Hogwarts

I went to Hogwarts once

I was the height of a meter stick

And no less ferocious

My pigtails swung back and forth like the tails of unicorns

While the click, click, click

Of the professors shoes echoed through the halls.

I went to Hogwarts once

 

Well not exactly, but to me it was

Magic made it real

The feel of the grass

The chatter of the dining hall

The scent of the books that lined every wall

I went to a school where magic was taught

 

Was it a sparkle?

Or twinkle

In the eye of the headmasters

I’ve soon forgot

 

School

Academy

College

 

Uniforms

Cloaks changed to kilts, no pins

With cross ties and pearls

Jumpers

 

School

A place to

Learn

Breathe

Be

No more no less

 

Teachers

Professors more like

I had a Snape

Once

With far less hair

And a kinder demeanour

 

I was taught

To share

To care

To compete

 

The world isn’t fair

It never was

Nor ever will be

And that’s okay

Well not okay

But that is

Life

 

I was taught that opportunity

Was given

To be taken

To be cherished

 

I learned, with a swish and flick

How music could change the heart

How a patronus charm

Was asking for help

When need arose

 

I learned how secrets

Were to be kept

Guarded like the Philosopher’s stone

 

How others live

From miles away from their homes

Why?

Because everyone wants to be a wizard

 

We didn’t have Quidditch

But we had

Soccer

Track

Kickball

 

Running so fast

We thought we could

Fly

 

Divination was

Daily devotions

But nonetheless surreal

 

Once near Yule

The Prefects in their

Tartan kilts and snazzy blazers

Whisked us up to the potions lab

We sat on the benches

And watched

Eyes wide

As blue bell flames turned from

Gryffindor red

To Slytherin green

 

Magic was real

 

Back then instead of hunting for Horcruxes

We hunt for lost gingerbread men

There were no hidden chambers

Just a lonely old fire escape

Where the treasure was awaiting

 

Houses

Of

Red

Green

White

And Blue

We competed head to head

Names turned Greek

Alpha

Omega

Chi

And Rho

Banners hung proudly in the corners of the dining hall

 

It wasn’t a castle

But to me on tiny legs

It was

Stained glass windows

Tiled floors and history

Made the building breathe

With promises

 

My Hogwarts

Was the place where my story began

Where I

Learned

Laughed

Played

Became

 

Magic is real

 

I had a Hogwarts once

It no longer stands

As it did

But the memories remain

To lead me back home