Merlin had had a feeling today was going to be disastrous. Another night terror, this one happened to involve Arthur and those always left him in the worst of moods. He was only thankful he had not managed to cry himself awake. He moved lethargically around to his wardrobe and struggled into his shirt, not paying a lick of attention that it was a muggle band tee that didn't quite fit the dress code, along with ripped jeans and the robe he had worn at the start-of-term feast.
Why did he have such items in his closet? He could only blame it on the prank loving Aithusa. Merlin heaved up the last sleeve on his robe, half paying attention now so he would not run into the wall in his tiredness as he opened the door. He jerked back just in time for Umbridge's knuckles to avoid hitting him in the chest. Fully alert now, Merlin noticed the red that entered in the ministry employee's cheeks.
"Hem, hem. Myriddian-"
"-It's Emrys," Merlin interrupted, teeth grated together to hold his tongue back from the curses and hexes he wished to inflict on her. Still, she pressed on either oblivious to his annoyance or purposefully ignoring it in favor of saying her piece.
"Of course, I just wanted to remind you I will be inspecting the curriculum and the teachers this week. As such good friends to the ministry yours will be today," she smiled bitingly, not looking at all happy. Probably because Fudge had put in a word for her not to sack him before he had a chance to meet with Merlin in person or else risk him financially pulling his support.
"How...thoughtful, Delores," Merlin said, watching in hidden glee as she struggled to keep her smile plastered on and her eyes from twitching at his own deliberate choice of her name. "Now that your news has been delivered, breakfast is waiting and I would hate for the house elves' food to get cold and go to waste. After all, they work so much harder that most wizards and witches. Wouldn't you agree?" Merlin snipped, watching as Delores' veins threatened to pop out of her skull. He would pay galleons to actually see it happen.
"Yes, I'm sure they do as they are told," she sidestepped the question, "hem, heming" once again as she turned on her heel and walked away.
Finally, Merlin let himself scowl. A terrible day indeed.
~
Merlin was grumpy by the time he had walked down to the great hall and managed to talk himself out of smiting the pink obsessed women in the middle of the school for everyone to see. Murder was terrible for lying low and he had promised himself he would not anymore. He sat down watching Aithusa juggle grapes and eating them one by one on their way down from the effects of gravity.
A brilliant thought came to mind as he watched Aithusa's forked tongue catch the last grape, a grin manifesting on his face as he ate his own waffle.
"I can physically see you planning something Merlin," Aithusa said in his head, eyes narrowed and mischievous as she stared at him.
"And if I am?" Merlin replied back smugly.
"Then I want in!" She shouted, making Merlin wince. "It better be a prank Merlin! A really good one," she was bouncing on the table as she talked in his mind and he belatedly realized how odd it must look from an outside perspective. "Oh, can I pick? How about that one in Barcelona in 1835! Or no...! What about when we pranked Leo, you can't go wrong with the classics, Merlin," Aithusa enthusiastically suggested ideas.
"I don't think we remember Barcelona the same way, Aithusa. Your prank caused an uprising where convents ended up burned-"
"-That man had it coming, talking about dragons the way he did, how was I supposed to know he would retaliate like that-"
"-Not to mention, I don't think Umbridge has the right sense of humor for putting poison ivy in her bed," Merlin mused. Aithusa huffed, smoke escaping her nose as she thought.
"Fair enough, as long as it is something better than a chocolate pie this time," Merlin agreed, a pie was not going to be enough, which is why his idea was so much better than what his dragon wanted.
"To get back at her for what she is going to make me endure today I have just the thing," Merlin grinned again. Taking a bite of strawberry and glancing in Umbridge's direction. Her clipboard was already beside her and waiting for her scathing comments.
"Anything to get rid of the toad!" The dragon replied hauntingly, grin matching Merlin's own as she jumped off the table and flew out of the great hall.
~
Merlin enjoyed teaching his first years the most, always eager to learn magic and mostly willing to listen. The lessons were always the same simple spells but they enchanted the eleven year olds every time one was performed. Even the wizards and witches that had grown up around magic were awed that they had the ability to make red sparks to send for help or use lumos for the first time. The magical creatures they learned about excited and brought wonder to their eyes like nothing Merlin had ever seen. Yes, they were definitely his favorite group.
The second years were just as eager as the first years but were prone to jumping the river before they had learned to swim against the current. Turning his back on them for even a second spelled disaster and not even the fun kind. Merlin had learned quickly enough that to avoid the school nurse from putting him on her watch list he had to be able to stop the twelve year olds before they figuratively jumped. Merlin was usually ecstatic when the bell rang to dismiss them, though he hid it well.
The third years were easier as they knew the routine by now, learn, practice, don't run before walking when you could injure someone if one did not practice enough, and respect one another in the process. Rinse, repeat. Of course, it didn't make rangaling the children any easier but it made his workload decrease somewhat. The homework, not so much.
By the time fourth years came around, Merlin upped the stakes for them because O.W.L.'s would be next year and there were always slackers who thought they could get by on skill alone and Merlin was always out to prove them wrong. He rewarded students heavily in his fourth year classes and enjoyed watching as the other teachers were usually dumbstruck by all of his students' high marks in the exams. Amazing what a little one on one help or study buddies could do for a boost in grade performance.
Speaking of O.W.L.'s, Merlin's least favorite group of students would be heading his way. He had nothing against his students individually but as a whole they were tough. There were always people who stressed about the exams from the first day out to the ones who could care less about even passing let alone getting the highest mark possible. There never seemed to be a middle ground, always one extreme or the other and never in between. It left them grumpy and moody, their hormones making everything a mess as the first serious interest in the opposite genders complicated things and made everything more dramatic than necessary. Why they picked the children's fifth year at the school to give important exams he would never understand.
Broken out of his internal musings, Merlin blinked as the next bell rang, his eyes quickly finding clashing shades of fuchsia and pale pink that Umbridge obviously thought worked well together. Merlin wanted to set her loose with some of his designer friends in the muggle world and let them lower her self-esteem about her choice of outfits in record time. The thought was very tempting.
Putting a fake smile on his face, he stood from his seat and headed for the door, completely ignoring the other adult and welcoming his fifth year students as they walked through the door. Watching out of the corner of his eye as Umbridge narrowed her own eyes at being slighted, becoming slits as they rested on Harry Potter in obvious animosity. Merlin shook his head at the women, hating a child for no other reason than because she could. He was sure she had her own logic as to why but nothing she could tell him would justify her feelings to him.
He honestly felt sorry for her in the same way he felt sympathy for Uther. She tried so hard to intimidate others despite her appearance and high level at the ministry, because she could. She thought fear was the way to earn others respect, to shove rule after rule down their throats until they submitted and forgot what it meant to live without those rules in place. Uther had not been so different, blinded by his hatred and fear that the same fate would befall himself or Arthur as it had Ygraine.
But most of all Umbridge annoyed Merlin. She was the fly that attempted to land on him, tried to buzz in his ear until he cracked and said things he did not mean to and dug his own grave. She thought herself subtle apparently when choosing the time to arrive to "evaluate" his class. The one time she knew Harry Potter would be in his classroom, no doubt having been in some of his other classes already today. Not all, he was sure, that would be too suspicious, even for her.
When the last of his students entered the room, he shut the door, taking the flying paper bird from the air that had been about while his students waited for the class to begin, and transfigured it into a live bird. His students gasped and cheered as the songbird chirped, coming to rest on his shoulder, and nipping at his hair. He chuckled fondly, transferring the bird to his pointer finger for it to balance and handed it back to the Patil twins to look after.
"Now as much as I love a bit of fun, it's time to pay attention!" Merlin started, ignoring Umbridge's "hem, hem" since he had not even got a sentence out and was interrupting. "Now I know we all want to learn more spells for our O.W.L. 's but learning about potentially dangerous creatures is also important and will be part of your exams." Many groaned, but Merlin paid them no mind. Another "hem, hem" grated passed Delores' lips but once again he pretended not to hear her.
Grinning, Merlin pulled out from behind his desk a glass habitat that held one of his pets, not that they needed to know, for all intents and purposes this little guy was one Merlin had caught for just this occasion. The salamander was a fiery red that glowed purple and blue around some of its veins and was perpetually alight thanks to the small flame it huddled against in its habitat. It's six legs helped it stand on two of its feet to stare out of the glass into the room at large. "Now, can anyone tell me what species this handsome fellow is? Anyone?" Merlin asked, some looking around to see if others knew the answer while a few attempted to discreetly flip through their books to find the name. The only one with their hand up was Hermione Granger.
"Yes, Miss Granger, do you have an answer for the class?" Merlin spoke, giving his permission for her to speak.
"It's a fire-dwelling salamander, Professor. They feed off of fire and if tamed correctly can help put out magically induced flames that are otherwise difficult to control."
"Anything else...Mr. Malfoy, to add to Miss Granger's answer?" Having seen the subtle way the boy had perked up at the name of the lizard. Another "hem, hem" sounded and finally Merlin acknowledged Delores. "Is there something in your throat, Delores? Perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey," Merlin suggested, hinting for the woman to either not interrupt his class or simply leave. Umbridge pursed her lips but otherwise stayed silent. Merlin therefore motioned Draco to continue on and answer.
"The...the blood of the fire-salamander has been used for its regenerative and curative properties. Mostly used in healing tonics and potions to make them stronger," Merlin watched proudly as the more he talked the more confident his answer was.
"Very good, five points to both houses for such informative answers. I could almost have you teaching the class yourselves," Merlin joked, enjoying as his students laughed with him, Hermione turning scarlet at the attention and praise.
Finally, Umbridge seemed to have worn out her patience as she loudly caught the room's attention, the laughter dying off quickly as every head turned to look towards the corner Umbridge had chosen to skulk in for the evening. "Excuse me, Emrys , but this was not in the curriculum for this year and this dark creature is not potentially dangerous. They are dangerous and have no business being in a classroom full of innocent children!" Delores thundered, managing not to shout but making it very clear that she was not happy. "Is it not enough to teach them about it let alone bring the filthy thing into the school?"
Merlin was quickly losing his own decorum as she not only insulted him as a teacher but had brought Gauis into her argument. Calling the salamander filthy and dangerous. Sure, the point could be made that yes Gauis was dangerous but not to the people under Merlin's protection and Umbridge was not included in such.
"Do not take that tone with me Delores," Merlin's demeanor darkened, not enough to scare but enough for the hairs on the back of everyone's neck to stand up in anticipation of things turning ugly quite fast. "Fire-dwelling salamanders are not dark creatures and are only dangerous to the uneducated and are why they have been labeled a XXX creature. They are a species that have been put on this year's curriculum by order of the headmaster himself, if you find a new list of the topics discussed for this year and not last year you would have been well informed that nothing is being taught that should not be. As for interrupting my class not just the once but now twice I will kindly ask you simply observe as is your role in an evaluation. If you find a problem with what I have said Delores you are welcome to come another time when we are both calmer or better yet not at all," Merlin finished, having said his peace. Watching as surprise, then anger, and finally, a deep loathing settled over the woman as she visibly tried to make herself taller and more imposing.
"The minster will be sorry to have ever had the misfortune to meet the likes of you, Myriddian," she said, eyes flashing dangerously and stalking out of the room, no doubt to report him to Fudge and turn him against Merlin. With a final childish impulse Merlin erased any notes she had taken on himself and any other negative comments made to any of the other staff at Hogwarts.
When Merlin had finally calmed down enough to take a few deep breaths to gather himself he opened his eyes to find a slack-jawed classroom full of students staring at him in awe before Ron Weasley started clapping and whooping in joy and causing the other students to join in. Chuckling, Merlin let go of his worry for now and simply enjoyed the company of people who were not out to get him.
When it finally calmed down, Merlin held up his hand to gather their attention and asked, "Alright, who would like to hold Gaius?" Every hand raised and Merlin smiled in hope for this new generation to be better than its last.
~
Sadly, Merlin's day was not yet over as he finished putting up the last of the books his seventh year students had borrowed. Shifting the weight of them from one arm to the other as he found their places among the many shelves. He could always magic them back but the menial and physicality of the task settled his restless mind.
He had not meant to be angered so easily, he knew how to play his cards and wait for the opportunity to strike hard and fast and yet...and yet she had so uncomfortably gotten under his skin. She had known when she had, would take every advantage possible now, would wear him down, using the things he loved and cherished against him. To make him the villain to toss him out the gates of Hogwarts at the first opportunity.
It unnerved him that she had done so. He knew not to underestimate anyone, or anything for that matter, but still he had played the winning card hastily and thoughtlessly and lost. Even if to his students he had won, in the grand scheme of things he had shown her his heart and it would be his downfall.
"Hem, hem," Merlin suppressed a groan at the sound of nails on a chalkboard the woman carried around in her throat.
"Madam Umbridge, I wish to formally apologize for today, it was highly disrespectful and completely unforgivable but I do wish you would," Merlin forced the words out, the lie like licking sandpaper as it came out. Umbridge did not look swayed.
"Your behavior aside, Myriddian, your lesson was not approved by the ministry," She started, seeming to be working up to a long lecture and Merlin had to interrupt her, his day completely down the drain anyway. What more could she do to him now?
"-Terribly sorry, but the ministry has no authority over Hogwarts. It is a privately funded school under no obligation to report anything it does to your government, Delores. I am sorry but your presence is technically illegal at this school. And though I can do nothing about it, I am sure if I had a lawyer bring out a copy of the original contract regarding the relationship between the British magical ministry and Hogwarts they would find not a single loop hole to exploit to take control over this institution," Merlin said, watching in concealed glee as Umbridge went white and shortly after a Scarlet red.
"Be that as it may, Dumbledore has not revoked my stay in the grounds of this castle and I shall be staying even without his permission, Cornelius will make sure of that. I would not get too comfortable in your role as a professor, Myriddian!" She exclaimed back, angry huffs of air making her chest rise and fall quickly in her emotional state.
"I would very much like to see you try. As a very large sum of my money is donated to the ministry it would quite frankly collapse without my support. Minister Fudge knows this well and has no doubt been telling you to try and stay on my good side. So you see, while you think you have all the power here, I do. I have every advantage Delores so no matter how hard you push to get rid of me, I guarantee it will be but a snap of my fingers and you will never grace the halls of the ministry or Hogwarts ever again if I simply say the right words to Cornelius. Do I make myself clear?" Merlin asked darkly, the threat that all of his children's hard work would be tossed aside in such a short time making Merlin angry beyond belief. He was not a malicious person, not normally, but for all who he loved dear he would fight and scrape and claw to protect them and one woman would not be his downfall. He would accept nothing less but to be hers.