2 | CONFESSIONS° HARRY POTTER

11 | APPARITION LESSONS

ACT FOUR, grief
CHAPTER ELEVEN, apparition lessons

Late in the afternoon, a few days after New Year, Oliver, Iris, Harry, Ron, and Ginny lined up beside the kitchen fire to return to Hogwarts. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return students quickly and safely to the school. Only Mrs. Weasley and Calypso were there to say good-bye, as Mr. Weasley,Fred, George, Bill, and Fleur were all at work. Mrs. Weasley dissolved into tears at the moment of parting. Admittedly, it took very little to set her off lately; she had been crying on and off ever since Percy had stormed from the house on Christmas Day with his glasses splattered with mashed parsnip (for which Fred, George,and Ginny all claimed credit).

"Don't cry, Mum," said Ginny, patting her on the back as Mrs. Weasley sobbed into her shoulder. "It's okay. . . ."

"Yeah, don't worry about us," said Ron, permitting his mother to plant a very wet kiss on his cheek, "or about Percy. He's such a prat, it's not really a loss, is it?"

Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever as she enfolded Harry in her arms.

"Promise me you'll look after yourself. . . . Stay out of trouble. . . ."

"I always do, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry. "I like a quiet life, you know me."

She gave a watery chuckle and stood back. "Be good, then, all ofyou. . . ."

Calypso wrapped her arms around Iris and Iris hugged her mother tightly back.

"I'll miss you, Mum." Iris said.

"I'll miss you too." Calypso said. She pulled away and moved over to Harry to give him a hug. She whispered something in his ear that Iris didn't hear, but it made Harry's face turn a shade of pink.

Mrs. Weasley hugged Oliver and Iris so tightly that they nearly couldn't breathe.

"Take care of yourselves . . ." Mrs. Weasley said tearfully.

Iris stepped into the emerald fire after Harry and shouted "Hogwarts!" She had one last fleeting view of the Weasleys' kitchen, her mother, and Mrs. Weasley's tearful face before the flames engulfed her; spinning very fast, she caught blurred glimpses of other Wizarding rooms, which were whipped out of sight before she could get a proper look; then she was slowing down, finally stopping squarely in the fireplace in Professor McGonagall's office. She barely glanced up from her work as Iris clambered out over the grate and ran into Harry's back.

"Sorry." Iris mumbled.

"Evening, Potter. Black. Try not to get too much ash on the carpet."

"No, Professor." said Harry.

Ron came spinning into view. When Ginny and Oliver had arrived, all five of them trooped out of McGonagall's office and off towards their respective places. Iris glanced out of the corridor windows as they passed; the sun was already sinking over grounds carpeted in deeper snow than had lain over the Burrow garden. In the distance, she could see Hagrid feeding Buckbeak in front of his cabin.

"Bye," Iris said to the three Gryffindors. Harry squeezed her hand before she and Oliver departed to the dungeons. "Excited to be back?"

"Are you kidding?" Oliver asked glumly. Iris patted his shoulder comfortingly in response before they stepped into the dungeons.

The new term started next morning with a pleasant surprise forthe sixth years: a large sign had been pinned to the common room notice boards overnight.

APPARITION LESSONS

If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen onor before the 31st August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.