A hot breeze blew across several young wizards and witches as they popped into the sub-Sarahan desert. The temperature peaked beyond a hundred, yet the incrementing breeze promised a storm. A young woman with ridiculously pink hair attempted to shield her eyes from the sun as she gazed at some trumpeting elephants in the distance. She tugged down on her brown fedora, in attempt to keep her feline instincts at bay.

The woman known as Leona looked back at her closest friends who were assembled today to embark on what promised to be her greatest adventure. These friends, were not only her best friends, but powerful allies, who each brought considerable skill to the table, even though some didn't show it.

The pink haired witch began thinking of their journey to come. She was finally going to meet her real parents. Leona had been alone in the parental department for so long, she couldn't fathom having real parents. Nevertheless, she had questions for them, oh so many questions...

"From what I've been told on my last few excursions here is that we need to head north to a village called Nyana," Leo started looking at her friends, "From there we take a port key to where my parents are said to be. Why there's a port key to there house is beyond me," Leo said looking down taking a moment to think, "but it's high time we find out." Leo said hoping it be there this time, versus the last time she attempted to find the port key, it had disappeared.

Emma landed firmly on the ground, sticking her landing almost perfectly. Immediately a gust of wind blew and her black ponytail whipped slightly around her head. Shielding her eyes from the sand that was blowing at her, she walked slowly up to Leo as her friend talked about what would happen.

This was Emma's first time in Africa, she was extremely excited, mainly about seeing the different culture and helping Leo meet her parents.

"How far north?" she asked curiously, looking around and seeing that the desert looked like it never ended, and from her running experience she knew that this was the hardest thing to overcome, when you were tired from walking or running and you still cant see your ending point.

She looked back at the group behind her who were still quiet. She watched as elephants roamed around, not caring that there was a group of witches and wizards standing right near them. Smiling to herself, she adjusted her shirt, already feeling the heat.

"I'm ready to go as soon as we can. This could be a long trip." she said to Leo with a comforting smile.

Dalejin

::A breeze attempted to send ripples through the pitch black cloak that was bound tightly down the front of his body. The hood was thrown up over his face hiding him from the light. The heat did not touch him. His magic took care of that. But his magic did more then just that. An impenetrable darkness radiated out from his being one that even the scorching sun of the Saharan desert could breech.

Dalejin smiled to himself as he watched the others around him. Ahead of him standing attempting to block the shade was a young woman, a few years younger then him with pink hair. The likes of color that in all of his travels Dalejin had never seen anywhere in the world, he thought to himself. He then turned his eyes to the other girl standing before him was a girl who’s hair color and eyes were naturally brown.. She wasn’t typical, she’d stood out for several of her abilities. She was a metamorphmagus, one who’s ability to shift they’re own appearance was controlled more easily then with transfiguration.

Dalejin then turned to the elephants roaming the plains before him. Yes, he thought to himself, as he watched one of the beast’s might tusks glisten in the sun light. Ivory was quite rare and illegal in most places. But it was also useful to him, and he made a mental note to keep an eye open for any of them lying around. Dead, of course, he thought knowing his companions would not approve of him killing one of the living.

“What are you expecting to find when we reach Nyana?”::Dalejin’s words came out just above a whisper but he used his magic to amplify it to those around him.::

Michael took the view in for a while, he was crouching on the ground. He had only visited Africa when he arrived at a port town but near India. But whenever he did, he had never taken the time to really look at Africa, this was the first time he stopped to look at the scenery.

He took a small fistful of dirt and began letting go of it, the wind took the dirt flying away from him. He grinned slightly. He then turned his attention to Leo.

"A portkey? Sure sounds strange", Michael said getting up and looking at the group of friends. Michael was dressed in a leather jacket and had a fedora on, much like one of his favorite muggle movie hero Indiana Jones. He stood there and looked over to the horizon. "We wanna be in the village by sun down so we might as well get going right?".

Emily was one of the more simple witches around she new her stuff and was a trained animagus but still didn't compare to some of the other gifted magical people surrounding her.

Emily jumped up and down whaling as she had got some sand in her eyes she could feel the heat beating down upon her neck as she lent over protecting herself from yet another sand storm caused by the hot wind sweeping through the desert.
Emily looked up, eyes watering from the sand, as Leo, or as Emily nick named her Leodor spoke, the strong lights blinded her for a few seconds, she then heard Leo say that they would be taking a port key to where she thought her parents were.
Emily smiled at Leo and walked over to her placing a hand on her back, "were going to find them, I promise" Emily said comforting her friend.

Leona let the comforting words of Emily speak through. She took a good look at Dalejin and laughed, wondering how he was keeping from having heat stroke. She looked over at Michael and gave a cocky grin. "I thought I was the only one allowed to dress like Indy," she said in a pout, "guess I gotta settle for Han Solo now," she added then looked at Emma. "I'm pretty certain it's only a couple of miles north,"

Scarlett stood in the heat of the blaring sun listening to her friends make various comments. Scarlett adjusted her wide brimmed khaki colored hat to more effectively sheild her pale skin from the sun. She wore a kahki blouse tucked into fawn colored riding britches that were tucked into knee high leather riding boots. Scarlett we taking no chaces exposing her delicate skin to the harsh African elements. She adjusted the leopard print scarf that fluttered in the breeze at her neck.

Hearing Leo's comment to Michael Scarlett looked at her friend pleadingly. "Please don't say anything to discourage this fashion trend. I quite like it," Scarlett said in reference to Michael's clothing.

Emma nodded quickly to Leo stating they were only a few miles away. She looked around, and laughed along with her friends about their clothing choices. She was not really worried about sun burns so she dressed in a tank capri shorts and wore sunglasses to block her eyes from the sun. If anything happened to her skin she could easily cover it up, she figured.

"Don't worry Scar. We are all sporting different outfits." she called over her shoulder in response to her friends comment.

Scarlett suppressed a smile at what Emma undoubtably meant as a reassuring comment. She supposed somethings didn't translate well from muggle up bringing to a Wizard one. Scarlett doubted very much that Emma had grown up with a crush on Harrison Ford the way that Scarlett had with Dr. Jones being his dreamiest role by far. To Scarlett's way of thinking Michael looked far better in the fadora than Leo did. "Oh I am not one bit worried Emma," Scarlett said.

Alfie landed face first on the ground when the portkey had final stopped.

Getting up and brushing herself off Alfie was glad that she had wore a cloth over her face to keep the sand and dirt off of it. Alfie had also made her glasses like goggles to protect her eyes.

Listening to the others talk she moved closer but said nothing.

When Leo said that it should be just a couple of miles away to the next portkey Alfie started to look in her pocket for the pump to move the coolant she had placed in her clock. She needed to make it move around to keep her cool. The pump was one you had to put in your hand and squeeze like what muggles used to check bloodpressure, she only had to pump it when they stood still for when she moved the floid would circulate on it's own.

Alfie then looked at Leo and said,"Well I'm right behind you all and ready to go."

Alfie then remembered the green black walnut hulls she had placed in her pack and took them out of the bag she put them in. As she started to rub them on her arms and face she looked at Scarlett and noticed that Scarlett needed sunscreen too. "Here Scarlett would you like to use this? It will keep you from burning."

Dalejin

::Dalejin sweapt forward coming to stand behind Emily bending his head and whispering in her ear.::"May I have a word with you in private."::The words were barely audible to himself and knew that no of the others would be able to hear him when he spoke. He then slid across the sand the cloak dragging but not leaving any marks as if he had not been there at all.

Keeping the cloak sealed tightly in front of him Dalejin watched the rest of the group and the clouds waiting for the first sand storm to hit them on their several mile hike. He was feeling rather cool under the shade of his cloak but he had enchanted it to keep him protected and to hide what was underneath it from prying eyes.

He looked up as he saw Alfie appear. That was one person from the school he had not seen in awhile and wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing to him. Only time would tell. He also watched the rest of them discuss their likeness to some muggle based hero who ran around with a hat. Typical muggles he thought to himself.::

Leona smiled at Alfie, and would have keenly kept up the conversation, but decided that she needed to get a move on. She saw Dalejin waltz over to Emily and figured that if they got left behind they would easily catch up later. "Well we have to keep a move on, we need to hit the town before the storm or we'll be in deep trouble," Leo said walking past Michael and said softly that she was the better Jones.

Emily was waiting patiently watching the group of friends gather round. Emily was excited, she turned around to see Dalejin appear behind her she smiled "Hey I..." Emily didn't have a chance to finish Dalejin was already whispering in her ear asking if he could talk to her "yeah sure" Emily replied watching Dalejin walk away, following him as she did still keeping an eye on the rest of the group.

Scarlett noticed the group seemed to be shifting like the sand beneath there feet. She heard Leo give the signal to head out. She fell in behind the leader of the expedition her mind now focused on the task at hand which seemed to be to get out of the way of an approaching storm. The wind was indeed picking up. Scarlett tucked her mass of raven tresses beneath her hat to keep it from blowing into her face as she walked.

Alfie know she looked funny in her clothes. It looked like she was ready for winter but she was cool under it.

As Alfie looked at the sky and saw the wind start to blow up sand she was glad she had brought her large tent. If the wind and sand got too bad they could all get in it. With magic it would only take a second to put it up.

Alfie moved fast to keep up with Leona, she didn't want to get lost.

Thinking quickly Alfie pulled out a long rope and said to Leona, "Leo do you think that we all should hold on to this rope in case the sand makes it to where we can't see each other?"

Following behind Leo, Emma began to walk as she viewed her surroundings. There was a storm coming without a doubt. The wind picked up which quickly became the music to the sand dancing along beside them. Her hair blowed along, and quickly she took her pony tail out to braid it into a french braid, not allowing her hair to blow around.

The whole group was quiet except for the rare spoken murmurs or questions as they advanced through the desert. She heard Alfie ask Leo a quetion and Emma stayed quiet, willing to do whatever Leo thought best.

Remy held his hands in his sides as he looked at everyone else. He brought up the rear and was content to stay quiet and merely observe everyone in front of him. He wore a cotton white thobe with a traditional saudi ghutra on his head. He had a pair of sunglasses on and had special shoes magically enhanced to keep sand out of his feet.

Dream sighed irritatedly as she stood beside Remy. She didn't know why she was here and if it hadn't been for Remy being there along with a few of of her closest friends in the world, she would have been at home in the nice cool air conditioning and away from all of the disgusting flies everywhere. She looked around and scowled as she twisted her hair up into a bun at the top of her head. Even dressed in a tanktop with khaki shorts, she felt like her blood was boiling. "How long before we get there exactly?" she asked plaintively.

"Alfie, I'll have to take you up on that offer, if the wind gets too bad," Leo said hoping they'd make it away from the dunes in time. She then heard Dream quip about time, "Um, I'd say we should be there in roughly twenty minutes," she said scanning the horizon. She could see something in the distance, but she wasn't quite sure what it was.

Hearing Dream speak, Emma looked back at her friend who had been quiet and began to laugh softly, sticking her tongue out slightly at her when Leo announced they were walking for 20 more minutes. Sticking her tongue out however was not a good idea because sand got caught in her mouth which made her gag and cough slightly. If that didnt lighten up Dream's mood nothing would.

Slowing down until she could walk next to Dream, she said softly to her friend "Shut up.", not wanting Dream to tease her about it though it probably wouldnt work. Taking out a bottle of water Scarlett had given her earlier this year, she took a sip of it and watched as it automatically re-filled itself.

Alfie heard Leo say that she might have to take her up on the offer. Not waiting to see when Leo wanted it Alfie started to let the rope out. Hoping that those behind her would grab it. Alfie was afraid that the sand storm would be there before they know it a it would be too late for the rope.

Alfie then said to the person in front of her and the one behind her, "please take hold of this rope, sandstorms can come in very quickly and there might not be time if we wait."

Michael grinned at Leo's remark about her being the better Jones.

"Don't make this a competition, you may be a lioness but I ain't no kitten myself", Michael said jokingly and followed Leo, he walked closely beside Scarlett. Many people had joined in, many good friends, but most importantly, very capable wizards and witches. Michael still had trouble being in such a large crowd but he had come so far since he started his relationship with Scarlett. He was actually starting to accept the fact that he needed not be alone.

Remy watched as the ravenclaw prefect joined him and dream and he began looking around suddenly stopping at scarlett. He grabbed dream's hand and pulled her close to him and leaned closely so it would be hard to hear. "hey i thought you had given her some money to buy some clothes so why is she wearing that? its so last season. Does she not have a subcription to fashion diva's of today?" he whispered.

Dalejin

::Dalejin looked at Emily for a second before he closed his eyes and sweapt past whispering just loud enough for her to hear him.::"Nevermind Emily."::Dalejin caught up to the back of the group and waited. Turning to make sure that Emily got ahead of him so she was not left behind or lost out here in the desert. He continued to watch and listen to everyone's conversations huddling deeper into the black robes that were draped around him. His hands stroked the wand that lay concealed beneath the blackness. He was sure he was going to need it, and best to just be prepared.::

Feeling Michael come up to walk beside her Scarlett looked up to smile at him. His long shadow shaded her face and blinding sun seemed to make halo of light around his fedora as it shone blazingly behind him. Scarlett blinked the image away. She twined her arm around his and let her tilt against his shoulder for a moment as they walked along.

Scarlett heard Remy rude comment about her clothes and her head snapped around green eyes narrow and glittering dangerously, “I’ll have you know, Remy Salinas, that these –“ She managed to reign her hot temper in just in time to clamp her mouth shut on words that would only make this walk longer. This was no time to be bickering. Scarlett gave Remy one last scathing glare, whipped her head around chin held high and tried not to thing about how long 20 minutes would last in the hot desert sun as she trudged along.

Emily looked at Dalejin confused for a few seconds "whatever" she muttered before turning round and catching up with Dream, Remy and Emma "sup hommies" Emily joked before hoisting her bag over her shoulder and looking down at her not so white linen trousers. She smiled at her friends "not the best idea in the world" Emily laughed referring to what she was wearing "you guys remember the spell to keep the dirt off?" Emily asked racking her brain for the answer.
She then turned back round and looked at Dalejin wondering what he was up to, she was worried about him, he seemed way too shifty, even for him.

Feeling Dream being pulled closer to Remy, Emma looked over in time to catch some of his last words. Laughing slightly, not at the joke but how much he was going to get burned, she looked up to see Scarlett turn around and begin to get mad. Emma watched anxiously as she walked hoping something would happen but Scarlett just clamped her mouth shut.

"Ratz." Emma said under her breath as Emily came by her side. "Umm.." she said trying to think of the spell but then remembered it. With a flick of her wand at Emily's white trousers, they were immediately cleaned. "That's a better. Now they are actually white." she said with a grin.

No one seamed to be listening to her so she began to look around. All of the sudden Alfie noticed that Scarlett might get burned so she looked in her pack and pulled out a cloak the same as the one she had on, then walked up to Scarlett and said, "Scarlett you are going to get burnt so bad, please put this on."

Knowing that Scarlett might say that she would be too hot Alfie then said, "it will cool you as you walk so you won't gey too hot."

Alfie then started to put the robe around Scarlett hoping that Sacrlett would put it on right so that it would work. Alfie also handed Scarlett some of the rope, "please keep hold of this so that if the storm comes you won't get lost. Storms come in fast and there might not be time later. If you stay close to the front and I stay in the back we can make sure no one gets lost so easily. Please?"

"Ok Alfie," Scarlett said ecepting the cloak. "Though I would like to point out that put on three inches of sunscreen. Believe it or not I've had this skin all my life and have only managed to get a couple of sunburns. But thank you for the cloak." Scarlett figured that a little muggle magic and a little Wizard magic would make her doubly safe. Sometimes straddling the two worlds was a little awkward, but it had it's benefits. Scarlett also grabbed onto the rope at Alfie's insistance. After all she didn't want to be blown away.

Leona walked in relative silence for several minutes. Glad that her friends hand managed to entertain themselves. Leona began to see the outskirts of a town with more clarity now, and she knew that they were almost there. This made her stomach flip several times. She began to wonder what her parents would be like. And why did they live in Africa?

Dalejin

::Dalejin continued to follow the group. They were too absorbed into bickering about their clothes and the weather to be paying any attention to him. He scanned the empty desert ahead picking up the village. He squinted his eyes attempting to catch a glimpse of the village so he could do what he was going to do quickly, and then he found it. An open window on the edge of the village. He closed his eyes and turned on the spot, and the next second he was standing in the small house. He drew his wand quickly from the folds of his robes scanning the room and then stepping to the door shutting the window as he passed. He looked out and without seeing any movement slipped into the street moving through the village.::

Alfie was glad to see that Scarlett was going to ware the cloak and that she took the rope.

As Alfie headed beck to the end of the line she saw Dalegin looking every hard toward the others so she turned wondering what he was looking at.

When Alfie turned back around she saw that Dalegin was gone.

"I wonder where he went to, " Alfie said to herself and desided that she would say something when they all reached the town to the others.

Remy squinted his eyes and thought he saw a village in the distance but he knew more than likely he was just seeing a mirage. He kept his mouth shut so nobody else would get excited for nothing sure that if it was a village leo would be more enthused than she was at the moment.

Michael kept walking behind Leo, he occasionally glanced back to look at the others to make sure they were still with the group. He then noticed Dalejin was missing when he turned around. But he did not know Dalejin and if nobody had made any noise about him disappearing like that then it must be something normal.

He turned back to follow Leo and saw a village in the distance. As they continued to walk he could see the wind getting stronger.

"I don't wanna worry anyone but sandstorms here can peel off your skin. We better hurry the pace", Michael said.

Dalejin quickly disappeared and if he thought no one had noticed, he was wrong. Emma had been watching the whole group, especially him since she had found it odd of him to talk to Emily privately. She saw Micheal look back also, and raised her eyebrows at him, figuring they were both wondering what had happened to their friend.

The wind had picked up but Emma had ignored it, happy about the fact that they were near the village. It wasnt till Micheal said something about peeling of the skin that she realized how whip-like the wind had gotten. "Micheal, usually if you have to say "I dont want to worry anyone"...that most likely means you will make people worry." she said teasingly as they walked.

Remy looked to his sides and smiled at dream and emily. "It is getting a tad bit windy here" he whisperd to them. He closed his eyes and used his anwa power to lower the wind to a gentle breeze. "There that is a heck of a lot better now" he said with a smirk on his face. He was now sure he saw a village and he couldnt wait to go and find a mirror so he could brush his hair.

Alfie kept a tight hole on the rope hoping that the wind wouldn't get any worse when it did. As Alfie started to move forward she noticed that the wind was dieing down.

"Good I may not need this after all," Alfie numbled. The town was getting closer and soon they would be in it's protection.

Alfie wanted to talk to some of the others about Dalegin but she also wanted to stay at the end of the group just in case the wind started to blow hard again. Alfie always tried to be prepared for anything that went wrong but that didn't mean that something couldn't come up that the group couldn't handle.

Leona watched as Remy forced the wind to quiet down, "Now why didn't you think of that sooner?" She teased. The group fell silent again, as she noticed Dalejin disappear from the group.

Several minutes later......

Leona successfully led the others to the small village. It was full of vendors selling dried meats, some clothing, weapons and the occasional ivory. Leo keyed in on everything going on and went in search for a port key. "The key should be a small ivory carving of a lion missing it's front left paw," she said so the group could hear.

Alfie was glad that they had reached the little village and when Leona said that the port key was an Ivory Lion missing a front paw Alfie got scared.

Walking up to Leona Alfie asked, "I hope a muggle didn't pick up the port key."

Alfie began to look for the port key and hoped that someone would find it soon. She had also wished that it had been a piece of trash of some kind. Most people wouldn't both to pick it up that way.

Scarlett could not quite contain the whimper that rose in her throat at Michael’s assessment of the damage one could suffer from an African sandstorm. She agree whole heartedly with Emma’s comment to him about his dire tidings, yet it was not Scarlett’s own skin she was worried about. Even when Remy damped the wind she continued to cling to Michael’s hand and lengthen her stride as much as possible so that they could get to shelter faster.

Leo led them into a small village. Scarlett noticed some of the inhabitants noticing their group. She hoped that wouldn’t be a problem. She helped looked for the port key and prepared to grab it when the signal was given.