Professor Merlin Emrys

Run!

Harry's heart felt like it would burst out of his chest as anxiety swirled around the air. Everybody seemed to freeze when Umbridge's voice sounded from behind the other side of the wall. Harry looked to Merlin in distress but the wizard didn't look scared. He put a finger to his lips and gently but quickly guided the students around him to the back of the room. Confused, he followed the Professor's lead, heart in his throat as it shuddered once more.

"Quickly, Harry. Open the Portrait and get everyone to the other end of the tunnel," Merlin ordered, turning away to give them a few extra minutes before the wall would crumble.

"Come on, you heard him!" Ron whisper yelled, grabbing the frame of the picture with the founders and pulling. It opened to reveal a small tunnel, only able to fit one body at a time. Harry grabbed one of the chairs to be able to quickly reach, grabbing one of his peers and pushing them to go in first. After that people quickly piled in so as not to get caught.

"Harry, we've got to go!" Hermione said, yanking him to the painting once it was only the three of them left, Draco waiting at the entrance.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming," Harry whispered, breathless. Ron pulled the door closed just as Merlin's spell fell. He leaned against the canvas, hoping to hear that the Professor would be alright. His mind trying to push down the feeling of almost getting caught.

"Delores, welcome. I was just looking for a moment to myself and you come destroying Hogwart's property for no reason," sounding annoyed but friendly. Harry might have believed the man himself if he didn't know the truth.

"No...No reason! I have plenty of reasons!"

"Now Delores," Merlin tutted, mirth evident. It made Harry wince, surely he wasn't trying to provoke her, was he?

"Harry," Hermione whispered, trying to put Harry further into the tunnel. Reluctantly, Harry moved to follow, hearing Umbridge yell again and echo down into the tunnel.

"That was way too close," Hermione said, hopping out the other portrait hole and into a new room.

"Yeah," Harry absentmindedly agreed, taking in the space that Merlin had sent them to. It had no windows in the cramped area, too many students to be able to take much in. The door opened to an older witch with short hair that had long greyed, wrapped in a shaw and a floor-length nightgown. Harry was instantly on alert even though his mind said that Merlin would not take them from one dangerous situation to another one. Not unless he didn't know.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, finding his voice as others shuffled nervously, the younger being pushed behind the older teenagers.

"Cassandra, dear. Put the wands away, all of you. I am an old friend of the Professor's," Harry didn't put his wand away but he did lower it discreetly, the others following his lead.

"Which professor?" Hermione asked.

"Emrys, always getting into trouble that man," she answered fondly, shaking her head. "Come on, let's get out of this room." Harry shrugged before following the witch. He recognized the layout if not the furniture at Merlin's manor as they passed room after room, idly wondering how the tunnel got them halfway across Britain so quickly. They stopped at an old mahogany cabinet.

"The floo is being watched so you'll have to go by a vanishing cabinet back to Hogwarts. It will bring you to Emrys' office so be careful before you step out. In you go," she explained gesturing for a nervous Neville to enter the strange cabinet. Harry gave what he hoped to be a reassuring look to Neville when they made eye contact. He seemed to straighten himself and climbed into the wardrobe giving a small smile as Cassandra closed the doors. A strange whispering sounded from it and she opened it again, Neville nowhere in sight. Whispered conversation echoed as everyone looked at each other.