CHAPTER 9:

HUSTLE AND BUSTLE

After the revelations earlier in the morning, Harry was glad of Dunyarzad's invitation to join her and Dehya on a tour of Port Ormos, Nahida also coming along. The cover story was, well, that Nahida was indeed Harry's sister, who had been sent after him after he arrived in Port Ormos. Both had been evicted from their home, but had met Dunyarzad before.

Harry looked around the bustling buildings of Port Ormos. He had to admit, it was exciting to some degree. "You must get stuff from everywhere in Teyvat."

Dunyarzad nodded. "Port Ormos may not be as busy as Liyue Harbour, but it's one of the busiest ports in all of Teyvat, and it's certainly the busiest in Sumeru. See there?" She pointed to one stall. "That stall is relatively new. Inazuman goods, in fact. Trade in and out of Inazuma was restricted for a few centuries thanks to the Raiden Shogun's isolationist policies, but she recently relaxed them. Some people think it's due to her new consort. She's certainly seen in public more often, and more relaxed."

"Still someone you don't want to annoy, given what she did to La Signora," Dehya muttered. "Speaking of Snezhnayans, there's one there."

"Yes, Father's dealt with him before," Dunyarzad said. "He's actually fine, but more than a few Snezhnayans look down on everyone else, especially if they're with the Fatui. Then again, the only Snezhnayans who leave the country tend to be either merchants, bankers, or Fatui."

"Who may be all of the above," Nahida remarked, even as she looked around with awe in her gaze. "But enough of them. You know, Port Ormos' history is rather fascinating. At least one account is that it used to be Orghana, City of the 29 Deys. That's D-E-Y-S, Harry, meaning leaders of pirate crews. Strangely, pirate crews were amongst the first to embrace a form of democracy, both on Teyvat and on Earth, if what you read to me was true. However, infighting amongst the crews broke out eventually, before Orghana was wiped out by a sea monster. Of course, there are many different accounts, and Orghana may have been situated elsewhere. But see that? That's the Pharos."

"Like the one in ancient Alexandria," Harry said, looking at the beautifully-built lighthouse in the distance. "I mean, Sumeru seems to be a mix of India, the Middle East, and Egypt. That's so weird."

"What was it that Shakespeare said in Hamlet, Harry? There are more things in Heaven and on Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio," Nahida said with a smirk.

Dehya chuckled softly. "Nice quote. Though we may want to change our course a little." She gestured with her head slightly at a group of Eremites at a nearby stall. "I'm pretty sure that's the local Ayn Al-Ahmar bully boys. I don't think they're stupid enough to try anything against Lady Dunyarzad, not when I'm around, but better to be safe than sorry. The problem with fanatics like them is that they draw people with horrible impulse control. And with the Tanit gone…"

"Tanit?" Harry asked.

Dehya wrinkled her nose. "Long story, back when I had just left the Corps of Thirty, and before I was hired by Lord Shazhaman. In fact…speak of the devil…" A smile was blossoming on the Eremite mercenary's face as she looked over at a coffee shop. Sitting outside was a strange pair of people, girls in their teens. One was clearly an Eremite, her dark skin and desert clothes distinctive, with blue hair done up in twin pigtails. Her eyes were violet. The other was a dark-haired girl with ghostly pale skin, pointed ears like Nahida, and golden eyes that seemed dull and sunken, as if she had never caught a wink of sleep.

"Hey, Jeht!" Dehya called out as they approached.

Jeht looked up, almost as if she was expecting an attack, but on seeing Dehya, she smiled. "Dehya…it's been a while. Still babysitting the Homayanis?"

"Hey, it's good, steady pay, interesting work, and the company's better than some of the other merchants we've had to deal with. What about you? How's Benben?"

"Well enough. Tirzad spreading the word helped my reputation in the Akademiya, at least, so after everything that went down, I was able to find work. Still have to look over my shoulder, though. Babel's last actions meant that many tribes still have it out for me. I was actually taking a break with Layla here. She needed some time away from her latest paper, and there were some astrology books on sale here that she wanted anyway."

Nahida snapped her fingers. "Layla? The Rtawahist student whose theses on astrological observations are proving to be groundbreaking? I read your papers on the Akasha System once."

The pale girl blinked, and then looked embarrassed. Something about the girl reminded Harry of Neville Longbottom. He also remembered what Shazhaman said about Dori pauperising this girl. "I, uh…you seem a bit young to be reading such things…umm, who are you, again?"

"Oh, right. Jeht's met Lady Dunyarzad before, but these two are Harry and Nahida, old friends of Lady Dunyarzad. Nahida's a bit of a child prodigy, but she was in an abusive household, and Harry had to get her out of there," Dehya explained.

Jeht, after a moment, remarked, "…There's a lot more to that story, isn't there?" Dehya nodded. "Fine, I won't press. You helped save me after that mess with the Tanit tribe. But if you want me to help, just ask. Just not now. I'm enjoying my time with Layla." A dark-skinned, scarred hand gently laid itself over Layla's dainty, pale hand. Smiles were shared, a confident one on Jeht's lips, while a nervous but sincere one on Layla's.

Dehya gave a warm chuckle. "So, you've found someone, huh? Well, if your father could find love with an Akademiya scholar, then why not you? Jebrael would be proud of you, more than he was before, Jeht."

"Thanks, Dehya…"

"How did you know that girl?" Harry asked as they left Jeht and Layla to their own devices.

"Long story. Short version is, Jeht and her father got hired by some pompous scholar called Tirzad to help him with archaeological expeditions. He knew me from my work with the Corps of Thirty, so I was asked to join, a month or so before I got hired by Lord Shazhaman. I met her and Jebrael then, and, well, a lot of stuff happened. It's not really my place to say, except the Tanit tribe isn't around anymore."

Nahida frowned. "Yes, I heard they were wiped out. You and Jeht…"

"…Did the deed ourselves. And keep in mind, there's still a few members of the tribe around. But they were a bunch of treacherous cutthroats who didn't care about what they did to others. Kidnapping, murder, rape…hell, they had a tradition of stealing children from other tribes or even elsewhere, and training them to be hunters and assassins known as Falcons," Dehya said with a sneer. "And if the Falcons faltered…they got slain. Jeht got tricked by the matriarch of the Tanit tribe, Babel, who was trying to steal something valuable and powerful from us and use it to conquer the desert, and even the rest of Sumeru. They wanted to kill us. We gave them every reasonable chance to back off, and they didn't take them."

Harry nodded grimly at this. For all that he was repulsed by the fact that Dehya had helped Jeht wipe out an entire tribe, if they really were that bad…he decided not to go down that road. Dehya had been living with the Homayanis for a couple of years as part of her work. He doubted she was a bad person, and Jeht certainly didn't seem that way either. Admittedly, he'd known Dehya for less than a week, but Dunyarzad trusted her. And Dehya claimed they'd given them a chance to back down.

"That's the reality of life and humanity," Dehya said solemnly. "Most Eremites are good and decent people, hardened by the desert. But there are plenty who discard their morality for the sake of money and power. They prey upon others, and don't care who they hurt. It's not out of desperation or anything. They choose to be monsters. Hell, Babel wanted to overthrow you, Nahida. I don't think she would have given a damn if she knew about your plight, either."

"I understand. As long as you took every opportunity to have them stay their hand," Nahida said. "Do not misunderstand me, I believe that to kill someone should be the last resort, as killing someone means you take away everything they are and can be, even the potential to change. Life is a precious thing. But if your life is in danger, and your foes cannot be persuaded, then I can accept that. I'm pacifistic, not a fool."

"…Fair enough," Dehya said. "I prefer to talk things out where possible anyway. Unfortunately, some people don't care. That's a reality of the world, where too many people are willing to kill to get what they want, and as a first resort, and it's not unique to the Eremites, otherwise, you wouldn't have the Treasure Hoarders or the Fatui causing trouble. Against people like that, unfortunately, it's kill or be killed."

"Understandable," Nahida conceded. "But enough of such things. Where else do you like going, Dunyarzad?"

"Well, how about we get a bite to eat and something to drink at the Djafar Tavern?" the Homayani asked. "It's over there…"

Nahida was biting happily into something called Candied Ajilenakh Nuts, something Dehya had suggested for a dessert after they had their meal. "I'd been told about this by others, but I can see why they love it," Nahida chirped. "So delicious!"

"I know, right?" Dehya asked. "I often took them with me when I'm in the field. Delicious, keeps well, and filled with nutrients. Just gotta watch how many you eat, though."

"Of course," Nahida said, even as she swallowed the last piece. "The taste of food doesn't really translate well into dreams, well, except for the dreams of the Aranara, but they practically live in dreams."

"Aranara?" Dehya asked. "I think I've heard tales about them. Aren't they a sort of forest sprite only kids can see?"

Harry nodded. He was glad he'd erected Privacy Charms around them so they could talk with impunity. "I met a few in Nahida's dreamscape. They're…weird. I mean, Luna Lovegood has a better grasp on reality than they do."

"You mean Luna has a more human mindset than they do," Nahida chided her brother gently.

"They don't understand time properly! In hindsight, they're like stoned fairies or something, like they've been smoking weed, though given their pyrophobia, I doubt they'd want to smoke anything!"

Nahida giggled, while Dehya and Dunyarzad exchanged looks of mild confusion. "Well, I did meet an Aranara once in Nahida's dreamscape myself," Dunyarzad said. "They do act…well, strangely. Still, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Nahida."

Nahida nodded. "And thank you for suggesting this, Dunyarzad. I do not need to eat as an Archon, but I was still starved, if only of the experience."

"It was my pleasure, Nahida. You opened my eyes to learning, gave me a reason to live than simply existing while bearing the pain of my Eleazar. Ensuring you have some interesting experiences is only right. My father says that Homayanis must pay their debts, good or bad. Some members of my family don't heed that lesson. I know you do not consider me to be in your debt, Nahida, but…given what you were deprived of, and what you gave me, gave Harry, and gave so many other children…I want to give you what nobody else would, as does Harry."

"Thank you again, Dunyarzad," Nahida said. "And you're right. Nobody I have helped has incurred a debt to me, at least in my eyes. Learning is not like a business transaction. It's more like nurturing plants. The right soil and fertiliser can turn a small seed into a beautiful flower, or a mighty tree, or a bountiful crop. Then again, curiosity and a desire to learn should deserve a reward. Not anything tangible, but rather, the joy of uncovering something new, or seeing a new angle on the old."

"Some scholars at the Akademiya are like that, but most of them are in it for the fame of discovering something new," Dehya said with a scowl. "You may have seen it from the Sages' end of things, but believe me, too many of the scholars and researchers are arrogant, fame-hungry arses. Hell, so are many of my people. Don't get me wrong, fame and reputation are powerful things that can be used well, given my own fame as the Flame-Mane. But I seek my reputation as a means to an end, to elevate my people, or at least help as many of them as I can. Plus, being famous helps increase the number of clients who'll hire you, so it's good for paying the bills."

"While I wasn't liking it all that much after the first couple of months at Hogwarts, I pretty much went off my fame not long after I learned about Gilderoy Lockhart," Harry said. On Dehya's curious look, he said, "Dunyarzad and Nahida know about him. He was a famous wizard back home who stopped all sorts of monsters, right? Only, it turned out that he was incompetent at what he did, being a plagiarist who stole other people's feats and erased their memories so that he could claim to have done it. Thankfully, he tried erasing my memory with the broken wand of a friend. It backfired and erased his memory almost completely. Hoist by his own petard."

"…Whatever that means, but sure, sounds like karma. I've also had to deal with more than a few unwanted suitors. Given how famous you were, you probably had a few fangirls wanting to date you, right?"

"…Yeah. I had to let at least a few of them down gently, like Ginny Weasley. She was a nice girl, but not quite who I was after. Hermione and Luna…they were closer, but…well, they felt a little more like sisters to me. Luna's the adorable little sister, and Hermione the bossy big sister. They weren't fangirls anyway. I had a thing for Cho Chang, but…well, her actual boyfriend got murdered, and we had a rebound relationship that didn't end well. I thought I'd wait for a few years before I tried anything with Hermione again, but…well, this happened."

"Oh? And what about me, Harry?" Dunyarzad asked.

Harry blinked at the sudden question, before looking to her. "Dunyarzad…when we met, we were both kids. We were friends, but honestly, I didn't really have anything like a crush on anyone until after you stopped dreaming. Then again, you've gone from a really cute girl to a beautiful young woman."

"Flatterer," Dunyarzad giggled, before her smile became solemn. "But it's okay. Having Eleazar is hard on relationships. In fact, one of the reasons I haven't been married off is because of it. Even if a husband can look past my condition, the statistics don't lie. Pregnant women with Eleazar do have a small but significant chance of passing it to their children. And even if they don't, it still is dangerous for the mother and the child, due to the mother's weakened condition, with childbirth mortality rates higher than the norm. That's one of the reasons I'm not the heiress. I just…I just guess I had a bit of a crush on you. Silly, isn't it? I thought you were an imaginary friend until you brought up what Dumbledore told you. And yet…well, I was too young to think of anything but a fairytale romance. And when I stopped dreaming, I just wished you the best on Earth."

Harry blinked again, not sure what to say to his friend's confession. "…Dunyarzad…" he murmured softly, all he could say.

"It's okay, Harry," she said with her sad smile. "I don't want to keep you from having someone back home. Or even staying here with someone. I know Nahida wants to find a means of curing Eleazar, and she is probably the only person who can, but…even with the new lease on life you have given me, I know I'm still living on borrowed time."

"Then surely that's all the more reason to enjoy what you can before the end?" Nahida asked. "After all, transient joys are often the best in the world, like a rainbow after a storm, or the opening of a flower. Dunyarzad, I can't guarantee a cure. But…why not give a relationship a try? I mean, assuming your parents are amenable, anyway. Harry wouldn't care about that. If anything, he knows how you felt, given that the Horcrux in his scar and Voldemort coming for him over a dubious prophecy would have reminded him of his mortality."

"Hang on, are you seriously trying to be a matchmaker?" Dehya asked.

Nahida shrugged. "Why not? Harry's my little brother, and Dunyarzad is one of my devout followers. Besides, I'm curious to see if I have the knack for it, and whether it goes anywhere. I'm not forcing them together if they don't want to take their relationship up a notch."

"…Nahida…" Harry groaned, embarrassed. It wasn't that he was against the idea of, well, dating Dunyarzad per se. He just didn't like Nahida doing this, well-meant though it was. Dunyarzad was also blushing.

"…Look, I'll give you guys a break and not mention this to your parents for now," Dehya said with a sigh. "Never thought the Dendro Archon would be so impish."

"You should hear her anxiety dookie analogy," Harry snarked…

CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:

A bit of character interaction, and a few cameos.

Now, why did Dehya get involved with the Golden Slumber and Dirge of Bilqis sidequests? Well, I did something similar with my Mass Effect crossover Quarian's Wizard, where some of the side missions in Mass Effect, like the Cerberus facility missions or the Luna AI fiasco, are done by Shepard (and Kaiden) prior to the canon game's events. There's no reason why Dehya couldn't have done those sidequests herself.

Afterwards, Dehya helped counter Babel's attempt at blackening Jeht's name, and succeeded in some parts. Certainly, Jeht is welcome at Aaru Village, as well as throughout the forested areas of Sumeru. Jeht did some mercenary work here and there, before running into Layla when the latter was out on an observation expedition of the stars about a month prior to the fic beginning. I'm not sure of Layla's canon sexuality, but Jeht is heavily implied to be a lesbian, and I thought it would be sweet to give Jeht Layla as a girlfriend. Jeht treats Layla with kindness, and Layla draws on Jeht's confidence. Jeht's actually aware of Layla's second personality, FYI.

And Nahida is playing matchmaker. Dunyarzad and Harry are actually amenable to the idea, though Dunyarzad was actually hoping to set Harry up with Dehya, due to Dunyarzad's Eleazar.

Review-answering time! MWkillkenny84: About Fontaine, I don't think so. That sounds like the same thing they did with Nahida, only with a public figurehead. While I am sure there's a twist around her, I honestly think Focalors/Furina is exactly what she looks like: basically genderflipped Robespierre as a hedonistic dictator. If anything, I get the feeling we will see her successor or something, possibly after a magic trick gone wrong…or is that right?

Still, while I'm not looking forward to the Fontaine story (as I reckon the Traveller will end up on the wrong side of the law, just like Liyue and Inazuma), the gameplay is another kettle of fish entirely. Plus, we get Lynette as a free character as long as you're over Adventurer Rank 25, so I can't complain too much.

WhiteElfElder: While more Potterverse elements will come in, the major antagonists of this fic will remain Il Dottore and the Sages. No Death Eaters seeking revenge will come into play.

No numbered annotations this time.