Chapter 339: Apparition
Fred was right—they couldn't change their plans. Early the next morning, the Weasley family set off as planned to visit Bill. The Burrow, always lively, felt strangely quiet, and Kyle found himself at a bit of a loss.
With a week left before August, and with Fred and George gone, Kyle decided to look for something to do. He went to find Chris.
"You want to learn Apparition?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "Is that okay?"
Chris looked puzzled. "Can you tell me why? You don't really need it right now. Apparition is forbidden at Hogwarts, and you won't need it at home, either. And according to Ministry regulations, only wizards over the age of seventeen are allowed to learn Apparition. If you get caught, it could cause trouble."
Apparition could be risky. A mistake could result in part of a wizard's body—an arm, leg, or even head—left behind. Such mishaps were both painful and shocking, a psychological strain few young wizards could endure. There was even a case of a young wizard who had a breakdown after witnessing a headless body appear at his destination, leaving him traumatized for life.
To prevent incidents like these, the Ministry had a strict rule forbidding underage wizards from learning Apparition. Hogwarts only allowed students to learn it in sixth year, primarily for those turning seventeen. The Ministry usually turned a blind eye, figuring that students at sixteen or seventeen were mature enough, especially under the watch of a professor. But Kyle was only fourteen—technically, he hadn't even turned fourteen yet—so he certainly didn't meet the criteria.
"It's alright; I have this..." Kyle showed the ring on his hand with a grin. "If anyone asks, I can just say it's a magical tool."
Diana had returned the ring to him two weeks earlier, with its Apparition limit reset to three uses.