TEST 3: Apparition Practical 1: A test gone wrong

In first person writing, describe your first practical apparition test where you fail. What went wrong? Why did it go wrong and what can you do to make sure it doesn’t happen in your final test. Choose at least three things that go wrong.

The weather for the test is: Windy and rainy
The situation for the test: A busy muggle street
The destination: Hogsmeade

This practical needs to be 500 words long at the least.


Pass mark: 70 or more. Essays in fewer than 500 words will fail. If you fail, you are able to retake the test.

Housepoints:

0 – 69: 0
70 – 79: 30
80 – 89: 40
90 – 100: 50

I'll post this here like the last test, but I wasn't sure...

Apparition Test Practical 1.

I sat nervously in the waiting area of Apparition Licensing Office. One of the officials would be coming out soon to take me to my testing area. I gnawed on my fingernails, paced to and fro, twirled my hair, did everything I could think of to try and get rid of the suspense.

“Miss Lily?”

I jumped up to my feet and smiled, or rather, bared my teeth at the examiner. “Yes? Is it my turn, now?”

He nodded reassuringly and led me out into the main Atrium. I followed him like a lost dog until we got outside. In the telephone box, he handed me a chocolate frog wrapper and I felt a tug at my navel as Portkey took us both to my testing area.

I struggled to my feet after we landed and took a look around. We had landed in a small alley in a Muggle city. As we went out into the street, I felt a cold gust of wind hit me from the side and almost immediately, I was drenched. Obviously, the alley was sheltered from the weather. I saw a huge castle on the hill and a worrying number of Muggles who seemed to be either coming or going from the castle. Since it was so unbearably cold, I assumed we were up north somewhere, and the castle made me think we were in Edinburgh. And sure enough, the instructor took me to the side of the pavement where a huge sign read Edinburgh Castle.

Shivering pitifully and teeth clattering, I hugged myself to try and keep my energy for the upcoming test. My examiner turned to me and gave my instructions, some of which I barely heard.

“So I have to apparate into Hogsmeade just outside the Three Broomsticks? And why do I need this bag?”

“Yes. There will be someone waiting outside the pub. You have to get there using all the rules for apparition you have learnt and without splinching yourself. Take the bag with you because it is to see if you can carry anything with you when you apparate.”

“OK.” I blew out a breath and closed my eyes. I heard a resounding crack and cringed as I realised that part of the test would probably have been to go somewhere where Muggles couldn’t see or hear, but foolish and rash as I was, I had apparated straight away!

I held my breath as I felt that awful squeezing around my body. And just as I thought that I couldn’t breathe anymore, I felt a something soft under my feet and heard a painful yowl.

Again, I made a face as the dog I had landed on ran away with its tail between its legs, sending me several reproachful glances.

I looked around, confused as to where I had landed, and where the bag was. Bag…Oh no!! I left the bag there! I looked down at my hand and took in a great shuddering breath as my eyes fell on my hand. Or lack of.

Without realising it, I screamed, waving around my stump of a hand, attracting attention from everywhere. It was then that I noticed with relief that I had indeed landed in Hogsmeade. But I was near the Shrieking Shack, which made me yell even louder!

A man came huffing up the hill, papers cackling in his hand.

He looked me up and down, from my distraught face and drenched clothes to my handless arm and my muddy, ruined suede boots. He waved his wand and suddenly, my hand was back where it belonged. I was, literally, so happy, that I could have kissed him! If he wasn’t putting a huge red stamp on the papers…a stamp that said, “FAIL”.

I knew, from the moment I started that I would have failed. I should have apparated from a more closed environment, without Muggles nearby. I should have concentrated instead of jumping straight into the apparition, like the fool I was. If I had, then I wouldn’t have splinched myself. I should have actually pictured the Three Broomsticks in my head instead of just Hogsmeade. If I had then I would have gotten to the place I wanted. I should have watched out for that poor dog, too…

Next time I would remain calm, collected and I would concentrate, grip hard on the bag, and never lose focus. Next time, I would pass. With flying colours.

I sat in the Apparition Office and stared out the window at the rain dripping on the glass. 'Did I forget to do the Transfiguration homework?' I thought to myself as I twirled my hair around my finger. 'I wonder if I have time to write that essay about murtlaps before class starts. Or perhaps I could write the essay on-' All of a sudden someone called my name and I snapped back to attention.

"Jen!" Trish called out to me again at the doorway with a trace of irritation in her voice. "What are you thinking about? We're about to take our apparition tests! Shouldn't you be concentrating or something?" I made a face as though I was concentrating real hard (although I think it looked more like I had to go to the bathroom) and she started laughing. "I don't know why I promised to wait to take the apparition test with you now. I could have had this over months ago." She said as she flopped down on the seat next to me.

I put my arm around her shoulders and gave her a silly smile. "That's because you love me!"

Trish made a gagging noise and started rolling on the floor laughing. "Don't make me sick!"

Suddenly we heard someone clear their throat at the doorway. Trish jumped up as though pulled up by a magnet and started to turn red. At the doorway we saw a tiny little wizard that was oddly colorless. He had a cropped haircut and long colorless lashes. I sucked in my breath with fear of blowing him over.

"Good morning! My name is Daniel Tywood." He said in a surprisingly deep voice for such a tiny little wizard. "I will be your Apparition tester today. Are you both-" he looked down at his list in his hands. "Jennifer Williams and Trish Weasley?"

I jumped up at the sound of my name. "Yep, that's us!" I said with a confidant smile.

He smiled at us reassuringly. "That's good. No need to be nervous. Now if you'd just follow me out to the street we can begin."

Mr. Tywood lead us out to a busy muggle street that had people running in all directions to get out of the rain and wind. As he paused at the door, he quietly gave us instructions on what to do.

"Now I am going to leave you two here. In five minutes, you both can head outside and apparate whenever you want. The destination I want you two to meet me at is the front of Honeydukes. You have 20 minutes to apparate there. Just relax and take your time. Although don't dawdle you only have 20 minutes understand?" Seeing us both nod, he headed outside and turned the corner.

On my left I heard Trish whispering to herself, "Destination, determination, deliberation, destination, determination, and deliberation."

I also started to whisper to myself. "I wonder if Daddy will get me a new broomstick like he promised? Maybe I'll get the Firebolt 2007. Those aren't even on sale yet! Or maybe I'll get a new diamond collar for poor Mrs. Fluffersons, my poor kitty? Emeralds are so not her color."

Trish glanced at her watch nervously and looked at me. "Ready?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes, 'So much like a Ravenclaw to want to be exactly on time' I thought to myself. "Why don't you go ahead first?" I said out loud with a smile.

Trish nodded. "I'll be waiting at Honeydukes with a chocolate frog to celebrate!" She said with a wink. With that, she gave my hand a last squeeze and turned the corner as Mr. Tywood did.

I stood there for a few moments wondering what gift I should ask Daddy for when I got my apparating license. Time flew by as I thought about all the gifts I'll receive. Abruptly someone bumped into my back and I reached out my left arm to steady myself against the wall. Suddenly my eyes caught sight of my golden revolving watch. I had three minutes before my time was up! I ran out to the street and concentrated on Honeydukes as I started spinning in circles.

"Hey! What do you think you're-" was the last thing I heard before I felt myself being squeezed into a tube. Too late I realized that I forgot to find a secluded area to apparate. I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for the spinning and tight feeling to go away. All of a sudden, the feeling stopped and I fell over onto a pile of packaged butterbeer bottles. Madame Rosmerta flipped on the light and let out a little scream.

"Jennifer Williams! What are you doing back here?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.

I gently picked myself up and winced at the throbbing on my right shoulder. "I'm sorry Madame Rosmerta, I was taking my apparition test and somehow ended up here."

At my words, her face softened and she gave me a slight smile. "Oh your test was today? That's alright. I'm used to having you kids apparating all over my bar during this time of year." She looked amused and handed me a bottle of butterbeer. "Although its usually the boys who end up apparating themselves here. Some even appear in my bedroom! Don't know how they imagined it. Here's a free butterbeer on the house. Good luck on the rest of the test."

I took the bottle from her gratefully. "Thanks a lot!" With that said, I ran out into the street over to Honeydukes. Trish was standing at the front tapping her foot and her eyes searched up and down the street looking for someone. Her eyes widen as she caught sight of me hurrying to her.

"Jen, are you okay? You're five minutes late! And did you get a haircut?" Trish asked with confusion in her voice.

""What are you talking about?" I asked her as I reached up to pat my hair. To my horror, my once long hair was now less than shoulder length! "Oh no I must have splinched myself when I apparated and it cut my hair off!! What am I going to do?" I cried to Trish.

Trish squinted her eyes and looked at me closely. "No, actually I kind of like it!"

Astonished, I stared at her. "Really? Accio mirror!" And a nearby second year's mirror flew out of her purse and into my hand as I started to examine myself closely. "Hey! I do kind of like it!" I started to toss my hair around my head.

"Ms. Williams!" Mr. Tywood called out from inside Honeydukes. My smile slipped off my face and I walked over to him with an innocent look.

"Yes, Mr. Tywood?"

His face started to twitch. "Before I even get started on everything that went wrong I must make yourself become unsplinched."

"No, actually I was wondering if you could just leave my hair the length it is? It's grown on me." I asked him with a pleading look on my face.

A hint of a smile tugged at his mouth. "You may like your hair like this but don't you want your finger back?"

My hand automatically reached up to twirl a strand of hair around my finger. "What are you tal-" Suddenly I realized that my right hand no longer has 5 fingers but merely 4! My index finger had disappeared along with 5 inches of my hair!

I let out a sigh of defeat and said sadly, "If you must." With a flash of lighting, my finger and hair came back in one piece.

"Now that you're back in one piece whether you wanted to be or not." He continued meaningfully. "Let me tell you exactly what you did wrong. You did not concentrate on any of the three D's! If you want to do it right, next time you should concentrate on it! First of all you took your time and then had to rush to apparate in front of a street full of muggles! Then you did not concentrate on your destination enough and ended up appearing in the Three Broomsticks backroom rather then in front of Honeydukes like I advised you to. Then you went and got yourself splinched! Leaving your hair and finger for a streetful of muggles to stare at! What do you have to say to yourself young lady?" he demanded after he finished his tirade.

"Hmm, so did I pass?" I asked him hopefully.

He stared at me for a full minute before turning on his heel and heading straight toward the Hog's Head. I glanced at Trish wistfully and smiled, "I suppose I'll have to get Mrs. Fluffersons her diamond collar another day."

I woke up that morning with a thumping headache, dry throat and sore eyes. Perfect. The most important day I’d had for a while, and I had to be ill. That was just typical. And the day didn’t get any better there on in – my sisters had used all the milk, so I had to have dry cornflakes for my breakfast. My mum had used all the hot water in the tank, so I had to have a cold shower. I could tell it wasn’t going to be my day.

By the time I’d dressed and was ready to go to the apparition testing centre, I was absolutely fed up. My face felt like it was going to explode and I was freezing cold. I took a pinch of floo powder (for what I thought would be the last time!), and was eschewed moments later from the large, ornate fireplace in the reception of the apparition testing centre.

I tried to look as confident as possible, and strode towards the desk where an elderly man was scratching some words onto a large sheet of parchment.

“Excuse me,” I said, my voice sounding like sandpaper on a rusty bike. The old man looked up at me, peering over the top of milk-bottle glasses.

“How may I help you?” He asked.

“I’m here to take my apparition test,” I replied, thrusting my forms and birth certificate towards him. He rifled through the parchment and paper, then told me to take a seat, and that my examiner would be with me momentarily.

I sat down on one of the (very uncomfortable) chairs, and tried not to have a coughing fit as I waited for my examiner. After about ten minutes, a professional looking woman came into the room, clad in dark blue robes, and holding a red clipboard.

“Follow me,” she said, without an introduction, and I heaved my poor, ill body from the uncomfortable chair, and followed her out of the reception room.

“My name is Annabel Crane, and I shall be your apparition examiner,” she said, “the test today is going to take place on Oxford Street, and your destination will be Hogsmeade. We’ll be taking a portkey to a secure location on Oxford Street, and then the rest will be down to you. I shall be looking for your aptitude to this method of transport, your confidence and your ability. John Hargreaves will be meeting you at the other end to commiserate or congratulate.” She smiled wryly, then led me to an office-type room.

“Touch this portkey,” she said, holding out a bottle of bubble bath, “and we shall be transported to our secure location.”

I reached out a hand towards the portkey, and felt a jerk behind my navel. Moments later, we landed (with an uncomfortable bump!), in what looked like the changing room of a clothes shop.

“Where are we?” I asked, “It looks like the inside of Topshop in here or something.”

“Exactly,” Annabel replied, “now come on, we’ve got to stay on schedule!”

She led the way out of the changing room, and I had to try very, very hard not to stop and look at the clothes, shoes and bags on display as we wound our way to the front of the shop. I made a promise to myself that if I passed, I would come back here later and get that gorgeous pair of shoes.

When I saw outside, my heart sank. If it was not enough that I was here, extremely ill, the test had to be in the wind and rain. There were early-morning shoppers everywhere, hurrying along, heads bent forward against the wind, umberella’s being blown inside out.

Once outside Topshop, Annabel began asking me some quickfire questions; “Name three places you can’t apparate to!”, “What happens when you splinch yourself?”, “What department in the ministry deals with apparition?”

I couldn’t understand what happened. I got every question wrong! I was so annoyed with myself! Days earlier I’d sat my theory test and got these questions right! It was as though my brain had turned to mush. I felt like crying, and then remembered a proverb my Nan was fond of quoting: ‘Bad luck comes in threes’. Well if that was bad luck #1…what were #2 and #3 going to be?

Annabel looked disapproving as she led me to a bench. We sat down, and she explained that the next step would be for me to apparate to Hogsmeade. She said that she’d sit down on the bench and observe, following me if necessary. And that was it…the moment I’d been building up to.

I looked around for somewhere to apparate from, and noticed a little alleyway a short way off. Perfect! Hurriedly, I went over there, anxious just to get this over with. I concentrated on everything I’d learned, and closed my eyes, and apparated. But as I was leaving the alley, I noticed three teenage lads sitting on dustbins at the end. They were staring at me with wide eyes. Oh poo!

That was it, my concentration was broken with bad luck #2. I did manage to arrive in Hogsmeade, but when I got there I noticed I was missing the little finger on my left hand. Oh no! I’d splinched myself! Bad luck #3!

There was a young man (who was very, very good looking), waiting for me, and he hurried over.

“Oh, rotten luck!” He said, “Annie’s just portaflooed me to say she’s had to call the obliviators in…you let Muggle’s see you!”

“I know,” I sighed, and held my left hand up, “and look…I splinched myself.”

“Nevermind,” he said, patting me on the back, “Annie will pick it up. And you’ll be able to retake your test.”

“Yeah,” I said dejectedly, “and all I’ve got to remember is to revise theory, make sure no Muggle’s see me and not to splinch myself!”

“Exactly!” He said, “Always best to look on the bright side! Now, how about we go and get a butterbeer whilst we wait for Annie to get here with your finger?”

I nodded, and felt a small smile creep onto my lips. Perhaps today wasn’t going to turn out so bad after all…

~My First Apparition Test~

As I entered the Apparition Center, the tension fell over me like a drape of cloth.

The receptionist at the front desk was busying herself with charming her files to organize themselves.

In the waiting area, several other witches and wizards, who looked to be around my age, were sitting, and nervously looking around the room.

I walked over to the receptionist with as much confidence as I could now hold under the blanket of tension.

“How may I help you?” The receptionist asked kindly, looking up from her files. She looked around thirtish, and wore long pale blue robes.

I took a deep breath. “I’m here for my apparition test.”

The lady smiled understandingly and nodded. “Name, please?” She pulled out a piece of parchment from under her files.

“Pillowloverchick.” I said slowly.

The lady’s eyes darted across the page, looking for the name. When she found it, she quickly checked it off with a quill, and pulled out yet another file from under her desk with her wand.

“If you could just sign here, Miss Pillow.” She pulled out a form and pointed with her wand at the line on the bottom of the page.

I nodded, taking the parchment and quill from her. Quickly, my eyes scanned over the page. It was the basic release form that I had seen earlier when signing up for the test.

I signed my name, and with a flourish, handed the quill and paper back to the receptionist.

“Thank you. Now, if you could just wait over there until your turn…” She pointed towards the waiting area with a smile.

I nodded. “Thank you.” I turned and walked over to the waiting area.

Several of the witches were pacing nervously. Others flipped through Witch Weekly, looking up at me with icy stares, before returning to their reading.

I took a seat and opened my purse. I pulled out my parchment notebook and opened it up.

My apparition notes were written neatly on the page. I remember back to my training and practice classes. The three Ds! The three Ds! THE THREE Ds!!!

My brain was being pounded by facts of apparition as I studied.

“Next Melanie! Keep them moving, will you?”

I looked up as a cross looking wizard appeared with a ‘pop’ next to the receptionist’s desk.

“Yes sir. Sorry about that sir.” Melanie glanced down hurriedly at her parchment files. “Miss Kaitlyn Taylor?”

All eyes shifted towards the tall red haired girl sitting in the corner next to me, reading TeenWizard and listening to her iwand. “Is it my turn?” She whispered to me.

I nodded. “Good luck.”

She thanked me, and hurried forward.

“Miss Taylor?” The cross wizard nodded at Kaitlyn. “Follow me.” He said, and opened a door leading out of the room.

We all watched as Kaitlyn disappeared down the hall.

After a half an hour of waiting, Kaitlyn finally walked back through the door.

All heads snapped up to see if she had passed or not.

“I did it! On the first time, too! I passed!” Kaitlyn pretty much danced towards us. She was spinning around and grinning from ear to ear.

“Good for you.” Everyone else muttered. No one really liked it when someone else passed. It only made them more nervous.

“Bye!” Kaitlyn danced out of the door.

“I’ll be sending you your license!” Melanie called as Kaitlyn hurried out. “I’ll right. It looks like…. Miss Pillow!—you are next!”

I looked up nervously. All eyes were on me. I stood up slowly.

“Remember the three Ds!” An older boy, who must have been at least twenty, yelled out. “Don’t Drop Dead!”

I rolled my eyes as I glared at him. He looked like he had been in here for a few years. He had probably been trying to pass the test for years. “Thanks for the support.” I snapped.

“Miss Pillow, now please!” Melanie called out.

I spun around and hurried towards the door.

“Just walk down: third door on your left.” Melanie told me.

I nodded, and opened the door.

I walked down the hall, and came to the third door on my left. Slowly, I opened it.

The cross man was sitting at a desk, writing something on a piece of parchment that looked like a score chart.

“Erm… hello?” I said quietly.

The man jumped up. “Pillowloverchick?” He snapped.

I nodded, a bit taken back. “I’m here for my apparition test.”

He smirked. “Really? How nice! I’m here to buy a niffler and eat a hippogriff sandwich!”

I felt my face redden. Of course he knew I was here for the apparition test!

“Anyway, here are your instructions.” He returned to his cross attitude. “Here is the object that you will need to apparate with.” He handed me a bowl of chili. I laughed, despite the nervousness I felt. “You will need to walk out this door,—” He pointed to another door leading out of the room— “and into the street. Now, you will see muggles all around you. You must apparate from there, to Hogsmeade. Directly outside the Three Broomsticks, to be exact. Oh, and when apparating from the street, you must make sure that no muggles see you. Is that understood?”

I let the information enter my mind. I nodded.

“Are you ready?”

I nodded again. 3 Ds! 3 Ds! 3 Ds!

“Very well, you may walk outside and begin.”

I walked towards the door.

“Oh!”

I spun around.

“I forgot to mention, there will be Apparition judges all over the area—in the street, and in Hogsmeade, to grade you. So remember that.”

I nodded again, and walked outside.

I was hit will a burst of wind in the face. A few drops of rain gently moistened my face.

Taking a deep breath, I walked out into the open street.

Muggles were everywhere despite the weather. And I mean everywhere! I wondered how on earth I was suppose to apparate un-noticed.

Then, I remember the judges who were watching me. I had to act confident, like I actually knew what I was doing.

I caught sight of a moving van, dropping large boxes off right outside a large apartment building. That would be perfect.

I hurried towards the van, and hid behind the boxes.

I glanced down at the chili bowl that I held. The chili was getting soggy from the rain. I closed my eyes. Destination. Determination. Deliberation! Destination. Determination! Deliberation!

I felt the chili bowl slip out of my hands as I concentrated on the three Ds.

Quickly, I bent down to pick it up.

But I had already begun apparating.

I could feel myself doing it! I was apparating! I began to feel my body mo---.

But wait! Not all of me was apparating! My arms and the chili bowl weren’t moving. But the rest of me was beginning to apparate.

Big problem, I was panicking now.

But then it all stopped. I felt my entire body being thrown to the ground. I heard the chili bowl smashing as it hit the ground again.

It was a few seconds before my brain registered what was going on. I was lying on the ground, surrounded by Apparition judges.

“What happened?” I breathed. I was so confused. I had begun to apparate! What had happened to mess it all up?

The men shook their heads.

“One, you dropped the chili bowl. Two, you leaned down to get it, which is moving in the middle of apparition. Three, you apparated in a horrible spot!” I heard someone yell.

“You can’t move while apparating! Why did you lean down to get the bowl?” One man asked. “You were about to splinch!”

“And what a stupid place to choose to apparate from! Around a bunch of boxes?” One of the men said.

Another nodded. “That’s the worst I’ve seen yet!”

I felt the tears rushing down my cheeks. “But… why? It was out of sight of the muggles!”

One of the men snorted. “Missy, these muggle movers right here are handling these boxes. They dropped one and it landed right on top of you!”

I gasped. “What? That’s not my fault!”

Another man glared at me. “Not your fault? You are responsible for whatever happens when you apparate.”

I shook my head, not able to believe what was happening.

I looked up again, and saw the cross man from the Apparition Center glaring at me.

He was shaking his head as he handed me a slip of paper.

FAIL

I felt my hope shatter when I saw that world.

I had failed my apparition test!

“Idiot girl! What a stup—” The cross man began.

But he never finished. As he spoke, I grabbed a handful of the wet mushy chili from the broken bowl that lay next to me.

I threw it in his face, and walked away.

Severus Snape walked into the testing centre, sweating with nerves even though the day was rainy.

“Let’s get this over with then” He said a little too loudly earning a few weird looks from the others who seemed to be sitting down calmly.

The woman behind the desk offered him a form in which he took with a shaking hand and made himself as comfortable as he could in the little wooden chair by the desk.

“Name? Well at least I can remember one thing today” He said as he began to write the name John before realising that John was not his name. So much for good omens!

Finally, the form was filled in and Snape took his place in the short queue, his hands still shaking as his mind drifted to pictures of dancing purple hippos.

“Snape….Severus Snape?”

Snape jumped and silently cursed Elfie and the purple hippos before silently following the old man outside into the street. He started to wonder exactly how long the wizard had been taking these tests with prospective apparators as he marvelled at the foot long grey beard and the deep wrinkles in his greyish face…

“Excuse me…?”

Snape snapped his mind back to the present and realised he had been staring at the old man for quite some time.

“Do you think you are ready to take this test, or would you prefer to leave it until you are of, shall we say, sound mind?”

Snape felt his face burn red before silently nodding. “I’m ready” he said, though he certainly didn’t feel ready. He had been too busy to practise, what with quidditch and laying around in the glorious sunshine….
He snapped back realising that the man was once again frowning at him. “Sorry” he uttered before following the man on foot around the corner into a busy street.

“I want you to take your time and when you are ready I want you to apparate to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, right outside the door.”

With those words, the old man vanished.
Snape took a deep breath. Ok here goes. He closed his eyes and felt himself spin just before he heard a high pitched scream. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the middle of the small pond in Hogsmeade, a red faced old man glaring at him. He swam to the side with some difficulty.

“You thought you were ready?” He spat as Snape reddened and tried to stand up before collapsing to the ground.
“What on earth…”
Snape looked to his legs and cried out. One leg was completely missing. He had splinched himself.
“I don’t suppose I passed did I?” Snape uttered hopefully before the old mans quill stanped a big ‘fail’ sign in the air. “I guess the party won’t be tonight then” he sighed.


What I did wrong

Snape thought back days later when his mind had stopped spinning and realised exactly what he had done wrong and why he had failed.
His mind was on anything but the test. He blames Elfie for the hippos!
He apparated without thinking, right in front of a muggle woman who screamed, fainted and was rushed straight to a mental hospital saying things about legs walking on their own and disappearing bodies.
And last but not by any means least, he did not focus on the three D’s, destination, determination and deliberation, which caused him to apparate into the middle of the soaking wet pond.

“Oh well, better luck next time”

As I sit in the waiting room of the apparition testing center, I peer out of the window and notice a small storm growing. There is rain pelting against the glass window pane and the wind is rustling through the trees like nobody’s business and all I can think about is my hair. I have a date after the test and had my hair specially washed, cut and styled. It looked perfect and I was really worried that the disastrous weather would ruin it all and I would end up looking like a bedraggled scarecrow!

“Miss Kitkat?”

I broke my eyes away from the window and noticed a small, plump man who looked like Father Christmas, standing before me with a stern expression upon his face, a clipboard with a hovering magical quill sitting above it.

“Yes, that’s me” I said as I pulled myself to my feet and followed the man outside, immediately cursing under my breath as a large gust of wind rifled nastily through my hair, ruining it.

The man frowned at me as I felt myself going slightly red in annoyance. That hair style cost me well over ten galleons and now it looked as I had only dragged myself through a hedge backwards.

“Miss Kitkat? Are you listening to me?”

I looked back at the man and nodded, mumbling a small apology under my breath as he continued to explain what I needed to do.

“……And if you do not hit your mark, I am afraid I will have to fail you.” He continued as I carried on nodding, wondering what the time was.

After a few minutes of silence, the man grunted at me and nodded his head. “I will see you at your destination” And with a small pop, he had gone.

My eyes widened. Where was my destination? My mind had been preoccupied and now I had no idea where I was going. I breathed in and out to steady my nerves before realizing I had been standing there looking like a fool for nearly fifteen minutes. Alright, I knew I had to go to Hogsmeade, so it was the luck of the draw. I made a guess and shut my eyes and waited until I felt that uncomfortable pull behind my navel and my body tingled all over.

Suddenly, the world came back into view, yet I was not very comfortable. I opened my eyes and looked down to see the angry red face of my tester – I had landed right on top of him, squashing him in a dirty wet puddle. I quickly pulled myself off and held out my hand to help him up, yet he simply scowled at me and pulled himself to his feet without my help and commenced in scribbling upon his board. After a few silent minutes of only his shallow, angry breathing, I gave a small hopeful cough. He looked up as if wondering why I was still here.

“Um…I don’t suppose I…” I started, yet he quickly interrupted me.

“Do you really expect me to pass you after that small showdown?”

I blushed as he stamped a big red ‘FAIL’ in the air in front of me before striding off and into the local pub.


Things I did wrong:

1. My mind was on my hair and my date rather than on the test itself.
2. I wasn’t listening and failed to ask the tester to repeat himself.
3. I did not focus properly upon my destination

Illy took a deep breath, and then another…and then one more for luck. Closing her eyes, she mentally went through everything she had been taught, from concentration to….

“Oh no!” she muttered “I think I left the oven on!”

Rubbing her hands together in the wind, she started to panic. She was a born natural worrier and no one was due home for at least another hour…what if the cat jumped in the oven…what if the oven blew up…what if the house caught on fire…what if the whole street caught on fire…what if…..

“Ilyria?”

Illy jumped. Frowning she made herself remember where exactly she was.

“Ilyria?”

Illy looked up at the woman standing before her, her tone fraustrated as Illy simply sat there struck dumb

“Are you Ilyria?” The woman asked frowning, the tips of her ears going red, “I haven’t got all day missy…”

Illy nodded her head

“Yes, Im sorry, yes Im Ilyria” she said pulling herself together

“Are you ready for your test?” The woman asked sighing deeply and shaking her head.

“Yes!” Illy half shoutedbefore jumping up and knocking all the paperwork from the womans hands and onto the dusty floor.

“Would you be more careful” The woman snapped as Illy began to go red and bent over to pick up the papers

“Just…just go and wait outside” the woman said pointing to the door.

As Illy walked towards the door, she noticed the woman wave her wand and the papers sort themselves back into her hands

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Illy muttered slapping her head with her hand.

A few minutes later the woman joined Illy outside, her face red and stern as she shuffled the papers in her hands

“Just to check, you are Ilyria of Ravenclaw and you are here for your apparition test aren’t you?” The woman snapped.

Illy nodded as she felt her face go red once again.

The woman grunted a reply before shaking her head and writing some notes. Without looking at her, the woman began barking instructions.

“Your destination is Hogsmeade, the gates of the old shack in the town to be more precise” she barked before glancing up and handing ilyria a small brown package, “You have 5 minutes…any questions?”

“Illy looked at the package”

“what is…” she began

“The package is to test your ability to carry something other than your own body parts, assuming you can do that” the woman replied, “now if there is nothing else, your 5 minutes begin here and now”

With that, the woman disaparated with a small pop.

“Illy took another deep breath and closed her eyes, her hands nervously fumbling at the package. She felt her breathing quicken as her mind went back to the oven. She could picture it now, the whole street set alight just because she had wanted some cakes.

Shutting the thoughts from her mind, she peeked at her watch.

“one minute left!” she gasped before shaking her head. She could picture the womans face now. Taking one more breath she quickly imagined the gates in hogsmeade. She felt her body tingle just as she heard a scream

“I forgot to check for muggles” she thought crying inside as she felt the package drop from her hands “oh no!”

Suddenly she heard another voice, yet this time it was full of laughter

“Illy, what are you doing up there?”

Illy opened her eyes and gasped as she quickly grabbed hold of a small metal wand. Looking around she realized that she was on top of a stone statue of Dumbledore, a crowd gathering below, their laughter surrounding her ears as she noticed a group of her friends standing below smiling up at her, and then another face caught her eye

“Ilyria!”

The face of her examiner said it all. She knew the outcome of her test even before the examiner drew a large ‘FAIL’ in the air in red.

Illy felt tears well in her eyes as the examiner suddenly appeared beside her, grabbed hold of her and side along apparated her back to the safety of the ground.

As I stood out in the busy muggle London outside the Hogshead, my dripping hair and clothes reminded me of my favorite romantic novel. However, I resisted the urge to tackle kiss the nest hot muggle man I saw. Instead, I took refuge from the cold wind and icy rain under those little covered benches called a “boose stoppe” All the muggle crowded around me were staring at me like they had never seen a pair of robes before. I was feeling quite claustrophobic. So I took a deep breath and plunged myself out into the pouring rain.

Wanting to escape all the muggle attention I dived into a less crowded alley, whose only occupants were the occasional rat and hobo. I closed my eyes and wanting to get to someplace warm, thought of Honeydukes sweetshop where my friends would be. I felt myself squeezing through the tightest bendy straw ever and wishing I hadn’t had that muggle smoothie.

Finally, I felt my feet hit solid ground, and I opened my stinging eyes. The smoothie was still moving around though, and I was nausea. There was no where to go so I bent down and promptly vomited.

On the Brightside, where I was it was no longer raining but I had never been here before and had no idea where I was. I was in the middle of a sort of small island it seemed to be deserted though. Whoa, it was very cold and I seemed to be doubting myself now, more then ever. Quickly I ran through the sand that covered the ground inland and a big, black, industrial-size building came into view along the horizon. Wow, it was really getting colder and colder.

I opened the doors to find a rush of air so cold, I felt my heart drop inside of me. I walked through and called, “Hullo? anybody home?” No answer. I walked through another set of double doors, and heard screaming, and scratching and moaning. Terrified a turned the corner and saw a herd of dementers coming at me. I was in Azkaban. I turned on the heel of my still soaking shoe, and ran out the set of double doors, through the abandoned lobby, and back out onto the beach. Quickly I closed my eyes and tried to control my quick beating heart. “All I want is to get to Hogsmeade” I thought to myself. After a few calming breaths I focused on getting to Hogsmeade with all my mind, and next thing I new I was being squeezed through the same tight straw although it seemed to be even more painful then the first time.

Once again I felt my feet touch down on sold ground and I sat down on a nearby bench, not taking in my surroundings. My big toe was really hurting. I took of my sodden sock and shoe and realized in my haste, I had left my big toe behind! Luckily, I had made it to my final destination, of the wizard only inhabited village of Hogsmeade. I stopped the person nearest to me and told them my situation. They quickly went and got my examiner and the people from the ministry who were looking at me in a disapproving way. They went and got my toe, and put it back on, but man! it was still sore!

Then the examiner took me back to the Three Broomsticks where he made me write an essay, “What I did wrong and Why I Should Listen to Qualified Adults Around Me.”

The work was slow and tedious, but when I had finished he made me read aloud to the class, “I know I made some mistakes today, and they all can be avoided. I learned to fully set my mind on the correct destination, which was clearly pointed out my instructor, who I failed to listen to. Having sufficient determination will reduce the risk of splinching, which is not fun. I am also aware that my instructor pointed this out to me also. Finally, it will do you good not have a smoothie before you apparate.”

Rain fell hard from the grey sky and the wind was blowing extremly hard. It had to be one of the most coldest days and idiot me I did not bring a cloak. I followed one of my examiners down a busy street packed with muggles. He seemed to not even take notice of the harsh weather, maybe he was using a special charm? I grumbled at the thought of that. He could have easily charmed me as well. I wrapped my arms around myself, in a means to warm myself. It didn't work.

"Holly, are you listening to me?" I looked up at the man and smoothe back my matted bangs. We had reached a dark alley way without my noticing.

"Oh! S-sorry, n-no I wasn't. C-can you repeat it a-a-again?" My words were stuttered because of the gust of wind that blew. I just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

He gave me a disapproving look. "You are to apparate in Hogsmeade Village right outside of The Three Broomsticks. Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah..." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"There will be another examiner right by the entrance, when you arrive."He just seemed to be rambling and I just wanted him to shut his mouth, so I can do what I needed to do and go home. "Okay, you may go whenever you're ready."

"Finally." I mumbled.

"Excues me?"

"Nothing, just talking to myself!" I smiled sweetly. Quickly, I shut my eyes and the moment I did I forgot what I was supposed to do. But I didn't want to ask again and feel stupid. Taking a deep breath I concentrated..or tried to at least. I had squinted and saw a cute muggle man walk past the alley. I had to stop myself from running after him. Suddenly, he had stopped walking and turned to look at me, but at that second I had disapparated. The last thing I saw was a look of shock on his face before he fainted. My examiner won't be impressed with that!

My feet finally touched ground and I looked around. This definatly wasn't Hogsmeade. I found myself at Kings Cross. When I opened my eyes, I had about the whole station of muggles googling at me.

uh-oh...The ministry is going to Avada me for this...

"You didn't see anything." I said, waving my hands. If anything that made it worse. The ministry will have to forgive me...eventually. I closed my eyes again, but found that I could not concentrate with the muggles screaming to get away from me or just standing and staring. I sighed to myself

Might as well walk back. I already failed. I thought.

I didn't have to go far, because right outside of Kings Corss were four Ministry Officials and my examiner. I stared at the ground as the four officals left to clear the mess I made. My examiner gave a deep exaggerated sigh and looked me over.

"Well, you made it one piece." He said in a toneless voice. "But, I'm still going to have to fail you. You have caused some serious trouble around here."

I followed him to a secluded area away from the prying eyes of muggle and took hold his arm. We apparated back into the apparation office where I walked out, my head hung.

As I think back there were alot of things I did wrong to fail. One was not paying attetnion to the examiner and the other not being aware of my surroundings. I also was very distracted and therefore apparated to the wrong place. A large mass of muggles spotted me which really brought down my score. Overall, I did a very poor job.

I knew it! From the very moment I woke up and stepped out of bed- I knew this day was not going to be good. I first had a hard time trying to decide what to wear for the Apparation test that I was due to take a little later on. My clothes were wrinkled but thankfully I was able to straighten them out. However, as I got my shirt tucked into my pants, there was a 'pop' sound and my button on my pants went flying across the room and landed somewhere in the cluttered mess that I called my room.
"Oh this is just great!" I said with a grumbled tone to my voice. I had to take those pants off, grab another pair-the ones that I just happened to almost outgrow. Oh yes, it had to be THOSE pants. They couldn't be the loose fit, comfortable ones. Nope, they had to be these! Well okay, I took a breath or two, calmed down and put those pants on, tucked my shirt into them and then proceeded to comb my hair. But with the weather conditions, I was forced to gel my hair to keep it in place! Oh yeah, this day was really starting off bad.
So fast forward to me running down to grab breakfast. I wanted a bowl of cereal but as I opened the box, a roach crawled out.
"Aw man!" I growled as I swatted it. I lost my appetite at that point, especially with bug guts on the table and-well yeah let's fast forward some more.
Okay, so there I was grabbing my shoes. I didn't look to see what I was sitting on and so I plopped down and immediately regretted it!
No sooner had my bum hit the chair when I heard a 'splurt' sound.
"Oh No!" And I shook my head. I had sat on a tube of ...super glue. You would think that I would have known better, but noooo I sat my bum right onto it! So it was no surprise that I ended up bursting the tube and getting it all over my pants. And when I tried to get up, well I was stuck. Luckily, it didn't dry too quickly cuz I jumped up and well let's just say I ended up having to try to shower, change my pants and try to make my test within 6 minutes! Thankfully, I didn't use bleach in this particular incident.
Okay so skipping ahead some more, I finally made it to the office and a lady greeted me with a crooked smile. I greeted her almost the same way and then realized that I was 25 minutes late!!
"I almost gave up on you." She said in a snippy tone and I simply just nodded quietly.
So then she proceeded to tell me that I needed to apparate to Hogsmeade from this muggle setting. Okay, I figured that I could do that with no problem.
...I was sadly mistaken.
So there I was, standing in the freezing rain-Had I known there would be rain, I would have worn a jacket with a hood-
Anyway, so there I was standing and she said "You have exactly 5 minutes to take this test." Then she gave me the signal.
I felt my breath catch in my throat but I was determined not to mess it up and so I tried to focus on my destination-someplace in Hogsmeade. Any place! I didn't care just as long as Hogsmeade was where I would end up.
So I closed my eyes, feeling my body tingling. My ears felt as if they were going to pop and then I felt a strong rush through my body and in just a few moments later, I was in Hogsmeade! I had made it!
I was so happy that I was about to jump up and down when suddenly I noticed something odd about my body. I had no legs!! "What! Where? How!" I panicked and I mean I panicked loud! "I've lost my legs!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, and then realized that wasn't all. I gasped as I noticed that I was hanging on something and felt warm blood dribbling down my white shirt! I was dangling from the Hog's Head sign!
I hadn't realized that apparating would be so hard and as my instructor arrived, I knew from the shrillness of her laughter, that not only had I made a complete fool of myself but I had failed the test!!
I tried to sweet talk her but well she shook her head. I turned so red that I felt like I had a permanent sunburn! It was the worst! And it didn't help when she informed me of my 'possessed legs' from the busy street that I had apparated from; were tapdancing in place and scaring a lot of the muggles there.
Later on, with some help; a few friendly wizards helped me put myself together again. Hanging my head with embarassment, I slowly trudged home.

Here are the things that went wrong and how I could fix them next time.

1. I needed to pay attention and not take apparating so lightly- Next time, I will listen carefully and be sure to leave my ego at home.
2. My destination in my mind was too broad and no specific place was clearly imagined. This caused me to not only end up dangling from a bleeding boar's mouth, but may have contributed to my splinching problem as well.- Next time, be very specific in my mind where I am going.
3. The splinching. I was too cocky to concentrate on holding myself together and next time I will make sure that all my limbs are intact when I retake the test.

I slowly made my way to the Ministry office. Once I got there I went to the place that I was told to go to take my test. Isat down in the chair waiting for the tester to appear. I noticed on her way there that it was windy and rain was falling from the sky. This was going to mess with my appariting.

"Stephy" shouted a voice and I made he way to it. Once I entered the room I saw that it was an elderly man who had white hair and he said "I know that the weather is windy and its raining but i know you can pass this test."

"I hope so" I answered.

"Now all you got to do it apparite to Hogsmeade. Now whern your ready just go right on ahead. No need to worry theres a man waiting there for you. Also i would like you to give him these papers. They are very inportant and i need them delivered to him right away." Said the man handing me the paoers.

"What if something goes wrong and i dont get the papers to him" I asked

"No need to be scared. I have faith in you and i know you can pull it off. Now just remember what they thought you. Focuse on your destination. Now go ahead." the man replied.

"Ok" i said and i walked over and took the papers. i stood out into the middle of the room thinking about Hogsmead just like the man said. Then i started to think about the papers. No i need to think abou the destination I thought to myself. I tried to calm myself dwon but i couldnt so instead of standing in the middle of the room looking like an idiot i decided to go for even if i wasnt ready.

With a flick of my robes i began to apparite. I felt as if my body was being squeezed thorught a pipe but i kept thinking about Hogsmeade. Half way there i started to think about the paper. What if i dont get it there. What if i end up thousnads of miles away form Hogsmeade and what if my body parts end up everywhere. All of a sudden i felt the ground and looked aorund

Yes im at Hogsmead I thought to myself. I looked to my left and i saw a man with broiwn hair running to me. "Did i pass" I shouted to him

"No i must call the athorirties" he called back

"BUt why" i asked

"Cant you see" he said a smile spreading across his face. "Why its because you missing half od you"

I looked down and to my amazment i saw that he was correct. I did bring the paper that i was so worried about but i forgot the lower half of my body. Where are my legs. Are they still at the office or are they near some muggles. i thought to myself.

After i few min of waiting i finally got the answer they did in fact make it half way to Hogmeade and thankfully they were away from the muggles. As soon as i was put back together the white haired man, who came to help me out in this awful condidtion, told me what i did wrong and how to correct it. I am going to take his words to heart the next time i try out for my test

As I sat in the ministry my hands sweaty and my stomach aching with nerves. I was about to try for my apparition license. Pulling out my copy of apparition for beginners. I began filing through the pages to find any useful information that might help me pass true I had read the book twice over but it was worth another skim right? But before I had even found the correct chapter a small man with a large pointed hat had walked out and in a loud voice said “Miss Swindail.” My heart was now beating 10 to a dozen. For a moment I thought that my legs would be incapable of movement and it seemed like forever before I had entered the room.
“Now miss you have had lessons I am to understand?” This man was tall and seemed to stoop slightly.
“Erm yes sir…at Hogwarts.” I stammered wringing my hands together.
“Very well I would like you to apperate to Hogsmede please. I will apperate there to and meat you. Please gather yourself and apperate when you feel ready remember the three Ds and good look.” He gave a small wave of his wand and a circle appeared on the floor I took by the indication of his hand that I was to stand there. Breathing deeply I let the three Ds fill my brain concentrating on the image of Hogsmede I felt the small swooping sensation and the feeling of being pulled through a small rubber tube this was easy I thought to myself nothing to it and I opened my eyes as I felt my feet fall firmly upon the ground. But what I saw was not Hogsmede in fact it was a completely new place. Fear struck in my heart. I had failed, I was in the middle of no where and the only way back to the ministry was to apperate and I had just proven then that I could not do so. Feeling utterly defeated I slumped down onto the ground pulling up the grass vigorously. When I had made a small patch in front of me it finally came to me that I could not just sit here all day destroying the grass. And so I stood up my wand in hand and concentrated very hard on the room I had left. This time I was determined to get back it was my only hope I could not stay out here for the rest of my life in this unknown grassy area with no houses in sight. And so I gathered all my knowledge and with all my strength and determination I attempted to apperate back to the ministry.
There was a loud BANGING noise as my whole body collided with a sold wall. Feeling myself tumbling back I heard laughter from behind me. Spinning my head around I saw several people walking down the hall and it was then that I noticed that I was back at the ministry though it was obvious that I had turned up at the wrong place yet again. Rubbing my head I began to look around where was I?
“Apparition gone wrong is it miss?” asked a tall man with a rather large upturned nose.
“Erm yes something like that.” I said still rubbing my head.
“Well you will be wanting to get out of here this is the 10th floor look over there that’s the stairs go up them and take the lift back to the apparition floor and you be careful not to apperate into walls next time okay.” He then wandered of round the corner without even a backwards glance. Well I took his advice and I returned to the apperation testing room to find the examiner standing there with his arms folded.
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN.” He bellowed “I was about to send someone out to find you.”
“I’m sorry I ended up in the middle of no where and then I just landed…”
“Enough get out of my office I have other people to test come back this time next week and we shall try again.” His voice now seemed less angry but it was still firm and demanding each word spoken with such force it could have blasted me back.
So the following week I found myself sitting outside the apparition testing room. There were only two other people who had failed bar me. And I could say that this time was even more nerve racking than the last. When Mr Patrick had gone in it was my turn. Entering the room I tried to muster up a smile but none such came to me.
“Same rules as last time Miss and try to get to Hogsmede this time please I have other things I could be doing than looking for you.”
“Yes sir” I said my whole body shaking as I stumbled into the small red ring. This time I WILL do it I told myself concentrating my whole body I though of Hogsmede and the immediate picture that sprang to mind was the three broomsticks the familiar smell of butter beer swam into my nostrils. It was filled with the usual laughter and so I opened my eyes to find that I was stood in the middle of the three broomsticks smiling to myself I looked down to make sure that I was whole and to my horror I found that I was stood in the middle of a crowded pub in just my underwear. My face became instantly hot and I quickly apperate back to the ministry though luckily this time I ended up just a corridor away. Sprinting past all the people whose heads seemed to be turning as I sped past them I made my way to the room. And there lying on the floor was my clothes. Quickly pulling them on the examiner appeared.
“They told me what had happened. Miss Swindail you are not concentrating on the desired place correctly you are letting you mind wander this is something not even the most accompliced apperaters can do let alone an unlicensed girl. I am afraid that you failed.”
My head sank low I had failed it would be another 6 months before I could try and re-take my test. I would just have to put up with broom flight and floo powder until then.

Well done. You have recieved 93 points which gives you 250 husepoints under new marking scheme

Well done. You have recieved 89 points which gives you 200 husepoints under new marking scheme

Well done. You have recieved 93 points which gives you 250 husepoints under new marking scheme