The Speech
About twenty minutes later, the Great Hall was well occupied. The teachers were sitting at their usual table, but the house tables had been replaced by rows of chairs. The first two were reserved for senior ministry officials, high-ranking members of the Wizengamot and diplomats from foreign wizard states, parts of the second row moreover for Prefects. The press had their own tables to the left and right along the walls. From row three onwards, the students had to take their seats. They were free to attend the speech or not. Of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, mostly older students were in the hall, but the Gryffindors were complete; for them it was a matter of honour to listen to their star's great speech, and they had precautiously come as early as possible to make sure that their Minister had a sympathising audience in the front rows.
The Slytherins, although sitting further back, were also present in large numbers. They too had their star, and Roy had announced to challenge the Minister. While the Gryffindors were relaxed and happy, the Slytherins' pleasure was of a different kind: It was rather like the expectant tingle before a cup-deciding Quidditch match. Roy's teachers feared him as a debater, but could he really take a Minister on whose intelligence was a legend?
As Roy was one of the last Slytherins to enter the hall, some of his Slytherins stood up to give him an encouraging pat on the back. Together with Scorpius, Albus had taken a seat in the middle of one of the back rows and so he couldn't understand what they were whispering to him, but their gestures were unmistakeably saying: "Let her have it!"
Scorpius nudged him from the side: "What was bugging you earlier? You looked like after rainy holidays."
"Didn't you see how she greeted me?" growled Albus.
"Sure I did. She smiled at you and winked."
"She did, yes, but my brother she hugged."
"What, and that's why you're pouting like that?"
"That's reason enough, isn't it? Just because I'm a Slytherin, all my relatives here are avoiding me. And now she does, too!"
"My goodness, you are so oversensitive! What could she have done? The Gryffindors welcomed her like friends, so she could come out of her shell without it looking weird. But with us? Cor! She had to show her Minister's face! But in spite of that, she winked at you, saying 'Well, we do understand each other, don't we?' And really: It's not hard to understand, and you definitely should. Considering that she's your best friend, and that's how you call her, you are pretty unfair to her!"
Albus was blushing. Now that Scorpius said it, he had to admit that he was right. How could he be so touchy!
"You're right, it was childish. Really stupid. Thank you for the sermon."
"You're welcome," Scorpius grinned.
Roy was the last Prefect to take his seat in the second row next to Patricia. Since all teachers but McGonagall and all the dignitaries were already seated, everyone was just waiting for the speaker.
The flurry of flashbulbs, abruptly starting at the hall entrance, announced her before she entered the hall with McGonagall. The audience stood up, including the Slytherins, most of whom, however, did not clap, while everyone else applauded and the cheers of the Gryffindors from ahead were heard again.
Hermione, chatting happily and cheerfully with McGonagall, strode through the hall. This was the kind of event she loved, for she was an excellent speaker and knew she was, and here at Hogwarts she counted on having the audience on her side. Although most of her speeches were based on drafts by her officials, she used to revise them herself until they met her characteristic style.
She took her seat in the front row reserved for her next to Dagobert Higrave to give McGonagall the opportunity to speak some welcoming words. The Headmistress made it short, welcomed the audience, dedicating a few kind words in particular to the diplomats and dignitaries, then left the lectern to the Minister with a welcoming gesture and took her place at the teachers' table.
This time there was no applause. Only the clack of Hermione's high heels broke the expectant silence as she stepped forward to take over the lectern. For a moment she let her gaze wander across the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen, dear Professor McGonagall, dear teachers and above all: dear students!
It means a lot to me to be with you today and to have the opportunity to speak here at Hogwarts, the school that is home to me, as it is to all of you. I haven't been here for almost twenty years, but when you gave me this overwhelming welcome this morning, I felt as if I had never been away. For me, coming to you today means coming home."
Warm applause answered her, and some even had tears in their eyes, for these words were heartfelt. Even Roy's examining, reserved expression gave way to a certain astonishment; even he couldn't help being touched by her simple words. Then he remembered whom he was actually listening to.
Damn, she really knows how to take in her audience!
Hermione patiently let the applause die away, then she continued:
"I am particularly pleased to find Hogwarts restored to its former splendour. The last time I was here, the castle was covered with the wounds and scars left by the battle that the wizarding community had to fight against their deadly enemies."
Roy didn't need to turn around to know that a lot of Slytherins were clenching their fists. Said deadly enemies were their parents and grandparents – or had been, for many of them had been killed in that battle.
And now their grandchildren are being told that they didn't really belong to the wizarding community, it crossed his mind. Just a moment ago Hermie invoked the great "WE" and touched everyone, now she is making clear whom she does not WANT to touch, who does NOT belong to the great WE. Hope Julian and the others can keep our people calm.
"The material damage, however, was the least of it. Destroyed buildings can be rebuilt. But no one can give us back our dead. To honour their sacrifice and do justice to their memory ..."
... you must not abuse them for your dirty political machinations, you lying beast ...
"... we must not allow that they should have died in vain. I am pleased to announce in this historic place, the scene of their martyrdom, that the Ministry will declare the 2nd of May, the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, as Victory Day a national holiday. It will be celebrated for the first time next year on the twentieth anniversary of the battle in a solemn ceremony, here at Hogwarts in the presence of all the students and teachers of this wonderful school."
And those not attending will end up in Azkaban.
Some groaning came from the Slytherins rows.
At that moment, a parchment ball coming from behind passed by Roy's head, made a small turn, stopped to hover before his face for a moment, then plopped down on his lap. It could only be from Julian. Roy flattened the crumpled piece of paper and read: SHUT HER UP! He turned it over, let his wand slide over the backside, on which were the words YEP, BUT NOT YET! KEEP STILL! appeared, crumpled the slip again and sent it back.
"Remembering the past, however, is only one side of the coin, the other of which is shaping the future. We must all ask ourselves which of our venerable traditions have encouraged aberrations that gave a Voldemort his chance. Tradition for traditions's sake must be discouraged. A balance between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation, is what we need. Some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, but let us not shy away from purging and cleansing wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."
Purging! Cleansing! Roy flinched.
McGonagall's face was looking hawklike while she glanced up at the ceiling. She seemed to be brooding over something.
"For centuries, the wizarding world has been hostile to the world of non-magically skilled people. For centuries it was considered a matter of course that non-magically skilled people could bring about nothing but stupid, bad and harmful things. Certainly, there were once good reasons to separate the two worlds in order to mitigate the conflicts that had dominated the entire Middle Ages. Certainly, no one will carelessly abolish this separation, but ..."
Now it's getting interesting.
"... wasn't it exactly this constant stewing in our own grease, the self-satisfied delight in our own excellence, the narrow-minded disregard for the abilities and achievements of non-magically skilled people ..."
Why doesn't she say "Muggles"?
"... the soil in which the seed of the Death Eaters could sprout? And aren't these attitudes, which have never been virtues, at least outmoded? Aren't we blocking the chance of learning from non-magically skilled people? And is there just one reasonable argument against letting them in turn share in our achievements?"
One? Thousands!
"What if the Hogwarts Express were a modern high-speed train? The time for the trip from London to Hogwarts would be reduced by two thirds. What if we could communicate by e-mail? Messages could be transmitted in real time, ..."
... and the Ministry of Magic could read them ...
"... instead of being sent with owls to arrive after hours and days, and sometimes not at all. But in turn, witches and wizards also have much to offer to the non-magically skilled people, let's just think ..."
... of the wonderful spectacle of burning witches at the stake ...
"... of the farming sector: Every year, the agriculture of the non-magically skilled suffers billions in losses due to unfavourable weather conditions that their scientists cannot cope with. How much easier they would live with a Weather charm!"
And even more the secret services of the Muggle states and their torture scientists. How much easier they would live with the Cruciatus Curse!
The Minister paused to take a drink of water and listed a wide range of other areas where wizards and Muggles could combine their skills; then she continued:
"As I said: No one has the intention of tearing down a wall that once had made sense and, to a certain extent, still does. No one intends to lift the secrecy of the wizarding towards the non-wizarding world. This being taken for granted, however, it is also true: Whenever cooperation for mutual benefit is possible, there is no reason to be afraid of it. Having so much to offer, we can confidently embark on a new era of – limited – cooperation and mutual enrichment. Over the past months, I have had many discussions on this subject with Mr Jonathan Wildfellow, the Prime Minister of the nonwizards and I am pleased to have found in him an open-minded dialogue partner. The first practical result of this exchange is ..."
... to abuse his son Bernie as a guinea pig ...
"... that a hand-picked elite of non-magically skilled scientists, strictly sworn to secrecy, are working alongside wizards from our Ministry to develop an Imperius Detector combining technical and magical achievements and knowledge. As we all know, the Imperius Curse has constantly hampered Magical Law Enforcement over the past decades. Too easily, criminals could claim to have committed their deeds under the influence of the Imperius Curse and therefore not be responsible for them. I am pleased to announce that the prototype detector is very close to completion."
Roy gazed at her with horror. A large part of the audience, however, received this announcement with warm applause.
"Should this pilot project be successful, and I have no doubt that it will, further projects will follow, of course with the utmost secrecy from the non-magically skilled persons involved. One thing, however, has to be made clear: Even limited cooperation, even collaboration with small elites, requires a profound rethinking on our part, it requires openness, tolerance, and respect. This is the background against which last year's Decree against Discriminatory Speech in Public Institutions is to be understood. I did not easily take the step to extend this decree to Hogwarts, because the autonomy of Hogwarts is a great achievement which is basically not to be touched. Nevertheless, my decision is in line with our traditions. The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. It would have downright neglected its duty if it hadn't taken vigorous, pioneering action on this critical strategic issue."
Roy's and McGonagall's eyes met. The professor looked thoughtful.
"I also profess to have received important inspiration from the Laws of non-magical states on this very point, the fight against discriminatory and hate speech. From Laws that have significantly raised the moral level of the non-wizarding world!"
At this point Roy could not help chuckling. He used to return to the Muggle world each summer and therefore knew roughly what the Minister was supposed to mean by a "significant raise of the moral level". The Minister did not let anything distract her.
"Of course, we in the ministry are well aware that any progress is bound to encounter resistance," she said, her voice becoming icy. "That there are people who are mentally immobile and trapped in old prejudices, including those who, because of their sheer hatred of all non-wizards, will try to turn back the wheel of history and return to a past that we happily and with bloody sacrifice have overcome. I want them all to know: Your hatred is our spur, and whoever is considering following in the Death Eater's footsteps will inevitably feel the full force of the law. Thank you."
While a large part of the audience gave her a standing ovation, with the Gryffindors bursting into frenetic cheers, most of the Slytherins kept their seats like frozen. Roy gave Professor McGonagall a questioning glance. Well, what did I tell you? McGonagall pressed her lips together.
The Minister let the applause roar, which repeatedly changed into rhythmic clapping, only to return to the thundering sound of surging surf. Whenever it threatened to die down, the Gryffindors helped it along with new cheers and "Hermione, Hermione" chants. The Minister smiled with satisfaction. The hymn-like press comments she had expected from this event were now assured, together with photos showing her as a kind of female messiah, a figure of light in the midst of bubbling enthusiasm. However, many Slytherins didn't move a hand. Actually they didn't move at all, keeping their seats like petrified, but this was something nobody noticed, as were sitting too far back.
Roy had also remained seated and suffered Hermione's never-ending triumph with a stoic face. Since he was surrounded by people standing, no one noticed. At least he had time to work out his battle plan and to calm down.