The Wizard, clad in a grey robe, holding a staff of vine wood as tall as himself in one hand and a pipe in the other, walked to Hobbiton.
Instead of heading straight for his destination, the Wizard entered the town and first went to the Green Dragon Inn.
The Hobbit inn was not very friendly to the Wizard's height; he had to stoop all the way to the bar, where he called out to the innkeeper, "A pint of ale for me, please!" Then he plopped down on a stool and straightened his back with a sigh of relief.
The inn fell silent for a moment, and all the hobbits looked at him with surprise and curiosity.
The innkeeper was a chubby little old man; when he saw the Wizard, he paused for a moment, then, with a look of pleasant surprise, exclaimed, "Gandalf! When did you come to the Shire?"
The grey-robed Wizard smiled and greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Boffin, I am traveling, and I happened to pass through the Shire, so I came here to rest my feet and catch my breath."
The innkeeper clearly knew Gandalf, and he handed him a pint of ale, saying, "This one's on me."
"Gandalf, you haven't been to Hobbiton in a long time, it feels like it's been more than ten years. Where have you been all these years?"
"Oh, thank you! I've been traveling around, and in recent years, I've been to the East," Gandalf said simply, taking a sip of his drink, then casually asked, "By the way, have there been any new happenings in the Shire recently that you could tell me about?"
"New happenings? There are quite a few!" The innkeeper became enthusiastic at the mention of this. "...Gandalf, you wouldn't believe it, but besides you, another Wizard has come to the Shire recently. But he's much younger than you, and he's currently staying in our village, living with Bilbo Baggins!"
Gandalf seemed to have his curiosity piqued. "Oh, a young Wizard? Could you tell me about him?"
The innkeeper, as if he had found the best listener, immediately began to speak volubly: "That young Wizard's name is Luke. Like you, he enjoys traveling. He went on a journey once before and made a great name for himself. It's said he helped the residents of Buckland resist the invasion of trees from the Old Forest, so he also has the title 'Tree-Feller'..."
As he listened to the innkeeper's endless narrative, Luke's image gradually formed in Gandalf's mind. A flicker of thought passed through his deep blue eyes, and the smoke he exhaled obscured his expression.
Meanwhile, at Bag End, Luke had been very busy these past few days.
Because the Mandrake had entered adolescence, it began to become moody and taciturn, and even tried to escape once by climbing directly out of its pot because it was uncomfortable living in it.
Fortunately, Luke discovered it in time and used Petrificus Totalus to freeze the Mandrake, which had almost run out into the yard.
Otherwise, if it had truly escaped and matured in the wild, it would have been deadly!
To prevent these two Mandrakes from escaping again, Luke simply used Transfiguration to create a small glass greenhouse near Bag End. This was partly to provide them with a suitable growing environment and partly to prevent their escape.
Moreover, as the Mandrakes matured further, their cries became even more dangerous.
To prevent himself or Bill from suffering, he also set up multiple glass covers for the two Mandrakes, maximally blocking their sounds from escaping.
Due to the late cold snap, Luke also had to put socks and scarves on the two Mandrake pots to prevent them from catching a cold and getting sick.
The socks and scarves were lovingly contributed by the skillful Bilbo, woven from wool in a single evening.
It could be said that the Mandrakes were being cared for as diligently as children.
That afternoon, just as Luke and Bilbo were enjoying their afternoon tea, a knock sounded at the door of Bag End.
The two exchanged glances, a puzzled expression on their faces. Who could be coming?
Bilbo put down his biscuit, hurried to the door, and opened it.
He saw a tall figure blocking the doorway, so tall that he couldn't even see his head.
Bilbo stepped back a few paces, tilted his head back, and looked up. Seeing the visitor's appearance, he showed a surprised expression: "Gandalf! What brings you here?"
Luke, who was drinking tea, heard Bilbo's surprised voice, paused his hand, immediately put down his teacup, and leaned over to peer towards the doorway.
Standing at the door was indeed the grey-robed Wizard, Gandalf. Leaning on his vine wood staff, he bent down and chuckled as he greeted Bilbo, "Hello there, Bilbo. I just happened to be passing through the Shire and thought I'd stop by your place for a temporary rest. I wonder if I'm welcome?"
"Of course, you are most welcome!" Bilbo quickly said, then stepped aside and invited him in, "Please come in, Gandalf. You've come at a perfect time; we're just having afternoon tea. You're welcome to join us!"
"Oh, it seems I've arrived at just the right moment," Gandalf said with a happy expression.
Bending down to enter Bag End, and handing his hat and staff to Bilbo, he immediately saw Luke sitting in the living room. Their gazes met, and a sparkle appeared in Gandalf's eyes as he smiled and said, "It seems there's another guest here besides me."
Luke stood up and walked towards Gandalf, politely introducing himself, "Nice to meet you, Gandalf. I am Luke, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"
Gandalf looked the young black-haired, black-eyed Wizard up and down, his gaze lingering for a moment on the black Wizard's robe he wore, revealing a surprised expression. "Do you know Goldberry, the River-daughter of the Old Forest?"
Luke noticed Gandalf's gaze and understood that he had recognized Goldberry's blessing on his Wizard's robe. He smiled and nodded, "Yes, I know Goldberry and Tom. I was previously invited to stay at their home for a period of time. They are both very friendly and good people."
Hearing this, Gandalf regarded Luke with even greater importance.
Although Goldberry and Tom Bombadil do not participate in the conflicts of Middle-earth, those who are invited to be their guests are generally upright individuals.
Not to mention that Luke also wore a blessed robe woven by Goldberry from black swan feathers and silver threads, which is not a treatment that ordinary guests would receive.
"Alright, come and have afternoon tea together," Bilbo called out, inviting the two to sit down with him.
The three sat around the fireplace, enjoying tea and sweet biscuits while chatting.
"Gandalf, where have you been all these years?" Bilbo asked curiously.
Gandalf took a biscuit, tasted it, and then slowly said, "Oh, I've mostly been traveling in the East these past few years. First, I lived with the Elves for a few years, then I went to the Northern Wastes, and finally, after staying in the Misty Mountains for a while, I returned to the plains of Eriador."
Hearing Gandalf's words, Bilbo's face showed a longing expression, and he couldn't help but ask, "Gandalf, are Elves as beautiful as the legends say?"
Gandalf looked at Bilbo, a hint of a smile in his eyes, and said, "The beauty of Elves cannot be simply summarized with a single word; you have to witness it yourself to truly understand. If you are curious about them, you can go to the Elven territories; they welcome all friendly visitors."
Although Bilbo longed for it, he still shook his head. "I'm just an ordinary Hobbit; adventuring is not for me. It's too dangerous, and it would make me miss breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, and also dinner and supper. That would be terrible!"
Seeing this, Gandalf did not continue to persuade him, but instead looked at Luke, who had not interjected, and asked with a curious expression, "Luke, where did you come from before? Looking at your hair and eye color, did you come from the Rhûn?"
Luke shook his head. "No, I haven't been to the East. The place I come from is very far away. This is my first time coming to Middle-earth."
Hearing this, Gandalf looked deeply at him. His profound wisdom granted him the ability to discern truth from falsehood; he could tell that Luke was not lying, and at the same time, he fell into confusion.
In Gandalf's eyes, Luke, this young Wizard who claimed to be from outside Middle-earth, was full of mystery.
When he tried to see through the soul of this mysterious young Wizard, he was blocked by an incomprehensible force, as if hidden in a mist, making it impossible to see the essence of the soul.
Moreover, he also felt a familiar divine power from him—that was the blessing from Iluvatar.
Discovering this secret, Gandalf was very shocked.
As one of the five Wizards sent by the Valar to Middle-earth, and the last Wizard to arrive, Gandalf was sure that besides the five of them, no one else had been sent to Middle-earth by the Valar's will.
But looking at this young Wizard, favored by Iluvatar, he was somewhat uncertain.
Or had the Father of All, who resided in the Timeless Halls, also intervened and sent his messenger?
Feeling Gandalf's soul-piercing eyes, Luke only felt as if he had been seen through instantly, a shiver running down his spine, and he asked with a forced, puzzled tone, "Gandalf, what's wrong? Is there something amiss with me?"
His thoughts interrupted by Luke's words, Gandalf instantly came back to his senses, his gaze towards Luke becoming warm and friendly. He glanced at Bilbo beside him and asked in a veiled, probing tone, "Luke, is your journey to Middle-earth for a mission?"
Luke's pupils constricted, his heart churning. Could it be that he had discovered the system within him?
"Gandalf, I don't understand what you mean?" Luke tried his best to remain calm and show no flaws.
But to Luke's surprise, Gandalf gave him an 'I understand' expression and did not press further. Instead, he proactively said, " Luke , if you need anything, you can come to me for help in the future."
"Uh, thank you!" Luke was a bit confused. What did this mean? Was it not that he had discovered the system within him?
Noticing Gandalf's change in attitude, becoming more intimate and proactive, and recalling his previous words, a guess suddenly popped into Luke's mind.
He looked at Gandalf opposite him in disbelief.
This guy wouldn't have mistaken him for one of his own, would he?
A bit guilty, Luke didn't want to continue on this topic and quickly changed the subject, asking in return, "Gandalf, did you come from the East this time for a mission?"
Perhaps having taken Luke as one of his own, Gandalf did not hide anything. He nodded and said, "I found a dark shadow in Dol Guldur in the East and met an imprisoned Dwarf King. Entrusted by him, I am to deliver his relics to his son."
"An imprisoned Dwarf King?" Luke was surprised.
"Yes, he is Thráin II, the previous King of Durin's Folk. Over a hundred years ago, the Dragon Smaug descended upon the Lonely Mountain, plundering the Dwarf Kingdom there, and Durin's Folk were forced to flee. Thráin II was unwilling to abandon the Lonely Mountain, and while on his way to investigate it, he was captured by Orcs near Mirkwood and imprisoned in the fortress of Dol Guldur, where he was tortured. By the time I went to Dol Guldur to investigate and saw him, he was already on his last breath."
As he spoke of this, Gandalf's expression became somewhat solemn.
Hearing this, Luke also recalled that Thráin II, imprisoned by the Orcs, should be Thorin Oakenshield's father.
So Gandalf's journey this time should be to hand over Thráin II's relics to Thorin Oakenshield, thus initiating the Dwarves' quest to the Lonely Mountain.
This means the expedition to the Lonely Mountain is not far off.
He couldn't help but look at Bilbo beside him. The Hobbit, who was listening with great interest at the moment, would never have imagined that he would soon be the protagonist.
And looking at Gandalf's specific visit to Bilbo's home, it was clear that Bilbo had been pre-selected long ago.
With Gandalf's cunning, this poor Hobbit evidently could not escape his schemes.
Although Luke sympathized with this, he would not stop it.
After all, this adventurous expedition was an opportunity for Bilbo, and also the chance to find the One Ring.
The One Ring was now in Gollum's hands, hidden in the Misty Mountains. If not for Bilbo, the chosen one, even Luke, the foreteller, would have no certainty of finding it.
After afternoon tea, Bilbo and Gandalf shared Longbottom Leaf. The two old pipe-smokers immediately began puffing clouds of smoke, forcing Luke to retreat a safe distance.
Seeing this, Gandalf laughed heartily and even encouraged Luke to try the taste of pipe-weed.
Luke politely declined and prepared to go to the glass greenhouse to check on his two Mandrake plants.
Upon hearing about the Mandrake's magic from Bilbo, Gandalf was also very curious and wanted to see them.
Upon arriving at the glass greenhouse, Gandalf looked at the transparent glass and immediately recognized that it was transfigured, but still exclaimed, "What wonderful Transfiguration Magic! It actually changed the form of matter, transforming one thing into another. This is a very rare ability!"
Gandalf admitted he did not possess such an ability. Although he could use illusions to change things, he could not transform the form of matter like Luke.
Moreover, he had already seen the enormous potential of this Transfiguration Magic. As long as there was enough Magic power to support it, everything in this world could be transfigured. Even at its most profound level, it might even touch upon the fundamental transformation of matter, at which point transmuting lead into gold and creating something from nothing might be possible!
Thinking of this, Gandalf became even more convinced of his earlier speculation. After all, such authority and ability were not even possessed by the Valar. Besides Iluvatar, the Lord of All, who else could bestow such power?
Upon entering the greenhouse, Luke very carefully first checked the condition of the two Mandrake pots to prevent them from suddenly making noise.
The cries of the nearly mature Mandrake were already very dangerous. The moment Luke removed the glass covers, he immediately cast two Petrificus Totalus spells on them.
If Luke hadn't learned the Ear-Muffling Charm or Silencing Charm, he wouldn't have had to go through such trouble.
Gandalf looked at the human-shaped Mandrake roots Luke had pulled from the pots. Their complete limbs and clear, vivid features made Gandalf marvel. After receiving Luke's permission, he picked up a Mandrake and observed it carefully.
"I feel rich Magic and vitality from it. If I didn't know you cultivated it, I would have thought it was a variant of the Ents!"
Gandalf praised repeatedly, eagerly learning from Luke as he dressed the Mandrake in a baby outfit and then re-potted it with fresh soil.
"I think Radagast would have a common language with you. He is another Wizard, living in the forest, always fond of caring for plants and animals. If there's a chance, I'll introduce you two."
Radagast the Brown Wizard? Luke knew him, a Wizard who loved forests and nature. Unlike Gandalf, who traveled around organizing resistance against darkness, this Brown Wizard preferred to live with birds and beasts.
Precisely because he neglected his duties, he ultimately did not receive the Valar's permission to return to Valinor after the War of the Ring.
However, for this Brown Wizard, perhaps it was not difficult to accept. Compared to returning to Valinor, he might prefer to stay in Middle-earth, accompanied by flowers, birds, insects, and fish.
After finishing with the Mandrake, the two returned to Bag End.
Bilbo was already preparing dinner for the three of them.
Gandalf had noticed the magic Wand Luke was casting with and was naturally interested in such a small and unique magic Wand. He expressed his desire to see it.
Luke did not refuse, and he was also interested in Gandalf's staff.
Gandalf readily agreed, casually tossing his staff to Luke, then carefully examining Luke's magic Wand.
"What a clever combination and match, using magically charged wood as the staff… Hmm? Is this the heartwood of the old willow from the Old Forest?" Gandalf looked at Luke.
Luke nodded and explained, "The old willow invaded Buckleberry, and I confronted it, ultimately cutting it in half to defeat it. The lower half was taken back to the Old Forest by Tom and replanted, and I took the heartwood from the upper half to make this magic Wand."
Gandalf smiled in agreement, saying, "That old willow certainly has a bad temper. When I went to the Old Forest to see Tom, it even attacked me, and it took me some effort to get away from it. Now that it met you, it's truly unlucky."
Then he continued to observe the magic Wand in his hand, his eyes seeming to pierce through it, "Is the core a strand of hair? No, wait, there are two! And I sense the aura of rivers and earth. Do they come from Goldberry and Tom?" Gandalf looked at Luke in surprise.
Luke was equally surprised by Gandalf's insight. He nodded and replied, "It's a strand of Goldberry's hair and a whisker from Tom."
"It seems Goldberry and Tom both have high hopes for you!" Gandalf couldn't help but exclaim, his opinion of Luke rising another notch.
"They are indeed very good people!" Luke said sincerely. Besides Bilbo, they were the couple Luke felt most favorably towards.
Then Gandalf, holding Luke's magic Wand, excitedly waved it. To Luke's surprise, the magic Wand actually reacted in Gandalf's hand, continuously spewing out colorful magic fireworks.
"Wow!" Both Bilbo and Luke widened their eyes, watching the dazzling fireworks flying about, filled with awe.
Gandalf, like an old mischievous child who had found a fun toy, shot lightning, strong winds, and flames from the magic Wand, then reluctantly put it down, looking at Luke with a pair of blue eyes shining like stars.
"Luke, your magic Wand is a truly genius idea. Simply combining magically imbued wood and hair strands allows for casting. Although the magic Wand doesn't greatly amplify magic, it is incredibly versatile and balanced. Anyone with magic potential can cast with this magic Wand. I think Aulë, the God of Craftsmen, would like you!"
Gandalf believed that this magic Wand crafting technique was Luke's unique creation, thus appreciating Luke's wisdom even more.
"Uh, thank you for the compliment!" Luke felt a little guilty. He knew that the magic Wand crafting technique came from another world, and being praised so much by Gandalf made him feel undeserving.
Gandalf thought he was just being modest and continued, "Believe me, Luke, your wisdom and creativity deserve such praise! Your magic Wand is incredibly versatile. You will be a favored guest of many magic races; they will flock to you to obtain a magic Wand made by you."
Luke was a little puzzled, "Gandalf, isn't that too much praise? Can't staffs also cast spells?"
Gandalf pointed to the staff he had handed to Luke, "Try it."
Luke, somewhat bewildered, held the staff with both hands. It was taller than him. The staff was made of an unknown vine wood, spiraling in shape with a "blooming" appearance. Its surface was very rough, as if it had not been processed or polished at all.
At the "blooming" tip of the staff, a fist-sized blue gem was embedded, emitting a faint blue light.
Luke tried to infuse magic, using it as a magic Wand, and chanted, "Shimmering Glow!"
In an instant, the magic within Luke surged out uncontrollably. The staff was like a greedy glutton, devouring Luke's magic frantically.
The vast magic flowed into the gem at the tip of the staff, and the gem instantly released an incredibly dazzling light. That light was comparable to the sun and moon, instantly turning the entire Bag End into a blinding white. Everyone was forced to close their eyes by the dazzling light.
Luke only felt like he was going blind and quickly released the staff in his hand, which stopped the magic output.
"Ha, Luke, you almost blinded this old man. You know, with these old bones of mine, besides my eyes, everything else is almost rotten!" Gandalf lowered the hand covering his eyes, wiped away the physiological tears, and complained with a chuckle.
Luke didn't mind Gandalf's joke. This old man could ride a horse at full gallop for days and nights, and swing a longsword fiercely. Saying he was too old to move was the real joke.
However, he still looked at Bilbo with concern, "Bilbo, how are you? Are you alright?" This poor hobbit was the slowest to react just now, and was exposed to the strong light before he could close his eyes. Now he was constantly shedding tears, and his vision had not yet recovered.
"I, I'm fine, I'll be alright in a moment!" Bilbo said, blinking repeatedly, a little dazed.
Once he confirmed Bilbo was fine, Luke redirected his attention to the staff.
Gandalf chuckled and asked, "How does it feel? Did you discover anything?"
Luke nodded with lingering apprehension, "Although this staff is powerful, it consumes a lot of magic… And I found that when using it, I need to control it with mental power?" He looked at Gandalf in confusion.
Gandalf nodded with an appreciative expression, "Exactly. Using a staff not only requires strong magic support but also powerful mental guidance and control, so the conditions for someone to use it are very strict."
"More importantly, staff crafting is also very demanding." Gandalf pointed to the blue gem embedded at the tip of the staff, "The core of the staff is that magic gem, but magic gems are very rare. I only obtained mine from an Elven friend, which allowed me to create my own staff."
"Staffs are not as versatile as your magic Wand, which is why I said your magic Wand is a genius creation! Because you give those with not-so-strong magic the possibility of casting spells."
Upon hearing Gandalf's words, Luke also realized. He hadn't expected his magic Wand crafting technique to be of such great value in Gandalf's eyes.
However, Luke was equally tempted by the staff. Although using a staff consumed a lot of magic and mental power, the power it unleashed was incomparable to a magic Wand. More importantly, a staff could influence and mobilize magic elements in the surrounding environment, producing large-scale magic effects.
It could be said that staffs and magic Wands pursued two different directions. Staffs were broad and grand, seeking powerful magic, while magic Wands were precise and detailed, seeking the ultimate variations of magic.
Luke was an adult; he wanted both.