The person is at Hogwarts, but the system is in Middle-earth!

The faint whispers in my ears sounded like elves chanting ancient songs. Then came light...

Luo Wei suddenly opened his eyes.

The system has detected an environmental change.

[Current Location: Iserlyn Healing Center]

[Status: Recovering from poison (all attributes reduced by 30%)]

He immediately tried to sit up, shouting hoarsely:

"The Lord of the Rings!"

"And the one who kept the precepts? Did he succeed?"

"Lie down, Mr. Baggins!"

A stern voice boomed above his head. Then, a hand pressed him back onto the pillow.

Luo Wei blinked, his gaze finally focusing.

Standing before him was the witch, Madam Pomfrey, wearing a nurse's cap.

[NPC: Leader of the Elf Healers]

[Attitude: Strict but friendly]

"Don't move around, your lungs are still detoxifying," Mrs. Pomfrey said irritably, holding a tray in her hand. "And what ring? You only have a dirty stone and half a half-eaten compressed biscuit in your pocket."

Rowe turned his head and saw Harry lying on the bed next to him. The Savior was fast asleep, his glasses had been taken off and placed on the small table beside the bed.

To Luo Wei's shock, the entire ward seemed to have turned into a general store.

At the foot of their bed were piles of colorful wrappers, candy boxes, greeting cards, and even a toilet seat that no one knew who had given it to them.

[Loot Settlement: Offerings from Allies]

[Rewards: 50 Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, 20 Chocolate Frogs, 1 Unknown Alchemy Toilet Seat]

"These were all sent by your friends," Mrs. Pomfrey muttered as she checked his airway. "Although I think it's ridiculous. This is a hospital, not a dump... Alright, drink this."

She handed him a cup of medicine that was emitting purple smoke.

Luo Wei frowned as he looked at the drink. System notification: [Elven Elixir: Cleanses toxins, Side effect: Tinnitus].

He pinched his nose and gulped it down; the spicy taste almost made him cough.

"Are you feeling better?"

A gentle voice came from the doorway.

Lowe looked up and saw a tall figure walk in. A silver-white beard reached his waist, and behind crescent-shaped glasses were bright blue eyes.

Dumbledore.

[Important Plot Character: Gandalf the White]

Current affinity: Friendly (+10)

"Headmaster." Rowe tried to bow, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"Lie still, Rowe," Dumbledore said with a smile, sitting in a chair by the bed. "Madame Pomfrey is very strict, and I don't want to be kicked out by her."

The old headmaster's gaze fell on the frying pan on the bedside table of Rowe's bed, which had a noticeable dent.

“I must say, Mr. Baggins,” Dumbledore picked up the frying pan and examined it closely, “you were clutching it tightly when we found you in that gas-filled room. It took Minerva a lot of effort to get it off your hand.”

A mischievous glint flashed in Dumbledore's eyes. "I'm curious, are you planning to use it to prepare a last supper for the approaching enemy?"

Rowe scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, his face slightly flushed: "That's... uh, a dwarven shield. It can also be used for offense. It's multi-functional."

"A very... well, a practical point of view." Dumbledore put down the frying pan, his expression softening and becoming serious. "Hermione told me what you said that day. About Helm's Deep, about your vow to hold the last line of defense."

Luo Wei's heart tightened. Having the principal repeat his cringeworthy lines was practically a public execution.

"That's a metaphor, Professor," Lowe said quietly.

“A brilliant analogy,” Dumbledore said, looking at him. “You know, Rowe, it takes immense courage to stay behind and cover the retreat when faced with an invincible enemy, especially when you don’t know if reinforcements will arrive.”

"I just..." Rowe paused, "I just felt we couldn't let the enemy interfere with Harry. He's the Commandant... I mean, he's the key."

"You did it." Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder. "You held your ground. When we arrived, nothing got through that door. You protected your friends."

"As for that thing..." Dumbledore pointed towards Harry, "The Philosopher's Stone has been destroyed. Nicolas Flamel and I agree that for someone who has lived too long, death is just another great adventure."

Dumbledore stood up.

"Get some rest, Mr. Baggins. Also, while I don't encourage inhaling so much strange gas outside of Potions class, your willpower is impressive."

After saying that, the white-robed wizard blinked, turned around, and left the ward.

Lowe let out a long sigh and slumped onto the pillow. Dealing with a "Maia" of this level was exhausting, even more exhausting than fighting a giant monster.

Just then, the door to the ward was suddenly pushed open again.

"I told you he was inside! Mrs. Pomfrey said he's awake!"

A series of hurried footsteps approached, and then Susan rushed to his bedside like a whirlwind.

Her eyes were red, clearly from crying. Behind her followed Hannah Abbott and Justin.

"Oh my god, Rowe!" Susan's eyes welled up with tears again when she saw Rowe's pale face. "You scared us to death! Hermione said you were poisoned and unconscious for three days!"

"Hey, I'm fine." Rowe tried to strike a nonchalant pose, but even the slightest movement caused a tightness in his chest. "This bit of poison gas is nothing. For a ranger walking on the edge of a doomsday volcano..."

"Shut up, you idiot!" Susan snapped, interrupting him. "What 'roaming knight'?! You're only a freshman! That's deadly poison! How dare you stay there alone?!"

As she spoke, she picked up another bottle of medicine from Mrs. Pomfrey's cart.

"This... I can do it myself..." Lowe tried to resist.

"Open your mouth!" Susan gave him no chance, grabbed his chin, and poured the medicine down his throat.

Luo Wei was so full that his eyes rolled back in his head.

[Attacked: Forced Medication Feeding]

[Effect: Restores health, reduces dignity by 5]

"Ahem... Susan, you're acting like a half-orc torturer..."

"You still dare to talk back!" Susan raised a pillow as if to hit him, but in the end she just gently placed it behind his back.

"Next time," the girl said, her head bowed and her voice choked with emotion, "don't do something so stupid again. We heard you were waving a frying pan at the air all by yourself, yelling something like 'No way through'... Everyone thought you were crazy."

Rowe looked at her, then at Hannah and Justin beside him, who both looked concerned. In the system's view, these Hufflepuff classmates all had green names above their heads—the mark of "friendly forces."

"I'm not crazy," Rowe said softly. "I'm just fulfilling my vow. To protect the Shire... I mean, to protect Hogwarts."

Susan sniffed and then smiled through her tears.

"Alright, our 'Frying Pan Knight'." She rummaged through the pile of gifts and pulled out a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "Want one to celebrate surviving?"

Luo Wei glanced at the box of beans.

[Item: Unknown Bean of Destiny]

Possible flavors: earwax, snot, vomit, strawberry

"Come on." Rowe picked up a red one with a death-defying air. "Even if it smells like orc feet, I'll accept it."

At that moment, on the bed next to him, Harry turned over and murmured in his sleep.

Sunlight streamed into the hospital room, and everything seemed so peaceful. The Dark Lord had been defeated (temporarily), the One Ring had been destroyed (probably), and the members of the Fellowship of the Ring could finally enjoy a moment of peace.

Except for that bean.

Luo Wei chewed twice, and his face instantly turned ashen.

"What does it taste like?" Susan asked curiously.

"...probably," Rowe swallowed with difficulty, "the smell of a troll's armpits."

A burst of cheerful laughter erupted in the ward.