[”I want to see my little boiii…” “Here he comes!” “…I want to see my little boiii!”]
Sleipnir run cycle. It could be smoother, and if I get another boost of energy (because animation really requires that extra inspiration and spite) I might even shade it more thoroughly. But it’s good enough for now, and the front legs work nicely!
It must have been a pain to learn to run with that many feet. Foals are usually clumsy enough with just four.
“Grey horse” was an omen and a metaphor for death from viking age poetry to medieval ballads in the Nordic countries. Snorri specifically mentions that Sleipnir is grey, and his ability to visit Hel and take a rider there and back unharmed seems to link Sleipnir closely to death.
How the Ministry should handle Muggleborn families.
The first time they register the child doing magic (or magic
past a certain level), they send a representative (preferably Muggleborn themselves)
to introduce them to the magical world. In addition, the parents are left with
a ‘Muggleborn parents’ pack’. This includes items such as:
Introductory
reference materials
Key information needed to function in the wizarding
community; customs, money, transport, relevant laws, etc. Also, basic information
about Hogwarts, including a muggle-worthy cover story for friends and
relatives.
Anti Muggle-repelling
charms
Created to exempt Muggle parents from anti-Muggle wards.
This means parents can access magical areas, allowing them to become better aware
of the community their child is joining. This should be accompanied by a guided
visit to Diagon Alley and/or their local wizarding centre.
Contact details for
Ministry liaison
This is someone who can answer non-urgent questions insufficiently
covered by the reference materials provided. Also able to advise on how laws
and customs relate specifically to that family, and facilitate the integration
of muggle and magical official aspects. (Again, preferably a Muggleborn)
Contact details for Muggleborn
Support Network
This is a voluntary list of other Muggleborn families living
in their area. It forms a pool of people with similar experiences, to provide
companionship, support and advice. It is particularly useful to Muggle parents
with young magical children, as a potential source of babysitters who
understand about accidental magic.
Contact details for
emergency Accidental Magic Reversal Squad
While it will often be detected automatically, this allows
for parents to contact the appropriate authorities if there is an accidental
magical outburst such that it threatens the Statute of Secrecy. This includes not
only cases where obliviation or similar is required, but also occasions where
the magic is cast in private but has longer lasting effects that are difficult to
explain away.
Finite Incantatem wand
This would be a wand (or similar) pre-charged with Finite
spells able to be activated by Muggle parents. In cases where the accidental
magic cast is minor but ongoing, the parent would be able to cancel it immediately
following the outburst. Only if the magic is stronger or more public would the
Accidental Magic Reversal Squad need to be called. This both reduces the risk
to the Statute of Secrecy, and the drain on the Ministry. To encourage use, the
wands should be able to be cheaply and easily re-charged or replaced.
The end result is a family with a better understanding of –
and view towards – the magical world. This greatly improves their integration, and
also makes them less likely to offend their host culture. Furthermore, it
significantly reduces the risk the Statute of Secrecy both before and after the
traditional contact date. Further contact upon the child’s eleventh year can
then be focused on specifically on schooling, rather than overwhelming the
family with explanations and a whole new world.
Even if the Ministry doesn’t want to admit it, parents of muggleborns are still part of the Wizarding world. They should make it it easier on everyone by accepting that fact and actively including them.