Side-Along Apparition

• Type: A method of Magical Transportation; a variation of Apparition.
• Prerequisites: Requires a licensed and proficient witch or wizard to perform. The passenger does not need to be able to Apparate.
• Effect: Allows a witch or wizard to transport one or more individuals with them while they Apparate. The passenger(s) must maintain firm physical contact with the Apparator.
• Risks: Same as standard Apparition, including the possibility of Splinching. The risk of a failed Apparition applies to both the Apparator and the passenger(s).

Side-Along Apparition is the method of taking passengers along during Apparition. The technique is taught as part of the Ministry of Magic's Apparition course for seventeen-year-old students at Hogwarts. The key is for the passenger to hold on very tightly to the Apparator, who must concentrate on the “Three D's” (Destination, Determination, and Deliberation) for all involved. Known uses and instances in the series include:

• In 1996, Wilkie Twycross, the Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor, demonstrated the technique by having Susan Bones take his arm as he Apparated a short distance within the Great Hall.
• Albus Dumbledore frequently used Side-Along Apparition with Harry Potter. He first used it to take Harry from Number 4, Privet Drive to Budleigh Babberton to recruit Horace Slughorn. He later used it to take a weakened Harry from the sea cave back to Hogsmeade after retrieving the locket Horcrux.
• During the Battle of the Seven Potters, Fred Weasley and George Weasley used Side-Along Apparition to bring Harry to The Burrow.
• Hermione Granger became highly proficient at Side-Along Apparition, using it to transport both Harry and Ron Weasley. She used it to escape from the Lovegood house and later from the Ministry of Magic after retrieving Slytherin's Locket.
• After escaping the Ministry of Magic, the Death Eater Yaxley managed to grab hold of Hermione's arm as she Disapparated. This forced an unwanted Side-Along Apparition, which allowed him to discover the location of Number 12, Grimmauld Place and break its Fidelius Charm.
• Ron Weasley performed a Side-Along Apparition with Harry and Hermione after Voldemort's name was spoken, triggering the Taboo and forcing them to flee their campsite.
• The house-elf Dobby used his unique and less restricted form of Apparition to perform multiple Side-Along Apparitions, rescuing Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Mr. Ollivander, Griphook, Harry, Ron, and Hermione from the cellars of Malfoy Manor.

The primary requirement for Side-Along Apparition falls on the lead Apparator, who must be skilled enough to handle the additional “weight” and responsibility of a passenger. For the passenger, the experience is highly unpleasant; Harry described it as feeling like being “forced through a very tight rubber tube.” The main dangers associated with this form of travel are:

• Splinching: If the Apparator's Determination wavers, or if the passenger loses their grip, a Splinching can occur, leaving a part of the passenger's (or Apparator's) body behind.
• Interception: As demonstrated by Yaxley, an enemy can force a Side-Along Apparition by grabbing hold of the Apparator at the moment of Disapparition. This can be used to bypass protective enchantments and follow the Apparator to their destination.
• Lack of Skill: A poorly executed Side-Along Apparition can result in an inaccurate landing, potentially placing the travellers in a dangerous or unknown location.

The primary defense against this form of magical travel is the Anti-Disapparition Jinx, which prevents Apparition into or out of a given area, thereby making Side-Along Apparition impossible.

• The term “Side-Along” is a straightforward English compound phrase, literally meaning to go “alongside” another person.
• “Apparition” is derived from the Latin verb appareo, meaning “I appear” or “I become visible.” This directly relates to the sudden appearance of the witch or wizard at their destination.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the visual effect for Apparition is often depicted as a swirling black smoke that envelops the travellers. This is a cinematic invention and is not described in the books (film).
• The Apparition performed by house-elves like Dobby and Kreacher is shown to be different from wizarding Apparition. They can Apparate in places where wizards cannot, such as within Hogwarts and the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. This makes their ability to perform Side-Along Apparition particularly powerful and life-saving.