Chapter 05
Arrival and Historical Discoveries

Harry's POV

We had been watching the lights disappear into the coming night sky for a few minutes before I sigh and say: "Well, better just head back to our dorm. Professor, can you tell London that we're back and safe?" Professor Snape nods and I decide to prove my loyalty to Daphne like she did to me and ask: "Can I escort you back, Daphne?"
The girl smiles, something I vow to myself to let happen as many times as possible and she asks: "Sure, but do you know where my dorm is?" And while trying not to think back to my Second, do I say: "My friends and I had a little incident that allowed us to find out." To which Hermione says: "You can say that again."

And while she rubs her cheek, confusing everyone but Ron and me, do we all leave the office of the Potions teacher. I offer Daphne my arm and while many Slytherins pass us with wide eyes, does the feeling of that soft hand on my elbow make me uncaring to whatever outer attention I am currently receiving from my peers.
We end up at exactly the right wall and I reenact Malfoy's orders, bowing and kissing the delicate hand with sharp nails at the end of her thin fingers gently, before I say: "I hope to see you at breakfast tomorrow, Daphne." And the girl answers: "I'll see you then, Harry." And she softly kisses my cheek before entering the common room.

I feel shocked and softly touch my left cheek, where I can still feel the warmth of her lips on my skin and while grinning widely, do I think: "See you tomorrow, my Queen of England." But then my smile disappears as I, for some reason, feel as if it would be unwise for me to take Daphne as my Queen when I take the throne.
Wondering why, I leave the dungeon and up to my own common room. Walking past a window watching over the Forbidden Forest, I remember ditching Umbridge there and mutter: "Dobby." And the small House Elf with tennis ball shaped eyes and large up-turned ears appears as he asks: "How can Dobby helps Harry Potter Sir?"

And I vaguely answer: "Get Umbridge out of the forest, would you? She was caught by the Centaurs and I don't want them to become murderers. Not when I'm this close to take the crown on Magical England." The House Elf gasps and bows to me before leaving with a loud pop, making me know I have to inform the other House Elves too.
I then enter my common room and Lee Jordan runs over as he asks: "Harry, everything alright? I heard of your vision, I've been waiting here all night." I smile at the best friend of Fred and George, who were there for me when I needed them most back in my second and say: "I'm alright, Lee, just a little dazed with all that's happened."
The tanned older boy with dreadlocks in his black hair nods and says: "Just go up to bed, Harry. I already send an owl to the twins to let them know you almost went on another adventure. They'll probably be back here tomorrow morning." I nod, while worrying what Umbridge could do to the twins and leave for bed.

Lea's POV

Our arrival at the location of our mate takes us to a castle unlike any I have ever seen and I look up at the amazing stained glass windows, open windows with stone seating in the frames and the many towers and turrets sticking out just about everywhere. As I look around, do I suddenly see Merlin and four others arrive.
Three of them were there when Sora brought back Axel and Roxas and I wonder what their names are as I kind of forgot, even though Mickey and Master Yen Sid both mentioned their names multiple times when we all arrived back at the Mysterious Tower and I blame the shock and fear I felt before that arrival on my forgetting.
The brown haired man then also looks up and says: "I saw many a castle while we traveled the worlds to defeat the Unversed, but this – wow." And his blue haired female and blonde haired male friend both nod. Merlin then looks up and says: "It seems to be getting late. We better head for that little town over there to find shelter."

We all nod and leave for the nice, cozy looking town with many small houses and shop everywhere along the cobble-webbed pathway. Finally finding an old in called The Three Broomsticks we enter the tavern and Merlin asks a middle-aged woman behind the bar for several set of rooms. Unfortunately does the woman say:
"Sorry, but I only have one more large room where I can put several beds in available. Everything else is full now that parents want to know how their kids are doing for their exams." Merlin nods and says: "We'll take the room, dear. Can you enchant it to be divided in two, so that the ladies can have their well-deserved privacy?"

The woman happily nods and while I can tell that the two unknown men are stealing glances at the covered cleavage of the blue-haired woman, do I personally feel slightly uncomfortable at having to see it, let alone seeing the cleavage of my friend Aerith. With that thought I let myself be lead up a couple of staircases.
First we pass a staircase leading to the bathrooms and the woman says: "These are the public restrooms, your room has a personal bathroom and I'll install a small charm so that you can use it as a bathroom as well and so that your companions can be warned whenever one of you is there." Making us all smile at her.
She then leads us up three more staircases and Ienzo says: "You sure wouldn't have expected this house to have this many floors when you see it from the outside." The woman laughs and says: "Most of our taverns and pubs are enchanted with an undetectable Extension charm so that we have extra room for our guests."

"How marvelous." Merlin exclaims and he raises his cane high as he says: "Magic sure has evolved since I was here last." And I ask in shock: "Was here last? Have you been to this world before then?" And the wizard laughs as he says: "Oh yes, yes, I was born in this world really, but that was a long, long time ago."
He then swishes his cane in quick circles and says: "Ah, the beauty of combining time travel with dimension travel. You can go to any world in any time at all and not age a bit." This seems to shock everyone and the woman asks: "Sir, if you were born here, from when are you?" And the wizard happily answers:
"From when Arthur was still king, young lady. I left only just before Salazar – ah, bless him, that fine young man – was to go on his own journey." The woman looks shocked and says softly: "No – it – it can't be." We all look at her confused while she has come to a stop halfway between the fourth and fifth floor and she asks:
"Are you – could – could you be?" Merlin tilts his head and asks: "Could I be what, my dear?" And the woman breaths: "Merlin?" And when Merlin laughs and says: "Yes, I am indeed." Even and I have to hurry to make sure the woman doesn't fall as her legs give out beneath her. I look from her to Merlin and ask:

"Was that really necessary?" And the wizard seems to be genuinely worried over the young woman as well as he says: "Well, I didn't exactly expect her to be this shocked. Young lady, why are you so shocked that I am who you asked me to be?" And the woman answers: "Because we all use your name when we are shocked.
It's become custom over the years. You are after all known as the first wizard to have been born here. The tales of what you did, teaching Arthur, traveling through time, enchanting Camelot, creating just about half the elixirs and potions we know today." This makes me look at the man again and I ask: "How long did you live here?"
And the man answers: "Only fifty years really. But yes, I did just about all those things." The woman then thanks me and my partner as she stand back up and asks: "Merlin, seeing you come from the time of the Founders, may I ask a question I have been wondering about since my own school years?" And when Merlin nods the woman asks:

"What exactly caused the break between Slytherin and the other Founders?" But Merlin seems shocked and asks: "What break? There was no break between them when I left." The woman sighs and says: "You must have left before they got angry with each other. Darn, I really hoped to find out why he was so against Muggleborns."

"Against Muggleborns?" Merlin asks shocked and disturbed and he spats: "Madam, I can assure you Salazar loved all his students, no matter what their blood or skin type. He was a very suspicious man, no doubt of that, but he had plenty of reasons, I can assure you and once he had a student close to him, he loved it like his own."
The woman looks shocked and asks: "Really? Because Legend and History tells us that – a few years after founding Hogwarts Slytherin got suspicious of Muggleborn kids and believed it better not to teach them. They say that is why he fought Gryffindor, why he build the Chamber of Secrets and why he left Hogwarts."

Merlin seems to get angrier the more the woman speaks and he shouts: "HOGWASH!" Shocking us all and he goes on: "Godric and Salazar were blood-brother bonded when they founded Hogwarts. They would never fight bad enough for it to be history worthy and Salazar would never leave his younger brother behind!"
"Then – then what happened?" The woman almost begs Merlin and she says: "You have to understand why I ask, I'm Muggleborn myself and my family is in terrible danger. The Heir of Slytherin, who believes this more than anyone is back and he will surely kill my parents if I don't find out. I need this information to protect myself!"

I feel for the woman and Merlin sighs as he says: "And this is exactly why I left. There have always been rumors hurting those I love and there will always be a clash between Light and Darkness. Not even Arthur was able to prevent it, he was even tricked into several terrible actions by that devil Morgana Le Fay."
The woman lies her hand on his shoulder and says: "Great Merlin, I fully understand your anger towards this misjudgment in time and historical truth, but my family isn't the only one in danger. The Heir of Slytherin has it out for a young boy, whose father was my favorite customer and dearest friend. Please, tell me the truth."
Merlin nods and says: "Let's get settled in first. Madam, do you think your tavern can go without you for an hour or two?" The woman nods and Even asks: "What's your name anyway? We didn't even ask." The woman looks shocked and says: "It's Rosmerta. Cristina Rosmerta." We nod and she leads us up the last staircase.

Once there, she opens a door to a gigantic circular room with several beds stationed in a circle and the woman quickly casts a few spells, one on a door in the far right wall, where a door to the loo must be stationed and one on the two beds right next to the door on the right, where a large wall grows from the floor up to the ceiling.
She casts another spell with her wand, causing a door to appear in the middle of the new wall and then conjures several comfortable looking seats to appear in the middle of the room. We all walk in and I see Merlin looking at Rosmerta's wand questioningly, before he says: "Sure didn't see many of those in my days."

And the woman looks shocked as she asks: "Were the people able of Wandless magic back then?" And while Merlin hangs up his large pointy wizards hat, does he say: "Of course they were. It was an elective for Second and Fourth years to take, even, to see if they could do their fifth and seventh year exams wandless."
Madame Rosmerta looks shocked and says: "I'll be right back. I have to tell my barmaids to stand in for me for tonight. I was planning on closing early anyway, so they know what to do." We all nod and I look at the large beds with hangings rails, curtains and double comforters and say: "Old-fashioned, but quite luxurious."

My friends nod and then the woman returns and quickly casts several spells on the doorknob, putting her wand back in her apron before she sits down and says: "I cast a few long-lasting silencing, privacy and notice-me-not spells." This impresses me and I lean back against the poles of one of the beds as Merlin scrapes his throat.