"Actually," Ashlie said. "While Halloween has yes, turned into a very commerical holiday, it is said that Halloween was first celberated to scare away evil spirits. People would dress in costumes to scare the evil spirits away."

:: Ganymede rolls her eyes again, "Well, I'm not spanish, but I was brought up that witches and wizards can return that day to earth for just one night. Is that true Professor?" ::

Pookah looks at Ashlie with a matter of fact-like expression.

"That's Mexican, not Spanish, and it celebrates death itself too."

"I didn't say it's the only holiday like that," Ashlie said defensivly. "I just said that one of the more well known ones to me would be the such."

"I have also heard before that it doesn't exactly celebrate the dead, but originally, it was believe that the Dead would walk to the earth, searching for human lives to possess, thusly being 'alive' again," Ashlie said, trying to remember. "Which was why people would dress up to scare away these spirits. They wished not to be possessed. And, isn't the 31 of October the end of the Celtic year?"

::"It's the day before November 1st also called 'All Saints Day'" I say gripping my wand tight and clenching my jaw. "Isn't that right Professor?" My eyes turn to a deep blood red as a white streak appears in my burgandy hair. ::

It's Dia de los Muertos, and it is more a Mexican celebration than anything else. I'm not too sure how different it is from Halloween (the candies and such might be the main difference), but it's not the same date.

I can't remember much about the holidays right now, but I know it started with the Celts - the last day of the old Celtic calender. On the introduction of Christianity it was taken over as the Eve of All Hallows or All Saints. There was a mix of cultures in making Halloween, even Aztecas I believe, but they had different dates for the year for it each. It was the night the year turned to winter, and the ghosts of the dead roamed the world of the living."

*ponders* "There were also witches and dark cats involved, and the way to fight their incantations was saying things while walking backwards and spitting and so on... muggles were afriad of the bad luck it meant."

*sighs* "I wonder where my old notes are, it would have this quite easier."

"I think one of the differences between Dia de lost Muertos and anicent Halloween is that when Halloween was first originating, the Dead Spririts were more feared, rather than welcomed."

:: Ganymede looks sharply at the Ravenclaws. Her hair suddenly flashes to a bright red and her eyes turn yellow. Two pointed ears poke through her red hair. Turning away she mumbles something under her breath. After a few deep breaths her hair turns to a soft brown. ::

Isn't it to scare away the evil spirits that they once belived existed? However now everyone thinks it is time for candy and other little treats they buy.

Ashlie looked over at the Slytherin strangely, before turning back to the Professor.

Professor Rae held up her hands. "Alright, you all know quite a lot, although it seems to me that you're mixing yourselves up as much as me. Let me read to you from this book and clarify a bit of the Muggle history of Halloween."

"Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas."



ooc: I'm SO sorry! My computer just shut down twice in a row. Please let me catch back up without continuing on without me.

"Now, the part I want you to focus on is that part that reads:

Quote:

Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.

This idea is actually quite common in many cultures; that there is a time during the year when the lines blur. The idea came from Ancient Witches and Wizards, who had the general knowledge but not the skill to decipher it or to share it with the Muggle world, that the Dark magicks were much stronger on this particular night of the year. Over time, this foreboding and menacing feeling that the Dark magicks produced came to do with the common Muggle fear of death and ghosts."

-thinks about all of that. . . . . .-

:: Listens closely to what the Professor says. Quickly jots everything down and ponders it..::

"Alright, I know this is a lot of information," Professor Rae smiled at her for once silent class. "Let me put this to you in basic terms. Bad things happen more easily on Halloween than they do on other nights. Dark magicks, for some reason, are more powerful, and even simple Dark spells or simple Dark artifacts can do more harm. Dark Wizards often use this to their advantage and tend to strike on Halloween. Are there any questions so far?"

-slowly shakes her head, because she has no questions-

:: Listening to what the Professor just stated, Ganymede nods her head wiith a set jaw. She gripps her wand tight and sighs. ::

"You see to have the same book as mine, I had exactly the same information - now, where is it? Mmh..."

While thinking hard the professor says that last part. Nadia's eyes open in awe, she tells, "But if that's so.... no, wait, how it is that dark magic is more powerful? You said the intentions of the wizard made a spell be dark. So we take Halloween increases the bad intentions within the casters? Or are we talking only about the Unforgivables...if so, how can you make it work with Aveda Kedabra? I can see Crucio being worst and Imperio as more poweful, but the Killing Curse... difficult to deem..."



"... when was it that Harry Potter attacked as a child?" she wondered out loud, thinking it might have been.....

:: Ganymede nods at Nadia and waits to see what the Professors answer will be.::

"The intentions of a spell are what make the magic Dark, that is true, but we also must realize that there are two kinds of magic. There is the magic we use each day, and there is Dark magic. Dark magic is everywhere, but to use it, we must pull from our darkest, vilest places. You can't pull from the Dark magic unless your intentions are truly selfish, evil, and intending to cause pain. There we get back to intentions again. On Halloween, all magic is more potent, but especially Dark magic. We celebrate it as a holiday because it is a day to celebrate magic and its place in our lives, as well as to celebrate the power we feel on that day, but we must remember that not all power is good."

"I'm glad you brought up the attack of Harry Potter as an infant, Nadia. Five points for Slytherin. That is definitely one of the most famous instances of Dark Magic or Dark Wizards taking advantage of Halloween. Can anyone think of any others?"

Brandon looked clueless. He just followed along and jotted down notes.

:: "I remember a headless Horseman... I think it was in Sleepy Hollow, Something about Pumpkins." I say with a lost look::

Nadia titles her head, she heard Ganymede mutter something and she responds but with some insecurity...

"The attacks on a cat and the day Chamber of Secret was opened by Ginny Weasley under the Imperious a couple of years ago," she said to the professor.

"No, that's a great suggestion, Ganymede," Professor Rae nodded enthusiastically. "Many Muggle ghost stories revolve around Halloween for a reason. Muggles have always been talented at denying the magical world and making up something a bit farfetched. Five points for Slytherin."