Merlin paced around the room, trying to remember where he had set his wand. He swore he had just had it but he was tempted to leave the blasted thing, he only used it to fit into the wizarding world. His mind quickly flipped from his wand to the next day. Although he always tried to keep calm, inside he was really quite nervous about the prospect of teaching. It had been centuries since he had last taught, and it had always been just an apprentice or two, never a whole class, let alone eleven-year-olds!

Sighing, he walked over to his desk vowing to find the over glorified stick later. He had mainly taken the job to keep an eye on Harry, after encountering Voldemort or one of his servants in each school year, Merlin was getting concerned for his safety.

Sitting down, his nervous energy spent, he mindlessly changed his walls blue with a snap of his fingers. He had been debating between a deep maroon or blue through the whole summer. His quarters had previously been barren, but Merlin had quickly brightened up the place, transfiguring in furniture but made sure no pink was in sight. He shuddered at the thought of Umbridge once living in the room. Although never meeting her himself, he loathed the thought of the toad-like woman.

He had opted to stay in his classroom and quarters for most of the summer break, making adjustments to décor and planning out his lessons. He had very little company as none of the other teachers seemed to stay at Hogwarts with the exception of Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore and a few others that he hadn't taken the time to get to know.

With School starting in the morrow, Merlin was checking and rechecking over his schedule. Grabbing his planner, he started to flip through the pages. His eyes flashed gold, the papers in front of him quickly flipping to the side until one lay in front of him. He smiled seeing the name "Harry Potter" on the register for his sixth-year class.

He had known of Harry's destiny since the day he was born. He had felt the Old Religion converging on him marking him as the one to cast off the darkness. The day Voldemort attacked he had felt a great pain as the Old Religion cried out, using him to help stop Voldemort's dark magic kill Harry. Sufficient to say, Merlin had been exhausted after the experience

He had, then and there sworn to do everything he could to help Harry fulfill his Destiny. Although he hadn't interfered much through the years, during the raid on the Ministry, Merlin had felt that Dumbledore wouldn't have arrived in time, and Emrys took his place.

Now he would be teaching him. Merlin wasn't sure if he had made the wisest choice that night when he had excepted Dumbledore's offer, he was an old man, he wasn't sure if he could take all the teenage angst, childish tantrums and misguided logic that went along with teaching those centuries younger than him.

Getting up, stretching and striding to his bedroom, intent on finding his missing wand, Merlin knocked into a table, a vase falling off in the process. With a flash of gold eyes, the vase stopped in mid-air and appeared back onto the table. Looking up, Merlin found himself in front of his dressing mirror. He still looked as young as the day Arthurs died.

It had been over a Millennium since Arthur's death. He had long since made peace with his mistakes, although it had taken a few centuries and the near destruction of the world. Since his youth Merlin had quickly learned Magic as it once more flourished under Gwen's rule. At the time, he didn't know what his name really meant, and the curse that came with it. He had expected to die and move on with Camelot, not to outlast it. He still remembered the pain he had felt when he realized that Emrys, his other name, meant "Immortal". He had isolated himself from the rest of Camelot until Gwen forced down the door and dragged him out of his tower.

He smiled faintly at the memory of his long lost friends. He wondered if they would recognize him. He was confident, far more confident than he was. He knew almost every branch of magic and had even made significant advances in both Old and New forms. He was far more powerful than even Voldemort and Dumbledore combined, something he had aptly displayed at the Ministry. At first, he had fretted that Dumbledore had seen him block the killing curse, but after re-examining his memories in a pensieve he had realized that the old wizard had only appeared towards the end of the skirmish. Speaking of Dumbledore….

Merlin turned away from his mirror, striding from his bedroom, making sure not to bump into the table again. Walking up to his door, he swiftly opened it to find Dumbledore standing, ready to knock.
He had a surprised expression on his face and stood back from the door.

"Come in." Merlin said smirking.

Dumbledore strode into the room, eying him strangely.

"So Dumbledore, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore quirked his eyebrow saying, "Please Leon, call me Albus."

Merlin smiled remembering the fake name he had used. Leon, for some reason was never included in the legends. "Well then Albus, what can I do for you?"

"I merely would like to inquire how you have been settling in. The first time teaching can always be stressing and nervous, especially the day before"

Merlin nodded his head. "I'm a little nervous, I must admit. However I believe I will do just fine, but thank you.""Excellent." Dumbledore replied. "If there's anything you need, anything at all, be sure to stop by my office Leon."

"Will do." Merlin replied.

Dumbledore turned to leave before stopping and turning.

"Oh and Leon, I would suggest taking better care of this." He pulled Merlin's wand out of his cloak giving it to him.

"Thanks." Merlin said sheepishly

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he strode out of the room.
As Dumbledore walked out of the room he reflected on the man. He had been present at the defeat of Grindelwald where Dumbledore had displayed an impressive display of power, it was nothing compared to his own, but impressive in its own regards. Merlin remembered a few days after his arrival in the castle that Dumbledore had pestered him on where he had trained and how he known where Harry would be. After a few attempts, Dumbledore had given up, seemingly happy to just have him on staff. Although Dumbledore may have had his faults, Merlin believed him to be a good man though he believed Dumbledore's questioning to be far from over.

~~0o0~~

Merlin fidgeted up on the Staff Table in the Great Hall. He anxiously awaited for the students to arrive. Looking to his side, he felt Snape's glare on him once again. Trying not to roll his eyes at the man's pettiness reminding himself that Snape had wanted the job for years.

Unconcerned with Snape at the moment, Merlin was more nervous about the incoming student. Get ahold of yourself, you're over a millennium old! Merlin scolded himself. Taking a deep breath, He projected his usual mask and aura of calmness. He looked around the Great Hall noting the lack of change since the time he had helped build it. He remembered Godric had managed to somehow lock the doors shut with him still inside. It had taken the combined forces of Himself, Helga, Rowena and Salazar to open it. Salazar had teased Godric for days after. Merlin hated that Salazar was remembered as he was. He was sarcastic and cold sure, but his ideals had been a far cry from the pureblood extremist that he was painted as.

Merlin was jolted from his thoughts to see the second to seventh years streaming into the hall. The quiet hall was transformed into a loud and boisterous place as the students went to their respected tables. Merlin scanned the sea of students, looking for Harry, noticing the curious glances he got from the incoming students.

Frowning as he saw Ron and Hermione, Harry's friends, entering the hall without him, Merlin stood up walking out the back door. Quickly, He closed his eyes and threw out his "presence". Every magical person had a distinct "aura", it was what most modern day Wizards used to cast their magic. By throwing out his presence, Merlin was able to tell different auras and who they belonged to, it was how he had found Harry at the Ministry. Casting out his senses, he scanned Hogwarts looking for Harry's aura. On a hunch, he cast out his senses all the way to the carriages, and finally onto the Hogwarts Express.

Merlin's eyes snapped open. Harry was on the train still, and he wasn't moving. Concerned, Merlin started to hurry to the train before an idea popped into his head. Looking around briefly, Merlin murmured an incantation, his eyes flashed gold, a whirl of wind surrounded him, and then he was gone.

~0o0~

Merlin arrived in the middle of the train. His method of transportation was far more comfortable then apparition, and it had the bonus side effect of not being stopped by modern wards. Merlin always felt guilty using it to get past wards, but modern magic just was no match for the Old Religion.
Throwing his presence out again, he followed Harry's aura into another carriage, where he promptly found him laying underneath an invisibility cloak. He smiled as he looked at it, he had to give it to modern wizards, enchanting a cloak to give invisibility was a genius idea. However, he was easily able to defeat it by modifying his perception of the world slightly to match the charm on the cloak.

Bending down, he swiftly pulled the cloak off of Harry. Looking at him, he noted that Harry was, in fact still conscious, but not moving. His nose appeared to be broken as well. Must be the Petrificus Totalus spell Merlin quickly assessed. Going to draw his wand, Merlin swore as he realized he had left it in his chambers. He preferred to use his wand around other wizards as to not draw attention, although he absolutely loathed the stupid thing. It was far too restrictive.
Merlin quickly looked away as his eyes flashed gold and Harry was released from the spell. Harry's eyes widened and quickly backed against the wall.

"Emrys?!" He said confused "How- how did you find me?"

'Well, you weren't at the feast, I figured you were probably in trouble yet again." Merlin said teasingly.

Harry blinked a few times, his broken nose continuing to bleed as he stood up from the carriage floor. His face contorted into a confused expression yet again. "But - why were you at the feast?"

Merlin smiled faintly

"I'm your new Defense Professor, I told you that you would be seeing me again. Now, hold still and close your eyes."

"Why?" Harry warily asked, backing further into the carriage.

Merlin looked into Harrys eyes before saying simply,

"Trust me."

Harry hesitated, before nodding and closing his eyes, leaning against the wall. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and Harry's nose cracked, back in its normal place. His eyes flashed again and Harry's blood slowly cleaned away. Harry's eyes opened again.

"Thanks" He said smiling.

Merlin nodded, then grabbed Harrys arm, feeling another presence come out of the castle
"Time to go."

Merlin's eyes flashed gold again, and they were inside his office. Harry jumped away from Merlin, his eyes wide.

"You-you can't do that!" He said shakily "There's Anti-Apparition wards!"

Merlin cursed himself, he had just wanted to get Harry out of there quickly and into his office. He had rushed when he felt Snape's approaching presence, knowing of the old hate between the two. Thinking fast, he replied calmly.

"Only against the students, once you become a teacher, you are keyed into the wards to move around freely."
Harry eyed him suspiciously before nodding and sitting in one of the chairs as he looked around.
"Why are we here?"

"Because I didn't think you would want to make a scene in your muggle clothes" Merlin replied grinning.

Harry nodded again looking around the room again.

"Why're the walls of your office such a strange color?"
Merlin gaped at him.

"They're – They're not strange! It's Oxford Blue!"

Harry raised his eyebrow before shrugging.
Merlin glared at him as he strode over holding a platter of food.

"Here" He said "I'm afraid I must go back down for the remainder of the feast, help yourself, and try not to insult the rest of my room."
Merlin swiftly walked out of the room as Harry stared after the strange wizard, wondering why his school years always had to start off so strangely.

A/N
Annnd here's the next chapter. I was really surprised and excited about the amount of reviews, follows and favorites I got! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I tried to reply to everyone who left one, but for some reason Fanfic wouldn't let me for a few people, sorry about that. So, one thing I want to bring up is that in this Fanfiction Dumbledore never put on the cursed ring, It'll be briefly mentioned why in a future story, I just wanted to clear up that little tidbit.
Next chapter will be featuring Merlins first class. Anyway, thank you all so much again, and have a wonderful day!

Update: Thank you to SongoftheDarquePhoenix for pointing out that my spacing was really screwed up in this chapter. Everything should be fixed now.

Update II: Thank you to both Grayswandir and viridianln9 for pointing out that somehow I duplicated a paragraph. Should be fixed now and I learned my lesson, make sure to check everything In the Doc Editor because transferring the document over seems to screw a few things up.