The Surprise Student [Glorfindel]

Home for a time

The staring from students settled down after a week. They began to get used to my presence.
Most of the day I spent in the Library learning the history of this wizarding world. Erestor would have a fit over this library.
I didn't have the magic that these people did. My body was now completely healed and my strength returned. Each day I began to feel less alone than before. The humans I accompanied occasionally were friendly and willing to share their time with me.
"Arniel, are you coming to dinner?" The voice I recognised as Ron said to me. I looked up from my book to see Ron and Harry standing there.
"Yes I am." I replied standing up and closing the book I was reading. They helped me put the books back to where they belonged.
"How was your learning today?" I asked the wizards as we walked to the great hall.
They told me all about their classes, complaining about the ones they didn't appreciate as much and raving about their favourites.
"Your learning is important. Why do you hate it so?" I asked the two young men. Elves valued knowledge and wisdom.
"It gets boring and repetitive. I would rather be doing something else." Ron said dismissively. Harry nodded in agreement with his close friend.
I had observed that the two and Hermione had gone through something that made them inseparable. Such young humans too.
We walked through the doors of the great hall and sat at the wooden tables. Soups and stews were the meal for the evening. It was winter so it made sense to me to have these warming dishes. Large loaves of bread cut into slices nestled between each few students.
"How was your day Arniel?" The fiery haired girl next to Harry asked me.
"I have caught up on the history of your world." I told Ginny. Hermione's head shot up in surprise.
"We have to take history of magic for seven years before we learn it all. How did you read it all in two weeks?" She asked me, her brown eyes wide.
"I do not have learning to attend. Nor do I sleep often. Reading comes fast to me as I have spent over two thousand years doing it." I told her as I served myself some soup. It tasted of gourd vegetables and root vegetables.
It was no secret I was not of this world nor the race of men.
"Look 'Mione! Someone is a better reader than you!" Harry teased the brunette with a cheeky grin. Hermione's eyes narrowed at her friend and her lips pursed.
"Hush boy. Do not anger your friend." I chided the raven haired man next to me. He rolled his eyes and sent a short apology to Hermione.
A thought popped into my head, a question I had meant to ask.
"Tell me, what part of the year is it? Beginning? End? What are your monthly names?" I asked the pouting witch.
"Oh it is the eleventh month in the year 1999." She said pausing to take a sip of her odd juice.
"There are twelve months in the year. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December." She finished.
"The name of your months are the same as the ones in Arda. Thank you for telling me what part of the year it is." I told the young woman across from me.
A roll of bread flew across the table landing in my soup. The orange coloured soup splattered all over the nice white knit jumper I had lended from Hermione.
"Auta miqula orqu!" I hissed standing from the seat to try wipe the soup off of the clothing.
The young Slytherin, who had been trying to hit his friend at the Ravenclaw table, turned bright red and looked down muttering apologies.
"It's fine Arniel! Look I can fix it." Hermione said quickly picking up her wand.
"Tergeo!" She muttered pointing the wooden stick at me. The orange coloured soup lifted from the clothing and disappeared immediately. I sat back down on the chair once again.
"Thank you Mellon Nîn." I said tipping my head to the witch.
"Those words you say and the ones you said before. What do they mean?" Harry asked me curiously. Eyes around us focused on my awaiting the translation to the strange language.
"Auta miqula orqu means 'go kiss an orc'. It is something unsavoury to say to someone. Mellon Nîn means 'my friend'." I said to those listening. Hermione leaned forward eagerly, almost putting her elbow in her stew.
I reached over and pulled the stew away from her as she processed my words.
"What is your language called? It is beautiful." A dreamy voice said from behind me. A young woman with long ashy blonde hair moved into the seat next to me. She was wearing the colours of Ravenclaw.
"It is called Sindarin. It is the main language of the Eldar." I told her. Her blue eyes shined with curiosity and happiness.
"Well met Miss. I am Arniel." I said turning to face the lovely woman.
She smiled at me with a far away look in her eyes.
"Well met Arniel. I am Luna." She said to me. Something about her was different and I couldn't put my finger on it.

———

Snow clouds hung low over the land. The top of the castle obscured by them.
Thick snow piled around the grounds of the school muffling any sound that would have previously been heard. So quiet and peaceful. Grateful that I didn't feel the cold like humans do, I sat nestled under the large willow tree in the grounds. The vines and branches seemed to move on their own, creaking as it chased birds away.
"Dear Tree. The birds mean no harm." I whispered to it. The willow whipped at another bird in response.
For some reason it didn't mind my presence. Elves are always closer to nature than mortals or other races. And nature seemed to sense it.
Scars and mark littered the bark of the tree. It was apparent that over the many years this willow had lived, it had been targeted by students. The snow reminded me of a time when I was an Elfling. My elder brothers challenged Arwen and me to a snow fight. Obviously being 135 years older than us, they won by a landslide.
"Valar please, tell me why I am here?" I asked once again glancing up the grey clouds above.

All will be revealed soon. You must await your companion first.

The words were spoken into my mind softly. Comforting but confusing. The Valar were elusive with what was happening.
Companion. The word filled me with hope. Was someone else coming here?
Sighing I closed the book I was no longer reading and stood up. The willow moved it's branches out of my way as I walked down the small stairs away from it.
"Thank you friend." I said over my shoulder before leaving the the snow covered area.
Snow blew into the castle as I walked through the doors of the silent school. It was mid afternoon and students would be learning still.
"Arniel, are you alright?" The ghost of Gryffindor house ask me as I meandered along the hallway of paintings.
"Yes thank you Sir Nicholas. I am admiring the was the paintings seem alive." I told the translucent being. He nodded his head without remembering that this will cause it to fall off.
"Oh dear. I always forget it's not attached anymore." He said scrambling to pick his head up. A small laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. Sir Nicholas huffed and floated off in the other direction.
"I think you upset him." The painting of a middle aged man said to the left of me.
"I think so too. It was not my intention." I replied back before moving off myself. The painting didn't say anything else to me.
It had taken me a few days to get used to the ghosts and talking paintings. The house elves were very kind to me and often referred to me as 'kin' even though we were completely different races. They did this simply because we were both named 'Elves'.
The door to the library once again came into view. Pushing it open, I greeted Madam Prince the librarian.
Walking down the long tall bookcases, I ran my finger over the spines of each one, waiting for one to catch my eye. It did not take long to have an arm full of dusty books to read.
I chose to read up about the magical creatures in this world and see if they are different to the cruel beasts we have in Arda.
It didn't take long to discover the many beasts that reside in the forest near the castle. It seemed dangerous to not have a barrier around it for the students.

———

The doors to the library burst open and the headmistress ran in, directly to me.
"Arniel! You must come with me! Quickly!" She said gasping for breath.
"There is another of your kind here!" The headmistress said gripping my wrist and dragging me out of the library.