A/N: I do not own anything to do with the Harry Potter universe... J K
Rowling owns it all. I'm just having fun with her characters. This is the
sequel to my first story Sekhmet's Book. I don't as yet know if I'll make
this into a trilogy series... I guess I'll just see how this story goes for
now. I am currently writing this story as fast as I can... which is
unfortunately about one chapter per month. So, it's not complete but it
most definitely will be... just give me time. Please leave a review as my
muse needs feeding before she gets up and leaves.
Enjoy...
Chapter Ten
It had been a long morning. Severus had been up before the birds of the Forbidden Forest and had been spending time with his son as he counted down the hours he had left before he travelled back in time. He had had a few visitors namely Albus, Cil and Ronald Weasley; all wishing him well and making sure he had everything sorted out and someone to look after Callum etcetera.
Severus had just sat back down in the rocking chair in the nursery as he slowly rocked Callum off to sleep when there was another knock on the door, signalling yet another visitor. With a sigh and a quick look down at Callum, Severus decided he would remain seated; Callum was just about to drop off into the land of slumber and he didn't want to disturb him yet again.
"Aperio," Severus said quietly and flicked his hand in the direction of the door. Wandless magic came easily to Severus as he had practiced it every day when he had been in league with the Death Eaters; a necessity for the type of work he had to take part in and the very real possibility that he might be without a wand after it had been forcibly taken from him. The door opened and Harry Potter stepped through, looking around he noticed Severus sitting in the nursery and moved closer to the nursery door.
"Severus," Harry said in a hushed voice as he stepped over the threshold and into the room. "Sorry, I didn't realise you were trying to settle Callum down."
"Do not worry, Potter." Severus told him in a quiet voice as he glanced down at Callum again and found him fast asleep.
"I wanted to..."
"Wait a moment," Severus told Harry as he began to get up and headed over to the cot to lie Callum down. "Follow me." Severus led Harry back out of the nursery and into the lounge. "Take a seat." Harry sat down on the armchair opposite the one Severus now occupied.
"Severus, are you all set?" Harry asked as he brushed his long hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ears, and sat forward in the chair.
"The potion is almost complete, yes. I shall be leaving around one thirty this afternoon." Severus replied dryly, wondering why Potter was there at all.
"I'm coming with you," Harry stated.
"You are not," Severus returned quite emphatically.
"Severus, you will need help back there and I am one of Hermione's and Michael's best friends. I also have many skills that you could use. You have no idea what to expect when you get back there." Harry said as he tried to reason with his former Potions Master. There was a long silence as Severus just stared at Harry, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"Potter saves the day again? A little bored now the Dark Lord has finally been defeated?" Severus sneered as he gazed on at the younger man in disdain.
"Not at all, Severus, I want to help and..."
"And your Gryffindor sense of nobility means that you have to tag along with me?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I yearn for adventure," Harry said honestly. "Hermione would also never forgive her friends if they let something happen to you. We discussed it and I was elected to 'tag along' as you put it."
"We?" Severus demanded.
"Yes, Albus, Ron, Cil, Remus and Minerva," Harry replied. Severus sighed deeply and shook his head slightly.
"Stay out of my way," Severus began, knowing he had no choice but to take him. "I am in charge. You do as I say and bring that invisibility cloak of yours." Severus instructed; it would indeed be beneficial to have Potter along on the journey, although there was no way in Hades he would say as much to him.
"Done. I'll meet you in the Potions classroom at half one." Harry said standing up and backing his way towards the door with a huge smile on his face.
"Do not be late." Severus growled darkly as he watched Harry leave.
~~*~~
Half past one rolled around very quickly. Severus had spent the rest of the morning playing with Callum and explaining the situation to him, even though he knew Callum had no idea what his father had been saying.
Severus had left his chambers with Callum in his arms at quarter to one and had appeared in the Potions laboratory to finish the final stages of the Tempus Fugit Aversus Potion. As pre arranged, Potter entered the classroom on time and ready to go.
"Do you have your cloak?" Severus asked as Harry stood in the centre of the classroom. Severus had seen him enter through the open lab door and called out to him.
"Yes." Harry said as he approached the open door.
"Affairs in order?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Er..." Harry gulped nervously at the unexpected question.
"No matter, Potter," Severus grinned evilly. "I'm sure we will be fine, you are a dab hand at getting yourself out of the stickiest of situations after all," he drawled.
"Right," Harry nodded, still nervous. "Is that the potion?"
"Yes, a vial for you, one for me and I have ten more in an unbreakable container so we can get back home again, along with spare potions ingredients and in excess of everything just in case." Severus said as Harry watched him stand up and finish packing a bag with the vials. "I for one have absolutely no desire to stay in the Ancient past."
"Dadadadadad," Callum started to cry from the transfigured cot beside where Severus had been sitting moments before. Severus turned to see his son standing up and tears in his eyes.
"Be with you in a moment, son." Severus told him gently as he had his hands full of ingredients.
"I'll take him," Harry said as he entered the lab fully and headed over to the cot. He lifted Callum up and looked deep into his dark brown eyes that were the image of his mother's. "Hey, what's all that noise for, little man?" Harry asked as Callum continued to cry and gaze back into Harry's green eyes. He promptly clenched a fist and stuffed it into his mouth.
"He is teething still. I shall get his ointment if you would just console him, Harry?" Severus told him.
"Sure, no problem," Harry said as Severus stepped out of the lab and headed into his office. He returned moments later and retrieved his son from Harry's arms, sitting down in the nearest seat and lying Callum down across his lap.
"Open up, Callum," Severus said as he tipped some of the soothing potion onto his right index finger and pushed it into Callum's mouth, rubbing it lightly around his gums. Callum immediately settled and began chewing on Severus' finger.
"Ah, a sight to behold!" Severus turned his head to find Albus Dumbledore standing grinning in the doorway.
"Albus," Severus nodded in acknowledgement.
"All set?" Albus asked as he smiled brightly at Callum and stroked his head when he approached. Callum's attention shifted to the Headmaster and he quickly lost interest in sucking his father's finger.
"Yes, set to go," Severus said removing his finger from Callum's mouth and sitting him upright again.
"You will have to change your attire in order to blend in with the Ancient Egyptians, Severus, you too Harry." Albus said, noticing that Severus was in his usual attire and Harry a more relaxed Muggle style of clothing.
"We are aware of that, Albus and will be casting glamour charms. This way I shall not actually have to wear little more than a face cloth around my waist." Severus growled his response.
"Hahaha, just as I thought, Severus. Your modesty goes before you." Cil said as she entered the lab.
"Patty..." Severus began angrily but just stopped and shook his head with a deep sigh.
"Alright then, let's get this show on the road." Harry said clapping his hands together and looking at Severus pointedly. Severus stood up and hugged Callum tightly, kissing him on the cheek and whispering to be good for his cousin while he was away, in his ear. He handed Callum over to Cil reluctantly and picked up one of the vials from the desk along with the bag of ingredients.
"To the sub-dungeons then," Albus turned and led them all down, further into the bowels of Hogwarts castle. When they arrived they were met by the other professors who had cast wards to guard the Book of Shadows. They worked diligently and before long the wards were down and they all stood in the last chamber before the one housing the dreaded book.
"You take care now, both of you," Cil said as she hugged Callum and wiped a tear from her eye.
"Look after Callum, Patty. We shall see you soon," Severus said as he stroked his son's head once before turning and standing next to Harry.
"Good luck, Mate," Ron said to Harry before speaking to Snape. "Bring them back safely, Severus."
There were quick rounds of goodbyes and Albus transfigured Harry's and Severus' wands into rings as he had done with Hermione's and Michael's before they had left.
"Take care and come back to us safely," Albus told them both as he stared into their eyes pointedly. "Severus, I have the diary... I shall look out for any new entries should you not return to us in twelve hours time from now."
"I shall write anything that... happens... or indeed keep a diary if there are major problems with getting home again." Severus said, Albus nodded. "Okay, Potter?"
"Yes," Harry replied as he followed Severus in drinking down the Potion. Within seconds they both faded from view.
"Let us hope this all works out this time," Minerva said as the group turned to leave and re-erect the wards.
~~*~~
Severus and Harry landed in the Hogwarts sub-dungeons with a thud. Harry fell to the side and hit the wall while Severus stumbled across the stone floor trying not to drop the bag of potions ingredients and vials despite the unbreakable charm that was protecting them.
"Heh, looks no different," Harry said from the corner of the room. Severus turned towards the voice but could see nothing; there were no torches burning in the chamber in this time period.
"Potter, I do not know how you can tell the difference considering it is dark." Severus said raising his hand out in front of him. "Lumos!" He said and his ring lit up to cast a warm glow around the chamber.
"Had my eyes closed before we transferred," Harry said as he laughed and opened his eyes, squinting at the light from Severus' ring.
Severus sighed angrily. "We shall apparate to the Royal Palace, Master's quarters. This is where Hermione and Michael were staying... well, where Michael was staying the last time he wrote in the diary."
"Okay, what if we are seen though?" Harry asked looking dubious. Severus glared at him and pointed to Harry. Following his gaze, Harry began to look sheepish. "Oh, my invisibility cloak should be of use there then."
"The anti-apparition wards are not in use in this time frame... I do not believe these wards have even been invented as yet." Severus looked at the younger man.
"Come on then, let's find out what is happening in the land of the Pharaohs." Harry threw the cloak around them both and put his arm round his ex-Potions Master- much to Severus' delight.
"Nox!" Severus said and the light from his wand-ring extinguished, he then muttered two glamour charms and felt a sudden rush of cold air as his and Harry's clothing took on the outward appearances of the Ancient Egyptians.
"You lead the apparition since you know where we are going." In actual fact Severus did not know, he had only seen the pictures that Michael had drawn... he imagined the grand staircase near to Michael and Hermione's chambers before he apparated them both... with his fingers crossed for good luck and a huge leap of faith.
~~*~~
Michael wrote another line in the diary. He was not even certain Severus could read the copied diary but he decided he would keep the log entries for posterity if nothing else. He had just finished drawing some more pictures and was going to try and close the log entry before trying to sleep. He had not managed to get much sleep the previous night due to the incessant rain pounding on the ground outside.
... so, there you have it, a few more pictures for you. I think that if this rain keeps up we shall all have to move into the upstairs accommodation here in Memphis. I'm currently sitting in the chambers that Hermione and I were given when we had our job promotion...
There was a popping noise... one noise that was short and sharp but most definitely there. Michael looked up towards the entranceway to the chambers but saw nothing. He glanced back down at the page and wrote again.
I've just heard a noise... this place is usually exceptionally quiet but you never know with Sekhmet on the rampage these days, especially as she only comes out at night...
Now, there was a thought... what if it had been the crazed deity that had made that noise? He shook his head, he was becoming paranoid. He continued his entry into the diary.
...and it's dark now... What...oh my word...
There were shuffling noises and Michael gripped his transfigured quill tightly in his hand, not noticing as the nib cut the end of his finger and blood spotted across the diary page he had been writing on. He looked towards the door as his heart pounded in his chest very audibly and his breathing quickened.
Michael squinted in the candle light as he saw a shadow approaching him he cocked his head to the side and started to back away slowly. Before he had a chance to think there was a shimmer in front of him and two people emerged from an invisibility cloak dressed in the skimpiest clothing Michael had yet seen on any Ancient Egyptian.
"How..." Michael began, he was utterly speechless. Severus Snape and Harry Potter stood before him. Severus took one look at the open diary on the table and glared back at Michael with pure venom and murder in his eyes. With lightening reflexes he reached out and grabbed Michael by the throat tightly, shoving him up against the nearest wall. "Urgh... S-Sn...a..p..e.."
"You put me through hell!" Severus rasped and spat in his face as Michael continued to choke and turn blue.
"S..n..a.." Michael tried again but couldn't speak, his larynx was becoming completely blocked off as he flailed his arms to try and push the older and stronger wizard away.
"Severus, don't." Harry urged as he stepped into Snape's field of view and tried to pull the two apart.
"Stay out of this, Potter!" Severus snapped. "This ingrate has put me and my son through absolute hell. How could you write that?"
"He cannot answer you if you choke him to death." Harry reasoned. Severus released Michael and watched as he slid to the sand covered floor coughing and spluttering.
"D-do w-w-what?" Michael choked and coughed out.
"You had me believe you had been attacked. Killed, that my wife was left here in this land all alone with a maniac on the loose! The blood on the diary sent my mind in all directions, each and every one of them worse than the last image conjured by the visions that you instilled in my brain!" Severus breathed shallowly as he spoke quickly and with pure acidic tones.
"Blood?" Michael asked. "What did you read?"
"What you have just written..." Severus growled.
"But how could that make you think..." Michael looked down at his hands and noticed his cut finger, actively bleeding. "Ah, here is where the blood is from. I must have cut my finger on the quill when you scared me with all that noise." Michael said, holding his finger up for Severus to see and defending himself.
"Seven weeks have I gone through hurt and sorrow caused by what you have just written!" Severus shouted, Michael had never seen his former Potions Master so angry before and was truly quite scared.
"But..."
"But what!" He snapped at Michael.
"I wouldn't have written it had it not been for you scaring me!" Michael tried to reason.
Severus was speechless, he hated time travel and paradoxes were simply mind numbing to him. He turned his back and began to pace. So, this was his fault; fuelled by an over active imagination on his part? It was all logical when you thought about it really. He sighed heavily and turned back to Michael.
"Where is my wife?" Severus asked massaging his temples and breathing deeply to affect some modicum of calm again.
"In the palace at Heliopolis under the most watchful eye of Hathor," Michael said with a croaky voice.
"Take me there," Severus demanded.
"We cannot go there until tomorrow morning, it is not safe," Michael countered.
"Why?"
"Sekhmet is in town shall we say?" Severus sighed and sat down on a stone bench wincing as the cold hit his bear legs. "You know, you are allowed to wear more than what you currently are. You are dressed as Nubian slaves."
"Well, could you help us out?" Harry asked.
"Certainly, Harry," Michael waved his wand-ring and set the glamour charm to convert their outward appearances to what he was thinking they should look like. "There you go."
"Thank you," Harry said as he looked at Severus and saw that he looked more like Royalty than a slave; when Harry looked down at himself he could only see what he was really wearing- his Muggle-type clothing.
"So... how have you been?" Harry tried a he rocked on his heels and looked over at Michael, trying to break the tension that was becoming thick in the air.
"Erm... fine I guess." Michael responded as he glanced over at Severus who was holding his head in his hands now. "It is strange living in this time frame. The Ancient Egyptians believe in magic however, so if we do something not within Egyptian Muggle keeping then it is explained by way of some deity wanting to give us a gift."
"What of Hermione?" Severus asked quietly.
"Severus she is fine, really. Quite big now with her pregnancy but Hathor is the deity of childbirth so therefore she is in the best hands Egypt currently has to offer." Michael sighed, "I have not been allowed to see much of her and when I do, she comments on how tired she feels and that Hathor is constantly keeping watch on her."
"And this Sekhmet woman... What of her?" Harry asked.
"Woman?" Michael raised his eyebrow. "Sekhmet could not be further from being classed as a woman, Harry."
"Then what is Sekhmet?"
"That is a very good question. Sekhmet is a deity invoked by the sun god Re. She takes the form of a lioness with perhaps some human characteristics. It is said that if you see Sekhmet in person, that she will be the last thing you will see." Michael paused. "She is close, her crusade to rid Egypt of those who oppose Re has moved very close to Memphis. We are expecting her to surface any night now."
"Tonight?"
"Perhaps," Michael nodded. "I thought you two might in fact be her."
"When can we leave for Heliopolis?" Severus asked.
"First light. I shall take you both there but I hold no hope that you will be able to see Hermione however, so I suggest that you bring along Harry's cloak." Michael yawned deeply. "Now, if you two don't mind, I have had a very long day and need to sleep. You can transfigure your own beds if you like. The facilities are beyond basic so you'll just have to make do I'm afraid." Harry nodded as Severus sat and stared into space. "Will he be okay?" Michael asked Harry as he nodded in Snape's direction.
"He'll be fine as soon as he sees Hermione in person and knows she is safe and well in his own mind," Harry replied. Michael nodded before saying good night and heading off to bed.
It was going to be a long wait for the morning, Severus could not sleep; it was still mid afternoon to him after all.
Enjoy...
Chapter Ten
It had been a long morning. Severus had been up before the birds of the Forbidden Forest and had been spending time with his son as he counted down the hours he had left before he travelled back in time. He had had a few visitors namely Albus, Cil and Ronald Weasley; all wishing him well and making sure he had everything sorted out and someone to look after Callum etcetera.
Severus had just sat back down in the rocking chair in the nursery as he slowly rocked Callum off to sleep when there was another knock on the door, signalling yet another visitor. With a sigh and a quick look down at Callum, Severus decided he would remain seated; Callum was just about to drop off into the land of slumber and he didn't want to disturb him yet again.
"Aperio," Severus said quietly and flicked his hand in the direction of the door. Wandless magic came easily to Severus as he had practiced it every day when he had been in league with the Death Eaters; a necessity for the type of work he had to take part in and the very real possibility that he might be without a wand after it had been forcibly taken from him. The door opened and Harry Potter stepped through, looking around he noticed Severus sitting in the nursery and moved closer to the nursery door.
"Severus," Harry said in a hushed voice as he stepped over the threshold and into the room. "Sorry, I didn't realise you were trying to settle Callum down."
"Do not worry, Potter." Severus told him in a quiet voice as he glanced down at Callum again and found him fast asleep.
"I wanted to..."
"Wait a moment," Severus told Harry as he began to get up and headed over to the cot to lie Callum down. "Follow me." Severus led Harry back out of the nursery and into the lounge. "Take a seat." Harry sat down on the armchair opposite the one Severus now occupied.
"Severus, are you all set?" Harry asked as he brushed his long hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ears, and sat forward in the chair.
"The potion is almost complete, yes. I shall be leaving around one thirty this afternoon." Severus replied dryly, wondering why Potter was there at all.
"I'm coming with you," Harry stated.
"You are not," Severus returned quite emphatically.
"Severus, you will need help back there and I am one of Hermione's and Michael's best friends. I also have many skills that you could use. You have no idea what to expect when you get back there." Harry said as he tried to reason with his former Potions Master. There was a long silence as Severus just stared at Harry, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"Potter saves the day again? A little bored now the Dark Lord has finally been defeated?" Severus sneered as he gazed on at the younger man in disdain.
"Not at all, Severus, I want to help and..."
"And your Gryffindor sense of nobility means that you have to tag along with me?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I yearn for adventure," Harry said honestly. "Hermione would also never forgive her friends if they let something happen to you. We discussed it and I was elected to 'tag along' as you put it."
"We?" Severus demanded.
"Yes, Albus, Ron, Cil, Remus and Minerva," Harry replied. Severus sighed deeply and shook his head slightly.
"Stay out of my way," Severus began, knowing he had no choice but to take him. "I am in charge. You do as I say and bring that invisibility cloak of yours." Severus instructed; it would indeed be beneficial to have Potter along on the journey, although there was no way in Hades he would say as much to him.
"Done. I'll meet you in the Potions classroom at half one." Harry said standing up and backing his way towards the door with a huge smile on his face.
"Do not be late." Severus growled darkly as he watched Harry leave.
~~*~~
Half past one rolled around very quickly. Severus had spent the rest of the morning playing with Callum and explaining the situation to him, even though he knew Callum had no idea what his father had been saying.
Severus had left his chambers with Callum in his arms at quarter to one and had appeared in the Potions laboratory to finish the final stages of the Tempus Fugit Aversus Potion. As pre arranged, Potter entered the classroom on time and ready to go.
"Do you have your cloak?" Severus asked as Harry stood in the centre of the classroom. Severus had seen him enter through the open lab door and called out to him.
"Yes." Harry said as he approached the open door.
"Affairs in order?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Er..." Harry gulped nervously at the unexpected question.
"No matter, Potter," Severus grinned evilly. "I'm sure we will be fine, you are a dab hand at getting yourself out of the stickiest of situations after all," he drawled.
"Right," Harry nodded, still nervous. "Is that the potion?"
"Yes, a vial for you, one for me and I have ten more in an unbreakable container so we can get back home again, along with spare potions ingredients and in excess of everything just in case." Severus said as Harry watched him stand up and finish packing a bag with the vials. "I for one have absolutely no desire to stay in the Ancient past."
"Dadadadadad," Callum started to cry from the transfigured cot beside where Severus had been sitting moments before. Severus turned to see his son standing up and tears in his eyes.
"Be with you in a moment, son." Severus told him gently as he had his hands full of ingredients.
"I'll take him," Harry said as he entered the lab fully and headed over to the cot. He lifted Callum up and looked deep into his dark brown eyes that were the image of his mother's. "Hey, what's all that noise for, little man?" Harry asked as Callum continued to cry and gaze back into Harry's green eyes. He promptly clenched a fist and stuffed it into his mouth.
"He is teething still. I shall get his ointment if you would just console him, Harry?" Severus told him.
"Sure, no problem," Harry said as Severus stepped out of the lab and headed into his office. He returned moments later and retrieved his son from Harry's arms, sitting down in the nearest seat and lying Callum down across his lap.
"Open up, Callum," Severus said as he tipped some of the soothing potion onto his right index finger and pushed it into Callum's mouth, rubbing it lightly around his gums. Callum immediately settled and began chewing on Severus' finger.
"Ah, a sight to behold!" Severus turned his head to find Albus Dumbledore standing grinning in the doorway.
"Albus," Severus nodded in acknowledgement.
"All set?" Albus asked as he smiled brightly at Callum and stroked his head when he approached. Callum's attention shifted to the Headmaster and he quickly lost interest in sucking his father's finger.
"Yes, set to go," Severus said removing his finger from Callum's mouth and sitting him upright again.
"You will have to change your attire in order to blend in with the Ancient Egyptians, Severus, you too Harry." Albus said, noticing that Severus was in his usual attire and Harry a more relaxed Muggle style of clothing.
"We are aware of that, Albus and will be casting glamour charms. This way I shall not actually have to wear little more than a face cloth around my waist." Severus growled his response.
"Hahaha, just as I thought, Severus. Your modesty goes before you." Cil said as she entered the lab.
"Patty..." Severus began angrily but just stopped and shook his head with a deep sigh.
"Alright then, let's get this show on the road." Harry said clapping his hands together and looking at Severus pointedly. Severus stood up and hugged Callum tightly, kissing him on the cheek and whispering to be good for his cousin while he was away, in his ear. He handed Callum over to Cil reluctantly and picked up one of the vials from the desk along with the bag of ingredients.
"To the sub-dungeons then," Albus turned and led them all down, further into the bowels of Hogwarts castle. When they arrived they were met by the other professors who had cast wards to guard the Book of Shadows. They worked diligently and before long the wards were down and they all stood in the last chamber before the one housing the dreaded book.
"You take care now, both of you," Cil said as she hugged Callum and wiped a tear from her eye.
"Look after Callum, Patty. We shall see you soon," Severus said as he stroked his son's head once before turning and standing next to Harry.
"Good luck, Mate," Ron said to Harry before speaking to Snape. "Bring them back safely, Severus."
There were quick rounds of goodbyes and Albus transfigured Harry's and Severus' wands into rings as he had done with Hermione's and Michael's before they had left.
"Take care and come back to us safely," Albus told them both as he stared into their eyes pointedly. "Severus, I have the diary... I shall look out for any new entries should you not return to us in twelve hours time from now."
"I shall write anything that... happens... or indeed keep a diary if there are major problems with getting home again." Severus said, Albus nodded. "Okay, Potter?"
"Yes," Harry replied as he followed Severus in drinking down the Potion. Within seconds they both faded from view.
"Let us hope this all works out this time," Minerva said as the group turned to leave and re-erect the wards.
~~*~~
Severus and Harry landed in the Hogwarts sub-dungeons with a thud. Harry fell to the side and hit the wall while Severus stumbled across the stone floor trying not to drop the bag of potions ingredients and vials despite the unbreakable charm that was protecting them.
"Heh, looks no different," Harry said from the corner of the room. Severus turned towards the voice but could see nothing; there were no torches burning in the chamber in this time period.
"Potter, I do not know how you can tell the difference considering it is dark." Severus said raising his hand out in front of him. "Lumos!" He said and his ring lit up to cast a warm glow around the chamber.
"Had my eyes closed before we transferred," Harry said as he laughed and opened his eyes, squinting at the light from Severus' ring.
Severus sighed angrily. "We shall apparate to the Royal Palace, Master's quarters. This is where Hermione and Michael were staying... well, where Michael was staying the last time he wrote in the diary."
"Okay, what if we are seen though?" Harry asked looking dubious. Severus glared at him and pointed to Harry. Following his gaze, Harry began to look sheepish. "Oh, my invisibility cloak should be of use there then."
"The anti-apparition wards are not in use in this time frame... I do not believe these wards have even been invented as yet." Severus looked at the younger man.
"Come on then, let's find out what is happening in the land of the Pharaohs." Harry threw the cloak around them both and put his arm round his ex-Potions Master- much to Severus' delight.
"Nox!" Severus said and the light from his wand-ring extinguished, he then muttered two glamour charms and felt a sudden rush of cold air as his and Harry's clothing took on the outward appearances of the Ancient Egyptians.
"You lead the apparition since you know where we are going." In actual fact Severus did not know, he had only seen the pictures that Michael had drawn... he imagined the grand staircase near to Michael and Hermione's chambers before he apparated them both... with his fingers crossed for good luck and a huge leap of faith.
~~*~~
Michael wrote another line in the diary. He was not even certain Severus could read the copied diary but he decided he would keep the log entries for posterity if nothing else. He had just finished drawing some more pictures and was going to try and close the log entry before trying to sleep. He had not managed to get much sleep the previous night due to the incessant rain pounding on the ground outside.
... so, there you have it, a few more pictures for you. I think that if this rain keeps up we shall all have to move into the upstairs accommodation here in Memphis. I'm currently sitting in the chambers that Hermione and I were given when we had our job promotion...
There was a popping noise... one noise that was short and sharp but most definitely there. Michael looked up towards the entranceway to the chambers but saw nothing. He glanced back down at the page and wrote again.
I've just heard a noise... this place is usually exceptionally quiet but you never know with Sekhmet on the rampage these days, especially as she only comes out at night...
Now, there was a thought... what if it had been the crazed deity that had made that noise? He shook his head, he was becoming paranoid. He continued his entry into the diary.
...and it's dark now... What...oh my word...
There were shuffling noises and Michael gripped his transfigured quill tightly in his hand, not noticing as the nib cut the end of his finger and blood spotted across the diary page he had been writing on. He looked towards the door as his heart pounded in his chest very audibly and his breathing quickened.
Michael squinted in the candle light as he saw a shadow approaching him he cocked his head to the side and started to back away slowly. Before he had a chance to think there was a shimmer in front of him and two people emerged from an invisibility cloak dressed in the skimpiest clothing Michael had yet seen on any Ancient Egyptian.
"How..." Michael began, he was utterly speechless. Severus Snape and Harry Potter stood before him. Severus took one look at the open diary on the table and glared back at Michael with pure venom and murder in his eyes. With lightening reflexes he reached out and grabbed Michael by the throat tightly, shoving him up against the nearest wall. "Urgh... S-Sn...a..p..e.."
"You put me through hell!" Severus rasped and spat in his face as Michael continued to choke and turn blue.
"S..n..a.." Michael tried again but couldn't speak, his larynx was becoming completely blocked off as he flailed his arms to try and push the older and stronger wizard away.
"Severus, don't." Harry urged as he stepped into Snape's field of view and tried to pull the two apart.
"Stay out of this, Potter!" Severus snapped. "This ingrate has put me and my son through absolute hell. How could you write that?"
"He cannot answer you if you choke him to death." Harry reasoned. Severus released Michael and watched as he slid to the sand covered floor coughing and spluttering.
"D-do w-w-what?" Michael choked and coughed out.
"You had me believe you had been attacked. Killed, that my wife was left here in this land all alone with a maniac on the loose! The blood on the diary sent my mind in all directions, each and every one of them worse than the last image conjured by the visions that you instilled in my brain!" Severus breathed shallowly as he spoke quickly and with pure acidic tones.
"Blood?" Michael asked. "What did you read?"
"What you have just written..." Severus growled.
"But how could that make you think..." Michael looked down at his hands and noticed his cut finger, actively bleeding. "Ah, here is where the blood is from. I must have cut my finger on the quill when you scared me with all that noise." Michael said, holding his finger up for Severus to see and defending himself.
"Seven weeks have I gone through hurt and sorrow caused by what you have just written!" Severus shouted, Michael had never seen his former Potions Master so angry before and was truly quite scared.
"But..."
"But what!" He snapped at Michael.
"I wouldn't have written it had it not been for you scaring me!" Michael tried to reason.
Severus was speechless, he hated time travel and paradoxes were simply mind numbing to him. He turned his back and began to pace. So, this was his fault; fuelled by an over active imagination on his part? It was all logical when you thought about it really. He sighed heavily and turned back to Michael.
"Where is my wife?" Severus asked massaging his temples and breathing deeply to affect some modicum of calm again.
"In the palace at Heliopolis under the most watchful eye of Hathor," Michael said with a croaky voice.
"Take me there," Severus demanded.
"We cannot go there until tomorrow morning, it is not safe," Michael countered.
"Why?"
"Sekhmet is in town shall we say?" Severus sighed and sat down on a stone bench wincing as the cold hit his bear legs. "You know, you are allowed to wear more than what you currently are. You are dressed as Nubian slaves."
"Well, could you help us out?" Harry asked.
"Certainly, Harry," Michael waved his wand-ring and set the glamour charm to convert their outward appearances to what he was thinking they should look like. "There you go."
"Thank you," Harry said as he looked at Severus and saw that he looked more like Royalty than a slave; when Harry looked down at himself he could only see what he was really wearing- his Muggle-type clothing.
"So... how have you been?" Harry tried a he rocked on his heels and looked over at Michael, trying to break the tension that was becoming thick in the air.
"Erm... fine I guess." Michael responded as he glanced over at Severus who was holding his head in his hands now. "It is strange living in this time frame. The Ancient Egyptians believe in magic however, so if we do something not within Egyptian Muggle keeping then it is explained by way of some deity wanting to give us a gift."
"What of Hermione?" Severus asked quietly.
"Severus she is fine, really. Quite big now with her pregnancy but Hathor is the deity of childbirth so therefore she is in the best hands Egypt currently has to offer." Michael sighed, "I have not been allowed to see much of her and when I do, she comments on how tired she feels and that Hathor is constantly keeping watch on her."
"And this Sekhmet woman... What of her?" Harry asked.
"Woman?" Michael raised his eyebrow. "Sekhmet could not be further from being classed as a woman, Harry."
"Then what is Sekhmet?"
"That is a very good question. Sekhmet is a deity invoked by the sun god Re. She takes the form of a lioness with perhaps some human characteristics. It is said that if you see Sekhmet in person, that she will be the last thing you will see." Michael paused. "She is close, her crusade to rid Egypt of those who oppose Re has moved very close to Memphis. We are expecting her to surface any night now."
"Tonight?"
"Perhaps," Michael nodded. "I thought you two might in fact be her."
"When can we leave for Heliopolis?" Severus asked.
"First light. I shall take you both there but I hold no hope that you will be able to see Hermione however, so I suggest that you bring along Harry's cloak." Michael yawned deeply. "Now, if you two don't mind, I have had a very long day and need to sleep. You can transfigure your own beds if you like. The facilities are beyond basic so you'll just have to make do I'm afraid." Harry nodded as Severus sat and stared into space. "Will he be okay?" Michael asked Harry as he nodded in Snape's direction.
"He'll be fine as soon as he sees Hermione in person and knows she is safe and well in his own mind," Harry replied. Michael nodded before saying good night and heading off to bed.
It was going to be a long wait for the morning, Severus could not sleep; it was still mid afternoon to him after all.