Chapter 2 The History.

Thanks to darrelldeam and alix33 for taking a look at this. All mistakes are my own.

Thank you for your reviews and support. Some of the reviews went unanswered, because ffn said they weren't there.

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Not fearing the ghost, but worried about a curse Harry and Hermione ran through the labyrinth, only to be cornered at every end. They blasted and banished, but to no avail. The walls simply sprouted back up and impeded their way. Every time they thought they were getting closer to the end, they wound up in the same place they started. They were panting by the time the maze directed them to the center for the fifth time. Both teens were tired and wanted nothing more than to be shot of this place.

"We have to get out of here," Hermione cried out as another wall was thrown up to block her path. She skidded to a halt and twirled around, wildly, looking for the elusive exit.

"How? Everywhere we turn we get directed back to the same spot?" Harry stated as desperately, blasting another wall to see if he could find the exit on the other side. He knew it was futile to try and get rid of them, but he might get a general idea of where they could go.

"Stop, that's not helping," Hermione snapped, and then she took a deep breath and started to think. "We need to use logic; it's like the mirrors in a funhouse. If we continue to turn right, then we should be able to get to the entrance, or at the very least, out of the maze," she reasoned, taking more deep breaths to soothe her panic.

"Right, funhouse, like I've ever been in one of those," Harry groused, but stopped blasting the walls.

Hermione went and put a calming hand on Harry's arm and they both tried to steady themselves as they looked around. "Okay, maybe if we don't spell the walls anymore then hopefully they'll stop trying to impede us. Just use your wand for emergencies." She looked around to get an idea of which direction to head. Right now, there were four points of entrance, so she did a point-me spell to figure out which way was north. When the wand pointed north, she chose the eastern point.

"Right, lead the way." The male teen waved his arm in a general direction, making the female sigh and start walking.

They slowly started towards the first opening, they took a peek around the corner and they saw another arch. Quickly walking to the new entrance they found another passage, so they hastened down the halls and turned right at each intersection. Now that they stopped trying to remove the walls, the walls stopped moving. They crept along for ten minutes when they came upon a lone archway.

"Wait, that one's magical. Should we go through it or try and go another direction?" Harry asked as he grabbed her arm, before she could move forward. He could see the glow fill the space they needed to pass; misty, like a foggy day, only blue.

"What do you see?" the ever inquiring Hermione asked.

"There's like a cloud in the center, maybe it's a spell of some sorts. Do you think it's harmful? Maybe we should go back and try a different way," the dark-haired teen said as he squinted to get a better look at the mist.

"I'm not sure," the curly-haired girl said, worrying her lip, she didn't see the mist, but she trusted Harry not to lie to her. "It goes to the right and that seems to be the way out. See, you can just make out the entrance to the room, just there," she added, pointing to a doorway just within sight. "Let me see if I can figure out if it is malicious or not." She waved her wand, cast a diagnostic spell and the archway glowed white. "It should be safe," she added, wand still drawn. "The spell says that it isn't harmful, but we still need to be careful."

"Right, you stay here and I'll go first," Harry said, squaring his shoulders and moving forward.

"Don't be stupid, Harry. You're more important than me. I'll go first." Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him back. She shoved her purse in his hands; he'd need it if anything happened to her. She was just about to take a step forward, when Harry grabbed her arm and twirled her around. His face was livid and she shrunk back from him a bit.

"What? No, you're just as important I am," Harry all but shouted in her face. He really hated it when she said stuff like that.

"No, if this war is to end it has to be you," she snapped and shook her head in disagreement. "The prophecy…"

"Bugger the prophecy, I'm not going to see any more of my friends hurt because of me," he argued.

The two tussled with each other to get to the arch, neither gaining any headway, because they didn't want to hurt one another. This went on for about for five minutes, until the ghost showed up and said, "Your time is almost up, make up your minds and either move forward or be cursed."

That caused the two to pause their quarrel. Harry looked at his best friend and came to a conclusion. She would always be by his side, so it only stood to reason, he'd do the same. "Together, just like we do everything," he decided, looking at Hermione with a fond smile and holding out his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

"Together," she agreed and with that they linked arms, firmed their jaws and went through the arch. It tingled, and Hermione almost giggled.

The purse was reluctant to cross, but Harry gave it a tug and it gave way. The arch flared brown for a minute and the two teens wondered if it was the Horcrux that caused that. When he got it through the archway, he handed it back to Hermione and turned. "Let's get out of here," he said as he headed to the entranceway.

"Wait!" the ghost shouted. "It was a test. There is no curse." He drifted in front of them holding out his hands in a placating gesture. You could see how sorry he was for having put them through that, but there was also stubbornness in his eyes. "I can tell you are weary, please let me explain why this fortress is here and what it can do for the quest you are on," he all but begged them to listen. It had been centuries since someone had passed the test; he had been lonely for quite some time and wanted to help in any way he could.

"How did you know we're on a quest?" Harry asked, his wand pointed at the apparition. Did ghost know Legitimacy? he wondered with a small shudder, that was a terrifying thought. He thought of Peeves and what that nuisance could do if he could see memories.

"All who enter here are. It is spelled so that only those who need it can find it. The test is to prove if they are evil or not. You passed," the spirit explained in a deep soothing voice. "Come to the parlor and Tippy will bring you food and drink." He drifted to the doorway and swept his arms in a courtly fashion.

"What should we do, Hermione?" the dark-haired teen turned to his female friend. She always seemed to have the right answer. She was right about getting out of the maze and going through the arch, though he wasn't quite sure of her decision to come into the castle.

"I say we hear him out. If he can, well, we need all the help we can get." She was desperate for information and if the ghost could help then she'd be glad to take it. Besides, a castle this big was bound to have a library and hopefully food, if the animals they heard earlier were any indication. Though, the thought of slaughtering a cow or pig made her cringe.

"Right, lead the way," Harry said to the ghost and then followed him down the hall. "What's your name?" he asked, not wanting to continue to call him Shorty in his head. Yeah, he was bitter about his height and to find a ghost that towered over him was disheartening. So, yeah, Shorty.

"I am called Ashliegh," the now named ghost said as he glided his way down the hall to a medium sized room that was furnished with two sofas and four chairs, all wooden with red cushions. There were small tables next to each seat with another bigger one in the middle. The sconces were lit to brighten the room and the windows on the eastern wall were pouring in sunlight. The rain must have stopped or these windows were spelled as well. Hermione wanted to diagnose what the spell was. It could be dead useful, especially if Voldemort was recruiting vampires.

"Just Ashliegh?" Harry asked, tugging his friend's attention away from the window.

"I have no surname. I was a peasant that was taken in by a great wizard," Ashliegh stated as he waved them to sit. "He taught me how to be a gentleman," the ghost added as he led them further into the room and gestured for them to sit.

"Right, I'm Harry and this is Hermione," the male teen said as he made his way to a chair.

"Well met," Ashliegh replied as he nodded to each.

The two teens cautiously sat in the chairs and looked around the old room. There was a large fireplace that had a burning fire; Harry wondered if it was a Floo, it was big enough. There were bookshelves along the far wall, but there were very few books and scrolls in them and they all looked old, like they would fall apart if handled. Pictures of mountains adorn the walls, along with tapestries that depicted battles. A much worn, black fur rug (it looked like a bear, but Harry wasn't sure) was near the fireplace and straw was scattered on the stone floor to keep out the cold. The room was clean, free of all dust and cobwebs. Harry had to wonder if there were house elves here or was the place spelled that way.

"Ashliegh, how can you help our hunt?" Hermione asked, after they sat for a few minutes in quiet. She turned her attention away from the books and paintings and directed it to the ghost that had taken a seat on the couch.

"There is a massive library here, which holds rituals of times of old. They were hidden here by Merlin himself, so that those in need may make use of them," Ashliegh answered, lifting an eyebrow when the female teen perked up. "The library has been used many times over the centuries. Many great wizards and witches have passed through these walls. It has even been used as a place of shelter in times of war. Although it has been almost a thousand years since someone passed the test," he added mournfully.

"Wait, you knew Merlin?" Harry asked, leaning forward in his seat as if to get the answer quicker.

Hermione perked up. If he knew Merlin, this fortress was indeed very old.

"He was my mentor, until he went in search of Arthur and Avalon." The spirit's face took on a sad look, as if remembering the years gone past.

"Does that mean Merlin is still alive?" Hermione asked. It had been something she always thought about when reading history. The books never said how he died; just that he disappeared and was thought dead. She always felt that the Chocolate Frog Card was just propaganda, and with what Ashliegh was telling them, she might just be right. There was no way that a man (no matter how great) who was rumored to have died 500 years before Hogwarts was built could attend.

"I cannot truthfully say," Ashliegh answered, stroking his beard. "He was a very old man when he went on his quest and Avalon is a mystical place that no one has found. There were legends that he was turned into a tree by the druids, but no one could prove it."

"What about the legends of Arthur?" she inquired, thrusting for knowledge. "You know the ones that say he will be the Once Again King."

"I have never put much stock in them, while Merlin always felt he could somehow find his sire," the ghost answered.

"Wow, that's a bit to take in, so tell us about this place," Harry said, settling back in his seat.

"It is called Halstead, meaning 'a stronghold'. Merlin built it after the fall of Camelot. He wanted a place to protect magic, so he had this fortress built, gathered as many magicals as he could and erected a ward so that only magicals who needed help could find it. He made the test, because not all who seek assistance are good people."

"Yeah, we know that," Harry said and shivered a bit when he thought of Voldemort finding a place like this.

"I would like to hear that story later," Ashliegh said with a mild rebuking tone for the interruption. "Now to continue, the logic part of the test is to see if you have the reasoning needed to do your own research. While the library is vast and useful, it will not think for you. Had you not passed the test with in a time limit, a portal would have opened and you would have been lead to a part of the forest near a village, never to find this place again." He shrugged his see-through shoulder as if it were obvious.

"So because we passed we can learn what we need," Hermione asked. She sat forward eagerly, hoping to get her hands on those books. There was a glimmer of optimism in her eyes that had died weeks ago when they didn't get very far in their hunt. She was still hurting over Ron's leaving, but they need this information, so she shrugged it off for when she was alone.

Harry chuckled at his friends almost puppy like excitement, just happy to see that glint in her eyes.

"Yes," was the succinct answer.

"Tell us more about this place," Harry said, since he was caught up in the history.

"Like I said, many magicals have come here seeking either information or asylum in years gone by. Yet, centuries ago this used to be a thriving community, when I lived. It was one of the first all magical communities of its kind. Merlin and I lived here for many years. He was the leader until he left, that task turned to me, and then I died. The people still listened to me; however, they grew restless, since the ward kept out most travelers and merchants. They wanted to know what was happening outside the keep and soon ventured out into the world. There were a few families that stayed out of loyalty to me, but there wasn't enough to maintain a population, so I bid them to leave. I was left with the company of house elves. Speaking of which, Tippy," he called into the air.

"Master Ashliegh is calling Tippy?" a tiny elf popped in. She was wearing a green pillowcase, but it was a nice one that fit her like a tunic dress. "Ohhh, we is having company. Does yous needs food?" she asked rather bluntly for a house elf, and she looked between the two humans. She was practically vibrating to see people. It had been before her time that someone worthy had stumbled across the fortress.

"We ate some vegetables earlier," Hermione stated, not wanting her to go out of her way to make them anything. "I hope you don't mind, but the town was deserted and we thought they were wild."

"That is not being enough for growing humans," the little elf said firmly, wagging her finger in a stern motherly way. "Tippy is bringings yous meat." And with that she popped away.

"Is she the only one?" Harry asked, wondering if he should call Dobby and Winky. He probably would anyway. They might need the help of house elves and if they were going to stay here and do research and stuff, then it might be a good idea to have someone who could ferry letters. Plans were forming in his head as he thought about how they could use the place as a sanctuary.

"Alas, yes, she is the last one to live. The rest had good lives. They maintained the gardens and livestock for many years, but they were not enough to continue the line," Ashliegh shook his head at the elves plight. "I tried to get them to leave and find suitable mates, but they were bound here, much as I am."

"What do you mean you're bound?" Hermione asked, outraged at the thought that anyone, well thing, was tied to the fortress.

"Merlin made me vow that I would stay to make sure that those who ventured here would pass the test. I had no idea when I agreed that it would pertain to my afterlife as well." His eyes got misty, he so wanted to move on, but his vow kept him firmly tied to the Halstead.

"Can't you move on at all, say if someone vows to take your place?" Harry asked, not that it was something he'd do, but he was curious.

"I do not know," the ghost stated, getting a thoughtful look in his eyes. Maybe he could convince these two to look that up for him.

Just then Tippy popped back into the room with two wooden plates full of sausage, bacon and eggs. There were also large pieces of bread that looked to be toasted, covered with butter and two large wooden cups of milk. "Yous be eating this up and Tippy wills be making sures that yous are getting all the foods yous needs," the tiny elf stated as she floated the food to the two teens.

"Thanks, Tippy," Harry said and fell on the food like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Yes, thank you very much, Tippy. It looks lovely," Hermione said, eating at a much slower pace.

"Calls Tippy if yous is needing anythings else," and with that the elf popped away.

"So, Ashliegh, tell us about some of the people who have used this place," Harry said between bites of bacon.

"Well, I can tell you of one that I know became infamous after he died," the apparition said with a faraway look in his eyes. "His name was, Salazar Slytherin, he…"

"What, Slytherin passed the test? How the hell did that happen?" Harry yelled, jerking upright and almost upsetting his plate on to the floor. He quickly grabbed it and set it back on his lap, then looked at Ashliegh in utter disbelief.

"Yes, he passed," he said, once more reproaching Harry with his tone. "I remember he was wounded when he came. There was a sword injury on his arm. It was poisoned or infected; it was hard to tell in those days. The elves tried to save him, but alas, he died soon from his injury, after telling me what he was going to use the keep for." The apparition shook his head sadly. He had liked Salazar; the man was witty, cunning and smart. He also had a great dream.

"What could he possibly want? He was an evil man. How… how could he pass the test?" Harry stuttered, still hung up on that part of the story.

"He wanted to preserve magic and had no ill intent, that is all that is needed to pass," the ghost stated with a lifting of his eyebrow, not understanding the teen's disbelief. "He told me he was going to use this place as a school for what he called 'pure-bloods'. His dream was to build the keep up into a 'pure-blood' community. He had it all planned out, while he lay dying. He said that he had come from a school that he had built with his friends, but they had turned on him when he feared for the safety of the 'pure-blood' children. When he left Hogwarts, he was set upon by 'muggles' and was injured. He Apparated to this area and stumbled upon the fortress. He passed the test, gave his story, shared his dreams and then died. He never uncovered the mysteries of this place. I was actually quite disheartened about that. It would have been nice to see the old building used again." He had almost hoped the man's spirit would join him here at Halstead, but it was not to be.

"Yeah, that sounds like him," Harry all but spat, latching on the constant use of the word pure-blood and not understanding how Slytherin got past the magical archway. Then again, he didn't know what that archway looked for and Ashliegh said Slytherin had no ill intent, but he was Salazar Slytherin. Didn't that make him evil? He shuddered thinking of the basilisk and its reason for being.

"Ashliegh, how is it that you speak modern English?" Hermione asked, changing the subject before Harry started ranting. She could see the conflict in her friend's eyes, she had been trying to get him and Ron to quit making all Slytherins out to be evil, but for such young men, they were pretty set in their ways. Well, on that subject anyway, damn Malfoy and his cronies. She had actually gotten on well with a few Slytherins when they studied in the library. But the boys never understood that and argued with her many times.

"Hmmm, well like I said, you are not the only ones to come here. I learn with each person, though none passed the test or decided that Halstead didn't hold what they needed before entering the castle. The last to come here was about thirty years ago. A vile man, he when he failed the test the knowledge of this place was taken from his mind and he was evicted." He shivered at the memory of that man, making his ghostly image flicker. "It was from him that I learned Salazar was infamous. However, in the time he was here, I learned modern language from him. He took a liking to me, though he did try and banish me a few times. He taught me how to speak and what was happening in the modern world. It took him months before he entered the castle, living in the village and reading what little he could find. He was not nice to Tippy, so she stayed within the fortress walls." His face took on an angry look.

"His name wasn't Tom, was it?" Harry asked warily, not wanting it to be so. Hermione started worrying her lip again. It would have been bad if Voldemort knew of this place, but Ashliegh said that the man's memories were wiped, so even if it was, maybe it wouldn't be bad.

"No, I do not believe it was. I think his name was Richard," the ghost answered.

The two teens sighed in relief and finished their breakfast. The only noise heard was the scraping of utensils and the sipping of milk. Everyone was deep in their thoughts, making plans and wondering what else this fortress held.

"Now that you are fed, let us adjourn to the library," Ashliegh said as he drifted to the doorway.

"Do we have to?" Harry whinged as he put his now food free plate in the low table in front of him. All he wanted to do was explore this stronghold and see what secrets it held. Didn't Shorty mention something about a portal? That could be dead useful.

"Yes," Hermione said, getting up and pulling her reluctant friend with her.

"Shall we go forth," the spirit asked as he waited for the two.

"Let's," Hermione answered, dragging Harry along. She wanted to do research, the books she had held nothing about Horcruxes and she needed new material. She only hoped that the tomes and scrolls within the keep held what she needed.

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I've received a few reviews about Merlin (only one bad one, but the other ones made me want to explain). First off this isn't J.K. Rowling's Merlin, whose birthdate was changed to fit her story. This is the one that died 500 years before Hogwarts, not the one that attended. Also this isn't a crossover, so the Merlin from the TV show isn't the one it portrays either. Remember this is a challenge fic, so feel free to write your own. I, for one, would love to read that, but I don't know enough to write it. Sorry to disappoint. I reworked this chapter and I hope I cleared it up. (This AN is repeated in Chapter 8)