Chapter Two
Marked Ones
Extract from History Of Magic: Merlin's Order:
It is speculated that in order to join the Order a wizard or witch must receive a mark. It is, however, unknown if the chosen subject receives this mark upon their birth, upon reaching a certain age or upon completing a task that proves the wizard or witch is worthy of joining the Order.
Murdoch stood tall. Impressively tall, his green eyes scanning each one of the younger wizards and witches before him.
They looked war-torn and almost vacant in Theo Nott's case. Murdoch was an effective wizard in both worlds but looking at the children before him, he knew his work was more than just cut out for him.
It was etched in the bloody stars.
Murdoch folded his arms across his board chest as Hermione Granger drifted towards a chair and slumped down, Neville Longbottom inching close to her on his end of the sofa, the skin under his eyes was smudged purple and drooping heavily but it was the hollow look in his eyes as he glanced at the bushy haired witch that made Murdoch draw in a breath with a hiss.
He had worked with countless other wizards and witches; in fact, he was the only one who ever worked with those wizard and witches that had been deemed strong enough to be marked and join the order. But staring at this just barely children Murdoch cursed the old wizard and master knowing that this time just being powerful wasn't going to be enough.
Murdoch had his work cut out for him with this war survivors.
His green eyes studied each on in turn. Luna was all smiles and dreamy looks and he could deal with that, even if some of the things she had said to him were strange.
Neville looked more tired as the moments drew on but Murdoch remembered how the boy -no man- had lit up when talking about the plants that could be seen from the room.
Draco Malfoy though ruffled held an outward appearance of aloofness and some mild contempt, but Murdoch had seen the man after he arrived for all his disdain Draco was scared and when Murdoch watched the younger man's grey eyes snap towards Hermione Murdoch guessed she held some of that power.
It was the witch in question and the last wizard among that caused Murdoch the most worry and conflict over his masters choice.
They had both been chosen after they were marked but though most weren't always ready they soon proved they were powerful enough to join the order Murdoch was wondering if Hermione and Theo would ever be ready.
Theo would rub his hands either together or against the fabric of the chair, trying to cleanse away some unseen smear but Murdoch knew it was his mark and it was the reason he was here. The younger man was broken and it might have been to the point of no return.
And war had a way of breaking everyone too much.
Even the smartest witch of her year seemed broken too, from what he understood she should have been the first to pepper him with questions but she sat muted, her eyes dancing wildly over the floor. She was dirty and bloody, her fingertips stained with more than just ink now.
The mark itself never broke them but the events leading to the marking sure didn't help.
"How?" it seemed that Draco was the one to take the lead and Murdoch would enjoy training him, it would be a challenge.
"How you got here?" Draco's slight nod turned all eyes on to Murdoch, who smirked and quickly slipped his eyes closed as he sorted through his memories. The common mistake among the world was that someone who could live forever would remember everything, the truth was no had that much space and after a few centuries, Murdoch had learnt to store away things he needed but not always on the forefront. He had a pensive, more than one, but there were some things that needed to be collected without magic.
With a flash, he opened his eyes and took in those before him. Out of all the training and discussing he hated this part the most. In these few moments, acceptance was the hardest thing to garner and the only thing that mattered.
Lies wouldn't do and yet the whole truth wouldn't help either.
Somewhere in the middle always worked the best.
"To be honest the explanation behind the magic requires more time than any of us have and even then I'm not sure I could explain it" Murdoch caught the looks on their faces and sighed. This was the hard part in gaining their trust.
"I didn't create the magic that brought you; I can't control the power behind it, at best all I can really do with that magic is activate it when the chosen ones are marked and brought here" Murdoch explained, feeling slightly amused when Hermione raised her eyebrows and for a moment her eyes lit up with curiosity. But the weight of her memories doused the light and she furrowed her brow at him.
"What do you mean requires more time than any of us have?" Hermione questioned, her voice that had been commanding and determined now seemed almost childlike. Murdoch guessed if she accepted the offer she would become more powerful than she already was.
"The magic I do control allows me to weave my own spell within the 'summoning' spell, for lack of a better term. The moment you arrive here the world you left becomes suspended; it's almost as though you have never left" Murdoch offered as Hermione swallowed his explanation.
"For how long?" Draco no longer seemed scared and Murdoch saw the same light dancing in his eyes that Hermione had just held.
"Until you leave this room; regardless of whatever you decide, once you leave this room then your world will continue on with or without you" he was proud of that piece of magic, it was a highlight in his eyes however from the disapproving looks it wasn't met with the same thoughts.
"Our friends" Neville spoke up and Murdoch knew that the moment upon on them, the moment of telling them that something beyond their control was trying hard to write their new future.
"Are safe; at least some of them are safe" Murdoch flickered his eyes to the two younger men who ducked their heads. Theo rubbing his hands again while Draco tugged at his shirt sleeve.
"The war is over; you have to believe that and Voldermort lost, in all his horrific ways he lost to Harry Potter" Murdoch didn't ignore the flinch from all of them as he uttered two names that would no doubt haunt them for the rest of their lives for many different reasons.
"Can you send us back!?" Hermione demanded and for a second the others looked at her with fear as the thought that maybe he couldn't send them back. It was easier to pretend they could if they didn't ask the question.
"Of course, I can; now, tomorrow or even years from now, however, I cannot do so unless you have heard me out; like I said the war is over for your world at least but there are far more dangerous and evil things out there than just a deranged wizard with his twisted ideals" Murdoch did choose to allow both Theo and Draco to duck their heads again. Despite what they appeared to be before him now, they were children when their hands were forced.
When their souls were tainted; one more than the other.
"You kidnapped us!" and with a flash of misplaced rage Hermione was on her feet and her magic seemed to crackle around her in what must have been a frightening display of power. Would have if Murdoch hadn't seen it all before.
"Abducted would be more close to the truth as kidnapping suggest that I have no real urge to return you" Murdoch smirked at the girl and raised a dark eyebrow in a challenge. The girl shook with rage, her fists closing in a painful way.
"And what if I don't want to listen to what you have to say!? What if I want nothing to do with whatever you have planned?! What if I just want to be with my friends?" Hermione demanded as Murdoch shrugged, acting as though she had simply demanded the time.
"Though I'm sure your wandless magic is up to par I doubt you be able to return without my help" and with that, he watched as her face paled and she realises that she had no wand and neither had any of the others. Even with their wands they wouldn't have been able to leave but he didn't want to risk the safety of himself or them before him by leaving their wands within easy distance.
"Please sit" Murdoch's tone didn't ask, didn't suggest it was an order and he was impressed that Hermione refused it for longer than most had before. As she perched on the edge of her seat Murdoch nodded to himself, glad that at least he had the chance to explain.
"Like I said before" Hermione met his sharp glare and chose to ignore it promptly "I have no urge to keep you here against your will if you no longer what to stay here after I've explained everything to you all" Murdoch took a deep breath and let his eyes slip shut for a moment, picking through what he would start with.
It was, however, Theo who made the choice when his voice broken through to Murdoch.
"What mark?" Murdoch shot his eyes open and stared at the tormented boy and studied him. His hands rubbed together again and Draco tugged at his sleeve again, the fear back in his eyes.
"Each of you received a mark that entitled you to be here; the mark itself doesn't need to visible, for the magic of Camelot to work it simply needs to feel the mark the moment it is created. For example mister Malfoy's mark is very visible" Murdoch pointed out causing the blonde boy to pale then scowl as everyone apart from Theo looked to Draco.
"Stop" he warned and for a moment his tone was threatening but his eyes darting to his sleeve washed away any notion of danger.
"Why? I'm trying to explain just what your marks are; the moment you took that mark you were singled out because that mark meant you would face a future of hate. At the time you might have believed it was the right thing to do by your family, but it wasn't until you stood on that battlefield you understood that you would have to face the world of hate and you were willing to accept it all" Murdoch felt his nose flare when he saw Draco about to speak.
Thankfully the boy simply just clenched his jaw and turn away, ignoring the frowns from the Gryffindors.
"That mark is visible to the world just like Miss Granger's" Murdoch knew exactly why Draco seemed to pull himself further into the sofa, avoiding Hermione's eyes. For her part Hermione simply held her head high, belying the fear in her eyes.
"Her mark singled her out very much the same way mister Malfoy's had; the world will pity you for an idea that will die out now Voldermort has gone. The moment you accepted that you are far above that word you were marked out" Murdoch allowed his eyes to soften when the girl slumped back and cradled her arm to her chest.
"However marks like mister Nott's was once seen but is now gone" the scrubbing of hands caused Murdoch to tilt his head and sigh " at least to us they are gone" Theo flashed dangerous eyes towards him and stilled his hands so it seemed as though he was simply keeping his hands warm instead of trying to rid himself of the image of blood.
"You were marked the moment you were no longer a child thrust onto the battlefield instead you became a fighter" they both knew exactly what he meant but he figured it could let it slide. He looked to Neville who was watching him intently.
"You were marked the moment you offered yourself for a prophecy that was never for you; you took that sword and you swung it with a true aim that marked you deep within your soul" Murdoch declared offering the younger man a smile when he blushed and ducked his head as though his act was nothing.
"And Miss Lovegood was always marked out; her unique view marked her for more than just one world" Murdoch beamed at the blonde girl who seemed to sway with pride, a hum vibrating around her closed mouth.
"Each and every one of you were marked for the moments you proved yourself; the moment that outshone all the moments that led up to them" Murdoch explained, pride swelling in his chest knowing that to be marked meant that they were not just what they thought of themselves but were, in fact, they were moulded for something more.
"What were we marked out for exactly? What could be so important that we were taken from our friends and families?" Neville demanded and Murdoch smiled at his courageous tone. Tilting his head Murdoch glanced towards the window and smiled at the green view he was offered. He ignored the voice that reminded him that his world would stay like this for long.
"Merlin had an order" Murdoch began as he turned back to the people before him, each giving him their attention.
"One he created at the same time as Arthur became king of Camelot and was joined at his round table by his knights. While Arthur and his knights aided the mortal world Merlin set up The Order of The Dragon to ensure that threats of a magical natural would be dealt with" Murdoch began to pace enjoying his story and knowing that he would never grow bored of it.
"Merlin came into the possession of five stones, they were flat, varying in colours and shaped like an egg; he chose five wizards and gave them the stones. Nothing happened. He then chose five witches and again nothing happened; this lasted for about two years until he found that after a skirmish with a local threat Camelot was celebrating a few magical begins who had aided in defending their kingdom" Murdoch's eyes danced as his hand slipped into his pocket and his fingers grazed something cold and hard.
" Five of those magical beings held those stones and something truly magical happened. They were marked, each had a circle etched into the palm, the same shape as the round table. Merlin knew they were marked for something greater and indeed, they were for those five joined Merlin and became the first of the order of the Dragon; in fact, they became the first of many. Only when the original members of the order died would the next generation be marked, even after Merlin disappeared and Camelot went into hiding from the Romans, magical begins were chosen and brought here to train" Murdoch waved a hand around him to encompass everything around them.
"Why would you need us now? I assume that this order was founded to protect others. With Voldermort gone, what else could the world need protecting from?" Hermione tone sounded defeated and Murdoch felt for the girl because her fight was no from over.
"Voldermort brought evil to the world- a lot of evil at that- but for good to flourish there must be something to fight against. Voldermort was an evil that transcended time itself" Murdoch agreed as his eyes grew darker.
"The evil I fear that is coming now... I fear it may transcend magic itself" Murdoch stated gravely feeling the stones in his pocket almost vibrate against the warning.
"The evil that is coming is something that Merlin fought," Murdoch looked at them all and took a deep breath.
"And almost lost against"
The stones vibrated in displeasure.
A/N: Hi all,
Just to let you know that I will be continuing this fic but might not update it as often as you might. Hopefully the next lot of chapters will be easier to write.
enjoy and thanks.