CHAPTER 23: Apparating

"That doesn't make any sense. I couldn't get through the barrier at platform 9 ¾ in my second year. I should've been able to walk right through it if you are right." Harry said quickly, not sure why he didn't want to believe it was true.

"I thought about that, I spoke with Dumbledore and a few teachers, all of whom have noticed something strange lately. In our opinion something triggered this ability. Maybe it has something to do with your legilimency, maybe it has to do with your wandless magic, I honestly don't know. My suspicion is that the wandless magic you are able to use is not simply manifested inside you, but it is all around you. It opens barriers for you and makes you move faster. I just know that if we tried right now, you could probably walk through the platform 9 ¾ barrier."

"Wait. So just because I walked through your ward I'm immune to all these other barriers? Maybe your ward was weak, maybe the dementor did something to it-"

"And why does Dumbledore's office open to you when to everyone else it is a magical barrier? And why have you been able to master legilimency even without much training. The mind sets up magical barriers, strengthened by occlumency, however these barriers don't stand up to you, they allow you inside. I've never met someone that could open Dumbledore's mind like that when he was trying his best to hide a memory, and you've only had one or two lessons!"

"But, this just doesn't make sense!" Harry stammered.

"When I spoke with you yesterday inside your mind I was testing you. I have had considerable practice with telepathy, you've never even thought about it. Yet you were able to beak through my mental barriers to speak with me, much like breaking down mental barriers to read people's minds."

"But what about the room at the Department of Mysteries?" I tried to get in this year, after these so called powers showed up, and I still couldn't get in!" Harry said quickly, not really sure why he didn't want this news to be true.

"There are two explanations that I can think of for that. First, the magic sealing that door is such that it cannot be broken by anyone until the correct time. This would mean that there are limits to your special ability. Another possible explanation is that your powers had not truly developed when you attempted your incursion." The Scot said pensively. When Harry didn't respond he began speaking again. "Dumbledore and I have decided that your apparition lessons should commence before the holiday break. You will meet Dumbledore by the whomping willow tonight at seven o'clock, wear your invisibility cloak." He signaled for Harry to leave, but as the Gryffindor turned the doorknob his professor called, "By the way, please don't tell anyone that you will be learning to apparate. And don't tell anyone about this special ability, not even your friends."

That night Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and marauders map, tools that he was surprised hadn't seen much action so far this year. He made his way out of the Gryffindor common room slowly, making sure he didn't knock into anyone or anything and alert them to his presence. He climbed out the portrait hole and muttered "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The map came to life, giving him a detailed sketch of Hogwart's grounds. He could see Dumbledore leaving his office, presumably to meet with Harry. Snape was in the dungeons, Filch was in his office, and most of the other teachers were in the great hall. Harry cleared the map and hustled out onto the grounds to the whomping willow. As he ran through the field he remembered how Sirius, as Padfoot, had jumped on Ron and dragged him through the passageway to the shrieking shack. When Harry and Hermione followed they learned of the whole truth behind Harry's parent's murders. Then Snape ruined it all…

"Good evening, Harry." Harry began to respond to when he realized he was still wearing his invisibility cloak.

"How do you do that, professor?" He asked, pulling the silvery cloak off and stuffing it into a bag.

"The same way you sense things, perhaps. However, how I know it is you will be a story for another time. Follow me." Dumbledore spun and pointed his wand at the Whomping willow. A jet of red sparks shot out and hit the button, stopping the willow's branches from attacking. They made their way into the secret passageway leading to the shrieking shack. Harry was, again, reminded of Sirius, but was snapped out of his thoughts when he came to a large, well furnished room. Dumbledore saw the surprise in his eyes.

"I believed that without a werewolf inhabiting this house it should be cleaned up a bit. It makes an excellent getaway, you know." He said, eyes twinkling. Harry wondered whether that information was innocent or a suggestion. "If you would take a seat I would like to start by explaining apparition to you." Harry took a seat at the foot of the large bed. It was quite comfortable and the white quilt seemed to wrap around him to keep him warm. "I should warn you not to get too comfortable, that bed has a way of making sure it's occupants fall asleep." He said, his eyes now sparkling and a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Harry realized what he was implying and blushed. "As I was saying…Apparition is the art of transporting yourself from one place to another without the use of your wand. I should think that with your ability to use wandless magic it should come easily. All you really need to do is, like in occlumency, clear your mind. However, instead of placing whatever memory you wish to be viewed there, you must put the name or picture of wherever it is you wish to go. The stronger your sense for where your destination is the easier apparating will be. If you have absolutely no idea where you are or where you are going it will not work."

Harry nodded, reflecting on this. "So how do you apparate somewhere you've never been to before?"

"I should clarify. You need to know the exact place of your destination, such as thinking 'the burrow, kitchen, on the table.' But you need not have a picture in your head. You will however, need an idea of where the burrow is. The stronger the wizard the less precise the knowledge needs to be, I assume you will not need to be very precise at all."

"What about the bit about knowing where you are?"

"Well it is very difficult to disapparate from a place if you have no idea where that place is. Apparition has two parts to it, appearing and disappearing. You must know where you are to disappear, and where you want to appear." Harry furrowed his brow in concentration. "It is not nearly as difficult as I make it sound, Harry. Why don't we just start and I'll make corrections as we go along? We will begin with something easy. You know you are in the shrieking shack, in Hogsmeade, and I wasn't you to apparate from the bed you are sitting on to the chair in the corner." Harry closed his eyes and cleared his mind. He pictured where he was, then dissolved that picture and thought about the chair in the background.

CRACK

Harry had his wand out and was spinning around looking for whoever made that noise when he realized that he wasn't sitting on the bed anymore, he was in the corner by the chair; he had made that noise.

"Well done, Harry. Well done, indeed." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. They continued this for a while longer until Harry had apparating within the Shrieking Shack down to a science. "I believe it is time for us to leave the Shrieking Shack and for you to return to Gryffindor Tower." Harry wondered why he hadn't simply said get to bed and emphasized the names so much. Then, Harry saw Dumbledore whip around, his wand leveled at him. The first thing in Harry's head was what Dumbledore had just said, he never had time to reach for his wand when…

CRACK

Harry was sitting in the middle of the Gryffindor Common room on the couch by the fire. Harry smiled, comprehension dawning on his face. He quickly apparated back to the shrieking Shack and found Dumbledore sitting on the end of the bed.

"Why Harry, wherever did you go?" Dumbledore said with mock innocence.

"I wondered why you made such a big deal of naming the places we were and where you wanted me to go. You planned that didn't you?" Harry didn't need the Headmaster to respond to know he was right. "So this was part of McClaggan's test? He wanted to see if I could break that particular barrier?"

"That was a twofold experiment. Yes, I, well that is to say we, wanted to see if your magic would allow you to break through that particular barrier. I also wanted to test your longer distance apparition, as it can be much more difficult. However, I did not wish to send you out into the open where anyone could see you appear."

"You were afraid I was going to apparate into Voldemort's lair?" Harry said sarcastically.

"More afraid that you'll end up being seen and everyone will know that you've been apparating; illegally, if I may add."

"Point taken." Harry replied.

"I will speak with my contacts at the ministry to see what I can do about setting up an apparition test. I will speak directly to Madame Bones, if she cannot promise me that the records will be hidden than we must simply continue without their knowledge."

"I won't tell Hermione you said that."

"I would have to thank you. As much as I respect Miss Granger she does seem to have the temper of Mrs. Weasley, doesn't she?"

"I won't tell either of them you said that." Dumbledore simply laughed. "I think I've had a bad influence on you, professor. First you go around breaking the rules and now you make a fool of yourself talking about women. I'm so proud." Harry said, wiping away an imaginary tear. Dumbledore shook his head with mock grief.

"Believe me, Harry. I was a troublemaker long before your parents were troublemakers."

"You mean my dad?"

"Well, your dad was a troublemaker, yes. But once your mother and he began dating she began helping them. I can remember the day quite clearly, the day the marauders recruited another brilliant and logical mind is not a day I will forget anytime soon." Harry thought about this for a minute.

"What were my parents really like at school? I've heard mixed emotions about my dad, and I've heard nothing at all about my mum. What were they like?"

"Aside from their magical brilliance, I assume?" Harry nodded. "I had the…I'm not sure whether I should call it fortunate or unfortunate opportunity to spend some time with your parents. Back when I taught at Hogwarts I was Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor House, so I spent quite a bit of time looking after your parents and their friends. They were so full of life that whenever I caught them breaking a school rule I didn't have the heart to punish them. Sure, I gave them detentions, but some of the things they did would have gotten other students expelled. I assume that is one problem Professor Snape always had with both you and your father, you had clearance to cause mayhem." Dumbledore leaned back and steepled his fingers. "Your mother and father were two of my favorite students…ever. They were quite clearly in love, but never abandoned their friends. They were two of the most loyal people I have ever had the priveledge of knowing. I spent a good deal of time with them just after their graduation as well, they worked for me in the first Order. As a matter of fact they were the reason the whole thing began. They were afraid that if anything happened to them nobody would be able to look after you."

"Because I was so important?"

"Because they loved you. Everybody loved you, Harry. You should've seen the way your parents and their friends played with you just after you were born, Sirius especially. I swear he could spend hours just tossing you up in the air and listening to you giggle. Lily teased him endlessly for it, he was such a macho man and a charmer at school, but he absolutely melted when he saw you." Harry barely realized a tear running down his cheek, but quickly wiped it away before it reached his chin. Dumbledore's eyes seemed filled with tears as well.

"Thank you." Harry stammered. The emotion conveyed in those two simple words was enough for Dumbledore; with a loud CRACK Harry dissaparated.