* * * * *

However it was eventually time for the (dreaded by some) class of watersports. When they arrived at the large pool the hobbits shrank back, while the elves and men inspected the odd, purple-tinged water.

"Who can swim?" came a booming voice from behind the group. They all spun around and were met with the stare of a strange creature... a stone giant.

Slowly the elves and men raised their hands. The hobbits appeared to be encouraging their pockets to expand, to make room for more of their arms, or their whole bodies if it was possible. In fact it was beginning to look quite possible when the giant finally boomed again.

"Just as I suspected. I won't mark the roll. I don't care to know your names, and I am quite sure you do not care to know mine" there was a somewhat nervous shuffle ((can a shuffle be nervous??)) "if you indeed wish to know my name the one I will give you is "Sir", please note that any student who places the word "but" before my name will be... dealt with." He glared at them a little longer "Those who can swim get in, hobbits, put on these." He waved his hand carelessly over a pile of floaties, arranged near the edge of the pool.

There was a slight stampede (if hobbits can cause a stampede) to get to the least embarrassing colours. This soon resulted in Frodo wearing the two hot-pink pairs.

The others, meanwhile, were happily splashing in the perfectly heated water. Wondering whether their, er, teacher was planning on teaching them, or just glaring to himself by the edge of the water.

"Ah, I see you are an accomplished swimmer. I am Legolas, may I ask your name?"

"Hey, I'm Cinalen, you sure don't look too bad yourself. I think it comes naturally to elves." he grinned at the group of hobbits, staring at the purple water with a look you would give a blue and yellow spotted zombie. I.e. horror and fascination.

In fact it took close to the whole lesson to convince the stubborn creatures that they would not drown instantly, and that yes the floaties would support them. Finally Sam decided to try it first, and after a bit of screaming and scrabbling ((tehe i love that word)) on his part, the others followed. It didn't take long for some to admit that they were actually (shock, horror) enjoying the swimming. All had gotten the idea except poor Merry, who couldn't work out how to get to the wall, and kept sinking in the middle.

"Ah, so I suppose you could all go quite happily without the floaties now. If you are having so much fun? Especially seeing as they cause you such embarrassment earlier..." the teacher grinned, while still glaring (it is a trick only stone giants can manage) at Frodo, who went a colour resembling a nice ripe apple.

"Erm, I, don't, think, so, erm, sir, erm, maybe, some more, time..." ventured Primrose after a few minutes in a growingly uncomfortable silence. The teacher grinned and glared more.

"Very well, next lesson then. You are all dismissed." The hobbits got out and ran.

* * * * *

Map reading was their next lesson with Bilbo.

"Hello, hello! Now to help you all get aquainted I think you should all share with the class a brief description of yourself, your family, and how you came to be at this truly hospitable school! Ah! You are all nervous I see! Very well, I will tell you briefly about myself, break the ice, you know. Ah yes I know you have heard the whole story a million times Frodo, but you can listen just the same!"

"I was once asked to to on a journey, with 13 dwarves, led by Gandalf. The leader of the dwarves was Thorin Oakenshield, my the mood swings that fellow used to have. Yes, once was my best friend, then threatened to kill me, ah bless his dear soul. He always was a bit greedy though-" Frodo coughed loudly "Oh, right, the story. Along the way we met many people, Beorn, the Eagles, Wargs, Goblins, Lake-men, hahaha yes. Mmm, oh, we even met the dear Lord Elrond, but you all know him! What a wonderful fellow he is.." Frodo coughed again "Ah, yes, anyway... This journey led us to the Lonely Mountain, aptly named if I do say so.. There was dear old Smaug, a dragon" a unanimous gasp from the class, and a yawn from Frodo "haha yes he was clever, damn good sense of smell.. Very good a riddles too, worked everything out from the barrel-rider comment.. That was silly... Do you want a drink or something Frodo? Oh, sorry.. Where was I?"

He paused for a moment. "Anyway, dear Smaug was sitting on the dwarves' treasure. Mind you he had eaten most of the dwarves who were meant to inherit the stuff, but Thorin and some other survived and were bent on finding it. We did find it, oh there was a terrible war over that.. I believe they called it the Battle of Five Armies... But maps, yes maps. There was one particular map that we used for that journey, it showed the Lonely Mountain. Directions to a secret door.. That door, isn't there now, and such good workmanship too.. Looked exactly like the side of the mountain, ah but Smaug broke it" a coughing fit was erupting from Frodo's corner "all right, all right! I get the hint! This map was written on in runes, and moon-letters. Mysterious things those are! Can only be seen under the light of the moon under which they were written. Elrond taught me about moon-letters. Hm writing them is always fun to do.. Haha. But I'm sure reading will be quite enough for you lot, that's difficult enough to last us at least a year!" He chuckled to himself. "Tell me about yourself." He looked at Arisha.

She stood up and glanced around nervously for a while. "Well, I'm from Gondor. I had a bit of a fight with my parents and came here to escape from that. So, yes, here I am." She sat down quickly.

"Good good! And your name is..."

"Arisha.. Mr Bilbo sir."

Bilbo chuckled a bit more. They then progressed through the tales of Frodo, Sam, Rosie, Merry and Pippin when they reached Cinalen.

"Well I am an elf. I like archery, and swordfighting. I think that is all. Oh and I'm Cinalen."

"Why did you come to this school then?"

"Oh, well, I was going to join an army but my parents said that I had to learn more acedemicish stuff first. So, yeah."

Bilbo now looked at Hanna.

"I, um, followed Merry and Pippin. My name is Hanna and I'm from Hobbiton." she sat down so fast she hit her elbow on the table.

"Ah, very well Hanna." Bilbo now turned to Primrose "I see you are a hobbit. Do you know Hanna?" Primrose shook her head " I haven't been to the Shire for a long, long time, so sadly I don't recognise any of you.. Well except Frodo and Sam of course!"

"Well I'm Primrose, I don't know Hanna because I'm not from Hobbiton. I came with Sam, Frodo and Ro-"

"Of course! Forgive me dear! Frodo has told me about you!! Ah how silly I am!"

"Erm, well.. I like cooking. It's great, all food is good but food you cook yourself is the best. I think so anyway." she blushed.

"Yes, yes I cook! I love to cook! I remember I once told a troll that I cook better than I cook. That was when he was considering eating me. They were funny creatures, three of them, all roasting mutton on their fingers. Not too bright though -"

"Bilbo!" Frodo was laughing. "You've lost the point again!"

"Oh, so I have. Oh well, time to go. We will continue this lovely chat next lesson. Then some work. Ah how I love maps. Especially that one we used. It even had a key with it. Funny moon-letters -"

They all started to get up and leave, seeing that Bilbo would happily continue talking to himself for the rest of the day if they didn't.

Bilbo's eyes unglazed. "Oh, it's time to go isn't it! Very well, run along then!"

So it was finally the end of the day, and a tiring one too. The group soon found a spot by the river, under some trees. They all collapsed on the grass (not in a heap, more in a messy, slightly tangled, blob) and just generally talked.

"Wow Bilbo really does talk a lot. He's interesting though." Arisha murmured to Hanna before falling asleep. Hanna watched her for a while then fell asleep too.

The elves were all in a deep conversation in Elvish about something or other when Cinalen walked off. They all looked up in surprise, he had been unusually quiet, considering they were discussing archery.

"Where are you going, Cinalen?" Legolas asked in plain speech.

"Oh, you know, for a walk... Have some energy to burn.. See you guys later!" they watched him leave, but soon the conversations had started up again.

"So, back on the topic of families, where are you from Ara? Can I call you Ara?"

"Sure, you can. Erm, I don't really come from anywhere in particular. I just kind of travel around. I got tricked into coming here by Elrond. Sneaky devil he is. Oh well, I thought it would be horrible. So far it's not bad.

"Who else haven't we heard about?" Frodo looked around. Oh come on, nobody wants to hear my story again! Hm, or maybe we can just go back to our rooms. I think it should be dinner soon anyway. hmm, wonder what the food will be like..." He and the other hobbits were then lost in their own thoughts about what dinner may be. Occasionally with a bit of drooling involved. So the other, slightly less food-oriented, creatures continued talking for a bit longer.