Merlin waited for Godric, standing amid what remained of his small home. Ash and charred fragments of wood were scattered across the ground, everything burned down to blackened ruin. As he walked through the ashes, his foot struck something solid.
He stopped and crouched down.
Half-buried beneath the soot lay a book, its cover darkened but intact. Merlin picked it up and brushed the ashes away with his hand. The title slowly revealed itself:
"Twenty Medicinal Herbs and Their Uses."
His chest tightened. It was one of his mother's books, well used, its pages once turned countless times by her hands. Probably the only thing that had survived the fire.
He straightened just as Godric approached. When he was close enough, Godric spoke.
"I took care of the poor fellow Salazar enchanted" he said. "He won't remember much, and he'll be fine. We can leave whenever you're ready."
Merlin swallowed and nodded.
"Thank you" he said quietly. "For everything. For helping me…and for what you're doing for my mother."
Godric smiled warmly and let out a soft laugh, reaching out to ruffle Merlin's hair in an affectionate gesture.
"You're welcome, lad."
Then he tilted his head slightly.
"Are you ready to go ?"
Merlin thought for a moment, his fingers tightening around the book.
"Not yet" he said at last. "I need to visit a friend first."
—--
Merlin and Godric walked together toward the clearing near the lake, one Merlin had known for as long as he could remember. The trees gradually thinned, giving way to open ground, and soon the still, dark water stretched out before them, reflecting the pale sky above.
They stopped at the lake's edge.
Godric scanned the surroundings, his posture alert but calm.
"This friend of yours lives quite far from the village" he noted. "Where exactly are we meant to find him ?"
Merlin smiled, a quiet, knowing expression.
"I'll call him."
Before Godric could ask anything else, Merlin let out a sharp, piercing whistle. The sound cut cleanly through the air, and almost immediately, the surface of the lake began to bubble.
Godric stiffened.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his wand and stepped in front of Merlin, positioning himself defensively.
"Stay behind me" he said, eyes fixed on the water.
Merlin laughed softly.
"It's okay" he said, stepping around Godric and moving back to his side. "That's my friend."
Godric frowned, confused, then the water broke.
A large head emerged from the lake, dark and sleek, water streaming from its mane. Leith lifted himself higher, eyes locking onto Merlin's form. The moment he recognized him, he let out a joyful whinny that echoed across the clearing.
"Leith…" Merlin breathed.
The creature swam closer to the shore, and Merlin stepped forward without hesitation. He wrapped his arms around Leith's neck as best he could, pressing his forehead against the damp, scaled hide.
Godric stood frozen in shock.
A ten-year-old boy…embracing a creature infamous for drowning men and dragging them beneath the water.
Merlin pulled back slightly, positioning himself so he was directly in Leith's line of sight. His smile softened.
"I need to go away for a while" he said gently.
Leith seemed to sense the weight behind the words. The creature let out a low, mournful sound and nudged Merlin's chest with his muzzle, an affectionate, almost desperate gesture.
Merlin's heart clenched.
"I'll come back" he promised. "I'll visit whenever I can. But until then, you need to behave… and stay away from the village. For your own safety."
Leith hesitated, then slowly pulled back. His expression, if it could be called that, was unmistakably sad. He turned his head, rubbing his muzzle against his own mane, then faced Merlin again.
Something hung from his mouth.
It looked, at first glance, like a strand of lakeweed, but when Merlin looked closer, he saw the smooth, scaled texture. A piece of Leith's own mane.
Confused, Merlin extended his hand.
Leith carefully dropped it into his palm.
"Is this…for me ?" Merlin asked softly.
Leith responded with an animated whinny.
Merlin smiled, his eyes stinging slightly as he looked at the gift resting in his hand. He stepped forward and hugged Leith one last time.
"I'll miss you" he whispered.
Then he stepped back, allowing Leith to return to the water. With a final farewell whinny, the creature submerged, disappearing into the cold depths of the lake.
Merlin stood there for a moment, his chest heavy, staring at the ripples fading on the surface.
Godric approached quietly, slipping his wand back into his robes.
"I've seen many things in my life" he said slowly. "But this is the first time I've ever seen someone befriend a monster like that… let alone tame it."
Merlin shook his head.
"He's not a monster" he said. "He's a friend."
He glanced once more at the strand of mane in his hand, then turned to face Godric, who watched him with open curiosity.
"I'm ready to go now."
Godric smiled, resting a reassuring hand on Merlin's shoulder.
"Everything will be all right now."