"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked.

"Aye. Envoys from all Seven Kingdoms." Thorin answered.

"And what did the Dwarves of the Iron Hill say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked.

"They will not come." Thorin answered as the Dwarves all looked very disappointed. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

"That's not helpful." Neville commented.

"So where is Erebor anyway?" Hermione asked trying to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf requested.

Bilbo then rushed out to find some more light. Once he left, Gandalf took out a map. "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." Gandalf said as he placed the map on the table.  

"Lumos." Harry casted his wand, right as Bilbo brought a candle.

"The Lonely Mountain." Hermione said as she read the inscription.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say: it's time." Gloin commented. 

"Portents?" Harry asked. 

"Something that foreshadows a coming event, Harry." Hermione clarified. 

"Right. Thanks." Harry thanked. 

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the Mountain as it was foretold. When the birds of the old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Oin explained. 

"You mean that Dragon, Smaug?" Ron asked.

"That would be correct." Bofur answered. "Smaug the terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. And for good reason. Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals." 

"We know what a Dragon is, Bofur." Hermione said. "We have plenty of them back home."

"But they're a lot smaller than the ones here." Ron pointed out.

"I'm not afraid." Ori declared. "I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish Iron right up his Jacky!" 

Dori pulled him back down in his chair. "Sit down!" 

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just 13, and not 13 of the best, nor brightest." Balin retorted.

"Hey! Who are you calling dim?" Ori inquired.

"Well, if you include 6 Witches and Wizards. You'd have 19." Harry said.

"And Hermione is the smartest of our age." Ron added. 

"We may be few in number. But we're fighters, all of us! To the last Dwarf!" Fili exclaimed. 

"And you forget that we have a 7th Wizard in our company, Gandalf will have killed hundreds of Dragons in his time." Kili added.

"Oh, well. No, uh, I wouldn't say. "Gandalf started to deny.

"How many then?" Dori asked.

"What?" Gandalf asked.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori corrected. "Go on, give us a number!" 

The Dwarves all began talking over each other again. This time in anger. 

"Well I once outran a Hungarian Horntail as part of the First Task in the Triwizard Tournament." Harry said. 

"Well, technically the Horntail stayed where it was." Luna clarified.

"Enough!" Thorin had shouted. 

All the Dwarves shut up after that. But Thorin took this as his sign to continue. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The Dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years." 

"Sixty Years?" Harry asked surprised at that. "That's an awful lot of time." 

"Yes, well. Dwarves actually live 250 years." Balin answered. 

"You look great for your age, Thorin." Ron commented. 

"Thank you." Thorin thanked. "Now then..." He went on ahead. "Eyes look East to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor!?" 

The Dwarves all cheered as Thorin spoke. Harry had to admire Thorin for his leadership skills.

"You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the Mountain." Balin pointed out.

"I bet we could get in with Alohomora." Ginny suggested. "Unlocking Charm." 

"That won't be necessary, Miss. Weasley." Gandalf intervened as he held up a key on a string.

Thorin looked at it as if the key was a priceless treasure. "How did you come by this?" He asked.

"It was given to me by your Father, Thrain. For safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf answered as he handed the key over to Thorin. 

"If there is a key, there must be a door!" Fili exclaimed.

"Obvious-" Hermione started to say. But it was Ginny that elbowed Hermione under the table. "Shutting up." 

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls." Gandalf explained. 

Kili's eyes lit up. "There's another way in." 

"If we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it, but there are others in Middle Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But if we're careful and clever, I believe that it can be done." Gandalf mentioned.

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori commented.

"A Burglar?" Ron asked. 

"And a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo added. 

"And are you?" Gloin asked. 

All the Dwarves and Gandalf looked over at Bilbo. "Am I what?" Bilbo asked. 

"He said he's an expert!" Oin exclaimed as he pointed to Gandalf.

"Bilbo? You want Bilbo to become our Burglar?" Neville asked.

"Maybe we should've brought Fred and George." Ginny suggested. "They were able to steal off the Marauder's Map from Filch in their first year alone." 

"Me? No! No, No, No! I'm not a burglar! I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo denied. 

"And I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin agreed. 

Dwalin nodded. "Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." 

The Dwarves suddenly began speaking over each other again.

"You know. I can't tell if the Dwarves want to fight their enemies or each other more." Harry commented.

"Enough!" Gandalf yelled with Black smoke surrounding him. "If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!" But then the black smoke had left him. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose, and while the Dragon is accustomed to the smell of a Dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage." 

"Well, I could do it." Harry offered. "I've got a cloak that turns me invisible." 

"True. But the Dragon would recognize the smell of Man." Gandalf pointed out. "You asked me to find the 20th member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest. And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself." He then looked over at Thorin. "You must trust me on this. Much as you trusted Dumbledore with Harry." 

"Very well. We'll do it your way." Thorin decided.

Bilbo on the other hand, shook his head. "No. No..." 

"Give him the contract!" Thorin ordered. 

Balin had stood up from his chair and held a piece of parchment in his hand. "It's just the usual summary of out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." He listed.

Bilbo looked terrified as the contract was handed to him. "Funeral Arrangements?" And then he read the Contract. "Total's cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding, one twentieth of total profit if any. Seems fair." He said. "...Uh, the present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof, including, but not limited to lacerations, evisceration...incantations?"

Bofur nodded. "Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." 

Bilbo tried to take it all in, especially because he had no intention of wanting to be incinerated.

"You alright, Laddie?" Balin asked. 

"Bilbo feels scared. He's just too polite to say it otherwise." Luna answered. 

"Huh?" Bilbo asked. "Yeah, I feel..." But his voice trailed off. "I feel a bit faint." 

"Think furnace, with wings." Bofur mentioned.

"That's really not helpful, Bofur." Ginny commented. 

"Hagrid would probably think that he's still a vastly misunderstood creature." Ron said. "Though, Bofur isn't wrong about Dragons being furnaces with wings. Charlie will tell you the same thing. He once said he saw someone get burned by a Chinese Fireball. It took 5 Wizards using Water Charms to put out the flames while they held him down." 

"I, I...I need air." Bilbo said. 

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You're nothing more than a pile of Ash!" Bofur continued.

"Very true. Remember when Cedric felt that pain after he got his egg?" Neville asked.

"Or when the Phlegm-" Ginny started to say.

"Don't you start with Fleur again, Ginny." Ron hissed. 

"Well she is." Ginny countered.

But their argument was interrupted by Bilbo who was looking out in the hallway for a moment before looking at us. "Nope." And then he fainted. 

"Oh, brilliant." Harry commented as he got Bilbo. "Let's get him on a chair. I'll cast Enverate on his later and get him back on his feet." 

"What of you six?" Balin suddenly asked. "Will you join our company?" 

"I'm in." Harry answered as he grabbed a Quill and signed his name.

"You're not even going to read that?" Hermione asked.

"Ha. As if Harry reads anything." Ron joked. 

Luna also signed the contract. "It's like being part of Dumbledore's Army again. It felt like having friends." She said.

"Luna. We still consider you a friend." Harry pointed out.

"We do?" Ron asked.

"Ron." Hermione hissed. 

"Do you?" Luna asked in a dreamy voice. "That's nice." 

Neville looked a little hesitant as the contract was handed to him. "Well... I guess if Harry's signed up, then I'll sign up too." He decided signing the contract.

Hermione was handed the contract and she was reading out everything. And in full detail. "Hermione. The Dwarves won't wait for 10 years. Sign your name." Ginny scolded.

"Fine. But I do have some questions about-" Hermione started to say.

"We can work out those tiny details later, lass." Balin assured. "It's just a little insurance thing." 

"Do I at least get the Funeral Arrangements?" Hermione asked.

"Of course." Balin answered.

"That'll be fine then." Hermione signed her name. 

Ginny immediately signed her name down. "There's no challenge that I'm going to back down from. Anything from you, Ron?" She asked.

"Sign away, Ginny. We've got nothing to lose." Ron answered as he signed his name down. 

Ron had handed the contract back to Balin. "Then Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. Welcome to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." 

After a Enverate spell from Bilbo, and he was back to sitting on his chair and holding his mug. "I'll be alright, just let me sit quietly for a moment." 

"That's exactly what he said 20 minutes ago." Ron whispered.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long." Gandalf scolded. "When did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young hobbit who was always running off in search of elves in the woods. He'd stay out late, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps. It's out there." He pointed to the window in the room.

But Bilbo would not dare budge. "I can't just go running off into the blue! I am a Baggins of Bag End!" He protested defiantly. 

"You are also a Took!" Gandalf reminded. "Did you know that your Great Great Great Great Uncle, Bullroarer Took was so large he could ride a real horse?" 

"Yes." Bilbo answered.

"Well, he could!" Gandalf said. "In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the Goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard, it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf was invented at the same time." 

"Are we... talking about the same game of Golf that was invented in Scotland?" Harry asked. 

"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo said skeptically. 

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." Gandalf explained as he sat down across from Bilbo. 

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo asked.

"No." Gandalf answered. "But if you do, you will not be the same." 

Bilbo said something. He had to weigh his options now. Normally, he would've loved an adventure. But this... this was different. He couldn't do it. "That's what I thought. I'm sorry, Gandalf, but I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." He said. He left the contract on the mantle and exited the Sitting Room.

But to Harry. It was the exact opposite situation he was in when Hagrid told him that he was a Wizard. And Harry was never the same after that. The day his life changed forever. 

Thorin and Balin were standing in the hallway having heard the conversation. 

"He's not coming." Ginny figured.

"Well, good. He shouldn't be forced to come." Hermione said.

"Hermione-" Ginny started to say. 

"No. Miss. Granger is correct." Balin interrupted. "It's probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy makers; hardly the stuff of legend." 

"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin pointed out.

"Old Warriors." Balin clarified. 

"You also have us." Harry declared. "And I'm not going to walk away from this. And my friends will follow me through thick and thin, even when I didn't want them to come to the Department of Mysteries with me. They stayed loyal to me through thick and thin." 

"Well, it was stupid to let Harry go off on his own, wouldn't it?" Hermione asked. 

"And that I will take any other day." Thorin declared. "I will take each and every one of these Dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty, honor, a willing heart; I can ask no more than that." 

"You don't have to do this." Balin reminded. "You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built us a new life for us, in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor." 

While it was true that Thorin had done all that. He couldn't get the possibility of taking back his home from a Dragon that had taken it over. He took out his key from his pocket. "From my Grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the Dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me." He informed. 

"Actually there is." Harry interrupted. Thorin and Balin looked at Harry. "Dumbledore once told me that it is not our abilities that define us. It is our choices. And that we should do what is right not what is easy. And if Voldemort is possibly going to join forces with Smaug, than I've got to stop him. And I'm also going to make the choice to help you, Thorin Oakenshield." 

Balin nodded his head. "Then we are with you, Laddie. We'll see it done." 

A little later into the night; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna saw in the Living Room with the Dwarves. Everyone being silent. 

"So, when do we leave?" Hermione asked.

"First thing in the Morning." Harry answered. 

"You can't talk us out of going on this mission with you, Harry. We've already decided to come with you when we stepped through the portal." Ron said. 

"Thanks for having you guys with me." Harry replied. 

"You know the difference between us and Voldemort, Harry?" Neville asked. "Voldemort stood alone. And he'll never know love and friendship. You do." 

Harry nodded. He had grown since last year when he almost nearly antagonized everyone. But even with his emotions getting compromised by Voldemort, his friends had stood by him through thick and thin. 

"We've got your back, Harry. And we're all in this together." Ginny declared.

"Then let's do it." Harry said.

"Yeah. Let's do it." Luna added.

But then they listened to the hum of a song. It was coming from the Dwarves. And it was a very beautiful song they were singing. With Thorin leading. "Far over the Mistry Mountains Cold, to dungeons deep and caverns old. We must away ere break of day, to find our long-forgotten gold." 

It was far more beautiful than anything that the Frog Choir could ever sing. 

And the rest of the Dwarves voices were also singing. "The pines were roaring on the height, the winds were moaning in the night. The fire was red, it flaming spread. The trees like torches blazed with light..."