Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [6]

⚡️ Chapter 32 ⚡️

The following day, on the morning that started the new term of her Sixth-Year, Vega woke up to find a large sign pinned to the common room notice boards overnight, bearing something that was a pleasant surprise for all Sixth-Year students. It read:

APPARITION LESSONS

If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on or 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.

Vega, Harry, Ron and Hermione joined the crowd that was jostling around the notice and taking it in turns to write their names at the bottom. Harry wrote his name first, followed with Vega – they experienced Side-Along Apparation before, and even together.

Ron was just taking out his quill to sign after Hermione when Lavender crept up behind him, slipped her hands over his eyes, and trilled, "Guess who, Won-Won?"

At once, Vega and Harry turned to see Hermione stalking off; they caught up with her, having no wish to stay behind with Ron and Lavender, but to their surprise, Ron caught up with them only a little way beyond the portrait hole, his ears bright red and his expression disgruntled. Vega shared a bewildered look with Harry but didn't say anything.

Hermione, without a word, sped up to walk with Neville. Vega stepped behind them and in front of Harry and Ron in an attempt to bridge her friendships. She did not expect Hermione or Ron to come around to each other any time soon, even from their expression alone.

"So – Apparition," Ron said, his tone making it perfectly plain that Vega and Harry were not to mention what had just happened. "Should be a laugh, eh?"

"I dunno," Harry said. "Maybe it's better when you do it yourself, I didn't enjoy it much when Dumbledore took me along for the ride,"

"To be fair, it is only a matter of time before you get used to it," Vega told him. "And before you know it, you'd be happy that you learned to Apparate,"

"I forgot you two have already done it..." Ron spoke and he looked rather anxious. "I'd better pass my test first time – Fred and George did,"

"Charlie failed once, though, didn't he?" Vega asked, remembering from what she had heard.

"Yeah, but Charlie's bigger than me –" Ron said as he held his arms out from his body as though he was a gorilla. "– so, Fred and George didn't go on about it much... not to his face anyway..."

"When can we take the actual test?" Harry asked.

"You can take the test once you've turned seventeen," Vega informed. "Hermione and I already turned seventeen last year but you two..."

"And that's only March for me!" Ron said happily.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't be able to Apparate in here, not in the castle..." Harry trailed off.

"Not the point, is it?" Ron asked. "Everyone would know I could Apparate if I wanted,"

Ron was not the only one to be excited at the prospect of Apparition – certainly, everywhere that Vega went, all that day there was much talk about the forthcoming lessons; a great deal of store was set by being able to vanish and reappear at will.

"How cool will it be when we can just –" Seamus said as he clicked his fingers to indicate that he disappeared. "Me cousin Fergus does it just to annoy me, you wait till I can do it back... he'll never have another peaceful moment..."