HLN Ch 24

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

Expected Posting Dec 3, Next chapter expected Dec 17

Imbolic, Feb 1 & 2, is a women's holiday. Halfway between Yule and Beltane, it celebrates the first signs of Spring. New life, birth of lambs and the ewes milk coming in, and seeds beginning to germinate are all important to the ceremonies. Covens have celebrations where they either (very traditional) wear crowns of candles, or carry them. In Ireland, where it seems to have begun, it is also St. Brigid's Day, but it predates the Catholics. Brigid gave women the right to divorce their husbands on this day. Few British witches use this tradition, but just enough do to keep Arthur busy at this time of year. He had to create a whole fake form to fill out, to file in the records to make this legal. Bureaucrats everywhere are much the same. If there is a form in the file, it must be right. Happily, the British have always accepted Smiths as Druids, legal for weddings, so filing this as a legal Druid Divorce gets around all sorts of regulations.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

Harry mused as he shopped at Harrods, with Mrs. Evans assistance. She had notified him the holiday decorations and treats were now on display, so here he was. There were just too many names for the Equinox. There might be more than there were for Christmas! As one of the 8 holidays on the Pagan Wheel, he could not ignore it. He wasn't a big celebrator of any religion or any holidays, but neither did he ignore them. There was no difficulty finding treats for the children. He selected large solid chocolate bunnies in an assortment of colored frosting decorations, and a large bag of fruit drop eggs to go with each. All of the school children received small seed packets in shoebox size planting kits, again in a rainbow of colors. Babies got floppy toy bunnies. Cases were sent to each of the five orphanages, and another to his home. A gift basket for each family, and for the staff of each orphanage, included small wrapped chocolate eggs and red Turkish Delight. His order included extra cases of small chocolate bunnies and candy eggs for his 'employees children'. This made another huge order, which pleased Mrs. Evans. He always left a large tip. She didn't tell him she worked on commission, or that she knew who he was because one of her grandchildren was in Hogwarts.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

Ginny was reading every spare moment. Andromeda tutored her in Maths and Science. She was already taking an online Journalism class at the college, but they did insist she report her scores when she got them. They were willing to accept a 'late start' student as long as she did finish her 'A'. They even offered online resources to help. Taking the Journalism class before finishing the 'A' counted as taking an 'AP' secondary class, with a clever double credit system that would give her a boost in her college standings. It was a winning combination that the correspondence program encouraged. Accountability had never been one of Ginny's strong points, so being held to it by others was a new skill.

Ginny was also busy practicing, and her games right now were very important. Her 'A' level exams were scheduled the week of Easter Break. She would have three half-days of written exams at London College. Her trainers knew this, so they were pushing her very hard. She would go straight from the exams to work every day, because there was a game on Friday. She did know it was the holiday, and ordered a case of sugar eggs containing edible fairy-tale scenes as her contribution to the family egg hunt at the Burrow on Sunday, before the family dinner. While most were pretty much the same, there was one with a tiny toy dragon. She chose that one for Charlie, and shipped it to Bulgaria because he wasn't coming home.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

They had both been involved as the children were hunting eggs, mostly making sure James didn't stuff everything in his mouth. He was too young for a garden kit, but he loved his new green bunny. He sat in the frozen grass with both of the bunnies, 'talking' to and with them. Ginny took pictures!

At the end of the hunt when the children had found everything they could, Arthur waved his wand at the yard. Eggs and rabbits they had missed popped into the air to be siphoned into a basket he held. That basket went inside to become a centerpiece on the long table. They weren't allowed to eat treats, except for the ones most of them had stuffed in their mouths as they collected, until they had finished the ham dinner. Stuffing everyone with a good lunch meant lower sugar consumption in the afternoon. Most of the children were ready for naps as they finished eating. Mothers collected the baskets, evening out the contents with the table basket, making sure the children all had appropriate gifts and quantities. Some of the older children had nabbed floppy bunnies as well as garden kits, and were allowed to keep them. The candy would be rationed out at home, the garden kits planted.

As the children were packed off for 'rest time', the adults went out to play Quidditch. The ground was muddy in the Orchard now, having thawed slowly all day. This didn't matter once you were in the air. Everyone was wearing heavy sweaters over jeans, or heavy sweatsuits, with leather gloves and knit earmuffs. The teams were smaller since not everyone was home. Charlie was not here, though they made a cheerful group call. It was already evening in Bulgaria. Hermione was off at one of her seminars, this one in Egypt, which seemed to be a monthly series she had signed up for.

They played with 5 on each team, and the men won. Ginny was disappointed she couldn't play, but she needed the tutoring time with Andi. She went home early.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

Harry felt very alone, yet not sleepy. He went home and worked in his own garden under the full moonlight and stars until almost midnight. Taurus swung bright above him. He thought it was quite bright and peaceful. At night, working in the gardens, the Dursleys had never bothered him.

He and his elves were moving the bricked pathways around to form borders for the sections of the new arrangement. He was leaving the medallions for the chess set in place, though incorporating them in the overall design. Just walking around you might not even notice them, fitted into the borders, but from the high balcony they would be enhanced. The new design, when viewed from above, would be Hogwarts in all its glory, the way Harry always saw it, the way the children crossing the Loch saw it lit against the stars. The design could be muted for Chess players.

Harry had always done a great deal of his quieter garden work at night. The Dursleys had considered it to be reasonable to leave him outdoors, even when they went to bed. They never left the lights on, and ordered him to make no noise so the neighbors would not notice. Mowing was therefor only done in the daytime, but weeding and trimming or even painting were things he was expected to do in the dark.

There is Mage Light, and there is Mage Sight. Mage Light is the most common. At Hogwarts it is often used for the Astronomy lesson. It allows the children to see their notebooks as they work on top of the Tower without affecting their views of the stars and planets. It is always used for the annual telling of the story of the "Giants Toy".

Mage Sight is rarer. It is often called 'Second Sight', but has nothing to do with Divination. Merlin is the most well known person to have it. It is rumored he went blind while he was still quite young, but because he had such strong Mage Sight he lived as though he could see perfectly. He was able to see auras, the magic in all living things as well as in magical objects.

Harry has Mage Sight, though he didn't realize it. Harry thought he simply had good night vision. He was very aware of magic, very tuned to seeing spells, and Hogwarts was lit up like a carnival to him. The idea that he sees things any different than anyone else has simply never crossed Harry's mind. So, Harry often worked in his own gardens in the late evenings with his elves, who really did have good night vision. They knew what was going on with him, though they did not realize he didn't know himself. He could turn on lights, but he rarely did.

Harry and his elves worked until almost midnight. Tired to the point of dropping, he showered, relaxing the soreness out of his shoulders. Pulling on his pajamas, he found a mug of cocoa steaming on his table. "Thanks, Mitty." He was asleep before he hit the pillow.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

Ginny did very well on her "A" level exams. Her English and Math skills were quite good; Science and History were a bit weak but acceptable. London College was pleased with her. Her Journalism class would not finish until June but now she could concentrate on those assignments. Her online teacher knew that she was working with a professional women's ball team, so had her focus on sport-themed writing assignments. By writing about a 'fictional' team playing a 'fictional' game, Ginny got high scores for her imagination. She did not tell the teacher that many of the articles were actually published. The Harpies were also pleased, and had her spending some time with the Publicity staff, mostly proof reading the various releases.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

Harry and Hermione were having a discussion of the differences between 'Gemino' and 'Duplo' in the Manor. "So, 'Gemino' requires a base target, as well as the original object?"

Hermione nodded. Laying a small chunk of wood on the ballroom floor, she pointed at one of the pretty chairs nearby and cast the incantation. An identical chair appeared next to the first. Then without the wood chunk, she cast "Duplo" at the same chair. A third identical chair appeared. Harry walked around the three, looking for differences but finding none. Hermione sat in the 'Duplo' chair, and Harry in the "Gemino', while they continued to talk.

"So, what is the difference? I know Ginny has used 'Gemino' on knuts to form one-use keys on her account. Couldn't she use 'Duplo' just as well?"

"Actually, no. 'Gemino' are real objects, even if transfigured. They hold their desired shape until their purpose is completed, or they are canceled. 'Gemino' keys turn back into real knuts when their tiny magical charge is spent. That chair would turn back into a chunk of wood if broken, or when I cancel it.

'Duplo' objects are magical constructs covered with an illusion. It isn't real so it can't copy a magical key. Think of it as being Leprechaun Gold. It looks like a chair, feels like a chair, and can be sat on, but it isn't really there so other spells can't be placed on it. As soon as you stop using it, it will vanish. Dumbledore favored squashy flowered armchairs. You will remember McGonagall favored a plain straight back wooden chair?" Harry nodded." "They were the same spell. Only their intention, their preference for details changed. Both vanished the moment they were not wanted." Hermione stood up, and moved to the original chair. Her 'Duplo' simply vanished a minute later. "And before you ask, you cannot Gemino a large magical object, like a broom. The amount of power is just too high. You could create the form, but it won't copy the spells. You would have to add the spells, and most people don't know them."

"If I wanted several hundred identical chairs for a brief period I could use either spell? Or, could if I had a whole pile of sticks? So, why do I own hundreds of pretty chairs?"

"YOU could. You have more raw power than almost anyone. 'Duplo' takes a lot more power than 'Gemino', which is why it is a higher level spell. Ginny could not have walked around with a bag of 'Duplo'. She would have been magically exhausted, and they would not have done what she wanted. That's why Arthur rents or borrows multiple items that he is only going to use once. He has more power than average, but not enough for that. He can make, Gemino or Duplo, a few chairs if there are extras for dinner, but not a roomful."

"Everyone has limits. Mine just happen to be higher?"

"Exactly."

"I wonder how many chairs Merlin could 'Duplo'?"

"You ARE silly! I don't think this spell existed in his time, though there are certainly tales of him creating many things out of thin air. Most of them are probably just childrens bedtime tales. He may have had some version. He could probably do some things we can't."

"That would be interesting. To find some things he could do that we can't today, and figure out a way to do them. We know it can be done, so it's just finding the 'how'."

"That might be harder than you think, if even Professor Mearle hasn't sorted the legends from the facts. You might ask him if he has a file you could read, even if it isn't a book. He likely has files on all sorts of historical persons, and writes a book or an article when he finds enough. Perhaps he hasn't done Merlin because some one else has a good book already?"

"Zany!" Harry's Library Elf appeared, slightly befuddled at being out of his library. "I am interested in Merlin. I want you to find me a good historical book, or two if you can, and some books of legends. Childrens stories are just fine. I can read those to the boys. Put them on the shelf in my Study, please."

Zany thought over what he had available. He'd need to check some catalogs. "Does Zany have authority to purchase any we doesn't have?"

"Of course you do. You always have permission to buy anything we need, Magical or Mundane, in addition to the annual update."

The first book to appear on the designated shelf was an English translation of Sir Thomas Malory's 15th-century romance, "Morte D'Arthur." For convenience the original text was in one column, with a more modern translation in a second. Half of every page seemed to be footnotes with cultural explanations. It was a huge book.

Second was a set of 4 novels, T. H. White's "The Once and Future King." Harry quickly realized these were a modernization of the same stories, but much easier to read.

Third were several childrens adaptations of the same stories. Brightly colored, the boys immediately loved them. A DVD of the Disney cartoon movie, "The Sword In The Stone" appeared, too. Teddy not only adored the movie, but developed the habit of referring to Arthur Weasley as "Wart." Once explained, Arthur thought it was hilarious!

There soon appeared several books of Celtic Myths, with bookmarks, and coloring books for Teddy.

Harry used one of his college spiral notebooks for making a list of every bit of magic Merlin cast in any of the stories. He was assuming most of them were fiction, but legends usually have a bit of truth somewhere. He checked off anything he recognized as possible, which was most of them. The remainder were what interested him. He would do some spell research to see how many more were real even if he had never seen them. That would, he hoped, leave a short list of magic Merlin supposedly had done that was not known now.

That would become the fun part! Any he worked out could become part of the Potter Grimoire. They might not be useful, but he would be contributing to his family. If he happened to find something really useful he would have to figure out what to do with it. Any he didn't figure out he could leave described in the Grimoire, a puzzle for the future.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24When Harry did get around to asking Professor Mearle about Merlin, he got back a lengthy scroll, carried by a fussy gray and brown owl.

"Hi Harry, Meet 'Archimedes', my owl. By now you know where I got the name, and it suits him well. I looked over your booklist, and think you have a pretty good basic set. There are more. I suggest learning Russian to read these two in their original beautiful language. You want Nikolai Tolstoy's two books about Merlin, a non-fiction "The Quest For Merlin" (1985) and a historical fantasy "The Coming of the King" (1988). The second may be the best representation of Merlin ever written, because it continues after Arthur's death. *

Don't panic, you can learn Russian, or any other language easily with a potion from "The Traveler's Companion", a shop on Possible Alley which sells tours, vacations, and everything you might need, from guidebooks to tents. You provide luggage, clothes and shoes from other shops but they will tell you what you need.

Buy these two books, clear a weekend and tell your elf to take care of you and take messages. The shop can give more complete details.

Your list of spells seems very interesting. I'm not sure it's completely accurate, but it's certainly a good start. You should check the dates for each spell being created, and where. Something created in Greece seems unlikely for someone in Wales, and suggests some other spell is in use. If one person can do it in one place, someone else can, too!

Merlin was supposed to be some kind of Seer. There are several prophesies attributed to him. Did he really see the Future?

There were some stories where Merlin is female, passing as a male. Have you found some of those? I suspect they are modern, rewritten old stories. What do you think?

I'll give you one more question, from my own file. I have a possible answer, but I'd be curious what you come up with. Several places talk about Merlin growing younger instead of older, even though he was clearly a young man who grew old. How did that happen?

A. Mearle"

Harry had Zany obtain the books, and English translations. He had no free weekends for the language potion right now, but he would get it to have on hand for when he did get some free time. It would need to be a weekend when Ginny was home. He wondered how many languages were available? Perhaps he should pick up a full set? They might be useful for more than reading books. French and Bulgarian came to his mind immediately. He would find out.

HLN24 Imbolic Easter OstaraHLN24 Imbolic Easter Ostara HLN24

*Book review partially copied and paraphrased from Wikipedia

Expected Publication Dec 3. Next expected Dec 17.