And if that last post wasn't flippant enough for you. Here is a photo of "Jackie" the dog and Nikaela Straus who are using the "Harry Potter" books for inspiration at the 13th annual Dog Halloween Parade in Tompkins Square Park in New York City.

For that rare one or two of you who have not read the Harry Potter books, the boy is dressed as Harry and the dog as "fluffy" the three headed dog.

The more scholarly amongst you will know that J K Rowling drew on the ancient greek saga of Hercules as the basis for fluffy. The dog is, in fact, Cerberus and kidnapping him from the underworld was the twelfth, final and most dangerous labour assigned to Hercules.

You can read about it here.