Merlin's Chosen

Summary: Arthur has slept in Avalon, the otherworldly place just beyond the reach of magic for all but Merlin and his chosen, recovering from the injuries sustained in the battle at Camlann. Years have passed and times have changed and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has taken its place on the edge of the Lake of Avalon, unknown to modern witches and wizards. The world is in need of the Once and Future King to protect Albion again but to do that the immortal Merlin, the man that has learned to live backward, must be there and he is nowhere to be found. It is now the job of Merlin's Chosen. Only, Harry Potter thinks he's going mental. This is based on the mountains that are around the movie version of Hogwarts and the lake that Merlin takes Freya to in season 2 episode 9.

Chapter XII:

Harry sat across from Sirius nursing a nearly-cold cup of tea. The rest of the school was having breakfast a couple of floors away and Harry should have been there, sitting beside Ron and Hermione, excited that he was heading back to classes after a month, but after the encounter by the lake with a woman named Freya, who stood on top of the water, he really couldn't bring himself to care.

"When did this all start?" Sirius asked quietly. They had sat in near silence since Harry showed up at his door just after six. After a quick fire-call to Madame Pomfrey so she wouldn't worry, he sat Harry in an armchair and set to making tea.

Harry sighed. "When I arrived here at school." Harry looked up with a calculating look. "Remind me to thank Freya if I ever see her again." At Sirius' confusion he said, "I think she's the one who healed my bruises from my almost kidnapping."

"Do you think it was her that stopped it? You know, to get you to Hogwarts."

Harry thought about it. "No, I don't think so. I think I did it."

"How so?"

"My magic is more intent-based now, isn't it?" Sirius nodded. "Well, I certainly didn't want to go with him, so I didn't."

"What about when you got to Hogwarts?"

"I thought I was going mental," Harry admitted. Sirius waited as Harry blanched at the cold sip of tea. "I was hearing voices all over the castle and the last time that happened people almost died. Thankfully, this time they were mostly criticizing teaching styles." Harry said with a smile and Sirius snorted. "I kept seeing people in the mist, though I guess that makes sense now, and then there was the thing with my magic." Harry shrugged. "I'm not…" He looked up and caught his godfather's eye. "Look… I'm not used to people caring about me. I know that Ron and Hermione do and the rest, but they aren't around much and you…" Harry flinched and Sirius looked on sad. "I don't blame you. Really, I don't. I'm just not used to it."

Sirius sighed and leaned forward in his chair. "I'm glad that you don't blame me, but, Harry, how do you know this isn't a ploy by Voldemort?"

"The journal," Harry said. "She called herself Freya. She features quite heavily in the… narrative." Harry pulled a face and Sirius knew it was being bound by family magic. He told me how she died and it all fits. She's not working for Voldemort."

Sirius nodded. "So what do you need me to do?"

Harry took a cleansing breath as if fortifying himself. "I need to find Merlin and I have no idea where to start."

"Merlin?!" Sirius said, incredulous. "Merlin of King Arthur's court? Said to be the most powerful wizard ever? That Merlin?" Harry nodded. "He's dead if he existed at all."

"It is said he learned how to live backward." There was a faraway look in Harry's eyes. "The way Freya talked he isn't and has roamed the earth since the Battle at Camlann, since laying Arthur to rest in Avalon." Sirius wondered if it was the morning light through the windows, but it was still raining, that was turning Harry's eyes golden.

"Did Freya give you any idea where to start?" Harry was fighting for control and Sirius reached out to ground him with a hand on his knee. Harry shook his head a few times and opened his eyes to the normal green and Sirius sighed in relief.

"The journal," Harry repeated a little breathless. "The journal and the key, but I have no idea what it could be to."

"Have you finished reading the journal?" Harry shook his head. "Then finish reading it and maybe we'll, well, you'll find out."

Harry stood and refreshed his cup of tea. "Have you heard anything about Voldemort?"

"He's been quiet since the ministers went missing. And the muggle government just held emergency elections when the body of the Prime Minister turned up not long after he disappeared. We know it isn't true, but the crown is trying to hush it all up," Sirius explained. "As for our side, Madame Bones was named temporary minister while the Wizengamot calls for an election sometime in the next couple of months."

"Can they do that when we aren't sure if Fudge is dead?"

Sirius turned gleeful. "After everything that has happened in the last few years they've been waiting to replace him in a way that he couldn't get back into office." Harry snorted.

"Has Professor Dumbledore said anything?" Harry drew his legs up into the armchair with his teacup perched precariously on the chair arm.

Sirius stood and refilled his own cup. "Ever since you woke up, he's been dropping hints about training and something else, but I've been heading him off about it."

Harry smiled into his knees and muttered a thank you. "I don't want to add any more to what's going on. And I almost think that Voldemort is the least of my worries."

"What do you mean?"

"I just have a feeling that something is coming, but Voldemort has very little to do with it and he doesn't even know it."

"Fantastic. And whatever it is, it's possibly worse than Voldemort."

Harry shrugged. "Then we just hope they take care of each other."

Sirius snorted and the bell indicating that breakfast was over rang over the grounds. Harry groaned. "Off to classes then. Oh, Merlin! All my stuff is in the hospital wing and I really don't want to face Madame Pomfrey right now."

"Don't worry, I called her while you were in the kitchen. She isn't very happy with you and wants to see you during your free hour, but she sent your things over. Go change real quick and we can head to class. At least you have Defense first and I hear the Professors are pretty laid back."

Harry snorted out a laugh and rolled his eyes as he headed to the bathroom to change.

The dungeon was dark, dank, and cold.

A man in a lime green bowler hat huddled against the wall in a futile attempt to keep warm.

Across from him, another man sat huddled, but he sat glaring at his fellow prisoner through the darkness.

Neither man really knew how long since they were taken thanks to that perpetual darkness, but they knew it had to be weeks, if not months.

Both men looked up sharply at the old lock grinding to unlocked and the squeaking door as it opened. A man with a silver hand and wooden stick descended the stairs and the bowler hat tried to sink further into the stone. The other stood and with a much malice as he could muster, said, "I demand that you release me! You have committed treason against the Crown —"

The stick waved and the man was silenced even if his mouth still moved.

"We ceased to recognize the Crown's," the word's said with a sneer. "Power the day they tried to murder our kind in the streets." Another man followed silver hand. Light flooded the dungeon and the two men recoiled as their eyes adjusted and at the sight of the snake-faced Dark Lord.

"Minister Fudge," Lord Voldemort greeted. "I do not think we have had the pleasure of meeting."

"What do you want with us?" Minister Fudge managed to get out around his terror.

"What do you think, Minister Fudge? That is quite enough of that." The other minister was flung against the wall with a flash of red light and Minister Fudge flinched.

"Careful now," Another man said from the shadows of the stairs. "We need them both alive."

"Tedious, but true," Lord Voldemort said. "Wormtail, do revive the muggle and give them both their dinner. As was said, we need them both alive."

"Yes, My Lord," Wormtail said and two trays appeared them and Fudge watched as his counterpart slowly regained consciousness.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into the growing darkness.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry called into the surprisingly empty ward. Harry gratefully took a break from his pile of homework to visit the matron after the morning he had.

"Ah, Mr. Potter," Madame Pomfrey said peeking from her office. "Thank you for returning." She gestured to a chair and he sat.

"I'm sorry I left so early this morning, but I had a pretty bad nightmare and really wanted to talk to Sirius. Er… Professor Black." Harry knew it was a weak lie, but it gave a good reason to why he ended up at Sirius' door.

Madame Pomfrey smiled kindly and Harry tried not to squirm. "It's quite all right. I did say that you could leave this morning. I just wasn't expecting it to be so early." She patted his shoulder. "I'm glad you're okay. And you most certainly are, considering. You can go and not come back for a really, really long time."

Harry smiled at the joke and hoped it would be just like she said. "Finally!" He stood, thanking her and heading out the door.

Classes were just ending and Harry was looking forward to Transfiguration. He caught sight of Ron and Hermione before realizing the Headmaster stood just beyond them and he clearly wanted to talk to Harry. Harry tried not to look panicked and smiled in relief when Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared beside the headmaster. He waved off his friends and they nodded before making their way to class.

"Mr. Potter," the Auror greeted which Harry returned.

"I'm guessing you have news?" Harry asked. He had almost forgotten about his momentous start of term, at least until that morning.

"Indeed I do, Mr. Potter," the Auror said just as Sirius appeared from the crowd of students.

"Headmaster, Kingsley," Sirius greeted. His godfather looked concerned. "You have news then?"

Kingsley nodded. "Headmaster, do you have someplace we can talk?"

"Actually, my office is available," Sirius said quickly. "It's closer and I'm sure both of you are busy today."

"That would be perfect," Kingsley said. "Thank you."

"I am afraid you'll have to meet without me. Professor Snape has some pressing matters that he wished to discuss," Professor Dumbledore said. Harry couldn't help but see that he looked worried.

"Of course, Headmaster," Kingsley said. "Should I see myself off the grounds or do you wish for Professor Black to escort me?"

"I believe that an escort would be the best course," Professor Dumbledore said before moving off through the thinning crowd.

"Was it just me or did he seem distracted?" Kingsley observed.

Sirius shrugged. "Just as well," he said before leading them to his office. A bell rang and the last minute students rushed to make the closing doors.

"Is Remus in class?" Kingsley asked. Sirius nodded and offered them tea before making a quick fire call to Professor McGonagall to let her know where Harry was. Sirius let out a small groan as he finally sat and let the tea serve itself.

"We made a deal that I would be the one to meet with whoever came with news along with Harry," Sirius explained. "Thankfully it's a test day so Remus doesn't really need me." Sirius took a sip of his tea. "So why you, Kingsley? Why not Tonks or someone else from the Order?"

"Because of the sensitive nature of the information," Kingsley said. "The Death Eater gave us a lot more than we were expecting." Kingsley took a sip of his tea and blanched and added more sugar. "The Death Eaters are splintering and as far as the one we arrested is concerned, You-know-who has no idea that they even tried taking Harry."

"So what does that mean?" Harry asked.

"You-know-who didn't even want Harry?" Sirius asked.

"According to his would-be kidnapper, no," Kingsley said. "They were hoping to impress him by bringing Harry."

Harry pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them ignoring his tea that was perched once again on the arm of the chair and Sirius looked on with concern. "So what is causing the splinter?"

Kingsley sighed and the teapot poured him a fresh cup. "From what we could understand from the man, there is a new player."

Harry tensed and his teacup crashed to the floor. "What?" Sirius asked sharply. "What do you mean 'what you could understand'?"

"Something was going on with the mark and it was driving him insane," Kingsley said shooting a concerned look at Harry.

Sirius stood and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder trying to calm him, but Harry shot up and started pacing. "I knew it!" He kept saying. "I had a feeling and Voldemort has no clue what he is dealing with."

Sirius stood in front of his repeated path and from Kingsley's view. Harry stopped in front of him and Sirius could see that he was once again fighting for control, for the second time that day. "Harry," Sirius said and was glad when that's all it took. "So you think Albus knows?" Sirius directed the question to Kingsley as he watched Harry reign it in.

"It might be what Severus needed to tell him," Kingsley mused.

"So we wait until we figure out what it all means," Sirius said pointedly looking Harry in the eye until Harry nodded and he pulled his godson into a hug. He glanced behind him and dared the Auror to say something, but Kingsley stood and gave him a reassuring smile. He reached for a pair of handshakes and said, "See me out, Sirius?"

"Sure, Kingsley," Sirius said a little stunned. Sirius pulled away from the hug and stopped briefly at his desk to write a note for Harry. "There is still some time for your class if you're up for it. I know Professor McGonagall was looking forward to your return."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Sirius." The older men watched him move down the corridor with different degrees of concern.

"Is he okay?" Kingsley asked.

Sirius sighed. "Not really, but we are working on it and I would appreciate if you don't say anything to Albus."

"Don't worry about that," Kingsley said. "Now tell me about your term. How are the students treating you?"

As the walked to the gates, the pair laughed as Sirius told stories about his various students.

… … …

Harry sank into the empty seat next to Neville with a grateful look at Professor McGonagall's soft look as she took his note.

"Alright there, Harry?" Neville whispered, pushing his notes in his direction. Harry merely smiled and glancing through the proffered notes while taking his own. He didn't notice the shrug Neville shot Ron and Hermione.