Christmas

A child's awe of Christmas time,
The snow, the fire, the smell of pine.
I remember,
Sweet Decembers,
When all the world could still be mine.

When grown-up things were abstract dangers,
Put some hay in church-side mangers,
The future bright,
What may and might,
When fear and heartbreak still were strangers.

I see the lights still on the tree,
Cocoa then, instead of tea.
The sights and smells,
The silver bells,
All right there, where they ought to be.

A gift for sister, Mom, and Dad,
When arts and crafts were all we had.
Carols sung,
Lights were hung,
We'd rise together, pajama-clad.

Unwrap the presents, save the bows,
Say a prayer for others' woes.
Steal sister's toys,
Such simple joys,
And pretend a child never grows.

But time has flown, been lost and spent,
And I wonder where the magic went.
For I remember,
Sweet Decembers,
And all the things that Christmas meant.

A Jinx for the Jinxed: Limeriticus Totaluss

Excerpted from "Jinxes for the Jinxed" as found in the HOgwarts library.

Throughout the wizarding world, there are a great many hexes and jinxes that can be legally used against your foes in defense...or more frequently against classmates whilst out and about in the grounds around Hogwarts. Few are as terrible as Limeriticus Totalus, which causes the target to speak in endless limericks. Let's learn about this horrific hex from one of its pitiable victims.

To be used when confronting a threat,
'twill bamboozle Death Eaters I bet,
For as you can asee,
It was once cast on me,
And I've not found a cure for it yet.

You ask for the counter spell,
You believe it is mine to tell,
But I'm sorry to say,
If this hex comes your way,
The best defense is to just run like hell.