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Prologue
 
In a time so distant, some might call it mythical, a kind peasant woman was blessed with a boy.

She named him after her favorite bird, so he would know freedom his exiled father didn't

—a predatory bird, so he could outsmart witch-hunters who persecuted the gifted

—a majestic bird, so he could rise over the low station he was born into.

Little did she know that her little bundle of joy would become the mightiest sorcerer to ever have lived,

that his destiny was so great, gods would take notice.

She named him Merlin.
 
Chapter 1: Twin hearts
》 1992, First Day of Spring 《
Today was the day. Today, they would escape, but first, they had to sneak past this hag.

Jack hid behind a wall and pulled a hood over his white hair, trying to melt into the shadows. His sister, Elsa, waited behind the bend. He held his breath, begging for luck to turn their way. If they were discovered, they would have to wait another year to try again.

The stench of goat manure wafted in his direction as the hag shuffled right by him, her shadow huge on the tunnel wall, extending her curved nails and hooked nose. When sure that she was gone, he sent a wordless signal to his sister and felt her response as a ping in his chest.

He’d once asked their mother if all twins could feel each other’s hearts, and she laughed, calling it useless. The joke was on her though. He bet she never would’ve thought that they’d use this ability to navigate the endless tunnels of her mountain.

A few breaths later, Elsa was by his side, a dark cloak concealing her white braids. Underneath the hood, her eyes sparkled with hope and excitement. They held hands as they dashed through the underground without a light to guide them. They didn’t dare say a word for fear of treacherous cave echoes. Instead, their hearts spoke in reassuring beats to the rhythm of their march.

They had spent many winters memorizing the tunnels and planning their escape route. It was time to test their newest discovery, but they had to hurry before hags noticed their absence. They reached the spot where about ten feet above them a ray of light streamed through a crack in the rock. Almost there.

Jack unraveled the rope he had wrapped around his shoulder and threw it at a protruding, jagged boulder. He’d been training this move for weeks, knowing they would have to climb. The rope slid down the rock and fell on the ground with a quiet plop.

“Again,” Elsa encouraged.

After several unsuccessful tries, the rope finally caught the rock. He was about to exclaim with joy, but Elsa covered his mouth. Her reproachful look was enough to remind him that it wasn’t time for celebration just yet. They were far from safe.

They climbed the rope and took it with them, careful to not leave any evidence behind. The small tunnel was rough and crumbling, slowing down their progress. The further they went, the tighter the space became, but the light ahead was getting brighter, guiding their hearts—to freedom, he hoped.

As the tunnel shrunk, they bent at the waist, then walked on all fours, until it became too narrow. Jack tried to judge the width of the opening, but the light ahead was blinding as if someone put a lantern right in his face. The air was different too, not the musty scent of the earth and rock he was accustomed to. This had to be it.

“Don’t stop now!” Elsa complained behind him.

He plopped on his belly and crawled. Feeling his way around, he pulled himself through the mouth of the tunnel, thanking the gods for taking on this journey today. If they waited until next year, he wouldn’t have fit through it.

He rose out of the crumbling rock and put a hand above his eyes to shield them from the assaulting brightness.

“Is that the sun?” his sister asked, pulling herself up to stand beside him.

His vision was starting to come back, but he couldn’t comprehend the sight that welcomed him. The whole sky was bright and the land with its peaks and valleys stretched further than he could see. He startled when a gust of wind ruffled his hair. With a brief delay, it reached the trees in the distance, their leaves dancing in shimmering shades of green.

“We’re outside,” he said, inhaling greedily.

“We must be,” Elsa breathed out. “It’s beautiful.”

They stood at the edge of the mountain, in awe of the world they were denied their whole lives. It was full of color and textures, new smells, and sounds he couldn’t name. Their hearts swelled in appreciation and yearning.

“We’re not safe yet,” he remembered and grabbed his sister’s hand. “Let’s go before Mother wakes up.”

And they ran forward to embrace their new life.
》 Summer of 1992《 To hold life and death in your hands .
Merlin blew the wooden chips off, happy with the impeccable Old English runes he carved into the rod. The Sidhe, the original owners of this staff, had engraved this passage in Old Irish, but the wood had eroded. Merlin fashioned a replacement and marked it in his native tongue. The metal grove holding the blue crystal survived the test of time. The new rod, made of a rowan tree he retrieved at the Isle of the Blessed, was an exquisite choice, worthy of this precious artifact.

He looked fondly at the staff, remembering all the times the potent Sidhe magic had saved his hide. He’d learned spells just as powerful by now, but it still had a purpose. Like a wand, the staff could be used even when his own magic was depleted, however rare that was.

He hovered his hand over the rod to coat it with a finishing charm that would protect the wood and his new engravings against erosion. Once satisfied, he hung it over the fireplace, right next to an antique sword.

“Getting dull, are we?” he said, having the weapon float to his outstretched hand. He summoned a file, had it float up to the sword, and start sharpening while he leisurely plopped into his favorite armchair.

He preferred magic combat to blades, but relying on magic alone was a mistake. Just a few centuries ago, he was attacked by a thief who wore a powerful ancient charm that rendered him immune to magic. Merlin had no weapons ready to summon, so he attacked the thief with a broken teacup. Unsurprisingly, that embarrassing attempt got him killed.

Granted, Merlin didn't stay dead; he was up and about before the swine laid his hands on the Cup of Life, but the point was that he had nearly failed at protecting it. He had learned his lesson the hard way.

As soon as he got comfortable, he felt a tingle on his skin. Someone activated one of his wards. He ran up to the window and moved a curtain aside to check for visitors.

He grinned wide, recognizing his surprise guest, and wrenched the door open.

“Albus!” he exclaimed and gave the old wizard a quick hug.

Albus Dumbledore smiled down at him warmly. The fuzzy hair spilling down his shoulders and an even longer beard were whiter than the last time Merlin saw him. He had picked up a fashion of wearing floor-length robes in his old age, and unlike most wizards, he liked to dress with a little flair. Today’s garb was adorned with embroidered purple satin and a matching soft hat with a tassel dangling by his cheek.

“A visit was in order, my ageless friend,” Dumbledore said. “Moreover, I have a proposition for you.”

“Terrific! Get in here.”

The old wizard froze upon seeing the sword float in the air as if held by an invisible servant.

His eyebrows rose halfway up his forehead, accentuating deep wrinkles.

“Getting ready for a siege?”

Merlin murmured to himself, “Can’t a guy sharpen his blades in peace,” and waved a hand to move the sword and file to the corner of the room where they continued the sharpening.

Modern society was so touchy about weapons. Merlin stored a magical arsenal that could prompt the end of the world lest they fell into the wrong hands, but it was a sword that got Dumbledore worked up. The blade was more decorative than anything else, but it would be a disgrace to let it get dull.

“It never hurts to be prepared,” he said and gestured for the old wizard to get comfortable.

Usually, these visits were not social. Like everyone else, Albus thought of him only when he needed Merlin’s Old Religion magic or knowledge. Though it stung, Merlin rarely refused pleas for help. He always had a soft spot for good causes.

Dumbledore settled himself in Merlin’s favorite chair and stroked his white beard. “You’re looking young as ever.”

Merlin leaned back in the other chair. Had Dumbledore not seen him like this before? He couldn’t remember now. “This is my normal age: twenty-six.”

“Normal. Indeed.” The old wizard watched him just as attentively as when they’d first met decades ago. “I might never get used to how time doesn’t touch you.”

Oh, it did. One did not live through fifteen hundred years unaffected, but Merlin did not comment, not in the mood for philosophical debates about strains of immortality.

Dumbledore interlinked his hands and smiled, sizing him up.

Merlin resisted the urge to check if he had a stain on his shirt. The silence was unnerving. “What brings you to my humble hut?”

“Last time we spoke, you complained of boredom. I might have something to ease that problem.”

The twinkle in Dumbledore’s eye intrigued Merlin even more than his words.

“Go on.”

“Do you remember the Potters?”

“Yes.” Merlin searched the sea of names that cluttered his memory. “I taught Lily Potter that blood protection charm, but it worked only on their son. Both she and her husband died at Voldemort’s hand.”

“Precisely. And the spell has been working while the child, Harry, lives with his blood relatives. He’s well protected there.”

Merlin nodded and wondered where the old wizard was going with this.

Dumbledore glanced at the sword in the corner, momentarily distracted by the sharpening noises. “Harry has just finished his first year at Hogwarts. Voldemort has been stirring and the boy barely escaped with his life. I’m worried that the prolonged absence from his blood relatives weakens the spell’s protection.”

Merlin considered it, tapping a finger on his lip. “See, I don’t think this spell has ever been tested for this long.”

“Alas, you see why I’m worried. He’s coming back to school in a few weeks for his second year. Voldemort might attempt to strike again.” Dumbledore interlinked his hands on his lap and gazed down expectantly.

“What would you like me to do?” Merlin raised and dropped his arms. “There is no other ward I can offer that isn’t already placed on Hogwarts.”

“You could protect him from inside the school.”

“Hold your sequins, Albus. I am not interested in teaching your diluted magic,” Merlin pointed out, not in the mood to repeat the argument he’d had with the old wizard in the past.

“Yes, you made yourself perfectly clear,” Albus placated, shifting in his seat. “I was thinking about your aging spell. You could join the school as a first-year student. You’ve done this at least once when Hogwarts was founded, did you not?”

Merlin shook his head. “Being a child was not fun, Albus!”

“It’s perfect, don’t you see? No one would suspect you. You could go to places where the students go, where Harry goes. You can keep an eye on him in ways I can’t.”

“Why are you so convinced that he will need my protection?”

“I don’t want to take any chances, Merlin. You know well what the prophecy said. When Voldemort rises again, only Harry can defeat him. We must keep the boy safe.”

Merlin frowned, not liking the plan. “I have my own prophecy to worry about, Albus. What if Arthur comes back, and I’m too busy at Hogwarts to notice?”

Albus peered at him from under his half-moon spectacles. “You’ve been waiting for a millennium and a half, dear friend. Can you not spare a few years to devote to a side job, we shall call it? Besides, there is no reason you couldn’t step away, should your king come back.”

Merlin got up and paced in the compact room, the floorboards creaking under his steps. Dumbledore was right. He had been waiting for so long. A few years would pass by in a blink.

“Voldemort needs to be put down,” Merlin spoke more to himself than to the old wizard, remembering the evil the thug calling himself

The Dark Lord

had caused the last time he was in power.

During the Wizarding War, Merlin had joined Dumbledore in the fight against that nasty fanatic. He even landed a killing stun, and yet, Voldemort survived. He somehow gained immortality. It didn’t matter that Merlin’s magic was more potent. Merlin wasn’t meant to be the one to kill him. Stupid prophecies.

But he had other reasons to get involved. Being immortal had lost its appeal about a millennium ago. By now, it felt more like a curse than a gift. He could use a distraction while he awaited the return of his king.

“I’ll do it but just until Harry is out of school. After that, I can’t promise anything.”

Dumbledore smiled in relief. “That’s all I was hoping for. I don’t want you to attract anyone’s attention, including Harry’s - he’s inquisitive. So don’t bring any swords with you.”

He gestured at the sword still being sharpened in the corner of the room.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “I’ll restrain myself.”

“Ask the Sorting Hat to put you in Gryffindor. You’re likely not going to win Harry over if you end up in Slytherin again.”

He supported himself on the chair while getting up and pulled a piece of parchment out of his robe. “You will need this.”

“My invitation and supply list,” Merlin mused, reading the letter. “You assumed I would agree.”

The old wizard winked at him and turned to leave. “It never hurts to be prepared.” Then he looked back one last time, having opened the door already. “I knew you’d make the right choice.”

With a final wave, he disapparated from Merlin’s front lawn in a swirl of smoke.

Merlin sighed, looking at the compressed patch of grass where the old wizard last stood in.

“Eleven years old again,” he murmured.

He closed the door and looked inside his cozy cottage that had been his home for several centuries. Just like in his youth, he was moving into a castle to babysit a child of prophecy. At least this time, he knew what he was getting into. There would be no surprises.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Twenty-seven days left until Hogwarts.”

That was all Ginny Weasley could think about as she jumped off her bed and stared out her window at the sun-bathed rolling hills. There were only twenty-seven more summer days left before the start of her first year of magical education. She squealed, having a hard time containing her excitement. Making friends, playing Quidditch, testing just how great of a witch she was—it would all begin in twenty-seven days.

Her eye caught the animated poster of Gwenog Jones hanging above her desk. Ginny stood in front of it with her hands on her hips and asked herself the usual morning question.

“What would Gwenog do today?”

The tall dark-skinned captain of the Holyhead Harpies looked back at her fiercely and punched the air with her fist.

“Gwenog would treat every day as game day,” Ginny answered.

The smell of breakfast reached her from downstairs, and her stomach growled. Yes. Gwenog would eat a hearty breakfast to get ready for another exciting day.

She bounded down the stairs, humming “Twenty-seven days” to the melody of

Do the Hippogriff,

but when she made it to the kitchen, her world turned upside down.

Harry Potter was sitting in her kitchen!

No way.

The one and only Harry Potter, The Boy That Lived, the boy that defeated He Who Must Not Be Named as a baby, was in her kitchen, eating sausages with Ginny’s brothers as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

He turned to her, the famous lightning-shaped scar peeking from under his messy black hair, and an involuntary squeal escaped Ginny's lips. She immediately turned around and ran back up the stairs. She slammed the door after herself and sat on her bed, hyperventilating.

She’d been looking forward to meeting him for a long time and hoped her brother, Ron, would introduce them once she got to Hogwarts, but she never would have imagined that he would bring Harry right here to their house.

Ginny got up to look in a mirror hanging on her door, and a miserable moan escaped her lips.  Her cheeks were a violent shade of red. She was wearing an old only-good-enough-to-sleep-in gown. Her ginger hair was uncombed and sticking in all directions. This was the first impression she gave him.

She wanted to bang her head on the wall. Instead, she went back into bed and curled up under the covers, trying to disappear.

Meanwhile, the poster of Gwenog Jones stared daggers at her.

“Every day is a game day,” Ginny said to herself. “How could I forget?”
》 《
Minerva McGonagall breathed in the summer afternoon air, laced with scents of freshly mowed lawn and summer picnics. She finished her errands in the city and now had a little time for herself. The school was on summer break and she enjoyed her time off. She loved teaching and devoted her life to it but even she had to recharge her energy. A walk through her favorite London park was exactly what she needed.

She wanted to take her usual route around the lake where she could watch the ducks but found her path blocked by a dog-walker, leading nine dogs of various breeds and sizes. Who could control this many beasts? Minerva gave them a large berth and took a detour through a little pathway between the trees.

She was reflecting on the impracticality of traditional wizard attire in the summer when something dropped right next to her feet. She looked down to inspect the splatter of white on the ground and gasped when she realized that it was snow. Where would snow have come from in July?

A movement behind the trees prompted her to investigate the strange occurrence. As she approached, she heard laughter.

“You missed!”

She followed the young voice and found a boy with unnaturally white hair who hid behind a tree. The source of the assault was a young girl with long braided hair just as white as his. A snowball materialized in her hand, which she threw at him. He dodged it and propelled a snowball of his own at the same time, hitting her in the forehead.

“Got you! Ten to five. I win!” he yelled and ran up to swing her around in a hug.

While they were laughing, the girl secretly created a snowball behind his back and smashed it right into his face.

Minerva brought her hands together, delighted at the sight of wizard children playing with wandless magic this freely. It was common at this age, but it was usually accidental and limited. In all of her years, she had rarely witnessed this level of control over wild magic. These two children showed a lot of promise.

Their heads snapped to the noise behind them, as a fast-food vendor banged utensils on a grill.

The boy said, “Fancy a hot dog?”

She took his hand, and they followed the clattering of the cart like moths attracted to a lamp.

Minerva had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t quite explain. Her intuition told her that she should follow. She listened.

The white-haired children walked up to the stand, snatched two hot dogs off the counter, and walked away without a word. Rather oddly, neither the vendor nor his customer noticed the thieves but began arguing over the missing food.

Furious about what she had witnessed, Minerva followed the children to the bench where they sat down.

“You… you just stole this food!” she chastised, pointing a finger at them.

The boy ignored her while the girl looked at the bushes behind them and back at Minerva and frowned deeply.

“Yes, you! I witnessed your little stunt!”

Only now, the boy noticed her and froze with the hot dog in his mouth.

“We were hungry,” the girl said, eyeing Minerva with a perplexed expression. She looked more curious than scared of being caught red-handed.

“You need to pay for this food, and now.”

The boy popped the last piece in his mouth and threw the wrapper in the nearby bin. “What food?”

The girl giggled and nibbled on her hot dog.

Minerva was taken aback by their casual reaction. Her stern-teacher voice usually worked.

“Who are you?” the boy asked and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his faded-blue hoodie.  “I’m Jack and this is my sister, Elsa.”

She wasn’t surprised that they were siblings. The resemblance between them stretched to more than just their hair. They were both pale, had similar facial features, and identical icy-blue eyes. Their matching lopsided smile disarmed Minerva’s anger.

“I am Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts.” She found it hard to maintain her reproachful demeanor. “Are you starting this September?”

The teacher in her worried about them. The girl wore a faded teal dress, frayed at the bottom, and mary-jane shoes, which were so worn out, Minerva couldn’t tell their color. The boy wore no shoes at all, and his trousers were ripped on both knees. She felt like giving a piece of her mind to their parents for taking such poor care of them.

“What is Hogwarts?” Elsa asked, having finished her hot dog.

“A school for witches and wizards.”

“Wizards? As in

real

wizards.” Jack asked with raised eyebrows.

Minerva was perplexed by his amusement, “I’ve witnessed your magic. You do realize that you are not Muggles, don’t you?”

“What are Muggles?” the girl asked, swinging her feet from the bench.

“Non-magical people. You have magic. You’re a wizard, and you’re a witch.”

To her surprise, the children simultaneously snorted with laughter.

They didn’t know? Improper Use of Magic Office was meticulous at detecting underage wizardry. How did they miss these two?

“Where are your parents?” she probed, wondering what happened to their Hogwarts invitations.

“Don’t have any. Don’t need any,” Jack said, taking his sister’s hand. His gaze travelled to the hot dog stand. Minerva guessed that he was still hungry.

“Who takes care of you?”

“We’re all the family we need,” Elsa added, squeezing his hand.

Minerva felt like someone punched her in the heart. Their tattered Muggle clothes stood out to her even more now. They couldn’t be older than twelve but were on their own.

“Children your age need a proper guardian,” she said, wondering how they found themselves in this situation. “You can’t live off stolen hot dogs.”

Elsa rose from the bench. “Let’s go, Jack.”

He stood up but was hesitant to leave, eyeing Minerva with unspoken questions. His sister pulled him, and they started walking away.

If she were to intervene, Minerva had to act fast before they got lost in the world of Muggles, never to realize their full magical potential.

“Do you want to hear about a school for magical children like yourselves?”

Two white heads snapped to attention.

“Like us?” Elsa asked.

Minerva tried to not look too smug. “How about I’ll buy you both proper meals, and we can talk.”

The children exchanged looks, and a silent conference must have been held because they agreed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Are you sure about this?” Elsa whispered to her twin as they followed the witch to her home.

Jack shrugged. “You want to know about that magical school, don’t you?”

She sighed. He knew her too well.

Their day had started normally. They snuck into Buckingham Palace for breakfast. Despite Elsa’s protest, Jack threw a snowball at the queen but missed and hit a bald guy behind her. After pranking the royal guards with strategically placed ice puddles, they got bored and ran to the park. They only started playing when they encountered the witch.

As they’d found after leaving their home mountain, humans couldn’t see magical beings like them. So they assumed that they had found another nature spirit, but the woman revealed that she was a witch and assumed that they were like her. Before they could correct her, she bribed them with food and promises of magic school, and everything went downhill from then on.

The witch showed them a skill of apparating, an amazing magical transportation method that brought them to the other side of London in seconds. They ate at a dingy, old pub called The Leaky Cauldron, where they found more people who could see them. The witch interrogated them about their living situation and family and was appalled to learn that they didn’t have a permanent home. She insisted on helping them find a home within the wizarding community, determined to prove how much they belonged in her world.

Jack went with the lie, waiting to see where it would lead to, but Elsa preferred having a plan. This whole situation could go wrong in an instant if the witch found out what they really were, but the concept of a magical school was intriguing.

Human kids had no idea how good they had it. Their schools were safe places to study. They had teachers, break time for play and meals, and what amazed Elsa even more, hundreds of other children to play with. She tried to play among them with her brother, but the experience quickly soured. Being unseen sucked.

She watched a group of girls that were close like sisters. She had always had a close connection with her brother, a magical bond that went deep to her heart, but friends had a bond that had nothing to do with blood or magic. It was made by choice—a choice she would never get when invisible.

Or so she thought.

They had no idea that there was an alternative. This hidden wizarding world was their chance to experience everything they were denied. Where else would two Winter Spirits belong but in the world of magic?

By the time they were climbing the stairs to the witch’s house, Elsa was fully on board with Jack. She wanted to know more. They were going to humor this witch to find out as much as they could about her world.

McGonagall took out a stick, no, a wand, and waved it in front of the door handle. It clicked and the door opened on its own.

The first thing Elsa noticed was that there were no light switches like the ones they’d seen in all human homes. That was a shame. She grew to like electricity. It was more practical than torches and lanterns.

The witch waved her wand and candles lit up around them.

Elsa said a quiet “Wow.” Maybe electricity wasn’t necessary when one could use magic?

The house was far from ordinary. There were many strange objects around, each pulsing with a different kind of magic, and the portraits on the walls were alive. Next to her, Jack bounced on his feet, eager to check out the house. It didn’t take much to excite her brother.

The witch faced them, her lips pursed. “Welcome to my home. I shall warn you, there are charms placed on all objects in this house. If you try to steal anything, you will pay dearly.” She stared them down with a scorching look to emphasize her warning.

“We won’t take anything,” Jack said. He gave her a dashing grin, and she responded with the tiniest tight-lipped smile and a nod.

“I have only one guest bedroom prepared, but it has two beds. Does that arrangement agree with you? If not, I can…”

“No, that’s perfect,” Elsa interrupted, her pulse sped up just at the suggestion of being separated from her brother. “I don’t want to sleep in an empty room all by myself.”

“Very well. Join me for tea,” the witch said. “There is much you have to learn.”

She led them to a plaid sofa in a wood-panelled sitting room and disappeared in the adjacent room.

“Look how big this fireplace is.” Jack ran up to it and pointed at the moving pictures sitting on the stone mantle. “These little people walk from one picture to the next!”

“Don’t touch it!” Elsa hissed through her teeth. They didn’t need the witch angry at them for playing with her stuff.

Jack ignored her. “This guy is wearing a skirt!”

“It’s a kilt,” McGonagall said from the doorway, a tray with a tea set and a plate of biscuits in her hands.

“That was quick,” Jack said and bounded over to sit next to Elsa.

McGonagall served them tea and sat in her armchair very straight and proper. Elsa tried to copy her position, down to the way she held her teacup with a pinky finger up. Next to her, Jack slurped his tea and got up to look around.

“Have you ever used a wand?” McGonagall said, her lips pinched as she eyed him moving through the room.

Elsa shook her head, hoping she could make up for her brother’s fidgeting.

“You weren’t sure if you’re a witch. Here’s a way to find out.” The witch offered her own wand. “Wave it very gently. I want to see how it responds to you.”

The wand was warm to the touch. Its magic radiated through the wood into Elsa’s hand. She waved it as instructed and froze her cup of tea.

“There you go,” McGonagall said.

“But she can do that without a wand,” Jack said, standing next to the sofa. “Do something non-icy.”

Elsa waved the wand again and the cup shattered.

“I’m so sorry,” she gasped and put a hand over her mouth. “I didn’t do it on purpose. I swear.”

She hesitantly glanced at the witch, expecting a scolding and a punishment. She couldn’t believe she had jeopardized her chance to learn magic before she even started.

“No worries,” the witch said, taking her wand back. She didn’t look angry at all as if she had expected this outcome. She restored the cup with a flick of the wand, although the tea inside it was still frozen.

Elsa released a sigh of relief. Although breaking the cup scared her, she hungered for more. The wand gave her magic a Winter Spirit would never yield. What else could she do with it?

“Cool,” Jack exclaimed. “Can I try?”

“Yes,” McGonagall said, giving him the wand.

When Jack waved it, snowflakes materialized in the room. He grinned while they gently fell around him, but Elsa wasn’t impressed.

“Why won’t you do something not snowy?” she challenged.

He stuck out a tongue at her, smirked mischievously, and pointed the wand at the frozen cup of tea. Elsa thought he was going to break it as she did, but then the ice inside the cup melted until it was a steaming liquid again.

“Ha!” he said. “How about that? Total opposite of my usual magic!”

“That’s very good, Jack,” McGonagall praised and took back her wand. “I think that answers your earlier question. Unless the wand itself rebelled against such misuse, a Muggle could wave it all day long and not have anything happen.”

“Wands can think?” Jack asked, scratching his head.

“Not exactly,” McGonagall said, “but they respond differently to different wizards. You’ll find out for yourself when it’s time for you to pick one.” She put her wand down and picked up her teacup again. “It’s final. As you can create magic, you’re a witch and a wizard,” she declared, looking at each of them. “You belong in the wizarding world.”

Elsa exchanged a look with her brother, and he waggled his eyebrows at her. The woman’s conclusion was wrong, of course, but if a Hogwarts teacher could be fooled into believing this ruse, maybe all wizards would see them as equals? Could they truly pretend to be wizard children, to be human?

“So, I’ve noticed,” McGonagall said, “ice, snow, is that the usual type of magic you do wandless? Is there anything else that you’ve been able to do on your own?”

Elsa thought over her answer. What would sound normal for a wizard child? She went with the truth this time. “That type of magic comes easy to us.”

“What about your family? Could your parents do magic or were they Muggles?”

Elsa cleared her throat. “Our mother was like us. We never met our father.”

She raised her eyes pleadingly, hoping McGonagall wouldn’t push for more questions. Elsa wasn’t sure if she could come up with good lies, and she had a feeling that every truth about their mother would alert McGonagall. Witches didn’t change age with the turn of the seasons and didn’t have a horde of loyal hags at their command. And they most certainly did not raise their children deep within mountains. Though magical, witches were human, and there was nothing human about their mother.

Thankfully, McGonagall did not ask more questions and instead invited them to help her prepare supper, which turned out to be another magical experience. She used spells for tasks as simple as stirring the pot and finished the preparation in minutes. She summoned objects from a distance and made them float in the air. Being a witch was amazing.

When the night came, they cleaned up and settled in their comfortable beds. The only light came from a faint streak of moonlight streaming through the window. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Elsa started recalling the events of the day. McGonagall opened her home to them. Why? She seemed to have a genuine interest in their wellbeing. Did people that kind really exist?

“Elsa?” Jack asked in the darkness.

“Yeah?”

“I like her.”

She wasn’t sure if it was safe for Jack to get attached to the witch, knowing that this situation was only temporary. At the same time, she didn’t want to deny him the fun he was having.

“So, why do you want to go to that school?” he asked.

She shrugged but then realized he couldn’t see that. “There is so much to learn that you can’t find in books on your own. And we could make friends. Imagine having friends…” she trailed off, afraid to get her hopes up. Was it possible for someone like her to find friends among witches?

“We’re not like them. Would they accept us if they knew what we are?”

“I know.”

They laid in their beds, listening to each other’s soft breathing. The path in front of them had been unknown for months. For the first time, they had a guide, but the destination was still foggy.

Elsa asked. “You want it too, don’t you?”

“All this magic, Elsa. I’d love to learn how to wield it. Where else can we get an opportunity like this? Ever since we escaped, I’ve felt this… I don’t know… it just feels like I can do more than just frost like maybe I’m not so useless…”

It was the first time Elsa had ever heard him mention wanting to learn something. But his reasons…

“You want to be more than a Winter Spirit?”

After a pause, he continued in a much more serious tone, “If we knew magic, we wouldn’t have to be afraid. We could stop running from

Her

.”

Elsa sighed and closed her eyes for the night. They had a guide and the beginnings of a plan, which was better than constant running, but attending Hogwarts still felt like a minor stop before reaching their destination. The name of their final stop was still a mystery.
》 《
Minerva woke up the next morning and shot out of her bed. There were two homeless kids in her house. By Merlin’s beard, why did she decide to invite them in? They could have robbed her in her sleep! Sure, she told them that little lie that each object in her house was charmed against thieves, but they could have seen through it. She had witnessed their sneakiness. They were thieves and didn’t even try to hide it.

She dressed quickly and went to check on the twins. She lightly knocked on the door to the guest bedroom. No answer. She pushed it open and found two empty beds. Her heart sank. They left. Probably with her possessions. At least they fixed the beds after themselves.

She walked down the stairs, her heart aching at the thought of them out there on their own. They were only eleven. She wasn’t able to get much information from them, other than they had no family and no one to turn to. There was fear in their eyes when she had asked them about the home they ran away from.

“We will never go back,” Jack had told her, squeezing his sister’s hand. “Not in a million winters.”

“Will you at least tell me the name of who you lived with?”

He whispered, “Names have power.”

“Yes, they do,” she said just as softly.

They were smart to avoid saying the name of the person they feared. A powerful witch could place a tracing charm on their own name and be alerted when spoken of. But if that was who they lived with, why was everything in the wizarding world so foreign to them?

Not wanting to upset them, Minerva didn’t push the issue. She hoped that with time they would tell her more, but now they ran away from her as well. Had she done something wrong? She thought it was a good sign that they weren’t scared of her, but they might have only pretended to like her. She was no one’s favorite teacher.

Even if so, she couldn’t ignore her responsibility to do right by them. She could start her search by visiting the Office of Muggle Services to inquire about missing children.

She turned to the kitchen and nearly had a heart attack when Jack jumped in front of her.

“We made pancakes!”

Minerva clutched her heart, trying to steady herself. They didn’t leave!

Elsa squatted on the floor of the sitting room, sculpting an ice creature, but instead of carving a block of ice, she added ice to it with her touch. She looked up from her work and smiled pleasantly.

“Do you like it?” She looked at her project with pride. “It’s based on that sculpture over there.” She pointed at a wooden Gryffindor lion standing on a nearby shelf.

Minerva recovered from her shock and scolded herself for having so little faith in them. Maybe they liked her after all or maybe they were that desperate.

“It’s beautiful. You’re very talented.”

The girl shrugged and resumed her work. “I’m okay.”

“Elsa, stop showing off.” Jack got in front of Minerva again and made a wide gesture towards the kitchen. “Breakfast time!”

Minerva let him lead her to the table where a plate of warm pancakes sat, accompanied by three steaming cups of tea, and three small plates. The twins sat down and grinned up at her, awaiting her reaction. They did all of this without magic, didn’t they?

“This looks wonderful, children.”

Minerva had always claimed that she didn’t mind living alone and that it wasn't a big deal that she never got to be a mother. She raised hundreds of children as a teacher, but this felt different. She found a lump in her throat, wishing every morning felt like this. Even though the twins were her guests, she felt like a part of their little family.

She thoroughly enjoyed their breakfast together. The pancakes were edible, and the twins were pleasant company. Jack was quick to joke around and had an infectious laugh. Elsa in turn had a calm, intelligent comeback for each of his teases. They kept glancing at her, and she became aware that they were testing her reactions. She didn't let them get out of control, no matter how sorry she felt for them. They had to be taught good manners. Thankfully, they were so interested in learning about the wizarding world, they accepted her rules as a part of it.

After breakfast, Elsa finished her sculpture and brought it to Minerva with a nervous smile. It looked more like a house cat than a lion, but it was a beautiful, fierce house cat. It was perfect.

“Thank you,” Minerva said. There was that lump in her throat again.

She made space for it on a shelf and placed a cooling charm on it so it wouldn’t melt. She wanted to keep it forever.

She left the children to play while she sat down to write a letter to Dumbledore. She described the situation and asked if the twins could be admitted to Hogwarts despite not having an invitation or an official guardian. She sent it to him via owl and got a response that afternoon.

She read the letter back a few times.

Their names appeared in the Book of Admittance as soon as I opened it to the latest page,

Dumbledore said in the letter.

That was beyond odd. Names of magical children usually appeared in the book when they first exhibited their powers. The twins had been using their abilities long before they met her. The level of control Elsa had over ice was uncanny. These children not only had potential, they were already skilled, maybe even trained, but by whom?

Dumbledore’s response to her question regarding twins not having a family or a guardian was just as puzzling.

I think you already know what you want to do, don’t you? Whatever you decide, you have my support.

She looked up from the parchment to the twins that were exploring her little library.

“You’ll like this one,” Elsa said, holding a volume out for her brother.

“Most Macabre Monstrosities.”

“Cool,” Jack said, flipping a few pages. “You won’t find these in human libraries.”

“You mean ‘Muggle’ libraries, don’t you?” Minerva asked from her spot.

Jack shrugged.

She felt a sting deep inside her. What if this was the reason why they ran away from home? “Is that what you thought before, that you’re not human?”

Jack exchanged a look with his sister, and some silent conversation happened between them. They did that a lot.

Minerva continued, “Wizards are human, Jack. Having magic doesn’t make you a different species.”

He shrugged again and looked back into the book.

They had a lot to learn about themselves and the wizarding world. They needed her. Dumbledore was right. She knew what she wanted to do. Until she found them a permanent solution, they would stay with her.

They weren’t going back to living on the streets if Minerva had something to say about that.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Why eleven? Why couldn’t I be at least fifteen?” Merlin said to himself, stumbling along Diagon Alley.

Everywhere he went, he was painfully reminded of why he didn’t want to turn into a child in the first place. He hated being smaller than everyone, being looked down upon, fussed over, and spoken to in a condescending tone. Moreover, when stuck in an eleven-year-old body, he was clumsier than usual, unhealthily skinny, and his ears stuck out much more than he remembered they ever did. He would rather have been a gangly teenager than this embarrassing preadolescent.

His favorite age to turn himself into was eighty. When he sported white hair and a long beard, he was treated with respect. He could do whatever he pleased, no matter how unreasonable. He once even got a piggyback ride from a prince.

Whenever he wasn’t forced to use his aging spell, he stayed in the age he was frozen in. He was content with being a healthy, strong twenty-six-year-old. It felt right.

But this ridiculous arrangement wasn't about him. He was doing it for Harry Potter. The boy needed him.

“Or does he?” Merlin mused.

Dumbledore was a skilled wizard. Why was he so convinced he would need help? Was something else going on he had not told Merlin about?

Merlin had his eyes peeled, looking among the crowd of wizards milling through the street. Per Dumbledore’s message, Harry was going to visit Diagon Alley today. Merlin hoped to run into him at one of the shops but so far found no one that matched his description: dark hair, glasses, and a scar on his forehead. He wished Dumbledore had given him a picture.

Merlin liked coming back to Diagon Alley, knowing that the same shops and pubs awaited, no matter which decade he visited it. While the world changed with a blurring speed, this hidden nook of London remained the same for centuries. He could rely on wizards’ attachment to tradition to keep it the same, though he never warmed up to their attire. Cloaks and long robes were never his style.

A small crowd gathered outside of a bookstore. He joined them, hoping he would finally get lucky. As he pushed his way through the mass of people, he heard whispers, “Harry Potter,” and perked up. The boy was here.

Being smaller made squeezing between the crowd easier. Merlin navigated the sea of excited witches until he saw the boy everyone was pointing at. Young Harry Potter stood next to a blond wizard, who was dazzling the store patrons with a toothy smile while Harry looked like he was searching for an escape route. The sign read “GILDEROY LOCKHART, AUTHOR.”

Merlin looked back at his Hogwarts supply list, recognizing the name. Lockhart was the author of seven books on his list. They better be good.

Merlin made his purchases and waited at the front of the store, hoping to catch Harry once the boy escaped the attention. He rehearsed possible conversations in his head, becoming more confident by the second that he could get the boy to like him. The only challenge was how to act like his peer. It was an awkward age — not quite a child anymore, but not a teen yet.

He saw Harry’s unkempt black hair squeezing through the crowd and cleared his doubts. For now, he would act like himself and adjust his behavior based on peer reactions.

Before reaching him, Harry found his friends and was stopped by a pale-haired boy. The argument they started was picked up by adults and chaos ensued: punches, bleeding noses,  books flying off the shelves. A half-giant broke the fight apart, and they all left the shop in a hurry.

Merlin ran after them and tripped over his own feet, sprawling on the ground with his purchases flying in front of him. Meanwhile, Harry and his friends disappeared inside the Leaky Cauldron.

“Nice. Great start, Merlin,” he said to himself, getting up.

While the boxes flew back into his outstretched hands, he contemplated if he should still follow Harry. After the commotion in the bookstore, the timing for introductions didn’t feel right. He would get another chance to meet Harry on Hogwarts Express, the train all students took to get to the school.

He turned to look for a hidden spot to teleport home from, but paused, feeling magic that tingled in his nostrils. His legs moved on their own accord as the sensation drew him in, different from all other magic Diagon Alley burst with.

A little bell dinged as he opened the door of Olivander’s Wand Shop. He stopped in his tracks, cool air taking him by surprise. Patches of frost adorned the shop windows and a dusting of snow covered all surfaces. He stepped in and slipped on the icy floor, painfully landing on his backside.

“Be right with you,” a scratchy voice said from behind the counter.

Merlin massaged his bruised tailbone and searched the small shop for the source of the winter magic that lingered in the air. The hundreds of wands kept in rectangular boxes stacked all the way to the ceiling emitted their own traces of magic, but none as strong as the one that caused the anomaly he was feeling. It reminded him of his own magic: potent, ancient, and catastrophic if mishandled.

“Ah, starting Hogwarts this year, yes?” An elderly man rose above the counter, a few boxes in his arms. “Shopping for your first wand, boy?”

“I already have a wand,” Merlin murmured, listening if anyone else was in the cluttered shop, but he already knew. The source of this peculiar magic wasn’t there anymore.

The old wandmaker narrowed his eyes on him. “I see. I understand the nostalgia for family keepsakes, boy, but having your own wand will ensure your spellcasting success. Mark my words, boy...”

“What happened here?”

The wizard looked around his shop and raised his bushy gray eyebrows as if surprised at seeing the wintry decor. “Oh, pardon the mess. Previous customers took a while to find the right wands. Lovely twins, yes. You’ll meet them at Hogwarts this year.”

“Children did this?” It didn’t feel right for a child to hold this much power.

“Mishaps befall improper wand matches. The wand must choose a wizard, you see.” He turned to the shelf to slide the wand boxes in and continued, “They call me the best wandmaker in the world for a reason, boy. You’re in the right place. I’ll let you try…”

Merlin slipped out of the shop, having heard enough. He stood in the middle of the alley, closed his eyes and expanded his senses. If he was lucky, said children were still around. He made it his business to keep tabs on all powerful wizards and witches, lest they were up to something. These twins were powerful enough to leave behind traces of magic most adult wizards couldn’t produce in their lifetime. They had just made his watch list.

But it wasn’t his lucky day. He could not sense anything other than the usual Diagon Alley magic nearby.

He didn’t find them today, but he would get to meet them soon at Hogwarts.

This Harry-sitting job just got more interesting.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

White steam billowed from under the wheels of a shiny black and red engine, which waited on the hidden train platform nine and three quarters, as much a character as the hundreds of witches and wizards milling about.

Elsa tried to look composed despite the mix of thrill and terror that sped up her pulse. It was happening. They would finally get to attend the school McGonagall had promised them. The witch dropped them off and went to sit with the other teachers but not before encouraging them to mingle with the other students, the first wizard children they would encounter.

Beside her, Jack craned his neck to see over the strange and colorful sight of the wizard families saying their goodbyes and school friends greeting each other. With a permanent grin on his face, he pointed to the stacks of trunks and animal carriers, musing out loud why people had so much stuff.

Elsa dragged him away from the crowd and onto the train. They sat across from each other in an empty compartment. Jack promptly kicked his shoes off and sat cross-legged, looking out the window at the commotion outside.

“They sure like owls,” he said, pointing at bird cages.

“Remember what she said. You can’t walk around the school barefoot. Put them back on.”

“It’s a long ride, Elsa,” he complained. “Can’t I get a break for a few hours? I’ll wear them to classes. I promise.”

She ground her teeth in frustration. All summer long, Jack fought McGonagall passionately about shoes. Elsa didn’t have anything against footwear, but her brother hated this part of their human act.

“You promised you’d try to act normal,” she reminded him.

They had agreed to be careful and not draw attention to themselves. McGonagall was quite clear when she explained that only witches and wizards attended Hogwarts. What would she do if she found out the truth of what they were?

“This is my normal,” Jack insisted, wiggling his toes. “Besides, we’re alone here.”

As if on cue, a girl with long dirty-blond hair walked into their compartment.

“Can I sit with you?” she asked in a dreamy voice.

“Sure,” Jack answered. To give her room, he jumped off his seat to sit cross-legged next to Elsa. Still without shoes. However, instead of sitting opposite them, the girl sat right next to him.

“Your eyebrows are a different color than your hair,” she pointed out, leaning just a couple of inches away from his face.

Dumbfounded, Jack stared at her and scooted away.

“Both of your eyebrows are black but your hair is so white,” the girl continued, tilting her head. “Do you color it?”

She appraised him with her unnerving silvery stare as if he was an art piece, and he blinked rapidly.

“Uh, no.”

“I’m Luna. Luna Lovegood.” She offered her hand.

“I’m Jack.” He shook her hand and vaguely tried to smile.

“Cold,” she commented in the same fascinated voice.

Elsa felt left out as if she was still invisible. Or was her brother just that much more interesting?

“I’m Elsa,” she said.

Luna smiled at her, then gazed at Jack for a while longer while he stared at his feet. Once she had her fill, she pulled out a magazine from her pocket and started reading it while humming to herself.

Jack gave Elsa a poignant look, and she imagined him saying, ‘Next to her, I’m very normal.’

They suppressed a chuckle and relaxed. If all wizard children were as peculiar as Luna, they would fit in easily.

Jack pulled a wand out of his pocket and leaned on Elsa’s shoulder. As he turned it around between his fingers.

“You’re not supposed to play with it,” Elsa scolded in a whisper. McGonagall was very firm on this issue. After the mess they had caused at Olivander’s, she warned them against using their wands before they learned real spells.

“You just regret leaving yours in your trunk,” Jack murmured, running the wand across his sleeve. Wherever it touched, a line of frost formed.

Elsa scoffed and looked out the window. Only parents remained on the platform, waving at the train. She hoped it meant they were about to leave. She hated when he was right. She did wish she had her wand on her. McGonagall never made a sound argument regarding why she couldn’t teach them any magic this summer but insisted on catching them up on their basic literacy. They could've easily handled both.

“What spell is that?”

They snapped to attention and saw two girls that had opened their compartment, eyeing the frost on Jack’s sleeve. Elsa smiled immediately at their sight. They both had a dark complexion and black hair, but first and foremost, they were identical.

“You’re twins!” Jack exclaimed.

The girls looked at each other with a ‘duh’ kind of expression, so Elsa added while elbowing him, “So are we. I’m Elsa Nix, and this is my blunt brother, Jack.”

He rubbed his ribs but did not complain. He knew that he deserved it.

The girls introduced themselves while settling in.

“Padma Patil,” the one on the right, across from Elsa said.

“Parvati Patil,” said the other one.

Their likeness was uncanny. If not for the different-colored tie of their school uniform, Elsa wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. She couldn’t hide her excitement. She had never met any other twins. Did they have the same kind of bond she shared with her brother? Could they feel the other’s presence or call each other from a distance? She wondered how to broach the subject safely while maintaining the ‘normal’ act.

“So,” Jack asked, eyeing them with a smirk, “how often do you play the twin prank, switching places?”

The girls looked at each other and shrugged.

“We did it a couple of times when we were younger,” Parvati said. “Not recently.”

Jack sighed and said in a serious tone, “For some reason, we could never make it work. No one believed I’m Elsa. It’s the hair, isn’t it?” He ran a hand through his white hair in an exaggerated manner.

Parvati chuckled at his joke while Elsa rolled her eyes and elbowed him again.

“You’re becoming very violent, sis,” he said, rubbing his ribs.

“Jack, I love you, but sometimes, you can be such a dork.”

“Aw. But I’m a lovable dork.”

She was tempted to smack that lopsided grin off his face.

“You’re new, right?” Parvati asked. “I haven’t seen you two in Hogwarts before.”

“Yes. First year,” Elsa answered.

“We’re in second. I wonder which House you’re going to be in.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, first-years are sorted into one of the four Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. You will live and attend classes with your House. It’s going to become your second family. There’s a bit of rivalry between them, but mostly, we’re all friends.”

Friends that would become her family. That sounded exactly like what Elsa wanted. She loved her brother, and he was a fun company, but sometimes, she secretly wondered what it would be like to have a sister.

Parvati and Padma started arguing over which House was better, and Elsa looked out the window, watching the buildings and then the landscape move at blurring speed. The train was fast but not as fast as apparating. She couldn’t wait to get to school and be sorted with Jack. It didn’t matter which House they’d get to join.

The train had been moving for a good while when their compartment door opened and a raven-haired boy with ears that stuck out peeked through. He had a long look at Jack and her and then asked, “Do you mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full.”

“Go ahead. I’m Jack Nix,” her brother encouraged.

The girls introduced themselves, and the new boy sat down next to Parvati.

“I’m Merlin Ealdor. It’s my first year at Hogwarts.”

Parvati stared at him. “Your parents sure had high expectations, naming you after a wizard that famous.”

“What famous wizard?” Jack asked.

All heads snapped to him, giving him quizzical looks. Elsa held her breath, realizing that he had said something wrong. Oh, it would’ve been safer if he wasn’t so talkative. He looked to her for help. She understood the panic in his eyes but didn’t know how to cover up his mistake.

Merlin slowly smiled at him. “Exactly. It’s just a name.”

Jack relaxed and went back to playing with his wand as if nothing had happened, but Elsa kept replaying the moment in her head. From their reactions, she guessed that everyone in the wizarding community knew Merlin’s name. What other well-known information were they missing?

Maybe the challenge of blending in wasn’t as much about what they looked or acted like but more so about what they said? It didn’t help her nerves that Merlin was eyeing them very curiously. When their eyes met and she locked onto his cerulean blues, she felt momentarily stunned. His eyes alone felt like magic, and she had to look away to shake the feeling off. She was imagining things.

“I’m Luna. I’m a first year too,” Luna said out of nowhere while reading her magazine. “And Jack doesn’t color his hair. I already asked. And I believe him.”

They all looked at her and then each other, suppressing giggles, to which Luna was oblivious.

“Well, thanks… I guess,” Jack said.

The train ride was long and mostly uneventful. Jack learned his lesson and controlled his loose tongue. Parvati kept trying to start up the conversation while Padma entertained herself with a book. Elsa wished she had thought of that. As the sun started setting, she leaned her head on Jack’s shoulder and started to drift off, lulled by the train’s steady rocking.

“Elsa, you feel that?” Jack’s whisper snapped her awake.

He was looking out the window at the darkness of the woods they passed by. She closed her eyes and recognized nature’s magic pulsing from the forest. Powerful magical creatures had to occupy it to create such a strong impression upon the land.

“Feel what?” Parvati asked.

Elsa and Jack looked at each other and exchanged a nod. If witches and wizards couldn’t feel the strength of nature’s magic, then they had to be careful of the topic. Thankfully, the train started to slow down, distracting everyone from the subject.

As they got out of the train, Jack and Elsa fell behind the others, feeling the forest watching them, as if the magical creatures they felt before came to check on the two Winter Spirits who had encroached on their territory.

“We come in peace,” Jack said quietly.

She hoped they heard the message.

The creatures did not reveal themselves but quietly observed from the shadows, completely unbeknownst to the rest of the students. Jack took Elsa’s hand and cautiously walked towards a half-giant who was urging them to follow.

“You’re going to have to put your shoes back on,” Elsa said, and he groaned in protest.

》《 
 
Ginny got off the train with a smile. Hogwarts. She was finally here. The ride itself was rather disappointing. She was supposed to ride with Ron and Harry, something she was scared of and excited about at the same time, but she couldn’t find them anywhere. She ended up riding with two first-years: Colin Creevey and Su Li.

Colin seemed to be very interested in the fact that she’d met Harry Potter. She made it sound like she knew him well but that wasn’t entirely true. While she had the opportunity to get to know Harry this summer when he spent a few weeks with her family, she felt too shy to say anything to him.

She didn’t understand why he affected her so. She was never a coward so why did she turn into one in his presence? No, worse than a coward, more like a clumsy blubbering idiot. So, maybe it was better that she couldn't find him on the train so she didn’t get to make a bigger fool of herself.

She liked Su. She appeared nice although with the way her head was stuck in a book the whole ride, and a textbook no less, not some interesting fiction, Ginny guessed that the girl was not going to be in Gryffindor. That girl had Ravenclaw written all over her.

Would Ginny even be in Gryffindor? What if she was the first one in her family to end up in Hufflepuff? She knew that she shouldn’t worry about it but that didn’t stop the butterflies in her stomach. She was the only girl of seven children. The same fluke of luck that made her a daughter among all sons could stick her in a different house, ending the impeccable family legacy.

“Pull yourself together, Ginny,” she told herself. “This is your year. You’ve waited forever for this.”

She shook the nervous thoughts away, ready to face the sorting. She hummed "Do the Hippogriff" as she trudged on, ready for what may come.

This was the year of Ginny.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Minerva was jittery with excitement, awaiting the arrival of the first-years with her children. She paused her train of thought, puzzled. When had she started thinking of the twins as her children? She dismissed the thought, arguing that all of her students were her children.

When they lined up with the rest of the first-years, her heart swelled with pride. They cleaned up nicely. With the black robes contrasting their pale complexion and white hair, they stood out from the crowd in a very sophisticated way. No one could tell that just a couple of months ago they were homeless runaways. Elsa’s long white hair was in an elegant braid that fell down her shoulder, and Jack looked dashing in his new haircut. Minerva felt a personal victory, seeing that her children looked no worse than the children of prestigious pure-blood families.

Her children. She was proud to call them that.

She led the first-years to the Great Hall, where the rest of the students sat at their House tables. She placed the stool in the front and began the Sorting Ceremony.

Awaiting her turn, Elsa played with the end of her braid, focused on the Sorting Hat while Jack looked around the Great Hall curiously, oblivious to the shy smiles nearby girls were giving him. He was going to be trouble.

Minerva called Elsa first, and the girl gracefully sat on the stool. Minerva put the ancient, pointed hat on her head, and waited. It didn’t take long for the Hat to shout out ‘Ravenclaw.’ Her new House cheered, calling her to their table, where they made a spot for her.

‘That is very fitting,’ Minerva thought, smiling at the girl. ‘She will do well there.’

She called Jack, and he hopped onto the stool and nodded at her in acknowledgment. He sat there for a long time, the Hat apparently having a hard time deciding, and then he did something that she had never seen anyone do. Before the hat could say the House name, he took it off, got up, and glared at her.

“I don’t agree with this hat.”

“What are you doing, Jack?”

“I’ve chosen Gryffindor,” Sorting Hat addressed them both.

“The hat is wrong,” Jack said firmly.

“Jack,” Minerva said, taken aback, “if that’s what the Hat chose…”

“I belong wherever Elsa is,” he interrupted in a hushed voice. “I go wherever my sister goes. Nowhere else.”

“Jack,” she huffed, frustrated at the stubborn boy, “it’s not uncommon for siblings to be in different Houses, even twins.”

“I don’t care what’s common,” he said. “You will not separate us.”

Albus walked up to them, pointing at the curious students and faculty who were watching the scene. “Whatever the issue may be, perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere.”

Albus took Jack to a room adjacent to the Great Hall while Minerva called the rest of the children to finish the sorting, shooting nervous looks after her white-haired troublemaker.

After all the children were sorted, Minerva brought the Hat with her and found Jack glaring at Dumbledore, not at all intimidated by the white beard. The Headmaster gave her a gentle but perplexed smile, and Minerva eyed Jack grudgingly. Why was he causing so much trouble over sorting?

“I tried to clarify to him how the house system works but…” Dumbledore started explaining.

Jack interrupted him, “Professor, I cannot be separated from my sister.”

“Jack, I regret not having this discussion with you earlier, I didn’t realize it was going to be such a problem, but you cannot just pick what house you go to. The Sorting Hat makes this decision.”

The Hat, which was still in Minerva’s hands, spoke up, “I’ve considered Slytherin. He’s cunning, resourceful, and desires power, but his dedication to stand up for what he believes in is stronger than all of those traits. Therefore, Gryffindor. I do not see much of Ravenclaw in you, dear youngling.”

“I don’t care about the reasons,” Jack said, exasperated, running a hand through his white hair and eyeing the Hat spitefully. “I promised her I would always be there for her, that I would always protect her. How can I be there if I’m somewhere else?”

“Jack,” Dumbledore cut in, “you’re still in the same school. You can see her every day.”

Minerva gave the Hat to Dumbledore, walked up to the boy, and took his hands in hers. “You would not be happy in Ravenclaw. They are hard-working and value knowledge and wisdom above all. I can see Elsa fitting in there very well, not you.”

“So, I’m not smart enough,” Jack said, his blue eyes piercing hers, the sudden intensity surprisingly intimidating.

“It is not about intellect.” She rubbed his clammy hands in hers. Why were their hands always so cold? “Have you considered that it might be a good thing? The two of you have only had each other for years, am I right?”

“Yes, and…” Jack started, but Minerva didn’t let him finish.

“Don’t you think it’s time to let go of her hand and allow you both some freedom?”

“You don’t understand,” Jack said, desperation in his voice. “We’re…”

“I noticed, whenever you speak of yourself, you say ‘we’. It’s time to let go of ‘we’ and find out who you are individually. Otherwise, you will hold each other back.”

Jack shook his head, but she could tell that her words were taking effect and breaking down his resistance.

“You will do well in Gryffindor,” Minerva added. “That’s also my house.”

He looked from her to the Headmaster, but there was no more fight left in him.

“It will be okay, Jack. Now, sit at the Gryffindor table and do me proud.”

He said nothing but walked out of the room obediently. Minerva stood in the doorway and watched how he exchanged a look with Elsa, who gasped in shock when he sat down with the Gryffindors and not next to her.

“He’s going to be a handful,” Dumbledore chuckled before going back to his seat at the staff table.

“As if that was ever in jeopardy,” Minerva said in resignation.
 
》《
 
Jack sat down at the first empty spot at the Gryffindor table. The kids around him eyed him suspiciously, probably wondering what the scene was about. All other first-years received applause when they joined their houses. He sucked at blending in.

“You wanted to go to Ravenclaw with your sister, right?” a girl with frizzy brown hair asked him.

“My twin,” he answered, thankful that someone broke the uncomfortable silence. “I wasn’t expecting that they were going to separate us.”

“It happens sometimes,” she said with a shrug. “Patil twins are in the same situation and they’re identical. I’m Hermione Granger,” she added proudly.

“Hi,” he nodded at her. “I’m Jack.”

Few other people at the table exchanged names, but he couldn’t focus on the conversation and forgot them immediately. He turned around to see where his sister sat, and she was staring at him with tears in her eyes. His heart broke. He tried to communicate with his eyes that it was going to be okay. She wiped her tears and gave him a forced smile. He looked back at his empty plate and did not feel hungry. He just wanted for the meal to be over so he could hug her already.

“Did I hear ‘twin’?” a tall red-haired boy asked.

Another boy that looked just like him stood up to stare at Jack and said, “Twins are taking over Hogwarts.”

Then both of them said together, “Sweet!”

Jack’s mood lifted at seeing another pair of identical twins, but then just as quickly it soured. Why were they allowed to be in the same house when he was separated from his other half?

“George,” one of them said with a wave.

“Fred,” said the other one.

Jack nodded in acknowledgment but was really not in the mood to socialize.

“Try the pudding,” Hermione said. “It’s really good.”

He forced himself to smile, appreciating her friendly gesture, but then he saw a ghost behind her and blanched. He did not like ghosts. Their connection to Death was disturbing to nature spirits like him. They felt wrong and, well, dead.

“Oh, that’s Nearly Headless Nick,” Hermione said.

“I prefer Sir Nick.” The ghost eyed Jack curiously. “Interesting,” he said, linking his transparent hands together.

Jack tried to keep his calm although his instincts screamed at him to run away.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sir Nick,” Jack said, attempting to sound casual.

“What’s a spirit like you doing here?” the ghost asked.

Jack’s heart stopped. He said it. Just like that, the secret was out.

Nick laughed. “Carry on, children.”

As the ghost floated away, Jack dared to check everyone’s reactions.

“Don’t mind him. All ghosts are a bit strange,” said one of the twins he’d met on the train. Was it Parvati?

It seemed that no one made the connection that Nick was talking about him, and he thanked the Moon for their blissful ignorance. Jack released the breath he was holding and smiled, trying to cover up his panic while his heart was banging so hard, he was surprised no one else heard it.

His secret was safe for now.
》《
After the feast, the Prefects led the first-years towards the Gryffindor common room. Merlin followed with unease. The whole point of him attending this school was to protect Harry Potter, but Harry was nowhere to be seen. He wasn’t on the train. Merlin checked every single compartment. He wasn’t at the feast. Merlin scanned every face at the Gryffindor table. Would trouble find Harry before he even made it to school?

He thought to ask Dumbledore if he knew anything about Harry’s late arrival but was afraid that he would draw too much attention if he did it in front of everyone, so he stuck to the plan of blending in and pretending to be an eleven-year-old boy.

He looked around at the other first-years, and a white head easily caught his eye. While he had no luck with Harry, he achieved his other goal by finding the magical twins that visited Olivanders’ shop.

When he first saw the boy and his sister, he was stunned. He had never met anyone who so obviously

looked

magical. Not only, their snow-white hair was something unheard of even among wizards, but they radiated magic. He supposed others might try to explain it as a natural charm, but he knew what drew everyone to the twins like nails to a magnet. Their power was innate and instinctive like his own, but they hadn’t learned how to conceal it yet, unknowingly affecting everyone around them.

Merlin had thought that he was the last living practitioner of Old Religion, but he would love to be proven wrong. Getting to know the boy should be easy since they were going to share a dorm. In fact, it was going to be easier than keeping an eye on Harry.

They walked through the painting of the Fat Lady, which took them to the cozy Gryffindor common room. Merlin found himself looking forward to spending time by the fireplace, chatting away with friends on the comfy couches.

His train of thought halted abruptly. Where did those thoughts come from? He wasn’t here to make friends. Well, maybe with Harry if he could find him. Ugh. Being a child was messing with his mind.

In his dormitory, Merlin’s trunk was already waiting in front of his bed. Jack’s bed was on his left, and a small mousy-haired boy’s was on his right. Before they could even exchange names, the small boy asked a Prefect to take a picture of the three of them. Merlin was pretty sure his eyes were closed.

“I’m Colin Creevey,” the boy said and tested the bed by jumping on it to the rhythm of his speech. “Can you believe it? We’re actually here—in a magic school and it’s a castle. A magic castle! Did you see the ceiling in the Great Hall? It was bewitched to look like the sky! Even the supper was magical and food just appeared by magic. It’s like a dream but I couldn’t possibly dream up all of this. There’s so much amazing magic here and I can’t wait to learn it all in magic classes and I didn’t even know magic was real until I got that letter that said I’m a wizard. An owl delivered it. Can you believe it? Well, you’re here too so you must have gotten your letters. The whole castle is full of wizards and witches, and I saw ghosts today, and the people in the portraits are moving. I saw so much magic today!”

“Oh, you’re Muggle-born?” Merlin asked, hoping a change of direction would stop the rambling.

“Yeah, and you?”

“My father was a wizard, my mom was a Muggle,” Merlin answered truthfully.

They both looked at Jack, who was in the process of taking off his shoes.

“Uh…” he scratched the back of his neck. “No, no Muggles in my family.”

He proceeded to dig inside his trunk, without actually pulling anything out. Pure-blooded wizards were usually proud of their status, so why did he act like he had something to hide?

“Did you visit Diagon Alley?” Jack asked. “It’s cool, isn’t it?”

Colin went back to jumping on his bed and recounted every single wonder he had discovered during his visit to the hidden magical community. Merlin used the distraction to sneak out to the common room. Groups of students gathered in chat circles, exchanging summer stories and plans for the school year. Merlin travelled between them, listening for any mention of Harry. He didn’t have to wait long.

“I’m telling you. It’s the truth,” said one of the older students. “Harry Potter and Ron Weasley flew in a car instead of taking the Hogwarts Express!”

“I bet they’re getting expelled right now,” an older girl said.

“Or getting a medal for taking out that mean tree,” joked one of the Weasley twins.

“Whomping Willow had it coming,” his twin agreed, and the two high-fived each other with identical grins.

The longer the talks went on, the more outrageous the theories about Harry’s adventure were becoming. Finally, the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked in and were immediately greeted with applause and congratulations. Merlin wanted to get closer, but it was difficult to fight the crowd. By the time he got through, Harry disappeared to his dorm, the door slamming shut behind him.

Merlin stood in front of the staircase leading up to Harry’s dorm, considering if this was the right time for an introduction. The closed door was sending a very clear message though. He groaned and went to bed instead. The timing never seemed to be right, but at least Harry made it safely to school.

The mission was still on.
 
》《
 
Ginny ran up to her dorm as soon as she saw Harry enter the common room. She was still all jittery with excitement from arriving at Hogwarts. She didn’t want to add Harry to the mix of her nerves. She rummaged in her trunk to get her sleeping gown out, and her eye caught a leather book cover.

She had found the blank journal among the books her mum bought her in Diagon Alley. At first, she was thankful for the surprise gift, but then found a name faintly inscribed on the worn cover, T. M. Riddle.

It’s one thing to get secondhand robes and textbooks but a diary? That was a new low for her pride. But even though it was used, she wanted it.

She had never had a diary before. What would she write in it? Well, she certainly had a lot of thoughts battling each other in her head. Maybe writing them down would help her figure it all out, so she could get back to being herself and enjoy the year she had been looking forward to so much.

She clutched the book close to her chest. Yes. She would have a lot of fun with this diary.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Elsa loved everything about Hogwarts, from the grand feast with candles that floated above their heads to moving staircases that attempted to misguide you, but if timed correctly, could lead you to your destination faster. She loved belonging to the Ravenclaw House, where everyone was of similar mind to hers. She got along with her roommates immediately. Luna often spoke like through a dream while Sue Li shared Elsa’s love for books.

But the ache of separation made it impossible to enjoy her beautiful blue-themed dorm.

“If you ever need me, you can always send me a signal,” Jack had assured her after the evening feast.

She needed him when she followed her housemates and saw him walk in the opposite direction. She needed him when she was shown her bed and had no idea where his bed was. And she needed him to fall asleep, afraid that her nightmares would return. Where would she find the comfort he gave her?

No matter how much she needed him, she did not use the special connection they shared to call him. They had both wanted this. They had to adapt to the situation even when it felt like punishment.

She left her roommates to unpack and made her way to the airy, Ravenclaw common room, where tall bookcases were stacked all the way to the vaulted ceiling, painted in twinkling stars. Elsa picked up a random book and curled up in a soft chair, but she couldn’t even find the will to read a single page.

She had a flashback to how when small, she had “borrowed” a book from the kitchen and snuck to their chamber to study by the candlelight.

“What’s that?” Jack had asked.

“An elixir book,” Elsa had said, tracing lines of text. She didn’t know then that she was holding the book upside down. “I’m going to learn how to read.”

“Once you do, teach me too, will you?” Jack had said, getting back in his cot. “I don’t want to be left behind.”

Did she leave him behind now? She didn’t mean to.

“My first night was hard too.”

Elsa wiped her eyes and looked up at who had said that. It was Padma, one of the twins from the train. She sat on the other chair, holding out a handkerchief. “No one knows what it’s like to be separated from their twin if they don’t have one.”

“Thanks.” Elsa dabbed away the tears. “We have never been apart.”

Their mother used separation as punishment, but even then, they were locked in adjacent chambers and could feel each other through the walls. Now, Elsa had no idea where he was and no one could tell her how to find the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. What was the purpose of this secrecy?

“It will get better, I promise,” Padma continued. “In the end, I think it was for the best that Parvati and I ended up in different Houses.”

“How could it be for the best?”

“Well, look at it this way. We’re identical, right? So, people tend to think of us as interchangeable—one of the Patil twins. But we’re very different people. We have different characters, skills, preferences. We like to be recognized individually, not as a whole, and being in separate houses allows us that.”

Elsa wiped her dripping nose and considered the wise words.

“I wouldn’t be mistaken for my brother,” she joked, and Padma giggled, “but I see your point. I would probably always walk in the shadow of his loud personality.”

“Exactly,” Padma agreed. “This way, you get to be your own person.”

A smile crept onto Elsa’s face. Belonging to the Ravenclaw House was a reward, a privilege, not punishment.

“See? You’re doing great,” Padma said. “Reason always wins.” 
 
》《

“Look what you’ve done,” Mother’s voice boomed over them as Jack huddled with Elsa. “You don’t follow directions, you get no lantern!” Then, she added in a mocking tone, “Sleep tight, children.”

She slammed the door, plunging their chamber into total darkness. Every distant echo or drip of water sounded menacing. Jack gulped and tried to convince himself that he was used to it. Lately, they appeared to deserve this punishment a lot.

“It’s just darkness. It can’t hurt us,” he whispered. He had to be strong for Elsa, who trembled in his arms. Her heart beat against his chest so hard, it felt like his own.

“It’s okay,” Jack murmured into his sister’s hair. “She’s gone. I’m here. Try to sleep.”

“The bad dreams will come again,” Elsa sobbed. “I will never, ever, EVER sleep again!”

Jack hugged her tighter.

“Let the dreams come. We’ll face them,” he swallowed and tried to sound confident for her, “together.”

Elsa sniffed and acknowledged the pact. “Together.”

Jack woke up with a start and sat upright in his four-poster bed, the dream still etched vividly in his mind. Long ago, he promised his sister that she would never have to face nightmares alone. How was she doing tonight? Did she need him?

She hadn’t called him yet, and he took that as a good sign. She could handle a night apart.

Could he?

Though it had been only a few hours since he last saw her, a heavy weight settled itself on his chest, an ache only her presence could soothe. Did she feel it too?

The dawn had not come yet, and the room was quiet but for the gentle breathing of his sleeping roommates. The dream memory of young Elsa’s terrified voice was too fresh on his mind. He wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.

He took a shower, hoping the cold water would wash away the remnants of the dream. He braced himself against the wall with his head down, cold water falling onto the back of his head and sliding in streams down his pale skin.

They had readied themselves for the challenges of living among wizards, but their plans involved both of them. Without his other half, Jack wasn’t sure if he could stick to the rules they had agreed on. He didn’t realize how much he relied on his sister’s wit to get him out of blunders. He needed her.

The condensation on the shower walls turned into intricate patterns of frost. He stepped out and turned on hot water to melt the evidence of his otherness before his roommates noticed. It would have to become a part of his new being-human routine.

Back in his dorm, his roommates were fast asleep. Elsa had said that the best part of going to Hogwarts would be making friends, but looking at the two boys, Jack only saw strangers. What if they didn’t like him? What if they saw through his lies and told on him? What would Hogwarts professors do with a pair of Winter Spirits that tried to fake their way into their school?

It was a risk. Why did they take this risk? He felt a sudden need to find Elsa and take her away from this danger, but if he did, she wouldn’t get her wish to make friends. He had to make it work for her.

Dressed in his new school uniform and the long, black robe, Jack stuffed his shoes in his pockets and left the dorm. The stairway down the Gryffindor Tower was adorned with hundreds of portraits stacked all the way to the ceiling. The people in them moved between frames, waved, or ignored him completely. Wizards had to have used magic to hang them that high up. Soon he would learn magic like that too if only he managed to adapt to this new life.

He held the wand in his pocket, its magic radiating up his arm to his core. The old wandmaker said that a willow wand like Jack’s would allow him to master nonverbal spells. Jack wasn’t sure if that was a big deal or not, but he wouldn’t give up his wand no matter what. It already felt like an extension of him. He gripped it as a reminder of why he was here and continued down the stairs.

The castle was even larger from the inside than the outside. He wandered the halls aimlessly, wondering where Elsa was until he got to a large double-door, which opened to the school grounds. He took a long breath and a familiar calm of nature's magic washed over him. This was exactly what he needed.

He sat on a bench under a large tree and dug his bare feet into the grass. He let nature’s power seep into him until his mind cleared. The sky started changing colors, and he observed the world come awake with the sun. The giant orb lazily raised itself, bathing all nature with its power. He closed his eyes and offered himself to it.

“Isn’t magic here amazing?” he asked but then realized that his other half was not there to answer the question.

He had to get used to this lonely feeling if he wanted to be a wizard. He couldn’t have it all. Besides, Dumbledore was right. Elsa was somewhere in this castle. Was she awake yet? He sent out a call to her, letting her know where he was. She found him just minutes later, her long white hair fanning behind her as she ran up to him.

The world grew brighter when he saw her smile. She was okay and now, so was he.

“Will you do my hair?” she asked, giving him her brush.

He gladly did, thankful that there was at least one thing she needed him for.

She sat on the bench with her back to him, and he gently brushed her silky hair. The familiarity of their morning routine soothed the aching hole in his heart. He braided her hair to the side, the way she liked, and they walked together to the dining hall, holding hands.

When they entered, she gave him one last hug and whispered, “Don’t forget the shoes,” and left towards the Ravenclaw table, where a few girls called her over with excitement. She was making friends already. She looked happy.

It was his turn.

Jack took the dreaded loafers out of his pockets and put them on. He looked at the Gryffindor table apprehensively, suddenly quite overwhelmed by the sheer number of students, some of whom were staring at him already. He recognized his roommates, sitting in the middle of the table. He took a long breath to brace himself and headed over to them to begin his new blending-in routine.

“It’s showtime.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ginny rushed out of her dorm to avoid the “Chatties.” That was the nickname she gave the three girls she shared her dorm with. All they did was talk, and gossip, and talk some more. As she was stuck with them for the entire duration of her Hogwarts education, she'd have to learn how to tolerate them eventually, but today was the first day of school. It was game day.

When she arrived at the Great Hall, she realized that she had to be strategic in her seating choices. If she picked an empty part of the table, the Chatties would sit next to her. No, she had to sit somewhere among others, preferably boys. She’d had enough of girl voices this morning.

She scanned the faces of Gryffindor students, recognizing only her brothers: Fred, George, Percy, and Ron, and next to him—Harry Potter. Her cheeks got hot just thinking about sitting so close to Harry. She steered far from them and drifted towards Colin Creevey.

Ginny introduced herself to his roommate, Merlin, an odd boy who wore a scarf to breakfast.

“There are so many students,” Merlin murmured, glancing around, silently counting.

Colin had a camera strapped around his neck and was bouncing in his seat, taking it in his hands and then putting it down again like he was aching to use it.

“Do you think now is a good time?” he asked them both. “Because I was really hoping to do it today. Because it’s the first day and that’s special. There’s only one first day of school. Unless you count all seven years. But today is the first day of the first year and… Should I?”

Merlin just shrugged, spinning his scarf like a fan.

Colin must have understood that as approval and ran over to snap a candid picture of Harry. Harry blinked after the flash blinded him and looked at Colin, stunned at first, and then a little annoyed. Ginny had a sudden urge to hit the small boy in the back of the head to teach him a lesson about taking people’s pictures without their permission. Harry deserved better than that.

Colin came back, grinning wide, clutching his camera with adoration.

“I just love taking pictures of interesting things,” he said, “or people. Harry is the only famous wizard I know and it’s hard to believe he’s only a year older than me. Isn’t it an exciting time to be at Hogwarts? And I just know...”

Colin didn’t finish but aimed his camera at the white-haired boy that had approached them.

“Could you not?” the boy said, shielding himself from the flash. “Ah, that was painfully bright.”

“Sorry, Jack.” Colin did not look sorry at all. “It’s just everyone is talking about you and your sister so I wanted a keepsake. Did you notice that you look as if you were identical twins? But you’re not, of course, since she’s a girl. Can I take a picture of the two of you later? And I want to show your picture to mom and dad to prove that you really have white hair and not just blond. I’ve never seen anything like it. No wonder everyone is talking about you two. It’s so cool though! I wish my hair was that cool and not this boring mousy brown. Is white a common hair color among wizards?”

Ginny had to agree that she had never seen hair like that on anyone apart from elderly people. She had a quick glance at Professor Dumbledore who was chatting away at the staff table and compared his long white beard to Jack’s head. No, it wasn’t the same. Jack’s hair had a healthy luster to it which old people’s hair lacked.

“I don’t know,” Jack said, avoiding Colin’s stare. His frown was quickly forgotten at the sight of the food that appeared on the table.

Ginny answered for him, “No, Colin. It’s not common.” Then, she turned to Jack. “I’m Ginny, by the way.”

He smiled and nodded in response but didn’t say anything as his mouth was full already.

Thankfully, the food curbed even Colin’s excessive enthusiasm, and the rest of the breakfast passed quietly. Ginny felt comfortable in their company. She grew up with six brothers and knew well that food was the best way to shut up a boy.

She had her fill and snuck a glance in Harry’s direction. His colorful arrival to school in a flying car gained him some extra fans along with new haters, and he didn’t seem happy with the extra attention.

From the Slytherin table at the far end of the hall, a pale-haired boy was shooting him a death glare. It was that Malfoy boy who started the trouble in the bookstore by calling Ginny Harry’s girlfriend. That was a whole new level of embarrassment, but Harry acted all chivalrous, defending her. He was amazing.

She glanced at her company and caught Merlin eyeing Harry.

“Do you want Harry’s picture as well?” she teased.

Merlin knocked over his drink, which spilled all over his food. “I… uh… I was just wondering what it was like to fly a car.”

“Is the car still here?” Colin jumped at the cue. “I would love to take a picture of it. Oh, if Harry could pose for a picture with the flying car, that would be the best photo ever!”

“Already been taken,” George cut in, passing by them.

Fred dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet on their table. The newspaper front page was decorated with a picture of a car flying over London. Each twin put a hand on Ginny’s shoulder and leaned in.

“How are you doing Ginny? These boys giving you any trouble yet?” George asked, and she could feel herself go beet-red. Why did they have to act like this?

“You treat our little sister well, boys,” Fred warned, pointing a finger at Merlin, Colin, and Jack. “She’s got four big brothers looking out for her.”

Ginny wanted to sink into the ground. This was beyond embarrassing.

“No one is giving me any trouble,” she said through gritted teeth. “Unless you count these two annoying red-heads.”

Merlin snorted, and a piece of food shot out of his mouth right onto Colin’s forehead.

“Our little sister is feisty,” Fred said with a smile.

“Remember that,” George added, and they finally left her to go about their business.

Ginny promptly changed topics, directing her question towards Jack. “Do you and your sister finish each other’s sentences as my annoying brothers do?”

Jack shrugged and swallowed his food. “No, but we know each other well enough to know what the other is thinking.”

“Really?” Colin was unsurprisingly excited to hear that. “Like telepathy? What is she thinking right now?”

Jack glanced at the Ravenclaw table, and his sister soon turned around to lock gazes with him. It was peculiar that she knew exactly at which moment to look. She smiled, and he winked at her.

“She’s having fun with her new classmates,” Jack answered. “She’s making friends. Everything is going well.”

“It doesn’t take telepathy to figure that out,” Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

Jack shrugged, “Real telepathy would be cool though.” Then, he looked kindly at Ginny, all focus on her. “Don’t get mad at your brothers for feeling protective of you.”

Ginny nodded and felt herself blush again. Not knowing what to say, she grabbed her things and excused herself. She’d had enough of everyone’s attention for the day. It was time to get going to the first classes anyway.
》《
A lot had changed since Merlin had attended Hogwarts as a student, aged down the same way as now. That was a millennium ago when the school had just been founded and wand magic was the new trend. Since then, the castle had sprouted new towers and expansions. Indoor plumbing was by far the best improvement. One of the first wand spells he had learned here back then was a chamber pot cleaning charm. He did not miss that part of the old times.

He had a good chuckle as he passed by a portrait of himself hanging by the grand staircase. Whenever anyone thought of the Great Merlin, they pictured him like this, old and wise. It was a shame that the portrait had been replicated so many times. This was his favorite disguise.

The older version of him winked from the canvas in greeting, running a hand down his frizzy white beard. Merlin adjusted his red and gold Gryffindor scarf, and the portrait-Merlin did the same with his blue scarf as if it was a mirror. This joke never got old.

Merlin left the older him, laughing on his way down. He didn’t try to contain his grin even when a few passing students looked at him funny. He tripped at the bottom stair and cursed quietly his uncoordinated eleven-year-old body. Oh, who was he kidding. He never truly grew out of that problem.

He arrived at the History of Magic class and promptly spotted Jack’s white head among the rest of the students. The boy never explained where he disappeared to this morning. Was it normal for kids this age to wake before the sunrise?

Jack took a seat at the end of the classroom right in the corner, and Merlin trod over.

“Do you mind?” he asked innocently, eyeing the chair Jack left his bookbag on.

The boy shook his white head and made space for Merlin.

“I don’t know anyone here but you,” Merlin said, sitting down.

“Yeah, I…” Jack blanched, seeing the ghost that entered the room through the blackboard. He swallowed profusely and shrank down in his seat.

“Are you afraid of ghosts?” Merlin asked.

“Something like that.”

The ghost introduced himself as Professor Binns and began reciting a lecture about the historical significance of Gargoyle unions.

“Are all teachers in here ghosts?” Jack whispered. “They’re everywhere.”

He was right. Hogwarts was the most haunted establishment of all the British isles, but spirits posed no threat to people.

“Uh, I don’t think so,” Merlin chuckled. “They’re just spirits. They’re barely even here. So, why are you afraid of ghosts? Any bad previous encounters?”

“They disturb me,” Jack said plainly. “Unnatural. They shouldn’t be.”

Merlin hoped to continue the intriguing conversation, but Jack ducked his head, pretending to read their textbook. Soon enough Binns’ monotone drawl put him to sleep along with most of the class. Merlin supported his chin with his hand while his eyes got droopy. Why did he agree to this torture? Really, any activity would be more interesting than this.

He glanced over at Jack, sprawled on the desk, his fingers twitching like he was dreaming. His magic pulsed in a steady flow like a calm autumn breeze. Was it his potential power or had it been honed to this level? The boy didn’t look dangerous, but looks could be deceiving. Merlin was walking proof of that.

He still had not had a chance to talk to Harry Potter. Playing the role of a younger student, he didn’t share classes or the dorm with him. Considering how Harry constantly attempted to hide from attention, getting close to him would require a significant effort. Or good timing. As Dumbledore warned, Harry brought only his two closest friends to his escapades. Merlin had to become that friend number three.

When the class ended, Merlin nudged Jack awake, and the boy abruptly sat up straight, eyes wide, breathing heavily.

“Sorry to startle you,” Merlin grimaced. “The class is over.”

Jack looked around him, disoriented, and once he saw everyone get up, he exhaled with relief.

“Thank the Moon,” he said and swiftly left, avoiding eye contact with the ghost still hovering behind his desk.

‘Who says

Thank the Moon

?’ Merlin thought.

He added the odd expression to the list of curious things about the boy.

They made their way to the Potions class, all the way down in the dungeons. Their professor, Severus Snape, sauntered into the room and gave them a lengthy introduction, making it very clear that he expected each of them to fail his sacred class.

“He looks a tad like a vampire, doesn’t he?” Jack whispered out of nowhere, making Merlin snort loudly.

Professor Snape paused his speech and looked at the two of them intensely. Merlin covered his mouth to stifle a sudden giggle attack. The stony look on the wizard’s pale face, framed by the shoulder-length black hair looked so accurately vampire-like that Merlin fully expected bloody fangs to drop out of his mouth.

While Snape glared at the two of them, the class became so quiet as if everyone held their breaths. Jack looked down at the quill in his trembling hand. Merlin finally calmed down and observed how well Snape controlled his students. He had to give it to him, he knew how to strike fear without even saying anything.

Snape took one calculated step towards them and emphasized each word, “Would you care to share the... joke with the whole class so we can all... laugh?”

Merlin was tempted to repeat the wizard’s ridiculous introductory speech in response, but snarky remarks would likely not help the situation.

Next to him, Jack lifted his head to look at their Professor. “No, Professor. I’m not even funny,” the boy said. “I apologize for the interruption.”

After another intense sneering silence, Snape said, “Pity. Five points from Gryffindor,” and turned away, swinging his black robes with dramatical flair, “each.”

“I get in trouble every time I open my mouth,” Jack whispered and shook his head in resignation.

“I thought you handled it well,” Merlin said, but Jack didn’t look convinced.

This class passed quicker than the previous, as a wave of nostalgia hit Merlin at the memory of his old mentor. He had learned the art of potion-making from Gaius himself, who was considered the grandfather of all potion masters. What would Gaius think of modern potioneers?

Merlin started to notice a pattern in Snape’s interactions with the class. He was supportive and helpful to the Slytherin students, who attended the lesson with them, but critical of Gryffindors.

So, the old rivalry existed to this day. Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were great wizards of their time, but the not-so-secret animosity they felt towards each other had leaked into their students’ attitudes. Merlin had hoped that such petty differences would have been resolved with time, but a millennium later the two Houses still hated each other.

After a lunch break, they had Herbology with the Ravenclaws, and Jack broke off from him to talk to his sister, which left Merlin with Colin. Colin was fascinated by the magical plants in the greenhouse and went on a long-winded tale of how each one reminded him of a different sci-fi movie. Merlin tuned the boy out and wandered around the greenhouse, recognizing each of the plants inside. He was still waiting to encounter a subject where he could learn something new.

When Professor Sprout turned around to pick up some supplies, Merlin spotted Jack playing with a venomous tentacula. Did he know that it well deserved its name? The plant was following the boy’s pale finger as he kept it constantly out of its grasp. Jack giggled at the plant’s unsuccessful attempts to catch him but failed to notice that it snuck up from behind and grabbed his other hand. Jack went wide-eyed with shock as the vine wrapped around his wrist and the thorns pierced his skin.

Merlin was about to run to his rescue, but Elsa got to her brother first. She held her hand above the vine, and the plant froze under her touch. Jack pulled, and the plant shattered. Elsa hovered her hand over his bloodied wrist. When she let go, Jack’s skin was clear of all wounds.

“Thanks, sis,” Jack said, rubbing his wrist.

“Be careful in the future,” she said and turned her back on him to listen to Professor Sprout’s lecture.

Throughout all of this, she did not pull out her wand.

The magical loneliness Merlin had been ignoring bubbled up to the surface.

“They know Old Religion,” he whispered to himself as his heart constricted.

Even when surrounded by wizards, he was alone in this world. The beliefs and the craft of Old Religion had faded into ancient history no one but him remembered. He had tried to teach others how to use magic the way he practiced it, but very few had the special ability. The popularity of wand magic made them even harder to find now.

Jack shook his finger at the venomous tentacula and only then noticed that Merlin was watching him. He pointed at the plant and warned, “Watch out for this one. Don’t let it grab you.”

Merlin felt an unexplainable urge to give the boy a hug, but for now, he had to settle for a smile from a distance. Fate had a way of bringing him things he didn’t know he needed. Now, fate brought him a kin soul. He wasn’t alone.

The rest of the day passed in a daze as Merlin couldn’t focus on anything else. He was so glad that he accepted Dumbledore’s invitation, he was ready to sit through whatever boring classes were in store for him.

But good fate had more luck for him back in the Gryffindor common room, where he found Harry Potter reading a book, uncharacteristically alone. Merlin sat across from him, promptly joined by Jack who plopped down next to him with a groan as if he was mortally wounded.

Jack exhaled dramatically. “I’m bored. What do you do for fun here?”

“We play Quidditch,” Harry replied, looking up from the book.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a game played in the air,” Harry answered. “We fly on brooms and try to get balls through hoops while Bludgers try to knock us off. And I’m the Seeker, which means I look for the Golden Snitch, a tiny ball, nearly impossible to see. The game will not end until it’s caught.”

“You fly on brooms?” Jack instantly perked up. “That sounds awesome. When can I play?”

“Well, first-years usually don’t get to be on the team, but Madam Hooch will be giving you flying lessons soon.”

From there, Merlin took the cue to keep the conversation on Quidditch, which Harry was happy to talk about. Merlin had never played the game, but he had seen a few matches and was familiar with it enough to hold a proper discussion on the topic. He was glad he found some common ground to engage in with the boy. It was peculiar that Jack, being pure-blood, wasn’t familiar with the most popular wizarding sport.

They were exchanging Snape horror stories, Harry particularly liked the vampire comparison, when they were joined by Colin, who immediately asked Harry if he would pose for more photographs. This prompted Harry to leave under the excuse of having a load of homework.

“Harry is so cool,” Colin said, bouncing on his couch cushion. “He was so good at flying that they put him on the team in his first year. As a Seeker! I hear that is the hardest role. They had not done that in like a hundred years. Can you imagine? He was THAT good. I can’t wait to watch him play for the first time. I’ll bring my camera. I’ve never seen Quidditch before. How violent do you think this game gets? I heard that Bludgers hit really hard. Should we be worried about Harry?”

“Most injuries can be healed with a spell,” Merlin said, thinking about what he witnessed in the greenhouse today. Elsa used a remarkable healing spell. Jack didn’t look affected by the plant’s poison at all.

Jack jumped to crouch barefoot on the back of the sofa. “Merlin, we have got to do something fun. I’m dying here.”

“You’ve been here only one day. You’re dying already?”

“You saw what our classes were like. BORING! I can’t be cooped up in one place for this long. I need to… do something.”

Colin stood up, mouth open, eyes wide. “We could explore the castle!”

“Let’s go!” Jack said, jumping off the sofa and heading for the door.

Merlin followed them and pointed out, “You forgot your shoes.”

"No, I didn't," Jack said, wiggling his bare toes happily.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Elsa loved her first day of school. Each class introduced a new subject of knowledge, and she hungered for more. She had caught up with Jack earlier and got the scoop on the subjects he attended in the morning but didn’t quite believe him that History of Magic was a magical sleep inducer or that Professor Snape had vampiric mind control powers.

While waiting for supper, she lounged in Ravenclaw common room, reading a book about Hogwarts when she accidentally stumbled upon a piece of information that shook her world: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was located in the Scottish highlands.

She slowly let go of the page, her fingers stiff from the intense way she held the book. She couldn’t believe that after all the effort they made to escape, they had come right back.

“It’s freezing,” a student sitting next to her complained, and Elsa realized that she accidentally lowered the room temperature with her mood. Losing control like this didn’t happen to her often, and she didn’t know how to undo it. All she could do was to leave.

She headed for the Great Hall, where she hoped to find her brother. Yes, he was already there. She marched up to the Gryffindor table, grabbed Jack by the arm, and dragged him out. He must have sensed her urgency because he let himself be hauled out without a word. Once in the hallway, she checked if they were alone and finally released him.

“Do you realize where we are?” she asked, panic sinking its claws into her.

He rubbed his arm and raised an eyebrow at her. “Looks like a hallway to me.”

She hit him on the same arm, and he winced. “This isn’t a joke, Jack. Not everything is a joke!”

She closed her eyes, took a long breath, and tried to calm herself down. It wasn’t right to take out her nerves on her brother. “Jack, we’re in Scotland.”

His eyes bulged. “What?” he shouted so loud that an echo of it bounced around the walls and continued echoing in her head long after it had been said. He pulled on his hair with both hands. “So stupid. So stupid,” he muttered with closed eyes. “We were going north for hours. I should’ve known. “ Then, he looked back at her pleadingly. “We should have asked her where this school was.”

Elsa felt exactly the same. They were so excited to come here, they never stopped to question the school’s location. She was supposed to be the smart one. She failed them both.

“What are we going to do?” Jack turned on the spot and paced in a small circle, both hands still in his hair. “How close are we?”

“I don’t know. They use some kind of magic to make it impossible to put Hogwarts on a map.”

That type of magic wouldn’t be enough to hide them from their mother, Elsa was sure—not when they were in her territory. It had taken them weeks to get out of the highlands the first time. Could they use Hogwarts Express to get back to London? What if it was too late? What if their mother had already gotten the wind they had come back? What about all their plans of making friends, learning magic, building a new life?

In moments like this, she needed her brother. He was always the one person who made her feel safe. She made him stop pacing and hugged him.

“Do we run?” she asked into his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her. “Where do we go?”

“What are you two up to?” a voice made them jump, and Jack reflexively squeezed her tighter.

They turned their heads around and found McGonagall just two feet away. They stared at her dumbfounded as she narrowed her eyes at them. What did she want?

“Follow me,” she said and walked down the hall, without looking back, expecting perfect obedience. They exchanged a look, shrugged, and did as they were told.

She led them to her office and motioned for them to sit at two chairs in front of a large desk. It was a small room with a large fireplace, which at the moment thankfully was not lit.

McGonagall closed the door and sat in her chair, all straight and proper. “Did my ears deceive me or did it sound like you were planning to run away? Again. Care to elaborate?”

Elsa slumped in her seat, having no words.

Were

they planning to run away? She wasn’t sure.

Jack’s hands were in fists on his lap. “You don’t understand, Professor.”

“Please, enlighten me. I do believe I am competent enough to follow.”

The woman’s lips were tightly pressed together, which accentuated the few wrinkles on her face. This was her stern face. She would not tolerate any of Jack’s snark today. Her brother was able to get away with nearly anything over the summer, but ever since they arrived at Hogwarts, McGonagall had assumed the role of a strict teacher. It would take more than Jack’s charm to placate her now.

Jack exchanged a look with Elsa with a silent question. How much should they tell her? Elsa hated holding back the truth from the woman who had been so kind to them, but they couldn’t tell her their mother was the most powerful being in these lands without exposing what they were.

“We did not realize that this school is in Scotland,” Elsa said. “We

can’t

be here.”

“What exactly is your problem with Scotland?” McGonagall asked, looking from him to Elsa.

Jack swallowed. His face was composed but anxiety wafted from him like a scent. He picked up a quill from the desk and turned it around in his hands.

“We’re not safe here,” he said.

McGonagall sighed and shifted in her seat. “I’ll have you know that Hogwarts is the safest place in all of the British Isles.” She waited for a beat and added, “Besides, you’ve been in Scotland all summer long.”

Elsa’s heart fell. She had apparated with them back to her home, robbing them of an opportunity to see where they were going.

“Your house? Your house is in Scotland?” Elsa stood up. “Why didn’t you tell us where you took us? You brought us right back!”

“Sit down, young lady,” McGonagall said calmly. “If you don’t recall, you refused to tell me where you escaped from. This is an excellent time to correct that omission.”

The woman’s sharp stare could bore a hole through Elsa. She sat back down and exchanged a look with Jack who accidentally frosted over the quill in his hand but hadn’t noticed yet.

They were so close to their mother right now. What would she do if she found them? She was likely furious that they escaped. Did she sense their presence during the summer? Were they closer now than they were in McGonagall’s house? There were too many questions in Elsa’s head to think properly.

“Professor, just how close are we to Ben Nevis?” Jack asked calmly, but the witch immediately understood the significance of his question.

Elsa held her breath as a pulse thudded in her ears. This was a lot more information than they had ever given her.

“Not very close,” McGonagall said. “Perhaps a hundred miles away.”

Jack stared blankly at a wall, oblivious to the frost that spread on the desk under his hand.

“Her powers were too weak to sense us in the summer,” he muttered to himself, “but winter will be here in just a few weeks.”

Elsa’s mind was in a fog. It was a cruel joke to be given a taste of what they wanted so much and have it taken away.

“I’m scared,” Elsa admitted.

“We’re together,” he assured her and took her hand in his. “We’ll be okay as long as we stay together.”

But his confident words did not stop the spread of the frost which overtook the whole desk.

“Jack,” Elsa reminded him.

He looked around and groaned, seeing the mess he was making.

“Sorry,” he murmured. The frost momentarily stopped spreading, but he didn’t know how to undo his magic either.

McGonagall cleared her throat, “I won’t let anything happen to you, children. You’re safe here.”

Elsa squeezed his hand and remembered what she’d read about the school today. “Hogwarts is surrounded by wards that protect it from being found, right?”

“Yes,” McGonagall said. “A Muggle would only see castle ruins.”

“But can the school hide magic from those who can sense it?”

“With all the magic intermingled within Hogwarts, I presume no one could pinpoint your magic signature from the outside. You are better hidden here than you could be anywhere else.” The witch stressed her next words. “If you’d like a more definite answer, I’d need a more specific question. It would help immensely if you told me who you are afraid of. You can trust me. I only want to protect you.”

The twins looked at each other, thinking the same thing: ‘Is it time to tell her?’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Minerva patiently waited for her students to file into the classroom. This morning, she had first-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. As the Deputy Headmistress, she was responsible for creating the class schedule, and it was no coincidence that she had the twins together in her class for the entire year.

The students came in, and the twins sat together, avoiding looking at her.

Minerva’s mind kept drifting off to last evening’s conversation with them. Yet again, she had tried to get them to open up about their past, and just when she thought that they would finally let go of their secrets, they clamped up, said nothing. How was she supposed to help them if she didn’t know what scared them so much?

She had been trying for months to gain their trust and couldn’t imagine what it was that she was doing wrong. Sometimes, she wished she could use Veritaserum on them to get this frustrating silence over with. It would be easy for a couple of drops of the truth potion to “accidentally” find its way to their drinks, not that she’d thought about it or anything.

Since the twins wouldn’t confide in her, she made them promise that they wouldn’t run away. If they had any other concerns, they were to come to her immediately. Her door would always be open to them. They agreed obediently and left her to her frustrated thoughts.

Once a runaway, always a runaway

—she feared this logic would apply in their case no matter what they promised her.

She gave the class a brief introduction to this year’s curriculum, had them take notes, and gave them the first task, to turn a match into a needle. She walked between the rows of desks to check on each student, to correct their pronunciation or wand movement.

One student was hopelessly failing.

“Mr. Ealdor, put a little effort in.”

The boy said the spell wrong. She corrected him, he pronounced it right but waved his wand sloppily. She showed him the correct way to do it, but this time, he dropped his wand. Something kept happening, messing up his spell. He aimed it in the air. He held the wand backwards. He performed the move before saying the spell. It was as if he was doing it wrong on purpose! At last, he got a hiccup attack, making it impossible to say the spell at all.

“See me after class,” she told him. She had spent too much time with him already and ignored the needs of other students.

“Sure, Professor,” he answered with a smile, and she wasn’t sure what he was so happy about. No student had ever looked forward to seeing her after class.

She went around the classroom, checked the children’s progress, and finally arrived at the twins’ table. She was very curious to see their progress in Transfiguration. It was a difficult branch of magic, but she had high hopes that they would do well. She remembered her first Transfiguration class. She turned that pebble into a button halfway through the lesson. It felt easy, but talent like hers was rare.

“Can I have a new match, Professor?” Elsa asked her shyly.

Minerva checked on what happened to the girl’s match and got excited, seeing that it was transfigured but then her spirits deflated. The match was still a match but it was now made of ice. Minerva sighed and brought a new match for the girl to work on.

Jack was not making much progress either. His match slid down his desk every time he said the spell. It was only their first lesson. They had a lot to learn, just like the other first-years, but Minerva was slightly disappointed that they did not show a natural talent in her branch of magic.

She corrected Jack’s wand movement, but he waved it too enthusiastically, which resulted in his match exploding into a burst of flurries. Jack put a hand over his mouth to hold in his laughter. He glanced at her and his smile faltered.

She smiled back to let him know she wasn’t angry with him. She was frustrated with the secrecy, yes, but the worries these children gave her were not their fault. Maybe she wasn’t qualified to be their guardian. Would they have opened up to someone else?

The class came to an end and none of her students made any progress. Most years, she had one or two students succeed during the first lesson. Her personal record was five. It had been at least a decade since there were none. Was she losing her touch?

“Do not become discouraged,” she told them as they packed their bags. “The elegant art of transfiguration is an exact science with no margin for error. It will take time for you to get better at it. Keep practicing.”

The students left, and Merlin stayed behind.

“Mr. Ealdor,” she said, sitting down and folding her hands on the desk, “would you mind telling me what that was in class today?”

“It looked like everyone had a hard time with this spell,” the boy said.

“No. The other students were trying. You did not perform the spell right even once.”

“I’m sorry, Professor. I’ll try harder next time.”

Something in his tone made her think that he found this conversation amusing. Most students found her intimidating, which was how she preferred it. Mild intimidation helped keep the restless youth in line.

“Do not think that I will not fail you just because you are in Gryffindor. I expect the same level of effort from students of all Houses.”

“Yes, Professor.”

She still wasn’t convinced that he took her warning seriously, but she couldn’t do anything else at this point. Every year had a couple of slackers and underachievers. She dismissed him and prepared for the next class. 
 
》《

Merlin strolled through the Hogwarts hallway, looking out the windows towards the grounds, contemplating if he wanted to go outside or back to his dorm. He felt stir-crazy from being cooped up in dingy classrooms every day, but an afternoon nap sounded inviting.

The first week at Hogwarts was going smoothly. He got to introduce himself to Harry, though the boy was always too busy to talk. Dumbledore’s reasoning was that too many people would start asking questions if Merlin showed up in the second year. As a first-year student, he was just one of many, not worth noticing. Dumbledore didn’t realize just how much of a difference it made to not share classes and dorm with Harry, but it was too late to change that now. Merlin had to make it work.

As part of the blending-in act, Merlin tried to pretend to not know magic but had a hard time gauging just how much he should fake it. At first, he tried to use Jack as his guide, but with the variety of random nonverbal spells he was casting, Jack was not the right child to use as a “normal” baseline. Colin proved to be a much better example of how a first-year student should struggle or succeed, so Merlin watched him closely and tried to recreate his results. He might have overdone it in Transfiguration.

His thoughts were interrupted as he collided with a mass of dark robes and landed on his butt painfully. His bookbag flew up while its contents fell around him.

“Watch where you’re going, ear-head,” sneered a Slytherin boy while two very large boys stood on his sides like bodyguards. His name was Draco Malfoy, as Merlin had learned, the same pale-haired boy that bothered Harry in the Diagon Alley bookstore.

“Ear-head. That’s a good one, Malfoy,” chuckled the fat gooney. “‘Cause his ears are as big as his head.”

“Another Gryffinloser,” Malfoy said while kicking away Merlin’s bag. “They’ll let anyone in that House.”

‘Remember why you’re doing this,’ Merlin told himself. ‘It’s all for Harry.’

“Sorry. My bad.” He tried to get up, and one of the large boys kicked his arm away, making him drop to the ground again.

“Oops,” the boy said innocently while keeping his foot ready to kick Merlin’s hand, should he attempt it again. “He can’t get up.”

Merlin’s mind started swirling with ideas of how he could retaliate without revealing himself. He could have some fun with it or create an inconspicuous distraction. Dumbledore would prefer the latter, but he wasn’t the one being humiliated on the floor by three prats.

“Leave him alone,” Jack’s familiar voice called out from behind the Slytherins.

He went around the three bullies and extended a hand to Merlin.

Malfoy was the first to recover from the interruption.

“Oh, wait,” he mocked, pointing out Jack to his bodyguards. “Elsa is here to save the day.”

His goonies cackled like hyenas, and Merlin worried about how Jack was going to react to the taunt, but Jack put a lopsided smile on his face and faced Malfoy.

“Was that supposed to be funny? I’ll tell you what’s funny, Malfoy. Your face.”

Malfoy’s sneer turned into a venomous scowl, and he lunged at Jack but slipped, on what, Merlin wasn’t sure. As he fell backwards with flailing arms, Merlin took that as his cue. He locked his eyes on the feet of the two large boys and commanded their shoelaces to tie to each other, and they promptly fell down with very unmanly shrieks.

The three Slytherins writhed on the floor while Jack picked up Merlin’s books. Malfoy got up first and shook the dust off his robes.

“You don’t want to make an enemy out of me, freak.” Without his bodyguards to back him up, his threat didn’t sound confident. “Wait till my father hears about this.”

Jack ignored him and put the stack of books in Merlin’s hands.

“Are you deaf or did you bleach your brain along with that hair?”

“I bet he bleaches it together with his tighty-whities,” one of the goonies on the floor retorted while trying to untangle his shoes.

Merlin was puzzled. That insult didn’t even make sense.

Jack put his arm around Merlin and steered him away from the trio. When out of their view, his cheeky grin faltered. He wasn’t as immune to their insults as he pretended.

Out of the corner of his eye, Merlin noticed that Malfoy pulled out his wand. The little git was planning to jinx them in the back! Before the Slytherin could utter the curse, Merlin used his magic to slightly move the boy’s wand up.

“Ow,” Malfoy cried, clutching his eye.

“Why’d you poke yourself?” the flat-faced goonie asked while still struggling with his shoes.

Merlin snickered and casually left the scene. He wished he could stick around and pick on them more. Being young was stripping him of all maturity, but if it continued being this fun, he didn’t mind.

“Thanks,” Merlin said, fixing the scarf around his neck, which came loose during the encounter.

He could’ve handled it on his own, but it was touching that Jack was willing to stand up to three older boys for him. He was difficult to figure out. He kept his head down most days, always defaulting to spending more time with his sister than his friends, but his heart was in the right place.

Jack strolled next to him with hands in his pockets. “What are tighty-whities?”

“Your undies. Tighty-whitie-undies.” Answered Peeves, the resident Poltergeist, who glided in front of them and bobbed in the air. “I saw what you did. Naughty boys. Very naughty.”

He locked his orange eyes on Jack, and the boy’s face grew even paler than it already was. He grabbed Merlin’s arm and pulled him away.

“Wait, wait, wait, little boys,” Peeves caught up to them and forced them to stop. “Don’t run away. I like naughty boys.” He looked from Jack to Merlin. “A big secret, I see. We’re keeping secrets. Peeves loves secrets.”

The bell on his hat swung from side to side, making a jingly sound to the rhythm of his malevolent chuckle.

Merlin swallowed. Did Peeves know about him? How did he find out?

“Please, don’t say anything,” Jack said. Did he think Peeves addressed him?

Peeves chuckled again, rubbed his hands together, and said in a sing-song voice, “What to do? Oh, what to do? Peeves knows a secret or maybe two.”

Merlin stood still and tried to keep a blank face as if he didn’t know what was going on. It was only his first week. His identity couldn’t be revealed just yet, but spirits were not people. They couldn’t be reasoned with. They could only be bribed.

“I’m glad you approve of how we handled the situation,” Merlin addressed Peeves, who grinned widely. “Feel free to finish what we started. Those three Slytherins are just begging to be pranked some more today.”

Peeves looked between them and chuckled in his high-pitched voice. “Bullies three, pranksters three.”

“That’s right. They need a third prankster to even the odds. Go, do what you do best, Peeves.”

Peeves cackled and floated off in the direction of the three Slytherins, taking his knowledge with him. Would anyone believe him if he claimed that the famous Merlin was among them? Nah. Who would believe such nonsense?

“I have to find my sister,” Jack said, walking away.

Merlin was tempted to call after him but caught himself before opening his mouth. His mission here was to spend time with Harry. Getting to know Jack had to take the backseat.

He found Harry in the Gryffindor common room, playing a game of Wizard’s Chess with Ron. Merlin sat by them to observe. Besides Quidditch, was this Harry’s preferred past-time? Merlin wasn’t particularly good at chess, not having the patience for it. The only times he’d won at this game, he cheated with magic.

“Nice one, Ron,” Merlin said, watching Ron take down another of Harry’s pieces.

The ginger boy was actually a good strategist. If Harry lost to him, he might appreciate playing with Merlin later. An easy win could put him in a good mood.

Colin ran down from the dorms, holding a stack of prints.

“Merlin, there you are! I developed my first Hogwarts photos. Do you want to see?”

Not waiting for an answer, he shoved the prints into Merlin’s hands and bit his lip, awaiting an opinion. Surprisingly, the pictures were of good quality, one wouldn’t think they were taken by a child. There were shots of Hogwarts Express, the castle, some magical objects, as well as several students and teachers. They represented the overall feeling of the Hogwarts experience. It was like seeing the school from Colin’s point of view: the castle was grand, the magic was amazing, and the people were happy.

“These are good, Colin,” Merlin said, and the boy beamed with pride.

Merlin paused on a picture of Harry with Professor Lockhart. Harry in the picture was trying to get away while Lockhart kept him in a lock, smiling broadly. Why did Dumbledore hire this buffoon?

Colin noticed which picture Merlin was on and pulled it out of his hands.

“Harry, would you please sign it? It would mean the world to me.”

Harry gritted his teeth and said, “No,” not even looking at the boy

Colin stood frozen, holding the picture, and his smile slowly fell. While Merlin understood Harry’s dislike for excessive attention, he felt bad for Colin.

“I’m sure Lockhart would love to autograph it for you,” Merlin said, hoping to dissolve the uneasy silence.

“Yeah, I’ll ask him,” Colin said, still looking at Harry, who was pretending that he wasn’t there.

Colin took the pictures and went back to the dorm without another word.

Merlin felt torn. On the one hand, he wanted to stand up for the small boy and tell off Harry for being so cold, but on the other hand, he needed Harry to think he was on his side.

“It will pass,” Merlin said, looking for a middle ground. “Colin’s excitement will wear off soon, and he’ll move on to a new obsession.”

Harry and Ron continued their game and discussed detentions they had in the evening, and very soon Merlin became aware that neither of them had said a word to him the whole time he was there.

‘They’re treating me like Colin,’ he realized. ‘Maybe worse.’

Merlin felt a sting of rejection. He knew that befriending Harry would take time, but he assumed that it would happen - as long as he was friendly and helpful, he would eventually be accepted into Harry’s circle of friends. He never would have expected that he was going to be pushed aside and not even given a chance at friendship.

“I’ll see you later,” he said. They ignored that as well.

He made his way to his dorm, wondering what he was doing wrong. He stayed current with modern affairs and language, and he felt young, especially now, but what if he was too ancient to connect with the modern youth? When did making friends become so difficult?

He tried to remember back to his childhood. Though most memories had faded, he recalled having at least one good friend. Was there no more? He didn’t get to live like other kids, having to hide his magic as it was punishable by death. He had to hide it now too, pretend to be someone he was not. What if these kids could sense he wasn’t like them?

He found Colin sitting on his bed, holding his stack of pictures, looking somber. A frown did not look right on him.

“Did you know,” Merlin said from the doorframe, “that if you develop the film in the right potion, the pictures will move?”

“Really??? Like the paintings?” Colin instantly perked up, that spark of light returning to his eyes. “Oh. My. Wand. Can you teach me?”

“I don’t know the recipe, but I’m sure if you check in the library, you’ll find instructions for the potion.”

“That’s amazing! I can’t wait. I’ll show it to my parents. They will love that! I can’t wait until I can do that all by myself. My first magic potion! Will you help me look it up?”

“Uh… sure. Let’s go.”

Colin bounded over. “Merlin, you’re the best friend!”

Merlin clapped the small boy on the shoulder and led him to the library. Colin didn’t have a problem with him. Maybe one day he would win over Harry as well.

Merlin wasn’t ready to admit defeat. There was an advantage in hiding his identity and being underestimated. Dumbledore was right. He was exactly the type of a secret ally Harry needed. Too bad Harry didn’t know that.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ginny yawned widely and stretched in her bed. Finally, it was Saturday. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had a practice scheduled for today. She got dressed and ran out of the Gryffindor tower, invigorated by the thought of seeing Harry play. When she got outside though, she found the Gryffindor team coming back inside the castle with frowns on their faces. Harry was not among them. “Is practice over?” she asked Fred.“Cancelled,” he answered.“Slytherins,” George added, accentuating the ‘s’.The team made their way inside, grumbling about the Slytherins and Snape. Only Colin was left behind.“All I wanted was to take a picture,” he said before she even asked. “It was interesting, that’s all. And they got all angry at me and pushed me aside. You don’t see someone coughing up slugs every day, you know? It probably wasn’t pleasant but I’m sure he would find it funny later. And wouldn’t a picture be a great keepsake of a funny moment like that? I would’ve wanted a picture if it was me. Why don’t they get it?”“Who was coughing up slugs?”“Your brother, Ron. I think that broken wand of his malfunctioned when he tried to jinx someone.”Ginny shook her head in disbelief. “That’s what he gets for being too much of a coward to ask mum for a new wand.”Colin sighed and blew invisible dust off his camera.“I was hoping to get a few pictures of the Quidditch practice, but it’s just Slytherins on the field now. I don’t like them. They keep making fun of me because my parents aren’t wizards.”“Don’t worry, Colin,” Ginny patted his arm. “You’ll get your chance to see Quidditch later. And those Slytherins are jerks. Just call me if they ever give you trouble. Gryffindors stick up for each other. Now, let’s get to breakfast. I’m starving.”Colin’s frown lifted a little, and she offered him a hand to help him get up. He followed her to the Great Hall with the usual bounce in his step. It was really unfair how some wizards treated Muggleborns. Colin had as much right to attend Hogwarts as any other student. When they got to the Great hall, they found Merlin and Jack already seated. “You’re back quickly, Colin,” Merlin said. “I thought practice would be longer than that. We were hoping to catch some of it after breakfast.”“Practice was cancelled,” Colin answered grumpily and sat down with Ginny. “Snape gave Slytherins permission to take the field. How did you all do on your Potions homework?”“I aced it,” Merlin said smugly. “Snape looked really unhappy that he couldn’t fail it. I think, Jack, you got a good grade too, right?” Jack nodded but stayed quiet, picking at his food.“What about you, Colin?” Merlin continued.“Not so great.” Colin bit down his bread angrily. “Apparently, I missed the whole point and wrote off-topic. Snape hates me just like all the Slytherin kids do.”“Let me look over it next time. I’ll let you know if you’re on the right track,” Merlin offered. “How did you do with Snape, Ginny?” Merlin asked, and Ginny felt a sting of panic, realizing that his cerulean-blue eyes were on her.He had pretty eyes but not as pretty as Harry’s. Harry’s eyes were the most beautiful green she’d ever seen: lime with specs of gold at the center and dark grass-green at the edge. She would love it if she felt brave enough to look into those eyes straight up and… Oh, no. Why was she thinking about Harry now?“I did okay,” she answered quickly and hoped that her cheeks did not betray her. If they did, Merlin did not comment, and she felt thankful that boys were not as nosy as girls. The Chatties would have picked up on her little daydreaming immediately and would have surely teased her about it.Jack suddenly got up and called over their heads, “Hey, Luna.”A short blond Ravenclaw girl walked up to them and all of their eyes turned to her.“Have you seen Elsa?” he asked her. “I haven’t seen her come down yet.”“She said she wasn’t hungry,” Luna answered, looking at the space above Jack. “But she didn’t stay in the dorm. Honestly, I’m worried about her. I think her ears must be infested with Wrackspurts.”Jack frowned. “What’s that?”“They’re these little invisible creatures that fly into your ears and make your brain go fuzzy. If you find her, tell her to think happy thoughts to dispell them.”She smiled and walked away, leaving Jack with worry etched on his face.Ginny waited until the girl left and tried to suppress a laugh. “Don’t worry, Jack. Your sister is fine. It sounds like one of those made-up stories The Quibbler keeps producing. Mum says it’s full of rubbish.”Jack didn’t seem reassured but remained standing, looking after Luna and switching his weight from one leg to the other. He finally sat down and stabbed a sausage link with his fork.“Merlin,” Colin asked, “would you help me prepare that photo potion?”“Sure, we could work on that today.”Ginny wanted to ask them if she could join but held back, not feeling invited. She wasn’t part of their group. They allowed her to sit with them probably just to be nice. Merlin craned his neck to see the Gryffindor table. “How come Harry is not here yet?”“Oh, he took Ron to that big guy, the gamekeeper,” Colin said, “because Ron was coughing up slugs. It was disgusting but also fascinating. They were huge and slimy.” She winced at the description but Colin did not stop. “I wanted to take a picture but they wouldn’t let me. Did you know there is a jinx that can do that? Ron tried to jinx some Slytherin, I don’t know why, but his wand is broken. Did you notice? And so his jinx backfired. The Slytherins were laughing. I wonder how long he’s going to be coughing up slugs. How long do jinxes normally last? What do you think slugs taste like?”Ginny suddenly felt nauseated and excused herself.When she was leaving, she overheard Colin say, “Oh, should I not have mentioned slugs?” which was followed by the boys laughing.Ginny dragged her feet back to the dorm, mad at herself for having a weak stomach. She was too much of a girl to fit in with the boys.The chatties were thankfully not back yet and she sat down on her bed, blissfully alone. Back home, there was always someone in the house, it was never quiet, but at least she had her own room. At Hogwarts, she shared a room with three other girls, who occupied each free moment with their favorite topic: making fun of boys. She loved these brief moments of privacy.After a while though, the blissful silence in the room lost its appeal. It was Saturday. She should be doing something fun, something with friends. Her roommates were nice but she didn’t have anything in common with them. She liked sports, they liked fashion. She liked rock bands like Weird Sisters, they liked boy bands. And the boys didn’t see her as one of them either.She dug in her trunk and pulled out her journal. She touched the leather cover tenderly and wondered what she could write in it. A recap of her first week at Hogwarts sounded like a good start. Dear Diary , she scratched with her quill and paused, wondering how to summarize it all. History of Magic was as dull, though watching the ghost of her professor float about was entertaining. Professor Snape had lived up to the savage stories her brothers had told her. Herbology was fun since it didn’t take place in a boring classroom. Charms looked promising but they hadn’t done any spells yet. And Transfiguration was a bust so far. Nothing exciting had really happened.She thought to write just that but got confused by a blank page under her quill. Hadn’t she just written something in there?  Dear Diary , she wrote again and gasped as her words were absorbed by the paper, leaving her with a blank page again.“Are you okay, Ginny?” one of her roommates asked. She didn’t even notice her come in.“Yeah,” Ginny cleared her throat. “Just remembered something.”She looked at her ordinary quill and ink bottle. She had just used them for homework earlier.With a shaking hand, she scribbled, Is this a magic diary? After a short pause, the words disappeared and new words appeared on the page in a script too elegant for her handwriting.
Obviously.
Ginny inhaled sharply and looked around the room. Her roommates had come back but didn’t pay her attention. No one noticed that she was holding a diary that could talk back to her.She had never heard of such a magical object, but anything was possible. Her own father enchanted a car to fly. Could she have a conversation with this book?
Hi, Diary. I’m Ginny Weasley.

My name is Tom, not Diary.
Ginny stifled a giggle. Her diary was a boy.
Hi Tom. How come you can write back to me?

I enchanted my own diary to preserve a memory of myself in its pages.
Ginny turned the book over to look at the inscribed initials on the cover: T. M. Riddle. T. like Tom! He was a real person.
It’s nice to meet you, Tom. Why did you preserve a memory of yourself?
Tom didn’t answer immediately. 
Didn’t you ever want to leave something behind so people wouldn’t forget you?

I’m one of seven children. I know what it’s like to feel forgotten.

I’m sorry to hear that. What is it like to have so many siblings?

It’s chaotic. You can never get a moment’s peace and you live in a world of hand-me-downs.

But at least, you can rely on your siblings to be there for you, right? They are your friends?

Most of the time, my brothers just pick on me or tease me. They’re not my friends.
Ginny looked at the Chatties having fun together on the other side of the room and thought about how apart she felt from them.
I don’t have any friends.
She immediately regretted admitting to it. It sounded so whiny.
Then, I will be your friend.
She read the words over and over before they disappeared. Someone wanted to be her friend. The thought made her feel warm inside. Was it possible to be friends with a boy she could never meet in person? Unless she could one day.
Thank you, Tom.

So, tell me. Did anything interesting happen today?

I was supposed to watch my team practice Quidditch but it was cancelled so I’m left with nothing to do.

We’ll find you something to do, Ginny. Now, how about we talk about you? I want to know more about you, my dear friend.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Last night, a disturbing dream had tormented Elsa: Mother showed up at Hogwarts to drag them away. They were powerless to stop her and none of the teachers dared to intervene.

Elsa did not want to leave Hogwarts. She loved learning magic, and she loved her new best friend. Luna Lovegood was full of warmth and kindness. It was never boring with her around. Out of nowhere, she’d break into a song or start dancing and give Elsa something to smile about. She couldn't imagine going back to her old life underground, where her only company, besides her brother, were hags and smelly goats. And her mother? A shiver went down her spine that had nothing to do with being cold. Mother had to be furious with them now. Elsa didn’t dare imagine what punishment she would choose.

The possibility of Mother finding them loomed over her like a dark cloud and overshadowed every other thought. While she knew it had only been a dream this time, it wasn’t a figment of her imagination. It was foolish to think that they were completely hidden in the castle. It was only a matter of time before Mother discovered them, and just like in the dream, no one would stop her.

Elsa picked up her Transfiguration textbook and paged through it absentmindedly. She had nearly told McGonagall the truth, but couldn’t phrase it right.

Our mother is Dark Beira, The Spirit of Winter that rules over these lands in the cold months.

You’re the offspring of a mythical being, are you? Don’t be absurd, child, and tell me the truth.

Elsa laughed out loud, imagining that conversation. No, it was safer to let McGonagall believe they had no family at all. It was close enough to the truth.

She put the book away and went looking for Luna.

She found her in the common room sitting on the floor with her legs folded beneath her. Luna’s long hair spilled around her arms and onto the coffee table. It was a darker shade blond than Mother’s but beautiful in its own way. She was drawing the face of a pretty woman, who seemed to gaze back from the parchment. Elsa immediately felt an artistic bond with her.

“That’s really beautiful, Luna. Who is this?”

“That’s my mom,” the girl said while continuing her drawing. “She died, so whenever I want to see her again, I just draw her.”

Elsa wasn’t sure what to say, so she put a hand on her shoulder and watched her draw stunning details of hair curling in beautiful locks.

“I was very sad for a long time,” Luna said, “but at least I still have my dad. He makes everything better.”

Would Elsa feel sad if her mother died? She never considered the possibility. Her mother didn’t age as normal people did.

“I never even met my dad,” Elsa murmured.

“Do you want to?”

“I don’t know who he is or how to find him.”

“Have you tried magic?”

Elsa gaped at the girl who was still occupied with her craft, unaware of what she’d just proposed. Elsa had never thought to seek her father because Mother refused to tell her anything about him. But maybe when you had an impossible question, magic was the answer.

“Do you know of a spell that would help me find my father?”

Luna shrugged and looked up from her drawing with big dreamy eyes. “No, but we are in a magic school, aren’t we?”

Elsa’s head started swirling with ideas. What if their father could protect them from their mother? What if they could live with him instead of with McGonagall?

“Thank you, Luna,” she called out, running out of the common room.
 
》《

“I think you’re drooling,” Jack said as Elsa gaped at the Hogwarts library.

It was a tall room divided into many aisles, stretching ahead for eons, home to thousands upon thousands of books. To his sister, it had to be like paradise. He still wasn’t sure why she brought them here.

“This is going to take some time,” Elsa said under her breath. “Oh, a librarian.”

She approached a thin woman sitting behind a wooden desk, littered by leather-bound ancient volumes.

“Hello.”

“Yes?” The witch’s cheeks were sunken and her complexion pasty like she rarely ever went outside.

“I’m looking for someone and…”

“Then you’re in the wrong place. This is a library. You will only find books here.” The woman looked back down at the large book in front of her.

Elsa forced a smile. “I am looking for a book that would help me find someone. What kind of book would you recommend? If you could just point us in the right section...”

The librarian glared at her like a predator. “If you don’t know what book you’re looking for, how should I? Do not waste my time, children.”

Elsa backed away and glanced sideways at Jack. She whispered, “you try.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Just charm her so she would help us.”

“Why do you think I can charm her?”

“Have you not noticed how easily you won over McGonagall? Do you not see how all the girls hang onto your every word? Just go, do your thing. Smile at her or something.”

Jack didn’t notice anything like what she described at all, but Elsa didn’t let him protest and pushed him at the librarian’s desk where he landed with a clatter.

The sunken-faced woman fumed at the noise, her nostrils expanding like she was a bull.

Jack scratched the back of his neck. “Hi, uh...” He read a plaque attached to the desk. “Madam Pince, my sister and I, we’re lost here. There are so many books. Would you please help us?”

The woman glared at him like he had committed a crime for disturbing her. What did Elsa think he could do? Did he have a trick for McGonagall? Well, usually when he wanted her to stop yelling, he lowered his head and raised only his eyes, trying to look innocent. He tried it now on the librarian. Her vulture-like expression started to melt. She got up from her chair, her face contorting into what had to be a very rarely used smile.

“Of course, boy. That’s my job. What’s your name?”

Whoa. Did that really work?

“I’m Jack,” he answered shyly, trying to keep the innocent mask on, “and that’s my twin, Elsa.”

“Twins, how cute,” the woman said and smoothed the hair on his head. “Sure, I’ll help you.”

Elsa nudged him with her elbow, saying, “I told you so.”

With the librarian’s help, they found the Divination section, where she recommended books on scrying for lost objects. She smiled at them kindly, encouraged Jack to come to her anytime he needed, and left them to their research.

With the librarian gone, Jack dropped the puppy-eyes and faced Elsa. “Okay. Who are we looking for?”

“Our father,” Elsa explained while touching the spines of the books to check their titles. “Mother refused to tell us anything about him but what if we could find him with magic?”

“Why do you want to find him?” He leaned against a shelf and folded his arms on his chest.

“You don’t?”

Jack shrugged. “I never really thought about it.”

“You’re not even a little curious who he might be or what he’s like?”

Jack looked down at his shoes, wondering if he could shed them. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. “He left us with her. He doesn’t care.”

Elsa paused with a book halfway off the shelf. “Jack, what if we could live with him?”

Jack picked at his cuticles to distract himself from memories that were trying to surface. When he was small, he fantasized that one day their father would come to take them away. He waited and waited until he realized that if they ever wanted to see the world outside of Mother’s mountain, they would have to escape on their own. No one would ever come to save them. It was easier to think that their father didn’t exist.

Elsa started looking through the dusty tomes, and Jack quietly stood nearby. She was hopeful. He didn’t want to take it away from her, but he was content with McGonagall. Maybe she could protect them from Mother. She was a powerful witch. They didn’t need another stranger in their lives.

“The books won’t bite you, you know?” she said with a smirk.

He glanced at the volumes, feeling overwhelmed. There had to be hundreds. Thousands! He was pretty sure they’d need magic to retrieve the books on top, the ladders didn’t even reach that far, but he didn’t know any spells like that yet. She didn’t expect them to read it all, did she?

“Books are your thing. I’m no help to you here.”

“Come on, just try.”

She scanned the text with a finger. Was that a reading technique that they taught in her house?

He grabbed a random book and turned to the last page. There were twelve hundred pages in there. He felt lightheaded just thinking about that number. Elsa’s book looked even thicker than that, but it didn’t discourage her. It was like she was a different species.

“I wasn’t smart enough to get into Ravenclaw, remember?” He put the book back. “I’m useless to you.”

“Jack…”

“I’m sorry,” he said, leaving her with the books.

Useless.

He rushed between the aisles, trying to get out of there. He just proved how useless he was, not helping with her project. He was a terrible brother for leaving. At least, he should’ve kept her company, but she made him think about things he wasn’t supposed to be thinking about.

Useless.

No, he had to push those memories away. He had been doing very well recently. He rarely even dreamt about

her

.

Useless

.

Jack ran out of the castle and didn’t stop until he reached a circle of large stones. He sat on the ground with his back against the rock, hugged his knees, and tried to not think about

her

. Frost started spreading underneath him, and he didn’t stop it. He watched it climb the rocks and tried to clear his mind of all thoughts.

It was a mistake, he realized when he felt the memory seep through his defenses. They were maybe four-winters old when their mother started training them. Out of all the sessions, the first one imprinted itself in his head the most—the day he realized that he would always be the weaker twin.
 
》《
 
The chamber they were ushered to was usually off-limits, so today felt special. Inside, a beautiful young woman sat behind a stone table, looking like a spark of life in an otherwise gray room.

“Sit down,” she ordered, gesturing to the empty chairs across from her.

Jack marveled at her. They never got to meet anyone from the outside world before. Two lanterns hung from wall hooks behind her, illuminating golden hair flowing down her shoulders in beautiful waves. On her head, she wore a circlet made of colorful plants Jack didn’t recognize. There was something familiar about her startling blue eyes which sparkled like diamonds in the night. He thought that he should know her but how?

He checked with Elsa, and she was just as surprised as he was.

“Who are you?” he asked.

The woman’s nostrils flared momentarily and she pounded her fist on the table. A cold feeling filled the room, the familiar soothing sensation of winter magic—the same magic he always felt whenever Mother got angry.

“Mother?”

He couldn’t believe his eyes. Why did she look so different? He saw her just a few days ago, and she looked almost like a hag, gnarly fingers, wrinkled skin, and hair as white as theirs. She was the prettiest hag of them all, but still… not this pretty.

“Sit,” she ordered. Her face was beautiful and calm again, and her green gown floated around her feet as she gracefully crossed her legs.

Jack started to wonder what else would change. Hags mentioned that spring was here. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he felt a change in the Earth’s magic. Was that what changed their mother?

“What happened?” Elsa asked, watching their mother with awe.

“No questions!”

Mother placed two small plants on the table, one for each of them. The end of it spread out into delicate purple leaves. Were they leaves? Jack wasn’t sure.

Elsa poked at it and dared to ask, “What is it?”

Mother scoffed, annoyed at the question, but answered.

“It’s a flower,” she spat out as if the word disgusted her. “Meddlesome Spring Spirit’s work,” she murmured to herself.

Jack picked up the flower and felt a faint tingle of magic. It was very different from his mother’s power, but he liked its warmth. Were there more of them somewhere out there?

“Now, freeze it,” Mother ordered and looked at them expectantly.

Jack checked what his sister did—she scrunched up her brows, and the flower in her hand slowly became hidden in a blob of ice.

Mother smiled at her pleasantly. “Good. Keep this up, and I’ll give you a gift.”

Elsa grinned wide. Jack didn’t dare hope for a gift, but Mother’s smile would be enough. He focused on the flower in his hand, willing his magic into it. He did a good job covering it with white frost, but his mother did not smile.

“I said, freeze it,” she said, not even looking at him, busy with admiring her hands. “Spring could melt that frost in seconds.”

He concentrated even harder. A thicker layer of frost covered the flower while its magic began to fade.

“I said, ice! Not frost!” Mother yelled.

He didn’t want to make her angry. He was trying, he really was, but ice wasn’t happening. He looked to his sister for help.

“Just try, Jack,” Elsa encouraged him. “It’s not hard.”

Mother looked just as angry as that time he accidentally disturbed her nap. She was starting to look like her old self, just younger. He closed his eyes and tried his very hardest to pour all his magic into his hands. He wanted her to be happy, to be this beautiful woman, and not a scary hag.

He felt the little plant's magic die and tried not to cry. He didn't want to kill the flower, but he didn't want to disobey his mother either. He willed all he had at the plant, thinking about icicles and frozen puddles. When he opened his eyes to check if it had worked, he found frost covering his hands and creeping up his sleeves.

He put the dead flower on the table, knowing he couldn’t do what Elsa did.

“I don’t know how,” he admitted.

Mother stood up and said only one word, which from then on became her favorite nickname for him.

“Useless.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ginny ran to her dorm with desperation in each step. The most horrible thing that could have happened, had happened. On her way from lunch, she got cornered by the Chatties who asked her what she thought about Harry. Her face turned such beet red that they squealed in unison, “Awww, you LIKE him!” and Ginny fled the scene to hide in her dorm.

“What if Harry finds out?” Ginny asked herself, chewing on her lip.

The Chatties with their gossiping tendencies would not easily forget this. Why did she have to be cursed with a complexion that reflected her emotions as different shades of red? It wasn’t fair. Life wasn’t fair.

She collapsed on her bed and groaned. She wished she had someone to talk to, someone who wouldn’t make fun of her. A real friend. She looked at her nightstand as if she could see through its wooden walls. There was a friend waiting for her inside the drawer. She slowly sat up and pulled out the diary with care.

Hi, Tom. Are you there?

Where would I go?

You’re right. I’m silly.

What’s on your mind, Ginny?

I just wanted to talk to someone.

Sure, I’m here. What happened?

Well,

Ginny hesitated. She was afraid to put it all in writing.

You can tell me anything, Ginny. Anything you say will disappear in my pages never to be read by anyone.

Like a secret?

Exactly like a secret. I’m your diary now, Ginny. I keep your secrets.

Ginny breathed in and out, bracing herself to say what she never dared say to anyone. This was what diaries were for.

There is this boy.

Oh, it’s a boy problem.

Will you make fun of me?

Of course not. Tell me about the boy. What is his name?

His name is Harry Potter. He’s my brother’s best friend.

So, is that a problem? Your brother doesn’t like it that you like his friend?

I don’t think my brother knows. Even Harry doesn’t know. He doesn’t even notice me.

So that’s the problem.

Yes, and I don’t know how to get him to like me. I always feel so intimidated whenever I’m around him.

Why are you intimidated? He’s just a boy.

He’s not just any boy. He’s famous. You haven’t heard of him?

I’ve been stuck in this diary for a long time, Ginny. Tell me, why is this boy famous?

He’s the Boy Who Lived. He’s the one who defeated You Know Who.

The diary paused, leaving Ginny waiting.

Could you explain better who is You Know Who?

You had to have heard of You Know Who.

It appears that a lot of people have become famous while I’ve been here. If no one writes it for me, I have no way of knowing the events of modern times.

He was a powerful dark wizard. No one dares to speak his name.

Can you give me a clue?

His name starts with a V. They also call him the Dark Lord.

The diary paused again, and Ginny wondered why Tom was so hung up on that. Then, his elegant handwriting appeared in faster strokes.

I think I have heard of him. So, how did Harry Potter defeat You Know Who?

I don’t really know the details but he was just a baby. He survived the killing curse and it backfired on the Dark Lord.

That is interesting. I can see why you like this boy.

I don’t like him because he’s famous. I like him because he’s pretty amazing.

I believe you, Ginny. Now, tell me everything you know about Harry Potter.

》《
 
Ginny knew something was wrong as soon as she woke up. First of all, she was on the floor. The cold tile hurt her bones, and she groaned when getting up. The wet floor dampened her robes.

It looked like she was in one of Hogwarts lavatories, but it was more dilapidated than any she had visited. Water dripped out of a rusty faucet that was missing a knob. Mold crept in every corner, and she was pretty sure she heard a chuckle coming from one of the toilets.

How she got there, she could not fathom, but she couldn’t leave fast enough.

When outside, she recognized that she was in the second-floor corridor. The empty hall left her feeling spooked. The only sound was the shuffling of her robes and the soft echo of her footsteps. When she got to the ground floor, she heard noises coming from the Great Hall. She peeked inside and saw that the evening feast had just started.

“How is this possible?” Ginny said to herself.

She slowly walked inside and looked around the noisy room. The enchanted ceiling depicted an evening sky with a few small clouds lazily floating around. It was getting dark outside. The last thing she remembered was just after breakfast. She couldn’t remember what she did between that time and now. She lost an entire day.

“Hey, Ginny. Sit with us,” one of the Chatties called over.

She was about to decline, too bewildered to eat, but upon seeing all the food, her stomach growled. She skipped lunch, didn’t she? Everyone was going about their meal as if everything was okay. She was far from okay. Besides being hungry, she felt drained, as if she had not slept in a couple of days. Was she getting sick?

“Ginny, we haven’t seen you all day. Did you do anything fun today?”

Ginny tried to fake a smile. Yes, she was probably getting sick. That would explain everything. Almost everything.

“Nothing much,” she replied quickly.

She ate in silence, making vague “Uh-huh” and “Yeah” sounds to satisfy the Chatties’ questions, not really paying attention to them, and was only snapped back to reality when she overheard one of them exclaim.

“

What

is she

wearing

?”

Ginny looked over at who they referred to and recognized the blonde Ravenclaw girl, Luna, who wore the strangest pointy hat, which appeared to be made of Chocolate Frog Cards. It was an interesting art project but definitely not something one would wear in public.

“Who is that?” one of the girls asked with disgust.

Ginny shook her head. Her original opinion of the Ravenclaw girl was correct.

“That’s Luna. Loony Luna,” she said and chuckled at her own joke.

The Chatties exploded in giggles.

“You’re funny, Ginny.”

Ginny smiled to herself a little. Maybe the Chatties weren’t that bad and maybe she should start referring to them by their names.

When she got back to her dorm with her roommates, she found her diary on top of her bed. She quickly hid it in the nightstand drawer under a few pieces of parchment, hoping no one noticed it. She didn’t want anyone to start asking questions about it. This diary was her secret. No one could find out what she had told Tom.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Albus Dumbledore was sucking on a new sweet he picked up in a Muggle shop. The shopkeeper promised it was the best raspberry candy he had. Albus agreed. The flavor swirled around in his mouth and the sweetness was just enough to satisfy his craving while not overwhelming his taste buds. It was a treat worth being addicted to.

“Yes, please, come in,” he said after hearing a soft knock.

He had called for Merlin and was looking forward to the report on Harry, but moreover, he wanted to keep an eye on the sorcerer who, as well-intentioned as he might be, was also a wild card with no real obligation to be here.

Merlin walked in and paused to scan the room. It was quite remarkable that this young raven-haired boy was the same powerful sorcerer Albus had known for decades. He played the role of a helpless child very convincingly, down to a naive expression and clumsy demeanor. Only his eyes stayed the same, betraying sly confidence only someone as overpowered as Merlin could possess.

There were potions a wizard could use to appear younger but the results were temporary. Even the Elixir of Life Nicolas Flamel invented required continued consumption in order to prolong the alchemist’s life. Merlin’s aging magic wasn’t the same. It allowed him to physically change his age, to actually become younger or older, and the spell would hold as long as the sorcerer will it.

Out of nowhere, the portrait of Heliotrope Wilkins spoke up from the wall, “Is that you, Merlin? Look at you, so dashingly young!”

Merlin looked up at her, and it took him a moment to recognize her, but finally, he smiled and waved. “Lady Heliotrope, lovely as always.”

The other portraits of past Hogwarts Headmasters woke up and started murmuring among each other, each one appraising him. Even the four founders stirred in their frames, eyeing Merlin with a variety of expressions.

Albus didn’t know much about Heliotrope as her portrait rarely ever spoke. He made a mental note to look her up later, now curious about the circumstances of how she might have met Merlin. But for now, he thought it was problematic that someone recognized him. Hogwarts portraits had a tendency to talk to each other.

He addressed them, “I must ask all of you to not disclose Merlin’s identity to the other paintings. It’s vital that his presence here remains secret.”

The portraits all agreed, and Merlin continued looking around.

“Have any other paintings recognized you?”

“Just my own,” Merlin said. “Most wizards know me as an old man. It’s a shame, that’s the most useful age, but I’ve used it too often, and I’m too recognizable now.”

“How have your first weeks at Hogwarts been?”

Merlin shrugged and sat down in the comfy chair Albus pointed to. “All is well. I’m still trying to get used to being a child. It sucks being this short.”

“Candy?” Albus offered him a raspberry treat but Merlin refused. He sat behind his desk and looked at the young sorcerer from under his half-moon spectacles, trying to decipher his mood. “Anything not to your liking? Is the food good? Is your bed comfortable?”

“You’re spoiling me, Albus. I spent a good chunk of my life sleeping on the ground. It doesn’t take much to impress me. My accommodations are fine, and the food is great. I might visit the Kitchens to praise the elves myself.”

“They will most appreciate it. How is Harry?”

Merlin sighed and helped himself to the candy after all. “Oh, yes, Harry.”

There was something in his tone Albus couldn’t decipher. “Is there a problem?”

Did Harry find trouble this early in the year? Did Voldemort make his plans known already? What did Merlin find out?

“It’s a Phoenix!” Merlin exclaimed and ran up to the crimson bird perching on the other side of the room. “How did you domesticate him?”

Albus felt a little smug for having impressed his immortal friend. “With perseverance. Meet Fawkes.”

Fawkes was close to his burning day, so he didn’t look his best, but even with only half the feathers, he was still beautiful as far as Albus was concerned.

“Visit us again in a few weeks after he burns, so you could see him in his usual fabulous glory.”

“Have you had a chance to put his healing powers to test?” Merlin asked while sucking on the candy.

“Yes, on more than one occasion. His tears are very potent.”

“Nice work, Albus. I’ve tried to tame a bird like that once, but they’re too finicky. Dragons are easier to domesticate.”

“I’d choose a Phoenix over a dragon anytime.” Albus folded his hands over his abdomen.

Merlin shot him a fleeting glare, like he was ready to fight him on that but stopped by a shelf containing five small ceramic bowls stacked on top of each other.

“Whose grave did you rob?” Merlin asked.

Albus smoothed out his long beard. “I inherited them from the previous headmaster.”

Merlin shook his head. “They’re ceremonial burial bowls. They might be bad luck, Albus. You should bury them in sacred ground.”

Albus supposed it wasn’t surprising. The castle was full of dangerous artifacts passed down over the generations, the purpose of which could only be guessed at. Even the Founders had left some behind. The Sorting Hat belonged to Godric Gryffindor at one time.

As Merlin turned, his robe caught the bottom bowl, it hobbled in place and then the whole stack toppled over and fell off the shelf. Merlin’s eyes flashed like golden ambers and the bowls froze in the air right before crashing to the floor. Albus never understood why Merlin’s magic was so different. He had never seen anyone else’s eyes change color when they performed spells.

“That,” Merlin said, breathing heavily, “would have been very bad luck.”

The bowls flew back to the shelf where they neatly stacked themselves. Merlin walked away from them backwards, keeping his eyes on the shelf, careful to not touch anything else.

Albus blinked a few times, wondering how close he might have come to a magical disaster but then realized that Merlin had distracted him again.

“How about we get back to the topic of Harry, dear friend?”

He gestured for them to take a seat, but Merlin ignored it and continued walking around the room, this time keeping a small distance from the objects and studying them from afar.

“Harry is not easy to befriend,” he said. “It’s working against me that I’m younger than him. He’s mostly just ignoring me.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Albus said and smoothed out his beard. He didn’t see this coming. “Perhaps he needs more time.”

It was in everyone’s best interest that Merlin joined Harry’s close circle of friends. With the trials awaiting him, Harry could use a secret weapon hiding in plain sight. Would letting him in on the plan make matters better or worse? No, perhaps not until they gave the original plan a fair try.

“Ooh, it’s one of those things.” Merlin approached the pensive in the corner of the room, curiously peered over it, and closed his eyes. “Whoa. This is making me loopy.”

“Have you never used a pensive before?”

“I don’t really need it. I can read a memory by touching the vial containing it,” Merlin said casually and walked away to check another item. He said it so lightly as if it was the simplest task in the world, but Albus had never heard of anyone with an ability like that.

This was typical. Merlin had a tendency to drop a clue of ability or obscure knowledge but did not part with details easily. Listening to him talk was like sitting in a room full of newspapers, each one flashing a catchy headline, but being unable to turn their pages to read the full story. His immortal friend had many secrets Albus only scratched at the surface of.

“Touching the vials is like getting a vision,” Merlin added, “although better put together, easier to understand. Is that how you see it in the pensive?”

Merlin had never spoken of visions before. The myths about him suggested that he was a Seer. Was it true?

“By vision, do you mean the future? Prophecies?”

Merlin turned around and waved a finger at him. “Don’t get excited, Albus. Visions of the future are not really all that useful.”

“But you can see it?”

“Not by myself. It usually requires… help,” he finished with a sly smile, and Albus understood that he was not going to hear what that help was.

“I saw Voldemort coming centuries ago,” Merlin continued with all humour gone. His eyes had a faraway look as he recalled the memory. “I didn’t understand what I saw and couldn’t stop it from happening when the time came. It’s always like that. I can never prevent what happens in the visions. I simply get to relive them in person. Knowing the future isn’t really all it promises to be. I prefer to stay away from it. I don’t want to know.”

He came back to Fawkes and reached his hand toward him, but the bird moved away and flapped his wings in a warning.

“I disagree,” Albus said, coming closer. “Harry’s prophecy gives us hope that there is a way to destroy Voldemort.”

“Harry’s prophecy doomed him when he was only a baby and cost him his parents. How many more people will die while we’re waiting for Harry to grow up? I’m torn.”

Merlin started to pace in front of Fawkes.

“The logical thing for me to do would be to search for Voldemort and find a way to defeat him. But deep down, I have this feeling that I should stay away from this matter, that I don’t belong in this fight.” He stopped pacing. “Am I making a mistake? Am I dooming Harry by leaving the fight to him?”

Fawkes made a demanding little squawk, so Albus stroked his feathers. “I trust in Harry. For such a young lad, he is brave and has a pure, selfless heart. He inspires unwavering loyalty in his friends and pushes them to be their best.”

“The way you speak of him, it reminds me of someone,” Merlin said with a smile.

Before the immortal sorcerer could get lost in his memories, Albus returned to the immediate problem.

“But your talents can still be useful. It might be Harry’s fight, but we can’t expect him to do it alone. He needs friends to stand by him, powerful friends. We need to give you a chance to get closer to him.”

“What do you have in mind?” Merlin asked, helping himself to another candy from Albus’s desk and getting comfortable in the chair again.

Albus stroked his beard while thinking. Harry had pretty good instincts. He would get suspicious over Merlin if Albus tried to force the boy on him. Maybe Merlin needed a side door into Harry’s circle of friends.

“Merlin, I believe you’re in need of tutoring.”

Merlin froze and asked with candy between his teeth. “What?”

“What subject would you say you are performing the worst in?”

“Fine, I’ll bite. Transfiguration. I was trying so hard to not do the spell, McGonagall now thinks I’m a lost cause,” he chuckled.

Albus could bet Minerva wouldn’t feel as amused by being the butt of Merlin’s joke.

“Excellent. I know a perfect tutor for you.”

“Harry?”

“No. I’ll have your tutor get in touch with you. We should follow the usual channels.”

Albus started writing his note and thinking up the best way to phrase the request to entice the tutor’s cooperation. Merlin resumed walking around his office. From time to time, he’d pick something up to investigate it and make a little comment about it. Albus continuously found himself pulled away from his simple task of writing a note. The more time he spent with Merlin, the more questions he had. Whether in his adult or child form, the sorcerer was an enigma. Albus wanted to see the best in him but often wondered if he should be cautious. One does not become immortal without paying a price. What was Merlin’s price?

“What?” Merlin asked, and Albus blinked to bring himself back to the present. Apparently, he was staring at him so intently that he didn’t notice the boy approaching. That was rather rude of him, wasn’t it?

“Blubber and nitwit,” Albus blabbered, trying to recover the use of his brain.

Merlin chuckled and sat in front of him. “Not fun getting old, huh? I like turning myself into your age, I like how people treat me then—I can get away with anything—but I don’t like everything physical that comes with it.”

A soft knocking sound surprised them, and they both looked up to see who came to visit.

Minerva walked in and was taken aback by seeing young Merlin there. “I can come back, Headmaster, if you’re busy.”

“Please, come in, Minerva. Merlin was leaving anyway.”

“Right. Good talk, Albus.” Merlin got up and smiled. “I’ll see you around.”

“Bye, Merlin,” Heliotrope said overhead, and the boy winked at her.

He grabbed one more raspberry sweet for the road, inclined his head at Minerva politely, saying, “Professor,” and left.

Albus sat down in his chair, finishing the note to arrange the tutoring. It was very convenient that Minerva was in his office. She would be the perfect person to deliver the request. When he was done, she was still looking at the doorway Merlin had disappeared into. It wasn’t unusual for Albus to have students in his office, so what stunned her so?

She turned to him and finally said what was on her mind, “Did he just call you

Albus

?”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After finding the notice posted in the Gryffindor common room, Jack could barely sit still during morning classes. They were going to have their first flying lesson this afternoon.

At last.

He didn’t know how much time he had left at Hogwarts before Mother discovered them, and unlike Elsa, he didn’t want to waste it in the library. Before he lost it all, he wanted to experience everything the wizarding world had to offer. Flying was a must.

He rushed outside with the other students, his insides twisting from anticipation. It was a cloudy afternoon, and a refreshing autumn breeze ruffled his robes. Colin hopped between him and Merlin, while they made their way to the field at the back of the castle. Merlin slipped on the dewy grass twice already.

“Can you believe it?” Colin said. “We’re going to fly! I can’t wait. How high up do you think we can go on broomsticks? Look! They’re waiting for us over there. Madam Hooch is coming. I can tell it’s her from afar since she’s the only female professor with short hair like that. I’m a little scared of heights but I’m excited to fly so I’m conflicted. Do you think it’s comfortable to sit on a broom? Why won’t they attach a seat to it or…”

“Alright, children.” Madam Hooch stopped his rant. “Position yourselves on the left side of the broom. Yes, like that. Stay close to the ground to minimize your injuries. I don’t want to send any of you to the Hospital Wing today.”

“Is she kidding?” Colin whispered.

“Don’t go crazy and you’ll be fine,” Merlin said while swatting dirt off his robes.

Jack added, “Hopefully, you have more luck flying than walking.”

Merlin shrugged. How exactly would clumsiness in the air look like? Oh, no. This could turn ugly.

Madam Hooch continued, “Now when I say so, you will put your hand over the broom and...”

Jack put his hand over the broom to get ready, and it immediately flew into his hand without a command. No one else’s broom reacted in that way.

“Say UP,” Madam Hooch instructed.

As students started saying “Up,” Jack said it too, hoping that no one noticed his broom was already in his hand.

Not everyone’s brooms obeyed the command. Colin’s jerked on the ground a few times before flying into his hand. Merlin’s carefully floated into his hand. Maybe it knew to be extra gentle with him.

“Mount your brooms,” Madam Hooch ordered and walked around them, checking their grips. “Now, only hover over the ground. Do not fly up. Come back down by leaning forward.”

Jack’s broom raised him in the air with ease. A part of him was screaming, ‘Let’s fly!’ but then he remembered Elsa’s voice warning him to not stand out from the other students. If only he could sneak out without anyone noticing, he could try some real flying.

Next to him, Colin’s broom started to vibrate and launched him forward. Madam Hooch followed on her broom, trying to catch up to him.

Jack did not wait any longer. This was exactly the distraction he needed. As soon as he thought to fly up, he soared high into the sky. The wind roared in his ears and rushed through his hair. Now, this was the way to travel! The broom obeyed each of his wordless commands, and soon, he was zooming backwards, forwards, making loops and crazy dives, laughing hysterically from the carefree silliness.

He stopped and looked up, wondering what the gloomy clouds looked like from above. Could he reach them?

“Jack!” Merlin caught up to him. How come he didn’t say before that he already knew how to fly? “You were supposed to hover! What are you doing so high up?”

“I could ask you the same question.”

“Don’t be a smart cookie.” Merlin pointed a finger at him in a warning.

“Is Colin okay?”

“Yes, I… Madam Hooch stopped him. He fell off his broom, but he’ll be okay.”

“Then we can have fun.”

Merlin looked down at the ground, where the other students were small like ants. “This is a bad idea. It’s dangerous.”

“Don’t be an Elsa,” Jack grumbled and shot up, determined to get over the clouds before Merlin tried to stop him. He soared at an alarming speed and ignored Merlin’s calls.

“Stop! These brooms are not meant for this!”

Jack loved the pure freedom of flying. It didn’t feel like being carried by the broom, but rather, it was as if the wind itself was propelling him forward. The clouds did not feel like smoke but resembled a refreshing mist. By the time he broke through them, his skin was coated in cool moisture.

The tops of the clouds did not look the same as from the ground. He paused and hovered in place to fully appreciate the gentle valleys illuminated in shades of gold and orange. The afternoon sun lazily hovered over the horizon. Its familiar warmth seeped into him. It was like a hidden world above the world, full of sunshine and joy.

Flying had become his most favorite activity. He couldn’t imagine anything better than this, but there were so many magical experiences left to discover. There was no way that he would allow Mother to take it away from him. The thought of being stuck underground again when he could be experiencing this instead sickened him.

Merlin never came up after him, and good. The only person Jack would want to share this private moment with was Elsa. Would she enjoy flying as much as he did? She was likely in her precious library right now, looking for clues to finding their father, like he could save them. What type of being even was he? Would he allow them to stay at Hogwarts or would he confine them like Mother did?

“I should get back,” Jack said in resignation, guessing that the moment of distraction Colin had created was over by now.

As he descended, he stretched out his hand towards the clouds. Along with the cool moisture, a spark of nature’s magic rushed through his fingers. He lowered his flight until fully submerged in their whiteness, where their magic intermingled with his. It felt satisfyingly right like this was exactly what he should be doing. When he broke beneath the clouds, it was snowing!

”Did I do that?” he gasped, marveling at the snowflakes swirling around him.

He looked down at the blur of the pitifully small castle in the distance and wondered what everyone thought of snow in September.

“Oops,” he chuckled at the idea. “At least they won’t know it was me.”

He decided to finish his fun ride with a bang and leaned down on the broom, which increasingly picked up speed. The flight down was exhilaratingly fast, and he was having so much fun, he didn’t think about caution. As the ground came closer, he tried to slow down but it wasn’t as easy as speeding up. Gravity was working against him, hurtling him towards the ground too fast. He braced himself for a painful landing, but at the last possible moment, his broom jerked up on its own. He glided horizontally and landed by rolling on the wet grass.

As he laid there on his back, breathing heavily and grinning wide, the first thing he noticed was that it was raining.

“Too warm for snow,” he murmured to himself, already making plans to test his snow-making abilities when the weather got cooler. He couldn’t wait for winter.

Soon, he heard the pounding of someone’s feet.

“Are you okay?” Merlin asked and stretched out his hand to help him up.

“Yeah. I just need to work on my landing.”

“I told you it was a bad idea,” Merlin said while rubbing his arms. His breath was visible on every word. “Let’s get out of this cold. The lesson was cancelled.”

“Why did you stay?”

“I was worried about you.”

Jack felt a rush of gratitude, Merlin was proving to be a really good friend, but he just couldn’t help himself. He had to respond with a joke.

“Aww. You care.”

Merlin rolled his eyes and motioned for them to run. They returned their brooms to the storage shed and ran inside the castle. Merlin slipped on the wet floor and held onto Jack for support.

“Did you make it above the clouds?”

“Yeah. It’s amazing! It's a sunny day up there.”

Merlin put one hand on his hip and gesticulated with the other. “It shouldn’t have been possible on these old brooms. Mine started vibrating so badly, I had to get down before it threw me off.”

Jack tried to shake the rain out of his hair. “Maybe I got lucky and got a better one.”

“You have no idea how lucky you were. Let’s get changed. I’m freezing.”
 
》《
 
Ginny came back to her dorm with the Chatties who were squealing about how cold they were. She didn’t mind a little rain, so she was very disappointed that the flying lesson was cancelled. She knew how to fly already, she’d been sneaking out with her brothers’ brooms to practice for years, but she was still looking forward to this lesson. If she had any hope of getting on the Gryffindor team next year, she needed all the practice she could get. Even a beginner class was better than no practice at all.

She sat down on one of the couches by the lit fireplace, where her chatty roommates were warming themselves, complaining about why flying lessons were mandatory. Ginny wished that boys would come back already so she could talk about their experience with school brooms. Soon, Colin showed up with a small, mostly healed bruise on his forehead from when he fell off his broom.

“Madam Pomfrey healed it with a spell so it’s no longer bleeding. That was so cool!” he exclaimed, and Ginny chuckled. Only Colin could make an injury exciting.

“I’m glad you’re better,” she said as he sat down next to her.

“It’s a shame I don’t have a photo of my first flying accident. Hey, Ginny, maybe later you could take a picture of me on a broom so I could send it to my parents.”

“Sure, Colin.”

Lisa, one of the Chatties, asked, “Ginny, did you see what Loony Luna wore during lunch today?”

Ginny did not feel comfortable with that nickname. “No, I didn’t.”

“Eggshell. Earrings. She painted them this ugly yellow and they were, honestly, the most horrendous things I’ve ever seen.”

The girls started giggling and exchanging exaggerated gagging impressions.

“I heard that her father is deranged. No wonder she’s so loony.”

“So there are more loonies in her family?”

“No one could be as loony as Loony Luna.”

“Do you have to call her that?” Ginny said.

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Everyone calls her that.”

Everyone? Ginny lost the enthusiasm to talk about Quidditch. She was the one that gave them the idea to call that girl Loony. She didn’t mean for it to become a permanent nickname. It was so easy for an innocent joke to turn into something hurtful. Or maybe, the joke was never innocent. It was never okay to make fun of others. She wished she could take it back, but it was too late now.

Ashamed of herself, she snuck out to her dorm and pulled out her diary. Tom always made her feel better.

Hi Tom.

Ginny. I must say, I’m disappointed.

Ginny’s heart picked up pace. How did Tom learn about what she had done? She considered putting the diary away.

You’ve been neglecting me, Ginny. You haven’t written to me in days.

Ginny exhaled in relief. Of course, he didn’t know.

I’m sorry, Tom. I promise I’ll write more often.

Every day, Ginny. Don’t abandon your one true friend. You could carry me in your pocket and take me everywhere you go?

That’s a good idea.

Great. Now, tell me about what you’re feeling today.

Ginny bit her lip. Should she tell him? Would Tom judge her? How would he react?

You can trust me, Ginny. I’m your friend.

Ginny swallowed. He was the only person she could talk to about issues like that. Maybe Tom would understand that she didn’t mean for this to happen.

Tom, I did something awful.

What happened?

I called this girl Loony Luna and now everyone is calling her that. I didn’t mean to. What if she finds out that I was the one that started it?

Oh, Ginny.

I was never a mean person. When did I become mean? No wonder I have no friends. I don’t deserve friends.

You have at least one friend. You have me.

You’re just saying that because you’re stuck in this diary.

No, I mean it. I like you. I think you are a lovely girl who is underappreciated.

Thanks, Tom. What am I going to do about Luna?

I’m sure you didn’t mean to hurt her.

Of course not.

It was a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, Ginny.

It’s so mean. I don’t want people to call her that.

You’re not responsible for other people, Ginny. If they really want to be mean, they will find a  way. With or without you.

Maybe you’re right.

I am. You need to forgive yourself for your mistake. Promise me you will forgive yourself.

I’ll try. You’re such a good friend.

That’s what I’m here for. You can always confide in me.

I will. You’re so easy to talk to. In real life, it’s hard to talk to people.

Then, you have no need for those people. You have me. Talk to me.

I am so lucky to have you.

Yes, you are. Now, tell me more.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The library was quiet today. Most students were outside, taking advantage of the nice weather before gloomy autumn clouds moved in permanently. Elsa was perfectly content among the whispers of shuffled pages and distinct old book scents, which promised her knowledge and wisdom.

”You're so much better as a research partner, ” she said quietly, bringing the heavy book to the table where Luna sat. ”My brother is always complaining when I bring him here.

Elsa

,” she tried to mimic his voice, “

these books have too many pages. I need a break. Can we bring snacks? Pleeeeeease

,” and she finished with her version of Jack’s sad puppy-eye look, which she must have done well because Luna giggled.

Luna didn’t know that Elsa was one of those who couldn’t refuse that puppy-eye look. Who could?

“I agree with the snack request.” Luna put her book down and looked around them to confirm they were alone. “This is a perfect time to have some.”

Out of her bookbag, she pulled out a small wooden box hand-painted in colorful swirls. The lid made a little squeak when she opened it.

“Dried dirigible plum,” she said, offering it.

The fruit inside had red skin and was white on the inside. Elsa wasn’t sure if it was even edible but didn’t want to offend her friend, so she took one slice out.

Luna bit half of a slice. “It opens up your mind to enhance your awareness.”

After Luna finished her piece and reached for another without showing signs of poisoning, Elsa gave it a try. The plum was hard to chew. It wasn’t meant to be dried. Its sharp flavor reminded her of radishes, but it was also sweet, and the combination of the two flavors gave her a strange aftertaste. Elsa feigned a polite smile and looked back at the old book in front of her, hoping she wasn’t required to eat more.

They studied quietly until Luna pushed her book over to Elsa to show what she had found.

“How about this one?” she asked, pointing at a page. “This journal says, ‘I nearly wasted away in front of the mirror, unable to make its reflection possible.’”

Elsa leaned over to read the full passage.

“I’ve read about something like this before,” Luna said, munching on another piece of dried fruit. “I think it could have been one of my dad’s articles—something about a mirror that would show you what you want to see.”

“I still don’t see how I can use that,” Elsa said. Maybe Luna had eaten too many of those strange plums.

“You want to discover a way to find your father. That’s what you want to

see

.”

“An enchanted mirror.” Elsa agreed, starting to consider the possibilities. “Where can we find it?”

“I’ll write to daddy to ask him. In the meantime, we could keep searching.”

“Luna, you’re brilliant! You have the best ideas!” Elsa admitted and popped a slice of the strange plum in her mouth. She was lucky to have Luna helping her, weird plums and all.

“That’s very kind of you,” Luna answered, staring off into the distance. “I’ve always believed that an open mind can hold more ideas. Take them all in and pick the best.”

“Are you eating in here?” Madam Pince yelled from the end of the aisle, looking like a starved vulture that had found its prey. “Get out of my library!” she bellowed.

The two of them froze in place.

“Uh-oh,” Luna said quietly.

The librarian then pointed her wand at two chairs, said a spell, which animated them, making them hobble like obedient soldiers. The girls quickly grabbed their things and fled. The chairs followed, creaking along the way. Elsa picked up the speed while Madam Pince cried in
intelligible
shrieks behind them as if a murder had been committed.

They ran out of the library, and Elsa braced her back against the door. She hoped the chairs wouldn’t be able to follow them now. They didn’t sprout hands on their way, did they?

“I have never been afraid of a chair before!” Elsa said, catching her breath.

“I have never been in trouble before.” Luna stared at her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. “It’s more fun than I would have imagined. I wonder what she would bewitch if I brought in a drink. Oh, is it time for supper? I’m craving pumpkin juice.”

Luna skipped away towards the Great Hall, humming a melody, and Elsa followed close behind while smiling to herself. Who said libraries had to be boring?
 》《 
Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where she had a perfect view of Harry Potter who chatted away with his friends with his back facing the giant fireplace. He looked so cute with the crackling fire illuminating his dark hair. She fantasized about smoothing up the mess. Or not. This was such a typical Harry.

Another week had passed by, and she barely exchanged a polite ”How are you” with him. She had so many opportunities to talk to him but chickened out each time. It was a wonder she made it into Gryffindor—the house of the brave. Maybe the Sorting Hat had made a mistake. She pulled out her diary but barely managed to dip the quill in ink before being forced to hide it back in her bag. Colin, Merlin, and Jack sat down around her and immediately reached for the food.

“Hi,” she said quickly, not meeting anyone’s eyes.

“Hi Ginny,” Colin said, his mouth already full with a sweet bun.

She gave him a weak smile. She was slightly irritated that they interrupted her, but it was hard to stay mad at Colin.

He licked his sticky fingers and started babbling. “I wrote some stuff describing Quidditch in my last letter and dad wrote back that my little brother, Dennis, got so excited, he demanded they bring him to Hogwarts to see the game. I don’t think that would be allowed, would it?”

“Likely not,” Merlin said.

“Anyway, I hope that he gets his Hogwarts letter too so he could join us here in two years. That would be awesome if he was a wizard too, wouldn’t it?”

“Be careful what you wish for,” Ginny warned. “Siblings can be annoying. It’s nice you got a break from him for a while.”

“Nah. My brother is great. I can’t wait for him to get here but poor Cleo is going to be so sad. She’s an Australian Shepherd, and she’s such a good dog. She’s white and brown and has a few black spots on her face and back. It looks as if someone spilled paint on her. She’s so cute and funny. I wish I could bring her here. It’s such a shame we’re not allowed to have dogs here. I’ve seen cats in the dorms, why not dogs? Do wizards not like dogs?”

Boys had their mouths full, so Ginny answered.

“It’s a strange rule. I like dogs and cats, and all animals really.” Ginny sighed, imagining the dog Colin described. Cleo sounded like a beautiful, happy animal. “But my family only had owls or rats. I think my parents felt that there were too many animals in the house already.”

“What animals?”

“My brothers,” she said, rolling her eyes. Her brothers were the reason why she could never have the things she wanted.

Colin continued talking in between swallowing food, “It’s really cool that two of your brothers both made it onto the Quidditch team. I saw you on a broom during our lesson. You’re good. You all are. I’m the only one among you that doesn’t know how to fly yet, but I’ll be fine watching the practice from the stands. I’m going to take so many photos. I just hope I have enough film.”

“Save some film for the actual game, Colin,” Merlin pointed out.

Ginny’s eyes travelled to where Harry sat. Maybe if she lived in a parallel universe, where she was brave, she would ask him to go to the Quidditch field together for a quick game—just the two of them. They would tumble through the air and share a laugh. It would be perfect because he was perfect.

Colin waved to catch the attention of Fred and George who had just risen from the bench. “When is your next Quidditch practice?”

The twins walked up to them and addressed Ginny. “Ginny, ever so popular with the boys.”

Ginny’s cheeks flamed. “Go away!”

“A little respect for your seniors, sister,” said Fred. “Quidditch practice is at ten today.”

“If you want to see Harry play,” George finished, waggling his eyebrows.

“We rhymed!” Fred said, and they high-fived each other.

“Why would I care?” Ginny asked in a shaking voice, feeling herself go beet-red. She took a swig of her juice to calm herself.

“Come on, Ginny,”

“We know,” they finished together.

Ginny flinched, spilling juice on the table.

“What was that about?” Colin asked, looking after them as they sauntered away.

Ginny promptly packed her things and left without a word.

Seeking privacy, she ran to a nearby lavatory. She couldn't understand why her brothers kept teasing her so mercilessly. So they knew about her feelings for Harry. She rambled on about him too much during the summer, didn’t she? But did they have to say it in front of everyone? Didn't they understand how it made her feel? Her brothers were the worst curse that could ever be placed upon her. She wished she was an only child.

She checked herself in the mirror. Her heart was still racing, and her cheeks still burned. She wasn’t ready to be seen in public yet. She splashed her face with cold water and tried to calm down.

Tom, she needed Tom. She sat down against the tiled wall and pulled the diary out.

Hi Tom.

Ginny, my friend. What brings you to my pages today? Do you have something to get off your chest?

I just wanted to talk to someone. Sometimes it feels like you’re the only person I can open up to.

I’m happy to talk to you, Ginny. That’s what friends are for. So tell me.

Harry has Quidditch practice today and I'm trying to decide if I should watch it.

Is he any good?

I heard that he's a spectacular Seeker. I want to see it for myself but now I'm afraid to go.

Why?

My brothers will tease me.

Then, don't go. We'll do something fun together. I know just what you need.

Like what?

It's a surprise.

Before she knew it, Ginny found herself submerged in the magic of the enchanted diary, plunged into Tom’s memories. She watched the scenes of his life as if she was right there with him when it all happened. The Tom she normally wrote to was sixteen years old, but the Tom in the memory was only eleven like her. He wanted to show her what it was like for him during his first months at Hogwarts.

The Muggle orphanage Tom grew up in was never his home. He didn’t have friends there because he always felt that he was different, that he didn’t belong among them. He didn’t know that he was a wizard. The other kids called him a freak and excluded him from their playtime. Even the adults kept their distance and treated him like they didn’t want him there. When he came to Hogwarts, he was lost and confused in a foreign world, but for the first time in his life, he was where he was supposed to be. Hogwarts became the home he never had.

Ginny thought about her own family: her noisy brothers, overbearing mum, and childish dad. As annoying as they all were, at least she wasn’t all alone in the world like Tom. While their poor finances were a constant reason for embarrassment, it was riches when compared to Tom who had nothing. Her life was all sunshine and roses when Tom’s was filled with dark lonely corners. If he was able to rise out of those corners to become a wizard skilled enough to create such a unique diary at only sixteen, maybe there was hope for her still. Maybe Hogwarts could become for her what she always imagined it could be.

Like Tom, she didn’t have true friends now, but he assured her that feeling isolated and misunderstood wouldn’t last forever. And if she ever felt down or lonely, Tom always had a way to make her feel better. She did not need anyone else.

Ginny was surprised to learn that Tom was in Slytherin. She would not have guessed that. Friendly, helpful kids like Tom were usually sorted into Hufflepuff. He always took care to ask her how she felt and was genuinely interested in her life. He let her talk about Harry to no end. He gave her an easy friendship like no one else ever had.

Maybe what everyone said about Slytherin wasn’t accurate. Not everyone in that House was like the obnoxious Draco Malfoy, who bossed everyone around and bullied all her friends. Tom was a good person. It didn’t matter that he was a Slytherin. He was her true friend.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry Potter was playing a game of exploding snap with the Weasley kids, relaxed among his friends. Merlin wasn’t getting anywhere in his attempt to join the group and had to resort to spying on the boy from a distance. He hoped that whatever Dumbledore planned would work because this wasn’t a valid long-term solution.

When he accepted Dumbledore’s invitation, Merlin expected to find companionship in Harry Potter. The way Dumbledore described him reminded Merlin of Arthur. The Boy Who Lived was like the Prince of Hogwarts in a way, known by all, respected by some, feared by others. He already had powerful enemies and a prophesied future.

Amused by this comparison, Merlin tried to remember the day when he had met Arthur. He didn’t know who the arrogant knight was, but he was determined to stop him from mistreating a servant. Everyone was in shock. No one dared to mouth off to the Prince of Camelot, but even once Merlin learned who he had just called a prat, he did not back down. He was lucky that Arthur found his daring foolishness funny and did not have him executed. Or maybe he found Merlin’s honesty refreshing.

Merlin wondered if a similar tactic would work this time. Harry wasn’t a bully or an arrogant royal, so what would be the alternative daring and foolish action to get on his radar?

Content that Harry was safe at the moment, Merlin came back to his dorm and plopped on his bed. His roommates were sitting on their beds, doing their homework. Would it be the end of the world if he didn’t hand his in?

“Harry still won’t sign the picture,” Colin said, putting his parchment away. “I don’t know how else I can ask.”

“Forget him,” Jack said. “He’s not worth spoiling your mood.”

“But it’s a collectible,” Colin grumbled, then his eyes went wide as he got an idea. He shot up from his bed and bounded over between Jack’s and Merlin’s beds. “Will you two sign it?”

“Potter’s picture?”

Colin laughed and shoved a picture in his hand. It was a shot of the three of them, Colin, Merlin, and Jack, as taken by Percy Weasley on their first day of school.

“I forgot about this one,” Jack said and signed the picture on the back. “Look at us. We’re moving! That’s so cool.”

“Merlin helped me find the potion recipe that animated the photos,” Colin said, giving the photo to Merlin to sign. “He’s being all humble about it, but he knew exactly how to brew it. He’s like a potions pro.”

Colin gave him a little nudge while Merlin only hoped he would drop the subject. Helping the boy might have been a lapse in judgement.

“I’ll make you two copies as well,“ Colin said, “if you want?”

“I’d love it,” Merlin said, handing him the signed photo.

“Can I see the other ones?” Jack asked.

“I thought you’d never ask.” Colin ran to his nightstand and came back with a stack of prints. Jack checked each picture and lingered on a shot of him and Elsa.

“It’s annoying that Elsa is taller now. We used to be the same. Do you think I can make up for it or will she always be taller?”

Colin glanced at the picture. “It’s not even an inch. You’re still much taller than me. Well, everyone is.”

Jack gave the stack back. “They’re really nice, Colin.”

“You know what, keep that photo.” Colin put the photo in his hands.

“Thank you,” Jack said, tenderly touching the picture with his thumb as if it was his most beloved possession. “I’ve never had a…”

He didn’t finish but stared at it while a range of emotions passed through his features.

“No problem,” Colin said happily and ran back to his bed.

Jack put the photo in his drawer and looked down at his shoes like he was disappointed that they were still next to his bed.

“Stupid shoes,” he grumbled and winced, shoving his feet in them.

Colin lifted up the legs of his trousers to show off his socks—one black and one blue. “You know, shoes would be more comfortable if you wore these babies.”

Jack huffed. “As if I need more things on my feet. I can slip off shoes during lessons without anyone noticing. Can’t do that with socks, can I?”

“Why do you hate shoes so much?”

“Same reason why Merlin always wears a scarf.”

Colin’s eyes shifted to Merlin. “Why do you always wear a scarf? Don’t you get too warm?”

For a seemingly innocent topic, this question felt very personal. Merlin wore the scarf because neckerchiefs were unfortunately out of fashion, and the school-approved scarf was the best alternative. As to why he loved neckerchiefs, that was his business.

“Because I like to,” he answered, fidgeting with the ends of the Gryffindor scarf. He hoped it wasn’t too big of a deal. He’d hate to go out in public with a naked neck.

“You’re both weird,” Colin summarized and smiled broadly, “but I like you that way.”

Jack kicked the shoes off, mumbling, “Who cares.”

“Where are you going anyway?” Merlin asked, ready to change the topic away from his fashion choices. “It’s too early for supper.”

Jack looked between them, chewing on his lip. “I’m bored. I was going to, uh, take a walk. Yeah. Outside.”

Merlin sighed loud and long. “Jack, someone really should tell you, you’re a terrible liar.”

Colin laughed from the other side of the room.

Jack looked at his bare feet, feigning innocence, “Technically, it’s not a lie. I will be walking… outside.”

“Where are you walking to?” Merlin was enjoying this banter.

Jack looked out the window, then at the two of them. “Promise you won’t tell anyone.”

Colin nodded repeatedly, bouncing on his bed.

“We promise,” Merlin said.

“I was thinking to…” Jack’s voice dropped to a whisper, “to borrow a school broom and go back up there.”

Now, Merlin was even more glad that he asked. Jack thought that he had landed on his own, unaware of Merlin’s intervention. This boy had to learn some restraint before he killed himself.

“Jack, you were reckless last time. Please, promise me you’ll be more careful in the future.”

“Sure, Elsa. Whatever you say.”

Colin snorted while Merlin ground his teeth. Did this boy not have a serious bone in him? How could he talk some caution into him? Maybe he should’ve made his landing a little harder to teach him a lesson.

‘He’s eleven,’ he had to remind himself. ‘And so are you. Don’t talk like a parent.’

“I get it,” Merlin said. “It was fun, dangerous, but fun. So, what was it like above the clouds?”

Colin exclaimed with a loud gasp. “You flew above the clouds?”

“Yeah, thanks to your handy distraction,” Jack answered. “Does it still hurt?”

Colin ran over to sit on Merlin’s bed. “I’m fine. All healed. Tell us.”

“It was amazing.” There was a sparkle to Jack’s eyes as he explained with a lot of hand gestures. “It’s like a whole new world where it’s always sunny. It’s as if the clouds were the ground and the Sun was just coming up over the horizon. So you could create a sunrise over and over just by going up and down! It’s so quiet and perfect. I can’t wait to get back up there. Did you know that there are clouds above clouds? The second layer was as far away from the first as the ground. I wonder how many more layers there are and what they feel like.”

“You really shouldn’t fly higher, not that the broom will let you,” Merlin said, though he worried that his warnings were falling on deaf ears. “There’s not enough oxygen up there. If you faint, I can guarantee that your landing will be quite worse than last time.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “I won’t stay there if I can’t breathe.”

It was nice to see this carefree side of Jack. Maybe that was the secret to acting like a child? Merlin said, “Can I go with you?”

Jack smirked at him. “If you can keep up.”

Colin got up. “I… I’m afraid to fly that high but could you bring my camera and snap a few pics for me?”

Jack frowned, thinking about it. “My first landing was rather, uh, violent. I wouldn’t want to break your camera.”

Merlin pointed out, “You do realize that you’re more worried about the camera than yourself?”

“I’m durable,” Jack answered.

Merlin shook his head and put his shoes on. He had a feeling that Jack was going to need that elusive ‘luck’ again. What was he if not a secret luck deliverer?

They left Colin in the dorm, and Jack led the way as they ran out of the castle and to the broom shed. He pulled on the handle but it wouldn’t budge.

“It’s locked!” Jack complained.

There was no need to hide a spell this simple, so Merlin pulled out his wand. “

Alohomora

,” he said, and the lock clicked obediently.

“Good one!” Jack exclaimed and wrenched the door open.

They quickly snuck out two school brooms, watching the grounds for signs of anyone who would want to stop them. They shot into the sky without missing a beat.

Merlin had flown on brooms a lot. It wasn’t his favorite mode of transport, but there were times when it was most practical. No other wizard had as many years of experience on a broom as he had. Yet today, he found himself left in the dust, or, more accurately, he was left in the gust as Jack soared way ahead of him.

Jack paused in the air, waiting. “I thought you said you could keep up.”

“How is your broom so much faster than mine?”

“Lucky again? Let’s fly!”

They continued and Merlin was quickly reminded of the inferior equipment he was using. As the broom’s magic reached its limits, it started to vibrate in his hands.

“Jack!” he yelled after the boy, slowing down. “This broom can’t go any higher.”

Jack turned around and flew back. “Broom problems?”

Merlin wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on. He wished he had planned out this trip better. He could have enchanted the broom to get it in better shape but didn’t want to do it with Jack witnessing his magic. Could he distract him now? It was difficult to think when the vibrations were turning his brain into jelly.

Jack approached, lining up next to him. “Why is it shaking so much?”

He reached Merlin’s broom with his left hand, and the shaking stopped immediately.

Merlin took a few blissfully steady breaths while observing the perfectly balanced broom. “What did you do?”

Jack shrugged. “Nothing. We can do this, just hold on tight. We’ll go fast this time. I was holding back before.”

“Holding back?”

Merlin barely got the words out when they flew upwards. He held onto the broom for dear life, wondering how speed like that was possible on an old school broomstick. His ears popped as they ascended, and he was starting to feel nauseous. He was regretting this idea. This was a very bad idea.

The temperature dropped after they shot through the clouds to pause above them, where the wind whipped their robes and the frigid air assaulted their lungs. Merlin shivered, holding onto the broom so hard that his knuckles were white. What in the world was he thinking to tag along on this trip?

“Are you okay?” Jack asked, holding both brooms effortlessly. “You look a bit pale. Maybe I should’ve gone slower.”

Merlin swallowed a few times, trying to clear his ears. How ironic that he came here to watch over Jack, but his life was now literally in the boy’s hands. He wasn’t sure if he could make the broom work if he fell to Earth. Even though death was never permanent for him, he’d rather avoid the experience whenever possible.

“Please, don’t let go.”

“I got you. So, what do you think?” Jack motioned with his head at the scene in front of them.

Merlin tried to take in the view but the beauty was overshadowed by his worry. Despite how steady Jack’s flight was, he was only learning. How long before he made a mistake?

It wasn’t the first time Merlin had been above the clouds. He’d never made this trip on a broomstick, but he had flown on several dragons over the years, and they liked making a quick trip through the clouds for fun, to his chagrin. He had also flown on a Muggle airplane just to see what the fuss was all about. One of those experiences was enough to last him a lifetime. He’d choose dragons over planes every time.

Jack led them leisurely above the condensation with a permanent grin on his face. The wind playfully ruffled his white hair and whipped his robes about. While each gust brought a chill to Merlin’s bones, the boy welcomed it, unaffected by the cold. Now that his pulse was somewhat under control, and his mind was not in a panic mode, Merlin paid more attention to how Jack steered them. Brooms were enchanted to obey commands given by leaning or pulling on the handle, commands Jack was not using.

“Jack, how do you tell the broom which way to go?”

“I think it,” Jack said simply, still looking out over the horizon. Then, he must have realized what Merlin’s question meant because he asked, “How do you?”

Merlin’s scoff turned into a chuckle. He shouldn’t have been surprised. He knew there was something different about this boy and his sister. “Jack, do you know Old Religion?”

“What’s that?”

Merlin sighed. No, the idea that someone out there taught their kids this ancient magic was too good to be true. “Nevermind. It’s freezing out here, let’s get back.”

Jack released his broom when they were closer to the ground. Merlin was ready to intervene again if needed, but thankfully, Jack was more cautious this time. Still, his flying method was not as effective for slowing down, and in the end, Jack landed by rolling on the grass again. Merlin felt a tiny smidge of satisfaction as he gently touched down on the ground. At least he was better at landing.

They returned to the Gryffindor common room in high spirits after their little trip.

“We should do this again,” Jack said. “We’ll bring Colin’s camera next time, but maybe you should carry it.”

“Good idea.”

“What were you two doing?” Percy Weasley demanded as soon as they walked in. “Nix, don’t show up to dinner in those grass stains. Ealdor, Hermione Granger was looking for you.”

Jack fled to their dorm while Merlin approached the couches in front of the fireplace. Hermione was waiting for him with books strewn on the coffee table, and upon seeing him, she patted the seat next to her. Merlin wasn’t sure what this was about but sat down obediently.

“I was told you needed a tutor for Transfiguration,” she said. “You’re in luck because I know all about it. Let’s get to work. We’ll start with the theory.”

Merlin couldn’t keep a smile off his face. He was going to be tutored by a twelve-year-old.

‘Thanks, Albus,’ he thought.
》《 
Elsa joined her roommates in the Great Hall though she wasn’t very hungry. She had entire two days to devote to research. She was ready for a breakthrough. Sue Li was doing homework while eating, crossing over everything she had written, and starting over. Next to her, Luna ate her oatmeal while looking up at the enchanted ceiling with awe as if it depicted something other than a cloudy day.

An owl swooped down to their table, carrying a package in its talons. Sue Li screeched.

“Apple, how lovely to see you,” Luna said to the small hawk-like bird.

She reached out to pet it on the head, and the owl closed its eyes in pleasure. Sue Li scooted away on the bench.

“Apple?” Elsa asked, wondering if she misheard.

“She loves our apple tree. It was as if she wanted to be named after it, so we took the hint.” Luna gave the owl a small sausage link as a treat. Apple snatched it and flew away.

“It must be daddy’s response.”

Elsa licked her lips, remembering what Luna was going to ask her dad about. The package on the table could contain a clue, but to her frustration, Luna went back to eating her oatmeal, leaving the parcel unopened. Did she not realize how important it was?

“Are you going to open it?”

“Go ahead.”

Elsa promptly ripped the brown paper wrapping. Inside was a letter which she handed to her friend, and two copies of a magazine called The Quibbler with eye-catching but strange article headlines.

Luna read the letter and relayed its contents while munching, “Daddy says that he doesn’t know where the mirror is. He sent the magazine with the article about it along with tomorrow’s edition for some fun reading.”

“Tomorrow’s? How did he get tomorrow’s edition already?”

“He’s the editor.”

“That’s great. It must be fun.”

“Oh, it is. Dad is always on the lookout for the most interesting ideas and publishes what other magazines don’t dare to discuss or are too closed-minded to understand. The Quibbler is where the best stories are.”

“Do you mind if I borrow the old one?”

“Feel free to keep it.” Luna read the cover of the new edition and said on exhale. “Look at that. There was another sighting of Crumple-Horned Snorkack. I wonder where.”

Elsa excused herself and left the Great Hall. She was stopped on the way by McGonagall.

“Elsa, dear. It feels like I haven’t spoken to you in ages. How are you and your brother holding up?”

“We’re great,” Elsa said, though she had to admit she had not spoken to him outside of class. He was always busy with his new friends. She didn’t mind though. She had friends of her own now.

The witch did not look assured. “Last we spoke, you were concerned about staying here. “Please, do remember that running away is not the answer. If you only…”

“We’re not running away,” Elsa interrupted. She was confident in her plan, but she had to hurry to finish before winter came.

“My door is always open if you ever need anything.”

“Thank you. Have a good weekend, Professor,” Elsa said, starting to walk away.

McGonagall sighed heavily and walked away to do whatever it was teachers did in their spare time. Elsa found a quiet spot in the courtyard, eager to find the article.

Got a friend in Azkaban? Get them a pacifier. Studies show that sucking on a pacifier lessens the long-term effects the Dementors have on a prisoner’s mind.

Elsa frowned. This did not look like the article about the mirror.

WWN conspiracy. Stephen Cromp, known by many as Code Breaker Extraordinaire, has discovered that Wizarding Wireless Network transmits secret messages in its broadcast. Mr. Cromp claims that if you listen to the news report backwards on a blood-moon night, a secret recipe will be revealed for a vampire-repelling potion. Just one sip and you…

That didn’t sound like it either.

She checked the headlines of a few more pages. Some of the articles were making her scratch her head while others made her laugh out loud. Were they supposed to be funny? But she wouldn’t give up this fast. She was going to read them all if she had to.

Finally, she found something that mentioned a mirror. She read the article and tried to decipher the actual story behind the mystery and superfluous conspiracy theories.

Tales from the Attic: If looks could kill.

In today’s edition of Tales From the Attic, we bring you a tale of an unsolved murder.

In the late nineteenth century, all the best-trained owls came from the House of Gulbadox. They claimed their methods were so superior, they could train mere street pigeons. Their business was booming like a coughing dragon until a scandal came to light. Their best trainer, the talented witch Doxy Gulbadox, went missing. She was known for her excessive sweating and ambition for becoming a Veela.

A lot of rumors surrounded her disappearance: a family squabble, assassination ordered by their competition, or another case of a rabid-centaur kidnapping. Their competition insisted that her disappearance was a cheap publicity stunt while the family claimed that Doxy was deranged like a sneezing Kneazle, that she made up stories of having a twin sister who was a Veela and most likely ran away to find her. Despite her owl-training talents, no one missed Doxy Gulbadox.

Years passed, the family stopped searching, and eventually, everyone forgot about Doxy and her excessive sweating. The new head of the family, a promising young wizard by the name of Wampus Boot Gulbadox, wanted to branch out into the experimental art of training noctule bats and set out to renovate the attic for that purpose. While cleaning it, he made a discovery as frightening as being caught in the web of a cantankerous Acromantula.

In a drafty corner of the attic, which happened to be above the bedroom of none other but Wampus, covered by spiderwebs and years of dust, sat the shriveled corpse of Doxy Gulbadox. She was in their attic for all of those years and they had no idea!

There was no apparent cause of death which prompted a murder mystery. An enigmatic Inspector, Zachary Bogtrotter, who others thought to be as pleasant as eating your own toes, took on the cold case.

The family insisted that Doxy was killed by nothing else but a cursed mirror, which they conveniently gave away to not fall for its trap. They claimed that it was the one and only Mirror of Erised said to reflect a heart’s desire and ensnare anyone who dared to look at it. Its victims supposedly went into a trance, mesmerized by a vision of what they wanted most in the world.

Inspector Bogtrotter did not buy their story but had no evidence to the contrary. And even if it was true and Doxy did in fact waste away in front of a mirror, there was still the question of who planted the cursed mirror in the attic for her to find. Our enigmatic Inspector began interviewing all involved parties and suspected everyone in town.

Was it a family squabble? Were Doxy’s siblings tired of her excessive sweating enough to lure her to a cursed object? Or was it their competition who, in a fit of jealous rage, decided to eliminate the threat without getting their wands dirty? The herd of rabid centaurs was unavailable for an interview and many still suspect their involvement.

But the final question was why the family disposed of the mirror this quickly. Was the infamous Mirror of Erised ever in the drafty corner of the Gulbadox attic? What else were they hiding?

For lack of evidence, no arrests were made and the case of the death of Doxy Gulbadox remains forever unsolved.

What say you, dear readers? Do you believe that Doxy was killed by an enchanted mirror or was this a cover-up?

Elsa read the article several times and tried to put the clues together. She believed that Doxy had, in fact, died in front of a mirror. This supported what she had read about it in the library, “I nearly wasted away in front of a mirror, unable to make its reflection possible.” Elsa deduced that Doxy wanted to see a Veela sister and that was what the mirror showed her: her heart’s desire.

What mattered most was that the mirror was real. The article did not mention what happened to it. If Doxy’s family gave it away for their own safety, where would it have been placed? Elsa hoped that the article would give her more information than this, but at least she now knew the name of the mirror and had some more information about its properties.

Who knew that desires could be dangerous? Thankfully, she was smarter than Doxy Gulbadox.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ginny woke up in a girl’s lavatory again with no recollection of how she got there. This time, she was startled awake by the shrill lamenting of a crying girl, whose voice echoed off the moldy walls. It became clear why that lavatory was always empty. The ghost called Moaning Myrtle haunted it regularly and had no respect for the privacy of the living.

Ginny ran out of there and made her way through the castle. It was getting dark already. As Autumn moved in, it brought in short days and a constant chill in the corridors, which seeped into her bones and accompanied her all day long.

On her way to the Gryffindor tower, she saw Mrs. Norris, the cat of the Caretaker, Mr. Filch, sitting on top of a windowsill, chattering at the birds outside. It was the cutest sound. Everyone always said nasty things about the old cat, but Ginny didn’t see any reason to. There was no reason to dislike her just because her human was unpleasant.

Ginny approached her and cautiously let Mrs. Norris sniff her hand. The old cat gave it a good whiff and rubbed against her finger. Ginny scratched her behind the ear and was rewarded with a loud purr. Mrs. Norris was an affectionate cat. Her dust-colored fluffy coat looked disheveled but was in fact very soft. Ginny felt an urge to cuddle up with her.

“Get away from my cat!” Filch yelled from the end of the hallway, making Ginny jump.

A damp handkerchief dangled in his hand as he hobbled over. His nose was purple and drippy, completing a picture of someone who didn’t look well enough to be out of bed. Mrs. Norris, still purring, looked in his direction and blinked affectionately. She loved him as much as he loved her.

“Take care of him, Mrs. Norris,” Ginny said. “He looks rather sick,” and she scurried away from the scary caretaker before he could yell at her some more.

It seemed as if she had climbed a thousand stairs by the time she reached the Gryffindor common room. Why couldn’t it be on the ground floor? She made her way in and collapsed into an armchair. While she rested, she had a good view of her fellow Gryffindors and observed them with a detached interest of an outsider.
 
Harry was playing a game of chess with Ron. She couldn’t see from her spot who was winning and was too tired to get up, but he seemed to be in a good mood. She smiled to herself. She liked seeing him happy. “Good job, Ron,” she said to herself.

Merlin was sitting on a sofa close to the fireplace, next to Hermione who was explaining something to him with passion, unaware of his yawning.

There was a hushed commotion on the other side of the room. Unsurprisingly, Ginny’s brothers were at the center of it. She peeked from her seat to see what they were doing.

“Where did you get a salamander from?” an older student asked.

“We were studying them in Care of Magical Creatures class, and this one looked like it wanted to be liberated,” Fred said. “They eat fire, you know. I wonder if they can eat Filibuster Fireworks.”

“There’s one way to find out,” George said.

They held the salamander firmly and stuffed a firework in its mouth. The little lizard swallowed and everyone watched in silent anticipation. Ginny worried that the poor animal would be hurt by this. Then, the firework must have ignited because the salamander launched into the air and flew across the room. It zoomed around for a while, leaving behind tangerine stars to everyone’s delight, and finally landed near the fireplace. The twins ran to catch it, but the lizard was faster and jumped into the fire to hide.

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. At least it was alive.

“What is happening here?” Percy yelled from the top of the stairs.

“What is happening here?” Fred imitated his voice, and George snickered.

“I am a Prefect. Show some respect!” Percy said with his nose raised high.

“Oh, sorry. We haven’t noticed we’re in the presence of a Prefect,” Fred said and got back to poking at the fire to watch the salamander jump around.

Percy looked down at her. “Ginny, are you alright?”

Ugh, Percy. Why did he have to find her now? She hoped he didn’t notice that her robes were still a little damp from the wet bathroom floor. She did not need a lecture from him.

Percy put a hand on her forehead, and she swatted it away.

“I don’t have a fever.”

“You’re too pale. Did you catch anything? There’s a nasty cold going around.”

“I’m not sick, Percy. Go away.”

She didn’t feel sick, maybe tired. Thanks to him, she was tired and grumpy.

“You obviously are. Madam Pomfrey entrusted me with Pepperup Potion,” he showed her a small brown vial, “to distribute to anyone displaying the symptoms. We need to stop this virus before everyone gets infected.”

Ginny crossed her arms and glared at him. She hated how bossy he was acting now that he had a title to go with his ego. “I’m not drinking that stupid potion.”

“If you don’t drink it, I will write to mum.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Test me,” he said, dangling the vial in front of her nose.

Faced with the emotional blackmail of worrying their mum, she finally agreed.

The liquid felt warm on the tongue, but once it reached her stomach, it heated her like a spicy dinner. Within a minute, heat spread through her body, and just when she thought she would explode—she did. Steam shot out of her ears as if she was a kettle. All she needed was a ruddy whistle to complete the picture. She guessed that her face was red enough to blend in with her hair. It was time to hide. She tried to discreetly make her way out of the common room and ran into Harry on the way.

Ginny cursed her rotten luck. There was literal steam coming out of her ears. Of all the people she could have run into when looking so ridiculous, it had to be Harry. He smiled at her awkwardly, and she guessed that he was suppressing a laugh. She ran up to her dorm without a word and hid under a blanket.

Once the initial shock was over, she poked her head out just enough to properly breathe. This wasn’t a good day. She needed Tom.

Tom reassured her that it was going to be okay. He had an explanation for everything. She worried about why she lost track of time again and woke up in a lavatory, but he suggested that maybe she was sleepwalking. That made sense. It would even explain why she felt so tired all the time. She complained about Harry seeing her in such a comical state, and Tom suggested that it was a good thing.

It’s good to show people our vulnerable side, like when we’re sick. It gives them a reason to feel protective of us and to care about our wellbeing.

Tom was so smart. He found an opportunity in every problem. She hoped that he was right, and Harry was now thinking tender thoughts about her.
 
》《

Jack loved Herbology because it was held outside and also because he loved all the magical plants he got to play with. While all plant life held faint traces of nature magic, the plants in the greenhouses were pulsing with it, drawing him in. He liked to put his hand over each and feel how different its energy was from its neighbor.

“Don’t touch anything venomous again,” Elsa scolded Jack, and he glowered at her. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

His sister was annoyingly unadventurous, so he let her work on her own while he looked around. He wandered away from other students and found a plant that had long leaves and small delicate flowers. The tag said it was Asphodel, a common potion ingredient. His hand hovered over it, and he picked up two distinct trails of magic, one of which was very strong. A movement caught his eye. He parted the leaves and couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a small winged creature hiding in the plant. Upon seeing Jack, it made a small squeal and looked for an escape route.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you,” Jack assured.

“I sure hope not,” the creature responded in a soft voice.

Jack smiled reassuringly and moved a few leaves aside, trying to get a better look. “Are you a fairy?”

“What else would I be?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen a fairy before.”

This one was small enough to fit in his palm, had curly brown hair falling to his shoulders with long pointy ears sticking out of it. He was wearing a green tunic which looked like it was made of some plant material. His translucent wings shimmered with multiple colors, reflecting the light.

“You can understand me?” the fairy asked.

“Of course I can. I’m Jack. What’s your name?”

The fairy’s wings fluttered in excitement. He squeezed between the long leaves, as interested in Jack as he was in him.

“I’m Reed. What are you, Jack?”

Jack looked around to ensure that he was alone and then whispered, “Winter Spirit.”

Reed gasped and put his tiny hand against his mouth. Jack hoped that fairies didn’t have anything against his kind. Seeing no negative reaction, he put a hand out palm-up in invitation. Reed looked at his hand with hesitation but then climbed on top.

“Do you live in the greenhouse?” Jack asked.

“Don't be absurd.” Reed scoffed. “Do you?”

Jack grimaced, imagining how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in a humid place like this. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for supplies.”

Reed sat on Jack’s palm, and they studied each other for a moment. The potent tingling of fairy magic that came off him made Jack feel warm on the inside. He wondered what his magic felt like to the fairy.

“What you got there, boy?” Professor Sprout asked, coming up behind him.

Jack froze, startled. He didn’t hear her approach. He looked up hesitantly, wondering what she would think about a fairy in his hands. Could he explain it?

“Oh, a Garden Fairy,” she said. “Great catch. If you don’t need its wings, I’ll take them. I need to make a Girding Potion and fresh wings are the best.”

She approached Jack with an outstretched hand.

He brought the fairy to his chest protectively. “What?”

“If you don’t know how to pull its wings, I can do it. Just hand it over.”

Jack cried out with horror, “Pull his wings? That’s barbaric!”

Professor Sprout looked surprised. “It doesn’t kill them if that’s what you’re afraid of. The wings will grow back.”

“Professor, how can you even talk about it so casually?” Jack asked. “He’s a living creature. That’s… that’s… heartless!”

“You tell her!” Reed yelled back, giving the witch his middle finger, which she probably couldn’t see from that distance.

Professor Sprout sighed heavily and walked away, murmuring something under her breath. Jack clutched the fairy in his cupped hands and swallowed hard, realizing how close he came to witnessing the mutilation of a fellow magical creature.

“I can’t believe this. They do this to you? They steal your wings?”

Reed nodded with a resigned sigh. “Unfortunately, wizards know just how to lure and bribe us. We fall for it too easily.”

Jack winced, visualizing the cruel practice. “Does it hurt?”

“A little. The worst is that a fairy without wings is just plain ugly. I keep my wings beautifully groomed for myself, not for the wizards, thank you very much. When they caught me once, I hid from everyone for a week. I couldn’t be seen wingless. It’s embarrassing.”

Jack chuckled at learning the unexpected fairy trait and sat down on the ground. Fairy magic felt like a soothing song, which radiated from his hands into his body. He wished he always had a fairy in his hand, so he could always feel like this.

“I agree with you about the wings.”

Jack lifted his head to see Luna peering at him.

“I wish I could understand it,” she added and sat down next to him to have a look at the fairy in his cupped hands.

Did she mean that he wasn’t supposed to be able to talk to Reed? He had to ask sneakily.

“Wizards don’t understand Fairish,” he directed the statement to the fairy as a question.

“No, they don’t,” Reed answered. “It’s a good thing that you’re a fairy so we can talk.”

Jack flinched at the statement. “I’m not a fairy.”

“Yes, you are,” Reed insisted.

“Of course, you’re not,” Luna said and laughed loudly for an extended time, causing a few students to look their way.

Jack gulped. Maybe it wasn’t wise to continue this chat with witnesses around.

“She’s really pretty,” Luna said, leaning in to admire the fairy.

“He’s male,” Jack corrected, surprised that she didn’t notice. He thought it was rather obvious.

“They always do that!” Reed complained and folded his tiny arms over his chest. “Do we all look the same to them? The nerve! Wizards are so clueless!”

Jack sighed. “Tell me about it,” he replied and then remembered that Luna was still next to him. He panicked and racked his brain for a cover-up, but she surprised him.

“I like talking to all creatures too. Even objects. Or myself.” Then, she addressed Reed. “I’m sorry for calling you a

she

. It’s because you are one very good looking fairy.”

“Well, of course, that’s true,” Reed said giddily, fluttering his wings to show them off. “Have you seen how well I groom my wings? I have the nicest wings in my colony.”

“And your wings are lovely,” Luna added.

“Are you sure you don’t understand Fairish?” Jack asked.

“One fairy to another,” Reed waggled his eyebrows, and Jack frowned at being called that, “she’s a keeper.”

“I’ve never seen them talk so much,” Luna said. “I just wish I could understand it, but it’s all just a bunch of buzzing noises.”

“He’s got a lot to say, I guess,” Jack replied, glaring at the fairy. “A lot of fairy nonsense.”

Reed scoffed. “You still don’t believe me. How else could you understand me? No other beings can understand fairies but other fairies! You. Are. A. Fairy.”

Reed stood up and flapped his wings rapidly until he hovered over Jack’s hand.

Jack had more questions, but Luna was still sitting next to him. This conversation would have to wait until another time.

“I wonder where he lives,” he said, hoping Reed would understand that he was asking a question.

“Probably in the forest,” Luna said, watching the fairy with awe.

Reed understood. “Yes, in the forest. Can you feel my magic?”

“Yes,” Jack said.

“Then, walk on the edge of the forest until you feel it. Follow it and you’ll find your way to our colony. I’m sure the Queen would love to meet you. Farewell, Jack, the Winter Spirit. We shall meet again.”

Reed flew away through a vent in the wall.

“Bye, fairy!” Luna said, waving.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was hard for Merlin to believe that he had been at Hogwarts for eight weeks already. Days passed by quickly, and he got used to the student routine, taking advantage of the freedom that came from acting like a child. So he didn’t stop himself from “accidentally” using his magic to make Draco Malfoy spill his drink on himself after he’d heard the boy call someone a Mudblood.

The hurtful derogatory slur was what blood purists called Muggleborns to imply their inferior status. Some believed that Muggleborns didn’t deserve to be admitted to Hogwarts. Merlin wasn’t surprised that the arrogant Malfoy kid belonged to that group.

He was starting to see a reason to do this act more often and attend a wizarding school every couple of centuries. A few years with the young generation was a great way to catch up on what the world had been up to. But if he did it again, he would start a little older. Eleven was too young.

Another weekend meant another opportunity to bump into Harry. Down in the common room, the trio was sitting in their usual spot by the fireplace, doing homework. It was a prime opportunity for some Harry-bonding.

“Hey, Hermione. Do you have some time right now?” Merlin asked from the stairs.

“Sure, Merlin. I’m helping Harry and Ron. I could tutor you at the same time.”

Ron gave him a narrowed-eyed glare as he walked up. Merlin wasn’t sure what the ginger had against him.

As luck had it, someone placed a rug on the floor like a trap, making Merlin trip and land on his face. Rugs were the biggest enemy of looking cool. He promptly got up and tried to act like nothing had happened. Harry got back to his parchment but was suppressing a smile.

Hermione made notes on the parchment she was working on and gave it to Ron. Almost every sentence on it was crossed out.

Ron grouched. “If it’s this bad, why won’t you just write it for me?”

“But how will you learn? You need to make an effort. I won’t be taking your O.W.L.s for you, you know.”

“I hate History of Magic,” he grumbled and took out a new parchment.

“Alright,” Hermione clapped her hands on her knees. “Merlin, what did you need help with? Last time we worked on the match spell. Have you made any progress on it?”

“Not much,” he complained. “It’s embarrassing that I’m so bad at it.”

“We all had to start somewhere. Do you have your match with you?”

Merlin put his hand in his pocket and conjured a box of matches, which he put on the table.

“Great. As we tried before, picture a needle in your head and say the spell.”

“Right.” He got ready and pictured a match with a fluffy ending. “

Acufor

.”

The match sprouted a fluffy tip,

Hermione made a “tsk” sound. “You said it wrong. It’s

Acufors

, not

Acufor

.”

“You’re right.” He took out another match and wondered what he should transfigure it into. He imagined a match with no red tip. “

Acufors

.”

The match turned smooth as he wanted it to, and Hermione nodded in approval. “That’s better, Merlin. Keep trying.”

He wished he had come up with a different subject to be tutored in. There was a limit of how many shapes you can turn one object into before you start looking stupid. He had crossed the ”stupid” line about twenty matches ago.

“I’m exhausted,” Harry groaned, put down his quill, and leaned back in his armchair.

“Let me see it,” Hermione took his parchment.

Merlin sighed in relief. He’d had enough of the blasted matchstick game and hoped he could strike up a conversation. “Rough practice today?”

“Wood doesn’t let us take a break no matter the weather,” Harry answered, and Merlin did a happy backflip in his mind that his prompt worked. “It was raining buckets the whole time. It’s no fun to fly in that.”

“Wood is bonkers,” Ron lifted his head from his parchment. “How is the team looking? Do you think we have a chance?”

“We have a strong team, but the Slytherin brooms are so fast, we can’t beat them by points.”

“So it’s all up to you to catch the Snitch fast?” Merlin asked.

Harry sighed. “That’s the plan.”

“That’s a lot of pressure on one player.”

“You haven’t seen Harry in action yet,” Ron said. “He can do it.”

Despite Ron’s confidence in him, Harry fidgeted nervously.

“Merlin, get back to work,” Hermione chastised without looking up from Harry’s parchment.

Merlin grudgingly picked up his wand and automatically said “

Acufors

” without thinking. The match turned into a shiny sharp needle.

Harry noticed and exclaimed, “Hey, you did it, kid.”

Merlin tried to sound enthused, “Wow. Look at that,” but inside he was cursing himself. He forgot to mess up the spell! Now, what was he going to do?

“Good job. I knew you could do it,” Hermione encouraged and gave Harry his parchment. “This will pass, Harry.”

Merlin hoped they wouldn't kick him out now that his tutoring was done for the day, so he sat quietly like a piece of furniture and looked around the common room. He noticed that Ginny Weasley was watching them all from a dark corner of the room. He waved to her, inviting her to come over, and like a startled animal, she ran out of her corner to the girl’s dorms.

Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t remember the last time when he talked to her. Always sitting in that corner chair with her nose in a small notebook, writing away, she seemed different from the first impression he got of her. What changed?

“Why do you wear a scarf indoors?” Ron asked, snapping his thoughts away from Ginny.

Merlin looked down at his Gryffindor scarf. He was absentmindedly playing with its end the whole time. Why did it bother everyone so?

“Why not?” he said with a shrug.

“It’s bloody weird, that is.”

“Ron,” Hermione scolded.

“He could be hiding something under it.”

“Yes. I bet it’s a…” Hermione gasped and put a hand to her mouth dramatically. “Oh, no. It could be a neck.” Then, she looked down at the ginger. “Honestly, Ron.”

“Ha-ha,” Ron retorted sarcastically. “It’s no joke. Remember Quirrell from last year? He wore a turban, and it was weird, right? And he was hiding You Know Who under it! How do we know that this one isn’t hiding someone under that weird scarf?”

The conversation was taking an unexpected turn, and Merlin wasn’t sure if he was supposed to laugh or explain himself.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Merlin? This Merlin.”

“He fits the profile!” Ron defended. “Quirrell was clumsy, timid, he stuttered, he made it look like he was a pathetic wizard that barely knew any magic.” He pointed accusingly at Merlin. “This kid can’t walk two feet without tripping, it took him nearly two months to learn the simplest spell, AND he’s weird. There’s something off about him. He’s faking it all just like Quirrell was!”

Merlin felt his pulse speed up. He thought he was blending in well. Did he overdo his helpless child act? He wished his clumsiness was faked, but no amount of magic could cure his lack of coordination skills. But he could work on looking more normal, starting with resolving this ridiculous scarf mystery.

“Fine. I’ll show you,” he said.

The trio looked at him as if they had just realized that he was there. He unravelled his scarf and allowed Ron to inspect him though creepy-crawlies scampered under his skin the entire time his neck was naked. As soon as the ginger was satisfied, Merlin wrapped it back around his neck.

“You’re being ridiculous, Ron,” Hermione said. “You should apolo… AAAAH!” She jumped and crouched on top of the couch. “Control your rodent, Ron!”

Ron held out his hand close to the floor and a gray rat jumped onto it.

“Poor ugly Scabbers. Did mean Hermione frighten you?”

”Ah!” Ron flinched when the rat bit him. ”I think he's hungry. Let me get him something.”

”That thing only sleeps, eats, and poops,” Hermione complained.

”Well…” Ron said as if he wanted to defend his rat but then shrugged. ”It's not a lie,” and he walked away.

Ron’s suspicions gave Merlin a lot to think about. He was so busy watching others, he didn’t notice that he was being watched too, and though the age he turned himself into affected his mood and reasoning, he still wasn’t acting young enough.

Ron shortly came back without a rat. “What other homework do we have?”

Harry looked over his notes. ”Defense Against the Dark Arts. I can't believe we have to write an essay about our hair care routines.”

Ron grumbled. “Lockhart’s a joke. We’ll never learn anything useful with him.”

”Why do you think Dumbledore hired him?”

Hermione dropped a heavy textbook on the table, getting all of their attention. “The fact that Professor Dumbledore hired him should clear out whatever doubts you have about his competency. He’s a recipient of multiple awards, you know. We’re lucky to have him as our teacher.”

Merlin was with the boys on this issue. He did not believe any of Lockhart’s wild heroic tales, and his lessons were pointless. But he needed Hermione’s tutoring to get into their circle. If he upset her, she might quit, but if he didn’t side with Harry, how would Harry know that Merlin was on his side? Oh, this was giving him a massive headache.

“How am I supposed to write an essay about what I can describe in one sentence?” Harry continued. “My hair care routine is washing my hair. There’s nothing else to it.”

“You might want to comb it from time to time,” Hermione added.

Harry smoothed out his messy hair which was sticking up in all directions. It didn’t help. “Fine. Two sentences. What else can I add in there?”

Merlin tried to find safe middle ground. “Regardless of what your actual routine is, Lockhart will give you a good grade if you express an opinion that matches his. Just flower it up, and he’ll like it.”

Hermione blinked at him, and he wondered if he went too far and offended her favorite teacher. But she smiled and said, “Well put.”

“How in the bloody hell am I supposed to know what

he

thinks about it?” Ron asked, standing up.

Hermione’s smile vanished. “There are two whole chapters about hair in his autobiography

Magical Me,

which you’d know if you had read it like you were supposed to!”

Merlin got between them. “If you were Lockhart, what would you say about hair care?”

Ron scratched his chin while thinking. “If I were Lockhart, I’d check myself in the mirror every step of the way,”

Harry added, “And choose the right size of hair curlers for the occasion.”

“Oh, and ask my own paintings for validation.”

“And offer hair care tips to everyone, especially those who don’t want to hear it.”

“Even a bald guy.”

“Especially the bald guy.”

“Honestly, you two are too childish! I’ll see you when you grow up.” Hermione hissed. “Good Night, Merlin.”

She picked up her things and stormed out.

Not at all opposed to the childish banter, Merlin joined the boys in making fun of Lockhart, and in no time, they had enough material to write their essays. Baring his neck for them was worth the embarrassment if it meant that he was welcome to hang out with them now. He was almost in.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ever since Elsa found out about the Mirror of Erised, she thought about it day and night. She tossed and turned in her bed, dreaming about the enchanted object, but in every dream, it took on a different shape: from a decorative mirror that people hung on walls, to a large free-standing one, to a small one she could fit in her drawer. She wondered if there was a trick or a spell she needed to get it to work. She wanted a lot of things that she didn’t need to see in the mirror. How would the mirror know which of her desires it should show?

But tonight, she didn’t dream about it. Instead, her dream morphed into a memory.
 
Every first day of spring, Mother went somewhere, and when she came back, she was young again. Jack and Elsa were around six years old when they secretly followed her, hoping to solve the mystery, but they lost her in the tunnels. She just disappeared as if swallowed by the rock. It had to be concealed by magic. Mother wasn’t a witch but she had her ways.

Stubbornly, they kept searching for the hidden passage, and before they knew it, they chose different tunnels, got separated, and hopelessly lost. Elsa wept on the rocky floor, bruised from tripping in the dark, tired, and scared. She hated the darkness, but even more, she hated being alone.

“I won’t cry,” she promised herself when the darkness thickened around her. “Jack will find me. I won’t cry.”

She wrapped her arms around her bent legs, closed her eyes, and focused on the loud thump of her heart. She pictured her ear pressed against her twin’s chest and wished it was his heartbeat she heard.

‘Jack, find me,’ she thought a prayer as the first tears fell on her cheeks.

She found comfort in imagining that he was with her and her hope grew to magical proportions. She always felt better when he was close. He made her feel safe.

In a few minutes, she heard quiet footsteps and looked toward the sound, afraid of what nightmare might come her way. Was it just a hag or something worse? Mother always warned them that dark creatures loomed in these tunnels and would pounce on them if they disobeyed her.

And then Jack’s snow-white hair stood out in the darkness, chasing away her fears.

“Elsa!” he ran up to her and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. “I heard you. I heard you in my heart.”
 
Elsa woke up slowly, wishing to prolong the warmth of the dream a little more. She loved how complete she felt whenever Jack was around. She missed him.

The day when they got lost in the tunnels was the day when they discovered their magical link. Though limited in what variety of feelings it could send, it was special. It was theirs. Mother could never take it away from them. But lately, it felt as if Hogwarts was threatening it.

It made sense. Since they were no longer stuck with each other, they had a choice of friends and activities, and the contrast between them grew. But she couldn’t afford to lose him.

She sent him a signal, just a “Hi,” type of feeling to check if their link still worked. He responded immediately and she breathed a sigh of relief. No, Hogwarts couldn’t destroy what they had.
 
Later that day as they walked towards their Transfiguration class, Luna happily skipped next to Elsa. She wore one of her art projects in her blond hair today: a yellow paper flower which she tucked behind her ear. It suited her.

Elsa sometimes wished she could be as bold as her friend and proudly wear her art. Only yesterday, she created a set of beautiful snowflake-shaped ice hairpins which sparkled in the light like diamonds. If she left them in her hair, they wouldn’t have melted. They came out perfect, and she wanted to show them off, but she chickened out at the last minute and took them off.

She was afraid of the questions that would’ve followed, “What spell did you use, Elsa? Teach me.” How could she explain to them that she didn’t need a spell or a wand to create them? She couldn’t let them see how different she was from them so she hid her ability from everyone, even her best friend, even when suppressing it felt like it was suffocating her. Maybe one day the world would get to see her art, but for now, she had to be patient and play it safe.

As they approached their classroom, she ran into Jack who pulled her in for a quick hug. It reassured her that he needed her just as much as she needed him.

“Hey, sis.” He released her. “Hi, Luna. I like the flower.”

“I enchanted it,” she said in a breathy voice. “Do you want to see?”

She tapped the flower with her wand and it changed the color from yellow to orange.

“Cool. This color looks good on you.”

A group of Gryffindor girls that were passing by them whispered to each other loud enough for all of them to hear.

“What is she wearing?”

“If her father had a normal job, poor Loony wouldn’t have to make her own ugly jewelry.”

Luna must have heard it but seemed oblivious to the insult. Elsa was ready to defend her, but one of the girls turned on her housemates.

“Stop calling her that,” she said like she was prepared to use violent means to enforce her request.

They rolled their eyes and sighed in unison.

“Seriously, Ginny. You know I’m right,” one of them said, and they went inside with their noses held high.

“I’m sorry they’re so mean to you,” Ginny said to Luna.

“People say mean things when they feel threatened,” Luna said in a detached way as if reciting poetry. “It restores their self-esteem.”

Then, she skipped into the classroom, where she sat with Su Li, who was already busy reading their textbook.

Jack looked up and squinted, straining his brain. "I've never thought of it like that. She’s wise."

“She’s a Ravenclaw.”

"And so is my brilliant sister," he said, encircling her with his arms and squeezing so hard, he lifted her off the ground.

"Jack, what's going on with you?" she squeaked in protest.

"You put me in a good mood by waking me up," he finished on a whisper, "with a signal."

"You're welcome. Now put me down."

She fixed her robe when he released her and marched inside before he did anything else crazy.

When they settled at their desk and waited for McGonagall, she asked, "So how have you been?"

"Great! I met a fairy, and I went flying. It was so cool. Have you tried it yet?"

"I did. Too easy. I got bored."

"Bored?" he exclaimed. "Are you sure we're related?"

McGonagall walked in so Elsa lowered her voice. "What is there to gush over? The broom obeyed me without a challenge. What accomplishment is that? Though I must admit, it would've been satisfying to get onto the Quidditch team after just one lesson when others might never get that good no matter how many years they train," she joked. "I bet no one has accomplished that before."

Jack grimaced and frost started building under his fingertips. "Potter did."

"Oh. Interesting." She wasn't as interested in the fact that Potter managed it, but was rather curious how mentioning Potter made Jack frost over their desk. "You don't like him?"

He shrugged. "I don't know why people care so much about everything he does and says. You should see how Colin worships him. I don't get it. He’s ordinary."

"He’s a one-time wonder but a wonder nonetheless. Everyone wants to know how a baby survived The Dark Lord’s attack." She glanced over at Colin who sat in the first row with Ginny. "People feel special when they’re around others who prove they’re really special. What’s the problem? You wish to be as famous?"

"What? No." He played with his frost deliberately this time. "Do you think I could get onto the Quidditch team?"

"Why won't you try? If flying is as easy to you as it is to me, you should have no problem."

"It's more than just flying. I've never even seen the game. I need to practice it to learn the rules and tricks." His face lit up. "Hey, do you want to practice with me?"

Elsa cringed at the idea of touching a dirty ball and getting sweaty for an utterly unproductive goal. "Sorry, but no."

McGonagall cleared her throat to gain everyone’s attention and started explaining today’s lesson. Then she showed off her favorite trick under the pretext of wanting to inspire them. She turned into a tabby cat and then back into herself, getting applause from the class.

Elsa had seen that trick before so she turned to Jack and whispered, "I've made progress in my project. The next step is to find the Mirror of Erised. Do you want to help me?"

"Sorry, but no."

"You're being petty."

He stuck out his tongue at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Very mature."

Then they both went quiet as McGonagall placed her hand on their table. “Do I have your attention?”

“Yes, professor,” they answered together, keeping their heads down.

“Excellent.”

As McGonagall resumed her lecture, Elsa tried to listen, but her thoughts drifted off until she had an epiphany. Hogwarts wasn’t changing the relationship between Jack and her. They themselves were changing, growing into their own skin. Their newfound freedom allowed them to evolve. Though her brother might still be quite low on the maturity scale.

》《

Jack was starting to get used to the routine of the Potions class: prep the cauldron, cut up ingredients, add them in, stir, check the magic… Well, the last part was never in the instructions. At first, he did it because he found it fascinating how the potion’s magic morphed with each new ingredient, but he found that it came with an advantage. He knew when to proceed to the next step, when the magic of the mixture was stable, or when it needed his attention. As far as he noticed, no one else could sense the magic the way he did, even their teacher. Their insensitivity to magic was their disadvantage. It surprised him how good he was at this. He rocked at Potions.

“I wish he’d start a fire already,” Merlin grumbled and his eyes lingered on the dark fireplace. “How cold will it have to get before he lights it?”

He visibly shivered and adjusted the Gryffindor scarf around his neck to hide in it up to his lips. Late October weather brought in a chill throughout the castle that all students often complained about. Jack found it very comfortable. He was probably even more attentive because of it. Some classrooms were too warm and made him sleepy but the Potions classroom was always blissfully chilly.

Merlin moaned, “I forgot the mistletoe berries.” He looked in the direction of the storage room with hatred. “It’s even colder in there.”

“I’ll get it for you,” Jack offered.

He went inside the storage room and searched the shelves for the berries. It was dark in that part of the room, so he had to rely on his sense of touch to find the recognizable wicker basket. As his hand touched different jars and boxes, he sensed a strangely familiar tingle of magic radiating from a small rectangular box. He opened the lid slowly and dipped his hand in. He felt something sleek and thin inside and pulled a few pieces out. He had a suspicion of what it was, or maybe rather, he knew what it was but hoped that he was wrong.

He brought his palm to light and stared at the pieces with crushing disbelief. As he feared, they were fairy wings. The box had to have at least a hundred of them, each carrying a unique signature of the fairy they were pulled from. He swallowed, and it tasted like bile.

‘They really do this,’ he thought, looking at the rainbow of colors reflected in the dim light. ‘They pull their wings as if they were fruit trees, as if they weren’t beings with feelings and lives.’

He carefully put the wings back in the box and quietly closed it, feeling as if he was covering a mass grave. His skin still tingled from the wing dust that rubbed off on it. The tingle seeped into his skin and spread through his body, but unlike that time when he held Reed in the greenhouse, this time, it didn’t feel warm. It suffocated him.

He considered stealing the box so the wings couldn’t be used, but what would that solve? They would just attack more fairies to replace it. He imagined a store where they sold stacks of boxes like this one, a farm where little fairies were bred like geese, trapped and fed only as long as they kept regrowing their beautiful wings. What an awful existence that must be.

And he couldn’t do anything to stop them.

His eyes fell on a jar that contained what looked like an animal fetus floating in a yellowish liquid. A few other jars like that were aligned in a neat row behind it—lives that never had a chance.

‘I need to get out of here,’ he thought.

This time his eyes found a bundle of dried bird feet.

‘Don’t look at that.’

Now, he saw a jar with hundreds of small eyes pickled in a clear juice.

Every time he came into this room before, he made an effort to avoid looking at these objects because they made him uncomfortable, but this time, they were demanding attention, shaming him for trying to ignore what he knew was wrong.

He turned around to get away from the jars and accidentally knocked one to the ground. The glass noisily shattered and the liquid splashed on his shoes. Small eyes rolled around him, and once stopped, they were watching him, judging.

“Did you get lost, Nix?” Snape’s drawl reached him from the classroom. “Should we send in a search party?”

Jack’s vision swam and he braced himself against the storage rack. His stomach felt like it turned itself inside out. He was going to be sick.

Muffled sounds of laughter reached him but soon drowned in a piercing sound like someone was ringing a bell next to his ears. His blurry vision told him there was a dark shape before him.

Snape made an annoyed ‘tsk’ sound and asked, “What did you do?”

Jack took a couple of long breaths and focused on trying to not throw up on his professor’s feet.

“I need to get outside,” was all he could mumble.

Where was air? Why was air suddenly gone?

Snape grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the storage room. “Ealdor, take him to Madam Pomfrey before he befouls my classroom.”

Someone took Jack by the arm and pulled him away. Gloomy stone walls of the dungeon reminded him that he was underground, bringing on an onslaught of memories against his wish. It all came back, all the years trapped between rock and earth, never seeing the light of day, stale air, no wind.

‘Not now,’ he begged his mind to drop the subject. Where was the air?

The stone walls were growing in size and closing in on him. He picked up the pace, running up the stairs to get out of the underground, to get outside and find air.

When they reached the ground floor, Jack gained hope that he could hold the queasiness back. In just a moment, he would feel the Earth under his feet and the wind tousling his hair, but a hard grip on his arm steered him to the main staircase. Jack realized they were going the wrong way and pulled on his arm trying to wrench it away.

“We’re going this way, Jack,” Merlin ordered, not letting go.

“No,” he used his other hand to pry away fingers holding him. “Outside. I need to be outside.”

Merlin pulled him hard. “You need to see Madam Pomfrey. You look sick.”

Another wave of nausea hit him, he felt short of breath and shivered on the inside. His legs gave out under him and he fell on his knees hard. He supported himself with his hands and closed his eyes, trying to regain his strength.

“Breathe, Jack. Just breathe,” Merlin said, tapping his shoulder. “What? Are you doing that?”

Jack took a few ragged breaths and opened his eyes. He groaned, seeing that frost started building on the floor under his hands. He was losing control. If he couldn’t contain his magic, Merlin would see just how other he was. The flash of panic restored enough strength in him to run for the door. He heard Merlin’s footsteps behind him and ran as fast as his legs could carry before his friend tried to stop him again. He wrenched the large door open and jumped over the stairs. He ran until he reached the grass where he kicked off his shoes.

Jack dug his toes into the dirt and raised his face to the cloudy sky. He focused on his feet touching the raw Earth, tried to feel deep into the ground, to feel the power of eternal Earth magic he stood on. It heard his calling and answered by lending its power to him. It seeped into him, grounding him, settling his stomach and nerves. He stood there for a while taking full advantage of the power he received until he felt like himself again. He could breathe again.

Jack opened his eyes and looked at his palms. The smudges of wing dust on his fingers and the tingle of the fairy magic were blaring evidence of the horror he’d uncovered. His heart ached, remembering how many wings were in that box. He was a part of this world now, the world of wizards who reduced body parts of magical creatures to potion ingredients. Why? Because they could. Wizards felt superior to all other magical creatures. Creatures like him.

He crouched on the ground and tried to rub off wing dust on the grass, but it would not come off. Its magic screamed at him that he was now as guilty as the wizards he fraternized with.

“What happened?” Merlin asked, and Jack worried what his friend thought about the frost he witnessed earlier. He put a hand on Jack’s forehead. “You’re freezing. You need to see Madam Pomfrey.”

Jack took a long breath and shook his head. “No, I’m not sick. It was just… I’m not sure what it was. I’m better.”

Merlin held his wrist with a thumb and forefinger.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m checking your pulse. You’re too cold. We need to get inside.”

Jack didn’t know how to explain this without drawing attention to how inhuman he was. “It’s normal. I’m always cold. I’m okay, really. I’d like to stay out here a bit longer.”

Merlin did not look convinced. Jack couldn’t stand the idea of being indoors right now. He yearned to sit on this grass for hours and do nothing, just enjoy the peacefulness of this spot.

“Please, Merlin. I just need a moment.”

Merlin was unhappy about it but did not fight him anymore. Instead, he fussed over him, checked his pulse again, touched his forehead, inspected his eyes, and it all felt a little strange. Jack would have expected behavior like this from someone like McGonagall, not from a fellow student.

“If you won’t talk to Madam Pomfrey, talk to me. What symptoms did you feel?”

Jack did not want to relive it all but caved in to get him to shut up. “Dizzy, nauseous, it was like there was no air, like I would suffocate. I had to get out of there.”

“Was it Snape? Did he say something? Did he do something?”

“What? What about Snape?”

“Jack, it sounds like you had an anxiety attack. It’s when stress and anxiety get so bad that you can feel it physically. Your body overreacts. What stressed you out if it wasn’t Snape?”

Jack laid down on the grass and stared at the cloudy sky, wishing the sun would come out. He wasn't entirely sure if it was stress. When the fairy dust touched him, it felt like the weight of the castle collapsed on top of him. Rather than stress, he felt anger but wasn’t sure how to talk about it. Based on how natural Merlin was among all of the strangeness of Hogwarts, he would have a typical wizard’s opinion about potion ingredients. He wouldn’t understand.

“Yeah, it was Snape. He stresses me out,” Jack lied and continued looking at the sky.

Actually, he didn’t mind Snape. The unpleasant wizard was full of himself, but really, Jack had met much worse people. He had lived with much worse people. It was easier to think of Snape as a vampire wanna-be. He looked comical from that point of view, maybe even a little sad. It had to be exhausting to be in a bad mood all the time. That man could use some fun in his life.

Right now, Jack would’ve loved to try his version of fun, to get on a broom and feel the wind on his skin. As if hearing his thoughts, a slight breeze ruffled his hair, and he breathed in the smells of the damp foliage it brought. He loved being outside.

‘I’m not forgetting you,’ he directed his thoughts to fairies, whose magic he still felt on his skin. ‘You matter.’

He wished he could affect a change and save fairies from their inhumane fate at wizards’ hands. A resolve was starting to form inside him, clearing the last of his nausea. He was not going to participate in the cruel wizard customs. His practice of magic would not involve exploitation of magical creatures. It was time someone said ‘no.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Halloween feast promised to be spectacular. There were already rumors going around regarding what Dumbledore might have booked for entertainment. As the day was coming to an end, Merlin felt a shift in magic. Samhain had begun. He was delighted that the modern magic community had not forgotten its roots yet. A proper Samhain feast was a treat, even if they didn’t call it that anymore.

Back in the old days, Samhain was an important holiday. Magic was most potent while the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead was at its thinnest. It had an effect on all magic practitioners even when they weren’t aware of it. A lot of important events had a tendency to happen on this day.

He wasn’t the only one that was looking forward to it.

“I bet there will be giant Jack O’Lanterns. Mister Hagrid was growing these huuuge pumpkins,” Colin tried to demonstrate the size with his hands. “I bet he carved them up and they’ll be so big, they could even fit

him

inside. Have you seen the size of him? He’s like a giant. Or are giants larger than him? What else do you think will be at the feast? What do wizards use for Halloween decorations?”

“It’s pretty similar to what Muggles do,” Merlin answered, “but we don’t dress up in fake wizard costumes.”

“We have real ghosts in this castle,” Colin mused. “Maybe they’ll put on a show?”

“I hope not,” Jack said.

“Don’t worry, Jack.” Merlin clapped him on the shoulder and pushed him out of their dorm. “Ghosts are going to be busy tonight. Hermione said that Sir Nick’s Deathday Party is happening tonight.”

Colin skipped next to Merlin, his camera already strapped around his neck. “Deathday Party. You don’t hear that in the Muggle world. Do ghosts come out in pictures? I’d love to get a shot of that gathering.”

“Uninvited guests are not welcome,” Merlin grumbled.

He tried to tag along to the Deathday Party with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but Hermione thought it wouldn’t be appropriate to invite himself in—like Merlin needed another proof that he wasn’t officially part of their group yet. But the tutoring sessions were not a complete waste of time. The trio conversed freely in his company now, although, he still felt like a piece of furniture—ignored until needed.

The three of them made their way to the ground floor, but Jack split off before they reached the Great Hall.

“You guys go. I’ll catch up,” he said to them, going in the other direction. “I need to drag my sister out of the library before she misses the whole feast.”

"How do you know that she's in the library and not at the feast already?" Merlin asked but Jack walked away without answering.

"Merlin, look!" Colin pointed at the Great Hall and started taking pictures of everything.

No decorations were spared. Carved giant pumpkins, each one unique, were set up all around, and the lights inside them flickered playfully. The ceiling was decorated in orange streamers and live bats who flew around happily. Spooky mischief seemed to hang in the air, and Merlin wondered what that mood was doing to the resident mischief spirit, Peeves. He was probably outdoing himself tonight, pranking everyone in sight.

The food was Halloween-themed as well. Traditional autumn dishes awaited them on the house tables, joined by spooktacular desserts like candied apples, black cauldrons filled with candy, breadsticks shaped like bones, and mousse-filled ice cream cones turned upside down to look like wizard hats.

Unlike on regular days, tonight, students did not stay at their house tables but mingled around. It was nice to see house loyalties put aside, even if for one night. Merlin did not like how the House system separated kids who would otherwise be friends and wondered if the school would ever be open to the idea of dropping this concept.

Hours passed before Jack and Elsa entered the Hall, arguing among themselves. They split up, and Jack came over, huffing in exasperation.

“You have no idea what it took to get her…” he abruptly stopped and stared at the ceiling with an open mouth. “Are they real?”

Merlin looked up and observed the bats that quietly flapped above them, “Yes and no. Yes, they’re real bats, but no because they were conjured. They’re temporary. You can tell they’re made of magic by how they’re constantly flying in circles and not trying to get away. When you conjure animals, they are under your control.”

“Wow,” the boy mouthed. “Do you think I could learn a spell like that?”

“It’s a little early, Jack. This is an advanced spell. Be patient. You’ll get there one day.”

“I want to try,” Jack said eagerly. “I have a feeling I can do this one.”

Merlin crossed his arms and appraised the boy. He’d seen Jack’s struggles with advanced magic. Merlin had assumed that anyone knowing Old Religion, or whatever unorthodox magic the twins practiced, would find learning the wand spells as easy as he had when he first attended Hogwarts a millennium ago, but Jack was an expert at surprising him.

“Have you conjured anything so far?”

“No.”

Merlin shook his head. He didn’t know where Jack got this confidence from, but today was a special day, and he was in the mood to humor the boy.

“The spell is

Avis

. Wave your wand like this,” he demonstrated, “and keep a bat in mind.”

Jack pulled out his wand and waved it. “

Avis

,” he said confidently.

White sparks came out of the tip of his wand, but nothing else happened. He tried again with the same result. Merlin chuckled. He wasn’t sure why he showed him a spell this difficult. There was no way a first-year student could figure it out.

He clapped him on the back. “As I said, you’ll get there one day.”

Jack sighed. “Maybe not today. But it's okay. I have other ways.”

“What do you mean?”

Jack looked back at the bats. “I’ll show you one day.”

“Merlin,” Colin asked after snapping a picture of the ceiling, “how do you know that spell?”

Merlin swallowed. He forgot that he was supposed to be a clueless first-year. “I’ve seen it done. My uncle conjures bats all the time.”

“Why?”

Merlin’s mind started swirling with possible explanations. “Guano, you know, their poop. It’s the best fertilizer.”

“But wait,” Jack asked, “if the bats are temporary, won’t their poop,” he giggled, “be temporary?”

Colin giggled too. “Temporary poop,” and now they were both shaking with laughter.

Merlin rolled his eyes. Oh, the maturity. He wished he had come up with a different explanation, but now he had to stick to this one. “Well, if they eat real food, then their poop is real too.”

“Reeeeal poop,” Colin repeated.

“Let’s hope the ones above us weren’t fed,” Jack said, and they laughed again.

Merlin thoroughly regretted the decision to tell them the guano story. He did not need to hear poop puns every day now.

“Guano of these days we’ll make you laugh, Merlin,” Jack joked and shoved his shoulder playfully.

Merlin couldn’t roll his eyes any harder. “Poop jokes are not my favorite form of humor.”

“But are they at least a solid number two?” Colin barely finished the sentence before he cracked up.

Merlin shook his head in defeat but then smiled a little. These two were rubbing off on him.

He took a look around the Great Hall, concerned why Harry wasn’t back yet. Merlin had attended ghost parties and knew well that spirits of the dead did not serve food appropriate for the living. He expected that they should be starving by now.

Some commotion started happening at the staff table, and he was thankful for the distraction. He thought that maybe Dumbledore was going to end the feast, but instead, he introduced the evening’s entertainment. The Headmaster was wearing shiny baby-blue robes tonight. Merlin supposed that only Gilderoy Lockhart dressed with more pizzazz. Yes, orange with frills and a peacock feather in his hat. Nothing surprised him anymore.

Strange music announced the arrival of their guests. A skeleton walked in through the main entrance with an instrument made of bones strapped to his chest and played a melody on it by banging bone against bone. He was followed by six other skeletons who bobbed their heads to the music in unison. They walked up to the staff table, turned on their bony heels to face the students, and the music stopped. The skeletons froze in place.

Everyone in the Great Hall went quiet and waited. The music-playing skeleton resumed the melody and the others began dancing to it in a very animated way, dropping bones in the process and discreetly reattaching them. Students started to get up, cheer and whistle. Finally, Merlin realized why. The melody played on the bone instrument resembled that popular song, “Do the Hippogriff.” Kids were going crazy for it, especially Colin who snapped many photos of the group and tried to sing along with others despite not knowing the words.

The performance ended, and the skeletons bowed deep. One of them lost a hand, picked it up promptly, and waved it to the crowd. The students stood up, clapped, and cheered loudly. It was a perfect ending to this festive night. Dumbledore knew how to throw a good party.

The skeleton show concluded the feast and everyone started making their way out of the Great Hall, laughing and talking excitedly. To Merlin’s chagrin, his roommates resumed their poop jokes while they walked back to their dorm. Lesson learned. He had to avoid using that word in their presence.

A large group of students was gathered in the second-floor hallway to look at something on the wall.

“Do you think skeletons poop?” Jack asked.

“Skelepoop?” Colin suggested.

“Guys, stop,” Merlin said.

“Did you say stoooop?” Colin joked, and they giggled again but then quieted down once they saw what the commotion was about.

On the wall in front of them, between two tall windows and two lit torches, was a message written in red paint.
 
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.
 
As if this wasn’t disturbing enough, the cat, Mrs. Norris, was hanging from a torch bracket by her tail, looking stiff and dead. Her eyes were frozen open in horror.

“Is that blood?” Colin whispered and raised his camera to take a picture, but Merlin stopped him.

This was bad. Very bad.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in front of the wall in a puddle of water. They looked just as bewildered as everyone else, but the way that they stood there, so separated from the group, singled them out. Everyone stared at them, the wall, and the dead cat.

The silence was broken by the snooty voice of Draco Malfoy. “

Enemies of the Heir, beware

. You’ll be next, Mudbloods!”

Merlin did not like this boy before but he despised him now. The Chamber of Secrets or killing cats in such a manner was not a joke.

Alerted by the commotion, Filch bounded over and started shrieking when he saw his cat. He noticed Harry’s group and spat mournfully, “You killed my cat!”

From the silence of everyone around, Merlin guessed that the Caretaker wasn’t the only one who thought that Harry and his friends had something to do with it.

Dumbledore arrived with other teachers, freed the poor cat, and called in Harry’s trio to Lockhart’s office, shooting Merlin a knowing glance. Merlin wanted to go with them to be a part of that conversation, but the timing was wrong. He would have to catch up with Dumbledore about this later.

The students lingered by the wall for a while and slowly dispersed to their dorms. The mood of the night had drastically changed from what it was just minutes before. Everyone watched the shadows with caution and stuck in close groups. Whispers passed around, carrying theories as to what happened or what the Chamber of Secrets could be.

Merlin could tell them but wanted to speak with Dumbledore first. This was a serious situation. The students were in danger. If the Chamber of Secrets had really been opened, Mrs. Norris was only the beginning.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was past midnight, Jack and Colin were in their beds, still discussing the message on the wall. Merlin wanted them to fall asleep already so he could sneak out to talk to Dumbledore, but they were too stimulated about the event to wind down. If the Chamber of Secrets had indeed been opened, the situation was grave, and it bothered him how the dead cat fit into the picture. He had no time to waste and had to cheat. He whispered an incantation to put the boys to sleep, and it worked instantly, allowing him to sneak out of the Gryffindor Tower.

He was cautious when he walked the dark corridors and had to duck behind a corner when a couple of professors passed by. It would be difficult to explain what a student like him was doing out of bed at this hour, especially tonight.

”Lemon drop,” he said the password to the stone gargoyles, and they revealed the entrance to Dumbledore’s office. He listened closely at the door to ensure no one else was there. Since it was quiet inside, he knocked.

“Come in,” Dumbledore’s tired voice said.

The old wizard sat behind his desk, his glasses thrown aside, both hands supporting his head. He looked understandably troubled.

Merlin sat in front of him and broke the silence. “Did Harry see who did it?”

Albus leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh. “He said he didn’t, but I suspect that he’s hiding something.”

“Why did they kill the cat?”

“She’s not dead. Petrified.”

Merlin huffed. “It takes a potent Dark Magic to turn a cat into a statue. What type of creature are we dealing with?”

“No one knows.”

Albus pinched the bridge of his nose where his spectacles normally sat while a brass clock on the wall ticked away the seconds. The school relied on him to provide answers, to keep the children safe. It had to be tiring to carry a weight like that on his shoulders.

“I want to help,” Merlin said, trying to reassure his friend that he wasn’t alone in this burden. “Tell me, what do you know?”

Albus sighed. “You’re familiar with the Chamber’s history?”

“Yes. It was said that Salazar built a secret chamber where he hid a monster that would rid Hogwarts of Muggleborns. In the past, I’ve searched this castle along with many others. No one could find it. Apparently, only Salazar’s descendants can locate it and release the monster. Some kind of blood magic is hiding its location, that’s what I’m guessing.”

“And then the legend was proven true fifty years ago,” Albus continued. “Many were petrified before the attacks stopped. One student died. I always feared the day when they would resume. Do we have another Slytherin’s Heir attending Hogwarts or is this the same person?”

That was a good question. Fifty years was a long time. Why would the Heir return now?

“You’ve gotten to know some students already,” Albus said. “Did you notice anything strange? Anyone acting suspiciously?”

At first, Merlin couldn’t think of anyone suspicious among the Hogwarts children. The Malfoy kid was a nuisance, but he fit the type who couldn't back their threats with action.

But Jack came to the feast late. How did he know that his sister was in the library? Why did it take him so long to get her to the Great Hall? More likely, Jack had scheduled to meet his sister before the feast so they could do something together.

There were a lot of questions surrounding the boy. Just the other day, Merlin saw him display a very strange type of magic as frost built under his hands with no spell or incantation said. But did he really suspect him? Having strange magic wasn’t an offense in itself. He needed more proof before he started pointing fingers at innocent children.

“No, I haven’t noticed anything strange yet. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open.”

Dumbledore’s eyes were piercing him, and Merlin maintained a blank face. His old friend was good at recognizing when he was being lied to, but Merlin was an excellent liar.

“Find out what Harry knows. It could be important,” Albus said.

“I’ll increase my efforts. What will you tell the students about the Chamber of Secrets?”

“It’s hardly a reason to cause a panic.”

“This is only the beginning. If you don’t explain to them how grave the situation is, they will ignore all warnings.”

“We don’t really know if the Chamber was opened though, do we?” Albus spoke in a soft tone as if he was explaining a difficult concept. “All we have is a message on the wall and a petrified cat. It could very well be a twisted Halloween prank.”

“So you’ll wait until a student is petrified, or worse, dead?”

“It’s impractical to upset everyone before we have all the facts, don’t you think?”

Merlin stood up, his temper rising. “You’re making a mistake. Students need to be warned about the severity of the threat.”

Albus rose from his chair and towered over him. “This might be difficult for you to understand,” he said while smiling sympathetically and looking down at him, “but this is the best course of action. I’ll take it from here. You worry yourself with Harry and leave the rest to me.”

This felt all too familiar. Merlin never understood what it was about him that made people not take him seriously. He never learned how to carry himself in a way that would demand respect. It wasn’t helping that he was a child now, but Albus knew who he was. It hurt that his own friend talked to him in a condescending tone. Or maybe, he overestimated his friendship with the old wizard.

“You look tired,” Albus said in a softer tone. “You should get back to bed. Good Night, Merlin.”

Merlin had heard enough. He turned around and stormed out of there without a word. Dumbledore’s patronizing tone brought back too many memories. Would Merlin always be the peasant who was unworthy of speaking up in court? What more would he have to accomplish to earn some respect? He had saved the world on so many occasions, he lost count. He conquered death. He was unmatched in all magic disciplines. And still, no one listened! And he was always right in these situations. He hated always having a reason to say “I told you so.”

As he stomped down the hallway, the chill of the castle gradually cooled down his temper, forcing him to think. If Dumbledore was going to be passive about the situation, it was Merlin's responsibility to take matters into his own hands.

He climbed the stairs to the second floor, found the message on the wall, and searched for clues. He rubbed a finger at the blood, but it didn’t come off. A spell was cast on it so the message would be difficult to erase. Halloween prank, right. This was difficult magic, not some child’s play.

Even if the Chamber hadn’t been opened, they might have a psychopath running around the school. Only a very special breed of disturbed person would display a petrified cat by hanging it by the tail. How long before this psycho hungered for bigger, more challenging prey? No one was safe until Merlin got to the bottom of it.

A puddle of water on the ground gave him an idea. Water was useful—as people walked through it, they left behind an impression of themselves. Hydromancy was like riding a bike, he hoped.

He concentrated on the water, said an incantation, and stirred the surface with his finger. A warmth went through him as the magic took hold. As the ripples smoothed out, a vision formed on the surface, allowing him to view the events that had transpired here.

The hallway was submerged in darkness. The torches provided very little illumination. A hooded figure walked up to the wall, his feet splashing in the puddle, a dead rooster secured under his arm. He wasn’t in a hurry. His face was hidden in the hood's shadow, but he appeared young like a first or second-year student. He dipped a hand in the rooster's wound and started to paint the letters on the wall with its blood.

No one disturbed the slow project. Everyone was at the feast, but this one student who was alone, unnoticed. There was no passion, anger, or mischievous glee in his movements. It was calculated and casual. Cold. After finishing the writing, the student cast a spell on it and left. He returned with a petrified cat, which he tied to the torch, and walked away.

It was quiet in the hallway. The cat gently swung from the bracket. Its shadow was the only companion in this horrid moment. Soon after, Harry, Ron, and Hermione came splashing through the puddle and froze in shock when they saw the message on the wall and the cat. Harry looked horrified.

And here, the vision ended. The surface of the water turned back into an ordinary puddle and reflected Merlin’s face back to him.

“They missed him by a minute!” Merlin growled.

But how did Harry and his friends know to show up there? They came running as if guided. Did they overhear someone’s plans? Did they notice any suspicious clues? Once they found the message and the cat, they had to have realized how serious the situation was, so why would they withhold that information from their Headmaster?

》《

Cold, wet floor, and silence.

Ginny opened her eyes. Her cheek was stuck to the floor tile. She breathed through her mouth and watched the ripples of the air current in a puddle of water, her mind too muddled to form a coherent thought. Her body felt like it wasn’t completely there. Did she even have one? If she was still asleep, it was a strange dream. A shiver ran through her. She had to have a body if she felt cold.

She laid there for a while longer, trying to feel something other than cold. She moved a finger. It worked. She felt it. She moved more fingers. Progress. She tried to get up but couldn’t. Her muscles felt like jelly. Weak. She felt so weak.

She took a moment to look around. It was the wretched abandoned bathroom again. Moaning Myrtle wasn’t there yet thankfully. She was alone. Alone with the silence and the cold floor.

She hated this bathroom. She had ended up here so many times already. Why was her sleepwalking always bringing her here? The onslaught of anger restored an ounce of her strength and she tried to get up. Her arms shook under her weight. Now, one leg, the other, and she was upright, but her vision swam, and she waited for it to stabilize.

Ginny made her way out and shuffled down the dark hallway, using the wall to compensate for her poor balance. The walk to the Gryffindor Tower was taking forever. She stared at her feet as she shuffled forward. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot.

“Just keep going and you’ll get there. Keep going.”

She looked ahead to see if she was any closer. She wasn’t even halfway down the hallway. Then, her eyes landed on the wall. There was something written on it. Her brain wasn’t working enough to read it, but she was drawn to it. She traced one letter with her finger. The dim light of the torch illuminated her hand, which was dirty with something dark red, the same shade as the writing.

Ginny stumbled away from the wall. It had to be a coincidence. People didn’t just write things while sleepwalking. She wasn’t the one who vandalized the school. It couldn’t have been her. Ginny rubbed her dirty hands on her damp robes and got back to the task of walking. Just a little more and she’d be at the tower. Just a few more steps and she would get into her warm dry bed. Just a little longer.

She made it to the stairs and looked up. There were so many stairs. Muggles had invented a handy thing called an elevator. Why couldn’t wizards do something similar? She started to climb and made it up only on sheer willpower, not body strength.

“Password,” the portrait of Fat Lady said.

Ginny swayed on her feet and blinked slowly. Password, right.

“It’s one word,” she mumbled.

Fat Lady rolled her eyes. “Yes, it’s one word. Tell me the word so I can let you in.”

What was she doing here anyway?

“Bed,” Ginny mumbled.

“Oh, dear. That’s not the password. Think about it. I know that you know it.”

Not

bed

? But she needed a bed—her soft warm bed with the cozy blanket her mum knitted.

“Wake up!” Fat Lady shrieked.

Ginny opened her eyes. She didn’t notice when she closed them. Fat Lady looked at her kindly while Ginny tried to remember what she was doing here. Oh, she needed to get in to get to her bed.

“Password, dear.”

Ginny racked her brains for the word. She was sure she’d said it earlier today. Was it today? She wasn’t sure what day today was. Maybe it was all a dream.

“Wattlebird,” she exclaimed.

Fat Lady let out a breath of relief. “Get to bed, dear. It’s late,” Fat Lady said and the painting swung open.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Halloween events had everyone agitated and a little scared. Elsa wasn’t sure what the fuss was about. So someone vandalized the school. She imagined it happened a lot in a castle filled with teenagers. What happened to the cat was sad, but she was never particularly fond of it in the first place. The halls were a little less creepy without it sneaking around.

She took her usual seat in Transfiguration and found her brother reading their textbook a few chapters ahead of their current lesson. That was beyond strange. Jack was actually studying?

“I’ve read the whole thing,” she told him. “I don’t see any tips in there to improve our transfiguration spells. It hurts how bad we are at this.”

Professor McGonagall entered the classroom and the chatter quieted. The lesson started and despite her efforts, Elsa found it hard to focus. She was distracted. Her research was proving more difficult than expected. After reading that article from Luna’s magazine, Elsa thought to follow the clue of the family name Gulbadox, hoping they would have a record of what happened to that mirror, but the Hogwarts library did not have any information on them. She wondered if any Gulbadox relatives were still even around.

Maybe it would’ve been easier to track down the person who wrote that article. There was no author listed, but she hoped Luna could ask her father for contact information.

Sometimes, Elsa doubted herself and wondered if she was wasting her time. There was no guarantee that the mirror would give her the answers she needed, but it was the closest she got so far. She knew exactly what she wanted, what her heart’s desire was. If she understood that correctly, the mirror would translate it into a vision. This plan had to work. She had nothing else to go on. All of her research had come up fruitless. There was no spell to find someone who you knew nothing about.

She put her thoughts aside and focused on the spell she was supposed to practice. Transfiguration class was coming to an end but her match still didn’t look like a needle. Sometimes, she managed to change its appearance slightly but never enough to turn it all the way. It was embarrassing. Jack wasn’t doing any better than she was. In fact, it looked like he gave up trying and was reading the textbook again. The other students had already moved on to the next spell. Elsa didn’t know why she struggled. In fact, she did very well in Charms, perfecting spells at the same speed as the other students. What was different about this branch of magic?

“You two,” McGonagall stopped by their desk and said to her and Jack, “come by my office after your classes today.”

Elsa’s heart dropped down to her stomach. Oh, no. She’d been so obsessed with her research, she neglected McGonagall’s class. What would be the witch’s reaction to their failure? They were both in trouble if they couldn’t figure out how to perform this magic.

“Jack, what are we…” she turned to her brother and found his seat empty.

If they were in this together, why did she always feel so alone?
 
》《
 
It felt ridiculous to bother with the student routine when Merlin had important work to do. Someone dangerous was on the loose at the school, danger lurked over the heads of these children, and here he was, their protector, pretending to not know how to do magic. But a part of his work was getting Harry to talk, and he needed to be a student for that. So he trudged down the stairs for another Potions class.

“You will be working on Wiggenweld Potion today,” Snape said in a low voice. His lips barely moved. “Do I dare hope that all of you did your homework and already know what this potion is used for?”

He turned to the class and scanned everyone’s faces. Few kids raised their hands, and he picked one Slytherin girl.

“It is a powerful healing potion.”

“Correct. Five points to Slytherin. Wiggenweld Potion can also reverse the effects of the Sleeping Draught. Open your books and get to work.”

Snape turned his back to them and walked to his desk. Merlin scowled at him. What in the world was Snape thinking, having them work on Wiggenweld Potion already? It required meticulous attention to detail. At each step, the brewer needed to watch the mixture’s color, adjust the cauldron’s heat, and be very careful when adding each ingredient. It was too complex for these children. They weren’t ready.

Merlin had a feeling that something would go wrong, so he kept an eye on his friends to ensure they were following directions and wouldn’t create an accidental explosion. Snape was waiting for someone to mess up, wasn’t he? Did he enjoy giving these poor kids anxiety attacks?

Students got their ingredients and started working on the potion. The prep was the easy part, so Merlin had a moment to brainstorm how to get Harry to talk. He was on good terms with Hermione, but he couldn't exactly ask her, ‘What do you think I should do to make Harry like me and spill all his secrets to me?’ Then, maybe his approach was wrong. The time for slowly befriending Harry was gone. He needed to get into Harry’s circle fast. Maybe he had to offer something other than friendship. What did he have that Harry would need or want?

Snape started walking around the classroom, giving tips to the Slytherins and criticizing Gryffindors. How typical. Merlin was halfway done with his potion and waited for it to turn red, so he used the time to check on his friends. Jack’s mixture looked stable, though from how quiet he’d been, Merlin guessed he was still stressing over Snape.

“Your potion looks great so far,” he said, hoping to balance out the boy’s anxiety.

“So does yours,” Jack said.

Merlin checked on Colin next and gasped. Colin was about to put ten lionfish spines into his cauldron all at once.

“Oh, gods. Colin, don’t put that in!”

Colin looked in his direction just as the spines dropped into the mixture with a hiss. Merlin quickly ran over and put out the fire under the boy's cauldron, but it was too late. The mixture bubbled violently, and he barely managed to push Colin out of the way when it exploded. The gooey substance splattered all over Colin’s desk, the floor, and, of course, all over Merlin.

The class erupted in a laugh while the Potions Master looked very satisfied with that result.

“It would seem your skills are limited to essay-writing, Mr. Ealdor. One point from Gryffindor for thinking you could save Creevey from his own incompetence. No amount of help will save this insufferable excuse for a wizard.”

Merlin ground his teeth in frustration while the potion goo dripped from his face.

“Go back to Muggles, Mudblood. You’ll be safer there,” one of the Slytherin kids jeered at Colin, and his friends snickered.

Merlin took notice to remember who said it—a tall skinny kid with short dark hair and small eyes disproportionate to the rest of his head. Merlin was making a list of students who were suspects in the Chamber of Secrets message, and this mini-eyed boy fit the profile.

Snape turned around and sat back behind his desk as if he hadn’t just heard a vulgar slur in his classroom. Merlin was outraged. No matter how much Snape disliked Colin, he was still a teacher. He shouldn’t allow language like that in his classroom.

Colin looked like someone punched him in the gut. Merlin would figure out something to make the boy feel better, but it would have to wait until later. He had to deal with the situation at hand. He was covered in the sticky goo. It was all over his face, stung his eyes, and dripped from his robes.

He walked up to Snape. “May I be excused so I can clean up, Professor?”

Snape appraised him and a hint of a smile played on his lips.

‘Just give me more reason to hate you. I dare you,’ Merlin thought.

“It would be prudent if you helped Creevey clean up the mess first,” Snape said very slowly, his face expressionless, “since you want to be so helpful.”

How could he help clean up when he was covered with the stuff? He was more likely going to spread it everywhere. Ah, but Snape knew that. That was the point.

‘Control yourself, Merlin,’ he had to remind himself before he said something he would regret. ‘Not now.’

He walked back to Colin’s table and grabbed one of the rags the boy brought.

He lowered to the ground and grudgingly observed Snape who was enjoying the view. The wizard could clean up this spill with a swish of his wand like he had done whenever Slytherin kids created any messes. This man was truly downright cruel.

Merlin wiped at the spill on the floor, which smeared all over the place, and the goo from his robes dripped onto the floor, adding to it. Colin looked like he was ready to cry.

“It’s not coming off,” Colin whispered shakily. “Snape will kill me. It’s not coming off!”

Merlin gave his rag to Colin. “Better wash them both, I’ll keep wiping.”

Colin ran to the sink, and Snape was watching Merlin like a hawk. No, a hawk was too nice of an animal, like a mangy hyena. No, worse. Like a greasy-haired, sickly pale rabid mangy hyena that was being ripped apart by vultures. Wouldn’t that be a sight.

Merlin smirked, amused by the lengths his imagination could get up to. It was an understatement to say that Snape was getting under his skin. He had been from day one, but today, a line was crossed, but he had to be sneaky if he were to do something about it.

Merlin dropped his eyes to the floor, so no one would see the flash of magic in them, and focused on the table of the Slytherin kid at the end of the classroom. He whispered a simple spell that raised the flames under the kid’s cauldron. Predictably, Snape rushed over to help control the fire. While everyone was distracted, Merlin waved his hand over the spilled potion on the floor and the desk to vanish the smeared goo. Only what dripped off his dirty robes remained.

Colin came back and was relieved. “You got almost all of it off. Thank you, Merlin. I thought I was going to spend the whole night here, cleaning this up. And sorry for getting it all over you.”

“It’s not your fault, Colin.”

Merlin went back to the sink to drop the cleaning cloth and wash his face. His eyes were tearing up from the burning and the mixture refused to come out with water and soap. He used magic to get it out of his eyes before he went blind, but he had to leave the rest of himself dirty to keep up appearances.

“Get out of my classroom, Ealdor. You’re getting everything filthy,” Snape snapped cooly. “Creevey, clean up after your helper.”

“Go on, Mudblood,” the same small-eyed Slytherin said to Colin in a loud whisper. “Get used to cleaning up filth. That’s all you’ll ever be good for.”

That was enough. Before more insults could leave the vile lips, the boy sitting next to him spilled the entire contents of a jar of Flobberworm mucus on his robes.

“What the…”

“Sorry.”

Accidents just seemed to happen with Merlin around.

Colin’s frown lifted slightly, but only for a moment before he remembered that he was still in trouble and hurried back to cleaning.

Merlin turned to leave and shot Colin a reassuring look. He was going to find a way to cheer him up later. First things first. One issue bothered Merlin to no end. He was sure that Snape had heard the vulgar slur again but did nothing to stop it. This cemented Merlin’s resolve. That wizard needed to feel what it felt like to be picked on.

He whispered the curse he had in mind while proceeding to the door in a leisurely walk. He felt the warmth of the magic course through him and invisibly make its way to its target. He listened closely as Snape walked back to his desk—a shuffle of robes, a soft clack of shoes. He was getting closer. Just when Merlin brought his hand to the door handle, he heard the sound of creaking wood, a crash, and Snape’s grunt.

The classroom became deadly quiet as students were in shock at what happened while Merlin walked out, feeling a lot better. He had an inkling that from now on, legs of any chair Snape tried to sit on would have a habit of breaking under his weight.

Merlin closed the door, vanished the goo from his robes, and straightened his Gryffindor scarf. One problem down. Now, he could get on to more pressing work.
 
》《

Tom?

Hi, Ginny.

Something is wrong.

What's wrong, Ginny?

I am. Something is wrong with me.

Talk to me, what's bothering you?

Everything. The sleepwalking is getting worse. And this time, I think I did something awful while asleep.

Oh, no. What do you think you did?

I dreamt that I woke up with blood on my hands, and that I saw bloody writing on a wall, but when I really woke up, my hands were clean.

Oh, then it was just a dream. Don't worry.

But the bloody writing on the wall is real! Someone really did that. What if I wrote that while asleep?

Ginny, you most likely noticed the wall while sleepwalking and that’s why you were dreaming about it.

I guess it's possible. But Tom, that’s not all. Mrs. Norris, she’s a cat, she was petrified and found hanging by her tail. It's awful. What if I did it?

Do you even know how to petrify a cat?

No.

It's just your imagination, Ginny. You didn't do it.

But Tom, what would explain why my robes were so dirty and had chicken feathers on them? Something happened to me that night.

Your sleepwalking must have taken you outside.

Maybe. I hate this. Why do I sleepwalk so much?

I don’t know. I wish I could cure you of it.

If only it was that easy. Maybe I should go to Madam Pomfrey?

Who’s that?

She’s our Healer.

I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s a phase—it will pass.

But it’s getting worse. I should go to her.

Ginny, I didn’t want to say it earlier, I didn’t want to scare you, but I knew someone that had sleepwalking problems.

Really? What happened?

The school Healer said that he was mad and committed him to a loony asylum.

No! Do you think I'm mad?

Definitely not. The Healer misdiagnosed my friend, and as a result, he spent many weeks locked up with the real loonies. It was terrible. Even after his sleepwalking stopped, it took him a long time to convince them that he wasn’t mad. I want to spare you that awful experience.

But maybe Madam Pomfrey wouldn’t do that.

Do you want to take that chance, Ginny? Once they think that you’re crazy, they won’t listen to anything else you might have to say. I don’t want that to happen to you. I’m worried about you. Please, promise me you won’t go to her.

You’re right, I don’t want to take that chance.

Exactly. And don’t tell anyone, not your friends or brothers. We don’t want them to think you’re mad either. If they find out about your sleepwalking, they could tell Madam Pomfrey directly, and you’ll be in the same situation, maybe even worse.

Thank you for looking out for me.

Of course! You’re my best friend, Ginny. Is there anything else you want to talk about?

I guess... I’m just sad.

Why? Did something happen?

No, nothing happened. That’s the problem. I missed the entire Halloween feast. I heard that it was fun.

That’s a shame.

What bothers me is that no one noticed. No one asked me where I was. No one cares. I’m invisible. It’s like I don’t exist.

They don’t deserve you and you don’t need them. I will never treat you like you’re invisible. Stick with me, Ginny.

I will, Tom. I will.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Later that day, Elsa and Jack came into McGonagall’s office as directed. The witch gestured for them to sit in front of her desk. The fireplace was lit and the room felt too warm, making Elsa sleepy.

“I called you here today for several reasons,” the witch said. “First of all, I wanted to ask you about Halloween. How are you coping?”

“What does that message on the wall mean?” Jack asked.

The witch sighed and linked her hands on the table.

“It is uncertain. It troubles me what was done to Mrs. Norris as her petrification was a result of Dark Magic. I want you to promise me that you will not go wandering about the castle alone. As winter draws closer, it gets dark early. Until we find who was responsible for Mrs. Norris and the writing on the wall, it isn’t safe. It has never been more necessary for you to remain in your dorms and stay out of trouble. Can you promise me that?”

“We promise,” Elsa answered for both of them. It shouldn’t be difficult to upkeep their word since she had no desire to wander the castle in the dark.

“Overall,” McGonagall continued, “how has the term been going for you? Do you like Hogwarts?”

“I love it,” Elsa blurted and smiled awkwardly. It was the truth. “Everything’s great, right, Jack?”

Her brother nodded, but Elsa had a feeling that he was holding something back, that something wasn’t ‘great’ with him. He had been uncharacteristically quiet lately. It hit her that yet again, she didn’t know what he was thinking. She used to be able to read him like a book. Were they drifting so far apart that they were losing their ability to understand each other? She always assumed that it was a bond for life.

“You likely expect what else I wanted to discuss with you,” McGonagall continued.

Oh, no. The dreaded topic was coming up. Elsa's hands became sweaty, and she wasn’t sure if the fireplace was the only one to blame.

“I worry about your lack of progress in my class. All children in your year have completed their transfiguration of a match into a needle and have made progress with the next spell—a pebble into a button. I can’t hold back the rest of the class just on your account. I have to move on with the material and I’m afraid the two of you are falling behind. Why do you struggle so much with this spell?”

Elsa swallowed. They were the worst in the entire year. The worst of all four houses.

“I don’t know why,” she said, blinking moisture out of her eyes. “I’ve been trying so hard. I’m doing everything the way you say, I know the theory by heart, but it just isn’t happening.”

She tried to not fall apart. She couldn’t accept a failure. She was sure she could perform the same magic the wizard children could, but they were better than her. All of them.

Jack picked at his cuticles and mumbled, “I have a theory.”

“I’d like to hear that,” Elsa said, leaning back in her chair. What did her brother figure out that she couldn’t?

“I think…” he stopped and shyly met McGonagall’s eyes. “I mean, I know, it’s your specialty, Professor. I don’t want to offend you.”

“I won’t get offended. Say it.”

He took a long breath and said quickly, “Our magic is elemental. It’s the magic of nature. Transfiguration breaks the rules of nature and that’s why we can’t do it.”

Elsa stared at her brother with disbelief. Was he onto something? “I never thought of it that way. But I want to be able to learn this type of magic too. There must be a way to get around that.”

McGonagall pursed her lips. “But you already use transfiguration magic.” She paused to ensure she had their attention. “When you create ice or frost, you conjure it—that’s a transfiguration method.”

“That’s different,” Jack argued. “Turning one object into another doesn’t happen in nature.”

“Magic, in general,” the witch said, shifting her position in the chair, “can alter the fabric of reality but rules still apply. I believe that the rules of nature govern what is and isn’t possible because magic comes from nature, it is a part of it. Just think about this: when you use magic to vanish an object, it doesn’t cease to exist, it becomes part of the magic collective which is all around us. When you conjure something, it will exist for a brief time only, you are borrowing magic, and eventually, it has to be returned to the collective. These are very advanced theoretical topics, and I don’t expect you to be able to understand them at such a young age, but I hope you can grasp that there is nothing unnatural in transfiguration magic.”

Elsa tapped a finger on her chin. “I think I understand. However, I don’t fully agree. You say that when I create ice, I conjure it, but even if it melts, it acts like water, it doesn’t get returned to the collective magic. It’s not temporary.”

“Ah,” McGonagall raised a finger in the air, “that’s because water is one of the exceptions to Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration, which you'll learn about later. Water can be conjured out of nothing.”

“Can other elements? Like Fire, Earth, and Wind?” Elsa asked, fascinated.

“Fire and Wind, yes. There are spells for both. I don’t know if anyone has ever tried to conjure Earth or what use it would be.”

“Looking at it from this point of view, would magic be the fifth element?”

McGonagall smiled at her. “Very good, Elsa. Some scholars suggest this conclusion, but there is no consensus among the magical community about that theory. There are a lot more elements out there, after all, and who’s to say which are more important or potent?”

Elsa beamed. McGonagall compared her theory to some scholar’s work.

Jack looked from his sister to their Professor. “It’s not that simple. I think some magic is wrong. Did you read further in our Transfiguration textbook? Did you see what some of those advanced spells call for? You transform an animal, a

living

creature, into a non-living object. How can the rules of nature allow that? It’s unnatural. It’s wrong.”

“You are so stubborn!” Elsa snapped. She exhaled a puff of air to calm down. “What Professor is trying to explain to you is that magic is governed by the rules of nature. We must conclude that if this magic is possible then nature allows it. Let’s move on. How can we improve at this, Professor? What can we do?”

“I’d like to practice with you outside of class,” McGonagall answered. “I’ve been watching you. You’re close to achieving the transfiguration. I think you just need some one-on-one instruction.”

Elsa was glad that McGonagall wanted to give them extra help. For a short time, she was afraid that they would be kicked out of her class for performing so poorly, but now she gained hope. Having a close relationship with the Transfiguration teacher was definitely an advantage.

She practiced the spell with McGonagall while Jack sat next to her with his arms crossed and pouting. What was wrong with him? Before they came to this school, he said that he wanted to learn magic and now he refused to even try.

Elsa wasn’t making any progress and his uncooperative grumpiness was making the task even more frustrating. She wanted to be good at this. There had to be a way.

She glanced at her brother, remembering what he said, “Our magic is elemental.” Wizard’s magic was different. A wizard using a wand could produce a different type of magic than an elemental being like them. Maybe Jack really was onto something. Maybe she needed to channel a different source of magic than her own in order to cast a non-elemental spell, something stronger.

McGonagall was wrong in thinking that there was no use for the element of Earth. Their mother had taught them how to draw on the power of Earth to boost their power.

“Professor, I would like to test a theory. Could we move this lesson outside?”

McGonagall was taken by surprise and Elsa knew why. This type of request sounded more like something Jack would ask for. He always preferred to do everything outdoors and for a good reason. They were stronger when out in the open air.

McGonagall agreed, and they went into the courtyard, where she put a match on a stone bench and stood nearby to observe.

Elsa breathed in the cool air and felt her body relax. She focused on the ground under her feet and reached deep into it with her mind until she felt its power. She felt warmth in her wand and knew that she was on the right track. Once she had a solid hold over the power, she cast her spell. The match took on a silverish color and Elsa jumped from excitement. She made more progress than she had in the two months she’d been trying to do this spell.

“Good job, Elsa. Keep trying.”

Elsa continued the exercise and went through several matches before she transfigured the match into a beautiful, shiny needle. By then, she felt that she was an expert at transferring Earth’s magic into her wand.

She wondered what other use it would have. Would all other spells be more effective when boosted by Earth? She couldn’t wait to try.

Her brother was sitting on the ground cross-legged, not looking at them. He occupied himself with a silly task of slowly tracing a line of frost on the ground with his finger, careful to not touch any grass. Elsa wanted to help him. She didn’t want him to be left behind.

“Jack.” She crouched next to him and whispered, “tap into the Earth’s power, channel it through your wand. That will help you cast the spell.”

He stopped tracing frost on the ground and froze in place.

“You can do it. If I can, so can you.”

"Thanks." He did not look as excited about this discovery as she thought he ought to be. Most of all, he looked sad and it worried her.

Elsa glanced at the professor looming over their heads and whispered to him, "We'll talk later."

McGonagall dismissed her, and Elsa went to her dorm to practice the spell on her own.

She felt confident and powerful. She could do this. She could wield multiple elements if she tried. Now, her next challenge was finding a way to tap into Earth’s power while indoors, but what was a castle if not a collection of rocks?

》《

Minerva shivered slightly and pulled her cloak tighter around herself. It was chilly today, definitely too chilly to hang outdoors. She didn’t understand how the twins were not bothered by this weather and figured they were in denial, ignored being cold just for the sake of spending time outside. She had to keep this conversation short so they could all go back in.

Minerva scolded herself for not reaching out to the twins earlier. It wasn’t until that untalented boy, Merlin Ealdor, cast the spell perfectly that she realized that the twins were the last ones who couldn’t. It was neglectful of her to not coach them earlier. They were under her care, after all.

She sent Elsa inside already after the girl successfully cast the spell. Jack sat on the ground with his head down, not acknowledging Minerva at all. She worried if he still thought of running away. What would it take to get him to open up?

“Your sister was able to cast the spell, Jack,” she said, but he didn’t react.

His silence was unnerving her and she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She felt strange, towering over him like this, but she was most certainly not going to sit on the ground with him like an undignified hag. His bare feet had to have been freezing by now. Would she ever get him to drop this inappropriate habit?

“Why don't we sit over there?” She pointed to a bench nearby. “I’d like to talk over what’s troubling you. And, on Merlin’s beard, put your shoes on.”

Jack walked over to the bench, grabbing his shoes on the way but not putting them on. Ah, this boy.

“Professor,” he was watching his foot swing under the bench and spoke slowly as if he practiced this line beforehand, “is it possible for me to stay at Hogwarts if I fail Transfiguration? Or will I be expelled?”

“Jack, there is still time to learn. There is no reason for you to assume so early on that you will fail. I’m confident that you’ll make progress with the right attitude just like your sister did.”

“Isn't the final exam turning an animal into an object? I will not do it, Professor. You will have to fail me.”

“Why won’t you do it?”

“I will not end life.”

“Oh, Jack. Is that what you're worried about? A part of the exam is returning the animal to its previous form. I'd never ask you to kill an animal. If you couldn’t do it, I’d do it for you.”

He snapped his head and exploded, “So it’s no big deal? Would it be okay to practice that spell on a witch or a wizard, Professor?”

“No, it would certainly not...”

“How would you like to be turned into a…” he interrupted her, “into… into a bench? If you wouldn’t, then how can you do it to another living creature?” His voice rose. “Does a witch have more right to live than a rodent?”

“Jack...” His unexpected outburst was making her head spin. “I beg your pardon? Are you comparing me to a rodent?”

“Witches and wizards are worse than rodents. A rodent wouldn’t do that to a fellow living creature.”

“How dare you?” She restrained herself from slapping him, but her body language must have shown it because he flinched away from her.

Minerva exhaled a puff of air, which was visible in the cold. She wouldn’t hit him, no matter how much she wanted to for his rudeness. In all of her years of teaching, no student dared to challenge her so insolently. Did he honestly think that he understood the ethics of Transfiguration better than she did?

She did not recognize the boy sitting in front of her. Where was the fun-seeking silly troublemaker whose biggest offense was an aversion to shoes? She had never seen this audacious, radical side to him.

Ah, but he ran away from home, didn’t he? His rebellious phase had started before he even met her. It wasn’t completely her fault then.

“Mind your attitude, Mr. Nix. You will serve detention for your disrespect. You lost two points to Gryffindor.” She rose from the bench, afraid of what else she might do if they continued. “This isn’t the last of this conversation.”

Minerva trembled as she walked away, her nerves shot, her pride mangled, but with every step further away from him, her heart was sinking more. She was supposed to get him to open up, and she achieved the opposite. And what exactly did they argue about? He didn’t want to hurt animals, and she yelled at him for that. Did she just give him a reason to run away? Perhaps she was too harsh. He was disrespectful, true, but she didn’t handle it right either. She had to be the adult here and smooth it all away.

She turned back, intending to fix her mistake, but it was too late. Jack had already left.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

》Spring of 1987《The shadows danced on the tunnel wall as Jack swung his lantern to the rhythm of his stride. As he turned the corner, he saw hag Rhine walking in his direction with a white goat leading the way. He stared the hag right in her black soulless eyes. The goat’s bleat distracted him, and he momentarily lost eye contact. Right at that moment, Rhine extended her gnarly fingers in his direction. Staring her down again, he moved away from her reach and scraped his arm on the uneven rocky wall. She licked her lips and smiled, revealing only two bottom teeth. He kept walking backwards to keep an eye on her until she disappeared from view. He didn’t understand why the hags had been acting so strange lately. They kept sneaking glances at him as if they were waiting for something. Elsa said she didn’t notice anything weird. Was he just imagining it?As he got closer to his destination, he slowed down. He didn’t want to go in, but there was no fighting this. No one said ‘No’ to Mother.Every spring, Mother returned with the same plan—to teach them better control over their winter magic. He actually liked how little time she spent home during winter. It gave him a chance to play, do whatever he wanted, be himself, but then each year, winter would end and Mother would come back with the same project: more lessons, new challenges for him to fail.It wasn’t helping that he seemed to always disappoint her. He never learned how to create ice, and Mother finally accepted that his powers would always be different from his sister’s, that he would always be the weaker twin. He thought that it would mean the end of the lessons, but no. Mother still called him in.‘Be strong this time,’ he thought.He had been repeating this to himself the whole winter. He promised himself that no matter what Mother said or did, he was not going to cry so she couldn’t make fun of him. He would never let her words get to him again. He believed in himself. He could do this.He stopped by the arched doorway, recognizing the strange symbols carved into it. He couldn’t read them but knew that they marked the training chamber. He reluctantly knocked and went in, hoping the lesson would be quick. Mother sat on a large stone bench which was carved to look as if it was a throne covered by icicles. In the winter, she made herself a real ice throne but the rest of the year she had to settle for this imitation. It was draped with a large brown and white pelt. It reminded him of one of the goats he’d seen in the pasture room a few months ago. He felt sorry for the poor animal.“You wanted to see me?”“Sit.”Mother was young again. Both Elsa and he wanted to know how she did it, how she made herself young every spring. He overheard hags talk about it among themselves, jealous of her. Mother had guarded this secret for many winters, long before the twins were born, and wouldn’t make an exception for anyone.He dared to look her in the eye to judge what mood she was in, but it was hard to tell today. She appeared bored. He supposed her mood would be determined by how well he did. No pressure. She pointed at a small box placed on the ground and he shuffled to it unenthusiastically.“Did I say shamble like an injured sloth? Ugh. What have I done to deserve this?!”He sped up and sat down cross-legged obediently. This was not a good start to the lesson. While Mother’s side of the room was illuminated by sets of candles melting on plates, the center of the room was rather dark so he set his lantern on the ground next to him. It always made him feel a little better when there was a light source close by.“What’s a sloth?” he asked.“When will you get it in your head? No. Questions.”Jack stared at a crack on the floor, afraid that if he looked at her again, she would get even angrier. He knew, of course, that she hated questions, but sometimes, he couldn’t help himself. He was curious. What could a sloth be? Was it a breed of goat? Maybe it had short legs and that’s why it was slower. Why was it injured? Maybe it was trying to jump over the fence but couldn’t because of the short legs. He imagined this sloth to be a slow, short-legged goat that was less jumpy than the other goats.Mother crossed one leg over the other and rearranged her gown so it would elegantly fall around her. She sure liked to prove how beautiful she was, but he didn’t know why she tried so hard. She was surrounded by hags. It didn’t take much to look beautiful around here.“Your sister was able to complete the task in front of you last year already. I am anxious to see how much she’s improved this winter. What have you accomplished?”Jack inspected his fingers and picked at a piece of skin that was sticking out. Elsa had replicated Mother’s ice throne this winter. Her creations were becoming very accurate and very impressive. He was never going to be as skilled as his sister, but he learned something new by accident. He wondered if it would be enough to impress Mother and get her to say something nice.“I learned a new trick,” he said and a tiny hope flickered in his heart. She leaned back in her seat and ran her slender fingers through the shaggy fur. He flinched, thinking how much better the goat would have preferred to be stroked when it was still alive. “If you could not disappoint me at least once, that would be most refreshing.”His mouth felt dry and now he wished he hadn’t said anything. She was expecting something big, but his trick wasn’t anything like that. She was probably going to laugh at it. She never liked anything he had ever done.“Is that what you wanted to show me? How you can sit and do nothing?” she drawled. “That’s not new. I’ve seen you do that trick plenty of times.”Jack took a long breath in and out and braced himself. He had to do it. Mother was waiting. He looked at the ceiling, focused on specific points of the uneven rock surface, and willed for tiny freckles of frost to form there. He held onto them for a few more seconds so they would properly shape and let go. The tiny frostflakes slowly floated down, mimicking falling snow. He did it! A small smile crept onto his lips.He’d been perfecting this trick all winter and took him a while to get it right. At first, the flakes were too large and fell down too fast. If they were too small, it didn’t look like snow. He had to strike just the right balance of size for this to work.Mother had shown them real snow. Every winter, she would make it snow in a large cavern so they could see what winter looked like. They loved it. It was the best playtime they ever had. She promised that if they were good students, one day she would take them with her, and they would create a massive blizzard together. He would love to see what they looked like. They sounded exciting. But would he ever be a good enough student to deserve a trip outside?Mother stood from her throne and approached him. “Do it again.”He repeated the steps and more frostflakes floated down from the ceiling. It wasn’t as nice as Mother’s snow and lasted only for a few seconds before they all fell down, but he thought it was cool. He was happy with himself for having figured it out.She held her hand out and caught a few flakes. “It’s not snow. You’re using frost?”He nodded in response and tried to judge her reaction but her face didn’t betray it. He wasn’t sure if she approved of his method or not. Was she pleased that he learned something new on his own?“You got my hopes up needlessly then,” she declared and went back to sit on her throne. “You're supposed to grow your powers, not invent tricks.”Jack picked at the skin of his cuticle absentmindedly, pulled a little too hard, and a sore spot developed. No, he wasn’t a good student today. He never would be good enough. It would be so cool if he could make real snow. Mother would be impressed. But how? Even Elsa didn’t know how to do it.  Mother released a long exaggerated sigh, recrossed her legs, and continued her instructions fast and mechanically as if she had said them many times before. “Let’s just see how far behind your sister you are. This task is an exercise in speed and accuracy. When you lift the lid of the box in front of you, you will have to act fast as it will try to get away. Use your magic to catch it and kill it.”Jack wondered what she could have meant. He understood that by using his magic on plants, he could kill the life inside them, but he never had to catch them. He knew better than to keep Mother waiting, so he lifted the lid of the box. It contained something he had never seen before. He put his hand inside and very carefully pulled it out because contrary to what Mother said, it wasn’t trying to get away. He gasped, finally recognizing what it was. It looked very similar to a drawing in Elsa’s book. The colors were different, but it had to be it.“It’s a butterfly,” he said, full of wonder.“And you’re a genius,” Mother said, but her tone sounded like she meant the opposite. “Now, kill it.”The butterfly had black wings, long antennae, and skinny legs. It stood on his finger with its wings folded up. He couldn’t believe how pretty it was, so delicate and pure. And then, it opened its wings. On the other side, they were a blast of colors, red and blue and yellow, a stark contrast to the different shades of grey which surrounded him. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.And then a realization hit him—it moved, it was alive.His body became as rigid as the cold stone he sat on. Mother wanted him to kill this defenseless creature. He brought his finger up to the hairy body of the butterfly and it flapped its wings slowly. Was it scared? He had to obey Mother. There was a drop of blood on his finger from when he pulled on his skin earlier.  Did butterflies have blood? Did they feel pain? What would it feel when he used his magic on it? He had to do it. Mother was waiting.While the butterfly couldn’t speak, he felt as if it was begging him to not do it.  Maybe he was only imagining it, but he knew deep down that it wasn’t right. He didn’t have a right to end its life. Why did Mother want him to kill this innocent animal? What would that achieve? He already knew how to use his frost. Why should he use it on this poor creature? What kind of lesson was this?“Why?” he asked. Mother's sigh sounded like a growl. “Questions. Always questions. It’s so simple, even you should be able to understand. Kill. It. It would be easier if you could freeze it like your sister can, but really, I don’t care how. If you can only produce frost, then frost it until it dies.”Jack could feel a shift in his mind. It was as if a lantern that was always dark had finally been lit up. A thought that he never dared to have occurred to him—he didn’t have to do everything Mother told him to do.He slowly raised his eyes and looked straight into hers. “I won’t.”Mother’s face changed from the previous look of annoyance to a blank mask. “What did you just say?”No one said ‘no’ to Mother. He gulped. He just did. ‘Stay strong. You can do this,’ he told himself, and the lantern shone brightly within him.“I won’t kill it,” he repeated.Mother’s stare alone was capable of unleashing his worst nightmares on him, but he did not look away. He knew deep down that no matter how angry it made her, this was the right thing to do.“Who do you think you are?” she said quietly and it sounded scarier than if she had yelled it. “What do you think you are? I did not labor all those years with you for my enjoyment. You exist to follow my directions. If not for me, you wouldn't exist at all.”Jack felt tears sting in his eyes but refused to let them come out. He would not cry in front of Mother. ‘Be strong,’ he told himself again. He knew that his magic could kill, but just because it could, it didn’t mean that he should use it like that. He would never kill life.“You can’t make me do it!”The room was so quiet, he could hear a pulse in his ear. He disobeyed Mother. He was in so much trouble. What punishment would she give him?She rose from her throne and stared down at him. Her tone was sharp like a blade, each word cutting into him, making him flinch. ”Insufferable brat. An embarrassment to my name. I should just be done with you right here, right now. If not for your sister…” Her words were harsh but didn’t affect him as much as they would have in the past because he knew that he was right and she was wrong. Knowing that gave him the strength to not cave in no matter what threat she used on him.She swiftly glided up to him and grabbed him by his shirt so that her face was only inches away from his. She tilted her head like she was trying to make a difficult decision. ”Hags keep begging me to give you over to them. I always refuse their requests, thinking that their vile hands are unworthy of my children, but you might be an exception.”There was a strange look in her eye. Whatever she meant about hags, it sounded like he would be separated from Elsa and that would be the worst thing in the world. He couldn’t imagine how to live without his sister. She was the only good thing in his life.Out of nowhere, Mother started laughing as if giving him to the hags was a punchline of a joke. She smoothed out the shirt she had wrinkled as if she suddenly cared what he looked like. She was thoroughly confusing him with this mood change. Laughing was meant for funny moments, but she didn’t look like she was having fun—she still looked rather scary.“But fret not, child,” she continued in a softer tone, “it’s not today. One day you will get a chance to be useful to me. In the meantime, I don't even want to see your face. Get out of my sight.”“Yes, Mother.”He left, grabbing his lantern in one hand, and hiding the butterfly in the other. As he walked to his chamber, the little critter flew away. He hoped the pretty little thing could find its way out. This was no place for such delicate creatures.The closer he got to his chamber, the more he started to realize that this wasn’t a place for him either. Mother’s words kept ringing in his head. She didn’t accept his refusal to kill. He hadn’t seen her this angry since… he couldn’t remember. Most of the time, she was just annoyed with him, but this was different. And why did she laugh? That wasn’t like her.He walked in, closed the door, and sat on his bed. Elsa was playing with dolls she made out of rope. The rope was tied at the end, that was the head, and the tip of it was spread out to resemble hair. He didn’t know how she always found ways to create new things out of old things. She was good at that just like she was good at everything else.He observed her as she played, hoping her imaginary world would bring him comfort, but it didn’t. Instead, all of his worries piled up on top of each other. The hags wanted to take him away. Mother was probably right now thinking of a new way to punish him. And she would keep forcing them both to do bad things. No matter how much she insisted on it, he wasn’t stupid. He knew that this wasn’t the end and he hadn’t won that argument. And she already admitted that she had put Elsa through the same exercise last year. It hurt to think that his sister was forced to kill animals for Mother, and there was nothing he could do to stop her.He pulled up his knees and hugged them. He was scared of what would happen next, and he’d had enough of feeling helpless like this. “What’s wrong?” Elsa asked.He was strong until now, but now that she asked him, he couldn’t stop the tears anymore. “Elsa, I can’t do this. I can’t do any more lessons with Mother. She wants to make us do bad things so we would become like her.”“We won’t.”“How can you be sure? She keeps forcing me. I’m afraid… Elsa, we are like her in so many ways, it could happen. And I can’t. I don’t want to turn into a monster like her.”“You won’t, Jack. You are nothing like her.”“But what about you? She’s doing it to you too, isn’t she?”It angered him that Mother had already started the process of turning his sister into a replica of herself. He couldn’t imagine a world where Elsa was no longer the gentle sister he knew but a cold and heartless monster. Who was he kidding, he wasn’t safe from that fate either. Would he have the strength to disobey Mother again? Would he recognize every wrong lesson?Elsa sat down next to him. She still had her rope dolls in her hands and they limply laid on her knees. He wished he could be a doll and live in Elsa’s imaginary world instead of this one.“I’m scared to disobey her,” she said quietly.He knew that. Elsa wouldn’t use her magic against animals on her own. It was all because of Mother. They sat on the bed together. He didn’t know what to do or how to change their fate. He wished there was something he could hope for, but there was no one who could help them. They only had each other.Jack sniffed. “I don’t want to live like this. I can’t, Elsa. I can’t anymore.”Elsa set her jaw. She had one of those serious looks on her like she was thinking hard, and then she smiled. “We’ll run away.”“How?”“We’ll find a way. We’ll run away and we’ll grow up to be who we want to be, do what we want to do. We will not become her.”Jack wiped his eyes and tried to imagine if it was possible. The outside world was a mystery. Mother would sometimes disappear for days, so did the hags with their goats, and they’d return with things that couldn’t be found within the mountain, mysterious objects he didn't even know names of. If only they only found the right tunnel, they could escape.“Don’t worry, Jack. If Mother can somehow get outside, so can we. We just have to search for a way out thoroughly. Together.”He took her hand and sealed the promise. “Together.”》present time《Jack woke up with a start. The remnants of the dream lingered on his mind. It was a memory of the day when they decided that they had to escape from their mother. He often wondered if Elsa really wanted to run away or if she only did it for him. She didn’t have as much of a problem with Mother as he did. Would she have been happy to stay? Well, maybe ‘happy’ wasn’t the right word. Mother wasn't a loving person, but at least, she treated Elsa well, rewarded her, and praised her. Maybe Elsa would have found some form of happiness eventually.No. He shouldn’t question their decision to escape together. Elsa was definitely happier now than she ever was there. She had friends and access to more books than she could read in her lifetime. This school and this life were perfect for her.It was time to get ready for another school day. Merlin was already up. Colin covered his head with a comforter. Jack never knew how much he wanted to have friends before he met them. The thought of losing them made his chest feel tight. How long did he have left with them? Yesterday’s argument with McGonagall hung over his head along with the question: What now? What could he do to prevent getting kicked out of Hogwarts? The whole reason why he ran away from Mother and dragged his sister along was to avoid being forced to do what he believed was wrong. But history was repeating itself. There were practices at this school he didn’t agree with, that were plain wrong. He didn’t escape Mother’s wrong teachings just to fall into wrong teachings elsewhere. But this time, he didn’t want to run. He had many reasons to stay. Two of them were right here in the room with him.“Rise and shine, you two,” Merlin ordered. “It’s a brand new day, and I have a feeling it will be a good one. We’re going to the Great Hall right now.”“I had such a strange dream,” Colin said, yawning. “I lost my cat and was looking for him in the woods. I couldn’t remember his name, so I called him by my dog’s name. How do you forget your pet’s name? But you know what’s weird? I don’t have a cat.”Jack wished he had dreams like that, but all of his usually centered on Mother, either memories or cruel products of his imagination. Would there ever come a day when he was no longer scared of her? Or maybe it wasn’t her he was scared of. Though he tried to not think of it, he still feared that no matter how far he ran, he couldn’t escape his fate and would turn into a monster just like she wanted.“I just remembered,” Colin mumbled and clutched his covers tightly, “I need to finish up homework. I’ll catch you guys later.”“No,” Merlin said firmly and threw the covers off of Colin. “You are getting up. Bring the homework with you. I’ll help you finish it. We need to get there immediately.”“Why?”“Well… I’m really hungry, and I need you there with me.”“Why?”“Just come with me. Are you my friends or not?”They made their way to the Great Hall, but instead of sitting in their usual spot in the middle, Merlin steered them closer to the staff table. He seemed to look for a specific spot with a specific view but wouldn’t explain why. Instead, he grinned wide and rubbed his hands together as if he was anticipating something. He was usually a pretty serious guy so this behavior was odd. Jack had never seen him so eager before.“What are you so excited about?” “Me? Nothing specific. I guess, I woke up excited. I can’t wait to see what the house-elves prepared for us this morning. Maybe there’s porridge today. I love a good porridge.”“You’re excited about porridge?”“Yeah. You’re not?”Jack shook his head and decided to ignore the strange behavior. He had more important things to worry about than Merlin’s giddiness.There were very few students in the Hall. At the staff table, the huge gamekeeper was already seated along with Professor Sprout and Professor Dumbledore. Colin got started with his homework, and Merlin helped him out.The first food started to appear on the table, and Jack stabbed a stack of fried tomatoes with his fork. McGonagall was going to join the other staff soon. He would ignore her for now. He couldn’t bear to think about her and their argument.More students and staff started to arrive and he expected the Hall to become louder with the noise of talking and clanging of silverware, but it was subdued. Everyone was still shaken up after Halloween.Jack put an elbow on the table and supported his head with his hand. The food didn’t taste right today. He wasn’t kicked out yet, but he knew that he wouldn’t last in this school much longer. They were going to kick him out and not for the reason he feared before.He didn’t tell Elsa what happened yet. She sat at the Ravenclaw table and chatted with Luna, looking happy. At least one of them would get to continue this experience. Where would he go? He had nowhere to go and couldn’t imagine living somewhere alone.“Jack, is something wrong?” Merlin asked, and Jack couldn’t even muster a fake smile. “You’re not eating porridge,” he pointed out to deflect attention from himself.“Oh, yes. There it is!” Merlin put his other plate to the side to make space for a tureen. He kept glancing at the staff table as if he was waiting for something. “So, tell me. What’s bothering you? And don’t say that it’s nothing. You’re a bad liar anyway.”Jack cough-laughed at that. Bad liar. Right. How about this little bit where he wasn’t even human? What would his friends think if they knew what he was capable of? Would they accept him or treat him like a monster?“Nothing much. But there’s a chance I might be getting expelled.”“What?” both Merlin and Colin exclaimed.Saying the words made it sound even more real. Maybe he should stop talking, he didn’t want to think about it anymore, but now that he started, his mouth didn’t want to close. “I only got here. I can’t believe I’m getting expelled for who I am and not for what I am…”“What are you talking about?” Merlin asked.Jack took a long breath in. He shouldn’t have said that. He needed to stop saying what he was thinking. On the other hand, Merlin usually had pretty good advice to offer. Maybe he would understand.“McGonagall is pissed at me. Remember how I get in trouble when I open my mouth? I did it again.”“What did you say?”“Well, she demanded to know what I was thinking, wanted to adjust my attitude or something. And then, I don’t know, I told her what I was thinking, which was what she asked for.” He ran a hand through his hair a few times, messing it up. “Why do people ask to hear your thoughts if what they really want to hear is their own opinion and not yours?”“Jack, what did you say?”“Transfiguration is unnatural.”Colin choked on his bread, took a swig of his drink, and coughed. "I'm okay."Merlin shook his head and turned back to Jack. “I imagine that got her angry.”“No. That wasn’t it. She was trying to change my mind about it. Somehow, the conversation included rodents, and she thought I called her a rodent. I didn’t. I don’t even remember what I said.”The corner of Merlin’s lip lifted as if he found it funny. “What did she do?”“Points from Gryffindor and detention.”“That’s not the end of the world. It sounds like she already punished you. You’re not getting expelled.”“But Merlin, the thing is, nothing changed. I don’t want to argue with her anymore but that doesn’t change the fact that I still think the same way. It’s just wrong what they want us to do in that class. I refuse. I won’t do those spells. I won’t be able to pass Transfiguration, and they will kick me out.”“Maybe that’s not the only way.” Merlin pointed his spoon at him but then his eyes widened and a smile formed on his face. “Uhm, We’ll discuss this further. Oh, look at that. Snape is here. Doesn’t he look peachy?”They all looked at their Potions Master, who was making his way to his usual seat close to the Slytherin table. He seemed even more gloomy than usual.Colin ducked his head. “He looks like he’s in a bad mood. Do you think he still remembers yesterday?"“Don't worry about him, Colin,” Merlin said and appeared to be excited again. “Hey, what do you think he'd look like in pink robes?"Jack snickered, watching the clad-in-black professor. Snape pulled out his chair and sat down. Immediately, the chair broke under him, and he fell down along with plates and cups that toppled on top of him.Colin laughed out loud along with several other students but then shut up immediately, seeing that Snape rose with a murderous look on his face. Everyone in the Great Hall was now watching the staff table and whispers were passed around. Snape said a spell they couldn't hear. The chair put itself back together, and he sat down, now slowly and carefully. Within seconds, the chair broke again with the same result and a few more laughs sounded in the Hall. Snape got up promptly and looked like he would curse the next person to laugh. The noise died down again. Everyone was watching, waiting in silence.Snape waved his wand angrily and the broken chair flew against the wall where it shattered. He pulled a vacant chair from the seat next to him and sat in that one. That chair broke too, sending his feet in the air above the table. This time, the whole Great Hall boomed with laughter, including some of the staff. Snape stood and glared around viciously, but this time, the laughter did not die down. Even the Slytherins were going at it. He raised his chin high and stomped out of there.Colin was bent over the table and was laughing so hard, he had to take a break to breathe. “Hide your chairs,” Fred Weasley, said out loud. “Snape’s got a new superpower.”“You mean, he’s the Amazing Chairman?” George asked.This put Colin back in a laughing fit along with the other Gryffindors. He finally calmed down and wiped tears out of his eyes. “Oh, guys. This is the best day ever. I needed this laugh.”“You’re welcome,” Merlin said with a toothy grin.“What?” Colin leaned in and whispered, “Did you do something to his chair?”“No, no, no, no. I did nothing to his chair, but I did drag you here early today, didn’t I? So we got to see it and not just hear about it.”“You’re right,” Colin said and clapped him on the shoulder.“So, now, if any more Slytherins bug you in his class, just remember how ridiculous he looked when his feet dangled in the air.”Colin smiled broadly but then pouted. “Merlin. How I wish I had my camera! Can you imagine if I had captured the whole thing? All three,” he started to chuckle again, “broken chairs?”“Oh, dollops!” Merlin smacked the table with his fist playfully. “That’s a shame. Maybe next time.”Over at the staff table, the teachers were whispering to each other and were as amused by Snape’s chair problems as the students were. Professor Flitwick fixed the last chair Snape used and carefully lowered himself to sit in it. The chair did not break. He got up and walked back to his seat while pursing his lips. Professor Sprout got all giddy and tried it too. The chair had no problems. It seemed to be a Snape-only issue.Then, Jack’s eyes fell on McGonagall, and he remembered his predicament. He was dreading his next Transfiguration class. Maybe he could skip it, just not show up, fake being sick or something. He just didn’t want to face her. “I didn’t forget about your issue, Jack,” Merlin said. “Tell me more about what’s going on.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Too many classes today,” Merlin complained while going down the stairs to the Potions classroom.

He needed time to think, to plan, to investigate. The school was in danger and what was he doing? Sitting in a classroom, pretending to be clueless.

“I know what you mean,” Colin murmured and looked around him with worry.

Ever since Halloween, Slytherins had been even nastier than usual to Colin and other Muggle-born students. Dumbledore said nothing to the students besides an assurance that whoever attacked Mrs. Norris would be dealt with. If Merlin was the Headmaster, he would have handled it very differently, but he couldn’t do anything about that, so he focused on what he could do—find who was responsible and keep his friends safe. It started with telling them the truth. It was safer for Colin to know what danger he was in.

His mood lifted when he noticed just how miserable Snape was. The grumpy Potions Master remained standing during the entire lesson. He sauntered around the tables, his hands forming a triangle in his front with only the fingertips touching. His usual chair was nowhere to be found. He probably vanished it in a fit of rage. Merlin was specific in his curse: only chairs would break under Snape’s weight. If he sat on a table or leaned on a desk, nothing would happen. But Snape wasn’t the type of person who would relax on top of a desk. Casual demeanor wasn't part of the image he worked so hard on.

Now came the challenge to make the wizard understand why he was cursed. Merlin considered sending him a letter instructing him to treat all students equally and to punish those who used inappropriate language in his class, which any respectable teacher would have done. But he chose to wait a while, let the message

You’ve been cursed

sink in a little deeper. Also, he didn’t want the message to be associated with the Chamber of Secrets message, seeing as both events happened at such close proximity to each other.

A lot was happening at the same time. An additional task was bestowed upon him by Jack. While thinking over which first-year student could have been responsible for the events on Halloween, Jack was the first that came to his mind because the boy showed up to the feast late. His reluctant suspicions increased when he noticed Jack act very uncharacteristically over the next couple of days. He feared that the behavior was a result of guilt or fear of being caught, but then, the boy surprised him in the most unexpected way. Jack was upset about the morality of magic practiced at Hogwarts.

Oh, what a refreshing problem to have! The boy reminded him of himself when he was young. He too had been young and innocent once upon a time, but with time, he’d been placed in many situations where his principles were tested. Each experience further expanded the gray zone with “the ends justify the means” philosophy and he grew insensitive to issues that used to bother him. It was nice to be reminded of what mattered. Jack was right—all lives mattered. The option that caused less harm to others, human or not, should always be the first choice.

Considering the innocence of it all, Merlin dropped his suspicions of Jack and wanted to help instead. After mulling over the idea of what he could do, he finally came up with the best option—he would officially introduce him to Old Religion.

The timing was not ideal. With the Chamber of Secrets threat looming over them, it wasn’t the best time to split attention into multiple directions, but Merlin had to make it work. He was going to do it all.

The sound of breaking wood and an angry grumble snapped Merlin back to the present time. Snape, apparently, leaned on a chair of one of the Slytherin students, and it broke.

“He’s still breaking chairs?” Jack whispered and Merlin tried to remain calm even though he was in stitches on the inside. He might have cursed him to teach the wizard a lesson, but the effect was even more comical than expected.

After the lesson, Colin kept recalling the look on Snape's face when the chair broke.

”He looked like,

Oh, no. I didn't even sit in it.

And then he looked like,

Are they laughing? They're laughing at me!

And then his face was like,

I'll kill you all with pieces of this broken chair.

And I couldn't take it anymore. I had to look away before he noticed me and made me drink my Herbicide Potion as punishment. I don't know how long this chair thing will last but I love it.”

They arrived at the Great Hall and took their usual spot in the middle of the Gryffindor table.

”He didn't come,” Jack said, craning his neck to see the staff. ”He hasn't shown up for the last few meals. You think he doesn't eat anymore?”

Merlin felt a lot of satisfaction at the thought that Snape was afraid to show up in public.

”He probably eats in his office, while standing.”

While they ate, he told the boys the story of the Chamber of Secrets and warned them about the danger it posed.

Colin was understandably disturbed. “Slytherins must know. That’s why they’ve been extra mean the last few days.”

“I’m guessing that someone told them already.”

Jack’s eyes were lit up with fascination. “I wonder what’s inside the Chamber.”

“Wouldn’t the monster be old and shriveled up by now?” Colin asked.

“Nah,” Merlin said. “With enough magic, some creatures can live for thousands of years.”

“Maybe it’s a skeleton, like one of those we saw during the Halloween feast.” Colin’s eyes widened. “Merlin, it makes sense! One of the skeletons opened the Chamber of Secrets!”

Merlin imagined a clackety skeleton walking through the Hogwarts halls, opening secret chambers and leaving messages on walls. “How can you write in blood if your hand falls off every couple of minutes?”

“Maybe the Chamber is invisible and that’s why no one found it?” Jack asked thoughtfully.

“No,” Colin said, trying to be serious but failing. “Mrs. Norris was the monster and the message meant that the monster has been slain.”

Jack gasped and slammed both hands on the table. “Whoever opens the Chamber becomes the monster!”

Colin wanted to laugh but then didn’t. “That actually sounds plausible.”

“Right? Some kind of spell that gets released when you open it.”

Merlin had no idea what monster or spell was contained within the infamous Chamber. Anything was possible, even clackety skeletons.

“Where do you think this Chamber is? Could we go look for it?”

“Jack, don’t even think about it,” Merlin said while pointing his fork at the boy in a warning. Unfortunately, the fork wasn’t empty and the potato which Merlin had stabbed with it earlier shot out of it. Jack dodged it and the spud flew over his shoulder, landing under the Ravenclaw table.

“Missed me.” Jack chuckled and threw his own potato at Merlin who swerved out of the way. Behind him, a Hufflepuff girl got hit with it in the head.

“Food fight?” Colin asked hopefully, and their eyes sparkled with mischief.

Jack loaded a spoon and launched a carrot missile at the small boy. Colin grabbed a sausage in each hand and threw both at Jack and Merlin. Merlin managed to avoid getting hit, but then, Jack swatted the one thrown at him and it bounced off of Merlin’s nose.

“That’s enough. What have I done?” Merlin lamented.

His protests were of no use as the boys now hurled various vegetables at each other and other Gryffindors. The Weasley twins joined in and threw chicken bones back at them. Jack protected himself with his plate and used it like a ping-pong paddle, sending bones flying around. One fell into Colin’s pumpkin juice with a splash. Colin retaliated by throwing a half-eaten lamb chop at Weasley the twins, but he missed, and it fell onto the plate of a girl sitting nearby. The girl threw a whole chicken leg at Colin, and Merlin caught it in midair with a spectacular finesse.

“Ooooh,” everyone nearby sounded, and Merlin felt slightly smug. Being able to see things with magic came in useful.

But then, someone splashed him with the stew, and he didn’t care who it was. It was time to level up the fight. Using magic, he made chips float and fired them at both boys like from a machine gun. Jack dipped his hand into a bowl of mashed potatoes and threw it blindly around. Some of it hit Colin in the eye and stayed on like a white eye patch. Colin closed his eyes and grabbed random items and threw them without aiming. Plates flew around like frisbees and Merlin noticed that Peeves the Poltergeist had joined them at some point and was cackling in his high pitch voice, a tureen in his hands. Was that who splashed him earlier? Merlin conjured a pot of oil above the spirit and emptied it in a slow fashion. He soon regretted it when Peeves shook off his hat, sprinkling them all with oil.

A recognizable click-clacking of heels sounded among the laughter and Merlin took action.

“Teacher alert!” he hissed.

He vanished the bits of food from the table, their robes, hands, and faces, and threw a hex at Peeves to send him away. The boys were still laughing and didn’t even notice.

The clacking stopped behind him.

“What is happening here?” McGonagall asked.

“Nothing, Professor,” Merlin answered with an innocent smile. “We were just passing food to each other.”

His friends snorted simultaneously.

“Passing?” She put both hands on Jack’s shoulders and he tensed up.

She looked around, searching for evidence of the fight, but there wasn’t any. Everything was in order. Everything except for the chicken bone which was still inside Colin’s mug. She looked at Merlin intensely like she wanted to punish them with no evidence but then a hint of a smile played at the corner of her lip.

“Impressive cleanup,” she said calmly. “Do try to behave, boys.”

They watched her walk away and all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Colin tried to take a swig of juice from his mug, noticed the bone, and pulled it out. Watching the drops of pumpkin juice slowly fall off the bone did it for Merlin. He bent over in a fit and banged his fist on the table.

“We should

pass

food more often,” Jack said to Colin. “If that’s what it takes to make him drop the serious face.”

The Weasley twins walked over and clapped them on the back.

“We’d like to offer our congratulations on your first official Great Hall Food Fight.”

“Excellent technique.”

“Flawless execution.”

“Graceful finale.”

“Next time, let’s scale it up to other house tables.”

“We can assist you with that.”

“You know where to find us.”

The twins walked away and Merlin wondered if he was going to take them up on their offer. He wouldn’t mind a repeat. He was starting to see the benefits of being a kid. Adults were missing out.

Regretfully, it was time to go. Herbology awaited.

As they were walking out, Colin asked him, “Did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“The mess disappeared before McGonagall got to us. Did you do that?”

Merlin hoped that the boys were so lost in their fun that they wouldn’t notice, but Colin was an observant kid, wasn’t he?

“Yeah. I learned a vanishing spell.”

“That’s really cool. Thanks.”

Once they were in the corridor, by coincidence, Harry Potter walked just a foot away from them and a strange thing happened. A Hufflepuff student was approaching them from the other direction, looking at his feet. Harry said “Hello,” and the other boy jumped startled, turned around, and ran away. Harry froze in place, confused by the strange reaction.

“What did I do now?” he asked no one in particular.

“Is that boy Muggleborn by any chance?” Merlin asked.

Harry looked surprised that someone answered his rhetorical question. “Yeah, Justin is Muggleborn.”

“Hiya, Harry,” Colin said excitedly.

“Hi, Colin,” Harry said quickly but his attention was on Merlin only. “Why does it matter that he’s Muggleborn?”

Merlin shrugged. “There’s a rumor going around that you opened the Chamber of Secrets so he’s probably scared. You didn’t, right?”

“I had nothing to do with it!” Harry’s voice slightly rose.

Merlin put up his hands. “I believe you. I’m on your side, Harry.”

“What does any of this have to do with Muggleborns?”

A brilliant thought struck Merlin. This was his way into Harry’s circle of friends.

“Meet me in the common room after dinner. I’ll tell you all about the Chamber.”

“He knows the whole story, Harry,” Colin added enthusiastically. “You wait till you hear it. It’s fascinating. I have so many theories now. I can share them with you once Merlin fills you in. I don’t know if you’re the Heir. Are you? Would you even know? We could all be related to him after all. Hey, Harry, for all we know, I could be related to you through some ancestor. We could be cousins!”

Harry shuffled a step back as if afraid he could catch a disease from Colin. He said quickly to Merlin, “Tonight, you will tell me everything,” and he scurried away.

“Sure thing. Bring your friends,” Merlin shouted after him.

Merlin watched the boy walk away and felt like he could dance from joy. He finally found how he could get closer to Harry. The way in was in offering something Harry wanted—Merlin’s knowledge. But maybe he shouldn’t bring Colin with him.
 
---
 
After dinner, Merlin waited for Harry in front of the common room fireplace where the trio liked to hang out. He was in high spirits. Everything was working out for him today. Nearby, Percy Weasley tried to comfort his sister whose eyes were red and puffy. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in a week.

“Don’t worry, Ginny. It will soon be over. Whoever did it to Mrs. Norris will get caught and expelled from the school, I’m sure of it.”

The more he talked, the more frantic the girl became. His words were not reassuring her at all.

“Do they have any clues as to who did it?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“Once they do, I’m sure they’ll tell us, Prefects, first, and you’ll be the first person I give the good news to. You look tired. Go to bed early today.”

Ginny hung her head and shuffled to her dorm. Harry arrived with Hermione and Ron and took seats next to Merlin. Percy’s eyes lingered on Ron for a moment but then he huffed and left, holding his head high.

Ron crossed his arms and pouted. “I can’t believe that git of a brother took away five points from Gryffindor for nothing.”

Merlin said, “That doesn’t make sense. What did he say the points were for?”

“He wanted us to stay away from the corridor where it happened.”

“Everyone’s on edge about the event. Ginny is taking it rather roughly,” Merlin said.

“She loves cats so she’s upset about Mrs. Norris,” Ron said with a shrug.

”Speaking of,” Hermione said. “Harry said that you know about the Chamber.”

All three leaned in and were waiting. Merlin got comfortable and began, happy to share the tale with them.

”It all started a millennium ago with Salazar Slytherin. While he was a skilled wizard and a good teacher, he was very prejudiced. I don't know the details, but I believe that a loved one of his suffered at the hands of Muggles and as a result, his heart had nothing but hate for them. The times were hard for those who possessed magic. Muggles persecuted wizards out of fear. In revenge, wizards like Slytherin persecuted Muggles. This conflict is the reason why we go to such lengths to hide our existence now. No one wants a return of that war, especially since we’re the minority.

“Salazar was not accepting of students who came from Muggle families. He considered them unworthy of being educated in the school he co-founded even if they were born with magic. He did not accept Muggle-borns into his House and wanted the other founders to follow his ideology, but they did not agree with his views. This began a great disagreement between them.

“When Salazar accepted that he couldn’t win his argument, he eventually left the school. But before leaving, he left something behind, something that would complete his mission to cleanse the school of those who were unworthy. He built a secret chamber underneath the castle and hid something inside that when released, would rid the castle of Muggle-borns. No one ever found this chamber even though many looked. The legend says that Salazar enchanted the entrance so that only his heir could find it and unleash whatever is inside.”

“What’s inside the Chamber?” Harry asked.

“Some kind of monster, I imagine.”

“

Enemies of the Heir beware

,” Hermione repeated. “That’s what the message on the wall meant. Slytherin’s descendant has arrived at Hogwarts.”

“A thousand years is an awfully long time,” Ron cut in. “How come no other heir opened the Chamber in all this time?”

“Who said they didn’t? In fact, the Chamber was most likely opened just about fifty years ago.”

“What?” all three of them asked in unison.

“There was a string of attacks on Muggle-borns,” Merlin answered. “Also petrified. One died and then the attacks stopped.”

Harry said, “I thought the point of it was to rid the castle of all Muggle-borns. Why did they stop on just one?”

“Maybe Slytherin’s Heir was about to be caught? I don’t know.”

“Who could it be this time?” Hermione asked, lost in thought.

“Let me see,” Ron said. “Who do we know that believes in that whole blood-supremacy thing?”

Merlin said, “Surely, you don’t mean Malfoy.”

“It makes sense. His whole family has been in Slytherin for many generations. They pass the secret from father to son and every few decades one of them opens the chamber.”

“I’m not convinced,” Merlin said. “The way he was acting when Mrs. Norris was discovered—if he was the one that did it, he would’ve stayed quiet so no one would suspect him.”

“I wouldn’t dismiss him that easily,” Harry said. “You don’t know him as we do. Malfoy is still a suspect, but we need proof if he’s the heir or not.”

“He won’t admit it to us,” Hermione said. “He’ll only tell someone he trusts.”

“What can we do?”

Hermione thought for a moment and seemed to have an idea she was struggling with. “There’s a way but it would be difficult, and dangerous,” she looked around them if anyone else was eavesdropping on them, “and it would break so many school rules.”

“Are you going to tell us or what?” Ron said impatiently.

“Polyjuice Potion.”

“What’s that?” Harry and Ron asked together.

“Snape mentioned it in class. It’s a potion that will make us look like someone else. We could look like his Slytherin friends and then Malfoy would tell us everything.”

Harry was skeptical. “Are you sure that potion is safe? I don’t want to end up stuck looking like Goyle.”

“Of course it is,” she dismissed his concern. “The difficult part is getting the recipe. It’s in the book called

Moste Potente Potions

which is in the Restricted Section of the library.”

“How do we get it? Madam Pince won’t allow anyone in there unless they have permission from a professor.”

“I’ll get it for you,” Merlin offered, seeing a way to cement his involvement. “But under one condition.”

Ron looked at him skeptically. “You’re just a first-year. You think they’ll let you in?”

Merlin smirked. “Leave it to me. I have my ways.”

“What’s your condition?” Harry asked.

Merlin rubbed his hands together. He’d been waiting two months to get to this point. “We’re doing this together.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jack woke up smiling. Thanks to Merlin, he wasn’t getting kicked out of Hogwarts. Jack wanted to hug him again, but last time, his savior got awkward after the hug. What could he do? A hug was his instinctual reaction to feeling happy. Since he had to ease up on hugs, he had all this pent-up joy inside him that wanted to spill out. He got ready quickly, told his friends he’d see them downstairs, and ran out to the back of the castle where the greenhouses were.

He kicked off his shoes, and his steps crunched on the frost-covered grass. Today was probably the coldest day of the season so far. He wondered if there was a difference between the frost he created and the natural frost on the ground right now, so he plopped down to sit cross-legged and experimented. It looked the same, its magic felt the same. It was fun to compare them, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted to do something bigger.

He looked up at the cloudy sky and got an idea. It was definitely cold enough today. He dug his hands into the cold ground and focused on the Earth’s power. He willed the clouds to listen to him, and soon, they became a different shade of gray and a light flurry fell around him. He waited until it intensified and let go. Now that he started it, the snow would continue on its own.

“I did it!”

He ran in circles with his arms spread out, watching the snow follow him around. As an experiment, he put his hand palm up and tried to make the snowflakes swirl in a small circle. Soon, it looked like a tiny tornado contained within his hand.

Fascinated with the idea, he let it grow until it enveloped his whole person. Now it was a human-sized tornado with Jack at the center. He lost control over it and it dispersed.

“Cool!” he exclaimed. Maybe one day he could grow it larger.

Snow started sticking to the ground and all surfaces received a white dusting. He ran up to a stone balustrade and scooped up some powder. He couldn’t make a snowball out of it though, it was too dry and fell through his fingers. It didn’t matter. He hopped on top of the balustrade and kicked the white dusting off to the rhythm of a made-up tune he whistled.

He stopped when he felt a familiar pull. His sister sent him a signal asking where he was. He responded with his location. Yes! They could play in the snow together.

After a minute, she showed up at the door and ran up to him.

“Elsa, it’s cold enough. It worked.”

“You did it?” She put her hand out to catch a few snowflakes.

“Yeah!” He grabbed her hands and pulled her along. “Let’s play!”

She smiled and looked like she wanted to join him but then pulled him back. “Jack, Transfiguration is about to start. We have to go. We’ll come back later.”

His smile fell. Classes? He had to attend classes?

“But it’s snowing,” he tried to appeal to the Winter Spirit inside her.

“I know,” she looked just as bummed as he felt. “You can do it again later, right? Come on. We don’t want to be late.”

She pulled him indoors and he reluctantly gave in. He hung his head and shuffled after her. They walked inside the classroom just as McGonagall got there. They sat down and she stared intently at them. Her eyes lingered on him a lot more than on Elsa. She looked infuriated. What was her problem? He wasn’t late.

She leaned down and whispered in his ear intensely, “Where are your shoes!”

Jack gasped and looked down. Yup. His toes were happily free.  “Oops. Can I go get them?”

Next to him, Elsa put her face in her hands and shook her head. “Seriously, Jack?” she whispered in disbelief. “You forgot?”

McGonagall’s lips were very tight as she mulled it over. “Where did you leave them?”

Jack swallowed and said in a small voice. “Outside.”

She looked out the window at the snowstorm beating against the glass and looked absolutely outraged. Instead of answering, she grabbed his arm and led him out of the classroom.

“I must take care of an urgent matter,” she said to the class in a very controlled tone. “Class, read chapter five in the meantime,”

Once out in the corridor, she closed the door and dragged Jack further away. “I cannot believe that I have to say this, but why on Merlin’s beard did you leave your shoes outside? Was that before or after it started snowing?”

Jack didn’t know what else to do so he just nodded.

“The amount of trouble I have with you,” she murmured with closed eyes.

“I’m… I'm sorry,” he said quietly. He didn’t get why she always made such a big deal out of it.

“Where? Where did you leave them?”

He led her to the spot and proudly overlooked the white powder that covered every surface. He did that. He was a proper Winter Spirit now.

“Please, tell me you know where you left them,” McGonagall sounded desperate.

Jack walked into the snow and it crunched under his feet very satisfyingly.

“My snow,” he said to himself.

She ran after him. “I didn’t mean for you to go there barefoot.”

“Cold doesn’t bother me, Professor. You really shouldn’t worry.”

He looked around, hoping that his shoes would be noticeable under the snow, but the ground was white and even. He could try to lift the snow off the ground. He’d never tried to control this much snow at a time and wasn’t sure if he had enough power for it. He looked back at McGonagall. Should he do it in front of her? Maybe it would work even better if he tried to use a wand.

She must have interpreted his look for a plea for help because she pulled out her wand. 
“Accio shoes,” she said firmly. 
Three shoes flew out of the snow and landed in front of him. Two were his, and one looked like a girl’s shoe. He picked them all up but was a bit disappointed that he didn’t get to try the snow trick. He was pulled by the hood of his robe as McGonagall dragged him inside.

“Don’t just stand here like this! You’ll get frostbite.”

“A frostbite?”

She said it like it was a bad thing but it sounded fun. Frost didn’t have teeth, but maybe he could make teeth out of frost. Who would he want to bite with frost teeth?

“It’s when your toes freeze and have to be cut off!” she said sharply.

Once they were inside, she brushed the snow off and fussed over him.

“Professor,” he said, trying to stop her, “I’m serious. Cold doesn’t bother me.”

She yanked the shoes out of his hands and waved her wand at each with a spell that dried them off. Then, she shoved his two in his hands and threw the spare one on the floor in anger.

“Thank you,” he said quietly and stuffed on the loafers. The warming spell was still working, uncomfortably so.

She didn’t say anything else to him but straightened her posture and walked back to her classroom where she resumed the lesson as if nothing had happened. So he left his shoes in the snow. Why was it such a big deal? Unless she was mad at him because of that rodent incident. She hadn’t given him his detention yet. He was dreading it.

During the practical part of the class, he was the last student who had a matchstick on his table. He looked over to Elsa’s shiny needle and a button with jealousy.

“It’s not so easy indoors,” she whispered to him. “We need to be closer to Earth to channel it. So instead, use the castle.”

“Fine. I’ll try it your way.”

Jack had to admit that she was right. The castle was like a sponge. Magic was imbued in the stone walls, even in its air, and it felt as if it was alive. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

The noises of the classroom faded into the background. He opened himself up to feel everything around him and sensed the magic of each individual person in the room. He felt his sister, whose magic was just like his, he felt other students and McGonagall, and one source of magic very different from the others. Merlin always felt like that. Jack didn’t know why he felt so different but he suspected that his friend had secrets of his own. It wasn’t his business.

Then, he probed further and felt the magical objects on the shelves.

And then he felt an unmoving source, grounded, grand, and everlasting. Very powerful magic rested within these walls. He struggled to tap into it. It wasn’t as easy as channeling the Earth. It resisted him and touched him back, probing his magic, checking who dared to disturb its slumber. Whatever the castle magic felt in him though, it must have been satisfactory because the uneasy feeling of being examined eased up and he was allowed to interact with the power.

His wand became warm and he knew that it was time. He opened his eyes and focused on the match in front of him.

“

Acufors,”

he said confidently.

The match transformed. He picked it up and poked the sharp end with his finger. It was a real needle. He did it. He really did it.

Someone put a pebble on his table. McGonagall was right in front of him. Was she watching him the whole time?

“The spell is

Fibufors

,” she said calmly. “Same wand movement. Try it.”

Did she really expect him to do the button spell? He’d been so depressed in this class lately that he tuned out when she taught the others how to do this.

Elsa put her hand on his. “If I can do it, so can you.”

He wasn’t confident about this spell at all, but he didn’t want to disappoint her. But also, he didn’t want to be the weaker twin anymore. He closed his eyes again and tried to clear his mind of all doubts. He reached out to the castle’s magic, and this time, it welcomed him and lent its power without a protest. He opened his eyes and focused on the pebble while picturing a button in his mind.

“

Fibufors

.”

The spell worked. A shiny black button sat in front of him. His button.

“You did it,” Elsa exclaimed and hugged him. “I knew you could do it.”

McGonagall cleared her throat, and he hesitantly looked up at her. She nodded in approval but her face remained that of a strict teacher. “I’m glad you improved your attitude, Jack. This doesn’t change the fact that you have detention. Come to me after this class, and I’ll explain it to you.”

“Yes, Professor.”

She turned to walk away but then stopped. “What changed your mind about transfiguration magic?”

“My friend, Merlin, helped me understand that you wouldn’t force me to do something that was against my religion, even for school exams.”

“Your what?” She blinked a few times. “What religion is that?”

“The Old Religion.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“So?”

He tried to maintain an innocent look on his face, even though he was doing a victory dance inside. Merlin was right. Playing the religion card was the way out. It was perfect.

“We’ll talk about this later,” she said. “You’ll serve your detention this weekend with Professor Sprout. She needs help in the greenhouses.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as she turned around, Jack grinned cheekily. He loved spending his time in the greenhouses. This detention thing wasn’t so bad after all.

Elsa leaned to him and whispered in his ear, “What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Why not now?”

Was she mad at him now? she whispered fiercely. He had a feeling that she did not like that she was hearing of his plan only now. He’d only found out about it. It wasn’t like he was hiding it from her.

》《

Elsa glared at Jack the entire rest of the class. He was holding back something big and enjoyed how much curiosity ate at her. By the end of the lesson, they were both caught up with the other students and could perform all the spells.

During lunchtime, he invited Elsa to sit with his friends. Luna tagged along as well. They all sat at the Gryffindor table and Jack dug into his food.

“I’ll let Merlin explain,” he said with a full mouth.

Merlin looked at Elsa and Luna, understandably confused. “What am I explaining?”

“The thing with the Old Religion,” Jack said between bites. “Elsa wants to know.”

“Oh, yes. You should know. So, Jack said he was in trouble with McGonagall because she didn’t agree with his belief that animals shouldn’t be used in transfigurations. He was afraid that he was doomed to fail the class. You’re with me so far?”

Elsa nodded. Colin leaned forward attentively. Luna picked on some food with her hands.

“So, I asked him some more questions about what else he believed in,” Merlin continued, “and decided to help him. To make the teachers respect his beliefs we need to make them official. If he calls his beliefs a religion, they will have no choice but to take it seriously.”

Elsa put her hand up, interrupting. “Wait, that’s what you meant by Old Religion? Are you telling me, you’re making up a religion just so you can avoid doing a spell? That’s too much, Jack. Even for you.”

“But it’s not made up!” Jack said. “Tell her, Merlin.”

“I practice Old Religion.”

Elsa stared at Merlin in surprise, and he smiled at her kindly. There was something very strange about this boy. “You’re adopting Merlin’s religion just to get through one class?”

“Here’s the thing, Elsa,” Merlin butted in. “He’s not changing any of his beliefs. Old Religion is the belief in the power of nature. Ancient Druids believed that nature deserved to be revered and protected, that all life was precious. That is what Jack believes as well.” Jack nodded repeatedly to confirm and Merlin continued, “Jack has been practicing the values of Old Religion in its purest form, equivalent to the Druids’ ideology, without knowing that he was. I am ready to back him up and take his stance regarding Transfiguration.”

“And Potions,” Jack added.

Merlin paused and shrugged. “We’ll talk to McGonagall, and we’ll probably have to talk to the Headmaster. Snape will be harder to handle but we can try. I don’t know what the specific laws are, but I think that the school is required to accommodate our religious beliefs. I am confident that we will succeed in this. Now, the question is, what about you, Elsa?”

Elsa’s eyes grew wide. “Me? You want me to practice your religion?”

“It’s up to you. If you have no problems transfiguring animals, feel free to continue doing what you’re doing. But if you want to join your brother, I think he would like that. I will gladly share what I know with whoever wants to learn.”

“Will you guys have, like, masses and stuff?” Colin interrupted them. “I’ve never heard of this religion. I have soooo many questions.”

“No, no masses. If we wanted to be very traditional, there are rituals and sacred places where Old Religion is at its strongest, where you can feel it in the air.” He turned back to Elsa. “It’s not a religion in the meaning of what people usually think when they hear the word. It’s… I guess, in modern times it’s seen as an old pagan belief. That doesn’t make it any less true.

“There were times when all magic practiced in these lands was Old Religion magic. Times have changed. The way magic is used has changed. I’m one of the last people who practice the old ways and make the effort to maintain the balance. Does this sound like something you want to learn, Elsa?”

Elsa kept sneaking glances between Jack and Merlin. Her brother was nodding at her eagerly. “I suppose, I see where you’re coming from and how we fit into it. But at the same time, I don’t want to miss out on learning transfiguration spells.”

“Elsa, think about it,” Jack said. “Just how useful is it going to be to transform a rat into a teacup? Can you think of practical use for this? You won’t be missing out all that much.”

“It would come in useful in a room full of rats,” Colin offered.

“Here’s where I’m concerned,” Elsa said, tapping a finger to her chin. “These spells are small and maybe not so useful, but the future spells will be more complex. We need to learn the easy ones before we can get to the difficult magic. You saw how McGonagall can transform into a cat. Can you imagine if we could do something like that? We won’t be able to learn it if we never transfigure animals.”

“You want to be a cat?”

“It doesn’t have to be a cat.”

“You could turn yourself into a hugger. You’d be so cute.”

“Argh. I don’t want to be a hugger, Jack!”

“What’s a hugger?” Merlin asked.

“I’ll show you later,” Jack answered with a wink.

Elsa crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him angrily. “Do you remember how we planned to stay low, to not draw attention to ourselves?”

Jack shrugged. “I think it’s too late for that. We stand out no matter how hard we try.”

“You’re really doing this?”

“Yes.”

“You really believe in this so strongly that you will go through all the trouble with the school and will even drag your friend through the same thing?”

“Yes. And… you?”

Elsa crossed her arms and bit her lip. She always thought religions were for humans who needed an explanation for magic. What was her brother thinking?

Jack sighed, looking disappointed. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m forcing you into it. I want you to want it for yourself.”

“You can think about it,” Merlin said. “It’s not a one-time offer.”

“I don’t know about you, Elsa,” Colin spoke up, “but I am sold. Can I join too?”

“I would like to learn too,” Luna said in a soft voice.

Elsa pouted and looked at them all. Now, that wasn’t fair. She didn’t want to be the only one left out of this. “What exactly are you planning to teach us?”

Merlin smiled. “If you’ve got the talent for it, I can teach you real magic.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Minerva sat at her desk and tried to understand the paper in front of her. The essay was written so poorly, she would write a recommendation for this Hufflepuff student to be admitted to the extracurricular English class. She had already made a similar request for her twins. Elsa seemed particularly appalled at the thought, and Minerva tried to convince her that it was a very common problem for home-schooled children.

She pondered if English should be a part of the core curriculum for all first-years and optional for the following years. Over the last few decades, children had arrived at their school with poorer and poorer basic writing skills. This argument had been discussed repeatedly with no action ever taken. She had to bring it up again during the next Board of Governors meeting. Change was difficult. The Board liked to keep things the way they were. She needed to get the support of influential Board members if she had any hopes of success.

Someone knocked on the door and she welcomed the distraction. Honestly, she was bored.

“Come in.”

Merlin Ealdor and Jack walked in.

“Good Afternoon, Professor,” Merlin spoke up. “If you have a few minutes, we’d like to discuss something with you.”

She motioned for them to sit in the two chairs in front of her desk. Merlin appeared confident and relaxed and looked around her office with a detached curiosity. Jack looked nervous and just stared at his hands in his lap.

“Professor,” Merlin started, “we brought this request to you first, but I imagine that we’ll have to speak with the Headmaster as well. It is about the curriculum of the Transfiguration class.”

Minerva did not like where this was going. Did this boy dare complain about her teaching methods? It wasn’t her fault that he was so bad at this subject. Some wizards did not have the natural aptitude for this difficult branch of magic. “Go on.”

“Some of the spellwork required in this class is against the values of our religion, and we would like to be excused from practicing it.”

Minerva’s eyes locked onto Jack. What was this boy up to?

“Let me guess,” she said shortly. “Old Religion?”

“Precisely. Our religious beliefs forbid senseless harm done to other living beings. Practicing spells on animals just for the sake of practice is against the values of our faith.”

Minerva tapped her finger on her desk absentmindedly. She didn’t take her eyes off of Jack who sat quietly and wouldn’t look at her.

“Mr. Ealdor, no matter what your faith is, do not think that you can get special treatment just to get through a class you are struggling with.”

“That is not my intention at all, Professor. I fully accept that you would give us assignments of a similar difficulty which did not require the use of animals.”

The boy thought he had everything covered. “Mr. Ealdor, if we were to proceed as you request, that would require me to give you assignments from the second-year curriculum. Seeing as you struggle with current tasks, how do you imagine you’ll keep up?”

“I have an excellent tutor now,” Merlin said with a smirk. “I am confident that my performance in your class will improve.”

Minerva shifted in her seat. “Jack,” she said and the boy reluctantly lifted his eyes to her, “what is this? You or your sister have never said anything about practicing any religion.”

“The question never came up,” Jack said quietly.

This was all too neatly wrapped up. Were these two boys making it all up? The only way to find out was to probe them further until they slipped up. Sticking to a lie wasn’t as easy in the long term. It was all in the details. “Is there anything else you require that your religious practices demand?”

“We need to have a similar talk with Professor Snape,” Merlin said.

Minerva couldn’t imagine how they could succeed in that task. Severus was not a tolerant man. “I do not imagine that you will be able to avoid preparing certain potions.”

“We could substitute some of the ingredients,” Jack offered.

Minerva sighed at the boy’s cluelessness. “It isn’t that simple, Jack.”

“We’ll take it one potion at a time,” Merlin said, leaning back in his chair.

The boy’s confidence unnerved her. His attitude bordered on arrogance. “At this point, I believe we should speak with the Headmaster. This isn’t a simple matter that I alone can decide. It may have an impact on your O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations. A request like that has to be submitted in writing to the Board of Governors by your parents,” she looked at Jack, “or guardians.”

Jack hunched his shoulders. Minerva was his acting guardian for the time being. Did she want to draw attention to this boy? The Ministry wasn’t accepting of those who had a shifty background. A pair of twins who came out of nowhere and demanded special treatment would not sit well with the officials. Minerva wasn’t even convinced that they were orphans, though they’d told her their mother was dead, but she checked recently, and still, no one reported them missing. Yet they escaped from someone. Whoever was looking for them did not want to alert the authorities and that just made her worry even more. Just what type of trouble were they in?

“That is not a problem,” Merlin said with a smile. “My uncle can make the request personally to the Minister if that’s what it takes.”

“Then, your uncle will be the best point of contact. I will bring up this issue to the Headmaster and will inform you of his decision.” She waved her wand to open the door for them. “Mr. Ealdor, I would like to meet that uncle of yours.”

“I can arrange that,” Merlin said with a sly smile and she had an uneasy feeling that he was humoring her but she didn’t understand exactly how.

“I suggest you both bundle up for tomorrow’s game. I recommend winter attire.” She looked firmly at Jack. “This includes shoes.”

Jack nodded while Merlin sniggered. She supposed the boy’s roommate had already noticed his barefoot obsession.

The boys left and Minerva couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. Later, she visited Irma Pince at the library and asked for help with locating information on Old Religion. Irma finally found a book in an ancient rune that spoke of Old Religion magic. Minerva dived right into it.

Her comprehension of runes was rusty, she hadn’t read anything as old as this book in a long time, but she gathered from it a description of the customs and practices of ancient Pagans. This included the worship of multiple gods, silly rituals, and questionable magical practices, such as rites involving human sacrifice. She put the book down. It disturbed her to think that these children wanted to observe such barbaric customs.

The magical community had evolved above such crude methods a long time ago. Some things shouldn’t be revived. She had an awful suspicion that the Ealdor kid was the instigator here. Was he trying to brainwash her Jack? Every time she laid eyes on him, something tickled her intuition like she was missing something important. But his arrogant confidence was what irritated her the most. What did he have to feel so confident about? His spellwork was barely above passing, he didn’t come from one of the prestigious families, it even appeared that he was an orphan. She had to find out more about him. If he was going to be a problem, she’d rather be prepared.

》《

When Saturday came, everyone was excited to see the game, especially the children who had never seen a Quidditch match before, like Colin, who was in an excitement overdrive, which he attempted to satisfy by jumping on his bed.

“Merlin, you said that Old Religion is about magic. Is it different magic from what they teach us here?”

“Yes.” Merlin was glad to talk about it. “It’s wandless magic.”

“Really? Can you show me some?” Colin plopped down and sat on the edge of the bed expectantly.

Merlin considered what to show them. He didn’t want to do anything too spectacular, he was supposed to be a child after all, but he had to show them something impressive enough to keep their interest. He decided to do what he used to be able to do as a child before he even learned what Old Religion was.

With a flick of his finger, the books on Colin’s bed floated up and swirled around him.

Colin giggled and fished one out of the air. “You did that during the food fight! I thought it was Peeves.”

“Yes.” It felt so good to not have to hide his magic from his friends anymore.

“That was you?” Jack asked.

“That’s like telekinesis!” Colin squealed. “How many objects can you move at the same time?”

Merlin looked around him and lifted everything off the floor, all the furniture, rugs, trunks, shoes, and dirty robes Colin had dropped on the floor. The little boy squealed and grabbed hold of the bedpost as his bed rose. Jack looked down to the floor from his floating bed and giggled. Merlin lowered everything back to where it was and pretended to be exhausted.

“Since we’re sharing, Jack, do you mind showing us what you can do?”

Jack blanched. “Me? I don’t know telekinesis.”

“But you can do wandless magic, can’t you?”

Jack looked between them, frowning, then sighed. “You’ve seen my magic already.”

He held out his hand palm up and a snowball formed in it. Merlin observed the boy closely and noticed no flash of magic in his eyes. This was curious. If he wasn’t using Old Religion magic, how was he doing this?

Colin gasped. “You can conjure snowballs?”

“Actually, they’re frostballs.”

Jack threw it forcefully at the wall where pieces of it stuck and slowly spread out as intricate swirls of frost. The white tendrils adorned the stone wall as if someone was painting them with an invisible brush.

“Frost is my thing. I can make all sorts of things with it.”

When he dropped eye contact, it stopped spreading. Merlin gained a new respect for the boy. This required a lot more control than the usual wandless magic that children created by accident. It was as easy for him as moving objects was for Merlin.

“Your sister too?”

“Elsa’s specialty is ice. It took her a while to get the iceballs right. When we were small, some of her iceballs were solid, giving me extra motivation to not get hit.” Jack chuckled. “But she’s really good at it now.”

“You guys can do such cool magic,” Colin said. “I feel so left out. I don’t know any tricks like that.”

“Surely, you’ve done something by accident,” Merlin said. “They wouldn’t have discovered that you’re a wizard otherwise.”

“I mean, yeah, some strange things have happened, but I didn’t know it was magic and I didn’t have control over it like you guys.”

“Tell me about the strange things.”

“Alright. This one time, we were camping and my dad was trying to start a fire but all the wood was wet and it wouldn’t light. My little brother started crying because he wanted to make smores. My parents started arguing with each other about how they should’ve planned better. My dog got overly excited from all the hand waving they were doing so she started barking and running around. And it was so loud and chaotic, I just wanted it all to stop. And I screamed, and suddenly, there was a fire. And not just at the fire pit. It was like a ring of fire around me. I nearly burned down our tent. I don’t know how I did it. I tried it again later and it didn’t work anymore.”

Merlin smiled at the boy encouragingly. “That is awesome.” He rubbed his hands together. “We have something we can start with. Colin, it looks to me like you may have a natural affinity for fire spells. We can work on them, but maybe not in the dorm. We’ll find a safe space for you to practice in. And you, Jack, you must have an affinity for water.”

“Water?” He shook his head. “No, just frost and snow.”

“Both are water.”

The boy didn’t look convinced but Merlin was sure he could make it work. This was a very productive morning. “Well, since I don’t have to hide it anymore,” he had his robes flow out of the trunk and neatly arrange themselves for him on his bed.

Colin chuckled. “Feel free to use whatever magic you want in front of us.”

“So, Colin and I have elemental affinities, right? What is your affinity called?” Jack asked.

“It doesn’t have a specific name so you can just call it telekinesis. It’s one of those basic abilities some wizards are born with.”

“So, that’s not Old Religion?” Colin whined. “I thought you were doing an Old Religion spell for us.”

“If you’d like something more spell-like,” Merlin cut off and thought over a few simple spells, trying to choose one.

“

Hors, beride þá heofonum

,” he said and the smoke from their fireplace took the shape of a horse which reared and galloped up to the ceiling where it dispersed.

“

Horse, ride the sky

,” Jack said behind him.

Merlin turned around stunned. “You understand Old English?” He grabbed the boy’s shoulders and shook him. “Jack, that’s incredible. You have no idea how much easier it will be for you to learn the incantations. They’re all in Old English.”

“I can’t actually speak it.”

“But you understood. Where did you learn it?”

Jack shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve heard it. Maybe my mother spoke it sometimes.”

“Your mother spoke it? In a conversation or incantations?”

“Maybe both?”

Merlin let go of the boy’s shoulders. He couldn’t believe it. It was yet another proof of Jack’s strange connection to the Old Religion. His family might have practiced a branch of Old Magic Merlin wasn’t familiar with.

Jack shuffled on his feet. “Why are you looking at me funny?”

“Jack, Old English is a dead language. No one converses in it. People stopped using it about a thousand years ago.”

Jack swallowed but then shrugged. “Apparently, you’re wrong about that.”

Merlin laughed. “Apparently.”

“This is all fascinating, but look at the time,” Colin pointed at the clock, “we need to go if we want to see the game.”

They all dressed in their winter cloaks. Merlin wrapped himself well and put on his warm hat. Colin bundled himself up in multiple layers and looked as if he was inside a balloon. And on top of all of that, he strapped on his camera. Jack was dressed as if it was twenty degrees warmer.

Merlin shook a finger at him. “Jack, it’s going to be freezing in the stands. It’s like an early winter out there. You really need more than a cloak.”

Jack sighed and mumbled, “Why is everyone so concerned with what I wear?” He dug in his trunk and pulled out a Gryffindor scarf. He threw it on without care and waited for them in the doorframe. “Are you guys ready?”

Merlin wanted to fix the boy’s scarf but seeing the defiant look on his face, he decided to drop it. If Jack wanted to freeze his head off over there, he was welcome to. Maybe that would teach him a lesson.

All students and staff showed up to see the first Quidditch game of the year. The excitement of the spectators was contagious. The three of them found a spot in the stands among the scarlet and gold sea of other Gryffindors who proudly displayed their House colors. As their team came out of the changing room, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs joined in the cheers while Slytherins booed.

“Is it always like this?” Colin asked over the noise. “The other houses are cheering us.”

“It’s because they want Slytherin to lose,” Merlin screamed in response. “There’s no love for Slytherin here.”

On Madam Hooch’s whistle, the players flew up and the crowd roared. Merlin followed the figure of Harry who flew up above the other players.

“I can’t see anything,” Colin complained but attempted to take a few pictures anyway. “They’re so far away.”

Merlin conjured a pair of binoculars in his pocket, gave it to the small boy, and repeated the process so all three of them could look at the game in detail.

“Oooh,” Colin exclaimed and snapped a picture. “A Bludger nearly got Harry. I think I captured it.”

One of the Weasley twins flew over and hit the Bludger in the direction of a Slytherin player but it came back up. He hit it again, and again it came back, racing at Harry. It followed him as if it wanted to hit him specifically.

“Are Bludgers supposed to follow one player around?” Colin asked.

“Something’s wrong,” Merlin murmured.

“They’re killing us,” Jack complained, watching the game. “Slytherins are so much faster. They keep scoring and scoring.”

It started to rain which made it more difficult to see and Merlin had to use his magic to be able to follow Harry, who zoomed through the pitch at full speed. The same Bludger was still following him. This wasn’t normal. That Bludger was being controlled.

Merlin tried to lift the enchantment but someone held a constant powerful grip on this spell, and it didn’t feel like wizard magic. It felt different, very close to Old Religion magic. Since he couldn’t overthrow the spell, he had to attack the person responsible in order to break it. Who among the crowd would have abilities like this?

There was no time to waste. Merlin used his mind’s eye to slow down time so he could find the culprit before Harry got hurt. Who did he know that held different magic?

Merlin checked on Jack who was sitting next to him. The boy was watching the game and wasn’t even looking at Harry. He did not look like someone who was in the middle of a powerful spell. What about his sister? Merlin scanned the seats until he located her not far from them. She talked excitedly with her Ravenclaw friend. It wasn’t her either.

Meanwhile at the pitch, Harry was ahead of the Bludger but barely. It was catching up and the boy was getting tired quickly.

Merlin continued checking the stands. Who else could it be? The twins were the only people here who he saw exhibit Old Magic. This time, he looked lower and spotted something at the entrance of the changing room. He looked through his binoculars and recognized the creature as a house elf. The elf’s hand was up and his face was full of focus.

Merlin ran out of the stands, down the stairs, and made a cut in the fabric that made up the wall of the Quidditch pitch. He slipped through and sprinted as fast as he could underneath the stands. He made a cut in the fabric again as he made it to the changing room and tackled the elf to the ground. He quickly looked for Harry, who, finally free of the Bludger, just at this moment had caught the Golden Snitch. The crowd erupted in cheers and Harry landed safely.

Satisfied that the boy was okay, Merlin turned his attention to the elf he was straddling.

“Who ordered this?” he yelled.

Someone ran in through the slit in the fabric he had created. It was Jack and Colin.

“What is that?” Colin exclaimed, panting.

“This is a house-elf,” Merlin answered and tightened his grip on the small creature. “Who sent you?”

The elf squirmed and moaned but said nothing. Colin snapped a picture.

“I repeat, who sent you? Who do you serve?”

“Dobby’s master didn’t send me, sir,” he answered in a high-pitched, pitiful voice. “Dobby came on my own, sir. Only Dobby will needs punishing.”

It made no sense for a house-elf to act on his own in this manner. Could he be lying? Merlin heard a commotion and knew that he was running out of time. The players were coming back to the changing room. He dragged the elf with him back through the fabric slit to hide under the stands. The two boys came after him.

He held him tightly, binding him with magic. Elves used Old Magic which allowed them to apparate within Hogwarts when wizards weren’t. This one wasn’t going anywhere if Merlin had a say in it.

“Are you a Hogwarts elf?”

“No, sir.”

“Who do you serve?”

“Dobby will never say,” the elf proclaimed and stuck up his chest proudly.

“Merlin?” Colin spoke up. “Why exactly are you interrogating an elf?”

“He was the one who sent that Bludger at Harry. Why did you try to kill Harry?”

“Not kill, sir. Dobby would never kill the great Harry Potter.”

“Why did you attack him, then?”

The elf squirmed under his hold and Merlin could feel his attempts at disapparating, but Merlin’s magic bound the creature in place.

“Dobby never met someone like sir. Who is sir?” Dobby stared at him with his huge eyes.

“I’m Merlin and you will answer me, Dobby. Why did you attack Harry?”

The elf shook his head and whined in distress. This wasn’t working.

Merlin ground his teeth. “Jack, could you fetch Harry for us?”

“Uh, sure.” Jack disappeared in the slit of the fabric and came back with Harry who gasped when he saw the elf.

“Dobby? What are you doing here?” Harry exclaimed. “Merlin, get off him. He’s just a house-elf.”

Merlin huffed in frustration. “This just-a-house-elf here sent that Bludger after you.”

“Dobby! That Bludger nearly knocked me off my broom. You could’ve killed me!”

Dobby whined and shook his oversized head. His ears flopped pitifully. “Dobby would never kill Harry Potter. Dobby wants to save Harry Potter.”

“How was that saving me?”

“Dobby thought if Harry Potter was hurt, he would be sent home. Harry Potter shouldn’t have come back to Hogwarts this year. Dobby tried to stop him from getting on the train but it didn’t work.”

“That was you!!!!” Harry screamed and took over for Merlin in holding the elf by his rags. “You blocked the entrance to Platform nine and three quarters! I couldn’t get on the train so I flew a car with Ron. I nearly got expelled because of you! And now, you tried to hurt me during the game. Dobby, you better get out of my sight before I kill you.”

He let go of the elf who smiled weakly. “Dobby is used to threats, sir.”

“Why do you want Harry out of Hogwarts?” Merlin asked.

“Dobby only wishes to protect Harry Potter who is a beacon of hope for all of us lowly creatures. When He Who Must Not Be Named was in power, house-elves were treated like vermin. Dobby is still treated like vermin, but Dobby has hope, sir, that Harry Potter will bring about a new world. Horrible things will happen at Hogwarts this year now that the Chamber of Secrets is open. Dobby must protect...”

Dobby gasped and ran to a wooden support beam where he beat his head against the frame. “Bad Dobby. Bad Dobby.”

Harry stopped him from hurting himself. “What do you know about the Chamber of Secrets?”

“Dobby mustn’t tell!” the elf squealed.

“Dobby, you must tell us what you know. This is important,” Merlin urged. “People are in danger.”

Dobby started crying crocodile tears. “Dobby can’t say. Dobby can’t say.”

Harry kept shaking the elf to get some information from it, but Merlin knew that they got as much as they could from the creature.

“He won’t tell us,” he told Harry in resignation. “House-elves are bound to keep their owners’ secrets. He came to you from his own free will, but his owner’s word is his law. He cannot break it no matter how much he wants to.”

Harry stood over the elf and stared at it intensely as if hoping he could pull the secrets out of the creature’s mind. While Merlin had that ability, it wouldn’t work on a house-elf. He could only invade a human mind.

“Do you know whose family he serves?” Merlin asked.

“No,” Harry answered and folded his arms.

Jack crouched next to the creature. “Why is he dressed like that?”

The elf was wearing a rag that resembled an old, dirty pillowcase with holes for arms and head.

“It’s a mark of enslavement,” Merlin answered. “When his owner presents him with clothes, he will be freed.”

Dobby sobbed and blew his nose on his pillowcase. “Harry Potter, sir, must leave Hogwarts,” he gave Harry his last plea.

“I’m not going anywhere, Dobby. This is my home,” Harry snapped and walked away from them to resume the celebrations with his team.

Dobby whined to himself and pouted pitifully. Merlin felt sorry for it.

“It feels awful to know something but be unable to do anything about it, huh? Is there anything you can tell us that would help us? Anything at all?”

Dobby shook his head and sobbed. ”It’s not safe at Hogwarts, sir. Dobby failed at protecting the great Harry Potter.”

”I'll protect him, Dobby. You have my word,” Merlin said, putting a hand over his chest.

”Dobby is thankful, sir,” he said and bowed respectfully.

Merlin inclined his head in response, and the creature sobbed. House-elves were truly interesting magical creatures. They possessed Old Magic, pure and simple but effective. Merlin felt connected to him and wondered if the elf felt the pull of his magic as well.

Then Dobby’s huge eyes were fixed on Jack who was studying him intently the whole time.

“I’ve never met an elf before,” Jack said.

“Dobby never met…”

“Yes. We haven’t met yet.” Jack interrupted. “I’m Jack. Jack Nix.”

Dobby stared at the hand which was offered to him and his eyes became larger than tennis balls. Merlin rubbed his nose. Jack must have not known what honor he’d offered this creature.

Dobby slowly extended a shaking bony hand while humming to himself as if trying to soothe his nerves. “Dobby is honored to meet Jack-Jack Nix.”

Jack chuckled. “Just one Jack.”

“Sir is a student at Hogwarts, sir?”

“Yes. I am.”

Dobby looked at the boy in wonder and awe. “Sir uses a wand, sir?”

“Yes.”

“House-elves are not allowed wands, but we don’t needs them, sir, to do our work.”

“Why are you surprised that I use a wand?”

The elf looked in all directions and said quietly. “Only wizards are allowed, sir, and Jack-Jack Nix...”

“Hey,” Jack interrupted and touched the end of Dobby’s long ear, “your ears are huge. Do you have a greater hearing because of them?”

The elf looked confused. “Dobby doesn’t know, sir.”

Colin snapped a picture of the two. “My parents won’t believe me. A real elf. He’s not like what I thought they are.”

“Right?” Jack turned to him. “He’s much cooler than I imagined them.”

Dobby looked intently at Merlin. “May Dobby go, sir?”

Merlin released the magical binds holding him, but just in case, he touched the creature’s shoulders—Dobby squealed in surprise—and whispered an incantation that marked the elf in such a way that Merlin could find it. Maybe he couldn’t get the elf to talk, but now, he could follow it to its master.

The elf turned back to Jack. “Dobby will greatly cherish meeting Jack-Jack Nix. You brings me hope, sir. The great Harry Potter and sir are a sign of good things to come for magical creatures, especially weak ones like Dobby.”

Jack extended a hand for goodbye. Dobby looked like he would faint from the honor of being offered a handshake twice. He shook the hand with both of his and disapparated with a loud crack.

Jack startled and fell on his behind. “Where did he go?”

Colin laughed and helped him get up.

They left the stands and raced to the castle to outrun the rain. Merlin had a lot to ponder. He wondered why Jack made such a strong impression on the elf. Was Dobby drawn to Jack’s Old Magic? He wondered whose family the elf served. Harry suspected the Malfoy boy of opening the Chamber of Secrets. Their family was certainly wealthy enough to have house-elves. Was Harry correct in his suspicions? Merlin had to get a move on that plan with the Polyjuice Potion so they could proceed with their interrogation of the young Malfoy. And he would also follow Dobby’s trail as soon as he had a chance to.

Once they were back inside, Jack asked, “Merlin, what was that thing that Dobby said about wands?”

“The law states that only wizards and witches can bear wands. Non-human creatures like elves are strictly banned. It’s been a controversy with the goblins. They’ve been fighting that law for centuries.”

“But why are they forbidden from carrying wands?”

Merlin wasn’t sure how to answer it. “They have their own magic. I think the wizarding community wants to keep the wandlore a human-only privilege.”

Jack mulled that over for a moment. “So they’re afraid of what elves or goblins would be able to do with wands?”

“That’s one way of looking at it.”

“What would happen if one of them was found with a wand?”

“They would be tried in court. Jack, why are you asking all of this?”

Jack smiled nervously. “Just curious.”

“Merlin?” Colin asked.

“Yeah?”

“At the Quidditch pitch, what did you cut the fabric with? Do you carry a knife with you?”

Everyone was very curious today. Merlin racked his brain for an explanation. He showed the boys some magic but didn't want them to realize just how much he could do. “The cuts were already there.”

“Really? That’s weird.”

“Yeah, right?”

“But also convenient.”

“They were.”

It wasn’t the first time that Colin had called Merlin out on something. His observation skills were probably why he was a good photographer—he noticed details others didn’t.

Merlin returned to the Gryffindor tower and plopped down into an armchair. It was time to devise a plan to get that book for Harry. He didn’t love the Polyjuice Potion plan, but this was what the trio wanted to do so he would help them. Now, he just had to sneak into the Restricted Section of the library. Piece of cake.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Today was such an awesome day. Colin saw an exciting Quidditch game, where the balls flew on their own as if they were alive, and met a magical creature that looked like an ugly, skinny doll with an oversized head, huge round eyes, and ears so weird and big that it should be called an elephant-elf instead. An elephelf! He wondered if there were other types of elves besides house-elves. He would ask Merlin. Merlin knew everything. He was like the Yoda but with a much cooler Force.

Whoah. He just realized, all Jedis were wizards and the Force was simply magic. Star Wars was like Wizard Wars but in space!

The day was far from over. He was pumped and ready for more fun.

”Where are you going, Jack?” he asked, seeing him put on his shoes, which he only did when he was leaving the Gryffindor tower.

Jack was always nice, but there was an air of mystery around him. Colin couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but something always felt a little off about him, like he was Clark Kent on the outside but an alien underneath.

”I have detention with Professor Sprout for the rest of the day. See ya later.”

Jack ran out and Colin frowned while looking at the empty dorm. He wanted to do something. He went out to the common room, looking for friends. Harry was celebrating the victory with his teammates. It was so amazing to see him at the game. Colin watched him practice before, but it was nothing like the action of the game. Harry zoomed and zigzagged like a flash of lightning. He had so much more skill than the other players. He even nearly fell off his broom but hung on upside down like Spiderman. It was awesome.

Colin walked up to the group and tried to join in the post-game fun, but they were all taller than him and didn't even notice him. He tried to say something but his voice wasn't loud enough. Oh, well. He could catch up with Harry later when he wasn’t surrounded by everyone.

He found Merlin getting up from an armchair. He looked like he was ready to do something fun. Perfect. ”Whatcha doing?”

Merlin said in a rush, ”Actually, I've got something important to do. I'll be back.” And he left the common room through the portrait hole on some important Yoda business. Maybe later they would have some fun together. He wondered if Merlin had seen Star Wars. Would he get the Wizard Wars reference?

Colin looked around at who else he knew there. Ginny Weasley was walking down from her dorm, and he ran up to her. Ginny was always fun and had a snarky sense of humor although recently she’d been quieter.

”Hiya, Ginny. Doing anything fun?”

The girl didn't respond and walked right past him. She was pale and expressionless.

“Ginny, are you okay?”

She reminded him of zombies from Night of the Living Dead. That was a good movie. He wished there was a TV around. He’d love to sit down with a bowl of popcorn and watch a fun sci-fi flick with his friends.

Ginny also went out through the portrait hole.

All of his friends were busy today. What would he do? Colin sighed and decided to do the responsible thing—homework. He stuffed his bag, including his camera—you never knew when something interesting would happen—and went out.

The Study Hall had very few people there today. He didn't want to be alone so he sat down next to a Hufflepuff boy he’d seen in the hallway with Harry.

”Hiya, I'm Colin Creevey.”

”Justin Finch-Fletchley, pleasure,” the boy answered with a posh accent.

Colin pulled out a parchment, quill, ink, and his copy of Travels with Trolls.

Justin showed him his own copy of the same book. ”Allow me a guess. Professor Lockhart assigned you an essay on troll etiquette?”

”You too?”

Justin chuckled. ”I'm working on it right now. We can share notes if you'd like.”

”Great, thanks.”

They worked together and Colin immediately came to like the older boy. They had something in common—both were Muggle-born, though, to his disappointment, Justin didn't have an appreciation for sci-fi movies. Still, they got to compare their experiences of learning how to adapt to this new lifestyle.

“My mother was displeased that I didn’t go to Eton College,” Justin said. ”She’s been buggin’ me about transferring there. They were going to accept me last year, you know, but I like it here. This summer, I gave her Lockhart’s books to read and she’s starting to understand just how much of a career I can have as a wizard.”

“Professor Lockhart is incredible, isn’t he?” Colin exclaimed. “Isn’t it amazing how he defeated all of those dark wizards and dangerous creatures? He is totally like a Jedi but more famous.”

“Yeah. I wish to become as famous as he is.”

”You could.”

”Several Hufflepuffs became Ministers for Magic, you know. That would be a jolly good career for me. My mother would be proud.”

”Maybe I could become a famous magical photographer,” Colin mused. ”My name could become as known as Henri Cartier-Bresson. I love his candid photography. That’s what I usually do, just try to capture people when they’re not expecting it. Those shots come out the best. I’d love to share my photography with others. Do they do gallery showings in the wizarding world?”

”I haven't the faintest idea.”

Colin supposed a fellow Muggle-born wasn’t the best person to ask. He would ask Merlin later. Merlin seemed to know everything.

”Speaking of, I have a ton of photos to develop today. Do you want to join me right after we’re done here? I'd love the company.”

”Sure thing.”

They finished their essays and went to the Art classroom which had a darkroom built to the side for this purpose. Colin lit a lantern which emitted a safe red light.

He taught Justin the process. The first few steps were the same as developing any Muggle film. The only difference was the last step when you dipped the photo in the Photo Potion which magically animated it.

Everything was going smoothly until he got to what appeared to be a photo of an empty hallway. That seemed strange. He was sure he hadn’t taken a shot like that. He dipped it in the Photo Potion and watched how the image of the Nearly Headless Nick slowly appeared in the hallway. Nick tipped his feathery hat and then tipped his severed head for effect. Justin chuckled, seeing the animated photo of a ghost, but Colin blanched.

He just remembered something strange that he’d noticed a few weeks ago when developing a photo of Jack and Elsa. When he saw it, he thought that he imagined it, but maybe he didn’t?

With shaking hands, he found the part of the film where he captured the house-elf.

“What’s wrong, Colin?” Justin asked.

“Maybe nothing…”

Colin found the frame he was looking for and waited patiently for it to develop. It was taking too long. He had to confirm that he didn’t imagine it, that it really was acting the same. And it was. The print showed only Dobby in it but when Colin dipped it in the potion, Jack appeared. It meant that Jack was… Was he a ghost? He wasn’t like Nearly Headless Nick. So what was he?

His worst suspicion was proven, but he didn’t know what it meant. He had to tell Merlin. His friend would know how to interpret this information. Merlin knew everything. He packed up his things, said goodbye to Justin, and ran to the Great Hall. It was dinnertime already, and he found Merlin sitting with, who else, Jack.

“There you are. I was wondering what you were up to,” Merlin said and patted a seat next to him in invitation.

Colin wanted to talk to Merlin alone so he waited. Now, he remembered how Jack could speak a language that was dead for a thousand years. Maybe someone had just raised him from the dead? Was he like some kind of a freaky zombie? This was the world of magic. Anything was possible.

He sat and warily observed Jack who had just stuffed his face with potatoes. His white hair gleamed in the light of the candles that floated above them. Did all ghost zombies have white hair? Oh, no. This meant that Elsa was another ghost zombie, and she sat right behind him. He felt surrounded.

“What?” Jack asked with a full mouth.

Colin busied himself with filling his plate. He stared for too long. That was so careless of him. How could a ghost even eat? Didn’t zombies eat brains? Maybe Jack was something else then. Whatever he was, it wasn’t normal, it wasn’t human. He always knew there was something off about the twins, but he never could have expected it was this bad.

He didn’t know what the creature in front of him was or what it was capable of. He better be careful and not anger him. He’d seen the magic Jack could do for fun. What type of magic would he do if someone angered him?

Finally, the opportunity presented itself when Jack ran over to the Ravenclaw table to talk to his sister. Colin went into action immediately.

“Merlin, I have something important to tell you.”

“Yeah?” Merlin asked while picking at his food. “What’s up?”

“It’s about Jack. There’s something seriously wrong…”

He was interrupted as Harry Potter walked up to them. “Did you get it?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it,” Merlin smirked and tapped the breast of his robes like he had something hidden there.

“Let’s go,” Harry said.

Merlin stuffed the last bite in his mouth and got up.

Colin grabbed his sleeve. “Merlin, you really need to hear this.”

“You can tell me tonight,” his friend said and left with Harry.

Merlin left. He didn’t get to tell him. Alright. He would tell him later. He could wait a bit longer.

He tried to eat but couldn’t shake the creepy feeling of knowing that something unnatural was behind him. He kept sneaking glances over his shoulder to where Jack sat with his sister. They weren’t even looking in his direction but that didn’t stop his imagination from telling him that they could sneak up on him from behind at any second. He couldn’t eat in the same room as those two. He dropped his utensils, grabbed his bag, and left the Great Hall.

Where could he go? If he went to the dorm, Jack would show up and then he would be alone with him until Merlin was done with whatever he was doing with Harry. No, he had to delay his arrival to the dorm. He didn’t want to be alone with a zombie ghost.

Colin wandered the hallways aimlessly, not sure where to go. The rainstorm had turned into a thunderstorm. The rain beat the windows relentlessly as if determined to break them one drop at a time. The unlit corners of the dark corridors seemed to slither in front of him. It was unnaturally quiet and then he heard a shuffle. The hair on his neck stood up and he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold.

“Hello?” he said weakly and was met with more silence.

Lightning flashed and illuminated the dark hallway for a second. There was nothing there. Nothing to be scared of. The thunder roared, startling him. He was so silly. Of course, the sound would follow the light with a few-second delay. Why was he so jumpy? Maybe he should go back to the Gryffindor tower. He could wait for Merlin in the common room. There were usually people there so he wouldn’t be alone. That sounded like a better plan than walking here in the dark.

He turned around and thought he saw something disappear behind a corner. He wondered what it was and quietly approached. He heard a faint sound and his curiosity took over. Merlin mentioned Hogwarts house-elves when interrogating Dobby. Maybe he was about to catch one of them? He brought up his camera, ready to take a photo. He wanted to know if they were going to look the same as the elf he met today and if they would also wear pillowcases for clothes.

Another thunder sounded in the distance as he turned the corner with his camera ready. He clicked the shutter and the world came to a stop.

The camera’s flash illuminated the hallway, and a second later Colin collapsed to the floor.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

》Few hours earlier《

After everyone got back from the game, Merlin sat in the common room, thinking over different ways of getting

Moste Potente Potions

book from the Restricted Section of the library. He could try summoning it from a distance but worried if there were any enchantments that would get him in trouble. It would be safer to just go in there and get it. The challenge was to sneak past Madam Pince. He needed her distracted for a couple of minutes. He’s been in a fun mood lately—might as well make this comical.

When he got to the library, he summoned a large pot from the kitchens. Conveniently, it was already filled with a bubbling stew.

“Sorry, elves,” he whispered knowing that they would be going out of their minds trying to figure out what happened to it. He enchanted the pot so it grew four short iron legs and made it walk past the librarian’s desk.

She caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye and stared at the pot in bewilderment.

“Who… What…” she stuttered and slowly rose from her chair.

He made the pot tip to the side so that the stew almost spilled out. Madam Pince released a guttural cry and ran for it, her wand outstretched. Merlin turned the legs of the pot into wheels and made it zoom between the bookcases. The librarian chased after it and Merlin used this moment to slip into the Restricted Section.

Seriously, if they wanted students to stay out of here, they should’ve put a locked door or something in the way and not just a red rope. It was too easy.

Beyond the rope, the Restricted Section span across several gloomy isles. He looked around at the tomes and wondered how many of his books they had in here. He had published many, some under a pen name, and some as a ghostwriter for famous authors. Bathilda Bagshot’s History of Magic, which was required reading for Hogwarts students, was one of the examples, although Bathilda took a few liberties to change his manuscript based on what she was sure was true. He had no proof of what really happened but his word, and unfortunately, in the eyes of history, the events were often written by the victors, and facts got lost in political translation.

He was tempted to start taking out the books just to see what was inside them. Several emitted a pulse of magic and seemed to call to him, but he resisted. He didn’t want to risk getting caught by spending too long in there. He decided to call the book by name to find it.

“

Moste Potente Potions

.”

He heard a slight shuffle in the next aisle and followed the sound to where on the bottom shelf, one book jerked as if it cried, “‘Tis me. You called?” He gently pulled the old moldy volume out and listened. No alarm sounded. No enchantment bound him or the book. He realized that the whole mystery of this section of the library was a ruse to keep the younger students out. Feeling smug about how easy it was, he turned back and jumped over the rope to the main part of the library.

As smooth as he wanted the jump to be, his gangly legs did not cooperate. He tripped and fell, taking the rope down with him. Several students looked his way and he quickly hid the book under his robes.  Time was of the essence now so he quickly tried to get away, only to be pulled by the hood of his robe.

“What were you doing in there?” A Slytherin Prefect demanded. “Did you have permission to be there?”

Merlin stammered, “Of course I did.”

“Show it to me.”

“Madam Pince has it.”

The Slytherin dragged him along, and Merlin racked his brains for a way out. How could he be so careless to get caught? There were so many better ways he could have handled this task. If only he knew there were no protective enchantments in place, he could have summoned the book from his dorm!

Over on the other side of the library, Madam Pince struggled with the pot of stew. She had bound it in ropes so it wouldn’t get away and kept throwing spells at it, trying to stop Merlin’s enchantment. The pot struggled in its hold and kept spilling bits of stew around.

This gave him a brilliant idea.

“Madam Pince?” he asked.

“You better hope she really has your permission slip or there will be dire consequences,” the Slytherin spat with an evil smirk.

“Not now, children,” she snapped and threw another spell which did nothing to the naughty pot.

“It’s about that,” Merlin said to her. “I saw this boy place an enchantment on that pot of stew.”

“What?” the Slytherin whirled around and grabbed Merlin violently. “You little…”

“You let go of him, boy,” Madam Pince cried and approached them both. Her thin, sunken face was fierce and unforgiving. “You dare befoul my library? You dare endanger my books?”

The Slytherin kept his hold on Merlin and tried to explain. “It’s not true. He’s just saying it…”

“I WILL NOT HAVE THIS LIBRARY TURNED INTO A JOKE SHOP!!!”

She looked as if she was ready to transform into a giant man-eating vulture. The boy paled, and Merlin felt the hold on his robes loosen.

“B-b-but… I didn’t…” the boy stammered.

“YOU THINK IT’S TRIVIAL TO DESECRATE THESE VOLUMES? YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY, YOU DEPRAVED BOY?”

Using the distraction, Merlin slowly squirmed out of the boy’s grip.

“I didn’t. I swear…”

“YOU PUT CENTURIES OF IRREPLACEABLE KNOWLEDGE AT RISK FOR A CHILDISH PRANK!!!”

The Slytherin boy cowered in fear as the librarian shrieked of the crime he had not committed. Merlin slipped out unnoticed and closed the library doors with relief, effectively drowning out the sounds of screams and begging.

It was a close one. Did he feel guilty for getting the boy in trouble? Maybe a little, but not too much. It was important for him to get the book out of the library for Harry by whatever means were necessary. His mission was more important than a few house points that Slytherin was about to lose undeservingly.

Harry found him during the evening feast and Merlin tagged along with the trio to show them the book.

“We’ll go to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom,” Hermione said, leading the way. “No one will bother us there.”

When they opened the door, they saw Ginny Weasley stand in front of a sink, looking down.

Hermione gasped, said a quick “Sorry,” and they all backed right out of there before Ginny noticed that three boys had just invaded a girls’ lavatory. Merlin could feel his cheeks burn and guessed that he was as red as Ron and Harry were right now.

“I can’t believe you had us go in there,” Ron complained while they snuck away.

“I don’t know what she’s doing there. No one in their right mind would willingly want to spend time with Myrtle.”

Merlin opened the first door he found and the kids followed him into what looked like an unused classroom. They put four chairs around one table and leaned down on it.

Merlin pulled out the book and placed it in front of Hermione. She touched it reverently and paged through the different recipes. Disturbing drawings adorned the pages, illustrating the effects of the different potions and warnings of their side effects.

“Found it,” she said and started reading the instructions. “Complicated, more complicated than any potion I’ve ever made.”

They waited as she analyzed what they were going to need. “Shredded skin of boomslang and a powdered horn of a bicorn will be tricky to get.”

“Do you mean we’re going to have to steal it?” Harry looked worried. “From Snape’s private stores?”

Hermione ignored him. “And we’ll need bits of the people we’ll be turning into.”

“I’m not drinking Crabbe’s toenails,” Ron protested, shaking his head.

“Do you want to find out if Malfoy is the Heir or are you too chicken to go through with it?” Hermione looked at the boys fiercely and they fidgeted on the spot.

“I’ll help you get the ingredients,” Merlin offered. It seemed that thieving for Harry had become his occupation.

Hermione nodded while looking at Harry and Ron, waiting for them to fall in line.

“I can’t believe you’re the one that’s pushing us to break school rules,” Harry answered with a smile, and Hermione’s mood lightened up.

She continued reading the instructions, “We need a full moon and twenty-one days to stew the lacewings…”

“So about a month,” Merlin sighed.

“A month?” Ron screeched, his voice breaking.

“It’s our only option,” Hermione summarized.

“But not toenails, right?” Ron worried again.

They spent the rest of the evening in that classroom, scheming and devising the plan among them. Merlin was hating the convoluted idea more and more but couldn’t suggest an alternative without the trio noticing that there was something off about him, so he went along with it, glad to be included. He had a feeling they would need him.

He came back to the dorm when everyone was asleep already,  exhausted but in a good way. It was a very productive day. Everything was going exactly as it should be. It felt as if he had just fallen asleep when he was shaken awake by cold hands.

“Merlin, wake up,” he heard Jack’s voice.

He grumbled and pulled up the cover more tightly around himself. “Why are your hands so cold?”

“Sorry about that.” He shook him again. “Merlin, I’m worried. Wake up.”

Merlin opened one eye grudgingly.

“I woke up early,” Jack said, “because… Because I woke up, and Colin’s bed was made. He never makes his bed. Merlin, did he come back last night with you?”

Merlin tried to shake the sleep off his mind. “What?”

“I thought Colin was out with you since you were both nowhere to be found. Was he?”

The boy’s voice sounded urgent, but Merlin his brain wasn’t awake enough to decipher what he meant. “Colin wasn’t with me last night. I was with Harry.”

Jack bit his lip and stared at Colin’s bed. “So he never came back last night?”

It was as if someone threw a bucket of cold water at Merlin. He shot out of his covers and looked at Colin’s neatly made bed. When he came back, he was so tired, he didn’t look at who was in bed and who wasn’t.

“Merlin, he’s Muggle-born. You don’t think…” Jack’s voice cracked, and he couldn’t finish the sentence.

Merlin quickly threw on a pair of trousers and shoes and ran out, Jack followed. He led the way to the Hospital Wing and threw its doors open. Right there on a wire-framed bed was a statue of Colin Creevey, frozen in a strange position as if he was holding something. Merlin ran up to him and checked his vitals.

“He’s alive but petrified.”

“No…” Jack said in a small voice next to him. “Not Colin.”

The longer Merlin looked at the stiff body of the boy, the more his blood boiled. Colin, the happy, easily excited, nicest, and most innocent boy he’d ever met, was the first human victim of the Chamber of Secrets. It was happening—Muggle-borns were being attacked and this sweet boy, his friend, was the first one to go. And Merlin failed to protect him.

Madam Pomfrey walked in, yawning.

“You can’t do anything for him, boys,” she said kindly. “We’ll make a Mandrake Restorative Draught and bring him back but it’s going to take a few weeks. Mandrakes are not ready yet.”

Jack sat down on the bed next to the boy. “Can I stay with him?”

“Yes, but there is really nothing you can do. I’ll take good care of him. I promise.”

“Can I help?”

Merlin didn’t stick around to hear the rest of the conversation. He ran out of there in the direction of Dumbledore’s office. By picking his friend, Salazar’s heir guaranteed that Merlin was now taking it very personally. He knocked and walked in without waiting for an invitation. He froze in place when he saw that he interrupted the Headmaster with the Heads of Houses whose eyes were now all on him.

“Oh, sard it!” he swore at the mistake he just made.

Snape looked annoyed, Sprout and Flitwick looked puzzled to see him there, and McGonagall looked so outraged as if he had walked in there naked. He resisted an urge to check if he really was wearing his trousers.

“I will see you afterwards, Merlin, if you’d kindly wait outside?” Dumbledore said.

“Yes, sir. Forgive the intrusion,” he blurted and turned back around.

He paced in front of the gargoyle entrance to the office and tried to calm his nerves. He couldn’t get over the feeling of failure that overwhelmed him. He knew what danger Colin was in and still left the boy to wander the castle halls alone like a tasty bait for the Chamber monster. He had to make this castle safe again, and he had to act fast before more children were attacked.

The staff came out from the Headmaster’s office, and McGonagall stopped by him.

“That was incredibly rude, Mr. Ealdor,” she said sharply. “You’ve made it a habit to act rudely in front of the Headmaster!”

He hoped that she meant the intrusion and didn’t understand the swearing. “Yes. I was… I was distraught… because of Colin.” He didn’t even have to fake it.

Her face softened a little. “The Headmaster will see you now.”

“Thank you, Professor,” he said hastily and ran up the narrow staircase.

He walked into the office cautiously, fully expecting “Where were you?” type of questioning. He deserved it. What use was he if he couldn’t even keep his own friends safe?

“You don’t have to say it,” Dumbledore said while petting his Phoenix.

Merlin wasn’t sure what he referred to so he silently walked up to him.

“You must be dying to say ‘I told you so.’” Dumbledore continued.

“No. I’m not,” Merlin sighed. “I didn’t want this to happen. I’d love to be wrong for once.” He reached out to pet the bird, but Fawkes squawked and moved away. “Still doesn’t like me.”

Dumbledore walked away and sat behind his desk where he rubbed his temples. “Have you got any leads?”

“I think one of the younger students is behind it but don’t know more than that. Harry wants to do his own investigation, so I’m helping him.”

“I’m glad at least that is working out. Keep him safe while he’s sneaking around.”

“I will but what about the rest of the school?”

”The Heads of Houses will instruct all Prefects and Head Boy and Girl to help keep the students from wandering alone. The staff will take turns patrolling the corridors. But most of all, we need to find out who is behind this.”

“Yes, we do.”

They sat in silence for a while. The seconds ticked by, and Merlin nervously patted the table with his thumb. “You had a house-elf visit yesterday,” he remembered. “Dobby, not one of yours. Have you heard of him?”

“House-elf? No. What was he doing here?”

“Interfering with the game. That elf knows something, probably overheard his master talk about the Chamber but wouldn’t tell me anything. You know how they are with loyalty—can’t get them to talk directly against those they serve. If only we knew who his master was, we would have a clue.”

“I will ask around if anyone has heard of Dobby, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up. A good elf is an invisible elf. It’s possible that no one but the master would know his name.”

“I put a tracking mark on it. I’ll attempt to follow it today. Maybe I can discover its master.”

“Good luck then. I’ll cover for you if it takes you more than a day.” The old wizard’s face became serious again. He shifted in his seat as if getting ready for something unpleasant. “Merlin, by happenstance you wouldn’t know anything about the curse that has been placed upon Severus Snape?”

Ah, that unpleasantry. Merlin tried to keep a straight face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Albus sighed and linked his hands together in front of him. “Reverse the curse, Merlin. You’ve had your fun.”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “These types of curses have a tendency to land on people who deserve them, Albus. When he stops deserving it, we can talk.”

Dumbledore huffed. “I think you’ve been a child for too long because you’re starting to act like one. You can’t go around cursing my staff just because you don’t like them.”

All humor gone, Merlin tried to stand as tall as his child body would let him. He was actually wondering if he went too easy on Snape who not only tormented his students but trained the next generation of bullies by example. Merlin only got started on teaching the lesson to his dear Potions Master.

“I will not stand by and do nothing when innocents are being mistreated.” He poked his finger in the old wizard’s direction. “Be glad broken chairs is all he got. Maybe I was in a good mood that day. You do not want to see me in a bad one.”

He could feel his temper flaring and didn’t need to make it worse. There was no time for arguments with Dumbledore.

“We’re done here,” he said curtly. He had more important things to do than explaining his plans for Snape. “I’ll look for Dobby.”

For some reason, he felt a need to remind Dumbledore who he was dealing with. So he disapparated right in front of him in a cloud of black smoke and a whirl of wind.

》《

Over in the girls’ dormitory, Ginny looked at the poster of Gwenog Jones which she hung on the wall at the start of term. Ever since her parents took her to the game of Holyhead Harpies a year ago, she had been obsessed with Gwenog and strived to be just as brilliant, strong, and successful both in Quidditch and in life, but time proved that she was nothing like her. She was weak physically and mentally. Gwenog would be ashamed to have a fan like her.

You've set too high expectations of yourself. It's okay to be ordinary.

Tom's words kept ringing in her head. Were her expectations too high? She used to have all of these hopes and dreams. Now, she remembered them all as if they belonged to someone else. She couldn't find enough of that old Ginny inside herself. She was less.

She got in the habit of crying herself to sleep, quietly, so her roommates wouldn’t notice, clutching her diary to her chest, her only friend. Tom comforted her with kind words and encouragement, but it wasn’t enough to keep her spirit up. It seemed that each morning, she woke up feeling even worse, more drained.

Then, there were the days when she’d wake up in the wretched Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Myrtle usually ignored her and sobbed to herself in her stall. If only the ghost was any more pleasant, Ginny would bond with her. They were both sad and lonely, but it was impossible to hold a conversation with her. Myrtle would get offended for the most stupid reasons. Like this one time, Ginny commented that she liked her hair and Myrtle exploded, “That’s what people say when they mean your face is ugly!” and wailed so loud, Ginny was afraid she would alert the whole castle and get her in trouble.

She was on her way to the Great Hall, pondering whether Myrtle was just as annoying before she died when two monsters ran out right in front of her. They were taller than her, covered in red-brown shaggy fur but looked mostly like humans. After the initial shock wore off, she looked closer at their faces.

“George? Fred! What in the ruddy gnomes are you doing?”

“Waiting for you, isn’t it obvious?” one of them said, she couldn’t tell which one because of the fur.

“How do we look?”

“I’ll say we’re dashing.”

She rolled her eyes at them. They looked like mangy, red-haired Yetis. “Watch out. If Professor Lockhart notices you, he’d like to sell you his hair care products now that you have so much of it.”

The twins sniggered and playfully nudged her shoulder but she really wasn’t in the mood to laugh. “Oh, cheer up, Ginny. We’re just playing.”

“We know that you’re sad because of what happened to your friend.”

Ginny’s breath caught. Oh, no. They mentioned Colin. She had been avoiding thinking about him all day. Last night was one of those nights when she lost track of time and woke up in Myrtle’s bathroom barely able to move. It was just as bad as on Halloween, maybe even worse. Both times someone ended up petrified exactly during the span of time when Ginny was sleepwalking. Tom assured her that it was a coincidence but she wasn’t so sure. What if she was the one who was behind the attacks? Colin was her friend, one of the very few people who were unconditionally nice. They sat together during Transfiguration class in the first row, the short kids’ table, they joked, and his cheerful chipper always made her feel better. Why did it have to be him?

“Oh, no, Ginny. Don’t cry.”

She wiped her eyes and gritted her teeth. She would not cry, and she would not put up with her brothers. She had to get away from them.

“Can you go bother someone else,” she complained.

“Already done. I put a stink pellet in Percy’s bookbag.”

“He deserved it. He keeps knocking our points.”

“It’s like he doesn’t want us to win the House Cup.”

“You know, he’s been up to something lately. He acts so secretively.”

“Doesn’t share.”

“We must find out what it is.”

One of them scratched his hairy arm. “Do you think Madam Pomfrey has an antidote?”

“Let’s find out.”

The twins finally left her alone and she continued on her way.

Ginny’s eyes still felt misty as she thought of poor Colin. She turned around and instead of going to the Great Hall, she went to the Hospital Wing to visit him.

》《

Minerva sat down to talk to the Headmaster. As usual, he dealt with work-related stress by filling his body with sugar. He offered her a bowl of Muggle candy and she took one politely, but it was too sweet for her taste. She wished he would keep other snacks in his office. There was nothing better than a couple of soft biscuits to munch on with a warm cup of tea.

“As per your instruction, we’ve established a schedule for nighttime patrols,” she got down to business. “All staff will help. We’re trying to keep the panic to a minimum but advised the older students of the severity of the situation, so they would help implement an early curfew.”

“Good work, Minerva. As always.”

She appreciated his kind words, but they were unnecessary. She would do a thorough job without praise just as well. Her heart ached when she thought about the danger her pupils were exposed to. She maintained a calm, controlled facade, but underneath, she was scared for them all. It was her duty to protect them and she failed one little boy already. But there was no use in worrying. She had responsibilities to attend to.

“Thank you. I’m here also with an unrelated matter which I didn’t get to bring up before. If the time is not right, we can delay this discussion.”

“I’m all ears.”

“It is rather unprecedented. Two students came to me, asking for special consideration due to their religious beliefs.”

He raised his eyebrows. “What type of special consideration do they need?”

“They want to be excused from performing Transfiguration spells that involve animals.”

Dumbledore nodded his head thinking it over. “Interesting. No one has requested this before. What religion do they practice?”

“They call it the Old Religion.” He froze and she could tell that the words had a profound effect on him. “Have you heard of it?”

He blinked a few times and nodded. “I have. Who are those two students?”

“Merlin Ealdor and Jack Nix. I assume that Elsa Nix partakes in this as well although I haven’t spoken to her yet.”

Corners of his mouth lifted a little in a small smile like he knew something she didn’t. She did not like being kept in the dark.

“Headmaster, if you know anything about this practice, I would greatly appreciate your input. I am rather concerned.”

“I’m well aware that the Ealdor family practices Old Religion. I know them well.”

“Ah,” she smoothed out her gown. “This explains why Merlin was so crass to call you by your first name.”

Dumbledore chuckled. “Indeed. I’m afraid it will be a difficult habit for him to break.” He took another of his sweets and sucked on it for a moment while thinking. “You should allow them what they request as long as it’s within reason.” He leaned on the desk and gazed at her intensely. “My own request is that I’d like to know who is in their group and what activities they plan to engage in.”

She was glad he brought this up. “I think it is most wise, Headmaster. It worries me what I’ve read about the ancient practices connected to this faith.”

“Feel free to ask Merlin if you have concerns. He loves talking about it.”

She found it strange that an old wizard like him had such a casual relationship with an eleven-year-old boy. On the other hand, Albus Dumbledore was full of eccentricities. She supposed he was allowed yet another one.

She got up to leave and pondered on how this school year was proving to be even more challenging than the last one. An ancient legend was awakened. Petrified patients in the Hospital Wing. Religious clubs sprouted up. What else would they face? No sooner had she thought those words, there was a loud noise behind her, and she turned around with her hand already in her pocket, ready to draw her wand.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Merlin disapparated from Dumbledore’s office in a cloud of black smoke and a whirl of wind, he was showing off. There was no denying it. He quickly regretted it as the castle’s wards pressed against him, holding him in. They were cast to disallow anyone to apparate within Hogwarts, but they were no match for someone like him. He fought through them until he was free.

Now what? For a moment, his non-corporeal form hovered outside of Hogwarts aimlessly. It was a mistake to use this spell while in anger as now he had to expel even more effort to focus and lock down on where the house-elf’s mark was. He should’ve done that beforehand. It took a lot of persistence, but thankfully, he was able to follow the trail.

He had just as much trouble getting through the wards of the building where the elf led him to. He regained solid form, tried to steady his breath, and took a look around. He was inside a large room, a hallway of sorts with shiny marble floors and a tall ceiling. He apparated some distance away from the elf to not alert the creature of his arrival, but to his chagrin, the room wasn’t empty. A few people—wizards, judging by their robes—looked around, wondering where the wind came from. Merlin quickly ran behind a column before they noticed him.

It worked in his favor that they didn’t recognize the whirl of wind as a teleportation spell. Modern wizards were only used to what their version of apparition looked like, and that was also what they set up wards against. Their ignorance of Old Magic allowed Merlin to overcome any ward. They couldn’t keep him in or out of anywhere, but breaking through the wards took so much of his energy, he felt exhausted already. It wasn't a good start to his reconnaissance mission.

And he was half-dressed. He had trousers on but his top was a pajama shirt with a disco-dancing baby dragon and the words ”BURN! BABY, BURN!” on it. He thought it was funny when shopping for age-appropriate attire, but now, he wished he was wearing something else, just anything other than this. No wonder Dumbledore had a hard time treating him seriously when he showed up looking like that.

He could use glamour to make his pajama appear more shirt-like but it wasn't wise to tire himself even more with difficult spells. His wand would have come in handy about now, but it sat on his nightstand where he’d left it. As much as he hated to admit it, wand magic had its use. When he felt depleted like this, he would have no problem performing wand spells. Oh, his temper really did a number on him this time. He was completely unprepared.

“Who cast that spell?” a woman who sounded like an authority figure asked the bewildered secretary.

“Men from the Department of Mysteries just passed by with a large crate,” he offered, and that seemed to be a satisfiable answer because no more questions were asked.

Merlin smacked his forehead. He was in the Ministry of Magic. Oh, what a place to be found in wandless and wearing baby dragon pajamas. While he was stuck there, waiting to regain his strength, he might as well look for Dobby and his master. He snuck around, hiding behind columns and statues until he saw the elf.

Dobby stood in a corner, picking on his dirty pillowcase and quietly sobbing to himself. Merlin crouched and waited for the elf’s master to claim him. Should he subdue him immediately or find out who it was and deliberate the next step with Dumbledore? He was torn in the decision. If the tables were flipped, would Dumbledore wait? Nah. He wouldn’t wait.

And wasn’t that frustrating. Why did it feel like Merlin was a foot soldier to the “bigger” wizard? Why wasn’t he the boss? Should he assert his dominance or was he more comfortable doing the behind-the-scenes work?

Hours passed and Merlin grew tired of waiting, but he didn't want to leave—the master could come at any moment. An awful thought struck him. What if Dobby’s master forgot to pick up his servant on his way out? Dobby would wait until he was called. How long would that be? Merlin’s stomach gave a mighty growl, and he wondered if he should wait longer or give up for the day.

”Who might you be, young fella?”

Merlin whirled around, and his knees buckled, weakened from crouching for so long. A middle-aged man with flaming red hair looked down at him curiously.

”Are you waiting for someone?”

The damage was already done, he was discovered, and the only thing left to do was to get away before trouble got worse. He looked around him for ideas and saw a witch disappear in a green flame.

”I came out of the wrong fireplace.”

”Oh, dear me,” the man said with a kind smile. ”I’ll help you get back.”

The ginger man led him in the direction of the large fireplaces which were on the other side of the room. Merlin snuck a glance at the wizard and noticed a resemblance to the Gryffindor redheads.

”Are you Arthur Weasley?”

”Yes, I am. You've met my children, I presume?”

”Yes. I'm in the same year as Ginny.”

“Gryffindor?” Merlin nodded and the man smiled. ”Give her greetings from daddy, will ya?”

They stopped at one of the fireplaces, and Mr. Wesley handed him a handful of Floo powder.

”Just talk clearly this time, chap.”

”Will do. Thank you.”

Merlin cast a last glance at the elf who obediently waited alone. He would have to come back and check on him another day. Hopefully then, Dobby would be home, wherever that home may be.

“Albus Dumbledore’s office,” Merlin said when he threw the Floo powder, hoping that the Headmaster wouldn’t mind the intrusion.

He was thrown out of the other fireplace and landed sprawled on his belly, right at the feet of the old wizard. Luck had it that the fireplace was lit, so he spread ash and embers around in the process.

“Sorry about that,” he said, picking himself up.

He attempted to shake the soot out of his clothes, but it was pointless. He needed a thorough bath.

“I found Dobby,” he tried to explain himself, ignoring the old wizard’s bemused expression. “I waited for hours, but his master never showed up.”

“What were you doing with the Floo powder, Mr. Ealdor?”

Merlin froze. “Oh, sard me,” he breathed out.

That was the voice of McGonagall behind him. Nothing went right today. He groaned and looked to Dumbledore for help.

Albus looked down at him. “Sard me?”

“Look it up.”

The old wizard’s eyes twinkled with humor, but he offered no rescue. Merlin supposed he served himself up for ridicule like a pig for a banquet—made a dramatic exit and came back like a fool in dirty baby dragon pajamas. Merlin turned around and plastered an innocent smile on his face.

“I should go,” he said and tried to make a quick getaway. “I’m sorry for interrupting.”

“What were you doing?” She looked from him to Dumbledore.

Merlin bit his lip and tried to come up with something that would make sense. He was a child. A childish explanation would work best. “I was playing hide and seek.”

“In a fireplace?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah, I figured, they’ll never find me here.”

The wrinkles on her face deepened while Dumbledore turned around to hide his stifled laughter with a cough. Merlin shrugged and tried to look guileless.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. “Minerva, would you please escort our young friend to the Gryffindor tower so he may clean up?”

She looked like she wanted to say something but then put a hand on Merlin’s back and pushed him out the door. Once outside the Headmaster’s office, she stopped him. Her gaze oozed disapproval.

“You’re lucky the Headmaster tolerates your behavior. He told me that he’s friends with your family and that should supposedly excuse your casual demeanor, but you should remember that you are a student at this school. You will address him respectfully and will not show up in his office unannounced like this anymore. You have embarrassed the House of Gryffindor and me. Am I making myself clear?”

Merlin inclined his head respectfully. “Yes, ma’am.”

She pursed her lips and contemplated what to do with him. In the meantime, Merlin was ready to double over from hunger. He hadn’t eaten since the day before.

“I can’t believe I have to say this, but Floo powder is not to be used for playtime, Mr. Ealdor. How did you find a fireplace that was connected to the Floo Network?”

He shrugged. “Lucky.”

She looked like she wanted to interrogate him, but his stomach chose this moment to make a very loud growl, and Merlin was too tired to even feel embarrassed about it. She steered him to the tower, and he stumbled, trying to move his feet in sync. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this exhausted by magic and wondered why he felt so spent when all he did was a teleportation spell and breaking through two powerful barriers. Then, it dawned on him that he did all of that while holding the aging spell. It had been months now. Maintaining it for such an extended period of time was taking a great toll on him. He missed being in his adult body. He missed how unlimited his magic reserves felt. For the time being, he was stuck like this and had to get used to the consequences, starting with no more big shows of magic.

When he got to his dorm, he eyed his bed longingly and considered just collapsing in it. But his young body demanded nourishment, so he took a quick shower and somehow found the energy to make it downstairs. When he got there, the evening feast had just started. He found Jack sitting in their usual spot and joined in.

“Hey, don’t disappear on me like that,” Jack accused. “You had me worried.”

Merlin shrugged, too tired to come up with an excuse. They ate in silence—conversation didn’t feel right without Colin there. The absence of the missing part of their trio was painful. He kept sneaking glances to where Colin usually sat next to him. Such a sweet boy to befall such a cruel fate.

Jack excused himself to talk to his sister, and Merlin had a sense of deja vu because the same thing had happened yesterday. And now it hit him that he forgot the most important part of the previous evening.

Colin looked scared and was trying to tell him something.

“It’s about Jack,” the boy had said.

Colin found out something and was silenced before he could tell anyone.

Merlin swiveled in his seat to see where the white-haired twins sat together, whispering secret plans to each other. He suspected the boy before because he was missing right before Mrs. Norris was petrified. Why exactly did he drop his suspicions?

He was a fool to fall for Jack’s charisma and drop his guard. He wanted to believe that the boy was harmless so much that he ignored the signs plastered right in front of him. Now, as a result of his weakness, an innocent boy paid the price.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The last couple of days had been crazy. Ever since Colin Creevey was petrified, the whole school was on edge. Someone tried to sell Elsa an amulet that would supposedly protect her from harm, but she knew better than to fall for the fraud. Just from touching it, she could feel that it was a plain stone, it didn’t hold any magic. Besides, would she even need one? She wasn’t Muggleborn. She wasn’t a witch either, but no one knew that. She felt no need to cower in fear. What would that achieve anyway? Fear was a useless emotion.

Her brother was distraught and blamed himself for what happened to his friend. She tried to assure him that he couldn’t have done anything to prevent it, but he wasn’t easily persuaded. Guilt was yet another useless emotion. If only she could make him see that.

If he wasn’t under enough strain already, his roommate, Merlin, had been making it worse. Per Jack, his friend was acting strange around him, upset by what happened to Colin in his own way. The fear was getting to everyone and had a compounding effect. It was like an infection causing mass hysteria, spreading from student to student, becoming more potent with each day.

Elsa was most intrigued about the Old Religion business that Merlin spoke about. Jack’s plan was rolling out well—McGonagall was receptive to their request to officially accept their religious beliefs, but then, Colin was petrified, and Merlin’s attitude completely changed.

Several days had passed since then, and Merlin could not find the time to move forward with their plan. Now, he had been spending all his time with Harry Potter’s gang and wouldn’t be bothered with anything else. Her brother wanted to leave him be, but Elsa didn't like a tease. So when she saw Merlin in the hallway, she decided it was time to confront him.

“Hi,” she said, wanting to start diplomatically. “I’m really sorry about your friend.”

Merlin narrowed his eyes, giving off unfriendly vibes, and she wondered if she had ever done anything to make him dislike her. Her brother seemed to like him though, so she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

“Jack mentioned that you showed him an Old Religion spell a few days ago, and I was wondering when you were planning on teaching us that ‘real’ magic you spoke of.”

“Oh, that.” Merlin scratched his head. “This isn’t the best time with everything that's happened.”

Elsa blinked a few times, trying to recover her train of thought. This was the attitude Jack was talking about. “Well, or maybe it’s the best time exactly for that reason. Jack complained how he wishes he had been there to protect Colin, but how exactly could he protect him? He doesn’t know any spells strong enough. When you spoke of it, it sounded like you know advanced magic. Or was that all just talk?”

Merlin frowned, and she wondered if she pushed him too hard, but she stood her ground. Someone had to give this boy a good talking to.

“It wasn’t just talk. I want to teach you, but you’re going to have to be patient.”

She did not appreciate his patronizing tone or how he was dangling his knowledge of the subject in front of her like it was a carrot teasing a hungry goat. She did not like being under his mercy. “Don’t forget, Jack needs your help to talk to Professor Snape. We started the process, we can’t just pause. That would make it look like we weren’t serious.”

“I’ll try to find the time, but I have more important things on my plate right now.”

“Some friend you are,” she said bitterly. “You gave my brother hope that he was going to be alright and then you abandoned him. Nevermind. I will help him if you won’t.”

Merlin had no response for her, but instead stared at her in a strange way that made her feel uncomfortable like he was searching for something in her eyes, so she ended that disappointing conversation.

They needed Merlin for their conversation with Snape because as a real practitioner of the faith, he could answer the professor's questions about it, but if he was going to act so don’t-bother-me-now, then they had to figure this out alone. Elsa wanted to help her brother and thought that a good solution would be to occupy them with new research. They spent the next couple of days scouring the library for any mention of Old Religion but found no volumes about that topic. Since Merlin mentioned ancient Druids, they decided to research them instead and found that, apparently, ancient Druids believed in passing on their knowledge in a word-of-the-mouth method and did not like to write it down. They found nothing authored by the true practitioners but records written about them.

The more Elsa read about it, the more she wanted to learn Old Religion. She was enthralled by the idea of possessing it all: her own brand of nature spirit magic, Hogwarts magic, and Old Religion. If she could wield them all, she would be unstoppable.

They found one book which contained Old Religion spells, and she got excited, thinking they wouldn’t need Merlin after all, only to find that the spells were written in an ancient rune.

“Do you think Merlin can read this?”

Jack looked over at the page and shrugged. “It’s possible. He knows Old English. Hey, remember when Mother spoke in a different language sometimes? That’s what it was! Isn’t it weird?” He leaned in closer and whispered, “Merlin says that this language has been dead for a thousand years. Do you think Mother is that old?”

A shiver went down Elsa’s spine. She couldn’t imagine how anyone could be that old, but she supposed Mother could have been doing her spring rejuvenation for a thousand years already. Maybe longer.

“Who would want to live that long?”

A new thought occurred to her. One of the spellbooks she had found might contain a spell in Old Religion that would help her find their father, and she wouldn’t even need Mirror of Erised anymore. But they needed Merlin to translate it, and he wasn’t cooperating at the moment.

Research into Old Religion was a welcome break from her usual research for the Mirror of Erised. Luna’s father turned out to be of no help. He didn’t keep a record of who submitted the article about it. In an act of desperation, Elsa wrote a letter to the Gulbadox family and gave it to a school owl, hoping that the bird would be able to find them by some magical means. Two days later, the owl came back and angrily threw her letter back at her. The events in the article had happened over a century ago. Was it possible that there were no surviving Gulbadox descendants?

After that fiasco, her last hope was finding where people would send dangerous artifacts. She was running out of places to look. It felt like she had read half the library by now. So it was with welcome thoughts that she dived into the knowledge on the Old Magic and Druid practices. It distracted her from feeling like a failure.

Once they read what they could about ancient Druids, they talked to McGonagall, counting on her help with Professor Snape.

”What exactly do you plan to achieve with Professor Snape?” she asked them.

”Some of the ingredients we use in Potions are so horrid,” Jack said. ”If we could substitute them for something more humane…”

”Do you realize that you propose to change a potion’s recipe? What makes you think you know the subject well enough to do this? You’re only in your first year.”

“She has a point,” Elsa admitted, but her brother seemed pretty confident about his plan.

”Elsa, do you remember that elixir book that we used to practice reading?”

Elsa had a warm flashback to her biggest childhood "crime"—borrowing Mother's elixir book without permission. They had very few reading materials available when growing up, and Elsa was intrigued by the strange hand-written book. It was difficult to decipher, and they didn't know what they were reading, but that was what made it exciting. That, and the constant fear of being discovered.

”Yes,” she answered.

”A lot of tips from that book apply to Potions. They work. I’ve tried them.”

She blinked, taken aback that he remembered. ”See? All those times I told you to practice reading on it has paid off.”

He smiled, refreshingly not afraid to admit that she was right. ”Yes, it did. Have you tried using what you remember from it?”

”No. I remember it well, but those elixirs are not the same as what we’re learning here. I've been following the recipes from our textbook.”

Jack gave her a sly smile. ”Really? I'm doing something better than you?”

”Who said that you're better? My grades have been excellent.”

”So are mine, and I’ve been modifying every potion recipe according to the elixir book notes.”

Elsa gaped at him. “That was a brazen risk.”

”Jack, this is intriguing,” McGonagall sighed, ”but I don't want you to get your hopes up. What you’re trying to achieve is unprecedented.”

”I need to try.”

“Very well,” she drew herself up and straightened a crinkle on her long gown. “I'll speak to Professor Snape and arrange the time. I suggest you two prepare what you’re planning to say to him in the meantime.”

While having a word of their Head of House was going to be useful, Elsa knew that this was a battle they had to fight on their own. She spent hours in the Ravenclaw common room, racking her brains for the best way to approach the unapproachable Potions Master. Luna came over and squatted on the floor with her drawing materials.

“Luna, when I said you can borrow my shoes, I meant both, right and left.”

Someone stole all of Luna’s right shoes, leaving her with only the lefts. While they looked for them, Elsa offered her a spare pair. Luna seemed to be very relaxed about the whole situation. If it was her, Elsa would’ve turned the place into a war zone to find out who did it.

“They’re a little large, you’re taller after all,” Luna said in a chipper tone. “It’s better to have at least one well-fitting shoe if two are not available.”

Elsa stared at the one yellow and one gray shoe and sighed. She supposed it was better than her brother’s barefoot obsession.

A group of second-year girls passed by and openly laughed upon seeing Luna. Elsa wondered if they were the thieves. The girls noticed her ferocious stare, sobered up, and left the common room. They looked guilty. This was worth investigating.

Right after, another girl went down from the dorm, and Elsa’s mood brightened up.

“Padma,” she waved to her favorite second-year friend to come over, “you know Professor Snape better. If you had a request for him, how would you go about it?”

Padma paused and approached slowly with a wistful look on her face. “What is this about?”

She looked down at Luna and made an incredulous face as if she had never seen an oddity like her before but did not comment.

“I’m helping my brother with something. He has a special request for Professor Snape and if it was any other teacher, it wouldn’t be a problem. Everyone falls for his charisma and gives in to all his whims. It’s annoying, really, how effectively he can charm people.”

Padma had a dreamy look in her eye. “Your brother is really cute. I couldn't resist his request either.”

Elsa thought she would hurl. “You too?”

Padma sighed, staring into nowhere. “If only he wasn’t younger...”

”We’re almost your age, you know? We’ll be twelve in December.”

“Really?” Padma perked up. “So it wouldn’t be weird.”

Elsa groaned. “Why does everyone like him so easily? I don’t think people react to me this way.”

“You’re a little intense,” she said with a shrug. “They’re intimidated. It’s not a bad thing.”

This was an interesting piece of information, and Elsa put it aside to analyze later.

“Jack’s charm has no chance against Professor Snape. It’s up to me to find a way to get him to listen and give us a chance. What would you recommend?”

Padma twirled a lock of dark hair on her finger and took a moment to think. Elsa hoped she wasn’t still fantasizing about her brother.

“Yes. Snape.” She sighed like she’d prefer to get back to the previous topic. “Underneath the moodiness, Professor Snape is an intelligent man. Appeal to that. It wouldn’t hurt to stroke his ego a bit—very subtly. For example, just ‘accidentally‘ mention how excellent of a teacher he is.”

“Thank you. A sound argument I can handle.”

“Good luck and,” Padma giggled, “mention me when you speak to your brother.”

Elsa rolled her eyes. “Sure.”

~~~

When they came to the Potions Master with McGonagall, he nearly laughed at them. Nearly. Elsa supposed he’d forgotten how to do that properly decades ago.

“Professor,” Elsa tried to follow Padma’s advice, ”we wouldn’t have suggested alternate ways of preparing potions if we didn’t have confidence that it can be done. Isn’t the art of potion-making a science? Where would science be if not for experimentation?”

The corner of his lip twitched but the rest of his face did not betray any emotion, so she wasn’t sure what he thought of her appeal. Professor McGonagall excused herself to attend to her duties, and they were left alone with the Potions Master.

”Just so that I can fully comprehend the extent of your” he licked his lips, “request, do divulge, which ingredients offend your religious sensibilities?”

Jack took out their textbook and pointed at a long ingredient list. “Things like fairy wings, unicorn horns, or any part of an animal that wasn’t naturally shed. If obtaining the ingredient harmed an animal, especially if it’s a magical creature, I won’t use it in a potion.”

Snape looked a little bit too pleased, and Elsa wished that her brother didn’t put so much emotion in his words. Snape seemed to be the type of person who found emotions to be a weakness.

Elsa’s mind reeled at that thought because that was her view on emotions as well. Did she really have this much in common with this wizard? She appraised him, from his intimidating posture, permanently sneering expression, and an aura that screamed, “Beware!” Was this how people viewed her? She was the opposite of him as far as looks went, and she didn’t think anyone thought her to be a vampire (Jack was still convinced that their professor was secretly a bloodsucker), but she tended to agree with Snape. Even his meanest insults had sound reasoning behind them and could even be quite funny.

“You two dunderheads want to rewrite the work of famous potioneers?”

“We wouldn’t dare do this on our own, Professor,” Elsa added, remembering the second tip Padma offered, “not without the guidance of an excellent Potions Master.”

His eyes lingered on her and a corner of his lip lifted a little. Elsa couldn’t believe it. Was that a smile? Did he actually smile at her attempt at flattery?

“I find your ridiculous request so utterly absurd, I'm willing to let you try, only so that I can watch you fail. You will prepare the Antidote to Common Poisons right now and,” he paused for effect, “test it on yourselves.”

Elsa swallowed. ”What?”

Snape looked smug. “Not so confident now?”

Jack took a long breath. “I can do it.”

“Then don’t waste my time, get on with it.”

Jack took the lead on the preparations, and Elsa helped. Some deviations from the recipe she recognized as something he had to have learned from the elixir book—she even remembered which page the tip was on.

“Now we wait five minutes.” She pointed to where it said so in their textbook.

“The exact time depends on the heat and cauldron thickness and that isn’t exact, is it?” He put his hand over the cauldron and tilted his head, thinking. “It’s nearly ready. Maybe one minute”

“Now you’re just making this up.”

“No, I’m not. I can feel it. You can’t?”

She hesitantly put her hand over the cauldron. It felt hot, and she instinctively wanted to pull her hand back, but she waited, trying to feel what he described. She felt a tingle of magic and took her hand back. He could tell it was ready from such a small tingle?

When they were small, Jack turned feeling magic into a game, and over time, he got really good at it. Still, she didn’t see a use for the ability. But now she wondered if it was a mistake.

“I used to make fun of your hobby of touching everything to check if it had magic,” she remembered.

“I did it even more to annoy you. Now, I feel it everywhere, in each person and object. Sometimes, even the air has magic in it.”

”You trained yourself in this skill.”

“Instead of making fun of me, you should’ve joined me.”

She used to think it was just another one of her brother’s quirks, but underneath the game hid the practice of refined skill. He allowed himself to feel it all, to grow sensitive to even the slightest trace of magic. She wondered if she could still learn it or if it was too late for her. It took him years. Did she have that type of patience?

“Are there side effects to feeling magic in everything?”

He ground his ingredients in a pestle while deep in thought. “It gets overwhelming sometimes. That’s why I like to go outside to clear my head.”

“This is all fascinating,” Snape’s drawl sounded behind them, making Elsa jump. “Would you care to explain what you’re doing to this unfortunate valerian root?”

Jack was happy to fill him in. “When mashed together with wormwood oil and moondew, they will have the same magical properties as a unicorn horn. I just have to time it right.”

Snape’s lip twitched. “I have heard of this technique, but it is extremely unreliable and most difficult to replicate. You’ll completely change the properties of your brew if you fail.”

“I imagine others describe it as difficult because one has to wait for the magic to be at its optimal, and if they can’t sense it, how would they know if they timed it right?”

“But you can?”

“Yes.” Jack lifted his eyes to their professor and released the full force of his innocent gaze on the man. The grumpy professor seemed frozen in thought for a moment and didn’t betray whatever he was thinking.

“Carry on,” he said, barely moving his lips.

Jack got back to squishing his ingredients and finally decided that the mixture was ready. He put them in the cauldron and slowly stirred. He knew what he was doing. Elsa found it fascinating to watch him work and actually be serious for a change. She was proud of him.

He waved his wand over the pot and lingered for a moment, feeling the magic.

“It’s almost stable. Try,” he encouraged her. “Can you feel it?”

She put her hand over it and could sense the magic. “What do you mean by stable?”

“Right now, the brew’s magic feels like it’s trying to decide what it wants to be. It’s like a mood, up and down, good and bad.” He hovered his hand over it again and waited.

Snape was right next to them and observed their brew. “Nix, you managed to get the color right, but you might be overcooking it at this point.”

“Almost,” Jack whispered.

He closed and opened his fist uncomfortably, and Elsa imagined that he was burning himself, but he endured it, determined to get his potion right. Then, he smiled in satisfaction, snapped his hand back, and turned off the fire.

“It’s ready.”

Then, he discretely hid his hand beneath the desk and covered it with a layer of frost to cool down his skin.

Snape stirred the potion gently to examine its consistency. Without a change in expression, he walked away and disappeared behind a mysterious door that was usually locked. He came out with a vial in his hand and a hint of a smile on his face.

“Since you are so confident in your potion invention, you should be as confident in its effectiveness. Ms. Nix, if you will, drink this entire vial.”

“What’s in it?” Jack asked.

“Poison, what else?” Snape answered. “This is how we’re going to test your potion’s effectiveness.”

Jack huffed. “Fine. I’ll drink it.”

“No, dear Mr. Nix,” Snape said as if he was bored. “Your sister will drink it, and you will cure her with your potion.”

Jack gripped the edge of the desk. “No. I should be the one…”

“Ms. Nix, are you ready?” Snape ignored her brother.

Elsa stared at the vial and felt momentarily too stunned to respond.

‘Logic. Logic over fear,’ she thought to herself.

Snape was testing their resolve as much as actually testing the potion. She could guarantee that he had an antidote ready to give her, should Jack’s potion fail. But there was the risk that Jack’s potion was poison in itself with unknown effects and Snape’s common antidote wouldn’t counteract it.

“You don’t have to,” Jack whispered to her.

His eyes shone with fear. She would have felt the same if the roles were reversed, and she was sure that should the roles be reversed, Jack would have taken the risk for her. If she backed out now, it would undo all they had achieved with their professor today. He wouldn’t give them another chance. This was it.

She gritted her teeth and made up her mind. She would do this for him.

She took the vial from Snape and regarded it. She had to trust in her brother’s skill and also that their teacher wouldn’t make her drink it if he didn’t have confidence that he could cure her. He was intimidating and dark in many ways, but she didn’t believe that he was evil.

She turned to her brother, said, “You owe me,” and drank the whole thing.

She closed her eyes, feeling heat run down her throat and spread in her stomach.

“Professor,” Jack asked in a worried tone, “what type of poison did you give her?”

“Pure aconite extract.”

“But that’s lethal!”

“Precisely,” Snape said, “so your antidote better work.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Elsa tipped the vial and swallowed it in one go. Heat ran down her throat and spread in her stomach. She doubled over. She could hear Jack and Snape saying something in the background, but the sound was drowned out by a ringing in her ears. All of her senses were screaming at her. An intense pain gripped her insides, and she fell to her knees.Jack pressed a glass to her lips. “Drink,” he said urgently. “Drink, Elsa.”She swallowed the warm liquid and gagged.“More,” he insisted when she squirmed away from it. Her insides were burning, and her mouth tasted like a sewer. He forced her to drink the rest of it, and she would have retched, but paralysis was taking hold. She laid down on the floor in a fetal position and breathed through her mouth as her body convulsed in pain. Jack kneeled next to her, smoothed the hair on her head while saying something, but she was too busy dying to listen.There was no flash of memories as death drew near. It was only pain, a fire that obscured every thought, that grew larger within her, and consumed the world around her. She hoped the world burned with her. The world deserved it. The world was cruel.Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, the burning subsided and was replaced by a vile feeling, like her stomach was slowly being painted in the nasty potion she was forced to drink. She took a few shaky breaths and was glad that the convulsions were replaced by queasiness. She shakily sat up, and Jack hugged her. “Your potion is disgusting,” she tried to chuckle, but it took too much effort.He held her so tight, she felt as if her bones would break, but she needed it. She rested her forehead on his neck and took comfort in the coolness of his skin. The heat was going away but the foul aftertaste lingered on her tongue.“I can’t believe he gave you aconite,” he whispered in her ear. “I wouldn’t have let you drink it if I knew. I’m so sorry. This wasn’t worth risking your life.”She squeezed him back in response in a gesture of assurance that he wasn’t at fault. It was her decision to drink the poison. She could barely believe that it really happened and just moments ago, she was so close to death.“This is all very touching,” Snape said sarcastically. “I suppose it worked. Rather fast too. A normal antidote would have taken at least twenty minutes, by which time she would have been unconscious already.”Jack trembled in rage.“Control your anger. He’s testing your nerves,” she whispered.Jack released her and touched her face. “How are you feeling? Can you get up yet?”“Yeah.”He helped her up, and she hung onto his arm for support, ready for this mess to be over. Meanwhile, Snape’s face was expressionless as if nothing unusual had just happened, as if he didn’t just nearly kill one of his students. They waited as he examined the potion in more detail and barely glanced at her to confirm that she was in fact cured.“This will do,” he declared in a bored voice. “You may practice your experimental humane methods in my class if you wish, assuming you accept the consequences of your likely failures. It would be most foolish to think that today’s success is guaranteed to be repeated each time. I don’t care what you worship. You will not get special treatment if your unorthodox methods fail. A fail is a fail.”“I understand, sir,” Jack said through his teeth.“I am most curious about where you learned these methods. Who was the author of that elixir book you spoke of?”“I don’t know, sir. It was handwritten.”Snape’s brow twitched. “A family recipe book then? I’m not familiar with the Nix family line. Any known potioneers among your ancestors?”“I don’t know, sir.”Snape put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “You show adequate potential in this discipline, and I recognize a lot of Slytherin characteristics in you. I wonder if you were sorted right.”Jack looked Snape in the eye. “The Sorting Hat considered Slytherin.”"It did with me too," Elsa said, remembering the Sorting Ceremony.The Hat had sounded rather cryptic in her head when she’d put it on, and she worried that it could read her mind. Whether or not it was able to tell that she wasn’t human, it didn’t betray her but sorted her just like human children, allowing her to become a part of this school.“With your ambition, Ms. Nix,” Snape now looked at her, still holding Jack’s shoulder, “likewise, I think you would have done well in my house. The Hat should have put you both in Slytherin, and you wouldn’t have been separated. This could still be arranged.”Elsa blinked rapidly and tried to wrap her head around what he just said. She wondered if it had ever happened before that students changed their house affiliation after two months into the term, and more so if Professor Snape had ever been the one to arrange it. Did her brother manage to charm the most unlikeable teacher in their school? Or did her wit win him over?“Thank you for the offer, Professor,” Jack said, “but it will be easier if we stay where we are.”Elsa agreed with his wish. She was proud to be in Ravenclaw. However, it was a curious idea to imagine how different their school experience would have been if they were both in Slytherin.“Oh, well. Leave then,” Snape said and patted them both on the back.They walked out of the dungeons with much better spirits. She couldn’t believe that they managed to convince him. Jack led her to the courtyard where they sat on the grass. He knew what she needed.“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he said. “And thank you. No one else would have done for me what you did.”“You would have done the same for me.”“In the blink of an eye. And I do owe you. Name your favor whenever you’re ready.”“I’ll save it for a special occasion.”She took her time absorbing the power of the Earth beneath her and felt like herself again. The air was crisp and refreshing, and it smelled like the beginning of winter. Samhain had passed, and about now, their mother was starting to get her winter powers again. Would they extend all the way to Hogwarts? What would she do once she found them? She had never punished them physically, she always threatened so, but in the end, she would only resort to punishment by fear and separation. But they had never defied her in this way before. They crossed the line of misbehavior, and she might just cross the line of appropriate punishment as a result.“It’s a shame we don’t have Potions together.” Jack was playing by drawing frost on the ground. “I’ll make notes when I'm brewing, so you could use them when it’s your turn. That’s if you want to do it my way?”“I’ll gladly take your notes.”He smiled lopsidedly, clearly satisfied with himself.“Snape is your fan now,” she joked.“Jealous?” he smirked at her.She shoved him playfully, and he shoved her back and soon they were wrestling on the cold ground. When she pinned him to the ground, his eyes sparkled wickedly. “Want to make an early winter with me?”How could she refuse a request like that? After a day like today, she badly needed some fun.She focused on lowering the air temperature while he called in snow clouds. Once it started snowing, they ran around, spreading their magic in the courtyard. Jack adorned all walls with his frost, and it climbed up in beautiful tendrils. She started icing over all surfaces and crafting beautifully carved icicles. Then, she locked her eyes on the fountain in the center of the courtyard.The fountain was rectangular in shape with four birds of prey guarding each corner and four columns that supported an arched roof. The water was turned off for the season, but she didn’t need it. She recreated the water coming from the center of the frozen pool in majestic frozen streams which curled at the ends. Her ice was pure and translucent, and it shimmered with magic. Jack caught up to her plan and waved his hand to clear the dusting of snow from the stone sculptures and replaced it with frost which coated the stone like beautiful white lace. They continued working on the fountain together, making it grander, more intricate, and magnificent. She had been hiding her ice magic for so long now, it was the most freeing feeling to let it out and create something this beautiful with it. She kept adding more details to the fountain until she ran out of space. She walked a few steps away to where Jack sat cross-legged in the snow, admiring her creation. It was the largest ice work she had ever done.“It’s beautiful,” he said.“Honestly, I wish the fountain was bigger, so I could do even more.”“Maybe next time, you’ll ice the whole castle?”She laughed. “I don’t think everyone inside would've liked it.”“Then, make your own ice castle.”Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. She didn’t have the confidence to build something that large, but a vision of a majestic ice castle formed in her head, and she wanted to make it come true one day. It wouldn't be as large as Hogwarts, it didn't have to be, but it would be tall and ornate. There would be a giant chandelier with thousands of sparkling ice crystals, and a double staircase leading to the bedrooms inside. Everything inside would be made of her purest ice. She could manipulate it to have a varying density that resulted in different shades of blue and white. That castle would scream Ice Magic.“Maybe one day,” she mused.Jack got up and stood with his legs apart as if he was bracing himself to hold something heavy. “I want to try something.”She watched and waited as he concentrated. He spread his arms out and turned his palms up, and all the snow in the courtyard lifted off all surfaces. Even the snowflakes that were previously falling down heavily, hung suspended in the air. She clapped in approval. His winter powers always seemed so gentle and nonthreatening, but he was becoming a force of nature. Ever since they’d left Mother’s mountain, their powers grew tenfold.Upon seeing that he achieved what he wanted, he smiled lopsidedly and released the snow which fell down with a dusty poof.“Your powers are growing,” she said and threw herself in his arms. She felt proud of her brother. She hated it when their mother always called him weak. No one would call him that now.He swung her around while holding her tight. “So are yours. Isn’t it amazing? Can you imagine what we will be capable of when we grow up?”“We will become as powerful as Mother.”Jack’s face became serious. “No, Elsa. More powerful,” he pulled out a wand from his pocket, “because of these.” 》《 Albus looked down from his tower upon the courtyard below, where two children released extraordinary winter magic without the help of wands. He planned to go down there once they left to see in detail what they had done.Back in the summer, when he recommended for Minerva to bring them to Hogwarts, he expected child prodigies. Getting to know them was supposed to be one of his pre-retirement treats. Now, however, he had a hunch that the twins were much more than what met the eye. Their wandless magic was without precedent. Unless...He left his office and climbed the stairs to the small room which was home to the Book of Admittance. No one alive fully understood the magic it was imbued with. The Quill of Acceptance had no ink, and yet it could write. Pages magically added themselves as needed, and there were thousands of them by now. What was understood was that the book considered the population within a certain radius (although that radius seemed to change to an unknown pattern), which included Northern and Western Europe, and recorded names of children who exhibited magical abilities. On the day when he'd received Minerva’s letter, Albus came here, curious why the twins never got their invitations, and he found the Book and the Quill in an odd sort of argument. The Book snapped shut, and the Quill tickled it to get it to open. The Book withstood the torture for as long as it could, but eventually, it gave in and allowed the Quill to write:
Elsa,

Jack,
And in the most peculiar fashion, it did not list their last names.The Book and the Quill were the gatekeepers. No child had ever been admitted to Hogwarts whose name was not in the Book, and Albus had always thought that the child’s name was inscribed by the Quill of Acceptance on the first occasion when the child used magic. Yet the twins’ names did not appear in the book until the day when Minerva had found them. Maybe his understanding of how the Book worked was inaccurate?Dumbledore approached the ancient book, flipped the pages by magic, and landed on page five, where one of the names was:
Merlin,
The quill wrote his name when the Founders were still alive and teaching at the school. Merlin was around five hundred years old then. Albus deduced that the name was written when Merlin decided to attend the school. Just like with the twins, the Quill and the Book made an exception for him. These magic objects understood the connection between the twins with the immortal sorcerer better than Albus did.Albus remembered back to his youth when he’d met Merlin and asked him to teach him Old Religion spells. No matter how hard he tried, Albus could not make them work.“Don’t beat yourself up,” Merlin had tried to console him. “Nowadays, I rarely ever find anyone who’s born with the ability. It’s worse than looking for a needle in a haystack, Albus. It’s more like finding one specific snowflake in a blizzard.”Merlin had to have recognized something in the twins as well since he chose to teach them Old Religion, but did he fully understand that there was something larger at play here? The twins weren’t what they seemed. Albus was glad to know what hid underneath the nonthreatening facade that Merlin presented, but what powers hid inside these children? More so, what hid within their hearts?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Time passed quickly at Hogwarts, but this week seemed brutally long for Jack. After Colin was attacked, Merlin got all moody and secretive and didn’t have time for anything anymore. Jack was a little hurt by this new indifference, especially when Merlin demanded to know where Jack was that evening as if he wasn’t asking himself the same question every hour of every day. He should have ensured that Colin didn’t walk alone that evening. He was a useless friend.

Whenever Merlin would disappear with his new friends, the Harry Potter Fan Club, Jack visited Colin. He never realized how much he liked the excitable boy until he was no longer there. Was this what people meant by that expression, taking things for granted? Colin had a superpower. His happiness was contagious. He infected everyone around him with his enthusiasm and positivity. Why did it have to be him?

So, when Merlin actually engaged in a conversation this evening, Jack was glad to have his friend back, even if it was only for a short time before he ran off to Harry Potter again.

They were walking back from the evening feast, and Merlin seemed to be even more clumsy than usual. This time, he tripped so spectacularly, he landed on a suit of armor which fell apart into a hundred pieces.

“Seriously, Merlin. Your clumsiness is magical.” Jack wanted to laugh but didn’t want to be mean, so he helped him up instead.

“I’m starting to think that it truly is,” Merlin said while putting the suit back together. “It’s Friday the thirteenth today, and it’s like the unlucky forces are trying to prove that there is no limit to how many times one person can trip in a day.”

He finished the puzzle that was the suit of armor but was left with one piece. He scratched his head, shrugged, and put it in the suit’s hand.

“I was wondering,” Merlin said when they were climbing the stairs. “I can’t quite place your accent. Where are you from?”

“Not far from here actually.”

“Scotland?” Merlin sounded like he didn’t believe him. “Which town?”

“It’s…” Jack swallowed, “not in any town.”

Merlin’s eyes were piercing him as if he could see into his soul. Jack had a feeling that his friend would be able to tell if he lied.

“You don’t have a Scottish accent.”

Jack shrugged. He had no explanation for his accent so he thought it best to deflect further questions. “So where are you from?”

“I live in Wales.”

Jack had no idea what Welsh people sounded like. Merlin sounded to him like most students in the school, although, sometimes, a strange pronunciation would slip up in his speech, especially, in moments when he got excited.

Down the hall from them, the tall and grumpy Caretaker was chasing Peeves with an old mop. The poltergeist threw an ink pellet at him, cackled, and disappeared. The man grumbled something about the mischievous spirit and shuffled in their direction, dragging the mop behind him like his victim. His hair was sticking out in all directions, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in a few weeks. Out of nowhere, he lunged at a group of students. “What are you so happy about? Was it you? You petrified my cat! I’ll have you in shackles...”

The kids gathered their things and got away from him.

“So, Jack,” Merlin asked, and Jack looked away from the unstable man to focus on his friend, “how did it go with Snape? Did you convince him?”

Before he could answer, Jack saw out of the corner of his eye that the Caretaker was about to walk into him. He jumped out of the way, flattening himself against the wall while the man passed by, muttering under his nose, completely oblivious to the fact that he almost walked into him.

Jack looked after the man, shocked at the close call he barely avoided. The Caretaker couldn’t see him! If Jack let the man walk through him, he would be exposed right here in front of everyone. He got so used to being around wizards and witches, he assumed that everyone in this castle could see him. Pretending to be human had become so easy that he was forgetting that he wasn’t.

Merlin eyed him, and Jack realized that his arms were still spread on the wall. He straightened up and tried to hide the shock his face must have held.

“Wow. Filch almost walked into you. Maybe his eyesight is going, huh?” Merlin joked.

Jack tried to chuckle at it. “Yeah. So, what’s his story? He doesn’t look like much of a wizard.”

“My guess is that Filch is a Squib, so yes, that’s a good description of him.”

“What’s a Squib?”

Jack hoped he could resolve the mystery of what a Muggle was doing in this school, but from the look Merlin gave him, he had a feeling that he just asked about something that was common knowledge. He seemed to do that a lot.

“A Squib is someone with wizarding parentage, but who was born without magic.”

Now, it made sense. He was essentially a Muggle. “Are there more Squibs in this school?”

“Probably not.”

Jack sighed with relief. He could manage to avoid one man, but he had to warn Elsa as soon as possible.

“So, why do you think he’s a Squib? How can you tell them apart?”

“Peeves. A wizard would just throw a spell at him, but a Squib is as powerless against a poltergeist as a Muggle.”

It was annoying how knowledgeable Merlin was about everything. Jack always felt like an idiot next to him. Maybe he was an idiot. McGonagall told him he had to start attending the extracurricular English class. He didn’t get it. He already knew English. Why did he have to learn more of it? The only consolation was that Elsa had to take it with him. They were both embarrassed and decided to keep quiet about it and not let their friends know.

Merlin kept glancing at him as they made their way to their dorm, and Jack tried to ignore it. He kicked off his shoes and sat down on his bed. He wasn’t tired yet. He’d love to do something fun this evening and wondered if he could keep Merlin in the dorm or if his friend was about to step out for another “tutoring session.”

Merlin lingered in the doorway while looking at Colin’s empty bed. Colin’s side of the room used to be cluttered with his things, he was notorious for dropping everything on the floor, and now, it was too clean and organized as if he’d never been there.

“Jack, I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Merlin sat on his bed so they were facing each other.

Jack raised an eyebrow, wondering what it was now. Merlin had been asking him a lot of questions lately.

“You said that you’re a pureblood, right? But how come you’re not familiar with wizarding terms? I’m not calling you a liar or anything. I’m just curious why.”

Jack never said that he was a pureblood, but he also didn’t deny it as he couldn’t tell them the truth, and now, he had no idea how to explain himself. Merlin waited for an answer, and Jack’s mind was blank. What lie would satisfy Merlin’s curiosity? He stumbled over words in his head until a coherent sentence formed.

“I didn’t grow up in a traditional wizarding household.”

Jack thought his explanation was pretty clever, it was the truth after all, but to his disappointment, Merlin wasn’t satisfied with it.

“In what way?”

He’d made a mistake earlier on. He should have pretended to be Muggle-born, though then, Colin could have caught on that something was off about his story. It was so frustrating to always have to lie. Why couldn’t he be a normal kid with a normal story like all of those lucky ordinary students?

He smiled uneasily, trying to cover up his nerves. “I don’t know. From what I hear, other wizards live differently from how we lived.”

“What was so different?”

Jack’s hands were getting sweaty and he rubbed them off on his thighs. He looked around him for a way out although he knew that there was no escape from this. It had been so long since Merlin had actually hung out with him. Jack had to give him something, so he wouldn’t leave.

“I guess… we were isolated. We didn’t have contact with others.”

Merlin seemed satisfied with this answer. “That would explain why you don’t have a Scottish accent.”

Jack exhaled in relief and immediately wished he hadn’t. The sound didn’t escape Merlin’s attention.

“Why are you always so afraid to talk about yourself?”

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and wished he could become invisible at will. He wanted to talk to Merlin but why was

he

the topic?

Merlin said. “I want to get to know you, that’s why I ask.” He smiled as if he got a brilliant idea. “Let’s play a game.” He pulled out a rolled-up parchment from his side table and handed it to Jack. “Whoever is holding the parchment can ask the questions. We’ll take turns—an answer for an answer. Your turn. Ask me anything.”

Jack bit his lip. He didn’t want to be subjected to more questions and be under the pressure to come up with more excuses, but at the same time, he was very curious about Merlin. His friend was unlike everyone else, that was clear. In the end, curiosity won over caution.

“Do you have any siblings?”

“Unfortunately not. My parents split up before I was even born.”

That was sad. Jack couldn’t imagine how horrible his life would’ve been if he didn’t have a sister. He passed the parchment.

“Do you have other siblings besides Elsa?” Merlin asked.

Oh, Jack fell right into this one. He had heard of Mother having children before they were born, but that was centuries ago, so he never met any of them. It was safer to say he didn’t, so he shook his head.

Merlin smirked. “You don’t look very convinced in your response.”

He was too observant. Jack really had to learn how to control his body language to lie better. He thought of a way to recover. “I never met my father. He could have children for all I know.”

Merlin put his elbows on his knees. “My father was absent as well. I met him, but then he died the next day, so I never got to know him.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

Merlin’s eyes glazed over, and he seemed to look nowhere in particular. Jack supposed this was a sad topic. Merlin snapped out of his reflections and gave the parchment back.

Jack mulled for a moment what he wanted to know about his friend. The most obvious question was ‘Why do you feel so different?’ but that was too strange of a question. As far as he knew, wizards couldn’t feel the magic of others the way he could, so he settled on a different magic question.

“Is Old Religion the only type of magic your family practices?”

“My uncle knows wand spells too but prefers Old Religion. It’s more powerful magic, Jack. If you knew it, you’d use it too.” He extended his hand for the parchment and asked immediately. “Why didn’t your mother teach you Old Religion spells?”

Jack was taken aback. “I don’t know why you’re so sure that she knew it.”

Merlin smiled wistfully. “Why else would she know Old English? Was she a linguist, a scholar, an archeologist, or someone fascinated with ancient texts?”

Jack scratched his head, trying to think. Mother never struck him as someone who was much into books or studying. “I don’t think so.”

Merlin tapped his finger on his knee. “Did she use a wand?”

“No, she didn’t.”

While she didn’t need a wand to use her magic, she had a different tool—a small hammer. She never showed them how she used it, but he guessed that the hammer had magic that allowed her to shape the inside of the mountain, to create tunnels, chambers, and even furniture out of stone. But he couldn’t tell this detail to his friend without explaining that his house was actually a mountain.

Merlin leaned back, propping himself on his arms. “Everything you’ve told me points to her being a practitioner of Old Magic of some sort. So the question is, why didn’t she teach you more than just how to use frost?”

Jack looked down at his hands, picked on his cuticles, and answered quietly. “She tried, that was the only thing I was capable of doing.”

He really wanted to stop talking about this. He did not need a reminder of how he always disappointed her.

“That’s obviously not true,” Merlin scoffed. “You’re doing well at Hogwarts. I’m really surprised she didn’t branch out into other disciplines. It’s like she wanted you to be an expert at frost and frost only.”

Merlin had no idea how right he was because yes, Mother wanted Jack to master his winter affinity. She never taught them anything else. Jack wasn’t sure why, but he noticed that his control over magic substantially increased once he escaped with Elsa as if being within the mountain had been inhibiting him. In fact, he could bet Mother would be impressed if she saw what he could do now. He had mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, he wanted to show her how powerful he became all on his own without her stupid lessons, but on the other, he would be most happy if he never saw her again.

“Hello,” Merlin was waving the parchment in front of his face. “Earth to Jack. You there?”

Jack blinked and remembered where he was.

“I said that it’s your turn. Ask away.”

Jack took the roll and hoped he could stay on the topic of Old Religion and keep it away from himself. “What’s your favorite Old Religion spell?”

Merlin thought about it for a while. How many spells could he know?

“I like healing spells because of how awesome it feels to help someone. It makes me feel useful like there’s some higher purpose to my magic.”

“Are they difficult to learn?”

“It depends. I’ll show you some other time.”

Merlin took the parchment back and cleared his throat. “What’s your opinion on Muggles?”

That was a huge leap away from their previous topic. “I don’t know much about them. I observed them for a short time. Their lives are so different. They have no idea how easy they have it.” Jack broke off, aware that he was encroaching on shaky territory. He’d rather get back to talking about spells.

Merlin appraised him carefully but continued their sharing game. “I grew up around them. Some of my best friends were Muggles. What do you think about this whole blood-purity thing?”
Jack had no idea what the deal with the blood-purity thing was so he shrugged. He’d heard the term before and assumed it had something to do with not having Muggle parents but didn’t understand why it mattered.
“I think,” Merlin offered while surveying him, “that magic chooses which human to be bestowed upon. While it has a tendency to be passed on in blood, blood alone is not the only determining factor.” His voice became more urgent. “In fact, I think that many wizarding families have taken the blood-purity so far, a lot of them are inbred.”

Jack shrugged again. He didn’t know what “inbred” meant, but he wasn’t going to admit it.

Merlin continued, “Generations of inbreeding can have disastrous effects. Birth defects, lower intelligence, mental instability, that type of thing. There's quite a lot of that among pure-blood families.” Then, he raised his hands up and smiled. “I hope I’m not offending you.”

Jack had a feeling that Merlin wasn’t genuine. Was he purposely trying to offend Jack to solicit a reaction? This was all frustrating because Jack didn’t understand what he was talking about and didn’t know if he should have been offended or not. He had a feeling it was one of those things that everyone knew about, and he was going to sound like an idiot again if he asked.

He wanted to change topics so he held his hand out for the parchment. Once it was in his hand, he realized that he didn’t know what to ask, so he blurted the first thing that came to his mind, “Do you have any pets?”

“I’m friends with one very special dragon, but she’s not a pet. They’re too intelligent for that.”

That was an impressive animal to be friends with. Jack remembered seeing a dragon on Merlin’s shirt. He must have been an avid fan of the creature.

Merlin had the next question ready to go even before he took the parchment back. “What do you think about Muggleborns attending Hogwarts?”

“What is there to think about?”

“Do you think that children of pure-blood families have more right to magic education than Muggleborns?”

Jack leaned back, this time offended. Why would his friend think so lowly of him? “Of course not. I think that anyone who possesses magic should be given a chance to learn how to wield it. The whole nonsense of pure-blooded or Muggleborn is stupid. They're all human. What about all of those who are not and who would like to learn?”

Jack nearly choked on his own words. He didn’t say that right. That stupid tongue of his always said the wrong thing. He hoped Merlin didn’t notice his mistake.

“Nonhumans?” Merlin tilted his head curiously. “What type of nonhumans do you think should be allowed into Hogwarts?”

“I mean,” Jack stumbled over words. “I don’t know what else is out there, but I was thinking about elves and goblins. You said so yourself, they want to learn wand magic but are forbidden by the law.”

Merlin smiled. “I don’t think house-elves would want to. They’re not very ambitious. Goblins—yes, but I can’t imagine them going to school with all of us.”

“Why not? It’s a large school. And did you ask the elves what they actually want? It seems like wizards want to keep magic education away from house-elves just so they would remain weak enough to be their slaves. And what about other beings? There must be others who possess magic who would benefit from education like this.”

Merlin chuckled at him. “It’s funny that this is the topic you’re passionate about. Alright, it’s debate time. Let’s take vampires—they can be civilized when they want to be, but do you really think it would be safe to have them walk dark castle corridors alongside us?”

He paused, and Jack had nothing to add. He wasn’t like a vampire. No one had to be worried about their safety with him around.

“What of Merpeople?” Merlin continued. “We’d need to switch our classes to be held underwater. It would have been an interesting experience, but really, don’t you think a school designed specifically for them taught by their kind would be more suitable? The same argument can be made for every magical creature.”

Jack stared at his friend, wishing him to understand just how wrong he was. If only he could say it.

“Truly,” Merlin went on without a break, “you must see that their needs are different from ours and specific to each species, and sometimes, their presence could be dangerous to the human students. If they want to learn magic, they need to make their own schools. It’s not up to us to dictate their education.”

He said it so lightly, and so sure of himself as if he was an expert on the matter. He was completely convinced that the possibility of a magical creature who could walk among humans, posing no threat to them, and having the same needs as them was impossible. Was Jack’s kind really this rare?

“You think you know everything, don’t you?” Jack’s voice shook against his will, betraying his emotions. He needed to end this conversation before he made any more blunders.

Jack ran out of the dorm, ignoring Merlin’s call to come back, jumped the staircases five steps at a time, and sprinted down the hallways, heading for the grounds. His vision swam and he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He didn’t want anyone to notice him, so he kept on running away from the castle. Merlin laughed. He laughed at it all like it was nothing. “The same argument can be made for every magical creature.” No. Not every creature!

Jack’s head was buzzing with things he wanted to scream at his friend. ‘What about someone like me? Where do I fit in your whole theory? What if you belong to a race that is so rare, that you never met another one like you and probably never will? So how can there be a school created just for you? Why can’t I be given the same chance you get? Am I not a child too?’

He fell on his knees and sobbed, letting out his anger at the invisible hands of ignorance that crushed his hopes. It was obvious, wizards saw nonhumans as something beneath them. Was his whole life going to be like this? He had to hide everything that he was and couldn’t even voice his thoughts for fear of being discovered and cast away like a criminal. He was unwelcome in their world, but what other choice was there? He could walk among humans, knowing well that they could never truly know him or leave them all behind and walk forever alone. Why were those his only choices?

He raked the ground with his fingers and welcomed the pain when his skin caught on something sharp. The ache in his heaving chest was worse than any physical pain he could experience.

“You do not belong here,” someone said behind him, and Jack sobbed harder.

Wasn’t this a perfect summary for it all? Where did he belong if not in the world of magic? He’d come to think of Hogwarts as his home, but what type of home was it if he couldn’t even be himself in it?

“Stop this magic!” the deep voice sounded again, and Jack rubbed his nose on his sleeve.

Was this a real voice? Was someone really here with him? He blinked the tears out of his eyes and took a look around him. He gulped. Where was he?

He was surrounded by a thick line of trees that obscured all light. The leaves shimmered with faint magic. It smelled wonderful, like earth, herbs, and water. Little insects buzzed around him, checking him out but not daring to land. The place was teeming with the magic of life, the magic of nature. I had to be the Forbidden Forest—home to many magical creatures, creatures he could feel all around him. He sniffed and turned around to see who spoke. And he immediately wished he had imagined the voice.

A fierce creature stood on four legs and looked at him in an aggressive grimace. His lower half resembled a horse. The top was human-like but there was something goat-like in his features, especially because of his short beard. His long brown hair fell on his bare muscular chest. He wore no clothes, only a metal necklace swung from his neck, and his torso was wrapped in a leather strap to hold up the arrows on his back. He looked powerful and vicious.

He was a centaur, and his arrow was pointed right at Jack’s heart.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“You do not belong here!” said a fully armed centaur while towering over Jack who sobbed on the ground, completely unaware of the danger he was in.

‘Oh, dear goddess,’ Merlin thought to himself. How did this day go so terribly wrong?

From the day after Colin was petrified when he started to suspect Jack of involvement with the Chamber of Secrets, he’d been trying to uncover the boy’s mysteries. As much as he hated himself for trying, Merlin attempted to break into his mind, only to get nothing. It appeared that Jack wasn’t even aware that his mind’s walls were up. Merlin had never encountered Occlumens like him. There was no resistance to overcome. The boy was a blank slate.

Merlin tried the same on his sister, only to encounter the same problem. Were these twins trained in this ability or was it innate?

So he decided that the only way to get the truth out of the boy was to have him volunteer it. He noticed in the past that Jack would let unspoken words slip up whenever he was upset, he had no filter on his mouth, so today, Merlin tried to get the boy to reveal his stance on blood-purity to gauge whether it resembled someone who would want to open the Chamber of Secrets. He even offered a little trivia about himself to appease the boy’s curiosity, and it worked. He thought his plan was infallible.

But the boy didn’t fall for his suggestion that all pure-blooded families were a bunch of inbred losers. He disregarded as if it didn’t concern him at all, and instead got passionate about the topic of education of magical creatures. The conversation upset him so much, he ran away.

Merlin followed him stealthily all the way into the Forbidden Forest. He was most intrigued if Jack was about to meet an accomplice or maybe even the Chamber monster itself, but instead, the boy wandered into the forest aimlessly and collapsed in sobs so genuine, they pulled on Merlin’s heartstrings.

There was no grand plan in the forest. The boy simply wanted to get away so no one would see him cry—including Merlin.

He pushed him too hard. It was difficult to be tough on someone this young. And yet Merlin wasn’t done. He still had not found out enough and would have to be the bad guy again. But not today. Today, he admitted defeat.

While the boy cried, frost spread under his hands and marked his presence in the forest, and the forest reacted. Within a minute, a centaur galloped right up to the unsuspecting boy who was too lost in his lament to notice. Merlin quickly masked his presence with glamour and remained invisible.

The centaur watched the frost creep up a tree trunk, and his lips curled up in anger, revealing large sharp teeth. “Stop this magic!” He drew his bow and aimed at the boy.

Merlin was ready to stop the arrow, should it be fired, though he doubted that he needed to interfere. Most centaurs were honorable creatures and wouldn’t harm a child. Most.

Jack came to his senses and noticed the threat. His breath was still hitched after his crying fit, but the clear danger sobered him up.

“I said, stop this magic!” the centaur warned.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I lost control. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Your kind is not welcome here.”

New tears dropped down the boy’s cheeks. “I’ll leave. I’m sorry. I didn’t look where I was going.”

The centaur hoofed the ground impatiently, kicking bits of snow mixed with dirt. “Look at this! You and your kin have meddled with the balance. You have no right! This is your warning. We will interfere to protect nature’s order if we have to.”

Jack looked at the ground with a pout, “I won’t do it again. I promise.”

The balance? What did the centaurs know about this boy? Were they talking about the Chamber of Secrets? How did that affect the Forbidden Forest?

The centaur made a move forward, his arrow was still fixed on Jack who put his hands up.

“I’m leaving. I’m leaving.” Jack started walking in a random direction—the wrong direction if he wanted to return to the castle—and tripped over a root, falling into a brambly bush. “Ow. Ow. Thorns.”

It seemed that today’s bad luck wasn’t limited to Merlin’s increase in clumsiness. The centaur lowered his bow but didn’t put it away yet. His tail flicked back and forth.

“I’m leaving.” Jack scrambled out of the brambles and hobbled on one foot. “Don’t shoot. I just…”

He tried to walk but collapsed with a cry of pain. Merlin instinctively wanted to help but remained in his spot. Of course, Jack didn’t wear shoes. The centaur put away his bow and arrow and approached the boy.

“I’ll leave,” Jack said with desperation in his voice and new tears in his eyes. “You don’t have to hurt me. I got your message.”

“I do not wish to hurt you, foal,” the centaur said in a much calmer tone. He picked up a long stick off the ground and offered it. Jack eyed it cautiously, but seeing that it wasn’t a threat, he took the stick and used it to support his weight so that he could walk.

“Thank you.”

“This way,” the centaur pointed in the correct direction.

Jack slowly hobbled away, and the creature hung close by. Maybe to ensure the intruder left, maybe to ensure no more harm came to the foal, who knew?

Merlin followed, and the centaur turned around to look right at him. Merlin held his breath and focused on his glamour. Centaurs were very perceptive creatures, but he should have been undetectable in these surroundings. Seeing no one there, the centaur continued following the boy on his slow journey.

“Why did you release your magic so soon?” the centaur asked while they walked.

“I’m sorry,” Jack apologized again and Merlin tried to keep closer to ensure he could hear the conversation. “We just wanted to have some fun, and it’s so pretty, isn’t it? And we just… you have no idea how long we’ve been waiting. This is our first winter outside.”

“It is not winter yet. You need to be patient and wait your turn.”

“I know. We’ll be patient,” Jack said with a resigned sigh. Merlin could hear the pout in his voice.

He was glad that Jack wasn’t crying anymore but was increasingly getting frustrated. He was missing a major part of the puzzle in order to understand their conversation.

“Was it you?” Jack asked a little more lightly. “When we arrived at Hogwarts, I could feel someone watching. Was it your herd?”

“Yes. We felt magic approach, but it wasn’t only yours.”

Merlin gulped. They wouldn’t be talking about him now, were they? He checked his glamour one more time. No one would be able to see him or sense his magic, but it was tiring to hold it for this long.

“We have been observing since then. Many events are foretold to come, some of which you will be a part of. Darkness hangs over Hogwarts.”

Jack sighed. “Yeah, that darkness took my friend. Did your foretellings tell you who did it or how it can be stopped?”

“Divination does not work this way.”

Merlin snorted. Wasn’t that the truth? Knowing the future was never useful. He didn’t know why the centaurs even bothered looking for it.

The centaur looked in his direction again. His senses were extreme. Merlin froze in place and waited for him to look away.

By the time Jack made it to the tree line, night had fallen, and the grounds were quiet.

“Thank you for walking me here.” Jack hesitated, watching the lights of the castle in the distance. “Do you think it’s foolish to walk among them?”

“Fate brought you here, young one. You have a role to play in the events that are come to pass.”

“Could you be less cryptic?”

“Farewell,” the centaur said and galloped away, leaving Jack alone at the edge of the dark forest. He slowly made his way towards the castle with Merlin following him.

Jack discarded his stick, limped in through the main entrance, and found a bench to sit on. The evening feast was over and the castle halls were submerged in semi-darkness. Merlin figured it was so dark, he could drop the glamour and hide in the shadows instead. He contemplated leaving but was curious why the boy just sat there instead of trying to make his way to the dorm, or maybe better the Hospital Wing, looking at the state of his bloodied foot. The healer in him lamented at the severity of the infection that was going to develop if that wound wasn’t cleaned soon. Several minutes passed when a quiet shuffle of footsteps brought a promise of some answers.

“What are you doing here?” Elsa’s angry whisper carried in the silent corridor.

What was

she

doing there?

“Sorry, I know it’s late, but I could use your help. Please?”

“What did you do?” she asked and lit her wand tip with

Lumos

. Before he could say anything, she unexpectedly hugged him.

He returned her hug but seemed surprised. “What?”

“You can’t hide it,” she said in a gentle tone. “Your eyes are puffy.”

Jack seemed to shrink in on himself.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

“No,” he answered quickly. “I’m fine. I just lost my cool for a moment.” He chuckled. “Get it? Lost my

cool

?”

She released the hug and sighed. “You and your puns. So what do you need from me?”

He grimaced and pointed at his foot.

She brought the wand light to it and gasped, seeing the lacerations covered in mud and leaves. “What did you do?”

“I tripped,” he said with a shrug.

The wound looked even worse when illuminated. Merlin felt like strangling the boy for not even trying to cover it before traipsing through the forest.

She put her wand on the floor, where it remained lit, and took his foot in her hands. Merlin got excited. It was worth it to stay if he could see Elsa’s healing skills again. He expected a glow of magic or an incantation, but instead, she coated his foot in something that resembled a layer of ice, which his skin was absorbing.

Jack moaned in relief. “That feels so good.”

“Will you finally get in the habit of wearing shoes?” she asked impatiently while hovering her hand over the wounds.

“I didn’t plan to go there. I would have otherwise.”

She scoffed and rubbed the dirt off her hands. “Done.”

“Thanks, sis.”

His foot was still dirty with blood and mud but it appeared to be completely healed. Merlin couldn’t tell what type of healing magic she used, but it was very effective. Did she know more nonverbal spells?

“Let’s get out of here before we’re caught. Filch is patrolling this area,” she said sharply.

“You don’t have to worry about Filch. He’s a Squib. They’re just like Muggles,” he said and got up to test his foot. Satisfied with how it felt, he took her hand and they ran off.

Merlin came out of his hiding spot and walked up to where Jack’s foot rested before. Specks of mud and blood remained on the floor. She was indeed a gifted Healer, and he wondered if she would tell him what incantation she used. He was always open to learning new healing spells.

“Look what we have here,” a voice sounded in the dark.

Merlin turned around and recognized the Slytherin prefect he had encountered in the library a few days ago. How did the boy sneak up on him? Bad luck wasn’t done dealing with him yet.

“Now, you’ll get what’s coming for you,” the boy hissed and grabbed his arm so hard, it would surely leave bruises. He dragged him to the dungeons and knocked on a black-stained door.

“Enter,” Snape drawled from inside.

The boy shoved Merlin towards the center of a gloomy room that smelled like mold. Shelves lined the walls stacked with revolting jars and multicolored vials. There was a desk at the back of the room but no chairs. Merlin tried to keep his smirk to a minimum. He bet the wizard hated all chairs by now.

Snape stood with his back to them and was perusing his inventory.

“Good Evening, Professor,” the Prefect said. “I caught this one on the ground floor, right by the front entrance.”

“Marvelous, Cassius,” Snape said, barely audibly, and picked one of the jars.

“Professor, it’s the same one that framed me at the library.”

Snape froze and slowly turned around. His eyebrow twitched when he recognized Merlin.

“Ealdor,” he surveyed him from head to foot, and a triumphant look crossed his face, “there’s mud on your shoes. What were you doing outside at this hour?”

Merlin looked at his shoes. They were filthy, and so were his robes. It was too late to vanish the evidence. Oh, well. He was caught already—might as well make this interesting.

“I was jogging,” he said with a shrug.

Snape’s lip twitched. “Jogging?”

“I like to keep my body in shape.”

“Surely, even a dimwit like you knows what time it is.”

“It gets dark early now, but I wouldn’t want to miss my workout.” He patted his flat belly. “Don’t want to get pudgy.”

This was ridiculous, he was skinny like a twig, and he fought to keep the smirking to himself.

“Your own roommate was a victim of the danger the school is facing, and you’re taking the curfew this lightly. Typical Gryffindor arrogance!”

Merlin’s desire to smirk disappeared at the mention of Colin.

“Where did you get the enchanted pot?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you deaf as well as slow? Where did you get the enchanted pot that you released in the library?”

“I had nothing to do with it.” The lie glided from his tongue with ease.

“It was him!” Cassius shouted. “He did it and framed me for it.”

Merlin plastered a look of surprise on his face. “I truly thought you left the pot there. Maybe I was mistaken. Maybe it was another Slytherin Prefect.”

Snape’s lips lifted slightly in a snarl. “You should know that I do not tolerate liars, especially those who blame others for their own deeds.”

Cassius wasn’t done in his prosecution. “He was in the Restricted Section. I caught him. I caught him!”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t

in

the Restricted Section. I simply tripped and fell into the rope. That rope is a hazard.”

Cassius looked like he was going to pop a vein. He pointed a finger at him and shouted, spitting, “That’s not what he said before! He said he had a permission slip!”

“I thought you asked me if I had permission to be in the library. I apologize, I misunderstood.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Snape hissed, and Merlin decided to not answer that question. “Cassius, you may go. I will deal with him.”

Cassius looked like he wanted to say something more, but then Snape gave him a tiny nod to confirm that justice would be dealt. A vile grin framed the boy’s face, making him look like an evil clown, and he walked out, leaving Merlin alone with the presiding judge, the Honorable Greasy Git. Snape walked up to his desk and got ready to sit down out of habit, but then remembered that there was no chair and turned around.

‘Don’t smirk. Don’t smirk,’ Merlin repeated to himself.

“Typical Gryffindor troublemaker. How unfortunate that you must embody such a sad stereotype.” Merlin sauntered across the room. “What did you steal from the Restricted Section?”

Was Snape a Legilimens? His black eyes were so piercing that Merlin put up barriers around his mind just in case if this wizard tried to break in. For now, he pictured himself singing in the shower, so the git would get out of his head.

“I did not go in there, Professor,” he answered calmly.

“I’ve had enough of your lies for one evening. Fifty points from Gryffindor and a week of detentions with me. Show up in my office at six sharp every evening, starting tomorrow. And Ealdor,” he paused for effect and finished with a quiet threat, “don’t be late.”

“Yes, Professor,” Merlin said with a slight incline of his head.

He was grinning when he walked out of there. Getting detention somehow made him feel like he really was fitting in with his student persona. He would definitely have something to bond over with Harry now. Harry hated Snape with utmost devotion.

As soon as he arrived at the Gryffindor common room, he was attacked in the form of a tight hug.

“I was so worried.” Jack released him and looked him over. “I didn’t know if I should tell anyone that you were missing or not. I didn’t want to get you in trouble, but you were gone so long! I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Merlin narrowed his eyes at the boy. He played the worried look very well. “I was out looking for you actually, and I got caught.”

“What? Me?” Jack’s eyebrows knitted in worry. “I’m sorry. I had to clear my head earlier, that’s why I ran out. You got caught?”

Merlin sighed. “Yes. Now, I have detention with Snape to look forward to.”

Jack winced. “Maybe it won’t be so bad. He can be reasonable, you know? We managed to convince him to let me change the recipes.”

“Really?” Merlin didn’t bother assisting Jack with the task because he thought it was futile. He had a hard time believing that Snape would ever agree to something like that. Besides, he didn’t feel like helping someone who he suspected of a brutal attack on their friend.

“It wasn’t easy though.” Jack’s expression darkened. “It was scary actually. He had Elsa drink poison to test if my antidote worked.”

Merlin stopped in his tracks and exploded, “He did what?”

“Aconite. He could’ve chosen something less lethal if you asked me.”

Merlin’s hands trembled. Snape tested deadly poison on students. Tortured them and made them feel grateful for it. That man was a monster. “Judging from how casually you talk about it, I take it, she survived?”

“Well, yeah. It worked quickly.” Jack kicked the rug under his feet.

They went to bed and Merlin pondered on how badly the bad luck of Friday the Thirteenth always seemed to affect him. It was like the universe was against him in so many ways. The whole day was a failure.

“Merlin,” Jack asked in the dark, “do you think that more people will be attacked like Colin was?”

Merlin didn’t answer anything out loud.

‘You tell me, kid,’ he thought to himself. ‘You tell me.’

》《

The common room was fairly empty this Saturday morning. Some Gryffindors were sleeping in late, the Quidditch team was out training, others got started on homework. Jack was too awake to remain in bed and wasn't ever in the mood for homework. He considered watching the team practice but that only reminded him of Colin again. It felt wrong to enjoy things Colin loved without him there.

Merlin had yet another tutoring session scheduled with Hermione, though Jack thought he'd seen him perform the spell in class already. As Merlin sat too close to a flaming fireplace, Jack sat next to Hermione Granger, who was violently brushing her hair. It looked like she was in full-on combat with it. He worried who would come out victorious and what it would mean to the loser.

“I can untangle it for you if you’d like,” he offered.

She stared up at him with an open mouth, and he wondered if he had said anything wrong.

“If you think you can do anything about this mop, why not. I give up.”

He happily sat down with one leg folded beneath him and took her brush. She sat with her back to him as he tried to untangle her brown wavy mess. Her hair was very different from his sister’s. It was dry and frizzy where his sister’s was smooth and silky. The brush kept getting stuck in it. Simple combing was not going to work but he had an idea. He ran his fingers through her hair, releasing a faint amount of frost on them. He combed the worst tangles out with his fingers and resumed brushing. As expected, the hair became slightly damp and he was able to run the brush through it easily now. Hermione sat patiently as he did this and occasionally gave tips to Merlin who looked utterly bored.

“You untangled it,” she said when Jack finished. “Wow. You have magic fingers.”

He chuckled. “You have no idea. Do you want me to braid it for you?”

“You know how?”

“I’ve always done it for my sister.”

She beamed. “Yes. Let me get a hair tie.”

As soon as she ran to her dorm, Merlin dropped his wand and slumped in his armchair.

"Why do you need tutoring?" Jack asked.

Merlin groaned. "To get good grades or something. I forget."

Hermione ran back down, holding a hair tie and two mirrors. “Merlin, get back to work. That pebble doesn’t look anything like a button. Ensure you’re pronouncing it right.”

“Sure thing, Hermione,” Merlin replied with a forced grin and picked up his wand.

Hermione sat down with her back to Jack again. “I really like how you combed my hair. It didn’t hurt at all.”

“Combing shouldn’t hurt. Wet your brush next time or ask me. I’ll gladly do it for you. So, how do you want it braided?”

“I don’t know. You choose,” she said cheerfully.

Jack assessed the situation. She had a lot of hair. It would make sense to start in more than one spot at a time and then join it all together. “I’ll think of something. If you don’t like it, we can always do it over again differently.”

He got started and easily fell into the routine he’d done with his sister for years. He missed it. He missed her.

“Since when do boys braid hair?” a voice sounded above him. Ron Weasley.

Jack didn’t like his tone. “You’ve got a sister, don’t you? You never helped her brush it?”

Ron scoffed. “Ginny wouldn’t want me to do her hair any more than I would’ve wanted to do it.”

“But have you offered?”

Ron frowned and his ears turned tomato-red.

Jack got back to his task. "Poor Ginny."

Hermione quietly chuckled, and Ron walked away, but not before giving Jack the stink-eye. It was to get under that redhead’s skin. Fun.

He continued working on Hermione. It was taking a long time, but he didn’t mind. The familiar feeling of hair between his fingers felt soothing, even if the hair wasn’t the same.

“How is your sister?” she asked.

Jack barely saw her nowadays though he hoped that the whole Old Religion business would change that. “She’s always in the library obsessing over her research. I think it’s unhealthy, but she won’t listen to me.”

“Maybe I can help her find what she’s looking for? I know Hogwarts library very well.”

“Probably not.”

“Try me.”

“Fine. Do you know where we can find Mirror of Erised?”

Hermione half-turned, and he barely held on to the braid. “It’s at Hogwarts.”

Jack blinked. Did he hear that right? “What?”

“At least it was a few months ago. It was stored in the underground chambers. I bet it’s still in the castle. What do you need with the mirror?”

“So it’s real? You saw it?”

“I didn’t, but Harry and Ron did. Harry said that he could see his whole family in it—including his dead parents and grandparents. How does your sister plan to use it?”

“To find someone. Thank you, Hermione. I can finally get her nose out of those books.”

All of those weeks Elsa spent researching and the mirror was right under their feet. All they had to do was talk to the right people. Good things came out of braiding hair. He returned to his task with a much lighter heart.

Hermione sighed and asked quietly, “Why is Merlin struggling so much with that spell? I’m the worst tutor ever.”

“I don’t think so. I have a theory on what he’s doing.”

She tried to look back at him, and he had to stop her before she ruined his work.

“What do you mean?”

“I bet he can do that spell already. Merlin is pretty good at every single class. I don’t believe that he’s struggling at all.”

“Then, how would you explain this?” She pointed at the pebble Merlin was working on, which simply changed color but not shape.

Jack leaned in and whispered in her ear. “I think he fancies you.”

“What?” Hermione exclaimed loudly.

Startled, Merlin looked in their direction. His eyes lingered on Jack. Jealous?

Hermione asked quietly, “Why do you think that? Did he say anything about me?”

Jack leaned in and whispered, “No, but why else would he put up with tutoring for something that he can do perfectly well on his own? He wants to spend time with you.”

“Awww,” Hermione cried softly, “that’s really sweet. What should I do? What would you do, knowing something like that?”

“I’d give him the worst possible task just to see how dedicated he is, how much he’s willing to put up with. I think it would be hilarious.”

“You want me to prank him? That’s so childish.”

Jack released a long sigh. No one appreciated how genius his ideas were. “You two have something in common then—toogrownupness.”

“Actually, that’s not a real word.”

“And you just proved my point.” He tied her braid at the end and looked at the result of his work. “You’re done. How does it feel? Not too tight?”

Hermione reached back to inspect her braid, then she stuffed one of the mirrors in his hand and used the other one to check herself out.

“This is brilliant, Jack. Thank you!”

She turned around and spontaneously hugged him. He wasn’t expecting that, but he didn’t mind, it was nice to be hugged. He wondered if it made Merlin even more jealous.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Hermione sat up straight and played with the end of her thick braid. She took a long breath and spoke up, “Merlin, I think you’re done for today.”

He sagged back in his armchair and nodded at her. “I like the hair. Suits you.”

Hermione blushed profusely, ripped the mirrors from Jack’s hands, and ran out of there without another word.

“What did I say?” Merlin asked, looking after her, confused.

Jack grinned. He was sure he did Merlin a favor by telling Hermione. She seemed happy, knowing that Merlin liked her. Maybe she felt the same? This could be the start of a cute young romance. Jack relaxed on the couch and crossed his arms behind his head. These two were perfect for each other. He was a great matchmaker.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was the weekend but instead of relaxing after an exhausting week, Merlin trudged on to the dungeons, not looking forward to detention with Snape. The dungeons were the coldest part of the castle, and as expected, the fireplace in the Potions classroom was not lit. Merlin predicted that and dressed appropriately but still felt chilled, prompting him to tighten the scarf around his neck.

Snape seemed to be disappointed that Merlin arrived on time. It was oddly satisfying to know that the greasy-haired Potions Master had nothing better to do on a Saturday night.

He pointed to a small wooden crate set up on one desk. “You will dice the pungeous onions—all of them—and pack them neatly in these jars.”

Without saying anything else, he walked to the other side of the classroom to grade essays—as far away from Merlin as the space allowed to avoid the onion fumes. Since he couldn’t sit, he had magically elongated the table’s legs, so that he could work semi-comfortably.

Merlin looked inside the crate where hundreds of small, elongated onions awaited. He could cut them up by magic, but Snape would undoubtedly give him another unpleasant task if he finished too quickly. He supposed he had to do it the hard way. He started dicing, and the onion immediately gave off a sharp pungent smell which he knew was going to stay on his skin. That was probably what Snape wanted, for him to stink for weeks, but all Merlin needed was a Bundimun Solution, easily found in the greenhouse.

Finished with the first onion, he stuffed it in a jar and continued to the next. To pass the time, he distracted himself with some planning. To cure Colin, the school healer needed fresh mandrake roots to prepare the Restorative Draught. Merlin had stopped by the greenhouse this morning to inspect the crop, and to his horror, the roots were still babies. Madam Sprout called it a sheer stroke of luck that she had planted them this summer since she did this only every few years. Luck. Luck would have been if she had planted them in the spring. Instead, Colin was going to be stuck in a petrified state for months, waiting for the nasty roots to grow up.

Angry at the injustice of it all, Merlin started plotting alternative treatments. He had a compendium of healing knowledge in his archives, but he was out of time to check it.

He hated being pulled in so many directions at once. He had to ensure to spend time with Harry’s gang to stay in the loop on what they were doing. He tried to follow Dobby to its master—a task he thought was going to be easy but proved otherwise. He kept his eye on Jack and his sister who had an emergency meeting today in the library. He tried to listen in, but was spotted and had to pretend to study instead. He hated having to spend such a large chunk of his day in classes. Ah, but studying wasn’t the worst. The ultimate waste of time was what he was doing right now—cutting up fetid onions. The noxious fumes irritated his eyes to no end and he had to blink the tears away. He dumped the onions in a jar and snuck a look at Snape who was a safe distance away from the putrid smell.

The Potions Master shifted his weight from leg to leg, tired from the day-long standing.

‘Serves you right,’ Merlin thought spitefully.

He rolled his shoulders and turned back to the task at hand. He got on with the next bulb and tried to release his frustrations on the onion. He chopped it harder than was necessary and could barely see for his teary eyes. And like the clumsy oaf that he was, he cut into his finger.

“AAHHH!”

Merlin grabbed his finger instinctively, and the knife clattered to the floor. But touching the wound with a hand stained with pungous onion juice was a disastrous idea. It stung so painfully, he saw stars.

Once he could somewhat see, he ran to the sink and tried to wash the juice away. He hissed when the water hit his wound. His whole hand throbbed with burning pain. While Merlin made all that ruckus, the Potions Master did not even look in his direction. He must have known that his student had just gotten hurt on the job. He was going to just stand there and do nothing? Merlin wanted to do a small test just to confirm what level of cruelty he was dealing with. He could heal himself right now, but he needed this wound for his test, so he only whispered a simple spell that numbed the pain but allowed the bleeding to continue.

He was sliced up badly. He somehow managed to cut into three fingers at the same time at an angle, and the blood was flowing freely in bright red streams. He cupped his bleeding hand with the good one and waited until blood pooled inside his palm. Then he walked up closer to Snape.

“Excuse me, Professor,” he said in the most polite tone he could muster. “I need help.”

Snape lazily shifted his eyes in his direction, and Merlin chose this moment to tip his hand so that blood would dramatically stream down to the floor like a crimson waterfall. Snape‘s eyes followed the red liquid with a bored expression like he was being bothered with the most mundane request.

“First aid kit is in the cupboard,” he drawled and went back to his papers.

Merlin blinked a couple of times, trying to calm himself. It was one thing to ignore a cry of pain but to see his student bleed in front of him and do nothing…

Merlin stiffly walked to the cupboard and brought out a first-aid kit. He loudly dropped it on Snape’s table and even opened it for him.

“Just keep it hygienic if you can manage it. Don’t contaminate the contents,” Snape said without looking up.

He wasn’t going to help? In that case… Merlin proceeded to take things out of the box with his bleeding hand, marking everything in red. He applied dittany extract to cleanse it, although it was pointless when it was bleeding so much, and wrapped it tightly in gauze, which immediately became stained in red. By now, his blood was everywhere. It stained all supplies in the box, painted the box itself, it was on his robes, on both of his hands, probably on his face from when he tried to rub his eyes. It dripped from the table onto the floor, where he stepped into it, smearing it properly. But Snape did not look up until a stream of it slowly approached his papers, guided by Merlin who stood by, waiting for the Professor to notice the carnage.

Snape picked up his papers before they got stained and finally took a look at the bloody display on his table.

“Did you slaughter something in here, Ealdor?”

Merlin lifted his red-stained bandaged hand. “It was bleeding a lot.”

Snape’s usual mask of indifference changed to shock for a moment, and Merlin had to remind himself to not smirk. He was supposed to be in pain, so he grimaced and held his wounded hand tenderly. His eyes met the Professor’s, and they were frozen in a staring war. Was the Greasy Git trying to break in? Merlin closed off his mind just in case.

A skilled Legilimens could invade a person's thoughts without their knowledge. The trick was in eye contact. If that was what Snape was trying to do right now, he must have noticed that Merlin was shielding himself.

“You’re going to contaminate the onion mixture with this,” he motioned at Merlin’s hand as if it was an abomination. “Come back tomorrow, same time. Get out of my sight, before you befoul this place even more.”

Merlin stood there for a moment longer and ground his teeth. No, he wasn’t done. Snape failed the test spectacularly. He gave him several chances to show even the slightest tinge of compassion, but the Potions Master was too blinded by his dislike of Merlin to do the right thing. A new idea formed in Merlin’s mind and he involuntarily smiled. The chair prank was too mild.

“Thank you, Professor.”

While walking out, he whispered a new curse to put on top of the old one. To not draw suspicion to himself, he did not activate it yet. It was swirling around its target, waiting for him to say the magic word and make the Greasy Git’s life a living hell.

》《

The following morning, Merlin knocked on the door of the girls’ lavatory and poked his head inside.

”Anyone here?”

No one answered so he went in. It was the most depressing public lavatory in the castle, complete with yellowed tiles, chipping paint, and faucets missing knobs. And it was haunted.

The ghost called Moaning Myrtle floated above her usual toilet and quietly sobbed. ”Another boy,” she complained and prepared herself to launch at him.

He wasn’t looking forward to the cold feeling of a ghost passing through, so he plastered a pleasant smile on. ”Myrtle, but I'm here to see

you

.”

”You are?” Her stance completely changed from an aggressive, vengeful spirit to that of a shy, flirty girl.

”Of course. There are no other pretty teenage ghosts in this castle. Who else could I be looking for?”

He tried to sound genuine but his smile was hard to maintain once he heard snickering coming from the last stall.

Myrtle curled her hair on her finger while smiling shyly and then her face contorted into a vicious snarl. Her mood swings were frightening.

”You laugh because you're jealous,” she screeched, looking in the direction of the stall where the snickering got louder. ”No boy could possibly visit the ugly Myrtle. I'm a girl too! Even if,” she sobbed, ”a dead one.”

She floated in circles under the ceiling while wailing her sobs. Her shrieking intensified until, with a high-pitched scream, she dived into her toilet, splashing Merlin with the water. His only consolation was that these toilets were never used. At least he hoped so.

With the ghost out of the way, he walked up to the last stall and pushed the door open. Three amused faces looked up at him, and seeing how wet he was, roared with laughter. He pulled out his wand and tried to remember a spell that was safe to use in front of these kids. He hadn’t used verbal wand spells much before coming back to Hogwarts. His memory was like a giant cabinet with many drawers. He had to close some drawers to access others. He couldn’t keep them all open at the same time or the cabinet would lose balance and fall over, which he guessed would be equivalent to losing his mind. The drawers containing names of wand spells were so rarely used, they were covered in cobwebs and rat droppings, but it was about time to clean them up and shuffle inside for something useful.

“

Targeo

,” he said the spell, and the water dried off.

There was no more space for him inside the stall, so he stood outside with both hands braced against the stall’s walls. He was amazed that the three of them fit in there, or that they wanted to squeeze around the toilet at all.

”How’s the stewing going?”

”Perfectly,” Hermione answered and stirred the lacewing stew.

He craned his neck to inspect the mixture. The color and consistency were good. He had been monitoring her to ensure she followed the recipe and didn't create a poison by accident. The potion’s potency would greatly depend on the brew’s quality. Thankfully, this young witch was a perfectionist.

”It looks great. You're really good at this.”

Hermione’s cheeks blushed a vivid pink, and she cleared her throat. “About the missing ingredients.”

“I’ll get them. You can count on me.”

“We could create a diversion to help you,” she offered.

Ron smiled wickedly. “We’re making a Swelling Solution next Potions. Let’s put Filibuster fireworks in Crabbe’s cauldron.”

Harry sniggered while Hermione nodded in agreement. Were these kids crazy?

Merlin said, “You are all mad. That’s going to cover everyone in boils!"

“Snape has an antidote, I’m sure,” Hermione dismissed him.

“No way. I’m not getting innocent kids hurt over this. Believe me, he doesn’t care enough to lift a finger to help a student in need. I wish you had been there when I was bleeding in front of him.”

Hermione immediately looked up with concern in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he smiled at her. “I’ll get even. Don’t worry.”

“Get even?” Harry asked jokingly. “Who can get even with Snape?”

Merlin changed his expression to the mask of absolute lethal sincerity. “Do you doubt the Legendary Merlin?”

Ron chuckled. “You’re not

THE

Merlin. You’re just

a

Merlin.”

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

Merlin snorted and crouched down to their level. “Alright,

a

Ron, if that’s what you wish to call me.”

The trio joked around in the toilet stall, and Merlin’s eyes lingered on Harry. There was still an important question he didn't ask the boy—how Harry knew to show up in that hallway on Halloween, but he couldn’t ask yet. He felt like he was at a trial period—his friendship and trustworthiness hadn't been tested yet.

He didn’t know yet how he was going to sneak past Snape to break into the locked storeroom, but he was resourceful. He'd broken into Gringotts bank in the past without the goblins figuring it out. He could handle this task easily. It was time to show them what kind of Merlin he was.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Today was the day they would get their answers, but first, they had to sneak past this teacher.

Elsa hid behind a corner while her brother stood so close by, she felt his breath on her neck. Professor Flitwick was strolling down the corridor, holding a giant toad in both hands. As it was Sunday, it would be suspicious for students to wander around classroom corridors, and all Hogwarts staff was on edge due to what happened to Colin Creevey.

As soon as their professor disappeared around the bend, Elsa took her brother’s hand, and they sprinted down the corridor and up the stairs. Their synced footsteps brought back memories of sneaking around dark tunnels in what felt like a lifetime ago. If they failed to find their father, they might end up right back in Mother’s mountain.

She was over the Moon happy when Jack had told her that The Mirror of Erised was right here in this school! Ah, if only they had asked around earlier… But there was no use for regrets. Today was the day.

“Third floor. Lead the way,” she said.

Jack grinned wickedly and pulled her along down the long corridor. “I spoke to Hermione today, and she filled me in on the whole story. Apparently, the three of them had quite an adventure down there last year. She said the entrance is in a room with a trapdoor. From there, we go through a few chambers, and the last one is where the mirror is.”

“I just hope it’s still there.”

“Let’s find out.”

The corridor seemed to stretch for eons. With each step, the anticipation grew. Elsa needed this to work. She was ready for her own happy ending. When they arrived at the door, she pulled on the handle, but it didn’t budge.

Elsa pulled out her wand, said, “

Alohomora

,” and the lock clicked open.

"Hey, that's the same spell Merlin used."

She tried the handle again. This time it moved, but she hesitated. Her heart hammered, ticking away the seconds. This was it. Everything she wanted was behind this door. She would see her father today. Was he a winter spirit like Mother? What did he look like? Was he a Ravenclaw type of person, or Gryffindor, or Slytherin?

Jack put a hand on hers, and they pushed the door open together. It swung with a loud creak, revealing an empty room. The only light streamed through the door they stood in. There was a wooden trapdoor in the center of the room, as promised. Jack grabbed the round handle and lifted it with some effort.

“SURPRISE!!!”

A flash of colors flew out of the hole, and they both jumped back. The trapdoor snapped shut with a deafening bang which could be heard for miles, announcing their location to whoever was patrolling the area.

“Naughty students! I got you! I got you!” Peeves the poltergeist flew around the room and cackled in a high pitch.

Jack grabbed her hand, and they ran out of the room before someone heard it. They rounded the corner and saw Professor Flitwick dancing with his toad, so they turned into another corridor and ran like the wind until Peeves appeared in front of them, forcing them to stop.

He sat in the air cross-legged, like a floating promise of trouble if they ignored him. “What were you two doing?”

”We’re just exploring,” Jack lied quickly.

Peeves rubbed his hands together and grinned very widely. “Exploring? Peeves is exploring too. I want to explore what you are.”

Jack shrugged. “We’re students.”

Peeves cackled. “You are two naughty spirits! What type of spirits? Peeves never seen spirits like you. You will tell Peeves or Peeves will start singing a lovely song about you.”

Elsa put her hands on her hips. She was not going to be blackmailed by a floating little man wearing a jingly hat. “Listen, here, Peeves. Leave us alone or else!”

She pointed her wand at him, but Peeves laughed so loud, the echo of it bounced off the walls. He started singing and swaying his head side to side so the hat would jingle to the same rhythm.

You might threaten Peeves

You might fight and win

And Peeves will spill the secrets

Of the white-haired twins

Elsa’s confidence faltered. She didn’t actually know a spell that would drive him away, and he wasn’t in the least intimidated by her bluff. And someone could hear the ruckus he was making. She tried to grab him, but he floated away and kept singing his stupid song.

Jack stepped forward. “What do you want, Peeves?”

“Answers, wee spirit. Peeves wants to know secrets, secrets, secrets. Peeves loves secrets.”

Jack exchanged a look with her and hissed quietly, “Yes, we’re spirits like you, Peeves. Don’t give us away.”

Peeves glided to him with a toothy grin. “Peeves belongs to this castle. What do wee spirits belong to?”

Elsa bit her lip. How much did they want to reveal? She didn’t trust the poltergeist to keep their secret. On the other hand, he’d known all along what they were but never said anything to the wizards. The ghosts of the castle also had not betrayed them. She always wondered why. She had a lot of questions. Maybe it was time for some answers.

“I’ll tell you,” she said with a sweet smile, “but I have a question too.”

Peeves squealed in delight and posed in the air as if he was laying down on a couch, supporting his head with his hands.

“How do you know that we’re not ordinary students?”

Peeves sniggered. “Silly wee ones. Spirits glow.”

He turned to lay on his belly and kicked his feet in the air playfully.

“Glow?” Elsa tilted her head and walked around the poltergeist, examining him thoroughly. When she paid attention to his skin, she saw the faintest reddish glow. It was always there but at the same time hidden.

“You’d miss it if you weren’t looking for it,” Jack whispered and then stared at her intensely. “Yeah, I think I see it.”

He blinked rapidly and averted his eyes. She tried it on him now. It was difficult, like using a muscle that was never exercised, but when she concentrated, she saw her brother’s skin emit the slightest sheen. Her eyes stung, and she closed them briefly to get relief.

“We’re going to have to practice this one,” she said and smiled. She had a new skill to work on.

“Your turn,” Peeves cackled.

“We belong to nature,” Elsa spoke quietly, just in case there was anyone nearby. “It’s nice to meet another spirit.” And learn from him, she added in her thoughts.

Peeves made a couple of flips in the air while wheezing in glee. “Wee nature spirits! Wee nature spirits!” He floated up close to Jack. “Peeves can sense mischief, a lot of mischief.” He poked Jack’s chest. “Here. Mischief in wee spirit summoned me.”

Elsa groaned. “Seriously, Jack? You were feeling so mischievous that you called him here?”

Jack scratched his head. “Is that how this works? You’re drawn to a mischievous mood?” Peeves nodded, and Jack looked at her apologetically. “It’s not like I can do anything about it.”

Peeves kept grinning, and his black eyes glinted. “I have a deal.”

“What’s the deal?”

“Peeves will keep the secret, but we will let this mischief,” he poked Jack’s chest again, “loose. Wartyhogs needs more mischief.”

“You’ll get me in trouble, Peeves,” Jack complained.

“No trouble,” Peeves said in an innocent voice. “Peeves knows how.”

Jack whispered in her ear, “He could help us create distractions for when we’re sneaking around or something. It’s not a bad idea.”

Elsa put a hand on his shoulder to pause him. “There have to be rules to this mischief-making. You can’t just use Jack whenever you feel like it.”

“Deal,” Peeves said with a grin.

“And Jack will get to choose what type of mischief you do, you can provide ideas, but it’s up to him if he wants to use them. He’s in charge.”

“Deal-Deal!” Peeves floated up to Jack with an outstretched hand. “At least once a month. Hoggy Wartwards needs mischief every month. Recommended dose.”

“That’s a lot of work,” Jack said, not taking the hand yet. “What do I get out of that?”

Peeves cackled. “Not work. Never work. Fun!” He floated closer and cupped Jack’s hand in both of his in a gesture much gentler than Elsa would have imagined the mayhem spirit was capable of. His smile looked genuine this time.

“You get a spirit friend, wee one.”

Jack shook the hand, his own smile growing as well. Of course, right when she thought he was maturing, he’d entered a deal that would lure him into even more childish behavior.

Elsa shook her head. She couldn’t deny him the fun he was so clearly looking forward to, but deep down, she was jealous. Where was her spirit best friend? What type of spirit would be drawn to her moods?

Peeves bounced in the air and pointed at the end of the hallway. “Teacher alert! Teacher alert!”

They ran to safety, guided by the spirit of mayhem. They didn’t get their answers today, but they gained a valuable ally. At least, she hoped that was what he was.

》《

Sunday morning, Merlin knocked on Dumbledore’s door and waited to be invited.

“Come in.”

He walked in and looked around if there was anyone there. He'd had enough gaffes recently.

“It’s just us, my friend,” Dumbledore said.

“Hi, Merlin,” Heliotrope called from her portrait, and he politely waved back.

“Albus, I’d like to use your fireplace if you don’t mind.”

“Where are you off to now?” The Headmaster picked a record from his collection and put it on a magically powered turntable.

“I want to try something for Colin. It’s a long shot but… I’ll fill you in once I get back.”

“Be my guest. How long will you be gone?” Dumbledore slowly motioned with his arm to the fireplace while jovial chamber music filled the room. Mozart, Merlin guessed.

“I’m unsure. Could be a few hours. I’ll try to get back before my detention with Snape.”

Albus looked down from his spectacles. His eyes were full of judgment. “What did you do?”

“Got myself in trouble, nothing new.” Merlin winked.

He was glad that Dumbledore didn’t ask him why he didn’t just disapparate right from the spot. He didn’t want to admit how weak the aging spell was making him. He relied on his reputation and the perception of unlimited power. If he didn’t have that, he was just another nobody whose greatest bragging point was the ability to wake up from the dead.

He threw in the Floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. The magic of the powder protected him from the flames but not the soot. At least he was prepared this time and wore dark robes. “Home.”

He appeared in the large, clean fireplace he had built with his own hands. His home smelled familiar and inviting like a warm soup on a cold day. When he stepped in, lights flickered on in the lamps he had enchanted to sense his arrival. Everything looked just the way he’d left it, patiently waiting, ready to welcome him back.

Merlin had lived in this small cottage for several centuries now. He had to repair various parts of it over time and the walls were held together only by magic. It wasn’t large or fancy but it was his, and it was more than just home. It was his archive and a vault. The wards he put on it guaranteed the safety of the precious keepsakes. To avoid hoarding, he limited himself to keeping only those items that held the best memories of the best people that passed through his unnaturally long life, but it was amazing how many things one could get emotionally attached to, given enough time.

He walked past a shelf where the oldest of those items sat, enclosed in clear magical boxes which emitted a faint glow. There was the royal seal of Pendragon, given to him by Gwen, the only memorabilia he had left of Arthur. The ring gleamed, and it felt as if it winked at him in recognition. There was a broken white shell from Lake Avalon, in memory of Freya, his first love. He hadn’t seen her in a long time. He should visit her lake soon. And on the lower shelf was his first Grimoire passed on to him by Gaius when he was still a boy. He protected it as best he could but the pages inside were crumbling. He didn’t dare to even touch it.

He used to have more keepsakes from times of Camelot, but they got lost in the clutches of time so he held on to these with reverent care. In fact, the boxes were enchanted so tightly that only he could touch them.

His fingers grazed the edge of the shelf and he noticed that a thick line of dust covered his treasures, so he promptly vanished it. He wanted to clean his whole house, it was sad to see it so stale, but he had limited time on his hands and couldn’t waste it on sentimental cleaning.

On the wall, right above the stone fireplace, hung the staff of the Sidhe. He lingered while looking at it, wondering if he would need it. The aging magic was slowly draining him, making him weaker with each passing week and he still had several months to get through. He’d forgotten how bad holding the aging spell could get after a while. If this weakness continued getting worse, he was going to need an intervention, which he’d prefer to avoid.

The staff floated to his outstretched hand, and he gently traced the carvings he had put on it. Would he need it? He gripped the staff tighter. He couldn’t afford to be weak. He didn’t know what challenges awaited him, what type of monster the Chamber of Secrets contained, and it would be foolish to not use all tools available to him. All of those students relied on him. He needed all the magical help he could get.

He put the staff on the floor and held his hand over it. He struck it with a strong enchantment and felt the staff resist. It was difficult to transform an object this powerful, but he needed it to be small so he could take it anywhere.

After much effort, a blinding light filled the room, and Merlin covered his eyes. When the light dissipated and he blinked away the temporary blindness, a small blue crystal on a leather strap laid where the staff had been. Merlin tied it around his neck and covered it with his scarf. No one would notice that he acquired a new pendant.

Back in his bedroom, there was another ancient keepsake—a little dragon figurine, the one his father had given him. He touched it gently, feeling its familiar edges smoothed out by time. Should he bring it with him? He decided against it. It was safer here.

He went into a small library where he kept his precious volumes. Some were sacred texts he’d saved from destruction, others he wrote himself to pass on the knowledge he’d accumulated from his experiences. Any time he travelled to new places, he encountered different magic practices and tried to learn from them, translating their magic into his own. Over time, he’d collected a spell for everything, it seemed, but he couldn’t possibly remember each.

Every few centuries, he sat down and rewrote each book. Even with protective magic, pages tended to disintegrate over time, and he wanted these words to last. He knew spells that could copy entire books within seconds, but he liked to do it by hand. It was his life’s work to preserve Old Religion, to not let it fade into history.

He lit a small fireplace to chase away the chill and the room was illuminated with its warm glow. Since he had transcribed each of these volumes, he had an idea where to look. He pulled out several books and sat down behind his desk. To save time, he used his mind’s eye to scan the books faster. There were quite a lot of spells he could try. He didn’t want to bring the heavy volumes with him so he created replicas of the pages containing the spells and stacked them all up.

The fire crackled, calling his attention, and his eyes lingered on the glowing embers. He was enjoying himself. These books unearthed memories of places, events, and people he’d once known and cared about. Every page had a story.

He looked out the window and was startled by the dark skies. The large clock on the wall pointed to seven in the evening. He wasn't devastated at all about being late for detention, but he was late for supper! His child’s body constantly demanded food. Thankfully, he could make a stop in the Hogwarts kitchens before going back to his dorm. He wasn’t going to bed hungry.

Merlin finished his research and stepped into the empty fireplace in the sitting room with the copied pages in one hand and the Floo powder in the other, but then he hesitated. He wanted to stay home where it was quiet, safe, and calm, to sleep in his comfortable bed, and make his own meals. He didn’t belong at Hogwarts among hundreds of those who could never know who he was, what he’d been through. His home knew. His home was his oldest friend.

Then, he remembered Colin laying stiff in the Hospital Wing and threw the Floo powder at his feet.

He came out of Dumbledore’s fireplace, landing on all fours, spreading ashes around again. The Headmaster was sitting in an armchair near the fireplace, reading a book, and bobbing his head to the rhythm of the music.

Merlin scrambled on the floor. “Still listening to Mozart?”

Dumbledore looked down at him and smiled. “I’m glad you’re back. For a moment, I worried if you gave me the slip.”

Merlin shook the ashes off and smiled weakly. “It was tempting.”

The old wizard noticed the pages he held.

“Spells,” Merlin explained. “I want to see if I can revive Colin.”

Dumbledore’s eyebrows flew up. “Mind if I watch?”

“Let’s go.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin and Dumbledore entered the Hospital Wing at an urgent, purposeful pace as if heading to a battle. And a battle they encountered. Madam Pomfrey protested when the Headmaster requested to leave them alone with the patient, forcing him to politely enact his authority. She grumbled under her breath about endangering her patients but she gave them privacy.Merlin smoothed the hair on Colin’s head. He was so young, so innocent. His face was frozen in a look of shock. What did he see?“Was he holding something?” he asked, intrigued by the position the boy’s arms were frozen in.“A camera.” Merlin shot him a look, and Dumbledore answered the question before it was asked, “The film disintegrated into ash.”“It might have saved his life,” Merlin murmured.He laid out the pages he’d brought with him and started casting the spells one by one. He’d gathered the strongest charms: from awakening, animating, to potent healing. He repeated each incantation a dozen times and felt the magic transfer from him into the boy, but all it was doing was draining Merlin’s strength. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead, and he swayed on his legs, but he pushed himself to keep going. His magic had to be enough.After he’d been going at it for a good quarter of an hour, Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and said in a soft voice, “Maybe you’re done for today.”“No.” Merlin shrugged him off. “I’ve got more.”He kept going and was less careful with the pages, letting them glide to the floor as he discarded them. A frightening thought occurred to him then: that the magic that petrified the boy was so dark, even Merlin’s spells were no match for it, but he had to have hope. He could barely stand, but it was only a physical weakness. His magic wasn’t depleted yet, and he had to try harder for Colin. He poured all his might into the next healing spell, and the room illuminated in a blast of warm energy.Merlin’s knees gave out, and he caught himself on Colin’s bed which squeaked in protest. The boy’s body glowed from the effects of the last spell, but it was still frozen in the same position. A strong hand pulled Merlin up and led him away. “You’re done, dear,” a female voice said.His vision swam in front of him, and he wasn’t sure who put his tired body in a nearby bed. “No. There’s more,” he croaked, trying to get up.“Not tonight, dear. Rest.”Maybe just a little break. He only needed a couple of minutes to recover, and he would get right back to his job. He heard whispers around him but could no longer understand them as darkness pulled him in. 》《 Merlin woke up to the smell of food and cleaning solutions. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times. His stomach grumbled, telling him to find the source of the edible aroma. Madam Pomfrey had just put a bowl of what smelled like porridge on his nightstand. He was in the Hospital Wing and daylight streamed through the windows. He spent the night here?“Just in time,” she said. “Eat up while it’s still warm. You need to replenish the energy you spent yesterday.”He sat up and took the bowl in his hands. Porridge was perfect right now.The sounds of the spoon touching the bowl were the only ones disrupting the odd quiet of the reverberant room. Aside from him, there were only two silent patients there. He was on a bed next to Colin whose petrified position had not changed at all, making him look like a wax figure. Two beds over, Mrs. Norris lay in a permanent defensive position like an eerie stuffed animal.“It was quite a stunt you pulled last night. You managed to magic yourself into unconsciousness,” Madam Pomfrey said.Merlin continued spooning his porridge, glancing over at Colin. He failed. He pushed himself over his limit—something he’d never managed before—and it still wasn’t enough. What magic was this?She continued, “Your roommate and Head of House were already alerted that you’re here so you don’t have to worry about explaining your absence.”“What were they told?”“You fainted due to low blood sugar, which is very close to the truth. You need to put more meat on those bones. You’re so skinny, a gust of wind could blow you away.”Merlin couldn’t gain weight even if he wanted to. His body was frozen in the state of what he looked like at this age. The times of his childhood were hard, and the food was scarce. All kids were skinny like him back then.He met her eyes and tried to judge what she thought of the previous night. Did he give himself away with the magic he performed?She must have understood his thoughts.“Yes, I saw the healing spells you were trying to perform last night. They’re quite unique. You might have accidentally cured my migraine with the last one.” She picked up the pages with his spells and looked them over. They were all written in an ancient rune, but a trained healer like her might be able to read them. “Unfortunately, none of them worked.”Colin’s petrified body was incriminating evidence of his failure. Some “Great” Merlin he was.“Don’t beat yourself up, child. It was an admirable effort.” She smiled at him kindly. “I’m happy to see someone as young as you interested in the healing arts.”He nearly choked on his porridge but did not say anything.She continued, “What type of spells are these?”“Old Religion,” he answered simply.She studied the pages before stacking them neatly and leaving them back on the table. “Listen, child. As you may have noticed last night, healing magic can be very draining. No one can be expected to cast a spell after spell without consequences. I caution you against doing this again.”“There are several more in there I’d like to try.”She exhaled sharply. “Professor Dumbledore assured me that you knew what you were doing, but you must understand that I can’t help but be skeptical to trust the expertise of a young healer like you. A spell done wrong can be more damaging than the original ailment. You could hurt your friend if you continue.”“I’ve been doing this for a long time, Madam Pomfrey,” Merlin said but knew that his word wouldn’t count for much. Just how many years could an eleven-year-old practice something? “This isn’t an experiment. I would never take a gamble with Colin’s life.”“We will prepare Mandrake Restorative Draught, and your friend will recover. There is no gamble in that.”“It will be months!” He put down the empty bowl in his lap, resisting the urge to lick it. He was still hungry. “I have to try. I can’t go on for months, pretending like everything is fine if there’s even a slight chance that I can spare him this fate. Surely, you can relate to that feeling.”She glanced at Colin and smoothed out her white apron. “Very well. However, you’re my charge too, so we will do this by my rules. Come in two days if you feel that you’re back to your full strength. We’ll do only two spells at a time. And you will have to take a two-day break between each attempt.”“That will take too long!”“Do you think your spells are effective if you can’t even stand on your feet? You’re not casting them if you’re not fully rested.”“I can handle more than two.”“It is final,“ she said and moved on to check his pulse.He had to let her have the final word right now, but he wanted to finish this exercise the next time he tried. In fact, the more he thought about the failure of the previous night, the more he became convinced that healing spells wouldn’t work. Colin wasn’t hurt. There was nothing to repair in his body. Merlin needed to change his tactic.She fussed over him. “I’m not fully convinced that you are ready to return to classes, Mr. Ealdor.”“I’ll be sure to take it easy today. Thank you for your care,” he got out of bed and looked for his shoes.He knew what worried her and wanted to leave before she looked closer. His vitals were all over the place as usual and fluctuated for no good reason. He was a child, but he was an adult, but he was as old as mummies on the museum display. He was a medical paradox held together by magic, and the longer she looked, the more she would become convinced that he was sick, maybe even dying.“Do remember to eat, child, and get plenty of rest.” She linked her hands in front of her and tilted her head slightly, giving her a stern and concerned look at the same time. “I wasn’t kidding about the low blood sugar.”He found his shoes under the bed and got ready to leave. He gathered the pages of his spells and snuck a last look at Colin, sending the boy a silent promise that he’d return and try harder. He respectfully inclined his head to the school healer and departed. It worried him how weak he was becoming. He’d never knocked himself out with his own magic before. Perhaps his eleven-year-old body wasn’t durable enough? There was something he could do about it, but it would require him to visit the Crystal Cave, and he’d been avoiding it for some time. He’d try to put it off, but if this weakness got any worse, he would have no choice.His steps echoed in an empty stone corridor as he took a shortcut to the Gryffindor tower. Beyond the closed doors, he could hear lectures taking place. It was Monday morning and he should join his peers in Potions right now. Yeah, that was unlikely. He had a good excuse to avoid it, and he was going to use it. Whether by accident or subconsciously wanting to, his legs brought him to the most colorful corridor in the castle. Tapestries from around the world and different time periods adorned the walls along with many portraits. The carpet runner hushed his footsteps and led him to a small door he knew was Potions Master’s storeroom. The Greasy Git was now teaching in the dungeons, most teachers were busy, and there would be no students wandering around either. It appeared that Merlin’s gangly legs decided that this was a perfect time for some thieving.He’d had enough of getting caught so some precautions were required. Glamour would work best, but he still wasn’t completely recovered from last night’s healing and wasn’t even sure if he could do it. What he really needed was just a warning. He sat up an invisible tripwire before both entrances of the corridor, tying the ends to two suits of armor. If anyone were to enter, the suits would fall over and alert him to hide or flee, whichever was safer.Feeling somewhat secure, he easily unlocked the heavy wooden door and closed it behind him.  Wizards and their little spells. Fools thought an Anti-Alohomora charm was enough to fully secure a locked door. Not from him.He conjured a floating glowing orb to discreetly light the place. The Potion Master’s storeroom was smaller than he expected. It was a tall but cramped room with shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling, accessible by a ladder. He wanted to avoid the break-in from being discovered so he couldn’t just summon the missing ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion. He had to take only the amount he needed and attempt to make his visit undetectable.He started from the bottom shelf and inspected each ingredient. There were quite a few rare plants and substances down there, some of them dangerous, explaining why they were kept locked away from the students in a corridor so flashy, a plain door was easily overlooked. It was a nice collection, worthy of a proper potioneer.  Snape was an awful person, but he knew his craft.Merlin found boomslang skin first. He conjured a small bag and transferred only three measures as the recipe required. He put the jar back in the same spot and resumed looking for the other ingredients. The higher up the ladder he ventured, the more interesting objects he found. While the bottom shelves contained raw ingredients, the top ones stored potent extracts and finished potions. He was all the way to the top when his eye caught sight of a small bottle, and he nearly fell off the ladder from excitement.“Veritaserum,” he read the label.He wanted this truth potion. Too many people were holding secrets in this castle. Just three drops of the truth potion in their drink and the problem would be solved. The thought of using Veritaserum on children felt wrong. It would be a breach of trust and a moral crime. If his friends ever found out, they would never forgive him, but he needed to know what he was dealing with to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. It wasn’t the time to let morality impair his ability to protect these children.He held it in his hand and considered his options. If a potion this rare was gone, it would definitely be noticed, but if only some of it went missing, the theft might never be discovered. He conjured a small flask and poured half of the contents in, enough for at least two doses. He placed the original bottle in the same spot where he found it and corked his flask. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. The clear liquid looked so simple and non-threatening in its glass container, but when used on the unsuspecting and untrained, it was extremely powerful. They would have no idea how to recognize the symptoms. They would tell him everything.Merlin finished searching all the shelves for the remaining ingredients and did not find any bicorn horn. Snape had to have kept it elsewhere. Happy from his finds nonetheless, Merlin came out and locked the door behind him. Just as he finished the spell, he heard the clatter of a suit of armor.“What is this?” Filch whined. “Nasty spoiled brats using the honorable school for jokes. If it were up to me, they’d be spending their detentions in shackles.”Merlin ran in the opposite direction from Filch, but like the fool that he was, he forgot about the second tripwire and ran right into it. The suit of armor fell apart as he painfully sprawled on the floor. The helmet spun around right next to his head and stopped while facing him. Merlin could almost hear its mocking laugh echo in the iron dome.“Who’s there?” Filch’s voice reached him.Merlin scrambled his uncooperating limbs out of there and ran as fast as he could. He landed in the Viaduct Entrance Hall, from here the options were to run outside or downstairs. He did not look forward to spending time in the frigid weather, so he took his chances with the dungeons.Down the spiral staircase and into the gloomy underground corridor he went. He knew these passages well from the time when he attended Hogwarts originally. While many parts of the castle had changed over time, the dungeons were mostly the same. He passed by the Slytherin Dungeon entrance and was getting closer to the staircase that would take him to the ground floor where he could disappear in the safety of numbers. He could see the light of it already when he ran into a mass of black robes which had just come out of a classroom.Merlin didn’t know who it was, but he was not going to get caught again! No more failures! He immediately put glamour on himself, and by the time he landed on his butt, he was invisible. Who else would he have the misfortune of running into if not Severus Snape himself? The Greasy Git looked around, bewildered but didn’t see him.Merlin held his breath and focused on his glamour. He couldn’t imagine what explanation he could provide this time. He had a proper excuse as to why he’d skipped detention last night and didn’t show up for the morning class, but running through the dungeons while he was supposedly sick would be extremely hard to wriggle himself out of. Snape didn’t give up looking for what had just bumped into him and outstretched his hand, searching for the invisible. Merlin fought to control his ragged breathing and not give away his position on the floor. His glamour was powerful, but it wasn’t infallible. In an open space like this, from such close proximity, his movement could be visible as a ripple in the air. He needed a distraction to get away.He peered through the open door to the Potions classroom. He concentrated on a group of empty vials standing on a table and dropped one to the floor. Snape slowly turned to check what made the noise. Merlin dropped another vial. Snape looked around the corridor one last time and walked inside. Another vial dropped, and Merlin quietly stood on his feet.“Who’s here?” Snape asked in a growl. The rest of the vials fell down one by one, the door to the Potions classroom slammed shut, and Merlin ran for it. He was already on top of the stairs when Snape ran out, shouting, “Peeves! I will get you for this!”》《Last night, Jack barely got any sleep in. McGonagall told him that Merlin wasn’t well and was in the Hospital Wing, and so for the first time in months, Jack slept alone. He forgot how lonely it felt to not have another person gently breathing next to him, to not hear anything other than the swish of his bedsheet. It brought back the memories of when Mother used to punish him by separating him from Elsa. And when he fell asleep, he dreamt of darkness.He woke up too late to visit Merlin, so he planned on it right after lunch. So now as he came down to the Great Hall, he was taken by surprise when he found Merlin fast asleep at the Gryffindor table with his head resting on his arms, gently snoring into his sleeve. And he felt different. There was a hint of different magic around him, something that reminded Jack of the fairy he'd met in the greenhouse. Jack nudged his arm. “Merlin? Are you okay?”Merlin raised his head. His eyes were half-closed and there was a red imprint of wrinkled robes on his face. He looked around at the amused faces of other Gryffindors who were whispering and pointing at him.Familiar click-clacking of McGonagall’s heels approached them. “Mr. Ealdor, what is the meaning of this?”He rubbed his eyes. “What now?”“I was told you were in the Hospital Wing. But you’re here, sleeping?”Merlin scratched his head and yawned widely. All the eyes were on him, but he didn’t seem to mind. “I was too tired to get up all those stairs to the Gryffindor Tower. And then I was hungry but too tired to make it all the way to the kitchens. So I settled on waiting for the food here.” He noticed the food in front of him and woke up a little more. “Yes!”He immediately dug in and didn’t even check how McGonagall reacted to his explanation. She opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times, uncharacteristically speechless, then she addressed Jack. “Jack, would you kindly ensure Mr. Ealdor makes it to your dorm after lunch? If he can’t make it, then he needs to go back to Madam Pomfrey.”“I’m fine,” Merlin said with a full mouth, “just hungry. Fast metabolism. I need to eat more often.”McGonagall sighed so loudly, it sounded more like a growl.“I’ll take care of him,” Jack confirmed, and she finally walked back to her seat.Jack watched him eat and wasn’t sure what to do. McGonagall wasn’t clear when describing Merlin’s health issue last night. “So, are you really okay or you just wanted to get rid of her?”“I’m fine, don’t worry yourself.”The way Merlin devoured food as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks didn’t look ‘fine’ despite his assurances.He grinned and some food escaped his mouth and landed on his robes, reminding Jack of the food fight they’d had at this table with Colin. They were having so much fun and accidentally attracted Peeves, and he made the fight even messier. A fight like that wouldn’t have been the same without Colin.Merlin followed his eyes to the stain on his shirt and tried to rub it off.Jack looked away and caught Elsa’s eye as she walked up to the Ravenclaw table. She raised her eyebrows and gesticulated a question, and he guessed she wanted to know when they’d try to look for the mirror again. Clearly, not now, he tried to convey with his expression. She huffed and turned away from him to sit at her table.“That’s the almost-telepathy you spoke about,” Merlin said, studying him. “That definitely looked like a conversation.”Jack stirred the food around on his plate, not interested in commenting on how he communicated with his sister. Knowing real telepathy would have been nice, though he worried that she’d constantly bug his head if she could.They didn’t talk to each other much during lunch, and after, Jack walked him to their dorm as promised.Merlin sprawled on his bed and pat his belly. “I’m so stuffed.”Jack lingered, biting his lip. “Merlin?”“Hmm?” His eyes were closed already.“Can you let me know the next time you’re doing something past curfew? I need to know if I’m supposed to worry about your absence or not.”“You don’t have to worry about me,” he mumbled.“Maybe I don’t have to, but I still do. You’re my friend.”Merlin didn’t answer, and Jack wasn’t sure if he was really asleep or just pretending. It was so frustrating to be stuck with the decision: to tell on him or not. If Jack wouldn’t tell and something happened to Merlin, it would be his fault. But if he told someone, and Merlin was safe and sound, just doing something stupid, then Jack would get his friend in trouble like a mean snitch.“I’ll be studying with Elsa in the afternoon. I’ll see you at the evening feast. You just… just rest.”This was actually a part-lie. He wasn’t going to study, he had an English class, but it was too embarrassing to admit it.He still had an hour to spare so he went down to the common room. As usual, he looked for a spot away from the fireplace as it was lit every day now. He saw the Weasley twins on the other side of the room and got an idea to ask them about his new mayhem contract. They were working on a piece of parchment which had a large letter ‘W’ in the upper right corner.“We’ll definitely need skiving supplies,” said Fred.“That’s a given,” said George.“A guaranteed best-seller. What else?”“We could have toys for little kids.”“What kind?”“Hey, our food-fighting friend,” George addressed Jack. “We could use a kid's opinion. If you could go back in time and give the younger you a cool magical toy, what would it be?”Jack wasn’t too pleased about being called a kid when they weren’t that much older than him. They looked at him expectantly, and he felt obligated to give them something. What did he like when he was younger? He remembered how excited he was when he found huggers for the first time. They weren’t toys, of course, but the same principle applied. “Maybe something that can fly?”Fred clapped his hands. “Yes. A flying toy.”George wrote it down. “Everyone heard of Harry and Ron’s arrival in a flying car. We could create a miniature copy of it.”“Brilliant. I got it! Aviatomobile.”The twins high-fived each other, and Jack sat down next to them to look at their parchment. “So what are you doing?”“We’re brainstorming product ideas.”“We’re going to develop our own line of products.”“Better than Zonko’s Joke Shop.”“I don’t know what that is.” Jack felt like an idiot again.“It’s a store in Hogsmeade.”“They’ll let you visit in your third year.”“We’ll bring you something next time we go, but,” Fred pointed a finger at him, “help us come up with more product ideas.”Jack felt a little giddy inside, ready to forgive them for calling him a kid. Being around them made him feel like he had older brothers. Speaking of, he had a question for them. “You guys know Peeves, right?”“Of course.”“Have you ever worked with him?”The twins exchanged a look. Fred shrugged. “He’s joined us on some of our famous pranks but we never purposefully worked with him. Why?”“I… I was just wondering. Does he ever get students in trouble?”“All the time,” George answered. “He has a habit of giving you away when you’re trying to sneak around.”“He finds it hilarious when you start running for your life.”Jack frowned. This didn’t sound good. “Do you have any tips on dealing with him?”“Appeal to his mayhem-love to keep him on your side.”“Give him a fun job if you’re in the middle of doing something you’re not supposed to be doing.”“And by fun, we mean mischief. He’s not interested in jigsaw puzzles.”“So, back to business,” Fred rubbed his hands. “Ideas. Give us ideas.”Jack scratched his head. “A product for dealing with a poltergeist.” He could use one.George nodded and wrote it down. “Good. Good. A poltergeist distractor.”Jack looked at his shoes and remembered how he'd left them in the snow, and also what Elsa told him about Luna’s shoes. “Locator shoelaces for the times when you can’t find your shoes.”He thought of how he wished some people would lighten up a little more. Laughter made everything better. “Chocolate wand with a laughing charm on it.”“You’re on a roll. Keep it coming,” Fred encouraged.“Jumping coins. They’d jump away as soon as you tried to pick them up.”George continued writing and ideas kept coming to Jack. “Magical flute that makes everyone dance. I’d like to play it for Professor Snape.”"The Slytherin Tango." Fred clapped him on the back. “Kid, you’re a fun inspiration. Keep feeding us these ideas and we’ll hook you up with our products.”Jack grinned, feeling warm inside at their praise. “You know, my name is not Kid.”George looked up from the parchment. “We'll call you by your name if you can tell us apart correctly.”Jack smirked because he knew exactly how to tell them apart. They might have looked the same, but their magic signature was way different. “George and Fred,” he said while pointing at each, respectively. Fred pursed his lips. “Could be luck, we’ll keep testing you on that,” he paused, “Jack.”Jack spent the rest of his free time with the twins and had so much fun with them, he nearly forgot about his English class. He made it just in time, and as he feared, it was boring. They used no magic at all! Professor Blishwick walked with a limp and was as strict as Professor McGonagall but didn’t have her sense of humor. Where McGonagall liked to dress in green and her hair was always in a tight bun, Blishwick preferred deep reds and wore a silly matching cone hat on her loose hair. She liked to make references to famous books and authors he’d never heard of and had an annoying habit of correcting every grammar mistake. She wouldn’t even let him finish a sentence!“You have lovely handwriting,” she complimented Elsa while walking among the students and limped away to check on the next person.Jack judged his own notebook. He never got praise. His handwriting was similar to his sister’s, they both learned to write by copying passages from the elixir book, but his sister seemed to have picked a habit of making her letters even fancier and elegant as if each word was one of her art projects. Next to her, he was always going to be mediocre. He didn’t begrudge her this though. He’d rather live in her shadow than without her.“When?” she whispered while Professor Blishwick wasn’t looking.He shrugged. “Next weekend?”She shook her head and huffed. “We could ask Peeves to help us. He could keep watch.”“He could get us in trouble on purpose,” Jack whispered. “I don’t want to involve him until I get to know him.”She narrowed her eye on him and pursed her lips.“What?” he asked.“Since when did you get so cautious?”Professor Blishwick turned in their direction, and they both got back to writing though Jack couldn’t focus on their assignment. The time ran out and she gathered their parchments even though he wasn’t finished. Having the class only once a week meant that she felt entitled to give them a ton of homework. This time, they had to pick a biography book, read the whole thing, and write an essay about it.After the class, Jack visited the library with Elsa, and naturally, as soon as they were alone in the biography aisle, she had to bring up the mirror again. “I have a lot of homework,” he said, pulling out the largest volume to make a point. It looked like it weighed a ton, but it wasn’t heavy at all. It had to be a charm or something.“Are you stalling?”He shrugged. He still wasn’t sure if he wanted Elsa to find that mirror. From the way Hermione described it, it sounded like it was a tricky object to deal with. “Is it worth it all this trouble to find him? He might not even want us.”She scoffed. “I don’t want to take chances. Can you imagine how furious Mother must be? Do you really want to face her alone?”“We wouldn’t be alone. I’m sure Hogwarts professors would protect us.”“Maybe they would. Maybe they wouldn’t.”“McGonagall would. She likes us.”“What if Mother wins the fight?”Jack frowned, thinking about the cool spells he’d seen his teachers do. Surely, someone here had to be powerful enough to take on the Queen of Winter. “What if she’s not even looking for us? What if she’s happy without us?”It was Elsa’s turn to frown. “I doubt it.” She turned back to the shelves, picked one volume up, and flipped the pages. “Even if, don’t you want to meet him?”“I’m perfectly fine here,” Jack answered and chose a book about a wizard from the middle ages, hoping that someone who had “Oddball” in the name would have an interesting story.They went their separate ways, and Jack stopped by the Great Hall to check if Merlin was already down there or if he had to go back up to the dorm to wake him. The evening feast had already started, and Merlin was there—sitting with the Harry Potter Fan Club. Jack passed him, trying to remain calm while fuming inside. It was as if he was competing for Merlin’s time with Hermione and the Boy Who Had a Scar. What was up with everyone’s obsession with Potter? Even Colin always tried to suck up to him and get his autograph, and would it really have been too much to sign the stupid picture? It would’ve taken Potter two seconds, and it would’ve made Colin happy. But no, he was too important for that. Colin made everyone happy. He deserved those two seconds.His anger deflated as quickly as it came when he remembered his question game with Merlin a couple of days earlier. Now, when he thought about it, it felt a lot like an interrogation. Merlin didn’t trust him. And why should he when Jack hid the most important detail about himself? Would Merlin still like him if he knew the truth?Further down the table, Ginny Weasley sat alone so Jack invited himself over. He'd bumped into her as she was leaving the Hospital Wing after visiting Colin. She cared. Jack now liked her even more.“Hi, Ginny.”She gave him a little wave and looked back at her food.He tried to start some small talk. “Last weekend you were wearing a Quidditch shirt. Is that your favorite team?”“Yeah,” she smiled briefly. “Holyhead Harpies. Gwenog Jones is my idol.”“Have you seen any real games? I mean, outside of Hogwarts.”Her smile grew. “My whole family went last year to the World Cup game. Gwenog was unbeatable. What’s your favorite team?”“I don’t have one yet. I’m thinking to try out for the Gryffindor team next year.” “Me too! What position?”“I have no idea. I’ve never played.” He ruffled his hair in frustration. What were his chances of making the team when he’d never played the game?“I’d like to be a Chaser,” Ginny offered and leaned forward. “I was just thinking that I could use a practice partner. Do you want to practice with me?”Jack grinned broadly. “Yes!”She extended her hand and he shook it. “Alright, partner. Next weekend, the game’s on!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Naps were the nicest invention in the history of mankind. Merlin stretched like a sunbathing cat and lingered in his bed for a while. The clock said that the evening feast was about to start. He had to hurry and eat fast to make it to detention on time. He considered using the ‘I’m sick’ excuse to get out of it but knew that it wouldn’t stick for long, and Snape would only get even more annoying, so he grudgingly got up.

He sat down in the Great Hall with Harry’s gang and filled them in on his thieving progress.

“Here’s the boomslang skin,” he handed it to Hermione who took it with glee. “There was no bicorn horn in the storeroom. Where else could he keep some?”

“There’s a locked room inside his classroom. I think there are ingredients in there,” she answered.

“Right. I’ll check there next.”

“So, tonight,” Hermione cleared her throat and stirred the food on her plate. “I’m available if you want some tutoring?”

“Sorry, Hermione. I’ve got another detention with Snape.”

“Oh, of course.” She dropped her fork, and it sunk into her mashed potatoes. “Whenever you’re ready, let me know.”

Harry and Ron sniggered at a joke they didn’t share. Merlin was hoping to drop the tutoring now that he was on better terms with the gang, but if Hermione was this excited to be a tutor, then he thought it better to extend.

Later that evening, Snape seemed pleased to see Merlin. Of course, he was informed of the “low blood sugar” incident, but Merlin expected an extra-awful job awaiting him.

”You did not show up yesterday. You appear to tend to your responsibilities only when it suits you.”

”I was unconscious, sir.”

”I didn't ask for excuses.”

Snape gestured at the classroom which was filthy after a full day of messy potion-making. ”I want everything spotless, all cauldrons, ladles, tables, and the floor.”

Merlin gaped at the classroom with foreboding. So, he was a house-elf for the night. Would he get his own pillowcase to dress in?

“And refrain from fainting here. We wouldn’t want you to hit your head and contaminate my classroom with your bodily fluids again. Where you might lack skills at everything else, you appear to excel at bleeding out.”

Merlin cleared his throat to stop himself from smiling. He’d made an impression, alright.

He got started, and Snape worked on grading essays—while standing, of course. The cauldrons reeked and soon Merlin recognized what mixture the last class had worked on: the Swelling Solution. His hands were now thrice their size. Snape should have provided him with protective gloves. Ah, but that was the punishment for missing detention.

Oh well, there was no need to suffer. Merlin whispered an incantation to ease the swelling and another one to protect his hands and forearms. He couldn't wait to see Snape's reaction later when his hands were okay. Whenever Greasy Git wasn't looking, and he rarely was, Merlin used magic to continue his scrubbing job while he lazily looked on. By the time Snape finished grading, Merlin was already mopping the floor with casual indifference, whistling an old folk tune.

Snape’s lip twitched. ”You finished all the cauldrons?”

”Yes, sir. They're sparkly clean.”

Snape's gaze lingered on Merlin’s hands which were not swollen. Then, he walked up to inspect neatly stacked cauldrons and asked in a monotone voice, ”What spell did you use?”

”There's a spell to clean cauldrons? I wish I had known that.”

Snape swept across the floor, grabbed Merlin’s wrist, making the mop drop to the ground, and pulled out his wand. Was he going to jinx him?

”

Revelio. Aparecium.”

Snape brought Merlin’s hand closer, trying to detect the protection charm that prevented the swelling. Thankfully, wand spells were too weak to uncover what was hidden by Old Religion, otherwise, he would have just unraveled Merlin’s aging spell and that would have been tricky to explain.

Snape's eyes bore into him and Merlin could feel the strength of the git’s legilimency press against his mind. He kept all of his doors closed and maintained a clueless expression while thinking about taking another nap.

”Is there anything else, sir?” he asked lightly while maintaining their eye contact to give the wizard the appearance of someone who wasn’t aware of the mind violation.

”Who taught you occlumency?”

”What's that, sir?”

It was plausible for a child his age to not know what the art of closing one's mind was called. This had to confuse the git even more.

”You expect me to believe that you can resist without training?”

”Resist what, sir?”

Snape scowled even deeper as his confidence faltered. Oh, how much Merlin would love to reverse the roles and show him a real mind invasion. How would Snape like to hear voices in his head?

“What are you smiling about?” Snape hissed between teeth.

Merlin cleared his throat and tried to compose his face. He was getting carried away. “I just remembered a good joke, sir.”

Snape raised one eyebrow, and he said, barely moving his lips, “Go ahead. Share it.”

Joke. Joke. He needed a joke.

“Alright. What subject is ironically missing from Hogwarts curriculum?” He paused for effect. “Spelling!”

Snape’s face did not even flinch.

“Because of spells and…” Merlin cleared his throat again. No surprise, Greasy Git had no sense of humour. “So, am I done for the day, sir?”

Snape looked around the classroom as if he was disgusted with how clean it was. Seeing nothing else that needed scrubbing, he sent him away.

~~~

The next morning, Merlin was in high spirits, knowing he had tricked Snape yet again, and as much as he didn’t want to waste another evening with the git, he was looking forward to irritating him some more. Maybe this time, he’d get an opportunity to break into the closed storage room? It was also time to write that letter to explain the curse. Hmm, and the second curse was also waiting to be activated. He had so many juicy plans for the Potions Master. Things were looking up.

It was with these high spirits that Merlin got an unexpected gift in the form of a truth slip-up from Jack. They were casually chatting while getting ready, and Jack commented on Merlin's chosen surname.

“Why is your name pronounced Ehl-dor and not Eel-dor?"

Merlin chuckled. “Excuse me, we all couldn’t have an easy name like Nix.”

“That’s why we chose it.”

“Wait, what?”

Jack froze, and Merlin could hardly believe his luck. He wasn’t even trying to cause the slip-up this time. The boy offered it on his own.

‘That’s right, kid. I caught you,’ he thought.

He did not suspect at all that the name was fake, but lies, like fake identities, were difficult to keep track of as the boy was about to find out.

“What?” Jack said while feigning confusion.

“You made up your name? What is your real name?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Is your name even Jack?”

“Yes, it is.”

“What is your last name?”

“You’re being silly. It’s Nix.” Jack gave him a sly smile and tried to leave the room.

Merlin blocked the doorway. “What is your name?”

“Let me out.”

“What is your name?”

Merlin was enjoying this. The boy was trapped literally and figuratively. He was not going to let him get away before explaining this.

“It’s Jack Nix. There is no other name.” He tried to pry Merlin's fingers off the door frame with no luck. “Let me out, Merlin. I don’t like this.”

“Not until you tell me the truth.”

“I’m telling you the truth.”

Merlin maintained eye contact. Even if he couldn’t break into the boy’s mind, he was good at judging if he was being lied to. He’d had to lie so much in his long life, he became an expert at it. Jack was not.

“I swear, Merlin. I have no other names.”

Merlin didn’t know what to think. It appeared that the boy wasn’t lying, but what he said and how he reacted to being confronted pointed to someone who was trying to hide something.

“Then, why are you trying to run away?”

Jack pressed his lips tight together and stared him down. The boy was stubborn. Well, Merlin was patient. Which trait would win? They continued their silent battle of the wills, and Merlin was sure of his victory. He would wait however long it took to get his answer. Time meant nothing to him, he kept telling himself.

Jack threw his hands in the air. “Fine!”

Patience. Patience always won.

Jack turned around and sat on his bed.

“What did you mean that you chose your name?” Merlin asked, coming closer.

Jack stared at the floor thoughtfully and swung his leg, kicking a rug under his bare foot. Merlin settled on the bed across from him and waited for the answer. The boy raised only his eyes and there was so much pain in them, Merlin felt a sudden need to comfort him. Then, his eyes opened wide in shock, and he silently pointed at something over Merlin’s shoulder.

Merlin quickly turned, feeling a sudden desire to protect the boy from whatever danger lurked in the shadows but saw nothing threatening there. He looked back only to see the back of Jack’s robes as he ran out of the room.

Merlin sat on the bed, momentarily stunned.

Cunning. Cunning won.

“The Great Merlin fell for the oldest trick in the book,” he said to the empty room.

It was those eyes. The boy’s icy blues disarmed him. He shook his head and gathered up his things. Jack may have gotten away this time, but Merlin was not done yet. He was going to keep digging until he found out the truth.

He noticed something on the floor and laughed out loud. Jack may have given him the slip, but he forgot something in the rush.

Merlin walked out of the dorm, heading towards his morning class, feeling oddly satisfied when imagining what McGonagall was going to do when she noticed that Jack came into her classroom barefoot.
 
》《
 
There was a clever prankster running around Hogwarts. Severus Snape was cursed with a chair-breaking jinx, and Irma Pince had to deal with an animated pot of stew. Both were impressive pieces of magic that none of the staff could undo. Albus tried to hide his reaction when he learned of them, but Minerva knew him too well, he found both amusing. Still, he felt bad for Severus and attempted to remove the curse plaguing him but to no avail. The magic was too formidable even for the great Albus Dumbledore.

So it was a great mystery as to who had created both jinxes. It had been days, they should have worn off by now, and yet they hadn't. Could one of the students really have done it? And so now, all teachers were on high alert, worried that they were going to fall victim to the next prank.

Minerva surveyed the first-year class in front of her. It couldn't have been any of them of course, they were too young. Besides, the worst misbehavior she’d seen from them was showing up in her class barefoot. Well, there was one student who kept committing that particular offense.

Her twins’ performance improved tremendously after she had given them proper attention. From then on, she was keeping a close eye on them to not let them fall behind again. The rest of the class was making progress as well. Maybe one more lesson, and she would move on to the next transfiguration.

When she thought about students who were falling behind, her eyes landed on the poor Ealdor boy. He wrote wonderful essays, Miss Granger did a splendid job tutoring him in the transfiguration theory, but he was still terrible at practical execution. Some people simply did not have the talent for it.

Remembering directions from her Headmaster, Minerva pulled young Merlin aside after the lesson.

“Mr. Ealdor, a word, please.” She felt very awkward in her request and now forgot how she wanted to phrase it. “I would like to be present during your next… gathering.”

“Gathering?”

She cleared her throat. “Gathering of the followers of the Old Religion, if that is not a problem.”

He scratched his head. “No, it’s not a problem but we didn’t schedule any gathering.”

“Oh. I was under the impression that you were a leader of sorts.”

“I wouldn’t call myself their leader, although, I do know more about it so they’re expecting me to teach. With everything that has happened, I put those plans aside for the time being. Colin Creevey was one of the children who wanted to learn.”

Minerva felt a lump in her throat at the mention of the boy. “Yes, I see how that would change your priorities. How many more students practice Old Religion in this school?”

He smiled weakly. “Not as many as I’d like to see. Jack and Elsa Nix for start, although their mother didn’t teach them much about it. Besides them, Colin and Luna Lovegood expressed interest in learning, and I will gladly have them as well. Other than that, I don’t know of any other practitioners in this school. It’s not like there’s a way to tell us apart from a distance.”

While he paused, thinking, Minerva tried to unpack the amount of information he threw at her. What was that detail about the twin’s mother?

“Maybe there is a way to reach out?” he continued. “But I need to be subtle. I’m not keeping Old Religion a secret, on the contrary, but history has taught me to be cautious. Being publicly branded Pagan usually has negative connotations.”

He paused to think, and Minerva felt moved by his words. Did she not already form a negative opinion of his faith simply because of its association with paganism?

“You’re right, we should have a gathering,” he finally said. “I have detention for the next few days so maybe sometime after that. I’ll let you know the time and place, Professor.”

“What have you done to deserve detention, Mr. Ealdor?”

“I got caught when I broke the curfew,” he said with a shrug. “It won’t happen again.”

“Let me remind you that the curfew is there for your protection, Mr. Ealdor. Indeed, it better not happen again. And I mean breaking the curfew, not just getting caught.”

“Of course.”

“Keep me posted. You may go.”

He left her with quite a lot to think about. It didn’t escape her notice that he didn’t act as arrogant today as she’d seen before. That observation coupled with what she knew about his poor health, and how it appeared that he had been persecuted for his beliefs in the past, softened her attitude towards him. There were a lot of sides to everyone’s character. She may have misjudged his.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

1990
Elsa felt her brother’s excited signal and ran towards it.They had been playing the Signal game, as they called it, for several winters already. Ever since they discovered that they could send each other a distress call over long distances, they’d been experimenting with it, trying to decipher how it worked.So far, they figured out that they could send a feeling that could go with the signal. It could be a feeling that would mean, “Emergency! Come here now!” or a mild “Come but you don’t have to rush,” as well as, “Send me a signal so I can find you.”They were disappointed that they couldn’t express more complex thoughts or have actual conversations that way but the mere fact that they could communicate wordlessly over long distances was an exciting miracle.They were careful to not let anyone know of their ability, suspecting that they might need it in order to escape, and made a pact that they would never give up the dream of seeing the outside world. In the meantime, they bid their time and made plans. Even if it took many winters, they would get out.Jack had been exploring the caves as he usually did in his spare time. As Elsa ran towards his signal she wondered if he found an exit. She didn’t dare to hope. Besides, his call would have felt more urgent if he had.Once she found him, he walked up to her, holding a torch and gesturing a finger to his lips.“Quietly,” he whispered and took her hand.There was an odd type of excitement in his eyes as he led her through the tunnel and she was growing very curious.She found herself in a large space. She’d never been in this section of the caves before and wondered what he brought her there for. It looked just like all caverns did. Dark. It sounded just like all caverns… No, she realized, it didn’t sound the same. There was the tiniest shuffling noise in the air, one she didn’t recognize. And the air smelled rather strange. She knew no other smell to compare it to.The further they went, the larger the space was. There was a sound of running water nearby and the floor was damp, making her slip. The earth icicles hung from the ceiling and nearly touched their counterparts on the floor like two hands reaching out to each other.Jack put his finger to his lips again and was barely holding in giggles. Was he about to play a prank on her? He did that from time to time and she really wasn’t in the mood for it.“Watch where you step,” he whispered and directed the torchlight towards the ground.The cave floor was splattered with something. It looked like slightly wet mounds of little pellets and she agreed with him. She didn’t want to step in it with her bare feet.“I think it’s poop,” he whispered and a giggle escaped his mouth. “They poop while they sleep.”She rolled her eyes. Her brother thought poop was the funniest thing in the world. She only hoped he would grow out of that silliness eventually.He was still holding her hand while leading her through the splatters on the ground and after they reached what appeared to be the center of the cavern he stopped and looked at her with wide eyes, ready to reveal the big surprise.“Wait,” she asked, remembering what he just said. “Did you say they?”He nodded eagerly, raised the torch above his head and looked up with a big grin.“They,” he whispered, pointing up with one finger.The torch illuminated the cavern’s ceiling, revealing that it was covered in something black that she didn’t recognize. She’d seen black rocks in one corridor that she found out later were coal but these rocks did not look the same. As the reflection of the torch’s flames danced on the ceiling, she thought she spotted a movement. Did her eyes deceive her? Maybe it was just shadows playing tricks on her, but no, there it was again. The ceiling was moving. Her heart stopped in her chest. It was alive.She forgot his plea to remain quiet and squealed loudly. “What is that?”To her horror, the ceiling woke up and the massive blackness collapsed on top of her.She screamed and tried to run away but felt Jack’s hands grabbed her wrists. He dropped the torch and held on to her tightly.“Shhhh. It’s okay.”How could it be okay? The blackness was all around her and it was constantly moving. She could feel it swooping down and up and around her head, touching her briefly, and it was making noises as well.“They just got frightened. That’s all. They won’t hurt you,” he said in a calm voice.She struggled against his hold but once she understood that he wasn’t going to let her go, she threw herself in his arms instead, clutching him close. How was he not scared? The living blackness was everywhere!She held on to him and he comforted her by rubbing her back.“You’re okay. They won’t hurt you.”She whimpered, still terrified, but after a while, the noises slowly calmed down and the blackness, while still swirling around her, was reduced in intensity and was settling down.Her heart was still wildly beating in her chest but she felt a bit more confident, encouraged by her brother’s calmness and so she took a look around. The torch’s light was dim but she could see enough to distinguish individual shapes within the blackness. They were moving fast and she had a hard time following them to have a good look at what they were.She started to understand that they were some kind of small creatures. They seemed to start calming down at the same pace as she was, and were flying up back to the ceiling. Only few were left moving through the air.Jack held out his hand and kept it in the air until one of the creatures grabbed onto his hand and hung upside down from it. She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a scream.“They’re harmless.”She took a step back from him and squinted in the darkness, trying to see what he was holding in his hand. Then, she remembered the torch on the ground and lifted it up, illuminating her brother.He brought the creature into his cupped hand very gently and smiled down at it.“Isn’t it cute?”She tried to examine it from a distance. It was small, black, had a hairy body and tiny skinny legs. Its little hand-shaped feet grabbed Jack’s pinky finger. She walked up half a step closer.“What’s that hanging from its arms?” she asked, wondering what the strange black leathery thing was. It looked as if this creature was wearing a cloak.“Skin. The arms are wings,” Jack explained. “That’s how they fly!”The little thing in his hand started licking his finger with a long pink tongue and he giggled.“It tickles.”Elsa marveled at it and understood why Jack wanted her to see this cavern. The creature’s tiny ears and black eyes looked absolutely adorable. It immediately became her favorite animal.“What is it?”“I don’t know. I call them Upside Down Poopers,” he chuckled.She scowled at him. “There has to be a better name than that.”“Sleepy Poopers?”Elsa groaned at her brother’s silliness and raised the torch to look at the creatures on the ceiling. She was amazed at how many of them there were. They were hanging upside down, which was funny but there was another interesting behavior she noticed among them.“Do you see how they wrap those arm wings around themselves? It’s like they’re giving themselves a hug.”She looked at him with a sudden idea and saw the same look reflected on his face.“Huggers,” they said in unison and broke into giggles.Merlin walked into the dorm and saw Jack laying belly-down on his bed, reading a book and laughing. He looked so normal, so innocent. He had never seen any malevolent behavior from the boy but couldn’t shake the feeling that Jack and his sister were hiding something serious.He had previously attributed their unexplainable abilities to the twins’ natural affinity for Old Religion magic, but something felt off about that assumption. Merlin couldn’t put a finger on it but he had a feeling that there was more to it. These twins were not like him or anyone else he had ever encounteredAnd there were also subtle clues. There were some fundamental strange things the boy had said. He seemed to not know some basic details of life within both the wizarding and the Muggle worlds. Who was he and where did he come from?Merlin suspected that there was a grim reason behind all this secrecy and feared that they may have been brought up by someone practicing Dark Magic. This would support the theory that they opened the Chamber of Secrets. Maybe they were innocent children who were being manipulated?He felt guilty for having all of those thoughts. By now, he genuinely liked the boy and considered him a friend. He didn’t want to suspect him of anything dangerous. At any other time, he would easily dismiss all of those concerns and accept the boy the way he was, but these weren’t peaceful times. The Chamber of Secrets had been opened. Children were being attacked. Colin witnessed something which made him scared of Jack and tried to warn Merlin but was silenced before he could say anything.Merlin couldn’t ignore what he knew and owed it to Colin to find out the truth. He had to put aside his friendship with Jack and treat him like a suspect.McGonagall’s question about an Old Religion gathering gave him an idea. He hadn’t made an effort yet to teach the children like he promised because of what happened to Colin but a gathering could provide him with an opportunity to observe the twins’ reaction when exposed to Old Religion magic and beliefs. If only these bloody detentions were over with already, he would hold that meeting immediately, but it had to wait.Jack laughed again and kicked his bare feet in the air.“What’s so funny?”Jack looked up from the book. “This guy wore jellyfish on his head!”Merlin checked the title.“Ah. Uric the Oddball. Oddball was a very generous nickname. He was completely mental, had a habit of keeping dead animals on his person.”Jack’s lip lifted in disgust. “Eww.” He turned to look out the window. “It’s getting dark, perfect time. Let’s go so we can make it before the evening feast.”“It’s too early for the evening feast.”Jack ignored the protest, jumped up from the bed and pulled Merlin’s cloak out of a hanger for him. “We’re going out.”He led him to the courtyard and jumped over the steps with excitement. It was late afternoon and the grounds began to darken. Merlin tightened the cloak around himself and wondered what they were doing there.“What is the big surprise?””I promised you, didn’t I?” Jack stopped in the middle of the courtyard and stretched out his hand. “It's a long shot. I don't know if there are any huggers here but I thought I'd give it a try.”Merlin heard him refer to this elusive animal before but still didn’t know what it was. ”Huggers?””Yeah.” He still kept his arm out. It must have been sore by now. ”I don't know exactly how it works, but if I wait patiently, one will come.”Merlin was thoroughly curious now but before he could wonder more, Jack giggled and fidgeted on the spot, seeing something in the darkness. And then, a dark shape flew right at them. Merlin stumbled back in instinctual response, tripped and landed on his butt while the creature attached itself to Jack’s hand.Merlin blinked and got up, not believing his eyes. ”It’s a bat!”Jack cradled the animal in his hands and cooed at it with awe.”It's the largest hugger I've ever seen!”As if everything about this boy wasn’t strange enough, now bats. The bat seemed to be very comfortable being held as if it was a pet. Then, it climbed up Jack’s robes and licked his ear. He giggled and leaned away from the tickle. He took it back into his hands and pet the animal’s brown fur. The bat raised its head to allow him to scratch the neck and opened its mouth slightly, giving it the appearance of grinning. Merlin thought it was cute and was about to attempt the same but then noticed its sharp teeth and decided to keep his distance.“Wow. So, you have a thing for bats, huh?”“Well, they’re amazing, aren’t they? Unlike any other birds.”Merlin scratched his head. “Well, they’re not birds. They’re mammals.”“Oh, even better.”Jack lifted his new friend up to Merlin to show it off. Merlin dared to bring his finger to it in a gesture of trust and a small pink tongue licked it. Animals were always attracted to his magic and trusted him easily, but even so, for a wild animal, it was very well behaved.He asked softly, “Why do you call them huggers?”Jack shrugged, not taking his eyes off his little pet. “We didn’t know what they were called so we came up with a name.” He babytalked to the little creature, “I think it fits you better, you little hugger. Who’d want to be a bat when you can be a hugger?”“Why did it come to you?”“I don’t know, Merlin. They always do. If it doesn’t make sense, it’s probably magic, right?”Merlin chuckled and shook his head. Nothing was ever this easy to explain. Even if it was magic, there was always a reason behind it. There was a way to make sense of everything if you had the right knowledge.He heard the sound of the wooden door closing and McGonagall approached them.“What are you two doing outside?” Her eyes bulged upon seeing the animal in Jack’s hands. “Jack, what is that? Is that a bat?”He raised it up to show her. “He’s adorable, isn’t he?”She flinched away, not sharing the boy’s sentiment. “You really shouldn’t touch that. Let it go.”Jack’s eyes cast down and his hands dropped and then he looked up at her pleadingly. His blue eyes sparkled with pure innocence.“Can I keep him?”McGonagall grimaced. “The rules are clear, Jack. The only pets allowed are owls, cats, rats, and toads. Besides, bats are really not meant to be pets.”Jack pouted and Merlin was surprised that McGonagall didn’t melt under that puppy-eye look.“He’s sort of like a rat, isn’t he?”She stressed each word. “No. Bats. Allowed.”Her lips were pressed in a thin line and a wrinkle stood prominent on her forehead. Jack was testing her patience.He scratched the bat on the belly and it comfortably lounged in his hands.“They’re so much nicer than owls. I’ve seen how those birds hunt. They rip their prey to shreds,” he said with disgust and shuddered. “But this little hugger,” he raised the bat up, “he just eats insects. Just gobbles them up with his little fingers.” He smiled at the animal lovingly and brought it back to his chest. “He wouldn’t bother anyone.”McGonagall sighed and her expression softened. “I’m sorry, Jack. You can’t bring the bat to your dormitory. You’re going to have to let it go.”Jack met her eyes and held the gaze for a moment, waiting for a break in her resolve but as there was none, he finally gave up. He stretched out his hand to let the bat go but it wrapped its wings around itself and curled up in his palm.“He doesn’t want to go.”The three of them stood there, watching the small creature groom itself, perfectly comfortable and happy in his hands.“You probably have to let go of the magic you used to call it,” Merlin offered.“How? I only stretch my hand out and they come. I don’t know how to undo it.”He sighed and gently put the bat on a stone bench. When the creature realized that it was no longer being held, it stretched its wings and flew up to perch on his shoulder.Jack chuckled softly and sighed again. Then, Merlin was sure of this, he deliberately put the sad puppy-look back on and slowly raised his eyes to McGonagall.“Please?”A range of expressions quickly passed over her hardened features as Jack blinked at her and Merlin bit his clenched fist from anticipation. It was working. McGonagall’s resolve was faltering. All that was missing was a big fat tear to slide down his cheek and no one would be able to resist.She shook her head, snapping herself out of his influence.“This is final, Jack. Get rid of the bat. Also, the evening feast is starting and the two of you need to come inside.” And she briskly walked away, to escape before he changed her mind.Jack exhaled, disappointed. If he only learned how to cry on demand, he would always get his way.Merlin snickered. “You almost had her.”The boy grinned lopsidedly. “I had to try. Sometimes it works.”Merlin shook his head in bewilderment. He had been on the receiving end of this look and knew just how much pull it had.“I’m sending you if I ever want anything.”Jack bit his lip and looked at the door McGonagall disappeared in.“So… would you mind if I brought him to the dorm? I’ll let him out before going to sleep so he can hunt, but just for a short while?”Merlin stared at the boy with an open mouth. He was going to do it despite McGonagall’s definite ban. Sly little kid.“Can you keep it under control?”Jack nodded repeatedly. His eyes were begging him, but it wasn’t the puppy look, it was an honest plea.Merlin finally gave in. “Fine, but if you’re caught, I will deny any knowledge of this.”“Of course!”Jack hid the bat under his robes, where the little creature immediately made itself comfortable, and they went inside to the Great Hall. Jack kept sneaking bits of food off the table and let the bat try it. After a few tastings, it appeared that sausages were its favorite. He was so sneaky in his endeavor, no one but Merlin noticed.On their way back to the dorm, Peeves flew up to them and Merlin was ready to hex him away when Jack stopped him, grinned at the spirit and showed him the bat. Peeves giggled quietly and floated next to them as they walked.“Wee one must plan a prank with Peevsie,” the spirit said in a sing-song voice. “Batties in the corridors? Batties in bathrooms? Batties everywhere?”“I will,” Jack answered. “But today, I have my personal mischief. We’ll work on something together later.”The spirit squealed with glee and made a flip in the air. “Wee one is feeling cheeky.”“Peeves, I call you by your name. Why don’t you use mine?”Peeves floated in front of them and seemed to be thinking very hard but then smiled in a much more human-way than Merlin had ever seen on any poltergeist.“Jack-Friend,” he said in a high-pitched voice and Jack smiled in approval.Peeves giggled and floated away.Merlin looked after it and his bewilderment must have shown because Jack started explanations.“Apparently, if you feel mischievous enough, Peeves can feel it and will find you. If you’re nice to him, he can be helpful.”“Are you sure about that? He could be telling on you right now.”“He wouldn’t do that. We’re friends.”“Friends?”This boy was in for a surprise if he treated the resident spirit of mayhem like a kid to play with. Poltergeists could turn vicious and make a person’s life a living hell. This particular one had been petitioned to be removed multiple times on account of the trouble he liked to cause and how he liked to torment selected people. The appeal was never approved though since it was pointless. In a place like Hogwarts, where this much magic was gathered under one roof, mischievous feelings were bound to create another poltergeist even if this one was banned from it.Jack wasn’t done defending Peeves. “Speaking of, don’t hex him. You really need to be nicer to spirits.”“But… he’s… he’s not a person, Jack.”Jack grit his teeth. “He might not be human but he’s a being with emotions and feelings just like you.”“What?” Merlin scratched his head. “Jack, do you know what a poltergeist is?”“Yes, I do!” Jack closed his fist and his voice rose. “He’s a being born from human emotions and he’s tied to this castle. He can feel what you’re feeling and can aid you or prank you - a decision he makes based on your attitude!”Merlin blinked, surprised at the outburst. “Well, you’re wrong on one account. He’s classified as an amortal non-being. You really shouldn’t think of him as a person. You can’t be friends with a spirit, Jack. He’s not even alive.”“Classified… You have no idea how wrong you are,” Jack said quietly. “Of all the things you know about, you don’t know much about spirits.”Merlin raised his hands in defeat. He didn’t want to argue with the boy anymore. “Fine, be friends with Peeves. Just don’t invite him to our dorm.”When they got back, Merlin worked on his homework and kept sneaking glances at Jack who was playing with his bat. The boy loved animals. He showed it before when he didn’t want to transfigure them or use them in potions. His concern about harming animals would indicate someone who had an innocent mindset but it didn’t remove Merlin’s suspicions about the boy.He reminded himself to not give in. He couldn’t afford to get emotionally attached to someone who might be guilty. Jack’s views were very black-and-white with no middle ground. It was a mindset of an extremist, and it would take an extremist to open the Chamber of Secrets.Merlin had a feeling that the little odd details he’d noticed about Jack were only a shallow surface of the very deep well of secrets the boy hid inside of. He had to be more aggressive at getting the truth out of him.There was a hidden compartment in Merlin’s trunk where he hid the bottle of stolen Veritaserum. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use it on his friends but if that was the only way, then he would not hesitate. If the boy wouldn’t reveal his secrets on his own, Merlin would have no choice but to do what needed to be done in order to protect the rest of the children.Friend or not, Jack was still a suspect.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin sat in the Great Hall alone, eating and pondering on his busy plans for the next few days when a great noise echoed somewhere in the castle. Everyone looked in the direction of the large open doors, wondering if they should check it out. Few of the staff got up to investigate. Several students curiously followed and Merlin decided to join.When everyone was climbing the Grand Staircase, Merlin saw Snape run out of his dungeon to join the noise investigation. The Potions Master shoved a student aside to get ahead of the group and Merlin got a brilliant idea. He had been waiting for an opportunity like this to present itself.Merlin hid among the mass of students and chanted the words which activated the curse he had previously placed on the Potions Master. All the mistreatment and unfairness, the bullying, the torture and all other atrocities the Greasy Git had committed against his students, they would finally get their justice.It worked instantly. As Snape climbed the stairs, his shoes fell off, he tripped and his knees hit the stone steps hard. Ouch. That probably hurt.He looked at what happened to his shoes and then down at the students below who watched the scene with a mix of amusement and fear. He searched for who might have just jinxed him, but thankfully, none of the students had their wands out.The other teachers looked around, bewildered, but then, got back to climbing the stairs, leaving the greasy-haired Potions Master to handle his predicament.Snape put his shoes back on but couldn’t even make one step before they fell off again. He caught himself this time with his hands and shook them as he got up. That probably hurt as well.He straightened up to his full height, towering over the students, trying to catch the one responsible. As he stood there in his black socks, which weren’t completely covered by his robes, Merlin had another idea. To complete the comical picture, he sent a tiny spell so a hole formed in one of the socks, fully exposing the git’s big toe. There you go. Now, he was shoeless and with holey socks.“Whoever dared to send a childish jinx my way, obviously does not realize the severity of the consequences they will suffer for raising their wand against their teacher!” Snape boomed.Whoah. Merlin had never heard the Greasy Git raise his voice before. He really got to him now. Oh, but Snape had no idea just how bad the situation was yet. He thought it was just a silly jinx.The students lost their interest in the noise and started to slowly back up. After they fled back to the Great Hall, they went into full-on whisper war.“Who do you think did it?”“Did you see who had their wand out?”“Oh, but did you see his sock?”“It was brilliant. I wish I had thought of it.”Merlin lingered by the entrance and used his mind’s eye to look around the corner at Snape without having to stick his head out into the hallway. And he saw that his curse was still working. Every time Snape put his shoes on and made even one step, they fell off. There was no one else left in the Grand Staircase, no one Snape could blame for his crisis.Satisfied that everything worked as planned, Merlin was about to sit back in his earlier spot but decided to take his sandwich to go. He was thankful for that unexpected diversion. Snape was now going to be busy for a few minutes which meant that his classroom was going to be empty. It was a perfect time for more thieving.He chewed happily while walking towards the dungeons, imagining the moment when Snape would realize the full extent of his newest curse. Any staircase, at any place, would not allow the Greasy Git to walk upon it with shoes on. From now on, if he wanted to climb any stairs, he would have to do it barefoot.Stealing the powdered bicorn horn from Snape’s stores was easy. Merlin covered up his tracks and got out of there unnoticed.When he arrived at Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, the trio was already there, leaning over the cauldron.“Did you three create that noise upstairs?”“No,” Harry replied. “Why?”Merlin pulled out the stolen sachet and Hermione’s eyes lit up. “Because it was a wonderful diversion. All teachers headed up there, including Snape, although, I don’t know if he made it. Anyway, it was a perfect opportunity so here you go.”Hermione took it with reverent care as usual.“How come you’re such a good thief?” Ron asked.“I’m an expert at sneaking around castles,” Merlin answered with a wink. “So, we’ll be done with the potion about halfway through December. Do we have a solid plan? Who’s turning into whom? We need something of theirs.”In the end, they decided that Harry and Ron would turn into Crabbe and Goyle, the oversized goonies Malfoy hung out with, Hermione planned on a girl named Pansy and Merlin settled for a boy named Blaise whom he didn’t know. They had a few weeks left which should provide plenty of time to snatch something of the students’. What they didn’t work out yet was the how, but that wouldn’t be an issue.Earlier that day in Herbology, Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were repotting bouncing bulbs. They were these strange purple bulbs which supposedly could grow to human size, but the ones they were working with were small, only fist-sized.Mrs. Sprout warned them that they didn’t like being handled and should be repotted quickly before they tried to attack the person holding them. Jack found that wasn’t the case. Maybe he happened to get very happy ones, or maybe they simply liked him because they cooperated and allowed him to situate them in their new, bigger, freshly-fertilized home.“Did you find your shoes yet?” he asked Luna who was humming happily.“I found one,” she answered lightly. “It’s a shame that my favorite one is still missing.”“If I catch whoever did it, they’ll be sorry for a year,” Elsa hissed and her bulb squirmed in her grasp. “If you don’t stay still, I’ll freeze you.”The bulb might not have understood her words, but it had to have understood the threat because it stopped squirming and started trembling.“I heard there’s a box in Mr. Filch’s office where found objects make their home,” Luna said while smiling at her bulb. “I tried asking him but he’s so upset about Mrs. Norris, he didn’t hear me.”Luna’s bulb was the calmest of them all. It even rubbed its leaves against her skin affectionately.“They really love you,” Jack commented and Luna startled as if he had come out of nowhere.“Oh, wrackspurts got me again. They are very talkative today.”Jack wondered what these mysterious creatures could be. Luna seemed to talk about them a lot.“So where did you find that one shoe?”“It found me. I was in the common room, trying to chase nargles out of a curtain, and my shoe fell out of it. I knew they would start coming back to me soon.”“They’re taking a while to come back to you though. I’ll check that box in Filch’s office for you. Just give me a description in case if there’s more than just your shoes in there.”“How are you going to ask Filch?” Elsa asked him with one brow raised.Yes, she was right. He couldn’t ask Filch since the Squib couldn’t see him, but there was no reason why he couldn’t just walk into his office and take a look around. Maybe he could ask for Peeves’ help. It was time to start the pranking he agreed to.“I’ll find a way,” he answered with a smirk and she dropped the issue.Luna placed her bulb in the pot and gently covered it with dirt. “My yellow shoe is missing her sister. And the purple with the butterfly is missing a brother.”Jack grinned broadly. “Are you saying, your shoes are twins?”She nodded. “Of course. All shoes have twins.”Jack turned to Elsa and waggled his eyebrows. “We’re a pair of cool shoes. Get it? Cool shoes?”She groaned and shook her head. “Jack, you and your puns really need to take a break.”“Who needs broken puns, Elsa?” he asked in a very serious tone.“Jack, I’m warning you,” she narrowed her eyes to slits and pointed her trowel at him.“Well, we are cool so I’m right about that so… I’m right and you’re left. Get it? You’re the left shoe.”He had to duck out of the way as she threw her trowel at him so hard, it embedded itself in the wooden post behind him.“Woah, chill out, sis.” He put his hands up as she grabbed a large pot, ready to throw it.“What are you three up to?” Professor Sprout asked, suddenly, right next to Elsa and she reluctantly put the pot down.“Nothing, Professor,” Jack answered and winked at his sister. “Elsa is having a tiny meltdown.”She looked like she was going to impale him with a pair of rusty rakes. He loved making these silly puns for her. The more silly, the faster she lost her cool.Professor Sprout inspected their bouncing bulbs and seeing that all were planted, finally left them to their quarrel. Jack was thinking what other ridiculous puns he could throw at his sister when Luna spoke up in her usual airy voice.“If the two of you were my shoes, I would always be tripping.”Jack exchanged a look with Elsa and they both roared with laughter. Luna was the best summarizer.After the fun time in the greenhouse, Jack was in a good mood. He skipped to the castle with Luna, and Elsa made some grumpy comments behind him about acting his age. He split off from them when they decided to visit the lavatory together for some reason. Why did girls do that?He wanted to help Luna find her shoes so he walked over to the Caretaker’s office. At first, he thought to pull out his wand and try the Alohomora spell, but then came up with a better idea and knocked on the door three times.Argus Filch was a tall, hunched-over man whose overgrown wispy grey hair fell on the shoulders of his grey vest worn over a grey shirt. Jack felt depressed just looking at him and had to shake off those grey thoughts. He walked in through the open door.Filch checked the hallway for who might have knocked, but seeing no one, went back in and locked the door after himself.“Those good-for-nothin’ wand-wavin’ brats,” he grumbled and shuffled over to his chair.Jack looked curiously around the office. It was exciting just to be there, knowing that he wasn’t seen and could do whatever he wanted. He didn’t want to be mean to the grey man who he mostly felt sorry for but some fun could be had.The small office suffered from stale air and had no windows to relieve it. The only light inside was from a large oil lamp standing on the desk. Shackles hung from the wall, setting ominous shadows and Jack wondered what they could be needed for. There were shelves against the wall with various objects on them, probably things the sad man confiscated from kids who were just trying to have some fun.Jack found a few stink pellets and three firework rockets which he stuffed in his pants pockets and covered with his robe. As he’d always observed with Muggles, Filch did not hear or see anything, even as the objects were disappearing from the shelves. Magic was so easy to dismiss for those who didn’t have any.The shelves on the other side of the room held more mysterious objects but since he wasn’t sure what they were, he left them alone. Then, he found a dusty deck of Chocolate Frog cards tied with a shoestring. He wasn’t one of the kids who collected them but he could bet that Colin would love them so he pocketed those too.He looked back at Filch and wondered why anyone would confiscate collectible cards. Stink pellets or fireworks, he could understand the reason behind it but why cards? The only reason that came to his mind was just to be mean.This man liked to take away the things kids liked. It had nothing to do with keeping order in the school and all to do with what a nasty person he was.Jack no longer felt sorry for him. Anyone who acted this way deserved a proper pranking.He walked up behind Filch, who was reading a newspaper and blew a cold breath in his ear.Filch looked behind him, but seeing no one there, got back to his newspaper.Jack leaned over to his other ear and blew again.Filch snapped his head so fast, his neck cracked.“Who’s here?” he asked the empty room with wide eyes.Ah, he was used to ghosts. Could he see them? Jack didn’t know but decided to play further on that idea.He walked up to the door and traced large letters in frost, “GET OUT,” and knocked on the door three times.Filch looked up from his newspaper again and paled, seeing the message on the door.“Wha… wha… what? But it’s my office.”Jack knocked on the door three times again.“I have no quarrel with school ghosts.”Jack knocked on the door once and paused.Filch breathed heavily and fast.Jack knocked again.Filch gnawed on his lip while his chin quivered.Jack knocked again.Filch whimpered and was too scared to move.Instead of knocking again, Jack put his hand on the door and let frost spread up - Filch watched it move - scale the ceiling - Filch’s eyes were bulging - down a wall - Filch held his breath - down to the floor - Filch turned and his chair squeaked in protest - and then the frost slowly crept in his direction.Filch was just about to run out of the chair when the frost stopped. As he held his breath, waiting for what was to come, Jack approached him and after a dramatic pause, he blew his cold breath on the man’s face.Filch screamed.Amused by the reaction, Jack didn’t get out of the way in time, so when Filch jumped out of his chair, he ran right through him.The sensation of someone walking through was the worst feeling in the world. It was as if his insides were being pulled out of his body and dragged along. Jack fell over and felt like retching.Filch stumbled, also badly affected by the contact with a spirit and scrambled on all fours to the door. He fiddled with the handle and the lock until he finally opened it and ran out of there, screaming.Jack hadn’t experienced this sensation in months and forgot how much he hated it. Being walked through was not only physically rough, but it also left him disturbed, feeling like he was less of a person than they were.It was unfair, really, and he never fully understood how it worked. He was made of flesh and blood. Why did he turn into magic just for the Muggles? He should look this up. Maybe Hogwarts library had some information on spirits. Oh, no… He was becoming Elsa.Jack shook off the unpleasant feeling and got up to close the door so no one would peer inside and catch him.“HI!”Jack jumped as Peeves appeared out of nowhere right next to him.“Peevsie was watching,” the poltergeist giggled.“Don’t scare me like that.” He clutched his heart which was beating wildly. Then, he smirked. “Did you like the little show I gave him?”In response, Peeves made a few flips in the air. “Love, love, love!!!”Jack chuckled and tried to remember what he was doing there. Ah, the shoes.He looked around the office until he found a large wooden crate which had a sign on it: “Lost and Found.”He started digging through strange objects like a sweater that could fit a toad, several gloves made of various materials, a small mysterious box which emitted some magic, an umbrella, and found only one shoe, a purple one. Jack grinned when he recognized that it was the same one McGonagall fished out of the snow when she summoned his shoes. He put it in his robe pocket - his robes were bulging by now - and decided that it was time to go.He walked up to the door and froze with his hand on the handle when he heard Filch’s voice.“New ghost! Wrote a message. Evil spirit, I tell ya!”“Everything will be alright, Argus.”That was the voice of McGonagall. Trouble. Major trouble was coming this way.Jack turned to Peeves. “Peeves, what now? How do I get out?”Peeves grinned broadly and floated over. To Jack’s surprise, he wrapped his arms around him in a hug. Instinctively, Jack hugged him back and felt a sudden pulling sensation. Before he could wonder what it was, he was in a completely different place.Jack blinked, still holding on to Peeves and looked around him. They were out in a hallway, somewhere else in the castle, probably, one of the top floors.He slowly let go of the poltergeist who was still grinning. “That is the best trick ever, Peeves!”Peeves giggled in his high pitch voice and let go of him. “Peeves knows lots of tricks. I’m the best trickster.”“Yes, you are!”“But now, Peeves needs a Thank you.”“Thank you! Of course, Thank you!”“Nuh-uh,” Peeves waved his finger. “We must mischief together. Now.”“We could use one of these.” Jack pulled a firework out of his pocket.Peeves clapped his hands and Jack started plotting. He wanted to make a nice surprise, something noisy, that would get someone’s attention.“I need some kind of container. Metal would be best.”Peeves disappeared and reappeared holding a large metal coffer.“Perfect!!!!”They positioned the coffer close to the staircase so that it could be heard on lower levels. Jack loaded the firework inside it and found that there was a delayed start on it.“After I set it off, you’re going to have to use your trick again to transport me out of here to Gryffindor Tower.”“No,” Peeves shook his head in protest. “Pranksters must watch the prank.”“But Peeves, I don’t want to get caught. You’ll get me in trouble.”“Another trick. Never trouble.”Jack considered his options. Could he really trust that Peeves would not let him get caught? He saved him before, would he do it again?“Spirit friends,” Peeves flew over and nodded eagerly. “Spirit friends.”Jack took a few breaths. “If you get me in trouble, we’re not friends anymore.”Maybe it was naive to trust a mischievous spirit, but Jack did. He believed that Peeves was lonely and craved company enough to make an effort. From what everyone ever said about the poltergeist, Jack already guessed that no one saw him as an actual being, but only as a castle nuisance. That was what made him grumpy, that was what made him get students in trouble because they didn’t understand him, they didn’t give him a chance, they didn’t see him as someone who was worthy of trust and friendship. He was just a spirit to them, an amortal non-being as Merlin called him.‘What would you feel if someone called you a non-being?’ Jack thought bitterly at his mortal being friend. ‘Would you consider me a being if you knew what I am?’Jack looked at Peeves, who had his hands together in a pleading gesture, and felt that he had a lot in common with him. He believed that Peeves was a lot more than what they thought of him. He was a being.“I trust you,” Jack whispered and Peeves genuinely smiled.Jack pulled out his wand, set off the firework and closed the coffer.“So what’s your other trick? We need it.”Peeves floated behind him and sat on his back like for a piggy ride. And then, Jack felt some kind of magic take hold of him. He didn’t have to ask Peeves what it was because he immediately saw - he was completely invisible. He moved a few steps away from the coffer, knowing the firework was about to detonate.It was a strange feeling to walk when he couldn’t see himself, to feel Peeves on his back but not see him. He tried to focus to use that different part of his vision and exhaled in relief when he finally saw a faint outline of his body’s white glow and Peeves’ reddish one. He was still learning how to use this new ability but noticed that the more he used it, the easier it became.A bang sounded in the coffer as the first firework exploded. It banged around noisily and had to be heard several floors down. Another bang sounded even louder than the first and echoed through the corridor. Then, it was quiet.Jack knitted his brows in worry. Was that it? He was expecting more. He heard some commotion from lower levels - someone heard the noise and was climbing the stairs. Peeves also looked unhappy. They were hoping for more noise.He could already hear footsteps approaching and lamented what a failed prank it was when a faint wheezing sound met his ears. Something was happening in the coffer. His hope flared up again.The wheezing started getting louder just as the teachers arrived. Jack tried to breathe as quietly as he could as he watched McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and Filch emerge and approach the coffer. Peeves tightened his legs around him, also anticipating what would happen.“What do you think is inside?” Sprout asked.“Let’s find out,” Flitwick said and pulled out his wand.He waved it and the lid flew open, releasing a hissing firework which flew over their heads and out into the corridor, came back and exploded with a big bang just a few feet away from them, showering them with magnificent sparks.When the smoke cleared, four stupefied soot-covered adults stood in front of the coffer. McGonagall waved her hand in front of her face to chase away the smoke. The top of Filch’s head was smoking and Sprout put it out by conjuring water and throwing it at his face. Flitwick tried to shake the soot off his robes and looked up at the other adults apologetically. Whatever he expected to find inside, it wasn’t that.Jack stifled a snort while on his back Peeves was shaking from suppressed giggles. McGonagall’s eagle-like stare scanned the hallway, looking for traces of evidence as to who might have done it. Jack stood as still as he could and wished that Peeves would calm down.“More. More!” Peeves whispered in his ear and jumped on his back.So the hunger for mischief wasn’t satisfied yet. Whether affected by the spirit or from his own volition, Jack was inspired with another idea. He quietly pulled out another firework from his pocket and walked up to the closest suit of armor. He lifted up the helmet visor and threw the rocket inside.McGonagall heard the clanging inside the iron suit as the rocket fell in and looked in its direction. Jack activated the firework with his wand and quietly walked backwards.Seconds ticked by and McGonagall made a few steps forward. Just when she was a foot away, the firework exploded, making the suit jump. Startled, she shrieked and reflexively threw a stun at the suit, which fell apart, releasing the firework. She stumbled and fell on her behind to avoid getting hit by it and it zoomed at the other teachers. This time, Flitwick reacted in time and shot some spell at it which made it explode in a flash of colorful sparks.Jack covered his mouth to stifle his giggles but some must have escaped because McGonagall’s head snapped to look right at where he was standing.Jack pat Peeves’ leg to signal that they had to go and the spirit understood.Within a blink of an eye, they were in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and she screeched upon seeing them.“You scared me,” she exclaimed while holding a hand to her bosom.“Sorry,” Jack tried to look innocent but then exploded with laughter. “She fell on her butt!!! The look on her face!”Peeves guffawed while floating upside down next to him.Jack started to calm down and was semi-composed but then Peeves did a reenactment of the suit of armor versus McGonagall, complete with firework sound effects and Jack lost it again.The Fat Lady looked on with an obvious distaste but waited until he got over his fit. He took a long breath and decided that he couldn’t bear to laugh anymore. “Wattlebird.”Fat Lady pointed a finger at Peeves. “You are not allowed in. You know the rules.”Peeves stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at her.Jack waved at him. “I’ll see you later, Peeves. It was fun, friend.”Peeves made a flip in the air, lowered his jingly hat with a theatrical bow and disappeared.Fat Lady opened the portrait hole to let Jack in and he ran to his dorm to hide his new contraband in his trunk. He had a small supply of pranking goods to get him started. Once he runs out, he could always check the other items in Filch’s office. Maybe Peeves would know what they were and how to use them.He couldn’t wait to have more fun with his spirit friend.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Three days had passed since Merlin tried to heal Colin. He wanted to try again the day before but couldn’t find the time between a full day of classes, detention and an early curfew. He barely found the time for a quick trip to the Forbidden Forest to gather up some herbs he needed.So he trudged on now, holding a copy of his strongest spell in his hand, freshly enchanted poultice in his pocket and hope in his heart. Maybe he didn’t try hard enough before. He could do better this time. After all, wasn’t he THE Merlin, the Greatest Sorcerer to Ever Live?Madam Pomfrey eyed his poultice skeptically and demanded to know everything that was in it. He knew that attitude well. Modern Healers considered the use of such methods outdated, thinking that their potions were the only “real” medicine. They were fools. Just because a method was old, it didn’t mean that it worked any less.They stood on opposite sides of Colin’s bed and looked down at him. She did a splendid job taking care of the boy and keeping his body nourished, but he needed more than just care. He needed magic. That was something Merlin could offer.“This one is designed to cleanse the body and soul of Dark Magic,” Merlin explained as he got ready and placed the poultice on the boy’s chest. “I should have started with this. I just didn’t realize the severity of the magic that petrified him.”He put one hand over the boy's forehead and the other over the poultice.”Where's your wand?” She finally noticed.He smirked at her. ”In my pocket, where it belongs.”She was going to protest but closed her mouth and shook her head. As much as she didn’t like the idea of unknown spells, she was curious. She wanted to see what this different branch of healing magic could do. For Colin’s sake, he hoped he could impress her.He took a last glance at the page and tried to memorize the long incantation. He lowered his head so she wouldn’t become startled at the flash of magic in his eyes and started chanting. He could feel as well as see it as magic was released from the poultice and encased the boy’s body in swirling white vapour.Madam Pomfrey gasped and Merlin hoped she wouldn’t dare interfere when he was in the middle of an incantation. He repeated it several times and could feel the magic swell within him and pour into the boy. It was the strongest cleansing spell he knew. It had to work.After all the vapour was released, Merlin finally stopped and checked on the boy. Colin looked strong and healthy but he was still very much petrified. The spell worked, he was sure of it. He could feel its power. He did not hold anything back so why was the boy still frozen?What was the point of all his magic if he couldn’t help this little boy? Anger at his helplessness awoke the power he always tried to hold back and the glass panes of the windows rattled in warning.He reminded himself to get a grip. He took a step back to calm down before he caused any damage. He walked up to a large window and braced his hands on the ledge. He couldn’t remember the last time when he struggled at healing someone.There was only one explanation for why the spell didn’t work. Colin was petrified by a creature of Dark Magic and only special Dark Magic could undo its work.“We need those mandrakes,” he admitted, hanging his head.There was no use in his spells. He couldn’t do anything on his own. There were no magical shortcuts to take.Madam Pomfrey approached him and put a hand on his arm.‘You said there were more spells you wanted to try.”“No, Madam Pomfrey. If a spell this strong didn’t do anything, nothing else I have will. I tried healing spells already - he’s not injured so they won’t work. A dark, ancient creature did this.”Maybe even more ancient than him. He shuddered at the thought of going up against something as mighty as the Great Dragons. If only those mandrakes grew a little faster.He left the Hospital Wing with broken spirits, trying hard to not let hopelessness grab ahold of him. The only way to not fall into despair was action. He had to keep himself busy. Right now, he needed a clue as to what type of creature it was.He noticed Harry in the hallway and remembered what he saw in the puddle with hydromancy. Harry and his friends were the first at the scene where Mrs. Norris was petrified. They ran. How did they know that something had happened there? He needed his answers. He’d waited long enough.“Hi Harry,” he walked up to the boy. “I was just visiting Colin. Poor kid, it’s so sad to see him frozen like that.”“Yeah, it’s awful,” Harry sympathized.Merlin fiddled with the ends of his scarf and reminded himself that he had to put morality aside. He put this off for too long.“Harry, I was wondering…”He came to a stop and Harry faced him. He tried to look as innocent as he could.“About?”“Well, you, Ron and Hermione arrived first when Mrs. Norris was petrified. How did you know that something had happened there?”He put a mask of worry on his face when looking Harry in the eye.“I…” Harry dropped his gaze and shuffled his feet. “It was a coincidence that we got there first.”He was lying. Merlin was sure of it. He felt awful for doing it but the boy gave him no choice. Merlin put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in place.“I believe you,” he lied as well and entered Harry’s mind.As suspected, Harry was recalling the day of the attack. He was remembering a voice which only he heard and his friends didn’t.
“... kill… time to kill…”
The voice seemed to be moving upwards so he ran after it. He followed it until he reached the corridor where the horrible scene took place.“Merlin, are you okay?”Merlin snapped out of the boy’s mind and hoped his breach wasn’t felt. Usually, when he didn’t probe but simply watched what the person was thinking of, the invasion went unnoticed, but one could never be sure.If he really wanted, he could probe deep into Harry’s mind and extract his deepest secrets but the boy would’ve felt it. Looking at Harry now, it seemed that the intrusion went undetected. He wanted to keep it that way.“Yeah, I’m just worried. We need to find who’s doing it.”“We will.” Harry’s eyes were intense. “And we’re starting with Malfoy.”After Harry went on his way, Merlin sat down at the bottom of the stairs and tried to understand what he saw in Harry’s memories. He heard a voice. Did someone send him that voice or did he hear it by accident? Did he hear voices all the time?He had many more questions now but couldn’t ask them without revealing how he knew about the voice at all.He hated himself for invading the boy’s mind. If Harry found out, he would never forgive him. He needed his trust if he was to stand by him for years to come. He spent so much time and effort to gain it and was almost there, just had to break through that last barrier. Then, maybe Harry would volunteer to tell him.Someone sat next to him and he was surprised to find that it was Luna Lovegood.“Think happy thoughts,” she said with a vacant stare.“What?” Honestly, this girl sometimes spoke nonsense.“To chase the wrackspurts away. They’ve been awfully active recently.”Merlin sighed. As he thought, nonsense.“I think about flowers,” she continued. “Flowers always make me happy. What makes you happy?”Merlin dropped his gaze, feeling a mixture of frustration and shame at his inability to solve the puzzle of what was happening around him. If only happiness was as easy as thinking about flowers.“People,” he admitted. “People make me happy.”“Friends!” she said dreamily and stared off into the distance.“Yes, friends. But how do we make friends, Luna?”Such a simple task. He’d had countless friends over the centuries. What was he missing this time?“By letting them get to know us.” She smiled at his bewildered expression and got up. “I hope there’s pudding tonight.”Merlin watched her happily skip away and wondered at the unexpected wisdom of the girl’s words. He was never himself with Harry. He was always pretending and the boy instinctively sensed it.How did he expect of someone to reveal his secrets if he didn’t reveal any of his own? So maybe that was the solution. The remaining question was which one of Merlin’s many secrets the boy could handle.Another weekend came and Jack woke up feeling good. He normally woke up feeling clammy from bad dreams but something about today was different. The mystery of it baffled him until he noticed the window. He ran up to it and threw it open. It was snowing.It wasn’t officially winter yet and he hoped the centaurs wouldn’t blame him for this since he had nothing to do with this snow.He held out his hand to allow a few snowflakes to fall on it. It didn’t melt on contact with his skin and he looked at it with glee. The fresh crisp air felt invigorating in his lungs. He wanted more. Acting on impulse, he pulled the snow into the room and it came in swirling with a gust of wind.“Why’d you open the window?” Merlin complained from his bed and waved his hand which closed it.It was annoying sometimes how he could do that so easily.“Sorry,” Jack said quickly but didn’t really mean it. It was too warm in the room and he’d love to keep the window open the whole day and night to remedy that.At least, it was snowing today so he already knew what his weekend plans were going to be.Down in the common room, a group of students was gathered in front of the notice board and so they made their way there to check it out.“Dueling Club tomorrow,” Jack read with confusion. “Dueling as in… fighting?”“Combat spells,” Merlin explained. “Offensive and defensive.”“Oh,” this actually sounded interesting. “Are you going?”Merlin looked around at the excited students and shrugged.“I think I’ll check it out,” Jack answered while wondering why his friend didn’t seem enthusiastic about a potentially fun activity.The day was looking up. He dragged Merlin outside to play, though his friend didn’t last very long in the cold. He caught up with all of his homework and knew that he had the rest of the weekend free for fun.Come Sunday, he practiced with Ginny at the Quidditch pitch. He played the role of the Keeper while Ginny was a Chaser. He would have loved the game without it, but the snow just made it so much more fun. Ginny shot a few goals past him whenever he’d get distracted by the flurries but he suspected that if he really focused, he wouldn’t have let any Quaffles in.They had fun but this playtime also had to be cut short when Ginny got too cold. It was a shame. He loved flying in the snow.Sunday evening finally came and the students filed into the Great Hall, excited about the Dueling Club.Instead of the usual House tables, the hall was empty, creating one very large space and a golden stage was set up in the middle.“Who do you think will lead it?” Jack asked as they made their way to it.“My guess is on Flitwick,” Merlin answered. “He’s the best duelist among the staff.”Jack looked up at the ceiling which reflected the weather outside and wished that the snowflakes would reach them instead of being simply an illusion. They would’ve made this activity more fun as well, just as everything else.Probably half of the school came to check out the Dueling Club. He noticed Elsa on the other side of the hall and waved to her. She smiled but looked a little nervous. He was sure she would do well.“Gather round. Gather round,” a familiar voice said and several students nearby groaned while a few girls squealed in delight.“Professor Lockhart?” Jack asked Merlin who was one of those who complained.“The worst possible teacher for this club,” Merlin grumbled.The blonde wizard who just climbed the golden stage basked in the attention from everyone and announced how Professor Snape would be his assistant. There was something comical in calling the grave Potions Master his helper and the latter did not look happy at the title.Snape approached the stage, sat on it and lifted himself up in an awkward fashion.“Why didn’t he use the stairs?” Jack asked and Merlin snorted out a chuckle next to him.The two teachers demonstrated how to get in dueling position, bowed to each other and the hall went quiet as everyone waited to see who would throw the first spell.“I wouldn’t want to be Lockhart now,” Jack whispered. “Snape is in a really bad mood.”“Expelliarmus,” Snape said loud and clear and a jet of scarlet energy shot out of his wand and into Lockhart who was blasted off his feet.That looked fun, maybe a little painful, but definitely fun. Lockhart looked disheveled when he got up but tried to dazzle everyone with a smile anyway. Jack couldn’t wait to duel like that.“What was that spell?”“Disarming spell,” Merlin answered.“It seemed to do more than just disarm.”“He might have overpowered it a bit. My guess is that it wasn’t by accident.”The two professors started to pair up kids to start their own duels and Jack wanted to partner up with Merlin, but when Snape got to them, he paired them with two first-year Slytherin boys.Merlin was up against a small-eyed skinny kid and smiled mischievously as if he was glad that that was who he got instead. Jack’s opponent was a dark-haired boy with a square jaw and a flat nose.“You got the freak, Harper,” Merlin’s partner said.“Don’t worry, Graham, there won't be much left of him when I'm done.”Jack wasn't scared of the threat but suddenly recognized that he had a problem.”Merlin, I don't know any spells like that.””Use Protego,” Merlin demonstrated a simple wand movement. ”Imagine a shield in front of you.”Jack tried to visualize the spell and convince himself that he could do it even though he’d never even practiced it.The skinny kid, Graham, looked pretty confident but judging from the smirk on Merlin’s face, it wasn't wise to underestimate him.Jack measured the boy he was up against, Harper, who cracked his knuckles menacingly. He was larger than him and looked like a typical bully. Maybe he was used to getting his way with his size and wasn't very good at magic. One could hope. Jack wet his lips and adjusted the grip on his wand. It was time to see if he could do it.The teachers gave the signal and the duels started.Harper attacked immediately and Jack didn't even hear the spell over the noise of the crowd. He yelled ”Protego” too late and got hit by a jinx which turned his legs to jelly. He fell to the floor while his opponent laughed. After a few seconds, the jelly feeling wore off and he got to his feet. He had to be faster.Merlin’s opponent was sprawled on the floor while he looked at Harry Potter’s duel with Draco Malfoy.Jack felt heat rise to his face. He couldn't believe that Merlin was still obsessed with Potter even at a time like this. He should be focusing on his own fight, or at least help his friends if possible.Jack looked back at his opponent just as he yelled another jinx. Fueled by the sudden anger at Merlin, Jack reacted instinctively and waved his wand without thinking of any spell. A white wave of energy shot out of it, collided with the green jet of light generated by the jinx and slammed into Harper, knocking him on his back.Jack gasped in horror. He didn't mean to hurt the boy. Harper shakily got to his feet and Jack thanked the Moon he was okay.”Sorry, I didn't mean…”He didn't finish as the boy yelled, “Expelliarmus.”Jack's hand reacted on its own, sending another white wave out before he even had time to think. Now, both of them got hit at the same time. Harper fell on his back again while Jack felt his hand tingle as the disarming spell reached him. The feeling of the wand leaving his grip prompted him to hold on tighter and he was glad to find that he didn't drop it.Harper groaned and shivered on the ground and Jack felt a smile form on his face as the realization hit him that he won the duel.The teachers broke up remaining fights, some were physical, and helped counteract jinxes and curses which were still in effect.”You okay, Jack?” Merlin asked.His opponent was on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. Professor Snape stopped by and counteracted the laughing jinx and moved on to Harper who needed a warming spell.Both Slytherins got up and Jack couldn't stop the outburst of laughter when he noticed that Graham had a wet patch on his pants. Apparently, Merlin’s jinx made him laugh until he peed himself.The boy looked bewildered at the reaction and finally noticed why people were looking at him and pointing. His face became red as a tomato and he ran out of the hall.Snape scowled at Merlin and Jack remembered how his friend had just finished his detentions. It wasn’t his fault that the boy didn’t go to the bathroom before coming here.Merlin explained with an innocent shrug, “It was just a tickling charm.”After a small stare war, Snape finally moved on and Jack turned to his friend.“You might have overpowered it a bit.”“By accident.”“Of course.”Jack focused back on his opponent who startled and ran after his friend.“What spell did you use on him that he’s scared of you?” Merlin asked.“I have no idea.”“What do you mean?”Their conversation was stopped short as a commotion started on the golden stage. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy’s duel had apparently been turned into a spectacle for everyone.Jack rolled his eyes as Merlin predictably came up closer to observe. Of course, the fight between the legendary Boy Who Had a Scar and the resident Snobby Bully was going to get the most attention. He grudgingly followed his friend to see what the fuss was about.Professor Lockhart pat Potter’s shoulder and counted out, “Three - two - one - GO!”Malfoy yelled, “Serpensortia!” and a large snake shot out of his wand.The students gasped, some screamed and everyone took a step back from the stage. Was that what the Slytherins were learning in their House - how to conjure snakes? This didn’t seem like a duel anymore but rather an occasion to show off.Potter stood still, not prepared for that move so Lockhart stepped in and tried to destroy the snake, but only succeeded at making it angry.In retaliation, the angry serpent got ready to attack one Hufflepuff boy and Potter approached it like a fool. Then, he started hissing and sputtering at it, and strangely, the snake listened.“What’s he doing?” Jack asked Merlin who looked at the scene with a look of shock.Snape vanished the snake and everyone stared at the Scarred Wonder Boy with open mouths.“What do you think you’re playing at?” the Hufflepuff boy yelled at Potter and ran away.The hall started to murmur with whispers.“He’s a Parselmouth.”“I knew it! He’s the Heir.”“Is Justin next?”“He just marked him.”Potter was pulled from the stage by his friends who dragged him out of the hall. Merlin struggled through the crowd to get to them and Jack tried to follow.“What’s going on, Merlin?” He had no idea why the mood in the Hall suddenly changed and why everyone appeared to be scared of Potter.“Stay here,” Merlin ordered and ran up to his other friends.Jack stayed behind in the crowd and swallowed a lump in his throat. It was so easy for Merlin to just dismiss him. Harry Potter was always more important.When Potter and Friends left, the whispers turned into loud conversations. Everyone was now talking about it and it drove him mad. He would love it if everyone would just stop saying his name.“Did you know?” Elsa snapped him out of his frustrated thoughts.“About?”“That Harry Potter is a Parselmouth?”“I still don’t really know what that means.”“He can speak the language of snakes and order them around.”Jack ruffled his hair, marveling at what a useless ability that was. “Why snakes? That’s so weird. Anyway, why is everyone making such a huge deal out of it?”“Because Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth,” she answered in a serious tone. “It’s a hereditary ability which suggests that Potter might be his descendant.”Jack groaned. Like the boy wasn’t famous already, now he was related to one of the school’s Founders? This was getting worse and worse.“You know what that means, right?” Elsa asked him.“That he’s got another reason to be famous for?”“That he could be the Heir of Slytherin - the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets.”Jack’s breath caught and he hissed. “He’s the one who petrified Colin?”“It’s possible, but of course, it’s also possible that it’s a coincidence.”It felt as if an icy blast spread from his abdomen and through his whole body. He was beyond furious. Not only was the Boy Who Had a Scar now taking his only friend away from him, but he also possibly hurt Colin.This couldn’t be happening. How was he allowed to walk among everyone like everything was alright while Colin was laying stiff in the Hospital Wing! Why didn’t the teachers run after him?“Calm down,” Elsa put a hand on his shoulder. “Or you’ll start losing control of your magic.”Jack’s hands tingled with frost which begged to be released and he knew that she was right. She knew him so well. Her eyes, so much like his own, were full of concern and care. He took a few long breaths to steady his nerves and focused all his thoughts on her instead. She was his family, his blood, his twin. In the end, only family mattered. It was time he put family first.“Elsa, I’m in the mood to look for that mirror of yours.”She instantly lit up. “Yes, we have to go back. Hopefully, Peeves won’t get in the way this time.”“Peeves will leave us alone. It’s a perfect time because everyone is going to be excited about this Potter thing now, so they won’t pay attention to anything or anyone else. Let’s do it tonight.”She nodded fervently. “Yes. Tonight.”“I’ll let you know when Merlin is asleep and we’ll meet up on the third floor. We’re doing this together, sis.”She took both of his hands in hers. “Together.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tom, you’ll never believe how much fun I had today.

Really? What did you do?

I practiced in the Quidditch pitch with my classmate, Jack.

Oh.

It was awesome! I got to play Chaser like I always wanted to. My brothers never wanted to practice with me, said I was too young, but now I played with Jack and it was the best feeling in the world.

Ok.

He’s a pretty good Keeper, he’s fast, but I was able to get a few goals in anyway. And the weather was awful, it was snowing the whole time, but I didn’t mind because I finally got to play. Isn’t it great?

I guess.

Tom? Why aren’t you excited for me?

Ginny, you shouldn’t hang out with this boy.

But Tom, I had fun and made a friend. I thought you would be happy for me.

Friends are nice but have you forgotten about Harry already?

Of course not. Why is that a problem?

If Harry sees you with another boy, he will not look at you at all. You’re not being faithful to him.

Tom, that’s not… I don’t think…

I’m a boy, remember? I know how boys think.

I guess you’re right.

Of course, I’m right. Now, I’m bored. Tell me what else has been happening. How is Harry?

I heard that things took an unexpected turn at the Dueling Club.

Oh, really? What happened?

I wasn’t there so I don’t know the details but for some reason, people are whispering that Harry is the Heir of Slytherin and that he opened the Chamber of Secrets.

Why would they say that?

I know, right? He’s innocent but then they were saying that this boy, Justin, is his next target and all Muggle-borns are now scared of him. I should talk to someone to find out what exactly happened.

You do that Ginny, but first, spend some time with me.

Oh, of course, Tom. I’m all yours.

Let's play a game.
 Two small figures in hooded dark robes walked down empty Hogwarts corridors. Their bare feet made no noise, their linked hands dispelled the darkness of the sleeping castle, and their hearts beat as one. No patrolling teachers caught them, no students out of bed saw them, no lurking monsters smelled them, only a being like them sensed their presence.“Jack-Friend, where are you going?” Peeves whispered, appearing in front of them.“It’s our business, Peeves. This isn’t the time for mischief.”“There’s always time for mischief.”“Then, do something fun for me. I think Professor Flitwick is on the second floor. Go spook him or something but don’t lead him to us. This is important.”Peeves grinned broadly. “The wee Professor could use spooking.”“That’s right. Have fun, Peeves.”Peeves giggled and floated to the staircase, leaving the twins to their adventure.They arrived on the third floor and made it to the door which promised to lead them to what they desired. They unlocked it and opened the trap door in the center of the floor.“Lumos.”They peered over the opening but couldn’t see how far the hole went.“I’ll go first,” Jack offered, and before his sister could protest, jumped inside.“Jack?” Elsa called when she didn’t hear from him. “What’s down there?”“It’s some sort of plant,” he answered and the echo of his voice bounced off the walls.She decided to take the chance and jumped in as well.“Ow,” he complained when her foot hit his face.“Sorry.”“So, what is this? It’s moving.”The plant broke their fall which made them thankful but the way its tendrils moved around and crept up their arms and legs, made it seem sinister.“We need to find a way out of it before it strangles us.”“That’s the idea.” He struggled but it just tightened around him. “Ideas would be welcome about now.”She tried to free her hands out of it but for each tendril she removed, two more wrapped around her.“Jack, it’s got me.”“Let’s freeze it.”They both used their powers on the plant, which finally made it stop moving but it was still holding them hostage.“Give it all you’ve got, Elsa,” he encouraged. “Make it colder.”She grit her teeth, and with a small scream, released a wave of frigidness which would have killed anything alive in the vicinity. They struggled again and this time, the frozen plant shattered, releasing them from its prison.“Nice,” he complimented, shaking broken bits of the plant off his robes. “You’re one cool sister to have.”She groaned at his joke and pushed him through a stone passageway which was now coated in a thick layer of ice. They lit their wands and proceeded into a chamber with a high ceiling where a heavy wooden door was slightly ajar.“Hermione said that there were a bunch of traps and challenges down here. I’m guessing that plant was the first.”“I wonder how they got through it.”“I don’t know. She said that they solved the challenges so they wouldn’t be a problem anymore but since the plant was still here, do you think the others will be too?”They walked into a large chamber which contained tall statues. As they walked among them, they realized that the statues were chess pieces and the floor was a giant chessboard.“Strange challenge,” Elsa mused while Jack kicked a jagged piece of rock and cried out in pain. “You forgot you don’t have shoes on, huh?”He tried to cover up his embarrassment by jumping from square to square.“Did it on purpose.”They went through more chambers, one which smelled so bad, they ran through it, and one which had sinister scorch marks left behind on the floor, and they jumped over them. The last chamber had steps leading down and when they descended, they saw what they were looking for, waiting for them so enticingly available, it seemed too easy.“Is this really it?” Elsa asked.“Let’s check it out.”In the center of the chamber, standing on two clawed feet was a beautiful large mirror. Elsa slowly approached it to fully appreciate the masterful ornate gold frame and noticed an inscription carved on top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.“What language is that?” Jack asked and then suddenly stopped. His eyes went wide as he stared at the mirror.Elsa took a look at it and at first, saw only the two of them, but then something started to come into shape in the air.From a distance, it looked like large insects. She came closer and pulled Jack along with her.The more she approached, the clearer the image was. She tried to discern what the flying things were. They looked somewhat humanoid. Fairies?She looked around and above her - there were no fairies in the room but yet there were maybe ten of them zooming around in the mirror. She remembered that the mirror showed your deepest desires. She desired a way to find her father and the mirror showed her a group of fairies. This made no sense. She walked right up to it to have a better look at them.She’d seen a drawing of a fairy in a book called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but those didn’t look like the ones in the mirror. These had a blue-tinged skin and white hair tied in ponytails and braids. Their clothes were made of soft sheer material which swished about them like curtains blown by the wind.“Why am I seeing you?” she asked the strange fairies but they just hovered in the air silently. “Jack, are you seeing this? What could this mean?”Her brother was still staring at the mirror with wide eyes. He raised his hand and touched his hair, watching the movement of his reflection. Their eyes met in the mirror and she noticed moisture in his. She turned around to look at him directly. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw him cry and it hit her that it was possible that he saw something else in the reflection.“What do you see?”He didn’t answer but just stood there, silently, looking longingly at the reflection.Elsa was getting impatient. “I see something that looks like blue fairies. Do you see them too?”He blinked a few times. “No. It’s just us.”“Just us? There has to be more. What do you see?”He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and looked away. “This mirror is evil. I don’t like it. Let’s go.”Elsa wasn’t ready to leave. She needed to know more.“Tell me how to find him,” she pleaded with the fairies but they remained silent and hovered around her.Jack pulled on her arm. “We should leave.”“I’m not done!” she said desperately. She needed answers, guidance, some clue. This wasn’t enough.“We are done here. There’s nothing this mirror can do for us.”“No! Tell me.” She grabbed the mirror’s frame and pleaded with the fairies inside. “There must be something you can tell me or show me at least.”One of the fairies waved at her and she nearly sobbed because his lips were moving and yet no sound came out. His almond-shaped eyes were the color of the bluest sky and smiled at her in greeting. He had the answers to the questions she sought. If only he could speak, she would learn it all. The answers were just beyond the glass.He touched the glass with his tiny blue hand and Elsa brought her hand to it. She hoped that when their hands met, maybe she would hear the fairy speak, or it would come out of the mirror or some kind of special magic would dazzle her and answer all her questions, but all she felt was the cool smooth surface of the glass.Jack tried to pull her away but she held on tight to the frame. He squeezed himself under her arm and blocked her view. She craned her neck to look around him.“You said it yourself,” he said in a grim tone, “this mirror is dangerous. It killed someone. You’re falling for its spell, Elsa. Listen to me! Let’s go.”Maybe deep in the dark alleys of her mind, she knew that he was right, but right now her questions were burning a hole in her and were much more important than his words. She needed to know. She had searched so many books, she had asked each teacher at this school, and it was all for nothing, she had no clues, no hints or tips to aid her. This mirror was the closest to an answer she had gotten. She couldn’t leave yet. These fairies were a sign of something and she had to stay to figure out what it was.Jack was in her way so she let go of the mirror to shove him aside. He used that moment to grab her by the shoulders and wrench her away. She realized that he was about to succeed so she used all her strength to hold her ground. The fairies in the mirror watched with detached interest and waited for her to come back. The same one she saw earlier motioned with his hand to come closer like he had a message for her, and she had to hear it!Out of nowhere, her legs bent beneath her, she lost her balance and fell hard on the ground. Jack collapsed on top of her and held her down.“Stop looking at it!”She couldn’t see the mirror from this position and struggled under his hold. He tripped her! How could he? She lashed out at him and tried to push him away.“Think, Elsa!” he said while struggling to keep her prisoner. “You love thinking. Think!”She instinctively thrashed harder, feeling like a trapped animal fighting to get away from its captor, and used the only weapon she had, her nails. They wrestled on the ground and he still held her down, unfazed by her attack.“Let me go!”She was getting tired of the struggle and could feel the will to fight leave her. A streak of red caught her eye, distracting her from the scuffle. She blinked, trying to understand where the color came from.“Are you finally thinking?” he asked, breathing heavily but still holding her down. “Do you understand now?”Elsa winced. He was holding her really hard and it hurt her arms. He must have noticed because he loosened his grip.“I’ll let you go but do not look at the mirror again, promise?”The streak of red caught her eye again. There was blood smudged on his cheek and neck and stuck under her nails. She realized that she scratched him hard enough to hurt him. She couldn’t understand why they were fighting. They had never brawled like this before. What had just happened?Jack finally released her arms and she put her hand on his neck and released some ice on the scratched skin. It healed quickly. She wondered if she should say that she was sorry for hurting him. Was she sorry? She was just fighting back because he held her down, because he attacked her.Then, she remembered the mirror and turned her head to look at it. Jack moved to cover the view again.“Nuh-uh. You’re not looking at that. It has a very bad effect on you.”Her mind was muddled. “Why did you do that?”She just couldn’t understand his behavior. He had never been aggressive, especially not to her.“I’m sorry. I hope you’re not hurt. I had to. Just… Don’t look at the mirror anymore,” he said softly.The mirror. The mirror which gave her a very frustratingly unhelpful answer.Jack got up and held out a hand to her. She took it grudgingly. She still wasn’t happy with how roughly he handled her. Now, he pulled her away from the mirror so she couldn’t see it.“I’m not stupid,” she protested. “I get it. You don’t want me to look. Really, I think you overreacted. Nothing bad was happening. I was just looking.”“Just looking?” he said in a skeptical tone. “Elsa, does this look like just looking?”He showed her his forearms which were riddled with bloody scratches. She paled. She didn’t realize that she scratched him everywhere. She quickly healed it for him and inspected him further only to find more wounds. She hung her head in shame but still couldn’t get the “I’m sorry” out though. It was self-defense after all.“Why didn’t you want me to look?”“We’ve been here for hours, Elsa. You were glued to that mirror. You wouldn’t listen to me and I was scared. I didn’t know what else to do. I had to get you away from this evil thing.”She stared at him in stunned silence. That couldn’t be right. It had to have been only a few minutes. As if to prove her wrong, a bell rang nearby, announcing that it was time for morning classes.“We’ve been here all night?”Jack nodded and sighed. “I should’ve done this earlier. I just… I didn’t want to hurt you. So, was it worth it? Did you get your answer?”“It was just us and these strange blue fairies flying around. What could it mean?”Jack shrugged. “Harry Potter saw his dead parents in the mirror. You didn’t see anyone that looked like he could be our father?”“No. I don’t understand. It’s supposed to show us our deepest desires. I don’t desire fairies!”“Well, maybe fairies are a clue. I know where we can find some. We should ask them what they think.”“Yes. Take us there later.”Elsa’s mind switched into overdrive. This little trip to the mirror had taken them a lot longer than expected. They were supposed to come back to their beds before their roommates woke up so no one would find out that they were sneaking around the school past curfew but now that plan had to change.“We’re late for classes. We have to go to our towers to get our stuff and then back down. We’re going to be so late. I have Potions, Jack. I can’t arrive late to Potions! Snape will kill me!”Jack scratched his head. “I guess, we could skip the morning classes but we need a good explanation. What would be a good excuse for both of us to be out?”“We got lost?”“We’ve been here too long already. I don’t think this will fly.”“We’re sick?”“Do you know of any jinxes or something that could make us sick?”“Not really.”“Me neither.”They stood by the door, waiting to open it. She was running out of ideas.“Fine,” Jack said in a resigned voice. “I’ll do it.”“Do what?”“The only thing better than sick.” He walked to the end of the dark chamber where some old damaged furniture laid. “Does this count as partial repayment of the favor I owe you?”He picked up a broken piece of wood and inspected it. Then, he hefted his leg on top of a chair and lifted the leg of his trousers.“What are you doing?” Elsa had a sneaking suspicion but was hoping that she was wrong.“Unless you have a better idea?”She had no more ideas at the moment. Maybe if he gave her more time, she could come up with some kind of a plan, but they didn’t have time. The classes had already started. Soon, the teachers would start looking for them. They had to have a reasonable excuse for their absence.Jack hesitated. “Madam Pomfrey can heal it, right?”He looked to her, hoping she had come up with a better plan but since she didn’t, he braced himself. He was really going to do it.And then, he sucked in his breath and struck his leg with the jagged piece of wood.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Get a move on, Fawkes,” Albus complained to his Phoenix and gently pet him, only to cause another feather to fall off. “You look like a half-plucked vulture.”The bird squawked in challenge and repositioned himself on his golden perch. It was time for him to burn but he kept delaying it for some reason as if waiting for something. Fawkes gagged and coughed and Albus brought him his water dish to help soothe the dry throat. Why the bird refused to allow himself to be reborn and suffered in his old body was a mystery. Albus would’ve loved to shed his old self and start over again as a youngster. It would’ve been so fun.He turned around, hearing a knock on the door, and invited his visitor.Severus Snape came in, carrying shoes in his hands which he put on once inside. Albus thought that maybe he was here to discuss earlier events at the Dueling Club. Harry Potter turned out to be Parselmouth! What a delicious little secret the boy had been keeping from everyone!“Headmaster,” he said in a shaky voice. “I must use your pensieve.”Albus smoothed out his beard and wondered what was the matter. Severus had been acting very odd in the last few days. He stopped showing up for meals a while ago ever since he started having problems with chairs, but the last few days, he supposedly never left the dungeons anymore. And now, he showed up here in Albus’ office looking uncharacteristically distraught. Severus was never distraught. He never showed emotions that would make him appear weak. Something very serious had to have happened.“Certainly, Severus. What is the matter? Talk to me.”“Someone cursed me again!” His voice was higher pitch than normal and there was a glint of madness in his eye. “I can’t climb any stairs without losing my shoes. I’ve tried everything I can think of to rid myself of this curse but it’s just as strong as the one that keeps breaking my chairs.”He walked over to the pensieve in the corner and brought his wand to his temple. “I must find out who it was.” His right eye twitched uncontrollably.Albus approached him cautiously. Severus in this unstable state was outright dangerous. “May I join you? I might be able to help.”He didn’t answer but pulled the memory from his temple and transferred its wispy white form to the pensieve.They both gripped the edges of the pensieve and fell into the memory.They landed in a Hogwarts hallway and watched the memory-Severus briskly walk from the dungeons and climb the Grand Staircase. A group of students came out of the Great Hall, going in the same direction.“Watch now. One of them did it. They cursed me in the back!” Severus ran up to the group and started looking at each of the children in detail. “Look which one has a wand out.”Albus watched the group and saw no wands. He did, however, notice that Merlin was among them and felt his stomach drop. Not again.Carefully, to not let Severus know, Albus watched as Merlin smiled mischievously as if he just got a good idea.‘No,’ Albus thought. ‘What idea did you get now?’Merlin slowed down to become absorbed by the group and cast his eyes down. Albus guessed that his eyes flashed amber at this moment.Then, memory-Severus tripped and everyone stopped. Albus maintained his eye on Merlin who shyly looked at Severus and bit his lip, trying to hide a smile.Over on the staircase, memory-Severus put his shoes back on but they would not stay on. He stood tall and yelled at the students. Albus’ eyes widened when he noticed that a hole had appeared in his sock.Merlin backed away with the other students while stifling laughter. Why did he always pick on the Potions Master?Memory-Severus stayed on the staircase and struggled with his shoes while the real Severus pulled on his long hair.“I saw no wands. Who did this, Headmaster? Which one of them?”“I saw no wands either,” Albus answered truthfully.He had to have a serious talk with Merlin. This foolishness had to stop.As the memory ended, they were both pulled back to Albus’ office but Severus immediately dived back in. He would keep repeating this memory until he inspected each of the students that were present there.Albus was sure that Merlin was the one responsible but the sly sorcerer was very sneaky and did not give himself away. He was safe from the Potions Master.But he wasn’t safe from Albus who couldn’t wait to get his hands on him.Another busy weekend passed by quickly. Merlin tried to follow Dobby again, only to find him in Diagon Alley, waiting in a long line of house elves who were grocery shopping. He was not in the mood to wait for hours again, so he apparated back, and was so tired after the effort of breaking through the school wards, he had to take a nap.It was over too soon regretfully, and he had to report for detention with the greasy-haired Potions Master for the last time. Hopefully, he could keep himself away from getting more detentions. He could do without the constant cleaning and handling dangerous substances for a while.Then, there was the Dueling Club. He was rather happy that his dueling partner happened to be one of the Slytherin kids who bullied Colin before. Merlin used only mild and harmless jinxes on his opponent but to such an extent that the boy lost bladder control. Nope, Merlin wasn’t sorry for his behavior at all. Some people fully deserved public humiliation.Because he was observing Harry’s duel with Malfoy, which was not mild at all, he didn’t see how his roommate did. Jack seemed to have won his duel by using some unknown spell and Merlin was most curious to find out which but when he got back to the dorm, the boy was already asleep so he didn’t get to ask.And then, there was Harry taking everyone by surprise by speaking Parseltongue. People now were even more convinced that Harry was the Heir of Slytherin - especially that Hufflepuff boy, Justin, who was nearly attacked by the snake.The three of them finally calmed Harry down by convincing him that if he spoke with that Hufflepuff boy, he could explain that he wasn’t egging the snake on but ordered it to stand down. Merlin hoped this was enough to calm down Justin and his friends.He still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that Harry was a Snakelord. This was crazy. He didn’t know there were any of them still around.Just like Dragonlords could command dragons, Snakelords could command snakes. The Great Snakes were nearly as powerful as the ancient Great Dragons but with the added danger of having very sinister nature. While dragons were proud, noble creatures, snakes were deceitful and preferred to aid only those who had malicious intents. That was the reason why they were always associated with Dark Magic and evil sorcerers. Even Morgana, Merlin’s greatest nemesis, had a preference for them, and while she wasn’t a Snakelord, they obeyed her simply because they appreciated her vindictive nature.It was a relief that all of those evil creatures were long extinct and the only snakes left for Harry to command were non-magical.And here was another Monday and it already started stressfully. Jack was missing. The boy had to have got up before Merlin and then didn’t show up for breakfast or Charms in the morning.His absence was very suspicious. He had been sneaking out a lot lately, usually, under the pretense of studying. Seriously, he could lie better - of all excuses the boy could come up with, studying was the least believable. Merlin was tired of this endless game of guessing and suspecting. He just wanted to know the truth already.He kept tapping his finger on the desk and eyed the door again as Flitwick was going over the theory behind the Repairing Charm. He wanted to search for the boy. He knew a useful spell which he could release through the castle to scan all of its hallways at the same time. Maybe he could excuse himself for a bathroom break, Flitwick would probably let him go.“ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK!” a panicked voice sounded in the hallway.Flitwick stopped talking and everyone went quiet, listening.“NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATAAAACK!”Flitwick jumped off his desk and hurried to the door. Merlin was the first student to run after him. The others followed.Everyone spilled out into the hallway and gasped in shock at the scene.The screaming was produced by Peeves who was flying in circles through the hall spooked by seeing the ghost of Nearly Headless Nick, who instead of being his normal translucent white, was now black, smokey, and frozen in the air with his head dangling from his neck.More concerning was that there was a petrified Hufflepuff boy laying stiff on the floor, staring at the ceiling with a look of shock, and right next to him was Harry Potter, very much alive but scared.Students started murmuring among themselves about how they knew Potter was the Heir of Slytherin and how the petrified boy was Justin Finch-Fletchley - the same boy that was nearly attacked by the snake last night, which only proved Harry’s guilt.Merlin had enough of the rumors so he immediately dived into Harry’s mind.Harry was in a state of panic and his thoughts were jumping all over the place. He wanted to run but was so scared of what was happening, he felt frozen in place.“Caught in the act!” another Hufflepuff boy screamed at Harry.Harry’s thoughts became even harder to keep track of but then Merlin saw what he needed to see: Harry just remembered how he was walking down the hallway and tripped over the body of the petrified boy. He was innocent.McGonagall led Harry away while the victims were taken to the Hospital Wing and the students were ordered to go back to their classrooms. Merlin watched a boy waft the ghost away with a fan and his eyes fell on the poltergeist who was flying around frantically.“Peeves!” He walked up to the spirit.“I’m scared but there’s chaos. Need to stay for chaos,” the poltergeist spoke to himself while unable to hover in place.“Peeves, focus. Do you know where Jack is?”The spirit’s black eyes widened. “I just saw him.”“Tell me where you saw him.”“Jack-Friend was limping to his dorm. Peeves helped.”Merlin used the havoc of the moment to slip away from the crowd unnoticed and run to the Gryffindor Tower.Another child was attacked right under his nose! His investigation was taking too long, and this time, even the ghost of Sir Nick was affected and he couldn’t wrap his mind around what powerful Dark Magic he was dealing with that even the spirits of the dead were not safe from it. There was no more time left for tiptoeing around. He had to know the truth immediately.Merlin ran up to his dorm and found Jack on the bed, reading a book. The boy looked up at the clock on the wall.“Are the classes over this early?”Merlin tried to calm himself down so the boy wouldn’t notice how he was fuming inside.“Where were you?”Jack pointed to one leg which was wrapped in a bandage. “I hurt myself and had to go to Madam Pomfrey.”Merlin scrutinized the boy and reminded himself to sound nonthreatening.“What happened?”“I was clumsy. I was running, and just playing with Elsa. It was stupid. I tripped and fell into a chair.”Such a ridiculous lie but one which Merlin could unravel, even if he couldn’t invade the boy’s mind.“If she healed you, why didn’t you come to class?”“She tried to heal it but for some reason, her spells wouldn’t work all the way. So, it’s difficult to walk and she told me to stay in bed for a couple of days. Thankfully, unlike McGonagall, she falls for my tricks so I convinced her to let me spend that time in the dorm.”The boy smirked, proud of himself and Merlin took a long breath to steady himself. The whole tale sounded ridiculous but he had to pretend to fall for it.“Her spells didn’t work?”“I guess a little bit. I felt something, it felt hot when she tried them. I think it hurts a little less. Anyway, so she just cleaned it and wrapped it up. It will have to heal on its own.”None of that made any sense. Jack was not good at making up stories. First of all, his sister was a healer. If she was there, why didn’t she heal him? So he had to be faking. The story of getting hurt and spending hours with Madam Pomfrey sounded too much like a cover-up. There was no way that so many coincidences could follow the boy.First, on Halloween, Jack and his sister arrived at the feast late and Mrs. Norris was petrified during the same time. Then, Colin found out something about him and was attacked the same night. Then, Justin was petrified just at the same time when Jack and his sister were off playing somewhere in the early hours of the morning.Merlin’s eyes lingered on Colin’s bed. The lack of the boy’s cheerful voice stung his ears. And now, another boy joined him in the Hospital Wing. He couldn’t let any more children get hurt. He had to take action. It was time to pull out Veritaserum and find out the truth.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin looked at the white-haired boy, who laid on his bed, reading a book happily and a decision cemented in his mind. No matter how wrong it felt, he had to do what was necessary to protect the school, even if it meant violating whatever sense of decency he had left. It was time to be the bad guy again.He whispered, “Swefn,” and Jack’s head immediately plopped down as he fell into a deep slumber.First, Merlin wanted to uncover the most recent lie. The boy went to the trouble to bandage the fake wound. Clever trick but it was easy to disprove. Merlin proceeded to unwrap it and blanched when he uncovered a real wound under it, which, having been handled by him in such a careless way, started bleeding.Merlin reacted instantly and said a quick spell to stop the bleeding. He swallowed hard, seeing an uneven laceration as large as his hand which would support the claim that Jack hurt himself on a broken piece of wood. He looked back at the unconscious boy and a sick feeling filled his stomach as guilt seeped in. He did not lie about getting hurt.Merlin gently covered the jagged wound and bandaged it anew. So, it wasn’t a lie, but this didn’t explain why Elsa didn’t heal it for him or why Madam Pomfrey’s healing spells didn’t work. He had a good opinion on the Healer’s competence and was sure she could handle much worse injuries than this one.One possible explanation was that Jack’s laceration wasn’t caused by a broken chair, as he claimed, but by magic. Magical injuries were much more difficult to heal. And the suspicions were back in Merlin’s head. If the boy was innocent, why did he keep lying about everything?Satisfied that the wound was covered, Merlin retrieved the bottle of Veritaserum from the hidden compartment in his trunk. He hesitated for a couple of breaths, feeling awful for planning something as despicable as drugging an eleven-year-old child but then he remembered the reasons behind this act. It had to be done to protect everyone else. It was a life and death situation.He tilted the boy’s head, dropped three drops in his mouth and waited a minute for the serum to start working.He put the bottle away and went to stand in his earlier spot. He woke the boy with another spell and observed his reaction to the truth serum.Jack lifted his head and smacked his lips. “What just happened?”Merlin made an effort to look down at his scarf and feigned that he didn’t notice anything strange.Jack looked around the room and blinked a lot. “I feel a little… funny.”Merlin was glad that the serum was working this quickly. It was time to test it so he sat down on his bed, facing him. Jack sat up too, winced and cradled his leg.Merlin still felt guilty for messing up the wound. He probably made it worse. “Do you want me to try a healing spell?”Jack tilted his head and looked a little confused, his reasoning muddled by the serum. “Yeah. It couldn’t hurt, right?” Then, he giggled. “Couldn’t hurt, get it?”Merlin ignored the joke and hovered his hands over the wound and used a weak healing spell aimed to ease the boy’s pain without revealing just how much magic he could do.Jack smiled and touched the wound gently to test it. “It doesn’t hurt. Thanks.”Now, that the guilt trip was over, Merlin felt he could get to his test, starting with some simple questions to gauge whether the serum was working as intended.“Where were you this morning?”“Elsa took me to Madam Pomfrey after I hurt myself.” He knitted his brows in confusion. “I thought I already told you that. Didn’t I?”“How did you hurt yourself?”“With a broken chair.”Merlin was frustrated because if this was the truth, then it didn’t explain any of the concerns he had before. Was the serum even working?“What were you doing before you hurt yourself?”“We found the Mirror of Erised and…” Jack stopped and his eyes bulged. “I’m not sure why I told you that.”Merlin’s interest peaked at the name of an enchanted mirror he’d heard tales of before but hadn’t seen himself. “Mirror of Erised? What were you doing with it?”Jack groaned. “I hate my stupid loose tongue.”He thought that he gave up the truth by accident and did not recognize the symptoms of being drugged. Good.Jack ran a hand through his white hair and messed it up. “Elsa was convinced that the mirror would have answers for her.”“Answers for what?”“We’re looking for our father. But that thing is evil. I barely got her out of there.”Merlin completely forgot about what he witnessed many weeks ago when the twins had tried an unorthodox elemental spell. So after all this time, they were still working on that project. This would explain why the boy “studied” so often with his sister.Two mysteries were solved but more needed answers. How about that lie Jack slipped up few days ago?“What’s your last name?”“I don’t have one,” Jack said and put a hand over his mouth, a look of horror in his eyes.Merlin snapped to attention, hearing another truth he did not expect. The serum was most definitely working. So the boy did not lie when he said that he didn’t have any other names. Sly kid, it was a lie of omission.“It’s okay,” Merlin assured him. “It’s surprising, but it’s okay. Don’t panic.”Jack stared at him with fear. “You don’t think it’s weird? Everyone has a last name.”Merlin wished he could admit that he didn’t have one either. He was born a peasant after all. What a strange thing to have in common with the boy.“It’s uncommon in current age but I’m okay with it. More important question is, Jack, are you the Heir of Slytherin?”The boy exploded with laughter and clapped his knees.“Good one, Merlin.” Then, he noticed that Merlin was still waiting for an answer. “You’re more likely the Heir of Slytherin than I am,” and he laughed some more.Actually, he couldn’t be more wrong since Merlin was older than Slytherin but he couldn’t admit that either.“Please answer my question.”“No,” Jack answered and tried to compose himself. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why do you keep asking me so many questions?”It sounded like the truth. One more important question and it would be over with.“Did you open the Chamber of Secrets?”Humor drained from the boy’s face. “Why would you ask me something like that?”“Answer me.”“You think that I would…” The boy’s chest heaved. “Colin is my friend! Why would you think that I did it?”“Answer, Jack, please,” Merlin said steadily. “It’s important that you answer yes or no.”“NO!”Merlin heaved a sigh of relief because he believed it and being sure of the boy’s innocence felt like releasing his heart from a cell he kept it in. He hated himself for suspecting him all this time and was glad to be rid of that burden.Why was he so mistrustful of the boy anyway? Jack had never done anything to suggest evil intentions. So maybe he was hiding behind a blanket of secrets and lies. It was no reason to accuse him of the worst. It wasn’t like Merlin was a stranger to deceit. He was the biggest liar of them all.Jack got up, swayed on his feet and pointed a finger at Merlin.“But you don’t suspect Potter when he’s… this… snake thing. No, not the Golden Boy.”He closed his eyes and held on to the bed frame for balance. Frost started building under his touch but he didn’t even notice that he was creating it.“I feel really… strange.”Jack slid down to the floor to sit on his haunches and leaned back to stare out the window with his mouth slightly opened. Judging from the strength of the reaction to the serum, the dose was probably too large.The guilt came back in a painful wave. He did this to a child.Merlin sat on the floor to stay on the same level. Knowing that he was the reason for the boy’s distress, he wanted to make him feel better.Jack closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to shake off the serum’s influence.“I feel so… foggy. Can’t even think.”Merlin watched the effects of the serum and hoped the boy never found out that he did this to him.It occurred to him that Jack could spill out all his secrets accidentally in this state if only prompted in that direction, but he no longer felt the need to know. He wanted Jack to tell him because he trusted him, not because he was drugged. He kicked himself mentally, realizing that he spent weeks trying to gain the trust of Harry Potter but did the absolute opposite with the innocent boy in front of him.Jack looked him right in the eye. “You really thought I hurt Colin? Why?”“It’s all those secrets. Secrets breed suspicion.”“What about yours!” Jack accused. Tears brimmed in his blue unfocused eyes. “You think I don’t know just how much you’re hiding?”Merlin startled and tried to look innocent.“What do you think I’m hiding?”“I can feel magic,” Jack whispered and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “You’re so different but we all have secrets for a reason so I didn’t ask.” Tears fell down his cheeks and his voice broke. “Why couldn’t you just accept what I am like I accepted you?”Merlin felt a lump in his throat, knowing well the boy was right. He was a hypocrite and an idiot. All of his suspicions and assumptions were wrong and hurtful. He had no excuse.“I’m sorry.” He hung his head in shame. “I wish I could make it up to you.”The clock ticked away the seconds as they sat there and the silence hung between them like a heavy curtain. Jack was hurt by the accusation. Would he ever forgive him?Jack sniffed and wiped his eyes again. His gaze lingered on Merlin’s scarf.“Can I touch it?”Merlin touched his scarf protectively.“What do you want with it?”Jack leaned in and stretched out his hand in the direction of Merlin’s neck.“I’ve wanted to touch it since you put it on.”Merlin leaned as far back as the bed allowed him, feeling that his personal space was invaded.“It’s just a plain scarf, the same one you have.”Jack’s hand hovered in the air and he sniggered.“Scarf? The crystal. Can I please touch it? I’ll give it back, I swear.”Merlin let out a chuckle. He was so convinced no one noticed what he wore around his neck, but of course, his roommate did. He hesitated but seeing the boy’s pleading eyes, decided to give in. He felt guilty for making him cry again and would do anything right now to see that lopsided grin again. He untied the leather string and slowly stretched out the crystal towards Jack whose eyes lit up.“Be very careful. It’s extremely valuable but it can also be dangerous.”Jack took the blue crystal with care.“It feels like a thousand fairies.” He clutched it to his chest and closed his eyes.Merlin watched him curiously and wondered what was happening.“It’s actually Sidhe magic, not fairy magic. They’re much more powerful.”“It feels so good,” Jack whispered, his eyes still closed. “I’m so jealous. I wish I had something like this on me so I could always feel fairy magic.”Merlin could feel the powerful magic within the crystal but never felt affected by it in the way the boy described.“So, you knew I had it on me all this time?”Jack nodded. He looked so peaceful now, the crystal was calming down the despair he felt earlier.“I’m sorry I upset you.” Merlin put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll try to be a better friend from now on.”Jack immediately hugged him and Merlin felt moved to tears. He couldn’t believe he put this boy through so much distress. Why did he grow so distrustful that he would suspect an evil crime of the most kind-hearted person he’d met in a long time? And the worst part of it was that Jack suspected Merlin of holding back the truth as well but never held it against him. He was a much better person than he was.“You can keep your secrets, Jack,” he whispered. “I won’t ask you again. My curiosity will have to wait until you’re ready to tell me.”“Same,” Jack answered and squeezed him tighter. “I’d rather have a friend than know.”Did this boy realize just how incredibly rare he was? Merlin didn’t deserve his trust. He was despicable.A sob escaped his throat as the weight of what he had done fully hit him. Sure, he released his heart from the prison of doubt, he could finally allow himself to like the boy, but at what cost did he secure its release? What would it take to cleanse the stain he put on it?Merlin tried to release the hug only to be held back by Jack who wasn’t ready to let go.“I like hugs,” the boy slurred.Merlin gently clapped him on the back. “Yeah, hugs are nice.”“Peeves gives good hugs too.”“Really?” Merlin had a hard time imagining the poltergeist in an embrace. Jack had the strangest relationship with that spirit.“Can you imagine, in all of his winters in this castle, no one has ever hugged him,” Jack said seriously. “That’s like a billion days without a hug.”Merlin never would have thought of it like that but he also found it interesting that Jack referred to years as winters.“He’s my spirit friend,” Jack slurred again, still refusing to release Merlin from his hug obligation. “I never had a spirit friend before. It’s nice. And now I have wizard friends and that’s nice too.”He was rambling now, reminding Merlin that he was under the influence of a strong serum. He needed to do something about it.“I never had friends before,” Jack continued. “I only had Elsa. And huggers.” He giggled. “We’re huggers now too. Get it? Because we’re hugging.”Merlin couldn’t help but snigger at the silly pun. At least, the boy’s improved mood allowed him to disentangle himself.“Jack,” he looked at the boy’s goofy smile, “I think you should take a nap.”“I’m not tired,” Jack jumped up and swayed on his feet. He steadied himself and a corner of his mouth lifted. “It’s too warm in here. Wanna see something cool?”He walked up to the fireplace, limping a little, put a hand on the stone and frost started spreading, going inside the fireplace, climbing the inner walls and approaching the burning logs. Magically powered, it didn’t melt under heat but proceeded to cover all logs until the fire was extinguished with a hiss.Seeing the smoke convinced Merlin that they reached a point when he needed to stop this. The serum was doing a real number on the boy and who knew what he would do in his affected state.“Alright, I think that’s enough for you.”He pushed him to his bed, put him to sleep with a spell and tucked him in so he could sleep off the rest of the serum comfortably.Jack was still holding the Sidhe crystal. Merlin tried to gently pry it away but the boy’s grip on it was tight. He supposed, he could let him keep it for a while longer. If not for this crystal, he would still be crying.“I’m really sorry, Jack,” he whispered to the boy who slept soundly with a smile on his face. “I will make this up to you.”Lisa’s excited voice awoke Ginny and she wanted to go back to sleep. The Chatties were, well… chatting, and as usual, she ignored them, but then Lisa said “Harry Potter” and Ginny’s eyes flew open. She looked in their direction, wondering why they were talking about Harry.“Look who’s awake,” Lisa said. “Wait, did you even go to classes today?”Ginny wondered what she could have meant and looked at the wall clock.It was three o’clock. Three in the afternoon???Ginny closed her eyes and wished that she imagined it, but when she opened them, the clock still showed the same time.“I wasn’t feeling well,” she mumbled in response and the girls ignored her again.The last she remembered, it was Sunday evening, when she was in her dorm, writing to Tom. How could she have slept through the whole night and day? She got up and noticed that she was wearing her robes. She sat back down as if a great boulder was tied to her waist and was pulling her down to murky waters. There was one possible explanation. She was sleepwalking again, and this time, she lost a huge chunk of her day.“So,” Lisa continued gossiping, “Ernie, who’s Justin’s friend, told me that they warned him to stay away from Potter and just hide. He marked that poor Muggleborn yesterday after all. And now, Potter was caught red-handed, having attacked Justin as predicted, and Ernie is furious that he hasn’t been arrested yet or at least expelled.”Ginny’s hands trembled and she balled them into fists. Someone else was attacked while she was asleep!“Do you think I have anything to worry about?” Tracie worried. “I’m in Gryffindor.”“He went after Creevey first. House loyalty doesn’t matter to him.”“I forgot Creevey was in our House.”“Exactly. No one is safe. Even I could be in danger just because you’re my friend.”“There was always something shifty about him. You saw how he talked to that snake. It was just wrong.”Ginny had to leave the room. She couldn’t stand how they were talking about Harry.Unfortunately, down in the common room, all conversations sounded the same. It was all everyone was talking about. Harry was being blamed for this attack even more than for the earlier ones.Conversations turned into whispers when Harry Potter walked through the portrait hole. Few people packed up their things and ran to their dorms, everyone else stared.Her twin brothers took this as yet another opportunity to make a joke.”Make way. Evil wizard coming through,” Fred said while George spread his arms wide as if he was parting a crowd when, in fact, it was only two people in front of Harry who scurried out of the way anyway.”It isn't a laughing matter,” Percy huffed at them. ”You two need to start acting your age.”Fred nudged Harry with his elbow and asked loudly, “So Harry, who do you plan to attack next?”“Oh, don’t,” Ginny begged them to stop, worried that those who didn’t know Harry well enough would take this seriously, but they just laughed it off.Harry smiled awkwardly and moved on to sit with his friends.Ginny felt that it was so unfair how everyone besides his closest friends treated him. He never liked how much attention people paid to him because of his history with You Know Who, but now, it was even worse. He was a victim here.She wished she could reassure him that it was going to be okay but she wasn’t sure of that herself. She was sure of his innocence but not of her own. She was starting to doubt her own memories and worried that she was responsible for the awful things that had happened.She could no longer ignore her observations. The saying went that if something happens twice, it’s a coincidence, but thrice is a pattern. This was the third time that someone was petrified and she could not recall where she was at the time.Ginny’s hands were shaking as she reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out her diary. She sat down at a nearby table, picked up a quill someone left there and started writing. She felt like she was at crossroads with no signs to guide her which path to choose. She needed advice, but when she wrote to Tom about it, he dismissed her concerns.
Does someone become petrified every single time you sleepwalk?

No.

Then, that’s your answer. It’s a coincidence.

But it’s the third time, Tom.

You’re a good person, Ginny. You wouldn’t be capable of something this awful.
Of course, she would never attack anyone but could she really control her actions while she was asleep? She wondered if maybe she could ask one of her roommates to watch her to see what she normally did when sleepwalking, or to maybe stop her if she tried to leave the tower but Tom reminded her of the story of his friend who had the same problem and how badly he was treated when he admitted to it.She was torn and wasn’t sure if Tom’s advice was good anymore. If there was even a chance that she was responsible for these kids getting hurt, she should turn herself in.
They’ll take you away and I’ll be left all alone again, Ginny. I need you.
Ginny read those words and a sob escaped her throat. No one had ever needed her the way Tom did.
I could give your diary to someone else to keep you company.

I‘ve never connected with anyone the way I connect with you, Ginny. Please, don’t abandon me the way everyone else had. I beg you. Don’t do this to me.
Ginny clutched the diary to her chest and realized that she couldn’t be that heartless. After everything Tom gave her, she couldn’t take away the only thing he ever asked for - her company.She opened the diary again and put the quill down but wasn’t sure what to write. He was waiting for her to promise him that she wouldn’t tell anyone, but if anyone else got hurt, it would be all her fault. She didn’t know what to do.The ink from her quill pooled on the page, making one large blotch which got absorbed by the paper.You’re my best friend, Tom wrote in a very small print and Ginny broke down, making her tears mix with the new blotch of ink.As she watched the diary drink the salty ink, her heart knew that she couldn’t hurt Tom. She needed him as much as he needed her. They were one.
And you’re mine. I won’t abandon you, Tom. I won’t tell anyone.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Merlin, yes, sit,” Dumbledore invited him curtly and continued scribbling on parchment.Merlin sat across from him and watched the Headmaster as he worked on some paperwork, his face drawn in worry lines.His host remained quiet so Merlin looked around the office and noticed that Fawkes was now a baby bird - reborn after having burned of old age. Maybe when he was this young, Merlin could get on his good side? It bothered him that the Phoenix resisted him so far and was determined to befriend him. He had to look up what these birds ate. Food usually worked best with all animals.Dumbledore was now observing him from under his spectacles so Merlin decided to fill him on what he knew regarding the latest attack.“I believe Harry completely. You don’t suspect him, I hope?”“I don’t.”“Good. He’s getting ready for a little stunt as part of his own investigation. Don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on the trio to ensure they stay safe during their escapades. I’ve been unable to remove the curse from Colin. The Dark Magic will not waver and it worries me what type of ancient creature we might be dealing with. What else… I’ve been trying to follow Dobby but so far no luck. Every time I find him, he’s out running errands. I think I’m going to have to do it at night.”“Any clues as to who opened the Chamber?”Merlin shook his head. “None. I’ve already started breaching kids’ minds hoping to find clues and I’m not proud of it.” He fiddled with his scarf absentmindedly, remembering just how much he crossed the moral line. “I don’t know, Albus. Should I resort to checking every single person in this castle? It feels awful to even consider that but I’m running low on options.”“If you can do it without anyone sensing it, I’ll say, do it. Is your legilimency subtle enough to avoid detection?”Merlin decided that the best answer would be to demonstrate. “You’re thinking of strangling me with your circular crochet hooks. Are you angry at me, Albus?”In response, Dumbledore threw his glasses on the table and Merlin felt the walls in his mind close down.“Don’t worry, I’m out.” Merlin raised his hands. “I have no interest in poking in your or anybody’s head.”Dumbledore stared him down and Merlin wasn’t sure if he should laugh or be serious. What did he do to anger the calmest Headmaster this school has ever had? Was his thieving detected? He did it for Harry and thought it was a valid excuse.The old wizard exhaled a puff of air. “You need to stop acting so childish, Merlin.”“You wanted to know if people can sense my legilimency so I tried to let you answer that for yourself. Did you feel it?”“No, I did not, but that’s not what I’m trying to say. Stop picking on Severus Snape!”“Oh, that.” Merlin leaned back in his chair. “Greasy Git deserved it.”“Especially at a time like this, I need my teachers to be able to do their jobs. How is Severus supposed to do his if he can never sit down and if he can’t even climb stairs? Do you realize how many staircases this castle has? One hundred and forty-two!”“He can sit down,” Merlin corrected, “just not on chairs. And he can climb stairs, just not with shoes on.”“Reverse both curses,” Dumbledore said quietly but with a clear threat behind it.Merlin fiddled with his scarf. “I will deliver a note to him, instructing him what he needs to do to lift the curses.”Dumbledore looked like he really wanted to pull out his crochet hooks out of the drawer so Merlin continued, “He needs to be taught a lesson, Albus. Do you know how he treats his students? That monster should never be allowed near children. They rely on adults to stop abuse when it happens but he bullies them and turns a blind eye for his precious Slytherins no matter what they say or do. Why in the world did you hire him? Next to him, Lockhart looks like the teacher of the year!”“I have my reasons for keeping Severus close.”“Please, do enlighten me on your reasons. Maybe you’ll change my mind about him.”Albus stroked his beard, trying to calm himself. “He will protect Harry Potter. He has a personal reason to.”“He hates Harry and Harry hates him. I think your plan has a lot of holes in it.”“You do not get to preach to me like I’m one of your pupils, Merlin.”“You couldn’t be my pupil even if you wanted to be.”Albus picked up his spectacles and pointed a finger at him. “You’re making me regret inviting you here. You cause more trouble than you solve.”The words cut Merlin deep into his core. True, he hadn’t been much help so far, but he was doing all he could. He was stretching himself thin and wide and fighting the odds in his attempt to solve this riddle. He didn’t want to leave. He couldn’t just walk away now when he was already personally invested in helping Harry and protecting the children.“I’m trying to help, Albus. I…”Dumbledore put his hands on his desk and leaned toward him. “You are a guest here, you keep forgetting that. Hogwarts is not your little project. I gave you a lot of freedom. You wanted to start your religious club here, I won’t stop you as long as it doesn’t keep students from their regular education. But the teachers are off-limits. Reverse the curses.”“You have to bring my beliefs into this? It really bothers you, huh?”“You could believe in three-headed Moon Frogs for all I care. Your personal vendetta against Severus severely impacts his ability to teach and protect the students. I can’t believe I have to tell this to someone as old as you, but Merlin, you need to grow up.”“You really don’t care, do you? All that matters to you is that you’ve got a Death Eater as a pet and it’s of no consequence what he does within these walls. For the greater good again, Albus?”Dumbledore inhaled sharply and his eyes widened in shock. “Don’t you dare!”“You never changed for all those years… Well, neither have I. I will always protect the innocent. You stick to your plan, I will stick to mine.” He got up and walked away. “I’ll see you later, Albus.”Merlin walked down the hall with his head hung. He wasn’t proud of what he said. It was a low blow.For the greater good was the slogan Albus developed with Gellert Grindelwald at the beginning of the twentieth century during their campaign to overthrow the Statue of Secrecy and rule over Muggles.Merlin met him while they were still together. They were obsessed with their convoluted ideals, flaunted their power, wanted to make themselves royalty. Later, Albus came to his senses while Gellert continued their vision on his own. Albus redeemed himself in the end by defeating him and Merlin developed a friendship with him over time, but he never forgot the first impression Albus made on him in his youth - he had no problem sacrificing others for the cause he believed in.Did Merlin’s words have any impact on the old wizard beside the obvious pain of dragging the mistakes of his youth out in the open? Probably not. If he hadn’t changed in a hundred years, there was little hope for it now.And so, they were back to square one. Snape was given free rein to abuse his station and more children would suffer. Then, Merlin’s stance on the issue did not change either. He would not remove the curses. He would not rest until Greasy Git learned his lesson. These children were under his protection.Merlin got back to the dorm where Jack still slept soundly and sat down to write his letter. He rolled up the parchment, and with a quick spell, delivered it to Snape’s desk. He hoped that Potions Master was there right now and saw it appear out of nowhere.He did not expect for his instructions to be followed, on the contrary, he was sure that Snape would give him a reason for a new curse within days and already had an idea for what it would be.~~~The school was abuzz with the newest excitement - another attack on a Muggleborn student. The news affected Elsa as much as the “weather” of the Great Hall. It would be scary to be caught in the unforgiving storm the ceiling reflected, but as it was an illusion, she could ignore the flash of lightning and carry on as usual.After taking Jack to the Hospital Wing, Elsa was ordered to attend her remaining classes. She barely paid any attention in them and doodled swirly patterns in her notebook instead of taking notes. She couldn’t make herself care.When evening came, she followed Luna to the evening feast automatically but wasn’t even hungry. At least Luna had the decency to respect her wish for silence, unlike some others who thought she should be talking, or smiling, and most definitely should be her usual focused and strong-willed self. Wasn’t she allowed to feel whatever she was feeling?Her brother was unfortunately in the latter group. He found her in the Great Hall, limped over and attempted at pleasantries which she ignored.“Are you okay?” When she didn’t answer, he continued, “You didn’t even do your hair.”Her hair was not only unbraided, it was tied lazily at the nape of her neck. She didn’t feel like bothering with a braid and was not in the mood for a ponytail. She honestly only bothered to tie it because it was uncombed.Jack put his hand on hers but she shrugged him off and pretended to eat in order to claim the use of her hands.“We can still find him,” Jack kept talking, not recognizing that she was in no mood for a conversation. “We have a clue, Elsa. It’s not the end yet.”“I know that,” she said through gritted teeth.Just because she was in a bad mood, it didn’t mean that she was stupid. Instead, she was just mentally exhausted.“So, you probably heard - another boy was petrified this morning. Can you imagine, Merlin thought that I was the Heir of Slytherin, that I was doing that!”This finally got her attention. She stared at him and couldn’t think of a proper response.“Exactly.” Jack threw his hands up in exasperation and leaned in to whisper. “He said that it’s because I’m keeping secrets. Well, so does he. I know that he’s hiding something.”Elsa swallowed, starting to fully understand just how bad the situation was. Did anyone else suspect her brother of these attacks? Did anyone suspect her? This wasn’t good.“How’s your leg?” she asked, remembering that he limped over to her. “Do you want me to heal it for you?”“It’s not that bad now. It will be suspicious if I’m healed too quickly.” He huffed. “Yeah, like I need more suspicion.”Jack’s plan for a reasonable excuse for their absence assumed that Madam Pomfrey could heal his self-inflicted wound but for some reason, her spells did not work on him. Any other time, Elsa’s mind would’ve gone into overdrive to start analyzing why, but today, she couldn’t find the energy to.“So, the fairies,” Jack started babbling again. “Do you want to visit them after classes one day or should we wait until the weekend? There’s a game though so I’m not sure if it’s the best timing.”She closed her eyes and shook her head. His priorities were really contorted to put the game before everything else, but maybe it was better to wait. She didn’t want to visit the fairies in this mood.“We’ll go when we both have the time,” she answered to dismiss him.Peeves the poltergeist floated over to them. Instead of his mischievous self, he looked… was it worried? It was hard to tell. His facial features weren’t meant for expressing such human emotions.“Hi, Peeves,” Jack said.“Jack-Friend, be careful. Even spirits aren’t safe! The monster can get us.”“I know.” Jack ruffled his hair. “But what can we do? Just don’t float through empty corridors, Peeves. These attacks always seem to happen without witnesses. Stay close to people.”Peeves nodded repeatedly and floated above them. His mask of worry dropped though when his eyes fell on the Gryffindor table.“Weasley twins are up to something. Must assist.”“Bye, Peeves,” Jack said and got back to eating.Elsa looked between the two of them. She did not expect that her brother would form a friendship with a poltergeist or that it was even possible, but here they were, acting like buddies who were just catching up.“Look at the Albino freaks.”She looked up to see Draco Malfoy loom over her.“Albino?” Jack asked her.Elsa shook her head. “He can’t even insult us properly. He’s more likely Albino than we are.”Jack tilted his head and she got the feeling that he didn’t know what it meant. She would explain it later.“They’ve got old people hair,” one of Malfoy’s large friends commented and touched Elsa’s hair.A shiver ran down her spine and it felt like all the blood rushed to her temples.“Don’t touch her!” Jack shot up to face the Slytherins but swayed on his bad leg and had to catch his balance on the table.“Need a cane to go with that hair?” Malfoy jeered.Elsa’s vision became muddy and her grip on her fork tightened. She felt something build inside her and tried to keep it in. To occupy herself, she slowly lifted her mug to drink her juice, trying to ignore what was happening right next to her.“Oooh,” Malfoy continued taunting, “Look at him. We hurt his feelings.”The juice in Elsa’s mug froze and she blanched. She did not do that on purpose.“Go away, Malfoy,” Jack warned in a growl.Elsa’s mug was now fully coated in ice and she gently put it down, hoping no one noticed.Malfoy laughed with his goonies. “Sit back down, freak, before you break a hip.”Her fork was also now covered in ice and she tried to hide it behind her plate.Jack’s hand dived into his pocket and he slowly pulled out his wand.“What will you do with that, Nix?” Malfoy taunted.Ice built on the table under Elsa’s hand and she quickly put both of them in her lap.‘Control it. Control it,’ she chanted to herself.She saw a patch of ice on the table spread even though her hand was no longer touching it. Everyone was going to see that she created it!She got up and ran out of there, ignoring her brother’s call and the laughs of the Slytherins.She ran through the doors to the grounds where a thunderstorm raged on. A streak of ice started forming behind her and she tried to outrun it but it got thicker and stronger.“Stop it! Stop it!” she yelled at the ice and herself.She finally ran behind a wall and crouched on the ground as more ice spread around her. She was powerless against it. What was happening?Now, reacting to her magic, the air temperature dropped, the rain changed into sleet and the thunder roared loudly overhead.Jack ran up to her and embraced her.“No one saw, Elsa. It’s okay,” he said while rubbing her back.She hugged him back and could see that she was unwillingly covering him with ice too. At least, he could handle it, she didn’t have to worry about hurting him.The ice under her was still spreading no matter how much she willed it to stop. Why was this happening?“Close your eyes,” Jack said in a calm voice. “Don’t even look at it, just listen to my voice.”She obeyed and held on tight to him but could feel the ice magic continue spreading. If it didn’t stop, it would reach the castle!“Remember that hag Leta?” Jack said out of nowhere. “She had that mean goat that tried to bite me every time she saw me. As revenge, I would pull on her tail whenever I could. She hated it!”Elsa had no idea why he was talking about that.“And then Leta caught me. She chased me through the tunnels, yelling, Leave my beloved goat alone! And I always wondered why she called that goat beloved. Was she in love with her goat? Ah, what a picture - a hag in love.”Elsa snorted. He was ridiculous.“And so later, whenever I saw Leta, I teased her about her bearded girlfriend. And of course, she was mad about that, but then one day she yelled back at me, My girlfriend has a mustache, not a beard!”Jack chuckled at his joke and Elsa shook her head.“Is that story even real?”“Totally.”There was a spark of mischief in his eye and she suspected that he made up the whole thing, but she finally laughed. When she finished, she noticed that her ice was no longer spreading. Whatever was happening to her before, stopped.She threw her arms around him again.“Thank you, Jack. You always know just what I need.”“What are twins for?”She finally let go of him and looked back at the castle. Next time, if she lost control like this, she could hurt somebody. How could she ensure that she didn’t?She stared at her hands and wished she could cover them with something. Maybe if her skin didn’t touch objects directly, then the ice would stay controlled.Jack tried to move aside a wet lock of hair which plastered itself across her face.“It happens to me too.” He smiled up at her. “I was starting to think I’m too much of a mess, but look, you’re just like me.”He nudged her shoulder playfully but she didn’t find it funny. It wasn’t the same. First of all, while he was prone to creating frost by accident, he could always stop it at will. But most of all, his magic wasn’t as deadly as hers. She was downright dangerous.“I think you accidentally healed my leg,” he said, touching it. “Oh, well. Thanks for that.”He tried to move his wet hair out of his eyes and stared up at the sleeting rain.“Do you want to stay here longer? I’m not a big fan of being wet but I suppose it’s already done. We’re soaked through.”At least the ice she created was getting washed away so there would be no evidence of her outburst.She sat there, not ready to go back, scared that as soon as she entered, she’d lose control again. If only she knew what triggered it, maybe she could avoid it.Malfoy was making fun of them. His insults were pathetic though, not at all clever, so she didn’t think that was what set it off.Jack was upset with Malfoy. Did his mood rub off on her? She didn’t think so. Honestly, it didn’t seem like she felt anything while all of that was happening. She was numb, unfeeling.She looked at her brother who was clearly bored and uncomfortably wet but patiently waited for her and occupied himself by dropping rocks into a puddle. His biggest concern always was that they would turn into monsters like Mother if they stayed with her. What defined a monster?She stared at her hands again. She was capable of so much destruction. What if it wasn’t Jack that ran after her into the rain? What if it was Luna? She would have frozen her, killed her best friend.If she couldn’t learn how to control her power then she was a monster already.~~~The journey to find the truth had consequences as Merlin found out.Jack slept off the serum until the evening. When he awoke, he remembered their conversation, and now with a clear head, and no longer influenced by the Sidhe crystal’s magic, he was far from a hugging mood. He remained silent, avoided eye contact, and like that wasn't enough to indicate his feelings toward Merlin, he ditched him as soon as they got to the Great Hall to sit with his sister at the Ravenclaw table.Merlin felt that he deserved that cold shoulder. While Veritaserum gave very drug-like effects, loosening tongues and inhibitions, it did not erase the memory of what was said while under its influence. It was obvious that Jack held a grudge at Merlin’s accusation.Merlin shook off the guilt and hoped he would get a chance to repair their friendship. For now, he had to focus on what he could control.He approached Harry’s trio and Hermione made space for him.Merlin took a look around at the children in the Great Hall. A good number of them were Muggleborns who were now being persecuted for their heritage.The wizarding community had separated itself from the Muggles few centuries ago in order to stop persecutions like the witch hunts but now the same was happening within their community.They were all children of magic. This madness had to stop. What if the next victim died? Merlin couldn’t live with himself if he let that happen under his watch. He was magic. They were all his children.His eyes landed on each face surrounding him. Here were his Gryffindors, the loud and proud, and this generation was full of red-headed Weasleys as if they defined the House. Could he suspect any of these children?What about children from the other Houses? They all looked so innocent. The school had hundreds of innocent children but it took only one to put them all in danger. He wasted all this time suspecting the wrong person while the real Heir of Slytherin hid in plain sight.’Who could it be?’ he thought.Merlin’s contemplations were interrupted as one of the Weasley twins ran up to the red-headed girl who was scribbling in a notebook.”Ginny!”One of them tried to snag it away but she got it out of the way in time.”We could use your input on our joke idea.””Go away!” she hissed.”Come on, you look so sad. Let's do something fun.”Ginny’s response was turning her back on her brothers and leaving the Hall.”Ginny!” they called her in unison and exchanged a worried look.They sat back down in their seats, looking defeated.”She’s been pretty depressed,” Ron said while chewing. ”All those attacks are getting to her.””They're getting to everyone,” Harry added. ”Her response is actually more rational than others.”Merlin supposed Harry meant everyone who accused him of the attacks. Poor kid was trying to stay positive and even went along with the Weasley twins’ “evil wizard” jokes but underneath that, he was under a lot of stress.“Why Justin?” Merlin asked. “I get it that he’s Muggleborn but don’t you think it's suspicious that he was the target after what happened during the Dueling Club? It’s like whoever is doing it wanted you to be blamed for it.”Harry crossed his arms. “Maybe they were there and watched the whole thing.”“Like Malfoy,” Ron suggested.“We can’t accuse him without proof,” Merlin reminded them.He still wasn’t convinced that it was the pale-haired snob and thought that the trio picked the boy only because of their prejudice towards him. Being a spoiled prat was not a crime.“Did you notice how sour Malfoy looked during Potions? I think his lips got stuck in a permanent sneer.” Ron chuckled to himself. “He can’t stand it that you’re getting the credit for the attacks when he’s doing all the hard work.”Merlin resisted an urge to roll his eyes. He wouldn’t be able to convince them to drop their accusation when they despised the boy so much.“We’ll know the truth soon enough,” Hermione said.“Can we speed up the potion?” Harry asked.“There will be a full moon in the second week of December so we won’t be able to even start until then,” Merlin pointed out. “Don’t forget, we still have to procure a part of the person we turn into.”Hermione cleared her throat and stirred the food on her plate. “I already have my Slytherin ingredient.”The boys looked at her, surprised and Ron asked, “How did you manage it?”“There was a reason why I engaged Millicent Bulstrode in a physical fight during the Dueling Club. I picked some hair off her robes.”“Smart thinking,” Merlin praised and she blushed.“Thanks, Merlin,” she said in a tiny voice. “Also, I’m available for tutoring tomorrow afternoon. Your schedule is clear on Tuesdays if I remember correctly.”“Did you memorize his class schedule?” Ron asked.She blushed further. “I have a good memory.”“Sounds great,” Merlin said.Harry and Ron whispered something to each other and he had one of those irrational feelings that they were talking about him but shook it off and got back to casual mealtime chatter with Hermione.Next day during the tutoring session, he was exhausted of having to mess up spells so he asked Hermione to explain the theory behind switching spells which she was very happy to do. While she recited the textbook nearly verbatim - her memory was truly remarkable - he thought over his plans for this evening.Since he cleared Jack of his suspicions, he had to focus on the next clue he had - the house-elf. It had been eluding him so far but he guessed that if he tracked it at night, it should lead him to its master.Hermione snapped her fingers in front of his face and he startled.“Merlin, are you paying attention?”“Yes, sorry.” He smiled apologetically. “I’m just hungry. Is it time for the evening feast yet?”She grunted. “You’re just like Ron - always thinking about food.That evening, Merlin went to bed early to catch a little nap before sneaking out for the night. He needed his strength. Later that night, he snuck out to the bathrooms, to not wake his roommate, and focused on Dobby’s mark.The elf was stationary, maybe even sleeping, but rather far away. Still, it was within the range Merlin could transport himself to. He disapparated, fought through some ancient wards at the destination and appeared in a hallway.Merlin took in his surroundings. He was alone, thankfully, in a well-lit corridor. He walked slowly and appreciated the intricately carved details of the wooden wall panels. He guessed that he was at the residence of a wealthy family and sighed with relief. This had to be the family Dobby served. He didn’t know where The elf was in this house but no longer had a use for him. All he needed right now was a name.He passed by a portrait of an elegantly-dressed wizard whose eyes followed him. He bowed respectfully and moved on before the painting got any ideas to raise an alert.He tiptoed through the silent hallway, hoping that the residents were asleep already and no one would notice an uninvited guest in their home while he took a look around. When he quietly opened a double door, he found himself in a large room. He confirmed that he was alone and willed for all candles and lanterns to light up so he could look for clues as to where he was.He took a moment to take in and fully appreciate the majesty of the drawing room he was in. A long ornate table stood in the middle which could seat twenty people, the ceiling had to be at least 30-feet-high, heavy curtains embroidered with golden thread framed enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, there was not one but two crystal chandeliers and even a pipe organ. A grand marble fireplace stood like a crown jewel in the center of the wall and many portraits hung on the walls. Everything in there was lavishly decorated, from embossed purple wallpaper to the finest rugs, even the ceiling was extravagant.“Are they royal or something?” Merlin mused to himself, feeling like a lowly servant caught in the king’s chambers.He remembered what he was doing there and started to check each painting. He hoped that he would recognize someone and put a name to this sumptuous residence.“What is your business here?” a tall man with long blond hair, holding a decorative cane asked from his frame and Merlin silenced him with a spell.He gasped at the portrait because he recognized not the man but who he posed with. The man and his wife had their hands on the shoulders of a young pale-blond boy. He was younger in this painting but the resemblance was unmistakable - it was Draco Malfoy. Harry was right after all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Albus watched the students eat their breakfast and worried about them. If these attacks continued, he might have to close the school. In fact, he was in quite a conundrum because he had not notified the parents of those two petrified boys of what had happened to them. Soon, they would wonder why their sons had not written to them and what then?They could obviously not take them home, as the boys needed magical means to be tended to while awaiting the mandrakes. Muggles were normally not permitted inside the school but the parents would surely want to visit their children.“It will be months before they wake up,” Minerva said when he discussed this with her over breakfast. “We can’t possibly keep this secret for that long. We have to notify them.”He supposed she was right but couldn’t bear the idea of having to explain something this delicate to Muggles.“I’ll visit each family this weekend and will take care of it,” she offered and he tried to not show how relieved he was that she was taking the burden off of him.“Thank you, Minerva. What do you plan to tell them?”“Something close to the truth.” She straightened up her gown and looked uncomfortable with the idea of lying. “I’ll try to reassure their fears and hopefully can convince them that Hogwarts is a safe school.”It was personally insulting to him that this year the school was not safe, not to Muggleborns. The fear was clearly seen on each young face in the Great Hall. He wondered if there would be any students who would not come back from their winter break this time.His eyes landed on Merlin who was yawning widely while walking, tripped over his own feet and landed on his friend. So far, Merlin had been committed to helping resolve the crisis. When Albus invited him, he thought that the powerful sorcerer could come in handy in case of a confrontation with Voldemort, he did not expect more, but Merlin proved that he could be useful in more ways.Sure, he was causing trouble with Severus, but was it really that surprising? Albus was not a fool. He expected some level of complications as a result of the sorcerer’s presence in the school. One does not become the most famous sorcerer in the world for being quiet and sitting in the sidelines. Merlin liked to get involved and was not afraid to challenge authority. In that case, was Albus too hard on him? Should he let Merlin deal with Severus on his own?Once back in his office, Fawkes greeted him with a high-pitched squawk. Albus walked up to his nest and brought him his meal. The bird was always very demanding when he was this young. He had just burned a couple of days ago and Albus finally learned why he delayed it - he wanted witnesses. Harry Potter got to witness the phoenix burst into flames and be reborn from the ashes.“You’re such a show-off, Fawkes,” Albus said and scratched the small bird on its fuzzy head.Speaking of show-offs reminded Albus of Merlin again.He walked up to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, hung high above the Hogwarts Headmasters. The old wizard was dozing off while standing up, his bald head gleamed, the only spark of light in an otherwise gloomy painting. He, unfortunately, was painted without a chair, a fact he often complained about.“Dear Salazar,” Dumbledore said, “would you care to impart some of your wisdom to me?”The portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw laughed openly. “Salazar - wisdom? You joke, Dumbledore.”Salazar opened his eyes and sneered in her direction. “No one asked you, woman.”“Thank you for waking up for me. I need to ask you about your student, Merlin.”“Ah, Merlin. He was brilliant, my best student, but a troublesome charlatan he turned out to be.”“Could you elaborate? What trouble did you have with him?”“A blood traitor, he was. Associating with Muggles. No respect for authority. MY authority. The biggest mistake, taking him in, it was, for from the traits I valued in my students most, cunning is his strongest one. Had I known he was not a child, I would have banished him, but he deceived us all just like he’s deceiving you. You are a fool, Dumbledore. You let him use you, infiltrate this school for his own agenda.”Albus sat down as his old legs screamed in protest, demanding rest. Did Merlin really have an agenda in the school? He was gathering pupils but that didn’t bother Albus too much.“You should consider who’s saying this,” Rowena rebutted. “All of us got to teach Merlin. I only agree with the brilliant part of Salazar’s account.”“I would have gladly given him over to your House but that would’ve broken our own rules,” Salazar grumbled. “We were so idealistic.”“Dear Founders, can any of you offer me advice as to how I can rein him in?”“Appeal to his intelligence,” Rowena said. “Make a sound argument which he cannot rebuke.”“Get rid of him. Send him away,” Salazar spat. “Before he causes more trouble.”“I say, embrace it,” Godric Gryffindor interrupted Salazar. “It sounds like the lad is doing the right thing and is only trying to protect others. Why fight him on that?”“He’s trying to reinvent the school we created,” Salazar argued with Godric. “He had a millennium to start his own school if he thought that what we built was so wrong.”“If I may,” Helga Hufflepuff chimed in and the others quieted down. “Underneath all that confidence, he is humble. Appeal to that. Remind him that he’s getting a big head and that better results will be yielded if you all work together.”Albus considered her words. Merlin was hellbent on punishing Severus. How could he join him in that?Before he had time to elaborate on the Founders’ advice, and as if sensing that Albus was thinking about him, Severus knocked and came in.“Headmaster, the punk who cursed me now issued threats against me.”His eye was twitching again when he handed him a rolled up piece of parchment.Albus unrolled it and read. 
Dear Professor Snape.

You may have noticed how you have been exceptionally unlucky in recent weeks. Rest assured, your misfortune was not a silly prank.

Your mistreatment of students has come to my attention, and I could no longer remain a silent spectator. You have been given a glimpse into how capable I am of inconveniencing you, and I will not stop there if you force my hand.

I like to believe that people can change and so I will give you a chance to correct your behaviour.

You may earn yourself a release from each curse if you follow these easy instructions:

You will not let any student come to harm in your presence.
You will not emotionally torment a student.
You will not allow the use of vulgar slurs in this school, especially those aimed at Muggleborns.
You will not tolerate bullying and will punish the perpetrators - even if they are Slytherins.
You will act like a decent human being as defined by my standards.

Failure to comply with these instructions will result in more curses placed upon your person. Fret not, there are a lot more inventive ways in which one’s life can be encumbered and my imagination is very vivid.

Sincerely,

Three-Headed Moon Frog.
 Albus took off his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He would have laughed at the Three-Headed Moon Frog joke if he wasn’t in such somber mood.What was he going to do with the young sorcerer? The letter made it sound like he was planning to curse Severus some more. Albus wasn’t sure if the wizard could take any more curses before losing it and that could become ugly.‘Oh, Merlin,’ he thought, ‘why must you make everything so complicated?’“Headmaster,” Severus snapped him out of his reflections. “I realize that there are other issues the school is facing but we shouldn’t take this lightly. This letter is clearly a threat.”He wasn’t wrong about that. No matter how light-heartedly it was written, it was a direct threat against Severus.“Do you think it’s possible that the Heir of Slytherin wrote it?”The last thing they needed was for Merlin’s games to get mixed up with the school’s threat.“I don’t think so.” He had to convince Severus to stop this line of thinking. “I think the motivation and execution are very different.”“But what magic is this prankster using that we cannot undo his curses? This is too similar to the magic that was able to petrify these students. Surely, Headmaster, there must be a connection. It can’t be a coincidence.”While he was wrong and it was a coincidence, he was right to draw the conclusion that there was a similarity in the type of magic used. It was ancient, unknown magic. Even Merlin couldn’t heal the victims of their state. Oh, what were they facing that even this immortal sorcerer was stumped by this magic?His eyes found the portrait of Salazar Slytherin again, who was sneering down at him as if saying “I told you so.” He had questioned the Founder about the monster and the location of the Chamber previously, but unfortunately, the portrait knew nothing, having been painted years before Salazar came up with his plan.“Severus, I realize that this is insulting, but I beg you to heed the warning. So far, he has only inconvenienced you, but I fear he might resort to more damaging curses if you provoke him.”“Do you take me for a coward?” he said through tightly clenched lips.Oh, how many times have people said those words before going off to do something foolish?“Besides,” Severus continued while drawing himself to his full height, “I have not committed any crimes to be given punishments by a brat who thinks he can be my judge.”Albus stroked his beard and pondered on how blinding pride could be. In this battle of the wills though, Severus would not come out on top.What could he do to calm down the situation? Merlin wouldn’t listen to him, convinced that he had the right to be the judge, and Severus would not give in to a threat of a student. If only he could reveal Merlin’s identity, Severus would know who he was dealing with, or at least, Albus could call in a meeting to mediate between these two stubborn parties.“We must find who wrote this, Headmaster.”“What means do you propose?”Corner of his lip lifted. “I have an idea.”The next morning started with a snag. A large loop of a red thread hung from Merlin’s scarf, and he paused his morning preparations to repair it. He hovered his hand over it and watched the thread weave itself back into place when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Jack froze while putting a foot in his shoe.“What?” Merlin asked, wrapping the repaired scarf around his neck.The boy flinched, startled from his thoughts.“He was wearing mismatched socks,” he answered quietly.“You’re going to have to make more sense than that.”Jack looked in the direction of Colin’s bed. “Colin was trying to convince me to wear socks. His were mismatched.” He smiled a little but it quickly fell. “Was there a reason? Did he just feel silly that day or does he always wear them like that? I didn’t ask.”“You’re talking about him like he’s dead. He’ll be back.”“That’s what everyone says.” He was still looking at the empty bed. “But it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like he’s just… gone.”He looked up to the ceiling and blinked a lot. Then, his mood completely changed like someone flipped a switch in his mind and he stared at Merlin with a sneer.“I don’t get it why you continue hanging out with Potter when he’s most likely the one that did it.”“Jack, he didn’t do it.”“Of course, you wouldn’t suspect your real friends. So, did you find a new suspect to interrogate? Is my sister next?”Merlin closed his eyes. He deserved this.“Of course not,” he whispered.“Whatever.”Jack gathered his things and stormed out of the room.Merlin sat down, slumped his shoulders and fiddled with his scarf. All actions had consequences. He was losing a friend for his mistaken suspicions and it felt awful.But in truth, he did have another suspect.Now that he was sure that the Malfoy kid had something to do with the Chamber of Secrets being opened, he looked for an opportunity to find out more. He couldn’t wait for the Polyjuice Potion to be finished and had to use whatever skills he had to find out what the boy knew. Was he the Heir of Slytherin? If not, what was his family’s involvement?He took to following the boy and attempted to listen in on his conversations and thoughts. He was very much unimpressed by what he heard so far. This boy, who so undeservingly was named Draco, meaning dragon, was arrogant, mean and thought himself to be superior to everyone around him.It was truly a disgusting experience to be inside his mind which was always swirling with insults. If people thought the boy’s words were mean, their toes would curl if they heard what he was thinking. Merlin liked to see good in everyone but so far, he did not find any redeeming qualities in this boy.But, as unlikable as he was, so far he did not reveal himself to be the one responsible for the attacks on Muggleborns and so Merlin had to keep at it.This time, he was following him as Malfoy walked down the middle of the hallway, forcing everyone else to get out of the way. His bodyguards framed him, making him look awfully small next to their bulk. Merlin followed close behind and used his skills to listen in.”Do you think Potter is the Heir?” one of his goonies asked.Malfoy laughed loudly. ”Good one, Goyle. Don't tell me you really buy that rubbish. Like there's any chance Saint Potter could be a Slytherin descendant?””He speaks parcitongue,” the other goonie offered.”It's Parseltongue, you idiot.” He exhaled loudly. ”Just rotten luck. I already sent an owl to my father. We’ll see what he says about that.”Not getting anything out of their conversation, Merlin dived into the boy’s mind. Malfoy was at first thinking how annoyed he was with his friends and calling them all sorts of names. Then, he recalled a scene with his father who looked nearly identical to how he was depicted in the portrait, complete with the long suit jacket and an ornamental cane.
Keep your head down, Draco.

But I'm Malfoy. We keep our heads up.

Father hit him on the head with his cane and Draco winced.

Be smart. This year you're keeping your head down. You don't want to draw suspicion to yourself.

Draco pouted but knew better than to challenge his father.
Merlin was thrown out of the boy’s thoughts as he walked into a physical obstacle - such was the hazard of digging in someone’s head while walking.He rubbed his aching forehead while the Slytherins turned around.”Did this moron just walk into a wall?” Malfoy asked incredulously and his goonies cackled. ”He gives a whole new definition to the term Gryffinloser.”Merlin checked, and sure, the wall was what he bumped into. He plastered a smile on his face.“Oh, no, I didn’t. I was just admiring this painting,” he pointed at a frame which contained a disturbing image of two lovers in a graveyard. The woman was giggling away on her swing (what was a swing doing in a graveyard?) while the man pushed her, and gravestones ominously contrasted with their amorous fun.Malfoy pulled back his lips in disgust.“That’s even worse.” He made a step towards Merlin. “Are you a filthy Mudblood too? You should be the next to go. It would be a service to the school.”“Watch your tongue, Malfoy.”“Or you’ll do what?”Malfoy made another step forward and his goonies followed, ready to back him up, effectively cornering Merlin.“They’re lowering the bar, letting all sorts of pathetic rubbish in this school,” Malfoy said, trying to look down at Merlin although they were similar height.“They had to lower the bar to make space for you,” Merlin retorted, standing his ground. “Or did you just buy your way in?”Malfoy ran a hand through his slicked-backed hair and chuckled. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”As if that didn’t sound like a threat enough, he pulled out his wand and kept it ready at his thigh.“Never heard of an Ealdor family. You must be a Mudblood. Even if not, what wizard would want to admit to having such an embarrassment in his family tree? You’ll be safer among the Mudbloods in the Hospital Wing.”That was it. Merlin had enough of hearing this term within these walls. As an idea of a perfect solution came to mind, a smile crept onto his face.“Keep saying that word, Malfoy,” he whispered in warning.“What is going on here, boys?” McGonagall’s voice sounded behind them but Merlin did not drop his glare from Malfoy.The Slytherin smiled. “We’re just discussing artwork, Professor.”And he pulled on both ends of Merlin’s scarf as if straightening it out but, in fact, tightening it around his neck and Merlin made an effort to not flinch as he was being choked.Malfoy clapped him on the shoulder as if they were buddies and walked away.Merlin loosened his scarf while McGonagall walked up to him.“Are they bothering you?”“I’m fine, Professor,” he answered and gave her a reassuring grin.She made a “tsk” sound, looked after the three Slytherin boys who just disappeared around the corner and sighed.“Don’t linger in the hallways by yourself, Mr. Ealdor,” she instructed. “It isn’t safe.”“Yes, Professor.”Once he was out of her sight, he walked inside an empty classroom.If he was capable of putting a stop to this, then it was his responsibility to do so. He gathered his thoughts and planned how he wanted to phrase his newest curse. He felt responsible for all of these children. He could teach Malfoy a lesson but that wouldn’t solve the big-picture problem. Everyone had to learn this lesson, not just Malfoy.While what he intended was a drastic measure, it was necessary. Using the term “Mudblood” was hurting the entire wizarding community. Prejudice started at a young age and had long-term effects on everyone. It started innocently with a few mean words and hurtful jokes, but then it expanded into discrimination and persecution. He’d been around long enough to see this pattern repeat throughout history.Sure, they would come up with a new derogatory term eventually, but then, he could just repeat this exercise. In fact, he had done this curse in the past on entire towns and with great success. It was time Hogwarts received the same blessing.Merlin said the long incantation and slammed his fist to the floor. At the impact, an invisible wave of magic spread outward through the whole castle and its surrounding grounds, binding itself to the place as strongly as the wards which protected the school.From now on, anyone that tried to say or write the word “Mudblood,” would immediately bite their tongue. The last weekend of November brought a promise of Quidditch fun which would be a welcome distraction from all the drama.Jack got up early before Merlin woke up. He has been avoiding him for the past few days.He couldn’t get over the feeling of betrayal and all the questions it raised. Just how long did his friend suspect him of attacking Colin? Why would anyone suspect him at all?He stood in the bathroom, gripping the sink and glared at his reflection. His hair was whiter than the cold wall tile that surrounded him. He would never blend in, wizards would always look at him and see something different from what they were. And who should be the first person to suspect when something awful happens - the outsider. Because the Chamber of Secrets couldn’t have been possibly opened by someone ordinary. It would have to be the anomaly, the resident freak.Frost started building under his fingers, coating the white porcelain and it reminded him that Merlin had seen this part of him. Jack deluded himself into thinking that letting his friend see a glimpse of his magic was an equivalent of bonding. How stupid he was. Merlin was only human. Showing him an inhuman ability only made him scared. If he knew the truth… Jack didn’t even want to imagine how bad that could turn. No one could ever learn the truth.When Jack came back, Merlin stirred in his bed.“G’morning,” he mumbled.Jack startled, surprised that he was awake and looked at his friend, trying to decide what to say or do. Merlin assured him that he didn’t suspect him anymore but that didn’t take back what he said before. What kind of friends accused each other of such terrible things? Merlin rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and smiled.“Good Morning,” he said, clearer this time and Jack realized that he stared for too long. He was being weird again.He didn’t know how to talk to him anymore, so instead, he got busy with getting ready. What if every single thing he had said to Merlin since they met each other was wrong? What if his words were what created this mistrust? Merlin had pointed out more than once how he was surprised that Jack didn’t know something that he should’ve known. It was safer to not speak, so he limited himself to short replies only when necessary.Still, he wasn’t blind to the fact that Merlin was trying to get back to good terms. Jack wanted it too but didn’t know how to get over everything that happened. He would love to forget it and put it behind him but that wouldn’t be smart. He had to learn from this experience but had not figured out yet what the moral of the story was.Later, he was getting ready for the game and Merlin reached out to him again.“Where are you off to?”“Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff today.”He left the room but stopped in his tracks. Should he try to repair their friendship? He didn’t know what to say but maybe words weren’t what was needed.He poked his head back in and saw Merlin sit alone on his bed. It felt wrong to just leave him there.“Do you want to come?”Merlin lifted his head, opened his mouth and closed it like he was thinking about it. Jack tapped his finger on the doorframe. The longer he waited, the more frustrated he was becoming.“If you decide to come, we’ll be somewhere there with the Ravenclaws. Find us.”It was probably the longest sentence he’d said to him all day. He thought it was a good idea initially but maybe he shouldn’t have even tried. Maybe watching Quidditch together wasn’t the solution they needed.He met up with Luna downstairs, and she equipped him with a large, handmade blue hat with a bronze eagle on the front, the same one she was wearing.“Elsa didn’t want to come,” she said while positioning the hat on his head.“What is she doing?”“I lent her my drawing supplies since she said she wasn’t in the mood for the library. What happened?”Jack supposed that Luna noticed the resigned mood his sister was in. First, Elsa was really disappointed with what happened with the Mirror of Erised. The vision it showed her was not what she expected. He imagined that she felt burned out by the nonstop research she occupied herself with. And then, she lost control of her magic. Jack had not seen her like this in a long time. She always had better control than him. Not being able to stop the ice scared her. He worried about her.“She’s taking a break, that’s all.”As they made their way to the game, Jack noticed Ginny Weasley walk alone in the same direction. He remembered the fun he had with her when they practiced Quidditch so he called her over.“Hey, Ginny. Do you want to sit with us?”Ginny grinned and opened her mouth like she was about to say, “Sure,” but then her smile fell.“Thanks. I’m… I’m meeting someone there.”Jack frowned and worried why no one seemed to accept his invitations today. Did he do anything wrong with Ginny that she no longer liked him? Was Luna the only friend he had left? What could he do to ensure he didn’t mess up and lose her too?As they walked near Ginny, he snuck glances at her. She didn’t look like someone who was about to meet up with her friends to watch a fun game. She looked… just sad and lonely. He hoped the game would cheer her up.So it was just the two of them. Jack cheered the Ravenclaw team with Luna who knew a surprising amount of details about each member of the team and kept a running commentary during the game.“Look at Becky go,” she observed. “She’s as tiny as the Snitch, which I suppose is the point. She’s also very talented at Levitating Charm. She’s been levitating my Quill every day while I work on my essays.”“While you’re using it? That’s mean.”“It’s all in good fun. She gives it back eventually.”He looked at her with surprise. If someone tried to mess with him that way, he’d retaliate immediately. Luna had such a positive view of everyone around her. He wondered what it would be like to be in her head.“Look at that,” she pointed at the sky, “that eagle is overseeing the match. I bet it’s a good omen.”The eagle circled above the players and Jack wished he could be up there with it. That would be a prime seat to watch the game from.She continued and he gladly listened to her voice. “Did you know that Ravenclaw’s emblem is an eagle because the eagle represents the element of Air? The Founders were very much into the symbolism of elements.”“Really? What are the other House elements?”“Gryffindor is Fire, Hufflepuff is Earth, Slytherin is Water.”Jack laughed openly at the irony of being sorted into the very opposite of his element.“Seriously? I’m fire?”Maybe he should’ve been in Slytherin, his affinity was closest to water, but then, he’d be stuck underground since that was where they lived and he didn’t want that.She tilted her head while still looking up at the bird. “You’re not a Heliopath - a spirit of fire.”His head snapped immediately to her. “What do you know of elemental spirits?”“I know that they’re real. I haven’t seen one yet, although one time, I was swimming in a pond and could swear a water spirit splashed me.”He laughed at that but was intrigued by how freely she spoke of this. “What would you do if you met an elemental spirit?”She smiled and looked at him this time. “Maybe I’d give him a hug.”He couldn’t help but grin back. He wondered if Luna’s accepting nature would mean that she would be able to handle a secret like his. Maybe one day. Besides, Elsa was best friends with her, she would probably tell Luna first.He didn’t have cool friends like that.Ravenclaws won the match when Becky caught the Snitch and Luna fully attributed the win to the eagle.After the game, they were slowly walking back, Jack put his hands in his pockets and Luna surprised him by putting her hand under his elbow so their arms were linked. He was used to Elsa taking his hand whenever they walked together, and for some reason, having arms linked this way instead made him feel more grown-up. He liked the feeling of leading Luna and wondered if Elsa would be willing to start doing the same.They were passed by Ginny Weasley who quickly made her way through the grounds alone. Just like he feared, she didn’t meet anyone at the game. She went there alone, sat there alone and now was coming back alone.“I’m worried about Ginny,” he thought out loud.“Oh, really?”“I think she’s sad, maybe she’s dealing with some issues but I don’t know how to get her to talk about it.”Luna looked after Ginny with a gentle smile. “You’re a good friend, Jack.”If he really was Ginny’s good friend, he would’ve known how to reach her. Unfortunately, they weren’t close.“I’ll talk to her,” Luna said. “What does she like?” “I know that she likes Quidditch.” He tried to remember what else he knew about her. “I think she also likes cats. And writing. I always see her writing stuff.”“I’ll think of something.”Luna took her funny hat back from him and ran after Ginny. He hoped she would find a way to get through to her.When he nearly reached the door, he saw four people who had just come back from the game - Harry Potter Fun Club, which this time included Merlin.So Merlin didn’t want to go with him because he already had plans! Just when he thought that maybe his friend was worth the effort of getting back, he showed his true colors again.The four of them were talking about the game, and didn’t even notice him. Jack walked close enough to bump Potter’s shoulder when passing by and kept on walking as if nothing happened.Potter yelled after him, “You got a problem with me?”Jack turned around and kept his hands in his cloak’s pockets, trying to look innocent.“Didn’t see you,” he said with a shrug.“If you’ve got something to say, why won't you just say it to my face?”Potter’s breath came out in visible huffs in the chilly air. He took two steps forward, and his hand dived inside his pocket where undoubtedly, his wand was.There were so many things that Jack wanted to say to the Scarred Wonder but somehow none of it sounded right in his head. All he could think of right now was how easy it was to take down that Slytherin boy at the Dueling Club. His hand tingled with magic which was itching to be released but he kept them both in his pockets.“What are you smiling about?” Potter asked while shifting from leg to leg. He looked worried. Even better.Jack’s fingers wrapped around his wand. It would be so easy to do this again. Potter wouldn’t know what hit him, but he didn’t want to be the first to start a fight. He had to be smart.“The truth will come out, Potter,” Jack finally said, “and I’ll be waiting for you.”“I am not the Heir of Slytherin!” Potter’s voice rose.Merlin walked up and positioned himself between them.“Jack, calm down.”“I’m calm,” Jack answered, irritated at the command.Was he doing anything that would suggest not being calm? He was standing calmly, speaking calmly. There was nothing uncalm about him. It was Potter that was starting to lose his cool and Jack was just waiting for the right opportunity to show just how calm he could be when flattening that Wonder Boy to the ground.Merlin took a step closer. “Jack, it’s not Harry. I swear to you.”Jack huffed. Like that mattered.Merlin put a hand on his shoulder and Jack shrugged him off.“Don’t touch me.”He turned around and left the scene. Only then, he noticed that quite a crowd gathered to watch and everyone looked disappointed that there was no fight. He was the most disappointed of them all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ginny did her homework automatically. She found learning new spells easy but no longer felt excited about them. Tom encouraged her to keep studying so she did.Ginny watched the game, and in the back of her mind, she remembered loving it, but this time, it just wasn't the same. Maybe these players weren't skilled enough to make the game exciting.She sat down in the Great Hall, waiting for lunch and pulled out her diary. She wrote to Tom about her disappointment with the game.
It’s only Quidditch, Ginny. There are more important things in life.

But it’s my only source of fun.

It’s obviously a poor source of fun.

Then what else do you propose?

I’ll find you something to do after lunch.

I think I'll skip lunch today.

You need your strength. Eat up, Ginny.

It’s too early. Food isn’t here yet.

Then do your homework.

I don't feel like doing homework today.

You must or you'll fall behind. Don't neglect your duties.
And so she pulled out her textbook and got ready to read it. It was easier to just follow his directions instead of having to make decisions on her own.She barely opened the book when she noticed that someone was coming in her direction.
Luna’s coming my way. What now?

Chit-chat until she goes away.

About?

Weather. Something boring.
She turned to Luna who was stopped by and gave her a jerk of a wave.”Dreadful weather we’re having.”Luna looked up at the enchanted ceiling and then back at Ginny and her gray gaze was unnerving.“Did you enjoy the game, Ginny?””Your team won. Congratulations.”Ginny looked over at the Housepoint hourglasses and saw Ravenclaw’s sapphires piled up higher than all other jewels.”You're leading for the House Cup.””It was the eagle,” Luna said with a tilted head.Ginny noticed a bronze eagle on the girl’s hat. Did she think her weird hat brought her team good luck?“When something weighs me down, I distance myself from it,” Luna said.“What?”“And trust your intuition. It’s usually right.”Ginny felt that saying another ‘what’ would be useless at this point.“Allow yourself some fun, Ginny. Don’t let anyone hold you back.”Ginny blinked at this strange girl who smiled at her. Luna was always friendly and nice but it was impossible to hold a conversation with her.Apparently, she now said what she wanted to say and walked away, skipping to the Ravenclaw table.Ginny pulled out Tom’s diary again.
She left.

What did she want?

I have no idea.

Forget her then. Get back to homework.

It’s Saturday. I’d rather do something fun.

Do homework with me. That will be fun. Ask me questions. I’ll help.
Ginny sighed. It wasn’t the type of fun she had in mind but since she only had Tom for a friend, she had to do what he wanted to do. That was what friends did, wasn’t it?Cars passed by, sputtering noise and spewing their smelly smoke. Minerva waved her hand in front of her face to push the foul air away. How did Muggles put up with this?She finally found the address she looked for. Creevey’s residence was a small house, looking nearly identical to its neighbors. Muggles could be so boring.She knocked and was greeted by a young mousy-haired woman who had a yellow flowery apron on. Her eyes widened upon seeing the witch. Minerva did not change into Muggle clothes, deciding that since she was on school business, she should wear her normal attire - her favorite dark green gown and a warm cloak but she had to leave her pointy hat behind.“Good Morning,” she tried to ignore the woman’s stare. “I’m Minerva McGonagall. I trust you received my owl?”The woman laughed in a nervous way.“Owl? Oh, the letter from Colin’s school? Yes, we did. Please come in.”The woman and her husband received Minerva in their quaint sitting room, served tea and biscuits - they were quite tasty - while their dog came over and started wagging her tail so hard, she knocked over a few things off a side table.“Down, Cleo!” the man ordered and the dog obeyed.Minerva scrutinized the creature and kept her eye on it. She never fully trusted canines. They were so unpredictable but at least this one was calico-colored so it wasn’t as ugly as some others.“Is Colin having problems at school?” the man asked, getting impatient.“He’s such a good boy,” his wife added. “If he caused any trouble, I’m sure we can resolve this.”The parents looked at her full of nervous apprehension and Minerva braced herself for the lie.“Colin is not in trouble. I’m afraid that he has fallen ill.”The woman gasped and covered her mouth while the man set his jaw.“I’m here to tell you this personally because it is not a normal malady but a magical illness. Our Healers are taking great care of your son and are confident that he will get better but it might take some time. He has to stay in the school’s Hospital Wing during this time.”The boy’s parents exchanged a worried look. Their dog whined on the floor and a little boy who looked like a miniature Colin pulled on Minerva’s gown.“Will my brother come home for Christmas? I have the best gift for him.”His big chocolate-brown eyes made her heart feel heavier as she knew she had to lie to him just like she did to his parents.“We’ll see how he feels but he might have to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays.”The boy’s mother let out a sob.“I assure you, Mrs. Creevey, that he is in the most capable Healer’s hands. He will be alright.”She nodded and found a box of tissues to blow her nose. Her husband comforted her.“Can we visit him?” he asked.“I’m afraid it’s not possible. The school is hidden from the Muggles, you see.”She reassured that she would keep them informed on his condition and left with an ache in her heart. These were good people who loved their son and she imagined how horrible it must have felt to hear that he was sick, be unable to do anything about it and not even be allowed to see him.But it wasn’t over. She had one more family to inform.Mrs. Finch-Fletchley was not as easy to assure.“We’ll move him to the best hospital immediately. I will request a helicopter to not risk worsening his condition in an ambulance.”“Mrs. Finch-Fletchley, there is nothing that Muggle doctors can do for your son. His illness is magical and only trained Healers are capable of caring for him. He must stay at Hogwarts.”“In that case, we’ll send over Doctor Haves to check on him. He’s a close family friend and a world-renowned specialist. He’s the one all doctors go to when they have a medical mystery.”She reached for the telephone on her desk and Minerva had to stop her.“If this doctor is a Muggle, I’m afraid he cannot enter the school. The school is hidden from all Muggles.”“I’m sure you can make an exception and lift your… magic,” she waved her hand in a dismissive way. “This is my son you’re speaking of.”“These are permanent wards, Mrs. Finch-Fletchley. There is no way for us to lift them just to let one Muggle in.”“Then, what do you suppose we do?” the woman asked with one hand on her hip.“You must leave it in our hands, Mrs. Finch-Fletchley. We are taking care of him and will not let any harm come to him during his stay there. I assure you…”“I’m not interested in your assurances, Mrs. McGonagall,” she took a step closer and Minerva was glad that she was taller. She’d hate to have this woman look down on her. “You’re supposed to be the best school of magic around and then you let my son fall sick.”“He would have fallen sick even if he never went to Hogwarts,” Minerva lied, now growing desperate, “with the difference that you would have taken him to Muggle doctors and they wouldn't be able to help him. We can. Only WE can. You must trust the expertise of our Healers.”It took quite a lot of convincing before the woman finally accepted that she had to trust wizards. Minerva left as quickly as she could, feeling drained.She took one last look at the large residence and hoped that she would not have to make any more trips like this one but was it in vain? Slytherin’s monster was still on the loose. They still didn’t know who was responsible or how many more students would be attacked. While she exuded total confidence, telling these parents that everything was alright, deep down her heart clenched tighter every day, dreading the news of who was next.The common room was empty when Jack sat down to get started on his blasted Potions essay. He had gathered notes for it but put off writing it because the topic disgusted him. And now he no longer had time to procrastinate, it had to be done.Soon, people started coming down to the common room in groups of two or three and he tried hard to not let it all distract him. They were gossiping by the fire, playing wizard chess, cards or exploding snap, a couple of teenagers snuggled on the couch, another couple was pointing at them.But there was a dreaded essay to write so Jack continued, checking his notes and trying to do a good job despite choking on his own words. Brains. Why did it have to be brains? He really did not want to know in how many ways a frog’s brain could be used but here he was practically an expert on the topic.What would it feel like to be in a frog’s brain? Did their thoughts revolve only around eating flies or did they have any higher thoughts? They probably thought about their young - where to lay eggs, how to feed them and protect them. He glanced at the couple on the couch. Frogs must also be thinking about mating. Did they have mating rituals like some animals? Once, he observed birds dance, trying to impress a potential mate. He imagined a frog dance and chuckled. Or maybe they sang to each other. This school had a choir which used giant toads and he couldn’t wait to hear their performance.He looked down at his essay again. He wasn’t writing about frogs who danced or sang. He wasn’t even writing about frogs which were dead. He was writing about their brains as if they were objects, as if they didn’t belong to animals which wanted to live and enjoy their lives just as much as all of these wizards did.Laughter filled the room while he continued writing about different ways a brain can be diced, marinated or cooked.Someone sat opposite of him and he didn’t look up. His jaw felt tight from how hard he was grinding his teeth but he continued writing. This topic reminded him of hags. They loved animal organs. In potions or as snacks - raw snacks.
When you sun-dry a handful of frog brains, they can be later ground and used as a potent powder, useful in potions aimed to give the drinker a clear mind.
“Hi.”Merlin’s voice broke through the noise of the common room laughter and Jack barely registered it.
However, one must be careful to dry them thoroughly. If the brains spoil before drying out, the resulting powder will give the opposite property to the potion.
“Will you finally talk to me?”Jack thought that silence was the best answer in this case so he continued writing, ignoring present company. Why should he talk to him anyway? He’d rather write about frog brains than expose himself to more rejection. He was never going to be able to compete with Harry Potter. He was too perfect. He was good at Quidditch, he was famous, and most of all, he was a normal kid, something Jack could never be. He was never going to be good enough.Merlin moved his scarf aside, took off the crystal pendant and dropped it on Jack’s parchment.Jack paused mid-word and stared at the blue crystal. It was calling to him, promising an escape from the frigid feeling in his chest. He yearned to stretch out his hand and touch it. He finally looked at Merlin, wondering what he was doing.“Peace offering.” He smiled weakly. “I know that you like holding it.”Jack stared at the crystal some more. This was truly a slick ploy on Merlin’s part. He wanted it so badly. Brains. He was supposed to write about brains. He put his quill to the parchment but couldn’t remember what he was planning to write. Who was he kidding? Would he really prefer to write about sun-drying frog brains to holding the power of the Sidhe? Finally, he couldn’t resist, dropped his quill and clasped the crystal in both hands.Warmth spread through his whole body as the Sidhe magic touched his skin. He felt light like a feather and bright like a sunrise. It was a wonder he wasn’t floating. He imagined that this was what humans felt when approaching a fireplace on a cold day.He opened his eyes slowly and looked at Merlin who leaned forward.“Will you forgive me? I want to get back to being friends again.”Jack shook his head. This was so unfair. An unacceptable bribe. But honestly, he was tired of being angry and wanted his friend back. Also, it was sort of cool that Merlin was trying to win him over and he felt flattered.“I can’t stay mad at you when I feel so good,” he finally whispered.“I was hoping for that.”Merlin was grinning at him and Jack couldn’t help but be infected by it. Suddenly, the sound of laughter in the room sounded right, didn’t contrast with his mood as much, and he wanted to join in on the fun.They didn’t even get a chance to exchange a sentence though before the Quidditch team came back from practice, which included Potter, and Merlin’s attention was back on the Wonder Boy.Jack groaned. Oh, how little it took to lose him again.“Why do you hate Harry so much?” Merlin asked him with a frown.“I don’t hate him.”Jack got back to his essay, holding his quill in one hand and the Sidhe crystal in the other. He wondered how long Merlin would let him keep it. If he was expected to behave while in Scarred Wonder’s presence, he really needed it.Merlin continued defending his other friend.“I know that everything points at him, but he didn’t open the Chamber of Secrets. He’s not the Heir.”Jack tried to ignore this and reread his last sentence, trying to remember what it was about but Merlin had no respect for his studying.“We think it’s Malfoy, we’re just looking for proof.”“Malfoy?” Jack shook his head at that laughable theory. He would faster believe in tap-dancing frog rituals. “You’re not a good judge of character, Merlin.”Merlin frowned. “That’s not true.”Jack pointed his quill at him. “May I remind you, I was your first choice.”Merlin flinched. That’s right. They might be speaking again but Jack was not going to let him forget that so easily. Besides, he enjoyed the bribe and hoped for more.“So forgive me for not trusting your hunches.”“It’s more than a hunch, Jack. So, why do you rule him out?”“If he was the Heir, he wouldn’t feel the need to keep pointing out how important his father is because he’d be more proud of Slytherin. He’d be quiet about his known family - sort of like Potter.”Merlin rolled his eyes. “You’re quiet about your family as well.”Jack tightened his grip on the crystal, willing for its magic to calm him. Could he continue to go on as he had in the past? Keeping quiet was the reason why Merlin suspected him in the first place. Should he reveal something? But then, what if he said something that sounded wrong again? He decided to stick to the simplest words.“My mother is dead. I’m not quiet about it, I simply have no family to talk about.”Merlin was looking at him intently and Jack made an effort to not react. Thinking about his mother threatened to unleash memories he was trying hard to repress. He was not going to fall apart in front of his friend again. Crystal. Focus on the crystal.“If it helps resolve your doubts about Harry, I’ll tell you about his family. Both of his parents are dead by You Know Who’s hands as you probably know already. His only other family is his aunt, uncle and their bully son - very unpleasant Muggles who treat him like rubbish.”“So far you’re only proving to me how much he dislikes Muggles. More motivation to open the Chamber.”Merlin groaned and pulled on the ends of his scarf.“That’s not what I’m saying. Hogwarts is his escape from the horrible life he’s led so far, but immediately after he arrived here, he was given this ‘famous’ label which he doesn’t want. He just wants to be a normal kid but things out of his control keep interfering with that.”“I get it. He’s got a lot to be angry about.”“And you’re making it worse, Jack. Stop trying to pick a fight with him.”“Is it my fault that he’s got a temper and no self-control?”“You know exactly what you’re doing.” Merlin gritted his teeth. “He’s under a lot of stress and you’re exploiting that.”“So he’s the only one that is allowed to be stressed? I should get myself a scar, maybe I’ll be given some slack.”Merlin shook his head.“You keep flipping this in the wrong direction, Jack.”“Am I?” Jack took a long breath and squeezed the crystal. He’d had enough of this topic and did not want to argue anymore. “Just don’t talk to me about Potter.”Merlin leaned back in his chair. “No problem. Is there anything else you want to talk about?”Jack scratched his head and stared at his unfinished essay.“Is there a way to substitute frog brains in potions?”Merlin smiled. “Nice topic change. I’m going to have to think about that but maybe. Do we have a potion coming up that calls for it?”“It’s for the essay Snape gave us.”Merlin pursed his lips.Jack exhaled loudly. “I knew it. You weren’t paying attention in class. We have an essay due Monday on possible uses of moonstone and frog brains.”“Oh.” Merlin spun his scarf like a little helicopter. “I suppose I should get started on that.”“You should. I found several recipes that call for frog brains and worry that Snape might have us make one of them soon. I don’t want to use a brain in a potion, even if it’s just a frog. It’s still an innocent creature which had to die just for this stupid potion that will be flushed down the drain.”Jack felt anger build inside him at the thought of how many students would be preparing that potion - each would be taking multiple lives and for what? Just for the sake of learning? This wasn’t right.“There has to be a way to use something else.”“We’ll figure something out,” Merlin said, leaning toward him again. “Let me help.”Jack got back to rereading his last sentence, but Merlin wasn’t done distracting him.“But also, I think it’s time we had our official Old Religion meeting. That is if you’re interested.”Jack grinned at this unexpected news. Finally, Merlin was talking like a friend.

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Merlin’s heart pounded as he waited in the Transfiguration classroom. Oh, he should’ve done this earlier. It had been so long since he’d been able to teach Old Religion to someone, he forgot the rush it came with.But this time it was so much more because of multiple emotions clashing in his heart. There was hope, frustration, fear, excitement and it all blended into one massive nervous blob which seemed to have situated itself somewhere in his throat.The reason for his frustration sat in the corner of the classroom. He was very irritated at the idea of McGonagall - frustration number one - supervising this meeting. She was one of those witches who were set in her ways and he expected that she viewed his methods and views as outdated. Moreover, he would have to watch what he said so she wouldn’t catch on that his understanding of magic was too advanced for a child. He was tired of pretending.But as one frustration wasn’t enough, Dumbledore came with her.“I hope you don’t mind I've invited myself in.”Merlin gently inclined his head. “No problem.”What was he doing there? Was this because of the whole Snape thing? Was Dumbledore going to check that he wasn’t teaching these children how to curse their Potion Master on Merlin’s behalf?He decided to ignore the white beard for now. This was too important to waste his focus.Elsa, Jack and Luna walked in, excited to learn from him but they had no idea how much it meant to him, how much he wanted them to be able to learn. It had been decades since he had taken on a pupil and centuries since he had multiple students. He was beyond excited about the prospect of all three of them succeeding.He wanted this meeting to feel more like a gathering of friends and not a lesson so he did some rearranging. He moved tables to the side, exposing the center of the room, and arranged seven chairs in a circle.Elsa and Luna sat on Jack’s sides while Merlin remained standing.The final three guests walked in and Merlin rubbed his hands together. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked around the room with uncertainty. And this was the reason for his fear. He was about to bare his soul to these kids. A lot was riding on his ability to convey sincerity. He wanted to let them in on who he was but there was a very delicate line between accepting the new and fearing it.“Thanks for coming. Please, sit.”Everyone present was surprised to see them, he hadn’t told anyone, having decided to invite them at the last minute. But from the surprised faces, Jack was the most affected, clenching his fists and staring intently at the floor. Merlin didn’t know why he disliked Harry so much. Maybe this meeting would help resolve that. Maybe.The trio sat down and ended up in an arrangement that Merlin’s back was to the blackboard, the first-years were on his right and the second-years on his left. They all studied each other with varying levels of curiosity.Merlin fiddled with the ends of his scarf and broke the silence.“I’m glad you’re all here. I invited Hermione, Harry and Ron because they’re my friends too, and as Luna pointed out to me, one shouldn’t keep something this important from his friends.” He cleared his throat and pointed at the first-years. “Just so we all know each other, these are Luna, Jack and Elsa. We’re joined by Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore who will... uh… monitor that we’re not doing anything inappropriate here.”Merlin shot Dumbledore a scrutinizing look and the old wizard gently smiled. No. He wasn’t supposed to think about his chaperones.While the first-years knew the purpose of the meeting, Harry’s trio didn’t. He figured that letting them in on this part of his life was a big step, a step he needed to make if he ever expected Harry to trust him.“I was pretty cryptic before so let me say it straight out now. I practice Old Religion and we’re here to talk about it.”Harry’s trio exchanged looks and whispers, and he started the quick explanation.“Ever since I found out that Jack and Elsa share my beliefs, we’ve decided to do this together. We’ve requested for the school to take our faith into account and excuse us from practices which go against our values. This is our first official meeting and I thought it would be a good opportunity to get any questions out of the way. So, now that you’re all caught up, let’s talk.” He sat at the edge of his chair and wished that they would start asking questions.Hermione raised her hand and Merlin chuckled. “I’m not a Professor, Hermione. You can just speak up.”She got flustered. “Sorry, habit. We’re in a classroom and all. What is this Old Religion? I’ve never heard of it.”“Old Religion is a belief system, a set of customs and practices, but most of all, it is the original magic practiced in these lands.”“How is it different from the magic practiced now?”Merlin sighed and saddened. “Wizards and witches no longer take the time to understand magic, or to respect it. There is a delicate balance between people, magical creatures and the elements, between life and death, good and evil. Ignorance of this sacred balance prevents many from truly mastering the raw magic that’s around them.”The trio exchanged excited glances.“You’re going to teach us different magic?”Merlin realized that he was setting himself up for a lot of disappointment.”I should probably make this clear. Not every witch and wizard can wield this magic. It is something you are born with.”“What if none of us can wield it?” Elsa asked with doubt in her voice. “You’re so convinced that we can but we haven’t tried yet.”“We’ll find this out today,” Merlin tried to assure her. “Before we start though, I want to make sure that all questions are out of the way.”Elsa continued, “Yes, I do have a question. You said before that all magic practiced in these lands used to be Old Religion. What happened? Why is it rare now?”Merlin smiled at her sadly. “Fear. People were scared of what sorcerers were capable of.”“Muggles?”“Yes. Muggles. Magic used to be an important part of society here. Druids were religious leaders, political and legal advisors. Physicians openly practiced healing magic. Seers were revered for their connection to the Goddess. But then fear sunk in because in the wrong hands, magic can be used as a weapon. One prejudiced king banned all magic and ordered all known and suspected practitioners to be hunted down and executed. But the worst part of it was that the Great Purge started from those who were in the spotlight and those also happened to be most knowledgeable. And so the survivors had no more High Priests and Priestesses to guide them, to continue the values previously taught openly. New generations of children with magic were born with no elders to teach them. Whoever still practiced, did so in secret.”“Like your family.”“Yes.”Luna spoke up, “Did the original Merlin you’re named after practice Old Religion?”Merlin smiled broadly. He always found it amusing to talk of himself in the third person. “He did.”“Are you his descendant?”A gasp went through the group. Ah, the dreaded descendant question, the curse of his immortal existence.His smile fell. “No. As far as I know, Merlin never had children. There are no descendants of Merlin.”The kids looked rather disappointed at that.Luna was observing him with a tilted head. “Do you celebrate holidays?”“Yes. Samhain has just passed. You know it as Halloween. It marks the start of the dark part of the year. From sunset to sunset magic is at its strongest and the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. It’s a time to remember your dead but also it’s possible to communicate with them.”“Have you done that or seen it done?”She asked like someone who wanted to dive right into it.“Yes. I would be very cautious though. More potent magic means more potent consequences of upsetting the balance. So promise me you will not attempt to do anything like that on your own.”“You think I could talk to my mom?” She asked with wide eyes.“If you’d like, we can try on Beltane. That’s the Spring equivalent of Samhain, the beginning of the lighter part of the year.”He felt sympathetic to the girl. Had he not dived into his memories countless times just to see his mother one more time?“Beltane, Samhain, aren’t those pagan terms?” Hermione asked.Ron snickered. “I’ve heard of those pagan rituals. They involve human sacrifice. Virgins, right? Or did you evolve to roosters now?”Merlin’s mood instantly switched. He was not going to put up with jokes like that.“Evolve?”It took all his restraint to not crush this ignorant boy in front of him. He put his hands on his knees in a very controlled manner to prevent them from shaking. He had heard accusations like this one many times. These modern wizards thought they were better than him when in fact they were feeble shadows of sorcerers of the past.”Yes. I am Pagan. Yes. I believe in the Triple Goddess and in maintaining the balance of magic. But no,” his voice was rising. “I do not dance naked in the moonlight. And no, I do not sacrifice virgins at the altar!”Merlin continued staring the ginger boy down while Ron leaned as far back as his chair allowed.“Relax, mate,” Harry said with a nervous chuckle.Merlin finally released his deadly stare and blinked at Harry.“Sorry. I lost it for a moment.” He took a long breath. “You might want to learn some tact, Ron. It will serve you well in life.”He closed his eyes and tried to get a grip. He was going to scare them away if he didn’t tone it down. Ron was just a rude kid. Merlin had to be more tolerant.When he opened his eyes, he caught Hermione making wild gestures at Ron.“What did I say?” the boy whispered with a shrug.“You offended him,” Hermione answered and mouthed, “Apologize.”Merlin smiled at them, previous quarrel forgotten.“I’m sorry, it got tense here. Let’s forget that and move on to something fun.”Elsa started tapping her foot. “Will you teach us any magic today?”“Actually, I was thinking to do a little exercise.”He said nothing but thought at them, If you can hear this, raise your hand.Over in the classroom, the twins, Luna and Harry lifted their hands.“What are you doing, mate?” Ron asked while Hermione looked between them bewildered.“You didn’t hear it?” Harry asked his friends and they looked at him as if he was mental.“Hear what?”“You have no idea how happy it makes me to see so many of you with your hands up. Now, to explain. I’ve asked whoever could hear me to raise their hand. If you did, it means you were born with the ability to hear someone’s nonverbal broadcast and you can learn how to do it as well.”“Telepathy?” Elsa jumped up from her seat.“Yes.”She ran out of her chair and grabbed his shoulders. “You must teach us! We’ve always wanted to be able to do that!”Merlin was slightly taken aback by the intensity of her excitement. There was a glint of madness in her eye as she stared him down and he shrank down in his chair. How did this girl have such intimidating effect on him?“I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it isn’t something that can be taught quickly. I’ll start by getting you used to the feeling by broadcasting to you from time to time.”Elsa finally realized that she was making him uncomfortable and backed away. “Of course.”Luna raised her hand. “Is there a way to not hear the voice?”“Yes,” Merlin focused on her, but glanced sideways at Elsa, not completely over the bewilderment of the effect she had on him. “Good question. You can choose to not receive the broadcast in a similar manner to occlumency, but this is another difficult ability which would take time to master.”“Occlumency,” Hermione spoke up. “That’s the art of closing your mind to legilimency. Is your telepathy similar to legilimency?”“Another good question. Yes, it is similar in the meaning that it is a mental ability. No, because it isn’t an invasion of the mind. I like to use the word broadcast because it describes it best. I broadcast my message and whoever has the internal radio can hear it. Unlike with legilimency, I don’t invade anyone’s mind to do it. I can’t hear your thoughts when I do this and you can’t hear mine. It is a communication method, not a violation of your privacy.”Hermione nodded, opened her mouth and then closed it. Merlin guessed what she wanted to say.“I know what you’ll ask me next. Can I teach you? I don’t know but we can try. It doesn’t hurt to try, right?”Hermione smiled and looked at the floor shyly.“Is there a way to make it private?” Elsa asked.“Yes. It requires more focus to send a private broadcast to a selected person so that lesson would come after you learn how to send a general broadcast.”Elsa exchanged a look with her brother and they smiled at each other. He got their interest.Merlin clapped his hands together. “Now, on to the test part of our lesson.” He giggled and looked around the gathered kids. “It’s such a rush. I feel like a professor.”He walked up to the blackboard and wrote in runes. He clapped the chalk out of his hands and turned back to the children.“Can any of you read runes?”Luna raised her hand, surprising everyone. The girl was a Ravenclaw but she better fit the eccentric stereotype of that House, not the brainy one.“Fleoge,” she read.Merlin pointed a finger at her. “Yes! Good job, Luna.”“Fly,” Elsa translated and Merlin beamed at her.“You kids are awesome.”“Is that what it means?” Luna asked. “I can read them but I don’t really know this language.”“Well, this is my homework for you, kids,” Merlin said, grinning broadly. “Whenever you find the time, look up ancient runes in the library. Look for Old English, there are others and you don’t want to confuse yourself. So, Fleoge is an easy spell and it has a similar result to one charm you already know. As the name suggests, you use it to make an object fly.”And he demonstrated it by saying the word and making his chair float up and move around the classroom. He watched the kids observe it, brought the chair back and sat down but had a hard time sitting still.“I want each one of you to try it. Pick an object - start with something small - imagine it flying and say the word.”Harry, Ron, and Hermione pulled out their wands and Merlin immediately put his hands up. “No wands. Did you see me draw a wand?”The trio exchanged bewildered looks and put their wands away.McGonagall spoke up from the back of the class. “No wands? You’re talking about wild magic, Mr. Ealdor. This is unstable, dangerous magic you’re teaching them.”He turned to her and decided to use her objection to his advantage.“Yes, Professor. That’s exactly my point! Untrained magic is difficult to control, which is why we practice and learn Old Religion, so we understand what we’re doing and don’t upset the balance.”She scoffed at him and exchanged whispers with Dumbledore and Merlin reminded himself that he wasn’t supposed to worry about them.The children picked a few items from nearby shelves, things like books and objects McGonagall used in her transfiguration demonstrations, and all tried to use the spell but didn’t get it on their first try.“Come on,” Merlin encouraged while walking around them, “this isn’t your first time performing magic. It takes more than just saying Fleoge. Do it with feeling. Will your object to fly.”Then the first object flew up which was a colorfully decorated wooden box.“That’s brilliant, Luna,” Merlin said, looking at the girl. “I’m liking you more with every second.”She smiled in her usual detached way while on the other side of the circle Hermione Granger growled. The girl was used to being the best in class so she probably felt competitive at the moment.He observed the twins now, hoping his suspicions about them were correct. They whispered to each other, maybe exchanging tips, and then, two small books floated up in front of them.“I knew you two could do it,” Merlin praised and moved on to the remaining three children.“What just happened to your eyes?” Elsa asked her brother in a worried tone.Merlin interrupted, “Sorry, I forgot to mention. When you use Old Religion magic, your eyes will flash amber.”“What do you mean?” Hermione asked, not having seen what Elsa referred to.Merlin walked up to her, bent down, said, “Watch mine,” and said the spell again, making her book float.The girl gasped while staring up at him and brought her hand up, stopping just before touching his face.“Why?”“Well, haven’t you noticed that when you use a wand, the wand tip often lights up or that different charms emit different colored energy?” He shrugged. “Magic creates light.”She locked her brown eyes with his and he felt uneasy at the prolonged gaze. He looked away at Harry just in time to see the boy’s green eyes flash amber and his water goblet float up.“Yes!” he exclaimed.This was a very unexpected but welcome surprise.“Blimey, Harry,” Ron said. “How are you doing that?”“I don’t know, I just am.”Harry grinned and lost concentration, resulting in his goblet flying out, heading for the window. Merlin stopped it just in time before it broke the stained glass and guided it back to him.“Marvelous job, Harry. Just keep your focus until your object is back in your hand.”Harry took his goblet back with a “Thanks” and got back to practicing.Merlin looked around at the kids, feeling encouraged by the positive results.“Keep trying. I want you to practice this spell until you have complete control of it. There are others similar to it which will be easy to use once you master this.”His heart swelled with pride as he looked at various objects flying past him. This far exceeded his expectations. He only hoped that the twins would be able to do this but now he found two more children he could teach. Most of all, one of them was Harry and this could mean a monumental change in their friendship. They had something else in common now.He sat back down and looked at each child. Luna was making her box dance in front of her. Elsa was experimenting with control, trying out different speeds and heights and whispered to herself like a mad scientist. Jack got bored with his earlier object, this time picked up a cauldron and flew it around the classroom with ease. Merlin kept an eye on him to ensure the boy didn’t lose control and throw the heavy object at one of the other students, especially at Harry who he was staring daggers at.Over on the other side of the room, Harry was having fun with his water goblet, making it fly in circles. Ron did not succeed at making his own goblet fly and looked rather defeated. Hermione also wasn’t able to perform the spell and looked on the verge of tears.Merlin got up and crouched in front of her.“It’s okay if you can’t do it. It’s actually a pretty rare ability. Not being able to do this does not make you less of a witch.”She blinked a lot and wouldn’t meet his eyes.“Hey, maybe this will cheer you up. Professor McGonagall is trying to make her hat fly behind you and she can’t do it either. I know for a fact that Professor Dumbledore also can’t do it. Despite that, they’re both pretty skilled and powerful, wouldn’t you say?”The girl quickly glanced at McGonagall who kept repeating Fleoge but her hat would not budge from her lap.“How do you know this about Professor Dumbledore?”“He’s friends with my uncle.”Hermione nodded and tried to smile although she still looked disappointed.He was not disappointed at all. To have four out of six children perform the spell was outstanding. This meeting was a huge success.Ron stopped trying the spell and stared at Merlin now.“You were keeping a pretty big secret from us.”If only the boy knew just how deep his secrets went.“It’s not really a secret but I don’t blabber about it. Not everyone is accepting of my beliefs, you see.”Ron crossed his arms.“What exactly do you believe in? You weren’t very specific earlier.”Merlin reminded himself to be patient although this boy had quite a talent for raising his blood pressure.“Do you expect me to explain it all in one sentence? Ask me a specific question.”He was aware that everyone was quiet now and was listening to their conversation. Ron shifted in his seat and pursed his lips while thinking. Merlin got back to his seat and continued staring at the redhead, waiting for questions.”How much wandless magic can you do?”Merlin looked at the floor and swallowed. This question would be easier to answer without McGonagall there.”A lot.”“Then why bother coming to Hogwarts at all?”“There is still value in learning wand magic and everything else they teach here.”“How come there are no Old Religion schools?”“It’s difficult to find people who are born with this ability. Unless Hogwarts students were tested upon entrance...”This idea had occurred to him in the past and he came close to realizing it more than once but in the end, the school’s Headmaster always backed away before allowing him to screen the children. He hadn’t tried to raise this question with Dumbledore yet. Maybe if what he started here went well, the old wizard would give him a chance?“Why aren’t they?”Merlin sighed. “It’s… political, I suppose. It’s not a branch of magic, Ron. It couldn’t possibly be a Hogwarts subject because it goes against a lot of the teachings here. Hogwarts Headmasters always worried that students would drop out to pursue Old Religion instead. So, all we can do is find individuals and teach them.”Merlin dropped his eyes to the floor. Was this really all he could do? Was there anything he was missing? Hogwarts founders found a way to discover children to teach. Could he design something similar?No matter how he designed it though, it would always be seen as stealing students from Hogwarts - the school very tightly bound to the Ministry of Magic. They would see his school as a threat and his students as targets. There would be a civil war and he didn’t want it to come to that.“What exactly is this meeting about? You made it sound like these two,” Ron pointed at the twins, “practice with you but it looks like they’re clueless about everything you talked about.”Merlin played with his scarf. The boy was very close to unraveling the neat little story Merlin spun up with Jack for the school. It wouldn’t be a problem if only McGonagall wasn’t hanging on to every word they said.“This meeting is a gathering of friends who have the same interests,” Merlin tried to answer calmly. “The twins were not brought up with the full teachings of Old Religion and wanted to learn what I knew about it.”Ron scrunched his brows like he was ready to go into a full-on interrogation.Can you help me out here, Harry? Merlin reached out and Harry jumped in his seat from surprise. There are things I can't say with the teachers present.Harry’s eyes met Merlin’s and he hoped the boy saw only sincerity.Ron was about to ask something else when Harry leaned in and whispered to him. They exchanged a silent shrug conversation but then the redhead leaned back in his chair, apparently satisfied, but with a look in his eye that he had a lot more questions.What worried Merlin though was that he looked more hostile than he had ever seen on him.

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Jack climbed the stairs with Merlin as they made their way back to the Gryffindor Tower and couldn’t help but sneak glances at him. He saw him in a completely different light today.There was a magical charge in the air when Merlin got angry at Ron and it gave Jack a tiny glimpse into how powerful his friend was. He started to understand how much Merlin was holding back. He could always sense that Merlin was different from ordinary wizards, but now, he knew that it was a lot more than that. He wasn’t just different. He was special, but at the same time, he didn’t brag about it or abuse it and that modesty just made his uniqueness stand out even more.Merlin noticed. “Jack, will you please tell me why you’ve been staring at me? I’m feeling pretty self-conscious right now so I’d really love it if you just voiced your thoughts for once.”Jack bit his lip and wasn’t sure how to say this. If Merlin was hiding this much magic, he had to have a reason for it. That day, after the Mirror of Erised, when Merlin interrogated him and Jack spilled a bunch of secrets accidentally, they made a small pact with each other. They were not going to ask questions but wait until the other was ready to reveal his secret and he suspected that Merlin wasn’t ready yet.“I just got a glimpse of the real Merlin today, that’s all,” Jack said quickly.His friend worried his brow. “Oh, really? You were probably the most informed of my tricks in that meeting.”Jack was also the most skilled at sensing magic at that meeting and in that short span of time his friend was a blazing ball of power.Merlin didn’t let go yet. “Was it the telepathy? Elsa seems excited about that.”“We both are. Expect lots of questions from her.”Merlin grinned. “I’m actually looking forward to teaching you. It’s been a while since I knew anyone I could talk to in that way. We could have all sorts of fun once you learn it.”They were a few steps behind Potter and his friends. Jack wondered if they realized how lucky they were that Merlin was willing to share their knowledge with them. Jack did and he felt honored.“It’s something specific, isn’t it?” Merlin asked, still worried about Jack’s new interest in him.“As you said, it wasn’t anything new. I guess, I just saw the same trick from a different perspective.”If by trick he meant being more impressive than any of the teachers in this school. He couldn’t wait to see what he could learn from him. Merlin didn’t push further and Jack tried to not stare at him anymore.Hermione turned and climbed the stairs sideways so she could talk to Merlin.“You know runes. Are you fluent in Old English?”Merlin smirked at her. “Yes.”At least she looked properly impressed.“Next year, they’re letting us take more classes and I’m definitely taking Ancient Runes. Will you help me learn? I’d love to get a head start.”Merlin chuckled. “Of course. I’ll gladly repay the favor.”Jack looked between the beaming Hermione and his friend and wondered if their relationship was getting any further along. They looked cute together.As soon as they climbed through the portrait hole, Potter pulled Merlin by his arm and they went into the corner of the common room. Even though Jack didn’t feel invited to this conversation, he felt protective of his friend so he tagged along.“So, what was it that you didn’t want to say in there?” Potter asked.Merlin heaved a sigh. “Well, Ron was onto something and was going to stir up trouble if he continued in that direction.”The redhead crossed his arms. “I knew it. Spill it, Ealdor.”Merlin shot Jack a look but then explained. “I didn’t want you to poke deeper into why Jack and Elsa don’t appear to know Old Religion.”Jack swallowed, seeing three pairs of eyes shift from looking at Merlin to now looking at him. Why was this suddenly about him?Merlin continued. “It was true what I said before. Jack didn’t want to perform certain spells because they’re immoral in his eyes. Old Religion gives him a way to avoid them. It’s not a total lie. We’re just stretching the truth so it fits our circumstances.”Weasley was still frowning but Potter smirked at Merlin.“You’re using your religion to get him out of exams? Can I get on that plan?”Jack was scowling now. That was not what they were doing. “I’m not getting out of exams. I don’t want to use my magic on animals like a cruel monster.”“McGonagall is not here now so you can drop the act,” Weasley said and turned to Potter. “Harry, this is a brilliant idea. So, all we have to do is say we believe in all that pagan stuff and McGonagall will be off our backs.”“Ron,” Hermione hit his arm. “Think about what you’re saying.”“Hermione, it’s perfect. We’ll only use it for the really hard stuff. We’ll do all of the others.”“This is such a relief!” Harry grinned. “Some of those spells are so difficult.”“Hold on. You misunderstood,” Merlin put his hands up. “We’re not doing the animal transfiguration spells but McGonagall will give us equally-challenging spells to perform instead. We’re not doing less work - just different work.”Potter’s and Weasley’s grins faded and Jack’s opinion of them dropped even lower than what it was before. They weren’t actually interested in what Merlin could teach them. They just wanted to slack off. They were given this wonderful opportunity to learn magic not only in this school but now also from Merlin and all they could think of was how they could learn less. They were so entitled, just waited for it all to be handed to them when Jack had to constantly fight to keep this opportunity from slipping away.“Jack, calm down. Why are you angry?”Merlin was suddenly in front of him with his hands on Jack’s shoulders. Angry? Who was angry?“I’m calm,” he said through gritted teeth.“Downright serene. Listen, why won’t you wait for me in the dorm?”“Why?”Jack did not want to get shooed away like a fly. If Potter was staying, he was staying. At the moment, Scarred Wonder looked maybe not scared, but at least weary of him and that just suited him fine.“Because you’re holding that wand like you want to attack someone.”Jack glanced down at his hand and, look at that, he was holding a wand. When did he pull it out? He wasn’t sure but he felt ready to use it.Merlin whispered, “Are you angry at me for inviting them? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was a last-minute decision.”“Not at you.” Jack looked into his friend’s eyes which were like pools of water illuminated by sunshine like straight out of a postcard from some tropical beach. They were as unique as him.These two did not deserve him. Was it selfish of him to want his special friend just for himself? Was it arrogant to think that he deserved him more? Maybe, but that was what he really felt right now. They just wanted to use Merlin, they weren’t his real friends. Why couldn’t he see that?Merlin’s expression lightened up. “We’ll just talk here for awhile. You go to the dorm.”Jack stood there and couldn’t believe it. Merlin chose them over him again. Why was he surprised? It would always happen. Harry Potter would always win.He ran out the portrait hole and heard Merlin’s voice behind him, “Come back before curfew.”Curfew? Who cared about curfew. He just wanted to get awayHe ran down the stairs and got annoyed at how many there were. He jumped over them and found it easy. Just a leap and a soft landing. Repeat it a few times and done - a much more efficient way of getting down.He stomped down a corridor and couldn’t stand the sound of his own footsteps. He hated his shoes. He stuffed them in his pockets and basked in the silence. He heard voices and didn’t want to deal with people looking at him so he made a sudden turn.He wanted to do something. His hands were tingling, magic was building under his fingertips and if he didn’t let it out, he would explode. He could go outside and bring down winter upon the whole bloody castle but thought it would’ve been unfair to the creatures of the Forbidden Forest who weren’t ready for winter.He went up the main stairs, enjoying the feeling of climbing and sped up, going higher and higher, putting more distance from everyone. The staircase finally ended and he turned, stomping without a direction. What was he doing here anyway? Ugh. Where else could he go?The corridor ended and Jack turned around. He just wanted a place of his own for once. Back in the caves, it was easy to find solitude when he wanted it, when he didn’t want to be found. But this castle was full of so many people, he couldn't stand just how many of them there were. He liked company but there were limits.He reached the staircase again and looked to the floors below. If he went down, people would find him. They were crawling through the corridors like bugs, bunching in groups, always whispering while looking at him, staring at the freak.He didn’t want to go back down there so he turned back and walked down the corridor again. Frost started building under his feet and he considered just releasing his magic right here in this corridor when he noticed a large double door which hadn’t been there before.Jack stopped by it and felt compelled to open it, feeling that it was there for him. This castle had a lot of strange magic. Sometimes, it liked to play tricks on the unsuspecting by showing doors which were really walls, just pretending. Once, one of them laughed at him as he pulled the handle just to see it turn into flat stone. But this door opened and when he entered, wall torches started lighting up to reveal a very large space.Jack walked inside and marvelled at it. It was a large room with very tall ceiling, full of decorated arches but the decorations, and the colors, they all resembled a cavern, complete with earth icicles, the musty smell and the sound of dripping water. He giggled.“It is a room just for me.”This castle was awesome. It produced a room he was just thinking about! He ran around the large space to explore it and checked the ceiling, hoping to see huggers but there were none.He frowned. A perfect cavern room would have had huggers.For now, he had to entertain himself with some magic instead.To start, he frosted the whole place and watched with satisfaction as it changed colors from shades of brown to white. White was so much cleaner and, ironically, warmer, less depressing. Then, he looked up at the ceiling and made frostflakes fall down in a steady stream. This was more difficult and took some concentration to maintain, but he wanted to push himself.He laid down on the cool floor and stared at his frostflakes. When he first escaped with Elsa, he was watching clouds pass by and somehow figured out how to turn them into snow clouds. He wished he could really make it snow in here, but there were no clouds for him to convert. Mother used to be able to conjure snow clouds in any space that had a tall enough ceiling but he hadn’t figured out how to do that yet.He stopped his frostflakes and concentrated on the ceiling, thinking hard about clouds and snow, and willed it to create there but nothing happened.He took his wand out of his pocket and wondered if it could help him. He pointed it at the ceiling and tried it again, this time focusing on the castle’s magic, channeling it.“Snow clouds,” he said and waved the wand, hoping that maybe he could invent his own spell.A few white sparks came out the end and he groaned. He supposed, he would have to look up what the real spell for it was.Magic was so unpredictable. Sometimes, it came easy to him and did exactly what he wanted, other times, it was just beyond his skill. He yearned for the day when it would all become easy. How many winters would he have to learn to get to that point?He got up as another idea came to him. He braced his feet on the frosted floor and channelled the castle’s magic again.“Avis,” he said confidently.Immediately, several small huggers sprouted out of the tip of his wand and he laughed out loud. When he first tried this spell weeks ago, it didn’t work because he didn’t know how to channel the castle’s magic yet.He watched the huggers as they flew around, waiting for a command from him. He waved his wand and they responded by flying to the same rhythm. He experimented with a few movements until he got the hang of it and could order them in any direction he wanted. For now, he sent them to the ceiling to rest.He observed them as they hung upside down and remembered what Merlin said when he taught him this spell.
It’s an advanced spell.
“How about this, Potter?” Jack said and his voice echoed in the cavern room. “I bet you can’t do that. No scar will help you here.”He would show them all. He’d show Potter that he was better at magic and he would show Merlin who was worthy to be his friend.Merlin looked after Jack who ran down the stairs. Why did the boy keep running away from him? He seemed to have a better attitude towards Merlin today, the crystal bribe worked, so what set him off again?He went back in and found the trio in front of the fireplace. He sat down in the empty seat next to Hermione with the boys opposite of him.“Sorry, I don’t know why Jack has been acting so tense lately.”He hoped that Jack’s behavior wouldn’t mess up the little progress he made with Harry.“So, will you show us some cool tricks?” Ron asked.“Tricks?”Was this what he was now reduced to - a pet or a circus animal? He couldn’t help but feel offended at this but he supposed they were children. Magic was all about tricks for them. He had to bite down his pride and be a good little pet.“Gewyrc an lif,” he said and a blue butterfly flew out of his cupped hand.Hermione gasped at it. “It’s beautiful.”Harry looked after the butterfly. “You conjured it, just like that, like it’s easy.”Merlin shrugged. Spells like that were always easy for him but he supposed he wasn’t a normal case.Ron scowled like he was permanently dissatisfied and crossed his arms.“Why were you hiding all of this?”“Not really hiding. I just wasn’t ready to share it before.”Ron wasn’t done. “And the whole thing with the pagan stuff. I get it why you’re using this magic, it is sort of cool, but why bother with the religion thing?”Merlin closed his eyes and tried to calm himself.“You might not realize this but you’re insulting me, Ron.”“Will you stop being so sensitive?”Weren’t these just the perfect words to raise his blood pressure again.“If you knew what I know and experienced what I have, you would believe too.”Ron scoffed. “You’re like a religious fanatic or something.”“Ron!” Hermione scolded.“Why do you have such a problem with me?” Merlin asked. This kid had it in for him since the beginning.“Because I can see what you’re doing.” Ginger’s voice rose as he pointed his finger at Merlin in accusation. “You’ve been trying to worm your way into our group and I want to know why!”Harry looked down at his feet and Merlin wondered if he felt the same way.“Is it so hard to believe that I want to be friends with you three?”“I get it. You’re an outsider with your weird magic and,” he shook his head, “beliefs, so you want to latch on to the famous Harry Potter so people would think you’re cool.”“Ron, stop it!” Hermione shouted and put her hand on Merlin’s. “Why are you so mean?”Harry was staring at his shoes, not confirming or denying Ron’s opinion. Merlin started to understand why Ron was so hostile - he was protective over Harry, wanted to ensure that people didn’t use him or exploit him. Even though his words hurt, Merlin gave him some respect for that.He wasn’t finished. “You’re so weird, maybe you’re the Heir of Slytherin.”Merlin dropped his head. Maybe he deserved this for what he put Jack through. It was only fitting that tables would turn against him.“That’s enough!” Hermione shouted and pulled Merlin by his hand.She led him a few steps away from the couches and wrapped her arms around him. He felt so numb at the moment, her friendly gesture warmed his heart.“Do all of you feel the same way?” he asked softly.She released her embrace and took his hand in hers.“I’ll talk some sense into Ron. I’m sorry he’s being so mean to you. You’re not mad?”She raised her eyes to him and he shook his head. He wasn’t angry. He was disappointed because his plan had the opposite effect from what he intended. He thought showing them who he was would help break through that last barrier of mistrust but it increased their suspicions, at least, Ron’s suspicions and Ron’s opinion mattered to Harry.She lingered there, rocking on her feet, still holding his hand, and he realized that she might be his last hope for not losing everything he worked for.“Thank you for taking my side, Hermione.”She glanced down but then back up to his eyes again.“I will always take your side.” She gave him another hug and whispered in his ear. “I’m glad you told us. Even if I can’t do this magic, I hope you’ll invite me again.”He disengaged himself from her and felt a little awkward. She surely was a hugger.“You’re invited.”She beamed at him and went back to the couches where she sat down with a bounce.“Oh, shut up, Ron,” she scolded him even though he didn’t say anything.Harry chuckled and shot Merlin an amused look.Merlin wished them a good night and left for his dorm, hoping that Hermione could turn the tides in his favor.The next morning, Minerva sat down next to Albus in the Great Hall. They exchanged greetings but in her usual fashion, she wasn’t interested in chitchat about the weather, which was dreadful at the moment, and dived right into the topic she wanted to discuss.“What are your thoughts about the Old Religion meeting yesterday?”Albus spent a lot of time the night before thinking about that meeting. It felt like he learned more about Merlin during it than during the decades he had known him.“It was very enlightening.”He had never seen the immortal sorcerer so nervous. But the most intriguing part of the meeting came at the very end when the question was posed as to why there were no Old Religion schools. Merlin mentioned the need to screen children entering Hogwarts and also about political issues which would arise if such school existed.And the truth started to unravel. Had there been political issues in the past? Had Merlin tried screening Hogwarts students before? These were all questions which Albus was now anxious to ask of him.“I’m still worried,” Minerva said while looking at the Gryffindor table. “I’m trying to be accepting of this ancient belief but that wandless magic troubles me. I think a staff member should always be present during these meetings to ensure no one gets hurt. You’re familiar with Ealdor family. Do all of them practice this magic? How well can they control it?”Ealdor family. It was really sad to hear a reminder that Merlin had absolutely no family or descendants. Albus supposed, he wouldn’t have any either. It was too late for him now. The thought of not having children never bothered him before but there was something sad about the realization that he wasn’t leaving any of himself behind.“They have exceptional control over their wandless magic, Minerva.”“I have a theory that he performs so poorly in my class because of his aversion to wand magic. He also appears to be a Legilimens,” she continued. “I get the feeling that anyone who can do that broadcasting can invade a mind if he wants to. That is a very young age to possess such advanced skills, Headmaster. Were you aware of it?”He decided to tell her the truth. “Yes, he’s a Legilimens. I was not aware of this broadcasting skill but I’m not very surprised.”“He gets very defensive when people question his faith. For a moment, I was worried for young Weasley,” she joked.“Indeed. He’s quite proud of his ancient beliefs. It would be unwise to challenge him on that.”“And he knows runes already.”It appeared that Minerva was checking off a list of everything odd about Merlin. If she continued at this, she would have to come to the conclusion that he couldn’t possibly be a child. Oh, Merlin, you slipped in your act.“Is there anything else I should know about him?”Her question was innocent but he knew what was behind it. She was starting to understand that there was something strange about Merlin and that Albus knew what it was. He supposed he would have to fill her in eventually but decided to wait.Instead, he had to remind the young sorcerer to try harder to appear childish. If he continued exposing himself like this, soon, more people would start noticing. There was little chance of people guessing who he really was, even when he so boldly used his real name, but they could come to even more worrisome conclusions.“He means well,” he finally said. As troublesome as Merlin was, it was a good thing that he was on their side.Minerva finally dropped the topic and Albus was left alone to his thoughts.He spent the rest of the breakfast observing the young sorcerer among his friends and wondering if they also started making their own lists of Merlin’s oddities.Later that day, Severus visited him in the office and asked to use the pensive again.“Be my guest. Your memory is still in there.”“Thank you, Headmaster.”He proceeded to dive into the memory, come out of it, write on a piece of parchment, and then, continue going back in to repeat the process. Once he appeared to be done, he finally explained.“I’m making a list of everyone that was there that day.”“Oh, really?”Albus should’ve known that he wouldn’t drop the issue this easily. He supposed he would be just as desperate to find the culprit if he was the one that was cursed.“I will start from these,” Severus held up the parchment with his list of names.Albus hoped he wasn’t going to harass these children. “What do you intend to do?”“I’ve assigned all classes an essay. Now, I just have to compare their handwriting to the letter. Soon, I’ll be able to unmask who this Three-Headed Moon Frog is.”Severus left with his list and Albus hoped that Merlin had taken precautions against being discovered in this way. Should he warn the young sorcerer or let him be caught?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin watched the sun rise over the mountain peaks and marveled at its serene beauty. Maybe it would be a nice day. No sooner he thought those words when clouds moved in, covered up the glowing orb and turned the world into a murky grey again, undoing all its work. He could relate to it.He ate his breakfast silently while next to him Jack was trying out Fleoge to call various foods to his plate. It actually wasn’t the best spell for a delicate action like that but that didn't stop the boy from trying. He was determined to master it and Merlin observed it with pleasure. If everything else failed, at least he found new pupils to pass his knowledge to.He got another surprise that morning as Harry’s trio came over. The boys sat across from him, Hermione sat next to him. This was the first time that they joined him for a meal, he was usually the one who sought them out, so they had his full attention.Hermione stared at Ron until he rolled his eyes and recited in a monotone voice, “I’m sorry that I made fun of your beliefs. I’m a rude and inconsiderate troll.”That was the most insincere apology Merlin had ever heard and he couldn’t help but smile at it. It had Hermione written all over it. She was an excellent mediator.“Apology accepted,” he answered and Ron sighed in relief.The tension at the table deflated and everyone got busy with food.Jack resumed playing with the Fleoge spell and Merlin had a feeling that he was showing off. Harry was in a good mood and tried the spell as well, but the sandwich he tried to make fly fell apart and spread all over the table.Merlin chuckled, pulling ham out of his mug, and encouraged the boy anyway. It was going to take them a lot of practice before they both mastered it.A small group of Hufflepuffs passed by, they gasped and started whispering loud enough for them to hear.“That’s Potter. Quick! Quick, before he sees us.”Harry gripped his fork tighter and kept his eyes on his plate, making an effort to not notice them. His mood instantly changed. He was clearly under a lot of stress even though he tried to hide it. The faster they found the real Heir, the faster Harry would be released from the suspicions.Not far from them at the Slytherin table, Malfoy sat with his goonies so Merlin took the opportunity to listen in to his thoughts.
Look at Saint Potter surrounded by his gang of idiots, Mudbloods, freaks, and losers. This year at least no one talks about his Quidditch since they all hate him. Serves him right. And Flint still points out how I didn’t catch the Snitch first. He could take a bloody break. It wasn’t my fault. Ah, look at that Mudblood Granger with her rabbit teeth...
Merlin got out of his head, so disgusted from listening to him, he could actually taste it on his tongue, and found everyone at the table staring at him. He looked around, bewildered. Did something happen while he was busy mind-diving?Harry and Ron exploded in snorts and giggles. Even Hermione covered her mouth to chuckle.“What?”Jack pulled his mouth back in disgust. “Stop dipping your cinnamon bun in mustard sauce. Just watching it makes me gag.”Merlin looked at the half-eaten bun in his hand and a yellow sauce it was covered in. That would explain the foul taste in his mouth.He drank his entire mug of water to wash out the flavor while the four kids had their laugh at his expense. What could he do? To not appear like a zombie while listening to someone’s thoughts, he had to do something with his hands, and mishaps like this one were bound to happen. He was glad he didn’t finish this unfortunate flavor bomb.“When you dipped it, I watched if you would really eat it and you made this face,” Harry demonstrated by squishing his features, “If it was that nasty, why did you keep dipping it?”“You’re bonkers, Ealdor,” Ron said while trying to pick his next sausage.Merlin tried to save whatever sense of dignity he had left.“I was thinking.”Harry was still chuckling. “Your thinking is hazardous to your health.”“How are we doing with the potion?” Ron asked Hermione in a whisper.She shot a worried look at Jack who was ignoring their presence at the moment.“Lacewings are nearly done. Then, we just need the full moon and we can finish it. We’re nearly there.”“So what’s our plan for getting the… personal ingredients?” Harry asked.“We could make a Sleeping Draught,” Hermione volunteered.“Is that difficult?”“I can do it.”Merlin decided that it would be best if he monitored how she made it before she poisoned someone. “I’ll help you.”Hermione grinned while Ron and Harry sniggered and whispered to each other while looking at him. What was with those two?The Weasley twins walked by and Merlin overheard part of their conversation.“I just finished it. My hand aches from all the writing. I hope I never have to write about moonstone and frog brains again.”The twins said a quick greeting to Harry and the gang while Merlin experienced a sinking sensation as he realized that he had forgotten to be a student.“Uh-oh. I forgot about that frog brains essay.”“Merlin!” Jack exclaimed at him. “I reminded you yesterday! Do you want to have detentions again?”He shrugged. With all the excitement of the previous day, it flew out of his head.“We also had a moonstone and frog brains essay,” Hermione said. “I wish you had told me. We could’ve written it together.”Merlin didn’t care about his grade. He was now more focused on the peculiarity that the first-years, second-years, and fourth-years were all given the same essay assignment. Was Snape getting lazy? He was starting to resemble Lockhart now. So much for redeeming himself.When they got to their Potions classroom, all students dropped off their essays and Merlin approached the grumpy Professor.“Professor, can I be given an extension? I’ll have the essay ready later today and will deliver it...”“No. Five points from Gryffindor, Ealdor,” Snape said all too eagerly. “And detention tonight. Come to my office at seven.”Merlin walked back to his table and tried to avoid the “I told you so” glare from Jack. He didn’t care anyway.When he showed up for detention later that day, Snape pointed to a desk for Merlin to stand by where several pieces of parchment, ink and a quill were waiting for him. There was no chair. It seemed that Greasy Git thought that if he wasn’t allowed to sit then no one should be.“You requested an extension, you get it. Write your essay now.”Merlin resisted an urge to roll his eyes. Any other student would probably be mortified at the idea of writing an essay like this without having any reference materials on hand but he didn’t have to worry about that.“Thank you, Professor.”He knew that he wouldn’t get a good grade anyway, so, to spite the Potions Master some more, he wrote an incredibly detailed and rich paper, worthy of professional publication. He handed it in just half an hour after starting and Snape narrowed his eyes into slits.“You can’t possibly be finished already.”Merlin tried to look innocent.“I’m a fast writer.”Snape paused, making Merlin hold his parchment in the air for a while but finally took it and unrolled it. While he inspected it, Merlin glanced at the essay Snape was in the middle of grading. It appeared that some words were vanished. Why was he doing that? He hoped that Greasy Git wasn’t planning on changing that student’s essay to fit the grade he wanted to give it.After seeing that the essay satisfied his length requirements, Snape stared deep into Merlin’s eyes. Merlin was ready with barriers in his mind and pictured eating a mustard-covered cinnamon bun to discourage further legilimency attempts. He was tempted to retaliate and invade the Potions Master’s mind to find out why he was vanishing words but didn’t want to risk getting caught.Snape grimaced and it took all of Merlin’s restraint to not burst out laughing. It tasted even worse than it looked.“In that case, you have time for another. I want two feet of parchment describing the twelve uses of dragon blood.”Humor drained out of Merlin. He was a Dragonlord, their protector. In his eyes, using the blood of these noble creatures was equivalent to cannibalism.Snape mistook his mood change for fear. “Problem, Ealdor?”“No problem, Professor.”Merlin went back to the table and got started. Oh, he would write him an essay but not about the discoveries made by Dumbledore. There was only one use for dragon’s blood. The mountain peaks in the distance were white-coated already, symbolizing that the Queen of Winter began her reign. Mother had her magic back and was now surely using it to search for them. Would she charge the school in a full-on offense or would she come peacefully to demand that her children be returned?Elsa liked it here. She wasn’t ready to let go of it all. She wanted to have an escape plan and their father was it.Elsa caught up with her brother on the way to class.”We should go soon.””You're saying this like there's an option. McGonagall will be furious if we're late.””I don't mean class.”He stopped in his tracks and smirked.”You wanna skip class? Elsa,” he waggled his eyebrows, ”have you got the naughty bug?”Oh, how quickly his mind jumped to mischievous thoughts.As if on cue, Peeves materialized and giggled.”Jack-Friend, are you ready for fun?”She clarified, ”I don’t mean skipping either.”“False alarm, Peeves,” Jack shrugged at his poltergeist friend. “Got my hopes up for nothing.”“The fairies, Jack. This weekend, we’re going.”“Can I come?” Peeves asked, bouncing up and down, his hat jingling.“Can you leave the castle?” Jack asked.Peeves pouted and blew a raspberry at them.She was glad the spirit couldn’t follow them. She didn’t think fairies would appreciate a guest like that.The rest of the week went by quickly and Saturday morning Jack found her at breakfast so they could leave while everyone else was still eating. The grounds were quiet, crisp air greeted them, satisfyingly refreshing and energizing.“I wore shoes this time,” Jack joked while leading her to the forest. “Watch out for those thorny brambles.”Elsa looked at the long line of trees awaiting them.“So how will we know where to go?”“Reed, the fairy I met, said that we’ll be able to feel their magic and can just follow it.”Elsa heaved a long sigh. She put all her hopes on his ability to find the fairies and assumed that he knew where they were, but in fact, he had no idea. Why couldn’t he ever plan anything properly?She pulled out a piece of parchment from her pocket and gave it to him.“I tried to draw the blue fairy I saw in the mirror. Maybe they will be able to recognize it. What do you think?”He looked at her drawing while walking. The longer he was silent, the more she was becoming convinced that he was judging her. She tried to do a good job but Luna probably would’ve drawn it better.“It looks nothing like Reed,” he finally spoke up. “Nice drawing.”He gave it back to her and she rolled it up quickly. She hoped that fairies wouldn’t feel offended at her drawing skills.“That’s what they looked like in the mirror.”They reached the edge of the forest and he looked in both directions while scratching his head.“Well, how about I go right and you go left? It will be faster.”“How will I recognize the trail?”“You can’t miss it. Fairy magic feels awesome.”She grumbled under her breath but turned left and walked slowly by the tree line, peering curiously inside. The tall trees were obscuring a lot of light, making the forest floor seem menacing but if delicate beings like fairies lived there, it couldn’t be all bad.She passed by the Gamekeeper’s hut and hoped he was still in the castle, eating breakfast. The forest was forbidden to the students. She would likely get detention if she was caught lurking about it.She was growing impatient and wondered if there would even be a trail to follow. Fairies were flying creatures. What if their magic trail got swept away by the wind?And then she felt it. It was like a smell that she could feel within her whole body instead of her nose. It made her feel warm inside, it compelled her to follow. She sent Jack a signal to call him over and stepped inside the dark forest.Fallen leaves crunched under her feet as her legs moved on their own accord, guided by the invisible hand of magic.Someone took her hand and she startled. She sighed in relief, seeing her brother’s smiling face.“I told you we’ll find the trail.”There was no more breeze, the air was still and earthy. They walked in silence, appreciating the beauty of the nature magic around them. It was in each creaky tree, rotting log, the soft ground under their feet, even the air felt magical.There was also some presence nearby. She looked around her but could only see trees.“The centaurs are watching us again,” Jack said quietly.“Should we be worried?”“We’re new here. They don’t know what to expect of us so let’s not give them a reason to think we’re a threat. That time I hurt my foot, a centaur actually helped me find my way back, so they can be nice, but also, he complained that we caused that winter day before. Remember when we played in the Courtyard? It’s not your season,” he mimicked a deep voice and giggled at his poor impersonation.Elsa huffed. “We’re Winter Spirits. They can’t blame us for sticking to our nature.”He chuckled at her. “Don’t say it like that if you’re facing one of them.”A loud sputtering noise interrupted them and they both looked in the direction of where it came from.“Is that… a car?” Elsa asked incredulously.She couldn’t think of what else it could have been. It was a blue car with the headlights on, slowly making its way through the trees. It was scratched up, dented and partially covered by green moss. The front windshield was broken and it looked as if vines were growing out of it.“No driver,” she mused as it passed by.“That is one magical creature I did not expect to find here.”They watched it disappear behind the trees and were rooted to the spot even when it was quiet again. A sound of a crow overhead woke them from their stupor and they resumed their trek.The deeper into the forest they went, the thicker the undergrowth became. Mist hung low over the ground, and even less light penetrated down to the ground. Massive exposed roots were splayed out like fingers, supporting trees so tall, she couldn’t see their tops. They walked under them and Elsa felt tiny as if each step she took shrunk her a little more. She squeezed Jack’s hand who held on to her firmly and smiled at her with reassurance.“You didn’t want to search for our father before,” she remembered how unenthusiastically he helped her research. “What changed your mind?”“You did.”A herd of deer stopped running not far from them, turned their heads and stared at them while turning their ears in different directions. Jack waved at them and they scattered.He continued, “You reminded me that family is most important. He’s our family too, right?”They stopped when they met with a wall of thick growth, which was taller than a few men and too thick to even peer through. They found that it was too large to go around and yet the trail definitely led them there. They had to find a way through this ominous thorny bush.“They probably just fly over it,” Jack said and pulled out his wand. “We could just blast it.”She grabbed his wrist to stop him.“It could be a defense, Jack.”“Oh, you think it will attack us if we try to destroy it?”“They built a wall so forest creatures wouldn’t wander into their colony. I think they will not appreciate it if we make their home vulnerable.”Jack smiled at her and put his wand away. “It’s nice to have a smart sister. So, what do you propose?”She took a few steady breaths. She knew what she wanted to do but was scared that she would fail. Could she control it well enough to not get them hurt? She had been practicing this spell all week and had great success with it. She couldn’t think of any other solution at the moment.“Tell me what you see when you’re up there.”He blinked in confusion. “Up where?”“Fleoge,” she said and made him fly up in the air.“Whoa,” Jack cried out but then laughed.Her hand shook as she pointed it at where she wanted him to fly to.He hovered in place and pointed at the ground. “You were right, it’s a wall. Just set me down there.”She directed him above the wall and slowly lowered him down. It became difficult once she couldn’t see him.“Are you far from the ground?”“Just a little more.”She strained to keep control of him and felt it slip. He yelped and she heard a thud as he hit the ground.“I’m okay,” he confirmed and she sighed in relief. “How will you get over?”“Fleoge,” she directed the spell at herself.An involuntary little squeak escaped her throat as she felt the magic take hold of her body. The higher she flew up, the tighter the knot in her stomach became. She made an effort to not look down but kept her eyes on the wall of thorns. Her body was rigid with fear and she wanted to get this over with quickly before she lost control of the spell. She whimpered as she floated above the brambles, worried how painful it would be if she fell down into them. On the other side, she saw Jack on the ground.“You’re almost there,” he encouraged.She sped up her flight, impatient to get down, but then didn’t know how to slow it down. His eyes were wide as he saw her fly right at him but did not move out of the way. Instead, he caught her and they both tumbled to the ground.She held on to him tightly and panted.“You did it! You were amazing, Elsa!”Her fingers were frozen stiff as she clutched his robes and her eyes were still closed. At the moment, she just wanted to stay like that. She did not like using that spell on herself, that was certain. She wanted to promise herself ‘Never again,’ but then remembered that they would probably need the same means to get back.“Elsa?” he whispered. “You should open your eyes.”She took one long breath and released him, ready to resume their search for the colony.She got up but didn’t even get a chance to shake the leaves off her robes as a hundred tiny glowing spears surrounded them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Elsa was aware of the danger they were in, but she was in too much awe to think. All she could do is feel and all of her senses feasted. It was as if they stepped into a different dimension. While the forest they went through was dark and ominous, mostly empty and quiet, the fairy colony was teeming with life.It was significantly warmer here. The trees shimmered with golden and red leaves, sunshine broke through the canopy and streamed through to the ground. But most of all, the place was teeming with seducing magic which brought an involuntary smile to her face.“How did they get through our wards?” a female voice said and she looked for the source.Elsa finally paid attention to the little glowing spears held by fairies dressed in shiny green armor. Their wings glimmered in the sunshine as they bat them so quickly, they blurred.“You mean the wall of thorns?” Jack responded. “We flew.”“Our wards should have kept them out,” another fairy said.“What wards?”“They understand us,” another fairy guard said.The twins exchanged a look.“Reed insisted that I’m a fairy,” Jack whispered to her.The fairies looked confused, probably never having dealt with a situation like this.“We would like to speak with your queen,” Jack said to them with his hands raised, eyeing the spears.“What business do you have with The Queen?” This fairy had a slightly more fancy armor on and a little green helmet through which little pointy ears poked out. As the others looked to her for instructions, Elsa guessed she was a leader.“We… We were invited.”Another guard spat at them. “Humans are not allowed here.”“We’re not human. We’re nature spirits,” Jack said quickly. “We only want to talk.”While the guards deliberated, Elsa wondered what type of damage their weapons were capable of.“We’ll ask the queen if she wishes to see you,” the leader decided.The fairies parted, making a pathway for them.Jack took her hand and led her forward. They walked slowly through the soft grass, curious about the colony while the guards formed a half-circle around them.They passed by a tree which was overgrown with large mushroom and fairies hovered around it, pruning the fungus. Were they farming?They passed by what looked like workshops where fairies were busy carving wood and painting leaves with sparkly powder which seemed to transform the leaf into a leather-like material. She was curious about what they were doing but knew that it wasn’t the right time for questions.They passed by trees which were full of tiny houses made of sticks and bark and decorated with painted pinecones. The residents poked their heads out the window openings, checking out the newcomers but hesitant to come out.Above them, birds sang and she wondered why songbirds were still here when all others flew south for the winter. Was this place shielded from cold weather?She knew they approached the queen’s tree because it was magnificent and radiated magic. It was decorated in tiny glowing orbs and the leaves on it were still green. The guard told them to stop while the leader disappeared inside the tree.“This place is amazing,” Jack whispered while looking around.One of the trees was full of swings made of green vines and little fairies played on them, giggling. They paused upon seeing them. Jack grinned to them broadly and waved. They squealed and hid behind leaves but poked their heads out curiously.The leader guard flew up in front of them and announced, “Queen Pitsa will see you now.”Jack’s eyes widened and he asked in a restrained voice, “Did you just say her name is Pizza?”“Queen Pitsa. You will address her with respect.”Elsa shot him a warning glare, praying that for once he could be serious. They were going to be attacked if he laughed at the queen’s name.He chewed on his bottom lip in a clear attempt to control himself. “Just wanted to make sure I got the name right.”The queen floated out of the tree and their attention snapped right to her.She was by far the largest of the fairies in the colony, and it wasn’t by height. Her wings were twice as large as everyone else’s and Elsa wondered if it was because she was a queen or if their length adjusted depending on the fairy’s weight.“Bow,” the leader guard hissed at them.The twins quickly lowered their heads respectfully and waited to be addressed. Elsa wasn’t sure what the proper etiquette was but she decided to treat this fairy the way she would have treated Mother. Don’t speak up until you’re spoken to. Don’t ask questions. Phrase each sentence with care. She snuck a glance at her brother. She wished she could remind him of another rule - don’t crack jokes. Merlin better teach them that telepathy soon.The queen stopped a few feet before them. She had a kind, round face and smiling bright eyes, yellow-green like a cat’s. Her rusty-brown hair curled under her crown which was carved out of an acorn.“Who might you be?” the queen asked in a chiming voice, hovering slightly above their bent heads.Elsa took the cue. “This is my brother Jack and I’m Elsa. We’re Winter Spirits.”“Lies! You wear Hogwarts robes. Why?”“We’re students there. We want to learn wizard magic.”“What magic did you use to break our wards?”Elsa glanced at her brother. This didn’t sound very welcoming.“I used a flying spell to send us over the thorny wall. Nothing else. If there are wards there, we did not break them.”“Do you have a habit of invading fairy colonies?” The queen’s voice was steady but it sounded hostile.All around them the fairy guards were watching the scene in focus, waiting for the queen’s orders.Jack swallowed and spoke up. “I was invited. I met one of your fairies in the greenhouse and he said that you would like to meet us.”The queen’s eyes narrowed. “Saying that I wanted to meet the newcomers and saying that said newcomers are welcome to barge in are two different sayings.”Jack dropped his eyes and Elsa grit her teeth. Were they in trouble over a misunderstanding?“We mean no harm,” Jack said with a bow of his head. “We just want to talk.”“Why would you assume I have an interest in talking to nature sprites who associate with wizards? Why are you really here?”The guard took a cue from her words and pointed the glowing spears at them. Elsa stood her ground and got ready. She could freeze them all before they attacked.Jack must have sensed her thoughts because he shook his head at her. So he wanted to continue diplomacy? She wasn’t sure if there was a point anymore. These fairies did not want to help them. It was a mistake to seek their help.“I’m on your side,” Jack said. “I oppose all cruel practices wizards are so used to. I will never use fairy wings in potions, and I will always point out to them how wrong they are.”“That will achieve nothing!” The queen turned away from him and the leader of the guards flew up to her, ready to take orders.“Yes, it will.” Jack didn’t give up yet. “I’ve already had them change their curriculum for me. They’re open to seeing magic practices which don’t harm other creatures. With time, I can achieve more.”Elsa was surprised to hear this. She did not know that he planned to help the fairies. She thought he only had a general aversion to certain ingredients. Or was he making this up just to appease the queen?The queen cast a fleeting glance in his direction but then looked away to the trees where dozens of tiny heads were peeking out from behind leaves. She whispered some instructions to the leader guard and Elsa overheard, “Which method would work best?”They were getting ready to attack! Elsa shot a worried glance at Jack who watched the queen with furrowed brows, still hoping that she believed his good intentions. They were fools. The fairies had no reason to help them. As far as the queen was concerned, her colony was under attack.Elsa let her ice magic tingle in her fingertips. Of the two of them, she was stronger. It was her responsibility to protect her brother.She snuck a quick glance at where the fairy guards were, preparing herself for the worst. They looked so delicate with their shimmering wings and tiny hands and feet but she was sure that all of these glowing spears combined could deliver a stun they would feel. It pained her to think that she might have to use her magic on them. Would they survive? She wanted to protect her brother but she didn’t want to kill them.But ice was ice. There was no way to control it once she let it all out, and she knew that if they attacked, she would have to give them her worst.‘Don’t attack,’ she prayed. ‘Don’t make me do this.’A guard flew up to the queen and whispered something in her ear. She crossed her little arms and turned her head to them but didn’t say anything.A male fairy flew down, stopped in front of her and bowed.“Kind Queen Pitsa, I know this spirit. He saved me from being captured by a witch.”“That’s Reed,” Jack whispered to Elsa.The queen flew up to Reed and put a hand on his bent head.“You vouch for them?”Reed was silent for an extended time, keeping them in suspense.“I only know the boy,” he finally said and Elsa was ready to growl.“I vouch for my sister,” Jack spoke up and the queen shot him a scornful look for speaking out of turn. That shut him up and he stared at the ground again.The queen heaved a long sigh and deliberated. Finally, she turned to them.“I’ve never seen nature sprites among Hogwarts students.”“They don’t know what we are,” Jack said quietly.The queen’s eyes widened and she flew closer to them. Her guard followed to stay by her side.“You’ve fooled them.” She looked between the two of them. “How committed are you to changing their ways?”“Completely,” Jack said immediately. “I’ll talk to whoever listens.”“They think you’re one of them?” Jack nodded and the queen’s mouth slightly lifted. “You're placed in a uniquely advantageous position. You can affect change from the inside.”Her smile finally reached her eyes, turning her features warm.“Why are you here?”A tiny spark of hope swelled within Elsa. Maybe the situation wasn’t lost.“We’d like to ask you if you recognize this being.” Jack held out a hand to Elsa. “The drawing.”Elsa pulled out her blue fairy sketch and they showed it to the queen.“We want to find out who our father is. When searching for answers, Elsa saw these beings in an enchanted mirror. We think it’s a clue to finding him. Do you know what they are or where we can find them?”The queen looked at the drawing and pursed her lips. Elsa hoped her rendition of the blue fairy was accurate enough for the queen to recognize what it was.“It is not a fairy,” the queen said, still looking at the drawing and glancing at them. “I wonder…”It sounded like she had an idea. The spark of hope made Elsa’s heart skip a beat and she wished the queen would share her theory already.The queen stared at them and narrowed her eyes. “I’m intrigued at what you might be. You can break through our wards and can speak with us as if you were a fairy.”Jack giggled. “Our mother is the furthest thing from a fairy. She’s a Winter Spirit and so are we.”“Are you sure about that? A Winter Sprite would cease to exist upon entering this sacred place.” She gestured with her hand at the beautiful autumn scenery the colony was bathed in. “If you haven’t noticed, we are shielded from Winter.”Elsa didn’t like being referred to as a sprite. Something felt demeaning about that title.“What?” Jack scratched his head. “Cease to exist?”“You might be some rare Elemental Fae but I am certain that you are not Winter Sprites at all.”“Well, we’re only half-Winter-Spirits.”“Not at all,” the queen repeated and chuckled. “Oh, dear younglings, whoever told you that little lie was truly wicked. Winter Sprites are not beings made of flesh and bone. They aren’t born - they’re created by the power of the Winter Element. Neither you nor your mother could have been a Winter Sprite.”Jack gasped. “She lied? Our mother lied about what she is? Why hold something like that from us?”“I cannot answer this question.”Jack seemed to have a problem with breathing and held on to Elsa for support. She tried to clear her mind. She was shocked but further stipulations about their mother’s alleged lie were pointless. She could plot theories about this later. It was time to move on and get as much information as she could from these fairies while they were still speaking.“Dear Queen, can you help us find our father? Is there anything you can do, magic or otherwise?”Queen Pizza hovered side to side in front of them as if she was slowly pacing. Her tiny hands were folded on her abdomen and her eyes were looking up at the trees.“What powers do you possess?”“Aside from what we’re learning from the wizards, we never exhibited anything other than winter magic. I can create ice and lower air temperature. Jack creates frost and can call in snow clouds.”The queen fluttered between them. “Your Fae magic might be untrained but I’m certain you have exhibited more. Think, younglings, think.”Elsa bit her lip and asked her brother. “What can you do that isn’t winter-related?”“I can call huggers,” Jack said and stretched out his hand. Within a minute a large brown hugger flew around him and then suspended from his hand.Elsa chuckled as her brother brought the creature close to him. The fairies moved a little away. They were too large to be a bat’s prey but they still appeared very cautious.“Do control that beast and take it with your when you leave,” the queen warned. “Or we will deal with it.”“Of course,” Jack assured her. “He means no harm.”The queen moved a little further away and her guards flew to her side protectively.Jack stroked the bat’s furry chin. “It’s the same one! I should give you a name already. How about… Bo.”“So you can call huggers to you. I don’t really know what that means yet. What else?”“I don’t know. I don’t have any hidden talents.”“Hey, what about that charming thing you do - the puppy eyes. Everyone falls for it!”Jack smirked at her. “Almost. It didn’t work when I tried to convince McGonagall to let me keep Bo in my dorm.”Elsa let out a chuckle, imagining bats hanging from Jack’s four-poster bed. That did not sound far fetched for her brother at all.Jack perked up as he got an idea.“Oh, what about flying? When I was on a broom, it felt like it wasn’t the broom that was carrying me. It felt like the wind was propelling me forward. Does that make any sense?”“Maybe.”“What about you, Elsa?”Elsa tried to think of any special abilities she had and frowned, not being able to name even one. Could it be that all special Fae powers were only given to Jack? That wasn’t fair. The winter powers that they inherited from mother were split between them, but when it came to other abilities, Elsa felt left out.“I can’t think of any.”“You’re smart and you’re an amazing artist.”Elsa appreciated his attempt at cheering her up but it really wasn’t the same as his gifts.“That’s not really all that special. Even humans can claim to be smart or artistic.”“You had flying lessons too, didn’t you? You didn’t feel anything strange with the wind?”Elsa thought back to the few times she sat on a broom.“I could fly, it was easy, but I didn’t really go far. Professor Hooch told us to stay close to the ground.”Jack looked at her with an obvious disappointment and she knew what he was thinking. She played it safe like she always did. Who knew, maybe if she took a chance and didn’t listen to directions like her brother, then she would have experienced that elusive wind power Jack described.“I’ve been told I’m intense and intimidating. That’s my equivalent of your charm.”“They only say that because they don’t know you’re a softie on the inside,” he playfully nudged her with his elbow and she huffed.“Poke me again and you’ll see why they’re scared of me.”He laughed and she couldn’t help but smile along. It was impossible to not become infected with his mood.Elsa wanted to try something. She held out her hand the way Jack always did when he called huggers and waited.“Do you do anything special when you call them?” she asked, getting impatient.“It’s like, in my mind, I invite them and they just show up. Wait a moment longer.”Elsa imagined herself inviting huggers in. After a while, she started to feel silly for standing there with her hand out.The fairies observed her curiously and looked around for any other bats. She had never tried this before. Jack was always the one who was fascinated with huggers but maybe he wasn’t the only one that could call them. She really wanted to have some Fae powers as well so she waited some more.She considered if she should put her hand down already when something a lot larger than a hugger settled on her arm. Huge wings created a gust of wind which swept Elsa’s hair and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. Few fairies screamed and hid in the leaves. The hugger in Jack’s hands squeaked and hid in his neck while Jack gaped open-mouthed at the bird on Elsa’s arm.It was an owl. A large brown owl.Elsa was speechless as she stared at the majestic bird who dug its talons into her robe.“Wow,” Jack said quietly while cupping his hands around Bo protectively. “You can call owls. These birds are scary. Maybe after all, you are scary, Elsa. But in a good way… in a powerful way.”Elsa’s heart started beating faster. She wasn’t left out of this strange Fae ability!“What does this mean?”She dared to pet the owl on the head. The bird closed its eyes, enjoying her touch and she immediately loved it. So, owls were her animals. She was oddly satisfied with that. They were so much more impressive than huggers, not that she was comparing. Maybe she was. Just a little bit.“Flying animals! We can call flying animals.” Wheels in her head started turning. “I’m sensing a pattern here. You felt the wind while you were flying. Flying animals like us. Jack, this could be the key.”The queen fluttered closer. Her guard flanked her nervously, casting worried glances at the bird. The owl passed them a bored look and leaned to Elsa, asking for more pets.“AIR!” the queen shouted in an incredulous voice. “You’re the Lords of Air!”A murmur went around at the queen’s exclamation and more fairies came out of the trees. These were the ones that previously were too apprehensive to show themselves. Now that they were all out, it looked like there were thousands of them. This was a very large colony.The queen flew close enough to touch him. In fact, it looked like she wanted to but restrained herself.“Air,” she repeated in a soft voice, “we, fairies, worship Air. It is the most sacred ancient power, powerful, hidden magic. Air Lords, the Sylph, are the highest of the Fae - the protectors, the guardians, the messengers of the gods. They can control not only the Air element but all beings which occupy the Air domain.”The queen then flew just as close to Elsa. Her eyes were brimming with tears. “It is an honor.”She flew back to her guard and curtsied to the two of them deeply, casting her eyes down. All fairies around followed her, curtsying or bowing.Jack smiled lopsidedly and pet his hugger. “It’s like we’re Fae royalty.”The queen straightened up and smiled graciously. “I did not recognize the drawing because the Sylph are only visible to other Sylph. Not even we can see them even when we’re their most devoted servants.”Elsa exchanged a look with her brother, still trying to process the possibility that they were half-Sylph.“You think our father is a Sylph?”“An Air Elemental,” the queen offered. “We, fairies, are distantly related to them although our magic does not begin to compare to their divine powers.”Elsa looked back at her drawing. “But they’re… small.” Not to mention, they had blue skin.The queen smiled kindly. “The Sylph are also shapeshifters who can assume a visible form at will - a human-sized form. Please forgive my hostility earlier,” she bowed to them again. “I did not know.”Elsa exchanged a look with her brother and allowed her hope to fully ignite. It finally made sense why she saw the blue fairies in the mirror, no, the Sylph. She could have even seen her father among them.They were so close to finding him, she could already imagine how drastically their lives were going to change. But how would they find an invisible Air Elemental?The queen had a plan for them. “We will pray to our Air Lords in hopes of getting you an audience with them. Is there any message we can pass on to help them locate your father?”Elsa heaved a long breath.“Tell them that…” Was she really going to say this? Yes. She had to. It was time to learn the truth. “Tell them that our mother is Dark Beira, Queen of Winter.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Minerva was in her office when she heard a knock, followed by Severus Snape entering the room. She couldn’t remember the last time when he visited her.“Minerva,” he said in his usual monotone voice, “if you’ve got the time, I’d like to discuss one of your students.”She invited him in but he refused to sit down and instead, loomed in the doorway.“What can you tell me about Merlin Ealdor?”She linked her hands on her lap. Dumbledore would’ve been a better person to answer questions about the young wizard but Severus might not know that.“He’s mostly quiet in class, doesn’t cause trouble although he can be mildly arrogant at times.”Severus’ eyelid twitched. “I assure you, he’s capable of causing trouble. What is your opinion on his magical skill?”“Rather mixed. He performs very poorly in my class, needs tutoring to get through each spell. But as I learned, he’s skilled at other magic disciplines.”His eyelid twitched again. “Such as?”“He performs acceptably in other classes, but also, he practices unorthodox methods of magic. You’re probably aware that he’s a practitioner of Old Religion.”“Same as the Nix twins.”“Yes, but actually more. There is a magic aspect to it which he seems to be skilled at. I’ve attended their meeting and was both impressed and concerned about it.”Severus gazed at her intently and she couldn’t take the suspense anymore.“Will you tell me where this sudden interest comes from?”“I can’t make heads or tails of him.” The way his eyelid kept twitching was distracting. “As detention punishment, I asked him to write me two essays on the fly and he produced the best-written paper I have ever seen. And just when I started thinking that maybe he’s a lot smarter than he lets on, he delivers me this joke.”He pulled out a rolled-up parchment from his robes and threw it on her desk. As she reached for it, he continued, “So, brilliant on some topics, a moron in others which seems to match what you’re saying.”Minerva unrolled the parchment and started reading.
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid which is crucial to the survival of the creature it belongs to. Dragons, like many other creatures, rely on it in the following twelve ways.
“What is this?” she asked, not following why Severus would assign this type of essay.“It’s supposed to be an essay on twelve uses of dragon blood.”Minerva dived back in.
The first and most important use of dragon blood is to keep the dragon alive. Losing this precious combination of plasma and cells would be detrimental to the owner’s health and must be avoided at all costs.

The second such use is keeping said dragon happy. There is no nicer feeling than the feel of healthy blood running through the dragon’s veins. Any dragon questioned about this, would confirm this observation.
Minerva wasn’t sure what to think about this. This essay seemed to be a parody of Dumbledore’s book on the uses of dragon blood. But she was compelled to keep reading.
The third such use is to circulate essential substances throughout the dragon’s body. While blood carries oxygen and nutrients, it also carries the dragon’s magic. Proper distribution of magical plasma ensures the dragon stays powerful and mighty enough to defeat any wizard or Muggle who tries to harm her.

The fourth use of dragon blood is to keep the dragon’s heart in shape. Like any living creature, dragons need their hearts healthy to withstand the demands of their romantic pursuits. The more powerful the creature, the more intense her love is. The stress of finding a mate and maintaining a healthy relationship requires a healthy amount of blood to run through the dragon’s heart.
Minerva couldn’t hide the smile forming on her lips. There was the boy’s arrogance again. Who else would dare write about dragon’s romantic pursuits in their school paper?
The fifth use of dragon blood is to allow the dragon to refer to it in metaphors. Like any noble intelligent being, dragons often find themselves in need to describe their emotions by the way blood runs through their veins. Blood that runs quick, sluggish, is hot or cold may all refer to physical manifestations of dragon’s feelings.
Minerva chuckled at this but continued reading, curious what else he could have come up with.
The sixth use of dragon blood is to keep the dragon’s perky visage. A dragon that is low on blood might have a pasty color to her scales which greatly diminishes her beauty. A dragon with nice blood flow will have a handsome complexion and striking features.

The seventh use of dragon blood is to carry her genes to the next generation. Each dragon wants her bloodline to be strong and successful. It’s important to maintain a strong lineage to ensure the future of this magnificent creature.

The eighth use of dragon blood is to distinguish dragons from other creatures. Dragon’s unique magical properties are unmistakable but if different blood ran through her veins, it would change what type of being she was. No dragon would like to end up being mistaken for an overgrown lizard.

The ninth use of dragon blood is to distract the gullible. It is well known that lower-intelligence beings get mesmerized by seeing dragon blood. She may use this to her advantage during a battle to lay waste to her attackers. While they stand there, wondering what they might want to use her spilled blood for, she may burn them to ashes.

The tenth use of dragon blood is to enable the dragon to be a full-blooded creature worthy of being feared. Being a dragon is hard. There’s livestock to eat, treasure to guard, humans to burn. Dragons don’t have time for indecisiveness. Their words need to be as full-blooded as their veins.

The eleventh use of dragon blood is to allow connection to Dragonlords. While humans are puny compared to those noble creatures, select few get the privilege to share a blood-bond with them which wouldn't be possible without the precious liquid.

The twelfth and final use of dragon blood is to be a constant subject of research for curious humans. While we may only guess at its potency, only dragons hold the secrets to its true power.

Overall, the magical blood of dragons has many wondrous properties and plenty of uses for their owners. We are lucky to share this world with such noble creatures so that we may learn from them. If we take proper care of them, the Great Dragon’s bloodline will survive for millennia more and will continue to amaze the human race.
Minerva rolled the parchment back while quietly chuckling. Severus was scowling at her as she handed him the essay.“Oh, lighten up, Severus. He didn’t know what the twelve uses of dragon blood were so he made this up.”He scoffed. “If he can write about moonstone better than a NEWT student, I think he would know the basics of dragon blood usage.”Minerva worried if there was anything Severus ever found funny.“Point taken. It’s also possible that this topic sat badly with him because of his religious beliefs. The essay’s point seems to be that dragon blood should not be used by wizards. This sounds a lot like the argument Jack Nix made against the use of animals in transfigurations which he said were against the values of his faith.”Severus pursed his lips while taking in her words. “This faith, you said you attended one of their meetings?”“Yes, I’ve requested to be notified when they meet again. I plan to monitor what magic they practice there.”“Do they practice curses?”“I haven’t seen any,” she was surprised at that question. “Will you please explain where you’re going with this?”“I have a suspicion but it seems very unbelievable considering how young Ealdor is. I would like to attend as well so that I may witness this Old Religion for myself.”He raised his eyebrows, indicating that he would not ask nicely but simply expected to be invited. This irritated Minerva. She was tired of men and their egos but she was not in the mood to school a fellow staff member at the moment so she assured him that she would notify him of the date and time.His interest in young Merlin was very curious. She wondered what he suspected him of. Oh, well. Maybe she would finally find this out during the next meeting.During the following weeks, Merlin observed how many kids mumbled due to a swollen tongue. Unsurprisingly, many of them were Slytherin but students from other Houses fell for that infliction as well. He wondered how long it would take before they figured out the cause of their sudden desire to chew on their own tongue. At least he heard less foul language in the corridors. His blessing was working.Things were starting to go back to normal. He was back on good terms with the trio. He brew the Sleeping Draught with Hermione and picked fluxweed with her on a full-moon night which was the last ingredient needed to finish the Polyjuice Potion. Just a few more days and they could get on with their plan to pretend to be Slytherins and interrogate Malfoy.His relationship with Jack was starting to recover although the boy now spent even more time with his sister. There was still tension when it came to Jack and Harry. Whenever Harry’s trio came over to Merlin, Jack left. This continued until one day Merlin couldn’t take it anymore and pulled him back to his seat.”You are not going to Ravenclaw. You're a Gryffindor, you sit here.”Jack grumbled but finally obeyed. Still, he showed off his stubborn side by refusing to talk to anyone other than Hermione.Harry chose to ignore the silent hostility while Ron always kept an eye on Jack who was not afraid to return the death stare. Merlin supposed it was better than fighting but couldn’t help but worry that a clash was imminent. He couldn’t force a friendship between these boys but could they at least tolerate each other?One day, Dumbledore caught up with him in the hallway.“Merlin, a word.”He followed him behind a corner where they could talk freely.“I should warn you, you’ve attracted Minerva’s attention. She’s already making a list of strange things about you and who knows what conclusion she arrives at. I bet she isn’t the only one.”Merlin leaned against the wall. Had he been careless? He was so tired of pretending, he let his act slip.“If you are to pass for a student for seven years, it isn’t a good start if you’re discovered just three months in.”He was right, of course. It was easy to lie, but to keep up a pretense for such a long time was an entirely different skill. It required coming up with a brand new persona. He’d done it before so it wouldn't be as much of an issue if only he didn't have to be real with his friends so they would trust him. Ideally, he had to be two different people but what if his friends and teachers were in the same room together? Which persona should he assume then?“What do you suppose I do?”Dumbledore stroked his beard. “Do something to remind everyone that you’re a child. Just look around you - you have hundreds of children you could imitate. And don’t show any more advanced magic. I think you did too much during that meeting.”“That was too much?” Merlin threw his hands up in exasperation. “I might as well pretend to be a Muggle.”“Just look… nonthreatening. You’re pretty good at acting clumsy.”Merlin snorted at that. His clumsiness was not an act but he didn’t mind if Dumbledore thought so.”I can do that but I think she'll require more than that to stop suspecting me.” A smirk formed on his face. ”Just a short while ago you told me to stop acting so childish. I believe your words were, Merlin, grow up.”He sighed internally. It was the one thing he couldn't do, being frozen in time, forever unaging.Dumbledore linked his hands in front of him. ”That's because you're abusing your abilities in childish ways.””Ah, so you want me to be a Muggle child.””Merlin,” Dumbledore warned.”I know how to pretend to not have magic but it's frustrating to have to do this among my own kind.”Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and spoke gently, ”Unfortunately, you're very different from your own kind. Try to blend in.”The old hand felt heavy on Merlin’s slender shoulder. Even in the times of his youth, he was different from other sorcerers. He always loved his magic, feared that he would be no one without it, but it came with a hefty price. He was always an outcast.”I'll try harder.”He didn't know how to be less magical so a Muggle it would have to be.Dumbledore released his shoulder and left him there. As he watched the old wizard walk away, a pale-blond head passed by at the end of the corridor and Merlin followed again.He got close enough to listen in to Malfoy’s thoughts.
Potter this, Potter that. Even my father talks about him. What can I do? I tried to be friendly in the beginning but Weasley got to him first. Besides, how would that have worked out when he was sorted into Gryffindor?
So Malfoy’s father was disappointed that his son didn't befriend Harry. This was interesting.
I'm better off without him. He's boring anyway and keeps loving on those Mudbloods. At least my friends appreciate the value of pure blood. Even if they're morons.
Said friends caught up with him and ran over while cackling like hyenas.”We did it. We dropped a dungbomb in Weasley’s pocket.”Malfoy pinched his nose. ”Then why do you smell like dung?”The large boy blinked at him with a vacant expression.”Come to think of it, you do smell more than normal, Crabbe.”Crabbe reached inside his pocket and pulled out a crushed dungbomb, the smell of which reached Merlin. It stunk like a barn on a warm day mixed with a skunk and rotten food.”You put it in my pocket?”“Oh,” Goyle said intelligently.Malfoy made a gagging sound and ran away from the smell.Crabbe looked confused as if he didn't understand why his ring leader left, then he turned and his eyes found Merlin.Merlin immediately spun around and tried to leave the scene but felt a body-binding curse hit him and fell to the floor, stiff like a statue.The two Slytherins walked up, the smell of dung even stronger now from proximity. Merlin could free himself but remembered Dumbledore’s warning. He was supposed to be non-threatening, as helpless as a Muggle. He would have to put up with whatever these two bullies planned for him.”I didn't get Weasley but I can get this Gryffinloser.”Goyle guffawed while Crabbe proceeded to lift Merlin up and propped him up against the wall like a doll.”Now, you will smell like dung.”And he rubbed the contents of his hand on Merlin’s robes and face. Merlin’s eyes watered, he wanted to crawl out of his skin to shed it, but all he could do was attempt to hold his breath.The two goonies cackled at Merlin some more and finally left.Merlin was close to passing out and had to take a breath. The smell hit him again and he felt like throwing up but couldn't even do that while bound with the curse and had to wait for them to walk away. Each second was an agony. He held his breath again.They disappeared and Merlin freed himself. Unfortunately, no amount of magic could eliminate the smell. He resisted his gag reflex and ran to the nearest lavatory and splashed his face with water until he got most of the stink off. He pulled off his robe and burned it right on the spot. He didn't think that smell would wash off anyway. His only consolation was that Crabbe smelled the same at the moment.He still stunk. There was no other way. He had to walk through the whole school, the common room and the dorm before he could reach the showers and suffer the humiliation of smelling like a barn.He gritted his teeth while he trudged on, ignoring the stares and finger pointing. He did not like this helpless Muggle act at all if it turned him into an easy target for abuse. Was this really the only way?By the next day, it seemed that the whole school had heard of the incident. Unsurprisingly, Malfoy was the first to come up with a new nickname for him which he spewed as he was leaving Potions.“Keep your distance - Smelldor coming through.”Merlin was so focused on trying to ignore the taunt and planning his special retaliation on the two bullies - a curse that would make them cluck like chickens sounded pretty good - he forgot to control his legs and tripped. He fell into Ginny Weasley whose bookbag flew open and her stuff spilled out.“I’m so sorry, Ginny.”He dropped to the floor and started picking up her things and scolding himself for being so clumsy. He handed her pieces of parchment, a thankfully-unbroken ink bottle and textbooks. He felt a sting of magical charge as his hand touched a leather-bound notebook and he dropped it from surprise.Ginny quickly picked it up, stuffed it in her backpack and tried to get away but he grabbed her hand.“Ginny, there’s powerful magic in that book.”Books shouldn’t possess magic like that. While he felt it for only a moment, it was enough to give him an impression of pure evil.“There’s a charm on it, that’s all.”“What type of charm?”“I don’t… I don’t really know,” she said quickly and tried to leave but he still held her wrist.“Ginny, this book feels like a being, not an enchanted object. I’ve seen books imbued with Dark Magic which were capable of great evil when put in the hands of an unsuspecting person. Ginny, you need to have someone look at that book. It could be dangerous.”“It’s just a book, Merlin! Leave me alone!”He wanted to convince her to bring the book to Dumbledore but before he could say anything more, long pale fingers pried away his grip on the girl’s wrist.“What do you think you’re doing, Ealdor?” Snape’s voice dripped with venom.Ginny used this moment to run away while Merlin felt helpless.“Ten points from Gryffindor and detention tonight for this behavior.”Greasy Git looked too pleased to have a reason to punish him again.Merlin remembered Dumbledore’s warning that his actions were attracting the attention of possibly more than just McGonagall. He had to act like a good little student. Well, a student didn’t have to be obedient.“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Merlin said while staring Snape in those soulless black peepers.“Then, I suppose you will have to be punished until you learn what you did wrong. You can start now. Inside!”Snape went inside the classroom while Merlin looked down the hallway where Ginny disappeared to. He had to catch up with her later, but for now, he had to deal with Snape.Ginny ran until she reached Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. She hid in the stall next to Myrtle and tried to catch her breath. How could she have been so careless? Merlin nearly took Tom’s diary away!Myrtle gurgled water in her toilet while Ginny slowly pulled out the diary and a quill. She wanted to write to him but wasn’t sure what to say.Was Merlin right? Did Tom use Dark Magic to enchant this diary? So many questions swirled in her head. What if Tom’s magic had an unexpected side effect and was the reason for Ginny’s sleepwalking problems? He would tell her, he was her friend after all.
Hi, Tom.

Hi, Ginny. What’s up?

I just wanted to chit-chat. Holidays are coming. My parents are going to Egypt to visit my brother, Bill, but I thought I would stay at Hogwarts. Harry usually stays. What do you think?

That is an excellent idea, Ginny. I’ll help you come up with a good plan so you can approach him.

Thanks, Tom.

It’s my pleasure.

I was wondering…

About?

Tom, how did you create this diary?

I enchanted it.

But what spell did you use?

Why this sudden interest?

Just curious.
Tom did not answer. Suddenly, Ginny felt lightheaded and images flashed through her mind - her memories. They sped through and she couldn't stop them as if someone else was controlling her thoughts. A memory of the conversation with Merlin passed by in great focus. Merlin’s face zoomed in and his words repeated.
Ginny, you need to have someone look at that book. It could be dangerous.
She did not remember what happened next.Severus tried again and was met again with a brick wall. He had been attempting to break into Ealdor’s mind for hours, tried to pick moments when the kid was most distracted but he never dropped his defense. He tried it when the boy was scrubbing the cauldrons, mopping the floors and sorting ingredients in the storage room, but none of those activities weakened his armor.Severus gripped the edge of his desk and took a long breath to steady himself. There was no use in letting frustration get to him. It was only going to make his eye twitch again.Still, he had never met an Occlumens that was this young. How could an eleven-year-old thwart him - one of the most skilled living Legilimenses?He looked down at the parchment in front of him. He had transferred selected words from Ealdor’s essays and words from the letter of the Three-Headed Moon Frog to compare them. He expected sloppy handwriting from this boy but instead found an elegant script hinting at calligraphy training. It did not fit with his opinion of Ealdor, but most of all, the handwriting was so distinct, it was a definite match. He had done the same exercise with countless essays of other students and this was the only match.He stared at the kid again. How could this be possible? Someone this young being able to enact curses this powerful? Maybe he had an older accomplice.Minerva mentioned something about the kid practicing some shady magic. Maybe the answer was in the type of magic used, not its power. If he didn’t find out what type of magic it was, he might never rid himself of this embarrassment.It was a miracle that no one noticed his newest curse. He had even tried to permanently enchant his shoes to his feet but the curse broke that enchantment on the first step. He could not climb stairs at all.He’d had enough. He had written evidence, and as ridiculous it was to present this boy as the suspect, it was his only lead. He would bring this ingrate to Dumbledore where they could properly interrogate him.The boy looked at him with an insolent bored expression. “I’m done, Professor.”Severus didn’t care to check his work.“Splendid,” he hissed. He was going to uncover this fool. “There is one more task for you to do. I need you to go to the Headmaster’s office and wait for me there.”The kid dared to roll his eyes on him!“Yes, Professor.”The boy slammed the door behind him and a little gust of wind put out the light of the nearest torch.Severus waited for a beat, then grabbed the evidence - the boy’s essays, the letter, and the parchment to which he copied selected words of both to prove that the same person wrote them. He put his shoes in his pockets and left the classroom.As he closed the door, he heard glass breaking. He looked back inside and saw a jar of pickled puffer-fish eyes on the floor, the eyes were rolling around among the glass. It was strange but he didn’t think much of it. He vanished the mess and went on.It was already past the evening feast so thankfully, the students were in their dorms and no one would notice him climb the stairs barefoot. With some luck, he would get this and the chair curse lifted off him soon.He couldn’t wait to show the proof to the Headmaster. What punishment would they give Ealdor? He hoped Dumbledore wouldn’t go soft on the boy. Surely, cursing a Hogwarts Professor would warrant at least expulsion.He turned the corner and saw something large on the floor. It looked like a figure of a person lying down, unmoving. He approached and was so shocked that he didn’t even notice that his socks got soaked through on the wet floor.He stared at the face which had defiantly slammed the door of his classroom just a minute ago.This was his fault. He told this boy to walk alone through the dark school corridors, knowing well that it wasn’t safe to do so. He sent him to his death.The Chamber monster claimed its first fatal victim. Merlin Ealdor was dead.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Merlin was on his way to Dumbledore’s office, he heard a shuffling behind him and ran behind a corner. It could be the monster. Why did it target him? He was Half-Blood, not Muggleborn but how exactly could the monster tell?He started building an energy ball inside his palm and poured deadly magic into it. He only needed a split of a second to deliver the blow.The hallway grew heavily quiet and he suspected that the source of the sound was close by already. But he didn’t know if it was the monster. What if he was mistaken and it was just a student? He had to look first to ensure he didn’t accidentally kill an innocent child.With his energy ball pulsing between his fingers, Merlin swiftly turned the corner and his eyes locked with yellow eyes of a giant serpent. He released his magic but never found out if it made it to the target. Excruciating pain started at his eyes, burrowing into his mind, and after an agonizing second, it took his life.Merlin opened his eyes to a white world made of fog. Still remembering the agony of dying, he didn’t immediately catch on to where he was. He tried to walk, only to find that he was kneeling. That was when the realization of where he was hit him.“Oh, shit.”Normally, when he died, the Goddess simply brought him back, nearly immediately, but from time to time, she wanted a word. The reason was usually not good.“I don’t appreciate that language, my Emrys,” an ethereal voice sounded behind him.He immediately bowed his head, hoping he didn’t offend her. “My apologies.”Triple Goddess walked around him and was now facing him but he didn’t dare to lift his head.She sighed and the fog swirled around her bare feet. Her white gown moved as if it was underwater.“How many times must I bring you back from the Otherworld, Emrys?”He didn’t know what to answer to that so he stayed quiet.“Your spirit is weighed down by time. I had hopes that you would last longer but you’re looking forward to death, aren’t you?”He felt that it was a rhetorical question so he stayed quiet. Of course, he was looking forward to death, and she knew that. She could hear his every thought after all.“Then, maybe this was your last life. Maybe I shall grant your wish now.”He raised his head, unable to stay quiet anymore. “But Goddess, what about Arthur? I thought that I was waiting for him.”“If you visited the Crystal Cave lately, maybe you would have glanced my plans for you and wouldn’t have to ask me insignificant questions.”Her voice was steady and mostly pleasant but he could hear the threat behind it. He stepped over the line. He had no right to question her design.She walked around him and the fog followed her.“Why are you afraid to look?”She knew exactly why he didn’t want to visit the cave.“I prefer to not know the future.”“The crystals can show you more than just the future. You know this, Emrys.”“Goddess, if I may ask, do you mean that Arthur will come soon?” Her angelic face showed no reaction to his words. Could that mean… He inhaled through his teeth. “Is he here?”“The future we both desire is taking shape but there is more to be done before it comes to pass.”He wanted to know more but knew better than to ask. If she wanted to be clearer, she would have been.“Don’t disappoint me again, Emrys,” her voice lost the pleasant edge and he swallowed down everything he knew he had done wrong recently. He was a failure in so many ways. It was a wonder she still wanted him to be her Chosen One.She sighed and walked around him again. “It’s too late for a new Emrys. You had a long time to accumulate knowledge and skills you will need. Where else will I find someone like you now?”While it was assuring that he didn’t fail her so badly to be relieved of the destiny she chose for him, it still stung when she referred to him in this way - like he was replaceable, disposable - after a millennium and a half that he devoted to her.She stopped in front of him and he tried to control his resentful thoughts before they provoked her into punishing him.“You nearly unravelled everything I built but I see that there is a way to salvage the timeline. Leave the twins to follow their path.”“I… I didn’t know,” he stammered while his head felt heavy with the weight of her words.He had no idea that the twins were important to the Goddess. Maybe if he had not avoided the Crystal Cave, he would have had a warning of their involvement.“I’d like to meet them.”“The twins?”She smiled gently and he understood what he needed to do.“Get this little issue over with, Emrys. You’re wasting your time.”Could she have meant Salazar’s monster? He was working on it and now, he finally had a useful clue.She approached him and placed her hands on his shoulders. He stopped breathing as the magic of her divine touch seeped inside him. His heart felt a little lighter.There was hope. He didn’t fail completely yet. He could still fix it all and get back to the path he was on - to help Arthur return. There was a point to this unnaturally long life he led. He would get his happy ending one day. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to wait another millennium to see it.“I like seeing you as a child,” she said softly and placed a kiss upon his forehead.He closed his eyes, unable to believe what was happening. She gave him her blessing!And then, he felt himself be ripped from under her hands and rushed through the realm In-Between.His audience was over. It was time for the agony of waking up in a dead body.Albus rushed to the Hospital Wing. He received an urgent Patronus from Poppy Pomfrey. Another student was attacked.Severus Snape stood at the foot of a bed, he forgot to put his shoes back on. Poppy sat with the patient and wept. Albus blanched when he recognized the student. It was Merlin.“I’m afraid it’s bad news, Headmaster,” Severus whispered. “He’s not petrified.”Poppy sobbed pitifully and Albus felt momentarily stunned. He had seen Merlin dead before so he thought it shouldn’t be such a shock to see him like this but still, it was. The young sorcerer’s eyes were burned as if someone put a torch to them. His body wasn’t rigid as the victims of petrification were. It was limp and his skin was ashen pale. He was truly dead.‘He’ll be back,’ Albus reminded himself, feeling a tear form in his eye. ‘Don’t forget, he’ll be back.’He blinked the tear away and remembered that he had to act quickly.“Poppy, Severus, help me move him to my office.”Poppy got up and cried. “But Headmaster, he’s gone, there’s nothing we can do.”“Trust me, Poppy. This is urgent. We cannot let anyone see him this way.”“As you wish.”Severus levitated Merlin’s body. Poppy sobbed but followed them out. Thankfully, they did not encounter anyone on their short walk and brought the young sorcerer’s body to Albus’ office with no incidents. Severus gently laid him on a comfy sofa Albus pointed to and they gathered around him.“He wanted to be a Healer,” Poppy cried while smoothing the boy’s dark hair. “He tried so hard to heal his friend. I’ve never seen such determination in someone this young. He would have made a great Healer if only…”She couldn’t finish among her sobs. Severus shifted on his feet uneasily. Albus knew that he never got along with Merlin but he too was affected by his death. He noticed that Severus carried his shoes with him when they climbed the stairs. So the curses had not lost their effect when their caster died. Only someone as powerful as Merlin could create curses which lasted past his death.Albus smoothed his beard and wondered how long the process would take. He had seen Merlin come back to life before but it was in the heat of a battle and he didn’t know how much time had passed. There were witnesses this time. He could attempt to modify Poppy’s memory so she wouldn’t remember the incident at all but one could never be sure of side effects of memory charms. He didn’t want to risk her sanity. Severus had a very strong mind, so memory charm wouldn’t even work on him. They were going to know everything.“I’m afraid, I am to blame,” Severus said quietly. “I sent him to your office alone, you see. I suspected him of the curses placed on me and… He wouldn’t have been in that corridor otherwise.”Albus didn’t care. He just wanted the young sorcerer to wake up already.They waited there long enough for Poppy to finally calm down. She got up and smoothed out the wrinkles in her apron.“Shall we notify his family?”“He doesn’t have any, Poppy,” Albus answered quietly.It was taking a long time and he was beginning to worry. Could this really be the end of the great Merlin - taken down by the monster left behind by Salazar Slytherin? The Founder’s portrait looked down at the scene below with a hint of a smile on his face. The other Founders and past Headmasters quietly whispered to each other. Heliotrope wept in her frame.“We should cover him,” Poppy murmured and conjured a white sheet.Albus ripped the sheet away from her hands. He wasn’t ready to give up hope. He kneeled next to him and took his small, cold, limp hand in his old wrinkly one.“Come on, Merlin,” he whispered urgently. “You’ve kept me waiting long enough. It’s time to show off again, pull another trick from under your scarf.”Poppy sobbed again.A couple of hours must have passed by now and he was losing hope to see life in those burned eyes anymore, but Merlin always spoke of the big prophecy which included him. He couldn’t die permanently before that time came, could he? If he did, it was all Albus’ fault. He convinced him to come here.Poppy’s weeping infected him and he couldn’t stop a tear which rolled down his cheek.“We must trust, Poppy,” Albus said while nervously caressing the boy’s cold hand, “that his legacy isn’t meant to end this way.”Severus sounded confused.“Ealdor’s legacy?”“His name is Merlin, Severus.”“I know that.”“Do you?”Severus put a hand on his shoulder. “Headmaster…”And then Merlin inhaled in a loud gasp and Poppy screamed.Albus held the still clammy hand of the young sorcerer and felt a strong grip on it. Merlin took a few laboured breaths. It sounded like he was in pain.“Welcome back. Took you long enough.” Albus’ voice cracked.Poppy dropped to the floor with shrieks.“I don’t understand. I was sure… Couldn’t be…”Severus watched the scene in quiet focus.Merlin let go of Albus’ hand and brought it to his face.“My eyes…” he said in a croaky voice.While he was back alive in his body, he had a quite an undead look to him. His skin had an ashen shade to it, making him look like he was a zombie, but the worst was that his eyes were still burned beyond repair.“Poppy,” Albus turned to her and tried to calm her down, “can you heal his eyes?”She was still hysterical.“But he was dead! How is this possible?”“It was only temporary. Poppy, I need you to calm down.”Snape hissed. “It was obviously some clever death illusion. It was very convincing.”Merlin sighed in resignation. “Snape. Who else is here, Albus?”“Just Poppy, Severus, and I. No one else saw you.”“Mind your manners, Ealdor,” Severus drawled. “Like you haven’t caused enough trouble with your little stunt.”Merlin barked out a laugh but then grimaced in pain.“Madam Pomfrey, I could really use your help if you know any spells that can heal my eyes so I could properly roll them at the Potions Master.”Poppy sobbed but finally spoke up. “I can heal the burns, but with this damage… I’m afraid you will be blind. No one can cure that.”Merlin frowned.“Oh, Goddess. That would be most inconvenient. I suppose I could call Aithusa.”“Who’s that?” Albus asked.Merlin smirked but before he could answer, young Fawkes flew over and perched on the arm of the sofa above his head. It was his first flight since he was reborn and Albus thought he looked spectacular.Merlin must have heard it because he whispered, “Hi, Fawkes.”Everyone waited with anticipation as the bird tilted its head and cried. Each drop that fell onto Merlin’s face sizzled as it landed and the boy flinched in pain but stayed put. They waited patiently as his burned eyes slowly healed until they were healthy cerulean-blue again. Merlin blinked several times and then sat up with a broad smile.“I can see!”Poppy released a loud sigh of relief which turned into a sob.“Fawkes, I could hug you right now,” Merlin addressed the bird who squawked and flew back to his perch. The boy put his hand on his chest and bowed to the young Phoenix. “Thank you, I am in your debt.”He looked so much better. There was color in his cheeks and a healthy sheen to his complexion. He no longer looked like the undead.Poppy walked up to him and checked him over.“You really scared me, child. I truly thought you were dead.”“Oh, I was,” Merlin answered, his grin still on. “Your diagnosis was correct.”Poppy was flabbergasted but continued examining him.“It took you a long time. It was hours,” Albus said accusingly.“Was it? Goddess wanted me for a chat. In any case, I saw it, Albus.”“Saw what?”“I saw the Chamber monster before it killed me. I know what it is.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin jumped up from Dumbledore’s couch and immediately went to the door, expecting to be followed. Dumbledore, Snape, and Madam Pomfrey walked behind him (Snape had to make a quick break to take off his shoes), and Merlin started explaining.“Keep your eyes down. The creature will kill you if you look at it.”“Where are you leading us?” Dumbledore asked, surprisingly springy for his old age.“The library. I want to see whatever you have on this creature. We need a way to kill it. As I found, a plain, old confrontation does not work.”They quickly passed the dark corridors, keeping their eyes down, and Merlin opened the large double door of the library.It was empty at this hour so it would make the task easier. He approached the closest table, said his long incantation and waited.“What was that?” Snape asked, his eyes narrow as slits.“I called all books containing a mention of Basilisk. It’s a giant serpent, a creature of Old Magic. I thought they were all extinct already but it appears that Salazar saved one for his special mission. Oh, Salazar,” he sighed, “what a deadly pet you had.”Would he have done differently? Didn’t his Dragonlord heritage urge him to do everything in his power to save dragons from extinction? Could he blame a Snakelord for feeling the same? If only Salazar’s snakes were not so… evil, it would be very relatable.Books started floating over to the table, stacking themselves neatly and Merlin used his mind’s eye to scan each one for mentions of Basilisk.“Can we help?” Dumbledore asked.“You’ll be too slow.”He was aware that Snape and Madam Pomfrey were staring at him while he was using magic they had never seen, but he didn’t care. They saw him rise from the dead. There was no need to hide anything else from them.He stopped on a book called Most Macabre Monstrosities.“Crow of a rooster is fatal to it? This sounds like a silly Muggle superstition. I suppose we could try it out, but that’s a big chance. I’d like to have a backup plan in case if this is false.”He continued looking through other books and only found a mention of smell of a weasel which sounded even more unlikely to be true.Merlin ran out of books to search and scratched his head.“I might have something about the Great Serpents in my collection. I’ll look there next.”He sent the books flying back to their spots and leaned on the table, thinking. He touched the Sidhe crystal on his neck. Would the staff work? Maybe, but in any case, he would have to leave the school. Several issues needed his attention and he couldn’t put them off anymore.Snape was glaring at him and Merlin realized that the Greasy Git still had not figured out who he was.“You might as well tell them, Albus,” he said with a shrug. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with this drama.Snape’s lip twitched. “I know who you are.”Merlin waited for the onslaught of questions. People had various reactions to learning his identity - some would be in awe, some were scared, yet some were disappointed, expecting the Great Merlin to be more impressive than him.Instead, Greasy Git pointed a finger at him and spat, “I was right. You’re the Three-Headed Moon Frog!”Merlin barked out a laugh, a welcome change of mood from the somber seriousness. He loved it that he chose that name as his pseudonym.Snape grabbed him by his robes and lifted him so that Merlin had to stand on his tippy-toes.“Reverse the curses!”Merlin made a show of thinking about it. “Yeah, about that… no.”Snape’s grip tightened as he grew frustrated with being unable to intimidate a student. He stared deep into Merlin’s eyes but he was ready for the attempt to break in. This time he pictured Snape kneeling on the ground, begging him for mercy and enjoyed the reaction it got.Snape snarled in anger, and Merlin smirked. He was trying to keep calm, but on the inside, he was itching for a fight. Being brought back to life always had such an energizing effect on him.“Severus, if you let me handle this,” Dumbledore cut in and the hold on Merlin’s robes loosened.“Placing a curse like that on a Professor should be punishable by expulsion!”“Severus…” Dumbledore said in his level tone, “ you should understand who you’re dealing with. This is Merlin. The same Merlin that the Order of Merlin was named after.”“Don’t get me started on that nonsense,” Merlin said darkly.He hated the whole thing with the Order of Merlin. He created that organization for an entirely different purpose than what it was being used for now. He wanted to make a change and protect the rights of Muggles, opposed to how the wizarding community abused their magic against them. But now, wizards used the organization to give themselves awards, the original purpose forgotten. Even that fool Lockhart had one! It was a disgrace to his name.Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows halfway up her forehead but said nothing. Snape’s face became paler than usual and he looked from Dumbledore to Merlin.“But… that would mean… that he’s a thousand years old? You believe this, Headmaster? He’s obviously fed you lies.”“Over fifteen hundred. I’ve been around since the sixth century.”Snape huffed and did not let go of him yet. “Who are you?”“My name is Merlin. Always has been. Ealdor is the name of the village I grew up in.”Snape scowled and Merlin guessed he did not believe him yet. He honestly did not care.Snape glanced at Dumbledore. “He’s not a child, that’s clear. Polyjuice Potion?”“No, I assure you, this is my face and my good looks. It’s an aging spell.”“But… no one could hold an aging spell this long!”Merlin was glad he thought so. No ordinary witch or wizard could but Merlin was not ordinary. It was time Greasy Git acknowledged it. He was getting tired of being held by his robes and tried to pry the pale hand away but the git refused to let him go.“What are you doing here?”Dumbledore made a step forward and spoke in a gentle tone. “Severus, he’s here on my request. Release him.”Snape hissed to Merlin, “What game are you playing? Pretending to be The Merlin, cursing Hogwarts staff, fooling the Headmaster, then faking your death - all for what? What’s your goal?”Merlin’s patience was wearing thin. “I didn’t fake my death - I’m immortal. I don’t care if you believe who I am. We have more important issues than this.”“How could you die if you’re immortal?”Merlin did not like educating people, especially those he didn’t trust, on his biggest weakness - he was still human and could be injured and killed just like any human. Only gods were truly immortal. So, he settled to not say that explicitly.“Triple Goddess doesn’t want me to die yet so she brings me back.”No amount of magic could cheat death. That was the mistake everyone seeking immortality made, and why they always failed in the end, yet it never stopped them from trying. This included that pesky Voldemort who was trying to bend the rules. Death would catch up with him too, Merlin was sure of that.Snape’s nostrils flared as he processed the information, and he finally let go, but then, his features set into the usual mask of disdain.“Release my curses… Merlin.”Since he addressed him this way, he finally must have accepted the truth. Good.“Once I see improvement in your behavior, I’ll take back the curses.”Snape spoke so fiercely, some spit reached Merlin’s face. “I will not stand for this. You dare lecture me?”“I will protect these children from all threats. Right now, those threats include you.”“Merlin.” Dumbledore tried to calm down the situation. “Perhaps it’s time…”“We’re going in circles here, Albus,” Merlin complained, feeling tired of this conversation. “You’re not listening to me and I’m not interested in repeating myself. The curses will stand until,” he pointed a finger at Snape, “you prove to me that you deserve to be an educator.”Snape pulled out his wand and took two steps back.Albus tried to placate him, “No, Severus, this isn’t wise. Both of you, calm down this instance.”“He’s entitled to a little tantrum,” Merlin joked and Snape looked positively murderous.Madam Pomfrey screamed when the Potions Master threw a nonverbal curse at Merlin who waved his hand to shield himself from it. In response, he lifted the wizard off the ground with his magic and backed him into the wall where he held him captive by invisible binds. The wand clattered to the floor while the air vibrated with magic.Merlin knew at which moment Snape finally understood Merlin’s ability to end him right there because that was when the expression on his face changed to someone who was about to shit their pants. One of the columns stretched and twisted around Snape’s neck like a vine, not to strangle him but to simply point out that he could. It worked. The usual mask of indifference and contempt was now pure fear.Madam Pomfrey cried out, “Merlin, don’t!”“Merlin, my friend, stop this,” Albus begged.“I figured a proper introduction was in order since my name didn’t do the trick,” he took a long breath and reminded himself that the greasy-haired wizard was not his enemy. “Dear Professor,” he said the title with sarcasm. “This is my final warning. Do not - pick a fight - with me.”He released him and straightened up his scarf.“If you’re done with your tantrum, I have actual matters of importance to attend to. Albus, I must leave the school. You’re going to have to watch Harry on your own in the meantime. I’ll be back in a couple of days.”Albus nodded in agreement but then looked at him pleadingly.“Severus is an asset to this school. If you leave the curses, you incapacitate one of the most capable protectors of Harry.”Merlin rolled his eyes and groaned. He liked Snape’s curses the way they were but maybe Dumbledore had a point. Snape was a competent wizard.“Fine. Consider this your lucky day.”He said an incantation to release the shoe-dropping curse and felt it lift itself off of the Greasy Git.“That’s it?” Snape looked around himself, probably expecting some big show of magic when in fact he didn’t even feel anything happen. “I expected more…”“Please, do continue to pretend that the magic you’re used to is not diluted,” Merlin couldn’t help himself. He needed to rub it in how infantile their magic was. Wizards and their wands… “Inform Jack and Harry that I’m sick and my uncle picked me up to care for me himself, will you?”Merlin winked at Snape and wanted to stump him again, so he disapparated right there in a cloud of dark smoke and a whirl of wind.Ginny woke up in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, and like several times before, had to rest for a few minutes before she could get up. Myrtle sobbed in her stall, her wails were echoing off the cold tile.Ginny reached into her pocket where her diary was. No, Tom’s diary. Not hers.Whenever she held it, she felt an inexplicable urge to open it but this time she put it down on the wet floor and took a step away.She started pacing in the small space and glancing looks at it. It looked so innocent, so small and ordinary but she always knew that it was imbued with strong magic. What book could respond to the person writing in it?The last thing she remembered before she lost track of time was asking Tom what kind of magic he used. He never answered but then something happened, she didn’t understand what it was, but it felt like someone broke into her mind. Were books capable of this? The memory it focused on was Merlin warning her.Was Merlin right? Was this book dangerous? She wanted to ask Tom but had a feeling that he would dismiss her concerns just like he always did. He kept telling her that everything was alright but it never was. Her life had become a living hell.She glared at the book on the floor. What if this innocent-looking item was responsible for it all?She picked it up and immediately felt the familiar pull like a voice telling her that everything would be easier, would make sense if she just opened it and wrote to Tom some more.It had to be magic. The diary’s magic was speaking to her right now. It was trying to influence her, override her free will. This sounded just like what Dark Magic would do.She screamed, threw it into a toilet and left the lavatory, not even looking back.This was the year of Ginny, not the year of Tom.The rain gently tip-tapped on the glass of a window, the only sound in an otherwise empty and cold room. Jack opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. He did not want to get up. There was no reason to.His whole life was a lie. It shouldn’t surprise him. He always knew that Mother was a monster but this monstrosity was difficult to imagine. Who would lie to their children about what they were? Why did she do it? What was she if not a Winter Spirit? Even the hags referred to her like that, did she lie to them too?He looked at his hands. He could always create frost. Once Mother accepted that he couldn’t create ice like Elsa, she never expected anything else of him. If she encouraged him to practice non-winter magic, would he have skill in it? What else was he capable of?He turned to his side to look at the empty room while the rapping on the window continued.He was completely alone for several days now. Colin was still in the Hospital Wing, Merlin was sick and left for Christmas break early without even saying goodbye. Jack supposed he wasn’t important enough to warrant himself a visit.He groaned while the rapping at his window got louder, making it difficult to think. That was selfish. Merlin was sick and here he was thinking about himself.He got up and decided to write a letter to his friend to wish him well.“Will you shut up?” he yelled at the rain and glared at the window accusingly.To his surprise, the glass was dry, the sky was overcast, not rainy and there was some movement outside.He got up to investigate and found a tiny creature hover in the air. He threw the window open and a shivering fairy flew in.“What took you so long???” Reed complained and hid under Jack’s blanket.Jack stared, too shocked at the surprise to react.“Can you close the window? It’s freezing enough as it is.”He numbly closed the window while still staring at the fairy.“I’m sorry, Reed, I thought it was rain.”Reed shivered and hid completely in the blanket.Jack shook off the surprise and tried to be a good host.“Incendio,” he said while pointing his wand at the fireplace.Nothing happened. He walked up closer and tried to channel the castle’s magic properly.“Incendio.”A spark appeared but did not ignite the wood. Was it wet? He used frost earlier to put out the fire the house-elves started since he preferred his room cold and might have wet the wood too much.It took him several more tries but the fire finally crackled. He walked up to the bed, bundled up his blanket carefully and brought the whole thing together with Reed closer to the fire while he took a step back from it.“Sorry, it took me a while. I think my natural magic interferes with fire spells.”Reed poked his head out and tentatively stretched his tiny hands to the fire.“So what are you doing here?”“Since I vouched for you, I was volunteered to deliver the message. No one would dare venture outside the colony in the winter, you know.”“Thank you.”Jack sat down cross-legged and waited for the fairy to warm up. He didn’t mind the silence. It was nice to share his room with someone, even if he was a tiny fairy.“I apologize,” Reed said, his head bent in a tiny bow. “That was no tone to address an Air Lord. Forgive me.”Jack was taken aback. “I’m not offended. You don’t have to tip-toe around me. I still don’t even know what being an Air Lord means.”“It’s a great honor and it’s my honor to be your servant.”“I’d rather have a friend than a servant.”Reed covered his face with his tiny hands and sobbed. “So noble. Just what I would expect from an Air Lord.”Jack felt awkward at all the adoration. He didn’t do anything to deserve all this respect.“I bear a message, my Air Lord.” Reed calmed down and wiped his eyes on the blanket. “Queen Pitsa would like you and your sister to know that we have a confirmation that the Air Lords received our message. She suspects that they will check among their kind if anyone had heard of your mother’s name and claims you. You will likely hear from them directly but if they send us a message, we will pass it along.”Jack smiled at the hopeful news. “Thank you, Reed, and give our thanks to the Queen. We will always remember the favor.”Reed started to relax, the fire finally warmed him up.“Stay here for awhile,” Jack offered. “I’ll bring you to the forest later to reduce your exposure to the winter.”“Thank you, my Air Lord. You’re most gracious.”“Please, address me Jack.”After Reed warmed up, Jack hid him in his robes and went down for breakfast. He walked right past Harry Potter’s gang. Now that Merlin wasn’t here, at least he wasn’t forced to sit with the Wonder Boy again. His sister wasn’t there yet so he sat alone and ate quickly before anyone noticed the scared fairy he was hiding.“I can’t believe I’m surrounded by hundreds of wizards,” Reed said, daring to peek out from under his robes.“You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He pointed at the food on the table. “Does anything here look appetizing to you? What do fairies eat?”Reed smacked his lips and eyed the table. He pointed at the fruit bowl and Jack brought it closer to let the fairy take his pick.“Those blueberries look delicious.”“You’re right, Reed.”Jack stealthily gave one to his hidden friend while he snacked on a handful himself. Reed surprisingly ate five of them in all - where he fit it was a mystery.Elsa finally entered the Hall with Luna and Jack took it as his cue.He walked up to her and whispered in her ear, “Reed brought us a message.”“Hi.” The fairy peered from under his robes but was too scared to come out.Elsa beamed, thinking it was the news she awaited.“No news of our father yet,” Jack deflated her hope and her smile fell. “I’ll bring him to the forest and we’ll talk after you eat. Meet you outside.”“Is that a fairy?” Luna asked.Reed hid back in Jack’s robes and trembled there.“He’s a little scared so I should take him to safety.”“Please,” Reed said from under the heavy fabric.Jack dropped off Reed in the forest, said his farewells and walked in the direction of the Great Lake to wait for his sister.There was a little bit of snow on the ground, not enough in his opinion. It made his shoes muddy and he tried to walk on the patches of white but they were too small. Snow was so much cleaner.“This is a disgrace,” Jack said to himself.He decided to give Reed a head start to get safely to the colony and then he could remedy the muddy situation.He was glad when the wet ground turned into a wet beach. The sand was brown and riddled with pebbles which crunched under his feet and no longer felt muddy. He found a group of large stones which sat right at the edge of the water, climbed them and sat down.The snow looked thicker on the upper part of the mountains. Soon he would make it all look the same color until everything was evenly white.He wondered why he felt such a strong desire to create winter if he wasn’t a Winter Spirit. An Air Spirit wouldn’t have this internal need so it had to be a trait inherited from Mother. What could she be?The longer he thought of it, the more confused he was. What if what they always assumed were winter powers were actually air powers? Elsa could lower the air temperature. He could manipulate clouds. These were all Air Spirit abilities, weren’t they? But then what of their frost and ice abilities? Was it just a water affinity?He peered down at the water touching the boulder he sat on. The surface was completely still and reflective like a sheet of mirror.He wondered what this water would feel like if he stepped into it but something held him back. It bothered him because he didn’t understand this feeling. He couldn’t swim but it was shallow here.This strange innate fear rendered him paralyzed, unable to touch the water and satisfy his curiosity. Merlin insisted that water was his affinity so why was he scared of this lake?He saw the dark shape of his sister making her way down the hill and waited for her.Sun’s light was reflected in the lake in a beam as if its glow came from underneath the depths. Clouds lazily shifted and teased him like they were about to release the sun but kept changing their mind.A crunch of feet behind him announced the arrival of his sister.“Why are you so far from the castle?”“It’s a nice spot, isn’t it?”She sat down next to him.“What did Reed say?”He relayed the message from the fairies and stared into the distance. It was easier to think here where it was quiet, empty and simply beautiful.The castle rose out of the boulders it stood on and reflected in the lake. Its spiky turrets removed any doubt that it was a man-made structure but somehow it looked like it belonged there, like it was part of the mountains. He wondered how it was built. He couldn’t imagine wizards laying down each brick individually, which would suggest that magic was used.Something tickled the edge of his mind and he couldn’t place the uneasy feeling that he was missing something glaring right at him. This castle had always felt so familiar. Did it remind him of Mother? He bet that her magic hammer could force the rocks to take the shape of a castle. Her magic wasn’t limited to winter abilities, was it?“What are you thinking about?”“Mother,” he said simply.Elsa understood. “What she is? Yeah, I’ve been racking my brain about it.”Jack closed his eyes and focused on the clouds above him. It was time to do his thing. Soon, they became darker and blocked the sun completely. The lake looked a little sad without its glow but once snowflakes started reaching them, it was beautiful in a different way.“Why do we have these abilities?” he asked her the question that was bothering him.“Because Mother does,” Elsa answered, watching the view with him.As each snowflake hit the surface of the water, it disturbed its smoothness and became one with it. The clouds were now not only reflected in the lake, they became a part of it one snowflake at a time.“You know what this means,” Elsa said. “Only Mother can tell us what we are.”“I’m not going back just to ask.”Elsa sighed and watched the lake in sad contemplation.“What if the fairies are wrong?” She got his attention. “Queen Pizza is convinced that we’re not Winter Spirits because we entered their colony but what if we entered the colony because we’re half-Sylph and it doesn’t matter what our other half is?”Jack chuckled at the mention of the Queen’s name and shook his head at Elsa’s new theory. Like he wasn’t confused enough, she gave him more to think about.“Maybe.”“It’s easier to explain than the alternative.”“That our mother is a monster?”“Don’t say it like that,” she whispered.“That makes us half-monsters,” he said, staring at the mountain which had not smoothed out in color yet.He wondered how long the snow would have to fall before they became completely white. Right now, the snowflakes were small and gentle so probably a long time. He didn’t want to increase their intensity though. He liked them this way.He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. It was so peaceful here. Unlike rain, snow was muted, unobtrusive, it allowed even the stormiest thoughts to lay down and calm themselves. He felt flakes fall on his eyelids and wanted to feel more.The quiet of the moment was broken by Elsa’s sniff. He immediately turned to her. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks while she stared at the water. Why was she crying?“Elsa?”She sniffed again and took a long breath which broke.“We should get back.”She got off her boulder and started walking away, not even waiting for him.He scrambled to follow her but slipped on a mossy stone and fell into the water with a splash.Elsa turned around and stared. He felt really embarrassed as he got up and walked out of the ankle-deep water. His robes were dripping and his shoes made a squishy sound while his feet uncomfortably slid inside.He walked over to her, feeling pathetic, and each step created a different SLURP - HISS - PLOP sound combination. Elsa roared with laughter and pointed at his shoes, too hysterical to even say anything.His cheeks burned but he didn’t mind as much now, that he made her forget whatever made her sad before. He made a few steps in place to play with the slurpy sounds and she bent over, unable to stop her fit.He looked down and finally understood why she kept pointing. Every time he made a step, a stream of water shot out, making his shoes look like little fountains.“It’s like a wet sneeze,” she finally managed to say.He rocked on his feet to make more squishy sounds. Water finally stopped coming out although it felt just as wet and uncomfortable inside.He lifted his arm to offer her his elbow. She accepted the invitation, and they walked together through the snowy grounds, their arms linked, their smiles on, while his shoes played slurpy music which livened up their half-monster hearts.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin arrived home and breathed in the familiar scent. The lamps turned on, sensing his arrival.First, he stood against a door frame and marked his current height in the wood for later reference. Then, he finally did what he was dying to do - he let go of the aging spell and his clothes ripped as he regained his full size.“Oops.”He took them off with much effort and went into the bedroom to change. It felt divine, not only to be back in his adult body but also to not feel his magic encumbered. It felt as if he took off a mask and could breathe fresh air for the first time in months.He rolled his shoulders and sat on his bed. There was no time to waste. They were lucky that he was the one that the monster attacked. If it had been someone less durable, he couldn’t stand the idea of a child dying under his watch.It was interesting that he was the one chosen by the monster. If the Heir of Slytherin wanted to go further than Salazar’s intentions and attack all half-bloods as well as Muggleborns, more than half of the school would be in danger.There was also the possibility that he was getting close to the truth and the Heir saw him as a threat. In that case, it was good news.So, was it Malfoy? Did the kid notice that Merlin had been watching him? He had to increase his efforts. He still had a few drops of Veritaserum left which he could use on the boy and get this question out of the way.First things first, he needed to address a few issues. Triple Goddess gave him a clear instruction - he had to visit the Crystal Cave and watch whatever visions she prepared for him. He wasn’t looking forward to it but it was foolish to not heed her direct words.Once there, he could also take care of the pesky problem of his magic being limited while he held the aging spell.Finally, he needed to find out more about the Basilisk. He saw it, it was a Great Snake, at least twenty feet long. He didn’t know they even got this large but he supposed this one was now ancient, at least a thousand years old.He walked over to his library and pulled out a bestiary. He found that the Great Snakes normally did not live that long but their lifespan could be prolonged if the Snakelord put the beast into a deep sleep. This made sense. Then, every time a Slytherin’s Heir wanted to use it, they would wake it up, make it do their bidding and let it slumber again. The beast could survive thousands of years this way.He read further. They had skin as durable as the Great Dragons, easily deflecting weapons and spells. That would prove it difficult to kill. Some, as the Basilisk he encountered, had the power to instantly kill with their glare. All it took was a second of looking it in the eyes. Their bite was lethally venomous - good to know. The book mentioned that some victims had been found petrified but did not explain how.Finally, the bit of information he needed - any part of their body not covered by their skin was vulnerable to attack. That didn’t leave much. Eyes? Nostrils? If he could get it to open its mouth maybe?He supposed, he could let it swallow him and kill it from within. That would be very unpleasant but he was willing to make that sacrifice. He only had to ensure it didn’t kill him before he got the chance to lay the fatal blow. Being brought back to life while inside a snake’s stomach would be extremely ill-advised.He imagined it would feel nearly as bad as that time when he angered the Goddess and as punishment, she brought him back few days after his death when his body was buried and already decaying. He shuddered, remembering the agony of that experience. It had been a long time since then but his memory refused to let him forget it.Merlin transported himself to the Valley of the Fallen Kings which welcomed him with its deep forest. He was hit by the contrast of the damp foliage under his feet compared to the snow he’d already gotten used to in the highlands. Winter was very different in Camelot.He was so close to where the castle used to stand, it was difficult to avoid memories. He descended through the narrow passage which split the rock like a fissure in the earth and had a flashback of following Arthur as he led him down these now worn-out stone steps.“They'll never follow us in here. They won't dare. Trust me,” his prince said with a confident smirk.Of course, the bandits followed them, undeterred by the Valley’s reputation for being cursed, and Arthur had to be yet again saved from death by magic, though he never learned of it.There was hope that his prat would return soon. The Goddess didn’t confirm when but it sounded like it was close. Did she feel the passage of time at all? Merlin wished he didn’t. If not for magical means of entering memories, he would’ve forgotten what Arthur looked like by now. Sometimes, he could hardly believe that it all really happened, he didn’t imagine it.The two statues of forgotten kings which framed the entrance were already ancient back when Merlin was young, and now, you couldn’t even tell what they once were. They were claimed back by nature, reduced to looking like tall rocks protruding from the earth, overgrown by vines, tree roots, and moss - the evidence of time passing him by. He never would have imagined back then that he would still be here fifteen hundred years later - his prophecy still unfulfilled, still without Arthur.When he first came here with Arthur, he sensed strong magic repelling him from the place and thought that it was indeed cursed. Only much later he figured out that the feeling came from ancient wards which were meant to keep out intruders. Whether poorly cast or worn out with time, they were faulty and so he set up his own.It was easy to repel Muggles from exploring this area. Wizards had forgotten about this place but he set up wards against them as well just in case and only brought here whoever he deemed worthy of knowing this secret.Although it felt wrong to guard the Cave, after all, it belonged to mankind, not him personally, he felt it was his duty to protect it. Several times, he witnessed people try to plunder the crystals for their own purposes. If he allowed that to continue, they would all be gone by now. At least any time he used the crystals, he always brought them back and tried to reuse them instead of harvesting new ones. Others did not have his ideals.The unused pathway to the Cave was overgrown by dormant grass and ferns, further hiding its location. He could feel the pull of its power call to him the closer he got. It excited his senses but he couldn’t help but feel reluctant. The Cave gave him a lot but it always asked for something in return.The narrow entrance was hidden behind a wall of vine. Now, during winter, it was bare of leaves but still provided enough protection from curious eyes of whoever might overcome the wards and venture all the way here. He inspected the plant to ensure it looked healthy and said a quick spell to strengthen its roots just in case.He moved the vines aside but lingered before entering the dark depths. The Crystal Cave had a tendency to always hog his time. He wanted to get this over with quickly so he could get back to the castle.“Just in and out,” he promised himself.The light of day did not penetrate deep into the Cave but there was no need to cast any spells. The white crystals sticking out of the rock floor, walls and ceiling emitted an everlasting warm glow which illuminated the space enough. The sounds of outside muted as soon as he walked in, replaced by a gentle hum - the sound of pure magic.More memories flashed before his eyes. He had once seen the spirit of his father right here and always longed to see him again but the Cave did not grant his wish. All he had was a feeble memory of what he said.
You are more than a son of your father. You are magic itself. Believe what your heart knows to be true. That you have always been, and always will be.
That day, Merlin accepted his destiny and was given everlasting youth and immortality which seemed neat at the time but he never would have dreamt that “always will be” meant living for thousands of years.He felt tricked. The cave used his father’s image to convince him to agree to a bargain he wasn’t fully informed on.He shook his head to clear his thoughts. There was no use in wondering whether he would have accepted this destiny if he understood what it meant. It was done and he was a man of his word. He would not back down. He was Emrys and always would be for as long as destiny demanded it.He always dreaded looking into the crystals and right now, he stepped around them, taking care to not accidentally let his eyes fall onto any individual one. It was distracting to see flashes while trying to walk or think. No, he would allow the visions to come only right before leaving - on his terms.“In and out,” he reminded himself.On the other side of the cave, he stored previously used crystals. There was one which contained a few drops of his blood and which he enchanted to work as a battery. He could use it to recharge if he ever found himself weakened by the aging spell. It’s spent a couple of centuries down here and should be fully charged.He kept his eyes on the rock behind which enchanted crystals laid and did not dare to look where he was stepping, afraid to accidentally catch a glimpse of a vision in one of the crystals.And so he didn’t notice a wet stone, slipped and fell hard on the jagged rocks where he hit his head and knocked himself out.Fawkes swooped down from the top of the tall ceiling down to the floor and right back up, his bright red feathers reflecting the lights of the many lanterns in the Headmaster’s office. Albus glanced at his Phoenix and chuckled at his antics. He was always very playful when young.That thought reminded him of the ancient sorcerer who never seemed to act his age. Albus wondered if Merlin realized how much being a child affected him.The more he thought about it, the more he was amazed at Merlin’s playfulness. Would anyone else be able to maintain youthful innocence through this long passage of time? He doubted it. He imagined that if he had lived as long as Merlin has and experienced everything he had, he would have become bitter and resentful. Merlin was special in that regard and probably that was the reason why he was given the gift of immortality. Anyone else would have abused this power by now.A knock snapped him out of his reflections. Severus came in. He didn’t have to hold his shoes anymore. Albus expected him, guessing that he was just looking for the right time to launch into questions.“Headmaster. Finally, we can talk, I hope?”“Come in, Severus.”Albus sat down in his high-backed chair and smoothed out his beard, waiting for Severus to start. The Potions Master looked apprehensively at the chair awaiting him.“He only released the shoe curse.”Albus understood and got up.“I apologize, I wasn’t aware. You can sit on the sofa, correct?”Severus nodded more with his eyes than his head and they walked over to the couch on the other side of the room. Albus sat down on it and remembered how Merlin’s dead body laid in this same spot for hours.It disturbed him to witness that Merlin was not instantly healed when he awoke. His body was just as damaged and still looked dead with the addition of a working heart and a soul back in it. He wondered how he could ask him about the experience… tactfully.Severus settled himself in and thankfully did not break this furniture.“Do you truly believe him to be THE Merlin?”“Yes, Severus. That’s who he is. I’ve witnessed enough to no longer doubt that.”“Is he as powerful as the legends say?”“I’ve seen glimpses of his power. Sometimes, it seems like it doesn’t have limits but I’ve also seen evidence that it does.”Black eyes narrowed while the Potions Master thought over Albus’ words.“I don’t believe the Dark Lord knows of his existence,” he finally said. “If he’s this powerful, why hasn’t he defeated him yet?”“He tried during the war but Voldemort has made himself immortal as well. Alas how, that’s what we’re going to have to find out.”Severus pursed his lips, a flick of emotion ran through his features but disappeared as quickly as it came.“Headmaster, I understand why you brought him here, but you must admit that he is not under your control. He’s unpredictable. Who knows what he’ll do on a whim the next time he feels like someone deserves his judgment.”“I worry about that too, Severus, but I would rather have him on our side.”Severus shuddered. “Just the thought of the Dark Lord recruiting him…”“That would be catastrophic but I doubt it would happen.”Severus licked his lips and it looked like he had a hard time saying what he wanted to express. Albus waited patiently and leaned back in the sofa, getting comfortable. Above him, Fawkes started singing.“Headmaster,” Severus said slowly, carefully, his eyes glancing at Fawkes with impatience. “Do you think I should be worried or that I should be on alert?”Was this fear? Sure, Merlin created a scene in the library but Severus wasn’t easily intimidated.“Worried about what?”“I was the reason why he died. It appeared to be a painful experience, so I imagine he will hold a grudge. He seems to take grudges very seriously.”Ah, he didn’t want to get cursed again.“Indeed, it appears so.”Albus remembered how Merlin threw For the greater good line at him. Everyone made mistakes in their youth. Must he always be judged for his?“Just in case, you might want to be careful around him. I think it goes without saying - don’t torment him or his friends.”“What if he starts acting like an insolent brat just to test my patience? How can I ignore that behavior in front of other students?”It was a good point but Albus thought it wouldn’t be as much of an issue as Severus feared.“I think it won’t come to that. He might give you a snarky remark, I don’t think he can help himself, but otherwise he should keep his head down. Just recently I reminded him to try harder in his attempt to blend in as he was drawing attention to himself.”“More than just mine?”“Minerva has been asking all sorts of questions. I don’t think she suspects who he is but she’s starting to notice that he’s more than a child.”Fawkes settled on his perch and continued his song from there. Albus listened with pleasure. Though he heard it many times before, each song filled him with such warmth as if he was hearing it for the first time.Severus shifted in his seat. ”Why does he hide from the world and pretends to be a myth? This part I don't understand.””He's laying low while waiting for his prophecy to come true.””What is his prophecy?””The legendary King Arthur is supposed to return. Severus,” Albus linked his hands and looked down his spectacles, trying to get the message across, ”we need him. I want him to stay by Harry's side. You need to let him be.””Potter has no idea?””He doesn't.”Severus sighed quietly. ”I don't envy him the babysitting job. What do you think he's doing now?””Working on a plan to help us with the Chamber of Secrets, I hope.””I wonder if you placed too much hope in him.”Fawkes finished his song on a high note and occupied himself with grooming. His brilliant red and gold feathers gleamed in the light streaming from a nearby window. The glow which bounced off of him looked as if it was laced with magical energy. It probably was.“What have we left if we lose hope?”Snowflakes as large as Galleons floated down to join millions of them already piled up on the ground. The world was white as it should be and it would continue to be as long as Jack had a say about it. Elsa scolded him for bringing too much snow but he didn’t care. He was in the mood for it and so it would go on. He had nothing better to do anyway.In the early morning, the common room was his. He leaned against the windowsill of the only window in there. He’d much rather sit on it but it was slanted so every time he tried, he just slid down.Winter Solstice arrived which meant several awesome things. Classes were over, the majority of the students were going home - Jack hoped Potter was among them - and it meant empty hallways available for fun.He ran to the entrance courtyard, waved to everyone who was leaving and then ran to the balustrade to watch the carriages make their way to the station. The train puffed away and left him grinning. He raced to the castle and itched for some fun.He found Elsa and gave her a big hug.“Happy Birthday!”“To you too,” she giggled and tried to get away.“What are your plans?”“I’m meeting Padma at the library. Luna left us some dirigible plums so I’m going to sneak them past Madam Pince. It will be fun! Do you want to come?”“The library?”He stared at his sister with his mouth open. What part of ‘fun’ did she not understand?“Thanks, I’ll pass.”“See you later then.”Elsa walked away and Jack prayed to the Moon that he could find something to do and not resort to celebrating Elsa-style.“Peeves!” he yelled and waited.Right on command, Peeves popped into existence right next to him.“Jack-Friend!”“It’s my birthday. Let’s do something fun!”Peeves squealed in delight and gave him a hug. Jack returned it and Peeves chose this moment to tickle him.It started as an innocent funny feeling, a jolt of electricity which hit him from many sides at once, made him drop to the floor and giggle, but Peeves didn’t stop there. Jack lost control of his body as an abandoned, delirious, belly laugh took over and left him feeling helpless. He couldn’t catch enough breath to tell him to stop. He tried to wriggle away but Peeves’ fingers quickly found newly exposed parts of his belly or armpits and resumed the torture.“Stop! Peeves, stop!” Jack begged, only to have the tickler increase the pressure.Jack struggled and writhed on the floor until he managed to grab the spirit’s wrists and could finally take a breath.“Peeves, no!”Peeves pouted but finally stopped. “But it’s fun.”“Not for me,” Jack said and dropped his head to the floor, breathing heavily.His eyes found the bespectacled face of Harry Potter whose feet were right by his head and who was looking down at him with a grin on his face.Jack suddenly realized what a weird position he was caught in. He still held Peeves’ wrists while the spirit sat atop of him. This had to look quite weird.He let go and got up swiftly. Peeves floated next to him and giggled in his high pitch.“Potter,” Jack tried to act like Potter had not just found him straddled by a poltergeist, “you didn’t leave for the holiday.”The Scarface chuckled at him. “If I had, I would have missed this.”Jack ground his teeth but tried to look cool. “You’ve never been tickled by a poltergeist? That problem could be solved very easily.”Potter’s eyes widened, he looked between Jack and Peeves and swallowed. Peeves rubbed his hands and grinned so widely, his mouth nearly stretched from ear to ear.“Get him!” Jack said, feeling like a general giving out orders.Potter started running but Peeves floated and easily caught up. Jack heard the echo of Wonder Boy’s uncontrollable laughter and felt that his work was done. If he had to share the empty castle with him, he might as well have fun with it.Now that Peeves left, Jack didn’t know what to do. He saw Ginny Weasley stare out the window with a sad look on her face and weighed his options. Last time he tried to invite her for fun, she made up a story that she had plans with someone else. Luna said she would talk some sense into her. Maybe she succeeded? He decided to give the girl one more try.“Hey, Ginny,” he ran up to her. “Fancy a game?”“Quidditch?” He nodded and she shook her head with a laugh. “Jack, look at the weather!”It was snowing. He knew because he caused it. What was her point?“We can’t practice in this!” she pointed out the window.He frowned but then an idea came to his mind.“What if there was a place where we could practice indoors? Would you want to?”Her eyebrows flew up and she chuckled like she didn’t quite believe him. “Sure.”“Give me an hour.”Jack ran upstairs to the seventh floor. He never tried to do this before and wasn’t sure how it worked but he hoped that his special room could take on other forms, not just a cavern look. So he repeated the same steps he did before. He walked down the corridor, back to the staircase and then down the corridor again while imagining a perfect room to practice Quidditch in. The door appeared and he threw it open.The room was larger and taller than before. There were still columns obstructing the way but they could be used as an obstacle course of sorts. There were three hoops just like the ones at the pitch and the floor was made of some soft squishy material which he imagined would soften a fall from a great height.It was perfect and he shouted out a hoot in victory. This room was awesome! The only thing missing was the equipment. He needed brooms, balls, and gloves for them. He ran out, procured the items from the shed outside and snuck them inside the castle where he stuffed them inside a broom closet.He felt more than heard something behind him.He swiftly turned around and found himself face to face with a ghost.“AAAH!” he startled and slipped on the snow he tracked in, landing painfully on his butt.“Sorry,” the ghost said and floated over to him.It was a teenage girl with pigtails and glasses who eyed him with fascination. He’d seen her before, although she was one of those ghosts who weren’t as social as others and did not mingle with the living.“You must be the one I heard other ghosts talk about,” she said and floated so close, her face was nearly touching his.He scrambled away from her. Her dead aura sent shivers down his spine. Ghosts just felt wrong. He got up and tried to back away from her.“Don’t go,” she said and batted her eyelashes at him. “There are no other spirit boys my age at this school.”Did she mean… Was she flirting with him?“I am nothing like you. I’m alive.”She tilted her head and pouted.“I don’t mind.”He ran out of there and she floated in front of him, landing in a flirty pose - her hands linked behind her, her head tilted. She rocked herself side to side to make her ghostly skirt twirl.“I’m Myrtle,” she said in a shy, high-pitched voice.He backed up against a wall and wondered what he could do. He couldn’t hide anywhere - she could walk through walls! He couldn’t outrun her. How could he get rid of her?“What’s your name?”Would he have to resort to actually talking to her? She floated up and he could feel her dead aura again. It made it difficult to think.“I’m Jack.”He hoped that maybe if he engaged in a conversation, she would eventually leave him alone.“Hi, Jack.” She giggled and got even closer. “Want a kiss?”He inched sideways against the wall, trying to get away from her.“I don’t even know you, Myrtle.”“What do you want to know?”She floated over to his new location and he felt trapped.“I haunt that bathroom,” she offered, pointing at the lavatory at the end of the corridor. “I died there.”This would explain why it was deemed out of order.“I’ve always wanted a boyfriend but I died before…”She started sobbing pitifully, hung her head and looked up at him with her big ghastly eyes. Did she think this was alluring? It just disturbed him more.“Yeah, that’s sad. I feel sorry for you. Uh…” she blinked at him and he tried to inch away again. “Rest in peace?”“I wish I could!”She flung herself at him and his whole body froze because she touched him. She sobbed for a moment before she noticed it too. While she was a translucent wispy ghost who could go through walls and he was made of flesh and bone, she was able to touch him as if she was solid.He gulped while she slowly moved away just an inch, her eyes going wide as she started to realize what this meant.“You really are a spirit,” she said quietly. “It doesn’t matter that you’re not dead.”She grinned and reached out to touch his face. Her touch felt cold, and not a good-cold like Elsa’s icy touch, it was a sickening cold that made his insides twist.“Don’t touch me,” he growled and tried to walk away backwards.She grabbed his shirt with both hands.“Oh, but you can’t get away.” She squealed in delight. “You’re mine.”She leaned in as if she was going to kiss him and he had a hard time breathing. He needed to stop her. If she could touch him, then he could touch her!He put his hands on her wrists and released a strong wave of magic on her. Frost started covering her hands, going up her arms and her grey lips were near his before she noticed what he was doing.She grimaced. “What is this?”He held her wrists and kept forcing more magic into her. Frost took over not only outside but also the inside of her ghostly body. Her face contorted into fear.“What are you doing to me?”He did not stop but kept going until her entire form was now completely white.He finally released her and she tried to get the frost off her unsuccessfully. She wailed and lamented and with a shriek that hurt his ears, she flew through a wall. As she ran into it, the frost was left behind - left flat on the wall in the shape of a running figure.Jack shivered, and while he succeeded in getting rid of her, he couldn’t get over the cold feeling of being touched by the dead. He stumbled out of there, heading for the Gryffindor Tower, eager to put her out of his mind. Quidditch. Quidditch would make him forget.He realized that he did not tell Ginny where they would meet. He was a poor planner. Thankfully, she was in the common room, sitting in front of the fireplace. He shook off the last of the shaky feeling Myrtle left him in and tried to forget her. Today was supposed to be a fun day. He was going to make it fun! Whatever it took!“It’s done,” he shouted to her and she jumped from surprise. “Let’s go!”“What’s done?”Jack whirled around and found Potter eyeing him.“Not your business, Potter.”“Are you going to set Peeves on Ginny now?”Jack smirked, imagining how badly his spirit friend tormented the Scarred Wonder. He should have followed to watch.Potter growled and his hand dived into his pocket. Jack shook his head. And Merlin said that he was trying to pick a fight when clearly, Potter was wand-happy. He turned around and addressed Ginny, trying to ignore Scarhead.“I have a perfect place and the equipment ready to go. Let’s go, Ginny.”“You’re not taking Ginny anywhere.”This time it was Potter’s red-headed sidekick that spoke up. Jack ground his teeth while Ginny hunched her shoulders.“Don’t go anywhere with him, Ginny,” Weasley said. “Don’t trust him.”She looked up at Jack and seemed undecided. This was getting ridiculous.Jack turned around and stared at the two second-years who already had their wands out. No, it didn’t matter that they were second-years. He was now twelve just like they were.“You’re not taking my sister anywhere.”“Oh, now you’ve decided to be a good brother?” Ginger eyebrows knit together but Jack didn’t stop. “Where were you when she was sitting alone, waiting for someone to come over and talk to her?”Weasley pointed his wand at him. It looked weird like something was wrapped around the middle of it. Tape?“Shut your mouth, Nix.”“Or what?”Jack leaned against a couch, crossed his legs casually and decided to not take his wand out, even though his hand was itching for him to. He tried to satisfy the need by running a hand through his hair. He wanted them to throw a jinx at him first. If they attacked him when he was unarmed, he could do whatever he wanted to them without repercussions.“You remind me of Malfoy,” Potter said.“Do I?” Jack couldn’t help but grin wider. “He wishes he was this cool.”“All of you need to calm down,” Ginny said.She got up from the couch and with an apologetic glance at Jack, ran up to her dorm.Now, this wasn’t fair. He didn’t do anything wrong. They were supposed to play together. How was he supposed to celebrate his birthday now?“Leave her alone,” Potter spat, still holding his wand.Well, if he wasn’t going to play with Ginny, he had to entertain himself in other ways.“Make me,” he challenged.Potter shifted on his feet. His voice was steady.“Take your wand out and let’s duel.”Before Jack could respond, Percy Weasley shouted at them, sticking out his chest to show off his Prefect badge.“What do you think you’re doing?” He ran down the stairs and stood in front of them. “You’re ganging up on a first-year? Ron, put that wand away before you jinx yourself again.”The younger Weasley grimaced and Jack remembered a story he overheard of how his jinx backfired, making him cough up giant slugs for hours.“Awww, I’d like to see that,” Jack said and made a show of pouting. “Do the slug jinx again.”“Shut up, Nix!” Weasley shouted. “Just shut up!”Jack made a show of slowly reaching into his pocket, pretending to pull his wand out.“Flipendo!” Weasley shouted.A jet of light headed his way and Jack jumped away just in time. Instead, the spell hit the couch and Jack was glad Ginny was no longer there because it flipped into the air and crashed against the wall.Percy yelled at them, “Five points from Gryffindor, Ron!”“What? But he started it.”“No, I didn’t,” Jack said, looking innocent. “I only wanted to play with Ginny and I don’t know why they just attacked me.”“Mum will hear of this, Ron,” Percy said grimly. “To your dorms NOW!”Potter shot Jack a death stare while the younger Weasley looked rather scared and they both grudgingly went up to their dorm.Percy turned to Jack.“Are you okay?”“Yeah. The couch isn’t.”“Reparo,” Percy said while pointing his wand at the broken bits of the couch.The pieces lifted into the air and arranged themselves like a puzzle until the couch was in one piece.“Stay out of trouble.”He clapped him on the shoulder and left.This was all fine and dandy but Jack was left alone with no one to play with again.He left the common room and walked to the Hospital Wing, watching carefully for any more ghosts.The petrified victims were on their own. Jack didn’t know where the Healer on duty was but it was even better this way.He sat down next to Colin whose position was the same as always.“Hi, Colin. It’s just me again.”He looked at his friend’s frozen face and wished he could see that enthusiastic smile again.“It’s my first birthday outside, it’s special, you know, but I haven’t been able to find anything fun to do yet. How am I supposed to celebrate if I’ve got no one to play with? Merlin left for the holidays, Elsa is doing something boring in the library, Ginny was going to play but then got spooked by Potter. He’s taking all my friends. It’s not fair. It’s just us, Colin. I know you’d love to do something fun if you could. I can’t even imagine how bored you must be. We’ll make up for it when you wake up.”Colin couldn’t speak up for himself but had that permanently shocked look on his face. Jack imagined his friend would jump up on the bed excitedly in his mismatched socks, take a picture of the two of them together and would be excited for whatever type of fun Jack could come up with. Colin knew how to have fun.Jack sat down on the floor cross-legged and started drawing small shapes with his frost. He made them rise and watched the frost fairies zoom around the room. He kept drawing and making them come alive until the room was so full of them, he couldn’t see any furniture. This was his party and they were his guests.He imagined them socialize, laugh and play. They started a frostball fight and then ganged up and attacked him all at once with tiny balls which landed on him gently like snowflakes. They danced in sync to music in his head and arranged in a line, following each other, tripping over each other’s wings.Then, they gathered around him and showered him with hugs, gifts, and kisses. Then, they built a giant - for them - cake just for him, gathered around him, holding hands and sang a birthday song together.He could almost hear it when the fairies collided with each other and fell apart. One after the other like dominos, they started to disintegrate until the last one was gone and fell to the floor with a snowy poof.There was no cake, singing or dancing. There was only frost laying flat on the grey-tiled floor.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The gentle snowstorm had turned into a vicious blizzard which had not eased up in two days. The highlands were famous for their quickly-changing weather but this was ridiculous, bordering on magical.Since the weather outside made it impossible to enjoy a stroll in the fresh air, Ginny went for a walk through the castle halls. Yes, it was stupid. There was a Chamber monster lurking about but as she was a pureblood witch, she thought the risk was minimal and she had to get out.Her roommates all left for the holidays which left her completely alone and she was so visibly spooked by her empty room, Hermione invited her to sleep in her dorm. Ginny took her up on the offer and slept better than she had in months.Was it the prospect of no classes, or something else, but she woke up refreshed, energized and ready for the day. She felt disappointed that Jack’s idea of indoor Quidditch didn’t work out, spoiled by Ron’s irrational need to protect her from all boys. Seriously. Brothers could be so annoying sometimes.Her legs took her to the dungeons and her steps echoed through the gloomy hallway. She shivered and wrapped her sweater tighter around herself. She sped up, thinking to get out of the underground and find a warmer place for a stroll.She heard a squeal and stopped in her tracks. It came from behind a closed door. She’d never been in this part of the dungeons before but she assumed that this was a classroom which should have been empty right now.The sound repeated. It was a high pitched yelp. Was it a yelp for help or a happy one? Just to be sure, she decided to check it out.She quietly opened the door and peeked inside. As she guessed, it was a classroom and two teenagers were at the front of it. The girl sat on the teacher’s desk with her back to Ginny, her long hair draped behind her like a veil while the boy was pressed up very close to her and his hands were on her hips.Oh, boy, were they snogging? This was a funny thing to walk in on and she stifled a snort when the girl squealed and giggled. What could the boy be doing to cause that?Then, the boy lifted his head and Ginny’s eyes bulged. It was her brother Percy!She quickly got out of there. Walking wasn’t quick enough so she started running. She raced out of the dungeons, listening closely if she was followed, wondering if Percy saw her.She ran into the library and hid behind a bookcase. She was short of breath and could feel how hot her face was. Images flashed before her eyes as she remembered what she just witnessed. She shouldn’t have looked.Then she burst out in a laugh too loud for a library and tried to stifle it with her hand. She caught her brother snogging. Oh, Percy. This was the secret he had been guarding. The twins kept mentioning that he’d been acting odd. They had no idea. He even gave a half-baked excuse as to why he stayed for the holiday “To help the teachers.” Yeah, right.Of all the secrets her pompous brother could be hiding, she never would have imagined that he was hiding a girlfriend.Should she tell him that she knew? Nah. It was funnier that he thought it was still a secret.Once back in the common room, she saw Fred and George plot something by the fire, their heads close by, whispering.She sat by them and tried to restrain her smile. She knew something they didn't.”What are you two up to?”They looked around the room to confirm no one else was there. Then, Fred pulled something out of his pocket to show her.“I stole Percy’s Prefect badge, ” he whispered.“We need to rename it,” George offered.Ginny stared at them in disbelief. If Percy found out they messed with his most precious possession, he’d flip out.“What word do you think would properly describe our dear brother?”They looked at her expectantly and she blurted the first word that came to her mind, “Pinhead.”“Pinhead it is,” George said and the twins grinned devilishly.Harry Potter walked down from the dorms and sat with Ron at the chess table. When looking at him, she couldn't help but remember Percy with his girlfriend and her cheeks burned. She wasn't ready for things like that but she wondered what Harry’s lips would feel like.She had never kissed a boy before. She’d love it if Harry was her first kiss but he always felt so out of reach. How could she get him to notice her?The sounds of laughter woke Elsa and she came down from her dorm to investigate. Her fellow Ravenclaws were gathered in the common room around a large decorated pine tree, showing things to each other.“There’s one here for you, Elsa,” Padma called out.Today was the day of surprises. She didn’t know that she was going to get a gift from McGonagall - pretty art supplies and a variety of wizarding sweets. She didn’t know that today everyone was exchanging gifts and her hands felt very empty when she later thanked the witch. Padma assured her that it was alright but it didn’t feel like it. Only now she realized that she didn’t know much about the witch. What gift would someone like McGonagall wish for?The Great Hall was beautifully decorated in a winter theme. There were wreaths and garlands already hanging from doorways. She watched Hagrid haul a giant pine tree and set it down among others. She counted twelve which were stacked on two sides of the Hall.“Wait until they’re done decorating,” Padma said and nudged her. “It will be magnificent.”The staff tables were split up to make space for a huge tree at the center.“Last year, there were a lot more students here for Christmas so this year it’s very cozy.”Cozy was a good word to describe the atmosphere. They sat down at the end of the Ravenclaw table with the few other students who Elsa was only getting to know now. It was much easier to make friends when there were less than a dozen people there and by now, she remembered everyone’s names. They all greeted her and Padma as they sat down. She only wished that Luna was there but she went on holiday with her dad to track some elusive creature all the way in Sweden.The enchanted ceiling reflected gentle snow and Elsa was glad that her brother finally released the heavy blizzard he had been obsessing over the last few days. She wondered what gift he got from McGonagall but couldn’t ask as he didn’t show up for breakfast. Maybe he slept in.While these were all pleasant surprises, she preferred being prepared so after breakfast, she went to the library and read up everything she could find about Christmas within the few hours until her stomach growled. She now felt properly informed but worried about other human traditions she might be clueless about. Was there an easier way to find out besides waiting until the holiday came? Humans made everything so complicated.By lunchtime, progress was made with decorations. The trees were now adorned with many shiny objects. She was shocked to find that the largest tree at the center had live fairies.She walked up to them and whispered, “Why are you on this tree?”The fairies startled and looked at her in question. “You better keep your promise!”“What promise?”They exchanged bewildered looks.“You understand us?”“Of course I do. Don’t waste time - answer before someone notices that I’m talking to a tree.”She touched a shiny golden ball to make it look like she was admiring decorations.The fairies murmured to each other and she guessed that they didn’t come from the colony in the forest since they didn’t know who she was.One of them jumped up and offered an explanation, “The short wizard promised us lots of honey if we sat on this tree and looked pretty.”Elsa sighed in relief. For a moment there, she was afraid that they were kept there against their will. Jack would flip out if he saw that they were treated as a decoration. She turned her head and glanced at the Gryffindor table. He still had not arrived.“If you need help, let me know,” Elsa told them and went back.She left the fairies buzzing with excitement while she ate uneasily. She waited and watched the entrance but her brother still did not show up. She was now officially worried.She sent him a signal asking where he was but he did not answer. He couldn’t still be sleeping, could he?She finally walked up to the Gryffindor table which was full of red-headed Weasleys and a few people she did not know. She recognized that Hermione girl. She only remembered her name because it was so weird.“Hi. Have you seen my brother?”The girl furrowed her brows and shook her bushy head.“No. I haven’t seen him all day.”“Good,” the youngest Weasley boy said.“What is that supposed to mean?”“His absence is a surprise Christmas gift. He’s always getting us in trouble.”Hermione cut in, “From what you’ve told me, you attacked first. He didn’t even pull his wand out.”“You weren’t there. He clearly provoked me.”“What do you mean?” Elsa made a step towards the ginger boy. “You attacked my brother? What did you do to him?”“Nothing!” Harry Potter defended.Elsa’s rage at the thought that someone tried to hurt her twin must have shown because Potter started stuttering.“I think he did it on p-purpose. He kept s-s-saying things to make us attack him. He’s always like that! Always trying to start a fight with me.”“I can see why,” Elsa said through gritted teeth.She felt an unexplainable urge to strangle both of these boys. Gryffindors had a reputation for being aggressive but these fools were exceeding her expectations.“It was a few days ago anyway,” Potter said quickly. “That’s not why he’s missing now.”All of the Gryffindors were listening to their exchange by now and she looked at them with an accusation.“He’s one of you and yet none of you are worried that he’s been missing all day?”An older Weasley spoke up, “This is rather normal.” His badge read Pinhead instead of Prefect and Elsa wondered when he would notice that his Christmas gift was getting pranked. “He’s been keeping to himself during this holiday. I rarely see him.”Jack was avoiding company? That wasn’t like him. He was always very social. Elsa felt heat in her eyes which she knew would turn into tears.“What do you expect after you attacked him?”These were his House-mates. They should be treating him like family. She hated Gryffindors and she was beginning to hate all wizards.She felt a tingle of ice in her fingertips and was afraid that if she kept talking to these idiots, she would lose control of her magic again. She couldn’t let that happen.She turned around and sat at the Ravenclaw table where people at least had heads on their shoulders.“I heard the whole thing,” Padma said in a gentle tone. “I’m sorry. Those Gryffindors are such hot-heads.”“They can’t handle him, that’s the problem. He talks in a playful banter but these idiots wouldn’t know a verbal spar if it hit them over the head.”She worried about him and sent him a signal again - which he didn’t respond to again. She decided to force him to accompany her if it came to that so he wouldn’t spend so much time alone. Their whole childhood Jack always took care of her. It was time she took care of him.Two cold hands covered her eyes.“Guess who.”She turned around to her grinning brother and smacked him in the shoulder.“What’s that for?”He rubbed it but sat down, still grinning.“You didn’t answer.”He shrugged. “I was already on my way. Just had to change.”“Why?” This sounded suspicious.“Snow.” He winked at her.“You don’t mean you were outside in this weather!” Padma shouted.“What's the use of a blizzard if you don’t get to play in it? It's up to my waist. You have got to check it out, Elsa!”“I’ll take your word for it.”Padma ran a hand through her long black hair and commented on the blue hoodie he was wearing, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear anything other than the uniform.”He grinned again while looking down at it.“Christmas gift. McGonagall must have remembered how bummed I was when she threw my old one out.”“You look good in blue,” Padma commented and Elsa rolled her eyes so hard she might have strained a muscle.“Since I’m Ravenclaw-colored anyway, I’ll just hang out with you two if you don’t mind.”“You’re always welcome here.”Elsa was getting a headache from being in the middle of Padma’s flirting attempt. She wasn’t sure if she approved of it. Padma was her friend but she felt a need to sit between the two of them like a chaperone. Thankfully, Jack wasn’t showing a lot of interest and was mostly just polite to her. She didn’t know if she could take it if he participated in this game.She tried to change the subject. “So what is this I hear about a fight with Potter and Weasley?”He waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, sis. It would take more than a Weasley to take me down. It wasn’t even a fight.” He snickered. “He destroyed a couch and got caught.”She glared at him and he put his hands up.“I'm not stupid. If I attack them, I’d get in trouble but if I don’t even pull my wand out…”He shrugged.Padma giggled. “Then they get in trouble.”“And I don’t even have to do a thing. They’re so easy. They fall for it every time.”“That’s genius,” Padma praised and he crossed his arms, feeling proud of himself. Oh, but he didn’t know that Padma hid a motive behind her compliments.“It’s not winning you any points with them though,” Elsa pointed out.Jack’s features became serious. “I don’t care if Potter likes me.” He was staring at the tree she approached before. “Are those fairies?”“They’re there from their own free will. Someone promised them a treat if they just look pretty.”“I hope they’ve been praised for being pretty, then. They’ll be crushed if they’re posing there and no one notices.”Padma giggled. “You do it, then.”Jack raised an eyebrow and got up.She gasped. She did not expect that he was serious.He walked up to the tree and said loud enough that they heard it.“You are the loveliest fairies I have ever seen. All other decorations pale in comparison to your wings’ glow.”Elsa imagined that the fairies were now swooning from the compliment. And they didn’t even know yet that an Air Lord gave it.He ran over to the staff table to thank McGonagall who was happy that he wore his present.Staying true to the promise she made herself, Elsa made an effort to spend more time with him. She let him drag her outside to show off his snow and they played by launching themselves at it from heights. It cushioned the fall in the most liberating way.When they tired themselves, they laid in the cool puff until the day came to an end. Elsa watched the snowflakes gently fall and remembered a question he never answered.”Jack, what did you see in the Mirror of Erised?”He played with the snow, making it swirl in a circle.“It’s stupid and not real. I don’t know why I saw it.”“Tell me.”The snow was under his complete control and he intensified it.She worried that he wouldn’t tell her and wondered if she did something to cause this chasm to grow larger between them.“We were human,” he said quietly.She was so shocked, she sat up.“What?”He played with his little snow tornado.“I had brown hair and a tan,” the corner of his mouth lifted, “you were blond. You look good as a blonde.”“The mirror shows your desires. You want to be human?”“No.” He spread both arms out, which suspended all snowflakes and they hovered, waiting for his instruction. “I like my magic. I wouldn’t want to be a stupid powerless human.”She laid down on her side and watched him. “Then why did you see that in the mirror?”“I suppose,” he resumed swirling the snow, “I wouldn’t mind if I wasn’t such a freak among them.”She reached his white hair and gently combed it. She never felt this way. In fact, the unique way she looked, her long white tresses, startling blue eyes, and porcelain skin, she thought it made her look pretty. She’d seen how boys gaped at her. They never dared to say anything or approach her - too intimidated - but it pleased her when she caught them looking. Girls looked at her brother in the same way. Only someone jealous of them would refer to their look as “freaky.”“You’re not a freak,” she whispered. “They’re not worth your time if they think that.”He let go of his snowy tornado and it fell around them.“I can see myself living among them,” he said, still not looking at her.She continued combing his hair since he didn’t stop her. Maybe he enjoyed it as much as she enjoyed when he combed hers.He continued, “We could build some kind of lives in their world if only we learned how to blend in with them better.”She did not like that idea. “I don’t want to hide who I am.” He finally looked at her and she continued, “We have to while in this school, but once I’m older, I’m not going to hide my magic anymore.”“You shouldn’t. Your magic is beautiful.” He created a frostball, tossed it in the air and caught it. “I definitely wouldn’t want to live the way Mother does. I’d rather pretend among wizards.”Elsa wondered why their mother liked spending so much time underground. It was such a gloomy world when life in the open air was so much richer.“What do you think the Sylph live like?”Jack smiled. “I imagine houses with no walls so you could always feel the breeze.”“I tried to look in the library but didn’t find much about them. Wizards think of them as myths.”“Of course you did,” he chuckled and she hit his arm.In retaliation, he made his frostball fall on her face and she got up, blinking pieces of it out of her eyes.“You asked for it,” she growled, grabbed a chunk of snow and threw it at him.And hence started the best snow fight in the history of winter fun, which they kept up until their facial muscles felt sore from all the laughing.When they came back in with their hands clasped together, their hearts felt light and were beating as one.Merlin came to and rubbed his throbbing head. He had a faint impression that he just woke up from a strange dream but couldn’t remember what it was about. Wherever he was now, it was not a bed, he was too uncomfortable.As his eyes adjusted, he recognized the glowing white crystals and remembered how he fell within the Crystal Cave. He was glad no one had seen the Almighty Emrys show off his greatest weakness and a source of constant humiliation - poor coordination. No amount of time or magic could cure him of it.His forearm felt strange and he inspected it. There were trails of dried up blood all over his skin. He couldn’t find the wound - the cave’s magic already healed it.“Oh, no,” he breathed as his eyes fell on one small crystal which lay loose on the cave’s floor.It emitted a deep red glow which could mean only one thing - the crystal had sucked up his blood. It was officially his now and he couldn’t leave it here. While he thought he was the only one who knew of the Crystal Cave, he couldn’t risk this crystal falling into anyone’s hands. With it containing this much of his blood, it could be used against him in many ways.And so it seemed that the Cave had plans for him. It took only a few drops of blood to create a battery. This crystal sucked in so much of his blood, it permanently changed color, and it being brand new, it would hold a power charge for a very long time. It was a doubly potent gift.He put it in his pocket and decided to get this trip over with. He got comfortable on the rough floor and stared into the nearest white crystal. He cleared his mind to allow the vision to form clearly so he could understand it. They usually came immediately, locking him in an inescapable trance, but this time nothing happened.He adjusted his position and looked into another crystal and all he saw was its glow.He scratched his head and wondered if he was doing something wrong. He went up to other crystals and checked each - none of them gave him anything.He stared at the silent cave, unable to understand. He always saw visions when he came here. Even the Goddess urged him to come, saying that visions were waiting for him, but there were none. What was he supposed to do now? What if he was supposed to learn something important which he would need soon?He tried again one more time just in case, with no success.“Fine!” he shouted and the cave’s echo responded with the same.He didn’t want the blasted visions anyway.

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Ravens flew away with shrill caws as Merlin transported himself to Hogwarts grounds. He figured he’d make it appear like he was coming from Hogsmeade but soon found a problem with his plan.“What happened here?”He was trapped in four feet of snow. He could barely move and the castle was still far away. It would take hours if he didn’t use magic so he pulled out his wand and started melting the snow in front of him. He hoped no one would ask him how he managed to get here all the way from the village.He thought he was gone only a day, but seeing this snow, he dreaded that it was longer than that. How much of his time did the cave take? What happened while he was gone?He entered and immediately wished to go back outside to the fresh crisp air.It stunk! Few students ran past him with their scarfs wrapped around their noses. He promptly did the same.”When I find out which one of you did it, you'll be scrubbing toilets while wearing shackles!”Merlin followed Filch’s voice even though his nose pleaded to turn around and go in the other direction. It led him to the entrance of the Great Hall which the Caretaker was guarding, covering his nose with a grey handkerchief.Merlin peeked inside, where the most peculiar scene was taking place.About thirty students were lined up, keeping distance between each other, covering their noses and farting every twenty seconds or so. Each gas pass made them jump up startled because they were passing fire as if their backsides had turned into small roaring dragons. They didn’t seem to be hurt, and some were even laughing. The fire did not burn their clothes, thankfully, it was obviously magical, but how they all came to suffer from the same fate was a mystery.They were waiting in line to a table in the front where Madam Pomfrey, dressed in a medical mask, was giving them each something to drink. He guessed it was an antidote.He’d seen many strange things in his unnaturally long life and this made the top ten most bizarre magical maladies. Even though the scene was fun to watch, he couldn’t take the stink anymore.On his way to Dumbledore’s office, he noticed Jack sneak out of Filch’s office.Merlin quietly walked up behind him just as the boy was gently locking the door.“Boo.”Jack screeched in freight and covered his mouth. He whirled around and immediately hugged Merlin.“You’re back early! This is awesome!”Merlin disengaged himself from the excited boy.“Yes. I’m here. What were you doing in Filch’s office?”“Nothing,” he quickly replied and put his hands in his pockets.Not suspicious at all.“So, do you know what’s going on with the fire farts?”Jack snorted and looked at the floor.“I don’t know anything.”“So why do you look so guilty?”Jack was gnawing on his lip and looked like he was bursting to say it, confirming what Merlin suspected - he had something to do with it.“I won’t tell anyone. What did you do?”Jack looked around them to check if they were alone and then pulled Merlin away from Filch’s office.Once in a dark corner, he exploded in hushed explanations, “I brew a farting potion and added a few stink pellets for some extra oomph, then Peeves snuck to the Kitchens, poured it in the pumpkin juice and nearly everyone drank it.” He tried to stifle a giggle. “Even McGonagall! It was only supposed to be stinky but it backfired with the fire thing.” He laughed loudly now. “Get it? Backfired!”Merlin could imagine how funny this must have been to witness but then wondered if he would’ve fallen for the prank if he was here for the meal.“They’re all getting the antidote now so it should pass soon. Pass! Ha!” He waved a hand in front of his nose while giggling. “I can smell it all the way here. Let’s go to our dorm and we can talk. Everyone affected was told to stay in the Great Hall because of the fire hazard so we’ll be safe there.”Jack pulled him along and Merlin had to stop him.“I’ll meet you there. I have to speak to Professor Dumbledore first.”Jack’s gaze fell on the ground.“You won’t tell on me, will you?”“Of course not.” He waved a finger at him. “But later, we have to talk about responsible pranking, Jack. You’re lucky your experiment didn’t hurt anyone.”The boy pouted and looked up with those pretty blue eyes.“I was bored.”He sighed so pitifully, Merlin felt an urge to give him a toy. How could anyone ever reproach someone who looked this innocent?Merlin left the scene while he still had his free will about him.At Dumbledore’s office, Snape was there and visibly blanched when Merlin walked in. Was it fear? That suited him fine.Dumbledore was happy to see him.“Merlin, finally! You said a couple of days.”“Sorry, Albus, it took longer than expected.”He still didn’t know what day it was, but judging from the castle decorations, Christmas had already passed. In that case, he was gone for more than a week.“So, what did you find out?”“The skin is impenetrable and resistant to spells but we can kill it if we strike inside the mouth. Did anything happen while I was gone?”“Thankfully, no attacks.” Dumbledore pointed at the window. “Massive blizzard, just stopped. And this newest prank. I'm glad I skipped the juice today.”Snape’s upper lip lifted. “Was it your doing?”“The fire farts?” Merlin couldn’t help but chuckle when saying the words. “I wasn’t even here.”“It’s right on par with your maturity level.”Merlin chose to ignore that comment and walked up to Fawkes who looked a little older now but not quite like an adult Phoenix yet. He owed a lot to this bird. He was suffering before Fawkes healed him. He pulled out a piece of steak from his pocket he brought just for this occasion and Fawkes snatched it from his hand immediately.“I knew you’d like it.”Fawkes swallowed the piece whole and made a throaty sound which Merlin guessed was equivalent to licking one’s lips. He tried to pet him but Fawkes only checked his hand for more meat, and seeing none, made a slow step sideways in a very “No, thank you” gesture.“How did you gain immortality?” Snape asked.Merlin turned around. He expected questions like that and decided to get straight to the point. It didn’t matter that Greasy Git wouldn’t understand.“Triple Goddess chose me.”“Chose you? And what have you done with this gift?”“Excuse me?”Snape looked down at him.“What have you achieved? You’re hiding from the world instead of doing something useful.”Merlin was speechless. Was the Greasy Git insinuating that he knew how to be a better Emrys than him?“Severus, don’t!” Dumbledore warned but Snape wasn’t done.“You wield powerful magic and you waste it. With this talent, you should be making history.”“If you haven’t noticed, I use my real name - I’m not hiding. I don’t care if people don’t accept that I’m the same Merlin they’ve heard tales of. And I’m here, aren’t I?”“And yet the monster still prowls this castle, the Heir is doing who knows what. And what did you do? You got a chance to fight it and you got yourself killed.”“You think you would’ve done better when stuck in a prepubescent body and having to deal with the likes of you?”Snape waved his hand dismissively and turned up his nose on him. The nerve.“If I had the amount of time a child has…”Maybe it was his young age or his natural temper, but Merlin lost it.The air around the Greasy Git shimmered as he willed him to change. Before Snape knew what was happening, he was a kid - maybe ten years old or so.Young Snape looked around him in confusion while Dumbledore gasped and covered his mouth.“What did you…” Snape started saying but stopped when he heard his high-pitched voice.Merlin stood there and bit his knuckles, taking a moment to appreciate just how well he got him.Snape was a small boy who looked rather malnourished and sickly. His dark hair was overgrown past his ears. His black eyes were not as narrow as in adulthood, making him look almost cute like a wet puppy who wandered to your door. He was drowning in his black robes and his trousers fell to the floor.Merlin looked away, trying hard not to laugh.“As I said,” Snape held his trousers up, cleared his throat and tried to speak in a lower tone, resulting in a raspy voice, “your maturity level is outstanding. Undo this at once!”Dumbledore circled the Little Git, his hand still covering his mouth.“Marvelous. How do you feel, Severus?”Snape glared at him sideways and hissed through nearly closed lips, “Young.”“Most remarkable.” Dumbledore clapped his hands. “You must let me try this one time.”Merlin shrugged. This was going to cost him but since he already started, why not go all the way?“As you wish, Albus.”The old wizard’s eyes bulged, he did not expect “one time” to be now, but before he could protest, the air shimmered around him and he shrunk from his significant height to a body only slightly taller than the Little Git.Dumbledore’s long robes hung on a body of an adorable auburn-haired boy who looked at himself and laughed out loud.“This is wonderful, Merlin,” he exclaimed and exchanged an amused look with Snape.They were quite a contrast next to each other. Snape looked pitiful while Dumbledore looked ecstatic. Sallow features and sickly-pale complexion next to rosy cheeks and a slight tan.The not-so-old-now wizard gathered up his robes and ran in little steps to the other side of the room where a large mirror stood.He laughed, seeing his reflection and Merlin couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.“You should’ve let me try this years ago, Merlin. This is fabulous!”He skipped back, struggling to hold his long robes.“How long can you maintain the spell on all of us?”“Not forever, but I can give you a few more minutes to enjoy it.”Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder. It was strangely satisfying to finally be on the same eye level.“Don’t overexert yourself just for my enjoyment, my friend.”His face was unrecognizable now but his kind eyes were the same even without the frame of wrinkles.“I’m okay, Albus. I wouldn’t do this if I couldn’t.”Snape huffed, not amused by the sight of the three of them looking like children.“Then keep the spell on the Headmaster and return me to normal.”“Awww, but you’re like that for my enjoyment, Professor.”His lips lifted in a snarl like an ungrateful wet puppy who didn’t like being toweled off.“How come you made him look normal but made me like this? I wasn’t this scrawny!”Merlin put his hands up.“Believe me, I couldn’t make this up. This is all you.”Snape must have gotten tired of holding his trousers up and sat down on the couch where he crossed his arms and pouted in silence.Dumbledore grabbed his wand, transfigured his robes into what he must have worn at this age - gray shorts with long socks and a matching jacket with a sailor collar. Merlin was pretty sure that the sailor theme was fashionable for younger kids but maybe the old wizard felt sentimental about it.The not-so-old wizard ran up to his turntable, put on some chamber music and started skipping to the lively beat in a combination of graceful and whimsical dance moves.“This song was all the rage when I was young.”Merlin watched him twirl and jump around and felt a strain on his magical energy. Holding the spell on all three of them was costing him, and he decided to stop it before they noticed his weakness.“Join me!” Albus shouted while trying out a pirouette.“I’m going to get going now, Albus,” he interrupted and the young wizard ran up to him with a broad grin.“Of course. This was marvelous. Thank you. Maybe we could repeat this some other time?”Merlin slightly inclined his head in confirmation. He was more than ready to release the spell but realized that Albus needed a reminder.“You need to transfigure your clothes back unless you don’t mind ripping these to shreds in front of us.”Albus startled.“Blubber and nitwit. Right away.”Once he was ready, Merlin changed him back and the old wizard put his hand on his lower back and winced. It wasn’t fun to be old.Merlin turned around and started walking away.“You forgot something,” Snape’s high-pitched voice called after him.“No, I didn’t.”Merlin faced him, not even trying to hide his smirk. Snape pressed his lips together, and while in adulthood it made him look menacing, now, he just looked like a grouchy kid who fell from his bike and got a boo-boo but didn’t want to cry in front of his friends.Merlin chuckled at that image. He was going to remember him this way.“Yes, child,” he said as if addressing a toddler. “It’s your turn to be a big boy.”Snape shot up from the sofa and pulled out his wand, ready to throw something at him but swayed on his legs as Merlin undid the aging magic. He fell on his backside with his trousers at his ankles just as Merlin was leaving the office, laughing out loud.It was going to be so much more fun now that Snape knew who he was. He didn’t have to hold back anymore. Oh, what a freeing feeling this was.On the way back to the Gryffindor Tower, Merlin kept his hand in his pocket, feeling his magic restore with the crystal’s help. He had to be more careful and reduce showing off. Well, maybe only for the Greasy Git. He was a special case.While holding the crystal, he got a strange vertigo feeling.His vision went black and he saw the face of a girl dying on the floor. He recognized her. It was Ginny Weasley! Something awful was going to happen to her.The vision ended as quickly as it came. He leaned against a wall and tried to understand what he saw.He pulled out the red crystal which pulsed in his hand.Goddess did this with her blessing. He was meant to take this particular crystal to receive the visions one at a time. It possibly was an even better method of receiving visions, instead of getting them all at once with no context or chronological order.“Clever, but why didn’t you just tell me to do this? Why did you trick me into it?”As if on cue, he saw the silhouette of Ginny at the end of the corridor and immediately ran to her. He had to do whatever he could to stop what he saw in the vision.Ginny was on her way to her dorm when Merlin caught up with her. She thought he was away for the holidays.“Hey, Ginny. I just wanted to talk to you about that enchanted book.”She dropped her eyes to the ground and tried to shrink down. She had not thought about Tom’s diary in days.“I didn’t get a chance to tell you before I got sick - you should really bring that book to Professor Dumbledore immediately.”“I… I… I don’t have it.”She wasn’t sure why she was stuttering right now.“Well, where is it?”“I threw it away. You said it was evil, right?”He took a long breath and continued, “Objects with Dark Magic don’t just disappear. If you threw it away, someone is bound to find it and could fall prey to it. Where did you throw the book, Ginny?”She did not like how intensely he stared into her eyes right now.“No one will find it,” she said in a small voice.“We cannot take this risk. Take me to where you threw it and I’ll make sure it makes it to Professor Dumbledore so he can dispose of it safely.”She wanted to protest but something in his voice sounded so authoritative, she felt compelled to listen.He looked puzzled when he saw where she led him.“Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom?”“Yes. No one goes here.”She looked inside the stall where she was sure she threw the book into but it wasn’t inside or outside of the toilet. She checked each of the other stalls and he helped her look but they didn’t find it.“Moaning Myrtle moved it?” she asked hopefully.“There is a limit as to how much ghosts can interact with the physical world. They can’t hold objects in that way, Ginny.”In that case, she had no idea what could have happened to it, but honestly, she didn’t care too much.He ran a hand through his face.“This isn’t good.”He put his hands on his hips and stared at the tiled floor while grinding his teeth. She couldn’t help but feel how heavily disappointed he was with her.“Don’t look for the book, Ginny,” he finally said, surprising her. “And if you do find it, tell me or Professor Dumbledore directly if you’d prefer.” He smiled at her though it looked sad. “At least you’re out of the danger. I’ll walk you to the Gryffindor Tower. It’s not safe.”Ginny walked back with him, feeling strangely free. He was right. There was something wrong with that book and she was glad that it was no longer hers. She was feeling better than she had in months, she was sleeping better, no longer sleepwalking. She no longer felt tired all the time. She was even looking forward to her roommates returning so she could get to know them better.She did not want to know where Tom’s diary was now.‘Sorry, Tom,’ she thought. ‘You’re going to have to make a new friend.’

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Jack was reading the same paragraph of Professor Lockhart’s book Holidays with Hags for the tenth time and still couldn’t remember what it was about. Something about offerings of pastry which did not sound right. He had never seen hags eat sweets. They liked meat - fresh raw kind was their dessert, not sugar.He wondered if he should ask him about this but at the same time, he was afraid to be questioned on how he knew so much about hags.He read it again but again found himself distracted. The door frame was still empty of his friend. It was difficult to focus on this book when the prospect of not being stuck alone was so close by.This holiday, he found himself short of friends. His sister’s idea of fun leisure time always involved the library and he spent time with her but there were limits to how much of it he could take.He managed to convince Ginny to play Quidditch with him and it was fun but then, she’d taken to stalking the common room. He wasn’t completely sure, but she might have a crush on Potter. That was so unfair. Not her too!Most days he entertained himself by planning pranks with Peeves. Filch had become his favorite target and his office provided a constant source of pranking materials.The newest one he acquired was called a Frog Spawn Soap according to Peeves and was supposedly really fun to execute. Now, he only had to pick a lucky recipient and switch their regular soap for this one. Could he somehow trick Potter into it? He had to think ahead on how to make it work.Merlin walked in and Jack dropped the book. Finally, they would have some fun!His friend hung his cloak and adjusted his scarf. He didn’t take it off - of course, he didn’t. That was such a typical Merlin.“So, what do you want to do?”Jack was ready to get out of the Tower. Maybe he would show him his special room on the seventh floor. He wondered what Merlin’s idea of a perfect play setting was.“Sorry, not now. I need to catch up with Harry.”Jack felt these words as if they were a punch in his gut.“You just got here.”He clapped Jack on the shoulder and headed for the door.Potter. Always Potter first. Jack could wait, right? He should just sit tight and wait like a good boy, until all the important people no longer needed Merlin, right?“Excuse me for keeping you away from the Golden Boy.”Merlin shook his head.“There’s no need for that.”“No need and yet you run to him like a lost puppy.”“Jack,” Merlin dropped his hands, exasperated. “Why are you making this into a big deal?”“Run along. Obviously, you have more important people to spend time with.”Merlin put a hand on his hip and released a long sigh.“You’re jealous? Jack, there’s no reason…”“I’m not jealous,” he countered and crossed his arms.What a ridiculous accusation. Jack - jealous of Potter. Jealous of what? He was nothing. Jack was better at everything. He was smarter, better at magic. People liked him better. He bet he could even beat him at Quidditch if only he was allowed to play the game.“Jack,” Merlin smiled at him as if he was talking to a toddler, “you can’t expect me to have only you for a friend. And you have other friends besides me. You’re good friends with Luna and Ginny.”“But they’re girls!”“In a few years, you’re going to be very glad that you get along with girls so well.”“Forget it.”Jack walked away and sat on his bed with his back to him. This wasn’t how he wanted to spend Merlin’s first day back - alone in the dorm (AGAIN!) while Potter got all of his attention.Merlin walked up to him.“What is this really about?”Jack wished he knew how to say why he didn’t want to be always stuck with girls. How do you tell someone that after a lifetime of living with women, he was the first boy you got to know? How do you tell someone that you wished you meant to him as much as he meant to you? How do you tell someone that you wished he would choose you for a change?“Just go. Your friends are waiting.”He looked out the window, begging his eyes to not tear up. He was spending so much time with girls, he was turning into one - always crying, always so emotional. Merlin never cried. He’d never seen another boy cry. Maybe he was a girl already.He felt that he couldn’t hold the tears back anymore and didn’t want his friend to see him this way so he closed the curtains of his bed to hide.He could hear that Merlin still lingered in the room, and secretly hoped that he would stay and insist to find out why Jack was upset. He would stubbornly sit in front of Jack’s bed and demand to open the curtain. And Jack would hesitate, but then he’d open it and Merlin would give him a hug and apologize and stay and they would do something fun together.Jack smiled, imagining it. That was what friends did.“I won’t be gone for long,” Merlin said and left the room.The walls of the curtain prison were closing down, making his body too heavy to keep upright, forcing him down.The room was quiet and empty again, but it didn’t have to be. Jack pulled out his wand and conjured two dozen huggers. He curled up into a ball and they swarmed him, covering him like a blanket. He wasn’t alone.He carefully brought one of them close to his chest to cuddle up with it. He wasn’t alone.Huggers would give him the warmth of a hug.He wasn’t alone.Merlin came back to his dorm with a heavy heart. While he was away, the trio decided to not wait for him and used the Polyjuice Potion on their own. They found out that Malfoy was NOT the Heir of Slytherin and did not know who was.What did that mean? How did Dobby, Malfoy’s servant, know about the Chamber if the boy wasn’t involved in it? There was something fishy going on here. He refused to accept that the elf was a dead-end clue.And there was an unfortunate side effect - Hermione’s Polyjuice transformation went horribly wrong and she was now in the Hospital Wing. He couldn’t help but wonder if he could have saved her from this fate if he had been there. He was supposed to watch over these kids to ensure they didn’t get hurt while executing their crazy plan. He failed them.His eyes fell on the closed curtains around Jack’s bed. He somehow managed to make him cry again. He had to check on Harry first, Harry was the reason why he was here in the first place, but he could feel the hurt in Jack’s voice and wished he could split himself in two.His relationship with the boy was very confusing. On the one hand, Merlin felt like Jack was his peer and a friend, on the other, the boy always triggered parenting instincts in him. He wanted to protect him and make up for how he treated him in the past but somehow he was making it worse. He wished he was in his adult body right now so he could comfort him properly.“Jack, are you awake?”There was no response and he didn’t know if the boy was sleeping or ignoring him.He sat down on his bed and watched the closed curtain.He wondered what he did to nearly destroy the plans Triple Goddess had for the twins. Was it the truth potion? Was he not meant to learn the boy’s secrets at this time? Now, this only increased his curiosity but he had to bite it down.Was there anything he wasn’t a failure at?Oh, but it got worse. With the whole dying event, he forgot about Ginny’s book. He knew it was imbued with Dark Magic but failed to tell Dumbledore about it before leaving. The old wizard could have taken the dangerous object from the girl and dealt with it in his absence. Instead, he forgot to tell anyone about it, the girl got rid of the book and now someone else at this school held it, someone unknown could suffer from its magic.That would shift the danger away from Ginny and yet the vision he got showed the girl dying. Was it related to this evil object? Was she going to fall victim to the Chamber monster? Or was there another threat at this school, yet another danger he failed to detect? And most of all - could he stop it?Argh! Why were his visions always so limited?Snape was right. He wasn’t useful at all. The Great Merlin was a fraud - he was just a kid with a handful of magic tricks.But maybe there was a use for his tricks yet.Merlin got up and went to the Hospital Wing.Colin, Justin, and Mrs. Norris still lay in their frozen positions, and at the end of the room, there was a patient blocked from view by curtains.He pulled Madam Pomfrey aside.“How is Hermione?”The Healer linked her hands in front of her and spoke in a morose tone, “A transformation gone wrong. I don’t know what these kids used, they didn’t say.”“Polyjuice Potion,” Merlin clarified and she raised her eyebrows.“In that case, it’s even worse than I hoped. It will take me weeks to get her back to normal. She must have used an animal ingredient.”“Yeah, I heard it was a cat.”“Poor girl will have to stay here during this time. She’s most embarrassed about her look.”“Let me see.”Her eyes grew wider - she wanted to see his healing magic again. He didn’t catch up with her after she saw him come back from the dead so he was a little surprised at how easily she accepted his identity. It was refreshing.He quietly walked up and pulled the curtain aside. Hermione was asleep, curled up under her blanket. Her face was covered by fur, she had whiskers and real cat ears. A furry tail poked out from under the sheets.Merlin was glad that she didn’t suffer any worse fate. This was mostly just an inconvenient and embarrassing external change. It could’ve been worse. She could have ended up with a cursed existence, become a half-breed who didn’t belong in the wizarding world or the wild. But this condition was reversible and it did not require weeks.After he assessed her, he walked with Madam Pomfrey to her office where she had a brewing lab set up. Without wasting any time, he got started. She had a good supply of ingredients on hand and he found everything he needed. She helped him where she could but it didn’t take him long to brew the potion.“Have her drink it all in one go. It should have a slightly minty flavor. I can write down the recipe for you if you’d like. You never know when this happens again.”“Oh, it’s happened many times,” she joked. “I will most appreciate it.The next day, he came back to visit officially and found that the curtains were pulled away, Hermione was sitting in her bed and grinning broadly. There was not a whisker or fur in sight.“Merlin, you’re back!” she beamed at him.“I am. How are you feeling?”“I am so much better! Madam Pomfrey said I can leave today. This is such a relief, I was afraid I’ll have to spend weeks in here.”“You would’ve hated to miss out school.”“You know me so well.” She smiled and patted the bed, inviting him to sit.He got himself comfortable and tried to assess her condition. His potion worked perfectly.He was disappointed with the education of modern Healers. He hoped that wizards would improve their healing magic over time - Muggles improved their medicine capabilities in amazing ways - but it was the opposite. While progress was made in some areas, they forgot others, deeming them a myth.Maybe he could work out some plan with Madam Pomfrey to discuss how he could teach her some of his tricks. Maybe it was the right time to write another book to revive the old methods within the wizarding community. He was starting to see how he could become useful again. It seemed that he had multiple Hogwarts missions now.“You regret not catching me in a furry costume?” Hermione joked.“I’m just glad you’re okay.”He chatted with her and when he got ready to leave, she embraced him and held him tightly. He didn’t realize how much he needed that hug until now. He’s been feeling down lately. Guilt was pressing down on him along with the burden of the long list of failures. It felt good to be able to do this one thing right and bring happiness to at least one person.On his way out, he stopped by Colin’s bed. He owed it to him to stop these attacks and make the school safe again.“Hang in there, Colin,” he said to the boy. “I’m working on it.”Elsa sat on a rock, overlooking the Great Lake. Mist hovered over the surface, blurring the other bank of the lake. Gentle ripples disturbed the stillness of the water. There were areas where ice started forming and she wondered if the whole lake would freeze over later in the winter.Jack stood at the edge and was throwing pebbles into it.”What’s this newest pointless game you've invented?”He shot her an annoyed look but explained, ”I'm trying to skip a rock.”He threw another pebble, angling it horizontally. It fell right in without any skipping.”You're not very good at it.”He stuck out a tongue at her and gave up his game. He jumped onto the rock next to her but just stood there and looked down at the bottomless depths instead of sitting down. When she looked down, she saw her own reflection in the lake but not his and it made her feel uneasy.”Jack, sit down before you fall in the water again.””What are you, our mother?”To annoy her, he stood on one leg and waved his hands around, trying to catch his balance. Every time it looked like he was about to fall, Elsa’s stomach clenched. He was continuously making her gasp.He laughed at her nerves and she hit him in the thigh from frustration.The impact made him finally lose his balance and he fell in.The water was deeper than she thought it should be and he disappeared under it without even a splash as if it swallowed him like a hungry liquid monster. She immediately stretched her hand out to him but he struggled to make it to the surface. He couldn’t swim and couldn’t reach her hand. She extended it further and her fingers touched the water. It instantly turned to ice.”No. No. No!” she begged it to stop.The ice started spreading with audible cracks and he banged his fists against it. She could see the fear in his eyes which only amplified her own panic.”NO!”She had to save him! She tried to break the ice but her touch was only making it worse - the ice became thicker. She could no longer see his outline under it as the darkness swallowed him and painful silence filled the air. He was gone.”NO!”Elsa’s scream woke her up.She frantically looked around her, looking for the lake, the ice that needed to be broken, and for her brother who needed to be saved. Instead, she found herself in her dorm, sitting on her bed.Moonlight fell onto a rug in the center of the room, the only light in the otherwise dark and quiet space. Her roommates were still away on holiday so her scream did not wake anyone. She was alone in her horror.Tears were still trailing down her cheeks even though she was starting to understand that it was only a dream. But it seemed so real! She had to make sure it wasn’t real.She sent a desperate signal to her brother. He didn’t respond. Was he asleep? She had to wake him. She kept sending him the signal, making it more forceful on each try. She got up and started pacing. Why was it taking so long?“It was only a dream,” she murmured to herself and repeated it over and over.She hated that she couldn’t just walk over to his bed and check on him. The images of the dream flashed before her - the contrast of his happy grin as he was just having innocent fun and then the fear in his eyes when he couldn’t reach her hand. It might have been an accident but it didn’t feel like it. It felt like she killed him. She made him fall in and trapped him there. She killed her own twin!After what felt like hours but most likely was only minutes, he finally responded and she collapsed to the floor, this time crying from relief. He was okay. It didn’t happen. She didn’t kill the only person who loved her.“It was only a dream,” she sobbed into the rug.She curled up on the floor and stared at the half-crescent moon. Clouds were lazily passing by, covering it at times, but it always came back. Her tears dried up already and her body felt heavy from exhaustion but her mind was fully awake.Elsa had bad dreams before, her whole childhood was plagued by nightmares, but there was something different about this one, something wrong and surreal about it. It was almost like a vision.She stopped breathing and slowly lifted herself off the floor, her eyes still locked on the moon. Could it have been a vision? Did she just see the future? Was her brother about to die at her hand?

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Merlin decided to have another Old Religion meeting now that everyone was back from the holiday break. The six children, Luna, Jack, Elsa, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, plus three adults, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape, sat cross-legged on the floor in a circle. Merlin insisted on it to make the meeting feel more equal. He didn’t want the teachers to be “overseeing” it but rather be participating in it. It looked strange to see them on the floor with the kids but he thought it was an effective equalizer.“We should name this club something,” Elsa said.“Any suggestions?” Merlin asked.Luna said dreamily, “Old Magic Club.”“Student Body Enlightenment,” Hermione suggested.“School of REAL Magic,” Jack said.“The Mystic Arts Club,” Harry said. “MAC. Cool acronym.”They started getting rowdy, talking over each other and arguing, giving Merlin a headache.“Settle down. You’re not getting anywhere,” he said, but they didn’t hear him over their own bickering. He got up with his hands raised. “Is it too much to ask for some order around here?”Jack whistled on his fingers, shushing a half of the group. “Settle down, everyone. Merlin’s orders.” Then he gasped and whistled again, shushing the rest of the group. “I got it! I got it!”Everyone waited with baited breath as he looked around them, prolonging the silence for a bigger effect. He pronounced each word with wonder, “The Order of Merlin.”Merlin sat back down. “That one’s already taken.”Elsa smirked at her brother. “Then, we’re The New Order of Merlin.”Merlin sighed. He didn’t mind the name, but honestly, he was very disappointed with what the original Order of Merlin had been up to for the past few centuries. Would this group fall into the same footsteps?“It’s a mouthful,” he saidHarry said, “The acronym is The NOOM. Short enough?”Hermione asked the group. “Does everyone like it?”“Yeah.”“I love it.”Merlin looked between them. “Are you sure you want to name this group after me?”Harry said, “You live up to the name.”That seemed to have sealed the decision. They had a name. Dumbledore shot Merlin a peculiar look. Did he not approve of it?“You’ve had a few weeks to think. Do you have new questions?” Merlin said to the group. He shook his head. “Hermione, I’m still not a Professor.”She dropped her hand and cleared her throat. “Are you a polytheist or a henotheist?”“I suppose I’m a polytheist, but one goddess is more important to me - Triple Goddess. She’s most connected to the magic of Old Religion. She’s the one you want to appease.”“That is a strange name. Why Triple?”“Three is a sacred number which is often used to describe the deeper reality which falls just beyond our human perception. For example, the concept of past, present, and future. Among other abilities I know of, Triple Goddess can see all possible futures and can guide us to the most optimal one. There used to be three Seers dedicated to interpreting her will for the benefit of mankind. We don’t have that now but The Goddess is still there and can guide us on our way as long as we bother to listen.”“What can she do?” Harry asked.Ron snickered. “We could ask her to help us pass a test.”Hermione elbowed him. He was going to have a lot of bruises if he kept this up. Oh, Goddess. He was dealing with children.“Do not bother The Goddess with such trivial matters. Deities are known for their impatience.”“Is she the one that’s referred to as Maiden, Mother, and Crone?” Elsa asked.Merlin took a short pause to think about how to answer this tricky question. It was frustrating how easily the knowledge got lost in mistranslations and overactive imagination of successful writers. The girl must have stumbled upon this description while reading up on the topic. He wanted to applaud her effort but wished she had better materials to learn from. Maybe one day, he’d check what the school library held and guide her to the correct information.“Number three could be associated with many deities which have a triadic nature. The one you refer to was made popular by a work of fiction which somehow many assumed to be a belief of the ancient Celts. I don’t worship her.”Elsa scrunched up her brows.“So you’re saying there’s more than one Triple Goddess?”“Even Earth Mother can be called a Triple Goddess to represent the cycle of life in nature - birth, growth, death, and yet Triple Goddess of Old Religion is an entirely different deity. It’s just a name.”Elsa still held his gaze and chewed on her lip like she was thinking over something. He gave her a moment to phrase her next question. Nearby, Hermione seemed very interested in this conversation. Merlin wondered if the girls would bond over their love of research or become competitive about it.Elsa asked, “You mentioned Seers. How did they get their visions?”“Anyone who has magic can scry to prompt a vision but it doesn’t guarantee results. Naturally-born Seers use the same methods but are better at it and can also receive visions or prophetic dreams involuntarily.”She started to blink rapidly and he had a hunch that this topic was of personal interest to her and not simple curiosity. She swallowed and discretely snuck her hand to put over Jack’s. Merlin assumed, to calm her nerves.“How can you tell if a dream is just a dream or if it’s a vision?”This was a very straight to the point kind of question. Has she had a vision? Did The Goddess send her a message? He was conflicted now. He wanted to help the girl figure it out. Visions were difficult to understand and were usually scary, especially for a child, but Goddess didn’t want him to intervene. All he could do was give her general information.“Prophetic dreams are possible even if you’re not a Seer - magic has a way of leaking into every part of our lives. However, more often than that, I find that dreams act as guides. Usually, when this happens, you don’t understand what the dream means until the day comes when you’re faced with a decision. Only then the dream will make sense and you will understand what it tried to tell you.”“That sounds rather difficult to interpret,” she complained.“Yes, it is.”She looked like she wanted more explanation but he couldn’t offer her more help.Merlin looked around the room if anyone else had any questions but they were all quiet at the moment. Dumbledore watched the gathered children. McGonagall appeared to be uncomfortable while sitting with her legs folded beneath her and he wondered if that would convince her to stop coming to these meetings. Snape was so still, he would make a convincing statue.“Have you been practicing the spell I taught you?”Luna answered first, “I’ve tried to use it on Nargles but they’re resistant to that spell.”Merlin didn’t know what to answer to that so he checked on others.“Elsa is really good at it,” Jack said with a grin. “She made me fly so high up.”She winced. “I dropped you.”“I’m alright, aren’t I?”“You’re so much bigger than a Nargle,” Luna said. “Good job, Elsa.”“How big are Nargles?” Jack asked and she indicated about an inch with her fingers.Merlin was impressed but was surprised that someone as cautious as Elsa would practice spells on her brother. Maybe he didn’t know her very well.“That spell isn’t meant to carry people. Please, don’t try it on each other.”“It was fun,” Jack protested. “I tried it on my own but it’s difficult to control it. Can you practice with me?”“There are plenty of spells we can practice that don’t involve risking injury.”Jack pouted. “But I want to fly.”Merlin didn’t like these experiments. The twins showed very promising potential but it came with great risk. He looked at everyone around, hoping they all heeded his words.“The spells I teach you when mastered can be much more powerful than the magic you’re used to. You need to be cautious and respect the balance. If you want me to continue teaching you, use the spells in the way they’re intended.”Jack huffed, crossed his arms and mumbled, “You’re no fun.”Elsa shot him a scornful look and answered for the both of them, “I’m sorry. I won’t try anything new without you.”“Thank you.”He hoped she would keep her promise.“Harry,” he was ready to move on the conversation, “how are you doing with the spell?”Harry looked to the floor and answered quietly after a pause, “I forgot how to say it.”Merlin assured him it was okay and practiced the spell with him for a few minutes to refresh his memory. He should have had them write it down. Old English was a completely foreign language to Harry. He was going to need help.He was disappointed that Harry did not reach out to him to ask how to say the spell again. Was he not interested in learning this? Merlin so rarely had pupils, he would hate to lose one so early on. He wondered what he could do to make Old Religion more appealing to the young generation of wizards.Elsa asked, “You’ve said something about balance before. What exactly is it?”“Old Religion teaches about principles and values we uphold to maintain a balance in the magical world. If you try to break or abuse one of its laws, there are consequences.”He wondered if this method of teaching was too dry. Did he focus too much on the theory? Maybe what these children needed was something more descriptive.“I think I can explain it better with an example. It’s storytime.”He rubbed his hands together and deliberated on the best story to explain the concept of balance.“There is an ancient chalice called the Cup of Life. It is imbued with truly unique magic which can heal any mortal wound and stop death. Once upon a time, a vengeful High Priestess abused its power over life, tipping the balance. Each soldier in her the army bled a few drops into the Cup and she used them to attack her unsuspecting enemies. Her soldiers could not be killed for their lives were tied to the magic of the Cup. With an immortal army under her complete control, she could conquer any kingdom she wished. The world was going to fall on its knees before her.”Merlin stared out the window. He learned many great lessons from his encounters with the Cup of Life. This one was probably the most important.“It did not matter how skilled the knights protecting the kingdom were, they had no chances against an immortal army. One young sorcerer was determined to end the attack on his kingdom but he couldn’t fight magic this powerful. No spell is mightier than the protection given by the Cup of Life. Innocent people were dying. The kingdom fell into the enemy’s hands. What could he do?”For a moment, he forgot that he was in the middle of a tale. He had a flashback of immortal warriors recovering from fatal wounds as if Camelot knights’ swords were toys. And when all hope seemed lost, he found help. There were forces greater than him which desired the restoration of the balance.He finally snapped out of his reflections and turned back to his audience. This was a lesson.“In abusing the power of the Cup, the sorceress tipped the balance between life and death and there was a consequence. What do you think was the price these soldiers paid by letting their lives be bound to the Cup of Life?”The children hang onto his words with fascination. He wondered if they realized that he wasn’t making this up. Dumbledore was watching him with a slight smile, correctly guessing that this wasn’t a story but a memory. Snape’s face was expressionless as usual and Merlin was tempted to dive into his head to check what his reaction was so far.“What did the young sorcerer do?” Harry asked.“He found the Cup and emptied it of the blood. The soldiers died instantly. That was the price they paid for their immortality - they gave up their lives. The balance was restored.”“And the High Priestess?” Snape asked, his eyes narrow as slits.Merlin smirked. “She paid her own price. Goddess does not protect those who abuse the balance.”The sorceress Morgause did not die that day but the day he defeated her marked her end.Someone had once asked Merlin what price he paid for his immortality. He didn’t know what to answer then, but by now, he knew what it was. His price was much more subtle, it only revealed itself after a while. He gained hundreds of lifetimes which he always tried to live to the fullest but each was stunted, felt incomplete. He never felt like he was living - rather that he was waiting to live. It wasn’t just his body that was frozen in time - his life paused when he failed to stop the prophecy that announced Arthur's death and wouldn't resume until the king came back.Luna tilted her head. “You sound like a bard.”“Tips are welcome,” Merlin joked and got a few chuckles out of the group.“Where is that Cup now?” Ron asked.The lie came out with ease, “Who knows?”Dumbledore shot him a look and Merlin kept his expression innocent. He had the Cup, of course, but an object like that had to be protected at all costs. No one could know.“Will you show us some cool magic today?” Harry asked.They always wanted tricks. He supposed he had himself to blame for that. He kept promising them amazing things. He had to deliver and entertain.Jack encouraged, “Come on, Merlin. Show off!”Merlin glanced at where the teachers sat. Dumbledore and Snape knew about him so only McGonagall was the problem. But was she? Dumbledore was so keen to keep his identity a secret, but honestly, Merlin wouldn’t mind if she knew. It would be one less person to have to pretend for.He smiled as he got a perfect idea.“Would you like to meet Triple Goddess?” They stared at him with confused expressions. He supposed it wasn’t something he could explain but had to show. “Give me a moment to prepare.”“How do you prepare?” Hermione asked.“I suppose, it’s my version of praying.”He took a couple of long breaths, closed his eyes and tuned out their whispers.He focused on the magic within him and let himself fall into it. It was easier to navigate it when he imagined it as a tree. Each bird flying around the tree represented a person he knew. He willed the birds symbolizing the people in the classroom to land on one branch. Then, he felt deep into the roots and made his request.
Goddess, I humbly seek an audience.
He only resorted to contacting her in times of dire need but he also knew that he could bring others to her. She usually allowed him - she wanted him to teach people about her and he couldn’t blame her. She didn’t want to be forgotten.The vision changed into a bright sunny day in a grassy meadow where he found himself with the six children and three adults, standing right beneath an ancient oak. They looked around in bewilderment, taking in their new surroundings.“Please, be respectful.”He didn’t get a chance to give them any more instructions.“You’ve brought a lot this time.”Triple Goddess appeared right in front of him, and he dropped on one knee in a bow.He heard gasps as they all took her in. She was her usual ethereally beautiful self, and her magic seemed to follow her as she slowly made her way around the group. Everyone fell silent. Merlin was pretty sure that the whimper belonged to Ron.The Goddess looked at each person in detail and put her hands on the twins’ shoulders as she passed by them. They stared at her in awe and smiled, feeling the divine magic of her touch. Was this enough or did she want alone time with them? He supposed she would let him know.She continued her assessment of the wizards and witches he brought to her and finally stopped by Luna, who gaped at her with an open mouth.“Don’t forget your affinity, child.” She looked down at her, and Luna’s eyes became even wider than usual. “You can help.”With a flash of warm light, Merlin was pulled out of his magic and dumped back into his body. His eyes felt droopy and he put a hand in his pocket to use the crystal. It was a short audience but he exerted a lot of energy to bring them all with him.Still, the pleasantly shocked expression on the faces of the gathered group was worth it.His eyes fell on Luna. Goddess picked the girl for something.McGonagall got up, straightened up her long gown and cleared her throat. “What did you just do, Mr. Ealdor?”“Triple Goddess granted us an audience.”“How did you do that?” Hermione asked with an intense look in her eye.“It takes practice. I’m not sure how to explain it.”In truth, he could explain it but if he did, he would betray too much of what he was.It was a sheer miracle that he found that one scroll eons ago which taught him how to contact her. Only High Priestesses of Triple Goddess were normally privy to this knowledge or had enough power to execute it. He was never trained in the craft but eventually figured it out once he had the scroll. Given enough time, all magical secrets could be cracked and time was something he had plenty of.“You’re not insinuating that we just saw a real deity,” Snape said slowly.“Professor, surely you don’t think me capable of creating an illusion this powerful?” Snape narrowed his eyes on him and Merlin wondered if that was what he really thought. This saddened him. “It wasn’t a trick. It was the real deal.”Snape looked away, still skeptical.Albus smiled next to him. “Thank you for letting us experience that. It was remarkable. I didn’t know it was possible.”At least Albus understood how significant of a gift he received.“Magic makes impossible possible,” Merlin whispered.He wondered how many of the gathered really believed that they just met the Goddess and how many thought it was a trick.His eyes fell on Luna again. Goddess gave him a clue to follow.“Luna, what is your affinity?”

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“Luna, what is your affinity?”The girl tilted her head and looked at the ceiling, spilling long blond hair from her shoulder.“I don’t know.”Merlin had to help her figure it out. The Goddess spoke directly to her and she never did things without a reason.“When children accidentally use magic, many call it wild magic because it appears out of control. Well, I call that natural magic - it is our main affinity, that little special something we are born with. Usually, there is a pattern to it which can point to what the child’s affinity is. What were the magical accidents that used to happen to you, Luna?”She looked to the side with a vacant smile and he resisted an urge to tell her to hurry up. She raised her hand and moved her fingers as if she was touching an invisible object.“One time, I was sitting on top of a huge tree. My dad thought I apparated there but I think it grew underneath me.”“Did that happen more than once?”“The tree just one time. I might have made some flowers bloom at other times.”“This would explain why you’re so good at Herbology,” Jack commented and she switched to look up into the other side of the room.“Perhaps.”“Plants then,” Merlin said.He wondered what the Goddess wanted with an affinity like this one. Did she want the girl to grow something?The realization hit him of what it could be and he inhaled sharply.“I know what she meant.”“Who?” Luna asked.Merlin got up and stretched out a hand to her. “Come with me.”She didn’t ask any questions but came with, completely trusting him.If he was correct, this was wonderful news. Oh, if only he knew earlier that the girl had this ability!He rushed out, holding her hand and everyone followed them.“Where are we going?” Harry asked.“There are spells which can allow any witch or wizard to speed up the growth of plants but certain plants - especially those which contain Old Magic - they resist spells like that.”He looked behind them and couldn’t hide the excitement out of his voice.“But a person with a natural affinity for plants has a special connection to all plant life, ESPECIALLY plant life containing Old Magic.”“What are you trying to say?” Dumbledore asked, having a hard time keeping up with the pace as they ran down the stairs.Merlin led them outside. Thankfully, Hagrid had shoveled the snow to make a pathway to the greenhouses.“Are you going to get to the point?” Snape asked, a little out of breath.Once in the warm and humid greenhouse, Merlin finally slowed down and faced the girl.“Only you can do this, Luna. You can help.”She smiled at him, clueless as to what he wanted of her but not protesting at all.Harry wiped the condensation off his glasses and exchanged a look with his friends. “You’re freaking us out, mate.”Merlin led Luna to the back where the mandrakes grew.“You can speed up the growth of a mandrake, Luna. I’ll help you. We can revive Colin.”“Are you kidding me?” Jack shouted and was about to run up to them but Merlin held up a hand to stop him and thought at him.
We’ll celebrate when we succeed. Wait.
Luna looked down at the ugly plants in front of her.“Okay.”This girl was the best: no fuss, no questions, just a straight-up willingness to help.He put one pot on top of a small table. Luna walked over and he stood opposite her.McGonagall said, “No spells work on mandrakes, Mr. Ealdor. You don’t actually think you can do this?”“I can’t. She can. Are you ready to try, Luna? I can’t guarantee that we’ll succeed on the first try, it might take you a while before you learn how to control it but I’ll do what I can to help you through this.”He was aware that McGonagall was watching his every move but he decided to ignore the fact that he wasn’t playing his role of a helpless-like-a-Muggle child. This was too important. He wasn’t going to let Colin stay in his petrified condition just so one person didn’t grow suspicious of him. He’s been failing at everything recently. Maybe there was one thing he could do right. Goddess thought it possible or else she wouldn’t have mentioned it.“What do I do?” Luna asked.“Put your hands over the plant and close your eyes.” She listened and he continued. “I want you to think about this plant as an individual. Reach out to it with your mind and make a connection. Search for it until you feel its magic.”He gave her a moment to attempt this. Everyone stood silently and watched as she stood there with her hands over the mandrake. She started to hum and he wasn’t sure if he should tell her to stop. Was it distracting her or helping?“I feel it,” she whispered and he smiled in relief. They were so close.“I’ll help you.” He put his hands over hers. “Just imagine this mandrake growing. That’s all you’re doing.”He felt a tingle of magic in her hands and knew that she was following his instructions correctly. What he didn’t say out loud was that he suspected that her magic alone wouldn’t be enough to grow this plant. It was a skill which would take her a long time to hone, maybe years, but he could solve that problem.He grabbed hold of the magic she was releasing and guided it to the plant. Once it enveloped it, he amplified it, made it powerful as if he was the one that cast it in the first place.The mandrake started to slowly grow and Luna must have felt it.“Don’t stop,” he urged her, feeling her magic slipping. “We’re almost there.”She resumed humming and her magic rekindled again. The plant continued growing until it was so large, it barely fit in the pot. When it was fully mature, Merlin released the magic and the girl’s hands.She opened her eyes and looked right into his.“Who are you?” she whispered.He smiled at her and answered into her mind.
You know my name.
Two days later, Merlin walked to the Hospital Wing with his hopes soaring. Snape was supposed to be finished with Mandrake Restorative Potion last night and so Colin should wake up soon.Madam Pomfrey greeted him with a smile while fussing about her patients.“It’s great to see you again, Merlin. I’ve been administering the Potion to all patients since early morning and have just finished. They should be waking up any moment now.”Merlin sat down next to Colin who was still stuck in his strange position from when he was holding his camera. Of course, he wanted Justin and Mrs. Norris to wake up as well, but he was most anxious to see life in Colin’s chocolate-brown eyes.“How is she?”Filch walked in and looked at his cat longingly as if the mangy beast was the most beautiful creature in the world.“It shouldn’t be long,” Madam Pomfrey answered while checking on Justin.Filch sat down next to Mrs. Norris and stroked her fur.“Come back to me,” he said to her in a shaky voice and broke into pitiful sobs.Merlin looked back to Colin and fidgeted with his scarf. Why was it taking so long? The boy was still frozen and showed no change. He started to wonder if he should’ve insisted to prepare the potion. Did Snape brew it correctly?A high-pitched sound disrupted his thoughts. He turned around and his heart skipped a beat.Mrs. Norris stirred and Filch made an unintelligible squeak. Madam Pomfrey ran over and checked on her.“She’s waking up. I wasn’t sure what dose to give her. The Drought is meant for humans but I’m glad it was enough.”Mrs. Norris meowed and tried to stretch.The Healer soothed her with words and a gentle touch. “You’re waking up from a long nap, but it’s finally over, Mrs. Norris.”The cat complained but seemed too weak to fight. After a thorough check-up, Madam Pomfrey allowed Filch to pick her up.He was crying crocodile tears and making cooing noises at the cat who was wriggling in his arms, determined to get away. They finally disappeared and the Hospital Wing became quiet again.Colin should wake up at any moment. Merlin touched the boy’s hand and tried to bend his fingers to test if the petrification was easing up yet but it was of no use. He looked at a wall clock. Fifteen minutes had passed since Mrs. Norris woke up. Surely, Colin was going to be next.The clock ticked away the seconds and Merlin was aware that he was missing out on the morning classes but he didn’t care. Colin was more important.The boy’s fingers twitched and Merlin took his hand in his.“That’s right, Colin. I’m here.”It took a long time from the moment when his fingers moved to when he was able to lower down his stiff arm, to when he blinked and licked his lips. Merlin encouraged him and tried to be patient but he was coming out of his skin. Finally, something good happened!Colin managed to turn his head and slightly smile.“Why are you crying?” he croaked.Merlin wiped his eyes, he wasn’t even aware that they were wet.“Welcome back.”Colin took a few long breaths and tried to flex his fingers. “I’m still so stiff.”“Give it time, child,” Madam Pomfrey said over from Justin’s bed. He also started stirring.“Do you need anything? Water?”Colin smiled. “I want to get up, that’s what I really want.”Madam Pomfrey did not allow him to sit up until she gave him a proper look-over. When she was finally satisfied with his vitals, she let Merlin help the boy up into a standing position.“You should rest, child,” she fussed, looking at the bed like she wanted him to lay down again.“I’ve been resting for… How long was I out?”“It’s January,” Merlin answered.“It felt like years. I was aware the whole time, Merlin. I could hear everything around me. It was boring! I need to get out of here,” Colin complained and Merlin chuckled.It took a lot of arguing to convince Madam Pomfrey to let the boy out. If she didn’t know who Merlin was, she wouldn’t have allowed it but he assured her that he was going to take care of the boy.As they slowly walked over to the Gryffindor Tower, Merlin felt the weight of guilt for not realizing that the petrified patients were aware and not asleep.“I’m sorry I didn’t visit you more often. You were all alone there.”“It’s okay. You didn’t know. Madam Pomfrey talked to me sometimes. Jack visited me almost every day. I appreciated it but I’m rather conflicted about him.”Merlin remembered the night Colin was petrified.“Before you were attacked, you tried to tell me something. What was it?”“Merlin, Jack is… I don’t know what he is. When you develop a picture with him in it, at first, it looks like he isn’t in the shot. But once you add the Photo Potion, he’s there. When it first happened, I thought that maybe it was a timing problem or I imagined it. But then, I developed a picture of Nearly Headless Nick and the same thing happened.”“What are you trying to say, Colin?”“Is Jack a ghost?”“Definitely not. He’s solid. He can’t be a ghost.”“A zombie? A zombie-ghost.”Merlin wanted to laugh off the small boy’s crazy theory but then he heard the cackling of Peeves at the end of the hall and had a startling thought: Peeves was solid when he wanted to be and yet he wasn’t even technically alive. Would mischief personified show up in a picture?What did this mean?Colin insisted, “Jack and his sister, just like ghosts, will not show up in photos unless a magic potion is added. I’m scared, Merlin. He’s not... normal.”“I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for all of this,” Merlin said, trying to calm down the small boy but internally, he completely agreed.He had seen enough evidence over those few months to send his head for a spin. He couldn’t make any sense of Jack but it has always been just hints or suspicions. He never had any proof.Who would have thought that the small excitable eleven-year-old Muggle-born would figure out such an astounding detail of Jack’s strangeness. A detail which could be replicated and proven.Merlin had a lot to think about but at the moment, he had to deal with Colin’s fear.“Colin, has Jack ever done anything scary? And I don’t mean strange, I know that he’s strange, I mean anything that would make you think you should be scared of him.”Colin’s lower lip quivered but he shook his head.“No. He’s always nice. When he visited me, he just talked about his day and that he missed me. I was conflicted because I was scared of him and was completely helpless there, but at the same time, he visited me like a real friend and...” He took a long breath. “You’re right. He’s a nice person.”“He is. Whatever the reason is for the strange photos, you don’t have to be scared of him.”Colin seemed to relax finally and gave Merlin a little smile. “What do you think he is? I’m really curious.”“I’m curious too but we’ll have to wait until he’s ready to tell us.”No sooner he said those words, the answer became obvious to him. What type of people did not like to speak of their ancestry and would get offended if you asked them? Didn’t Jack try to convince Merlin that Hogwarts should be more accepting of non-humans? He gave himself away right there.“It looks like you have an idea,” Colin said, noticing Merlin’s change of mood.“He’s a half-breed. It makes total sense.”“Only half-human? What is his other half? An alien?”“In the end, it doesn’t matter, Colin. He’s our friend.”Jack was tapping his foot on the floor. Merlin did not show up to any of the morning classes. He must have gone to the Hospital Wing. Why didn’t he tell him? Jack wanted to check if Colin was awake just as much. Instead, he was stuck in the dungeons, listening to Snape.When the lesson ended, he flew more than ran to the Hospital Wing. He only found Madam Pomfrey there. All of the beds were empty.“They’re all awake,” she happily answered the question he didn’t ask yet. “Your friend took Mr. Creevey to the dorm. Please, do try to not overexert him.”Jack didn’t wait to listen more and ran. He stopped before the staircase because he realized that it was lunchtime and Merlin could have brought Colin down to the Great Hall. He ran there first and found them sitting in their usual spot.Colin waved with a smile and Jack threw himself at him. This was the happiest day ever.“I can’t breathe.”Merlin pried Jack’s arms off of the small boy and only then, he realized that he might have squeezed him too hard.“Sorry, sorry. Are you okay? How are you feeling?”“I’m feeling great. You have no idea how awesome it is to finally be able to talk. And, on Merlin’s scarf, I forgot how tasty food was.”Jack grinned at Merlin who looked down at his scarf and shrugged.“Thanks for visiting me so often. You kept me pretty informed on everything that was going on,” Colin continued while chewing.Jack supported his head on his elbow and gladly listened to the rambling. He missed his voice.“So I feel pretty caught up, although I missed out on quite a lot of the school year. I hope the teachers won’t expect me to make up all the essays and exams you took but I do want to learn the spells. I hope Professors Flitwick and McGonagall will give me time to catch up. And, Happy Birthday!”He wrapped his arms around Jack whose throat felt tight. Did Colin hear him when he came to visit on his birthday? That was embarrassing. Jack didn’t remember what he said but it probably sounded pathetic. It was a depressing day.“How old are you now?”“I’m twelve and officially older than you, kid,” Jack patted his head and Colin swatted it away.Merlin chuckled. “Sorry I wasn’t here for it. Do you have any gift requests?”“Having Colin back is the best gift.”Colin grinned and shoved him playfully. The three of them were back together again. Now, things would go back to normal.Harry Potter’s gang came over and sat down across from them.“I’m glad to see you back,” Potter said and Colin grinned.“Thanks. So Justin was attacked right after me, huh? He’s a nice kid. I got to know him right before I was petrified. I was so sad when I heard the teachers say his name - that he was the next victim. I didn’t see what got me, mind you, I remember a pair of yellow eyes, nothing else. It hurt, I thought it killed me but then it didn’t. Oh, did I take a picture of it?”“It destroyed your camera, sorry,” Merlin answered.“Oh, no. I suppose it’s better that it destroyed my camera and not me. I wonder what they told my parents. Don’t tell them that I know, but I overheard McGonagall's conversation with Madam Pomfrey. They’ve been keeping it all a secret. They don’t want people to start panicking but they are panicking themselves.”“They should,” Merlin added, “this is a serious situation. What if the next victim dies?”“Thankfully, Merlin was there to speed up the mandrake growth,” Jack gave him the credit he deserved.“That was Luna. And we should thank the Goddess for giving us this clue.”“You and your Goddess,” Weasley grumbled while devouring a chicken leg.“You saw her and you still don’t believe?” Jack complained.“It looks like I missed something,” Colin said, looking between them.Merlin sighed and Jack wanted to do something violent to the ignorant redhead. Merlin shared the most amazing experience with them all - they were all in the presence of an actual goddess! That was mind-blowing. How could Weasley still insist Merlin was making this up?“I just wish we knew what type of a monster we’re dealing with,” Hermione said.“It’s a Basilisk,” Merlin said and they all stared at him.“What?” Potter asked.“Don’t ask me how I know, I don’t want to get into that, but basically, it’s a giant serpent. It can kill with its eyes so it will be better if you all look down whenever you’re walking down corridors.”“Blimey,” Ron said in a squeaky voice. “How do you know this stuff?”“What part of Don’t ask me did you not understand?” Jack cut in. If Merlin didn’t want to talk about it, he would defend him. Weasley should be glad that Merlin told him at all.Thanks, Merlin thought at him.Jack kept his chin high. Maybe Merlin would finally see that he was a better friend than these two ungrateful idiots.“So why did it petrify me and not kill me?” Colin asked.“That’s a good question.” Merlin helped himself to another sandwich. “What do you, Justin and Mrs. Norris have in common?”All of them were quiet for a moment until Hermione spoke up, “Colin, you made a good observation.” Colin’s eyebrows flew up and she continued. “The Basilisk’s stare destroyed your camera instead of killing you. You didn’t die because you didn’t look directly into its eyes.”“That’s brilliant, Hermione,” Merlin praised and she blushed. “Yes. And Justin must have seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick!”“And Mrs. Norris?” Jack asked.Merlin thought for a moment but then smiled. “There was a puddle on the floor. If she looked at the reflection of its eyes, she’d suffer the same fate.”“Wow,” Jack ran a hand through his hair. “That’s a lot of luck you three had. You were so close to…”He couldn’t finish the sentence. The idea of Colin dead terrified him.“They’re keeping it all hushed up outside of Hogwarts,” Potter said. “Malfoy said that they’ll sack Dumbledore if the attacks continue.”Merlin pointed his sandwich at him and a piece of ham fell out. “They want a scapegoat, of course. What we really need is figuring out who’s ordering the attacks since it’s not Malfoy.”“It’s probably someone you’d never suspect,” Colin said.“Like clackety skeletons?”Colin, Merlin, and Jack laughed while Potter and Friends looked confused.“You said giant serpent,” Hermione interrupted and Merlin sobered up again.“Yes. It’s a Great Snake - a creature of Old Magic.”“One a Parselmouth can control?”They all looked at Potter who tightened his lips.“Yes,” Merlin said quietly while still looking at Scarhead. “You might be able to control it, Harry.”“He might be able to find it!” Colin added.Merlin popped the last piece of the sandwich into his mouth and asked casually, “Have you heard it around the castle or sensed it in any way?”Potter waited for a beat but finally spilled the beans. “I’ve been hearing a voice from time to time but I don’t know where it’s coming from. I don’t know how something so large can move around without anyone spotting it.”They were all quietly thinking until Hermione gasped.“Pipes!”“The school plumbing.” Merlin fiddled with his scarf absentmindedly. “Good theory. Then, it would need a place to come out of - somewhere where the pipe opens up. Like a bathroom but which one?”“If it’s using a bathroom, wouldn’t people encounter it all the time?” Potter asked. “Someone would have been attacked in a bathroom but so far no one was.”They all scratched their heads or stared at the food on their plates, thinking hard, and a realization hit Jack like a brick. Someone died in a bathroom a long time ago. He inhaled sharply and Merlin noticed.“You have an idea?”Jack locked his eyes with Merlin’s.“Myrtle died in a bathroom.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The snowstorm picked up again and beat against the window in unforgivable gusts. Merlin would’ve hated to be outside right now, but though he was indoors, he had to deal with a different type of storm.“You can’t do this.”Jack stood in the doorframe, blocking his way out.Merlin sighed. He really did not want to resort to using magic against his friend but it was tempting.“Please, stay with Colin. I don’t want to leave him alone.”“That’s not why you’re leaving me behind.”Merlin put his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Jack, please, don’t fight me on this.”They owed Jack for giving them the Myrtle clue but Merlin did not want to endanger yet another child. He still wasn’t sure how he could get rid of the other three.“I’m coming with you.”“No, you’re not. And I’ll know if you try to follow us. You’re staying here. It’s final.”“Jack, just give up,” Colin said from his bed. “He’s more stubborn than you.”Jack, in turn, put his arms on Merlin’s shoulders. “I don’t trust that Potter will have your back.”Merlin didn’t know why all of a sudden the boy felt so protective of him.“I can take care of myself.” Jack still didn’t look convinced so Merlin thought of a way to assure him. “Remember the Sidhe crystal?” Jack’s eyes dropped to the top of Merlin’s shirt under which the crystal was hidden. “It’s a powerful weapon. I’ll be okay.”Jack bit his lip. “At least take an adult with you. You never know what you’re going to encounter.”Merlin was glad that the boy could be level-headed and cautious when it mattered. As he was now officially his pupil, he felt proud of him.“That is the plan. We’re going to talk to Myrtle first, and once we know where the entrance is, we’ll let Dumbledore know so he can take care of the monster.”“It didn’t sound like it when you were scheming with Potter.”“I promise, we will notify him.” He finally moved him aside. “We’re not stupid. Don’t worry.”Merlin escaped to the common room where Harry, Ron, and Hermione already waited for him. They left before Jack got any ideas to follow them.It took all six of them to put the clues together. Only when they cooperated and shared their knowledge, they arrived at some theories. Merlin wondered if he could have figured it out on his own. Could Dumbledore?Ideally, he would’ve preferred to deal with the beast alone but he could use Harry’s Snakelord skills. Ron and Hermione refused to let him go without them and so Merlin had three children to look after. He promised himself that he wouldn’t let any harm to come to them. He didn’t care what magic he had to pull out in front of them or if his disguise suffered. Their lives were more important.Myrtle was thankfully in her stall so they could question her immediately.“Hi, Myrtle,” Merlin called her.She sniffed loudly. “You won’t hurt me, will you?”“How could we hurt you anyway?” Ron asked. “You’re already dead.”“There are ways!” she snarled.She was in one of her vengeful moods today and they needed her cooperation. He shot Ron a look to shut up and tried to be his most pleasant self.“I would like to officially apologize on behalf of whoever wronged you.”Merlin slightly bowed his head. The trio stood quietly behind him, waiting to see if his words placated her.“You’re much nicer than other boys,” she said with a pout.“Myrtle, would you mind telling us the story of how you died?”She moaned pitifully and went into her tale.“It was dreadful. Oliver Hornby was teasing me about my glasses and I hid in that stall to cry.” She pointed to the stall where she liked to hang out in. “I heard a boy speak some gibberish so I opened the door to yell at him to get out and then… I died.”“Do you know who was the boy you heard?” Harry asked.“I don’t know,” her mood had changed again. “I was DISTRAUGHT!”This sounded promising - a sudden death, speaking Parseltongue. It fit. Merlin had to get more out of her before she got too angry.“Do you remember what killed you?”“I remember a pair of big yellow eyes,” she pointed at the row of sinks, “over there.”Then, she moaned and floated back inside her toilet stall.Harry tentatively approached the area Myrtle pointed to and examined it. He peered inside the drain, inspected the basin and the pipes below. No water came out when he turned the copper tap and he investigated it in more detail.“There’s a tiny snake carved here.”“Say something in Parseltongue!” Ron encouraged.“What might you be doing?”They all turned around and saw Professor Lockhart in the door with a confident smirk on his face. He made a ”tsk” sound.“Three boys in the girls’ lavatory? You must admit, this doesn’t look good.”Merlin felt momentarily speechless. They were caught past curfew. Oh, he should have taken some precautions, what now?“Professor,” Hermione, the only one who did not fall into shock, said in a polite but eager tone, “we might have found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. This is your area of expertise, isn’t it? You should investigate it.”Merlin resisted an urge to groan. Did Hermione really believe that everything this fool put in his books was real? This wizard was useless.“You found…” Lockhart cleared his throat. “How do you know?”“Try it,” Ron told Harry.Harry stared at the tap and said, “Open up.”“That was English.”Harry braced his hands on the sink, locked his eyes on the tap and tried again. This time a string of hissing came out of his mouth and a distant rumbling sounded beneath them. Then, the basin started sinking down, revealing a pipe large enough for a person to get through. Or a Basilisk.“Would you look at that…” Lockhart muttered and peered down the dark depths. There was a bead of sweat on his forehead. “What’s down there?”“A Basilisk,” Merlin answered. “A giant serpent which can kill with its stare.”Lockhart reached into his pocket to where his wand was while he adjusted his blond hair with the other hand. Merlin narrowed his eyes on the wizard. It looked like he was planning something.“Alright, we shall investigate it. In you go. I’ll follow you.”Ron looked like he was going to jump in and Harry stopped him, seeing the same thing Merlin did.Merlin thought at him, Lockhart is up to something. Why is he holding a wand?The wizard tried to dazzle them with a smile and Merlin didn’t want to take any more risk so he dived into his mind.Lockhart was giddy with excitement, he couldn’t wait to write a book about how he saved four foolish children who tried to take on the monster on their own. He planned to have them jump in, fight the monster, and whoever came out of it alive, he would erase the memory of so he could take the credit for himself.Merlin got out of his mind, immediately disarmed him and handed the wand to Harry.“You wrote your books by stealing credit from those who really did those deeds and erased their memories. And now, you want to do it to us!”Lockhart gaped in surprise, stumped as to how he lost his wand and how Merlin learned his secret.Hermione gasped and covered her mouth.“Is this true?” Harry asked.Lockhart’s eyes darted around but kept coming back to his wand in Harry’s hand.“Now, wait a minute, children.” He tried to recover. “This… Taking my wand - that’s…”Ron snickered. “Look at him. I knew he’s a wuss. The secret’s out. We’ll tell everyone and you will never sell another book.”Lockhart made a strange whimpering sound and his chin quivered.“What should we do with him?” Merlin asked.Harry shrugged and exchanged a look with Ron.Lockhart huffed and pointed at the pipe entrance. “You’re really going to go down there on your own?”They all glanced at the dark depths.“We should get Professor Dumbledore,” Harry suggested. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy being eaten tonight.”Using the distraction, Lockhart quietly launched at Ron who was closest to him and stole his wand.Merlin wanted to hit himself over the head. He couldn’t believe that he fell for the “Look there!” trick again. He was an idiot.Lockhart was pointing the wand at them and looked smug.“I don’t know how you kids found out but... OBLIVIATE.”A jet of light exploded out of the wand and Merlin reacted instinctively, creating an energy shield around the children, but he never felt the spell reach it. Instead, the memory charm rebounded on the wizard who fell on his backside.Merlin released the shield - Hermione gave him a strange look which he tried to ignore - and walked up to Lockhart.His eyes were wide open and a broad smile framed his face while he took in his surroundings.“Hello. I don’t have to pee. Do you?” He looked around at them all and chuckled. “Who are you? Are you my children? I don’t know if I like children. I like fried chicken. Do you have any chicken around here?”“I think your broken wand malfunctioned again,” Harry said to Ron who shrugged and walked over to pick his wand off the floor.“I wouldn’t use that if I were you,” Merlin said, looking at the wand apprehensively.It was taped in the middle. Broken wands were irreparable and produced very unpredictable magic as they just witnessed.“It’s what I’ve got,” the redhead mumbled and Merlin wondered why he had not gotten a new one yet.Hermione looked down the pipe with worry. “We’ll take him to Professor Dumbledore. I don’t think he’ll blame us.”Lockhart crawled over to them on his hands and knees and looked down the hole.“What an odd thing. Is there chicken down there? I wonder if I’ll fit in it.”He jumped in head-first, yelling out, “Weeeee,” and the kids looked down the pipe in shock, trying to comprehend what just happened.Merlin got a brilliant idea. He could use this to send the kids to safety.“You three go get Professor Dumbledore. I’ll go down and ensure this idiot doesn’t get himself killed.”And he jumped in before they could stop him.He slid down the long, slimy pipe which stretched for what felt like miles and landed hard on nasty floor filled with old animal bones. He shook them off himself and looked for signs of Lockhart or the Basilisk.He heard what could be footsteps within a dark tunnel and cursed the fool for going in. He would call out to him but did not want to alert the serpent and so he quietly went in, without any source of light. He used his sense of touch to feel his way around and tried to not make splashing noises on the wet floor.He tripped over something and finally conjured a ball of light.He saw the size of the Basilisk before when it killed him, but it all happened so fast, it was easy to forget how huge the beast was. And here on the floor was an evidence of its size. The object he tripped over was a green snake skin, at least twenty-feet-long, lying curled across the tunnel like a little teaser to prove to him how huge a monster he was about to fight.He considered dropping his aging spell to be at his full strength but he would rather avoid doing that. It was difficult to get the age right and his friends would immediately notice if he grew a couple of inches in one day. Besides, his strength would not determine his victory tonight. Rather, he had to time his attack and aim accurately, and most of all, not get killed before he got a chance to strike.He resumed looking for Lockhart but heard something behind him. There was no place to hide and this was not a good spot to make his stand so he ran forward, the glowing orb lighting his way so he wouldn’t trip anymore. He was running so fast, he nearly ran into a wall which appeared in front of him.The only way out was through an even more narrow opening which would turn him into an easy snack. He quickly hid in the corner, put out his light and kept his eyes on the floor. It was a small space which would prove difficult to fight in but he braced himself. The moment was coming.The splashing sound got closer as his pursuer approached and he saw a source of light reflected in the surface of the water on the floor. He dared to look up and his knees felt weak when he saw the face of Harry grinning at him. He clutched his heart and closed his eyes.“You gave me a scare,” he whispered.Harry chuckled and shook his head at him.“Where is Dumbledore?”“Ron and Hermione went to get him. Why did you go in by yourself?”“I was trying to find Lockhart before he got eaten. I’m pretty sure he went in there.”Merlin pointed to the tunnel and wondered how to get rid of Harry. The boy wasn’t supposed to accompany him into the danger!“What will you do if the monster shows up?”Merlin didn’t have to think long but figured that he could use the same explanation that worked with Jack. He untied the leather string from around his neck and undid his transfiguration. Within seconds, he was gripping the Sidhe staff which was now slightly taller than him.Harry admired it and smiled lightly. “You’re still an idiot for thinking you can do this alone.” He sighed. “Let’s get Lockhart. Hopefully, Dumbledore will get here before the monster shows up.”Harry moved to go inside the tunnel and Merlin grabbed his arm. If the Basilisk showed up, what would he do? The boy was going to be a liability.“Harry, there’s no need for both of us to risk it. I’ll get Lockhart and bring him back. You stay here.”Harry looked nervously inside the tunnel and back at him. “I’m not letting you go in there alone.”“Just stay and wait for Dumbledore.” Merlin wondered if he should use magic on the boy.“What, you think your life is less important than mine?”What spell would be best? Merlin could put him to sleep but it would make Harry completely defenseless if the monster snuck up on him.“You wanted to be friends. This is what friends do. Merlin, you’re such an idiot. I don’t get it what Hermione sees in you.”Merlin got taken aback at this unexpected mention of the girl. “Hermione?”Harry gaped at him with an open mouth. “How blind can you get? Merlin! She likes you!”Merlin felt light-headed and had to lean on his staff for support. He did not see that coming. How did he attract the interest of a twelve-year-old girl? Oh, this was bad.Harry chuckled at his stupefied expression and went inside the tunnel, not waiting for him anymore.“Get your staff ready.”His echoing voice snapped Merlin back to reality. “Wait up!”

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Merlin didn’t know what to expect when he walked into the Chamber of Secrets but knew they would face something large and ugly. Like Salazar’s statue.He followed Harry through the narrow tunnel and marveled at how messed up it all was. He had to get that fool Lockhart and Harry out of this place before any harm came to the boy. Harry was too important. He shouldn’t be here.Stone pillars with - what else - serpents carved into them framed the long chamber. The floor was made of smooth stone and their shoes made an echo even though they tried to step quietly.Harry’s eyes darted to the dark corners. His breath was shaky from fear but he bravely trudged on. Merlin’s senses were alert. He was using his Mind’s Eye to see through the darkness and watch for danger.“Look to the floor as much as you can,” Merlin said in a hushed tone. “If the Basilisk comes out, close your eyes. There’s water everywhere so his eyes could reflect. If you collapse to the floor petrified, it will likely eat you so it’s not better than death.”“Got it.”“You can try to speak to it in Parseltongue to calm it down so it doesn’t kill us. I hope it works.”“How can we kill it?”“Its skin is impenetrable and resistant to spells so we need to aim for the open mouth - that’s the largest target, the easiest, but also the eyes and nostrils will work. I wish you had some weapon, more than just a wand…”“We’ll work together,” Harry assured him. “We can do this. And Dumbledore will be here soon as well. We can find Lockhart and get out of here before the Basilisk even notices us.”There was one more thing Merlin worried about. “Harry, promise me, if something happens to me, run. Don’t try to be a hero and save my body. Just run. Please.”Harry smiled. “Believe me, I’m not a hero.”Looking at the boy, Merlin wasn’t so sure of that. He was brave for coming after Merlin. Not many kids, even adults, would do the same in his place. His need to protect others brought out the valiant spark that reminded him of Godric Gryffindor.Godric was cheerful and rowdy, the center of attention in every room he was in. By contrast, Harry was quiet and reserved, but when it came down to danger, he put others before himself just like Godric would have.At the end of the chamber was a statue illuminated by a green glow reflecting off of a pool of water at its feet. Something moved on the floor and Merlin’s heart jumped to his throat as he thought that it was the monster, but it was only Lockhart.They quietly ran up to the clueless wizard who kneeled near the pool. The statue of the balding wizard with a long beard was easy to recognize - Salazar Slytherin. Of course, he would make a giant statue of himself. He was disappointed they didn’t let him place one on the grounds.“Salazar,” Merlin couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Think he was overcompensating for something?”Harry snorted but then sobered up again. “Where do you think it is?”Merlin liked this chamber much better without the monster in it. He just wanted to get these two out of here, hand them over to Dumbledore and sneak back to face the Basilisk alone. He was the only one who couldn’t be permanently killed. It had to be him.Lockhart was staring down the green water. Merlin hesitantly looked in. It was too murky to judge if it was deep enough to hold the Basilisk.“Let’s go, Professor,” Harry whispered and tried to lift the wizard off the floor.“I think there’s someone down there,” Lockhart said in a cheerful voice and Merlin’s heart clenched. “I want to say, Hello.”Was he right? He didn’t want to find out.They grabbed Lockhart by his arms and started backing up, but the water now visibly stirred and Merlin feared that they were out of time. He glanced at Harry who was holding up well, despite being scared. He thought instructions at him.
I’m going to do some magic to hide us. Don’t freak out.
Harry nodded and Merlin got to work. He set a powerful glamour on them to hide them from view. It was a draining spell and he would have to rely on his crystal to keep it up but this was not the time to hold back.“I didn’t understand that,” Lockhart said loudly. “What language is it?”Harry gasped once he could no longer see them but stayed quiet. Merlin grabbed both of their arms to have a handle on where they were and moved them away from the water while whispering another charm which turned Lockhart into a mute.
I wish I got a chance to teach you telepathy. Would be useful now.
“I’m trying,” Harry whispered.Was the boy trying to communicate? He applauded the effort but it was too late to practice that skill now.The water stirred again and Merlin tightened his grip on the staff.
There’s definitely something in the water. No matter what, do not look up.
“How can you aim if you’re not looking?” Harry whispered so quietly, Merlin barely heard it.That was a good question. He would have to figure it out somehow. In the meantime, he found Lockhart’s face and covered his eyes for him. Thankfully, the clueless wizard did not put up a fight and instead, leaned to Merlin’s hand like a cat looking to be pet.“Should I try to speak Parseltongue to it?”Merlin was undecided. There was a chance that the snake would listen to the boy but that would reveal their location. Did they want to take that risk?“I want to try,” Harry squeezed his arm.Then, two things happened at the same time. They heard a slushy sound and then dripping water as the monster emerged from the pool, and then they heard music. Only when it got closer to them, Merlin realized what it was.
It’s a song of a Phoenix. Fawkes is here!
Dumbledore must have sent the bird to them. Merlin resisted an urge to look up. Something dropped in front of them and they both jumped from surprise. Fawkes, having made his delivery, flew past them and in the direction of the beast. The object the bird dropped by their feet turned out to be the Sorting Hat. Why it was sent to them, he had no idea.They heard a hissing of the snake and the shrill cry of the bird. Harry gripped his arm tighter.
No matter what, don’t look!
But someone had to look so he slowly started to raise his eyes, down the gray stone floor, the edge of the pool and the body of the giant snake which was halfway out of the water. He didn’t dare look higher but he could tell that the snake was thrashing, trying to fight off the bird who flew around its head.“Get the eyes! Get the eyes!” Merlin urged, hoping that was what Fawkes was doing.The serpent sputtered and hissed so loudly, their ears hurt. And then, Fawkes flew away and landed next to Harry, not fooled at all by the glamour.Merlin finally dared to look at the damage the bird did.
Fawkes gouged his eyes out!
Merlin dropped the glamour and sighed in relief, it was an effort to hold it on all three of them, but they weren’t safe yet - the snake could still hear them and smell them.Basilisk hissed pitifully in pain as its blood dripped from the eye sockets to the floor. It was still searching for them. It opened its mouth only a little and stuck out its tongue to smell better.
We need it to open its mouth wide so I can deliver the killing blast.
Harry nodded and spoke an order in Parseltongue. The beast immediately turned in their direction and slithered towards them, moving its massive body with ease.“It’s not listening,” Harry muttered and it was quickly obvious that they were in trouble.Merlin shoved Harry to the side and ran in the other direction.“Hey! Maggot, come and eat me!”The snake turned on him and advanced with surprising speed. Merlin was ready with the staff but instead of opening its mouth, it surrounded him with its massive body, trapping him there. That was not part of the plan - he needed space. He tried to blast the snake away but spells bounced off its scales with no effect.Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harry charge towards him, he was holding something shiny.The snake must have heard him too because it turned its head while the rest of the body was encircling Merlin.It started opening its mouth to attack Harry and Merlin couldn’t miss that opportunity. He jumped over its impressive body, avoided getting hit by the tail, and ran right under the oversized mouth which was much larger than him.He found himself shoulder-to-shoulder with Harry who was holding a sword - where did that come from? The beast opened wide, its giant fangs a promise of a painful death, and they struck together. Harry drove a sword through the roof of its mouth, while Merlin sent a deadly blast of energy from the staff down its throat.There was a moment when the time suspended and they wondered if their attack did anything or if they were about to be eaten anyway, but then the beast’s giant head started tilting and Merlin pulled Harry away as it fell down.They stared at it, waiting for any flicker of life. Merlin wasn’t sure how long to wait before they could call it dead but stayed away just in case.They looked at each other, both assessing the other for any damages, and Harry broke in a grin.“We killed a Basilisk.”“Cool sword.”“Fawkes brought it with the Sorting Hat.”Merlin took the sword from Harry to admire it. It was of beautiful workmanship, made of well-polished and sharpened silver and the handle was inset with rubies. Just beneath the hilt was the engraving of its original owner.“That’s Godric Gryffindor’s sword,” he gave it back to the boy and clapped him on the shoulder. “Fawkes didn’t bring it. You summoned it.”“What?”He decided to leave the explanations until later. He felt spent and reached into his pocket to use the crystal.The feeling of vertigo gripped him as if it had talons, bringing in a vision loud and clear.Ginny Weasley was lying nearly-dead on the floor, Harry lifted the Gryffindor sword and stabbed a leather-bound book with it. When Merlin came to, he was in Dumbledore’s office, on the same couch where he woke up from the dead before. The old wizard was nearby with Harry, discussing the Gryffindor sword which Harry was still holding. The Sidhe staff was propped up by the couch.When Merlin sat up, the world swam in front of him. He closed his eyes and put his face in his hands, trying to get a grip.“Finally!” Harry’s voice reached him.He still felt too clammy so he stayed in the bent position. Harry sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.“I was worried. You just collapsed. Fawkes got us out of there.”“I’m okay.”Merlin lifted his head which felt like it came out of a grinder. This vision did a number on him.Oh, Ginny. Ginny was still in danger and the book was the reason. He failed so badly by letting it slip through his fingers. His work here was far from done.“I think you overexerted yourself,” Dumbledore said with a small smile. “You need to ease up on those glamour spells.”Harry was grinning. “I think it’s brilliant that you can do magic like that but it’s not good if it does this to you.”The glamour wasn’t what knocked him out but he didn’t want to say that in front of Harry. He shot Dumbledore a look to let him know that he needed to speak to him.“We have plenty to discuss, Merlin. Please, see me tomorrow after you rest.”He supposed it would have to wait then.Merlin walked back to the dorm with Harry, both were badly in need of a shower, his staff was transfigured again and under his shirt. The castle hallways were safe again but he wasn’t in a celebratory mood.“You don’t look very happy,” Harry said. “We just slew a monster. It doesn’t get cooler than that.”Merlin tried to smile but it probably didn’t look genuine.“You did well there, Harry. Did Dumbledore explain to you about the sword?”“He said that it only shows itself to True Gryffindors. I’m still unsure what that means.”“It means that you deserved it.”Harry was still pumped up after the event. “I remembered what you said that you wished I had something more than my wand so I wished I had a weapon to help you fight and then I looked at the Sorting Hat that Fawkes brought us and there was something shiny inside. And I pulled out the sword!”“How did Fawkes know to bring the Hat?”“Dumbledore doesn’t know. He said that as soon as Hermione and Ron told him that you went down there, he told Fawkes to help you since he could get to you faster, and Fawkes grabbed the Hat on his own.”“Smart bird.”Merlin wondered if Phoenixes possessed the Sight in a similar way to the Great Dragons - could they see glimpses of the future?“Dumbledore arrived right after you collapsed. He missed the fight by seconds.”As they climbed the stairs back to the Gryffindor Tower, Harry made a sad sigh and Merlin looked over. He knew what troubled him but what did the boy have left to worry about?Harry said the password to the Fat Lady’s portrait, and as they climbed inside, he finally said what thought changed his mood.“We got the monster but we never caught the Heir of Slytherin.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“A band of idiots,” Jack murmured quietly, careful to not wake Colin.He paced across the dorm and felt like pulling hair out of his head. This wait was killing him.Judging by how many hours had passed, they didn’t let the adults handle the monster but went in on their own. Why take a risk like that? An army of wizards should’ve attacked the Basilisk, not four kids. Why didn’t anyone listen to reason?What if Merlin needed him right now? He could help. He was sure he could. He was tempted to run to Myrtle’s bathroom and the more he thought about it, the least reasons he could find why he shouldn’t.“Colin is safe,” he reasoned with himself, reluctant to leave his sleeping friend. “Merlin is not.”But it felt wrong to leave the boy when he spent months alone. Jack hesitated and continued pacing until Merlin came through the door, sparing him the decision.Seeing him safe and sound felt as if a heavy boulder was lifted off of his chest and he was able to breathe again, but then, he shook his head at the state of Merlin, whose robes were quite filthy. His suspicions were correct.“Let me guess, you fought the monster, not the adults.”Merlin couldn’t hide a smirk. “What matters is that the monster is dead. And I wasn’t alone - Harry had my back.”Jack felt a sting somewhere deep inside him. While he was glad that Potter was useful for a change, he wished he had been there to help. Why didn’t Merlin trust that he could handle it? Did he also think him useless? How could he change that?The next day, he fully expected the Harry Potter Fun Club to be given a celebratory feast, but instead, they were all sworn to secrecy by the Headmaster in an effort to not tip off the Heir of Slytherin of what they had done.At least Colin knew about the monster and so he didn’t have to be scared of anymore.Merlin had something to discuss with Dumbledore and ditched their Charms class - it was becoming a habit of his.While before he was attacked, everyone ignored Colin, he was now very popular. Random students kept walking up to him to congratulate him on being back. Jack wondered if any of them visited him or that other petrified boy in the Hospital Wing. Slytherins, on the other hand, glared in the boy’s direction and so Jack accompanied him everywhere, determined that no one bothered his friend.Filch was strutting in their direction, holding Mrs. Norris like a prize and whistling off-tune. Jack didn’t like him but he was glad that the cat was okay. She was a victim just like Colin was.She hissed at him as they passed and he resisted the urge to throw a frostball at Filch.”Are you okay?” Colin was looking at him sideways. ”You're like an overinflated balloon that's about to pop.””I look like a balloon?””You’re acting like one.””What?”Before they walked into the classroom, Elsa ran up to them.“Jack, did you hear from Reed or… you know?”Was she looking for news of their father? He got no more fairy visits and didn’t expect any. He caused quite a winter out there, and even though he stopped calling in the snow, it would take a long time to melt. No fairy would come to him now.“Nothing yet.”“Why is it taking so long?” she groaned.Colin stood quietly and didn’t comment on the Sylph conversation he didn’t quite get and it struck Jack as uncharacteristic. Before, he was always so chatty. Jack wondered if it was a leftover of being stuck petrified for so long.“I’ve been researching the...” Elsa paused and glanced at Colin, “those spirits. Most of it is a bunch of folklore rubbish but one theme that’s repeated, and I wonder if there’s any truth to it, is that they are muses of the artists: painters, writers, and poets.”Jack imagined Elsa as a muse, inspiring artists to be creative and then criticizing their creative imperfections. He chortled at the idea. She’d make the worst muse.She cocked an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip. “Do you have a problem with artists?”“Being an artist is fine but poetry is stupid.”She huffed. “It is a difficult art form to turn a feeling into words so others can experience it.”He waved his hand to dismiss her. “Difficult? Please.””Oh, so you think you can do it? Please, go ahead. Wow me with your poetic prowess.”He smirked.”Oranges are orange But black eyes are blue. Poems are silly And so are you.”He poked her nose on the last line but quickly took his finger away, seeing that she looked like she was about to bite it.Colin chuckled next to him. At least one person appreciated his jokes.“That wasn’t poetry,” she hissed.“According to your definition, it was. It turned my feelings into words and you felt something, didn’t you? I mooooved you.” She hit his arm but he continued. “I inspired your feelings of... violence.”“You’re very talented on that front,” she growled while he exchanged an amused look with Colin.Then, she took a long breath and calmed down. “Can you meet me at the Owlery Saturday after breakfast?”As none of them owned an owl, that was a curious location. Was she planning something? He was up for it.“Sure.”“See you there. Bye, Colin,” she walked away, grumbling to herself something about poetry.In the afternoon, he went down to the dungeons with Colin. While Snape did not require the boy to make up the essays the rest of the class wrote during the weeks he was petrified, he would not let him get away without preparing each potion.“Professor, I hope you don’t mind if I help Colin prep the ingredients and clean up so he can get through this faster?” Jack pleaded, not wanting to leave his friend all alone but also, looking for something to occupy himself with.“You may. Watch carefully, Creevey.” It was amazing how he never seemed to need to blink. “You might learn something from your classmate.”“Snape likes you?” Colin asked when they were gathering the ingredients in the storage room.“He’s not as bad as everyone says. I mean, he’s brutal on the details but overall, he’s just a vampire teacher.”Colin covered his mouth to stifle an outburst of laughter. “You think he’s a vampire?”“Have you ever seen him outside in the daylight? It would explain so much. For example, he’s in a bad mood because he’s thirsty all the time and tasty students are just within his reach. But he resists so he’s a good vampire. Why should we hold it against him? It's not his fault that he's different.”“So, we should be accepting of his kind,” Colin said while staring at Jack with a smile.“Exactly. He’s trying all he can to fit in with the humans. So what if he sticks out a bit?”Colin gave him a quick hug, why, Jack had no idea, but the vampire theory seemed to put him in a good mood and calmed his nerves.Jack only helped with the prep and clean up as promised and offered tips when needed. Snape was pleased with the resulting Forgetfulness Potion, gave Colin a good grade and suggested that they partner-up until the end of the term.Later, when they were getting ready for bed, Jack wasn’t sleepy yet so he conjured a few huggers to entertain himself.“Where did these bats come from?” Colin asked.“Oh, I… sorry.”“Remember how I tried to teach him the Avis spell during the Halloween feast?” Merlin said. “It looks like Jack has been practicing it in secret and got really good at it.”“But why bats?”Jack shrugged while cupping one in his hands. “I don’t know why I like huggers. I just do.”“Huggers?”Jack sent a couple of them to hang from his bed curtain. They obeyed, grabbed the fabric with their feet and hung upside down, their wings wrapped around them.“See how they sleep in a hug?”Colin giggled. “Imagine a world where bats are called huggers. We’d have Huggerman, Huggercave, Hugmobile, Hugarangs.”Merlin grinned from his bed while Jack was confused. “What are you talking about?”Colin stood on his bed, stuck out his chest proudly and put his hands on his hips.“I am vengeance!” he said in a low throaty voice. “I am the night! I am HUGGERMAN!”Merlin laughed into his pillow while Jack sighed. “Whatever you say, Colin.”The small boy plopped down on his bed and grinned widely. “I can’t believe you can conjure live animals, Jack. You're like Tony Stark but your inventions are magic!”“Who’s that? Was he a Gryffindor?”Colin started laughing so hard, he fell off his bed. Merlin laughed at that too and Jack wished they would explain what was so funny. He hated being left out of a joke.“I know what present I’ll bring you from the Muggle world,” Colin said while trying to calm down. “I need to introduce you to the world of comics, my friend.”Merlin sat in History of Magic and drummed his fingers on the desk as the ghost of Professor Binns drawled about the Soap Blizzard of 1378. Jack dozed off a while ago and his fingers twitched as he dreamt. Binns’ voice had that effect on all students. A couple of rows ahead of them, both Colin and Ginny were slumped in their seats.Looking at the girl reminded Merlin of the danger she was in. He still hadn’t found the location of that cursed book.He spoke with Dumbledore and revealed what he saw in the vision. The old wizard listened while nodding his head and responded with, “Curious,” and a bunch of vague ideas of how they should keep a watch on Ginny. Merlin felt that his warning wasn’t being taken as seriously as it should be.Maybe it was the relief that the danger Salazar’s monster posed was over, or that all petrified victims were okay, or that the school wasn’t going to be closed, or that he wasn’t getting fired. Maybe it was all too much good news for the old wizard to fully appreciate the gravity of this newest threat. But Merlin got that vision for a reason. He wasn’t taking it lightly.They decided to keep the news of Basilisk’s death a secret. Dumbledore hoped that they could still catch the Heir of Slytherin and so he set up patrols by Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Merlin set up his own patrol - it was a boundary spell which would alert him of every person that walked in there. Few days had passed, and no one entered yet. It would be only a matter of time.Lockhart was a different case altogether and Dumbledore didn’t know what to do about him. When the wizard cast Obliviate with Ron’s wand, the spell backfired, clearing his memory. He was currently in the Hospital Wing but Madam Pomfrey complained that he needed to be moved to St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for long term care.Their Defense Against the Dark Arts class was being taught by whichever teacher was available which created a very chaotic feel to each class. However, Lockhart was so useless as a teacher, maybe this would be an improvement and the kids would actually learn something for a change.Merlin questioned Dumbledore again why he hired him in the first place and was a little surprised at the answer.”For a while, I’ve been suspecting that he’s a fraud. I was hoping he would expose himself here. Besides, no one else applied.”Merlin rolled his eyes at the old wizard’s schemings. There were many better methods to expose a liar besides giving him a job.Gryffindor’s sword was now safely stored in the Headmaster’s office. It was truly remarkable that Harry summoned it after it had not been seen in centuries. Magic worked in mysterious ways.After classes, Hermione caught up with him and once again asked him for a replay of everything that happened in the Chamber. It didn’t sound like she wished she was there to fight the monster but she wished she could’ve seen them do it. Today, he finally found out why she was so obsessed with the topic.“The shield you created to protect us from Lockhart’s spell - that was advanced magic and you did it wandlessly and nonverbally. And Harry said you created a glamour which made all three of you invisible! You’re an insanely powerful wizard, aren’t you?”“Hey!” he pretended to be offended. “There’s no reason to call me insane.”“So when will we have our next Old Religion meeting? Will you teach us this glamour spell or the shield? I know I won’t be able to do them but I’ll gladly watch.”The girl’s enthusiasm would have been welcome if only he didn’t know what Harry told him. How was he supposed to handle her crush? Has he done anything to encourage her? He decided to try his best to do everything in a group setting so she wouldn’t get the wrong idea.“Sure, we’ll meet up soon.”But he wasn’t in a rush. Finding that enchanted book was more important than his wish to pass on his knowledge. He had to focus on the danger. Ginny’s life depended on it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The pathway to the Owlery was shoveled and easy to walk through. The constant snow was fun but Jack stopped calling it in when he saw out the window how Hagrid shoveled it for hours. This pathway was the longest and Jack felt a tad guilty for creating so much hard work for the Groundskeeper.But some snow came naturally without his help. Just like today. He stopped and decided to try something new.He focused on the clouds and willed them to disperse. It was harder to stop the natural course of nature, it fought him back but he stuck it out, wishing to find out if it was within his power.The snow stopped and the clouds let a little sun through. Now, that was more like it - a beautiful sunny day. He knew he could do it. He was not useless.With each passing minute spent outside, he was feeling better, his grumpy mood was dissolving, and so he was grinning broadly when he ran up the stone steps to the Owlery.Elsa was waiting for him in the doorless door frame.“Nice weather we’re having.” He gestured at the lazily floating clouds.“Okay.” Her tone was laced with an eye roll.“So, why are we here?”“I like to spend time here with the owls and thought that maybe you wanted to meet them?”He thought her favorite place would have been something boring like the Library. She was full of surprises.He was amazed at how many birds were inside. They were flying in and out through the many window openings. Some were perched or sleeping in their nooks.The circular stone room had multiple levels, some you could get to by stairs, some only owls could access.“Entire families live here,” Elsa commented while he checked them out. “I heard that when spring comes, we’ll see baby owls in these nooks. I can’t wait.”“Can you imagine how stinky it is here when it’s warm?” he chuckled. “This place must reek!”“I don’t know why you assume that owls stink.”“I mean… poop.” He shrugged and she tried to hit him on the arm but he swerved out of the way.Something crunched under his foot and he looked closer to investigate.She tried to warn him, “Oh, don’t look at…”“Eeeeewww. Bones!”There were tiny rodent bones on the floor, mixed in with the straw and - as he correctly guessed - poop. He did not envy whoever was in charge of cleaning this place. Was it Hagrid again? That guy got the worst jobs.Elsa raised her hand and an owl swooped in to perch on her wrist.“Is it the same owl that found you in the fairy colony?”“Yes. She’s a school owl.”“How do you know it’s a she?”“I’m guessing.”He cautiously walked up to the bird who turned her head halfway and blinked at him with only one of her yellow eyes.“What’s her name?”“I’ve been thinking about it but so far, I’ve got nothing. What name would you say fits her?”The bird closed both eyes under her touch. He still wasn’t sure if he wanted to touch her. His huggers were so much more approachable.“Tell me what you know about her.”“I looked her up - she’s a Short-Eared Owl. She hunts by day and sleeps in that perch.” She pointed to one close to the ground. “There are a few similar owls here that I’ve seen her interact with. I wonder if they’re a family.”“Short-Eared? I don’t see ears. Birds have ears?”Elsa sighed and pointed at the top of the bird’s head where feathers were sticking out a little.“Yes. This owl has short ear tufts. There are Long-Eared Owls with larger ear tufts, hence the name, I think I’ve seen some here. But the actual ears are somewhere here," she pointed to the side of the bird’s head. When he still looked confused, she clarified. “They’re not like our ears. Just ear holes.”Ear holes? This was strange but also interesting.“You’re really getting into this owl stuff, huh?”“They’re beautiful creatures. I feel connected to them. Do you?”He looked around the room and decided to brave it. He stuck his arm out and waited, cautious and a little worried as to what bird decided to come down. A small brown owl chose to land on his wrist and he sighed in relief. He didn’t like those large ones who looked at him as if they wanted the claw his eyes out.He petted her head the way Elsa did and the owl closed her eyes one at a time.“She’s cute.”“That’s a Little Owl.”Her yellow-green eyes reminded him of cat eyes but her pupils were perfectly round. Her white eyebrows made her look very handsome But her little beak and overall round shape made her by far the most adorable bird in the Owlery.There was something in her eyes, some kind of understanding as if she recognized him but he couldn’t quite explain the feeling. He immediately knew that this owl would be loyal to him till the end of its life. How did it bond with him this quickly?“I think I know what you mean about feeling connected.”He looked around the tall room and the many higher levels.“I bet the view from the top is awesome!”He put his new owl friend on his shoulder and she nibbled on his ear most gently. Then, he started climbing the stairs.At the top, there were fewer bones and poop, the breeze was stronger, and he gladly inhaled it as he greeted the few top-level occupants who turned their heads in his direction. He braced his elbows on the window opening and looked out at the view of the castle and the highlands surrounding them.His little owl flew down to the window sill where she stood right in front of him as if she wanted to be the only view he looked at.“You’re such a little thing with such a big character! You deserve a name.”He heard footsteps as Elsa followed him and then stood in another window.His little owl turned her head to look at Elsa’s large owl, who looked at them all as if they were her prey. Then, the little owl started to bob her head side to side in some strange dance until Elsa’s bird looked away.“You’re a feisty little one,” Jack joked. “Feisty Bobbin’ it is then.”“Please, don’t tell me that’s the name you came up with,” Elsa groaned.“Yours has a sort of a death stare going on.” He got a brilliant idea. “Scowl! That’s her name. Get it? Because of the way she stares and she’s an owl? Scowl?”“No.”“Why not? It’s perfect - a name and a pun in one!”The intensity of her glare was as strong as her owl’s.He winked at her. “You know how they say that owners start to look like their pets after a while? You’re a Scowl too.”She hit him on the arm hard. Feisty Bobbin’ screeched in freight and flapped her wings.“Ow,” he rubbed the area which would now have a bruise. “Why do you always hit me?”“Because you’re annoying!”He was the one glaring at her now. She was annoying him too but he never hit her.Some flicker of emotion passed through her features as if she remembered something important and she now rubbed the arm with him.“I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I always hit you.”This was weird. She had NEVER apologized before.“Are you feeling okay?”“Yes.”She leaned on his arm affectionately and now he was really worried if spending so much time with owls messed with her brain.“How often do you come here?”“Whenever I’m fed up with the wizards and witches. Which is quite often.”She lifted her head from his shoulder while looking at something on the wall.“What is that?”They left their owl friends on the windowsill to investigate the source of a blue color among the earthy tones of the Owlery.One of the bottom nooks was occupied by some small creature - definitely not an owl. They crouched by it and saw a humanoid being slightly larger than a Fairy with blue skin and white hair.“It’s a Sylph!” Elsa gasped.“Sleeping with the owls?”She gently poked the being who was curled up on his side and he lifted his head and blinked rapidly. His translucent-white wings stirred behind him.“Hi,” Elsa said in a high pitched voice. “Sorry to wake you, but are you looking for us? We’re waiting for a message from the Sylph.”He yawned and looked around him as if he couldn’t remember where he was. Then, he looked behind him and back at them.“You see me?”“Yes!”In a motion so fast, Jack didn’t even see when, the Sylph launched up until he was right by Elsa’s face. She flinched in surprise but waited to see what would happen. The Sylph touched her cheek with his tiny hand and broke into a smile.Elsa’s expression changed on contact. Where before she was her usual tangle of nerves, she now looked peaceful and dreamy. Did he use some magic on her?Jack was worried if he should interfere, if this being was hurting his sister in any way.“Do you have a message for us?” he asked impatiently. “Were you able to find our father among your kind?”It couldn’t be a coincidence that they stumbled upon a Sylph all of a sudden. This guy could know something and resolve the whole mystery of who their father was and if they would ever get to meet him.The Sylph let go of Elsa and hovered over to Jack, reaching his small hand to his cheek in turn.Jack felt unsure about this but then remembered how nice fairy touch felt. Merlin’s Sidhe crystal felt wonderful and they too were also some small flying beings. Maybe Sylph magic would feel just as pleasant? But why did this Sylph want to touch him at all?His curly white hair fanned over his shoulders and moved by the wind created by the wings, which flapped so fast, they were just a blur. From up close, it was even clearer that Sylph similarities to Fairies ended on “small flying being with pointy ears.” While Fairies were like delicate butterflies, he was a fierce dragonfly, a beautiful predator. He was as different from them as a squirrel was from a hugger.The Sylph closed the distance, and Jack couldn’t remember why he was hesitant about this. Sylph touch felt cool and warm at the same time. All of his senses dimmed until he only felt the warmth of magic spreading through his body, paving a path through the distracting static within his veins until at last, his blood was attuned to the right frequency. His magic was at home.The Sylph’s sky-blue irises which filled the entirety of his almond-shaped eyes shimmered with tears too large for such a small creature. He let go, but Jack’s skin still tingled where he touched it. He wanted more.The Sylph spoke, “The song of your blood stands proof of your roots. You are Half-Sylph. I’m Enlin, your father.”The twins stared at him in shock. He wasn’t just a messenger!Elsa cupped her hands, inviting her father - how wonderful it sounded to even think the word - to sit on it.He huffed and stayed where he was. “I am not an owl!”Jack snorted and bumped her shoulder. “One minute in and you’re getting scolded already.”She wanted to hit him again but resisted, determined to unlearn that habit. That dream, in which she caused his death with a punch to his thigh, was still fresh on her mind.“An equal chat requires a matching eye-level,” Enlin said and disappeared so fast, they didn’t catch in which direction he flew.Jack tapped her on the shoulder and pointed behind them to the small figure of her father, who was in the air. His wings were beating so fast, they were invisible. The air around him seemed to ripple, a mist enveloped him, and something dark started taking shape within it. The shape started to grow, giving her a scare, but when mist dissolved, a smiling young man came out.His hair, as well as his eyes, were now brown. His complexion was tan with no traces of his Sylph-blue skin. His whole face seemed to be stretched out and pointed, with his bones prominent, and while it made him look handsome and distinctive, she guessed that he would have a hard time blending in among humans. It was in the bridge of his nose which just wasn’t recessed enough and the set of his eyes which seemed to be a little further apart than they should be. She wondered if he realized that his disguise wasn’t perfect.He sat cross-legged on the floor, not concerned about staining his white tunic and trousers on this floor, and Jack copied him with a grin.She sat on her folded legs next to her brother, her heart beating a little faster, and a small smile formed on her lips. After the endless research and wait, he was finally here. She had previously written down all the questions she had for him and wished she had the list with her.“I do not shift often,” he said with a grin. Even though he was human-sized now, his voice sounded the same, “but for my children, I will.”“You’re really our father?” Jack asked, still looking at the Sylph’s features, fascinated with his exotic look.“Is your mother Dark Beira who dwells in Ben Nevis?”“Yes.”Enlin smiled. “You’re my blood.”Jack grinned widely and exchanged a look with her.Elsa got straight to her questions. “Why did you leave?”“I did no such thing.” Enlin frowned. “She hid you away, refused my right to meet my child. Inside the mountain she fled, where she knew I could not follow.”Elsa always suspected that there was more to the story. The way Mother refused to speak of him suggested that she was the one that distanced herself from him. But why - that was the question.Enlin continued, “A deceptive being, that mother of yours, eluded each of my traps. Though I patrolled the mountain, not once I caught her taking you out.”Elsa tilted her head absentmindedly, the rhythmic cadence of his speech was hypnotic. She could listen to him all day.“She never did,” Jack said sourly.“Did what?”“Take us outside.”Enlin’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between them.“You don’t… You cannot mean… Do you…” He covered his mouth with both hands. “Keeping Half-Sylph underground is unheard of. How long did this go on?”“Always,” Jack answered in accusation and Enlin whimpered as if he heard that someone died. “We never saw the light of day until we escaped last spring. We would still be down there if we didn’t.”“And the price of father’s failures shall be paid by his children.” Enlin dropped his head, took a couple of long breaths, and looked up, his brows furrowed. “I am truly sorry. Please, understand, elemental spirits must remain connected to their element. Air cannot exist within an enclosed space. Even this Owlery makes me nervous, though I can feel the wind.”Right on cue, a strong breeze blew in and he closed his eyes to breathe it in. He opened them and grimaced as if he was in great pain.“Containing a Sylph within Earth, Water or Fire is a death sentence. You were underground. I couldn’t…”“We understand,” Elsa interrupted, feeling that this guilt-trip he was going through was unnecessary.She appraised him, from the way he sat on the floor barefoot (and didn’t that remind her of someone) to his shapeshifter appearance, and something felt off.“When you shift, do you choose what you look like?”“No. Fate decides the form a Sylph takes on. For some, it is an animal or a creature of magic. For me, Fate chose this human appearance."She didn’t comment on his failure to look human but one thing still bothered her.“I couldn’t tell when you were in your Sylph form but like this, you look too young to be our father.”He tilted his head. “I do not understand.”She blinked, taken by surprise and exchanged a look with Jack, who shrugged.“I mean, you look like you’re barely twenty years old.”He exhaled a long breath and shook his head like a teacher who was greatly disappointed with his students. “The Sylph do not age like humans, child. My youth will last for a couple of centuries.”“Whoa,” Jack breathed out. “How long do you live?”“About five hundred years, give or take a century.”It was unfair. How was she supposed to have known that? The Sylph were such a secluded race, none of the books had this information.“I just realized,” Enlin said, looking from her to Jack, “I don’t know your names.”“I’m Jack.”Jack stretched out a hand, but Enlin looked at it like he didn’t know what to do with it. His brother slowly dropped his hand, his smile faltering. She hoped he didn’t take it too personally. It was possible that the Sylph didn’t greet each other with handshakes. She wondered how different their customs were from everything she took for granted and couldn’t wait to learn all about them.“I’m Elsa. Why were you sleeping in the Owlery?”“The castle was sleeping upon my arrival and the owls invited me to share their dwelling. I fell asleep, I suppose. Oh, what a surprise it was to find that there are two of you. Fate has given me a doubly gift.”“What luck that we came here this morning,” Jack whispered.“Luck? No, child. Fate. Was it luck that brought Half-Sylph twins to this human school? Fate put you on a path. Of that, I am sure.”“They’re not just humans,” Jack defended, while Elsa wondered what he could have meant about a path. “They’re wizards and witches and we’re learning magic from them. And... where else would we go?”This brought them to the most important subject.“Father,” Elsa spoke the word for the first time and liked the sound of it, “we would much rather live with our kind. So, can we live with you?”They waited expectantly but instead of answering, he waved a hand to call in a breeze and closed his eyes to feel it.He responded with a question, “Can you shift?”“What?”“Only Sylph can live with Sylph.”“Teach us how to shapeshift, then.”He sighed and called another breeze. She was starting to wonder if it was a soothing gesture that he did to calm his nerves. Well, her nerves were starting to stir up because he wasn’t answering, and his frown and the fear in his eyes made it look like the answer was ‘no.’“How old are you now?”More questions. Elsa could see why her mother was so irritated when hearing them.“We’re twelve.”His shoulders drooped. “A pure-blooded Sylph of your age can fully control the shift.”She was growing frustrated with his incomplete answers. “So?”“If you haven’t shifted yet, you won’t. It is not something you can learn.”Elsa slouched in her sitting position, disappointed that she wouldn’t get to see what she would look like as a Sylph or ever have wings. It was so unfair that she wasn’t Sylph-enough.”Though your desire to live together matches mine, it is unattainable.”“Why?”“The world of Sylph is meant for the Sylph. It is no place for halflings. We live at high altitudes and move a lot - by air.”“There are other ways to fly.” Elsa felt like he dismissed the idea too soon. “Even wizards have a way - they use brooms! And we can use them better than they can, surely, because we are Half-Sylph. Jack, tell him how high you flew.”Jack was looking at the little owl in his lap - when it got there, she didn’t notice.“I was above the clouds,” he said softly, without raising his head.“And you were okay so high up, right?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Father, we’ll find a way to fly together with you even if we don’t have wings. We have magic.”“There’s more, child,” Enlin said.She didn’t know what more there could be to it. Whatever the issue, there had to be a solution. Every question has an answer, as long as one looks for it long enough.“Sylph dwellings are small, our colonies are small, everything in my world is too small for you. You don’t belong there.”Elsa felt icy anger build inside her. Where did she belong if not in the world of her parents?Enlin continued. ”The warm home you yearn for, I cannot provide, but wherever Fate places you, I’ll find you there.” He put a hand on his chest. “You can count on me.”Elsa got up, already having heard enough of his pretentious steaming pile of goat manure. She was sure that he was wrong and there was a way to make it work but she wasn’t going to beg him. If he didn’t want to be a family, then she didn’t want him.She stormed down the stairs and out of the Owlery, not looking back or worrying about Goodbyes.She couldn’t believe that she was so stupid to get her hopes up. She thought that if only they found their father, everything would be all right, they could finally stop living this lie among the wizards and have a place where they could be themselves, drop their masks and worries and be free.She did not for a second imagine a possibility that their father would come to claim them and at the same time, abandon them.
Fate will help you, so I don’t have to. Figure out where to live on your own, kids. I’ll visit you.
And Jack called their mother a monster. Despite what he may have thought about her, Mother was not evil, and most definitely, she would never have abandoned them like this. Maybe this was why she kept them hidden away - so they would never have to meet this disappointment of a father!It all made sense now. They lived underground because of him! If he was out of the picture, their childhood would have been different.Jack caught up with her and kept up with her fast pace, cupping his little owl in his hands, but was wise enough to not say anything. He must have understood it too. Mother was right to keep their father away.“I shouldn’t have gone on this entire quest to find him! You were right to be hesitant in the beginning. I wish I had listened to you.”Jack sighed. “I’m glad I met him, but yeah, I’m bummed too because we’re back to where we started.”He pulled her arm to stop her.“Elsa?” His eyes were darting everywhere but finally settled on her. “There are no beings like us anywhere. What will we do?”While her heart was filled with anger at herself and at her father, his eyes held pain and she recognized what he needed. She immediately hugged him and he buried his face in her neck while his little owl flew up, watching them from above.She dug her fingers into his white Sylph hair. She spat the word in her thoughts. Why couldn’t they have inherited their mother’s hair color? She didn’t want this constant reminder of her useless parent. Being Half-Sylph only made life more difficult - it made them invisible among Muggles and too noticeable among wizards. There were no advantages to it.In the end, they could only rely upon each other. They were a family of two.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

My name is Harry Potter

Hello, my name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?

Someone tried to flush it down a toilet.

Lucky then that I recorded my memories in a more lasting way than ink.

Memories of what?

Of terrible things that happened at Hogwarts while I attended it as a student. Things that were covered up.

That’s where I am. At Hogwarts and terrible things have also happened. Do you know anything about the Heir of Slytherin?

Of course, I do. I caught the person who released the monster.

Who was it?

I can show you if you’d like.

OK.
 “Watch out!”Merlin ducked just in time to avoid getting hit by a fast-traveling firework which zoomed by his head, turned around and landed in a pile of parchments, scattering them through the common room.“Who did that?” Percy Weasley, the owner of said parchments, shouted.Several people in the common room giggled but no one claimed responsibility.Over in the corner, out of Percy’s view, the Weasley twins were crouched over a box, whispering something to each other. One of them noticed Merlin and put a finger to his lips, followed by a wicked grin.It would be wise to leave the common room before they completed whatever plan they were cooking up right now so Merlin got a move on.Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in their usual spot by the fireplace and got up as soon as they saw him.Merlin’s grin started fading when he noticed the excitement in Hermione’s eyes. He didn’t know how to act around her now. How exactly was he going to turn her down if she made the first move? “I’m too old for you” would not work since he was supposed to be a year younger. Turning her down cold was going to be so cruel. He was not looking forward to it.“We’re going to Hagrid’s,” Harry explained. “Grab your cloak.”As he was leaving with them, he cast a glance to where Ginny was sitting with her roommates. Figuring out what danger was waiting for her was more important than meeting the groundskeeper, but he honestly didn’t know where to start, so he tried to assure himself that she was safe in the common room.Merlin tightened the cloak around himself and wondered why the school wasn’t built in a warmer part of the country. While the weather had started to warm up the last couple of days and he hoped it was a sign that the winter was starting to wane, today, the cold air stung his face and assaulted his nostrils as if Winter was in a bad mood.The kids were talking excitedly about some riddle but he tuned them out, unable to focus on their prattle.Was there anything he could do to scan the school for signs of the book? He has been observing the students but has not noticed any odd behavior. Everyone seemed to relax since there were no more attacks and the petrified students were back.They arrived at Hagrid’s hut, which was a wooden house at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Harry knocked on the large door, and the Half-Giant peeked out.“Who’s a-knockin’?” He noticed them and his bushy beard turned up into a smile. “Harry, Ron, Hermione, an’…”“I’m Merlin.”“Come in, then. Don’ just stand there in the cold.”Inside the wooden hut was cozy and warm. A copper kettle hung above the happy flames roaring in the fireplace. Dried herbs were suspended from the ceiling among animal skins, bundles of rope, empty cages and so many knickknacks, Merlin could entertain himself for hours just by trying to guess what they were used for.Once inside, he also noticed a large crossbow hanging on a hook by the door. He always had respect for wizards who could protect themselves without magic. On the other hand, a need for weapons often meant that the wizard wasn’t very skilled at combat spells. But who was he to judge. He had his own weapon collection which he nearly never used, always preferring magical dueling.Hagrid invited them to sit at a round wooden table. Harry sat on an oversized chair while the three of them squeezed together on a bench. Hermione was next to Merlin, of course, her arm was touching his, and he wished he had more space to get some distance from her.“Good timin’. I’m just makin’ tea.”Hagrid brought them large mugs and served them some fruitcake, looking very happy to have guests, then, he sat down on the patchwork quilt of his bed and looked at them with delight.“What brings yeh here?”“We’re just visiting,” Harry said before burning his lips on the scalding tea.While the kids looked at the cake rather skeptically, Merlin didn’t want to be rude so he got started on his. It wasn’t as bad as it looked.“Hagrid,” Hermione broke the silence, “Merlin also loves dragons.”He might have let something slip up about dragons in the past, but of course, he didn’t tell her that he was a Dragonlord. Even Dumbledore didn’t know that. It was yet another of his many secrets which were better left hidden for fear of how it could be used.“Dragons?” Hagrid rubbed his hands together. “I had me a Norwegian Ridgeback egg here last year.”Merlin already did not like where this was going but tried to not show it, so he swallowed his fruitcake and asked casually, “What did you do with it?”“I took care o’ it an’ he hatched! I named him Norbert. He was the most beautiful baby.”Harry and Ron exchanged glances like they disagreed with Hagrid’s description.“What happened to him?”Merlin tried to keep his temper down but he felt outraged at the idea of an egg being stolen from the mother.Hagrid looked pitiful like he was about to cry. “I had ter hand ‘im over ter Ron’s brother.”“Charlie works with dragons in Romania,” Ron added.“Good.” Merlin would have hated for this baby to become a chained plaything.“Vastly misunderstood creatures, dragons,” Hagrid said while looking out the window.That summed it well. And Hagrid misunderstood them as well if he thought he could raise one like a pet.“Speaking of creatures,” Harry said, “Hagrid, did you happen to store a pet at the castle when you were a student?”Hagrid’s eyebrows knit together and he rubbed his hands on his knees.“Ah, what do yeh mean?”“I know that you like dangerous pets,” Harry exchanged glances with Ron and Hermione, “and I heard a story about a pet that was at Hogwarts.”Hagrid got up and tended to the fire.“Don’t be botherin’ yehrselves with old stories.”“I know that you got expelled because of that pet. I want to hear your side of the story, Hagrid.”Hagrid got up and pointed a finger at him.“Aragog was innocent. He would never!”Merlin felt lost in this conversation. Maybe he should’ve listened when they were discussing it on the way here, but for now, he sat quietly to watch what would unfold.“So you did keep a monster in the school.”“He’s not a monster!”“What is he?”Hagrid looked at their expectant faces and sat back down on his bed which creaked in protest.“He’s an Acromantula. Thankfully, he escaped ter the Forbidden Forest before they had a chance to catch ‘im.”The trio sighed in relief while Merlin’s eyes bulged.“You released an Acromantula into this Forest?” he looked at the relaxed faces of the kids. No one seemed to understand how serious this was. “Don’t you know they’re fast breeders? There are probably hundreds of them there now!”“What’s an Acromantula?” Ron asked.“Giant, and I mean GIANT, spider with a taste for human flesh.”Ron whimpered. He should be scared. Merlin couldn’t believe that such vicious creatures lived so close to hundreds of children. The “Forbidden” part of the Forest’s name was always ignored, maybe it even motivated the students to venture inside the woods. And Hagrid raised it inside the castle! What was wrong with this man?“He won’ hurt anyone,” Hagrid waved his arm in dismissal. “I still keep in touch.”Merlin hid his face in his hands. What other “pets” had Hagrid released into the forest? Thankfully that dragon was taken from here before any harm could come to it.“Are you okay?” Hermione whispered.Merlin’s nerves were barely hanging on. He was going to snap if he didn’t get a handle on himself. He took a couple of deep breaths, composed his features, and straightened up in his seat, back to being a master liar.“I’m fine. I don’t like Acromantulas.”Ron nodded in agreement, took a bite of the fruitcake, but winced, having bitten on something hard.“So your pet wasn’t a Basilisk,” Hermione asked.“O’ course not. I never liked snakes much anyway. And aren’ they extinct?”Now they were. At least, he hoped Salazar’s pet was the last of them.“Then you’re not the Heir of Slytherin,” Harry summarized and relaxed in his seat.Merlin tried to not show the shock on his face. They suspected Hagrid of opening the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago! Was this what they were discussing earlier? He really should’ve listened.“No one really believed that,” Hagrid grumbled, “but a girl died an’ they wanted ter cover it up, so they used me as a scapegoat.”“That’s really unfair,” Hermione said.Hagrid sighed and clapped his large hands on his knees. “What’s done is done. It was a long time ago. Dumbledore always knew I was innocent so he hired me once he became a Headmaster. He’s bin good ter me. Good man, Dumbledore. That he is.”They stayed in the hut a while longer, Hagrid insisted that they finish the cake, and chatted in a relaxed atmosphere, now, that the mystery of his expulsion was revealed.The more he got to know him, the more Merlin started to like him. The man had very poor judgment as to what constitutes a dangerous creature but had a good heart. Dumbledore was right to take him in.Life in the modern wizarding community was difficult enough for half-breed wizards like Hagrid and the Ministry of Magic made it worse. Wizards who didn't complete their education were disallowed from carrying a wand, but Merlin noticed a suspicious-looking little pink umbrella among Hagrid’s possessions - one just large enough to hide a wand inside. Maybe Dumbledore’s gift? Good for him. Hagrid didn’t deserve the fate wizarding world thrust upon him. It was a stupid law to demand of wizards to live like Squibs.When leaving, Merlin turned to the Half-Giant. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Hagrid. Thank you for your hospitality.”“Got a polite one ‘ere.” Hagrid joked at the trio and they chuckled. “Right back at yeh, kid. Don’t be sleepwalkin’ in the snow now.”Ah, so Hagrid made the connection that Merlin was the kid he caught out in the grounds that one morning months ago.Hermione pulled him away. “Let’s go, Polite One, before our toes freeze off.”As far as nicknames went, it could be worse, he supposed.The trio was in a much better mood on their walk back to the castle, now that another mystery was solved. They started discussing what additional classes they would take in their third year. Hermione was excited at the prospect and wanted to take each available subject.“We’re only required to take two, not all of them,” Ron pointed out.“But they all sound so interesting.”“How will you find the time?”“I’ll find a way. I know that you have another year before you have to choose, but what do you think you would do, Merlin?”“I think I would take Muggle Studies. I could use a neat summary of what they’ve been up to recently.”“I don’t need to take it as I’m well familiar with the Muggle world, but it would be fascinating to see it from the perspective of wizards. What else would you take?”Merlin shrugged. “Care of Magical Creatures?”That sounded like it wouldn’t be completely boring. At least, he wouldn’t have to pretend to not know magic in that class.“I might take that too,” Harry said.“You’ll help me with Ancient Runes, right?” Hermione looked so hopeful. How could he refuse?“Anytime.”She beamed but then became serious.“Why were you so upset over at Hagrid’s?”Merlin took a beat to answer and decided to tell her the truth.“I could just imagine baby Norbert growing too large for Hagrid’s hut. What would Hagrid do? Release him into the forest where he’d be eaten by hundreds of hungry Acromantulas.”Hermione took his hand in his and he wasn’t sure what to do. He appreciated the gesture of comfort, he even craved her friendship, but now he knew that it meant more than that to her.He took his hand back, adjusted his scarf hid it in his pocket, but she still found a way to hold onto him by linking her arm through his. She was acting as if she was his girlfriend already. How did he not notice it before? Harry was right. He was blind.“I think Divination would be worth taking,” Ron said. “Knowing the future could be useful.”Merlin did not comment, knowing that he would stay as far away from that subject as he could. He’d had enough of visions and prophecies. He did not need crystal balls or tea leaves to make it worse.But it wasn’t the fact of getting visions that upset him the most. Rather, it was everything he did not know, everything that the visions omitted: when and where the event would take place, and most importantly, how to stop it. He lost count of how many times he worked on preventing something from coming true, and by doing so, he caused it.As they walked back to the Gryffindor Tower, he couldn’t get that thought out of his head. Could he stop the events in his last vision from coming true? Could he save Ginny Weasley?He glanced over at Ron, who pulled the woollen hat off his shaggy, red head, and wondered how the boy would have reacted if he peered into a crystal ball and saw a vision of his sister dying. Were visions a useful insight into the future or a cruel joke?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The stale castle air was overdue for refreshing but no one dared to open the windows. Jack escaped to the Clocktower Courtyard and greedily inhaled the crisp February breeze, hoping it would cure all his problems away.The snow melted in the sun yesterday and froze overnight, which created patches of ice on the stone steps. Jack sat down on the bottom one and traced his fingers on the frozen puddle, creating an abstract frost drawing.Ever since the Great Scowlery Debacle, as he referred to it, his mind was in a fog. He found no motivation for activities he normally enjoyed and hoped that a break outside was the remedy he needed.Unlike his sister, he did not expect anything out of meeting his father, and yet he couldn’t deny that he too was disappointed. To not have the opportunity to live with him like a family, to know that their search was all for nothing, it made him want to curl up into a ball and hide under the snow for an indefinite amount of time.But he had to be strong for his sister. He was the only family she had. He couldn't disappoint her by giving in to this feeling. He only needed a few minutes outside to clear his head, and then, he would go back in and find a way to distract her. Maybe he could plan something with Luna - she was full of good ideas.A fluttering sound disrupted his thoughts and he didn’t even get a chance to notice which direction it came from, before Enlin, the last person he wanted to see today, showed up right in front of him in his Sylph form. He waved in greeting and landed on a balustrade.“Jack, I’ve awaited your arrival outside.”Jack sighed in frustration, feeling cornered. This was supposed to be his few minutes of peace and quiet.“Am I mistaken or is your sister cross with me?”“That’s an understatement.”Enlin’s wings drooped. ”My sorrow runs deep for I cannot grant your wish. Surely, you must understand that such a request is infeasible.”How absurd of them to want a parent and a semblance of a home. How did he put it? “Fate put you on a path.” Yeah, maybe Fate would make a better parent and grant their infeasible wish.”Son, there are pressing matters we must discuss.”“Like what?”Jack picked up a chunk of snow and was tempted to test his father's reflexes.“Your mother.”“What about her?”Jack molded the snow into a perfect ball and judged its weight in his palm. Enlin was a fast flyer but could he outrun one of Jack’s throws?“Do you know what type of being she is?”“Not really.” Jack threw his snowball up in the air and caught it, still tempted to surprise his father with an attack. If he kept bringing up these unpleasant topics, he just might. “She told us that she was a Winter Spirit and so were we. It made sense - her powers, our powers, you know, but fairies said that we can’t be Winter Spirits, so now, I don’t know what we are.”“Exactly. The mystery of her origins eluded all the wise sources whose aid I sought in my attempts to identify her. May we discern the truth together?”“What do you know?”“The elders heard tales of an ancient deity who went by the name of Cailleach Bheur, The Winter Queen, who fits her description, but your mother is not a goddess, is she?”“No. And I’ve met an actual goddess so I think I could recognize one.”“There are less reliable sources. Human myths speak of Beira, the Queen of Winter, who traps Bride, jealous of her beauty, and keeps her prisoner until spring, when Angus, the Summer King, frees the girl and at the same time releases spring. And so every year, Beira will reign until Bride is released from her prison.”“I think I would’ve noticed if my mother trapped someone every winter. It sounds weird too. Why would Bride get caught every year?”“The flaw of human mythology is its goal - they use these fables to explain what they don't understand - the change of the seasons in this instance. In another version of this myth, Beira becomes Bride in the Spring, turning from an old hag into a beautiful maiden.”Jack frowned at that. This was a stupid version but not completely off.“Mother gets old every winter.” He wondered if it was a secret she wouldn’t want anyone to know. Oh, well. He didn’t care if he spilled it. “She goes somewhere every first day of spring, then takes a nap and wakes up young again.”“I’ve seen this.” Enlin’s wings fluttered enthusiastically and he lifted an inch into the air. “She reverses her age. How?”“She keeps this a secret. Even the hags don’t know.”Enlin folded his wings again and sat back down.“Her methods are as elusive as her motivation to seduce me.”Jack glanced at him sideways and Enlin looked away, embarrassed.“A naive youth is but a toy in the hands of a skilled seductress. She desired a child with a Sylph - any Sylph. I was a mere tool.”“Why?”Jack hated being a half-breed. He had no kind, no race, he didn’t even know what to call himself. It was unfair to be born into a life like that and it was yet another reason why his mother was a monster. She had to have known that her children would suffer the fate of half-breeds. It was all her fault.Enlin’s wings stirred behind him.“The intricacies of her ambitions weigh my heart for I fear her plans for you, my children. Might she know your whereabouts already?”Jack grabbed a new chunk of snow and started molding it into a perfectly round ball.“She’ll figure it out and could come for us any day.”Enlin flew over in a fast blur and settled on Jack's knee where his magic pulsed out in a steady rhythm. Jack hated how much he enjoyed the sensation.“You will have my aid and yet…” Enlin hung his head. “I am no match for her.” He raised his head tentatively. “You found refuge with the wizards. May you find protection as well?”Jack focused on his snowball and tried to squash his feelings into it. “She’ll know that she’s outnumbered here. She won’t attack. Elsa thinks that if Mother demanded it, the wizards would hand us over without a fight because to them we're just a couple of runaways. It won’t matter who she is or what we want.”Jack squashed his ball so hard that it crumbled. Enlin was quiet while still sitting on his knee and Jack felt an urge to chase him away like a fly so his magic wouldn’t keep distracting him. Instead, he started working on a new snowball.He picked snow from a spot right next to someone’s frozen footprint and paused. His father was so small, his entire form would’ve fit within it.Jack turned the snowball around in his hands, trying to smooth it out. Maybe they were too large to live in a Sylph colony but their father would’ve fit anywhere. They could’ve escaped together to a new place far away from the threat of Mother. They’d build a house high up in the mountains so Enlin would feel at home, and have no walls so he wouldn’t feel trapped. If there was no existing place where they belonged, then they could build a new one which was just right for them three and carve out a life for themselves. But his father didn't want that.Jack didn’t know why Mother hadn’t come for them yet. He was sure that as soon as winter came, she would use the North Wind to find them, but it has been quiet, too quiet.“It’s always quiet before a storm,” Jack whispered to himself, suddenly losing interest in his snowball.Sometimes he wondered if there was even a point to any of this. His father was convinced that everything happened due to Fate. Would Fate bring Mother right here? Was it their Fate to be free of her?The growing silence was broken by a chunk of ice which slid off the roof and landed right next to them. Enlin screeched in freight and flew onto Jack’s shoulder. As he settled himself, Jack could no longer ignore the warmth of his magic. He was tempted to clutch him to his chest like a hugger but figured, his father wouldn't like to be treated like a pet.“Which goddess did you meet?”“Triple Goddess,” Jack mumbled while trying to resist an urge to cup him in his hands.“What was she like?”Jack couldn’t think of anything comparable to the feeling he got in her presence. Her magic filled him up until he felt nothing else. He could taste it, hear it, smell it. How do you explain the taste of godly powers?“Divine.”Enlin barked out a laugh. “I must teach you to speak like a proper Sylph, to wrangle words and sprinkle eloquent genius on each syllable you utter.”“That’s a battle not worth fighting.”If his father thought he could turn him into a poet, he would be greatly disappointed. Jack couldn’t express his feelings even in normal words, let alone flourished ones.“Listen and learn how you should have answered that question.”Enlin flew in front of him, spread his arms wide and recited,
Everlasting Dawn

My humble senses rejoice

Your touch healed my soul.
He bowed deeply and his long hair spilled out like a white curtain which gently swayed in the breeze. He stayed in that position for a beat as if waiting for applause. When he snapped his head back, he was grinning widely as if he got a standing ovation.Improvised poetry was not Jack’s idea of a fun pastime but the corner of his mouth lifted involuntarily.“Your poetry lessons are wasted on me. I didn’t inherit your skills but Elsa might have. At least, she likes that stuff.”Enlin landed on his knee again. “May you convince your sister to come outside?”Jack shook his head, knowing his sister and her black-and-white view of people. Once she made up her mind about someone, she wouldn’t be swayed. Enlin needed a miracle to get on her good side now.Enlin spoke softly, “I grieve for the years I had lost, unable to watch you grow up. I’ll recompense for my absence twofold. You have my oath.” He crossed both arms on his chest and bowed his head in further theatrics. “I yearn to get to know you. Won’t you tell me about yourself?”Jack shrugged and hoped that would serve for an answer.Enlin probed further, “You’re learning magic here? Sylph possess magic as well.”“Can you show me?”“I’m a Purifier.”Enlin flew up and made a wide gesture with his hands as if he was gathering something. Then, he inhaled an unnaturally long breath - his lungs couldn’t possibly hold that much air, it had to be magic - and then exhaled a fresh cool breeze in Jack’s direction.“You purify air?”“My noble trade is in great demand to fight the never-ending battle against the damage humans have unleashed upon Air. The Sylph like myself are the last protectors of this most vital element.”“I get it. In - bad air, out - good air. Sort of like earthworms.”“Never heard of them. Earth Spirits?”Jack snorted, thinking Enlin was joking but he looked absolutely serious.“Worms are like bugs but have no arms or legs.” Enlin’s confused expression was priceless. “Our Herbology teacher said that they’re good for the soil. They purify it.”Enlin flew back to the balustrade and settled down with a long sigh. “You’re comparing me to a common bug, son? An EARTH-worm to be exact? It is my honor to be a Purifier. By insulting my life’s work, you are insulting your own heritage.”Jack tried to contain his laughter. “Sorry. It’s funny because it’s like saying mosquito is an Air Spirit.”“Preposterous.”Enlin looked away with a scoff and Jack giggled as a visual formed in his head.“Imagine a war between mosquitoes and earthworms!”Inspired by that idea, he kneeled on the snowy ground where he created little worms and mosquitoes out of frost and simulated a fight between them.“Mosquitos would surely win with their airborne attack, right? Do earthworms even have any defensive skills? They’ll get sucked dry.”His frost-mosquitoes launched down in a “V” formation. The situation looked deadly for the poor defenseless worms who wiggled pitifully.“Oh, but worms don’t have blood, do they? What if their bodily fluids are poisonous to the bloodsuckers?”He simulated the mosquitos falling dead one by one and the worms jiggling in a victory dance.He chuckled at his creation and glanced back at his father who didn’t even crack a smile. Was he offended at being compared to a bloodsucker or upset that the worms won the war?“I suppose I learned two things about you,” Enlin said grumpily while looking down at him. “You’re immature and disrespectful to your elders.”Jack had a sudden desire to stick his tongue out but resisted. Having a sense of humor did not make him immature!He got up and shook the snow off, leaving his frost creations on the ground. “I should get back.”On his way up, he slid on an icy step but caught himself just in time. He hated these uncomfortable shoes.Enlin flew up to him. “When will you come out again?”“When I feel like it.”He wanted to add, ‘Can you not be here when I do?’ but something stopped him.His hand paused on the handle. Did he want his father to come back? He only kept annoying him but… Maybe?“Bye,” he said and closed the door before Enlin got a chance to say anything else.He only made a few steps when someone called after him, “Who were you talking to?”Jack spun on his heel and his head flopped lazily. Oh, Malfoy and Company. Goodie.The pale-blonde sneered and joked to his bodyguards, “I was watching you out the window. Playing with imaginary friends?”Jack closed his eyes and shook his head. He was not in the mood for this.“Are you done?”Malfoy gasped in an exaggerated attempt at looking offended. “I’m done when I say I’m done.”“That doesn’t even answer the question.”“I ask the questions here. What’s the name of your imaginary friend?”“I don’t know yet. What’s your mother’s name?”Malfoy’s nostrils flared and he whipped his wand out. His goonies followed.“Don’t you dare speak about my mother!”This was so easy, it wasn’t even a challenge. He was as gullible as Potter. Jack could feel the corner of his mouth lifting. Now, this was a fun he was in the mood for.He flinched when he heard a whisper in his ear, “Stall them. Peeves has a plan.”The poltergeist was currently invisible and apparently, in the middle of some prank. Jack had come to trust him over the past few months. His plans were brilliant and the times they didn’t work as expected, it was often for the better - like that accidental fire-fart prank.“Do you know this one? How do Malfoys walk into a room?” Jack paused and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “They slither in.”Malfoy rolled his eyes. “That’s an old one.”Oh, but Jack had more.“Knock knock.”The taller of the goonies played along. “Who's there?”“You know.”“You Know Who?”Jack grinned while the boy scratched his head and demanded, “You Know Who???”He looked like he wanted to punch Jack for not finishing the joke until Malfoy put a hand on his shoulder. “Just stop. That’s the joke.”“But I want to know how it ends!”Jack tried to limit himself to a simple smirk but it was difficult when next to him, invisible Peeves was barely containing himself from the anticipation. What was he planning?Peeves pushed Jack one step to the right. “That’s perfect. Provoke them now. Make them throw a spell your way.”Jack knew of a perfect way to make that happen.“Why didn’t Malfoy laugh at a joke?”Malfoy’s lips lifted in a snarl. “I’m tired of your jokes, Nix. Pull your wand out.”“He waited until his father heard about it.”“Duel me, Nix.”“How many Malfoys does it take to screw in a lightbulb?”“Shut up!”“Malfoys don't screw in a lightbulb. They screw in a manor.”Malfoy’s eyes grew wide and he immediately shot a curse at Jack, “Stupefy!”Jack jumped away just in time and watched the curse hit Filch who was just behind him. The old caretaker flew backwards with a scream and slid down the hallway on his back.Peeves put his hands on Jack’s shoulders, but instead of transporting them out of there, he made them both invisible and quietly pulled Jack to a different part of the hallway where they still had a good view.“What’s this ruckus?”McGonagall came out of a nearby door, together with Snape.“They tried to kill me with a spell!” Filch shouted from the floor. He was still sprawled on his back and had a hard time getting up.Mrs. Norris stood in front of the trio with her back arched and hissed at them fiercely.McGonagall went over to check on Filch while Snape approached the three Slytherins.“What happened, Draco?”Malfoy looked around frantically. “He was here. I swear, he was here. Did you see where he went?”“Who was here?”“Nix! He was talking rubbish and then he jumped away and Filch was there and I wasn’t aiming at Filch.”“You were aiming at Mr. Nix?” McGonagall asked from her spot, her Scottish accent leaking through.“There was no one else here,” Filch said. “Just these three. They tried to kill me!”He cried pitifully and seemed to be in pain which made Jack feel a little guilty. In his defense, he didn’t know that Filch was behind him.“Why would you do this, Draco?” Snape snapped.“But Nix was here!”“What spell did he use, Argus?” McGonagall asked the caretaker.“Stupefy,” he answered in sobs.“You used a stunning spell against school staff?!”“It wasn’t meant for him! Maybe he’s invisible?” Malfoy ran over to the spot where Jack jumped to earlier and swung his arms around in desperation, unable to find him. “He was here. He was.”“Where do you suppose he hid in such a short time?” Snape hissed while pointing at the long, empty hallway. “Your lie is not helping you, Draco.”McGonagall helped Filch up and hobbled over with him. “Even if you tried to insinuate that Mr. Nix disapparated from here - A first-year! In a school where apparition is not possible! - that still wouldn’t excuse your use of this spell.”“There will be consequences,” Snape said. “Argus, which one of these cast the spell? All three?”“Just the little one.”Malfoy growled at the term but didn’t say anything under Snape’s narrowed-eyed scowl.“You two - dismissed. I’ll deal with you later. Draco, you’re coming with me to the Headmaster. Can you handle him, Minerva?”“Yes. I’ll take him to the Hospital Wing.”Filch whined and McGonagall strained under his weight but trudged on. He had a hard time walking, still affected by the stun.“This could mean suspension, Draco. I don’t know if I can get you out of it.”Malfoy’s lips trembled as he looked up at Snape. “But Nix…”“Silence. You’ve said enough. We’re going to have to inform your parents of this incident and it will go on your record…”They walked away, Snape still listing everything that was going to happen to Malfoy, and Jack felt very satisfied with this outcome. Filch could be healed, so no permanent damage done, and Malfoy would get what he deserved for trying to pick on him. Maybe he would finally learn that Jack was not an easy target to bully. Peeves was a master at giving Jack something to smile about and turning his sour mood around.“Take me to the Gryffindor Tower, Peeves.”They appeared in front of the Fat Lady portrait as he requested, now visible, it was amazing how easily Peeves could do that, and Jack stretched out his hand.“Good prank day.”Peeves shook the hand more than he should. “Always a pleasure, Jack-Friend.”He laughed in his high pitch, did a few flips in the air and disappeared.Jack walked into his common room and immediately noticed Colin who waved to him from the sofa where he was doing homework with Merlin. Jack went over, his mind clearer than ever.His father was right. Fate brought him to a place where he had friends, both human and spirit alike, where he had fun every day. Even if he wasn’t like them, even if he always had to pretend and fight prejudice, he wanted to belong among them. Maybe Fate knew what he needed.It was sunny today, a nice welcome from the gloomy cold which has been tormenting them all winter. Ginny stared out the window and wondered what to do. She’s been getting along well with Chatties recently, but today, they all decided to visit Professor Lockhart in the Hospital Wing and she quickly said, “No, thank you.”She did not share in their adoration of the wizard. Blonde and pompous was not her type. She liked brunettes who were reserved and nice but could stand up to a bully. Those with pretty green eyes which crinkled at the corners when they smiled. Those who were athletic and skilled at Quidditch, who were fierce and loyal friends. Those who… Oh, who was she kidding. There was only one boy like that.Ginny sighed and walked away from the window. It was so nice outside, maybe a walk was what she needed.Her steps landed softly on the patches of grass under the melting snow. The next Quidditch game was going to be in late February and all teams practiced around the clock even in bad weather. If it stayed as nice until this weekend, she’d come to watch Harry practice. Maybe she’d come even if it was dreadful.She walked inside the empty Quidditch Pitch and imagined zooming through the air, chasing the Quaffle, trying to score points for her team. She wanted to drag Jack here again for another practice session. That room he found in the castle which he called “My special room” was pretty cool but there was nothing better than the real thing.Was there anyone else they knew that could join them? Maybe Ron would, he wasn’t on the Gryffindor team but back home, he usually played with Fred and George. But Ron could be so annoying sometimes, she didn’t know if she wanted to deal with him.Her walk took her to the Changing Rooms where she stopped in her tracks as soon as she walked in.“Ginny!!!”Ginny covered her eyes and got out of there immediately.What did she just walk in on? She didn’t want to know what they were doing. Nope. She saw too much. Nope“Forget what you saw, Ginny. You saw nothing.”She stomped back to the castle and tried to flush the image out of her mind. Someone grabbed her shoulder and she jumped from surprise.“Ginny,” Percy pleaded, his girlfriend catching up, still buttoning her sweater. “We need to talk.”“No. I saw nothing.”She saw nothing. She remembered nothing. Absolutely nothing.“You can’t tell anyone. Please.”“I can’t tell about something I didn’t see and I saw nothing.”Percy’s girlfriend who was a Ravenclaw Prefect whispered something in his ear.“It’s okay, Penny. Ginny will keep this a secret. Right, Ginny? You’ll keep our secret?”“Sure. I saw nothing anyway.”Ginny started running and left them behind. She ran through the castle, up the endless staircases and into the common room where she ran right into Harry, causing both of them to fall down. She immediately got up and ran to her dorm where she hid under her blanket.Only then she realized that she should have said something to Harry, at least apologize. She was so stupid. It was all Percy’s fault.She threw the blanket off and stared at the ceiling.On the other hand, she had just landed on Harry Potter, and as she replayed that brief moment in her head, it chased away the last of the memories of what she saw in the Quidditch Changing Room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hello.

Hello. Who is writing to me now?

It’s Harry Potter again. I wanted to ask you about that memory you showed me.

Sure.

You were the one who told on Hagrid and got him expelled!

Yes.

But he was innocent. He wasn’t the Heir of Slytherin.

I didn’t know that.

You ruined his life.

People were getting attacked by a monster and I knew of a monster. What would you have done? I did the responsible thing to protect my friends.

I wouldn’t have done that without having proof.

I’ll show you another memory to prove to you that it was the right thing to do.

Harry? Are you still here?
After another boring Potions lesson, while Merlin was packing his things, he noticed that Snape pulled Jack aside. He slowed down to “accidentally” overhear their conversation.Snape asked in his usual monotone voice, “Did you have an encounter with Draco Malfoy yesterday? He said that you were involved in the incident with Argus Filch.”“I saw him but didn’t see what happened to Mr. Filch.”“Did you have an argument with him?”Jack dropped his head and lifted only his eyes, which took on their innocent puppy look.“He doesn’t like me.”Snape’s face didn’t betray an emotion but the way he gently put a hand on Jack’s shoulder did.“It would’ve been easier to get along with Draco if you were in the same House.”Jack smirked but somehow still looked innocent. “Nothing wrong with a little competition.”Snape’s mouth lifted slightly - was that a smile? Jack really knew how to work this guy.“Stay out of trouble, Jack.”Merlin slung his bookbag over the shoulder and shook his head at the boy, who came back with a smug expression.“Everyone says that Malfoy is Snape’s favorite, but he’s taking your word over his. It’s like you have a superpower.”“I’m just nice to him. Nothing super about it. Try it one time.”“You are the only Gryffindor he addresses by a first name.”“He keeps asking me to switch to Slytherin.” Jack sighed and Merlin couldn’t believe what he heard. Has that ever happened before? “But can you imagine being in the same House as Malfoy? I don’t know who’s worse, him or Potter.”“Do you really have to ask? Get to know Harry a bit and your opinion of him will change.”“I bet people say that about Malfoy as well.” He smirked. “Or you.”“Hey!”“Merlin?”“What?”“Your bag…”Jack didn’t have to finish as Merlin’s things spilled around him. He apparently held his bag upside down.He started picking it all up and was thankful that Jack helped instead of laughing.Over by his chairless desk, Snape sported a tight-lipped smile. Yes. The Great Merlin was a clutz. So much for a fearsome reputation.After classes, Hermione invited him to the library, hoping for his help with locating a good book to start ancient rune studies.She hugged her notebook close to her chest. ”I'm really excited to learn runes but I'm also a tad nervous.””Don't worry. It's just a language. I'm sure you'll be brilliant in it as always.”Once in the linguistics section, Merlin started searching for a volume that could be helpful for a beginner and Hermione spoke softly, ”Merlin?”He slowly turned his head and right at this moment, she leaned to him. He understood what she was about to do and turned back to the shelves just in time for the smack of her lips to land on his cheek and not his lips.How did he let this get so far? It was time for The Talk.“Hermione…” he whispered and snuck a glance at her.She was gnawing on her lip, her cheeks flushed, her eyes full of hope.”Hermione,” he couldn't believe he was about to crush the spark in her eyes, ”you're a wonderful girl, but this can't be.” Her grin was fading, making his heart heavy with guilt. ”I like you but I only want to be friends.”She stared at the floor and he hoped she wouldn't start crying.”I thought we would be good together,” she whispered. ”Everyone thinks we make a good couple.””You should be with someone,” he wanted to say ’your age’ but how would that make sense? ”who deserves you.”She huffed. ”All other boys are so stupid. You're younger and yet you're more mature than all of them combined. I really like that.””I’m repeatedly being told off for being too childish,” he joked and smiled at her.”Whoever said that doesn’t know you very well.”She was staring at her shoes as if they were the most fascinating things in the world and he had a feeling that it wasn't over. As he feared, she started blinking a lot and her lip trembled. He braced himself for the drama.”Why?” Her voice cracked as she raised her eyes to him and he just couldn't take the guilt of it.She was only twelve. It wasn't her fault that he was pretending to be her peer but was far from it. He was tempted to tell her who he was. He had a feeling that she could handle the truth and it would be so refreshing to be honest with someone.But he stopped himself from saying it. Too many people already knew. He needed to keep this identity for a few more years. It was too early to reveal himself.“I just… don’t feel that way,” he whispered, knowing well that he was crushing her self-esteem.She was so brave to make the first move. Friendzone hurt. He knew - he’d been on the receiving end of it, but there was no other choice.How would she take it? Would she break down into sobs, declare that she hated him or would she keep trying to win him over?She nodded and stared at her feet again, then she took a deep breath and looked up at him, trying to smile.”When Jack said you fancied me, I figured I'd make it easier, but then you were confusing me because you never made that first step. I thought you were just shy so that's why I tried to kiss you. I guess he was wrong.””Jack told you what?”She sighed and pulled the first book she found, showing more maturity than he’d seen in many adults.”Let's just really study this time.”It was hot and humid in the greenhouse, and Elsa wanted to leave as soon as she came in, but she stayed for Luna.The girl was all the way in the back and by the time Elsa got to her, she was drenched in sweat. She kept her cloak on because she coated the inside of it with a thin layer of ice, and it was the last thing keeping her from passing out.“You came!” Luna exclaimed as if she was surprised. Of course, she came. Luna was her best friend.The light behind her gave her an otherworldly glow. Mandrake leaves stretched out to touch the ends of her loose hair. She picked one of the hundreds of pots around her and gently caressed the large leaves.“I want to make it grow,” she said, smiling down at it. “Will you help me?”She put her hands over the mandrake and waited.Elsa tried to copy what Merlin did before, putting her hands over Luna’s but had no idea of what to do next.Luna started to hum a melody and then looked up. Her gray eyes were smiling. “I miss my mom.”Elsa never knew what to do when her friend got sentimental like this. She wished she knew what to say or do to comfort her, but wrong words could have the opposite effect so she decided to just be a good friend and assist her with this task.“So, how do I help you?”“Just blend your magic with mine. That’s what Merlin did.”Elsa concentrated on the warm magic she could feel coming from the girl and was yet again made aware of how hot it was in the greenhouse. A bead of sweat slid down her neck, and she tried to wipe it off.Luna tilted her head. “Do you miss your mom?”Elsa flinched internally at the mention of her. She told everyone that her mother was dead but she never showed grief the way Luna did. Could Luna tell that it was a lie?“I do,” Elsa whispered and felt deep inside her that this was not a lie.She closed her eyes and put her attention back to Luna’s magic, trying to blend it with hers like the girl requested. She was not going to think about her mother.The more she tried to push those thoughts aside, the more vividly her mother’s image imprinted itself on her eyelids: her golden locks, lighter in shade than Luna’s, though just as long, and her graceful movements which Elsa always admired.Grace came so easy to her. It was in each move of her fingers, in the way she closed her eyes or raised her eyebrows. Her beauty didn’t come just from her looks, it came from the way she carried herself. There was something mystical about it like she was a lot more than what she appeared to be.Elsa resembled her a lot but would she ever achieve this level of feminine elegance?“I do miss her,” she whispered again and opened her eyes.But she didn’t find Luna’s vacant smile. Where her friend stood before, now was a statue made of ice. Everything in the greenhouse was made of ice, every plant, pot, table, the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. Elsa was the only living thing left in there.“No! Luna!” she cried out and woke up with a start.A quick look around told her that she was in her dorm. Luna wasn’t in her bed and Elsa got up to look for her. She had to be sure that it was only another weird dream.Elsa found the girl in the common room where she was in the middle of a strange repetitive exercise: she took a book off the shelf and stacked it on the other side of the room.“What are you doing?”Luna ignored her and kept up the strange behavior one book at a time, creating a teetering heap.Her eyes were wide open but they weren’t looking and she bumped into an armchair every single time she passed by it. At one point, she used a book to slap the armchair and threw it across the room. Then she proceeded to walk to the stack, her hands out as if she was still holding it. She set down the invisible book and walked back to the bookshelf to grab another one and continue the process.Elsa sat down on the stairs and watched her friend sleepwalk. Luna warned her before to not wake her if she ever caught her do it.It was fascinating. The girl could see but not everything. She mumbled incoherently and sometimes picked up non-book objects to put on her stack, which would later topple to the floor.At one point while Luna was in the middle of the room, she stopped, waved the book like a wand, mumbled, “Warmus biscuitus,” and walked back to the dorm where she curled up with the book on her bed.Elsa laid down with her eyes on the girl who was now sleeping peacefully.Why did she have such a strange dream about her? First, she dreamt that she killed her brother, now she dreamt that she killed Luna. Why?She did not forget the part of the dream when she realized that she missed her mother. Her mother was never warm or loving, but she was the only one she had. She was lucky to still have one. Luna would never see hers again.Elsa tossed and turned in her bed and her eyes landed on the Moon again. Mother always spoke of it. Her favorite expression was “On Moon’s everlasting glow” and Elsa always wanted to know if the Moon was as beautiful as Mother described it. When she saw it for the first time, she was not disappointed. It was magnificent and her eyes were drawn to it like a nail to a magnet.Elsa wondered if her mother looked at it at the same time. Did her mother miss her?She did not regret escaping, She cherished this experience and the opportunity to see the world, but she felt lost and wished she had someone to turn to, to ask for advice.She was dangerous. If she lost control of her power, she could hurt people, even her friends. It was irresponsible to expose them to this risk. But then the dream with Jack suggested that he wasn’t safe from her magic either when in reality he was the only person who was.Or did it mean something else?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ginny!”“You too, Colin.”They settled down while Professor Flitwick used a spell to write something on the blackboard.“I heard that Lockhart wanted to hire singing dwarfs dressed as Cupids!” Colin said in a hushed whisper.Ginny recoiled at the idea of receiving a Singing Valentine in public, but who was she kidding, no one would send her one.“Then, it’s a good thing he isn’t well enough to organize that.”“I don’t know. It would’ve been funny. Do you think dwarfs can sing well? I don’t want to discriminate or anything, but I imagine these old-looking guys dressed up in ridiculous clothes and singing in a raspy voice. Do you know what happened to Lockhart?”“No. They’re keeping it all hushed up.”“I have a feeling that Merlin knows but maybe Dumbledore asked him to keep it a secret. I guess our teacher’s medical problems are not our business. I hope he’s okay.”“My roommates created hand-drawn cards for him,” she whispered, hoping none of the Chatties overheard her.“He’ll probably get loads.”“Did you send any?”“Nah,” Colin grinned. “I don’t have a crush. I am thankful to Luna though for helping with the mandrakes. Should I send her one?”Ginny shrugged. She had no idea if Luna wanted to get a Valentine from a “friend” and not an admirer.“I already thanked her in person, she’s so nice, she doesn’t even ask for credit. What about you, Ginny?”Ginny begged her cheeks to not burn up.“I didn’t send any,” she answered quickly and tried to focus on Professor Flitwick.She almost did so yesterday afternoon. She drew an anonymous Valentine for Harry, but she must have dropped it on her way to the Owlery because by the time she got there, it wasn't in her pocket anymore.Maybe it was better this way. The poem was pretty lame anyway but it was the first she had ever written.While she was there, she pet Hedwig, Harry’s Snowy Owl, and noticed that the bird already had a stack of cards, waiting to deliver them in the morning. He would get so many cards, he wouldn’t care about the one Ginny wrote.And so Harry did not get her Valentine today. Even though she tried to convince herself it was for the best, she still felt a little bummed about it. She just wished there was a way she could let him know how she felt without the risk of being rejected.Ginny was staring at her feet when coming out of the Charms classroom, and so she didn’t notice a boy who was running past and they collided.She scrambled on the floor and found Harry next to her, his glasses skewed, his bookbag contents thrown around them. That did not just happen again!“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled.“That was my fault. Isn’t it funny how we keep running into each other?” Harry joked.Ginny sighed, thinking how it was more like destiny tried to smash them together. If only it were that easy.She helped him gather his things: many Valentine cards - he stuffed them in quickly, before she got a chance to count - quills and ink bottle, but among it all was one thing which froze her in place: Tom’s diary!He quickly picked it up, smiled and said in a rush, “I need to go. Bye, Ginny,” and resumed running while she kneeled on the ground, her heart hammering in her chest.“Got a close encounter with your boyfriend?”Malfoy was suddenly in the corridor but she was too much in shock to properly react. She walked away without a word while he made kissing noises behind her. Any other time, this would’ve sent her running with her cheeks burning, but this time, all she could think about was Tom.Tom knew everything! She spilled ALL of her secrets to him and majority of them centered on Harry. And now that Tom would have figured out that she got rid of his diary, he could tell Harry in revenge!She walked up to a wall and placed her forehead on the cool stone. She was in so much trouble. Her only hope was that maybe Harry had not figured out how to talk to Tom yet.As the stone cooled her forehead, a thought became clear in her mind - there was more she could do than just hope.She was only starting to calm down when someone made her jump.“Ginny?”She whirled around, worried that it was Harry again.“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Merlin smiled and raised his hands apologetically. “I just wanted to ask if by any chance you’ve seen that enchanted book that you threw away?”Her heart banged so loudly, she wondered if he could hear it.“I don’t have it.”He stared at her like he didn’t quite believe her. Why was he so pushy about it?She wasn’t surprised that Harry didn’t show Tom’s diary to him yet, even though they were friends. Tom had that effect, wanted to be kept hidden.“That’s good then.”She tried to smile to assure him that everything was fine, but a cold feeling filled her stomach. Merlin was convinced that the book was dangerous, that it could cause harm. Now, Harry could get hurt by it.“If you’re ever in trouble, ask me for help, Ginny.”“Thanks… I guess.”“Come, we don’t want to be late.”Now that he invited her, she had no choice but to let him walk her to class.On their way, she contemplated telling him that Harry had the book, but then she worried that the two of them would sit down and start asking Tom questions. They would laugh at her silly crush and she would never get her chance with Harry.No, she couldn’t tell him. Tom was her problem.The stairs leading to the Gryffindor Tower had to have extended by several kilometers today. At least, that’s what it felt like to climb them on achy feet. Jack wildly fantasized about “accidentally” losing his shoes in some violent fashion to end the torture.”Since Lockhart won’t be coming back, do I still have to read that Holiday with Hags book?” Colin asked.“Don’t bother with any of them,” Jack answered. “You’re not missing anything.””Good. I don't know how I'd find the time. I’m still not fully caught up with all subjects. But that Magical Me book was really funny, especially the part where he described how many steps he took in choosing what to wear.”Merlin was in one of his serious moods this evening and Colin seemed determined to cheer him up.”I had a funny dream last night. We were all knights in a medieval army. We wore shiny armor, held these long, heavy swords, and rode on horses - the whole knight package. And then a troll was in our way. And then you,” he addressed Merlin, ”jumped off your horse and pointed your sword at him. But it was no longer a sword, it was a long stick with a blue tip, and then a lightning bolt struck him, but the sky was blue, not a cloud in sight. And the troll exploded into smoke. And then, the smoke dispersed but it turned out that it wasn't smoke - it was bats! Hundreds of bats!”Jack giggled at the visual. Colin had the best dreams.”Then, they all gathered up into a ball and formed one giant bat. And Jack got off his horse, climbed that bat and flew away.”Merlin didn't even crack a smile. Maybe he wasn't listening?They exchanged a look, shrugged and snickered, both amused by their quiet companion.”Since I'm not reading the hag book, will you tell me what hags are?”Jack explained, “They look like ugly, old ladies even when they’re young but they’re far from frail. They have these long gnarly fingers and curved yellow fingernails.”He demonstrated a creepy finger curl and Colin giggled.”Don’t get me started on their feet - four nasty toes. They love their warts and want to be famous for them. Sometimes, they might grow a wart on top of a wart and go around showing it to each other. Bonus bragging rights if there’s a hair growing out of it.”“Eeeeew,” Colin chuckled.Jack wagged his finger in Colin’s direction. “They’re not the smartest but they have magic so that’s a scary combination. If one decides that you’ve offended her favorite shaggy goat, she might jinx you so bad, you’ll walk funny for a few days.”“Shaggy goat?” Colin kept chuckling. “How come you know so much about them?”Jack paused, thinking how to phrase this. “I’ve met some.““You left out the most important part,” Merlin spoke for the first time, surprising them. Maybe he was listening after all. “Their diet.”Jack flinched at the memories of watching hags eat raw meat, digging into it with their long fingernails.“What’s their diet?” Colin asked.“Hags are known to steal children - to eat them. So, if you ever see one, run.”Jack remained quiet but his head was spinning. He did not know that!He had a brief flashback of hags moving about, their backs bent, the screechy sound of their laughter, and how it annoyed him when they would pinch his cheeks, saying, “You look good enough to eat.”He never knew they meant that literally!This revelation put a new perspective on a lot of his memories. Didn’t Mother threaten him that she would give in and let them take him just because he annoyed her? A shiver ran down his spine when he realized that he was always only one cheeky retort away from getting eaten.Sure, maybe she could control them, they always obeyed her, but why did she even associate with them? She was a monster just like they were.“Did you leave your new camera in the Study Hall?” Merlin asked when they stopped by the portrait of the Fat Lady.Colin gasped and patted his neck and chest, looking for the camera strap. “Oh, no. I was sure I grabbed it. I triple-checked! I’m such a scatterbrain.”And he ran back down, leaving the two of them alone.Merlin was quiet again as they made their way to their dorm and Jack was painfully reminded of his aching feet. The Common Room fireplace danced hapily as if asking him to throw these torture devices in. Watching them burn would feel so good.Despite how much he hated these shoes, the pain was a welcome distraction from the turmoil in his head. As winter was coming to a close, the passage of each day felt like the ticking of a clock. Mother was coming and they had no plan.Merlin seemed to be very knowledgeable about wizard laws and customs and Jack was tempted to tell him a part of the truth about his mother to seek his advice. There had to be something they could do. While they waited for Colin, it was a perfect timing to bring up the issue.Once in the dorm, Merlin slammed the door with magic, making Jack flinch in surprise.He stood with his arms crossed and got straight to the point. “You told Hermione that I fancy her?”Jack scratched his head, barely able to remember that day. “That was a long time ago.”Merlin opened his mouth and closed it like he couldn’t find the right words. Jack tried to get out of his torturous shoes but they were putting up a fight.Merlin shook his head and made wide hand gestures. “You cannot say things like that!” His voice too loud for the small room. “Unless you’re sure that it is true, don’t just assume and blabber it!”“But… I was sure. Why else would you be spending so much time with her? Don’t pretend that you really needed tutoring!”Merlin looked away and exhaled heavily like he wanted to punch something.“So you don’t fancy her?”“I don’t.”Jack shifted on his feet, it was like his soles were made of needles.“But then why did you… Potter? You hung out with her to get closer to Potter?” Merlin didn’t react and that seemed to confirm it. “You fancy him?”“NO!” Merlin boomed and Jack stumbled backwards onto his bed, sitting down with a plop. Merlin advanced a step. “I don’t fancy anyone. Just get it out of your head!”Jack hunched down instinctively, suddenly reminded of all the times Mother towered over him this way.“I’m sorry,” he whispered.“The last thing I need is for you to tell Harry nonsense like that! Do you ever think before you speak?”Jack’s throat felt tight as he realized that he might lose his best friend over a stupid mistake.Merlin huffed, standing above him. “Never mess with people’s emotions. She took the rejection pretty well but your foolish mistake had the potential to break her heart. She did not deserve that!”Merlin was right. He was stupid. A useless freak of nature like him should just stay quiet and never say anything. Bad things happened when he told people what he thought. He was kidding himself, he obviously did not know how to act human and wasn't fooling anyone.Jack felt so small at the moment like he was made of nothing at all, like he could evaporate at any second. He would run away if he had somewhere to run to but all of his friends were here - if he still had any left.“Shit,” Merlin said, getting Jack’s attention. He’s never heard him swear before. “I didn’t mean to make you cry again.”Jack gritted his teeth and put every effort into keeping his eyes dry. “I’m not. It’s just these shoes...”He pried them off at last, thankful that he had a reason to not look Merlin in the eye. He couldn’t let himself cry in front of him again. He bet Potter never cried. He shouldn’t even be upset. It wasn’t like he’s never been yelled at before.“Oh, Jack,” Merlin kneeled down. “How long has this been going on?”He put his hands over Jack’s sore feet and emitted some warm magic which healed the blisters away.“A few weeks,” Jack whispered and sighed in relief. He forgot what it was like to not be in pain.Merlin took the cursed shoes and sat down on his bed.“You outgrew them, that’s all.”He hovered his hand over them, said a spell which Jack roughly translated to “fit the feet that wear you,” and sat them down on the floor. “They’ll fit now.”“Thank you.”Merlin sighed heavily. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”Jack stared at his loafers, feigning interest in them, but really, avoiding further looking at him, afraid that he would provoke his anger further. He stayed quiet just in case. It usually worked with Mother.Merlin started unloading his bookbag. “Let’s just forget this misunderstanding.”Jack was spared having to respond as Colin came back.“I can’t find my camera anywhere! I searched on top and under every table. Do you think someone took it?”“It’s right over there,” Merlin pointed at Colin’s nightstand where the camera was sitting, unbothered by anyone.“How?” Colin picked it up and looked at it from all angles. “I had it with me earlier. How did it get here?”Merlin busied himself with getting ready for bed. “It is a magic castle after all.”Colin looked confused but for lack of any explanation, he dropped the issue.Jack’s brain felt like it was put through a grinder so he climbed into bed, wanting this day to be over already.He snuck a peek at Merlin. He couldn’t even remember why he told Hermione his suspicion. Merlin was right, he had to learn how to think before speaking. Awful things happened when he was honest.“I had so much fun in Charms today,” Colin said from his bed. “It’s definitely my favorite class. What’s yours?”“Now, that Lockhart’s gone, I like Defense Against the Dark Arts although it depends which teacher we get.” Merlin turned to Jack, who blanched, having been caught staring. “What about you, Jack?”His voice was friendly and did not have the sharp undertone from before. Did he forgive him for messing up?“I like them all,” Jack said quietly.“Even History of Magic?” Merlin joked and Colin giggled.“Great time to catch up on some sleep.”“True,” Merlin said, “or work on the dreaded Potions essays. Although, you probably don’t even have to try. Snape will give you a good grade anyway.”“That’s not true. He likes me because I’m good at Potions. If I start delivering rubbish, that will change.”“Merlin is good at Potions and Snape does not like him,” Colin pointed out, lifting his head.“He despises me with all his heart,” Merlin said with pride. “And it’s mutual.”Jack never understood what exactly was going on between those two but Merlin’s mood always changed in Snape’s presence. He would become confrontational and daring like he wanted to get in trouble.“You probably hold a record on detention times with him this year.”Merlin grinned. “Worthy achievement.”Colin yawned and turned to his side. “I’m tired. Good Night.”“Sleep tight. Don’t let the hags bite,” Merlin joked in an undertone.Jack snickered. For such a serious guy, Merlin had a good sense of humor.“That’s kind of scary,” Colin murmured.“Sorry for spooking you,” Merlin said. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here. There are wards on the castle and the grounds made specifically to keep hags out.”This assured Colin who eventually dozed off and started quietly snoring.But Jack couldn’t sleep. All he could think of now was how much he wished there were protections around the school to keep out his mother as well.“Where’s Ron?” Merlin asked Harry when he caught up with him in the morning.“He’s helping Neville look for his pet toad.”“Is it a magical toad?”Harry stopped and scratched his messy hair. “I don’t actually know.”Then, Harry’s smile faded as he looked at something behind Merlin.A tall wizard holding a cane walked past them, his pale-blond hair billowing behind him like a cape. Merlin recognized him as Malfoy Sr. A step behind, Dobby the House Elf followed him, looking pitiful in his dirty pillowcase. Malfoy Sr. shot a sneering glance at Harry who returned the glare.Merlin couldn’t miss an opportunity like that. They still hadn’t caught the culprit behind the attacks and the answer could be right here. He slowly followed them and dived into the wizard’s mind.
Foolish boy, getting himself caught like that, giving me more work.
Malfoy was only thinking about Draco who was in trouble with the school for some reason. His thoughts were not on the Chamber of Secrets or the Heir of Slytherin at all.Something stopped him, and Merlin snapped out of the wizard’s mind to find Harry grabbing his arm.“Where are you going?”“That’s Dobby.”“I know. I was just saying that he must serve the Malfoy family.”“Do you know why Malfoy is here?”They watched the wizard be greeted by Snape who led him towards the Headmaster’s office.Harry snickered. “Probably about Draco, trying to buy his way out of suspension.”“How did he get suspended?”“He shot a curse at Filch! Can you imagine? Not that all of us didn’t want to do it at one time or another but to actually do it?” Harry chuckled and shook his head. “I heard that he was trying to frame Nix for starting it but Filch insisted he wasn’t even there.”Merlin recalled how Snape was discussing something with Jack that involved Malfoy and the boy was acting all innocent. Snape believed him over a son of a prominent pure-blood family? How Jack managed to do that was a mystery.“Honestly, I believe Malfoy,” Harry continued. “Nix is always trying to provoke a fight. He got Ron in trouble too. I don’t know how he always manages to slither out of trouble himself.”“He’s cunning,” Merlin sighed. “He knows how to cause mischief without getting caught.”“He should be in Slytherin then,” Harry mumbled. “Would be less trouble for all of us.”“I’m not sure about that. Can you imagine if he was on Malfoy’s side? Malfoy’s cruelty and Jack’s resourcefulness would make for a very bad combination.” He wished he didn’t always have to defend one boy from the other. “He’s a good kid, Harry. Don’t write him off.”Merlin continued staring at the gargoyles guarding the entrance to Dumbledore’s office, thinking about Malfoy and his House-Elf and what their involvement might be. The Heir had to be caught to put this whole problem to rest and the answer was so close by.Merlin considered hanging outside the office to eavesdrop on Malfoy’s mind. Maybe eventually he would think about the Chamber.If it came to that, should he force his way in? The wizard would feel that someone broke into his mind unless he put him to sleep or modified his memories afterwards, but it would be difficult to do that around witnesses. He wondered if Dumbledore would be for or against a plan like that. It was difficult to tell with the old wizard.“You’re taking that scarf apart.” Harry snapped him back to reality. “I just thought I should warn you.”Merlin looked down, and sure, he didn’t even notice that he was picking at a loose thread and the scarf was unraveling. He could fix it later. He let it go and huffed in frustration.“What’s eating at you?”“Dobby,” Merlin answered, pointing at the gargoyles. “That House-Elf knows something about the Heir of Slytherin but is bound to secrecy as long as he serves Malfoy.”“You think if he wasn’t bound to the Malfoys, he’d tell us what he knows?”“He’d tell you. He’s a big fan of yours.”“So how do we free him?”Merlin’s lips turned into a grin.“You want to free Malfoy’s servant?”That was beyond naughty, approaching villainous, essentially theft, but it could work.“Here’s what you do.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Merlin ran from the Owlery back to the castle, positively giddy at the thought of what they were about to do. Harry was guarding his post at the corner of Dumbledore’s office.“They’re still in there,” he confirmed. “How will the owl know when to come?”“I’ll call it.”Thankfully, Harry didn’t question how, which was good since Merlin didn’t have a lie handy to explain the magic he was planning to use.They didn’t have to wait long. Malfoy Sr. soon came out with Snape and Dobby right behind. Merlin waited with Harry in the shadows until they passed and then stealthily followed.“Dumbledore is the worst thing that ever happened to this school,” Malfoy commented. “Very poor judgement.”“We work with what we have, Lucius,” Snape responded in his monotone voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll oversee his detentions and will go easy on him.”Merlin resisted an urge to say something. He bet Draco wouldn’t have to wash dirty cauldrons or dice pungeous onions. No, that punishment was only reserved for Gryffindors.Malfoy scoffed. “Detentions. Even that is too much. What about that other boy that Draco said was involved?”“I questioned him myself. It appears that the encounter with the boy happened before the incident. Maybe Draco was distraught and took out his frustration on Filch, who knows. It’s done.”“He needs to learn to control himself,” Malfoy complained.“I’m sure he will with age.”Even though they made no noise as they followed them outside, Dobby noticed them. Harry put a finger to his lips and the Elf stayed quiet. Merlin sent a magical message to the owl to signal that it was time.Snape continued walking Malfoy out to the gate where a carriage awaited. There was nothing to hide behind up ahead so they couldn’t follow any further and took cover behind a bush.“Dobby,” Merlin whispered and the Elf turned to him. Those big ears did give him a better hearing. “When he gives you the package, open it.”Dobby looked confused and walked backwards for a moment but then turned around and ran back to his master.A large owl swooped down with a neatly wrapped box, screeched to get the wizards’ attention, and dropped the package in Malfoy’s hands. He sagged under the weight - Merlin put a bunch of rocks in it to make it heavy - and gave it to Dobby, barely glancing at it.“Valentine’s Day gift,” he chuckled and covered his perfect teeth with the back of his hand. “Late too. Atrocious delivery service.”Snape grumbled something Merlin couldn’t hear from his spot and opened the gate for them.Dobby looked at the package in his hands and then at the bush where Merlin and Harry were.“Open it. Open it. Open it,” Harry whispered to himself, shaking from excitement. “Open it, Dobby.” Then, he said to Merlin, “Do you think he heard you? Will he know what to do?”Dobby still looked like he was afraid to open the box so Merlin helped him out by popping the lid off with a little magic.The Elf’s eyes became larger than tennis balls and he gently put down the box on the ground.Malfoy was getting in the carriage and noticed what his servant was doing. “Dobby! You useless…”“Thank you, master,” Dobby said and pulled out the small object out of the box. “Master presented Dobby with a sock.”Malfoy got out of the carriage. “What is the meaning of this?”“Dobby is free. Thank you, master.”“What? No, I didn’t give it to you. You’re not free! Severus, help me here.”Snape looked at the box and at the sock which Dobby was pulling onto his oversized foot, but didn’t have any help to offer.“This package wasn’t for you, clearly,” Malfoy insisted and picked up the lid to read the label.As he stared at it, Harry whispered to Merlin, “What did you put on the label?”“Just Happy Valentine’s Day.”He still had a hard time believing his plan worked. The wizard was so used to people sucking up to him, he didn’t even question getting an anonymous gift a day after Valentine’s Day.Malfoy growled and threw the lid at Dobby who easily swerved out of the way and admired the sock on his foot. He would’ve been even more excited if he knew it was Harry’s sock.“Who sent it?” Snape asked.“No name! Someone lost me my servant! This was deliberate, Severus. Who did this?”They scanned the grounds but didn’t see Merlin and Harry, who were well hidden in their bush.As soon as he thought those words, Dobby looked in their direction with a big goofy smile and Malfoy followed his line of vision. Merlin was ready to turn on his glamour on them, expecting the wizard to furiously stomp in their direction, but instead, the pale-head pulled out his wand and was about to send a curse their way.He never got a chance to because Dobby sent a blast of magic which knocked him off his feet.“You shall not harm Harry Potter!” Dobby said in the most confident voice Merlin ever heard from any House-Elf.“He outed you,” Merlin said in a frustrated whisper. Dobby was a fierce protector but wasn’t very sharp.“Potter?” Malfoy growled from his spot while Snape pointed his wand at the elf.“You dare attack a wizard?”Before Greasy Git could do anything, Dobby disapparated with a loud pop and appeared right next to Merlin and Harry. He was about to start babbling but Merlin covered his mouth and instead hid all three of them with glamour.He did it just in time because Snape ran over to the bush.“No one here,” he said but continued staring at the ground where they crouched.Malfoy shook the dust off his pristine suit and got into the carriage. They could still hear his swearing as he rode away.Snape stood in front of the bush for a beat, but then huffed and walked back inside, his black cloak billowing in the wind.Merlin waited a minute longer to ensure he didn’t come back before releasing the glamour.“That is such a cool trick,” Harry said and clapped him on the back. “It’s like an invisibility cloak you carry around with you.”The Elf looked at Harry with tears in his huge eyes. “You set Dobby free.”Merlin’s hand dived into his pocket but he paused right before touching his crystal, worried that he was going to get a vision again if he used it. He reminded himself to stop being afraid of the visions. He got them for a reason and had to let them come. He closed his fingers around it and sighed in relief when he felt strength pour back into him and nothing else.“Dobby will be forever thankful,” the Elf wasn’t done in his gratitude. “I can serves an honorable master now.”Merlin remembered why they went through the motions to release the Elf from his loyalties. He grabbed the pillowcase clothing and asked him urgently, “Dobby, what do you know? Why did you think that Harry was in danger?”Dobby gasped and answered in a rush, “Master Malfoy planted a book on a Hogwarts student. It’s imbued with Dark Magic, sire. It contains the memories of Heir of Slytherin who left it behind so someone would finish the work he started.”Harry shouted, “Tom is the Heir? Now it makes sense! That’s why he framed Hagrid! I’m so stupid for not putting it together. Merlin, I still have that book!”Merlin nearly fell over from surprise. Were they all thinking about the same book?They left Dobby with a quick goodbye and ran to the Gryffindor Tower.Merlin was energized by this new discovery. It all started with the book and would end with it. He could destroy it, stop the danger to Ginny and resolve the problem with the Heir of Slytherin. It would all be over in just a minute. Oh, what luck that Harry was the one who found it!“There you are,” Ron caught up to them. “I was looking everywhere… Why are we in a hurry?”Harry explained, “The diary, Ron. It’s the diary of the Heir of Slytherin!”“Blimey,” Ron breathed out. “I told you there was something wrong with it.”“How did you get that book?” Merlin asked while keeping the fast pace with the boy.“I asked Moaning Myrtle why she flooded her bathroom. She got upset because someone threw this little book into her toilet and it went right through her.”Merlin’s disgust must have shown on his face because Harry asked, “What?”“You pulled a book out of a toilet?”“It was on the floor. It came out when Myrtle flooded… Stop looking at me like that. No one uses Myrtle's toilets!”Kids! It didn’t matter where an object came from. If it was interesting enough, they’d pick it up.“I tried to talk him out of taking it,” Ron pointed out. “I warned you that it could be dangerous. Didn’t I?”Harry sighed. “Yes, you did. I don’t know why I took it or why I kept it. I can’t really explain it. It was like…”Merlin understood. “Like it wanted you to hold onto it.”“Yeah.”“Just for the future, Harry, if an object makes you feel things or do things, it is a sign that you shouldn’t touch it. Especially if it’s been in a toilet.”“Drop it, Polite One.” Harry shoved him playfully and sped up his stride. “What will we do with it?”“We’ll bring it to Dumbledore so he can get rid of it properly.”They stopped in their tracks upon seeing the state of Harry’s dorm. Clothes, books, and rolls of parchment were strewn on the floor, especially around one messy bed. Harry stuck his hand under the mattress.Even before he said the words, Merlin knew what he was going to say.“Someone stole the diary.”Earlier that day, Ginny waited until everyone went down for breakfast and snuck to Harry’s dorm. She rummaged inside the trunk that had his initials on it, pulling everything out. She checked the nightstand, pulled the drawer out and emptied it. She threw everything out of the cupboard and checked the pockets of his clothes. It wasn’t there. Where did he keep it?Her eyes landed on his bed which hadn’t been made yet. She threw the cover off, checked inside the pillowcases and stuck her hand under the mattress. Finally, she pulled out what she was looking for - Tom’s diary.Of all the people the diary could have found its way to, what were the odds that it had to be Harry? It was like fate was working against her!She felt a sudden need to open the book but resisted it and stuffed it in her pocket instead. She snuck out and sprinted to her dorm, unseen by anyone. Once there, she dropped it to the floor, fighting the growing need to clutch it close to her chest.She forgot how intensely the book affected her but she was able to fight it. It was only magic and she was a witch!Oh, if only she could have the assurance that Harry hadn’t talked to Tom yet. She could ask Tom but would he answer truthfully? He was probably going to be angry that she threw him away.No, she couldn’t risk writing to Tom anymore. The sleepwalking and the fatigue that she was feeling before would likely resume again. Not to mention, the whole thing with people ending up petrified - she didn’t fully understand it but couldn’t deny that it was connected. It didn’t escape her notice that there had been no attacks at all after she got rid of the book.She threw a fire spell at it and bombarded it with the most destructive spells she knew but they did nothing. The diary was protected by its magic.There was another option. She could throw it to the bottom of the Great Lake, weighed down by something heavy and no one would find it there. No one would be in danger and no one would find out what she had told Tom.She stuffed it in her pocket with great difficulty, it was begging to be held, and it took all her willpower to not pull it out. How did she manage it before? Ah, she didn’t. She always gave in to the feeling, unaware of how much control it had over her. What would it have done to her if she did not throw it out that day in December?‘Fight it, Ginny,’ she told herself. ‘Don’t open it. Don’t let Tom suck you in again.’The strength of its pull only proved what Merlin told her before - this book was dangerous.As she started to make her first steps down to the common room, she feared that she wasn’t going to make it all the way to the Lake. With each second, the battle within her mind became more ferocious, and she clasped her hands, straining to keep one of them from reaching into the pocket.The common room was empty except for Fred and George who sat at a table, doing their homework. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold on to free will and resist Tom’s pull. There was no other choice left. She needed help getting rid of this diary.She made her way towards them, her feet felt heavy, each step was harder than the last, but she dragged on, determined not to let the magic of the diary overpower her.“Hi, Ginny,” George smiled at her and she tried to return it.At this moment, Percy came down and stared at her intently like those times when he was looking for students who were breaking the rules. Could he tell that she was in possession of something that could get her expelled? She was sure that objects imbued with Dark Magic were forbidden. Would he tell on his own sister? She couldn’t let him know. Fred and George were the safer bet.The urge to pull the diary out reminded her of why she walked up to the twins and gave her the strength to speak up.“I need to tell you something.”They were listening, fully focused on her.‘Say it,’ she urged herself. ‘Ask for help.’“I…”“Hey, Ginny.” Percy walked up, put his hands on her shoulders and steered her away. “Sorry, I just need to talk to her.”He dragged her to the side and checked that they were out of anyone’s earshot.“Ginny, I thought we agreed on this.”She blinked up at him, unsure of what he wanted. In her pocket, the diary pulsed with power.“I thought you were going to keep my secret, Ginny. You can’t tell anyone.”While her mind was on Percy, her hand involuntarily reached into her pocket.“If anyone finds out, I could lose my Prefect badge.”When her hand touched the diary, she felt relief as if everything she ever needed was right there.“Be a good sister and stay quiet. Forget what you saw!”Ginny felt so much better. Everything was going to be fine now.“I won’t tell anyone, Percy,” she answered with a relaxed smile. “I’m good at keeping secrets.”Under Percy’s watchful gaze, Ginny walked past the twins and had a vague impression that someone called after her, but she ignored it, eager to feel that happiness of having a true friend again. She went back to her dorm where she picked up a quill.
Hi Tom. I missed you.

Ginny? Where have you been?

I had a moment of weakness but I’m back now. We can be friends again.

Perfect. I know just what we could do together.

Tom, one thing still bothers me. Does your diary have something to do with all those people who were petrified?

Don’t worry, Ginny. It’s over now. I have a better plan.

What plan?

One that is all about you, Ginny.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“It could only have been a Gryffindor,” Ron said, sitting down on his bed.Harry looked at the mess of his things with a depressed resignation, not in the mood to clean it up yet.Merlin was sure that Ginny had found out that Harry had the book and took it back. Was she in her dorm now?Why didn’t she tell him? He tried to genuinely assure her that he could help her but somehow she didn’t trust him.He was really getting tired of all the secrets. If everyone just communicated, shared what they knew with each other, they could have resolved this mystery months ago instead of running around like headless chickens, having all the answers right in front of them, but without those crucial pieces of information, unable to put the clues together.Ah, but he was guilty of this as well, wasn’t he? He had not told Harry and Ron what he knew either.Suddenly, he felt a pull deep inside him and it took him a moment to recognize what it meant - someone activated the ward he had set up in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom.He had a moment of hesitation. He didn’t want to endanger Harry again and was tempted to deal with the problem on his own, but two thoughts changed his mind. One - it was time to stop with the secrets. Two - the vision showed Harry stab the book with the Gryffindor sword. It was a clue that Harry was destined to be the one to destroy it. He had to be involved.“I know where she is!” Merlin said and turned around.“Who?” Harry called after him.Merlin didn’t stop, not wanting to waste any time. Thankfully, the boys took the cue and followed him.“Ginny,” he answered while walking through the portrait hole.“My sister? What about her?”“She took the book.”“How do you know?”While walking down the stairs, they bumped into Hermione who was coming back from her classes.“Harry, you never showed up to Charms,” she complained as if he had committed a crime.Merlin grabbed her arm and steered her to go with them.“What’s going on?”“Explanations later,” Merlin said curtly and continued down.“Ginny is in Dumbledore’s office?” Harry asked when he saw where Merlin led them to.Merlin knocked and tapped his foot while waiting to be let in but no one answered and no sounds came from the inside. He finally pulled the handle and barged in.The large office was empty and the kids hung by the door, hesitant to come inside. Thankfully, the sword wasn’t well hidden. Merlin pulled it out of a tall cabinet and immediately gave it to Harry.Harry exchanged an unsure look with Ron but took the sword.“Merlin, what’s going on?” Hermione asked when they left the room.“Ginny Weasley is in danger. She has that book. It’s the book of Heir of Slytherin, Hermione. He’s been controlling her all this time.”Hermione gasped but didn’t demand any more explanations. Merlin led them to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and barged in, not caring about the ghost.“GET OUT!” Myrtle shrieked when she saw them but they ignored her.“Again?” Harry asked, looking at the sink he had opened just a few weeks ago.“Again,” Merlin sighed.Harry spoke in Parseltongue, revealing the entrance and they all jumped into the slimy pipe, leaving Myrtle’s shrieks behind.They went through the familiar underground and splashed through the wet ground of the gloomy tunnel, which did not feel as sinister now when they knew that there was no monster hiding within.They could see someone at the end right before the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. It was a teenage boy, aged sixteen or so, who stood over Ginny who laid motionless on the floor.“Ginny!” Ron exclaimed.The kids ran up to her while Merlin faced the teen who had to be the Heir of Slytherin. The dark-haired handsome boy wearing a Hogwarts uniform looked oddly familiar but Merlin couldn’t remember where he could have met him.The boy looked at them with a charming smile but when he saw Merlin, his mask slipped.“You’re supposed to be dead.”“Sorry to disappoint,” Merlin murmured. It bothered him that he couldn’t place the boy’s face. He definitely met him before.The teen did nothing to stop them, so Merlin kept an eye on him while crouching down to check Ginny’s vitals. She was alive but barely. Her skin was pale, her heart rate slow.“It won’t be long,” the boy said.Harry looked up at him. “What did you do to her, Tom?”Ron had a look of madness in his eye, pulled out his wand and shot a “Stupify” at the teen but his wand malfunctioned again and only a puff of smoke came out the end.Tom laughed but then Harry repeated the spell Ron couldn’t cast. It met its target but went through him as if he was a ghost. No, a ghost would’ve felt that.“You can’t touch me. I’m only a memory but not for much longer.” He eyed Ginny who laid on the floor, her breaths slow. “Then, we can play.”“Why?” Ron demanded with a squeak in his voice.“Stupid girl made it too easy.” His charming smile was slipping again. “It’s her life for mine.”Ron tried to tackle him to the ground but fell right through him. They truly couldn’t do anything. How was this even possible?“What spell did you put her under?” Hermione asked.“I suppose I can tell you.” He glanced in the direction of the narrow opening to the Chamber of Secrets. “You’ll be a meal for my friend anyway. You’ll never leave these tunnels.”Ron said, “What? But…”“Ron,” Merlin interrupted and shot a warning thought at Harry.
Don’t tip him off about the Basilisk. Keep his attention here so he tells us everything.
Harry nodded in acknowledgment and took the lead, “What are you trying to do, Tom?”“Well, I’ve been dying to meet you face to face, Harry Potter,” Tom answered with his nose held high. “I had to find out who this boy was who defeated the greatest wizard to ever be born. For months, Ginny's been pouring her heart out to my diary, and little by little, I started to absorb her life force. She nearly got away but as soon as she touched my diary again, I had full control over her. I meant for her to die at the feet of Salazar Slytherin’s statue but she didn’t make it that far, and so this tunnel will be her burial place as well as yours. You can’t stop this. The process is nearly complete.”Ron whined next to his little sister and Hermione had to hold him back from lunging at the spectre in front of them. Merlin guessed that once Tom absorbed all of Ginny’s life force, he would be semi-human again and they could attack him but that would kill the girl. They had to find a different way.He noticed the sword which Harry dropped on the ground and remembered his vision. The book - Tom’s diary - was the key but where was it?Tom spoke loudly in Parseltongue.“He just called the monster,” Harry translated.“Your Parselmouth skills will not help now. He will only obey Slytherin’s Heir - me.”They already knew this, of course, since Harry couldn’t control the Basilisk before. They had little time left before Tom realized that the monster was not coming and tried to speed up taking the girl’s life.“Who are you?” Harry demanded while Merlin frantically scanned the surroundings for signs of the diary.Tom used his wand to write in the air and the letters hung suspended in light.TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE.Merlin’s eyes bulged. He remembered who Tom Riddle was. He met him a decade ago in amid a battle when Tom was an adult.The teen waved his wand and the letters of his name rearranged into:I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.They had to act quickly. While the kids were properly shocked at the news that young Voldemort stood before them, Merlin pretended to check on Ginny while in fact, he started searching her robes.“How did an insignificant baby defeat me at the height of my power?” Tom said while eyeing Harry.Merlin had to give it to the boy. Despite the shock of knowing who was in front of him, he looked ready to stand up to him in defense of Ginny. Godric Gryffindor would’ve been proud.“How did you do it?” Tom insisted.Merlin finally felt something in Ginny’s pocket, carefully pulled it out and laid it down behind her.“I don’t even know,” Harry spat. “I guess you’re not as powerful as you thought.”“A mere memory of me can bring down this school,” Tom said with confidence but his eyes travelled sideways in the direction to the Chamber. He was probably wondering where his monster was.Merlin picked up the sword and put the handle in Harry’s palm.“What do you think you’ll do with that?” Tom said with a smirk. “You can’t fight a Basilisk with a measly sword.”“The Basilisk is dead,” Merlin said and watched Tom’s shocked expression.Just as the boy turned around to look inside the Chamber, Harry lifted the sword, understanding its purpose without further explanations, and brought it down to the small book on the floor.“NO!” Tom screamed.Ink started to pour out of the little book like blood and Tom halted in place. His face held horror as light started to fill him and destroy him from the inside. He disappeared without a trace as if he never was.A gasp brought their attention to the small figure on the floor. Ginny opened her eyes and Ron immediately hugged her, followed by Hermione and Harry.She looked at the diary on the ground which now had a big hole in it.“It was me. I released the monster, didn't I?” Ginny said in a shaky voice while taking in her surroundings.“It’s over now,” Harry said, holding his sword with pride.“I’m going to be expelled,” the girl worried.“You were a victim, Ginny. You’re not at fault,” Merlin assured her.Hermione cautiously picked up the destroyed book. “So all it took was to stab it with something?”“Not just something.” Merlin pointed at Harry’s sword. “This isn’t an ordinary sword.”“What’s special about it,” Harry asked, “besides looking cool?”“This type of weapon absorbs only that which makes it stronger. You used it to kill the Basilisk so now it is imbued with its venom. I can only imagine what else it could have been used for over the millenium. It’s a very powerful weapon.”He supposed its power might equal Excalibur which was imbued with the magic of the Great Dragon - Kilgharrah.“I can’t believe I nearly set free a second You Know Who,” Ginny whispered. “I’m sorry, Merlin. I would’ve told you when I learned that Harry had the diary, but I thought I could handle it and could get rid of it myself. I was so stupid.”“The diary’s magic affected your judgment,” Merlin assured her. He didn’t want her to blame herself when she was the victim of the game Voldemort was playing.Once the initial shock of what had happened wore off and Ginny felt well enough, they walked back to the entrance and since they didn’t have any other option, Merlin used his magic to send them back up through the pipe. Thankfully, no one questioned how he was able to do yet another advanced piece of magic. Maybe by now they grew used to it.Merlin went with Harry to Dumbledore’s office to drop off the sword while Hermione and Ron took Ginny to the Hospital Wing to have her checked over by Madam Pomfrey. They caught the Headmaster on the way and explained to him what had happened.Apparently, he wasn’t in the office earlier because Tom Riddle made Ginny write another message on another wall: Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever, and the old wizard was on the way to the Chamber right now. It was funny how they got rid of Tom Riddle before Dumbledore even got there.“I’d like to have a word with Harry,” the old wizard said.“Sure,” Merlin inclined his head and gladly turned to leave. He was craving a nice bath and a nap.“Merlin,” Dumbledore called after him, “good work.”Two figures stood at the bank of the Great Lake. The setting sun illuminated their forms but set no shadows.Jack was throwing pebbles into the still surface and groaned when they didn’t bounce. Merlin picked up a few rocks and chose one he liked.“Pick a flat-looking pebble and angle it like this.”He swung his arm and the rock skipped three times before it disappeared in the water.“That’s so cool!”Jack crouched down to find that perfect pebble. Merlin helped him get in the right position and set it up. When Jack threw it, the rock skipped once before falling in.He broke into his lopsided smile and Merlin clapped him on the back.“I knew you could do it.”Jack jumped on top of a large rock and stood still, overlooking the mountains. Merlin sat down next to him, propped himself on his arms and relaxed.“You love it here, don’t you?”“Who wouldn’t? This place is perfect!”Jack lowered himself down, wanting to sit as well and slipped on the wet stone. He fell into the water which swallowed him without a splash.“Jack!”He was just beneath the surface but couldn’t swim up. Merlin thrust his hand into the water and their hands linked in a tight grip. Merlin grunted and pulled him up. He took him to the edge of the lake where Jack coughed and wiped the water out of his eyes.As he sat there, breathing heavily, water dripping from his white hair, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Thank Goddess you were here.”Merlin clapped him on the back and joked, “We, clumsy-heads, have to stick together.”They laughed.“Ms. Nix!”Elsa jolted awake when Sue Li nudged her arm. She was in a classroom and all eyes were on her.“Who did Emeric the Evil lose a duel to?” Professor Binns asked in his drone voice.She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and recalled reading about this. “E the E” won against “E the E” - that was how she remembered it.“Egbert the Egregious,” she said and was surprised at how mumbly it came out.“Correct. Five points to Ravenclaw.”He continued his lecture and the rest of the students went back to whatever they were doing to pass the time. She had a vague sense that she just dreamt of something but couldn’t remember what it was. It wasn’t a bad dream but it tickled her senses like it was familiar.Oh, well. It was only a dream.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A fly was buzzing against a windowpane, flying up and down, looking for a way out when just two feet over, another window was open. Ginny observed the insect and chewed on the chocolate Madam Pomfrey gave her - definitely the best remedy ever.This school year was an epic disaster. What were the odds that she was the one who ended up with the diary of a young Voldemort? He was so sneaky. He pretended to be a good friend who wanted to get to know her while really he probed her for information. He found out all her weaknesses and exploited them.She was afraid that she wouldn’t make friends in this new environment and so he ensured that she was dependent on him and didn’t make friends at all. She revealed that she had a crush on Harry and he kept her talking about him, bringing up Harry whenever she questioned him, knowing well the topic distracted her, all the while having a hidden agenda - he wanted to know how Harry could have defeated him so that later, he could exact his revenge.He used her to open the Chamber of Secrets. Colin, Justin and Mrs. Norris had some higher power looking after them since they avoided death by that monster. It couldn’t have been pure luck.All in all, Ginny felt used.She hoped she would remember this lesson forever: she had to learn how to trust her instincts. If she had listened to herself instead of letting Tom convince her, this mess would’ve been resolved earlier. She knew something was wrong. She knew she needed help. She knew better.The buzzing caught her attention again and she took another bite of the chocolate. She walked up to the window while the yummy goodness swirled on her tongue. She cracked the window open and the fly flew out.It was beautiful here - dark forest on one side, teeming with magical life, and snow-covered peaks in the distance. The air smelled crisp. It still felt like winter, but the lighter kind, no longer the harsh coldness that hurt your face, rather, the refreshing wind which swept away bad memories and made space for good ones.It wasn’t the end of the school year yet. She could still turn it around and make it the year of Ginny. She survived possession by the greatest dark wizard in centuries. She was a fighter.And Harry noticed her now, though maybe for the wrong reasons. At least she got a group hug which included him. That was a memory worth cherishing.Later that day, Madam Pomfrey let her out with an order to get plenty of rest and Ginny arrived at the Great Hall for the evening feast.Professor Dumbledore made a speech, assuring everyone that they could rest without further worries. In fact, the monster had been slain quite a while ago, but they kept it secret in order to catch the Heir of Slytherin. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Merlin each received recognition for bringing down Tom Riddle. He thankfully kept Ginny’s involvement quiet, but she wondered if the news would get out somehow anyway.Ginny gladly sat down with her brothers, even though Harry sat very close by. She was a new Ginny now. She had to be braver and couldn’t turn into a mess every time Harry looked at her. It was time he noticed her for the right reasons.Everyone celebrated the victory and the House Points the four heroes of the day brought in. it was her favorite evening feast this year until Fred and George stood up and banged their forks against their mugs to get Gryffindors’ attention.“Dear Harry,” Fred started.“We have a surprise present for you.”“A lost gift, which though late, you absolutely must receive.”“Since Professor Lockhart didn’t get to hire those singing dwarf cupids…”“... we’ll do the honors.”Fred pulled a folded paper from his pocket and Ginny recognized it immediately. Oh, no...The twins began to sing - each one a different melody but the same words:
His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,

His hair is as dark as a blackboard.

I wish he was mine, he's truly divine,

the hero who conquered the Dark Lord.
Everyone within earshot of the singing laughed out loud while Ginny put an awkward smile on her face, hoping no one would notice that her reaction was different. That poem was such a bad idea.“Who wrote that?” Harry asked, his cheeks red like tomatoes. It was actually really cute.“It’s an anonymous Valentine,” George answered.Fred added. “Should we sing it again?”Despite Harry’s protests, the twins repeated the song, few others joined in, and Harry put his face in his hands, embarrassed at the attention.Ginny started laughing at it too. Her poetic skills were absolutely atrocious. She should stick to Quidditch.Fawkes was practicing his disappearing act today which involved turning into his golden, fiery form and exploding in a blast of light which sent small objects flying around the Headmaster’s office.“Am I interrupting something?” Merlin asked, seeing the mess Fawkes left behind.“Come in, Merlin. Come in.”Albus waved his wand and brought the objects back to their places where they’d stay only until the Phoenix repeated the exercise.He summoned Merlin to his office with the intention to thank him in private for solving the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets and catching the Heir of Slytherin. Who knew how long it would’ve taken to find the culprit behind the attacks if not for this sorcerer. They could’ve had more attacks, the school could have been closed. There were talks in the Ministry of Magic to put poor innocent Hagrid in Azkaban prison just to put public minds at ease. And they would’ve sacked Albus from his position as the Headmaster.And so he was very thankful to the young sorcerer and knew of one way how he could repay the favor.“I apologize for not giving it to you sooner.”The cover of the old book he held was made of intricately embossed leather and reinforced with silver. Merlin squinted at it like he recognized it.“It has been among Hogwarts possessions for a long time.”Albus absentmindedly turned the book in his hands. He didn’t really want to part with it but it was time. Besides, how else would he learn what was in it?“They call it Merlin’s Book. Is it yours?”He hesitantly handed the volume to Merlin.“It looks familiar.”He gently opened it to the title page and his eyes widened in surprise. He turned a page with a trembling hand.“Albus, where did you get this? Do you realize what this is?”“Not really. No one has been able to decipher these runes. Can you?”Merlin turned a few more pages, closed the book, clutched it to his chest and closed his eyes.Albus wondered what the young sorcerer’s reaction was going to be. Was he going to be furious at him for not returning the book earlier? Albus kept it in hopes of unlocking its secrets with time but he was kidding himself. He should've let it go decades ago.A small smile formed on Merlin’s lips. “Albus, you have no idea what this means. All this time, I thought I was unworthy of it and that’s why she took it away.”“Who?”“The Goddess! I only got started translating it when it disappeared. I thought she took it and that’s why I stopped looking. To obtain this book, I had to get through quite a lot of trouble and I thought I had angered her, that she never meant for me to have this knowledge. But it was you, Salazar, wasn’t it?”Merlin turned to look up at the portrait of the Founder hanging above them.“You stole it!”Slytherin’s lips were in a tight line. “It was confiscated during a routine search for dangerous artifacts. It was Dark Magic! I had to remove it from your possession for everyone’s safety.”Merlin rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t even read it. How would you know what’s contained within it?”Slytherin held his gleaming head high. “How are you so sure that I couldn’t?”Merlin raised the book and shook it in front of the Founder’s eyes. “This is the last book of the Catha. They had their own language and developed their own runic alphabet to hide the secrets of their legacy so it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. No one like you would be able to decipher it.”Slytherin made a grumbling noise and Merlin turned back to Albus. The other Founders whispered among themselves.“Typical,” Gryffindor scoffed.“Shame on you, Salazar,” Hufflepuff scolded.“I would have worked with him to decipher it,” Ravenclaw said. “You were a foolish man, Salazar.”Salazar turned his back to them. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”“Thank you,” Merlin said to Albus. There was a hint of mistiness to his eyes. “I can resume my translation.”“So, what’s in it?” Albus wanted to at least resolve that mystery since he was parting with the book.“The Catha was an order of priests of Old Religion. When I was still in my youth, the last one of them was murdered without being able to pass on the secrets of his order. I thought their knowledge was lost until centuries later, I found this.” He lifted the book. “This is the last source of their knowledge. I’m so lucky that the book had not fallen apart yet. At least the Headmasters had treated it well.”Albus smoothed out his beard. “What type of knowledge is in there?”“I don’t even know. I didn’t get far enough in my translation to fully understand. The Catha were known for their powers of the mind. They could separate their consciousness from their body. I don’t know what they did with this ability, their practices were a well-guarded secret. Could they travel between realms? Astral projection? Could they manipulate time? Now, I can find out.” He wiped his eyes and grinned broadly. “Thank you. This is the best gift you could have given me.”“So you’re not angry that I didn’t give it to you earlier?”“At you? Nah. What would a few decades have changed?”Albus chuckled to himself. Oh, how little time meant to the immortal.“I’m only angry at myself,” Merlin continued, “because I let it slip through my fingers. And at Salazar but he’s dead already.”Merlin put the book on Albus’ desk, held his hand above it and chanted incantations in Old English. Albus wasn’t fluent enough to understand each word. Finally, satisfied with whatever he had just done, Merlin took the book back to hold it close to his chest.“Just a few wards,” he answered Albus’ questioning gaze. “I’ve learned a few handy tricks since Salazar times.” “Ow!” An older Ravenclaw student put a hand to her mouth. “It happened again.”“I don’t know how you keep biting your tongue. Maybe you should see Madam Pomfrey about it,” her friend offered.“Ya think?”As they passed, Merlin smirked in satisfaction. His curse was working, though he was disappointed that no one connected it to their filthy vocabulary yet. It was a matter of time.He strolled down the gloomy corridor, feeling younger than he had in months. This was how his time at Hogwarts was supposed to be: boring classes, watching over Harry, and hanging out with friends. He didn’t mind the action, it made time pass faster, but he completely appreciated the monotony of the daily student routine.He bumped into Professor Snape in the hallway and was tempted to ask if any of the Slytherin students complained to their Head of House about a strange increase in tongue-biting incidents.“Merlin, a word,” Greasy Git pointed with his eyes at a corner where they could speak in private.Merlin followed him with a light heart. He was in a good enough mood to consider taking the git’s curse away, letting him sit down for the first time in months. To his surprise, Snape did not ask about his curse.“Why did you free Malfoy’s House-Elf? What business is it to you?”Merlin was taken aback. How did he know?Snape understood his surprised look. “You and Potter left very visible footprints behind that bush. I figured you had to have used some invisibility spell. Who else could it have been?”Merlin grinned at him. “Good deduction.” It was curious that he didn’t give them away. He thought Snape was friends with Malfoy. “Dobby had information about the Chamber of Secrets. Freeing him was the only way.”Snape’s eyebrow twitched. “Are you insinuating…”“Yes. Malfoy Sr. was responsible for the attacks Hogwarts faced this year. A word of a House-Elf will not count in court, unfortunately, so we have no proof and he’ll get away with it. But I’m glad that we were able to foil his plan.”Snape remained quiet and looked at Merlin with judgment in his eye. “I’m glad there was a use for you after all.”Merlin rolled his eyes at the condescending tone. “So you’ll put up with me some more? Great.” He rubbed his hands and smiled wickedly. “I’ve been looking for someone to test a new curse on.”Snape flinched and involuntarily leaned away from him. “W-what?”“I call it The Pink Curse.”Snape’s upper lip lifted in a snarl. “When will you grow up, Merlin?”Merlin laughed. “Where’s the fun in that?”He clapped him on the back and walked away.“You’re not going to curse me, right?” Snape called after him. “I helped you. You’ll remember it, won't you?”The echo of Merlin’s laugh was a clear answer - no promises.Over the next few weeks, Greasy Git was on his best behavior and on Dumbledore’s suggestion, Merlin finally released the chair curse. But to keep him on his toes, he mentioned the Pink Curse from time to time. He truly did want to use it but wanted to stick to his word and wait for the git to slip up in his act. Someone like that could not possibly stay nice forever.He continued teaching Old Religion to the now seven children, including Colin. The boy could not perform the spells but was most fascinated with the topic and asked the most questions during each meeting.Merlin felt that he was finally doing things right. He was in the right place at the right time. It was his destiny to help Harry face the challenges that were coming for him. And who knew, maybe these children were the beginning of the revival of Old Religion? They made progress with their spells. They were getting the hang of telepathy - some better than others. Time would prove how far he could take them.Now, he also had the Catha book which he was sure was lost forever. He couldn’t wait for the school year to be over so he could dedicate all his time to it.After the harshest winter the area had seen in decades, spring came with a full swing and the highlands were bathed in sunlight. The bright weather reflected in the enchanted sky of the Great Hall put everyone in a good mood. Even the older students, who were studying diligently for their exams, took a moment to look up at the pretty clouds floating above them.Merlin sat at the table with his roommates and grinned silently as Colin described his latest dream.“I fell asleep during History of Magic because, you know, I always do, and I had the best dream ever! I was on the sofa in the Gryffindor common room and suddenly the floor disappeared. I screamed and held on for dear life, but instead of falling down into nothingness, the sofa slid down the moving staircases. It was like a rollercoaster! Then, it threw me off and I thought I would fall right into a portrait of this woman picking apples, but instead, I fell inside it and I passed by that apple orchard, grabbed one apple and fell out in front of the portrait of Merlin at the Grand Staircase.”“You mean that old Merlin?” Jack asked and glanced at Merlin who found it all amusing. “Do you think you’ll grow a long beard like that when you’re old?”Colin continued. “But that wasn’t the end! So I’m standing there in front of the old Merlin, holding an apple, and I ask him, Do you like apples? He answered, Yes, I do, and it sounded just like you, Merlin!”Merlin covered his mouth with his hand to contain a nervous giggle. No way that Colin’s dreams were going to out him!Jack grabbed an apple off the table and presented it to Merlin with exaggerated hand gestures.“Do you like apples?” he said while wagging his eyebrows.Merlin exploded with laughter. “Yes, I do.”The three of them laughed freely, but then suddenly, Jack went rigid in his seat and dropped the apple onto the table. He swallowed loudly and slowly turned his head towards the entrance to the Great Hall as if afraid to look. He quickly looked back at his plate, took a couple of breaths, then turned around to his sister who turned at the same moment. They exchanged a long silent look, got up and walked up to each other.“It’s so creepy when they do that,” Colin said, half-amused, biting into the apple. “And they used to do it even before you taught them telepathy.”“Jack?” Merlin called, wondering what the boy’s sudden mood change meant.But Jack didn’t answer. The twins clasped their hands and walked out of the Hall without a word. They stopped at the double-door entrance where McGonagall was speaking to a young woman.“Who’s that?” Colin asked.“No idea,” Merlin answered. “But Jack seemed to recognize her.”“Do you think they’re related? Like an older sister?”“Jack said he didn’t have other siblings.” But he supposed the boy could’ve lied about it.The twins were still clasping their hands tightly while the two women looked down at them. McGonagall appeared to be in one of her furious moods. The other woman’s mood was hard to discern as she shot a bored glance at the students in the Great Hall.She didn’t look like an ordinary witch. She was taller than McGonagall, wore a long sleeveless light-green gown and her loose hair splayed across her back in gentle blond curls.There was something about her Merlin couldn’t quite name. Maybe it was her dress, so different from the modern witch attire, or how she looked around with distaste as if she accidentally walked into a school lavatory.They all followed McGonagall and disappeared from view.Merlin’s curiosity intensified. He felt a need to eavesdrop in his usual fashion but hesitated because if she was related to them, then it was a family matter.He tried to resume a casual chat with Colin but deep down, his stomach clenched. He had a feeling that something was about to happen.It wasn’t his business but he had to know.He put a hand in his pocket to touch the crystal and let its magic seep into him. He cleared his mind, tuned out all senses and let his Mind’s Eye, now magnified by the crystal, travel the Hogwarts castle. He followed the two women and the twins as they walked towards McGonagall’s office, but when he got close enough to hear, the mysterious witch turned around, looked right at him and smirked as she spoke into his mind.
Merlin? How rude.
He was thrown back into his body against his wish and a chill went down his spine as the effects of her magic still lingered within him.This was the first time anything like that had ever happened. In a millenium and a half that he’s used this ability, no one had ever caught him.”Who is she?”As soon as he said those words, he understood a part of the answer. He had just met twins’ non-human parent and she recognized him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

To Hogwarts Witches and Wizards.

I believe that your school houses two children who belong to me. I will come tomorrow to collect them. I trust you will not prevent a reunion of a mother with her children.

Beira.
Minerva read and reread the short letter delivered to her by a raven this afternoon. She did not like this. Even though the letter did not describe the children this woman was looking for, she was sure she meant the Nix twins.They told her their mother was dead but Minerva had her suspicions that it was a lie. The way they spoke of her - children who have lost their only parent did not speak this indifferently of their loss. But they were scared, she was sure that the fear was not fake. And so their story became clear and simple - they ran away from their mother.While the rational part of her told her that children belonged with their mother, her instinct told her to be cautious. Minerva did not like the way this witch spoke of her children in the letter and she did not like that she used a raven to deliver the message. No one used these birds anymore because of their past association with Dark Magic. But this witch did not mind what conclusions Minerva would come to upon seeing her bird. Just what type of a witch was she?Her hands trembled when she folded the letter and stuffed it into a drawer. She didn’t warn the twins that their mother was coming for them, afraid that the news would prompt them to run away again. She couldn’t bear the thought of them out there on their own. They would have to deal with this mess the following day when she showed up.Besides, maybe she was wrong and this Beira was looking for other children. Perhaps.She couldn’t sleep all night. Her mind was swirling with worries, dreading the coming day.She had grown very fond of the twins and wanted what was best for them. Was it really in their best interest to be handed over to a woman who referred to them as her belongings? On the other hand, Minerva knew nothing of her. Maybe she was a good mother after all and the twins ran away for a stupid, childish reason like not wanting to do chores or disagreeing with discipline. She did not know the full story.She instructed Argus Filch to watch out for a visitor the next morning, but it turned out to not be necessary. She noticed the witch while on her way to lunch.She was taken aback by her appearance. She was a beautiful woman who looked too young to have twelve-year-old children but the resemblance was very clear, though her hair was naturally blond, not white. She carried herself with an air of authority and natural grace which so many women would kill for. She was the type of woman who knew how beautiful she was and wanted everyone to acknowledge it. Minerva didn’t like her already.“I am Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress. Are you Beira Nix?”The woman’s lip lifted as if she found Minerva funny but then she spoke in a no-nonsense matter, getting straight to the point.“You received my letter then. Let’s get on with this. I don’t have all day.”Elsa and Jack had already spotted her and made their way forward, confirming that this woman was indeed their mother.Minerva couldn’t help but look at them with harsh judgment. She did not like it that they lied to her. It was more than just disappointment, it was a feeling of betrayal. She truly cared for them as if they were her own family but they couldn’t even afford her the truth.“Follow me,” she said once the twins arrived.As she feared, there was no touchy reunion. Beira did not act like a worried mother who was thankful that her missing children were safe. Instead, she looked triumphant like she just won a battle. In the meantime, the twins looked scared. They didn’t dare look up, said nothing and held each other’s hands for comfort. Oh, why did they put her in this situation?She led them all to her office and observed the young witch with suspicion. Everything about her seemed to contradict that this woman was a witch. She wasn’t dressed like one, it honestly was too chilly for a sleeveless gown like that and even in warm weather, most witches were more conservative in their fashion. The leather pouch hanging from her belt was a strange substitute for a purse and Minerva wondered what was inside. She supposed a pouch could have been enchanted to hold larger objects and her wand could be stored there.And yet, this woman was not a Muggle or she wouldn’t have been able to get to the school so easily. The raven already proved that she did not partake with the wizarding community or she would have known that it would send a wrong message. This would also explain why she never reported her children missing. She was a part of some other community, something Minerva was not familiar with.If only the twins were not so secretive about their origins, then maybe all of this wouldn’t be such a surprise to her now.Beira looked down at her children and spoke to them for the first time.“And so here you are.”“Yes, Mother,” Elsa answered quietly, her eyes on the floor.“You made your mother worry,” she accused. “You just disappeared, didn’t even leave a note. I worried that someone kidnapped you or that you got lost and needed to be rescued.”“We should’ve left a note,” Elsa admitted, biting her lip. “I’m sorry.”Next to her, Jack took a long breath and held his mother’s gaze in defiance - he wasn’t sorry.Beira sighed and admired her slender hands. “Is there anything you need from me? I’d like to take my children now.”She raised her eyes to Minerva lazily as if she was being bothered with the most mundane task.“Mrs. Nix, you don’t wish for them to finish the school year?”The woman laughed in a melodious chuckle. “They don’t need this… education.”“I want to stay,” Jack spoke clearly and Beira shot him a sharp look.“You will be quiet,” she said in a soft voice which had ‘or else’ implied in it. “Adults are speaking.” She addressed Minerva. “So, are we done?”Minerva wanted more time. She wanted to probe this woman for more information and hoped to catch a quick moment with the twins to ask them some questions. Her intuition was telling her that they had a valid reason to be scared of their mother.“We need to get the approval of the Headmaster,” she tried to stall her.The witch rolled her eyes and waved her graceful hand in dismissal. “Get on with it then.”Minerva did not like that tone but she bit down her pride. This wasn’t about her.She got up to leave and noticed that Jack was staring at her intently as if begging her to not leave them alone with their mother. Elsa was still looking at the floor, lost in her own thoughts.When she was at the door, Minerva added, “Jack, would you come here for a moment?”Jack shot up from his seat immediately and ran to join her, but tripped on the rug and fell into her.“Sorry, I’m such a clumsy-head,” he mumbled. “It’s these shoes.”Elsa audibly gasped in her seat and looked at him with wide eyes.“What is it?” Minerva asked her.She cleared her throat. “No. Nothing. I just remembered something.”She stared at her brother and then at her mother who looked bored and occupied herself with admiring her hands.Minerva closed the door and whispered to Jack, “What do you have to say for yourself?”“I’m sorry we lied. We thought we had to. How else would you take us in?”Minerva wanted to shake some sense into this boy. “Saying your mother is dead is the worst kind of lie you could’ve given me. What am I supposed to do now?”“I want to stay here. I’m not going with her.”He crossed his arms and looked at Minerva with a pout.“Jack, you need to tell me the truth. Why did you run away from home?”He dropped his eyes and pressed his lips tightly together.“This is not the time for more secrets,” she reminded him. “I can’t help you if you don’t speak up.”“I couldn’t live like that anymore,” he whispered. “She’s a monster. I don’t want to become a monster like her.”“What do you mean by monster? Did she hurt you?”He shook his head. “It’s not like that.”“Then what is it? What did she do that is so monstrous?”“I knew you wouldn’t believe me,” he whispered while looking at the floor. “That’s why we lied. Adults just don’t get it.”She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “I’m on your side, Jack. I want to help but you need to tell me what this woman did.”He shook his head. “She’s not a good person. I swear. I just… I don’t know how to explain this. Believe me.” He looked at her with those blue puppy eyes. “I can’t go back. I just can’t.”Minerva didn’t know what to do. He did not tell her anything that would indicate that the children would be unsafe with their mother but she did believe him that there was something wrong, that it wasn’t a happy household.Yet, it wasn’t enough. She needed someone else’s opinion on this. Maybe Dumbledore would have some ideas.“I will get the Headmaster. Stay in my office. I’ll be back in a minute.”She walked away back to the Great Hall in a rush. With each step, her resolve was strengthening. She wasn’t a superstitious witch but she did believe that some events were destined to happen. She was meant to find the twins that day in London. She was meant to take them in and bring them here. It was her destiny to protect them.These children needed her help. They needed a proper home, one they wouldn’t be afraid of - a home she could offer. And she would fight to keep them.McGonagall’s heels made clackety sounds as she disappeared behind a corner. Jack looked back at the door to her office. His hand felt incredibly heavy when he raised it to open the door. He kept hoping this was a bad dream and Mother was not in that room.“Please, let this be a bad dream.”The door opened with a soft creak and he saw Mother in a conversation with Elsa. What did they speak about when he was away? He appraised if his sister needed help but she looked much more relaxed than before. The fear which made her hands tremble earlier was gone.He wished his fear was gone as well but his fear sat in a chair, looking exactly the way he remembered her - beautiful and cold.‘You’re a Gryffindor,’ he reminded himself, ‘the House of the brave. Bravery is when you’re scared but you still do what needs to be done. Be a Gryffindor.’He glared at his mother, who slowly got up from her chair and walked out to the hallway. He was going to be brave and fight for his right to stay here.“It’s time to go,” she said in a bored voice.Her tone carried a promise that things were going to go back to what they were. She was going to trap them underground again, cut off from the world, with only hideous hags and smelly goats for company. He had a flashback of a hag’s decayed teeth arranged in a wide grin and a gnarly hand stretching out to him while Mother turned away with a bored sigh.He hated her and he hated her mountain. He hated that life with all his heart.“We’re waiting for Professor Dumbledore,” he reminded them.He was not going with her. Whatever it took, he would fight it. Maybe he should’ve lied to McGonagall and said that Mother hurt them, maybe that would’ve given the wizards a reason to help. He thought of the wand in his pocket. He was no longer a defenseless child but did he dare attack his own mother?Elsa gave him a very tight hug. He returned it automatically but had a bad feeling about it. He snuck a glance at their mother who crossed her arms and tapped an impatient beat with one finger.“I’m leaving with Mother,” Elsa whispered into his ear.His whole body tensed.“What?” he whispered back. “We don’t have to go with her. McGonagall will help. It’s not over.”“Jack, you can stay with the wizards but my place is at her side. I don’t belong here. I understand why you don’t want to go, but I do.”She squeezed him one more time and let go. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Elsa wanted to go without him. It couldn’t be.“We will see each other again,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. “This isn’t goodbye.”She tried to pull her hand out of his but he wouldn’t let her. He had no words to describe the horror of what he was feeling. All he knew was that he couldn’t let her go.“Jack, I’m cashing in that favor you owe me. Let me do this,” she said softly.He shook his head. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. He couldn’t live without her. She was a part of him. She was the other half of his heart.She put her other hand gently on top of his.“It’s time to let me go, Jack.”Her eyes, so much like his own, held no hesitation. She wanted him to let go. No, it was more than that. It was worse than that. She was letting go of him.His hold loosened, and time slowed down. He felt each agonizing sensation as her fingers left his. It felt as if the Earth started to open up beneath him and the darkness of its depth was sucking him in. Her hand was the last thread that kept him from falling in and she just let go.She smiled at him one last time and turned away.The same hand, which held his a moment ago, slid inside the waiting elegant fingers of their mother. Dark Beira, the Queen of Winter, had won the right to hold his sister’s hand.And he watched half of his heart walk away from him without a second glance.The End of Book 1