Three Hours to Live

Three Hours to Live

By Matt Coggins

Chapter 4

Gandalf the Wizard rode past all the Hobbit Holes on the Shire. He just came for the ride and pleasure of it all, to feel the nice wind blowing in his beard.

Gandalf was about to leave the Shire when a large black hole appeared in front of him. "Whoa!" he yelled to his horse.

The old wizard walked up to the hole and touched it. All of a sudden, a man came out of the hole.

The man raised a stick to Gandalf's head and said, "Don't make me kill you! Who are you?"

"I, sir," Gandalf replied. "am Gandalf the Wizard. What is your identity?"

"I am Lord Voldemort," the man said, putting his hands in his hips in pride.

"I'm sorry, sir," said Gandalf. "I am familiar with everyone in Middle Earth, but I don't believe I've heard of you."

"What kind of wizard are you?" asked Voldemort. "You've never heard of me, Lord Voldemort? And what do you mean, 'Middle Earth'? I thought I was in Britain."

"Middle Earth is where you are standing, " asked Gandalf. "You are in the Shire, where Hobbits live. Where is Britain?

"Britain is..." Voldemort cut off. "Are you working for Harry Potter? Are you trying to confuse me?"

"Gandalf doesn't work for anyone," said a voice. Gandalf recognized it, but Voldemort didn't.

"Frodo," Gandalf called. "Is that you boy?"

"Sure is," said Frodo Baggins, emerging from the trees. "I've been listening to this whole conversation. Who is this strange man?"

"Frodo, what do I say about little Hobbits who eavesdrop?" asked Gandalf.

"I don't want to say," said Frodo

"What do I say?"

"I don't want to say,"

"What do I say?"

Frodo gave a large sigh and said, "Little Hobbits who eavesdrop will get the truth, and the truth is usually devastating,"

"That's right," said Gandalf.

Voldemort had been quiet through the whole conversation, and as Gandalf looked at the Dark Lord, he saw that Voldemort was staring at Frodo, pointing a shaking finger.

"What the heck is that thing?" Voldemort uttered.

"'That thing' is a Hobbit," Gandalf replied.

"I've got to get out of here!" Voldemort yelled.

"Sam!" Frodo suddenly yelled. "Come look at Gandalf's new friend!"

Sam, Frodo's best friend, came up and looked at Voldemort.

"Strange looking chap," Sam said.

"HOLY CRAP!" yelled Voldemort. "They're invading! Somebody save me! Where are you, Wormtail? Help me! Help me! I want my mommy!"

"Um, Mr. Gandalf," Sam said. "I think your new friend is a bit deluded. What's he doing in the Shire?"

"Don't hurt me!" Voldemort wailed, kissing Sam's shoes. "I'm just an evil wizard! I never meant to do anything wrong!"

"I think we should send him back to where he belongs," said Frodo. "Gandalf, don't you have a spell that sends things through time and place?"

"Yes, I do," Gandalf replied. He turned to Voldemort and said, "Sir, what year are you from?"

Voldemort got off the ground, wiped his eyes and sobbed, "I'm from 2004,"

"Interesting," Gandalf said. He put his wand above his head, said, "Lesotho!", and pointed his wand straight. A black shape shot out of the wand, hit the ground, and spread out into a large, black circle.

"Two-thousand and four," Gandalf said into the circle. "There you go, Mr. Voldemort."

Voldemort jumped into the circle and disappeared.

"Let's go blow some smoke rings," Gandalf said. He, Frodo, and Sam walked off as Voldemort went back to the 21st century, plotting yet another way to destroy Harry Potter.

The End

6/1/04