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If you are seventeen years of age or will turn seventeen on or before August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Costs are twelve galleons.
That was how it started with a sign in the Hufflepuff common room. The sign had been put up before the Yule Ball and Lina had signed up under the encouragement of Cedric but then, of course, Christmas night happened and Lina had other things on her mind other than learning to Apparate.
But after everything Lina did want to learn, she knew it would be a useful skill to learn.
The Saturday of the first lesson Lina met Fred, George and Lee and the four headed into the entrance hall together. The hall had been stripped of all tables and Professor McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and Snape, all four heads of houses were waiting alongside another wizard were waiting for the students.
Lina knew this was the Ministry Wizard, he was fairly small in height, he looked like a strong gust of wind would knock him straight over, his hair was wispy and white in colour just like his eyebrows and eyelashes.
"Is he a ghost?" Less whispered, the twins sniggered in response.
"Children" Lina whispered to them.
"Hey! That hurts female Lee, we're older than you" Fred said.
"And taller" George added.
"Good morning," the Ministry Wizard said promptly stopping the conversations going on around him "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 test in this time teaching you all how to successfully Apparate and Disapparate. Hopefully, after these twelve weeks, many of you shall be ready to take your test. As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts, the headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely with the great hall, for one hour, so as to enable you to practise. 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. I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet of space in front of you."
Lina moved away from the twins and Lee to get a bit of free space but they were still the closest people to her.
Once the heads of houses were satisfied with the students spacing and had shouted at them to be white while Twycross continued.
"Thank you," Twycross said "now then" he pulled his wand out, waved it and wooden hoops suddenly appeared in front of every student. "The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's. Destination, Determination, Deliberation! Step one: fix your mind firmly upon the desired destination, in this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentrate upon that destination now."
Lina looked hesitantly around the room to see what others were doing, most people like Lina were watching their friend's others were watching their hoop.
Lina closed her eyes and envisioned the hoop so intently it felt as result as the actual one in front of her.
"Step two," Twycross said "focus your determination to occupy the visualised space! Let your yearning to enter it flood your body. Step three! And only when I give the command...turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness, moving with deliberation! On my command, now. One...two...three!"
Lina attempted to spin but all she did was trip over her own feet and fall onto the stone floor with a yelp.
"Impressive" George said laughing at Lina.
"Ass," Lina said glaring at her friend and stood back up for another attempt. Lina's second attempt went just as well as her first but this time she didn't fall so...improvement. On the third attempt, Lina still hadn't been able to move, although George had, he had twirled, tripped and landed flat on his back. "Impressive" Lina laughed at him.
From George's position on the floor, he flipped Lina off much to her amusement.
"Mr Weasley!" Professor McGonagall snapped having seen the gesture "five points from Gryffindor and do not let me see you make such gestures again otherwise detention."
"Everyone remember to concentrate!" Twycross called out "otherwise splinching or separation of random body parts can occur. This will happen when the mind is insufficiently determined. You much concentrate continually upon your destination and move without haste but with deliberation. Allow me to demonstrate" Twycross stepped forward, turning on the spot, he disappeared and reappeared at the back of the hall. "Remember the three D's. Try again in one...two...three."
An hour later and no one had been able to successfully Apparate, the most exciting thing that had happened was George getting told off by McGonagall. But apparently, that was normal.
"See you all next Saturday," Twycross said at the end of the lesson "and don't forget the three D's" with that he waved his wand, the hoops disappeared and Twycross left the hall with Professor McGonagall.
"There are so many things I could say regarding the three D's," Fred said.
"How is it sometimes you act like a five year old and other times you act your age, not judging just wondering," Lina said shrugging.
The four left the hall and met Lucy who was waiting patiently for them, Fred walked forwards and pulled Lucy to him placing his lips on hers.
"Cute" Lee said.
"No, it's disgusting" George scoffed looking away from his twin.
"I'm happy for them but this is still weird," Lina said as the couple broke.
"Ok, female Lee" Fred said keeping his hands on Lucy "we're all going to sneak out the Hogsmeade, you coming?"
"I wish" Lina sighed "but I've got hospital duty, have fun" she gave Lucy a quick hug "don't get drunk" she teased and headed off to the hospital wing.
