I haven’t blogged about HP book club in what feels like forever! That tab up there is pretty out-of-date and lonely. Maybe when I get a second to breathe in December (hahahahahaha as if I would ever allow myself a second to breathe hahahahahaha I hate myself) I will update it.
Hannah even decorated with Horcruxes!
For our October meeting I had the idea to write eulogies for our favorite deceased characters and have a Deathday Party – sans haggis or moldy foods. I feel really REALLY passionately about fictional people, Harry Potter characters especially. I have literally never cried harder in my life than watching Dobby die in the movie, and it still wrecks me every single time. Once we were watching it at my in-laws and I was trying to keep my crying silent and contained (and failing) and my mother in law looks over at me and says
You do know that’s just a puppet, right?
NO KITTY I DO NOT. He is real to me! So naturally I chose him and cried through my eulogy, as most of us did. So without further ado – Harry Potter Eulogies. (This was kind of weird to organize and format, so hopefully it’s easier for you to read and understand!)
Multi-Character
Danica Rugg
It’s been said that to live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people only exist. To all that are honored here tonight, I can assure you that they really lived. The greatest treasure one can leave behind is love, knowledge, and a legacy worth following.
Dobby- He taught me true, unwavering love. The kind that is so powerful and steady it puts the ones you love forever above yourself. The kind that allows you to sacrifice yourself for them, no matter the cost.
Fred- He taught me that there is always room for humor, and warm laughter shared between friends and family is often what turns on the light in the darkness of times.
Albus- He deeply ingrained in me that to choose love, bravery, and hope is infinitely more important that being born with a tendency towards them. That despite mistakes previously made, what I choose today is what matters most to my soul. He understood that it is a worse fate to continue living without love, than to die and move on.
Severus- He was the ultimate example that debts can be forgiven, and horrible mistakes can be repaid. That our actions – whether they are seen or noticed by our peers – have far greater importance than words we speak. And that love truly can conquer all.
Tonks and Remus- Together they showed me that marriage can thrive in the unlikeliest of circumstances, and long as you love fiercely and bravely. that our outward appearance, or how others view us, is the least important factor. With their death they proved that one of the greatest treasures to leave a child is parents who are willing to stand up for what is right rather than cowardly avoiding the tough choices.
Lily- And lastly, she taught me that a mothers love for a child can change the future of the world. That a mother who loves her children, can have far greater an impact and lasting influence and protection than the worst evils in this world.
To you: Dobby, Fred, Albus, Severus, Remus, Tonks, and Lilly – and all others who died fighting for what was good and right. I honor you. I am forever grateful for the impact you have made in my life, and for the legacy you have left for me to share with those I love the very most.
None of us left here know what the future holds for us, but with the lessons you have taught us, and the love we share, “what’s coming will come, and we will meet it when it does.”
Jessie Walker
When I read these books, I read them like I was Harry Potter. This eulogy is from his point of view.As Sirius says, “The ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them in here.” (Point to heart)SiriusSirius, “We didn’t lose the game; we just ran out of time.”Watching you pass through the veil was the most painful that has ever happened to me, I hope I never have to experience that pain again.You were there when no one else was. You were the father that I never had.You came and watched me play quidditch, you risked your life and freedom to take me to the train, to check on me at the Dursleys and to check on me at Hogwarts. Thank you.Fred“And Percy was shaking his brother, and Ron was kneeling beside them, and Fred’s eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.”You were my brother, and you were my friend. You were taken to early from us, but you were too well loved to ever be forgotten.
Thank you for the endless laughs you gave us.
I will never forget when you gave Dudley Ton-tongue toffee or when you lit off fireworks in the great hall.Hedwig“The most valuable gift you can receive is an honest friend.” And that’s what you were.She was the most loyal friend I ever had. Pecking at Ron and Hermoine until they wrote me back, always being there for me.
She was my security blanket and helped me feel safe.
She was named after St. Hedwig of Andechs.
She was known for having the power to relieve the bodily and spiritual troubles of all those who sought her help.
And that’s what Hedwig did, healed me. She was there for me, and she healed me.James and Lily“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” I know that you are watching over me, and that you loved me just as much as you did when you were alive.Thank you for helping me escape Voldemort in the little Hangleton graveyard. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for helping me have the courage to face Voldemort in the forest. I cant wait till I can see you again and feel your warmth.Dobby“Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing me from that cellar. It’s so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and brave. I’ll always remember what you did for us. I hope you’re happy now.”He is remembered as a brave, one-of-a-kind friend, who laid down his life not only for an important cause, but for the lives of the friends he loved so dearly.Thank you Dobby.DumbledoreAs Dumbledore would say “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure”Of course, no words we can utter here, will honor Dumbledore as much as he deserves.We have known no equal in his ability to love his friends and his students, as well as those who may be less deserving of such affection.Thank you for taking me under your wing and teaching me what I need to do to defeat Voldemort.SnapeThe strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us but those who win battles we know nothing about.We all loathed Snape from the moment we met him.We blamed him for the deaths of James and lily.We watched him kill Albus Dumbledore.The memory of my intense hatred for Snape is painful now.He turned his back on Voldemort, he protected harry from Quirell, he undermined many of Dolores Umbridges plots, he protected the students of Hogwarts from the Carrows cruelty, and he protected the sword of Gryffindor, and gave Bellatrix a fake.His dying act was to help Harry beat VoldemortThank you.”Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth II
Sirius Black
Haley Carlson
Padfoot, Marauder, Godfather and Friend.You are remembered for your loyalty to the end.12 Years in Azkaban unjustly spentNow you and Buckbeak can fly to your hearts content.From the moment you were cursed through that awful veilAll of our lives felt a little of HellA dog you’ll become on every full moonWatching the werewolf cry his heartbroken tuneYou leave behind a griefstricken boyOne that you taught and helped employYou stood in alliance to help protect the Great Cause,Whether in your wizard form or when you had pawsThere are few men and dogs more loyal than youSirius, Padfoot, you will be missed by all who you knew
Tonks
Lisa Devey
My dear friend and fellow Hufflepuff Nymphadora Tonks was taken from us far too soon. She was so smart and bubbly, a tad clumsy, but she was fiercely loyal, and a friend to all. After graduating from Hogwarts, Tonks pursued a career as an auror. This is where she met Mad-Eye Moody, her mentor and teacher, it was towards the end of his long career and he trusted almost no one. Yet Tonks became very close to him. He not only trusted her but grew to love her. She also easily befriended teenage witches and wizards by amusing them with pig noses and pink hair. Tonks was loved by everyone who knew her and she returned that love eagerly.
Tonks saw first hand the discrimination of pure bloods to muggleborns through her parents marriage. But she also saw how the love her parents had for each other was able to overcome the discrimination of her mother’s family. Following the example of her parents she let nothing stand in the way of her true love and married Remus Lupin. She didn’t care that he was a werewolf or that he was older than her. She saw him for what was in his heart and loved him for it. This love only grew and she became a mother. And as a mother she wanted to make the world a better place, especially for those she loved.
When Tonks joined the Order of the Phoenix she knew the dangers she would face. She knew very well what she was going into when she left her son, Teddy, only a few weeks old, and joined her husband in the battle of Hogwarts.
Tonks should have lived a long life. She should have been able to have more children and to have been there to watch them grow, to wave goodbye to them as they went to school for the first time and to celebrate with them as they got married and had children of their own. Instead she died so that the world for Teddy would be better than it was for her. She was the only mother to die during the battle. She knew what she was giving up but she also knew it would be worth it. To Tonks, the mother who died!
Rachel Johnson
Nymphadora Tonks was a young 25 years old when she was murdered at the Battle of Hogwarts. She always despised her given name and only responded to being called Tonks, although her parents could get away with calling her Dora. Her light burned bright and loud and far too quickly. Tonks attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where she was sorted into Hufflepuff. Despite being a brilliant and overly capable witch she was never chosen as prefect because of “behavioral issues”. That means she had a lot of fun at school.
We have heard all the bad stereotypes about Hufflepuff but what should be remembered and honored is their overarching characteristic of loyalty. No one was a greater representative of a loyal Hufflepuff than Tonks. Tonks showed up. Every time. Ready to work and ready to fight for what she and her family knew was right. She left no room for doubt about which side she fought for. Tonks did this knowing well that she could lose her loved ones and even lose her own life, which she ultimately did. But still, she showed up. Every time. Tonks’ dream of becoming an Auror came true and fully realized under the mentorship of “Mad Eye” Moody. They seemed an unlikely pair – her clumsiness and desire to bring a smile to everyone and his no nonsense approach to just about everything would appear to be a mismatch to an outsider. But they shared a most important characteristic – dedication to the business of fighting against the dark arts. Oh, how she mourned his passing. They understood each other and that is priceless.
She shared this passion with the love of her life, Remus Lupin. Through ups and downs they found each other, lost each other, and found each other again. They fell in love during a dangerous time to open your heart but that’s who Tonks was, a lover and a fighter. So really, it was the perfect time to fall in love! They had a beautiful boy, Teddy Remus Lupin, named for the two men she loved the most. And he is why we mourn! His mother was stolen from him and the most he will know about her is through pictures and stories. They both deserve more! Teddy deserves to grow up sharing his metamorphmagus with she who gave it to him and she deserved to funnel all her love, passion, skill, and creativity into this beautiful display of love she and Remus shared. She would have been an incredible mother and not just because she could have a beak and silver hair one minute and pink hair with a pig’s snout the next No, because Tonks was love and Tonks was loyal. She always showed up l. Every time. And Teddy deserves to know that.
So tonight we celebrate our dear Tonks and her contributions to the greater good. Oh how thrilled she would be and so we must be thrilled! For her life, her death, and most importantly, her brightly burning light.
Dobby
Danica Holdaway
Dobby’s death was absolutely the most painful for me I think in part because it was so unexpected. Yes, we knew she was going to kill people – important people. It just didn’t feel like Dobby was going to be in that category. Not because he wasn’t important or vital to the story, because he is. I hesitate to call him a “fringe” character because I don’t think he’s that either, but I just don’t know how to describe that he comes in and out of the story a lot, and it’s easy to forget about him when he’s not present. In addition to being a somewhat “fringe” character, he was so innocent and weird. Surely it wouldn’t be him. But it was. And like Harry, his death changed me. It still absolutely kills me every single time. And I’ve realized over time WHY.
It’s true that in Malfoy Manor Dobby sacrificed his life for his friends. He died in a way that left him at peace – because he was protecting, SAVING those he loved. I feel that I know him well enough to say that he wouldn’t take it back. Not for one second.
But in reality, Dobby sacrificed his life long, long before that cold and dismal beach as he lay dying in Harry’s arms. Dobby’s sacrifice came in the life before he knew Harry. Dobby served evil and abusive masters for much of his life. But his bravery and purity was such that he was never crushed under their dominion. Dobby knew that what the Malfoys were doing was wrong. Disobeying, betraying his masters went against every single physical, emotional and magical force within him. But he did it. Because despite his life of darkness and abuse, he believed there was good in the world and it deserved saving. This lowly house-elf, viewed as second- or third-class by much of the magical community, was able to throw off powerful ancient magic and deeply ingrained tradition (though not without some ear-twisting) because he was THAT pure and THAT strong.
That year Dobby risked it all, constantly punished himself and faced a fate worse than death when Lucius discovered his treason. THAT was his true sacrifice, and he was going to follow through no matter the cost. In the end he was freed not by the Malfoys, but by his hero and savior – Harry. And he spent every minute from that moment on wearing that filthy sock and doing anything he could for Harry and his friends, and ultimately to do what was right. It sometimes hurts now, knowing what I know, to hear Harry and others call him a “nutter” or weird. But I am grateful for the comic relief he provided throughout the story. And even more grateful that he was so weird. A normal house elf would not and could not have done the things Dobby did.
To the very end he was pure, he was brave and he was selfless. He changed Harry. He changed us. Above all he taught us what is really important, and what is really worth dying – and living – for: friends. For that he will always be sacred. To Dobby.
Hedwig
Lindsay Reynolds
When Hagrid bought a certain owl for Harry Potter’s 11th birthday, he had no idea how useful and how utterly loyal the creature would be to her owner. Nor did Harry have any idea how fitting the name Hedwig really was when he found it in A History of Magic and decided to use it for his new owl. Hedwig of Andechs was the patron Saint of orphans….
During his time locked up at number 4 Privet Drive from the time he was 11 to age 17, Harry’s only constant friend was Hedwig. She was a highly intelligent and intuitive pet who took great care of her owner.
She made sure to find his best friend Hermione while she was on holiday in France to ensure he had a gift to open for his 13th birthday..
She knew to go to the Leaky Cauldron when Harry stormed out of Privet Drive when he was thirteen.
She knew how to find Harry’s fugitive godfather Sirius when not even Harry knew where he was.
She always understood Harry’s requests -especially when he told her to peck at Ron and Hermione until they gave him good responses.
She showed affection as well as proud indignation; she never held back her feelings (especially towards Pigwidgeon). But she always forgave and stuck by Harry’s side until the end.
En route to a safe house, the snowy owl met her sad end when a Death Eater shot a killing curse and hit her. Harry’s shock and grief at Hedwig’s death was so great that the Death Eaters were able to identify him as the REAL Harry Potter out of 7 false ones. One could equate the loss of Hedwig with the loss of Harry’s innocence as he turned of age. Through everything, the calm and the storms, the hills and the valleys, Hedwig remained. Always there; always constant. Hedwig was a proud, mighty, intelligent owl and steadfast friend. Here’s to you, Hedwig.
Hannah Laneri
It is with great sadness and probably many tears that I stand in front of you this evening to remember the life and flight of Hedwig, the beautiful snowy owl. Hedwig was brought into our lives by a character we love dearly. Hagrid probably didn’t know just how important Hedwig would be to Harry and to all of us, especially me. I was thinking about Hedwig, trying to put my thoughts into words, when I came across a quote I found so fitting: “I belong to [those] I love, and they belong to me- they, and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could.” Hedwig brought so much light into times that were dark. She was a loyal and brave bird. She was one of few of Harry’s closest companions. She always seemed to understand Harry’s wishes and unspoken thoughts. Summers were made easier because of Hedwig. She was Harry’s only ally in the Dursley’s house. Her life was dedicated to serving Harry, which in turn, served all of us. Losing one you love is never easy, but when it’s a friend that, at times, was your only friend, it seems to be even harder. Now, she will forever rest with her head under her wing, perched in our memories.
Voldemort
Emilee Bench
It may come as a shock that I am reading this here for you today.
We were not close.
We were not friends.
You were the villain, the evil, the hate.
You turned worlds upside down, left families broken, and with fury you spread fear and darkness.
But I know we needed you.
For without you we would never have need to rise above.
Hope could be discarded, tenacity left unbrandished and friends and family were never to be the pillars they were meant to.
You brought us sorrow, which allowed us to reach up and grasp for joy.
And in the end, you lost.
And you left us with everything you weren’t.
Friendship and bravery.
Goodness and love.
For that, you will always be remembered.
Kayla Stastny
I stand here today to give a great sigh
A piece I wrote for the day he would die
You were formally known as you-know-who
Lord Voldemort, you know it’s true
You shouldn’t have died, a thought no one wished
Because you see, you never were missed
Teenage girls, you reminded me of
A ring, diary, locket, and a pet that you love
Even obsessing over a teenage boy
You’re almost as bad as Draco Malfoy!
Too proud to move on, too strong to fade away,
Lily and James’ lack of interest brought you to Harry’s that day
You might have prospered and potentially won,
If not for his parent’s love for their son
You saw that you didn’t have enough power,
To win over love that does not cower
People were scared of what you may do,
To prove you would do what you wanted to do
Fear of spider is arachnophobia,
Fear of small spaces – claustrophobia
But of a fear of you? That’s just common sense
Now as I look back, it’s all in past tense.
Your life was one long, depressing story
When you died all yelled a cheer of glory
You were loved by well…..like no one ever
But your life, though in vain, was quite the endeavor
Remembered in a way of which you should be ashamed
Forever the man who shall not be named.
Did you make it through this post without crying? Doubt it. To all of our fallen comrades – we salute you.
