[Third Person's PoV]
Arthur and Merlin arrived back at their home. Arthur immediately walked inside, searching excitedly.
"Where's my baby~?" he called in a playful, babying voice as he looked around.
It didn't take long for him to find Cosmo, who had grown slightly more and more over the years. The creature was lying on a seat with its arms crossed, looking unamused.
"There's my little man~!" Arthur beamed, scooping Cosmo up and covering him with repeated kisses on the head. "How've you been? Miss me while I was gone? Because I sure did!"
Cosmo simply gave a long-suffering look, his half-lidded eyes staring soullessly in Merlin's direction, as if pleading for help. But she was already used to this dynamic and ignored it.
"Arthur, we need to talk," Merlin said, setting down a plate of leftover food that Perenelle had given them.
Arthur, who had been nuzzling his face against Cosmo's small body, froze. He sighed, still holding Cosmo close like a baby, before nodding and moving to sit on the sofa.
"Yeah, we do. We have a lot to talk about, actually. I say we start with the least important thing first, don't you agree?"
Merlin set her things down, removed her robe, and got comfortable across from him, nodding in agreement.
"Ms. Perenelle wants to adopt us and become our legal guardian. What do you think?" Arthur asked.
"I'll mostly follow your lead. If you're fine with it, I don't have any reason to decline," Merlin replied, leaning back in her seat.
Arthur patted Cosmo's head as he sat the creature on his lap. "I can see the benefits. It would stop people from asking questions, and it would also provide a good cover for you since you plan on attending Hogwarts."
"That's true. I'm not technically a legal person, so I can't be your guardian. They'd be a great substitute. Plus, since you're still a child, you'll need a guardian's permission for a lot of things, which they can provide," Merlin agreed. However, she noticed the hesitation on Arthur's face as he looked down at Cosmo.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Well, for one, I don't really want to move. Wouldn't we technically have to stay with them if they became our guardians?" Arthur muttered. He had made a lot of memories with Merlin in this house, and the thought of leaving it behind didn't sit well with him.
Merlin immediately understood his concern and gave him a warm smile. "There's no need to worry. From what I've seen, Nicholas and Perenelle are the type to understand if we don't want to move. We'll just say this house is an inheritance and that we don't want to part with it."
Arthur let out a sigh of relief, and Merlin chuckled.
"So, we're in agreement to let the Flamels become our guardians?" she asked.
"Yes. It would make things much easier. Not to mention, they're nice people—I trust them," Arthur said with a smile.
But the smile on Merlin's face slowly faded.
"Trust them enough to show them your idea for a magic circle?"
The conversation had now shifted into more serious territory.
Arthur hesitated for a moment before sighing. "It's not something I ever planned to keep secret," he admitted, blushing slightly as he looked down. "I... I actually planned to write a few books about it and publish them for everyone. That's also one of the reasons I wanted to meet the Flamels. Through them, I was hoping to connect with Dumbledore and get his endorsement so it would pass through the Ministry."
Merlin's frown deepened. Before she could respond, Arthur gently set Cosmo aside and stood up.
"Wait a second. Let me show you something…"
He sprinted to his room. A few minutes later, he carefully came back down, carrying a stack of books.
He set them down on the ottoman between them and handed one to Merlin.
"These are all the notes I've been taking based on everything you've taught me so far," he said.
Merlin flipped through the pages, scanning his accumulated knowledge—the origins of the magic circle theory, the tier system he was developing…
"I see," she murmured as she skimmed the pages. "So, you got the idea from how wizards use magic… A magic circle is essentially a spell transcribed into words and symbols, compared to traditional incantations that rely on pure intent. Words, writing, and drawing are all methods of expressing intent and will."
Merlin's mind was racing, processing the information like a living supercomputer. 'It is… ingenious.'
She leaned forward, resting her hand against her mouth in concentration. "What interests me the most is this tier system of yours…"
"Yes. Right now, mages and wizards are lumped into one broad category. But why not classify them based on knowledge and power?" Arthur explained enthusiastically. "For example, since I'm still a student without a wand, I'd be a Tier 1 wizard. I can only draw low-level magic circles with chalk. Meanwhile, with your vast knowledge and power, you'd be a Tier 9—capable of altering reality and casting multiple magic circles at once, instantaneously."
Merlin slowly arched an eyebrow. "Let me get this straight… You want to give wizards and witches—the biggest bigots in the world—another way to discriminate against each other?"
She expected Arthur to be hit with a reality check. Instead, he just grinned.
"Merlin, don't act stupid," he said. "I know you're smarter than that. This system is a way to fight discrimination."
Merlin crossed her arms skeptically. "Oh? And how exactly does this prevent discrimination?"
Arthur's grin widened.
"Think about it. With this system, even Muggles and Squibs could use magic circles. The wall separating the two groups would shatter."
Merlin's eyes widened as she quickly stood up in disbelief. Seeing the look in Arthur's gaze, she immediately realized the truth.
"This was your plan from the very start, wasn't it? Your idea might look like that of a wizard trying to innovate how magic operates, but in reality, you're searching for a way to grant magic to Muggles and Squibs…"
Realization struck Merlin like a bolt of lightning.
'It all ties back to his past, doesn't it? Both his parents were Squibs. From what I recall from his memories, his mother had once confided in him—she had longed to wield magic…'
Merlin sighed and closed her eyes.
"As your teacher and mentor, I should be in full support of your dreams. However, as your advisor, I must also warn you about the difference between idealism and reality. As noble as your intentions are, reality is rarely so kind. In fact, it can be downright cruel—"
"I know that. Trust me, I've seen the cruelty of men up close and personal."
Arthur's voice was calm, yet unyielding. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and when he opened them again, an unwavering resolve burned within his gaze.
"I had a similar discussion with Mr. Flamel. I know there will be those who use what I create for evil. It is in human nature to fall into temptation.
But not everyone is like that. Just because there's one rotten apple in the batch doesn't mean I should throw away the rest. Yes, it is in human nature to do evil—but it is also in human nature to do good. For every person who might misuse my invention, there will be another who will use it to save thousands.
Is this idealism? Perhaps. But our ideals shape reality. Idealism is a chisel, and reality is a cold, unyielding stone. And I will use that chisel to carve the world into the shape I desire."
Merlin stared into Arthur's glowing blue eyes. They shone bright and powerful in the dim light, unblinking and filled with conviction. His face was calm—expressionless, even—yet the sheer force of his willpower radiated from his gaze.
A heavy silence hung between them. Cosmo, Arthur's familiar, purred and rubbed himself against his master's leg, sensing the weight of the moment.
Merlin was the first to break eye contact.
"…Follow me."
She turned and walked away, snapping her fingers.
Her white cloak flew toward her, the hood settling over her head, and her silver staff floated gracefully into her outstretched hand. With a wave of her staff, the door swung open, and they stepped outside into the cool night air.
"I want to show you something," she said, stopping in the middle of her yard, facing the dense forest ahead.
Arthur followed, his brows furrowing in confusion. Cosmo padded alongside him, equally curious.
"Stand back," Merlin warned, her tone serious.
Arthur complied without question.
"Pay close attention."
Merlin closed her eyes and raised her staff. She began to whisper an incantation under her breath.
A violet glow surrounded her, and the light split into shimmering particles, swirling around her form before converging at her feet. A massive magic circle formed beneath her, its intricate runes pulsing with raw energy.
Arthur watched in astonishment as additional circles began materializing around the first, expanding and intertwining in perfect harmony. The wind picked up sharply, swirling into a tempestuous storm. Arthur had to shield his eyes with his arm, his golden hair whipping wildly in the gale.
His breath hitched as Merlin's hood was thrown back, revealing her long silver-white hair, billowing like a celestial veil in the night.
The violet light concentrated at the tip of her staff, condensing into a flawless, pulsating sphere of raw magic. As more energy gathered, electric discharges erupted around her, lightning crackling through the air and scorching the ground beneath her feet.
Then, she opened her eyes.
Arthur's heart stopped.
Her piercing violet eyes glowed with an ethereal light, their enchanting brilliance making his pulse race uncontrollably. Framed against the night sky, her cold beauty was nothing short of divine.
His arm slowly dropped from his face as his heartbeat thundered in his chest. Heat rushed to his cheeks, and his fingers curled tightly over his heart, gripping his shirt as though trying to steady himself.
'No…'
His eyes trembled.
He had done the one thing he had desperately tried to avoid—the one unspoken taboo between master and student.
Arthur had fallen in love with Merlin.
But before he could dwell on it, a deafening explosion shattered the moment.
WRRRRRRRRNNN—BANG! TOT-TOT-TOT—BOOOOOOM!
Merlin's gathered magic was unleashed in a cataclysmic blast. The sheer force of the spell distorted the air and sound itself, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground.
A beam of violet energy tore through the earth, splitting the land apart. The soil beneath its path melted into magma, and the trees before her were instantly obliterated, disappearing into a roaring inferno. The entire forest trembled from the impact, the very atmosphere quivering under the sheer destructive force.
When the light faded, only scorched earth and rising smoke remained in its wake. The once-thriving land had been reduced to a searing, hellish wasteland.
Arthur's breath was caught in his throat.
Merlin turned toward him, her silver hair cascading elegantly behind her, her violet eyes unreadable.
"This," she said, her voice calm but heavy with meaning, "is the kind of power you would be giving to the witches and wizards of this world. The power to destroy and kill—men, women, the young, the old.
Are you sure this is what you want?"
Arthur took a slow breath, steadying himself. He knew now was not the time for distractions. He pushed aside his newfound emotions, using Occlumency to lock them away for another day.
He closed his eyes.
When he reopened them, they burned with unwavering determination.
Merlin tensed slightly, an involuntary shiver running down her spine as she met his gaze. His brilliant blue eyes shone like twin stars—serious, resolute, unbroken.
"I am ready to shoulder the weight of whatever sins humanity may commit with my knowledge. If evil is born from my creation, then so be it. That is the burden I am willing to bear—no matter what comes to pass."
His golden hair gleamed under the starlight, a stark contrast against the ruined landscape.
Merlin's breath hitched.
For just a moment, standing over Arthur, she saw the shadow of a king. A towering figure, his face obscured by the gleam of a golden sword held before him, his crown and crimson cape marking him as royalty.
'My king…'
The thought surfaced unbidden in her mind.
She exhaled softly, schooling her emotions as she stepped forward.
With a gentle smile, she placed a hand on Arthur's cheek and kissed his forehead.
"That's good," she murmured.
"I just don't want you to have any regrets in the future."
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