After their intense discussion about Hogwarts and the British wizarding world, Severus had assumed the night would wind down naturally. He had underestimated Evie Sterling's talent for chaos.
"Alright," she declared, standing and stretching like a cat. "That was all very educational, but I think it's time for something actually fun."
Kiera leaned forward. "What do you have in mind?"
Evie grinned. "We're sneaking out."
Severus immediately arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Aurora smirked, already intrigued. "You mean The Falls, don't you?"
"The Falls?" Severus repeated.
Jonas grinned. "The Ilvermorny Enchanted Waterfall—it's hidden deep in the forest. School legend says the founders enchanted it themselves."
"Only the cool students go there at night," Alessandro added, winking. "A rite of passage."
Severus scoffed. "Ah, so it's pointless rule-breaking. Excellent. Carry on without me."
Evie waved a hand. "Oh, don't be a bore, Shafiq. You already know everything there is to know about Hogwarts being a dystopian relic—you may as well learn about Ilvermorny's actual fun side."
Severus sighed. "The school has wards, does it not?"
Jonas smirked. "That's what the side tunnels are for."
Severus gave them all a skeptical look. "You all sound far too practiced at this."
"We are," Aurora admitted. "So?"
Severus crossed his arms. "I don't see the point in sneaking out to see water."
Alessandro gasped dramatically. "I feel personally attacked."
Jonas grinned. "C'mon, Shafiq. You've survived the British wizarding world. This should be easy."
Severus rubbed his temple. He really should have shut this down immediately.
But then Alessandro clapped him on the back.
"You will enjoy this, compagno. Trust me."
And somehow… Severus found himself agreeing.
Ilvermorny's surrounding forest was unlike the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. Lush and open, filled with tall ancient trees. Magical pathways woven into the land, shifting subtly to lead students along safe routes. The scent of fresh pine, damp moss, and crisp autumn air.
Jonas led the way, tracing a glowing rune against a tree trunk. The symbol flickered, revealing a hidden pathway.
Severus studied it. "Warded trails."
Aurora nodded. "Ilvermorny students figured out how to navigate them centuries ago. The teachers know we sneak out—they just make sure we don't wander into anything dangerous."
"Convenient," Severus muttered.
They walked deeper into the forest, their way lit only by wandlight and the faint glow of bioluminescent plants. Then Severus felt something shift in the air. A presence. A pulse of magic. Before he could speak, a shadow moved in the water nearby. Severus turned his head, eyes narrowing at the movement. Something large glided beneath the water's surface, just beyond the reflection of the moon. Then, slowly, a sleek, serpent-like creature surfaced, its scales shimmering with an opalescent glow.
Jonas grinned. "Water Serpents. They only come out at night."
Severus observed the creature. "Magical classification?"
Kiera smiled. "They're considered semi-sentient. Not aggressive—unless provoked."
The Water Serpent watched them for a long moment, then dipped back beneath the surface, disappearing into the depths.
Evie whistled. "That's a good omen. They only show up when they approve of something."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "And you believe that?"
Aurora shrugged. "The last time we saw one, Alessandro aced his Charms exam."
Severus snorted. "Correlation is not causation."
Alessandro grinned. "And yet, I choose to believe."
They continued their journey, passing through a grove of moonflowers, their petals glowing faintly in the dark. Finally, they emerged into a clearing. And there it was—The Ilvermorny Enchanted Falls.
The waterfall glowed—not with mundane light, but with something far older, far deeper. It was as though the water itself had been infused with starlight, cascading down in a silver-blue shimmer, illuminating the darkened clearing with an ethereal glow.
The air hummed with raw magic, the kind that sent a tingling awareness up Severus's spine. This was not an artificial enchantment, not a man-made spell woven into existence.
This was ancient magic, something that had been here long before Ilvermorny was founded, something that had thrived in the untouched wilds of the North American magical landscape.
Severus found himself momentarily still, his dark eyes fixed on the rushing water as it plunged into the lagoon below. It wasn't like the Great Lake at Hogwarts, nor was it like the Forbidden Forest's hidden pools, which often felt like they held secrets better left undisturbed.
This place? It was alive. The magic pulsed in the air, subtle yet undeniable, wrapping around them like an unseen force, watching, waiting. For a brief moment, he envied the students who had grown up here. Was this what magic felt like, when it wasn't bound by the limitations of blood politics, rigid tradition, and outdated beliefs? He was still lost in thought when Evie smirked at him from the side.
"Worth it?" she asked, amusement dancing in her gaze.
Severus exhaled, almost amused despite himself. "It's… acceptable."
Alessandro, of course, took that as a victory. He threw an arm around Severus's shoulders with a triumphant grin. "See? You do have a soul."
Severus rolled his eyes. Jonas plopped down onto a large, moss-covered rock, grinning. "Alright, who brought the contraband?"
Aurora wordlessly produced a flask from the inner pocket of her robes and tossed it to Evie, who caught it with practiced ease.
"We made an effort," Aurora said dryly.
Severus eyed the flask warily.
Evie took a sip before offering it to him. "Go on, Shafiq. Consider this another rite of passage."
Severus snorted. "I prefer not to poison myself."
Kiera scoffed. "It's just Firewhisky. Unless you Brits drink something weaker?"
Alessandro grinned devilishly. "Aww, is this your first time, Shafiq?"
Severus narrowed his eyes. "I am fully capable of handling a simple drink."
Jonas smirked. "Then prove it."
Severus snatched the flask from Evie, ignoring the knowing looks his so-called friends exchanged. He took a single, deliberate sip—
And immediately coughed, his throat burning like he'd swallowed liquid fire.
Evie howled with laughter. "Oh, that was beautiful."
Alessandro clapped him on the back. "Congratulations, compagno. You've now officially lived."
Severus scowled, wiping his mouth as the others continued laughing. Never again.
It happened quickly.
One moment, the air was calm, filled with nothing but the distant chirping of nocturnal creatures and the steady rush of water. Then, Severus felt it. A shift. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as an unnatural stillness settled over the clearing.
Then—
A distant rumble of thunder. The wind changed direction, sweeping through the trees with a sudden, biting chill.
Kiera looked up at the sky, frowning. "That's not good."
Aurora stood abruptly. "We need to go. Now."
Severus barely had time to process the warning before the storm hit all at once. Sheets of rain crashed down, drenching them instantly. The sky split with jagged streaks of lightning. The waterfall roared louder, responding to the storm as though alive.
"RUN!" Evie yelled.
They bolted, sprinting back toward the hidden pathways, their boots sloshing through the rapidly forming mud. The wind howled around them, lashing through the trees with unnatural force, as if something immense had been disturbed.
And then—Something moved in the sky.
Severus skidded to a halt as a flash of gold and silver feathers streaked across the storm-darkened sky. The rain blurred everything, but even through the downpour, the creature was unmistakable.
A Thunderbird.
It soared through the air, wings outstretched, catching the lightning in a way that made its entire form glow. Its massive wingspan cast a shadow over the treetops, and for a fleeting moment, its molten gold eyes locked onto them. The world seemed to still, as if even the storm held its breath.
No one moved. No one dared move. Severus had read about Thunderbirds. Legends, stories, old texts. But nothing had prepared him for the sheer awe of witnessing one in flight. They were sacred creatures, rarely seen, even by North American wizards.
Jonas whispered, breathless, "Did we just…?"
Aurora, still staring at the sky, nodded. "We did."
Evie exhaled. "Well. That's new."
The Thunderbird hovered for a single moment, power coiled beneath its wings—
Then, with a single powerful stroke, it vanished into the storm, disappearing into the night.
A beat of silence followed.
Then Alessandro let out a low whistle. "Shafiq, was this in your little Hogwarts education?"
Severus, still catching his breath, almost smiled.
"No," he admitted. "This is entirely new."
And as they raced back to Ilvermorny, soaked to the bone but grinning like idiots, Severus realized— He didn't mind breaking the rules. Not tonight.