Chapter 208: Apparition, Arrivals, and a Letter
Upstairs, Cyril was busy casting an Undetectable Extension Charm on a small pouch, while Ethan examined the newly purchased antidotes, checking whether they contained any unique ingredients or formulations compared to his own. "Slight difference," he concluded. "It uses an herb native to the desert, but the effect is the same."
Setting the vials aside, Ethan watched Cyril work and recalled something his grandfather had said at the general store. "Grandfather, earlier you mentioned 'other methods' besides a flying carpet. Were you referring to Apparition?"
"No," Cyril said with a smile, shaking his head as he finished up. He opened a bottle of the local drink they'd bought and handed it to Ethan, then opened one for himself. "I meant Muggle transport, like camels, automobiles, or flying devices like broomsticks," he explained between sips. "I've never been to this particular location before, so I can't Apparate there directly. You mentioned once that you can Apparate as a phoenix, didn't you? Since you already know how to do it, why ask?"
"Oh, I see. Aside from a few short tests right after I learned the transformation, I've never actually used it." Ethan's knowledge of the spell was superficial. The Hogwarts library held no books on the subject. "Turning into a phoenix is conspicuous enough on its own, let alone trying to Apparate in that form."
Cyril's hands paused mid-gesture. "Ah, I see. It's a good thing you haven't used it much. Your understanding of the spell is still a bit shallow. That explains why you asked." He set down his drink and sat up straight, his manner becoming instructional. "This is as good a time as any. Let me explain this spell to you properly. I'd planned to teach you before we left for Egypt, but I assumed we wouldn't need it here. Since you could do it as a phoenix, I let it slide. Clearly, you need to understand the learning process first."
Ethan, sensing Cyril's sudden seriousness, put his own drink down and listened attentively.
"It's true that Apparition is an incredibly convenient form of magical travel, but it has its limitations, and quite a few of them." Cyril rummaged in his bag and produced a piece of parchment and a quill. "Successful Apparition relies on three essential elements: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation. I'll explain the latter two when we begin formal practice. For now, the crucial element to focus on is Destination."
He circled the word on the parchment. "Before casting the spell, you must fix the image of your target destination firmly in your mind. Think back to the time you used it. Even though you only moved a short distance, to a spot you could see, you still had a mental image of where you wanted to go, didn't you?"
Ethan thought back to his solitary experience and nodded. "Yes, I did."
"So now you understand why we can't simply Apparate directly to our goal. None of us have ever been there. How could we possibly form a clear mental image? And even if we had a specific location in mind, Apparition in the desert is rarely a wise choice."
"Why is that?" Ethan understood the first point but not the second.
"In a vast, featureless desert, establishing a clear target is incredibly difficult. It's all sand. Aside from the occasional pyramid or settlement, everything looks the same, making it nearly impossible to zero in on a precise location. Furthermore, you can't accurately gauge the distance to your intended destination or whether your magical reserves are sufficient to reach it. In such conditions, a failed Apparition is the best possible outcome. Getting splinched, or worse, materializing partially underground, is far from unheard of."
"That sounds incredibly dangerous!" Ethan felt a surge of relief that his earlier, ill-informed attempts at the spell hadn't involved long distances.
"It is very dangerous," Cyril agreed. "Every branch of magic carries its own risks, and each spell has its proper context and limitations."
"Now, let me explain the other two elements. Then I'll take you outside for some practice. Given that you've already experienced it once, I expect you'll master it quickly." For reasons he did not explain, Cyril had abruptly decided to teach Ethan the spell right then and there.
After a brief explanation of Determination and Deliberation, Cyril led Ethan downstairs. Only Mael and Noé were still in the common room.
"Where could they be going this late?" Mael wondered aloud. "First he tells us to get some rest, and then he and the kid head out. And Isaac left earlier, too. What's so interesting around here?"
"Don't worry about the boss's business. We just do our jobs," Noé replied.
The oasis itself was warded against Apparition, so they walked a short distance out into the open desert beyond its boundary.
Ethan lit his spare wand with Lumos and stuck it upright in the sand, illuminating a small patch of ground. Cyril took out a spare robe and Transfigured it into a wooden hoop large enough for Ethan to stand inside.
"Stand over there," Cyril instructed, placing the hoop on the ground and leading Ethan about a meter away. "I'll demonstrate first."
"First, focus your eyes on the hoop. Stare at the patch of sand inside it." Cyril fixed his gaze on the empty space. "Second, summon your Determination. Let the desire to occupy that very space fill your entire being." Ethan nodded, mimicking Cyril's intense focus and imagining himself appearing within the hoop.
"Finally, turn on the spot, feeling yourself enter the void. The movement must be Deliberate. Like this." Wand in hand, Cyril made a smooth turn and reappeared a meter away, standing perfectly inside the wooden ring.
"Now you try. It's straightforward," Cyril encouraged.
"Mm." Ethan silently repeated Cyril's instructions, imitating his movements. He spun, kicking up a small cloud of sand, but remained where he was.
"Don't rush. I think you were very close there." Cyril, watching intently, reached out to steady him.
"Let me try again." Ethan nodded. He had indeed recaptured some of the sensation he felt when performing the spell in phoenix form.
*Now!* His gaze locked on the sand within the hoop, his entire body thrumming with the desire to be there. He turned sharply, and with a soft pop, he stood inside the ring, a meter from where he had started.
"You did it, Ethan!" Cyril strode over to him, beaming.
"Yes, I did!" The sensation of successful self-Apparition was physically similar to Side-Along Apparition, but the mental experience felt entirely different. And perhaps because the distance was so short, the usual unpleasant squeezing sensation passed almost instantly.
"Try a bit farther now." With the momentum, Cyril moved the hoop to a spot about three meters away. Ethan succeeded on his first attempt. Five meters. Ten meters. Twenty meters. Each attempt was a flawless success.
"There's no doubt about it. You've mastered Apparition. You'll be able to travel directly from your home to Shafiq Manor from now on." Cyril clapped Ethan on the shoulder, then Transfigured the wooden hoop back into a robe and stowed it.
"Mm."
"Let's head back. We have an early start tomorrow." Guided by their wandlight, they returned to the inn. The common room was empty now.
"You go on to bed. I need to sort through the new supplies and divide them for everyone in the morning." Cyril set to work organizing the night's purchases into individual shares.
"Goodnight."
*I hope we find the Book of the Dead tomorrow,* Ethan thought as he drifted off to sleep, clinging to that hope.
The next morning, after the best breakfast they would have before heading into the desert, Cyril distributed the various supplies. "Antidotes, Cooling Crystal Bracelets..." He handed each person a pre-packed bundle and then held up each item in turn, explaining its use.
"Is everyone clear on how these work?"
"Clear."
"Good. Wait here a moment. Nadim and I are going to buy food supplies for the next few days. We'll leave as soon as we're back." Cyril and Nadim left through the Floo Network fireplace.
"An Undetectable Extension Charm bag," Noé said excitedly, taking things out and putting them back in. "Shame it's only temporary. I'd love to have a registered one someday."
"Put in a good effort on this trip, and you might just be able to afford one when we get back," Mael replied, equally enthusiastic.
Isaac, meanwhile, methodically packed his things in silence, his expression thoughtful.
After everyone had gone upstairs to stow their gear, they gathered in the common room to wait for Cyril's return. The shopping trip seemed to be taking some time. Robert sat in a chair, dozing, while the other three resumed their Wizarding Cards game, though this time Mael was merely watching.
"Care to join in?" Mael asked Ethan, itching to play. "Something to pass the time."
"No, thanks. I don't play much. I'm not familiar with the French version," Ethan declined. He wasn't familiar with the French version of Wizarding Cards, nor did he want to waste time on it. He'd only played a handful of times, even at Hogwarts. Right now, his attention was fixed on Timur, who was watering the inn's potted plants. He certainly had no interest in cards.
"All right, then." Mael resigned himself to watching.
Ethan kept watching Timur. The watering itself was unremarkable, just a simple spray bottle. What fascinated him was the wizard's method of spellcasting. This was his first time seeing gesture-based magic in person. Just as he'd read, Timur made a simple gesture, and a substantial stream of clear water materialized from thin air, pouring into the spray bottle.
*That volume of water... it must be ten times what I could produce with the same spell,* Ethan thought. *When I cast the Aguamenti Charm, it's like turning on a faucet.* *When he casts it, it's like dumping out a whole bucket.* *If everyone in Semkhet has this level of skill, it's no wonder they managed to create this oasis.*
Ethan felt a strong urge to ask Timur how he achieved such an effect, to see if there was some special technique involved. But, as Nadim had forewarned, the innkeeper's English was very poor. Beyond the vocabulary essential for running his business, Timur was simply incapable of conveying any magical knowledge in English. Ethan had to let the matter drop, merely watching as Timur continued to conjure water, filling every storage container in the inn.
A flash of emerald green fire erupted in the fireplace, and Cyril stepped out into the inn.
"Let's move. Everyone got everything?"
"All set." Noé, who was on the verge of losing the card game, quickly gathered his cards and was the first to his feet. Isaac shot him a dirty look.
Nadim emerged from the flames a moment later and exchanged a few quiet words with Timur in rapid Arabic. The innkeeper's face lit up with delight, and he nodded eagerly.
"Let's go."
The group filed out of the inn. The street was still largely deserted, though a few houses had opened their doors for the day. Nadim produced a flying carpet, about two meters by three.
"Climb aboard. The wind at altitude sometimes carries sand and grit, so we'll need to cast the Bubble-Head Charm first. Then a Disillusionment Charm to conceal ourselves from any Muggles who might look up."
Nadim was the first to step onto the carpet and sit cross-legged, casting the spells in the order he'd described. The others followed suit. One by one, the figures on the carpet vanished from sight until only the carpet itself seemed to float empty above the street.
"Departing." Nadim cast a final Disillusionment Charm on the carpet. Now, despite carrying seven people, the spot in front of the inn appeared completely vacant.
The carpet rose slowly into the air, and once it reached a sufficient altitude, it turned and began its flight toward the desert on the far side of the Nile.
Shortly after takeoff, Ethan, who was watching the ground below, spotted several small black dots approaching the village. "Looks like more wizards heading to Semkhet. This place gets pretty busy."
Nadim glanced down and replied dismissively, "As I said, it's the only wizarding village for miles around, so it does see a fair number of visitors. We actually timed our arrival well. A group of wizards left just before we got to the inn, otherwise you might have met some other desert travelers."
He paused, then added, "But just in case, as we left, I asked Timur to keep two rooms reserved for us. If the inn is full when we get back, that arrangement will at least let us pitch our tent in the back courtyard and still use the inn's meal services."
Ethan now understood the innkeeper's beaming smile. No wonder Timur was so happy. Yet another thought occurred to him. *Didn't that seem a bit wasteful?* Even if they couldn't use the courtyard, Timur probably would've let them eat at the inn if they just camped out in the desert nearby. But he kept the thought to himself. Cyril had raised no objection, so there was likely another consideration at play. *A small expense to maintain good relations with the locals, perhaps?*
Because of the flying carpet's inherent limitations, they could only ascend to an altitude of about three hundred meters. But even at that height, just as Nadim had said, the wind would occasionally whip up grains of sand that pattered against the invisible barrier of the Bubble-Head Charm. The sensation of the wind and occasional grit against his exposed skin was a novel experience.
Shortly after they had departed, an owl carrying a letter swooped down into the village's only general store.
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