Does this remind anyone else of the Tri-wizard tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?
Rather like J K Rowling's story of secret competition entry, strict age-entrance requirements, clandestine meetings and bizarre methods of communicating victory; the Vatican is currently hosting a large number of visiting dignitaries, none professing to want the job, yet all secretly wondering if they might be able to pull it off.
The Great Hall at Hogwarts has been substituted with the fabulous Sistine Chapel, for once clear of a constant babble of tourists all trying to sneak forbidden photos. The great and good and the faithful are not to learn of who voted for whom and when, yet that doesn't stop the world's media from speculating whether a Brazilian or African cardinal may become the first non-European incumbent for several centuries. Rita Skeeter and her 'quick quote'pen had no qualms when interviewing HP in a cupboard, happy to imply an unseemly willingness in his eagerness to participate.
No cup will spit out the name of the final candidates, but black smoke will issue forth from the specially constructed chimney to let us know that the cardinals are still whispering behind closed doors. With luck, the victor won't have to confront his Voldemort in order to emerge victorious and instead of witnessing death, we'll see white smoke over the Vatican before too long.
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