Chapter 24 Fifth Year: OWLS

Hogwarts was in a flurry. The two weeks before the OWL's had been jam packed with excitement. With Dumbledore gone anarchy reigned. Everyone outside of Slytherin was doing everything they could to make Umbridge's life a living hell. Things had only escalated with the Weasley's departure. Students left Umbridge's classes in droves, stocked to the gills with Skiving snackboxes. Several Nifflers were unleashed into her office tearing it apart, once with Umbridge inside.

However as the OWL's themselves fast approached the fifth years withdrew their efforts to disrupt Umbridge, forced instead to focus on their exams.

Harry hefted his bag over his shoulder as he joined the other fifth years climbing the Astronomy Tower. So far the OWL's had been a mix of average and bad. Harry always knew he was going to do badly in Divination, but hearing about the outstanding efforts of the DA in Defence against the Dark Arts had really boosted Harry's mood.

Now with only a few exams to go Harry was wishing they were over, he was past caring how well he did.

As the examiner laid out their charts and everyone started setting up their telescopes Harry repressed a yawn. Astronomy wasn't one of his favourite subjects and given that he had been running on nerves and no sleep for the last four days didn't do anything to improve his mood about this exam.

"Alright everyone silence from now on, please fill in your star charts." The examiner had to be almost as old as the castle and looked so fragile that Harry thought he was going to collapse under the weight of his own stopwatch.

Exchanging a reluctant look with Ron Harry pressed his eye to his telescope and focused on the moon.

An hour into the exam the lawn below them was sudden illuminated with a burst of yellow light. Harry paused in adjusting his telescope and looked over the parapet. The main doors had been opened and Umbridge was striding across the light soaked lawns towards Hagrid's hut, flanked by six men in robes.

Harry cleared his throat and Ron looked over at him, hitching his head Harry redirected his friends gaze towards the little group heading towards Hagrid's hut. What was Umbridge up to?

Harry's question was answered quickly and not in a way he had hoped for. Umbridge knocked firmly on Hagrid's door, and when it opened and Hagrid stepped out she and her posse turned their wands on him.

Harry couldn't hear what was said, but he recognised the flash of red as a Stunning spell. "No," someone gasped from in front of Harry and was promptly shushed by their examiner.

The beam of red light bounced off of Hagrid's chest, and the half-giant gave a roar of fury. Hagrid swung one massive fist and sent one of Umbridge's helpers sailing off into the night. Hagrid's hut was lit up in red as the remaining members of the group began hurtling stunning spells at the enraged Gamekeeper.

"Be reasonable Hagrid." Umbridge's voice drifted up to them, shrilled and angry.

"Be reasonable! Reasonable! Sneaking into my 'ome in the middle of the night." Hagrid bellowed, lunging for one of the witches who didn't jump back fast enough. "Ruddy cowards!"

"Hagrid!" Another voice joined the fray and for a moment Harry's heart soared. The figure haloed in the light from Hagrid's cabin was Merlin. The sorcerer looked over the scene and raised one hand sending another of Umbridge's goons flying off into the dark.

"Stop, immediately, you have no right at all." A long dark shadow spread through the light from the door to the castle, the shadow lengthened and McGonagall ran into view.

"Oh no." Hermione whispered clapping her hands over her mouth.

Umbridge and three of her cronies turned momentarily from the fight with Merlin and Hagrid and sent a wave of stunning spells towards McGonagall. All four spells hit her in the chest and as the Professor was sent hurtling backwards slamming into the steps to the Entrance Hall, even their examiner joined in the cries of outrage.

Harry turned his eyes back to Umbridge wishing with all his might that he could set her on fire with his mind.

Stunning spells were now raining down on Hagrid, but Harry's giant friend seemed immune to the spell as he lashed around with massive fists as he tried to shield both Merlin and an anxious Fang from the spells. Unfortunately Hagrid's efforts seemed to be blocking Merlin from attacking himself.

"Watch out." Seamus called out, but it was too late, the stunning spell caught Merlin in the middle of his back sending the sorcerer spiralling off and slamming into the stone wall. Hagrid roared again and threw the witch responsible off into the darkness. Umbridge now had only one assistant and he seemed very unwilling to get within reach of Hagrid's fists.

Harry watched in horror as Hagrid bent over and scooped Merlin and a snarling Fang into his arms before he took off into the night. Harry turned to look at Ron and Hermione, both of his friends were pale, Hermione was still covering her mouth with her hands. It hardly seemed possible and yet it appeared that they had just lost two more allies and one of them had been their secret weapon.

Merlin came awake slowly and grimaced. His head was throbbing and he felt as though he had been punched hard in the centre of his back. Blinking away the stars he recognised as a stunning spell Merlin tried to sit up only to find that he was draped over someone's shoulder bouncing as that someone ran through a dark forest.

He twisted to look back over his own shoulder and recognised the dark wiry hair of his ride. "Hagrid what is going on?"

"We're leavin' Hogwarts." The half giant slowed to a steady jog.

"What?" Merlin twisted against Hagrid's grip, but his friend had an iron clad grip on him. "Hagrid we can't leave, I can't leave Harry alone with Umbridge."

Hagrid stopped dead and set Merlin down hard enough to make his knees buckle. "'arry ain't alone. He's got Hermione, Ron and the other Professors. Besides which he's a flippin' great wizard himself."

Merlin stopped and looked up at Hagrid. The half-giant was looking at him sternly through the tangle of his hair. Merlin chewed on his lip, maybe Hagrid had a point, he had been so worried that Harry would end up like Arthur that maybe he had been stopping Harry from reaching his potential.

Arthur had been Merlin's superior, he had done pretty much what he wanted, but here and now Harry looked up to Merlin, looked to him for support and guidance and Merlin had been taking everything on himself. Merlin frowned down at Fang. Maybe it was time to let Harry fly solo and see how things went.

"Emrys?" Hagrid asked. "We need t' get movin'."

Merlin looked up. "I'm not going with you Hagrid. You're right I need to let Harry go his own way, but I can't just leave him. So I'm going to stick around, in the shadows just to be safe."

"Where will ya go?" Hagrid asked, though he looked like he was going to argue.

Merlin looked around at the near black forest around them. "I'll go look after Grwap, someone needs to keep him company."

Hagrid looked at him silently for a long moment, then he nodded slightly. "Right." The half-giant patted Merlin on the shoulder and then he and Fang disappeared into the night.

Merlin rocked back on his heels and stared off into the darkness for a long time. Then he summoned a ball of light to lead the way and headed off into the forest.