Author's Note: Thanks to my amazing team for helping me out. :)

Written for...

Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Team/Position: Holyhead Harpies, Seeker. Task: Write about the invention of a magical object, potion, or other creation.

Hogwarts Assignment #11. Lesson: Notable Witches & Wizards, task 2 Task: Write about Morgan le Fay.

Violet Vendetta

1,100 words

Morgana watched as her home burned to the ground, rooted to the spot as she watched the flames climb higher, covering every inch of the cottage her own father had built all those years ago.

She knew instinctively who had done it. There was only one person powerful enough to get through her warding without her noticing - only one person daring enough to try.

"Merlin," she growled. She would make him pay for ruining her life once more. It was one thing to drive her out of Camelot, away from the only family she had left, but this was taking it too far.

:-:

The cave really wasn't an ideal place to set up, but there weren't many options left. Merlin had tracked her through marsh and meadow. It was a cave or a hole in the ground, and Morgana preferred not to get her hands dirty unless absolutely necessary.

She spent weeks hiding in the cave, only risking venturing out once the sun had gone down, when she was sure she wouldn't be seen. She needed time to think, to plot. She needed a way to stop Merlin once and for all, and all the better if it would make her dearest brother understand that she wasn't the bad guy after all.

It would be a difficult feat, she knew. How to kill his best friend without upsetting Arthur? And then it came to her, perhaps the answer was not to kill Merlin at all.

:-:

Once upon a time, before she knew she had a brother or magic, Morgana had fancied Merlin. For a while she even thought he liked her back. Years had passed since then. Their magic grew and sent them on different paths in life. Still, Morgana always held onto her adolescent crush.

It wasn't totally unreasonable to wish for Merlin to put aside his silly vendetta against her, to finally come to his senses and ask her to be his bride. Now she just had to believe that Arthur could see it was reasonable, too. If she could make a spell that would change Merlin's view of her just long enough for them all to realize she wasn't so bad…

:-:

All the spells failed. Morgana was disappointed, frustrated by the lack of results. Every spell she found in her mother's old tomes had the same results on the fools she found in the nearby village. None of them cared the slightest bit for her after she cast the charms on them. In fact, they barely even noticed she was there.

Still, she held out hope that there would be something that could change her fate.

:-:

It took another year, more travelling and evading, to get her prize.

There had been a rumor that a powerful witch from abroad had created a potion that could produce feelings of lust in a person for a few hours. With such rumours going around, it didn't take Morgana long to track her down and steal her creation.

Then it was just a matter of tweaking and testing. So many tests. Until it was perfect. Her final subject - no more than a boy, a farmer - refused to leave her side. He was infatuated.

Now she just had to get Merlin to drink it.

:-:

Finding Merlin was never a problem. She simply had to stay in one spot long enough for him to find her. He knocked on the door of her newly acquired cabin just as the sun began to set.

Morgana smiled to herself, smoothing down her best violet robes. Merlin always said she looked good in purple. She wanted to look her best for when he inevitably fell for her.

He still looked as dashing as he had as a boy. He didn't seem as excited to see her as she was to see him, refusing to lower the wand aimed at her chest, but nevertheless she invited him in and offered a cup of tea.

"The chase is over, Morgana," he said, following her inside and tracking all of her movements with his wand. There was no chance of her escaping even if she wanted to. "Come with me, or die here."

She shook her head, pouring two cups of tea, already laced with the love potion. "There's no need for violence, my dear. As you can see, I'm defenceless."

"Just because you do not wield a wand, does not mean you are not dangerous."

"I'm hurt that you would think such horrible things about me. Are these the kind of stories you've been filling my brother's head with?"

"Arthur knows of your treachery, yes. He has witnessed the villages you've burned, the kings you've poisoned and robbed."

"I have no need of gold, Merlin. Why would I do such a thing?" She smiled sweetly. "I only want what's best for my kingdom, for my brother. I don't think we're that different, really."

Merlin sneered. "I am nothing like you. You have become twisted by the dark arts. Once, Morgana, you could have stood by my side and protected Arthur and Camelot. Now you could only destroy them."

Morgana's face fell. She'd hoped she would be able to talk her way out of it, to somehow make Merlin see sense so that she wouldn't have to resort to the potion. Now there was no other way.

"A final request then, for old time's sake?" she said, sitting by the fire with her cup. "Drink with me?"

Merlin studied her for a moment, no doubt looking at all the angles, trying to spot any traps. He approached his cup, left on the table, and muttered an incantation over it.

"It's not poisoned," she assured him. The spell must have told him this as well, because he accepted the cup and joined her.

"Does my brother talk about me often?" she asked in an attempt to seem casual. She was watching him intently, urging him to take a sip.

"Never." He never was one for conversation. He brought the cup to his lips and Morgana held her breath as she watched him sip at the lavender liquid.

It took several seconds for the potion to take effect, and it was obvious when it had. Both the cup and wand fell from Merlin's hands, clattering to the ground. His clear blue eyes locked with Morgana's, and suddenly he was knealing by her feet.

"You're the most stunning woman I've ever laid eyes on, Morgana le Fey," he murmured, taking her hand.

Morgana smiled down at him, stroking his cheek with her free hand.

This was her second chance - all she'd ever wanted.