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.
AN: I am riding high on creative juices thanks to a class I am in right now and I just needed to finish this chapter for you all to read. AND it is a doozy of chapter. One that you no doubt have been looking forward to. It was getting away from me so I needed to end it where it did. I am already plotting the next chapter and hopefully it will be up soon, but no timeline as of yet. But as always, enjoy!
EDIT: A reader mentioned to me that something happened when I added the chapter and all the HTML was showing. I don't know what happened but thank you afrigeek for the heads up. You are awesome! Hopefully this worked.
Chapter 17
He woke with a start. The weak morning light of the solstice just started to make its way into his room. For a moment, Merlin didn't understand what woke him. Then he felt the old magic seep into his bones and he knew.
He knew it was time to return.
Because Arthur had returned.
Merlin sat up in the bed, the blankets pooled at his waist. He pushed his lanky hair back from his face and reached for his phone from it's cradle. He had arrangements to make.
...MC...MC...MC...
The man in black sat in the dark dining room, the fire growing dim behind him. Around him the parchments littered the table filled with plans and spells that seemed to be getting him no where. The early morning light was just starting to filter though the grand windows of the manor house and just before he could close the curtains against the weak British sun, he felt it. The change in the ancient magic.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" His hands swept along the table, clearing it. "Damn you, Emrys. Damn you!"
A house elf appeared, shivering with fear but still attempted to clean up the mess. "Away with you, creature!"
The elf disappeared with a squeak just barely missing the spell launched at it.
"This is the last time, Emrys. This is the last time you will thwart me. And I will put your King down like the dog that he is."
...MC...MC...MC...
Morgan Penn jolted up in bed and smiled. It was fitting that the magic would reawaken on that day of all days. The Sun was returning to the world and magic was celebrating. A part of her grieved that Merlin wasn't there to greet his King but he now couldn't ignore the call to Avalon's lake side.
Morgan threw off her bed clothes and quickly repacked to make her way back to Hogwarts. She could only imagine the look on her brother's face when she arrived.
...MC...MC...MC...
Harry was starting to curse his sleepwalking self and his inability to grab a coat before leaving the dorm, but he still didn't have an answer for the king standing in front of him.
"Please stand, young one."
Harry did and was still trying to not visibly shiver, but when he looked up at Arthur all he saw was concern.
"Are you alright?"
"I am quite cold, sire."
What Harry did not expect was for Arthur to take off his cloak and wrap it around Harry while muttering about children who ran around without coats on in winter. Harry could only smile and hold back a laugh.
"What is it?"
"Merlin said you were kind, I just didn't expect you to literally take your coat off for me."
Arthur smiled a fond smile. "Where is the idiot anyway?"
Harry knew a fond tone when he heard it, but he still didn't know. "I am afraid I have been unable to find him and he has not been listening to Freya's calls."
The concern was back.
"It is quite unusual for him not to answer to Freya."
"Well, it has been a few hundred years since he last set foot on British soil, so there's that." Harry was too busy pulling at the cloak around his shoulders to see Arthur's shocked face. The cloak was helping but the chill from his wet feet was setting in and he really wanted to be in front of a fire.
"With respect, Sire. Might we continue this conversation inside and in front of a fire?"
"Of course, young one. Lead the way." Arthur looked up the castle and seemed to come to a realization. "Pray, what is your name?"
Harry huffed out a laugh at the lack of introductions. "Harry Potter, Sire."
"Well, then Master Potter, lead the way."
Harry set off back to the castle. His steps were a little unsure with his feet so cold and the cloak so long but he managed without much stumbling. "You can call me Harry, you know." There was a part of him that felt like he needed to read up on Royal Protocol because Merlin's journal was sorely lacking in that sort of information, but he heard Arthur behind him give an acceptance sound, so that was something.
As they neared the front doors of the castle Harry realized he had a huge problem. One did not go waltzing into the more secure building in all of Wizarding Britain with a stranger trailing behind you, even if he is the Once and Future King. Harry stopped dead just as the reached the doors and let out a soft "oof" as Arthur ran into him.
"Is something wrong, Master Harry?"
"Uh... Maybe?" Harry turned to him almost falling over in the cloak. "No one is exactly... expecting you. Today. Or really any day. And you... are you. Not many people will believe that you are you."
"Well, Mr Potter, you can start with who he is and we can go from there."
Harry winced and turned back toward the door to see Professor McGonagall, Ron, and Hermione standing just inside.
Ron at least looked uncomfortable. Hermione looked like she wanted to go off on him and Professor McGonagall concerned.
"The least you could have done was go to Sirius, guys."
"We tried, but they wouldn't answer," Ron said.
"Be that as it may, Mr Potter, there is a more pressing issue at hand."
Harry looked between them at a complete loss at what to do. But Arthur decided for them.
"Madame," Arthur started. "I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot and High King of Albion."
Harry very nearly burst out laughing at the looks the trio gave them.
"Very good, mate. You nearly had us. But, please, who is he?"
"Uh, yeah, all that stuff that I couldn't talk about..." Harry gestured to Arthur and nearly lost the cloak draped around him. "It all led to him..."
Hermione and Professor McGonagall looked ready to hex the stranger and leave him for the Aurors but Ron looked contemplative.
"The seal. The Merlin. Oh Merlin!" Ron turned bright red. "You're a Chosen?!"
Harry pulled Arthur through the door and they let them pass. Harry was grateful to be inside even if he was still freezing. But then he turned to Ron. "You know about the Chosen?! All this time and you knew!"
"Well, it's not like you could say anything!"
Arthur looked amused and totally unconcerned that he was being held at wand point, if he even knew what that meant.
"Please, Mr Potter if you could start at the beginning that would be greatly appreciated."
Instead, there was a rushing of feet and Professor Dumbledore, Sirius, and Remus appeared at the top of the stair case.
"Merlin! Is that?" Remus breathed.
Sirius and Remus rushed down the stairs but Professor Dumbledore stood rooted on the spot as if he was trying to make sense of what was going on.
"So it's true." Professor Dumbledore said. The entire group looked up at him and he looked sad. "I am so sorry, my boy."
"What is going on?" Professor McGonagall said. Her voice was sharp and everybody but Arthur winced.
"The dawning of a new age, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said and Harry winced.
"Enough of you confounded riddles, Albus!" She said. "If you expect me to believe that this man is Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot, a man that we aren't even sure existed in the first place then you are more mad than I thought."
Arthur drew his sword and Professor McGonagall tensed, her hand gripping her wand tighter. But he laid the blade across his hands to show them the inscription. The ancient looking script shimmer for a moment before solidifying. "Take me up." He flipped the blade over and the process happened again. "Cast me away."
Professor McGonagall looked like she might faint, but Hermione still looked dubious. "A well known thing, Sir. You should try harder."
"But did you notice the first script, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Did you recognize it?"
"It was on your chest in the coat of arms," Ron said.
"Look, Hermione, I know you don't believe unless you see, but you weren't outside just an hour ago. I opened the way. I saw the summer country. He's the real deal."
"You saw Avalon?" Harry turned to the headmaster and he looked eager.
Harry nodded. "For a brief moment and it was beautiful." At that, the shivers returned in earnest, but this time Sirius and Remus were there.
"Headmaster, do you think it s best to continue this conversation in front of a fire?" Sirius asked. Harry shot him a grateful look.
"Of course, Mr. Black. Why don't we adjourn to my study and continue this conversation?"
Harry sent Sirius a panicked look. "Perhaps, Headmaster, it is better to head to mine and Remus's quarters."
When the headmaster saw how cold Harry looked, he nodded. "A much better option I think."
The group made their way up the stairs as quickly as they could with Arthur rubbernecking the castles and wanting to hold a conversation with every portrait in their path. After several promises of taking him on a tour, they managed to herd the king into the sitting room of Remus and Sirius' quarters.
Ron and Remus both set about making what would be one of several pots of tea while Sirius and Professor McGonagall set about getting Harry warm by the fire, first by spelling his clothes dry and applying a warming charm to both his clothes and the many blankets they piled on him. Arthur looked on with a measure of amusement tempered with genuine concern for Harry's welfare.
After they were all plied with tea and after a brief explanation despite Arthur already knowing what it was.
Harry was just starting to feel warm and looked up his professors. "What do you want to know?"
After a moment, Professor McGonagall said, "Perhaps start at the beginning."
Harry took a breath. "It started this summer when my aunt gave me a chest with a Merlin emblem on the front. Sirius knew that it was a family heirloom that last he knew was still in my family's vault and would only appear as needed."
Harry paused, took a sip of his now tepid tea and blanched. Remus stood and with Ron's help refilled all the cups with fresh tea.
"Nothing happened until that night the Muggle prime minister disappeared. But that night after everyone had gone home, the chest opened itself." He held up his hand to forestall questions.
"There was a journal and a key inside and while I haven't found what the key opens, the journal is quite fascinating. When I got here I started hearing voices but instead of whispers of death, the voices provided some entertaining commentary on our curriculum. I never did find out who they were. They stopped talking after I met Freya."
"Freya?"
Harry smiled. "Freya. She's the guardian of the Lake of Avalon. And you wouldn't know it, but Hogwarts was built on its shores."
Anyone who knew the old stories looked like they were in shock and Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't know if I can say much of what is in the journal, but I do know that if Arthur is back then things are about to get a lot worse."
"But why is Ar — His Majesty — back now of all times?" Hermione asked.
Arthur looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"She means that Albion has been to war many times since you've left, Your Majesty, and been in peril of falling just as many times," Remus said.
"Not to mention the first wizarding war," Sirius added. His expression was dark, but in a caught in memories kind of way and not the pissed off kind.
"I don't know why Arthur was called back now of all times," Harry said. "What I do know is that he's here now and we need to find Merlin."
"Actually, what we need to do is get the students on the trains home for the holiday and find a place where you can stay." Professor Dumbledore had the twinkle in his eye that made Harry roll his.
"Nonsense, Professor," he said. "He's staying with me."
The others protested, Remus, Sirius, Ron and surprisingly Professor McGonagall on his side while Professor Dumbledore and Hermione protested.
"I don't think you quite understand, Professor," Harry said, his voice measured and calm. "I am the Chosen. He stays with me."
Remus would tell Harry later that his eyes glowed gold at the pronouncement.
With it decided, the professors took their leave escorting Ron and Hermione back to the dorms to get their things before the train left. Remus and Sirius put their heads together on how to get the High King of Albion to the house on Gimmauld place without being seen and how to keep him there without anyone noticing.
"Just enact the family clause and erect the wards on the family wing," Harry said and Sirius looked like he wanted to slap himself.
Remus was laughing but managed to get out, "You would have gotten there eventually."
"So Remus can run deflection and make sure that we get him in unseen."
Arthur looked on the planning with concern. "Why must we be so careful? Surely your friends and family will believe that what I say is true."
The other three looked at him for a moment before bursting out in laughter.
"First there is the crazy and paranoid ex-Auror," Harry said.
"Then the two actual Aurors," Sirius added.
"Several professors and a hoard of Redheads that will have your head spinning at the mere thought that you are The King Arthur," Remus finished.
Arthur just stared at them thoroughly confused. "What is an Auror?"
"Wizarding peace keepers. A lot like your knights or soldiers," Remus explained. Sirius and Harry both sent him teasing looks at his "professor voice".
"What company you keep, Master Harry," Arthur said and Harry rolled his eyes.
"The redheads are the Weasleys and actually the closest thing I have to family besides these two, but they are a lot to take in and they will be suspicious of you at the beginning even with Ron's and Professor Dumbledore's assurances."
"So you intend to tell them?" Remus asked.
"They're going to find out anyway so I might as well."
"But can you?" Remus pressed and Harry understood what he was getting at.
"Ask me something," he requested.
Remus thought for a moment. "Was Merlin a student here at Hogwart's as widely believed?"
"No, he helped build the castle and taught here for several years until people started getting suspicious that he wasn't aging." The words came easily. Harry snorted. "Turns out Ceron wasn't as much of an idiot as we first thought. Locked it all under family magic until Arthur came back."
"So what now?" Sirius asked.
"Well, we can try to get Arthur into Grimmauld Place tonight and then observe Yule in the morning or we can stay at Hogwarts tonight, find Arthur some other garb, observe Yule as planned and head to London in the morning," Harry said.
"I think I like the second option better," Remus said. He already looked exhausted trying to keep the wolf at bay despite the full moon being four days away.
"So a trip to Hogsmead?" Sirius said. The other two nodded while Arthur looked a little confused. "Good because there are a few things I still need to get."
"You still observe Yule?" Arthur asked.
Harry shared a glance with his guardians. "It is a… new tradition for me," he said. "There are many in the Wizarding world that observe the old ways and others that have taken on the new traditions of Christmas and New Years celebrations."
Arthur seemed to understand so far so Harry kept going.
"Every since I learned that my family was more closely related to Merlin and his magic, I have been learning about the Old Ways. In fact, my potion's tutor has been a great resource."
Sirius snorted up his tea and started coughing and Harry realized what caused the reaction.
"Uh," Harry started. "About her…"
"Best not talk about her right now, Harry," Sirius interrupted. "I am sure she is already on her way back, don't you think? In fact, let's go to Hogsmead and show Arthur around."
"You're acting weird," Harry said without his usual sarcasm, but Sirius waved it off.
"Call it a Marauder prank but I want to see everyone's natural reaction when this all comes together."
Harry's eyes widened, but also looked at Arthur with panic. "As long as I can reassure Arthur that it is good thing." Sirius nodded and Harry turned to the King, who looked a little panicked as well. "Don't worry, Arthur. It's all good, but my godfather is a weirdo and likes to cause chaos."
Arthur snorted. "Sounds like a knight I used to know."
Harry smiled and chuckled. "Gawain, right?"
Arthur laughed. "He liked to cause good natured chaos. Called it fun, but since it boosted troop moral, I let it all slide as long as it stayed good natured."
Remus looked thoughtful. "Certainly sounds like Sirius, as long as he stayed away from a certain Potions Master."
"You know you are the second person to call me Gawain," Sirius said. "The first is that floating water pixy down at the Black Lake."
It was Harry's turn to snort on his tea. "I am so telling Freya you called her that."
"Should I be scared about that threat?" Sirius asked.
"I believe, Master Sirius, that you should take that threat very seriously," Arthur said. The other three looked at him gauging if he actually meant the pun and at the glint in Arthur's eyes they all burst into laughter.
Sirius slurped up the last of his tea and stood. "So what do you say to a shopping trip?"
"Sounds good to me," Remus said. "Were you going to come, Harry?"
"Yeah. There are a few things I wanted to get that I forgot about." Then he looked at Arthur. "Uh, Sirius? You would have something Arthur could wear while we get him some clothes would you?"
"I should. Give me a sec. We may have to resize a couple things, but they would work."
Sirius came out his room in a few moments with clothes for Arthur to change into.
"You can go into the bathroom just there and change. If you need help with anything let us know."
"Where should I put my things?"
Harry thought for a moment. "You can put them in my room for now and we will make sure we get a trunk that has some locked compartments that you can store your chain mail and armor in."
Arthur disappeared into the bathroom and Harry took a moment to slump into his armchair. "When did this become my life?"
Sirius and Remus both snorted. "I'd say it was more luck of the draw."
Arthur came out of the bathroom with his jeans on properly and the jumper looking snug. "That is a really strange room. The mirror spoke. Is that normal?"
"As long as it didn't insult you, I think you're good," Sirius said. "I'm glad the clothes fit. I had to guess on how to resize them."
Harry got up and grabbed his cloak while handing one to Remus and Sirius. Sirius passed his on to Arthur after a quick spell and then disappeared into his room for another.
"Right all set?" Sirius said. The other three nodded and they set off.
The rest of the morning and a good portion of the afternoon was spent transversing Hogsmead in search of last minute Christmas gift and finding Arthur a suitable wardrobe. That led to a small disagreement about who was paying, a short lesson on wizarding money, promises of Arthur paying them back and more than a little gawking from Arthur at the various store fronts.
They were joyfully full of food and drink and singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs by the time they made their way back to the castle. They rounded into the courtyard leading to the main doors when Arthur stopped rather suddenly in the middle of one his favorite Yule songs. Harry looked up and froze a little at the sight of his potions tutor standing at the top of the stairs.
"Morgana?" Arthur asked, his voice breathless.
She smiled and met them at the bottom of the stairs. "Hello, brother. It is good to see you."
