“I am very honored that you have chosen me to speak for you.� (looks around nervously)

“Some of you have been here longer than me,� (looks to people sitting in the back of the room) “and I do not know how you handle it. I know that you – and everyone in this room – have lost a child during the War, and I know how hard it must be for you to cope with your loss.

“My son, Fred, is – was – always a carefree boy. From the time he was a baby to the time he…left us, he always had fun. His twin brother, George, was right there with him every moment. They did everything together – I rarely ever found them apart. One time, he almost got one of his brothers to swear to an Unbreakable Vow…� (smiles fondly but sadly)

“He and his brother were Beaters on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. I knew that they would be great for the job because they don’t like people harming their family, and the Gryffindor team was like their extended family. Being their mother, I wasn’t fond of them – or any of my children – playing such a dangerous game, but I knew, deep down, that they wouldn’t let anything happen to them.

“Fred may never have been as bright as other students, but he had something that few other people have: he had the power to make people laugh. I got dozens of letters from Minerva McGonagall telling me of the trouble that my twins had gotten into for their many pranks. I never imagined him leaving Hogwarts early. How could he get anywhere without having a proper education? I just wanted the best for my baby; I’m sure you can understand.� (tears up)

“He and his brother George started a joke shop in Diagon Alley. I thought it was a waste of time; making jokes isn’t the job that a bright young boy should do, you know? He didn’t listen to me, though. He is – was – always stubborn, but I could tell that he was sure of his choice. Besides, I couldn’t handle not talking to another one of my boys.

“Their shop was booming with business soon enough, and I knew I had been wrong. I had told him that a joke shop would get him nowhere, and that is something I regret - not believing in him from the beginning. I should have been happy for him – he was doing what he loved, but I didn’t think it was enough.

“He took his knowledge of pranks and made things to help defend people from V-Voldemort and his Death Eaters. It was a genius idea, and I was proud that my boys thought of it.� (smiles)

“All of my family helped fight against V-Voldemort. From the moment he came back until the moment he died, I was scared for my family. The first War had been bad enough; I wasn’t ready for another. I’m sure you felt the same way when you heard that He was back. I was terrified. I tried not to let it show for my family’s sake, and they stayed strong with my support.

“Soon, more people were found dead and I was dreading when I would find out that one of the many children that died was mine.� (nods with the rest of the room)

“One night, my George came home without one of his ears – he had been cursed with Dark Magic. As mad as I was with the person who did that to one of my babies, I could not help but be happy that only his ear was missing. I also couldn’t help being proud of my son for helping Harry Potter.

“Things only got worse from there on out. There were more attacks, and more people kept getting hurt. I cherished every moment with each of my children that I had, but it never seemed like enough.

“When the Death Eaters and Voldemort entered Hogwarts, I was outraged. Who would put all of those children in harm’s way? My husband and I got to Hogwarts as quick as we could; we found all of our kids standing there, including Harry. I wanted to yell at all of them and tell them to go home, but I had no power over them. They were all of age and they could do whatever they wanted to. They chose to fight. When they ran away to their respective places, I was lost inside. My babies were running straight into danger, and there was nothing that I could do. I could only be happy that Ginny, my daughter, would be safe at the moment.

“Now that I look back, I always slap myself for being so foolish as to let them fight. Maybe if I had been stricter, all of my babies would be alive right now.� (sobs, walks off stage, unable to continue)