Cursed: The New Order of Merlin Book 2

18. Worshipee

A/N To returning readers: in the revised version of Book 1, during one of the Old Religion meetings, the group gave themselves a name: The New Order of Merlin or NOOM for short (in Chapter 81: An audience). I initially wrote it in book 2, but then realized it would make more sense in the first book, so here, everyone uses The NOOM casually as the established name of their group.

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When Merlin got back into his body, he rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers. He had stayed with Kilgharrah until the end. He didn't have to, it was a memory after all, and yet, it felt wrong to leave him right before he passed. As Kilgharrah exhaled his last breath, his body glowed and shimmered so brightly, Merlin had to shield his eyes. When the blinding light eased down, a few large brown scales with specs of gold were left behind to join many others on the shiny floor. Merlin couldn't help his curiosity, he touched them and felt the Great Dragon's magic within, Kilgharrah's spirit in the form of the shiniest scales on the floor.

Today, Aithusa was not as old as Kilgharrah was upon his death, but one day, she would lie on that bed of scales as well. Would Merlin be around when the time came to see the extinction of this magnificent species? Though it sounded uncompassionate to think so, he hoped not. He couldn't bear to live through another millenium.

After he recovered from the melancholy triggered by having to say goodbye to his oldest friend for the second time, Merlin made his way back to his dorm through empty shadowed hallways. It was pitch-black outside and the fires danced inside the lanterns like hope that refused to give up.

Ever since the unfortunate encounter with the dementors, Merlin carried his blood-soaked crystal in his pocket and the transfigured Sidhe staff around his neck. He needed his crystal now. He walked the corridor with his hand clasped around it, enjoying the restoration to his energy. Could Kilgharrah really have been reincarnated? Last year, the Goddess hinted that Arthur would be coming back soon. What if Kilgharrah had something to do with it? Would Merlin need his ancient dragon in the trials that awaited? Would anyone else come back? Gaius?

"Wand-wavin' brats are sleeping," someone said nearby.

Merlin hid behind a statue of a short wizard with an oversized pointy hat and kept quiet. As he suspected, it was Filch, carrying his ugly old cat.

"The castle is hours so we can... Oh, what is it, my sweet?"

He stopped and his cat looked right at Merlin. No, he was not getting caught by Filch! Merlin silently conjured a mouse and commanded it to scuttle away. Mrs. Norris bounded out of Filch's arms and ran after it.

"Wait for me," Filch yelled, shuffling after her.

Merlin came out of hiding, chuckling to himself.

"Mr. Ealdor!"

His smile fell. McGonagall. What luck for her to be in this hallway at this time. He slowly turned around and tried to maintain an innocent expression. "Good Evening, Professor."

"Do you realize what time it is?"

He shrugged. "Not really. I fell asleep while studying."

"Studying where exactly? We had searched the entire castle for you."

Oh, that didn't sound good. His illusions had a very unpredictable timing. Was he gone two days? Three days? He was hungry but not I-haven't-eaten-in-days hungry.

She pulled him by the collar of his shirt, and he grudgingly followed, hating that he was shorter than her. Just a couple years more, and she wouldn't be able to do that so easily. Or would she? Who knew with McGonagall.