The Slytherin Champion (The Four Maidens of Hogwarts #1)

Chapter Seventeen

A/N - Wanted to do a faster update because I was very slow for the last update.  Things might be a little dramatic this chapter so I hope I wrote it well :'D Hope you like! :)

Jade was a bit surprised at how the rest of January rolled by pretty quickly. Some of the snow was starting to melt outside, but the weather was still cold, dry, and wet. No one really wanted to go outside in this damp weather. Luckily, the first Apparition lesson was indoors in the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was a bit crowded by the time she got there, or rather, people were just standing in one big blob in front of the entrance. She silently cursed, gently shoving people out of her way so she could get through. She could make out the back of Adonis's hair over the heads of the shorter people.

"You made it." Adonis remarked.

"Apparition lessons on a Saturday morning, just what I want to wake up to." Jade replied in a rather dry tone.

Adonis seemed like he was about to reply, but then someone stumbled into him from behind. He lurched forward slightly but managed to remain on his two feet. He whirled around, eyes hardening in annoyance. He opened his mouth, probably to yell at whoever had ran into him, but instantly shut it when he saw who it was.

"I-I'm sorry. I was trying to find someone I know, and then I got pushed... into you." Cait leaned forward, her hands on her knees, to steady herself.

Adonis didn't reply, but rather blinked in a perplexed manner before straightening himself. He shoved his hands into his pockets and proceeded to look around the room.

Cait brushed herself off before asking him. "You're okay, right?" She seemed a bit concerned.

"It was a bump, not a Killing Curse. I'm as fine as I can be." Adonis responded, tilting his head downward slightly to glance at her.

Jade couldn't see the look on Cait's face, but Cait merely nodded. Jade gave Adonis a look. She knew it had been sarcasm, but it just seemed really petty in the moment.

"Are you okay?" Jade asked Cait, turning to glare at the various people behind Cait who could have pushed her.

"Oh!" Cait nearly jumped around to face her. "Yeah, I'm perfectly okay. I mean, now that I've found you." She came to stand by Jade. "I've never Apparated before, so I'm a little nervous."

A flutter rested in Jade's chest. "It'll be okay."

She then heard a clap from the front of the hall. Everyone quieted to see Professor McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout, the Heads of the Houses, at the front. Along with them was a man with wispy gray hair. He waved his wand, and the tables in the middle magically pushed themselves to the side.

"Good morning." The wizard started. "I am your Ministry-Apparition Instructor, Mr. Wilkie Twycross. I hope to prepare you for the Apparition test within this twelve-week course." He gestured to the windows, rain drops sliding down the glass panes. "Headmaster Dumbledore has lifted the enchantment preventing Apparition for our class. However, you will not be able to Apparate outside the Great Hall, and I strongly advise against trying." He then cleared his throat. "Please allow yourselves at least five feet of space in front of you. Let's begin."

The big blob that they were all in started to disperse. Jade merely stood her ground, as now there wasn't really anyone directly in front of her anyway. Adonis shifted a few paces to the left to give them both more space, and Cait did the same on her right. The Heads of the Houses were going around the Hall, making sure that everyone had enough space.

"Very good." Mr. Twycross flicked his wand, and suddenly golden circular hoops appeared in front of everyone. "The three most important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's. Repeat after me. Destination, Determination, and Deliberation."