pranksters
*
October 31, 1575
The Halloween feast is tremendous: plates of chicken legs, an assortment of pies, every type of sandwich that exists; as well as heaps of sweets- toffee apples, chocolate, jam tarts.
However, Merlin isn’t eating much.
Morgana has noticed, and offers him a treacle tart. Not really offers- more like forces it into his hands with a raised eyebrow.
Morgana asks him, cunning smile on her face, about how Duelling Club was yesterday (she seems to think his continuing to go to said club is somehow all due to her and lords it over him rather often), but Merlin is distracted and only responds vaguely that he beat Arthur for the third week in a row.
Merlin then nibbles at his treacle tart, worried. Any minute now, he thinks.
Just as he takes a second bite of the tart, the Great Hall doors are slammed open and two first years who Merlin vaguely recognises shout,
“Dragon! There’s a dragon attacking the castle!”
One of the first years then happens to faint.
Merlin forces himself to appear shocked, while their headmaster, Professor Amar, stands up looking stoney-faced. In his deep, slightly accented voice, he bellows,
“Everyone, remain seated. I will see to this matter.”
As expected, no one stays in their seat, and panic ensues. About half the school follows Professor Amar and the other teachers outside, wanting to see the alleged dragon.
Seen from the castle lawn, the red dragon does look quite real. It was Merlin and Lance who had flown up and attached it to the tower earlier that evening, both being the best fliers of the four of them.
Merlin, a few nights ago, had also learnt some 7th year spells to animate objects, and tried them on the dragon.
The effect of these was that the dragon appeared to move a short way up and down the tower, occasionally shooting (fake) fire and thrashing its tail.
Merlin is feeling rather proud of their creation. Professor Amar has to look through his eyeglasses to check the dragon is fake, before announcing to the crowd,
“It is not a real dragon, no need to panic everyone. It seems to be some harmless prank. We will get it down from there in no time, and, I assure you, those involved will be dealt with accordingly.”
4 days later and the dragon still remained on the tower, while none of the 4 pranksters had been caught. It seems Merlin’s better at sticking charms than he thought.
It, in fact, takes a whole week before the professors manage to take the dragon down. And only because Merlin purposely loosens his magic hold on it.
The four of them don’t get caught- at least, not for this prank!