Harry's lungs burned. The air in this place didn't smell like anything, just sharp and clean in a way that didn't feel right. Too perfect. The floor under him hummed faint, like the whole world was a machine.
Naruto was already back on his feet, fists up like he could punch the entire army. "Ha! Let them come!"
Harry groaned. "Please don't say that…"
The soldiers tightened their circle. Armor gleamed dull silver, masks blank, weapons glowing at the tips. Not wands. Not blades. Something in between.
Kakashi stood loose, calm, but his eye never stopped moving. "They want the dagger."
"Yeah," Harry muttered, holding it tighter, even though every part of him wanted to chuck it into the nearest bin and run. The dagger hummed, like it was smug about being wanted.
One soldier barked something robotic. Then they all moved at once.
Naruto charged, of course. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted, and in a blink five more Narutos exploded into the room. Harry nearly fell over from shock.
"What the—"
"Don't question it, just go!" Naruto yelled back, laughing as his clones crashed into the soldiers. The room lit with flashes, metal against metal.
Kakashi slipped forward, faster than Harry's eyes could keep up. He vanished, then reappeared behind a soldier, dropping him with one clean strike. The others didn't even notice until their comrade hit the floor.
Harry raised his wand, scar burning hotter, dagger humming louder. He pointed at the closest soldier. "Stupefy!"
The red light hit, and the soldier staggered but didn't drop. Their armor shimmered and absorbed it.
"Oh come on," Harry muttered, firing again. Still nothing.
The soldier turned, weapon glowing, and fired. A blast of blue light slammed into the floor inches from Harry's feet. The impact lifted him off the ground, heat biting his legs. He yelped, rolling sideways, clutching the dagger tighter without meaning to.
The dagger pulsed. Silver light cracked out of it, slicing through the air and striking the soldier square in the chest. The blast was so strong it threw the armored figure across the room like a rag doll.
Harry froze. "I… didn't mean to do that."
Naruto cackled. "That was awesome!"
Kakashi gave him a look. "Don't rely on it."
"Yeah, like I'm relying on anything right now," Harry shot back, pushing himself to his feet. His scar throbbed in time with the dagger. It felt like being tethered to something he couldn't see.
More soldiers poured in from another door. Twice as many. They raised their weapons.
"This is bad," Kakashi muttered. He pulled his mask down a little, exposing part of his face, and Harry swore he saw his lips move. Symbols glowed faint along his skin, but then he covered it again. "We don't have time."
"Time for what?" Harry snapped.
Kakashi glanced at the dagger. "For that thing to choose again."
Harry's gut clenched. "No. Not yet. We just got here—"
The soldiers opened fire.
Blue blasts filled the room. Naruto and his clones darted around, flipping off walls, throwing kunai. Two clones popped instantly, smoke vanishing them. Naruto cursed, spun, punched one soldier in the helmet hard enough to dent it. The soldier crumpled.
Harry tried Protego. The shield held for a second, but one of the blasts shattered it like glass. He stumbled back.
The dagger heated, almost burning his palm. His vision blurred, like the room was stretching again. He knew what was coming.
"No—no, not now," Harry begged. "I can't keep—"
The dagger ignored him. It pulled. Harder than before. His stomach lurched.
"Hold on!" Kakashi barked, grabbing his arm again. Naruto leapt, tackling him around the waist.
The room tore open.
The floor yanked away, soldiers vanishing, blue light stretching like lines of chalk. Harry's head spun. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
And then they slammed down.
They were outside again.
Harry coughed, choking on air that was damp and heavy. He spat mud and pushed himself up. Trees surrounded them, taller and older than anything he'd seen before, roots thicker than houses. The air smelled of moss and smoke.
Naruto groaned beside him. "Ugh… not again…"
Kakashi got up smoothly, brushing dirt from his vest. He scanned the trees like he expected arrows. "Different world again."
"No kidding," Harry muttered. The dagger was still in his hand. Still glowing. He hated it.
A sound echoed. Not wind. Hooves.
Harry looked up just as figures appeared between the trees. Tall, cloaked, bows in hand. Their ears—longer, pointed. Their faces sharp.
Naruto whispered, "Uh… who are the elf people?"
Harry's heart sank. He had a guess. His uncle once mentioned those books Dudley never touched.
One of the elves stepped forward, bow raised, arrow drawn. His eyes were like pale fire.
"Strangers," he said in a voice that was calm and hard at once. "You trespass in Lothlórien."
Harry swallowed. The dagger pulsed again, silver veins crawling faint up his wrist. His scar ached.
Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder, steady but light. "Don't move," he murmured.
The elf's bowstring creaked.
Harry's stomach twisted. The dagger hummed louder. The pull was still there, faint but ready.
"Please," Harry whispered, though he wasn't sure if he was talking to the elf, the dagger, or himself.