Friends,
It was three years ago this month that Hermione Jean Granger passed away. When word travelled that her time was nearing an end, wizards and witches and muggles and creatures the world over made the trip to pay their respects. She passed away in her sleep surrounded by her dearest friends and family.
It was a shared and heavy toll, and it hit Ronald Weasley the hardest.
His dearest friend, Harry Potter was at his side, and it is understood that had Mr. Potter not been there, Mr. Weasley would not have made it through those immediate and most difficult times. Her funeral was attended by hundreds of friends and family, and thousands later came to honor the loss of such a brave and determined legend of the World of Magic. This was Hermione Granger. THE Hermione. The Lioness Daughter of Dentists. The one that erased her own existence from her parents' minds in order to protect them before the Wizarding War. She didn't know if she would ever see them again. We will likely never know the amount of courage that sacrifice took to make.
Mr. Potter stayed close to his friend. He ensured Mr. Weasley was well and ready to meet those days. Mr. Weasley was able to provide the eulogy at her funeral and let everyone know who it was that captivated him all of his life. Nearly twice losing his composure he was able to complete his words, very likely due to the bond of friendship with Mr. Potter, holding him up and providing a light in such darkness.
A few months ago, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter returned to Hogwarts. They had boarded the train through Platform 9 3/4 at 11 A.M. sharp and travelled along the countryside to the doorstep of Hogwarts. They arrived in 'vintage' student uniforms complete with new pet owls. Many of us at first thought it was some sort of stint of history, a sort of live-action posterity meant to rouse the morale of the students and professors. And we were wrong.
After a quick deliberation, the professors decided that they would be allowed, in a supervised manner, to gallivant and save the day at Hogwarts, every day, for as long as they'd like. If John Lennon and Paul McCartney show up as elderly gentlemen and decide they want to play music in your living room for a few months, you let them. You don't tell legends they can't be who they are. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley were back at Hogwarts and had a mission to rid the world of evil. And most bittersweet, Mr. Weasley was looking to spend time again with Hermione. Thank you to those who 'stood in' for her. Fortunately, all he intended to do was have many arguments.
Along with with 100% of the other Junior Professors, I volunteered and was incredibly excited to be picked as Mr. Potter's facilitator and minder. Myself and two other lucky JPs found ourselves waking up at awful hours, running (walking very slowly) all over Hogwarts, and doing our best to create scenarios based on their ideas to help them find resolutions to the "new" problems they would encounter every day. They were given new rooms in the Gryffindor dormitory and they lived just as they did so many years ago. During this time, I had never been so exhausted in my life. It was my job to annotate what 'missions' they were on that day and relay this information to his children and the Hogwarts staff. It was not at all an easy task and I thank you all of you for the effort you put into making their last days so rich and memorable.
On that fateful day two months ago, Ronald Weasley passed away in the halls of Hogwarts, a place he most loved. He collapsed outside the Herbology doors whilst calling out for Neville, Professor Longbottom, for that potion or recipe he needed - most likely for his friend, Mr. Potter. And now a few months later we are here, paying our respects to The Boy Who Lived. I asked Professor Longbottom if I could tell you all about the Harry Potter I had come to recently know. [Thank Professor Longbottom]
We all know the stories and history of the Wizarding War. We have all talked to someone that knew someone that was there. Some of us were lucky enough to hear their lectures or have a personal conversation with them. I consider myself one of those incredibly lucky few. You see, whilst walking about Hogwarts earlier this year, a funny thing happened. Well, many funny things happened and I thank those of you again, especially those that helped create and keep the "dragon" levitated while Mr. Weasley most masterfully captured it and took it back to its cage.
One day while I was tagging along, for just a moment Mr. Potter stopped following Mr. Weasley. In this fairly empty corridor he turned around and began walking toward me. It was not uncommon for Mr. Potter to speak to me. I had been his minder for many weeks and he referred to me as other students or professors he recalled and I was most honored to be a 'burdensome' Professor Minerva McGonagall for most of those days.
This particular day, as he slowly made his way toward me I approached him and asked, "Mr. Potter, is there anything I can help you with?" He registered my question and offered a smile of acceptance. He reached down and grabbed both of my hands and said to me, "Thank you for everything you are doing for Ron. I know it's not always easy. Your grandmother would be very proud." He dropped my hands. I was floored. I could barely stand there with such an overwhelming wave of emotion, pride, and understanding. His secret was then mine.
I then knew what it was like to be a friend of a genuine hero - an honor that enabled me to realize what all this is about. That invisible fabric interwoven between the walls of Hogwarts, the sky above the Quidditch pitch, the trees of the Forbidden Forest, good and evil, and even those pesky dragons. I understood what encompasses a hero. It's about each other. It's about who we have. It's about what we're willing to do to protect and make our loved ones happy. Harry Potter ensured that Ronald Weasley died doing what he loved and that he wouldn't be alone, but instead surrounded by his friends. Mr. Potter was helping his friend until that friend's very end.
After he passed, Mr. Potter returned home and soon thereafter, he too passed on, surrounded by his loved ones - to that invisible cloak in the sky.
I will never forget the moments I shared with these heroes. And I will never forget the lesson an old, "senile" man taught me. Love each other. Always.
Luna Scamander II
Junior Professor, Magizoology