Ancient Help (A Harry Potter and Merlin Crossover)

Chapter Forty-Nine: Different Worlds

Queen Guinevere stared at Merlin in shock, disbelieving beyond words. Today, she, Merlin, and her husband were found in the Council Chamber of Doom. Just a while ago, a Council meeting was held, but it was perfectly obvious that the Court Physician was missing. Gwen instantly thought that perhaps Hermione's sickness had come back, and endured the whole meeting worrying for her friend.

As soon as the other members were dismissed, she stood up from her throne and was about to trudge into the room of the Court Physician, only for Merlin to arrive, bringing news that changed everything.

King Arthur was infuriated, pacing back and forth in front of his throne. He was muttering dark nothings under his breath and Gwen was too distressed to even offer him a fraction of comfort that she could give. And Merlin... Gwen thought she had never seen him so indifferent and... and empty than before. The usual twinkle in his eyes, one that warmed her heart, was absent and Gwen honestly felt dreadful just looking at his face.

Merlin just revealed that Hermione was gone. Gwen thought she was dead, but the manservant explained everything far worse than what she had originally thought.

Hermione was not from here, she was surprisingly a time traveller from a time period centuries away from now. Just the idea that magic was used, that she was essentially a person of magic, had placed Arthur into a furious state. It was common knowledge that anything that associates with the blasted thing made her husband mad, and for him to discover that his Court Physician was a practicing witch made him saw red.

"I... I can't believe it," Gwen whispered breathlessly, all the color on her face draining away.

Hermione went back to where she belonged now, bringing Arthur's beloved sword. When Merlin revealed this, too, Arthur grew much more infuriated and just looking at him made his wife somehow fearful. Gwen had never seen Arthur so enraged before.

Merlin curtly retold that Hermione went back into time for a purpose, to steal Excalibur and save her world. By the time he was done recounting, Gwen's head was reeling. She could already feel a splitting headache and she had to tightly clutch the armrests of her throne, feeling inexplicably weak.

Tears already sprung into her eyes as she remembered her friend. Hermione had always been a kind-hearted person and never in her whole life would she suspect of her as evil and malicious. Not that she thought of her as evil already; judging from what Merlin had said, there was an impending war in Hermione's world and for her to steal Excalibur was only for the purpose of saving her world.

Now that she heard the true story, Gwen silently mourned for the loss of a good friend. 'How noble of you, Hermione,' she whispered, lifting a hand and wiping her tears away.

"Are you making this all up, Merlin?" Arthur scathingly asked, his eyes dangerously flashing in anger. Gwen could see that the king was trying his very best to control his anger, but it was obvious he was too infuriated to even mind his temper.

Gwen turned her gaze at Merlin and felt herself shiver as he cracked the first, wry smile. Something painful twisted in her heart and it went to Merlin.

He loved her, but she left.

More tears pooled in her eyes as Merlin shakily took in a deep breath. It pained her to look how much anguish was echoed through his deep, blue eyes.

"I wish I were, Arthur," he answered back, voice cracking. A tear silently slid down from his eyes, but he did not seem to mind. "Oh God, I wish I were."

__________

'How long has it been?' she asked herself as she meandered through the rubble. It seemed like a great battle had happened inside Hogwarts and fearfully, she wondered if it was the Second War. 'Good Godric, please let it not be.'