The day dawned bright and cheery, nothing to suggest that a simple school day at Hogwarts was going to be anything but ordinary. Students filtered slowly into the Great Hall for breakfast, settling themselves in at their house table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were among the last of the students to come in for breakfast. Few students were missing and those that were would hear of the coming news in a heartbeat.
It was not an uncommon sight to see Draco huff into his seat, the day not yet begun and already worked up about something or the other. What was uncommon was seeing Draco slink into the Great Hall looking pale and drawn, clothes askew and hair looking only a few shakes away from the nest that Harry calls hair. Draco attracted stares as he sat in his usual spot and piled food on his plate.
"What's wrong, Drakie?" Pansy cooed in her crush's direction.
"Not now, Pansy." Draco replied snappishly.
"But darling-"
"Please." Draco said, "Not now Pansy, it's not been a good morning for me."
Pansy heaved a put-upon sigh, "For you I suppose." She turned back to her bacon, drawing Draco's dormmates back into the highly fabricated story she was telling about her latest date.
Draco pushed the food around on his plate for a few minutes, eating only a few bites before an explosion happened. Draco went to pick up his goblet full of pumpkin juice and he had hardly touched it when all the drinks in the Great Hall geysered up in arcs, spraying all the students in pumpkin juice.
Students and faculty alike glanced around, trying to find the source of the explosion. Snape's eyes fell on Draco, whom upon inquiring eyes from the Potion's Master blushed. Snape arched one brow and subtly nodded his head towards the door. Draco leaving went unnoticed in the chaos as he followed Snape to the Headmaster's office.
Professor Dumbledore was already in his office by the time the two men entered. "I might have found the source of our little pumpkin juice explosion at breakfast."
"Indeed." Dumbledore replied, blue eyes flickering over Draco's disheveled form. "Have you been having much trouble this morning?"
Draco glared, "Professor, my magic is acting like it's never seen a day of training in its life."
"I see."
"I'm not sure if you do Professor. You see, while it's acting like that, it is also showing to be incapable of being controlled by a wand." Draco continued, "Furthermore, I don't know if anyone is qualified to deal with a warlock regaining his powers. If you would excuse me from classes today, I can subdue my magic and put it back under my control quite easily."
"I need more than just your word for that Mr. Malfoy."
Snape and Dumbledore took a step back in shock as they witnessed Draco's eyes flash gold. "There is nothing anyone of New Magic can help me with. The Old Religion is out of anyone of this era's control."
"Your magic is of the Old Religion? That's impossible! When the last of the Druid clans died out, the Old Religion fell to the wayside and has not been accessed since."
"Professor, I know what I'm talking about. My magic is unruly because it has not been used since the 6th century." Draco snapped, "And the Old Religion never truly died, it simply decided to not grace its presence on modern wizards and witches."
"You talk as if it is a person." Dumbledore commented.
Draco sighed, "It's not a person, but rather the way of life, of destiny- or fate if you prefer. She decides all that has been and all that will be. We are under her discretion."
Dumbledore looked at Draco, calculating, "And who are you to declare this authority on the matter?"
"I think you know, Professor, but you're just too stubborn to admit it."
"Draco." Snape warned.
"Fine." Draco allowed, "I'll tell you even if you might not believe me." He paused, "In my first incarnation the name that my mother gave me was Merlin. And before you ask, yes, that Merlin. I've known no other Merlin in all my years walking the earth."
"And how long might that be?"
"Too long." Draco briskly continued, "Now if you would please excuse me, I think I'll spend a day relearning my powers."
"Mr. Malfoy-"
"I'm sorry Professor, but I can either relearn my powers or I can explode the Great Hall everytime I pick up my goblet…" Draco waited for a reply, "In that case, the formal excuse is I was not feeling well enough to attend regular classes. Good day, Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore." Draco nodded towards both men before walking out of the Headmaster's office and towards the Room of Requirement and a day of relearning what things he could do with his totally awesome powers.