The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

Merlin's blessing

Albus watched the students eat their breakfast and worried about them. If these attacks continued, he might have to close the school. In fact, he was in quite a conundrum because he had not notified the parents of those two petrified boys of what had happened to them. Soon, they would wonder why their sons had not written to them and what then?

They could obviously not take them home, as the boys needed magical means to be tended to while awaiting the mandrakes. Muggles were normally not permitted inside the school but the parents would surely want to visit their children.

"It will be months before they wake up," Minerva said when he discussed this with her over breakfast. "We can't possibly keep this secret for that long. We have to notify them."

He supposed she was right but couldn't bear the idea of having to explain something this delicate to Muggles.

"I'll visit each family this weekend and will take care of it," she offered and he tried to not show how relieved he was that she was taking the burden off of him.

"Thank you, Minerva. What do you plan to tell them?"

"Something close to the truth." She straightened up her gown and looked uncomfortable with the idea of lying. "I'll try to reassure their fears and hopefully can convince them that Hogwarts is a safe school."

It was personally insulting to him that this year the school was not safe, not to Muggleborns. The fear was clearly seen on each young face in the Great Hall. He wondered if there would be any students who would not come back from their winter break this time.

His eyes landed on Merlin who was yawning widely while walking, tripped over his own feet and landed on his friend. So far, Merlin had been committed to helping resolve the crisis. When Albus invited him, he thought that the powerful sorcerer could come in handy in case of a confrontation with Voldemort, he did not expect more, but Merlin proved that he could be useful in more ways.

Sure, he was causing trouble with Severus, but was it really that surprising? Albus was not a fool. He expected some level of complications as a result of the sorcerer's presence in the school. One does not become the most famous sorcerer in the world for being quiet and sitting in the sidelines. Merlin liked to get involved and was not afraid to challenge authority. In that case, was Albus too hard on him? Should he let Merlin deal with Severus on his own?

Once back in his office, Fawkes greeted him with a high-pitched squawk. Albus walked up to his nest and brought him his meal. The bird was always very demanding when he was this young.

He had just burned a couple of days ago and Albus finally learned why he delayed it - he wanted witnesses. Harry Potter got to witness the phoenix burst into flames and be reborn from the ashes.

"You're such a show-off, Fawkes," Albus said and scratched the small bird on its fuzzy head.

Speaking of show-offs reminded Albus of Merlin again.

He walked up to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, hung high above the Hogwarts Headmasters. The old wizard was dozing off while standing up, his bald head gleamed, the only spark of light in an otherwise gloomy painting. He, unfortunately, was painted without a chair, a fact he often complained about.

"Dear Salazar," Dumbledore said, "would you care to impart some of your wisdom to me?"

The portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw laughed openly. "Salazar - wisdom? You joke, Dumbledore."

Salazar opened his eyes and sneered in her direction. "No one asked you, woman."

"Thank you for waking up for me. I need to ask you about your student, Merlin."