A/N: This is what happens to me when I live off nothing but coffee and poptarts for a week. The plot bunnies attack. Having been unable to write anything for the past week because this idea kept nudging me, I finally caved and decided to write it.
Yes, this is another time travel fic. Hopefully it will be different to other time travel fics, but I suppose you'll be the judge of that, not me. The two (possibly three, depending on how long the chapters get) chapters will be placed in the future, after which we will be traveling back to the days just before Harry starts Hogwarts, and going from there.
I can make no promises about regular updates or anything of the like; I write for fun, and work it around everything going on in my life, but I never abandon a story.
Stupidly long authors note is over. Reviews make me happy.

The two men were exhausted. Weeks of searching had so far produced no meaningful results. Hounded by enemies as they chased something they were only half sure was real, they had been pushed to breaking point, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

"Do...do you think we lost them?" panted the younger of the two men, tilting his head in a vain hope of hearing anything through the sound of blood rushing in his ears.

"For now," answered his partner grimly, after several minutes of silence. Relaxing his grip on his wand, but not putting it away, the older wizard observed the younger with a faint sneer. "You know Potter, for Gryffindor's beloved Seeker, you're not in the best shape."

Potter snorted. "Yeah, well, for the Greasy Git of the dungeons you're coping well with the outdoors. I would have thought all this fresh air and light would have had you running screaming back to your cave," he retorted with a grin as older man arched an eyebrow.

Years ago, such an exchange would have resulted in lost house points, hours of detention, and anger and resentment on both sides. Now it seemed like a minute but constant oasis of sanity in a world that was rapidly falling apart. The Professor he had once mistrusted and despised was now one of his closest friends and allies, the petty grievances between them reduced to nothing more than old jokes, providing a sense of comfort rather than offence, as they called to mind a better time.

Recalling his school days was often all that kept Harry going; a desire to return the world to a time when lost house points and detentions with harsh potions masters were the biggest of a child's worries. When parents didn't have to worry that they would return from work to find their children missing, or bitten by werewolves, or staring soullessly at the sky with glassy eyes. He desperately wanted to return Hogwarts to the sanctuary she had once been for so many like himself. Sometimes that desire was almost greater than his desire to finally rid the world of Voldemort.

"Once you have caught your breath, we need to move on," said Snape, breaking Harry out of his thoughts. "I do not imagine it will take long for the more...determined of the Dark Lord's servants to find us, once they notice our absence from that damnable pyramid."

Not moving from his hunched over position, with his hands on his knees, Harry took stock of their surroundings. When he had Disapparated, with Snape in tow, he had had no real destination in mind, only an incredible desire to get out of the pyramid that was swarming with Death Eaters, and a vague hope that maybe something would at least give them a hint as to where they really needed to be looking. Now he was standing at the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza, not sure whether to laugh or cry at he sight of yet another pyramid. At least this one wasn't trying to kill them yet, Harry thought wryly.

Six months ago Professor Trelawney had once again proved that, crystal balls and tealeaves aside, she was a true Seer. Her prophesy had spoken of an ancient power lying in Egypt that would be the only way for Harry to unlock his true potential and finally put an end to Voldemort. Of course, as with all prophesies, it had conveyed the message in the most convoluted way possible, and was about as easy to decipher as a sphinx's riddle - and Harry now had more experience with sphinxes' riddles than any sane person would want (well, except Snape, who seemed to love the chance to exercise the logic he claimed so many around him lacked, but who ever said Snape was sane?).

Between them, they had managed to become curse breakers to rival Bill Weasley. A talent borne by repeatedly breaking into and out of pyramids, and tombs, in a desperate quest to find some sort of answer to the prophecy.
So far the had found nothing - no hints, no subtle suggestions about where they go next, no clues as to what the prophecy could mean. Nothing.

It was infuriating.

"Harry?" Snape's voice pierced his thoughts again as his heart rate began to return to normal and he got his breathing under control.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm - AH!" Harry exclaimed, a sharp pain lancing through his side as he attempted to straighten.

"Harry!" Snape's voice was low but filled with concern as he helped the younger man lean against the pyramid for support.

"Got hit by one a Yaxley's curses. It only nicked me, but hurts like a bitch," Harry ground out between gritted teeth as he fought down the pain. "I'm not going to be able to take us very far. Sorry," he added, blinking to try and clear his vision of black spots. The wizards were far too distracted to notice the runes forming on the stone above them.

Deep inside the chamber a beast stirred. She could hear...voices. Raising her head she gazed across the room, watching as her sister padded from the chamber.

"Can you Apparate?" Severus frowned as he struggled to prevent the younger man collapsing into the sand. "Come on Harry! I can support you, but I need to know where we're going!"

"Huh?" Harry blinked blearily to chase away the grey gathering at the edge of his vision. "I...wha...what were you saying?" he slurred. His head suddenly felt so heavy. He could hear Severus talking, but the words weren't making sense.

"Damn it Harry!" Worry filled Severus' voice, even as he fought to keep it low, not wanting to draw attention to their position if anyone was nearby. He would give it one more try, he decided, to get a destination from Harry. If that failed, the he would Apparate to the last town they had been in, consequences be damed. With that thought in mind, he adjusted his grip on Harry, pressing the semi-conscious wizard against the stone more firmly in an attempt to keep him up right. Making sure to keep his voice slow and clear, he asked "Harry. Where. Do you. Want. To. Go?"

His head supported by the stone behind him, Harry squinted as the words washed over him, frowning in confusion as they took far too long to make any sense in his head. When he finally understood the question, he chuckled wearily, closing his eyes without offering an answer. He knew where he wanted to go; somewhere - anywhere - where he could rest for just five minutes without having to look over his shoulder in fear of attack. As he felt his consciousness fade he listened to the sound of Severus' frantic voice - who knew Sev could sound frantic? - and wished with all his heart that the two of them - the only remaining members of the Order - could have a chance to rest and recuperate before being expected to continue the almost futile fight their lives had turned into.

The beast paused, the sound of soft pads on stone ceasing along with her movements. The whispers that had drawn her out the den she shared with her sisters had faded, replaced by the more insistent voice of the stone that surrounded her. The sound of soft pads on stone renewed, becoming steadily heavier as she followed the urgings of the stone - faster, faster, move faster! - altering her course away from the destination of the whispers, towards the source of the stone's voice.

"Lumos."

Severus raised his wand as the tip brightened, chasing away some of the complete darkness that surrounded him - them he thought with relief, as he noticed Harry's still form lying next him.

Seconds ago they had been leaning against the Great Pyramid. Or at least, he thought it had been seconds ago. He wasn't entirely certain he hadn't lost consciousness along with Harry, as he had somehow gone from standing under the moonlit desert sky, to being in a pitch black stone tunnel, without remembering any sort of transition.

Speaking of Harry, he turned his attention to the unconscious young man. His chest was rising and falling shallowly as he breathed, and he had a strong, steady pulse, but other than that, he showed no signs of life. Whatever had happened had knocked him out cold, and wouldn't be waking any time soon. After checking over ever inch of the far-too-still wizard's body, Severus concluded that Harry was not injured in any obvious way, and there was nothing he could do but wait for him to regain consciousness.

The steady rhythm of paws on stone echoed off the stone as the beast flew through tunnels that had not been stepped in for decades. Twisting and turning, she sped through the absolute darkness as though she walked this path every day. The voice of the stone drowning out even the sound of her steady breathing, guiding her, urging her on. Then she saw the dim glow of light. And the voice stopped.

Severus turned sharply as he heard a noise behind him.

He rose cautiously. There was no way he could disguise their presence - they were in a stone tunnel with no obvious exits, and Harry was in no condition to be moved rapidly anyway - but he didn't want to startle whoever - or whatever - it was that had made the noise.

He raised his wand a bit higher, letting the light spill as far down the corridor as possible.

Green eyes glinted back.