Chapter 570: Ministry of Magic's Examination
Chapter 570: Ministry of Magic's Examination
In the Great Hall, the sixth-year students were still undergoing their examinations.
Most of them had a solid foundation, and even following the usual schedule, they would have started learning apparition around this time. However, the appearance of Sirius Star had accelerated their progress by about half a year. So when Wick Techros asked, more than half of the students stood up.
For the Ministry of Magic staff, testing the students' ability to apparate on their own was clearly more efficient. They only needed to stand by and record the results. During the process, there were two minor cases of splinching, but the students remained relatively calm, having already been exposed to such incidents in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Next came the examination for apparition with a companion. The specific procedure involved Ministry of Magic staff apparating with the students and then checking their physical condition to ensure there were no strong adverse reactions.
"This is a heavy burden for us", Wick Techros said. "Each person needs to rest after a few attempts. I'll allocate two days for this." But the thought of nearly a thousand students made the Ministry staff feel disheartened.
"I wouldn't go through this if it weren't to see Ced", Amos Diggory muttered under his breath.
After a long day, the Ministry of Magic staff were exhausted. The four Heads of House and Felix also joined in to help. However, after two attempts, Felix encountered a problem.
Wick Techros quickly approached, "How do you feel?" He carefully observed the student's expression.
"Very good", Cormac Mclaggen, with his thick, short hair, hesitated before answering.
"Oh, no", Wick Techros pouted.
"Why not?" Cormac asked, surprised.
Wick Techros didn't respond. He looked at Felix, "Hmm—Mr. Hep, your apparition is very—skilled. The movement process was almost without any discomfort, which doesn't meet our test requirements." He pointed to the side, where Amos Diggory had just apparated a sixth-year student to the wooden circle on the opposite side. The girl hadn't even steadied herself before she started retching.
"Maryetta, are you okay?" her friend Cho Chang asked, concerned.
"I... ugh..." Maryetta clutched the wooden circle and vomited. Mr. Diggory covered his nose and stepped away, seemingly unwilling to get close to her, except for Cho Chang.
"You see, it needs to be that intense to achieve the desired test effect", Wick Techros said, his face devoid of any extra expression, which made Cormac Mclaggen look at him with awe. "Oh, it's normal; you get used to it after a while..."
"So, we need to cause a strong reaction?" Felix asked with interest, causing Cormac Mclaggen to shiver.
"It doesn't have to be particularly strong..." Wick Techros said uncomfortably.
By midday, the sixth-year students left, looking excited and whispering to each other. The Ministry of Magic staff recorded their names and performances, then called in the fifth-year students. Wick Techros repeated his instructions, asking the students to spread out evenly and wait for the staff to move them.
The Heads of House walked among the students, helping them get into position. As Wick Techros approached, Ron raised his hand.
Techros walked over. He was thin and pale, looking as if a gentle breeze could knock him over. "This student, what is your question?"
"Well, it's like this", Ron glanced at Harry and asked, "I just wanted to ask, we've already mastered apparition—" He saw Wick Techros frown and quickly added, "We learned it for the Triwizard Tournament, and Harry, Hermione, and I have already mastered it."
Wick Techros looked surprised. He examined Ron's face, then Harry's, "Oh, my, yes... I recognize you! I've seen you in the recordings, you're one of the Weasley children, right? I saw the red hair and freckles. Your performance in the lake was impressive..."
Ron's face turned red. He had spent most of his time in Black Lake repeating the challenges and reading a lot of books.
Wick Techros didn't notice his hidden emotions and continued, "I've met your father, Arthur Weasley, a few times... unfortunately, we haven't spoken much... well, I think it's fine."
"What?"
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Wick Techros clapped his hands, and everyone stopped. "Let's add some fun to our hard work. Welcome the Triwizard Tournament champions, who have made extraordinary efforts for their country. The recordings only showed a small part of it! In fact—they have also mastered apparition."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were pushed to the center of attention.
"Oh", Hermione groaned softly, "I didn't plan to draw attention to myself at this moment."
Ron's voice trembled, "Believe me, I didn't expect this either... Harry, do you have the Liquid Luck? Now would be a good time..."
Harry knew Ron well and understood that he was babbling out of nervousness. How could they drink the Liquid Luck under everyone's gaze? But he did consider whether it would be wise to carry it with him, just in case they encountered a similar situation and were caught unprepared.
The students and professors gathered around, all watching with keen interest. They knew Harry could apparate, as he had demonstrated this during the battle with the fire dragon and could even move continuously. Ron had used it once, but they weren't sure if Hermione could do it as well.
"Let's play it safe and have Mr. Potter go first", said Wick Techros. Harry was then led to a wooden circle, and Wick Techros gave him a gentle push from behind. Harry nearly stumbled but managed to jump into the wooden circle.
"Very good, everyone, please hold your breath..."
Wick Techros's voice came from a distance, but Harry's focus was entirely on the wooden circle. He was well-versed in the process, having used it during the Christmas holidays. He cleared his mind and concentrated fully on occupying the space on the other side... and suddenly, he appeared there.
Many students were startled.
Comparison makes the difference clear. Most of them didn't know that the Ministry of Magic deliberately increased the discomfort of apparition. They only knew that compared to the loud bangs made by the adult wizards, Harry's casting was extremely smooth. In a flash, he appeared in the center of the wooden circle, about ten feet away.
In the crowd, Umbridge watched Harry critically. She could tell that he was exceptionally skilled in this magic.
Wick Techros, as the professional instructor, was also somewhat surprised. "Can you adjust your position when you apparate, Mr. Potter?"
Harry nodded.
During the summer, he had spent a lot of time trying to mimic Professor Hep's tactics. Though his version was still rudimentary compared to the original, it had at least some resemblance, and Sirius Star couldn't break through it.
The students began to clap, and a few members of the Frontline Lookout Station cheered loudly for Harry. The crowd gradually quieted down. Ron saw Wick Techros beckoning to him with a smile. He walked over, his steps feeling unsteady. When Harry returned, he muttered through gritted teeth, "Do you need Neville to give you a Daydream Charm?"
Ron forced a stiff smile and stepped into the wooden circle. Wick Techros chattered to his colleagues, "This is Weasley, his older brother and father both work at the Ministry. You should know them—Arthur is a very kind man; I've met him a few times in the elevator, and he always greets me first... His brother is a workaholic; I once thought he was on the night shift..."
Ron wished he would shut up. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself, his eyes fixed on the distant wooden circle. "Bang!" He appeared in the wooden circle.
Ron quickly touched his face. "I succeeded? No hair loss? Eyebrows intact? Great!" He beamed with joy.
The last one was Hermione, who also performed the casting smoothly and appeared precisely at the designated spot. The students clapped in unison, and she blushed as she retreated into the crowd.
"Very good", Wick Techros said loudly, "very good, everyone. They have demonstrated their magic exceptionally well, and I will discuss with the Ministry about awarding them certificates early... Additionally, as a professional instructor, I must correct a misconception to avoid unnecessary errors. Their casting movements are not the standard form."
"What do you mean?" Cormac Mclaggen asked. "Did they do something wrong?"
"No, of course not. In fact, they did better", Wick Techros said, spreading his hands. "For beginners, the most important thing in apparition is to remember the three Ds: destination, determination, and deliberation... We usually use casting movements to immerse ourselves in a void."
Techros then walked into the nearest wooden circle, spread his arms, and elegantly spun in place, disappearing in the swirl of his robes and reappearing in the wooden circle on the other side.
"Like this—channel your magic, turn gracefully—this is the correct way—"
"You're joking!" Ron shouted.
Techros looked at him calmly, and Ron shrank back, saying, "Uh, sorry." "No problem", Techros said, "I'm just curious. Why do you find it strange? Didn't the person who taught you apparition mention this casting movement?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately looked at Professor Hep in the crowd. The professor stared at the ceiling, suddenly very interested in the candle decorations above.
Not far away, Draco Malfoy also wore a surprised expression. He had the same confusion during his lessons, but the professor never mentioned it. He thought the information in his materials was incorrect...
Professor Mcgonagall gave Felix a stern look. The situation was clear—Felix must have skipped a crucial step, leading to Harry and the others not knowing the standard casting movements even after learning the magic... Professor Mcgonagall glanced at Hermione, who should have known, but the other two...
She clicked her tongue and said, "Techros, can we continue with the assessment?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
