Fumbly's Note

Merry Huffie Christmas!!!

The holiday season has flooded the Sett with memories... many joyful and a few sad. In June several of you were "newbies" wandering lost through the halls, occasionally locked in a closet by Parker the Poltergeist. Spam Sandwiches were regular meals for some while detention was a daily routine for others. And now, six months later, we are welcoming more newbies... watching our family grow larger and cracking open the cans of Spam once again. (Note: please do not Spam)

Over the summer, Hufflepuff divided into Kingdoms, and thus began the Battle for Socks (Hufflepuff Points). Stacked several millimeters high, and guarded by Professor Anya Chutney, is Sock Mountain. Members from each Kingdom soon discovered the only way to gain passage to Sock Mountain; win challenges and convince Prof. Chutney to award a predetermined number of Socks. What do the Kingdoms do with all these socks? Good question... and I'm afraid I have NO answer. Prefects rule the Kingdoms, and they love socks. My knowledge goes no further.

The first "incident" which resulted in a Sock Reward was the Hufflepuff Treasure Hunt! Quite successful, and heaps of fun... the "incident" was horribly mislabeled. The "treasure" we sought was actually personal Huffie belongings stolen by none other than Parker the Poltergeist. Thank you, everyone, for finding my credit card, the Precious.

By the time classes began in September, Prof. Chutney had awarded several socks from the mountain, and students' noses were glued to textbooks. Noses should still be glued to textbooks, and hands glued to pencils as well. This is the formula for house points! Please do your homework.

October was sad for many people at HOL. The lovely Professor Alektaia Khalikiope passed away October 12. Please everyone, right now, think a kind thought about someone else, and then imagine Winnie the Pooh playing in the snow. This my Christmas present to Taia. *whispers* We love you, dear friend.

*pours Butterbeer for everyone and passes it around*

November was calm, filled with further studying and extensive scrubbing of the Sett. One dull weekend, the Khaki Kumquats, Purple Pineapples, and Silver Starfruit began playing Go Fish; a card game that will carry us into the New Year (each Kingdom loaded with armfuls of Socks).

And here we are, in December... Badgers' favourite time of the year. The vintage aluminum (or as Dom would say, "aluminium") tree friends gave us is twinkling beside me. Soon I'll begin wrapping presents and tucking them around the tree. I look forward to testing Butterbeer recipes. Gifts pale in comparison to holiday food! It's a very Badgerish Trait to place a high priority on All Things Delicious! Christmas brings with it much Tastiness and many barrels of Butterbeer.

This Christmas I ask you to be kind, make at least three new friends, and immerse yourself in several moments of Season-filled Silliness daily! And remember... Parker smells of ham!

I love you all... *hugs*