By the next morning everyone seemed to know that Dumbledore had escaped from multiple adversaries. The story spreading quickly and getting more outlandish by the hour. Though the story was exciting Merlin knew it for what it was, a loss where no one was thinking about what Dumbeldore being gone meant. It meant Umbridge in control, the Ministry having the 'in' they needed, it meant a loss in their freedom and Merlin was afraid how far they would take it. He had seen too many tyrant kings claiming their birthright gave them the ability to do whatever they wanted no matter what it cost other people. Fudge's fear would be the death of them all and Merlin wasn't looking forward to having to pick up the pieces in the aftermath.
The only upside is that Merlin's spell had locked Umbridge out of the Headmaster's Office, the phoenix he had made all those years ago working as it should. He enjoyed scrying as she raged and ranted in front of the gargoyle, face turning a lovely shade of pruce that had Merlin and Aithusa cackling (the dragon more so than Merlin). It was the only entertainment Merlin could get now, watching behind a door, the only privacy he can have. He's under no delusions that his involvement in the matter doesn't mean he's not being watched, he is, they're not very good at looking inconspicuous in a school with very few adults and hundreds of children. Honestly, he's disappointed in the Aurors, they used to be much better at their job.
A knock sounded on the door and he huffed as he got off his bed, taking the time to make sure he had nothing that could be considered suspicious before he opened it. Once he was done he cracked the door to see Filch standing in the doorway, nosy feline loyalty by his feet.
"Can I help you?" Merlin asked, swinging the door the rest of the way open.
"Headmistress wants to see you," Filch announced, sneering at him as he stared at Merlin's muggle clothing he wears as it's more comfortable than most wizarding clothing what with them a few centuries behind them now.
"Did she say why?" Merlin couldn't help but snark, the silent judging grating on his admittedly already frayed nerves. It only got the squib's sneer to deepen, turning sharply and waiting at the end of the hall presumably for Merlin to follow. Once he caught up to the man and his cat he led the way through the halls.
"Things are changing around here, Professor," Filch grinned maniacally, startling Merlin from his own rushing thoughts.
"I've noticed. Tell me Argus why do you delight in others suffering so much?" Merlin asked, properly mystified by the man's love of shackles and torture. The caretaker stuttered, blinking before going back to his default expression of a sneer.
"None of 're business," he snapped, keeping quite the rest of the walk. Honestly, Merlin was thankful, his head was pounding and he needed all of his wits going into the lion's den, he didn't need Filch making it worse with his voice.
Umbridge had made her office in the side chamber from the Great Hall, a gold plaque hung on the door reading: "Headmistress". Merlin delighted in the little victory of making her work in one of the smaller crapped chambers since she couldn't get into the actual office. Filch knocked on the door and promptly opened it, seemingly smiling at Umbridge, it made Merlin want to gag as Filch was obviously in love with her. The thought was unsettling as he imagined on the off chance that Umbridge reciprocated those feelings, he wished his brain wasn't so imaginative. Mentally scrubbing his mind he noticed the brooms locked on the wall behind the toad's desk (though she reminded Merlin of the orc's from a book trilogy he enjoyed), most likely Harry's and the twins.
"The Professor for you, ma'am," Filch announced. Merlin watched as Umbridge smiled sweetly saying her thanks but he could see the disgust thinly veiled in her eyes as she dismissed him. Filch gave a bow in her direction and Merlin could see the twitch in her eye as she struggled to maintain the sweet expression.
"Sit," Umbridge ordered as soon as the door closed and they were left alone but for her many many cat plates and pink decor. Reluctantly, Merlin did, wanting to roll his eyes at her making him wait while she pretended to finish whatever she was scribbling on some paper. The tactic was to make him nervous, but all he was was annoyed.
"Well now," she said finally, setting down her quill and looking like a toad about to swallow a particularly juicy fly. "What would you like to drink?" Merlin was instantly suspicious but for now he played along.
"Tea,"
She got up and made quite a performance of adding milk with her back to him. She then bustled around the desk with it, smiling in sinisterly sweet fashion. "There," she said, handing it to him. "Drink it before it gets cold, won't you? Well, now, Mr. Emrys...I thought we ought to have a little chat, after the distressing events of last night."
He said nothing. She settled herself back into her seat and waited. When several long moments had passed in silence, she said gaily, "You're not drinking up!" Merlin still touched nothing.
"I don't do pleasure before business, Delores," Merlin smirked as she scowled. "It was a nice try though, I know veritaserum well enough. And you gave yourself away," Merlin shrugged, leaning back in his chair, infuriating the orc even more. Merlin was just glad her cats were stuck in the decorative plates and not real. He would not be happy trying to keep them from scratching him.
"Fine," she growled. "Where did Dumbeldore go? He had help, I know he did!" she demanded, but Merlin truly didn't know where Dumbeldore had gone, just stopped time enough for him to escape unseen, the man had added the theatrics, even still he wouldn't tell if he did know either.
"I'll only tell you this once, I have no idea where the man has hid himself. It's your choice whether to believe me or not, but remember your hands are tied here. You don't have power, Delores, you have the illusion of power and we shall see how it ends. But I already know," Merlin spoke, standing up and making ready to leave.
"And what's that, Emrys?" Her tone was sharp and her eyes sharper as she tried to look threatening.
"Nothing, Delores. You will end up with nothing," he muttered, leaving the woman undignified in her gaping as he closed the door.
A bang sounded and echoed, prompting Umbridge to throw open her door, flying past him without acknowledgment and towards the sound. Merlin was inclined to follow her, his curiosity peaked as to the wizzing and explosive noises. He could make out Harry grinning with Ron and Hermione watching the chaos that Umbridge and Filch joined as they tried to put a stop to the fireworks. They were spectacular, dragons of different colors, swirling rockets, and exploding Catherine Wheels. Merlin watched as dumb and dumber made the situation worse as they tried to rid the infestation. Eventually, though they separated and Merlin had classes to get ready for, starting with changing into a robe.
The day proved to be a distraction as the fireworks still had not died off, leading to all the teachers forcing Umbridge to fix the problem single-handedly without a break. It was a great joy for Merlin as he listened to Aithusa retell what had happened as she followed the Headmistress, including Professor Flitwick's comments of "I could have got rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn't sure whether I had the authority, " were a treasure as apparently Umbridge had turned a rather alarming shade of red that made her look like a chile pepper. He had no idea his colleagues could be so petty.
~
Merlin startled at the bang of the door from the top of the astronomy tower. Harry looked wide-eyed and pale as he made his way towards him (Draco was using the time to study and Aithusa was hunting), the closer he got the more Merlin could make out. Like the shaking hands that he had fisted in a futile attempt to stop it, the nervousness as he sat awkwardly on the pillow, or the fidgeting as he opened and closed his mouth to speak before seemingly changing his mind. After the third time Merlin had to put a stop to it.
"Harry," Merlin called gently, Harry's mouth snapping closed and staring intently for whatever he was going to say. "What happened?" Harry looked at a loss as to where to start. "Start at the beginning, Harry. Breathe," Merlin ordered, setting a hand on Harry's left shoulder, providing physical reassurance.
"I was...I was with Professor Snape in his office and Pansy came in saying they found Montague from when...someone shoved him into a vanishing cabinet and he had turned up inside a toilet on the fourth floor," Harry took a breath before continuing, though Merlin had a feeling he knew who or should he say twin whos that had done such a thing. "Snape left me alone, but I was curious so I snooped..." He paused looking at him but Merlin just hummed for him to continue. "There was a Pensieve and it had memories in it. I don't know why but I looked and my father was in it and Snape and Sirius, Remus, Peter, and my mother! I followed the memory but my father was a bully and arrogant, he bullied Snape, Merlin! And my mother tried to defend him. Snape caught me after and yelled at me to leave," Harry finished.
Merlin stayed quiet as he processed, finding himself unconsciously going to hug the boy, his parental instincts kicking in. Luckily, Harry didn't seem to mind, burying himself closer as the tension fell away.
"Everyone tries to hide something about themselves, especially about their past, Harry," Merlin started, and felt the teen tense slightly before relaxing. "Maybe that was your father but he was a teenager, that might not be who he was when he had you or married your mother. It was also a memory, a memory from someone who it traumatised. It could be distorted by emotion, making him seem crueler than he was...or maybe he really was so. You have to take memories with a grain of salt when you look at them, alright?" Merlin asked, feeling Harry nod against his chest before pulling away.
"Ready to go?" Merlin asked.
"Yeah."
~
Merlin opened the door to the potions classroom, found Snape in his personal storeroom, going through his inventory.
"Are you going to ask or stand out there like a fool all night?" Snape drawled, not turning around as he put another glass container back on the shelf.
"Bit of both," Merlin retorted with amusement, the smile dropping off his face quickly. "Harry isn't his father, Severus."
"Of course he's not...he's Harry Potter," Servus snarked, finally turning to look at Merlin and striding out of the crapped closet space.
"You know what I meant. Harry can't help who his parents were, or what they did when they were younger,"
"He told you then," spoken not as a question but a resigned statement. It made Merlin feel a little bad but not enough to stop.
"He was distraught, he was on the verge of crying."
"I'm sure seeing dear old dad bully someone was awful," Snape drawled, shoulders hunched.
"You know that's not all, Severus. He's a smart kid no matter what you tell yourself, he's smart enough to know the difference between who you see when you look at him and who you don't."
"The boy knows NOTHING!" Snape yelled, startling Merlin back a step.
"You're in denial, Severus," Merlin stated, calm despite his racing heart. "You know who you really see when you look at him, his kindness, and his quiet wit, his love for his friends, admit it to yourself. You're stuck in the past and you're missing the best parts of her in him," Snape didn't say anything and Merlin sighed, turning to leave.
"Lily," Snape whispered into the empty air as Merlin shut the door, leaving the man to grieve.