Good Intentions but Strange Situations

~Chapter 4~

The Fun Begins

"Will you give us back our wands?" asked an indignant Ginny for the twentieth time that day. It was getting near sunset on the day after the trip to the fair. Merlin had started up his training of the young wizards, opening up the day by bringing a tonne of water down over the heads of the sleeping duo. The two had spluttered themselves awake to find that the wizened warlock had taken their wands.

Merlin smiled as he answered in the negative to Ginny's question. He was tutoring the pair in Wandless Magic, although to him the practice was simply known as casting Natural Magics. He had explained that anyone using a focus for their ability was either viewed as unable or lazy in these times. Harry and Ginny were rather confused at this sentiment; they had thought that only the greatest of wizards could master Wandless Magic and that a wand was necessary for normal magical folk.

Ginny was fast becoming frustrated with her lack of progress. She was a skilled witch in her own right, and she knew it, but this seemed to be something entirely out of her grasp. Harry was in the same position. He knew he had performed some kinds of Wandless Magic before but he was finding it extremely difficult to try and replicate what he had done in those times. Neither of them were making any progress.

"You are able warlocks," Merlin said peering closely at the disgruntled teenagers. "Learning a new skill will take time and patience, both of which you should have in abundance. Retire for the evening and we shall attempt your magics again tomorrow." The elder man rose to his feet.

"Hang on a minute!" Ginny exclaimed as Merlin made his way to the entrance of the cave. "You've still got our wands."

"And I shall keep them safe until such a time as you have become proficient in the Natural Magics." A sly grin spread across his wizened persona. "An incentive, you may assume it to be. Farewell."

Harry and Ginny scrambled to their feet but by the time they reached the mouth of the cave, Merlin was out of sight.

"How does he move so quickly?" Harry wondered as they made their way back to the fire. A pot with the remains of last nights dinner sat over the heat and Ginny wasted no time in dishing two servings out.

"Healthy living?" suggested the red-head in response. Harry fought the eye roll that he felt coming and accepted his bowl with a nod of thanks.

His companion sat next to him with an annoyed huff. "You know, if we were attacked and killed we wouldn't be able to save the world the way he wants us to. I mean, we don't know any way of defending ourselves without our wands! What does he expect us to do?"

"Be resourceful, I suppose," Harry said. "But you are right. If we are going to be separated from our magic for a while, we need an alternative form of defence besides this pathetic knife." Patting his boot, the boy grimaced at the thought of the dangers surrounding them.

Time to change the subject.

"Right, what do we know about Wandless Magic then?" he posed as he spooned a chunk of meat into his mouth.

Ginny paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before summing them up in an eloquent sentence; "Not much."

This time Harry did give in to the need to roll his eyes. Ginny, when annoyed, could be annoying in return. Merlin should not have taken her wand.

"Magic with wands is seen as weak; they are basically crutches, yeah?" Harry began whilst spearing his food. Ginny seemed content to ignore him.

"Anyone can do magic without a wand if they 'focus' enough, apparently." Harry ploughed on. "It's not just limited to powerful wizards."

"And witches."

"We need to summon our magic 'to the fore' and command it to our will."

"He could have phrased it better."

Harry smirked at that comment. Merlin's tongue was something neither of them were used to yet so anything that sounded simple to him probably was lost in the translation. Getting an idea, Harry challenged Ginny.

"How would you have said it then?" Ginny looked at him shrewdly. She could see through him with amazing ease.

"I think the problem is finding our magic. And finding 'the fore.' And the whole commanding thing." Maybe she was not going to be productive, then. Harry sighed and turned back to his food.

"How do we do it with our wands?" the boy asked of her. "We just seem to wave a stick about and say the magic words. How does our magic get from us, through the wand, and into a spell?"

The pair batted around their theories for a while, Ginny making the more outlandish suggestions of the two. Harry was sometimes unsure if she was being serious or not. He could not see their wands possessing them and stealing their magic or, alternatively, being sentient, helpful beings that did everything that was asked of them. Ginny's resemblance to Fred and George was often masked over. Yet it was definitely there. She might not be as flamboyant as the twins but she was just as creative.

Eventually, the two of them made their way to bed.

Harry lay awake for a while pondering their magic dilemma. His mind flashed back to his first year at Hogwarts. He remembered Quirrell incarcerating him without a wand, only with a snap of his fingers. He did not think the stuttering professor was a great or even powerful wizard. Yet he had some control, at least, over Wandless Magic. Maybe it was because Quirrell had Voldemort possessing him at the time.

He eventually drifted off to sleep; the problem was not solved but it could wait until morning.

_______________________________

Merlin sat before his apprentices. His pipe perched from his lips as he took in their downtrodden expressions. He had started them off with their Wandless Magic again but they seemed to have made no progress since he had last seen them. He understood that such processes could take time to be fruitful. The children had not learned this lesson yet, it seemed. Harry had called them to a halt, saying that they did not understand their instructions and could Merlin please elaborate. Ginny had looked relieved Harry had taken the initiative. The elder wizard realised that Ginny was not a person who asked for further instructions. She would do it with what she was initially given or she would sulk.

Merlin puffed on his pipe. He was glad that Harry at least was sensible.

Harry normally would not have asked for help either. However, they were getting nowhere with what they had. Finally, he had snapped and, as politely as he could, he told Merlin to be useful or give them their wands back.

At least Merlin had not looked like he was offended by Harry's impudence.

"So," he said. "You are meant to be the protectors of the world one day."

Harry and Ginny continued to watch him as he paused. Merlin took another inhalation before continuing.

"Yet you insist on waving your sticks around to control the Natural Magics. Why do you want to limit yourselves in this way?"

"Because that is the way we've been taught!" exclaimed Ginny. "If you're good at something, stick to it."

"What, young Ginevra, would happen if your wand was broken?" Merlin enquired.

"I'd get a new one," the girl answered, as though talking to a slow person. She was not in a good mood and it showed.

"Where? These times do not cater to your whims as easily as your own, it seems." Ginny was quiet as she absorbed this. "To you, your magics depend on your wand. If it were stolen or broken or even lost, you would be severely limited. To have Natural Magics at your fingertips is a boon to you. I would expect you to put your all behind learning such a feat."

Harry saw the logic in this. However, the why of the lesson was not important at this point.

"Merlin, we don't know how to do what you want us to," he told the man. "We are willing to learn."

Ignoring Ginny's muttered 'speak for yourself,' Harry asked Merlin to explain as simply as he could what they were meant to be doing. The man looked thoughtful and was silent for a time.

"I often find that one should do the act in order to learn something. However, you do not understand the act to do. Most interesting." Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. Merlin definitely had the same qualities Dumbledore exhibited.

"Yes," said Harry. "We just told you that."

"Well, young ones, we must delve into what Natural Magics are if we want to raise your understanding. Have you never utilised them before?"

"When I was small, I set my mum's knitting on fire," Ginny offered with a vindictive smile. Harry wondered what Mrs. Weasley had done to deserve that.

"Why did you do it?" enquired Merlin.

"Because she was trying to make me help! I don't like knitting and I got annoyed. None of the boys ever had to be subjected to that, or help with the cooking either. Or with any of the domestic stuff. I thought it was unfair." Harry grinned at the image of Mrs. Weasley trying to bond with her only daughter over girly activities only to be rebuffed by a tomboy. He used his hand to cover the smile, though. The way Ginny spat the word 'domestic' out made him a little wary of risking her ire.

Even if an indignant Ginny looked incredibly...

"Harold?" Merlin pulled Harry away from his thoughts. "What about yourself? Have you ever called upon the Natural Magics?"

Harry furrowed his brow, remembering. "I've made my hair regrow. My aunt cut it ridiculously short and I hated it. I worried so much that it grew back in the night."

"Marvellous!" Merlin proclaimed. "You both have an aptitude for it. Young children who do not exhibit signs of rebellious magics often find it harder to control them once they are older. But you both should have less trouble when you finally understand. Well, if as children you could perform it, why can you not now?"

"Little kids perform accidental magic. They don't mean to do it," Ginny said. Once Merlin had been told that 'kids' was another word for young children rather than young goats, he rephrased Ginny's explanation.

"Emotional childish moments can create a small amount of unintentional magics, can they not?"

"Exactly!" Ginny looked slightly confused that Merlin had switched tracks and was agreeing with her.

"Therefore, determined adults must be able to reproduce this and perform larger feats of intended magics."

Ginny opened her mouth to argue but closed it again slowly, showing that she was thinking about something. Harry looked towards Merlin to find the Warlock staring at him. He raised a finger to his lips indicating that Harry should keep quiet and winked. The boy realised that Merlin was waiting for Ginny to warm to the idea through her own merit. She would be more receptive to the idea if she worked it out herself. Harry gaped slightly. Merlin was able to read them both exceedingly well after only a week of knowing them. He did not know whether to be impressed or scared at the thought.

"If we want to recreate what we did when we were younger, wouldn't that mean we would have to angry or scared forever?" Ginny was not yet ready to give up her argument.

"Emotion!" crowed Merlin. "Emotion is what the Natural Magics depend upon. Your desire to perform them, your need to create them. You must want to learn what I am to teach and you must expect that this will not happen immediately. You have the need for a wand too ingrained into you to be able to dismiss the idea in a day."

The man let the duo absorb what he had told them before telling them that it was noon and he was sure they were as hungry as he.

During their dinner, Harry asked Merlin about the protection issue. He smiled at the children and told them he was making sufficient preparations. They would know in a week or two when they could begin that facet of their training.

"What, exactly, are we going to be doing besides Wandless Magic?" Harry asked.

"Whatever we wish too, Harold," replied Merlin. "I needed to get you started on Wandless Magic right away, and away from your wands, because I cannot abide their, and therefore your, weaknesses. You can learn anything you want to if I can teach it."

The pair looked at him, a tad incredulously.

"You don't have a plan then?" Ginny questioned.

"My dear child, I have never taken on an apprentice before. I have offered advice and provided magics for others yet I have never taken it upon myself to impart my wisdom. I fear I have as much to learn here as you do."

Merlin paused to eat more of his food before continuing.

"I will teach you everything I know if I must. However, my wealth of knowledge is quite extensive. Therefore, I shall leave it up to you to decide what to learn first. You can think the task over and decide what skills are more pertinent to your endeavour rather than what you want to learn because you can."

They all resumed eating, thinking over what was expected of them.

"Merlin," Harry once again enquired. The elder man looked up from his meal. "How are we protected in this cave?"

"The rowan trees guard over you," was the answer he got. Waiting for an elaboration, Harry and Ginny looked at him curiously before realising that the man had finished talking.

Ginny sighed before asking, "yes, but how?"

"I called upon the tree's internal nature. Surely you know about the forces of nature?" Merlin peered at the two.

"Like earthquakes and hurricanes?" Harry said, confused.

"No, no. The magics in every being that responds to nature's call. Warlocks and witches can use their Natural Magics to aid them through life. Some creatures, such as dragons, can as well. But every being has power inside of them that magical folk can utilise."

"Muggles don't have magic though," Harry stated. "Do they?" was added in an undertone to Ginny.

"People either have magic or they don't," Ginny explained to Harry. "Trees don't have magic though so this power must be something different."

After having the children explain to him what Muggles were, Merlin forged on with his explanation. "You are quite right Ginny. Everything has a life force within them. Warlocks have an extra foci that enables them to use these magics. Non-magical people bear a resemblance to a tree, in the broadest of senses." He glanced at the pair who were grinning. "But, I implore you, do not let them hear you mention that fact!"

"So, the trees?" Harry prompted.

"Have your future mentors not mentioned the properties of plants?" Merlin asked of them. Harry thought back to his Herbology lessons. He could not remember Professor Sprout teaching them about trees. He told Merlin so and watched Ginny do the same.

"Pitiful! The power of nature's beings can help a troubled warlock in a time of need. Such as now with the rowans. Each tree type has its own character. The rowan plant has protective and healing qualities. The oak has strength and power etched into it. The yew exudes death and destruction. If you know of these, nature can come to your aid when you ask it to. Your wands should resemble you in some way through this."

He pulled the magical sticks out of a pouch. Harry looked at his longingly.

"Harold, yours is a holly wand. Holly is good for devotion and physical revenge. You have the ability to be focused and determined. This wand will do great things. You will do great things with it." Merlin paused seeing the look on Harry's face. He looked wan after that declaration. The warlock decided to lighten the mood. "It also has 'beauty' within its meanings. My boy, I cannot speak for your appearance but maybe Ginevra can."

Ginny blushed but chuckled along with Merlin. "Maybe you got the wrong wand then, Harry," she teased.

"Oh, shove off," Harry pushed her lightly and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"What did you do to the rowan trees to make them protective?" Harry deflected the attention away from himself.

"I asked them to watch over the cave and guard its inhabitants. The rowans may look demure but they can come to life if necessary." Harry cocked his head in thought.

"Hey Ginny, the Whomping Willow could be a tree like that." He turned to Merlin. "What properties do willows have?"

"Inspiration and love," came the answer. Harry sniggered at the image of the Whomping Willow trying to hug all the students that ventured too close.

"Maybe not then."

_______________________________

The duo spent another few hours trying to use emotions to power spells. The highlight came when Ginny produced a bit of static out of her hand. She had been getting frustrated with her lack of progress and that had caused sparks to fly. Harry was learning that Ginny did not like not being able to do things.

Merlin had reminded them to think over what they needed to learn. He would think about necessary things as well but he was more interested in hearing their opinions.

He also reminded them that they needed to produce an immortality potion. He had managed to acquire a recipe that had been long forgotten. Harry wondered where he could have found it, and how he could have known of it, if it was lost but he did not question the man.

"We shall need to venture out into the world to find the necessary ingredients," Merlin had told them. The first stages were simple enough; Harry and Ginny even had a few of the most basic supplies in their Hogwarts potions kits. However, there were many things on the list that had to be picked at a certain time or were rare items. The pair were shocked to find out the length of time the potion needed to brew for.

"Seven years! Seven years for a single potion," Ginny was incredulous. Harry was more practical.

"Whoever invented this potion must have been the most patient person the world has seen," he said. "Imagine making a mistake in year six!"

"Quite right, Harold," Merlin jovially joined the conversation. "We shall have to be careful not to do that very thing."

Ginny groaned.

As the evening wound to a close, the pair passed the time playing some very intense games of exploding snap. It was with great relief that Harry and Ginny flopped onto their beds after a very challenging day.