By Matilde Rayne
Surprises – especially holiday surprises – are always fun, so it was
arranged that four little “bunnies” would visit each of the House
common rooms early Easter morning and leave treats of candy, eggs and
flowers all around for the students to find. The first waking Badgers
founds daffodils and Fizzing Whizbees around the Sett. Daisies dotted
the Dungeons, while Sugar Quills sat on all the desks. A couple of
early-rising Eagles just managed to spot their own festively-dressed
“bunny” putting the finishing touch on some baskets of hyacinth and
Ice Mice in the Roost before vanishing into thin air.
But while there were plenty of Hufflepuffs, Slytherins and Ravenclaws
spending their mornings munching away happily, the Gryffindors were
much more muted as they had all woken up to a disappointingly empty
common room.
Perhaps the whole thing had been canceled, some of them thought – but
that couldn’t be right, could it? Everyone had been so adamant about
it happening. With a collective heave of sadness, most of the students
began returning to their dens, filing up the stairs one by one, until
only a few Gryffindors remained in the common area, forlornly silent.
And then finally – “Hey, look at this!”
arranged that four little “bunnies” would visit each of the House
common rooms early Easter morning and leave treats of candy, eggs and
flowers all around for the students to find. The first waking Badgers
founds daffodils and Fizzing Whizbees around the Sett. Daisies dotted
the Dungeons, while Sugar Quills sat on all the desks. A couple of
early-rising Eagles just managed to spot their own festively-dressed
“bunny” putting the finishing touch on some baskets of hyacinth and
Ice Mice in the Roost before vanishing into thin air.
But while there were plenty of Hufflepuffs, Slytherins and Ravenclaws
spending their mornings munching away happily, the Gryffindors were
much more muted as they had all woken up to a disappointingly empty
common room.
Perhaps the whole thing had been canceled, some of them thought – but
that couldn’t be right, could it? Everyone had been so adamant about
it happening. With a collective heave of sadness, most of the students
began returning to their dens, filing up the stairs one by one, until
only a few Gryffindors remained in the common area, forlornly silent.
And then finally – “Hey, look at this!”
A tiny first year was pointing at something near the portrait
entrance. With haste, a prefect rushed to her side and checked things
out, exclaiming after a brief moment, “Tulip petals! Our bunny was
here!”
Gasps echoed around the common room. Perhaps their bunny had been
stolen, kindly trying to deliver their gifts but snatched away by a
mysterious monster in the night! They just couldn’t stand for this;
they would have to mount a rescue.
Nearly every brave soul in the common room volunteered to follow the
tulip trail out past the Fat Lady’s portrait, and down the corridor to
the right. Sure enough, the petals led them away, down a flight of
stairs, across the sixth floor, through the Ancient Runes classroom,
and back up to the seventh floor. Oddly, the trail led them right back
to the Fat Lady’s portrait on the opposite side from which they
started.
Deciding the perpetrator must still be inside, they all filed back in
through the portrait hole, looking around with great suspicion for
anything that looked out of place. The observant little first year who
spotted the tulip petals before proved to be quite sharp-eyed again,
questioning, “I don’t remember seeing this before…”
A stuffed lion doll sat on a desk by the window, still as anyone would
expect, but under the scrutinous eyes of the Gryffindors, it all of a
sudden let out a little squeak, “Roary is sorry!”
“Roary” turned out to be not-so-much a stuffed lion doll, but rather a
House-Elf wearing a lion’s costume. He hopped down from the desk and
began to shuffle about anxiously, dragging his limp braided-yarn tail
behind him. Even his threaded mane seemed to crackle with nervousness.
His wide eyes swept over the students as he exclaimed, “Roary is
supposed to be leaving Gryffindors their sweets, he is, but they is
giving Roary his own favorites to leave behind!”
Putting it all together, the prefect explained to her charges, “I see.
Roary here was supposed to be the “bunny” for us Gryffs. He probably
put this outfit on just in case any of us happened by while he was
placing things. But judging by the smear of chocolate on his face, he
couldn’t resist taking some for himself.”
“And hiding the rest in the desks,” said Roary, hanging his head,
ashamed, as he began opening the desk drawers, revealing tons of
Chocoballs. “Roary is a bad elf, a very bad elf…”
“Oh, no, we don’t mind sharing!” chimed in the first year.
“After all,” added the prefect, with a good-humored glance at Roary’s
mane, “you’re a lion, too – and these treats are for lions, right?”
Beaming at Roary’s uplifted expression, the first year offered
sweetly, “You can take the first one… again.”
And Roary did, followed by the rest of the Gryffindors, those in their
dens roused by the cheering below. A wonderful morning was had by all,
before everyone split to go about their business, and Roary was
invited to come back any time – a “lion” in spirit.
entrance. With haste, a prefect rushed to her side and checked things
out, exclaiming after a brief moment, “Tulip petals! Our bunny was
here!”
Gasps echoed around the common room. Perhaps their bunny had been
stolen, kindly trying to deliver their gifts but snatched away by a
mysterious monster in the night! They just couldn’t stand for this;
they would have to mount a rescue.
Nearly every brave soul in the common room volunteered to follow the
tulip trail out past the Fat Lady’s portrait, and down the corridor to
the right. Sure enough, the petals led them away, down a flight of
stairs, across the sixth floor, through the Ancient Runes classroom,
and back up to the seventh floor. Oddly, the trail led them right back
to the Fat Lady’s portrait on the opposite side from which they
started.
Deciding the perpetrator must still be inside, they all filed back in
through the portrait hole, looking around with great suspicion for
anything that looked out of place. The observant little first year who
spotted the tulip petals before proved to be quite sharp-eyed again,
questioning, “I don’t remember seeing this before…”
A stuffed lion doll sat on a desk by the window, still as anyone would
expect, but under the scrutinous eyes of the Gryffindors, it all of a
sudden let out a little squeak, “Roary is sorry!”
“Roary” turned out to be not-so-much a stuffed lion doll, but rather a
House-Elf wearing a lion’s costume. He hopped down from the desk and
began to shuffle about anxiously, dragging his limp braided-yarn tail
behind him. Even his threaded mane seemed to crackle with nervousness.
His wide eyes swept over the students as he exclaimed, “Roary is
supposed to be leaving Gryffindors their sweets, he is, but they is
giving Roary his own favorites to leave behind!”
Putting it all together, the prefect explained to her charges, “I see.
Roary here was supposed to be the “bunny” for us Gryffs. He probably
put this outfit on just in case any of us happened by while he was
placing things. But judging by the smear of chocolate on his face, he
couldn’t resist taking some for himself.”
“And hiding the rest in the desks,” said Roary, hanging his head,
ashamed, as he began opening the desk drawers, revealing tons of
Chocoballs. “Roary is a bad elf, a very bad elf…”
“Oh, no, we don’t mind sharing!” chimed in the first year.
“After all,” added the prefect, with a good-humored glance at Roary’s
mane, “you’re a lion, too – and these treats are for lions, right?”
Beaming at Roary’s uplifted expression, the first year offered
sweetly, “You can take the first one… again.”
And Roary did, followed by the rest of the Gryffindors, those in their
dens roused by the cheering below. A wonderful morning was had by all,
before everyone split to go about their business, and Roary was
invited to come back any time – a “lion” in spirit.