Apparition lessons (was Re: Draco's POV?)

[cat_kind]

No: HPFGUIDX 117609


> Andrea: 
> One thing I've wondered is how students about to
> come of age learn to apparate. <snip> 

(snip much discussion)
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> Or how about just stepping outside the front gate to practice
Apparating. 
> 
> Student are not legally allowed to /do/ any kind of magic outside of
> school; Apparation is no different. Given that Apparation is
> dangerous, I have to believe it will be an in-school, but off grounds
> class taught by some one with expertise in the matter. It seems a
> little too dangerous to leave to parents, as some have suggested, and
> impossible for muggle parents to teach. So, again, I think it will
> model all the other magic they are being taught, and therefore be
> taught at school.
> 
> Real world driving and driver's licenses are most often used as a
> model for Apparation training and certification, but I don't think we
> can safely count on it model that exact method.
> 
> It is possible that students might take classes during the summer of
> their 17th year from some sourse other than Hogwarts, and that would
> closely model the process for a British Driver's license. 
> 
(snip)

> Still I am betting on it being taught at Hogwarts mainly because I am
> VERY keen to learn the details of how it's done and what it feels
> like. One small weakness in this theory is that we have never heard
> Hermione (know-it-all) or any of the older characers talk about the
> process. It seems as if it were part of school, then we would have
> heard about it at school. 

catkind:  I suppose I'd better try to defend the apparition parallels
driving hypothesis, seeing as no one else likes it.  

Firstly, the fact that Muggle-born students have to learn:  This isn't
a problem;  they, and most wizard-born students, would learn from
professional Apparation teachers. Just like most people have private
driving instructors, whether their parents drive or not.  People like
the Weasleys wouldn't want the cost of a private teacher, so would do
it themselves.  After they are 17, of course, so it is legal to
practice.   
I think the fact that the Weasleys take the test over the summer is
also a point in favour:  if it were taught at school (where I don't
mean literally in the school grounds), wouldn't it make more sense for
the test to take place in school, or with a school-organised trip to
the ministry testing centre?  
On the other hand, I don't think the fact we haven't heard about
Apparation classes is actually much of an argument against their
existence. For example, no one mentioned Hogsmeade trips before Book
3, I think?   
Also, I wouldn't have a problem with Apparation classes, if they
exist, taking place in the school itself.  You'd just have to charm a
classroom to allow apparition only within its boundaries.  This would
seem a much safer way to practice anyway, you'd lose less students.  
 (oops, sorry Professor, accidentally apparated into the Honeydukes
cellar, then I couldn't find my way out...)

But then, they'd need to learn to apparate longer distances, where the
instructor would probably have to apparate with them in case they got
lost.  So I'm leaning again towards individual lessons not classes,
and back to private lessons.

Agreed, it would be a lot of fun to see how it is done.

catkind (who didn't intend to comment again on this and will really
shut up now. honest.)