I was super productive in my writing today and made it through road block #1 so you get to have this chapter extra early! See what happens when I get positive reviews? (hint, hint)

Chapter 15: Covering His Tracks

When Merlin left for the forest that night, Flora slipped out of the common room behind him. She tried to follow him silently up the stairs, but Merlin had more years of experience sneaking around castles. Slipping behind a tapestry he heard her walk past before he darted away to take another route outside. But Flora wasn't going to give up. She continued looking around the castle, hoping to stumble across her friend.

Merlin turned a corner and ducked back, narrowly avoiding Flora's gaze from down the hall. With a grimace, he whispered a sleeping spell and she dropped to the floor. He continued on his way to the forest knowing that someone would find her and take her to the physician's chambers. He was a little bit worried to see both her and Libæna not in his class the next morning, but she was back in common room when he got back.

He didn't mention it and she resolved to try again next week.

On Tuesday Merlin excused himself from the common room and walked to the forest, allowing Flora to follow behind him. He took a path outside that would allow Flora decent hiding spots as she trailed him, making her feel like her presence was a secret. He reached the edge of the forest and saw Professor Slytherin waiting for him. They talked and together walked into the forest. Flora frowned and sat on the rock she was hiding behind. She was sure that there was a trick somewhere in all of this. Maybe Drugen did know she was following him and he was waiting for her to head to Battle Magic before he snuck back out of the forest. She resolved to sit here and wait.

"Thank you for helping, Salazar." The two men walked further into the forest. "She tried to follow me last week and I knew she'd try again."

"She's becoming suspicious then?" Salazar asked.

"I'm afraid so. Nothing I can't handle though. If I need to I can admit to part of the truth and she will think that is all I'm hiding." Salazar nodded his approval.

"You are good at this deception thing aren't you?"

"I've had to be," he sighed. They reached Merlin's secret hideout and he turned to Salazar with a grin. "If you stay a moment, I'd love to introduce you to Professor Dragoon."

"I'd be honoured," he replied with an equally wide grin. Merlin turned and jumped underground before returning wearing his other set of robes. He closed his eyes and aged himself. When he opened his eyes he saw Salazar staring at him in open amazement. Where a second ago stood a young boy in robes too big for him, now stood an older man who was just as tall as Salazar, had a white bread with matching long hair. His face was wrinkled and it looked like the age of his eyes finally matched the age of his face.

"Dragoon the Great at your service, Professor." He bowed with a flourish.

"That is, wow. Are you really going to look like that when you are older?" Merlin chuckled.

"If I let myself age naturally this is how I would appear when I am sixty. However," he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, "it's not too pleasant, growing older, so I doubt I will let that happen." Together they walked back out of the forest, discussing what Merlin had already taught the students and which ones showed particular promise. Upon clearing the tree line, they noticed Flora still sitting on the rock. Merlin grinned.

Follow my lead. He walked over to her. "Ah, Flora my dear." He gave a slight bow as they stopped in front of her. She was sitting stiffly with her arms crossed. "Why are you sitting out in the cold?"

"I was, um," she floundered for a moment. She didn't want to tell the two professors that she was following her friend because he was acting suspiciously. "I wanted to sit out here and think. Just have some quiet time. I've had a lot on my mind lately."

"Are you coming to my lesson this evening? Perhaps we can talk about what is on your mind while we wait for the rest of the students." He held out a hand to help her off the rock. She stared at it for a moment before accepting. "Excellent. Well Salazar, I will leave you to return to young Drugen and make sure he doesn't get too lost in that forest of yours."

"Of course. Farewell then. Enjoy your lesson Flora."

Just walk into the forest for a bit until we are out of sight, he said as he led Flora in the opposite direction. Then you can return to your own work.

Or I could actually take a look around in the forest like we said we are doing. They shared a mental laugh.

Or that. I'll see you later my friend. Merlin gave his full attention to Flora. "Now what is on your mind? Perhaps I can help you sort some things out."

"It's my friend Drugen. The one helping Professor Slytherin in the forest during your class. There's something about him and I can't figure it out. It feels like he is hiding something but I don't know what. And I would like to think we are friends and he would trust us."

"How long have you known him for?" he asked carefully.

"We met at the beginning of the term."

"That's not very long. Sometimes people take longer to put their complete trust in someone." Flora pondered this while Merlin raised his arms and spoke the words to create his dome of heat. "And it may be possible that he is used to keeping things a secret. Depending on where he grew up, some of his secrets could be very dangerous if others knew." He conjured up two stools for them to sit on while the air heated up.

"I guess that makes sense. But what do I do? I can't force him to tell me, but I don't want to ignore what my gut is telling me." Merlin hummed while he thought for a minute.

"My best suggestion would be to just keep your eyes open. Don't pressure him into telling you. Let him decide when to lower his wall and let you in. You can keep your suspicions, but your friendship with him is more important. And," he looked at her sternly. "No more sneaking after him."

"I promise I won't." They sat in comfortable silence, each thinking their own thoughts. The soothing sounds of water lapping the shores of the lake adding to the peace. "Professor?"

"Hmm?"

"You don't need a wand to perform magic do you?" she asked hesitantly.

"No," he replied, equally hesitant but not letting it through in his voice.

"How rare is that?" He froze. Now he knew what she was suspicious of. She didn't doubt his identity, just his power. That was something he could keep a lid on easier.

"I'm not entirely certain. I have encountered many sorcerers and sorceresses who had no need for wands or staffs. I've met others who channeled their power through other objects like rings. Others who used their gifts only for healing channeled their power through the potions they were making. Before I came to Hogwarts I had never seen anyone with the gift using a wand, staffs sure, but never a wand." Flora raised her eyebrows. "So I'm sorry that isn't really an answer but with magic nothing is ever straightforward." She laughed a little at that. The class had begun to arrive now. Seeing some friends, Flora thanked the professor for the talk and walked over to her friends. Merlin smiled, glad that he was able to sooth his friend's suspicions. That, and today he was going to teach the students how to create windstorms.

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Things were normal for the most part once Flora stopped trying to figure out Merlin's secret. He relaxed then and allowed himself to focus on his schoolwork once more. He missed having people call him Merlin, but having friends around who cared for him more than made up for that. And at least this time his alternate name was one of his own choosing. It still unnerved him whenever druids addressed him as Lord Emrys.

He kept up occasional correspondence with Gwen, and through her, short notes to the remaining friends he had left behind. It was becoming easier for him to accept that Arthur was gone. Not that the hole in his chest would ever truly be healed, but it was beginning to hurt less. There were weeks that had gone by where he only thought of it once or twice

He was let plenty busy trying to do schoolwork for six classes while teaching his own. Though to be fair, it was really only History of Magic and part of Runes that was difficult. The other magic courses were almost intuitive. He supposed he had Gaius to thank for his skill in Herbology and Healing and growing up in a small village for his competency in woodcraft. He was still incredibly clumsy, but he did know which plants were which and where they could be found.

It was in Counterspells and Potions with Godric Gryffindor that Merlin began to have one of his funny feelings. He pushed it aside and focused on trying to cut back the power in his spell that Godric was teaching them. The objective of the spell was to create a ball of ice that would counteract a fireball. Merlin's magic kept wanting to overpower the fireball and turn a flaming ball of instant frostbite back at his duelling partner. Both of them were looking worried and Merlin suggesting taking a quick break so that he could "practice saying the incantation correctly. Obviously I'm not saying it quite right." That was when he heard the voice in his head.

Woah, another cliffhanger! Sorry, I do so enjoy those.