Disclaimer: HP and its world belong to JKR, not to me. Only Katia is my own.
I am sorry for the delay in this chapter. My life has kept me busy recently. I will update as soon as possible, because the story is slowly approaching its end. I have learnt a lot while writing it, and I hope you are enjoying so far. Please don't forget to leave REVIEWS.
I love Egypt and I hope I have done the country justice in this chapter. I also like Canada and, although I have never been to Russia itself, I lived near it for 8 months. It is never my intention to give a bad image of any nation.
Remember English is not my native language, so please excuse the possible grammar mistakes. And inform me in reviews of everything you find it suitable to criticise.
Thanks to LemonWoolDropSocks for her reviews and to Qwestriria. THE REST, REMEMBER REVIEWS ARE MOST WELCOMED.
NATURALLY IN LOVE.
There were three people in the room that summer night. Albus Dumbledore, Yekaterina Bulanova and Severus Snape. The former was lying in the green covered bed, his eyes closed, exhausted.
"Perhaps you shouldn't meet the Dark Lord; maybe if you delay your attendance he will forget it for the moment." Suggested Dubledore unconvinced. "After all you are not a Death Eater yourself."
"No, I must go, otherwise he will come and search me. If I attend, he may be satisfied with that and don't pursue me anymore." Answered Katia. She was sitting next to the big bed. Staring worried at Snape, who had his eyes closed.
"Let him rest, Ms. Bulanova, I had given him an Dreamless sleep potion so he will be Ok until tomorrow." Dumbledore assured.
"And then, what?"
"Then, a long battle will start, and Harry Potter will have to fight his best in order to defeat the Voldemort once and for all; with the support of us all, of course." The old man sat, he looked tired. "One Hogwarts student is dead, and the Dark Lord has risen again. This is the worst possible result to the Triwizard Tournament. I shouldn't have allowed this event."
"It's not your fault, Dumbledore, you did what you thought was the best for students all around Europe in times you thought were peaceful."
"Still I should have known better." After a minute of silence the old man added. "I have a task for you two, that is, if Severus accepts it too. I hope you have some free days and I will ask you to retrieve an old Potions and Medical treatment. It is very valuable and I don't want Voldemort to use its knowledge to strengthen his Death Eaters."
"The Cannon. Written by Ibn Sina or Avicena as he was known in the western countries, during Muslim stance in Spain. It was revised by the best Healers since then and is now in Egypt. I want you two to go there and retrieve it." Explained the headmaster.
"Let's wait and hear Severus' opinion. Meanwhile, you can count on me."
However, as Katia expected, Severus agreed to search for it when he woke up.
Severus Snape was sweating like he had never done before, the bottle of water next to him was already half empty and it had been bought an hour ago. So much he and Katia needed to drink.
They were in Aswan, in the south of Egypt, and July sun was hitting merciless, no matter they were under the shadow of an acacia with its orange flowers. They were still sweating while they waited to talk with librarian of the city. The street was empty, it was afternoon and the muezzin had just called for prayer. The owners of the multiple shops didn't even close their business, no one stole there. Now the pocket-sized mummies which wandered around on their own, were walking inside one shop, next to it, some wizard tourists were enjoying a maroon beverage. The scene was so peaceful that what had happened less than a couple of weeks before seemed mostly unreal; the Dark Lord had returned, and with him, the torture sessions, the fear and the pain, the long minutes of being legilimensed in search of a treachery that he had been so adept at hiding until now. He looked at Katia, sitting by his side at close hand of the bottle of water. No one would have guessed this woman had presented herself in front of the greatest dark wizard ever and survived. The pale pink-nude of her long wide skirt and sleeveless shirt gave her an air of tranquillity; she moved and the shell belt that surrounded her waist made a tiny noise. Her head rested on the wall and she checked that the plait which always surrounded it was in its place; she didn't wear any veil, Muslims were very understanding of other religions and used to see Coptic Christians' hair.
Finally, a witch surrounded by well combined colourful veils, invited them to pass.
"Hello, Mr. Snape and Ms. Bulanova. Please, sit and take some lemonade." She said, leading them into the building. Inside it was much cooler, and darker, surrounded by old furniture, made of a dark wood, the high ceilings had charmed fans that delivered a soft breeze while they enjoyed their fresh lemonade.
"Hello, my name is Manzuma, and I am the chief librarian in Aswan. I am to understand you are searching for the Canon of Avicenna?" She inquired.
"Yes, we are. You know in my country a dark wizard is causing trouble, and we need the book to prevent him from taking it and use its information to strengthen his troops. As well of course to avoid an attack towards your country. Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts had provided me with a treatment that assures the book will be back to Egypt as soon as the war is over." Explained Snape, and he went to search inside his robe for the treatment, only there wasn't robe, he was wearing his fresher black trousers and a shirt without the cravat, the neck of it opened.
"You don't need to show me anything, Mr. Snape, I trust you. However I cannot provide you with the Canon as it is not in my power. I have been working here for the last ten years and I know every single book here." She told them.
Severus and Katia felt disappointed.
"But we asked in Alexadria's library, our first stop, and their experts told us the Canon had been moved to the inside, to a less famous library in order to protect it better." Katia assured.
"I know it was moved, I think it was during the Roman invasion of Egypt, but it's not here. However I will help you. I'll do my research and I will send you a letter with the actual whereabouts of the Canon. Meanwhile," she smiled kindly "I suggest you enjoy our wonderful country." She made a gesture with her hand.
"Will you owl us with the result of your investigations?" Inquired Severus.
"Owl?" Asked Manzuma, bewildered. "We don't use owls here." She stood up and went to a nearby room, only to come back within seconds with a Pilgrim Falcon perched on her arm. "Falcons are faster and much more effective here. I'll send you Horus." She pointed at the bird.
With that, they were free to explore the country. They didn't waste time getting bored, Egypt had so much to see.
Before they could even realize it, days passed, among impressive monuments, and they enjoyed their time together between the old stones of Ramses Aswan monument, surrounded by muggle tourists who were too busy with the wonders around them to notice their unusual outfit.
Severus was as avid for knowledge as Katia. He studied the hieroglyphics carefully, and form time to time, she allowed herself to watch him, his hands in his pockets, his shirt, opened in his neck, she contemplated his profile, frowning in concentration while looking at the rocks, the shape of his chest easy to guess under the sweaty shirt.
Little by little they had the pleasure of going up the Nile, sometimes by felucca, others side by side on a flying carpet; they would lay face down, contemplating the quick pass of the countryside under them, and in those situations it was only normal that Severus passed his arm over Katia's shoulders.
Sooner than they had imagined they found themselves in Cairo after days under the sun had made Snape relegate his black robes to the bottom of his trunk and renewed his wardrobe with a comfortable and fresh short robe or cotton trousers and shirt. Katia, on the other hand, enjoyed every single minute of their time together as if it was the last, getting to love that country more and more every day. And so, in a sunny afternoon they found themselves in the entrance of Cairo's biggest souvenir market, Khan el Khalili, still tired after their camel rode around the pyramids, they set to search for their hotel.
It was supposed to be located in the depths of the village-sized market. Easily hidden from muggles and tourists. The sellers however were an unforeseen contingence, neither of the teachers had count on Egyptian's marketing skills. A wooden backgammon, several figures, a jasmine essence flask, a new shirt, a couple of sandals and two long earrings later, they arrived to their destination. A yard with tilled walls gave entrance to a small but cosy guest house. The fountain in the middle of the yard was enchanted to produce, not only water, but music as well. Some people smoked in short chairs lying over comfortable carpets inside the building. It was already evening, and cantles inside brass lamps flew around the place while the landlord led them to their rooms, which were one in front of the other.
"Let's get ready for dinner. We can meet down and the restaurant." Katia suggested.
Dressing for dinner took Severus less than fifteen minutes, after those he found himself sitting on a carpet while having a look at small lotus in front of him. It suddenly sprouted revealing a papyrus inside it which contained dinner menu. Severus was still wondering what kind of magic had produced such effect when a movement beside him informed the wizard that Katia had arrived. She was dressing in black gauze from dress to neck, allowing only her hands out, however she didn't lack in femininity because from her chest up, the gauze had nothing under it so her skin could be guessed through the transparent fabric. The outfit was tight enough to mark her curves and Severus could see she was wearing the newly acquired earrings and the jasmine essence.
"Do you like the menu?" Asked him, passing her the papyrus with a smirk.
"It's very original." She agreed. "Fouls with tehina for me, please." She said to the waiter, when he arrived.
It was easy to keep a pleasant conversation with her, Severus never stopped admiring how simple was to be with Katia, as he was usually clumsy around attractive women.
And Katia was attractive that night, no doubt of it, Snape was fully aware of how the men in nearby tables glanced back at her from time to time. She finally excused herself for toilet as they were having tea. Severus delighted himself in her elegance as she walked away from him.
"Very pretty woman." Said a man, smoking his hookah on a nearby chair.
"She is, indeed." Severus surprised himself by answering.
The evening went on its course, and that night, alone in bed, Severus Snape regretted for first time being only a friend to the woman who slept in the room in front of his.
By the next morning, still no owl or falcon had arrived. Both, Severus and Katia were tired, and the former wanted to buy some gemstone in the big market that was Khan el Khalili; so they spent the morning wandering around in the magical part of the market, among enchanted miniature pyramids, more wandering mummies, and flying carpet sellers.
Katia stopped in a perfume shop and bought some kohl, after a few attempts, she managed to apply it to her eyes without dirtying her whole face.
"Do I look Egyptian?" She asked, looking at herself in the mirror, while the seller counted his money happily.
"No." Answered Severus sincerely. "But you look pretty." He added when he saw the deception in her face. It was true, the black pigment made her eyes brighter. Or perhaps they had always been like that?
Katia blushed and lowered her eyes. It was easy to tell she was not used to be praised that way. How ironic, - Snape thought- to be a gentleman was so unlike him. My Slytherin friends would probably laugh at it, not to mention Hogwarts staff and students reaction. He felt embarrassed just with the thought.
They continued their walk, Katia truly enjoyed the sellers, to Severus they were mainly annoying.
"You only buy a flying carpet once in your life, Madame." Was tellining a man to Katia, who looked at the carpet with vague interest.
Severus turned to have a look at a nearby shop.
"You have a beautiful girlfriend." The shop assistant told him. Snape didn't bother to explain him the true nature of their relationship. "Buy her something special." The man continued. Severus was about to turn his back on him when he showed the teacher something that caught his attention: it was a turquoise, carved in the shape of a scarab, Severus immediately imagined it hanging from Katia's neck. She wanted to get herself a gemstone, why not present her with one?
"How much?" Snape asked, and suddenly he was bargaining heatedly with the seller.
"That turquoise is too small, it's not worth the money you ask me for." It was true, the gem was a little small, if he was going to make a gift, he wanted something decent.
"I have bigger ones." Answered the seller.
"Show me."
"Ok, Ok, come with me." The man told him going to the back of his shop. Severus didn't like to separate from Katia, but he wanted his gift to be a surprise for him so he interrupted her chat with the flying carpet seller to tell her he was going to have a look at something.
"We'll meet back at the hotel." He agreed with her.
"All right, Severus." She promised, distractedly. "How fast can this one fly?" Katia inquired the seller.
Snape left her there and crossed the small room in the back of the gemstone shop. He expected to make the bargain in the back shop, however, he was lead through another door at the back of the shadowy room, and crossed a shiny path under the sun. Then they climbed a narrow stair, and were in the roof of one of the houses, passed a tapestry and were in a house, more doors, tapestries, corridors and shadowy rooms. Severus had totally lost his sense of orientation, the effort to keep the man's pace and to register where he was, took a toll on him in the form of an incipient headache.
Finally they arrived to what looked like a small factory. There, big turquoises were being carved by different wizards. A cup of tea came flying to him and he took a couple of sips, it was too sweet and extremely hot, it felt like a stone in his stomach. He, then, was shown different turquoises which matched his standards. Bargaining for the price was even more difficult as the men in the factory seemed to enjoy the sport of interrupting him when he was doing so. After a while, they agreed on a price that was slightly higher than what Severus would have called a good bargain, but he wanted that stone and wanted to get to rest in the hotel.
The way back was just as crazy as the previous, and his headache was now double. Katia was not in the place where he had left her, so he headed for the hotel. The midday sun, the noise and the heat, were getting him seriously sick, when he arrived at the guest house Katia wasn't already there. Severus strode to his room without bothering to shut the door, and had to visit the toilet to vomit his tea. He could barely see when he collapsed on the bed.
Katia was worried, she had distracted herself with the sellers and now it was a bit late for lunch, Severus had English punctuality and she knew he wouldn't eat without her, she didn't want to keep him waiting. However, when she arrived to the restaurant he wasn't there. Surprised, he went to his room. The door was opened, but she knocked anyway.
"Katia…" His voice sounded weak.
"Are you OK."
"Just… eat without me. I'm not feeling right."
"Can I enter?"
"Yes…" He hadn't added any form of politeness, as was usual in him. He might be really bad, Katia worried.
Indeed, he was lying across the bed, his black trousers on the floor, his white cotton shirt opened. Katia looked away from the man wearing only his pants. But seconds later, she stared at him again, wondering why the hell had Severus worn black trousers with that weather. She would have been sick also with so many clothes on.
"How do you feel?" The woman inquired worried.
"I have a terrible headache." He panted.
"Since when do you have it." Her knowledge was coming in her aid now.
"A couple of hours ago, when we separated."
"Severus, we separated four hours ago." Katia was really worried now. "What else do you feel."
"I see lights, my sight is also distorted."
It was suffering a really bad migraine, reflected Katia. She lowered herself to touch his face, it was sweating and feverish.
"Your hand," he said " I can't feel it. My face is numb."
Remedies for migraine where already forming in Katia's practical mind. He would need a potion or two, and cold showers with rosemary alcohol to low his temperature. Katia went to her room, and rummaged in her first aid kit to see if she had all she needed. Nearly all was there, and the rest of the ingredients were in Severus' own first aid kit. She asked for some hot water and boiled the potion in the furthest corner from Snape's lying from.
Severus turned around in bed constantly under the terrible pain. Katia observed him while the potion was brewing. His pale complexion and his skinny body gave an impression of weakness that Katia knew was false, his iron will usually overpowered what his body lacked. She lost herself in the contemplation of a body she had never seen this way. His legs, long and thin, but straight, had black hair, that considered very manly, so was the small amount of hair on his chest, and – Katia could not look at this directly- the fine line that started in his belly button and descended his belly to get lost under his pants. His chest was moving quickly as he panted, Katia hurried with the potion.
"Here, this will get you better." She said, helping him to drink it little by little. He was gaping, but behaved as a good patient and with great effort, took it all.
Then, Katia damped a piece of clothe in the rosemary alcohol and started rubbing his body in an attempt to lower its temperature. She was embarrassed, but at the same time she couldn't avoid being excited for the opportunity to touch the man she loved at her will. Immediately after she realized this thought she felt guilty. Nevertheless, she took the damped clothe and started rubbing Severus' shoulders with it. He winced, the alcohol was cold. Katia carefully removed his shirt totally only to discover what he evidently had tried to hide even in his pain: the Dark Mark in his left arm. The woman simply covered it with a piece of cloth and continued rubbing his sinewy arms, his veins easily visible through his pale skin in the inside of his forearms. Later she passed the damped clothe through his chest, she cheated herself pretending to grab the cloth loosely when in reality she caressed the man's bare chest. His skin was soft and she could feel the ribs under it, she felt a sudden outburst of tender love for this weak but strong person. She didn't dare, however, to caress his belly, specially not where the line of hair went to hide under his pants. His legs, had the same black hairs he had in his chest, not very thik though but Katia found them oddly attractive.
Done this, Katia produced a small bed in a corner to pass the night by him. She woke up from time to time to give him potion, and saw, relieved how he improved along the night. It was nearly morning when she fell in a deep sleep and nearly midday when they both woke up.
Severus, embarrassed for being in his pants in front of a woman, got himself his fresh new robes as soon as he woke. Katia heard him and started turning around in bed until she opened her eyes.
"Sorry, I woke you up." He apologized.
"You are much better I see."
"Thanks to you. You didn't have to sleep by my side." He stated politely, although it was easy to tell that he was glad she had done so.
"Yesterday you didn't say that." She smiled standing to her feet. She had slept with her day clothes on.
Without knowing what to answer Snape collected his trousers from a chair and started to put them back in his trunk. A small package dropped from its pocket. Severus immediately realized what it was. He had to give it to her. It was now or never. He felt suddenly embarrassed; the day before, when he had taken the decision of buying the turquoise, it looked only natural to give her, now it was like asking a hypogriff to dance ballet.
"Erm, this… yesterday, when I got my headache, I was buying something."
"ah, what did you buy?" Katia asked with interest.
"This." He showed her the package. "It is for you." He added simply gazing away from her. It had sounded childish to his ears, but the young woman by his side took it with interest.
When he looked back at her, he saw the delighted shine in her eyes, and blush in her cheeks and he, himself, felt in his chest something he hadn't felt in years.
"Thank you." She didn't know what else to add, but it wasn't necessary to add anything.
Severus nodded nervous as he hadn't been for a long time, Suddenly he didn't know what to do with his long arms.
"Let's go to eat something." He muttered.
Down, in the hotel's restaurant, there was a wizard with a clean white robe. He approached the couple as soon as he saw them.
"Mr. Snape, and Ms. Bulanova?"
"Yes, it's us." Answered Katia, still holding the turquoise.
"We need to talk about the Canon."
END OF THE CHAPTER.
Thanks to LemonWoolDropSocks for her reviews and to Qwestriria. THE REST, REMEMBER REVIEWS ARE MOST WELCOMED