Chapter 67: Apparition

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.

The days had been filled with research, hushed conversations, and relentless curiosity gnawing at Nero's mind. 

Yet, all thoughts of Horcruxes, forgotten bloodlines, and dark magic were abruptly interrupted when a small enchanted parchment flew toward him during breakfast in the Great Hall. 

It zipped through the air, weaving past students and hovering just above his plate before landing neatly in his hand.

Unfolding the note, Nero quickly scanned the contents:

Nero, you are to meet your Apparition instructor in one hour, in front of the Great Hall. 

It is strongly advised not to eat too much beforehand.

Nero raised an eyebrow.

Apparition? Already?

He hadn't expected Dumbledore to arrange it so soon. 

He looked down at his half-eaten meal. With a sigh, he pushed his plate away.

"This had better be worth skipping breakfast for."

An hour later, Nero stood in front of the Great Hall, hands in his pockets as he waited. 

He didn't have to wait long.

A sudden displacement of air, like a vacuum being sealed, caught his attention. 

A second later, a tall woman appeared with effortless grace before him.

She was striking, tall and slender, with sharp, intelligent eyes the color of stormy steel. 

Her jet-black hair was neatly tied into a bun, and her presence alone radiated authority. 

She wore dark blue robes embroidered with silver filigree, and she carried herself with the confidence of someone who had mastered something others barely understood.

She studied Nero for a moment before speaking.

"So, you're the one who managed to pull some strings to receive private Apparition lessons at the tender age of twelve. You even got me a special authorization to apparate in Hogwarts this time around." Her voice was smooth, but edged with curiosity. 

"I must say, this is highly irregular. Normally, students aren't permitted to learn Apparition until their sixth year. Who exactly did you impress to arrange this?"

Nero smirked. "I have my ways."

She let out a soft chuckle. "That remains to be seen. I am Morgaine Vellian, a certified Apparition specialist. I've spent years studying the secrets of magic in places few dare to tread. I don't waste my time with those who are unworthy. Tell me, boy, are you worthy of my time?"

Nero's smirk deepened. "I suppose we'll find out."

Professor Vellian led him through Hogwarts, taking a path he had never threaded before. 

The corridor twisted in ways that felt unnatural, as if space itself bent around them. 

Eventually, they arrived at a spacious, circular chamber with smooth, polished stone walls. 

The only light came from floating orbs hovering above, casting an ethereal glow across the room.

"This chamber was prepared by Dumbledore himself," Vellian explained. "Its enchantments will prevent any fatal accidents."

Nero tilted his head. "Fatal accidents?"

Vellian clasped her hands behind her back. "Splinching, Mr. Ravenclaw. The unfortunate side effect of failing to Apparate properly. Imagine leaving a part of yourself behind, an arm, a leg, perhaps half of your torso." 

She smiled faintly, as if amused by the thought. "That's why students aren't taught until they're seventeen. The Ministry prefers to avoid unnecessary body reconstruction."

Nero didn't flinch. "Sounds fun. Let's begin."

Vellian arched an eyebrow before lifting her wand. "Very well. Apparition consists of three key principles: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation. These are non-negotiable. You must have a clear mental image of where you want to go. You must commit to arriving there, no hesitations. And you must execute with precision. If any of these elements are lacking, you will fail."

She took a step forward and, with a faint pop, disappeared. 

A split second later, she reappeared on the other side of the chamber.

Nero nodded, his mind absorbing her words like water into parchment. "Seems simple enough."

Vellian chuckled, but there was a sharpness to her gaze. "Oh? Then let's see you try."

She gestured toward a marker on the floor, a mere six feet away. "Your task is simple. Apparate from your spot to that one."

Nero stepped onto the designated area, inhaling deeply. 

His senses expanded, reaching beyond what the average wizard might perceive.

Destination. 

He fixed his gaze on the marker, but he didn't just see it, he felt it. 

He mapped out the distance, the space between where he stood and where he needed to be.

The air itself seemed to hum with potential, like invisible threads connecting him to that exact point.

Determination.

There was no doubt, no hesitation in his mind. He was going to be there. 

Not move there. Not travel there. He would simply be. 

Movement, as most understood it, was irrelevant. The space between points A and B didn't exist, not really.

It was a construct, an illusion for those who obeyed the rules of physical reality. 

But magic allowed one to step outside that illusion.

Deliberation.

Nero's will aligned with his magic in perfect clarity.

His mind wasn't just commanding his body to move; it was rewriting reality to accept that he had already moved.

He closed his eyes, focusing.

The world around him was nothing but a canvas, and his magic was the brushstroke that erased him from one place and redrew him in another.

Pop!

A rush of compressed air hissed around him as he landed perfectly on the marker. 

His balance was impeccable, his stance unshaken.

Vellian blinked. "Impossible."

Nero glanced around, stretching his fingers. "That was… surprisingly smooth. What's next?"

Vellian stared at him, then at the empty space where he had just stood.

There was no stumbling, no moment of disorientation, no sign of struggle. 

It was as if he had been Apparating for years.

"That was a fluke," she declared. "A statistical anomaly. Try again."

Nero smirked, stepping back to his original position. "Alright."

Pop!

He reappeared on the marker once more, effortless as a breath.

Vellian's lips pressed into a thin line. "Again."

Pop!

Again, perfection.

Pop!

Again.

Pop!

Five times in a row. Each Apparition was seamless, without hesitation, without error.

No splinching, no imbalance, no delay. Just absolute precision.

Vellian exhaled sharply, gripping her wand tightly. Her mind reeled.

She had trained countless students, seen hundreds of young witches and wizards struggle, flounder, even panic when attempting their first Apparition. 

Even the most talented among them needed repeated practice before achieving consistency.

And yet… this boy had grasped it as if it were second nature.

She studied Nero with a calculating gaze. "You… are a monster."

Nero gave her a cheeky grin. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Vellian let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "I don't understand how your mind works, but I'm not going to waste time questioning it. You clearly have a grasp on Apparition far beyond what should be possible."

Vellian studied him for a long moment before nodding, as if coming to a decision. "Very well. if this is child's play for you, then let's see how you handle something more advanced."

Nero's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Now you're speaking my language."

She waved her wand, and several glowing rings materialized in the chamber, hovering at different heights and distances.

"We will now move to advanced techniques. Silent Apparition, for instance. No sound, no warning. Mastering this is what separates experts from amateurs."

Nero stepped forward. "Show me."

She gave a rare, approving smirk. Then, without a sound, without so much as a ripple in the air, she vanished and reappeared behind him.

"No noise," she whispered.

Nero exhaled, feeling the challenge surge through his veins. This was what he lived for, mastery over the impossible.

"Alright," he said, rolling his shoulders. "Let's do this."

The lesson had only just begun.

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