[Third Person Pov]
Arthur exited the locker rooms while stretching his body, rolling his shoulders and loosening his arms as he stepped into the corridor. He walked through the halls of Hogwarts in brief silence, enjoying the calm after the game, when he suddenly spotted Sylvia running straight toward him.
He crouched down without hesitation and scooped her up from the ground. She immediately began scurrying around his body, climbing up with practiced ease before settling comfortably in her favorite spot across his shoulders.
"We need to talk," Sylvia said, her tone unusually serious. "It's important. It's about the promise we made."
"Hm?" Arthur turned his head slightly, glancing at her with curiosity as he picked up on the weight in her voice. He was about to ask her to elaborate when he noticed his group of friends approaching from up ahead.
"We'll talk about it later when we're alone, alright?" Arthur whispered, gently scratching under her chin.
She let out a soft purr and nodded in agreement, relaxing slightly at his touch.
Gwyneth walked over, carrying Gryffindor flags in both hands. "Look who it is~ If it isn't Gryffindor's golden boy, the master broom flier," she teased, waving the flags near his face with a grin.
"Ugh, I swear if the name 'Golden Boy' sticks, I'm blaming it on you and coming up with something ten times worse for you," Arthur shot back, grabbing one of the flags and waving it around in retaliation.
They both chuckled as they fell into step with the group, Arthur naturally taking the lead as they walked down the halls together.
Lance strolled alongside them with his hands resting behind his head. "So, what do you plan on doing to celebrate your victory?" he asked casually.
"Do you even have to ask?" Arthur replied, patting his stomach with a satisfied grin. "Have a feast worthy of a king."
"Of course," they all responded at the same time, rolling their eyes, shaking their heads, and chuckling.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Arthur asked, his expression flattening.
"It means we're quite lucky you exercise and train every day, otherwise…" Merlin trailed off as she made a circular motion over her stomach with her hands.
"Now you guys are just bullying me," Arthur said with a sulk, wrapping his arms protectively around his stomach.
Their banter continued as they made their way through the castle, the easy back-and-forth carrying them all the way to the dining hall where they settled in for lunch.
…
Later on, Lance and Gwyneth decided to call it a day early. Both were still exhausted and eager to get some rest, leaving only Arthur and Merlin together, with Sylvia still perched comfortably on his shoulders.
As they walked through the corridor, Sir Cadogan—the portrait of one of the members of the Round Table—placed his fist against his chest and bowed his head in reverence as Arthur passed.
Arthur responded with a casual two-finger salute in acknowledgment, barely breaking stride.
"Can we talk about it now?" Sylvia asked, her voice quieter this time.
"Sure. What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Arthur replied, lifting her from his shoulders and holding her in his hands so he could look at her properly.
"Uhh… Aunt Merlin, maybe it's better if you start," Sylvia said, her confidence wavering as nervousness crept in. She glanced between them, clearly wary of Arthur's reaction.
"Hm?" Arthur looked over at Merlin in confusion, unsure what she had to do with the promise Sylvia was referring to.
"Sure," Merlin said with a small shrug. "Sylvia here wants me to train her so she can grow stronger."
"Oh, that's a great idea," Arthur said immediately, nodding in approval. "If anyone could help her, it would be you."
"Yes, except there's a problem with that," Merlin continued, her tone measured but firm. "The training I had in mind for her would mean she would need to be away from you and left by herself in a dangerous environment for a prolonged period of time, with no immediate protection."
"Absolutely not." Arthur didn't even have to think twice about rejecting such a ridiculous notion. His answer came sharp and immediate, leaving no room for interpretation.
"But, Papa—" Sylvia protested, her voice rising as she leaned forward in his grasp.
"Absolutely not, Sylvia. My decision is final," Arthur said sternly, his tone hard and unyielding, cutting her off before she could say anything more.
Sylvia visibly started to sulk, her shoulders drooping as she turned her head away from him and toward Merlin, giving her a pleading look, silently asking for help.
"Arthur, listen to what we have to say first," Merlin said, keeping her voice calm despite the tension. "I understand that you don't want to part from Sylvia or be away from her, but sheltering her like this isn't going to do either of you any good. You have to remember, she's a dragon. She isn't a human baby that needs to be watched over every second of every day. She won't reach her full potential with you constantly babying her and keeping her close."
Sylvia looked toward Merlin with clear gratitude in her eyes, then quickly turned back toward Arthur, watching him carefully, waiting to see what he would say. His reply, however, left her completely offended.
"But she is a baby, Merlin," Arthur argued without hesitation. "It hasn't even been a year since she was born, and you're already planning on sending her off to God knows where. Think of another way to train her, because I'm not sending my daughter somewhere dangerous where I'm not able to be by her side immediately to keep her safe."
Arthur stubbornly denied the idea, his arms tightening slightly as if to reinforce his point.
Merlin let out an exasperated breath, pinching the bridge of her nose for a brief moment. 'He really sees her as his daughter. He's being all Papa dragon on her, this is going to be harder than I thought,' she thought, her gaze softening briefly as it flicked toward Sylvia. 'Poor girl.'
"You're being really unfair!" Sylvia exclaimed, her frustration finally boiling over. She pushed herself free from Arthur's hands and jumped over to Merlin's arms. "We made a promise to grow stronger, and now that I actually have a chance to, you're not letting me do it!"
"Life's unfair, get used to it," Arthur scoffed, his expression hardening. "As your father, it's my responsibility to look after you and protect you. How can you expect me to do that if you're off training halfway across the world for all I know? My answer is no, Sylvia, and that's final. I don't want to hear about this again from either of you."
Sylvia's frustration shifted into a low growl, her body tensing.
Arthur immediately pointed a finger at her in warning, his voice sharp. "Don't start catching an attitude with me now, little lady."
"You're the worst," Sylvia grumbled under her breath, her voice thick with emotion, her eyes shimmering with tears of frustration. She jumped down from Merlin's arms and took off running down the hall without another glance back.
Merlin heard Arthur's breath hitch slightly and saw his body stiffen almost instantly. "Arthur?" she called, her brows knitting together.
In Arthur's eyes, Sylvia's small form blurred and shifted, twisting into something else entirely. For a brief, disorienting moment, she was no longer there. In her place stood a young blonde boy in a red cape. Their forms overlapped, flickering between one and the other, their voices merging together as they both said in unison, "You're the worst."
"Arthur!" Merlin called again, louder this time.
The young boy's cape snapped behind him as he spun around and ran, Sylvia's smaller figure overlapping with his as both sprinted down the hall, their movements syncing in a way that made Arthur's chest tighten painfully.
"Arthur, are you okay?" Merlin asked, stepping closer, her voice edged with concern.
Arthur reached forward instinctively, his hand stretching out toward the retreating figures. For a split second, his own hand seemed to overlap with a larger, older one, the image distorting his sense of reality.
"W-wait…" Arthur called out, his voice strained as he brought his other hand up to cover part of his face.
"Arthur!" Merlin called again, more urgently now, her worry growing with each passing second.
"What?!" Arthur snapped, turning his head sharply toward her, his voice harsher than intended.
Merlin froze as she met his gaze. One of his eyes was beginning to darken, black creeping in from the edges while a faint purple hue bloomed at the center of his blue iris, unnatural and unsettling.
"First of all, take a deep breath," Merlin said carefully, her tone steady despite the tension, if she didn't handle it with precision things would become complicated, more than she could possibly handle. "Remember your lessons on occlumency. Focus and regain control."
Arthur closed his eyes and took a slow, controlled breath, forcing himself to steady his emotions. Another breath followed, deeper this time, more deliberate. When he finally opened his eyes again, the black had receded, the purple glint fading until both were completely gone, as if they had never been there at all.
"Better?" Merlin asked cautiously, watching him closely for any sign of relapse.
Arthur gave a small, silent nod, his gaze dropping to the ground as he tried to collect himself.
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