The authorities hated it.

The LEP found their crime figures rocketed at this time of year, when every villain under the world knew most homes would be empty. Every LEP officer hoped not to be on the duty roster and made strenuous efforts to avoid Commander Root if they were unfortunate enough to draw the short straw. Some of the more irreverent personnel – chiefly Foaly – tried to lighten the atmosphere by taking bets on what shade the Commander's already fiery complexion would achieve as the night wore on. Wiser fairies knew to steer well clear of this: a seasoned few could still remember the coruscating remarks he'd addressed to Captain Short on discovering what she was doing; incandescent wasn't even close to describing his reaction. He had come within a whisker of firing her and she still felt seared by the experience - he'd given her a rocket she'd never forget.

The Council had tried very hard to ban it. It had been one of the most heated debates in the history of Haven. Tempers had flared and several Council members had become most un-parliamentary in their language; some of them so blazingly angry they had been temporarily suspended. Once word leaked out to the population at large there really were fireworks. The Goblin Fraternity had declared it a racist attack on their unique abilities and shot off scorching letters to the newspapers. Young fairies saw it as a deep-laid plot to stop them having fun and sent explosive text messages to their friends about the unfairness of it all. Once the environmental lobby entered the debate the already inflamed temperatures on both sides became white-hot and sparks really flew.

The Fire Department sought to cool the flames by pointing out that conflagrations in enclosed spaces with a lot of combustible materials were a really bad idea. Unfortunately too many people poured cold water on their sparkling contribution and their attempts at introducing a degree of reason bombed.

In the end there was such an outcry that the authorities decided it was safer to leave things well alone. Trying to change things had only got their fingers burnt. So it was that the traditional celebrations for Fowl Mind-Wipe Memorial Day went ahead as usual. More crimes were committed, several fairies found their fire-insurance premiums shot sky-high and Commander Root fulminated in vain. The bonfires flared, the fireworks scintillated and sparkled and the traditional effigy, dressed in the customary Armani suit and Gucci loafers was burnt on the pyre amid much rejoicing - just as it had always been.