Apparition

Apparition is a magical method of transportation. It is by far the fastest way to get to one's destination. Only people who are of age (17 years old) can Apparate.

Students in their sixth year can sign up for Ministry of Magic Apparition lessons, and those who turn seventeen before the first Apparition Test date in the spring can sign up for extra practice sessions in Hogsmeade. While it is possible to Apparate without a licence, it is not advisable, because were one to Splinch oneself &mdash; have insufficient determination to reach one's goal, causing body parts to not apparate with the rest of you &mdash; the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad can level heavy fines.

The feeling of apparition is described as experiencing heavy pressure - in chapter 4 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Side-Along Apparates (a variant of Apparition used to transport underage wizards) with Professor Dumbledore, and it is described as "he felt as though he had just been forced through a very tight rubber tube".

The most important thing to think of when it comes to Apparition is, according to Wilkie Twycross, the three Ds: destination, determination and deliberation. One must be completely determined on reaching one's destination, and move without haste, but with deliberation, or splinching might occur.

Hermione Granger passed her Apparition test with flying colors, but Ron Weasley failed by a hair – by leaving half an eyebrow behind. Ron's brother Charlie took his test twice, having Apparated on top of an old lady doing her shopping five miles south of his intended destination the first time. Harry Potter managed to learn to Apparate, but as he was still 16 at the time, he was too young to take the test.

Apparition is used extensively in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when all three main characters become over-age. It is used for almost all travel, except where Apparition is not possible or dangerous.

It is likely that Apparition without a wand is impossible though it has never been explicitly mentioned in the books.

There is a variant of Apparition used by House Elves. But its similarities with wizard Apparition are unknown, except for a loud crack.