Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Sorry for how short it was, I'm hoping to make my chapters longer from now on! Thank you to everyone for reading and all your comments, reviews and ideas are always welcome xxx

Merlin had sent a letter to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, asking permission for him to attend the school in the coming year. He had explained his current living situation (or at least a situation he had come up with) and explained that he'd be happy to come in for an interview and assured the Headmaster that he'd be happy with his educational ability after asking just a few questions.

He received a reply only a few days later. He would be accepted into fifth year, the same year as Harry Potter and his friends, if he answered some questions and Professor Dumbledore was satisfied with the answers. There were only a couple of weeks until the start of term so he'd need to go to Diagon Alley for a few supplies but he was ready to get back into the world of magic; even if he'd rather be asleep right now.

He stared up at the large wooden doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation. He had spent most of the last week brewing the potion that would make him look 15 years old until he decided to undo the potion with the antidote spell. He didn't want to have to keep up a de-ageing spell for however long he was going to have to help the Potter boy. He put on his best acting face of amazement and opened the doors of the school.

He wandered the corridors aimlessly until he saw a professor heading towards him.

"Mr Ambrosius I presume?"

The name he had chosen to use during his time at Hogwarts was Mackenzie Ambrosius, Mack for short. When he had to go make appearances in the world he made sure to always use a different name so there could be no connections made. He had chosen Mack because he thought it sounded good enough to pass for a modern 15 year old boy. He also switched between the surname Ambrosius and Emrys, the names he used in Camelotian times, as this reminded him of happier memories.

"Yes, Ma'am. I apologise if I'm slightly earlier than expected." She briefly looked at him in surprise before once again speaking in a terse professional voice.

"Not at all. Now, if you'd follow me I'll take you to the Headmaster's office." He gave a short nod and they walked in silence for the duration of the journey. They reached a spiral staircase and the Professor motioned for him to ascend the steps to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Thank you for taking the time to escort me here, Professor." He recognised politely. She gave a brief smile and nodded in appreciation.

"Help yourself to a sherbet lemon." Merlin reached out and hesitantly unwrapped the bitter treat.

"Now, I'm sure your education so far has been more than adequate so I'd just like to ask you to describe your upbringing and education to me if that's alright?"

He nodded in understanding and confirmation before beginning to talk. He made sure the story matched the brief version he'd given in the letter he sent a little over a week ago.

"Okay, so both my father worked closely with dragons while my mother home schooled me because they had very traditional views in education so wanted to do it themselves. We lived in a small cottage in the middle of a forest in southern England with my uncle Gaius who was a sort of herb doctor. Because of this I would often go into the woods to collect herbs for him and create many different healing potions with him and eventually unaided. One day when I was 7 years old, Gaius and I were out of the cottage and he was showing me new herbs that I'd have to collect we heard shouting and screaming coming from the direction of our house. I rushed towards the noise but Gaius stopped me and made me hide until the cries stopped. I eventually escaped Gaius' clutches and sprinted towards the house where I saw both my parents lying dead on the floor with the room absolutely ransacked." He took a steadying breath since, even though the story was modified for Professor Dumbledore's sake, the deaths of everyone he loved were still raw. Dumbledore was looking at him with sincere pity. "After that Gaius and I moved into a small village where we could still make potions and collect herbs and he could help people as the physician he was. But he was quite a bit older than my mother and he recently passed of old age. While he continued my homeschooling to the best of his ability, one of his dying wishes was that I attend Hogwarts to finish my education, so that's why I'm here." Dumbledore nodded in understanding.

"Firstly, I'd just like to say how sorry I am for everything you've been through at such a young age. You seem to be a very well adjusted and eloquent young man so I'm positive your education has been more than satisfactory and possibly even above that required of your age. This is why I'd be happy to accept you into fifth year of Hogwarts." Merlin grinned at the Headmaster, pleased with how easily he'd been accepted.

Dumbledore continued, "The only thing that concerns me is your current living situation. Where have you been living since your uncle passed away, and who with?"

"Well I've been living in the same cottage as when Gaius was alive, just on my own." Merlin explained wondering why this was relevant.

"I don't think I can allow that to continue in good faith. You're still underage and I cannot allow you to live on your own."

"Professor, there's only a week left before school starts. It's no trouble to live on my own for a week and then I would stay in Hogwarts over the Christmas and Easter holidays if that makes it easier for you to allow."

"I understand that you've been on your own for a short while now and don't want anything to change but now you're a student at Hogwarts it's my duty to make sure you're properly cared for. I have a family in mind that you can stay with until school starts and I'm sure they'd be happy to have you."

Realising he didn't have a choice in the matter he gave in and nodded his acceptance to the Headmaster. "Great, I'm going to quickly visit them via floo powder to explain the situation and ask them for their help and then I'll return and let you know how we'll continue. While I'm gone feel free to help yourself to a book or a nosy round the office, or of course another sherbet lemon." Then the professor stepped into a large fireplace, grabbed a handful of powder and clearly spoke the words "The Weasley household, The Burrow", before disappearing in a burst of green fire.