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 Fifteen

Sekhmet appeared in the centre of town. No alleyways or shadows for her, she would spread fear from the word go, only escaping in the shadows when the hunt was on. She needed a drink, craved a drink. Thankfully the host mind was still unconscious so at least she didn't have to put up with its incessant complaining about why Sekhmet should need to drink blood of all things.

Looking around the immediate vicinity it was very quiet, nothing unusual these days at this time of night. The word of Sekhmet had spread over the Land of Egypt faster than wildfire and everyone was now taking the precaution of staying out of the darkness and behind walls whenever there was a possibility that their town could be targeted. Something was different though; there was a faint scent of there having been a presence of someone here, and very recently as well. Sekhmet sniffed at the air and finally caught the scent enough to be able to follow it.

She set off down the alleyway strolling dominantly and not bothering to keep out of the moon and starlight. The Gods in the sky would light the way, she had been blessed this night as the Gods had seen fit to move most of the clouds and cast light on her surroundings. The odd cloud still hung in the sky but they were of no impedance as yet. Her ears picked up the sound of the flood waters and she was able to position herself so that she knew exactly where she was within the town. The temple of Heliopolis would be two streets to the left and into the immediate centre of the town, the Nile running almost adjacent to her right.

As she moved the scent became stronger, she stopped and noted that whomever it was that was stupid enough to not have the fear of Sekhmet striked into his heart would pay dearly for his mistake. The scent of blood pulsating through living veins was strong in the area Sekhmet stood in at the moment; the midnight wanderer had paused for some time in exactly the same spot before moving off in a direction to the left. Sekhmet followed the scent as her predatory instincts took over. The hunt was most definitely on and soon she would feed.

Severus bent at his knees and scooped up some water into the container he had conjured. The Nile water was cool as it lapped against his feet and served to heighten his tactile senses. His mind was full of the night's events and he was trying to sort them out in vein. It would take a long time to analyse everything that had happened and as it seemed to be making him angrier, he would leave it all for now and focus on what he was doing. Even this close to the Nile was dangerous due to the endemic wildlife; crocodiles and alligators were vast in number in Ancient Egypt. They were eaten by those high up in society and worshipped by the general population but it still wasn't wise to encounter one in the dead of night.

He began to stand when he heard a movement behind him of the bank. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he could feel his heart starting to pound. He turned slowly and came face to face with the grotesque appearance of Sekhmet. Severus didn't back away, just stared at the figure around ten metres in front of him.

"A little unconcerned of the dangers that nightfall brings?" Sekhmet asked in a cool and condescending voice.

"Not at all, I am able to take care of myself," Severus responded.

"Really?"

"Really," Severus replied. His wand ring still on his finger, all he had to do was to raise his hand and mutter any incantation he chose to name… avada kedavra sounded good right now.

Hermione began to wake up again sensing it was time to rile Sekhmet a bit more. Sekhmet had been busy with other concerns and so had not realised in time in order to suppress her host. Hermione looked through her own eyes and noted she was no longer in the palace. Where? She looked around, forcing Sekhmet to move her head so she could take it all in. It looked like Heliopolis but then it was too dark to be sure and just about every built up area had a river front view. It was a warm night but… no… it was a cool night… she could smell heat though… where from?

"Ah, I feel you awake, my dear."

"Yes, I shall not lie and wait for you to kill. I shall not let you…"

"Yes, yes, yes. Promises, promises," Sekhmet drawled. "However, you distract me. Our prey is right in front of us and we shall feast on his blood and drink heartily. Hahahahahaha." Hermione looked straight ahead and a little down the bank to the water's edge… and a little further in to the water. Hermione's hearty began to pound loudly in her ear for she was looking at Severus… but how? How did he get to be here? How? She could not let Sekhmet know that this was her husband; she had to protect him at all costs.

Severus had edged back slightly when he noticed Sekhmet's focus was elsewhere for a short time. It was hard to move quietly with in the water but he found that he could if he moved very slowly. He was close to a bed of reeds and if necessary he could dive and hide in there, be the company of a sleeping crocodile; he'd sooner take on such a beast than the one that was currently after his blood.

"Oh, do not attempt to run for I shall only hunt you down anyway," Sekhmet said with a raised voice. Severus remained very still.

"Sekhmet," Hermione said but the deity was not listening. "Sekhmet!"

"What!"

"We cannot have his blood….."

"Do not be ridiculous." Sekhmet moved forward suddenly and entered the water; Severus dived to the side as the goddess came within a whiskers breadth and swiped out with a clawed hand. Severus had been a little slow though and the claw had ripped painfully into his upper bicep. Blood ebbed from the wound onto his clothing.

"Wounded!" Sekhmet shrieked at her achievement and the scent of fresh pouring blood drove her almost to greater insanity.

Severus moved into the reed bed as quickly as he could, putting some distance between them. He made it through the reeds and onto the embankment before Sekhmet even knew he had moved. It would be a simple thing to aparate away from the area but he had inadvertently dropped his container of water and there was no way he was going to come back another time in order to collect it. If his life ended here and now, then so be it. Callum was being taken great care of and other than that all of his affairs were in order and he had nothing else to live for.

"I smell your fear, your blood marks where you have trod," Sekhmet cried as she turned in the water and began to approach the shoreline again, edging her way closer to Severus.

"I am thirsty!" Hermione shouted in her mind.

"Yes, we shall drink very soon."

"No! He is of Royal blood, he will kill us!" Hermione retorted.

"Royal blood? How!"

"He bears the mark, on his left arm and he has the power of magic gifted from the gods."

"What is this! You are trying to distract me!"

"No, he shall prove it to you, mark my words. If you corner him anymore then he will lash of with the power the gods have given him. We shall both be destroyed."

"I…" Sekhmet stopped the internal banter and took pause. Something else had distracted her. There was noise in the distance, chanting, and beating of drums. A faint glow took precedence in the distance against the dark sky… and she could smell blood… many people were out. Her sense of smell and hearing told her that the commotion was coming from the area of the nearby flax fields. If it was true that the man in front of her indeed did have Royal blood, then she might as well cut her losses and feed from the numerous people who seemed to be having a party in the flax fields. "We have another area to investigate, I smell fresh meat… come!" Sekhmet suddenly took off in a rage as she cut close to Severus and raced past him as fast as her pregnant hosts' body would carry her.

Severus sighed as he watched her race off. What on earth was that all about! He shook his head and collected his canister of water before racing off in the same direction. He would find out what was going on and if possible, put a stop to this carnage.

When they had aparated back to the palace, Harry had taken the invisibility cloak and had gone off in search of Hermione while Michael headed in the direction of the throne room where he was hopeful that he would find Re. The palace was full of high priests and they were all milling around in small groups, speaking in hushed voices. It was very lively for this time of night, usually there would only be a few guards patrolling whilst the inhabitants of the palace slept.

"Mensah!" Michael stopped dead for it seemed that Re had found him instead.

"My Lord," Michael intoned as he bowed deeply.

"He has escaped!" Re told him, "Though how, I do not know. The guards were not knocked unconscious and seemed to just see him vanish into thin air."

"Perhaps he had help from the Gods, my Lord?" Michael asked.

"Perhaps, but it was not foretold to me in the flax fields. Perhaps the Gods are angry with me at this carnage across my land? Perhaps Sekhmet has gone too far. I have ordered her to stop but she has seemed to develop her own agenda. The local people have devised a plan, something we may have talked about already… it is to happen tonight!"

"Tonight, my Lord?" Michael asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, we will put a stop to Sekhmet once and for all… in Memphis… she will gorge on fake blood until she is without her senses and so inebriated that she forgets her agenda once and for all."

"Yes, my Lord. I remember your plan well," Michael replied. "Such a noble plan, my Lord… very ingenious." Re nodded before heading off back down the corridor and leaving Michael standing. Well at least Severus had gotten himself to freedom, one less person to worry about.

Time to find Harry, Michael thought as he headed off towards Hermione's quarters.

"Why me anyway?" Hermione asked the evil parasite in her brain.

"You have too many questions," Sekhmet said as she had been forced to slow down considerably and walk the rest of the way due to the host's baby pressing heavily up on her diaphragm, and making it difficult to take in huge gulps of air. She would have to refrain from using the element of surprise and sneak towards the group of people instead, which would also give her time to catch her breath as well.

"Well?"

"Why not you?" Sekhmet retorted.

"That is not an answer. You cannot reply to my question with another question." Hermione pressed.

"Fine! If it will get you to shut up so that I can think then I shall tell you!" Sekhmet replied angrily. "You have Royal blood, powers that even I am not familiar with. You are more powerful than Hathor. When Hathor invoked my spirit into the room the first time when you were present as well, I saw greater scope with your body than hers. So, I took you as my host instead, much to Hathor's rage, though she would never show it to me. You had more to give me though, well so I thought. We would be great if we were not with child anyway."

"Thank you," Hermione said simply.

"What for!"

"For answering my question. You can be very annoying you know." Hermione told her matter-of-factly.

"Hahahahaha. You will not have to put up with me for long, my dear… rather I will not have to put up with you for much longer. You have become more bothersome than I thought possible. When the parasite has been birthed, you shall die and I shall take full control of this body and its powers." Sekhmet told her chillingly.

They moved towards the fields up ahead and paused in the shadows to survey what was happening. Lying in wait, they watched until it was time to strike.

"She's not here!" Michael told Harry as he felt the adrenaline rush through his body, close to the edge of panic.

"Well, where is she then!" Harry asked as he approached Michael in the middle of Hermione's chambers.

"I don't know but look." Michael pointed towards the book lying on the side; it was the Book of Shadows. Harry approached. "Don't touch it, Harry!"

"I won't, Michael, I know what it is capable of." Harry retorted. "It looks different."

"I see that, perhaps it is just because it is newer."

"Maybe. I could never see the symbols that Hermione saw anyway." Harry said.

"Should we take it with us? We can carry it in a bag, not having to touch it at all, use magic to transfer it like we did in our own time." Harry thought long and hard before shaking his head.

"No, we should leave it, Michael. If we take it then that will inadvertently disrupt the time line." Harry sighed, so many things had happened because of this book, namely the rise and fall of at least two of history's worst Dark Wizards but although it was tempting, they could not change the timeline. "Come on; let's get back to your quarters. Snape will meet us there and we can see what to do about Hermione then. We should try a locating spell when we get back."

"Agreed," Michael said before they both aparated out of the palace.

Sekhmet had waited long enough. She had watched curiously as the locals had pulled large vats of blood into the middle of the field. She knew it was blood as the smell was very pungent, nectar from the gods to Sekhmet's nose, and fresh as well.

She was thirsty and hungry and could wait no longer, the locals had all moved away and supposedly gone back home… out of sight anyway. Sekhmet moved out of the darkness and made her way into the field. There were two vats and they were full of fresh blood. Mouth wateringly tasty and the smell made her stomach rumble. There was movement behind her and she turned just as she was about to drink deeply.

"Goddess Sekhmet," A young male worker knelt on the ground and bowed deeply. "I am from the cult of Re and we bring you this gift of blood." He showed Sekhmet his left arm and the eye of Re symbol could be clearly seen. He was a follower of Re and therefore Sekhmet could not kill him. She could trust him since he was a follower, close follower of Re. "Drink well."

"Your gift is accepted and greatly needed this night," Sekhmet replied before pushing her face down to the vat of blood and drinking heartily. Hermione could think of nothing worse and she was having difficulty trying to stop from passing out at the thought of what her body was actually drinking. Muggle news stories of CJD and HIV sprung to her mind and she hoped beyond all that was good that she and her unborn baby were not going to become infected with anything. Then a strange feeling began to overtake the way her mind was working and she began to see things in an odd light. She was floating on a cloud, free from all pain and concern. In total euphoria and nothing mattered to her at all. This was a feeling she had not had since she had been in university and had had one of her Christmas drinks spiked with alcohol.

Sekhmet continued to drink; completely unaware of what was going on. It seemed that Sekhmet was only in need of nourishment and couldn't care less about anything anyway. She finished off the first vat of blood cocktail before staggering over to the next vat and lunging in with a loud giggle. About twenty minutes of drinking from the second vat decided that she had had enough and she collapsed to the floor both minds unconscious.

Severus had been watching from the sidelines in complete awe that the Ancient Egyptian legend seemed to actually have its own weight in history. He stayed at the side and observed as the young Egyptian male from earlier stepped forward and began an incantation. Within minutes the spirit of Sekhmet left the body of Hermione Granger-Snape, laughing drunkenly as she ascended back to her heavenly home, and the features of the crazed goddess changed back to those of Talibah. Several more locals moved into the scene and picked up Hermione's limp body. They would take her to the Palace where she would undergo the process of mummification ready for her journey to the Underworld. Hermione was assumed to be dead; after all, didn't everyone just see her spirit leave?