Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Hogwarts Reminiscing

So I think most of you know that the close runner up behind Naked World Domination for my heart is Harry Potter. My writing roots began here, in fan fiction, and several DOZEN lifetime friendships as well... I know, because here it is nearly 6 years after I first dived into discussions, and almost 4 years after the last book came out, yet those friendships have endured. My writing group, the Burrow, was born here, and I have, in addition, a fairly large bunch of writing friends who are also coming along for this journey.

So I am THRILLED to join Potter themed Blogfests, and Michael has kindly obliged me a couple times (the last one, a Christmas story). Today's theme is about my BFFs at Hogwarts...



Who would have been in Trio a la Tart...

I think y'all know I'm older than Harry. He was born in 1980. But I'm younger than the Marauders who were born in 1960... I fall somewhere in the middle... maybe not THIS middle, but I'm going with it... there is some canon behind my decision. Namely,

Tonks by Kiwi Fairy
OoP, C 9 (on being prefect): “My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities.”
“Like what?” said Ginny...
“Like the ability to behave myself,” said Tonks.

You'll forgive Tonks for dressing like it was the 80s, because... you know... it was... Oh, yes... Tonks would have been my BFF, able to keep up with me around every turn.. It was handy that she could disguise herself so well. Binns thought she really was Madam Sprout pulling me out of History of Magic half the time.

It took us a couple years to realize there was someone interested in a different sort of mischief (not half bad looking, either, though I was actually crushing on his older brother Bill.) Charlie snuck off into the Foridden Forest every chance he could... followed Hagrid around like he was his assistant... would have bugged Kettleburn, too, but the man was suspicious of Charlie's fascination with Dragons.

Charlie Weasley by The Starhorse
It's thanks to Charlie, actually, that I ever gained any competence with a broom (Tonks, too—Tonks could barely WALK, nobody ever thought she'd fly well), but Charlie spent that first year trying to get away from us... it was master flying or miss out.

We took to following Charlie into the forest whenever we could, and after we helped him get away from Bane (the ANGRY Centaur) the three of us ended up friends.

Man, we had fun... mostly sneaking off where we shouldn't be... And Tonks and I used to taunt Charlie something wicked... silly Gryffindors...


"Let Slytherin seek glory
And Ravenclaw aim high
Let Gryffindor chase danger
They’re not afraid to die


The mighty they will finally fall
The brain will hence give way
The body it will fail us all
So danger seekers pay


But Hufflepuff knows toil and work
And Hufflepuff knows friends
And Hufflepuff will party on
When you’ve all met your ends!”

It was sad when we finally all picked different directions... Charlie and his creature NEWT, Tonks with all that Auror nonsense, and me with Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, headed to Peru to study Cursebreaking with the Incan experts. I still am plagued by guilt that if I'd stuck closer to home, Tonks would have survived that Wizard War... I should have been there.


So there we have it...


The Art is from Deviant Art (links included) and the Hufflepuff fight song is one I wrote as part of a fan fiction I wrote in 2007.

38 comments:

Melissa said...

I love your hufflepuff fight song! Brilliant!

Abhishek said...

You guys ended as friends due to BANE?? My goodness@!@@ Cool narration!! Adding the Hufflepuff song was cool!!!

with warm regards
http://becomingprince.blogspot.com

Margo Benson said...

A wonderful combo! (I have Charlie mentioned too, what a sweetheart!) Love your Hufflepuff song.

M.J. Nicholls said...

You haven't lived until you have consumed a table-sized Harry Potter cake. Jam and icing and sponge so soft you could sleep inside it. Rush to your local cakemaker with your $300 cheque.

PK HREZO said...

How fun! Tonks and Charlie are awesome choices. Bravo!

Heather M. Gardner said...

Sounds like the Trouble Trio to me! Those were fun picks!
HMG

Jan Morrison said...

A good trio - I am a Tonks fan too in my very slight way.
More to the point - are you doing a theme for A to Z? If so, do you know that I say zed in my head when I write this? Really though, are you doing a theme and can you tell me or not?

Old Kitty said...

Yay for your hufflepuff song!!!! So NAKED!!! :-) Take care
x

Tony Benson said...

I love the song, and I really enjoyed your answer. Charlie and Tonks would be great friends to have.

Hart Johnson said...

teehee--thanks, gang!

Mark-are you confessing to being a cake sniffer?

Jan--totally doing A to Z... as for theme... erm... isn't it an alphabet theme? (I actually have a thought, but it isn't a theme, so to speak...)

N. R. Williams said...

That is a great song. Such trouble makers. And giving the careers at the end is delightful.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

Terry Odell said...

I started in fan fiction (Highlander) and "met" my first writing mentor while playing in that sandbox. It's a great way to start, because so much is done for you as far as characters, descriptions, etc. You can learn the craft a little bit at a time.

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery

Laurel Garver said...

Gosh, I didn't take into account the whole age thing. Oh well.

I love your choices and especially your narration about parting ways at the end: "headed to Peru to study Cursebreaking with the Incan experts." Priceless! I can totally picture Charlie and Dora wanting to hang with you. :-)

Colene Murphy said...

Haha! Great entry!! Those two are awesome choices. Tonks would have been a lot of fun for sure.

Michael Di Gesu said...

LOVED THIS!

I knew I would. Fantastic choice and I really enjoyed the antics.... BRAVO

A "Two-fingered" Dumbeldore clap for you.... If you don't know what that is ... you should. LOL.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

You are an excellent artist! I'm impressed.

Marsha A. Moore said...

Great song! Tonks is such a cool character. Good choice!

Cheeseboy said...

I am wondering - with your love all things Harry - if you have been to the new Harry Potter land in Orlando yet?

Lindsay N. Currie said...

Oh my god, how did I overlook Tonks? How fun and what a cool entry!!! I love the song BTW.

Abby Minard said...

Aw, that was cute! Obviously, I love Tonks. And Charlie is a great pick! I'd probably follow him to work with Dragons. Did you draw those?

Donea Lee said...

Oh, the Hufflepuff fight song? The BOMB! Wow. :) Love it. And I love this reminiscing. Tonks and Charlie are superb choices.

Helen Ginger said...

Love the fight song and your writing.

I think there will be more Harry Potter stories. If what'shername won't write them, you should.

Alison DeLuca said...

Great blog, and perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to confess my mad, inappropriate crush on Rupert Grint. One day he will realize that a fifty year old New Jersey housewife is indeed his destiny.

Laura said...

Fab! How cool was your possey?!
Lx

Unknown said...

This was fantastic!!!! I love you and Michael band together to create something genius!!!!

Last year during the week of Deathly Hallows PT1 being released every post was related to Harry Potter and the gang... This year we plan to do it again... CARE TO JOIN IN? Michael is a must!!! I know all my harry potter fan will be down and linkage (oh a lot of linkage) will be joined for this sad yet joyous occassion!

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, guys, thank you so much!

Alas, I'm not the artist--I linked the two artists--my drawing skills seized in about 3rd grade... I can make recognizable stuff, but not GOOD stuff.

Terry-I am totally with you on the fan fiction schooling as a writer--COMPLETELY.

Michael-of COURSE I know! (do YOU know about the naked magic? that is the real question)

Abe-have NOT been to Orlando (ever)--I can't actually afford my husband, and our families are across the country, so the leisure travel dollars are minimal.

Helen-I don't think copyrights will ever be released to make money, but I keep writing 'em from time to time... thanks!

Alison *snort* too cute!

Jen-I'm all over it! I would love a Potter week!

Bess Weatherby said...

This is great! I love Tonks disguised as Professor Sprout. Hilarious!

Susan Fobes said...

I didn't even consider the elder Weasleys, or Tonks, but now that you mention it, Tonks would be someone worth knowing.

BTW: I loved your fight song! :)

Jo Schaffer said...

Haha! Fun!

Nicki Elson said...

Well, I for one ADORE Tonks' 80s apparel. ;) And what fun friends you have! Too cute that you used to follow poor Charlie around.

Love, love, love the poems.

That is absolutely wonderful your HP friendships have endured.

Marie Rearden said...

I love this! Tonks and Charlie, yeah. They'd get you into so much (fun) trouble. :) Thanks for sharing, and love your song!

Marie at the Cheetah

Carol Riggs said...

What a great, fun entry, and cool pics too. :) Tonks is quite the character, and interesting how you chose Charlie who isn't in the books much!

Hart Johnson said...

Ah yes... choice of Charlie is largely that I am a Harry Potter canon junkie, and the evidence is strong he and Tonks really WERE in the same year (based on her having just finished Auror training when she first appears and what is said about how long it takes)... Yes, I'm a Potter geek...

Thank you so much everyone! I had a great time with this!

Golden Eagle said...

Tonks--awesome choice! She's such a great character. :D

I love your Hufflepluff song!

Unknown said...

That song is BRILLIANT! Well done! So how did it go with the Incan cursebreaking experts in Peru?

Hart Johnson said...

Thank you DE!

Rachel-well... the magnetic to gold effect I can't seem to shake has caused me some trouble...

Deniz Bevan said...

Loved your post - especially the sad reminder at the end. Gosh, you, Charlie and Tonks, there's a fun combination! So, what sorts of advice did you and Charlie give her about Lupin?

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, we were all about no fear! Werewolf schmerewolf... though those moments of doubt... had I known, he would have gotten that shrinking ears hex by mail that Bill got when we were at Hogwarts!