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Chapter 30: A Study in Courage
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A study in Courage an Editorial commentary
By Luna Lovegood.
All the Hogwarts' Houses have a specific trait associated with them. Slytherin has cunning, Ravenclaw it is intelligence, Hufflepuff has loyalty while Gryffindor it is bravery. It is interesting to note that in the last 50 years the majority of Muggle born students attending the school have been sorted into Gryffindor. What makes it such a dominant trait of Muggle born witches and wizards? I am not sure there has been no longitudinal studies but it could be a reflection of the courage these individual's have on entering a completely different new world from their own. Muggle born magicals are at a disadvantaged upon entering the magical world, as they have no previous knowledge of the society, history and politics. They must be exceedingly brave to enter a new world with limited information and their families also must be courageous for letting their children disappear off into a strange world for more than nine months of the year.
A prime example of the courage in Gryffindor is Ms Hermione Granger. The last eight years for this Muggle born witch have been a study in Courage. Bravery or courage is not acting in the moment but rather it is the knowledge that even though you may be afraid you have to act to help another. In the case of Miss Granger this gallantry has regularly been demonstrated in the on going battles that she has been involved in since entering the magical world by staying and supporting her friend Harry Potter in his fight against Lord Voldemort.
As a Muggle born witch she has been through more than what many others have and yet she continues to keep going when many would have fallen by now.In her first year at Hogwarts she survived a Troll attack and also helped Harry Potter defeat the teacher possessed by Tom Riddle who we all better know as Lord Voldemort. Not only did she battle these challenges with her friends Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley she had a third challenge which was to overcome the prejudice and discrimination that Muggle born children used to encounter at Hogwarts. Ms Granger was regularly called names such as Mudblood and belittled by her peers purely due to the fact of her birth to non magical parents.
Yet this young woman achieved the top grades in her first year and still we as a society discriminated against her. The talented response to this repeated discrimination and bulling, squaring her shoulders and keep going to prove she had just as much right to be in Hogwarts by achieving the best grades.
This pattern of courageous behaviour has continued for the young witch as she has met each challenge with graciousness and tenacity that many have failed to understand. Ms Granger has a great amount of determination and loyalty that can be seen by her heroic actions during the last wizarding war.
Other press organisations have written salacious commentaries about this young witch over the years but have they even bothered to check their facts and we here at the Quibbler are most disheartened at the lack of professionalism by both the journalists concerned and their editorial supervisors.
Ms Granger has always been a good friend, a best friend, and a heart sister to Harry Potter. They have never had a romantic relationship yet Ms Granger was sent dangerous hate mail that included bubotuber pus and howlers during her fourth year when it was reported that she had been a disloyal girlfriend to Harry Potter. Yet this did not deter the witch and her loyalty for her friend as lionhearted witch showed her courage by continuing to support Harry Potter in the face of wide spread ridicule within Hogwarts from staff and students.
Even when Harry Potter's other best friend, Ronald Weasley, abandoned him during their fourth year as a result of his selection as a Triwizard Champion Ms Granger stood by him even though most of the school was ridiculing the pair of them. In her 5th year at Hogwarts Ms Granger again loyally supported her best friend on a mad dash flight to London from Scotland even though she does not like flying to support Harry Potter in a rescue bid for his godfather Sirius Black.
The brave witch logically knew it was likely to be a trap by Lord Voldemort but she was unwilling to let her friend go alone even though she is terrified of flying. Ms Granger was scared but she still went that is an example of courage. Courage is not just action but it is the knowledge and fear of something and still going on. The Gryffindor witch has done that each and every year of her life here in the magical world it has been one step after another in going on.
With the high number of Muggle and Muggle-born attacks along with the death of Professor Dumbledore in her sixth year this Muggle born witch had to face the conflict that her friendship and Muggle born status had placed on her family. While Harry Potter may have been Number 1 enemy of the Death Eaters she was Number 2 as the Muggle born brains of the golden trio. It was after the death of Dumbledore that the trio decided that they would not be returning for their 7th year but rather finish the task that Professor Dumbledore had started with Harry Potter during their sixth year.
However it meant that Ms Granger had to take an extraordinary step to protect her family she had to place a strong memory charm on them removing all their memories of her in their lives and sent them to Australia under a new name. It has been confirmed that her parents would have been used to attack her and therefore Harry Potter. Again Ms Granger worked out all the possible outcomes in refusing to leave her friend and courageously went on to protect her family.
It was not something she talks about but it was a terribly difficult decision for her according to her friends Fred and George Weasley. It was even more difficult for the young witch when this time last year she was notified that although she had sacrificed herself to protect her family they were killed in a motor vehicle accident. This was while she was on the run being hunted down by snatchers and death eaters.
Ms Granger did not inform her best friends but just kept going putting one foot in front of the other. When asked about why she did not let Harry Potter know about the death of her parents several members of the Order of Phoenix have confirmed that she did not want to cause any more burden on Harry Potter as he had a big enough job as it was with the prophecy about it only being him who could kill Lord Voldemort. The Gryffindor lioness was grieving but she continued in the fight. Many did not know and were still unaware at the time of this publication of her parents' passing. This young witch has repeatedly demonstrated her courage under fire and she continues to make a difference to the magical world.
Magic does not fix everything and Ms Granger is now demonstrating her courage yet again in facing the issues of her battle injuries. During the Last Battle when not fighting Death Eaters she was also saving lives of the innocent and those who were injured. The courageous witch knew that Professor Severus Snape was a double agent and spy for the Order of Phoenix even when most were condemning him for being the killer of Albus Dumbledore. Yet Ms Granger saved him and protected him from further injury before he was officially cleared. Yes this woman has a strong belief in justice and many don't realise how great her heart is. The witch has undergone much and withstands much yet she still is welcoming and forgiving. The courageous Gryffindor witch will try and help those who are in need and fight for the betterment of society. That is just her inherent nature.
Ms Granger has friends from all four Hogwarts' houses and from both sides of the recent conflict. In her new role as a Support tutor the former Gryffindor witch has continued to make a difference helping students to gain an education through a mix of magical and non magical methods. The academically minded witch is continuing to push forward the development and improvement for the magical world and this includes her recent work on the new MAZE system and other developments designed to bring greater cooperation and understanding of the two human societies.
Many of us would not understand that this young woman will live and continue to live with the after effects of her choice to support her friend, for her desire for the betterment of life for other Muggle born magicals and the protection of Muggles. The full nature and details of her injuries have never fully being disclosed and yet it is known that Ms Granger has an incomplete spinal cord injury from the L5 to S5 region of her lower back. This means that there is some damage to her spinal cord but it is not absolute, thus enabling her to walk for short distances with support. In addition to this condition, according to a number of sources from within the Order of Phoenix and Hogwarts, Ms Granger also has a condition known as Hypermobility Syndrome Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is basically a central nervous system issue that causes chronic pain and extraordinary fatigue.
"She does not let you know she is in pain she just keeps smiling and allows you to talk yourself all out"
"She is in pain every day all the time and has a routine of medication to address it but it doesn't cure it or fix it, the medication just attempts to control the amount of pain. There are times even with the medication where the pain is uncontrolled and this is called break through pain."
"The amount of pain she has would put the average person in bed for the day. Yet she picks herself up and tries to participate in her life. Chronic pain sufferers have to learn to do everyday activities even though they have pain which would deter those who do not have chronic pain."
It is rarely do others realise that Ms Granger is in significant pain and most of the time she does not allow her condition to hinder her ability or her work helping others like her support students. It is only those who really know her well and watch her closely can pick when she is pain as she does not want to disclose that she is suffering. It is a great act of courage that enables this witch to face each and every day. Yet she is working on gathering her strength to enable longer periods out of her wheelchair. The rehabilitation is a long and slow process and there are no guarantees that she will ever be completely free of the need to use a wheelchair.
"She is incredibly determined not to let down her peers and her students to the point where she ends up paying for her determination. This includes breakthrough pain, insomnia and great deal of fatigue."
On top of all that it is understood that Ms Granger has recently completed all her NEWTs examinations and undertaken additional further training to ensure she that she can be the best Support Tutor she can. It is believed that she will be starting a Muggle teaching degree by distance and flexible learning next month in January.
All we can say here at the Quibbler is that we are very proud of you Ms Granger and wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Thank you for your courageous actions and your willingness to fight to defend the oppressed and improve the magical world. Good luck in your on going rehabilitation and all the best for the future.