Cathal lay back on his bright yellow car inhaling deeply he pulled the smoke from his joint into his greedy mouth. His ratty old clothes stuck to his sweaty skin as the heat of the engine warmed him up, he wore a coat, a red sweatshirt, a light blue flannel shirt, and a yellow shirt with some swirly line designs, his pants were baggy and old, and his shoes were worn and you could just see some of the white peeking through the dirt. He put his green hat on over his large ears to try and block out some of what his 'friend' was babbling on about. He had never felt so empty before. He felt as though he was missing something. Ever since his king died, life had been a blur. He lost his will to live, will to age. Drugs started as a distraction that grew into a habit, and from that an addiction. And at the weakened state he was in, he couldn't continue tricking the O'Regans into taking him in, regardless of his strong magic.
"Cathal!" His "friend" yelled pushing him off the hood. He stumbled to his feet, looking around for a threat, a cop, or his dealer maybe, but saw no such thing. "Look at this jackass!" He laughed, Cathal forced his eyes to focus on a young man stumbling about on the beach, clad in Arthurian armour.
"Merlin!" The man screamed, apparently looking for someone. Cathal's blood stopped pumping for a second.
"'e's higher than yee!" His 'friend' said. Cathal handed him his joint and climbed the railing to meet the man on the sand.
"Arthur?" He asked, he couldn't believe it, he hadn't heard the name 'Merlin' in decades, centuries even.
"Merlin, you clotpoll!" His king said staggering up to him, still clad in full armour. His tattered red cape fluttering in the wind, chain mail over his torso and thick metal plates over his right arm. Cathal could see the King's red shirt under his armour, and his brown pants ripped slightly, partially covering his worn boots, and the ornate gauntlet on his right hand was a strap away from falling off. But despite his ragged state, he still looked like the king they'd always known he'd be.
"That's... that's my word." Cathal breathed, staring at the man in surprise and amazement.
"And it still suits you." Arthur said with a smile, they headed back up into the car park, "Where are we?" He asked, his left hand subconsciously drifting to his sword, Excalibur as he noticed Cathal's 'friend.'
"Dublin." Cathal said, still amazed that his king was alive again. 'In Albion's time of need.' Kilgharrah had said.
"Who's yare mate thare Cathal?" Cathal's 'friend' asked
"Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot." Arthur said with a smile. The young man started laughing,
"What are yee on?" He asked
"Fuck off." Cathal said
"Excuse me?" His smile faded
"Yee heard me, git!" Cathal said, the man narrowed his eyes,
"Im the reason your dealer isn't here, giving you shit." He said, Cathal continued staring him down. The young man turned and walked off.
"Merlin, who's Cathal?"
"I am." Cathal/Merlin mumbled, "It's a long story." He said.
"Do share." Arthur demanded.
"Well, what do you remember?"
"Morgana had an army, and there was... lightning... sorcery... Mordred... Mordred cut me down... and..." He said.
"Anything else?" Cathal/Merlin asked.
"Uh... I awoke in a lake..." Arthur said scratching the back of his head.
"...well maybe I can do this right this time." Cathal/Merlin said, stretching his fingers. Last Last time he'd told Arthur of his magic, the man freaked out. "Sit down."
"Excuse me?"
"Sit down."
"Need I remind you I am your king?"
"There isn't a king anymore..." he said brushing the statement off with a wave, "There is a queen." He added as an afterthought.
"Gwen?"
"Elizabeth II."
"Who?" Arthur asked as Cathal/Merlin pushed him onto the bench.
"Just sit, you'll understand everything in minute." He put his hands on Arthur's head.
"Merlin-"
"Just a second Arthur." Cathal/Merlin said, muttering a few words. Arthur's mind was suddenly sent through the entirety of Merlin's incredibly long life, well minus the last 2 decades, he really hadn't been at his best lately. Arthur woke from it with a jolt.
"Merlin! You're! Why didn't you tell me!?"
"you'd have had to execute me." Cathal/Merlin muttered, fumbling with his ratty clothes.
"You have Magic!" Arthur said
"I was born with it." He said defensively, then smiled nervously.
"A sorcerer! My servant, under the nose of Uther." He said "and the last Dragonlord!... I'm sorry about your father."
"It's alright, I'm sorry about yours."
"Wasn't your fault."
"Neither was mine..."
"So you're Emrys."
"Ya." He smiled a little.
"My manservant is the most powerful sorcerer of all time!"
"Was."
"Hm?"
"I'm not at my best now." He mumbled.
"Why-?"
"Don't worry about it." He said. There was a silence.
"So, have you a... a flat was it?" Arthur asked finally, having learned about current times through Merlin's experiences. And he figured it'd be good to change the subject.
"It is... called that, but... I, uh, I live here." Apparently Arthur was wrong.
"In the... car park?"
"Yeah, ahm... in my cer."
"Merlin!" Arthur said with a chuckle, "you always have been a bit daft." Merlin smiled. He had really missed Arthur. "You never explained why he called you Cathal."
"I used Magic to make myself a child, grew up with a family, they named me Cathal."
"Why don't you live with them?" Arthur asked. Cathal/Merlin looked off into the sea,
"The father doesn't like me anymore."
"He found out?"
"No, I did something wrong."
"What?"
"It's not important, what's important is figuring out why you've been reborn."
"Merlin..."
"What?"
"Everything you've done for me..." Arthur said looking out towards the sea,"I... thank you."
"What's that?" Merlin asked, Arthur looked over.
"You heard me." He said pushing him playfully. They both laughed.
"It's getting late." Merlin said.
"Where are you sleeping?" Arthur asked. Merlin pointed to the little yellow car. "You'd better be joking!" Merlin smiled slightly.
"Sorry." He said, then standing up he fell back into his role of Arthur's manservant. He figured the man could use some familiarity in all this, plus he was born to serve Arthur. Taking off the man's armour so that he was just in his red tunic and brown trousers, he put the armour in the boot. Leaving him with his sword, since he knew he wouldn't take putting it away very well.
"How did you find me?" Merlin asked Arthur.
"I'm the best tracker among the knights." Arthur declared, following him to the car as he tightened his belt.
"I'm not a deer." Merlin pouted jokingly.
"No... the truth is, something was pulling me this way." Arthur told him. They climbed into the car.
Cathal/Merlin woke around 7 AM, the wind blowing freezing air through the broken window, the plastic flapping in his face. Sitting up he grabbed his bag of weed and rolled a joint. Lighting up he sat back and with a sigh he reached for the radio.
"Gods, Merlin, what is that smell!?" A voice asked. Merlin sprung to his feet in surprise, or rather sat up and hit his head on the roof.
"Arthur!" He said, so it hadn't been a dream!
"Merlin!"
"Right, sorry Sire." He reached for the door handle. "I'll get out-"
"Cathal O'Regan!" He stopped short.
"Shit." He muttered
"Merlin who's that?" Arthur asked
"...a friend." Suddenly two hands reached in the car and ripped him out.
"I'll get the money!" He said as he was pulled out.
"Ya say that every time, Cathal, when's it coming?" Frank growled, holding him against the car.
"I-" bam! The dealer punched him in the face. Again, and again. Finally Arthur got out of the car.
"Put him down!" He growled, holding out his sword.
"Arthur, get back in the car."
"Yeah Arthur, yare boyfriend and me self are just doing some business." Frank smiled
"Leave him alone." Arthur growled, it'd have been quite threatening if he didn't have a cowlick sticking out the side of his head. Frank rolled his eyes and slammed Cathal/Merlin against the car. Arthur flew forward, knocking Frank down, his two guys grabbed Arthur and Frank stood up, going to punch him. Cathal/Merlin, stumbled up.
"Wáce ierlic." He growled and his blue eyes flashed golden sending the man flying backwards. The two men let go of Arthur in shock. "I'll get the money." Merlin said angrily. Frank and his gang scrambled up and made for their car. Once they drove off, Merlin relaxed a bit, "been wanting to do that for years." He muttered.
"Who were they?" Arthur asked
"Idiots, we should get back to sleep." He didn't want to admit they were his drug dealers.
"I can't sleep after that."
"Then we should begin our trip to Albion." Merlin said, "...I don't think I've enough petrol."
Petrol wasn't the biggest problem since they didn't have enough money to cross the Irish Sea.
"What do we do?" Arthur groaned, staring out across the sea. Merlin pulled out the map.
"Ahm... we can go to Rosslare Harbour, I might be strong enough to get us across to Wales down thare." Merlin said biting his lip. Arthur looked at it.
"Can you get us across there?" He asked.
"Yare right, we should go to Bangor." Merlin said fiddling nervously. He didn't really want to go North.
"how about, uh Cushendall to... this Kintyre." It was a better plan, but it meant driving through Belfast.
"Fine, sure, show me up." Merlin grumbled, if they got going now they'd be able to drive through while it was light out.
"What's wrong?" Arthur asked
"Nothing." Merlin grumbled, he pulled out a joint and lit up. Almost instantly calming down. He hated being hooked on this stuff now that Arthur was back.
"What is that?" Arthur asked.
"Ahm... cannabis..." Merlin said quietly.
"you- Merlin!" Arthur said. He'd heard from Merlin's memories that that was a drug and that drugs were bad.
"Don't worry about it, Arthur." Merlin said.
"Well, you can't drive now!" He said. Climbing over his friend.
"Oi! Arthur!"
"I'm driving!"
"You can't drive!"
"You can't stop me!"
"I can too!"
"I am your king." Arthur smirked. Merlin rolled his eyes and rolled down the window. He'd shifted over to the left, allowing Arthur to sit in the driver's seat.
"Very well, Sire." He said sarcastically. Arthur figured it out rather quickly, and they were soon on the M1 motorway to the border.
"wake me when we get to the border." Merlin said snuffing the joint out and leaning back in his seat. Arthur watched as his manservant's breathing slowed to a harsh buzzing as his lungs struggled to breathe. Then he turned to the road.
This was all too much. He was glad his servant wasn't talking his ear off for once. He could use the silence for some reflecting.
He was a little frustrated they were headed back to Albion after all the work it too for him to get from Avalon to Dublin. It'd been around 4 centuries since he'd last walked the Earth. He suddenly realized. It really hadn't hit him until then. The memories Merlin gave him made him feel like he'd been there the whole time. He was glad for it really, because instead of outwardly freaking out about the cars and buildings, and people's strange garb, he did it all in his head. He looked at his manservant – his friend and sighed, Merlin hadn't looked like this in his memories. He looked frail, broken even, now, and in all the memories Merlin had been in Wales. Arthur wondered if his friend had finally given up hope of his return and moved away. In the memories Merlin walked past Avalon everyday, sometimes disguised in his old age, sometimes as himself. Merlin was a sorcerer, Arthur remembered... and he hid it all these years from everyone. Almost no one knew he was the one who saved Arthur all those times. Arthur was amazed by his modesty, and bravery.
"HARRY!" Merlin screamed, suddenly waking up and slamming his head on the roof of the car, sweat posting down his face. Arthur nearly swerved off the road. He looked warily at his friend. He didn't remember any Harry's in the memories.
"Who's Harry?"
"I... I don't know..." Merlin mumbled, obviously shaken. He looked at the road. "Pull over."
"What?"
"We're near the border." He said,
"How do we cross?"
"I'm going to hide the car." Merlin said
"What? How?"
"I'm going to use Magic, Arthur." He said rolling his eyes and getting out of the car. He waited for a bus to go by, then got to work, "Líefan unlytel ierre éagmist swelc wæfergeornness." [Allow no wondering eyes such sights] He muttered, he could tell Arthur was watching him from inside the car, apparently trusting him enough to believe he wouldn't blow it up. Arthur was amazed by the way he did magic. A shiver went down his spine when he saw his eyes flash amber. He couldn't believe this was the same Merlin as his clumsy manservant, then Merlin walked straight into the car. Arthur chuckled, ok maybe he could believe it. He opened the passenger side door.
"Forget where the car was?" He snickered
"Belt up!" Merlin pouted sitting down.
"I was going to ask if it worked..." Arthur said
"Just drive you clotpoll!" Merlin smiled. Arthur smiled back and started the engine back up.
It was about 10:00 in the morning when they got to Cushendall.
"We'd better wait until nightfall to get across." Merlin said.
"can't you just make it invisible again?"
"Well which would you rather? Be invisible on the bottom of the sea, or visible on the top?" He asked.
"Can't you do both? You're supposed to be Emrys!"
"...I'm not at my best now." Merlin mumbled.
"Well why the hell not?"
"I... ahm... drugs..."
"Merlin!"
"Sorry."
They hung around town for the majority of the day, not doing much. And since they'd already done all their catching up, they found themselves sitting silently in a coffee shop until sundown. Well silently after Arthur stopped whining about having to leave his sword in the boot.
"Well that was a productive day." Arthur said sarcastically. Merlin smiled as they headed towards the car.
"I don't know, after all that running around I did for you in Camelot, I'd welcome any unproductive breaks." Arthur pushed him playfully.
"We should take a nap before we head over." Merlin said climbing into the car.
"Sounds good." Arthur said.
Merlin woke up a little while later, and looking over at Arthur he decided he was asleep enough. Taking a needle from the glove box he filled it and opened the door. Walking to a bench he took off his shoe and sock injecting between his toes.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asked walking up to him.
"Go back to the car Arthur." Merlin mumbled not looking up at his king.
"Is that more drugs?" He asked, looking down at his manservant.
"Go back to the car, Arthur." The other repeated
"You'd think all the sneaking about you did in Camelot would've made you an expert by now." He said sitting down next to him.
"It's been awhile." Merlin muttered.
"Merlin, you have to stop this." He said.
"I can't, Arthur, you don't understand."
"I'm not one to beg a man, especially if that man is a servant- the worse servant at that, but Merlin, please-"
"Don't waste your breath Arthur." Merlin mumbled, still refusing eye contact.
"Why Merlin?" Arthur asked quietly
"I... everyone died, Arthur, Kilgharrah said you'd be back, and I believed him, but there have been so many times when Albion was in need!" Merlin said, "Horrible things have happened! 1066, we were taken by foreigners, 1208 everyone was sure they were going to hell, 1316 there was cannibalism, cannibalism Arthur! 1348 the Black Plague, there were 2 world wars! England was bombed 57 nights in a row in the second one! Why didn't you come back those times?" Merlin asked, "I gave up, Arthur, I left Avalon after that, if you didn't come back then, you never would." He said gripping the needle. Arthur carefully took the needle from his hand and capped it.
"Merlin-" he started, but the younger man had broken down and was leaning into Arthur's chest. His heavily drugged state messing with his emotions.
"I'm here now, Merlin." He said quietly, rubbing his manservent's back.
"I know..." Merlin mumbled, "I know." Arthur stood up.
"I'm tired we gotta get to sleep of we're going to cross the channel." He said.
"It might be best to go now." Merlin said with a yawn.
"No way, you're way too tired." Arthur said. There was a clang behind them. Merlin stood up despite the lack of shoe on his right foot.
"Who's there?" He called there was another clang.
"Declare yourself!" Arthur said, suddenly there was a rock flying at his head. It hit him sending him stumbling back. A man walked out of the nearby woods. A druggie. Merlin stood between him and Arthur, but the heroin was really kicking in now. He stumbled, and when the man threw a rock at him, he fell down.
The man had a knife now, and he was making his way over to them. Merlin's head was swimming, he held his hand out.
"Swefn." He whispered, but was too weak, and collapsed. Arthur clenched his fists. He was in too much pain to think straight.
"Swefn!" He said, Suddenly his eyes flashed gold and the man passed out. The sudden exertion of power caused the young man to fall to his knees.
"Arthur..." Merlin gasped
"I-" the former King of Camelot stuttered.
"You, you have Magic!" The worlock breathed, pushing himself up.
"What? No I don't!" Arthur said, "I can't!"
"Think about it!" Merlin smiled, "Morgana had it, and she is your sister!"
"Traits don't get passed from sister to brother!"
"No... but they do from father to son!"
"Uther..?" Merlin smiled
"No way!" Arthur laughed.
"Ironic." His friend punched his knee playfully, "I'm gonna sleep too..." he trailed off.
Arthur rolled his eyes and pulled the younger man to his feet and into the car, and headed to the other side. Climbing in he fumbled with the lock. Finally figuring out how to lock it, he accidentally hit the lights on. After nearly breaking the light in surprise, he decided to have a look around. He found a lot of burned up joints and a few broken needles along with some random magazines that Arthur knew were whoever that guy Merlin had been with earlier (partly because the name written in them wasn't Cathal or Merlin, and partly because Merlin hadn't changed enough to like that kind of magazine). He was nearly done looking through his friend's stuff when he came across a book. It was worn and Arthur recognized it as the book Gaius had given Merlin in the memories. He looked over at his friend. He was still sleeping deeply, smiling slightly now that he'd found a position that allowed his lungs some air. Arthur opened the book and shivered, he could feel the ancient magic around it.
He'd gotten halfway through it, committing everything to memory, when Merlin woke with a start.
"Arthur!" He said, eyes full of heart stopping sadness and loneliness.
"Yes?" Arthur said nervously.
"You're alive!" Merlin whispered
"Yeah..?"
"...darn, I was hoping I'd get a few more centuries of peace before I had to put up with you again." Arthur pulled him over, giving him a nuggie. "Hey!"
"We should get going Merlin." He smiled, as his friend tried to escape his grasp.
"Okey, drive down to the dock and don't stop." Merlin said, his eyes were back in focus now, or as focused as Arthur had seen in this new existence. They always seemed to have a fogginess them, like a mix between having seen too much and knowing to many bad things.
"You didn't show me everything did you?" Arthur asked.
"Just enough for you to see Magic isn't all bad." Merlin said, "all day so you wouldn't freak out when you saw a car."
"I am still freaking out about the car." Arthur said, "goes too fast."
"Oh you should see when I drive." Merlin said, smiling one of those giant ear to giant ear smiles of his.
"Oh, that's alright." He said, "could you imagine what my father would say?"
"'Sorcery!'" Merlin said putting on a British accent. Arthur laughed.
"You know, you do sound different." do Arthur realized, "does everyone sound that funny now?"
"Hey!" Merlin said,
"Well do they?"
"I have an Irish accent now, you have a British one." Merlin said rolling his eyes.
"Why?"
"I've lived a lifetime in Ireland." Merlin said, "drive straight in now."
"You sure?" Arthur asked
"Ahm...you can swim right?" Merlin asked
"What!?" His friend asked, looking at him, terrified
"I'm joking." Merlin laughed. Arthur gave him a wary look then hit the gas and drove off the edge of the dock. "Astyre!" Merlin said and they began to float across and Arthur took the keys out.
"I'm going to sleep." Arthur said
"Goodnight Sire." Merlin smiled.
"Goodnight Merlin" Arthur sighed, and shifted in his seat. "How the hell do you live in this thing, it's impossible to sleep!" Merlin chuckled, "shut up Merlin!"
"Did you need a bedtime story?"
"Shut up!" Merlin smiled again. "Merlin, I can hear you smiling, it isn't funny!"
"No, you're right Sire, it really is horrible for me to have forced his majesty to sleep anywhere but a four postered bed." Arthur threw a magazine at him. "Oi, Arthur, this is what you've been reading!? I can't sleep for four seconds before you get the porn out!"
"Merlin! I am trying to sleep!"
"sorry Sire."
The next morning they both woke to the car hitting land.
"You fell asleep!?" Arthur yelled
"Yeah?" Merlin said slowly.
"We could've sunk!" Arthur said throwing his arms up. Merlin rolled his eyes,
"Figures... I don't get a thank you Merlin for getting us across the sea in a bloody car!" Arthur rolled his eyes and started the car back up. They found a road soon enough and drove though the Scottish countryside.
"This would look so much nicer without the roads."
"If you really want we could probably get horses..." Merlin said, he knew it was tough getting used to the new ways, he was lucky since he lived through the transition from horse to car.
"If I was supposed to be called back in Albion's time of need, I think we should hurry, and cars are faster." Arthur said.
"Good idea." Merlin nodded, "do you want me to drive?" He asked.
"Uh, sure." Arthur said, pulling over, and getting out. They traded sides and got back on the road. Arthur went back to reading the book Gaius had given Merlin all those centuries ago.
"It's quite in depth isn't it?" Merlin asked.
"Definitely." Arthur nodded reading up on healing spells and charms. "Have you memorized it all?"
"I've been alive 15 centuries, I think I'd find the time at some point."
"Did you keep it because-?"
"I kept as much as I could from Camelot." He interrupted, not wanting to be reminded of dead friends, his eyes focused on the road. "Cathal's father hated it." Arthur looked back at the book. "One of the reasons I kept it." Arthur chuckled.
About an hour later Arthur finished the book.
"Merlin." He said, "this is north."
"I'm following my gut." Merlin said
"What?"
"Like in the impassable forest."
"We haven't got time."
"if it's nothing I'll cast a spell and speed up the car."
"This is a bad idea." Arthur said, and just then there was a loud thump on top of the car, and the roof caved in.
"What the heck?" Arthur yelled
"You jinxed us!" Merlin said, watching the ground shrink below them
"What?" The king asked
"I think we're flying." The worlock said, and tried looking up, but the car was too warped to see up.
They sat in the car for about an hour trying to figure out what to do, when they saw a large black castle out the broken windshield. They the realized they were losing altitude.
"We have to jump when we get low enough."
"We can't leave Excalibur." Merlin said
"Merlin, it's a sword, we can get another!"
"I promised Kilgharrah!" Merlin said
"Fine, fine, can you get to the boot?" Arthur asked.
"Atot-oilg, a chomlae." Merlin said, blowing away the wall between the passenger compartment to the boot. Arthur scrambled back, pulling his armour on and tossing Excalibur at Merlin. The servant quickly strapped and buckled his King's armour, and slid the sword into his belt. "Ready?"
"Ready." They looked down, it was close enough,
"Tósprinhe!" Merlin hissed and the doors exploded off, each flying off a few feet either way. Merlin grabbed the book Arthur had been reading and they jumped, and landing clumsily, sprinted toward the castle, not looking back.
They flew out of the forest into a large field. The castle stood at a little ways away, next to a large lake. They ran towards it. Suddenly a partially crushed yellow car flew out of nowhere, nearly hitting them. They turned around. There was a giant white dragon.
"Arthur, get to the citadel!" Merlin said, backing up slowly, the dragon breathed a flume of fire at them.
"Scildan!" Merlin said, holding his hand out. Arthur pulled out his sword.
"Nun de ge dei s'eikein kai emois epe'essin hepesthai!" Merlin shouted, the dragon came to a halt, landing in the clearing, "s'enthend' apokhorein nun epello-o-o!" He said and the dragon flew off.
"That. Was. Awesome!" Arthur whispered. Merlin smiled.
"Cheers." He said. And with that they headed up to the castle.
"What is this place?" Arthur whispered as they walked in.
"I'm not sure, but it's full of magic." Merlin said.
"Do you think anyone lives here?" Arthur asked
"People don't really live in castles anymore." His friend muttered, but couldn't help but notice the lit torches lining the walls. as they got farther along they came across some paintings.
"They're moving..." Arthur breathed, "how?"
"What are you two? Muggles?" One of the portraits said rolling its eyes. Arthur jumped backwards. Merlin bit his fingernails.
"Arthur." He muttered, Arthur looked over. Merlin gestured for him to come over. "There are people in this castle." He said, "...they can't know who we really are." He said
"Why not?"
"We're 15 centuries old!"
"Right."
"So to anyone you're Arthur... James... and I'm Cathal O'Regan, got it?"
"Mer- Cathal, I never thought you to be a strategist."
"Nor a sorcerer." Merlin laughed, "you really suck at this whole figuring things out." He said
"Shut up Mer- Cathal." Merlin smiled.
"What kingdom is this?" Arthur asked the painting. He just laughed.
"A better question might be, who's in charge here." Merlin said
"Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster." A voice called. They looked around.
"Where might we find him?" Arthur asked
"In the great hall." The voice said, "It's suppertime."
They thanked the voice and headed off, the layout was similar to Camelot so Merlin quickly found a servant's passage and they ended up in the great hall quick enough. When they walked in they were met with a sight. The room was full of children, from 11 to 18 as well as a few adults sitting in the front where one would expect a throne or two.
"They've got Druid garb." Merlin whispered to Arthur, who was too busy staring at the thousands of floating candles.
"How are they floating?" He muttered.
A whisper went through the crowd. "Muggles!" The muttered. There was that word again. Arthur looked at Merlin hoping he might know what it meant, but the confused look he had showed he didn't know.
"Stupify." One of the adults said pointing a stick at them.
"Scildan." Merlin hissed, causing the spell to rebound, hitting one of the kids nearby in the face, knocking him out.
"Did you just do hand magic?" The teacher who'd tried to Stupify them asked, aghast.
"Nope, I'm a Muddle." Merlin said straightening his green hat.
"Please, M- Cathal's way too daft to be a sorcerer!" Arthur laughed.
"Hey!" Merlin pouted
"How did you get in?" An woman asked
"Walked in the door." Arthur said, "ridiculously easy, I expected a guard or two."
"What is your business here?" An old man with half moon spectacles and a long white beard (somewhat like the one Merlin had with the aging spell) said.
"We've come to speak with Albus Dumbledore." Arthur declared.
"That would be me." The old man said.
"All we ask for is a place to stay, as a dragon destroyed my serv-friend's steed."
"What?" A man next to Albus Dumbledore asked.
"A dragon destroyed my car" Merlin corrected.
"Car! You are muggles!"
"Nonsense Minerva! They couldn't be here if they were." Dumbledore smiled eyes twinkling behind his spectacles. "What we have here is a pair of undocumented wizards."
"Nope." Merlin said, "definitely not."
"M- Cathal, I don't think they're going to kill us." Arthur said quietly.
"How do you know that?"
"Who cares we could take them."
"There's too many." Merlin replied nervously.
"You worry too much." Arthur said, "we are in fact sorcerers." He said, "and Cathal here's -"
"-practiced at hand magic!" Merlin jumped in knowing he was about to say he was a Dragonlord. "We both are, we can get out of yare hair if ye want." He said quickly
"Nonsense!" Dumbledore smiled, "please sit, eat." They looked at eachother then at the rest of the room, Merlin nearly slunk back down the servant passage, but Arthur pushed him towards a table.