Hey guys, thanks so much for being so patient, I know its been a while. Sorry, I was caught up in Uni stuff and exams and now that the exam season is about to start, I thought that I would upload this before disappearing completely until July. That's not to say I won't be writing, but probably not Merlin/Harry Potter any time soon.

Also I'm afraid that this is the end for this fic. Please don't flame me if you don't like how it ends (or begins really, I was in a dark place) but I would like to say thank you for everyone who has reviewed and will review in the future if they want. I actually enjoyed writing this fic, as depressing as it is, so I hope that you have all enjoyed reading it.

Again, so sorry for the delay, but writer's block can be cruel.

The past few months were carnage. Harry had never seen so much destruction, not even under Voldemort. People died, burned, tortured and many more indescribable things as the barriers around wizarding Britain faded into obscurity.

It hadn't been quite so drastic at first. When the barriers had first fallen, the Muggles had just laughed, thinking that it was some kind of joke. They swarmed into areas such as Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, oohing and ahhing at what they presumed were new tourist attractions while the wizards watched uneasily. The Ministry urged any magical creatures to stay out of the public eye for now, or at least until they had the situation under control. The Muggles would probably have gone on believing this if it hadn't been for one Ministry worker' brilliant idea to try and modify some people's memory. That was when the chaos began. Suddenly, the magical world wasn't a joke anymore and Muggles were clamouring for the wizards and witches to declare themselves. Some formed groups with the intent of hunting down anyone suspected of magic.

Some grew even worse.

It hadn't been until just after Christmas, with the sightings of dragons that the real horror began. A group, calling itself the 'Defenders of Britain' had begun to emerge. It was filled with members of Parliament and Generals of the military. People began to join it and in the recent election under the Muggles, the leader of their political section gained power. And the world slipped and slid even further out of control right in front of Harry's eyes. Those who had just started to rebuild after the recent wizarding war were forced to flee their homes once again. They tried to erect new barriers, new wards to hide from the Muggles but they were no longer working. In fact, Harry had noticed that many of their spells were not working.

The Weasley's had just barely managed to escape before their house had been burnt down by a mob. A legal mob. Harry had watched with the others as everything they had started to build crumbled to ruins, clutching Ginny's hand tightly in his own as she sobbed against his chest. Her home, once again destroyed. They had travelled to a camp full of other witches and wizards suffering the same problems. It wasn't long until reports came in that even the Muggles were murdering their own kind if they were suspected of sorcery. And they could. The government had legalised all action against those of magic. Posters had appeared everywhere for the people to form a resistance against 'the monsters in our homes'. Muggle-borns would swing either of two ways: they would be forced to run from their own parents and siblings or they would join with them and force people out of hiding. It was hard to know who to trust anymore.

It didn't matter that there were some Muggles willing to help them. Some had formed themselves into small groups, those who had already believed in the Occult and had been thrilled on the discovery of magic. They campaigned against the new government, despite the dangers to themselves, dressing in robes and standing up in crowds to give speeches on how they should try to be peaceful. They called themselves the New Druids, determined to bring harmony to the people. And weirdly enough, they based their teachings upon Camelot.

Harry had noticed that a lot recently. The New Druids would preach about how there had been peace and harmony in Camelot until the non-magical folk had driven their neighbours away with smoke and fire as they did now. They encouraged the magical community to join them, to fight for their own rights. Some did, although many ran or retaliated with the same violence as the Muggles showed them. The carnage only grew and there was nothing that anybody could do about it.

It had been almost a year since the magical world had been revealed and it was about to get even weirder. Hermione, who had been even quieter since the news of the burning of her parents than usual, had approached him, a borrowed copy of the now irregularly printed Daily Prophet clutched in her hands.

"I think you'll want to see this," she said quietly. They had been staying in a refugee camp with a group of New Druids. Most of the Weasley's had separated and only Ginny, Ron and Bill were with them now. Bill had stayed in the hopes of running into the man who had claimed to be King Arthur once again after he had disappeared the day the wards had disintegrated and the world seemed to end.

The newspaper would only print facts now, for once. This particular version seemed to have been through several hands, but Harry could just about make out the article and the painting depicted on the front. It wasn't moving and the source showed that in actuality it was a Muggle depiction of the Court of Camelot, discovered in the Great Hall of Winchester, buried under the famous Round Table.

KING ARTHUR'S COURT RETURNED?

Reports are flooding in amongst the carnage of a group of individuals travelling with the New Druids that call themselves the Knights of the Round Table. Formed of only eight men, seven of which dressed in armour, they have rallied against the Defenders of Britain in a stunning display outside of Westminster, where the Muggle Parliament is held. The leader, known as Arthur Pendragon, gladly allowed us to interview him in front of Anthony Head, leader of the Defenders of Britain Party and current Prime Minister.

"While we are here, we will not let anything happen to those innocent of any crime. Magical or not," Arthur declared. He named his knights as Sir Leon, Sir Percival, Sir Lancelot, Sir Gwaine, Sir Elyan and (controversially) Sir Mordred. The last member of their group he stated was called Merlin, although it is hard to tell whether this is a joke. The man in question refused to answer any of our questions involving him, nor would he state whether he had been a part of the magical community. What is clear, is that these people are a friend to us all.

The new Knights of the Round Table have been spotted in several locations including Rochester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Lancaster and now London. When asked as to where they were going next, or even how they were able to move around the country so fast, Arthur would not say.

"These are dangerous times, no matter how much we try to help. It is safer for all involved if that information is kept a secret." He did, however, say with a wink, "Although we will be visiting some old friends. My friend Merlin here has a few choice words for them." It seemed this was some kind of private joke to the group, but as to why the Prophet cannot claim to know.

Here's to hoping that they mean to do as they say, and keep up hope.

The article ended there and Harry wondered why they even bothered with the ending. It was the same for every article. 'Keep up hope" was the slogan that the Ministry had taken up before fleeing into obscurity. In times before leaflets and pamphlets had been delivered on how to keep safe, but as the Ministry had slowly disbanded as the new raids began, it seemed that they were left on their own. Harry read through the article one more time before handing it to Bill.

"Do you know what he meant by 'old friends'?" Harry asked as he skimmed the article. Bill carefully laid it aside, looking truly worried.

"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him he was angry and then he disappeared. It's possible that they made some enemies or met some who have not been as careful as they should but I don't know." He paused, glancing around. "Personally, I think it means something different entirely."

"You wouldn't be wrong," said a voice behind them and Harry jumped, spinning around to face the owner. He was surprised to find a group of eight men, seven dressed in armour exactly as the article had said, the last dressed in a long cloak, hood pulled up to obscure his face. Wrapped around the eighth man's shoulders was a golden dragon about the size of a large cat, its steely golden eyes fixed on him. Bill whipped his wand out but the man who had spoken raised a hand and shook his head. "We're not here to harm you."

Harry took a good long look at this newcomer. He was tall and well built, muscles clear under the shifting chainmail, although nothing to the size of a much taller man behind him whose mail was stretched across a broad chest and held no sleeves, leaving ripped arms bare. The leader, because that was clearly what he was, was blonde, with clear blue eyes and stood as if he demanded your attention. His chainmail gleamed in the sunlight and hanging at his side was a sword that was both wickedly sharp and beautiful at the same time, with runes etched into the golden band that stopped a third of the way down the blade.

"Who are you?" Bill snapped, not lowering his wand. What little good it would do him Harry didn't know. It took a lot of effort nowadays to even create a stunning spell strong enough to, well, stun a person.

"I told you when we last met, I am King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot. These are my knights," the man stated gesturing behind him. There was a soft cough from under the cloak and Harry thought that Arthur rolled his eyes for a moment. "And Merlin."

So these were the knights of the paper. But the paper had been dated to only a couple of days before and they were as far from London as they had been able to get, practically on top of Tintagel castle. There was no way they had managed to travel so far without magic in a few days. Harry found his eyes resting on the cloaked man, wondering who he really was. After all, not many people would try to pull off the Merlin, even if said person decided that dragons were the fashion statement of the day.

"So you're sticking with that story then?" Bill asked, lowering his wand slightly. One of the knights raised an eyebrow before speaking.

"You lot think that the princess is making this up?" Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Bill all stared at him as he smirked back at them. Arthur rolled his eyes stated, "Merlin," and the knight then found himself being smacked round the back of his head with a tree branch. He yelped and turned to the cloaked man.

"What happened to being friends?" he asked, although he didn't sound mad. Just playful.

"Now isn't the time for jokes Gwaine, however entertaining it is to see their faces," the man said in a voice that was surprisingly young. He then reached up and tugged the hood of the cloak down to reveal the face of a man in his late twenties, with dark hair, pale skin and ears that were just big enough that had his hair been shorter would have looked comical. Even so, his hair was brushing the nape of his neck, although it looked as if it had been recently cut. It was his eyes, however, that caught Harry's attention. They were a brilliant gold, burning as bright as two stars within a face that seemed far too young for them. "This isn't getting us anywhere," he stated, sharing a meaningful glance with Arthur, who nodded and gestured towards the rest of them.

"Gwaine, Leon, Percival, round up some volunteers to stand guard. Lancelot and Elyan, see what the supplies are here and if necessary help them find and gather more. Winter approaches faster than these people realise and I don't want repeats of last Winter," he stated and the knights peeled off, one by one. The final one left was the youngest, a boy who looked barely nineteen and seemed unsure of himself. It was Merlin who took the boy by the shoulder and stated,

"We need firewood. Take Rihtwíse with you. She enjoys hunting," he said as the little dragon suddenly took flight- or at least attempted to, it looked as if she hadn't quite gotten the hang of it just right then. The younger knight looked relieved, nodded and walked off, allowing the dragon to land upon his own shoulders, heading towards the surrounding landscape. There weren't many woods in this part of the country, but most of the people in Cornwall were friendly and it was well known amongst those fleeing that to head South West was your best bet at living. Arthur then returned his attention to them.

"Now that that's out of the way, to the real business." He turned and sat down by their own burnt out fire. The New Druids had been careful when handing out resources, but their own resources were stretched few and far between so they had been forced to settle with firewood rather than one of the burners that the New Druids sometimes had available, however the fuel was running short on them. Merlin had gone to sit next to Arthur and, after glancing at each other, they crowded the campfire themselves, sitting opposite him. For a moment they just stared at each other before Bill broke the silence.

"Where did you go? We looked all over for you when we could but you just disappeared," he asked, his eyes narrow, trying to seek out the answer. Arthur merely unbuckled the sheath his sword was hanging in and laid it across his lap, glancing over it carefully before looking up.

"I went home," he said simply. "But it doesn't matter where I went. What does matter is what happens now." He was looking at them all seriously. "And that includes working with those of non-magical origin."

"The government don't want us," Hermione said quietly. "They want to end us once and for all. It's like the medieval era all over again."

"I lived through that," Merlin said, equally as quietly. "I know many people who lived through the crisis and survived. It's not about surviving on your own. It's about knowing how to convince people of your intentions. Cutting yourselves off was a mistake from the start." Hermione frowned and Bill shook his head.

"I don't think it was. Look at what's happened. It just proves that the Statute of Secrecy was correct in believing that Muggles couldn't handle the knowledge of the magical world."

"Is that why you persecuted them?" Merlin snapped, his golden eyes blazing suddenly. "Is that why you wanted anyone with an ounce of sense locked away?" Arthur shot Merlin a sideways glance, and for a moment Harry thought that he was going to say something, to rein his friend in, but his eyes were hard when he turned back to Bill, who was looking confused.

"No, we didn't persecute them. We tried to protect them. From themselves." Merlin was shaking his head and Arthur looked mildly insulted.

"Do I look like I need protecting from myself?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do these people who are helping you now look as if they need help?"

"Well no-"

"Then don't speak of things you know nothing about." Bill closed his mouth at the harsh words. Harry wondered what exactly he had against Bill, or any of them really. There seemed to be some kind of anger, some resentment buried beneath both of them, as if there was something that they both knew that none of them were privy to, something dark. There was a moment of silence before Merlin sighed.

"This isn't getting us anywhere. Why don't we explain about the wards and why we're really here?" he suggested, glancing towards Arthur who nodded.

"You know what happened to the wards?" Bill asked, looking suspicious.

"Of course I do. I was the one who tore them down." Harry stared at the man before him. How on earth had he managed to rip through centuries of spell-work by some of the greatest wizards in history in nothing more than a day? Bill seemed to be wondering the same thing as he pulled his wand out again.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because you hurt the Triple Goddess. Because she wanted vengeance and nothing can be gained without pain. Because sometimes you need to burn everything to the ground before you can rebuild." Merlin paused, looking at their confused faces before seeming to resign himself to having to explain this phenomenon. "Eight hundred years ago, four wizards decided to take it upon themselves to protect their people from outsiders. Anyone who would speak out against them, anyone who wanted there to be peace between the magical and non-magical communities were eliminated and, unfortunately for you, most of those who spoke out were Druids or followers of the Triple Goddess, the true source of all magic. They branded these people as traitors and rooted them out, dragging whole families from their homes and having the non-magical folk send them to their pyres. And then, they decided to come after me." There was a great pain behind Merlin's eyes, a pain that spoke of suffering and silence and torment, a pain that could never be healed no matter how long he lived.

"The four came to find me at night when Aithusa laid her eggs. They dragged us away, imprisoning us beneath what would become their most famous landmark other than their school, in the structure you knew as Gringotts bank." Bill gasped and dropped his wand.

"Those chains… that was you?" he asked. "But they were old."

"Almost eight hundred years old, I know. That was the point. Unfortunately for your Founders, what would have killed an ordinary man failed to kill me." Merlin was looking directly at Bill but Hermione looked horrified.

"You don't mean the original Founders? S-Surely not the Hogwarts founders?" she gasped, stuttering slightly. She didn't look as if she could believe that they were capable of something so awful. Harry felt that he could share the sentiment. It was hard to believe that they would have done something like this, other than perhaps Slytherin.

"Yes, I mean the four idiots that decided to open a school of all things in such turbulent times," Merlin said, rolling his eyes. "The only one I found I could tolerate was Slytherin, but even he struggled to understand my way of looking at things."

"Yes, Merlin, but your way of looking at things is like trying to figure out the mystery of life," Arthur said, a faint smile on his lips. Merlin rolled his eyes again, sending him a smile in return.

"You got on with Muggle hating Slytherin?" Ron spluttered in clear disbelief. Merlin scowled once again.

"Slytherin didn't hate the non-magical community, nor those from non-magical families. He was wary of them at the very least and frightened of them at the worst. And he had every right to be," Merlin added darkly, eyebrows drawn together. "Many children from these families only ever attended the school in order to lure their new so called 'friends' out into the arms of a mob or to bring a mob to the school. Many magical communities were wiped out that way, including the deaths of both of Slytherin's children." His eyes were sad as he looked into the fire. "His daughter was five years old when his former apprentice dragged her from her bed and threw her into the flames." Harry felt sick at the thought of a tiny girl screaming into the night as she was killed for what she had been born with. No wonder the man had hidden a basilisk within the Chamber of Secrets. He had probably been afraid that it would happen again to those he knew. But then…

"If Slytherin's children were killed, how could Voldemort be descended from him?"

"He wasn't," Merlin said simply. "He was actually related to Salazar's sister, Silena."

"Slytherin had a sister?" Hermione looked slightly perplexed. Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Was he not allowed to have a family? The way you paint people nowadays," Merlin shook his head. "It's like living under Uther Pendragon again."

"Thanks Merlin, I wasn't aware that things were so hard for everybody." Arthur's voice was full of sarcasm and he rolled his eyes. Merlin frowned at him.

"Not helping Arthur," he snapped. "Besides, you should know better than anyone how unaccommodating Uther was concerning the laws." Arthur opened his mouth but then closed it with a sigh.

"Right. Sorry," he murmured. "Forget I said anything." Harry got the feeling that this had been a common argument recently but he was amazed at how easily they had each forgiven each other. It was almost instantaneous. Nowadays people would argue for days and then spend the rest of their lives in resentment of the other person.

"To be honest, I would say that this Anthony Head may even be a reincarnation of Uther. He certainly has his hatred," Merlin mused, seeming to be thinking out loud. Harry just stared as Arthur glanced towards his friend.

"Looked like him too." Harry thought that Arthur shuddered but it was hard to tell in the failing light. He seemed to notice this too and glanced up at the sky. "I'll go and see to Mordred, see if he's found any wood we can use for the camp fires. Otherwise…" Merlin just nodded in agreement to whatever it was and snapped his fingers over the dying embers of their campfire. It suddenly burst into golden flames and the heat was wonderful. Despite their own efforts, nights were usually cold and uncomfortable. He glanced around to see the other knights wandering through the camp handing out blankets and food with the New Druids. One of them, a girl Harry knew only as Kara, wandered over with a large cooking pot and several bowls.

"Up for some vegetable soup?" she asked, her smile brilliant. Her eyes were a warm honey brown, flecked with gold and ivy was twisted into her hair. Merlin raised an eyebrow at her but accepted a bowl. She then settled down and ladled out seven bowls but keeping two on the side with some spare soup left in the pot. Then she turned to the side and said, "By the way, mother says hello."

"I'm sure she does," Merlin said, a mysterious smile on his face. "How are the fey?" Hermione gasped and Ron's mouth fell open, drops of soup falling out. Harry would have been disgusted if he hadn't been so shocked.

"You're a…?" he stammered. Kara looked at them all a little confused.

"A fey? Of course. I would have thought that wizards would recognise Mab's daughter when you saw her." She then paused and tilted her head. "Then again, you were never very perceptive in the first place."

"Hey!" Ginny protested. "That's not exactly fair! We were taught that the fey* kept to themselves in the magical forests."

"Usually," she said. "But with the reveal of the magical world and the return of the Old Religion, we've decided to help Emrys and his friends protect our people. All of our people." Her eyes were hard at the last statement, her eyes once more on Bill. "Although I should warn you that many have not so easily forgiven the Latin wizards or their misdeeds. Namely imprisoning Emrys and tearing our world apart. They believe that it is only right that you too should suffer." Harry gulped, hoping that they didn't run into any of those people. Hermione was frowning though.

"How do we know that none of this is fake? How do we know that he really is the real Merlin?" she asked suddenly. It was the first time that anyone had voiced this concern, and Harry had to admit that all of this was rather outlandish. Then again, they were sitting here around a campfire, on the run from Muggles of all people, and talking to the supposed daughter of Queen Mab of the fey. Kara just looked at her blankly as if thinking 'are you dense?' but Merlin just cocked his head to the side considering the question.

"How do you feel?" he asked quietly. Hermione stared at him, probably wondering the same thing as Harry; whether or not this man was mad. How did it matter how they felt? It was probably pretty clear how they felt. Tired and cold and miserable. They had nothing left that they could start from and there was no way out of this dark hole that they had dug themselves into. But as Harry really thought about it, he realised that there did seem something off. Something dim and bright and hopeful and growing every single day and he felt it more and more with the New Druids, even if it was at the back of his mind. But Hermione didn't say any of this. Instead she just stared at him a while before Ron answered.

"Cold and tired," he snapped. Harry glanced around at the others. The only other person to look as if she had any other inkling of what Harry could feel was Ginny, who just shrugged when Harry met her eyes. Bill looked slightly taken aback and Hermione looked as if she were wondering what the right answer was, like it was a test. She finally shrugged.

"Same as Ron I guess. I don't see how the question is relevant," she snapped. Harry wondered how much she had dissected the question in order to come up with that. Merlin didn't say anything looking around at himself Bill and Ginny. It was Bill who answered first.

"I feel the same as Ron and Hermione but I also know that there are some aspects to magic that only very few wizards have access to. Some parts of magic that are available to Muggles and Squibs as well as us. If I can't feel anything that doesn't mean that no one else can. Maybe there's something to this Old Religion returning that others can feel?" He glanced across at Harry and Ginny who again exchanged glances. How on earth were they going to answer this question? Finally Ginny nudged him as if to say 'you're probably better at explaining the weird stuff than me'.

"Well, it's not that we don't feel cold and tired but it's like there's something else at the back of my mind… Something kind of hopeful," he frowned, trying to explain it and shook his head. "I don't know how to explain it but it feels like it's getting stronger every day." Ginny nodded.

"Like there's this tiny ray of hope at the back of your head saying that not everything is lost just yet." Merlin gave them both a smile, nodding his head and turning back to Hermione.

"Does that answer your question? Whether or not I am Merlin, there are signs that the Old Religion is returning. The loss of Latin magic is a start and the return of magical creatures long since lost. Just because you can't feel it, doesn't mean it's not there." He frowned at Hermione then and almost off-handedly stated, "it would also help if you were slightly more open-minded. Not everything can be found in a book you know and half if it's wrong anyway." Hermione opened her mouth to argue but at that moment Arthur returned with the young knight from before and the golden dragon who instantly flew down onto Merlin's lap.

"Mamma's coming! Mamma's coming!" the dragon squealed and Harry dropped his bowl in shock. Of everything that had just happened, this was the strangest. Merlin just laughed as he fished some wrapped meat from his bag and dumped it on the floor for the dragon.

"I know. I told her to meet us here with the others." He turned to face Arthur and the new arrival, both of whom had just accepted bowls of soup from Kara who smiled, rose from her seat and picked up the pot and finished bowls before disappearing off into the crowd. Harry tried to notice others like her and noted that there were another three with ivy wrapped around their arms or legs and the same pixie like features. It could mean that they had just picked up her style, but he didn't think it was that likely. "How is everyone getting along?"

"There's enough food to last for now. But they'll need extra supplies before winter really sets in, or they'll have to move. I suggested to them that it would be better if they found a cave or somewhere similar that wouldn't be filled with water when the tide comes in. That way they can conserve heat. A couple of fey volunteered to go scout one out and a few others of the New Druids have gone to request food where they can." Arthur looked worried though. "I still don't think it's enough. These people need a place to live, not hide continually. It would help if there was a castle or building that could fit people inside but everywhere big enough round here is ruined and any further east or north is hostile." The young knight looked up at that and Harry wondered if he was going to speak, especially when the pair turned to look at him. He paused in eating, setting the spoon carefully to the side before opening his mouth to speak.

"My people used to spend many nights searching for the right place to live. Perhaps if these people were willing to move to a more sheltered area, forested preferably, they would have enough supplies in order to survive until real shelter for them can be found? But they would need to be taught how to live in the wild as they waste much of what they could be using to keep warm or to feed themselves." He said this all very quietly but Arthur and Merlin both nodded.

"That's a good point Mordred. The caves can only go so far but if these people could move somewhere less open…" Arthur mused out loud, his eyes suddenly bright. Harry got the feeling he was usually like this when planning something and wouldn't top until it was carried through. He glanced at Merlin who nodded again.

"Teach them how to survive first before moving anywhere. I can try to communicate with the fey or some others to see what they can find for proper shelter for those who cannot survive in the wild," Merlin said.

"What about Hogwarts? I know it's not magical anymore but it's still a castle," Bill asked cautiously, as if wondering whether he could get into the conversation. Merlin shook his head but it was Arthur who answered.

"It's too far away, still in partial ruins and a known location for wizards. Trust me, people already thought of that and it didn't end well." He looked unusually solemn at that and Merlin turned away.

"You can't save everyone," Mordred murmured into his bowl as if not wanting to be heard. "No matter how hard you try." Arthur glanced at him sharply but Merlin just shook his head at Arthur. There was a sadness in his eyes that he could relate to. Just thinking back on the past few months and years: if he could have saved Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore or even Snape he would have. But he hadn't through no fault of his own- most of the time they had gotten into danger through their own actions and choices to help him. There was a long drawn out silence after that as the pair finished their dinner and the camp began to settle for the night. But just as they were laying out their blankets under the starry sky and hoping that it wouldn't rain halfway through the night, there came an odd noise from above them. At first it sounded like displaced air, then the sound of beating wings- three sets as if to mock the fact that they were now in trouble from not one but three flying creatures with no way to stop them. Harry pushed himself up and had just about pushed his glasses onto the end of his nose as three varying shapes drifted down to land at the edge of camp to meet a dark silhouette against the countryside. The sea crashed in the distance against the rocks, and Harry noted, for some absurd reason, that it must be high tide.

He glanced around at the others. Darkness had well and truly fallen now. The camp fires had been allowed to flicker out to embers, despite the fact that they should have done that hours ago, and most people were asleep. But a pair of green eyes was watching him over Ron's back and Harry nodded. He and Ginny slipped out of the bags, noting that the knights too were approaching the far off figure that Harry guessed could only be Merlin. He speaking quietly to one of the creatures and a small silhouette was bouncing around, playing with another, larger, shadow. For a moment, Harry wondered what was going on but then remembered the baby dragon from earlier and it's exclamation that 'Mamma's coming!' He supposed that this was its family. He was almost there when the dragon in front of Merlin reared back suddenly, growling.

"I smell wizards," it hissed in a female voice, venom dripping from every word. Taken aback, Harry almost turned back, afraid that this dragon might just decide to eat him, but then he noted something familiar about it. Creeping closer, it took almost a solid minute to realise where he had seen her before.

"You're the dragon who helped us escape from Gringotts!" It was probably not the right thing to say as the dragon's head came closer and he was inspected by a huge red eye. Then she drew her head back sniffing.

"And you are one of the younglings who helped me escape. For that, you may live." This was said almost reluctantly and before Harry could answer, a hand was laid on his back and he turned around to see Merlin.

"What are you doing here Harry?" he asked quietly. The golden dragon was draped once more around his shoulders, its golden eyes so eerily similar to Merlin's that Harry might have mistaken them for the same being if he didn't already know that they were separate.

"I was woken up by their arrival. What are you doing?" A sudden thought struck Harry as he glanced at Merlin once more. He noted that he was once again wearing the travelling cloak and that he wasn't alone in being awake. The knights were moving about under the cover of darkness, preparing something or other.

"You're leaving us again, aren't you?" Ginny stated, sounding as if she were on the verge of tears. Merlin merely sighed and glanced behind him to the white dragon, as if contemplating something.

"Not all of us. The Triple Goddess has played her part in revealing magic, true magic, to the world and now it is up to us how we react to that. Spume have made their views clear, while others are still undecided, but it is our work to ensure the safety of everyone, not just those we care about. I'm sure you understand," Merlin said, glancing at Harry for the last part. "Sir Mordred, Sir Gwaine and Anthuil will be staying here with you, helping you to move to a safer area. Kara and her brethren too. The rest of us have to move on and so will they once you are ready."

"Ready for what?" Harry asked. The dragon behind Merlin snorted her distaste.

"They are as blind as their Founders," she growled. "Even worse than I during the War of Camelot."

"No Aithusa," Merlin murmured. "They are just young, as you once were. And the young, as they say, are those who will pave the way for a new world. Or in this case, an older one."

"I always thought that going backwards was counterproductive," Ginny said, looking confused. Merlin laughed lightly at that as another dragon swept down to join them. This one was a darker colour to both the white dragon- Aithusa- and the tiny baby golden dragon wrapped around Merlin's neck, which squealed in delight and jumped onto its sibling's back.

"The soldiers are drawing in from the north. They'll be here soon unless we stop them," it growled, its gruff voice marking it as a younger male. Merlin merely nodded.

"Thank you Tӕlfon." Merlin then turned back to them, his face serious, eyes older than Harry thought possible. "I'm afraid we have to go now. But we will meet again one day. Ginny…" he paused and then smiled softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "In answer to your question, yes, most of the time going backwards rather than forwards is counterproductive, but in certain situations, such as these, going backwards will help lead the way forwards. Take History as a lesson in life and remember the mistakes that your forebears made so as not to make them this time around. I'm sure many young and flourishing sorcerers such as you and Harry will heed my advice. For now however, listen to Mordred and Kara, listen to the advice given to you by magic itself and never give in to despair. The world will right itself once more, you'll see."

And with those words Merlin was up on Aithusa and gone. The knights were also leaving, some mounting Tӕlfon, others mounting horse that may have been hidden in the undergrowth. Only two remained on the ground, outlined by the light of the moon as they watched their comrades leave.

"Don't worry, they have yet to fail in battle," Gwaine said as he approached them, unusually serious. Mordred nodded.

"Come, there is much to learn and so little time…" He gestured to a campfire set up in the centre, one that Harry had paid little attention to until now. It was so much larger than the others, almost a pyre rather than a cooking fire, and set up around it was tables and chairs, all fashioned from wood that looked as if it had grown into that shape naturally rather than carved. The tables were set with all manner of things, ranching from food, to amulets, to books and dancing around the campfire was all manner of people and creatures. Harry spotted all of the New Druids, some able to produce small balls of light and have them dance over their friends heads, while they were joined in song by the magical counterparts. He saw Kara, who had shed her robes in favour of clothes made from leaves, translucent wings that shone like a dragonfly's fluttering behind her. Blue lights shot around the people's heads and goblins danced to their own tribal music, getting under people's feet and pinching gold from the refugees bags if they were able to find it, only to have it promptly taken away from them by a tern Druid, or fey, or even one of the blue lights which Harry now realised were small pixie like creatures he had never heard of before. Bowtruckles were running between their feet away from the flames and actual pixies seemed to sprout from nowhere.

For once, Harry felt glad that the world had changed. If it had simply reverted to normal, as easier as that may have been, none of this would have been possible. Kara would have kept herself hidden away, these people would have been looked down on by society, the wizards would have continued their crusade against the M- non-magical folk without ever realising it was wrong. He turned to find that Ginny too was smiling through her tears and he wondered if Sirius and Remus and Tonks or even his own parents were watching this scene with the same awe that he was. For a moment he thought he saw a glimpse of them, ghostly white and pale, but then the moment was gone.

"Mordred," Ginny murmured. "Why did people have to die for this?" It was said quietly, marring the tone of the celebrations slightly, but Harry knew that it was a question that needed answering.

"Because the world needed justice for all the wrong done in the last thousand years," he said quietly. Harry looked at him confused.

"How did any of this count as justice?" he asked, aghast at such a statement. Mordred looked at him, and for a moment he looked older than he actually was- or maybe he simply looked his age.

"Nothing can be won without pain. Our people had a saying- 'justice cannot be served without the suffering of others'. It was our mandate to protect those affected from that suffering, to help them when they needed a guiding light. The Triple Goddess is harsh when it comes to her laws, cross her and your fate is sealed. But she is also benevolent, another of her three sides like the three phases of the moon. She will keep us safe." Harry wondered how much he believed of that, but there was something that rang true and he decided, for today not to question it.

Tomorrow was a new day and he intended to use it to the full.

*I use the word fey rather the fairies because that's just me.

Sorry for the rather depressing tone of this last part, and the fact that nothing actually happens in it other than explaining, but hopefully it's not too bad :) Please leave a nice review if you want, or not, it's your choice. Thanks!