31 January 2010


The Office of the Minister of Magic announced this morning that the Order of Merlin will be awarded to Auror Tamis Raynor on Monday the 8^th of February. 

The Order of Merlin was created by the great wizard Merlin in the Middle Ages as an organization promoting the lawful protection of muggles, and in modern times has become the Ministry of Magic's highest honor, bestowed upon those living and dead who best exemplify the values of peace, bravery, generosity and magical prowess.  Raynor will be the 17^th witch ever to receive the honor.

Tamis Raynor was born in 1974 in London and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a part of Ravenclaw House.  In 1998, she achieved the rank of Auror, in the midst of Lord Voldemort's hostile infiltration of the Ministry of Magic.  It was during this time that Raynor personally assisted in the rescue of no less than 7 muggleborn witches and wizards who were being held for inevitable torture and murder at the hands of the Death Eaters, doing so at great personal risk.


In 2004, she along with a dozen other Aurors, responded to what turned out to be a massive escape attempt by violent convicts of Azkaban Prison.[1]  During this encounter she is reported by many to have exhibited exceptional magical prowess and admirable bravery, even while sustaining a grevious injury to her wand arm.

Following the incident, she replaced Jason MacDonnell, wounded in battle, as the Chief Auror.  And in 2009, upon the death of Gawain Robards, served as interim Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. 

Raynor is receiving the Order of Merlin Second Class for her heroism as an Auror.

The Minister of Magic Persepolis Zephyr tells the Daily Prophet that, "Auror Raynor is our most shining example of what it means to serve our society.  She is a paragon of all the values we hold dear.  She is brave.  She is skilled.  She is selfless."

"Tamis Raynor embodies the values of the Auror Corps," said retired Auror and Wizengamot member Jason MacDonell, speaking from Bannochdaen Castle in Scotland.  "She's honest, humble, and courageous, a dedicated public servant and an excellent leader.  Her commitment to professional, ethical law enforcement sets the standard for every other Auror."

"I have great admiration for Raynor, it's about time her talents were recognised other than in the reports of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. She sets an example for the Auror Corps, pity they don't follow it more closely," said Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes Edwin Glass.

Auror and hero in his own right, Harry Potter also commented, "I believe the fact that she's been selected for such a prestigious award speaks for itself. Tamis Raynor is quite deserving of the Order of Merlin, and I believe I may speak for the entire Auror Corps when I say that we're quite proud of her. She's accomplished, and she's proved her worth many times. From a more personal position, I'd simply like to congratulate Head Auror Raynor for this award, and here's to hoping it doesn't get to her head too much!"

And current holder of the Order of Merlin Isambard Roth had this insight:

"What makes a hero? I keep asking the old guy I see in the mirror this but he doesn't give me any response. So instead I pose the question to my good friend whisky. He's pretty quiet himself. So instead I ask the stars and they seem to have gotten it right. A hero is someone who is selfless, someone who is altruistic. Not some grizzled anti-hero with a cigar in his mouth. A hero is a person who will lay it all on the line just because it's the right damn thing to do.

"When Auror Raynor was still green around the ears she saved a bunch of my kind, she did this at enormous risk to herself. She had nothing to gain from it really, what with her background, but she did it anyway, because it was the right thing to do. I'm not going to tell you what you have to think of Auror Raynor, but give credit where credits due. Auror Raynor is due some damn credit."

1.	The Azkaban Prison Break of 2004