SHHHHHH, You Know Who Is Here

by Florence Ondré


In the early morn, UPS trucks were scudding up and down streets like Dumbledore's Army, leaving hefty square packages with 'the beloved name' on them inside screen doors, in apartment post boxes, on porches and house steps.
The lucky had been to midnight parties, celebrating the moment each tome could be purchased...12:01 AM; one minute after midnight.
Children of all ages, right up to excited adults, wore their cloaks, sorting hats, Mrs McGonagle feathers and Mad Eye Moody eye patches.
The silence of the night extended to bright, blue-sky day and still not a peep. Children of Saturday riotously going about their business of play seemed missing from the scene.
Everywhere was quiet. Not a human voice was heard in the entire neighborhood.
All was a hush over the land.
The books had been delivered.
And all that could be heard, was the sound of...reading.