Destiny Awaits

Prologue

A/N: Here it is. I have deleted the previous story and starting afresh. I hope you like it. Takes place during third year. Sorry it took so long.

@Triquetra123

Summary: Harry Potter has a lot on his plate. About to start his third year at Hogwarts, a mass murderer escaped the Wizarding prison, Azkaban, then Dementors surrounding the school and to top everything off, he has to deal with the taunts of his classmates. Plus there's a new student starting third year as well. Who is he? And can he be trusted? AU. Merlin/Arthur SLASH.

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or Harry Potter.

***

Two thousand years, had past since The Once and Future King died at the Battle of Camlann. Two thousand years since the Warlock Emrys, or Merlin to his friends and family, sent his King and friend to Avalon until he is destined to return. Two thousand years since Camelot fell. Two thousand years, and Merlin is still alive, waiting for his King arise again.

***

In a small little cottage, in the woods by a beautiful lake, once known as The Lake of Avalon, an Old Warlock resides, alone. A warlock whose name is now Legend, that is known by the magical and non-magical people alike. Whose magic is as old as the Triple Goddess herself. His name? Merlin.

*

Merlin sighed for what felt that like the third time that day, as he sat on his small sofa reading the wizarding newspaper, The Daily Prophet, where a moving picture of Sirius Black was on the front page. The caption 'ESCAPE FROM AZKABAN!' Stood out in startling quality. No one has ever escaped Azkaban before. Merlin placed the newspaper on the small coffee table in front of him and leant back his hands on his lap. So, Sirius Black has escaped the Wizarding prison, Azkaban. Good. Azkaban is a horrible place, surrounded by horrible creatures. The Dementors. Why the Ministry of Magic insist on using them to guard the prison is beyond Merlin. And Merlin is glad Sirius escaped. Merlin knew that Sirius was innocent. It was Peter Pettigrew who killed all of those Muggles 12 years ago. But, of course, The Ministry believe him to be dead. But Merlin knows he's not. He saw what really happened in the Crystal of Neahtid. But Avalon knows where he is now. Merlin sighed again and leant his head back a gains the wall. Merlin ran his hand over his face tiredly. Merlin doesn't sleep much anymore, but every now and again, he can feel fatigue weigh him down. It has been at least almost two millennia since he last had a proper nights sleep.

Since Arthur's death, Merlin had suffered a severe depression. Well, he was depressed for years before that, but it got worse after Arthur's death. The reason being, for when Arthur died, his life held no more meaning. He never really knew how much of his life revolved around Arthur, until that moment. When Arthur died, it felt like a part of himself had died with his king. He went back to Camelot one last time, to tell Queen Guinevere that her husband is dead, and then left. He couldn't bear it. Everything reminded him of Arthur. It was too painful. And to make matters worse, was that Merlin loved Arthur. With all of his heart. He had loved him since the Poisoned Chalice incident. And Merlin never told him. Because for a man to love another man, was unlawful. Illegal. Considered worse than sorcery. Merlin never told anyone that secret. He kept that secret closely guarded to himself, even more so than his magic. And everyday, Merlin fell even more in love the prat. So when Arthur admitted his feelings for Gwen, it cut him like a knife to the heart. And when Arthur married her, his heart shattered. He continued to pine for his king, hurting on the inside every time he saw them together. He knew that Arthur had to marry and produce an heir one day, and Merlin was glad it was with someone he loves, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. After the wedding, Merlin tried to push all of his feelings for his king and friend, away. But it didn't work, obviously. He got absolutely smashed that night, trying to drown his sorrows. Merlin can hold his alcohol really well, Merlin suspects it's because of his magic, and it took four bottles of the strongest whiskey to get him utterly smashed. He had collapsed on his bed, crying into his pillow. He was grateful that Gaius was at the feast for the newly weds, while he drank and cried his heart out. He cried himself to sleep that night. He woke up the next morning, as if nothing had happened. Surprisingly he didn't have a hangover, considering the amount of alcohol he consumed the night before. He slept in late, but Arthur had given him the day off, in order to spend the day with his new queen. For those first few weeks, Merlin had been avoiding his king, cleaning his chambers before Arthur came back from training, sharpening his sword in the armoury, cleaning Arthur's boots in Merlin's own room, mucking out the stables when he knew Arthur was in a meeting or with Gwen and when he delivered Arthur and Gwen their meals, he made sure they weren't in the room, so the meals were ready for them when they got there. Merlin worked himself to death those few weeks, but afterwards, he found a way to cope. It didn't always work, but it gave him some solace. But when Arthur died, his coping mechanism didn't work anymore. He went into the Crystal Caves and stayed there for a millennia.

After Camelot fell, he hid away for a millennium, until the Old Religion called to him. He thought that Arthur had returned and his suffering would end, but he was wrong. Instead, it lead him to four powerful, wand wielding, young sorcerers, two females and two males, who he became fast friends with. They were Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Godric reminded him so much of Arthur, that it hurt. When Merlin had heard about the witch burnings, he came up with the idea of a school to teach children with magical abilities, to control their powers. They all agreed. They chose a location for the school to be held, on the Isle of the Blessed far away from muggles - non-magic people - and they all built the school into a large castle, which reminded Merlin strongly of Camelot, on the Isle of the Blessed. The school was a success. At first children were hesitant and terrified, but eventually they became eager to go. Merlin told the founders that he didn't want to be mentioned in anyway, shape or form that he helped create the school. They all questioned him, but Merlin was dead set against it. But he did create the Room of Requirement to help students in need. The founders, liked the idea. Salazar was extremely reluctant to allow anyone who had non-magic parents into the school, because muggles had killed his family. Merlin understood his reasoning. Godric, Helga and Rowena were accepting for anyone to learn magic. They all created a house for each school: Gryffindor, for the brave; Hufflepuff, for the loyal; Ravenclaw, for the wise; and Slytherin, for the cunning. Helga came up with ideas on how to to sort the children into their houses. Godric came up with that the children have to fight a troll to test their bravery. The others thought he was mental. Then, Rowena came up with idea, of some sort of sorting hat. Merlin enchanted Godric's old hat so that it will choose traits of each child, and sort them into the houses that suit them best. Everything was perfect for the next few years. Merlin even taught at the school for a while. Until Merlin found out about the Chamber of Secrets. To say Merlin was furious, would be an understatement. The others hadn't known at this point. Merlin spoke to Salazar and he explained that the Basilisk was to warn muggle-born students to not betray the school. Merlin understood why, but he was furious. He told them who he was when they asked him why he hadn't aged and he had to leave the school before anyone else found out. They understood. Just after he left, he found out that the founders had found out about the chamber and that Salazar had left the school. He visited them all when they were on their deathbeds, and Merlin still missed them.

He returned to the school every century or so out of boredom as a student, but never made any friends because he knew he would out live them all. He never allowed himself, to get close to anyone since he met the founders. No one knew of the fifth founder. And no one knew of the Old Religion, either. Merlin personally set out to destroy all evidence of the Old Religion and now, everyone who has magic, uses a wand. Merlin found out that if he tries to use a wand, or a broomstick, they will explode because his magic is too powerful, no matter how much he reins it in. So, every time he returns to Hogwarts, he uses his old Sidhe Staff, that he shrunk, making it into a wand. He changes his name too, along with a de-aging spell, but keeps the same last name: Ambrosius. Merlin's full name is Merlin Ambrosius - his true name is Emrys and only magical creatures called him that - but not many people in Camelot knew that. The first letter is always 'M' when he returns to Hogwarts. The ghosts remember him, it's hard not to, when the same person pops up again every century. And, they are all eager to know Merlin's secret, but he won't tell them. The sorting hat refuses to sort him because he is the 'epitome of all that this school stands for' according to the hat, so he has to choose. He has been in every single house at Hogwarts and has always excelled in his studies. Well, being over two thousand years old does that to you. The last time he went to Hogwarts, was seventy years ago. And Merlin knows he has to return. There's only one reason why Sirius would escape Azkaban now. He knows where Pettigrew is and he's going to find him. And there is only one place where he could be. Hogwarts.