random thoughts of a gardener

[Stephanie Roark Keener]

No: HPFGUIDX 19019

So today, I was working in the garden and I was thinking.  And you 
know how it is when you're gardening, you think about all kinds of 
crazy stuff
  

1. Cheering Charms.  Is it okay to put a cheering charm on yourself?  
Why not just put a cheering charm on yourself all the time.  Seems to 
me a cheering charm is really just a big fat magic Doobie.  Lucky 
they have lunch right after Charms.  BTW, I am NOT one of those 
people who thinks HP teaches kids to use drugs.
2. Magic Babies.  If I'm a witch and know how to brew a sleeping 
draught, is it okay to use it on a baby?    Joywitch's Poopus 
Gowayus – the Teletubbies toilet spell – how about one to get their 
feet to stop moving when you're trying to jam on those teeny-weeny 
socks?  And can they do things back to you?  Can they magic off their 
diaper if they don't want to wear it?  Can they force you to hold 
them all the time?  
(2a. The Durselys.  I've had to convince myself that Dumbledore 
bewitched Harry so that he didn't need rocked at night, and was 
particularly good at feeding himself so that he was an easy toddler 
and didn't really need the Durselys too much.  It's the only way I 
can cope with them.)
3. Hogwarts Food.  Very old fashioned.  Why don't they ever get pizza 
or pasta?  And have you noticed all the bacon? 
4. Animagi.  I reckon that most people become the animal that they 
most closely resemble(Peter is described as having beady rat-like 
eyes, Sirius has got that shaggy black hair.) – their animal spirit, 
to draw on Native American religious philosophy.  (Oh Lord, that 
would make me a poodle, shudder.)  Do they also retain little 
animalisms in human form?  Does Sirius forget and try to scratch his 
ear with his leg?  (And I know this is different but,) Does Lupin 
like his steaks really rare?  Does McGonagall jump up on the desk and 
stick her butt in people's faces?
5. Neville.  You know how JKR says that one of the kids is going to 
be a Professor at the end?  My money is on Neville – Herbology.  (I 
said I was gardening.)
6. Mandrakes.  Hilarious.  But it made me kind of queasy that they 
were so human-like and got sliced up.
7. My Wand.  If  I were a witch, I would keep my wand stuck in my 
hair bun.  It's were keep my pencils, much handier than a pocket or 
belt and more of a fashion statement too.
8. Magic and Nature.  And this one is serious.  But I've not got it 
totally worked out yet.  Somehow, magic is a part of pure nature and 
technology that Muggles use is extremely perverted and that why it 
doesn't work around powerfully magical people or in very  magically 
charged places.  Because technology is unnatural.  Thoughts are 
swirling in my head, I can't quite reach them
.  Grasp Grasp
.

Excuse me, I have to go read some Thoreau now.  (And NO Unibomber 
jokes, please).
Stephanie