Ancient Help (A Harry Potter and Merlin Crossover)

Chapter Thirty: Disappearance

Agravaine humbly walked into Morgana's hovel upon being granted permission to enter. The said young sorceress was peacefully sitting behind a makeshift desk, a small book about ancient and advanced spells of the Old Religion placed on top of it.

The King's uncle secretly sighed in relief, seeing the calm and peaceful look on Morgana's face. When he received another letter from her stating to meet her in her hovel, Agravaine was apprehensive of what she was to tell him. Seeing that there was no underlying fury in her expression, he knew he would still leave unscathed.

"You called for me, Morgana?" he asked, strolling closer towards her.

She directed her steely, grey eyes towards Agravaine and raised an eyebrow. "Are there any news about Arthur and his blasted knights?" she asked. "Their whereabouts and plans? Where they are going for the following days and what they are to do? I assume you know them, Agravaine, seeing that you are constantly beside the king."

Agravaine opened his mouth and was about to answer when he realized he didn't know. He clamped his lips tight and cautiously looked at Morgana. "Truth be told, my lady, I have no idea," he slowly started. Upon seeing the look of surprise on her face, he quickly added, "As close as I might be to Arthur and his knights, the King is quite secretive of the plans and schedules that he has in mind. Only his knights and his trusted manservant knew of his plans for the day."

Lord de Bois released a disgruntled sigh and deeply frowned. "I cannot become close to Arthur nowadays, my lady. Perhaps, he had become quite wary in easily trusting the people around after certain... events," he said. "For that, I am sincerely regretful. Do know that I will try my best in the near future."

To his utter relief and surprise, Morgana waved a dismissive hand and stood up from her chair. A startling smirk grew on her face. "It doesn't matter for now, my lord," she said, thoughtfully strolling towards a small window in her hovel. "You say you are not close enough to the king, yes?"

"Yes, my lady," Agravaine humbly said.

The young witch then turned around and directed her cold, conniving eyes towards Agravaine. The King's uncle could feel goosebumps erupting on his skin, knowing that that look on her face meant something huge and evil just formulated in her mind.

"Then," she continued, "let us use somebody close enough to him to kill Arthur for us instead."

__________

"This is a particularly hard potion," Hermione said, wiping her brow as she glanced at the small vial with obvious satisfaction. "I think I'm exhausted already, Gaius."

"And yet, you were able to do it perfectly," Gwen piped in from the corner of the room, dusting the humongous bookshelf found inside the Court Physician's library.

Gaius softly chuckled upon seeing the small blush that grew on Hermione's face.

Today seemed a fairly ordinary day. Hermione, having finished all her chores, chose to continue her potions study with the Court Physician. As usual, she was extraordinary and Gaius reckoned he never had a student as wonderful and intelligent as Hermione of Hogwarts.

Guinevere, on the other hand, had nothing else to do and volunteered to clean up the whole place. Gaius would usually leave this task to Merlin, but seeing that the said manservant was away with King Arthur and his knights, the Court Physician allowed Gwen to clean up his bedchamber.

"You know," Gaius started, fixing his spectacles perched on top of his nose, "I believe you would be a wonderful Court Physician, Hermione. Perhaps, once I am gone, you can assume the position."