Chapter Text
Morgana Orion Potter watched her aunt and uncle though the grate in her cupboard door. She was eight years old and she couldn’t remember one day that she didn’t sleep in that small room. Her cousin, Dudley, was being spoiled by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. It was his birthday.
Morgana didn’t even know her birthday until she started school. Before she started school, Morgana was convinced her name was freak. Her first year teacher had been horrified and Uncle Vernon had made sure that Morgana knew never to say anything like that again.
Despite her family’s best efforts, Morgana grew tall. She towered over most older students at her school and her limbs were long. The best way to describe her hair was wild. The black mass of curls would never do what Aunt Petunia wanted them to. When the older woman cut them off when Morgana was seven everyone was shocked the next morning when her hair was longer than ever. That earned her a week in the cupboard with just bread and water.
They tried to blame many things on Morgana and her “freakishness”. That's what she was to them, a freak. The substitute teacher’s wig turning blue for instance when she was in her second year of primary school. Or the time when she was being chased by Dudley and his gang and ended up on the roof of the school. That one got her a long time locked in the cupboard too.
Many strange things happened around her.
Morgana watched her cousin’s eighth birthday party with an air of disdain. What did she want to do with these people anyway? They had never treated her right, even though she was their blood. No, she wasn’t one of them and that was alright with her. Morgana didn’t want to be normal, being a freak was far more interesting. She didn't owe these people anything.
“I think I came at just the right time then.”
“Who’s there?” Morgana whispered glancing around the small area. “They’re going to be mad if they find you here. I'll get in trouble."
“Like I care what those silly muggles desire.”
“What do you want?” she asked carefully. "And what's a muggle?"
“You, Morgana, are going to change the world,” the silky voice whispered to her ignoring her question. “Its time for you to learn everything." A hand settled on her shoulder.
A hook like sensation started in her belly and in the blink of an eye, her cupboard had disappeared. Morgana landed next to a very old man with a trimmed beard in the middle of an open field.
“Where am I?” She demanded. “And who are you? How did we get here?"
The man chuckled. “Very blunt I see. The others are going to like you.”
“Others?”
“Morgana Orion Potter,” the man swept his hand out in front of them, “welcome to Avalon.”
With those words, the empty field turned into a sprawling castle. Morgana gaped. It can’t be.
“I think you might already have an idea who I am,” the man grinned through his beard.
“Merlin?”
“Oh, I just knew you were going to be special,” Merlin cried out. He gave her a courtly bow. “Yes, I am he. Come let me show you around.”
Morgana frowned. “Hold on, why am I here? I’m just a girl from Surrey. What could I possibly bring to you?”
Merlin shook his head. “Its not what you can do for me, child. Its what I can do for you.” He held out his arm for her to hold. “Come, let me show you around here and I will try to explain everything when we meet up with the others.”
As they walked down the cobblestone, Morgana became acutely aware of how shabby her clothes were. Even though she was taller than Dudley, her aunt and uncle refused to buy her any clothes that fit her. So she received all of his hand me downs. There wasn’t anything she could do about that now, she decided, so Morgana held her head high through the streets.
“Good girl,” Merlin praised quietly. “Never be ashamed of something that you can’t change.”
Morgana nodded. “Who are we going to meet?”
“Your new teachers.”
“What?”
Merlin laughed. “You didn’t think that I brought you here just to give you a tour, did you? No, Morgana, welcome home.”
Her jaw dropped. “Home?” She felt like a parrot. However, a strange sense of belonging filled her.
“Your potential will be wasted at the Dursley’s,” Merlin said. He shrugged. “I don’t think that you want to go back there anyway. And without our tutoring, I don't want to imagine where you could end up."
Morgana shook her head. She walked along in silence. They reached the castle entrance in a short time. It seemed like they had stepped back in time the moment they left Privet Drive. Brackets holding torches flanked the doors to the large castle. Merlin continued to walk, never even reaching to open the doors.
“But-“ the doors opened on their own. Where am I? The large staircase caught her eyes first. They had entered a great hallway.
Merlin paused. “What do you think?”
Morgana turned in a circle. Suits of armor stood near doorways heading off the hall. Paintings and tapestries lined the walls. Various stained glass windows let in multicolored light through. It was quite simply, marvelous. “Its beautiful.”
“I’m very fond of it myself,” he said. “We shall have to show you around more fully later, I’m afraid. We’re a bit behind schedule.”
Many stairs and twists and turns later, the strange duo found themselves standing outside of a door. Merlin paused.
“Don’t be surprised if they are loud,” Merlin advised. “These four have been friends for many years, but they tend to argue. However, nobody here will hurt you."
The girl nodded.
“Alright then.” The doors opened revealing two men. Morgana found herself the center of attention once more.
The large dark haired man studied her. “So you are the student that Merlin just had to find?”
“I guess,” Morgana said. “I haven’t had anything explained to me since I arrived. All I know is that I never have to see my family again.”
They all raised their brows at the venom her words held. “Most children want to be close to their family.” The blond man moved closer to the center of the room.
“Most people don’t have to fight to stay alive, or for even the most common of courtesies,” Morgana spat. Bitterness welled inside her. “I’m better off if I never have to see them again. Trust me, they have always been plain in their desire to get rid of me.”
“I see,” the darker man said. “Well, let me begin the introductions. I am Salazar Slytherin. My friend over here is Godric Gryffindor. You will be meeting the other two at dinner I’m afraid. They seem to be caught up in a project.”
“Nice to meet you,” Morgana said. “I am Morgana Orion Potter.”
Both of the men bowed to her. “Has Merlin told you why you are here?” Godric asked. They all found a seat.
“No, I didn’t have time to explain everything before I rescued her,” Merlin said lightly.
Salazar looked at her. “So you just left your home with a strange man? Have times really changed that much so that seemed like a good idea?”
She snorted. “Like I had a choice. I was locked in a cupboard. There wasn’t any room to get away. After Merlin arrived, it took seconds for me to realize that I wasn’t in Surrey anymore.”
Godric let out a booming laugh. “You stole her? Merlin, I thought you were better at this.”
“You were locked in a cupboard?” Salazar asked eyes blazing.
Morgana nodded. “Under the stairs. When I wasn’t doing chores, my aunt and uncle had me in there. Its been my room for as long as I can remember.”
“She outgrew it many years ago,” Merlin added.
I must be dreaming, she thought. Nobody in real life would care about me like this.
"No, dear one," Salazar said. "You're very much awake. What your caregivers did to you was truly horrid." He glanced at the other men. "Why don't we see about getting you a check-up, food, and some rest? We can explain the rest of what's going on in the morning."
"And I'm really not dreaming?" she asked. "Promise me!"
"I promise," Salazar said solemnly. "I give you my word that you will be treated like royalty here."
"Okay," Morgana agreed. "But you will explain everything tomorrow, including how you read my mind like that." She snorted at their startled looks. "I have eyes, you know."