Chapter 25
The Coronation of King Sethrael
The next week, invitations to the Coronation went out to Muggles and magical creatures, including Goblins, Wizards, Centaurs, and House Elves. The Muggles who received invitations were those who already knew of the Magical World, for they had children or siblings who had attended Hogwarts. Even the Dursley family, Harry's aunt and uncle, received one. A personal note from Dumbledore informing them that the Muggle Queen and Prime Minister of England would be in attendance guaranteed their acceptance.
The invitation was written on ivory colored paper in gold ink. The script was a work of art, and the paper was so thin, it seemed too fragile to have survived the quill. Yet, it was received in perfect condition, and Mrs. Weasley framed it and placed it on the mantle of the fireplace for all to read:
Let it be known throughout the land
That the Coronation of
King Sethrael of the Elven Realm
Will commence
On the anniversary of his birth
Thirty-first of July
Nineteen hundred and ninety-five
At dusk
On Hogwarts Grounds near the Forbidden Forest.
Queen Thespa of the Elven Realm
Requests the presence of
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur William Weasley
And their children
William, Charles, Percival, Frederick, George, Ronald, and Ginevra,
As her eminent guests
To the Coronation and Gala Ball.
At dusk, on the 31st of July, the grounds of Hogwarts were filled with all sorts of magical beings and Muggles. The Muggle Prime Minister, as well as the Muggle Queen and her family, including the Prince of Wales and his sons, were in attendance. The Minister of Magic and the entire Wizengamot were also present, as well as all department heads in the Ministry.
Hogwarts professors and students, with their families, and Hogwarts alumni were also there. The grounds had never held so many people.
Chairs were placed on the grounds, facing the forest, leaving an aisle down the middle. Elven guards stood at the ends of each row, checking invitations before allowing anyone to be seated. Guards were also stationed at the Hogwarts gates and along the tree line of the Forbidden Forest.
When all were seated, the Elven guards moved to stand in a circle around all who were seated and a raised platform that had been set up just in front of the Forbidden Forest, close enough to be under the branches of the trees.
When they were in place, 100 Elven children slowly emerged from the forest. Forming two lines, they walked up a set of steps behind the stage, crossed to the front, and then walked down another set of steps in front of the platform.
The children were dressed in white silk robes. Half carried a small lantern and the other half a basket of flower petals. The children began to sing. As they sang, they slowly walked down the middle aisle to the back of the guests, then one line went behind the right side and the other went behind the left. They continued up the outside of the two sections of seats, and met again in front of the platform.
They circled those attending three times, and as they circled, the ones with baskets scattered the petals around the audience. They continued to sing as they circled. The song was three verses. Each verse was sung first in the Elven language and then in English.
Rejoice, Children of El
Lift up your hearts in praise
The Red Dragon has returned
To sit on his throne of peace
To wear his crown of wisdom
To wield his sword of justice
His sword called Sethrael
Rejoice, Children of the World
Lift up your eyes in hope
The Child of Prophecy has come
To free our enslaved brothers
To bring peace to all the realms
To bring all beings together
Our wise King Sethrael
Rejoice, Children of Light
Lift up your voice in song
King Sethrael has come
To show justice to the world
To show mercy to all beings
To show love to all creatures
Our Great King Sethrael
When they had completed their song, they stood in a circle in front of the Elven Guards, and then the haunting sounds of flutes and lyres came from out of the forest. Suddenly, thousands of fairies flew from the branches of the trees and circled the assembly three times, then flew back into the branches, filling the forest with soft light.
The Elders of the Elven Realm emerged from the forest, making their way across the platform and circling the assembly three times as the children and fairies had done. As they circled, the beautiful melody continued to play. Slowly, they encircled all who had assembled, then stopped at the front of the platform, on either side of the steps, and stood in a line facing the audience. Behind them were two long, cushioned benches, which had been built into the platform.
Out of the forest came two centaurs, one male and one female, who made the same three circles as the children and Elders had done. Directly behind them walked two goblins, male and female, and then a male and female house-elf. Behind the house-elves walked Argus Filch and Arabella Figg, both of whom were dressed in their finest robes. Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge came behind them, then the Muggle Queen and Prime Minister. Behind them walked Queen Thespa and Lord Kathair, then Sirius and Remus, and finally Princess Elsbeth and Lord Mithrael, who carried Princess Coriel. When the group had completed the three circles accompanied by the soft music coming from the forest, they went back up the platform and, with the except of the Centaurs who would remain standing throughout the ceremony, stood before seats that had been placed there earlier.
The music stopped and, for 30 seconds, there was complete silence. Then came the sound of a conch being blown. After three long tones, Harry Potter came out of the forest alone and walked up onto the platform. There was complete silence as he walked across the stage and down the front steps. As he made his way slowly down the center aisle, the children began to sing the song again, throwing flower petals in his path as he made the circles.
He smiled, waving at those he knew as he passed them. Like all the other Elves, he was dressed in white silk, but his robes were trimmed in gold. His hair was loose and he wore no shoes or accessories.
He completed his walk, strode back up to the platform, and sat down in a chair beside his grandmother.
When everyone was seated, Queen Thespa stood and moved to the center of the stage. She projected her voice for all to hear.
"To the beings of all Realms, we welcome you today to the Coronation of King Sethrael, the first and only king of the Elven Realm.
"In our world, we call ourselves the Children of El. The word El is a sacred word. It means Light; it means Goodness; it means Purity; it means Perfection. El is the name we call the Creator.
"The Children of El have never had a King, but we once served one. Many hundreds of years ago, there was a man who united the kingdoms of Britain. He was not an Elf, nor was he a Wizard. He was of the race of Man, what we call a non-magical being and what Wizards call a Muggle. Yet non-magical people only remember him in legend. His name was Artur, but legend has renamed him Arthur. To the Elves, he was known as the Red Dragon. His teacher, his friend, and his advisor was a Wizard named Myrddin, but legend has renamed him Merlin. Elves called him the Great Enchanter.
"This is the only King the Elven people have ever served until now. Wizards and Men also served this king. His reign brought peace to us all for many years. But, then, he was gone. Even legend remembers the truth of his ending.
"On the day he left this Realm, a prophecy was spoken by a Child of El. It was a prophecy that predicted many years of darkness for the Elven people, but then great light would finally appear. Despite the years of darkness, it brought hope to our people, for it promised the return of the Red Dragon and the Great Enchanter. And because we awaited his return, we selected our first Queen of the Elven Realm and left the Throne of the King empty, waiting for his return.
"Every Elf child knows this prophecy, and today I will share it with you. It is known as 'The Ancient Prophecy of El.'"
Weep not, Children of Light,
For though the Great Enchanter was deceived, he lies not in darkness;
And though the Red Dragon has fallen, he will return again.
Together they rest in the Realm of El.
And 400 years shall pass, and all will seem forgotten.
Truth will hide in Myth.
Great wars will rage between Elf, Wizard, and Man;
And the Dark will take half of Light's children.
For 1000 years, their magic bound in slavery,
They will forget the joy of freedom; they will forget the wisdom of Eldartha;
And their beauty will fade with their memories.
And Wizards will hide their faces from Man;
And Elves will no longer live among the forests of men;
And Man will forget when Magic covered the land.
Fear not, Children of El,
Though Darkness will rise in the Realm of Wizards.
For 10 years, hope will be lost.
Then a prophecy shall be given to bring them hope,
But the White Bee will hide it in secret,
Yet a servant of the Black Serpent shall hear it in part.
Then a child shall be born to unite the realms.
And he will be marked by the Dark, but the mark will be a sign of Light and Power.
And in this child, the Red Dragon and the Great Enchanter will return as one.
And his sword shall have a new name, for it will be touched by El.
Rejoice, Children of Light,
For the Child of Prophecy shall slay the Black Serpent;
He shall slay the one who flees from eternal sleep.
And he shall free our brothers; and all will once again be united.
Then Peace will reign as it did in the time of the Red Dragon and the Great Enchanter.
Seek not the Child of Prophecy in the Realm of Elves,
For he shall be born of a pure Wizard and a daughter of Man.
But when you have found him, teach him your ways,
For he will be hunted by the White Bee; and he will be hunted by the Black Serpent.
But neither shall find him until he draws his sword from the Realm of El.
And he will be a Prince among you.
You shall call his name "Touched by Light."
And his sword shall bear his name.
He shall call it
Sethrael.
When Queen Thespa finished quoting the prophecy, she motioned to someone behind the platform, and an Elven child appeared carrying a sword, which had been draped with a scarf of purple silk.
Queen Thespa took it, holding it by the tip and the handle where everyone could see it.
"On the anniversary of my Grandson's birth, five years ago, his first mother, Lily Potter raised this sword from the River of Purification in the Realm of El and placed it in his hands. His father, Mithrael dina Lothair, and his godfathers, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, witnessed this event.
"At that moment, my grandson raised the sword over his head, and a bolt of lightening came out of the heavens and struck the tip, yet my grandson was not harmed. When he lowered the sword, he saw that the image of the lightening bolt had appeared on the pommel where it had not been before.
"The word Sethrael means 'Touched by Light.' Sethrael is the fulfillment of our prophecy. In him, the Red Dragon and the Great Enchanter have returned as one. It is for this reason that we crown our first Elven King today. Today, the Red Dragon will sit on his throne once more."
The audience applauded, and Queen Thespa waved her hand and, in the middle of the stage, a solid gold throne appeared. On each side of the throne, a large gold lion with eyes of rubies had been sculpted to form the legs, arm, and side of the throne. Two gold dragons, their eyes made of emeralds, formed the base and back. The cushions of the seat and back of the throne were red velvet. It was the most intricate and elaborate work of art that many had ever seen.
Queen Thespa reached her hand out to her grandson and led him to the throne. When he was seated, she said, "King Sethrael, you have taken your throne which has been empty for over 1400 years. It is the Throne of Peace. Will you do all within your power to bring peace to all realms for as long as you occupy this throne?"
Harry bowed his head. "Before all, I swear that I will do everything within my power to bring peace to all realms."
The Queen picked up the sword and placed it in Harry's hands. "King Sethrael, you have drawn your sword which bears your name from the Realm of El. It is the Sword of Justice. Will you do all within your power to bring justice to all beings for as long as you wield this sword?"
Again, Harry bowed his head. "Before all, I swear that I will do everything within my power to bring justice to all beings."
Queen Thespa gestured toward the forest and an Elven child brought out a gold crown on a purple pillow. She took the crown and placed it on the head of her grandson. The solid gold crown was carved in the shape of leaves, separated by rubies, emeralds, amethysts, and diamonds, which formed a circle around his head. "King Sethrael, you now wear the crown of your people. It is the Crown of Wisdom. Will you do all within your power to rule with wisdom, mercy, and love for all for as long as you wear this crown?"
Bowing his head, Harry said, "Before all, I swear that I will do everything within my power to rule with wisdom, mercy, and love for all."
His father placed Coriel in the arms of Sirius, then he and Elsbeth made their way to the throne. Mithrael carried a red velvet cloak lined with ermine. His mother carried a small gold knife.
Taking his hand, Elsbeth helped him rise from the throne, then gathered his hair in her hands and cut off it with the gold knife. His father draped the red cloak around his shoulders.
"You will make many sacrifices for your people," his mother said.
"But you will always be wrapped in their love," his father added.
The Queen and his mother and father knelt in front of him. "Hail, King Sethrael!" they cried. "King of the Elven Realm!"
All the Elves then knelt and repeated, "Hail, King Sethrael! King of the Elven Realm!"
And then Albus Dumbledore stood and cried, "Hail, Harry James Potter, Child of Prophecy!"
And all the audience stood and repeated his words.
"Hail King Sethrael, Friend of Goblins!" the female Goblin cried.
"Hail Harry Potter, who sits among the stars!" the male Centaur announced.
"Hail King Sethrael, who will free his people!" the female house elf said.
A loud screeching noise came from the Black Lake, and all turned to see the merpeople who were shouting something toward the King. Harry and all who understood Mermish burst into laughter.
And then Harry helped his grandmother and mother to stand. Then faced the assembly while everyone continued to shout out their praises. Finally, he raised his hands asking for quiet and for everyone to be seated.
"For those who do not speak Mermish," Harry said. "The Merpeople were shouting 'Hail to the Elf Child who throws stones into our lake!'"
When the laughter had died down, Harry began to speak.
"Today is a special day for me," he said. "For it is my birthday, and I am now 15-years-old."
The audience laughed again.
"I have also been crowned as the first and only King to ever serve in the Elven Realm.
"It may seem strange to those of you who are not Elves to hear me use the word 'serve' rather than 'reign,' but I have learned from my grandmother that the only way to lead successfully is by serving. I have watched my grandmother and my mother sew clothes for our people, help cook our supper in the evenings, attend mothers who are having babies, and heal those who are sick. My grandmother serves our people and will continue to do so, for I have not taken her place, but will serve by her side.
"You may think that being King would give me some special privileges, but in the past week, I have found that it doesn't. I may be King of our people, but my mother still checks to make sure I have washed my neck and behind my ears before she allows me to slip into my bed at night. Uncle Remus still scolds me if I do not study my lessons hard enough, and Uncle Sirius still helps me prank Uncle Remus if he scolds too much. My father has warned me that, should my head begin to swell, I am not too old or too powerful to be sent to Elder Kasha for a lesson in humility.
"In our world, when a child seems to be forming a negative habit such as lying, cruelty, arrogance, or laziness, much to our gentle mothers' displeasure, our fathers send us to Elder Kasha to hear a tale of another child who, in the past, had the same fault. The bad behavior of that child always leads to a terrible fate, which we are reminded could very well be our own fate if we continue down that path. The stories are frightening, yet the child who hears them decides that the negative habit is not worth the risk of meeting the same fate as the child in the story.
"I was sent to Elder Kasha once when I was five years old for aiming my sling at my father and hitting him with a stone. I learned a very good lesson that day that has stayed with me all this time. I will not go into detail, but I will tell you that I cannot look at a sling, a stone, or Elder Kasha without remembering this lesson and being thankful that I still retain all my body parts.
"I am still a young man, but in my world, I am a hunter. I will continue to hunt and gather food and medicinal plants for our people. I will continue to sit with the hunters before supper and share stories in the circle after we eat. I will not sit on a throne or wear a crown, except for special occasions. I will serve my people as every Elf in our Realm serves. I will sit with the Queen and the Elders under the branches of Eldartha, the oldest tree in our forest, and learn through their words, experiences, and wisdom.
"Elves, Wizards, Men, and all magical beings once lived side by side in peace. Muggles knew of our kind and came to us when they needed help. But, then, Wizards began to hide themselves from Muggles, Elves left the Human Realm, and a great mistrust spread between all people.
"A thousand years ago, Elves and Wizards were at war. Half of our brothers and sisters were captured and enslaved. They became known as house elves in your world. Over the years, they forgot the magic of our people and our love our freedom. Their magic was bound, except what they needed to serve others. They lost the memories of our race. But they are still our people. They are our brothers and sisters. The season is approaching when they will return to their home.
"Those of you in the Wizarding World who depend on the labor of house elves must begin to make preparations for their departure, for they will be freed and will return to the Realm of Elves.
"I do not tell you this as a threat, but so that you can prepare, for their freedom will not be won by fighting. It will be won when the bonds of forgetfulness are broken and they remember who they are. And then they will no longer be enslaved. They will regain the love of freedom and beauty they once possessed. And they will remember their way home and return to the Realm of their people.
"We do not want war with other beings. We want peace. In our world, we are taught that all life is precious. All are equal. All are sacred. No creature is above another. We all have our places on this Earth, and we must share it.
"It is my hope that all people will once again be united. It may be a slow process, but the world was a better place when we all lived as brothers. It is my goal to unite the magical world where everyone will live free and equal as they were meant to—as it was intended—as it is done in the Realm of El."