"That's why we come back here every year or two," said the one who'd spoken to him first, "ever since the days when we became travellers, even if we can't travel as much as we'd like anymore. Holding rather important offices back in the Shire, you know, we do feel it's important to keep up on the news from Bree.
"The Shire?" Harry repeated.
"You really are lost, aren't you, lad?" said the other little man. "Don't mind my cousin. He likes to think we're important, but mostly we come here because we like the company, and the large portions of food and drink."
"Let's not be strangers anymore," said the first, grinning at his friend. "My name is Meriadoc Brandybuck."
"And I'm Paladin Took," he stood up in order to bow slightly, "at your service and your family's. And you should call me Pippin and him Merry."
"I'm Harry," he said, shaking their hands. And, quietly, with a glance at the tall men surrounding them, he finished, "Harry Potter."
"Splendid," said Merry, not raising an eyebrow upon hearing the name. "I think we should talk, Harry, and share a meal, as Pippin says, but we'd best go back to our own room, since you never know who might be listening here in the common-room."
Pippin had got up and appeared to be giving instructions to another one of the little men – a good deal shorter than him and Merry, actually.
"We need to put some food in you before you get drunk on mead and start dancing on the tables," Marry said good-naturedly. "Come with us then."
Harry was quiet as they led him up the stairs, and he gripped his wand hidden under the long sleeve us his robe. But it really was a relief to be alone with these two after spending the last hour (since he'd stepped out of the fireplace as surreptitiously as he could manage) sipping his goblet of mead and being stared at by a dozen big burly men. Merry and Pippin weren't like Harry but they were a lot less frightening than anyone else around here. In fact, Harry wouldn't be frightened of them at all if he weren't completely lost and uncertain of ever finding his way home.
By the time they made it to their room and closed the door Harry felt he couldn't keep silent any longer. "Look," he blurted out, "I know this place can't be Muggle, but it isn't magical either, is it? I mean, you two aren't... wizards, are you?"
"Wizards? Gracious, no!" said Pippin, laughing loudly. But it wasn't the way the Muggles Harry knew would laugh if he talked about magic.
Merry, who was watching Harry carefully and hadn't laughed, said, "We had dealings with Wizards once, but that was years ago."
So there was still a chance they could help him. "Who were the wizards you knew?" Harry asked.
"Gandalf the Grey was our friend," said Merry.
"And Saruman the White was not," added Pippin.
"I see," said Harry. "And if I mentioned Albus Dumbledore, the, er... silver and purple?"
They stared at him blankly. Well, if they hadn't heard of Harry Potter it wasn't too surprising that they wouldn't know Dumbledore either. Still, he thought he should give it another try. "Erm, Sirius Black?" He tried to think of Lavender Brown's father's name but couldn't remember it. "Something... Brown?"
"Sorry," said Pippin.
"No, wait," said Merry, "Gandalf had a friend called Radagast the Brown. He's the only Wizard I can think of who might still be here in Middle-earth and willing to help us. I haven't a clue where he is now, but if you like we can send out word tomorrow."
"We have friends among the Elves as well, you see," said Pippin. And the pride with which he said it made Harry think elves were probably not the same thing here as they were in his own world. And for that matter there was no reason to think that wizards were the same thing here either. Harry still couldn't remember Lavender's father's name but he knew for certain it wasn't Radagast.
"Only one left in the world?" he said.
"If Gandalf had been the only one we ever met, that would have been much better for all of us, I think," said Pippin. Merry frowned at him but said nothing.
"Well, you've met one more of them now," said Harry.
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"The Shire?" Harry repeated.
"You really are lost, aren't you, lad?" said the other little man. "Don't mind my cousin. He likes to think we're important, but mostly we come here because we like the company, and the large portions of food and drink."
"Let's not be strangers anymore," said the first, grinning at his friend. "My name is Meriadoc Brandybuck."
"And I'm Paladin Took," he stood up in order to bow slightly, "at your service and your family's. And you should call me Pippin and him Merry."
"I'm Harry," he said, shaking their hands. And, quietly, with a glance at the tall men surrounding them, he finished, "Harry Potter."
"Splendid," said Merry, not raising an eyebrow upon hearing the name. "I think we should talk, Harry, and share a meal, as Pippin says, but we'd best go back to our own room, since you never know who might be listening here in the common-room."
Pippin had got up and appeared to be giving instructions to another one of the little men – a good deal shorter than him and Merry, actually.
"We need to put some food in you before you get drunk on mead and start dancing on the tables," Marry said good-naturedly. "Come with us then."
Harry was quiet as they led him up the stairs, and he gripped his wand hidden under the long sleeve us his robe. But it really was a relief to be alone with these two after spending the last hour (since he'd stepped out of the fireplace as surreptitiously as he could manage) sipping his goblet of mead and being stared at by a dozen big burly men. Merry and Pippin weren't like Harry but they were a lot less frightening than anyone else around here. In fact, Harry wouldn't be frightened of them at all if he weren't completely lost and uncertain of ever finding his way home.
By the time they made it to their room and closed the door Harry felt he couldn't keep silent any longer. "Look," he blurted out, "I know this place can't be Muggle, but it isn't magical either, is it? I mean, you two aren't... wizards, are you?"
"Wizards? Gracious, no!" said Pippin, laughing loudly. But it wasn't the way the Muggles Harry knew would laugh if he talked about magic.
Merry, who was watching Harry carefully and hadn't laughed, said, "We had dealings with Wizards once, but that was years ago."
So there was still a chance they could help him. "Who were the wizards you knew?" Harry asked.
"Gandalf the Grey was our friend," said Merry.
"And Saruman the White was not," added Pippin.
"I see," said Harry. "And if I mentioned Albus Dumbledore, the, er... silver and purple?"
They stared at him blankly. Well, if they hadn't heard of Harry Potter it wasn't too surprising that they wouldn't know Dumbledore either. Still, he thought he should give it another try. "Erm, Sirius Black?" He tried to think of Lavender Brown's father's name but couldn't remember it. "Something... Brown?"
"Sorry," said Pippin.
"No, wait," said Merry, "Gandalf had a friend called Radagast the Brown. He's the only Wizard I can think of who might still be here in Middle-earth and willing to help us. I haven't a clue where he is now, but if you like we can send out word tomorrow."
"We have friends among the Elves as well, you see," said Pippin. And the pride with which he said it made Harry think elves were probably not the same thing here as they were in his own world. And for that matter there was no reason to think that wizards were the same thing here either. Harry still couldn't remember Lavender's father's name but he knew for certain it wasn't Radagast.
"Only one left in the world?" he said.
"If Gandalf had been the only one we ever met, that would have been much better for all of us, I think," said Pippin. Merry frowned at him but said nothing.
"Well, you've met one more of them now," said Harry.
"Sorry?" said Pippin.
Then a knock came at the door.