That Spider Like a Spring Breeze

The March breeze swept across the lakeshore, sending rings of ripples across the water. The Giant Squid floated slowly on the surface, its round black eyes fixed on the shore, glinting with almost human delight as though it found the young wizards amusing.

On the open ground where they practiced Apparition, the students squeezed their eyes shut and furrowed their brows. After gathering themselves for more than ten seconds, they suddenly spun around, leaving themselves swaying unsteadily and nearly falling over.

The students who failed were not discouraged. Once they had steadied themselves, they secretly glanced toward Gryffindor. Seamus Finnigan, who had barely managed to succeed in the previous class, was sweating anxiously. He truly had not expected that merely changing the location from the Great Hall to the open ground by the lake, and replacing stone flooring with fallen leaves and dirt, would make him lose that feeling from last time as soon as he closed his eyes.

He had spun around too hard and gone in several circles, with no sign of Apparition at all. His head was spinning instead, and the looks from all around made his face burn.

The professors stood not far from the Old Wooden Ring, smiling as they watched the students while keeping alert for any Splinching accidents that might occur.

Professor Bashat, who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, had no teaching duties today and had come specifically to watch. Seeing the troubled looks on the students' faces, she shook her head.

"Even if you know a more effective method of practice, you still need enough training to master Apparition. Seamus Finnigan only succeeded last time because the Goddess of Luck favored him."

The short Professor Flitwick wore a nostalgic expression, as if he had recalled the days when he practiced magic