A couple weeks ago Emma got a letter from the Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We didn't hear an owl, but Emma was sure she hear some wing fluttering. The letter was not stamped, but it was addressed to Emma in the brightly painted room off the kitchen in San Francisco. It had an official Hogwarts wax seal and stamp, written on parchment and was signed by Minerva McGonagall.
The contents of the letter said that they had heard that Emma will be doing extensive travels this summer including such exotic locales as Mexico, Utah, Massachusetts, Germany and ending up in London England. The letter goes on to say that this is a fortuitous coincidence because it just so happens that Hogwarts needs to create a potion to ward off the some dark wizards and the things it needs can be found in these exact locations. They wanted to know if Emma was willing to gather these items and take Hogwart's summer school lessons to make sure she knew what she was doing. These lessons would be in Muggle Studies, Spells (language), and the Care of Magical Creatures. They wanted her to keep a journal of her observations and activities. At the end of her trip a wizard or witch would meet her at King's Cross Station in London to obtain the items and see how her lessons went.
Emma had just finished the second book of the recounting of Harry Potter's adventures and decided she was more than willing, excited even, to take the lessons and obtain these items for Hogwarts, though she was a bit concerned that Voldemort might find out she is doing this. As she brought the letter into me she remarked "Hmm, Hogwarts must be real then."
So, we awaited the next letter...
The next letter that came thanked Emma for accepting (she wasn't sure how they knew.. but they did) and left her with a Hogwarts journal to write in and a quill.
Yet another letter came a few days later, right before our trip to Mexico (5 days in Puerto Vallarta). Her first tasks and lessons in Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures.
For Care of Magical Creatures, she was to find some creatures called "dolphins" and find out all she could about them such as did they talk? what did they feel like? etc. She was asked to draw a picture of these magical creatures and label all the parts herself.
So, after arriving in Puerto Vallarta, we serendipitously found out a place we could observe, learn about and swim with these creatures. Emma was reluctant to go at first, feeling the creatures might not be good magical creatures, but Hogwarts needed her to learn about them so she relented and we went.
She was fascinated (as were Papa and Daddy). We learned that these creatures do indeed talk and they talked to us in their strange squeaky, whistling language. We learned about the different parts of these creatures such as blow holes, the two slits used to give milk to the babies, their fins (which have fingers in them!) and much more. We also learned that they feel very smooth (like suede to Papa) and had the great privilege to swim with one. Emma asked several questions (like do they lay eggs or have babies).
They next day Emma dictated all the things she learned about these magical creatures to Papa who put it into the journal. The number of things she remembered were astounding, more than Papa that is indeed true. Then she drew a picture of them and labeled all the parts herself like the "fin, tal, hed, tumy, blowhol, slit" etc. (she uses a phonetic 'inventive' spelling).
There was a lesson on Muggle Studies. They asked her to learn at least 5 words from the language of these muggles from Mexico, draw a picture of Mexico, learn about some of the foods that these muggles like and whatever else she could find out.
Before we left Mexico she put down several words like "gracias" in her journal and wrote down lots of foods that Mexican muggles eat like "buritos, hot pepers, kaysadeyas, beens" etc. She drew a pretty good picture of Mexico and labeled where we were. She wrote a few other things down like in Mexico they speak Spanish and it is warm and humid there.
She was also to gather two shells, one from a snail and one from a clam, for the potion (and they needed to know how those two creatures are different).
I believe she completed her task!
So we await the next letter.
Comments (1)
This is truly a wonderful idea!! I just read this first part and I look forward to the next ones. This is how I started journaling, and these first "Holiday-Journals" with drawings and things to glue in are now like little treasures. It all started when my grandmother gave me a very very old exercise book, that my mother had used as a journal for her class tripp when she was nine years old. But to use this Harry-Potter-Motiv, complete with letter and invitation, just made me smile. This was great! And it is really fascinating to "see" children think, isn't it.
By the way: My name is Claudia, I have never before entered a comment here, but I visit your site relatively often. I don't remember how I found it, but I came back because of the way you write about what you write. And I am really happy that you did not stop writing!
Comment #155610 on July 10, 2008 10:55 PM |