AN at bottom

Harry's eyes opened a crack, and he peered out at what lay before him.

The world was misty and grey, slightly out of focus and gave a sense that it wasn't really there.

"You've had your fun, my friend."

The voice came out of nowhere, and Harry sat up quickly, swinging his head this way and that, trying to find the source of the voice. Harry frowned. That sounded like Morynn (Merlin, a voice whispered in his head). Where was he? Was he alive?

"Do I know you?"

Another voice, but Harry didn't know this one. Who was it?

"I'm Merlin."

That was Morynn's (Merlin's) voice. But why was he saying that? Was it true? Was his name really Merlin, or was it someone else?

"So I don't know you."

There it was again, the other man, but who was it?

"No."

"Yet you called me a friend."

"That was my mistake."

"I think so."

"Yeah, I'd never had a friend who could be such an ass"

Was it just him, or was the smoke clearing?

"Or I one who could be so stupid."

Yes, the smoke was clearing. Harry could see something, shapes, just up ahead of him.

"Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?"

Merlin, that man sounded like a stuck up jerk. Harry winced, a lot like Draco and Morynn (Merlin).

"No."

"Shall I help you?"

"I wouldn't if I were you."

The shapes were sharpening. They looked humanoid now. Two people standing in the fog, arguing.

"What are you gonna do?"

The one on the left was the arrogant jerk. He was blond. Harry snorted, just like Draco.

"You have no idea."

Harry glanced at the one on the right and gasped. The man looked exactly like Morynn (Merlin). What was going on? Who was the other man? It made no sense. The two looked as though they didn't even realise Harry was there. Harry walked up to them, reached out to Merlin.

"Be my guest."

Harry jerked back as the blond man spoke again and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Come on. Come on! Come on."

The blond man was grinning, taunting Merlin as he stood straight, and looking down at Merlin. Merlin swung at him.

"I'll throw you in jail for that."

Merlin smirked at the blond man, and Harry stood up and walked towards the blond man, swinging his hand in front of his face, hoping for some reaction

"Do you think you're the king?"

Merlin's voice was mocking, and Harry found himself agreeing, even if Merlin was Morynn, even if he was a Slytherin.

"No, I'm his son – Arthur."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. The son of a king? That made the man a prince. Wait, the blond man had said his name was Arthur, and the Morynn lookalike called himself Merlin. Was it possible? There was no way. Was there?

The two men faded away, and in a moment of desperation, Harry grabbed at Arthur only for his hand to go straight through him.

Harry looked around. The men were gone. But had they really been there in the first place? Where was he?

Two more figures flicked into existence a few feet away, and Harry ran up to them.

His eyes widened and he gasped. The blond man – Arthur, was bleeding heaving, archaic chain main covered in a coat of blood. Yet even with such a deep wound, the man still glared, those eyes filled with hate.

Harry turned in the direction the man's eyes were facing. Merlin stood, clothes slightly torn, and he looked down at where Arthur was bleeding on the floor. His eyes were wide like a deer caught in the headlights. He looked terrified. Harry turned towards Arthur, he had thought the two hated each other, it had certainly seemed so in the last scene he had witnessed, and Arthur's glare seemed to support that. So why did it feel like Merlin was not terrified of Arthur, but rather of the hate in his eyes? Then again, the two looked older than they had been before. It was possible that years had passed between these two scenes.

"Stay away, sorcerer."

Harry flinched back from the hate in his words, even though it was not directed at him. He felt a moment of respect at the way Merlin seemed unaffected by the words.

"But Arthur, you're going to die!"

"I would rather die than accept help from a sorcerer. You're nothing more than a traitor!"

A traitor? So why did Merlin look so distraught. Surely that face was not one of a traitor, and why was being a sorcerer so bad. Wasn't that just another word for a wizard?

"Arthur . . ."

"Leave traitor. Magic can never have a place in Camelot. YOU can never have a place in Camelot!"

Camelot . . . So it was true, the man dying on the floor was really King Arthur. SO the other man was really the Merlin. But why did it seem as though Arthur hated magic, was he not known for creating a kingdom where muggles and wizards lived peacefully. Was that a lie? But if it wasn't then what reason could there be for such hatred?

"Arthur, please. Let me save you. You're going to die."

"Then let me die. That's what you wanted all along after all, sorcerer."

But his face did not look like that of someone who wanted Arthur to die.

"No, Arthur, please, let me save you. My magic –"

"Is a curse on me and my people, be gone!"

"No, Arthur, you don't understand."

"What don't I understand? My idiocy? For that's what it must have been for you to fool me all these years. You're Dragoon aren't you?"

Dragoon? Who was that?

"Well, yes. But Arthur –"

No buts – Merlin – you killed my father and you are a sorcerer. A monster. Leave Camelot. Never return!"

"Arthur please –"

"No sorcerer! If you have ever cared for me, as a friend or as your king, you will leave now!"

"Arthur," Merlin paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "As you wish . . . Sire" Merlin sounded distraught. Why couldn't Arthur hear that? "I shall leave."

Merlin turned, and he cast a single despairing glance back at the blond. "Goodbye, Arthur." His words were sad and spoken so low that Harry had to strain to hear him. Tears were in his eyes (and wasn't that strange, Morynn (Merlin) would have never cried; he had always seemed so untouchable), Merlin turned his back on Arthur, and the two men once again disappeared into nothing

"Kilgharrah!"

Harry jumped and spun when he heard Merlin's scream. His voice was filled with desperation, then his eyes widened.

Merlin stood, face turned upwards and before him, beating huge wings as it came closer, was a dragon. The dragon landed and turned towards Merlin.

Harry was filled with the urge to yell at Merlin to run, even though he knew the boy would not hear him. How could he stand before a dragon as though it was something he did every day?

"Greetings, young Warlock."

And now Harry just didn't know what to think. He was fairly certain that dragons were not supposed to speak. They were only animals after all.

"Kilgharrah," Merlin said again, and Harry could see the faintest twitch of a smile on the boy's face.

"What is it, young Warlock?"

"Arthur is dead. I failed. Mordred killed him. He wouldn't even let me try to save him. He says I betrayed him." Merlin's face was downcast, and Harry could see tears dripping down the boy's face as he spoke.

"Oh, young Warlock, do not weep. Arthur may have died this day, and you may not have fulfilled your destiny, but worry not. Arthur's words were spoken in shock and fear. Uther had poisoned the young king's heart against magic and in this life, there was likely little you could have done to change that."

"So what now?" Merlin's voice was small, almost non-existent. Harry could not help but feel as though he was intruding on an incredibly private moment.

"Now, young Warlock? Now we wait. For Arthur was not just any king. He was the once and future king. He may have died this day, and you may have failed in your destiny, but fear not. Arthur will rise again."

"He will?" Merlin's voice was just as quiet as before, but now it was filled with hope, and Harry could not help the smile that broke out upon his face.

"Indeed, young Warlock. It may not happen tomorrow, it may take a thousand, or even a million years, but Arthur will return to Albion, and when he does, the immortal sorcerer of the old religion shall be there awaiting his rising. Your destiny is not yet over, young Warlock. It has simply been put on hold."

"Immortal?" Harry whispered. There was no way, was there? Merlin had been immortal? But then surely that meant he could not have died?

"Sadly, that is not the truth, young Harry."

Harry's eyes widened, and he looked up in shock. Merlin was nowhere to be seen and the dragon, Kilgharrah, was looking straight at him.

"Merlin was immortal, this is true, but there had always been a way for him to die, something that he had always known.

"Wait, what do you mean? How, how can Morynn be Merlin? How can this be true? What's going on?!"

"From the beginning Merlin could have ended his life. I told him how, but he chose not to. No matter how much he wished to do to atone for his failure, no matter how painful thoughts of his King became, no matter how he felt he could not save Arthur when he returned, Merlin never chose to do so."

"How?" Harry asked, almost to himself. "If it hurt that much? To be alone for god knows how long…?"

"It was because he did not wish his own fate upon another."

"What?"

"In order for Merlin to die, he needed to pass his Magic, his life, his very fate upon another, and he could never bring himself to do that. To force his curse upon another, no matter how much he wished for death, he could never bring himself to do that."

Harry frowned, clenching his fists. "But why are you telling me this?!" he yelled in frustration.

"Because, young Harry, that night in the forbidden forest, all he could think of was saving you through any means necessary, no matter what it would mean for himself or for your future. He simply wanted you to live. And in doing so, through his Magic he has passed his destiny onto you. While before it was to be Merlin, now you will be the immortal Warlock to stand by the side of Arthur when he returns."

Harry stared up at the dragon. "Then-?"

"Yes, young Harry. Merlin is dead. He died to save you and to destroy Riddle."

"And I?"

"You are immortal young Harry."

Harry collapsed to the ground, trembling. It was too much to take in. It couldn't be possible, could it?

"So what now?" Harry asked, repeating Merlin's question from before.

"That is up to you young Harry. Should you choose not to return, then the centaurs will tell the castle that you have died in the fight against Riddle."

"And the death eaters?" Harry asked. "What of them?"

"They would have been killed in the backwash of magic that occurred when Riddle killed himself by drinking from the cup. The triple goddess is nothing but thorough, even those who followed him without taking on the mark would have died."

"There were those that followed him without taking on the dark mark?"

"Unfortunately so, your headmaster was one of them."

Harry looked up at Kilgharrah. "Then my life is mine to do with as I please?"

"Until Arthur rises, yes."

"I see." Harry murmured. "Thank you, Kilgharrah."

"It is my pleasure, young Warlock."

IT IS OVER

this is the first story I have ever finished

and oh god does it feel good to do so

...

and I really am sorry I killed Merlin

I was miserable enough when I did it and then all your reviews made me completely depressed cos I didn't mean to upset you guys as much as I obviously did

Merlin was one of my favourite characters

TT

...

and before anyone asks

NO

I am not writing a sequel

At least not now

If I ever do so it will be in the far future

I don't mind if one of you guys wants to write a sequel to this though

but if you do please PM me first

cos I want to read it

I will also put up a chapter here to let everyone else know who is writing the sequel and what it is going to be called

(hint hint, I really don't want to write a sequel, but I admit the way I ended this sounds as though I am going to write one)

Thank you to everyone for reading

and an especially big thank you to everyone who reviewed

It has meant a lot

And has really helped me with the confidence to let other people read my work

(previously I would write and then hide the manuscripts cos I was too embarrassed to let people read my writing)

Goodbye