The Cane at St. Brutus's

As many regular and probably a very many newer readers may know, I am an avid Harry Potter fan. (Clues may include this post, as well as that post, oh, and perhaps even the name and URL of this very blog, which refer to the highly useful Marauder's Map that Fred and George pass on to Harry in his third year.)

Despite the blog's name, however, Harry Potter-themed posts don't often grace these pages - after all, how much spanking material can one draw from a single epic 7-book British fantasy world about a magical school? : ) In light of the greatly anticipated and highly imminent new and final movie of the cinematic series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two, in theatres this evening, I have decided to feature the enchanting wizarding world in another rare Rowling-themed post.

When I think of spanking in relation to Harry's world, my thoughts usually settle on none other than the exacting and oh-so-kinkify-able Professor Snape. :D

There is, however, one particular scene which I have yet to mention, that is in fact of J. K. Rowling's own making.

Do you remember it? If you are a spanko and you read the Harry Potter books, you might find it hard to forget : )

In Chapter Two of the third book, The Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry's positively horrid Aunt Marge comes to visit. Because Marge hasn't been made privy to the shocking fact that Harry is a wizard and attends a school for magic, Harry's magic-hating guardians have come up with a cover story for him:

“And,” said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, “we’ve told Marge you attend St. Brutus’s Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys.”

“What?” Harry yelled.

“And you’ll be sticking to that story, boy, or there’ll be trouble,” spat Uncle Vernon.

Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it.

"St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys"... : ) When Mr. A and I were imagining which characters people might be dressing up as at the midnight showing of the final movie tonight, I had the thought that he could go as an Administrator for St. Brutus's. Perhaps I would dress up as a newly admitted pupil, after the Center had inevitably gone co-ed... :D

The appeal of the imaginary Center, of course, is made clear a bit later, when Harry's Aunt Marge decides to engage with him about his school experiences:

“Don’t you smirk at me!” boomed Aunt Marge. “I can see you haven’t improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you.” She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her mustache, and said, “Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?”

“St. Brutus’s,” said Uncle Vernon promptly. “It’s a first-rate institution for hopeless cases.”

“I see,” said Aunt Marge. “Do they use the cane at St. Brutus’s, boy?” she barked across the table.

“Er —”

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge’s back.

“Yes,” said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, “All the time.”

“Excellent,” said Aunt Marge. “I won’t have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what’s needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?”

“Oh, yeah,” said Harry, “loads of times.”

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

“I still don’t like your tone, boy,” she said. “If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren’t hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I’d write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy’s case.”

:D:D

You can imagine how my heart nearly stopped when I first read that scene! I loved how they did it in the third movie, as well, with Harry having to turn his back to keep his Aunt from seeing the smirk on his face.

There had to be at least one explicit reference to the cane in a 3,407-page (UK editions) series about a British boarding school -- even one of Witchcraft and Wizardry! (And in fact, for those more avid readers, there's at least one other mention of a cane that I can remember :D)


In honor of St. Brutus's, and my ingenious idea of bringing the imaginary school to life (go figure...), I am writing now laying on my stomach, with no less than four red-white welts across my bottom from our new set of canes (soon to be featured in another post).

It seems Mr. A is taking his new position as a St. Brutus Official quite seriously!! :D:D

All references made to Harry Potter or related characters are the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling--a truly brilliant writer and wonderful person.