Hogwarts: A little lion in the skin of the Eagle School

The next morning.

It was the same familiar morning exercise, and the same familiar Professor Flitwick.

There are also unfamiliar forbidden forest depths.

"Professor, why did we come all this way for our morning exercise today?"

Early in the morning, John followed Professor Flitwick deep into the Forbidden Forest, watching the distant castle gradually fade in the thin mist.

"Didn't you want to learn Apparition?"

Professor Flitwick countered with a question.

"yes."

"Then you have to be far away from the castle to practice. The entire Hogwarts campus is protected by anti-Apparition charms, so you can't use Apparition there."

John was surprised because this was the first time he had heard of this.

However, it was quickly understood that it was the same situation as the Ministry of Magic, both being important strategic locations to prevent Apparition attacks and the like.

"I'm telling you, you're the same. You insist on learning this. You're still a minor and I'm teaching you this. If something happens, I'll be responsible."

"If anyone asks you about it, don't say I taught you."

As he spoke, Professor Flitwick began to complain to John.

"...So I'll say it was Professor Snape who taught him?"

John blinked and tentatively asked.

"Uh... Severus... fine, just say he taught you."

Professor Flitwick thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Six hundred and sixty-six, Professor.

I never imagined you had such a cunning side.

Soon they arrived outside the campus area and found a relatively flat clearing in the woods.

Professor Flitwick raised his wand and casually made two circles.

Two circles were plowed out of the open space by an invisible magic.

"Alright, let's begin. Do you need me to explain the basics of Apparition?"

"No need for the professor, let's start learning right away."

Hearing John's confident reply, Professor Flitwick nodded.

"Okay, but don't rush. After all, this is a spell that is quite dangerous."

"The main reason I brought you out today is to let you experience the feeling of Apparition."

"Come here, stand with me in this circle, and put your hands on my shoulders."

John stepped into the circle as instructed, placing his hand on Professor Flitwick's thin but remarkably steady shoulder.

"First, remember three principles: goals, determination, and composure."

"Clearly visualize the target circle in your mind."

"A firm resolve to go arises in my heart."

"At the same time, you must always remain calm, as if you were taking a few steps home."

"at last...."

Snapped! !

All that remained in my ears was a loud bang.

John felt as if he had been suddenly grabbed and pulled away by a water pump, then thrown out through a channel with a thud.

The world spun before my eyes, my stomach churned, and I staggered two steps as soon as my feet touched the ground.

"...Wow."

After a moment's pause, John realized he had successfully moved with Professor Flitwick.

Looking back at the circle where they had just stood, only a few withered leaves remained, swirling in the air.

"This feels quite different from the FiloNet and the DoorKey, huh..."

John said this based on his own feelings.

Professor Flitwick chuckled.

"If we have to categorize them, Floo Net and Portkey are essentially teleportation magic, responsible for teleporting people or objects, without requiring you to do anything."

"Apparition, on the other hand, is a man-made movement, teleportation, or jump."

"You need to take control yourself, but at the same time, it's also faster and more free."

"Of course, the price is also obvious—" Professor Flitwick tapped his head lightly with the tip of his wand.

"You must always keep a clear mind, otherwise you might get there physically but lose your soul."

John nodded; he certainly understood these factors.

In fact, everyone who learns Apparition understands this.

But whether those three elements can be maintained when an accident actually happens is another matter entirely.

"Would you like to try it a few more times to get a feel for it?"

"it is good."

John nodded upon hearing Professor Flitwick's suggestion.

After that, Professor Flitwick led John back and forth between the two circles repeatedly.

John got used to the feeling of being pulled by weightlessness and gravity alternately.

Today was just a trial run for John; we haven't officially started learning yet.

After all, it's a type of magic that carries significant danger.

Before putting it into practice, Professor Flitwick asked John to first undergo meditation training, repeatedly meditating to form a kind of muscle memory in the brain.

Just like when learning to use the Patronus Charm, at first it took a lot of effort to "squeeze" out the happy memories in your mind, but as you became more proficient, you could release them with ease.

To put it simply, it means learning to control the thoughts in your mind.

If I want to recall happy memories, I can find them instantly; if I want to go somewhere, I can immediately pinpoint it clearly in my mind.

Professor Flitwick also allowed him to meditate in the castle when he had nothing to do.

Try meditating in a noisy and complex environment; this can also train your focus and increase your ability to resist distractions.

You can proceed to the next step once you have mastered the meditation training.

......

"Hmm... Going to the Forbidden Forest so early in the morning? Okay."

Inside the Blacklist Office at Hogwarts Castle, Umbridge was sitting in her extremely pink office, sipping her morning tea.

Just now, she received news that John Merrick had left the castle for the Forbidden Forest.

Before she took up her post at Hogwarts, Minister Fudge specifically spoke with her, telling her that in addition to paying attention to Dumbledore and Harry Potter, she should also keep an eye on this little devil who was causing trouble at the Ministry of Magic.

This concern is certainly not about humanistic care, but rather about finding ways to exploit these people, make things difficult for them, and then expel them from Hogwarts and even the wizarding world.

So on her first day at Hogwarts, she began monitoring the movements of these key figures.

Now, John has also revealed a flaw.

Violating school rules by entering the forbidden forest, or even escaping the castle's supervisory area—this is a "typical case of disciplinary violation" delivered right to your doorstep.

Of course, that's not enough to get him fired.

All we need to do next is find the reason and evidence that he entered the forbidden forest, and with a little effort, we can make things very difficult for him.

Umbridge put down her teacup, her pink fingernails tapping lightly on the parchment, like striking a gavel before a trial.

Then he looked at a piece of parchment on the table covered with the words "I cannot lie".

That was yesterday evening when dear Harry Potter came to his office after school to do his homework—oh no, it was "thought correction exercise".

It's believed that it won't be long before John Merrick will also be able to join this "thought correction exercise".

Thinking of this, Umbridge gave a sickeningly sweet yet chilling smile.

"Keep an eye on him."

She issued commands calmly.

But no one responded to her; only a few meows came from the cat.

the other side.

John and Professor Flitwick did not return to the castle until breakfast time.

"Starting tomorrow, there's no need to go to the forbidden forest anymore. We can just continue our morning exercise at the usual spot by the lake."

Before parting, Professor Flitwick gave John some instructions.

"Huh? Wasn't it said that you could only use Apparition outside the castle's boundaries?"

John asked in surprise.

"You can't actually use Apparition yet, so there's no need to go through all that trouble to travel that far. Today is just to give you a demonstration."

"For now, just practice meditation. You can gradually find your own rhythm. After that, your morning practice will still be a spell-based exercise. If you have any questions during meditation, feel free to ask me."

After understanding Professor Flitwick's meaning, John nodded. If it was just for meditation, there was indeed no need to go into the Forbidden Forest.

"Okay, got it."

After saying goodbye to Professor Flitwick, he turned and walked toward the auditorium.

As he passed by some corridors with portraits hanging on the walls, he subconsciously glanced at them. Some were still asleep, while others were awake, seemingly no different from usual...

"Huh? Why are there so many cats in the portraits at our school?"