The Huntigowk Day

It was Saturday, April 1. Harry Potter was building a house of cards on one of the tables in the Gryffindor Common Room, when he heard:

'Harry, freend, can ye du samethin' fer me?'

He recognized the accent, and indeed, when he turned, he saw Ken McFarlane, a short, red first-year.

'Sure Ken,' Harry said. 'What is it?'

'Can ye gang tae Natalie McDonald an' gie tae her a wee note frae me?'

'Sure,' Harry said, smiling inwardly. Natalie McDonald was a third-year. 'Where's the note?'

'Richt here,' Ken said and gave to Harry a note. Harry took the note and went to seek Natalie McDonald. He found the tall, athletic girl practicing flying on the Quidditch pitch. He called from below:

'Natalie!'

'Yes Harry, what is it?' Natalie asked.

'I have a note for you from Ken McFarlane,' he said. 'You know Ken McFarlane - Scottish, red, a first-year?'

'Yes, I do,' Natalie smiled. 'Give it here.'

Natalie landed, and Harry gave the note to her. She read it and said earnestly:

'Oops, Harry, I don't have an answer. Give the note to Ernie MacMillan from Hufflepuff.'

'Okay,' Harry said and went to find Ernie. At last, he located Ernie sitting on the grass of the lakeshore.

'Ernie, I have a message from Ken McFarlane,' Harry said. 'Natalie McDonald didn't knew an answer, and so she sent me to you with this note.'

Ernie read the note and said:

'No Harry, I can't help. Go to Morag McDougall. She's a Ravenclaw, you shall find her in the Library.'

'Oh, well,' Harry said and went to the Library. He found Morag McDougall, browsing books.

'I have a message for you,' Harry said. Morag McDougall looked at him sharply. Harry added:

'Ken McFarlane wrote it. Natalie McDonald and Ernie MacMillan didn't have an answer, so Natalie sent me to Ernie and Ernie to you.'

'Well, give it here,' Morag commanded. Harry gave the note to her. She read it and said:

'Sorry, can't help. Give it to Professor McGonagall.'

Harry was utterly puzzled, but went to seek out the Deputy Headmistress and the Head of his House. He was told that Professor McGonagall was in her study. He tapped on the door of the study timidly.

'Yes?' the stern female voice answered.

'It's me, Professor, Potter. I have a message for you,' Harry said. Professor McGonagall answered:

'Come in and give it to me.'

Harry went in and gave the note to the Deputy Headmistress. Professor McGonagall read it and said:

'You'll find an answer with Wimsey. Go to him.'

'Yes, Professor,' Harry said and went back to the Gryffindor Tower, where Mortie Wimsey, Ken's first cousin, a second-year, was. Harry saw him at a table near a window, where he was laying out his Tarot deck.

'Mortie?' Harry asked.

'Yes, Harry, what is it?' the twelve-year-old short slender boy with straw-colored hair, large gray eyes and a long nose on his long lean face, said.

'I have a note here,' Harry said. 'Your cousin wrote it, and no one seems to be able to help - not Natalie McDonald, not Ernie MacMillan, not Morag McDougall, not even Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall sent me with this note to you.'

'Hmm... let's look at it,' Mortie said, took the note, read it and laughed. He showed it to Harry. It ran:

'Dinna lauch an' dinna smile,

But hunt the gowk another mile.'

Mortie said:

'From Scots it translates to:

'Do not laugh and do not smile,

But sent the fool another mile!'

'Of course! It's April 1 today!' Harry said. 'All Fools' Day!'

'Yes,' Mortie smiled. 'But we Scottish - I'm half-Scottish, you know - call it the Huntigowk Day. A gowk is a cuckoo, but also a fool, and we Scottish sent people on a gowk's errand, giving them a note like this. Of course, the recipient has to be Scottish to understand the note and to play along with the gowk's errand. It is the favorite practical joke in Scotland on April 1.'

'McDonald...MacMillan...McDougall...McGonagall...' Harry said.

'Yes. All ancient Scottish names,' Mortie said. 'Of course, McGonagall had mercy on you and sent you to me. You have walked enough.'

'Indeed,' Harry laughed.