Part 2
Playing tug with newly turned five-year-old Bilbo proved to be more tiring than Gandalf thought. It wasn't because of the wizard's old age (OK, maybe a little… he wasn't used to chase someone for more than half an hour with no breaks whatsoever), but it had more to do with the fact that he was simply too big for a small hobbit hole. His head bumped into chandelier at least five times and his foot hit the bold of the dining room table at least twice.
At one point the child slipped on the rag and collapsed on the ground, accidently pushing an old vase. It seemed that it will fall on him. Bilbo didn't have time to think or do anything, he didn't even covered the face with his arms to protect himself. Gandalf, on the other hand, reacted immediately. He used magic to stop the vase in the air and put it back on its rightful place. It was a little bit hard, because of the exhaustion, but he managed to do it. Bilbo looked back at him with relief, but then started to sob.
Still catching his breath, Gandalf quickly came to his side and started to examine the boy closely. The mage realized, all of sudden, that little hobbit had an attritions on both his hands.
"Don't worry, Bilbo." He said to the boy and smiled lightly. "I'll take care of it."
He settled Bilbo on the armchair and used a healing spell. For a moment there was only silence between the two of them. Gandalf was preoccupied by healing Bilbo and Bilbo was staring at him, not wanting to interrupt. He was just observing how his attritions were slowly disappearing due to the magic spell.
And just when Gandalf ended, the silence had been cut by knocking to the door. Gandalf's eyes snapped open. No, it can't be. They are too early…
"Mommy!" Screamed Bilbo.
He wanted to jump off and greet the guest, but Gandalf pushed him back on the armchair, ordering to stay there. The wizard went to check out, who was knocking at Bilbo's door. Maybe it was some neighbor. Was Bilbo expecting someone else than Balin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur? If so Gandalf had to think of some excuse to not let that person in or even let them see the little hobbit sitting on the armchair. When he was directing to the door, he already had a few plausible explanations, from traditional: "Bilbo has a cold. Don't go inside, because he might infect you." to the even more traditional: "He's not home. Come back later." But when he opened the door a bit and saw the four familiar faces, he opened the door wider.
"Hi, Gandalf." Bofur was the first to speak.
"Welcome." The mage said rapidly with conspicuous whisper. "Before we start I have something to tell you…"
He quickly let them inside and explained extremely shortly the situation. All dwarves gazed at him with wide eyes. They even looked behind the wizard, where Bilbo was also staring at them with curiosity and some kind of suspicion. After few seconds of silence, he called from the place he was sitting:
"Daddy says to not let the strangers in to the house! They may steal something!"
"Bilbo, they aren't strangers. They are friends. I know them, and believe me or not: you know them too." The wizard explained, smiling to him.
"I don't. I've never seen them before." Bilbo crossed his arms.
"Maybe you should uncast the spell." Balin whispered to Gandalf.
"But, Balin" Bifur began. "look at him. He's so cute."
"I will change him back, don't worry." Gandalf assured the eldest dwarf. "I just want to show you, how he was like, when he was little."
"I hope it will end well." Balin gave the mage cold look.
Then he stepped forward and smiled politely to Bilbo, before taking a bow.
"Balin at your service."
Bifur, Bombur and Bofur did the same. It seemed kind of weird for dwarves to introducing themselves to Bilbo all over again. They clearly remembered, when they bowed to him, standing on his porch, on this warm evening. It was more even more weird that he wasn't the hobbit they used to know, but a little boy.
"Now." Balin said raising his head (other also did it). "I think that we aren't complete strangers anymore. We were invited here by… a friend. Can we stay for a while? At least until he will show up?"
Bilbo looked at him and then moved his eyes on Gandalf. For a moment there was just a silence, when boy was thinking about the answer. Mommy and daddy were always saying to him to not trust the strangers and these strangers looked especially suspicious, even kind of scary (not that he was scared of them… other children would be scared, but not him). If mommy and daddy will find out that there were four unfamiliar persons in their hobbit hole, they will be mad. Besides, those strangers were oddly large. Shorter than Gandalf, but still big. They didn't look like hobbits at all, so who were they? If they weren't from the Shire, then they shouldn't be trusted even more so. On the other hand, Gandalf knew them and let them inside, so they can't be that bad. So if wizard trust them, maybe Bilbo should give them a shot too.
"You can stay." He said. "But if you will steal or destroy something, I will tell mommy and she will beat you up."
The dwarves raised their eyebrows. Bifur even chuckled.
"Mommy?" He asked.
"Yes, mommy." Bilbo nodded with assurance. "Mommy is strong and can beat anybody. Even Gandalf."
Normally Gandalf would argue with it, but he decided to let it go.
This was rather interesting to hear for dwarves. Actually even during their mission to retrieve the Erebor, Bilbo wasn't saying much (if anything at all) about his family. He was talking about Bag End and Shire, but not about his parents or any relatives whatsoever. But before four dwarves said anything else, Gandalf coughed significantly, like he wanted to say: "Don't dig it. It's not the best time for it."
"Don't worry." He then turned to hobbit and smiled. "They will be nice. Mommy won't notice there was somebody there."
The dwarves entered the living room. Bilbo was observing them, but now only with curiosity. Still sitting on the armchair, he asked:
"Are you… dwarves?"
"Yes, we are." Balin said. "Is it a problem?"
Bilbo smiled, jumped down on the ground and ran to them.
"Oh, boy! Real dwarves! I've only seen dwarves in daddy's books!"
His previous animosity was completely gone. Now he was watching his four foreign guests with eagerness. Everything in them seemed to be so interesting – from their long beards, through clothes and the fact that they were so tall and majestic. This examination of Balin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur took him almost a minute and then he raised his head to look at Balin. Now there was time for questions and Bilbo had a lot of them.
"Is it true that dwarves don't have lady dwarves?" He asked, eagerness still in his big eyes.
"No, we have females." Balin explained.
"Did you fight with goblins?"
"Happened few times." Said Bifur.
"What about orcs?"
"Yeah, we fought them too." And you also did – Bofur added in his mind.
"Are you very strong?"
"Yes we do." Bofur raised his arm and bent it with a proud smile. "Look at those muscles."
"Do you…"
"We will be glad to answer your questions, young mister Baggins" Balin started. "but we are very tired after our journey here, so maybe you will let us rest a little?"
"He's right, Bilbo. Leave them alone. What mommy would say?" Gandalf added.
"Oh, alright." A bit ashamed hobbit took few steps back. His eyes landed on Balin's sword.
Bifur and Bofur looked at him from up and down with interest. The little Bilbo was standing in front of them and they still had hard time believe that this little kid was Bilbo Baggins, although they've clearly seen some resemblance. Actually, he looked a lot like their former burglar, except for one thing.
"My, he's so… small." Said Bofur, leaning to his brother.
"No." Bifur whispered, careful not to be heard by Bilbo. "He was small, when he was an adult. Now he's tiny."
He must have said the last sentence louder than he should, because Bilbo and replied angrily:
"I'm not tiny! I will tell mommy that you called me names and she will show you!"
"I'm sorry." Bifur apologized. "I didn't mean to offend you."
Suddenly they've heard a growl coming from Bilbo's stomach. Gandalf remembered that he was going to make a dinner. Well, since the guests were right here, making a meal and taking care of the little hobbit will be a lot easier.
"Bilbo, maybe you will show Balin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur those books about dwarves your dad usually reads to you?"
"Great idea, Gandalf!' Exclaimed Bilbo. He came to Balin, took his hand and said: "Come with me. I will take you to the library."
