Merlin's been avoiding everyone. For now it doesn't really matter, he has been held up looking into the Cailleach's warning anyways. That does not mean that when he finally does make an appearance, he won't be bombarded with questions. For now, he has decided to seek comfort within the confinements of his old study. Unbeknownst to the Founders themselves, this had once been Gaius's old quarters where Merlin stayed with him during his time in Camelot. In order to protect many of the Old texts that he had collected over the years, he has been hidden within a secret chamber in which he had once slept. All of the important articles recorded during Arthur's lifetime and Guinevere's ruling a while after have been protected here. So too have been all of the texts he had managed to find on the Old Religion. With it having been on a drastic decline, the need to preserve it in all ways possible became dire.

This has become the reason for speculation. All matters of Camelot's existence have passed through whispers and bedtime stories. Two thousand years and the stories have swerved drastically from the truth. It sometimes fills him with sorrow to know about some of the horrible things history has depicted them as. The worst of all, besides him being thought of as an old man or Mordred being Morgana's son, was the lie regarding Camelot's great demise. All those muggles who studied the legends have passed down the notion it was due to a broken heart. Unlike most believe, it was not a betrayal by Lancelot and Guinevere but by Morgana whose heart turned dark. Her hatred led to her downfall but the destruction behind her was already irreversible. In truth, all events were rooted to Merlin's own cowardice and fears. In trying to protect Camelot with his every being, he had caused the destructive events to rise to the surface.

Now he sits here, his mind once again thinking of past events. He has long since disallowed himself to do this but now he looks back for guidance. Past mistakes cannot be remade. This time, Kilgarrah is not here to place doubt in his mind. This time he will not sit by and watch as some of his dearest friends make poor, life altering decisions. Perhaps this time around things can turn out differently. His biggest hope lies with Mordred. Like Morgana, Merlin had held him at too far a distance and ended up also leading the boy to Morgana's side. He realized later, he had repeated his mistake with her. This time he has devised new tactics. Instead of pushing the boy away, he and the other men have taken him under his wing. They have shown him that regardless of his young age, he fits in with the rest of them. The stray knight has returned to his fellow brethren at the Round table. Perhaps the boy may be redeemed. Now Morgana is a different story entirely. Then something struck him. 'Morgana. Where is Morgana?'

He quickly got up from the spot he was sitting on the floor and headed back to the bookshelf. Of everyone to come back, she has been the only one who hasn't. Even Morgause had attended Hogwarts but finished just a few years earlier. He made sure to keep an eye on her but so far she has posed no threat. Morgause is even a half blood herself and this time around Uther has not been here to have her parents slaughtered. 'Will it change if she regains her memories?' Skimming… skimming… he finds what he was looking for. Of all the texts he has collected, this is by far the most prized. In the wrong hands it would have had disastrous consequences. It was comprised of a series of articles written by his dear friend Rowena Ravenclaw. She had been the last seer of the Old Religion in her time when magic truly began to change. The articles fit together as puzzle pieces. They speak of Albion's long awaited return and the impending darkness on the horizon.

In her words…

"Through death did a kingdom suffer, what once towered as the mightiest of them all. Even legends cannot hope to scrutinize such an entity. However, obscured by he who protects it, the kingdom lies not in ruins but in wait for its crown. Make haste in the face of impending doom; Albion may be cast to never ending darkness. Be wary her return. Good must overcome once again for light to shine freely. And a king ALWAYS returns to his kingdom."~ Rowena

So its says, "Be wary her return." Could Albion's darkest hour mean her return? If so, then they only have a year to prepare for the worst. Knowing her, she will be backed by an army and a very strong one. If he is going to prepare everyone for the final battle, there is much to be done. First, perhaps he should seek help. Everything must be done in secret and that will be harder to do with the Ministry breathing down their necks. As much as he despises the idea, there is no person alive more capable of keeping a secret. There is also the matter of keeping Umbridge out of the way. She is already infuriating enough as it is. If she begins to butt her grotesquely pink self into his business, she may just disappear without a trace. It wouldn't be the first time.