As Professor McGonagall traced the final, intricate stroke with her wand, the Founders' Ark emitted a deep, resonant hum. The air surrounding the ship began to twist and warp.
Snape felt a strange chill crawl up from the soles of his feet, spreading through his entire body, then it vanished without a trace.
He looked down. His hands were gone. His robes were gone. Even the solid deck beneath him had disappeared.
He could still feel the ship moving underfoot, yet when he looked down, what met his eyes was not wood but a vast, dark-blue expanse, the same hue as the water above him. It was as if only his eyes remained, floating in this almost lightless deep.
He could hear the sound of the hull slicing through water. He could feel the familiar texture of his wand in his grip. Silver fish glimmered past, circling curiously around an invisible obstacle.
The lanterns hanging from the mast still shone, their light like golden orbs suspended in the void. They illuminated a small patch of water around the ship, but no figures at all.
Then, something cold and slick writhed under his collar, pressing to emerge. A cool, smooth touch slid up the back of his neck. Nagini.
"No. Not now." Snape reflexively reached up, pushing the little snake back into his collar to stop her from slipping out.
He felt the cold, scaled texture beneath his fingers. Gently, he guided her back in. "Stay inside," he whispered. "It's not safe yet."
Nagini brushed her tongue against his fingertips, just a faint, forked flicker, as though confirming that he was really there, then obediently withdrew, curling quietly against his chest.
A faint creak came from the cabin door. Snape turned, if he still had a head to turn, and saw no one there.
"Minerva," came Professor Flitwick's voice from nearby, "don't you think the invisibility is a little too complete?"
"Oh, my apologies," McGonagall's voice replied, echoing across the empty deck, tinged with mild embarrassment. "It was only meant to conceal us from the outside, not from ourselves."
The sound of a wand slicing through the air followed.
A wave of magic swept over them, like an eraser removing the veil of invisibility. Snape first saw his hands reappear, then his robes and boots, finally, his whole body solidified again.
Like a photograph developing in solution, figures began to take shape all over the deck.
Several first-year students stood by the cabin door, gawking in awe at the underwater vista before them.
One of them, a Hufflepuff named Smith, reached out and touched the invisible barrier. The moment his fingers brushed the unseen surface, he yelped.
"Don't worry," Professor Flitwick piped, standing on tiptoe to pat the boy's shoulder. "The barrier is perfectly stable. You won't fall out. But please, keep your hands to yourself, just in case."
Snape looked down and found Nagini poking her head out again, green eyes glimmering as she stared longingly at the fish darting by.
He tapped her nose lightly. "No. Deep water out there."
The little snake hissed softly in disappointment but slipped back under his collar, obedient once more.
To his surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't scold the students for sneaking out. Instead, she beckoned them closer.
"Come along, onto the deck," she said, lifting her wand. Gentle light bloomed, illuminating a wide sweep of water. "Look over there. The merfolk village beneath the Black Lake. You may not get another chance like this for years."
As she guided and explained, more students emerged from the cabin.
Soon, dozens crowded the deck, with a handful of house-elves weaving among them carrying trays of steaming cocoa.
Where McGonagall's wandlight pointed, faint stone structures appeared amidst waving water plants, their walls mottled with algae. At the village's center stood a rough-hewn statue: a giant merman carved from a single boulder, trident in hand, watching sternly over his home.
Several small merchildren, noticing the disturbance in the current, swam out of shadowy windows to investigate. Their parents followed soon after, waving warmly toward the invisible ship.
"Merfolk possess a unique sensitivity," McGonagall explained from the bow, her voice gentler than usual. "They can sense magic." She turned to address the gathered students. "This, everyone, is the first stop on our journey.
"There's no need to be afraid. In the days ahead, you'll continue your Hogwarts education aboard this vessel. And rest assured, every teacher here will do their utmost to keep you safe."
Snape noted the firmness in her tone, but also the tremor in the hand that gripped her wand. He frowned and stepped forward, but a soft voice stopped him.
"President," whispered a Ravenclaw girl who had edged closer, her light brown braid tinted blue by the rippling waterlight. Nervously wringing her fingers, she asked, "Where exactly are we going?"
Snape's gaze drifted to the massive giant squid gliding past outside. Its tentacles brushed the barrier, leaving fleeting rainbows in their wake.
"We'll go to many places," he said quietly. "We'll walk across vast lands; we'll drift across endless oceans; we'll soar through open skies. Until..." He paused. "Until we return to Hogwarts Castle."
The girl looked puzzled, her eyes a mix of curiosity and unease.
Seeing her expression, Snape added, "We'll visit all sorts of fascinating places. Compared to those stuck in the castle, we'll go wherever we please."
"Really?" several students chorused, their faces lighting up.
Only then did Snape realize a small crowd of first-years had gathered around him, eyes bright with anticipation.
"Of course," he said, nodding. The worry in their faces began to fade, replaced by wonder and excitement.
The children soon forgot their fear and began chatting eagerly about where they might travel next.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed before the Founders' Ark gave a soft tremor. The bow lifted, as if an unseen hand was raising it.
Snape steadied himself. Professor McGonagall hurried to the prow, wand raised.
"Prepare to surface!" she called.
A gentle ripple swept outward as the ship broke through the water's surface. Moonlight poured down like a silver veil, and everyone instinctively squinted.
Blinking against the sudden brightness, Snape saw that they now floated in the middle of a wide river. In the distance, towering buildings gleamed, their countless lights painting the night sky a deep orange-red.
A magnificent suspension bridge arched across the river, traffic streaming endlessly along it, the red glow of taillights flowing like a river of fire. A vast crescent moon rose between the bridge towers, and the city lights glittered across its bronze surface. Pedestrians strolled along the embankment nearby, blissfully unaware of the magical vessel gliding silently behind the veil.
"How beautiful!" squeaked Professor Charity Burbage, their Muggle Studies teacher. She rushed to the rail, eyes wide. "Oh! That's a bicycle! And that, why, that's a telephone booth!"
"That's the Shard, isn't it? Merlin's beard, it's even grander in real life!" She turned, beaming at the students. "Look at those lights! Muggles don't even need magic or torches to make the night bright as day!"
But most of the students remained quiet, blinking in polite confusion.
Burbage quickly realized that most aboard were Muggle-born, and the sight of London hardly amazed them.
Flustered, she adjusted her glasses and looked around until her gaze landed on Sirius and James.
"Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, come here, quickly!" she said eagerly, grabbing their sleeves. "Surely you haven't seen these before, those speeding metal boxes are called automobiles! They run on-"
"Petrol, Professor. I know." Sirius cut her off. "My uncle Alphard owns a motorbike." Seeing her crestfallen expression, he added, a touch smugly, "Muggle inventions can be more thrilling than broomsticks sometimes."
Snape sighed and turned away, only to spot Abbott and Mary leaning against the opposite rail.
Mary was pointing excitedly toward the Ferris wheel on the shore, while Abbott listened with a dazed grin, murmuring admiration.
"The London Eye is four hundred and forty-three feet tall," Mary's voice drifted across the deck. "At night, it glows a brilliant blue ring..."
"That boy..." Snape muttered under his breath. He strongly suspected Abbott hadn't come along purely out of friendship.
Someone brushed his arm. He turned to find Lily grinning up at him, her eyes mischievous, clearly, she'd noticed the same thing.
The Founders' Ark glided serenely across the rippling river. Then, without warning, the hull shuddered, and began to rise.
Gasps filled the air as students grabbed for one another in alarm.
On the riverbank, an elderly couple halted mid-walk. The man frowned, peering toward the center of the river, but saw only calm water.
"Did you hear something, dear?" his muffled voice drifted faintly through the magical barrier.
The woman chuckled. "Probably a seagull." They smiled and continued on their way.
The ship climbed higher and higher. London sprawled beneath them, a glowing tapestry of streets and lights, the Thames winding through it like a silver serpent.
The night air was cool and gentle. It felt as though the world itself had opened a path for them.
Then Snape heard a faint noise. He turned, and saw McGonagall stagger, her wand slipping from her grasp.
Eileen darted forward to steady her.
For the first time, Snape saw how drawn she looked, dark circles under her eyes, lips pale from tension.
"Minerva, you need to rest," Professor Flitwick said anxiously, barely tall enough to reach her arm.
"There's no time," she said firmly, shaking her head. "I must ensure the students' safety."
"This isn't yours alone to bear, Professor," Snape said, stepping closer. "Don't take lessons from the old man lying in the infirmary right now." Meeting her stern gaze, he added, "If he hadn't insisted on handling everything himself, we wouldn't be here. And if you collapse too, you'll only make things worse for us."
"Mind your manners, Severus!" Eileen hissed, but to everyone's surprise, McGonagall laughed.
"You're right, Mr. Snape," she said softly, rubbing her temples. Then she turned to Flitwick. "Filius, I'll leave things to you for now. I do need a short rest."
"Of course, Minerva." Flitwick puffed out his chest. "No harm will come to the students under my watch."
Eileen shot Snape a reproving look, but as she guided McGonagall toward the captain's quarters, she gave him a small nod of approval.
"The captain's room has a fine feather bed," Eileen was saying gently as they disappeared below deck. "And I've brewed a calming draught-"
The ship continued to climb, cool mist brushing against them as they pierced the thin clouds.
Moonlight spilled across the deck like water.
Snape returned to the rail, watching the city lights recede into a glittering constellation far below.
Two familiar sets of footsteps approached. Lily and Pandora took their usual places beside him, sleeves brushing lightly in the wind.
Together, they stood in silence, savoring this rare moment of calm.
"Look at that star," Lily said suddenly, pointing. "Isn't it unusually bright?"
"Uh..." Pandora tilted her head. "It's moving! Is that one of those... 'aeroplanes' Professor Burbage mentioned?"
Snape was about to answer when he felt something slip from his collar. Nagini darted out, slithering up the rail.
Her tongue flicked, brushing Pandora's hand.
"Oh, she remembers me!" Pandora gasped, eyes shining. "She's even prettier than before!" She offered a finger, and Nagini coiled affectionately around her wrist.
Then Nagini slid toward Lily, curious, gazing into her eyes. Lily hesitated, then gently touched the snake's head.
Pandora looked up at Snape, silver eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Severus, let Nagini stay with us for a few days, won't you?"
Seeing her pleading look, Snape couldn't bring himself to refuse. He leaned down, hissing softly in Parseltongue.
Nagini raised her head as though considering, then happily glided across him and disappeared into Pandora's sleeve.
The ship trembled again, and all three stumbled. Snape instinctively caught both girls by the wrists.
"Careful! We're about to break through the clouds!" Flitwick's shrill warning rang out behind them.
Tiny ice crystals formed delicate frost patterns on the barrier, then melted away.
The ship accelerated, the rush of high-altitude wind roaring in their ears as wisps of cloud streamed past like silk.