Professor Merlin Emrys

Wool's Secrets

Merlin had trouble swallowing his tea as he stared at the headline of The Daily Prophet.

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN

MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS 'RALLYING POINT'

FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

Merlin had never liked the wizarding prison; it was inhuman even by medieval standards. Employing death eaters to keep inmates in line (though it wasn't so much needed when they barely had the strength to move thanks to the constant feeding off of their happiness). He grimaced at the photographs of the escaped. Nine wizards and a witch sneered at him from the paper. He didn't glance over them for too long, but stopped at the picture of Bellatrix Lestrange. Her long, dark hair looked unkempt and straggly, though he remembered seeing it sleek, thick and shining. She glared up at him through heavily lidded eyes, an arrogant, disdainful smile playing around her thin mouth. Like Sirius, she retained vestiges of great good looks, but something--perhaps Azkaban--had taken most of her beauty.

He remembered when he got the paper describing what she had done when they finally caught her, though he had been in Japan he still kept up to date on the home front. He had met the Longbottom's once, brief though it was, they were sweet people who did not deserve what happened to them.

"We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped," said Fudge last night. "Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals, and we beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached."

Merlin had to hide his snort at the Minister's claim that Sirius had anything to do with such a thing. His fear was blinding his judgment and Merlin did not want to be there for the fallout once the truth came out. Because it will, and Hell will descend with the panic and hysteria it will cause. Shaking his head to get rid of his spiraling thoughts, he set down the morning paper, not sure he would be able to stomach much else. He ignored Dumbledore as he left the Great Hall. He couldn't be there anymore. He couldn't stand the sight of the food on his plate, nor the noise. Once out of view he rushed up the stairs to his room, throwing it open and closed, back sinking against the wood as he tried to calm his breathing.

Sometimes, he didn't understand people, humans, he didn't understand their need for violence, for death. He doesn't understand Tom Riddle or his goal, it can't be so simple as power, as a supremacist mindset that wizards were superior to muggles. What drove the man, because that's what he still was at the end of the day, what drove him to want to lead an army and conquer both worlds. He had learned that there was always something more behind one's actions, nothing was ever as simple as wanting power. He wanted power for a reason. But what? What, was what Merlin needed to find out.

Merlin rubbed the palm of his hands over his face, standing up and brushing his cloak smooth. He wouldn't find answers here, not to the type of questions that he needed answered. He sent a brief message to Albus saying he would need to find a substitute teacher for the day; saying he was sick and would be back the next day. After sending the note off with an absentminded wave of his hand, he changed into something that would help him blend in more. He grabbed a black hoodie and white jeans with sneakers to match. If he was to find out anything about the orphaned wizard he would need to at least dress like the regular person. Quickly double-checking that he had remembered everything he needed, he teleported out of his room and searched for the orphanage Riddle was left at.