Chapter 3

The next morning, Horace woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. He had slept fitfully, his dreams haunted by the faces of the muggle woman and the dog he had put to petrify. He had a headache, and his mouth tasted like old wine.

He sat up, crawling out of the bathtub that was now full of room temperature water, trying to shake off the feeling of despair that had settled over him. He knew that he couldn't stay here any longer. He had to leave, and he had to do it now. He couldn't afford to be caught, not after what he had done.

He quickly gathered his things, waved his wand, doing a quick once over on each of the rooms, and slipped out of the house, taking care to make sure that he left no trace of his presence behind. He knew that he couldn't afford to be careless, not now. He had to stay one step ahead of the Death Eaters, and he had to do whatever it took to stay safe.

He spent the next few weeks on the run, traveling from place to place, always looking over his shoulder. He knew that he couldn't stay in any one place for too long, and he had to be careful about who he trusted. He had learned the hard way that not everyone was who they seemed, and he couldn't afford to make any more mistakes.

But despite his exhaustion, he knew that he couldn't stop. He had to keep going, no matter what. After much contemplation, he decided that the best place to hide would be in America. It was a vast, sprawling country, and he knew that he could blend in with the muggles and disappear into the crowds. He had always been fascinated by America, and he was eager to see what it had to offer. This, unfortunately, was outside the Knight Buses travel route.

The Knight Bus, which had been a great asset to him in the recent weeks, was a form of magical transportation for witches and wizards that was both remarkably cheap, as well as difficult to trace. Having spent his entire adult life using floo networks and apparition, Slughorn had never needed to use the bus. However, in his recent adventures he found it a most pleasant way to travel while remaining below the radar.

Unfortunately, the Knight Bus could not cross over any body of water. Prang, the bus driver and a new found friend, had explained to Slughorn that if he desired to make the trip to the America's in a way that could not be magically tracked, then he must use muggle transportation.

Ernie Prang was an elderly wizard with a weathered face and a kind demeanor. He was a small man, with a wiry frame, but was always full of life and energy. His hair was a mix of gray and white, and was always kept neatly trimmed. He had a thick, bushy mustache that covered his upper lip and was as white as his hair. Prang was always seen wearing a pair of large, round spectacles that magnified his eyes, making them appear much larger than they actually were. Despite his age, Prang was a sharp, quick-witted man who loved small talk with his passengers.

Slughorn listened intently as the muggle born Prang spoke of the strange modes of transportation used by the muggles. The wizard had never heard of such a thing as an "airplane" or an "airport" and was fascinated by Prang's description. He explained how these massive flying machines were capable of transporting people and goods across vast distances in a matter of hours. Slughorn couldn't help but marvel at the ingenuity of muggles, and he found himself imagining what it would be like to soar through the skies in one of these marvels of technology. Despite his initial skepticism, Slughorn was quickly becoming a convert to the idea of airplanes and airports.

And so Slughorn paid the conductor 11 Sickles and took his final trip on the large double decker bus to a muggle airport, his heart racing with excitement and fear as he transitioned from magical to non magical travel. Slughorn had never been on an airplane before, and he was a little nervous about flying ever since a boyhood crash off a broomstick. But he knew that it was the only way to get to America without using magic, and he was determined to see it through.

As Horace made his way through the airport, he couldn't help but feel out of place. He had never been in a place like this before, and he had no idea what he was doing. He had only ever heard about airplanes and airports from a muggleborn that he had taught years earlier, and he was feeling a little overwhelmed.

He wandered aimlessly through the crowds, trying to stay out of the way. He had no idea where he was supposed to go or what he was supposed to do. He had never traveled by plane before, and he was feeling a little lost.

As he was walking, he was suddenly approached by a TSA agent. "Excuse me, sir," the man said, eyeing him quizzically. "Do you have a ticket and a valid form of identification?"

Horace froze, feeling a sudden surge of panic. He had no idea what the man was talking about. "I'm sorry," he stammered. "I don't understand. What do you mean by a ticket and identification?"

The TSA agent looked at him with a mixture of confusion and impatience. "A ticket is what you need to board the plane," he said, speaking slowly as if he were talking to a child. "And identification is something that shows who you are. Do you have either of those things?" The agent started showing concern for Slughorn, as if he might have recently been let out of a mental institution. His emerald green robes did not help with the man's concern.

Horace's heart sank. He had no idea what the man was talking about. He had never heard of a ticket or identification, and he had no idea how to get either of them. He knew that he had to come up with something fast, or he would be in serious trouble.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to sound as apologetic as possible. "I must have left my ticket and identification in my other robes." He tried to smile and tried to walk past the agent, not realizing he would be stopped.

But the TSA agent wasn't about to let him go that easily, he held out his arm blocking Slughorn's way. "I'm sorry, sir," he said, blocking Horace's path. "But without a ticket and identification, you won't be able to board the plane. I'm going to have to ask you to leave the airport," he said, now slowly reaching for the stun gun on his belt.

"Oh, right. Well I will just go back and grab them." Horace started walking back the way he came, cursing Ernie under his breath for neglecting to mention these crucial details.

Just then, an idea occurred to him. He knew that it was a risky move, but he was desperate. He turned and fled, making a beeline for the bathroom. He knew that he had to get away from the TSA agent and come up with a new plan.

As he burst into the bathroom, he knew that he had to act fast. He looked around, trying to see if there was anyone else there. When he saw that he was alone, he let out a sigh of relief. He knew that this was his chance.

He quickly made his way to one of the stalls and locked himself inside. He knew that he had to be careful, but he was desperate. He closed his eyes and focused, picturing the gate where he needed to be. He could feel the familiar

sensation of magic swirling around him, and he knew that he was ready.

With a loud pop, he disappeared from the bathroom stall, reappearing at the gate just in time to catch his flight. He looked around, relieved to see that no one had noticed his sudden appearance, though he thought he saw a few muggles turn their heads at the loud apparition noise. Slughorn sighed with relief. He wanted to avoid using magic as much as possible on his trip. He knew that every bit of magic left small traces in the air that could be tracked by a skilled enough wizard. But he figured a few hundred feet of apparition would not hurt.

As Horace settled into his seat on the plane, he couldn't help but feel a sense of amazement. He had never traveled by plane before, in fact, he was not sure he had ever even seen one before. He was fascinated by the whole experience, completely baffled by the fact that a contraption like this could fly without the assistance of magic. He looked around at the other passengers, marveling at the sights and sounds of the aircraft.

Just then, a flight attendant approached him, smiling politely. "Can I get you anything, sir?" she asked.

Horace hesitated, not sure what to say. He had never traveled by plane before, and he had no idea what was expected of him. "Uh, I'm not sure," he said, feeling a little embarrassed. "What do you have?"

The flight attendant chuckled. "We have a variety of drinks and snacks available," she said, pointing to the menu. "Would you like something to eat or drink?"

Horace looked at the menu, his eyes widening at the selection. He had never seen so many choices before, and he was a little overwhelmed. He thought back to his boyhood on the Hogwarts express when the trolley witch would come by and bring him and his friends snacks. "I think I'll just have… um… one of everything," he said, trying to sound casual.

The flight attendant looked at him inquisitively. "Excuse me, sir? You want one of everything?" Her tone insinuated that she felt she was being mocked by the old man.

"Yes please," Horace responded, blissfully unaware of how unusual this request was.

Horace shook his head, thanking the flight attendant as she moved on to the next passenger, assuming that the young stewardess would come back later with his food. He settled back into his seat, smiling broadly and watching the world outside the window. He couldn't believe that he was actually flying… without a broom, and he was eager to see what the rest of the journey would bring.

As the plane soared through the clouds, Horace had completely forgotten about his "one of everything" order, which of course never came, and simply rested his head back and marveled at the brilliance of the situation. After what felt like no time at all, Horace was startled by an announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will soon be landing at JFK International Airport in New York City momentarily," the voice said, speaking in a smooth, professional tone. "Please make sure that your seatbelts are fastened and your tray tables are in the upright and locked position. We will be arriving at our gate in approximately twenty minutes."

As the announcement came over the intercom, Horace felt a sudden surge of panic. He was unaware that muggle planes not only took off from airports, but landed in them as well? He was woefully unprepared for another airport experience, and was ready to do anything to avoid it. He looked out the window, trying to gauge how high they were and whether it was too far to apparate.

He knew that he had to act with speed, out his window he could see the ground approaching very fast. He stood up and made his way to the back of the plane, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. He had to find a place to disapparate from where nobody would see him vanish. Upon reaching the back of the plane he saw a sign that said Lavatory. "Lavatories on air ships?" Slughorn said to himself, "what ever will these clever muggles think up next?"

As he stepped into the bathroom, he closed the door behind him and locked it, swaying where he stood as the landing turbulence made itself known. He knew that he had to be careful, he hated the idea of using magic again so soon, but he was desperate. He closed his eyes and focused, picturing the ground below the plane. He could feel the familiar sensation of magic swirling around him, and he knew that he could make it to the ground.

With a loud crack, he disappeared from the bathroom, reappearing on the ground below the plane. He stumbled as he landed, almost falling to the ground. He looked around, relieved to see that he had made it. He was on a busy sidewalk in the heart of manhattan. "Muggles," Slughorn laughed to himself, "they don't see nothin!"