❝ WE STAND HERE ON THE ELEVENTH ANNIVERSARY of our defeat of he who must not be named and we remember all who fought valiantly in that final battle and selflessly gave their lives for a future that they didn't get to see. we honor fallen friends and family for the sacrifice they made to ensure that we could stand here, today, and we repay them by ensuring that their stories are told and most of all, remembered. it is important that we never forget them, and it is equally so that we use the lives that we gained that day to do good in their name, in this world, for as long as we have them. ❞
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE :
the annual memorial for the battle of hogwarts is typically held on the grounds of hogwarts school over a four day period at the start of may. while the rest of the magical community honor those that fought with survivor discounts and temporary remembrance walls arranged at the heart of wixen towns, the hogwarts memorial is an expertly planned event run to an unimaginable standard. at one point in time, the ministry of magic - led back then by the somewhat disgraced kingsley shacklebolt - almost entirely funded it, as well as took care of private security with a team of specially selected aurors. over the past few years, minister antonin karkaroff has really put in the work to justify lowering both the budget and the number of aurors present, until finally, last year, he succeeded in eradicating both. headmistress mcgonagall has long been making up the difference out of her own pocket, but with support for minister karkaroff at an all time high amongst the civilian community - and with many feeling ten times safer with him in attendance than they ever did with just the dedicated auror team after he singlehandedly took down fenrir greyback - there aren't many people willing to complain about that aloud.
the war heroes that fought during the battle always receive handwritten invitations weeks in advance, with the same care and expense given to the ones sent to the surviving family of those that lost their lives. the opening remembrance ceremony will be held on castle grounds early on may 2nd, with recognisable public figures - most notably the minister of magic himself, as well as the surviving memebrs of dumbledore's army - set to give speeches to the gathered crowd, this year. this is followed by a feast in the great hall with the house tables and colors abandoned in favor of a more intimate set up, all to encourage the mingling of all of the crowds. the white candles usually suspended in the air overhead are changed out for black, and they remain lit through to the very end of the weekend. usually, groups splinter off after dinner, with many heading towards hogsmeade for a stiff drink.
the last quidditch match of the hogwarts season ( gryffindor versus hufflepuff ) falls on saturday, may 3rd, and guests at the castle are welcome to watch. the rest of this day is considered a day of quiet reflection, during which wix are permitted to wander the school and grounds, taking time to reflect. the goodbye ceremony - a gathering in the courtyard where wands are raised to the sky and orbs of multicolored light are sent upwards like muggle fire lanterns - will go ahead as normal on the 5th.
wix travelling in for the event are welcome to avail of either the hogwarts guest quarters or the many inns available to them in both hogsmeade and the surrounding muggle villages. hogwarts alumni can take beds in the guest rooms of their old common rooms if they would prefer, and non hogwarts alumni can claim spaces in the guest quarters located beneath professor lodgings. both have been freshened up by well paid elves during the past few weeks, and both will be well tended by those same elves over the weekend.
OUT OF CHARACTER:
last year we had a fairly huge in character milestone, and this year, it feels like the milestone that matters most is out of character ! this is our fifth boh memorial written in real time, and what a wild time it has sometimes been ! eleven years ago, dumbledore's army brought an end to lord voldemort - our first major plot divergence ! five years ago, sybill trelawney delivered our very first original prophecy while the dark mark hung over the sky. four years ago, we had a death we don't really talk about anymore, but that clementine weasley is going to be feeling extra sensitive about. as with last year, the professors of hogwarts are the only people putting forward additional protective enchantments and making up the private guard keeping watch over the school, this year. it's the professional opinion of our dear minister that three years without incident is enough to say we won't see any more drama on a memorial weekend, and we all know that what he says goes. hopefully, he's right !
this event starts on friday the 2nd of may at 6pm gmt - click here to see what that translates to for your timezone ! the plan is for it to run for two weeks and end on the 16th, and in character, this covers the 2nd, 3rd and 5th !
this is a discord / dash hybrid event, and while it isn't a requirement for you to pause your current threads, please make sure that you differentiate between old threads and new in some way !
most characters would be expected to attend at least one of the memorial days, though of course the choice ultimately comes down to you. just keep in mind that regardless of whether they fought or not, most people at the very least know someone who was caught up in the war and this is the biggest event honouring those whose lives have been lost. it seens a message if they're not present, hence why involvement is important to consider !
starters can be tagged with nox.event047, and you have the wide range of location choice that comes with an event set at hogwarts and the surrounding hogsmeade area !
if you have any questions or concerns, please message the main ! once you've read this post, give a little riperoni to a character we lost in the comments !