𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 •°𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴

[60]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The snow melted around the school as February arrived, to be replaced by cold, dreary wetness. Purplish-grey clouds hung low over the castle and a constant fall of chilly rain made the lawns slippery and muddy. The upshot of this was that the sixth-years' first Apparition lesson, which was scheduled for a Saturday morning so that no normal lessons would be missed, took place in the Great Hall instead of in the grounds.

When Sara and Nico arrived in the Great Hall, they saw that the 4 tables had disappeared. It wasn't such a surprise for them as just a year before the Great Hall was full with little tables for the OWLs examinations.

Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly above them as they assembled in front of Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout, the Heads of House and a small wizard whom Sara took to be the Apparition Instructor from the Ministry. He was oddly colourless, with transparent eyelashes, wispy hair and an insubstantial air, as though a single gust of wind might blow him away.

'Good morning,' said the Ministry wizard, when all the students had arrived and the Heads of House had called for quiet. 'My name is Wilkie Twycross and I shall be your Ministry-Apparition Instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for your Apparition test in this time -'

'Malfoy, be quiet and pay attention!' barked Professor McGonagall.

Everybody looked round. Malfoy had flushed a dull pink; he looked furious as he stepped away from Crabbe, with whom he appeared to have been having a whispered argument.

Sara leaned closer to Nico's ear, trying not to be seen by her head of house. 'If that's how he is with his friends then I'm going to pass Dumbledore's assignment.'

Nico tried not to chuckle. 'Shut up.'

'- by which time, many of you may be ready to take your test,' Twycross continued, as though there had been no interruption.

'As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The Headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, so as to enable you to practise. May I emphasise that you will not be able to Apparate outside the walls of this Hall, and that you would be unwise to try. I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet of space in front of you.'

There was a great scrambling and jostling as people separ-ated, banged into each other, and ordered others out of their space. The Heads of House moved among the students, marshalling them into position and breaking up arguments.

'Harry where are you going?' Sara heard Hermione ask from beside her and she turned around to see that her brother was nearing Malfoy and his baboons.

Hermione also demanded an explanation from Sara who just shrugged and looked at Nico for help.

'You're the legilliment and the sister,' he said quietly, making sure that there were five feet between him and Padma Patil.

'If I'll try to get into his mind now it would mean opening up my mind and it would be chaos, there are too many people!' Sara whispered, trying not to be seen by Flitwick who was not so far from them.

'Now then ...' Twycross waved his wand. Old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared on the floor in from of every student.