A/N
Aquacoral14: Thank you =)
ILikeHotDogs: She sounds like a hand full, haha.
ChaoticAscension: How much have you watched now? I call it the Old Religion just to make it easier to know what I'm talking about. I was first intending to kill him off, but then that would have made it harder for Merlin to get away with not knowing anything, so it was just easier that way. He was just a regular muggle as far as i know, but who knows... Thank you =) But I don't think I've written to many spoilers so you should be alright.
Assassin of Syria: The bromance is in the background ;) I took the liberty to have Voldemort ignorant of all history that isn't his own. He didn't heal instantly for the same reason Merlin said in the chapter. The medicine clouded his brain and his magic, making it impossible for him to go into one of his healing comas. But it did take care of the snake poison, so that's good =D Thank you =) I know, it's horrible with war.
Female whovian: Thank you =) Just to be sure, what was it you noticed? I did add some references but I'm curious to see what you think they were. Not for the plot, they weren't ;P
whatswiththemustache: Exactly why i chose to have Nagini intervene, haha. No, he isn't. They just look alike and I chose the name as a fun reference. I'm glad you caught that =) Thank you =D
Kirazalea: Thank you =) And don't forget anything. Every detail is important, haha.
WhistlingWolf: I'm glad you like it. I thought it would be fun for those two to not get along ;) There will be more Arthur and everything will come to conclusion in the epilogue so be patient. I will add a question this time because I've come up with another one, but it is difficult to come up with anew one every chapter sop no promises if there will be more.
Lady Flurryous: Thank you =) Exactly ;) You're not wrong. Thank you =D
Guest: I'm updating now =D
No beta
Chapter 51 The One With the Broken Wand
Tom couldn't believe his luck. Sure, he had sustained substantial damage after the duel with the boy who called himself Emrys, which had taken almost two weeks to recover from, but he had discovered the identity of the thief, which is why he was now on his way to visit the man himself, little more than a month after New Year's Eve.
He glided around the high walls of the black fortress, looking up at the topmost window at the highest tower. 'Time to fly,' he thought and rose up into the night, flying straight up to the window at the very top of the tower.
The window was a mere slit in the black rock, not big enough for a man to enter. He could see a skeletal figure when he looked though it, curled beneath a blanket. Dead or sleeping? He had no idea.
He forced himself through the window like a snake, landing inside the cell-like room as lightly as vapour but still loud enough for the figure to stir underneath the blanket. He rolled over towards him, eyes opening in a skull of a face.
The frail man sat up, great sunken eyes fixed upon him, upon Voldemort, and then he smiled. Most of his teeth were gone which turned the gesture into a twisted grimace.
"So, you have come." The man said. "I thought you would... one day. But your journey was pointless, I never had it."
"You lie!" Tom hissed. "I know you had it, you stole it from the pathetic man Gregorovitch."
"Even so," Grindelwald smirked. "It's long gone now." He cackled.
"Who has it?" Voldemort stepped closer to the man, his wand raised.
"I will never tell you." Grindelwald spat which only made Tom angrier.
He reached out his magic to the old man and went deep into his mind. He dwelled into his memories. Of a battle fought long ago, of a younger version of Dumbledore as he picked up the wand from the ground while Grindelwald lay half unconscious on the ground, his vision blurry.
"I see," Tom smiled manically. "And his foolish friends left it in his grave, unprotected, ready for the taking." He looked down at the frail man. "I have no use for you any more." He said and raised his wand.
"Kill me then Voldemort," Grindelwald said calmly, a sneer on his face. "I welcome death! But my death will not bring you what you seek... there is so much you do not understand... so much you chose to neglect in search of power..."
"Silence!" Tom roared but Grindelwald just started laughing.
"The wand will be your doom," Grindelwald laughed. "Only Emrys can use it at its full potential." Voldemort had been close to end this man's life, but his words put a temporary stop to his plans.
"Emrys?" He hissed.
"Oh, you've heard of him?" Grindelwald smiled. "Good."
"Who is he?" Tom snarled and took a step forward, pointing his wand to the man's forehead.
"He is the most powerful warlock to ever walk this earth," Grindelwald said defiantly, never breaking eye contact. "He will be your doom." He sneered.
"We'll see about that," Tom hissed and stepped back.
"Kill me then!" Demanded the old man. "You will not win, you cannot win! The wand will never be yours..."
"Avada Kedavra!" A jet of green light shot from the tip of his wand, hitting the man square in the chest. Now all he needed to do was visit an old friend and he could set his plan in motion.
Harry woke with a gasp, clutching his scar while retching over the side of the bed.
"So he knows where it is?" Merlin paced to and fro in the living room, while Harry sat in the sofa, Ron sitting beside him to give him support.
Ron and Merlin had still been awake, watching some TV when Harry had come stumbling into the living room, pale as a sheet and sheen of sweat coating his forehead.
"Yes," Harry nodded weakly.
"Is he on his way there now?" Ron asked him and Harry closed his eyes, trying to block the onslaught of vision he was still attaining from Tom.
"Yes," He nodded again. He could see how Tom walked alongside Snape on Hogwart's grounds, towards the place where the marble tomb lay. "He is opening it," Harry gasped at the pain in his scar. "It's too late." He looked up at Merlin who had stopped pacing and was watching with worry etched on his face.
"It's not your fault, Harry." He crouched down in front of him and placed a hand on his knee. "I was the one who decided to leave it where it was for the time being."
"Yeah, but I was the one who dropped the picture." Harry looked him in the eyes; he could feel a tear escaping.
"No use in dwelling in what could be," Ron interrupted. "We need to figure out a way to stop him."
"Ron's right," Merlin said and stood up. "It will only be a matter of days now that he will evoke the power of the cup, having a wand powerful enough to do the spell." He started pacing again. "It's time to break into Gringotts."
"Finally," Ron smiled and stood up. "I'll wake the others."
"No," Merlin called out and Ron stopped midway to the door. "Let them sleep. We can talk to them tomorrow."
"Fine," Ron nodded reluctantly.
"Merlin?" Harry said weakly, still feeling the pain in his scar.
"Yes," Merlin turned his attention to him, a worried frown etched on his face. "What is it?"
"Could I talk to you alone for a minute?" Harry asked and sent an apologetic look to Ron.
"Sure," Merlin shrugged and looked at Ron who got the hint and exited the living room, closing the door behind him. "What do you want to talk about?" Merlin asked when the door was closed and sat down beside him.
"You know the book Rita Skeeter wrote, right?" Harry began and started fiddle with his hands.
"Yes," Merlin answered with a nod, a frown on his face from confusion. "What about it?"
"Hermione found a copy in Bathilda's house and she gave it to me." Harry said without looking up. "Did you know that Dumbledore was friends with Grindelwald?" This time he looked up, a pained expression on his face that Merlin matched.
"No," Merlin shook his head. "I didn't." He placed a hand on Harry's knee in support. "What did the book really say?"
Harry told Merlin everything he had learnt from the book. About how Dumbledore met Grindelwald when he stayed with Bathilda one summer and how they came up with Grindelwald's slogan together while searching for the Deathly Hallows. How they both had a part in Dumbledore's sister, Ariana's, death.
"Why did he never tell me these things?" Harry asked after he had finished.
"I don't know, Harry." Merlin put an arm around his shoulder and half-hugged him. "Dumbledore was a secretive man, more than me sometimes," He chuckled which made Harry chuckle as well. It felt nice. "I sometimes had to press the truth out of him and he still wouldn't talk." He said with a distant look on his face when he remembered. "So don't feel bad about this," He turned his head and looked Harry in the eyes. "I doubt he ever told anyone about his past."
"I understand," Harry swallowed. He knew that what Merlin said made sense but he still couldn't help but feel betrayed. "There's one more thing." He said suddenly. "My wand," he began and took out his broken wand from the mokeskin pouch he had gotten from Hagrid. "You said you might be able to fix it." He held it up for Merlin to take.
"Maybe," Merlin said a serious expression on his face. He removed his arm from Harry's shoulders and took the wand form him. "Wand's are peculiar things," Merlin muttered as he examined the wand. "Some say they have a mind of their own, others that they have the power to act on their own when their master is threatened."
"You say it is possible for wands to do spells on their own?" Harry asked, he had never heard anything like it.
"I have never seen it for myself," Merlin began. "But I have come across wizard and witches during the centuries that claimed their wands saved their lives when they got attacked without notice." He smiled. "We have used wands for almost a millennium and we still don't know half of what they can do."
"How do you become a master over a wand?" Harry asked. "Without buying it from the store I mean."
"You need to conquer it from the previous owner." Merlin answered and looked at him. "Either by killing him, which I don't endorse," He said with a wink. "Or you win it in a duel." He shrugged. "Either way, you have to take the wand with force. It doesn't count if the owner willingly gives you the wand to borrow."
"So if I use expelliarmus on someone and then take their wand, I have won the ownership of it?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Merlin nodded. "Unless they take up the wand again, you are the new owner."
"And if I forcibly take the wand form their hand?"
"Same principle." Merlin answered.
"So you don't have to kill the owner of the wand to gain its loyalty." Harry said, thinking of the elder wand.
"No," Merlin shook his head. "That's just something people say because it makes for a better story."
"I understand," Harry nodded deep in thought.
"I think I can fix the wand by the way." Merlin said, getting his attention.
"You can?" Harry beamed. He had thought it was a lost cause.
"Let's see." Merlin smiled back before focusing his entire attention on the wand in his hand. "Fégan þes ábrocen stánhleoþu." His eyes glowed golden and Harry watched as his wand knitted itself together before his eyes.
"You did it!" Harry exclaimed and gave the old warlock a hug.
"Let's try it first," Merlin laughed and Harry let go of him.
Harry took the wand from Merlin's hand and gave it a wave which elicited multicoloured sparkled from the tip of the wand and a big smile from both Harry and Merlin.
"It works." Harry could hardly contain his joy. He had been without his wand for a month and a half and it felt so good to have it in his hands again. "Thank you." He turned to Merlin with a huge smile.
"No need to thank me," Merlin held his hands up. "I just did what every friend would do."
"Not every friend can fix a broken wand." Harry teased.
"Well," Merlin grinned. "Maybe not." He chuckled and then stood up. "We should get some sleep," He said. "We have a big day tomorrow."
"Of course," Harry nodded and stood up as well. "Good night, Merlin, and thank you again." He smiled and went to the door.
"Good night." Merlin answered and Harry could feel his eyes on his back as he walked down the hall and into his bedroom.
They let Hermione and Arthur in on their plan to rob Gringotts the next morning at breakfast; they both agreed with Merlin that it was time to retrieve the Horcrux from the Lestrange vault.
So they spent the day preparing. They already had a plan worked out; they only needed to do the final touches.
Merlin went to bed that night with anticipation coursing through his veins. He knew that after the break-in, Voldemort would know they were destroying his Horcruxes and he would start fighting back. The war was finally coming to its end and he could soon put his plan in motion.
He had almost fallen asleep when he suddenly got a feeling of temporary weightlessness accompanied with a feeling of utter wrongness. Someone had tampered with the Old Religion and it was fighting back with all its force. Merlin knew without a doubt that it was Tom using the cup.
The wrongness of the whole process filled Merlin with satisfaction because he knew that there would be severe consequences to this act. The cup wasn't meant to be used with New Magic and there would be side effects.
He jumped out of the bed and headed straight to Arthur's room, entering without knocking.
"Will you ever learn how to knock?" Arthur said without turning around. He stood by the mirror, probably doing something vainly, while looking at Merlin's reflection.
"Tom just used the Cup," Merlin smiled at him and sat down on the bed.
"And this makes you happy because...?" Arthur turned around with raised eyebrows and hands.
"Because he didn't do it right," He grinned. "I could feel the wrongness when he did it and I know that there will be consequences to his action."
"You do?" Arthur seemed surprised but he too was smiling. "So tell me." He said and sat down on a chair by the desk and looked at him with curious eyes. "What consequences will the snake man get?"
"I don't know," Merlin shook his head.
"But you said..." Arthur began but Merlin silenced him.
"I said there would be consequences, not that I knew what they would be." Merlin pointed out. "But I have my suspicions."
"Then what do you think will happen?" Arthur sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. A gesture Merlin knew meant Arthur was annoyed at him and wanted him to come straight to the problem instead of dancing around the edges.
"Tom used New Magic on the cup, right," Merlin began, crossing his legs underneath him while scooting further up on the bed.
"Right," Arthur nodded.
"Yes, so the cup is supposed to be used with Old Magic only and by creating this spell, he twisted the magic of the cup which wasn't appreciated by the Old Religion." He said energetically.
"And it's punishing him for it?" Arthur guessed.
"More than he can ever imagine," Merlin grinned. "His Death Eaters are most likely still gonna be immortal, just like he wanted, but I doubt they will obey him like those soldiers Morgause enchanted." He explained. "New Magic isn't powerful enough to do that kind of damage and thanks to the Old Religion's reluctance to let him go through with the spell; I believe the power meant to turn them into drones instead went somewhere else."
"Where?" Arthur frowned.
"I don't know," Merlin grimaced. "I won't know until I come face to face with Tom or one of the Death Eaters."
"I see," Arthur sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands over his face. "Then what do we do?" He looked at him with tired eyes. "Do we need to go looking for the cup now as well?" He sounded frustrated. "Isn't it enough that we still don't know where the last Horcrux is?"
"We're not going to look for the cup," Merlin said and earned a questioning look from Arthur. "It will be near impossible to find it because it has almost no magical trace on it."
"So we're just gonna ignore it?" Arthur questioned.
"Of course not," Merlin said aghast. "I just meant that there is no use worrying about it right now. We will find a way to empty it eventually." He stood up and started to pace. "Right now he will keep it under lock and key deep in his Death Eater lair, but after we rob Gringotts tomorrow, he will know we are after his Horcruxes and he will get paranoid. Probably won't dare to part from the cup for any lengths of time."
"Now you're just guessing." Arthur shook his head.
"Trust me," Merlin pierced him with a glare. "I have come across many people like him over the years, I know how they work."
"If you say so," Arthur muttered and Merlin had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. "Can't we just use Excalibur on him?" He asked, glancing at the sword lying beside Merlin on the bed.
"It won't work," Merlin shook his head.
"Why?" Arthur frowned.
"Using Excalibur on him before the Horcruxes are destroyed will be like stabbing him with a regular sword." Merlin explained. "The soul must be intact, or at least only have one part, if it is to work."
"So not a good idea?" Arthur scrunched up his face.
"No, not particularly." Merlin grimaced. "But you can still use it on the Death Eaters," Merlin added, looking at him with a serious expression. "That is the reason you're back, Arthur." He leaned forward slightly. "You are the only one who will be able to kill them. Other weapons or spells won't kill them, only temporary hinder them."
"I see," Merlin could see how Arthur closed off, entering his King mode. "Can't we create more swords like Excalibur?" He finally said, looking at Merlin with a hard and determined expression.
"Weapons like that aren't supposed to exist," Merlin shook his head while twisting his hands in his lap. "If they get in the wrong hands, it could have disastrous consequences."
"I understand," Arthur sighed and stood up. "Well, this has been interesting but I could really use some sleep. It will be a long day tomorrow and it's no use in focusing on the 'what ifs' until we know more details."
"Sure," Merlin nodded and got of the bed. "I will tell the others at breakfast tomorrow, but you're right, we won't get any more answers right now."
"Do you think we will succeed tomorrow?" Arthur asked just as Merlin was about to open the door, his hand on the handle.
"It will be okay, Arthur." Merlin said and walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "We will be in this together, like always." He said and gave the former king a smile.
"Of course," Arthur smiled back. "Don't know what I was thinking." He grinned but Merlin could see the worry in his eyes.
"It will be like the old days," Merlin assured him. "You and me against a few goblins." He joked.
"If they're anything like the goblin in Camelot, then we're in a lot of trouble." Arthur joked back.
"Yeah, wouldn't want you to get another set of donkey ears." Merlin chuckled and ducked when Arthur tried to grab his neck. He ran towards the door while avoiding getting hit by whatever Arthur could find to throw at him. "Good night, sire." Merlin called out and closed the door with a flash of his eyes.
Merlin leaned his back and head against the door, letting out a breath before composing himself and returning to his study to get some sleep. It would be a long day tomorrow.
The next day Merlin told the trio about the cup and his theories and he could see they were worried but they didn't say anything, too focused on the task ahead.
Merlin cast over Hermione, turning her into Bellatrix Lestrange. Merlin would act as a fellow Death Eater, in case Hermione would need help up front, and was now growing out his hair and beard with the help of magic.
He now had shoulder length hair, something he hadn't had since the sixties, and his beard was bushier than it ever had been, covering his face in a similar fashion to how Hagrid had it.
He then gave Arthur and Ron each an invisibility cloak he had made the day before, Harry used his own; making sure Gryffindor's sword was well hidden underneath it. The cloaks weren't near as good as Harry's, but they would suffice for a few weeks. Then he transported them to a distant corner of Diagon Alley, the early February wind biting their cheeks and the ground was muddy from the rain.
"You look exactly like her," Ron said from under his cloak, looking at Hermione as she peered around the corner. "It's bloody scary."
"It feels wrong," Hermione said and stepped away from the corner, but it sounded weird when it came with Bellatrix's voice.
"As long as we can fool the goblins, it's a good thing." Merlin said and sent a glare in Ron's direction, telling him to shut up. "You can't talk when you're under the cloak, it will gain attention."
"You look weird as well," Ron smirked then closed his mouth when Merlin glared at him even more.
"He's right, you know," Arthur teased. "If I didn't know it was you, I would never have recognised you."
"Good," Merlin said and took Hermione's former place at the corner.
"Why didn't you use your old man disguise?" Ron asked silently, having walked up behind him.
"Because I want to be able to actually move my body." Merlin muttered without turning around to look at him. He then signal for them that the coast was clear and started walking through the empty streets towards the bank, taking for granted that the others would follow.
They had made it almost to Gringotts, and where walking through another alley, when a voice called out behind them.
"Bellatrix," A man said, his voice filled with superiority, and when Merlin turned around, he saw it was Yaxley who had called, accompanied by none other than Draco Malfoy. "Fancy seeing you here since I just came from the manor where you were very much occupied." He smirked and Malfoy sneered at Hermione and him from behind Yaxley. "Who's your friend?" He stared at Merlin with an intrigued look in his eyes and Merlin heard Ron swallowing loudly behind him.
A/N
Expelliarmus = This spell is used to disarm another wizard, typically by causing the victim's wand to fly out of reach.
Fégan þes ábrocen stánhleoþu = Fix this broken wand
I have now officially written the last chapter and will start on the Epilogue this week =) It took me two weeks to write it and the epilogue will take at least that, if not more.
Today's question: What kind of computer do you have? I have an hp laptop (funny because it's Harry Potter ;P). It turned five years this last August but it still works like a charm ;)
Have a great week everyone =D
