Chapter 6:
Arrival at Hogwarts
New Chapter. Hope you do like it. I am so sorry over lateness, I had an awful time and could in truth, find no time to work on this…
Oh and by the way, do you guys agree I can double task on a Game of Thrones fic? Vote to help me decide…
Hogwarts Express, a few hours from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
September 2th, 1991. 15:49 hours.
When Merlin opened the door, he expected to see Draco Lucius Malfoy, sneering at him and giving his, very unwanted – opinion; over anything really. But no, the sits were empty, no Draco, or Crabbe and Goyle.
Merlin groaned. Turning back on his steps, he did not need the Old Religion to know where Draco had gone to.
Hermione's voice came to his mind. 'You know Harry Potter should be here somewhere.' The odds that he had found out were huge, maybe even Lucius had told his boy to keep eyes out for the Boy-Who-Lived.
It was the kind of people they were, hell, they could be good. But they usually were not.
All Slytherins were like that, nowadays. They had not been such forever, but they were now. And all the good crowd avoided the house; it had sunk not into, but through the mud. Salazar would not be glad at all.
The disruption of good rituals, the murdering of their kin; Salazar Slytherin was not evil nor was he a pure blood maniac in the strictest sense of the word, he had told Merlin that Muggleborns were quick in changing loyalty and their parents held too much sway.
Murdering, Treachery, Evil. That is what Salazar wanted to prevent. But they turned him into a fanatic and a conservative champion. They took to perverting the admitably harsh teachings of the man and by it the Wizarding kind built their world.
Salazar of course had valued cunning and ambition, but he valued loyalty too. Friendship. Family. But all of that was cut when history took it's toll on the people.
A pity. Salazar's real legacy would have made great.
When Harry Potter put the cards he had gotten into his pocket, funnily Morgana knew most of them personally; and lifted that colorful little package. The girl nearly choked, making a funny whizzing noise.
Ron laughed at her reaction, and then again at Harry's expression as he looked at her. "Are they really that bad?" The black haired eleven year old boy asked. The priestess swallowed.
"Not really-" Ron began.
Morgana grimaced. "Worse."
"What I am sure she means is that should be rather careful with those." He warned while the former king's ward shook her head in disgust. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor - you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once."
"Sounds great…" Morgana hissed. Remembering the same event with him.
Ron stared at her. " What did you get?"
"I do not know!" Morgana growled. She had terrible luck with those awful little beans. But then Martin had laughed so loudly, that her annoyance at thinking about it lasted to the day. "And I do not want to know Ronald!" Morgana said, daring him into suggesting it.
Harry grabbed a nasty brownish yellow looking bean and put into his mouth. He shook his head.
Morgana shivered in revulsion. "What is it?" She asked in a tiny voice
"I think it is toast - and it feels burned." Morgana let out a heavy sigh. Perhaps she was more afraid of those sickening sweets than of Voldemort himself.
"You don't want one?" Harry asked, obviously eager to share, he stretched the bag to Ron, who nodded and selectively placed one in his mouth, his eyes narrowed.
"Bleeearg." Ron yelped. "See? Sprouts." Then Harry offered the box to Morgana, who did not even consider it.
"NO." She said, nearly screaming it out. Harry flinched and nodded. Ron shrugged with half-a-grin. Yes she was more afraid of those beans than of Tom Riddle. Him she could manage.
Morgana would not touch any of them, she would look at them and yelp when the boys ate one. "I really hate them. How can you call them food!" She whined. "I ate one that I do not know what it was. Martin, James and -" The priestess trailed off, realizing she had just said 'James'. Harry looked sharply at her, Morgana thanked the goddess she had not said 'Sirius'. "An old friend of mine." She amended. Going quiet.
If she had said Sirius or Remus, it would have been impossible to hide later on.
Harry stared at her, "My dad's name was James."
She looked at him sadly. "True." She commended. "I am very sorry. It is a common name..." And nothing more was said of the matter. Though Morgana was sure Ron was so busy choosing a bean that he did not notice.
Or perhaps he did, and said nothing? Smart. Really, it was a touchy subject to Harry.
The package seemed nearly empty soon, and the boys seemed to have enjoyed them despite Morgana's hate. They, to her horror, had fun seeing which was which.
She was a noble blooded lady, for crying out loud; she could not stomach that much spoiled or disgusting food. That was why she got so thin when she lived at the hovel of hers. She did not eat back then, her powers had kept her alive.
But she did not know that, back then. Even in High Priestess quality, Morgana was unique. No other of her kin would have lived with no food. She always wondered why… Not that it mattered; the goddess kept her cards close to the chest.
Magic never cooperated with either her or Merlin.
And besides, to add insult to injury, she really had a terrible luck when it came to those candies. James had made sure of that, he always cut a little piece and offered it to her when he was sure it was just a bit disgusting. Lily had been somewhat amused at her spluttering and once or twice, Morgana had nearly vomited.
Somehow James was convincing enough. That when he stopped being so rude and childish; and grew up, Morgana stopped hating the boy; now she actually missed his daunting and mischievous personality.
She did not know who it was worse for, Harry or herself. She missed the boy that she had eventually cared for as a son, he missed a father that he did not know. Which was real funny, as that would made Morgana somewhat Grandmother to Harry. When James and Lily had turned 17, they told them both who they really were.
She missed that person, she had trusted the most; and loved as a daughter. He missed giving the comfort that only a mother could give.
Lily Evans had been Morgana's chance of pulling it right with Helena. No matter how messed up it could sound… She had felt that Lily was her friend, her confident, her protégée. She had told her everything all that had ever haunted her from Camelot to the founders era.
All that had bothered her still. Not that it mattered now, anyway. She was gone.
And James, she had doubted if it was wise to tell him. But he was not that bad too. Not that it mattered anymore, too. He was also gone. Merlin had been friends with many of the Potter family through the centuries, even the founder. Linfred. The M. Ambrose of the time had helped him on his potions.
Morgana was somewhat amused, never had Merlin used a name that did not begin with an M. When it was the Ambrose surname. But he had many others too. But no matter what, he had always used different ones. And he always helped someone, who he thought had a good heart. Merlin had replaced Arthur several times… Wasn't that amusing?
It was the official story of the day; Harry Potter looked like his father but he was more Lily's son.
Better, as far as Morgana was concerned, as James's attitude meant that she wanted to push him out of the astronomy towers at times.
Speaking of which, Merlin would not need to know about her slip. It would annoy him that she strayed from the profile they had decided on…
As it turned out they were yet to agree when to reveal themselves, if ever. Or what to do at school this years, Morgana would be Harry's friend and Merlin would take the Slytherins out of the mud, try to guide as many as he could out of the disgrace of the house.
A worthless endeavor as far as Morgana was concerned, it was not like Draco or any of his crew wanted it; and no matter what the Old Religion told her about Draco, she would never do it.
Whatever was going to happen it would be soon. But she would not get involved in Merlin's schemes for the Slytherins. Or the Old Religion's for that matter. Morgana did not owe anything to it anymore.
Quite a priestess, wasn't she? Morgause would be proud…
Harry's forlorn and sad look made Morgana swallow; poor boy…
"My father died too. Harry." She added. Harry stared at her, Ron bit his lip. The closest thing that Ron had lost was his uncle, his family was enormous. Hundreds of Weasley characters. Most of whom he barely knew.
Her thoughts turned to her family, not Uther and Arthur. But Gorlois, Vivianne, Morgause and… Guinevere.
She had no time to truly consider them; but her mind instantly replayed some things she had never forgotten about them all. Things she will not allow herself to forget. The door opened.
When Merlin finally got to Morgana's stall, he wished he had outrun Malfoy and his second-rate goons. But they were stupid as they looked, not as slow as he hoped.
Draco was raising his hand at Harry. "-I can help you with that."
Harry Potter shook his head, ever so slightly. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks." Merlin grinned, James would be proud…
Draco flinched slightly. Annoyance and anger appeared on his features, perhaps he had been told 'no', and the spoiled boy could not take it. "I'd be careful of I were you, Potter. Unless you are a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents." Morgana growled angrily. "They did not know what was good for them, either. You hang around riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it will rub off on you."
Morgana snarled at the obvious low blow; and jumped bent on now dealing with the spoiled prat on her own. He glared daggers at him. "Get out of here, Malfoy." She ordered. "I will not repeat myself." Her fury over the comments on Lily Evans (and James) made her shake with a silent and dangerous white hot rage.
"You do not tell me what to do. Stinky little Mudblood!" Ron gasped and jumped in Malfoy's general direction, screaming 'coward'. Merlin breathed loudly, hearing the disturbance from a distance. Again with that name calling, he tried to calm himself, but he was so very tempted to throw Draco off the train.
Not more than Morgana though, it took all her magical resistance not to kill the boy right there. Screw the Ministry, she could kill half the world and Azkaban would be, oh too far. Like any Auror could catch her…
Harry looked confused, and a bit angry. He too, jumped on Malfoy despite the fact they were out numbered and outmatched. Gryffindor the both of them. Merlin could tell, he had enchanted the hat himself.
Whether Harry knew what it meant or not, he was defending a girl he barely knew. An awful amount of loyalty, as far as the Old Warlock was concerned; maybe Hufflepuffs too? Who knew?
The hat would do it's job, as good as ever.
"Ron, Harry. No." Morgana hissed. Standing up and walking at Draco. Right on his face. "Get out." said she, anger and annoyance in her chest. "Or I will make you spit real rats out of that little mouth of yours." Her hands, grasped her wand and pulled it out, not pointing at the boy, just smoothing her fingers over the wood.
"Why you little-" Malfoy began. He took his wand too, like if…
He could never surpass her, not even in New Magic which was more native to him than to her. She had had thousand of years to learn, her dueling skills were unmatched by teachers, students, maybe even Albus Dumbledore. All, except Merlin. Who knew if she could beat him? They had practiced of course, dueled even… But now? They had done no practice in a century and no real dueling in a Millennia.
And she wouldn't admit it, but he had grown much stronger. And he didn't lack the finesse he had lacked when he was a youth. But she had risen too…
Finally Merlin decided that he had had enough. "Malfoy!" He said, stepping through the gate. "Move Goyle! What exactly do you think you are doing, Draco?" Martin was glaring at the pureblood, and he walked to Morgana.
"Oh, he was being a bully, Martin." Morgana managed to say, too angry to speak again.
"What is it to you, Ambrose?" Draco growled. He pointed his wand at him, Merlin raised his hands in a quick surrender motion; before Malfoy turned it back at Morgana. Merlin sighed. Bad idea, she had a temper...
Perhaps Lucius had taught him a deeply ugly dark spell in secret like Pure-Blood/Dark Magic maniacs always did. And getting hit wasn't in her plans, and even if she was willing, not from Draco.
"I do not like bullies, Malfoy. And neither does Myredero." Answered Merlin. In fact he hated them, not as much as Morgana. To say the truth, he never knew anyone who could hold a grudge like the Priestess, not even Arthur; who seemed to have a gift for it.
She seemed to have inherited that from Uther. And she knew it, and was trying her best to change. But in this case, her best was not exactly very good.
"I do not believe that Mr. Ambrose will be interested." Malfoy sneered.
"Perhaps, he will."
"Maybe he does not care about you or your Mudblood pet here." Merlin opened his mouth furiously to counter, but Morgana was quicker. She lifted her wand and a clear sharp crack sound and a orange flash hit Draco in the mouth. He staggered back and fell to the floor.
Goyle and Crabbe growled under Morgana's wand and staggered out of the room like threatened lions. Promising revenge on loud deep growls. Morgana felt annoyed, even between DeathEaters there was no loyalty. A time bomb all of them.
A nasty thought jumped in her mind. Had she been any different? Morgana narrowed her eyes and pushed it aside.
"Mor… Ellaine!" Merlin screamed.
Morgana glared at him. "I warned him." She said. Merlin face palmed himself.
"You do not do these things to people!" He hissed. Draco moaned in pain and tripped trying to stand. Meanwhile Ron whispered to Harry how much he wished he had a muggle camera. (1) And then he said something about the size of digital ones…
"Oh, come on!" Morgana yelled. "Is not like you have never consider doing that!" Malfoy tried to stand, he choked suddenly, and then spat out a mouse which hissed and crawled out; running out the door. Morgana grinned.
Merlin sighed.
A forth year girl coming from the bathroom back to her stall, shrieked and jumped running away yelling "Rat!" Many doors closed immediately.
Morgana sighed. "It is actually a mouse." She mumbled, "I do not know what went wrong." Ron and Harry were laughing hysterically in the background.
Draco yelped something that sounded like 'My father'. And slipped away with his tail between his legs. Merlin glared at Morgana and she smiled at him. "Draco wait!" He glared at Morgana one last time. And hurried after the boy.
Merlin followed the mice, he saw many people laughing behind the glass. "Draco I have to stop it!" He saw a flash of silver blond run into the Bathroom. He followed to the slammed locked door. Merlin sighed. "Draco, I can stop it!"
"Go Away!" He waffled, sounding like he had spat out another mouse as he talked. The Immortal thought that he heard a sob afterwards, what was Morgana thinking? She shouldn't be doing such a cruel thing to such a young boy. It was not a lesson, it was cruelty; plain and simple.
It reminded him of a time when Harry's father was a teenager and he was a bully. The priestess had had enough, and took on giving him a lesson. James had limped for a month, despite Madam Pomfrey's best efforts;
Funnily enough, James finally begun maturing up after that one.
Merlin remembered seeing Morgana glance threateningly at the boy when James raised his wand at a fellow student. Whatever had happened afterwards, she had furiously attacked Potter. Whose skills in dueling had not saved him…
She had demolished his shield and if Merlin had not intervened. Might have thrown him off the castle into the lake.
But Harry's father had been 16 then, Draco was barely 11. Merlin grimaced.
"You don't want to spit rats the rest of the trip, do you?"
A click sounded beyond the door, and Merlin opened the door. He yelped and jumped as a few – eight mice ran out of the bathroom. The Warlock shook and then sighed, "I am sorry."
When the castle came to view, all the children hurried to the window. Full with emotions. The first years usually had feelings of awe and a bit of fear. But this year however there were two whose emotions did not really fit... Far from the margin.
But they were not truly first years, really; and they had felt worse -much worse. But now both were feeling a sort of nostalgic sadness that would not seem right for a eleven year-old.
And also their sadness were as different from each other's as they were from the witless children they were seating with. Morgana for instance was just preparing for something she truly wished to avoid, but knew she wouldn't.
Seeing Helena, and not being able to hug her daughter always broke her heart. Even until now, the Gray Lady did not know who the new year was, she never knew that Rowena was alive anyway... And Morgana never had the heart to tell her. She did not fear the Ghost's reaction, but hers.
Hell, Helena never even knew that Rowena was Morgana.
If the Priestess, in telling; broke down in front of her daughter; she might lose control and her powers may become destructive. Maybe one day she could do it. But for now, she would avoid her entirely; she was not ready.
And then seeing the Bloody Baron also infuriated her. She would seethe with anger, and more than once Morgana had almost decided to exorcise the bastard out of the castle.
If Merlin had not bound her powers the first twenty times, perhaps Peeves would be Slytherin ghost. And hell he was not a ghost, and Morgana wanted to chuck him out too. But the Baron… Whatever Emrys wanted with Baron Blutig (2), she wanted nothing to do with him.
She had trusted the ghost once, when he was alive; but never again. The Baron had taken the most important thing she ever had.
Merlin did feel rage and some hate, but he had easier time letting go of it than Morgana ever did. After all, holding grudges could be dangerous. He had learned that much.
Now it worried her however Merlin would react to the little curse she had placed on Malfoy. And then it worried her more whether she had spend the Malfoy-Humiliated-Curse, it had been public. And she was a girl.
Damn. Perhaps she should recast it on Draco. And then something worried her even more, the Old Religion had made her feel like she was supposed to protect the Malfoy brat. Just after first seeing the brat for the first shop in the Ice-cream parlor. Like if…
But maybe, just maybe, if she ignored it, someone else would take it over for her. If anyone at all.
But then a small feeling deep inside told her, than she couldn't avoid Malfoy any much than Emrys could have done with Arthur.
Grounds of Hogwarts. 19:02
Climbing out of the train had been both extenuating and confusing for Martin Ambrose. Before he had even noticed, he was in the boats.
Awful little boats, couldn't they just walk? The boats moving on their own was too much of a reminder of the Island of the Blessed.
He knew he avoided that place because of Arthur. He was going that way at the very end, when his brother, had died. But had he used any magic on the King or climbed Arthur onto Kilgharrah, would have stoked the magic on the blade. Arthur would have died quite sooner. (3)
If only had he not alienated Morgana, perhaps together they might have saved him. He understood Morgana's hate to the Pendragons, but her hate for Emrys, had been created by himself and his actions.
Not that it matter now. But then after Arthur died, gone to the fae, demanding to learn their magical wisdom, how could have he cured his brother…
Instead, a thousand years later he was stopping the effect of a cast on a child, by Morgana, of all people. What had even driven her into cursing Malfoy? What was she thinking? He had voiced this when he sat next to her in the bloody boat.
"I warned him, Martin. I did." Morgana defended. She did not look any happier than he over the travel arrangements. Her eyes were glaring at the water, almost like daring a creature appearing on the shore.
Merlin groaned. "Ellaine, that was downright foolish!" He hissed. "Cursing Draco like that." He almost slapped himself, 'Of course, Merlin, spread it to the winds!'
A couple of twins sitting with them, with red hair piped. "I am sorry, Fred and George, here." He introduced himself and his brother. "But did you say 'Draco'?" Said the first. Fred, he supposed. Were they not too old to go in the boats.
"Draco Malfoy?" George asked.
Morgana nodded. "Yes, the one and only. I am Ellaine by the way." There was something in that look they gave her when she said Malfoy that screamed 'Weasley'. Not the good nice and passive ones, but the strong, reckless, funny, and slightly hot-headed. The Warlock just hoped that they would not try flirting on Ellaine when she got 'older'.
He bit his lip. It was not to him to care whether they did so or not, Morgana could take care of herself. And everyone flirted with her, or rather – she flirted with everyone. All the time.
"We heard."
"You are Ellaine…"
"And he is Martin." Merlin bit his lip, these two surprised him. In contrast to James Potter and Sirius, the twins almost made Harry's father, and his best friend; look tame. He would know, he had taught them himself.
He usually took pride in being insightful and capable of reading people quite easily. But sometimes that was a burden. He tended to understand people before even knowing them.
"What did you do?" His twin whispered.
"Forget that." The other red head said. "Was it funny?" Merlin shook his head. Morgana smiled. That sort of behavior should not be encouraged! The Priestess sometimes seemed like such a lost cause…
She giggled. "He was speaking more 'rat' than usual." She answered.
George and Fred were not slow on the intake, they burst out laughing. And Merlin probably would have found it funny had he not seen the aftermath on the boy. Poor Draco, too exhausted, stunned and hurt to even yell at him.
The Malfoy had run over to his stall, and locked Merlin, Goyle and Crabbe out. The old warlock had cast a silent spell. If the boy needed to, say, cry; he should do it alone. Undisturbed.
Another redhead who they had not seen, fixing his glasses burst out a few minutes later. "You made him spit rats?!" He growled angrily and in a matter that seemed almost, pompously. "That is unsettling and dangerous, fighting with magic outside of school! On your first year! I am taking points as soon as you get into a house, I will!"
"Ignore our, 'charming' brother." Fred grinned, looking at the prefect. Who looked back in warning. Merlin was heavily reminded of George the Manservant.
George nodded. "He has never kissed a girl, Percy."
"That makes him grumpy." Said Fred. "We think."
"Shut up, you!" The older one hissed, appalled. He seemed like wanting to say they were wrong. "I will report this to Dumbledore!" He declared.
"Were the boats not only for four?" Morgana retorted. "Perhaps, you should report that as well. What happened? Didn't want to use the carriages?" Her grin was a self satisfied smug one that Merlin was very much familiar with. "Or did a girl refuse to let you be in hers?"
"Now see here, young –" The teenager started. Now he seemed like a grown up. Sad, children and teenagers had the right to be getting into trouble and acting half-childish. But some were born adults nowadays.
Serious, Heavy, and Pompous.
Morgana argued, voice laced with sarcasm. "Now listen to me, Mr. President. You do as you will, but do shut up." And then she pointed at him with her hand. "Or. I throw you into the lake!"
"Ellaine!" Merlin yelled. Regardless of not having her wand out, Percy flinched and his hand clumsily skipped his hand to the leather holster on his hip.
"I am a prefect!" Percy yelled. Morgana growled, she was; is a Founder! No prefect talked to her like that. Hogwarts was HERS. Hers Alone!
"Who Cares?" George added, Percy the Prefect glared at him, but shut up after threatening Morgana, he'd get her expelled. Which she answered with a growl.
"I am Myredero Ambrose's ward, do so and I will make bloody sure you do not see the inside of a Ministry Office, ever - if not to clean it." Her answer had Percy blinking in shock.
Merlin groaned. Morgana did never take a threat nicely. Fred and George made loud animals sounds.
George jumped next to Morgana. "Now…" He laughed, Morgana grinned back at him. Pulling her hair back, Merlin hissed, was she flirting? Of course, she was. That was how she kept people under tabs. Except James Potter, she never flirted with him, only threatened the boy. But that seemed to work well with him too.
Merlin preferred Morgana threatening than flirting. But he supposed the Twins, were ergh… nice.
Fred grinned. "How big were those rats?"
George placed his hand to his neck and made a grimace. "Did he choke?" Morgana smiled harder if possible.
"They were actually mice." Merlin chuckled. Though he found nothing funny about it. Apparently laughing on people's misery was a thing now. Everyone did it, not only Rabid Tyrant Kings like Uther.
"I meant them to be rats!" Morgana sighed. But then she grinned mischievously. "I will try it again later." George and Fred smiled. It was obvious they liked the vibrant brown-haired girl. After all they personality adjusted with one another.
Between the laughter, Percy Weasley spluttered indignantly. And Merlin rolled his eyes.
Who knew what the Weasley Twins were doing there?
Usually, to Merlin's knowledge - the rest of the school waited in the main hall. But knowing as much as he knew, they were probably planning out something, something that would make only Dumbledore smile, while the rest of the teachers growled. Maybe it would be real funny.
And where on Earth had they gotten the extra boat… It wasn't as if you could bring it as luggage, could you?
Perhaps that was why, serious and boring Percy Weasley was there too. To prevent it, he probably lacked a direct loyalty, perhaps he did care for his family; but was so lost in his ambitions. Merlin hoped the prefect would change someday. Family matters, now more than ever. Perhaps he had no sense of humor at all…
Also maybe that was why both Fred and George were keeping back, trying to look shorter and mingle in the crowd. He grinned, brought back memories of the original Marauders. Being a teacher then had been a challenging experience.
Now Albus, he had attended with him at school, it was hard to keep a low profile with Albus Dumbledore being as good as he was. He went out with him and decided to get some glory too. And then Morgana had been the teacher.
Now, As far as anyone was concerned, Marcus Ambrose had died about three decades ago. It was hard to let go when you forced yourself to lose something.
Merlin supposed that it would be a fine year, this one. Despite having a prefect who is a real George, not the Weasley one, but the one from Camelot. By-The-Book fools.
As if any book could teach you what experience needed to… He actually approved of students out at night. How else would they learn not to do it. Let them get caught.
The Forbidden Section in the Library? Let them see it; they would be scarred for lifetime. Just take those books that are truly dangerous and put them away. Leave the ugly, terrifying ones at front.
The Forbidden Forest? Let them have a picnic there. The werewolves won't mind. Watched over, yes, but controlled, nobody liked being subjugated.
Ordering not to do it only makes students WANT to do it. If you WARN them, and show you CARED they grew up just fine. He knew that, he had been teaching and convening with students for 900 years! Who would know better? Certainly not Percival Weasley. They finally got to the staircase and climbed to the main door.
Who ever thought of a port when building the school? Right. Himself. But it was just an idea, not meant to be used apart from nice and flashy decoration.
Hagrid raised his fist and knocked on the door, regardless of who did it, Merlin knew that if it wasn't the giant man no one would hear it. It was heavy oak from a bygone forest. Muggles and their destruction, they plowed it down, to build London's main area. Which had burned off in the great fire… 1700's, caused by Wizards too.
A few seconds later the door opened wide, and Merlin smiled. "Here we go, again." Morgana glanced at him.
Morgana became a little annoyed at children pushing to see things. They did not have to shove, they WERE going to live here for a whole seven years! But no, they kept kicking her around, messing her hair! She kept fixing the problem over and over again. Trying to keep her hair undercontrol, why did she even bother?
Soon Minerva McGonagall had walked down the staircase. Morgana smiled, she had been her professor once. While Merlin had been her classmate. And Morgana supposed; friend.
But more lastly, Merlin had taught alongside the shrewd professor.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid boomed. The stern looking woman smiled. In a very stern way, too.
"Thank you, Hagrid." She said. She said something that neither Morgana nor Merlin truly caught and just walked away. They followed quickly. The professor opened the door to an old chamber/classroom and the kids scrambled in.
Though it may have been forgotten, Merlin (and Morgana) knew exactly what that class was. It was the old Latin class. Not that it mattered anymore, the Ministry of Magic had erased it from the curriculum centuries ago.
Again the professor spoke but there was too many whispers and powerful thoughts flying in the tiny room and the Immortals' heads bounced with them. Perhaps they, too; were too excited to be able to push those off.
Then the woman turned sharply and closed the door. On the Weasley Twins faces. Despite the red heads many screams and complains. But most of the children were all to excited to care really. Maybe they did not notice.
Occlumancy and Legimancy came easy to them both. So easy that they did it, with little effort or thinking.
A little brown haired girl exclaimed and pointed. Morgana turned and was instantly filled with much sorrow and pain.
Helena.
Her little girl. Right there, dead. Merlin looked at Helena too and went to grab Morgana's hand, knowing full well what Helena entitled to the priestess. Who squeezed hard, and Merlin yelped. "Ow!"
"Sorry." She pulled back.
"It's okay." Muttered he. But she was gone, lost among the children. Merlin sighed, he turned to look at the girl he had raised. Sometimes Morgana forgot that he was Helena's father.
The door opened again and Merlin huffed, pushing all nervous thoughts aside. He climbed in to the enormous hall.
His mind replayed the many events he had seen. The lanterns were made of iron, now. Originally it had been gold, but they were replaced when they began turning dark by the heat. He should have used a spell to repel it but he had forgotten the effect of magical fire on metals as soft as gold.
How many years had Hogwarts been his home? Every time he was back, he wondered why he would return… Would it be without meaning yet again? Would this moment ever come? Had it truly had?
Everything pointed that it indeed arrived… But then the Old Religion played it's cards close to the chest. Things could simply be the book's cover. A prologue to the real story. And they were but a bid.
Per instructions, the whole line of newcomers got into position. The Sorting was about to begin. Merlin listened to the song half-heartedly, whatever happened this year… Being Harry, the one, or not; it would greatly matter.
McGonagall stood up front with the old sorting hat, maybe Morgana should have made it a statue or something instead… Poor thing, it had nothing better to do than sort people out, and gather dust afterwards for an entire year.
A'N There you go!
Please point me out any mistakes you find so I may change it.
(1) Ron would have heard about them I suppose. And Wizard Camera's as depicted in the movie are big and heavy; he would have gone for the other one.
(2) Meaning Blood in German. You see. Baron 'Blood'.
(3) A most desired and needed explanation.