The entry scene for the Mines of Moria. I own none of the characters, some of the dialogue, and a bit of sick pleasure at Ginny agreeing with Boromir. I wish I did own these characters and the setting, because then I would be rich.

- xHx

Hermione sat cross-legged in front of the gateway into Moria, staring at the lettering as though her glare would make it open. Or at least, it looked like that. She was deep in concentration, repeating the words Gandalf had translated aloud in her head with as many inflections as possible in the words.

Ginny stood beside Merry and Pippin, turning a flat rock over in her hands a few times before leaning down and skimming it across the surface of the black water. When they saw her doing this, each picked up another flat rock, attempting to do the same. Neither one really succeeded.

Luna was deep in conversation with Gimli. From the sound of things, they were talking about the mines and what they were apparently like.

For all this, Hermione still could not shake the sense of foreboding the gleaming gate gave her. In all its beauty, it seemed to hold a secret from her. And then, of course, it felt like the way to open this door was staring her in the face, but she could not see it.

Legolas stood near her, but it was still a surprise when he touched her shoulder. She jumped.

"What are your thoughts?" he muttered to her.

"Well," she said, "it would make sense to put a riddle needing solving on the door. But I see no riddle."

"You mean like the Ravenclaw doorknocker?" Luna said, straightening up.

Hermione smacked her left hand to her forehead. "Exactly like that. Any thoughts, Lothrendis?" She waited a moment before adding, "This should be easy for me."

"I think you can't see it because it is so easy," Luna said. "Look at the phrasing again."

Hermione closed her eyes, running through the inflections. She chose one, and spoke aloud. "Speak -friend- and enter?"

Frodo caught on; he was less than a foot away from her and had heard her clearly. "What's the Elvish word for friend?" he asked, walking close to the door.

"Mellon," Gandalf replied. With a crack, the doors opened. It was dark within.

"Lumos," Hermione muttered, motioning for the others to walk ahead of her. Ginny entered just behind Gandalf. Luna walked beside the four Hobbits. Hermione was last, standing just behind the four.

If only to make matters worse, as she held her wand aloft she saw a scene ripped from her nightmare from a few days before the Council. Corpses filled with arrows, rotted down to skeletons, filled the entry hall.

"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves," Gimli said. Apparently, he did not yet see what she saw with her wand-light. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

"This is no mine," Hermione said.

Boromir was on the same thought. "It's a tomb."

Everyone was suddenly in some form of panic. The Hobbits, and Luna, backed quickly away from a body at their feet. Hermione's eyes were wide as dinner-plates. Her dream had become real. She'd seen the future in her dream. Gimli was screaming in denial. Legolas, probably the least squeamish of the entire company, walked up and pulled an arrow from a body on the floor.

"Goblins," he said, tossing the arrow aside.

"Let's get out of here!" Ginny shouted, a hand clamped over her nose and mouth. The place had a kind of smell that was incredibly unpleasant. Like you'd expect from a morgue filled with year-old bodies.

Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords. Luna followed suit, extinguishing her wand and slipping it back into her belt with her other hand. Ginny held her wand high. Hermione, too, extinguished her wand and stowed it. She knew now what was coming next. Instead of drawing her bow, as she saw Legolas had, she pulled out her knives and faced the opposite direction.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir said. "We should never have come here."

"This is the only time I'm going to say it, but I agree with you, Boromir!" Ginny shouted.

Hermione was ready for the tentacle when it snapped out and grabbed Frodo by the ankle. She dove into action, slicing at the appendage. She was not alone in her efforts; Merry and Pippin were attempting to pull him away from the creature. Sam was calling for Aragorn, before joining her, hacking at the tentacle.

It finally fell away.

Hermione knew that wasn't it. She stood ready, knives raised, as a multitude of tentacles came at them. What she didn't expect was being grabbed around the waist by the creature, and being lifted high into the air, over the water.

She sliced wildly at the beast, but not at the tentacle that held her. Dropping into freezing water from this level would not be ideal. It would probably try and eat her.

Then she saw Frodo being held by his ankle just a few feet from her and heard the commotion below. The rest of the company was trying to save them.

She just kept muttering to herself, "Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down," but she gave up when she heard a growl. Glancing below her, she saw a face in the water. The face of the creature intent on making her its next meal. Frodo was probably dessert, unfortunately.

Boromir, Aragorn, and Luna were battling the tentacles on foot. Aragorn got Frodo free; Boromir caught him. Luna sliced the tentacle holding Hermione up; Aragorn caught her.

"Into the mines!"

"Legolas!"

"Into the cave!"

She was pulled through the doorway by Aragorn, past Legolas, who was firing arrows at the beast like mad. He looked angry enough to kill it.

"Run!"

The beast ripped at the stone wall. The stone rumbled and gave way. It collapsed behind them.

"We now have but one choice," Gandalf said. As a little light appeared from his staff, the three girls drew their wands and lit the tips, holding them aloft again. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world."

The company began to walk as Gandalf spoke. Hermione walked alongside Legolas.

"I have a very bad feeling about this place," she muttered.

"Understandably," he replied.

"No; my dream, Legolas. We've already lived through part of it."

He showed no surprise, only leaning close to whisper, "Don't let them hear of that."