AtO: Adventures in Suna

This is a what-if deviation for Chapter 14. The basic premise is that Harry can't go to Konoha (after fixing the puppets) for some reason or the other and is stuck in Suna with nothing much to do.

This is an experimental attempt to flesh out Suna and it's inhabitants for any future use in AtO. Not sure what its I'll use for AtO world building, but I figured it would be good just to see what comes out of this series.

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Harry squinted through his telescope and held his breath as he observed the star-studded sky. With a quick check, Harry straightened and added more notes to his paper. 

“You're not waiting for your owl tonight.”

Harry clutched his chest and glared at his visitor in annoyance. “Gaara.”

“My apologies for startling you,” Gaara said, his voice even as he flicked his hand up. A stream of fine glittering sand picked Harry's pen and paper from the ground and held it up.

“Useful trick,” Harry said as he took both items. “I am waiting for her. I'm just doing something productive while I wait.”

Gaara tilted his head. “You are studying the stars.” That simple sentence seemed to imply- how is that productive?

“I'm noting down the stars' positions.”

“Why?” Gaara asked.

Harry blinked at the abrupt question but said, “Mostly so that I'll be able to draw an accurate star chart.”

“You wish to read the future like the old astrologers?” Gaara asked. 

Harry snorted. “Goodness no. No sane person would want to read the future even if there was a way. Knowing the future makes you stop living.”

Gaara looked up at the stars for a long moment before he nodded at Harry. “You haven't answered my question. Why are you making a star chart?”

“With nothing else to do in Suna now, this is the most interesting way for me to pass the night. With a little work and patience, I'll be able to calculate and draw what the sky looked like or will look like on any date.”

“That sounds like the sort of knowledge that the old astrologers would try to keep secret.”

“Really? I don't see why they would,” Harry said. “It's not very hard. Once you know the basics, you just need a lot of patience and the ability to stay awake.”

“I think astrologers would be angry at you belittling their life's work.”

Harry shrugged. “I don't see any astrologers around to hear me. If you want, I could even teach you some of the basics.”

Gaara stared at him. Long enough for Harry to think he's made a huge mistake. “I doubt I'll be able to grasp it.”

Harry shook away those words and said, “If I can learn all about orbits, trajectories and what not then anyone can.”

“I would not wish to intrude on your time.”

“Nonsense,” Harry said, “I've got nothing but free time since I can't go back to Konoha.”

“Are you angry that you can't go back?”

“More annoyed than anything. After what I...” Harry hesitated, not wanting to mention the work he had come here for. “It would have been nice to go home after that work.”

“I see.”

“But it can't be helped. Politics are politics and I don't want to create any trouble for anyone,” Harry said. “Really, this is the best thing I could be doing with my time.” Hermione will be proud of me for keeping up with my Astronomy lessons. 

“Making a start chart?”

“That comes later,” Harry said. “For now I need to get the positions of stars. Once I get the obvious and bright ones, I can calculate the locations of other things.”

"And then you make the star chart?”

“Yes,” Harry nodded. “Then I make the star chart.”

Gaara thought about it for a long moment before he nodded and moved forward to stand beside Harry. “I'd like to see a star chart made.”

“Tell you what, after I get all the current positions, you can pick which date the star chart will depict.” Without waiting for a response, Harry turned back to his telescope. “Now I've already got...”

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I'm not sure about this being what Astronomy is for in HP. It could be one aspect of the subject. As for it showing up in AtO itself, no idea.

Also with Gaara being awake- I personally just like the idea of him not being much of a sleeper even after Shukaku was removed. He just takes naps throughout the day.

Polar

P.S. Harry doesn't know that Gaara is Kazekage in this what if. Not yet, at least.