Flying Without Wings

Chapter Ten

"This is no thunderstorm..." Balin began, looking out towards the other side of the valley. "It's a thunderbattle! Look!"

A large rocky giant picked up a large boulder, the size of a house, and threw it at another rock giant that was standing behind us, the boulder hitting the giant and nearly causing it to lose its balance. I gasped, watching as the two rocky giants battled each other, heading towards each other, throwing massive punches that gave a large cracking sound louder than the sound of lightning and throwing rocks at each other.

"Well bless me. The legends are true!" Bofur gasped. "Giants! Stone Giants!"

"Must you really marvel at them when they are battling and could potentially kill us?!" I shouted. Then, the giant that was standing in front of us threw another rock at the giant behind us and I raised my wand, ready to fight off any falling rocks.

"Take cover, you fool!" Thorin screamed, as Bofur was pulled back against the wall. Suddenly the rock we were on began to move, causing small rocks to fall down in front of us, and I realised that we were standing on a giant, as the rocky wall began to part.

"What's happening?" Kili yelled.

"Grab my hand!" Fili exclaimed, as he watched the mountain begin to part.

I gasped again as Kili, Thorin, Balin, Hermione, Gloin and Oin got further away from us, leaving the rest of us behind. I also saw that it was a leg of the third stone giant that I had guessed we were on. I looked up, seeing the head as the stone giant stood up, ready to join into the battle. Suddenly, one of the other giants walked towards the one we were on and head-butted it, causing the third giant to fall backwards and more rocks to fall down in front of us. I didn't care, as I held on for dear life to the rock wall I stood on.

Bombur, who stood behind me, grabbed my arm and I turned to him, one arm holding onto him while I reached out for Dwalin in front of me. He leant against the wall, holding onto Bilbo's arm. I so wished I could just blast the stone giants, but I kept my wand down, as casting a blasting spell might cause more damage than help.

"Can't you do something about this? Or is there something you can do?" Dwalin shouted.

"There are a few spells, but it might provoke them even more. Also, the spells I have in mind, might squash us all!" I yelled, rain still coming down upon my face.

The battle continued, with the stone giants throwing rocks at each other, causing more rocks to fall. Like Hermione, I casted transformation spells at the falling rocks, turning them into water so that they wouldn't hit us. But the falling rocks weren't the problem, but more the fact that because we were on the stone giants, we kept moving, almost falling down but we all held on the rocks we stood on. At least Hermione, who had made it onto a rocky path that was not moving, was safe and was trying to help us, but all she could do was cast spells at any rocks falling down on us. I knew that I had to do something, and so, reaching into my bag, I pulled out the Firebolt, and enlarged it, hopping on. I kicked off, much to the protests of the dwarves and hobbit behind me and flew to the sky, hopping to distract the stone giants.

Somehow, flying upwards and getting into their faces worked, as for some reason the giants could see me, despite me not being able to see their eyes, but their rock faces. They then began rocks at me, but as the giants were focused on me, this allowed the dwarves to jump from one leg to another, trying to move out of the way. A large boulder was headed in my direction and I pointed my wand at it, chanting, "Reducto!"

The blast caused the rock to burst into many little pieces, and this angered the giants, making them throw even larger rocks at me and at one point, one of the giants tried to grab me, but I casted the blasting spell again, causing its hand to fall off. I flew around their arms, over their heads and I looked back at Dwalin and the others, as they all jumped off the moving giant onto the path and sighed in relief as I saw Hermione and the others running towards them, helping them up. Suddenly, one of the giants fell, losing its balance and falling into the depths below. The other, who had lost its interest in me, walked away, allowing me to land near the company and running towards them, broom in hand.