Lesson Four

The Three D's of Apparition

We are finally at the lesson you have all been waiting for! We are about to start our Apparition practice! The charms and jinxes you have previously learned about have been removed from the Great Hall for this lesson. You will not be able to actually leave the Great Hall so I would not suggest trying it unless you have certain body parts you would like to try to separate yourself from. You will, however, be able to Apparate and Disapparate within the Great Hall. You all should have brought your wand with you tonight. To the left you will see a pile of wooden hoops. Grab a hoop and find a spot to stand where you have several feet around you and can see the chalk board. You will be attempting to Apparate inside of the hoop. Before you begin, let's go over a few of the basics!

The biggest part of Apparition is the destination! You have to have the destination clearly in your mind. It needs to be the only thing on your mind or you may end up Splinched or in a different location. It will be harder for you to travel to a destination you have never been to before since you will not be as familiar with it. Take a moment to pick a destination you would like to Apparate to. I would like you to close your eyes and think of nothing but that destination for 30 seconds. Try to imagine the sights, sounds, and smells of the location.

You have to be completely determined in order to successful Apparate. If you are scared or not completely sure you want to Apparate, you will not be able to do so or you will do so unsuccessfully. Before we begin our practice, you need to address any fears or concerns you may have and be ready to dive in. As you may have noticed I have asked the staff of Ravenclaw, Professors Adderholt, Szilagyi, Lobiesk, Lemoyne, and Granger, here tonight to help me sort out anyone who gets Splinched or otherwise injured. I can assure you that no matter what injuries you may suffer, we will be able to heal you immediately. Also, if you are concerned about looking silly: don't. You will look a lot sillier if you end up Splinched than if you try really hard and fail. If you have any concerns, please find me after I finish the lesson and we can discuss them.

Once you are determined to Apparate and focused on your destination, you must move without haste, but with deliberation. This means that although you must move smoothly once you are ready to try to Apparate, you must also take caution and make sure that you are focused on your destination and determined. This is not to be taken lightly, as you know from our lesson on what can go wrong with Apparition. If you do not feel ready to make an attempt for a while, do not feel pressured to do so. Take your time and be ready to Apparate the first time you try. Do not assume your first time will fail.

What to Expect

When you first Apparate, you will likely only see black around you. Harry Potter once described Apparition as being "forced through a very tight rubber tube." You will feel as though you are being pressed very hard from all directions. It will feel like there are iron bands tightening around your chest and you may struggle to breathe until you are used to the sensation so it might help to take a deep breath before you begin. Apparition may also bother your eyes and your ears. You will likely feel sick the first time you Apparate and that is completely normal. We have buckets standing by if you feel the need to vomit, which most people do their first time.

Let's Begin!

Lay your hoop on the ground and stand approximately five feet away from it. Stare at your hoop and try to notice any details about it or the floor around it that might help you to focus on your destination. Once you have the picture the destination in your mind, start to prepare yourself to Apparate. You need to be completely determined to do so. When you are ready, turn on the spot. You should feel your way into nothingness. Be sure to move with deliberation. I wish you the best of luck in your first attempts. Do not hesitate to raise your hand or call me over if you have questions!