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First Apparition Lesson
Author: Jolyon
Date: 04-28-13 13:29
Wilkie Twycross hadn't changed. He looked the same, with his fair, wispy hair and pale skin. The Ministry of Magic apparition instructor still possessed the same dull personality, too. Only a half hour had passed since the start of the very first apparition lesson, and while the new students weren't yet bored with his repetitive mantra––practicing apparating being something new and exciting for the moment––Jolyon was already at his wits end.
Originally, Professor Flitwick had planned on attending the first lesson, but being afflicted by a stomach bug, he had sent Jolyon to the lesson in his stead. Lucky him.
He detached himself from the wall he'd been leaning against and began pacing the outer rim of the Great Hall, while the students stared at the hoops in front of them, some so hard it looked like a vein might burst in their foreheads. It was rare for somebody to succeed at apparating or even partial apparition––splinching––during the very first lesson, and unsurprisingly nobody had yet managed anything.
As Jolyon paced the room and kept an eye on the students while they attempted to comprehend the three Ds, he thought about yesterday. It had been the twins' 12th birthdays and the first birthday with Jolyon in their lives. His mother had helped him prepare gifts for the pair, identical photo albums containing photographs of Jolyon and his family. There were a few of Jolyon and Merrie together, such as one from their wedding. The idea was to give the twins a chance to get to know their new family better, and what better way than through family photographs?
Arielle treasured the photo album and had insisted yesterday evening that Jolyon go through it with her picture by picture. She wanted to know everything: who the people were in the images, where the photographs were taken, what the occasion was for each one.
Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, Asher had not reacted the same way. He didn't want anything from Jolyon, he had said, and had promptly thrown the photo album into the rubbish bin before storming out of the Commons. Jolyon had carefully retrieved the photo album and put it in his quarters for safe-keeping, should Asher ever change his mind.
Jolyon couldn't say it didn't hurt to have Asher loathe him so deeply, but he tried not to let it get to him. He imagined himself in Asher's shoes and supposed he could understand how the boy felt. Hopefully all Asher needed was time and space to come around to the idea of having a father in his life after nearly 12 years of being without one.
"Remember, everyone!" Wilkie stated, drawing Jolyon back to the present, "Destination, Determination, and Deliberation!"
(Mark) Glaring
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-28-13 14:41
Mark glared at the hoop in front of him. It stood only a few feet away and seemed to taunt him. The concept of apparition seemed terribly easy, but the actual practice was something different altogether. It required a higher level of thinking and an incredible amount of concentration. Mark wasn't having any luck so far.
He wasn't the only one of his friends at the apparition lesson. The entire gang was there in the Great Hall, making it almost seem like the days before Happy Haven, when they'd all been in the same year. Mark was already 17, having reaching his majority last October. Kate's 17th birthday was in April.
Unlike Kate, Mark's parents hadn't paid for his enrollment to take the apparition lessons. They had insisted he pay for the lessons himself with the money he'd earned over the Christmas holidays while working his temporary job at the Ministry of Magic. If learning how to apparate hadn't been so important to himself, Mark probably wouldn't have agreed to pay his own way.
He had entirely forgotten about his parents' plans to have him work over the Christmas holidays, and evidently, his parents had anticipated he might forget because they went ahead and lined something up for him. The job had been nothing spectacular; just a clerk position in the Department of Public Relations ("You have to start somewhere, son," Mr. Farnon had said), but it had certainly put Mark's foot in the door and provided him with business contacts, never mind the fact that one of them was Kate's father Will Dewhurst.
Initially, Mark had been none to pleased about clerking over the break from school, but he'd found it worthwhile in the end and was thinking about doing it again this summer.
"Follow my example, students," said Wilkie Twycross. "The Three Ds will make it possible for me to apparate successfully every time. Destination, Determination, and Deliberation!" With a loud crack, he vanished from his spot and appeared a second later in the very center of his own hoop.
Mark narrowed his eyes. Professor Twycross made it look so easy! He looked down at his own hoop again and stared at it with all his might.
Roncicle
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 04-28-13 15:50
Stamping his feet and vigorously rubbing his gloved hands together Ron has an urge to grumble aloud. A few seconds later, with no one in his immediate vicinity to hear, he does just that.
This was not the Saturday Ron had thought he'd have but enough are out with the flu or whatever other bugs are going around right now that he got called in. Now, he's stuck on a stakeout for a case that's not even his. Ron doesn't mind giving an assist on others' cases but being outside for several hours on stakeout in the arctic freeze is beyond a mere assist.
Dressed somewhat raggedly, Ron is lurking in the doorway of an empty business, giving the appearance of someone looking for shelter from the brisk wind and from the light, but steady, fall of sleet. Although he is wearing gloves, and the glove material is charmed for added warmth, the gloves are fingerless to go along with his hobo, homeless look. His clothes are warmer than they appear and he's wearing a double layer of socks, but nonetheless the chill is steadily seeping in. Because the location is Muggle Colchester, Ron can't pull out his wand to make his location more comfortable or up the insulation factor of his clothing.
Loudly expelling air he slumps back down on the meager looking blanket he'd been using to sit on, pulling up what he can as covering before tightly pulling down his woolen cap despite it being as far down over his ears as it will go. Hands tucked under his folded arms, knees drawn up, Ron tries to look like someone who's miserable - which isn't difficult at all - and who's simply wanting to get comfortable enough to sleep while waiting for the sleet to stop and the wind to die down.
From his position Ron has a good view of one of the exits to the business directly across the way. Earlier this morning a number of people of interest to arrived for what is most likely a meeting of some sort. When any of them start leaving, all the known exits are covered. If someone leaves by the one Ron's watching, he's got a large greasy handerchief, covered in various stains ranging from yellow to brown, that he'll pull out on the pretense of wiping his nose. Hidden in the hanky's folds is what to anyone who might happen to see it looks like a button from Ron's threadbare coat. A whispered word to active the button looking object as Ron has the hanky to his nose and in a location he wishes he were since it's inside, out of the weather, the Auror in charge of the case is notified. He'll immediately send someone to follow the person.
Trying to pull the blanket up around him even more Ron wonders how much longer he's got to sit here turning into an icicle before he's relieved from this location and either put on watch from one of the inside locations or told thanks for the help, you can go now.
Restless (Ember)
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 04-28-13 18:31
Ember struggled to sit up in bed, for the last several weeks she hadn't been sleeping well. She was thirty-seven weeks pregnant now, and her unborn child was already proving to be a little fireball, and it was impossible to find a comfortable position this far along.
"C'mon, little one please let me sleep."
Cameron shifted in bed next to his girlfriend and sat up beside her. "You okay, Em?"
"No. I am not okay. I'm exhausted, hugely pregnant, and the baby is going to kick me to death…" Ember looked over at him, trying not to cry.
Cam frowned and pulled Em back against him, his hands tracing across Em's belly to try and calm the baby. "Shh, little one. Your mother needs to sleep sometime before you get here."
Ember sighed as the baby calmed a bit at Cam's touch. "That's right, listen to Daddy." She smiled a bit and snuggled closer to Cameron. "I can not wait to meet this little fire. You know, up until the last few weeks, this pregnancy has gone really well. Now; however, I wish there was a spell to induce labor…"
"Ember, the baby will be here when she's ready. Your healer said it's still a few weeks until your due date." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Rest, Em. I love you."
"I love you too, Mr. Hawthorne." She closed her eyes for a split second before they shot open again. "Crap! I almost forgot!"
Cam jumped a little. "Wow, don't scare me like that babe. What did you forget?"
"About the papers!"
"Oh. Its okay, we can wait until after she's here to get him to sign them. I don't want you near that man right now, it's too dangerous."
Ember thought about that for a moment before she nodded in agreement. She wasn't about to risk the life of her unborn child by facing the biological father. "I know. It'll be fine. And Cam…thank you, for everything. You are more then I could have ever asked for. This baby is going to be blessed to have you in her life."
Cam smiled and moved a bit to softly kiss Ember's lips. "Everything will be fine, love. I love you, and our baby. I am honored to get to be her father."
Em smiled as the happy tears started, but eventually ebbed and she and Cam fell into a much more peaceful slumber.
A Plan
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 04-29-13 02:33
It was hard for Johanna to focus, no matter how hard she tried. But there was so much going on in her mind right now that she knew the last thing she would do today would be appear inside the hoop in front of her. Not even a centimeter of her would do so, she was sure of that.
It was a bit of a shock when she entered the Great Hall and she realized how odd it was that she would be taking classes with the other students that were on the 6th year and had her age.
Johanna hadn't thought much about it until that moment and she could not help to feel a bit of rage knowing she too should be in her sixth year, on her way to the seventh. She should have been taken her OWLs by now and it made her feel a bit inferior being in the same room as the same people that have entered the Hogwarts express for the first time alongside with her but they didn't miss a year of classes like she did because they have been not classified as Nons.
Of course Johanna knew she could not blame them for what happened, but being forced to be in the same room as them, made things a little bit harder. One thing was hanging out with Mark. He was in fact in minority being the only one of the group attending the sixth year. But this was different.
Johanna had the feeling she was not the only one feeling that way. By the corner of her eye she spotted Roger Gesner whispering the three Ds to himself and she could read in his face that he wanted to be the first one to be successful. She knew him well enough to know he wanted to prove he could be better than the others, despite he was still in the fifth year.
However, as the time passed and no one seemed have made any progress, Johanna started to feel more comfortable with having lessons with the sixth years, since it seemed that they were all at the same level when it came to apparition.
Her thoughts than shifted towards the upcoming Valentine 's Day. Yesterday, she had caught a group of Ravenclaw girls inside one of the bathrooms gathered around a set of Amour Luminarium candles. Johanna knew that when burnt, the candles would cause people to fall in love. The girls were plotting about what would be the best place to light the candles and who they wanted as their dates for the school's event on February 14. As a prefect, she felt she should act and so she ended up confiscating the candles and taking 10 point from Ravenclaw, threatening to contact Professor Flitwick or Professor Kent if she learned about a large group of students suddenly falling on love for no particular reason.
Johanna had carried the candles away from the bathroom and she found herself wondering if she would fall in the temptation of using one in order to get a date. A love potion would also be effective. But she knew the issue here was not because she really wanted a date but just because she wouldn't want to be the only one in her group going alone. Kate had Mark and Felicia had Baltus. Johanna was also sure Gus was going to invite Joanna Porter. Or perhaps it would be the other way around. Either way they would go together.
She looked at Gus, a few meters away. He was strategically closer to both his friends and Joanna. This time the Ravenclaw girl was not wearing his green and silver scarf. Instead her cheeks were painted with horizontal blue and bronze stripes, a clear sign that today she was planning to support her house during the upcoming Quidditch match. Joanna Porter turned her head and gave Gus a provocative smile that made Professor Kent reprehend her and tell her to turn back to her hoop and focus.
Johanna thought that maybe she was giving too much importance to Valentine's Day. It was a school day like every other day and maybe she should just have a quick dinner and focus on her homework, instead of wasting time with her hair and her clothes. The Slytherin common room would probably not be very crowded and she could even study there instead of the library.
Having a plan for Valentine's Day comforted Johanna and she was finally able to focus on the hoop in front of her.
Stiff and Sore
Author: Ella
Date: 04-29-13 10:30
"It's finally the big day, is it?" said Francis lightly, after entering Dunstan Harville's hospital room and finding him fully dressed and seated on the edge of his bed.
Dunstan winced as he climbed to his feet. The wound in his torso had healed nicely, thanks to the healers at St. Mungo's Hospital, but it still felt a little sore when he moved a certain way. He started to bend to retrieve a small duffel bag from the floor.
"I'll get it," Francis said, and he bent to pick up the bag.
"What would I do without you?" Dunstan murmured. He had become very fond of his daughter's ex-boyfriend.
Francis only smiled and put a hand on the older wizard's shoulder to guide him out of the room.
"No luck in tracking her down, I suppose?" Dunstan asked, as they walked down the hall. He felt like an old man, stiff and sore and shuffling his feet as he went.
"No," Francis replied, frowning. "She's not been back to the house once, and neither has Zane. At least we aren't the only ones looking for her anymore."
After Dunstan's accident, the authorities had gotten involved. Naturally, they had wanted to know what had prompted the two to break into someone's home. Dunstan and Francis were lucky to get off without any charges against them, though it certainly helped that Dunstan was a solicitor for the Ministry of Magic and Francis also had one for an uncle.
The two had reported Ella missing and had made their suspicions about Zane's involvement. So far, neither Ella nor Zane had been located for questioning.
Dunstan sighed deeply and regretted it immediately, because it made his injury hurt.
"This has gone on long enough," he said, when he could finally speak again. "I want my daughter back."
"I know," Francis said, pausing near the bank of lifts to call for a car. It's gone too far, too. Zane was playing games before, but what do you want to bet he set that trap for us, knowing we would eventually get desperate and enter the house?"
"We don't know what the official report says on that matter," Dunstan said, not wanting to get ahead of themselves, but deep down he agreed with Francis. Zane knew they would come and thought he would teach them a lesson for putting their noses where he didn't want them.
The lift arrived and the grate opened. Dunstan and Francis stepped in, along with a healer in lime green robes. The two fell silent, each thinking their own thoughts about Zane and Ella. Dunstan fervently hoped that time was running out for Zane, that the authorities would close in on him and rescue Ella from Zane's clutches. Francis almost wanted to take matters into his own hands, even though there had been severe consequences, at least for Dunstan, the last time they had tried to handle Zane themselves.
The lift stopped at reception, and the pair stepped out and slowly made their way out of the hospital for home.
Another Skeeter Story
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 04-29-13 17:55
Cameron Weatherby, fresh from a shower after making use of the Hogwarts fitness room, returns to the flat's living area to find Kissy as he'd left her. She's sitting on the couch, the morning's Daily Prophet on her lap. Making a face he walks over and takes the newspaper from her lap. "Staring at it while willing it to go away isn't going to work."
"I just don't see the point of it. It's old news."
"That didn't stop her from writing about some of the others. Sirius Black is a good example of that."
"Why does the paper keep her on salary when this is all she's capable of?"
Cameron gives her a do I really have to answer that look before tossing the newspaper in the bin. Back at the couch he sits down next to Kissy, putting an arm around her. "As you said, it's old news. Nobody's going to care."
"It's old news but there are students who were young enough when all that happened that some of them are sure to come asking about it all."
The Rita Skeeter article featuring Kissy dredges up the whole mess with her family, the cult Traditions, and Kissy ending up having her parents, brother, and sister-in-law arrested and charged for crimes they eventually did time for in Azkaban.
"So you answer their questions," Cameron says with a shrug. "You did nothing wrong and you and your family have since mended fences."
"It's just irritating."
"I know but try to look at it this way. Skeeter did not find a single secret to lay bare like she's done for some."
Kissy sighs then leans into Cameron to give him a kiss. "Thank you, though I am still glad Sirius has the apparition lesson duty today."
Cameron takes hold of Kissy's hand then stands, pulling her with him. "That's no excuse to sit here all day. Let's go get those things from the Magic Neep we talked about. When we get back it should be just about time for the Quidditch match."
Not really wanting to do anything other than sit, Kissy knows Cameron's right. With some reluctance she bundles up against the cold and retrieves the shopping list from a counter in their small kitchen. A few seconds later they are out the door of their flat, heading down to the main castle exit.
On Edge
Author: Rylee
Date: 04-29-13 18:57
With the last quidditch loss still fresh in her mind, she'd been practicing during the scheduled practices and even on her own when she could. She was determined not to fail this time, she didn't think she could handle another week, two or three of being tormented, jinxed, hexed, cursed, or otherwise glared at by her housemates if Slytherin lost.
At the moment, the Great Hall was filled with students taking their first apparation lesson, and it wouldn't be available to all again until lunchtime, and then it would be time to head out to the pitch in the cold.
In an attempt to distract herself she was holed up in the library trying to get some homework done, but was not being overly successful in her attempts. She'd attempted to start writing her History of Magic essay three times and was about to throw away the fourth attempt at the essay as she sat at the table and stared blankly at the wall in front of her.
"I need to get myself together and ultimately figure out what in the bloody hell I'm going to do with myself if Slytherin loses again today, because two losses and the retribution will no doubt be more intense than before."
Figuring she wasn't going to get anything else one today, at least not until after the match was over, she gathered up her things and headed to her room to drop her school books away and then she wandered toward the Common Commons in hopes that Gideon will be there in an attempt to try and distract herself before the match.
Staying Warm for Now
Author: Araxie Loren
Date: 04-29-13 19:30
Her birthday had come and gone a month ago, and she'd gotten several gifts from her aunt, uncle, Nichole, and even her father had sent her a card. She'd gotten more art supplies and was currently spending time in the Ravenclaw commons, debating on if she was going to brave the bitter cold and watch the Quidditch match against Slytherin.
She was curious about the match, to see if the second year seeker from Slytherin would get her first victory, or if she would once again fall short of catching the snitch. If she didn't go to the match she would definitely have to find out who won - then again, if when the Ravenclaw commons filled with people their mood would tell her for certain what happened.
She put the finishing touches on the dragon sketch she was working on, and debated on coloring it, but she wasn't certain if she was going to make it something 'normal' or if she was going to be a bit more abstract with the coloring and make it more unique. The dragon was done in a cartoonish style, and ultimately would be a gift for Professor Somerset's young daughter.
She opted to go with something a bit more colorful for the young girl and would give it to Professor Somerset if she saw him at lunch today. Once the dragon was colored, the young girl's name was added to it, along with Araxie's signature, and then slipped into a protective sleeve and set aside.
Once she was done drawing, she picked up the letter she was writing to Nichole, that would need to be posted tomorrow morning after breakfast. She was adding doodles and things to the borders while she wrote, and had even decorated the envelope. She'd included a picture that had been taken of her, Wendy, Aderyn, Andrina, and Laura and the subsequent sketch work that she'd done of the photo.
Nichole was looking forward to meeting Wendy, Aderyn, and the others that Araxie had made when she was on the Hogwarts Express this coming September.
After a few minutes Aderyn dropped down next to her. "Have you decided on if you are coming down to the pitch for the match?"
"Still haven't decided yet. I don't envy you having to play in this weather at all."
She nodded lightly, and we talked for a few moments before she headed down to the Common Commons. Once Aderyn left, she pushed herself up and headed to her room for a moment to try and figure out what she was going to do before lunch.
Information
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 04-30-13 17:19
"Ethan, hi," Jaiden Peters said, when she looked up from her desk to find her old colleague standing on the other side.
When she realized he was on his own, she frowned. "Where is that cute little girl of yours?"
Ethan smiled and sat down in the chair Jaiden offered him with a wave of her hand. "Lilly is spending the day with her grandparents. Are you very busy?"
"Just working on a few reports. Nothing that needs finishing right this moment. What brings you to the office?"
"A few things," Ethan began, "most having nothing to do with me."
Jaiden quirked an eyebrow. "Admit it. You miss being involved in cases or at the very least having a passing knowledge of what other aurors are working on."
"Guilty. I love teaching, I really do, but sometimes I feel a little isolated at Hogwarts." Ethan sighed wistfully, thinking about the pleasantly memorable things from the 'good old days' of his time as an auror for the Ministry of Magic. Sadly, during a fair portion of that time Ethan had been an unknowing agent of Lord Voldemort. Those were memories he could happily forget.
"So, what do you want to know?" Jaiden asked.
"Has the identity of Oldridge's murderer been discovered yet?"
Jaiden shook her head. "No, but a team is working to identify him as we speak. Witnesses have been interviewed, sketches have been drawn, and now they are trying to find a match. If he's somebody unknown, it might take a long time to find out who he is. I'm not sure if the sketches will run in the paper or not."
"I wonder what the motive was," Ethan pondered aloud.
"I suppose we'll only know if we can track him down," Jaiden said.
"What of Oldridge? Who will be the interim Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"
"I don't know," Jaiden said. "I've heard rumors that somebody will be in place by Monday, but I really have no idea. Then there's a question of who might eventually get the permanent appointment."
"Other than the shock of his murder, it doesn't appear as if the department is in the midst of chaos," Ethan remarked, glancing around the office. It looked the way it always did, if a little less busy on account of it being Saturday.
"No, I suppose not," Jaiden agreed.
Ethan decided to quit gossipmongering and get down to the real reason he'd come to see Jaiden. "Has any progress been made into the investigation on Nero Noir?"
At this, Jaiden sat up in her chair and sifted through some of the file folders on her desk. She finally found the one she wanted and opened it to read the notes she had made.
"We investigated the house where his parents lived prior to their imprisonment. There weren't any signs that anybody had been there in years. We checked Nero's last known residence too," Jaiden went on. "He had a small flat in Knockturn Alley."
"I didn't know that," Ethan said. "Let me guess. He appears to have abandoned it?"
"I don't even want to tell you what sorts of infestations we found in that place," Jaiden said. "He left some possessions behind, and we looked through everything for clues as to where and his parents might be, but it was clearly evident he hadn't been home in a very long time. I'm sorry, Ethan, but we haven't found him yet."
"At least you've looked," Ethan said.
"He hasn't contacted you again?"
"No. Thankfully not."
"Good. You'll let me know if and when he does?"
"Absolutely."
"You'll buy me a cup of coffee?"
Ethan laughed. "Fine."
Feeling Green, But Not Slytherin (Hunter)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-30-13 18:00
Breathing out slowly through his mouth Hunter Rabnott prays that his rolling stomach doesn't cause him embarrassment as he bends to reset his hoop. He woke up in the middle of the night with an upset stomach, was never able to get back to sleep again, and is now both extremely queasy and greatly lacking energy. At least Sadie isn't here to see his beyond lackluster first apparition lesson. Although a sixth year like Hunter, Sadie should be a seventh year but thanks to that that miserable nonsense under Minister Smythe-Jones Sadie's one of the ones who spent time at Happy Haven School For Nons.
Hoop set back to its proper position Hunter returns to stand in his spot. Eyes go to the hoop, unconsciously splaying one hand across his belly, he listens to Professor Twycross once again repeating the three Ds. Destination is not so much a problem this morning. Determination and Deliberation. Those are another story.
Tired as he is and nauseous as he is, the only thing Hunter feels very determined about at the moment is getting through this lesson without sharing with the entire room what meager contents are left in his stomach. He is moving with great deliberation, that is he's moving somewhat slowly and carefully but his reasons for it are not at all, he thinks, what Professor Twycross means.
Hunter is bloody thankful Gryffindor is not one of the teams playing in today's Quidditch match. He'd have had to scramble this morning to find a replacement, if that would even have been possible or allowed. If he'd had to, Hunter would have sucked it up and sat a broom though his performance would most likely reflect just how shitty he feels. Not most likely. Most assuredly.
Another apparition attempt. Another failure, which isn't really such a bad thing. It is, after all, the first lesson and Hunter is sick enough as it is without adding splinching to his woes. At least the end of class is near. Hunter is fairly certain he will drag himself back up to Gryffindor Tower to climb into bed. He can't see making the walk to the pitch in the cold and trying to pretend he's fine, even if it would mean getting to see Sadie.
Hoop put back in its proper position once again, Hunter decides that maybe this next go he'll just pretend he tried. Moving to his spot, legs seeming to weigh a hundred times what they usually do, Hunter wonders if he looks as green as he feels, which is so green he could pass for a Slytherin supporter.
(Blake) Three D's
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-30-13 22:04
The letter D was sorely becoming Blake's least favorite of the twenty-six letters in the alphabet, and he will forever hear every word that begins with the letter D in Professor Twycross' voice thanks to this apparation lesson.
At the moment, he was standing at his starting point, staring at the hoop across from him. This lesson had been wholly uneventful with not even a splinching happening as of right now.
He looked over at Isma, and caught her muttering the three D's under her breath as she tried once again to apparate into her hoop. As if she knew she was being watched, she looked up at him and smiled, blowing him a discrete kiss before turning her attention back to the task at hand.
Blake, at the moment, let his gaze wander the Great Hall, lingering on faces he had something in common with - many had been sent to Happy Haven and were older than those in their current year, and behind thanks to that wretched woman, and now the Carrows were free to roam and torment once more - not a good thing.
Already he'd had to calm Isma more than once as the panic attacks had threatened to keep her from finishing the school year. He had even gone to talk to Professor McGonagall to get her advice since he knew Isma wasn't going to ask unless things got really, really bad and even then she might not.
"Your mind is drifting Mr. Holloway, remember the three D's and keep your focus or you will end up splinching yourself." Professor Twycross' voice cut into Blake's thoughts.
"Yes Sir, sorry Sir."
After a moment or two to compose himself, he turned his thoughts back to the hoop in front of him. Murmuring the three D's: Destination, Determination and Deliberation under his breath, he made an attempt to apparte into the hoop across from him.