Cursed: The New Order of Merlin Book 2

11. Nasty temper he's got

"You've outdone yourself," Colin said when they sat down for the Halloween Feast. "That is the largest colony of conjured bats in the world."

"Probably the only one," Merlin added. "I don't think anyone has ever tried to conjure this many. Only our Jack."

The bats circled above them with the background of a starry night reflected on the enchanted ceiling. Coupled with the floating lanterns and orange and black streamers, it was a perfect Samhain decoration.

Jack scratched his head, looking between them. "But they look good, right?"

"McGonagall had a good idea to give you two that project."

"It's spooktacular," Colin grinned. "And I love the skeletons painted on those giant pumpkins."

"That was Elsa's idea."

"Where is she anyway?" Colin craned his neck to scan the Ravenclaw table and his cheeks went slightly pink. "I wanted to praise her work."

"I bet she's at the library again."

It was yet another delicious feast with a variety of harvest fruit and vegetables shaped into pointed mini-hats, mini-brooms, and mini-kettles. Harry was having fun with his friends, looking more like a kid than Merlin had seen in a while. Good. These years were too precious to waste them on sulking around.

"Merlin?" Jack took a long breath and said on the exhale, "I have a theory."

"About?"

Jack exchanged a look with Colin who jumped up. "Ask it! Ask it!"

"About you. You said you would answer truthfully. You swear?"

"Oh, that theory game. Yes, go for it." Merlin had long forgotten about it, but he wanted to stick to his word. Besides, he was curious.

Colin leaned in and Jack whispered, "You're not human."

Colin gasped and held his breath, waiting for an answer.

Merlin often asked himself that question. Was he still human? He was overpowered and immortal - all things humans were not, and yet he wasn't anything more. "One hundred percent human."

Jack furrowed his brows, not quite believing. "That's the truth?"

"It is."

Merlin was tempted to throw the same theory back at him, suspecting that the boy was only half-human but decided to leave it for later. He doubted Jack would open up with witnesses around.

"Any more theories?"

"Not yet."

Merlin took a generous bite of an apple cobbler and marvelled at the wonder of time. Sometimes he doubted that fifteen hundred years had really passed. Where did it all go? He couldn't recall a few centuries as if he had skipped them. It was a wonder his brain worked at all, considering how many memories it held.

"Guys..." Colin said, looking up at the bats circling overhead. "What's that?"

He was right. The ceiling in the Great Hall looked different. "Jack, can you do something with your bats?"

Jack waved his wand, sending bats to the side, which revealed a plain dark stone above, rising in tall arches. Now all students pointed at the ceiling, voicing worry over why it was no longer reflecting the sky. At the staff table, the teachers stood up in alarm and started to discuss it among themselves.

Colin asked, "What do you think happened?"

Merlin shrugged. "Enchantments wear out over time. It's time for Dumbledore to renew this one."