![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
Attention all! Today (2 May) is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the defeat of Voldemort and the end of the Battle of Hogwarts.
Firstly, ALL CLASSES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. Yes, for everyone. Unfortunately, this is not a “free day.” At 10:00 AM, there will be a special history lecture in the morning by none other than Professor Minerva McGonagall, who has come back to Hogwarts specially for the occasion. Secondly, there will be a large contingent of Ministry officials and illustrious people (read: war heroes) milling about the castle all day, preparing for an afternoon two-hour memorial service by the lake—beginning at 1 PM and ending around 3 PM. It will be mostly a lot of speeches by current and former Ministry higher-ups (notably former Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt and current Minister of Magic Mafalda Hopkirk), as well as Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger Weasley, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter himself. Some may find it boring, but the speeches will be incredibly poignant. Neville's speech will be about how the wizarding world found its courage and heart through that battle; Hermione's will be on how struggle against oppression is a universal endeavor and we must be careful never to be the oppressors ourselves; Ron's will be mostly firsthand stories of the battle and the journey to get to Hogwarts (please see: DH, and add in a healthy dose of Weasley embellishment); and Harry's will be focused on the long way the wizarding world has come since that day, and the journey it still has ahead of it. The service will be broadcast on the WWN to the wizarding world at large. Afterward, the student body will break into small groups of ten for an hour or so where they will talk about what this means for them/what has been the most significant aspect for them/where they think the wizarding world should go.
This evening, there will also be a special dinner in the Great Hall with the guests of honor mentioned above. The house-elves and other kitchen helpers really outdid themselves: it will be a feast to top all others (including Halloween, Christmas, etc.)—and a few special elves who were present in the castle twenty-five years ago and stayed to help will be singled out and honored. Note that we’re not doing this formally, but it is entirely possible with all the journalists hanging out that the children/nieces/nephews of war heroes may be approached and asked what this day means to them and how they feel about what their parents/aunts/uncles/etc contributed to wizarding history.
( the small groups )
Firstly, ALL CLASSES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. Yes, for everyone. Unfortunately, this is not a “free day.” At 10:00 AM, there will be a special history lecture in the morning by none other than Professor Minerva McGonagall, who has come back to Hogwarts specially for the occasion. Secondly, there will be a large contingent of Ministry officials and illustrious people (read: war heroes) milling about the castle all day, preparing for an afternoon two-hour memorial service by the lake—beginning at 1 PM and ending around 3 PM. It will be mostly a lot of speeches by current and former Ministry higher-ups (notably former Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt and current Minister of Magic Mafalda Hopkirk), as well as Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger Weasley, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter himself. Some may find it boring, but the speeches will be incredibly poignant. Neville's speech will be about how the wizarding world found its courage and heart through that battle; Hermione's will be on how struggle against oppression is a universal endeavor and we must be careful never to be the oppressors ourselves; Ron's will be mostly firsthand stories of the battle and the journey to get to Hogwarts (please see: DH, and add in a healthy dose of Weasley embellishment); and Harry's will be focused on the long way the wizarding world has come since that day, and the journey it still has ahead of it. The service will be broadcast on the WWN to the wizarding world at large. Afterward, the student body will break into small groups of ten for an hour or so where they will talk about what this means for them/what has been the most significant aspect for them/where they think the wizarding world should go.
This evening, there will also be a special dinner in the Great Hall with the guests of honor mentioned above. The house-elves and other kitchen helpers really outdid themselves: it will be a feast to top all others (including Halloween, Christmas, etc.)—and a few special elves who were present in the castle twenty-five years ago and stayed to help will be singled out and honored. Note that we’re not doing this formally, but it is entirely possible with all the journalists hanging out that the children/nieces/nephews of war heroes may be approached and asked what this day means to them and how they feel about what their parents/aunts/uncles/etc contributed to wizarding history.
( the small groups )