Elnias liked many things about nature. The solitary it provided, for one. Its beauty. The animals. The wonderful landscapes. This however, being blown by a raging snowstorm, he did not like. He had already cast three heating charms to no avail and he could swear there were icicles growing from his nose.

Another thing he didn't like was the bloody elf acting all high and mighty while merrily skipping over the snow. Bloody bastard. Elnias would have loved to cast a featherlight charm on himself and suddenly appear skipping next to the blond menace. Everyone's surprise would be hilarious and a welcome distraction from the cold.

Alas, because of Elnias' stupid complexes he was pretending once again to be a plain, normal, human. So he suffered through sinking shin deep into the icy snow and icicles growing from the tip of his nose that he couldn't feel anymore. At least snot wasn't running down his face anymore. It couldn't become any worse than this. Thank Merlin for small mercies.

Consumed by his thoughts, Elnias only then noticed that the company had stopped walking. Elnias looked over his shoulder, gaze roving over their assembled party and saw Boromir holding the ring. The glint in his eyes was so very familiar it sent shivers down his spine and alarm bells off in his mind. It was the bewitched look of a man possessed. His lips parted to say—he didn't really have an idea of what to say, perhaps a spell or Boromir's name, but Aragorn reacted first.

"Boromir," the ranger's voice was commanding. "Give the ring back to Frodo."

Boromir visibly snapped out of his stupor. The strange look left his eyes when he glanced back at Aragron and Frodo. With a disorient sway, he stepped forward.

"As you wish." He reached out the ring to the Hobbit who snatched it away quickly. "I care not."

The man turned his back, Aragorn's suspicious gaze following him. A spike of pity went through Elnias's heart as he watched the man's broad shoulders. He understood how Boromir must feel now. After all he himself had been very often subject to suspicion and distrust and he's seen it countless of times in his very long life. He knew how this was going to end. It was not good, not good at all if he didn't intervene. As the Fellowship started walking again, the Hobbits and everyone else shooting Boromir not so subtle glances, Elnias vowed he'd protect the man from whatever fate that would befall him.

He'd jinxed himself, hadn't he? He'd thought it couldn't get worse and now they're stuck in a bloody snowstorm with an evil wizard cursing them.

Sometimes Elnias hated adventures, magic, his life, and all life in general. By some miracle they managed to yell over the raging storm and deafening wind. Elnias caught the words Rohan, Isengard, and mines. Grey caught his eye, a flash of desperation in them but Elnias couldn't offer any help. He hadn't wandered the lands for over a century, so he had almost no idea what things had changed from the last time he traveled around.

"Let the Ring-bearer decide," Grey said, and okay that was a really mean move.

Elnias glanced over at Frodo, who was huddled against Aragorn's chest. The Hobbit's eyes wide as he stared at Grey. He glanced back at his fellow Hobbits and determination set into his features. "We will go through the mines."

Grey frowned but nodded and started making his way back down the mountain. If Elnias hadn't been so wary of what just happened he might have complained about having climbed the bloody mountain for nothing. With aching toes, fingertips and nose he followed his best friend, daydreaming longingly about a good cup of tea. Or firewhiskey.

Elnias was sitting on one of the rocks surrounding a dark, eerie lake while Grey muttered over the glowing door. He watched the Hobbits throw stones in the water, none of them even trying to make the stones skip. The other members of the Fellowship were scattered around the pond. Boromir sat a rock further next to him, silent and gaze unseeing. He had half a mind to sweep the bigger man in a good hug and get him out of his morose state but he doubted Boromir would appreciate it.

Elnias' gaze was drawn to Frodo, to the trinket he wore underneath is clothes and his thoughts turned to the memory of other, hexed jewelry in his life. It dragged him down memory lane, to memories of his best friends fighting. Betrayal and hurt.

Once again the situation was very much alike what he went through in previous lives. Elnias only hoped that here, in this time, everything ended with less casualties, though he knew better than be optimistic when war was brewing. He sighed deeply and stretched his back with a crack when Aragorn's voice cut through the relative silence.

"Don't disturb the water."

"Let them have some fun," Elnias said, "They almost froze to death."

"They might be disturbing more than just the water," the Ranger answered.

Elnias shrugged. "We had a giant squid in the lake at home, totally harmless even though it was scary as hell. Just because something looks scary and dark doesn't mean it is, you know."

"I rather not try my luck," Aragorn sighed.

"I'd challenge you to go skinny dipping with me just to see if there's actually something in the water," Elnias said with a laugh.

"What's skinny dipping?"

Elnias sighed remorsefully. "Yeah, most people aren't so enthusiastic about nudity anymore. Before, you couldn't even leave your apartment without some giant, naked stranger staring and smiling at you." He grimaced. "When I think about it like that, it's quite perverted of society…"

"How – How did we get from throwing stones into the water to nudity?" Boromir asked.

Gimli and Legolas snickered simultaneously before glaring and going back to ignoring each other. Aragorn rolled his eyes.

"I doubt you want to know." He moved to sit down next to Elnias. "You got any magic tricks up your sleeve for when the lake monster does attack?"

Annoyance spiked through Elnias before he realized Aragorn meant it as a joke. He grinned.

"Of course." Both men smiled easily at each other.

To be honest, Elnias had been avoiding the Ranger ever since they left Rivendell but it was difficult not to like the man. After getting over his initial suspicion of Elnias he'd been nothing but kind and understanding. Elnias liked to blame it on the lecture Aragorn probably got from Elrond but he knew better. Good men like Aragorn don't come by often and Elnias found himself appreciating their interactions. Just then, he heard a creaking noise and the sound of stone scratching stone. Behind him, the glowing gate to the mines of Moria moved open. He jumped up and clasped Grey's shoulder. "Knew you could do it, old man."

Grey sputtered. "Old man?"

"That's what you focus on?" Elnias asked, grinning genuinely from ear to ear.

"If I'm an old man what does that make you? Ancient?" Grey muttered.

Unbeknownst to both of the wizards, Legolas's head snapped up in their direction, a quizzical expression on his face.

Elnias merely shrugged. Grey huffed. "Your praise, if I can call it that, should go towards Frodo. He solved the riddle."

The older wizard grinned down at the Hobbit and ruffled his hair. "Then good job, Frodo."

Frodo gave a small smile that didn't really reach his dark circled eyes. "Thanks."

The smile slid off his face as quickly as it appeared. Elnias frowned, exchanging a worried glance with Grey. Perhaps he should have a conversation later with Frodo. He knew plenty about having large burdens shoved upon your own, very small, shoulders.

The ten members of the Fellowship entered the musky darkness with Grey and Elnias at the front while Gimli sang praises about the mines and his kin. A sense of dread, of his intuition, of his magic, telling him something's wrong crept up his spine and unraveled with a shudder.

Grey lit his staff, casting a white light that chased away the dark. It reflected in blades of axes, swords, and arrowheads, and illuminated pale heaps of bones of dwarves long dead.. Elnias made a sharp inhale but couldn't say he was much surprised by the turn of events. The sense of dread and danger, however, hadn't completely disappeared and stayed curled at his spine. Gimli's cries and curses echoed around the hall.

"Let's get out of here," Boromir demanded. "We should go to the Gap of Rohan."

The Hobbits, huddled together, were already shuffling backwards, their faces pale and eyes haunted. Elnias went to follow them when Frodo yelled, and the other three Hobbits called after him.

"Aragorn!" Elnias cried, since the Man was closest to the exit. Aragorn turned to the sound of his voice. His sword was already drawn and his eyes fierce. Elnias was already running outside after the Hobbits and the Ranger followed without hesitation,.

Everyone followed them outside, where Frodo was dangling from a giant tentacle.

"Okay, apparently not harmless," Elnias said, "I should stop jinxing us."

Grey and Aragorn sent him withering looks before focusing on the giant water monster. The Hobbits, bless their brave hearts, were throwing stones at the thing and slashing at its tentacles but with little efficiency. Legolas' arrows, while certainly doing damage, wasn't much use in bringing down the appendix holding Frodo up.

Frodo yelled and kicked. He was calling Aragorn's name while the Ranger sliced through several tentacles but the one holding Frodo kept always out of reach. Before his thoughts caught up with his actions, Elnias' hand was holding his wand. His fingers curled around the familiar wood while his lips wrapped around syllables he hadn't used since a very long time.

"Sectumsempra!" Light flashed from the wand's tip, drawing everyone's attention but Elnias couldn't regret it when it sliced the tentacle holding Frodo. Boromir caught the struggling Hobbit, immediately running into the mines with the others.

The door fell shut with a resolute bam, leaving Grey's staff the only source of light in the darkness.

AAAAAAAAH we're almost at Grey's fall! Yay! But will it be Grey who falls?! o_O Or is it going to be our other favorite wizard?

Anyways, as always sorry for being so late with updating! Procrasitination is my evil mistress and won't let me leave her bed...

And of course big thanks to my beta ^^ and anyone that faved, followed, reviewed or just read it :)