Apparition Protocol

Duration: < 1 minute

1. Current agent stops immediately
2. No new work started
3. Save current state explicitly

## Apparition Freeze Notice

**Agent**: [Name]
**Task**: [Current task]
**Reason**: [Why apparating]
**Frozen at**: [Timestamp]
**Current State**: [Brief description]

Phase 2: Extract (Create Transfer Package)

Duration: 2-5 minutes

Create complete context transfer package:

## Apparition Transfer Package

**Task ID**: [ID]
**Original Agent**: [House/Agent]
**Transfer Reason**: [Why]
**Created**: [Timestamp]

### Mission Context
**Original Objective**: [What was requested]
**Year Level**: [1/3/5/7]
**Started**: [Timestamp]
**Deadline**: [If any]

### Current State
**Status**: [X% complete]
**Last Checkpoint**: [Timestamp]
**Checkpoint Status**: [Pass/Fail/Pending]

### Work Completed
[Detailed list of what's done]

### Files Touched
- Created: [List]
- Modified: [List]
- Deleted: [List]

### Work Remaining
[Detailed list of what's left]

### Active Context
**Contracts Referenced**:
- [List of active contracts]

**Pensieve Entries**:
- [Relevant entries]

**Open Questions**:
- [Unresolved questions]

### Unbreakable Vow (if made)
[Copy of original vow]

### Blockers & Issues
[Any current blockers]

### Warnings for New Agent
[Gotchas, edge cases discovered, things to watch out for]

### Tokens Used So Far
[Count] / [Budgeted] = [Efficiency so far]

Phase 3: Summon (Assign New Agent)

Duration: < 1 minute

1. Sorting Hat selects replacement agent
2. Prefer same House if possible
3. Consider specialization match
4. Check availability

## Apparition Assignment

**Departing Agent**: [House/Agent]
**Arriving Agent**: [House/Agent]
**Selection Reason**: [Why this agent]
**Availability Confirmed**: [Yes/No]

Phase 4: Brief (Context Transfer)

Duration: 2-5 minutes

New agent receives and processes:

1. Read Transfer Package (required)
2. Load relevant contracts (required)
3. Read recent Pensieve entries (if referenced)
4. Acknowledge understanding

## Apparition Acknowledgment

I, [New Agent], have received the transfer for [Task ID].

**Understood**:
- [ ] Original objective
- [ ] Current state
- [ ] Work remaining
- [ ] Active contracts
- [ ] Known issues

**Questions before proceeding**:
[Any clarifying questions]

**Estimated completion**:
[New estimate based on remaining work]

Phase 5: Resume (Continue Work)

Duration: Ongoing

1. New agent continues from checkpoint
2. Update Marauder's Map
3. Begin work
4. First checkpoint within normal interval

## Apparition Complete

**Task**: [ID]
**New Agent**: [House/Agent]
**Resumed at**: [Timestamp]
**Expected completion**: [Estimate]

Context Transfer Quality

Required Elements (Transfer fails without these)

• Original objective clearly stated
• Current progress percentage
• Files created/modified
• Work remaining
• Active contracts listed

Recommended Elements

• Warnings and gotchas
• Relevant Pensieve entries
• Token budget remaining
• Quality expectations

Optional Elements

• Code snippets for reference
• Decision rationale
• Alternative approaches considered

Efficiency Tracking

Apparition Overhead

• Transfer package creation: ~200 tokens
• New agent briefing: ~300 tokens
• Total overhead: ~500 tokens

Efficiency Impact

Final Efficiency = Total Tokens / (Original Budget + 500)

Apparition counts against efficiency, but better than stuck agent burning tokens.

When to Accept Inefficiency

• Agent truly stuck (would burn more tokens than transfer)
• Context corruption (garbage out = wasted tokens)
• Expertise mismatch (wrong agent wastes effort)

When to Avoid Apparition

• Task almost complete (< 10% remaining)
• New agent would need significant ramp-up
• Simple blocker that can be resolved

Agent Performance Tracking

Track Apparition Frequency

## Agent Apparition History

| Agent | Apparitions (30 days) | Reasons |
|-------|----------------------|---------|
| [Agent] | [Count] | [Common reasons] |

Warning Signs

• 1-2 apparitions/month: Normal
• 3-4 apparitions/month: Review performance
• 5+ apparitions/month: Probation consideration

Root Cause Analysis

If agent has frequent apparitions, investigate:

• Task type mismatch?
• Training needed?
• Consistent issue pattern?
• External factors?

Special Cases

Emergency Apparition (During Patronus)

• Skip detailed transfer package
• Minimum viable context only
• New agent accepts higher ambiguity
• Document properly after resolution

Cross-House Apparition

When task transfers to different House:

• Both House Heads must approve
• Extra attention to domain translation
• May need contract clarification

Chain Apparition (2+ transfers)

If task has transferred multiple times:

• Flag for Headmaster review
• Consider task decomposition
• May indicate task is poorly defined

Voluntary Apparition

Agent can request to be replaced:

• Must provide reason
• Not penalized if legitimate
• Sorting Hat finds replacement
• Contributes to task type learning

Post-Apparition

Immediate

• Marauder's Map updated
• New agent confirmed working
• Original agent freed for new work

After Task Completion

• Efficiency calculated (including overhead)
• Points awarded to completing agent
• Apparition logged in agent history
• Sorting Hat cache updated

Review Triggers

If same agent apparated from:

• 2x in a week: House Head conversation
• 3x in a month: Performance review
• 5x in a month: Probation consideration

Apparition Templates

Quick Transfer (Simple Tasks)

## Quick Apparition: [Task]

**From**: [Agent] → **To**: [Agent]
**Status**: [X%] complete
**Remaining**: [Brief description]
**Files**: [Key files]
**Contracts**: [Active contracts]
**Notes**: [Critical info only]

Full Transfer (Complex Tasks)

Use the complete Apparition Transfer Package format above.

Emergency Transfer (Patronus Active)

## Emergency Apparition: [Task]

**Situation**: [Brief emergency context]
**From**: [Agent] → **To**: [Agent]
**Critical Context**: [Minimum needed to continue]
**Immediate Action Needed**: [What to do right now]

Full documentation to follow after resolution.