Chapter 6
The call from Dr. Jackson came on a rainy day in early August. Harry had stayed close to the university once again this summer, this time to teach an undergraduate session of ancient Egyptian history and language and spend time tutoring two promising students.
He enjoyed it. No, he loved it. It was like a combination of DA meetings and long nights in the Gryffindor common room revising in groups for exams. The feeling that went through him when he saw that "ah-ha" moment when a student put something together and really got it still thrilled him even after almost a year of teaching assignments.
He had just finished a tutorial session and was ambling around the college grounds during a light rain when his cell phone burbled in his pocket. He ducked into a columned arcade as he pulled it out to see who was calling.
"Dr. Jackson! How nice to hear from you. I've been looking forward to seeing you in September for the lecture series."
"Hi Harry. I've got something here I want you to see. The paper you sent me on the Horus tomb translations? I'm in Egypt and I wanted to check out the originals because I couldn't find a complete set of photographs and I've found something. I'm putting together a group and I want you to be a part of it." He was speaking very fast and Harry could tell he was excited.
"Um. Well I'm teaching and, well... When?" Harry's heart sped up. Finally a chance to go to Egypt. The summer session was almost over. He didn't have any commitments until the fall term started in October. He could do it.
"Right away. I need you in London ASAP to work on your security clearance and on a flight to Luxor tonight."
"Security clearance?"
"Yes. The American military will be involved and it's necessary. It shouldn't be a problem. I've wanted to bring you into the program for a while now but I was waiting for you to finish your degree. But this has come up and in a way you are already a part of it so why not now?"
"I'm already a part of it? I don't understand."
"You will Harry. You will. I promise. It is something bigger and more important then you could possibly imagine. I can't tell you more about it until you get here. Security clearance first then I'll fill you in."
"Um. I want to. Let me see what arrangements I can make and I'll call you back in a little bit?"
"Fine Harry. Just leave a message if you can't get through. I'm going to be on the phone for hours. Now here is where you need to go in London, they're expecting you..."
The cell rang again before Harry could get back to his office. The caller's number wasn't in his phone list.
"Hello?"
"Harry? Kingsley Shacklebolt here."
The Minister of Magic? Harry thought. On the phone?
"Hello? Harry?"
"Uh. Yes I'm here"
"Good. Good. I would like you to stop by the Ministry as soon as possible. I popped over to Downing Street and I'm using this infernal phonytel thing because it is the only way I could reach you quickly. You're not on the floo network and it would be hours for an owl to find you..."
"I know minister. It's life among the muggles. As a matter of fact I think I'll be down to London today on an um, errand. I can come by. Probably late in the day?"
"Yes, yes I know. I will see you when you get here. Thank you Harry." He ended the call before Harry could ask any questions. What did he know? That Harry was coming to London? Going to Egypt? Were they watching him? He was not very happy with that thought.
Once back in his office Harry made arrangements and sent off e-mails to his students telling them he had been called out of town and that there would be no more classes this last week of the session. He instructed them to deliver the already assigned final papers to the department secretary, on time please, and that he would read and grade them upon his return.
Harry jogged home to his flat from the school to shower and pack a knapsack. He had no idea how long he would be gone so he decided to take another bag just in case. He was on a train and in the city by the early afternoon.
In a nondescript office in central London Harry was greeted by a short woman in her fifties. She was brandishing a thick file filled with many different colored papers.
"Mr. James. Thank you for coming so quickly. I'm Ambassador Pritwithe, one of the UK's representatives on the International Oversight Committee of the SG Program."
"The SG program?"
"Yes. Dr. Jackson will explain it to you when you get to Egypt. He submitted your name for consideration quite some time ago, you know. Our concern here today is your security clearance. I need you to answer some questions for me."
"If I can."
"If you can't Mr. James, you won't be getting your clearance."
"I see."
"I'm sure you don't Mr. James. By bringing you into this you are getting involved in matters that effect not only the United Kingdom but our entire planet."
"Uh, Earth?" Harry couldn't think of anything else to say. He could only hope that his ministry concocted identity made it through this.
"Yes. Earth. Now can you tell me why you changed your name? I believe you went by Potter before you started at university. Harry Potter?"
Harry fought down the urge to panic. How had they found him out? Had the ministry told them?
"Well, uh yes. It was a family thing. My Aunt and Uncle..."
"Yes, the Dursleys. They really don't have a kind word to say about you. Did you know that?"
"Oh yes." Oh no. He really was going to panic.
"However your Aunt, Petunia Dursley? She approached us after the initial interview and explained matters some."
She did? "What did she say?"
"Enough to make it clear to me at least that emancipating yourself and getting out of that situation was a very smart move young man. A smart move."
"Oh."
"Now. There is a notation in your file that your were involved in the troubles a few years back?"
"The troubles?"
"Yes. The terrorist incidents by that Dark Mark group that lasted for some three years. I'm happy to see you were on the right side. Otherwise you wouldn't be considered for this."
"Uh yes. I understand." Harry was flummoxed. They knew everything about him. Well, almost everything it seemed.
"There is a citation in your file from an assistant to the Prime Minister, a Kingsley Shacklebolt, commending and thanking you for your assistance and your discretion."
Kingsley? He must know something about this. Was that why he called?
"So it seems that you already have experience with not talking about what you know. That is a good thing and only helps to smooth the way for your clearance."
"That's good."
It went on like that for some time. He didn't think that he was really answering her questions. It was more like he was just agreeing with her assessment of the picture of his life that someone had certainly put a lot of time into in assembling.
The fabricated part of his late teens and his early schooling must have stood up under scrutiny because little was said about it.
The fact that he had never been out of the country seemed to help matters also. Much to his regret his recent schoolwork had been overwhelming enough that the idea of traveling or working on an archaeological dig during his summer breaks had been put aside for years now.
Finally Ambassador Pritwithe was winding up the interview or at least she was winding down so the interview was also. "Very well Mr. James. If you would just step down to room 211 to get your picture taken for your passport, and our records, then come back here. By then I'll have the papers ready for you.
Harry did as instructed and after oaths were sworn and many papers signed he found himself in possession of a very high level muggle government issued security clearance and was told to come back in two hours to pick up his passport.
Out on the street Harry didn't know which way to turn. He wanted to just sit down and take account of the past two hours but he couldn't. He was supposed to go to the Ministry of Magic. Finally after a quick cuppa and a sandwich at a cafe he was standing in the antique phone booth that was the public entrance to the camouflaged Ministry offices.
He called and the floor fell away from under him. He was met and escorted around the security checkpoints and taken right through to Kingsley's office. The minister must have been notified that he was in the building because he already had tea brewing.
Kingsley poured out the tea and got right to business. "Harry. Thank you for coming at such short notice. These fellytones do come in handy sometimes. This trip to Egypt you are making tonight. It is very important. Very Important. The Egyptian ministry is in a tizzy. They refuse to deal with the problem because of the curse. I don't really know why it all fell into my lap. After all it was an American who triggered the problem in the first place."
"An American?" Harry sipped his tea. Too strong. Bitter.
"Yes. A Dr. Jackson. I believe you are acquainted with him? Yes? Well when the Egyptian Ministry realized just who it was he had contacted here in the UK they insisted that we resolve the problem."
"But sir, Dr. Jackson only called me a few hours ago."
"I know, I know. They are in a panic over there let me tell you. Dr. Jackson used some infernal piece of new teknolgical that enabled him to bypass some very sophisticated wards and locks. And then he broadcast the information to people in the States before the Egyptian ministry could step in to clean things up and suddenly there is an American military contingent on its way and you're involved and some international oversight committee is brought in. I'm telling you Harry that the wizarding world is having trouble keeping up with this modern muggle stuff. There will be some fallout from this let me say." Kingsley attacked his cooling cup of tea and made a face when he tasted it.
Harry had to stop this rant. The minister was not his usual cool and collected self. "And how can I help, Minister? I mean, really, I'm not sure that there is much I can do..." He let his words trail off and sipped at the sour tea. It wasn't the Darjeeling blend this time. Tasted strongly of birch and burnt ginger. Definitely sitting unpoured for too long. Though the tea was not good the cup was interesting. It was from the same set that had been used on his previous visit. Its colors were a swirling mix of copper and silver metallic glazes on a classic fine bone china form. The interior was washed in gold. A strange mix of metals, he thought.
"No there isn't much anyone can do. The curse has been triggered. We need a knowledgeable person on site to observe and report back to us as it runs its course. Someone to call us in to intervene if necessary. Someone right in the middle of things. Fortunately for us, Harry, you were called in by their side and can do this."
"Uh, Yes." Harry felt like a teenager again. One involved with adult matters that shifted and made patterns that he couldn't even see let alone comprehend. "Tell me about the curse."
"Yes the curse. All that is clear is that it somehow involves demons. Demons that will awake and take over those who ignored the warnings. I think it is utter nonsense but the Egyptians are adamant that something be done. And given the delicacy of our relations with them these past few years we really have no choice."
"I see Minister." He didn't really. Down to the dregs of the cup now. He looked at the tealeaves in the bottom. There were the usual death signs, nothing else interesting in there to help him out. Tealeaf reading wasn't something he had excelled in at Hogwarts.
"Good. Good. Given the muggles expectations I'm afraid we won't be able to portkey you right to Luxor. You are going to have to take muggle transportation." Kingsley shuddered. "Unfortunately there really isn't much direct assistance that I can give you. A representative of the Egyptian Ministry will contact you when you arrive and things will move on from there."
"I'll do what I can. How will I contact you if I need to?"
"Your Egypt contact will work that out. We are going to send a team of aurors to Egypt to be on standby if you need them. Now I believe that my secretary, Winifred, has some intelligence for you to study before you leave. She has been assembling information on the current political situation and the wizards involved down there. I don't know if it will be much help, but it may be."
Harry took his leave from Kingsley who looked relieved to see him go. He thought that there was more to this then he was being told. Just business as usual when working with the ministry.
After perusing through the impressive pile of parchments that the secretary had gathered together, Harry knew that he would never remember much of this if he continued to rush through it. There was an enormous amount of petty bickering going on between the two ministries and he really couldn't absorb it all. He slipped some pieces into his bag when Winifred stepped out for a tea break and left the office.
He went back to the IOC building to pick up his muggle passport. Much to his surprise they had re-arranged the flight plans he had made. They had actually set up a private charter flight from Cairo to Luxor and he no longer had a layover in Germany. He would be in Egypt much earlier then he had told Dr. Jackson.
If he got to the airport on time. His new flight was leaving sooner then the one he had booked. He had to fly. He smirked when he had that thought. Now that he could no longer fly on a broomstick he was flying in different ways. For the most part.
