The Vasa would spend two days gliding through the depths before reaching Sweden.
When the sun was shining and there were no Muggle ships in sight, The Vasa would rise to the surface, letting passengers bask in the sunlight on deck. But once night fell, she'd slip beneath the waves again, weaving through a world of strange and magical sea creatures.
During those two days, Xenophilius never stopped hunting for stories—he roamed every nook and cranny of The Vasa, searching for oddities and curiosities that might make it into the next issue of The Quibbler.
Wyzett split his time between teaching Luna simple spells and exploring the ship on his own. When Luna and Xenophilius were asleep, he'd retreat to the study to pore over The Wizard's Practical Combat Guide and deepen his understanding of Ancient Magic.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was waiting for him in Sweden—something important, perhaps even dangerous. So he chose to be extra cautious.
Tapping into his reserves of Ancient Magic, Wyzett unlocked two new pages in the guide, each revealing a supportive spell:
Basic Composting Spell: Harness Ancient Magic to enhance the effects of magical fertilizers.Basic Herbology Cultivation: Channel Ancient Magic to communicate with magical plants, slightly increasing affinity with them.
These new spells would be invaluable for cultivating Devil's Snare in the future, but for now, they offered little in terms of immediate power. Still, Wyzett had long since accepted the unpredictable nature of the guide. These pages were investments—useful for future improvements to Devil's Snare or for excelling in Herbology, not to mention handy for tending the family garden back home.
With his long-term plans in place, Wyzett refocused on practicing his core Ancient Magic—especially Ancient Magic: Shield Charm. He wanted to master it until it flowed as naturally as breathing; better to be overprepared than caught off guard.
Even so, he wasn't immune to fatigue. Some nights, he'd doze off right at his desk.
…
"Wyzett, time to get up… time to get up…"
A soft, ethereal voice drifted through the room—more lullaby than wake-up call, lulling him toward deeper dreams.
"Wingardium… Levi… o… sa!"
Half-awake, Wyzett felt a tickle at his nose.
He heard someone calling and mumbled, "Mm… I'm getting up…"
"Breakfast is ready—we'll be in Sweden soon!"
Another voice chimed in, followed by a whoosh of sound. Light flooded his eyelids, then dimmed again, as if someone was standing between him and the sun.
He sniffed—there was a fresh, leafy scent in the air.
Blinking his eyes open, he found himself staring into a bright, youthful face.
Luna beamed down at him, shielding him from the dazzling sunlight behind her.
The morning light spilled across Luna's wild, golden hair, turning it into a glowing halo worthy of a goddess.
"Time to wake up!" she whispered again, her voice lazy and dreamy.
Wyzett blinked, noticing something hovering in front of his face.
Instinctively, he reached out and caught a floating leaf, which drifted back to Luna's hand.
She grinned, a touch of pride in her voice. "Professor Wyzett, my Levitation Charm is pretty good, isn't it?"
It was obvious—the leaf that had been tickling his nose was under the effects of her Levitation Charm.
"Absolutely brilliant." Wyzett rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Though now I'm debating whether I should still teach you the Fire-Making Spell."
"If I learn the Fire-Making Spell, I'll use it for toasting bread and keeping warm," Luna replied cheerfully. "But the Levitation Charm—that's my special wake-up spell!"
Wyzett couldn't help but smile. "Waking up a new day with the very first spell you learned—that's a wonderful tradition."
"Wyzett, hurry up!" called Xenophilius from down the corridor. "I'm heading to the dining hall. You two get a move on! And don't forget to pack everything back into your trunks!"
…
The magical port in Sweden was bathed in sunlight, yet a chill and solemnity lingered in the air.
Wyzett and the others disembarked from The Vasa. Off to one side stood a massive stone archway, inside which a torrent of water cascaded down like a roaring waterfall.
Every wizard leaving by ship had to pass through that gate—only after being thoroughly drenched could they board a vessel to depart.
Standing guard by the ships were two hulking, lumbering trolls. Each clutched a heavy wooden club and wore a uniform several sizes too small, looking for all the world like oversized security guards.
Wyzett also noticed that the magical waterfall wasn't being managed by wizards, but by two squat, sharp-toothed goblins.
A tall wizard stood nearby, wand in hand, his expression grim and vigilant.
Led by their guide, the group left the port, wound their way through a twisting street, and entered a cozy tavern.
Inside, a fire crackled in the hearth—and a shimmering bubble floated in midair.
The guide turned to the travelers. "Unlike England's Floo Network, Sweden has its own unique way of magical travel—the Bubble Chain!"
"It works much like the Floo Network: just dust your hand with Floo Powder, reach into the bubble, say your destination, and you'll be whisked away in an instant!"
Tourists love novelty, and the Bubble Chain was exactly the sort of magical touch they'd hoped for.
Shaking off the port's stern atmosphere, everyone eagerly grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder and let the bubble whisk them away to their hotel.
Xenophilius lingered until the others had gone, then sidled up to the guide. "What's really going on? Why all the security?"
"Security?" The guide frowned, clearly uneasy, then waved it off. "Just a little incident, that's all. So they're using the Thief's Downfall—one of the goblins' gadgets."
"Thief's Downfall?" Xenophilius frowned. "That thing washes away every spell and magical disguise. And you call that a little incident?"
"I don't know the full details," the guide said with a shrug, pulling a newspaper from his pocket and pressing it into Xenophilius's hands. "All they're saying is there was an Obscurial attack on the Ministry, and now they're investigating. No mention of screening travelers…"
"An Obscurial?" Xenophilius shivered. "Are they going to check our identities? We've got proper wizard passports!"
"Of course not…" The guide hesitated, offering a nervous smile. "Maybe they'll check again when you leave."
"But the Swedish Ministry's efficient—by the time you head home, maybe the Obscurial will already be caught!"
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