In front of the crooked Burrow, Mr. Weasley was directing several suitcases with his wand as they hopped one by one into a rusty old Ford Anglia.
"Kids, double-check the tents," he called out. "I've heard the forests in Albania get frequent thunderstorms."
"Can this car fly?" Snape asked curiously. So this must be that very car that later crashed into the Whomping Willow, he thought.
"Fly? Of course not," said Mr. Weasley, puzzled. "Aren't Muggle cars supposed to drive on the ground?"
But then his eyes lit up with excitement. "Though... that's not a bad idea. If it could fly..."
"Arthur, are you sure we're really going to ride in that thing?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted his fantasy, frowning as she looked at the car as though it were a Blast-Ended Skrewt about to bite her.
"My dear, that's what makes it an adventure!" said Mr. Weasley eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "We agreed, this trip we'll travel entirely the Muggle way! Cars and airplanes!"
"All right, everyone in!" he said cheerfully, patting the hood of the Ford.
The eight of them squeezed into the car. Mr. Weasley insisted on driving himself, though he didn't fully understand how the metal contraption worked, fortunately wizards rarely got injured in car crashes.
Once everyone was seated, Mrs. Weasley glanced toward the back seat. Bill, Charlie, Eileen, Snape, and Lily were sitting comfortably side by side. She and Percy were in the front, where the seat had been magically extended to resemble a park bench.
"Muggles are cleverer than we thought," she remarked. "I mean, from the outside you'd never guess how roomy this car is, would you?"
Mr. Weasley caught Snape's eye in the rearview mirror and gave a quick wink before starting the engine and driving the car out of the yard.
This time, the Weasleys didn't forget anything. The Ford Anglia rumbled smoothly toward Exeter International Airport, the closest airport in Devon. Thanks to Snape's help, they had successfully booked plane tickets over the telephone earlier.
After a nerve-racking journey, during which the car emitted suspicious "clack" noises along the A30 and Mr. Weasley nearly drove into a ditch three times, they finally arrived at the airport parking lot.
Exeter International Airport turned out to be far more chaotic than any of them had imagined.
Muggles with metal trolleys dashed about in every direction, loudspeakers blared mechanical announcements about flight times, and the security checkpoints flashed with harsh red lights. Mr. Weasley's eyes widened as he instinctively reached for his wand.
"Put that away!" Mrs. Weasley said sharply, stopping him. "We agreed, Muggle methods only!"
At the check-in counter, Lily suddenly gasped. "Oh no! I didn't buy a ticket!"
"Don't forget you're a witch," Snape said quietly. "Just a Confundus Charm away."
"But that would be against the rules," Lily murmured.
Snape shook his head slightly. His wand slipped silently from his sleeve.
"Confundo," he whispered. His lips barely moved as a faint golden light struck the attendant.
"Oh, of course!" the woman said with a dazzling smile. "Miss Evans, there's a window seat available in the fifth row from the back, economy class. Have a pleasant flight!"
She efficiently printed out a boarding pass and handed it to Lily, placing her seat right next to Snape and the others.
When it came time to board, Mr. Weasley became fascinated by the "giant metal bird" and nearly got detained by security for trying to approach the airplane from the tarmac. Snape had to cast another Confundus Charm just to get everyone safely onto the plane.
When the aircraft took off, the sudden loss of gravity made several of the Weasleys and Eileen clutch the armrests in terror. Mrs. Weasley's face turned pale as she gripped the seat for dear life, while Eileen squeezed her eyes shut.
"Is this really safe? Without a Balancing Charm like on broomsticks?" Mr. Weasley whispered to Snape beside him.
"Relax," said Snape. "Statistically, flying a Muggle plane is safer than playing Quidditch."
A few hours later, as the plane descended at the airport of Tirana, capital of Albania, night had already fallen.
Warm, humid air hit them the moment they stepped outside. In the distance, towering mountains blanketed in dark green forest rose beneath the moonlight; closer by, white-walled, red-roofed houses gave off an exotic charm.
"Welcome to Europe's last magical frontier," said Mr. Weasley, taking a deep breath and unfolding a map issued by the Ministry of Magic. "According to Magical Wonders: The History of Wizardry in Albania, this place has one of the oldest wizard settlements in Europe."
"I heard there are vampires in those forests," Bill said mysteriously, "and werewolves too!"
Molly immediately tensed. "Children, stay within sight! Arthur, you promised this would be a safe holiday!"
Mr. Weasley was too busy examining a motorcycle parked by the roadside to notice her tone. "Of course, dear, perfectly safe... oh, look! A two-wheeled car, how ingenious!"
Snape and Lily managed to hail two battered taxis, and after a long, bumpy ride they reached a small town.
Following the directions on the map, they walked along a cobblestone path to an inn with a heart-shaped signboard swinging over the door. The sign read in golden letters: Dracula's Den.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door, they stepped into a warm, dimly lit interior. Copper lanterns hung from the wooden ceiling, casting light over the mounted specimens of magical creatures on the walls.
Several rough wooden tables were occupied by all sorts of wizards, some in traditional Albanian robes, others clearly foreign travelers.
"I'll go arrange the rooms," said Mr. Weasley. "You all find a table and sit down."
They had just settled around a large round table when a plump, round-faced woman bustled over from the bar. She had fluffy brown curls and a face sprinkled with freckles.
"Arthur!" she cried shrilly, her voice loud enough to make a few customers turn their heads. "You're finally here!"
"Oh, Bertha! Wonderful to see you!" Mr. Weasley waved enthusiastically.
"The whole Weasley family! And—oh, Merlin!" Bertha Jorkins hurried over, shaking Mr. Weasley's hand excitedly. "Severus and Lily! Haven't seen you two since graduation, you've grown so much!"
Without hesitation, Bertha dragged over a chair and plopped herself down. "So, a family holiday? How lovely!"
Her eyes lingered on Snape and Lily a moment longer, gleaming with gossip. "So, you two... traveling together?"
Snape, who never had much patience for the nosy, scatterbrained senior who would later be killed by Voldemort, tried to change the subject. "Bertha, we haven't eaten yet, any recommendations for local dishes?"
After a hearty meal, they climbed the creaking staircase to their rooms. Outside the window, the Albanian mountains shone in shades of dark blue under the moonlight, while distant creatures called faintly from deep within the forest.