Welcome back, and first a few thank you. Firstly to you all for reading, supporting and reviewing these chapters. Secondly, a particular mention to Amir-015 for some really interesting PM discussions over the last few weeks, and finally to Miss Kitty Black who listened patiently to my woes, supplied chocolate and sympathy then handed me my laptop and told me to get the f*** on with it. Consequently, having been late with my last chapter, I am now back on track.

To those that are celebrating this weekend, Happy Easter, and may the Easter Bunny bring you many nice things...

Mild sleepy, early morning shenanigans at the beginning of this chapter, but nothing to cause any concern.

Enjoy.

Merrick x

It was pure chance that the first rays of sun to rise high enough to filter through the trees and strike the walls of the House of Avalon, should find their way through the only chink in their shutters and straight into Natasha's eyes, making her scowl, and turn into the pillow with a small grumble of discontent. But she was awake, and once awake, some things could not be ignored. After a few minutes she huffed irritably and slid out of bed, stumbling a little as she headed toward the bathroom. Emerging a few minutes later, she paused, leaning against the door frame, eyes uncharacteristically soft, as she watched the figure sprawled across the bed.

The single beam of light in the otherwise dark room illuminated Harry, hair in all directions, long body utterly relaxed, stretched out on his back, one arm reaching across to her side of the bed as if trying to find her.

"There is temptation and then there is you Harry Potter" she murmured under her breath, crawling carefully over the bed to where the covers tangled low around his hips, allowing her lips to drift over the smooth skin of his stomach, following the groove etched in his musculature downwards, feeling him stir slowly beneath her."

"…Tasha?"

"Shhh"

Looking up she caught that slow sleepy smile as the green eyes opened, the smile that tugged something deep inside her, making her want things she'd never allowed herself to consider before. Taking a moment she rested her cheek against his hipbone, breathing deeply. "Good morning. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

Reaching down he pulled her back up the bed for a kiss. "Good morning to you too. And please, continue to not-resist. You won't catch me objecting." Natasha sighed contentedly against his neck. It was hours until breakfast, she was warm, comfortable, there was no rush. Harry's fingers trailed lazily over her skin making her squirm suddenly as he touched a sensitive spot over her ribs. The fingers froze.

"Tash?" She looked up to see a mixture of mischief and desire on Harry's face. "Tash... are you ticklish...?"

ooo0ooo

Lady Branwen and Aria were returning from their customary dawn meditation a few minutes later when the silence was shattered by squeals and laughter from the guest quarters. While her young apprentice flushed and looked awkward, Branwen chuckled softly. "It appears that our guests are awake early this morning. Would you inform Chara that we will break our fast in..." she paused, smiling as she heard the laughter subside to a series of soft murmurs that were still clearly audible in the Isle's silence "...perhaps we'll give them an hour". Seeing her apprentice's face fall she flicked her cheek affectionately. "Ask Chara child, I'm sure she will have something to help you survive until breakfast. Now run along." Branwen watched indulgently as her apprentice ran swiftly through the arch into the second courtyard, heading for the kitchens, before returning to her library.

ooo0ooo

Breakfast for Harry and Natasha arrived an hour later, courtesy of Chara, Branwen's cook and housekeeper. Once the door was closed, Harry eyed the tray, laden with tea, fresh baked bread, preserves and fruit and sighed gustily. "Coffee... I knew I should have brought coffee" He looked up at Natasha, eyes hopeful. "I don't suppose you have any stashed away in your top secret spy suitcase by any chance?"

"Sorry Harry. I've got all sorts of stuff in here that would rock your world, but sadly no coffee. I'll make sure it gets added for future missions. In the meantime I'm afraid it's tea or nothing..." Harry huffed mournfully and accepted a cup with ill-grace.

They had finished breakfast, and were lurking in the garden, uncertain of their next move, when Aria appeared in the archway. "Sir, my Lady. If you are ready, Lady Branwen requests that you meet her in the Library."

As they followed her, at a little distance, Harry bent to murmur into Natasha's ear. "Is she real do you think, or just some kind of projection, like your friend Stark's AI? She just seems to pop up out of the woodwork whenever we need her."

Natasha watched the girl's retreating figure. "I wonder who she is and how long she's been here."

Harry shrugged, preferring his more fanciful storyline. "I dunno. She looks about twelve to me"

"Really Harry? And how old do you think Branwen is? You think she's the... what... thirty five or so that she looks. I very much doubt it. She could be a thousand years old, and we'd be none the wiser"

"I suppose. Like your mate Thor and his whackjob brother."

"Exactly. You want to know something really bizarre?"

Harry stood politely back to allow Natasha through another of the house's heavy wooden doors. "I love bizarre, go on"

"Thor's brother, Loki is just over a thousand years old right." Harry nodded. "Well if you look at that in the context of an average Aesir lifetime of around about five thousand years, then compare it to an average human lifetime of around eighty years..." Harry blinked and frowned, maths had never been his strong suit. Natasha huffed "I know you're short on caffeine Harry, but please try to keep up. Anyway, as I was saying... if you translate Loki's age into human years, he's what... eighteen, nineteen, tops."

Harry was unable to suppress a snort of amusement, causing Aria to turn back sharply. Seeing they appeared to be alright, she returned to her former brisk pace. "So your saying what? That he's a messed up teenager?" And that blowing up half of Manhattan is just a way of getting back at Mum and Dad?" Seeing Natasha's face, he stopped "Is that what you're saying?"

Natasha frowned. "You know. I'm not sure what I'm saying to be honest... it's just... strange I guess. Another messed up childhood."

Harry rested a hand on the back of her neck, surprised at the pang that small worried frown caused him. "There's a lot of us about Tash... there's a lot of us... Ah. Here we are I think." Aria had stopped at a pair of double doors, heavier and more ornately carved than the others. Murmuring a soft incantation under her breath, she placed her hand palm down, on a circular panel, noticeable for it's lack of decoration. With a loud click, the door lock released, swinging open easily. Aria stepped back respectfully.

"Please enter and be welcome. Proceed to the table, and look to your left. I believe Lady Branwen is awaiting you by the fireplace." As they walked past her, she looked up at Harry and smiled. "And I will speak to Chara. Lady Branwen prefers tea, as do I, but I believe that she may have some coffee for you Sir."

Harry's grin could have lit the whole room... "Aria, you are a treasure. Thank you so much." He shrugged ruefully. "I'm quite happy with tea the rest of the day, but in the morning..."

"Harry. You have to look at this!" Natasha's awed tone drew him irresistibly forward as Aria left them, closing the door with a flick of her fingers. Harry turned back to watch her curiously. Aside from the whole security systems on the doors - which could just as easily be technology, this was the first sign of actual magic he had seen since their arrival on the Isle.

"Harry... ?"

"Coming". Turning around, Harry was unable to suppress a gasp of amazement. Like a certain well know blue police box in the muggle world, the Library of Avalon was undoubtedly considerably larger within than without, with aisles of towering shelves stretching as far as the eye could see on both sides. "Incredible. Just incredible. Thank God Hermione doesn't know about this place. We'd never get her out again."

"On the contrary Harry. Miss Hermione Granger is a long standing friend of this house. She has been visiting regularly since your great victory, usually during the summer months..." Branwen rose from her chair by the fireplace, setting the book on her lap carefully onto a side table... "and I can categorically say that she does always leave, albeit reluctantly."

"Amazing..." As Harry's eyes surveyed the immediately area, they widened in recognition. "What the... what is that doing here?" Among the books on the shelves were a number of heavy glass cases, all of them shimmering with magical wards. Stepping a little closer, he looked back at his hostess. "This is Ravenclaw's Diadem surely. But this is... intact"

"Indeed. The greatest historical and magical artifacts in the Nine Realms may be brought here, safely out of time. The diadem you see is restored to its former glory, free of the taint of evil. The destruction that you saw was only the destruction of the darkness that had infested it, not the artifact itself, which was brought here following the battle."

As Harry studied the diadem, now restored to it's gleaming glory, Natasha tugged impatiently on his arm. "Harry look at this... It couldn't... Dumbledore said... Can this be?" In another glass case on another shelf was a heavy bronze cup, plain, a little battered, crudely made. But the power coming off it... even through glass and heavy wards Harry could feel it in great waves. Wide eyed he turned back to Branwen, who smiled.

"Oh yes Harry. It is indeed. If it is The Grail that your enemies seek they will be gravely disappointed. But somehow I doubt it."

Harry took Natasha's hand, coaxing her reluctantly back to the fireplace. "What makes you think that?"

"Because the papers you showed me referred specifically to Merlin. The Grail was Arthur's quest. Besides, this would not be the first time that evil men have sought The Grail and failed. It may be the same group of people if they have, as you say, been active for many years. If it is then they will be all too aware that it lies far beyond their mortal reach. But come, let me show you around. I regret to tell you that your search will not be a straightforward one, there is no catalogue, no card index to this Library I'm afraid and even I do not know exactly what lies upon these shelves "

Natasha looked around and shook her head. "This reminds me of ... a movie I once saw."

Harry smiled in recognition, "Of course, The Librarian, wasn't it. Not the greatest work in film making history, but entertaining." He looked around in mock-alarm. "I'm not about to be chased by Excalibur am I?"

Branwen continued to lead them through the shelves, smiling serenely. "Of course not Harry, what a fanciful notion. Rest assured that Excalibur is firmly in it's place over the main door, and there it will stay. Chased by swords indeed..." Looking over her shoulder, she realised that Harry and Natasha were rooted to the spot, mouths open. "Please stay with me, it would not do for you to get lost. Ah, here we are, the Merlin Archives are on these shelves here." She indicated a pair of shelves crammed full of dusty volumes, and boxes full of papers, rolled scrolls and what appeared to be maps. "How is your Latin?"

Harry's face fell. How had he not considered this? Seeing his expression, Natasha closed her eyes. "Just me then. Isn't there a spell that can help with this kind of thing?"

"Maybe. There's a couple I can try, but I don't know how they'll deal with historical Latin, and handwritten at that"

"Lovely"

Branwen smiled. "Well, Aria and I may be able to render some assistance, but there are other demands on our time. In the meantime I will leave you to it. I will arrange for Chara to bring you lunch to the fireplace area. I would be grateful if you could keep food and drink away from the documents. Please remember that these are unique historical artifacts, that require careful handling. Now if you will excuse me, I will return to check on you later." Just as she was leaving she paused and turned back. "I'm sorry, I forgot two things. You are now allowed to use the door over there..." she indicated through the shelves to the windows that looked over the garden "... as you wish, but the main doors require either Aria or myself to open them. If you require any assistance in the meantime, please ring the bell by the fireplace. I would appreciate it if you did not... explore... the house unaccompanied. This place is of vast antiquity, and holds many secrets. I would advise ... caution."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Thank you Lady Branwen. Believe me when I say that we have more than enough to do here. I don't believe that we will have any time to wander.

"In that case..." there hostess smiled. "I wish you luck on your quest.

ooo0ooo

It had been another long day. The sun had long since set, and another supper taken in the library. Natasha carefully rolled yet another scroll, wincing as her neck cracked audibly. Rubbing it, she was unaware of the long smear of dirt left across her skin. "Are you sure that we can't do this magically?"

Harry rubbed his eyes wearily, silently thanking the Healer that had fixed his eyesight all those years ago. Even perfect eyesight wasn't helping the massive headache that was looming right now though.

"We daren't. These are irreplaceable and very fragile. Magic is just too… risky. Even gemino can cause minor stress to the parchment."

"Gemino?"

"Duplication charm. Works best on less… damageable objects. We were lucky that that translation charm we used didn't scorch the parchment, it was a close run thing."

She nodded, thinking. "Like Gemini? That makes sense." Like Harry she rubbed her eyes wearily. "There's shelves of documents here relating to Merlin and Arthur, and I'm the only one of the two of us that can read Latin. We've already been looking for three days. Not that I'm not enjoying hanging around in libraries with you, but we need to find this thing."

Harry nodded tersely. "I know, but there's nothing. Lots of travelling, lots of campaign records, but no mention of weapons, or secrets or anyone called Caron. We have to have this wrong somewhere."

Natasha stood up, stretching the kinks out of her spine. "I agree, but I have no idea where we're wrong, and until we work that out I guess we just keep going – one foot in front of the other. Time to grab the next box Magic Man."

Harry smiled "That I can do." Reaching for his wand, he levitated another crate off the shelves. Silently, they both got back to work.

ooo0ooo

Two days later they were no closer to an answer…

Natasha had done nothing but trawl through pages of hand written Latin script for days and was tired and irritable… Harry was bitterly frustrated by the slow progress, but even more so by his inability to help her. Frayed tempers had not been helped by the fact that all meals but breakfast had been taken in the library since their first meal with Branwen. Things finally came to a head late one night when yet another box of scrolls had proved unhelpful; Harry had wanted to do one more but Natasha had had enough. The spat had been brief, but ferocious enough for Harry to be grateful for the fact that Natasha did not to carry weapons in the house. It had finally ended with her flinging out of the library in a torrent of angry Russian. He had heard their bedroom door slam decisively, and decided that he would explore Branwen's library for another hour or so. They had, after all, spent far more hours than was healthy in each other's exclusive company recently. It was hardly surprising that things had blown up eventually. Turning away from the window onto their courtyard, he headed for the more modern volumes at the far end of the room.

He was still sitting in an armchair by the fire three hours later, surrounded by piles of books, when Branwen herself came in with a tray of tea. She paused, uncertainly, when she saw that Harry was alone.

"I saw the lamps still alight and assumed you were both still up. Is everything alright Harry?"

Harry looked up from his booked and smiled ruefully. "What do you get when you put an immovable object and an irresistible force in the same room for far too long"

"Oh dear" she gestured towards another chair. "Do you mind?"

When Harry nodded, she sat down, pouring them each a cup of tea. "Still no progress?"

Harry put his book down and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Nothing. It feels like a wild goose chase. No reference to Merlin's greatest treasure, or of this guy Caron. Hydra's going to use this weapon to take over the world, we can't solve the mystery and now Tash and I are at each other's throats. It's hopeless."

Branwen smiled serenely. "Nothing is ever hopeless Harry, you of all people know that. All it takes is a little faith and a lot of perseverance. Now drink your tea while it is hot."

Harry looked at "A History of Early Christian Monasticism" with disfavour "My Latin is almost non-existent, so the worst of it has fallen on Tash's shoulders. It's been kind of you to come in and help us though."

"It's been my pleasure. There is a lot in those cases that even I have not read. I am sorry that I have not been able to spend more time with you."

"You've been most kind Lady Branwen." Harry tilted his cup. "Thank you for the tea."

She gestured to the book. "A little light reading?"

"A little background reading. I thought it might help"

"Did it?"

"Not really"

Harry sipped his tea and closed his eyes, thinking. Something that Branwen had said nibbled at the edges of his mind. Rather than chase it, he turned his mind to other things, allowing it to quietly take root. It was a skill he had acquired over the years of investigation with the Aurors.

"Why are you here Lady Branwen?"

"Why are any of us here?"

He smiled. "You know exactly what I mean. What do you do here – when you aren't entertaining visitors?"

"That, Mr Potter, is classified, as you would say. Although it is nice to have visitors, it makes a pleasant change."

"Change….." mused Harry "… in faith. Oh for the love of…." Setting aside his tea, he riffled rapidly through the volume on his lap, before setting it aside again with a hollow groan of frustration.

"What is it Harry?"

Harry's head was in his hands. "I can't believe we could be so stupid". Returning to the table he snatched up one of the sheets of paper from the Chester Cathedral archives.

"Alun of Caerfyrddin, in faith, Brother Caron". He slammed his hands on the table in sheer frustration. "Shit! We got so hung up on Brother Caron and his writings that we completely forgot that he wasn't a bloody monk when he hid his... whatever it is. We've spent nearly a week looking for the wrong fucking guy."

In the distance a number of relics were vibrating quietly but distinctly in their cases. On the wall above the door, Excalibur shifted uncertainly on its mountings. Branwen rose, looking a little alarmed. "Mr Potter. I understand your feelings, but I must ask you to please moderate your language and to calm yourself, firstly because good manners are a rule of this house, and secondly because the magical vibrations you are giving off are upsetting some of our more... er... sensitive artifacts."

Harry was silent for a moment, mind focused inward, collecting himself…

"Lady Branwen, I apologise for any offence I have…." He paused head flying up, eyes seeking the still open door onto their courtyard, their quest forgotten, attention wholly focused on the faint but discernible sounds of distress coming in through the door. Under any other circumstance he would never have heard it, even in the echoing silence that covered the Isle, but his ears had always been very finely tuned for trouble.

"… Excuse me Lady Branwen" Harry rose and strode from the library. There was only one person that could be making those noises…

Wand in hand, Harry silently approached their bedroom door, easing it open slowly. The room was in darkness, except for a single lamp, which illuminated the restless figure on the bed.

"Tash, are you OK sweetheart?" Her eyes were screwed tight shut, hands clawing at the blankets wrapped tightly around her body, fast asleep. There was no sign that she had heard him.

Harry paused, considering carefully. Regardless of their.. whatever this was, Tash was a highly trained killer, a beautiful and deadly weapon. Magic or no, if taken by surprise, in the grips of her nightmare, she could probably snap his neck before she even woke up. Care was needed here.

Murmuring soothing nonsense, he took one hand, rubbing gentle distracting patterns into the back. "Tash, Tasha sweetheart, it's only a dream. It's only a dream honey, time to wake up. Tash – you need to wake up now – come on now, it's only a dream, only a dream."

With a choked cry, Natasha's eyes flew open, pupils wide and shocked. "Harry?"

Less wary, now she was awake, Harry wrapped an arm around her, drawing her carefully against his shoulder. "You were having a nightmare sweetheart. Just a nightmare…" The slender body in his arms took a deep shuddering breath and finally relaxed against his shoulder.

"Thanks for waking me up."

"Any time" Harry ran a hand over her sleep mussed hair. "This isn't the first time this has happened is it? D'you want to talk about it?"

The 'no' was somewhat muffled by his shoulder, but was quite clear nonetheless.

"OK, but take it from me… In my lifetime I've had far more than my fair share of nightmares – maybe not as many as you, but it does give me some credibility… and the one thing I do know is that nightmares rarely go away on their own. Sooner or later you'll need to talk to someone about it… If not me, then someone else."

She sighed, eyes still averted. "I know"

"Branwen brought some tea to the library. Do you want to go back to sleep, or do you want to join us?"

Natasha lifted her face from his shoulder, rubbing her eyes on the back of her hand. "I guess I could use a break and tea sounds good. Give me a minute to just put something on." Swinging her legs out of bed, she slipped on a pair of jeans and without thinking, reached for a soft dark blue shirt of Harry's, rolling the sleeves up. Looking up as she reached for the door handle, she frowned. "What?"

Harry grinned. "It's such a cliché, but my shirt looks so good on you… it's a shame about the jeans though"

She smirked. "Fair enough, it's a deal. Next time I have the chance it'll be your shirt and nothing else" the smirk deepened at Harry's expression. "But to be honest, I'm not really in the mood at the moment, and even if I was I'd shock the hell out of Branwen if I turned up dressed like that."

Harry chuckled. "OK, I'll give you that." He looked down at her bare feet. "Did you forget something?"

She muttered a curse under her breath and looked around for the nearest pair of shoes. Harry however had other ideas. "I've got a better idea. Come here Agent Romanoff"

"Harry!" Natasha gave a muted shriek of protest as he swung her easily up into his arms… "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a flair for the dramatic."

Harry flicked a finger to close the door behind them, hefting her more securely into his arms. "Funnily enough, yes. My right hand man, Draco Malfoy… quite often as it happens."

"I'd like to meet this Draco Malfoy sometime. It seems we'd have a lot to talk about"

"For which reason I'm happy to keep you well apart. And on the subject of talking; while you were snoozing, I was talking with Branwen. It appears that I have had a revelation."

"Go on…"

Harry stepped carefully around the circular flower bed that surrounded the central obelisk.

"Well, do you want the good news or the bad news?"

Natasha huffed. "I suppose there's no chance of you just telling me is there? OK I'm Russian. Let's have the bad news first."

"Umm we've been looking for the wrong name…"

"What!"

"We've been looking for the wrong guy. It turns out that he only became Caron when he became a monk."

She closed her eyes. "Harry Potter, you do realise that I know 37 different ways to kill you with my bare hands alone? OK, tell me the good news."

"I know who we're looking for. Hell, I've a feeling we might even have come across him."

By now they were ascending the step up to the library doors. "So are you going to share with the class or are you planning on keeping it to yourself?"

"I am glad to see you well Natasha"

Harry set Natasha back on her feet as their hostess spoke from the fireplace. "I'm fine, thank you Lady Branwen. Bad dreams are a fact of life for me I'm afraid."

"I understand only too well . I live in peace and seclusion now, but my life was not always so… tranquil. I too have had my fair share of nightmares in the past. But I interrupt, please continue Harry"

Harry bent to conjure a third cup, to pour for Natasha. "Alun of Caerfyrddin, his name is Alun. Caron is the name he took as a monk. Apparently it's common practice, symbolising a new life and all that."

Natasha went very still. "Did you say Alun?"

Harry nodded. "You remember something?"

"I remember more than something… Merlin's servant… no, more of an assistant. His right hand man as you would say Harry. According to the information we found he was with Merlin when he joined Arthur's forces, and remained with him until Merlin's disappearance after Arthur's death. He was by all accounts a man of humble birth, originally trained as a warrior, who was educated by Merlin in their time together."

"Warrior, sinner, scholar, servant to those who walk with Kings" Harry looked up at Natasha, wide eyed. "Tash… I think we've found him."

"But we still have no idea what we're actually looking for Harry. We have the who of this mystery, but not the what, and most certainly not the where."

Branwen smiled, indicating a newly opened book which she placed on the big oak table. "I think I might be able to help you there"

Ignoring the chairs, Natasha perched on the edge of the table, while Harry simply sprawled across it. "I don't remember seeing that book before."

Branwen permitted herself to look just a little smug. "That, my dear Natasha, is because you weren't looking in the poetry section which you will find to the left of the fireplace."

Natasha looked blank. "Poetry?"

"Indeed. It was purely by chance that I discovered this book." She ran a finger over the beautiful illustrated volume in her lap. "The original stories of Arthur and his Knights were not written down, they were sung and told around the fire, in inns, houses and great manorial halls."

Harry shook his head. "The Bardic tradition, of course"

"Indeed Harry. This is one of the earliest written copies of those stories, which have changed much in retelling and rewriting over the centuries. It mentions Alun of Caerfyrddin in only the vaguest terms, but it does give a great deal of information on other things. Of the ancient sword of Kings – Excalibur as it became known. Powerful not for any magical reasons but for what it represented, that he who wielded the sword ruled the kingdom."

"Headology" muttered Harry

"Head…what?"

"Terry Pratchett – one of my favourite muggle authors. I remember reading this conversation in my first year at school. Do you wear the hat because you're a witch, or are you a witch because people see the hat and believe you're a witch. The chicken or the egg thing. Pratchett called it Headology."

Natasha looked confused, but Branwen smiled. "An excellent if obscure analogy my friend. I too am familiar with the works of your Mr Pratchett. He has an interesting way of looking at things"

"OK. So the tales tell us about Excalibur, but what do they say about Merlin?"

Branwen paused a moment as she consulted the cramped, handwritten early English, frowning in concentration. "Well, they describe him as being tall and thin, with a large…." She peered closer "…nose, and eyes weakened by too much reading. He wears a long, heavy hooded cloak of a dark blue…. OH"

By now Natasha and Harry had forgotten their disbelief and were shamelessly peering over her shoulder. "What" they said together

Branwen looked up, face alight. "… See here… it tells us that he had a heavy staff, curiously carved, which he used for walking, but also in his magic, in the way of a wand, and also of a large book, which he kept with him at all times in a heavy leather bag."

"Oh Gods!" exclaimed Harry "Of course. How could I be so stupid. Merlin's staff and journal."

"His journal?" Natasha looked baffled.

"A witch or wizard of Merlin's caliber" explained Harry patiently. "... would keep a journal. Not a diary, more than that - a personal record – of their thoughts, meditations, charms, potions and the like."

"So it's a book of spells"

"Basically yes. But more than that"

"And…the source of Merlin's power?"

Natasha and Harry looked at each other, hardly daring to believe how quickly things had swung from despair to elation.

"Oh shit Tash. I think we finally found it. …. We finally found it."

"Well strictly speaking Harry, we haven't found anything. But we do at least know what it is that we haven't found."

Harry huffed. "Natasha Romanoff. Can you please stop being so…. Russian."

Seeing Natasha's glower, Branwen stepped in. "It appears that you have made much progress tonight. But now, bed my children, it is very late and there is more work to be done tomorrow morning if you are to continue your quest. As you say, we have the who and the what. Tomorrow we must consider the where."