Gandalf never had this kind of problem.
He had exactly this problem, actually, standing in front of the hidden Dwarf door to Moria. Remember when...
I sighed. Sometimes my inner monologue annoys even me.
"Edro, edro," I muttered. "Open." I rubbed at the bridge of my nose and ventured, "Mellon."
Nothing happened. The wards stayed. I guessed the Corpstaker had never read Tolkien. Tasteless bitch.