Chapter 3
Even though it had been many years since he had last visited the Shire was still just as beautiful and peaceful as Gandalf remembered it. Approaching his destination, the wizard decided to play a harmless bit of magic to announce his arrival.
Bilbo was just starting to let his mind wander when the smoke ring he had just blown miraculously transformed into a butterfly and hit him square in the face.
He was here!
Through the smoke just starting to clear from around his face Bilbo was able to make out the appearance of a gray pointed hat sitting on top of an equally as gray, rather haggard looking, old man. Except this wasn’t just any gray old man but the very wizard that Bilbo had been waiting on.
“good morning!” said Bilbo exuberantly.
“what do mean?” Gandalf inquired, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at the hobbit “do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”
Bilbo put on a faux thinking face “all of them at once I suppose” the Hobbit decided, smiling.
Gandalf made a disgruntled noise but the twitching at the corners of his mouth gave him away.
“can I help you?” Bilbo inquired; feigning innocence.
“that remains to be seen” replied Gandalf in that mysterious way of his. The wizard cleared his throat
“I’m looking for someone to share in an adventure” Gandalf said as he leaned down, griping tight on his staff.
“is that so, Master Gandalf?” Bilbo smirked at the surprised look on the old wizard’s face. Bilbo thought he was going to quite in joy himself in the coming months.
“yes….so you remember me master Baggins” It wasn’t a question.
“But of course! How could I forget someone with such amazing fireworks!” the Hobbit replied, his smile widening.
“I would have hoped to be remembered for more than just my fireworks” he replied with a sniff.
“So, what of this adventure you’re inquiring about?” Bilbo said getting back to the matter at hand.
“Right!” Gandalf seemed to gather his thoughts.
“actually’ I’m a bit pressed for time at the moment, how about I come ‘round tonight for supper and we may discuss it?” Gandalf smiled down at him.
“excellent! Shall I be expecting just you then?” inquired Bilbo, knowing the answer.
“as a matter of fact, there shall be a few others if that’s alright”
“of course! The more the merrier!”
As soon as Gandalf had taken his leave Bilbo dashed back into the house to commence preparations for supper. He had made big meals like this before on various occasions, mostly for Hobbit related events, if there was one thing he had learned it was that it would take a very long time to prepare and he must get started right away.
He started with the dishes he knew would take the longest, like the pumpkin pie for example which would need to bake for an hour and then cool for just as long if not longer, followed by the things that had to be cool or at least not hot, like the macaroni salad.
During his cooking he tried to recall the different kinds of food each of his Dwarfs preferred, he remembered that Balin had favored spicy foods; or that Nori had liked his food saltier then was probably healthy and that Gloin had a taste for maple. Bilbo made sure to make something for everyone, he was determined to make a good first impression this time around, he knew that he hadn’t exactly won any points with them last time by answering the door in his dressing gown and fool temper.
He was just setting the last casserole dish on the dining room table when he heard the first knock on his door. Now Bilbo had known that he would likely experience some sort of emotional shock at seeing his old friends again but truly nothing could have prepared him for the intense surge of emotion he felt at seeing a face he thought he would never again lay his eyes on. Guilt, relief, pain, joy and shock where just a few among the torrent of sentiment that flowed through him at seeing Dwalin’s familiar scowling face.
“Dwalin son of Fundin, at your service. would you be Master Baggins?” asked the tattooed Dwarf pulling Bilbo out of his thoughts.
“ah! Yes, yes! Please come in. ”the Baggins thought he was going to have a tough time staying in character.
“much obliged master Hobbit” He answered gruffly as he shoved his way inside and tossed his cloak on top of the flustered Hobbit.
“I was told there would be food?” It was hardly a question and more of a demand the anything else.
“Y-yes, just right down the hall and you can put your weapons in that trunk if you’d like” Bilbo answered, pointing to the trunk he had specifically put out for this purpose as he hung the cloak on the coat rack by the door.
Dwalin tossed his axe into the trunk before hurrying down the hall, he could hear the noise of a chair scraping against the wood floor in the dining room followed by the sound of dishes and flatware clanking together. Bilbo smiled to himself even as his eyes welled with tears. As amazing as it was to see his old friend the knowledge of what was to come pained him greatly, but he knew now was not the time to wallow in self-pity, after all this wasn’t about him and as much as he wanted to be entirely selfish, as was his nature, he knew he couldn’t. not this time.
He pulled himself out of his brooding and followed Dwalin into the dining room.
“I hope this will be enough food, I don’t know about Dwarfs, but Hobbits eat quite a lot.” Bilbo smiled.
“Indeed, Master Hobbit, we Dwarfs are too known for our large appetites. This is quite the feast you have prepared, I’m sure the others will greatly appreciate it; it has been a long journey for all of us.” Dwalin answered as he gratefully started eating, it was clear that he had not had a proper meal in quite a while.
“yes, well, we Hobbits are known for hospitality and it’s been quite a while since I’ve had guests, I was more than happy to cook” Bilbo replied, and it was true, he had been more than happy to cook, after all he knew It would likely be the last square meal any of them had until they reached Rivendell.
Dwalin seemed to consider him for a moment.
“I can’t claim to know much about Hobbits but you’re certainly not what I expected” choosing to take that as a good thing, Bilbo nodded. Just then there was another knock at the door.
“I’ll get it, you keep eating” on his way to the door Bilbo tried to remember who would be arriving next. Bilbo shrugged, deciding that it didn’t really matter, he opened the round door and his breath caught in his throat.
It was Balin.
Bilbo could plainly remember his grief when Frodo had told him of his dear friends’ death in the halls of Moria along with his brother and sweet Ori. That was another thing he hoped to prevent this time around.
“it looks like it’s going to rain later” Balin commented as he looked up at the sky. Bilbo looked up at the sky too, it did look like some clouds where moving in.
“hope it clears up by morning, wet and cold is no way to start an adventure” Bilbo added with a playful smile.
“Indeed! Indeed!” Balin laughed and Bilbo’s heart leapt; it was so great to see his friend so full of life again.
“I’m Balin son of Fundin at your service.” The Dwarf introduced himself.
“Bilbo Baggins at yours! Please come in, you can hang your cloak there and put any weapons or such in that trunk.” Bilbo invited.
“My thanks, very comfortable home you’ve got here master Baggins” replied Balin as he deposited his weapons in the trunk next to his brothers.
“Balin!” shouted a voice from behind them, Bilbo turned around to see Dwalin who had apparently decided to come investigate the new arrival. Bilbo watched with a slight flinch as they headbutted each other in greeting. Bilbo had never thought about it until now, but this was probably the first time the brothers had seen each other in who knew how long, and it only made Bilbo’s resolve to save them even firmer.
“come brother,” started Dwalin “there is much to talk about and master Hobbit has prepared quite the meal for us.”
“ah, lovely! I had hoped there be food” replied Balin as he let himself be lead down the hall towards the dining room.
Bilbo watched as they departed down the hall with a sad smile. Yes, it was great to see his dear friends again, but it was more painful then he could possibly describe, knowing what was to come and not knowing if he was truly going to be able to stop it when the time came.
The Baggins shook his head and tried to collect himself he still had 11 more Dwarfs to greet and he couldn’t be a blabbering mess when they came.
Two knocks sounded at the door.
Two knocks. That could only mean-
Bilbo opened the door and fond he could hardly hold back the tears that were quickly gathering in his eyes.
“Fili- “
“- and Kili-”
“At your service!” The painfully familiar trouble makers finished together as they bowed in unison. They lifted themselves, both with big smiles on their faces as if nothing could have pleased them more than seeing Bilbo standing there trying to keep his emotions in check. When the Hobbit had last seen them they were laying, dead, on a bloody battlefield their hands clasped together as if, even in death, they couldn’t bear to be parted. The memory was as painful now as it was the day it was made.
“B-Bilbo Baggins” he finally replied, his voice cracking with intense emotion. He cleared his throat “Please come in there’s supper just down the hall. You can hang your cloaks there and put your weapons in the trunk with the others.” Bilbo went on with a bit more confidence.
“Oh! Is there food?! I’m famished!” Kili said with exuberance as he carelessly tossed his cloak at the poor Hobbit and halfheartedly tossed his weapons in the direction of the trunk (which landed a good 2 feet away from its target) in his haste to get to the food.
Some things never change Bilbo thought as he hung up the young prince’s cloak.
“Sorry about my brother, he’s a bit……” Fili trailed off, seeming to be searching for the right words but coming up empty.
Bilbo laughed.
“It’s okay, he actually reminds me a bit of some of the younger Hobbits that sometimes try to sneak into my garden and steal my vegetables.” It was true too, Kili, and Fili too even, had always reminded him of Merry and Pipin.
Fili laughed as he hung his cloak and put both his and kili’s weapons properly in the trunk.
“A nice home you have here master Baggins, but I expected as much of course” the blonde commented confidently as he took in the rest of the room.
“HA!” sounded a voice from across the room, they both turned to see Kili leaning comfortably against the doorway to the dining room, baked chicken leg in hand.
“weren’t you the who said that you thought Hobbits lived in filthy holes in the ground filed with worms an- “KIli was cut off abruptly by his brother hastily slapping a hand over the brunets mouth.
“that’s quite enough now dear brother” Fili said through clenched teeth and a forced smile.
“I’m very sorry master Baggins I- “Fili was the one cut off this time though not by a hand on his mouth but by the loud laughter of Bilbo who was not so much insulted but greatly amused by the antics of the two brothers.
“it’s alright, I’m not offended” Bilbo assured them once he had regained his breath.
The brothers looked at each other wide-eyed before shrugging and making their way into the dining room with the others.
Bilbo whipped his eyes, tears of amusement now mixed with the tears of sadness from earlier. It was more uplifting then he could ever say to see them so carefree and innocent, not yet corrupted by the darkness of war and death. Bilbo would love nothing more than to keep that innocence alive, but he knew that there where somethings he just wouldn’t be able to save. No matter how much he wanted to.
He shook his head sadly before following the brothers into the dining room.
Bilbo answered the loud knock at the door and promptly wished he hadn’t. for not a second later he was crushed by the weight of six dwarfs piled on top of him. He then heard the familiar laugh of a very meddlesome old codger. At that moment Bilbo very much felt like killing the barmy old wizard.
Slowly the weight decreased as the Dwarfs got off him. Five minutes later Bilbo was sat in his chair by the fire, rubbing his tender ribs as Bombur apologized profusely. Sweet, kind, Bombur, though Bilbo had not been particularly close with him he had admired the Dwarf for his kind disposition and cooking skills though one thing he did not miss was the gingers coordination or lack thereof.
“it’s alright master Dwarf, really I’m fine” Bilbo assured him though he wasn’t so sure about that himself. Gandalf chuckled again, and Bilbo glared up at him.
“And where exactly have you been, master Gandalf?” Bilbo huffed, already quite exasperated with his old friend. The wizard at least had the grace to look sheepish.
“yes, well, I’m afraid I had some last-minute arrangements to make but I’m here now”
Someone cleared their throat and Bilbo turned to see Dori staring at him.
“we haven’t introduced ourselves; I’m Dori at your service,” he introduced himself properly if a bit arrogant, “and these are my brothers Ori and Nori” he finished gesturing to both in turn as he spoke.
Bilbo smiled at each of them even as his heart clenched at the sight of their young faces. Nori, the most honorable and kind thief Bilbo had ever had the pleasure of meeting and Ori, sweet and so very brave and kind. Bilbo would have liked nothing more than to keep him in Bag-End, safe from harm and all evils of the world.
Bilbo felt a warm hand on his shoulder and turned to face the source.
“I’m Bofur at your service master Hobbit,” Bofur’s smile was warm and kind and Bilbo could remember quite clearly how Bofur had been the only one to offer him a hand in friendship the first-time round and Bilbo would make sure to do the same this time “you have already met my brother Bomber, and this is our cousin Bifur.” Bofur finished gesturing to each. Bilbo looked at Bifur and realized just how little he knew about him. During the first-time round he had never really spent any time with him, mostly because of the language barrier, Bilbo was determined to fix that this time. He really wanted to know more about all his Dwarfs and nothing was going to stop him.
“Bilbo Baggins, it’s very nice to meet all of you. There is supper down the hall if you’re hungry, the others have already arrived.” Bilbo finally replied.
The six Dwarf smiled joyously and wasted no time in making their way to the dining room with the others.
“so, tell me Bilbo, what do you think of the compony thus far?” asked Gandalf. Bilbo blinked up at him from his chair and thought about that for a moment.
Bilbo remembered his impression of the Dwarfs the first time around. He had thought that they were a bunch of mindless brutes who needed to get out of his house and stop eating his food. But over the course of their journey he had learned more about them and who they really were. He had learned of Dwalin’s fierce loyalty and secret kindness that he tried to pretend he didn’t have, he learned to appreciate Oin’s codling and fussing, he learned to love hearing Gloin talk endlessly about his wife and son, he learned to love and laugh at Fili and Kilis jokes, he learned of Bofur’s unwavering love for his brother and cousin, he learned of Bifur’s determination to help his king, he learned of Bombur’s kindness and cheerful disposition, he learned to value Dori’s mother-hen-ing, he learned to marvel at the bravery Ori didn’t even know he had, he learned to love Nori’s protective nature, he learned to listen to Balins wise words and above all he had learned to love like had never loved before or ever again because of one very stubborn yet annoyingly handsome Dwarf king.
“They are not what I would have expected but I think that makes them special.” He said as he looked over at his Dwarfs in the dining room “They are all very different, yet they seem to fit together so seamlessly. I think I could really learn to care for them if I decided to go with them” There was silence as Bilbo continued to watch his Dwarfs and Gandalf seemed to consider the Hobbits word very carefully.
There was a loud knock at the door.
“He’s here” Gandalf said with much seriousness
Bilbo’s Heart stopped.
A/N: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12639613/1/An-expectedly-unexpected-journey
this is a link to this same story that i have posted on my account on Fanfiction.net. i will be posting chapters of this story both on here and there though i will be posting on here first from now on.