And again, fredfred deserves huge thanks for betaing. His help has improved the story a lot.

Chapter 12: Trouble in Tunis

'Magical creatures have been used by wizards to guard their treasure chambers or homes for millennia, so to the layperson, this might seem an easy way to secure their valuables. However, in order to effectively use such creatures as guards, there are several hurdles which must be overcome. First, living creatures have to be fed. That may seem like a minor issue, but it means that whatever they are guarding has to be visited regularly by a trusted servant or yourself. And the food has to be protected and tested, lest a prospective thief tamper with it to poison the creature. In addition, many creatures have to be trained not to accept food from just anyone, or a thief can bring poisoned food with them to offer to the creature. This can be a particular problem with animals not intelligent enough to be easily trained.

Guard animals also have to be trained not to attack their owner, which can be quite difficult with the more dangerous, and therefore more effective, beasts. The use of intelligent creatures such as sphinxes will avoid most of those problems, but such beasts are susceptible to bribes or betraying their owners. Finally, the more resistant to magical control a creature is, the more valuable it is as a guard against magic-using thieves, but the harder it is for one to control it. Finding the correct balance can be somewhat tricky and even dangerous. Fortunately, over the millennia, various methods to control creatures resistant to charms have been developed, although not all of them are legal in every civilised nation.

One of the safest ways to control a creature, although also the one which takes longest to achieve the desired result, is to raise the creature from birth or hatching to adulthood. With a few exceptions, even the most ferocious of beasts tend to become loyal guards if raised properly - although some might also become overly affectionate, and anyone who has ever suffered the attentions of an adoring wyvern can testify that even this method is not without risk.'

- Excerpt from 'A Short Guide to Magical Creatures and Their Uses' by Albert Nott, London, 1901

Tunisia, Wizarding Tunis, Palace of Murad Bey, September 25th, 2001

Hermione Granger rolled her eyes. Lockhart was acting as if he had just saved everyone. Granted, he probably had saved Ron - but none of them would have been in danger if not for Lockhart forcing them to 'help' him. That witches actually fell for the man's act… Well, she couldn't deny that he was attractive, but his attitude was repulsive. Which was the reason why she wouldn't warn him about the potential consequences of Tahira's obvious attraction.

They had more urgent problems anyway. She touched her earring. "Harry? The Chimaera has been dealt with. Do you have the ring?"

"What? How?"

She hated having to say it. "Lockhart knocked it out with poisoned meat."

"What?"

"But we need to move - the Bey's guards could arrive any moment. Will arrive!"

"I'll hurry!" Harry said. "But there are a lot of things to go through."

She was tempted to tell him that he should just take everything - they could sort it out later - but that wouldn't let them countermand whatever order had been given to Tahira.

"Ron! Mr Lockhart!" she yelled. "Harry's still looking for the ring. Go help him!"

"But the guards will arrive any moment - I couldn't leave you to handle them!" the ponce protested.

Fortunately, Ron was quick on the uptake. "Come on! When the guards arrive, they'll see a broken harem, a stunned monster and poor, distraught harem girls. And not two suspicious-looking foreign wizards."

"I'm not suspicious-looking!" Lockhart claimed. "I'm dashing!"

But he followed Ron into the ruined part of the palace. Hermione didn't doubt that he would later claim that it had been his idea in the first place.

"How clever of you," Tahira commented with a sly and far too smug grin.

"Thank you," Hermione replied with a toothy smile.

Ari walked over. The witch had picked up her wand but hadn't bothered to gather and mend her shredded clothes. Instead, she confronted Tahira with a sneer. "Stick to Lockhart. Ron is mine."

The jinni princess scoffed. "You think I desire the lout? Hah! All I desire is justice for how he vexed me!"

"You hurt him, I hurt you!" Ari retorted.

"Try it, animal!" Tahira hissed. "I should have known you were too barbaric to be human!"

"Big words from an overgrown smoke trail!"

Sometimes, Ari's talent for learning languages really was more hindrance than help.

"What is going on? Shouldn't we flee?" Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens asked.

"We need to free Tahira from her bindings first," Hermione explained. "Do you know if there are any other enslaved witches in the harem?"

The other witch shook her head. "No. I could barely talk to them."

Ah. Hermione hadn't considered that. She should have, of course - language barriers were the reason for their presence in Tunis, after all.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of your better, beast!"

Tahira grew another foot, reaching nine feet. And Ari's growls were sounding more and more like a jaguar's.

Hermione was very glad that the Tunisian City Guards showed up before the two came to blows. She quickly told Harry and Ron before the guards got close enough to overhear her - not that they seemed to care much for her in the first place. Her Arabic wasn't perfect, and the wizards and witches spoke rather quickly, but it wasn't hard to deduce what they wanted to know since they were all staring at the unconscious Chimaera.

She pointed at the beast. "It went on a rampage!" she said loudly and rapidly in English. "Demolished the harem! Bey has vanished!"

That drew the guards' attention to Hermione's little group, and a witch quickly walked over. She conjured a blanket and offered it to Ari, who stared at it, then shook her head and conjured some actual clothes for herself instead.

Hermione smiled at the Tunisian guardswitch. "She was in the bath."

"Ah."

"Where is the Bey's son?" the witch wanted to know.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know. He wasn't in harem," she added, switching to broken Arabic.

"We need to search the place!" Hermione heard one of the wizards say in Arabic.

But before they could split up, Bey appeared, slowly and rather jerkily clambering over the broken remains of the door to the garden. Behind him, two men followed - and one of them was rubbing his hand, no, the ring on his finger, as he walked towards Hermione.

Polyjuice! It had to be Polyjuice! Clever indeed.

But Tahira didn't seem to have caught on, Hermione realised - the jinni was glaring at who Hermione knew was Harry.

"You found her ring!" Hermione exclaimed and rushed to him. She ignored the surprised reactions of the guards surrounding who she hoped was Lockhart in disguise and handed the ring over to Tahira.

The jinni blinked in surprise, then her eyes widened. She stared at the ring for a moment, then broke it in half in her hand.

And started to laugh.

Hermione wasn't the only one to draw her wand in response.

"Vengeance is mine!" Tahira yelled, cackling with glee as she grew to what Ron claimed was her maximum size of a touch above ten feet. "I am free! I am free!"

"Bloody hell!" Harry Potter heard Ron mutter next to him. "I hope Hermione knew what she was doing when she made a deal with her."

So did Harry.

"I thought you wanted to keep this a secret?" Hermione hissed.

Tahira actually blinked, then scowled.

"Dumb spirit," Ari commented. "As much brains as gust of hot wind. As a gust of hot wind, I mean."

The guards, meanwhile, were staring - and slowly moving away from the towering form of the jinni.

"Sir! You need to come with us!" their apparent leader said in Arabic to the disguised Lockhart. "We need to get you to safety!"

"You go - I shall face the jinni!" Lockhart, wearing Bey's form, declared. None of the guards moved, though, so he made a shooing motion with his free hand. "Go! I don't know how long I can hold her at bay!"

Harry caught the leader signalling two of his men, but before he could react, the two jumped forward, one grabbing Lockhart's arm and disapparating with him.

"Give him back!" Tahira roared - Harry couldn't tell if she had realised that this was Lockhart in disguise or thought it was actually Bey - and charged at the remaining guards, flames starting to cover her form.

The Tunisian guards scattered in response, but in a way that let them set up a crossfire. Brave and disciplined. And they were used to fighting angry jinn - Tahira was hit with several Water-Making Spells that doused her flames while others conjured nets around her.

Harry was tempted to let the jinni be captured - she certainly had caused them enough trouble in the past and right now. But Hermione scowled. "We need to help her - we made a Deal. And I would rather that her feud with Ron ends today."

"Oi!" Ron said. "This is not my fault!"

"Feud would end if she ends," Ari pointed out.

Tahira roared again, using both fire and wand to wreck the nets covering her - but the guards were surrounding her. And at least some of them would be trained to subdue jinn, given how many jinn regularly visited the city.

Harry sighed. Ten guards - nine, Tahira had just caught one with a spell that smashed him through the remains of a window - against the four of them. And an angry jinni.

Well, he had faced worse odds. And he was wearing someone else's face, so this shouldn't come back to haunt them. "Let's save a princess," he said and cast a pair of Stunners at the closest guard.

Three more guards dropped right after the one he had hit, courtesy of Hermione, Ron and Ari, and two more were downed, one by Harry and one by Tahira backhanding them into a wall, before the rest reacted and fled.

A moment later, Bey - Lockhart appeared in the middle of the garden. "The nerve of them!" he complained. "To lay hands on me! But I taught them the error of their…"

A blow from Tahira smashed him into the remains of the lawn.

Harry couldn't keep from snickering at the sight, and Ron was chuckling, but Hermione yelled:

"That's not Bey! That's Lockhart in disguise!"

Tahira looked shocked, then angry. "Why didn't you tell me!" she snarled, glaring at them.

"It's never her fault," Ron muttered. "And people blame me?"

"It always her fault," Ari spat.

"What did you say, you beast?" Tahira snapped, putting her hands on her hip, wisps of smoke pouring out of her nostrils.

"She said that we need to take the other enslaved witches and retreat before the guards return with reinforcements," Hermione replied, cutting Ari off before the witch could repeat herself even more loudly and start another fight.

"And before the Chimaera wakes up," Ron added. "I think it moved a little and I'm not playing bait again."

Tunisia, Wizarding Tunis, House of Omar Sayadi, September 25th, 2001

"I've heard the rumours, and I saw the smoke and fire from my own humble home, but to see Gilderoy laid low like this… It must have been an epic battle." Sayadi shook his head, watching the still unconscious Lockhart on the bed where he had just changed back to his natural form.

Harry Potter, also returned to his own and much-preferred shape, nodded sagely. "Indeed. We had to battle a Chimaera, a dozen guards and traps and curses." He was tempted to go into details of just how exactly Lockhart had been struck down, but Tahira glared at him, as did Hermione, who had it made very clear that she did not want to see the feud renewed after they had had so much trouble fulfilling their deal with the jinni.

"He is a great hero," Tahira said, sighing. "I owe him so much."

"Just remember to honour our Deal," Hermione said.

"Of course I will!" Tahira said, pouting. "You do not need to fear that I shall seek to violate the agreement we made - the legends of jinn using loopholes to trap wizards were evil lies spread by those who tried and failed to capture us!"

"Speaking of capturing jinn…" Ron spoke up. "How did Bey manage to bind you without anyone knowing? And why did he do such a thing?"

Ari nodded. "No sense at all."

Harry was certain that the other witch didn't mean that capturing a princess of the most powerful jinn clan in the country sounded like a recipe for disaster.

Tahira, frowned for a moment, eyeing the smiling Ari, then looked at Sayadi.

"He is a friend of Lockhart's," Harry pointed out.

"And a dozen guards heard you loudly announcing your newly gained freedom," Hermione added.

Tahira huffed, but, after a moment, frowned again and said: "He caught me by treachery and wanted to use me to steal the relics guarded by my clan. How he had heard of them, I cannot say, nor what he planned to do with them."

"He probably wanted to collect them, judging by what he showed us," Ron said. "You know how collectors are."

That caused Mallory to scowl at them before he addressed Tahira with a smile. "Relics? How old might they be?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you want to know?"

Mallory held a hand up. "I am no collector of jinn treasure. My interests lie in other areas. I was merely curious, nothing more."

Harry couldn't fault him for that - he was curious as well. Old relics? Tunis was an area where, according to legends, Atlanteans and ancient Greeks had met for trade and war.

Perhaps this diversion forced on them by Lockhart might end up helping them.

Provided they found a way to find out more about those relics without starting another feud with Tahira's clan. Which might be a little tricky.

Ron Weasley suppressed a grin when he heard Lockhart groan. The git had deserved that blow for getting them involved in this mess.

"What the…" Lockhart gasped and sat up, his wand appearing in his hand. "Where… Ah." He cleared his throat and smiled at the people surrounding them. "I see we were successful despite my temporary incapacitation."

"Yes," Mr Sayadi said, smiling. "It was a ferocious battle - most of Bey's palace was wrecked. I almost wish I had been there to see it."

"So does Lockhart," Ron mumbled. Ari chuckled.

"And we saved the fair maidens imprisoned in that scoundrel's harem!" Lockhart beamed at Tahira and Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens, which caused both to blush - and the jinni princess to glare at the witch. Although Lockhart seemed to either have missed that or failed to realise what it meant for him.

Ron grinned.

Hermione, though, smiled rather thinly. "Indeed. We liberated the other enslaved witches in the harem after you were knocked out, then vacated the premises."

"Another adventure successfully completed, then." Lockhart stood up, although his smile became a little strained in the process. "Now all that's left is for me to escort Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens to her family."

"Oh, yes!" The aforementioned witch beamed at the blonde git. "My parents must be sick with worry!"

Tahira's expression, though, darkened so much, Ron pondered putting a guard on the other witch. He didn't think the jinni would actually murder her apparent rival for Lockhart's fleeting affections, but Tahira certainly was capable of getting rid of Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens in creative but non-lethal ways.

"I could shrink you so we could send you home by owl," she said, proving Ron right. With a beaming smile, she turned to Lockhart. "We still need you, sir. There's more trouble afoot that we cannot solve without your help."

"Shrink me?" Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens took a step back, paling. "Again?"

"You've done that before?" Lockhart looked surprised.

"Merely as a demonstration of my power," Tahira said, her smile growing a little forced - and rather toothy as she looked at her rival, who shrank back even more.

"I don't think we should send anyone by owl," Hermione said.

Ron glanced at Ari, who looked puzzled. He leaned over and shook his head before she could mention that they had done that before.

Tahira frowned. "But, certainly, there must be a trustworthy person available who can escort the girl to her parents in Mr Lockhart's place - his considerable talents would be wasted on such a trivial task when he is needed here!" She looked at Ron and sneered. "Mr Weasley, for example, could do that."

Ron narrowed his eyes at her. "We have an important task of our own," he told her.

"Yes!" Ari agreed. "Find someone else so you can seduce Lockhart!"

"Please, please!" Lockhart raised his hands. "While I cannot be in two places at once, I'm certain that we can find a solution that leaves everyone satisfied." He smiled at Tahira. "But you are correct - if I am needed here then I cannot, in good conscience, head off to the New World. Provided Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens' safe return is assured, of course."

Ron wasn't sure if he should be glad that Lockhart was falling for Tahira's charms or annoyed that the git was staying in Tunis while Ron and his friends were trying to find the next lead in their search for Atlantis.

On the other hand, Ron was rather interested in the relics Tahira had mentioned - she hadn't said a word about them while they had been together.

"We still need someone trustworthy to escort her home, though," Lockhart said. "What about you, Mr Smith?" He beamed at Mallory. "You're from the New World, aren't you?"

Mallory's smile looked more like a grimace, in Ron's opinion. "Ah, yes, but I fear I'm not suited to be a bodyguard - I'm no duellist, you see; I wouldn't be able to protect her should we come under attack," the man said.

"Oh." Lockhart frowned for a moment before smiling again. "That's no reason to be embarrassed, my friend - not everyone can be as skilled as myself in the arts of duelling! But that still leaves us with the need for a trusted guard."

Ari hooked her arm around Ron's and growled when the git looked at them, which didn't seem to faze him at all.

"Perhaps a bodyguard and a chaperone? Poor Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens might be glad for some female company." Without waiting for an answer, Lockhart turned to Sayadi. "Indeed, I think that's a very good solution. You will need some time to translate whatever texts they brought, won't you?"

Ron clenched his teeth when Sayadi nodded with a smile that told him that, once more, they had no choice but to agree.

"Don't quote Star Wars," Hermione Granger said as soon as she had finished casting a privacy charm in the guest suite Mr Sayadi had provided for them. "He's not altering the deal - technically, we haven't finished helping Lockhart save Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens until she's back with her family."

Harry, as expected, pouted at her. "The spirit of the deal was clear, though."

She shrugged. "As I said," she repeated herself, "technically, we haven't yet completed the rescue of Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens."

"And what if he tries to make us do something else?" Ron asked.

"Then we teach him why double-crossing us isn't a good idea."

"Yes!" Ari enthusiastically agreed, as expected. Hermione would prefer to send the other witch off with Ron, but...

"However, we need to decide who will escort Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens to her family," she said, nodding at Ron and Ari. "I would suggest you two, but with the current crisis in the United States, I think Ari's passport could cause trouble." Or rather, her lack of knowledge about the muggle world in conjunction with what her passport claimed. Which might result in trouble with the ICW if they used magic to sort things out. Something they all could do without - even more so after today's events. Word would get out, after all, with the number of witches they had freed returning to their families, even if it would take some time to reach the Bey of Tunis and his son.

"And magical travel would take too long," Ron said. "And you two grew up in the muggle world, so your records aren't suspicious, right?"

Hermione nodded. He had been paying attention to the muggle news, then. "Yes. I don't like it, but it's best if Harry and I escort Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens. It will set back our own work at least two days, though." Probably more, depending on whether or not the airlines had already returned to their regular schedules. And how long it took to reach France from Tunis without alerting either muggle or magical authorities.

"We can spare a few days doing nothing," Ron said, grinning. "The worst's over, after all. And watching Tahira chase Lockhart should be entertaining."

Ari sniffed. "They're made for every other."

"Made for each other," Ron corrected her. "And we might be able to find out more about those 'relics' she mentioned."

"As long as you don't get dragged into more trouble," Hermione cautioned him.

"Don't worry." He grinned. "We've got Lockhart as a distraction."

And now she was worrying.

Free Republic of Maine, September 27th, 2001

Hermione Granger had known that the family of Miss Ainsworth-Aitkens - Wyona, she reminded herself - was rich. They wouldn't have been able to hire Lockhart otherwise. But seeing the family home - even Draco Malfoy wouldn't have sneered at the manor, well, not for its size and style, at least - really drove that point home. Occupying a small hill on the border of the enclave, it looked like it had been taken straight out of 'Gone with the Wind'. It was large enough to house an entire school without using Extension Charms. And the wards protecting it were powerful enough to fend off an army.

Come to think of it, they might have done exactly that during the last conflict with Wizarding Québec, even if Maine had lost that war.

"Impressive," she said.

But Wyona wasn't listening - she was already running towards the main entrance. "Mom! Dad!"

They couldn't hear her, of course. Unless they had spells covering the area surrounding the manor - and Hermione hadn't spotted any.

But then the doors opened, and a wizard and witch rushed out. Wyona practically jumped into their arms. By the time Harry and Hermione had made their way over to them, they were still crying and laughing and hugging.

And Hermione felt quite guilty about the fact that without Lockhart forcing them into his 'adventure', this wouldn't have happened.

"Thank you again, Mr Potter, Miss Granger. Without you and Mr Lockhart, our dear Wyona would still..." Mr Ainsworth-Aitkens trailed off and shook his head. "And to think you and your friends risked your lives and more to save a stranger!"

Hermione forced herself to smile. "When Mr Lockhart told us about her plight, we had to help," she said.

"Yes," Harry nodded emphatically. "It wasn't just us, though - our friends Ron and Ari also helped."

"Mr Lockhart taught you well, indeed," Mrs Ainsworth-Aitkens said, nodding sagely.

Hermione coughed. "He was only our teacher for a single year," she said.

"Then it is even more impressive that he could teach you so much! The man is a true hero!"

As Wyona nodded, Hermione exchanged a glance with Harry. It seemed that Lockhart hadn't learned anything since he had tried to steal Petunia's achievements.

Something they would have to rectify, once they were back in Tunis.

Provided, of course, that Tahira hadn't killed the man in the meantime. Something Hermione really wouldn't be sad about right now.

United States of America, New York, September 27th, 2001

"Harry? Why did you rent the honeymoon suite?"

Harry Potter looked up from the newspaper and turned his head. Hermione had finished her shower and was walking towards the bed, wrapped in two towels. His eyes strayed to her bare legs for a moment. "We have the money," he said. "And it's more comfortable." Less likely to catch the attention of the muggle authorities as well - suspects would try to blend in more, wouldn't they?

"I meant the honeymoon suite in particular," she replied, sitting down and pulling the towel off her head before drying her hair with a flick of her wand.

"Oh." He hesitated. "Well… it's not a hint, if that's what you mean. A relationship is neither tied to a formal document nor will such a formality preserve it."

"That's what I said about marriage," she pointed out.

"And I agree with it," he replied. With a grin, he added: "Besides, quoting you always is a good idea."

She snorted. "Is that another hint?"

He frowned. "What?"

"A reference to the 'yes, dear' trope," she clarified.

"Oh." He shook his head. "I honestly didn't think of that. Not consciously, at least."

"But subconsciously?" She tilted her head slightly.

Apparently, this wasn't merely idle chatter. He stood and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to her. "Are you consciously thinking about it? You do seem to be spotting hints everywhere."

She snorted, then sighed. "I've thought about it. Who hasn't?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"But with Ari and Ron so…" She shrugged. "I've been thinking about such things a little more often than usual."

He focused on the first part. "Yes. Ari certainly seems different from his other girlfriends."

"His affairs, you mean," Hermione said with a sniff.

"That's a little unfair," he replied. Ron hadn't strung anyone along, as far as Harry knew. Some just had expected more. Like Tahira.

Hermione pressed her lips together but didn't argue the point. Instead, she said: "Mum always says that the only reason to marry is if you want to have kids."

Harry nodded slowly. Children. He had thought about them. Not seriously. Not really seriously. But… "What do you think?"

"About children or about marriage?"

"Both?" He flashed her his best roguish smile.

She snorted at that, smiling. Then she sighed again and looked at the ceiling. "Honestly, I want children. But we're still very young." She turned her head to look at him.

He nodded instead of pointing out that his parents had had him when they had been even younger.

"And I'd prefer to have children when we've settled down somewhat. Not travelling all over the globe. Petunia had a base camp to raise you in, after all."

"And boarding schools once I was old enough." He smiled. "But growing up in a Curse-Breaker camp was fun."

She wrinkled her nose. "More for you than for Petunia, I believe."

He chuckled, if only to add some levity. "I guess once we find Atlantis, we'll set up a base camp as well."

"I would think so." She narrowed her eyes at him. "But I'm not going to take a break for nine months until I've personally explored the most important parts, once we find it."

"That's fair," he said. "Of course, you can translate texts and study relics without having to break curses…"

"And leave you and Ron to deal with the Atlantean curses by yourselves?" She scoffed, though with a smile.

He still pouted. "We could let Lockhart deal with them."

"Oh, yes!" she agreed, sneering. "To think Wyona and her parents think we owe our skills to him!"

Harry nodded emphatically. Lockhart was a good Curse-Breaker - otherwise, he'd have died on his adventures - but he wasn't as good as people thought he was. And he certainly wasn't as good as Auntie, even with his magic. "I hope Tahira teaches him a lesson."

Hermione nodded. "And that Ari and Ron don't get into trouble."

Harry didn't wince as he nodded in agreement once more, but he had a bad feeling about that. Between Tahira, Lockhart and Mallory, not to mention Sayadi, there was just too much that could go wrong for them in Tunis.

At least he and Hermione would be back there in a day's time.

Tunisia, Wizarding Tunis, House of Omar Sayadi, September 27th, 2001

"She's a nuisance," Ari said. "And Lockhart is stupid."

Ron Weasley didn't have to look at her to know she was pouting in that adorable way of hers. He did so anyway, of course. "Yes."

That earned him an equally adorable scowl.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked with a grin. "You're right - Tahira's a bother, and Lockhart's an idiot."

She sniffed and went back to sprawling on the bed in a way that made him wonder if she hadn't changed part of her skeleton to a jaguar's. It couldn't be comfortable, yet she insisted it was.

Before he could say anything, he heard a tap on the window. He drew his wand as Ari's head snapped up, and she sniffed the air.

"Owl," she said. "Harry's." And she went back to trying to find the most contorted-looking position in which she might relax.

Ron chuckled as he went to open the window and let Hedwig in. The snowy owl barked, somehow managing to sound reproachful, and gave Ari a wide berth as she landed on the desk in their room, holding out her leg to him.

He grabbed the letter and fed her a treat. "Harry and Hermione will be back in Tunis tomorrow."

"Good. Then we have a done deal." Ari nodded emphatically. "Don't trust them."

He didn't correct her wording. Lockhart was a touchy subject, ever since she had caught a whiff of Lion's Bane. Instead, he sighed as he sat down on the bed as well. "I wonder what happened to Tahira."

"Why? She is free. And annoying."

"But how was she bound in the first place, without anyone of her clan, or in the city, noticing?" Ron shook his head. "When she was chasing me, everyone knew it. And those relics she mentioned…"

Ari scoffed. "Probably some pretty gems and nothing more. Or lie to catch Lockhart."

"I don't think so," he replied. "That's not her style."

Ari snorted.

"Really," he said. "I know jinn have a reputation, but she never lied to me. She's too proud for such, I think."

"I don't think about jinn, I think about her."

He knew what she meant. "I know her." That earned him another scowl.

"You're with me now!" She growled at him.

"Yes." And he wouldn't have it any other way.

She didn't change, but the way she crawled towards him over the bed very much reminded him of her jaguar form.

He didn't mind at all.

Tunisia, Wizarding Tunis, House of Omar Sayadi, September 28th, 2001

"Wake up! Trouble!"

Ron Weasley shot up. Summoning his wand out of reflex before he remembered where he was. "Trouble?"

Ari, sitting on the bed next to him, nodded. "People yelling about an attack. Outside," she added, nodding towards the window of their room.

Ron flicked his wand and summoned his clothes, then grabbed the shrunken box containing the skull and the other Atlantean relics they had brought. "Have they broken through the wards?"

Ari tilted her head, quickly changed, then changed back. "No. But they expect the protections to fail at any moment."

Ron muttered a curse under his breath as he stashed the box in his pocket. "Better get ready to make a run for it," he said. Who would dare to attack a manor in the middle of Wizarding Tunis? The answer was obvious - the Bey's guards, of course. The ruler of the enclave must have found out who was behind the attack on his son.

Fortunately, Ron had some experience with evading the city guards. Although he only had his spare broom, which couldn't hold a candle to the Firebolt the Chimaera had destroyed. This might be a little tricky. Perhaps he should send Hedwig away with the box containing the relics. Just in case…

"Watch out!"

Ari's warning made him whirl around in time to see her change and pounce on a white figure coming through the wall - and fall through it.

A Patronus Charm, he realised. A peacock. Who would have… He groaned. Of course.

"Mr Weasley? Miss Ari? We are under attack and require your help!" Lockhart's voice filled the room. "We're making our stand on the roof."

Ari changed back and stood up. "Stupid."

Ron nodded. "But they called for help."

"We're guests."

"And we have a deal with Mr Sayadi." They had to lend a wand.

He opened the window and climbed out, then grabbed the edge of the roof above and pulled himself up on to the flat roof. Ari followed with considerably more grace even without changing.

"Ah, I see you got my message. Quite a handy spell, isn't it? I learned it from Professor Flitwick, you know?" Lockhart, standing there with his wand drawn, next to Mr Sayadi and several guards, smiled.

Ron didn't know and didn't care. "How're the wards?" he snapped.

"About to break," Lockhart answered - remarkably calm considering the situation. "They must be attacking from a neighbouring property; we would see them if they were in the streets. I guess this is a disadvantage of the wards covering the entire area of the property."

If the attackers were hiding then that might mean they weren't the guards. Probably. "Did you call for help? And where is Tahira?" He ignored Ari's growl behind him. The jinni princess would be very useful in a fight.

"I decided against calling the guards, given our recent activities," Mr Sayadi said. "I would not risk inviting the very people attacking us, should the Bey be behind them. And I have similar reservations towards most of my acquaintances."

"That would, indeed, be a bit of a bother," Lockhart said. "Tahira's with her family - she had to check on them. Regrettable; she's a most impressive witch. But I think with your help, I can deal with whatever ruffians are about to attack us." He beamed at Ron and Ari. "Just consider this a practical Defence exam!"

Ron was tempted to demonstrate to the git just how much he had learned in the five years since Lockhart had quit Hogwarts, but with an unknown number of attackers about to break through the wards, they needed all the help they could get. Especially if Mr Sayadi was fighting as well. And the guards also looked like they needed every little bit of reassurance, or they'd bolt.

So he nodded - very curtly - and took a look at the surrounding properties. He couldn't spot the attackers - which meant they knew their business.

Ari sniffed the air, then changed and did it again. Changing back, she pointed at the western neighbour as she gathered and mended her clothes. "Stinking people there."

"Well done, Miss Ari!" Lockhart beamed at her, and Ron had to fight the urge to hex the git. "Let us welcome them most warmly then, once the wards break! Though one of us should keep an eye out in case they try to come at us from behind."

Mr Sayadi nodded at the youngest guard, who stepped back as the rest took up positions at the edge of the roof, behind the low wall serving as a railing.

Ron and Ari joined them - Lockhart kept standing, though, exposed to the enemy, casting Shield Charms.

Five tense minutes later, the wards broke, and dark figures on brooms rose from the manor to the west, rushing towards them with wands flashing.

There were about a dozen of them, all wearing dark - no, black - robes, Ron noted, as he flicked his wand and created a gust of wind in front of them. Good on their brooms as well - they were blown back, but not off their brooms, and quickly recovered, splitting into two groups. The guards sent various curses at them, but most missed, and those which hit were stopped by Shield Charms.

The attackers, though, aimed their curses better. Parts of the roof blew up, sending rock splinters and shards flying. One of Mr Sayadi's guards collapsed, and another was thrown back by a spell, rolling across the roof.

"They aren't locals," Lockhart yelled, waving his wand around. A moment later, two of the broom flyers were struck by a giant bola that wrapped around them, smashing them together and sending them tumbling to the ground.

Ari sent a few Stunners at the other group but missed. She managed to force them off-course, though, and Ron's next volley hit one of them, shattering their shield and allowing Ari's next Stunner to hit. The attacker stiffened, then rolled, stuck to their broom, and crashed into the wall of the manor a little below the roof.

In response, a hail of curses - dark curses - descended on the two of them, and forced them to take cover behind a conjured wall before falling back.

Ari growled, then conjured a greenish cloud in mid-air. One of the attackers flew right through it, apparently unconcerned. A moment later, he gasped and quickly swallowed something.

Ari laughed. "That won't help - it's no poison!" Then she yelped when a Blasting Curse threw her and Ron across the roof and almost over the railing. Ron hit the stone wall hard, though his shield held and he rolled and came up in a crouch.

Most of the guards had been driven back or taken out, but the attackers had suffered as well. Ron could count only about half a dozen still flying. Lockhart split one broom apart with a Cutting Curse but then was almost struck himself when three of the attackers ganged up on him.

Ron drove them away with a quick series of Bludgeoning Curses.

"Thank you! That was a timely distraction!" Lockhart yelled, diving into a roll and coming up casting.

Ron clenched his teeth. And again when his next volley missed. Another Blasting Curse hit the roof, making him duck. How long could the roof last under such… The crater caused by the curse suddenly vanished.

"Sayadi's mending," Ari said, "But more coming from behind!"

Ron cursed as he saw another half dozen wizards and witches coming over the wall on the other side. He and Ari stalled them for a moment with Blasting Curses of their own, but they fanned out.

What were they after? Or whom? Probably Sayadi - he was a wanted wizard in many European countries. Ron ducked as another volley of curses flew up at him from below, half of them shattering part of the walls and roof. That would explain the lack of lethal curses so far - they wouldn't risk accidentally killing their target.

Crouched down behind a reinforced wall, with Ari sending more of her spore clouds over the edge towards the attackers below, he looked over his shoulder. Mr Sayadi was standing on the stairs leading to the roof, only his head visible from Ron's position, and he kept mending his house.

But the attackers would break into it on the ground floor soon. Even reinforced by various spells, the walls wouldn't keep them at bay for much longer.

"Deal with the flyers!" he yelled to Lockhart. "We're dealing with the intruders in the house!"

Ron dashed across the roof, another Blasting Curse blowing him over, but he managed to get to his feet before he could be hit and jump forward, down the stairs.

Landing hurt, shattering his weakened shield, but he was behind cover.

Ari, as a jaguar and with her wand in her mouth, landed lightly next to him, then changed back. "No smell yet!" she hissed.

He nodded. "Let's go below!"

They rushed to the ground floor, stopping halfway down the stairs. Smart intruders would use transfiguration to break through the walls, but this lot seemed fond of flashier spells. And louder ones. The house shook slightly - another attack on the roof. "Hear any explosion on this floor?"

Ari frowned, then nodded. "Kitchen!" A moment later, she was bounding down the stairs on four paws again, Ron hot on her heels.

They rounded a corner and came face to face with two wizards and one witch in the kitchen. Ron dropped to the wooden floor and slid past the entrance, catching one of them on the way with a Piercing Curse and Bludgeoning Curse volley that shattered the man's shield and smashed him against the large stove as Ari pounced on the witch, whose shield shattered under the impact.

Ron rolled over his shoulder and came up casting in the middle of the doorway, right as the second wizard was turning to save Ari's victim. Ron's Bludgeoning Curse drove the wizard back. His next shattered the man's shield, right above the white sigil on his robe's back.

Ron jumped forward and to the side, causing a dark yellow curse to go wide, then stunned the man at point blank range.

Ari stood, changing to a human, blood dripping from her hands, then stunned her screaming victim. "Stupid."

Ron stunned the third attacker for good measure. But there had been six of them on the ground floor.

"More!" Ari snapped and changed again. Ron ran after her. "To the stairs!" he yelled.

But the stairs were empty. Where were…

"New hole!" Ari raced up to the first floor, changing on the way.

On the first floor, there was indeed a hole in the ceiling - close to the stairs. And the missing three intruders - attacking Mr Sayadi from behind. The wizard's Shield Charm was being overwhelmed as they arrived.

Ari dashed forward, bowling one of them over, then raked him with her claws.

Ron conjured a wall between them and Mr Sayadi, sealing off the roof, and jumped to the side. A yellow curse splashed against his Shield Charm, followed by a brown one that left pools of acid on the floor. He rolled over his shoulder and kept rolling, then jumped up and returned fire with two Piercing Curses followed by a conjured cloud of green mist - harmless, but they didn't know that, judging by how they scrambled to avoid it. Ari caught them in the flank, but they dived through the next door before either she or Ron could hit them.

"Hear anyone else?" he asked, looking around with his wand ready to cast.

She frowned, changed and changed back after a few seconds. "Lockhart. Says the enemy fled."

A moment later, the wizard Ari had just savaged vanished - Portkey, Ron realised.

"Indeed, in hindsight it's obvious."

Five minutes later, with Sayadi treated and out of danger, Lockhart shook his head in the remains of the man's living room. "I should have blocked Portkeys. We would have prisoners to interrogate."

If it weren't Lockhart, Ron Weasley would have told him that no one thought of blocking Portkeys. Generally, attackers did that to keep their victims from fleeing - Ron hadn't even tried apparating. But Lockhart? A little humbling could only do the man some good.

"Who were those attackers?" Ron asked. "They all wore the same black robes." He drew a hissing breath when he remembered where he had seen those robes before. "Storm Wizard robes!"

Lockhart shook his head. "They were much too young to be real Storm Wizards. Probably wands for hire who wanted to appear more dangerous than they were. It's not uncommon among younger mercenaries. No, the real problem is that it seems someone has put a price on my friend's head."

Mallory, who had spent the fight hiding in his room, nodded. "And a hefty one, if almost twenty mercenaries were willing to attack him."

Lockhart agreed. "I concur. Even if this is merely a misunderstanding, which my next book can clear up, this is a problem. Such determined foes will surely try again." He shook his head. "And with the protections on the house broken, they will have an easier time, too - unless we do something."

Ron wanted to groan. They needed Mr Sayadi to translate the skull's words. That meant they needed to keep him safe.

Which would be difficult. Very difficult.

"And there's the matter of the missing princess," Lockhart added. "She gave me a magic mirror so we could converse in her absence, but she is not responding to my attempts to contact her."

Fortunately, Lockhart was too far away from them to overhear Ari's muttered "Good riddance!"