Hogwarts wizards who signed in to Middle-earth...

On the main road west of the Shire.

Duy and Gandalf were riding in the carriage of the short-legged horse Della, leisurely traveling westward.

Their trip was to the Blue Mountains.

After Smaug the dragon conquered Erebor, Thorin Oakenshield led the dwarven refugees from Erebor to settle in the Blue Mountains.

Gandalf needs to deliver the relic entrusted to him by Thrain II to Thorin Oakenshield, who lives in the Blue Mountains.

As for Dui, he came with Gandalf, ostensibly to meet the heir of the Durin dwarfs, but actually to check in at the Blue Mountains.

"Gandalf, there are only two of us in the expedition now. Are you sure you can persuade Thorin Oakenshield to go to Lonely Mountain?" Dui asked Gandalf, while using a petrification charm to freeze the two pots of mandrakes that were shaking uncomfortably and trying to sprout from the soil, so that they wouldn't come out and cause trouble.

Gandalf, puffing on his pipe, smiled confidently and said, "I'm quite confident in my eloquence. Besides, Lonely Mountain is the homeland of the Durin dwarves. After being occupied by dragons for so many years, I believe they, who have been wandering and suffering, would be willing to reclaim their homeland."

After saying that, he looked at the two mandrakes petrified by Dui, shook his head with some pity, and said, "Poor things, why did you bring them here? Wouldn't it have been better to leave them in the greenhouse and let Bilbo take care of them?"

Dui looked at him speechlessly. "I wouldn't dare entrust the mandrake to Bilbo's care, otherwise I'm afraid I'll come back to find his corpse!"

The mandrake will mature at any time, and the sound it makes when it does will be deadly. Even he has to be careful with it, let alone entrust it to Bilbo.

The Blue Mountains, where Thorin's oak shield is located, are not far west of the Shire. Gandalf and Duy traveled for a week to reach the foot of the Blue Mountains.

When the dragon Smaug occupied the Lonely Mountain, the dwarves of Durin were forced to flee, wandering from place to place until they finally settled in the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains were once home to two dwarven city-states, Belegost and Nogrod, which later declined and fell into ruin, leaving behind many deep-seated mines and tunnels. The exiled Durin dwarves lived in these mines and tunnels, and a small town formed in front of the caves.

Dui accompanied Gandalf to the settlement of the dwarves of Durin.

This was the first time he had ever seen a dwarf.

He looked around at everything and felt very curious.

The dwarves were only slightly taller than the hobbits, reaching only up to Dui's waist.

Unlike hobbits, dwarves are rugged in appearance, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with full beards, even the female dwarves have beards.

Dui was amazed. If it weren't for the fact that he could distinguish them by their clothing, he wouldn't even be able to tell the dwarves' genders.

The dwarves also looked at Dui and Gandalf, these two tall strangers, with curiosity.

Gandalf didn't seem to care about the stares from those around him and even greeted the dwarves around him in a friendly manner.

"We're looking for Thorin, Thorin the Oak Shield. Can you tell me where he is?"

Gandalf asked a dwarf.

The dwarf gave Gandalf and Duy a strange look, then casually pointed behind him.

"He's in the blacksmith shop at the very back right now. If you're looking for him, go there."

After thanking the dwarf, Gandalf led Duy to the blacksmith's shop.

Arriving at the blacksmith's shop,

The furnace is blazing, and intense heat emanates from the blacksmith shop.

A dwarf dressed in leather with bare arms.

He was holding a hammer, head down, hammering a red-hot piece of iron, sparks flying everywhere.

He had long black hair and a long beard, and was short in stature but had exceptionally well-developed muscles. He wielded the heavy iron hammer with ease, effortlessly shaping the iron block.

Gandalf raised his hand in greeting:

"Thorin Oakenshield, son of Theraine, grandson of Thor, allow me to introduce myself. I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey."

He then pointed to Dui.

"This is Duir, the black-robed wizard who is traveling with me."

Thorin seemed not to hear him and continued to forge iron.

Gandalf didn't mind, and instead began to examine the blacksmith's shop. He then pulled a heavy sword from the shelf, examined it carefully, and commented, "The weapon-forging skills of the dwarves are indeed exquisite, and they are in no way inferior to those of the elves."

"snort!"

Upon hearing the word "elf," Thorin, who was forging iron, let out a cold snort.

His tone was one of disdain and contempt.

He raised his head, looking at Gandalf and Duy with cold and suspicious eyes.

"What do you want with me?"

Gandalf got straight to the point.

"Tholin Oak Shield, as the heir to the royal family of the Durin Dwarves, are you willing to shoulder the responsibilities of your succession, reclaim your lost homeland, and reclaim Lonely Mountain?"

Thorin was not provoked by these words. He gave Gandalf a cold look and sneered.

"Don't you know that Lonely Mountain has been taken over by a dragon? The dwarves of Durin are now scattered and broken. Do you think we are capable of fighting a dragon?"

Gandalf shook his head.

"As far as I know, that dragon has been asleep for a long time. You don't need to fight the dragon directly. You just need to steal the Arkenstone, the dwarfs' most precious treasure."

You can then, as the heir of the Durin family, use the Arkenstone to rally the other dwarves, reorganize the army, and drive the dragons from Lonely Mountain.

Thorin's eyes flashed with a sharp light, clearly showing his interest.

But he still looked at Gandalf and Duy with suspicion.

"Why are you so eager to help us? What are your conditions?"

"I don't need anything; my goal is the dragon," Gandalf explained.

"I've noticed some unusual activity from the orcs lately. Their movements are well-organized, indicating the emergence of a king. To prevent the orcs and dragons from joining forces, I need to enlist the help of the dwarves to eliminate this threat first."

"And what about him?"

Thorin turned his questioning gaze directly to Dui, who had remained silent.

Dui frowned at Sorin's suspicious gaze.

"Don't worry about me. I'm only here at Gandalf's invitation. I'm not interested in your affairs and I won't interfere."

Noticing Dui's displeasure, Gandalf looked at Thorin with a serious expression.

"Duir is a powerful wizard. He helped the Hobbits defeat the Hoon family of the Old Forest and even ventured deep into the Ancient Tomb Hill to defeat the wights and escape unscathed. His name is widely known throughout the Eliadorian Wastes, and his magic is beyond my reach."

"If you want to reach Lonely Mountain safely, or even confront the dragon, Duir is a guarantee."

Hearing Gandalf's serious and earnest words, Thorin's gaze toward Dui also became solemn.

Gandalf is not unknown among dwarves, elves, and men, although he is more often portrayed as a wise man who travels around organizing various forces to fight against darkness.

But no one doubts his power.

He naturally believed what he said.