Turning Point

Minerva led the exodus back to camp. Every now and then Claude, bringing up the rear, checked behind them nervously alert for anything out of the ordinary. The brief glance at the parchment that Minerva had carried out of the tomb was enough to make him realize that their simple excavation had in short order become a great deal more complex, more perilous to spirit than mind. His fist held on to the parchment while his other hand clutched his wand.

Eager to get back to camp as fast as possible, Minerva went over a sand dune and transformed. Running not far behind her, Khalil saw her change. He blinked a few times but never stopped running. "The wonders of Allah," he exclaimed. His small legs pumped harder keeping the silvery cat within sight as well as he could. Questions upon questions lay upon his tongue. They soon left the rest of the team behind.

As she got closer to camp, Minerva noticed the strange cars. The cat paused for only the barest instant before transforming and approaching the rear of the camp on foot.

In the growing dimness of dusk, Khalil stopped amazed at the sight. His eyes raked her form checking for hair, limbs and movement. Had he not seen her change, he would likely have thought himself dreaming. Like her, he slowed his pace.

As soon as they neared the center of the camp, Khalil ducked behind a tent. Using tents and boxes to conceal himself, he followed Minerva and watched. The skin at the back of his neck prickled. His wiped his damp palms on his pants. Ever since Minerva had entered the tomb, he had been uneasy. The strangers in camp and the magic, for he could call it nothing less, that he had witnessed only served to make him aware that things were not as they should be. He had to stay alert.

Inwardly, Minerva tensed but her outward demeanor showed only a guarded expression. Someone familiar stepped out of the meal tent. With a large measure of relief, she called out. "Piers!"

With her face tinged pink by exertion and her face alive and animated, Minerva took his breath away. Piers stretched his arms out, open wide. "Minerva! I'm back!"

She stopped just out of his reach ignoring his unspoken invitation. Her words came in a nearly incomprehensible rush. "Site Four, the tomb ... not what we expected."

Piers took another step towards her and leaned in to kiss her but Minerva turned her face at the last moment. His lips grazed her cheek.

Minerva took several deep breaths. "You came just in time ... need your help."

"Don't I get a proper kiss, eh?"

Minerva removed her helmet. "Please, Piers, not now. We'll talk later ... about ... about us."

Piers kept his expression neutral but inside he simmered with a mixture of emotions - anger and disappointment made more volatile by a tinge of thwarted lust. A part of him had insisted all along that Minerva was simply infatuated with Dumbledore. Hearing the finality in her voice, he knew better. But he would be damned if he stepped aside like some docile dog. He closed the distance between them embracing her gently. "I've missed you so much."

Minerva stood stiffly in his arms. She touched her cheek to his. "I'm glad you're back."

Piers rubbed her arms up and down. "So am I. I'm not leaving you again."

"Listen to me, we have a serious situation at Site Four and I need your -"

Piers continued on. His arms tightened around her waist. "Any more time with that camel and I think I would have had to propose to it."

Minerva swallowed hard. Gently but firmly, she extricated herself from his person. "Piers, I don't know how to make things right again. I'm sorry."

Piers wanted to crush her to him, to scream his rage, yet he held back. She has to say the words. I will not accept anything else. He leveled his tone letting warmth lace his words. "Did something happen while I was gone? You can tell me anything, you know you can. You always have."

Minerva cupped his face in her hands. "You are a wonderful man and ... and I did want to make a life with you. Believe that please."

Piers' fist clenched by his side. "What are you saying, Minerva?"

"We have .. are ... the best of friends but not ... not more than that I'm afraid." Minerva paused. Sometimes one had to be cruel to be kind. "We have always been honest with each other. Our marriage would be based on a lie, Piers. I care too much for you to do that to you, to us."

Piers tilted her chin up "Why? What changed? Did I do something, say something wrong?"

"I can't marry you, Piers. I can't live a lie. You would be settling for a lie."

"It's HIM, isn't it! What did that old - "

Minerva sensed Piers was teetering on the edge. Admitting to anything concerning Albus would push him over. The less Albus was mentioned the better. Minerva kept her voice soft but firm, no nonsense. "I'm breaking our engagement, Piers. Please accept that and let's move on as friends."

"I ... I want to know why. Why, Minerva, I deserve to know why."

Khalil could not hear their voices clearly but he could easily tell that the two people under his observation were not having an easy conversation. Piers and Minerva stood apart as fighters facing each other not as lovers in the midst of a reconciliation. Minerva belonged to Albus and Albus was his friend, he thought. Since Albus was not there, Khalil vowed to protect Minerva any way he could. He could hear the rest of the team approaching.

"I care about you. I will always remember our relationship with ... with great fondness." Minerva stepped away another step. She knew Piers' temper well. It exploded but calmed down quickly. She could see the hurt and confusion in his eyes. She had to make him see reason. "You will make a fine husband for another woman some day. You'll have a wonderful family and -"

"No, Minerva, you do not ... you cannot discard me as casually as you would a shirt or a piece of furniture." Piers' tone was hard. He advanced towards her. His body was tense. "Why? I just want to know why! Say the words, Minerva. Tell me you don't love me anymore. Say it!"

Minerva was about to answer when Khalil came running by. The young boy kept his eyes downcast. "The others are almost here. Do you want to meet in the meal tent, Miss Minerva? Have refreshments?"

"Yes, the others. Please see to refreshments. Thank you, Khalil." Minerva smoothed down her hair.

Piers swallowed past the hard lump in his his heart. The conviction burned that Dumbledore, and only Dumbledore was to blame. He had a decision to make. "It seems your mind is made up."

"It is. I'm sorry. You don't know how sorry." Minerva replied. "Could we put our personal situation aside, please. We can talk about us later. For now, I need your help on something. You see we found something at the site. I haven't told everyone yet and I plan to now."

Piers' rage was palpable. Her attempts at distracting him were futile. Minerva's attention shifted to a stranger stepping out of the meal tent..

"Dr. McGonagall, a pleasure. Eoan Griffith. I work with Professor Hammadi."

Minerva shook his hand. Griffith's kind open features set her at ease quickly. She was grateful for his timely arrival. She hoped Piers would soon calm himself. "From the Institute, of course."

The rest of the team began to arrive one or two at a time. Khalil had apparently and quite efficiently spread the word. The team filed past the three standing by the tent entrance. Piers nodded as his return was acknowledge by the others.

"I am glad to see the camp wasn't abandoned. Please forgive our unannounced arrival. Our trip was done on the spur of the moment," said Griffith.

"Our?" Minerva asked.

"Professor Hammadi, myself and two drivers. Professor Hammadi is very interested in your progress."

Minerva caught Piers' look. Griffith was a muggle. How could they discuss matters if he were about?

"We've just come from the site. Perhaps, after our meal, I can describe our progress to you and Professor Hammadi," said Minerva.

"So, you've found something?" Griffith probed. "Professor Hammadi, was convinced that you would."

"The site is promising and -"

"Piers indicated that evidence of a tomb was found before he left here. Have you found the entrance?"

Minerva had more important things to attend to than play host to yet another bureaucrat. Her team had to know what she knew. She eyed Piers hoping he would get her silent plea. "We are in the middle of ... of excavating and -"

Her plea was answered. Piers spied Khalil standing behind Minerva. "Khalil."

"Yes, Mr. Rampal?"

"This is Khalil Hamdi. Khalil, meet Mr. Griffith, a very important visitor." Piers patted the boy on the shoulder while smiling at Griffith. "Khalil is a very bright boy. While Minerva has her meal, Khalil can describe to you the kind of work we've done. I've been gone so long. I'm sure Khalil knows more than I do. He's very observant."

"That would be fine. Please, Dr. McGonagall, rest and enjoy your meal. Professor Hammadi and I will await your convenience." Griffith grinned at the boy.

Minerva nodded encouragingly to Khalil. "When you're done, you can come see me. I may have a job for you."

Khalil looked from Minerva to Piers and back to Minerva. His instincts told him to not let Minerva out of his sight but he could not disobey a direct order. He followed Griffith to the tent where Professor Hammadi lay resting.

"Minerva, the drivers are inside sleeping. A sleep spell should keep them sleeping." Piers turned away and began to walk away.

"Piers, aren't you joining us to discuss -"

"In a moment. I need to get something from my tent. I'll be there shortly." Piers looked back at her long and intently. "Minerva, I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"Our hearts don't always listen to our minds."

"I suppose not." Piers walked off.

Minerva bit her lip. She wiped a lone tear away before entering the tent.

The team settled themselves on the long tables of the meal tent. Claude made copies of the parchment for the others. Minerva, head cradled in her hands, gathered her thoughts. Piers came in and sat down next to her. His left hand rubbed her neck just the way she liked it rubbed. She stretched and let him continue.

She whispered for his hearing alone. "Thank you, Piers, for understanding."

Piers kneaded the kinks out of her neck. He bent close to her ears. "We were friends before we were lovers. I only want you to be happy."

Minerva closed her eyes and relaxed. Piers other hand drifted over the lip of Minerva's glass of juice. If the juice bubbled for a few seconds no one noticed. If it hissed for a time, no one heard.

After a few minutes, Minerva rose. She took a long drink of juice before addressing the group. "The translation on that parchment is verified and correct. It is a warning from a high priest of Thoth, a true wizard, to other wizards. Abraxos' spirit could not be vanquished to the afterlife. It was too full of hate and spite. The spirit was bound to an ibis statue in the secret chamber. I found the chamber at the end of the tunnel."

Minerva cleared her throat. "I saw it there, the statue. It was made of stone in the shape of an ibis. Two rubies formed its eyes. The hieroglyphs in that room corroborate everything on that scroll. Before he was stopped, Abraxos murdered more than two dozen wizards. Some he believed to have been responsible for his wife's death and others because they tried to stop him. Because his soul was too malevolent to find eternal rest, the only course open to them was to do what they did."

Minerva cleared her throat for the second time. Piers held up her glass. She smiled and took another refreshing drink. "As soon as I deciphered the hieroglyphs I left."

"Do you believe Abraxos' spirit is still there?" Claude asked. "After all this time?"

"I don't know. It sounds unlikely give how much time has passed. I will say that the sense of another presence in that room was very strong."

"Spiritual resonance. The more powerful the wizard or witch the more potent their essence is. It has been several thousand years. If his resonance is still there, Abraxos must have been a powerful wizard."

Minerva emptied the glass. Piers obligingly filled it up again for her. "All we need is in the main tombs. There is no reason to venture into the lower chamber. I propose that we seal the lower chamber first thing tomorrow. We should prevent anyone else from entering that chamber and put another more emphatic warning just in case."

"Can the passageway accommodate us, Minerva?" Claude asked.

Minerva laughed. "You're going to have do some belly crawling but, yes, you can all fit through. Give me some parchment. I need to draw a map of the sub corridors."

Down the table, Claude held out a parchment. Minerva rose a few inches off her seat, hand outstretched. A wave of dizziness made her sway slightly.

Piers noticed immediately. He laid a hand on the small of her back. "Minerva, this can wait until morning."

"I need to map ... map the corridors and ..." Minerva's voice trailed to silence. Her vision was blurry and her head began to ache. One hand gripped Piers arm for support.

Claude looked up from studying the original parchment. "The sooner we seal it, the better. We should do it tonight."

Minerva rubbed her temples. "Claude's right," She could not continue as pain shot upwards from her back to her head and ricocheted back again. Her body sagged.

"Minerva? Are you all right?" Piers asked.

"Headache, my head ..." Minerva breathed out slowly. "...feels like its on fire."

"Working yourself too hard again. I should not have left you at such a critical time."

Minerva's voice was strained. "You had to go."

"Lean on me," Piers adjusted Minerva's head as onto his shoulder. Her eyes were closed and her face was pale. "Claude, return to the tomb and put a ward around the entrance permitting only those of wizards blood to enter. In the morning, one of you take me down and show me what you've found. We're going to need everyone at full strength to seal that tomb. Minerva is obviously exhausted. Let's give her a day or two to rest up." He looked at the tired group. Sincere concern shone from his eyes. "In fact, you all look in need of rest. Whatever is down there has lasted all this time, it can wait a few more days. Go on, get some rest."

The other wizards nodded. Claude and another wizard left to place the ward. Piers waited until the tent cleared before drawing Minerva fully into his arms. He carried her out.

He laid her gently on her bed. As he loosened her hair, she stirred uneasily at his intimate touch. Her eyes remained closed. "I just want to make you happy, Minerva. We will be happy, you'll see."

His hands drifted down to the buttons on her shirt. He began to undo the buttons. "I've missed you, Minerva. We have the rest of our lives to look forward to starting right now."

Many miles away from Abu Sindel, Albus Dumbledore rode happily atop his camel. The shorter route was indeed short. In less than a day he would be in Luxor. He meant to look up his old friend Abdul Ramallah and make sure that Khalil's future education was in good hands.

He hummed a tune under his breath. Once he got back to Hogwarts he could begin preparing for Minerva's arrival. There was a room in Gryffindor tower that had a lovely view of the back gardens. Minerva would love that room. He was sure of it.

He smiled. He couldn't seem to help himself. Their future lay before them and he was a happy man.