Chapter 3 – Tjenu

THREE WEEKS LATER – 3049 B.C.E.

"It is truly a blessing to have one such as you in our village, Heru," Anedjib said, sitting down next to Harry with a contented sigh. "Per-Bastet has never seen a time of prosperity and health as this. I do not believe it is a coincidence that it started with your arrival."

Harry smiled, enjoying the breeze. Really, he should have said something about Anedjib's beliefs that he brought blessings from the gods, but after the first few months he'd given up on that as a wasted effort. Every time he'd attempted to deny the claims, the man seemed spurred on to think of more elaborate stories, and he suspected Anedjib was simply having too much fun with it to stop. Whether he truly believed any of it or not, at the very least he always maintained his importance before the other priests, which allowed him quite a bit of freedom.

For a priest, Harry thought, Anedjib was a surprisingly jovial and worldly person, and not beyond poking a little fun at things. He supposed that his limited exposure to church back in his own day was coloured by the Dursleys' reluctance to have him along at all, and only ever at the holidays, when his absence would be more peculiar than his presence. The fact that the religions of the modern day were rather fond of decrying magic as being from the devil didn't help much, either. He wiped at his eyes in annoyance; it was still unusual to live with poor eyesight, ever since he'd lost his glasses. His conjuration attempts for a proper pair of glasses had been rather unsuccessful, and though he would probably get it right eventually, he had never been quite as gifted with the field as his father was said to have been.

"Heru... I have asked this before, I know, but do you not believe you are limiting your potential by remaining here?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. "Per-Bastet flourishes by your presence, but it is but a small township, even now. Such a humble temple as ours should not be home to one such as yourself, one who has the favour of the gods beyond anyone else."

"What would I do, if I left?" Harry asked tiredly. "Everyone I know is right here. I have nowhere to go."

"You should consider travelling to the capital! Tales of your prowess have spread across the outlying villages, and some say you are the incarnation of the god Heru himself, sent among us to guide the future of our people. The unification is still so recent that many believe that your presence shows Heru was victorious over Set, and that the South has ultimately proven victorious over North. It is a matter of time before the nobility comes to search you out, or the pharaoh himself. Destiny will find you, regardless of what you choose. It may not be kind if you ignore its call."

"You've told me this a hundred times," Harry muttered, glowering. "I can't just walk up the palace and demand to see the leader of the country, that's absurd. Claiming to be a god, that's even worse. Besides, I can't just leave this village, not with leaving behind the others..."

Anedjib shrugged. "I am a priest of Bast, not her interpreter. I do not know what she intends with you. I feel that your role is not here, though."

Harry sighed, staring up into the sky. He was tempted to take Anedjib's suggestion and find a way to the capital, a place called Tjenu that was many miles upstream. Staying here in Per-Bastet was a possibility, really, but he knew that he'd get nothing done and he wouldn't find any new leads for getting back home. He'd spent more than a year here, and he had nothing. If he could go back, he'd need to find the way elsewhere. If he couldn't - well, he had the ability to make a difference with his magic and he had knowledge of many things that Ancient Egypt had not even thought of. Perhaps, in time, he could find a viable way to live here, without missing home. Thankfully his knowledge of the local language was getting fairly good, which would speed things up. In fact, he'd gotten to understand the language a lot quicker than he'd anticipated. He supposed the fact that nobody even remotely spoke his language had made the need very great; he still missed words on occasion, but they were rare and far between. Mostly those words he paused on were Anedjib's, who had studied a fair bit and knew many technical terms.

A counterpoint to leaving was that the only people he knew were here. They were the only people who knew him, or with whom he was willing to speak about uncomfortable topics. Ahaneith and Nebit were fairly well-off as far as commoners went, but Harry knew that it was unlikely that they rise above that level in this culture. Egypt had a class system of sorts, in which the vast labour force was always lower in status than the intelligentsia, the scribes and leaders. Above them all, of course, was the nobility, and the pharaoh himself.

Ancient Egypt – or just Egypt, he supposed – was a different culture than the bits and pieces he remembered from Bill's books or the vague generalities he'd heard from Hermione in the weeks before he left England. For one, as far as he was aware there were no pyramids, or sphinxes, or anything massive like that, and as far as he knew, not even their idea had occured to people. When did the first of those get built, anyway?

"Anedjib..." Harry frowned. "The pharaoh, what do you know about him?" Technically, Harry had figured out, the term 'pharaoh' wasn't used, it was just the word that instantly jumped to his mind whenever Egyptian royalty came up. Still, the vague term they actually used amounted to the same thing, especially since the few images of these 'rulers' that the village had all showed a rather distinctive headdress that he instantly recognized; large and bulky. A 'khat', as the locals called it.

The priest smiled victoriously at Harry's question, probably assuming his advice was finally being taken seriously. "The current pharaoh is Djer, son of Aha, who has only been in his new role for mere months. I have not seen him personally, nor know of his disposition, but I can speculate... It is expected that he will fulfil his role like his father before him, who enjoyed a long reign, and to continue to reign in the god Heru's place." The man shrugged. "Aha was a wise ruler, and I have heard no ill words about his progeny. He had great faith in the gods, and he will surely have instilled an attention to their worship in his heir. That is all I can tell you."

"There is a new face in the royal halls, then." Harry shrugged. "Perhaps it would be a good time to leave. If I'm going to meet anyone like that, I'd rather it be someone that isn't set in his ways. I'll speak to the others about it, first, though."

"Hmmm, the lady Ahaneith and her sibling," Anedjib agreed. "You shouldn't remain here simply for their benefit, Heru. I am certain they would understand."

"It's not that easy, and you know it," Harry retorted tiredly. "You know that I help them with their little shop; I deliver the majority of the precious materials that they sell, and these days I even help with moulding the metals. If I leave, the two of them will lose their livelihood, and I know that even with your considerable power, the other priests would readily turn them away."

"So pessimistic," the priest muttered. "This village would not be so callous as to turn away those who brought splendour. The villagers are not that petty."

"And what happens when the water turns stale, once more? When grain refuses to flourish under the harsh sun and the harvest is lost? When disease returns to the village and claims its first victims?" Harry shook his head. "Just as they credit me now, they will blame me then. When I am gone, there is only one place they can aim their anger."

"You would take away the boons of this village?" Anedjib asked, curious rather than angry. "Surely the gods are not so easily moved?"

"You still don't understand, old man," Harry murmured. "This 'blessing' you see is not the gods intervening just because I am here. I'm the reason you have clean water and food, that's true, but that's because I'm maintaining those personally. When I leave, so does everything else that I brought after only a short while. I am the blessing."

Harry thought about the issues that his particular set of magical skills posed. The charms he knew would stick around for months, some perhaps for years, but Harry hardly had the expertise to place the kind of permanent enchantment that Dumbledore had probably been capable of. He was fresh out of Hogwarts, and that had hardly been a calm learning environment, so he was rowing with the oars he had. It was a bit of luck that he'd spent a year camping, so he knew these nifty spells for cleaning up wells and keeping food fresh, or even duplicating it. Still, they were meant for camping, not to supply an entire village for an extended period. They would not continue their function for very long.

Anedjib didn't seem to notice Harry's pensive mood, merely looking serenely on. "The gods acts outside of our sight as well as in it. The gifts you've shown are doubtlessly their doing. Even if you disagree with their ideas or movements. If it is Per-Bastet's fate to return to squalor, then at least we may remember the days that the blessed of Heru walked in our midst, and the wonders that he brought. Perhaps it is within your power to see to our safety from the capital. The gods will lead you down the path you should follow, rather than the one you or I might find pleasant"

"The gods lead me down the path I should, rather than the one I would like?" Harry smiled slightly. "I had a teacher once, that said something very similar. 'We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy,' he argued." He stared up at the clouds and sighed. "There is one thing I can tell you, at least, that might lighten your heart. I don't know the specifics, but I do know this. In time, Per-Bastet will become a mighty city with great white pillars, tall spires, and the greatest temple to Bast that Egypt ever saw." He smiled as he turned. "One day, this village turned city will house the pharaohs themselves."

Anedjib stared, wide-eyed. Harry smirked as the man finally realized he was gaping and abruptly closed his mouth. "Truly?"

"I swear," Harry assured him. He had no clue exactly when that would be - probably centuries in the future - but he had a sneaking suspicion that the recent expansion of the village and the arrival of craftsmen and others into the village had turned it into a little more than just another village. In a few years, it would be a respectable town. Who knew,perhaps the great city of Bubastis of which he'd seen the ruins himself had been seeded into existence by his own interference. Blessed by Bast, as they said, the small town had become a little more. A chill ran down his back as he realized what he could do here, in the past, what power he really had. He didn't know if he could change the future, but he sure as hell was going to try and make things better. He knew well enough that history was plagued with injustice.

Harry thought about what he was doing. He'd been using his magic left and right since the whole town had found out, but the local myths and legends ran deep, and many saw him and his wand as channels of divine will. Most believed that it was Per-Bastet's hospitality to the stranger with the strange language that had led to this golden age, as if it had been a test that they had passed. If he left, though… would they believe that their blessing had passed, and go on with their lives, or would they do as he expected, and lash out? Would Per-Bastet sink back into obscurity?

"I thank you for your prophetic words," Anedjib said, at last, bowing deeply. "I have never known you to surround yourself with lies, so I will keep your words as a good sign of things to come. It would indeed be a great loss if you left." He looked up and smiled. "Keeping one such as you here seems like a selfish act, though. The name of Heru has great meaning among the nobility. They would welcome you with open arms. The future should not be told to me, but to the pharaoh, so that our nation may become even more prosperous."

"I told it to you because you're a friend, Anedjib. I am not an oracle, I don't claim to predict future events. I simply have some... advantages." Harry glanced at the hut that had been his home for the past months. It wasn't much, but he was used to a one-bedroom household anyway. The idea of leaving it behind for a city he'd never even heard of didn't sit well with him. He'd essentially be giving up on his life all over again, and this time voluntarily. The city was quite a distance away, so apparating back and forth would not be very practical, and he had little to no idea how to make a proper Portkey. At least he could keep the water fresh if he came back here occasionally, but the rest... he would have to say goodbye to this place, as even in the best of cases, he would only be an occasional visitor. He turned to Anedjib. "I will make my decision before the spring season arrives."

"That is all that I can ask." The man bowed slightly. "I will pray that you will receive guidance."

FOUR MONTHS LATER – 3049 B.C.E.

"I'm leaving."

Nebit raised an eyebrow, and then nodded sharply, going back to eating his chunk of bread. Ahaneith didn't seem to have even heard him, though her eyes jumped to him, and after a few silent moments, she broke the silence.

"We've known you were thinking of moving away," she began. Harry frowned at that. "Priest Anedjib asked us to speak to you about your plans, but we thought it would be best to simply let you decide on your own."

"It's the least we could do, after the role you played in getting us here," Nebit added gruffly. "This life would have been beyond us, without you. I know you do not see it as a burden, but I do appreciate that you chose to speak up for us, rather than to send us back. We merely offered you a bed to recover, after all."

"You really should stop thinking of me as a higher being," Harry muttered tiredly. "You've seen me battered and bruised, I'm just a person. I get enough nonsense from Anedjib, thank you."

Nebit snorted. "When a bird says that you should stop watching its wings, since it is simply a lizard, what do you say? Perhaps it is a humble bird, or a crazy bird, but it is still what it is. You are a bird among lizards, willing to talk away your wings, just so they do not fear you. Do not worry; we are not so easily frightened."

Harry sighed. "A bird, eh?"

"I know about that, yes. I have seen you," Nebit said, smirking, glancing at his sister. "I followed you out into the wastes, where you go to think, to commune."

"You followed me?" Harry sputtered. "Oh, don't tell me…"

"I saw you speak to the Bennu, yes. You spoke to the manifestation of the morning sun itself, and it did not remove itself from your presence, as it does with all common men. Instead the Bennu answered with its own call." Nebit smiled. "Then I knew for certain that you were not the lizard that you so vehemently claim to be, not a common man. The sun acknowledges you as an equal, and his creatures with him."

Harry sighed, shaking his head. He'd gone to find the Phoenixes a few times, and clearly he hadn't paid attention at least once; he used the long hikes as a time to think, a time away from all the people, and he supposed he shouldn't have expected privacy. It was true what Nebit said, that the beautiful birds would shy away from Muggles, flashing away in an instant. When it came to him, though, it seemed that the Phoenixes were interested. It was perhaps an explanation why there were far more Phoenix-sightings by wizards in his own time, rather than by Muggles. The birds sensed magic.

"You should not try to find them on your own," Harry warned. Ahaneith seemed amused by the whole conversation. She'd already known about this, then. "This 'Bennu' is a creature that prefers solitude, and it will not allow most people to approach. I'm – different."

Nebit smiled. "I'm aware of that." He shook his head, smiling. "Before you leave, you should feast with us a last time. I have some great drinks for a long evening, so that when you leave, you will have a good memory of Per-Bastet's hospitality."

Ahaneith smiled. "It's good to see that you're moving on in your journey, Heru. It is an honour to be part of it."

Harry rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "You're welcome, I guess. I'd like to think that I won't leave everything here behind, though." Distractedly he touched the falcon necklace he wore around his neck. It was one of Ahaneith's creations, and a rather beautiful one: fashioned from the metal and gems that he'd provided, she'd shaped it into the form of a falcon, with a little help from magic. Harry had put the best charms he could on it, including the strongest protective one that he knew. He'd done the same for the smaller and simpler necklaces that Ahaneith and Nebit wore.

Ahaneith smiled enigmatically as she noticed the movement. "If you keep wearing that, I will keep mine, and we will both know the other is safe."

"Let's hope so."

"This is excellent beer," Harry slurred. He was on his sixth or seventh cup, he thought, and the buzz of the alcoholic beverage was pleasantly warm. His thoughts kept wandering to irrelevant things, and for the first time in quite a while he relaxed. "A fine brew."

"I have no idea what you just said, but I probably agree," Nebit answered, smiling broadly. "I imported this from Heliopolis, you know. It's excellent stuff, expensive too. I figured this was as good an occasion as any to drink it, though. Beer fit for a nobleman in commoner's clothing."

Harry nodded slowly, observing distractedly that everything was sloshing back and forth ever so slightly whenever he moved. He'd never actually drunk this much before, he was pretty sure, and though he knew a spell that would sober him up, its incantation was getting away from him right now. Fire whiskey was a bit too spicy to forget what you were drinking, and he'd never really had the time to try the Muggle stuff, so he was mildly interested in his erratic thoughts. He looked down at the table and was unsure whether or not it had been as few drinks as he'd counted; his cup was full again, and he was certain he hadn't refilled it.

"You're distracted, Heru." Nebit raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"No, no…" Harry shook his head. "Just thinking about what I'm leaving behind. You, Ahaneith, the home I built, even the temple... I'll miss you all." He frowned as he thought about his last 'home'. Grimmauld Place had barely been any more hospitable than Little Whinging, and he'd certainly not known as many people as he did here.

"And we will miss you," Nebit agreed. "Nevertheless, I respect your decision. It took you many months to make it, and you are the type to think deeply. I am certain that you made the right choice in the end."

"Not the easy one, that's for sure," Harry muttered, nodding. "I think I'll get some fresh air. I feel like I could fall asleep if I don't." Harry got to his feet and headed outside; the cool evening air did wonders for his clariety of mind, which he didn't mind. He probably needed more than the average person to get drunk anyway, considering the fact that firewhiskey and similar brews had a lot more alcohol in them, and he'd had quite a few more of those before. The village of Per-Bastet was silent and dark, and he was sure most of the inhabitants slept. He wondered how long it would take them to realize that he'd left.

"So, you finally had enough?"

Harry turned to find Ahaneith leaning against the wall, smiling. "If I'd known you were going to drink as much as my brother, I might've reconsidered this whole idea. It's one thing to celebrate what you've done here; it's another to get piss-drunk. You look terrible."

"Terribly gorgeous, you mean," Harry said, and then gaped in consternation. "I really did have too much…"

Ahaneith laughed softly. "My brother gets the same way, you know, all silliness or melancholia. I bet he's drinking your portion now, so he'll probably be worse than you, even. I bet he'll be snoring in his own drink by the night's end."

"Eh, he'll survive." Harry sighed, and tried to shoo away the fogginess that was crawling up to him. "It's the last night that I'm here. I think getting drunk was pretty much the general idea."

"I suppose…" Ahaneith frowned, staring down at her hands. "This might be an odd time to ask, but with you leaving, I had to know. You once asked me about getting married, and I have long wanted to ask about your own family, but whenever I do…" She hesitated as Harry looked away. "That's what I mean. You look so pained… Are you married yourself?"

"She's far, far away," Harry admitted, rubbing his forehead. "We are - were promised to each other, I guess." He shook his head and instantly regretted it, as everything spun around. He realized that his marriage to Ginny looked further away than ever. He hadn't seen her for a year, and the two years before they'd been involved in so many awful things that they'd barely had time to see each other, courtesy of Voldemort. He didn't know if he could just get back into things when he returned home – if he returned home. They'd been forced apart, and he didn't know if what they had could survive it.

"You seem so very sad…" Ahaneith leaned forward. "Is she…?"

"We were going to get married… I don't think it'll happen, now. She's beyond my reach." He sighed. "I miss everyone, you know. I miss my old life. This… isn't where I'm supposed to be. I don't think so."

"The gods have a reason for many things," Ahaneith countered. "Your arrival here, for example. You have helped many people already, and you will leave for even greater things in the morning. Sometimes, we sacrifice the things we love, for some greater purpose," Ahaneith concluded sadly. "I'm very sorry, Heru. I... I can understand, I believe."

Harry turned to her, frowning.

Ahaneith sighed. "It has to do with the reason I am not married." She bit her lower lip. "Years ago, when I was only sixteen, I was going to get married to the son of a local farmer. The marriage was planned, and I knew him well." She hesitated. "It was the week before the ceremony that I was with him, helping to build a new house we would live in. He was transporting stones and mud bricks. He wished to show me his strength, and stacked many stones upon his vehicle. The pile was too high so that it collapsed after cresting a hill, and one of the stones struck him in the side of the head."

Harry winced.

"He survived that," Ahaneith assured him quickly. "The wound to his temple made him erratic and angry, and he became very violent. I refused to marry him until he had returned to his senses, but the priest believed it was something other than the wound." She scowled. "He declared that it was the marriage that was cursed, and the gods forbade it. My house was burned and my possession ruined by the villagers who believed that a curse by Set had been responsible. I fled. My future husband… he was whipped and beaten, then killed by the priest himself."

"That's awful," Harry said, grimacing. "I'm very sorry..."

"And I am sorry for you," Ahaneith replied, nodding. "I found my brother, working as a bricklayer in one of the smaller villages. He'd been sent from home many years before, and I hadn't seen him since. He has cared for me since. I've never returned to my home, there is nobody left I would care to meet. For a long time, I believe that we would die out in the poorest of villages." She smiled slightly. "Then, a man fell out of the sky, wounded from head to toe. I could not watch a second time as someone died in front of me. I have not regretted my decision. Now… it seems like I have a future once more, thanks to you."

Harry nodded slightly. "I … suppose you understand." He sighed deeply.

Ahaneith nodded. "You will always have a roof here. You know that, at least."

Harry sighed deeply. "I do… and I appreciate what you all did for – " He was cut off quite suddenly when Ahaneith leaned in and quite forthrightly embraced him tightly. It took him a few moments to realize what he was doing, and then an even longer period of deciding whether or not he should stop. Harry looked at her with wide eyes. "What was that for?"

"Return to Per-Bastet soon, Heru of the gods," Ahaneith said simply, tapping him on the head. She winked and quickly walked away, hips swaying.

Harry just stared for a few moments, trying to figure out how things went from Ginny to dead husbands to that. "Bloody hell," he said to himself, realizing what that had just been.

People didn't kiss here - they didn't even have the concept, it seemed. Instead they nuzzled or embraced - oh bugger. He stared after Ahaneith and shook his head. The women really did take the initiative here, didn't they?

TWO MONTHS LATER – 3048 B.C.E.

Harry's trek to the capital was a lot longer than he'd originally anticipated. He really would have liked to use a broom to cover the distance, but with limitations as they were he'd ultimately taken to just going by foot; unlike most, he wouldn't have a problem staying fed and watered along the way. Travelling to the Nile was the easy part (It was essentially the centre of the Egyptian civilization) but then he'd begun the long, long way south. The distance was in the hundreds of miles, and he'd taken his time, spending a day or two in a few villages, trying to remember the places well so he could apparate back. He kept away from the main traffic along the river itself, since he heard many a worrying tale about bandits and thieves stalking those roads, and they'd probably consider a lonely traveller a suitable target.

The first thing he saw of the capital was the walls. They were tall and built out of many layers of bricks, covered at least on the outside with some kind of ornamentations, though they were rather rough. The walls stretched into the distance, and only a single wide opening was there, right along the road; though it might've been able to be closed in the past, right now it seemed like the wall was more of an edge marker for the city than an actual defensive construct.

The city was bustling, and Harry realized quite suddenly just how tiny Per-Bastet was, compared to this place. Though the place would become bigger in the future, he was sure (someone had to build the monuments that'd been dug up in the future), it was but a shadow of something like this. Hundreds of people were about, music resounded from the distance, and there was a strong scent of incense and other spices in the air. He'd barely passed the city walls, without a soldier even glancing at him, before he discovered why this was the capital. Stretching out before him was a huge number of buildings that vanished over the hills, including massive temples that were many times the size of Per-Bastet.

"It is quite the sight, isn't it?"

Harry glanced aside to find one of the soldiers nodding at him. Unlike most people, he actually carried a weapon, some type of staff, and wore something like a sash; most of the men went bare-chested. He'd fashioned a small tunic for himself after he'd torn his shirt, and it served well enough; he got some odd looks on occasion, mostly because people thought he'd be sweating like crazy. This was true, if not for cooling charms.

"I assume you are new to the city, they all have the same amazed look in their eyes. You're from one of the small villages then?"

"Per-Bastet, for the last year or two," Harry agreed, smiling. "It's a nice place to live, really."

"I've heard that," the soldier agreed. "There's stories going around about that city – they say Bast herself blessed that town for its devotion to her worship."

Harry smiled, though it was strained. "You've heard about that all the way out here?"

"Every rumour finds its way here, of course. Travellers from all over Egypt pass through here or trade here; if there is a storm at the sea, Tjenu will know of it in a mere two or three weeks. The tales of blessed Per-Bastet have been circulating for months, now."

"This looks like a marvellous place," Harry said, wondering how much of the story of Per-Bastet had reached this far.

"May I ask your name, stranger? You speak our language well, but your accent is peculiar. Are you from the East?" the soldier asked, frowning. "You dress in odd fashion, too."

"Actually, I'm from the far north," Harry said. "I'm not from Egypt, originally."

The soldier blinked. "A visitor from distant lands, then! Are you from beyond the northern seas? I don't know much about those lands, I admit." He paused. "Also, I believe you have forgotten to give your name."

"Ah," Harry said, smiling nervously. "It's Heru." He blinked, about to correct himself – he'd been going by that name for such a time now, it'd almost become natural – when the soldier flinched back a little, and he knew it was too late.

"You do not come from Egypt, you say? Is Heru a common name, where you are from?"

Harry shrugged. "It is just a name like any other."

"Where you are from, maybe. Perhaps you should visit the temple of the god whose name you bear. Here, the names of the gods are not given to infants, since it is considered sacrilegious, and some may take offense. Only the pharaoh's lineage is related to Heru directly, and is thus allowed to venerate him in their name."

"Where would I find that temple?" Harry frowned. He could try and use 'Harry' again, and hope it stuck this time, but he had no doubt it would change right back into Heru if his experience in Per-Bastet was any indication. With as many people around him as this, sooner or later he'd end up being discovered using magic, since he had no intention of going back to hiding it. Going by a made-up name was an option, but hardly one he preferred, and whatever he picked would probably end up being annoyingly famous regardless. Making his own pseudonym didn't appeal much to him either; he had quite enough similarities to Voldemort already.

"The temple of Heru is along the wall," The soldier explained, pointing westwards. "It's coloured white on the outside."

Harry nodded distractedly. He'd need a home and some solution for his name, before he did anything else. Perhaps the temple of Heru could indeed be helpful for that. He'd need to figure out if there were any wizards or witches here, too; if they were going to be anywhere in Egypt, they'd be around here, where most of the people lived. More than likely they'd have their own small government or the pharaoh ruled over both Muggles and magical, both of which would place the centre of power here. He nodded at the guard and smiled.

"Farewell," the soldier muttered with a nod. "I hope you find whatever you came here for."

TWO WEEKS LATER – 3048 B.C.E.

"That's fifteen duds," Harry muttered in annoyance as he picked himself up from the floor, looking around his room. He'd settled in easily enough, using some gems he'd gathered with magic to pay for a small brick house on the edge of the Noble district. In his hand he held a small piece of pottery, now broken, which he'd been trying to enchant for days now. Portkeys, it seemed, were annoyingly imprecise, at least if you were trying to figure out how to make them by trial and error.

Since arriving in town, Harry had found that people were much less interested in visitors and new arrivals than in Per-Bastet; the much larger population meant that most of the people he passed hadn't even seem him before, and didn't care one way or another why a strangely-dressed person was wandering around town.

The temple visit had been pointless. The priests had been rather vehement that he shouldn't enter the temple grounds, convinced that he, as a foreigner, had no place there. Harry had asked one of the more tolerant of the priests about his name, but all he'd gotten was a cold stare. Ultimately he'd left the place behind, unwilling to deal with such people at all. He really had no interest in using magic for such conceited pricks if they couldn't treat people decently.

His attempts to make a Portkey, though unsuccessful, had brought him to many parts of the city; he was capable of making a functioning version, but it kept throwing him off target and half the time he landed on a roof or in an alleyway, miles from home. At least it was a little progress, he supposed. He could thankfully apparate out of particularly hostile locations, especially the one time he'd managed to dump himself into what seemed to be an extremely rich person's bedroom if the decorated bed and elaborate golden wall-sculptures were anything to go by.

The most interesting place that he'd been to was the part of the city where the nobility lived, cordoned off from the rest by little more than a knee-high wall. It was regularly patrolled by guards, including Sam, the soldier that he'd originally met when entering town. Granted, his name was something more elaborate than just 'Sam', but Harry really couldn't remember the rest.

At the far end of the city, Harry had found, was the 'palace'. It was surprisingly modest, he thought, compared to the kind of work that went into the gleaming temples. It was built out of the same mud bricks as all the other houses, though it was more spacious. A grand entrance hall was used to meet important dignitaries, but the rest was remarkably simple; perhaps the ostentatiousness would come in the future (including the pharaoh's preposterously huge tombs?)

Dropping the broken pottery, Harry thought about the secluded alley directly across the courtyard in front of the palace, and vanished with a soft pop. He'd been getting quite good at apparating, lately, mostly because the loud crack of sloppy use would give him away rather easily. He had been using magic aplenty, including the water-cleaning spells that had become practically staples of his by now, but thus far he hadn't really used his magic for anything huge. His presence had not really been noticed yet. He was sure that the few who had probably seen him would be dismissed as crackpots anyway.

Tjenu, like Per-Bastet, seemed devoid of magic, which was a disappointment. Not only had he found no evidence of any wizards or witches, he hadn't even found any magical creatures, like he had out in the desert; for all intents and purposes, the city was entirely Muggle. He'd been tempted to just leave again, but reconsidered when he realized that the city was suffering many of the same ills as Per-Bastet, including a rather pressing need for food. The harvest had been bad, it seemed; he hadn't noticed that, since he'd personally supplied Per-Bastet with plenty of food to last for a while.

Stepping out of the alleyway between two brick buildings, both of which were richly decorated, he looked out over one of the most beautiful gardens he'd yet seen, here in Egypt; not only was it well-watered, but strange flowers grew everywhere, with odd ferns and narrow trees. It was the king's royal garden, in a sense. Several people were working in the garden, as well.

Harry wasn't sure exactly what he was doing here. Perhaps it was simply that Anedjib had mentioned the man, and he was interested in actually seeing the ruler of Egypt for himself. Perhaps he would like to try and make contact, to establish a more legitimate presence here, rather than just another jobless vagrant in a city rife with them. Regardless, he found himself intrigued. He'd seen the man twice now, from far away, but that hardly counted. He couldn't help wonder what kind of person Djer really was.

With a twist, Harry vanished once more.

TEN MONTHS LATER – 3047 B.C.E.

Harry left his shop with a smile, quickly casting Colloportus upon the door. It was a rather ramshackle excuse for one, built out of the few scraps of wood he'd managed to gather, but it would keep unwanted visitors out, if they ever figured out what kind of riches were inside. Wood was a rarity around here, really, which meant his house did stand out a little as one of the few with a proper door as he recalled them from his own days.

The jewellery store had been a bit of a spontaneous idea; since he was capable of summoning all manner of gemstones and other useful minerals from the garbage of the more established craftsmen, he'd gone around to purchase their remnants (much to their disbelief) and begun to fashion beautifully cut gemstones. He'd gotten used to it back in Per-Bastet, and he found that it was easy enough with the right spells. Initially, he'd simply used them as payment in lieu of carrying around coins, but at some point he'd come across a fairly sizable quantity of malachite, and tried something else. He'd fashioned a falcon out of it, emulating the one that he'd made with Ahaneith. He hadn't realized how much people would want such a decoration when a rich nobleman had purchased it from him on the first day, expressing disbelief at his low price. Harry had talked that off, but it had given him an idea.

Actual jewels were less common here than Harry expected. Though he recovered quite a few remnants of gemstones from the trash of his competition, the vast majority were fake. Glass or other similar materials and coloured to resemble gemstones. From day one he'd only used the real variety, which was a lot easier for him to handle than it would be for any of the Muggle craftsmen, and his high-quality merchandise had attracted customers. When even the temple of Heru had begrudgingly sent someone along to order a necklace, he knew he was getting good.

According to local folklore, jewels in the shape of religious symbols or animals had a magic of their own. Though Harry hadn't done anything to his first creations, he'd put some of his best protective enchantments on his later work, for several reasons; it would save lives, and any wizard or witch would be able to detect the magic and instantly know that he was around. It was a bit risky, perhaps, but it beat roaming the streets.

Harry was just heading for the market when he was quite suddenly tapped on the shoulder. "Craftsman H-Heru?" said a breathless voice, and Harry turned in confusion.

"Can I help you?"

The long-haired man nodded. "I am the servant Teni. You have been summoned to the palace, craftsman. The pharaoh would speak with you."

Harry blinked in astonishment. "The pharaoh?"

"He requests your presence, that is all I have been told." The man glanced towards the palace nervously.

"Well, of course I'll make something for him, if he wants," Harry muttered. "When does he expect me?"

"I have been sent to escort you to him presently," the servant answered, nodding. "It is a rare occurrence, that a commoner is summoned to the royal court, you should not have him wait."

"Yes, yes, I will come with you… couldn't you have come during working hours, though?" He glanced up, estimating it to be about eight in the evening. The sun would be setting soon. "I have all I need on me."

The man quickly walked off. Harry trailed behind him, frowning. Though he'd gotten a name as a craftsman among commoners, there hadn't really been any noble purchases of late, aside from the temple. He hadn't been too flashy either, so he doubted that the pharaoh required him for that. So what was this about? He was certain that the ruler's own jewellers would be able to make jewellery just as pretty as his own.

His new life, such as it was, had been going pretty well. He'd found something he actually enjoyed, crafting things with his own hands and a splash of magic. He'd apparated back to Per-Bastet twice in the past year, though the repeated apparitions required took a toll on him, and he couldn't afford to let his shop alone for too long either. He did enjoy the enthusiastic welcome he got, every time he dropped in. The second time he'd sought out the Phoenixes, though his search had been fruitless. Perhaps next time he'd have more luck.

His attempts to find a way home hadn't moved ahead the slightest bit; he still knew nothing. Even his attempts at making a Portkey had failed dramatically, and after the time he'd appeared directly above a campfire and only a flame-freezing charm had prevented him from burning his buttocks off, he'd put off further testing indefinitely. Perhaps if he could figure out how the spell was supposed to work he could pull it off, but he had no idea how to even begin researching that.

Harry stared at the palace uncertainly as he walked up to it, wondering what he was doing here. The pharaoh, the mightiest in all of Egypt - and yet here he was? Just... right here? It didn't make sense to him.

"The pharaoh shall meet with you in the hall," the servant said quickly, vanishing off to the side of the hall. The hall was painted and well-decorated with elaborate pottery, with something that reminded him of hieroglyphics along the walls, though it didn't look quite the same. Pillars flanked the long hall, and in between each set stood a soldier, straight-faced and wielding a wicked spear.

It took nearly five uncomfortable minutes before there was any movement. Harry kept to the front of the hall, crushing the urge to pace back and forth. He idly toyed with the handful of gemstones he still had in his pocket, his latest finds among the rubble of Har-shaf, the ugly fellow who ran the crafts shop closest to his own. It was far larger, but Harry wasn't too suprised by that; he was using magic, after all.

"Heru of Per-Bastet."

The pharaoh was here at last. The man that approached was rather shorter than Harry had expected, with a stern face and cloth covering his hair. He had a short beard that was tied together neatly; Harry thought it looked like a goat's beard, amusingly enough. Around his neck the pharaoh wore the most astounding golden collar with precious gemstones embedded into it, and in his hand he held... he had no idea. Harry had to look twice. It looked like an oversized candy cane of all things. Was it some kind of scepter? It took him a few moments to realize he was staring and he quickly bowed. "Pharaoh."

"I see such reactions quite often, from commoners," The pharaoh commented with a rather soft voice. He actually sounded vaguely amused. The pharaoh turned and his golden jewellery jostled, glinting in the light of the evening and the flickering fires that were used to keep the palace well-lit at all times. The pharaoh shook his head. "I had not expected you to grovel, messenger. Few with grand claims to power bow before their ruler, believing themselves superior."

Messenger? Superior? Harry stifled a groan, silently cursing Anedjib's loose lips. He didn't know how that particular tall tale had reached this city. He straightened, hoping that he was wrong about what hte pharaoh was referring to, but knowing he wasn't. Bloody hell.

"I am Djer, son of Aha, pharaoh of unified Egypt," the pharaoh announced shortly. "The royal family's relation to Heru, god of the kings, is great. When word reached these halls of one blessed by the gods who carried his name without shame, I had to meet that person, to see if the tales were true." He paused, stepping up to one of his many decorative pots and distractedly caressing the falcon's head that jutted out from the rim. "Are you the one I seek, craftsman? Are you the so-called miracle-worker of Per-Bastet?"

Harry swallowed thickly, glancing at the soldiers that still flanked the halls, staring at him with sharp eyes. He couldn't flee, and lying could be fatal, here. With a sigh, he nodded, closing his eyes. "I am."

The pharaoh smiled. "I see. There are many who claim to have been blessed by the gods. Few dare to say such a thing about Heru the Falcon-headed, for only those related to the royal bloodline are to have such favour." His eyes shot to Harry's, and for a moment Harry wondered that he'd made a mistake, that he'd be the target of the world's first witch-hunt. Then the man turned away. "You will be tested. Heru would not bestow favour upon a stranger, much less a foreigner, unless he has a purpose for it. I will see yours found, or your deceit exposed. Understood?"

"Yes... highness," Harry said, hoping that it was an appropriate form of adress. Some of the tension vanished from his frame as he realized he wouldn't need to make a daring escape using his magic, something that would probably put him on a hit-list across the nation. The pharaoh noticed that immediately.

"Confident, are you? You will not be so for long, I believe." He turned to the guards and beckoned them closer; two quickly approached. "Bring this... guest... to the waiting area. Have someone send for the serpent."

The soldiers nodded and quickly hurried off. What serpent would that be? Harry shook his head, trying to put it out of his head. Snakes. He didn't like snakes. He'd never had much luck with them - and now he couldn't even talk them out of attacking anymore, without his Parseltongue ability.

What had he gotten himself into?

Author's Note: I know I said 3/7 years last time, but this section took longer than I'd anticipated, mostly since I wanted some more Anedjib and Nebit before he skipped town. It still covers about 1,5 years, though. All three characters from Per-Bastet will be returning. I've tried to stick to literature as far as locations go, but sources disagree on the location of the capital in the first dynasty here, so I went with Tjenu/Thinis, rather than Memphis, or the ancient equivalent of it.

The next chapter involves Harry's time at the court, and should cover the previously mentioned periods. Ahaneith and Nebit come to the city, too. Meanwhile Harry uses his newfound position to actually study magic like he's never tried before.