chapter 11: fine can destroy what you don't want


"Phoenix," Merlin muttered.
"Sorry what was that dear?" The fat lady asked peering at him.
"Phoenix," he repeated louder.
The portrait swung open.
Merlin reeled back. The sound of cheering almost defend him.
Suddenly arms were pulling him. Everyone was shouting, yelling and screaming. He suddenly realised what he really wanted.
He didn't want to be praised or cheered, he just wanted to talk to Albus and Grace and then go to bed. How could these people around him think he wanted to be the Hogwarts champion.
"You did it!" Someone was yelling.
"How did you get chosen?" a seventh year accused him.
Merlin tried to push his way through the crowd.
All he wanted to do was go to bed.
"Want some food?" Someone asked him shoving a pasty into his hand.
"No," he mumbled pushing it back.
"Come and sit over here," a girl with long blond hair and far too much makeup called to him.
He ignored her trying to get past a group of third years who were trying to take his photo.
Through the clouds of purple smoke he finally saw Albus and Grace sitting alone by the window staring at him.
He approached and stood awkward next to them.
Albus was glaring at him.
"May I sit down?" Merlin asked not meeting his eye.
Albus shrugged.
Merlin sat.
"What did they say?" Grace asked finally, breaking the silence.
"I can't back out," Merlin sighed.
"Why would you want to?" Albus suddenly asked.
Merlin stared at him astounded. "Because it dangerous and I don't want to be famous," he finally answered.
It was Albus' turn to stare at him in horror. "Why?" He demanded.
Merlin shrugged.
"Have you done that essay for Binns," Grace interrupted.
Merlin sighed again.
"Can't we copy?" Albus asked.
"Certainly not," Grace glared at them both.
"We better get on with it," he mumbled resigned.
The party continued all around them. No one seemed to have noticed that Merlin was missing.
Albus sighed next to him. "Have you found the date of that Goblin rebellion?" he asked.
"What rebellion?" Merlin asked smiling.
"It was 1683," Grace snapped emerging from the book she was reading. "It says so on page 476 of 'A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot."
"All right know it all," Albus snapped.
"Sorry, I was only trying to help," Grace sounded hurt.
Merlin turned the pages of the book loudly trying to distract Albus.
Grace returned to her book.
Hours passed as the common-room around then started to empty.
After about an hour and a half Grace stood up to get another book.
Then they lapsed into productive silence again.
"Why am I bothering?" Albus finally asked slamming his book down. "We've got the whole weekend to get it done."
At that Merlin did the same and began to stand.
"Merlin," Grace suddenly asked.
He sat back down.
"What's the first task?"
Merlin shrugged. "I don't know."
"Wouldn't they say?" Albus asked.
"No."
"Why?"
"Its designed to test our ability to cope with unfamiliar circumstances," Merlin replied.
"What did your dad say the first task was when he did it?" Grace asked Albus.
He just shrugged. "Don' know, he never said."
"Maybe it will be the as then," Grace said. "We should probably write him a letter and ask."
"But that would be stupid," Merlin interrupted. "It wouldn't be unexpected if it was the same as before."
"Well maybe they don't have anything better to do," Grace said.
"I'll write the letter," Albus said dragging a piece of parchment towards him.
"Well I'm going to bed," Merlin said standing up and leaving the room.
Grace and Albus looked at each other.
"How did he manage it?" Albus finally asked enviously.
"I don't know, but I suppose he is a genius."
They lapsed into silence listening to the continuing scratch of Albus' quill and the babble of voices all around.

Silence lay like a blanket over the office as they waited for someone to speak.
"When weel ze weighing of ze wands take bleze?" Madam Maxime finally asked.
"On Monday," David Watson replied.
"Are we gontenuing with zeh tourrnament?" Ianakiev asked looking at McGonagall sitting behind the large claw footed desk.
"I think we have no choice," she replied. "The tournament must continue, and Coleman is obliged to compete."
"You Breetish," Maxime burst out. "Ahw gould ee be so stdupeed?"
"I think it' fair to say that he didn't expect to be chosen, almost every first year put their name into the goblet, I don't think any of us were expecting one of them to be chosen."
"Yes but ee as been chosehn."
"Well he must be something special about him," McGonagall replied thinking about the meeting she had had with the rest of the teacher about this very boy. "I will speak to Mr Coleman tomorrow." she said finally.
At that Professor Longbottom stepped forward. "I'll give him the message as soon as I can."
McGonagall tapped a piece of parchment on her desk with her wand. It immediately rolled into a tight scroll and the name Merlin Coleman was written across it in neat handwriting.
As Longbottom reached out his hand the scroll leapt off the desk and flew towards him.
Neville lurched sideways and caught it.
Then he left the room.
"I'll see you on Monday," McGonagall, the cue for everyone to leave.
They did just that.
Professor Ianakiev was still muttering under his breath.

Merlin woke. As he turned on his back he wondered why he felt so nervous.
Then as he swung his legs off the bunk and felt his bare feet hit the cold floor it all came flooding back.
He was the Hogwarts champion.
He was going to be stared at.
And talking about.
He sighed and got dressed. At least it was a Saturday so he had a chance to avoid everyone.
Then he took a deep breath and made his way down to spiral staircase into the common room.
The first thing he saw was Albus and Grace sitting in the same corner as yesterday holding a scroll of parchment.
And then the room burst into applause and people began to converge on him.
He closed his eyes, wondering if he could knock them all out.
Then they reached him and he felt people clapping him on the back and shouting.
He couldn't hear a thing. The voices around him merging into one annoying buzzing that seemed to fill his ears.
He started trying to push his way through the crowd.
Then just when he felt like he would never reach the other end a prefect came to his rescue.
"Out the way!" Victoir Weasley called. "I'm a head girl!" the badge glinting on her cardigan. "Give the first year some space!"
The crowd of Gryffindors dispersed all making their way back to their seats.
Soon people seemed to have forgotten all about him, only a few people were still staring at him and some even waved trying to get him to join them.
Merlin ignored them finally making him way to Albus and Grace.
"We were just about to send the letter to my dad," Albus said as he sat down next to him.
Merlin took the scroll he was being offered and unrolled it.

To dad,
Sorry I haven't written, been really busy with homework. Hogwarts is great! (although I've already said that) I've made really good friends with a boy called Merlin, he's AMAZING at magic. He just got chosen to be the Hogwarts champion! The other champions were both 7th years. James is still being annoying, and I've met Malfoy. He's horrible. But I was wondering what the Triwizard tournament was like last time. Do you think it will be the same again? They say the first task is supposed to surprise you. Is that what happened when you did it? Also people keep staring at me. And they're going to do it even more because Merlin's the champion. Also I'm going to see Hagrid tomorrow. I look forward to it. Say hello to Lily for me,
Albus

Merlin finished reading. His first thing he registered was that Albus seemed to have forgotten to use paragraphs.
"Its not very good is it?" Albus asked.
Merlin shrugged.
"I did it when I was tired," Albus said defensively.
"Lets go find an owl," Grace said standing up.
People's heads turned as they made their way towards the portrait hole.
Outside the corridor was blissfully empty.
"Are we going to see Hagrid?" Merlin asked as they climbed as staircase.
"Yes Hagrid sent a note while you were still asleep."
Merlin nodded. "Do either of you actually know where the owlery is?" he asked.
They both looked how at the floor.
"I know it's in one of the towers," Albus said continuing to walk.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "What a lot of good that is."
Albus grinned. "We've got all day."
An hour latter Albus was not looking quite so cheerful.
"You are aware I haven't had any breakfast?" Merlin said feeling the hunger gnawing at his stomach.
"Its got to be around here somewhere," Albus said trying to keep a note of optimism in his voice.
"We've already been here five times," Grace said as they rounded yet another corridor.
"Maybe we should try going up?" Albus suggested for the umpteenth time.
They found a staircase and began to climb. Just as they were halfway up they almost walked into someone hurrying in the opposite direction.
"Ah Albus, you haven't seen Merlin have you?" professor Longbottom came to a stop just before he collided with them.
"I'm here," Merlin said pushing Albus out of the way.
"Yes, I've been looking for you," and he handed him a tight scroll with his name written on it in neat handwriting.
"Thank you professor," Merlin said puzzled taking the scroll.
Neville made to continue down the stairs.
"Professor," Albus asked.
Neville turned to look at them.
"Where's the owlery?"
The corners of the teachers mouth curled into a smile. "Keep going up until you reach the transfiguration corridor, from there find the staircase behind the portrait of Nicholas Flamel, just keep going up there and you'll get there eventually," then he hurried away.
"Well no wonder we couldn't find it," Albus complained starting to climb the stairs again.
"Wait." Grace said turning to Merlin. "What does it say?"
Carefully Merlin unsealed the scroll and unrolled it.

Dear Mr Coleman,
would you please go to the third floor corridor at 8pm today.
Hope you enjoy your Saturday,
Prof. M. McGonagall

Merlin handed the note to Grace.
"Why?" she asked.
"Must be about being a champion," Albus said also reading the note.
"Why the third floor?" Grace asked.
"It must be where the entrance to McGonagall's office is," Merlin said starting to walk. "Shall we go? Otherwise we'll never get to the owlery."
"Oh yeah," Albus said following him.
Now that they knew the way it took a surprisingly short time to reach it.
So it was just 15 minutes later when they were making there way down the stair to go to Hagrid's.
"Can we get some food before we go?" Merlin asked as they made their way down the marble staircase into the entrance hall.
"All right, we're not expected at Hagrid's till after lunch," Albus said turning towards the doors to the great hall.
As Merlin walked across the entrance hall towards the great hall, and food he had almost forgotten about the dead weight in his stomach.
But as he walked down the hall towards the Gryffindor table he felt the stares of the school and some of the Gryffindors even went so far as to start clapping again.
Merlin did his best to ignore them but it wasn't easy.
Then he saw the food in front of him and decided to concentrate on that.
Then Grace and Albus joined him.
"Awesome isn't it?" Albus asked.
"What?" Merlin asked as he ladled stew onto his plait.
"You know," he looked around, people were still staring at them. "Being …" he broke off.
"Your enjoying all this attention?" Merlin sounded shocked.
Albus was suddenly very interested in a piece of lamb in his stew.

Half an hour later the three of them walking down towards Hagrid's cabin.
"When do you reckon your dad will reply?" Grace asked trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen between Merlin and him.
Albus shrugged, "suppose he'll answer as soon as he can."
Grace let the subject drop and an awkward silence fell over them again.
Then they reached the wooden hut that belonged to Hagrid.
Grace raised her hand and knocked.
It was a few seconds before it opened. But when it did they saw the huge bearded head of Hagrid looking down at them framed by a mass of bushy black hair.
"Hey Albus, you got me message?"
"Yeah," Albus replied straining to look up into Hagrid twinkling black eyes.
"And who are these?" His massive hand, the size of a dustbin lid waved towards Grace and Merlin.
Then he stopped. "Aren' you Merlin Coleman?" he asked squinting slightly.
Merlin gritted his teeth and nodded.
"The Hogwarts champion?"
"Yes."
Hagrid chortled. "No need to be so upset, I don't want your autograph or anything," then he stepped aside.
For such a massive man the cabin was surprisingly small with just a bed, table and large stove over which a kettle was just about to boil.
"Can I make you some tee?" Hagrid asked. "An' feel free to take a seat."
Merlin was the first to comply, trying to get onto the massive chair.
Albus had just succeeded when Merlin had an idea, why did he need to use his strength? surely he knew a spell that would lift him up.
Immediately his mind began to churn up spells, how did he know so many?
Accio, no, Locomotor Mortis, no that definitely wasn't right, Reducto, whatever that did, it wasn't flight, Saepe, no, that wasn't right either, oris, wrong kind of flight.
Then what he was looking for suddenly appeared out of the blue, Wingardium Leviosa. Yes that was the right spell.
He looked around him.
He was suddenly taller. Then he looked down, he was floating a few feet off the ground. Now how did he steer, he was just far enough away from the chair that he couldn't reach it. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.
Then he remembered. "aura," he muttered, I light wind whistled through the cabin.
Merlin floated over to his chair and sat down. Then he started to concentrate on the world around him. He was being started at. Both Grace and Albus were staring at him with wide eyes and Hagrid had just looked round from tending the fire.
"Well I can see why you go' chosen," he said finally. "That's some bloody good magic you can do there."
Merlin looked down at his hands. It wasn't fair. Why did he have to be so much better than everyone else.
"Well how you settlin' in?" Hagrid asked heaving the kettle onto the table. The wooden legs seemed to buckle slightly under the weight.
"Fine," Grace said. "We've already got a lot of homework, but it's a lot of fun, I really can't wait till next week when we get to learn the hover charm, I've already been practising but I haven't managed it so far," as Grace continued on and on about the lessons they'd learn and the potions they'd make Merlin began to find his mind wandering off. What was the note he'd got from professor Longbottom about, why did he have to go to the third floor corridor. What was so amazing about it. He'd walked down it what seemed like hundreds of times on his way to charms, what would be so different about it tonight. Or maybe nothing would be different, he just hadn't seen what was odd in the first place.
Absent-mindedly he pulled the note from his pocket. He reread the signature at the end McGonagall. But why? Why did she want to see him? What was so special about him? Did they really think he had chosen to become a champion? Was that what this was all about?
Questions began to spin round his head, like spells so often did. But this was different, these were unanswerable questions, questions he wished he knew the answers to.
Something caught his eyes, a flash a colour, then his eyes focused again. He was looking at a smouldering heap of ashes, all that was left of his letter from McGonagall.
He glared at it then blew slightly, they began to float off his hand, spirally slowly down to earth.
Well it wasn't like he was going to forget when his appointment was.