Sarafina Weasley: Book Six

First Apparition Lesson

Sarafina's POV

It's now February and the snow has began to melt. It's also time for our first apparition lesson.  I walked to the great hall with Hermione. I spot Draco and smile glad he came. But don't go say hello as he is in the middle of a conversation with Crabbe and Goyle. Ron is still with Lavender. Honestly they're cross. I notice all the tables including the staff table are gone.

Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly above us. As we assembled in front of Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout. Along with a small wizard whom I believe is 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.

The heads of house call for quiet. "Good Morning" the ministry official says smiling. "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" he explains.

"Malfoy, be quiet and pay attention" McGonagall barks. I look to see Draco still talking to his friends. Draco flushed a dull pink; he looked furious as he stepped away from Crabbe. We all turn back to the apparition instructor.

"By which time, many of you may be ready to take your test" he finishes his introduction. "As most of 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" he tells us.

I move with the others to get into position. The heads of house move to ensure we each have a space. While breaking up minor arguments. "Harry, where are you going?" I hear Hermione demand. I look over to see him making his way through the crowd and frown. Where is he going?

He makes his way past the place where Professor Flitwick was making squeaky attempts to position a few Ravenclaws. All of whom wanted to be near the front, past Professor Sprout, who was chivvying the Hufflepuffs into line. Until, dodging around Ernie Macmillan, he managed to position himself right at the back of the crowd, directly behind Draco.

I glare at him, he couldn't leave my boyfriend alone. I notice arguing with Crabbe again. I just shake my head and turn back to the front of the room. "Quiet!" the heads of house say as we all finally in our positions.

"Now then" the instructor says waving his wand. An old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared on the floor in from of every student. "The important things to remember when Apparating are the three Ds! Destination, Determination, Deliberation" he tells us. "Step one: fix your mind firmly upon the desired destination. In this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentrate upon that destination now" he instructs.

I start to do as instructed. Focusing souly on the hoop in front of me. "Step two; focus your determination to occupy the visualized space! Let your yearning to enter it flood from your mind to every particle of your body" he instructs. I do so. "Step three and only when I give the command. Turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness, moving with deliberation. On my command" he tells us.

I get ready to turn. Focusing on my destination and my determination to get there. "One, two , three" he says and I turn on the spot. I feel myself be sucked into a pipe and land harshly into my hoop. The whole Hall was suddenly full of staggering people; Neville was flat on his back; Ernie Macmillan, on the other hand, had done a kind of pirouet-ting leap into his hoop and looked momentarily thrilled, until he caught sight of Dean Thomas roaring with laughter at him.

"Never mind, never mind" the instructor ensures them. "Fix your hoops and get back to your original positions" he tells us. "Also, what's your name miss?" he asks me.

"Sarafina Weasley" I say as my head stops spinning.

"Well Miss Weasley, you did very well for your first time. Have you side long apparated before this?" he asks me.

"A little yes" I tell him.

"It shows, though you need to work on your landing and you did leave some of your hair behind" he says looking behind me. I touch my hair and realize half of it is gone. I look back to see it on the floor. He waves his wand and the hair on the floor disappears. "Take ten points for gryffindor and get back into position" he tells me. I do so after fixing my hoop.

"Well done Sara" Hermione says smiling.

"Shame about your hair though" Parvati says.

"It's ok, I was thinking of getting a hair cut. I'll tidy it up later" I tell her. It took a while before anyone else apparated. There was a horrible screech of pain and everybody looked around, terrified, to see Susan Bones of Hufflepuff wobbling in her hoop with her left leg still standing five feet away where she had started.  The Heads of House converged on her; there was a great bang and a puff of purple smoke, which cleared to reveal Susan sobbing, reunited with her leg but looking horrified.

"Sph'nching, or the separation of random body parts. Like Miss Weasley's hair from earlier" the instructor tells us. "It occurs when the mind is insufficiently determined. You must concentrate continually upon your destination, and move, without hasie, but with deliberation ... thus" he explains. Twycross stepped forwards, turned gracefully on the spot with his arms outstretched and vanished in a swirl of robes, reappearing at the back of the Hall. "Remember the three Ds" he tells us.

We continue on with the lesson. "Until next Saturday, everybody, and do not forget: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation" Twycross tells us at the end of the lesson. He vanishes the hoops and leaves with Professor McGonagall.

"I guess all that time with the order, paid off" Hermione says.

"Guess so, but going five feet is nothing compared to the times I side long apparated. But I think I finally getting the hang of landing and I haven't left anything else behind" I state. "Anyway, will you help me fix my hair?" I ask her. She nods her head.

"You know at this rate you'll be able to go for your test when you turn seventeen" she tells me.

"I'm sure I won't be allowed to do that until after the twelve weeks" I tell her.

"You never know" she tells me smiling. We go to our dorm room. I sit in front of the mirror and Hermione brushes my hair. Before trimming it, making it one length. Then brushes it again to get rid of the loose strands of hair. Before we decide to do our homework.