All the Time in the World | Sirius Black

17. Furry Problem

About two weeks later, all of sixth year started their Apparating lessons. Lily, Marlene, and the boys were all excited to finally begin the lessons. Despite already knowing how to properly Apparate, I was still excited to see my friends first attempts. Severus and I started to talk again, a little more normal, but not like how we use to due to the situation— more on my part than his.

When Lily, Marlene, and I arrived in the Hall (The Marauders were running late, per usual), we found that the tables had disappeared. Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly above them as they assembled in front of Professors McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick, and Sprout — the Heads of Houses— and a small wizard whom I took to be the Apparition instructor from the Ministry. He was oddly colorless, 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 the students had arrived and the Heads of Houses had called for quiet. "My name is Simon Witicker 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 at this time by which, many of you may be ready to take your tests."

A small murmur of excitement floated through the Hall, but was silences with a sharp look of Professor McGonagll.

"As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, so as to enable you to practice. May I emphasize 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."

People scrambled around trying to get out of each other's way, banging into each other, and ordered others out of their space. Instead of just moving a few feet away from each other, James and Sirius moved from their spots to that James was standing next to Lily, who was on my right, and Sirius was standing on my left. Once everyone was quiet and situated, Witicker began.

"The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's!" said Witicker. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation!" I mouthed along with him.

"Step one: Fix your mind firmly upon the desired destination," said Witicker. "In this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentrate upon that destination now."

I looked down at the dusty tiles and saw a little blue hoop had appeared in front of me five feet away. The hoop was about three feet in diameter, big enough for me to fit in. Instead of the red hoop I had used for my Apparation Lessons with Wilkie Twycross, these hoops were blue.

"Step two," said Witicker, "focus your determination to occupy the visualized space! Let your yearning to enter it flood from your mind to every particle of your body!"

Looking around, people turned red in the face trying to concentrate on the side in the hoop. I bit my bottom lip remembering the funny faces of the people around me last time, they were the same.

"Step three," called Witicker, "and only when I give the command... Turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness, moving with deliberation! On my command, now... one —"

I glanced around again; lots of people were looking alarmed at being asked to Apparate so quickly.

"—two—"

Turning my back towards the hoop, I thought about my destination. This felt like taking a single step instead of materializing a few feet away. I had Apparated more than one person, multiple times, thousands of feet away— this exercise was nothing.