TEST 5: Apparition Practical 2: Final test

Please post essays here: NO COPYING OR YOU WILL FAIL!

In first person writing, describe your final practical apparition test. Make sure you describe the feelings and everything you have learnt in order to pass.

The weather for the test is: Calm and sunny
The situation for the test: A field in the middle of nowhere
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: 40
80 – 89: 50
90 – 100: 60

FINAL TEST

Again, I sat nervously in the waiting room of the Apparition Testing Centre. After failing once already, I was desperate to pass this time. I was starting my internship in St Mungo’s in a week and they had told me that I had to be able to apparate. At this stage in my life, apparition was a must. I couldn’t get a job without it!

“Miss Lily?”

I whipped around and gaped at the examiner. It was the same one! Why, oh why did the fates hate me so much? This would be more embarrassing than the first time. I was sure of it! I turned red immediately, blushing to the roots of my hair, enough to make any tomato feel ashamed.

I nodded numbly as he smiled that stupid reassuring smile again. It was a sign! A sign that I would fail! I nearly cried…if the Portkey took me to Edinburgh again, I would literally burst into tears.

He quietly handed me another Chocolate Frog wrapper and we were transported to our destination. This time, I landed more gracefully and I thanked my lucky stars that I hadn’t made a fool of myself already. The examiner was really nice to me and I didn’t want to disappoint him again. I could tell that he hated having to fail people.

I opened my eyes slowly and when I saw that we were not in a city, I relaxed and opened them fully. Maybe there was a chance for me after all!

He was waiting in front of expectantly, with a knowing smile on his face, as if he could feel my tension and could understand it. He handed me another conjured bag and gave me my instructions.

They were the same as last time, except that I had to apparate to Honeydukes instead of the Three Broomsticks.

It didn’t seem impossible. The weather was beautiful, with the sun beating down on my back and with no wind or rain to speak of. There was no rain so that made me feel a bit better. All of these factors seemed to suggest that my test would go right. I only hoped so.

When he told me to apparate when I was ready, I knew that I had to rectify the mistakes I had made previously. He saw me looking around the empty field we were in and gave me a quizzical look.

“There aren’t any Muggles around, are there? No farms, farmers, anything? No sheep, cows, talking horses that could tell the Muggles? Just you and me?”

He threw back his head and laughed. I was really worried about this test, and the prat was laughing! I scowled and waited for his answer impatiently, throwing him my best dirty look.

“No,” he finally choked out, “No. There is nobody nearby and you don’t have to worry about checking. This is an isolated field in the middle of nowhere and that is as much as I can tell you. Well done for checking though. You can apparate to Honeydukes when you are ready, just remember to take the bag with you.”

He wiped away tears with one hand and scribbled something onto his clipboard.

It wasn’t that funny! I just wanted to pass my test! So I slung the bad over my shoulder and clutched it tightly. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Destination, Determination and Deliberation. I saw the store in my mind’s eye and concentrated on the sign above the shop.

No! If you do that, you will apparate there, and falling from that height will be painful! So I listened to my head and then concentrated on the door of Honeydukes, just as anyone would walk in or out. I knew that on a Sunday, Honeydukes was closed, so I knew it was a safe place to apparate to.

I focused myself on moving all of my particles to Honeydukes and made sure that, in my mind’s eye, there were no more bits of me remaining in the field.

I knew that I had to do it in one go, so I blew out a breath and quickly thought, “NOW!”

I head a crack like a whip and started choking for breath as I felt myself being taken through the discomfort of Apparition. My body was being stretched and compacted in ways I never knew existed!

All at once, I landed and opened my eyes, frantically drawing breaths, and checking myself to see if I was all in place.

I couldn’t feel anything missing and the bag was still there, so I thought that everything was fine.

The other examiner came towards me from where he had been waiting inside the door of Hogsmeade and smiled at me. I held my breath in anticipation.

“Well, Miss Lily, you came here safely, unseen by Muggles, with the bag, in the right destination and without splinching yourself. Well done! Pass! With flying colours!”

I was elated! I had finally passed! I grabbed the licence out of his hand and squealed with joy, doing a victory dance in the process, something which involved a lot of waving of arms, kicking, jumping, screaming and clicking of heels. What else could I do? I was happy!

~My Final Apparition Test~

As I entered the Apparition Center for the second time, I was amazed at how the tension continued to pollute the air.

The receptionist at the front desk, Melanie, was the same one I had seen before. Her presence brought back horrible memories of my first time failing my apparition test.

The waiting area was empty this time, unlike it had been last time. I nervously walked towards the receptionist.


“How may I help you?” The receptionist asked shortly.

I did a double take. She had been kind and relaxed last time I was here. But now, she was rude and made me feel more nervous.

“Erm, I’m here for my apparition test.”

The lady rolled her eyes. “And you would be Miss Pillow, I presume?” She said annoyingly, glancing down at a paper. “Ah, yes, I remember you.” She smiled sourly. “You’re the one who failed a few days ago. Come back to try again?”

I glared at her. She had no right to say that to me. “Yes, I believe I will do much better this time.” I said confidently. Her rudeness and arrogant behavior was strengthening my attitude.

“Don’t get your hopes up sweetie. I’ve had four others come out today, failing. The MoM official testing you today isn’t the nicest man.” She smirked.

“Well I really am wasting my time sitting here listening to you. So would you mind telling me where to go?” I snapped.

She rolled her eyes at me. “Through that door.” She muttered, flicking her wand at a door behind her.

“Later.” I muttered as I entered the hallway.

I walked down the hall, and came to the third door on my left. I swung open the door and marched in.

“Name.” A man snapped, as he thrust a basket into my arms.

“Oh, erm… Pillow.” I stuttered, catching the empty basket.

“Right then, I don’t have all day to wait for you to fail so I can get on with my life. So you have to apparite from a field to Hogsmeade.” The man had short grey hair and pale blue eyes. He stared coldly at me as he informed me of how much he didn’t want to be here to wait for me to fail.

I nodded, annoyed. First the receptionist, now him! But I knew something was wrong. They were just doing this to startle me. Or make me nervous. To test my true abilities during the test.

“Take this porkey to the West field, and then begin your test. Good luck.” The man pointed towards a candle stick lying on the ground.

I stepped forward and touched the candlestick gently.

********

I landed in the middle of a huge field. The weather was sunny, and I felt the heat beating down on my back.

I was surrounded by corn and soybeans that had been planted only a few days before.

I closed my eyes and tried to calm my heart. It was beating rapidly.

I glanced down at the basket that I held.

Destination. Determination. Deliberation! Destination. Determination! Deliberation!

I concentrated on the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade, where I had decided to apparate to.

Hogs Head.

Old, musty sign depicting a hog with a barrel of rum or some magical drink.

I began to apparate.

For exactly one second, my neck and throat seemed to pull apart. I struggled to breathe. I felt like it was all over. Like I was going to be ripped to pieces.

But then, it was all over.

I was standing in front of the Hog’s Head.

All of the pulling sensations were gone. And I held the basket, too!

I had done it! I had remember how to concentrate, how to apparate!

“Miss Pillow! MISS PILLOW!”

I was in my own little world, already hosting a huge party in my mind, when I snapped out of it and saw a MoM official walking towards me.

My heart sunk.

I had failed.

How could I have possibly passed?

What was I thinking???

I never apparated!

I had just…. appeared here!

Sadly, I turned to face the man.

“Congratulations Miss Pillow! You have achieved your goal of passing your apparition test!”

I screamed. And Screamed. And Screamed.

I HAD DONE IT!!!!!!!

I HAD APPARATED!!!!

YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

The happiness inside of me wasn’t staying inside.

“Thank you so much, Mr…..” I trailed off, still bouncing up at down.

“Mr. Kurt.” He said, smiling.

“Oh, Mr. Kurt! Thank you so much!”

“You are very welcome, Miss Pillow.”

I was beaming. My confidence was sky- rocketing.

I felt like I could do anything!

As I sit in the waiting room of the apparition testing centre, I go through everything I have learnt over the past few weeks. Although I am nervous, I know I must stay focused. This was my final chance, if I didn’t pass this time I would never live it down. I was already the last one to pass in my family, and no one else had failed first time, so this was it!

“Determination…Destination…Deliberation…”

The three words ran through my mind over and over again until my thoughts were interrupted.

“Severus Snape?”

I looked up and smiled, glad that it wasn’t the same person as I had before; I didn’t think I could ever live that last test down.
I slowly stood up and took a deep calming breath before following the tester outside. I was glad that the weather was calm, though I put my sunglasses on straight away. I didn’t want the glare of the sun interrupting my thoughts when trying to apparate. I wanted to keep all my limbs together this time!
The tester turned to me and handed me a small brown boot in which I swiftly took hold of. We were quickly transported to our starting point.

“I will meet you at your destination point” The tester said smiling, “Outside the left window of the Hogshead public house”

She smiled and quickly apparated. I took another deep breath and took in my surroundings. There were no muggles in sight, in fact the field was completely empty. Closing my eyes, I focused upon the Hogshead, taking in every detail of the left window.

“Destination”

I opened my eyes and took one last deep breath. I was going to do this, limbs and all

“Determination”

I knew what could go wrong; though this time I was ready. I knew what I had to do

“Deliberation”

I closed my eyes once more and put everything together. Suddenly I felt a tingling sensation, yet this time I didn’t panic. I knew the sensation would last but seconds. After no time at all, I felt the ground beneath my feet. I barely registered the hot sun or the voice shouting my name. I didn’t want to open my eyes in case I had failed, yet at least I wasn’t wet this time, meaning I had missed the river thankfully.

“Snape…Severus Snape”

I tried to make out her tone…she seemed…it was like I had…

“You can open your eyes now, Snape”

Her voice was…cheerful. I opened my eyes and focused upon the testers face and grinned back. I quickly checked my limbs, counted every leg, arm and finger. Everything was there. I turned around and could see the weird stares from the wizards inside the Hogshead public house.

“Have I…” I uttered quietly as I turned back to the tester, barely able to contain my excitement, “Have I…passed?”

The tester smiled and waved her wand over the parchment. A huge purple ‘Passed’ appeared over the top of my certificate. I had made it. I had passed my apparition test.

“Well done” She said smiling as she handed me my certificate and licence.

I couldn’t stop grinning. I was so glad my destination had been the Hogshead as I grasped hold of my papers and flew into the door to celebrate…

After the last disastrous apparition test (which I failed, if you must know), I have to admit I’m a little hesitant about retaking it. I don’t think I could take it if I failed again, not only would the embarrassment be too much to bear, my friends would give me a right ribbing.

Like before, I entered the testing centre with a fair amount of trepidation, but at least this time I wasn’t suffering from a bad cold. It was the same, wizened old man sitting at the desk, and almost as soon as I’d shown him my papers, Annabel Crane appeared in the doorway, and told me in clipped tones to “follow her, and quickly.”

I did as I was told, and we entered her office within moments. She began barking out the details of the test in a cold, offhand manner, and I couldn’t help but wish that the young man who’d met me last time was here instead.

“This time you’re apparating from Gallow’s Field in Cornwall, and your destination will, once again, be Hogsmeade. Let’s hope you’re a little better prepared than before,” she smirked cruelly, “how’s your finger?”

“Just fine, thanks.” I mumbled, scowling at her back when she had turned to her desk. She picked up a scruffy old teddy bear, and held it out for me to touch. Once I had, I felt that familiar feeling of being pulled through air, and moments later I landed with a bump on a grassy surface.

I looked up from my sprawling position on the ground to see Annabel standing smugly above me, holding her dratted clipboard.

“Ready to begin?” She asked, and I could hear her voice absolutely dripping with arrogance.

I stood up and squared my shoulders.

“Yes,” I said firmly, “let’s start.”

“Very well,” she said, and began asking me the same questions as before. This time, I whizzed through them, giving correct answers and not hesitating at all. I could see Annabel’s expression becoming sourer and sourer as I answered each question right, until it looked like she was sucking on a lemon.

“Well done,” she said in a forced voice, “you must have revised very thoroughly.”

“Yes,” I replied, inwardly grinning, but not giving her the satisfaction of thinking her praise meant anything to me.

“Now, it’s time for you to apparate to Hogsmeade. Be aware that the distance is quite a bit further this time, why, we’re nearly at Land’s End!” She chuckled in a ridiculously high-pitched manner. “I’ll go stand over there by that fence. You find a place that is safe and convenient to apparate from, and John will be there to meet you again. You’re aiming for just outside the Three Broomsticks.”

I nodded, and scanned the field, noticing for the first time how creepy it was there. There was a rope hanging from the bare branches of a tree in one corner, and remembering the name of the place, “Gallow’s Field”, I shuddered.

But back to the matter in hand. There were no Muggles about, but to be on the safe side I went and stood underneath the large tree, trying to ignore the knotted rope, hoping that it was simply a child’s swing.

Closing my eyes, I remembered the three D’s I’d learned in my theory preparation: destination, deliberation and determination. I pictured Hogsmeade clearly in my mind, and I was SO determined to get there.

And then I closed my eyes, and just apparated. I felt a rushing in my ears and a sensation as though I was being squeezed through a very small tunnel. Moments later, I appeared outside the Three Broomsticks, to see John smiling at me.

“Well done!” he said, “All present and correct?”

I looked down at myself and was pleased to see I’d not left any part of me behind that time.

“Oh my God!” I said, “Have I passed?”

“Well, we’ll need to wait for official confirmation from Annabel, but I think it’s pretty safe to say you have.” He replied, winking at me.

A few seconds later, Annabel arrived, and smiled at me.

“Congratulations,” she said, “you have passed your apparition test.”

She then handed me a certificate to show this, and I beamed at her and John.

“Thanks!” I said, “Does this mean I can apparate home now?”

“Go ahead,” John replied, “and once again, well done!”

And with that I popped off home.

I walked slowly and calmly into the testing center, noting the calm good weather, though also realizing that the sun could work against me. My mind was more open to everything around me as I did not want a repeat performance – I had to pass my final apparition test – for my own sanity and for the housepoints that I would earn my house – the good old Ravenclaws!

Walking into the room, I handed my details over to the receptionist lady and took a seat near the door. I rolled my shoulders around and tried to relax before pulling my small red notebook from my pocket. I started flicking through my notes as I waited – going through everything in my mind. I was not about to be caught out this time.

Determination – well I was determined!
Destination. Rememeber to focus and ask any questions if you are not sure.
Deliberation .

The three D’s raced in my mind as I heard my name being called.

“Miss Kitkat, are you ready for your test?”

I took a deep breath and stood up, smiling at the young woman tester as she led me outside. We walked for a couple of minutes before we stoped – in the middle of a field. My heart raced! This was a lot easier than before!

The woman turned to me and smiled.

“I would like you to apparate into Hogsmead, right next to the old tree in the centre of the town. I will be waiting for you there”

I smiled and nodded and watched as the tester apparated in front of me. Taking a deep breath, I looked around me to make sure there were no muggles. It was safe! Except….There was a young girl walking her dog. I waved casually to her and slowly walked in the posite direction and around the other side of a small hedge. Stopping, I once again looked around me. Now it was safe! There were no muggles around at all! Taking another breath I focused on the old tree. I focused on the ground beneath the tree, and let nothing else enter my mind. Closing my eyes, I could feel the small tingle inside my skin….

“Miss kitkat?”

I opened my eyes and saw the tester in front of me! Looking around I saw I was standing beneath the old tree – my exact destination point. I barely registered the smiling faces of my friends standing over the other side of the road, their hands clapping together for me!

“Have I…?” I barely hoped to ask before the tester smiled and nodded.

“Well done Miss kitkat” she said smiling, “you have passed!”

She handed me a small golden coloured certificate stamped with the words “PASSED”. I jumped for joy! I had done it! I had finally passed my apparition test – all that work paid off – I could legally apparate! And I wasn’t going to waste any time! Closing my eyes, I focused on my destination….the three broomsticks!! I had to celebrate!

I walked out into the field where the ministry wokers’ had told me to meet them. There was nothing to see for miles around and I knew that this would be the perfect place to test at. There wasn’t any muggles nearby to disturbed me while I was testing. I also noticed that the weather was sunny and there wasn’t any wind which made me confident that i could pass. Today was going to go better then the first time I had tried it because at least there wasn’t any wind that would make the process more difficult.

"I see that you made it" a ministry worker said. He had red hair and was wearing a muggle’s outfit which was blue overalls. "Are you ready to take the test" he asked in an annoyed voice

"Yes" I said noticing that he wanted to hurry up and get this over with. He could have been nicer but he could have already did a few other kids and was becoming bored with it.

"Take this paper with you, you need to appear at Hogsmead. Try to get near the Three Broomsticks. A ministry worker should be there" he added shoving the paper into her hand and steeping away, giving me room to apparate.

I took the paper and closed my eyes taking a deep breath. I knew i could do it this time. The weather was perfect and there wasn’t any wind to interfere with the apperation. With a flick of my cloak I started to apparate and noticed that familiar feeling of being pushed through a small tube and I knew there was no turning back. I focused all my might on Hogmead, the place near the Three Broomsticks and once I felt my feet touch the ground I opened my eyes and looked around. I then looked down and to my delight I saw that I was still in one piece.

"You passed" said another ministry worker who had blonde hair running towards me. "May I see those papers so that I can fill them out. You did a wonderful job, you can relax now" he said trying to calming me down.

"Yes" I shouted when I heard the news and did a little dance.

"Ok, now before you go," he started to say" Here's your certificate, you’ll need this" and handed a piece of paper to me and I saw that it was the certificate for passing my apperation test. I took the paper and pocketed it. I would have to show mom and dad this, they would be so proud, I thought to myself.

“Is this all that I need” I said wanting to hurry up and get home so that I could tell my parents.

“Yes, I should be. You can go now, you did a great job” he said

“Thanks, ill be going now.” I said and I turned around heading towards the train. After a few hours on the train I made it home and told my parents about what had happened. Afterwards they threw me party and I invited all of my friends.