Chapter 21 - The Elf Prince
Jacob was worried about what Legolas's arrival would mean, or what it would mean for him. He did have to admit, he was glad to be able to speak in Quenya to someone. He had started to get rusty. They journeyed farther into the forest accompanied by Legolas, still searching for the centaurs, though one part of their question had still been answered.
"So what brings you to the forest of Mirkwood?" Legolas asked as they walked further.
"I'm sorry, we haven't been honest with you," Cat told him, causing him to raise an eyebrow only the slightest bit, "This isn't Mirkwood. You are in another world, and this forest is known as the Forbidden Forest."
"One moment, Cat," Jacob interrupted, picking the elven arrow head from his pocket, "Is this your arrow head, Legolas?" The elf nodded. He didn't seem like he wished to waste words. Jacob glanced at Cat, and saw the same hope in her eyes that he had. If those that should be dead could still live, and she had received something that belonged to Drinian, just as he had received something from the elf that stood before them... They seemed to have both come to the same conclusion. Now they just needed to find Drinian. It wasn't long after that when they heard the thundering of hooves, Legolas drew an arrow out of his quiver, ready for a battle, but then he saw the source of the sound and seemed unsure. The centaurs had found them.
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Cat looked at the centaurs, wondering whether they would attack, or simply take them captive. It seemed it was a hunting party that had found them, as every one of them had a bow and arrow. Legolas seemed to tense up, ready to spring into action. Jacob hadn't gone for his wand yet, but she knew he definitely was a little trigger happy with his dueling talent. She would be able to transfigure, but that would leave the others in trouble, and she didn't want to know what Mal had felt like when she and Jacob had been caught in a trap along with Ryan and Drinian. She also didn't want to be the one to get there moments late, just as Mal had when Alex had them and he... The memory surfaced again, but it was cut off by one of the centaurs.
"You are expected, though this new member of your party is not known to us," he said in a gruff voice similar to that of the captain that Jacob had bested. She was surprised that they were expected to come, despite their previous clash before the holidays. The centaurs led them to a new camp, and before an older looking centaur.
"I am named Torren, and I ask what you have done to the stars," the gray haired beast said to them from a strange sitting position that made him about of equal height with the rest of them. As they watched, he stood and now towered over them. Cat didn't know what he meant by the stars, or them doing something with them. The centaur continued, "I read of your coming by the stars, but when we discovered you, the stars had already started disappearing. We originally thought this was some form of magic, thus my herd's eagerness to attack, but we found new stars, we found new prophecies, telling of another land, and telling of those that could move between them. You, travelers." Cat realized that he must have started reading Middle Earth's stars. That would explain a lot.
"Yes, that is why we're here. We need to know some way home, or some way to save this world," Cat told him, "Your people were one of the few that even recognized that we weren't from here. We need to find some way to stop this soon, even people are starting to bleed through." Torren didn't seem surprised by this, and motioned to one of the other centaurs. Only moments later, a familiar figure came walking towards them from across the camp. When Cat locked eyes with him, a smile spread across her face. "Drinian!" She whispered to herself. He saw her and smiled.
"Ah, little Hánna, it is good to see you. last I remember, that scum had us. I am glad to see you found your way out, but please tell me how I arrived here. These horse people tried to explain it, but they seem just as lost as I am," He said, then he rattled off question after question. The centaurs had taken his weapons, he obviously had been surprised to find himself in a strange place right after dying, and he must have arrived recently. Cat told him about the current situation, and Legolas greeted him with stern look, but the two seemed to bond through the look of battle in their eyes. Unfortunately, They couldn't return to the castle again while both Drinian and Legolas accompanied them. Cat realized this meant they would have to leave the two of them here. She had just gotten her friend back, she didn't want to lose him again.
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Mal glanced to Cat as they walked through the forest. She hadn't expected to see Drinian ever again, and Mal knew it. It had been quite the hit to Cat's heart that they would have to leave them again, especially with the centaurs. As Mal was trying to figure a solution to this problem, she lost her footing and almost fell into a dark river, flowing quickly. Jacob caught her arm as she fell, pulling her back to dry ground before she hit the water.
"We can't touch this water," he said, "Legolas said this forest had mixed with Mirkwood. That means this must be the great river of Mirkwood. if we touch it, we will fall into a deep sleep and lose a large section of our memory. If nobody retrieves you without falling in as well, you would most definitely drown dreaming." Mal gave him a questioning look, wondering how he knew about the river, it wasn't in The Lord of the Rings.
"And you know this, how?" She asked voicing her concern.
"It was in The Hobbit. Not the movies, just the book. Honestly, I hated those movies. So many things wrong with the story," He began to rant. Cat stopped him short, as Mal had just been planning to.
"How do we cross it then, or how did they cross it in the book?" she asked. Jacob explained there would be a boat on the far side, and they only needed to release it from the opposite bank.
He held out his wand and said, "Lumos Maxima!" a light shone from his wand, and pointed to the boat on the other shore. "See it?" he asked.
Cat pointed her wand at the space between the boat and the bank and said, "Diffindo!" The rope holding the boat to the shore was cut in half, and the boat began drift with the rushing current.
Lastly, Mal cast a spell of her own, "Accio boat!" The boat drifted towards them. The boat had no oars. Jacob told them to get in, and that he had a plan. The got in, and he pointed his wand at the boat.
"Depulso!" he said aloud. The boat shot across the current he summoned it back to him and climbed in. Mal called it back her, and all four of them had made it across without difficulty. They continued their march out of the forest, and when they came to the edge of the forest, they found Professor Dumbledore, standing patiently waiting for them to exit the forest. Obviously he had noticed their adventures. Now they were walking right toward him.
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Of course they would finally get caught now. When things were no doubt at their worst, they were finally found out. Dumbledore approached them calmly and asked, "May I ask what the four of you were doing in the forest? It isn't forbidden for no reason, you know." Richard was about to step up and take the blame, but Mal held up a hand. He realized what she was about to do.
"That isn't just the forbidden forest anymore, Professor. It is also a forest from Middle Earth, known as Mirkwood," she began. She went on to explain everything to Dumbledore, who patiently listened. Only after she mentioned they were trying their best to save the world did he seem even a little surprised by something she said. Richard knew that he had more than likely heard much from the sorting hat, which had low level legilimency. It had seen their story from the other three.
"I know your story," the professor said in his calming voice, "what i would like to know is why you didn't come to me during your adventures. Did you think that your little adventures into the forest went unnoticed?" He never seemed to change his tone of voice. It was impressive that he always seemed calm collected, and mysterious.
None of the others answered, so Richard decided to speak up. "We were scared you would try to stop us. We worried that you wouldn't allow us to do what we can," He said. Dumbledore turned to him, and they locked eyes.
"Hogwarts is a place where help will always be given to those who ask for it," he said, as it seemed to be his general slogan. They all nodded, know he was right. Dumbledore looked into the forest, and seemed to see the changes in the forest with just that one glance. Together, they all marched back to the castle, their heads hung low. They found themselves minutes later before their three heads of houses. Professors Flitwick and Mcgonagall as well as Madam Pomfrey sat discussing their punishment. Mcgonagall approached them with a frown on her face.
"I regret to inform you all, that we have come to a decision for your punishment," she said in her kind, but stern voice. The older woman seemed truly sorry to tell them what they did was against the rules. "While what you have been doing this year is quite noble, it still was against the rules. You will be allowed to finish this school year at Hogwarts, but you will not be permitted to return. You are all amazing witches and wizards, but we simply cannot have those that would endanger others in our school." They were going to be escorted and accompanied by either their head boy or head girl, wherever they went, and they would never return after this year.
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