Merlin/HP ch.5
Chapter 5: The Truth Hurts
Oh, and after a lonnggg debate, I finally agreed on two houses for Arthur and Merlin. It's incredibly lame, because I wanted to them to be in the same house. Sorry!
"A Sorting Hat?" Arthur asked with a sneer, "I'm not putting that ratty thing on my head."
Merlin groaned, almost embarrassed at Arthur's behavior. "I'll go first," he said, standing up.
Dumbledore smiled, waving him over. Merlin walked to the stool he was gesturing at, and sat down cautiously. A second later, the hat was placed on his head, and Merlin started when he heard someone start to speak.
Well, what do we have here? Said the voice.
Who is that? Merlin asked in his head.
Well, it is I, the Sorting Hat. I am here to sort you into the right House. There are four houses to choose from. We have Gryffindor, the house of bravery and chivalry. Then there is Hufflepuff, made of people who are loyal, patient and just. Ravenclaw is for those who are wise, and have a mind open to lots of knowledge. Then, there is Slytherin. This is the house of people cunning and sly, doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals. The hat paused, as if in thought.
You are a hard one to figure out, my young friend, he mused, I can see that your magic is very strong, and very different. I can tell that are very loyal to that boy over there, and that you hold a love for him so strong, you would die for him. Merlin flushed, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. I can also tell that you have already saved his life countless times without his knowledge, and that you have learned lots of magic on your own. Now, what house to sort you into….
Merlin held his breath as the Sorting Hat thought.
"Oh, will you hurry up already, Merlin," Arthur grumbled, crossing his arms yet again.
There was a sudden yell from the hat, making all in the room (except for Dumbledore) jump up in their seats. "Gryffindor!" It roared, settling back down on top of Merlin's head. Merlin got back to his feet shakily, mildly surprised. He thought he would be sorted into Hufflepuff, with all his love and loyalty and whatever else the Hat talked about. But Gryffindor? Merlin had never thought of himself as brave or noble. He snorted, motioning towards Arthur.
Arthur got up reluctantly, eyeing the hat suspiciously. Harry, Draco, and Merlin all looked at him as he sat on the stool, all thinking the same thought- Arthur was going to be sorted into Gryffindor. No doubt.
Arthur winced as the hat was placed upon his head, and almost jumped off the stool as the hat began to speak. What in the bloody world? He thought as the Hat talked to him. Hats cannot talk! This is absurd! He squirmed in his seat, but it was as if his arse had been stuck to it! He huffed, and listened as the Hat began to speak of the different houses. All the names sounded outrageous to Arthur, but he held his tongue.
The Sorting hat came to the end of its speech, and paused thoughtfully.
Is everything here this slow? Arthur muttered in his head.
Patience, young one, the Sorting Hat chuckled, you and your friend are very hard to figure out. You both have so many qualities about you that could put you in any house. Bravery, loyalty, love, smarts….The hat paused again.
Arthur snorted at the hat's words, eliciting a jump from the three other boys in the room. Merlin? Brave, Loyal, loving and smart? Those two things don't go together.
There is much you have yet to learn about your friend, Arthur Pendragon. You and Merlin have a great destiny together.
Yes, there is much I do not know about Merlin, Arthur though bitterly.
The hat opened its brim to speak, "Gryffindor!" It roared. This time, everyone was ready for the yell, and no one jumped.
Wait! Arthur thought wildly, How do you know my name? What do you mean we have a great destiny together?
All he got in reply was a chuckle, before the hat was silent. It was taken off his head, and Arthur stalked back to his seat, crossing his arms. "Now what?" He asked grumpily.
"Now, " Dumbledore said, "you must choose a wand."
Arthur gave yet another snort, "Wands? Why would we need wands? Plus, it's not like I would need one, would I? I have no magic."
Dumbledore gave a sad smile, "But you do, Arthur." He paused, looking hesitant, "Do you know how your mother died, Arthur?"
Arthur stiffened, his hands going white as he gripped the sides of his chair. The atmosphere in the room changed drastically. "She died…gi-giv-giving birth to me," he whispered, "I killed her."
Merlin lowered his head, trying to hide the look of pain and guilt off his face. He knew the truth of how his mother had died, and the truth of Arthur's birth. It pained him to have to keep it a secret from Arthur, seeing as Arthur felt that he had killed his mother. Harry and Malfoy only looked at him with horror-stricken eyes, not knowing what to say. Harry felt like he could relate to Arthur; he knew how it felt to never have known your parents.
Dumbledore looked at him with grave eyes, full of understanding. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his desk. "Arthur," he said, "You must understand that it was not your fault that your mother died. She loved you with all her heart." He paused for a second, adjusting his spectacles, leaving room for Arthur to make a comment.
But Arthur said nothing and, instead glared at his hands. Dumbledore chose this time to look over at Merlin, giving him a knowing look. Merlin felt his breath catch, and he clenched his fists. He took deep breaths, trying to keep his heart beat at a healthy pace. He shifted in his seat, leaning towards Arthur.
"Arthur," he whispered, hesitating as Arthur gave him a look full of grief, "There's something that I haven't told you. A-A-Arthur, remember when Morgause gave you that challenge, a-and she conjured that illusion of your mother?"
Arthur merely nodded his head stiffly.
"The thing is Arthur, everything you heard was all true. You were born of magic, Arthur. Your mother was unable to have a child, and your father was desperate for-"
Arthur stood up, his face ablaze with fury, "Yeah, he was desperate for an heir. That was all he ever cared about. He never loved my mother. I can't believe you have been lying to me this whole time. Everyone has been lying to me!" He was yelling now, as he stepped in front of Merlin, "What other secrets have you been keeping me from Merlin? First, I find out you have magic. Then, I find out you have been lying to me about my mother's death. I told you Merlin! Magic is evil! It corrupts anyone who uses it! My father has been such a bloody hypocrite this whole time! He killed my mother with magic! He used magic! And now it's banned?" Arthur started pacing in the room again, hands almost shaking with fury.
Though neither Arthur nor Merlin could feel it, everyone else could feel Arthur's power vibrate in the room. The magic surrounding him nearly suffocated them, and it was with great difficulty that Dumbledore held up a hand to stop Arthur.
Merlin continued on, oblivious to what had happened. "Arthur, you have to listen. Uther did not know of the consequences to using magic for a birth. He was desperate for a child, but not just for an heir. Your father loved your mother so much Arthur. You have to understand," Merlin pleading, staring into Arthur's eyes. "Uther went and asked Nimueh for help to conceive a child. She agreed, but she never told your father or mother of the consequences."
Arthur finally stopped pacing, falling back down into his chair, not noticing the relieved looks on Harry, Draco, and Dumbledore's faces. He had a bad feeling about what exactly the consequence was, but he had to know, "What was the consequence?" He asked quietly.
"The Old Religion says that in order for a life to be created, a life must be taken," Merlin whispered, "Your father did not know that it would happen! Nimueh just conveniently left that part out. He was devastated when your mother died, you need to know. That was the reason that he banned magic from Camelot. He hated magic, and he hated Nimueh, for killing his wife. He couldn't stand to live with it, and he convinced himself that all magic had to be evil."
Silence engulfed the room, as all five inhabitants took in all the information. After a few minutes, Dumbledore spoke up. "Well, it is getting late," he said.
Harry looked up, startled. "What? How long have we been here? Oh I must have missed so many classes!" He jumped up from his seat, ready to leave the room.
Dumbledore stopped him with a smile. "Don't worry, Harry. Or you, Draco," he said, looking over at Malfoy. "I had Fawkes leave a messagefor all your teachers." He smiled fondly at the bird behind him, getting a soft coo in return.
Arthur stared at the bird, noticing it for the first time. It was a large bird, but it looked very graceful. Its feathers were a rich, bright crimson that had a slight glow to them. There was one long golden tail trailing below the perch the bird sat upon, that looked as if it was burning right before his eyes. The bird took Arthur's breath away, and he couldn't help but ask. "Can I touch him?" He breathed.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, feel free to." He said.
Arthur gave a joyous grin, and Merlin couldn't help but smile at the sight. He had never seen Arthur so happy and relaxed.
As Arthur stepped near him, Fawkes merely stared at him with wide eyes, cocking his head. He cooed when Arthur slowly ran his hand over his head, nudging his arm. Arthur let out a delighted laugh, looking fondly at the bird. "Amazing," he said.
"Well, hate to ruin the moment," Malfoy drawled, slowly getting up from his chair. He stretched his arms out, lifting them above his head, and at the same time giving Harry and wondrous glimpse of smooth, pale skin. Harry gulped at the sight, and Malfoy shot him a confused glance as he went on. "I've noticed that it is already supper time, and I am starving. May we please go?"
"Yes, you may," Dumbledore said, "I must be going too. But Harry, please show Arthur and Merlin to the Gryffindor area, will you? I think they will do pass off as seventh years, so they'll stay in your dorms. We'll get you your wands tomorrow morning," Dumbledore said, directing the last part at Arthur and Merlin, who nodded in return.
"Actually, one more thing," Dumbledore continued, "As you will be staying here for quite awhile, we will need to find new identities. It would be quite the shock for everyone to know that you are Arthur and Merlin. That is information that we cannot let escape."
"So… you want us to choose new names?" Arthur asked, looking uncomfortable.
"Yes. We will also need cover stories for the both of you. We'll say that you two have been learning at home, as your parents do not trust a school to teach everything you need to know." Dumbledore said.
Arthur pursed his lips. "Fine then. I will be Will Worthington," he said, giving Merlin a meaningful look.
Merlin gave a small smile at him, shocked at Arthur's choice. "I'll Be Emrys. Emrys Lemings," he said.
"Both of you have made great choices," Dumbledore mused. "Now, please enjoy your stay at Hogwarts. For tomorrow, you two will not be officially attending classes, but you will be taking private lessons from me instead. Say, around eight in the morning?"
The two boys nodded in agreement.
"Great!" Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together, "Please hide your bow and sword when you get to the dormitories, Arthur. We don't want anyone getting the wrong idea."
With one final nod, the three Gryffindors left Dumbledore's office.
Oh, and after a lonnggg debate, I finally agreed on two houses for Arthur and Merlin. It's incredibly lame, because I wanted to them to be in the same house. Sorry!
"A Sorting Hat?" Arthur asked with a sneer, "I'm not putting that ratty thing on my head."
Merlin groaned, almost embarrassed at Arthur's behavior. "I'll go first," he said, standing up.
Dumbledore smiled, waving him over. Merlin walked to the stool he was gesturing at, and sat down cautiously. A second later, the hat was placed on his head, and Merlin started when he heard someone start to speak.
Well, what do we have here? Said the voice.
Who is that? Merlin asked in his head.
Well, it is I, the Sorting Hat. I am here to sort you into the right House. There are four houses to choose from. We have Gryffindor, the house of bravery and chivalry. Then there is Hufflepuff, made of people who are loyal, patient and just. Ravenclaw is for those who are wise, and have a mind open to lots of knowledge. Then, there is Slytherin. This is the house of people cunning and sly, doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals. The hat paused, as if in thought.
You are a hard one to figure out, my young friend, he mused, I can see that your magic is very strong, and very different. I can tell that are very loyal to that boy over there, and that you hold a love for him so strong, you would die for him. Merlin flushed, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. I can also tell that you have already saved his life countless times without his knowledge, and that you have learned lots of magic on your own. Now, what house to sort you into….
Merlin held his breath as the Sorting Hat thought.
"Oh, will you hurry up already, Merlin," Arthur grumbled, crossing his arms yet again.
There was a sudden yell from the hat, making all in the room (except for Dumbledore) jump up in their seats. "Gryffindor!" It roared, settling back down on top of Merlin's head. Merlin got back to his feet shakily, mildly surprised. He thought he would be sorted into Hufflepuff, with all his love and loyalty and whatever else the Hat talked about. But Gryffindor? Merlin had never thought of himself as brave or noble. He snorted, motioning towards Arthur.
Arthur got up reluctantly, eyeing the hat suspiciously. Harry, Draco, and Merlin all looked at him as he sat on the stool, all thinking the same thought- Arthur was going to be sorted into Gryffindor. No doubt.
Arthur winced as the hat was placed upon his head, and almost jumped off the stool as the hat began to speak. What in the bloody world? He thought as the Hat talked to him. Hats cannot talk! This is absurd! He squirmed in his seat, but it was as if his arse had been stuck to it! He huffed, and listened as the Hat began to speak of the different houses. All the names sounded outrageous to Arthur, but he held his tongue.
The Sorting hat came to the end of its speech, and paused thoughtfully.
Is everything here this slow? Arthur muttered in his head.
Patience, young one, the Sorting Hat chuckled, you and your friend are very hard to figure out. You both have so many qualities about you that could put you in any house. Bravery, loyalty, love, smarts….The hat paused again.
Arthur snorted at the hat's words, eliciting a jump from the three other boys in the room. Merlin? Brave, Loyal, loving and smart? Those two things don't go together.
There is much you have yet to learn about your friend, Arthur Pendragon. You and Merlin have a great destiny together.
Yes, there is much I do not know about Merlin, Arthur though bitterly.
The hat opened its brim to speak, "Gryffindor!" It roared. This time, everyone was ready for the yell, and no one jumped.
Wait! Arthur thought wildly, How do you know my name? What do you mean we have a great destiny together?
All he got in reply was a chuckle, before the hat was silent. It was taken off his head, and Arthur stalked back to his seat, crossing his arms. "Now what?" He asked grumpily.
"Now, " Dumbledore said, "you must choose a wand."
Arthur gave yet another snort, "Wands? Why would we need wands? Plus, it's not like I would need one, would I? I have no magic."
Dumbledore gave a sad smile, "But you do, Arthur." He paused, looking hesitant, "Do you know how your mother died, Arthur?"
Arthur stiffened, his hands going white as he gripped the sides of his chair. The atmosphere in the room changed drastically. "She died…gi-giv-giving birth to me," he whispered, "I killed her."
Merlin lowered his head, trying to hide the look of pain and guilt off his face. He knew the truth of how his mother had died, and the truth of Arthur's birth. It pained him to have to keep it a secret from Arthur, seeing as Arthur felt that he had killed his mother. Harry and Malfoy only looked at him with horror-stricken eyes, not knowing what to say. Harry felt like he could relate to Arthur; he knew how it felt to never have known your parents.
Dumbledore looked at him with grave eyes, full of understanding. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his desk. "Arthur," he said, "You must understand that it was not your fault that your mother died. She loved you with all her heart." He paused for a second, adjusting his spectacles, leaving room for Arthur to make a comment.
But Arthur said nothing and, instead glared at his hands. Dumbledore chose this time to look over at Merlin, giving him a knowing look. Merlin felt his breath catch, and he clenched his fists. He took deep breaths, trying to keep his heart beat at a healthy pace. He shifted in his seat, leaning towards Arthur.
"Arthur," he whispered, hesitating as Arthur gave him a look full of grief, "There's something that I haven't told you. A-A-Arthur, remember when Morgause gave you that challenge, a-and she conjured that illusion of your mother?"
Arthur merely nodded his head stiffly.
"The thing is Arthur, everything you heard was all true. You were born of magic, Arthur. Your mother was unable to have a child, and your father was desperate for-"
Arthur stood up, his face ablaze with fury, "Yeah, he was desperate for an heir. That was all he ever cared about. He never loved my mother. I can't believe you have been lying to me this whole time. Everyone has been lying to me!" He was yelling now, as he stepped in front of Merlin, "What other secrets have you been keeping me from Merlin? First, I find out you have magic. Then, I find out you have been lying to me about my mother's death. I told you Merlin! Magic is evil! It corrupts anyone who uses it! My father has been such a bloody hypocrite this whole time! He killed my mother with magic! He used magic! And now it's banned?" Arthur started pacing in the room again, hands almost shaking with fury.
Though neither Arthur nor Merlin could feel it, everyone else could feel Arthur's power vibrate in the room. The magic surrounding him nearly suffocated them, and it was with great difficulty that Dumbledore held up a hand to stop Arthur.
Merlin continued on, oblivious to what had happened. "Arthur, you have to listen. Uther did not know of the consequences to using magic for a birth. He was desperate for a child, but not just for an heir. Your father loved your mother so much Arthur. You have to understand," Merlin pleading, staring into Arthur's eyes. "Uther went and asked Nimueh for help to conceive a child. She agreed, but she never told your father or mother of the consequences."
Arthur finally stopped pacing, falling back down into his chair, not noticing the relieved looks on Harry, Draco, and Dumbledore's faces. He had a bad feeling about what exactly the consequence was, but he had to know, "What was the consequence?" He asked quietly.
"The Old Religion says that in order for a life to be created, a life must be taken," Merlin whispered, "Your father did not know that it would happen! Nimueh just conveniently left that part out. He was devastated when your mother died, you need to know. That was the reason that he banned magic from Camelot. He hated magic, and he hated Nimueh, for killing his wife. He couldn't stand to live with it, and he convinced himself that all magic had to be evil."
Silence engulfed the room, as all five inhabitants took in all the information. After a few minutes, Dumbledore spoke up. "Well, it is getting late," he said.
Harry looked up, startled. "What? How long have we been here? Oh I must have missed so many classes!" He jumped up from his seat, ready to leave the room.
Dumbledore stopped him with a smile. "Don't worry, Harry. Or you, Draco," he said, looking over at Malfoy. "I had Fawkes leave a messagefor all your teachers." He smiled fondly at the bird behind him, getting a soft coo in return.
Arthur stared at the bird, noticing it for the first time. It was a large bird, but it looked very graceful. Its feathers were a rich, bright crimson that had a slight glow to them. There was one long golden tail trailing below the perch the bird sat upon, that looked as if it was burning right before his eyes. The bird took Arthur's breath away, and he couldn't help but ask. "Can I touch him?" He breathed.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, feel free to." He said.
Arthur gave a joyous grin, and Merlin couldn't help but smile at the sight. He had never seen Arthur so happy and relaxed.
As Arthur stepped near him, Fawkes merely stared at him with wide eyes, cocking his head. He cooed when Arthur slowly ran his hand over his head, nudging his arm. Arthur let out a delighted laugh, looking fondly at the bird. "Amazing," he said.
"Well, hate to ruin the moment," Malfoy drawled, slowly getting up from his chair. He stretched his arms out, lifting them above his head, and at the same time giving Harry and wondrous glimpse of smooth, pale skin. Harry gulped at the sight, and Malfoy shot him a confused glance as he went on. "I've noticed that it is already supper time, and I am starving. May we please go?"
"Yes, you may," Dumbledore said, "I must be going too. But Harry, please show Arthur and Merlin to the Gryffindor area, will you? I think they will do pass off as seventh years, so they'll stay in your dorms. We'll get you your wands tomorrow morning," Dumbledore said, directing the last part at Arthur and Merlin, who nodded in return.
"Actually, one more thing," Dumbledore continued, "As you will be staying here for quite awhile, we will need to find new identities. It would be quite the shock for everyone to know that you are Arthur and Merlin. That is information that we cannot let escape."
"So… you want us to choose new names?" Arthur asked, looking uncomfortable.
"Yes. We will also need cover stories for the both of you. We'll say that you two have been learning at home, as your parents do not trust a school to teach everything you need to know." Dumbledore said.
Arthur pursed his lips. "Fine then. I will be Will Worthington," he said, giving Merlin a meaningful look.
Merlin gave a small smile at him, shocked at Arthur's choice. "I'll Be Emrys. Emrys Lemings," he said.
"Both of you have made great choices," Dumbledore mused. "Now, please enjoy your stay at Hogwarts. For tomorrow, you two will not be officially attending classes, but you will be taking private lessons from me instead. Say, around eight in the morning?"
The two boys nodded in agreement.
"Great!" Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together, "Please hide your bow and sword when you get to the dormitories, Arthur. We don't want anyone getting the wrong idea."
With one final nod, the three Gryffindors left Dumbledore's office.