Secrets

Chapter 6 - Apparation Licenses

"Out of curiosity, how many of you will be ready to earn your Apparation Licenses by the beginning of next term?" It was a Tuesday evening meeting of the DA M.A.P. groups, and the students were gathered around the front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They'd been working on their M.A.P.s for almost two months.

Everyone except Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbot, and Kyra raised their hands.

"When are your birthdays?" Professor Bale questioned the last five individually.

"Not until July 31, Professor," Harry replied sullenly.

"Me too," Neville said dully.

"March 1 for me," Ron added sadly.

"I'll be 17 on February 20," Hannah told him.

"And what about you, Kyra?" the Professor asked.

Kyra had an odd expression on her face. "I already have my license," she said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

A chorus of disbelief swept the group. Apparition tests and licensing only occurred during the first week of classes each semester. Hermione had the earliest birthday in their year, but her birthday wasn't until September 19. That meant that none of the sixth year students should have been able to take the tests yet.

"How did you manage that?" Hermione asked, in a slightly huffy voice.

"She took the test last year," Lisa said, sticking up for her friend. Lisa, Cho, Terry, and Noel were the only ones who knew that Kyra had her license already. She'd visited each of them over the summer by Apparating to their homes. Since her parents were Muggles, they weren't part of the Floo Network, so this was the first time she'd been able to easily visit any of her friends.

"But that's impossible!" Hermione said, still not believing that someone in her year could possibly have taken the test before her. "You have to be seventeen to be licensed!"

"I'll be eighteen next month," Kyra replied calmly, pleased to be able to fluster Hermione like this.

Again, a chorus of disbelief circulated through the group of students. Professor Bale hushed them.

"Well, that's most of you," he told them. "Apparating is a difficult skill that can be the only choice between life and death sometimes. I want to begin working with you on developing your skills at Apparation next spring. It may drive you crazy, but those of you that don't have your license yet can still participate in the lessons. By the time you get your license next fall," he paused as Ron and Harry groaned miserably, "you'll pass your tests with flying colors."

They split up then to work in groups according to what they were studying. Kyra was working with Ron, Harry, and Hermione to develop useful skills for Aurors. Neville was working with Hannah and Ernie, and Lisa was working on her own (Professor Flitwick was busy that evening, which was fine with her, because it meant she got to spend time with Professor Bale alone).

"So how come you're so old?" Ron asked Kyra as they split into their groups.

"How come you're so young?" she countered, raising her eyebrow at him.

"I'm not too young for my year, though," he retorted.

"Leave her alone, Ron," Harry admonished his friend.

"But I'm curious," Hermione spoke up meekly. "If you don't mind... I'm sorry I gave you a hard time," she added apologetically.

"Well, it's not really a big deal," Kyra told them. "My father was really ill when my letter came, and my mother appealed to the Headmaster to keep me home an extra year to help her take care of him."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Professor Bale had approached them, planning to work with their group first. "Did he get better?"

Kyra smiled at her professor. "Yes, thanks. He was better by the next year, and the Headmaster sent me another letter, and well, here I am. And," she added, "aside from the license, it really hasn't mattered that I'm a year older than everyone else in my year."

Professor Bale made sure they were on the right track with their projects, and then checked with the other two groups. Lisa was reading through several of the books on the Professor's shelves and researching some very vile charms. She wasn't even sure why they were called charms - she'd seen curses that were less vicious. One in particular looked familiar when she got to it, and she questioned her professor when he approached.

"You were working with this charm a couple of weeks ago, before class, weren't you?" she asked curiously, holding the book out to him.

He reached out and took the book from her. "Ah, yes, I was, but I didn't know anyone had been watching," he replied, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled bashfully. "I was a little early for class, and you were concentrating pretty hard," she told him. "I didn't want to bother you... I wasn't trying to spy, though, honest," she said meekly.

He smiled at her. "That's all right. I practice the spells I don't want students to know about after curfew," he joked, and Lisa wondered just how much truth there was behind his banter.

"So does that mean you've actually used this spell?" she asked him curiously.

He nodded solemnly. "It's saved my life a few times. Most recently, last weekend," he replied.

"Last weekend?" she asked, shocked. "What were you doing last weekend?"

"Just because I'm teaching you students doesn't mean I've quit my day job," he replied with slight smile.

"Ooh," she replied. "You've been doing work for the Ministry on the weekends! That's why you're never around!"

The professor just smiled. "I don't think you need to worry about learning that spell yet. You shouldn't need to use it any time soon - if ever," he told her. "Why don't you work on... this one," he finished, flipping a couple of pages and pointing to slightly less vicious charm.

She smiled at him, and set to work practicing the new charm as Professor Bale moved on to work with Hannah and Ernie.

~*~