The Hidden Soul
Chapter 2
The dark room was dimly lit by the faint flickering flame of a candle, positioned alone in the centre. The dusty floor was covered in an intricate web of spidery markings; they zigzagged, spiralled and crisscrossed each other leaving the floor almost entirely covered by the elaborate symbols. A black cloaked figure rose slowly from its crouched position by the single candle. It spoke in a low voice a stream of complex Egyptian. The sandy floor began to stir, the spindly lines twisted and arched and formed a line of small images across the width of the room. The first resembled a minute bird, followed by a snake-like symbol, after this was a pair of upright feather shapes, a strip of zigzag across the dust was followed by a slightly slanted square and ended with another feather. The robed figure regarded the new sandy squiggles and released a satisfied sigh.
Aswan, Harry decided irritably was just too hot. He glanced sideways at the antics of his two companions, wondering how they managed to prance about in the sweltering heat, let alone keep themselves looking cool and fresh. Ron was giving a squealing Hermione a piggyback down the street. His freckled face had already deepened a shade from the brief exposure to the sun and Hermione had acquired a positively golden tone. Ron dropped his load suddenly, depositing Hermione unceremoniously onto the hot concrete. She leapt up clutching her bare legs in pain.
"Shit! Ron!" She gasped. "That street is fucking sizzling," she complained twisting to examine the red patches that had already sprung up on the back of her thighs.
"Sorry." Ron replied with a rueful grin.
"Shall we get a drink?" Hermione suggested shooting Ron a wounded look and massaging her legs. Harry nodded vigorously, his black hair falling onto his hot forehead. He pushed it away in frustration only for it to flop back defiantly.
"Good idea," he agreed, jerking his head towards the nearesr curb side café, which was shaded from the blazing sun by bright red and yellow striped canopies that shadowed the small round tables. "Here?" He asked imploringly. Hermione eyed his flushed face with a grin.
"Looks good," she said and they traipsed into the small café.
The interior was as hot as the street. It was cramped but appealing, the walls were a bright ochre-yellow and dotted with peeling posters. A flickering neon 'Enjoy Coca Cola' sign was hung beside a speckled mirror advertising some brand of cheap beer. There was no air conditioning. Instead a rickety ceiling fan was whirring around lazily, but it didn't seem to be having any effect on cooling the shop, simply stirring the muggy air round. Hermione prodded Harry.
"What do you want? I'll order, you can go and sit in the shade."
Harry grinned gratefully and scanned the small drinks cabinet.
"A coke please… with ice," he added, Hermione nodded and raised her eyebrows expectantly at Ron.
"I'll get them," Ron sighed turning to the counter.
"Okay! Same please," Hermione chirped as she followed Harry out to the tables. Ron joined them minutes later.
"Bit hot isn't it?" Ron observed, peering at a plant pot beside him which looked severely dehydrated. Harry rolled his eyes.
Understatement.
"Hmm, it's not as hot as when my parents took me to India once." Hermione mused, strumming her fingertips on the tabletop listlessly. She glanced up at the derisive snort, caught the look on Harry's face and laughed. "But, yeah it is hot." She agreed.
"Don't worry mate you'll soon climatise." Ron snorted jabbing his finger at Harry's red face. Harry scowled and grabbed the dog-eared menu from the table top and attempted to induce a breeze by flapping it eccentrically around his face. Hermione and Ron watched his frenzied motions in amusement. A waitress sidled through the open door and sashayed towards their table carrying a tray balanced with three tall glasses of coke. Hermione glanced at her small, pixie-like face and streaky blonde hair. She was familiar. The waitress stopped at their table and eyed Harry's manic fanning with a look of slight alarm. She cleared her throat lightly, and then spoke.
"Uh, Harry?"
Her American accent clicked in Hermione's mind. It was the girl from the club. Harry's eyes slid to the side and onto the waitresses' face. He flushed a disturbing shade of magenta and gurgled in embarrassment. Ron shook in silent, suppressed laughter and under the table Hermione nudged Harry with her foot.
"Uh… hi Zahra," he muttered, laying the menu on the table sheepishly. Trying to maintain what little dignity he had, Harry took a deep breath and carelessly swept back the black hair that fell over his forehead in the manner he knew made girls swoon. And as a backup he hitched up one of his famous I'm-just-so-charming smiles in an attempt to erase the memory of his mad fanning behaviour. Zahra smiled back, if a little concernedly, and handed him the glass.
"Thanks," said Harry, taking a long swig, "So, you work here?"
Zahra nodded as she set down the other two drinks.
"Yeah, it pays okay. Enough for me to keep my flat and have free time," she replied with a shrug. A loud yell from the open door made the willowy blonde start. She rolled her eyes in irritation.
"That's my boss," she said with a wry smile. "I'd better go. Enjoy your drinks." She turned to leave but Harry called after her.
"Zahra!"
"Hmm?"
"Uh, would you like to…maybe… I mean… we could get a drink, maybe, sometime?" Harry stammered, flushing again. Hermione raised her eyebrows at Ron who shot her a genuinely puzzled look back across the table. Zahra hesitated a minute then smiled.
"Okay."
"Really? Are you busy tonight?" Harry asked hopefully. She laughed,
"No. I'm not." She replied. Harry grinned.
"Well, shall I call you later?" He asked. Zahra nodded and waved as another shout made her spin and head back into the café. Hermione looked slyly at Harry from beneath her eyelashes.
"Not so smooth today are we Harry?" She said with a grin. Harry frowned as his two companions burst into laughter.
"I think the heat is messing with his womanising skills," sniggered Ron. Harry took a deep gulp of coke.
"You're just jealous because your girl from the club isn't interested!" Harry retorted . Ron leant back in his chair.
"Actually, I'm taking Isis out for a meal tonight, for you information Potter," he replied smugly. Harry scowled as he watched his friend lick his fore finger and mark up an imaginary point on the Potter vs. Weasley board. Hermione cleared her throat.
"Excuse me. I thought we were coming here for my birthday. Nice to see I'm going to be all alone tonight," she said, pouting.
"Uh, but 'Mione – it's just…"
"We'll have plenty of time to – "
Hermione chuckled.
"I was joking you two. I'm going to have a great time. Me, minibar and a long, hot bath." She sighed dreamily. Ron drained his glass and set it down on the table.
"Where to now then?" He asked. Harry shrugged, and Hermione pulled out a travel book which she began to leaf through pausing pensively on certain pages and reading suggestions, each of them promptly shot down.
"Take a short train ride to Cairo, visit the teeming streets of the Khan el Khalili Bazaar," Hermione quoted pointing to a passage in the booklet.
"I'm not getting on a bloody train in this heat Hermione. Absolutely. Not." Harry said shaking his head obstinately. Hermione shrugged.
"The museum of Antiquities will have your eyes popping at the fantastic treasures on display,"
"No museums. Not on the first day." Ron said stubbornly. "You promised!" He added desperately. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and grinned, then jabbed her finger at a page.
"Here, this sounds great!" She exclaimed, swivelling the book so Harry and Ron could read it across the table,
"The Nile is at its most beautiful in Aswan. Take a breathtaking look at the tumbling sand dunes along the golden banks by taking a unique excursion on…" She trailed off and snapped the book closed before they could reach the end of the passage.
"Okay!" She said brightly jumping to her feet. "Let's go then!"
"Err – Hermione?" Ron began suspiciously, but she had already sprinted out of the shaded courtyard onto the dusty street and hailed a rickety cab pulled by a grumpy looking donkey. Sighing resignedly Harry and Ron trooped after her.
"No. Way." Ron said shaking his head obstinately. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Oh don't be so mulish Ron," she said causing Harry to snigger loudly.
"I hate things like that." Ron said jabbing his finger behind her at Hermione's suggested mode of transport along the Nile. Hermione sighed and turned, and gently patted the nose of the camel.
"See, Ron they are perfectly harmless," she cooed, scratching behind the camel's ears and making its sandy coloured lids close blissfully. "Please..." She wheedled. Ron frowned and eyed the camel that the young boy in bright robes was offering him.
"Mine looks angry," he argued. Harry burst into laughter from where he was already sat astride his camel. Hermione smothered her grin and mustered her best puppy dog eyes. Ron scowled at the two huge liquid pools, then made an irritated grunt and turned towards the boy.
"Alright then," he muttered crossly. The boy's dark face split into a wide grin.
"Thank you mister," the boy chirped in his accented voice, and tugged hard on the rope attached in a loose muzzle around the camel's mouth. It uttered a deep, grizzly sound and lowered reluctantly to its knees. Ron forced a smile, which turned quickly into a grimace as he clumsily scrambled up onto his camel's back. The camel stood back up, making Ron wobble precariously. He muttered darkly under his breath, clutching the rope reins hard with both hands. Hermione beamed up at him then bent down.
"Thank you," she said to the tanned little boy, whose dark eyes sparkled happily as she pressed several coins into his upturned palm.
"Thank you miss. Return camels at…" The boy trailed off, his forehead creased in thought, then he held up his hand with his fingers splayed.
"At five?" Hermione said. The boy nodded vigorously.
"Yes miss. Five miss," he said with a grin. Hermione nodded and took the rope of her camel from him. She tugged, making it drop to its knees and clambered onto its back, resting on the red and orange zigzagged rug that was covering its hump. She grinned at Harry and Ron and dug in her heels urging her camel into a trot.
"Let's go!" She called, lumbering off down a narrow, dusty path. Harry squeezed his camel's sides lightly and it set off in pursuit of Hermione. After a few metres, Harry pulled it to a halt and twisted to look at Ron. He was scowling.
"It. Won't. Move." Ron puffed, tugging hard on the ropes and digging his heels in. Harry smothered his laughter and his camel ambled back over to Ron. Harry prodded the grumpy camel in the side and it stirred grouchily into movement.
The trail they had been following was deserted, and had widened up so it could accommodate all three camels beside each other. After an hour of relatively peaceful trundling along the Nile bank, the idyllic quiet was broken only by Ron's occasionally swearing as his camel stopped abruptly or careered madly out of control. Hermione hopped down from her camel and tethered it to a sloping tree that stood at the edge of the path. Harry followed suit, knotting his rope tightly next to Hermione's. Ron let out a furious yell as his camel decided to gallop speedily past Harry and Hermione. Harry snorted with laughter then sprinted after Ron. Ron stomped back minutes later, followed by Harry who was towing the temperamental camel by its rope.
"I'll tie him up shall I?" Harry said lightly to Ron who glowered at him and dropped down next to Hermione on the sandy bank.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Hermione breathed as she stared across the wide expanse of glittering water. Ron nodded.
"Yeah. It is," he agreed moodily. Hermione tossed her hair and punched him playfully on the arm.
"Oh come on Ron. You must be having a little bit of fun!" She said chuckling. Harry sat down next to her and grinned at Ron.
"Think of it this way mate. It's something to tell your Mum that you did. You know, it's a gotta-be-done-in-Egypt thing. Even Bill said so." He added. Ron nodded.
"S'pose so," he agreed grudgingly. "But that camel is bloody evil," he added, eyeing it as it tore dry tufts of grass and munched them. Hermione got up and walked over to her camel. She dug in the bag that hung from its side and pulled out three water bottles and a camera.
"Here." She said offering them each a bottle. They all drank heavily for a few moments and surveyed the exquisite view. Then Hermione scrambled to her feet and glancing up and down the path she pulled out her wand and muttered something. A tripod appeared from no where and she arranged it behind them, up the bank. She set the camera into it and then skipped back down to the water. She wriggled into place between Harry and Ron and the three grinned before yelling.
"CHEESE!"
The camera let of a bright purple flash and a puff of white smoke billowed from it. Hermione pulled the piece of paper that had appeared from a slot in the bottom of it. She waved her wand over it, then grinned and showed it to Ron and Harry. It was a wizards photo, so they were all animatedly smiling and waving, the Nile was twinkling strikingly in the backdrop. Hermione pocketed the picture and picked up the camera.
"We better be heading back. Ron can I have a photo of you and your camel?" She asked with a giggle. Ron frowned, shrugged then stomped over to stand a metre away from his camel.
"Get a little closer Ron!" Hermione called peering through the lens. Ron scowled heavily and edged gingerly closer.
"Pet him!" She called. Ron ground his teeth and hissed.
"If you weren't my best friend and it wasn't your birthday then I would never, ever of done this." He growled,
"But I am, and it is!" Hermione quipped grinning. "Go on. You'll want to remember him, I promise!" She urged. Ron sighed and lifted his hand to stroke the camel's nose.
"OW!" He yelled loudly sending a flock of small birds twittering from a nearby clump of reeds, simultaneously there was a flash of purple and puff of pearly smoke.
"That fucking animal bit me!" Ron bellowed jumping away from the camel who was observing him evilly through its thick eyelashes. Hermione lowered the camera, and handed it to Harry and rushed to Ron.
"Sorry," she said, biting her lip to stop her laughter, and hoping that it made her look concerned. Ron shook his head at her.
"I knew it would do that. It is evil," he snarled, cupping his fingers. Hermione poked his hand lightly with her wand and he flexed it.
"Thanks," he muttered gruffly. Harry burst into laughter and Hermione and Ron stared at him. Harry strode over still chuckling and thrust the newly developed photo into Ron's hands. It showed the camel taking malicious lunges at Ron who was trying desperately to keep as far away as possible without leaving the picture. Hermione giggled.
"Oh Ron! That is always going to remind you of today. Trust me," she said taking the photo and stuffing it into her pocket.
"Mmm," he grunted. "That's just what I want a reminder of that – " He said shaking his fist at the camel who was now chewing a mouthful of grass tetchily.
"Since I'm a good friend and you have been lovely and very…uh…brave," Hermione said leaning up to kiss, Ron lightly on the cheek. "I'll ride your camel back." Ron's face brightened.
"Really? He's a total – "
"I'll be fine." Hermione said. She walked slowly over to the camel and slowly patted its nose. Its yellow eyes closed lazily, as if it was enjoying the attention immensely. Hermione flashed Ron a grin and she jumped onto its back, and set off at an ambling pace back down the path.
They managed to get back to the clearing on the dot of five. Apparently it wasn't the camels that had the problem as much as Ron, who had run into the same amount of trouble with Hermione's supposedly docile camel as he had had with his first one. It had taken ten minutes for Ron to get the camel to move, it seemed to be very hungry stopping continuously to munch leaves and grass from the path side. The stopping and starting made for a bumpy and volatile ride, and when Ron reached the clearing he scrambled down rubbing his back side and mumbling darkly. He pushed the rope back into the brightly robed boy's hands and stomped off to a nearby drinks machine. Harry hopped down and delivered his camel to the boy with a grin before jogging after Ron. Hermione slipped down and unloaded the side bags, and then patted the camel on the nose.
"Thank you," she said, holding out the harness. The boy took it with a mischievous smile.
"Thank you miss," he chirped, trotting off to a nearby tree to secure the three camels beside a deep drinking trough. Hermione headed over to the drinks machine and beamed at Harry and Ron.
"That was great wasn't it?" She exclaimed. Harry nodded and Ron made a noise in his throat.
"Mmm, fantastic," he muttered sarcastically under his breath. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"C'mon, we better get a ride back to the hotel if you two are going out," she said waving her arms frantically at a passing cart. The three scrambled into the cramped back bench and the cart trundled off into the busy street.
Aswan was darkening into a hot, dusky evening. Ron had already left for his date with Isis. Harry was sat on the creamy leather sofa talking quietly into the hotel telephone, when Hermione emerged from her bedroom.
"Okay, well cool… Yeah… See you in a bit then… Bye." Harry set the receiver back down into its cradle and beamed at Hermione.
"Half eight, outside her work!" He said, glancing at his watch. Hermione smiled at his eagerness.
"Where are you taking her?" She asked, plopping down onto the soft leather next to him.
"I dunno, I was thinking for a drink then she could show me some more of the clubs," he said with a shrug.
"Sounds good," Hermione said, "So, you gonna get changed?"
"Wha – ?" Harry began, then glanced down, he was still in his sweaty, dirty shorts and scrappy tee shirt from earlier.
"Yeah," he said with a grin, "I don't think camel scent is a turn on, even here!"
"No, maybe not." Hermione agreed. Harry got up and headed for his room, peeling off his shirt as he went. Hermione flopped back on the sofa; she was wrapped in a large fluffy towelling robe, having just de-camel-ed herself in the bath. Just as she heard the buzz of Harry's shower start up, the phone began to ring. She hesitated, it was probably Zahra wanting Harry, she called his name, but there was no answer over the sound of the shower. Sighing she lifted the handset.
"Hello?"
"Hey Hermione."
Not Zahra. Hermione thought instantly, as a deep male voice greeted her.
"It's Bill."
Oh, Bill, Bill, Ron's brother, sexy dancing, electric eyes, golden trail…
"Hi Bill." She actually clipped her forehead with the heel of her hand after she'd said that. The flashed of half-formed thoughts that had zoomed through her head had caused her to echo his name stupidly.
She heard him chuckle down the phone and felt her cheeks colour.
"Have a nice day?" He asked. Hermione swallowed, glad that blushes didn't carry down the phone.
"Yeah, yeah. It was good. We took a camel ride along the Nile," she said,
"That's always good. How'd Ron get along with the camels?" He asked, laughing.
"How did you – ?"
"My brother isn't particularly great with any animals, but anything bigger than a dog is just asking for trouble." Bill replied. Hermione grinned.
"Well, his bites all better now," she said lightly, and Bill chuckled down the phone. There was a slight pause then Hermione spoke.
"Did you want to – uh – speak to him? Ron I mean?"
"No."
"Oh?"
Hermione's hand tightened around the phone, as she waited in anticipation for his answer. She heard him take a deep breath.
"I was wondering whether…" He began but at that moment Harry burst back into the room. He had changed, and was dressed in casual black trousers and an emerald green shirt.
"How do I look?" He called loudly, twirling around. Hermione drew in a breath, as Bill stopped speaking. She gulped and then grinned at Harry.
"You look gorgeous!" She said. Harry beamed, and then noticed the phone pressed to her ear.
"Oh is it for me? Thanks 'Mione!" He said, grabbing the handset from her.
"Zahra – ?"
"No, Harry it's…" Hermione began, but Harry had let out a guffaw of laughter.
"Oh alright Bill! …" Harry slumped onto the sofa and began speaking casually into the phone. Hermione rolled her eyes and headed towards the balcony. She pulled the doors open and was about to step outside when the conversation caught her attention.
"... you haven't got anything planned tonight?" Harry was saying.
Bill? Alone at night? Something about that didn't fit, Hermione thought absently.
"... we can't have that!" Harry continued laughing, "Come over here, we've got a top-quality five star suite waiting for you, not to mention a lovely lady, eh? Mione?" Harry cocked an eyebrow at Hermione who stared blankly back at him.
"Yeah… No, no. It's no trouble. Yeah she's a great cook… Alright, alright, hold on." Harry held the phone away from him and looked at Hermione.
"Is it alright with you if Bill comes over?" Harry asked. Hermione frowned.
"What?"
"He's only just got back from work and he's tired. He was going to scavenge a meal with you, me and Ron but obviously we're not all here. But I'm sure you could whip something up couldn't you?"
Hermione paused. Dinner, alone, with Bill. Hell, she could think of worse ways to spend the evening.
"Well, okay."
Harry she