The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 262 The Tranquil Charles and the Brass Key

The tranquility of the Shire.

In a lush apple orchard.

Ino sat alone under the tree, whittling a piece of pure white ivory with a fine sword.

These ivory tusks were gifts of "friendship" from the Harland people, and the longsword in his hand was also a trophy, the sword of the Witch King of Angmar—the Blade of Mogul.

As for the sword that struck the enemy, he returned it to Gandalf after the battle. He had refused something he hadn't wanted a hundred years ago, and he still chose to refuse it now.

……

A full six months have passed since the Battle of Pelennor, and more than four months have passed since the One Ring was destroyed.

After the Battle of Pelennor ended and a brief respite followed, Gondor, allied with Rohan, launched another attack on Mordor.

This seemingly futile attack successfully drew Sauron's attention.

And as the story goes, Frodo lived up to expectations and destroyed the One Ring at Mount Doom.

The story has ended.

This epic story, spanning the Second and Third Ages, has finally come to a perfect end.

After declining Theoton's invitation, Ino returned to the Shire, where his house and friends were.

The land he once used to grow tobacco has now been completely cleared away by the White Witch and replaced by this lush apple orchard.

……

Hole at the bottom of the bag.

As a former legend, Bilbo has finally shown signs of aging after a hundred years.

As the former holder of the One Ring, he defied common sense and gained an exceptionally long lifespan. However, with the destruction of the Ring, this hobbit, forgotten by time, was finally brought back to life by the passage of time.

After finishing his daily work in the apple orchard, Ino pushed open the door to Bag End.

"What are you trying to prove? If I'm not around, just call Frodo to help you."

Looking at the aged Bilbo, Ino waved his wand, stopping him from cooking.

"I'm not so old that I can't move!" Bilbo's tone was full of defiance.

But soon, Bilbo changed the subject, saying with some sadness, "Frodo was even worse than me. I wonder what he went through."

"Everything will be alright! Trust me." Ino patted Bilbo on the shoulder.

He saw Frodo's condition; he had been wounded by the Witch-King of Angmar with the blade of Morgul. Although the One Ring had been destroyed, the cursed power contained within the blade had already spread throughout Frodo's body through the wound.

Ino was powerless to help with injuries involving curses, as both the Healing Curse and the White Essence targeted physical wounds.

Of course, if Fiddlesticks were a normal Phoenix, everything would be much easier.

But life doesn't offer so many "what ifs," and Frodo could only endure his pain and wait to travel to the Western Land of Immortality.

After comforting her old friend, Ino used magic to start cooking dinner for the two of them.

For the past six months, he has been living in Bag End, as Bilbo's health condition is indeed not a cause for concern.

……

Half an hour later.

One after another, exquisite dishes floated out of the kitchen.

At the dining table, Ino looked at the aged figure opposite her.

"Old friend, let me tell you a story."

"Hey, that's great," Bilbo chimed in.

"I vaguely remember that when we first met, you said you were a bard, but I didn't pay much attention at the time. All my attention was on those delicious candies."

Bilbo spoke haltingly, as if retrieving fragments of distant memories from the depths of his mind.

"So, I've never really told a story properly..."

Ino sighed softly, and then the briefcase in the bedroom was automatically opened, and a stack of neatly bound parchment and an automatic writing quill flew out together.

"This story begins in the Shire, the homeland of the hobbits..."

……

Time slips through our fingers like fine sand, disappearing silently in the wind.

A week has passed in a blur.

Over the past week, Ino spent his days watering the apple orchard or chatting with Lina, and the rest of his time was spent in Bag End, telling stories to the two hobbits.

Yes, in addition to Bilbo on the first day, Frodo joined on the second day.

The story he told was very simple: it was an adventure between an uncle and his nephew.

From the dwarves who unexpectedly visited Bag End, all the way to the destruction of the One Ring a hundred years later.

The story doesn't focus on grand, epic scenes; instead, it tells more about the stories of ordinary people.

Ino recounts his experiences in Middle-earth from his own perspective.

Amidst the melodious piano music, scenes from the past seemed to reappear once again.

Doris the woodland elf, Julia the old woman of Gondor, the young Lily, the brave but short-sighted Theojed, and five thousand Rohan women, children, and the elderly...

Each of them is a story, and they are also the protagonists of those stories.

In the view of traditional bards, a story is a story, only differing in length, not in quality.

"...The expeditionary force completed their mission. The One Ring was destroyed at Mount Doom, and Frodo and Sam returned to their homeland, the beautiful and bountiful Shire."

As the last syllable faded, Ino felt the thrill of returning once more.

It was a coincidence, as if we were waiting for him to finish telling his story.

But this time, he did not rush to leave. He waved his hand and sent a whole stack of parchment bound together flying toward Frodo.

"I know you are also writing stories, so I am giving this to you. The stories of Middle-earth should be passed down in Middle-earth."

Ino chuckled as he looked at Frodo, and at the same time glanced around Bag End once more.

When I return to Middle-earth next time, everything will surely have changed.

"Are you leaving again?" Bilbo keenly sensed that hint of reminiscence.

"Yes! The story here is over! I have to go tell stories elsewhere."

Ino stood up and gently embraced his old friend whom he was about to part ways with.

"Leaving is for the best!" Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"The Ciel is not your final destination, but the Ciel will always be your home."

As he spoke, Bilbo struggled to his feet and slowly walked toward the room.

A moment later, when he came out of the room again, he had a rather old-fashioned brass key in his hand.

"I originally planned to give it to you when we parted, but who would have thought you'd leave even faster than me."

Bilbo laughed heartily, then placed the brass key on the table.

"This is the key to Bag End, as I said! The Shire has your home. Frodo and I will leave Middle-earth, but Bag End must be inherited, just as you said, it is where the story begins."

"Okay!" No one refused, and Ino picked up the key on the table.

"When the Fourth Age begins, and after I have recorded enough stories, I will come to find you."

"Then I'll be waiting for you in Valinor in the west! To be honest, I haven't felt this way in a long time, like a new adventure is about to begin."

He was clearly over a hundred years old, but looked very old and frail.

But at this moment, Bilbo's eyes once again revealed the look of his youth.

(End of this chapter)