21/06/1990
Thursday, 21st June
Dear diary, today we celebrated Litha, the summer solstice, with my family and friends. Everyone joined us at Prince Manor for this special event, even Xavier and Anna!
That’s the most incredible thing! Siri and Remy returned from their travels because James was ill, but nobody knew what was wrong with him! Dad told me it was the result of an experimental potion by the twins. It was supposed to be a sweet that induces vomiting for 10 minutes or until the antidote, another sweet, is ingested, but something went wrong, and James was vomiting every 2 hours for 5 minutes, in addition to having an interesting lilac skin colour.
Since no one knew what was wrong, and the twins were still developing the antidote, especially for those symptoms, James was admitted to St. Mungo’s as a precaution, so Siri and Remy were looking after my siblings. As Dad knew all of this, he invited them to the celebration, and they came! Of course, Xavier didn’t stop making unpleasant comments about everyone present, but at least he said them quietly and mostly spent his time in a corner without bothering anyone. On the other hand, Anna was very excited, especially when he found out about Julius, as now he had become the older brother of someone. Poor Julius was constantly being dragged around by Anna, who wanted to meet and talk to everyone.
So, early in the morning, we all gathered, and the air was full of excitement. We were all eager for the celebration (except Xavier, but he doesn’t matter). Litha is a day to honour the sun at its highest point in the sky and to celebrate light and life. It is one of the most important festivals for witches and wizards, as magical energy is strongest during the summer solstice, or so Dad told me.
Dad woke us up early to prepare everything. The mansion was decorated with fresh flowers and garlands of herbs put up by our house-elves. The flowers were bright colours: red, orange, yellow, and gold, to represent the strength and warmth of the sun. The garden was full of sunflowers, roses, and lavender. Julius and I helped pick some of the flowers and make crowns for everyone.
In the afternoon, we gathered in the garden to start the celebration. Lucy and Cissy brought out a large table full of delicious food. There were fresh fruits, homemade breads, cheeses, and a special honey and lavender cake that Pandy had made. Luna was especially excited to try it, as she had heard it was an old family recipe.
Then, together, we built a large bonfire in the centre of the garden. It was a team effort, and we all helped pile the wood (even Xavier, but I think he only helped because we told him he had to if he wanted to eat). Draco, Mir, and I collected branches and firewood, while Severus, Lucy, and Ro ensured the structure was safe. Once it was ready, Cissy and Bella used a charm to light the fire.
The fire crackled and danced, sending sparks into the air. It was hypnotic. Dad explained that the Litha bonfire symbolises the sun at its peak and is a tradition to light it to celebrate life and energy. It is also believed that the fire has purifying and protective properties.
After lighting the bonfire, we began to dance around the fire. It was a joyful dance, and everyone joined in. Julius, Draco, Anna, and I ran and laughed, Xavier eventually joined in after a while, while Luna and Mir danced more gracefully (I thought Luna was emitting a different light than the bonfire, especially on her back like wings, but I’m not sure). Even the adults joined in the dance, with Xeno playing a magical drum that produced a deep and rhythmic sound.
One of the most magical parts of the night was when Dad taught us a special Litha spell. This spell was was a set of Latin words along with a pouch made with herbs and flowers collected during the day. We all had small pouches filled with lavender, rosemary, and rose petals. Dad showed us how to cast the spell into the fire while thinking about our wishes and hopes for the coming year. The sparks flew, and the air was filled with a sweet and comforting fragrance. Unfortunately, neither Anna nor Xavier managed to cast the spell correctly, but for their first time doing wandless magic, they did phenomenally!
Later, as the sky darkened and the stars began to shine, we sat around the bonfire and shared stories. Xeno told old legends about ancient witches and wizards who celebrated Litha in times past. Pandy talked to us about the magic of plants and how to use them to make special solstice potions, which reminded me that I’ve never taken Herbology classes. I’ll ask Dad about it tomorrow.
Before the night ended, we performed a ritual to thank the sun. We all held our hands towards the sky, the adults raised their wands, except for Dad, who also raised his hand, and in unison, we cast a beam of golden light towards the setting sun. It was amusing how each person’s beam was different. For example, Anna’s beam was the shortest of all, and Xavier’s seemed to loop. According to Lucy, this was our way of giving thanks for the light and life it provides.
Finally, the bonfire burned down, and we said our goodbyes to everyone. It was a day filled with magic, joy, and love. I felt very fortunate to have my family and friends with me to celebrate Litha. I can’t wait for the next magical celebration!
See you!
Goodbye!