Ministry of Magic's Memorial Banquet - Speeches
Date: Thursday, 01 March, 2001
Time: beginning at 8:30pm
Location: Ministry Banquet Hall in Diagon Alley
Characters Involved: Ministry Officials, Order of Merlin Award Winners, and invited guests
Rating: PG
The sound of conversation beginning to increase once more over the scrape of silver on china was the first sign that it was time to move on to the primary point of the evening. The tinkle of chimes filled the room, calling everyone's attention to the front dias, where the Undersecretary to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was making his way to the podium placed at one end of the head table.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, his nasally voice echoing faintly with the mild sonorus charm he had used.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome and thank you for joining us on this auspicious evening. Tonight is indeed a night for rejoicing, for celebrating the year of freedom we have been given after so many years of brutal war. Now, it is my honor to introduce the man resonsible for this event, the man who has led us through these hard times -- Minister for Magic, Rudgier Shingleton!"
Politely weak applaus greeted this announcement as the Minister himself took the stand, a slight smile on his face as he greeted the assembled guests.
"Thank you. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, honored guests. Thank you. This is truly a night for thanksgiving. But," he paused for a moment to gaze meaningful back at the faces gathered around the head table. "But, I cannot claim even a fraction of the credit for this evening, or our deliverance. No, that belongs to these men and women joining me up here who gave so much to secure our freedom, to all of you and your loved once who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
"And to Mr. Harry Potter who brought the darkness to an end with his defeat of He Who Must Not Be Named."
Rudgier turned then to applaud first Harry Potter and then the assembled guests, urging others to join in. As the sounds faded out, he turned back to the room at large.
"Tonight, we dine and we celebrate...and we remember. We remember those who gave their lives for the freedom of our world. We remember the sacrifices made by these courageous heroes sharing this stage with me tonight. We remember the daring undercover work of Lucius Malfoy, the dauntless stewardship of Minerva McGonagall, and, of course, the victorious mission of Harry Potter.
"But, tonight is also a night when we look forward. We look forward to the future and the better world that we can build for the generations to come. We look forward to a world in which neighbors no longer eye each other with suspicion and wariness. We look forward to a world in which parents no longer fear to allow their children to play out of doors, and a world where the violence of war is but a thing of memory.
"This is the world this Ministry is dedicated to building, that I pledge to see come to pass. We have seen the beginnings of this world. No longer do we need to fear the dark purposes the shadows might conceal. Now we know precisely what the dangers are and where they are hiding. We have moved away from the days when terror and bloodshed rule. And with the memory of the great deed of these, your fellow witches and wizards, to guide us, I believe, that safe and happy world is not far off in the future."
Standing proudly in front of his guests, Rudgier allowed the determination of his words -- a tone he had spent several hours perfecting that morning -- before returning to his well rehearsed humble demeanor.
"However, let me shift the focus away from myself an back to the special guests who have joined us this evening. I give you now, your heroes from the War Against He Who Must Not Be Named!"
Time: beginning at 8:30pm
Location: Ministry Banquet Hall in Diagon Alley
Characters Involved: Ministry Officials, Order of Merlin Award Winners, and invited guests
Rating: PG
The sound of conversation beginning to increase once more over the scrape of silver on china was the first sign that it was time to move on to the primary point of the evening. The tinkle of chimes filled the room, calling everyone's attention to the front dias, where the Undersecretary to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was making his way to the podium placed at one end of the head table.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, his nasally voice echoing faintly with the mild sonorus charm he had used.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome and thank you for joining us on this auspicious evening. Tonight is indeed a night for rejoicing, for celebrating the year of freedom we have been given after so many years of brutal war. Now, it is my honor to introduce the man resonsible for this event, the man who has led us through these hard times -- Minister for Magic, Rudgier Shingleton!"
Politely weak applaus greeted this announcement as the Minister himself took the stand, a slight smile on his face as he greeted the assembled guests.
"Thank you. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, honored guests. Thank you. This is truly a night for thanksgiving. But," he paused for a moment to gaze meaningful back at the faces gathered around the head table. "But, I cannot claim even a fraction of the credit for this evening, or our deliverance. No, that belongs to these men and women joining me up here who gave so much to secure our freedom, to all of you and your loved once who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
"And to Mr. Harry Potter who brought the darkness to an end with his defeat of He Who Must Not Be Named."
Rudgier turned then to applaud first Harry Potter and then the assembled guests, urging others to join in. As the sounds faded out, he turned back to the room at large.
"Tonight, we dine and we celebrate...and we remember. We remember those who gave their lives for the freedom of our world. We remember the sacrifices made by these courageous heroes sharing this stage with me tonight. We remember the daring undercover work of Lucius Malfoy, the dauntless stewardship of Minerva McGonagall, and, of course, the victorious mission of Harry Potter.
"But, tonight is also a night when we look forward. We look forward to the future and the better world that we can build for the generations to come. We look forward to a world in which neighbors no longer eye each other with suspicion and wariness. We look forward to a world in which parents no longer fear to allow their children to play out of doors, and a world where the violence of war is but a thing of memory.
"This is the world this Ministry is dedicated to building, that I pledge to see come to pass. We have seen the beginnings of this world. No longer do we need to fear the dark purposes the shadows might conceal. Now we know precisely what the dangers are and where they are hiding. We have moved away from the days when terror and bloodshed rule. And with the memory of the great deed of these, your fellow witches and wizards, to guide us, I believe, that safe and happy world is not far off in the future."
Standing proudly in front of his guests, Rudgier allowed the determination of his words -- a tone he had spent several hours perfecting that morning -- before returning to his well rehearsed humble demeanor.
"However, let me shift the focus away from myself an back to the special guests who have joined us this evening. I give you now, your heroes from the War Against He Who Must Not Be Named!"