Chapter 36 The One With the Deaths
It was a week later when Merlin followed Ron to the Great Hall. Harry was away doing, who knows what, and Hermione had gone to talk with a Professor, and Morgana was with Aithusa in the forest. So Merlin decided to spend some time with Ron since he was finished with his work for the day.
They stood at the top of the stairs on the seventh floor when Harry came rushing up towards them; all drenched in water and blood.
"Harry!" Merlin exclaimed his expression terrified. "What have you done?" He was chocked by the sight.
"Where have you...?" Ron stammered beside him. "Why are you wet? Is that blood?" He looked just as terrified as Merlin felt.
"I need the book." Harry panted, not answering their questions. "Your potions book." He told Ron. "Quickly. Give me it."
"Why do you need...?" Merlin started, but Ron spoke at the same time.
"But what has happened with the Half blood's..." Ron began, but Harry interrupted him.
"I'll explain later." Harry said urgently and Ron quickly took out his book from his bag and gave it to Harry. Harry didn't say anything, he just ran past them towards the common room.
"What do you think has happened?" Merlin asked Ron after they had decided to walk back to the common room.
"No idea, but hopefully he will tell us." Ron answered; his eyes still dilated in chock.
They had just reached the common room when Harry burst out and ran away from them; his bag clutched to his chest.
"Whatever it is, it has something to do with that book." Merlin said as he watched Harry disappear behind a corner. Then he and Ron walked through the portrait hole and sat down in the armchairs to wait for Harry to come back.
Harry came back one hour later and by then, Hermione had arrived as well.
---------------------------------
"You did what!?" Merlin exclaimed and stood up from his armchair. Harry almost shrunk back into the sofa when he stood over him. Merlin cast one look over the few students left in the common room and they scampered of as quickly as they could.
Hermione sat beside Harry and even though Merlin's gaze was fixed on Harry; she felt small under it. This was the first time she had seen Merlin like that and also the first time she actually felt he was Emrys from the legends. He exuded an aura of power and fear he didn't have otherwise.
"It wasn't on purpose." Harry muttered and avoided his gaze.
"He did that to me as well." Ron whispered to her and she turned her attention to him even though it was hard to block out Merlin's voice.
"I don't care if it was on purpose or not!" Merlin yelled; the common room now completely deserted except for them. "You don't try an unknown spell on another person!"
"What do you mean?" She whispered back to Ron; cringing under Merlin's harsh voice.
"He tried to use an unforgivable spell on me." Harry protested weakly.
"You remember the day after the Christmas party?" She nodded in confirmation. "He used that same intimidating voice while telling me to grow up. It was bloody terrifying." Ron grimaced and looked over at Harry; Hermione followed his gaze.
"And you didn't think to just use a protection spell? You know; a shield?" Merlin said with exasperation in his voice and Hermione could see he tried hard not to roll his eyes.
"It happened to quickly!" Harry seemed to regain his composure and pushed himself of the sofa to stand face to face with Merlin. "It was the first spell that came to my mind!" Harry almost yelled, but Merlin didn't even bat an eye at his raised voice. He just kept staring at Harry.
"Then maybe you should have used the second spell that came into your mind!" Merlin dead-panned.
"Wh-what?" Harry looked like he couldn't believe Merlin had just said that.
"You know, I'm glad Snape gave you detention. Maybe it will teach you to think before acting." Merlin continued in a harsh voice. "Missing the Quidditch match might be the best thing that has happened to you."
"You don't mean that." Harry shook his head and Hermione noticed tears threatening to break free. "I thought you were my friend!" Harry continued and this time Hermione could see Merlin flinching slightly at his words, but he still looked angry.
"I am your friend, Harry." He snarled. "And yes, maybe I didn't mean it like that, but I am your elder and I'm..." He swallowed. "I'm responsible for you."
"On whose orders?" Harry snarled back.
"On Dumbledore's orders!" Merlin yelled and turned his head to the right. His eyes flashed gold and a pile of empty scrolls flew up into the air and burst into tiny pieces before falling slowly down towards the floor. Merlin breathed heavily, but kept his head turned.
Harry jumped back at his unexpected magic display and sat down back on the sofa. Hermione noticed Ron flinching where he sat on the armchair beside the sofa.
"Well, I never told Dumbledore I needed a babysitter!" Harry yelled back from his position in the sofa. "Is that why you agreed to come here? You're just following Dumbledore's orders, like everyone else." Harry blinked back his tears angrily.
"I'm not your babysitter and you know that, Potter." Merlin snarled and turned his head back to face Harry; his eyes still had a shimmer of gold in them. "I'm here to help you in any way I can." He said the last bit more calmly and his eyes turned back to their normal colour. "It has nothing to do with Dumbledore." He said quietly.
"If not because of Dumbledore, then why do you feel the need to protect me?" Harry said; he was also calmer. "I've never asked for your help."
"Because I..." Merlin started, but then faltered and cast a quick look at Hermione before returning his attention on Harry. "It's complicated." He sighed.
"If you just told us it wouldn't be complicated." Harry stared at Merlin with an angry, but calm look.
"I can't tell you." Merlin said quietly as his gaze looked everywhere but them. Hermione felt bad for him because she knew he wanted to tell them everything, but he was too scared.
"Why?" Harry's harsh voice made Merlin look at him again.
"Because you would hate me." He said and a single tear started its path down his cheek before he wiped it away and started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Harry called after him with a confused expression.
"Just know that I'm doing this for you, Harry. Only you." Merlin said and pushed the portrait hole open and walked out before Harry had regained his senses enough to respond.
"What was that about?" Ron broke the silence that had sprung up when Merlin left.
"I have no idea." Harry shook his head.
--------------------------------
The following days were hard for Harry. Hermione kept pestering him about how she had been right about the Half blood Prince all along. The only upside to that was that Ginny seemed to take his side over Hermione.
But the other student in the school didn't miss a chance to taunt him and cast jeers. He also felt bad over his fight with Marcus. Afterwards he could see that Marcus had been right about his impulsiveness and that he actually did deserve the detentions, but he didn't have the courage to walk up to him and talk.
---------------------------------
Merlin didn't talk to Harry until the morning of the Quidditch match. He had noticed how Harry had avoided him and wanted to wait for him to be ready.
"You should go and talk to him." He turned his head from Harry's forlorn form at the top of the staircase that lead down to the dungeons, and looked at Morgana instead.
"You think so?" He asked and turned his head around again. "It's not too early?"
"You haven't talked since the incident and you have heard how the other students have talked about him. He needs a friend not another babysitter." Morgana said and he could hear the wisdom in her words.
"You're right." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then walked over to Harry.
"Marcus." Harry greeted stiffly when he saw Merlin.
"I'm sorry, Harry." He said when he had arrived. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."
"No, you were right." Harry shook his head. "I didn't think, and I do deserve these detentions. I just wish it wasn't with Snape." He grimaced.
"Yeah, he is something all right." Merlin chuckled softly. "But my remark about the Quidditch match was uncalled for. I know how much it means to you and the rest of the school." He looked into Harry's eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted." Harry nodded and stretched out his hand to shake it, but Merlin grabbed him by the arm instead like he and Arthur used to do, and smiled big.
"Now, I know I can't do anything about this match, but if you ever need anything, let me know." He grinned. "Just think of me like a one-wish genie." He chuckled.
"Will do." Harry smiled back and let go of his arm.
Merlin turned around and was in the middle of taking a step away when Harry stopped him.
"Wait." Harry grabbed his arm and made him turn around to face him. "There is one thing."
"What is it?" Merlin searched Harry's face for answers.
"I want to know your secret." Harry said and Merlin felt his smile fade from his face.
"I'm sorry, but that is one wish I can't grant." He said sadly.
"Because you think we will hate you afterwards." Harry stated.
"That is one of the reasons." He nodded.
"What is so bad you think we will hate you? I mean..." Harry searched for the right words. "We forgave you when we discovered you were a Warlock and much more powerful then you told us. I just forgave you for yelling at me and you said some really hurtful words." Harry paused and looked up at him. "You were even forgiven for kissing Hermione, for Merlin's sake."
"This isn't the right time, but I promise you, I will tell you." Merlin looked pleadingly at Harry.
"You promise?" Harry asked.
"I promise." Merlin nodded and grabbed Harry's arm again. "Now, you still have one wish so think about it and let me know later." He smiled and started to walk away.
"I will." Harry smiled back and then started to climb down the stairs and towards the dungeons.
---------------------------------------
Morgana was enjoying the sunshine and warm May weather. She sat by the lake alone; the same spot she and Merlin had sat at just before the winter break. She didn't know how long she had sat there when a soft thud alerted her that someone had sat down beside her.
When she turned her head to the side she saw it was Merlin and a big smile broke out on her face.
"Did it go well?" She asked and snuggled against his side while he slung an arm around her back. "Did you get your last OWL and NEWT?"
"Yeah," He nodded and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "And now I don't have any more lessons to take." He sighed. "It feels good." He pressed her more tightly against him and she closed her eyes. Neither said anything for a while; just enjoying the calm and serenity by the lake. Soon they lay down and she used his arm as a cushion.
"You two look very cute together." Someone said after an undetermined time; she had almost fallen asleep. Morgana opened her eyes at the voice and saw Ginny and Harry standing in front of them. Merlin was still snoring lightly.
"Likewise." Morgana smiled back and sat up without waking Merlin. Ginny and Harry had started dating a week ago, after the last Quidditch match, but she hadn't really seen them together, what with them sneaking of to secluded areas and she spending so much time with Merlin and Aithusa.
"There you are, Harry." Ron's voice sounded from behind and when she turned around; she saw Ron and Hermione coming towards them. "We've been looking everywhere for you."
"Ron," Hermione hissed at him. "You can't just disturb them like that." She said and looked at Merlin who was still sleeping deeply.
"It's okay, Hermione." Morgana said and glanced down at Merlin. "He's a deep sleeper. Please, sit down." She gestured for all four of them to sit down.
"How long have you known each other?" Ginny asked and looked between her and Merlin.
"I guess it's a little over ten years now." She answered with a smile. "But it feels much longer."
"Is it true he was friends with your brother first?" Ginny continued.
"Haven't these guys told you everything already?" She laughed softly, but Ginny just shook her head.
"It's better to ask the original source." She said and Morgana couldn't help but be impressed by her boldness.
"Well, to answer your question; I got to know him at the same time as my brother when he moved in at our house, but we were both friends with him first. It used to be me, my brother, Marcus and my friend Gwen." She answered, careful not to say anything that would imply they had been alive a long time ago.
"Did you know you had Old Magic then?" Ginny asked eagerly.
"No, not at the time." She shook her head. "It was around a year after that I found out and Marcus helped me a lot, but it wasn't enough. We had a falling out and it took a long time for us to find our way back together."
"I moved away shortly after and he in turn got better acquainted with my brother." She paused. "I didn't find out about his magic until just before my brother's death." She glanced down at Merlin before continuing. The trio and Ginny were transfixed by her story. "I was furious at him for not telling me sooner, but with the death of my brother and enough time apart; I realised he had been too scared to tell me."
"But you told him about your magic." Ron quipped in. "He should have told you about his."
"I know, but that is between him and me." She cast a stern glare at Ron and he shrank back a little. "There were many things that made him unable to tell me and he has explained it all to me, and I have forgiven him for it." She finished with finality in her voice that indicated no injections.
"Did Arthur know?" Harry asked.
"No, he did not. Well..." She inclined her head a little. "He knew about me, but not Marcus." She looked out over the lake quickly before continuing. "He was a muggle and even though the Old Religion doesn't follow your laws; it would have been unwise to tell him. He and Marcus probably wouldn't have stayed friends had he told him. He wasn't happy when he found out about me." She knew the reason for that had been her betrayal and not her magic, but they didn't need to know that. "But Marcus has told me he told Arthur a few days before he died, just after the accident."
"You said your father knew about your magic." Ron said with a confused look."How did he react to it?" She noticed that Hermione hadn't asked anything yet. 'She probably knows everything from the diary.' She thought.
"My father found out at the same time as Arthur, and he wasn't happy about it. He may have liked the Arthurian legends, but he didn't like the magic aspect of it." She thought back to all the countless deaths he was responsible of. "He was a knight, through and through, but without the noble part. He was a brut and he regarded magic as something evil that should be purged from the earth." She said with venom in her voice. "Let's just say that we didn't exactly see eye to eye."
"Was he the reason Marcus was afraid to tell you?" Ginny asked, slightly taken aback by the anger in her eyes when she talked about Uther.
"One of them, yes." She nodded.
"Gwaine, no..." Merlin mumbled in his sleep and they all turned around to look at him. "I don't want an apple." He waved his hand before moving so he lay on the side instead; his back to them.
"Gwaine?" Ron asked with raised eyebrows.
"An old boyfriend." Morgana shrugged nonchalantly, hoping they wouldn't recognise the name.
"Boyfriend?" Ron sputtered. "I thought he was into girls; you know," He waved his hands towards her. "Dating you an all." His voice rose with every word.
"He goes both ways." Hermione said and then quickly looked down at her hands, her cheeks red.
"Oh..." Ron said and dropped the subject.
"Yeah," Morgana said and cleared her throat; the silence was a bit awkward. She wondered what Merlin would say when he woke up and found out.
"So," Ginny began carefully. "How did Arthur die?" She grimaced when Morgana turned her head sharply to look at her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"No no, it's okay." Morgana said. "It's only human nature to be curious." She tried to laugh it off but she was starting to get a bit emotional talking about Camelot and Arthur. She may have been a bit insane at the end, but deep down, she had always loved Arthur.
"Marcus told us he was with Arthur when he died." Ginny said quietly. "But he didn't want to say any details."
"Well," She began." Arthur's death was hard on Marcus." She looked down at Merlin and wished he would wake up and hold her. She could feel her eyes tearing up and she swallowed soundly before continuing. "He was killed by a former friend, a friend he had trusted with his life, and it was all because of me." She started to sob, unable to stop her tears from coming. "I turned him against Arthur."
"Ssh, it's okay." She felt large arms circling her waist from behind and leaned back into Merlin's chest. The others averted their eyes at their private moment and didn't ask any more questions.
"H-how long have you been awake?" She turned slightly so she could burrow her face in his shoulder.
"Since you told everyone Gwaine was my boyfriend." He chuckled softly in her ear and ran his hands up and down her back in a soothing manner.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She lifted her head and looked at him; the others completely forgotten.
"I wanted to see what you would say." He grinned at her before lifting his eyes to the four behind her. "I think it's better we continue this another time." He told them before standing up with her between his arms. "Just know that I don't blame Morgan for what happened to Arthur; it's the man that did it that's to blame, and believe me, he has already gotten what he deserves." He said coldly before walking away with her.
-----------------------------------
"Do you really think Morgan had something to do with her brother's death?" Ron said as they watched the couple walk away from them towards the castle.
"Whatever happened, she seems to think so." Ginny said and leaned into Harry's side for comfort. He wrapped and arm over her shoulders and pressed her more tightly to him. They were all upset by the display Morgan had showed.
"We shouldn't judge before we know all the answers." Hermione said calmly and stood up.
"It's probably best if we ask Marcus the next time, instead of Morgan." Ron said and stood up as well.
"Or maybe you wait for them to tell you." Hermione stated.
"Whatever." Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm going back in, I'm hungry."
"Me too," Hermione said. "Are you coming?" She asked Harry and Ginny.
"No," He shook his head. "I think we'll stay here for a while longer."
"See you later then, mate." Ron said and made his way towards the castle. Hermione waved goodbye and hurried after Ron.
-----------------------------
It was a few days later when Morgana woke up in Merlin's arms. It was early but she didn't feel like sleeping any more so she started to trace her fingers over his bare chest. He may look skinny, but his chest was firm and well built, and his abdomen was toned and muscular just like his arms.
After a while she exchanged her fingers for her mouth and she kissed trails all over his abdomen, over his chest and up to his jaw. He woke up when she reached his ear.
"What are you doing?" He mumbled and she leaned back and smirked at him.
"I can't sleep." She shrugged and bent down to capture his lips.
He didn't protest, instead he return the favour vigorously. It didn't take long before he had rolled her over on her back and she was captured under his body. He started to pull off her nightshirt while placing kisses on the newly exposed skin on her thighs and up her abdomen, but when he reached the place just below her breast, he stopped. She whimpered in displease and looked up at him as he hovered over her, supporting himself on his elbows.
"Are you sure you're ready." He panted slightly, his eyes almost black with arousal.
"I'm sure." She reached up her hands and pulled his head down to meet her lips. He beamed at her when he pulled back and continued his mission of taking of her shirt.
They stayed in bed all morning and didn't leave the chamber until lunch time. Morgana had never felt as good as she did that day. Merlin had been fantastic and she couldn't believe she had waited a whole month before doing it.
-----------------------------------
When the evening came they heard a rushed knocking on the door.
"Who can that be this late?" Morgana asked out loud. She was snuggled against Merlin on the sofa; reading a book.
"I have no idea." Merlin shrugged.
Morgana stood up and walked over to the door. Merlin could see she was surprised when she saw who it was.
"Ron!" She said surprised. "What are you doing here so late?"
"Can I come in?" Merlin heard Ron ask in an urgent tone.
"What's wrong?" Merlin jumped up from his position on the sofa and walked over to him.
"It's Harry." Ron said in one breath. "He's gone away with Dumbledore to find a Horcrux."
"A Horcrux?" Merlin said with chock and Ron nodded. "Why didn't he tell me?" Merlin turned to Morgana and he knew she knew he meant Dumbledore and not Harry.
"I don't know. He must have had his reasons." Morgana said and grabbed his hand to calm him down. It worked slightly.
"Well," Ron began. "Harry told us to patrol the corridors because he believes Malfoy will put his plan in motion tonight. He heard him in the 'Room of Requirement' earlier."
"Who knows about this?" Merlin asked as he grabbed his boots and pulled them on. He then took Morgana's hand again and climbed out the door; Ron following after.
"We contacted the DA; Ginny and Neville are patrolling the 'Room of Requirement'." Ron said. "Hermione and Luna have gone down to the dungeons to swatch over Snape." Merlin stopped in his track when he heard that.
"Okay," He said and quickly worked out a plan in his head. He then let go of Morgana's hand and turned to grab her shoulders instead and locked eyes with her. "I want you to go down to Snape's office. I'm not sure how he fits into all this yet, but I'm positive he will be a part of it." He said quickly. "I want you to contact me as soon as something happens. Is that understood?"
"Yes." She nodded quickly; her eyes full of determination.
"Good." He released her and turned to Ron. "You and I will go and meet up with Ginny and Neville. I'm positive Draco won't be alone when he comes out." Ron nodded in understanding and took a few steps towards the seventh floor shortcut.
"Wait...!" Morgana called out before he had a chance to follow after. "Just in case." She murmured and slung her arms around his shoulders and captured his lips with passion and an underlying urgency. They broke apart with a gasp and rested their foreheads against each other; neither willing to break the contact.
"I will be fine." Merlin told her and locked eyes with her.
"I know." She looked back. "I just have this nagging feeling in my gut that something will happen." He didn't say anything; there were no words to convince her otherwise.
They broke apart shortly after and he stared after her when she went in the opposite direction. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Ron beside him.
"You will see her again soon." Ron said silently.
"I know." He said, but he didn't feel convinced by his own words. He turned around when her form had disappeared around a corner and began walking to the shortcut with Ron beside him.
They reached the 'Room of Requirement' in minutes, but were greeted by a thick cloud of dark smoke instead of Ginny and Neville.
"Peruvian instant darkness powder." Ron hissed behind him. "That son of a..." Ron was cut off by a loud noise erupting a few corridors ahead.
"Something's happened." He whispered to Ron before gathering his magic to make a spell. He couldn't use a regular lighting spell because the magic in the powder was to powerful, so he had to use a more complicated spell. "Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum." He chanted and a blue ball of light appeared in front of him and Ron.
"What did you do?" Ron whispered to him. Merlin could see his face lit up by the light as he stared at it in awe.
"Just follow the light." He whispered back. "It will guide us out of this smoke." Ron nodded and they both started to walk when the light drifted away.
They eventually reached a lit corridor and the light vanished. There they heard the distinct sound of a fight, farther ahead. With just a glance at each other and a nod in confirmation; they took off in a sprint towards the sound.
They found the reason to the sound, below the final stair up to the astronomy tower. Lupin, Tonks, Bill, McGonagall, Flitwick, Ginny and Neville were in the middle of battling seven Death Eaters.
Merlin quickly dodged an oncoming spell and reached out his hand to blast the caster into the air. He landed on the floor, but managed to get up again and ran upstairs.
"That was quick thinking." Ron said beside him while firing a spell towards a female Death Eater with a hunted expression.
"Well, you could say I have quite the experience with this." Merlin grimaced and blocked another spell.
"Is that so?" Ron looked at him with suspicious eyes, but Merlin didn't have time to answer before the Death Eater he knocked down a few minutes before came running down the stairs again. Luckily he got hit by a killing curse that was meant for Lupin, before he could do any damage.
"What do you think he did up there?" He asked Ron while weighing the option of running up there himself to see what the Death Eater had done.
"No idea," Ron shrugged and cast a quick look at him. "Have you really done this before?" Ron asked and blocked a spell. "I thought you hadn't lived in the magical community before."
"I haven't..." He said while casting a stunning spell at a feral looking Death Eater who had jumped Ron's brother, Bill. The spell knocked him off, but the damage was done. "But I have fought a lot of Old Magic users in my days."
"You make it sound like you are older than you seem." Ron said while watching Lupin check over Bill quickly.
"I might be." Merlin grimaced and scanned the room. He noticed the Malfoy boy had disappeared. He figured he had gone up the Astronomy tower, but before he could follow, a Killing curse was hurtled towards Ron, but he was too busy with watching Lupin and Bill, he didn't notice it.
"Watch out!" Merlin yelled and grabbed Ron. He pulled him behind a nearby, knocked over, statue just as the spell hit the wall, right behind where Ron had stood.
"You saved my life." Ron gasped out; his face filled with chock.
"Yeah," Merlin grimaced. "Let's not make a habit of it, all right." He chuckled humourlessly.
"Yeah," Ron said; still a bit chocked. "Let's not."
Merlin gave him a quick pat on the back before looking around the statue to see if the coast was clear for him to emerge. The Death Eater, who had cast the spell at Ron, stood a few meters away; seemingly waiting for them to come out. He was a stout fellow with short brown hair and a short stubble beard, similar to his own.
"Stay here." Merlin put a hand on Ron's shoulder and shook his head when Ron tried to stand up.
"Why?" Ron asked, but Merlin didn't answer him. He just walked out from behind the statue; confidence in his steps.
"Bad move to cast that spell, my friend." Merlin said with a smirk at the Death Eater.
"Do I know you?" The Death Eater said back.
"No." Merlin shook his head; the smirk still in place.
"Then why did you call me 'your friend'?" The Death Eater retorted and Merlin couldn't help but smile at the familiar argument. "Is something funny to you, boy?" He snarled at Merlin.
"No, not at all," Merlin smiled back. "Just remembering something."
"Glad I could make you happy just before your death." The Death Eater smirked and made a half-bow without taking his eyes of Merlin.
"What is your name?" Merlin said, ignoring his last comment.
"Crowley." He smiled. "And what pathetic name do you have?"
"I have quite a few names actually." Merlin said with a tilt of his head. "But you can call me Marcus for now."
"Well then, Marcus." Crowley growled out. "I hope your little boyfriend over there is worth dying for." He raised his wand to fire a spell at Merlin, which he quickly blocked with a wave of his hand.
"How did you do that?" Crowley snarled. "You don't even have a wand." He spat out.
"I don't need a wand." Merlin sneered and cast a silent stunning spell at him. Crowley flew backwards a few meters and landed on the floor with a groan, but he quickly stood up again and raised his wand in attacking position.
"Your eyes..." He said and took a few steps forward. "How did you do that?"
"Oh," Merlin said with a fake surprised look. "Did I forget to mention I have Old Magic?"
"No one have Old Magic these days." Crowley bit out.
"Then what does that make me?!" Merlin called out mockingly. "A figment of your imagination?!" His words made Crowley's face become red in anger.
"Crucio!" Crowley cast the spell towards him, but Merlin easily blocked it.
"You shouldn't have done that." Merlin smirked at Crowley and summoned a fireball between his hands. He threw it at Crowley and it hit him square in the chest. Crowley flew several meters from the impact, before landing on the floor. He didn't move again.
Ron came up to him while he watched Crowley's still body from afar.
"That was..." He began, but faltered when he saw Merlin's face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Merlin said and quickly wiped his face with his hand. He hadn't killed someone in a very long time and it had hit him harder than he had expected.
"Snape is coming." Morgana suddenly projected inside his head. Merlin scanned the room again and saw four of the Death Eaters running up the stairs and a fifth and very big Death Eater stood in the middle of the stairs; throwing spells everywhere.
He saw Neville trying to run up to him, but he was knocked away by an invisible barrier and landed several feet away. All of a sudden Snape appeared from a corridor leading to the staircase.
"Severus!" Merlin called after him and Snape looked at him quickly, before giving him a slight shake of his head before continuing running to the stairs and through the barrier like it wasn't there. Directly after, one of the spells from the big Death Eater hit the roof and a part of it collapsed.
"How did he do that?" Ron asked him.
"No idea." Merlin shook his head, but he did know why Snape had been able to get through; he just hoped the man truly was on their side as Dumbledore had insisted. His gut told him he was on their side, but he had a nagging feeling at the back of his head that something terrible was about to happen.
Morgana showed up shortly after with Hermione, Luna and Flitwick. She saw him and gave him a big relieved smile. He was just about to walk over to her when Snape and the Malfoy boy came running down the stairs; the four Death Eaters and Harry not far after. Harry rushed past them; following Snape; while the Death Eaters began battling them again.
"It's over." He heard Snape call out and the Death Eaters stopped fighting and ran away after him and Harry.
"What's going on?" Merlin projected into Snape's head while he ran away.
"I had to, Merlin." Snape's voice was filled with dread.
"What did you do?" Merlin knew something bad had happened. He could hear in on his voice.
"He made me promise." Snape answered, but his voice started to lose its power because of the distance.
"Who?" Merlin asked with a mental frown. "Dumbledore?"
"Promise me you won't turn me away when you find out." Snape said hurriedly, the mental connection starting to falter.
"Find out what!" Merlin almost screamed in frustration. Why couldn't the man just say it?
"Meet me in one month and I will explain everything." Snape responded and Merlin could sense that he was in the middle of firing spells at someone.
"Fine." Merlin said with a huff. "I will meet you in one month. Send me an owl when you have decided on a location." And with that the connection broke off before Snape had a chance to respond back.
"Did you just talk to someone through your mind?" Ron asked him and Merlin turned to him with a surprised look on his face.
"How did you...?" Merlin began to say when he felt the traces of powerful magic behind him.
"Avada Kedavra!" He turned around just in time to see a jet of green light coming towards him. He didn't have time to react and the spell hit him in the chest. He stumbled backwards before collapsing in someone's arms. The last thing he saw before everything went black, was Morgana's horrified expression hovering over him.
Crowley collapsed back down on the floor afterwards; his chest still smoking.
---------------------------------------
A/N
Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum. = With his father's friends by fee and gift. (Merlin uses this spell when he in poisoned and Arthur is chased by the spiders.)
Crucio! = Inflicts unbearable pain on the recipient of the curse.
Avada Kedavra! = Causes instant, painless death to whomever the curse hits.
Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum. = With his father's friends by fee and gift.
Crucio! = Inflicts unbearable pain on the recipient of the curse.
Avada Kedavra! = Causes instant, painless death to whomever the curse hits.
There is a scene in this chapter between Merlin and Morgana that has been cut short due to this being a T-rated story, but if you want to read the whole scene, I have together with Wrigglesworth59, written it as a one-shot that I will post seperately. It will be called Extra Mergana scene from chapter 36.