Yuleride

Chapter 36 ~ Discovery

Three people moved through the cramped main road of the hot, dusty little Egyptian village. One was a short, dark-haired, very tanned young woman in robes, apparently studying a map. The next was a man wrapped completely in robes like a Bedouin, only his dark, narrowed eyes and pale skin visible from within the folds of the heavy cowl he wore against the heat. They were followed by a young Egyptian boy, also in robes, who held the reins of a very slow-walking camel carrying supplies. He yanked it in irritation.

”Come along you stupid beast! Keep up!” he hissed at the creature, who grunted, then spit at him. He missed.

”We can eat camel,” Haruun warned him, barely missed by the camel lugey. “It has been done before.”

The camel made another unworried grunt, and seemed to walk even slower.

”We’re definitely being followed again, Severus,” Hermione said to her silent companion. She held up the map so he could see it. A set of footprints surrounded by a red circle showed the location of the spy. “Only one this time.”

They came to one of the many intersecting alleys that opened on the main street. It was rather narrow but would come out on an adjoining street.

”Turn down here,” Snape said, his dark eyes glittering as he took the map from Hermione.

The map was Hermione’s creation, based on the Marauder’s Map, except that it showed anyone following within one hundred yards. It took a little while to identify individuals actually following them, because people often walked in the same direction. Before leaving any village, the adventurers would take a convoluted walk through it, turning here and there. The map would pick up anyone following their exact path. Then, Snape would pick them off, either magically or physically, depending on his mood.

Snape and Hermione turned into the alley. Haruun stopped before it, and groaned at the narrowness.

”Not another alley,” he complained, then looked back at the camel.

”Come along, Haruun,” Snape hissed back at him.

”Come on, camel,” the boy said to the beast, tugging on the rope until the beast trotted forward quickly, making him fall then nearly stepping on him with its huge, soft feet.

”You did that on purpose!” Haruun exclaimed, getting up and dusting himself off as the camel just looked at him with its big, wet eyes. One might think it was an intelligent camel, but it was the standard variety. Ornery.

Haruun got him into the alley and followed Hermione and Snape. Suddenly, the wizard stepped into a small niche. Hermione and Haruun kept going. They’d meet him on the street in a few minutes.

Snape drew his wand and kept his dark eyes on the map, watching as the footsteps turned down the alley. Snape tucked the map into his pocket just as a dark man in a fez and loose-fitting clothes cautiously walked past him. The wizard stepped out of the niche.

”Excuse me,” Snape purred.

The startled man spun and began babbling in Arabic as Snape fixed his wand on him.

”Stupefy!” Snape hissed, and the man fell like a stone. Snape looked behind him to make sure no one saw the stunning, then stuffed the unconscious man into the niche, placing a binding spell on him. It would dissipate after a while, but they would be long gone by then.

The wizard walked to the end of the alley and the road. Hermione, Haruun and the camel were waiting for him.

”You said I could get the next one,” Haruun complained to Snape. “I need the practice.”

They began walking again, Snape’s eyes shifting to the pouting boy.

”Haruun, this is no time for ‘practice.’ We’re too close and I don’t have time to correct your mistakes,” the wizard replied. “You’ll have practice coming out of your ears when you attend Hogwarts. Now, stop whining.”

Haruun’s dark eyes swung to the back of Hermione's head.

”Hermione, can I have a pumpkin pastie?” he asked her.

Hermione looked back at him apologetically.

”I’m sorry, Haruun, but the cornucopia is packed away. I can’t get it now,” she said to him.

Haruun looked at the stack of bundles on the camel’s back and sighed.

Hermione had purchased two magical cornucopias and six month’s worth of food, enough to feed three people. They had been in Egypt for five months so far. Buying the cornucopias solved both the problem of eating the local food and of having a ready supply at their fingertips. Anytime they were hungry, they could extract food from the magical item. It didn’t create food, just transferred from their stores in England. She’d learned from her mistake in the Forest of Dean so long ago. Any food or drink they wanted was supplied, the amount deducted from her account. She had also arranged an overdraft, in case they needed more food for a longer time. Snape would recoup only a third of that cost, since the food was shared between them and Haruun.

When Snape and Hermione arrived in Egypt, they were met by Mr. Answany. He was a brown-skinned, rotund and rather jovial looking man, who wore a fez, crisp white shirt, dark brown trousers, sandals and an ornately decorated brown vest over his fat belly. After introductions were made, he took them to his home and introduced them to Haruun.

The boy was rather small and skinny, his clothes dirty and torn. He was in dire need of a haircut. Hermione frowned slightly as she looked at his state. Mr. Answany couldn’t have cleaned him up a little?

“He’s bright, but you have to watch him. He steals, you know. Food most of the time,” Anwar said, frowning at the boy. “It’s a wonder he still has both his hands.”

Haruun couldn’t take his eyes off of Snape. He looked like the devil or at least an evil djinn. Snape didn’t say anything at first as he looked at the boy, sizing him up. He had very intelligent eyes.

”Does he speak English?” the wizard asked.

”Too much,” Anwar replied, turning toward Snape as Haruun scowled at him behind his back. His face straightened when the Egyptian looked back at him.

”Well, you won’t have to steal food from us, Haruun. We have plenty and you can eat as much as you like,” she told the boy, who gave her a bright smile.

”He’ll eat only as much as he needs,” Snape corrected. “Don’t encourage gluttony. We’re going to be dealing with enough sins as it is, Hermione.”

Haruun’s smile faded. Not only was the man ugly, he was cheap too. But the woman, she was nice. He was sure she would give him extra food when the ugly one wasn’t looking.

“So, Mr. Snape. You’ve not told me exactly what your purpose in Egypt is, only that you were going on an expedition. May I ask what you are looking for?” Anwar said, his black eyes narrowing just a little.

”We’re going to be studying hieroglyphics,” Snape replied. “We will be writing a book about them, hopefully from a fresh perspective. We will be examining those of the lesser temples.”

”I see,” Anwar said, not believing Snape for a second. “You are welcome to stay in my home if you like.”

”No, we’ve made other arrangements,” the wizard replied. “And we must be going.”

Anwar thought this rather rude of the wizard, to only pay him a cursory visit after all the arrangements he’d made for him. He was also suspicious.

”Where will you be staying?” Anwar inquired.

”In a hotel,” Snape replied shortly. He didn’t give the name.

”I—see,” Anwar said tightly.

”Come along, Haruun. We have to buy you some clothes and get you cleaned up,” Hermione said to the boy.

”You need clothes too,” the boy said.

Anwar’s face went black.

”He is too bold!” the wizard said.

”Why do you think we need clothes, Anwar?” Hermione asked him as Snape stood by silently. He preferred those who spoke up.

”To blend in,” he said, then looked at Snape, “and to hide his face and keep him from frying under the desert sun like a fish out of the Nile.”

Anwar raised his hand as if to strike the boy when Snape said coldly, “Leave him be.”

He looked back at Haruun.

”Why should I hide my face?”

”You are evil-looking with very white skin. More than anyone else—you will draw attention. People will watch you and be frightened of you in the smaller villages. They will not be helpful. It is better if you hide your face,” Haruun said honestly.

White people were very common in Egypt and normally didn’t draw that much notice from ordinary citizens, although they had to be careful because of the overall climate in the Middle East. But Snape’s looks were extraordinary. He had to be the whitest man Haruun had ever seen. He also looked as if he were up to no good. He would definitely be watched either because of suspicion or fascination.

”I see,” Snape said, his mouth quirking slightly. “Let us go.”

As the trio headed for the door, Anwar took out his wand and subtly flicked it at Snape, casting a tracking spell on him. Then he put it away and trundled after them.

”Allow me to arrange transport at least,” Anwar said.

”We’ll manage,” the dark wizard replied, turning at the door and shaking Anwar’s hand. “Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Answany. Good day.”

Aswar watched them walk away, the smile leaving his face immediately. He closed the door and walked back into the house. As he entered the living room, a door opened off of it and a man with a pock-marked face and bad teeth entered, looking at him with bleary black eyes.

”Follow them,” Anwar said, “tell me where they are staying. I want to know what they are up to. Something tells me they are in search of something of great value. We must protect the relics of Egypt.”

The man left and Anwar poured himself a drink.

”Protect the relics of Egypt and line our own pockets,” he mused, taking a sip, then taking out his wand and flicking it in the air. A translucent map appeared floating in front of him. On the map were street names and Snape’s footprints.

”I’ve got my eye on you, Mr. Snape,” he breathed.

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The moment they were out of sight of Anwar’s home, Snape said, “Do a sweep for tracking spells.”

Hermione pulled out her wand and waved it over herself and Haruun, then Snape, her eyes widening.

”There’s one on you,” she breathed, astonished.

”Remove it,” he ordered and she did so.

”Whenever we leave any area, you are to check us for spells,” he told her.

”I’m sure I can develop something that won’t let tracking spells stick to us,” she replied, looking thoughtful. “I’ll just need a little time. But why would Mr. Answany place a tracking spell on you?”

”Because he knows I’m lying,” Snape replied evenly.

Haruun walked beside them, fascinated at Hermione using magic, and surprised Mr. Answany could do it, too. They were magic, like he was. But he didn’t have a stick to do magic with like they did. He wanted to know more, but held his tongue. He’d find out more later. For now, he’d just watch them.

What was Mr. Snape lying about? And why. Already this was exciting and nothing had really happened yet. Haruun had a feeling they were going to do very bad things.

He liked the idea of that. It would be fun to do bad things with people. He hoped they were good at it. He didn’t want to lose any limbs.

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Hermione and Snape did do some very bad things, such as break into museums and copy rare texts, but they didn’t take him along. Most of the time Haruun was very bored as they talked and pored over maps and texts, often arguing. Mr. Snape had a very bad temper in private, and didn’t speak often at all in public. Most of the inquiries made were made by Hermione. He would just stand there and listen.

They had to make inquiries to see documents, but were almost always turned down because the texts were rare and Snape hadn’t bothered with getting the proper permissions from the government, thinking they would draw too much attention.

Hermione had recoiled with horror the first time Snape grabbed a museum caretaker and forced Veritaserum down his throat in order to find out the exact location of the documents they needed. He Obliviated him afterwards and such acts became rather commonplace after that. Sometimes he used Legilimency, but Veritaserum was much faster than shifting through the mind of someone held in place with the Petrificus Totalus spell. Then they would come back at night, locate what they needed and copy them.

There had been one very close call when they actually had to steal a “key” from a museum. It was made of bronze and diamond-shaped, protected by thick glass and a number of alarms. A silent alarm had been triggered and several guards ran in, guns drawn and shooting, winging Snape in the shoulder before they Disapparated away with their prize. Haruun had been fascinated by all the blood and how easily Hermione cleaned and healed the wound. Snape didn’t cry out or anything. Haruun thought someone like him was probably used to pain.

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This skulking about and information gathering went on for about two and a half months before Haruun’s talents were actually utilized. He served as a guide, but also as a translator. He took care of the camels they rented as well. Now that they were actually going to sites, he was given his own wand by Snape. It was a school wand, not one attuned to the boy’s magic, but it was conditioned enough by usage that he was able to do small spells with Hermione’s instruction.

Snape preferred that he learn basic labor magic first. Digging, lifting, minimizing and spells of that nature. Hermione did teach him what the Potions master wanted, but she threw in a couple of defensive spells and some fun ones. Snape didn’t say much about the defensive spells, but he saw no reason to teach him spells like Avis or the Tickling spell. It was a source of contention between witch and wizard.

”He needs to know more than drone spells,” Hermione argued.

Haruun was working on Stunning now, which was why he was miffed with Snape. He had wanted hands on training. Snape told him to stick to stunning birds.

So far, Hermione hadn’t had her night under the stars yet. Actually, they were so busy that it wasn’t an issue between them. Snape wasn’t a demonstrative man by a long shot, and they were here to work. Luckily, they both shared several traits, and the main one was being consumed by whatever project they were focused on. So great sex took a back seat on the broom for the time being. More than likely it would come with success.

”This is it,” Snape said to Hermione and Haruun as they walked away from the small village. The sun was low in the sky. Both he and Hermione believed they had located the vault that held the Elixir of Immortality. They walked for about two miles until they were well out of sight of the village, then all linked arms, Haruun holding the camel’s rope, and Disapparated.

They arrived on a featureless stretch of sand, and both Snape and Hermione set about casting the modified healer’s spell on the ground as Haruun calmed and unloaded the stricken camel, who had never Disapparated before and tried to run away the moment his big feet hit solid sand, dragging Haruun several yards before the boy regained control of him.

Once the camel was unloaded, Haruun set up torches to see by, sticking them in the sand and igniting them with his wand. He loved using magic.

Suddenly, Snape stiffened as the white color of his wand tip turned a bright blue. He stared down at the sand silently. Hermione had her back to him, busily testing her section of the sands. Haruun stared at Snape’s wand.

”The light is blue!” he exclaimed excitedly. He knew blue was good. They had been to more than thirty sites looking for that blue light. At last, here it was.

Hermione spun and ran over to Snape, nearly falling on her face in her haste as she stared down at the sand and the light.

”We’ve found it,” she breathed. “It can only be that, can’t it, Severus?”

The Potions master’s heart was pounding in his chest as he stared down at the sand.

”Let’s see,” he said, ending the spell and casting another. Hermione joined him and the sand began to fly.

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A/N: The epilogue died. Lol. Well, I have to write at least one adventure before it ends. Soooo, I started it.