Merry hadn't ever seen a place like this.

Sure he had lived his whole life in the Shire accustomed to the beautiful hills and smials but he had seen pictures of old castles in books. None of them looked quite like this.

Dark stone walls, lots of living paintings, massive wooden doors, candles floating around and weird gargoyles. He could swear he even saw a ghost looming near the ceiling in one corridor.

Merry was amazed of the castle but also slightly intimidated. He had never felt so tiny in his life before. Not even in Rivendell or with the non-hobbits of the Fellowship. Here the walls were so tall that not even the tallest men in the Middle Earth could have reached the ceiling with their hands. Which was saying something in Merry's opinion. Men were unnaturally tall for the most part.

Dumbledore led the four hobbits through these strange corridors. Probably to his office as he said earlier. Still, Merry couldn't help but be a little suspicious. You didn't get transported to a foreign place by a mushroom every day you see. They would have to be careful if the man asked more questions. It would be dangerous to even mention the ring Frodo wore around his neck. Dumbledore could take the ring easily from the hobbit because they had no weapons to protect themselves. That reminded him. He really should tell Pippin not to say, or maybe even think, anything about the ring. What if Dumbledore could read thoughts? Frodo and Sam were walking next to the headmaster. Merry and Pippin close behind them.

Wait.

Merry turned his head to his side but didn't see a sign of his cheerful cousin.

"Pip!?" he shouted startled. Merry stopped walking the second he realised Pippin was missing.

Dumbledore, Frodo and Sam turned around concerned when they heard Merry shouting. "Merry, what happened?" Frodo asked worriedly but as soon as he asked the question he realised what was amiss. Pippin was nowhere to be seen.

"He was right here! But now he isn't!" Merry was starting to panic. Yes, Dumbledore said they would be safe here but there was no way to know what kind of trouble Pippin would attract to himself. Merry knew better than anyone Pippin's knack of either attracting trouble or making trouble himself. Besides Pippin still had a mild fever. It could get worse and fast if not treated. He used to be a sickly child when he was younger.

"We have to go and find him!"

At the beginning walking through the corridors of the castle was fun. Pippin admired the strange paintings that seemed to be alive. Some of the people in the paintings were sleeping soundly whereas the others watched them with curiosity. Maybe they hadn't seen hobbits before? That would be a shame because in Pippin's opinion hobbits were the best folk ever! Pippin didn't see any hobbits in the paintings which confirmed his doubts. Well, he would definitely educate the people here about hobbits and the wonders of seven meals.

As they walked Pippin became more and more tired. He thought he had been tired before but it was nothing compared to the tiredness he felt now. His legs felt like jelly, his head hurt a little and needless to say he was hungry. Pippin hoped they would soon arrive at their destination. He wasn't sure if he could walk much longer. Pippin thought about asking them to slow down but decided against it. He didn't want to be a burden and besides they would reach the destination sooner if he didn't complain.

Pippin tried his best to keep up even if he slowly but surely started to lag behind. For some reason, the walls or the ground was spinning. He wasn't sure which. Maybe both did but frankly, he didn't care. He just wished the spinning would stop and his legs could move faster.

Soon Pippin didn't see Merry's back anymore which made him feel frightened. He was alone at a foreign castle with paintings staring at him. He wanted to shout for Merry but he was too tired to move his lips. The spinning started to get worse.

Then Peregrin Took's world blackened.

"We have to go and find him!" Merry yelled and started to run back to where they came from. "Merry, wait!" Frodo shouted at his cousin and tried to grab his arm before he could dash after Pippin. Frodo wasn't fast enough. "Great, now two hobbits are lost." he sighed.

"Hobbits? Is that what your kind is called?" Dumbledore asked curiously even though he knew now wasn't the right time to ask such questions. He wasn't too worried about the missing lads. They would find them sooner or later.

Frodo ignored the question. The Baggins inside him was scolding him. A proper hobbit like himself should never ignore other people. For his defence he wasn't that proper anymore, was he? Volunteering for dangerous adventures wasn't something proper hobbits normally did.

"Don't you worry Mr Frodo. Mr Pippin can't be far away. We'll find them soon," Sam said reassuringly. He urged Frodo and Dumbledore to start searching with him for the missing hobbits.

"I know Sam."

Sam was absolutely right. They didn't have to walk far to find the two hobbits. Two or three corridors backwards to be exact. Just one thing was worrisome. Pippin was laying on the floor with Merry holding his head on his lap. Frodo and Sam rushed to their side. Pippin seemed to be shivering and sweating at the same time, his face red but still pale. He definitely had a fever.

"Merry, what happened?" Frodo asked worriedly and touched Pippin's forehead with his non-sprained hand. His head felt hot. Too hot for Frodo's liking. He should have been paying more attention to his young cousin earlier. Frodo knew Pippin showed signs of mild fever in Caradhras and this could have been avoided if he had taken care of Pippin. But no. He had been worrying more about his own wrist and the weird situation they were thrown into than the well-being of his relative.

"I found him like this. Pip must have fainted or something. The fever he had earlier has worsened. We need medicine or a healer and quickly," Merry said hastily and began to ramble. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have pushed him away and ordered him to be quiet..."

"No Merry it's my fault. I'm the oldest and responsible for all of you..."

Dumbledore watched the hobbits feeling slightly amused. It was like a simple fever was the end of the world for the hobbits. A simple potion made by Madam Pomfrey would heal Pippin in a matter of minutes. There was no need to overreact.

"Mr Baggins, I assure you there is no need to blame yourselves. We have a perfectly capable healer here in Hogwarts who can heal Mr Took in no time," Dumbledore said sternly. "We can go to the hospital wing. It's a good place as any to discuss your situation while your cousin heals," he suggested and the hobbits quickly agreed.

Even though the hobbits who were conscious at the time, knew they were in a school that taught magic, they got really surprised when Dumbledore lift Pippin to the air with a flick of his wand. They couldn't help but stare worriedly at floating Pippin ready to catch him if he somehow fell.

Fortunately, the walk to the hospital wing didn't take long.

The hospital wing was empty. Dumbledore laid Pippin on a bed and went to fetch the healer. The hobbits were quick to cover Pippin with a soft blanket. He was still shivering but not as bad as before. Merry began to stroke Pippin's hair. It was something he usually unconsciously did when Pippin was sick.

Soon Dumbledore came back with an older woman. "This is Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore introduced. The hobbits introduced themselves also and moved away from the bed to give more room for her to work.

"While Madam Pomfrey checks up your cousin we will discuss your situation with greater detail. I find it quite worrisome that you managed to apparate into the school grounds. It shouldn't be possible," Dumbledore said and gestured them to follow him to the opposite end of the hospital. He sat down on a bed and the hobbits followed his lead sitting opposite of him.

"So, please tell me how did you four get here?"

Frodo glanced at Sam and Merry thinking how much would it be wise to reveal. One thing he was sure about. He shouldn't mention the ring. Not now or ever. But maybe it wouldn't be too dangerous to tell they had a mission that needed to be completed. They couldn't linger here long and it would be best if they could leave as soon as possible. He didn't have to mention the details of the mission, did he?

"We had been travelling for some time with our company. Besides us four hobbits we have a wizard, two men, an elf and a dwarf with us. We have a mission but I can't tell you anything about it. All you have to know is that the future of Middle Earth lies in our hands and we have to find a way back as soon as possible," Frodo said solemnly looking straight at the headmaster's eyes.

"Middle Earth?" No wonder Dumbledore didn't know anything about hobbits. It seemed like these creatures where from a completely different universe.

"What? You don't know what Middle Earth is?" Sam blurted blushing when he realised how rude he sounded. "Pardon me sir for asking but how can you not know? We are there now, aren't we?"

"I am afraid not, Mr Gamgee. I have never heard of the place and I presume you are from a different universe," Dumbledore answered and would have continued if Merry had not interrupted him. "If this is not Middle Earth then where are we?" he asked flabbergasted.

"We are in a country called Great-Britain. It is one of many places here in the world. Mr Baggins said earlier you touched an object that sent you four here if I remember right. It sounds like a portkey which are quite common among us wizards."

"A portkey?"

"Yes, it can be any kind of object that is enchanted to take the person who touches it to somewhere. Muggles would say it is teleporting but we call it apparation." Dumbledore explained.

"What are muggles?"

Dumbledore sighed. The hobbits were too curious. "They are humans who can't do magic. But enough questions now. Please tell the rest of your journey."

Frodo began to tell how they got here. "Long story short. We saw an enormous mushroom near our camp and surprisingly touched it at the same time. It felt like we were flying for a moment. Then we fell into the edge of the forest and you found us there. Luckily none of us got hurt badly." Sam glared at Frodo making him admit that he did indeed sprain his wrist. "But it isn't sprained severely! I'm sure it will be fine in the morning..."

The hobbits seemed innocent. There were only two things worrying Dumbledore now. One who enchanted the mushroom and sent the hobbits here and why? Two how on earth was he going to send them back to Middle Earth? He would have to think these things through.

"Speaking of mornings it is getting awfully late. I'm sure you must be tired after a day like this. You can spend the night here with Mr Took. I will come to fetch you tomorrow morning. We will go to my office and I will tell you more about our school and options how we can send you back to your universe." Dumbledore stood up and started to walk towards the door.

"And Mr Baggins. If your wrist starts to bother you be sure to ask Madam Pomfrey to help you."

Frodo nodded blushing.