Harry felt numb as he ran. He wasn't even fully aware of what he was doing until he was sprinting out the door. Snape scowled at him as he brushed past and Emrys - No - Merlin yelled after him. He sprinted around the corner stumbling into a group of students.

"Sorry." He muttered before continuing on his track. He quickly took the stairs down and ran smack into someone. "Sorry, I just-"

"I should be the one apologizing." A familiar voice intoned. Harry's heart stopped as he looked up and saw the familiar face of his mentor. He slowly stepped back and shook his head. He turned and ran back up the stairs, only to find Emrys was once again blocking his path. "Harry… please. Just listen to me. Just let me explain this all to you. I'm sorry for lying to you, but I truly did not believe it would matter in the end who I was."

Harry warily took a step back. His mind felt weak and he stumbled as he slowly went back down the stairs. He reached the bottom and turned again, sprinting as fast as he could through a corridor. He stopped in his tracks as Merlin was right around the corner.

Harry stumbled back and ran back around the other corridor. He whipped out his invisibility cloak and hastily tossed it around himself. He pressed himself against the cool corridor and waited as he watched Merlin frantically run past. He simply stood against the wall for what seemed like an eternity. His mind raced, but made little sense.

Merlin. All of this time, his Mentor was the greatest wizard that had ever lived. He had lied to him. How many others had Mer - Emrys recruited over the years? What had happened to them?

Harry shivered under his cloak and slowly slunk across the walls back to his chambers. He nearly ran into Emrys several times as he carefully navigated the halls. Harry wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do. He had a class with Emrys in the morning. Part of him felt like forgiving him. The other felt like punishing him. After all, what were his intentions? Defeat Voldemort and then what?

Harry reached the portrait and hissed the password to The Fat Lady. She merely rolled her eyes and swung open, used to his late night escapades.

Ever since he met Emrys, things had been strange. He had ended up in the hospital wing many more times than usual. All of a sudden he had a bloody dragon as his animagus. He was learning spells at a speed he suspected was unusual. And today he found he could bat away spells with his hands. Life - was certainly simpler when all he had to worry about was ducking behind a wall and using a shield charm.

Harry fell back onto his bed, letting his cloak slip off of him and slide onto the floor. He wasn't sure what exactly his plan was. Or even his goals anymore. But he did know one thing. He needed to talk to Merlin.

~0o0~

Merlin impatiently waited as his sixth year class slowly filed into the dueling hall. Books and scrolls slammed into place as the students began to work on their spells. The end of the year was ever creeping forward, and Merlin was anxious for his students to finish their project. But today he was curious to see if his pupil would show up. He had spent an hour roaming the halls looking for Harry. It was quite alarming for him to simply vanish off the face of the earth. It was something that quite puzzled Merlin still.

He looked up as he saw a familiar figure flanked by his friends. Harry Potter strode into the room, Ron at his left and Hermione at his right. He cooly glanced at Merlin before walking towards him. Hermione glanced at him and branched off with Ron, tugging him aside to their table. Merlin waited silently at his desk as Harry approached. He stopped and waited at the desk for a few moments before speaking.

"I have a lot of questions. And I think I owe you enough to let you answer them. Part of me feels like I should be awed and afraid to be struck down for even talking to you like this. And another feels angry and hurt. Used even."

Merlin bowed his head slowly. "Tonight?"

Harry stared at him before giving a nod back. He swiftly strode away from the table. As he left, Merlin noticed a slight tremor in his balled up fists, and a sagging to his shoulders.

Merlin quietly rose from his desk and tapped his finger against it before moving on to help others. Several times he brushed by Harry's table. Their eyes met before Merlin swept over to another table, enthusiastically answering their questions.

~0o0~

Clark silently watched his fellow classmates rush past. Each of them viewed him as invisible, as nothing more than an inconvenience. He stood at the edge of the corridor, waiting for the sixth year class to file out of the dueling room. His eyes narrowed and followed one particular sixth year. Potter moved out of the class with unfamiliar grace. A cold expression mired his face as he passed. His friends, Granger and Weasley followed closely behind. Clark's brow furrowed and he pushed off the wall, following the group slowly.

Clark followed Potter into the library, taking a table nearest to them and pretending to start working on an essay.

Weasley broke the silence first. "What happened to you mate?"

Clark heard rustling and glanced up quickly to see Potter taking out a book and some parchment.

"I - learned some things about our Professor. Some of his past, and it makes me question his motives."

Clark's eyebrows rose as he opened his Advanced Potions Guide, preparing to get a little work done while he snooped. He looked over again to see Weasley and Granger looking suspicious.

"What do you mean Mate?" Weasley asked.

Potter sighed and the chair under him creaked a little as he shifted. Clark dipped his quill in ink and carefully began to work on his thesis.

"Professor Emrys isn't from around here and -" he hesitated "Well, he's like Dumbledore. Powerful, intelligent and perceptive. I know he's here to help, to help me. I just -" Potter paused.

"You just what Harry?" Granger pressed.

"I just - worry what he wants after."

"After?" Weasley said, sounding puzzled. For once, Clark agreed with the red headed idiot.

"After Voldemort. After this war, there's going to be rebuilding. There's going to be people that seize the opportunity and leverage it. Im worried about what kind of things Emrys wants to leverage."

There was silence for a minute before Granger spoke up.

"I never knew you gave that sort of thing much thought Harry."

"I need to dont I? I'm the bloody Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived. Who's going to use me?" Harry replied.

Clark stopped his writing, feeling a little nervous. He had tried to push the thoughts of the impending war away. Tried to ignore the whispers in his common rooms, the way that everyone shifted around him. Not daring to let the mudblood hear about some great secret. Except once.

"What did you find about him mate?" Weasly asked.

Clark glanced over to see Potter shifting in his seat a little, before looking over at him. Clark quickly looked back down at his essay, starting the next paragraph. He continued writing for another couple seconds before looking up. He jolted back in his chair as he found Potter sitting across from him, looking calmly back.

"Interesting paper?" Potter said, leaning forward a little.

Clark stayed silent for a few moments, stunned before sneering a little. "Can I help you Potter?"

"Yeah." he replied simply. "Stop listening in. For a Slytherin, you're not very sneaky."

Clark glared a little and stood up from the table grabbing his books and stuffing them into his bag. He started to stalk off before stopping and turning around. Potter was still staring at him.

"I would trust him." Clark said. "Everyone needs allies Potter, and he's a good man."

Potter's brow furrowed in confusion before Clark walked off, finding another table. After all, he still needed to finish his essay.

~0o0~

Harry stood in his dorm, his four poster bed to the side. He stared into the mirror contemplatively.

"Why am I changing?" Harry asked the mirror. There was a few moments of pause before a voice responded.

We all change Young Wizard. It is within all nature. Humans are not unique in that.

Harry gave a soft smile. "I'm sixteen, but I feel the experiences of someone older. Much older. I feel wisdom and clarity that I didn't before."

You have been through much Young Wizard. You have seen the deaths of friends and families. You are pursued by a wraith that seeks your worlds destruction. And you have met the Warlock. It is not unnatural for you to change Harry.

Harry shook his head. "But not like this. I've never felt like this before. I know I needed to grow up, I know I will never lead a normal life. But I'm still just - young."

Harry paused for a few moments before looking at the wall, studying every inch of it before returning his gaze on the mirror. "I was brash and angry before, now I simply feel a calm ember. I sometimes remember things that I haven't done yet. Is that you?"

There was a silence as Harry stared at the mirror. He waited and waited for a response. When it was clear he wasn't going to get one, he sat on the bed and buried his head in his hands. He sat there for a couple of minutes before looking up at the ceiling. "Why me?"

He suddenly stood up at glared at the mirror. "Why me?!"

"WHY ME?!" He roared, slamming his fist into the mirror and breaking it. The shards of glass cut his hand. Bits of dust coated his robes as he stood there, his shoulders deflated a little. He slowly drifted away from the mirror, shaking off the glass from his hand. Harry grasped onto the doorknob before stopping and looking back at the fractured mirror. "Because it has to be."

~0o0~

Merlin paced back and forth across the Room of Requirements. The room was small and cozy this time. It appeared to be an office, framed with darker woods. A roaring fireplace sat in the corner and a large table dominated the center of the room. Merlin wasn't used to this sort of reaction. The few people that had figured out his identity had been shocked, but eventually accepted him. The Peverell brothers were the closest that he had worked with before Harry.

He sighed and paced around the table, absentmindedly twirling his wand through his fingers. If he was being honest, he sometimes missed them. The Peverell brothers had let him be free. To experiment without suspicion again. His hand slipped into his robe and brought out a small vial. The vial was full of sand and as he turned it, it almost seemed to glow in the firelight. He stared at the vial for a few seconds longingly before stowing it back in his robes.

The doors behind him creaked open and he turned to find Harry standing in the entrance, staring back. "Hi." Harry said, almost timidly. Merlin smiled and beckoned him inside.

"Hello Harry. Would you like to take a seat?" Merlin asked, pulling a chair out. Harry gave him a look before walking over and sitting down. Merlin took a chair on the opposite side of the table.

Harry looked him over for a few seconds. Hesitation was written across his face and he opened and closed his mouth a few times. "Why are you here?"

Merlin sighed and leaned against the table. "Because like it or not Harry, you were chosen. By whatever force you would like to call it. Fate, Destiny, or a prophecy. But even without all those things Voldemort is coming for you. He sees you as an obstacle and you are going to have to fight. Maybe you'll be the one to finally kill him. Maybe you won't."

"Why don't you?" Harry asks, looking up at him with suspicion. "You're more powerful than Dumbledore. You tossed Voldemort around the Ministry. Why leave things to a schoolboy?"

Merlin smiled briefly. "I am from the Old Religion Harry. It's what sustains me, what brings me life. I am bound by its rules. The night your mother died, she invoked the Old Religion. She made a pact with it. Letting you live, but forever binding you to this Voldemort. I can not interfere with that."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed.

"Why would my mother-"

"She didn't know." Merlin said. "And without me, the pact would have never been forged. I felt the remnants of ancient rites cry out to me, asking to be fulfilled. As much as I benefit from it, the Old Religion still has a use for me as well."

"What is the Old Religion and why does it demand so much from me?" Harry asked angrily. "Why does it use you, and why does it seem driven to manipulate everything?"

Merlin stayed silent for a few moments before replying. "The Old Religion is a force in this world like any other. It is a part of the Ancient Magic that flows through everything, giving it life. It acts as a guide to those who wish to wield it. It's neither good or evil. It simply is. Do not blame it for the plight we are in, without it you would be dead and buried.

Harry stayed silent, staring into the flames. He still look frustrated but slowly nodded once and looked at Merlin, apparently accepting the answer.

"I don't know how I feel. But, you've helped me Merlin. And you - you're the most powerful wizard in the world."

Merlin smiled and nodded. "I understand. I promise I will not keep anymore secrets from you."

"Thank you." Harry said, looking back at the fire. He stared into it for a few moments before stirring.

"Kilgharrah taught me how to catch spells"

Merlin raised his eyebrows and laughed. "Well, that's one form of wandless magic."

"He said that it was because he was entangled in my soul, that I can't reach deep enough within me to cast normal spells without my wand."

Merlin leaned back a little and tapped a finger against the table. "An interesting theory."

"Do you believe him?" Harry asked.

Merlin smiled and got up from the chair. As he did, the room shifted into the familiar workplace that they used. He started to walk towards the ring. "Kilgharrah is an Ancient Dragon. They tend to see their theories as absolutes. And if they are found wrong, then their minds shift and they act as if they never thought it was true."

Harry got up and frowned, following Merlin up to the dueling circle. "So they are liars?"

Merlin shook his head. "No, just not human. Their minds shift between absolutes."

Merlin suddenly fired a quick hex at Harry who caught the spell and tossed it into a nearby wall, blowing a small hole in it. Merlin raised his eyebrows and stepped into the runic wards as Harry fired three curses. Each of them impacted against the shield. Harry glared at him and quickly followed him inside, brandishing his wand.

He fired a bolt of lightning, curving it around the outsides of the shield as he quickly trapped the center of the ring with concussion charms. Merlin easily batted the lightning into the charms, disabling them.

As he did so, Harry rolled and avoided several curses from Merlin. He raised his wand and fire flowed from it, encircling Merlin. They became chains and started to bind the Warlocks wrists. Merlin held out his hand and the fire swirled into a single spot before exploding out, catching Harry and sending him flying back to the edge of the ring. As Harry sprang to his feet, Merlin blasted his hand with a simple disarming spell. His wand flew out of the ring and Harry glared up at him.

Merlin simply grinned. "Lets see what you can do then."

Merlin conjured several daggers and flung them at Harry. Harry's eyes widened and he quickly twisted out of the way. He brought his hand up to cast a spell before realizing that he no longer had a wand. Merlin winked and summoned a block of wood from across the room, sending it at Harry. \

Harry fell to the floor, narrowly dodging the missile.

"A problem Harry." Merlin said as he banished several more pieces of wood at his student. "What do you do when your opponent isn't throwing around raw power for you to catch?"

Harry winced as a block of wood smashed into his side. He groaned a little and glared, thrusting his hand out. Merlin raised his eyebrows as nothing happened.

"How? Harry asked. "How do you cast magic without a wand? You're a creature of old magic as well."

Merlin dipped his head. "Indeed. Initially I was incapable of casting this new magic without a wand. But as always, I found a way." Merlin winked as he cast Stupefy. The bright red light streaked from his hand. Harry swiftly caught the spell and sent it back. Merlin stepped slightly to the side and watched as the spell impacted against the shield.

"How?" Harry demanded, looking irritated.

Merlin chuckled and raised his hand. Purple vapor slowly materialized and drifted off the sides of his hand. "The Old Religion. Ancient Magic, Elder Magic. Whatever you'd like to call it. I've taught you the basics Harry. You will need to study Modern Magic and learn more of your spells on your own. Now it's time for me to teach you a new kind of power."

Merlin snapped his fingers and a wave of force threw Harry from the ring. Harry groaned a little and slowly got up, picking his wand up from the ground.

"This Modern Magic is so… flashy." Merlin said, chuckling a little. "So full of color. But true magic. My magic, it doesn't leave signs or tell-tale marks."

"I remember you being flashy at the ministry." Harry said as he stretched a little, wincing.

Merlin shrugged. "Habit, and a need to leave an impression."

"How do we begin?" Harry asked, stowing his wand away and looking at Merlin with a familiar eagerness. Merlin smiled and gestured for Harry to join him in the ring again.

"I've explained this before Harry. Modern Magic uses your will from within. The Old Religion uses the will of the world." Merlin explained. Harry shot him an odd look.

"That… doesn't make sense Emrys. How do I bend the world's will?" Harry asked, frowning a little.

"You don't Harry. You need to ask, not take. You can't make it submit, only channel it through you." Merlin said. "Try to focus on the strands of magic outside of you and use them to craft a shield. Use the words 'Scildan'."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Verbal casting again?"

"You have mastered the willpower necessary to cast Modern Magic wordlessly. Do not presume you have the same when it comes to channeling the forces of the world Harry." Merlin said.

Harry nodded, looking abashed. He raised his hand and looked at Merlin. Merlin grinned and fired a spell.

"Scildan!" Harry shouted. The spell effortlessly smacked into his chest and Harry winced a little as it stung. Merlin shook his head.

"Focus Harry."

Over the next few hours, Merlin ran Harry through his paces. He fired spell after spell, trying to get Harry to react and summon a shield. Eventually Harry's voice fell horace

"I think that's enough." Merlin said, dropping his hand. Harry nodded and collapsed into a nearby chair. Harry winced a little at all the little stings covering his body. Merlin brought over a healing draft from the cupboard and Harry gratefully chugged it down.

Merlin sat across from him. "Don't be too discouraged Harry. It will take time."

Harry nodded but still looked a little dejected. "How many have you taught before me?"

"None."

Harry looked up at him, confusion swimming in his eyes. Merlin grinned and shook his head.

"I've taught many apprentices over the years Harry. But none have needed to know it like you. Even if I desired it, the Old Religion has prevented me from revealing more than a few secrets. Things such as this." Merlin slipped the small vial from his pocket, handing it to Harry.

Harry studied it for a few moments before exclaiming: "Its from a time turner!"

Merlin took the vial back. "How did you know that?"

Harry shrugged "Hermoine used it in 3rd year to take more classes. We saved my godfather from Dementors using it."

Merlin stared incredulously at Harry. "They gave time travel to a teenager?!"

Harry laughed "Hermonie would never have used it for anything but class work. It was only because of me that she used it to help my godfather."

Merlin shook his head. "I knew the Ministry could be… incompotent but I never realized they were handing out time travel to children."

Merlin got up from the chair, shaking his head a little.

"Hello Merlin"

Merlin froze and whirled around, looking back at Harry.

"What did you just - "

"It's time for us to meet again. My tomb has been opened. I know you've been waiting for me."

The voice curled and whispered inside of his mind. It caressed every corner. It sounded both inviting and cold, familiar and completely alien.

"The battle is coming to you now Merlin. You've waited too long. Meet me in the Astronomy Tower. Put your faith in the student's and the boy you've taught."

Merlin flicked his eyes over to Harry who was rising out of his chair.

"Emrys?"

Merlin shook his head and for the first time in a long time, felt frightened. "Death is coming to Hogwarts tonight."

A/N I thought about being cheeky and just not putting an authors note but decided against it. Hi again! Been a nice… three years. Wow, time does fly huh? I actually have been stopping and starting on this chapter for all that time. I ended up cutting it in half. It was supposed to have a big battle scene as well but I felt this was a good spot to end it. Im not exactly happy with this chapter. Bit jumpy, but Im still learning and Im a little jumpy. So dont hate me too much if it doesnt live up to expectations! Oh and dont fear this time. The next chapter is already mostly written! For good measure, I updated my profile with places you can find me. So if you really feel the need to hound me, do so there.