[Third Person Pov]
Time continued to move forward as it always did, and before Arthur quite realized it, the Easter holidays had come and gone, slipping quietly into memory as the looming pressure of exams steadily drew closer, although it wasn't much pressure for someone like Arthur. Much of what Arthur already knew was supposed to happen behind the scenes unfolded just as expected. Hagrid's mysterious dragon egg eventually hatched, revealing the troublesome little creature he had been hiding, and after much frantic secrecy, the dragon was safely sent away with Charlie Weasley—Ron's older brother—to Romania, where it could be raised properly and, more importantly, far away from Hogwarts.
Yet despite these familiar events playing out as they should, everything still felt fundamentally different.
Unlike before, Arthur now found himself walking through the Forbidden Forest not with a group, but alone—well, mostly. Merlin walked beside him, the two of them moving cautiously through the dense, shadowed woods. An orb of soft white light floated several feet ahead of them, illuminating the narrow forest path and casting long, wavering shadows between the massive trees. The forest was unnervingly quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and distant, unidentifiable sounds that reminded Arthur why students were forbidden from entering this place in the first place.
"That is strange…" Arthur muttered, concern lacing his voice as his brows knitted together. His gaze swept constantly from side to side as he pushed forward through the undergrowth. "Really strange. We haven't been able to find any unicorn corpses at all—or even signs of unicorns that had their blood drained."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Merlin asked, her tone light but curious. Her wand had already transformed into a staff, which she used as a walking stick as she stepped carefully over roots and fallen branches. "I mean, that's the whole reason you wanted to come out here in the first place, isn't it? To prevent the unicorns from being senselessly slaughtered—and to stop Voldemort from regaining his strength?"
"It's good for the unicorns, sure," Arthur replied after a brief pause, his expression darkening slightly as he thought it over. "But I'm not sure it's good for us. If he's not after the unicorns, then that means he doesn't need them anymore. And if that's the case, then he's found another way to regain his strength—some kind of alternative."
Arthur exhaled slowly before continuing, his voice quieter but heavier. "What worries me is what that alternative might be. What if it's something far worse than draining unicorn blood?"
"It's not," Merlin scoffed dismissively, waving off Arthur's concern with an almost amused expression. She clearly thought he was overthinking things—though, if she were being honest with herself, she didn't entirely mind that trait of his.
"You know what it is?" Arthur asked, stopping in his tracks. He turned to face her, one eyebrow raised as he studied her expression carefully. Then, more cautiously, he added, "If I asked you whether you knew what it was… would you actually tell me?"
"I would," Merlin replied simply, nodding her head before elaborating. "He's drinking a potion."
"Seriously?" Arthur said flatly. He stared at her for a moment with a blank, unimpressed expression, as if waiting for her to tell him she was joking.
"Yes, seriously," Merlin confirmed. "I could sense it on Quirrell."
She continued before Arthur could interrupt, her tone shifting into something more instructional. "It's similar to a rejuvenation potion, but it's deeply flawed. Each time Voldemort drinks it, its effects diminish. It doesn't make him stronger than he once was—it merely restores him to his peak condition temporarily, before his body begins to deteriorate all over again. It's a temporary fix, not a solution."
"I see…" Arthur murmured, absorbing the information. "And where, exactly, did he get his hands on a potion like that?"
Merlin shrugged casually. "How am I supposed to know?"
"…You don't know?" Arthur asked, his voice dropping into a near monotone as he looked at her skeptically, clearly not believing her for even a second.
"Ugh." Merlin rolled her eyes so hard Arthur half-expected them to disappear into the back of her head. "Arthur, you seem to have developed this bizarre misconception that I'm omnipotent—that I somehow know everything and possess all the answers. I'm called Merlin the Wise, not Merlin the All-Knowing."
Arthur rubbed the back of his hand against his neck awkwardly, a sheepish expression crossing his face. "Sorry. It's just… kind of hard not to think that way. With everything you can do, and everything you know—the amount of wisdom and knowledge you possess—it just feels easier to assume you know everything."
Merlin paused, then leaned closer to him, her lips curling into a playful, knowing smirk. "Arthur… are you perhaps flirting with me?"
"Ughhh!" Arthur groaned loudly, immediately pushing her face away while rolling his eyes. "You're so irritating."
Merlin only laughed softly as she straightened, clearly pleased with herself as they continued deeper into the forest. "Alright," Merlin said at last, her tone shifting into something more authoritative, "as your teacher, I believe it's time I taught you a proper lesson. It's been quite a while, after all."
She slowed her pace, clearly weary from the long trek through the forest. With a casual flick of her wrist, she laid her staff horizontally in the air and sat atop it as if it were a floating bench, allowing it to carry her forward at a leisurely pace while her feet hovered just above the ground.
"Tell me," Merlin continued, glancing at Arthur from the corner of her eye, "do you know the difference between a wise man and a fool?"
"I do," Arthur replied easily, walking alongside her with his hands tucked into his pockets and lightly kicking at the ground as he went. "But I doubt the answer I'd give is the same one you're thinking of. The differences between the two are… plentiful."
Merlin chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh? Then by all means, enlighten me. What, in your mind, is the most important difference? I rather believe everyone has their own definition."
"A king," Arthur answered without hesitation.
The response caught Merlin completely off guard. She froze midair, her staff faltering for just a second as she stared at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape in genuine surprise.
"…Care to elaborate?" she asked after a moment, her intrigue unmistakable.
"The difference between a wise man and a fool is a king," Arthur repeated calmly, his voice steady and thoughtful. "To be a true king, one must be and understand both. A king without wisdom is nothing more than a fool with a crown, and will inevitably lead his kingdom to ruin. But a king who understands his own foolishness—and tempers it with wisdom—can grow, learn, and ultimately guide his people toward prosperity."
Merlin raised a hand to cover her mouth, her shoulders beginning to shake as she struggled to contain her laughter. A soft giggle escaped her before she finally laughed outright.
"You, Artorius, are truly one of a kind," she said between chuckles. "You are far wiser than I ever gave you credit for."
Arthur didn't respond immediately. Instead, he offered a small, polite smile, clearly unfazed by her reaction.
Merlin shook her head and gradually reined in her laughter, her expression turning thoughtful. "It seems you were right after all. Our answers are different—and, in truth, I believe I've learned more from this exchange than you have."
"Then what was your answer going to be?" Arthur asked, genuine curiosity evident in his voice.
Merlin's expression softened as she turned fully toward him. "To me," she began calmly, "a fool is someone who believes he knows everything—and because he believes he knows everything, he thinks he can control everything. A wise man understands that this is far from the truth."
She continued, her voice steady and assured. "A wise man knows he does not possess all the knowledge in the world. He recognizes that there are forces beyond his understanding, beyond his control—and he accepts that reality rather than fighting it."
Merlin reached out and pressed a finger lightly against Arthur's cheek, a playful glint returning to her eyes as she declared, "So do not mistake me for a fool, Arthur. I am very far from one."
Her smile lingered as they continued on their path.
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