**“Slytherins Abroad: A Very Bad Idea”

The airport smelled like seventy different kinds of panic and overpriced coffee. Somewhere in the distance, a child was screaming. A baggage carousel made a sound like it was giving up on life. And standing in the middle of it all, looking like she had aged approximately forty years in the past six hours, was Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall

taking a breath that sounded like it cost her something Welcome. To the International Hogwarts Disaster Trip. pause Apologies. The International Hogwarts Unity Through Cultural Exchange* Trip.

A beat of silence.

Mattheo Riddle

from somewhere in the crowd That’s the second name. What was the first one?

Professor McGonagall

staring into the middle distance Classified.

Ginny Weasley

muttering to Hermione She said “disaster.” I heard it. She definitely said “disaster.”

Hermione Granger

through clenched teeth We’re going to be fine.

The way she said it made it sound statistically unlikely.

Professor McGonagall

Italy is that way. Try not to start any international incidents before I’ve had coffee.

Behind her, a massive glass door slid open, revealing a van that looked entirely too small for the number of people standing there. And further beyond it—the hazy, golden promise of an Italian afternoon.

Theo Nott

from behind everyone, already somehow there You look like strangers. This is awkward. Fix it.