Looking up, they could see the skyline filled with buildings that matched the golden tone of the walls. Unlike the architecture back home, most of the structures here had flat rooftops, with the occasional dome or slender spire scattered between them.
The whole city looked like it had been molded from desert clay, blending into the landscape so naturally that even the sky seemed tinged with gold at its edges, though that might've just been the ever present dust carried by the desert wind.
"Urgh! Why does traveling by Portkey feel rougher every time? I swear, my stomach's twisted into a knot," groaned Vanessa the moment she landed. She stumbled over to a nearby low wall, gripping it for support as she bent over and threw up.
Out of the group, only Barnabas, Medea Weiss, and Alex seemed unaffected, standing tall as if they'd just taken a leisurely stroll. The others looked distinctly queasy, their faces pale and greenish. Vanessa, however, was clearly suffering the worst of it.
"It's because Egypt's so far from the UK. Long-distance Portkey trips are bound to be uncomfortable," Medea said matter-of-factly, frowning slightly as she pinched her nose. "And didn't I tell you not to eat so much for breakfast?"
Vanessa waved her hand weakly, still doubled over the wall.
Just then, a familiar voice called out, warm and cheerful, "It looks like your journey didn't go quite as smoothly as hoped!"
Everyone turned toward the sound and spotted a man in flowing white robes, a large turban wrapped neatly around his head, and simple sandals on his feet. He looked every bit the local, if not for the unmistakable face beneath the turban.
It was Edgar Bones, the renowned alchemist and older brother of Amelia Bones, and also Alex's former mentor in alchemy. He hadn't changed much at all, except for the desert attire. With a wide grin, he stepped forward to greet the group.
"Professor Bones!"
"Edgar!"
"Mr. Bones!"
They greeted him in turn, surprised but pleased to see him. Alex, in particular, couldn't help but smile, he hadn't seen his old mentor in nearly five years.
"Welcome to Cairo," Bones said warmly as he approached. "The Egyptian Ministry of Magic let me know about your arrival, so I volunteered to come meet you myself. How was the trip?"
"Edgar, I didn't expect to see you the moment we landed! This is a wonderful surprise," Barnabas said, her eyes lighting up as HE stepped forward to give him a friendly hug. The two had known each other for years, and the reunion was clearly heartfelt.
HE pulled back and gave him a smirk. "You haven't changed at all still sporting that bristly beard. But I have to say, if I hadn't looked straight at your face, I wouldn't have recognized you in that outfit!"
Bones laughed, adjusting the ring securing his turban. "It's too hot here to wear anything else! Trust me, I had no choice but to adapt. You'd melt in standard robes under this sun."
The group chuckled as the initial tension of travel melted away, and for a moment, the dusty alley felt more like the welcoming entrance to a great adventure.
Then Bones turned to look at Alex again, his eyes soft with nostalgia. "It's been a long time since I saw you, Alex. I almost didn't recognize you you've really changed."
Alex grinned. "I've just gotten taller, that's all. Still full of energy, Professor."
"Don't call me Professor," Bones said with a chuckle. "I've been away from Hogwarts for years, and you're an adult now. Just call me Edgar." He gave Alex's shoulder an affectionate pat.
Alex shook his head politely. "You were my teacher. Even after graduation, I'll always call you Mr. Bones."
Bones gave a small nod, half-smiling, then noticed the little husky standing by Alex's feet. "And who's this? Why'd you bring a dog with you? He's quite the looker."
He bent down to scratch the dog's head, but the husky dodged smoothly, avoiding his hand with practiced ease. Fang, clearly unimpressed, wasn't about to let this bearded stranger touch him.
"Sorry," Alex said with an apologetic shrug. "Fang's got a bit of a temper. Honestly, if I didn't bring him with me, I'm pretty sure all the furniture back home would be shredded."
He nudged Fang gently with his foot. The dog hesitated, but eventually flopped his head down with a reluctant huff, allowing Bones to give him a good rough scratch.
"You lot must be feeling a bit off after all that Portkey travel," Bones said as he stood back up, brushing off his robes. "Come on, I'll take you to where you'll be staying."
He turned and began leading them out of the narrow alley.
The moment they stepped out, the space seemed to burst open into a wide, bustling street filled with robed figures and magical energy in the air. Wizards and witches hurried past in every direction, most of them dressed in flowing, Arab style garments similar to Bones', though there were quite a few in standard wizarding robes as well.
A group of dark skinned wizards not far off were shirtless, wearing nothing but loose trousers and necklaces made of animal fangs, a striking sight even in the magical world.
"This is Cairo's largest and busiest wizarding district," Bones said, sweeping his hand around as he spoke.
"It's called the Kara Black Bazaar. Think of it like our Diagon Alley, but with a local twist. And since the International Alchemy Conference is happening, it's even livelier than usual. Once you're all settled in, feel free to explore."
Only then did it click for everyone why the Portkey had brought them into what seemed like the heart of the city.
Normally, such travel was arranged to end in remote areas to avoid detection by Muggles. But here, hidden within the city itself, was a magical enclave one bustling enough to conceal their arrival.
After Bones' explanation, the group including Alex began to take in their surroundings with wide-eyed curiosity.
Like Diagon Alley, the bazaar was structured like a pedestrian street, full of movement and color. But the buildings here were different, low, with curved walls and hollowed-out geometric patterns on the windows.
Most had an aged, sandy hue, matching the desert city. The streets were paved with reddish earth bricks that clicked softly beneath their feet.
Unlike the more formal shops back in London, these vendors sold from open booths more like market stalls than shops. Each stall was built atop a wooden or stone platform, draped with intricately woven blankets that separated one vendor from the next. Some didn't even bother with dividers; just the space between them marked a boundary.
Many stalls had wide parasols or simple sheets of sackcloth stretched above to provide shade from the blazing sun.