A storm is coming in and I wanted to get this up before I had to shut everything down. I'll answer comments next time. Sorry, 'cause i wanted to answer a few question really bad.

Chapter 34

"The first lesson you must learn before Disapparating is concentration."

The Order of the Dog Star sat in a semi-circle on the practice mats in the room of Requirement trying to be very attentive to the headmaster.

"I would like each of you to remember all of your thoughts for the previous ten minutes."

He stood, solemnly, with his hands together as he surveyed the reactions of his class.

"How many of you were thinking only of this lesson? Truthfully now."

They looked at each other with embarrassment as the professor chuckled.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of, I assure you. I personally had approximately fifteen things on my mind, only one of which was this lesson." The group felt a small measure of relief at his revelation.

"However, I was not attempting to Disapparate either."

Harry grimaced. He had hoped the lesson would be going better by this point. Magic had come so easily to him this year, each lesson taking only a small amount of relative time to master.

"In battle you will find it that much harder to find the ability to concentrate. The flow of adrenaline into your blood stimulates certain areas of your brain increasing blood flow and pressure to the needed areas of your body. Your breathing rate increases and your senses expand, thus taking in more sensory information than is needed in some cases."

Ron raised his hand, "Should we be taking notes?"

Harry thought Dumbledore would laugh at the comment, but he didn't.

"No. You will not be subjected to a written test, but perhaps the feeling of having your body torn asunder, flailing around in two different places will give you ample opportunity to reflect on this lesson."

The look on Ron's face was not unlike the look of a person swallowing his tongue and choking on it.

"Yes, sir."

"I do not mean to be harsh, but realistic," he sighed. "What you are doing in this class has not been attempted by ones so young since before I attended this school as a student. Concentration is of paramount importance."

He surveyed them again to see if his short lecture had made it though.

"Yes, Hermione."

"When we were at ... um ... during the summer, Ron's brothers are already licensed, but they didn't seem to ... well ... concentrate when they disaparate."

Dumbledore nodded, "Quite right. Stand up Hermione. Over here, don't be shy."

She walked over and stood in front of him.

"How did you perform that action?"

She looked to the side not quite understanding. "What action, sir?"

"You rose from your position and moved across the floor as if it were no trouble at all."

She cocked her head a little.

"I stand assured that you did not always take that simple act with such lack of concentration. Take your seat."

She returned and Dumbledore faced the group again. "If any of you have been blessed with a younger brother or sister and had the opportunity to watch them around a year of age, you will have seen a look on their face of complete devotion to the chore ... of walking. Yet here you are, taking it for granted.

"Apparation/Disapparation, once learned, is much the same, except under high stress situations."

He conjured a comfortable looking armchair and sat down.

"I want each of you to close your mind and try to clear away any thoughts that might be trying to intrude. Come along, everyone, Neville."

Satisfied that everyone was, at least, trying, he continued, "I want each of you to imagine you are sitting on the edge of a pond surrounded by a circle of trees and there are ripples imitating from the middle stretching outward."

His voice softened and became monotonous, "The sounds of any wildlife slowly start to disappear, and you feel as if you are all alone except for the rippling of the water. The ripples begin to slow and you see the surface of the water become clearer with each passing second until eventually it is smooth as glass."

He leaned forward slightly, "Keep that picture in your mind of the glass like surface of the water. Any thought that may enter your head will become a ripple that is brushed away into the flat motionless surface.

"Picture yourself becoming -- not here --- and instead, back in your dormitories in bed. Now concentrate on that feeling of 'not here' followed by laying back in bed. Not here -- in bed, not here --- in bed."

A loud pop sounded startling everyone out of their imposed concentration. Harry, Neville, and Hermione all had their wands out seconds afterwards.

"What was that?" said Ginny breathing heavy after being shaken from the trance-like state.

Harry looked right and left until his eyes fell on Luna.

"It was me." she said looking up at Dumbledore. "I saw it, for a brief second, I saw it."

"What," asked Harry excitedly.

"My bed! But it was like I couldn't get there and was thrown back."

Dumbledore smiled with satisfaction, "Had the wards that prevent Apparation around the school not been in place there is a good possibility that you would be laying in bed." He paused, "Now that we have had a successful attempt we she try again. Neville, will you please wake Mr. Weasley up?"

**********************

The weekend brought a little more excitement into the life of Hermione Granger, but not so much for her husband-to-be.

"Try this one, Harry."

He tried to be supportive and kept a straight calm face, but in his opinion this suit jacket was exactly like the last fifteen he had tried on. He turned around and she slid it up is arms, settling the shoulders out afterward.

"Okay, spin." She watched as he turned back and the inevitable grimace appeared on her face.

"I don't see anything here that I like? And this was the last place that I held hope for," she sighed in frustration.

Harry nodded, and resigned himself yet another store, the seventh in three hours. He slid the coat back off and Hermione hung it up.

A sales person took a look around the store and pressed in closer, handing Hermione a card. "If I might make a suggestion."

Hermione nodded, "Yes?"

"From some of the outfits you have perused I see that money is not a issue."

She looked at Harry for conformation and he urged her on.

"Go to this address. He's a friend of mine, just starting out in the business, but he has fabulous ideas and a keen eye for what the younger client wants."

Hermione looked at the card. It had a single name and a London address. "Is he a tailor?"

She smiled, "Of sorts. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years every one knew his name."

Harry took the card and looked at the address passing it to Lupin afterward. "Thank you for your help, we'll give it a try."

He turned to see a Lupin chucking it up.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Lily was the same way. Must have spent an entire week looking for something that James would look good in."

"Thanks," Harry said dryly. "Maybe we'll have luck with this tailor person.

Lupin laughed and turned to the door, "Hold on and let me get the all clear from Applegate."

Stephen Applegate was the newest inductee to the Order of the Phoenix. He was handpicked by Kingsley Shaklebolt and Tonks so his references were good enough for the couple.

Harry watched as the forty-something wizard gave one last look up and down the street before giving the okay for he and Hermione to proceed. Lupin always brought up the back, and slid into the back of the Ministry car provided for their safety by the Minister himself.

Lupin sighed heavily when he leaned back into the plush seat. "I will be incredibly happy when you two are licensed to apperate."

"You'll be happy?" Hermione scoffed. "You should see the amount of dust and ash I have to get out of my hair at the end of the day after flooing here and there."