Fumbly's Note

“A new day, a new beginning,
I could lose but I choose winning.
I feel rested and I am fine,
I take the day because it's mine.”
Alektaia Khalikiope

Alektaia Khalikiope… Her name alone emits feelings of warmth, friendliness, and of course goofiness. Taia owned, and shared with us, the biggest and most beautiful heart in all of Hufflepuff, HOL, Finland…, and probably this world. I’m supposed to talk about her, reminisce, and present her memory here… But none of my own words could ever paint the portrait of who she was. Instead I will share some private conversations, and let Taia “speak” to us of her life, dreams, and passions.

Let’s imagine we’re all sitting around the fireside, late in the evening, with large mugs of butterbeer. Tonight is “open house” and there are several Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins sprawled amongst us. We’ve been going around the room, getting to know each other… and now it’s Taia’s turn. Just as everyone else did, she begins by talking about Harry Potter….

“Ever since I became a HP fan I have thought that adults wouldn't be so miserable if they could fantasyse... use their imagination, just give themselves the right to sail off to a fantasy place for a while every day. That is why I don't really wanna grow up, being an adult is boring...” Taia giggles and then wisely says, “Being goofy is kind of a way of life...”

And this leads Taia to drift through her childhood and past memories…

“I loved to draw, which I still do... a little more advanced drawing though. I also liked to sing... I sang a lot. Lately I've almost to force myself to sing, but during the last 3 days I've been singing spontaneously again. I used to be in the school choir, and the parishments children's choir and as an adult I was singing a year in another choir, but then I stopped. I also l o v e d to play with dolls and barbies. I still played with barbies at the age of 15 'cause I used to play with my sis and her friends. I wouldn't want to play with barbies anymore but I'd like to have all of that. I used to sew a lot as a teenager and young adult. Sew clothes for myself and for dolls and barbies. I’d like to sew barbie clothes. Then, as you know, I'm interested in architecture. So I'd like to furnace something. Some adults make dolls houses (started to once), so it wouldn't be that childish... maybe. And there's my small age crisis. Is it appropriate for a 29 year old woman to make clothes to barbies and stuff? …I wouldn't be childish, but perfectly normal (what ever that is), if I ought to buy a barbie and maybe some furniture (making a few would probably be fun), and sew clothes for it? I dream of drawers full of laces, fabric, beads, ribbons etc etc. Oh, the possibilities... the ideas... Or cabinets full of pottering and other activity material.”

It gets later, and Fumbly starts telling a scary story. Taia begs her to stop:

“…I told you, I'm easily scared. As a child I was so stupid I watched horror movies... now they are forbidden in my apartment. The "funny" thing is that I can't get them out of my memory... but other things are forgotten very easily. How stupid one is as a child. and one definitely doesn’t believe one's parents if they say you shouldn't watch. Now I’m trying to tell my lil sis she shouldn't watch them, as is my mother. Do you think she listens?! Though she has more courage than I did in her age. I remember... in the 80's when I went home from my friend's house, I had to walk past a cemetery... I always begged my mother to come towards me. But I have a very nice mother... So she came. Not every time though.”

And so we babble through the night (it’s Friday… we’re allowed to). Taia tells us about her dreams to be Minister of Education in Finland, and how she would change everything around. We learn that she’d always wanted to go on a cruise of the Caribbean, even though she gets seasick. Oh yes, and about how she’s always been able to guess at least three numbers in the lottery drawings, but never all of the numbers (go figure). We giggle a lot, and empty a couple kegs of butterbeer. After several hours only a few of us are still awake.

“The sun is gonna rise soon... but I think it's cloudy. I love to watch the sunrise. I also stand admiring the moon too when it's full... it's so beautiful, looks so powerful. Hmm.... I guess I should go to bed,” Taia says, clearly having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

But before she goes to bed, she laughs, “I should get an award for the craziest Huffie who's always online!”

And it’s true… she’ll always be here, online with us and in our hearts. She’ll always be the beautiful and crazy Taia who we all love, singing and sewing… and painting smiles on our faces. She’ll be cheering at every Quidditch match and sitting in on every Transfiguration lesson. That photo of Alan Rickman over there on her door? Well, I’m sure she’ll be gazing upon that often. And her bed, the one with Winnie the Pooh tucked under the sheets, that’s where she’ll be sleeping.

We will always love you, Taia.