulders. "What happened to Remus!"
"Wormtail got him... you know... with his silver hand."
Sirius felt his knees go weak. He kept his hands on Harry's shoulders to keep himself upright. "How bad was it?" he asked, afraid of the answer.
"Bad, Sirius."
He thought he could drown in the sadness in Harry's voice. "How bad?"
Harry cringed. "The best we could figure is it took three days for him to die from the silver poisoning. He had been missing for two weeks when we found his body. We do know that some of the other Death Eaters did some things to him, but not enough to kill him, and the one we interrogated said that he hadn't seen Remus for four days. When we found him, his body was still warm."
Harry swallowed convulsively, and Sirius watched his Adam's apple bob before he closed his eyes, fighting back tears. His last childhood friend was gone, and that he should suffer in such a painful way was an anathema to him. His heart clenched painfully tight, and it felt like he couldn't breathe. Darkness clouded his eyes, but he was lucid enough to feel someone pick him up and carry him. As he was set down on something soft, a bed maybe, he heard voices as if coming from a distance.
"Thank you, Legolas," Harry voice was hard to hear over a sudden rush of sound.
"You are welcome, Master Harry. If you wish, Elladan will have someone bring you some food."
"Thank you, again, Legolas. That would be most welcome."
The door shut, and with it came nothingness.
111
"How are you feeling?" Harry quietly asked when Sirius opened his eyes.
He blinked at the sight of those green eyes so close. For a second he thought he was dreaming, and he almost reached up to pull 'Harry' in. Then he remembered that this was the real Harry and maybe he shouldn't do that. Sirius pulled himself up into a sitting position and looking around, finding himself in a bedroom.
"Where are we?"
"My room," Harry answered. "You okay?"
Sirius cautiously nodded. "Though I've been better."
"Would you like something to eat?"
The mention of food turned his stomach. "I don't think I should."
Harry nodded and stood. "Then do you mind sharing the bed? That couch over there is not long enough, and I would prefer not to disturb Elladan at this late hour."
A flutter of panic rushed through him before it settled. "No," Sirius said, shaking his head. "I don't mind. Just don't take all of the covers."