Disclaimers: See Chapter 1 for more info.
Acknowledgements: To LOTCR, for inspiring me to write this story and its series. To DoctorWhovian18, for her ideas on pranking, ideas on other things about the story as well as ideas for this chapter, her advice and helpfulness, and the list go on. I'd also like to thank ValueMyHeart for reviewing, following, and favoriting this story. To all my readers who are favoriting, following, and reviewing this story. And I'd also like to thank Frodo and the hobbits for their help with this story as well. Yes, that sounds crazy to the normal readers, but I'm still thanking Frodo and his friends anyway.
Guest Reviews
LOTCR: Huh. Must be brilliant fanart. I got into the game. O-kay.
*Frodo grins with approval to your comment* Frodo: Thank you, LOTCR.
Thanks. I do my best to stay sane, while being a fangirl.
Frodo: No, Bilbo taught me how to do speeches. Why do you think I said the same speech as he did?
Thank you. As it is evening, I'll eat one cinnamon bun. –Pippin: Save some for us- Don't worry, Pippin. You'll get your share. –Frodo: Aria, be nice to others- That's what I strive for. -Frodo: Oh boy.- Frodo… -Frodo: Hmm? Well, me and girls… eh…- I think we've left him speechless, LOTCR. -Fatty takes the flowers, smells them, and then passes them to his sister Estella- -Fatty: For you, sis. Estella: Thank you, Fredegar. - Thanks. I will.
You're welcome. –Legolas hugs you back- Well, I don't see why you would think that since you know I'm against slash. Anyway, you're forgiven. I'm sure she will.
-Sam eats the cupcake- -Sam: Hmm… it's good, maybe not as good as my cooking… Frodo: Sam. Sam: *to you* It's good-
Well, knowing Lotho, he'll pull something stupid on Frodo and his friends. –Lotho: Hey!- What? It's true. –Lotho: You take that back! Frodo: Lotho, calm down. Lotho: *beside himself* Calm down? Baggins, you… *goes into a rant against Frodo* *Frodo shakes his head* Frodo: Please continue, Aria, LOTCR. - Thank you, Frodo.
I'm glad you made good guesses on the hobbits' costumes. -Merry: Did I really deserve that swim? Frodo: You know what you did wrong, Merry. Merry: Ah!- Yeah, and right now I'm debating on whether Frodo should accompany Harry, Ron and Hermione to find the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone. Yup, definitely. Oh, you can go back to reminding me to update for the next chapter. I don't mind. You too.
On with this chapter: I know I've been neglecting Merry and Pippin a lot in this story, but I think it's time I balance out the POVs a bit. So, this chapter will more focused on Merry and Pippin.
Sam was surprised he could take off the costume. However, he was still angry with Frodo and so chose to leave it on for the rest of the night and early the next morning. He would prove that Frodo mistreated him and this was the way to go. Deciding to leave things the way they were, Sam put on his mask and charged out of the Hufflepuff Boys' Dormitory, ready to scare anyone on sight.
When he reached the Great Hall, there was an uproar of laughter coming from the Slytherin table. Even though breakfast had just started, the Slytherins still had a chance to laugh at Sam for still wearing a costume the day after Halloween. It was a riot for them, especially Lotho who looked pleased with himself. This was the best humiliation he had and he didn't do anything about it. Boy, Lotho was a genius.
Finding Frodo sitting by himself, Sam made his way over to the Ravenclaw table. The second Sam loomed over Frodo, Frodo looked up for a moment before turning away, doing his best not to laugh aloud, even though the scene looked hilarious. Sam was appalled and beside himself:
"What did I do?"
Frodo told him, "Here, let me, before you get us both into trouble." Using his hand magic, Frodo made Sam's costume vanish, leaving in its place his yellow-and-black Hobbit school uniform that he had on the other day. This relieved Sam immensely. Calming down some, Frodo said, gesturing to the empty part of the bench. "Here, have a seat. I'm sure you have much to talk about, about yesterday's events."
"Well, I do have a few questions and an outburst." Sam sat down a few inches from Frodo. Then he burst: "Why did you make me do that prank on my brothers and sisters?"
"I didn't make you, Sam!" said Frodo, appalled.
"But you did," said Sam.
Frodo explained, as calm as he could be, "No, I prodded you. I didn't make you. You did that yourself."
Sam almost said something, but quickly gave up. Frodo couldn't help chuckling. Clasping a hand on Sam's shoulder, Frodo told him, "Sam, Sam. When are you going to learn to trust me? I know what I'm doing. Besides, I think your brothers and sisters needed a good scare."
"You're so cheeky, Frodo. I don't know why I'm talking to you," said Sam, getting up.
Frodo added, before Sam walked away, "Because your life would be boring without me there to guide you." He saw Sam glance back at him once, before Sam headed over to the Hufflepuff table.
Pippin, in the meantime, arrived in the Great Hall and approached the Gryffindor table. From there, Pippin slid in across from Merry. He had to find out where Merry had been to. He hadn't said a word to him.
"So Merry, where were you last night?" asked Pippin.
Merry looked from one side to another, before whispering, "I went to the Third Floor Corridor with Frodo last night, on the right-hand side."
"You did? What did you see, Merry?" asked Pippin, curious and also whispering.
Merry shook his head. "Oh, not much Pippin, but I did hear growls. I think Frodo saw something in there, but…"
"But what, Merry?" asked Pippin.
"It's nothing. Let's just focus on the day ahead," said Merry.
Pippin wanted to learn more about Frodo and Merry's escapade. Still, he agreed to Merry's wishes, "Merry, do you think we could ask Frodo how he uses his hand magic. Maybe learn the basics from him."
"He's an expert on transfiguration," said Merry.
"Well, he's a beginner on transfiguration, Merry. Let's ask him sometime," said Pippin.
"How about now?" asked Merry. "In fact, why don't you ask him?"
"Me? What about you?" asked Pippin.
"I've been with him since we went to the third floor corridor," said Merry.
It was true. "All right, I'll ask him," said Pippin. He stood up and searched for Frodo. Just as he saw Frodo about to leave the Ravenclaw table, Pippin called to him and rushed towards him. "Frodo, teach Merry and me how to do hand magic."
To Pippin's surprise, Frodo laughed. "I can't teach you hand magic. I'm not a teacher. Besides, I don't even know how it works."
"Yes, but you have the basics down. Merry's struggling with hand magic, as am I. We could use the extra help," said Pippin.
Frodo eyed Pippin for a moment. Considering the option, Frodo grinned and said, "All right, I'll help you learn to control your hand magic…"
"Okay, as long as we get to learn some of your hand magic," said Pippin.
Frodo chuckled. "I'm sure you will get your chance, Pippin. Well, bye," said Frodo, leaving the Great Hall.
Pippin returned to Merry with the big news. At least the good news was they could learn to do both: controlling their hand magic, working on it some, and seeing some of Frodo's hand magic. Wait, he didn't get a chance to ask Frodo when they should meet…
Merry stopped him. "Pippin, I'm sure Frodo will let us know when we'll meet him."
Pippin believed him, or so he hoped.
o-o-o
After Transfiguration class, Frodo met Merry and Pippin in the Transfiguration Courtyard. Pippin was more eager to learn Frodo's hand magic than Merry, but Merry was eager in a calmer manner. However, Frodo only knew some of the basics he had been trying to maintain, ever since Professor Flitwick showed him how to control his hand magic. The first thing Frodo showed them, as he excelled at transfiguration the most, was how to make a rabbit appear out of a blade of grass.
Once he made the rabbit return to a few blades of green grass, Frodo looked at Pippin and Merry. "Now you try. All you have to do is think of the object you want to transfigure and it will become that."
"You're a natural, Frodo," complimented Merry.
Pippin did his best to make a baby rabbit appear in his hand, using the blade of grass in his hand. He failed miserably. He tried again, snapping his fingers, only to get a live rabbit's head come out of the tip of the blade of grass. Merry ended up with the baby rabbit's rear end. Slowly but surely, Merry had a baby rabbit transfigured from the blade of grass. Frodo looked pleased with Merry's handiwork, only to watch Pippin instead transfigure the blade of grass into a chicken-rabbit, where the baby rabbit had a chicken's rear end and hind legs.
"That's not right," said Pippin, concerned.
Frodo shook his head. "Allow me." In a snap of his fingers, Frodo returned Pippin's blade of grass to its before appearance, without the weird-looking animal staring at them. He told Pippin, "Again." He looked at Merry and said, "And now Merry, can you transfigure the baby rabbit back into a blade of grass?"
Merry snapped his fingers again, but only managed to do half the job. The rabbit's rear end was back, while the other end, where the head had been, now had the shape of the blade of grass. Frodo chuckled at the sight, before taking the lead with a snap of his fingers and transfiguring Merry's grass-rabbit back into a single blade of grass.
Merry and Pippin kept working at it a few times until Frodo told them it was time they got their lunch. As they walked down the Grand Staircase, Peeves advanced, shooting water balloons at them. Frodo darted off in haste, narrowly missing the water balloons. Merry and Pippin weren't so lucky, as some of Peeves' water balloons smacked them in the face and chest, drenching them from head to toe.
Peeves cackled, delighted with his prank. "Ooh! Ickle Firsties, come to play with o' Peeves! Hahaha!"
Merry tried to reason with Peeves, "Can't we talk about this? Maybe Pippin and I can learn a thing or two from the likes of you, the Great Prank-Master!"
"Don't try to butter me up, firstie! I know your game!" Peeves then vanished through a wall.
Pippin asked Merry, "Do you think he'll ever learn?"
Merry shook his head. "I doubt it. Let's get some food."
"We're not that wet, Merry," admitted Pippin, seeing the water balloons only hit him and Merry in some places, while other places were dry.
Merry led the way down the staircases, back to the Entrance Hall. Already students were going to and fro, so there was no hurry. This was something that made them both relieved.
o-o-o
Later that evening, when the Gryffindor first-years returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, Merry and Pippin first joined Harry, Ron and Hermione, who now looked thick as thieves. It was Pippin who spurred the conversation:
"Frodo seems to be getting along well, doesn't he?" asked Pippin.
"I've noticed that, too. It's like he's better than he was," said Harry. "I wonder what changed him two months ago."
"Maybe it was something we did," said Pippin.
"Either way, a hobbit as intelligent as him won't prank us," said Ron.
Merry shook his head. "I don't know, Ron. Frodo still doesn't entirely trust you."
"Why not? He trusts Hermione," said Ron.
Merry and Pippin did their best not to chuckle. They couldn't help it. Hermione was perturbed.
Putting her hands on her hips, Hermione asked the two hobbit boys. "What is it?"
Merry admitted between chuckles, "No Hermione. Frodo looked at you."
"Now come on. Frodo's a decent hobbit. Surely he isn't afraid of girls," said Hermione. "He's talked to me long enough."
"Has he?" asked Pippin, jokingly.
"All right, that's enough out of both of you," said Hermione.
"Suit yourself," said Merry. He and Pippin approached Fredegar next, who was busy with his studies.
Fredegar told the two hobbit boys, "Tonight's not a good night, hobbits."
"Why not?" asked Pippin, curious. "We're your friends."
"We're school friends, Pippin. If we were close friends, sure things would be different," said Fredegar.
"Now you sound like Frodo. All he does is stay with us a couple of hours, and then runs off somewhere else," admitted Pippin.
"What's Frodo's deal?" asked Merry, also curious.
"You want to know that, ask him yourself. Don't ask me what's wrong with him," said Fredegar.
"Doesn't he trust anyone?" asked Merry.
"I didn't say that. You'll have to ask him," said Fredegar. "Now, if you boys will excuse me, I have work to do."
Pippin, understanding Fredegar's boundaries, told him, "We'll leave you to it."
"Thank you, Merry, Pippin," said Fredegar.
As Merry and Pippin climbed up the familiar stone stairs, a thought crossed Pippin's mind:
"Do you think we'll ever learn what's wrong with Frodo truly?" asked Pippin, curious.
"He's adjusting, as are we. Remember, it is our first year here. Everything's different and new," admitted Merry.
"Is that all it is?" asked Pippin, as Merry closed the door to the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory.
As they talked, Pippin found out a little about Frodo from Merry's findings. True, they had only just joined a comradeship with Frodo, yet they weren't very close with him. Even though Pippin wanted to speed things up, Merry admitted to him that wasn't the best idea. They both went to sleep in their separate beds, relieved to have learned some hand magic from Frodo that day.