Chapter 65
Kingsley turned to Tauriel. “They’re good people, you won’t go wrong training with either of them.”
“That is good to know. Thank you.” Tauriel replied.
“It’s Saturday.” Harry told Tauriel. “We start on Monday.”
“Same for me.” Neville added.
~~~
May 16th 2931
“How goes the apprenticeships, Harry?” Thorin asked. “I understand that the she-elf has taken one with both yourself and Master Neville?”
“Aye, she has.” Harry grinned. “She’s doing well. I’d like to Trial her, this summer. Neville’s asked her to put off her departure until January. He’s thinking that he’ll wait on her herbology trials until just before she’s due to leave. You up for Judging her?”
“What weapons?”
“Both knives and griffins.” Harry answered.
“Nori Ri’s with us, he’d be the best to be senior Judge for her, but I’ll stand with him.” Thorin nodded.
“Much appreciated.” Harry grinned.
“When are you thinking of?”
“Knives later this month and griffins… maybe next month.” Harry shrugged. “See… Halphi's nearly caught up with the demand for beads, from our latest batch of magical graduates. And Felton’s sent word, he’s an apprentice that he wants Trialled for a Mastery. Asked if we’ve beads for herbology, yet.” He tried to explain Neville’s reasoning for the delay.
“Oh?” Thorin leant forward, he’d missed out on hearing anything from the Iron Hills, as he’d been in Gondor for the last year.
“We don’t, not yet…” Harry answered. “Halphi has tentatively drawn up a few designs, but neither mum nor Neville are happy with anything he’s done. Kingsley spoke with him and he’s happy for Felton’s apprentice to take over the challenge.”
“Ah. And do you have any idea of when or where that Trial is to happen?”
“Felton wants it here.” Harry gave the older dwarf a bewildered look. “Says that we’re better situated for Trials. And Sílor is over in the Blue Mountains, so him getting here, isn’t quite the task it was for Halphi's Trial.”
“Will there be enough time for him to travel that far?”
“Felton wants it over Yule.” Harry replied. “Harden thinks he just doesn’t want to be in the Iron Hills for winter.”
Thorin snorted. “Quite likely. A quiet Trial, then?”
“Yes, Felton says that Amika isn’t one for crowds. A little introverted.”
“Yes… Yes, I recall her.” Thorin frowned. “Very slightly built, by dwarven standards. Doesn’t like crowds. Doesn’t drink. Does like plants. Dís rather liked her. Thought she’d be well suited to Kíli, if only the dam hadn’t declared herself Tarb-shahn.”
“He’ll find his One, sooner or later.” Harry assured Thorin.
“If he lives long enough.” Thorin growled.
“What did he do this time?” Harry tried to withhold his smile.
“He convinced Tavric’s cook to make him what looked like an apple, but was actually a glazed sausage.”
“Ah the old meat as fruit trick.” Harry nodded. “That’s a good one to catch the unwary, with.”
“Yes, well… I doubt he’ll be trying it again, any time soon.” Thorin smirked.
“Oh, who’d he catch?”
“He intended to catch Gimli.”
“Starting a prank war, is he?”
“That might have been the intent, but it wasn’t Gimli, he caught.” Thorin’s smirk grew into a satisfied smile.
“Oh, dear, who’d he catch?”
“Karol.”
Harry’s eyes went wide. “Oh, Merlin…”
“Yes, I think that says it all.” Thorin laughed. “So, Amika’s Trialling, here, over Yule.”
“She is.” Harry nodded. “Oh, Villi’s here. Brought his last apprentice to us. Apparently, there’s been a bit of a to-do, back in the Blue Mountains. Mawli and Dwerin were both sweet on Larna.”
“But she only has eyes for Mawli.” Thorin sighed.
“Aye.” Harry agreed. “Dwerin objected to that and tried to force a contract on her, he lied to Dwalin, saying that she was afraid of Mawli and that it was all an act until she could get away from him.”
“Dwalin wouldn’t have taken that well.” Thorin frowned.
“He didn’t.” Harry shook his head. “He approached Larna and mother, asked point blank, why she was afraid of Mawli. He’d only known the dwarf to be honest and polite. Larna was furious and threatened to geld Dwerin, for lying about Mawli. Due to Dwerin’s actions, he’ been restricted to the homestead and the mines and Dwalin offered to act in Larna’s late father’s place, in writing up a contract between her and Mawli. Then Villi offered to bring them both here, as Bill and Fleur were looking for a competent assayer for their bank.”
“Mawli would have completed his apprenticeship a few years ago, yes?” Thorin wasn’t quite sure of when.
“Year before last, yes.” Harry replied. “He’s not ready for a Tarbûnel bead, though.”
“No, I wouldn’t think so.” Thorin nodded slowly. “And Larna? Does she have a trade?”
“Healer’s aid. And she wants to get her apothecary beads.”
“Well, she’s in the right place, then.” Thorin nodded approvingly. “Have you a space for them?”
“We do.” Harry nodded. “We’ve put up a small home for them in the little sub-division on Potter’s Row. 6D. Next to Kalin and Vrdollen.”
“Excellent.” Thorin nodded. “Oh, and I finally found some good steel. Good enough to make your Griffin Blades.” He huffed. “I made the offer ten years ago and I’ve only now found steel good enough for another set of Grand-Master’s blades. I’ll make up a set of lesser-quality dummies, over the winter, for you to approve the design next summer. If you approve, I’ll make them up, then.”
“You’re the Master Bladesmith, not me.” Harry help up his hands. “Where and when you make them, is up to you.”
~~~
March 21st 2932
“Harry?” Lavender stuck her head around the door of Harry’s workshop. “You in?”
“In here, Lavender.” Harry’s voice came from the tiny office attached to the workshop.
“Ah, there you are.” Lavender leant on the doorframe.
“What can I do for you?”
“I want a contract ready for when Thorin and Fíli come back through.” Lavender answered.
“Ah, right…” Harry grimaced, he’d known this was coming, but was kind of dreading it. Writing up a marriage contract between a prince and Grand-Master? That was going to be a nightmare… “Let’s go and talk to Hermione and Kingsley. They’re both more familiar with what’s likely to be in a royal contract.”
“Thanks, Harry.” Lavender gave him a strained smile. “I don’t expect it to be done before mid-summer, but I want to get it started.”
~~~
July 28th 2932
“Agreed?” Thorin looked at Fíli, then Lavender, then Harry, before turning to Balin and Hermione. “Let’s get that written up.”
“Before these two decide to take matters into their own hands.” Harry added and watched the pair blush brightly.
~~~
January 3rd 2933
Bilbo’s emergency portkey deposited he, Belladonna and Bungo in the presentation room of the Pond’s hospital and within seconds Bilbo was screaming for healers.
“Help! Help! Healers! Healers!” His voice filled the seemingly empty hallway.
Alice, Lily and Larna ran from a nearby room, taking one look at the blood-covered Bungo, they erupted into action.
A floating bed appeared and with a flick of her wand, Alice levitated the hobbit onto it.
“Tell me what happened.” Alice ordered, as lily floated the bed into a treatment room and Larna opened the treatment room’s potion cabinet, ready to hand Alice whatever potions she called for.
“Papa took a fall, not long after he and mama married, he’s never been all that healthy, ever since.” Bilbo began. “But for the last few days, he’s been complaining about stomach pains. I managed to get him to agree to come here, this morning. We were an hour out from Hobbiton, when he groaned, collapsed and started vomiting blood.”
“In your pony-cart?” Alice asked.
“Yes, ma'am.” Bilbo nodded. “I pulled into a copse of trees, just near the Bywater Pool. I tied Apple to a tree and mama helped me get papa out of the cart, then we activated the portkey.
“Right. Lily? Let Harry know that Bilbo’s pony and cart are in a copse of trees, just near the Bywater Pool. Have him fetch them or send someone else to fetch them.” Alice ordered. “Now, let’s see what’s going on with Bungo.”
Lily eased Bilbo and Belladonna out of the room and within seconds Harry and Sigi were easing them down onto seats in the waiting room.
“I’ve sent dad and Oliver to bring Apple in.” Harry said, a worried expression on his face. “And sent Patronus messages to Isengar and Hildifons. Is there anyone else you want called?”
“No…” Belladonna whispered, not looking away from the treatment room’s door.
“Dean.” Bilbo said. “He was painting a portrait of papa, but I don’t know if he’s finished.”
“Sigi, Violet? Will you stay with Bilbo and Belladonna. I’ll go talk to Dean.” Harry wasn’t sure what type of portrait Dean had promised Bilbo, but if it was a magical portrait, Dean and Bill, as artist and enchanter, would both be needed to embed a copy of Bungo’s personality and memories into the painting.
Four hours later, Bilbo and Belladonna cried, while the painting of Bungo Baggins sitting in the Pond’s Library, surrounded by books, shimmered with magic that was still in the process of being absorbed by the painting’s rune sequences and the crystal that would provide the magical energy, that would allow the painting to be interactive.
“It will take a week or so, before the painting wakes.” Bill warned. “And even when it does, it’s not really Bungo, just a copy. You understand that? Right?”
“Yes.” Bilbo wiped his hand across his eyes. “But even so, it will be comfort. Just having the portrait is… Thank you, Master Dean. The prospect of having a magical portrait, where we can talk to his image…? It’s truly a comfort.”
“As long as you understand.” Bill wasn’t trying to be cruel, but it needed to be said. “I’ve also put a ward on the frame, if there’s anyone other than the two of you present, the frame will freeze the painting. If the person is a magical, they can release the jinx. If they’re not, they’ll need to press their emergency portkey to the nameplate. If they don’t have a portkey, they’re not on the approved list, of those in the know about magic. In which case? I’m sorry, the jinx won’t release until they’re gone.”
Bilbo looked at Bill, his face tired and sad, but he nodded. “I understand. Mama wants to have a portrait done, too, so that a part of them will always be together.” While he spoke, Bilbo fingered the beads that hid in his curly hair. “They should always be together.”
~~~
March 11th 2933
“Congratulations on staying out of the ring.” Harry stood beside Remus as he and Tonks watched Teddy’s Trial for staff-fighting.
“Oh, hah, hah.” Remus glared at the younger dwarf.
“No, I meant it.” Harry shook his head. “Congratulations, almost everyone’s laid bets against you. Only me and Vrdollen said, you’d stay up here.” He gestured to the spectator stands.
“Huh.” Remus grunted.
“You just earnt me free Trials for DADA and charms, from Kingsley and those missed animagi lessons, from Sirius. As well as a new dinner set for Hermione, from dad.”
Remus grunted again.
“At least Teddy’s done well. Three tarbûn beads before he’s fifteen. Not bad.” Harry patted Remus on the shoulder and stood. “Hand-to-hand, scribe and now, staff-fighting. Not bad at all.” He turned to climb down the stands.
~~~
July 23rd 2933
For the second time in little more than two years, Bilbo’s emergency portkey landed he and Belladonna in the Pond’s hospital.
It was with sadness that Dean and Bill followed Alice into the small treatment room. Both knew, that if they were being called, then Belladonna was soon to join Bungo in Yavanna’s Gardens.
When they emerged, many hours later, they slid the glowing painting towards Bilbo. This painting had Belladonna in her favourite place, Bag End’s garden. A lush wildflower garden, with a pretty flowering tree, under which was a paved area with table and chairs. Beside the chairs was an outdoor chaise and it was here, that the painting’s occupant reclined, sleeping until enough magic had been absorbed to allow her to wake.
“Thank you, Master Dean, Master Bill.” Bilbo accepted the painting and sighed.
Bill gave him a sad smile and nodded.
Dean’s smile wasn’t much better. “You’re very welcome, Bilbo. The smial painting is nearly done. By the time Belladonna’s painting wakes, it should be ready for her and Bungo.”
The smial painting had taken Dean far longer than Belladonna’s, mostly because of the magic that was layered into it. Every room of the smial had to be painted, individually, before being layered into the painted footprint of Bag End. Only once the layering was complete, could Dean paint the image that any onlooker would see and that the occupants of other magical paintings could interact with.
~~~
May 27th 2934
The little bell in Harry’s workshop, that was linked to Isengar’s office, rang. Harry glanced at it and frowned. It had been years since Isengar had felt the need to call on Harry, as Kingsley and Alicia were quite proficiently running the dwarven side of the Pond. So, why would Isengar be calling on him, now?
Harry closed his workshop doors and quietly apparated to the alcove that all of the Pond’s municipal building had put aside, as being for apparition. From there he climbed the stairs to the Mayor’s Office.
“Master Harry,” Dina Palmer smiled at him as he entered the reception area, “go right through, they’re expecting you.”
“Any idea what this is all about?” Harry asked.
“Something to do with the rangers.” Dina shrugged. “But outside that? Not a clue.”
“Hmm…” Harry grimaced. “Thanks, anyway.”
Dina gave him a smile and watched as Harry walked down the hall to Isengar’s office.
“You rang?” Harry grinned to take any sting out of his words.
“Ah, Master Harry, thank you for coming. You know Arameth, of course. And this is Gilraen, daughter of Dihrael, and wife of Arathorn, and her son, Aragorn. Lady Gilraen, this is Grand-Master of Knives Harry, son of James. He’s our most senior ranked dwarf and the one responsible for the agreement that your husband and his father made with the Pond.”
“Greetings, my lady.” Harry bowed to the withdrawn woman.
“Sir.” Was all she said, but her voice was ragged with grief and exhaustion.
“Arameth is requesting our assistance.” Isengar said. “Chieftain Arathorn was killed in a skirmish with some northern raiders, two years ago and Lord Elrond of Rivendell has suggested that as we have many youngsters, lady Gilraen may find raising her son here, where he can find friends of a similar age, to be better for the boy’s social development. At least until he’s ready to start his ranger training.”
“And while I have no issues with granting her the use of the cottage you’ve assigned the rangers, she has limited income.” Arameth cut in. “I’m hoping that between the four of us, we came come to some sort of agreement, that will enable the lady to provide for herself and her son.”
“Hmm…” Harry studied the woman, she had dark golden hair and a face that looked like it should be soft, but grief had dragged that softness into harsh lines. “Might I ask, my lady, of what skills you have?”
“I tended my husband’s land, while he saw to the protection of our people.” She answered. “I tended his animals, harvested his crops and kept his home. I have few skills that are saleable.”
“And what of your free time?”
“I spun, wove fabric for our clothes and when time allowed, I embroidered them with protective runes.”
“Excellent.” Harry beamed. “Would you be prepared to work with a hobbit matron? We have a number of Men and elves coming through our gates, wanting clothes, but lady Cordelia isn’t well versed in making clothes for tall folk. If you would be prepared to take on that task, we will gladly support you.”
Gilraen blinked in surprise. “Is there that much difference between making clothes for a hobbit, than a man or an elf?”
Harry laughed gently. “There is, when the hobbit is less than four foot tall and the man or elf are easily six feet or more.”
“Ah.” Gilraen grimaced. “I had not considered height to be an issue.”
“It can be.” Harry shrugged. “Or rather, the lack of it, can be.”
“I see.” Gilraen nodded slowly.
“What do you consider support, Master Harry?” Arameth asked.
“We would see that she receive a minimum amount of food, just as we do for all our residents with children. Over and above that, lady Gilraen would work with… or perhaps next door to… lady Cordelia, any money she earns through the making of clothing would be hers.”
“What do you consider a minimum?” Gilraen asked.
“The tithe that we send you?” Harry asked in reply. “We consider that to be the bare minimum to sustain a family of four, for one month.”
“And you provide that much to all your residents?”
“Not that much and not to all, no.” Harry shook his head. “All those that have children? Yes, they receive a certain amount. Mostly meat, vegetables and fruit. Grains, breads and sweets are usually not included in the children’s supplementary box. The exact amounts depend on what our healer says is the minimum for each individual child’s needs. Hobbit children need far more vegetables than dwarven children, and I’ve no idea what a human child needs. But thankfully, Healer Alice does.”
“Then perhaps, lady Gilraen could meet with Healer Alice?” Arameth suggested.
“And with lady Cordelia, as well?” Isengar added.
“And then with Sigisimond Took.” Harry nodded. “Sigi and his wife, Violet run the Store. Each month, healer Alice sees each of the children of the Pond and sends an order through to Sigi, who boxes it up, ready for the parents of each child to collect. Determining exactly what’s in that box is up to Alice, if you’ve a vegetable garden or fruit trees, she may alter the contents. That’s something you need to discuss with her, I’m not involved with that. Not at all.”
“Who’s on as healer’s aid, today?” Isengar asked.
“Kellah and Eliza.” Harry answered. “Hermione and I took Jax and Minnie in this morning for their check-ups.”
“Do you think we could ask one of them to assist lady Gilraen until we can get Alicia in?” Isengar asked.
“Of course.” Harry nodded. “Although…? If lady Gilraen is going to live here, she should be given a Disclosure.” He said the latter to Isengar, who blinked.
“I hadn’t even considered that.” The hobbit grimaced.
“It would be better to do that before meeting with Alice.” Harry advised. “That way Alice can do a complete diagnostic scan, on them both.”
“True.” Isengar nodded.
“A disclosure on what?” Gilraen asked, curiosity brightening her face.
Four hours later, Alicia stopped by Harry’s workshop.
“Heya, Harry.” She said as she leant on the doorframe.
“Alicia, hi. What can I do for you?” He paused. “Gilraen all sorted?”
“Yeah.” Alicia didn’t sound overly confident about it, though.
“You sure?” Harry frowned.
“She’s in.” Alicia shrugged. “She’s not too pleased that she’s having to live in a mixed village, but she’s determined to do the best for her son. When he’s eight or nine, she’ll let him start having short trips with the rangers, but he can’t start actual training with them until he’s twelve. I wouldn’t be surprised if she approaches you, Colin or Sirius about some basic training for him, before then.”
“He’s going to be the king of Gondor, one day, if he takes up what his father didn’t.” Harry answered. “He’s going to need to know how to use a sword, knives and a bow, at least. While we can’t teach him the same way as the rangers or the elves, we can give him some basic grounding. Maybe knife throwing, staff fighting and hand-to-hand…” He hummed. “We’ll see what Gilraen has to say on the matter, when she comes.”
“As long as you’re aware.” Alicia grinned. “Oh, Bill and Kingsley finished writing up contracts for George and Angelina, Fred and Katie and me and Lee.”
“Finally making honest dwarves of them, huh?” Harry grinned.
“Got tired of their griping about it, you mean.” Alicia grinned back.
“Domesticated Weasleys, who’da thunk it?” He laughed.
~~~
January 22nd 2935
“What do you think?” Thorin asked.
“Wow…” Harry nodded slowly. “They’re impressive.”
And they were. While they were the same overall shape and style as the blades sent by Gringotts, the quality of the metal and the forging produced by Gringotts was nothing like what Thorin had laid on the workbench in front of Harry.
The Gringotts’ blades were plain steel. No blemishes, it was true, but Thorin had combined steel and black steel for a dark menacing blue/grey. And the metal shimmered with embedded magic, the runes along the lip between the blade’s cutting surface and the knife’s body were tiny, but they glowed when he let his magic filter out to touch the blades.
“Magic?” He asked.
“Magic.” Thorin nodded. “I spoke to lady Hermione and she in turn spoke with Master Bill and lady Fleur. Between them, they determined the best rune sequence to pair with your magic, then lady Luna suggested that I incorporate something she called green amethyst, into the smelting. I feared that the powdered stone would burn up but she seemed quite confident it wouldn’t.”
“That sounds like Luna.” Harry nodded.
“So lady Hermione said.” Thorin agreed.
“So, magic. Green Amethyst forged into the metal, runes laid…” Harry frowned. “During or after the forging?”
“The etching of the surface runes was done after the smelting but during the forging, Master Bill etched each layer of metal as I folded the metal. Along with lady Fleur, lady Hermione, lady Lavender and a slew of others that they’d roped in, he spent the entire time chanting spells as I worked. The blades are forged, physically and magically, for you. Anyone else trying to use them is going to find themselves in a world of hurt, unless you approve of them. Master Bill said it was all about intent?” Thorin clearly wasn’t certain of the theory behind what Bill and the other magicals had done.
“Whoa…” Harry gasped near silently. “The whole time you worked on these?”
“The entire time.” Thorin nodded. “Bill said it was not something that could be done on just anyone’s blades. That they would have to have a certain level of magical strength to power the embedded runes as well as the surface ones.”
“I guess…” Harry frowned. “I’ve never thought about adding runes to weapons…”
“I’m not certain that anyone has either. But I wanted to see if there were spells that would strengthen the metal once it was forged. What I got was something entirely different. But the amount of work, not just for myself but for Master Bill and those assisting him, was enough that we have decreed that such blades are only to be made for Grand-Masters.”
“That makes sense.” Harry nodded.
“We’ll be doing you a set of knives, as well.” Thorin warned. “Master Bill says that you will be able to bequeath them to your children or to a successor. If they have magic, you can magically pass the blades’ bonds to whom you choose.”
~~~
October 2nd 2935
“Well?” Hermione asked as Harry entered the kitchen.
“Horf agrees with Frank.” Harry answered. “They’re definitely shaped more like chargers than the average riding pony.”
He and Frank had taken three yearling foals and one stallion, to Tharbad, when they’d heard that the Black Rock horse fair’s manager was one again in the north.
“And?”
“And none of the other foals from either Ebony or Golly, look anything like Trickett.” Harry replied. “Horf called him a throwback. The fact that he’s breeding true to his form is quite surprising. I told him that we put ten mares to Trickett in his first season and all of the foals look like him. He was very impressed with Nira, Peggy and Jelly. Says they’ve definitely got the body-shape of a Gondorian Charger, on a pony scale. He also helped us find another five yearling fillies with a similar shape. Said they’re great for riding or driving.” Harry explained. “And I was thinking that they might be good for the trip to the Trollshaws with the Company.”
“Oh…” Hermione had been about to chide Harry, before he’d added that last sentence. “Oh, my. Yes, they probably would be. Sirius or Bill can follow the Company, in their Animagus form and gather them up, once the Company meet up with the brown Istari.”
“I was thinking about that on the way home.” Harry rocked his head from side to side.
“Oh, what now…?” Hermione sighed.
“Now, now, love. Be nice.” Harry pouted. “I was just thinking that maybe the animagi could take turns following the Company, until we reach Erebor. That way, we can set a location aside just for portkeys, for those that want to participate in the battle.”
“Hmm…” Hermione hummed as she made a pot of tea. “That could work. That could work quite well.” She hummed a little longer. “Yes… That would work. They could also provide a little backup, if things get too much for just the Company.”
“At the least, they could call for backup, if we really need it.” Harry nodded.
“Ah, so you’ve decided then?”
“If Thorin asks, yes.”
“And?” Hermione raised a single eyebrow.
“Me and Colin will join the Company.” Harry answered.
“I was fairly confident, that you would be going.” Hermione nodded. “Thorin’s your friend and you’ve never turned a friend away, when they’ve asked for help.”
“Are you… are you disappointed that I’ve chosen to go?” Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
“No, Harry.” Hermione shook her head, her curls dancing in the evening light. “Like I said, I was fairly confident that you’d be going. It’s part of who you are, that need to help.”
“My saving people thing.” Harry grinned.
Hermione laughed. “I don’t think Albus was expecting you to save a king, though.”
~~~