Harry and Ron struggle to get away, but are powerless without their wands. "How do you suppose they work, Merry?"
"Dunno," he says, "I suppose you just point them, like they did."
Merry points the wand away from him and shakes it twice. "It's not doing anything," Pippin says.
Merry shoots him a look and he shakes it a few times more. "Put it down," Harry says, "You're going to hurt yourself with that."
"Besides, mate," Ron says, "You're holding it the wrong way."
Merry turns it around the right way and says, "I knew that."
"Sure you did," Ron says, smirking.
"Shut it, Ron," Harry whispers.
A few minutes pass as Merry paces, "You mentioned a woman," he pauses, "Who is she?"
"Oh Hermione's our friend," Harry says, "She wouldn't be that far away."
"You think we should investigate that?" Merry says aside to Pippin, or should we wait for Gandalf?"
"Treebeard said it would be a while until Gandalf returns for us," Merry says.
"True," Pippin says, "But it could be dangerous."
"Anything arounds these parts is dangerous in some fashion," Merry says.
"Then let's go," Pippin says, "We've been sitting around in this forest long enough. It's time for us to do something."
As Merry and Pippin weigh their options, Harry and Ron formulate a plan of their own. "We could get away," Ron says.
"What about our wands?" Harry said, "And the sword?"
"We could try to rush them, get our wands back," Ron says, "It's worth a go."
"It would never work, they'd kill us," Harry says.
"Them two?" Ron says, "Blimey, it would be like two little kids trying for us."
"We should reason with them," Harry says, "Make some sort of a bargain."
"What do we have to offer?" Ron says, disgruntled.
"Well," Harry starts, "I can only think of one thing."
"Hermione," he says, "We could take them back to Hermione."
"Harry, no," Ron protests, his love for her too strong, "She could get hurt."
"So could we," Harry says.
"I don't think they'll hurt us," Ron says, "All they've done is ask us questions."
"What do we do then?" Harry says, annoyed with Ron.
"We wait," Ron says, "Until their guards are down."
Harry nods in agreement, it's the only semi-solid plan they've got. "In the morning," Merry says, "We'll ask them in the morning."
"Alright," Pippin says.
"We should set up a watch," Merry says, "Otherwise they'll try to slip away."
"Right," Pippin says.
"I'll take first watch," Merry says, "And then I'll wake you up later."
Pippin nods his head and prepares for bed. Several hours pass as Merry watches the two boys, skeptically. Merry's still unsure of their intentions. Upon further investigation of their sword and their wands he's found nothing. He can't even find a trace of their magic. Finally, he sets the wands down beside him and wakes Pippin. "Oy!" Ron whispers, shaking Harry, "They've switched."
Neither of the wizards open their eyes. They pretend to be asleep. "It's the stupid one," Ron says.
"Shut up, Ron," Harry says, "He's not stupid."
Pippin watches the wizards attentively for an hour or two, but after a while, he grows tired. He desperately wants to sleep. He lays down, still watching, but more comfortable. After a few moments, he drifts off into sleep. "Should we wait a bit longer?" Ron asks.
"No," Harry says, "It'll be our only chance."
Harry waves his arms over his head to attract attention to himself, trying to decide if Pippin is truly asleep, or just pretending. "He's out like a light," Ron says.
The two wizards get up slowly. It's hard to sneak about in the forest, given all the loose leaves and branches. They stop every few feet, not wanting to wake the hobbits. "Get the wands," Harry hisses almost inaudibly to Ron, whom is closest to them.
Ron reaches his hand down, close, mere inches from Pippin's face. Harry's face contorts with worry as he draws them back up. Harry's wand begins to slip, ready to fall, but Ron catches it before it thuds to the ground. He breathes a sigh of relief as Ron throws him his wand. Unless Treebeard suddenly arrived, they are unstoppable now. Harry and Ron back slowly away from the hobbits, behind the trees, sulking away until they certain they can't be heard any longer. "Blimey," Ron says, "Nearly didn't get out of that one."
The two boys pick up into a run back to the lake. "It was this way," Harry says, "I'm certain."
They try to figure out where Hermione and their camp would be. Since Harry is the only one that had been there recently, given that Ron left, Harry leads the way. "Think she'll be happy to see me?" Ron asks.
"I don't know, Ron," Harry says, "I reckon there'll be a few mixed feelings."
"I just hope she's not too mad at me, though," Ron says, "As soon as I left, I tried to come back."
Harry doesn't say anything. Though he forgives Ron for leaving, he's a little bitter. He's had to deal with so much, Hermione, the horcruxes, running from death eaters, all without his help. Nonetheless, they make the walk up together, and Harry listens to all of Ron's stories. Harry adds none, there's not much to tell. And of course, the things that had happened, Hermione would want to tell him herself. Naturally, she was like that. "It's right up the hill I think," Harry says.
"You ready to face her?" he adds.
"I got picked up by a tree today, mate. I don't think an angry girl will come anywhere near that," Ron says.
But he underestimates Hermione Jean Granger.
