Chapter 22
Hey guys so here's another chapter. I'm gonna try to get one more up in the next week or so because I'm on break so I have all this time and I really don't know what to do with it. Btw just thought I'd mention that I've never laughed harder then when I saw someone had commented on this story and I was super excited to read it and it was like the most incomprehensible anon message asking for lemon. I love you anon, that was hilarious and I hope you're living your best life; just thought I'd share.
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Merlin closed the heavy door softly behind him as he eyed the sleeping form on the large bed pushed against the wall. He slowly slipped his shoes off and placed them into a corner of the room before stretching and gathering some of the books he had left in Arthur's room for him to read. Again, he glanced towards the sleeping lump on the red bedspread before rolling his eyes and grabbing the thick wool blanket he had used on the chair the night before and draping it over the King's sleeping form.
Merlin grabbed his overcoat from the dark oak table pushed haphazardly into the corner and swung it over his shoulders before grabbing his good winter boots and leaving Arthur to sleep in peace. It was only then that he realized that him and Arthur were basically living together at this point and he still hadn't told him anything about the modern world. A pang of guilt hit Merlin square in the chest as he glanced back at the stone wall that hid the king.
Taking a deep breath, he tore his eyes away and rushed down the empty halls of the castle back to his official quarters. As he entered the room, his eyes wandered to the now empty display case that once held Excalibur above the still roaring fire lighting the space. A very thin layer of dust coated the entire room from disuse. Merlin purposefully strode across the room and grabbed a handful of green powder, he quickly placed his armful of books on a small table before stepping into the fire.
"Number Twelve Grimmauld Place" he announced, disappearing with a small pop into the emerald green flames.
As soon as he stepped out of the fire he was greeted by seven pairs of eyes looking his way.
"Hullo Ben...or uh..." greeted Sirius immediately before catching himself.
Merlin smiled and shrugged, "Ben is fine, I don't really care what you choose to call me."
"Alright then" said Sirius crossing his arms awkwardly.
"Minerva filled us all in on the situation" explained Molly Weasley, motioning to the seat next to her. Merlin smiled at her before removing his jacket and taking the seat offered.
"Even if you know the official story, I'm sure you still have questions?" Merlin asked, rubbing his hands together rather nervously. Everyone nodded and Merlin attempted his most reassuring smile, "please, ask away."
Molly gave him a rather uncertain look, "are you sure Dear? I know all you must have been doing over the past few days is answer questions."
Merlin gave a warm smile to the kind woman, despite now knowing who he was she still treated with the same unabashed kindness, "It's fine, you deserve answers."
"I'll go first then" announced Tonks, "I guess this rather personal, but what is your relationship with Arthur like? I've always wondered as that seems to be the only think every single magical historian disagrees on."
"Hm, I guess I should start from the beginning" Merlin said, suddenly lost in memories, "I met him when I first arrived in Camelot. He was the crowned Prince of one of the most powerful kingdoms in the region and was very aware of it. Long story short when I first saw him he was acting like an absolute clodpole. But after I saved his life from a witch trying to kill him as repentance for Uther, Arthur's father, killing her son I was appointed as Arthur's manservant.
"Eventually I learned that Arthur and I were meant to unite the lands of Albion together from a frustratingly cryptic dragon and we spent the years together. We became friends; brothers even. I probably had to save his royal ass at least once a week but...even though Prince Arthur was a stubborn prick, unaware of his privilege, and unfit to lead; King Arthur is a man I would gladly give my life for."
"So...close then" laughed Tonks and Merlin smiled at her.
"So we can trust him?" asked Arthur Weasley, folding his hands on the table.
"As much as you can trust me" Merlin answered, seemingly sateing the man.
"As curious as I am about you Merlin, I have to know, what is being done about that woman?" Arthur continued, furrowing his brow, "we can't just let her get away with torturing our children."
Merlin nodded, "I agree we need to put the needs of the students first, but she has been granted complete immunity under the Ministry and I have no idea what to do within the confines of Magical Bureaucracy."
"Does she have any allies within the school, any idea who you are?" asked Molly.
"No" Merlin and Minerva answered at the same time.
"So her grip there is weak" concluded Remus, "I believe that instead of directly trying to expel her from Hogwarts we should speak to Minister Fudge about this. The man is paranoid enough that Hogwarts is plotting to overthrow him without us actually overthrowing his representative in the school. I believe that if one of us meets with him first and tells him it may end in our favor. Fudge may be paranoid and self serving, but he is not evil. I doubt he knows about how she is punishing the students."
Everyone in the room nodded at Remus's diplomatic solution, "who shall we choose to send then?" asked Minerva, "I believe it would be best to send someone on the Hogwarts staff but...the Minister would never trust me, Albus and I are too close."
"I agree that having the information come from someone on the Hogwarts staff would make the source of it seem more reliable, but what makes us believe that Fudge won't come to the conclusion that Albus secretly sent them to get rid of Umbridge?" asked Arthur Weasley, brow furrowed.
"The man's crazy, I doubt there's any one of us we could send that he would completely trust" sighed Sirius.
"Maybe if we sent Severus?" asked Merlin, getting a few surprised looks; one from Severus himself.
"Well I mean he's most likely to trust someone from Slytherin and not to be rude Severus but you're not known for your compassion. If you went in with a complaint about her treatment of the students it might be taken more seriously" Merlin explained.
"Yes but I am also a head of house and one of Albus's closest confidents" Severus said, in a monotone voice.
"Ah, yes well there's always that" Merlin winced.
"What about you B... Merlin?" asked Molly.
"Me? Why me?" asked Merlin, eyes wide with surprise.
"Well dear, you were the first of us to get proof of Umbridge's actions and didn't you mention that Blaise Zabini gave you a list of students who had served detention under Umbridge? And I won't be the first to mention that you are the more diplomatic of us"
"You may be right, although I believe Remus is our most diplomatic member" Merlin conceded and the werewolf blushed slightly.
"And despite your position as staff, you've only been there for a semester or so which could make your loyalty to the school questionable in some people's eyes" added Remus.
"And you only spent three or four months under Dumbledore so in Fudge's eyes you probably don't know him all that well" chimed in Sirius.
"You're also a Slytherin" said Snape, giving the other teacher a unidentifiable look.
"Well if you put it that way I guess I am the best option" laughed Merlin, leaning back in his chair.
"I can ask Fudge's secretary to try to set up a meeting with a Hogwarts teacher regarding information he knows" suggested Arthur, "I'm sure that will peak his interests."
Merlin smiled, "Thank you Arthur, I'll do my best to prepare some notes and evidence."
"Now that we have that smoothed over I believe we should all go get some sleep. We have a long weekend ahead of us" said Minerva, organizing the stack of paper she had been writing on.
The other six people in the room agreed and each member of the order present at the moment began to gather their things and head home.
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When Merlin finally stepped out of his fireplace at Hogwarts it was well past two in the morning. The logs lie just golden pieces of charcoal barely illuminating the surrounding room. Merlin blinked a few times in attempt to wake up his eyes before turning to examine his extensive book shelves. After a moment or so he grabbed a folded worn piece of paper and a rather thick but modern book and tucked them up under his arm. The warlock yawned once before he went on his way back to the hidden room.
He climbed the six sets of stairs, going up and up into the west tower where the King was hidden. Once he reached the wall, made of bricks that seemed to be nothing more than bricks, did he stop.
"Apertus" Merlin gasped, out of breath after running up so many stairs and too nervous to attempt mental magic without running the risk of blowing the entire tower to smithereens. He adjusted the materials under his arm and decided that tonight was not a night for worrying his best friend with an upcoming war, but amazing him with how the world had changed.
"Merlin" Arthur sighed as his friend walked into the room. Said friend jumped high into the air in surprise.
Arthur laughed despite his annoyance, "some things never change."
"You're awake" Merlin rolled his eyes at Arthur.
"Well seeing as I've had not much to do but sleep in the past few days, my sleeping patterns have become rather irregular" Arthur answered, crossing his arms.
"I'm sorry Arthur" Merlin answered quietly, looking down.
"I know that I'm not important in this time and it's been a couple hundred years since I was part of your life Merlin, but I wasn't expecting to be locked in a tower for three...or four days" Arthur said quietly, glancing into the darkness that lie outside his window.
"No!" yelled Merlin suddenly, taking the other man by surprise, "Arthur you are just as important in this time as you were in ours and have you forgotten the prophecy?"
"Of course n..." Arthur started.
"Two sides of the same coin" Merlin recited anxiously, "our paths will always converge Arthur, there's no way I could ever forget you." One looked at the other, both speechless and a bit uncomfortable.
"Well...now that w-we've gotten that out of the way, did you still want to...talk?" Merlin stuttered, feeling extremely awkward.
"Merlin this is the most bored I've ever been in my life" Arthur rolled his eyes, "yes I still want to talk."
Merlin smiled at this and took a seat at the end of Arthur's bed, crossing his legs and facing the King as he took a seat against the headboard.
"Where should I start?" muttered Merlin to himself.
"I have a question I've wanted to ask for about...a thousand years now" Arthur said with a playful smile.
"Shoot" Merlin said in reply.
"Shoot what?" asked Arthur, suddenly very confused.
"It means...never mind just ask your question" Merlin sighed.
"What is it like to be Emrys or Merlin or...this all powerful sorcerer. I mean it's been a millennia and you barely look different" Arthur said, sounding almost in awe for one of the first times in his life.
Merlin smiled, "well I'm actually a warlock not a sorcerer..."
"Good, warlock sounds more...illustrious" Arthur interrupted.
Merlin rolled his eyes, "as I was saying: I'm not entirely sure how to explain it. I've never known any different from...my life I guess. I guess from an outside perspective it might seem extraordinary but for me...It's just me."
Arthur nodded, "is your magic different from uh, normal magic?"
Merlin shrugged at this, "I don't know, I mean it's definitely rawer and my body can handle larger quantities of it but each magical culture practices magic differently so again it's all in the eye of the beholder."
"Wait, how can you practice magic differently?" asked Arthur, brow furrowed in confusion, "I thought it was just something people learned?"
"Well think of how mannerisms are different in Cenrad's kingdom and your own" Merlin explained, "both kingdoms grew differently and in different environments so each had distinct features. In large, western magical cultures like England or America, magic is normally performed with a wand because it's the easiest way to focus magical energy and the fastest way to cast spells, but in larger eastern magical cultures they channel their magic using sacred, circular markings for rituals. This is slower and less useful in a duel but you can't disarm them like you can a wizard using a wand."
Arthur gave Merlin a look telling him that most of the information he had just divulged had gone over his head, but nodded anyways.
"What is...England and America?" Arthur questioned.
"Countries" Merlin said with a smile, "remember the Franks?" Arthur nodded.
"That's now called France and remember the Normans?" Another nod.
"That became England, one of the most powerful countries in the world" Merlin explained.
"Country...I've never really heard of that kind of kingdom before" Arthur pondered.
"It's a nation, like a kingdom, but so much more" Merlin said excitedly, even after a thousand years the way the world evolved was still fascinating to him, "in fact kingdoms don't really even exist anymore."
"Really?" asked Arthur, now genuinely interested, "then how...?"
"Democracy" Merlin said simply.
"I feel as if I've heard that word before" Arthur said, searching his mind.
"Maybe in a book, it was invented almost five hundred years before even Camelot by the Greeks" Merlin explained, "instead of birth deciding who leads, the people who live in the country vote for their leader."
"They choose the king?" Arthur asked.
"Not a king, but yes the people choose a leader. Think about the downfall it would cause for so many monarchs if the peasants decided if they could lead or not" Merlin laughed.
"Yes..." Arthur muttered, trying to process all the new information in front of him.
"I brought you this book, I got it in America, but it's the history of western government. I think it can explain it better than I can" Merlin said, laying the thick book on the bed at his feet. Arthur picked it up, giving it a rather apprehensive glance.
"I also brought this" Merlin said with an excited smile, suddenly putting the map out on the bed in front of the two men.
"What's this?" asked Arthur.
"The world" answered Merlin simply, "Arthur I know that all you've ever known was the five kingdoms but there's so much more! The world is so vast and no one of our time ever even began to dream there was this much left to discover." He pointed to a small section of Scotland and other small parts of England. "This was the five kingdoms. These little sections of these lands. But look at the world Arthur! There's not only more than five kingdoms but seven continents!"
"I don't...I can't..." Arthur stammered, as Merlin animatedly explained the paper before him.
"Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australia, Africa, and Antarctica" Merlin said, naming and pointing to each continent.
"They're so big" Arthur whispered, "especially these three." He pointed to Russia, Canada, and the United States.
"That one is America, it's one of the most powerful countries in the world, right beside Britain" Merlin said.
"I thought America was a continent?" asked Arthur.
"It is, but it's also a country. It's part of the North American Continent, along with Canada and a bunch of other countries" Merlin said.
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose, "that's confusing." Merlin laughed.
Arthur noticed as Merlin yawned for the fifth time in the past minute, despite his excitement, "go get some sleep Merlin, I think I'll start on this book."
Merlin gave his friend a look, "are you sure Arthur? That's just non magical politics I haven't even started on all the poppycock happening in the magical world at the moment."
"There's always tomorrow."
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So I realize I could have gone into less detail with the geographical facts but I figured since Camelot was from like a thousand years ago and people knew a solid nothing about the world back then Arthur would need detail. Who would have known taking AP World History would actually have a real world application...kinda? Next chapter things heat up for Merlin a little and we finally go back to the golden trio! Sorry it's been awhile since we've seen them but I promise next chapter will be amazingly sappy! Happy Holidays everyone!