A/N: Thanks to everyone who sent in reviews last chapter. I really appreciate it.
Chapter 8: You Don't Always Need a Broomstick to Fly
Harry and Bilbo followed the path that went along the side of the mountain for what seem to them like hours. While they walked they talked. Harry told Bilbo a bit more about the war he and Luna had fought in, and Bilbo told Harry more about life in Hobbiton. "I got the Gamgee lad to work for me this year in the garden." Bilbo said. "He's a good worker though he a bit young."
Then he got a thoughtful look on his face and added. "I do hope he's looking after the garden while I'm gone."
"I wouldn't worry too much Bilbo." Harry told him. "I'm sure your home will be exactly as you left it."
"So how exactly did you defeat this dark sorcerer you were telling me about? I heard you and Luna mention him once or twice."
Harry's face clouded over, and he didn't say anything.
Bilbo saw the look on his face and the pain his question had brought up, and tried to back track. "I'm sorry Harry, I shouldn't have brought it up."
"No, it's alright Bilbo. It's just hard to think about what happened. But you had no real way to know that." Harry replied softly, not looking at him. "We just fought for so long, and lost so many good people…" Harry trailed off. Finally he said "When the final battle started, we managed to get nearly all the students out safely, well, all the fifth year's and below anyway. So they at least survived. But of those left, the ones that stayed to fight, there were only nine left alive when it was over. All our teachers but one were dead. We had lost. We had nothing left to fight with."
"Then how…how did you win? What happened?" asked Bilbo.
"We had managed to decimate Voldemort's dark creatures thanks to two brothers that came up with some incredibly ingenious, and even more incredibly dangerous items. They allowed us to take out all his giants and dragons. But while we were able to kill half of his Death Eaters, he still had over 200 left. More than enough to overrun the castle and kill the rest of us."
"Then…." Bilbo began.
"He got arrogant and made a mistake. He wanted to defeat me personally. So that he could prove to his followers that he was the better wizard. You see, the most powerful thing about Voldemort was his ego. So he stopped the fighting and called me out to a one on one duel. I went. I knew we couldn't win but I refused to surrender to him. I wouldn't give him that. If I was going to die, I'd die on my feet."
Harry paused for a few moments before continuing. "So we dueled. He had ordered his followers not to interfere for any reason once we started. He wanted to kill me himself!"
Bilbo shuddered slightly at this, but didn't comment.
"The fight lasted over 2 hours, and in the end I managed to beat him. I had his wand…this wand actually." Harry said, taking out the Elder Wand and showing it to Bilbo. "He was lying on the ground ranting and raving about how he couldn't be beaten. How he'd just come back like he did before. Be he didn't know all his horcruxes had been destroyed."
"Hor…what are Horcruxes? I've never heard of them."
"You don't want to know Bilbo." Harry paused, and then added, "The blackest of black magic" Harry paused, and then added, "Leave it at that."
Bilbo simply nodded, no longer wanting to know.
-=ooo000ooo=-
After walking for nearly 2 hours, Harry and Bilbo suddenly stopped as the approached a turn on the side of the mountain pass they were following. They heard voices.
"We must go back for them." Said Gandalf "We can't leave them to fend for themselves in the goblin caverns. We can't go on with this journey without them both."
The Dwarves started grumbling at this pronouncement, but Gandalf cut them off. "Mr. Baggins is my friend after all, and neither he nor Mr. Potter would be there at all if it weren't for me."
The dwarves wanted to know why Bilbo had been brought at all, and why the wizard had not chosen someone with more sense. "He has been more trouble than use to us so far," said Kili. "If we have got to' go back now into those abominable tunnels to look for him, then drat him, I say."
Gandalf answered angrily: "I talked him into coming, and I don't bring things or people that are of no use. Either you help me to look for him, or I go and leave you here alone to get out of this mess as best you can yourselves."
-=ooo000ooo=-
Unknown to Gandalf and the Dwarves, Harry and Bilbo were only 10 feet away from them behind a large boulder, listening in to the argument. Harry had disillusioned himself and Bilbo was wearing the ring her had found in the cave. Harry saw that Luna wasn't saying anything one way or another as the others argued. She was just staring off into space with a slight smile on her face. Suddenly she turned her head and stared at the spot where Harry and Bilbo were. Harry saw her crack a slightly larger smile then she went back to her apparent daydreaming. Harry leaned over and whispered in Bilbo's ear "Luna knows we're here. You want to give the others a surprise?"
Bilbo whispered back a yes and the two of the jumped out from behind the rock, Harry canceling his charm and Bilbo quickly pulling off the ring and pocketing it.
To say everyone jumped, would be like saying Goblins are ugly. Gandalf called to Balin, whom the pair had passed on the path about 50 meters back, and told him what he thought of a look-out man who let people walk right into them like that without any warning. Harry confessed that he had made himself invisible and used magic on his feet to make sure he made no noise, "But," he told them, "Bilbo crept up on you without any help from me what so ever."
After that, Bilbo's reputation went up a very great deal with the dwarves. If they had still any doubts that he was really a first-class burglar, they
doubted it no longer.
Then of course they had to tell the group how they had escaped, and all about Gollum. The Dwarves shivered at their description of the foul little beast and what he had wanted to do with them.
"But how did you get him to lead you to the way out Harry?" Luna asked.
Harry knew she would clue into this. Hermione might be the smartest witch in Hogwarts, but Luna was only a point or two behind her.
"The Imperious." Harry almost whispered.
Luna raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say anything. Gandalf however, did.
"What's the Imperious Mr. Potter? And why does Miss Lovegood look like she doesn't approve?"
"Well, the spell lets you take control of someone, complete control, and it's considered illegal where we come from because some people have used it to make others do horrible things." Harry confessed.
"Does it hurt the person it's cast upon?" Gandalf asked next.
"No. The spell itself doesn't hurt them at all. But you can make them hurt themselves if you wanted to, and most people couldn't fight it. That's also why it's illegal."
"Ánd did you make this Gollum do harm to himself while you held him in thrall?"
"No." Harry answered. "After he showed us the exit, I commanded him to go back to his island and wait for some time. After that the spell would lift and he would be back to his normal self."
"Then don't either of you fret about it." He told both Harry and Luna. "Harry's intentions were not evil, and your worlds laws are not valid here."
Luna seemed to think about Gandalf's words for a while before saying. "That's two things we have to discuss Harry. The spell, and the wand."
Harry simply nodded, and hung his head slightly.
Thorin muttered something in his own tongue and Balin smiled. There was no direct translation for what he said, but I guess the closest human word to it would be "Whipped!"
-=ooo000ooo=-
After all of them had a bite to eat, (Harry had really impressed the Dwarves when he pulled his pack off and started taking out food.) they decided they had better try and get as far away from the mountain as they could before dark. "For the Goblins will be out in force searching for the ones that slew their leader." Gandalf told them.
And so they went on. The rough path disappeared, and after making their way down a rather treacherous slope of fallen stones, they came to a clump of pine trees. "Well, that got us on a bit." Said Gandalf after all in the company were safely down the slope. By this time dark had started to settle in, and it was hard to see where they were going.
"Must we go any further?" asked Bilbo. It was so dark that he could only just see Thorin's beard wagging beside him. "My toes are all bruised and bent. My legs ache, and my…"
"Just a bit farther." Said Gandalf "We must-"
But the old Wizard was interrupted by the sound of a loud howl away in the distance. It was answered shortly after by another away to the right and a lot closer to them; then by another not far away to the left. It was wolves howling at the moon! There were no wolves living near Mr. Baggins' hole at home, but he knew that sound. He had had it described to him often enough in tales often enough. To hear it out in the forest under the moon was too much for Bilbo, and he started to tremble.
"What shall we do, what shall we do!" he cried. "Escaping goblins only to be
caught and eaten by wolves!"
"Up the trees quick!" cried Gandalf; and at once everyone started running to the trees at the edge of the glade, looking for those trees that had branches low enough that they could grab on to and pull themselves up.
The Dwarves had managed to get two or three to a tree with Gandalf having one all to himself and Harry and Luna taking one that the Dwarves couldn't get into because the lowest branches were too high.
And Bilbo? He could not get into any tree, and was scuttling about from trunk to trunk, and starting to panic. "Bilbo, here." Harry crime and leaned down to try and reach the Hobbit, But try as he might, he couldn't reach him. He was starting to climb down when Luna said. "Harry, stop." And then pointing her wand at Bilbo said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The spell hit Bilbo and he started to float up into the tree. Harry grabbed him and settled him onto a branch as Luna cancelled the spell. "Did you forget you're a Wizard Harry?" she asked innocently.
Harry's only answer was a blush that she could see even in the bad light.
They had only gotten Bilbo into the tree just in time! A wolf snapped- at his
cloak as he started floating up, and nearly got him. Within a minute, the whole pack of them were yelping all round the tree, their tongues hanging out.
"Well, this isn't good." Harry said to Luna. "We could disapparate out of here and I could easily take Bilbo with me, and I imagine Gandalf could do the same, but the dwarves would be done for. Any suggestions?" he calmly asked Luna.
"Well we could use magic to try and drive them off. There's only about 30 or so of them so it wouldn't be too hard."
"Yeah that would work. What do you suggest, blasting or cutting curses?" Harry asked her.
"No, I think that would only enrage them. But fire would be more likely to scare them off."
"Luna, you do realize that we'd have to actually hit them with the spells right? Their fur would go up like a torch."
"I know Harry." She replied sadly, "and I don't like to think about them suffering like that, but the only other option is to kill them all. At least with the fire most of them will live."
"Alright. On three then?" he asked.
Luna nodded and took out her wand.
"One, two, three, Incendio!"
The spell shot out and hit two wolves that were running around their tree. Instantly the animals went up like roman candles. They started running around yelping and rolling around on the ground trying to put the fire out. One got too close to a third wolf and set it on fire as well. Seeing three of their pack burst into flames sent most of the animals running, but a few, one of them looking like the chief wolf stayed behind. But they backed off a great deal. Harry thought they all might be able to get down and make a run for it, when the situation, which was bad, got infinitely worse, as an entire company of goblins appeared out of the trees. They had been looking for the Dwarves and had been attracted by the yelping of the wolves.
Harry figured they'd start throwing spears and shooting arrows at the company, but instead the goblins started laughing, and pointing to the Dwarves who were treed like birds. One of them said something to another, and the goblins all started putting out the fires that the wolves that had been set alight had started. All but one that is. They used that fire to start other fires at the bases of the trees that the Dwarves, Gandalf, and Harry, Luna and Bilbo were perched in. Soon the flames were starting to creep up the trees and the smoke was making everybody cough. It was getting thicker and the flames were getting higher. It also didn't help matters when the Goblins started singing, well if you can call it singing. All Harry could make out was something like "17 birds, up 6 fir trees." But the rest was lost to him, and in truth he couldn't be bothered right now. He was more concerned about how they were all going to get out of this mess.
-=ooo000ooo=-
High up at the top of the Misty Mountains, the Lord of the Eagles said "What's all this uproar in the forest tonight?" He was sitting on the top of a lonely pinnacle of rock at the eastern edge of the mountain. "I hear wolves! Are the goblins up to mischief in the woods?"
He leaped up into the air, and immediately two of his guards from the rocks at either hand leaped followed him. They started circling in the sky and looked down at the wolves. Now even normal eagles have keen eyes and can see small things at a great distance, But the lord of the eagles of the Misty
Mountains had eyes that could look at the sun without blinking, and could see a rabbit moving on the ground five miles below even in the moonlight. So though he could not see the people in the trees because of the branches, he could make out the commotion among the wolves and see the flashes of fire. Then he spotted the glint of goblin spears and helmets, as a long line of the dreadful creatures crept down the hillsides and into the glade.
Now eagles are not always kindly birds. Some can be cowardly and cruel. But the ancient race of the Misty Mountains were the greatest of all birds; they were proud, strong and noble-hearted, and they hated the goblins, and usually tried to stop whatever wickedness they found them doing. The goblins in turn hated the eagles just as much, and feared them, but could not reach their lofty seats, or drive them from the mountains.
Tonight the Lord of the Eagles curious to know what was afoot; so he summoned many other eagles to him, and they flew away from the
mountains, and slowly started circling round and round, slowly getting lower.
-=ooo000ooo=-
Gandalf, Harry and Luna saw, had climbed to the top of his tree. Light flashed from his staff like lightning, as he got ready to spring down on them. That would have been the end of him, though he would likely killed many of them as he came hurtling down like a thunderbolt. But he never got the chance to leap. At that moment the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized him in his talons, and was gone.
There was a howl of rage from the goblins. The great eagle gave a screech to his companions. Back swept the great birds that were with him. To Harry they looked like the World War II planes he had seen on TV in a few history films he had managed to sneak a peek at while still at the Dursleys. The great birds were on strafing runs.
Down swooped the eagles; the dark rush of their beating wings drove the goblins far away. Other birds flew to the tree-tops and seized the Dwarves, who were scrambling up now as far as ever they dared to go. One flew in and grabbed Luna and was gone in a flash before Harry could do anything about it. Poor little Bilbo was very nearly left behind. He just managed to catch
hold of Harry's legs when the next bird grabbed him up; and they ended up going together, Bilbo swinging in the air with his arms nearly breaking.
Soon the light of the burning trees was faint below, nothing but a red twinkle against a black background. They were high up in the sky, VERY high in fact, as the eagles slowly climbed in strong sweeping circles. Now at the best of times heights made Bilbo dizzy. He stomach used to turn if he looked over the edge of quite a little cliff; so you can imagine how his head swam now, when he looked down between his dangling toes and saw the dark lands opening wide underneath him, touched here and there with the light of
the moon on a hill-side rock or a stream in the plains.
He shut his eyes and wondered if he could hold on any longer. Then he imagined what would happen if he didn't, and increased his death grip on Harry's legs. As it was, the flight ended just in time for him, just before his arms gave out. He felt his feet touch solid ground and let go of Harry's legs, falling three feet to the rough platform of an eagle's eyrie. There he lay without speaking for a long time. Utterly surprised at first being alive, and then fear at what would happen to him next. He found himself saying aloud: "Now I know what a piece of bacon feels like when it is suddenly picked out of the pan on a fork and put back on the shelf!"
It was only then as his head started to clear that he saw that one of the huge birds was only 4 feet from him. But the eagle seemed to take no notice of him and only sharpened his beak on a stone.
"Harry. Wh-what's going to hap-happen to us? Where's Miss Lovegood?"
Harry, who now had his wand out, was watching the nearby eagle very closely. But as the bird wasn't trying to hurt him or Bilbo, he didn't do anything for the moment. "I don't know Bilbo." Harry said, still keeping his eye and wand on the eagle. "She wasn't in sight when they set us down."
Harry was still looking around for Luna when another eagle flew up. "Our Lord bids you to bring your prisoners to the Great Shelf," he cried and was off. The eagle that had carried and Bilbo leapt into the air in a flash and again grabbed Harry before he could do anything to stop it. Another seized Bilbo when his own turn came.
This time he flew only a short way. Very soon Bilbo was laid down, trembling. He saw that Harry and all the Dwarves were there, as well as Luna and Gandalf.
The old wizard was talking to an eagle, who judging by his size was the 'Lord of the Eagles' they had heard about. But while Gandalf was sitting in front of the great bird, Luna was sitting next to the eagle, stroking it's feathers with a look on her face that seemed to say "What? This is completely normal."
Finally after an hour or so. Gandalf got up, bowed to the eagle and came over to talk to the rest of the company. "The Lord of the Eagles has agreed to take us in the morning and set us down far from here so that the goblins won't catch up to us. He has also sent out a few of his flock to catch some fresh meat for us tonight, and also bring up some firewood." This news greatly improved the Dwarves mood. Not to mention Bilbo's, who had been sure he was going to be torn to shreds like a rabbit.
It didn't take the great birds long to find food for their guests. They came back with six rabbits, and a whole sheep. Bilbo, who had never butchered an animal in his life (he had always had the meat delivered to him prepared to cook) sat back and let then Dwarves do all the work of dressing the animals. This was done while Harry made up the fire and got it burning. Luna remained sitting by the Eagle Lords side, talking to him and stroking his feathers.
When the fire was finally ready for the rabbits and sheep, the Dwarves spitted them all and set them to cook, while Harry sat down. Who would have though just building a fire could be so tiring? "It must be the altitude." He thought. No sooner did he sit down when he saw Luna motioning him to come over to her. He got up and slowly mad his way over to her. He sat down in the spot where Gandalf had been sitting earlier.
"Harry Potter," the Lord of the Eagles began. "I have been speaking to your mate for some time. It has been long since I have met someone with power like she wields. You are very lucky. Watch over her and keep her safe."
"Power like she wields?" Harry thought. "Luna?" he asked questioningly.
"It's alright Harry. The Eagle Lord knows what I am. All the eagles do in fact. You have my permission to talk about it with him."
"I won't let anything happen to her my Lord. I'll protect her with my life if necessary." Harry replied. "But, if I may ask, why do you say she's my mate?"
"Is she not?" the eagle asked. "All me senses tell me she is, although you have not yet fully mated."
Both Harry and Luna went red at this matter of fact statement, but it was Luna that recovered first. "Harry has not asked me yet. I recently lost my mate, and I think he'd afraid he will either offend me, or that he will be betraying the memory of my mate who was also his brother in all but blood." Luna said without looking at Harry.
"Then I will leave you both alone so that you may ask Harry Potter. Do not take long, lest someone ease ask her before you." And then without waiting for an answer, the great bird took wing and flew off to be with his brethren
for the night.
-=ooo000ooo=-
Bilbo had been watching all this from over by the fire and was about to get up and go over to Harry and Luna, but decided against it when he saw them start talking. To him it seemed like they had forgotten where they were and why they were there. That told him one thing. That they didn't want to be interrupted.
-=ooo000ooo=-
"So," Luna began. "Don't you think it's time you told me about the Elder Wand, and how you have it? And how you find it so easy to use the Unforgivables?"
Harry sighed. "You do deserve to know Luna." He paused here, but only for a moment. "Do you remember when Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban at the beginning of my third year?'
Luna nodded.
"Well, what most people don't know is that Sirius was my Godfather, and my parents had appointed him to care for me in the event anything happened to them. As you know, my parents were killed when I was a year and a half old. Sirius had come to our house in Godric's Hollow looking for them and me because he knew something was wrong. He found them dead, murdered by Voldemort. Sirius tried to take me into hiding that night, but you see, something happened that my mum and dad didn't plan on. Dumbledore…"
-=ooo000ooo=-
Bilbo watched as Luna and Harry talked. Well Harry seemed to be doing nearly all the talking, with Luna only asking a few things now and then. When the food was ready, he ate and called over to the pair to tell them that the meat was cooked, but when neither of the responded, he decided to let them keep talking. Whatever it was must be important otherwise they wouldn't have been talking this long.
Two hours later, his stomach was full and he was starting to get sleepy. So he decided to lay down and wait for his young friends to finish. His last sight as he drifted off was the two of them still talking, something they would continue to do, long into the night.