Harry Potter fever hits GVI mombasa

It all started as a normal Sunday afternoon. The sun was shining, the skies where blue. Then, a vibration in the distance, a flash of light, an echoing monotone ringtone suggested that someone had been contacted by GVI. The assumption was correct; the message said “Tonight: Harry Potter, come in fancy dress, the best costume wins a mystery prize.” At first the volunteers thought this could not be true: what were the evil staff members planning, major embarrassment or a nice outing?? They pondered this as the message settled in and the volunteers came round to the idea - it was no longer a joke for now and the race was on.

As they scrambled around the house for props and any potential mystical clothing it soon became apparent who was serious and who was not, some responded too slow and could not keep up with the fast pace. Some fell at the first hurdle, others ran out of steam, but some shone through the darkness almost as if someone had cast a Lumos spell.

The costumes where ready, the scars were drawn, brooms and mops were claimed, the spectacles had come out of their cases, capes where constructed out of the most unholy materials and some even used a toilet plunger as a wand, this was no joke. This was competition. They waited and waited for the source of the message. Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes seemed like hours. Then a faint hum could be heard from the horizon as the sun set behind the silhouette of a van, and it was them, the staff. Finally the volunteers’ patience had been rewarded by transportation. However, all was not as it seemed...

The staff stepped out of the van to great excitement, but were not dressed for the occasion - it seemed that it had been a cruel joke. Panicked, the volunteers coerced them into joining the escapade. Minutes later, Elly descended the stairs in a Harry Potter t-shirt, hair in pig-tails and an appropriately dark floaty skirt. Sara emerged from her room almost drooping under the weight of a myriad of coloured beads and scarves, and huge green sunglasses in the style of Professor Trelawney. Upon Corti, however, the volunteers’ efforts were lost. They eventually conceded to let him attend without even a small scar adorning his forehead.

Harry Potter fever takes hold of the GVI Olives volunteers and staff alike

Everybody piled into the van, brimming with excitement. Sara divined that an exciting and eventful evening was to be had by all, and with seconds to spare they arrived at the Cinemax, pausing only to stock up on popcorn and fizzy drinks. Eventually, with all six volunteers and three members of staff sitting in a long line, the twinkly music and dark ominous opening credits appeared on the screen, and the film began.

Then there was a middle and an end.

For a moment silence was the noise that could be heard. A moment of shock and disbelief, they sat, staring into space, did that really just happen, was that the end? Or the beginning of another tedious harry potter adventure that always seems to have the same out come, for that we will never know. But what we did know is that the results of the dress up competition where in. Sweat ran down some faces, other's stomachs filled up with nervous gases that where silently and cautiously let out on the van ride home. The car journey was over in what seemed like a flash before we knew it we where standing before the black gate that guards the judges compound. The House of Lords, the metaphorical icing on the cake every footstep seemed like a mile, crossing the Sahara deserts of driveways. After the trek we stood before the Doogue, the project manager. She cast her critical eyes around the room, a piercing stare, into each of the volunteers eyes. This made some sweat, others it did not faze, her lips parted and the first syllable bounced around the room - some didn’t catch it as nerves grew to a climax, then to everyone's surprise a second, then a third, until our minds strung together these strange letters and sounds to form the result. Dave "Ding Dong" Petts had won, a pause followed by an awkward silence until a plunger was raised in the air in celebubrious victory.

Dave "Ding Dong" Petts strikes a victorious pose in his Harry Potter regalia

- Dave " Ding Dong" Petts

Harry Potter fever hits GVI mombasa