TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Chapter 05

The man smiled widely and offered his hand to James.

"Sirius Black." He said shaking James' hand firmly. "Pleasure to meet you James. My godson has told me all about you."

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"Fifty years? Then why does Sirius still look so young?"

"Because he is not of this world. Time moves differently from world to world and for each year that passes in our world, five years pass here. Sirius, being born in our world is subject to ageing by our clocks. He had only aged ten years by the time I arrived in Arda."

Harry's explanation was interrupted when an elf knocked on their door. James recognised him as one of Lord Elrond's aides.

"My apologies for disturbing you milord. Lord Elrond bade me inform you that the Council will be meeting shortly."

"My thanks mellon nin. My son and I will be along without delay."

The elf bowed out of the room and James raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his father.

"I am invited to this secret council?"

Harry looked quite serious at this question.

"This affects you just as much as me, Jim. It is too risky to reopen the Veil to send you back until the danger has passed. We are now tied to this worlds fate. It's best that you are well aware of the situation and I have every confidence that you are mature enough to handle what you are about to learn. You are old enough to make your own decisions James and I am well aware that you're too old to mollycoddle. All I can do is respect whatever you will decide and make sure your decisions are well informed."

James wasn't sure what to say to this. On the one hand, his father had all but admitted that he, James, was no longer a child but a mature adult capable of making good decisions. On the other hand, James could admit to himself that he felt way out of his depth in this strange new world. He ended up compromising with himself that while he would be making up his own mind and following his own path, there was nothing wrong with seeking advice from his father or even Sirius if he wasn't sure of something. Then it suddenly occurred to him.

"Wait. What decision are you talking about?"

"You'll see." Harry replied with a grim smile as he rose from his seat and led his son to a secluded courtyard where the Council were beginning to gather.

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Harry was not impressed.

The fate of not only this world, but his own as well, rested upon the outcome of this Council. The fates of countless thousands of innocents in this world and countless billions in his own.

. . . And they were squabbling . . . like first years.

'At least they haven't resorted to petty name calling - wait - scratch that last. They have just started name calling.'

James' face was a study in incredulity. Gandalf, Sirius and Lord Elrond had put highborn names to the highborn faces of the delegates to Elrond's Secret Council. Dwarvish nobility, great Lords of Men with indisputable pedigree, one of the Istari and several notable (and royal) elves - who out of all of them should have known better.

The dwarves were yelling obscenities at the elves and casting outrageous (yet admittedly hilarious) aspersions on the mating habits of the elves' collective mothers.

The Men were loudly pointing out to any who could be bothered to listen (and several who couldn't) that the Ring was their by right as its last rightful keeper was Gondorian. Boromir was practically spitting this at Gandalf who, instead of trying to calm the situation down, was shouting back at Boromir his own opinions of Boromir's intelligence.

The elves were acting superior to everyone else with biting remarks about idiotic, foolhardy, weak-willed men and unwashed, uncivilised, uneducated, unintelligent and unwanted dwarves.

Lord Elrond and Aragorn were attempting, in vain, to stop the verbal melee from turning into actual melee.

Harry sat in his chair with his elbows on his knees, hunched over with his eyes closed. His fingers were massaging his temples as if to force his growing migraine into submission.

James sat staring incredulously at the spectacle.

Frodo had eyes only for the Ring.

The din grew into a dull roar.

Harry's migraine grew but he was beginning to suspect that it had less to do with the increasing number of decibels or his frustration and annoyance and more to do with a creeping sensation he was starting to feel on the nape of his neck and the smug satisfaction he had just begun to notice from a certain accursed Ring.

James leaned towards his father and hissed urgently in his ear. "Do you hear that voice!? It's whispering those words Gandalf said!"

And indeed it was.

A great 'crack' rent the air and all eyes turned to the young lord. Harry, however, turned to his son whose wand was still in his hand.

"If you have all quite finished yelling loud enough to be heard from Mordor," James spoke in an unimpressed drawl "Young Master Baggins has been trying to say something for the past minute."

The crowd who had been, up to that point, staring incredulous at a boy barely into manhood who had the nerve to condescend to some of the most important people alive, suddenly noticed said hobbit who was now standing away from his seat with a determined look on his face.

Frodo nodded his thanks to James who smiled encouragingly for him to say what he meant to say.

"I will take the Ring into Mordor, though I . . . I do not know the way." Now that he had spoken, Frodo began to feel a bit foolish. But, before that thought could develop further, Gandalf offered Frodo his aid. And Aragorn offered his sword. And Prince Legolas Greenleaf offered the service of his bow - and Gimli son of Gloin offered his axe to the cause (not to be outdone by a spoiled elvish princeling).

Harry got up and went to Frodo. He crouched down with his hands on both of Frodo's shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, I will not be able to help you on your quest. I am needed elsewhere."

Frodo looked a bit downcast at Harry's words but steeled himself and nodded firmly. Whilst he had been hoping for the wizard's assistance, he believed that he had a good grasp of the man's character. If he said he was needed more urgently in another matter, it must be of extreme importance. He would do without.

James, however, now realised what his father had meant when he talked of a decision he would have to make for himself.

He spoke up and said "Since my father is unavailable, would you accept my help in his place?"

"I would be most grateful for any help you can give Master Potter." He smiled at the son of the wizard.

James pulled an almost comical grimace at Frodo's formality. "None of that now. If I get to call you Frodo, it's only right that you call me Jim."

Harry smiled at his son in proud satisfaction.

Gandalf's eyes twinkled merrily.

Boromir approached and also pledged his support, by the Council's leave. And before anyone had quite realised what had happened, there were an additional three hobbits joining the company.

". . . So, where are we going?"

Aaaaand the twinkle was gone.