A/N: thanx for all the reviews, people, you are wonderful readers! More than 80 reviews since the last chapter came out! I'm really, really proud!!!

After last chapter most of you started guessing about Voldemort's plans – I'm not telling you whether your guesses were right or wrong, I hope you understand.

Tayla Riddle: I hope you didn't freeze while camping! (bbrrrr… I wouldn't go camping in winter!)

LOLOLO: here, you are in my a/n! I also think Voldie rocks (though I don't like him).

maybe baby: thanks for your good-luck wish on my exams – I'll need it!

sugarhi-san: of course I'll continue the story to the end! Don't worry, I'm not letting it to go to waste. (I have already written the whole fic, I'm only making smaller changes before I post the new chapters, so you have nothing to worry about, the story does have an end :-)

Mikey: you asked how long it takes to write a chapter. No, not 3 days – as I have mentioned it to some people (like to sugarhi-san right above you), the story is already ready. I wrote it during the summer, and it took usually 1-2 days to write a chapter. (Of course I didn't have to study during the summer-holiday, so I had time to write.) Sorry, I have to disappoint you: Ron won't impregnate Hermione in this fic. I'm thinking about a new fic which I'll probably write next summer, and in that one they will have kids, but not in this story. Voldie put Cruciatus only on Lucius – Narcissa wasn't there, I assume she isn't a death eater. No, I never said I LOVED Draco, I said I LIKED him – that's a big difference. I truly like him, but I think he really deserved to get expelled. You'll see a bit more of Hagrid later on, but not too much.

joebob1379: I got your mail – you were assuming the same as other people – but only two or three of the reviewers came close to reality – I'm not telling you, who. About hpgalleries: I already know that site – I've downloaded lots of pics from there. But thanks for mentioning it.

Anna: glad to hear that you like Gilderoy. About Harry getting his memory back in time… well… yes and no. You'll see… and you'll be surprised, at least I hope so.

Waldomier: nay, not his Firebolt! (funny idea, though!)

PepsiAngel: you'll get more of Harry in Egypt in this chapter.

PadmeSkywalker: you asked who the good old friend from Hogwarts was. Well… why should I tell you that? You'll find out in time!

anastacy: of course the story has a happy ending! (IMHO you SHOULD write ending to your stories! I think that a story without an end is no real story – so go on and finish them!)

Viviane: you asked about the length of the fic. Well, you've read about two-thirds of it.

Shaun Wilson: thanks for the proposal – you made me laugh! I don't really care about your age… but I'm planning to marry Daniel Radcliffe, lol… (can't you go to an Internet cafe of something? I for one am sure that I wouldn't be able to live without the Net if my Internet provider went bankrupt… anyway, I can email you some of the next chapters but only in an un-edited form. If it's okay for you, then tell me!)

Lady Lupin: now, that was a straightforward question! But sorry, cannot answer it!!!

The silver star: good luck to your full length fic!

sharliestar: sorry, no twins for Ginny – to me it would be a bit Star Wars-ish (especially a boy and a girl), and I think that it wouldn't be right in a HP story.

K-K: oh, you also think Draco is sexy? Great! Same here! (sometimes the evil guys are the sexiest… even Snape…)

Rosy Posy: you asked whether Ron and Herm will get up to something like Ginny and Harry – well, maybe *grin*

Mandi: my name is Agnes – that's where the "Agi" comes from.

obi_ewan_maul_lover: no, I'm not professional, I'm only writing for fun, not for money.

Jade: you wrote that Ginny should be pregnant with someone else's baby – like Draco??? Sorry, I'm quite against the G/D thing.

georgia: what? you really read it wrong! I NEVER wrote that all girls in her dorm were back – on the contrary, I wrote that all other girls were at home for the holidays, so Ginny had the dorm for herself.

Maria: ooooooh, another poor one staying up all night and going to sleep at school/work! Please, people, don't do that! I don't want to be responsible for you getting bad grades or something! But thank for your compliment, Maria, I was really touched.

cathie: you'll get to know about Ron's little toilet adventure. Sorry, no twins (see my reasons by "sharliestar")

DragonSinger: yes, I supposed I'll be finished by the end of December, or I might post the final one or two chapters in January, I don't know yet. And yes, I have written the whole story (see my replies to sugarhi-san and Mikey).

Claire Thorpe: sorry about the suspense – and more is to come (my apologies!)

Zenon Lee: you asked about the Green Flame Torch and the possibility of seeing a living Lily, James and Cedric – I can tell you only one thing: one can bring back only ONE person with the torch.

Okay, enough of me – on to the story!

Chapter 24

A born talent

Four months had passed since Harry entered the secret chamber in the Great Pyramid, but hadn't talked to anyone about it. He and Sunny avoided the topic by silent mutual consent.

At the beginning of January they moved back into Abysmal's house, along with Mr. sun-Amun and Gilderoy (plus Abu, the monkey).

Abysmal took his holiday to continue Lockhart's therapy at a calmer place – his home.

Abdul the genie was beside himself with glee to have Harry and Gilderoy back – Lockhart was a very willing chat-partner. Soon Abdul knew everything about hydrating creams, hair-curling techniques and miscellaneous fashion papers like Charming Wizard's Weekly or Robe Mode.

Actually Abdul soon had enough of all these, and was grateful to Harry when he 'saved' him, engaging Gilderoy's attention.

While Mr. sun-Amun and Lockhart were having intensive therapies (hypnosis, memory-potions, etc.), Harry took apparating-disapparating classes together with Abysmal's daughter.

Sunny never managed to learn this difficult magic back at school, so her father hired a private teacher to tutor her. Since Harry was bored to death, they let him attend the classes.

According to Hassan ben Ibn – the apparating professor – Harry shouldn't have studied something this difficult without the knowledge of basic charms, so Harry was given some lessons on general magical techniques at first. It wasn't hard for him to re-learn the charms he had learnt earlier, back at Hogwarts. Of course he didn't remember a thing of Flitwick or McGonagall's lessons, but charms were a bit like swimming or cycling: once you learned them, you cannot forget them – they are deeply engraved into you. You can forget them with your mind, but your reflexes still remember them. That was exactly what happened to Harry, so he advanced in learning at a tremendous speed. Mr. sun-Amun once voiced his opinion that Harry must have studied at a wizard school before he lost his memories. Hassan ben Ibn was very satisfied with the boy's progress in apparating, too.

By the end of April Harry managed to perform a perfect jump from Abysmal's house to the Great Pyramids. Sunny was even a bit jealous of his friend's success.

"I have heard about your wonderful apparating, son." Abysmal told the boy at lunch. "Congratulations.'

"Thank you, sir." Harry smiled. "I hope I'll never do a wrong jump or get splinched. It was bad enough when I apparated in Selim Ackbar's harem instead of at the market place last month."

"I bet you enjoyed it, though." Lockhart chuckled. "So many pretty women… I surely would have found it very amusing… you too, Mr. Ravin?" he turned to Abysmal's guest from India, who had arrived only days earlier.

"Oh, very much, Sahib." Ravin grinned. "But as you know, I'm not here to discuss women, but to handle Rocket 3000 broomsticks, nothing else."

"Oh, come on, Ravin…" Abysmal rolled his eyes. "We are aware that you guys in India have only been using brooms since Great Britain colonised your land, but I simply find it an abomination that your folk, the one that produced the best flying carpets for millennia, is now sticking to those worthless British products! You should have more pride than to let the British flood your markets with brooms sold on dumping prices!"

Ravin held his hands up. "Calm down, my friend, and listen to me. I admit that we, Indians might have given up something from our national values, but this year carpets are simply not saleable – you know why."

Abysmal nodded. "The Run."

"Exactly, my friend. Because of the Run." Ravin said. "Such a race hasn't been held for more than two centuries now, and since India was given the honour of arranging it, we have to acquiesce in using broomsticks. Carpets aren't appropriate for the Moon Run."

Harry curiously perked up his ears. He had never heard of a Moon Run before.

"I know." Abysmal replied. "I've heard people singing praises about your player, Sandokan."

"Oh, yes. He is a wonderfully talented man, and no doubt will win the race for India. Especially because he has an exceptional trainer…" Ravin straightened him self proudly. "Me."

At that moment a huge, colourful parrot flew into the room dropping a letter into Ravin's lap.

"An express-mail." he stated, opening the envelope. "Do you know how much such a message costs? I could buy half the Taj Mahal for that amount."

Ravin started to read the letter. To Harry it seemed that the Indian man's face suddenly turned white. "Mr. Ravin, are you all right?" he asked.

The Indian wizard looked up, his lips trembling. "Everything is lost. Sandokan fell from a broomstick and died on the spot… India won't have a competitor."

Abysmal reached out to pat Ravin's arm to assure him about their compassion.

Abruptly they heard a squeal from outside.

"Sunny!" Abysmal and Harry recognised the voice at once. They all dashed outside to see the girl riding a carpet that had gone berserk. It was wildly tossing in the air, clearly wanting to drop the unfortunate girl.

"Heeeeelp!" she screamed.

Harry didn't hesitate for a single second: he leapt to a bunch of broomsticks (brought by Ravin to Egypt with selling intentions), and grabbed one. In the next instant he was up in the air, flying as fast as an arrow, zigzagging among the turrets of Systematic Alley. Had he looked back, he would have seen that Abysmal and Mr. Ravin got on a carpet and followed him – though their carpet flew by far not as fast as the Rocket 3000 broomstick that Harry was riding.

Anck-sun-Amun's carpet made a sudden hairpin bend, Harry following it with the broom. The mad carpet ducked under a rope hanging between two houses, Sunny's head got caught in a drying robe, dragging it along with her on the ride. Harry turned the broom downwards, gaining on Sunny's 'transport'.

The carpet flew into a house through a window, two seconds later left it through another window.

Harry didn't think, just followed it, casting a superficial glance at the family having lunch in the house, then was out in the open air again.

That was when he saw the girl's crazy carpet bounce for the last time, throwing Sunny off itself.

"HEEEEELP!" the young woman cried, falling at an extreme speed.

Harry, however, was quicker than a lightning – he dived and caught her two feet above the ground.

For a minute the two youngsters were too shocked to speak, hear or see anything, but as Harry put Sunny down, the cheering of the crowd struck them from all directions.

Mr. sun-Amun jumped down from his carpet and hurried up to them, gathering them both into a bear-like hug, laughing and sobbing at once.

"My son, you… you have saved my daughter's life!" he yelled, squeezing Harry so much that he barely was able to breath.

"Thank you." the girl whispered and kissed him – on the lips. "Thank you, my hero."

Harry turned ruby red, and mumbled something like 'no need to thank'.

"Sahib!" came Ravin's voice, as he elbowed his way through the crowd. "Sahib, I have never, never ever seen anyone fly like this! Not even Sandokan! You are a born talent!"

Harry grinned.

"How can you fly a broomstick this well?" Sunny wondered.

"I don't know." Harry shrugged. "I just… just felt it instinctively, I guess."

As he got sucked into the circle of cheering and congratulating witches and wizards, Harry didn't see the greedy grin on Ravin's face.

* * * * *

Before sunset all the Rocket 3000 broomsticks (a new development of the constructor of the Nimbus series) were sold.

Mr. Abysmal declared that he was ready to adopt Harry in order to express his gratitude to him. However, Sunny didn't seem too happy about the idea. Not that she didn't want to have a brother… she just wanted Harry not as a brother – not at all.

That evening, on the terrace of Harry's room, she made it clear for him.

"Sunny…" Harry took a step backwards. "Listen… this is too fast for me."

"Fast? You've spent four months here!" she pressed.

"Still I think that you only think that you like me, because I saved your life, but soon you'll realise that this isn't love, not even attraction… its just gratitude, maybe admiration… but surely not love."

"What do you know about my feelings, huh?" she pursed her lips. "Why do you think I followed you into the pyramid in the first place?"

"Curiosity." Harry guessed.

She shook her head. "Worry… worry that I might lose you."

Harry let out a deep sigh. "Don't tell me this. Please…"

"I love you. I can't help."

"You don't even know who I am!" he protested.

"But I know WHAT you are: a generous, courageous, open-hearted young man, who I love and respect."

Harry shook his head. "I cannot reciprocate your feelings. I feel… deep in my heart I feel that I HAVE someone I love. I don't remember her, but maybe I will, sometime."

"You are giving up a certain love you could get from me, for an uncertain love of someone you don't even remember? That's ridiculous!" she shouted at him and hurried out of his room.

"Oh, shit! I've hurt her feelings!" Harry sighed, directing his gaze at the stars. The jet-black curtain of space, littered with million sparkling diamonds somehow always managed to calm him.

He had no idea that someone, at the other end of the world had been inspecting the same scenery, thinking of him.

Ginny was seven months pregnant, and had almost totally given up on hope of ever seeing the father of her child again. Still, she never ceased to think about him – never ceased to love him.

None of the students was still mocking her about her condition, even Peeves got bored of it.

Ron and Hermione had been a great support for her during these months – though they also suffered a lot from the loss of their best friend.

Ron named the niffler he got from Harry, Wendelin, after Wendelin the Weird. He remembered how much Harry liked that story about the witch who was burnt 47 times at the stake, enjoying it terribly.

All they knew about Professor Dumbledore was that he'd moved to live with Sirius and was travelling around the world in search for Harry. Lupin was doing the same as Dumbledore – thus the DADA teacher was still Snape, to the students' greatest regret.

After having visited the depressed Hedwig in the owlery, Ginny was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, gazing out into the night, her eyelids getting heavier by the minute. She didn't even realise and she was fast asleep, sitting in a chair before the window, her hands resting on her expanding belly.

"Ginny… Ginny…" a hazy form appeared from the mist. It had red hair and sparkling green eyes. Ginny knew at once, whom she was facing.

"Mrs. Potter…" she whispered.

The woman smiled sweetly. "Just call me Lily, my child. We are going to be related, after all."

Ginny shook her head. "Don't think so, Lily. Harry's gone and no one knows where he is… or do you?"

The ghost-Lily smiled secretively. "Oh, yes, dear, I do. But I cannot tell you."

"Then why have you come? What else do you want to tell me?"

"Only one thing, dear." Lily reached out to touch Ginny's face – strangely her hand felt real on Ginny's skin. "One thing: not to give up hope. Never give it up. Promise me that you won't." Lily now placed her hands on Ginny's belly. "Promise… for my grandchild."

"I promise, Lily." the girl said. "Um, Lily… could you tell… is it a boy or a girl?"

Mrs. Potter chuckled. "Of course I could tell… but let it be a surprise, dear. I have to go now. Take care of yourself and my grandchild."

"I will." Ginny replied, and woke up.

Did she dream it at all? she wondered.

* * * * *

"Sahib!" Ravin beckoned Harry to himself after Harry had left his room for a nice night-time stroll. He simply needed to clear his mind from the disturbing thoughts – the most disturbing of which was Sunny's declaration of love.

"Mr. Ravin?" he raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here at such a late hour?"

"Waiting for an opportunity to talk to you, Sahib."

"About what?"

"Your flight today. It was amazing."

"Thank you, but you've already told me that."

"I have something else to tell you, Sahib. To ask you something." the Indian said.

"What?"

"You heard us talking about the Moon Run, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did." Harry shrugged. "Though I don't know what it is."

"It is fame. It is wealth. It is glory." Ravin replied, and added in thought: *It is money – for me, too.* His eyes glinted strangely. "I'm offering all of these to you."

"To me?" Harry gaped. "Why?"

"Our competitor is dead. We need another, who'd play for India."

"And you want ME to… that's crazy! I'm British, as far as I know…"

"British, Eskimo or Papua… who cares? It's the greatest opportunity of your life! Don't miss it!"

Harry frowned, thinking for a moment. "When would you want to set off?"

"Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow."

"I'm coming if we can set off right now." Harry stated. He didn't have anything here – only a great deal of trouble awaiting him if he didn't leave immediately. He didn't want to take chances with Abysmal's daughter, and Abysmal's wrath – if he turned Sunny down.

"As you wish, Sahib. I'm ready to go anytime." Ravin bowed slightly.

"Okay." the boy nodded. "I'll get my monkey. Wait for me here."

* * * * *

Before going to bed that night, Gilderoy Lockhart took the very last portion of memory potion. According to Abysmal, it had to bring back those very few memories that were still missing.

Shortly after sunrise, Abysmal was shaken out of his slumber by someone hammering on the door.

"Who's there?" he mumbled.

"It's me, Gilderoy!" came the excited voice.

"Come in!" Abysmal shouted and sat up. Lockhart burst into the room. "You drank the last portion last night, I presume?"

"Yes!" Gilderoy nodded, extremely nervous about something.

"Then… why are you so upset? Hasn't it worked?"

"On the contrary! It has!" Gilderoy shouted. "I've regained the last pieces of my memories!"

"Then?" Abysmal raised his eyebrows. "What's the matter?"

"Do you know… do you know who the boy is, who came with me?"

"No."

"HE IS HARRY POTTER!!!!!" Gilderoy yelled.

"What?" sun-Amun jumped out of his bed. "Impossible! He doesn't have the scar!"

"Maybe lost it…" Gilderoy came up with the silliest possibility. "Well, okay… maybe some curse made it invisible, or the like…" he gabbled. "But it's him! I taught him for a whole year back at Hogwarts! IT IS HARRY POTTER, believe me!"

"Okay… okay… calm down, and let's talk to the boy."

"Father!" Sunny burst into the room. "He's gone!"

"Who?" Lockhart and Abysmal asked in unison.

"HE!" Sunny yelled. "HE!"

"Harry?" Gilderoy blanched. "NO!"

"He's left a message telling that he was grateful for everything he had been given here, but didn't want to disturb us anymore… didn't want to be a burden."

"Burden? Harry Potter? Oh, my gosh!" Gilderoy yelled.

"Harry… Potter?" Anck-sun-Amun remained rooted to the spot. "You're kidding, aren't you?"

The two men shook their heads.

"He… can't have been Harry Potter, can he?" Sunny whispered.

"He IS Harry Potter. This morning I finally managed to remember the last year of my life before the amnesia – I had been teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and happened to teach the famous Harry Potter, too."

"But… but… he didn't have the scar!" the girl protested.

"It was STILL him." Lockhart stated. "Harry Potter…"

"… The Boy Who Lived… who saved my daughter's life…" Abysmal finished the sentence with a miserable expression. "And I couldn't help him!"