Disclaimer: I absolutely own nothing..
Year 1992, August.
Chapter 3
Like always, Diagon Alley was swarming with people. Since 1646 when Merlin and Morgana first stepped into the bricked floor... It was his favorite place, even more than Hogwarts... The people walking around, HIS people.
The men leaving the enormous bank with the silver doors. The children running around pointing stands and through the windows. The women running ragged after their children...
Merlin adored the stores, and by far his favorite was Florean's, Merlin had known him in Hogwarts and considered the middle aged wizard a dear friend. His store was small, sure. But Merlin felt it a real homey place.
He liked the rest a bit too. Putting Ollivander's next, he required no wand. When he used one he only challenged the power of the New Magic, but with a tiny hint of the old. Making his spells more grand than any of this time, even cast though a wand.
He held the wandmaker as a good friend.
Now there were many children positively glued to the store windows, whatever was in sale attracted their attention easily? Possibly a new broomstick, Merlin grimaced. He hated broomsticks, even if it was harder he preferred levitation & direction spells. Or a dragon.
Morgana and he avoided broomsticks. They tended to explode near him and her.
The blatant use of magic, the continued spectrum of magic and the essence of magical souls, the auras of the magical community… He had not felt magical presences in a long time, having lived as a Muggle for a couple of decades. Two lives of Muggles, actually.
The last time he had done so, he had done it in 1911, during the first great war.
He looked at the bank again... He missed Gringott, the goblin; together with him, they had founded the bank, and he was given a huge vault then... He had earned the hard won, Goblin respect. And that came in handy, the Emrys aura, as he called it; did not help with them. They were smart creatures, over-human intelligence, in most cases.
Centaurs also gave him a great deal of respect, as he figured importantly on the skies.
A huge man with a shaggy beard and a powerfully wild, and yet, surprisingly, gentle magical aura stepped next to him. Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts.
"Lemme tell ya' "The man said to a small ogling figure at his right... "You'll be mad to try and rob it." The little boy whispered the poem at the entrance. Few knew that poem was more than just that, it was a sort of proper act code for Goblins. Gringott's favorite book of laws.
Written by himself. They often loved their own work more than others.
Merlin barely registered, Morgana in adult form bidding him farewell before she climbed down the staircase to Knockturn, lost in thoughts as he was.
He scratched his white beard, studying the Boy Who Lived as Harry entered the bank with wide eyes. "Say hello to Margo for me." He said, he never had known Margo, and regarding how highly the priestess spoke of her, he doubted he wanted to.
"Will do." Morgana whispered, in her mind. He knew there were dangers in Knockturn, so as her presence dimmed; he sent a small protective charm at her...
Merlin and Morgana were immortal, not invincible... The most powerful modern magic needed to hit them several times; three or four mostly, to affect them.
They were not impervious to any physical harm, but they had an impressive healing rate.
It made cooking really interesting, as Morgana 'was a priestess of the Old Religion, no mortal blade could harm her', that included steel stainless knifes... But not Goblin-made weaponry or blunt-force trauma, but she had survived Excalibur, so…
Also potions augmented doses by age, as 1500ish years old, they knew as fact, that all the sleeping potions in St. Mungo's, will barely get them drowsy. And that is why several dosed magic, needed a lot of, say, hitting.
Due to all of this, they both avoided the hospital. It was unnecessary, and drew much unwanted recognition. Especially considering Ol' Ambrose's 'grandfather' Merkator worked in Mungo's clinic a couple of years back. He even gave the wizard a capital to found it. Perhaps there was a statue of Merkator in there somewhere.
He chuckled, and suddenly felt the old religion pointing to Knockturn. And then turned to look at the alley, feeling distress. And innocence. He rushed to the entrance, drawing people attention.
Children often got into Knockturn, and though Morgana would say the people there are just misunderstood; she was obviously going to agree the place was dangerous for children.
He withdrew his wand as he went, wizard nearby shrieked and pulled back, a couple sent stunners his way, why? Merlin did not know? But Merlin blocked them effortlessly. He went to the first store in Diagon and shattered the door with his wand, feeling pain and fear. The sight that greeted him, made him sick.
A wizard stood over an obviously Muggle family with magical children. The wood creaked as Merlin walked into the dark room.
The hate for 'mudbloods' had reached new standards it seemed.
The wizard wore several heavy burned scarring, and long uneven hair. He was using the Cruciatus Curse on a fourth year boy, a Gryffindor. The screams were being contained by a silencing charm.
Merlin felt rage as he had not in ages. He raised his wand and blasted the wizard through the window up back to Diagon Alley, he apparated after the criminal, kicking the wand away from the calloused fingers.
"I have left you alone!" Merlin roared, he sent the dark wizard into a wall… The man coughed, pulling himself up and grabbed a poor witch and kicked her aside, a wand in his hand. The witch cried scaredly, as she crawled away.
Merlin's eyes narrowed and he lifted himself high. He wanted a duel? Why not? Merlin was going to break the dark wizard, and make an statement.
The wizard said an incantation and threw a snap of blackish fire at him; Myredero lifted his wand high and lifted a rock from the floor. The rock cracked and broke, but it withstood the attack. Merlin threw the remains of the rock back at the man.
He sent another spell as he dodged; he sent forth a green curse that Merlin knew, oh, so well.
There were ways to block it, but he was going to make a statement was he not?
He apparated again, and then lifted the man into the air. He threw him throughout the street, as people screamed and jumped back. The man hit his head against clinging wooden signs, before through a window which shattered loudly.
He swept his wand again, and the man was brought back struggling as if he faced a zip-line. Merlin then sent him high into the air, and over London. He brought forth a number of boxes full of cotton.
Before letting the coward fall, as he did, he probably broke several bones. Merlin moved the man upside down, so he could see the eyes of the murderous. He felt hatred and rage as he glared at him. And made absolutely no effort to hide it.
He then threw the man down Knockturn stairs with a stunner of the Old Magic. "How many were there? HOW MANY?!" He sent the man reeling into a front wall…
Aurors walked to grab him; one even stepped in front of him.
"Sir. We shall handle him."
Merlin snapped at the young Dark-Wizard catcher"Make sure, he never sees the lights of day, again."
Merlin dove into Knockturn to find the family. The hate eating him up whole.
Hagrid kept watching, unable to contain his curiosity, the boy at his side watched the Old Wizard with awe...
Merlin shook his head as he realized he had made a scene.
People in Knockturn Alley were often misunderstood. They were not that evil, or dark. Spurns of Society, trampled and mistreated; just like her, misunderstood... She had indeed dabbled in the dark Arts. And done evil, but her purpose had been Just. How would the youth put it? Sometimes you had to do what was right, and damn the consequences.
She turned left, taking to a narrow, black slot. A place that possibly any normal wizard would have avoided.
She smiled as she knocked in the familiar brick wall. The wall disappeared and she walked in.
"Raven?" She heard an old crooked wail, "Is that you?"
Morgana smiled. "Yes. Margo it is me."
"Come on in, dear girl."
He bowed at the Goblin and the goblin bowed at him with a knowing face. Some people pointed. "Is that Old Mr. Ambrose?" An old woman mumbled.
Merlin scowled, he had used the Mr. Ambrose identity too long, it was his political persona. The old witch's husband shook his head, "He would be around 500 years old!" She was taking out her glasses, cleaning them to put them on and look at him.
"I have heard from a verrry reliable source that he made a Philosopher's stone!" Another witch interjected. Her two friends continued the talk about him as they made their way out the bank.
A restaurant waiter turned around and whispered. "He has Goblin blood, which is why they bow to him." The waitered couple nodded, they offered their glasses at the waiter who served them, more Satyrwine.
It actually made sense, Goblin blooded Wizards lived long. But they were rather short, and Merlin was quite tall, thank you… for his age.
Merlin felt the waiter nod with proudness as he walked to another table, where he started a conversation with a customer. Probably about Old' Ambrose, too.
"He's Vampire, right, Julius?" A middle aged wizard, with red hair and a purple bowtie; fueling his pipe suggested to his companion.
"An old vampire? Please!" His friend said, taking a sip of firewhisky. The Red haired wizard who followed him shuggered, putting the pipe in his mouth.
"Could'a happen." He said sprouting a bunch of smoke as he said it. "Look at how he captured that dark wizard." As far as Merlin knew that was bordering impossible, Vampires looked for fresh young blood. And also Vampires avoided him; his blood was poisonous to them. They felt it.
And he had found it in the most unpleasant way. With a young man named Vlad and his father.
"Too true, Mervio." Julius said. "I saw a wanted poster, last week in the ministry. That was Cain Grausam, the most powerful You-Know-Who's servant never caught, that's who." Merlin flinched, now he had made a name for himself.
"Do you think he is as powerful as Dumbledore?" A young man asked his girlfriend.
She snorted, turning to look at him. "He is older than Dumbledore!" She retorted, with a laugh.
"So is Flamel…" Merlin tuned them all out, grimacing at the rumors. People had often ignored Old Ambrose. They thought him old, not powerful. He did not want that much pressure from the masses.
He kept walking into the bank. Taking his time, he did not want to rush it. He tried not to react to the words and whisperings of his peers, but he could not fully avoid hearing them all.
Wizards lived longer than humans, most a decade or two; some lived even five decades more. Dumbledore was 106, now. He had known a few people, over the years; there was one lady who had almost been 342 when she died.
But 500 years was pushing it. He had to talk to Morgana for making a funeral arrangement for Old Ambrose, a pity, as he was a useful asset. A way to control politics and influence people, the wise old Wizard stereotype, was still respected.
Morgana liked that very much. Now, she could do it, next time.
But youths had started to avoid the wisdom of the elders. Thank the goddess, as most elders had Mudblood & Blood purity politics…
The enormous hall with marble floors came into his view. He went straight to the bank governor... He always did. "Rudius. Good Day." Harry Potter was having his key inspected just know. Apparently Hagrid had taken a bit of clumsy time…
"Lord Emrys, a pleasure." The goblin bowed.
"I've come to make a withdrawal." He said. Stretching his hand giving the large key... The creatures' long fingers took the old key and inspected it. His fingernails run through the number and using a small magnifying glass overlook the end of the object.
Rudius was obviously playing along. As fact, he always knew Merlin to be who he was. He could feel it.
Merlin stared at the ceiling; he loved the glass and the light it brought, so he let some of his magic loose and re-evaporated the clouds. He could do with more light.
"Vault number 7." The Goblin announced. A few people looked up, completely bemused... A woman's hand trembled and her bag scattered through the floor, throwing coins, an old broken wand and several books on its wake.
Immediately, Merlin walked forward and using his wand assisted the woman in picking things up.
Rudius took this advantage and called for Griphook, who grudgingly walked forward; then the bank manager, told his employee the indications for Mr. Emrys.
Two or three more wizards came forward to help, obviously trying to impress, old powerful Myredero Ambrose. He knew, as they kept glancing at him. One even had the audacity to pass the object to give at him, instead of the woman.
Merlin helped the woman up, as he glared daggers at the audacious youth. "Are you alright ma'am?" Trying to keep his annoyance hidden, young arrogant wizards; and also the annoyance to himself, he had to stop helping people! He was drawing attention to himself…
"Yes." She answered. "Merlin bless your good heart." He felt amused at her words. "Thank you." Merlin was actually cursing his good heart. He nodded and looked back at the governor.
"As you know, sir." Rudius said, having followed Merlin to the cart. "Most vaults before 625 were either destroyed, or emptied a long time ago," The goblin huffed. "So yours occupies slot 714 now. It was not as full and we had to move all the objects to accommodate, the growth. We had to make it smaller as well, we hope you don't mind." Merlin nodded. "You will have to take a long route..." He opened a door with his magic, letting Merlin walk down the stairs, right to those horrible carts.
Merlin grimaced. "It is alright, Rudius. I have time." Being immortal did not save them from being nauseous. And those carts had a very revolting effect.
"So you do, sir." The goblin said. "If you intend to sell anything, I would give you a fair price..."
While most wizards would have been insulted, Merlin chuckled. "I do have some antiques; I will see what I can part with." After living for so long, for Merlin, material objects held little value. Except from the essentials and those treasured things, he kept it all at his 'room' in Hogwarts or at the bank. Those that had little sentimental value, he could sell to the Goblin. Sadly, for Rudius, those that did were very few. Merlin blamed himself, he was as he'd put it, 'A sentimental old fool'.
And Morgana would skin him alive if he sold anything of hers…
He followed Griphook, to a cart and sat in the back seat. "Mr. Ambrose? Is it you?"
He looked at the giant man. "Rubeus Hagrid, am I right?" He gave the man a 'council-smile', those reserved to Uther, the council and Geoffrey of Monmouth. Also the cook of Camelot, did that woman really never liked him, at all.
He was to annoyed, tired and hunched right then, to smile properly.
" Yes, sire. Crickley. 's a real ple'sure sir, truly. I alw'ys wante' to meet yeh.'' Merlin shook the giant's enormous hand, or rather, Hagrid's index; then he proceeded to shake Harry's. The boy shook nervously, slowly and hesitatingly. Merlin knew the child would be tongue-tied he only told him he had his great grandfather's nose.
Henry and he had been good friends, in fact that was what drew him to James and Lily to begin with, he had been named. Also too, he had actually told Henry, or amusingly Harry, as they called him; his real identity when the man was in his deathbed.
Henry had been a good man, with an enormous heart.
"Aye, aye. All mine young fella'." Merlin said, using his old man voice. "I remember your father, Procerus. A fine young man, he was."
"Thank you, sir. Thank yeh. Dear Me... I woulda' never 'spected…" Hagrid bawled his eyes with his enormous hands. Taking out a small neckerchief, and blew loudly.
"Rubeus. Do tell Dumbledore I will visit him shortly." Merlin winked at him. Dumbledore and he were old friends, only the Headmaster did not know it.
Having taken care of all adult deeds, Merlin and Morgana were taking out the new Hogwarts identity, by doing something deeply childish and innocent, eating ice-cream. Florean Florescue's parlor was a meeting place of sorts.
They did it before starting school every year… Meet and discuss, no one would consider a meeting important if it occurred in a magical parlor.
"So let's go over it, again." As he sat with his cone.
"Let's." Morgana agreed. Florean smiled at them, and gave him the sales ticket, which he paid quickly. Sometimes he thought the Ice cream man knew who he was, Florean always served him the same ice cream and always gave him the same toppings. They were his favorites.
Morgana instead often changed them.
My name is Martin Ellis Ambrose, you are Ellaine Morgan. I was born on December 21st 1988, you on October 27th on the same year." He recited. The names were common enough and had a ring of familiarity around them... He had chosen the Ambrose name so he could kill off Myredero and start again.
She muttered absentmindedly. "Keep going." They often did this and it went alright… But now there was more pressure than before, he could not mess up anymore.
"You are a muggle - born. I am half blood." True, so they could lace some truth into their lies. It helped, when they had to say them.
She took a bunch of Ice cream and then frowned. "Really? A millennium and a half old, and still I get brain freeze.
Merlin laughed at her. And she glared at him, he shuggered at her. That was how they often worked, teasing and annoying each other. Almost like he did Arthur, but Merlin avoided calling her names, she was still a lady through and through.
There was the jingle sound of a new customer. "Well Draco, what flavor would you like?" Merlin turned to look at the boy, a white-blond haired kid wearing expensive clothes. The way he stood reminded, the old sorcerer, of arrogant prince Arthur.
Both Merlin and Morgana turned to look at the new arrival. "Pistachio will do, Mother." Morgana looked at her own pistachios. She grimaced and took another bite, making Merlin laugh. As she smiled.
Florean prepared the cone and gave it to the silvery-blond. Who began looking at the selection of toppings, and walking around them, trying to choose one.
Merlin glanced out of the window as Draco's mother left. He had taught Narcissa Malfoy himself, she was not a bad evil person overall. Perhaps she had a sort of need to be what others expected of her.
Her loyalty to her family was strong, but she seemed to want something better for her son. She loved him more than she wanted to please anyone.
He felt his ice cream wiggle and invoked a dish, as it fell down. He looked up; Florean Fortescue looked at him with a knowing grin. He shruggered.
Deciding on it, he stood up going to the counter. He grabbed a cone, and turned around bumping into Draco chest first. He groaned at his stupidity.
Making the blonde spill his Ice cream all over his shirt. "What on Earth is your problem?!" Draco Malfoy screamed. Chattering his teeth over the cold mix, Morgana looked at them suddenly, her eyes had been drawned to the passway.
"I am very sorry. It was an accident!" Merlin defended, his voice adopted a shrill tone in the end. Morgana could not help laughing, like Arthur and Merlin all over again.
Draco grabbed a napkin and began scrubbing at his shirt. "Well if you are not the biggest clumsier idiot I've ever met!" He pushed Merlin. Who managed quite normally to catch himself, clumsiness a bit gone? Had he used magic?, Morgana thought.
"Are you not the prat-ish bully to walk the Earth..." Merlin growled. He resisted the urge to turn the boy into a bowl of Ice cream and give it to Florean. As a gift. Not that it would taste any good.
"You cannot speak to me like that. Do you know who I am?" Merlin was forcefully reminded of the Arthur he disliked. The Bully Prince of Camelot who he had met upon arrival.
Merlin obviously knew, but he mumbled humorlessly. "The son of the King?" Morgana saw the sadness in his eyes. And though she chuckled, she felt it too. The dull sense of lateness, pain and nostalgia, made stronger through a millennia. That was what kept them together, the understanding that came.
No one else did understand one another. Sometimes when they felt giddy they would talk in the English they were born into. Saying old, happy jokes that were said in camping when she would join him and Arthur. Telling anecdotes. Drinking… Morgana fermented her own alcohol, it was so strong that one glass or two would leave Merlin a laughable and joyful idiot…
He often called her… My beautiful Priestess. To her great amusement, and it left a hell of a magical hangover. It was a magical drink, twenty times more powerful than Firewhisky, which did not affect any of them at all.
"I am a Malfoy." The boy announced, proudly. And proudly, Morgana rolled her eyes.
Merlin of course knew, and Morgana knew. The warlock just snorted. "Is that supposed to mean anything to me?" He asked, Draco flinched.
Malfoys... They were a handful... Arrogant and Prideful. Just like Arthur was. Powerful too. With the capacity to change the world. At least the wizarding one. A great skill and ability lay in them, an enormous capacity, most of which was used to do wrong. Merlin could not blame the inbreeding, but the very thought made him sick.
The arrogant child, snorted back. "IF you were a PURE blood you would know WHO I am." They had been able to use the old magic for longer than most, but the ability too was lost eventually… He remembered where they came from.
Malfoy the eldest was the descendant of a priestess and a noble, there laid the greatness in Old Magic. But they were all Half-blood, just like him.
And still they promoted purity of blood like maniacs, Merlin frowned.
"I know who you are, Draco. That doesn't change anything." Merlin growled.
Draco Malfoy looked slightly impressed. "Then you are an idiot." He stated. An almost Pendragon scowl laid in the boy's face. Morgana stared hard, she almost recognized that glare… Well that was nice.
He was not a descendant of Llacheou, his descendants had somehow returned to Royalty. The Queen for instance was a descendant of the Crown Prince.
And as Loholt had died a teenager… Maybe they had something to do with Uther more than Arthur. Had Uther any siblings? In any case it explained the misbehavior and cruelty of these children of Malfoy. Also again the inbreeding, that well...
Merlin put his hand unto his pouch and took out a package of 25 galleons and gave it back to Malfoy. Draco gaped at it, now really impressed. Of course, Draco would never be given that much money for him to carry, he would likely beg for the stuff he wanted. And he would most likely get his way, anyhow.
"That should cover the shirt and more." Merlin said. He turned around to Morgana; she gave him THAT knowing look... Merlin raised an eyebrow at her, and she winked.
"Ready to go?" He offered. She took the last bite of her Ice Cream and stood. Merlin left five galleons in the table for Florean.
She smiled. "That is gracious." No one left that much. But Merlin had money enough. And he was not selfish; he often paid people way overdue. And also made charities; muggle and wizard-world alike.
"Who are you?" Malfoy grabbed his arm, the boy stare was demanding, Merlin knew what he meant… Very few families in all the Wizardly World had that much money, like a magical version of Bill Gates. Magical Billionaires… He himself had quite the amount.
Very long years and a lot of time, patience, too. "Why, Draco? Afraid you just insulted the son of someone more powerful than your father?" Merlin teased.
He wondered what would have been Arthur's reaction if he had been royal, too. He grinned, the idea was amusing enough, Arthur would have looked like Draco did. The resemblance was kind of scary… But then the Pendragon's had been a old family. A distant relative, perhaps? Or was it the Black side?
"You are pureblood, obviously." Draco declared, looking at the package of coins. "That much money…"
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but" Merlin turned around to get another cone, which he promptly ate. He grinned at Morgana from the stands. "I am half-blood."
"What is your family name?" Merlin just raised his eyebrows. "What is it?!" Draco grabbed him by his shirt, Merlin coughed loudly. A few wizards and children looked at them. Malfoy slowly let his hands drop.
Merlin shook his head. "Have you ever heard of the word, patience? Or 'please' for that matter?"
Draco snorted, before slowly looking down at the floor, and answered grudgingly. "…please?" Morgana gasped and applauded. Malfoy glared at her… Thank the goddess the store is small, she thought, he would not stay back otherwise.
"Now, that is much better." Merlin slipped, raising his eyebrows jokingly to Morgana. Who giggled, covering her mouth with a napkin.
"I said PLEASE." Draco muttered, looking annoyed and desperate. Morgana laughed loudly, Draco glared at her. And she made a point to laugh even harder.
"Alright… no need to be pushy…" Merlin laughed. You should feel shame, Emrys; Morgana sent through their connection; Annoying a boy many centuries your junior, for entertainment. Merlin smiled. "I am Ambrose." The name had always a great pull.
He is so easy to annoy, isn't he? Just as Llacheou, and Arthur. He sent back with a mental shrug.
And besides, Draco Malfoy's scowl was priceless… His eyes had widened and his lip had become thin, indeed. Draco's hand had fallen, and with it the napkin, covered with melted green ice-cream, which hit the tiled floor.
Merlin almost saw the boy mind's working, and he realized Malfoy had begun considering the consequences.
Morgana laughed, Merlin offered his hand to her.
"That is also very gracious." Morgana commended. He just shrugged... He knew she had a double sense, of how funny the reaction Draco had been.
Merlin and she walked away from the Parlor. As they left Merlin snuck a last glance at Draco. He glared.
And as he did, Merlin felt the power of the Old Religion; he flinched, and saw the blonde preteen smirk smugly apparently thinking he did that happen.
Merlin stared hard at Morgana; she just kept walking obviously ignorant that he had just felt something they had not in years. Last time he remember feeling anything remotely was when Voldemort was born…
The thing on Diagon, or rather Knockturn did not count… It was part of his doing, mostly.
Nearly five decades ago or so, the Old Religion had screamed to them so loud, that both had fallen to the ground, trying desperately to throw it off.
Very inopportune as Merlin had been walking through Hogwarts and Morgana hanging out with the rest of students, the sudden burst had their magic explode, literally out of their bodies. Scars still remained in the grounds.
It had made the otherwise nice and sweet, small whopping Willow. Angry and well, Whoopy. And now that it was the size it was, well…
Anyway, Merlin had destroyed the cups and glass in most, if not all, of the Castle. Morgana had created a small personal storm where she stood; thousands had seen it happen... hundreds were hurt. Thankfully, none died. It was pretty sizable though, he had not ever lost control like that, or since.
As they left Morgana just kept on talking, she pulled him out through the Alley, and this time Merlin was in no mood to enjoy the scenery. "-He actually reminds me of a young prince and his brother," She said, looking gleeful "They had come to Camelot with her aunt, Uther had wanted me to keep watching over the prince and his brother… They ran me ragged I tell you running away while I was not looking… And also running. They had shunned me off when I asked them to slow down. SO Rude." Her voice turned sour. "Very rude. And nearly got me eaten by a wyvern, it actually flew off with me and threw me in a lake! Arthur was pissed, and then…" Merlin did not have the heart to stop her; she usually never spoke of Camelot… It was good for her.
He had never heard this story, either. But he was busy.
His mind was somewhere else, or rather with someone else…
Whatever Malfoy turned to be, he would have a greater part to play
A'N. Do you notice the small ode to one of Katie McGrath's other role? Could not help just adding it in… I really hope she gets
A'N. Sorry about the 456 words that I missed, I just had no more ideas for this chapter. I hope you can forgive and forget….
A'N. There goes chapter 3.
My great thanks and appreciation to Asteroth1 for collaborating with me for this.
Hope you enjoy it. I will try to bring the next chapter just as Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 was; in record time...
I am not going to start changing anything major in the story just yet.
Review if you can... Please. Let me know what you think.
A poll was implemented for YOU to choose Draco's role... It will last until chapter 5 is brought...