Chapter 21: Seeing is Believing

There were only a few days of awkward unspoken questions directed towards Merlin and significant glances exchanged between the trio before they returned to treating him as normal. His other friends had easily accepted the cover story and thankfully nothing was changed there. It was after Professor Dragoon's two week trip, one week would have really been suspicious, and his course resumed that another revelation was made. Merlin had been doing some studying on his own in the library so Flora and Libæna didn't notice when he snuck out to the woods. He met the class outside and he could tell the excitement levels were higher than normal. Impulsively he told the class to sit before him on the grass while he sat on his tree stump.

"I hear that while I was away on business, there was a battle here," he began. "Did any of you fight?" They nodded. "Tell me about it."

"It was incredible," one student exclaimed. "We had all been gathered in the Great Hall, they didn't want us to fight."

"We didn't actually know what was happening at the time. All we heard were warning bells." Another student added.

"Right, but we could see a little bit of the fighting from the windows. Not too much, just flashes of spells but sometimes one of the enemy tried to run away past the window."

"But then this other man suddenly appeared in the hall." The students visibly brightened at this. He could tell that is was exciting for them. "He told us that there were enemies trying to sneak into the castle and asked us if we would fight. The other professors tried to stop us but we wanted to fight."

"So all of us spread out in the castle. It was a little scary sometimes," one student admitted. Almost ashamedly.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," Merlin interrupted their telling of the battle to beat this idea out of their minds. "You have every right to be scared before and during any battle. I have been in many battles and infinitely more skirmishes, and there has never been a single time that I did not feel a bit of fear. Even the bravest of knights still have fear when they charge into battle. Fear keeps you on your toes, alert. Fear keeps you alive. If you didn't feel scared something is wrong." An invisible weight was lifted from their shoulders. "But tell me, what tricks did you use to fight them off? Did you remember what I taught you?"

All at once, the students were shouting out spells that they had used and tactics they had enacted. Merlin laughed and told them to raise their hands. Calling on a usually shy Ravenclaw, he asked her what she had done.

"I remembered you teaching us to use our surroundings to our advantage. So I enchanted a pedestal that had held a flower pot to be light enough to lift easily and then I hid around a corner. When I heard someone coming I was able to let them pass and then whack them on the back of the head and knock them out. Then I made sure they stayed down until one of the rope patrol came along and tied them up."

"Excellent work, Melinda. Now what is this rope patrol?"

"That was me and my friends, Professor," Alex, another Ravenclaw said proudly. "We collected what rope we could find around the castle. There was a lot in the storage closet by the servants quarters but we also took the cord that ties the curtains back." Merlin nodded his approval, quite impressed by their ingenuity. "It was our job to patrol the corridors and tie up the unconscious ones and bring them back to the Great Hall. They weren't too difficult to drag. We could levitate some of them, others we just dropped down the grand staircase. We tried to allow them an air cushion at the bottom, but sometimes it didn't quite work." That explained the bruises he had noticed on some of them.

"I used some of your advanced shield charms that allow me to maintain the shield while I cast spells through it," exclaimed a Hufflepuff girl he had called on next.

"Did any of you have your crystals with you?" he asked curiously. A few raised their hands proudly.

"I keep mine in a pouch on my belt all the time," Stephen said proudly and others voiced similar storage places in pockets or hooked to belts. One girl had shrunk it down and made it into a necklace. Others also mentioned that they didn't have it with them but had found time to grab it from their dorm in the middle of the battle.

"Very good. I would have hoped that you would not have needed to use it inside the castle but I applaud you for being prepared for anything. For the rest of you, I would recommend looking up summoning spells. Yes Arcadis?"

"Me and a few others ran down to the potions room and took some of the harmful potions to throw at the men," he explained. "Sometimes the weirdest ones worked. One man accidentally swallowed a love potion and immediately began trying to dance with his sword while singing. Horribly." The others who hadn't seen that laughed at the image.

"You all seemed very organised, did you have a leader?"

"It was Kay and the other druids, Professor," Anna spoke up when no one else did. "They have a way of communicating in their heads so they could keep everyone organised and they would know what was going on in different parts of the castle."

"Really," Merlin drawled. "Very clever." Thank you he said to the few druids who came to his class. I know you are a peaceful people, you have my gratitude.

Anything to serve you, Lord Emrys, Kay replied in the same manner. He didn't have the heart to reprimand him for calling him by that name. He was actually growing to like it, now that he was so rarely called by his birth name. He did, however, notice it was about time for class to end.

"Well before class ends I have two messages for you. First, starting on Thursday, I am going to let you guys choose the direction class goes. Now that you have fought in a battle, you can tell me if there are things you would like to know how to do and I will try my best to teach you. You can give suggestions at the beginning of class or you may leave a note with Professor Slytherin.

"And secondly, regarding the aftermath of battles. It's been a week, but if you have been bottling up your emotions that must stop. It helps to talk with people. Friends are good for understanding without making fun of you. And if your friend comes to you, be open and listen to what they have to say. If you don't think you can speak with a peer, then you can also speak with any of the professors or myself. Same thing, leave a message with Professor Slytherin who can contact me and I will be more than willing to meet and speak with you. But on that note, that ends our class today. Get thinking on those ideas."

He dropped the dome of warmth, it was becoming less and less necessary. The students got up slowly and wandered back to the castle. Some were lost in their own thoughts, others were excitedly chatting about what they should as him to teach them next class. Merlin walked back to the forest and returned his disguise to the hideout. As he walked out of the tree line he found Libæna and Flora waiting for him on the very rock Flora had been sitting on before when she tried to tail him. He hoped this didn't mean what he thought it meant.

"Hey guys!" he called out cheerfully with a wave. "How was your class?"

"I think you know exactly how class went Drugen," Flora said dryly. "Or should I say, Professor Dragoon?"

"I don't know what you..." he trailed off as Flora and Libæna both raised their eyebrows in such a way that it reminded him of Gaius. He sighed. "How'd you know?"

"The random two week leave that was also while you were gone, the fact that you can never make it to class, you never seem too surprised by what we learned in class, oh and you told us you don't need a staff to do magic." Flora counted of her reasons on her fingers.

"And your eyes," Libæna added. He groaned.

"Always the eyes," he complained. "Always the eyes."

.

.

.

"Hey Stephen?"

"Yea Drugen?"

"Are you planning on coming back to Hogwarts next year?" Stephen thought for a moment. They were currently sitting outside on the grass, enjoying the nice weather, and procrastinating studying after duelling club.

"I wasn't really planning on it." They watched the clouds silently for another moment before he continued. "I know that the professors have said that Hogwarts will expand to a seven year school, but I don't think I want to stay in school. I want to go out in the world. Do something. Maybe rough it in the woods or try to get a job. I'm not sure where to start but I know that I'd like to do something that's exciting." Merlin grinned.

"I think I might know of an open position you might enjoy."

"Really?" He turned his attention from the clouds and leaned on his elbow to look at Merlin. "What is it?"

"I'm not going to tell you quite yet." He too now turned to meet Stephen's eyes. "But let's just say I have a friend who is in need of the services of someone with your talents. You may even get to use your sword too."