Chapter 29

Apparition Lesson

Disclaimer: Everything in Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I got nothing out of this except for enjoyment.

Two more days passed, and it was Friday again. The students who had still not mastered the spells that they had practised a few days ago didn't feel too good.

A few of them were lazy enough to either forget how to do the spell properly or forget to practise them. Apparently they were not too keen on this subject.

As soon as Harry and Hermione arrived at their Charms class after break, Professor Collins asked the students to come forward to demonstrate if they could perform the spells they had learnt properly now.

To his amazement, most of the students had passed the spells, only a few of them didn't get it right.

"We shall move on now," Professor Collins said. "Turn to page twenty seven, everyone."

Then he approached Harry and Hermione.

"I know that you have already studied the spells on page twenty seven, but we will do it together in our next class, keep reading for now," he said, and Harry and Hermione nodded.

The class went on in silence, and some students almost fell asleep in class, that Professor Collins had to wake them up. He was disappointed with the fact that some students had the gut to sleep in class.

"If you have trouble with a spell I will understand, but sleeping in class is not an acceptable behavior," he said.

After the class, the students were muttering with each other.

"You should have slept earlier last night, and you should have at least made a start on your homework before dinner time."

"You were one of the students who had been delaying Professor Collins from teaching us new spells, I am sick of having to wait for everyone else to catch up before I learn something new."

Harry and Hermione ignored the students' muttering, and they went to their next class.

/Scene Break/

After lunch, Harry and Hermione made their way to the Arithmancy classroom.

As soon as everyone arrived, Professor Santos started her class.

"Today we will be talking about Spell Extension," she said. "Spell Extension will extend a spell to make it more stronger."

"Examples of Spell Extension includes: Lumos, and Lumos Maxima," she went on.

Harry and Hermione listened as Professor Santos talked, and they were transfixed about the topic she was talking about.

Several other students, however, had asked some questions about certain things related to the topic, which wasted a little bit time of the class.

After the lesson, Harry and Hermione went to the History of Magic classroom.

Professor Holland had asked the students to read page twenty, and he had issued the students homework, to write a ten inch essay about the topic they had read on.

Harry and Hermione walked out of the History of Magic classroom, and made their way back to the common room.

Upon arriving inside the common room, Harry saw Herbert and Emmitt doing their homework. He and Hermione put their bags down, and pulled out their homework, and began to do it.

As the dinner time approached, their History of Magic homework were nearly finished.

During dinner time, a few first year students had a bit of an argument about a difficult homework that the teachers had set them.

"It is not that difficult," one of the other first year student said.

"It is not easy," one of the few first year student who were arguing answered back.

Harry and Hermione could not help out with the argument, one reason was that they had never started their magical education from their first year here, and another reason was that they didn't think helping anyone to do their homework would bring benefits to them.

The first years fell silent when Herbert walked over to them.

Herbert glanced at them for a moment, and then he left.

As Harry and Hermione departed from the hall, some students were still eating, and after they had finished, they made their way back to the common room, and began to continue doing their History of Magic homework.

It took them another half an hour to finish their History of Magic homework.

Just then, they heard a commotion coming from the nearby common room.

Curious, they went into the common room to have a look, and they discovered that there were students who tried to beat each other up.

A few students had managed to get out of that common room, and then the commotion suddenly stopped.

Five minutes later, Professor Holland arrived, and he was dismayed at what he had seen.

"Mr Snyder, you will be on detention with me tomorrow at seven o'clock in the evening in my office," he said.

Mike Snyder, the first year student who had started the incident didn't say anything.

Harry and Hermione checked their watch, and discovered that it was nearly eight o'clock.

They went back to the common room where they had been before, and they sat down, then they saw Herbert and Georgina arrived.

"Hi Harry," Herbert said. "This is Georgina."

"Hi Georgina," Harry said.

"Hi Harry," Georgina said. "What year are you?"

"I am a sixth year, what about you?" asked Harry.

"I am a third year," Georgina said.

/Scene Break/

On the following morning, after breakfast, Sirius received the latest Wizarding newspaper.

He was slightly shocked as he started reading.

Dark Wizards Attack a Wizard's Home.

At about nine o'clock yesterday, a few Dark Wizards had attempted to attack a Wizarding home in Alberta. Fortunately no one in that home had died, one infant Wizard was injured, and is currently in hospital.

One of the Dark Wizard had been captured by the Ministry Aurors. He is currently in custody, and awaiting trial.

He put down the newspaper, and sighed.

He was thankful that this incident did not occur too frequently, but he had no idea if such an incident would ever occur again. He was also relieved that the Ministry of Magic in Canada had taken action much faster than the Ministry of Magic in Britain.

A moment later, Dan and Emma approached him.

"What's up, Sirius?" Dan asked.

Sirius handed Dan the Wizarding newspaper, and Dan began to read it.

After Dan had finished reading, he handed the newspaper back.

"I just hope that no Dark wizards would come into our house to attack us," he said. "At least we are safe for now."

"And as of now, the only person who can use magic in this house is me," Sirius said.

"And if any Death Eaters -"

"No!" Sirius interrupted. "Death Eaters are known as Voldemort's followers. Dark wizards may or may not be known as Death Eaters."

"Than that means the Dark wizards are the ones that need to be arrested," Dan said.

Sirius nodded.

About one week later, Sirius received another news on the Wizarding newspaper, saying that the Dark wizards who had attacked a Wizarding family home had been arrested.

He felt a surge of relief.

/Scene Break/

Harry and Hermione were still quite busy during the weekend, even though they didn't get as much homework as they had before. They were looking through their books, and they studied one chapter ahead of the others.

Some of the other sixth years, however, had taken this opportunity as their advantage. They began to roam in the school grounds after they had finished their homework.

The fifth years were a little bit more busy than the sixth years, since they would be taking their OWLs this year.

After Harry and Hermione finished reading, they stood up again.

"Wait," Harry said. "We should consider to learn how to apparate."

"We could," Hermione agreed.

So they wrote a letter each to the Ministry of Magic to book an Apparition lesson, and they sent it out.

"Blimey, we could've asked Sirius about apparition earlier," Harry said.

"I am not saying this is a bad idea, Harry," Hermione said. "But we will get there anyway."

Throughout the day, they chatted with their friends, and as Joshua and Amanda arrived, Harry mentioned it.

"Right, that's a good thing," Joshua said. "I should do it too. I'll write a letter to the Ministry tonight."

/Scene Break/

Harry and Hermione received their letters after lunch on the following day.

Dear Mr Potter

Thank you for your interest in learning how to apparate.

I will send another letter which will include the time, and the date that you will be taking your apparition lesson.

Do you prefer to take your apparition lesson in Saint Acute or in the Ministry of Magic?

If you wish to take your apparition lesson in Saint Acute, the teachers will inform the students that there will be an apparition lesson taking place, and other students who are already seventeen or will turn seventeen this year may join in.

If you wish to take your apparition lesson in the Ministry of Magic, then a registered portkey will be issued to you so you can use it to get to the Ministry.

Please send back your answer before next Friday.

Regards

Brandon Blair

Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement

P. S. There's a booklet enclosed with this letter, telling you everything about apparition, please take a look at it in your leisure.

Hermione looked at Harry.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Let's take our lesson here, it will give other students a chance to learn how to apparate as well," Harry replied. "Plus that we don't have to go elsewhere to take it."

Hermione nodded.

So Harry and Hermione wrote back to the Ministry, saying that they would like to take the lesson in Saint Acute.

"Let's go and tell Joshua about this," Harry said.

"There may be no need for us to do this, since the teachers will inform the students about this anyway," Hermione said.

They started to read the booklet on apparition.

Some time later, Hermione closed the booklet, while Harry was still staring at it.

As soon as Harry closed his booklet, he smiled, and Hermione smiled back.

They placed the booklets in their bags, and sat down again.

Just then, Herbert arrived, and sat down.

"Hi Herbert," Harry said.

"Hi Harry," Herbert said. "Finished your homework?"

Harry nodded.

Herbert stared outside, and then he turned his attention on Harry again when Joyce arrived inside, stroking her own hair for a little while. Her expression was dour.

Herbert did not turn to look at Joyce as she entered, and a moment later, Roy arrived inside, and he sat down on a chair and collapsed.

Harry took a glance at Roy, and then he turned back to Herbert again.

"Something must have gone wrong with Roy," he whispered.

"I suppose so," Herbert agreed.

Harry knew that something must have happened to Roy, although he had no idea what it was, but he suppose the most likely thing that had happened to Roy was that Roy had failed to get good grades again.

He turned to look at Joyce, and saw her stumping out of the room.

He had no idea what was wrong with her.

"Don't worry about her," Herbert said.

/Scene Break/

Harry and Hermione received another letter from the Ministry of Magic on Thursday afternoon at around three o'clock.

Dear Mr Potter

Since you have told me that you want to take your apparition lesson in the hall at Saint Acute, an instructor will come on Saturday afternoon at three o'clock to give you a lesson.

It will cost twelve Galleons per lesson.

Regards

Brandon Blair

Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Harry counted the dates, and he discovered that the date they take their apparition lesson fell on the school holiday.

As soon as he pointed this out to Hermione, she agreed the idea to sign up to stay in school for the holiday.

Harry put the letter back into the envelope, and placed it back into his bag.

Then he began to do his homework.

He finished a few of his homework at half past five, and then he went to the hall for dinner.

As he was eating, Emmitt told Herbert something very disturbing.

"A potion incident had happened this afternoon," he said. "Someone's cauldron melted, and the potion had burnt his skin."

"Who is he?" Herbert asked.

"Leo Fields," Emmitt said. "He's not very good at any subject in this school yet."

"This isn't something unusual," Herbert said simply.

After dinner, Harry and Hermione went back to the common room, and they continued to do their homework.

While they were half way to finish another one of their homework, Herbert and Emmitt entered the common room, and sat down. Then they pulled out their homework, and started doing it as well.

As soon as Harry had finished his homework, he checked his watch, and discovered that the short hand was pointing to nine, and the long hand was pointing to twelve.

He placed his homework inside his bag, and went to bed.

/Scene Break/

As the weekend arrived, Harry and Hermione checked their Galleons, and realised that they had much more than enough to cover even twenty days of apparition lessons.

They took their time to finish most of their homework before lunchtime.

After lunch, they went to the school grounds when Joshua turned up.

"I heard that there's going to be an apparition lesson today," he said.

"You are right Joshua," Harry said.

"I will join in with you," Joshua said.

So at quarter to three, Harry, Hermione and Joshua made their way to the hall to wait, and he saw the Headmaster and a few teachers were there.

After ten minutes had elapsed, there was a young man in his thirties turned up.

"It is nice to meet you again, Clay," the Headmaster said. "These people wants to learn how to apparate."

Clay nodded.

The Headmaster waved his wand, and all the tables moved to one side of the hall.

Clay looked at the three students, and he smiled.

"My name is Clay Spencer, I knew that at least two of you had received your apparition booklets," he said. "Still, I wouldn't expect you to successfully attempt it for the first time."

Harry and Hermione both nodded.

"Now, apparition is the way that Wizards use to transport themselves from one place to another," Clay went on. "There are three Ds for apparition, Destination, Determination, and Deliberation."

There was a pause.

"Since this is your first time, I don't want to see you apparate too far, let's do it this way," he said.

He turned to the Headmaster, and whispered something in his ear, and the Headmaster nodded.

"You three follow me," the Headmaster said.

Harry, Hermione and Joshua followed him, and Clay followed right behind Harry until they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Let them apparate to the Charms classroom," the Headmaster suggested.

Clay nodded, and he turned to the three students as the Headmaster left for the Charms classroom.

"For starters, I would like you three to apparate to the Charms classroom," he said. "Kindly concentrate upon that destination now."

Harry's mind immediately concentrated on the Charms classroom, and he stood still.

"Secondly, focus your determination to occupy the visualised space! Let your longing to enter it flood from your mind to every particle of your body!"

Harry's mind immediately focused on what Clay had said.

"Thirdly, and only when I give the command, feeling your way into nothingless, moving with deliberation, on the count to three, one... two... three..."

Harry turned on the spot, but at the same time he lost his balance, Joshua didn't move, and Hermione was a bit nervous that she didn't move either.

"This is just the first time, let's try again," Clay said.

For one hour they practised, and Harry had managed to successfully apparate for the first time for once, and Hermione apparated successfully a few tries after that, although she vomited. Joshua was still a little bit nervous after the hour.

"We will try again next time," Clay said.

Harry, Hermione and Joshua took out twelve Galleons each, and handed to Clay.

"Thanks," Clay said.

Harry and Hermione walked back to the common room, and they sat down again.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I am okay," Hermione answered. "You don't mind me taking the apparition test a bit early than you?"

"No," Harry said.

"Straight after you turn seventeen, there's no reason that you will fail as long as you concentrate," Hermione said. "You did seem to make quite a good progress, after all."

"At least none of us had splinched ourselves," Harry said. "Do you think it would be better to learn how to repair splinch damage?"

"If you didn't do it properly things could go worse," Hermione said. "Who would want to experiment splinching for the sake of letting us master how to repair splinch damage?"

"In some cases we may have to learn how to do this properly anyway," Harry said.

"Are you seeking to be an apparition instructor after you graduate, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry laughed.

"Not quite," he said. "You've got a point, though, since an apparition instructor needs to know how to repair splinch damage, you need to learn how to do it if you want to be one."

"Have you ever heard any Wizard who had already got apparition license splinching themselves?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Don't know if there is any point asking this question," he said. "I don't even know if any apparition instructor would give an answer to this question. Let's just focus on not splinch ourselves when we apparate, ever!"

End of chapter