Chapter 4: The Voyage, Part 1


Gabriel (Harry) woke to the gentle sensation of fingers trekking through his hair. It felt so calming, that it almost lulled him back to sleep. But then the slight jostling from those fingers on his shoulder roused him fully. He blinked owlishly at whoever woke him from his nap and yawned when he spotted that it was a very nervous looking Severus-the-boy that had shook him.

"Are we there yet, already?" Gabriel asked and stretched, feeling the sore bones in his back creak a bit. Severus nodded.

"We are about fifteen minutes or so away from the port. It's rather dark out there, isn't it?" Severus murmured hesitantly, smoothing the fabric of his pants a bit as a display of nerves.

Knowing that Sev wasn't afraid of the dark, and only nervous about being on a boat for more than one day, Gabriel gently smiled at his soul mate. "Yea, but it always seems that way, arriving I mean."

At Sev's arched eyebrow, Gabriel felt like inserting his foot into his mouth. Way to go, you just hinted that you know more than you are supposed to. He hastily explained, "I mean, in muggle scary story books, the main characters always seem to arrive at their destination in a storm typical night, with loads of lightning and well, you know, scary peril."

Sev blinked at him and then he nodded with a small smile, "Yea, I remember reading some of those. It always amused me how some authors thought it would be scarier in a night type scene during a storm."

"Well, do you think otherwise?" Lucius asked, adjusting his jumper a bit and making sure that his pack was all set to go.

Draco was returning from the loo, looking rather pale. Gabriel figured it was from all of the sweets the boy had consumed over the past fourteen hours. Sev shrugged, "I figure that scary things can happen to a person even in broad daylight. And usually, one doesn't expect it during the daytime, so it's only natural to be more frightening."

Gabriel gave Severus a knowing look. He'd often thought that himself. Not like he could tell Hermione or Ron about it during his past life. Those two were his best friends, but even they didn't understand what it felt like to be abused, and not knowing if the beatings were going to happen more often during the day with Aunt Petunia or Dudley.

Yes, it had been worse when Vernon came home from work, but it had been expected abuse. So, the frightening aspects were more scary during the day than during the night. He totally could understand Sev's point of view. In fact, he shared it.

Draco yawned and stretched, "Merlin, you boys are talking about spooky stuff again? What are you all trying to do? Scare yourselves before we deport, is that it?"

Gabriel and the others calmed down as they discussed lighter topics. Once the train stopped, Gabriel stretched again, grumpily stating, "Once I get on that boat, I am so curling up someplace warm and zonking out."

Sev still looked a bit nervous, but he tried to cover it by stating calmly, "This'll be the first time I've ever been on a boat before, so I don't imagine me sleeping anytime soon."

Lucius snorted and patted Sev lightly on the back as they shuffled off the train. "Well, that's alright, Sev. You can always be the watchman."

Draco arched an eyebrow at his twin. "Sev, be our watchman? He'd probably keep us all awake with his bookwormish exclamations! I could just see it now, 'Draco, there's a rather immense structural problem going on with the stern massing. Please note using caution when using the lavatory, for it is wet due to flooding.'"

The twins snickered, and Gabriel had to keep himself from laughing too. Instead, he stepped off the train and looked around. He gaped at the sight of her. It was a huge pirate ship labeled something obscure in rune form, lit by only the moon's glow and a few lanterns. Severus gasped at it and smiled brightly. He turned and haughtily stated to Lucius, "Well, Lucius, I think that your calculations regarding where exactly Durmstrang is located is totally off the specter. It looks like we are going to Norway."

He pointed to the runes, "I've studied up a bit on some basic runes and that looks to translate to something close to 'Dark Voyage'."

"Close, but not quite." Said a man in front of the tether, where all the students were gathering around. The man looked rather worn, but had a sparkle in his black eyes as he looked upon the amazed new students, and nodded to the returning ones. "Her name is Mørk Vann Reise, or in English, The Dark Water Voyager."

As everyone finally gathered completely around him, the captain smiled, showing a few cracked teeth, but otherwise looked friendly enough. He took off his fur cap and bowed, "I am Captain Alfarin Hagrid, and will be taking you lot to Durmstrang. However, there are a few rules to abide by whilst being aboard my ship."

Gabriel nearly balked at the last name. Hagrid. Did that mean that Alfarin was related to the Hogwarts Hagrid? Trying to get a better look at the haggard man, he noted slight similarities, nothing more. The man was tall, but not huge and burly like Rubius Hagrid had been.

The older students waited quietly, though most were smirking knowingly at each other. The Captain nodded as everyone got their attention back on him. "Right. The first rule is to stay out of my crew's way. Most of 'em are ok with youngsters by now, but they still have right nasty tempers. The second rule is while on the ship, first years need to stay below deck at all times. Believe me, there is a reason. If you get sea sick, well, there are buckets for that."

Severus bit back a nasty comment on that, but he listened to the last rule quietly. The Captain then stated, "The last rule to abide by is in case of an emergency. If there is such, be sure to do as your told. No questions asked. If someone tells you to abort ship, do it. If you can't swim, then find someone who does and jump with them. Understood?"

The first years nodded, though some looked paler than Sev. Gabriel stuck close to Sev as they boarded the large ship. They briefly got a glance at some of the strange crew, which looked more like lizards than anything else, and were escorted directly below deck.

As soon as the first years claimed cots and beds, Sev bit out with annoyance, "Buckets! How revolting!" He then wrinkled his nose. "I'm not sure I want to know what their loos consist of."

Lucius chuckled, but he quite agreed with his dark haired friend. Draco went and explored a bit while everyone else got boarded with their luggage. Gabriel commented softly, "I wonder what sort of food they will give us to eat."

"Let's hope it isn't anything reptilian." Draco returned, looking a bit green about seeing one of the crew.

"Ew. On that note, I am going to crash. Let me know when we do get food… if it isn't disgusting looking." Gabriel stated, curling up on his cot tiredly, not even thinking to change into his pjs.

Apparently someone else thought of that for him, transfiguring his clothes into black pjs. Both twins gave Severus a gaping mouthed look, and the boy just shrugged. Now that they were on the ship, he figured that he could test some charms or simple spells that he had read about in his charms book. Severus gently stroked Gabriel's hair, wishing he didn't feel so apprehensive about being on his first boat trip. Hopefully Merlin would be merciful to him and give him his sea legs early on in the trip.


Gabrial was woken up by the sound of hissing nearby. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to note that there was a very large snake, possibly a small Anaconda slithering by, large eyes poised at him. Sitting up slightly so he could watch the snake better, he realized that most everyone was asleep.

Drat, he missed dinner. But, someone must have thought of him before succumbing to their slumber. There on a rocking night stand was a small plate of food. Wrinkling his nose against the sharp smell of cheese and something fishy, Gabriel wondered if he could stomach this strange smelling stuff. He tentatively pulled the plate onto his lap and nibbled on some white cheese.

Surprisingly, it was palatable. It almost tasted like soft Cheddar. He munched happily away on it, figuring that as long as he didn't have to get up while the boat was gently rocking until his stomach settled, he'd be ok. The fish smelling pasty seemed to be what tasted like crab cakes. Not one usually for sea food, Gabriel nibbled on it until it was completely vanquished.

Sighing in relief at having something other than junk food in his stomach, Gabriel looked around curiously, noting that Draco was cuddled up in a swinging cot while Lucius was underneath him on a pallet cot. Both were slightly snoring, and Gabriel smirked slightly at the sight of Lucius cuddling with a stuffed dragon. Maybe it was his comfort toy whenever he was away from home.

Still, it was amazing to see him with one. Gabriel never got to have a teddy at his aunt's house in his previous life, so he never knew what it was like to have one. But, from the looks of Lucius sleeping in utter contentment, the boy figured that it did him good.

Briefly, he wondered if Sev had a teddy or some comfort sleeping toy.

But, he could not locate Severus. Where was he? Rubbing his eyes again, he looked around, and nearly shot out of his skin when the snake that had slithered by came around his bed and coiled up at the foot of it, promptly falling asleep. Arching a brow at the strange antics of the large snake, but feeling grateful for not having to defend his friends from such a creature, Gabriel sat up more in his cot so he could try and find Severus with his eyes, since there was no way in Hell's outhouse that he was going to try and sneak around with a sleeping snake at the foot of his bed, regardless if he could talk to it or not.

Feeling a bit tense, he relaxed visibly when he spotted Severus staggering as graceful as possible with the swaying of the boat towards him. He must have been coming back from the loo, because he looked a bit green in the dim gas light that had been given to everyone as a night light as well as to ward off the chill of the night air. "Sev, watch out!" Gabriel warned in a whisper, catching his soul mate's eye and pointing down to the sleeping snake.

Severus blanched at the snake, but did not shy away from it, like most would. Instead, Severus nodded at him and sat down on his floor pallet cot which was right across from Gabriel's , rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. It was a very Snapish thing to do, and Gabriel almost felt like reaching over and brushing back Severus' hair, but he refrained. But, only just.

"Are you ok?" Gabriel asked softly, still mind full of the snores around them as well as the sleeping snake.

Severus nodded and smiled slightly before turning to rummage through one of his packs and grabbing a vial that looked almost like Dreamless Sleep. Arching a brow at the fact that Sev knew how to make such potions at such an early age, Gabriel watched him for a while, not sure if he should talk or just let his soul mate do his own thing.

Severus downed the whole vial without even a grimace, which caused Gabriel to stare at him in fascination. He'd never seen Snape ever down potions before, and even now, as a boy, his soul mate was immune to the taste of them. How does he do it? Gabriel wondered before noting that the snake was awake now and staring up in curiosity at Severus. Without thinking, Gabriel hissed at it softly, "Go back to sleep, great snake. We are not good for your belly."

The snake blinked up at Gabriel before settling down more and falling asleep.

Adjusting himself more comfortably, Gabriel nearly fell out of the bed when suddenly he got a very intrigued Severus crawling into his cot. He regarded Severus with slight amusement as the boy managed to get himself all the way into the cot before peering over Gabriel's stomach to look at the large snake.

"You can speak to snakes?" He murmured quietly, eyes bright with curiosity.

Gabriel sighed and nodded, saying, "Always been able to. Why, does no one else talk to them?"

"No, it's a rare trait. But, that's ok." Severus shrugged, as if he didn't care that Gabriel was a Parselmouth. Yawning a bit, the boy adjusted himself a bit more on Gabriel's cot, before saying, "Just another way of showing that you are special and unique in a way."

Was that supposed to make him feel better about it? But, Gabriel didn't mind the compliment, and cherished it, knowing that he would have died of shock had Snape ever given him a compliment. There was that one backhanded compliment in first year about going to his first Quidditch match, but then that had been it. Never again had he ever managed to gain favor in the eyes of Snape, regardless of what Dumbledore stated.

But, this Severus-the-boy was bent on giving Gabriel compliments, and though he ate up the attention like a starved rabbit, he wouldn't let it go to his head. He'd learned better over the years in his past life to just cherish the caring around him instead of becoming an egotistical prat like the old Draco. With that in mind he smiled at Severus and relaxed more, resting his head back on his pillow.

Severus then gave Gabriel a cheeky grin before getting off of his stomach and cuddling a bit. Yawning tiredly, Gabriel for the longest time watched Severus trying to sleep. And when it seemed like he'd never fall asleep, Gabriel reached over and put his fingers through Severus' hair.

The feel of it was soft, though tussled. Whatever it was that was in that potion of Severus', it hadn't been Dreamless Sleep. For, after a few hours and finally falling into a weak slumber, Gabriel was woken up again, only this time to Severus crying in his sleep.

Gabriel gently soothed the other boy by cuddling more and stroking his hair. He smiled, totally grateful when Severus buried his head into his chest and sighed deeply before going back to sleep. If the only thing he could do right now was to comfort Severus, then Gabriel would do so.


The next morning, or from what they could tell was morning, the boys got up and shuffled over to the loos to take showers. Gabriel felt himself wake up a bit more under the rather frigid magic shower spray. Shivering, he got out of the shower quickly and dried himself off with a stiff towel.

At least they had showers.

From experience, Gabriel really didn't mind living without one, considering his so called relatives sometimes left him locked up for a few days until he started smelling up the whole house. But, if there was a shower, he used it, no matter if it was frigid like this one or warm watered.

After drying himself off and pulling on his trainers and jumper, he winced in sympathy as a few more kids got woken fully up by the cold showers. Their gasps of shock and then the curses that followed did give him a morbid sense of amusement. Then he spotted a very nervous Severus coming in, eyes darting back and forth.

Curious, Gabriel walked over to him, finishing tying up the laces on his jumper. "You just use the knob on the right. It's pretty cold, so make it quick." Gabriel advised.

Severus nodded nervously before he disappeared into one of the shower stalls. Knowing that he couldn't charm the water warm without getting some very odd looks, being a first year, Gabriel pulled out an extra jumper out of his pack and waited until Severus got done. Despite the cold temperature of the showers, the boy never once gasped or complained.

But, when he did get out of the shower, looking like a shivering wet dragged cat with the hope of only getting some warmth in his scrawny body, Gabriel helped dry him off. Severus shivered a bit more until he got dressed, not seeming to mind that Gabriel was there to help him out.

Gabriel, for the most part kept his eyes away from Severus' naked form. He knew all too well what it felt like to have no privacy, especially not at 'home'. Plus, Severus was a boy right now, not a fully grown man like he had in Gabriel's past life. He would feel very odd and disgusted with himself if he took a peak at things left to be private for now.

Severus thanked him for the extra jumper and put it on, noting that it was a bit short in the sleeves, but grateful for it anyway. "You know it's rather odd in here."

"Mmmm what do you mean?" Gabriel asked, finishing putting pack together.

"It's stable in here. Like, there is no rocking sensations of the boat or anything. I wonder if they have it magicked like that?" Severus mused, finally able to stop the chattering in his teeth.

Draco walked by hurriedly, grabbing a towel and brusquely rubbing himself down, Lucius not far behind him. Draco shivered and complained, "If they are able to charm this to keep from moving to the sway of the boat, why don't they use some charms to warm the water up?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Lucius chuckled, "Maybe they figure we won't get special treatment at Durmstrang, so why not start us getting used to it on here."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Severus muttered, but then shrugged. "Shower wasn't too bad. Only a few degrees colder than what I am allowed to have it at home."

Everyone stared at him in shock, except for Gabriel, who nodded in agreement. Severus blushed in embarrassment and stated hastily, "My father is tight on money these days, so all of us must suffer for it for now. Once he gets this big break at work, then things will get better."

"Merlin, Sev, just stop defending your old man." Lucius patted Severus' back before pulling on his jumper. "We know that he's a cruel bastard, and nothing will change that about him, so don't even try taking up for him. At least not around us, who know better."

Severus scowled but sighed and walked out of the lavatory. Gabriel gave the twins a concerned look before going after the annoyed boy.


Hi guys, thank you so much for your reviews. Now that real life has finally settled down a bit, I will hopefully be able to update more. The next chapter will deal with the second part of the voyage, and the arrival at Durmstrang. Thanks again!