Ternion || Oliver Wood

Chapter 95

Apparition

Snow began to melt around the school as February arrived, to be replaced by cold, dreary wetness. Purplish-gray clouds hung low over the castle and a constant fall of chilly rain made the lawns slippery and muddy. Spring was coming around. The upshot of this was that the sixth years' first Apparation lesson, which was scheduled for a Saturday morning so that no normal lessons would be missed, took place in the Great Hall instead of in the grounds.

When Susan, Dran and I arrived in the hall we found that the tables had disappeared. Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly about us as we assembled in front of Professor McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout — the Heads of Houses — and a small wizard whom I took to be the Apparation 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.

I wondered whether constant disappearances and reappearances had somehow diminished his substance, or whether this frail build was ideal for anyone wishing to vanish.

"Good morning," said the Ministry wizard, when all the students had arrived and the Heads of Houses had called for quiet. "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 —"

"Malfoy, be quiet and pay attention!" barked Professor McGonagall to my cousin, Draco who was whispering and chatting around with his friends.

Everybody looked around. Malfoy had flushed dull pink; he looked furious as he stepped away from Lilith, with whom he appeared to have been having a whispered argument.

"— by which time, many of you may be ready to take your test," Twycross continued, as though there had been no interruption.

"As you 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." He uttered.

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

There was a great scrambling and jostling as people separated, banged into each other, and ordered others out of their space. The Head of Houses moved among the students, marshaling us into position and breaking up arguments.

"Quiet!" all four of the Heads of Houses shouted and silence fell again.

"Thank you," said Twycross. "Now then..."

He waved his wand. Old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared on the floor in front of every student.

"The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's!" said Twycross, all heads were pointed and focused on him. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation!"

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

Everyone, even me, looked around furtively to check that everyone else was staring into their hoop, then hastily did as we were told. I gazed at the circular patch of dusty floor enclosed by my hoop and tried to think of nothing else. Which was very simple for I had been doing it to remember and see my Dad's memories for like the whole semester now.