Her magic was moving under her skin.
Lock-Nah showed Harry the other courtyards he mentioned in passing and she was grateful for it. There was one on the far side of the building, furthest away from the main room yet only a short walk from her office. There hadn't been a single person walk by in what felt like the couple hours she had been there. She desperately needed solitude to think over this mornings' conversation.
Clione and Zalika had finally gotten their mother to come talk to Harry and it was largely because she wished to bring a woman from their Fathers' side of the family. Farida wanted Harry to have as much information as she could give and while Harry was pleased with all the information, it was not what she had wanted to hear. No one in the family has had magic or come from families that had any. Their shared knowledge went back enough generations to make any Pureblood jealous.
'There could be Squibs hiding in their family. They're probably just Muggleborns.' Hermione's voice spoke to Harry like she had so many times before, but she wasn't convinced by the easy explanation. Magic wasn't even an open secret here. There was no Statute of Secrecy here, at least not like back home. Squibs weren't treated with disdain and discarded. They were people, like everyone else, until they tried to interact with the larger magical community.
The magic under her skin pooled under the skin of her hands, making her skin tingle with the power there. It didn't hurt or feel bad in any way, but it was weird to be so aware of her magic. Before, she was not aware of the magic in the least bit. It was a hidden part of herself that she used nearly everyday yet wasn't aware of. Like her kidneys. Now, she could feel her magic moving under her skin like numerous small snakes, sliding and curling over each other, all waiting for something. Or for her.
Nothing happening here was normal. Everything she knew about magic was being called into serious question and she just didn't know what to do with that information. The tried and true explanations just wouldn't cut it here. Harry wasn't sure there was anyone back home, or anywhere really, that could find a logical answer for all the questions here.
That wasn't entirely true. Heka and Imhotep would know what was happening here, yet something inside her still wanted to learn it on her own. Not simply be told to accept it all again. Learn what was happening using the frame given to her by Great Britain. By her Hogwarts education. By…Dumbledore…and the Ministry…and the Purebloods…they…
Harry dropped her hands to her lap, having hit a figurative brick wall once more. The solitude wasn't working! She'd even changed into her old clothes! Had tea! That didn't work either. No matter what she did, nothing was making sense. But maybe…
Maybe…
Maybe she was the problem. Or at least her way of thinking was the problem. She kept forgetting that she was in rural Egypt. The old lessons and older knowledge just didn't matter as much here. The people were more concerned with eating everyday rather than anything even remotely approaching Blood Purity. It was a simpler, harsher existence that made all the problems back home seem so…silly by comparison. Such a small box to put so much into. It was never going to happen and Harry began to wonder…
Was she approaching this problem from the wrong angle?
Harry looked around her. The courtyard was still empty, save for Harry herself. There were no dead plants here, just a few benches and soft sand under the unforgiving sun. No one had yet walked by her hiding place. She had been, and remained, utterly alone.
Not completely alone,Harry thought to herself. Imhotep's magic was on the far side of the building, calm and deep like a mountain lake. She had not spoken to him yet today, not wanting to deal with anything even close to that man before she got her emotions at least a bit more under her control. Despite that, he had not tried to reach out for her with his magic or even seek her out. She had been expecting him to and wasn't entirely sure how she felt about him giving her the space she wanted without asking. Harry wondered idly if Lock-Nah had opened the cult to the public once more, as he had said before, and Imhotep was presiding in her place.
In her place, she scoffed to herself while feeling new pressure behind her eyes. She wanted to hate it all. Hate what she was being sculpted into against her will, but hadn't she been through this once before? Someone far beyond her, taking her in and changing her into what they wanted or needed? Dumbledore had crafted her into the perfect martyr, ready to die when necessary for his war. Thinking about it now, at least here, she'd be in charge. She'd be on top, deciding what happened beneath her. She was sure she had had this same thought before, but it was hard to remember it now. So much was happening, so much was changing, that she was barely keeping up with it all. Who was she kidding? She was not keeping up with a single thing here. Even with the day to day events, Egypt was far calmer than any day she'd had experienced before in Britain.
Harry rubbed her eyes and face roughly, thinking about everything on her to-do list. More potions needed to be brewed, someone needed to be found to take over the potions, that person would most likely need to be trained first, she needed to find out why people here were gaining magic, and she still needed to figure out her own magic and everything associated with it. It was too much for one person! She was going stir crazy doing nothing but thinking about everything. She needed real space to think, not just a new spot in her cage. But that meant going out the main room, which she guessed was where everyone was. Her magic could tell her more, it could even help her slip out, but she didn't want to do that right now. Her emotions were too out of control to go anywhere near that weirdness at this time. She needed to calm down and get her wits about her. She needed more, but she wasn't even sure what it was she really needed. The only thing she could hear was something inside her screaming for more.
Harry remembered that her office had a window to the outside of the building. Perhaps there were other windows closer to the ground that she could climb out. Get out of the building and see the village by herself before anyone noticed she was gone. As much as she enjoyed the company of the girls and even Lock-Nah, they remained constant reminders of the very things weighing her mind down.
Her mind made up, Harry got up from the ground and walked out to the hallway that bordered the courtyard. Walking around as nonchalantly as she could manage, Harry made sure there was no one to be seen walking or lurking around. She walked towards the outside wall. This one was a solid wall with no openings, so she headed down the hallway and away from the front of the building until she finally came to a small window in the wall. It was far slimmer than the one in her office, but she could guess it was because her window was quite high up off the ground while this one was not. It took just a bit of wiggling, but Harry managed to slip out the window and land on the ground with her pants being pulled down only a little bit.
After looking around the surprisingly large building a bit, she chose to walk around the back of it and towards the larger section of the village that she hadn't been to yet. Unsurprisingly, It was much like the section she had been to.
As she walked, there was a familiar pulling sensation in her chest that increased until it ultimately released, feeling almost like a hand sliding off her shoulder reluctantly. Harry felt like she could breathe deeply again for the briefest of moments before a strange chill settled into its place. She stopped to lean against one of the numerous nondescript buildings that filled this village, trying to figure out if this was something that she should be concerned about. Several people spared her some curious glances, but they went no further than that. The chill spread a bit more before it seemed to settle. One more strange bit of bullshit to try to figure out when she was in a better state of mind.
As Harry wandered through the maze of same looking buildings, she just couldn't shake the intense boredom she felt. There was nothing here! The market from before was only interesting because it was new. No doubt it would be less interesting now that she'd been there a few times. She tried so hard to push down her privilege and entitlement, but fuck was it hard. What she wouldn't give to be able to visit Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes for a little bit. Maybe even slip into the back and raise a bit of mischief with Ron and a begrudging Hermione. Harry tried to remember that this place had no way to support places like the ones she wanted to go to or even support the people she enjoyed spending time with. It wasn't their fault, but damn did she want it to be someone's fault.
"Oh! Hari! Hari!" A young boy's voice pulled her out of her disgruntled musings and how she wished she could growl or curse or even set something on fire at the sound of that high pitched noise. Somehow, she managed to pull all the anger and ire that was threatening to break loose back inside and mostly under her control.
"Yes?" Harry tried to say as gently as she could as she turned. The voice sounded small and she was not mistaken. There was a group of small children looking up at her with large, pleading eyes. They all looked incredibly thin and dirty.
"You…you're the one everyone in the village is talking about? The nice lady that heals and feeds people?" The boy in front muttered, trying very hard to not look her in the eyes. His eyes were slightly sunken.
"Yes, that's me." Harry got her temper under control enough to use a softer voice. There was no way she could be angry at a group of children that looked like they lived on the streets. Or even just ones that looked as awful as these ones did. "Did you need help?"
"There are…bad men. They hurt my brother." The boy who looked no older than seven said frantically while pointing further down the road. Her eyes were drawn to a plume of light colored smoke building in the sky above the buildings. She hadn't noticed that before.
"Near the fire?" Harry asked. A part of her wondered if she should bother helping the children since no one else here seemed to want to and she felt such shame at that thought. She decided long ago that she'd never be like the people that saw her, too skinny and covered in bruises, and did nothing.
"The bad men. They're burning the food." He replied with a quivering lip. "Please help us!"
Harry couldn't help the small huff that escaped through her nose. This was the exact opposite of what she needed right now, but how could she turn away when these children needed help without becoming the very person that turned away from her when she needed them? As much as she hated it, she had to at least see what was happening.
"Stay here." Harry commanded the group of children firmly and all nodded in return. She wondered as she walked briskly towards the growing smoke if they would actually listen.
Harry tried hard to put aside her stormy emotions as she walked, but she'd never been good at it, given the amount of times she'd snapped at her friends over the years. More so during the war, though they snapped at her just as often then. She kicked a couple bigger rocks out of nothing more than deserved teenage angst. Once closer, she got a better idea of what was happening and it was clear that the children had left out a few details.
There were several smaller, nondescript buildings built in such a way to leave room in between for something that looked like a small courtyard with a well and seating around it. A larger building that had the same look of every other sand colored building around it had gray smoke billowing out of the open double doors on the front. There were many people standing around it, exclaiming at the few men standing guard around the burning building. They were all wearing clothes that looked like echoes of a Western military force. Only two men were holding large guns while the others were waving large swords around threatening anyone who stepped near enough.
Harry was at a loss. It was clear that the men guarding the burning building were the ones that set it on fire, but to what end? Was it to weaken an already weak village? Make the people easier to conquer? She'd need to speak to Lock-Nah about this to get more information. She was just too far removed to even begin grasping what was happening.
"What are you looking at, foreigner?" A larger man sneered his question to Harry, the dual tones ringing sharply in her ears. It took her a moment to fight through her emotional haze to notice he was speaking to her. Despite the obvious venom on the last word, she was still struggling to process what she was seeing. One question came through it all.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked, voice devoid of all the emotions she was feeling.
The man stepped close to her, no doubt in an attempt to use his bulk to intimidate her. Lock-Nah was much bigger and far more intimidating. Imhotep even more so.
"Because I can." The man responded in an artificially cheerful tone, showing off his rotted teeth. "And I do whatever I want." He turned around to laugh with the other men with him. "I will raise an army and take what is rightfully mine!" He announced to the crowd of villagers still gathered. Aside from a few people she couldn't see but could hear crying, the crowd was silent as a graveyard. The crackling of the fire sounded a lot louder than it probably actually did.
"You really think you can gather up a bunch of untrained villagers and take, what? All of Egypt?" Harry couldn't help the incredulous tone that crept into her voice. She'd been told to tone down her attitude an incalculable times, but it was hard for her. People only cared when you didn't keep your head down and do as you were told.
"And just who are you then?" The man turned back to her, the sneer back on his face. "Some stupid white whore." He answered his own question, which was for the best, really. Harry was not going to give him an answer. His sneer changed to a lecherous grin. "I could find a use for you." The subtext was clear to anyone.
"The hell you will." A familiar voice announced from behind her. Harry looked over her shoulder to see Rick already pulling out a second gun.
"Rick." Harry greeted him with a bit of mirth. She may have come out here to be alone with her thoughts, but she was ok with Rick being here. He was no sycophant. "What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for a bar." Harry gave him a look and he grimaced slightly. "Yeah, yeah. I know."
"Oh good. Another foreigner." The man sneered once more, the sight of it now thoroughly annoying Harry. "Hardly a fight worthy of my warriors!" He announced to the crowd and his men. Only his men laughed along with him.
Harry saw Rick cocking his two guns, readying himself for a fight. Despite her fragile emotional state, her magic was calm under her skin. It helped calm her mind, despite the looming fight she didn't want to have.
"No!" A young boy yelled out as he slipped out of the crowd, his own dual tones less shrill than the ones from the man in front of her. He looked much like the group of kids that sent her here, wearing dirty clothes and sporting a large bruise on his cheek. "You don't get to hurt her!"
The man turned around to face the boy. "Did I not already show you why you need to be silent in front of your betters!" He growled at the boy and began walking towards him with purposeful steps.
"Be quiet." Harry spoke up to the boy, hoping to save him from more violence. "This isn't your fight."
"No!" He turned his head to her and she could see a tear track cleaning the dirt off his bruised cheek. "You're the only one here that wants to help us! All of us!" A new tear slid down his face on the other side. "We need to protect you so you can continue to help us." His voice cracked with emotion, spurring her own emotions to firmly settle.
"That white whore can't do anything for you!" The man grabbed the boy by the arm, gripping it hard and using it to raise him off to his toes. "But I'm going to show you what I can do to you." The man's voice dipped low and menacingly and, somehow, Harry was still able to hear his words. Before Harry could even think of responding, the man used the grip on the boys arm to pull him towards the burning building and easily threw the flailing boy into the flames licking at the open doors.
Rick yelled something but Harry could not hear him. Pure shock had overwhelmed her senses for the briefest of moments. Her body suddenly moved on its own, throwing a Bombarda Maxima out to the men still standing guard on either side of the door. Smiling and laughing, she noted with a purer rage unfurling in her chest than anything she'd ever felt before. The spell exploded between the two men, sending the guards flying in opposite directions and, more importantly, away from the door. Harry ran to the open doors, hoping that her inaction hadn't made a rescue of the boy impossible. Once closer, it appeared that the force of the spell's explosion had put out the majority of the flames around where the boy was trying desperately to crawl out over still bright red coals.
"I'm here, I'm here." Harry muttered somewhat frantically as she put a layer of magic down to protect herself from the heat and the boy from further damage. The layer of soot on his clothes and body made it hard to see the full extent of his injuries, but she could still see bright red peeking out from under. Her magic curled around the boy without asking, letting her pick him up without hurting him more.
There were gunshots as she set the young boy in the packed sand, but she paid them no mind. Rick could handle himself. Harry wanted to use the strange vision to see the extent of the injuries but was still confused with how to access it. Pressure built up behind her eyes from her magic moving there. She blinked and everything changed. It was getting easier each time she used it, making her think that one day it would become second nature. Looking down, she realized the boy was badly injured. His hands, arms, and legs were nearly fully burnt down to the muscle and there were other burnt patches on his torso and the right side of his face. The man may have thrown the boy into the fire, but he was only able to do so because of Harry's inaction. In her way, she'd hurt him just as the man had.
Harry wrapped her arms around the boy and held him to her chest tightly, knowing her magic would protect him. Once the first tear fell down her cheek and onto the ground, she couldn't stop the others from following.
"I'm sorry," she said with her emotions thickening her voice. "I'm so sorry." More tears fell down her cheek and she no longer cared if they did. How could she do this to someone so young? How could she do this to someone in the same position that she was once in? Her grief overwhelmed her.
"I'll be alright, Hari." The young boy replied, trying hard to mask the pain in his voice. Harry raised her head to regard the boy. "I'll heal." He said with a smile that reminded her of Ron.
"I shouldn't have hesitated." Her voice wobbled as she tried to speak around the emotions in her throat.
"Then don't next time." The boy replied with a grimace. Such a thing to say. So simple yet so profound.
Harry quickly placed a hand on the boy's chest and her magic was already there in her palm, waiting for her command. She pulled a tumor out of Sagira's head. She can heal this boy's injuries. Her magic poured into the boy, quickly finding every part of him that was injured. She was lost in her own magic, feeling every part of his body that was bright with red pain and healing it to the point that no one would know he'd ever been injured in the first place. There were…echos…in her mind as she worked. Like she was able to hear his memories through her magic. How strange. One bit of information came to the foreground of the noise. Jabari.
"Is your name Jabari?" She asked without pausing her work. She had wanted to know the boy's name but hadn't given it more thought. Just a vague desire pushed to the back burner.
"Yes!" He exclaimed breathlessly. "That is my name." He reiterated with a sleepy smile.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Jabari." Harry tried her best to speak pleasantly but there were still some emotions not wanting to leave her throat just yet.
Her magic was beginning to leave the boy and she could see that all the angry red inside of him was gone, so she blinked away the magical vision and was pleased to see unblemished skin as she wiped away the soot still sticking to his skin. Jabari smiled brightly as he looked at the hand that had skin peeling off the muscle not seconds before.
"Red assed monkey!" A man's voice screamed near them, startling Harry into looking up just in time to see one of the guards with guns now pointing it at her face. He pulled the trigger without hesitation, fully intent on killing her. But the bullets didn't reach her. They hung in the air between them, stopped handily by her magic. So handily, she barely felt the strain.
"All this for helping people?" She asked in a daze. She'd come face to face with her death so many times, it barely registered anymore.
"For interfering!" He screamed and lunged at her with a knife he pulled out from his jacket.
Harry brought her right hand up and the man stopped, mid lunge, like she had paused the movie he was in. The anger from earlier began to bloom in her chest once more while her magic settled on her shoulders, seething with a vicious power just waiting to be released.
"One of us is wrong here." She replied softly. "And it's not me." She stated as she gave in to the promise her magic gave her. With a slight flisk of her finger, the man was sent flying away from them in a manner only magic could achieve. His body slammed into the corner of a building as he flew, sending him spinning into the hard ground. He did not move once he came to rest.
"Wow." Jabari whispered. "That's amazing!" He looked up at her, his eyes filled with awe.
Harry smiled down at the boy, feeling truly powerful and not sorry for it for the first time in her life. "I'm just getting started." She whispered to the boy who smiled even brighter.
Harry released Jabari and made him sit on the ground. The children from before materialized around him as she stepped away. Each one checking him over while he told them what happened with great exuberance. Movement out of the corner of her eye pulled her attention away from the children. One of the men with swords was moving towards her in a way that she was sure he thought was intimidating.
...they are beneath us…
Harry smirked at Heka's snarled words. These terrorists were nothing before her and her power. An infinitesimal speck of dust when compared to the pool of magic she had access to. She needed to practice after all. The man took another step, unaware of the danger he was walking into, and Harry decided she was done playing with these men. She brought her magic up to her hand and, with a quick flick of her wrist, used it to whip the approaching man across the chest. He fell to the ground on his back, crying out in pain. Harry now saw that her magic had cut the man's chest to the bone and he was now losing a large amount of blood into the sand beneath him. A much older woman came out from behind one of the buildings she had been hiding behind to give the crying man a kick to the ribs.
'Good, She thought with a perverse glee. 'Hurt like you hurt others.'
Another man with a sword advanced from her left, perhaps thinking she was distracted by his fallen comrade. She brought up her left hand, bringing up a thick column of sand behind him and brought it down on top of him like a fist with enough force to feel the impact in her feet. The sand fell apart, leaving a heap that buried the man's head and chest. The sand was quickly becoming discolored by his blood. She jerked her head away when she heard Rick's painful scream. She saw that he was in the middle of the area on his back with the original man standing over him, preparing a final attack.
"Stop!" Harry shouted while putting her hand out.
The man froze in place exactly like the one that tried to shoot her. Rick looked over to her with a grateful smile.
"Thanks for the save." He replied with a small gasp as he held a cut in his side.
"You're injured?" Harry ran to his side and quickly healed his wound. Holding the man still and healing Rick took a lot more effort and she knew she'd need to rest after all the excitement of the day.
Rick huffed a laugh as he poked at his healed wound. "Well ain't that handy." Rick quickly popped up to his feet before becoming serious once more. "What are we going to do with him?" He asked in a low voice.
Harry used the hold she had on him to force him to his knees with his arms behind his back. Her magic held him in that position while allowing him to speak. A gift he used to start screaming at them.
"Fucking Foriengers! Coming here and stopping us from handling our own affairs!" He tried to spit at her but her magic forced his mouth shut with a loud snap of his teeth and held him until he swallowed it. "Fuck off already!"
"I can't understand a word he's saying." Rick muttered to her side.
Harry chuckled in response. "You aren't missing much. All he's doing is insulting us."
"So what are we going to do with him?" Rick sighed. "We can't exactly let him go." He looked around them, making Harry do the same. There were a lot of villagers around them, silently watching.
"Why can't you just stop?" Harry asked the head terrorist. "Just stop hurting people."
"They don't matter!" The man sneered once more and ooh boy did Harry want to slap that right off his ugly face. "Only I matter!" He bellowed, causing loud murmurs in the crowd of villagers.
"No," Harry responded calmly. She could feel Heka's presence entering her mind and the white hot trail of a primal anger followed. "You don't matter."
...cleanse him! Remove this stain from our planet!
Harry couldn't agree with her Parent Deity more. This man had given in to evil the same way that Lucius had. Anything became a tool to use against someone else if it meant elevating themselves. They never stopped at just one. She could see her eyes begin to glow gold in the man's eyes as she felt compelled to place her palm against the man's forehead. Harry wondered if Heka wanted to show her how to 'cleanse' as she wanted or if she wanted a piece of this vile man. It really didn't matter to Harry much. Her magic held the man still as she placed her left palm on the man's forehead. Heka's presence moved down her arm to her palm, making her fingers tingle with the primordial power she felt.
The feeling snapped and quickly engulfed the man in the blinding light of raw magical power. The man screamed for a moment before it was cut off. The murmurs around them grew as the man was bathed in their shared righteous fury. The power coursing through her hand built up in her hand quickly without stopping whatever it was doing to the man. The glow disappeared, allowing Harry to see the dead eyes of the man before the power shot down through him, making his body burst into a cloud of gray ash and continuing into the ground. The ash of the man floated down to the ground before being swallowed up by the sand. Like he had never existed. The murmurs from the crowd quieted to silence when the ground began to rumble deeply. Even Rick gave her a concerned look, but Harry wasn't worried. Heka was angry at the man, not the people or the place.
It started small. Her magic pulled on her and when she looked down, she noticed a very small green plant growing out from the hard sand near her shoe. It grew fast, reaching the size of her hand before a small violet flower popped open. Harry couldn't help but smile at the small thing. Then her eye caught another one growing near Rick's foot. She pointed it out to him and he quickly stepped away from it, making her laugh at him which earned her a glare from Rick that only made her laugh harder. More plants began to grow out of the sand faster as that second one bloomed with a white flower.
The villagers were silently watching the green plants grow. Several large tree trunks broke out of the ground with worryingly loud cracking sounds, startling the ones closest. They settled once more as the trees grew large leaves and grew heavy loads of fruit. Smaller plants also bearing fruit were popping up all over the area now green with a thick layer of grass and moss.
"Hey," Rick called out to Harry. She turned to find him by what looked like an old well. She walked over to him and saw that it was full of clear water. "This well has been dry for as long as we've been coming here."
Harry looked back to the villagers that were now touching and feeling the many new plants experimentally. One of the smaller children from the group that spoke to her before pulled what looked like a pomegranate off one of the trees that were slowing in their growth. The tree regrew the fruit in full before the child had even started to open it to eat.
"What are you going to do now?" Harry asked Rick, deciding she was done here.
"Well, I was looking for a bar…" He still looked a bit shocked as he looked around them before his eyes settled on her once more. "No, you know what? I'm still looking for a bar. You in?" He asked with a smile and Harry couldn't be more grateful.
"Sure. I'm in." Harry replied, hopeful for some peace with good company.
They started walking, but it took them some time to get past the throng of incredibly thankful villagers and their numerous questions. A few in the crowd knew where she was staying and promised her to let everyone know where they could go to give her proper thanks at a better time. Harry made sure to let Jabari know where to find her later. He let her leave with a grateful smile.
Finally able to slip away, they set off to find a bar. Rick led them to a few different buildings, each one was either empty or had a different business in the space. He finally led them to a tiny hole in the wall bar that only had a couple men drinking quietly inside. Inside was draped in red fabrics and a couple of the low tables had tall vases that Harry was sure were something else, but it's not like it mattered to her. Rick directed her to sit while he went to the bored looking bartender.
"I didn't think I should get you a Hookah." Rick muttered once he sat down.
"I'm not even sure what that is, so I don't mind." Harry chuckled.
They sat in silence while waiting for their drinks. Rick was clearly working through something, so Harry was letting him take the time he needed. The bartender delivered two glasses of a clear liquid and a carafe of more. Rick downed his quickly before quickly refilling it and downing that one as well. Harry sipped her drink, finding it not tasting too strongly, but she couldn't actually describe it while she waited for Rick to find his words.
"I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I understand any of that shit you did back there." Rick muttered without looking at her. "Can you dumb it down for me?" He finally looked at her with a pleading eye.
"I'm still trying to figure that out myself, actually." Harry chuckled a little, but Rick was still watching her. "I can only tell you what everyone has been telling me." She continued with a sigh. Rick nodded to her to continue. "I'm kind of the daughter of the Ancient Egyptian God of Magic and they want me to bring magic back to the planet." She paused, thinking about the true scope of what Heka wanted of her. A great burden that was becoming more bearable the more time passed.
"God of Magic? You're talking about Heka?" Rick asked with less despondency.
"Yes. Everyone, including Heka, is telling me that they are my parent and it's my job to make everything better for everyone." Harry had to take a drink after that because holy shit does that not sound mental when said aloud.
Rick was quiet for a long moment, just staring at her with wide eyes. "Seriously?" He finally replied.
"If you believe what I'm being told, that is." Harry replied with a grimace.
Rick nodded and turned back to his glass. He drank half the glass before speaking. "What about that guy you were talking about before? Is he involved in all of this?" He asked in a way that left her the option of not answering if she wanted. But Rick had been a good friend and she felt like she could talk to him openly.
"Most of it, honestly." Harry shrugged, not even sure where to start with Imhotep and how connected he is to everything connected to her. A creeping feeling inside her told her to be wary that she was being manipulated, but she hadn't seen anything yet that was out of the ordinary for her, so she wasn't going to worry about that now. "The Medjai believe that he is an incredibly powerful Wizard from Ancient Egypt that did…something and was cursed. If he came back, he'd bring the Plagues of Egypt back."
Rick looked at her with big eyes. "Is there anything in your life that's simple?!" Rick exclaimed loudly, though the other patrons and bartender didn't seem to mind.
"I enjoy a good cup of tea." Harry replied with a smirk, making Rick bark out a surprised laugh.
The two devolved into giggles that lasted quite some time before they finally petered out. Rick shook his head before deciding to continue. "I won't pretend to believe all that. But…" Harry looked at him and took another drink, feeling the warmth in her chest. "I can't really find any other explanation for, well…anything really."
"Anything?" It sounded to Harry that he was talking about a whole lot more than just what went down at the fire.
Rick sighed somewhat unhappily. "Strange things have been happening since the last time we ran into each other."
Harry waited for him to continue and spoke up when he didn't continue. "What strange things?" She pressed.
Rick grimaced before he quickly downed his drink and poured another one. Harry noted that the carafe was now half empty. "Strange things happening with my wife and brother-in-law." He muttered unhappily.
Harry seemed to remember that Evie and Jonathon were Squibs, meaning that, whatever was happening to the Medjai Squibs, could also be happening to them. No one had really found an answer for it yet, so she had very little to offer Rick.
"They are Squibs, correct?" Harry asked, wanting to make sure her assumptions were on track.
"Yeah, they are." Rick nodded without looking at her, but something must have crossed his mind since he quickly looked up at her with suspicion. "We didn't tell you that. Did we?" Rick questioned himself just as quickly as he questioned Harry.
"Bill mentioned it." Harry lied smoothly. Truth be told, she couldn't remember if she had been told this bit of information or if this was something like Jabari's name just coming to her. She didn't want to mention that tidbit just yet. Rick seemed to be in a poor mood for it.
Rick nodded to that but gave no indication if he caught the lie. "I've never been around magic, so I don't know what to do."
"How are they handling it?" Harry asked while doing her best to keep her tone soft and even.
Rick poured her a second glass of whatever they were drinking. "Evie is already performing simple spells. Cleaning and organizing mostly." He shrugged while taking another deep draw of his drink. "I saw her using her magic to put a book back on a high shelf the other day. I shudder to think of how large our library will become now." He chuckled to himself. "Jonathon is doing his best to ignore it."
Harry felt for Rick. His was a fear shared with many people here. She was pleased that he wasn't looking to her for answers, at least not yet.
"You aren't the first one to bring this information to me." Rick looked up at her, a question in his eyes. "I don't have any answers yet. However, I can assure you that there is no harm in what's happening. It's all natural." Harry did her best to lay his fears to rest, but it was hard when you didn't have any good news to give.
"There are others that this is happening to?" Rick's words were beginning to slur. "How are they handling it?"
"The Medjai were very afraid, but it's gotten better now that we've found a wand alternative for them. I'll be going to their village and teaching them some basic spells." Harry explained smoothly. Rick was nodding along as she spoke so she continued on. "The Cult's First Priest is a former Medjai and has also shown magic. He's handling it well. I have been helping him as well. I just recently found out that at least one of my…servants has shown to have gained magic as well." That term left a sour taste in Harry's mouth but tried hard not to let it show. Clione and Zalika were her servants. They accepted that fact without question. They were even proud of it. Harry was getting tired of fighting against the things that everyone seemed to want. They weren't even that bad when you stopped to think about it.
"So many people…" He muttered into his glass as he drank. "That's something, at least." He finally smiled at her which made her happy.
"Yes. This is happening to a lot of people and I believe it will happen to even more." And that thought continued to terrify her.
Rick nodded to her and finished off his glass. Their glasses were empty as well as the carafe. Harry felt buzzed, yet the fact she had only had two glasses while Rick had much more worried her.
"Ok. That actually helps." Rick smiled at her again.
Harry looked at his only slightly glassy eyes. "Was that what all this was about?" She asked carefully.
"Yes and no." He grimaced and moved to reach for his empty glass. A movement he aborted when he remembered it was empty. Harry was happy when he didn't wave the bartender down. "I'm an American. I'm sure we have magic back home, but it wasn't something I even knew about until I came here." He shook his head sadly. "Everything I know about magic says Evie and Jon getting magic shouldn't be possible." He paused to sigh through his nose. "But it is. And you did all that stuff back there. What's happening here?" He asked her directly.
Harry exhaled all the air in her lungs to avoid answering that question. "I can only tell you what I've been told." Rick remained patiently quiet. "Heka wants to bring magic back to the planet. If you believe them, I'm the one that's going to do it." Harry hated not having actual evidence for any of the shit that she was spouting. It'd make it easier to believe.
"Like what you did back there?" He asked with his thumb pointing behind him.
"I haven't been given any directions on that, so I'm figuring it out as I go." She grimaced at him, making him chuckle.
"That sounds like the same plan as you had with your mystery man." He smirked at her which made her blush.
"That's just the way I deal with most things in my life." And it really was. The Horcrux Hunt was the biggest example but throw a dart at the board and you would find another ten examples of it.
"You get anywhere with your man? Does he have a name?" Rick reclined back in the comfortable seats. Harry could admit that Rick was attractive in his own way. Not dangerous or foreign like everyone else here, but a far more approachable and rugged appearance. And he looked even better when relaxed by good company and stiff drinks.
"His name is Imhotep and I haven't gotten far because he's been out of town. He just got back a couple days ago." She relaxed along with him.
"A lot can happen in a couple days." If his tone hadn't given away what he was suggesting, his smirk would have.
"I was in the middle of some serious teenage angst when he got back, so nothing was going to happen even if I wanted it." Harry scrunched her nose at him, making him laugh.
"Fucking been there!" Rick laughed to himself loudly. "I think my teenage angst 'phase' lasted until my thirties!"
Harry laughed along with Rick. It felt good to have someone to talk to that understood what it was like to be an outsider. They chatted a bit more about nothing in particular before Harry decided that she needed to get back to the Cult Building. She was a bit surprised no one had showed up to collect her yet, but took it as the small mercy it was. Rick said he might come by the Cult Building if he had any questions or concerns for her as they separated. Harry really hoped he would. Seeing him go down the same path as so many others due to his fear made her heart clench painfully. Lord Voldemort and Snape might be at the far end of the spectrum, but the War had taught her that it can take precious little to twist someone into something unrecognizable.
Harry made sure to walk by the courtyard they had their fight in and found that it was still full of green plants, clean water, and many people talking happily. She still had no idea what was going on here, but decided that it could be so much worse than some green plants. She made it back to the Cult building without getting stopped again, which she counted as a blessing at this point. With less finesse than she'd hoped for, Harry climbed back up the window she snuck out from. She got to the first crossroad of hallways before she had two young girls latch roughly onto her arms.
"Hello girls," Harry sighed happily. She might have been more irritated with them if she was not still loose from the alcohol. "Something wrong?" She asked gently.
"We still need more potions for the village." Zalika answered.
"We've been looking everywhere for you." Clione muttered into her shoulder.
"Well, I'm here now, so..." Harry had begun to respond to them when someone else came around the corner.
Imhotep walked up to them as silent as Death. Both girls flinched towards her and held onto her arms more tightly. That reaction was out of character for them, wasn't it? Harry turned to Imhotep, ready to ask him if something had happened while she was gone, but her words died in her throat. The look he had on his face was one she saw on Lord Voldemort's face quite often. One that only ended with unspeakable violence. Then it was gone and it was Imhotep again, looking at her with a fond look.
"Enjoy yourself?" He asked, his tone the same as his face.
Harry's chest still felt tight, but it was fading. She wondered idlily if it was the girls' presence helping the fear fade faster. "Eventually, yes." She was proud when she didn't stutter. "Helped some people and had some drinks with Rick." She looked closely at Imhotep's face, wondering if she was just seeing things. "I'm surprised you didn't already know."
The girls' grip on her arms loosened though they didn't step away from her, nor did they look up from the floor. They were very clearly terrified of Imhotep, but why wasn't she? She had been terrified of Lord Voldemort for so many years, but not afraid of a man considerably more dangerous than him?
"Our God forbade me from interfering." He muttered as he looked away from her. He was unhappy about being forbidden from getting involved in her day. Heka had never stopped him before. Why now?
"I'm sure Heka had her reasons." Harry replied, unsure how to continue this conversation. The girls were still upset by Imhotep's presence and she didn't like that. No one should be afraid of someone like she had. "Girls." She spoke softly to her young servants. "Let's go get some potions made, yes?" She asked the young girls. They perked up immediately, but did not speak up. Their eyes flitted towards Imhotep several times.
Harry was not going to let them be afraid of Imhotep, especially when she was there. She quickly pulled them away from him and towards the Potion Kitchen. Now was as good a time as any to teach them some simple potion recipes. She felt Imhotep follow after them as she walked, but did not say anything further.
The girls were quick to start gathering ingredients and supplies for the potions as soon as they entered the kitchen, which made Harry happy. She rather liked people being happy and being able to pursue their interests. Not like her entire childhood had been like. She quickly shook that thought away as she picked up her potion book that had been left here the last time she's been in here. She was distantly aware of Imhotep finding a chair to sit in silently as she worked, which she found a little strange. Harry wasn't sure he had ever done that before. She wasn't sure, but it seemed, at least on the face, that he had been upset by her absence.
Harry quickly tore her attention away from the man that seemed to occupy more of her life than she was willing to admit. She turned to teaching her newly magical servants how to make a basic healing potion. Zalika ended up having a better head for potions, which didn't seem to bother her sister. She seemed to simply enjoy watching the last fantasy she remembered having had Clione be her sole servant in her Oasis. Did that mean that Imhotep somehow knew that this was bound to happen? Did Heka? Did they make it happen or was it simply the most likely outcome given the facts?
"You work too hard." Imhotep spoke up suddenly.
Harry looked up at the man, who had not moved at all, wondering what he was getting at. He was looking at her with that same intense look that she knew him for. She didn't miss how Zalika and Clione didn't seem to react to his words this time.
"Yes?" She answered with a question, unsure what he was getting at. "Someone needs to." The story of her life.
He remained quiet for a long moment. "You should not be the one to shoulder such weight." He spoke resolutely, like a man making a declaration of war.
Harry scoffed. His eyes shot to her, glaring without the heat. "If only life were so fair." She replied sharply and without looking away from his intense stare. "But it isn't. Someone must step up." Harry sighed, reality crashing in on her once more. "And that someone is usually me." She added, far softer and looking away from Imhotep.
The potion lesson continued, once Imhotep stopped talking. Zalika picked up the recipe and magic better and faster than her sister, so she was Harry's focus. Harry had the young girl use her old wand, which responded to her magic immediately. It upset Harry even as she tried to not let it. Her old wand not responding to her calls still stung her deeply and no doubt would continue to for some time. It reminded her of losing Hedwig, an old friend leaving her with the scars of the years of love and companionship.
"Your servants can manage the rest without your tutelage." Imhotep's tone was commanding, demanding her attention, which she gave quickly. The girls, again, did not respond. "You need to rest." He added as he stalked towards her like a predator hunting its prey.
"I just got done with resting." Harry was more than a little confused about what he meant. "I had drinks with Rick."
It was Imhotep's turn to scoff, which he still managed to do so with a high amount of regality. "A distraction." Imhotep stood then and walked to her side. The girls did not seem to notice him moving or them speaking, still wholly engrossed in the cooking potion. He held out his hand behind Clione as soon as he reached them. "Let me help you rest." He spoke softly yet no less commanding.
Harry looked back to the girls, who were now talking between themselves as the potion came closer to being finished, completely oblivious to her and Imhotep. Imhotep was right, they could finish up without her. She turned back to him, finding him still waiting impassively. Even as she placed her right hand into his waiting left hand, she knew that the impassiveness was not genuine, though she had no reason to bring that up to him just yet.
Harry waited until they were in the hallway before she spoke the question on her mind. "Did you use your magic to corral them so you could steal me away?" She had no idea if she even cared about the answer, but she wanted it all the same.
"Yes." He replied simply.
Harry smiled softly at the mans' antics. He didn't have to do many of the things that he did, but did for a reason known only to him. Her mind drifted once more to Voldemort and the rising similarities he had to Imhotep, but set that aside for now. She was far more curious about what he had in mind for her rest.
Before she even had the chance to ask what his plan was, his magic swirled around them soothingly as their surroundings changed in a way that no British Wizard could ever hope to manage. They were then just inside a building that struck her as being quite similar in design to the first vision she had from Imhotep. Very Ancient Egyptian. She also noticed that her clothes were changed to the dress he made her and caused so many problems.
"Really?" She asked him, good-naturedly this time. A quickly growing part of her liked the attention.
"Yes." He responded simply with a soft smile. She felt his hand on her mid back and he used that hand to get her to begin walking with him up some smooth stone steps. "Will you explain the reason you insist on dressing yourself as a slave?" He asked without looking at her.
"I'd prefer to not get into my childhood, so I will say that it is because those clothes are the most comfortable. Physically and mentally." She replied even as the bad memories of the Dursley's made her chest ache.
"I already know much about that time." He started as they reached the top of the stairs. There were rows upon rows of shelves on either side of the smooth stone walkway. The end of each row had a decorative pillar that looked Greek with a bust of some sort at the top that looked Ancient Egyptian. "I would assume you would wish to leave that part of your History behind." He continued, yet Harry wasn't really paying attention to him.
"Easier said than done." She muttered as she stepped away from to get a better look at the closest shelf.
The shelf was not like the ones she was used to. These ones had large diamond shaped sections that were open on both sides and filled with rolled parchments. She ran a finger along one of the rolls, finding the paper to be far rougher than parchment. Imhotep slid his right arm around her back and used the grip on her hip to pull her away from the shelf.
"There is more to see before you succumb to your curiosity." His voice was full of mirth. He was very clearly enjoying this.
"Where are we?" She asked softer.
"This place has had many names over the ages. You may know it as the Library of Alexandria." He replied in his usual stoic tone. Like he hadn't just dropped a gigantic bomb on her head.
Harry's stomach fell to the floor like a ball of iron. Imhotep brought her to The Library of Alexandria? The Library of Alexandria? It was destroyed thousands of years ago, wasn't it? Hermione would probably know more, though she'd be far more likely to murder her once she heard of this.
"How is this possible?" She could barely speak above a whisper as the true scope of this trip hit her.
"The many Pharaohs who have filled this place with knowledge knew it would be targeted by Savages. They made sure it would never truly be lost." He explained without really explaining.
Harry turned back to the man. "Magic." She stated simply, unable to say much more. Was she ever going to get used to the insanity that this man wore like a cloak?
Imhotep nodded slowly, a pleased glint in his eye. "Ancient Magic was far less…diluted. As it is now." He sneered deeply as he spoke of modern magic, mimicking a face Harry had seen on Voldemort's face numerous times. One that spoke of pure disdain and hatred. Her chest shuddered slightly, but she refused to be afraid. She was in control this time.
They continued to walk in silence until they came to a wall with an ornately carved curved doorway. On the otherside was a large room devoid of books. What it did have was a large desk with small diamond shaped shelves as well as a smaller shelf to the far right that was more like the bookshelves she was used to. The wall on the far side of the room was simply not there, leaving the whole side of that room open to a patio that had a few pieces of furniture designed for lounging, the only barrier being long pieces of cloth to act as a wall. The rest of the walls were smooth yet colored with colorful pictures that looked like they belonged in Ron's magazines and of scenes she didn't understand.
"A Study?" Harry asked as she walked away from Imhotep and towards the open wall. The furniture did look like a type of chaise lounge with a few soft looking pillows for propping. A small table sat next to each lounge, nearly forgotten.
"A personal space for Pharaohs or others of a properly high standing to come and study the knowledge protected here." Imhotep replied as he came to stand on her left side. She wondered if that had some significance since that was where he seemed to prefer to stand.
Harry was suddenly struck with intense anxiety. A random nobody had no place in such a sacred place. Fuck, she was starting to think like Hermione. Hopefully Ron never found out or she'd never hear the end of it. "I am no Pharaoh." She felt no shame when her voice wavered slightly.
Imhotep made a sound, something between a laugh and a scoff. "As if any of those fools could compare to you." He nearly growled like a wild animal. He then turned to face her fully, back under his mask of impassivity. "Do you desire your servants to tend you while you indulge your curiosity?"
"Indulge?" Harry whispered to herself. She knew they were talking about different things this time. She quickly shook herself free of that particular train of thought. "Ah, no. I'm not sure I'm in the right state of mind to share this with them." That sounded bad when put that way, but it was true. She adored the twin girls like she adored the Weasley twins, but they could be a bit much at the best of times and she just wasn't confident that she could handle her own emotions well enough right now. Not when she selfishly wanted to spend some time alone with Imhotep.
Imhotep nodded to her before turning back to the patio. He shocked her from her silent panic when she felt his hand slide across the back of her dress and grip the back of her neck firmly around the large gems of the dress' yoke. She hated to admit it that the quiet move helped ground her, but she would take whatever she could get right now. Harry sighed mentally. Why was it that every time she felt like she got a handle of what was happening here or how she felt about anything, Imhotep came along and shattered it to dust? She still hadn't figured out if she disliked that or not.
"Come now." Imhotep spoke in that soft and low voice that she liked so much. "Let me aid you."
Imhotep used the firm grip on the back of her neck to pull her into step next to him as he led them back into the main part of the building. "Which subject do you prefer?" He asked conversationally even as she struggled to think of anything other than his hand on her body, his skin whispering against hers.
"I'm not even sure what kind of books would be here." Harry said mostly to herself as she looked around them. The size of this place made the huge Hogwarts Library look so insignificant. Hermione had spent more time there than with her and Ron combined. If she ever found a way here, well, they'd never see her again.
"What were your more favored subjects at your…place of learning?" He pressed with his words while his fingers on her neck rubbed her in soothing circles.
"Um, I did best at Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was quite good at Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration. Not very good with much else." She ended with a mutter. There were times she wondered how much better she could have done at school if she weren't having to fight against Voldemort and the Ministry the whole time.
"You excelled at Practical Magical," He said as he nodded once. "I am hardly astonished." He leaned in to say closer, like he was telling her a secret. He added pressure to her neck to gently direct her to the tall outer walls of the building where the books and shelves were more like the ones she was used to. He reached up higher than she would have been able to reach and pulled down a book large enough to make Hermione salivate. "I believe you will find this one enjoyable." He continued to use the low voice as he handed the huge book to her.
"What's it about?" Harry asked even as she opened it to begin reading. The first page had Hieroglyphics on it that she swore started to move slightly the longer she looked.
"A differing perspective of your preferred subject." Imhotep muttered close to her ear, sending goosebumps down to her feet.
Imhotep led her back to the study and then further to the patio. She took the que for what it was and sat down on the edge of one of the chaise lounges. He walked away then, she assumed to find his own book. She chuckled softly to herself, wondering when reading quietly in a library became her idea of a good time. She tested one of the pillows and found that it was incredibly soft and perfect for getting comfortable. She didn't want to lie back just yet, so she sat at the end where her feet would be and began looking at the book Imhotep had handed her once more.
The first page was full of Hieroglyphics, which was disheartening. She really wanted to read the book that Imhotep thought she'd enjoy. Her magic started pushing against the back of her eyes like it was trying to get her attention. She gave her silent ascent, letting her magic show her what it wanted her to see. Her eyes started to feel like they did when she used her magic to see into people to heal them, which reminded her that she should start thinking about names for these new abilities to make it easier to talk to Hermoine about. The characters on the page shimmered, bringing her attention back to them just before that shimmering overtook them. Harry watched silently, thoroughly intrigued by what she was seeing. The shimmering fell away from the characters, revealing new characters. English characters. Harry breathed out a gentle oh as her magic pulled back from her eyes. Wasn't that just the most convenient thing!
Harry dug into the book, ready to learn what the ancient Wizards had to say about magic. She'd only gotten to the second page when she felt Imhotep's magic reach out for her, almost timidly. It made sense. She'd been keeping the man at an arm's length since everything went down at Malfoy Manor. Fuck, that felt like it happened in another life. Imhotep's magic brushed against her magic once more, almost feeling like a caress and sending her heart rate higher. When she made no move to stop him, his magic moved against her arm, feeling like gentle fingers teasing her skin. Her own magic responded, pressing against her skin on the opposite side of his magic and following his caresses, giving her goosebumps.
The book was heavy in her lap as she found her attention slipping from it. That seemed to be the way of things. Her eyes always seemed to wander back to that dangerous man whenever he was near. The memory of the look he gave the girls when they found her before he did, the hatred she saw. Her nonresponse to it worried her deeply. One would assume that once you were on the receiving end of unending attacks like she was with Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters that you wouldn't fall for someone nearly exactly like that. One would think, but that wasn't what was happening here. Harry wanted Imhotep in a way she never wanted anyone else. There was no denying that fact anymore. Not when just the thought of the man made her body and magic tingle pleasantly. Did being on the receiving end of such obsession during her formative years change her more than she originally thought?
Imhotep's magic slid down her arm, sliding easily to her stomach with her own magic and the goosebumps following close behind. Harry just couldn't find it in herself to care about the book in her lap anymore. She didn't even care that she was inside the most famous Library in the world. Her mind was full of Imhotep and her heart was full of desire. Harry sat the book beside her even while still feeling a little guilty about it and leaned back on her hands. There was nothing that she wanted in that moment other than to feel the tactile desire of a man.
The magical hand moved around her stomach, clearly testing the waters with her. Perhaps it felt her approval since her magic was leaving her body slowly, feeling along Imhotep's dark magic as it went. His magic slowed to a stop, barely moving as her magic felt along the frankly amazing amount of power that was bound up by his very existence. Harry closed her eyes and let her head fall back as another magical hand grabbed onto her neck with more force than the hand on her stomach, which she found surprisingly pleasing. Her magic wanted more. Harry wanted more. She thought about calling to Imhotep, calling him to her side but he was there before she could even try to command the words from her throat.
Imhotep's dark magic exploded in the room and covered her in the thick blanket of malevolence. Harry brought her head up and opened her eyes to greet him, but stopped when she noticed that her clothes had been changed again. The top she now wore, if it could be called such, was mostly a necklace covered in many gems that she couldn't see from looking down. The green and clear gems cascaded down her chest where a giant gem laid in the middle of her breasts. A thick strap of golden fabric that felt like silk wrapped around her body and covered her breasts as it attached to the large green gem. The only other piece of clothing she wore was a long golden skirt that had cuts at both her thighs to the thick belt that held the skirt low on her hips. The smaller, front part of the skirt had a barely visible design on the fabric, though Harry didn't care about it just yet. She was sure she painted a provocative picture even if it still made her a bit uncomfortable.
"Really?" She repeated her earlier question to him, though it was far less sarcastic this time. The part of her before that was beginning to appreciate the attention this man gave her was now fighting her better sense for control of her body.
A real hand slid around the front of her neck and gripped it firmly, as Imhotep seemed to like to do. "I wish only for you to beguile the mind of all who behold you." His voice deepened as he spoke into her ear from behind, sending goosebumps across her body.
"You can still ask." Harry pulled away from him just enough to shift more onto her left hip. While she was moving, she realized that she no longer had any underwear. Before, that fact would upset her, but not now. Imhotep was kneeling on the chaise lounge behind her. It was the best way he could get closer to her without invading too much of her space. "Is that so hard?" She asked in a soft voice. There was no need to be louder in such a quiet place.
"Hard? Never." He replied, his dark eyes boring into her with an intensity that still left Harry breathless. "However, I see no better way." He explained, keeping his voice close and deep enough to make her insides move.
"No better way?" Harry asked, keeping her tone artificially light. She had an idea and was beside herself in terror, but her desire was keeping it under control and pushing her forward. She moved her legs under and rose up to his height. He also rose a little as well, clearly intrigued by what she was doing. Before she could question what she was doing, she grabbed the front of his robe and pushed him back into the curved part of the lounge. There was the beginning of a snarl on his lips as he looked up at her. "Mind explaining that?" She asked coyly.
Harry could see his mind working behind his eyes before the snarl turned into a gentle smile. "I want only to see you bloom."
"Bloom?" She asked, unsure what that was supposed to mean. Interacting with him was lending credence to what Hermione used to say about her Rune class. There was a big difference between knowing and understanding.
Harry slid back down on her left hip, making sure she remained covered, so she was half laying beside him on the lounge before he could respond. The front of his robe was more open than it usually was and it left a bit of the golden necklace that she'd really only seen in the weird visions she had when she fell asleep. With a gentle hand, in case he wanted to stop her, she pushed open the top of his robe to get a better look at it. It turned out that what she thought was a winged blue beetle, still a blue beetle, but the wings looked to be tablets with Hieroglyphics pressed into the gold. There were soft fabric tassels hanging beneath it that she was sure had a purpose and smooth solid back. All of it was held by a tightly braided leather string that went around his neck.
Something primal and foreboding within her magic, or maybe the planet beneath them, rumbled nearly imperceptible before snapping hard into place.
Harry opened the front of his robe more, giving herself a better look at the golden necklace. She grabbed the medallion with gentle fingertips and pulled it towards her to get a better look while resolutely not looking at any part of the man beneath.
"Does this necklace have significance?" Harry asked the man quietly before she chanced a look at his face. He was looking down at her with his usual impassiveness yet there was a fiery emotion in his eyes. She found she quite liked being the object of his sole attention.
"A symbol of my esteemed station as the High Priest of Osiris." He replied just as softly.
"How does that work out with Heka?" Harry turned the medallion slightly to see the back of it. The back was smooth gold. Her eye moved to his bare and hairless chest without her approval, but that came quickly enough.
Imhotep did not reply immediately, instead taking a few breaths. "A relic from my former life that I have been yet unable to part with." His words were low, pulled down by the emotion he failed to keep out of his tone.
Harry chuckled without sound at that. That sentiment was one she knew very well. "I get that." She smiled up at him. A strange pleasure spread through her body when he gave her a genuine smile in return. Her eyes dropped back down to the medallion still being held in her fingertips, but her eyes went to the bare skin of Imhotep's chest once more. "Stop me if this goes too far," Harry drew out the syllables of her words while she tried desperately to hold onto any of her fleeing audacity, "but why don't you have any chest hair?"
Imhotep chuckled deeply. "It was once fashionable for those of the Ruling Caste to remove the hair on our bodies. The belief was it brought us closer to the Gods." He explained smoothly with an edge of what Harry thought was pride.
Harry's hand slid down the front of his robe along the seam. The stitching along it was incredibly delicate to the touch. That small detail really did say a lot about his station back then. His belt was much the same. A thick silver fabric with more delicate stitching. She couldn't be sure, but she thought that she could see small Hieroglyphics there too.
"Will I be expected to do that as well?" She asked, looking back at Imhotep's face. She decided to rest her wrist against his clothed hip and was able to feel the extra cloth beneath of the Schenti he also wore. It amused her that those visions she got from him were so accurate.
"You may do whatever you wish." Imhotep slid a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her face closer to his, nearly touching their lips together. "Such is the way of the Gods." He murmured against her lips, then pulled her the rest of the way for a searing kiss.
Imhotep dominated the kiss, drinking her like a man that had been lost in the desert and she was just along for the ride. As she tried to keep up with him, a thought crossed her mind. It was unfortunate that he still had all his clothes on when he had changed her's to ones more comfortable. The kiss slowed to one more sensual, his tongue tasting every part of her while his hand kept her from escaping, and his magic flooded the room once more. She pulled away from him to gasp for air as she became aware of the feeling of skin beneath her right wrist that was still laying against his hip.
"Oh." The word managed to make it through her stuttering breath.
"You wished for my clothes to be gone." He replied calmly, as if he hadn't done anything but sit there. He didn't have the stupid smirk this time, at least.
"I…didn't say anything." Her chest was almost too tight to talk. She kept her eyes on Imhotep's face, unable to will herself to move and see the rest of the man so intimately.
"You didn't need to." His tone remained soft and low as he nuzzled against her jaw. His hand grabbed her hand that was still on his hip. "Your magic told me what you desired…so..." His tone turned rougher before he moved her hand to grab onto his bare erection.
Her chest tightened so much at that touch of heated skin that she was surprised she could even take any shuddering breaths. Her eyes slid closed as he moved her hand along his length. The knowledge she had of such things was so woefully inadequate that she wasn't even sure if he was average or not. He squeezed her hand as he moved it and she felt his cock pulse harder in her hand. Her own body responded, squeezing against itself between her legs in a new and interesting way.
"I just wanted your robe off." It took some effort to punch the words out of her. Her chest was still tight, but it was beginning to ease with each of the strokes he made her give him. The feelings of desire that she had tried so hard to control were beginning to burn out of her control. She wanted to burn.
"Perhaps most immediately." The air of his words tickled the shell of her ear pleasingly. The grip on her hand eased, giving her full control of his pleasure. "But I could hear the plea beneath all the same."
Harry continued to pump her hand along his cock, making sure to keep the pressure he applied. She wanted to make this as good as she could for him. His other hand came up to her face to grab around her neck firmly with both hands and pulled her into a hungry kiss. She let him take control of the kiss, let him try to devour her. His cock somehow grew harder in her hand and he quickly tore away from the kiss, panting hard while still holding her with her forehead pressed against his. His magic was touching and pressing into every part of her body, begging to be let inside her.
"Harder." Imhotep growled, glaring at her like he was hunting her and she rushed to comply. She squeezed against his erection and the muscles there somehow grew even harder before she felt them begin to pulse. He muttered huskily beneath her. "Such perfection."
Harry waited while continuing to pump his cock slowly as he rode out his orgasm. His eyes snapped open, almost glaring at her as his cock in her hand gave its last few pulses. A command filtered through her magic and she knew it was coming from him. The command was one word. Open. Harry wanted to wonder if that one word is how he heard her own desire, but she couldn't bring herself to think about that right now. As she moved to comply with his wordless command, another one found its way to her. So she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue for him.
Imhotep's expression didn't change, just watched her like she were a rabbit unaware of the wolf stalking her. He removed her right hand from his deflating erection and brought it up to her face. He didn't even blink as he moved her hand so it was like she was licking it. His eyes flicked downward and a new command came to her. Swallow.
Ah, now she knew what was going on. This man wanted her to swallow some of his cum that must have landed on her hand. Harry knew she could refuse and he would allow her to remove it, but she didn't want to do that. She pulled her tongue back in and closed her mouth, tasting the most intimate part of this passionate man. It was a strange taste she wasn't sure she liked, but one she could get used to it for him. His other hand had come to her throat when she wasn't paying attention and she was quickly assaulted by the masculine pride that came down her magic when she swallowed.
Imhotep pulled her into another deep kiss that he took full control of once again, his tongue so deep in her mouth that she had the ludicrous thought that he was trying to crawl inside of her like his magic begged for. She was so involved with the kiss that she didn't feel his hands feeling down her body until he got to her hips, which he used to flip her onto her back. Harry didn't even have a chance to ask what he was doing before he was pulling her tightly against his front on his lap. His hands were under her legs and trying to pull them apart before she finally found her voice.
"What are you doing?" She gasped as she grabbed onto his wrists to stop his movement.
Imhotep chuckled deeply behind her. "Still so afraid of me?" He didn't sound upset or angry, just infinitely amused.
"Not…afraid, per se." She managed to keep her words steady. Even as his hands released her legs and began to slide slowly back up her body. His hands crawled up her stomach until his first fingers slid under the bottom of her rather revealing top, when she quickly renewed her grip on his hands, stilling them harshly. "What are you doing?" She asked more urgently.
"You think me so selfish and cruel to not share such pleasure?" He whispered against the hair on the back of her head.
"No, of course not!" Her voice went much higher as she defended him.
Imhotep was probably those things and more to other people, but not to her. If she was being completely honest with herself, she didn't care what anyone else thought of him. He was good to her, giving her whatever she wanted, taking great care to ease her along this path, and ready to give her the world to rule. Harry looked down to where she held his hands tightly, his first fingers rubbing the crease in her skin under breasts almost idly. What self control and patience Imhotep seemed to only have when she was his focus. He deserves more, she thought to herself and her magic pulsed intensely throughout her whole body in approval.
Harry had to consciously ease the tight grip she had his hands in. She was still not able to fully give control over to him as he did for her, but she was trying. Trying to give him everything he gave her. His hands crept further under her top, savoring the feel of her untouched skin. Harry looked down to watch the hands she held as they stopped their groping of her small breasts to pinched and pulled at her overly large nipples. His dark skin looked nearly black when surrounded by her pale skin.
"You are perfect." She nearly missed his soft murmur behind her head. His hands, with hers still holding onto them, slid back down her hips, slowly as they traced the curve over the fabric of the skirt. "Such fertility." He growled as he gripped her hips hard. Perhaps another peculiarity of his, yet that thought died when he hands slid to her thighs, his fingers pushing ever so slightly to the dip in between. "I beg of you. Allow me to bestow you with the same pleasure you gifted me."
Harry sighed out all her breath. She could feel how desperate he was for this, from the way his magic licked and grabbed at hers to the growing erection pressing into her. Imhotep had never made his desire of her a secret and she felt like she lost that fight a long time ago. It took a bit of effort, but she finally managed to relax enough so that he could slip his hands between her legs with a pleased hum. He quickly pulled her legs up and over his own and off the sides of the lounge. He ran light fingers along the inside of her naked thighs, filling her with more than a few conflicting emotions. Desire and anticipation were at the forefront, but fear and trepidation were right behind them.
Imhotep's dark fingers moved under the thin piece of fabric of the skirt. She flinched hard, grabbing his forearms with a piercing touch. "Please!" She pleaded to him, but for what, she had no idea. Her mind was full of static and the many whispers of her magic. It was too much for her to fathom out. She didn't even know what she wanted in all this.
"Give yourself to me." Imhotep's words dripped down her spine like warm honey. The muscles of his chest and arms twitched in irregular intervals. "Please?" He begged quietly, sounding almost ashamed.
What reason did he have to feel ashamed? It was her dysfunction that was the real issue here. There could be just as much going on between his ears as there was with hers. They needed to talk about this at some point, but not right now. Not with his hands still poised to return the favor she had given him with what she knew was going to be done with single-minded focus until he accomplished his task. His breath moving the hair on the back of her head reminded her of the privacy he was still affording her even now.
It took a little bit for Harry to consciously release the fierce hold she still had on his forearms. She didn't remove her hold on his arms fully, just in case she needed to stop him for whatever reason she might need. Imhotep waited for her, as he always seemed to do, before he started to move. His hands moved slow and measured as they moved the small piece of fabric of her skirt, leaving her more bare than she'd ever been in front of someone else or outside, as they were now. Such a small thing that made her feel strangely free. Her magic whispered to her, telling her she could have this all the time, if only she would allow it. Imhotep pressed the middle two fingers on his left hand and, with an even slower movement, those two fingers moved lower until they passed over something that felt…really good, so good that she flinched.
"All is well?" Imhotep asked with a rough voice. He drug those same two fingers back up and over that same spot more firmly. Goosebumps broke out across her whole body with what she now recognized as pleasure.
"Yeah." She managed to choke out a reply. She'd never felt like this before, never felt so good.
"Excellent." His voice dipped lower than it ever had, almost sounding like a growl. She wanted more of his words in that deep raspy tone.
Imhotep's fingers sped up slowly while maintaining a firm pressure. The desire built up in her body with each pass of his fingers over that same spot, but it was building so fast that she could scarcely keep up with all the sensations she was feeling. Her mind was getting fuzzy to everything but the movement of his fingers. There was a strange pressure building where he was rubbing, what she now knew was her clitoris. She had never explored her own body, like many of her classmates, but she knew the anatomical layout. The pressure between her legs gave way to a burning sensation that crept upwards. Harry felt like she was burning. Imhotep's right hand slid down to her lower belly and gripped her.
The burning and pressure continued to climb until she felt like she couldn't withstand the sensations and dropped her right hand to his own, grabbing him while hoping he would stop.
"Please." Harry whined, trying to squirm away from his fingers.
"Relax yourself, My Love." His voice was rough yet his words gentle. "I only want to bring you pleasure."
"I can't." She gasped as she fought against the feeling flooding her body. It was too much for her to feel, to experience. She was sure there was less sensation when her body was being eaten away by the Basilisk venom.
Imhotep made a deep humming sound while his magic whispered his immense pleasure to her very soul. His fingers applied more pressure to her and her entire body flinched at how sharp the pleasure became. Her legs tried to close without her input, but the hands of his magic held them open enough to not impede his motion. The rest of her body tensed under his motions.
"You can." His reply calmed her building panic, if only a little. "I belong only to you."
Those magical hands rubbed her hips and thighs, others running up her sides and massaging her neck. It calmed her body and she relaxed a little bit more for him. His magic called to her. He wanted so much from her, but gave just as much of himself in return. She could feel how he wanted everything she could give him, but also wanted to give everything to her.
The sensations finally overwhelmed her own panic and anxiety. Harry finally allowed herself fully relaxed under his skillful touch and allowed the feelings to build without fighting against them. Her muscles went lax, her mind stopped thinking about anything. All that existed was the feeling of his fingers against one of the most intimate parts of her body and the steady movement of his chest. Her mind was overwhelmed by the pleasure even while some of her muscles locked up as everything happening within her finally crested.
The pleasure took over her mind, clouding it more thoroughly than an Imperius Curse while her whole body rocking against the movements of his fingers, drawing more pleasure from him. The burning sensation consumed her in the best way possible. Imhotep's fingers slowed their movements, drawing out the pleasure still ricocheting inside her body until is began to hurt and she moved her right hand to stop his ministrations. Harry laid against Imhotep's body while trying to catch her breath and come back to her senses.
"What did you do to me?" Harry asked, though it wasn't even a rhetorical question. Her mind was still fuzzy and her magic thrummed happily, her body as boneless as it's ever been.
Imhotep's hands moved back up to her breasts to pull her top back down to restore her modesty. She wasn't sure why, but that small action upset her. Until she could take some time to examine what had just happened to her, she chose to not worry about it as the overwhelming feelings he forced upon her slowly dissipated.
"You bloom so beautifully." His words were rough in her ear.
Harry did her best to slide off on him so she could lay on her side beside him without causing him any pain. Now that she could look at him, she found his expression more open than she'd ever seen it. She pulled him back towards her to kiss him, slowly and deeply, just trying to show him how much she enjoyed him. He returned the kiss in kind as one of his hands wandered down her side to the swell of her hips.
"I've never felt like that before," She replied once she got her breath back. A lot of the strange behavior of her classmates over the years suddenly made a lot more sense.
"I will give you that pleasure as often as you wish." Imhotep murmured as he leaned into her neck and started placing small kisses along her neck.
"I think I need some time before I'm ready for that again." Harry laughed breathlessly. She felt his hand move from her hip and settle back on her lower belly. That area was feeling strange, like it was empty, but that didn't make any sense. "What?"
"Your body is not thoroughly satisfied." His words sounded off, not that she could tell why. "One day." He stated firmly to her.
Harry was smart enough to put two and two together. She felt the briefest thread of panic in her chest before it dissipated.
"I'm not ready for something like that." She muttered in return.
"But of course." He replied as if her words had offended him before pulling her closer to him. "A man can dream." He spoke almost too softly for her to hear.
They stayed like that for what felt like a long time. Enjoying the gentle companionship of laying together. Imhotep used his magic to return his clothes only after he assured Harry that time worked differently in this place and she didn't need to worry about the time they spent here. With that bit of information, she ended up reading several books that Imhotep picked out for her. It was a lot of information but she couldn't help it. Nearly every bit of information written in these books by the ancient wizards were contradictory to what she was taught in Great Britain. They spoke of magic as a part of Living Nature, acting as such when cast while Great Britain always spoke of Magic as an unfeeling tool. It was a lot to think about and consider if she was going to be teaching the Medjai magic. Some indeterminate amount of time later, Imhotep used his magic to teleport them back to one of the courtyards in the Cult Building. Harry was grateful that she was back in the clothes she was wearing when they left. She might die of mortification if someone like Lock-Nah saw her in that outfit.
"How do I get back there next time?" Harry asked Imhotep once Imhotep's magic fell away from them.
"Command me and it will be." He replied in his usual way as he escorted her back to the Potion Kitchen.
Harry couldn't help but sigh loudly at him. "And what if you are gone or busy?" He seemed to disappear more often than she saw him with no idea where he was going or what he was doing.
"I will never be so busy as to ignore your call." He stated firmly as they stopped in front of the Kitchen door.
Harry rolled her eyes in good humor at him. It had become too apparent that he held her and her desires above all else to ignore any longer. It still bothered her, but that part of herself was getting smaller. Now, any of the guilt or discomfort that had dogged her since childhood was barely registering inside her. Imhotep stepped in close to her and leaned down to her, a hand on the back of her head held her as he kissed her slowly and deeply. She returned the kiss in kind, but let him control it. The kiss was over quickly, but that didn't bother Harry. It was beginning to feel like how she imagined a relationship would be like. INside the Kitchen, the girls were carefully pouring the cool potion into vials.
"My Lady! The potion is done!" Clione announced as Harry closed the door behind her.
"Would you please check it?" Zalika asked as she held up one of the poured potions.
Harry quickly went through the various checks she remembered Snape doing in her early years of school and found it satisfactory.
"Perfect." She announced to the girls and they responded by grabbing onto her arms and hugging her tightly.
The three of them spent a few more hours brewing other types of potions that the villagers needed. Harry took control of the more complicated potions while Clione and Zalika watched carefully and asked questions.
The door to the Kitchen opened and Lock-Nah walked in quietly. He stood and waited as Harry finished testing the different potions they finished and deemed them all good to bottle as soon as they were cool.
"Need something Lock-Nah?" Harry asked pleasantly.
"The Medjai Chieftains have selected seven members to take your first lesson. I would like to discuss the details with you, when you have a free moment." He continued to speak respectfully with his hands behind his back.
Harry looked around the Kitchen and found nothing more that she needed to be around for. "Girls," Both girls looked to her with big eyes, "Finish bottling the potions when they're done cooling and get them out for the villagers, alright?" It was still strange to be giving orders to anyone, but it was slowly getting easier.
"Of course, My Lady." Zalika bowed deeply to Harry.
"One of us will come find you if we have any questions." Clione also bowed deeply, making Harry wonder why. Something she didn't care enough about to ask them why now. Maybe she'd ask later. Maybe she wouldn't. She was feeling more secure in her place here, even if it still made her feel uncomfortable at times.
Lock-Nah began walking with Harry once she left the girls to their job and led her towards her office.
"You seem more relaxed than the last time I saw you." Lock-Nah stated as they walked.
"Do I?" She hadn't thought about it, but he was right. She did feel more relaxed and maybe a bit more in control of herself. Imhotep turned out to be right once more, much to her mild chagrin. "I guess you're right."
Lock-Nah watched her silently out of the corner of his eye as they walked, making her wonder about what he was thinking. He spoke up once they entered the entry room of her office and he closed the door behind them.
"May I ask where you were earlier?" He asked as he continued to follow her into her actual office.
Harry didn't answer him right away. She looked around the first room, still finding boxes that she needed to deal with. The plant in the corner was still there, though with more flowers this time. It seemed to be doing well despite her almost never coming in here.
"I needed some space and went to the village alone." She answered mildly as she continued into her office. The first thing she noticed was that the empty bookshelves around the room were now full of books. She let out a gentle gasp when she saw that one of the columns of shelves had been replaced with the diamond shaped shelves that she saw in the Library. They too were full of scrolls. Her eyes prickled with the beginnings of tears. So few people had treated her with actual kindness in her life that this one man could nearly bring her to tears with such a simple, thoughtful act.
"I had assumed something of that manner." Lock-Nah walked to the bottom of the stairs but did not go any further. "Did you have something to do with the strange plants by the storehouse?" He asked carefully.
Harry took a few calming breaths before answering. "Oh, the garden is still there?" She asked with a smile as she turned to face him once more. It warmed her heart to know that the people would have a steady supply of food that had no way to be taken away by stupid terrorists. "I needed space and went out by myself. A young boy asked for my help and things got out of hand from there." She explained with a shrug.
Lock-Nah regarded her with a fond, yet exasperated smile. "I'm going to need more information than that."
With a smile of her own, Harry explained the whole ordeal from earlier today. He nodded along with her explanation and pressed for more information when describing the terrorists. Her story stopped when she slipped back into the Cult Building. There was absolutely no way she was going to tell him about the Library of Alexandria or what she did with Imhotep while there.
"This is a concerning development." Lock-Nah muttered to himself and he did look concerned. It was a bad look on him. "I believe we need to move forward with our plan to train the Medjai in magic. And soon." He stated with conviction. "We must be prepared for whatever forces are already moving against us."
His words were true, but they still scared Harry. Was she ready to start teaching the new Squib Witches and Wizards? She wasn't really sure, but it was clear that the decision had been taken out of her hands. Probably for the best.
"Alright." Harry nodded mostly to herself. The surge of panic in her chest wasn't nearly as bad as she was expecting. Maybe it was because the bandaid had been ripped off. "Where and how soon?"
"How much time do you need to be ready?" He asked after a brief moment of thought. "My people are ready." He added firmly.
Harry wanted to worry about teaching the Medjai, but she couldn't bring herself to. It felt like the yoke of pain and misery had been lifted from her shoulders. Teaching the Medjai now felt achievable. Easy almost. She'd procrastinated long enough.
"The first few lessons are easy enough." Her words trailed off as she remembered her first lesson with McGonagall. The older woman had always intimidated her, but she was also one of the kindest people she had ever known. Harry always wanted to emulate that. "I can be ready as soon as tomorrow." Harry stated, doing her best at ignoring the thread of panic trying to grow in her chest.
A dark tendril of Imhotep's magic slid along her magic and slid right into her chest when she did not try to stop it. It wrapped around the thread of panic that was still trying to take hold, smothering it quickly. Harry breathed easier once it was gone, more so that it was Imhotep that was helping her once more. His magic pulled back slightly, like it wasn't sure if it was allowed to stay within her. Harry found that she quite liked feeling his presence with her. A constant reminder of the man that was healing her soul. His magic lurched forward, wrapping itself to her heart.
"I will speak with Ardeth about this when he arrives later." The sound of Lock-Nah's voice pulled her attention away from Imhotep's magic now resting inside her. "I believe we can begin tomorrow. Where would you like this to take place?"
"I don't particularly mind. What would you suggest?" She really didn't care where they began the lessons, but the Medjai might have preferences.
"Would it be safe to conduct these lessons within the main village?" Harry nodded her head, "Then we should do them there. It would be a comfortable place to start and the others would be able to watch you teach. It will go a long way to ease their fears." Lock-Nah explained.
"Are they afraid of me?" The thought hurt a little, but it was tempered by the knowledge that it was also expected.
"Not of you." Lock-Nah answered quickly. "They still fear the Dread Lord, though I feel they are now more afraid of what is happening to them." He added more measured, ending with a sigh. "Your presence within the main village will ease all their fears."
"Give them someone better to follow?" Harry added with a slight smirk. She hadn't forgotten why Lock-Nah was even here.
The dark man smiled at that. "Exactly that." His voice dipped lower when he spoke. "Let us plan for tomorrow. Unless Ardeth disagrees, I will escort you to the main village in the morning."
Harry nodded, since it all sounded like a good plan. Lock-Nah left quickly to do whatever duties had. She should probably ask him about that sometime. Maybe. When she really thought about it, a part of her didn't care to know. Did she really need to know everything little thing going on in this building, in the village? For the sake of her sanity, she should leave those details to others. She had other priorities to concentrate on.
As much as Harry wanted to dive into all the new books Imhotep had picked out for her, she knew she needed to think about her lessons. Something that she had absolutely no experience of. Her magic tugged at attention, pulling it towards the new books. One in particular caught her attention and her magic hummed. Pulling off the shelf, the book was large and heavy with a lot of thick pages. There was no title or author page for this book, so she had no idea what it was about. The first page of Hieroglyphics quickly shifted around, like before at the Library, until they looked like words she could read. A quick scan of a couple pages told her that this book was a class guide! How helpful.
Harry took the book out of her office and headed to her Oasis. It was getting late, if the darkness creeping into the hallways was anything to go by, and she just wanted some alone time while she read. The Oasis was already dimmed by the time she entered, telling her that Zalika and Clione had already gone to bed for the night. That suited Harry just fine.
Once she made it to her bedroom, she wanted to slip right in, but paused. She was still wearing her old clothes from earlier and after Imhotep changed her back from that rather interesting outfit he put her in at the Library. A part of her was beginning to hate her old clothes. Was Imhotep right about them or was she just tired of being reminded of all the bad memories? Harry wasn't sure she even cared about the reason, but she wasn't sure where to go from here. With a gentle shake of her head, she changed into her sleeping clothes with her magic. They still didn't feel right, but it was closer. Slipping under the covers she curled up under the blanket, ready to go through this book with a summoned light.
The book was interesting, laying out where to start with teaching magic to newcomers and how to progress. It was a good read and gave her a lot of ideas. Before she knew it, she could hear the girls beginning to stir. Another night down and yet Harry was feeling better about these strange changes. Imhotep was right. She just needed to relax, even if his version of relaxing made her blush like a schoolgirl with a crush.
"My Lady?" Clione's voice echoed slightly in the dim room, no doubt knowing she was awake by the light she had summoned.
"Yes?" Harry responded as she pulled the blanket off of her.
"Did you not sleep?" The young girl asked with concern as she approached the side of the bed. "That's not healthy." She shook her head slightly.
Seeing such a young girl try to gently reprimand her for staying up reading was kind of hilarious for Harry. She imagined this was what Molly Weasley was like when she was still attending Hogwarts, cooking and caring for her dormmates and friends.
"It was just one night." Harry playfully defended herself. "I'm a little nervous about teaching the Medjai today." She admitted to the girl.
Clione's eyes lit up. "Oh! That's today?" She exclaimed gently.
"Yes, that is starting today." Harry put the book on her bedside table, right next to her glasses, and got out of bed. She noticed Zalika was not here with her sister. "Where is Zalika?"
Clione looked down with her hands folded in front of her. "She wanted to get an early start on the potions. She was very excited." Clione kept her voice low, like she didn't want to get in trouble.
"That's good." Harry kept her tone soft. It seemed to work when Clione looked up. "One less thing on my plate."
Clione followed Harry to her closet but walked in ahead of Harry, already looking for a good outfit for Harry to wear. Harry's eyes fell onto the golden dress that Imhotep had made for her. The one meeting she had with Lock-Nah and Ardeth regarding teaching the Medjai came to her mind. Lock-Nah suggested she wear it to teach the Medjai. She still wasn't too sure about that train of thought, but she supposed it didn't matter much anymore. Lock-Nah wanted her to look the part of a knowledgeable and formidable leader for his people to follow. Even Ardeth seemed to appreciate it when he saw her wearing it when she presided over the cult that day.
"Which one shall you wear today?" Clione pulled out a few of the comfortable outfits that have been here since she arrived.
"How about the dress?" Harry suggested softly, almost resigned.
Clione turned to look at her with big eyes. "Are you sure? I thought you didn't like it."
"I'm still not sure if I like it, but I think the Medjai would." She explained with a shrug. Her magic thrummed happily within her, already reaching for the garment that still tingled with the residual magic from Imhotep. At least her magic seemed to like it unironically.
Harry could see Clione try not to be too excited about dressing Harry in the dress. "Yes, of course, My Lady." Clione bowed as she set to dressing Harry.
While Harry still disliked being dressed and undressed, she knew this went beyond her now. Just grin and bear to get to the next part of her day. Clione moved quickly, getting Harry out of her sleep clothes and into the brightly colored dress and some nice sandals that also had gems along the straps that matched the dress. She directed Harry to sit on the bed as she knelt behind to comb and braid her hair. Clione seemed to enjoy playing with her hair, braiding it multiple times and onto the top of her head. She scampered off the bed and out the room without a word, but returned quickly with a small box. Inside were numerous pins and clips with large and heavy looking gems. Harry didn't say anything, just let the young girl do whatever she wanted with her hair.
Once Clione was done getting Harry ready for her day, Harry looked herself over in the mirror and found that she looked utterly ridiculous to her own standards, but every bit like an alleged Goddess might look like. With a gentle nod and smile to Clione, they walked together out of the Oasis. The sun was just rising up and lighting the hallways of the Cult Building. They hadn't gotten far before Lock-Nah turned the corner and nearly collided with poor Clione.
"Lock-Nah." Harry greeted as Clione scampered behind her.
"I see you've decided to wear the dress." Lock-Nah smirked down at her, making Harry roll her eyes at him. "I'm glad to run into you. This man wants to help our cause, but refuses my suggestions." He growled slightly.
Donkor came out from behind Lock-Nah. He looked like a teenager when standing next to a man as big as Lock-Nah.
"Hello, mighty Priestess." Donkor greeted her with a deep bow. "I wish to begin serving you." He added.
Harry still wasn't sure how she felt about all this bowing and serving business, but let it slide off her shoulders. It wasn't worth the fight, if her arguments with Lock-Nah and the girls were anything to go by.
"You said you used to be a cook, correct?" Harry asked, trying to remember what he had said to her when they met. Donkor nodded without raising his head. "Then Zalika could use some help making potions." Harry thought for a moment. It would be wise to assume that none of the people here would know how to prepare ingredients to be used in British potion recipes. Her magic thrummed and with a gentle flick of her wrist, she called her copy of Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger to her hand. It gave the basics on how to prepare ingredients and brew simple potions. "Can you read this?" She asked as she handed the book to Clione.
Clione opened it and looked through a few pages quickly. "Yes, I can!" She exclaimed happily.
"Then you will escort Donkor to the Potion Kitchen and aid him and Zalika with the potions while I'm gone." She looked up to Lock-Nah. "Is there a guard or someone that can stay with them, in case there are any problems?" Harry was concerned with having a grown man in a room alone with two young girls, but she supposed it would also be helpful if something caught fire. Seamus and his neverending explosions came to mind.
"There is one I think would be best. I will find them and give them their new orders." Lock-Nah bowed to her and motioned for Donkor and Clione to follow him. Donkor bowed deeply again while Clione hugged her arm tightly with a large smile. "I will meet you in the Throne Room." He told her as he passed.
Harry nodded and headed to the main room of the Cult Building. It would figure the room would have such a pretentious name. She saw only a few people as she walked, only one person not wearing the new cult uniforms. She knew Imhotep was in the Throne Room long before she made it there. The little tendril of his magic had remained wrapped around her heart, which made it far easier for her to feel where he was and what he was doing. Right now, he was waiting for her.
"You are offering your first lesson to the Medjai today." He stated once she entered the room. He was sitting on the Throne with a book he wasn't reading in his right hand. He looked every bit of the 'Regal Ruler' stereotype. Harry might almost compare him to the Aristocratic Pureblood she was used to, but that didn't quite fit him. Imhotep's regality was earned by more than birthright. "While appearing as the Goddess worthy of their worship." He added with a smirk as he looked her up and down.
"Yes." Harry answered him, blushing slightly. "I'm waiting for Lock-Nah to escort Donkor to the Potion Kitchen so he and Clione can help Zalika brew potions. Then he'll take me to the Medjai." She explained as she walked closer to him, though she was sure she didn't need to.
Imhotep set his book to the side once she was at the top of the stairs of the Throne. He grabbed her right hand with his left and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. "I will admit to still being unsure if the Old Guard is worthy enough to reassume their ancestral position." He spoke to her quietly without looking at her.
"Their ancestral position?" Harry asked. She was sure this was the first time she was hearing the Medjai being anything other than sworn enemies of Imhotep.
"The Medjai were once the sworn guard to the Pharaoh and the Royal Family. Bred and trained from birth to be the finest warriors of the Kingdom. They lost their way when Kmt fell." He explained, finally looking up at her. There was a deep sorrow within his unusually muted gaze.
"We'll just have to try." Harry replied, hoping it would be enough for him. He smiled up at her, which made her feel a little better. "If it doesn't work, we'll just have to find something else for them to do."
Imhotep stood suddenly, towering over her from being so close. She couldn't explain it, but she liked it. Liked how tall and imposing he was. In a way, she also liked how dangerous he was. She didn't need to be the strong one with him around. One of his hands snuck around the back of her neck while the other found the curve of her back, holding her close to his body.
"Your gentle words are the balm for my soul." He murmured close to her hair.
Imhotep leaned forward, leaning her back, which gave him the opportunity to kiss her. She had little warning before he deepened the kiss, dominating her with his lips and tongue. His magic pushed against the magic in her body, like it desperately wanted inside of her. Her own magic simmered against the feeling, exciting her further. He suddenly broke the kiss, much to her disappointment until she noticed he was looking at something behind her. It was only then her magic decided to inform her that Lock-Nah had arrived in the room and definitely saw them making out.
Despite the intrusion, Imhotep did not make any move to disentangle himself from her. Instead, he seemed to stare Lock-Nah down with the same look she had glimpsed with the girls. He looked every bit like the evil Wizard Ardeth had once spoken of. Lord Voldemort always seemed to have a maniacal gleam in his eyes when she was unfortunate enough to be near him. Imhotep, however, did not have that. His eyes were dark with pure hatred for the man behind her. She knew that Imhotep would tear Lock-Nah apart in the worst way if it weren't for her. There was no denying how much she liked having that level of control over a man that left her rudderless by breathing in her direction.
"Hey." She ordered him gently. His eyes snapped to her, taking a moment for the evil inside of him to settle down and leave his eyes. She pushed a hand against his chest, a signal to put her upright once more, which he did immediately. "None of that."
Imhotep let out a long sigh as he regarded her silently. "Your servant will understand that, if any adverse action is taken against you while under his responsibility, he will be answering to me directly." He stated with such conviction that Harry could imagine just what would happen if she got even a scratch while teaching. She hoped none of the Medjai were like Seamus or Neville or even Ron on a bad day.
"I'll make sure he knows." She replied with a barely suppressed smile before turning around and walking back down the steps towards Lock-Nah, who was staring a hole into the floor. "Ready to go?"
Lock-Nah nodded and followed her out of the building. He led the way to where they were going. Sand colored buildings surrounded by sand gave way to an endless expanse of rolling sand dunes. She never thought that she'd miss the dreariness of England, but oh how Harry was growing weary of the color of sand. Nothing was said between them until they were out of Itsa and Harry finally couldn't stand the silence any longer.
"What's wrong?" She asked gently. The number of people along the packed sand road thinned out to one every now and then, giving them plenty of privacy.
"Did you see the look he gave me?" Lock-Nah shook his head slightly. "A threat unsaid is still a threat."
"Only if something bad happens to me." Harry had hoped the light hearted comment would help lighten his mood, but it didn't.
"Trouble follows you like lice follow camels." He muttered without looking at her. "How am I supposed to protect you when I barely know any magic?" He asked without looking away from the road before them.
"I can help." She suggested softly. Lock-Nah finally looked at her and it figured it would be a more dubious look. "I have magic too! I'm fully capable of protecting myself." She wanted to let these people do things their way, but she was getting tired of being treated like a child.
"I'm not sure what you have, but it's not what I would call magic." Lock-Nah's words might have been sharp, but he smiled as he spoke. She hoped that meant he was feeling better after being threatened by Imhotep.
"It's magic!" Her voice went higher with indignation.
"I have never heard of any European Mage that could grow a garden that never stopped producing fruit out of dead sand." He gave her a look out of the corner of his eye.
Harry sighed heavily, feeling like a petulant teenager once more. "That's different."
Lock-Nah scoffed, which quickly turned into a genuine laugh. They continued to walk under the bright sun, passing a few people here and there. Most of them bowed their heads slightly to her as they passed, making her feel a little self conscious regarding the dress, but stamped it down when another village came into view.
"It's a bit of a walk to the Medjai village." Lock-Nah explained casually. "Not many people make the trip outside of needing to go into Itsa for trade."
"It can't be that hard to apparate." Harry thought about it more, wondering if she could set up something more advanced with her new magic. Maybe Imhotep knew of something.
"Already thinking of a way to connect the two villages?" Lock-Nah chuckled at her.
"Wouldn't that make things easier?" She asked as they began walking between the more haggard looking buildings of the Medjai village. The people here looked much like the ones in Itsa, though they watched her warily as they walked by. The people here looked like they had lived a harder life than those back in Itsa. "A bit of a chilly reception." Harry wasn't sure if this was a good idea anymore. She wanted to help these people, but not if it brought harm to Lock-Nah or anyone else. She tried to pull her magic back into her body, to make the Medjai more comfortable with her presence, but she found she couldn't. It felt like she was trying to put a full bathtub of water into a pitcher, spilling out as soon as she tried to pack it in. It seemed like she had passed some point of no return, but where that point was was lost to her.
"They have been through a lot. Give them time and they will come to regard you as I have." Lock-Nah nodded to a few people, who nodded back.
"And how do you regard me?" The question was thin and unsure.
Lock-Nah was quiet for a moment that seemed to drag as they passed more people that didn't seem the happiest to see them. Some of the children were
"I have seen you grow as I have watched your magic grow. I have seen how you care for people who are not your own and help them without asking for anything in return." He stopped them by a building that bordered a large open area that had several dozen people milling along the outside near the other buildings. They all had the same closed-off look on their faces, no more sure of her than the ones they already passed. Harry was becoming less and less sure of this plan. She also couldn't shake the self consciousness building inside of her. The dress was a bad idea. "I will admit that I did not believe what the Dread Lord said about you, at first. But now?" Lock-Nah turned to her fully. "I now believe that you are a Goddess, sent to us by the Old Ones to save us from the rot that has overtaken this world. Imhotep can threaten me all he wants. I know you will continue to protect me so long as I serve you faithfully." He finished his statement with a deep bow to her.
Harry had nothing to say to any of that. How could she when someone so large and in control of their own life basically swears fealty to you because they believe you were sent by the Gods to save them. Quite the heady moment Lock-Nah decided to spring on her. The tendril of Imhotep's magic in her chest wrapped more firmly around her heart, helping anchor her to the moment. She nearly missed Ardeth running up to them through her haze.
"Lock-Nah, my friend!" He greeted his friend joyfully with a firm pat on the bigger man's shoulder. Ardeth turned to greet Harry but stopped when he saw what she figured was a bit of a shell shocked expression. "Are you well, Hari?"
"Sorry. Lock-Nah here threw me off kilter before you got here." She managed to shake herself free of her stupor.
Ardeth turned to look at Lock-Nah, a question in his eyes, making the black man laugh gently. "I felt it necessary to swear my allegiance to her before we got started."
Ardeth shook his head fondly. "If this goes well, you will have many more people doing the same." He nodded his head like he was considering something. "If it means anything, I have also wanted you to know that you have my loyalty and I will continue to help your cause as you help our people." He bowed less deeply than Lock-Nah to her.
"Can you two please stop?" Harry pleaded with them. "I still need to be able to teach!"
Both men chuckled at her before Ardeth gently led her to the center of the opening of buildings. "You will teach here, so the others not learning can watch." Harry looked around them, finding several dozen people milling about, unreadable looks on their faces. It felt like Lord Voldemort had arrived at Hogwarts.
"Do I need to be worried?" Harry asked Ardeth, who then looked around them as well.
"I wouldn't, if I were you." Ardeth motioned to someone in the growing crowd of people. "They are scared and worried. Maybe a bit wary due to you being a European Witch, but wanting to see if you are the one to guide us all into a better future." Ardeth explained gently, but no less forcefully than Lock-Nah's own admission.
"Ardeth, you need to calm down before I freak the fuck out here." She pleaded with him, needing both of them to stop adding to an already overwhelming moment.
Both men bowed silently to her, though Lock-Nah had a small smirk. Lock-Nah took several steps back from her while Ardeth guided her to sit on a sturdy, flat stone that sat next to a dead firepit. Harry sat there, quietly dreading what was to come with more people joining the ones already waiting to watch. She had never been one to have stage fright, but this was bigger than just giving a speech or fighting some fascist. This was helping a race of people back from the edge of oblivion and obscurity. No pressure or anything.
Ardeth returned after what felt like too long and not long enough with a group of people that seemed to range from very young to quite old. Her magic vibrated strangely along her skin and she suddenly knew who these people were. The youngest was a girl about nine years old. She enjoys weaving baskets and is really excited to learn magic. The oldest was a man, one of the Chieftains actually. While he was interested in performing magic, he was apprehensive about it at the same time. So much was changing rapidly, making him unsure if he was still the best person to lead his people. Despite the rocky start to this partnership, Harry couldn't help but feel for the older man. This whole situation was new and strange. There was probably no one that would know what the right path was here. Though the fact that her magic could tell her all that without her even asking did disturb her more than a little. The tendril of dark magic wrapped around her heart moved in a way that felt like it was stroking her, making her own magic purr in response. That small unseen action helped calm her nerves and more.
"Everyone, this is Hari. She's the one I've been telling you about that has agreed to help us train our magic." Ardeth spoke to the group of seven as they all sat down around the dead fire. They left a large space on either side of her, which she appreciated. Lock-Nah shifted closer to her by half a step as the group settled.
"Is it true you can grow plants with your magic?!" The young girl blurted out before Ardeth could continue. The older people all shook their heads while the younger ones snickered. She was sure she heard some chuckles from the crowd.
Harry smiled at the young girl, pleased she was excited about the magic instead of apprehensive. It would make this whole process so much easier. The Chieftain moved to quiet her, but stopped when Harry held up a hand. He stopped the movement but not without a dubious look in his eyes. She could assume he was unhappy about being commanded by a foreign witch. Understandable given how they had been treated by foreign wizards.
...Reward them…
Heka's voice whispered to her before she could even think of how to give the young girl's request. Heka spoke again, no doubt feeling or hearing Harry's concerns and questions.
..They have kept the Old Ways alive, to the best of their abilities…
Harry received a thought or something from Heka. She remembered the garden Heka helped her grow in Itsa, big and full of life and food. It was small, but hopefully it would be enough to get the Medjai to warm up to her.
The magic she couldn't contain was already probing the area, finding every nook and cranny of the village and filling her head with a soft static of information that was pushing into too much. Pushing all the noise down, Harry bent forward in her seat, getting closer to the ground and pushed her fingers into the warm sand. Her magic knew what it was that she wanted, what she wanted to give without her having to even think about a specific part of the request. The magic crawling around the village pulled in to where her hand was partially buried, building and building at her fingertips until the pressure became too much and it exploded downward and deep into the earth.
The same deep rumble as the first time concerned the many people standing around the small group looked concerned, but did not make anything more than small moves since she was not only unconcerned, but settling back into her seat. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Lock-Nah was trying very hard to not look worried, but the flittig of his eyes gave him away.
As with before, it started small. A small plant pushed its way through the sand by the young girl and, much to her squealing delight, bloomed with a single white flower. More smaller plants began sprouting around the village, making her giggle happily as she watched the wide range of emotions she could see on the people around them. The people moved out of the way quickly once the trees began shooting out of the ground and popping out their foliage. The general mood changed to one of cautious optimism when the fruits began growing.
"Is this what you did with the magical garden in Itsa?" Lock-Nah asked her tentatively.
"For the most part." Harry replied as she watched a group of children each grab some of the fruit off the various plants and look on in pure joy when the fruit immediately regrew. "As far I understand, the plants will not need tending nor will they stop producing." She explained, knowing this through some means from Heka.
"For how long?" He asked even as his eyes never left the still growing plants that now surrounded them.
"Forever?" Harry shrugged, not having a better answer for him.
The young girl she was going to teach returned to her seat with a Pineapple bigger than her head in her hands and a huge smile on her face. Ardeth walked over to her and helped her open it enough to eat, which she quickly began to devour. The Chieftain looked at Harry, a strange look in his eyes. She sat and waited for him to find whatever it was he was looking for while doing her best not to fidget under the scrutiny. He turned to Ardeth and nodded once, which Ardeth returned with a smile.
"It is decided." Ardeth announced to Harry. "The Medjai are yours to command."
