Harry had woken at a time that she assumed was early since the moon was still in what passed as a sky in this place. Instead of getting up, she rolled all the information she had gathered here over and around her head.
The visions from Heka were aggravating, but were beginning to make a lot of sense, which worried her. How could Harry figure out if she were being truthful or yet another false vision by someone with something to gain by leading her astray? She had received visions, both real and faked, from Lord Voldemort and Harry couldn't tell the difference between the two. How could she tell the truth from falsehoods when it involved someone far more powerful than Lord Voldemort?
Harry's mind drifted off to the newest vision she had. It was far different from the ones that involved Heka. It made Harry wonder where it had originated or why she even saw it. The vision itself felt real enough that she could have sworn that she really did watch Imhotep beg and worship her like a living Goddess. This was quickly becoming too much for Harry to hold on to, much less try to work through and connect all the dots all on her own.
Quick footsteps coming down the hallway signaled to Harry that her time alone had finally come to an end. She sat up in bed just as the two girls came running around the corner of her bedroom. She noticed that they were wearing their 'going out' clothes instead of the flashier clothes they wore when they stayed within this strange place.
"My Lady! My Lady! Get up!" Clione nearly squealed as she dove into the closet that appeared a few days ago that was now full of clothes that all fit Harry perfectly.
"We must get you ready!" Zalika stated excitedly as she pulled Harry out of bed with surprising strength.
"Why? What's going on?" Harry asked as Zalika quickly pulled off her sleep clothes.
"The Dread Lord, Imhotep has finally opened his Cult to outsiders!" Clione reappeared holding a stack of clothes in her hands. Zalika joined her sister in getting Harry dressed in record time.
"Why is this important?" Harry sighed, already tired once more. She looked down at the clothes Clione picked out for her today. It was the same style as the other clothes that Imhotep had made for her, however this outfit was a light cream color with a design that was shiny gold and looked like vines crawling up her body. Harry thought it looked quite nice.
"Opening his Cult to outsiders allows anyone to come and ask to join or help!" Zalika stated while helping Harry get her golden sandals on. Clione combed out her hair and braided it to the top of her head so fast Harry barely noticed what she was doing. Them getting her ready every morning continued to grate on Harry's nerves something fierce.
"Why hasn't it been open before now?" Harry asked quietly.
The two girls shrugged, clearly not having an answer. They pulled on Harry's arms to lead her out of the area and towards where the Cult, and possibly Imhotep, were holding court. While they walked, Harry's mind kept going back to the idea of the Death Eaters acting like they were a cult and Lord Voldemort was their God and that image alone made her want to vomit. Something within her that didn't feel like herself told her that it was an unfair comparison, but she had little else to go on so she was left grasping at straws.
As soon as they passed through the magical door, Harry was immediately drowning in the dark energy of Imhotep. It was everywhere, like a fog of evil intent that was blanketing the whole building. Yet Harry still didn't feel afraid of Imhotep or the power he held. The pressure of his magic eased as they walked through the hallway of whatever building they were in.
"Here, My Lady!" Clione whispered loudly as she motioned to an open doorway they were approaching. Harry could hear voices filtering out from the opening.
The doorway had a decorative trim at the top and looked like there were places to attach something. Harry thought back to the fabric that closed the doorways in Clione and Zalika's house and assumed it was for something similar. The three of them looked into the room through the doorway and found that there was a sizable crowd milling about inside. Harry noticed that the people in the crowd were dressed like the people Harry saw in the Market the time she was there and that there were a dozen or so men dressed in bright red and standing around them that were armed with foreign looking swords and modern looking rifles. It was clear now to Harry that the people in red were members of the Imhotep's Cult. Most of the men she could see in red gave Harry the creeps something fierce.
"So the people, what? Ask Imhotep for things? Or the Cult?" Harry asked either girl quietly. There were two men in red standing on either side of the doorway on the inside of the room that glanced in their direction but didn't seem interested in them.
"They ask Imhotep through his Cult." Clione answered softly.
"Though it's usually Mr. Hafez that makes the final decision." Zalika sneered just as softly.
Harry noted Zalika's tone. "You don't like Mr. Hafez?"
Zalika pointed into the room to someone Harry couldn't see, so she stepped through the doorway with the two girls staying close to either side of her. Now Harry could see who Zalika was pointing to. She was pointing to an older looking Egyptian man wearing the same red and black get up that the other men in the room, though his outfit was more elaborate than the others. He had a somewhat gaunt face with well manicured facial hair. Even from this distance, watching him gesture aggressively to the other men in red and black, Harry found she had a deep dislike for the man despite only just seeing him from a distance.
Looking around the room now, Harry realized it was a large, rectangular room that looked like a place for meetings or parties. The walls were mostly bare, but there were a few pictures of plants and water painted right onto the walls. There were some pedestals around the room with large, flowering plants on top of them. The people coming to ask the Cult for aid were coming in through a door on the other side of the room that looked to connect to the outside from what Harry could see. The people were congregating to the right of the door Harry, Zalika, and Clione came in through and were kept in place by several cult members wielding various weapons. Harry scanned the room going to the left but froze once she saw…
Imhotep.
In that moment, Harry felt so much like a small rabbit staring down a tiger that was ready to devour her whole. His dark eyes watched her, unblinking, with an intensity that made her feel like he was able to see every bit of her mind, body, and soul. He had a self satisfied smirk on his lips that Harry wanted to have grate at her nerves, but didn't for some reason. Why did this Dark Wizard have to be so stupidly attractive?
Imhotep was sitting at the other side of the room on a throne that was less grand than the one behind the magical doorway at the far end of the room. It was up several steps much like her bed was, making Harry wonder about the significance. He sat in a self assured way that screamed confidence and royalty. She couldn't be sure, but he may have been wearing a similar outfit as the last time she saw him. She realized with a start that this was only the second time she'd seen him in person.
"Oh! The Dread Lord, Imhotep is here!" Zalika nudged Harry's right shoulder, giving Harry the opportunity to pull her attention away from the gaze of the man whose very presence threatened to consume her whole.
"I'm hardly surprised." Harry lied. She was quite surprised to see the man that seemed to have a certain obsession with her in the flesh once more. Even more so that his very presence seemed to affect her very being without her approval. "You said that these people came here because of him."
"He looked quite bored when we poked our heads in earlier." Clione mentioned in a soft voice. "He seems happier now that you are here."
Harry looked back to Imhotep, seeing now that he was reclined back in his seat and still watching her quite closely. Why did his change in sitting make her think he was giving her permission to walk over and touch him? Where did that thought even come from? Harry wanted to think about the many questions she had concerning Imhotep but she knew this was not the time nor the place. Not when the man in question was doing nothing else but gazing at her so nakedly.
A woman speaking shrilly pulled Harry's attention away from Imhotep once more. There was an older looking woman dressed very similar to Clione and Zalika was speaking frantically to Mr. Hafez while holding a limp child that looked no older than a few months in her arms. Mr. Hafez waved a dismissive hand at her before walking away from her. The woman began to sob loudly enough that it bounced off the walls. A man standing next to her wrapped an arm around the woman as she continued to sob cradling the child between them as he held her.
"Poor woman." Zalika muttered quietly.
"What's wrong with her?" Harry asked just as softly.
"Her child hasn't woken up in almost three days. Nothing she's tried has worked. She was hoping that The Dread Lord could wake the child." Zalika explained while looking like she wanted to cry.
"Mr. Hafez offered her some food, instead." Clione added, also looking like she was going to break into sobs. Harry looked back to the woman they were speaking about. The man with her had pulled her to the side, away from the crowd while she continued to cry and clutch her small child to her chest.
Harry hated how cruel life could be to those at the bottom of society. This woman was not asking for riches or power. She just wanted her child to wake up, to be healthy. That was deemed too much while those at the top demanded more of everything and it was given with a smile. It made Harry's blood burn with old rage. The very system she fought against, that her schoolmates died to end, was alive and well elsewhere with no one able to tear it down. People continued to suffer for no good reason.
…You can heal the child...
Heka's voice in Harry's mind cooled her rage, if only a little. She hated that she couldn't prove the woman's assertions, but maybe it wouldn't be quite so grating if she could help Harry in this small way.
…Saving a young life is no small thing, My Daughter. This is what I made you for...
Harry had always assumed that Heka's Grand Plan would involve more fighting, every step of the way. Much like Dumbledore's 'Grand Plan'. Fighting injustice. Fighting inequality. It was a good fight, but tiring to do alone with an enemy that was so entrenched. Had so many people willing to do their bidding. She wasn't sure she had it in her to live that life day after day, country after country.
…We have a Destroyer...
Harry looked back to Imhotep, though not entirely of her own choosing. He was still leaning back in his seat, looking very interested in what was going on with Harry, despite nothing really having changed outside her mind.
…My Creator must now awaken...
Heka's words gave Harry pause. She wasn't expected to fight? Dumbledore expected her to fight and die without a second thought. Decided this when she was still a child. Maybe even earlier. Could Harry play her part in this plan if she was not the one expected to tear down these institutions?
'What…' Harry had begun the thought, but instinctively squashed it.
She wanted to refuse it all without hesitation. Wanted to question Heka more. Find out who she really was. Figure out why it had to be Harry to fix everything once again. Harry had followed one person's plan without question and it nearly cost her her life. She was loath to do it all again. Especially since she wasn't sure her evasion of death would work one more time.
Harry finally managed to tear her eyes away from Imhotep. His presence was not helping her think through what felt like a huge decision. Harry thought of what Hermione would do in this situation How she would approach it. An earlier conversation with Heka came to mind. "How does one 'prove' a God is a God? Other than faith." Harry had so little faith these days, but maybe that's what she needed, just this once.
The woman was still crying. The child was still not waking up. If Harry could help them, had the ability to help them, then she had the obligation to do so. If there were going to be any consequences for going along with Heka to help this woman and her child, Harry would bear them happily.
'What do I need to do?' Harry desperately prayed to Heka.
…You already have my power within you. Accept it and it will be yours to shape...
Accept it? There was absolutely no way it could be that easy. Harry looked back to the crying woman. She was clutching her sleeping child to her chest, rubbing their back in a soothing manner, despite the motion, the woman's tears continued to stream down her face as Harry watched her hope wither. She could hear Clione or Zalika talking, but their voices had become distorted. Like she was trying to hear them while under water.
'Help me help her baby!' Harry practically begged Heka. She felt so lost and alone. On the cusp of something momentous but blind to the next step. Hermione would be cross with her, but that was a problem for another day. If any of this even worked.
Something began pushing out those dark thoughts and filled her whole being after them. Harry was surprised by how light she felt. Like she was truly free for the first time in her entire life. The strange fullness continued down her limbs until she felt filled to the brim. Then her body began to move, though not completely without her consent. The closest feeling Harry could equate it to was an Imperious Curse, but even that wasn't how this felt. She made sure to carefully catalog what she was feeling so that she could figure out what was going on with Hermione later.
Harry walked past several Cult members that watched her with curiosity but did nothing to stop her as she approached the crying woman. The man with her looked at Harry curiously, his own eyes misted but made no motion to stop her from placing a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. The woman looked at Harry with stormy eyes and fat tears still making their way down her wet face. Her misery was overtaken by her confusion for the moment. Harry motioned to the unconscious child and held out her hands in a way that Harry hoped she would understand. The woman looked down to her child and back to Harry before tentatively handing her child to Harry. Once the child was firmly in Harry's hands, she realized just how small they really were. A literal infant.
Harry came back to herself most of the way but it felt like there was something or someone else still inside of her. She assumed it was some small part of Heka helping her through helping the baby. It was comforting knowing that this teacher wouldn't leave her to figure it out on her own when they had the knowledge to help her.
'What do I do now?' Harry asked silently.
Harry felt a slight push on the back of her head and she moved her head down to look at the baby she was holding in her hands. Without warning, Harry's reality shifted so drastically it made her dizzy. Once that wave of dizziness passed, she realized that she was seeing things differently.
The building around them was now a nearly blinding white, not too dissimilar to the vision she had of Dumbledore in Limbo. The woman in front of her and the crowd of people behind her had small starbursts inside of them that were varying shades of blue. Harry chanced a glance to Imhotep. It probably shouldn't have surprised her to find that he was nearly pitch black. He was now leaning forward in his seat, now unabashedly interested in what she and Heka were doing.
Looking back to the infant in her hands, Harry noticed that they were a darker shade of blue that Harry noticed was steadily getting lighter, but it wasn't solid like the other people in the room. The child looked like they weren't quite solid. Almost blurry. Looking closer, Harry saw another color inside the child's head. It was a muted gray, like the rest of the color in the child had been erased. Harry's arm raised on its own and it was only then that she realized that her hand was an iridescent gold color that seemed to shimmer on its own. Harry's hand then moved on its own once more, reaching into the child and grabbing onto the gray color and pulling it out like it was a piece of lint on a shirt.
Harry's vision shifted again though not as disorientingly this time. The child looked solid once more, its shade of blue much lighter now, and there was something new above them. It looked like glitter that was sparkling with every color imaginable was floating unmoving on top of some water above the child. Harry was at a loss at what to do, but the presence within her moved her once more. Harry bent her head down slightly and blew onto the glitter that was suspended above the child. The glitter moved in two circles that were moving as opposite mirrors of one another. Once it started to move, it continued to move on its own at a steadily increasing pace.
Reality shifted for Harry once again but this time it seemed like everything was back to normal. She looked down at the child that she was holding with her left hand just in time to see them begin to open their eyes. Harry couldn't help the smile that bloomed across her face. She had managed to wake the child up for the woman. No matter what happened after this or because of this, Harry would make sure that she helped as many people as possible. The baby moved its arms while making cute little sounds. The woman quickly grabbed the child back and began crying again, but they were happy tears this time.
"My Lady!" Zalika's voice drew her attention away from the happy scene in front of her.
Zalika appeared to her right holding a large expensive looking gold tray with several gold bowls and a few well made bright blue hand towels. Clione was right next to her with one of the blue hand towels already in her hand.
"We need to take care of that." Clione muttered as she nodded towards Harry's right hand and began to carefully fold the hand towel.
Harry looked to her right hand with mild confusion, until she saw that her hand had large rivulets of blood running down and dripping onto the floor and that she was holding what looked like a lump of flesh. Harry's stomach rolled so hard it took every bit of self control she had to keep her stomach contents down where they belonged. Clione took the flesh from her hand and wrapped it with the towel which helped Harry's fight with her stomach. Clione picked up a second towel and dipped it in one of the bowls before cleaning the blood off her hand. She set that towel down and repeated the action with a second bowl and cleaned her hand again.
"How did you do that?!" Zalika exclaimed as quietly as she could. "Your eyes glowed gold! Just like the magic you used on our mother!"
"Is that how they do magic where you're from?" Clione asked her quietly.
Harry was truly at a loss as to what had just happened. She had felt like a passenger in her own body. The fact that that feeling did not bother her as much as she thought it should have worried her, but it was just another mark on the list of crazy at this point. She wanted to be concerned about it, and honestly, everything going on here but that thought process ended once she noticed Mr. Hafez was walking towards them. This close, he made Harry's skin crawl in a very similar way that Lucius did.
"Well done." Mr. Hafez spoke elegantly but Harry was not fooled. His poison was just well hidden. "You got your miracle after all. You may leave now." He ordered the happy mother and the man next to her.
"You offered them food." Harry spoke up. She was not about to let this slimy man slither his way out of his promise. "They get the food too."
"They get one boon." Mr. Hafez growled at her. The benevolent mask he had been wearing slipped off a lot quicker than she was expecting. Maybe she was just used to a better breed of bigot. "You gave them a miracle so we keep the food." He gestured harshly at the woman holding her child, who was looking scared now. Harry noted that the whole room had gone silent.
"I'm not a part of your cult." Harry spoke to him with a harsh edge in her voice as she turned to fully face the cult leader. "You will hold to your word." Harry wasn't sure how she was going to make this man keep his word but figured she'd come up with something. She had been in worse situations than this one in the past and it always worked out in the end.
"I'm done with you." Mr. Hafez waved a dismissive hand at Harry. "Lock-Nah!" Mr. Hafez yelled to someone behind her. Harry turned her head as someone walked up beside her. She recognized the person as the large black man that had been following her and the girls in the market. He was much larger and far more intimidating this close. "Remove her." Mr. Hafez commanded as he sneered at Harry.
Harry looked back to Lock-Nah, finding that he was already looking at her with a calculating eye. She watched him glance to his other side, possibly towards Imhotep, before looking back to her.
"No." He responded to Mr. Hafez plainly without breaking eye contact with Harry.
"Excuse me?!" Mr. Hafez howled with reddening features.
"No." Lock-Nah repeated himself, finally looking at Mr. Hafez. He turned back to Harry, bowed his head much the same way as he did in the market, and took several long steps back away from her.
"I will deal with you later." Mr. Hafez threatened Lock-Nah, but it didn't seem that he was moved by the threat. Lock-Nah stood unmoved by the scrawny man in front of her. Mr. Hafez reminded Harry of the many times Slytherin students tried to threaten her by riding on their parents' coattails. Except… would Hafez be riding on Imhotep's robe, she pondered. "Guards!" Mr. Hafez yelled once more.
This time, five men wearing bright red ran up and surrounded her with their swords already drawn and leveled at her. Hmm, it was less than ideal, but Harry was sure that she could still figure something out even though she didn't have anything close to a plan yet. Which when she thought about it, was not a new thing for her. Mr. Hafez raised his right hand at her, oily sneer firmly in place. Harry had a couple of spells already in mind that could keep this fight short. Even without her wand, she'd had worse odds in duels.
Suddenly, there was a deep rumble that seemed to echo all around the room, like an earthquake but without any of the movement. The crowd of locals drop to their knees immediately while clutching each for safety. The cult members also kneeled onto the ground, though slower and more measured. Mr. Hafez remained standing, though Harry could see the unmasked fear in the man's eyes as he seemed frozen in place in front of her.
"Baltus Hafez." A man's voice echoed strangely within the large room. Mr. Hafez tensed at the mention of his name and even the crowd of locals knelt lower to the floor. Movement caught Harry's eye and she saw that Imhotep had descended from his throne and was now walking in a slow and deliberate way behind the leader of His Cult. "You have always thought so highly of yourself." Imhotep was speaking and Harry was understanding him, but it had a strange echo to it that Harry had a hard time understanding where it came from. Mr. Hafez turned to face Imhotep as he came to a stop to the cult leader's right. This close, Harry realized that she only came up to Imhotep's shoulder. The top of his black robe was open enough to reveal a large medallion that looked like a beetle with some wings he was wearing that hung between his collarbones. "But you have gone too far."
"My Lord." Mr. Hafez attempted to speak through the tremble of his voice. His voice had the same duality as Imhotep's. Almost like she was hearing two different languages at the same time. "I did not mean to insult your concubine." Mr. Hafez bowed deeply.
Harry was deeply insulted by Mr. Hafez calling her a concubine but Imhotep spoke before she could fully manifest her anger.
"You did not insult my concubine." Imhotep's voice had turned sharp just as his eyes became obsidian chips. His attractive features had taken on a dangerous edge that Harry found she didn't hate. "You insulted your Goddess." Imhotep's voice dropped lower, sounding like the thunder before a bad storm.
Imhotep's left hand shot out without warning, grabbing onto Mr. Hafez's neck and lifting him into the air like he weighed nothing more than a peppercorn. Mr. Hafez looked confused, afraid, and about a dozen other emotions as he tried to beg for his life. Imhotep then opened his mouth, but his lower jaw kept going until it was nearly cartoonish looking. Mr. Hafez began to scream as it looked like bits of him were detaching from his body and flying into Imhotep's elongated mouth. Harry watched, captivated by the strange magic even as Mr. Hafez continued to scream out in pain. After what felt like an hour but was only a few seconds, Mr. Hafez stopped screaming and moving all together. Imhotep dropped the withered husk that was Mr. Hafez just a moment ago. Harry registered the soft whimpers of the crowd next to her.
Imhotep turned to face Harry and she was able to take in all his dangerous glory. She was never one to be rendered speechless by a handsome man like her female classmates, but there was something different about this Imhotep. His very presence ensnared her and demanded her full attention which she couldn't help but give. He moved to hold out his right hand with the palm up to her, that infuriating smirk now returned to his lips. Seeing no harm in the action, Harry gently placed her left hand into his, finding his skin surprisingly soft. His smirk softened into a genuine smile as he led her away from all the people and towards the throne he had been sitting on. Harry had assumed that he was going to sit in his seat once more and she would sit on the floor next to him but that was not what happened. Instead, he stopped in front of the throne and pulled on her arm gently, silently instructing her to continue to the throne. At which point, he placed his left hand on her shoulder and delicately pushed her to sit. He then carefully placed her hands in her lap before standing next to her on her left side.
Before anything in the room had the chance to settle, Imhotep made a sweeping motion with his left hand. A loud cracking sound echoed throughout the quiet room quite suddenly. Harry was unsure what was happening until she watched the floor, where she had been standing and where she was surrounded by the guards, shatter and gape open. The guards that were still surrounding the spot all looked to the opening half curiously. Something black literally erupted from the opening and quickly overcame the five guards before they even had the chance to scream. The crowd next to them began whimpering louder and the closest people tried their best to move away from the blackness that was moving around the five men. Within seconds, the blackness retreated back into the crack in the floor, leaving five steaming skeletons behind. Harry looked to Imhotep, who seemed awfully pleased as he repeated the motion and the crack in the floor closed in such a way that it looked like it was never there.
In the quiet room a younger and rather plain looking young man with short, manicured hair walked up to the steps that led up to where she was sitting. He was wearing an outfit similar to the one that Mr. Hafez was wearing and looked beside himself in fear.
The young man bowed deeply. "My Lord. I am…" His voice had the same dual language property that Imhotep's had.
"You will greet your Goddess." Imhotep's sharp dual toned words cut off the young man. The young man flinched like he had actually been cut. "And properly." His low dual-toned threat was well received by the young man and probably anyone else who understood Imhotep.
"Of course, of course! Many apologies." The young man spoke quickly while bowing again, far deeper this time. "Your Majesties." The young man snuck a quick glance to Imhotep, who seemed pleased enough with his actions and said nothing. "I am Nour El-Shahir, Second Priest under Mr. Hafez. As the First Priest, I will lead your Cult to glory." The young man only stuttered once near the end and asked more than he stated but Harry was mildly impressed by the man's fortitude.
Imhotep nodded to the young man and he took the opportunity to scurry towards the crowd of locals. His first commands were to other cult members to clean up the six corpses that littered the floor.
Harry watched the scene in front of her with a numbed detachment. Lost in her own mind once more, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened over the course of what she realized was probably only a couple minutes. She decided to start at the beginning, where she performed magic that should have been impossible. Harry tried desperately to remember some bit of information from anywhere that mentioned anything close to what she had done, but nothing came to her. As far as she knew, this was a first. Or at least a first according to the European Wizards that wrote all their books. Harry was beginning to wonder just how much information that was out there regarding things that Europeans had no knowledge of.
Then there was the giant question mark standing to her left. Harry chanced a glance at Imhotep, who was watching his cult members work though his smirk deepened so she assumed he knew she was looking at him and quickly averted her eyes back to the front. She had just watched him murder six people without hesitation or mercy but there was something different about it. Through dreams and in person, Harry had watched Lord Voldemort kill people and seen the aftermath of his rages. Being evil was the only thing that Lord Voldemort wanted to be, so he indulged in that darkness with his whole being. Doing evil acts for the sake of it. She did not get that feeling from Imhotep. He did not look like he gained the same satisfaction from the act of murder. His evil acts felt more like an act of nature. Performing a needed action while being indifferent to anything that came after. Harry wondered, in the grand scheme of things, which one of these men was worse?
And what exactly was with all this 'Goddess' business? She did not like the implications of that title or the intensity with which Imhotep had insisted that she be called it to his priest. Though she had to admit that she liked the implications of 'concubine' far, FAR less. An image suddenly came to her mind of her and Imhotep laying naked in bed. His lips were on her neck, kissing her softly as his hand slid down her body to between her legs. Her blush was fast and aggressive and she had to hold up a hand to her face to save what little dignity she had left. Imhotep looked over to her but she was not about to give that man and his infuriating smirk any satisfaction in knowing that he was getting to her within her own mind.
Once Harry's blush was mercifully beaten back down, she went back to watching the crowd before her. She didn't want to dwell on the many questions buzzing around her head just yet. She still wasn't sure if Imhotep could or would use Legilimency on her but she would rather not have to deal with any mortification she might experience with him able to see it. It was easier to deal with those things when she was alone in her room and under her blankets where she could pretend that none of this was happening.
Clione and Zalika made a sudden reappearance from the crowd of locals. The scampered over to where her and Imhotep were but quickly ducked their heads down when they got to the steps. They walked up the steps with their heads down before sitting on either side of Harry's chair near her knees. Harry was worried Imhotep might do something to them, but he seemed more amused than anything and made no motion towards them.
"This has all been very exciting!" Zalika said happily in a hushed tone.
"The village will be talking about you even more now!" Clione added with her own enthusiasm bursting as she addressed Harry.
"I'm glad you two have been enjoying the afternoon's entertainment." Harry sighed. There was still a ship full of luggage to sort through and she was already tired.
"Can you brew potions?" Clione asked softly.
"Potions?" Harry was thrown by the sudden change of subject. "Well, yeah. So long as I have a good recipe and supplies, I can brew most potions."
Slughorn had always crowed his belief that she had inherited her mother's keen sense for potions, but Harry always thought she was just really good at following directions.
"Some of the people were talking about needing different kinds of potions." Clione started to pull out a piece of paper that was covered in scribbles.
"Some of them sound like they could be really complicated." Zalika added as Clione read down their list.
"Bone mending, wound stitching, anything for infections, antidotes for poison. Those were the more popular requests." Clione read off the list before handing the paper to Harry.
The paper was covered in child-like writing but in english. Harry figured that Imhotep gifted them with her written language as well as her spoken speech. Harry saw the requests that they mentioned as well as a few others. Many of these were the same condition or similar enough to use the same potions. None of them seemed too complicated to brew, but Harry did not have a place to brew or any supplies. She didn't even have her school books!
"These won't be too hard for me to brew but I lack any sort of supplies." Harry tried to explain. She wanted to help these people in any way she could but she was woefully unprepared to do anything regarding potion-making.
"What do you need?" Zalika asked with big eyes.
"Maybe we can help!" Clione added with equally large eyes.
Harry sighed softly as she read over the list once more. "Biggest thing is I need a place to brew the potions and store the ingredients. The more potions I'm going to be brewing, the bigger the space I'll need." Harry paused as she thought everything over. "Is there an apothecary in town?" Harry paused again, a new thought emerged. "I don't have any money to buy anything." How was she supposed to brew potions for these people without money? She didn't even know what kind of currency they used here. If they even used a currency. They could be on a barter system and she was smart enough to know that she'd be taken for a ride if she tried to barter with a local.
"Apothecary?" Clione asked slowly as she looked at her sister.
"Maybe?" Zalika answered with little confidence as she looked back at her sister.
Harry sighed again. This was already not shaping up to be a huge amount of work.
"Your Majesty?" A deep man's voice pulled her out of her mind.
Harry looked up and saw Lock-Nah standing at the bottom of the stairs with his head bowed slightly.
"Are you speaking to me?" Harry asked. She had very little experience with how things were done here and didn't want to intrude on Imhotep's authority in regards to his cult. At all. She knew she couldn't take him in a fight, with or without a wand.
Lock-Nah looked up at her with a smile that spoke of amusement. "Yes." Lock-Nah answer, clearly pleased. "I might be able to help your ladies." He answered.
"How do you think you can help?" Harry questioned her newest named shadow.
"I may not have any magic but, as a Squib, I know much about the needs of the magical community. We have a couple Apothecaries in the village but I fear that their inventories will leave someone of your competence quite disappointed." The large cult member explained.
"Could we place orders? Or get shipments sent here?" Harry grunted as she flopped back in her chair. "And I still haven't figured out how I'm going to pay for any of this!" Harry exclaimed in exasperation.
Imhotep turned to her too slowly to be anything but deliberate. "The Cult has collected funds for whatever you may need or want." He hissed at her smoothly in Parseltongue. Harry hated how her mind went blank any time this man spoke to her or even looked at her. She had grown past schoolyard crushes! And she wasn't crushing anyway!
"That takes care of the payment, at least." Harry replied quietly as she sat back up in her seat. She still felt pinned in place by Imhotep's gaze and avoided looking into his him.
"This building does not have a dedicated alchemy workshop." Imhotep grimaced before getting his features back under control quickly. "You are welcome to take any room that fits your needs." He made a motion with his left hand that didn't translate. "If none suits you, I will make one for you." Imhotep hissed quietly. Harry thought his intense stare had taken on a more passionate look, but she couldn't be sure she wasn't projecting. And weren't his words just the most enticing thing a man had ever said to her.
"Thank you." Harry practically whispered, not knowing what else she could say to him.
Imhotep seemed satisfied with her response. He smiled at her in a way that almost looked loving before turning back to the crowd.
Harry finally looked back to Lock-Nah. His eyes were slightly larger than they had been, like he was surprised. "I…was not aware you were a Parseltongue."
"Yeah, it surprised me too." Harry replied sarcastically. "So, there are at least a couple Apothecaries in the village?" Harry spoke perhaps a little sharply as she tried desperately to rein herself back under control.
"Yes. Three to be specific but as I stated, their stocks are quite limited. I would suggest Tefnut's Kitchen. The shopkeeper there has connections to the bigger villages." Lock-Nah explained clearly. "I would offer to escort you to the Apothecary, but I believe your young servants would prefer to take you."
Zalika and Clione both looked up at her with big smiles. "Yes!" They exclaimed in unison.
"It would be like the other day." Zalika spoke joyfully.
"Maybe we could go to some of the bigger shops this time?" Clione asked Harry timidly.
Harry's mind was still buzzing from all the questions she had bouncing around her head but she could not deny that the thought of mindless activity sounded lovely right now.
"If I'm going to be brewing some potions for the locals here, then we should probably check out all the Apothecaries." Harry told the girls slyly. They were quick to react in their joy, both hugging each of her legs tightly, and that was awkward enough.
Lock-Nah bowed again. "Please let me know if you need help acquiring your supplies majesty." He stated before moving away once more.
The girls were quick to get up from where they were sitting and had practically jumped down the steps in preparation to leave. Harry couldn't help the chuckle she made as she stood up. The two girls were refreshing to have around when everything else in this place confused or worried her to no end. Harry held out the paper to Zalika, who ran back up the steps and snatched it up quickly. Imhotep turned to face Harry and she took a step back so he could sit back in the chair.
"So, you're heading out to the village market then?" Imhotep asked in Parseltongue as he slowly removed his black gloves.
"Uh, yes." Harry replied in kind as she tried desperately to keep her mind under control. What could she even say to this man? He was so much more powerful in both magic and simple presence than her. "I'm hoping that I can find adequate supplies for the potion-making."
"Be careful, My Love." Imhotep hissed in a low tone. He then reached out and grabbed her left hand so carefully that she didn't even think to stop him. His touch felt so unreal. Safe and comforting despite the evil she had witnessed him perform. He then brought her hand up and placed a careful kiss on her fingers. Her whole body broke out into goosebumps as soon as his lips touched her skin. "I would like to avoid leveling this village to the sand it was built upon." He leveled his fierce stare at her that promised nothing but incredible violence should she be harmed.
"I…will do my best." Harry nearly croaked her response. She knew better than to try to lie to this man. She hadn't figured out if he had the same ability as Heka to read her thoughts and she was not about to insult him before she had a better feeling for this whole situation.
Imhotep smirked before releasing her from his grip on her hand and mind. Harry wasn't sure what to do next, so she nodded slightly before practically scurrying down the steps and out the door with the girls right on her heels.
Zalika slid up to her side. "He really likes you." She said with a smile showing all her teeth. Harry wanted to smack her, but didn't since she didn't know how that would be interpreted by the girl, so she settled on sighing once more.
Once they got close to the market, the girls ran ahead a little bit. They were very excited to go out to the market with Harry again. Harry didn't mind them giving her some space, even if it was unintentional. Having someone near her or touching her during every waking and sleeping moment was beginning to make her skin crawl with anxiety. A childhood in the cupboard had taught her to appreciate being alone. Hermione and Ron always made sure that she didn't stay alone longer than necessary but knew she needed her space.
Something suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her into a doorway she was walking past. Without thinking, Harry sent out a repulsion spell out of her hands that sent her attacker flying into the opposing wall of the empty room she had been pulled into. She was just about to follow up with another spell when she realized that she recognized the person that had grabbed her. It was the other man that was wearing all black with tattoos on his face that was watching her in the market before Lock-Nah seemingly scared him off.
"What do you think you're doing?" Harry demanded, fully prepared to continue her attack if he insisted.
"I should have known you had offensive magic as well." The man muttered as he rubbed the back of his head. He stopped rubbing his head and leveled her with a calculating eye. "I am Ardeth Bay. One of the twelve Chiefs of The Medjai tribe." He bowed his head a little.
"Ok?" Harry replied angrily. "What right does that give you to grab me and pull me into a building?" She demanded. She was far past letting anyone think they had the right to do whatever they wanted to her.
"I have been sent to investigate the reemergence of The Creature you have found in your company. He is incredibly dangerous and must be stopped." Ardeth explained with a small amount of urgency but his words only made Harry angrier.
"The Creature?! He has a name!" Harry yelled back, surprising the man. She knew that Imhotep was powerful and dangerous and about a dozen other terms that could have been applied to Lord Voldemort but she was not going to let this stranger attempt to say such things about anyone in her presence. Not without him doing anything even remotely close to what Lord Voldemort had done anyway. At this point, he was only a Dark Wizard and Murderer. Hardly enough reason to call him 'Creature'. Her mind went to Kreacher, the poor old House Elf of the Black Family and the abused Dobby that escaped the Malfoy family. House Elves were treated as less than human and look how that worked out for them!
"He is pure evil. A blight upon the land. You must understand that." Ardeth implored.
"I have seen pure evil up close and personal. Imhotep hasn't done anything like that! Who are you to pass that kind of judgment?!" Harry growled at the man. "I know precious little about what's going on here but I refuse to believe some stranger on nothing more than their word." Her mind went to Dumbledore and all the lies he told her to keep her fighting his war. Never again would she dance so willingly to someone else's drum. "You want me to work with you? Bring me proof. Bring me facts."
"Ardeth Bay." The deep voice of Lock-Nah came from behind her. He was already in the room with them and came to stand next to her. "It's been a while."
"Lock-Nah." Ardeth replied, sounding almost sad. "It has, hasn't it?"
Lock-Nah nodded. "I do not want to fight you, but if you continue to harass Hari here," Lock-Nah nodded to Harry, "We will clash once more, and this time I will not stop…until one of us is dead."
Ardeth stared down Lock-Nah. "We fought side by side, once upon a time. What happened? What changed that turned you away from us?" Ardeth nearly begged Lock-Nah.
"The Magical government is wrong. WE are worth more than what they have decided." Lock-Nah spoke fiercely. "I wanted more! To change things for the better for our kind and every Squib born after us, but I couldn't without any magic. I believe I have found a way to bring about the change that we desperately need."
"By joining our ancestral enemy?!" Ardeth demanded hotly.
"How do we know that? Truly?" Lock-Nah questioned Ardeth calmly, killing some of Ardeth's rage. "All we have is the word of our ancestors from over three thousand years ago. You know as well as I that those words could have been twisted over time or been lies from the start."
"Of all of our enemies, why him?!" Ardeth raised his voice again as if he were desperately trying to pull a friend from the ledge.
"Our ancestors had so much to gain by modifying history. Tell me, what does Imhotep stand to gain except a well deserved revenge against the people who condemned him to an eternity of suffering?" Lock-Nah asked the other man.
"He was trying to play at being a God! No one has that right!" Ardeth was staying angry. Maybe it was because he thought he was in the right. Maybe it was because he couldn't stand to lose.
"That punishment, today, would be seen as cruel and unusual." Lock-Nah remained calm. "They had no right."
"He will destroy the Medjai!"
"Maybe we deserve it." Lock-Nah stated, ending their argument.
Ardeth looked at Lock-Nah, several emotions playing across his face. Pain, sadness, and betrayal being the most apparent to Harry.
"I've been compiling a report on Imhotep's reemergence. I'm sending it up today." Ardeth explained calmly, devoid of his previous anger.
"Why are you telling me this?" Lock-Nah questioned suspiciously.
"Consider this my last courtesy to an old friend." Ardeth stated and, without another word, left the room he had dragged Harry into.
Harry stood there with Lock-Nah in the awkward silence left behind by Ardeth Bay. Harry had a pretty good idea of what she had witnessed, but there was still a lot of information that she was missing. More questions were added to her already stuffed head, threatening to split her skull. She stepped away from Lock-Nah when the tell tale signs of a panic attack began to manifest. This was all too much for her to handle on her own. There was just too much!
"Your Majesty?" Lock-Nah called out to Harry. The use of the royal title broke her fragile composure.
"What the fuck is happening here?!" Harry yelled at Lock-Nah.
Thankfully, he didn't seem upset by her outburst. "I was just thinking that you were handling everything here quite well." He spoke with a slight smirk. "Has it finally gotten to be a bit too much?" He spoke like he was telling a joke.
Harry growled under her breath. Her nerves were already incredibly frayed and this man was making jokes?! She recognized that she was letting her emotions rule her so she took a few calming breaths before she replied to Lock-Nah.
"I got pretty good at compartmentalization during the war, but yes. Today especially has been 'a bit too much'." Harry sighed out some of her anxiety. "Is this what you do? Follow me around like a creepy fucker?" Harry asked sharply.
Lock-Nah laughed heartily. "I guess you would see me as a creepy fucker. We've only just been introduced today." He continued to chuckle. "And yes, I guess this is what I do now. Imhotep…let's say he requested that I tag along with you."
Harry knew what he wasn't saying. "He commanded you to follow me, didn't he?"
"Yes." Lock-nah said while nodding, making Harry laugh.
Once Harry got her laughing under control, she spoke again. "You and that Ardeth guy seem to have a lot of history."
Lock-Nah nodded his head somewhat sadly. "We were born into the same tribe of Squib's. We grew up together. I mourn that our paths diverged."
Harry knew that feeling all too well. It also sounded like that wound was still somewhat fresh. "Well, when things are a little less crazy, we can trade tragic backstories." Harry joked lightly. He seemed to appreciate it by giving her a genuine smile. "How about you tell me the report he was talking about? I know it's all about Imhotep and probably me too. Where is he sending it?"
"You're a European witch so I'm sure you know about the ICW." Lock-Nah replied simply.
Harry couldn't stop the string of obscenities that came out of her mouth. She was sure Molly Weasley would have smacked her good if she heard half of it.
"Am I just cursed to have the worst luck ever?" Harry asked no one in particular. She really wanted to cry.
"I don't know anything about being cursed." Lock-Nah shrugged. "But I wouldn't worry about it too much. You have Imhotep looking out for you."
Harry fell against the wall in a lean. "I don't love the idea of having to depend on a man I barely know to defend me against the entire ICW." Harry thought about the amount of collateral damage that could happen if even a small group of wizards from the ICW showed up here and picked a fight with either her or Imhotep. She didn't trust that Imhotep would stay his hand in a fight and not hurt any innocents. Harry would never forgive herself or him if that happened.
Lock-Nah came up beside her and leaned up against the wall with her. "Perhaps this is a worry for another day." Harry looked at him and found him looking at her with a smile.
"Perhaps you're right." Harry sighed. A lot of things recently were getting kicked down the road. "I do have potion supplies to procure, after all." Harry spoke with false happiness as she pushed herself off the wall. Lock-Nah followed her out of the building. Harry tried to figure out how she was going to tell Hermione about everything that had happened here and that sparked her memory. "Do you have an Owlery somewhere near here?"
"An Owlery?" He asked, sounding lost before he seemingly remembered something. "Ah. A place for the owls that carry your messages, correct?"
"Yes." Harry nodded. "I was hoping there was an owl or some other mail carrier that could get a letter to Great Britain in a timely manner."
"Hmm. Allow me to look around and see if I can set something up. I'm not sure if there are any owls near here. The Medjai use falcons or hawks. Maybe I can find a falcon that's strong enough to make that journey." He suggested.
Harry smiled at the large black man. He didn't strike her as someone that was too bad, just someone who found themselves in a bad place and was making the best of it. Sounded very similar to her own life. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."
The two walked in companionable silence until they got to the market. Once they walked into the open area, Harry was swarmed by Zalika and Clione who excitedly wanted to show her everything in the market. Harry let them drag her away while Lock-Nah followed them around like a shadow. Despite everything that had happened in her life and maybe for the first time ever, she felt like her life was heading in the right direction.