Fire & Ice: War Games

November brought with it colder breezes and the fall of autumn leaves. Despite the Ministry of Magic’s rigid denial, the Daily Prophet rigorously printed articles regarding the speculation around the alleged break-in at the Department of Mysteries. While the Ministry feverishly denied anything was taken, the Daily Prophet filled its pages with speculations pointing to works of the followers of Voldemort.

November at Hogwarts brought its share of excitement as well. With the lessons diving further and further into their subjects and the race for the qudditch cup was narrowed to three houses, few of the students found themselves wanting for something to fill their time. Hagrid’s one and only prank was quickly forgotten as the students filled their gossip time with the alleged break-in at the Ministry.

November passed quickly, uneventfully in the eyes and ears of Hogwarts’ student body. For the staff however, anxiety and growing fear hung over their heads with each passing day. With the break-in at the Ministry on Halloween, the headmaster was forced to increase castle security under the pressure of concerned parents. For the first time in nearly fifty years, when a muggleborn witch had been mysteriously murdered in a girls’ bathroom, a strict curfew was enforced by the headmaster and his staff down to the prickly caretaker. No student found exception, even those held in staff members high favor. The castle’s resident and loerewerewolf found himself roaming in a specially reinforced abandoned classroom in the dungeons during the full moon, minus his three companions. Though others elsewhere didn’t fare as well.




Car horns honked as the traffic slowed to a snail’s pace on the busy city streets. Numerous sweaty bodies crowded the city’s sidewalks, as individuals, they migrated up and down the narrow piece of cracked, yellowed concrete. A cool breeze carried the salt air in land from the Mediterranean Sea, blowing loose grains of sand across the city streets in a light dusting.

Aryeh Hasad glanced at his only passenger for the day through the rearview mirror. He had spent the day at the airport, begging for fares. By lunch, he had given up and decided to call it a day. Then his passenger had flagged him down as he was pulling away from the curb. When Aryeh had heard the destination, he was thrilled. After all it would mean all day trip and a fairly large payment for his services.

Despite the fact the man was dressed in an expensive suit and carried himself with the air one associated with an money, lots and lots of money, Aryeh thought it odd that the man was obviously not from his country and yet he carried no luggage. Not willing to compromise the only fare for that day, Aryeh declined to satisfy his curiosity. After the initial chatter regarding the man’s destion, on, the taxi was consumed by silence.

The sun had long since set by the time Aryeh pulled the taxi off the highway and parked. The foreign passenger glanced out into the darken world as he pulled a leather wallet out from his breast pocket and fished out a few bills. Aryeh folded the bills, noting the lack of a tip, and drove off into the night. He watched as the figure of his passenger was swallowed by the night through the rearview mirror, Aryeh shook his head wondering why the man wanted to be left in the middle of the desert.

His eyes followed the retreating twin red orbs until they were devoured by the abyss.




Abdul leaned against the palm tree’s trunk and stared into the abyss as smoke trailed into the void as he inhaled deeply from the cigarette. His hands rubbed up and down his arms briskly as the cool breeze drove the warmth from his fra frame. Greasy beetle-black hair clung to the layers of smudged dirt coating his face. Nervous eyes shifted across the barren landscape encroaching on the oasis.

Flicking the smoldering butt out into the sea of sand, he bit his lower lip and tested the bitter copper of his blood. He shrank back into the little shelter offered by the slim trees as the night wore on and the temperatures began to a steady decline. “Stupid people, trying to kill me with the cold.” He grumbled, shaking out a cigarette and lighting it, he inhaled deeply. A puff of hazy smoke hung before his lips before being swept away into the night.

“Ah,” he cried as a hand fell on his shoulder. Startled, he turned quickly to confront his assailant and stumbled as he stepped on his own feet into the assailant’s arms. Realizing where and in who’s arms he was resting, Abdul wiggled his way free and back onto his own two feet. His hands frantically plunged into the his jeans, searching for the penknife he kept there. A dry laugh echoed in the wilderness as he winced, pulling at the object held securely in his jeans. He looked up and relaxed when he recognized the face in the photo. “For Ali’s sake!” He collapsed against the tree trunk with a sigh and willed his frantic heart to slow.

“Unlike you, I don’t have all the time in the world.”

His face twisted with displeasure and hidden by the night, “as you wish.” He made a show of bowing before leading the r mar man away from the oasis.

The looming form of Har-Em-Akut blocked the crescent moon from their view as they approached. “I hope for your sake, that he was telling me the truth. The fate of liars is not a pleasant one as my employer is not a forgiving man and neither am I.”

He shivered inwardly as at the man’s cold, emotionless words. Swallowing, “I saw it with my own eyes. I swear!” He winced inwardly, cursing the shaking in his voice.

An overwhelming sense of dread washed over him as they neared their destination. He dug through his knapsack and retrieved a bottle of kerosine along with a strip of c. Wr. Wrapping the cloth around a piece of wood lying at the base of a pillar, he poured the kerosine over the makeshift torch and flicked his lighter.

Abdul held the torch above his head as he led the way into the eastern sanctuary constructed by Thutmose IV. He glanced at the Caucasian man following him, Abdul’s gut twisted with each step he took and knew that his time was coming.

Abdul ignored the man wandering behind him and concentrated on the granite statue before him. Unlike the temple’s lost treasures, looted for centuries before, the statute of Thutmose was too large and heavy, having been sculpted from the same block as the floor beneath it. For a moment, his eyes on the regal features of the dead king before him, his fingers sought what his mind told him was there but could not see with his eyes.

“How much longer is this going to take?” Abdul ignored the man’s whining as his eyes closed and his fingers caressed across the rough sur of of the back of the statute’s head. While the rest of the surface was smoothly sculpted, a spot at the base was roughly indented a hair below the natural surface. Abdul smiled inwardly as his fingers brushed across the carved indentation. Pressing it inward, he stepped back as the statute began to sink into the floor.

“I’m impressed.” Abdul’s companion drawled, watching the last bit of the statute disappear beneath the floor. “Breathtaking, isn’t it.”

Abdul watched as his companion stepped across the statute’s head and traced the hieroglyphics carved into the wall hidden frm view by the stone monument. He strained to hear the trail of words his companion mumbled. Abdul gasped as the hieroglyphics suddenly burned bright purple, spiraled in on themselves. As the light died, Abdul stepped backwards in wonder. He glanced at his companion and then back at the writing on the temple wall.

“Do you know what this says?” He turned his opal eyes to look at Abdul, when he shook his head the Caucasian continued. “Death comes on swift wings to who enters.”

Abdul shivered as the man smiled at him. He watched fascinated as the man produced a polished stick and waving it before the wall, the man mumbled a string of words. Abdul stumbled backwards as the wall shuddered before rising through the temple ceiling as though it were pushed upwards by invisible hands. He watched as his companion’s hand reached down, grabbed the front of his sweat soaked t-shirt and jerked him back onts fes feet. Abdul was surprised by the other man’s strength despite his wirily frame as he was suddenly pushed through the doorway, the firm hand on the middle of his back prevd and any hope or opportunity to escape.

Abdul stumbled through the doorway and felt the earth slip out from beneath him with the first step. The stale, fathomless darkness swallowed him as he disappeared down the steep stairs. Abdul landed at the bottom with a loud thud and a thick cloud of dust. He groaned, curling his throbbing body into a fetal position as his companion calmly walked down the mud-brick steps.

He cried out as his body was suddenly jerked upwards by an uncaring hand and he was left on shaking legs momentarily before feeling a rough hand push him foward, ahead of his companion. Limping foward, Abdul bit his lip as a burning sensation flared in his leg. The torch light flickered above their heads as Abdul felt himself being herded in front of the other man through the blizzard of darkness.

Abdul fought the wave of nausea as he stumbled against the threatening darkness, waves of dizziness clouded his mind. As he stumbled down the dusty tunnel, he wond whd what god he had managed to offend to have received this hand of life dealt to him. When his cousin had first approached him, Abdul thought the job was an easy one. Lavi had told him that a European man that was looking for a guide and would pay them both well at the adventure’s end. He had told Abdul that with his experience working with western archeologists in excavating ruins throughout their country, this job wouldn’t be any different and he would be the perfect candidate.

He silently cursed his cousin for talking him into accepting the job and he cursed his own stupidity. A sixth sense had warned him not to accept, but Abdul’s own greed won out in the end and he wound up bruised, beaten by a madman as he was force marched down a tunnel that hadn’t been walked in centuries. Unlike the temples, tombs and ruins he had helped to excavate, the tunnel he now traveled was spartan and undecorated, the opposite of a culture that had kept such detailed records of their history depicted in such colorful symbols and scenes on just about everything. Waste not, want not had been their motto it seemed.

Abdul collapsed as his legs buckled beneath him. Leaning against the wall, he sighed. His peaceful revel was shattered as a hand jerked him back onto his feet with a groan, the collar of his shirt ripped against his throat. Coughing, Abdul wiped the tears from his eyes as he fought desperately to catch his elusive breath. A sharp push at the base of his neck sent him stumbling, blindly foward once again. As he was pushed further into the darkness, Abdul had an overwhelming sense of a prisoner being marched to the executioner’s block.

Wheezing, his still throbbing leg collapsed against the inconspicuous wall at the end of the tunnel. Abdul was grateful for the opportunity to rest as his companion excitedly examined the detailed image rising off the wall. His companion snatched the torch away and held it over the image, its crackling flames illuminated the ocean of purple background behind the image of a badger. “You don’t know what this means, do you? Why am I bothering with an ignorant muggle anyways?”

The man s his his head, moving the torch over the wall’s smooth surface. The man’s hand brushed the surface of the wall, trying to see what his eyes could not. “I don’t understand,” he grumbled after a few minutes of fruitless searching. “I don’t feel any wards and there’s no sign of a hidden doorway.” Growling, he paced back and forth in the short distance between the walls.

Through the storm of dull pain, Abdul watched in detached silence as his companion’s frustration grew. Despite his growing curiosity, he kept his tongue in check in the faint hope that his companion would continue to ignore his existence. Half his life had been spent in the employ of foreigners from the west and a quarter of those had been the equivalent of common thieves, selling their bounty on various black markets around the world. Knowing the rules of the game as well as he did, Abdul knew that the guide was always deemed expendable and tried to be inconspicuous in order to live to see the next sunrise.

“What riddle have you left behind now, Ravenclaw?!” The man snarled, suddenly beating his fists in the center of the simplistic seal. Radiating anger with each breath, he stormed back down the darken tunnel and left Abdul to his fate.

Abdul watched his companion deserted him dispassionately, leaving him to wait for death or for him to find his own way out. Knowing in your mind that you were expendable and seeing it with your own eyes were two completely different issues. Despite what his mind told him, Abdul found himself hating how seemingly his companion casually tossed him aside. Gritting his teeth as the pain of his injured leg flared, Abdul pushed himself onto his feet with the support of the walls on either side of him. A strangled, hoarse cry escaped his lips as a short stabbing of pain jolted through his leg before it buckled under his weight again.

Beads of sweat trickled down his unclean face as a hand braced the bulk of his weight against the opposite wall. The surface of the wall beneath his hand sank abruptly, his body stumbled foward as he lost his balance. Abdul winced as he flicked his tongue over the split in his lip. Rolling onto his back, he stared in bewilderment at the wall.

A plume of green smoke steadily rose from the ground at the wall’s floor, cloaking him completely. A sharp shudder echoed through the dark abyss before being replaced by a high-toned scratching hiss, imitating the sound of nails against a chalkboard, as the wall was pulled into the ceiling. Slowly the haze lifted, disappating into nothingness and revealed the secrets it held within.

Holding his breath, Abdul could hear the sound of rushing water flowing and crashing down upon itself somewhere in the fathomless darkness. He slowly inched foward along the cold stone floor, ignoring the dense layers of dust coating his fingers and body. Sneezing, he rubbed the dust over his mouth and nose before continuing in the direction of the running water.

Soft footfalls echoed in the darkness behind him, Abdul froze and pressed his body against the floor, his heart beating frantically against his ribs and pounded in his ears as the footfalls drew steadily closer. Despite only knowing his companion for a short period, Abdul knew that it wasn’t and couldn’t be anyone else.

He heard his companion’s voice say “lumos” as the chamber burst suddenly to life as countless torches spontaneously ignited. Abdul blinked, adjustins eys eyes to the sudden surplus of light before drinking in the wonders around him. Smooth white plastered walls surrounded the outermost boundaries of the chamber. Of the four scenes depicted, only three were visible due to the fourth being blocked by the grand waterfall with the large sapphire pool of water at its majestic feet. Abdul recognized only two of the scenes, familiar ones painted and carved on the few tombs of past kings he had helped to excavate.

The wall to his left depicted the ancient ceremony of releasing the Ba, performed on the resident’s proxy statue. The wall to his right depicted the resurrection of a mummified Osiris being brought to life by the ancient, dark god Anubis after Osiris’ wife had managed to retrieve his body parts scattered throughout the ancient kingdom.

Glancing behind him at he wall, Abdul ignored his companion in favor of studying the scene painted there. The jackal-headed guide of the Ba held the scale of Justice in his hand, the pure feather of truth on one side and a human heart held in the hand of the deity. The crocodile headed goddess Ammit, crouched at Osiris’ throne as though begging for the unfortunate Ba as Thoth carefully recorded the event on the papyri on his lap.

“Muggles,” he spat the word as though the word had left a sour taste in his mouth. “Bloody balls of Slytherin,” he groaned.

Before Abdul could think of a response, the falling water had suddenly become eerily silent. He followed the other man’s gaze, his eyes widened at the sight of the pool. Abdul’s eyes widened in disbelief as the clear liquid rose in a towering column above their heads. He rubbed his eyes as the column molded itself into a human-looking form. “Ali protect me!”

“Within these walls is what was hidden. One of four is written a secret’s puzzle. Though traveled far from soil native, and my clue you have followed faithfully.” The figure’s soft, angelic voice said with a sorrowful smile on her face. “Yet your journey is not at its end. Here lies but the journey’s beginning.” The watery form collapsed into itself as it crashed back into the pool.

Abdul watched his companion approach the pool’s edge with apperhension. He knelt at the pool’s edge, watching the water closely as the words, written in black falmes, stared up at him from beneath the watery surface. “Another of Ravenclaw’s riddles! One might think she was the reincarnation of Oedipus’ sphinx the way she uses them.” He growled to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck. His animalistic curiosity piqued, Abdul pulled himself to the pool’s edge and the other man’s side. Rubbing his eyes, Abdul looked again, sighing as the sight remained the same. Abdul groaned inwardly, cursing his decision to get out of the bedroll that morning.

I’ve been locked up tight for centuries or more,
Lost by history in magical lore.

The pool rippled as the words faded and changed before their eyes. Abdul’s companion sighed, irritation written clearly on his face. Abdul glanced down as the hazy words cleared once more.

Waiting for someone to release me,
Where only Anhk-Osiris can see.

Abdul ignored the growling from the man next to him and concentrated on the next set set of words. His blood turned to ice as he read them.

If you want me, there’s a price to be paid.
Past the Kemek shore you must wade.

He swallowed as the feeling of dread returned with a vengeance. Closing his eyes, Abdul feverishly wished himself away. Slowly opening his eyes, a crack at a time, he whimpered inwardly as he found himself in the same spot as before. Sighing, Abdul braced himself and read the next set of words.

If you want me, come and set me free.
Beware, least you add to the foundations Set laid.

Shaking out a cigarette, Abdul lite it quickly and savored the calming effect as the pool rippled for a fifth time. Exhaling the smoke, he watched as the blurring haze slowly molded itself into words again. As he read them, Abdul felt an arctic chill sweep into the chambers as his companion chillingly laughed.

If you want me, I can make your wish come true.
Horus’ eye, no harm befalls you.



A/N

Can anyone tell me how much I dislike writing dialogues? LOL As I love history, particularly ancient history, don’t be surprised to find it in any of my stories. Though I won’t always use it.

Please remember to read & review, author thanks you.

Old Kindom

A period of Ancient Egypt that lasted about 2686 BC to 2181 BC

Har-Em-Akut

The ancient Egyptian name for the Sphinx. According to archeologists, the sphinx was once painted as evidenced by the chips of paint found on it. Believed to be a part of Khafre’s complex.

Nemi scarf - the head dress worn by the Pharaoh and only him; a symbol of his power and status in the ancient world.

Thutmose IV

Pharaoh from 1406-1398 BC, the son and successor of Amenhotep II. Invaded Asia and Nubia like his father before him; formed alliances with independent kings neighboring the Syrian tributaries and married a Mitanni princess, who was the mother of his son, Amenhotep III.


Thutmose IV’s Temple (the Sphinx temple)

Was actually constructed by Khafre. He only performed the first ‘recorded’ renovation, including a new paint job. In the hopes of re-solidifying the Pharaoh’s divine rule in ancient Egypt. Later generations of pharaohs would return to the temple for their coronations.

Khafre (Khephren)

Pharaoh of the fourth dynasty, Old Kingdom and was the son of Khufu (The Great Pyramid) and is also known as Rakhaef or Chephren. He ruled from 2520-2494 BC.

The most distinctive features of his pyramid is the topmost layer of smooth stones, these are the only remaining casing stones on a Giza pyramid. Khafre is responsible for the second largest pyramid complex at Giza. Included in his complex is the Sphinx, a Mortuary Temple and a Valley Temple.

Ba

The soul or essence of a person

Anubis

Often referred to the “dark god”. Guide of the souls to final judgement, weighed the hearts of the soul on the Scales of Justice. Believed to protect ancient Egyptian graveyards and was very good at keeping secrets. (By far my most favorite of the ancient Egyptian deities. Or is that obvious? :) )

Thoth

God of wisdom and sacred writings. Baboon headed god.

Osiris

Not going to spoil it, but you can already guess with the clues written in the chapter.

Isis

Not going to spoil it.

Horus

Not going to spoil it

Set

Not going to spoil it.

Ammit

The eater of souls or the Devourer. Was charged with the eating of those souls that were deemed ‘evil.’

Anhk

Not going to spoil it.

Kemek

Not going to spoil it.

Oedipus

Greek hero who answered the sphinx’s riddle of man. She killed herself afterwards.