The Witch's Destiny || Thranduil

Chapter XXVI

When she realized that something was Flufflepuff, she panicked and turned around to catch him. Like every other time Flufflepuff decided that he wanted to test his Parkour skills, Thranduil was there, catching him before he could hit the ground.

She huffed. "He only started doing dangerous stunts like this when we came here."

Turning back around, she let the Pygmy Puff stay with the ellon, casting Reducio on the box of armour. She reached her hand in her bag, feeling around for a relatively free spot. An extension charm gave her more room than she would ever need, but she wasn't just going to toss a gift in there. She smiled when she found a spot with her tea kettle, placing the armour there.

A small part of her felt pathetic for having to bring a bloody kettle to battle, all because she never knew when the next nightmare would creep in, but it was better than the alternative. Perhaps one day, she wouldn't need to worry about this again. Her mind would cooperate with her like it once did, allowing her to live peacefully with painful memories.

She mounted her horse, turning to look at her brother and three friends who were sitting on the back row of a horse-drawn show buggy. Attached to the back of that was a trailer, holding a portion of the food they would take as rations. She waved at them, flashing a thumbs up at them. When all of them, even Draco, flashed a thumbs up back, she turned back to Thranduil. He had mounted his elk as well, pulling it over to her.

"You might yell that 'tis time to move out. Preferably in Sindarin," he whispered, "Say this, 'Go-vaethathanc ne ndagor'. 'Tis just a simple way to ask if they will go with you into battle."

She nodded. "Sure. Do I need a great big speech planned?"

"Not unless you've become fluent in Sindarin overnight," he said.

"Got it, no big speech. Anything I should add, at least?"

"When you say what I told you to, everyone will move into place and tighten the ranks. If they don't..."

"If they don't?!" she asked, turning to him and trying not to let the majority see her panic.

"They will," he said, "If they don't, but they will, I will guide you from there. But when they do, you might also consider calling out, 'Gurth anin yrch' or 'Death to the orcs'. Do you have a way to project your voice?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," she said, feeling like her mind was running a marathon, "Fake the confidence until you have it, right?"

"Exactly."

She brought her wand up, ready to put it to the side of her throat, but she hesitated. "Can you repeat that first phrase again?" When he did as she asked, she took a deep breath, placing her wand against her throat and muttering Sonorus. "Go-vaethathanc ne ndagor?"

Her breath hitched as the elves closed ranks almost instantly, and a surge of confidence that wasn't fake ran through her. She looked over them, raking her eyes quickly over every company. All ten thousand in place, not one missing or different from their fellow soldiers.

"Gurth anin yrch!" she called out.

Like an echo, they all called back, "Gurth anin yrch!"

She looked at Legolas, who had clearly finished saying it with the rest of them. She gave him a slight smile and inclined her head towards him, feeling her confidence skyrocket when he did it back. She looked to Authanar next. He was beside Legolas, giving her a bright beaming smile. She smiled back, before moving onto her family. Her brother was grinning at her from his seat, along with Hermione and Ron. Draco gave her a slight smile, raising his hands up to where she could see them and giving a small clap that she was sure nobody could actually hear.