1Disclaimer: I do not own this, though I like to think I do. I don't, I don't, I don't. There I've convinced both you and me. Thank you, everyone who reviewed the last chapter and everyone who is reading this right now. I hope you enjoy it. MornieGalad

Chapter 2

It took Snape much longer to get to sleep than Strider had hoped. The slimy haired human was far too curious for the Ranger's liking. Fortunately, Pippin and Merry had fallen asleep and Sam and Frodo knew better than to answer any of his cleverly phrased questions. At long last, Snape's eyes closed and he fell asleep, curled up in a ball to protect himself from any threat that might present itself. Strider shook the youngest Hobbits and helped Sirius to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Pippin asked sleepily. Strider quickly clasped a hand over his mouth, to which the Hobbit responded with high-pitched squeals, sounding much like a stuck pig.

"Shut up!" Sirius and Strider hissed as they left the room. Sirius chanced a peek back into the room. Fortunately, Snape was still asleep. They snuck down the stairs, or rather, Sirius and Strider slunk soundlessly down, Frodo and Sam attempted to and Pippin and Merry fell down the stairs, being still tired, a bit hung over, and unable to see in the darkness. Unfortunately, Merry had been behind the rest, so when he fell, everyone ended up in a jolly pile at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ouch!" yelled Pippin, who had somehow ended up at the bottom. Strider promptly smacked him.

"Shut up!" the Ranger hissed. Pippin whimpered. After a few moments, the group was untangled. They made for the door, which opened with a loud creak. The instant they stepped outside into the rain, Sirius got the distinct feeling he was being watched. Strider nodded.

"Do you two have ESP or something? I didn't hear anyone say anything," Pippin commented.

"There is no time for this!" Strider said harshly. "We have no time to lose. We make for Rivendell." With that, Strider set off, Sirius behind him. The Hobbits had to run to keep up with them. They ran out of Bree and kept going. Little did they notice a shadowy figure following them.

"Well, that was a fun race," Pippin breathed. "Can we go back now?" No one answered him. Pippin glanced at Merry.

"I don't think we'll be stopping or turning around anytime soon, Pippin," his cousin said. He was right. They ran the whole next day, stopping only for three brief meals, which was much fewer than the Hobbits had been hoping for. They camped for the night and then the next day, which came much too early for the Hobbits liking, followed the same pattern for that day and the following day as well, until they reached Amon Sul, Weathertop. Strider had told Sirius and the Hobbits to be especially alert and had gone to have a look around. Sirius had an eerie feeling that he was being watched again and, sure enough, he turned around just in time to avoid being impaled by a knife.

"Snape!" he hollered. "Expeliarmus!" Snape's other knives flew from his hands.

"I thought you didn't have your wand!" Snape cried in shock.

"I lied." The Hobbits were now all staring at Sirius in surprise. Pippin was the first to find his voice.

"How did you do that?" Before Sirius could answer, a piercing shriek filled the air.

"Dementors!" Sirius cried as he saw five black figures approaching. "Run!" He shoved the spellbound Hobbits to their feet and shoved them through an archway. With a glare, Sirius pushed Snape after them and then ran in the opposite direction, hoping to lure the Dementors away from the others. However, he soon realized he wasn't being followed. What if the Dementors had gone after the others instead? As fast as he could, Sirius dashed to the summit. One of the Dementors had Frodo cornered, his blade drawn. Without a second thought, Sirius rushed in front of the Hobbit and, an instant later, a searing pain rushed through his shoulder. He cried aloud. It felt as if fire and ice had penetrated his skin and poisoned him. Beneath him, he could feel Frodo trying to get out, but Sirius couldn't muster the strength to get off the Hobbit. His vision was blurring and he felt dizzy. In the seconds before he passed out, Sirius thought he saw a fire.

"Sirius," Frodo's voice called. Sirius turned his head slightly toward the voice.

"I can't see."

"Open your eyes," Pippin suggested. Sirius painfully opened his eyes, though they burned. He could still hardly see anything. He groaned.

"I see you got out from under me, Frodo," he managed to joke.

"I helped him," said a slimy voice. It was Snape!

"What are you doing here still? You tried to kill me!" Sirius yelled. In a panic, he searched for his wand, realizing Snape could have stolen it. Fortunately, but surprisingly, it was exactly where he had left it. He could feel himself losing consciousness again. Meanwhile, Aragorn was faced with a difficult decision: what to do with Snape, who was grinning broadly.

"You have very nice teeth," Pippin said. That startled everyone.

"Thank you," Snape said pleasantly.

"I personally think he looks terrifying," Merry whispered to Pippin.

"I know, but I was trying to compliment him and I couldn't say he had nice eyes, hair, or a nose, because that would be lying."

"Am I unconscious?" Sirius asked, hardly believing he was hearing this conversation.

"No, you're conscious just like the rest of us. You would think, though, that Mister Pippin could whisper a bit louder. I don't think they can quite hear him in Mordor," Sam said. Sirius decided to just stay quiet until the others figured out what they were going to do.

"I take it you tracked us all the way from Bree," Strider was saying to Snape. "I congratulate you on being undetected by me, which in itself is quite a feat. I still don't trust you, though." Snape shrugged.

"Whether or not you trust him, we seem to be stuck with him," Pippin pointed out. Strider glared.

"It seems the Halfling is right, but if you harm the Halfling in any way, your blood will be mine. If you have any way of speeding our arrival in Imladris, I suggest you use it. While you are at it, carry him," Aragorn rudely thrust Pippin at Snape.

"Hey, I thought you didn't trust him!" Pippin hollered.

"I don't," Strider replied, his back turned to the Hobbit as he helped Sirius to his feet.

"Then why do you trust him with me?" There was no response from the ranger except a shout of 'hurry' Then he and Sirius disappeared over the slope of Amon Sul, Frodo and Sam at their heels.

"They fell off the mountain. They'll never be seen again!" Pippin shrieked. "Merry, what will happen to the ring?"

"Pippin," Merry hissed, but the damage had already been done.

"What is this ring?" Snape sneered.

"An old trinket Frodo's mom gave him. It's quite beautiful," Merry lied. Snape nodded. He would learn more, but not now. He approached the edge of the cliff.

"No, no, please don't do it. I swear I'll be the best Hobbit ever. I won't steal mushrooms or bother anyone ever again. I'll give Uncle Bilbo all of his pipe weed back, well the stuff I didn't smoke yet. Just don't fall off the cliff!" Pippin shrieked. Snape, accustomed to such pitiful pleas, took no heed and stepped into the darkness. The Hobbit atop his shoulders opened his eyes.

"Are we alive?"

"Looks like, Pip," Merry answered. Snape started down the slope. Unfortunately, he was accustomed to being able to see by the light of his wand when he was in dark places. His last thought before he slipped was questioning himself why he hadn't taken Sirius' wand. Then he lost his footing.

Pippin screamed in an earsplitting octave. His life flashed before his eyes. Then the thud came.

"Pippin, are you all right?" Frodo concernedly fussed over his young cousin.

"Ai, ai, ai," Pippin groaned. "That as fun! Let's do it again."

"No," Snape said firmly. He set Pippin on his shoulders again and the Hobbit promptly began to examine every branch of every tree.

"I've never been this close to the treetops! Merry, I'm flying!" Sam sighed and they walked onward to Rivendell.

Author's note: Please review & thank you for reading. MornieGalad