Apparition

We were given our timetables after a dessert of lamingtons and apple pie and homemade old English toffee ice cream, and the first years were assigned their houses. Harry was still shaking his head as Ms Mathers called out whether they'd be in "Wandjina", "Adnoartina", "Mimi", or "Pioial" as they passed on their way to bed.

"Crazy," I heard him mutter as I neared him on my way through to the stairs. "Where's the interhouse rivalry, the drama, the magic?"

"You're asking where the magic is at a magic school?" I said, smirking.

He raised his eyebrows. "You don't know what you're missing."

"Annalise Tripton, you're in Wandjina," Ms Mathers said, then added to Harry, "Oh yes, Harry, I'm well aware what we've escaped, thank you very much. Move along, Romy."

I glanced at Harry silently, hoping he'd figure out I wanted to ask him about the alarm, but Ms Mathers said, "Harry Potter doesn't need students gawking. Now move along." She jabbed me with her wand to make a point.

I huffed and kept going. Ms Mathers knew perfectly well that I was part of the investigation. Although I suppose her order was a ruse – there were still plenty of people around, and they'd probably get suspicious if I wandered away with Harry.

"Ooo, look, we have the whole afternoon off tomorrow," Pippa said, scanning her timetable. Her face fell. "Although we have double Charms with Mr Stone first up."

She peeked at my timetable, then at Evie's. When she saw Evie's, her eyes widened. "Full enough for you?"

"I haven't figured out what I want to do yet," Evie said, sighing as she looked over her classes. "I can't specialise, so I need to cram in as much as possible."

I looked at it, too. "Wow, Evie."

She folded it and shoved it in her pocket. "I know."

The seventh year girls' dorm was on the third floor in a wide room overlooking the river. The birrups had taken our luggage up and set everything in the centre of the room so we could choose our beds. Because I'd lingered by Harry downstairs, we were too late to snag one by a window.

All the beds were beautiful, with a polished Jarrah frame and diaphanous curtains that draped from a centre point to the posters to the floor like a circus tent. The material might've been shimmery and sheer, but it allowed complete privacy when pulled around the bed.

"I'm so full," Pippa moaned, flopping on her bed. She patted her stomach, which seemed to have grown twice its usual size over dinner. "I shouldn't have had that second helping of apple pie."

"Never regret, Pippa," Evie said, pulling her toothbrush from her suitcase. "Stand by your decisions. Be proud of them."

Pippa only moaned in reply.

I grabbed my toothbrush too. In fourth year Evie had tried a teeth-brushing spell that had filled her mouth with suds and overflowed. The entire bathroom floor had a coating of bubbly fluoride before I'd found Aunt Shelly to reverse the spell. She'd cackled loudly and told Evie it was great to see her experimenting – the best inventors were ones who made tonnes of mistakes. Even so, no one in our year had ever dared try a tooth-brushing spell again.

We'd finished in the shared bathrooms, returned, and pulled on our pyjamas by the time Pippa finally felt well enough to sit up.

"You really should practice Apparition before the test," Evie said, climbing into bed.

"I can't do it," Abal Masri said from her window-side bed. "I've tried and tried, but all that happens is I turn in a circle. I haven't even gotten my Ls yet."

"Really?" Pippa said. "But the Learner's test is only on the theory."

Abal shrugged. "I guess I don't even understand the theory."

I was bursting to tell them – it wouldn't hurt to say it, probably, as long as I didn't mention I was already on my Ps.

"I can do it."

Everyone in hearing range turned to me. I couldn't contain my grin.

"You can't," said Evie, half scornful, half in awe.

"I can."

"You couldn't do it last year," Pippa said. "How could you possibly have learned over the summer?"

"I did."

It had taken rigorous training and a lot of tears and a terrible splinch, but I had passed my Ps before my first sting, and it was ridiculously unfair that I couldn't tell anyone. We had talked about Apparition ever since that first long walk down to Djurrong almost six years ago, wishing we could just Apparate there instead.

"Show us," Abal said.

I stood in the centre of the room. Most girls had stopped what they were doing to watch. I grinned at them, concentrated on a spot at the end of the room, stepped, and turned.

Nothing happened.

I frowned and tried it again.

Nothing.

Stacey Fern giggled. When Evie and Pippa glared at her, she said, "Sorry. She looks kind of silly, though."

And then everyone started giggling.

What the hell? Why couldn't I Apparate?

"Romy."

Everyone jumped as Ms Mathers stalked into the room, her voice as sharp as a whip. I flinched, even though technically I hadn't done anything wrong. She beckoned for me with a crooked finger.

Uh oh. Since when was it against the rules to Apparate? Last year's seventh graders did it all the time once they'd passed their tests.

I followed her quietly out of the dorm, but rather than tell me off, she continued walking.

"Where are we going?" I said.

She didn't answer. Harry met us halfway down the corridor. He glanced up and down the hallway, got out his wand, then whispered a spell. An odd wind rushed across me.

"Just checking," he said.

I shivered. "For what?"

"If anyone else is here."

I gave a pointed look at the empty stone corridor.

"Not everyone stays visible," Harry said, but didn't elaborate. "Listen, Romy, that alarm wasn't a mistake. I'd set it up for anyone trying to use the Floo Network in the castle without permission from your principal."

"I hadn't given anyone clearance to come through this evening," Ms Mathers said.

"So someone was trying to get in?"

"Yes." Harry looked grim. "My defensive spell would've sent them bouncing back to wherever they came from, but that was definitely a test of our security. Hopefully with that and the Apparition Impediment spell, we'll be able to –"

"The what?"

"I've got a spell on the castle to prevent anyone from Apparating or Disapparating anywhere in the grounds –"

"You what?" I put my hands on my hips. "Didn't I tell you to give me a list of all new security in the castle?"

"I was getting to it. I've had a busy day, you know."

I groaned. "What about when we visit Djurrong? What about when mums and dads want to drop in for a visit? What about when teachers need to fetch some rare plant or animal for classes? What about all the seventh years practicing for Apparition tests?"

"It's a pain, I know," Ms Mathers said, grimacing. "But it's needed. We were one of the few schools left in the world that didn't have all that security in the first place. We used to be safe." She let out a heavy sigh. "Not anymore. Parents and teachers will have to Apparate and Disapparate outside the grounds, and students will be taken in groups to practice for their tests. It's the only way, I'm afraid."

No wonder I couldn't show off in front of my friends. I had been dying to do that since I'd first Apparated.

"Wait – maybe that's who it was who set off the Floo Network alarm," I said. "Just a parent who'd tried to drop something someone had forgotten off at the school, realised they couldn't Apparate, and tried Floo powder instead."

"We sent out notes before term started," Ms Mathers said, but she looked uncertain. "Knowing parents, some wouldn't have read it, though."

Harry's expression was set in determination. "Even so, I'm going to patrol tonight."

"I wouldn't bother," Ms Mathers said. "Romy's probably right."

"Doesn't matter. I'm going to patrol anyway." Harry said goodnight and walked away.

I turned to Ms Mathers, eyebrows raised. "He really takes this seriously. After all his security, you'd think he'd be able to sleep at night."

"His eldest son's almost the age of the targeted victims," Ms Mathers said, watching his retreating back. "I don't think he's slept right since he found out about the killer." She sighed. "I don't think any of us have."