Professor Merlin Emrys

Down in Africa

Notes:
For reference later:
Xhosa pronounced Kow-suh sounds more like co-suh though.

Merlin entered his chambers, feeling rather bad for having dredged up old wounds for the potions master, but his attitude towards Harry was bordering on abusive and Merlin would have no more. The bullied becoming a bully himself, taking out his still unresolved grief of Harry's mother and pouring it onto Harry was the worst thing he could do. It made Merlin angry, to pick on a child who could not defend himself without consequence grated on Merlin's nerves. He let his magic out of his control a little, turning his anger into something more productive like packing. Tomorrow the Easter holidays would begin and most of the students would be leaving for their families, Merlin among them.

He had contacted his friend, asking to borrow her library to find anything to help Harry with his little Horcrux situation. Thankfully, the old girl had agreed and named a date at which he could visit. He has not seen Talia in at least thirty years, for the woman was abroad, adding to her already extensive collection of knowledge. Though she did live in Africa, she still spent all her free time helping develop her country with cleaner water and places to live. He greatly admired her and her work, having helped her where he could.

His robes stayed in their cupboard, them being unwelcome in the heat of the African sun, but he grabbed his muggle clothes and had his personal belongings shimmy into his ever-expanding bag. He would have to use a spell of the old religion to travel so far, since he didn't want to risk splinching himself traveling by apparition but he didn't mind. It had been a good while since he has used anything but new magic; anything of substantial power anyway. He made the broom sweep and the feather duster wipe until the room sparkled as much as a stone room could, reminding Merlin of his days as Arthur's manservant. (He recalled complaining to Gaius about how Arthur wanted to be able to see his face in the stone and how it was impossible. Gaius had given him an unimpressed eyebrow but Merlin had ignored him in favor of crushing his agitation on the poor plants the physician had asked him to grind up.)

Shaking his head at himself for getting lost in his memories, he sneezed a thanks to the duster as the thing started dusting his face to get his attention. He returned the objects inanimate and tied the strings of his bag together and threw himself onto the bed. Aithusa had not turned up yet, but Merlin was too emotionally drained to care much, simply changed into his nightclothes and fell asleep.

~

Merlin grumbled as he was rudely awakened by six pounds of dragon jumping on him.

"Come on, come on, Merlin! I want to see Africa again!" Aithusa yapped in Merlin's ear. It made him groan and wonder if this was karma for being so obnoxious when he woke Arthur in the mornings. A dull pain stabbed his heart but he quickly brushed it aside, he doesn't know what has caused his increased thoughts of his Once and Future King but he would kindly ask his brain to stop.

"I'm up, Aithusa," Merlin managed to say in between the eager dragon's ramblings. He's sad to say she had picked up a few of his bad habits over the years they have spent together.

"Right," the dragon nodded but continued. "We'll get to see Talia again, aren't you excited?!" Aithusa sing-songed. Talia has been Aithusa's favorite person since Morgana, having mostly stayed with the witch when Merlin was away and the woman home. Merlin's never been jealous, absolutely not.

Merlin grinned, magicking clean clothes on his person as Aithusa seemed to be too impatient to wait a few more moments. He grabbed his bag and Arthur's sword, not trusting it to be left alone for too long and sticking it in with his other belongings. Aithusa wrapped herself around his shoulders and he headed out the door. He was almost skipping as he made for the castle doors, but held himself back from doing so lest he risk losing any respect his students and colleagues ever gave him, it was a near thing though. He was so close to getting away before something stout and so utterly pink blocked his escape. Merlin almost groaned aloud, but restrained himself if he wanted to make it out before the sun set.