Akhenaten? I don't recall any mention of him wielding magic in magical history... Wait, was this curse placed by Akhenaten, or placed on Akhenaten?
Tom felt a prickle of unease, a sensation he hadn't experienced since Dumbledore, Elder Wand in hand, cornered him with his lackeys. The source of this current disquiet stemmed from a sudden, unsettling possibility rooted in Akhenaten's infamous deeds.
Akhenaten was most famous for his revolutionary religious reforms. Basically... Aten (the sun god) was deemed the supreme power, and all the other gods were told to shove it!
Insulting deities and forcibly converting their followers… Akhenaten had managed to offend almost every god in the Egyptian pantheon.
"…"
Tom's expression twisted subtly. He could only hope the curse originated from some disgruntled ancient Egyptian wizard and not a vengeful god.
Sensing the shift in Tom's demeanor, Malfoy's practiced smile faltered. He'd maintained a facade of calm, secure in the belief that his master could handle any curse. After all, hadn't he almost single-handedly recruited nearly a hundred new members to the ranks of the Death Eaters? Surely, Tom wouldn't let him perish so easily!
But now…
Malfoy, his face contorted with despair, pleaded, "Sir, are you not going to burn this crown?"
This was his last desperate gamble. Perhaps Tom merely wanted to examine the artifact more closely.
Hearing Malfoy's desperate plea, Tom shook his head almost imperceptibly. "Burning it is of no use; the crown is not the source."
Upon hearing this, Malfoy visibly deflated, teetering on the precipice of utter despair. Was this truly the end?
Ignoring the sullen Malfoy, Tom turned his attention to the old man, who was feigning interest in the trinkets behind the counter. "Where did this crown originate?"
"Deep within the eastern Libyan desert. My men stumbled upon it by chance, alongside a group of Muggles." The old man offered the information freely, knowing resistance was futile. "However, they were caught in a sandstorm, and in their frantic escape, the precise location…"
No exact location?
But that didn't matter; a general bearing would suffice.
"A map. Draw me the approximate location."
With that, Tom turned to his ever-obedient serpent. "Nagini, you and Cassandra shall proceed to the magic supply shop across the street. Acquire two magic carpets."
"Professor, what is this for?" Cassandra looked at Tom with eager anticipation, sensing the thrill of impending adventure!
"Prepare yourselves. We are venturing into the desert."
...
The sun beat down upon the endless expanse of the desert, each grain of sand shimmering with a blinding, golden light. A gentle breeze stirred the surface of the dunes, causing the sand to ripple and shift, a magical landscape that was both fluid and eternally fixed. But within this serene, golden panorama, several incongruous ink blots appeared.
Sand, sand, and more sand—an infinite ocean of yellow stretched out in every direction.
Malfoy lay listlessly on the edge of the magic carpet, his gaze fixed on the monotonous landscape beneath. Harry, meanwhile, sat at the controls, navigating their course through the endless dunes.
Experiencing the magic carpet for the first time, Harry was immediately captivated. "This feels entirely different from riding a broomstick!"
The magic carpet was significantly slower than a broom, but far more stable. Moreover, the carpet they had purchased was enchanted, possessing an Invisibility Cloak-like feature; Muggles wouldn't be able to see them.
Larger carpets could also accommodate multiple passengers. However, theirs was rather small, and so they'd been forced to purchase two. He and Malfoy occupied one, while Tom, Cassandra, and Nagini rode on the other.
Thinking of this, Harry glanced to his right. The other carpet, carrying Tom, Cassandra, and Nagini, was close by. He wouldn't have paid much attention had he not caught sight of something that instantly ignited his resentment.
A large, green, umbrella-shaped waterproof sheet adorned with faint silver patterns, hovered above Tom and Cassandra's carpet.
Transfiguration, Harry surmised, with a bitter understanding.
Neither he nor Malfoy had mastered their Transfiguration skills to that extent. They were relegated to passively engaging in "photosynthesis."
Wait, what is Cassandra holding?!
Damn it! She even brought refreshments?!
And what's with that look back at me?! That smug, defiant expression?!
Fury clenched in Harry's gut as Malfoy, parched and sun-baked, crawled towards him.
"Scarhead… water… I'm dyiiiing…"
From the moment they'd soared across Muggle territory aboard the magic carpet to their arrival in the heart of the desert, Malfoy felt as though he'd almost forgotten the taste of water.
But Harry was too consumed by righteous indignation to care. "Malfoy, if it weren't for that witch bewitching Tom… we'd be sitting there, enjoying ourselves right now!"
"What are you babbling about?! Is there water or not?!" Malfoy's eyes were clouded with desperation.
Meanwhile, Tom finally realized he hadn't provided Harry and Malfoy with any water.
"My dear, would you be so kind as to retrieve two bottles of water from my trunk?" Tom, reclining against Nagini's coils and accepting grapes from her delicate fangs, spoke without even bothering to turn his head.
"Tsk, exploiting her position shamelessly." Cassandra glared at Nagini resentfully. That coveted spot should have been hers!
But that wretched teacher had refused her offer with some flimsy excuse like, "You're too young, your lap would not be comfortable enough to rest my head upon!"
Damn that old jerk! He doesn't know how to enjoy life! Doesn't he understand that a young girl's lap is superior? And she's a noble lady, a huge plus!
Cassandra grumbled, snatching two bottles of water from Tom's suitcase.
"Here! Don't die of thirst!"
"Huh?"
Hearing the abrupt command, Malfoy instinctively sat up, only to be struck squarely in the face by a hurled disposable water bottle.
Seeing Malfoy knocked unconscious, Harry swiftly reacted, catching the second bottle.
"Phew…"
Having secured the precious water, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately trickled water between Malfoy's lips, reviving him fully.
He then took a long swig himself, glancing enviously at Tom's group, muttering something about, "Why can't I rest my head on a strong man's thigh?"
Tom, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, a faint blue glint flashing in his emerald, snake-like pupils.
"They are here."
Tom slowly sat up.
"What is here?" Nagini looked at Tom, puzzled.
Tom offered no explanation, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Sensing an ominous shift, Nagini and the others followed Tom's gaze into the distance.
"Holy crap…"
"Merlin's saggy left one, are you actually trying to kill us?!" Harry and Malfoy stared in stunned disbelief, their eyes widening as they took in the distant horizon, now swallowed by a churning blanket of yellow sand!
"A sandstorm!!!"
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