Master of Death

Battle in the Deep

~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* CHAPTER VI *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~ *~* ~

Eowyn was disappointed yet again that she was not allowed to fight, however, she did as she was told, she got all the women, children, elderly, sick and injured into the caves, those capable of using a blade guarded the doors even after Harry and the woman called Bellatrix (whom she envied for being allowed to fight) weaved complex, but amazing spells, allowing only those who mean no harm to those within to pass safely through the door. Those who meant harm? They would be burned to ashes, sliced to ribbons or impaled upon spears and spikes that would appear from nowhere.

Theodred was impressed with the spell work, even more so at the fact that Lord LeStrange allows his wife to fight. No one dared to tell the strange Istari, for they were all Wizards and a Witch, to send his woman into hiding. The mad glint that entered the woman's eye deterred them easily enough and if not her, then the fact that she and Hadrian were dancing around one another with deadly knives, having a conversation on interior décor certainly disturbed them enough. All the males capable of lifting a sword were given crash course training, from boys to old men, all frightened but willing.

Fenrir had run laps around the whole of Helm's Deep, searching for weaknesses, for blind spots, finding only one, a sewer drain with a wrought iron gate to one of the far corners of the fort. Harry and Griphook set up wards and several traps around it since it looked like it would rain and unfortunately they needed to drain the water or risk drowning while in battle. The spells wouldn't last, but hopefully the battle would be over before that happened.

Severus had set up in Harry's tent's potion lab and was brewing all manner of potions, from first aid to battle potions. The LeStrange's had spoken with Harry and with his help set up the preliminary line needed to protect the fort and to buy them time. Hedwig had been set out hourly with a crystal orb that recorded its surroundings and it helped them keep track of the approaching army. Aragorn chuckled as he watched Harry running about, the young man was certainly not what he had come to know him as.

“What amuses you so, brother?” Boromir asked, clapping the man on his shoulder.

“Just watching our little Istari prepare everyone for war. I cannot help but see him as the mysterious but friendly Wizard child I met in a tavern... We've heard the stories, we've seen him in action and yet I cannot view him as a battle hardened warrior, he can still smile and play like a child should.” He told him.

“Aye, the lad's a strange one!” Gimli nodded, peering at Harry as he was helping a group of teens and children learn knife work with their sword play. “But he has said it many times, no? That all his life he's been raised, preparing to face a war of his own, a Magical one at that. We would be sitting ducks in such a war. His people are all powerful and frightening, especially the woman.”

They blinked as Harry turned to them and waved, a smile on his face. They waved back as Legolas joined them and smiled at the Omega.

“We are short on time. They will be here by night fall. We've been preparing for days, hopefully it will be enough.” Boromir sighed.

“It will be.” Theodred's voice startled them as they turned to see him. “I have faith in you and in Hadrian. He's saved my life just as I was about to breathe my last, an impossible feat many could never hope to ever duplicate. I believe he will pull yet another miracle...”

“Yes, our little Harry is full of surprises...” Aragorn chuckled as they turned to see Severus emerging from the tent which had been set up on a high cliff with cauldrons floating behind him and over the walls where they were set down on low fires to keep them hot, their contents simmering away, bubbling softly with shimmering fumes and coiling plumes of smoke that danced over the lips of the large pots. “It seems he's finished his brewing...”