After the War

Chapter 36

The sixth and seventh years that had signed up gathered in the Great Hall in nervous clusters, watching anxiously at Wilkie Twycross strode to the front of the room. He was a frail man with wispy white hair and had to strain his neck to see the vast majority of the students who towered over him.

"Students! Attention please!" he called through the chatter. His hands fidgeted nervously in front of him as no student paid him any mind.

"Students! Quiet!" Professor Flitwick called much louder and slowly the conversations quieted and the much larger than normal group of assembled students began to turn towards the row of Professors.

"Thank you, Filius," Twycross said with a brisk nod in his direction. "I am Wilkie Twycross and I will be your apparition instructor for the next few weeks. Now, I know there are more of you this year since the classes were not allowed to take place last year, so that means you must be on your best behavior! There are hoops laid out, one for each of you. Please stand behind one, and then we will get started!" His strong voice petered away as he lost the energy to continue with the enthusiastic call he had started with. But, the students got the point and they did as they were told.

Wilkie Twycross turned towards the few volunteers who stood behind him. "Professors, if you could please help them get situated."

Harry restrained a sigh from escaping, then stepped forward and walked aimlessly through the sixteen and seventeen year old students who he felt should be more than capable of finding an empty hoop to stand by without the need for help. Sure enough, they had all found themselves a hoop, so Harry took to walking purposefully towards one side of the Hall where a particular redhead stood beside her two friends.

Twycross continued to drone on about how apparition would be possible within this room for the next hour only, what the three D's meant and how important they were for a safe apparition, then briefly described how to turn on the spot and simply... apparate.

"Okay then, everyone," Twycross said with a clap of his hands. "On the count of three, let's give it a try!"

The familiar frantic scramble flooded the Hall as students looked at each other, startled at being asked to just apparate with only a minute of instruction and preamble.

Apparently oblivious to the panic, Twycross began to count.

"One..."

The volunteer Professors stationed themselves around the room, ready to give a hand as needed.

"Two..."

Ginny saw Harry leaning against the wall, a good distance away from Professor Albright who was calming another student who was already trembling from nerves.

"Three!"

Ginny, along with the rest of the students, turned on the spot with her eyes squeezed shut. But that was all that happened. When she opened them, she saw Cass sprawled on the floor next to her and Hailey staggering, then turning bright red as Harry stepped forward to catch her by the arm before she could fall.

"Thanks," she said shakily while regaining her balance.

"No problem," Harry replied with a good-natured grin. Hailey quickly realized she was still gripping onto his arm and quickly let go and practically ran back to her hoop, her eyes never losing contact with the floor.

Harry smirked slightly at her reaction, but said nothing. Instead, he caught Ginny's eye and winked at her. She rolled her eyes, then turned her attention back to the front once she realized Twycross was speaking again.