One Year On
May 2nd, 1999
This time last year, the wizarding world was in exhausted celebration after the death of He Who Must Not Be Named and looking towards the rebuilding of wizarding society. Today, we all gathered together at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to reflect on last year's events: both the victories, and the losses.
The most noticeable thing about the day was how small our community actually is now. After the war ended, there wasn't an event in Wizarding Britain that brought us all together and so the depletion in our population has never been as evident as it was when every witch or wizard in the country was congregated outside the Black Lake. There was a very visual representation of the damage this war has caused before the ceremony even began.
Aurours were appointed to watch over the crowd, make sure any ex death eaters weren't standing by to sabotage the day. Of course, there were also off-duty members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement amongst the crowd like the newly appointed aurours, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom, the latter of whom was checking up on his gang from back in the day that called themselves 'Dumbledore's Army.'
However, after closer inspection, not everyone was present at these celebrations. Of course, the Malfoy family didn't show their faces but there were no complaints on that front. Just because Harry Potter himself vouched for you at your trial does not mean that you are welcome amongst us mourning witches and wizards today of all days. But Bill and Fleur Weasley, heroes from last year's battle, were also missing from the crowd. What could possibly be more important than the ceremony of the Battle of Hogwarts?
At 11 o'clock, the newly appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall addressed the crowd gathered on her school's grounds, giving a truly heart-wrenching and yet inspiring speech about the past year. She described the pain, the grief, the determination and the unity of the magical community and every single person who was listening could relate to every word she said. Then there was a short speech from temporary minister Kingsley Shacklebolt, followed by the ceremony itself.
It's rumoured that Harry Potter himself was asked to say a few words, but declined the offer. When asked by our Daily Prophet investigators for his reasoning, the response given was merely a: "Do you have to ask?"
The May 2nd tradition that was started today was absolutely beautiful. It began with fifty-four candles, each representing a fallen victim of the battle, and each and every one of them was lit from the same flame. The people lighting the candles were family members of the deceased; a particularly memorable scene was Harry Potter holding his young godson, Teddy Lupin, as they, along with Andromeda Black, lit two candles in honour of Teddy's parents.
After this, all of wizarding Britain marched from the Black Lake to the Great Hall, holding their candles as if they were newborn babies, protecting the flickering flames from any harm. George Weasley and Dennis Creevey both holding onto representations of their brothers, the closest they'll ever be to them now.
Finally, we all stopped in the centre of the largest room in Hogwarts Castle; the only thing missing were the floating candles overhead, but not for long. Charms professor and head of Ravenclaw house, Filius Flitwick, levitated everyone's candles and let them take the job of illuminating the hall from darkness, just as the heroes had done in the battle. Everyone took a seat on one of the long tables in the hall, and shared a meal underneath the fifty four candles that will hang in the Great Hall until next year's celebrations.
There wasn't a single dry eye in the room. There couldn't be, not when you see people telling small children that the candles above them are their parents, watching over them as always. Not when you saw the empty space next to families where their relatives would sit. But still, a happy atmosphere managed to break through. An atmosphere filled with the relief that we have made it. Survived the war, kept our together over the past year.