Things That Go, "Alohomora!" in the Night

My sweet roommate, B, gave me a present before she moved away last year. It was Christmas ornament of the scene in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Professor McGonagall is sending Harry up to Dumbledore's office for the first time. If you turn the ornament, the staircase rotates, and you Professor McGonagall say, "Sherbet lemon!" (And there's some music.) Pretty cool, eh?

I thought so. But, being NOT December, I didn't have a Christmas tree to hang it on, so I just left it in the box and put it on a shelf. I pretty much forgot about it after that.

Then one day, I was in my kitchen, and I heard someone's TV from the back. My roommates are big fans of leaving lights and other sorts of electronic things on while they're not actually being used by anyone, so I was not surprised by a TV being on while no one else was home. Then I remembered that I'm the only one that has a TV in the back, and I definitely hadn't left mine on.

My heart rate immediately increased, and I sort of crept down the hall to see what was making that talking-like-sound. I finally heard, "Sherbet lemon. *music* Sherbet lemon. *music* Sherbet lemon. *music*"

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!! What in the world??? My until-that-point-very-cool ornament had just gone Linda Blair on me! Admittedly, I was a little relieved that all it was was the Christmas ornament, but still. Why was it talking?? I don't remember how I got it to stop, but to be honest, I'm surprised I even touched it at that point.

Once the crisis was over, I put it back on the shelf and forgot about it again. Until it happened again. And then again. I don't think I was home alone those times, though, so it wasn't as alarming.

Then one night, at around 2:00 a.m., I was awakened from a deep sleep by a bunch of people having some sort of party or in-depth discussion right by my bed. *sigh* What do you know? That "bunch of people" was really Professor McGonagall and Harry, about to ascend the flight of stairs to Professor Dumbledore's office. I dragged myself out of bed, grabbed the box, yanked the ornament from it, and ripped out the batteries.

I don't know why it took me so long to figure out this solution. But I'm telling you right now--if that thing goes off again, I'm jumping out the window.