CHAPTER I. AN UNEXPECTED PARTY

One sunny morning, Bilbo Baggins was sat on a brown wooden bench, after eating a hearty breakfast. He was smoking an enormous long wooden pipe, outside his home in the Shire. With him, there was a young woman humming song, whilst she had a smile on her face as she was watering the plants that was growing on the porch.

Her name was Merona Baggins, she looked up at Bilbo and smiled as he blew a smoke hole. Merona was a Dwarf, Bilbo knew this as all hobbits had curly hair, pointed ears and large hairy feet. Whilst, Merona's aurbun hair was thick and straight, her feet neither large nor hairy. Though Dwarves are meant to have large ears, where as her was round, she did however hold the same appetite as them.

Strange though as she still kept a slim figure.

But she knew she was different, even the hobbits in the Shire reminded her, if she ever ventured with Bilbo. She tried to ignore the comments made about her, but it was hard being treating like an outsider. That's why she kept to herself and with Bilbo, rarely attempting to go into town.

She loved Bilbo. He had raised her since she was a baby. Bilbo found her in a battered basket, just outside the Shire, as he was taking a stroll.

Bilbo loved Merona as though she were his daughter. Even though, everyone despised this, Bilbo did not care, as he understood what it was like to be treated that way.

Merona's smiled faded as she saw a an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist. But that didn't stop Bilbo.

"Good morning!" said Bilbo. The man looked at him from under his hat.

"What do you mean?" He replied. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is morning to be good on?"

"All of them at once, I suppose," said Bilbo. The man hummed and stared at him for while, and Bilbo asked, "Can I help you?"

"Well, I am looking for someone to share in, an adventure." He trailed off, making Bilbo take his pipe out of his mouth, surprised that someone would ask this.

Merona perked up at what the man said, halting her action to hear their conversation. 'Adventure?' She thought.

"An..an adventure?" He raised his eyebrows at the man. "Now I don't think anyone here in Bree would have interest in adventures." Bilbo said, getting up with his pipe in his hand. "Nasty. Disturbing, uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!" said Bilbo, blowing another smoke ring before walking over to his letterbox and rifling through his morning letters, and pretending to read and forget about the man.

Merona watched how the man did not move as he stood, leaning on his stick, and gazing at Bilbo. She could tell Bilbo was getting quite uncomfortable and even a little cross at the man.

"Good morning!" he said at last, before walking up his stair path to where Merona was. wanting the conversation to end.

"To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Tookís son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!"

Bilbo turned around, scrunching his eyebrows together, "I beg your pardon?"

"You changed Mr. Bilbo Baggins…"

"I'm sorry, but do you know him Bilbo?" Merona decided to step into the conversation. The old man looked at the young woman standing before him next to Bilbo. She towered over him a couple of inches and found himself questioning if she was a hobbit.

"Yes my dear, he does know my name, but sadly I don't think I know your name…" He said, looking over the young woman before him.

"My name is Merona Baggins sir." She introduced herself. The man looked her over, as if examine her features.

"Ahh, Merona. How interesting, nor hobbit or man, a dwarf perhaps?" He said, making Merona's eyes widen. He looked at her, almost trying to remember where he has seen her before.

"I'm sorry, your name is?" Bilbo asked, getting annoyed at the way the man was looking at Merona.

"You do know my name, though you don't remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf….and Gandalf means me!" He said to him. Bilbo took a step back before, recognising the man in front of him.

"Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve." He let out a laugh. " But I had no idea you were still in business."

"Where else should I be?" said the wizard. Bilbo was about to make a comment but blew on his pipe instead. Merona almost let out a giggle at Bilbo.

"I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks." He said, and then he swung his staff to his other hand. "Well that's decided; it will be very good for you. And amusing for me, I shall inform the others." He said, before make a move to go.

"Inform the others?" Merona asked aloud, looking between Gandalf and Bilbo.

"What? No. No." Bilbo said making Gandalf halted in his step. Bilbo was pointing his pipe at him as he went on, "No, we do not want any adventures, thank you. Not today. You might try over The Hill or across The Water. B-but…Good morning!" With that the hobbit turned, dragging Merona and scuttled inside his home and shut his round green door, as quickly as he dared, not to seen rude.

Wizards after all are wizards.

However, whilst Bilbo was hiding behind his door, Gandalf was still standing outside, the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while, he stepped up, and with the spike of his staff scratched a queer sign on the Bilbo's green front door.

"Um, Bilbo…" Merona said, as she was looking out the small window beside the door.

Bilbo went to look outside but was met with Gandalf's piercing eye staring back at him. He jumped back, leaning against the door. He looked again and saw Gandalf striding away from his home.

"An adventure?" Merona said quietly but was heard by Bilbo.

"Nope Merona, do not think of what that man said. Us folk we don't do any adventures." He said, walking through the hallways. "Now come on, let's carry on with our day." He called, making Merona sigh. She looked out the window into the fields; she has always wondered what it is like further than the Shire.

It was in the evening, and Merona had served Bilbo his meal, which was fish, with potatoes. She watched him as she was dishing up her serving and could not help but ask. "Do you think Gandalf will come back?" She asked, almost hoping he would.

"Nah, my dear. I told him we do not want any adventures." He said, picking up his napkin and making it into a bib for himself. "If he comes, I'll have to tell him again." He said sprinkling some pepper onto his fish.

Merona nodded and was about to sit down, when the door bell ring, causing her and Bilbo to stop.

Bilbo got up and walked over to the door and opened to find a bearded man at his doorstep.

It was a dwarf.

What do you think, review please. I would like to carry on with this story.

Let me know what you think.

R xo