The Official Fanfiction University of Middle-earth: Part XII
by Camilla Sandman
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Evil Wall Came Falling Down, Falling Down.

There was a certain nice feeling of normality when you awoke in the middle of the night from Sauron throwing a tantrum (by blowing up a few rocks outside) or Morgoth sulking (by blowing up bigger rocks outside). It had become a sort of annoying feeling of home, along with the usual yelping or screaming as someone tried to enter the staff section. (This night it had been Neko and Elvëa, who both had fallen in the pit that no one had previously known was there. That in itself might not have been so bad, had not Nazgûl Four managed to fall in as well when hearing the screams and wandering off to join in.)

Unable to sleep again, Lina wandered off towards the eating hall, where breakfast would be served soon enough. It was dark and quiet, except for the culinary delight Gandalf had tried to make the other day, which still glowed ivy green in the corner. No one dared go near it.

Leaning out of the window, Lina took in the fresh smell of breakfast being made. With all the hobbits in the detention it also meant she'd have a change of getting something other than dry bread for breakfast. The hobbits tended to storm the tables and leave them rather robbed.

Now all they got for breakfast was 'Verdant is the oak as it blooms in spring, ferry lol and merry bring, thus Tom Bombadil will sing'. An hour of detention helping Tom Bombadil writing poetry was almost worse than Sauron's class. Sauron had so far not made anyone's ears bleed, although he probably would eventually.

"It had to be YOOOOOOU." came a shrilling voice from somewhere in the darkness and Lina nearly fell out of the window.

"What are you doing?" she hissed into the night.

"Serenading Legolas," the voice answered hesitantly.

"I think that is.." Lina began, and winced as she heard a window being slammed open and something hitting the ground (or the person, it was hard to say in the dark) and breaking.

"It's not me, you fool girl!" a gruff voice called out.

"Gimli's room," Lina finished, sighing. Another plan had gone awry, it would seem. Which reminded her that Dot was plotting something, staying up late and looking unusually smug.

Oh well. It would probably be revealed soon enough. For now she had 'Striding 101' to worry about, which no one actually knew what was. Aragorn would be teaching though, and that was enough to whip certain chicks into a frenzy.

But first there was breakfast.

The hall filled up slowly, as tired students dragged themselves over the floor, looking like they were a second away from death. Lina watched them rather bemused, for once feeling quite awake. Finishing first of everyone, she slipped away just as the elven girls began complaining over the lack of wine with every meal.

Just as she rounded the corner and stepped into the hallway leading to lecture theatre three (which was overgrown with plants, for that slight outdoor feeling), she heard a familiar voice.

"You wanted to teach a class, Aragorn," Gandalf said, sounding slightly amused. Tiptoeing, Lina walked closer, trying not to breathe too loud.

"As you keep reminding me, Gandalf. But this morning I found a girl named Thalia trying to crawl down my specially designed chimney and into my room! Then I found Cas trying to pass of as the stable girl looking after my horse. This is getting out of hand!"

"Worry not, Aragorn. I am assured Miss Cam can deal with them, especially with the addition of her new helper, Miss Thundera Tiger."

"I'm not worry about them, I'm worried about me! And poor Legolas cannot go anywhere."

"Aragorn, you've faced orcs in the hundreds, walked the Path of the Dead, fought a contest of will with the Eye of Sauron."

"And none of that prepared me for the horror that is this."

Gandalf laughed. "But why don't you enter, miss Holling? Class is about to start."

Cursing, Lina slipped into the room, just as she heard loud thumping of feet. The crowd was coming. Aragorn looked paled, but determined and ready to spring, as if he was going into battle.

"Sit down, children," Gandalf advised, and since everyone by now knew you didn't argue with a man carrying a staff, everyone sat down very quietly.

"Thank you, Gandalf. I am Aragorn, King Elessar, but you can call me Strider here in class. This class is 'Striding 101'. We will look at wilderness survival skills, travel and geography in Middle-earth. Exam will consist in a field trip. Yes, miss Lotus?"

"Will you personally test us?"

"Yes," Aragorn replied with a sigh, causing a few swoons to wave through the crowd.

"And isn't a vital survival skill being near a ranger?" asked Cas.

"Valar help me.. Yes. The point is, however, you do not just become a ranger, as you will soon discover. And we do not wait around to rescue damsels in distress. We are actually trying to protect the north, a very vital task." he paused, looking at the blank faces. "The north used to be the realm of the Witch-King."

"And don't you forget it!" came a hoarse cry from. Inside the walls?! Lina blinked. No, she was sure she had heard the wall a few metres away whisper.

"Strider." she began.

"Yes, that is the Witch-King, the leader of the Nazgûl. There were some troubles resurrecting him for this University. We accidentally mixed some.. umm.. rocks into the remains, and he became a wall. Gandalf felt it was a shame to waste a decent wall, so here he is. He will be moved for 'Evil Minions 202', which he helps teach."

"Decent wall? I'm the best scariest wall ever!" hissed the Witch-King Wall. "Give me some recognition! It's not easy being a wall, standing here all lonely. You should try being in my boots for an hour, then you'd know what it is like. I feel so. so.. LONELY!" the wall wailed. Unable to resist such sadness, Lina reached out to pat the poor wall.

"No, don't." Strider began, but too late.

The last thing Lina remembered was a diabolical laughter by her ear and a triumphant cry of "I still got it! I can still fool them! I'm still evil!"

Then the wall came falling down on her.


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