“…the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy… –Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, p. 724
Just a few weeks or months ago
When the year had just begun
We threw a few words on the page
And thus began our fun
What started out a simple jest
Grew serious as we wrote
We found ourselves inspired by
Each Harry Potter quote
First the Pensieve taught us that
Our thoughts deserve our time
Although we have the tendency
To hide them in our minds
The Sorting Hat shed light upon
The choices that we make
And how they can define us more
Than abilities innate
Hogwarts is like the bubble here
A safe place in which to hide
But we must note the larger world
And the perspective it provides
Trolls may help us make true pals
Who share our selfsame goals
For chance encounters help us see
Our friendships’ actual role
A dive into a freezing pond
Showed intuition reigns
While reason may be sensible
The plunge has greater gains
Harry’s path to leadership
Progressed naturally from his drive
Not hungering for position
He then could fully thrive
Patronuses are rooted in
The memories we share
For whether we are near or far
Hardships they help us bear
Sirius suggests we always treat
Each person with respect
Without demeaning who they are
Thus changing our mindset
The flighty temptress we avoid
For fear of straying from
The risks already planned for us
Restrict who we become
Fawkes’ soft cry serves to show
We must urge others on
To actively share their states of mind
With no assumptions drawn
The library is quite the place
Where meaning can be found
Not in our cubbies alone but through
The knowledge that abounds
Lastly, our fight may seem futile
The results seem out of reach
But the process and the modest steps
Manage powerfully to teach
We thus have all been well-equipped
To wave our wands with pride
For Harry’s journey throughout the books
Is an example that can guide
So go on out there knowing that
Right may not come with ease
Though challenges may come our way
Our struggle truly frees