The reveal
That night saw Merlin’s magic screaming out in pain, a hissing voice grating into his soul as he dragged Arthur blindly down the corridors, trying to get there; needing to get there.
He stopped, breathed out shakily. A First year was there, petrified with his camera in front of his face.
‘No’ Merlin breathed out, voice laced with anger and pain.
‘Shit,’ Arthur whispered next to him. Merlin went to lean against the wall to steady himself.
‘I should’ve been able to stop this. This shouldn’t be happening, I should be able to stop this.’
Arthur came to lean next to him, sighing softly.
‘Not everything is on you, you know. You can’t solve every problem’
Merlin looked down at the floor, avoiding meeting Arthur’s gaze.
‘I could, Arthur. I can’
‘Merlin-‘ Arthur started, but Merlin interrupted him quickly.
‘Go get Dumbledore’ He murmured. Arthur nodded and sped off towards the headmasters office.
When Dumbledore came striding down the corridor, his eyes were filled with blind rage, eyes glancing at the petrified kid before coming to rest on Merlin.
‘Myriddian’ He said, and his voice was quiet, dangerous. ‘Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t suspect you of this, and kick the both of you out of this school right now.’
Merlin sighed, glancing at Arthur before deciding this was for the best.
‘Look’ he said softly, ‘I’ll explain everything, who we are, what we’re doing, all of it, later. Right now, you need to get this boy to the hospital wing, and get Pomona working on a cure for Colin and Mrs Norris. We’ll meet you in your office in half an hour’
He didn’t wait for the headmaster to reply, he simply strode off, a slightly dazed looking Arthur following behind.
‘Are you really going to tell him??’ Arthur hissed in their old language as he struggled to keep up with Merlin.
‘We have to’ Merlin hissed back, ‘He’s never going to trust us unless we tell him, and he’s only going to keep prying either way. We can’t get kicked out Arthur, not now, we have to tell him.’
Arthur sighed, grabbing Merlin’s arm to stop his walking.
‘Merlin, are you absolutely sure? There’s probably another way, I mean we haven’t told anyone in-‘
‘Yes, Arthur, I’m sure. I can’t let anyone else die.’ Merlin’s voice was low and loaded as he said that, and Arthur’s expression softened, knowing there were things he had to let Merlin do.
So the once and future king nodded, and that was that.
Merlin and Arthur sat in Dumbledore’s office, the man regarding them with cold eyes as Merlin shuffled around awkwardly, trying to ignore the paintings on the wall, all of whom were staring down at him, waiting for the reveal.
‘Explain’ Dumbledore said simply, eyes calculating as he tried to decide if Merlin’s seemingly nervous disposition was an act or not.
Merlin swallowed, opened his mouth and closed it again. The painting of Godric Gryffindor made a small chuckle, which he tried to conceal as a cough. Merlin shot him an unconcealed glare, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and glanced behind him.
Merlin cleared his throat again.
‘Well’ he said carefully. ‘This here’ he motioned to Arthur, ‘Happens to be…’
Arthur grinned regally. ‘I’m Arthur Pendragon of Camelot’ he said when Merlin trailed off.
‘He’s the once and future king’ Merlin finished.
Albus gawked at them, looking like a lost child in some huge, unknown supermarket.
‘And’ Merlin cleared his throat slightly awkwardly. ‘And I’m…well I’m-’
Albus continued gawking, whatever he was suspecting… this wasn’t it.
Merlin sighed, bracing himself before continuing.
‘I’m Merlin. The Merlin’
Albus Dumbledore felt his jaw drop.
Suddenly, around 10 portraits burst into fits of laughter.
‘Do you see his face? Ah, priceless’
‘Guys!’ Merlin hissed up at the paintings angrily, ‘Give him a minute to process, really!’
‘Come on Merls’ Salazar said with a snicker, ‘You have to admit it’s just a little bit funny!’
Merlin glared at the portrait in question. ‘It is not funny’ he said through clenched teeth.
‘Arthur thinks it’s funny!’ Helga said in a sing song voice.
Merlin’s head snapped round to Arthur, who was trying to hold in a laugh at Dumbledore’s shellshocked expression.
Merlin mock dramatic gasped at him.
‘Betrayal!’ He exclaimed, glaring playfully at Arthur.
‘Come on love, you have to admit his expression is priceless!’
Merlin sighed in disappointment at this, before turning back to Albus, who’s expression still hadn’t changed.
‘Dumbledore’ he said softly, ‘I’m sorry we deceived you. Believe it or not, we pop up every now and then to help. Harry Potter has a difficult journey ahead of him, and with all this chamber of secrets stuff it really is best if we stay around’
Albus nodded slightly shakily, still shellshocked by this revelation.
‘How…?’ he started, ‘How are you…’ he trailed off
‘Alive?’ Merlin asked gently, and the headmaster nodded. ‘Wish I could tell you. I’m immortal, as long as magic survives then so will I.’
Albus nodded slowly, deciding that made sense.
‘And Arthur?’
Merlin grinned,
‘When he came back I got a little too emotional. My magic reacted and… well now he can’t die either’
Albus stared at them incredulously.
‘I’m sorry’ he said slowly, ‘You got too emotional and gave your boyfriend immortality by accident?!!’
Merlin looked him like this was completely normal.
‘Mhm!’
Arthur snorted at him,
‘Now I’m stuck with Merlin. Right curse this whole immortality thing’
Merlin slapped him playfully, and Albus looked between them.
‘So’ he said thoughtfully, ‘The language you two talk in, that from Camelot?’
They nodded.
‘And you’re Merlin. You’re actually Merlin.’
Merlin shot him a grin, and offered his hand.
‘Pleasure to actually meet you.’ He said as Dumbledore shook his hand slowly, still shellshocked.
‘Why didn’t you just tell me when we first met?’
Merlin smiled softly and sadly.
‘I don’t like telling people’ he replied truthfully, ‘I’ve told plenty of people over the years, sure, but I always watch them die. Getting attached, making friends, family, only leads to pain. Had enough of that for a lifetime’
He frowned.
‘Well… hundreds of lifetimes really’
‘If you don’t mind me asking’ Albus said, slightly guiltily, ‘How old are you?’
‘Oh, um, don’t really know to be honest.’ Merlin replied, not expecting to be asked.
‘About…’ he counted on his fingers, trying to remember the years everything happened ’15 hundred years, give or take?’
Albus gawked at him for a moment before regaining his composure.
‘And Arthur?’
‘Came back to life on the 4th of November 1666 so what 300 ish? Didn’t even return when Albion’s need was greatest’ he grumbled.
‘I so did!’ Arthur snapped quickly, ‘You were the only bit of Albion left, and you needed me most!’
Merlin smiled at him softly,
‘Yeah’
Dumbledore looked at them, utterly bemused.
‘Hang on,’ He said slowly. ‘Didn’t you build the school?’
Merlin grinned wide, glancing up at the founders portraits with clear pride, ‘I helped, I suppose’
‘Ever modest!’ Salazar Slytherin boomed from the wall, but his voice was filled with a warm admiration and affection for Merlin, ‘It was his idea in the first place, he was the one that found the four of us, built the school with his magic. All the time he was nothing but warm, nothing but happy. He was like a father to us.’
Merlin smiled, expression wistful and bright.
‘I did it for the future,’ He said softly, ‘And it’s even more beautiful than I could’ve hoped. You’ve built a home here, a paradise, a safe haven for magical folk, a way for them to learn and grow. It’s perfect’
Albus smiled, warming to the immortal yet joyful man in front of him.
‘Well you haven’t exactly caught it at a good time’ He said softly. Merlin sighed,
‘I’ve seen worst’ The warlock said gently. ‘And this whole chamber thing? I’m here now, I can sort it.’
Arthur elbowed him, and his husband glared back.
‘We can sort it’ He grumbled.
‘Well then why haven’t you?’ Albus snapped, before realising who he was talking to, and muttering an apology.
Merlin’s eyes clouded with sadness again,
‘I can’t do everything, Albus. Even I have to live by certain rules. I can’t disrupt the order or events, of time. My magic could fix everything in this broken world-‘
He broke off, taking a shaky breath,
‘And I wish it could. But I’m only one man, and it’s too much.’
Arthur carefully shifted closer to the warlock, making sure he knew his King was there, would always be there.
‘Harry Potter’ Albus whispered.
Merlin nodded carefully.
‘He’s got a long road ahead of him. He has to do some things, the old religion demands it, but I can do as much as I can to help him.’
‘He means to go into the chamber’ Albus said carefully, and Arthur’s head shot up.
‘He’s a child,’ Arthur hissed at the headmaster.
‘He’s perfectly capable’ Albus said carefully.
‘No,’ Merlin said quietly, but both men turned to him, his voice commanding attention in an impossibly polite way.
‘He isn’t Albus, and you know it.’
Albus went red, looking down.
‘All my life I’ve watched others fight battles they shouldn’t have had to. Hell I had to fight them, Arthur died fighting them’ His teeth were clenched and his voice was full of a quiet rage.
‘This boy has lost everything, his family, his home, his birth right. You left him with a family that hated him, abused him, you just left him there. You have no right to force this child, this 13 year old to fight your battles, Albus. We might just have arrived, but don’t think we haven’t been watching, don’t think we haven’t seen every single mistake you’ve made.’
Arthur swallowed as Albus leaned back, looking thoroughly taken aback by the outburst.
Merlin paused for a few seconds, letting Albus think.
‘We’re going with him.’ Merlin continued matter-of-factly.
‘He has some sort of magical diary’ He continued, ‘Black, and there was this dark magic radiating off it. Any ideas?’
Albus frowned, shaking his head.
‘I don’t know of anything.’ He said, voice showing his racing thoughts.
Then Merlin hunched over, eyes flashing a deep gold. Arthur turned to him immediately, putting a hand underneath his husbands chin and looking into his eyes in concern.
‘We have to go’ Merlin yelled out in panic, leaping up and grabbing Arthur’s arm to yank him up to.
Albus frowned at them as they ran out, before following them out of the room in a slow run.
‘It’s the basilisk again!’ Arthur yelled back to Albus, having just realised Merlin had spoken to him in their old language.
They ran down the corridors, Merlin muttering magic under his breath, trying to stop time, but snarling in anger when the old religion fought against him: clearly whatever was happening was a set point.
Merlin stopped at the end of the corridor abruptly, and Arthur barrelled into him, before grabbing him around the waist to keep him steady. When he saw the sight in front of him, he tightened his grip.
‘Shit’ The king whispered.
‘No’ Merlin hissed, ‘No, no no!’
‘Merls-‘ Arthur started, but cut himself off, unsure of what to say.
Merlin went up to the petrified girl slowly, almost robotically, placing a hand on her face and trying to channel his magic into her.
‘It’s no use.’ He said emotionlessly, though his teeth were clenched. ‘She could’ve died’ He murmured sadly.
‘Why didn’t she?’
‘Mirror,’ Merlin said, holding it up to the light to show Arthur. ‘She really is a smart girl’ He remarked as he looked at it, ‘She knew, Arthur, she knew about the basilisk.’
Albus came round the corner with ragged breath, noticing the girl immediately, and Merlin’s expression hardened.
‘Hermione Granger,’ The headmaster panted out.
‘Take her to the hospital wing, then check up on Pomona and the potions.’ He ordered Dumbledore, who nodded with a flash of suspicion in his gaze.
‘And you?’
Merlin glanced at Arthur quickly before responding to the headmaster.
‘I’ve got a ghost to talk to’