Chapter Text
Volume 1 - Chapter 08
Five nazgûl stood upon the inner curtain wall waiting for their brother to return. Not one of them had moved since Adunaphel flew off to Anduin to confirm what the orcs had found. The entire trip should have taken an hour to accomplish, five if the hell hawk was killed. Dawn was approaching, yet there was still no sign of Adunaphel or his hell hawk.
Once the sun began making its presence known beyond the horizon, Hoarmurath finally broke their silent vigil, “Adunaphel has not returned.”
Akhorahil corrected him, “{Adunaphel has not returned of his own will.}”
The others knew what Akhorahil was implying, but no one made a move to check Adunaphel’s chamber. Life as a ringwraith was not pleasant. Nor had it been entirely by choice. They should have died long ago, but Sauron - using their rings - refused to allow them to rest. No mere man could release them. If their body was destroyed their souls were immediately pulled back from Death by the will of Sauron. When that happened, they awoke in their chamber within Minas Morgul. It was a painful process, and it took time for them to regain their strength, but they were usually mobile again by mid-day.
When the first rays of sunshine appeared over the horizon Er-Murazor spoke, “ {Akhorahil, go to Adunaphel’s chambers and aid him. We will be in the hall. Report to us when he is stable.} ” Akhorahil left immediately without looking back. Hoarmurath made as if to follow, but Er-Murazor stopped him, “ {You will wait to hear the news with the rest of us.} ”
Hoarmurath looked as if he wanted to argue, but kept silent. Er-Murazor turned from the view and walked to the hall. He didn’t look to see if the others followed because he knew they would. They were all anxious to know what had become of Adunaphel.
Akhorahil returned to the hall and gripped the door frame to steady himself. Akhorahil’s voice shook when he reported, “ {Adunaphel has not been returned.} ”
Hoarmurath stopped his pacing and turned expectantly to Er-Murazor. The Witch-king gripped the arms of his chair and thought hard at the implications. Where was Adunaphel? Was he still wandering, searching for the Master? Was his brother freed? Did Adunaphel find peace? Or had Er-Marazor just condemned yet another of his brothers to eternal damnation?
- - - - MoD-V01 - - - -
They were rowing down the river again, having broken camp before dawn. The waters were still, and the shores were empty of enemies. There was the occasional rustle of plants. That could mean they were being watched, or it was simply wild life going about their lives. Since they hadn’t been attacked, Harry didn’t dwell on the subject too much, but didn’t dismiss the possibility of enemies entirely.
A flock of birds circled high above, black against the pale morning sky. Aragorn watched them with concern. Harry looked to see what had caught the man’s attention and decided that the birds were probably a bad omen. The wizard had to shake his head at his own thoughts and Aragorn gave him a questioning glance. Harry shrugged, admitting, “When I was young. I never believed in Seers or omens… I’ve come to find out that I was quite wrong.”
From the bottom of Aragorn’s boat came Frodo’s wary voice, “Your mum is a Seer.”
His mum. Hearing Galadriel referred to as his mum always made Harry smile. And Frodo was right, Galadriel was a bit of a Seer as was Luna. “That she is,” Harry agreed. “So is my sister.” Harry looked up at the birds again and said, “Which is why I’ve learned to believe in omens: good, bad, or otherwise.”
They paddled along the river for another hour before Aragorn broke the silence. He spoke quietly, reverently, “The Argonath…” Aragorn continued wistfully, “Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old, my kin.”
That tone caught everyone’s attention and all heads turned to the man before looking in the same direction he was. Two enormous rock statues towered over the river, one on each side. They were carved images of Númenor kings of old. They loomed over the river with power and majesty.
Harry stopped paddling, so he could take in the view and was struck by the sheer magnitude of the sight. The wizard pulled his two-way mirror from his pocket and spoke softly, “Naneth.”
“Ionneg,” Galadriel answered immediately. “[Is everything okay? I usually initiate our conversations.]”
“[I am well. I apologize if I caused you concern,]” Harry reassured her. “[We have reached the Argonath and I wanted to share it with Luna. Is she nearby? ]”
“Argonath?” Luna’s voice could be heard in the background. “[I have always wanted to see the Argonath] .” The mirror was jostled, Galadriel said a few things in Sindarin that Harry didn’t recognize - but had both Aragorn and Legolas chuckling - before Luna’s beaming face appeared in the mirror. “[Let me see!] ”
Harry chuckled and turned the mirror so his sister could see the view he was blessed with. Luna directed Harry on where to aim the mirror so she could enjoy the view. “[Fascinating. I cannot imagine how they did that without modern day tools or magic] .”
The young wizard had to admit that he was stumped by the sheer magnitude of the project. It was a mystery to him, much like Stonehenge. How had they created such a wondrous sight?
Once they crossed between the statues and came out on the other side, Harry said his farewells to his family and put his mirror away. It was shortly after that when Boromir piped up, “Welcome to Gondor.”
- - - - MoD-V01 - - - -
The Fellowship had neared the falls and Aragorn had chosen to stop on the western shore to allow them a respite before continuing on. The four hobbits leaped out of the boats and clambered onto the wooded shore. They were still well rested since they hadn’t been rowing and began setting up a temporary campsite. Gimli was slower to follow the halflings ashore.
Harry gingerly pulled his boat onto the sand and placed his oar inside. His back muscles ached so he took a moment to stretch. Since his arrival in Middle-earth, Harry had been building muscle by working with a bow and daggers, climbing trees, and running in the woods. However, Harry wasn’t accustomed to rowing a boat.
Aragorn pulled his boat in next to Harry and looked around. “We cross at nightfall, hide the boats, and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North.”
Gimli rolled his eyes and retorted, “Oh, yes, just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks. And after that it gets even better,” the dwarf gestured vaguely, “a festering, stinking marshland as far as the eye can see.”
Harry was familiar with the path that needed to be taken. He had gone over maps of the area with Haldir and Celeborn often in the late evenings after guard duty. Aragorn wasn’t put off, he too had studied the maps with Haldir and Celeborn. “That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf.”
“Recover my…” Gimli was so flabbergasted that he couldn’t finish the sentence and gaped like a fish. Harry turned in order to hide his amusement from Gimli. The wizard grinned at Pippin who grinned back.
Legolas turned to Aragorn with urgency stating, “We should leave now.”
“No,” Aragorn frowned, “orcs patrol the Eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness.”
“It is not the Eastern shore that worries me.” Legolas countered and glanced around into the Parth Galen forest that lay just beyond the shore that they currently stood upon. “A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near, I can feel it.”
Harry frowned and looked in the same direction. He wasn’t attuned as Legolas was to the woods, so he wasn’t foolish enough to dismiss the elf’s words. The wizard cocked his head and listened, but heard nothing approaching. Silence didn’t fool Harry; many foes could move silently.
Harry didn’t dawdle in his duties. He went about clearing the area of nettles and setting up the circle for the campfire.
Merry returned then with an arm full of kindling that he dropped to the ground near Harry. The hobbit looked around and asked, “Where’s Frodo?”
Everyone looked around in concern. Sam said in a hushed tone, “Boromir is missing, too.”
Harry simply casted a spell and pointed. “The tracking spell shows Frodo is that way.”
“You put a tracking spell on Frodo?” Pippin looked towards the woods in the direction Harry had pointed.
“The night you four were playing with my cloak; I put that spell on all of you,” Harry corrected. “I just haven’t bothered to remove it.”
Legolas and Aragorn didn’t wait for Harry’s explanation. They had immediately headed in the direction the wizard had pointed. Gimli was moving only a moment later leaving Harry, once again, with babysitting duty. Harry looked at the three hobbits and swore under his breath, “Buggering hell. I wasn’t brought to Middle-earth to babysit.” Pippin shrugged unapologetically, Merry winced and shuffled his feet, while Sam started towards the woods after Frodo. “Don’t make me stop you, Sam. You’ll be angry with me and then you won’t trust me anymore.”
Sam turned towards Harry, his hands balled into fists. “I promised.”
“I know,” Harry said.
“I’m not about to lose him now,” Sam continued.
“I know,” Harry agreed again, “but you haven’t lost him. He will be back soon.”
“How do you know?” Sam asked with a note of desperation in his voice.
“I have faith in him,” Harry said and put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. The four of them stood at the edge of the woods listening for any sounds coming from the West so it came as a surprise when the threat came from the East. Harry pushed Sam ahead of him and ran for the trees yelling, “Hide!”
There was no sign of danger, but he felt it in his soul. Evil. Vile. Malevolent. Harry slid into hiding as the hate and rage swept over him. Harry groaned as it burned. He didn’t know how long he was curled up under the brush before he heard Sam cry out, “Mr. Frodo!”
Harry forced his eyes open and unsteadily got back to his feet. His equilibrium was off. Harry had to catch his breath. There was the sound of a distant battle, yelling, and a horn…
An indistinct guttural voice bellowed, “Find the halflings… find the halflings!”
Harry came out of his daze slowly and realized he was alone. Perhaps the hobbits hadn’t been affected as he was. Lucky them. Harry was about to run further into the woods to find said halflings when Frodo came darting down the steep hillside and smacked into the wizard. “It’s okay, Frodo. I’ve got you.”
Frodo looked up in a panic and then breathed easier when he realized who held him. “You wouldn’t take it even if I offered it.”
That comment confused Harry, but the wizard theorized that Frodo was speaking of the ring. Harry shook his head. “I don’t think I can touch it even if I wanted to.” Harry looked behind Frodo towards the woods. “Where is everyone else?”
The hobbit looked back where the wizard was staring and then back to Harry. “Fighting the uruk-hai. Harry, I have to go. Now.”
That declaration surprised Harry until he remembered his mother’s words, Galadriel warned him that a time would come when the Fellowship would break thrice more. Harry nodded and didn’t ask questions save one, “Do you trust me?”
Frodo looked at Harry and nodded without hesitation. “Yes”
Harry just smiled and motioned towards the shore behind him. “Great. Let’s get your things. We need to go if we want to avoid those Urk-things.”
“Uruk-hai,” Frodo corrected as they made it to the shore. Harry just grinned without comment. Frodo slung his bag over his shoulder before looking expectantly at the wizard. Seeing Harry’s outstretched arm, Frodo grasped it and cried out in alarm when they were suddenly across the river. Frodo was soon leaning over with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath.
“Are you okay?” Harry asked.
“Just a bit dizzy,” Frodo admitted. “I didn’t know what to expect. Maybe a bit of warning next-”
“Mr. Frodo, sir!” What had to have been a yell was barely heard over the noise of the river. Harry and Frodo both turned in time to see Sam, fully geared and prepared for travel, wade into the river as if he intended to walk across it.
“What is he… is he really…”
“Turn back, Sam!” Frodo yelled in a panic. “He can’t swim!”
“Bugger,” was all Harry said before he apparated across the river where the boats still sat and looked around. Unfortunately, Sam was already under water and Harry couldn’t see him. The young wizard apparated back to Frodo. Harry grumbled, “I can’t see him!”
Frodo was ankle deep into the water still yelling, “Sam’s going to die. Do something! Please!”
Harry grabbed his wand and with a huff of frustration, pointed his wand at the water and cried out, “Accio Sam!” But nothing happened. Harry tried again and bellowed, “Accio Samwise Gamgee’s backpack!”
Sam came flying out of the river as he was dragged out by the backpack strapped to his torso. Frodo cried out in relief as he reached for his friend. Harry braced himself for the impact and did his best to catch the soaring hobbit. Harry was bowled over, tumbling beneath Sam from the collision. Frodo hurried over and pulled his friend off of Harry, but Harry was more concerned with the fact that Sam didn’t appear to be breathing.
Harry struggled to his knees and pulled the backpack from Sam’s body, so he could lay the hobbit down flat on the sandy ground. Frodo began to panic again. “His lips are turning blue!”
The wizard didn’t bother responding to the hobbit’s panic. Sam wasn’t breathing. Harry was at a loss and his words were nearly lost in Frodo’s panicking noises, “I learned healing spells to take care of any wounded, I never thought someone would drown! Why would I learn something for a drowning person?” Sam needed the water out of his lungs. Harry took a calming breath. He remembered a spell for choking and hoped... “Anapneo.” Sam’s body jerked, but nothing was expelled.
“Move!” Frodo shouted and Harry shuffled backwards out of the way. Frodo pounded once on Sam’s chest. What? Nothing happened. Frodo pushed Sam on his side and pounded a few times on his back. Nothing happened. Frodo laid Sam on his back once more and felt for a pulse, “Breathe, Sam!” Frodo once again hit Sam’s chest and then tilted his friend’s head back to open the airway. Oh!
Harry recognized what Frodo was going to attempt and encouraged him. “Right, CPR. Smart thinking, Frodo. The breathing will help, the pounding... probably not so much.”
Frodo fitted his mouth over Sam’s and forced his breath into his one-time gardener turned friend. Frodo took another deep breath and repeated the act of forcing air into Sam’s lungs. It took three more tries before Sam convulsed. Frodo sat up, stunned at what was happening. Harry helped Sam to lie on his side and the hobbit threw up water and stomach bile until he was able to breathe on his own.
Sam was clutching his chest and groaning while still coughing up water on occasion. Frodo sat there and silently cried. Harry sat stunned and was impressed by Frodo’s fast thinking, but was soon distracted by Aethelfrid.
There was more yelling across the river and Harry struggled with Sam’s sluggish, soaked weight as he hefted the hobbit to his feet. “We have to get to the edge of the woods. We’re too exposed out here.”
Frodo helped Sam move by taking his arm over his shoulder and Harry grabbed the hobbit’s pack. Once they reached an area that was well hidden from the river, Frodo let Sam slide down to the ground once more. “Rest Sam.”
“Why are you still here, Aethelfrid?” Harry asked. “I thought you understood. I can release you and the others, but there will be no peace until the curse is broken.”
“I do understand, Master.”
Harry tried again. “Then why are you following me? I’m not the one that can release the curse. Now go follow Aragorn and maybe he’ll find a task worthy enough that the curse is lifted.”
Aethelfrid frowned at the question and said, “The Eye looked this way. I fled across the river. It was you that followed me.” Frodo snickered. Aethelfrid shrugged sheepishly, telling them, “I haven’t been around the living for so long, that I find your actions so fascinating.” The ghost turned to Sam. “You willingly went into the river - knowing you don’t swim - to follow the ring bearer. Is your life so perilous that death is more acceptable?”
Sam looked aghast. “No!” His breathing was ragged when he said, “I made a promise.” Sam looked at Frodo. “I promised!”
Frodo dropped to the ground beside his friend and he sighed. “Yes, Sam. You promised.”
Sam looked to Aethelfrid triumphantly. Harry huffed. “I’m babysitting again.”
“At least it wasn’t Pippin that followed us,” Frodo said, rather tongue in cheek.
That got a snort of laughter from Harry and he crouched in front of the hobbits. “Okay, Sam. You can come, but you have to understand. I’m in charge of our safety.” Harry looked past the hobbits and into the woods. “I’ve studied the map with my father, Aragorn and Haldir. I know the path that we’re expected to take.” With a deep breath, Harry brought his attention back to the hobbits before him. “If you don’t agree, I will take you back to the others. Choose.”
“I made a promise,” Sam stubbornly said once more. “He said to me, ‘Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.’ And I don't mean to...I don't mean to.”
“And you?” Harry asked Aethelfrid.
Aethelfrid gave a ghostly grin. “I exist to serve.”
“Like that’s not ominous,” Frodo 'whispered’ to Sam.