Chapter 10

The next day was spent away from Jerusalem. This time they explored the Roman ruins in Caesaria and then went north to Safed for the night, where they stayed in a hostel. Lev could not remember anything that happened until they were safely on a morning bus back to Jerusalem. He was caught in a daze of his own conflicted feelings. All he knew is that they walked around places. What they saw, he was not sure, though he felt he had seen it before.

On the bus ride back, Bill spoke softly, telling him that Safed was famous for being one of the few cities in the world in which Muggles and wizards lived side by side. Lev was not surprised; Safed was renown for being a city of mystics.

It was Friday in Jerusalem and the city prepared to shut down for the Sabbath. However, this was preceded by an hours long, last minute, city wide congestion of people trying to finish all their chores and get home. Lev wanted to make sure that everything was done with as minimal problems as possible. As soon as they got back into the city, they took a bus to Jon's house to keep their promise to Eli. He was not there, he was playing at the house of a friend from gan ("Like kindergarten," Lev told Bill.) Jon invited them for both Friday dinner and Saturday lunch. He asked Lev to bring the hallot, the braided bread used for the Sabbath.

"Buy it at the Shuk," he said. "That's the best kind. Bill, has Lev taken you to see the Old City yet?"

"No," Lev growled, "And I'm not planning on it. You know I won't go back there."

"Right," said Jon, "Sorry about that. I forgot. But he should see it. Maybe from the Tayelet. Does that sound better? How about you two do a picnic dinner up there and just come for lunch tomorrow."

Lev glared at him.

"What's the Tayelet?" Bill asked.

"It means ‘promenade'," said Jon, "But it's the most beautiful view of the city you can get. You see practically everything."

"Okay, we better get the hallah before the Shuk closes," said Lev, "We'll bring it back here before Shabbat." He practically dragged Bill out of the apartment.

First time visitors to the Shuk on Mahane Yehuda Street are often overwhelmed by what they see. There is no one word in English that adequately translates what shuk is, because the very concept does not exist in English-speaking cultures (‘market' comes closest, though ‘chaos' is most accurate.) The Shuk is an open-air market where a variety of items (mostly, but by no means limited to, foodstuffs) is sold cheaply. Those who want to cook a good meal know that the best ingredients are found in there.

However, for one unaccustomed to such a place, it is the equivalent of stumbling upon a human jungle. Walking a singe straight path is impossible. In that small market it seems believable that more than one object can, in fact, exist in the same space at the same time. Breathing takes effort. The sights, sounds, especially smells can be overwhelming. Particularly unappealing to Lev was the smell of raw, not quite dead fish. That was the reason he tried to avoid the Shuk when he lived in Jerusalem. However, the fresh produce, the newly baked bread, the delicious falafel, and the dirt-cheap prices proved too much of a temptation. He knew the Shuk well.

To Bill though, it was a completely alien, even scary world. He grabbed Lev's arm and would not loosen his grip.

"I've never seen anything like this," he said, "Not even Diagon Alley. Please don't make me let go."

Lev promised to keep Bill with him at all times. They bought the essentials they needed, the hallot for Jon, pita, humus, fruit, vegetables, and some assorted treats for their own picnic on the Tayelet. Afterwards, they both had a falafel before leaving. As they tried to board the bus, Bill was practically thrown out of the way by an old woman whose arms were laden with packages. She muttered a false apology.

"You have to be know how to board a bus," said Lev, "If you're not aggressive, you'll be trampled."

~*~*~*~*~*~

En route to the Tayelet, they dropped off the hallah at Jon's apartment, saying a quick hello to Eli. He seemed very tired and uninterested as his father got him ready for synagogue services.

It took about ten minutes or to walk to the Tayelet. Already traffic had started to slow down for the weekend.

"We're almost there," said Lev with a smile.

The Tayelet is a stone walkway raised above a grassy knoll. In Lev's opinion, it is the most beautiful place in Jerusalem. He loved looking out at the city. Picnickers and other assorted visitors came to the Tayelet in droves. Lev was shocked to see the area was completely vacated when he and Bill arrived.

Bill whistled as the city came into sight. "What a view," he said.

"Wow," said Lev, "I've never seen this place so empty." They set up their food and ate silently.

"What are all those buildings?" Bill asked.

"Which ones?" said Lev, "There are so many of them. I don't know them all."

"You tell me which ones you know," said Bill.

The first building Lev pointed out was in the distance. "That's the Mount Scopus campus of Hebrew University, where I studied for a semester," he said, "It looks so far away from here."

Lev continued to point out buildings that he knew around the outskirts of the city. He moved inward in a spiral.

"And that one, the mosque with the gold dome, is the Dome of the Rock that sits atop the Temple Mount," he said, "Around it is the Old City. You can see the wall that surrounds it."

"Why didn't you take me to the Old City?" asked Bill.

Lev's face darkened. "I don't go there," he said.

"Why not? What's wrong with it?" asked Bill.

"I have my reasons," said Lev.

"Why won't you tell me? I want to know," said Bill.

Lev put his head in his hands. "Please drop it," he said. "I don't like to think about it."

"I wish you'd let me in," Bill grumbled under his breath.

They ate some more. Not a single person passed by.

"I can't believe that no one else has come," said Lev.

Bill grinned.

"What did you do?" asked Lev.

"I set up a few anti-Muggle protection spells around the area. Excluding you of course," said Bill, "No one is going to bother us as long as I keep them up."

"What about other wizards? What about the Israeli Ministry of Magic?" asked Lev in astonishment.

"They won't bother us," said Bill, "Wizards don't come to Jerusalem. They go to Tel Aviv or Safed. Jerusalem is off limits. There are no wizard villages in the area."

"What? Why?" said Lev.

Bill sighed. "You can't see it. No Muggle can. There's something in the air here, like a haze. It's a magic that grew out of the powerful emotions attached to this place. Wizards are afraid of it. The Israeli Ministry of Magic spends most of its time containing it so that it doesn't get past Jerusalem. It's scary. But you probably can't even feel it. I think Muggle are immune."

"I think I can feel it," said Lev indignantly, "And I don't think you know enough about me or any other Muggle to say that we don't."

That reaction caught Bill by surprise. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said, "I just thought you'd be interested."

"I thought you wanted to see the city. Obviously not. Why did you come to Jerusalem?" Lev said.

"I came because I wanted to be with you," said Bill.

Lev lay down on the grass. Bill tried to stroke his hair.

"Don't," said Lev.

Bill sighed. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Why are things so strange between us? I love you. Maybe I shouldn't say it, but I do. I want us to be together."

Lev sat up. "We can't," he said. "It's impossible."

"But why?" pleaded Bill.

"What do you mean why?" shouted Lev, "There's a hundred and eighty-two reasons why. Because I'm a Muggle and you're a wizard. Because we're both men. Because I'm going back to America and you have a job in Cairo. Because sometimes the universe just sucks like that."

"I didn't even want the damn Cairo job!" Bill shouted back. "You told me that I was taking it. You moved out of our flat! I wanted to go with you. I don't care that you're a Muggle. You get along with wizards. My family, Aaron Roth, every single wizard and witch we've encountered. Everything you've just said is an excuse."

"They're not excuses. Every single reason I've given you is valid," said Lev, angrily. "Our relationship is over and all the floating disco balls and Cass Elliot music in the world isn't going to bring it back. There's no good reason we should be together."

"Do you love me?" asked Bill.

"What does that have to do with it?" snarled Lev.

"Just answer the damn question! And be honest," said Bill.

Lev didn't say anything.

"Answer me!" Bill shouted, "I deserve that."

"Yes I still love you," said Lev, "And I always will. But that doesn't mean anything anymore."

"It means a helluva lot to me," said Bill, "I'm sorry it means nothing to you."

Lev threw something at him. "These are the keys," he said, "Give them back to me tomorrow at Jon's. I'll be staying there tonight."

He stormed off, leaving Bill, who immediately broke down. As soon as Lev knew he was out of sight, he did the same.