Author's Notes: Hey peeps, it's the Omniarch once again, and I've got a brand-new story for all of you that has nothing to do with the Pokemon portion of the UV whatsoever. This story will feature none other than the Merlin from the BBC Television Series; which would have diverged from canon right after the death of Arthur and will feature Merlin in the present-day world of… wait for it… Harry Potter lol. I know this kind of story seems like it has been done lots of times before, the whole Immortal, Godlike Merlin in modern settings; however, I am pleased to say that a lot of things in this story will be not what you're expecting. You guys already know I have a penchant for writing godlike and even meta-omnipotent characters in a story board that is designed to challenge them even when they're at the height of their powers.
As always, I'm a big ass sap with a love for writing romance lol; so be prepared for the unexpected because I think at least some of you guys will be surprised with whom I've chosen to be the ESIT blessed soul mate of Merlin. This version of Merlin will also be a God Magic Conduit who not only has ZOF prodigy enhancements but will also not adhere to the limitations set by the ZOF Barrier; which will make him by far the most powerful character I've written in my stories thus far. Even my self-insert Thomas Infinity can reach a maximum power level of Omnipotence to the power of Infinity, which while impossibly OP in its own right; is the maximum allotted level of meta-omnipotence most ZOF prodigies can attain. Merlin, or in this story; Merlin IB, will have had the ZOF barrier lifted off him due to circumstances that will be explained as the story progresses.
Now, that said, don't think for a second that he won't have his share of problems; first off, he's not going to be comfortable with the way modern Wizarding Society views him as a god, because for all his godlike power Merlin has always struck me as humble and contrite and able to see the good and potential in everyone. Even just being the manservant of someone like Arthur, who started out as a royal ass and a prat; would have me believe that Merlin is a reasonably modest fellow. I'd reckon he'd be extraordinarily surprised by the way modern Arthurian legends portray him; even if they got a lot of the facts right.
Anyways, this story will take place during Harry's Fifth-year at Hogwarts; the events leading to that point being mostly canon and diverging from the timeline in really big and meaningful ways once Merlin sets foot on the Hogwarts Express as a recently accepted Transfer student. As to who his beyond eternal soul mate will be, just read and find out lol. Now, if you're all still on board with this outline and wish to continue reading; then by all means fellas on with the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, nor do I make any profits off this whatsoever.
Dedication: To all of you, my ever-faithful readers; hopefully this will be a breath of fresh air for those of you who don't care for Pokemon quite as much.
Merlin IB- The Omni-Omniverse's Mightiest GOC
Chapter One: A Train Ride to Forever Remember
Dear Martin Emrys
I am pleased to inform you that your admission form to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a transfer student has been heartily approved. I must say, we've not had a transfer student from all the way across the pond for the better half of the century; and I hope you find your accommodations and the education you will receive here with us to your satisfaction. Please report to the Headmaster's Office once you arrive so that we may test you to see what year would be most suited to your current level of knowledge and understanding regarding magic.
Here's hoping you enjoy your stay here with us and best of luck on the train ride; times in Wizarding Britain are quite a bit darker than you might be used to but rest assured Hogwarts has some of the best and most fortifying magical wards and defenses one can ask for. Enclosed within this letter is a list of all the books you will need for each year at Hogwarts; if needed the Hogwarts Trust Fund can provide you with the money for all these books, but I would recommend buying all of them… just in case. You never know when these books might come in handy. Best of luck my young friend.
Yours Truly
Albus PWB Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts
PS: The password into my office is Lemon Drops; and speaking of Lemon Drops, you're always welcome to one when we have the pleasure of meeting. I find them extraordinarily helpful in stimulating one's mental faculties; not that I'm lacking in that regard. I once heard this Muggle saying that when you get old the mind is the first thing to go; I guess that isn't always the gospel truth though as I have yet to go senile, but I digress. Forgive this old man's ramblings my friend; I wish you all the best Mr. Emrys.
Merlin smiled fondly while remembering the letter he had gotten from the surprisingly eccentric Headmaster verbatim. Having an eidetic memory had its uses. Merlin prided himself on his own eccentricities and always related best to those select few wizards and witches who somehow managed to be utterly brilliant in that maddening sort of way; the way that made you wonder whether they were mental, ingenious, or maybe both. Over the years, he'd concluded that for all the misconceptions people made regarding the Arthurian Legends; there were at least three things they got right.
Number one being of course that Merlin was easily and by far the most powerful magic-user to ever walk the earth; and with over a thousand years of immortality and walking the earth learning every branch of magic there was, and an encounter with an Omni-Omniversal Entity calling himself AIB, Merlin was now more powerful than any other God Magic Conduit or ZOF Prodigy as AIB called them.
The second thing they got right, was of course Merlin's eccentric and one-of-a-kind personality in certain versions of the stories of old; being almost 1500-years-old, Merlin had developed a rather odd habit of picking up rather odd habits. It was a good way to mix things up, and it kept people on their toes when they were around him and his manner of speech or his attire. He supposed he just liked messing with people; albeit only in fun and never with the intention of being deliberately hurtful or cruel. He was also the master of magical pranks and prank wars; and in all modesty, those Weasley Twins and the infamous Marauders could learn a thing or two from him if he said so himself. When one lived as long as he did, they needed to keep learning, trying new things, and breaking the monotony by doing strange and extravagant things… all so they didn't stagnate.
Finally, the last thing they managed to get right was that Merlin was also sometimes depicted as an old man; but what most people didn't realize was that it was a temporary transformation and Merlin was younger than Arthur when he started out. Shit talking everybody as Dragoon the Great had obviously left a memorable impression on the annals of history; and it only increased Merlin's amusement when he realized almost nobody had a clue that he was not actually as old as the aging spell tended to indicate. Well he was now, but ultimately, he still looked same as when Arthur had died; though eternally less haunted and burdened by the weight of his destiny on his shoulders.
Remembering Arthur's final words to never change, Merlin had taken that to heart and in all his countless years he was still much the same person he had been. He'd also made peace with Arthur's death a long time ago and went on living his immortal life and operating as an agent from behind the shadows. He felt a sense of peace that he hadn't felt during the final years of Camelot. Sure, losing his friends and family in his original home had been heart breaking, but while he would last forever he understood that not everything did. At least now he had the power to make others with abilities like his whenever he pleased; though he'd have to be careful about the people he chose to bestow them to. He'd had some truly amazing times over the centuries and would often find himself reminiscing fondly about the past.
Sure, most of his friendships had the bittersweet taste that came with being an immortal; but for every friend he lost he gained at least three more, and if he was ever feeling particularly lonely he could always summon the spirits of the departed and accept wisdom, counsel, guidance, and even companionship from the friends he lost. Granted, while he could resurrect the dead it was unwise and extremely selfish of him to bring anybody back permanently. The ones who loved him never truly left him, hell; he'd spoken with Arthur's spirit just recently and while he gave Merlin a hard time about when he'd be back from the dead the two of them had a good time that day. Of course, Merlin knew there was now more to his destiny than uniting the land of Albion and bringing back the Old Magic into the new world.
That wasn't to say he wouldn't be there when Arthur came back to lead the world into a new age of magic and wonder; but being free from destiny and everything else had given Merlin a sense of control over his own life that he never thought possible. He'd have to thank that AIB guy next time he saw him; however eccentric the original ZOF prodigy was even by Merlin's standards, he was also the reason Merlin had become the most powerful God Magic Conduit in his and every other Omega Omnisphere, save Amber Thompson herself of course.
There was one thing AIB said that unnerved him a little however, and he allowed himself to look back on it as he continued aimlessly wandering around the Train in order to find that confounded empty compartment. 'So, I'm truly invincible now then?' Merlin had asked him. 'Yes and no,' had been the man's simple reply, utterly baffling Merlin with it all. 'What the bloody hell does that mean? How can I be invincible and yet not?' He confusedly asked. 'It means that while you will be beyond infinity, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence, Omni-Totality, Eventuality, Actuality, Causality, and free from all constraints and limitations including Destiny, Death, Life, Paradoxes, and all others; the Dark Side of the ZOF will inevitably create an Entity to serve as your antithesis. One who will have all the supreme mystical Metapotence that you do but with none of your mortal constraints. The ESIT may also try to bond you forever with a suitable love mate to keep you in check; my recommendation is to trust its judgement when this happens because once you find this Soul Mate of yours you'll never have imagined that you could have been so happy before in your life.'
Sufficed to say, AIB's words had left a lasting impression on Merlin, or as he knew he was now known; Merlin IB, which stood for Infinity and Beyond. He'd spent the last fifty-years or so sanctifying this incredible gift he'd been given. He kept to the shadows in all that time even as the temptation to get involved in events once more became increasingly more powerful; eventually however, he knew he would have to take a more proactive role in the destiny of one Harry James Potter. Voldemort's return last year and the Ministry's steady decline and incompetence were the last straws for Merlin; and so, he had posed as a 15-year-old teenage boy and subscribed for a student transfer into Hogwarts.
Merlin's Meta-Omniscience of all things with regards to magic didn't extend to future events or spoilers, he usually left prophecies and all that speaking in riddles in the more than capable hands of either Aithusa or Kilgharrah, the two ancient and great dragons he'd deified as ZOF enhanced Dragon Gods. That said, the ancient warlock was aware of the means through which Voldemort achieved his own immortality; and knew he would need a way to leak that information to Harry and his friends without being too conspicuous about just how much he knew. He also knew he'd need to get some of the details concerning Harry's previous years at Hogwarts straightened out; the Chamber of Secrets and Ginny Weasley being under magical duress because something told him that was important. Merlin didn't want to directly involve himself or to use his name since people in modern Wizarding society saw him as the capital-D Deity of all magic. And while that wasn't necessarily untrue in terms of the sheer power he possessed, Merlin had always been extraordinarily uncomfortable with the idea of being put on such a lofty and grandiose pedestal.
Perfect power and knowledge of all things magical in the past and present as well as in every dimension and parallel; did not equate with perfection in every sense and aspect. And Merlin hated the idea of being treated as someone other than what he was, a goofy, clever, witty, and barmy-as-all-hell bloke who for whatever reason… had been chosen by the God Magic and the ZOF themselves to wield the most unfathomable magical power in the Omni-Omniversal Reality.
Merlin was happy and content with his own life, and what AIB said to him about his antithesis sounded like Morganna might come back; but he didn't care how powerful the dark side of the ZOF made her. He'd take her on and he'd beat her again just like he did everything else. He was tired of operating behind the scenes, and now the time had come for him to take a more proactive role in the destinies of people like Harry Potter. His last conversation with Arthur's spirit had been very illuminating; and the royal prat of a King kept insisting he needed to get himself a girlfriend.
Merlin had only had a select few relationships over the past Millennium and a half; one of whom had been the most brilliant and beautiful witch he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing… Rowena Ravenclaw herself. Merlin had qualities from all four Houses of Hogwarts, and had been there when the old school was built. But despite that he was friends with all four of the founders and despite his sympathy for Salazar having to deal with having the worst reputation of the four houses; Rowena would always have a special place in Merlin's heart. Still, he wasn't the type to base his personal happiness on romantic love; he was content with his life exactly the way it was. Still, if anyone took an interest in him for him and not all that Emrys nonsense; well, he could honestly say he wouldn't be opposed.
"Bloody hell, what does it take to find an empty compartment on this confounded train?!" Merlin finally demanded tersely, speaking aloud for the first time with the same voice he'd always had, but laced with far greater wisdom than he'd ever had in the BBC Television series; even if right now he was being anything but wise. He immediately brightened upon remembering that he was going to be at Hogwarts in a few hours; unable to dwell in his annoyance for too long these days. He couldn't wait to hear the Sorting Hat's reaction when it recognized and sorted him for the umpteenth time; God knows the Goblins nearly shat themselves when he kindly asked for access to his vault for the first time in centuries.
He had limitless funds in gold with the goblins, having helped build Gringotts from the underground up with the help of the then leader of the entire Goblin nation. He also had countless ancient tomes, magical artefacts, and other such things of priceless value and unimaginable power. He'd grown past the need for most of the things in his vault around 200 years ago; his magic having grown so strong by then that he was essentially omnificent with his conjuration abilities. Now though, he'd need access to his vaults and his endless ocean of Galleons if he was going to procure a wand he had absolutely no need of, as well as blend in with the countless other students attending the school.
The time had come for him to see if old Godric was right about him being rubbish at blending in among his fellow magical beings. It was funny, he could blend in better when he had to pretend to have no magic at all and when his life was potentially on the line; (not that he couldn't have escaped from Uther's mundane methods of killing off sorcerers, any powerful enough being of magic could have fought their way out if necessary) but when he was free to use any magic at all, he tended to have difficulty gauging just how magical he should come across as to other wizards and witches.
"It would be nice to see Hogwarts again," Merlin mused aloud, feeling his modified Sidhe Staff securely fastened inside his wand holster, which was attached to the hip of his pants. His trunk had been loaded into storage only moments before, and had multiple levels each with undetectable extension charms and ancient magic protecting it from all manners of intrusion… including omnipotent ones. He reached the end of the Train car that held the Gryffindor students and stopped when he heard voices. "I'm surprised the Ministry is letting you go free Potter; better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it," a snobbish, arrogant voice proclaimed from the compartment directly in front of Merlin at the very end of the Train car.
There was some shuffling in that compartment as the boy Merlin recognized as the self-important fool of a Malfoy heir was tossed out of that compartment and a raven-haired boy was held back by two others while attempting to lunge at him. "Just stay the fuck away from me Malfoy!" Harry Potter himself cussed loudly, seemingly not caring if anyone heard him as Malfoy seemed to contemplate whether to actually leave while he still could. Merlin couldn't help shaking his head in disappointment as he slowly approached Malfoy and his two cronies. Human stupidity was apparently as infinite as the Omni-Omniverse however, because Malfoy continued needling.
"Or you'll what Potter, I'm the Slytherin prefect; you can't touch me and I can dock you points for trying. You wouldn't want to cost your fellow Gryffindors the House Cup on the first day. Then again, you'd be setting a new-record; putting your house in the red before term even starts," Malfoy threatened him as Merlin sighed again and a pretty, bushy haired brunette Merlin recognized as Hermione Granger suddenly stepped forward in defense of Harry. "That's not going to happen Draco; in case you haven't noticed we've got Prefect badges to. You won't be docking any of us points on either unfounded grounds or for unfair reasons; and if you try to force it I'll take the matter to the Headmaster. Do I make myself clear?" the girl told him off warningly, her present-day confidence belying the unsure bookworm Merlin knew she had been as an 11-year-old first-year.
Draco's eyes fell on the Prefect badges prominently displayed on both Hermione and Ron Weasley's robes, and he smirked. "Too bad Potter, it must burn you to know that Mudblood Granger and Weaselby became Prefects and you didn't," Malfoy taunted, and now Merlin felt it was a good time to step in. He was planning on integrating himself into Harry's entourage at one point anyways and now was as good as time as any to make his typical bizarre first impression. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Merlin calmly covered the remaining distance between himself and the arrogant prat.
"Old Sally would be shaking his head in disappointment at his own house I reckon. It's people like you who give the proud house of Slytherin a bad name; you said your name was Malfoy was it," Merlin piped up, grabbing the attention of everyone present including the sneering Malfoy brat, Granger, Weasley, and Potter; all three of whom stood between Malfoy and the compartment they no doubt planned to use. They hadn't even had a chance to get properly settled in on the train, since it just left the station; and already this tosspot was laying into them like his life depended on it. Merlin would have to have a chat with Salazar's portrait once he reached the Headmaster's office, about the seriously falling standards of wizards and witches in his house.
"I'm sorry, who are you," Malfoy said once he recovered from the strangeness of Merlin's statement, in a tone that indicated he was anything but sorry. Merlin's cheeky smile widened, "alright that's enough, you've had your fun; now be on your way my friend," Merlin said, while making a shooing motion with his hands to usher Malfoy away.
"Ha, we're not friends; I'd never be friends with someone who sides with Saint Potter and his pathetic friends," Malfoy retorted. "And I'd never be friends with someone who is such an ass, so skip that last part of my statement and be on your way please," Merlin replied coyly; earning a collective chuckle from Ron and Harry along with a female giggle in the compartment behind them. Even stickler-of-the-rules Hermione looked like she was fighting a smile.
Malfoy's face flushed with anger, "mind your attitude; I'm a Hogwarts Prefect," he told him, while Merlin bowed before him mockingly. "Ah, forgive me; I said you were an ass, I simply forgot that you were a royal one," he retorted, in a fashion similar to his first conversation with Arthur as Ron and even Harry both roared with laughter. Merlin regarded Malfoy with amusement; seeing the poor boy turning all shades of red as he continued to trounce the brat in their ongoing war of words. But Merlin supposed, after bantering with Arthur for years and Rowena's razor sharp wits; that not much else could compare. This ponce was completely out of his league.
"You'd better watch your mouth, who are you anyway; I'm reporting you for badmouthing a Prefect," Malfoy threatened in what he hoped was a menacing and intimidating manner; but Merlin was not cowed in the slightest. "The name's Martin Emrys if you must know; and you're very welcome to try. But seeing as I'm a transfer student from across the Atlantic I have yet to be sorted into a house you can take points from; and as these Gryffindors already established you can't unlawfully take away points from them while miss Granger and mister Weasley are present here. Now, for the last time; I'd recommend you leave mister Malfoy. I am in a far less compromising position to deal with the likes of you than these people are; and unfortunately for you, I've never set much store by the rules of Schools," Merlin had finally had enough, slipping into a more serious tone of voice as Malfoy recognized the veiled threat and retreated with his ever-silent duo of trolls who did little more than clench their fists tighter while Merlin had verbally mutilated Malfoy.
Satisfied that the prince of prats had gotten the message; Merlin was drawn out of his thoughts when the redheaded Weasley looked at him like Christmas had come early. "That was brilliant, never seen anyone get the better of Malfoy like that before," Ron remarked excitedly as Merlin rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Thanks for that assessment… Ron was it; I know your names, for obvious reasons of course," Merlin said with a maddening grin, knowing that first impressions could be delicate things and wanting to make a good one on Harry and the others. Still, if he wasn't able to be himself, then befriending these remarkable younglings would've been a meaningless endeavor. He wanted to show them that he was just the same as the rest of them, so when the time came for them to know the truth they might not see him as a God as so many others before them had.
"Hey, thanks for sticking up for us, we've been putting up with that ass for years now; I'm Harry, these are my friends Ron and Hermione. There's also Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom in this compartment behind us as well," Harry introduced himself and his friends as Merlin nodded with a smile. "Must be something, being instantly recognizable for something you don't even remember doing; hell, I've never put much stock on the whole Boy-Who-Lived nonsense. To me, a man is not defined by the circumstances of his birth but by the choices he makes when he's old enough to make his own decisions.
It is nice to finally met the man behind all those stories though Harry; and of course, this lovely lady is no doubt Hermione Granger, and you're undoubtedly Ronald Weasley. It's so nice to finally meet you all," Merlin said in a calculated manner; knowing how much he had hated being associated with all those Emrys legends and figuring Harry felt much the same about the legends surrounding his supposed accomplishments as a 1-year-old baby. Harry smiled genuinely at that, unable to remember the last time someone had ever seen him as just Harry and not by his title; it was oddly refreshing to be seen as a regular person.
"Nice to meet ya mate," Ron introduced himself casually, and Hermione beamed when he called her a lovely lady. Martin was relieved and overjoyed he had been able to make a good first impression; having not had such fun interacting with humans in a long time. Hermione immediately noticed the strange manner in which he was dressed; including the fez atop his head, the out-of-date bowtie, and brown tweed jacket. Merlin had gotten the idea of fashion from a TV series called Doctor Who back in the sixties; and given his completely non-conformist attitude wearing something outdated by practically a hundred seasons was definitely his style. He smiled sheepishly at her quietly observing him, whereas both Harry and Ron didn't even give it a second glance.
"Anyways Harry; Ron and I really need to be in the Prefect's Compartment for the meeting, we're already late after that scuffle with Malfoy," Hermione reminded him as she and Ron gazed at Harry apologetically. "It's fine you guys, I'll see you when you get back," he briskly responded, and Merlin got the distinct impression he was brushing them off slightly as Hermione pulled Ron by the arm out of the compartment and opposite the direction Merlin had come in. She cast Harry one last sympathetic look over her shoulder, and then she and Ron were gone.
"Harry, you and your friend can come in here with me, there's lots of room. It's just me, Neville, and Loony Lovegood. She's a bit of an odd duck, but she's alright," another voice called out to Harry that Merlin recognized as Ginny Weasley. "Coming Ginny," Harry replied, both him and Merlin standing outside the compartment.
"If I might impose upon you Harry; I really hope you don't mind, everywhere else is full," Merlin asked him politely. Harry shrugged noncommittally, saying something about how Ginny already said he could go in with them; and that was all the permission Merlin needed as he immediately took the seat nearest the window and proceeded to stare out of it. He could feel Ginny and Neville's curious eyes on him as Harry took his time sitting down. Merlin could literally feel the connection between Harry and Voldemort through that cursed scar of his; as well as the specter of Voldemort's soul latched onto Harry.
It'd been eating away at the poor boy's life for a long time now, leeching of his magic, growing steadily stronger, and amazingly enough failing to corrupt Harry's virtue from the inside out. That's boy's incorruptibility was astonishing for a Wizard his tender age. Merlin couldn't contain the great sadness he felt but managed to stop it from showing on his face; but beyond that he felt great respect for Harry's innate strength of character.
Dumbledore evidently hadn't told Harry any of this yet; like how Harry himself was another of Voldemort's horcruxes. He also likely neglected to tell Harry that the only way to rid himself of his parasite was for him to die; and Voldemort himself would have to do it. Fortunately for them, Merlin had many solutions to that problem, and would be able to expunge the darkness from Harry without killing him; the only problem lie in how to go about doing it. Evidently, he couldn't just wave his hand and sever that connection while amongst other people who could notice the golden glow of his eyes; and even if he did it subtly so no one would know who did it, Dumbledore would likely be asking questions. And since Merlin himself was the only unknown in this equation, he'd be under heavy scrutiny to say the least. If he had to out himself to a select few people to save Harry from his fate, then so be it; but hopefully Dumbledore was open-minded enough to accept Merlin's interference and to not ask too many questions like how or why.
Merlin could feel some of Voldemort's anger and corrupting influence bleeding through in the connection, and Harry would be volatile, ill-tempered, and feeling like nobody understand him this year. A very classical case of teenage angst in most cases, but with Harry it would be increased pretty much tenfold. In any case, Merlin knew he was going to have to tread on the side of caution with what he planned to do. But first, he needed to establish a connection with the people who would be integral in Harry's destiny.
"I heard what was going on with you guys and Malfoy, the way you put him in his place was brilliant. You said your name was Martin right," Ginny suddenly asked him, and Merlin nodded in affirmation as he turned away from the window to gaze into Ginny's brown eyes. 'Damn! Ginny is turning into a gorgeous young woman. Careful Merlin, you may look like a 15-year-old boy but there are laws against courting an underage witch when you're over a thousand-years-old. At least wait till they're seventeen you old perv!
When Merlin's inner mind put it like that, it was hard to fault its logic. But having grown up in a time-period where girls could be married off as young as 10 or 11; it was hard to get with the times and accept that he couldn't look at a teenage girl that way anymore. It was taboo in the present day and just not acceptable; and girls in the medieval times were much more mature for their age than they were nowadays. Unfortunately for him, Ginny was around the approximate age where he started to consider them grown women and attractive. Thankfully, he'd had the foresight to customize his powers so that they didn't increase his libido to the same godlike proportions; otherwise he'd be knocking up more women in a week than Zeus did in 5000 years. Gazing at Neville, Merlin noticed he was holding a plant pot with a Mimbulus Mimbletonia pulsating rather nicely. It resembled a Cactus plant but with boils rather than spines; and it was wriggling and convulsing continuously. Merlin was almost too distracted by the fact that Neville had such a rare plant to respond to Ginny; but he managed somehow.
"Thank you very much Ginny; that guy was a complete ass. But I've dealt with my share of them in the past and I'm not about to let a self-entitled little prick get the best of me. Ooh, that's a really nice Mimbulus Mimbletonia by the way Neville," Merlin stated matter-of-factually. Ginny roared with laughter, Harry smirked at him out of the corner of his eye, and Neville smiled shyly; though he also looked surprised and a little impressed that Merlin knew the name of the plant. The only one who seemed completely disinterested in the current conversation was someone who hid their face behind a magazine that she was reading upside down; and she was sitting directly across from Merlin.
"I'm honestly less concerned about Malfoy and more concerned about the Ministry; that hearing was a right pain in my ass," Harry ranted fiercely. He immediately had to fight a grin however, when Ginny started whispering the words 'he got off, he got off' in a sort of pseudo war chant. She said it quietly enough so only he and someone with Merlin's enhanced senses could hear her.
"I'm sorry Harry, I've only been in England for a short time so I'm not as up to speed on recent events as I care to admit; may I ask what happened? I mean, if you don't mind terribly," Merlin asked, already knowing the answer to many of his questions but wanting to fill in the missing pieces if he could.
"Oh, nothing happened… except that the Ministry of Magic has that idiot Fudge for a minister. He's been attacking me and Professor Dumbledore for months now; using all his power and influence over the Daily Prophet to smear anyone who claims Voldemort has returned," Harry bit out sarcastically, and Merlin smirked. "Classic Fudge maneuver; he really is the epitome of the sleazy politician stereotype, isn't he? Better get used to it though Harry, corrupt politicians have been a thing since time immemorial; best just to let him be the archetype of his own undoing," Merlin told him sagely. Harry grudgingly nodded.
"It makes me wonder if being an Auror really is the best idea right now; with a minister like Fudge looking to have me expelled… I'm not sure that's best course of action while he's still in office," he solemnly said, just as a new voice suddenly spoke up. "You want to be an Auror? Have you heard of the Rotfang conspiracy," the voice asked Harry in a tone both serene and about as far away from the world as a voice could get.
Suddenly lowering her Quibbler magazine to gaze at Harry unblinkingly; Luna Lovegood showed her face and an interest in the conversation for the first time since they boarded the train. Merlin immediately grimaced at this, Harry may not have heard of that conspiracy but he sure as hell did. "Um no, what's the Rotfang Conspiracy," Harry said, almost sounding as if he was afraid to ask. At that precise moment, Ron and Hermione opened the sliding door to enter the compartment, sitting between Harry and Merlin with Hermione nearest Merlin and Ron by his best mate. Luna carried on unabated, as though Ron and Hermione had never even entered.
"I'm surprised you've never heard of it Harry Potter. The Rotfang Conspiracy is a plot by the Auror office to take down the Ministry of Magic from within through a combination of dark magic and gum disease," Luna explained, as Ron looked at her like she had grown a second head and Hermione's eye twitched slightly, as if irritated and surprised to find this the topic of conversation she came back to Harry regarded her contemplatively, while Ginny stuffed her fist into her mouth to stop herself from giggling. Merlin however, was still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened; while also finding Luna's statement both amusing and terrifying in the implications.
"Hey, I've heard of that conspiracy before. Gingivitis and other mouth rotting afflictions abound and are made incurable by dark magic; that's actually terrifying," Merlin said, shuddering genuinely. He'd had a rotten tooth once before; given his penchant for sweets, and while magic was advanced enough to regrow teeth at that point Merlin had to suffer with the pain of that blasted tooth for hours on end while trying to find himself a magical healer. Those fuckers hurt, and while Luna's comment might have come off as dotty to the other people in the compartment; Merlin wasn't the sort to immediately dismiss something completely out of hand simply because there wasn't much substantive proof of its actual existence. Being a ZOF enhanced God Magic Conduit required keeping a beyond infinitely open mind; just having to cope with the maddening, impossible things he'd seen and done over the years required a very special kind of tenacity.
So, others saw the girl as eccentric and loony, and Merlin reckoned he had reasons to believe she was too. She had her wand tucked away behind her left ear. Her eyes were protuberant and seemed frozen in a permanently surprised expression; and they were silver as the moon itself. She also seemed to blink far less than the average human. She wore a necklace with Butterbeer cork charms on it; and Merlin noticed her choice of attire was painted in every color of the rainbow. As if all that wasn't enough though, but the fourteen-year-old girl also had earrings made from dirigible plums.
Luna turned her attention on him, and Merlin regarded her with interest and curiosity. "So, you've heard of it," she asked him, her voice not quite as far away now as the ancient warlock blushed at her unabashed staring. "Yes, I have, hey is that the latest edition of the Quibbler; been meaning to pick one up myself," Merlin responded offhandedly, noting her surprised expression as she handed her copy to him and he gently took it off her hands to give it a read. For Hermione, that was apparently beyond the limit of her tolerance; and Merlin was quite unprepared for when the bushy haired witch who was heralded for her brilliance made a comment.
"I've heard of the Quibbler, you do know that it's complete bollocks don't you Martin," she asked him huffily; just as Merlin arrived at the page where Fudge was implicated in being the Goblin-Crusher. He was surprised when Luna snatched the Quibbler out of his hands, and regarded Hermione with surprisingly attentive and fierce ire. "For your information, my father is the editor and owner of the Quibbler; so I'd thank you not to make comments like that," she hissed with surprising steel in her voice, causing Merlin to quirk an eyebrow. 'Interesting, so there is stuff that gets to her. From the impression I got, Luna Lovegood seemed almost unflappable; but they're only human I suppose.'
"But it doesn't even make any sense, you can't make up those ridiculous claims without substantial proof," Hermione insistently stated, clearly frustrated with Luna's ability to accept irrational things without much need for physical evidence. Merlin briefly noted that Luna would make a fantastic ZOF Prodigy of the God Magic; but kept that thought to himself for the time being. "If you can't appreciate the Quibbler's style of news telling that's fine; but don't just dismiss what it has to offer other people because you can't wrap your head around it," Luna exclaimed emphatically, her pale, porcelain face flushing red with anger as Merlin couldn't help but smile. Clearly, she was very defensive of her father and his newspaper.
"But I… Ron, Harry, help me out you guys," Hermione was quickly growing too frustrated to have a rational debate with the girl anymore. She was highly logical and analytical, and with a person like Luna; it seemed that logic failed her when trying to rationally explain why the Quibbler was not the kind of newspaper one should put too much stock in. "Oh no, don't drag me into this Mione; I've got more important things to think about," Harry said glumly, and though Ron didn't come to her defense either at least he looked apologetic about it. Hermione huffed and sank further into her seat. While Merlin could somewhat relate to the girl's frustration; he also saw Luna's point of view on the matter, and decided to speak up just then.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," he quoted quietly, yet not so quietly because everyone heard him. Hermione rounded on him, eyes wide with disbelief. "You've read Hamlet? Why quote something like that?" she asked him, pleasantly surprised as Merlin nodded with a smile. Ginny interjected suddenly, "I don't understand, what's Hamlet?" she wondered, ever like a curious cat as Neville shrugged. "It's a really famous Muggle story," Hermione answered her quickly, before returning her attention to Merlin, silently reminding him of her question from before.
"Because it's true Hermione; think about it… before you got your Hogwarts letter, would you have truly believed in the existence of magic?" he asked her. Hermione immediately understood where he was going with this, and hurriedly replied. "But it's not the same, I can't just accept something so strange without overwhelming evidence to support it. Magic's existence was undeniable and only a fool would have remained ignorant," Hermione explained as everyone else listened with silent interest. Even Luna was intrigued, and seemed to want to pick Merlin's brain and hear where he was going with this.
"It is the same though Hermione; and I never said you had to accept something without evidence, but immediately dismissing something completely out of hand because there isn't enough substantial proof to fit your logic… is frankly stupid, and likely to get you killed," Merlin rebutted, then sighed with a shake of his head. "I could live for another thousand years and never come to understand how people who can turn back time, conjure anything except food, and achieve almost any feat save for a select few… can be so shockingly close-minded," he added morosely. "Another thousand years?" Ginny repeated with a quirk of her eyebrow, causing Merlin to smirk at her. "That part was a joke," he lied, and everyone shared a chuckle, and just like that; the tension between Hermione and Luna from earlier had all but evaporated.
Hermione meanwhile, had a lot to think about; their new acquaintance Martin was full of surprises it seemed. She had long since accepted the reality that magic was real, and as she always did, strived to learn as much as she could about new things; but just because she knew a lot about magic didn't meant she knew everything. Perhaps there was more to the magical world than she previously realized; and Martin had made a valid point.
"So Neville, care to demonstrate to us what your little friend's defense mechanism is?" Merlin suddenly asked, indicating the Mimbulus Mimbletonia as Neville grinned eagerly. "Sure thing Martin, you see; when under attack you guys, this little fella likes to release a bunch of stinky sap," Neville proudly stated, stroking the plant along its boils incessantly as it pulsated more violently, then shuddered… before spewing a whole whack of the stuff on everyone and nearly everything in the entire compartment. Neville was shocked at this, and Merlin burst out laughing as no one was spared. Hermione looked ready to shriek at the sap in her hair and all over her clothes, whereas Ron spluttered and choked; spitting it out as Neville reassured him it wasn't poisonous, just smelled bad. Harry looked disgusted, and Ginny quirked an eyebrow at Merlin suspiciously; almost as if she knew he did that on purpose.
"I'm so sorry you guys, I didn't think it would blast that stuff so far and wide," Neville exclaimed, mortified beyond belief. No one seemed able to get mad at him when he sank further into his seat, and Merlin frowned slightly at the poor lad's lack of self-confidence; he'd have to do something about that. "It's no big deal Nev," Ginny reassured him gently, bringing out her wand and speaking the incantation "Scourgify," and most of the sap immediately disappeared from the entire compartment.
"Whew, thanks Ginny; that stuff is disgusting," Ron said gratefully. "Can't be any worse than those slugs Ron," Harry teased, grinning genuinely for the first time in a long while as Ron slugged him playfully on the arm. All eyes fell on Merlin at that moment, who managed to blink at them innocently; an expression none of them bought for even a second. "Martin, that wasn't very nice you know," Hermione scolded him rather lightly, as Merlin felt his lips quirking upward. "Oh, come on! That was hilarious," he stubbornly insisted, and to his relief, everyone shared a laugh or a giggle. Seriously, these people needed to lighten up a bit.
Just then, Merlin heard the sliding of wheels outside their compartment and sensed the presence of the trolley lady. Getting up just as she reached their compartment, he moved past everyone and fished out a bag of Galleons from inside his magically expanded pockets. He slid open the door just as she brought the massive assortment of sweets up to him, and gave her a kind smile. "Anything sweet for you dears," the lady offered them kindly.
"Not for me thanks," Harry declined politely, and Ron nodded in agreement; evidently unable to afford it as Merlin grinned gregariously. "I'll take the lot of it," he said, reaching into his magically expanded money bag and handing her an entire handful of golden galleons. "Whoa," Ron said in surprise, and Merlin blushed sheepishly as the lady smiled and kindly accepted the money. "Keep the change mam," Merlin offered when it became clear she was going to make up the difference.
She beamed at him, and Merlin decided that instead of grabbing all the candy armfuls at a time he would use magic instead. Grabbing his modified Sidhe Staff; Merlin brought out a beautifully designed, off-white wand with a blue gem gleaming like sapphire at the base of the handle. With a casual flick of his wand and a brief flash of gold in his eyes that nobody caught; all different types of candy started floating alongside Martin back into the compartment as the trolley lady shook her head with a smile. All eyes were on him and the different types of candy as Martin retook his spot across from Luna; some Chocolate Frogs and at least half a dozen packages of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, as well as other notable treats found themselves flying to everyone in the compartment… including Harry who had initially refused to buy any himself.
Ron looked at Martin with surprise etched on his face, and Martin shrugged. "I've got more money in my vault at Gringotts than I can spend in a billion lifetimes; so, I might as well share that wealth with people like you guys," he admitted with a kind, genuine smile as Ginny beamed at the package of Bertie Bott's Merlin had given her. "Besides, if I don't share some of this with you guys… I'll just end up eating it all myself, and I really don't need the calories if I'm being honest," Merlin added, and when Ron still looked unsure Ginny scoffed. "Oh, swallow your pride already Ron; you and I both know you want some of this," she told him off, and Ron nodded reluctantly as Hermione sighed at his stubbornness and Harry sighed in resignation when he realized that Martin wouldn't take no for an answer.
Merlin grinned with proud satisfaction as he watched Luna open a chocolate frog; the group immersed in their own thoughts. The ancient warlock was tempted to read their minds and see what was going through their heads while they ate; but managed to keep from invading their privacy. "So, Martin, where are you from?" Hermione asked him, striking up a conversation in between small nibbles of her chocolate frog. "Canada," he answered simply, causing her and Ron to go slack jawed. "That far?! Wow, I didn't know Canada had magical educational facilities," Hermione admitted frustratingly, because if there was one thing she hated it was not knowing something.
"Well there is, though few magical schools prepare their students for the real world as well as Hogwarts does; and I guess I just wanted to be where the action is. With Voldemort's return, living in Wizarding Britain is going to take a certain kind of tenacity; and I want to be there to help people when they need it," Merlin admitted as Harry's eyes widened. "You mean to say… you actually believed that Voldemort has returned?! You don't think I'm the 'Boy Who Lies'?!" the 15-year-old wizard asked him, evidently surprised as Merlin threw him a kind smile.
"Not everybody thinks you're nuts for your claim Harry… and you're not as alone in this fight as you might expect. I mean, I'm not the type of person just to dismiss something completely out of hand Harry. Sometimes it's easier to live in denial than to face a terrible truth," Merlin told him sagely as Harry nodded slowly, finding it difficult to relieve last year but glad at least someone believed in him.
"I wish everyone was that open-minded," Harry admitted simply, as Ginny smiled compassionately at him and Luna glanced at him for a second from behind her Quibbler magazine. "Don't worry about everyone Harry, just worry about the people who mean something to you. As long as even one person believes, you're never truly alone; and right now, you've got an entire compartment full of people who accept the reality that Voldemort has returned," Merlin replied as Ginny nodded in agreement. "Bloody well straight if you ask me mate," Ron said in full support. He still remembered how he had treated Harry for much of last year during the first part of the tournament; and vowed to never let his jealousy issues ruin his number one friendship aside from his friendship with Hermione.
"Anyways, all that stuff aside, anyone up for Wizard's Chess," Ron suggested, and everyone who knew him politely declined. Merlin however, was up to the challenge; he'd been around when that game was invented and had beaten some of the best chess players on earth… both in the past and present. "I'll play you Ron," Merlin offered, surprising everyone present as Ron nodded and they got to work setting up the board. Ginny giggled as she, Neville, and Luna shuffled over and Merlin took a seat opposite Ron on his side of the Chess board.
"You don't know what you've signed up for Martin; Ron's the best Wizard's chess player Hogwarts has seen in a long time. None of us have managed to beat him yet, it's a bit ridiculous really," Ginny explained to him, missing the mysterious smile that slipped onto the 1500-year-old warlock's face. "Be that as it may, I think I can hold my own Ginny; I love chess, both the muggle and Wizard versions," Merlin chortled. "Alright, don't say I didn't warn you," Ginny smirked at him; and there was something more to the teasing that Merlin could pick up on thanks to his powers of empathy.
It would seem Ginny was starting to show the slightest hint of a budding crush on him; and if not for the fact that she was still a minor by today's standards he might have been tempted… she was pretty enough to have been a princess during the age of Camelot. As it was though, he'd have to keep things strictly platonic between him and the girls here until they came of age; and it's not like he couldn't wait a few years. Being immortal had its perks; such as being able to wait forever for the people worth waiting forever for.
With that train of thoughts aside, Merlin made the first move; and thus, began the most grueling chess match anyone present had ever seen. It lasted three hours, all the way into the night and only ending by time they were already passing Hogsmeade. "Checkmate Ron," Merlin finally said, taking his opponent's king with his queen; whom he had managed to somehow keep alive the entire match. There was a brief-moment of silence as everyone processed the sheer enormity of Ron actually losing a chess match for the first time in living memory, and then pandemonium ensued.
Merlin was swamped with praise from all sides, "Merlin's beard Martin; that was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" Harry exclaimed; glad he had friends to keep him from going off the deep end and welcoming the distraction this intense game of chess offered him. Merlin almost snorted at the irony of Harry's word choice; but managed to keep from doing so aloud. Hermione was shaking her head, unable to wrap her head around it; "I could never beat Ron either, and it always frustrated me because chess is a game of strategy and analytical thinking and I pride myself on excelling at both. Ron, has anyone ever beaten you like that before," she suddenly asked as Neville clapped Merlin on the back and Ginny was smiling at him with both eyebrows raised… evidently extremely impressed by his performance.
"I've known Ron as long as I've been alive, and I don't think I can remember a time where he's ever lost a game; Percy has come close a couple of times, but he eventually gave it all up as a bad job. That was absolutely brilliant Martin," Ginny said her piece. Merlin could have sworn he caught Luna regarding him with interest out of the corner of his eye; but when he glanced upwards in her direction she was already back to being lost in her own world.
With this, Merlin returned his attention to Ron, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet the whole time as everyone awaited his reaction. To their absolute joy, he was positively beaming. "Finally, A worthy opponent," he sighed in obvious relief; pleased to have finally met his match in Wizard's Chess. Merlin couldn't help blushing sheepishly, wondering if he was perhaps standing out too much; but he concluded that a precocious chess master did not immediately scream Merlin in disguise. God knows there were loads of people in the world who excelled at chess; some muggles even played chess for a living, it was quite literally their livelihood.
"We'd best be getting ready to get off; we'll be arriving very soon," Hermione informed them. As if on cue, the train started slowing down, the screeching of tires on train tracks as Hogsmeade offered them a beautiful nighttime view out the window and Merlin caught Luna staring at him unblinkingly. Meeting her eyes, Merlin sent her a goofy grin, glad to know he had managed to make a good first impression or two on Harry's group. "I have a feeling this year is going to be a catalyst of truly big events in our lives you guys; so, you best be looking after yourselves," Merlin told them all cryptically.
With that said, he opened his pack of Bertie Bott's every Flavor Beans and popped one in his mouth. "Mm, a booger flavored… well, see you guys when I see you. Thanks for letting me stay in here with you… but I've got a meeting with Headmaster Dumbledore and I reckon tardiness is rude," Merlin added to all of them at large. With that parting statement, Merlin stepped out of the compartment just as the train screeched to a halt and walked down the aisle towards the nearest entrance while whistling a tune… before Harry and the others could even think to follow him.
Author's Notes: And there you have it peeps, the first chapter is more of an introduction of sorts and I hope you all like it so far. In case you haven't noticed this takes place during Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts; AKA the Order of the Phoenix. That said, Merlin's presence in this story has altered the path Harry and his friends were already on and changed the course of history. The chronology of events taking place here as well as everything else is AU as soon as Merlin steps on that train. I also realize I may not have gotten everything right with regards to the events on the train and how/when they take place in the book.
This can be explained away by the AU aspect of the story; whether or not things like Malfoy visiting them on the train when he did in this story as compared to the canon book itself, and things like that. Merlin's appearance might have disrupted causality enough for Malfoy to appear either earlier or later than he did in canon; I'm also certain that not everything said by each character was exactly the same. Anyways, with that aside, you guys can feel free to let me know how I did on this first chapter if you like. Read, rate, and review like you always do. The Omniarch/Omniarch-1024 is signing off now to go to bed.