Authors' Notes: This story is part of an ongoing epic involving a natural Legilimens named Sydney (Siggy) Whetstone, a first year student at Hogwarts, his cat Morpheus, Severus Snape (who has become Siggy's guardian following the death of his abusive uncle), and Hermione Granger, who is studying Morpheus, a maneki neko with unusual magical powers. It takes place in roughly 2007 or thereabouts.

A Trip To Remember

A collaborative effort by Sinistra_Furze and SadiraSnape

CHAPTER 6 – The Bookstalls of Ismailia

Hi Ginny

It was good to get your last letter. I'd like to hear more about what's happening back home. I've only been in Egypt a short time, but it seems so far away from home. Everything is different.

So Ron was going to check up on me, was he? And to what end? It's not as if we've been seeing each other lately. It seems he only gets jealous when I spend time with someone else. The rest of the time he ignores me. It's more ridiculous than words can express he should see Severus as a rival. Since when did I need Ron to rescue me, anyway? I can take care of myself. Oh, grrrrrrrrrrr…. I'm getting angry just thinking about the stupid prat.

Well, I consider myself a free agent so Ron can take a run and jump if he expects me to wait around, just in case.

Sorry, rant over.

I think you are right about Siggy being a step ahead of his Professor. Madame Pince told me how Siggy used Morpheus to get into the Restricted Section of the library, and she gave a blow by blow account of what happened to Siggy's Uncle Ambrose. Gruesome. I heard Morpheus left the splinched bits of him with Rita Skeeter. Perhaps Morpheus is the brains of the two. I'll ask Siggy about the tomb and the curses so you can tell Bill all about it.

But back to our trip!

Yesterday we went to Ismailia on the hunt for some books Severus was keen to buy. Thankfully we were able to floo; I've had enough authentic Muggle transport this trip.

Siggy, Severus and I went to walk around the Magical market. Because it was very crowded Severus put a binding charm on us, so we wouldn't get carried away in the crush or, in Siggy's case, wander off unattended. I think Severus would have liked to go, find, buy, leave, but Siggy and I were wide-eyed at the carpets, brassware, china, spices, clothes, and so on. The market was spectacular, better than I imagined, with so much to distract us.

Siggy and I made a few interesting purchases, before Severus took us to the bookstalls. They were packed to the ceiling with books, old and new, some stalls specialising in a particular branch of magic. One book I picked up was a selection of articles by several authors in different languages, the earliest from 1444, on wand-making, all bound together in one lovingly-crafted volume.

Severus also showed me a tatty old book which didn't look much from the cover, but when opened with a revealing charm….well…. I couldn't help gasp! Suddenly I wanted that book more than anything. I looked pleadingly at Severus, who rolled his eyes, haggled half-heartedly for a bit and then huffed and ungraciously paid up. I think it was rather expensive.

Afterwards we went to a café for tea and bumped into Angelina Johnson with her family! They were on Holiday and showed us photos of them in front of all the interesting places we haven't got to yet. Severus sniffed at their suggestion we do some tourist sites, saying he'd made enough concessions from his original plans. Angelina kept looking at me in undisguised curiosity as if she couldn't work out why I was travelling with Siggy and Severus.

He gave Angelina a letter to take to Prof McGonagall as they are going home tomorrow. I don't know why he chose personal delivery over regular post. Sometimes I think he just wants to appear mysterious, he refuses to answer my questions and smirks at my irritation.

Ah, dinner time! Must go, more later…

Later…

We've had dinner and made our plans for tomorrow. I've had a lovely evening. Siggy amused himself playing with Morpheus. Severus and I discussed an interesting article in a potions journal just published. It felt good talking with him about innovations and new ideas. At School it was mostly about following the instructions and avoiding explosions, but discussing experimental potions research is much more interesting.

We sat up 'till late Severus being almost cheerful. I say almost, because – well, that book I mentioned earlier. Apparently the Bookstall owner noticed how much I wanted it and refused to drop the price. It cost Severus more than he wanted to pay. Imagine the scene, Ginny, as The MOB glares down at me and says

"In future you will not interfere when I am making my purchases."

Ooops!

Well, just one more stop before we head to Romania. I'll write as soon as I can.

Best wishes

Hermione.

20 July

We Floo'ed to Ismailia today after yesterday's freedom. I particularly wanted to find a book on phoenixes (phoenices? phoenicii? who knows…) and the uses of their feathers – I know Ollivander prizes them for wand cores, but I feel there is a deeper meaning behind these three gifted to us. I cannot believe that we broke into an ancient tomb just to release a phoenix and receive wand cores. While a handsome gift, it's not really practical.

I think I have an idea regarding where Morpheus gathered his collection of shiny things. I wonder if Albus has noticed any of his gadgets missing… heh. The beast may have some redeeming qualities after all…

I found a book on spells that I'm sure Filius will enjoy. And apparently the estimable Ms Granger forgot to charm her hair today – it was a-frizz and a-bush as though it had never been tamed! Quite reminiscent of school days. I managed to snap some discreet photos of it as proof, and so I felt magnanimous enough to buy the book – Filius can pay me back when he makes good on our little wager. Ah, it was A Good Day.

Well. Except for an unscheduled purchase. In one bookstall, I located a copy of Le Bréviaire de Flamel by none other than Nicholas Flamel, which was hidden by a most subtle concealment charm. I picked it up and showed it to Hermione, who seemed puzzled as to why I would show her such a tattered old book. I triggered the revealment charm, and I was concerned her eyes would fall out of her head when she saw what it was. She flipped through it quickly, then turned those doe eyes on me and… well.

Unfortunately, the bookseller saw this little by-play, and I was unable to haggle him down enough to make me happy. I paid what he wanted, because Hermione desired the book so, but I was not pleased about it. I shall have to discuss the fine art of bargaining with her if she is going to accompany me to any other marketplaces. I have some put aside, but I am not a rich man…

I have also sent Minerva the note I promised her. I met with Mrs. Angelina Weasley (née Johnson) as planned, gave her the letter, managed to sidestep yet more tourist drudgery (I cannot believe she married George Weasley… poor chap), and she will see it is delivered. Hermione was most curious as to the contents of the letter. I enjoyed being quite mysterious and secretive, when the letter was simply a list of available books from a particular bookseller. I almost felt like a spy again!

Shudder. Perish the thought.

Spent a very pleasant, relaxing evening, Siggy playing with Morpheus, a bit of string, and a small shiny bauble he picked up (Siggy, not Morpheus) at the souk with some money I gave him, and Hermione and I discussing a fascinating article on the use of moonstone in Wolfsbane Potion as an enhancer. We had a lively debate going, I taking the position that the potion works fine as it is, Hermione defending the use of a new ingredient which could possibly make it more efficacious for a longer period of time. It's been many a year since I had the pleasure of discussing and arguing the fine points of Potion-making…

I did have to mention the occurrence at the bookseller's, though. "You will find that business done in the Middle East is an entirely different creature than that in the West," I said. "The ability to maintain a poker face is a necessity, and your obvious desire for the Flamel book resulted in my paying roughly half again what it was worth."

She paled a bit, but that Gryffindor courage flared up. "I'd be happy to reimburse you, Professor," she retorted, with a slight toss of her head. Ouch. I winced, glared at her, and told her that would not be necessary, but she was not to interfere in my purchases in future.

We sat stonily for a few moments, but then Morpheus did something astoundingly funny (which I cannot recall), and we all laughed uproariously at his antics. Then we picked up our Moonstone: Good or Bad debate and spent the rest of the evening in cheerful collegiality.