Dumbledore sat at the end of the faculty table, peering across the students fondly. "Today" he began, his voice deep and rumbling. "We toast Harry Potter." All the students, including Malfoy, stood quietly and stared into the old Headmaster's eyes. "Many think of him as the boy who defeated Lord Voldemort, the boy who lead to the Dark Lord's destruction." No one cringed at the name anymore, for it was only a harmless word, and that it could never surpass the terror all the students had faced. Nothing could.
"But it was not Potter who destroyed him," Dumbledore continued, his voice solemn and melancholy. "It was Voldemort who brought his own downfall. It was Voldemort who fell prey to the evil inside himself. Harry only seized this weakness, used bravery and skill, and is the reason we toast such a boy tonight. Your only enemy is of self; your only enemy is the evil in your own heart. Harry knew that in destroying the Dark Lord, he would destroy himself, but to rid the world of such an evil was his only goal." Hermione and Ron were both silent, but tears dripped down their faces just to think of their lost friend. And, for the first time anyone could truly remember, Dumbledore was crying too.
"But in death, we must renew life," murmured the Headmaster, giving the students a meaningful glance. "I am old and weary, of this there is no doubt, so I give my place as headmaster to Miss Hermione Granger, who is clever and bold enough to take the job." She nodded slowly, knowing that Harry instead should be headmaster, and not her. "Today," he repeated, raising his goblet slowly, "we toast Harry Potter, who is so much more than just the boy with the lightning bolt scar."
"But it was not Potter who destroyed him," Dumbledore continued, his voice solemn and melancholy. "It was Voldemort who brought his own downfall. It was Voldemort who fell prey to the evil inside himself. Harry only seized this weakness, used bravery and skill, and is the reason we toast such a boy tonight. Your only enemy is of self; your only enemy is the evil in your own heart. Harry knew that in destroying the Dark Lord, he would destroy himself, but to rid the world of such an evil was his only goal." Hermione and Ron were both silent, but tears dripped down their faces just to think of their lost friend. And, for the first time anyone could truly remember, Dumbledore was crying too.
"But in death, we must renew life," murmured the Headmaster, giving the students a meaningful glance. "I am old and weary, of this there is no doubt, so I give my place as headmaster to Miss Hermione Granger, who is clever and bold enough to take the job." She nodded slowly, knowing that Harry instead should be headmaster, and not her. "Today," he repeated, raising his goblet slowly, "we toast Harry Potter, who is so much more than just the boy with the lightning bolt scar."
