Inflamed (Harry Potter & The Hobbit/LOTR Crossover) (LegolasxOC)

6- Moon Runes

When night fell, I stood with Gandalf, Elrond, Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo in a beautiful hall, sort of like a library, watching Thorin, Gandalf, and Balin fight over whether to show Elrond something or not. I was completely out of the loop and was very confused as to why I was even there. Bilbo and I shared an exasperated glance, looking on. "Our business is no concern of Elves." Thorin snapped. I winced, sneaking a look over at Elrond, who didn't seemed fazed by the Dwarf's comment.

"For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map." Gandalf commanded. I would've been shaking in my boots if he spoke to me like that and comply immediately, but Thorin, the thick-headed Dwarf, refused still. "It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets." The Wizard's tone turned reasonable, but lost none of its scariness. "Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond."

Thorin thought the offer over for a few seconds, all of us watching him. Looking a bit defeated, Thorin walked to Elrond to give him the map. Balin's arm shot out as he tried to stop his friend. "Thorin, no!" The Dwarf leader pushed past Balin and gave the map at Elrond.

The wise Elf examined the map, his expression darkening a bit. "Erebor. What is your interest in this map?" I frowned and walked over to him, peering over his shoulder. I had yet to see this map and wanted to know just where we were going. On the map had a mountain labeled the Lonely Mountain. I gulped when I saw a picture of a Dragon drawn near the front of the mountain. We were going to a place that housed a Dragon? I barely looked at the rest of the map, which contained cities and lands and other things not important.

Thorin was about to tell Elrond, but Gandalf cut him off, replying, "It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text. You still read Ancient Dwarvish, do you not?" Elrond turned his back to us and walked away a bit, giving Thorin the time to give Gandalf a nod of appreciation. I internally groaned. Gandalf is obviously covering for the true purpose of the quest. So what is it really? And what does it have to do with going to the Lonely Mountain and a Dragon living there?

Elrond stopped walking when the moonlight touched the map. "Cirth Ithil." he said. Gandalf nodded, ahhing. "Moon runes. Of course. An easy thing to miss." Elrond put the map down and turned to us. "Well in this case, that is true; moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written." I rolled my head back and placed my hands on my hips. It was almost completely impossible that tonight was the night the runes had been written.

"Can you read them?" Thorin asked, desperation in his tone. Elrond looked to Gandalf before looking down at the Dwarf. "We can try. Come." The Elf walked away with the map in hand. We all followed. Elrond led us to an area on a cliff face with waterfalls falling all around us. It was beautiful, a word I was using a lot to describe Rivendell.

There was a large table in the middle of the area, most likely made of crystal. Elrond placed the map on the table. "These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight." My eyes widened. Woah, that is lucky.

The moon came out from behind some clouds and shone down on the crystal table. I stood behind Balin and Bilbo, who were shorter than me by a lot, and watched as runes appeared on the map. Elrond started to translate them aloud. "'Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole.'" Durin's Day? Key hole for what? All these phrases and words were starting to frustrate me because I didn't know what they meant.