10/1/2022 c37 Macilnar
I have been re-reading this to get over the disappointment that is the Rings of Power. I know there are restrictions on what they have rights too and they are massively condensing the timeline but that doesn’t explain the character assassination of Galadriel, the Númenóreans and others. Nor does it justify the absolutely painful dialogue when characters are being “wise”, rocks don’t sink because they look down, hell there is at least one type that floats.

8/27/2022 c36 MasterOfDeath7
I'm a bit disappointed that he didn't even try to go back and help against the Balrog. He was just kinda like "Yeah, they were alive last time I checked, but anyways..." For all the angst that he showed of those that died in the battle, I'd expect that he would have tried to prevent more of them. This felt like a serious filler. We didn't see the fate of the Balrog or Gandalf and Celeborn now that Harry just sorta left them to it.

That is about the only complaint I have had throughout the story, though I think Harry should be a little stronger. While his power progression seems good, you mentioned earlier that many Elves of old could match a Balrog individually. I feel, and have seen from the comments that many others feel the same, that you have tried to show that Harry and Gandalf are of similar power, and while Harry's magic seems more versatile, Gandalf is far wiser and learnt. If Harry and Gandalf are relatively similar in power, and the Balrog can destroy Harry so easily then does that mean that the old Elves can destroy Gandalf just as easily? That doesn't make much sense but your presentation suggests it. I get what you meant about the Balrog being defeated too easily but your comment about the Elves matching them, while seemed cool at the time, has put you in a bit of a corner. As I said, he seems a little weak.

8/24/2022 c24 Guest
Mate, I like you story. It has some of the best world building in this page, but your pacing is frustrating. Its been quite a while since the story started, years has gone by. Both in lore and in real life and yet Harry is still weaker than his canon counterpart, and his cannon counter part is MUCH weaker than his enemies. I dont understand your reasoning. Is this gonna be a decade long story? Based on your pacing so far, Harry will be ready in about 80 more chapters and I dont belive you will be willing to even write for that long.

8/18/2022 c37 dvorkam
After several years I got back to this story and reread it from start to finish (what do normal people do on vacation).

It is still awesome, I love it. I think that if Tolkein was forced (let's be honest, at gunpoint) to write an HP/LOTR ff I am pretty sure it would look something like this. I love the slow-paced story build-up I love the way you season the story with more and less known bits of LotR lore and I love the way you approach the magic and I want to talk about it. Because Harry's magic is weirdly compatible and incompatible with LOTR magic and I think there is a hint as to where it may take the story.

Tolkien was very frugal when it came to information about magic. But I think, that overall it can split it into Ainur magic (songs), Commands, Supernatural crafts (mostly elvish, maybe dwarvish), and supernatural insight (Reading thoughts, seeing further than possible ..., again mostly limited to elves, but also those of Numenorian blood).

Ainur magic was used to sing the world into being and it is talked about in Silmarillion.

Commands though not really named anywhere are shown to be wielded by the more powerful denizens of Middle-Earth. It was used most notably by Gandalf to light a fire when crossing the mountains, to chase away Nazgul, to (i am guessing) lock the door for Balrog, to purge Saruman from Theoden, and finally to break Sarumans staff, and to force Saruman to face him. Balrog apparently used the command to break the doors when chasing fellowship. Elrond used it to cause a wave that swept the Nazghul. I would go so far to say that this magic is limited to Maiar and to the being possessing the ring of power, but have a way of proving that. I imagine that this magic simply commands the beings or things of Arda to do as commanded, and if the will of the commander is sufficient, it just happens. (Gandalf the gray was not powerful enough to best Saruman, but fully realized Gandalf the white was )

The supernatural crafts and insight, seem to be learnable, and yet there is little evidence that anyone but Maiar and Elves can do it. The crafting in this manner creates items of power that cannot be achieved by mundane means. Swords that actively harm evil just by their presence, crystals that can store the light of two trees of Valinor. Rings that allow preservation, inspiration, or power over others. While little of this process is known, based on the example of one ring, it seems that a prerequisite is to pass a bit of oneself into the creation and mold it into a purpose you seek. However when the item is then destroyed even the creator is then lesser for it.

So why this long introduction?
From your writing, I think Harry is able to tap into the existing magic of Arda and use his own magic to change or use it.

Harry has shown two kinds of magic, the "natural" approach (asking logs to grow, the rock to break, clouds to rain ...) the way I see it, a bit of the song of creation is present in all things, and Harry is able to tap into this song, and with his own power allow it to act per its purpose/will. All these magics, are dependent on the thing Harry communicates with being agreeable to Harry's wishes I expect that should he attempt to coax the ground beneath Minas Morgul to split, not only would it refuse, but it might even use the power supplied to do its own thing.

The second kind of magic (the Harry Potter universe magic) is more akin to the words of command, with the limitation (danger) of all things having their own will, that must be to a lesser or greater extent overcome. That is why when Harry used Incendio, the wand of Scatha was more than happy to comply, but ending the spell required additional force. When Harry used the wand to command the destruction by the storm clouds, they did comply, but Balrog was able to use their destructive "mood" to turn loose on everyone.

But the most beautiful scene with the tree. If the theory I expanded on above is correct, then what Harry has created is the greatest tree of Arda. For the seed of White Tree (not sure about the number), from the fruit of Nimloth, of Celeborn of Galathion of Teleprion will still contain the song of Yavana though a much quieter, a song that wants to cast its light of silver and Harry gave it the power to do just that.

This leads me to a possible role Harry could play, and that is to stop (or even reverse) the fading of Magic from Middle-Earth by "enhancing" the inherent magic of all things. But whose purpose could that be I don't know.
He was "dead" so Mados would make sense. Eru I don't think so, because he knows that without Harry's intervention, thigs would work out.

8/17/2022 c3 darickb
Really loving this story. For me it is a page turner. Thank you for sharing this!

8/8/2022 c37 9Emrys Akayuki
Hot dippy that was good, hope you update soon, but even if you don't I'm still pretty satisfied!

I wonder how Harry's image might have changed nowfor the end of the war, if I were him I'd take some years off...

8/4/2022 c37 kyuubi shadow
Amazing