This is where things get a bit weird. The first few chapters are just going to be bits and pieces of scenes, the additions to canon which I need for this story.

I'm covering a year a chapter for the first three maybe four chapters. The straight bits are the Hogwarts part and the italicized part is Merlin's perspective of the scene. Lines dictate a complete change of scene. We'll see how we go with this, if it doesn't work then I'll have to go back and change things.

Chapter 2: First Year

Harry Potter stared at Rubeus Hagrid. He was a wizard. This was impossible. Beneath the thick overlarge jumper Harry pinched his arm unable to stop himself from grinning at the sharp pain, this wasn't a dream.

"Well now 'arry we need to get moving. Lot's to buy." The giant man levered himself off the couch, which was now severely bowed in the middle and moved to the door glancing over his shoulder. "Unless you want to stay?" Hagrid chuckled and pushed open the door.

Harry looked over his shoulder at his aunt and uncle who were still fussing over Dudley's tail and paying Harry no attention. Harry turned back to Hagrid and hesitated. He didn't know anything about this world except what Hagrid had told him, he wouldn't put it past Petunia and Vernon to tell some lie to get him to leave.

Harry hovered on the edge of a decision. Should he or shouldn't he? Go on. A voice in the corner of his mind prompted. Harry beamed. This was the world his parents had been a part of. He, Harry Potter, was a wizard. Harry ran past Hagrid into the pouring rain.

Merlin leant back from the crystal and lowered his hands, smiling. Just a little nudge he told himself, just to lead Harry along the right path. He would need his magic, and he was brimming with it, to win his battle against Voldemort. Merlin settled back on the old blankets he'd brought up to the Cave with him and selected an apple. He'd been checking in on Harry Potter more frequently the more the magic started to show in him.

It had made Merlin sad to see Harry ostracized for his differences, he was like Merlin in that way. It hadn't seemed right for magic to be so universally accepted and to have someone still so hated for it. This wasn't Uther's Camelot, but Merlin unfortunately had tied his protective spell into the blood of Harry's mother so for the moment he had to stay with his hated relatives.

Merlin took a large bite of the apple and looked away from the crystal as the image faded. He wasn't getting involved. He was still watching and waiting as he had promised. He would not get involved.

Hermione ran her fingers lovingly along the spines of the books on the shelf. In the few weeks she had been at Hogwarts the library had quickly become her favourite place. No one teased her here and the smell of paper permeated the room like the comforting smell of her mother's cooking.

Hermione turned and walked back along the aisle. She had found all the books she needed for her first ever assignment, but she wanted something else as well, something for some light reading.

Tracing the gilded lettering on some of the spines, Hermione let her gaze drift over the titles. All of them were so interesting it was hard to decide which to choose.

Hermione made her way further into the shelves keeping her eyes on the books at her eye level. Moving through the more ancient history texts towards the modern section there was an imperceptible shift of air and a thick book with an old scratched leather cover tipped to the side and landed with a hefty thump on the empty shelving. The sound and movement drew Hermione's eye and she drew the book from the shelf.

She turned the book over and looked at the cover, a smile slowly spread over her face; this was exactly the sort of book she was looking for.

Merlin leant his head against the crystal. Nicolas Flamel had been an acquaintance long ago, but Merlin hadn't seen him since that initial meeting just after he had discovered the Philosopher's Stone. Nicolas hadn't known who Merlin was, as Merlin preferred to keep his true identity secret when dealing with the magical community. The wizarding population's esteemed opinion of Merlin made him uncomfortable.

Merlin didn't want recognition, particularly when he had seen the way that the Arthurian legends had been twisted, portraying Merlin as victorious instead of a failure. He suspected that was Gwen's doing more than anything. Merlin turned from the crystal and picked up his staff. He didn't want to interfere in Harry's life anymore, but the flashing futures in the crystals had told him that some interference was needed if Harry was to survive the year.

Turning as he reached the mouth of the Crystal Cave Merlin sighed and shook his head. He knew he would come back in the next few weeks, he was finding it hard to resist staring into the crystals to see the images of Harry Potter's life.

Merlin began to make his way carefully out of the valley where the entrance to the Crystal Cave was hidden. He really had turned into a foolish old man.

Dumbledore looked down at the Philosopher's Stone; the small blood red crystalline stone was surely more trouble than it was worth, but Dumbledore couldn't refuse a request from as good a friend as Nicolas Flamel.

The problem he was presented with was an attractive if simple puzzle. What was the best way to protect the Stone? All the other Professors had provided a layer of protection in the form of a complex puzzle, now it lay with Dumbledore to add the final piece.

What to use? The numerous protective charms and spells he knew floated through his mind; the only problem with many of the options was that even the most powerful of spells could be broken with the right knowledge. No, what Dumbledore needed was a way of hiding the stone that would prevent people from accessing it. A new thought drifted through the back of his mind, a gentle voice which nudged him earnestly until Dumbledore payed it mind. The mirror, use the mirror, that which can be seen, but not touched. The spell floated in after the thought. Dumbledore chuckled to himself it was so simple. Why had he not thought of this earlier? He drew his wand and picked up the Stone, stepping towards the Mirror of Erised which was currently propped against one wall of his office, covered in a sheet.

At least the damned thing would be useful for something.

Merlin strolled into the Crystal Cave and shrugged out of his jacket. He was feeling good about today, though he wasn't sure why. He hoped it wasn't that he'd made the decision to come back to the Cave.

Stepping into the centre of the cave, Merlin looked up, closed his eyes and revelled in the feeling of magic in the air. He did love coming here; it felt more like home than the little cottage he had bought down near the Lake.

As he set his bag down the light in the cave began to burn red. Merlin straightened and spun around. He had only ever seen red in the crystals a few times, and each of those times they had been warning of severe danger. The Crystals were shimmering, images flashing in all of them. Merlin cupped the nearest crystal in his palms and focused, steadying the vision.

Four people were gathered around a table. Merlin recognised Harry Potter and his two friends, the fourth was Hagrid and the giant man was watching the object on the table with utter delight. Sitting on the table, partially cupped in shell was a black baby dragon.

The smile which broke out on Merlin's face could have outshone the sun. Dragons were born now without the aid of Dragonlords and were little more than dumb beasts. Despite this the sight of a baby dragon was still something that made Merlin's heart soar. He missed Kilgharrah.

About to turn away Merlin paused, if the crystals had shown him this dragon then there was something important about it. Merlin sighed and looked back down into the image. "Oh protect this dragon, safe keep it and let it free to sour." He muttered.

Finally stepping away Merlin nodded firmly. The only reason a dragon would need help is protection from humans and the protection spell would encourage them to let it be, because there was no way that a dragon would be permitted to stay at Hogwarts. Not at a school.

As always this made Merlin laugh, to think that the deep basements of the school,where the secret chamber still resided, used to house the greatest of the Dragon kin and not a soul at the school knew.

Merlin continued to chuckle as he pulled out his camping equipment, he would watch the dragon's progress over the next few days, he didn't want a repeat of the Aithusa incident.

Harry staggered back from Quirrell's approaching hands and looked desperately for some path to freedom. The small room that the Mirror was housed in was surrounded by flames. There was no escape.

Harry stumbled and fell backwards onto one of the stairs. "There is no escape Harry Potter." Voldemort taunted. "Now give me the stone."

Harry could feel the Philosopher's Stone in his pocket pressing into his leg as he scrambled backwards. There had to be something else he could do, some way to fight back... Quirrell's fingers closed around Harry's neck for only a moment before he jerked back screaming. Harry gasped as he watched Quirrell's fingers blister and burn. Voldemort was screaming in fury, but his words were lost over Quirrell's agonised cries.

Harry could only stare in confusion as his Professor wailed in agony, why couldn't Quirrell touch him? Shaking himself Harry lunged forward, it didn't matter why, only that he couldn't, so he clamped his hands over Quirrell's face and felt a faint sort of delight as the Defence against the Dark Art's teacher staggered away from him screaming as his face began to burn.

Harry sagged back on the stairs as Quirrell continued to burn away to nothing. It was over, the stone was safe and Hermione and Ron would bring help soon. As Quirrell's screams faded into nothing there was a great surge of power and something knocked Harry flying back into the stairs. His head collided painfully with the stone beneath him and the world fell into darkness.

Merlin jerked awake breathing rapidly. The dream had been too real. He swung his feet over the edge of his bed and hurried into the kitchen. Throwing open the pantry door Merlin pushed glass jars and boxes aside until he found what he was looking for; a palm size crystal ball.

Smooth and flawless he had made it years ago from one of the broken crystals from the Cave. He mainly used it to keep an eye on the Lake if he ever went on long journeys, but this was an extenuating circumstance.

Merlin cupped the crystal in his hands and focused his magic. Harry Potter swirled into sight in the depths of the crystal. Images flickered over it, those that Merlin had already seen and some others that would never come to pass now.

The boy was asleep in a white bed, as Merlin watched he stirred and opened his eyes. Dumbledore stepped into view and his lips began to move silently. Merlin bit his lip, he wished he had been able to help Harry deal with Voldemort instead of leaving him to manage on his own, though apparently Harry was strong enough to fight a dark wizard on his own and that was comforting.

It was also comforting to know that Merlin's protective spell from all those years ago was still holding, apparently tying it into Harry's blood through his mothers sacrifice had been a good idea after all.

Merlin set the crystal back in its box closed the cupboard and went back to bed. Harry was alive and Voldemort had been returned to his previous state of non-existence. At least for the moment Harry was safe.

I truly hope this isn't too confusing for people. The concept is simple, I hope, Merlin is watching Harry and Co. and putting in his two cents where he can.

If Merlin seems out of character concerning the actual canon then remember that he's been essentially on his own for several centuries, moping. He'll get back to more Merlinish type behaviour once he warms up to things.