The next morning Harry woke up early to prepare for the quest and soon he had everything he needed except his sword which seemed to have vanished, Harry went down to look in the armoury "You will not need that blade," a voice said which made Harry jump, he turned round to see Elrond behind him "You need a proper weapon," Elrond held out a long silver sword which was slightly curved and was about as long as Harry's arm "This sword was forged in the goblin wars," Elrond said while Harry took the blade from Elrond's hand and stared at it "Its name is Istar, in Elvish that means Saviour, I know why you are here, you are the one person of your company Sauron wants alive..."
Later that morning Frodo appeared also holding a new sword, he looked shaken but Harry didn't ask why, soon the Fellowship stood just before the gates of Rivendell "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom, you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will, farewell, hold to your purpose and may the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you," Elrond said, he waved his hand in front of him like he was bestowing a blessing.
"The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer," said Gandalf, he looked to Frodo as did the rest of the Fellowship.
Frodo turned round before he started walking and the rest of the group followed on except Aragorn who hesitated before joining them "Mordor Gandalf, is it left or right?" He whispered as the left Rivendell knowing they probably wouldn't be seeing it again in a long time.
"Left," Gandalf replied. They walked for miles and miles that day before stopping to rest "We must hold to this course, west of the Misty Mountains, for 40 days," said Gandalf who was sitting on a rock "If our luck holds the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us, from there our road turns east to Mordor.
Frodo and Sam watched as Merry, Pippin and Harry practiced swordfighting with Boromir, Harry's new sword Istar working brilliantly for him "Two, one, five," Boromir said as Harry parried all his attacks "Good! Very good, we'll make a warrior out of you yet Hadrid," Boromir praised. He then turned to Pippin, who parried all his moves and locked one of his strikes with his sword before stylishly spinning when Aragorn said "Move your feet."
"You look good, Pippin," said Merry, his mouth full of barbecued sausage.
"Thanks," Pippin responded.
Boromir turned to Merry who went rather slowly "Faster!" Boromir urged and Merry sped up his parries and blocked Boromir's fast strikes.
As the clash of swords rang out across where they where staying as Gimli grumbled "If anyone was to ask my opinion, which I note they're not," he huffed "I'd say we're taking the long way round, Gandalf," Gandalf looked down at Gimli at the mention of his name "We could pass through the Mines of Moria, my cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."
"No," said Gandalf "I would not take that road through Moria unless I had no other choice," Gimli looked saddened at Gandalf's decision as Legolas sprinted over rocks and narrowed his eyes at something on the horizon, Gandalf noticed it to.
"Ahh!" Squeaked Pippin, dropping his sword as Boromir accidentally caught his wrist with his own sword.
"Sorry!" Boromir exclaimed as Pippin clutched his wrist before kicking Boromir in the shin "Ow!" He yelled and he repeated as Merry hit him with the flat of his sword and as Harry leapt onto his back and started pounding his head lightly enough to hurt a bit but not to really hut.
"Get him!" Crowed Merry as he tackled the unfortunate Boromir to the ground and Harry helped them pin him to the ground.
"For the Shire!" Pippin yelled delightfully.
"Hold him!" Called Harry, laughing as he did so "Hold him down, Merry!"
Aragorn chuckled slightly at there wrestling match, as they laughed and shouted "Gentlemen, that's enough," he said walking over and attempting pull Pippin off, before Harry swung out his leg and causing Aragorn to trip up and land sprawled on his back.
"You've got my arm! You've got my arm!" Merry crowed as the thing on the horizon came nearer and nearer.
"What is that?" Asked Sam, wincing to see through the sunlight.
"Nothing," said Gimli "It's just a wisp of cloud."
"It's moving fast," said Boromir who had finally managed to get up "Against the wind."
"Crebain from Dunland!" Yelled Legolas, realising what they were.
"Hide!" Yelled Aragorn and they scrambled for cover, dismantling the temporary camp, Sam poured water over the fire and took the still sizzling frying pan with him as he hid and suddenly silence ensued. The Crebain circled where there camp had been before heading off in another direction, slowly the Fellowship appeared from their hiding places when they were sure the Crebain had left.
"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf grumbled "The passage south is being watched, we must take the Pass of Caradhras," he said pointing at a snow topped mountain.
They Fellowship trudged across the snowy Pass of Cahadhras which was getting steeper and steeper with every step "Frodo!" Harry called as Frodo fell over and started rolling down the mountain but Aragorn managed to catch him just in time, he helped the little hobbit up who brushed himself down but then a look of horror came over his face, the ring was missing. Harry saw a glimmer of gold on the white snow, he walked over to pick up the ring but another hand had picked it up already "Boromir," said Aragorn warningly.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing," said Boromir in a dazed fashion, he stared at the Ring "Such a little thing," said Boromir, he was almost touching the Ring now.
"Boromir!" Called Aragorn, Boromir looked up from his stupor.
"Give the Ring to Frodo" said Harry icily "Now."
Frodo stared weakly at Boromir who was slowly approaching him "As you wish," he said, he held out the Ring to Frodo who snatched it out of his hand "I care not," Boromir said, he ruffled Frodo's hair carelessly before turning and walking off, Harry noticed Aragorn staring at Boromir as he walked off and he took his hand off his sword, Harry's eyes widened before he shook his head and kept on walking.
The Fellowship was soon waist deep in snow, it was up to Harry's and Gimli's chests but for the Hobbits they had to be carried by Aragorn and Boromir so they wouldn't be buried alive. Legolas sprinted ahead, managing to stand on the snow because of lightness and so he could see and hear for them, he suddenly stopped and looked as if he was listening hard "What is it?" Harry shouted over the noise of the blizzard, Bill the horse which Gimli was leading whinnied nervously.
"There's a fell voice on the air," called Legolas grimly.
By this time the rest of the Fellowship has stopped "It's Saruman!" Gandalf yelled, a large cracking noise echoed from above them Harry looked up and saw an avalanche of boulders fall from the mountain.
"Take cover!" Harry shouted, the company hid underneath a small overhang as the boulders hit where they just where or toppled off the side of the mountain "He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Harry shouted.
"Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn agreed.
"No!" Gandalf replied, he walked forward before chanting, 'obviously to repel Saruman's spell' Harry thought but it was not enough, a bolt of lightning struck the top of the mountain and a cascade of snow broke off the top and crashed down on top of them before thy had a chance to take cover.
Harry's head and shoulders popped out of the snow and looked around the cliff they had been standing on for the others, Legolas suddenly appeared out of the snow followed by someone's maybe Aragorn's hand and soon the Hobbits and Gimli popped out of the snow like flowers and were pulled out by Harry, Legolas, Boromir, Aragorn and Legolas. "We must get off the mountain!" Boromir shouted "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn protested.
"We can't pass over a mountain," growled Gimli "Let us go under it, let us go through the Mines of Moria."
Gandalf did not look to happy at Gimli's idea "Let the Ring-bearer decide," he said.
Frodo looked surprised at Gandalf's statement, he looked deep in thought for a minute "We cannot stay here!" Boromir called to Frodo "This will be the death of your kin," he pointed to Merry and Pippin who were starting to turn an unhealthy blue colour.
"Frodo," Gandalf said, Harry realised he was asking for an answer.
"We will go through the mines," said Frodo.
Gandalf did not look to pleased about his response "So be it," he said grudgingly.
They were still caked in snow when they got off the mountain and as they approached the Mines, tall stone viaducts jutted out of the mountain slope, pouring out waste rock onto the cliff face "Frodo," Gandalf said "Come and help an old man," Frodo walked over to Gandalf and put an arm round him "How is your shoulder?" He asked.
"Better than it was," Frodo responded.
"And the Ring?" At this point Gandalf turned Frodo round to face him "You feel it's power growing don't you? I've felt it too, you must be careful now, evil will be drawn to..." Harry didn't hear the rest because he chose not to, he didn't think he was supposed too anyway.
The rest of the Fellowship walked past Frodo and Gandalf, suddenly gasped "The Walls of Moria," he said, his voice laced in awe as he pointed to a very high and very long cliff face, which with covered with cracks and scars, "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," said Gimli banging his axe on the cliff face every five seconds.
"Yes Gimli," said Gandalf who was also banging his staff on the cliff face "Their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."
"Why doesn't that surprise me," Legolas grumbled as he skipped over loose stones,Gimli scowled at him.
Bangs of items on stone echoed round where they were standing, Frodo gasped and quickly took his foot out of the ice cold water he had just stepped in at the bank of a lake as he stepped in sone of the ice cold water on the edge of the lake they were near, "Well, let's
see," Gandalf muttered, stopping at a very ordinary part of the cliff, he reached out a hand and dusted the stone and faint carves in the rock started to appear. "Ithildin," he said "It mirrors only starlight and moonlight," he dusted more and the carved frame of a door started to slowly appear, Gandalf turned and just as a wisp of cloud blew away a very bright and convenient full moon appeared and its rays focused on the door like a spotlight, Gandalf smiled and walked backwards as words appeared in an arch over the door "It reads, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, speak friend and enter," he read pointing his staff to the elvish words.
"What do you suppose that means?" Asked Merry dully.
"It means," Harry said "That if you are a friend you speak a password and the doors should open."
"Should?!" Merry exclaimed.
"Hadrid speaks the truth," said Gandalf, he pressed his staff to the centre of the door and started chanting in Elvish, Pippin's smile quickly faded when the door didn't open, Gandalf frowned before trying again, nothing happened.
"Nothing's happening," said Pippin.
Gandalf then proceeded to push the door with his hand, then with his shoulder "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men and orcs," he murmured.
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin questioned almost cockily.
"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf threatened "And if that doesn't shatter them and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions I will try and find the opening words," Pippin looked slightly shaken.
Over the next hour the Fellowship sat on the bank as Gandalf murmured Elvish spells, Harry finally got bored of the silence "What shall we do with Bill?" He asked, pointing at the exhausted pony "I mean mines are not really a good place for a pony."
Aragorn nodded drily before getting up and helping Harry empty Bill's saddlebags while Sam removed the bridle, "Ponies and Mines
don't go together," Aragorn said "Even a pony as brave as Bill."
"Bye-bye Bill" Sam said slightly sadly after all he was the one who led the reluctant animal from Bree to here.
"Go on Bill, go," Aragorn encouraged, the pony turned away from them and started walking back down the path from which they came "Don't worry Sam," Aragorn said too a worried looking Sam "He knows the way home," A sudden splash echoed round where they were situated, Pippin and Merry were throwing rocks into the calm water. Aragorn suddenly grabbed Pippin's hand with lightning reflexes as Pippin went to throw another rock "Do not disturb the water" he warned.
"Oh it's useless," Gandalf grumbled in defeat, throwing his staff on the floor and sat on a rock wearily.
Most of the Fellowship didn't seem to notice but Harry, Aragorn and Boromir did, large ripples wove their way across the lake, Frodo suddenly stood up and looked up at the door "It's a riddle," he murmured, now the Fellowship was noticing the even larger and more pronounced waves on the lake's surface, Aragorn looked troubled. "Speak friend and enter," Frodo wondered aloud, oblivious to the ripples on the lake "What's the Elvish word for friend?" He asked, looking at Gandalf.
"Mellon," said Gandalf tiredly, there was a loud rumbling of stone and the carved doors swung open, Gimli's eyes widened as the doors opened to their full extent, the Fellowship hurried through the stone doors, Harry gave on last look at the lake before following them into the gloom.