Sorry for the slow update! I'm the lead in our school's musical, and we've begun our intense practice; our show is Friday! I should have more free time after that's over, though, and will be able to update more consistently! Thanks for reading, and reviewers get a cookie!

The colors spun around Draco and Tria as they stood together. Draco instinctively grabbed Tria's hand and she gripped his tightly. After what seemed like an hour of spinning scenery and changing backgrounds, they settled in the middle of a road in a forest.

"Where are we?" Tria whispered.

"We seem to be in a forest somewhere," Draco asked irritably. Like he was any more knowledgeable than she was about their location. Or time period.

Tria glared at him. "No need for the attitude. We're stuck here, so let's at least try to figure out when we are."

But their banter was interrupted by the arrival of three horses and three riders.

Leading the party was a large boy dressed in clothes right out of the middle ages. He had dark blonde hair and eyes the color of blueberries. His sharp nose and cheekbones made for an attractive face, paired with a stocky, muscular build.

The boy behind him had jet black hair and was the skinniest boy Draco had ever seen, including Ron. Sharp cheekbones stood out on a thin, oval face and his expression was one of shock.

The final member of the trio was also the only girl, and she was a female version of the blonde boy. A more feminine version of his eyes and nose were set on a round face, and her own dark blonde hair was long and pulled back in a braid. Though the blonde boy was attractive, the features did not suit a girl's face; she was more handsome than beautiful. Even from atop her horse it was clear she was short, though she had the same stocky and muscular build as the boy who was clearly her brother.

After a brief conversation in which Tria was able to come up with a story for them (much to Draco's relief), he found himself riding on a horse with a man who just might be the most powerful and well known sorcerer ever to have lived. Draco had no idea how common the name Merlin was, this one might be the only one in Camelot or there could be a dozen others.

The ride was spent mostly in silence, with an occasional warning of a branch in the air or a bump in the road from Celeste ahead of them. It wasn't long before the castle at Camelot rose out to meet them. Draco stared at it in wonder.

Celeste led her horse into a quick trot, and Arthur and Merlin followed suit. They reached the stables of Camelot.

"You'll need to muck these out tomorrow morning, Merlin," Arthur called as he dismounted and helped Tria down.

"Perhaps you should do it yourself," Merlin muttered as he got off the horse.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sire."

Merlin helped Draco down from his horse. He had never been in a stable before, and as Draco looked around he realized that he wasn't missing out on much. The stables were messy, smelly, and filled with horseshit. Disgusting.

"Percival!" Celeste was calling cheerily to the very large man coming through the door. "Won't you help me with this deer? We'll be having venison tonight!"

"Nice catch," the big man complimented her. He wore the chainmail of a knight, though it lacked sleeves. He grabbed the deer, lifting it off the horse with ease.

"Has Gwaine returned yet?" Celeste asked, peeling off her gloves.

"No, he'll be back in about an hour," Percival told her. "But he wasn't all that happy with you when he left. Something about you leaving before he woke up."

"Ah, but the hunt was calling!" Celeste said jokingly, walking towards the door with Percival. "Dawn is the best time for it. Just as it's the time when woodworms are most active." She turned around and winked at the grinning Merlin.

"What does she mean by that?" Arthur asked Merlin as she walked away. "Woodworms…hey! Weren't you…"

"No idea what she meant, Arthur," Merlin said hastily, still grinning. "Come on, you two, let's bring you to Ethel."

Draco was curious as to what Celeste had meant about the woodworm comment and he was sure Merlin knew, but it seemed that question was one he must save for later.

"Who's Ethel?" he asked Merlin as he and Tria followed the skinny boy through the castle.

"Head Housekeeper," Merlin said. "Ethel's in charge of all the servants. She'll know where to put you to work."

As they walked, Tria leaned towards Draco and whispered in his ear, "Do you think this is the actual Merlin? The greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth!?"

"No idea," Draco whispered back, wondering the same thing himself. It didn't seem quite right that the sorcerer Merlin would be King Arthur's manservant, but he was starting to think that nothing would surprise him.

They entered the kitchens, where Merlin led them to a very skinny and sharp looking woman. Draco was reminded of Professor McGonagall.

"Ethel, this is Draco and Tria," Merlin said. "They came to Camelot looking for work."

Ethel looked them up and down, appraising them used. "It's about time Celeste got a new personal maid. It's been a fortnight since the last one got married and moved to a village in the north, and various others have been taking care of her. Tria, can you clean, wash clothes, polish armor, saddle horses, and do various odd jobs that Celeste may require of you?"

"I can clean and wash clothes and handle the odd jobs but I've no idea how to saddle a horse or polish armor."

"Merlin will teach you. Draco, why don't you help Merlin and Tria take care of the Twins? Just take care of anything Merlin and Tria need you to, does that sound acceptable."

"I suppose," Draco said uncertainly.

"I'm fine with it," Tria said cheerily. Draco was unsurprised, Tria was ever the optimist.

Merlin was grinning. "It'll be nice to have some help," he said happily.

"Good," Ethel said, nodding approvingly. "Off with you now, you start tomorrow at sunrise. You'd best not be late, Tria, Celeste is an early riser. Guinevere will help you on your first day, she's been taking care of Celeste mostly these past weeks."

As they left the kitchens, Merlin asked them, "Do you two have a place to stay?"

"No," Draco admitted. "And we haven't any money either."

Merlin thought a moment. "Well, if you're all right with kipping on the floor you can stay with me until we can set you up somewhere else. And if you don't mind me asking, what on earth are you wearing?"

"It's…um…well, let's just say we're going to need new clothes," Tria said uncomfortably.

Merlin chuckled. "That's for sure. Draco can borrow some of mine tomorrow and I'm sure Gwen will lend you a dress, Tria. Tomorrow afternoon we can get you some new clothes."

"But we don't…"

Merlin waved his hand. "You can pay me back later. I know how it is to come somewhere with nothing, though admittedly I had a few extra clothes with me. Don't you have anything?"

"Robbers on the road," Draco explained, praying that this was a plausible excuse.

Merlin nodded knowingly. "We heard reports of bandits a few days ago. That's too bad. Anyway, let's go to Gaius's chambers."

"Who's Gaius?" Draco asked.

"Court Physician," Merlin told them. "I live with him, he's my guardian."

Merlin led them through a door to a spacious room that was crammed with books, vials, plants, and furniture.

"Don't touch anything," he warned them as he led them through. At the middle of the room stood an old man with long white hair, bent over a table mixing together ingredients.

"Sleeping draught?" Tria asked the man as she watched him.

He looked up, regarding Tria with suspicion and respect.

"I see we have an aspiring physician," he commented. "Yes, this is indeed a sleeping draught. How did you know that?"

Tria flushed, and Draco guessed she was regretting her slip. He knew she was recognizing the ingredients from Potions, and as he looked at the herbs the man was using he too recognized them as the vital ingredients that he and Tria had used in making the Draught of Living Death on their very first day of their 5th year.

"I…I just…I recognized the herbs," she managed. Luckily, Gaius seemed satisfied.

"Gaius, this is Draco and Tria," Merlin introduced them for the second time. "They'll be staying with us for a few weeks, until they can find a house of their own.

"Can we fit both of them?" Gaius raised his eyebrow worriedly. "Perhaps we ought to send Tria to stay with Gwen?"

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Merlin said. "Would you to be all right with that?"

"Sure," Tria agreed. "Who's Gwen?"

"Another servant, and a good friend," Merlin said. "Come on, let's go find her."