I'm Coming For You, Draco Malfoy!

The Speech

A Speech given by Mr Harry Potter at the Remembrance Ceremony, printed verbatim in the Daily Prophet, 16th May 1998

It is a difficult time for us all to process what has happened during the build up of events which culminated in the Battle of Hogwarts on the 2nd May of this year. However, today offers us the opportunity to gather here out of respect those who died, not just two weeks ago, but for those who gave their lives over the last few years. It is for them that this Day of Remembrance has been declared and for them that this monument has been erected; lest we ever forget about those who we have lost and how they died. They died for us, so that we can be stood here today in their place and this monument is a constant reminder of how we loved those so suddenly absent from our lives.

That is the word that I want to focus on today: love. I want to send out one message about a way forward that lies in that one small but powerful word that has plentiful meanings and a multitude of ways to be expressed. Love, the power in our hearts which beats inside our chests, that which makes us human, that which gives us humanity. The war may have begun out of hatred but it was won through the strength of love. My mother taught me that through the Sacrificial Protection spell she cast the night she died. Love is what I see in the passion and strength and commitment of those we are remembering today, as well as the many whom are stood amongst us now, and those still recovering who can't join us. They all fought for a world they believed in and loved.

So, this is a message to all our world, to the leaders of our land, for all the people, from the bottom to the top, because is it through love that we can build a new world we can all stand up for. It's time to tear down the walls that have been built up, to step out of the dark wilderness and show all within the Wizarding World, all our people and all our Magical Creatures that we can be One, we can have one heart, no matter our blood-status, gender, race, our gender identity, reassignment, or sexual orientation, our ability, or age, or our faiths.

If everyone comes together, if we search within our hearts, if we all reach out a hand; we can ensure that no more children are sent to war, that there is no more suffering, there is not this sorrow, that no one is taken from us needlessly early. Instead, there can be freedom, joy, and peace. Let that be the music of tomorrow. So many people died, not just the Fallen Fifty, but others too. Others who were still someone's loved one, father, mother, sister, brother, son, or daughter. We are all grieving. It is hard to imagine that the pain caused by the sorrow in our hearts for those we have lost will ever heal. Perhaps it won't, perhaps that is how we remember how much we loved our lost ones, but that hollowness can sit alongside another love. A love that gives us strength and understanding, compassion and the ability to forgive. Love! It's the most precious thing we have and we must cherish and nurture it.

~OᴖO~