Professor McGonagall gently closed the door to the small tower, the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance now safely tucked within the inner pocket of her robes.
She and Snape walked in silence down the corridor toward the Headmaster's office, the castle's stone walls casting long shadows in the twilight.
"We can't expect the Death Eaters to make mistakes. We need to act quickly—" Snape's words were abruptly cut off by a silver light piercing through the window at the end of the corridor.
He swiftly raised his head, wand already slipping into his palm, only to see a shimmering silver leopard bounding toward them.
"Alastor's Patronus," Professor McGonagall whispered, her brows furrowing.
The leopard, graceful and radiant, landed lightly before them.
Its jaws parted wide, and Alastor Moody's hoarse, resonant, urgent voice echoed through the corridor:
"Scottish Highlands, Glencoe Valley! Death Eater ambush! Request Dumbledore's immediate support! We can't hold out much longer!"
"What?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, her face turning ashen.
Her gaze instinctively darted toward the Headmaster's office, where the real, weakened Dumbledore lay.
"I'm sorry, Alastor," she said to the Patronus, her voice trembling. "You'll have to manage on your own. Albus is unconscious…" She trailed off.
The Patronus fell silent for a moment, its silver light flickering faintly, a glimmer of human-like gravity in its magical eyes.
"I'll do what I can," it replied curtly, then turned and vanished, leaving only a few silvery motes drifting slowly to the ground.
McGonagall turned to Snape, her fingers gripping her wand tightly. "We need to move faster," she said urgently, her voice carrying an unprecedented edge. "I'll transfer Albus to the ship's cabin shortly."
Snape nodded, then parted ways with McGonagall, seeking out Pandora and Lily, who were sorting potion ingredients in the Room of Requirement.
"Hogwarts may soon fall to the Death Eaters," Snape said, his lips twisting into a wry expression. "We're planning to evacuate Muggle-born students."
"What's happened? Why only Muggle-borns?" Pandora asked, straightening up. "Isn't Hogwarts the safest place?"
"Are you joking, Severus?" Lily fixed him with a serious look. "Professor Dumbledore—"
"That's McGonagall in disguise," Snape interrupted, watching as disbelief spread across both girls' faces. "No time to explain. We need to act quickly."
Lily took a deep breath and nodded. "What do you need us to do?"
"Find all the Muggle-born students," Snape instructed. "Tell them the school has a special travel plan for them, and they may need to leave at any moment. Have them pack their bags. Don't reveal too much to avoid panic."
"Just the two of us?" Pandora asked, already gathering scattered potion ingredients.
"Er," Snape considered for a moment, "tell Barty and Abbott as well. They're better suited for this." He chose to trust Barty Jr., having witnessed the changes in him over time. There was no reason to doubt him now.
"Myrtle," he called, looking up at the ghost hovering by the chandelier, "stay with me for the next few days instead of lingering here."
"Alright!" Moaning Myrtle floated down from the chandelier, her voice bright with excitement. "Are we moving again?"
Over the next few dozen hours, the professors worked feverishly to complete the final repairs to the Founders' Ship, while most students remained oblivious, continuing their daily lessons.
Professor Slughorn, sweating profusely, fine-tuned the potion laboratory in the ship's cabin. Professor Sprout directed house-elves to carefully transfer Mandrakes and other potted plants aboard.
Professor Flitwick stood on scaffolding at the ship's stern, his wand tracing intricate patterns in the air as he reinforced complex protective runes. His small face was etched with concentration, occasionally pausing to wipe sweat from his brow. "One more layer… it must be flawless…"
McGonagall shuttled between the castle and the dock, maintaining the illusion of Dumbledore's health while coordinating preparations. Dark shadows bloomed under her eyes, but her posture remained ramrod straight.
On the third morning, as the first rays of sunlight crept over Hogwarts' spires, Hagrid's massive figure stumbled into the Great Hall. Frost clung to his beard, and his rough coat was torn in several places.
"Professor!" he gasped, charging toward the staff table, his voice so loud the entire hall fell silent. "Strangers outside the school! I fought one of 'em!"
The hall went quiet, all eyes turning to "Professor Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore" rose solemnly, his blue eyes calmly sweeping across the long tables.
"Everyone, continue your breakfast," McGonagall said in Dumbledore's gentle tone, though Snape could hear the strain beneath it. "Horace, please look after the students here."
"Come with me, Hagrid," she said, striding toward him while shooting Snape a pointed glance.
Snape understood immediately, quietly signaling his friends to follow.
Once outside the hall, McGonagall dropped her stern tone. "Details, now," she demanded.
Hagrid flinched at her voice but wasted no time, gesturing with his large hands. "Saw three Death Eaters at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, masked. One spotted me, and we fought—fists, not wands."
He paused as he noticed Snape and the others approaching.
"Speak," "Dumbledore" ordered, a hint of McGonagall's impatience creeping into her tone.
"Alright," Hagrid lowered his voice. "At least six Death Eaters prowling the forest's edge. They're testing something. I drove one off, but the others… they seem to be waiting for orders."
"And they mentioned… Professor Dumbledore," he said uneasily, glancing at "Dumbledore" himself. "Said things like, 'Tell that old man to come out, or we're coming in!'"
Snape and McGonagall exchanged an alert glance, both grasping the gravity of the situation.
"They're suspicious," Snape murmured.
"Severus," McGonagall decided swiftly, "gather all Muggle-born students immediately." She turned to Barty Jr. and the others. "Help him. Hagrid, come with me. We need to raise the defenses."
Following her orders, Snape and his group hurried back to the Great Hall, relaying instructions to other senior Muggle-born students.
The news spread like wildfire among the targeted group, while other students watched in confusion as their peers abruptly left their seats.
Hogwarts descended into a chaotic emergency evacuation. Muggle-born students were located one by one, bewildered as they were led to the dock beneath the castle.
"A special trip? Now?" Ed Smith asked skeptically. "We've got Charms class."
"Professor Dumbledore has approved it," Pandora reassured, her light hair disheveled from the rush. "It's a surprise event. Come with me."
They scoured every corner of the castle—dormitories, the library, bathrooms, greenhouses, even the Astronomy Tower.
Even Moaning Myrtle helped, her translucent form gliding through walls, calling out to confused students.
Meanwhile, McGonagall and the other professors activated Hogwarts' ancient protective magic. A translucent golden barrier slowly rose, enveloping the castle and its grounds.
This move seemed to confirm the Death Eaters' suspicions—if Dumbledore were unharmed, Hogwarts would never adopt such a defensive stance.
Flashes of spellfire began to spark at the Forbidden Forest's edge as the Death Eaters tested the barrier's strength.
"The more we do this," Barty Jr. whispered, running up to Snape, "the more they'll know something's wrong with Dumbledore."
"As long as we buy some time," Snape replied heavily, nodding.
By noon, all fifty-three Muggle-born students had gathered at the secret dock.
The Founders' Ship rested quietly on the greenish water.
Professor Flitwick, Hagrid with Fang in tow, and Filch clutching Mrs. Norris stood by the ship, directing students to board in an orderly fashion.
As the Death Eaters' attacks grew bolder, the students boarded amid the distant sounds of curses, trembling with unease.
"All accounted for," Snape reported to McGonagall as she arrived.
His eyes scanned the crowd: Pandora, Lily, Abbott, Barty Jr., and Eileen… all the familiar faces were there.
Eileen gave him a slight nod before hurrying with Professor Sprout to the ship's greenhouse to handle further tasks.
McGonagall, now back in her true form, took the list from Snape and frowned. "No, one's missing," she said, then turned and left swiftly.
Missing? Snape thought. Everyone should be here. Who's been overlooked?
But some didn't need to leave with them…
"This will be a difficult journey," he said softly to his friends. "For those of you who aren't Muggle-born, it's not necessary."
Before he could finish, Pandora stepped forward, rolling her eyes. "Don't be daft, Sev. You're not Muggle-born either."
Snape gently squeezed her hand, feeling the warmth of her fingers.
"What, trying to ditch me?" Abbott clapped his shoulder. "I haven't even had a chance to hang you upside down yet."
"Anytime," Snape replied.
"Why're you looking at me?" Barty Jr. asked, puzzled. "If, as you say, the Death Eaters take over, won't that mean we'll be wanted by the Ministry?" A bright grin spread across his face. "Imagine how thrilled my dear father will be if I become a Ministry fugitive."
Despite the dire situation, Snape's lips twitched upward. Why was Barty Jr. still set on that path?
Looking at the familiar faces before him, he nodded.
Soon, McGonagall returned.
Behind her were four figures that made Snape freeze: James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter Pettigrew.
"They're not Muggle-born, Professor," Snape said, stepping in front of the boarding ramp, his friends at his side.
"Peter is Muggle-born," McGonagall said wearily. "Let him board, Severus."
Snape stared at Wormtail in disbelief. Though Pettigrew's surname wasn't pure-blood, Snape had always assumed the timid boy was at least half-blood. After all, in the original timeline, he'd become a Death Eater.
"I don't trust him," Snape said coldly, unmoving. "Even if he's Muggle-born, I don't want him on this ship."
A deafening explosion rang out in the distance as a blinding green curse struck the protective barrier, sending ripples across it.
Time was running out.
"We can't leave him at Hogwarts, Severus," McGonagall said sternly. "Why don't you trust him?"
Snape faltered. He couldn't exactly use events that hadn't happened to convince her.
He glared at Wormtail, who cowered behind Sirius, craning his neck and darting his small, beady eyes.
Another booming curse hit the barrier, a stark reminder that this wasn't the time for arguments.
Snape stepped aside, saying calmly to Wormtail, "I'll be watching you, Wormtail. You'd better not cause trouble."
"I won't, I swear!" Peter squeaked, nodding frantically as he scrambled aboard.
But Sirius and the others moved to follow.
"Wait," Snape blocked them again. "You three aren't Muggle-born."
"We're staying with our friend," Sirius said, stopping James from intervening. "Just like your friends are staying with you." He glanced at Pandora and the others. "Blood status doesn't matter."
"Friends, huh?" Snape said softly, stepping aside. "Sirius, I hope you don't mess this up again." Sirius gave him an odd look before boarding with the others.
Once everyone was aboard, Professor Sprout emerged from the greenhouse and hurriedly disembarked.
Flitwick activated the ancient magic.
The Founders' Ship slowly pulled away from the dock, Sprout waving relentlessly from the shore.
The ship emerged from the ivy's cover, gliding onto the Black Lake.
The Death Eaters paused their assault, silently watching.
The ship let out a long, resonant hum.
The calm surface of the Black Lake churned, massive waves crashing against the damp shore. Then, at the lake's center, a colossal whirlpool formed, as if a giant plug had been pulled from the depths.
Amid the Death Eaters' gasps, the Founders' Ship plunged downward, vanishing into the roiling waves of the Black Lake.
The water closed over the ship's stern. Snape stood on the deck, gazing through the magical shield as the place he'd called home for seven years disappeared beneath the waves.
His friends quietly gathered beside him, all staring in the same direction.
Merpeople swam around them, singing ancient songs of farewell.
"Hogwarts was never just this castle," McGonagall said loudly, as if convincing those around her.
"We'll come back," Snape said to her, staring into the deepening darkness.
The ship carried them onward, into uncharted waters.
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