From his first day at Hogwarts, Sherlock Cavendish had never slacked off on self-improvement, aside from his daily teaching duties.
Regardless of whether he knew the plot or not, enhancing his own strength was the only fundamental guarantee.
He made use of the Hogwarts library, which held the largest collection of books in the British wizarding world.
Coupled with the useful techniques and knowledge he occasionally picked up from Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick—both masters of Transfiguration and Charms—under the guise of professional exchange, as well as the Original Owner's own accumulated knowledge.
This allowed Sherlock's learning progress to advance very rapidly.
If his previous magical level barely reached the standard of an average seventh-year Hogwarts graduate...
Then after less than half a year, he could at least be considered a somewhat powerful adult wizard now.
Other forms of magic were manageable; whether through self-study or by subtly asking other professors, Sherlock had ways to master them.
The only exception was Apparition, a magic essential for almost all wizards, which Sherlock had no way to learn within Hogwarts.
For safety reasons, an Anti-Apparition Ward was cast over the entire grounds of Hogwarts; only the principal had the authority to partially lift such a spell.
Otherwise, even Dumbledore usually relied on Fawkes, his phoenix, to Apparate within the Castle.
Thus, Sherlock had no way to secretly practise this spell within the Castle.
Furthermore, due to the nature of Apparition itself, accidents were extremely likely to occur during practice.
If such an accident happened without someone nearby to provide immediate remedy, the consequences could be as severe as death.
Yet Sherlock had to learn this spell, and he needed to learn it as soon as possible.
Because the Original Owner possessed an Apparition licence issued by the Ministry of Magic, it would inevitably arouse suspicion if he later showed complete ignorance of this common magic.
Therefore, Sherlock had to master Apparition as early as possible, and he couldn't ask any acquaintances for help during the process.
Initially, he had a headache over this for a long time. However, one day while looking for Filch to help the Weasley twins retrieve some confiscated items (compensation for extending the loan of the Marauder's Map), he saw a flyer for a 'Kwikspell' tutoring class on Filch's desk.
At that time, Filch looked very flustered, as if he were afraid Sherlock would deduce something from the flyer.
But Sherlock didn't care about his little secret at all; instead, he was reminded of a way to learn Apparition himself.
Normal Apparition training is usually conducted within Hogwarts.
Once students are seventeen or older, they can sign up for an Apparition class during the current term.
When that time comes, Dumbledore designates a specific area in the school free of the Anti-Apparition Ward. The Ministry of Magic then sends instructors to provide guidance. Once the students have learned it, they take an exam, and those who earn their licence can use it normally.
The process is somewhat similar to getting a driver's licence in the Muggle world.
But just like getting a driver's licence, learning Apparition isn't free; after applying, you need to pay a tuition fee to the Ministry of Magic.
Not all young wizards can afford this money.
For those students from poor families who miss this opportunity, it doesn't mean they'll never have another chance to learn.
The Ministry of Magic has also privately authorised several private institutions (similar to driving schools) to teach Apparition, allowing graduated adult wizards to learn and later participate in a unified licensing exam.
These institutions aren't hard to find; there are advertisements for these 'driving schools' in The Daily Prophet.
After careful selection,
Sherlock finally settled on this 'Extreme Wizard Apparition Training Class.'
He spent thirty-six Galleons to enrol in a private tutoring class. (Learning at Hogwarts costs twelve Galleons, a regular private class costs twenty-four, so private tutoring is three times the price of learning at Hogwarts.)
Spending that much money just to learn one spell...
But Sherlock couldn't save this money; he couldn't use his real identity to attend classes. A professor at Hogwarts is more or less a public figure in the wizarding world.
Moreover, Sherlock was the youngest professor Hogwarts had seen in nearly a century; at least eighty percent of British wizards had seen his photo.
So, a private tutoring class was undoubtedly the safest option.
Of the three most common ways of travelling in the wizarding world—Floo Powder, Portkeys, and Apparition—none of them are particularly comfortable.
Sherlock felt himself spinning in the green flames for an unknown amount of time. Just when he thought his brain was about to be shaken into a smoothie, his feet finally touched solid wooden floorboards.
He stepped out of the warm hearth, feeling a bit dizzy, and tidied his slightly dishevelled robes.
"John Watson?"
A coarse, raspy voice rang out, calling Sherlock by his pseudonym.
This was a small cottage. The owner was an old man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies, with white hair and a face full of wrinkles, yet he had an extremely robust build. The strong lines of his muscles were clearly visible under his tight-fitting sweater.
At this moment, Sherlock naturally didn't need to maintain his usual cold persona.
He casually observed the room's furnishings and shrugged.
"Yes. And you must be Mr. Kavell?"
"From now on, you will call me Instructor," Mr. Kavell said, standing up from the sofa. His back was straight, and he looked not much shorter than Sherlock, who was 187 centimetres tall.
"Since I've taken your money, I must hold you to strict standards until your skills can pass the Ministry's Apparition exam."
This man named Andrew Kavell was the Apparition teacher Sherlock had carefully selected for himself.
He had previously served as a training instructor for trainee Aurors at the Ministry of Magic. His temper might be a bit short, but his strengths lay in his responsibility and his ample experience in handling special situations.
"Very well, Instructor Kavell. Where should we begin our training?"
Kavell put on his robes, pushed open the cottage door, and led Sherlock outside. Beyond the door was a lawn about the size of three football fields.
"I need to understand your specific situation first."
The cold wind outside cut like a knife, but Kavell, being a tough guy, didn't even fasten the buttons of his robes, letting the freezing wind blow them back.
He pulled out the registration letter Sherlock had written to him a few days ago.
"You've practised Apparition at school before, but because of a Splinching incident, you stopped halfway and didn't continue?"