5 Chapter 5

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"That was unpleasant," Merlin said to no one. "What happened to me?" Merlin searched around, finding nothing. Unfortunately for Merlin, he wouldn't see Void again for some time. "Argh!" Merlin grabs his head in pain. "Goddammit, it hurts." *grrrr*. "Hurkk." Merlin immediately started throwing up what was left in his stomach, and with it came a nasty smelly goop. "W-what the hell is happening to me?".

If waking up in immense pain wasn't bad enough, Merlin's body was finally reacting to the past five years of abuse and malnourishment. "Dammit, what kind of psychopath does this." Merlin couldn't help but curse. "And what is this abominable excuse of a meal." Merlin stared at his plate of food in disgust, but the worst part about it was his stomach was getting hungry. *grrrrr* "Damn you stomach, you betray me." With a pained expression, Merlin consumed the food.

A year and some months later?

"How long has it been" Merlin spoke with a raspy voice. With no window, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed. "Why am I here? I don't remember why I am here. The light I want to see the light again." Merlin's voice was on the verge of crying. And who can blame him a full year of almost unending darkness, his mind on the brink of breaking

"I don't want to be here anymore. I WANT TO SEE THE LIGHT!!." With Merlin's rage, a small light appeared, making Merlin ecstatic "haahaahaa, it's-its beautiful." This light had appeared on multiple occasions, usually when his mind was about to break, almost as if the light knew when to appear to settle his mind.

Merlin reached for the light he so desperately desired, and as he grabbed it, a foolish mistake he made once again *fwoosh* as fast as it came, it was gone.

No-No-NO!! Come back." Merlin freaked. "Please come back. I don't want to be in the dark anymore." For Merlin losing the light was worse than the hunger, he was feeling. Yet, the light's worth was far greater than Merlin could have imagined because, for someone else, it meant he was still alive.

Somewhere far away, an older man of an unknown age sat behind an old desk. *Whoosh* "Barnabus, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see you today." The older man spoke. "Forgive my intrusion, my good friend Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, how have you been." Barnabus talked suspiciously. "Hmm, if I didn't know you any better, you need something," Dumbledore spoke with one eye closed.

Barnabus chuckled. "As perspective as always." This time Dumbledore chuckled with a hand gesture. He pointed to the seat for Barnabus. "I'm afraid I can't give you any more alchemy ingredients; Professor Snape was not happy about last time," Dumbledore explains explicitly. Barnabus gave an embarrassed chuckle. ". "No worries, I'll talk to Snape another time. The real reason I'm here is to discuss a student." "A student, huh, and what did he turn into this time?". Dumbledore replied with a hearty laugh.

Barnabus quickly tried to move on, saying it only happened one time. "Ehem moving forward, the student is an orphan." Dumbledore nodded. "I see. Yes, this is very much a more serious topic. Have they still not allowed inner schools to accept orphans." Barnabus sighed. "Unfortunately not, my friend. No matter how much I try, they still won't let us."

Dumbledore sighed with him. "So what is it you wish for me to do, Barnabus? I doubt the Ministry of Magic would listen to me." "No, no, my friend, that battle is mine. I merely wish for you to accept the child into Hogwarts and allow him to grow here correctly."

Dumbledore was slightly surprised by how much Barnabus seemed to care about the child. Usually, after a few days of arguing with the Ministry of Magic, Barnabus would have no choice but leave the matter to them. "Tell me what's so special about this child?. This isn't the first time an orphan has crossed your path, and it surely won't be last. There must be a reason, yes." Barnabus thought for a moment before answering, "I honestly don't know, my friend. Just a hunch the moment I read his name, I knew he was special."

Dumbledore closed his eyes and leaned back into his chair, slowly stroking his beard. After a moment of gathering his thoughts, Dumbledore opened his eyes. "Tell me what his name is."

"~Merlin~." As if he cast a spell, Barnabus spoke his name.

"I see that is a unique name, and the boy has been showing signs of magic?." Dumbledore spoke. "Of course, as even before I arrived, I felt a small amount of magic from his location." Quickly replied Barnabus. "Hmm, that's good. Haaa, tell me his location. I'll send Professor McGonagall.". Dumbledore rubbed his eyebrows, thinking about the paper he had to complete for Merlin to attend Hogwarts.

After giving Dumbledore the address, he spoke one last time before leaving. "Please offer my apologies to Madame McGonagall and for her to prepare herself," Barnabus said mysteriously. "Wha--." *Fwoosh* before Dumbledore could finish, Barnabus disappeared. "Haa, I really should stop being so carefree with him. Maybe next time." Without wasting any time, Dumbledore called upon Prof. McGonagall.

-1 hour later- In front of a gargoyle statue Miss McGonagall spoke two simple words, "Sherbet Lemon" when she said these words, the gargoyle shook for a second before twisting into a staircase.

"You called Professor Dumbledore," asked McGonagall, who Dumbledore called over. "Ah, Professor McGonagall as punctual as always." Dumbledore casually said. "Yes, as one should be." She responded with an intense face. "Yes, yes on should always be punctual," Dumbledore said well looking into the distance, seemingly lost in space. Seeing Dumbledore's face, McGonagall sighed, "Professor Dumbledore, please focus." "Ah, sorry ehem, I have an errand for you. Would you please pick up a student and take him to the Leaky Cauldron."

Listening to Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall asked her questions. "May I inquire about who and why I'm picking up a child and where said child is?." "Aha, yes, the child's name is Merlin, hopefully, a so-to-be a student if he possesses magic, as I've been told. He currently resides at an orphanage. Here's the address." Dumbledore quickly said, floating McGonagall a piece of paper. Listing to Dumbledore rapidly go over who the child was, she couldn't help but squint. "And who has asked you to do this?." "Eh, nobody a colleague." "This colleague wouldn't happen to be Barnabus, would it?."

"Hmm, maybe I don't seem to remember." a vein seemed to appear on McGonagall's head, and with a thirty-minute lecture on why Barnabus was a bad influence. After getting in trouble, Dumbledore watched as McGonagall was leaving but right before she left, he made sure to give the last message Barnabus had "Barnabus gives his regard and says to prepare yourself and that he's sorry for the trouble. McGonagall didn't stop for a second and continued on her way.

2 hours later

Outside the orphanage stood McGonagall with a tiny umbrella due to the rain. Gazing at the poor-looking orphanage, McGonagall couldn't help but feel something was off. "Why do I have a feeling Barnabus's last message was warning me of something."

Unable to figure out why she had a bad feeling McGonagall reached the double door and knocked twice. Starting the gears that would change the future forever, only she was utterly clueless.