The first rays of dawn had only just slipped through the crack in the curtains when Snape was startled awake by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
"Sev, wake up!" Eileen's voice came through the wooden door. "Jorkins says the flying carpet will be here in five minutes."
At the front of the inn, the Weasley family was already packed and ready. Bertha Jorkins was waving a sheet of parchment excitedly, briefing everyone on their itinerary.
"The first stop is the ancient city of Butrint, ruins over a thousand years old! They say some of the old wizards' magic arrays are still running even now. Imagine, magic from a millennium ago!"
Snape frowned and looked up at the sky. A colorful speck was growing larger by the second.
"A flying carpet?" he asked, skeptical. "Aren't those banned back home?"
"Oh, don't be so stiff, Severus!" Bertha said cheerfully, patting him on the shoulder. "They're completely legal here! Albanian Axminster tufted carpets are the finest in all of Europe."
She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I heard that Mr. Crouch still keeps one hidden at home, though of course, he'd never use it. I've always thought the carpet embargo was absurdly unfair..."
When the carpet landed in the clearing before the inn, Snape's frown deepened.
This so-called "premium carpet" looked to be handwoven from coarse plant fibers, with frayed edges and worn corners.
The golden runes embroidered across its surface flickered weakly in the morning light, reminding Snape of Errol, the Weasleys' overworked, exhausted old owl.
"Is this really safe?" Lily whispered, scanning the carpet's edges where loose threads dangled ominously.
"Of course it is!" Bertha declared, hopping on first. The carpet sank slightly, then bounced back. "See? As steady as the staircases at Hogwarts."
Bill and Charlie scrambled aboard, claiming the front, pointing excitedly at the distant mountains and arguing over their shapes. Mr. Weasley carefully helped his wife up, who was clutching a yawning Percy in her arms.
Snape was the last to step on. He distinctly felt the weave sag beneath his feet.
As the carpet wobbled into the air, a teeth-grinding screech came from the edges.
"Don't worry," said the red-nosed tour wizard sitting at the front, speaking heavily accented English. His small goatee bobbed as he talked. "It only crashed once last week. The Ministry reinforced all the Hover Charms afterward."
"An incredibly reassuring explanation," Snape muttered darkly, gripping a handful of tassels tightly.
"I still think this is a terrible idea," Mrs. Weasley said, one hand clutching the carpet's raised knot and the other holding Percy close. "Oh—Charlie! Bill! Pull your legs back! Arthur, keep them still!"
"Relax, Molly!" Bertha called from beside the guide, her curls flying wildly in the wind, her round face beaming with joy. "Andrea just told me this carpet's been in service for over a century, not a single accident!"
"Over a century?" Mrs. Weasley's voice came out through gritted teeth. "It's older than our entire family combined."
The morning mist began to lift, revealing a breathtaking panorama below. Vast green forests stretched like a giant emerald carpet across the land, dotted with silver lakes and winding rivers where strange water birds circled.
Andrea muttered a spell that sounded like something caught in his throat, and the carpet suddenly surged forward. The wind roared in their ears.
"Look there!" Charlie shouted, nearly toppling off the edge. Mr. Weasley yanked him back just in time. "Is that where we're going?"
Snape tore his eyes away from the swaying edge and saw a vast gray-brown marshland stretching to the horizon. Scattered trees and reeds dotted the shallow waters, and in the distance, the silhouette of an ancient city half-sunken in the swamp came into view, its crumbling walls and half-collapsed arches just visible above the surface.
"That's the ancient city of Butrint," Andrea announced. "It was first built before the Illyrian period, later occupied by the Greeks, Romans, and Venetians. Some traces of Albanian wizardry still remain there." His voice dropped to a whisper. "They say in the Middle Ages, a group of dark wizards conducted forbidden experiments here..."
The carpet began to descend, the damp scent of the marsh rising to meet them.
Lily seemed to regain her excitement, leaning out to look down, her red hair flaming in the wind.
"Hold tight!" Andrea shouted. The carpet dove steeply, Mrs. Weasley screamed, Percy wailed, and then, just as it was about to crash into the water, it stopped short, splashing up a wave.
"Welcome to Butrint!" came a cheerful voice amid the chaos. A local guide in a dark green robe greeted them, followed by several other tourists. "I'm Gjin, and I'll be your guide today through these ancient ruins."
Snape stepped off the carpet onto a floating stone slab. Though the slabs appeared to drift atop the water, they were remarkably steady underfoot.
"Please follow my steps carefully," said Gjin, gesturing politely. "We can only walk on the magically anchored stones. The marsh still hides Grindylows, most were driven off, but a few remain. Just last week, a German tourist got dragged under, though we pulled him out in time."
They followed Gjin toward the entrance to the ruins. The path was made of levitating stone tiles, each about three feet wide, hovering just inches above the surface.
"These carvings are from the ancient Albanian wizards," Gjin explained, pointing to a relief nearly buried in moss. He tapped it with his wand; the moss melted away, revealing rough, intricate engravings beneath. "This spellwork fused architecture with water elements, allowing the city to adapt automatically to floods."
Snape, walking mid-group, observed the half-submerged ruins with interest.
Up close, Butrint was even grander than it had seemed from afar.
Huge stone pillars leaned into the water, some broken. The archways bore faded runic inscriptions, still faintly pulsing with magic. Beneath the water, a flight of stone steps led down into darkness, silver fish darting between them.
"This was once a prosperous city," Gjin continued, his voice echoing faintly through the swamp. "Legend says it was home to Albania's ancient academy of magic, until a black magic experiment went wrong, sinking the whole city into the marsh. Every student and teacher perished in that disaster."
They passed through a half-collapsed archway. Buildings jutted from the water at strange angles, some roofs alone visible, some with hollow windows staring blankly at their visitors.
The Weasley boys ran ahead, earning sharp rebukes from Molly. "Stay away from the water! Keep off those rocks!"
Snape's attention caught on a section of wall covered in claw-like scratches, marks that did not look natural.
"These marks..." he murmured, brushing the wall. A faint pulse of residual magic tingled at his fingertips.
"Likely left by ancient magical devices," Gjin said, "or by magical creatures. This swamp houses many unique species, some not even registered with the Ministry."
As Gjin spoke, Snape noticed a rustling sound from the distant forest, as if something large was moving through the brush.
He turned sharply, but saw only trembling leaves.
"What is it?" Lily asked quietly, noticing his tension.
Before he could answer, a clear plop broke the air.
Everyone turned. Concentric ripples spread across the water some twenty yards away.
"Probably an otter or turtle," Gjin began, voice tight. "They often-" He suddenly froze. "Back! Everyone, slowly; back away!"
He didn't finish. The water erupted violently, and a huge green shape surged beneath the surface.
"Merlin's beard!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, clutching Percy tighter.
A massive green viper rose from the swamp, spraying water everywhere. It was at least twelve feet long; its scales gleamed as droplets slid down them, glittering in the sunlight.
The serpent opened its jaws, snapped up a low-flying bird in one swift motion, and then fixed its cold, vertical pupils on the startled group before crashing back into the water.
"Don't move," Gjin whispered. "It's only hunting, it won't attack if we don't provoke it..."
The snake seemed indifferent to them, gliding lazily through the water with its prey.
But one man, a wizard in a purple robe, suddenly raised his wand, eyes alight with greed.
"That's no ordinary serpent," he breathed. "Its venom, its scales, even its eyes! Priceless potion ingredients-"
"Stop!" Gjin barked. But it was too late.
A flash of red light shot from the wizard's wand, striking the serpent. Water exploded around them, raining down on the group.
The serpent thrashed once, then burst upward, roaring, a hideous metallic hiss tearing through the air. Its green eyes flared blood-red.
"You fool!" Snape shouted, wand already in hand.
The man barely had time to scream. The serpent's tail cracked like a whip, slamming him in the chest and sending him flying into the water.
He vanished beneath the surface with a strangled cry, seconds later, crimson spread across the rippling swamp.
But the serpent wasn't done. Enraged, it began to thrash through the water, churning waves.
"Run!" Mr. Weasley yelled, drawing his wand to shield his family. "Everyone to the shore! Now!"
The group fled across the floating slabs, which rocked beneath their frantic steps.
Just as Snape reached the last stone, something yanked hard at his waist. He looked down, the serpent's tail was coiled around him, slick scales pressing cold against his robes.
"Relashio!" Snape shouted, pointing his wand at the tail. Nothing happened.
The serpent jerked violently. His feet left the ground, the world spun, and he found himself hanging in midair.
"Severus!" Eileen and Lily screamed, their voices panicked and faint through the rushing in his ears.
Through the haze, he saw them raise their wands but hesitate, afraid to provoke the beast.
Pain seared through his ribs as the coils tightened. He gasped for air and shouted hoarsely, "Stop!"
The serpent froze. Its slitted eyes met his, unblinking. Slowly, it loosened its hold enough for him to breathe again.
Something strange passed between them, a flicker of awareness, a resonance deep in Snape's mind. His fear ebbed, replaced by an uncanny calm.
He felt a connection, faint emotions flowing through that gaze: pain, fury... and something like recognition.
The marsh fell silent. Even the insects and wind seemed to stop.
Everyone stared at Snape in shock. The sounds that had come from his mouth were not English, they were sibilant, rhythmic, hissing.
The Weasleys instinctively pulled their children closer, their faces pale with confusion and fear. Bertha Jorkins backed away, gaping at him, eyes darting between man and serpent. Gjin's face was ashen, his lips moving soundlessly in prayer.
Eileen and Lily stood frozen for a second, then comprehension dawned, they raised their wands, firing spells toward the serpent.
But before the spells could strike, the creature twisted, whipping its tail once more, and in an instant, it plunged back into the water, dragging Snape down with it.
"Severus!" Eileen screamed, her voice breaking. She fired several spells, all missed, flashing harmlessly over the dark surface.
Without hesitation, she leapt into the murky swamp. Lily followed right after, diving in and vanishing beneath the black water.
They swam desperately toward where the serpent had disappeared, but it was far too fast. All they saw was a streak of green fading into the depths, leaving only bubbles behind.
Minutes passed. Eileen refused to give up, but soon grotesque creatures with horned heads and pale green skin began circling them, Grindylows.
Their eyes glowed sickly yellow under the water, webbed fingers stretching toward the women's ankles.
Seeing this, Lily struggled upward, dragging Eileen with her. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, along with Gjin, pulled them both out onto the floating stones.
They sat, drenched and shaking. Eileen's face was streaked with water and tears alike. Her lips trembled soundlessly as she stared at the swamp, unblinking.
"He spoke Parseltongue..." Bertha whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. "How is that even possible..."
The water stilled as the last ripple faded away into silence.