Chapter 1
It was time to go home, if home was even there still. Camelot was gone but he had made another home, a school for sorcerers. A home like the world had never before seen, a world that was safe for the people like him. He called it Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. He had learned his lesson after Camelot fell. Sorcery and witchcraft was never going to be accepted by the world of non magic users.
It took 300 years for him to realize it, but they would never be accepted or understood. They would always be persecuted because they were different. They would be burned or hanged, drowned or stoned. So he made a safe place, a place where magic users could come together and learn without worry.
He built a castle next to the Lake of Avalon, so he would always remember his friends. He enchanted the castle, taking portraits and moving stairs, hats that could sing and screaming books. Even sorcerers were wary of magic at first, living in a world where anything ‘odd’ was blamed on magic and destroyed. He had to get them used to it.
The first year wasn’t the best. People became groups, tried to make themselves into classes based on similarities like where they were from or what they had. But everyone was so different. Some were raised in magic and some weren’t, they were all from different places, everyone had a different social standing. They were dividing themselves and everyone was getting hurt because of it. Something had to change. Something had to unite them to keep them from self isolation because of differences. So he sorted them so they didn’t have to. Made a way for them to connect.
He sorted them not by who they were, but who they could be with who they were. He hoped it would help them to become the best versions of themselves. He remembered his friends, his family. How they were, he based the houses on that. He called them houses to give them a unity, a family concept.
He based one on Arthur, the red house, the house of courage, of bravery, the nerve to do something new, and chivalry. Everything his king, his love, stood for was this house was, Gryffindor.
His dearest friend was next. Hard work, loyalty, honesty, and patience beyond measure. The yellow house, it always was her favorite color. Gwen made Hufflepuff.
Intelligence, knowledge, wit, and observation. His mentor, his teacher, his guardian. The one who taught him, Gaius, was blue, like the coat he always wore when it was windy. Ravenclaw.
Ambition she was known for. She was more cunning than anyone he had yet to meet. That was saying something as it had been about 14 centuries since she died. Clever and resourceful, Morganna was green as one of her eyes. It had always been one of her more unique features. Slytheryn.
Maybe not the best person to want to be reminded of but he never wanted to forget what he had done. Who he betrayed in the name of destiny. He regretted it more than anything, he should have helped her, should have opened up to her, talked to her, explained what was happening to her. That she wasn’t insane and that her dreams didn’t tell the future, just the most probable thing to happen. That’s exactly what destiny was, it says what was most likely going to happen, not how it would happen. It was changeable. It was not set in stone, not necessarily.
Griffendor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytheryn. He spelled a hat to sort the people, talk to them, figure them out and put them in the place that would help them the most. He had selected four students from separate houses and named the houses after them. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytheryn. They knew why, they were the only ones who knew who he really was and where the qualities had come from. They were the head of their houses, in charge of making sure everything went smoothly in their new ‘homes’. It had worked, the next year started with a ‘sorting’ as he dubbed it. There was connection within the houses and light competition between them.
He made sure it all worked before he left. He made something great yet he couldn’t stay, he wouldn’t stay. He did his part and it was time to let his four friends do the rest.
It was time to go back. He had learned time goes a lot faster when you’re on your own. Days pass without you thinking about it. He was alone for years, a cottage with some sheep and a garden. He didn’t see anyone till he walked for days till he hit a village. He missed people and got one heck of a slap in the face instead.
It hadn’t been a few years. What he thought had been a few dozen winters, had been a few centuries. The year was 1917. There was a world war, there were cars, telephones, lights that could turn on and off with a flick. It was then he promised himself that he wouldn’t leave the world again. He wouldn’t go on his own and get lost in the folds of time. Because you can’t stop time, the world will continue on around you, not waiting up, not even knowing you’re there.
From then on he went into town every other week until he had a car of his own, then it was every week. He moved into town. Got a job as a physician and stayed there till he couldn’t anymore. He traveled the world and learned the history that he had been alive for but had missed.
He liked people and he wanted to be around people. He liked what the world had become, because there was nothing to remind him of what he no longer had. Things had changed, he had healed. He no longer turned his head to look at every mop of blond hair, hoping to see his husband. A splash of red color didn’t always make him think of the blood on his friends as they died in his arms. The smell of fresh baked bread stopped making him homesick for the before dawn race to the kitchens. It had taken more time than he wished but he was okay now. And it was time to go home.
It was time for Merlin to go back to Hogwarts.
*****
Though he would never admit it, Dumbledore was rather baffled by the young man in front of him. He was looking for a job, either to help in the hospital wing or to teach the History of Magic class. He was a rather odd man. Looked to be only about 21 or 22. Said he taught English at a muggle school, that he was good with kids and worked as a physician's apprentice growing up. It puzzled him though, the man looked rather astounded by everything around him.
Once he got word that someone was looking for a job at Hogwarts he had to come and meet them for himself. They needed a new History of Magic teacher as Professor Binns seems to have finally realized he was dead and had left. Lupin had offered to teach it instead but then they would need a DADA teacher, Snape would want to go there so then there would be a potion teacher opening. So really there were three job openings available.
The man in front of him really was a young adult. He had shaggy dark brown hair and a blue shirt, brown trousers and a brown coat that barely counted as a coat at all. He was young but the red neckerchief tied around his throat made him seem almost childish though his eyes said anything but. Eyes that old and wise shouldn’t belong to a man that joyful. His smile was wide, if a bit lopsided.
They sat there for a moment, neither of them speaking, yet the silence wasn’t awkward. They were simply observing each other and learning all that could be learned without words, which was, rather a lot.
*****
“What’s your name?” Dumbledore asked him. Merlin had learned the name from the bartender at the pub table who pointed him the right direction for this meeting. Seems odd that his reconnection to his past would start here, his safe haven for sorcerers.
“Merlin Pendragon, sir.” He smiled
The wizard in front of him masked his surprise a second too late. Surprised by what, was the question.
“I hear you’re looking for a job at Hogwarts. I’m Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school. You had offered to work in the hospital wing or as the new History of Magic teacher. History of Magic is open but I would also like to make you aware of possible openings in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Potions if either of those work better.”
Merlin didn’t have to think hard about it. He couldn’t be a Defense Against the Dark Arts because he realized the second he walked into the town that this part of the world had changed just as much as the other.
People were walking around with sticks in their hands, using those for magic. There was no flash of color in their eyes or hand gestures. It was a word and a flick of the stick that had magic happening. He didn’t know what the dark arts were either. What he considered the dark arts probably weren’t what they were now. Potions was a no as well. Though he worked with Gaius for many years, it had been a very long time since he made a potion and he only got them right one out of three times anyway.
“I think I’ll stick with the History of Magic sir.” He would be able to find books on it, a curriculum to follow. At least, he hoped so.
“That’s fine Mr. Pendragon.” Dumbledore gave him a smile that sent his eyes crinkling behind his crescent glasses. “Might I ask what house you were in and at which school?”
Merlin tried not to frown. He had not thought of that. “Um. I would teach History of Magic because the magic I know seems to not be the magic you, or anyone else knows sir.” He admitted, finding no way around the truth. “I’ve never seen these…” Merlin didn’t know the proper term for the sticks “Sticks used in magic before. I was taught by a friend of my mothers and have lived on my own since then. It seems I was not taught the proper way. I’m in no house as I never went to a magic school.” Not strictly true but he had never been a student.
Dumbledore smiled again and Merlin tried not to sink back with relief. It seemed that the old man didn’t seem that bothered by this odd fact. Though he did look rather confused.
“What magic did you learn then? If you don’t mind me asking Mr. Pendragon.”
“Well. I don’t know the term for it as I thought it was the only kind of magic there was. It’s wordless and sticks less, most of the time wordless.”
“They’re called wands. They’re used to channel magic. It takes many years for witches and wizards to be able to perform magic wandless or wordless if they even can at all. Could you show me an example? Verbally preferably.” It would not work to learn what kind of magic he was using if he couldn’t hear a spell casted.
Merlin wasn’t sure what to do at all, it seemed though he had been using magic for centuries for even the littlest of things, the moment it was required of him he couldn’t think of a single spell. “Um. I guess.” He thought for a moment. “Forbearnan”
Dumbledore watched in awe as the flame grew in his hand. Merlin Pendragon, as he called himself, was rather extraordinary. The name rang a bell, but he couldn’t for the life of him remember why. He had never heard of someone that could use wandless and wordless magic. Not to mention that he just cast a spell that he had never heard before. He wished he could see what this Merlin would cast that every wizard would know.
“Madam Rosmerta?” Dumbledore called to the owner of the three broomsticks. “Could I borrow your key to the second floor?”
She tossed him the key ring without hesitation, “You know the rules Albus, you break anything you buy me another of a higher quality.”
Dumbledore didn’t reply to her but motioned for Merlin to get up instead. “I would like to try something if you would for a moment Mr. Pendragon.” He walked up the stairs and locked the door at the top. “Would you open that for me?”
“Alright sir?” Merlin was confused but didn’t ask as he placed his hand over the lock. “Tosprige” A flash of his eyes and the door opened.
“It seems that I don’t know the kind of magic that you’re using but it works just fine. You can continue to use that magic at the school though I would prefer it if you also spent a week or two going to the other classes just so you have the concept of what we use. Your classes will be an off block for the students until you start to teach. There isn’t really a curriculum though you need to cover everything on their OWLs and NEWTs.”
Merlin paused for a moment trying to understand everything that was just thrown at him. And what was with the animal names? Owls and Newts had almost nothing in common. A bird and an off brand salamander? He’d figure it out later.
“So, I’m accepted?”
Dumbledore smiled. “Yes Mr. Pendragon, you’re accepted. Classes start on the first of September. You’re welcome to be at the school until then. Come up whenever you want and we’ll get you settled.”
With that he stood up and started walking back down the stairs and it was all Merlin could do to shout a grateful “Thank you” before the door of the pub clicked closed. The keys left on the pub table.
“Alright then.” Merlin talked to himself as he left as well, nodding kindly to Madam Rosmerta as Dumbldore had called her. “You got hired, that’s great. Now you’re supposed to teach classes on a history that you were alive for yet never experienced and teach them about animals with nothing in common. Brilliant. Just brilliant. Why didn’t I think this through? You could have been a caretaker, cleaned things and helped in the kitchens or something.”
“You did a great job here Merlin. You now have to meet new people and not only that, but attend their classes and teach after that. Fantastic!” He didn’t know what the other teacher had taught them in the past before either! What if he taught them the same stuff twice and they hated him for it. What if all the kids were just awful because he looked so young, he refused to make himself look older though. He didn’t age unless he spelled himself anyway.
His self ranting was stopped when he came to the castle. It was just as he had left it. It’s tall towers casting shadows on the lake. The windows pictures of orange perfection in the dying light of the day.
Making his way up the last of the path he walked into the East Wing, right above the Slytherin’s dorms and common area. The only new thing he seemed to see was a line of greenhouses down the hall, a rather smart idea, he admitted to himself. People wouldn’t want to leave the castle in winter.
He walked over the viaduct and skirted around the main entrance's courtyard. He could see into the great hall where Dumbledore as well as other men and women in similar dress sat at one of the four large tables eating. He hoped he wouldn’t have to wear robes. They looked rather uncomfortable.
Merlin went through the door at the entrance hall and down the stairs. He stopped at a painting and hoped that through the years the entrance to the kitchens hadn’t changed. He placed his hand on the painting and tickled the pear in the fruit bowl. It laughed in delight and turned into a doorknob. Merlin smiled as he entered, the door closed flush with the wall.
Merlin’s smile dropped as he looked up from the ground. There were well over a hundred elves running around the kitchen. Preparing plates of food before whisking them out to the great hall.
“Sir! What can Zookey get for you?”
Merlin looked down at the elf that stood just past his knee. She wore only a rag dress that was barely held together.
“What?”
“Does Sir not need Zookey?” The elf looked rather put off at this before continuing in the saddest voice Merlin had ever heard. “Zookey can get another elf if Sir requires it.”
“No Zookey. It’s alright. I don’t require another elf.” Merlin wasn’t sure it was the right thing to say but the elf’s face lit up. “I was just going to get some food if that’s alright.”
“Zookey will get Sir food!” She looked elated. “What food can Zookey get Sir!”
“I can get it myself Zookey. I don’t want to bother you at all.”
“Sir doesn't want Zookey to get him food. Zookey did bad!” She pulled her long ears down and around her face.
Merlin knelt down as fast as he could and caught her wrists, she let go of her ears. “You did a great Zookey. You can get me food.”
Zookey looked up suddenly happy again, “Zookey can get Sir food? What food does Sir want?”
Merlin thought for a moment. “How about you choose? All your favorite things for me please Zookey and a plate for you too.” Hopefully that would cheer the elf up.
*****
Dumbledore stood after dinner. He’d told the other professors about this Merlin Pendragon and had pointedly ignored how protests had come from Professors Snape about hiring a teacher who didn’t even know magic. There was something about that Pendragon fellow, something he couldn't put his finger on.
He wandered around the first floor before passing through the great hall. He was pulled from his thoughts by laughter coming from the door leading down to the kitchens and Hufflepuff Common room. As far as he was aware no one should be down there, all the teachers were still in the hall.
He strode down the stairs and stopped outside the fruit bowl portrait, the laughing had stopped though there were still voices talking. Sounded like a house elf and the voice he had been talking to but not a few hours before.
*****
Merlin looked up from Zookey, Mipsy, and Hokey when the kitchen door opened. Dumbledore watched him for a moment before Merlin unfroze and stood from the stool. The three house elves scattered and Merlin put his mostly empty plate of fruit, cheese, and bread on a table behind him; it was gone seconds later. Picked up by a passing elf.
“Dumbledore sir.” Merlin held back a bow, not sure why he wanted to in the first place.
“Just Albus or Dumbledore please Mr.Pendragon. Sir makes me feel too old.”
Merlin smiled, Dumbledore was a rather pleasant man. Well spoken and kind. “Then it’s just Merlin to you Albus.”
He got a smile in return, “Would you come to meet the other professors, Merlin?”
He swallowed, “Alright.” He held the door open for the two of them and made sure it closed all the way. They walked in silence all the way back to the great hall, “I have one question.” He got raised eyebrows instead of a response so he continued on, “Is it required for all teachers to wear robes?” Please no, please no.
Albus huffed a short laugh, “Not if you don’t want to. You can wear a cloak over something else if you would like instead.” He grabbed the handle of the large wooden doors, “The great hall is right through here. As far as I’m aware I was the only one to leave so you can meet everyone at once.”