I Walk Alone,

Chapter 16, Merlin

The next few hours passed in a blissful haze for Severus. He couldn't recall the last time he was so happy. It honestly felt as though he were spending time in a brilliant dream. Raislen's library had to literally be the most magical place on Earth! Its vast shelves not only held all the books his imagination had hoped for, but there were even more he'd never conceived of before on topics he'd never heard of. His brain could expand forever in this place!

"If I had my way I'd live in this library," he declared wistfully as he wandered among the shelves. Each book was somehow more fascinating than the one before it, and deciding what to read was nearly tearing his mind in two! Who would've thought that he could be surrounded by so many exciting books, that the problem would be deciding upon one to start with?

Raislen gave an amused chuckle. "It's so damned fun just to watch you running around in here like a kid in a candy store! I'm so glad you like it here. I thought you would, but your reaction is...literally more than I could've ever expected," Raislen declared, chuckling again. When Eileen came in to hug Severus before she departed after having tea with Raislen's parents, he still hadn't decided what to read yet. He had a 'to read list' in his mind, but he was too eager to see everything the library held to settle yet on one book. "Don't forget to spend time with Raislen," Eileen gently chided as she kissed Severus on the tip of his nose. Though his mind was entirely captivated by the most magnificent library in the world, the fact that his mum was treating him like a baby in front of his older friend did not go amiss. "Mum," He groaned. He felt the heat of embarrassment flushing his face. He couldn't look at Raislen. What a baby Severus must look with his Mum chastising him. What must Raislen think of him now?

"It's okay, Mrs. Snape," Raislen assured cheerfully. "He hangs with me enough at school. I can survive if he mostly wants to hang with the library while he's here. I assumed we'd spend a lot of this visit reading, but really I love books as much as Severus, so I don't mind at all."

"Still, Severus. Don't forget to pay attention to your friend," Eileen said before she turned to Raislen. "It was lovely meeting you and your dear parents, Raislen. Thank you for having Severus...I wish I could invite you to ours, but...you'd likely not enjoy yourself so much." The hesitant, apologetic tone in his mum's voice made Severus's stomach flip in embarrassment. Of course she spoke the truth, but hearing the discomfort in her voice as she did, only served to enhance his own.

"Yes, Mam. I understand and it's quite alright," Raislen assured.

"He knows all about Grandfather Gitness," Severus informed helpfully. Though embarrassment flickered over Eileen's sharp features, she nodded, sighing.

"Well, the two of you have yourselves a grand old time," she said, hugging Severus again before he and Raislen saw her out. Of course they returned at once to the library, where Raislen's family elf served them tea. The little thing wore green velvet, and his name was Roky. His expression was serious, but his round blue eyes studied Severus with open interest.

"I haven't had a friend to stay before," Raislen explained around a mouthful of chocolate raspberry scone. The scones were delicious. Severus wondered if things would be better at home if Grandfather Prince had an elf. Likely no elf could stand him, though.

"Really good scones,"Severus observed. "And I haven't had a friend over either, but certainly for different reasons."

Raislen nodded. "Yeah I just never wanted to spend that much time with anyone other than you...and Heather Toy of course but you know, it isn't appropriate to have a girl to stay or whatever."

Severus snickered at the thought. "Do you think she would come if you invited her, were such permitted?"

Raislen considered, then shrugged. "Who knows? Perhaps if I promised not to call her Heather Toy. She does love my books." He grinned. "Speaking of books, did you ever decide what you want to read yet?"

Severus sighed upon being reminded of the quandary that his mum, then raspberry scones had allowed him to forget about for a few minutes." Not yet," he said, hurriedly polishing off the scone so that he could resume his prowling of the towering book shelves.

"Oh I should show you the Projector charm," Raislen said, hurrying to Severus's side as he spoke. "It allows you to read the titles on the highest shelves without having to bother with one of those annoying step stools." Raising his wand above his head, he swept it hard from left to right. "Projectum," he said firmly. The titles all along the highest shelf above their heads were suddenly displayed in the air in front of them in well lit huge red lettering. "If you want one of the books, you simply use a summoning charm after pointing your wand at the title," Raislen explained and Severus nodded.

"Thanks."

Severus scanned the titles, finding them all to be various histories. The History of Faeries. The History of Britain. The History of Runes. The History Of Druids and Merlin. As his gaze landed on that title, he made a wordless sound of glee. His favorite childhood book was about Merlin and Nimue. It was called, The Magical Adventures of Merlin and Nimue and the wondrous cover had always enchanted Severus's imagination. Merlin stood in a curtain of silver sparkles, holding a crystal orb cupped in both hands. The colors shifting and dancing in the crystal never failed to captivate Severus each time he gazed upon it. He'd read it over and over and over, beginning when he'd gotten it as a gift at the age of five. It wasn't so much of a history, as it was a book for children. It told the story of Merlin and Nimue training Arthur to protect Britain against the Saxons and teaching him about magic even though he was a Muggle. Considering Severus's Mum had shown magic to his father, the concept was dear to his heart. Like Tobias, Arthur found magic to be a wondrous thing rather than something to fear. That meant Tobias was a special Muggle just like the famed Great King Arthur. Discovering another book about Merlin at last ended Severus's quest for what to read first. It had to be this history of Druids and Merlin. Flicking his wand, he excitedly conjured the book into his hand. It was a heavy, solid and thick tome, just the way he liked them when written on his favorite topics. The thicker the book, after all, the longer it lasted. Unlike his childhood favorite about Merlin, this book's cover looked more primitive than magical. The art was hand drawn rather than being constructed of shiny, animated magic sure to jump start the heart and ready imagination of a fanciful child. This was a history book for scholars, and it showed. Merlin and Nimue stood beside a huge red dragon with glaring eyes. A cave could just be seen at their backs. Rather than smiling and bathed in magic, the dragon as well as the two druids wore serious and concentrated expressions. True histories were generally grim rather than pretty, so indeed this was a history book rather than one for children.

"Merlin looks so different," Severus murmured. "On the cover of my book at home, he almost looks like Dumbledore, but here he's so much younger." On the cover of this book, Merlin was tall and wide shouldered, with long wavy black hair, green and silver robes, and a clean shaven young face with a strong jaw. Nimue was tall and willowy with long black hair and a sharp featured face with a slightly mad look to her eyes. He supposed war probably did that to one, though his childhood favorite had kindly avoided speaking of that aspect.

"Oh," Raislen said. "You must have The Magical Adventures! I loved that one as a kid too. It's around here somewhere in the kid's section. It's way different. That one there is far more dry, but very informative."

"I'm going to read it right now," Severus said, eagerly clutching the book to his chest. Settling onto the sofa, he opened the book and figuratively fell inside.