Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Merlin.

Chapter Nine: Tea with Hagrid and Flying Lessons.

Merlin and Hermione walked side by side as they headed out of Hogwarts castle and towards Hagrid's hut. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of forbidden forest. As they approached the front door, Merlin noticed the crossbow and a pair of galoshes stood outside the front door.

Merlin knocked on the front door, which was quickly followed by the sound of frantic scrabbling and several loud barks, which seemed to boom in the air around them.

"Back, Fang," Hagrid's voice sounded from inside. "Back."

Hagrid's face appeared as the door was pulled open a crack.

"Hang on," Hagrid said. "Back, Fang."

After a moment he pulled the door wider open, letting them in, all the while struggling to keep a hold of the collar around the neck of a gigantic black boarhound. There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants hung from the ceiling while a copper pot was boiling and bubbling away over an open fire. And in the corner of the room was a massive bed covered with a patchwork quilt.

"Make yerselves at home," Hagrid said, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight over to Merlin and started licking his ears, causing Merlin to laugh.

Hagrid poured water into a large teapot and placed some rock cakes on a plate. The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth and Merlin discretely feed his to Fang while Hermione was talking adamantly about her first week and all that had happened and what she had learnt so far.

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris," Hagrid said, after Merlin mentioned how he'd run into Fitch. "I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her, Fitch puts her up to it."

Merlin laughed, "I think Mrs. Norris would win that battle, Hagrid."

Merlin's attention was suddenly caught by a newspaper clipping on the table.

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31stof July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.

Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.

Merlin picked up the newspaper clipping and stared at it for a moment. July 31st, that was the day he and Hermione had gone to get their school supplies.

"Hagrid!" Merlin held up the clipping. "This break-in, happened on the day you took me and Hermione there."

Hagrid wouldn't meet Merlin's eye and instead offered him another rock cake. Merlin stared at him and then looked back down at the newspaper clipping.

"You emptied the vault before it was broken in to," Merlin said. "The vault which was broken into, it was vault seven hundred and thirteen, wasn't it?"

)o(

"You've got to be joking?" Merlin muttered, staring at the notice board in horror.

"What?" Theodore asked.

"We having flying lessons with the Gryffindor's," Merlin explained. "Just what I need. Because Harry Potter doesn't get enough of an opportunity already!"

Theodore attention snapped away from the book he was studying and his gaze fixed on Merlin and he silly stared. He didn't blink and Merlin shifted uncomfortably under his stare. He snapped his book shut, his gaze still fixed firmly on Merlin. The other Slytherin noticed the tension and the common room fell silent as everyone turned their attention to them.

"What has Harry Potter done?" Theodore asked.

"Nothing," Merlin quickly exclaimed. "Absolutely nothing?"

"Has anyone told you are a terrible liar, Merlin?" Theodore questioned.

"Yes, actually, they have," Merlin answered with a grin. "Hundreds of times."

Theodore rolled his eyes.

"Well," Merlin said. "I'm… just going to go."

Merlin edged his way towards the exit to the common room.

"Merlin!" Theodore snapped.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"What did Harry Potter do?" Theodore repeated.

"I've already told you," Merlin answered.

"And we've also established you are a terrible liar," Theodore countered.

"Fine," Merlin sighed. "He tried to hex me."

"He hexed you?!" Theodore raised an eyebrow.

"Tried to," Merlin corrected. "Why did you think I was in detention Wednesday?"

Theodore raised his other eyebrow and Merlin grinned at him.

"He got a trip to the infirmary," Merlin explained. "And I got detention."

"He was sent to the infirmary?" Theodore asked in disbelief.

Merlin nodded, as he shifted and rubbed the back of his neck, "He was unconscious…"

Theodore laughed much to Merlin's surprise.

A few hours later Merlin found himself standing in the middle of a field standing beside Theodore and the other Slytherin's, alongside twenty brooms. Malfoy was currently telling a story of how he had narrowly avoided a muggle helicopter whilst out flying once, but Merlin was paying him no attention. Instead he was staring at the brooms. All he could think about was what had happened with the wands…

Merlin turned and watched as the Gryffindor's arrived, shortly followed by their teacher, Madam Hooch. She had short, grey hair, and yellow eyes much like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" She barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Merlin glanced down at the broom he was standing beside. He had a feeling this was going to go very badly indeed.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch instructed. "And say 'Up!"'

"UP!" Everyone shouted.

Merlin broom didn't even twitch. He glanced across to Hermione, whose broom was rolling around on the ground. Malfoy's broom jumped straight into his hand and Merlin bit his lip to stop himself from laughing as Ron's broom shot up and hit him in the face and that's when Merlin noticed he was the only Slytherin who hadn't gotten their broom into the air and their waiting hand.

"Mr Black," Madam Hooch was facing him. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up, now."

Merlin tried again, but the broom did nothing. Merlin glanced up as he heard laughter to see Harry, Ron and two of their friends openly laughing. Turning back to his broom, he tried again and this time his eyes flashed gold. The broom jumped into his waiting palm, but as soon as the wood hit his palm it burst into flames.

Merlin let go of the broom instantly and a few of his fellow students screamed as Merlin patted down the sleeve of his robes. Once the flames were out, Merlin stated at the still burning broom and then looked at the damage the fire had down to his hand and lower arm. His hand had been the most badly burnt, but it was nothing that a healing spell couldn't fix. His magic had saved him from the worst of it.

"Madam Hooch," Merlin called out. "May I go to the infirmary?"

"Yes, yes!" She quickly answered. "Hurry along now."

)o(

Merlin left the infirmary, his hand and lower arm finally healed. Not long after Merlin had arrived in the infirmary, Neville Longbottom had been bought in by Madam Hooch, with a broken wrist after he'd taken a nasty fall from twenty feet. Not long after that Professor McGonagall had come to visit Neville… Merlin wasn't even all that surprised Snape hadn't come to visit, his head of house seemed to hate him and Merlin had no idea what he had done to deserve it.

"Well done," The voice of George Weasley echoed down the hallway behind Merlin as he walked towards the great hall.

Merlin turned and looked behind him. Fred and George Weasley were walking along the hallway at a brisk pace.

"We've never been able to set a school broom on fire before," Fred said.

"How'd you do it?" George asked, as the twins came to a halt in front of Merlin.

"Magic," Merlin deadpanned.

Fred laughed and George grinned.

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school," George said.

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you," Fred added.

Fred and George had disappeared, when someone far less welcome appeared. Harry Potter, flanked by Ron Weasley, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan appeared.

"How's the hand?" Harry sneered.

"Perfectly fine, thanks for asking," Merlin grinned at them, only to grin wider as Harry's eyebrow twitched.

"I still haven't forgotten about what happened on Wednesday," Harry said.

Merlin rolled his eyes and turned round and carried on walking towards the great hall. He could hear them following after him, but he knew they wouldn't attack him from behind not after Harry had been thrown into a wall by Merlin's magic acting in his defence. Plus they wouldn't dare do anything in the Great Hall with the High Table full of teachers.

Merlin entered the Great Hall and quickly made his way over to the Slytherin table and all the while he could feel the stares of Harry and his friends on his back. He sat down at the Slytherin table and much to his disappointment Theodore wasn't there. He sighed and began to eat, still aware Harry Potter had his gaze fixed on him.

)o(

Hello! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.