We were not born to be heroes. You told us we had to be. We failed to meet your judgements, and we failed to conform. You pushed as aside and whispered behind our backs. You can ignore us. You can forget were not leaders. We did not try to be.
Gryffindors - Lavender, Dean, Neville, Parvati, Seamus - are brave, courageous, filled with nerve and daring. These five characters are seen as little more than annoyances in the beginning of the series. Neville, we see, grows to be a hero. But what of the others? What made them belong in Gryffindor? The thing is, they were all heroes, Gryffindor belong to them, it didn't work the other way around. After all, the house doesn't choose the witch/wizard.
Book title is a lyric line from 'One' by Simple Plan.
We were not born to be heroes.
We were never going to be heroes, but you told us we would be.
Bravery. Courage. Chivalry. Nerve. Daring.
These are our so-called traits.
You say we are to be heroes. That we are to be brave, courageous, strong.
If we do not fit into your meanings of these words, what happens?
What happens when we are not heroes?
When we are not your definitions of brave or courageous?
We are Gryffindors, and we will forever be Gryffindors.
So explain, why does our lack of 'bravery' or 'courage' mean anything?
"Gryffindor," the Sorting Hat calls out, sending new children – ones of pureblood and firsts in families – to the red and gold house. In Gryffindor, words are no longer defined by the way they once were. Where courage meant boldness and bravery meant arrogance. The Sorting Hat does not choose the house, they only help the wizard or witch choose.
Neville, pureblood and young, was a Gryffindor. He did not meet the standards they set, though, and even within his own house, he was regarded with scorn. Squib, useless, weak, and cowardly were well-known nicknames for him. Neville was a Gryffindor for a reason, though, and he walked on despite everything.
Lavender and Parvati, so rarely seen apart, that people thought about them as one. Overemotional, crybabies, silly, sentimental, and little girl were common tags for these two. They were children but they were seen as lesser for not meeting the ideals of a stereotypical Gryffindor.
Dean and Seamus seemed best friends from the beginning, and seldom were they without one another. Seamus was interested in certain things and uncaring about others, ending up being tagged as unfocused. Dean was easy-going and placid, so much to the point that he was thought as boring.
Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived, brave and self-sacrificing. He saved the school and saved Hermione, there was never any doubt that he would be a Gryffindor.
Hermione, a know-it-all, but a girl courageous and daring. She broke the school rules and still maintained scores. Any doubt that existed once was gone the moment she became friends with Harry.
Ron Weasley, second youngest child of many, daring and bold. He was immediate friends with Harry and always stood up for what he believed in. He followed the traditions of his many siblings; everyone knew that he would be a Gryffindor.
What about the rest of the Gryffindors? What about those who were a part of the Golden Trio's house? The ones who were not seen as pure Gryffindors and ignored for the heroic three? Those who were scorned for being clumsy, girly, sentimental, unfocused, or boring.
Brave of heart. Courage in soul.
Gryffindors are the 'good' ones.
Failing to meet the standards the school has set is not acceptable.
Failing to meet the judgements of those who don't know, that is not allowed.
I dare you all, bother to look past the basics of what you see.
I dare you to look past our leaders and into the crowd.
What do you see there?
With the petrification of a student, the Golden Trio rose up to learn, to defend, to help. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Gryffindors to the core, they were the best of the Gryffindors in their year, the leaders. Those who stood in front of the crowd.
The diary of Tom Riddle was not used by a Hufflepuff nor a Ravenclaw nor a Slytherin. It was a Gryffindor, the youngest Weasley child, who was corrupted – and she must be corrupted because she is a Gryffindor and would not do it on purpose – by the horcrux. It could've happened to anyone (but it didn't) and it was pushed aside, ignored.
You push us to the corners.
You ignore us. Yet you whisper behind our backs.
We can hear you. We can see you.
We are not ignorant.
Call us what you will, we will be ourselves.
We can try, and try we might, but we will not conform.
Is it any wonder that Ginny Weasley did not find a friend within her year group? For who would understand, what she had gone through? Maybe they had an idea, maybe they were empathetic, but that did not change anything. Ginny was pushed to the side, ignored as greater occurrences happened at Hogwarts.
There were many that had been pushed to the corner by their fellow Gryffindors. Acknowledged but ignored. Known but considered annoyances. Neville, who had been remembered by his first impression – a clumsy, squib-like boy. Parvati and Lavender known by their high giggles and ignorance at the major events. Dean and Seamus always seen together and considered more Hufflepuff than Gryffindor. They were Gryffindors (they were children).
You can ignore us. You can pretend to not see us.
If you do not expect and do not look, you will never see.
We have grown and we are growing.
We will change and have changed.
Your impressions of us do not change. You saw how we were when we were younger.
Keep your silly impressions. They matter not.
We will find friends who care, and they won't be you.
Excitement wandered through the halls. Wonder and awe were frequent emotions. The Hogwarts champions were chosen a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor. Harry Potter was our champions, of course. We were happy, we had a champion (it was a stereotypical Gryffindor). People fell in and out of love. People were consoled and remained friends. For all that happened that year, some things stayed the same, as they had always stayed the same.
Ginny was still treated with caution and wary confusion. Neville was still seen as clumsy. Lavender was still seen as selfish. Parvati was still seen as a little girl. Dean was still seen as overly calm. Seamus was still seen as hot headed. They children, but this was forgotten in the grand scheme of things. They were Gryffindors, the ones in the crowd. The ones pushed away. The ones who were still growing.
Denials of Voldemort's return were clear, and sides within Gryffindor came into play.
You were either with Harry Potter or against.
It was hostile, but not dangerous.
Bravery, courage, this was when was needed.
We did not all have it – this you told us.
We were not all leaders – this you told us.
We are not all true Gryffindors – this you told us.
The Sorting Hat does not choose the house, the witch or wizard does.
Based off that information, how can there be such a thing as a 'true' Gryffindor?
The Ministry of Magic entered the school, a professor who answered to them walked down the halls. They were not kind, nor gentle. They were strict and unyielding. Some stood up to her, and some did not. This should not define us.
The DA – Dumbledore's Army – came into existence. It was made of Gryffindors, of Hufflepuffs, and of Ravenclaws (Slytherins were ignored like the untrue Gryffindors). Harry Potter stood at the head, Hermione on his right, and Ron on his left. The other Gryffindors were in the crowd, not leading and not near the front.
They would listen and they would learn, but that didn't mean that they had to speak out. Many seemed surprised at the intensity of Neville's spells, by how much he would practise to get it perfect (you would think they would understand this by now). They were confused how Ginny – so small and young – would rage and be one of the most violent (they had forgotten what she had done in her first year). They didn't understand why Lavender was quick to curse. They would never have guessed how strong Dean's defence charms were. Their disbelief at Parvati's Full Body-Bind Curse, which was perfect, was obvious. Seamus' pyrotechnic spells were big enough to cause damage, and everyone was forced to take a second look at someone they had brushed off as normal.
Voldemort (You-Know-Who) was back.
Denials were gone, thrown out the window as the truth was shown.
This was the start of a war.
Hogwarts was safe for now, but no one knew how long that would last.
It was the time to fall apart and pull together.
Danger existed, but it was not at Hogwarts yet. They were allowed to have their semblance of peace, to pretend that everything was all right. It was a lie, known to all, but ignored because it was important to have something good before everything fell to bits. The horizon was dark, but the sky was bright because they were safe.
There were whispers, hidden in shadows and corners where no one could be seen. The Gryffindors, they shouldered this and went on they were brave (or was that another word for ignoring). It was a year full of gentle smiles, harsh stares, soft touches, and short moments of laughter.
It was secret meetings in the kitchen, in the library, and in the Room of Requirement. It was late nights in the common room, by the light of the fire and making shadow puppets and laughing. It was about the small things that mattered, and how they grew to ignore what was happening outside the castle walls.
It was not all peace and quiet, though. War was on the horizon, and the vultures were descending. That year was moments of laughter just as much as it was a preparation for war. It was kids growing into themselves, and growing quickly for there would be little time to grow later. No one saw this. No one noticed this.
Hogwarts was fraught, any journey dangerous.
It was here we learnt to tread carefully, silent.
It was here we learnt when to pick a fight and when to sneak out of the darkness.
It was here we remade first impressions.
It was here we fought as soldiers for the first time.
It was expected that the Golden Trio would not come back to Hogwarts. Nonetheless, it still surprised many that there were no saviours for them that year. That no one would come and beat the bad people for them. That they would have to face a threat they couldn't defeat. They were a crowd with no leader.
Some stepped up to the challenge, not looking for a leader (because they would never be a leader) but looking to help. It was here that the Gryffindors (the ones ignored, pushed away, forgotten, scorned) moved forward. They were surprised by the courage, the bravery, but they had forgotten. The Sorting Hat may help the wizard or witch choose, but it was the one who offered the choices.
Neville was a boy who had stood up to his friends, who had attacked another for insulting his friend (they had forgotten this). Parvati had told off a Slytherin for insulting Neville, she had defended her friend (they had forgotten this). Lavender had been friends with the outcast amongst teachers, looking up to her new friend and treasuring their relationship (they had forgotten this). Dean had sabotaged Umbridge's rule and had stayed by his friend's side no matter what (they had forgotten this). Seamus had apologised for listening to his mother, for listening to the lies of the media (they had forgotten this too).
There are many different types of bravery. There is the kind of bravery that means standing up to someone. There is the kind of bravery that means standing up for someone. There is the kind of bravery that means ignoring what others think. There is the kind of bravery that is doing the underhand despite the danger. There is the kind of bravery for admitting to being wrong and apologising.
They had been forgotten, they had been ignored. They were brave as children, and yet others were surprised when they had shown themselves to be brave as adults. They did not change suddenly, they had been growing for a while.
The call came when they were waiting.
Harry Potter was back (but he was not their saviour, for they were their own saviour).
We had been fighting a battle in our own home.
We had not been fighting to win or to be safe.
We had been fighting to live, to save.
We were kids ignored, scorned, forgotten.
We didn't fit the idealistic view of Gryffindors.
We were childish, clumsy, sentimental, unfocused, boring.
We were seen this way for years, for no one took a closer look.
We were brave, courageous, daring, protectors, attackers.
We had roamed the halls as children.
Now we patrolled the halls as adults searching for children.
When the Golden Trio entered the Room of Requirement, they were surprised. Surprised at how their (kind-of) friends who had grown and changed in the one year they were gone (they had been gone a lot longer). It was not they who led in that battle, but it was they who instilled hope in the students.
It was a year of cold eyes, threats, and danger. It was a year of worry and tension. It was a year of saving and protecting. It was a year of lasting hope and not giving in.
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley might have woken up each day wondering if it was their last. They might have woken up each day and worry about their enemies catching them. They might've woken up each day and wonder if they were going to be tortured.
Parvati, Seamus, Lavender, Neville, and Dean woke up knowing each day could be their last. They woke up knowing that they would be fighting for their own life and others. They woke up each day knowing they would be facing their nightmares in reality. They woke up each day with the knowledge that if they weren't careful they would be tortured. It was a year to be careful, but it was also a year to treasure life and joy.
They did not all fight in that last battle because they were good. Some fought for revenge, to finally say a good stuff you to their oppressors. For some it was to defend, to protect, to save more lives. For others, it was because it was a duty, something they had to do.
This was their war to fight, and they had been fighting it for a year. It was something the Golden Trio – and many, many more – would never understand. They wouldn't know what it meant to step too far out of the shadows and end up tortured. They would never know what it was like to wake up every day and prepare for a fight that they wouldn't win. They wouldn't understand why the war would never truly end.
We were not born to be heroes. You told us we had to be.
We failed to meet your judgements, and we failed to conform.
You pushed as aside and whispered behind our backs.
You can ignore us. You can forget us.
We were not leaders. We did not try to be.
We were there for the start of the war before it truly began.
We learned to tread carefully and when to pick fights.
We were children before we were adults, before we were soldiers.
We had childhoods before we grew up.
We were belittled, disregarded, disremembered.
We made first impressions of children and you never overlooked this.
We were children before we were soldiers.
We were brave before we were adults.
You saw none of this, but others did.
Be brave. Be daring. Be courageous. However, be yourself.
You do not need to be a hero, a leader.
Endeavour not to conform to what others say.
We didn't and we grew up to be heroes to ourselves anyway.