TheWarf ofthe Peppermint Lifesaver…
PART 1 'The Circus of the Anti-Ring Protest'
--Old Enemies--
One wild and wintry snowy Shire morning, snowflakes were floating across the already snow-covered ground. Several Hobbits could be seen outside, clearing handfuls of snow from their front doorsteps with their shovels. A wooden horse and cart loaded on the back with large colourful fireworks lumbered through Hobbiton, past the party field, where there were a colourful display of streamers. The party tree had been decorated and all around, hobbits were preparing for what clearly was an extremely special occasion.
The horse and cart stopped outside the gate of Dagg-Den, and an elderly man with a long greyish beard walked up the front path and tapped at the polished green door with his walking stick. There was the clanging of china, and the fumbling of a door knob, then the round door swung open.
'Gandalf?'
'Billabon Groggins!' chuckled the elderly man, with a merry twinkle in his eye.
Billabon had no sooner ushered Gandalf into the hobbit hole than there was a small pop, and Gandalf's hat exploded in flames.
'No cause for concern!' exclaimed Gandalf, and whisked it out the door before and hurriedly slamming it with a bang. Soon the two were enjoying a nice cup of warm toffee tea by the fireplace.
'Gandalf, my old friend,' said Billabon, smoking his pipe and blowing candyfloss rings into the night air as they sat atop a waterslide overlooking the party field, 'This will be a night to remember.'
'It sure will!' cackled Gandalf, giving Billabon a slight push from behind.
'Aaargh!'… and five seconds later, a huge splash somewhere far below.
Merry party music sounded in the party field that night, and almost every distant relative within sight of Hobbiton that were related to the Grogginses had been invited to the long expected party to celebrate Billabon and Frodo's birthday. Everywhere there was the sound of laughter and hobbits dancing and merrymaking. A whizzing shower of fireworks lit up the sky, and exploded with sugary snowflakes littering the ground, followed by a fell beast that left burn marks behind it.
'My dear Grogginses and Muffins,' began a dazed and sopping wet Billabon to the hushed onlookers. 'Crooks and Bandybuffs… Nubbs, Tubbs, pipeweedploughers, cornmowers, Bracepindles, and Towedfoots. I mean-' Billabon began, as the hobbit named Troughfoot stormed out of the clearing to mutters of amusement, cursing and shaking his fists.
'Today is my eleventy-first birthday!' Continued Billabon, 'Indeed, eleventy-one years is far too long a time to live among such noble possession-stealing hobbits… I like a pinch of you a pinch as much as I would pinch, and I like less than a pinch of you a pinch more than you deserve… I regret to announce… this is the end. I am going now, as far from you all as is possible, and I bid you all a very… er, thankful farewell.' There was a small pop, and Gandalf's hat burst into flames.
'No need to panic!' yelled Gandalf, making everyone else jump clean out of their seats, 'It was just… erm…' At that moment, he spotted Merry and Snopip standing next to him, looking perfectly innocent. 'It was them!' He pointed accusingly, as if someone had just committed attempted murder. Everyone started muttering and the crowd eventually moved away, in which Gandalf was secretly able to shove his hat into some unsuspecting hobbit's arms and leap away at top speed, cackling gleefully at his brilliant scheme.
Shortly, he found himself at the door of Dagg-Den once again, just in time to see Billabon, packed and ready to leave.
'I suppose you thought that was terribly clever,' said Billabon, seeing him.
'It was just a bit of fun!' said Gandalf, then seeing the look on Billabon's face, 'Oh I suppose you're right, as usual…'
Billabon then handed him an envelope with something in it, telling him to give it to Frodo, before he left, humming as he went down the path. Gandalf let himself back into Dagg-Den, and was strongly comtemplating whether to steal whatever was in the envelope, when Frodo came in.
