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“All students please return to your dormitories at once, all staff, please meet me by the black lake.” Dumbledore’s voice sounded throughout the castle, loudly.
Merlin, who was taking a stroll in the unused parts of the castle at the time ran to the nearest window the second he heard the announcement - the lake! - could it be - no, surely not! Outside, he saw the surface of the lake rolling, like it was boiling, in a large patch just off the shore. Suddenly, he felt the old religion pulling him towards the lake - it had to be, surely! Finally!
He tore off through the corridors as fast as his legs would allow, ducking behind portraits and flinging open secret doors, and without realising it, breaking three school records for fastest time traveled through various parts of the school.
In two minutes flat, he was sprinting down lawns of the castle towards the black lake.
The teachers saw him coming.
“Myddrin! Why are you not in your dormitory?” Asked Professor Dumbledore calmly, yet with a hint of firmness.
Merlin just ignored him, as he rushed towards the lake, pushing aside teachers aside as he moved.
“Minnie!” Called Dumbledore. A house elf appeared, “please take Myddrin here back to the Hufflepuff dormitories, then return back to the kitchens.”
“No” Merlin contradicted, and Minnie bowed to him “Yes, Master Myddrin.” Said Minnie, before popping back to the kitchens, if Merlin had not been so utterly absorbed in watching the lake, he would have been enjoying the moment of Dumbledore’s shock at the house elf disobeying him
Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but his attention was turned back to the lake, as suddenly the surface began to sink, like there was a whirlpool just below the surface.
A moment later, a familiar golden head poked out, and in moments, all the teachers had their wands draw, pointed at the man who was emerging from the lake.
By the time half of him could be seen, Merlin had tears streaming from his eyes “A-Arthur” he whispered, so quietly that the teachers barely heard him. Gently, he dropped to one knee, and bowed his head, in a sign of fealty. When he lifted his head, Arthur was standing in front of him, looking at him, with a hint of pride in his eyes. Then his face broke into a broad grin, “You idiot, Merlin, since when do you show fealty?”
Merlin frowned for a second. He could understand Arthur fine, but he definitely wasn’t speaking English, and by the look on the teachers faces, they couldn’t understand him at all. Then he twigged that Arthur was speaking old English, and to be honest, Merlin was surprised that after all this time, he could still remember the ancient tong, mind you, he did grow up with it, so maybe it wasn’t that much of a surprise after all.