The Next Adventure

When key is not a key

One word. One name. It can change everything. One name. That's all it takes to brighten or darken your day.

And that's all it took once more. Only this time it was not simply a name. It was a legend.

Harry was still looking at the parchment and reading again and again that name: Merlin. A legend exiled from all worlds. A wizard known to muggles. A man who was supposed to be dead for centuries.

Suddenly the paper started moving. It was trying to escape Harry's hands. Harry held on to it for as long as he could, but the letter was getting warmer. Eventually it burned his way out of Harry's hands. It flew up to the ceiling where it exploded to a pile of confetti. Fleamont showed no symptoms of amazement. He simply sighted gently and said "Always counting the details..." with a slight smile on his face.

Harry was left with his mouth hanging open. He stayed petrified until Natasha entered the room. She was more than upset. Her eyes were constantly moving around, searching the room, her breathing was unstable and she had to take a number of deep breaths before she was able to speak. She acted as if she had seen a ghost.

"There's...um...There's someone who wants to see you Minister...and...he is aware of Harry's presence in this room..." she said trying to mimic her previous serious tone in her voice.

"Come in!" Fleamont cried.

The door opened by itself and a middle-aged man came through it. He was wearing an old dark blue and green robe with huge sleeves. His green eyes were distinctively bright. He hid his wand in his right sleeve and greeted everyone in the room separately. Then he turned to Harry.

"You must be Harry Potter!" He said.

"You know...me....?" Said Harry surprisingly surprised.

"But of course!" Responded the man joyfully. " Your story is legend! The ones with a happy ending specifically!"

"Excuse me, but how did you get here?" Fleamont cut in.

Merlin looked at him startled by his old friends ignorance.
"But...I apparated of course!" He said as if it was the most normal thing ever.

"Across the Atlantic..." Fleamont insisted.

"No, actually I took the long way and passed through China for a souvenir..." Merlin responded mockingly.

Silence fell in the room.

"Still not a joke loving type eih?" Merlin said after a while.
"I have to say Fleamont you've aged" he continued.

Harry had felt his mind abandon his body. He could see, he could listen but he still couldn't what was happening just a few steps in front of him.

"When you sent me that letter I didn't realize you would be coming right away." Fleamont said sharply.

"Well you couldn't have expected me to stand by either. I'm always up for a new challenge."

"Then why didn't you help Hogwarts?" Harry couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth. He heard his voice loud and clear and most of all...angry and disappointed.

Merlin turned around but did not speak. Fleamont was looking at Harry surprised of Harry sudden bursting and proud that he had the strength and courage to speak up and say exactly what he though against a powerful wizard like Merlin. Even though he was not a villain. Even heroes make mistakes.

"I'm...I was trapped..." Merlin started.

Fleamont's forehead wrinkled.

"Trapped?" He asked.