Accio Goblet!

As you can see from the latest notification, Apparition lessons will start on February. Sixth years from Hogwarts and Beauxbatons and seventh years from Durmstrang are eligible to attend, as are any seventh years from Hogwarts and Beauxbatons who were too young to get their licence last year - though in the case of Hogwarts students, they could have still attended the classes last year and take a later exam if they so wished.

Also, regarding Rita Skeeter's latest article, I would like to remind you that the wizarding world is almost as prejudiced about giants as they are about werewolves. For that reason, for the most part, it will make sense for only Gryffindors and some muggle-borns/muggle-raised to speak in defence of Hagrid - the former because Hagrid is theirs, and the latter because they're not as aware of how bad giants are. Well, possibly some Beauxbatons folk can too, for obvious reasons, depending on whether they buy Madam Maxime's "I've got big bones" excuse or not.