Obviously anything from the books isn't mine…
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Thanks so much for the reviews, I hope you enjoy this long, strange, trip that continues with:
Chapter 4
Snape was going to remain at El Jamila, the name given to Ayoob and Latifah's home derived from the name of one of his ancestors, and Hermione felt a jealous desire to stay too but she knew she wasn't prepared to confront him and would more likely hide from him the entire weekend. She decided the trip to Casablanca would be good, though, she was anxious to see another magical city and she desperately needed some new clothes. Her jeans were getting really well worn in but they were too hot for going to the beach everyday.
She had begun charming a piece of fruit to act as alarm clock and afterwards, a prelude to breakfast. She had awoken earlier than usual because they were leaving early but since she decided not to pack anything, just to buy new things, she had time to kill and walked onto her balcony. Leaning on the railing, she pulled apart flanges of orange and watched with surprise as Snape swam to shore. He had a long, loping stroke, hardly bending his elbows and slowly and evenly breathing from both sides, despite the choppy water. As he approached the impact zone he sped up and caught a wave, keeping one arm out in front of him and even shaking his hair out of his face. It looked like so much fun that Hermione laughed gleefully, imagining the feeling and determined to try it herself when they had returned from Casablanca.
He was walking out of the water, now, dragging his feet a little, sending splatters of the water rushing back to the ocean ahead of him and he lifted his arms to pull his hair back and squeeze water out. Hermione set aside her ambivalence towards him and allowed herself to admire his body. This morning she conceded that she found him attractive, really attractive and this no doubt complicated their awkward meetings and conversations in the house. She had finally begun to engage him in conversation at the table although the conversation was decidedly impersonal and appropriate for the girls. Nothing about Voldemort, Dumbledore, or their past relationship as terrorized student and infamous teacher. She had determined that despite his lab, he hadn't been seriously brewing but was instead working on a new project. She wanted to know what it was.
As she became more famiiar with this new man she observed that he was quick to laugh and hadn't lost his dry sense of humour. She saw with relief that the girls could laugh at it, his voice having lost its bitterness and hatefulness. She often found herself jealous of his easy rapport with the Soumalis. He usually spoke very carefully and formally with her, as though walking on eggshells. It was the combined physical attraction with his new joie de vivre and standoffishness that made him so appealing to her in a masochistic sort of way and she was reminded of her crush on Sirus Black the summer after her third year. How ironic. But the fact that he had before been so repulsive and was now so beautiful gave her hope.
It wasn't like he had morphed into the conventionally attractive males like Draco and Ron had become, but his strong features and intensity had always been recognized for their potential by the females at Hogwarts and handsome was not an unusual word to describe him, but it had always been qualified by the frustrated comment, "If only he'd wash his hair!" She had never had much confidence in her own physical desirability and was used to being intimidated by the physically attractive. Hermione knew what her strengths were and she wasn't terribly worried about this weakness, in fact she had always thought it was fair; she knew she intimidated most of her peers and most people in general, whenever she opened her mouth.
His body was much like the sinewy arms she had begun to know so well: long, slim and strong and he had a deep, rich tan. By lifting up his arms he drew attention to the inverted triangle of his torso and she admired the width of his shoulders in proportion to his slim waist and hips. She allowed her eyes to follow the lines of the muscles and the thin trail of dark hair as they disappeared into his skintight shorts. He had a large jagged scar on his back and it corresponded to a slight stiffness she had noticed in him sometimes. Maybe she would never be able to fully heal all of her own wounds either.
He bent down at the dry sand and picked up a small towel and began to dry himself off. And then he looked up at Hermione with a smile on his face. It was a genuine smile, a reflection of the glee she had experienced watching him and she knew that he was not mocking her and that he probably did not realize that she had been admiring him- his swim and bodysurfing had felt as good as she had imagined they did. She smiled back and waved. His smile changed, as though he was now smiling, not just in general, but at her. A thrill ran down her spine and she shivered despite the warm morning and she tossed him half of her orange. He bobbled it a bit but caught it at the tips of his long fingers and tore off a flange with his teeth. He gave her a sort of salute and at that moment Suhair knocked on Hermione's door, telling her it was time that they left. When she turned back, Snape was eating the orange with the towel over one of his shoulders looking at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. She waved at him again, in goodbye, and he held up one hand in response.
The foreign laws that allowed Firdaus and Suhair to practice magic at such a young age also prevented non-emergency side-along apparitions, most likely funded by the very wealthy and powerful carpet weavers and sellers. Arthur Weasley had finally succeeded in getting flying carpets legalized in the UK, but Hermione had not yet experienced one so instead of meeting the family at Latifah's mother's riad, she rode with them. She found the ride much more comfortable and less terrifying than her broomstick, a hippogriff or a thestral and lamented their great cost- she would have liked one to replace the broomstick she rarely and only begrudgingly used.
They landed on the rooftop terrace in the middle of the bustling, modern city. Hermione peeked over the edge of the ceiling to the city below filled with honking cars, ringing cell phones, carts filled with fresh fruit… and then she noticed. Little mirages.
"The mirages are magical people and things who want to avoid muggle interaction, but not all do. It is a very common charm in desert parts of the wizarding world. It is an easier charm than most other deflection charms and it is easily recognized for what it is by someone who knows how to look," Latifah explained.
Hermione nodded as she watched a woman slide clearly into view after emerging from her mirage in order to by an ice cream cone. The man used a wand to scoop it, making Hermione smile.
"The magical and muggle are better integrated here than in England, I think you will enjoy it. In the old medina in Fes, they coexist more thoroughly than anywhere else in Morocco, to the point that magic is used, without muggle knowledge, to clean the streets of garbage and to clean the water. With the magical elements included, a map of that souq would be twice as large- the market in Fes is where magical Europe and Africa meet. Perhaps you and I should apparate to the Fessi souk instead- after you meet my mother."
Khadija Abdelhafid was indeed a formidable witch, despite being even tinier than her daughter, she brought Hermione's head down to meet her and kissed her on both cheeks. Hermione looked her in the eye and was caught like a deer in headlights. She felt the way she had under Dumbledore's inquisitive gaze and knew the woman was using a nonintrusive form of legilimency on her- to read her emotions instead of her thoughts and memories. Hermione did not object to this form because her mother was incredibly sensitive to the people around her and insisted it wasn't ESP but merely paying attention to the needs and wants of others.
Khadija traced the lines of her hands and looked at Hermione again. "May I?" She asked in French.
Hermione nodded and Khadija continued to examine her hands, powerful magic rolling off her in waves. Hermione held her breath and expected the fortune telling of a lifetime, momentarily forgetting her opinion of Sybil Trelawney.
"Mother!" Latifah exclaimed walking into the room to see them. "Did you ask first?"
"Of course, my dear." Khadija looked up and smiled warmly at Hermione but the examination from her eyes was sharp.
"You are very well loved, you know this. And the people who love you trust you. How much they trust you, however, you do not know. But your opinion is taken with greater weight than those of others. Before you come to any conclusions that you want to share, make sure you think of the repercussions of your words. I'm told you are a great scholar so I expect that you are a truth seeker. Continue on that quest."
Hermione exhaled and allowed herself to be pulled down again and Khadija squeezed her hands. "How are you enjoying El Jamila?"
Hermione squeezed back, "It's beautiful and… so much more than I had expected."
Latifah came along side them and addressed her mother in Arabic, too rapidly for Hermione to glean any meaning from the words.
Khadija answered, "La." She addressed Hermione, smiling, "Have fun," gathering up the girls and rapidly conversing with them.
"Ayoob is going to take the girls into the market so we can go to Fes, Hermione."
Latifah hummed a musical sounding charm, Ijdaki, and Hermione knew it was directed at her.
"What…?"
"So when you get lost I can find you."
So when and not if Hermione thought to herself alarmed.
Latifah laughed at the concern in Hermione's face and taking her hand prepared to apparate. "Yes, when you get lost it will be entirely your fault! You will stop to look at something and I will have to come for you. Just find the nearest magical interior and I will be able to apparate to your side."
"I've never heard of a charm like that except in dark magic. It is possible to apparate to locations but not to a person's side unless…" Her eyes widened.
"It is something Severus has made. It is wonderful for taking the girls into the market. Do you object to my using it on you?" Latifah looked at her impatiently.
"Well, no. It isn't permanent is it?" Hermione giggled nervously.
"No." Latifah smiled.
"Can you tell me how it works and teach it to me?"
Latifah broke out laughing. "You will have to ask Severus. And I will tell him that he was right about your inquisitiveness! Let's go."
Latifah was right. Within ten minutes Hermione stopped to admire a gazelle skin and ask about potions ingredients from Cameroon and Khadija had been swept along in the current of the market and had to apparate for her. She had a magnificent time admiring the Moroccan fabrics and leather crafts and splurged a bit on a soft cotton hooded robe (djeliba), babouches a wide braided leather belt, and a satchel in leather and some simple, colourfully striped and locally loomed cotton dresses. She also bought a pair of faux Ray Ban aviators in honour of Antoine de Saint Exupery. She spent most of her money on potions ingredients from Sub-Saharan Africa and discussed with most of the shops in either French or English preservation techniques for the ingredients and substitutes. Latifah was involved in most of the conversations; having lived in Morocco she was very comfortable with bridging techniques between Europe and Africa.
Finally they sat for coffee, Hermione was a bit disappointed she couldn't get a large mug of steaming hot dark roast like she could at El Jamila and contented herself with the traditional small cup like she had the night of Ayoob's birthday party. The memory made her blush. She heard titters and whistles and looked up. She had an audience of young muggle men, about her age and younger. She noticed that she attracted a lot of attention here, unlike Hogwarts or in London and she was determined to enjoy it. She smiled at Latifah.
"We are very happy to have you with us this summer, Minerva was right about you. The girls adore you and they have accomplished so much in English, botany, you have far exceeded our expectations. Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Immensely, Latifah. In fact I was worried I was enjoying myself too much!" She paused. "I haven't spoken to Prof… erm, Severus about this yet but I have been thinking that I would like to take the girls into the lab. Firdaus did not do many of the potions first years at Hogwarts do so I think both girls could benefit. I don't know if Severus would allow us to be in his lab but I decided to ask you first anyways, because if you were not happy with the idea there would be no point in bothering him."
Latifah smiled. "I think that is an excellent idea, Hermione. But make sure it is alright with him first. Really alright. The girls love him very much and with his experience I approached him about tutoring the girls a few years ago and he was greatly opposed to the idea, he thought… well." She looked inquisitively at Hermione. "Was he really that bad?"
Hermione had been seeking out and dreading this conversation. She took a deep breath and hoped for equanimity. "Yes." She paused. "And no. He was cruel and bitter and unfair. But he was also the most intelligent man I've ever known and he shared that with us in our classroom. I learned more from him than most of my other teachers combined and he stoked the desire to specialize in potions at the Ministry. Professor Snape was both the best teacher and the cruelest man I've ever known. I don't know who the man living in your house is." She stopped and looked at Latifah, asking for forgiveness.
Latifah sighed. "After he was exonerated and the Ministry released him, he came here. Ayoob had gone to stand with him at his hearing and he asked Ayoob for sanctuary. He slept nearly twenty hours a day for two months. He wouldn't speak about anything. Gradually he began to get up and wander around the house and the girls would follow him; they decided he was their responsibility. He began to take care of himself again, but only by muggle methods. He asked that we buy him muggle toothbrushes and toothpaste and shampoo, he bathed fiendishly often scrubbing his skin raw and losing clumps of hair and daily, collecting the water from an old muggle well and heating it with a fire lit by matches. For a while he wouldn't eat with us, instead walking 10 kilometres to the muggle village and eating at there. The girls started following him even there and that is when he began to come back to our world. He would eat with us, food made by magical methods, but he wouldn't use his wand for any reason. Firdaus thought he didn't know how and one night tried to show him."
Latifah's voice was halting. "He was devastated by his role in Albus's death and managed somehow to keep a grip on his magic to continue his role with Voldemort. But by the time it all ended he had lost his magical ability. The girls and Ayoob brought him back and he is very grateful to them. He now believes he is stronger than he ever was, he has found a kind of peace with himself but, but it is an incomplete peace, I think. It has been a very hard, lonely road for him, more terrifying because of what had happened to his mother."
Hermione was in shock. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose her magical ability at any point in her life and was horrified by the thought of what it must have been like for him in his particular situation. But she still wanted to know more. How does Ayoob know Severus? And what happened to his mother? She took the diplomatic approach and asked about his relationship with Ayoob first.
"Didn't Minerva tell… of course she didn't." This conversation was demanding more questions for every one answered.
"Ayoob was a friend of Eileen Prince's, Severus' mother." Or maybe not.
"Ayoob's father was the magical ambassador to England and Ayoob grew up there. He he was sorted into Slytherin and befriended by Eileen Prince and Tom Riddle. Ayoob was very impressed by Eileen's potions and charms abilities and they were study partners. When he was in his sixth year his father became concerned about young Mr. Riddle's politics and the effect on his son and sent Ayoob back to Morocco to study at El Jami'ia. He and Eileen continued to correspond for a few years but as his own career with the Ministry became more demnding, they eventually fell out of touch."
Latifah paused in her story to pour herself another cup of tea, delicately picking a sprig of mint from the glass. "Do you know the story about his mother?" She asked heavily.