Chronicles of Camelot

A knight becomes a king

"The Merlin?" asked Dan, "Are you serious?"

"No that's him," Lily laughed, nodding her head to the still stunned Marauder, whose face then turned into a wry smile as he heard the old joke; it was Lily all right.

"And yes," Lily then continued, "The Merlin; Father of all Magic; the one true Light Lord in all magical history and the founder and first of the Holy Knights."

"How?" asked Harry, Lily now straightening up, though she didn't let go of her son's hand as she answered him.

"Let's move into the lounge; I'll explain everything."

HPHG

Sitting in the warm, though unfamiliar embrace of his Mother, Harry let his head rest on her chest, her soft touch making him know that he was safe, strong and loved, a small part of him remembering the touch from his younger years as she began to speak.

"Let's get one thing straight first of all," Lily explained, "I…I did die and my soul did pass over to the next adventure, but, once there, it was like I was stuck."

"How?" asked Hermione, not at all concerned that she wasn't the one comforting her betrothed; he had his Mother back; his family; she would allow him this.

"I don't really know," Lily explained, "But once there, I met him: Merlin and he gave me a warning about your future, about how exactly I had died and about the destiny that you were to face."

"Let me guess," Harry sighed, though his voice was softer than it would have been had he asked anyone else, "He told you about Dumbledore's so-called prophecy?"

"He did," Lily answered, "And then he gave me a choice: he said I could pass on and he would use what magic he could to see you safe…or, I could offer him my soul and he would store it inside an item that would become my son's most noble and powerful ally."

"Excalibur," Hermione nodded.

"Excalibur," Lily confirmed, "And when I heard about that, I asked him how I could still see and protect my son if I was nothing but a spirit: that was when he gave me the deal: my power as the Holy Knight would be finally awakened, but only when my son had reached his destined level and, in return for my own power, I had to change my destiny. Going from the Holy Knight of Ocean…"

"To the Holy Knight of Light," Harry finished, his hand now seemingly toying with a strand of Lily's red hair, his eyes half-closed as he listened to her explanation. "You gave that up; gave Dad up…for me."

"I loved James," Lily told him, "But when I learned of the true purpose behind our deaths and how you wouldn't even know of your destiny until the old fool thought the time was right, I just lost it."

"Lily always did have a fiery temper," Sirius groaned.

"Still have the scar?" asked Lily, Harry now looking to his godfather with an air of amusement.

"I was young," Sirius groaned, wincing as a memory seemed to come back, "I was foolish."

"Was?" chorused Harry, Lily, Remus and Hermione, all of them laughing at Sirius' slight humiliation before Harry asked, "So what happened after that?"

"Merlin kept his word," Lily explained, "He stored my soul inside Excalibur's blade and told me that, when the time was right, my body would return with my soul and I would see my little boy again. And here you are," she added, running a hand through Harry's dark hair, "So strong; so handsome and so much more powerful than you would have been if I hadn't come back."

"Actually," Harry sighed, before he beckoned with one hand, Hermione now moving to his side where she took his hand and, Lily removing her embrace from her son, pulled Harry to his feet, the two of them seemingly glowing in the light of the room as Harry continued, "The real reason for that side of me is because of this lovely angel that you see here: we're betrothed and bonded through the Ritual of Release and I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend than her."