Dec 24th MrSleepyHeads entry!
A new take on Clement C. Moore's old poem - as cliché as is possible for a December 24 entry! I hope you all enjoy the spirit of what follows, nonetheless.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Hogwarts
Not a soul was astir, not even the ghosts;
The stockings were hung at the students’ bed ends,
So that house-elves could bring them all their presents;
All asleep were the first years in their dormitories,
While visions of Honeydukes danced in their dreams;
And Harry in his four-poster and Ron with his rat,
Had just settled down for a short winter’s nap.
When out on the grounds there arose such commotion,
Ron woke from a dream, yelling, “That isn’t my potion!”
Away to the window Harry flew in a flash,
Diffindo’ed the curtain, levitated the glass.
The full moon’s light on the new-fallen snow
Gave reason for fright to werewolves below,
When what to his wondering green eyes did fall,
But a giant of a man and eight winged thestrals,
With a moleskin coat and a nod to the Squid,
He knew in a moment it must be Hagrid.
More rapid than dragons his thestrals they came,
And he whistled, and hollered, and called them by name:
“Now, Tenebrus! now Tristis! now, Maestus and Pullus!
On Tetricus! on, Obscurus! on, Trux and Austerus!
To the Astronomy Tower, now to the Great Hall,
Now fly away! fly away! fly away all!”
As feathers that in first year Charms class might fly,
When Wingardium Leviosa-ed, float to the sky,
Up to Gryffindor Tower the coursers they flew,
A carriage of rock cakes, and Rubeus, too.
Despite Peeves’s cherries, Harry heard up above
The clawing and screeching of more than a dove.
As he drew in his head and was turning his ear,
In a burst of green flame Hagrid quickly appeared.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his coat was all covered with ashes and soot;
A bag of inedibles were flung on his back,
And he looked like Mundungus just opening his pack.
His eyes, how they twinkled like little black beetles!
His cheeks were all covered, his hair - tangled needles!
Though shrouded, his mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as black as the coal;
A torn, pink umbrella he held tight in his fist,
While unintended sparks created a mist.
At least twice as tall and three times as wide,
Hagrid was much too large, especially inside.
Unaware of his size, he was a kind ol’ half-giant,
And he sat and enjoyed the elf-intended milk pints.
A wink of his eye and a finger to his lips,
Harry knew this was just an amusing indulgence.
He spoke just in grunts and turned with a nudge,
And filled all the stockings with unwanted fudge,
And tossing some powder on into the fire,
He gave a quick order, then rose to his flyers.
He jumped in the carriage, cracking just a few shingles
And Albus thought wistfully of Apollyon Pringle.
But Harry heard him exclaim, ere he flew out of sight,
“’Appy Chris’mas to all, an’ to all a good nigh’!”
Happy holidays, to all my friends at Chamber of Secrets! You have all created such a warm home over these years, and I am glad to spend this final winter season with you.
-MrSleepyHead