The guide called everyone together. "Welcome, travelers! Thank you for choosing Viking's Home. Please, board our ship—the Vasa!"
"This is the largest and most luxurious magical vessel in all of Europe—I guarantee it! We'll be diving beneath the sea and sailing straight to the port of Stockholm."
"Choose Viking's Home, choose the Vasa—and even if we run into a sea monster on the ocean floor, all that means is we'll be enjoying a truly spectacular dinner!"
As he finished, the Vasa's hatches swung open. Several rows of wooden ladders appeared at once, gliding down to the dock under the push of magic.
Once the ladders settled, a red carpet unfurled from the hatch, rolling out all the way to the guide's feet.
He stepped aside and, with a flourish, made a perfectly formal gesture. "Now, please—come aboard!"
Everyone walked the red carpet onto the Vasa, only to discover the interior was just as dazzling: gold everywhere, with countless exquisite statues gleaming in the torchlight.
These sculptures were coated in gold leaf and painted in vibrant colors, making them shimmer and sparkle with every flicker of flame.
Now that Wyzett knew their ship was the legendary Vasa, the opulent décor felt almost inevitable.
After learning they'd be traveling by magical ship, he'd spent some time browsing Muggle books about ships and sea creatures. The Vasa was famous—in seventeenth-century Europe, it had been the most advanced warship of its age, the Titanic of its time.
Their fates were surprisingly similar, though the Vasa's was even more disastrous. The pride of the Swedish Vasa dynasty, it had managed only about ten minutes on its maiden voyage before capsizing due to a dangerously high center of gravity.
The ship lay underwater for over three centuries, until it was finally raised in the mid-twentieth century.
(PS: In episode seven of "Mr. Bean," Bean's girlfriend gives him a model of the Vasa as a Christmas present.)
The guide was the last to climb aboard. He waved his wand, casting a flurry of spells to seal the hatches tightly, then fell in at the rear of the group.
He overheard Wyzett whispering to Luna, and chuckled. "Well, I never! Didn't expect to meet someone who actually knows their history. But you got one thing wrong."
"After the war, the whole affair caused such a stir that plenty of Muggles in government realized wizards were real."
"So, they worked with us to salvage the real ship. All they wanted was a model for their museum—the actual Vasa was left in our hands."
Wyzett looked surprised. "So… wizards were the ones who raised the Vasa?"
The guide nodded. "They wanted to restore her, but the cost was astronomical."
"The Muggles decided it'd be easier to let us build a fake for display and spend their money on more 'practical' things. It was a win-win for everyone!"
"What a wild bit of history—thanks for sharing!" Wyzett said, a little awed. "But… is that really allowed? What about the Statute of Secrecy?"
"That's more of an issue in England, where the Statute is much stricter," the guide replied. "Back then, the whole world was at war—England's magical community was just about the only one untouched."
Wyzett nodded, recalling that history. "That was thanks to Headmaster Dumbledore's protection."
"Protection isn't always a good thing," the guide said with a sly grin. "Look at your pure-blood families—England's got more of them, and they're more intact than anywhere else in Europe. Tsk, tsk…"
"But of course, Mr. Dumbledore's greatness is beyond question. England's magical world is thriving, and tradition's been preserved!"
"Still, I wish there were fewer pure-blood families. Every time they want something, they demand so much—even though their vaults are bursting. Greedy lot!"
"Not that you two kids would understand… Funny, I never thought I'd be chatting about this with children. Maybe you just seem trustworthy, eh?"
He shook his head and hurried to the front of the group. "Ladies and gentlemen, you're free to explore!"
"Our dining hall is on the middle deck—every bit as grand as the Great Hall at Hogwarts! Meals are served around the clock, so come and enjoy!"
"Remember Viking's Home—we promise you the most comfortable, most delightful, and most unforgettable journey!"
…
The Vasa's interior had been completely renovated—more like a luxury hotel than a ship.
Wyzett and his group descended the spiral staircase. After parting ways with Anthony and his family, they searched the gilded corridors before finally finding their cabin.
The suite had a spacious living room, three separate bedrooms, and an open study. The golden walls were lined with torches, their flames flickering gently.
At the far end of the living room, a converted gunport window offered a view of the blue sky and sea beyond.
The Vasa's massive hull glided forward, slicing through the calm waters like a hot knife through butter.
Waves danced and swirled around the ship's sides. The Vasa surged ahead, churning up thick curtains of white foam that spread into a broad, rolling carpet behind the stern.
As the ship left port, it began to dive. Droplets sprayed up, tumbling through the air and scattering sunlight into shimmering rainbows.
When the Vasa was fully submerged, the cabin was plunged into brief darkness.
Then the torches flared to life, and the entire ship glowed with an eerie blue light—like a ghostly vessel gliding across the ocean floor.
The blue glow was surely the result of powerful Water- and Fire-Repelling Charms, coating the hull in a protective film that kept the sea at bay.
The radiance stretched far, illuminating jagged underwater mountains. Black, chimney-like stones jutted from the seabed, belching streams of molten liquid.
Around these vents, colonies of tube worms clustered, their bodies reflecting the same ghostly blue under the magical light.
Luna's eyes sparkled, reflecting the breathtaking underwater world outside.
She pressed her slender fingers to the glass, utterly entranced.
Wyzett stood beside her, drawing on his Muggle reading to name the unfamiliar sea creatures for her.
"Wyzett, look! That's a sea serpent!" Luna tugged at his sleeve, bouncing on her toes to catch a glimpse of the massive creature above.
The sea serpent was a magical beast, easily thirty meters long, with the head of a horse and the body of a snake.
Though its appearance could be alarming, it was actually gentle by nature—gliding through the deep and sometimes surfacing to bask in the sun.
Muggles had once spotted sea serpents sunning themselves, and, unnerved by their fearsome looks, spun tales of savage sea monsters.
This particular serpent seemed to notice Luna, lowering its head and snorting, sending a flurry of bubbles swirling past the window.
Luna showed not a hint of fear. She beamed, warm as the morning sun, and waved hello again and again…
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