Harry Potter and the War of Morgan le Fay

Chapter 10

Note: I'm aware cultures and timelines do not match up using Greek Mythology in 13th century Wales, but, as I had to remind myself...this is fantasy which means I can actually do whatever I want, timelines be damned, so deal.

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"Are you alright?" Severus asked quietly as they walked through the gate into Tintagel Castle.

"I'm okay. She didn't do anything," Harry replied. His mouth curved into a small smile when Severus squeezed him lightly.

Walking through the castle gate had them inside one of the large towers, a staircase built into the wall and winding around to upper levels. They walked through the archway opposite the gated bridge entrance and entered a large, mostly open area. The rampart walls continued along the coast, but separating the entrance area from the rest was one of the tall towers visible from outside the castle and a huge, long building not unlike the village's great hall, all made of the same white-grey stone aside from the hall's dark wood roof. A wide path sat to the right of the buildings, connecting to another unseen area of the castle.

"Through there is the training area for apprentices and Knights," Arthur told them, pointing to the pathway.

"Knights train here with Merlin?" Harry wondered and Arthur nodded.

"It's the safest place in all of Camelot, and Merlin is both a master of magic and a battle strategist. No better place to train and no one better to learn from."

Harry couldn't help but think of the praise heaped upon Hogwarts and Dumbledore, similar to Arthur's of Merlin and Tintagel Castle, but still different. The praise for Hogwarts and Dumbledore, to him, was unfounded. He loved Hogwarts, truly, but he had been no safer within its walls than if he'd been anywhere else and Dumbledore had done little to prevent such threats, had even facilitated some of them. The faith and loyalty people had to Dumbledore was blind, and he used that against so many to manipulate them.

He glanced at Severus with the thought.

He was sure Dumbledore cared about them all, but not in the way they needed.

Hearing Arthur speak of Merlin and Tintagel Castle, it was so similar, but there was an air of true affection in the words that he didn't hear when people spoke of Dumbledore. They cared for their mentor instead of being blindly loyal. They saw the greatness in Merlin, but also saw him as a person; Dumbledore was seen as nothing but great, keeping him out of reach of the human he truly was. Merlin was fallible; Dumbledore wasn't.

He pushed his musing aside as they approached a large fountain tucked in a large, rounded alcove-like section of the exterior wall. The base of the fountain was made of white marble and filled with water, streams shooting up to the sky around the back half. In the center was a statue of rose quartz, carved into a beautiful woman. She was tall and thin with delicate features, her eyes lidded and lips parted. Her wavy hair fell around her shoulders and down her back like a curtain, a couple strands dancing across her face. She was turned to the side, her head turned towards them with one hand cradling her cheek lightly and her other outstretched to them as though waiting for it to be taken. Her dress was flowy, wrapping around her as though dancing in a breeze. It was a halter-neck with thin strands that hung down her back and looped under her arms to attach to the sides of the dress. Intricate, tiny details had been carved into the dress.

Harry stared at her, watching curiously as Merlin approached her and raised his hand to press his palm to her outstretched one. It was a tender touch and he looked into her gentle face again.

"Who is she?" Harry wondered quietly.

"His great love," Salazar replied softly. "Calypso."

Harry looked at him sharply, stunned.