Professor Merlin Emrys

Whatever is Done Without Heart is Done in the Dark

Harry stood stunned as he watched the Death Eaters, Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix too, crumple as if their strings had been cut. Watched helplessly from the ground as Draco had disappeared and screamed as Merlin followed not a second later. It was silent following the deafening quiet as the Order of the Phoenix members no longer had to defend themselves. Harry panted, taking the hand Sirius offered to get back to his feet and fell into his godfather's embrace.

He allowed silent tears to fall, Sirius rubbing his back in comfort, to mourn. He had been stricken when he had believed Merlin to have died back in the room with the prophecies. Had wanted to stop running and go back for him like he knew Merlin would for him, but Ron had pushed and shoved them to keep going. He had wanted to yell at his best friend but had no time as they rushed through room after room towards the exit. Somehow ending up right back in this veiled room.

Had to struggle against Draco's father in a duel and disarm other death eaters when he had the chance. Only given a short reprieve when the Order had shown up. Sirius smiling in his direction and taking over battling Lucius. Mrs. Weasley had engaged Bellatrix rage-fully with Neville attempting to help her every now and then. Harry couldn't tell if it was doing any good as he tripped over Ron's foot.

Head smacking the ground, spots dancing behind his vision. He had rolled to the left to avoid Lucius' limb-locking curse and stumbled to his feet only to get knocked down again and to fall on top of Sirius, who had come to help pick him up, by Draco. A mad rush of seconds was all Harry had gotten to process before Merlin had killed every last death eater in the ministry.

Only to pull himself out of Sirius' arms and see Merlin and Draco, both fine and unharmed and most importantly, not dead. In a flash, Harry found himself in front of the duo and pulled them into a hug. Felt Merlin's quick return and Malfoy's much more hesitant one.

"Oh...you're both alright!" Hermione shouted, feet running to join the hug. Harry snuffed a grin into Merlin's shoulder before letting go and watching Ron embrace Merlin and awkwardly nod to Draco. Who returned it in much the same fashion.

Unfortunately, the reunion did not last long as the other Order members returned to their battle stance. A dark, whispered voice permeated the happy atmosphere and made Harry's insides freeze. He didn't want this. He didn't want to fight him again. He was so tired of year after year thwarting his attempts to regain power. He was still a kid, no matter that he did not want to be treated like one. He still wanted to retain his child-like ignorance and naivety. Wanted to marvel at Hogwarts like it was the first time. Discover chocolate frogs and treacle tarts. Wanted to learn everything he could about magic and the good it seemed to do for the world. Would do almost anything for evil wizards and witches to simply not exist in the world.

"Give me Harry Potter and you may yet live..." Voldemort sounded, voice seemingly coming from everywhere at once, repeating over and over itself until finally it silenced.

"Perhaps it is you who is yet to die, Riddle," Merlin responded back, eyes narrowed in one of the corners of the room that Harry could find nothing but darkness in. "You, who are coward enough to send your henchmen to do your own dirty work. To skulk in the shadows as you watch your playthings die."

"And who are you to presume such things..." Voldemort answered back, revealing himself with a swish of fabric pulled over his chest. Head tilted hauntingly in the air, his lack of nose making the saying, he looked down at them from his nose a moot point. Harry subconsciously found a second to see the humor in such a thing.

"The world knows me as Emrys..." Merlin calmly replied back, head held high with no fear. It seemed the name held enough weight for even The Great Dark Lord to pause, if only for a moment.