Author's note: Okay, this is kind of late, but finals and my parents finally letting me have Netflix have distracted me. I'm irresponsible, I know.
Anyway, I've watched the series finale, and I have finally decided that this is going to be after season 4, and AU past that, because Merlin is just too sad in season 5. I won't bother you with my rant on the ending.
This isn't my favorite chapter, but I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or Harry Potter.
It seemed word had gotten out about Merlin's adventure with the troll overnight, and the entire school now knew that he could do wandless magic. To say this disturbed Merlin would be an understatement.
He was becoming somewhat of a celebrity at the school. The teachers tiptoed around him and whispers broke out whenever he passed another group of students. He was beginning to feel sympathetic for Harry Potter, as he had gotten this special treatment from the first time he set foot in the Leaky Cauldron.
Unfortunately, it only increased when Blaise added to the rumors.
Apparently, defeating the troll wasn't enough for the Slytherin to talk about, and he made it all worse by blurting out, "Well, he is Merlin's descendant, after all."
The whispers increased tenfold, and Merlin was now held in awe by some of the Ravenclaws. He was beginning to think that he wouldn't get more popular among them if he was Merlin himself, which he was, and he often found himself approached by a bolder Ravenclaw asking if it was true, followed by several annoying questions which he couldn't possibly know. How the brainiest house seemed to think that 'Marlin' would know what Merlin was like when he supposedly was his ancestor was beyond him.
Of course, Merlin eventually got tired of all the lying and it was with an irritated voice that he exclaimed, "What!" when he was cornered by yet another student on his way to the dungeons. Unfortunately, this student was Hermione.
"I-I was just wondering if it was true!" Hermione blurted out, and Merlin's expression softened.
"Sorry, Hermione, I've just been getting that quite a lot," he said, and then sighed, hating lying to Hermione but having to do it, nonetheless.
"Yes, it's true," he told her, and she perked up, opening her mouth to ask a question but stopping when Merlin added, "And if you ask me what he was like, I will be forced to do something I regret."
Hermione's expression was one of shock, but she laughed when she realized what Merlin had said. "Oh, no, I was going to ask what your family knows of him," she said, and Merlin visibly relaxed.
"Well, you're smarter than most of the Ravenclaws, then," Merlin said, and then quickly spun a tale in his mind.
...
Merlin had every reason to freak out the next potions class. It seemed that Snape had taken to watching Draco, and though he hadn't acted surprised at all just yet, it was getting on his nerves.
He had doubted that the potions master would use Legilimency on Draco just yet, as he had obviously heard the rumors and it seemed that Dumbledore hadn't told him just yet, but he was probably wrong.
In a rare moment where Snape's attention was distracted from Draco, Merlin turned to the boy.
"Arthur," he started, using his past name to get the boy's attention. Draco looked at him.
"What?" he asked, worry in his voice.
"Just thought I should warn you- Snape's a Legilimens, too," he whispered, and Draco's eyes widened, then he looked over Merlin's shoulder with panic in his eyes. Merlin followed his gaze and was filled with dread to see Snape right beside them.
"I fail to see what this conversation has to do with the potion," Snape said, and Draco swallowed as the potions professor examined him. Merlin turned back to the potion as Snape looked away, showing no sign of having read Draco's mind. Draco sighed in relief as he added the horned slugs to the potion, Merlin stopping him just in time before he added one too many.
Snape stopped staring at Malfoy as much after that, and it was at the end of the period when Merlin bottled up the potion and handed it to Snape that he caught him eyeing Draco again. The potions professor took the potion from Merlin without really paying attention, and promptly dropped it as he continued to stare at Draco with wide eyes. Merlin swallowed as Snapes gaze shifted to him.
"Uh, I- I'll go bottle up another sample, then," he said nervously, rushing back to the cauldron where Draco was staring at Snape with a panicked expression.
"Did he...?" Draco trailed off and swallowed as Merlin nodded.
Merlin bottled up the sample and handed it to Snape as fast as he could, aware of the professor's gaze on him the entire time.
Finally, the class was dismissed, and Draco walked over to Merlin, saying, "What do you think he'll do?"
Merlin turned around to see Snape's eyes still on him, and he sighed as he honestly replied, "I don't know."
...
The rest of the day Merlin passed in silence, ignoring the curious gazes sent to him by Blaise, and the next morning he woke up to Draco shaking him and groaned.
"Come on, Marlin, the first Quidditch match is today!"
Merlin opened his eyes to glare at Draco. "You're always going to be like this about sports, aren't you?" he asked, "I'm just glad you're not on the team."
Draco frowned, "And why would that be?" he asked.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you would make me help you practice like you always did before those damn tournaments?" he said sarcastically, and Draco scoffed.
"Oh, come on. I wasn't that hard on you," he said, and Merlin raised an eyebrow. Draco sighed and went to get changed, saying, "Just get out of bed, Marlin," as he left.
Merlin sighed and rolled out of bed.
...
Merlin stood out in the stands, Draco watching the pitch eagerly, even though nobody had entered it yet. Merlin sighed.
"If there was ever a sport more pointless than the melee, then this is it," he said, and Draco glared at him.
"What would you know, Marlin?" he asked, and Merlin raised an eyebrow.
"How many Quidditch World Cups have you been to?" he said, and Draco frowned and continued watching the pitch. Merlin smirked.
"That's what I thought."
"Shut up, Marlin!"
Then there was a cheer as the teams headed out onto the field, and Madam Hooch said something to them, both teams mounting their brooms at her command. She blew her whistle, and they were in the air.
Merlin could hardly follow what was going on, and he was getting dizzy from watching the chasers. The commentary only confused him even more. Eventually, he just decided to watch Harry as he searched for the Snitch.
After a while, Harry went into a dive, neck and neck with Terence Higgs, and Merlin had little time to wonder which side he should be cheering for before there was a foul and the Snitch disappeared from sight again.
Then Harry dodged a bludger, and his broom lurched. Merlin leaned forward as Harry's broom continued to lurch, and Draco turned to him.
"What's happening?" he asked, and Merlin frowned, sensing some dark magic coming from the teacher's stands. He looked over and his gaze landed on Quirrell, who's dark aura was pulsating. Merlin looked away and scowled as the professor caught his eye.
"Marlin?" Draco asked, but Merlin ignored him and started chanting in the Old Religion after looking over and seeing Snape performing some sort of counter-curse and figuring two were better than one. His eyes glowed gold as he finished his spell, and Harry clambered up onto his broom.
Draco looked at him with a question in his eyes, and Merlin said, "Quirrell was cursing Harry's broom."
Draco gaped, "Quirrell?"
"Yeah, can't you sense the dark magic surrounding him? I knew something was off about him," Merlin explained, and then turned back to the game as Harry spit out the Snitch, waving it above his head. Merlin raised an eyebrow.
...
"Well, that was certainly the most interesting Quidditch match I've ever seen," Merlin congratulated Harry as he left the Great Hall from dinner.
Harry looked like he didn't know whether to be happy or offended. "Uh, thanks?" he said, then frowned. "I thought you grew up with muggles?"
Merlin realized his mistake. "Well, it'll have to be the most interesting if it's the first, right?" he said, "Though I was worried when somebody cursed your broom."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "You could tell?" he asked.
"Of course!" Merlin exclaimed, then realized that he didn't know how to explain how he knew.
"How?"
Merlin frowned. He should've figured that Harry would ask something like that. He decided to play innocent.
"You couldn't feel it?" he asked.
"I was kind of busy," Harry said, and Merlin frowned.
"Oh, sorry."
There was an awkward silence, and then Merlin said, "Do you know who cast it?"
Harry narrowed his eyes, "Ron said he saw you chanting when my broom went out of control," he pointed out.
Merlin gaped. "What? Oh, no, you've got this wrong- I was casting a counter curse. It was-"
"Snape, I know," Harry interrupted, Merlin almost relaxing until he realized what Harry had said. "Don't worry, I don't blame you. Thanks for that," he said, and Merlin nodded.
There was another awkward pause, then Harry asked, "Hey, how do you know such advanced magic, anyway?"
Merlin furrowed his brow. "Erm... practice?"
Harry frowned, but then perked up when Ron and Hermione exited the Great Hall, currently fighting over something or other. They headed towards Harry, but stopped when they saw Merlin.
There was another pause, then Hermione walked over to Merlin.
"Hey, Marlin. I heard what you did," she said, and Merlin raised an eyebrow.
"Really," he said. She nodded.
"Yeah, casting a counter curse," she said, and then Ron spoke.
"How bloody powerful are you?" he asked, and Merlin just grinned.
Then Harry seemed to have an idea. "Hey, Marlin, do you know anything about Nicolas Flamel?" he asked.
"Yeah, why?" Merlin asked, not sure that he should tell them anything.
Harry looked around to make sure nobody was listening, then leaned forward and said, "It has to do with the third floor corridor. Hermione said that you were interested in what that dog was guarding, too."
Merlin raised an eyebrow, "What do you know about that?" he asked, wanting to judge and see what they knew before he told them anything. He figured that he knew exactly what the dog was guarding now.
Harry looked to his friends as if he wasn't sure to trust Marlin, and Hermione nodded to him.
"I trust him. You won't go to Dumbledore, will you?" she asked Marlin, and he scowled.
"It's not like the headmaster and I are on great terms, anyway," he said, and Harry raised an eyebrow at this comment, but continued, nonetheless.
"Well, we know that it's guarding some kind of package- you remember the Gringotts robbery?" Merlin nodded. He vaguely remembered hearing something about that. "Well, when I went to Gringotts, Hagrid emptied this high security vault and took a small package out of it."
Merlin nodded- he guessed that was what it was.
"And you know that Nicolas Flamel is involved somehow?" he asked, and Harry nodded. Merlin thought for a moment, then figured that no harm would come from telling them. "Well, I think I know what it is, but you mustn't do anything about it if my suspicions are correct."
Ron looked like he was about to protest, but Hermione said, "We won't," and he shut his mouth.
Merlin nodded, then said, "If I'm right, we're dealing with the Sorcerer's Stone."
Hermione gasped, but, other than that, there was no reaction. Hermione seemed disappointed in this.
"Oh, don't you guys read? Come on!" she said, and dragged the two to the library, Merlin trailing behind. She pulled out a large book.
"I got this for a bit of light reading," she said, and Ron gaped.
"Light?"
She ignored him and started to read:
"The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.
There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty eight)."
"Though why somebody would want to be immortal is beyond me," Merlin commented when she was finished, and the three looked at him like he was strange.
Which, Merlin thought, he probably was.
"A stone that makes gold and stops you from dying," Harry said, ignoring Merlin. "No wonder Snapes after it. Anyone would want it!"
Merlin frowned. "Snape's not after the Stone," he said, and Harry looked at him.
"Yes, he is! I saw him! He hurt his leg trying to get past the dog!" Harry exclaimed, and Merlin winced at how loud he was becoming. He sighed.
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe he was trying to protect the stone?" Merlin asked, and Harry frowned.
"If he was trying to protect it, then why would he try to get past the dog?" Harry asked.
Merlin opened his mouth, but then realized that he didn't really have a decent answer for that.
"...Maybe the dog attacked him when he entered the room," Merlin suggested. He was pretty sure that they were wrong about this, but he hoped that Snape wasn't after the Stone, for his sake.
"Well-" Harry said, but then another voice entered there conversation.
"Marlin, you idiot! Where have you been," Draco growled as he approached, grabbing Merlin's arm. "I've been looking for you!"
Merlin frowned.
"I've been talking to people more decent than you, Draco," Merlin said, then Malfoy looked at Harry. The two stared at each other.
"...Potter," he said eventually, not able to completely keep the venom out of his voice.
"Malfoy," Harry greeted, not trying to keep the venom out of his voice. Draco scowled and turned back to Merlin.
"Well, Marlin, come on," Draco said, and started to drag Merlin away. Merlin looked at Harry.
"Well, I guess I'll see you," he said, and Harry nodded, still staring after Malfoy.
Once they were far enough away, Merlin ripped himself from Malfoy's grip and glared at him.
"What was that for?" he asked, crossing his arms. Draco copied the movement.
"I heard what you two were talking about, and you were getting too loud," Draco said. Merlin looked back down the hall and noticed more people staring at him than usual. He frowned.
"...Thanks," he said eventually, and Draco frowned.
"You know that Snape isn't going to steal... whatever it was you were talking about, right?"
"The Sorcerer's Stone?" Merlin supplied.
"What's that?"
Merlin sighed, "Oh, just a stone that makes you immortal."
Draco gaped, "Is that what you used, then?"
Merlin frowned, "Of course not! You think I wanted this?" he asked, pain in his eyes. Draco realized what he had said.
"Oh, no, you're right. Sorry," he said, and Merlin sighed.
"It's awfully lonely, you know? I can't imagine why anyone would want this."
Draco nodded, looking down, "I understand," he said eventually. Merlin nodded, and then there was an awkward silence. Eventually, Draco grinned.
"So, anyway, Christmas is coming up," Draco started, and Merlin raised an eyebrow.
"Really," he said sarcastically, and Draco frowned, punching Merlin in the arm.
"Idiot. I was going to ask where you lived so that we could get together
Merlin gaped, "Surely your father wouldn't approve. I'm supposed to be living with muggles," he said, and Draco crossed his arms, frowning.
"To hell with what my father thinks! Forget the pureblood ideals. What do you think?" he asked, and Merlin continued gaping for a moment before he smiled at Draco's progress.
"I think it's a great idea. Here," he said, conjuring a piece of paper with a flash of his eyes. Several people passing him in the hall stopped to stare, and Draco hit Merlin over the head, causing him to drop the paper. He scowled.
"Hey, what was that for?" he asked, and Draco scowled himself.
"For flouting your powers, idiot. You'd think living in Camelot for all those years would have taught you sublety, but no..."