Embracing Your Inner Slytherin
Much to Anna's chagrin, she sorts into Slytherin. She has tried a couple of different online "sorting hats" tests and they all put her in Slytherin. This amuses Mary, who sorts into Hufflepuff, a great deal.
And really, knowing what I know about the two of them, I would switch the houses, but I am a Muggle and not a Sorting Hat, so what do I know?
Having her birthday on the day of the Harry Potter book release made the party theme a no brainer. We were in the party goods store shopping for "Hogwarts" stuff - plates and napkins and such when the usual sibling stuff started in.
I was trying to save some money. The paper napkins and plates and cups with the Harry Potter stuff are expensive. So I suggested the solid color plates and napkins in maroon and gold.
"Yeah, that would be good colors for a Gryffindor, mom. But not for a Slytherin!" Mary teased.
"Well, Harry Potter was nearly a Slytherin," I said.
"That's true," Anna said.
"And not all Slytherins are bad," I said.
"All the evil wizards have come from Slytherin, but not everyone from Slytherin is evil," Anna said.
"That's right. It's a math proof. Choices are what make people good or evil - you can use your skills or interests either way. So how about if we just went with a Slytherin House theme?" I asked. "You would need green and what color?"
"Silver," she said.
I handed her a package of silver plates and dark green napkins and I could see the party forming in her head.
"I could dress up like a Slytherin Girl."
"You bet," I said. "That would be easy. Black skirt and tights, I have a shirt you can borrow and we'll get a green tie from Bill."
We got green and silver balloons. At home I pulled some black/silver fabric from my fabric stash and we made a tablecloth. We tied ribbons around plain plastic goblets and put Hogwarts stickers on them for her friends for party favors. We cut veggies, rolled cream cheese tortillas, defrosted shrimp, and made both cauldron cakes and a lightening bolt cake. At 10pm I drove Anna and her friends to the bookstore and they paid for their reserve copies and we hung out until they released the books at 12:01. They squealed when they got out the door with their books and asked me to leave the dome light on in the car so they could read on the way home. They made a tray with the leftovers from the party and holed up in the basement. I have no idea what time they went to bed.
I want so much for my children to be happy. I want them to feel good about who they are and what we do and have memories of their childhood that make them think of that time fondly. Last night - the book release - was a contrived event, and normally I hate those sorts of things and do not believe that they make significant memories. I know that I will remember last night forever. The image that is in my memory is my Slytherin Girl skipping out of the bookstore with her arms linked with her best friends' arms with shopping bags of The Book dangling from their arms. The smiles on their faces were magical.
And really, knowing what I know about the two of them, I would switch the houses, but I am a Muggle and not a Sorting Hat, so what do I know?
Having her birthday on the day of the Harry Potter book release made the party theme a no brainer. We were in the party goods store shopping for "Hogwarts" stuff - plates and napkins and such when the usual sibling stuff started in.
I was trying to save some money. The paper napkins and plates and cups with the Harry Potter stuff are expensive. So I suggested the solid color plates and napkins in maroon and gold.
"Yeah, that would be good colors for a Gryffindor, mom. But not for a Slytherin!" Mary teased.
"Well, Harry Potter was nearly a Slytherin," I said.
"That's true," Anna said.
"And not all Slytherins are bad," I said.
"All the evil wizards have come from Slytherin, but not everyone from Slytherin is evil," Anna said.
"That's right. It's a math proof. Choices are what make people good or evil - you can use your skills or interests either way. So how about if we just went with a Slytherin House theme?" I asked. "You would need green and what color?"
"Silver," she said.
I handed her a package of silver plates and dark green napkins and I could see the party forming in her head.
"I could dress up like a Slytherin Girl."
"You bet," I said. "That would be easy. Black skirt and tights, I have a shirt you can borrow and we'll get a green tie from Bill."
We got green and silver balloons. At home I pulled some black/silver fabric from my fabric stash and we made a tablecloth. We tied ribbons around plain plastic goblets and put Hogwarts stickers on them for her friends for party favors. We cut veggies, rolled cream cheese tortillas, defrosted shrimp, and made both cauldron cakes and a lightening bolt cake. At 10pm I drove Anna and her friends to the bookstore and they paid for their reserve copies and we hung out until they released the books at 12:01. They squealed when they got out the door with their books and asked me to leave the dome light on in the car so they could read on the way home. They made a tray with the leftovers from the party and holed up in the basement. I have no idea what time they went to bed.
I want so much for my children to be happy. I want them to feel good about who they are and what we do and have memories of their childhood that make them think of that time fondly. Last night - the book release - was a contrived event, and normally I hate those sorts of things and do not believe that they make significant memories. I know that I will remember last night forever. The image that is in my memory is my Slytherin Girl skipping out of the bookstore with her arms linked with her best friends' arms with shopping bags of The Book dangling from their arms. The smiles on their faces were magical.
posted by Lea at 8:03 AM
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