Hello! Welcome to the second book in the Solana Amell series, a half-parody half-serious story that takes the story of Dragon Age: Origins and reimagines it in the Harry Potter universe. If you haven't read the first one, I recommend you do so before reading this one.

This is the book where things start getting really good, in my opinion. Mostly because Alistair, Morrigan, and Duncan are a major part of the story and there's a lot more focus on humor and funny dialogue. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Without any further ado, here is Solana Amell and the Scrolls of Merlin

Chapter One

Previously, on Solana Amell…

It was raining again, thick rivulets of water running down the barred window and casting curious serpentine patterns on the bedroom walls. The room's sole occupant, a twelve-year-old girl by the name of Solana Amell, scratched an old-fashioned raven's feather quill across parchment. Solana had written and re-written her summer homework assignments several times, and her last essay was nearly perfect. She was not usually such an obsessive student; really, she just didn't have anything better to do.

Solana preferred not to go outside when the weather was so dismal, and she wasn't the type to simply sit and watch television without doing something else at the same time. When her grandfather wanted her out of the way as much as possible, sometimes it was easier just to work in her room.

This was something she was used to, unfortunately. One way or another, her grandfather had always known that there was something wrong with her. He'd thought she was mad—but in fact, it turned out that she was a witch.

Not that he considered her magical ability all that different from insanity. It would damage his reputation if anyone found out about her strangeness, so he did his best to keep her locked away, as he had for most of her childhood.

A quiet knock at the door drew her attention away from her work. To Solana's surprise, it was one of the servants. They all generally avoided her unless they had no choice in the matter.

"Mistress, there is a visitor at the front door," said the austere butler.

"You mean… someone is here to see me?" asked Solana. "Is Grandfather here?"

"No, Mistress, Lord Amell is out for the day," said the butler. Surely he had never shown her this much respect before. Curious, Solana got up and followed him downstairs. True to his word, there was a visitor standing at the door; a striking Middle-Eastern man with dark skin, jet-black hair worn in a pony-tail, a gold earring, and a magnificent beard. He was watching the street outside through a beveled glass window set into the door, but turned towards Solana and the butler as they descended the stairs.

"Greetings, Ms. Amell," he said, his voice genteel yet rich with experience. "My name is Duncan. I am here on behalf of your school."

Solana nodded her understanding. She turned to the butler. "You're excused."

The butler actually bowed to her. "Thank you, Mistress."

"He's never this nice to me," Solana observed once he was gone. She turned to Duncan. "Would I be right to assume that it's your doing?"

"I apologize. The confusion will wear off momentarily," said Duncan. "He was being… difficult. He even tried to claim that Lord Amell didn't have a granddaughter."

"I'm certain my Grandfather wouldn't mind if that were true," said Solana.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Duncan.

"It's alright," said Solana. "So are you here to take me supplies shopping? You're not a professor…"

"I am, actually," said Duncan. "I'm taking over the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."

Solana's eyes widened. "Uldred isn't the Defense teacher anymore?" When Duncan confirmed this, Solana barely repressed a whoop of joy. "Thank goodness, he was awful. He had us pair up every day and hit each other with the worst curses we could come up with. He said that to defend against Dark magic, you have to use Dark magic, too."

"There is more truth to that statement than most people would like to admit," said Duncan. "But to teach such things to school-children is highly inappropriate."

"Good," said Solana. "I'm sure you'll be a much better teacher than Uldred. It's not like you could be any worse."

Duncan seemed amused by this. "Thank you. I think."

"Shall we go, now?" Solana asked. "I'll need to go fetch my wizarding money and my coat. Is it raining in London as well?"

"It is, but before we leave, I'd like to ask you something," said Duncan. "I was told that you were involved in what happened at Hogwarts last year. If you don't mind, I'd be interested in hearing your side of the story."

Solana looked away. "Have they found Jowan yet?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Hm." Solana proceeded to tell the whole sad story. How her best friend Jowan claimed Professor Uldred was trying to steal something from Hogwarts. How they investigated for months before learning what he was after: the Rod of Fire, a wand once wielded by one of the most powerful Dark wizards that ever lived. How they decided to steal the wand themselves, in order to keep it out of Uldred's hands.

How Jowan had lied to her. How he was after the Rod all along.

"So he took the wand and disappeared, and I haven't seen or heard from him since," Solana finished.

"Why did you do it?"

"Because Jowan said that Uldred was going after the Rod of Fire. I believed that Uldred was a Dark wizard, and Jowan was my best friend. Why wouldn't I believe one when he accused the other?"

"Why didn't you tell the professors about your suspicions?"

"Because I knew that they would never believe that Uldred was after the Rod," Solana told him. "Yes, I'm aware of the irony."

Duncan frowned. Solana winced, belatedly realizing that was being terribly rude. Admittedly she was still rather angry and hurt over what happened last year. When she hadn't been perfecting her essays during these past months, she'd been berating herself for her involvement in the Rod of Fire's theft and Jowan's disappearance.

Certain that she had made a terrible first impression on her new professor, Solana went to retrieve her coat and her money.

When she returned, she expected Duncan to make use of a Portkey, as Professor Irving had last year. Instead he walked into the sitting-room and approached the fireplace.

"Professor Irving has taken the liberty of adding your home to the Floo Network," said Duncan.

"The Floo Network, sir?"

"It's a method for travelling and communicating over long distances," Duncan explained. He set the urn he had been carrying on the mantle of the fireplace. He removed the urn's lid, revealing that it was full of a glittery, silvery dust. "Simply take a handful of this powder and throw it in the fire. Then speak your destination, and step into the flames."

"That's incredible!"

"Irving believes that you'll be old enough next year to shop for supplies on your own. This way, you'll have a way to travel to our world and back," said Duncan.

"Can I to travel to Hogwarts this way?"

"The fireplaces at Hogwarts are for the professors and emergency use only," said Duncan. "And your house's connection to the Floo Network will only be active on certain days of the year."

Solana nodded her understanding. Her grandfather would likely have a fit if there was a magical gateway through their fireplace on even one day of the year, let alone all-year-round.

"Let me demonstrate," said Duncan. He scooped up some of the Floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. At once, the fire turned emerald-green. "Diagon Alley!"

He stepped into the fire and disappeared. The flames returned to normal.

Solana took a handful from the urn before putting its lid back in place. "Diagon Alley!"

She stepped through. With a whooshing sensation, she was pulled at high speed through a dark brick-lined tunnel that looked like long chimney. She could just barely catch glimpses of other fireplaces, but was moving far too quickly to see anything besides flashes of light in the darkness.

At last she emerged in a cloud of soot on the other side. Duncan was waiting for her. He used a cleaning spell to remove the soot from her hair, face, and clothes. "Where are we?" Solana asked. She didn't recognize this building. They appeared to be in an old pub.

"This is the Leaky Cauldron," said Duncan. "It serves as a gateway between Muggle London and Diagon Alley."

They went out the back door of the pub and crossed a small courtyard into Diagon Alley, the largest wizarding shopping district in Britain.

Duncan gave Solana her new supplies list and they proceeded to purchase everything she would need during her next year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Solana mostly enjoyed herself despite the rain (which Duncan repelled with an Impervious Charm). Diagon Alley was always fun and full of life no matter the weather.

However, upon entering Flourish and Blotts, Solana felt a sharp pang when she remembered that this bookshop was the place where she first met Jowan. She forced herself to ignore that memory, and many others.

After all, it would only get worse once she arrived at Hogwarts.