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That Time of Year Again
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 04-10-12 18:54
The First Apparition Lesson had come again, and once more, Professor McGonagall found herself in the Great Hall with the other heads of houses, Professor Snape, Professor Miller and Professor Kent, as well as Wilkie Twycross, the apparition instructor from the Ministry of Magic. Also gathered in the room were eligible fifth, sixth and seventh year students, who were eager to learn and master the fine art of disapparating.
As Wilkie began his familiar monologue regarding the three Ds––Destination, Determination and Deliberation––Professor McGonagall walked around the room and kept an eye on the students, who had no problem giving their instructor their full attention. Minerva knew that this would all change quite soon. Wilkie's repetitiveness made him somewhat dull.
For right now, however, the concept of apparating was exciting and new. The students listened hard to Wilkie's lesson and pondered just how one managed to be "completely determined to reach one's destination and move without haste, but with deliberation."*
The students stood in evenly spaced rows with plenty of room all around them for movement. Each one had a hoop in front of them.
Wilkie explained, "Normally, one cannot disapparate at Hogwarts, but Professor Dumbledore has lifted the enchantment for this lesson. Allow me to demonstrate."
There was a hoop on the floor in front of him. He made quite a show of studying it, visualizing it in his mind, and then turned. A crack sounded. Wilkie no longer stood outside the hoop, but within it.
The students murmured their awe and appreciation.
"I don't expect anyone to get it right the first time. I also don't expect anyone to splinch themselves right off the bat, although I do expect plenty of splinching as we progress. What is splinching, you ask?"
He went on to explain splinching, which drew a predictable reaction from the students. It didn't sound pleasant to anybody, but everyone wanted to see it happen to somebody else.
"Now, let's see what you all can do," Wilkie said. "Remember the three Ds!"
* J.K. Rowling's own words, not mine!
Assignation
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 04-10-12 18:55
Though it's early for lunch Kissy steps into Brews & Stews, eyes roving over the smattering of customers. She gives a start as a voice says in her ear, "Looking for me?"
Turning, she says with a cheeky smile, "No, sorry. I'm running a little late so was looking for my first assignation of the morning to tell him he needs to hurry and go."
"First assignation, huh? Let me guess, he's the one over there with the comb over and manky coat."
"Oh, sorry, so close. He's the one after you."
"I guess we need to hurry then, if you've another after me AND a Quidditch match to attend."
"Yes, your ten minutes will be up before you know it."
"Ten minutes is hardly enough time to buy you a cup of coffee. I would like to formally petition for more time."
"Hmmmm. I'm not sure. Do you have a persuasive argument?"
Arms circle Kissy, pulling her into an embrace as lips decend on hers. When the kiss ends, Kissy scrunches up her nose. "I don't know. Run that past me again."
The second kiss isn't as long as the first but only because of a very polite throat clearing accompanied by, "Excuse me, but you're blocking the door."
Grinning, they pull apart, clearing the way and making their apologies. As they move to sit down so they can order their coffees and to order something suitable for a late breakfast or brunch. Orders made he asks, "So, my petition for more time has been granted?"
"Possibly. I may need one of your coconut key lime pies to fully push things in your favor. I suppose, though, you may attend the Quidditch match with me."
"Consider it done."
The Fourth D
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-11-12 18:47
Though the Apparition Lessons are a necessity, Wilkie Twycross's reiterations of the three Ds and tendency to drone in a monotone make these lessons I do not look forward to. At least each lesson doesn't last all that long. The time does drag but somehow I don't think Twycross would find it amusing if I suggested that as a fourth D.
Positioned behind the rows of students slowly realizing that that learning how to apparate has an about as fun as watching grass grow element to it, I'm reading a letter from my sister. Natalie's girls are teenagers now with Cora 16 and Audrey is 15 but Natalie and Rory have found themselves expecting again. The letter is mainly Natalie talking about the baby's progress, Rory and she starting to make decisions on the nursery, but there's also the usual chit chat of work, social activities, and how she sometimes wishes the girls were either back at Hogwarts or in some other boarding school because Cora's weekly dating drama is making her nuts. It's enough to make me think Niccola should attend an all girls school far, far away from anywhere boys are located. She could go there until she's thirty or so.
Letter read, it goes into a pocket and I pull out a book. I am paying attention to the lesson but this being the first day, chances of someone splinching are low and chances of someone successfully apparating are even lower. Not impossible, mind you. Just low on both counts.
In several of those rows of students busy concentrating on the three Ds are several of the Wenlock relatives. Thought fifth years, Jill Prewitt and Alastor Jenkins are among those who are a year behind where they should be thanks to a stay at Happy Haven School for Nons. Alexa Wenlock, Hadrian Rabnott, and Daniel Gelson are also here, all at the moment resetting their hoops, none of them glazed eyed with the repetitiveness yet that they are wondering if it's time to be done here so they can get down to the Quidditch pitch for today's anticipated match.
Eyes dropping back to my book, I refrain from leaning over to ask Jolyon Kent, "Are we having fun yet?"
The Witch Friend
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 04-12-12 14:23
Phyllida had insisted on him to wear something green for today's Quidditch match. Since Hufflepuff wasn't playing Nate decided to oblige to her demands and he was wearing a green beanie, to keep the cold away. Since the Apparition Lesson was still taking place at the Great Hall, they had reunited at the common commons. Ferne stayed behind in the Slytherin dorm, taking care of her plant. Nate wasn't interested in knowing the details of such deadly creature. For a Hufflepuff he actually didn't have a deep interest for Herbology. His mother said it was because when he was little he had caught some allergy from a flower and after spending a week sneezing he had never felt interested by any kind of plants again.
Two Slytherin first year boys passed by them, looking at Phyllida in terror but she didn't noticed them since too focused flipping the pages of a notebook. She had told Nate how she saved a girl they were bulling and how she had given them a lesson.
"I was made to be prefect," she added. But then when she told Nate about removing 50 points to each boy he teased her, saying that would be too much and she couldn't abuse of her prefect power. Phyllida contested saying they would learn their lesson that way and they wouldn't dare to do it again, because everyone from their house would be mad at them for losing that amount of points, making their life a real hell.
Nate poked to see what she was reading but all the pages were in blank.
"What's that?" he asked.
"My father gave me this notebook as a birthday present. But I can't figure it out. It's supposed for me to read it but there is nothing here!"
Nate asked if he could take a look. He took his wand from his pocket but Phyllida told him she had already tried all the spells she knew. He studied the notebook once again and suggested maybe she should just ask her father how to make it readable. She thanked him for the help and said she was going to think about it.
There was still no sign of Ferne and so Phyllida took the change to ask Nate why did he get her such expensive gift for her birthday. He could tell that issue was bothering her for a while now.
"I know you don't have that much money and Quidditch tickets can be expensive. We don't date, Nathaniel and I made it clear I didn't want more kisses. So you have got to tell me why."
He played with the tip of his shirt before replying:
"I never had a friend like you. I mean a person I could hang out with, do homework together, chat…yes, I know what you're going to say, that I have Tim and all those muggle girls I like to brag about. But never a witch, Phyllida."
Of course there was also the crush he had for her and it was part of it that made him spend his savings on those quidditch tickets. But he didn't want to share that with her. He tried at the Three Broomsticks and he ended up with his face filled with pimples.
"So it's good to have a witch friend to go and watch quidditch games with, even if she belongs to the Arrows and half the time I feel like jinx her for it," He joked.
Soporific (Marjani)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 04-12-12 19:14
Going through another attempt to disapparate all Marjani manages to do is knock her hoops out of line. She repositions it, forcing herself to listen to Professor Twycross. Though she's found things in general to be a little better, a little easier since New Year's Eve when Viktor insisted Zuberi, Marjani, and he attend a street fair celebration, getting through a day can be something of a struggle. Having grieved for her parents she knows from personal experience that the day will come when the hurt of missing Theodosia won't be at the forefront, won't be so consuming.
Engaging more with her friends again, practicing with the Gryffindor Quidditch team, participating in extras like these apparation lessons all help. It would help if learning to apparate was more thrilling, more exciting but this isn't so bad, not really. Having done Quidditch drills for years, Marjani understands the necessity of what Professor Twycross is leading them through. She thinks the soporific effect he probably is not aware his monotony induces could be eliminated if he'd add variation to his tone and to his words. Though, then again, perhaps a long time ago he did that or tried it and found that his current method is better.
Frowning that this go around she did not even manage to affect her hoop, Marjani focuses her eyes on it, listening closely to the three Ds being repeated once more. Concentrating on the center of the hoop, she squints hoping that will narrow her focus even more. Then this attempt is over and while she's not even managed to splinch a hair, at least she doesn't think she's sent any of her hair to the hoop, the hoop ended up moving.
Moving to put the hoop back in place, she wonders how many more attempts they'll get in before time is up. Marjani also wonders how those playing in the Ravenclaw-Slytherin match are doing. Are their minds starting to wander as the time for them to get down to the pitch and changed draws near? Glad she does not have that added distraction this first day of apparation lessons, Marjani once more gives her full attention to Professor Twycross as he leads them through yet another effort of disapparating from here to appear inside their respective hoops.