Disclaimers: See Chapter 1 for more info.

Frodo sat in the Great Hall, eating breakfast in silence. If not for too much longer. Folco sat across from him, as usual, handing to him a newspaper clipping. Frodo stopped eating, even as Aria sat next to him, and read the news article.

The Triwizard Tournament: Results

By Madam Fitspinchin

It was a smashing time for the champions
throughout the match. Harry Potter tied
Cedric Diggory in the second task. Frodo
Baggins proved himself as well, gaining
third place.

But nothing compares to the final task.
Harry and Cedric fought valiantly through
the maze. Frodo Baggins managed to reach
second place in two seconds behind Harry.

But at a terrible loss. We mourn now for
Cedric Diggory: the boy who proved himself
the greatest adversary the Dark Lord has
ever seen. He will be missed.

"You see?" Aria said, encouragement. "Madam Fitspinchin kept her word."

"What word?" Folco asked her. "What word aren't you telling us?"

"Excuse me," Frodo said, standing up and taking the newspaper clipping with him. He hadn't expected bumping into Mildred. "Mildred!"

"Frodo, don't panic. Râk is in Azkaban where his fate awaits him." Mildred said. She apologized a moment later. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I was angry and Râk gave me good reason to cast a few spells that spat out the truth from his lips. But that doesn't excuse anything."

"All right. Then excuse me, please?" Frodo said. He wasted no time. In minutes, he was back at the front door to Dumbledore's office. He half expected to hear noises on the other side of the door… until he decided to barge in and find Dumbledore with Fawkes.

"Frodo, how are you?" Dumbledore asked him.

"Harry received his winnings," Frodo said.

"Yes," Dumbledore answered.

"Râk is now in Azkaban, for what he did. And for casting Sauron's calling card."

"Right again, Frodo."

"And I did nothing, except come second and defeat the Dark Lord—" Frodo was cut off by Dumbledore's embrace. It shocked him. Hadn't he been through enough already? A few tears streamed down his face… no. He needed to be calm. But how does one be calm after these events? He waited until Dumbledore released him, before the Headmaster spoke up again.

"Frodo. Frodo," Dumbledore paused. "Come here. Sit down." He took the hobbit teen over to a chair. "Do you feel better?"

Frodo nodded. He wiped away a few tears that fought to come down. He needed to speak about this as calmly as possible. But it was hard. "There's loads of questions I need answering. But I'd rather ask two more, if that's all right." How he managed to calm down here was amazing. Maybe he would be all right. Maybe…

"Go on," Dumbledore said, sitting down at a chair across from him.

"Sauron said that my quest will be to destroy his ring," Frodo said. "Aria didn't tell me and I let her not tell me. The question is why would Sauron bring this up now. Aria's been faithful to the authors."

"But not to your curiosity," Dumbledore said.

"But why keep that hidden? Was it risky if she just told me about the quest?" Frodo asked him.

"Yes." He went on, "Frodo, as much as it pains me, you now have a good reason to read your trilogy. The cat's out of the bag, but your future didn't change. Didn't you notice this much? You're running under a different timeline, Frodo. Even if you did return to your original timeline, you would still remember the events in your books. I'm sorry it wasn't brought up to you sooner."

"I have one more question, please?" the hobbit teen asked.

"Go on," the Headmaster replied.

"Sauron used hand magic when he tried to kill me. I told him I had it too, showed him, but…. I thought our spells locked, but nothing happened." Frodo said. "Why didn't anything happen? Is hand magic different from using a wand?"

"That is the question," Dumbledore said. "Hand magic's a different variety. Spells will lock, true, but it isn't like wand magic. Hand magic's a far more powerful tool, one I would advise caution. And no two hand magics are alike. It works differently with each user."

"So, it can't… bring back… my parents." Frodo managed to say. "Harry's did that when his spell locked with Voldemort's."

"Yes, but that is wand magic." Dumbledore said. "There is no spell that can reawaken the dead, Frodo."

"That might be different at Middle-earth," Frodo admitted.

"Either way. Hand magic is not the same," Dumbledore said. "What you were experience has been entirely different from Harry's life and experiences. We know that much to be true." He changed the subject. "If I were you, Frodo, I'd take the day off. It'll be all right."

Frodo nodded in silence. There wasn't anything further he could ask Dumbledore. At least, the things he truly wished to ask the Headmaster. Either way, he wasn't sure how he would cope, knowing that Sauron was free and risen again. How could he bear it? He sighed, a minute after leaving Dumbledore's office.

He would find a way to heal. He hoped it. He just hoped the funeral for Cedric Diggory would be held soon, if not sooner. He… he closed his eyes, tears running down his cheeks. He would find a way, more than one way. He just couldn't believe that Cedric was gone and he did nothing. But he needed to do something.

If only he knew what that something was…

o-o-o

As Frodo packed his belongings inside his trunk for the night before he returned to Brandy Hall, thoughts swam across his vision. Thoughts of home and how strange it would feel now that Sauron was back. He had spent his time with his friends as much as possible in the week before the Leaving Feast. It was nice to talk to them again, but more so to get stuff off his chest. More than anything, he wanted to ask Aria about The Lord of the Rings, the books she has consistently told him he wasn't yet ready for. Well, now he was, thanks to the bombshell Sauron gave him the night they fought on the beach.

He returned to the Great Hall with Aria, surprised at the new setting. Back flags with the letter H in the center was the most revealing. Frodo knew what it meant. It was time to remember Cedric Diggory, and rightly so. Frodo hadn't expected anything less from Hogwarts. They truly did their job well.

It was when he sat down at the Ravenclaw table that everything became solemn. Dumbledore stood up, ready to tell what everyone else knew was about to be told. "The end of another year has come and gone. And in light of what has happened, we raise or goblets to Cedric Diggory. Please stand."

"Cedric Diggory," the assembly said in unison, drinking their fill of pumpkin juice. Frodo looked at the Slytherin table. They neither moved nor touched their goblets.

"Let us not forget," Dumbledore continued, "that it was Harry Potter who escaped Lord Voldemort and returned with Cedric's body and for that I honor him. I honor Frodo Baggins as well. He fought and escaped Sauron, who is very powerful and a Maia. And if you must know, a Maia is a powerful being and Sauron is the highest of those Maia. I honor Frodo for his bravery and for returning to us alive and well.

"But know this, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort. The Ministry doesn't wish me to tell you this, but not doing so is an insult to his memory." He paused. "The Triwizard Tournament's purpose was to give a new light and purpose to the wizarding community. What we have now, the friendships we have made, they will be important to us all. I believe we have achieved that and more. Keep your friends close. Hold onto each other. And know that the journey ahead we must make a choice between what is right and what is easy. Cedric Diggory will be remembered as a boy who was kind, brave and true. He will be remembered and above all, he won't be forgotten."

o-o-o

"Hurry up, Frodo!" Hermione called. Frodo had just made it down the stairs with his trunk and his owl Prim, who flapped her wings a little inside her cage. He rushed in, narrowly missing the real Snorri, who was bit more anxious, due to his time inside his own trunk.

"Oh. Hullo Snorri," Frodo said.

Snorri extended his hand. "Good luck out there, Frodo. I will be keeping an eye on you." He winked. Frodo chuckled. Well, it was about the good part that came from leaving Hogwarts.

Once again, Frodo saw the winged skeletal horses. Only, he didn't feel the nerves to speak up about them. Not yet, at least. But there was one thing, as he accompanied Aria, Sam, Merry and Pippin inside their carriage, Frodo dared ask his authoress.

"Now that Madam Fitspinchin is set right, Snorri's back, and with all the excitement," Frodo said.

"Yes?" Aria asked him.

"Sauron told me about my fate. That I would destroy his ring." He addressed her. Silently, his gaze fell upon her green eyes. "I think it's time I read 'The Lord of the Rings'."

"I suppose the cat's out of the bag then," she said. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this."

"Won't you get in trouble, if he reads it," Pippin addressed her.

"We don't even know what to expect—" Merry was cut off the second The Lord of the Rings books were revealed. "On second thought, Frodo you read it."

"I'm planning on it," Frodo said, grinning. Quietly, he stuffed the books inside his pack.

"Just make sure to hand them back to me when you're done with them," Aria told Frodo.

"A bit attached, aren't you?" Frodo said, grinning at her.

"Well, wouldn't you around your favorite books?" Aria said, smiling.

"Right," Frodo said, chuckling a little.

Pippin shook his head. "Well, I just hope it's worth the trouble."

Frodo nodded. He couldn't agree more, even as he and his friends left the carriages and took their belongings onto the Hogwarts Express. The ride back was filled with excitement, but he couldn't wait to get started on the first book in the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring. Already, it was an exciting read, as if he hadn't left The Hobbit book. His attention was averted the first time when the food trolley witch asked the students if they wanted to buy her sweets. The second time was when the train stopped and they were back at Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters.

Between that time, Frodo spoke with his friends, but his mind was now preoccupied with the books Aria gave him. He wouldn't forget this moment anytime soon.

"So what do you think will happen next for us?" Merry asked his friends. "What with Sauron's return and… oh look! Harry's giving Fred and George his winnings."

"What?" Frodo's gaze veered towards Harry, who was indeed handing his winnings to Fred and George. Naturally, he would have said something to Harry, but this… Frodo smiled. This was the best thing that happened after the tournament. He shook his head. Hopefully, Fred and George would find some use with Harry's winnings.

Frodo's attention returned to the present. He waved to his friends and authoresses. The thought struck him. The authors and authoresses had only one more year at Hogwarts. What became of them was unknown to him. One thing was for sure: he wouldn't mind seeing them for one more year. Then again, when he met up with Saradoc and Esmeralda this time, as they returned to Brandy Hall through the same door Frodo had used for the past three years, he felt certain that whatever came next down the road, he would face it with open arms and a wide heart.

For this much he knew, as he stepped inside Brandy Hall: he was home again. Oh, how he missed it so much, even as he realized that Hogwarts was his second home away from Brandy Hall. He sighed. He was glad to be back home again. And that's what counted most right now. He wouldn't have it any other way, even as the days already felt dark outside. For now, this would do and that was all he needed right now to keep his heart in the right place. And that, in itself, was better than anything else in the world.

He looked up in wonder. "Now what am I to do?" He would figure it out. He always did. For now, this would do.

And with that said, Book 4 in the Hobbit Wizards series is done.

I would like to thank TooLazyToLogIn for the idea that sparked this story. I would also like to thank my fellow fanfiction authors for giving me permission to put them into the story, cameos included: ValueMyHeart, SweetDarkSilence, DoctorWhovian18 and LOTCR. And of course, I would like to thank my readers for favoriting, following, and reviewing this story. It is much appreciated.

Now, onto Book 5, which I will reveal the title when I post it. We're halfway through this series, but this story I felt I wanted to do. Not just because it's a crossover with The Goblet of Fire, but also because there was a lot going on in this story alone. Frankly, I think I did well with this work. :)

All right. I'll see you in Book 5. :)

Aria Breuer