Chapter 340: A Deal Between Adults
Chris had taken a full week off work, but by the second day, he realized he didn't have much left to do. The basics of Apparition were fairly straightforward, and Kyle's unexpectedly fast progress meant that Chris had already taught him everything essential in just one afternoon. Kyle adapted to the process so quickly that after a day or two, he hadn't even Splinched himself once—not even so much as a misplaced finger—leaving Chris with no chance to use the Essence of Dittany he'd prepared.
By the third day, Chris's patience for idling around had worn thin. To keep things "interesting," he decided to add a bit of a challenge: setting the target locations farther away and shortening the time between each Apparition attempt. Sometimes Kyle barely had time to catch his breath before Chris urged him to Apparate again.
"This kind of constant repetition will make you twice as efficient at mastering Apparition," Chris claimed with a serious tone, which sounded logical enough to Kyle—despite the suspicion that he might just be trying to make up for lost time.
And so, Kyle had no choice but to endure the new firecracker-like routine, disappearing and reappearing at a faster and faster pace. The hillside of St. Catchpole Village began to sound like a series of celebratory pops each time he Apparated.
By the fifth day...
On a small northern hill, Luna Lovegood was outside, tending to the hydrangeas and occasionally leaning close to peer among the blossoms.
"What are you looking for?" her father, Mr. Lovegood, asked curiously.
"Blibbering Humdingers!" Luna replied. "I just saw them, crawling on the petals."
"Well, then you'll need to look more carefully..."
"Pop!"
Mr. Lovegood's words were interrupted by a loud crack, shattering the peaceful scene. Suddenly, Kyle appeared in front of them, looking as if he'd been in a skirmish. His clothes were tattered, his face was flushed with exhaustion, and most unsettling of all—he was missing half an arm.