Chapter Two
"First and foremost, I would like to welcome you all here today." Kingsley said clearly, "I can not tell you how humbled and overjoyed I am to see so many of us coming together not to place blame, or to further the hatred that polluted our community for so long. But to remember and honour those among us who show the best of us. Those who are brave. Those who are kind. Those who stood up when it was most difficult and put everything on the line. We applaud you all."
Danica joined in the general round of applause. Someone sitting behind her had already begun to cry quietly.
"Secondly I would like to give you my true, and solemn oath that I will do my very best to continue to rebuild Wizarding Britain, and support every witch and wizard." Kingsley continued, his eyes flicking down to the note cards to make sure he was remembering the carefully written speech correctly, "So, without further ado, we will start out presentation ceremony. These awards will cover everyone who fought during the Second Wizarding War, not just those at the Battle of Hogwarts, as we had lost many good people long before the 2nd May last year. In truth, there will always be too many to name I fear, but rest assured that all cases put to the 2nd War department at the Ministry will be thoroughly investigated."
Kingsley looked at the people staring up at him, the sun was in his eyes, turning his friends and family into a see of shadows; as if this wasn't hard enough. He gripped the podium, wishing he was better at public speaking.
"Would Mrs Lily Snape, Mrs Molly Weasley, Mr Arthur Weasley, Mrs Nymphadora Lupin, Mr Remus Lupin, Mrs Fleur Weasley, Mr William Weasley please join me on the stage, along with Lord Lucius Malfoy Duke of Wiltshire. Lord Dimitri DeGere Earl of Sky. Lady Nikka DeGere of Lockerbie, Lord Conan DeGere, Lord Ryker DeGere, Lord Cole DeGere, Lord Stefan DeGere, all also of Lockerbie. Lady Alice Longbottom and Lord Frank Longbottom, Marquise and Marchioness of Durham." Kingsley said, reading out the long list of names, and taking a sip of water before he would have to continue and making a mental note to buy Caroline a bar of Dairy Milk chocolate as a thank you for making sure he got all the names and titles correct and in the correct order.
Danica watched as the long line of people walked up onto the stage, including her mother. Lucius made sure that he was next to Lily when they all stood neatly behind Kingsley. He could tell she was shaking slightly with nerves.
"The people you see before you, showed great courage during the war and gave a great sacrifice." Kingsley said proudly, meaning every word, "And for their work, which undoubtedly helped us to win the war, we award them the Order of Merlin, Second Class."
There was a loud round of applause as half a dozen witches, all dressed in Ministry blue robes came out of the wings. They took several of the pale velvet boxes and gave one to each person on the stage, attaching the medals inside to their robes before vanishing back into the wings of the stage.
Kingsley waited for the clapping to die down and those on the stage with him to return to their seats before stepping back up the podium.
"Next, I would like to ask Mr Harry Potter, Miss Hermione Granger, Viscount Avebury Lord Draco Malfoy, the Honourable Miss Pansy Parkinson, Viscount Derby Lord Neville Longbottom, Lady Daphne Greengrass, Lady Narcissa Malfoy, Dutchess of Wiltshire, Mr Severus Snape, Miss Cho Chang, Mr William Culpeck and Miss Luna Lovegood, who will also be receiving the awards for her late father, Mr Xenophilius Lovegood who was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts."
Danica smiled at Harry as he straightened his cuffs and walked up onto the stage, next to Severus.
Kingsley smiled to them all, "These people show the best of us. They were willing to sacrifice everything for our lives, for our freedom. There are no words to express our gratitude and the honour they show us all by attending today. To these people, here with me, we are awarding the Order of Merlin, First Class. In the biggest awarding of this, our most highest honour, since its conception."
Once again the witches came from the wings, giving out the medals and then leaving. Harry stood on the stage, one hand in Cho's and the other holding tight to Severus's, willing himself not to blush as two thousand eyes stared up at him, clapping until their hands stung.
Not once had he thought this would ever happen. The idea of managing to get his NEWTs seemed impossible for much of his teenage years, let alone being honoured like this, by the same Ministry that not two years ago wanted his head on a plate.
He felt strangely unconnected to himself and just hoped he wasn't blushing.
What felt like three hours later, they were finally dismissed from the stage.
"We now move on to the more unusual award of the day." Kingsley said, "Lady Narcissa and Mr Snape, would you please stay with me, the rest of you may return to your seats."
Cho held tightly to Harry's hand as they left, "I'm glad that's over." she whispered to him.
Harry nodded, "I know what you mean." he begrudgingly let go of her hand as they past his seat so she too could go and sit down.
"Lady Narcissa and Mr Snape took some of the greatest risks during the war." Kingsley said, "They gave up those that they loved, their families, to go behind enemy lines and gather much needed information. They were subjected to horrific treatment at times, as well as the mental scars from what they were forced to bare witness to, knowing that if they helped or gave themselves away at all, many more would die. Because they became Death Eaters, pretending to serve You-Know-Who to protect us, they will be forever marked with the snake and skull tattoo. Just another example of their willingness to risk themselves. For their service, we award the Knot of Lady Esther Rowley, an award given lest than a dozen times since its creation in 1588."
Severus and Narcissa accepted their medals, leaving the stage as soon as they could. Their time undercover wasn't something they liked to dwell on.
"And now for the awards that were, in many ways the hardest." Kingsley said, "This is because they are newly created for the Second Wizarding War. They have never been given before and they will never be given again. They are open for all to apply to, and we will investigate every single person put forward for them… I… I cannot say how quickly you will get a response, as while we have over fifty people already investigating claims, we expect there to be… well a lot, of people put forward. It is our hope, it is my hope that these awards will echo down the years, reminding all of the horrors that this war caused for a generation. So, without further ado, everyone of those who fought against Voldemort is entitled to receive the Magical Medal of Honour, for standing up for what we believed was right. For everyone who was injured, you are to be awarded the Magical Medal of Bravery, for your enduring sacrifice. To everyone who bravely, fearlessly, gave themselves to be medics, to go onto the battlefields to, risking themselves to save lives, we award you the Magical Medal of Kindness, your kindness truly kept us all going. And lastly, with great sorrow, for those who paid the ultimate price and gave their lives to give us our freedom, we award you all the Magical Medal of Sacrifice."
Kingsley watched, trying desperately to maintain his composure, as everyone stood, clapping fiercely. He breathed a deep sigh of relief, it had gone far better than he's feared it would. No one yelled or even looked particularly displeased.
"I would like to thank you all, once again for coming out here today." Kingsley said, "Thank you."
Harry held Danica's hand tightly as the standing crowd slowly left and the general din of noise died down.
"You ok?" Danica asked, turning to Harry.
Harry forced a smile, "Look, I have a shiny medal."
Danica rolled her eyes and grinned somewhat evilly, "Do you think they'll allow you to get the medal of Sacrifice as well?"
"Mean!" Harry laughed.
"Well, you did technically die…" Danica pointed out, trying to look innocent, "Even if you know, it didn't stick."
Harry shook his head and laughed, "That's one way to put it. Come on they're setting out the buffet, we should get you something to eat."
Danica allowed him to baby her a little, it was something he often seemed to fall back on when his head was spinning. She didn't mind. Harry was one of the few people who treated her like nothing had changed; even if that sometimes meant he seemed to forget that she wasn't really all that young any more.
She popped a few sandwiches cut into neat triangles and four very little cupcakes on her plate, adding a spoonful of salad that filled up the other half of the plate.
House elves were flitting around, making sure that the drinks were replaced as soon as a glass was taken, and the food neatly arranged and looking plentiful.
"Cissy." Lily sighed, giving her a tight hug, "Are you alright?"
Narcissa smiled and nodded, "Yes. It was… more emotional, than I was expecting…"
"Is young Corvus ok?" Lily asked, passing over a steaming cup of tea with a digestive on the saucer, "I spotted him while I was up on the stage, he looked very pale."
Narcissa smiled sadly and led Lily to the nearest chairs, "Truth be told he did not want to come today."
"I can't blame him." Lily said comfortingly.
"He lost his sister, his brother as well as his mother and father." Narcissa sighed, "And there will be no memorial for them, no medals. The Ministry still watches him, just last week we had another letter saying the investigation into his involvement during the war is still on going… it's been over a year Lily… I just want him to be free to move on with his life."
Lily looked over to where Corvus was sat with Lucius, talking quietly between themselves. He wasn't half as pale as he once was and had grown at least four inches in the last year, he looked very grown, far more like an adult than a child.
"He's doing well, Cissy." Lily assured her, giving Narcissa's hand a tight squeeze.
"I just want his future to be settled." Narcissa said, "Lucius currently has two different drafts of inheritance for him, and until we can get one sorted and sorted at Gringotts the poor boy has nothing."
"Draco isn't about to throw him out in the street should anything happen to you, which it wont." Lily said firmly.
"You're right. I know you're right…" Narcissa said, looking over to Corvus, "He is looking better isn't he? You're right there as well."
"How is Dobby?" Lily asked, "Speaking of those who are unsure of their place in the world."
"He decided to return to Hogwarts last month." Narcissa told her, "He couldn't get comfortable in the Manor again, ghosts of his mother round every turn. Professor McGonagall has agreed that he can work in the kitchens there again, he'll be content there."
"I do hope so." Lily said earnestly, "He went through so much over the last few years."
Narcissa nodded, "We all have… I must go and make the rounds, but I will see you for tea next week?"
Lily nodded, "Yes and everything is still on track for the 24th November."
Narcissa's breath caught slightly in her throat, and she nodded, "Of course."