Aurora Sinistra (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alt_sinistra) wrote2009-03-24 05:55 pm
alt_sinistra) wrote2009-03-24 05:55 pm
A parliament of owls
At least that's what it feels like - at least half my family has sent me one asking for news of yesterday. First, the Prophet had quite a decent story, all things considered. (And yes, Mum, the students in those photos are both in my classes, though I won't teach them till tomorrow.) It was quite a lot of pageantry, though.
We gathered at 2pm in the castle entry, to walk all the students out to the Forbidden Forest. They'd cleared a pathway in, and set up pavillions and seats and it was all quite safe, though several students jumped a bit at some rustling in the underbrush. We all got settled (by house, which is just convenient, since the prefects know their housemates well), and the Lord Protector and the others with him all got there. Some students, of course, got to sit with their parents or guardians - always a treat to see each other during term-time.
Once everyone was quiet, Parvati came out wearing that beautiful dress. The crown was mostly flowers from Pomona's greenhouse (with a few herbs traditionally used for this hunt, so she said at breakfast) and a few very early buds from outside, I think. She sat, and we all waited - well, rather longer than people wished, maybe. It's still not exactly warm out, and our younger students do get a tad restless.
But then the unicorn appeared on the far side of the clearing, away from the seating, and walked very slowly over to her and knelt, and put its head in her lap. Really, there's a reason people make tapestries of it, as it's a beautiful sight, like nothing else on earth. She petted it a little, and then stood, and put a rope carefully around its neck, and led it off. (They'd built a little temporary stable for it on the grounds.)
We then all paraded back - I just had a moment to make my entry yesterday - and all went into feast. Very nice, I must say, with some special treats for the students, and of course, some quite extraordinary dishes for the high table including a gorgeous spun sugar and marzipan subtlety of a unicorn for the pudding course. They set up a number of tables on the dais, though of course I was well toward the back, as we were honoring the Lord Protector and his chosen guests.
At the end, everyone stood, and waited while the Lord Protector and his guests processed out, and then we sent everyone off to bed. I helped Pomona round up the stragglers, and get them all into the house common room at least, and then did a bit of walking the halls to make sure we had no strays before I came up to bed. Quite a long day, all told, especially given we had normal classes in the morning, even though I cancelled last night's observations.
We gathered at 2pm in the castle entry, to walk all the students out to the Forbidden Forest. They'd cleared a pathway in, and set up pavillions and seats and it was all quite safe, though several students jumped a bit at some rustling in the underbrush. We all got settled (by house, which is just convenient, since the prefects know their housemates well), and the Lord Protector and the others with him all got there. Some students, of course, got to sit with their parents or guardians - always a treat to see each other during term-time.
Once everyone was quiet, Parvati came out wearing that beautiful dress. The crown was mostly flowers from Pomona's greenhouse (with a few herbs traditionally used for this hunt, so she said at breakfast) and a few very early buds from outside, I think. She sat, and we all waited - well, rather longer than people wished, maybe. It's still not exactly warm out, and our younger students do get a tad restless.
But then the unicorn appeared on the far side of the clearing, away from the seating, and walked very slowly over to her and knelt, and put its head in her lap. Really, there's a reason people make tapestries of it, as it's a beautiful sight, like nothing else on earth. She petted it a little, and then stood, and put a rope carefully around its neck, and led it off. (They'd built a little temporary stable for it on the grounds.)
We then all paraded back - I just had a moment to make my entry yesterday - and all went into feast. Very nice, I must say, with some special treats for the students, and of course, some quite extraordinary dishes for the high table including a gorgeous spun sugar and marzipan subtlety of a unicorn for the pudding course. They set up a number of tables on the dais, though of course I was well toward the back, as we were honoring the Lord Protector and his chosen guests.
At the end, everyone stood, and waited while the Lord Protector and his guests processed out, and then we sent everyone off to bed. I helped Pomona round up the stragglers, and get them all into the house common room at least, and then did a bit of walking the halls to make sure we had no strays before I came up to bed. Quite a long day, all told, especially given we had normal classes in the morning, even though I cancelled last night's observations.