The Enemy of my Enemy

The Apparition Lessons

The first Apparition lesson was schedule for a Saturday so that no normal lessons would be missed and was supposed to take place in the Great Hall, as opposed to the school grounds.

"I thought you couldn't Apparate within the school grounds?" Astoria asked, following her friends out of Breakfast. They loitered around the Entrance Hall, along with other year seventeen-year-olds that had signed up.

"You can't," said Mason. "But Dumbledore lowered the Charms for this lesson. Besides, I can't see anyone Apparating today. It'll probably just learning the basics."

"So, you're still doing it then?" Theo asked Mason.

Mason nodded. "Professor Snape got the money from Teddie's vault for us yesterday," he said, looking to his sister.

"I really hope Dumbledore hasn't lowered the charms," said Daphne. "You can guarantee that Mason will excel this morning."

The group laughed and the doors leading into the Great Hall reopened. Everyone hugged Astoria, assuring her that they would come find her once they had finished, and watched as she headed up to the library alone. The only downside to Mason's intellect was that he got to jump ahead in his studies, while Astoria was left behind.

"She'll forgive me, right?" Mason asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry, Mason," said Daphne, squeezing his shoulder. "My sister knows how ambitious you are, she'd be a fool to try and stand in your way of succession. Besides, that's all she wants from you."

Mason smiled and hugged Daphne.

The four long tables inside the Great Hall had vanished, and the Heads of Houses - McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout, stood at the front of the Hall, alongside the Apparition instructor from the Ministry. He was oddly colourless, with transparent eyelashes, wispy hair, and an insubstantial air, as though a single gust of wind might blow him away.

"Good morning," said the Ministry wizard when all students had arrived, gathering in front of him and the other Professors. "My name is Wilkie Twycross, and I shall be your Ministry Apparition instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for your Apparition Tests in this time -"

"Mr. Malfoy!" snapped Professor McGonagall, abruptly. "Be quiet and pay attention!"

All the Hall, Teddie saw heads turning towards the back of the room. She didn't need see Malfoy flush with humiliation at being caught red-handed, but the idea did make her bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning.

"- by which time, many of you may be ready to take your tests," Twycross continued. "As you may know, I is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, to enable you to practice. May I emphasise that you will not be able to Apparate outside the walls of this Hall, and that you would be unwise to try."

Teddie glanced at Daphne.

"At least we don't have to worry about sending a search party for Mason," Daphne whispered.

Teddie covered her mouth with her hand to cover her snort.

"I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet of space in front of you," Twycross instructed.

The friends scrambled away from one another. Teddie found herself standing in the middle of her group, to her left were Theo and Daphne, to her right was Blaise and Mason. They each spread their arms, measuring the space between them, and assuring the other that they were, well within the five feet apart.

Teddie looked right as her fingers brushed against a silk robe and found Professor Snape sliding through the gap between her and Mason. He glanced at the pair and then nodded before carrying on separating other students and break up any arguments that were occurring.