Chapter 6: A Death in the Family

The mines were one of the creepiest places Harry had ever been. Everywhere, huge wheels and great forges sat silent. Rusted chains hung from the roof high above, swaying slightly every now and then even though there was not a breath of wind. Every once-in-a-while, they would have to cross wooden bridges that ran over deep, dark chasms. Each time, they would creak and groan ominously. Harry tried his best not to picture falling down those pits, never even seeing the bottom before he hit it.

Gandalf tried to lighten the mood by explaining a bit more of the history of the place. "The wealth of Moria," he was saying, "was not in gold or jewels, but Mithril." On this last word, he extended his staff out over a ledge. The sheer face of the wall suddenly appeared to be made of silvery light. Everyone's jaws dropped open at this spectacle and Pippin even had to stop Merry from leaning out too far. Gandalf pulled the staff back and the light faded. "Much of the Mithril mined from Moria was brought to the Lonely Mountain and forged into armor. In fact, Bilbo had a set of Mithril rings that Thorin gave to him."

Gimli gasped. "That was a kingly gift indeed!"

Gandalf chuckled. "Yes. And it is probably gathering dust in the museum in Michael Delving right now. I never did tell him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire and everything in it."

Harry nearly ran into Frodo who had stopped suddenly at these words. He wondered vaguely what had made the Hobbit do that.

Three days in, they arrived at a landing atop a long staircase and made a most distressing discovery. Gandalf was looking at the three doors before him, his face etched with worry. "I have no memory of this place..." he said.

The scene was much the same as it had been when Gandalf had been unable to discover the opening words for the door into Moria.

"Are we lost?" Pippin asked Draco in a loud whisper.

"No!" Draco sighed, this being the fifth time the Hobbit had asked him.

"I think we are." muttered Merry.

"Would you two shut it?" Draco hissed. "Gandalf's trying to think!"

Harry leaned back against the wall and without meaning to, dozed off. He had a very strange dream in which he was walking through Hogwarts on his way to class. But the problem was, he couldn't remember which class he was going to and he didn't want to stop and ask because he was sure that someone was following him. Every time he turned a corner, he heard a flapping of feet behind him. He awoke with a start. He swiftly remembered where he was. He rubbed his eyes and looked back down the stairs. He did a double-take and rubbed his eyes again. He was sure for a moment that he had seen something in the darkness.

Frodo looked at him. "Harry, are you alright?"

Harry shook his head. "I must be seeing things. I thought I saw something moving down at the foot of the stairs a moment ago."

Frodo's eyes went wide. "You did?" he asked sharply.

Harry nodded. "I think so."

Frodo glanced back down the stairs. "Since yesterday, I've been hearing the sounds of footsteps behind us. had nearly dismissed it as an echo but...Harry, your wand, shine it down there, quickly!"

Harry pulled the wand from his robes and muttered, "Lumos!"

A shaft of light stabbed out and illuminated a small grey creature which darted behind a fallen pillar.

Harry and Frodo rushed up to Gandalf.

"There's something down there!" said they said at once.

The Wizard never shifted his gaze from the doors. "It's Gollum." he said.

"Gollum?" asked Harry, confused for a moment. Then, he remembered. "The same Gollum from Bilbo's story? The one who had the Ring?"

Gandalf nodded. "He's been following us for three days."

A startling realization came to Frodo. "He escaped the dungeons of Barad Dur?"

"Escaped..." said Gandalf cryptically, "...or was set loose. And now the Ring had drawn him here. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself." The Wizard shook his head. "Sméagol's life is a sad story." He glanced at Frodo, seeing the Hobbit's surprised expression. "Yes, Sméagol he was once called. Before the Ring found him...before it drove him mad."

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance." spat Frodo.

"Pity?" said Gandalf sharply, "It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand!"

"But he deserves it, doesn't he?" asked Harry. "I mean he'd kill all of us if it meant getting the Ring back."

Gandalf peered at him searchingly. "Deserve it? I daresay he does. But many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can either of you give it to them?" Harry and Frodo looked at each other. Gandalf had a very good point there. "Then do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum will have some part left to play before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fates of many."

Frodo sighed and sat down, propping his chin up in his hand. "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

Harry felt a sudden kinship with the Hobbit. He too had a terrible burden on his shoulders which he had never asked for and wished every hour of every day that he didn't have to carry.

"Frodo," he said. "Nobody asks for what life gives them. But when life isn't exactly what we want it to be, we have to accept that there's a reason for it and we can either let it destroy us or allow it to make us stronger."

Gandalf smiled through his beard. "This is very wise council. All who live to see such times wish that they had not, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case, you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought." He smiled and then looked back at the three doors. "Ah!" he exclaimed suddenly, causing everyone to look at him. He grinned, pointing down the lefthand passage. "It's that way!"

"Finally, he's remembered." said Draco.

"No," said Gandalf. "But the air down here doesn't smell so foul. If in doubt, Mr. Malfoy, always follow your nose."

They followed the stairs down for a ways, finally coming out in an enormous cavern.

"Let's risk a little more light, shall we?" he said, smiling at Draco and Harry. They removed their wands and said, "Lumos Maxima!" as Gandalf increased the light from his staff. The illumination revealed the most astounding thing any of them had ever seen. "Behold," intoned Gandalf, "The great realm and Dwarf City of Dwarrowdelf!" They were in an immensely long hallway which seemed to have been tunneled right through the side of the mountain. Intricately carved pillars lined the hall and further in, windows high in the stone let in dazzling shafts of sunlight.

"There's an eye-opener and no mistake." muttered Sam. "My Old Gaffer would have a thing or two to say if he could see this."

As they walked down the hall, Gimli kept looking at each door they passed. He had fallen uncharacteristically silent as they had entered the great hall. Suddenly, he cried out and ran for one of them.

"Gimli!" called Gandalf, but the Dwarf was already through the door. The Fellowship followed and heard sobbing coming from inside. As they entered, they found Gimli knelt by a carved stone casket, weeping. Gandalf read the inscription across the top. "Here lies Balin, Son of Fundin, Lord of Moria. He is dead then. It's as I feared." As Gimli chanted in Dwarvish, saying who-knows-what, Gandalf stooped and picked up an immense book that lay next to a the corpse of a Dwarf. It had been almost cloven in half, but he managed to find some relatively intact pages towards the back,

"We must move on," Legolas said to Aragorn. "We cannot linger."

But Gandalf was already reading."They have taken the Bridge...and the Second Hall...The ground shakes...Drums...Drums in the deep..." Harry shivered as a chill went up his spine. He looked around at the Dwarven bodies littering the floor. "We cannot get out...A shadow moves in the dark...We cannot get out...They are coming..."

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from the back of the room. Everyone turned to find Pippin staring at a now headless skeleton which sat perched on the lip of a well which, by the sounds of the crashing, was long since dry. His hand was incriminatingly stretched out towards an arrow which protruded from the skeleton's abdomen. He turned back to try and defend himself, but with a creak, the rest of the body fell backwards and made a tremendous racket on the way down. Pippin winced with every crash. When they had subsided, everyone stood silent, not moving, hardly even breathing. When nothing was heard for a moment, everyone let out the breaths they had been holding.

Gandalf snapped the book shut and snatched his staff and hat angrily. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He was stopped by a deep boom from beneath their feet. Every eye turned back to the well. More booms followed by harsh cries echoed up from within its depths. Harry suddenly understood what they meant by 'Drums in the Deep.'

Frodo pulled Sting, his Elvish sword, from it's sheath. It was glowing blue.

"Orcs!" hissed Legolas.

Boromir ran to look out the door, but pulled back just as two black arrows struck right where his head had been. He slammed the door shut as a tremendous roar sounded from outside. "They have a Cave Troll." he drawled. Legolas began passing them axes to wedge in.

"Stand back." said Harry. He aimed his wand. "Colloportus!"

"Will that keep them out?" asked Sam.

Harry shrugged. "Well, sort-of. They won't be able to open the door, but they can still break it in."

Aragorn herded the Hobbits behind Gandalf and took up a position next to Legolas, both drawing their bows. Harry and Draco flanked them, holding their wands out in dueling positions. Boromir took up a position opposite Gandalf while Gimli leapt atop the tomb itself, brandishing two axes nearly as tall as himself. "Let them come!" he said fiercely. "There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!" Great crashes could soon be heard and the door shuttered. A spear broke through suddenly, only to fall back out as Legolas shot an arrow through the hole. He and Aragorn had their work cut out for them as they shot through every hole that was made. Then, with a crash, both doors fell in and Goblins charged.

"Stupefy!" shouted Harry, felling a Goblin.

Draco also sent one flying with "Everte Statum!"

But there were simply too many and they soon had to resort to their swords. Harry soon lost himself in ducking, parrying and slashing. He was far from an expert sword-fighter, but he had been taught some in Rivendell and fortunately, the Orcs seemed to have little or no training. Draco, meanwhile, was in his element and grateful for the first time for the fencing lessons his father had forced him to take. Though the sword he used was thicker and heavier than a foil, the same basic principals still applied.

A loud roar from outside drew their attention. A massive Cave Troll smashed its way through the door and charged. Legolas caused it to give slight pause by sticking two arrows in it, and it was slowed slightly by spells from Draco and Harry, but still it charged. It swung its massive club down at Sam who dove between its legs. It turned and lifted a foot to step on the Hobbit, but Aragorn and Boromir grabbed the chain around its neck and pulled. It tripped backwards a bit and swung around. Aragorn let go of the chain, but Boromir was too slow. He was snapped across the room, hit the far wall, and landed with a thud. He shook his head trying to clear the stars from his vision and found a Goblin standing over him with its sword raised. He felt around for his own weapon, but found that he had dropped it.

Harry saw this and spotted the sword laying near the tomb. He pointed his wand at it. "Waddiwasi!" The sword flew through the air and lodged in the Goblin's neck. He grinned at Boromir and went back to fighting.

If the Troll had concentrated on taking each of them out in turn, then the day might have gone badly for the Fellowship. But it kept switching targets whenever it saw someone new. It had attempted to use its chain as a whip on Legolas (a very foolish mistake) and now, it was going after the Hobbits. Frodo, Merry and Pippin all dove in different directions as the Troll smashed the ledge upon which they stood. It looked to each Hobbit, finally settling on Frodo. He confused it for a moment, ducking around pillars, but was soon caught. Draco saw it raising its club to smash Frodo. Later, he could never figure out what awoke in him, but with a fierce war cry, he leapt in and began shooting stunning spells at the beast. Unfortunately, if he had really cared to pay attention in Defense Against the Dark Arts, he would have remembered that Trolls are even more spell-resistant than Giants. Thus, the only thing he accomplished was making it drop its club. Merry and Pippin also decided to start throwing Rocks at that moment, just making the gargantuan beast even angrier. Draco raised his wand again, but then, a hand as big as he was swatted him. He flew across the room and when he landed, there was a distinct 'Snap!'

Frodo dashed over to see if Draco was alright. Suddenly, a spear lodged into the wall right over his head. He tried too late to run. With a powerful thrust, the Troll drove the spear straight into Frodo's chest. His cry echoed throughout the chamber. All of the members of the Fellowship stopped what they were doing and gaped. Frodo slumped to the ground with one last moan.

Enraged, Merry and Pippin leapt atop the Troll's head and began hacking at its skull. Gandalf Gimli Aragorn and Boromir all took turns slicing at its soft belly. Harry ran up beside Legolas who had and arrow set to the string but was not firing.

"What are you doing? Shoot!" said Harry.

"Not yet. I am waiting for it to open its mouth. That may be its only weak point."

Harry suddenly had an idea. He drew his wand. "Conjunctivitis!" he shouted. A thin wisp of magic hit the troll in the face, and for a moment, nothing happened. But an instant later, it began clutching its eyes and roaring furiously. Legolas seized his opportunity and put an arrow through its mouth as it roared again. The Troll brought a hand up to feel the arrow that was now sticking up through his head before toppling over dead.

Aragorn ran over and knelt beside Frodo's prone form. "Oh no." he whispered. He rolled the Hobbit over, and to everyone's shock, Frodo gasped for air.

"He's alive!" cried Sam, nearly in tears of joy.

"I'm alright," gasped Frodo. "I'm not hurt."

"Not hurt?' said Harry. "You should be dead! That spear would have run a Hippogriff through!"

"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye." said Gandalf smiling.

Frodo pulled back his shirt to reveal a beautiful coat of silver mail. "Mithril!" marveled Gimli. "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins.

Suddenly Harry remembered. "Where's Draco? Is he alright?"

"I'm just spiffing, Potter. Thanks for remembering me." said a very disheveled looking Draco as he climbed up from the floor across the room. He began looking around and suddenly gave a cry of dismay. He picked up the two halves of his broken wand.

"It's ruined!" he cried.

Suddenly, cries could be heard outside the door.

"To the Bridge of Kazhad Dum!" said Gandalf.

Harry had to practically drag Draco out of the room.

As they sprinted across another vast hall, Harry looked back and saw hundreds of Goblins pouring out from cracks in the walls and the floor and even the ceiling. Everyone was going as fast as their feet would carry them, but it made no difference. They all ground to a halt when they saw the wall of Goblins which had come around to cut them off. They were completely surrounded. The only thing holding the Goblins off was the light from Harry's wand and Gandalf's staff. Gimli roared as menacingly as he could...and to Harry's utter shock, it worked. The Goblins stopped howling and looked extremely frightened. All at once, they disappeared into the holes they had come from. Gimli laughed fiercely.

Only then did Harry see it. A fiery light was moving slowly towards them from the next row of pillars.

"What is this new devilry?" asked Boromir.

Gandalf closed his eyes and bent his will towards the thing. A moment later, he opened them with a look of terror spreading across his face. "A Balrog...A demon of the ancient world."

To Gimli and Boromir, it was a name that held an ancient and unknown fear. But Aragorn and Legolas both knew precisely what it was, and fear was etched into their faces. Harry, Draco and the Hobbits who had no clue what a Balrog was knew that anything that scared Gandalf had to be bad. "This foe is beyond any of you." said the Wizard. "Run!"

If they had thought they were running when the Goblins were after them, that was nothing compared to what they were doing now. Harry felt a horrible stitch forming in his side, but he ignored it and kept running. The whole mountain seemed to be shaking around them every time the Balrog roared.

Finally, they reached the end of the hall and ducked down through a narrow staircase. At the bottom, Gandalf stopped to gasp for breath. Aragorn ran back to check on him, but Gandalf grabbed his shoulder. "Lead them on, Aragorn. The Bridge is near." Aragorn stared at him for a moment before looking back up the stairs, as if contemplating facing the Balrog. Gandalf shoved him back. "Do as I say! Swords are of no more use here!"

Aragorn reluctantly obeyed him then and led the Fellowship down a narrow winding staircase. To fall off either side would be a plunge down into what looked like Hell itself. Without warning, there was suddenly a sizable gap in the stairs. Legolas leapt lightly across, but the others weren't so keen. "Gandalf!" prodded the Elf, holding out his arms.

Gandalf took a deep breath and jumped across. An arrow suddenly hit the ground right where the Wizard had been a moment before. Legolas and Aragorn drew their bows and began firing across the chasm at the Goblins, who seemed to have gotten some of their courage back. Draco took his chance and jumped. Boromir then grabbed Merry and Pippin and leapt across, taking a chunk of the stairs with him. The gap was getting almost too wide to jump. Aragorn hefted Sam up and tossed him across into Legolas' arms. He reached down to grab Gimli but the Dwarf said, "Nobody tosses a Dwarf!" With a cry, Gimli sprang across. He was only saved from falling to his death by Legolas who reached out and grabbed hold of... "Not the beard!" Suddenly, there was a loud crack and Aragorn only shoved Harry and Frodo aside and jumped back himself before the chunk of stairs they had been on gave way. They stood and gazed in dismay. The gap was too large now even for Aragorn to toss them across. As if to add insult to injury, a great chunk of the ceiling fell and broke the stairs behind them.

"Hold on!" shouted Aragorn as the pillar they stood on began to sway.

Harry suddenly had an idea. "Lean forward!" Aragorn and Frodo obeyed and as Harry had planned, the pillar toppled forward and they fell into the waiting arms of the Fellowship. Not even daring to rest for a moment, they sprinted the rest of the way down the stairs and emerged in another long hall. At its end, they could just see a long, narrow bridge.

"Over the bridge!" shouted Gandalf. "Fly!"

Suddenly, a wall of flame leapt up behind them and out of it came a great black shape. It seemed to be made of nothing but shadow and flames. Great black wings filled the hall behind it and it carried a flaming sword. Harry decided that he now had a true fear besides Dementors. It roared, shaking the room and charged. The Fellowship ran down the hall and across the bridge. All except for Gandalf who stopped in the middle and turned back. "You cannot pass!" he yelled.

"What the hell is he doing?" said Draco. "Has he gone mad? He can't fight that thing."

Frodo cried out the Wizards name, but stood rooted in place. The Balrog considered Gandalf as if he were a bug. It suddenly stood tall and burst into flame. "I am the servant of the Secret Fire," said Gandalf, raising his staff. "Wielder of the Flame of Anor!" a sphere of light seemed to envelop him. "The Dark Fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun!" The Balrog roared and brought its sword down on the Wizard. There was a great flash and it leapt back, its sword crumbling into molten fragments. Gandalf had not moved an inch. The Balrog's flame seemed to diminish, but the shadow grew. "Go back to the shadow!" Gandalf shouted. A flame appeared in the Balrog's hand and came together to form a great whip. Gandalf raised his staff high in the air. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" He brought the staff down on the bridge so hard that it broke in his hand. Nothing seemed to happen, which lead Harry to believe that whatever the Wizard had been trying to do, it hadn't worked. The Balrog seemed to think the same thing. It snorted and leapt full onto the bridge. With a great crash, the bridge broke and the Balrog fell roaring into the abyss. Gandalf turned to go back to the fellowship, but at the last moment, the whip snapped up and curled about his knees. He was dragged to the very edge, where he clung on for dear life. Something went past Harry suddenly, and he had to grab Frodo to keep him from running to the bridge. He yelled Gandalf's name.

"Fly you fools!" the Wizard cried as he lost his grip.

Frodo screamed in horror as Gandalf fell out of sight into the black abyss.

Everyone stood, gazing in horror. Boromir picked Frodo up and called out to them. Harry shook himself out of his stupor and followed the Fellowship. Only Aragorn had stayed behind, still staring, mouth open. "Aragorn!" shouted Harry, bringing the Ranger out of his daze. He ran after them, just as Goblin Arrows fell where he had been standing. They ran numbly up some stairs and were suddenly out in the blinding sun.

The Fellowship didn't stop until they were well out of bow-shot from the door.

Merry held a sobbing Pippin, who was no-doubt blaming himself for revealing their presence in the first place. Sam had sunk down onto a rock with tears streaming down his face. Boromir was holding back Gimli who was screaming and trying to charge back into the Mines. Legolas was staring at the ground, as if in shock. Even Draco had his head sunk into his hands.

Harry was much the same as Legolas. He couldn't believe what had happened. Gandalf was just...gone.

Aragorn, after a moment, said, "Legolas, get them up."

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" snapped Boromir.

Aragorn glared at him. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the Woods of Lothlorien. Come Boromir, Harry. Draco, get them up!" He hauled Sam to his feet. "On your feet, Sam." He looked around. "Frodo?" he called.

Harry looked up and saw the young Hobbit walking away from them. He held a hand up to Aragorn who was about to go after him. Harry walked slowly to his side and knelt to look into his eyes. Frodo gazed at him, and after a moment, buried his face in the young wizard's robes, sobbing uncontrollably.