IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN,SEVERUS SNAPE
By Ed Cowell
"Lemon drop."
The gargoyle didn't move.
"Lemon...I don't know,lemon lollipop?"
Nothing.
Snape put a hand to his forehead. "Lemon ice cream. Lemon gobstopper.
Lemon juice. Lemon curry? Lemon fudge. Butterbeer with a twist of lemon..."
"Butterbeer with a twist of lemon?"
Albus Dumbledore looked as if he were suppressing a fit of laughter. He was a man who valued a good laugh,or at least a prolonged smile. His eyes twinkled like stars on a moonless night.
"Albus,I need you to see something."
Snape held up his hand. He clenched a videotape in one fist.
"This is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen."
The twinkle dwindled a bit. He looked justifiably concerned.
"Come in,come in."
Snape swept into Albus's office,alive with a thousand quiet noises. Fawkes was relaxed on his regular perch. Fawkes sang a note that made Snape's spine vibrate. Snape listened as the tone vanished,stroking the plumage along Fawkes's head. He felt sure that Fawkes could see into him,and that he trusted what he saw.
"Now,what's the matter,Severus?"
"You have to see this," He handed the videotape to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore magicked a few items out of nothingness; Snape knew what they were-a television,a videocassette recorder. He placed the cassette in the machine,and turned the television on.
Snape had to turn his back while the tape played; he could still hear it all,though,and it brought all the horror back-
This time,Dumbledore really did laugh.
"You've NEVER seen this?" he asked,trying not to choke.
"But,Albus...the dog's having World War One flashbacks and the other kid is writing to some pumpkin creature to come visit him and bask in the sheer sincerity of his vegetable patch-"
"Severus,really,I didn't think there was anyone on Earth,muggle or not,who hasn't experienced IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN,CHARLIE BROWN."
"You mean...it's perfectly normal?"
"Of course it's normal,it's a beloved cultural institution the world over. You've never heard of Charles Schultz?"
Snape was lost for words. He stood there agape,and shook his head.
"You've never...Severus,you never fail to astound me."
"But it's a muggle-"
"Severus...you recall I once called music a magic beyond what we do at Hogwarts,do you not?"
"I remember it,yes."
"Charles Schultz had a special talent...throughout history,there have been people who were not wizards,but they couldn't be called muggles,either,because they harnessed a kind of magic in themselves far more mysterious than what we understand. Mozart had it. Rod Serling had it. Many artists like them have it. Charles Schultz did,too. His drawings still bring joy to people even after his death."
Snape thought for a moment.
"I want to try it."
"Try what?"
"Hagrid has a pumpkin patch. I'll ask his permission. May I be excused?"
"Certainly,Severus."
He practically ran from the room.
Dumbledore turned to Fawkes. "This ought to be interesting."
Outside,the wind nearly blew Snape off of his feet. He made his way towards Hagrid's hut. He knew what Hagrid's answer would be,but since it was Hagrid,he would attempt courtesy. Spending time with Hagrid had been one of Snape's only pleasant memories of being a Hogwarts student. Even after the unspeakable things he'd done as a Death Eater,Hagrid refused to forsake him or hate him. In that business with the Sorceror's Stone,Hagrid had been his staunch defender. He,in
return,did what he could when Hagrid was sent to Azkaban. He had tried to help Hagrid in his troubles with the hippogriff; Hermione Granger beat him at many turns, and so his support was reduced to a supportive glance at breakfast or a hand on the shoulder at staff meetings. He considered Hagrid a friend; he may not have been
sure how to express this,but Hagrid didn't mind. Snape was glad to know someone as kind,as gentle as Hagrid; he lived simply,but was not a simple man,as some people assumed of him. Fortunately,everyone at Hogwarts knew better.
The wind died down as he made his way towards the hut. It had been windy all day,but there were no clouds to blow around. The sky had turned solid gray for Halloween. When he felt in the mood,he called it Samhain. There had been a heavy metal band in the 1980s called Samhain,so he tried to refer to the holiday as Halloween. Usually,it was all the same to him,but not now,not this time.
He arrived at Hagrid's and knocked on the door. Immediately,Fang began barking. He had a fearsome bark,but Fang was a good dog. Draco Malfoy had once told him that Fang was a cowardly mutt,but Draco Malfoy was rather an odious prat,even if he was a Slytherin.
"Hagrid," he called. "Hagrid,are you there?"
The door burst open. When he saw Snape,Hagrid's grin stretched from one side of the doorframe to the other. "Professor Snape," he said. "Care fer some tea?"
"Not at the moment,Hagrid,I'm due for class in a minute. Perhaps later. I'm not sure how to say this,Hagrid..." Hagrid waited,curiosity now in his enormous smile. "...I need your help...with...an endeavour."
"Jus' name it."
"I'd like to sit in your pumpkin patch tonight. All night."
"Yeh mean like IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN,CHARLIE BROWN?"
Snape felt his jaw swing down,but he caught it. "Exactly."
Hagrid started to laugh; Snape swore he felt the ground shake. Not that he would have admitted it,but he loved watching Hagrid laugh.
"See yeh tonight,then. 'Round sundown?"
"Sounds like a plan."
Hagrid's deep bass laugh followed him all the way back to the school.
At the end of the day's last endurance session,more commonly known as Potions,Snape went back to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was there; he was not alone. As he expected,Albus was there, helping him rearrange a a few of the pumpkins. Some of those things were almost as big as Hagrid. Professor Sprout was also there,knees in the dirt,also manipulating pumpkins. Also present,to Severus's surprise,was young Colin Creevey. Snape smirked; he would have minded,but anyone who got on Potter's nerves as much as Colin was all right by him.
"All right,Professor?" Hagrid asked.
"Very much so,Hagrid. Nice of you to join us,Mr. Creevey."
"Hello,Professor. The headmaster had the idea that I should be here with my camera. Just in case."
"Just in case of what?"
"In case there really is a Great Pumpkin," Albus said. Creevey
pointed the camera; Albus smiled just in time for the flash.
"But there isn't-"
"But what if there is?" Sprout asked.
"Yeh never know," Hagrid said,"With everythin' creepin' around the forest. Colin,is yer brother coming?"
One of Snape's most vivid memories was the image of Dennis Creevey entering the Great Hall after having fallen in the lake,draped in Hagrid's huge overcoat. He liked to imagine that Hagrid had hoisted him out of the water with one arm,torn off his coat and wrapped it around the boy.
"He said he would," Colin said. "He wanted to stop by the feast first. I guess he wants to stuff his pockets to prepare."
"I don't remember Linus eating anything," Snape said.
Colin shrugged. "Group picture," he said.
Hagrid made up the background; Snape,Sprout,and Dumbledore stood
in front of him. After thinking about it,Colin set the timer and
raced into the group. Professor Sprout put her hand on his shoulder.
The bulb flashed. "Good one," Colin said.
By Ed Cowell
"Lemon drop."
The gargoyle didn't move.
"Lemon...I don't know,lemon lollipop?"
Nothing.
Snape put a hand to his forehead. "Lemon ice cream. Lemon gobstopper.
Lemon juice. Lemon curry? Lemon fudge. Butterbeer with a twist of lemon..."
"Butterbeer with a twist of lemon?"
Albus Dumbledore looked as if he were suppressing a fit of laughter. He was a man who valued a good laugh,or at least a prolonged smile. His eyes twinkled like stars on a moonless night.
"Albus,I need you to see something."
Snape held up his hand. He clenched a videotape in one fist.
"This is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen."
The twinkle dwindled a bit. He looked justifiably concerned.
"Come in,come in."
Snape swept into Albus's office,alive with a thousand quiet noises. Fawkes was relaxed on his regular perch. Fawkes sang a note that made Snape's spine vibrate. Snape listened as the tone vanished,stroking the plumage along Fawkes's head. He felt sure that Fawkes could see into him,and that he trusted what he saw.
"Now,what's the matter,Severus?"
"You have to see this," He handed the videotape to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore magicked a few items out of nothingness; Snape knew what they were-a television,a videocassette recorder. He placed the cassette in the machine,and turned the television on.
Snape had to turn his back while the tape played; he could still hear it all,though,and it brought all the horror back-
This time,Dumbledore really did laugh.
"You've NEVER seen this?" he asked,trying not to choke.
"But,Albus...the dog's having World War One flashbacks and the other kid is writing to some pumpkin creature to come visit him and bask in the sheer sincerity of his vegetable patch-"
"Severus,really,I didn't think there was anyone on Earth,muggle or not,who hasn't experienced IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN,CHARLIE BROWN."
"You mean...it's perfectly normal?"
"Of course it's normal,it's a beloved cultural institution the world over. You've never heard of Charles Schultz?"
Snape was lost for words. He stood there agape,and shook his head.
"You've never...Severus,you never fail to astound me."
"But it's a muggle-"
"Severus...you recall I once called music a magic beyond what we do at Hogwarts,do you not?"
"I remember it,yes."
"Charles Schultz had a special talent...throughout history,there have been people who were not wizards,but they couldn't be called muggles,either,because they harnessed a kind of magic in themselves far more mysterious than what we understand. Mozart had it. Rod Serling had it. Many artists like them have it. Charles Schultz did,too. His drawings still bring joy to people even after his death."
Snape thought for a moment.
"I want to try it."
"Try what?"
"Hagrid has a pumpkin patch. I'll ask his permission. May I be excused?"
"Certainly,Severus."
He practically ran from the room.
Dumbledore turned to Fawkes. "This ought to be interesting."
Outside,the wind nearly blew Snape off of his feet. He made his way towards Hagrid's hut. He knew what Hagrid's answer would be,but since it was Hagrid,he would attempt courtesy. Spending time with Hagrid had been one of Snape's only pleasant memories of being a Hogwarts student. Even after the unspeakable things he'd done as a Death Eater,Hagrid refused to forsake him or hate him. In that business with the Sorceror's Stone,Hagrid had been his staunch defender. He,in
return,did what he could when Hagrid was sent to Azkaban. He had tried to help Hagrid in his troubles with the hippogriff; Hermione Granger beat him at many turns, and so his support was reduced to a supportive glance at breakfast or a hand on the shoulder at staff meetings. He considered Hagrid a friend; he may not have been
sure how to express this,but Hagrid didn't mind. Snape was glad to know someone as kind,as gentle as Hagrid; he lived simply,but was not a simple man,as some people assumed of him. Fortunately,everyone at Hogwarts knew better.
The wind died down as he made his way towards the hut. It had been windy all day,but there were no clouds to blow around. The sky had turned solid gray for Halloween. When he felt in the mood,he called it Samhain. There had been a heavy metal band in the 1980s called Samhain,so he tried to refer to the holiday as Halloween. Usually,it was all the same to him,but not now,not this time.
He arrived at Hagrid's and knocked on the door. Immediately,Fang began barking. He had a fearsome bark,but Fang was a good dog. Draco Malfoy had once told him that Fang was a cowardly mutt,but Draco Malfoy was rather an odious prat,even if he was a Slytherin.
"Hagrid," he called. "Hagrid,are you there?"
The door burst open. When he saw Snape,Hagrid's grin stretched from one side of the doorframe to the other. "Professor Snape," he said. "Care fer some tea?"
"Not at the moment,Hagrid,I'm due for class in a minute. Perhaps later. I'm not sure how to say this,Hagrid..." Hagrid waited,curiosity now in his enormous smile. "...I need your help...with...an endeavour."
"Jus' name it."
"I'd like to sit in your pumpkin patch tonight. All night."
"Yeh mean like IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN,CHARLIE BROWN?"
Snape felt his jaw swing down,but he caught it. "Exactly."
Hagrid started to laugh; Snape swore he felt the ground shake. Not that he would have admitted it,but he loved watching Hagrid laugh.
"See yeh tonight,then. 'Round sundown?"
"Sounds like a plan."
Hagrid's deep bass laugh followed him all the way back to the school.
At the end of the day's last endurance session,more commonly known as Potions,Snape went back to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was there; he was not alone. As he expected,Albus was there, helping him rearrange a a few of the pumpkins. Some of those things were almost as big as Hagrid. Professor Sprout was also there,knees in the dirt,also manipulating pumpkins. Also present,to Severus's surprise,was young Colin Creevey. Snape smirked; he would have minded,but anyone who got on Potter's nerves as much as Colin was all right by him.
"All right,Professor?" Hagrid asked.
"Very much so,Hagrid. Nice of you to join us,Mr. Creevey."
"Hello,Professor. The headmaster had the idea that I should be here with my camera. Just in case."
"Just in case of what?"
"In case there really is a Great Pumpkin," Albus said. Creevey
pointed the camera; Albus smiled just in time for the flash.
"But there isn't-"
"But what if there is?" Sprout asked.
"Yeh never know," Hagrid said,"With everythin' creepin' around the forest. Colin,is yer brother coming?"
One of Snape's most vivid memories was the image of Dennis Creevey entering the Great Hall after having fallen in the lake,draped in Hagrid's huge overcoat. He liked to imagine that Hagrid had hoisted him out of the water with one arm,torn off his coat and wrapped it around the boy.
"He said he would," Colin said. "He wanted to stop by the feast first. I guess he wants to stuff his pockets to prepare."
"I don't remember Linus eating anything," Snape said.
Colin shrugged. "Group picture," he said.
Hagrid made up the background; Snape,Sprout,and Dumbledore stood
in front of him. After thinking about it,Colin set the timer and
raced into the group. Professor Sprout put her hand on his shoulder.
The bulb flashed. "Good one," Colin said.