Heading west from Bree, Luke had not yet set up the Floo Network, so they couldn't apparate via fireplaces. However, they didn't need to walk either. Luke and Gandalf each had a flying broomstick. Luke took Bilbo, and Gandalf took Legolas, and they flew directly towards the Old Forest.
Midway, the four flew over Barrow Downs. After the previous sweep and purification, the evil forces on Barrow Downs were greatly reduced. Although it was still eerie, the wights were in a deep slumber. As long as no one awakened them, there would be no need to worry about the threat of the wight for the next few decades.
Although Luke really wanted to completely clear out all the wight, as long as the Witch-king of Angmar was not dead, the wight would be inexhaustible. And as long as Sauron had not completely lost his power, the Witch-king of Angmar could not be killed at all. The Witch-king of Angmar was a Nazgûl formed by humans being corrupted by the one ring. His ability to exist in a ghostly form for a long time relied on the power of the one ring and Sauron's dark magic.
In the Battle of Dol Guldur, Luke had killed a Nazgûl, but he was resurrected by Sauron. In the War of the Ring, the Witch-king of Angmar was killed by the combined efforts of Éowyn, the princess of Rohan, and the hobbit Merry, and the reason he did not revive was that the one ring was also destroyed at the same time, causing Sauron to completely lose his power and no longer be able to maintain the existence of the Nazgûl through the power of the one ring.
So everything returned to the one ring. And their purpose on this trip was to deal with the one ring. The four rode their flying broomsticks over the Old Forest and finally arrived above Tom Bombadil's house. Tom below had already seen them and was happily waving at them.
As soon as they landed on the hillside, Tom came bouncing to them, waving his hands excitedly: "Oh, my friends, welcome to Tom Bombadil's house!" Luke greeted him proactively: "Hi, Tom, long time no see!" "Ah, Luke, my friend, the mountain wind blowing from the east brought me news of your victory. I am really looking forward to you telling me about the sights of your journey!" Tom said cheerfully, giving Luke a bear hug and laughing heartily. "If you're interested, I can at any time." Luke said happily.
Luke had always been grateful to Tom. His first wand core came from Tom and Goldberry, and he was also taught musical magic that he could meditate and cultivate, which was a huge help. He had always wanted to repay him in some way, but Tom lacked nothing.
"Tom, this is a gift I prepared for you. I hope you like it." Luke took out an openwork ring inlaid with a blue gem and handed it to him. Tom took the ring, and his eyes immediately lit up. He put it on his right index finger. Then, he touched the ring with his hand, and a magnificent golden-brown staff appeared in Tom's hand.
The staff head was inlaid with a large ruby, and the staff body was carved with grapevine patterns, with an overall natural and fluid design, exuding an elven style. The length of the staff was just right for Tom's height. "This is for me?" Tom played with the staff, clearly very fond of it. Luke smiled and nodded: "This is a staff I asked the elves to make, crafted from the core of a mallorn tree that grows in Lórien. Try tapping the ground with it."
Tom heard this and curiously tapped the ground with the staff. Flowers and plants instantly grew from the ground where the staff touched. Tom's eyes widened, revealing a surprised expression. He was like someone who had found something fun to play with, tapping and bumping everywhere with the staff, and laughing happily as he watched the flowers bloom everywhere. Luke's smile deepened at this sight.
This staff was his first attempt at alchemy. After acquiring "The Book of Abraham," he had never forgotten to study the alchemy knowledge within it. While in Lórien, he used a section of mallorn tree core left over from making a staff, plus a ruby he selected from the treasure he received from the Lonely Mountain, and asked an elven craftsman to forge this staff. Luke, using alchemical methods, fixed the "Flower Blooming" spell within the staff. As long as he tapped a surface with the staff, flowers would bloom.
It could be said that besides being beautiful, this alchemical staff had no other use. But apparently, Tom liked this staff very much. In addition, that ring was also one of Luke's gifts. Luke applied the Undetectable Extension Charm to the openwork part of the ring. Given the original small space, the expanded space limit was only the size of a small room.
Gandalf and the others also looked at the staff in Tom's hand with surprise; they didn't know about it any sooner than Tom did. Although they knew that Luke always liked to go to the elven craftsmen while in Lórien. But they didn't expect him to have made such a magical staff.
Tom played for a while, then excitedly led them home. "Wow!" Bilbo and Legolas's mouths were slightly agape, looking at the house filled with blooming flowers, as if they had come to a flower fairy's greenhouse. Gandalf also showed a surprised expression. "Tom, I haven't visited you in a long time. I didn't expect you to have changed your style?"
"This is Luke's doing," the beautiful Goldberry walked gracefully from among the water basins full of water lilies, and said to everyone with a gentle smile, "He used magic to decorate our house, and Tom and I both like it very much." Goldberry was wearing a silver robe, covered with crystal-like Broken diamonds that resembled water droplets, and a golden belt around her waist. She was as gentle as the Willow River, her eyes sparkling as she looked at everyone.
"Welcome, we haven't had any guests here since Luke left last time." Tom, like a child who likes to show off in front of people he likes, handed the staff to Goldberry, and proudly said, "Goldberry, look at my new gift, a beautiful staff that can even make flowers bloom!" Goldberry looked at Tom with gentle, loving eyes, and thanked Luke: "Thank you for the gift you gave Tom. He hasn't been this happy in a long time." "As long as Tom likes it." Luke was naturally happy that his gift was liked.
Then he took out another openwork ring inlaid with a green gem and handed it to Goldberry. "Lady Goldberry, this is a gift for you. I hope you like it." This ring matched Tom's ring. Goldberry was surprised for a moment, then her eyes overflowed with a smile like water. "Oh, thank you, I really like your gift." Goldberry accepted the gift and put it on her finger.
When Tom saw that Luke had given her the same ring, he immediately leaned his head over and said very curiously, "Goldberry, quickly look at the gift inside the ring." Goldberry gently stroked the openwork part of the ring with her other hand, and a golden flower crown immediately appeared in her hand. "This is a flower crown woven from the flowers of the mallorn tree in Lórien, made with elven craftsmanship, and it will never wither." Luke explained.
Goldberry looked at the golden flower crown in her hand with admiration, carefully placed it on her head, and her eyes curved into a smile: "Thank you for your gift, Luke, this is the best gift I have ever received!" "As long as you like it." The three behind watched Luke's actions. Gandalf whispered to Legolas and Bilbo beside him: "Honestly, if Luke had been even a fraction as attentive in Lórien and Rivendell as he is now, he wouldn't still have made no progress with Arwen." Legolas and Bilbo both nodded in agreement, indicating their consent.
Fortunately, Luke didn't hear Gandalf's words, otherwise he would have said that Gandalf was disrespectful to his elders. Not to mention that he is currently only focused on improving his strength, and has no mind to think about anything extra. And even if he had the mind, would he dare to be attentive in Lórien and Rivendell? In Lórien, there were Celeborn and Galadriel, who regarded Arwen as a treasure. In Rivendell, there was Elrond, her father, and her two older brothers, Elrohir and Elladan, protecting her. To be attentive to their granddaughter/daughter/sister in front of them, was he afraid they couldn't wield a knife anymore?
In Tom's living room, Tom and Goldberry hosted Luke, Gandalf, Bilbo, and Legolas. Everyone enjoyed a lavish feast. During this time, Gandalf finally stated the purpose of their visit: "Tom, we have come here because there is an extremely dangerous item that none of us can avoid being affected by. We wish to entrust it to you for safekeeping until a way can be found to destroy it."
"What is it?" Tom asked curiously. "It's, it's..." Gandalf opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word. He could only turn to Luke, "You say it, I can't speak." Luke did not refuse. With the constraint of the Fidelius Charm, he was already surprised that Gandalf could say so much. So he said to Tom: "It's the one ring. We want you to keep the one ring for us."
Luke was the Secret-Keeper. As soon as he revealed the secret, Tom and Goldberry automatically became among those who knew the secret, and an invisible bond immediately fell upon them, restricting them from telling others. However, with Tom's strength, Luke doubted that this secrecy charm could restrict him.
Immediately, Bilbo also took out the treasure box containing the one ring from his personal pouch and placed it on the table. Luke tapped the box with his wand, and the box automatically opened, revealing the one ring placed inside. "Let me see this precious ring!" Tom looked curiously at the golden ring in the treasure box, and suddenly reached out to grab it directly.
Bilbo and Legolas were both startled by his action. Gandalf's hand, holding his pipe, also tightened. Although he believed that the oldest Tom Bombadil could withstand the power of the one ring, he was still somewhat worried. Luke, however, was very calm, full of confidence in Tom.
When the ring was placed on his large brown hand, it seemed to suddenly enlarge a lot, becoming a ring suitable for him to wear. Tom suddenly held the ring up to his eyes and began to laugh heartily. What made Gandalf, Legolas, and Bilbo even more tense was that Tom actually slipped the ring onto his little finger.
Bilbo gasped, looking at Tom in shock, because Tom didn't disappear! It was as if the ring on his finger was just an ordinary ring. Then Tom laughed again, tossing the ring up: it vanished in a flash, and then he made it reappear like a magic trick. Bilbo was a little uneasy, suspecting in his heart whether it had been swapped.
As soon as Tom put the ring back in the box, he immediately picked it up and, under Gandalf's worried and Luke's disapproving gazes, put the ring on his finger. The moment he put it on, Bilbo suddenly vanished from everyone's sight. Everyone's eyes widened immediately, carefully searching Bilbo's chair, trying to find his figure.
Only Tom still looked at Bilbo's empty seat, his eyes gleaming with piercing light: "Hey! Bilbo, Tom Bombadil's eyes aren't so old that he can't see! Take off your golden ring, your hands will be prettier without it."
Bilbo seemed to be observing whether Tom could really see him, which made Tom's eyes follow him. Finally, he took off the ring again and reappeared.
This was the first time Bilbo had worn the one ring in front of everyone. When he took off the one ring and reappeared, everyone realized he had been sitting in his seat the whole time and hadn't left. Gandalf looked at Bilbo with some concern. Luke also asked with concern, "Bilbo, are you alright?" Mainly, they were worried that Bilbo would be influenced by the one ring.
Bilbo shook his head, his eyes clear, and pointed at his forehead, saying, "The ring was indeed tempting me just now, making me want to wear it and run away and hide, but then a cool sensation on my forehead immediately calmed me down." Luke and Gandalf exchanged glances upon hearing this; they guessed it must have been Lady Galadriel's blessing kiss on his forehead that had worked, and they immediately breathed a sigh of relief. However, both of them silently decided to keep Bilbo away from the one ring in the future. Although Galadriel's blessing could temporarily block the one ring's erosion, it wouldn't be effective forever.
So Gandalf still said to Tom, "Tom, as you can see, none of us can avoid being affected by the power of the one ring. That's why we came here to entrust you with this ring. Are you willing?" Hearing Gandalf's request, Tom happily patted his chest and said, "How could Tom refuse a friend's request! Old Tom guarantees he will keep the ring safe for you!"
"Wait, Tom," Luke suddenly interjected, still a bit uneasy, and asked, "Tom, if you take the one ring, will it affect Lady Goldberry?" The others also became concerned, as they certainly didn't want Goldberry to be harmed. Goldberry smiled brightly, gently shook her head, and indicated there was no need to worry. And Tom confidently patted his chest: "In Tom's domain, nothing can harm my Goldberry!"
Saying that, he picked up the one ring and brought it closer to them, "Come, you try holding it!" Luke, Gandalf, and Legolas were startled by this sudden action. The three instinctively leaned back as if fearing a tiger, terrified of touching the one ring. Gandalf almost tipped over his chair. And Tom, as if having completed a prank, revealed a triumphant, happy smile, grinning and shaking the ring in his hand. "Come on, don't be afraid, try holding it!"
Looking at the one ring held out before them, the three dared not approach for a moment; the power of the one ring was truly terrifying. Once touched by hand, it was easy to be corrupted by the one ring and become its puppet. No one dared to take that risk. However, seeing Tom's encouraging gaze, Luke chose to trust him. After taking a deep breath, he reached out to take the one ring. Gandalf and Legolas both showed worried expressions.
As soon as the ring landed in his hand, Luke finally exhaled. He looked at the ring, feeling the cold temperature in his palm, his heart still pounding. What made his eyes widen was that this dangerous one ring, now in his hand, was like an ordinary gold ring, not emitting any seductive or corrupting power. "Try putting it on!" Tom's eyes were astonishingly bright as he continued to urge. Luke's hand trembled; he was almost startled by Tom. But under Tom's piercing gaze, he still bit the bullet and put the ring on his hand.
Hmm? Luke looked at the ring on his finger; it seemed like nothing had changed? Then, looking at the people watching him, Luke instantly realized, He hadn't turned invisible like Bilbo! Luke immediately looked at Tom in disbelief. Was this Tom's doing? Receiving Luke's shocked gaze, Tom proudly puffed out his chest, like someone who had successfully demonstrated a small trick to a child and felt accomplished. And Gandalf, Legolas, and Bilbo also widened their eyes, their faces full of shock.
Then Gandalf and Legolas also carefully took the one ring. Without exception, the one ring in their hands seemed to have become an ordinary item, lifeless and showing no power at all. The mood of the few people was somewhat restless; this was the first time they had personally touched the one ring. Before this, they had never imagined such an opportunity would arise.
"Tom, can you destroy the one ring?" Luke asked. In his opinion, since Tom could make the one ring lose its power, could he directly destroy it? But Tom shook his head. "I merely prevent its power from affecting me, but that doesn't mean I have the power to destroy it." Upon receiving this answer, Luke, Gandalf, and the others were not disappointed; after all, being able to make the one ring lose its power was already an extremely formidable feat, and they did not expect to achieve everything in one go.
After witnessing Tom's abilities, everyone confidently entrusted the one ring to Tom for safekeeping. Tom also directly wore the one ring on his pinky finger. As for the treasure box that held the ring, it belonged to Bilbo. However, to prevent the carefree Tom from losing the one ring, Luke and Gandalf still entrusted the more meticulous Goldberry to look after it. Goldberry also smiled and agreed.
Then, after obtaining Tom and Goldberry's consent, Luke also connected their fireplace to the Floo Network and presented a large bottle of Floo Powder. And he welcomed them to visit Weathertop anytime via Floo Powder.
After staying one night at Tom's house, the next day, the group officially bid farewell. However, this time, Gandalf did not travel with them. "Gandalf, aren't you coming to the Shire with us?" Bilbo asked. Gandalf patted Bilbo's shoulder, "No, Bilbo, for the rest of the journey, let Luke and Legolas escort you. I believe they can safely get you home." Bilbo was a little reluctant; he had wanted to host everyone properly once he got home. Luke hadn't expected Gandalf to leave so soon and also felt a little reluctant.
"Then where are you going, Gandalf?" "I'm going south," Gandalf said. "I'm a bit worried about the situation in Mordor, and I plan to see the Steward of Gondor to warn him." "I also plan to visit Isengard to inquire about an old friend's situation." When he said this, Gandalf's expression was somewhat heavy. Luke frowned upon hearing this and looked at Gandalf: "Are you planning to go see Saruman alone? Isn't that a bit imprudent?" Lest he be imprisoned by Saruman prematurely.
Seeing Luke's disapproving look, Gandalf chuckled and shook his head. "You needn't worry about me. Since I know he has turned to darkness, I won't act rashly. I just want to scout out the situation to make more preparations." "Alright, then be careful yourself." Luke could only hope Gandalf would have a smooth journey.
After parting ways with Gandalf, Gandalf flew south on his broom. As for Luke's own flying broom, it was given to Legolas to fly with Bilbo. He, meanwhile, transformed into an owl and flew alongside them. When passing by the Old Forest, Luke again broke off some branches from the Huorn trees and put them into his spatial bag, planning to make some wands when he had free time later. After flying past the Old Forest, they reached the nearby Bucklebury. The group did not stop, flying westward all the way. Finally, in the afternoon, they arrived at Hobbiton.
The owl that Luke had transformed into landed first in front of Bag End, then transformed back into human form upon landing. Legolas and Bilbo followed closely behind. The nearby hobbit neighbors all witnessed this scene. They were instantly stunned and speechless. "Finally home!" Bilbo looked at his familiar house, feeling as if a lifetime had passed, his heart somewhat excited. After being away for a year, the garden had become overgrown with weeds due to neglect. His mailbox was also stuffed with various letters.
"It's a letter from my cousin Drogo Baggins; he says he's getting married to a young lady from the Brandybuck family." Bilbo opened the first letter and was somewhat surprised by its contents. "It's a shame I didn't know about this good news earlier; otherwise, when we passed by Bucklebury just now, we could have stopped to congratulate him." "But it's not too late now; I need to prepare a nice wedding gift and send it over." Bilbo said thoughtfully. Luke was also surprised to hear this news and immediately said, "Let me know when you send the gift; I'll prepare a gift too and send it along with yours." He had a good relationship with Zhuoguo Baggins, so naturally, he had to show his regards when he got married. And a gift also needed to be sent to the bride, Brandybuck. After all, the Brandybuck family had helped him quite a bit back then.
"Hmm? Auction letter?" Bilbo paused when he saw the second letter, then opened it and was even more stunned, "Auction Bag End? Why are they auctioning my house?" "What's going on?" Luke and Legolas also curiously leaned in. Then they discovered it was a letter about auctioning Bag End and the items inside the house. They didn't know what was going on, but it had actually been delivered to Bilbo's mailbox.
"Mr. Fatbo, Mr. Fatbo!" Bilbo hurriedly called out to the stout hobbit man in the nearby yard, who was secretly peeking out. The short, stout Hobbit man, whose name was called, looked at him in surprise: "Mr. Bilbo?" Bilbo, having undergone a long adventure, had a changed demeanor, making his neighbor Mr. Fatbo hesitant to recognize him.
"It's me, Mr. Fatbo," Bilbo said, "Can you tell me what happened here? Why is my house being auctioned?" Mr. Fatbo looked at this neighbor, whom he hadn't seen in a long time and whose demeanor had become "strange," then glanced at the incredibly handsome Elf and the mysterious Wizard he had seen before standing behind him. He said nervously: "Because you've been away for many years with no news, everyone thought you had passed away—"
"So you're going to divide my property and even auction my house?" Bilbo immediately understood, his ears turning red with anger. And what did he mean by 'away for many years'? He had only been gone for a year, and these people were already rushing to divide his property and house? Mr. Fatbo was clearly one of them and said even more nervously: "You can't blame us; it was your cousin-in-law, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who said you had died, and her son was the primary heir to your property, so she organized a public auction."
Lobelia Sackville-Baggins? Bilbo was even more annoyed. This woman was his distant northern cousin, who had always coveted his house, especially when he had no heir. She had always tried to make her son his heir. "Wait," Bilbo suddenly realized, "Since my house was to be auctioned, why has there been no movement until now?" At this, the hobbit's eyes showed a lingering fear, then he looked at Luke with awe. "Because your house is strange; everyone who tried to force open the lock quickly grew long hair, and it wouldn't go away no matter how they shaved it!" "So no one dared to approach Bag End anymore, and the auction was canceled."
Bilbo was stunned by the news.
He immediately looked at Luke with gratitude.
If Luke hadn't placed a small curse on the lock when he left, by the time he returned, everything in the house would have been moved out.
Although with his current wealth, he could easily buy the entire Shire and still have plenty to spare.
But every item in the house held a different meaning for him.
After clarifying the reason, Bilbo thanked the hobbit and led Luke and Legolas into the Bag End yard.
Just as he took out his key to open the door, Bilbo cautiously withdrew his hand and turned to look at Luke with bright eyes.
"Luke, have you removed the curse on the door? I hope I won't grow hair all over if I touch it?"
Seeing this, a hint of regret flashed in Luke's eyes.
Alright, Bilbo wasn't so easy to trick anymore.
He had no choice but to pull out his magic wand, wave it at the door lock, and undo the small curse on it.
Seeing this, Bilbo felt a wave of relief and looked speechlessly at his unprincipled friend who wanted to see him make a fool of himself.
"Childish!"
Then, ignoring him, he quickly opened the door, turned around, invited Legolas in, and reminded him not to hit his head.
Luke didn't care if Bilbo invited him or not; he moved as if he were in his own home, bending down and skillfully going to the fireplace, waving his hand to light the fire.
"Cleanse!" Just as Bilbo picked up a broom to clean the room, Luke cast a spell to clear away the dust and grime.
Seeing this, Bilbo put down the broom, "I'll go make some tea. Later, I'll go to the market in Hobbiton. There's no food left in the pantry; I need to buy more to stock up."
Luke watched Legolas trying to bend low to avoid hitting his head on the beam, and asked Bilbo, "Bilbo, do you mind if I make your ceiling a bit higher?"
Bilbo naturally noticed Legolas's awkwardness and said apologetically, "hobbit houses are indeed a bit unfriendly to you. Luke, please use your magic to fix it!"
With Bilbo's permission, Luke immediately waved his magic wand, expanding the house's space with an Undetectable Extension Charm, mainly increasing the height.
Afterwards, Bilbo needed to go to the market to stock up, and Luke and Legolas followed.
Especially Legolas, who had lived in Mirkwood all his life, was very interested in everything he saw on this trip with Luke and the others.
After a stroll through the Hobbiton market, the news that Bilbo, the "deceased" person, was still alive quickly spread throughout the village, especially when people saw him accompanied by an Elf and a Wizard. Everyone looked at Bilbo, their formerly quiet neighbor, with new eyes.
Many people were filled with curiosity about him.
Curious about what he had experienced on his long journey, that he even brought back an Elf, who was only seen in stories!
On the second day, Bag End suddenly became lively.
It turned out that Bilbo's cousin, Otho Sackville-Baggins, and his cousin-in-law, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who had taken over Bilbo's property and house, had arrived.
When Bilbo saw Lobelia covered in long hair, looking like a wild person, he was startled.
And when Lobelia saw Bilbo, she looked as if she had seen a savior, and immediately feigned pity, pleading:
"Cousin Bilbo, please save me! Look what I've become? Covered in hair like a wild person, I don't dare to see anyone!"
"Please be kind! Have mercy, quickly remove this curse!"
Although Bilbo was shocked, he wasn't a soft-hearted person who indiscriminately gave out kindness. He snorted coldly:
"If you hadn't spread rumors of my death everywhere and tried to auction off my house, would you be like this?"
"Besides, I don't know magic, how can I undo the curse for you?"
Lobelia naturally wouldn't give up. She quickly argued, "We didn't do it on purpose. You were gone for so long, with no news.
We all thought you were dead and were worried that your house would be occupied by others, so we just wanted to help you look after it."
"Cousin Bilbo, please be kind, I beg you to ask that Wizard to lift the curse on me. I know he knows magic. I promise that once the curse is lifted, I will never bother you again!"
As she spoke, she secretly pinched her husband, Otho Sackville-Baggins, who was beside her, signaling him to speak.
Otho quickly followed suit, begging for mercy and promising never to take Bilbo's property and house again.
Hearing their promises, Bilbo hesitated a little. Although he didn't like the couple, his kind nature made him feel that a few months of punishment was enough.
So he looked at Luke for help: "Luke?"
Luke had no intention of interfering in Bilbo's family matters. Seeing him ask for help, he stepped forward and waved his magic wand at Lobelia.
"There!"
"There?" Everyone looked at Lobelia, who hadn't changed, and looked at Luke in confusion.
Did Luke not want to lift the curse?
"She won't grow any more hair now," Luke explained. "As for the hair she has now, she just needs to shave it off."
Otho and Lobelia looked at each other, somewhat skeptical, but dared not question him.
They could fool Bilbo, but when facing Luke's sharp and penetrating eyes, they instinctively feared and dared not resist.
After the two left, the neighbors who had been watching the commotion dispersed.
Bilbo then asked, "Luke, did you really lift the curse?"
Luke smiled and gave him a warning look, "Do you think I tricked them?"
Bilbo quickly shook his head: "No, I just thought that with your ability, you should be able to make Lobelia's long hair disappear completely."
"I only promised to lift the curse," Luke shrugged, a playful look on his face, "I didn't say I would help them shave off the excess hair."
Bilbo immediately understood. Thinking of his cousin-in-law having to shave like a pig, he wanted to laugh but held it back.
At the same time, he lit a candle for the other party in his heart, only hoping that the other party could find a skilled shaver, otherwise, if too much was shaved off, she might not dare to see anyone for several months again.
Luke and Legolas stayed at Bilbo's house for three days.
Then, under Bilbo's reluctant gaze, they directly teleported back to Weathertop through the newly connected fireplace.
Luke wasn't particularly reluctant about this, after all, there was now a Floo Network connection between Bag End and Amon Sûl Tower, and Luke had left behind Floo Powder.
If they wanted to meet, they could just teleport, which was very simple and convenient.
Tower first floor.
Luke stepped out of the fireplace.
Legolas, who had arrived earlier, was chatting with Edward.
Seeing him come out, Edward quickly stepped forward in surprise: "Lord Luke, you're back!"
Luke nodded: "Anything happen these past few days I was away?"
"Nothing major, except a few more people came to Hogsmeade Village," Edward replied, then handed over a parchment letter.
"But yesterday, a letter from Lake-Town appeared in the fireplace, sent by a person named Bard using Floo Powder."
"Bard of Lake-Town?" Luke was surprised and took the envelope in confusion.
He opened it and immediately understood.
It turned out this wasn't a letter sent by Bard, but an invitation sent by the Dwarves, entrusted to Bard.
Because Luke hadn't set up a Floo Network in the Lonely Mountain, the Dwarves could only find Bard when they wanted to reach him.
And the reason the Dwarves were looking for him was,
Firstly, regarding the Dragon Armor that Lord Dáin Ironfoot of the Iron Hills had promised to forge for Smaug the Dragon.
Secondly, for the construction of Weathertop Castle: Thorin Oakenshield had previously promised, in exchange for glamdring (foe-biter), that after reclaiming the Lonely Mountain, he would gather Dwarf craftsmen to build a 'Hogwarts-like Castle' for Luke on Weathertop.
Now that Thorin Oakenshield had reclaimed the Lonely Mountain and become the King Under the Mountain, the Dwarves living in the Blue Mountains, as well as other exiled Durin Dwarves, were returning one after another.
So Thorin also had to fulfill his promise.
Seeing the contents of the letter, Luke's brows immediately relaxed.
He immediately said to Legolas, "I'm going to Lake-Town for a bit, do you want to come?"
Legolas shook his head: "I think I'll return to Mirkwood for a while."
Luke nodded, "Remember to bring plenty of Floo Powder."
The Woodland Realm also had fireplaces connected, so as long as there was Floo Powder, it was very convenient for Legolas to return.
So he didn't need to worry.
After a temporary farewell to Legolas, Luke grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and sprinkled it into the fireplace: "Lake-Town!"
With that, he stepped into the green flames alone and disappeared.
After a dizzying spin, Luke appeared in the fireplace at Lake-Town.
Luke looked at the brand new, luxurious furnishings around the living room and was momentarily stunned.
Wasn't this the house Bard had permanently given him? Why had it been redecorated?
With confusion, he walked out of the house and onto the street outside.
He saw that the surrounding houses had all been rebuilt, people were coming and going on the streets, shops had appeared on both sides of the street, and the sounds of hawking were incessant.
On the street, besides humans, there were also many Dwarves, with both sides bargaining and exchanging goods.
Such a lively scene surprised Luke.
Clearly, this city-state, once destroyed by dragon fire, had once again come to life.
Many residents of Lake-Town recognized Luke. Upon seeing him, they immediately doffed their hats and bowed in respect, which made the Dwarves curious.
Luke nodded gently in acknowledgment and, guided by the residents, arrived at the Lord's residence where Bard lived.
As the Lord of Lake-Town and the Dale, Bard's mansion was naturally extraordinary, with guards standing at the gate.
However, the guards also recognized Luke and immediately stood solemn and bowed respectfully: "Wizard Luke!"
One of them respectfully said: "Lord Bard said that if it's you, you can enter without announcement. Please follow me!"
"Thank you." Luke nodded and followed him into the newly built Lord's residence.
Before reaching the main hall, Bard quickly came out to greet him, happily saying: "I didn't expect you to come so quickly, Luke, please come in!"
Luke smiled and explained: "I just sent Bilbo back to the Shire. I received your letter when I returned to Weathertop, so I came over."
"But the changes in Lake-Town truly surprised me. After a few months, it has changed so much. It seems you are leading well!"
The current Bard's demeanor had changed greatly, exuding a certain majesty and nobility, truly looking like a Lord.
Upon hearing Luke's praise, Bard smiled. After exchanging pleasantries, they quickly got to the main topic.
Bard said, "The dwarves wanted to contact you but had no direct means, so they forwarded their message through me. They are currently in the city—if you wish to meet them, I can send someone to notify them right away."
Luke nodded. "Then I'll trouble you with that!"
Soon, the dwarves were escorted to the lord's manor by Bard's attendants.
"Lord Bard."
"Wizard Luke."
The arriving dwarf, Balin, bowed slightly in greeting to the two.
"It's been a long time, Balin. How have you been?" Luke asked warmly.
As the eldest among the dwarves, Balin was wiser and more composed than the others, and Luke had always held a favorable impression of him.
Balin chuckled cheerfully. "I've been well! The Lonely Mountain has been reclaimed, the Durin's folk have returned one after another, and I no longer have to worry about being buried in a foreign land after death!"
"By the way, Luke, the craftsmen you requested—we've already prepared them for you. However, the journey from the Lonely Mountain to Weathertop is too long and perilous, so we could only ask you to come to us instead."
"Also, Lord Dáin Ironfoot has finished forging the dragon armor and entrusted us to deliver it to you."
Hearing Balin's words, Luke's eyes lit up. "Everything's ready? Where is it?"
"All in the Lonely Mountain. If you wish, Luke, you can take them with you immediately," Balin replied.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go now!" Luke could hardly contain his eagerness. After bidding farewell to Bard, he mounted his flying broom and took Balin with him to the Lonely Mountain.
Experiencing the flying broom again, Balin was thrilled. Along the way, he asked Luke about Bilbo's whereabouts and was delighted to hear that his hobbit friend had returned to his homeland.
The two soon arrived before the gates of the Lonely Mountain. The gates had been restored to their former grandeur, with armored dwarf guards stationed at the entrance and patrols along the walls.
Since they were here, it was only natural to meet Thorin. With Balin, a dwarf elder, leading the way, Luke smoothly entered the Lonely Mountain and eventually reached the great hall.
Unlike the past, when only Thorin and a dozen or so dwarves remained, now the Lonely Mountain was bustling with dwarves—those who had returned from the Blue Mountains and other scattered Durin's folk. At last, the kingdom had regained the lively atmosphere of a true dwarven realm.
Thorin sat high upon his throne, with his nephew Fíli, the heir, standing beside him.
"Long time no see, King Under the Mountain—Thorin Oakenshield," Luke said, inclining his head slightly while leaning on his staff.
From his throne, Thorin nodded in acknowledgment. "Wizard Luke, it has been too long. You look even more impressive than before."
Then he waved and ordered the dwarf craftsmen to be summoned.
"Long ago, I made a promise to you, Wizard Luke, that I would help you build a castle. Now, I shall fulfill that vow. I will send a thousand dwarf craftsmen to accompany you back, and they shall remain until the castle is complete."
"My cousin, Dáin Ironfoot, has also sent the finished dragon armor and entrusted me to deliver it to you. Balin will take you to retrieve it shortly."
Hearing that Thorin had so readily arranged a thousand craftsmen for him, Luke was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Luke's address was filled with genuine respect.
With so many dwarf craftsmen, he was certain his Hogwarts Castle would be completed in no time.
Afterward, Luke followed Balin to retrieve the dragon armor.
The armor was placed alone in a spacious hall. The moment Luke laid eyes on it, his expression was one of awe.
It was an enormous set of silver armor, fully encasing a dragon from head to tail.
The armor was assembled from several parts, yet thanks to the dwarves' masterful craftsmanship, it remained flexible and movable. Intricate patterns adorned its surface, reflecting dazzling silver light under the glow of torches.
Majestic and imposing, the armor exuded an overwhelming presence. One could only imagine how fearsome Smaug would look wearing it!
Gazing at the colossal armor, Luke marveled silently.
How had the dwarves forged such a massive suit capable of fitting a dragon? How many tons of metal had they used? No wonder it was stored in such a vast hall—any smaller room would never have been able to contain it.