Jan 22

“They threatened me with declaring May 10th ‘Harry Potter Day’.”
Snape mouthed the words slowly, then shook his head.

“Basically my response,” Harry said.

“Ah, imagine, Harry Potter: The Bank Holiday. If the weather were nice, families could have picnics in your honour. Children would run about towing balloons and kites with lightening bolts on them.”
Harry’s noise of despair did not slow him.
“The shops would sell official commemorative joke wands that sputter in green and of course the parade, let’s not forget that.”

“Stop, stop,” he moaned, but he was also beginning to laugh. But Snape was warmed up now, apparently, and he sounded more amused than disgusted as he went on: “The largest float just before the end, would be a towering castle with a tall gold chair..”

“No . . .” Harry murmured, visualizing without will.

“...and you, waving and throwing sweets to the screaming children lining the streets. Everyone would have the day off, so they could all be there. The Ministry could revive the annual duelling competition on that day and the winner would receive—”

“Now that’s an idea…a duelling competition,” Harry said, trying on the sound of it.
“If you are assigned to hand out the trophy, you are not allowed to compete.”

“Do I get to judge?”

“Almost certainly.”

“I could live with that.”
When Snape sighed again, Harry asked, “Sorry you mentioned it?”

“I would take it over the parade,” he replied.

“What, no picnics?”