Disclaimer: same as always. I don't own a thing.
20 Gringotts
Harry calmed his nerves from Merlin's earlier display of terrifying magic by taking a few deep breaths. Catching Hermione and Ron's eye, he nodded slowly to them before walking over to where Rodolphus lay. The man's eyes were still closed, his form trembling. The sight caused a bubble of pity to rise in Harry's chest. He didn't even have the heart to hold the man at wandpoint. Sighing, he instead opted for gripping his wand at his side.
Keeping his voice even, he gently nudged Lestrange with his shoe. The poor man flinched but still kept his eyes firmly shut. "Lestrange, we want to know if your Dark Lord entrusted something to your care. It would be some kind of object. He would have considered it highly valuable and his orders more than likely would have been to keep it in a safe place."
The man's eyes flew open, the irises frantically searching for Merlin. Not seeing him anywhere but still terrified, Rodolphus licked his lips. "There may have been something…" he hedged.
Harry felt excitement lurch in his stomach. "What?" he demanded, trying to keep his emotions in check.
Rodolphus shook his head. "Like I would tell you! Besides, he'd kill me if I did!"
"It's either you die or you lose your magic," Harry replied, steering himself to be intimidating.
Rodolphus paled. "It was a cup!" he screeched, his eyes flying every which way, frightened that Merlin was going to appear and do as Harry threatened.
Harry shared a triumphant look with Ron and Hermione at the revelation before staring back at the captive Death Eater. "Where is it?"
"The Dark Lord told Bellatrix and I to keep it hidden, that it was of the utmost value and should we lose it, our lives would be forfeit. We placed it in our vault in Gringotts. I swear I don't know anything else about it or its importance – but good luck getting it out, Potter. Death is the only thing that awaits those who try to steal that which doesn't belong to them!"
"We could just force you to get it for us," Harry retorted.
"That wouldn't work, Harry," Gwaine said. "His friends will notice he's missing. They'll be looking out for him."
"And since You Know Who has taken over the Ministry you can bet he's going to have people stationed in Diagon Alley," Hermione put in.
Rodolphus looked disappointed; obviously he'd wanted that to happen. Harry silently thanked Hermione and Gwaine for their input. Tapping his chin, he then shrugged. "We'll come up with a way. We have the most powerful sorcerer of all time on our side after all."
"That you do," a voice said from the trees. Everyone jumped. King Arthur was emerging from the foliage with Merlin at his side, the latter seeming nervous, his eyes shifting to Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round.
The queen wasted no time rushing over to Merlin, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, Merlin! Don't you ever run off like that again!" she chided.
Merlin blinked in surprise, his ears turning a dull pink. His unique blue eyes fell to the ground. "Sorry," he muttered dejectedly.
"No!" Guinevere fiercely replied, taking his shoulders. "It is we that should be sorry, Merlin. You have always been our friend, protecting us all. We have no reason to fear you. Can you forgive us?"
Merlin stared at all of them, each looking filled with regret. His gaze softened. "There's nothing to forgive," he said.
Harry felt the warlock's gaze land on him and after a jolt, the young wizard smiled. He may not know Merlin as well as the others but from what he had seen of him, there really wasn't a need to fear him or what he could do. He was his friend.
"It's about time you got back, Merlin," he grinned. "We have some good news. But before I share it, what do you suggest we do about Lestrange?"
Rodolphus's dark eyes widened in horror as Merlin took a step closer towards him. Everyone else noticed the warlock flinch before schooling his features and answering, "Well, we can't exactly haul him around with us."
"We could always place him in the Camelot dungeons," Arthur muttered.
Merlin shook his head, slightly amused. "He wouldn't be able to pass the wards, Arthur."
"Oh, right," the king sighed, clearly disappointed.
Merlin frowned a moment before coming to a decision. "Perhaps the Order would know what to do with him. Although, we might want to make sure he can't escape through magical means before we do that."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione frowned, confused. The king, queen, and knights on the other hand knew exactly what Merlin was hinting at.
"Would they work on someone who has New magic though?" Arthur asked, ignoring the perplexed stares of the teenagers.
Merlin nodded grimly. "Most definitely; the New is a diluted form of the Old after all."
"Do you happen to have a pair lying around though, Merlin? Because I'm afraid I'm fresh out of rune cuffs," Gwaine announced, exposing his palms.
"Give me a moment," Merlin muttered, disappearing into the tent. He reappeared a second later with a pair of handcuffs.
"Oh!" Hermione cried, suddenly understanding. "I've read about those! At least, I think I know what they are."
"Care to enlighten us?" asked a rather miffed Ron.
"These are rune cuffs, Ron," Merlin answered, approaching the frozen terror that was Rodolphus. "They block a person's magic, making it impossible for them to use it."
With a flash of his eyes, the roots binding one of Rodolphus's wrists disappeared and before the man could move in an attempt to free himself Merlin slapped one of the cuffs over his skin. There was a slight struggle as the Death Eater tried to keep Merlin from yanking it across his body to the other wrist but Merlin soon overpowered him. The second the other cuff snapped closed, the metal glowed an eerie blue and Rodolphus gasped.
"What have you done to me?" he croaked. "I can't feel it! I can't feel my magic! I thought you promised not to take it away if I answered you!"
"I didn't take it away," replied the warlock, standing up. "I merely suppressed it." He then threw the key to Arthur who caught the small piece of metal with a confused tilt of his head. "As the highest ranking authority, the ultimate fate of the prisoner should be up to you to decide, Sire."
Understanding lit the king's face as the Death Eater's face twisted into outrage. "But he is muggle filth! He has no authority here! I will not allow myself to follow anything that comes from his worthless lips."
Merlin rounded on the man and Harry took a step back to get out of the line of fire. "Do not insult my king again, Rodolphus Lestrange, or I will be resigned to transfigure you into a pig!"
The Death Eater quelled at once, his eyes furious. Ron tried to keep a straight face as he and Harry shared an amused glance.
Arthur cleared his throat. "Merlin, I want you to take him to the Order. Percival, you accompany him. Someone has to carry the baggage."
The large knight smiled at Rodolphus who stiffened at the man's intimidating biceps. Merlin released the roots from around the Death Eater and Percival grabbed the chain between the rune cuffs and yanked Rodolphus to his feet. Before the poor fool could even attempt to run, the strong man conked him out with a heavy whack to the back of his head. Rodolphus slummed forward and Percival easily flung the deadweight over his shoulder.
Merlin grasped Percival's shoulder. "We'll be back in a bit," he promised before the three of them disappeared in a soft gust of wind and a flash of the warlock's eyes.
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione who were thinking along the same lines as he was: never mess with Percival either.
Merlin and Percival showed up at the Weasleys to drop off their captive, scaring Mrs. Weasley senseless when they appeared directly in her living room. After quickly explaining the situation to her and Remus – who just happened to be visiting again – the two ancients left Rodolphus in their charge before whisking back to the tent where the others were waiting in the Forest of Dean.
Easily entering the protective wards set in place by Harry and Hermione, Merlin let out an exhausted sigh. Percival glanced at him. "You okay?"
Merlin caught his eye and tried to smile. "Yeah, sorry, I'm just tired."
He tried to ignore the way the knight continued to scrutinize him. He knew he probably looked a right mess. Merlin may be the most powerful warlock in existence but even he was susceptible to exhaustion. He'd used more powerful magic today than he was used to, what with scaring the Death Eaters, terrifying Rodolphus, and transporting great distances, it was a miracle he was even still on his feet! Combine his magical exhaustion with his emotional and you had one warlock who wanted nothing more than to curl up and be dead to the world for the next twenty four hours. But Merlin didn't have that luxury.
All of a sudden he felt like he was back in Camelot, where he was worked to the bone each day trying to perform all of his manservant and Court Sorcerer duties as well as protect the kingdom and its prat. Every day he'd crawl into bed, his energy spent, his limbs aching something fierce. Merlin was feeling that way now. He was getting too old for this. Sighing, he pushed his tiredness aside, stretched, and sent Percival a deceiving smile – well, one he hoped would fool the large knight.
"Merlin, if you need to rest, you just need to say so."
No such luck.
Merlin silently cursed the man's perceptiveness. It was always the quiet ones you needed to watch out for. "I'm fine, Percival," he lied. "Come on, let's see what Harry has to tell us."
Without waiting to notice the concern on the knight's face the warlock pulled back the tent flap and disappeared inside.
"How did it go?" Arthur asked the moment he saw Merlin.
The warlock smiled. "They told us they'd take care of him. I made sure to let them know about the rune cuffs. Rodolphus won't be going anywhere anytime soon I think." Sitting down on the right side of his king, he turned to Harry. "So, what did you want to tell me?"
The young wizard grinned, his excitement evident in the way his green eyes sparkled. "You were right, Merlin. Hufflepuff's Cup, it's in the Lestrange's vault in Gringotts!"
"Excellent!" Merlin exclaimed, his own excitement now matching Harry's. "This is good news."
"Yeah, except for the fact that now we have to break into a building that's impossible to steal from!" Ron voiced, exasperated.
"Harry, Ron, and Hermione were explaining some of this place's defenses while you were gone," Arthur said, "It sounds quite difficult to break in to – although one thing Ron brought up I don't think will be a problem."
"And what might that be?" Merlin asked, Ron eyeing the king curiously as well.
"Supposedly there's a dragon guarding the higher security vaults," Arthur answered, grinning.
Merlin stiffened. "A dragon? They have a dragon buried underground?!"
Everyone stilled. The anger coming off the warlock had not been something any of them were expecting. Leon and Gwaine shared a worried glance. Merlin didn't pay attention to the others unease. What right did the goblins have keeping a dragon underground?! Dragons were the greatest magical creatures in the wizarding world. They were not meant to be kept in confined spaces, locked away to be used as tools for others bidding! Images of a chained Kilgharrah underneath Camelot came to mind and Merlin actually slammed his fist on the table, his eyes flashing of their own accord. Several things in the tent started to rattle. Arthur looked around in alarm.
"Merlin, you need to calm down!" Guinevere cried.
"I had no idea the goblins had a dragon buried in the vaults!" he muttered softly, his tone clipped.
"You didn't?" Hermione asked timidly. Merlin met her gaze. The young witch flinched a little under the scrutiny but tried to be brave as she continued, "It's said the goblins captured one around two hundred years ago."
Merlin leapt to his feet and started making for the tent's entrance.
"Where do you think you're going?" Arthur demanded.
"I'm going to free it! Dragons do not deserve to live chained against their will in a place that bars them from open skies!"
Arthur flinched a little, remembering Kilgharrah's imprisonment. "Merlin, I support your decision to free it but it wouldn't be wise to blindly stride in to this establishment in rage. Freeing the dragon will be something we accomplish but we also have to get the horcrux. Don't allow emotion to cloud your judgment."
Merlin ground his teeth together. Since when was Arthur the voice of reason? That had always been his role! He was over fifteen hundred years old. Surely he was better than this; acting like a foolish child, running into danger without thinking things through! Calming the rage within him, he nodded in acknowledgement of his king before settling down next to him. Arthur sent him a reassuring glance before turning back to Harry.
"Right, does anyone have suggestions on how to get into the lower vaults?"
"I might," Merlin voiced. "My vault is one of them."
"You have a vault?" Arthur asked, surprised.
The warlock grinned cheekily despite his previous mood. "Technically, I'm richer now than you ever were, Arthur."
The king's mouth dropped open as Gwaine roared with laughter. "Merlin richer than kings? I never thought I'd ever hear that one!"
"Well, when you live for as long as I have you learn a thing or two about savings and investments," Merlin shrugged. "Not all of my money is in Gringotts though. I also have several muggle accounts with international and local banks."
"Blimey, just how rich are you?" Ron asked, his voice hallow.
Merlin started feeling uncomfortable under all the scrutiny. "Let's just say that I make Bill Gates look poor," he muttered, his eyes on his lap.
Hermione's mouth dropped open while everyone else remained confused.
"Who?" Ron asked her.
"Bill Gates; he's the richest man in the world, Ron," she answered.
Gwaine thumped Merlin on the back. "Why didn't you tell us, mate?"
"I didn't think it was important," Merlin shrugged. "And it's not. Money isn't everything. Anyway, the point is that I have a vault that's buried deep in Gringotts that we can pretend we're going to visit. Once we get on our way, we can manipulate the cart so it takes us to the Lestranges vault instead."
"But one of the goblins will be guiding it," Harry pointed out. "And they're not the type to allow stealing."
Merlin smirked. "You forget the greediness of goblins, Harry. Offer them something of immense value, and they can be swayed."
"Wait, goblins?" Arthur cried, rounding on his Court Sorcerer.
Merlin smirked. "Don't worry, I won't let any of them change you into a donkey again, Sire."
"What?" Ron gasped as the king's face turned bright red.
Guinevere suddenly became interested in picking at her sleeves, her face also tinged pink. The knights tried to keep straight faces but Leon was having the most difficulty, remembering the creature that had caused King Uther to go bald. Arthur was giving Merlin the death glare but the warlock wasn't intimidated in the slightest.
"Goblins used to be more mischievous than the ones you know today," Merlin explained.
"Merlin! Don't you dare go in to any details or I'll have you flogged!" the king warned, slightly panicked.
Merlin raised an amused brow. "Wow, you've never threatened flogging before. Keep your wits about you, Arthur, I wasn't going to tell them anything. All I will say is that this goblin caused us a lot of problems. The goblins at Gringotts are nothing like the one we encountered so you don't have to worry about them causing you further embarrassment, Arthur. They are more devious, calculating, and manipulative in this century but one thing hasn't changed: their greed. I'll just have to offer the goblin we encounter some kind of reward that will be impossible for him to pass up."
"And what could you possibly offer that would make that happen?" Arthur asked skeptical.
Merlin grinned. "Oh, I have many ancient weapons of value that I managed to save in my vault. I also have many things from Camelot – your crown included, Arthur."
"What?" the king yelped. "You have my crown?"
"I wasn't about to let it be found and sold on the black market!" Merlin countered. "I managed to find it in the vaults under Hogwarts. The place had caved in which was why the Founders never realized they were sitting on top of a mountain of gold. There were a lot of things that had been destroyed but your crown was one of the items I managed to save from the rubble."
"You're not going to offer it to the goblin, are you?" Arthur demanded, folding his arms threateningly.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "Relax, cabbage head, I don't think the goblin would be interested in your crown as much as he would Excalibur."
"You're not suggesting – !"
"Of course not, you prat! The sword is missing, remember? Besides, I would never give a sword as powerful as Excalibur to a goblin! That would be disastrous! No, I'm thinking we could offer him something of great magical worth."
"Like what?" prompted Elyan.
"The Sidhe staff," Merlin grinned.
Hermione predictably gasped while Ron and Harry looked completely lost. "The Sidhe!" the young witch cried, her eyes shining as big as moons. "But, no one has seen them for centuries!"
"That's because the Old Religion retreated into the Earth," Merlin reminded.
"Pardon me but what's a Sidhe?" demanded Ron.
"Ancient magical creatures," Hermione briefly explained. "They were said to have powerful enchantments as well as healing magic. But how did you manage to get a Sidhe staff, Merlin?" she wondered.
Merlin shrugged. "It was during one of the many attempts on Arthur's life, of course. Two Sidhe had been banished from Avalon and in order to regain their status, the Sidhe Elder tasked them with bringing Arthur to him. A soul for a soul. The daughter enchanted Arthur to fall in love with her, dragged him out of the castle, and nearly succeeded in drowning him until I showed up. I managed to get hold of the older Sidhe's staff before killing them both with it and then diving into the water to save the stupid prat."
Arthur's face was tinged pink. "It seems to always be my luck to be enchanted with love spells," he quietly grumbled.
"I haven't heard that story before," said Gwaine, his grin growing larger. "You'll have to tell us that one in greater detail sometime, mate."
Arthur scowled while Merlin nodded with his own grin. "Remind me later, Gwaine. Right now we need to focus on getting the cup. Now, I haven't actually been to Gringotts since the bank was founded."
"You're kidding!" Ron interrupted. "How have you been getting your money?"
"I send Archimedes," Merlin shrugged. "He gives the goblins a note, they fill up a bag, and he brings it back to me."
"Why don't you go get it yourself?" asked Leon curiously.
"Because of who I am," Merlin sighed. "The goblins recognized Emrys immediately when I went there the first time. Since I'm technically magic itself they respect me. But having goblins bow down respectively to what appears to be a wizard is an anomaly that no one has ever seen before. They're likely to do the same thing when we go there this time."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked on him in astonishment, silently attempting to see a goblin bow to him. Obviously it was hard for them to contemplate.
"We can think of something else," Guinevere suggested, sensing Merlin's distress.
Merlin shook his head. "No, it'll be easier if we use my vault as a way to get in. I'd suggest using Harry's but seeing as he's a wanted man right now, having him walk into Gringotts to access his vault would not be wise."
"Are you saying that I can't come?" Harry demanded, eyes narrowed.
"Of course not," answered Merlin. "You'll probably want to wear your invisibility cloak though. Can all three of you fit under it anymore?"
"I don't think so," Harry admitted. "We're a lot taller than we used to be."
Merlin chuckled. "That's true. Alright then, I'll just have to work my magic. I'll place invisibility spells on Ron and Hermione while you can hide under the cloak. Once we're on the cart traveling to my vault I'll lift the invisible enchantments. We only want to protect you from any outward prying eyes anyway."
"Sounds good to me," said Ron.
"But won't the goblins feel like we're trying to trick them?" Hermione wondered nervously. "There are counter enchantments to break deceitful spells. What if we become visible when we step inside?"
"Old magic trumps New, remember?" Merlin grinned. "You'll be fine, Hermione. This will work."
"Okay, so we've established how we're going to get down there but how are we going to get out?" Arthur voiced.
"Well, we first have to discuss getting the cup," Merlin reminded. "There is a Gemini Jinx on every vault in Gringotts - it's to make sure that a thief would be unable to steal. Anything we touch in the Lestranges vault will multiply the moment it contacts our skin."
Arthur frowned. "That doesn't bode well. Is there a way you can cancel that from happening?"
"I might be able to temporarily freeze it but that will be the least of our problems," Merlin sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.
"What do you mean?" asked Percival.
"The moment we open the Lestranges vault, the goblins will know we are trying to steal. There is a magical signature that is tied to each vault that even I can't prevent from alerting them; its infused with the blood of the family the vault belongs to."
"And blood spells are the strongest there are," Arthur muttered, remembering the one they placed on the wards of Hogwarts. "I didn't think that included the New magic."
"New magic when coupled with blood rituals activates the true power of the Old Religion. Why do you think Riddle was about to rise again? He combined New magic with a blood sacrifice, activating Old magic. I'm afraid that even if I tried to stop the signal from reaching the goblins I wouldn't succeed."
"So what will happen when they're alerted to our presence?" Guinevere wondered, concerned.
"They'll more than likely contact the ones who own the vault," Hermione answered.
"Which would alert Bellatrix and in essence You Know Who," Harry muttered, frowning.
"And they'll come," Merlin replied. "Morgana will probably be with them."
"But they wouldn't be able to get there instantly," Guinevere pointed out. "It takes time to send messages even if the way to send them has enhanced since our day. We'll have a small window of opportunity to remove ourselves from the place."
"Yes, except you've forgotten one thing," Merlin voiced. "I will not leave without freeing the dragon they have imprisoned."
"But Merlin –" Gwaine protested.
"No, Gwaine!" Merlin snapped. "I am the last Dragon Lord. It is my duty to protect my kin. I'm sorry but I cannot and will not allow that dragon to remain there any longer. Even if I have to fight every Death Eater, Riddle, and Morgana myself to free it, I won't leave it behind."
Beside him, Arthur let out a deep breath. "Alright, Merlin, we won't leave without freeing the dragon. But we have to have a plan of escape. Being underground surrounded by enemies isn't wise. How can we get out?"
"I'm guessing that magically disappearing isn't going to be an option?" muttered Leon.
Hermione shook her head sadly. "You can't apparate or disapparate in Gringotts."
"What about your ability to transport, Merlin?" Percival asked.
Merlin shook his head. "I might be able to transport humans but I don't know if the spell will work with a dragon. Besides, it would take a lot of magic out of me and I'd have to have time to recover - time we just might not be able to afford."
"We could always fight our way through the old fashioned way," Elyan suggested.
"That would be a very bad idea," Harry voiced. "If You Know Who saw the cup in our hands he'll know what we're doing."
"I think breaking in to the Lestranges vault is going to alert him of that anyway, Harry," said Ron.
"That's true," Merlin sighed. "And once Riddle knows, he's going to fall into a blind rage. I wouldn't want to be around that man when he isn't in control of his emotions. No, we're going to want to get away from there as fast as possible. We'll probably have to fight our way through the goblins first since they'll have a small task force set aside to take us down the moment the vault is penetrated. Arthur, you and the knights will have to keep them at bay while the rest of us search the vault for the horcrux. Once we have it, we'll look for the dragon. I'll free it and then transform into a dragon myself. I'll scatter any obstacles out of our path while the rest of you ride on the other dragon's back. If it isn't big enough or strong enough to carry all of you, I'll help. Between the two of us, we should be able to get everyone to safety. If we do have to split into two groups, I want two of you," he spoke specifically to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "to be on the other dragon to deflect offending spells and curses."
"I'll do it," Ron volunteered.
"So will I," said Hermione before Harry could.
Merlin nodded. "Right, let's put all of this into action tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" Harry protested, "We should be going there now!"
"Patience, Harry," said Arthur. "Battles aren't won when you're not at full strength. Out of all of us, Merlin is dead on his feet. He at least needs his rest."
Harry finally seemed to notice how tired Merlin was. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he sighed. "Alright, we'll leave tomorrow."
"Merlin, go to bed," Arthur ordered.
"Don't tell me what to do, prat," the warlock tiredly muttered though he got up anyway and wandered away from the group, kicking off his boots. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
Voldemort was not happy. Standing beside him, the beautiful Morgana Pendragon scowled in frustration.
"Are you telling me that Merlin lives?" Voldemort demanded, eyeing the woman with a narrowed gaze.
Morgana's eyes flashed a brilliant shade of gold and the table nearest to her shattered into splinters. The Malfoys cowered away from the destruction while Bellatrix merely flinched.
"There are traces of Old magic here and as far as I can tell only Merlin and myself are capable of using it," the High Priestess stated. "It would unfortunately seem that he survived. Though I don't know how that is even possible."
"But what would he want with Rodolphus?" Rabastan Lestrange timidly asked.
Voldemort's cruel eyes narrowed. If Merlin was trying to make a statement then why not capture all of the Death Eaters he encountered? Why only take one? He inwardly growled in frustration. He didn't have time for this! He had other priorities to take care of. Without a backward glance, the Dark Lord swept from the room. He was slightly surprised to find that Morgana wasn't following him but sometimes the woman liked to brood in silence. As far as he was concerned she didn't matter at the moment.
Striding with purpose, he came to the basement and with a flick of his wrist, flung open the cell door. Three individuals cowered in the corner, one of the men whimpering while the other firmly clung to a young woman with long silvery hair.
Voldemort smirked, thrilled how his presence effected them. "Lovegood, come with me," he commanded to the man clinging to his daughter.
Xenophilius Lovegood was a fool, plain and simple. The man had tried to use his pitiful magazine to slander him and praise the Boy Who Lived. Voldemort had his followers capture the dissenter and toss him in this cell along with his daughter. He'd allowed the Death Eaters to torture him a little but for the most part he needed the man alive; blackmail, after all, was the perfect motivator to get someone to do what you wanted.
Xenophilius took one last frightened look at his daughter before shuffling forward. Voldemort turned on his heel and left, the man trialing silently behind him. Entering the nearest room, Voldemort lazily waved his wand, shutting the door with an ominous bang. Xenophilius winced causing the Dark Lord to smirk.
Turning to face him, Voldemort's eyes glinted dangerously. "I have a task for you, Lovegood. In exchange for completing it, I will allow you and your daughter to go free."
The man displayed that sickening emotion of hope and desperation. It was disgusting. Of course Voldemort had no intention of keeping them alive for much longer. After Xenophilius returned successfully, both would be killed, their use at an end. But the man didn't need to know that; let him cling to that false hope that freedom was near.
"W-What do you require of me?" the man croaked from lack of using his voice.
"You will enter the Hogwarts grounds, break in to that fool Dumbledore's grave, and bring me back his wand."
Xenophilius stared. "You want me to what?" he rasped.
Voldemort's patience was wearing thin and a small flick of his wand caused the Cruciatus Curse to torture his captive's body. Xenophilius fell onto his knees, screaming as his limbs twitched and jerked out of control. Voldemort laughed cruelly before lifting the curse. The man was left gasping on the floor, his eyes searing in pain.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Voldemort demanded.
"No, sir," the fool gasped. "I'll do as you say."
"I expect you will. Severus Snape with accompany you to the edge of the wards where you will have ten minutes to complete your assignment. If you are not back here in half an hour I will kill your daughter and then you, when you return."
"No! Please! Not my Luna!" the man begged, groveling on the floor.
Voldemort stepped away in disgust. "You have half an hour, Lovegood. That is all the mercy I will give."
The Dark Lord swept over to the door and called for Snape. The man appeared a second later, his black eyes wandering over Xenophilius without emotion. "You asked for me, my lord?"
"Severus, accompany this filth to Hogwarts just outside the school's wards. He will be the means to which I will gain what I seek."
Snape's eyes widened a little. "You found it? The wand?"
Voldemort's dark eyes glittered with sickening glee. "At long last, I have. It will be mine and then Potter will die."
Letting out a cruel laugh, the Dark Lord left the room, leaving the two men behind.
Miles away in a tent, Harry Potter woke with a start.
It was somewhat of a surprise when Arthur was the one shaking Merlin awake. The warlock blinked confusedly up at his king, his vision blurry but still able to make out that golden hair anywhere.
"It's about time, you idiot," Arthur greeted. "I've been trying to get you up for the last ten minutes."
Merlin blinked. "You're dressed."
The king rolled his eyes. "Even after a thousand years your skills of observation still manage to astound."
"Ha ha, very funny." Merlin stretched and began pulling on his boots. The knights were dressed and ready to go. Guinevere was just finishing tying her hair into a bun at the base of her neck, chatting pleasantly with Hermione who was regaling her with the story of how she'd learned she was a witch. Ron was still in the process of getting ready. Harry, though prepared to depart, looked sleep deprived and nervous.
Tying his blue neckerchief securely over his red tee shirt and brown corduroy jacket, Merlin raked his fingers through his short hair just as Harry approached him.
"Can I talk to you?" he asked quietly, glancing over his shoulder to where Ron and Hermione were. Both caught his gaze and sent him an encouraging nod.
Merlin looked at Arthur and held up a finger. Flashing his eyes, he created a barrier that blocked the others from hearing whatever it was Harry wanted to tell him. "What's up, Harry?"
The young man bit his lip. "We've got a problem. Last night… I saw what You Know Who was up to. He was at Malfoy Manor with Morgana. They know you're alive and that you took Rodolphus but I don't think they know why."
"Well, at least there's some good news," Merlin muttered heavily.
"Yeah," Harry murmured distractedly, "but well, that's not all I saw."
"Go on."
"You Know Who, he has Xenophilius Lovegood and his daughter Luna. I also saw the wandmaker, Ollivander, in a cell. You Know Who took Xenophilius to another room and blackmailed him. Merlin, he's making him steal Dumbledore's wand for him. I think… I think it's the Elder Wand from the Hallows. I think he found it."
Merlin cursed, surprising the young man. "This does not bode well."
"We're going to stop him, right?" Harry demanded.
Merlin looked at him before letting out a defeated sigh. "Harry, Riddle is already on to us. If he makes the connection about Gringotts, we won't be retrieving a horcrux. We'll be fighting an army of Death Eaters to the death in Diagon Alley!"
"So we're just going to let him take the Elder Wand?" Harry shouted angrily.
"What else can we do?!" Merlin snapped. "I can't well allow you to run off to Hogwarts to try and stop him while I retrieve the horcrux from Gringotts!"
"Why not?"
"Because the area surrounding the wards is crawling with Death Eaters you foolish boy!" Merlin snarled. "They'd kill you before you could even throw up a defensive shield!"
"I've managed to hold my own just fine in the past," Harry retorted.
"At what cost? Many people have either been injured or killed in your previous escapades, Harry!"
The boy winced, suddenly reminded of said times others had suffered on his behalf. His cheeks flushing and his eyes cast down in anger, Harry's fist clenched at his sides as his frame shook. Merlin immediately felt bad. Calming himself, he rested a hand on Harry's shoulder. The boy stiffened.
"Harry, I know you want to stop Riddle from getting the Elder Wand – I myself would love to make sure such an instrument of death does not fall into his hands – but we have a different job to do. We're supposed to be gathering the horcruxes, remember? If we can destroy them, when we face off against Riddle and Morgana you'll be able to defeat him no matter if he has the Elder Wand or not."
"But it's supposed to be the most powerful wand in existence!" Harry argued. "How am I supposed to beat that?"
Merlin shook his head. A soothing pulse from his magic calmed his nerves and he let out a weary sigh. "Harry, the Old Religion wouldn't allow Riddle to gain such a weapon if it were truly going to mark your destruction. Keep in mind, it wants Riddle dead. It's not going to allow him to continue this reign of terror. Everything will work out."
"How do you know?" Harry asked desperately, his inner fear finally showing through his green eyes.
Merlin squeezed his shoulder. "Look inside of yourself and you'll feel that I'm right. You may have New magic but it still is part of the Old Religion. Find your magical core and the comfort you seek, you will find."
Harry took a deep breath, gathering his brows together in concentration. After a moment the tension in his shoulders ceased and he let out a small sigh. "That felt weird."
Merlin chuckled. He'd felt it the moment Harry's magic surged within him. "Connecting with your magic is something they don't really teach now a days. Pity, for it can be quite an ally to you in times of need or danger. When you tapped into your magic, what did you feel?"
"… like something was telling me that everything was going to be okay and to trust you," he quietly admitted.
Merlin smiled. "And do you believe that?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"Good. Now, you said that Riddle has three captives?"
"Yes…?"
Merlin frowned, stroking his chin. "Well, we can't very well allow him to kill them. But we'll have to wait until Xenophilius completes his task. Hmmm, this is going to be tricky…" Casting down the sound barrier, Merlin was at once hit with angry shouts from his king.
"What the devil were the two of you talking about?" Arthur demanded, marching up to him now that the invisible barrier was gone.
"Don't worry about it, Arthur," Merlin replied offhand. "Say, can you call Goggle here?"
"What?" Arthur blinked, confused.
"I need you to call Goggle," Merlin repeated. "There's something he needs to do for us."
Arthur looked rather annoyed by both the delay and lack of details but surprisingly he did as asked. "Goggle!" he snapped in irritation.
There was a loud crack in the tent and the house elf appeared, bowing low at the king's feet. "Master Arthur called, Sire?"
"Merlin wanted you," Arthur replied dismissively with a wave of his hand. "Do what he asks."
Goggle turned curiously to Merlin who stooped down to give him a hug. "Master Emrys!" he protested.
Merlin smirked, releasing him. "It's good to see you, Goggle. Say, we need a favor."
"How can Goggle be of service?" the elf wondered staring up at him with his large brown eyes.
"There are three prisoners in the lower cell of Malfoy Manor. I need you to go there – take another elf to help you. Once you have all three prisoners, take them back to Hogwarts and see to it that any wounds they've sustained are treated by the healers."
Goggle bowed low, his nose touching the ground. "Goggle will gladly do as Master Emrys wishes!"
He raised his fingers to snap them together but Merlin called, "Goggle?"
"Yes Master Emrys?"
"Be careful," Merlin voiced, allowing his concern and fondness for the elf to leak through the words.
The elf sent him a toothy grin before disappearing with a crack. After a moment's silence, Arthur scowled. "He's going to rescue prisoners? Why didn't you tell us people were in trouble? Can we trust him to do as you've asked?"
"I trust Goggle with my life," Merlin simply answered. "He'll make sure they are brought to safety, Arthur. Besides, we need to focus on getting that horcrux from Gringotts."
The king did not look happy but merely nodded in agreement, seeing the relevance of his words. He followed Merlin out of the tent, the others following after them. Glancing around at their temporary home, the warlock had a foreboding feeling that they weren't going to be coming back here. Hermione must have felt the same way because the second everyone stepped outside, she demolished the tent and stuffed it back into her bag.
"Right, take an arm," Merlin offered, extending his limbs.
Guinevere stared at him curiously while the others grabbed any part of the warlock's arm they could reach. "Are you going to do that wind transporting thing?" the queen asked curiously. Merlin nodded and her eyes lit up. "I've only seen you use it a couple of times."
"It's not pleasant, Guinevere," Arthur warned.
"Definitely not all it's cracked up to be," Gwaine opined.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "It's not that bad."
"Yes it is!" everyone voiced, including Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"I'll be the judge," Guinevere decided, taking Merlin's arm and smiling supportively.
Merlin grinned before allowing his eyes to flash gold, carrying everyone away on the wind. A moment later the large group appeared in an alleyway near the Leaky Cauldron. Guinevere swayed violently and, despite his own discomfort, Arthur reached out to support her so she wouldn't topple into a trashcan.
"Thanks," she gasped, clutching her stomach.
Merlin frowned as he watched his friends fret about. "It's not that bad."
"You're in denial, mate," Gwaine weakly chuckled.
"If you hadn't noticed, you're the only one who enjoys it," Elyan pointed out.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "Right, if all of you are done, you should take out your cloak, Harry. Ron, Hermione, come here please."
The two stepped closer as Harry threw his cloak over his shoulders, disappearing beneath it. Raising his hand towards them, Merlin's eyes burned gold and a warmth spread from Ron and Hermione's heads down to their toes.
"Wow, that actually felt really good," Ron's voice commented as the knights and queen gasped.
"How are we going to avoid stepping on them when we can't even see them?" asked Elyan, staring at the place where the trio used to be.
"They'll just have to watch their step," Merlin grinned. "I know where they are since I can feel the magic concealing them. I'll make sure none of you run into each other. Come on, we need to be on our way."
The others followed in his wake, leaving the alley. After a reassuring glance from Guinevere signifying she'd recovered from the transportation spell, Arthur took her hand and led her out onto the sidewalk. The queen's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open at the modern architecture and cars racing back and forth on the street. Her gaze darted every which way, her grip tightening further and further in Arthur's hand until the king winced.
"I know it's a lot to take in Guinevere, but could you try to not rip my hand off?"
"What? Oh, sorry!" she apologized, immediately relaxed her grip. "Arthur, what are those things?"
"Automobiles or cars," the king answered. "In this day and time people use them instead of horses or carts to get around."
"Wow, I'm impressed you remembered what they were called, princess."
"Shut up, Gwaine!"
Overhearing them, Merlin sent Guinevere a regretful smile. "I'm sorry we don't have time to explain things further to you, Gwen."
"That's alright," the queen muttered, trying to mask her apprehension of the unknown as they passed people on the street.
"Nice outfits!" someone called. "It's a little late for Halloween though don't you think?"
"Ignore them," Hermione consoled. "They're just not used to chainmail."
"Obviously," said Leon eyeing another couple who were pointing at them and laughing.
A young teen left his small group of friends outside a café, running up to Gwaine. "Hey, can I take a picture of you guys?"
Merlin intervened immediately. "I'm sorry but my clients will not be accepting any photographs at this time."
The kid looked him up and down before eyeing the knights and Arthur nervously. "Oh… er, sorry," he apologized before scurrying away.
"What was that all about?" Arthur demanded.
"I'll explain later," Merlin sighed. "Come on. The sooner we get all of you off this street the better."
After several more paces Harry voiced what Ron had also been wondering. "Merlin, will they be able to see the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Of course," Merlin answered distractedly, his eyes on high alert to anyone else who dared approach the rather bizarre looking group. "The protective magic I placed over their clothes also works as a sight enhancement. They can see anything magical that a normal witch or wizard could."
"Wow, I didn't know you could do that," Ron muttered.
"How do you think I brought my parents to Diagon Alley in our second year, Ron?" Hermione reminded. "We went through the Leaky Cauldron too."
"Speaking of," Merlin interrupted, pointing to the pub. "Here we are."
He stepped aside, ushering everyone in before glancing around the street and entering himself. The pub was in a rather subdued state. Tom the Innkeeper was behind the bar, cleaning out an empty tankard while two lone figures sat in the corner drinking firewhiskey. All three occupants eyed the strange group with wide eyes. Clearly it was uncommon seeing five men decked out in full battle armor with swords on their hips coming through the pub.
Gwaine was drawn to the large barrels behind Tom labeled firewhiskey but after a warning look from Arthur the knight let out a prolonged sigh. "You're no fun, princess."
"We have a job to do, Gwaine. Merlin, lead the way," the king commanded.
Smirking over how the Innkeeper's eyes seemed to widen at his name, the warlock nodded to him before ushering the others to follow. "This way, Sire."
They stepped into the alley, coming to a halt in front of a solid brick wall.
"Eh, Merlin?" Arthur questioned.
Ignoring him, the warlock tapped the bricks with his finger in a small pattern, his eyes burning gold, before a hole appeared in the middle of the wall growing wider and wider until it finally formed an archway, exposing the narrow cobbled street of Diagon Alley. Merlin's elation at being back in the neighborhood was heavily dampened by its current state.
Diagon Alley had always been a place thriving with New magic, the shop windows bursting with life and light. But not anymore. Most of the colorful shops were boarded up and abandoned and in some places, stores devoted to the dark arts could be seen. Merlin scowled. It appeared as if Knockturn Alley was trying to corrupt its cheerful counterpart.
"Charming place," Gwaine commented dryly as they walked along the cobbled street.
Merlin's frown deepened. "This isn't how it used to be. Diagon Alley is supposed to be as lively as Camelot's lower town."
"I've traveled to a lot of places before becoming a knight. This reminds me of the markets in Lot's kingdom," Percival commented. Elyan silently agreed with him.
Merlin was slightly disturbed by the posters of Harry glaring down at them over the windows, each one labeled UNDESIRABLE NUMBER ONE. He heard Harry snort softly beside him; they'd seen this advertisement in the Daily Prophet back in Grimmauld Place and neither was very amused since it was obviously an attempt of Voldemort's to get his hands on the boy.
A few ragged people were huddled in boarded up doorways, begging early morning shoppers for gold, insisting they were really witches and wizards. One man even had his eye covered with a bloody bandage. Merlin's heart constricted at the sight. He wished he could do something for them, knowing they were suffering from the injustice of muggleborn inequality. He doubled his resolve that, if the Old Religion allowed it, he'd do whatever he could to help mend the damage around them once this war was over.
The sight of five heavily armored knights, a woman, and a young man dressed in muggle clothes stopped people in their tracks, even the beggars. Mouths hung open and a few shoppers scurried away from them into alleys, warily eyeing the knights' swords. Merlin chose to ignore them, keeping his focus on the white crooked building in the distance. They were about a hundred feet away when Merlin felt a presence that accompanied those with the Dark Mark. He immediately froze.
"Merlin?" Arthur asked hesitantly.
The warlock whipped around just in time to see a black cloak rushing into an alley. "Death Eater," he announced before sprinting after them. "Stay there!" he called over his shoulder.
Whipping around the corner, he desperately flung out his hand. "Astrice!"
The retreating Death Eater screamed before flying through the air. His head slammed against the wall with an almighty crack and blood sprouted from his bushy gray locks. Merlin gulped in dismay. Rushing up to the fallen man, he checked for a pulse; the man was dead. The usual regret swirled briefly in the warlock's chest as he despondently closed the man's lifeless brown eyes. He was fairly certain he'd stopped him from summoning his master in time. Letting out a sigh, Merlin left the Death Eater behind, hastening back to the others.
"What happened?" Arthur demanded the second Merlin was close enough to hear.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," Merlin replied evasively, noting the wary stares of unknown witches and wizards around them. "Come on."
Without further explanation, he led them the rest of the way up to the steps of Gringotts bank but upon eyeing the entrance, he stopped. Standing on either side of the bronze doors were wizards, both clutching long thin golden rods. "Probity Probes," Merlin grumbled.
"Um, what?" Leon prompted.
"Probity Probes," Merlin repeated. "They're meant to detect spells of concealment and hidden magical objects. Don't worry, I'll take care of this."
The two wizards stared at Arthur and the knights with raised brows, clearly unnerved by the magnificent sight of well toned men in chainmail. Merlin smirk humorlessly as he pictured what their reactions would be if they knew who he really was. Bounding up the steps, he stopped before the two of them.
"Gentlemen," he greeted, raising his hands to the sides.
As they waved the sticks up and down his body, Merlin tilted his head downward so none could see his eyes flash gold. The enchantments in the Probes broke at once but it would be a while before the guards realized all they held now in their hands were thin sticks of useless metal.
"Thanks," Merlin grinned at them as they stepped back, hoping the gesture would throw off their suspicions. He motioned for the others to step forward and had to hold in his laughter at Arthur's incredulous face as the Probes raked over his body. The wizards were eyeing him and the others with skeptical brows.
"What on earth did that even accomplish?" Arthur muttered, joining Merlin's side to watch as Guinevere and the knights were treated the same.
"Absolutely nothing," Merlin whispered just loud enough for the king to hear. Arthur sent him a disbelieving glance. "I disabled the spells. They don't know it but all they're doing is waving a metal stick in the air."
Arthur smirked before leaping out of his skin as a bodiless chuckle broke right beside him. "Brilliant," Ron's voice whispered.
"Ron!" Arthur quietly hissed, glaring at the open space. "Do not sneak up on me like that again!"
"Sorry," Ron muttered.
"That was… weird," Guinevere commented as she joined Merlin, Arthur, and the invisible trio.
Percival was the last to be 'scanned", joining the group in the small hallway leading to the main part of the bank. Merlin barely paid any heed to the silver doors bearing the poem of ill will to any potential thieves. The two goblins standing by the doors gasped in shock the second their tiny eyes landed on him.
"Emrys!" they both breathed together before bowing low, covering their well dressed stomachs with one long-fingered hand while the other extended outward towards him.
Arthur chanced a glance at his best friend and was surprised to find that the man hadn't winced under such praise. In fact, he seemed neutral to it. That is, until he caught the king's eye. Internal discomfort spoke from the Merlin's blue irises. The goblins rose from their respective postures. Smiling at both of them, Merlin extended a similar bow to each and expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you," he said.
Both looked rather stunned at his acknowledgement as well as his equally returned respect. Each displayed a somewhat ugly grin before returning to their silent positions. Taking a deep breath, Merlin stepped over the threshold. The second he appeared in the hall all movement ceased for the power of his magic was immediately recognized by every goblin in the vicinity.
The goblins sitting on high stools behind the long counter completely ignored their current customers, mouths dropping open and eyes widening at the warlock who had just entered their midst. One goblin dropped a large diamond he'd previously been giving all his attention onto the counter, now staring through his eyeglass at Merlin without blinking. The few witches and wizards in the vicinity turned around, wondering what had captured the goblins attention. The sight they beheld was one that naturally left one breathless. Standing in the center was Merlin with King Arthur on his right, Queen Guinevere on his left, and the Knights of the Round Table behind them in a straight line. Though in unfamiliar territory, each carried themselves according to their station, following Merlin as he confidently strode up to the nearest available tiller. The whisper of Emrys echoed off the halls almost like a reverent prayer in a cathedral. The sound bothered Merlin to the core but he knew he needed to let it roll off his shoulders.
"Good morning," Merlin greeted once he reached the counter.
"Indeed, Emrys," the goblin he addressed replied, inclining his head to him. "It is an honor."
"Thank you. It has been a long time since I have graced these halls."
"And what brings the great Emrys here today?"
"I wish to enter my vault. My friends will be accompanying me," Merlin indicated to Arthur, Guinevere, and the knights behind him.
The goblin's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the king. "Could it be…?"
Merlin noted the goblin's name on his breast pocket. "Gornuk, it would be appreciated if you did not vocally complete your assumption. I'd rather avoid causing further mayhem in your facility." Merlin gestured with his eyes to the nearest wizard who was already giving them more scrutiny than was tactful.
Gornuk collected his astonishment, realizing very well what would happen if the witches and wizards in the area learned who the extraordinary people were before him. "Very well," he agreed, clearing his throat. "Do you have your key, Emrys?"
Merlin raised an amused eyebrow. "I don't need a key."
"Of course," the goblin replied, flagging over another who came sprinting eagerly towards them. "Bornook will show you to your vault."
The goblin's height was up to Merlin's waist, his bald head surrounded by tuffs of gray hair. "This way, Emrys," he invited before trotting away to the cart station that would take them underground.
Merlin waved for the others to follow him, unsurprised to find the knights had their hands on their swords. Arthur's pace matched his. "Are you sure these creatures are goblins? I thought the one you defeated was green."
Merlin smirked. "Their ancestors had green skin, Arthur. Magic tends to change things over time. It's also possible that some goblins mated with humans in order to keep their race alive."
"Who would want to become intimate with something like that?" the king whispered, appalled, eyeing several goblins lurking near the walls.
"To each his own, Sire," Percival muttered behind them as they clambered into the cart Bornook stood beside.
Merlin glanced around, finding the corridor thankfully empty. "Bornook, wait." The goblin paused at the controls, eyeing the warlock curiously. Merlin took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "I actually do not wish to be taken to my vault."
Bornook frowned, his eyes flashing with the smallest amount of suspicion. "Then where would you like to go, Emrys?"
"The vault belonging to Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange," Merlin replied; better to just say it than to beat around the bush.
The goblin stared at him in disbelief. "You wish to rob from another witch and wizard?"
"Please, this is very important," Merlin hastily tried to explain before the goblin could alert any others of their attempt. "I would not ask this of you if it weren't so."
"What you are asking is unlawful!"
"To compensate your involvement, I can give you something even witches and wizards would long to have!"
Bornook swallowed uncertainly, his greed the only thing preventing him from rushing off to get help; that, and the knights with their hands on their swords, clearly an indication that force would be used if necessary. Bornook's hand hesitated on the cart. "What of value are you wishing to give, Emrys?" he asked nervously, his small eyes glancing periodically towards the hall and the knights' swords.
Merlin inwardly smiled. Bornook's curiosity was a good sign. "In my travels I came across a staff that once belonged to the Sidhe. It is yours if you take us where we need to go."
The goblin looked beside himself in astonishment, his previous apprehension immediately forgotten. "A Sidhe staff?" he gasped. "Truly?"
"Yes," Merlin assured.
"Such power… you offer it to me in exchange for breaking the law?"
Merlin felt the others shift behind him but he wasn't worried. The conflict in Bornook's eyes was enough for him to know that this conversation would end in his victory. "That is my price."
After another moment of indecision, the goblin thrust out a long-fingered hand. "You have a deal, Emrys, but I will not help you get out. I will only get you to where you need to go."
"That's all I ask," Merlin replied solemnly, shaking the goblin's hand before sitting down next to Arthur. "You might want to hold on to something," he warned the others over his shoulder.
Arthur opened his mouth to ask Merlin just what he meant by that when the cart lurched forward and the wind immediately whipped into their faces, searing at their eyes. The light from the hall disappeared immediately, plunging the riders into darkness as the cart tipped forward in a steep downward slope.
Merlin let out a whoop of laughter while Arthur screamed uncharacteristically with Guinevere at his side. Somewhere behind them, one of the knights swore while Gwaine maniacally laughed beside a terrified and slightly green Leon.
"MERLIN, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Arthur shrieked as the cart jostled them unsteadily back and forth, nearly flying off the tracks in its haste to cut corners.
"Don't be such a girl, Arthur!" Merlin jovially shouted back.
"SHUT UP, MERLIN!"
The warlock laughed.
Down, down, down they plunged, the air growing colder and visibly showing their breath. After what felt like an eternity, the cart slowed to a stop and the knights wasted no time removing themselves from the contraption. Leon hardly touched ground before throwing up, Percival rubbing his back soothingly. Elyan was supported by Gwaine who seemed completely undisturbed by the cart ride; in fact, he appeared to have thoroughly enjoyed himself. Still invisible, Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched on in silent amusement as Guinevere helped a shaky King Arthur out of the cart, a smirking Merlin following right behind.
"What's the matter, princess? Did that scare you?" Gwaine teased.
What the carefree knight wasn't prepared for was a royal fist right in the face. Gwaine spiraled to the ground, Arthur breathing heavily as he drew back his closed hand, his face flushed.
"Arthur was that really – OUCH!" Merlin cried for Arthur had also punched him – in the arm.
"Arthur!" Guinevere reprimanded while everyone stared, frozen in place.
"Don't you ever make me get on that thing again!" Arthur snarled, pointing at the cart.
"I didn't think it would scare you that much!" Merlin protested.
"Something like that you should warn us about in advance, you idiot!"
"I've told you about roller coasters before, Arthur. You seemed really interested when I described them to you a few weeks ago."
"You told me those things were safe! With this I felt like any moment we were going to fly off the track to our deaths! It didn't feel secure in the slightest! You jeopardized all our lives!"
Merlin let out a heavy sigh. "Arthur, I never would have let that happen. It works with magic. If something did go wrong I would have fixed it before anyone could get hurt."
"Arthur, we're all fine," Guinevere soothed, deciding to intervene. "Shaken, yes, but fine. It was just surprising, that's all. It caught us off guard."
"You could have been hurt!" Arthur stubbornly continued to protest.
"Do you honestly believe that Merlin would let anything bad happen to us?" she challenged.
Arthur frowned, folding his arms and looking away. "No," he ground out reluctantly.
"I'm sorry, Merlin," Guinevere apologized on behalf of her husband. "Arthur isn't used to being scared when you're not."
"I was not scared!" Arthur cried, embarrassed as well as outraged.
Merlin caught the humor in Guinevere's eye but decided now wasn't a time to tease the king. He'd clearly experienced something out of his comfort zone and was already having to face the fact that he'd been as terrified as a little girl. He didn't need someone else speaking his inner thoughts. Gwaine, completely unaware of the obvious, opened his mouth to rag on the king's weakness when he caught Merlin and Guinevere's warning stares. Wiping his mouth of the small amount of blood in the corner of his lip, he shrugged and let it go.
Sighing, Merlin turned to Bornook who appeared nervous, glancing around every which way. "A deal is a deal, Bornook."
The goblin started, turning to face Merlin. The warlock's eyes flashed gold and a moment later a staff materialized out of thin air into his hand. Carved out of centuries old wood, the staff twisted around in a unique pattern towards the top where a blue stone rested, shimmering slightly in the dark.
The goblin took the staff reverently, eyeing it as if it were a priceless treasure. His long fingers ran across the ancient surface for a moment before he gathered his emotions and rushed to the cart. "The Lestranges vault is at the end of the hallway just after the beast! Goodbye Emrys!" he cried. Without a backward glance he managed the controls and disappeared around the corner, leaving them behind.
"Well, at least the bloke kept his word," Gwaine muttered just as Merlin turned to Hermione and Ron's invisible spots waving his hand. They materialized just as Harry threw his cloak off his shoulders, stuffing it into his large jacket pocket.
"Leoht," Merlin whispered, his eyes flashing in the dark. A bundle of happy light appeared, exposing them to a cavernous hallway. "Let's go."
The group shuffled down the hall, keeping in mind to avoid the chasm on their right, choosing to hug the wall to their left as they proceeded forward. Harry was leading the way with Arthur and Merlin shortly following behind him. Guinevere, Ron, and Hermione came after them while the knights took up the rear, their swords drawn in preparation for attack. The closer they got to the end of the corridor, the more curious Merlin felt. His magic was roiling beneath his skin and his heart began pumping wildly against his ribcage.
"What's that sound?" Arthur muttered after a moment.
"What sound?" Ron asked behind them.
Harry answered. "It sounds like... like breathing." He rounded the corner before coming to an abrupt stop, gasping despite himself.
"What is it?" Arthur demanded, pushing past him only to stop as well.
Merlin peeked over Arthur's shoulder and froze. Lying in a rather pitiful heap, the once healthy scales now a chalky white, was the captive dragon of Gringotts. Merlin immediately knew it was a male, its size attesting to the fact straight away. His wings were thin and frail looking, his snout covered in scratches, and his eyes a milky white hue. The goblins had blinded him. Large chains attached to manacles around his legs and neck kept the dragon securely in place, allowing minimal if any movement.
Rage overtook the warlock and he immediately stormed forward, leaving the others behind. The dragon turned its wary head in his direction, hearing his footfalls. A shudder ran down his long spine and he let out a feeble puff of smoke as an attempt to warn.
Merlin raised a calm hand and allowed the dragon tongue to take over his words. "Relax, I am not going to hurt you."
The dragon let out a small cry before large tears began to fall from his blinded eyes. "Emrys…" the word spoken by the dragon was aching, tired, and emotionally scarred.
He lowered his head and Merlin wrapped his arms around the dragon's snout, his own tears of anguish trailing down his cheeks. He stroked the beast in comfort, his throat thickening as his fingertips grazed across the beast's massive scars.
"Oh, Altiore, what have they done to you?"
Many of you suspected who the dragon was going to be! I hope you weren't disappointed. :) Poor Altiore. Next update will be the great escape from the Wizard Bank! Feel free to leave a thought in that little box down there.
Spells:
Astrice – I strike
Leoht - Light