The Warlock and the Dragonlord

Arthur could feel Morgana's gaze on him, and he was relieved that she didn't try to make him sit. He'd done as told and tried to get the best sleep he could manage the night before, but if he had to sit still for one more minute, he might start to pull his hair out.

He'd been very aware of Merlin's magic imprint on him for months, even more so since Merlin had been taken and the magic had acted out in his fear. But since last night, as Hermione and Harry had walked him through way after way that he might be able to access it just a little bit more, Arthur had been restless, and the magic had felt even more powerful. It didn't just settle in his gut anymore, but he felt like it tingled in his fingers and toes, almost as though the magic had claimed Arthur as it's own as well. He felt the strangest pull in his feet, to get him moving out the door to where the other end of the magic lay. He needed to go find it, before Merlin was hurt even more.

"I've never seen you like this," Morgana said suddenly, then smirked. "Except when I fell out of that tree, maybe."

Arthur looked at her fondly, if distractedly. Gaius was in the apartment as well, but he had drifted into the kitchen to make some tea for himself. Arthur wondered if he was giving the two siblings space, or if he'd needed a moment to himself. "I've never had a friend before, 'Gana. Not besides you."

"True." Morgana gave a soft laugh. "Merlin's really important to you then, isn't he?"

"Of course." Arthur scowled. "He's my best friend. I feel like we're more like… like he's my brother, you know? And having a sense of his magic certainly strengthened that feeling."

"I can't believe you hadn't told me about his magic sooner," Morgana muttered, though she didn't really look that put out.

"He asked me not to tell anyone," Arthur said simply. It was a huge part of the truth, but Morgana truly didn't realize how much of himself he had never told her. Of course he'd told her about his life, school, and classmates, but he never did tell her about the bullies. About how much he hated himself for not being as… special as she was, to be able to go to magic school as well. About how miserable he was at home with Uther; who didn't show him any care and only wanted to make sure Arthur never embarrassed him.

So in reality, he knew he was hiding a lot from her, but she didn't deserve to hear his insecurities. She had to worry about her own life. He was only grateful that she would come when Merlin needed help.

He wished he'd known how to access the magic like this earlier, he would have gone in to save Merlin days ago if he had. Granted, if he'd tried to do that he probably would have just ended up killed or taken with Merlin, since he had no weapons and no magic — besides what had laid claim inside him of Merlin's.

Why had it done that? He asked himself for the millionth time. Apparently it wasn't a common thing, to feel magic of another being like this. Harry said that he'd had to an extent, with an enemy, but that was from bizarre circumstances. This was a lot different than what Harry had gone through with some Voldemort guy. For one, Merlin was a good guy. Terrified of his magic, unsure of how to use it, but most assuredly a good guy. He wouldn't be able to hurt a fly. Also, it was due to some part of Voldemort's soul somehow imprinting on Harry, which was weird, but hey, magic was strange, so Arthur barely blinked when he heard that.

And Arthur definitely wasn't a bad guy in this story either. So clearly what Harry had with Voldemort was not the same, but Harry didn't really know of anyone else who had something even remotely similar happen.

With that being said, though, magic was a mystery in of itself. Magic was, well magic. Anything could be possible, right?

Right, well, the only magic he wanted to be able to use, was whatever he needed to get Merlin out of there as quickly as he could. It was strange how he spent so long wishing he could use magic like his sister, and yet when he gets a bit of it, the only thing he wanted with it was about the only thing it seemed good for.

He'd get Merlin. He would. Just as soon as people showed up to help.

Just as he was about to growl in frustration and maybe head for the door, the fireplace, also known as the floo powder network apparently, finally lit up and person after person came through, starting with Harry, then a couple red-headed men, and woman. Then Hermione. McGonagall came as well.

When around fifteen people were standing in the room, Gaius also having come back in, Harry came closer to Arthur and smiled as he put a hand on his shoulder. "All right, Arthur. Are you ready for this?"

Arthur took a breath, nervous about being the one… sort of in charge here; the one with least experience, no magic, and absolutely nothing to his name unless he wanted to try and claim the ability to tackle, then forced himself to nod. He had to do this, because he was the only one who knew how to find Merlin, and his friend was counting on him.

He felt a wash of determination flow over him, letting it soothe the magic swirling in him, which seemed to work like a sigh of relief. He wondered again if Merlin felt it. It only made sense that the other teen could feel a piece of Arthur too, unless the magic attaching to him was Merlin's strange way of making sure he stayed safe. But that didn't make sense, otherwise Merlin would have been able to do that with Gaius too, right?

Arthur looked to Gaius and Harry followed his gaze. "Dr. Emrys. We will come straight back here with Merlin when we find him. Please wait for us. Miss LeFay, you'll have to stay here too."

"What?" Morgana's arms folded quickly. "No! Arthur's my brother. I need to come with you."

"Sorry," Harry shook his head. "I need you here. You're underage and not allowed to use magic yet outside school, and I don't want any extra concerns while getting to Merlin."

Morgana looked as though to argue, then saw Arthur's look and realized it would only waste time, so she huffed. "Stay safe, Arthur," she said instead, hugging him tightly. Then she glowered at Harry and all the others. "If you let anything happen to Arthur, I'll find you and you won't recognize yourself when I'm through."

McGonagall smirked, nearly chortling. "I think the hat sorted you into the wrong house, my Ravenclaw. That was more Slytherin."

Morgana smiled wryly. "I've got plenty of Slytherin in me to go around," she muttered, still glaring.

One other lady spoke up. "I'll be staying as well, prepping for some healing, in case he's injured. I'll need you to be ready with the floo powder in case we need to get immediately to St. Mungo's." They kept on planning, but as soon as Morgana was distracted with instructions, Arthur had nodded once to Gaius, then turned back to Harry.

"Do you think you have enough focus on where he is, that we could apparate there or do you think we'll need to walk?"

Walking could take too long. Morgana had explained apparating to him years ago, and he'd always thought it would be a brilliant way to travel.

He'd take his chances with this way, even though he'd heard of possible damage.

"I think I can manage the apparating. The pull to him is really strong."

Harry nodded. "All right, one second." He stood and passed out some pens to everyone. Arthur watched in bemusement until one of the redheads caught his look and smiled at him.

"Brilliant isn't it? Hermione made them. They're portkeys, they transport us immediately, like apparating, to wherever they are set to go." He smiled wide and proud at Hermione, who blushed but grinned back, even with an eye roll. With that interaction, he figured this redhead had to be Hermione's husband.

"In this case," Harry added, grabbing his own out. "When I activate mine, they'll be able to follow where we end up." Harry moved back to Arthur. "See you all in a few."

As long as I do this right, Arthur thought, then, as Harry grabbed tight to Arthur's shoulder and nodded to him, Arthur turned his thoughts, finally, to the tingling in his fingers that just begged him to be moving.

Arthur was not expecting the wave of nausea that passed over him, or the dizziness that nearly took him to his knees. He was standing in a gloomy room, and he immediately spotted Merlin laying on a bed, with a man standing over him having just looked up at the sounded of them appearing. Arthur didn't let his dizziness stop him, stumbling slightly over his feet as he dived for the man in a flying tackle. Anger pounded through his veins that someone could harm his best friend.

"Arthur, back up!" He wasn't entirely sure how long later the request came, as he'd been punching the daylights out of the man below him.

He looked up at Harry right as others joined the room, all with wands up. Arthur jumped away, moving toward Merlin, in case he needed to protect him from any spells coming in that direction.

He didn't see what went down, his gaze drawn to Merlin only, though he heard the sounds of footsteps rushing away. He figured this guy wasn't the only one in the building, and others must have had the same thought because they left the room.

"Merlin?" Arthur put a gentle hand in his hair, the other on his arm, and leaned over him. A few other wizards came closer, but Arthur didn't know them. "Merlin, come on."

Merlin's eyes flew open in a panic, gold, immediately finding Arthur, even as Arthur felt a gust of wind burst from him — surrounding Arthur, but not touching him — but blowing everyone else back away from him.

Merlin was hyperventilating. His eyes blown wide, so Arthur moved closer. "Merlin. Merlin, breathe. Breathe. I'm here. You're going to be okay. I've got you." He kept murmuring until Merlin finally gathered who he was.

"Arthur?" The broken voice then turned to broken sobs. Arthur, though concerned about moving him, gently pulled him into his arms, where Merlin buried his face into his chest and clutched onto his shirt. Arthur could feel the tremors, could feel how grimy, sweaty, and thin his friend was, and was suddenly glad he'd had the chance to punch the mans face in.

Maybe his tackling skills could be counted to help, at least a little.

Arthur kept his soft murmured words going for Merlin, at least until he calmed a little. By the tension still swirling in him, he knew that Merlin was only really quieting because he was absolutely exhausted. He wasn't free yet, and didn't truly know himself to be safe, but the toll of this kidnapping was pushing his body to its limits.

"How about we get you home?" Arthur murmured at last.

Merlin nodded weakly, but his hands also tightened slightly.

"Merlin." The redhead lady came over, voice gentle. "My name is Ginny. We are here to get you home. Can Patricia over here see to any wounds you may have?"

Patricia came up behind Ginny and Merlin glanced at her quickly, then shook his head. Once more, his fingers tightened on Arthur, and he looked at him. "Gaius?"

"You want Gaius to look over you?" Arthur asked him.

Merlin nodded, sparing a wary glance to the girls.

"Alright," Ginny agreed. She held out her hand, slowly, but Merlin still cowered.

Arthur shifted him slightly. "It's fine, Merlin." He added the bit of careful playfulness to his tone, that had Merlin looking up at him immediately, some of his obvious tension draining at their typical bantering tone. Why was it that calmed Merlin down so quickly? "They just have to hold onto us to get us home. They'll let go as soon as we make it back. Gaius is waiting for us."

Harry came closer. "You ladies get him home. Ron, go with them. Get him healing and safe. We will finish up here."

Ginny nodded without looking away from Merlin. "Arthur is right, Merlin. We will let you go when we get back. But for now, we would really like to get out of this creepy basement. Wouldn't you?"

Merlin nodded again, looking around himself as though remembering where he was, and he pulled impossibly closer to Arthur. He didn't mind. For the first time in days, the magic in him was settling, finally reconnected to where it belonged, and Merlin was hanging on by a thread. Ginny grabbed hold of both of them, then apparated.