A Horse With No Name

Summary: When Harry gets send back in time on accident he could never have imagine becoming part of the royal court. Or become friends with Pharaoh Atemu who has his own history to share. Post-war, events before the Pharaoh lost his memories.

Warning: Language, Lemon in later chapters, boy loves boy, possible more warnings later on, M for a reason, don't like don't read.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything apart from the computer this story is written on.

Chapter 1
Entering Egyptian Life

Harry pulled his hood a little bit further down, covering his eyes from the glaring Egyptian sun. It probably wasn't the best time to ride out so late and if he wouldn't find some shelter or a village soon his horse was probably going to give out. Landing this far into the past hadn't been his intention at all. Harry chuckled, shaking his head at the thought. He hadn't meant to land in the past at all. He didn't remember much about the incident. Bill Weasley and Jack Harper had him searching through the sanctuary in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt. After the war he hadn't found anything more challenging and fun then working around the world for Gringotts. He had been in Egypt for months before he was send out to the Valley of the Kings on a hunch. It wasn't treasure the Goblins had been searching for there, they knew not to mess with the Ancient Egyptians, but more the magical traps was what Harry was after.

It wasn't like Harry needed to work, he was rich after all, but like Hermione had said: he enjoyed the thrill of it all. And he had nothing left in England apart from his friends who were busy with their own lives. After things didn't work out with Ginny, he decided to stop dating women. Just something about them made his skin crawl. The first man he had something with was surprisingly Draco Malfoy, who had matured a lot more after the war and his last year in Hogwarts. The blond had proven an excellent lover, a little rough at times and he had insisted to keep it a secret, but he seemed to know just what Harry needed.

The affair hadn't lasted longer then half a year, something that still surprised Harry when he thought about it. It had been around that time at which he decided to accept Gringotts offer of becoming a trap specialist. Sure Harry had to take a lot of extra courses, including Ancient Runes and Arithmancy which Hermione was only to happy to help him with and five extra languages. He thanked his lucky stars that Arabic was one of those even if he wasn't to sure if they already spoke it. He had learned to decipher Hieroglyphics though and Bill had decided to teach him a nifty little spell that he could use so he could understand and speak languages he didn't yet know. It was a temporary spell though, sort of like having subtitles and a translator who speaks on your behalf.

In the time he had been here (in the past), which was exactly three days, Harry had passed but one village in silence. Meaning he snuck in to gather food and water, a horse and some clothes. The loose cotton shirt and leather pants had been very comfortable, but Harry thought it best not to stand out. Like his latest ex-partner Danny had said: "It's better to borrow something so you won't stand out, then to draw unwanted attention to yourself. But you should know all about that by now," he had added with that irresistible smirk.

Thinking about the quirky guy made his heart ache. Danny had always found a way to make him laugh at himself and all the stupid things he had done in the past. The man had been two years younger than him and an anime fan. Meaning that the boy changed his hair colour many times over and went to conventions, even dragged the two of them to Japan once for it. Danny's room had been filled with manga, those cartoon books from Japan, and he insisted on watching the latest shows on TV. The man had been eccentric, cute, daring and a unique presence in Harry's life. Beside Luna, Harry had never met a person more who was so aware of his own person. It was one of the things he had admired about Danny. When the man had passed away…

Harry shuddered despite of the heat and quickly took a swing of his water flask. He had to stop that. It had been a year since Danny had been in the accident and he wasn't doing the memory of the man any justice if he kept being sad over it. He had allowed himself to grieve for the loss of his lover, but had decided to honour Danny by celebrating his life.

Harry coughed and patted his horse on its neck when it whinnied. "I think there's a city close by," Harry said to the horse. He might be hallucinating after too much sun, but he could swear that his surroundings changed slightly. "You know, we have a song back home that I can't get out of my head. Maybe because it's the last song I heard before coming here or because of our surroundings, but I want to share it with you." The horse whinnied again as if to give him permission to sing. Harry chuckled. "I should have a guitar for this but alright then, here goes."

~On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing Imetwas a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound~

The first thing he noticed when he went over the last dune was the noise of people. Before him a city seemed to be erected from the desert ground. On his right he noticed the Nile flow next to the city and being as high up as he was now, Harry could clearly see the palace in the middle of it all. He smiled at the magnificent sight, easing his horse into the right direction though he didn't really need to try as the horse was already eagerly making its way towards all that life.

~I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain~

Half way towards the city Harry wondered if he should stop singing and he quickly muttered the translation spell under his breath. His horse whinnied again as he stopped singing, making it apparent that he needed to continue. As Harry continued to sing he made a silent decision to approach the palace. The priests held magic and they might be able to help him. Not that he knew just how much help they were going to be since their magic was a mystery to him.

~After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead~

As Harry entered the city he nodded politely towards the people as they gazed up at him. He probably looked like royalty or a knight (though they didn't have knights in Ancient Egypt) as he trotted into this city on his noble steed. Not that he was showing a lot of himself. His red tunic which was decorated with golden threads was hidden under his robe/toga thing. Harry couldn't remember what it was called. And he kept his hood high, still shielding his eyes from the glaring sun but pulled back enough so they could see his face. He kept on singing, drawing even more attention to himself. He really needed a guitar for this song.

~You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain~

Harry went through surprisingly fast. It seemed that this part of the city was closer to the palace then he had anticipated. It also helped that the people of this Ancient city were more then willing to make way for him. Even when guards came past him they turned into an escort for him. Either that or they were going to take him prisoner the moment he approached the palace and stepped off his horse. Life had definitely become interesting again.

~After nine days I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
there was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with it's life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
Butthe humanswill give no love~

~You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain

As Harry arrived at the palace gates he was greeted by two priests and a priestess. Harry recognised the patterns on their clothes and the amount of gold they were allowed to wear. He ended his song with a smile and a wave towards the people who had dared to follow him all the way towards the gates, especially a few cheeky children. Harry jumped off the horse before anyone could even consider helping him, landing gracefully on his feet.

He patted the horse on the neck, smiling at the animal that took him through the desert. "You did well. You may rest and go back if you wish." The horse whinnied and shook its head, nudging against him with his nose. Harry chuckled. "Alright, I get it." He turned towards the priests and priestess who were watching him silently. The high priest, or who Harry assumed to be the high priest, was looking impatient, an expression Harry was quite familiar with but hadn't seen in a long time. He was holding a golden staff which oozed magic. The priest who was standing on his right was wearing a guarded but much friendlier expression. This one was also wearing an Item which oozed magic but now in the shape of a golden dream-catcher. Harry instantly liked him. The man gave Harry a comforting feeling that he couldn't quite explain. He fixed his gaze on the priestess. She was charming and powerful, full of wisdom that wasn't her own. She too was wearing a golden Item in the form of a necklace. Harry could tell that they were all part of the same importance because they seemed to be in the form off or with the eye of Horus.

Harry bowed appropriately, opening his robe/toga (he really needed to figure out what it was) to show that he had no hidden weapons before flashing them all a brilliant and charming smile, making the priestess blush and one of the priests smile briefly as well. The only one who didn't seem impressed was the tall high priest and Harry wondered if this was Severus Snape in the past. Nah, the guy couldn't have passed off those blue eyes.

"It is an honour to meet the priests and priestess of the Pharaoh," Harry said in his most impressive voice. "I take it you've been informed of my arrival?"

The high priest narrowed his eyes in suspicion but the priestess nodded before he could speak his mind. "Indeed, I received a vision that you would be arriving this day. My name is Isis and these are Mahado -" she gestured towards the man with the golden dream-catcher "- and Seth." She gestured towards the tall and glaring. "May I enquire after your name so I may properly introduce you to our great Pharaoh?"

Harry's smile was as radiant as the sun at the mention of the Pharaoh. At this rate I will be home sooner then I can teach them to say Quidditch. He chuckled. "I have been called many things priestess Isis. Lisimba (a/n: means Lion), Bomani (warrior) and even Masud (lucky) or Hasani (handsome)." At the last one the priestess' tanned cheeks coloured pink. "But you may call me Harakhty (disguise of Horus)."

Seth spoke for the first time, his voice harsh filled with distrust. Harry could tell that he held the Pharaoh's safety in high regard. "With so many names one wonders if your words can be trusted. What prove do we have that you are not here to harm our Pharaoh? What is it you search here?"

"You are a very loyal man high priest Seth, all of you are," Harry said eyeing each person in front of him with a thoughtful expression. "I can appreciate that. There are too many people in the world who will take advantage of you and having a loyal friend beside you who is willing to protect you no matter what is very important. Especially if you are a person who holds great power and responsibility. I could make you trust me," his words caused a visible shiver down their bodies. Harry smiled, his green eyes sparkling in the Egyptian sun and they seemed to relax. "Trust is earned, not taken by force just like respect and loyalty. Do not worry; I will not harm the great Pharaoh. I simply wish to speak with him."

Seth still seemed reluctant, but Mahado placed a strong hand on the high priest's shoulder. "My Millennium ring does not respond to this man," the priest said with a strange power in his voice. It reminded Harry strangely of Dumbledore, even if he hadn't spared his old mentor a thought since the war had ended. "He holds no evil in him." Not anymore, Harry thought but he stayed quiet about it. They did not need to know after all.

The priest Mahado's focus on Harry went from friendly and guarded to something Harry couldn't read, but he shrugged it off. Maybe the priest was finally aware of the magic which was humming around him. "Fine," high priest Seth said reluctantly. "But I hold the two of you responsible might something happen. As for your horse," he added.

Harry grinned, patting the waiting horse on the neck. "Yes if you have some water and food for my noble steed it would be much appreciated."

It seemed the priestess was quick to loose her composure as she couldn't supress the giggle when the horse whinnied with clear pride. Signalled by Mahado, a servant came running to take Harry's horse to the stables. With a grin and a wave he saw the horse off before he turned around with a more serious expression. He caught Seth's eye and the high priest nodded. "Let's introduce you to our great Pharaoh then Harakhty. Follow us now." And with that he turned, striding into the palace.

With an encouraging smile from Isis and a nod from Mahado, he followed the two into the palace. Guards followed closely. Harry wondered how he should behave, and he had to swallow down a chuckle when he remembered all the times Draco tried to teach him some basic rules for civilized society. Some facts about Egyptians laws and politics circled through Harry's brain as well, but he seriously doubted that they would be any use now that he was in the past. The only thing that could help him was the fact that you showed your respect to the Pharaoh by kneeling with your left leg towards him.

So that's what Harry did as he entered the Throne room, opened toga billowing behind him which would make Severus Snape envious. He paid no mind to the splendour around him and he didn't even spare the others in the room a glance. Harry kept his eyes focused straight ahead, his eyes not on the Pharaoh but at the man's feet. He didn't want to look submissive, it wasn't in Harry's nature anymore after all, but he knew that if he showed any disrespect even without meaning too he would be locked away or killed before he could even say one word to the man.

When he reached the steps which let to the throne Harry knelt down, left leg forwards and his head down until given permission to look up. The two priests and priestess were standing to the side with the other priests. Isis was the one to introduce him to the Pharaoh. "Great Pharaoh, may I present to you Harakhty, visitor to our palace."

There was a short silence and Harry felt all the eyes in the Throne room at him. "Thank you Isis. Be welcome Harakhty to our palace. You may stand and lift your gaze from the ground to look at the sky." (A/n: not sure if it was appropriate, but it sounded good)

The moment Harry raised his head and his eyes landed on the Pharaoh he felt his breath caught in his throat. The man before him, with that eccentric hairstyle and those crimson eyes, looked familiar somehow. Not only that, the man looked bloody gorgeous. If Harry would give the man his old clothes, especially his leather pants…

He quickly composed himself, fighting down his blush as he stood up straight. "Thank you great Pharaoh for welcoming you to your palace."

Harry James Potter, fully trained wizard and trap specialist, finally met with a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.

A/N: Tell me what you think. Read and review!