The Weekly Drabble - Epitaphs and Eulogies - Results in!

[Magical Maeve]

(With thanks to the lovely joanna for suggesting this idea)

This is a slightly unusual drabble assignment.

Everyone deserves an epitaph or eulogy of some description, be it bad or good.

Your challenge this week is to write an epitaph or a eulogy for one of the Harry Potter characters. They do not have to be dead in canon at the moment; this could be a final battle death, an old age death, broken heart death, illness... anything.

I know this sounds quite morbid, but it's a good way to get to the heart of a character when this has to encapsulate what the person writing really feels about them. This doesn't have to be a sad drabble; it could be a wonderful celebration of a person's life.

The character must be canon and must have had a speaking part in the books, even if it is only a few words.


And the rules...

Drabbles must be between 100 and 499 words.

All MNFF's normal standards apply, including grammar, spelling and formatting. Points may be deducted for badly presented drabbles.

You can earn 5 points for your house for entering no matter how many drabbles you post. The winner will be awarded an additional 20 house points, second place 15 and third 10.

If you enter more than one drabble, it must be edited into one post. You must not post more than once in this thread.

Challenge closes July 28th..


Use this form...

Author Name:
House: [you must enter this or you will not gain points]
Title:
Word Count:
Warnings:


If you have any questions, please ask them in the "The
Question Corner" thread, NOT this one. This is for the
drabbles only.

[emily_the_poet]

Cheery topic, Jan!

Author Name: Emily_the_poet
House: Ravenclaw
Title: It's Your Turn to Shine
Word Count: 359
Warnings: Character Death

I really hope this is okay:

"Luna; she was a wonderful person, a loving friend." Eighteen-year-old Ginny said with conviction to the crowd that had assembled at her best friend's memorial. "She was with no doubt the dottiest person I ever had the chance of meeting. She would be crazy, yet lucid at the same time. I remember, she was always telling me about something that probably doesn't exist, or something that her daddy had written in his newspaper. I remember I always pretended to listen while I was really ignoring everything she said. I regret that now. I never appreciated her the way she should have been appreciated. I always woke up the next morning; sure she would be down in the great hall waiting for me. It's hard to believe she's gone. That's the thing about wars; you never know who will live and who will die. So make sure you’re not the one in my position next time. Make sure your not the one standing up at the podium saying you regretted not giving another person everything they deserved. Enough about me and you," She said, biting back tears, "Luna is the one in the spot light today." The audience watched her walk over to the picture of Luna, and stroke it softly, but no one heard her whisper, "It's your turn to shine."

"Luna laughed. She loved. She never said anything she regretted, but everything she said was so blunt that you wanted to sweep her into a hug, or shake her, just because it hurt you to see her so indifferent to others influence. How could someone who lost their mother at nine be so forgiving? She bore the taunts of her peers with a smile on her face. She didn't get angry, or even, when she was harassed. She just took it in stride. She was always there to back up a friend; she rescued me from Filch on several occasions." Here she paused and brushed a tear from her eye.

"You don't find many Luna's in this world, so if you find one, embrace him or her. Don't toss them aside like we did with ours. I only wish she could hear the great things we said about her today, we didn't compliment her enough when she was alive."

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Author Name: Schmerg_The_Impaler
House: Hufflepuff
Title: Hero’s Tribute
Word Count: 249
Warnings: Character Death (Dur), Mild to moderate cheesiness.

Everyone at the funeral was battling valiantly with their tear ducts, usually with their tear ducts as the victors. It seemed impossible to keep a dry eye as they paid their respects to the fallen hero whose life had come to an end too soon.
A respectful hush fell over the room as an aged wizard who took the podium and delivered a heartfelt speech-- even his face was stained with the footprints of the tears that had run down his face. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of a great man,” he began plaintively. “A man who is world-renowned for his great deeds. Who knows how many more lives would have been lost without him? And his untimely death was in synchronicity with his greatest achievement of all time-- some said it couldn’t be done, but he did it. He defeated the evilest wizard of all time, the Dark Lord… Voldemort.” Almost everyone gasped as he spoke the name of the now-gone tyrant. Just hearing his name reminded them of the dark days when Voldemort had wreaked havoc on the wizarding world.
“And although he is now gone, he will always live on,” said the wizard. “In our hearts, our memories, and in the series of best-selling books in which he is the protagonist!”

Gilderoy Lockhart smiled and set down his pen. His series of fictionalized autobiographies had to end with the ultimate fictionalized ending-- a truly smashing funeral. And he had surely succeeded in writing that.

[hogwartsduchess]

Author Name: hogwartsduchess
House: GRYFFINDOR!!!
Title: A Husband’s Words
Word Count: 337
Warnings: none

“Friends, we are gathered here today to honour the memory of Ginevra Weasley. Those who knew her best praise her as a brave young woman, full of spirit, life, and an unquenchable fire. To me, she was kind, loving, and the most beautiful girl in the world. In the wake of the war with Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, I would like all of you to reflect on what life meant to Ginny and the others we lost in the course of the past years. This war has touched you all in some way, and for those of us gathered here today, it has taken the light out of our lives. But there is always hope. While friends and family hold memories in their hearts, those we love are never truly gone. Ginny’s life may have ended, but the essence of her will never fade. Ginny was a courageous, powerful and talented witch, someone all those here admired and respected. She exemplified the spirit of Gryffindor, the DA, and the Order of the Phoenix. She was daring, fearless and self-sacrificing. I know that better than any one else.” Harry paused to wipe his eyes.

“Ginny stepped in front of a Killing Curse meant for me, insuring my protection. She gave her life to save our world. What better way to show our appreciation and respect by being here for her today, as she makes her passage beyond the veil to join the loved ones who have gone before her? I know that we all would give whatever we could to bring her back, but I would not dishonour her memory in such a way, and nor should you. Ginny, brave and brilliant as she was, would not have wanted us to weep and wail. She would have had you eat, drink, and wish her spirit a good journey to the next world. I would like all of you present to raise your glasses and toast the true hero of this war: Ginevra Weasley Potter, my wife.”

[lily_16_evans]

Author Name: lily_16_evans
House: Slytherin
Title: Grawp's Lament
Word Count: 307
Warnings: none

The colossal man marched through the parted crowd and stepped up to the podium, directly behind the large coffin. On any other day there would have been gasps due to his size, but not today, not on the day of his brother’s funeral.

“I Grawp,” sobbed the speaker, “Hagger teach Grawp ter speak.” Grawp showed a small smile beneath the tears, remembering all that his brother had done for him.

“Grawp not know Hagger when he were little; He grew up big-bone wizard, Grawp grew up small-bone giant. He not such good big-bone wizard, wizards not want him, tell him to leave. But, Mr. Dumbledore know best, tells him to stay - he work and live here.” Grawp waved his hand at the castle behind the audience of mourners, who kept their eyes fixed on Grawp.

“Grawp born on mountain, I not such good small-bone giant, giants not want Grawp, they not tell Grawp, they just show Grawp.” Grawp gave a small wince in recognition of years of being beaten by larger and stronger giants. “Two ago years, Hagger come find Grawp hiding from bigger giants. At first me not like Hagger so much, but he smaller so Grawp know he can’t hurt Grawp. He take Grawp to this forest, and tie Grawp down!” Grawp motioned behind him to the Forbidden Forest, as the crowd let out small laughs, having taken Grawp’s last comment as a joke.

“Hagger teach Grawp many things and he make sure Grawp is safe. He meet Grawp with Harry Potter and Ms. Hermy. He be great man, saved Grawp from bad war.” Grawp had to give himself a moment to recollect, as the tears were flowing down his cheeks in streams. But, in the end he couldn’t continue as he had, due to the heavy sobs escaping from his mouth.

“Where Hagger?”

[coppercurls]

Author Name: coppercurls
House: Hufflepuff
Title: Speaker for the Dead
Word Count: 497
Warnings: character death, mild language

As spoken by Harry:

"You all know why we are gathered here today. I’m not going to pretend that the past never happened. I make no excuses.

Like all other boys, he was born and for a little while he lived. He had his faults and his failures. Everyone knew he was cruel, selfish, and cold. The words that lashed from his tongue were venomous. He never hesitated to use a jinx or a hex, picking on the small and the weak.

His father shaped him and molded him; brought him up to despise weakness in any form, to strive for perfection. In others, would we see this goal as perverse? To better ourselves? But no, you say. He warped those ideas with selfishness; they were wrong they didn’t agree with ours. No one took the time to understand, to explain. What was the use? He was born bad.

We called him Ferret behind his back, and sometimes to his face. We never let him forget his shame. After all, he was an animal, a twisted, evil creature who should be shunned or he would bite. We forgot that any animal backed into a corner will fight.

No one was close to him. Who could he speak to? The only ones who didn’t despise him were taught to need no one, the same as he. And so instead of friends he took followers. To late did he discover what being a leader means. He was surrounded, yet more isolated than before.

He lost his father to prison, his idol desecrated before his eyes. No one bore him sympathy. Who’d waste compassion on scum like that? All the while we despised him, and told him he was worthless. So he became what we made him- a servant of Voldemort.

He was given the impossible task of killing Dumbledore. His efforts were clumsy, a cursed necklace, a poisoned drink. Innocent people were hurt. People he shouldn’t give a damn about. And he cried. Even his grief held no sanctity, provoking a certain scar-faced boy who wouldn’t drop his grudge.

His use of the vanishing wardrobe was clever, a trait often overlooked. It was easy to forget his intelligence, he was eclipsed by a muggleborn at every turn, a girl he had been taught was beneath the dust on his feet. It must have chafed him to be second best.

He didn’t kill Dumbledore. He chose not to be what we had tried to make him, chose not to kill. There was never murder in his soul. He died by Voldemort’s own hand. Died for trying to make his life his own.

I don’t give you the guilt of his death, but the responsibility of our actions. I do not ask that you honor him, for some of you that would be asking too much. I only ask that you try to understand, that you do not judge him too hastily; for, at the end, all Draco Malfoy wanted was to be was himself."

[Cruciatus Love]

Author Name: Cruciatus Love
House: Slytherin
Title: One Last Speech
Word Count: 383
Warnings: character death

“Avada Kedavra!”

The whole world seemed to stop after he had said those words. Never before had he killed a soul. But there she was, lying in front of him. Her hair lay mangled behind her, and her eyes stuck open like she was watching something. But Bellatrix was most definitely dead.

Remus fell to the ground on his knees, and looked at the now lifeless woman in front of him. He knew he owed her nothing, but nonetheless felt awful for removing her life from the earth. It would be only right.

“Bellatrix lived a long life of sadness and woe. Never was she able to see what happiness could bring her, and never did she quite understand was life was all about. But she lived it nonetheless standing up for what she thought was right. She did everything in her power to show the world her beliefs, and hoped that they would accept them.”

Sitting alone in the soft grass, Remus continued his speech dedicated to the poor woman while trying to see the best in her. Because that’s what he always did-- saw the greatness in people.

“I’m sure, had she lived in a happier home, she could have grown up an amazing woman. She was very powerful as it was, and although she used these powers for evil, I believe she didn’t know what she was doing. She didn’t know what she could have been, because she never bothered to look. But she could have been helpful. She could have been great.

“But I know that she is proud of how she lived. She tried to show the world how things were in her mind, and just had a hard time showing it. I know that she will be happy where she is now. And maybe she’ll become a new person. Maybe she’ll find joy.

“I know she will.”

With this, Remus lifted his muddy knees from off the ground and stood up on his feet again. He always had found the best in people, and this was just yet another piece of evidence proving such. He had a soft spot in his heart for all humans-- how they thought, felt, acted, spoke.

The man bowed his head one last time, and walked away from the infamous woman forever.

[EyeEetStrudel]

Author Name: EyeEetStrudel
House: Gryffindor
Title: Mummy Saved The World
Word Count: 331
Warnings: None, unless you count a eulogy as "Character Death"

A peaky looking man approached the podium amid the stares of a dozen crying eyes. He didn’t often speak in public, and he himself was surprised by his decision to speak at her funeral. But, after all, she was one of the few who stayed with him, comforted him in his time of need.

“Family and friends, you all know why today we are here. A good friend, a loving mother and wife, and a true hero has recently passed away. She inspired us all with her final stand, and helped to save an entire community.” The man stopped to dry his eyes.

“You all know what she did. She sacrificed her own young life to save that of her child. She didn’t give up, she didn’t lose hope. She preformed the most spectacular act of heroism I have ever seen or heard of. Without this woman, it is almost certain that wizards and witches would still be dying at the hands of an evil man.

"She set the sky on fire with a new dawn. She was, and still is, a ray of hope and empowerment that shines in the bleakness of the aftermath of a terrible war. She is Lily Evans-Potter; she is my friend and our savior. Her love let her little boy live, and destroyed the one wizard most feared above all else. Her legacy will carry on throughout generations of young witches and wizards, sitting awestruck on the floor as Grandpa tells his story of how one amazing woman and mother helped to save the world. Her soul will, hopefully, forever rest in peace with the knowledge that her child is alive and her friends and family love her.”

Remus Lupin turned to the altar behind him, on which was a picture of his best mate’s wife, an unlit white pillar candle, and a single lily. Quietly sobbing, he lit the candle and took his seat back in the small gathering. Then it hit him that he never said goodbye.

[mecredi]

Author Name: Mecredi
House: Slytherin
Title: The Dark Lord or Tom Riddle?
Word Count: 418
Warnings: Character Death

“I know after the last eighteen years of fear, after all that has happened to us, none of you can see any reason to mourn the loss of this man,” Harry pronounced to the solemnly robed crowd nervously. “Some of you are shuddering even now, when I call this-this monster- a man. And in the end, he wasn’t. He had split his soul into more parts than any other being. He murdered innocents to become powerful-so powerful that he had become immortal.”

We all know what became of Lord Voldemort. He affected each and every one of our lives. He instilled fear, terror, grief, and loss in all. But, what I want to talk about today, one month after his downfall and death, is the part of him that very, very few of us know. Lord Voldemort was once a man. He was born Tom Marvolo Riddle, the son of Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Sr.

Before his death, Dumbledore explained to me many things and showed me memories of Tom Riddle’s early life. What I am here to do is to relate this to you, to show you how this transformation from boy to murderer could have occurred, and through this to ease your grief of your loved and loss. Many of your relatives, friends, and loves fought to end this bloodshed, and gave their lives to the most worthy cause. I am not here to belittle their efforts or to condemn their actions; I simply want to explain why this happened so that we may learn from it and prevent it from ever happening again.” Harry paused in his speech and looked out across the crowd. Some people were already crying, the last battle still fresh in their minds; others looked shocked that the boy-who-lived would possibly deliver this eulogy. Part of Harry felt the same way, but another part felt like this was the best possible tribute to Professor Dumbledore. Showing the mourning how to understand and be happy again, and, yes, how to love again was exactly what Harry thought Dumbledore would have done. Harry smiled thinking of Dumbledore and all his quirks: the sparkle in his eye, the start of term speech in Harry’s first year, and the love of lemon drops.

He smiled and continued in Tom Marvolo Riddles’s Eulogy. Relating the history and all the events that he had witnessed in Dumbledore's office when he was just sixteen almost ripped his heart out with sorrow, but he knew that it was worth it.

[kumydabookworm]

Name: kumydabookworm
House: Gryffindor
Title: The Thief
Word Count: 488
Warnings: Implied Character Deaths

Young and old members were gone, and the Order was decimated. Molly was one of the few left who knew the older members; most of the Order members around now were quick admissions to fill the ranks.

She never thought she would do this, but Mundungus deserved this final respect. He had fought and died honorably just like Arthur, Fred, and Bill. There was no one else but her to give him his final farewell. She took a deep breath.

“We all know that Mundungus Fletcher wasn’t an honorable man. In fact, he tried to attack my late husband when he was conducting a raid for Muggle artifacts. So you may ask, why am I speaking today?”

Molly swallowed, knowing she had to force these words out, knowing that they were true. “I am speaking today because despite his questionable morality, Mundungus fought for us and our children, and died for them, too.”

Several people sniffled. “I will be the first to admit I did not like Mundungus. He sold stolen goods to my sons, and he smoked these terrible cigars.” Molly heard a laugh, and even smiled herself. “However, he had a good side. He was always loyal to Dumbledore – he never wavered. He rescued my last remaining son, Ron, from some purple robes that were strangling him at 12 Grimmauld Place two years ago.”

Ron blushed in the front row. “Most people will look at Mundungus and see a thief. They will see a man imprisoned. They will not see what he stole – the final Horcrux that Harry Potter destroyed. They will not see why he was imprisoned – an Imperius curse made him act like an Inferi.”

Molly looked at the audience. “I once saw him this way, too. I never saw his loyalty or his wit – I saw a scruffy, belligerent no-good. I will never claim that Mundungus wasn’t scruffy, or belligerent, or even a no-good. He did some very criminal things in his life.”

Molly nodded firmly. “But we cannot lose sight of what he did do. He never wanted to die; in fact he tried to get out of it. When the dementors cornered him on the battlefield, he ran. But that’s not important. The fact that he came back, that he conquered his fear, that he died because of it – that makes him a hero.”

Molly blinked away unexpected tears. “I couldn’t see why Dumbledore trusted Mundungus Fletcher. Now, I think Mundungus, out of all of us, was the one to trust. Though he was not the best man, he was, in the end, strong enough to get the job done.”

Molly swallowed back the quivers in her throat. She watched his body slip into the ground next to the graves of the Order members – of six of her children and countless others. He had been an unaccountable fool, but he done what she could not. He had protected those he loved.