Harry Potter and the Dwarves of Erebor

Chapter 16 The Search For the Arkenstone

The Dwarves watch as Smaug chiefest and greatest of calamities heads down to lake town and they are helpless to stop him. Haraldur sits on a stone very angry with himself, he couldn't believe that he missed. He was right there, how did the dragon know that the Killing Cursing was heading right for him. Balin sees how upset the Dwarfling is, he comes and lays a hand on the boy.

"I missed, Balin, I missed, I can not believe I missed! I could have ended everything, now Lake-Town will burn as will the others."

"There is nothing that could be done, Lad, dragon hid is thick and hard to pierce." Balin says trying to reassure the Dwarfling.

"You don't understand!" Haraldur yells standing up abruptly." All the attention is now focused on him.

"I cast the Killing Curse, if I had hit him he would have died instantly! No one can survive that, not even Smaug."

The Dwarves gather around Haraldur, "Are you serious, Haraldur, no one can survive that curse?" Nori asks.

"No, Nori, but that miserable dragon sensed it and dodged at the last second." Haraldur says as he kicks a stone angrily.

Balin kneels down in front of Haraldur. "Lad that's a serious curse that you know, you must be careful with it and only use it in the most dire of circumstances. Do you understand?"

"Aye, Balin, I understand, but I think this was a dire circumstance. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Aye, Lad I agree, I wish that dragon hadn't have sensed it. This all would have been over with by now, those poor souls down there."

Balin stood up and walked to the edge of the cliff to watch Smaug rain down terror and death to the people of Lake-Town. Haraldur joined him tears streaming down his face. He felt his heart wrench as he watched helplessly.

While they are having this conversation with Harldur, Bilbo finds it odd that Thorin is not with the Dwarfling comforting him, he looks around for Thorin but he is nowhere to be seen. He moves further away from the ledge and finds Thorin staring back at Erebor, not showing the least bit of concern about what is going on. Suddenly a loud groan and a great crash was heard, Ori sits up.

"What was that, what happened?"

"It fell, I saw it. It's dead, Smaug is dead." Bilbo says in a shocked tone.

"I saw it too, I saw the dragon hit the water!" Haraldur exclaimed.

"By  my beard, I think he's right. Look there! The ravens of Erebor are returning to the mountain." Gloin says with a sense of awe.

"Aye, word will spread, before long every soul in Middle Earth will know that the dragon is dead!" Balin exclaim, cheers erupt from the rest of the Dwarves.

But Thorin is not happy about that, he makes haste back to Erebor, with only Haraldur seeing the odd look on his face, he scrambles after Thorin.

"Thorin, Thorin wait!"

Thorin ignores Haraldur and speeds up his pace towards the mountain. Upon entering the mountain, Thorin heads straight for the gold. Once there he slowly walks out onto the piles and piles of gold, reveling in the feel of it beneath his boots, the beautiful sound of the coins clinking together.

He lets out a sigh, "I'm home." He says as he sinks down in to the gold to run his fingers through it.

The next few days Bilbo, Haraldur, and the Company see very little of Thorin, he tells them that he wants to be alone. Thorin wanders the Royal halls until he enters his grandfather's room. In there he find robes that belonged to Thror and the crown, he proudly puts on Thror's robe even though it smells like dragon dung. Next he reverantly puts on Thror's crown, he turns to look at himself in the mirror. Satisfied with the way he looks an insane smile blossoms upon his lips. He leaves the room with a flourish and heads back down to his precious gold.