As Professor McGonagall's wand traced its final intricate arc, the Founders' Ship let out a low hum, and the air around it began to warp and shimmer.
Severus Snape felt a strange chill spread from his feet to the rest of his body, only to vanish in an instant.
Looking down, he saw that his hands were gone, his robes had disappeared, and even the solid deck beneath his feet was no longer there.
He could feel the ship moving under him, yet when he glanced downward, he saw not the deck but a deep, azure expanse of water, as vast and mysterious as the sky above. It was as though he were reduced to a pair of floating eyes, adrift in this near-lightless abyss.
He could hear the splash of the hull cutting through the waves, feel the texture of the wand in his grip, and even see a school of silver fish darting past, curiously circling the invisible barrier that surrounded them.
The light from the oil lamp hanging on the mast still glowed, a golden orb suspended in the void, illuminating a small patch of water but revealing no one's form.
Suddenly, something wriggled at his collar, trying to escape. A cool, slick sensation coiled around his neck—it was Nagini.
"No, not now," Snape said instinctively, reaching up to gently press the small snake back into his collar, stopping her from slithering out.
He could feel his fingers brushing against Nagini's cold scales. With a light push, he tucked her back inside, whispering, "Stay put. It's not safe yet."
Nagini nuzzled his fingers, obediently retreating, though her forked tongue occasionally flicked against his skin, as if to confirm he was still there.
At that moment, the cabin door creaked softly. Snape turned his head—or what he assumed was his head, if he still had one—but saw no one at the door.
"Minerva," Professor Flitwick's voice called from nearby, "is this invisibility spell a bit too thorough?"
"Oh, my apologies," Professor McGonagall's voice rang out across the seemingly empty deck, tinged with mild frustration. "It shouldn't make us completely invisible. It's enough that we're hidden from the outside."
The sound of a wand swishing through the air followed.
A wave of magic rippled through Snape, as if someone had erased the invisibility with a charmed eraser. First, his hands reappeared in his vision, then his robes, his boots, and finally his entire body.
Like a photograph developing in potion, the figures of everyone on the deck gradually materialized.
A few younger students stood huddled near the cabin door, clearly awestruck by the underwater spectacle, their mouths agape as they stared.
One of them, a first-year Hufflepuff named Smith, reached out to touch the magical barrier. When his fingers brushed the invisible membrane, he let out a yelp.
"No need to worry," Professor Flitwick said in his high-pitched voice, standing on tiptoe to pat the boy's shoulder. "The barrier is quite secure; it won't let you fall through. Still, I'd suggest keeping your hands to yourself, just to be safe."
Snape glanced down and noticed Nagini's head poking out of his collar again, her green eyes hungrily tracking the fish swimming outside the ship. He tapped her nose gently. "No, it's deep water out there." The snake let out a disappointed hiss but obediently retreated.
To his surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't scold the students who had snuck out. Instead, she waved them over.
"Come, step onto the deck," she said, igniting her wand to cast a soft glow that illuminated a wider stretch of water. "Look over there—the merpeople's village in the Black Lake. You may not get a chance like this again for years."
Following her lead, more students emerged from the cabin.
Soon, the deck was crowded with dozens of students, while a handful of house-elves—Mipple and Hokey among them—wove through the group, carrying trays of hot cocoa.
Where McGonagall's wandlight pointed, the faint outlines of stone houses emerged among the swaying waterweeds, their surfaces speckled with algae. At the center of the merpeople's village stood a rough-hewn statue: a towering merperson carved from a massive boulder, clutching a trident and gazing sternly over the settlement.
A few young merpeople, noticing the disturbance in the water, swam out from dark windows, reaching out curiously to feel the ripples in the current.
Their elders returned from behind the ship, gathering beside their children and waving toward the invisible Hogwarts students and staff.
"Merpeople have a unique sensitivity," Professor McGonagall explained from the bow, her voice softer than usual. "They can detect magical fluctuations." She turned to the students. "This, my dear students, is the first stop on our journey.
"There's no need to be nervous. In the days to come, you will continue your magical education aboard this ship. My colleagues and I will do everything in our power to ensure your safety."
Snape noticed that while her voice was firm, her hand clutching her wand trembled slightly. He frowned, about to step forward, when a soft voice interrupted him.
"President," a Ravenclaw girl whispered, sidling up to him, her light brown braid catching the blue glow of the water. She twisted her fingers nervously. "Where are we going, exactly?"
Snape's gaze shifted from a giant squid gliding past the barrier, its tentacles leaving fleeting rainbows in their wake. "We'll go to many places," he said quietly, leaning down. "We'll walk across vast lands, sail through endless seas, and soar through boundless skies. Until…" He paused for a moment. "Until we return to Hogwarts Castle."
The girl looked puzzled, her eyes flickering with both curiosity and worry.
Seeing her wide-eyed expression, Snape added, "We'll visit many fascinating places. Unlike those stuck back at the castle, we can go wherever we choose."
"Really?" several students nearby chorused, their eyes lighting up.
Snape realized a small crowd of younger students had gathered around him, all staring at him expectantly.
"Of course," he said with a nod, watching as the worry on their faces melted into anticipation.
The children forgot their fears, excitedly chattering about possible destinations.
After what felt like an eternity of sailing, the Founders' Ship gave a gentle shudder. The bow tilted upward, as if lifted by an invisible hand.
Snape steadied himself, catching sight of Professor McGonagall striding to the bow, her wand raised high.
"Prepare to surface!" she announced.
With a soft ripple of waves, the ship broke through the water's surface. Moonlight poured down like a silver veil, forcing everyone to squint.
Snape blinked, adjusting to the sudden brightness. They were in the middle of a wide river, with towering buildings in the distance, their countless lights staining the night sky orange-red.
A majestic suspension bridge spanned the river, alive with the flow of vehicles, their red taillights forming a river of light. A massive coppery moon rose slowly between the bridge's towers, city lights twinkling like stars across its surface. On the nearby riverbank, pedestrians strolled, oblivious to the magical ship gliding past.
"How beautiful!" Professor Charity Burbage, their Muggle Studies teacher, exclaimed, squeezing to the ship's railing with wide-eyed wonder. "Oh! That's a bicycle! And that—look, a telephone booth!"
"Is that the Shard?" she gasped. "Merlin's beard, it's even more magnificent in person!" She turned to the students on the deck. "Look at those lights! Muggles don't need magic or torches to make their cities glow like daylight!"
Most of the students, however, remained silent, occasionally blinking in confusion.
Burbage quickly realized that many on the ship were Muggle-borns, utterly unimpressed by the familiar sight.
Slightly embarrassed, she adjusted her glasses, her gaze darting through the crowd until it landed on Sirius Black and James Potter.
"Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, come here!" Her eyes lit up again as she hurried over, grabbing their sleeves. "You've surely never seen these before! Those speeding metal boxes are called cars. They run on burning—"
"Petrol, Professor, I know," Sirius interrupted. "My uncle Alphard has a motorbike." Seeing her crestfallen expression, he added with a hint of smugness, "Muggle inventions can sometimes be more thrilling than flying broomsticks."
Snape shrugged helplessly, turning to see if his friends needed an introduction to the sights, only to spot Patrick Abbott and Anna leaning against the opposite railing.
Anna was excitedly pointing at a Ferris wheel on the shore, while Patrick listened with a grin, letting out occasional gasps of amazement.
"The London Eye is 443 feet tall," Anna's voice carried on the breeze. "At night, it turns into a giant blue halo…"
"That git," Snape muttered under his breath. He couldn't help but suspect Patrick's insistence on joining them had little to do with pure friendship.
Just then, someone lightly tapped his arm—it was Lily, who gave him a playful wink, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. She'd clearly noticed the "close friends" too.
The Founders' Ship glided silently across the shimmering river for a while longer before trembling again.
Before anyone could react, the ship lifted off the water. A chorus of gasps erupted from the younger students, some clutching their neighbors' arms in panic.
On the riverbank, an elderly couple out for a stroll paused. The man squinted toward the river, seeing only calm waters.
"Did you hear something, dear?" his voice faintly carried through the magical barrier.
His companion shook her head with a smile. "Probably just a gull." They shared a laugh and continued their walk along the shore.
The ship climbed higher, London's nightscape unfurling below—a winding ribbon of light that was the Thames, streets glowing like spiderwebs.
The night breeze was gentle, the air pleasantly cool, as if the world itself were making way for them.
Then, Snape caught a faint sound. Turning, he saw Professor McGonagall sway, her wand nearly slipping from her grasp.
Eileen Prince, standing nearby, quickly steadied her.
Only now did Snape notice McGonagall's exhausted face—deep shadows under her eyes, lips pale from being pressed together too long.
"Minerva, you need rest," Professor Flitwick said, his voice laced with concern. He stretched onto his tiptoes to support her arm.
"There's no time for rest," McGonagall replied, shaking her head and forcing herself to stand tall. "I have to ensure the students' safety."
"This isn't your burden alone, Professor," Snape said, stepping toward her. "Don't take after that old man lying in the ship's infirmary right now." Under her stern gaze, he pressed on. "If he hadn't tried to do everything himself, we wouldn't be here now. If you collapse too, Professor, you'll only cause us more trouble."
"Mind your manners, Severus!" Eileen hissed, but to everyone's surprise, McGonagall let out a soft laugh. The smile seemed to lighten the exhaustion on her face.
"You're right, Mr. Snape," she said, wearily rubbing her brow. Turning to Flitwick, she added, "Filius, I'll leave this to you. I do need a moment's rest."
"You have my word, Minerva," Flitwick replied at once, puffing out his chest. "I won't let anything happen to the students."
Eileen shot Snape a reproachful look but then guided McGonagall toward the captain's cabin. "There's a rather comfortable feather bed in there, Professor. I've also brewed a calming potion…" As they reached the cabin door, she glanced back at Snape, giving him a subtle nod of approval.
The ship continued its ascent, wisps of cool mist trailing as it passed through thin clouds.
Moonlight spilled like water across the deck.
Snape returned to the railing, gazing at the city lights shrinking below.
Familiar footsteps approached, and Pandora and Lily naturally flanked him, their sleeves brushing lightly in the breeze.
They stood in silence, savoring the rare tranquility of the moment.
"Look at that star," Lily suddenly said, pointing to the horizon. "Isn't it especially bright?"
"Er…" Pandora tilted her head. "It's moving! Could that be one of those 'airplanes' Professor Burbage mentioned?"
Snape was about to respond when he felt a lightness at his collar. Nagini had deftly slipped out, climbing onto the railing despite his wary glance.
Her tongue flicked against Pandora's hand.
"Oh, she remembers me!" Pandora said, delighted, watching Nagini. "She's even prettier than before!" She extended a finger, and Nagini affectionately coiled around her wrist.
Then, Nagini slithered toward Lily, eyeing her curiously. Lily cautiously reached out to touch her.
Pandora looked up at Snape, her pale silver eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "Sev, can Nagini stay with us for a few days?"
Seeing her pleading expression, Snape couldn't refuse. He leaned down, whispering to Nagini in Parseltongue. The snake raised her head, as if considering, then swiftly darted past Snape, slipping into Pandora's sleeve.
The ship trembled lightly again, causing the three to stumble. Snape instinctively grabbed Pandora's and Lily's wrists.
"Hold on! We're passing through the clouds!" Flitwick's sharp warning came from behind.
Countless tiny ice crystals formed frost patterns on the protective shield, only to melt away just as quickly.
The ship accelerated, the howl of high-altitude winds roaring in their ears, clouds streaming past like silken threads.
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