Mystery's Short Stories.

Arthur's Return

Half-Halloween special Half to indulge my love for Harry Potter and Merlin crossovers. 

The Halloween feast was in full swing at Hogwarts. Students mingled within their houses, laughter was heard throughout the Great Hall from almost everyone. The exception was the Warlock, Emrys, or his birth name, Merlin. Here though the powerful Warlock was known as Max and he was waiting for his best friend, brother, and King to return. 

The Once and Future King, Arthur Pendragon. It had been almost 1500 years since that fateful day at Avalon where Arthur died. 

Since then Merlin had watched and waited. Only now had the Old Religion called out to him. Only once Voldemort had used the darkest magic to return. The day of Samhain was the day that the living world was closest to the world of the dead. Even though Arthur was most likely to return on Samhain it was a surprise to Merlin when Hagrid who had been late to the feast walked in and said, "Sorry I'm late. Got caught up by some folk outside." 

"It is fine Hagrid. Do you know what he wanted?" Dumbledore asked.

"He said he was looking for Camelot. Poor man was delusional. Camelot hasn't existed for over 1000 years." 

Merlin perked up at the mention of his old home. He knew Hogwarts was placed close to the Lake of Avalon.  The Gryffindor next to Merlin saw when the 'young' boy perked up. The Gryffindor had been trying to get Merlin to talk all night (with no success). Camelot caught the boys interest though. Though the stranger outside is what caught most of the schools attention. Students were crammed around the windows in the Great Hall trying to get a look at the stranger. 

Merlin didn't need to look at the stranger to know who it was. Teachers and students tried unsuccessfully to stop Max Ambrosius from going towards the stranger in the courtyard. As the whole school got closer to the lake, Max started to change. Instead of being a scrawny fifteen year old the boy was now around 20 years old with more muscle. No one noticed the strange gold glow that took over Merlin's eyes as the spell to make him look fifteen was reversed. 

"ARTHUR! YOU PRAT! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME ALONE FOR FIFTEEN HUNDRED YEARS! WE'VE HAD DOZENS OF WARS YET YOU RETURN NOW WHEN THE WIZARDING WORLD IS IN DANGER!" 

The school starred when the man who was now known as Arthur answer Max, "Fifteen hundred years really, Merlin?" 

"Yes fifteen hundred. Do you know how long that is?" 

"fifteen hundred?" 

"A millennia and a half Your lucky I'm immortal or I would have died waiting for you."  

"Merlin you've been alive for fifteen hundred years?" 

"Of course prat I thought you'd picked up on that." 

"I'm sorry," Arthur said realizing just how long his friend had been alone without anyone to confide in. 

"Sir, I'm afraid you are making a mistake that is not someone by the name of Merlin his name is Max Ambrosius," Professor McGonagall told Arthur. 

"I think I would recognize my best friend ma'am," Arthur replied, "but really Merlin, Max Ambrosius. Wasn't Ambrosius the last name of Balinor." 

"Hehe funny story so you know how I'm a dragon lord..." Merlin asked. 

"Merlin! What are you saying?" 

"Balinor is my father." 

"MERLIN," Arthur yelled before chasing the thousand year old Warlock around the lake a few times before tackling him. 

"Get off me you clotpole," Merlin told the King. 

Umbridge finally decided this had gone on long enough and decided to stop it. 

"Camelot has not existed for over a thousand years. So it is impossible for you to be a King as you claim." 

Merlin hated Umbridge just like every other person at Hogwarts, so he did the only thing he could think of. One word of the Old Religion and Merlin's eyes glowed a hot molten gold color. The color was so bright and pure you could feel power radiating off of the Warlock. A dragon made of fire appeared in Merlin's hand. He didn't flinch at the fire but held it calmly. 

"I am Merlin as my mother called me, or Emrys by the druids. I am the most powerful and only Warlock to ever walk the earth. I am the last Dragon Lord. Son of Balinor Ambrosius and Hunith. I protect the Once and Future King. And he," Merlin pointed at Arthur, "is the Once and Future King. It is his destiny to unite Albion and bring magic back. He was phropecized to rise again. He is King Arthur the wielder of Excalibur a sword forged in Dragon's breath. And you Dolores Umbridge are nothing but a ugly toad who craves power." 

Umbridge flinched at his words, his words to her were harsh. The whole schools attention though was drawn away from the two brothers as all the creatures of the Forbidden Forest gathered in the treeline. Before they had stayed away waiting to see how their King and his friend would deal with the hated teacher. 

As, Merlin noticed the creatures they bowed. Not to Arthur but to Emrys. Magic in human form. Emrys was their King, just as Arthur was Camelot's King. Merlin bowed back to the creatures in a dignified manner. Showing the creatures the respect they deserved. Unicorns, Thestrals, Centaurs, Hippogriffs, and many more rose as Merlin rose. Now the House elves had gathered outside of the castle showing their support for Emrys and the Once and Future King. Many of the students and teachers stood beside the man they thought they knew but they still trusted him just the same if not more. Merlin showed an air of comforting, trustingness, willingness to protect those he cared about, and more prominently power. 

Now another five figures emerged from the lake, they were ready for battle, to protect their protector and friend. 

Umbridge may be cruel but she isn't stupid she knew she wouldn't be able to fight off the creatures of the forest, the countless house elves Hogwarts had in employment, the students and teachers of Hogwarts, and the Knights of the Round Table. She ran, she ran fast and hard and if the next morning the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts resigned who's to say it was Merlin's fault? If all of Voldemort's Horcruxes were destroyed in less than five minutes, was it Merlin's fault? If Voldemort died during Harry's fifth year instead of his seventh are Arthur and Merlin at fault?

I forgot to post this. It was written around Halloween though.

--Mystery