The Big Dipper

The Necklace and the Pocket Watch

Spring blossomed over the Hogwarts grounds, clearing the frost with rays of warm sunlight and welcoming budding flowers and the return of leaves on trees. The days warmed up again and everyone's mood brightened. It felt like a time for new beginnings, and for Vanessa, it was.

She had gone on two dates with the Beauxbatons boy who was her Yule Ball date, but then they stopped seeing each other. Shortly after Valentine's Day, Jacob had asked Vanessa to accompany him to Hogsmeade and they had been dating ever since.

It was great for Vanessa, because she and Jacob got along well, they had almost identical schedules — the only class that Vanessa had that Jacob didn't was Alchemy — and Vanessa got along with Jacob's friends. Jacob, however, had a much harder time and much less interest in hanging out with Vanessa's friends, since they didn't get along. Lilian in particular could barely stand to be around him, and often when he showed up she grabbed one of the others for company and left.

Soon, the sixth years received another pleasant surprise. Overnight, a notice had appeared in the Slytherin common room, which 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 Min-

istry of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below

if you would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.

All of the sixth years signed up excitedly, passing around a quill. Soon they had their first lesson, on Saturday so no regular lessons would be missed. It took place on the grounds of the castle, so after breakfast the sixth years trooped outside, to where their Heads of Houses waited with a small wizard whom Ursula took to be the Apparition instructor from the Ministry. He was oddly colorless, 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 Houses 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 Tests in this time, so that you may be ready to take your tests when the time comes."

"As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts," continued Twycross. "The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the borders laid out here —" He pointed at the sticks that marked the boundaries of their Apparation zone. "— for one hour, so as to enable you to practice. May I emphasize that you will not be able to Apparate outside the boundaries, 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 separated, banged into each other, and ordered others out of their space. The Heads of Houses moved among the students, marshaling them into position and breaking up arguments.

"Thank you," said Twycross, once the Heads of Houses had shouted for quiet. "Now then..."

He waved his wand. Old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared on the floor in front of every student

"The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's!" said Twycross. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation! Step one: Fix your mind firmly upon the desired destination, in this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentrate upon that destination now."

Everybody looked around furtively to check that everyone else was staring into their hoop, then hastily did as they were told. Ursula focused hard on the patch of grass within her hoop, trying to study it closely and not think of anything else.