Ron, Ron, Ron Weasley!

I think I never told you this... but I'm taking classes at FSU this summer and one of them is Public Speaking (plus Biology and History of Latin America, which I both hate. Nothing like my first semester at FSU). My last and never-delivered speech had to be a ceremonial speech, you could choose between three things: a graduation speech, an eulogy or an award-winning speech (I'm aware of how many times I said 'speech' in this sentence but I couldn't help it). I chose the eulogy or basically a funeral speech. It sounds weird that I wanted to do this, but I thought it could be different. I heard Grammy-Award and graduation speeches like ten million times and if I did one of those, everybody would cast themselves into a sleeping spell. So, I decided to write a funeral speech for Dumbledore. I thought it could be sad and funny at the same time, I have to admit my creativity and imagination did a good job (and pardon my egomaniac self). Unfortunately, this speech was never delivered because my cold didn't let me, I practically didn't have voice. Anyway, here it is... Enjoy!

And if you're not gonna read it all, at least read the bold and purple paragraph just like this one.  

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry announces the sad loss of its Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

     Dear fellow students of all mighty houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff  and Ravenclaw; notable professors and staff members, today we are gathered here under the starry night sky and thousands of flickering candles floating in mid air mourning for the loss of one of the greatest wizards of all time, professor Albus Dumbledore. I remember the first time I sat in here for the “Sorting Ceremony”, my good friend Hermione Granger told me that it’s bewitching to look into the ceiling and see stars; she read in some book that the Great Hall didn’t simply open on to the heavens. Ever since, I’ve thought that the starry sky perhaps leads us to a heaven-like place, but more mysterious and full of secrets. I’d like to believe that Dumbledore is up there watching over us.

     I don’t believe he’s truly gone, we will not be able to see his long silver beard, his sparkling blue eyes behind those half-moon spectacles and his typical purple cloak that swept the grounds, but I’m sure he left a more powerful impression beyond his typical appearance. We cannot deny he left a piece of him in each of us with his words of wisdom and witty advice. For some he was a great transfiguration teacher back in the day and for most of us the mighty Headmaster, full of patience and overflowing goodness.

It is inevitable to be in a state of grief, but deep in my soul I know that he doesn’t want me to be bitter or saddened. He told me once, “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Let’s not remember the tragedies and let’s recall the moments of joy, content and pleasure. Here’s a funny story to mellow your hearts, I’m sure that many of you remember from the first page of the Daily Prophet, how Dumbledore escaped from the Ministry of Magic. He told Dolores Umbridge he refused to go to Azcaban and in a bit he made a great escape with Fawkes, his pet phoenix. The news went viral and everybody thought of it as hilarious. Even Kingsley Shacklebolt said that the minister might not like Dumbledore but there’s no doubt he’s got style! His light sense of humor brightened everybody and his humbleness was like no other. He enjoyed the little things of life like chamber music, tenpin bowling and earwax jellybeans.

If there’s something I truly learned from him, was to not be afraid of death. We tend to force ourselves to omit death and think of it as an option, when in reality it is something just as natural as breathing and that at any point in our life, we will all go through it. Death is not there to discourage, but to remind us that everything in this world, and even in the world of magic, is temporary and the only thing that goes on forever is love. He told me to not pity the dead, but to pity the living, and above all, those who live without love. 

We will all miss you professor, there’s no doubt. A wizard like you will never be forgotten. And now I will leave you with one of his great quotes:

“After all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure” 

(I DO NOT OWN THE IMAGE)