Merlin's Chosen
Summary: Arthur has slept in Avalon, the otherworldly place just beyond the reach of magic for all but Merlin and his chosen, recovering from the injuries sustained in the battle at Camlann. Years have passed and times have changed and Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry has taken it's place on the edge of the Lake of Avalon, unknown to modern witches and wizards. The world is in need of the Once and Future King to protect Albion again but to do that the immortal Merlin, the man that has learned to live backwards, must be there and he is nowhere to be found. It is now the job of Merlin's Chosen. Only, Harry Potter thinks he's going mental.
This is based on the mountains that are around the movie version of Hogwarts and the lake that Merlin takes Freya to in Season 2 Episode 9.
A/N: First off, I am SO SORRY! I am not sure what happened there but I sure did not want 10 months to pass before updating again. There are a few things to set out before going on with the chapter. 1. I started a Master's program back in May. It is pretty intensive so I do not know when the next chapter will be up. 2. I might be doing NaNoWritMo in November so I definitely won't be working on this during that. 3. I started a blog to update you my readers on my progress. If you would like to check that out it is:
.com
Onward with the chapter!
Chapter 14
"Can you stay behind for a moment, Mr. Potter." Harry nodded and waved his friends off as he and Professor Flitwick both packed up from an interesting lesson. "I have to say, Mr Potter that you posed an interesting problem but I think I have come up with a solution for your vision problem." Harry beamed and felt more than a little relief. "Come by my office later and we will apply the spells."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said and accepting a note from the professor dashed off to his next class.
Merlin sighed as the last of his students left and Rowena walked in with a solemn look on her face. "So you heard the rumors then?"
A tired smile appeared on his face. "I'm surprised at you, Rowena. The rumors have been circulating for years. Master Balinor doesn't seem to age. Master Balinor seems so much older than he looks. I wonder what happened? Oh and my personal favorite. My mum says you taught her magic years ago, but you don't look older than her."
"Salazar is getting suspicious." Rowena said, smiling at the imitations. They were spot on from what she heard over the years.
"Again, Salazar was always suspicious of me. Especially because my magic is different than yours."
"It does make me wonder why we decided to not tell him who you were all those years ago."
"Considering he didn't believe us when we swore my name was Gilli. Yes, I can see why." Rowena chuckled and the tired look was back in his eyes. "I need to move on. I already stayed longer than I intended."
"That's what I came to talk to you about."
"I figured." Merlin stood and tried not groan when his body protested. "Worry not, Rowena. I already have plans in place to leave. I merely waited for my... Chosen to grow to age."
"Chosen?"
"I alone, as the last practitioner of the Old Religion, can open the way to Avalon if Arthur were ever to rise. If I am to travel beyond the boarders of Albion, there needs to be someone here than can open the way if need be." There was a light knock on the door. "Speaking of which there he is now." He escorted Rowena to the door with a smile and greeted the student. "Welcome, Young Master Potter."
"There was something you wanted to talk to me about, Master Balinor?"
"Indeed. And I thank you for coming." Rowena felt happiness rise up as she watched Merlin's smile brighten as the door closed.
Harry knocked on the door and heard the soft "Come in!" before pushing it open. The Charms Professor's office seemed to suit the diminutive professor as he ushered Harry into one of two full sized chairs. "I trust you told Professor Black?" he asked and Harry nodded.
"He told me he would be on his way as soon as he could. I guess they gave their third year class a pretty intensive exam today and wanted to get a jump start on grading."
"That is quite alright. In fact there was something I wanted to discuss with you before he arrived." Harry nodded and Professor Flitwick continued. "How much have you learned about why your magic has been acting the way it has?"
"Not much, to be honest, Professor," Harry answered. "And I am not sure how much I can discuss with it being so close to family magic."
"Of course, of course, and I wouldn't ask you to. It's just as Hogwarts' resident Charms Master I have dealt with many students in similar shoes, Mr. Potter."
"Including my father?" Harry asked.
Professor Flitwick couldn't help the sad smile that grew across his lips at Harry's pleading expression. "Unfortunately, no. I believe it skipped his generation." Harry sagged in his chair. "However, while I can't say much because all of those previous students fall into your same category, I can say this. All of them, including you, are descended from extremely old magical families that date from Merlin's time and beyond and those families practiced the Old Religion."
Harry could have cursed his Godfather for choosing that exact moment to knock on the door and Professor Flitwick could tell. "If you have any questions, and I am sure you do, we can always talk more on it later." Harry nodded his thanks as Sirius walked in.
"Sorry it took me so long. I hope we aren't keeping you from anything important, Filius."
"Just some grading of my own, so nothing that this isn't a welcomed break from."
"So how is this going to work?" Harry asked suddenly nervous."
"It is a blessing that you already wear glasses, Mr. Potter, because it will be a rather simple tinting spell."
"But what of someone seeing the flash of his eyes from the side?" Sirius asked.
Professor Flitwick shot him a look that said 'If you would just wait for one second I would tell you.' and Harry snorted. "From what I have been able to gather, rarely if ever does someone see a flash from the side." Harry could see the wheels turning in his godfather's eyes and then figure out that Harry wasn't alone in it all. "However, we can tint his glasses and found out for sure before overreacting."
Sirius nodded and Professor Flitwick instructed the pair on the simple spell before asked Harry for his glasses to perform it. "I want to make sure you knew how to do the spell just in case you get new glasses in the future." After handing the glasses back over he asked Harry to do the levitation spell both to check to see if it worked and to see if Sirius could see a flash from the side.
"Nothing," both teachers said and Harry let out a relieved sigh.
The transition into winter happened quietly at Hogwarts with the days slowly growing colder and colder. The students were greeted some Saturday morning in the beginning of December with a blanket of snow and only marginally mist free. Despite Hermione's protests, even she was roped into a snowball fight that had broken out on the grounds that was being refereed (and some said, instigated) by Sirius and Remus.
Harry could only laugh at the scandalized look his friend sent the pair of teachers after Sirius dumped snow on her head in an effort to get her to lighten up and have some fun only to have her get her revenge to charm the snow to pelt them mercilessly for nearly five minutes until he apologized. Remus could only laugh and offer her extra credit on her latest essay even if she didn't need it.
"That was some brilliant charm work, Ms. Granger," Remus said as the fight broke up and the students headed back up to the castle to get warm.
"Oi! Traitor!" Sirius said and proceeded to shake the snow and water on his friend. "You're supposed to be on my side! Not cheering them on!"
"And you are supposed to be a grown up and not start snowball fights," Remus countered.
Sirius quickly dried them both off after a pointed look. "You didn't try to stop me!"
"Because I thought it was a great way for the students to relax before the holiday."
"And that wasn't my idea to begin with?"
"Should we tell them they are arguing like an old married couple in the middle of the great hall?" Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron as the pair continued.
"Probably, but they may take it as a compliment and then dock points," Ron said and Harry nodded.
"Mmm, good point," Hermione conceded and they silently decided to leave them there and get some lunch.
Ddewswyd o Myrddin. Harry jerked in the direction of the whisper almost falling out of his seat in surprise. He smiled away Hermione's concerned look and stared down at his plate, not really feeling hungry anymore. A part of him hoped it was all a dream. He hadn't heard any voices, much less heard from Freya, in months. Ddewswyd o Myrddin. Harry grimaced. The voices said something was about to happen.
Ron clamped him on the shoulder. "Alright there, mate?"
Harry nodded. "The voices again," he whispered. "I need to go and talk to Sirius." Harry could see the concern in his friend's eyes and tried to smile reassuringly. "I'll be right back." Harry stood and made his way to the teacher's table. "Can I talk to you for a second, Professor Black?" Harry could tell that he was going to make a joke about the Professor Black thing but stopped at the look on Harry's face.
"Sure," he said, waving Remus off and following Harry out of the Great Hall. They fell into step next to each other and Harry led the way out the door and toward the Black Lake. The mist had rolled in after their game and somehow it was several degrees colder.
Harry repressed a shiver. "I heard the whispers again," Harry explained. "I had a feeling Freya wants to talk to me and needed the moral support."
"Will it be okay that I'm there?"
"I don't care." Harry knew his tone was clipped but for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling of anger rising through his throat.
Freya was not alone at the lakeside and Harry now knew for a fact there was something more about his potions tutor. He was ready to charge toward her and demand answers but Freya's soft gasp stopped him. "Gawain?"
Morgan sharply turned surprise evident that turned to scorn. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
The two knights stood just inside the door to Gawain's drafty chambers watching the efficient young man clean his master's armor.
"When do you leave?" Gawain asked keeping his voice low.
"At dawn," Lancelot answered. "Merlin and the King both have information for me to help."
"Are you sure you want to go alone? Perhaps I -"
"You need to stay here for Galahad, please." Gawain didn't know what to make of the fear and earnestness in Lancelot's eyes, but it made him nervous and it took all he could to nod.
"I can talk to Percival. He could go with you."
Lancelot smiled. "You're concern is touching, Sir Gawain, but I will be fine."
Galahad appeared between them and Lancelot's smile grew. "You're armor is cleaned and polished, My Lord. Is there anything you need?"
"No, thank you, Galahad. Why don't you turn in for the night," Gawain said.
The young boy nodded and gave his uncle a quick hug before retreating to his chambers off of Gawain's.
"You will look after him?" Lancelot asked.
"If you ask again, you won't be leaving at dawn because Gaius will have to reattach something."
"Is that even possible?" Lancelot asked with a smile and Gawain counted it as win.
"The man works miracles, so who knows, but do you really want to find out?"
"No, not really."
"Good." Gawain clamped him on the shoulder, his look somber. "Be careful and return safe."
Several months passed with intermittent letters mostly meant for the King's eyes only. There was the occasional one for Gawain and Galahad but they were few and far between and often reminded Gawain of his promise.
Then the letters stopped.
Another several months passed, filled with monsters, magic and missions fit for a knight and his young squire, enough that they almost could forget that they didn't know where their friend and uncle was.
So they were not surprised when they both were called to the throne room one clear afternoon a year and a half since Lancelot left to see the grim faces of Arthur and Merlin. Gawain could see that Galahad was close to breaking down and silently pleaded for the King not to drag it out and he could only sigh in relief when his pleas seemed to have been heard.
"A messenger arrived last night with a letter from Sir Lancelot and then this morning a merchant from the... land I sent him to arrived... with his body." Gawain pulled the suddenly sobbing boy into his arms and provided what little comfort he could.
"What happened?" Gawain asked, his voice rough and impatient.
"We know very little," King Arthur answered and Gawain could tell that he was angry. "Nothing in his last letter said anything about him being in danger and all the Merchant could tell us is that Lancelot appeared on his door step already dying and pleading to be brought back to Camelot."
"There is nothing to suggest that he had anything to do with Lancelot's death," Merlin was quick to add.
"How do you know?"
Arthur and Merlin shared a look and Gawain didn't need to be told. Magic.
Gawain squared his shoulders the best he could with Galahad still in his arms. "What is to be done?"
"Right now?" King Arthur asked and Gawain nodded. "I am still trying to connect everything that Lancelot sent back. At this point we aren't even sure if his mission had anything to do with his death. So right now we grieve and say goodbye." There was the unspoken take care of Galahad in the King's eyes and Gawain nodded with a sad smile. King Arthur stepped from his throne and gently pulled Galahad from Gawain's arms. "Your uncle was a good man and a great knight. Know that he loved you and wanted the best for you." Galahad nodded, tears still falling freely down his face. Arthur smiled and pulled the grieving boy into a firm hug. "Gawain will take care of you and I know that you will grow into a fine knight, just like both of them." Arthur pulled away and Galahad smiled and offered a bow before moving into Gawain's open arms.
"Whose Gawain?" Sirius asked a little dumbfounded at seeing Harry's tutor talking to a girl standing on top of the water of the Black Lake. Morgan was eyeing him with distrust and Freya was studying him all the closer.
"No, not Gawain," Freya said after a few moments of silence and Morgan seemed to relax.
Sirius was starting to sputter clearly not understanding what was going on and wasn't sure where to start. He opened his mouth.
"Okay, stop," Morgan said. "I am not working for Voldemort." Sirius' mouth closed with a snap. "Hell, I despise everything he stands for. I learned my lesson."
"And what lesson was that?" Sirius asked, still dubious.
"Never go against Emrys," she said simply. Harry could see her haunted look.
"Lady Morgana?" he asked and she started.
"You really are his chosen. I haven't been called that in centuries."
"Morgana?" Sirius had his wand out and pointed at the woman, who almost looked bored, but a split second later Harry was between them.
"Don't believe the legends," Harry said, but he knew his godfather wasn't really listening. "There is so much you don't know, Sirius. So much was lost to time and prejudice." He turned to the guardian. "A little help here, Freya?" But she just shook her head. Harry felt more than a little helpless as he watched the standoff between them until Morgan smirked.
"Would you believe that I was the one to start the legends?"
Sirius squinted at her. "Why would you do that?"
Morgan shrugged. "The fear factor mostly. But it made Merlin and I laugh and it was the only time I've seen him so happy since Arthur died."
Harry watched with relief as Sirius slowly lowered his wand. "I have a feeling Harry hasn't told me anything."
Morgan snorted. "It wouldn't surprise me. Ceron Potter really shot himself in the foot when he declared it all to be family magic. Thankfully, it didn't matter to those who already knew."
"So you can help me," Harry said.
Morgan's eyes flashed gold. "I can help you."
